Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The woman next door leans over and asks me, curious and a little amazed: who built this beautiful home of yours?
Tell me the name of your carpenter, she says, and I will pay him twice as much to build one for me too.
A neighbor sees the joy in Namdev's home and asks, "Who built it? I want the same builder."
This shabad is by Bhagat Namdev, a devotee who loved the One with his whole life. It opens with a funny little scene from village life. The woman next door leans over the fence. Naamaa kaa peh chhaan chhavaa-ee — Namdev, who built your house?
To peh dugnee majooree daiha-o — I will pay him double! Mo ka-o baydhee dayh bataa-ee — just tell me who your baydhee, your carpenter, is.
Think of a friend who sees your happy family and asks, "Where did you buy that?" as if happiness came from a store. The neighbor thinks she can simply hire the builder. The whole shabad turns on her innocent question, because the real Builder is not for sale.
If a neighbor asked what makes you happiest inside, what would you tell them?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI