Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
So often I say one thing and do another. I am tangled in the endless show of the world, and I cannot quite understand it.
Says Ravidas, Your servant stands empty-handed and humble before You. Please set aside all sternness, and pour Your mercy over my heart.
This one ends the shabad with a humble plea for tenderness.
Kahee-at aan achree-at an — we say one thing and do another. Tangled in Maya, the world of passing things, we can't make sense of it all. Ravidas admits this honestly about himself.
Then he calls himself the One's udaas daas, a servant who has stopped clinging to the world. His request is parhar kop karahu jee-a da-i-aa: set aside Your anger, and have mercy on my soul. It's like a child who broke something running to a parent: "Please don't be cross. Just hug me."
The heart of the line is not fear of anger. It is a longing for kindness. The grace he asks for is already turned toward him. Asking is how the door opens.
When you have made a mistake, what helps you most, harshness or gentleness?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI