qMonkqMonkSikhism
Sikhism·Raag Sorath·Shabad 35
Verse 2 of 4

The Wise Wish Is for Company That Keeps You Near Good

ਮਾਧਵੇ ਐਸੀ ਦੇਹੁ ਬੁਝਾਈ ॥
maaDhvay aisee dayh bujhaa-ee.
O Lord, grant me such understanding,
ਸੇਵਉ ਸਾਧ ਗਹਉ ਓਟ ਚਰਨਾ ਨਹ ਬਿਸਰੈ ਮੁਹਤੁ ਚਸਾਈ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
sayva-o saaDh gaha-o ot charnaa nah bisrai muhat chasaa-ee. rahaa-o.
that I might serve the Holy Saints, and seek the protection of their feet, and not forget them, for a moment, even an instant. ||Pause||
ਰੇ ਮਨ ਮੁਗਧ ਅਚੇਤ ਚੰਚਲ ਚਿਤ ਤੁਮ ਐਸੀ ਰਿਦੈ ਨ ਆਈ ॥
ray man mugaDh achayt chanchal chit tum aisee ridai na aa-ee.
O foolish, thoughtless and fickle mind, such understanding did not come into your heart.
ਪ੍ਰਾਨਪਤਿ ਤਿਆਗਿ ਆਨ ਤੂ ਰਚਿਆ ਉਰਝਿਓ ਸੰਗਿ ਬੈਰਾਈ ॥੨॥
paraanpat ti-aag aan too rachi-aa urjhi-o sang bairaa-ee. ||2||
Renouncing the Lord of Life, you have become engrossed in other things, and you are involved with your enemies. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Give me this kind of understanding: to keep the company of good people and hold to their path.

Let me not forget, even for a blink, the goodness they carry.

O restless, distracted mind, this hasn't yet taken root in you.

You set aside the very Life of your life. You got tangled up in other things, and caught up with what quietly harms you.

The wise wish is not for more stuff, but for the company and habits that keep you near what's good.
The deeper layer

This one is a prayer for the right kind of wanting.

This is the Rahao, the "pause" line at the center of the shabad. MaaDhvay aisee dayh bujhaa-ee: O Lord, give me this understanding. MaaDhvay is a loving name for the One. Let me serve the saaDh, the good and holy, and stay close to them. Let me never forget, not even for a blink.

Then the Guru turns to his own mind: ray man mugaDh. It means "O foolish mind," but think of it as a restless, distracted friend. The mind is not a bad guy. It is like a puppy that keeps running after squirrels. You call it back gently.

Urjhi-o sang bairaa-ee means tangled up with enemies. These are not people to fear. They are inner pulls that quietly harm us, like a habit that drags you away from what you love. Notice them, and come back.

A Question to Sit With

What kind of company tends to bring out the calmest, kindest version of you?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

About this shabad →
← Verse 1 of 4 Sorting the World Into Us and Them Leaves Us Alone
Verse 3 of 4 →Set Down the Need to Be Important, and Sorrow Loosens
Use ← → to navigate