The Life of the World, the Great Giver, the Primal Lord, the Architect of Destiny, the Lord of the woods - I have met Him with intuitive ease.
ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰਹਿ ਤੂ ਤਾਰਹਿ ਤਰੀਐ ਸਚੁ ਦੇਵਹੁ ਦੀਨ ਦਇਆਲਾ ॥
nadar karahi too taareh taree-ai sach dayvhu deen da-i-aalaa.
Bestow Your Glance of Grace and carry me across, to save me. Please bless me with the Truth, O Lord, Merciful to the meek.
ਪ੍ਰਣਵਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਦਾਸਨਿ ਦਾਸਾ ਤੂ ਸਰਬ ਜੀਆ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਪਾਲਾ ॥੧॥
paranvat naanak daasan daasaa too sarab jee-aa partipaalaa. ||1||
Prays Nanak, I am the slave of Your slaves. You are the Cherisher of all souls. ||1||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
In plain words
O my Dear, delightful Beloved — I would gladly serve even the ones who love You.
The teacher showed me the One who cannot be seen, and now I do not go looking anywhere else.
This happened as a gift, when grace came pouring in: the Giver of all life, the Maker of everything, the One in every forest and field — I met that One gently, without a fight.
Turn Your kind glance my way and carry me across; fill me with what is real. You cherish every single soul, and I am glad to belong to You.
You don’t have to search everywhere — grace shows you the One who was always here.
The deeper layer
“Slave of Your slaves” is rendered as glad devotion and empty-handedness, not servility. The meeting with the “Life of the World, Architect of Destiny, Lord of the woods” comes as grace pouring in (kirpaa), met with sahj, natural ease.
A Question to Sit With
What does it feel like to belong somewhere completely?
