har naam Dhi-aa-ee-ai sabad ras paa-ee-ai vadbhaag japee-ai har jaso. ||4||
Meditate on the Lord's Name, and you shall obtain the sublime essence of the Shabad; by great good fortune, chant the Praises of the Lord. ||4||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
In plain words
O my mind, think about it: you arrived with empty hands — what will you carry with you when you go?
You feel light and free the moment your doubts clear.
So gather the one wealth worth gathering: the Name. The teaching shows you how priceless it is.
That clean Word washes the dust off, and you come to know your true home. With the Name you find real honor and arrive at last — so drink in that sweet nectar eagerly, and by good fortune, sing the One’s praises.
You came with empty hands; gather the one wealth you can actually carry home.
The deeper layer
The memento-mori “what did you bring, what will you take” is kept but turned toward the one wealth worth gathering — the Name — which is what the soul actually carries. The clean Word washes off the dust and reveals the true home.
A Question to Sit With
If you could only carry one thing with you through your whole life, what would it be?
