The Guru is the Philosopher's Stone; by His touch, iron is transformed into gold.
My light merges into the Light, and my body-fortress is so beautiful.
My body-fortress is so beautiful; I am fascinated by my God. How could I forget Him, for even a breath, or a morsel of food?
I have seized the Unseen and Unfathomable Lord, through the Word of the Guru's Shabad. I am a sacrifice to the True Guru.
I place my head in offering before the True Guru, if it truly pleases the True Guru.
Take pity on me, O God, Great Giver, that Nanak may merge in Your Being. ||4||1||
# Raag Tukhaari, Shabad 7 — The Guru Turns Iron Into Gold
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The Guru is like a magic stone that turns plain iron into shining gold, and that is what happens to me.
My little light joins the great Light, and my whole body feels lit up and beautiful.
Now that I have glimpsed the One, how could I ever forget, not for one breath, not for one bite of food?
Through the Word I have taken hold of the One no eyes can see and no mind can measure.
I would give my whole self to the Guru, gladly, if that is what pleases the True One.
Be kind on Your own, Great Giver, and let me melt right into You.
Paaras is the philosopher's stone of old stories, whose touch turns iron to gold; the Guru is that stone, and the change is transformation by grace, not by force. Jotee jot milaa-ay is "light merging into Light," the small flame of a person joining the one great Light. The kaaya garh (body-fortress) becomes beautiful once the One is found within. "I place my head in offering" is rendered as giving one's whole self, gladly, rather than anything literal, and ank samaavai is melting into the Being of the One. This closes the Chhant (||4||1||).
Have you ever felt lit up from the inside? What made that happen?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI