Sikhism·Raag Tukhaari·Shabad 9
Verse 4 of 4

Awe and Love Are the Gift

ਤੇਰੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਭੰਡਾਰ ਅਸੰਖ ਜਿਸੁ ਤੂ ਦੇਵਹਿ ਮੇਰੇ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਤਿਸੁ ਮਿਲਹਿ ॥
tayree bhagat bhandaar asaNkh jis too dayveh mayray su-aamee tis mileh.
ਜਿਸ ਕੈ ਮਸਤਕਿ ਗੁਰ ਹਾਥੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਟਿਕਹਿ ॥
jis kai mastak gur haath tis hirdai har gun tikeh.
ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਟਿਕਹਿ ਤਿਸ ਕੈ ਜਿਸੁ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਭਉ ਭਾਵਨੀ ਹੋਈ ॥
har gun hirdai tikeh tis kai jis antar bha-o bhaavnee ho-ee.
ਬਿਨੁ ਭੈ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪ੍ਰੇਮੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਬਿਨੁ ਭੈ ਪਾਰਿ ਨ ਉਤਰਿਆ ਕੋਈ ॥
bin bhai kinai na paraym paa-i-aa bin bhai paar na utri-aa ko-ee.
ਭਉ ਭਾਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਤਿਸਹਿ ਲਾਗੈ ਜਿਸੁ ਤੂ ਆਪਣੀ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਕਰਹਿ ॥
bha-o bhaa-o pareet naanak tiseh laagai jis too aapnee kirpaa karahi.
ਤੇਰੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਭੰਡਾਰ ਅਸੰਖ ਜਿਸੁ ਤੂ ਦੇਵਹਿ ਮੇਰੇ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਤਿਸੁ ਮਿਲਹਿ ॥੪॥੩॥
tayree bhagat bhandaar asaNkh jis too dayveh mayray su-aamee tis mileh. ||4||3||

The treasures of devotional worship to You are countless; he alone is blessed with them, O my Lord and Master, whom You bless.

The Lord's Glorious Virtues abide within the heart of that person, whose forehead the Guru has touched.

The Glorious Virtues of the Lord dwell in the heart of that person, whose inner being is filled with the Fear of God, and His Love.

Without the Fear of God, His Love is not obtained. Without the Fear of God, no one is carried across to the other side.

O Nanak, he alone is blessed with the Fear of God, and God's Love and Affection, whom You, Lord, bless with Your Mercy.

The treasures of devotional worship to You are countless; he alone is blessed with Them, O my Lord and Master, whom You bless. ||4||3||

# Raag Tukhaari, Shabad 9 — Awe and Love Are the Gift

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Your gifts of love are countless, and whoever You hand them to receives them.

When the Guru's hand rests on someone, Your goodness settles into their heart.

That goodness takes root in the person whose heart holds deep awe and love for You.

Without that awe, no one has ever found real love; without it, no one has crossed over.

That awe, that love, that tenderness comes alive in the one You bless with kindness.

Your gifts of love are countless. Whoever You give them to receives them.

Awe and love are not things you force; they wake up in you as a gift.
The deeper layer

The key word here is bhau. It is often translated "fear of God," but in Gurbani bhau is closer to awe — the breath-taking wonder that opens the heart, not terror. It stands beside bhaavnee (loving devotion), and together they are the ground where the One's goodness takes root. This is the same wonder inside Waheguru: the gasp of moving from darkness into light. The Guru's hand resting on the mastak (forehead) is the picture of blessing. And every bit of it is given: awe and love are not forced into being, they wake up as grace. This closes the Chhant (||4||3||).

A Question to Sit With

When has something filled you with awe, so big and beautiful it made you go quiet?

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

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