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
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.
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||).
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