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Sikhism·Raag Wadahans·Shabad 27
Verse 6 of 8

Even Not Knowing How to Ask, Understanding Comes

ਵਡੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਾਹਿਬਾ ਅਲਖ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥
vaday mayray saahibaa alakh apaaraa.
O my Great Lord and Master, You are unfathomable and infinite.
ਕਿਉ ਕਰਿ ਕਰਉ ਬੇਨੰਤੀ ਹਉ ਆਖਿ ਨ ਜਾਣਾ ॥
ki-o kar kara-o baynantee ha-o aakh na jaanaa.
How should I make and offer my prayer? I do not know what to say.
ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰਹਿ ਤਾ ਸਾਚੁ ਪਛਾਣਾ ॥
nadar karahi taa saach pachhaanaa.
If You bless me with Your Glance of Grace, I realize the Truth.
ਸਾਚੋ ਪਛਾਣਾ ਤਾਮਿ ਤੇਰਾ ਜਾਮਿ ਆਪਿ ਬੁਝਾਵਹੇ ॥
saacho pachhaanaa taam tayraa jaam aap bujhaavhay.
Only then do I come to realize the Truth, when You Yourself instruct me.
ਦੂਖ ਭੂਖ ਸੰਸਾਰਿ ਕੀਏ ਸਹਸਾ ਏਹੁ ਚੁਕਾਵਹੇ ॥
dookh bhookh sansaar kee-ay sahsaa ayhu chukaavhay.
The pain and hunger of the world are Your making; dispel this doubt.
ਬਿਨਵੰਤਿ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਜਾਇ ਸਹਸਾ ਬੁਝੈ ਗੁਰ ਬੀਚਾਰਾ ॥
binvant naanak jaa-ay sahsaa bujhai gur beechaaraa.
Prays Nanak, ones skepticism is taken away, when he understands the Guru's wisdom.
ਵਡਾ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਹੈ ਆਪਿ ਅਲਖ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥੬॥
vadaa saahib hai aap alakh apaaraa. ||6||
The Great Lord Master is unfathomable and infinite. ||6||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

You are so vast I can't measure You — I hardly know how to even make my prayer.

But when kindness touches me, I understand what's true.

Lift my confusion, and my doubts fall away as wisdom dawns.

Sometimes you don't even know how to ask for help — and that's okay; understanding comes as a gift when you stay open.
The deeper layer

A verse of humble not-knowing: "You are unfathomable and infinite. How should I make my prayer? I do not know what to say." Even how to pray escapes us — until "You bless me with Your Glance of Grace, I realize the Truth." Understanding dawns as a gift, and "skepticism is taken away" through wisdom. For a child: sometimes you don't even know how to ask — and that's okay; understanding comes as a gift when you stay open.

A Question to Sit With

Is it okay not to have the right words sometimes? What can you do instead?

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

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