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Sikhism·Raag Wadahans·Shabad 29
Verse 1 of 4

A Calm, Kind Heart Makes Things Turn Out Well

ਵਡਹੰਸੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ॥
vad-hans mehlaa 3.
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸਭੁ ਵਾਪਾਰੁ ਭਲਾ ਜੇ ਸਹਜੇ ਕੀਜੈ ਰਾਮ ॥
gurmukh sabh vaapaar bhalaa jay sehjay keejai raam.
All dealings of the Gurmukh are good, if they are accomplished with poise and grace.
ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਾਣੀਐ ਲਾਹਾ ਹਰਿ ਰਸੁ ਪੀਜੈ ਰਾਮ ॥
an-din naam vakhaanee-ai laahaa har ras peejai raam.
Night and day, he repeats the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and he earns his profits, drinking in the subtle essence of the Lord.
ਲਾਹਾ ਹਰਿ ਰਸੁ ਲੀਜੈ ਹਰਿ ਰਾਵੀਜੈ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਾਣੈ ॥
laahaa har ras leejai har raaveejai an-din naam vakhaanai.
He earns the profit of the subtle essence of the Lord, meditating on the Lord, and repeating the Naam, night and day.
ਗੁਣ ਸੰਗ੍ਰਹਿ ਅਵਗਣ ਵਿਕਣਹਿ ਆਪੈ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੈ ॥
gun sangrahi avgan viknahi aapai aap pachhaanai.
He gathers in merits, and eliminates demerits, and realizes his own self.
ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਪਾਈ ਵਡੀ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਸਚੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਰਸੁ ਪੀਜੈ ॥
gurmat paa-ee vadee vadi-aa-ee sachai sabad ras peejai.
Under Guru's Instruction, he is blessed with glorious greatness; he drinks in the essence of the True Word of the Shabad.
ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਕੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਨਿਰਾਲੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਵਿਰਲੈ ਕੀਜੈ ॥੧॥
naanak har kee bhagat niraalee gurmukh virlai keejai. ||1||
O Nanak, devotional worship of the Lord is wonderful, but only a few Gurmukhs perform it. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

When you do things with a calm, graceful heart, they turn out good.

Keep the good in mind day and night, and you gather real riches inside.

You collect the good, let go of the not-so-good, and come to know your true self.

Doing things with a calm, kind heart — not in a rush or a temper — is what makes them turn out well.
The deeper layer

Guru Amar Das opens: "all dealings of the Gurmukh are good, if accomplished with poise and grace" (sahaj). It's not just what you do but the calm, gathered spirit you do it in that makes it good. Keeping the good in mind, one "gathers merits, eliminates demerits, and realizes his own self." The verse ends honestly: devotion is "wonderful, but only a few" truly live it. For a child: doing things with a calm, kind heart is what makes them turn out well.

A Question to Sit With

How does the mood you're in change how something you do turns out?

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

About this shabad →
← Shabad 28 · Verse 4 Set Down the Puffed-Up Feeling and Find a Home Inside
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