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Sikhism·Raag Wadahans·Shabad 29
Verse 4 of 4

Real Greatness Is Flowing With the Gentle Larger Flow

ਖੇਤੀ ਵਣਜੁ ਸਭੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ ਹੁਕਮੇ ਮੰਨਿ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਰਾਮ ॥
khaytee vanaj sabh hukam hai hukmay man vadi-aa-ee raam.
All farming and trading is by Hukam of His Will; surrendering to the Lord's Will, glorious greatness is obtained.
ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਬੂਝੀਐ ਹੁਕਮੇ ਮੇਲਿ ਮਿਲਾਈ ਰਾਮ ॥
gurmatee hukam boojhee-ai hukmay mayl milaa-ee raam.
Under Guru's Instruction, one comes to understand the Lord's Will, and by His Will, he is united in His Union.
ਹੁਕਮਿ ਮਿਲਾਈ ਸਹਜਿ ਸਮਾਈ ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥
hukam milaa-ee sahj samaa-ee gur kaa sabad apaaraa.
By His Will, one merges and easily blends with Him. The Shabads of the Guru are incomparable.
ਸਚੀ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਪਾਈ ਸਚੁ ਸਵਾਰਣਹਾਰਾ ॥
sachee vadi-aa-ee gur tay paa-ee sach savaaranhaaraa.
Through the Guru, true greatness is obtained, and one is embellished with Truth.
ਭਉ ਭੰਜਨੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਆਪੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਮੇਲਿ ਮਿਲਾਈ ॥
bha-o bhanjan paa-i-aa aap gavaa-i-aa gurmukh mayl milaa-ee.
He finds the Destroyer of fear, and eradicates his self-conceit; as Gurmukh, he is united in His Union.
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮੁ ਨਿਰੰਜਨੁ ਅਗਮੁ ਅਗੋਚਰੁ ਹੁਕਮੇ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਈ ॥੪॥੨॥
kaho naanak naam niranjan agam agochar hukmay rahi-aa samaa-ee. ||4||2||
Says Nanak, the Name of the immaculate, inaccessible, unfathomable Commander is permeating and pervading everywhere. ||4||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

All of it unfolds within a gentle, larger flow — and flowing with it brings real greatness.

Understanding that flow, a heart melts easily into the One.

The fearless One, who dissolves the puffed-up feeling, is everywhere.

Everything unfolds within a bigger, gentle flow — flowing with it, not fighting it, is where real greatness is.
The deeper layer

The shabad closes on Hukam: "all farming and trading is by His Will; surrendering to His Will, greatness is obtained." The whole enterprise unfolds within a larger flow, and flowing with it — rather than fighting it — is where true greatness lies. Meeting "the Destroyer of fear," ego is eradicated, and one "blends with Him." The colophon (||4||2||) closes the shabad. For a child: everything unfolds within a bigger, gentle flow — and flowing with it, rather than fighting it, is where real greatness is.

A Question to Sit With

When is it wiser to flow along with how things are than to fight against them?

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

About this shabad →
← Verse 3 of 4 Hearts That Deal in Goodness Find a Calm Home
Shabad 30 · Verse 1 →The Me-Versus-Them Way of Seeing Tires a Heart Out
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