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Sikhism·Raag Wadahans·Shabad 30
Verse 2 of 4

The Best Treasure Was Inside You the Whole Time

ਮਨ ਮੇਰਿਆ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਿਧਾਨੁ ਹੈ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਵਸਤੁ ਨ ਭਾਲਿ ॥
man mayri-aa antar tayrai niDhaan hai baahar vasat na bhaal.
O my mind, the treasure is within you; do not search for it on the outside.
ਜੋ ਭਾਵੈ ਸੋ ਭੁੰਚਿ ਤੂ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਦਰਿ ਨਿਹਾਲਿ ॥
jo bhaavai so bhunch too gurmukh nadar nihaal.
Eat only that which is pleasing to the Lord, and as Gurmukh, receive the blessing of His Glance of Grace.
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਦਰਿ ਨਿਹਾਲਿ ਮਨ ਮੇਰੇ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਖਾਈ ॥
gurmukh nadar nihaal man mayray antar har naam sakhaa-ee.
As Gurmukh, receive the blessing of His Glance of Grace, O my mind; the Name of the Lord, your help and support, is within you.
ਮਨਮੁਖ ਅੰਧੁਲੇ ਗਿਆਨ ਵਿਹੂਣੇ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ਖੁਆਈ ॥
manmukh anDhulay gi-aan vihoonay doojai bhaa-ay khu-aa-ee.
The self-willed manmukhs are blind, and devoid of wisdom; they are ruined by the love of duality.
ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਕੋ ਛੂਟੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਸਭ ਬਾਧੀ ਜਮਕਾਲਿ ॥
bin naavai ko chhootai naahee sabh baaDhee jamkaal.
Without the Name, no one is emancipated. All are bound by the Messenger of Death.
ਨਾਨਕ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਤੇਰੈ ਨਿਧਾਨੁ ਹੈ ਤੂ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਵਸਤੁ ਨ ਭਾਲਿ ॥੨॥
naanak antar tayrai niDhaan hai too baahar vasat na bhaal. ||2||
O Nanak, the treasure is within you; do not search for it on the outside. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The treasure is inside you — so don't go searching for it out there.

What truly helps and supports you is already within.

Looking only outside leaves us stumbling; the real help was in us all along.

The best treasure isn't somewhere out there to be found — it's already inside you the whole time.
The deeper layer

This is the shabad's landmark, repeated as its refrain-bookends: man tu jot saroop... khajaanaa tera tujh mahi — "O my mind, the treasure is within you; do not search for it on the outside." One of Gurbani's central teachings, stated with total clarity. We ransack the world for what we already carry: "the Name, your help and support, is within you." Searching only outside is the mistake; the real help was inside all along. For a child: the best treasure isn't somewhere out there to be found — it's already inside you.

A Question to Sit With

What good thing might already be inside you that you sometimes look for outside?

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

About this shabad →
← Verse 1 of 4 The Me-Versus-Them Way of Seeing Tires a Heart Out
Verse 3 of 4 →Set Down Self-Importance and the Heart Fills With Good
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