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Sikhism·Raag Wadahans·Shabad 31
Verse 4 of 4

No Need to Be Puffed-Up or Ashamed

ਆਪਿ ਕਰੇ ਕਿਸੁ ਆਖੀਐ ਹੋਰੁ ਕਰਣਾ ਕਿਛੂ ਨ ਜਾਈ ਰਾਮ ॥
aap karay kis aakhee-ai hor karnaa kichhoo na jaa-ee raam.
He Himself acts; who else should I ask? No one else can do anything.
ਜਿਤੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਤੁ ਲਾਇਸੀ ਜਿਉ ਤਿਸ ਦੀ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਰਾਮ ॥
jit bhaavai tit laa-isee ji-o tis dee vadi-aa-ee raam.
As He pleases, He engages us; such is His glorious greatness.
ਜਿਉ ਤਿਸ ਦੀ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਆਪਿ ਕਰਾਈ ਵਰੀਆਮੁ ਨ ਫੁਸੀ ਕੋਈ ॥
ji-o tis dee vadi-aa-ee aap karaa-ee varee-aam na fusee ko-ee.
Such is His glorious greatness - He Himself causes all to act; no one is a warrior or a coward.
ਜਗਜੀਵਨੁ ਦਾਤਾ ਕਰਮਿ ਬਿਧਾਤਾ ਆਪੇ ਬਖਸੇ ਸੋਈ ॥
jagjeevan daataa karam biDhaataa aapay bakhsay so-ee.
The Life of the World, the Great Giver, the Architect of karma - He Himself grants forgiveness.
ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਆਪੁ ਗਵਾਈਐ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਮਿ ਪਤਿ ਪਾਈ ॥
gur parsaadee aap gavaa-ee-ai naanak naam pat paa-ee.
By Guru's Grace, self-conceit is eradicated, O Nanak, and through the Naam, honor is obtained.
ਆਪਿ ਕਰੇ ਕਿਸੁ ਆਖੀਐ ਹੋਰੁ ਕਰਣਾ ਕਿਛੂ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥੪॥੪॥
aap karay kis aakhee-ai hor karnaa kichhoo na jaa-ee. ||4||4||
He Himself acts; who else should I ask? No one else can do anything. ||4||4||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

It all unfolds by the One's doing — so who else would I turn to?

The One moves everything gently; no one is really a hero or a coward on their own.

The great Giver forgives freely, and wisdom melts the puffed-up feeling away.

It all unfolds by a gentle larger doing — so there's no need to be puffed-up or ashamed, just trusting and forgiven.
The deeper layer

The shabad closes in trust: "He Himself acts; who else should I ask?" Everything unfolds by the One's doing, which removes both pride and blame — "no one is a warrior or a coward" on their own strength. The "Great Giver" "grants forgiveness" freely, and "by Grace, self-conceit is eradicated." The colophon (||4||4||) closes. For a child: it all unfolds by a gentle larger doing, so there's no need to be puffed-up or ashamed — just trusting and forgiven.

A Question to Sit With

How might it feel lighter to know you don't have to do everything by your own strength alone?

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

About this shabad →
← Verse 3 of 4 The Pretend Doesn't Hold Up; There's Time to Become Real
Shabad 32 · Verse 1 →The Most Valuable Thing to Spend a Life On Is Goodness
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