Your Body Is a Wonderful Horse You Were Given

ਵਡਹੰਸੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ਘੋੜੀਆ

vad-hans mehlaa 4 ghorhee-aa

Wadahans, Fourth Mehl, Ghorees ~ The Wedding Procession Songs:

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

ik-o^Nkaar satgur parsaad.

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

ਦੇਹ ਤੇਜਣਿ ਜੀ ਰਾਮਿ ਉਪਾਈਆ ਰਾਮ ॥

dayh tayjan jee raam upaa-ee-aa raam.

This body-horse was created by the Lord.

ਧੰਨੁ ਮਾਣਸ ਜਨਮੁ ਪੁੰਨਿ ਪਾਈਆ ਰਾਮ ॥

Dhan maanas janam punn paa-ee-aa raam.

Blessed is human life, which is obtained by virtuous actions.

ਮਾਣਸ ਜਨਮੁ ਵਡ ਪੁੰਨੇ ਪਾਇਆ ਦੇਹ ਸੁ ਕੰਚਨ ਚੰਗੜੀਆ ॥

maanas janam vad punnay paa-i-aa dayh so kanchan changrhee-aa.

Human life is obtained only by the most virtuous actions; this body is radiant and golden.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਰੰਗੁ ਚਲੂਲਾ ਪਾਵੈ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਵ ਰੰਗੜੀਆ ॥

gurmukh rang chaloolaa paavai har har har nav rangrhee-aa.

The Gurmukh is imbued with the deep red color of the poppy; he is imbued with the new color of the Lord's Name, Har, Har, Har.

ਏਹ ਦੇਹ ਸੁ ਬਾਂਕੀ ਜਿਤੁ ਹਰਿ ਜਾਪੀ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਸੁਹਾਵੀਆ ॥

ayh dayh so baa^Nkee jit har jaapee har har naam suhaavee-aa.

This body is so very beautiful; it chants the Name of the Lord, and it is adorned with the Name of the Lord, Har, Har.

ਵਡਭਾਗੀ ਪਾਈ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਖਾਈ ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਰਾਮਿ ਉਪਾਈਆ ॥੧॥

vadbhaagee paa-ee naam sakhaa-ee jan naanak raam upaa-ee-aa. ||1||

By great good fortune, the body is obtained; the Naam, the Name of the Lord, is its companion; O servant Nanak, the Lord has created it. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Your body is like a fine horse the One gave you to ride.

Being alive as a person is a wonderful blessing, earned by good.

Fill it with the color of love and goodness, and it becomes beautiful and bright.

Your body is like a wonderful horse you were given to ride through life — fill it with love and it shines.

The deeper layer

This is a Ghoree — a "wedding procession song." Traditionally, Ghorees were sung as the groom mounted his mare to ride to his wedding. Guru Ram Das reinvents the form beautifully: your body is the horse, and you ride it across life to your wedding with the Divine. "This body-horse was created by the Lord... blessed is human life." The body isn't despised here — it's a fine steed, a gift, made "radiant and golden" and dyed "the deep red of the poppy" with the color of love. For a child: your body is like a wonderful horse you were given to ride through life — take good care of it and fill it with love.

A Question to Sit With

How could you take good care of your 'body-horse' so it carries you well?

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

About this shabad →

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