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Sikhism·Raag Wadahans·Shabad 46
Verse 4 of 4

Grief Shared and Turned Toward the Good Gently Heals

ਬਾਬਾ ਰੋਵਹਿ ਰਵਹਿ ਸੁ ਜਾਣੀਅਹਿ ਮਿਲਿ ਰੋਵੈ ਗੁਣ ਸਾਰੇਵਾ ॥
baabaa roveh raveh so jaanee-ahi mil rovai gun saarayvaa.
O Baba, they alone are known to truly weep and wail, who meet together and weep, chanting the Praises of the Lord.
ਰੋਵੈ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੁਠੜੀ ਧੰਧੜਾ ਰੋਵਣਹਾਰੇਵਾ ॥
rovai maa-i-aa muth-rhee DhanDh-rhaa rovanhaarayvaa.
Defrauded by Maya and worldly affairs, the weepers weep.
ਧੰਧਾ ਰੋਵੈ ਮੈਲੁ ਨ ਧੋਵੈ ਸੁਪਨੰਤਰੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੋ ॥
DhanDhaa rovai mail na Dhovai supnantar sansaaro.
They weep for the sake of worldly affairs, and they do not wash off their own filth; the world is merely a dream.
ਜਿਉ ਬਾਜੀਗਰੁ ਭਰਮੈ ਭੂਲੈ ਝੂਠਿ ਮੁਠੀ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੋ ॥
ji-o baajeegar bharmai bhoolai jhooth muthee ahankaaro.
Like the juggler, deceiving by his tricks, one is deluded by egotism, falsehood and illusion.
ਆਪੇ ਮਾਰਗਿ ਪਾਵਣਹਾਰਾ ਆਪੇ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਏ ॥
aapay maarag paavanhaaraa aapay karam kamaa-ay.
The Lord Himself reveals the Path; He Himself is the Doer of deeds.
ਨਾਮਿ ਰਤੇ ਗੁਰਿ ਪੂਰੈ ਰਾਖੇ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਹਜਿ ਸੁਭਾਏ ॥੪॥੪॥
naam ratay gur poorai raakhay naanak sahj subhaa-ay. ||4||4||
Those who are imbued with the Naam, are protected by the Perfect Guru, O Nanak; they merge in celestial bliss. ||4||4||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The truest crying is the kind that comes from a loving, grateful heart.

Crying only over lost things doesn't heal us the same way.

The good shows us the way and gently guides us; near it, we find a deep, peaceful joy.

The truest tears come from love and gratitude — and grief shared with others, turned toward the good, gently heals.
The deeper layer

The Alaahanee closes on Guru Nanak's recurring teaching about grief: "they alone truly weep who meet together and weep chanting the Praises of the Lord." Grief shared and turned toward love and gratitude heals; grief only "for the sake of worldly affairs" doesn't wash us clean. "The world is merely a dream," and the juggler's tricks (ego, illusion) deceive — but "those imbued with the Name are protected and merge in bliss." The colophon (||4||4||) closes. For a child, gently: the truest tears are the ones that come from love and gratitude — and grief shared with others, turned toward the good, gently heals.

A Question to Sit With

How might sharing your sadness with people you love help it heal?

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

About this shabad →
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Shabad 47 · Verse 1 →The Shiny Surface Isn't the Whole Story
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