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Sikhism·Raag Wadahans·Shabad 51
Verse 1 of 4

Bodies Grow Fragile; the Good We Hold Lasts

ਵਡਹੰਸੁ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ॥
vad-hans mehlaa 3.
Wadahans, Third Mehl:
ਇਹੁ ਸਰੀਰੁ ਜਜਰੀ ਹੈ ਇਸ ਨੋ ਜਰੁ ਪਹੁਚੈ ਆਏ ॥
ih sareer jajree hai is no jar pahuchai aa-ay.
This body is frail; old age is overtaking it.
ਗੁਰਿ ਰਾਖੇ ਸੇ ਉਬਰੇ ਹੋਰੁ ਮਰਿ ਜੰਮੈ ਆਵੈ ਜਾਏ ॥
gur raakhay say ubray hor mar jammai aavai jaa-ay.
Those who are protected by the Guru are saved, while others die, to be reincarnated; they continue coming and going.
ਹੋਰਿ ਮਰਿ ਜੰਮਹਿ ਆਵਹਿ ਜਾਵਹਿ ਅੰਤਿ ਗਏ ਪਛੁਤਾਵਹਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਸੁਖੁ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥
hor mar jameh aavahi jaaveh ant ga-ay pachhutaavahi bin naavai sukh na ho-ee.
Others die, to be reincarnated; they continue coming and going, and in the end, they depart regretfully. Without the Name, there is no peace.
ਐਥੈ ਕਮਾਵੈ ਸੋ ਫਲੁ ਪਾਵੈ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਹੈ ਪਤਿ ਖੋਈ ॥
aithai kamaavai so fal paavai manmukh hai pat kho-ee.
As one acts here, so does he obtain his rewards; the self-willed manmukh loses his honor.
ਜਮ ਪੁਰਿ ਘੋਰ ਅੰਧਾਰੁ ਮਹਾ ਗੁਬਾਰੁ ਨਾ ਤਿਥੈ ਭੈਣ ਨ ਭਾਈ ॥
jam pur ghor anDhaar mahaa bubaar naa tithai bhain na bhaa-ee.
In the City of Death, there is pitch darkness, and huge clouds of dust; neither sister nor brother is there.
ਇਹੁ ਸਰੀਰੁ ਜਜਰੀ ਹੈ ਇਸ ਨੋ ਜਰੁ ਪਹੁਚੈ ਆਈ ॥੧॥
ih sareer jajree hai is no jar pahuchai aa-ee. ||1||
This body is frail; old age is overtaking it. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Our bodies grow older and more fragile with time — that's the natural way of things.

What truly lasts and keeps us steady is the good we hold onto and the wisdom that protects us.

How we live now is what we carry with us — so live kindly and true.

Our bodies grow older and more fragile with time — and what truly lasts is the good we hold onto.
The deeper layer

The final Mehl 3 shabad of the block opens by honestly, gently naming aging: "this body is frail; old age is overtaking it." Bodies grow older and more fragile — a natural truth, held without fear. What lasts is the good and the wisdom that "protects." The frightening imagery ("City of Death, pitch darkness") is set aside; the gentle teaching is kept: "as one acts here, so does he obtain" — how we live now is what we carry. For a child, gently: our bodies grow older and more fragile with time, and what truly lasts is the good we hold onto.

A Question to Sit With

What's something about a person that stays beautiful even as their body grows older?

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

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