Grace Can Carry Any Heart Across to the Good

ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਃ ੩ ॥

salok mehlaa 3.

Shalok, Third Mehl:

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸੇਵ ਨ ਕੀਨੀਆ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਿ ਨ ਲਗੋ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥

gurmukh sayv na keenee-aa har naam na lago pi-aar.

One who does not serve the Guru as Gurmukh, who does not love the Lord's Name,

ਸਬਦੈ ਸਾਦੁ ਨ ਆਇਓ ਮਰਿ ਜਨਮੈ ਵਾਰੋ ਵਾਰ ॥

sabdai saad na aa-i-o mar janmai vaaro vaar.

and who does not savor the taste of the Shabad, shall die, and be reborn, over and over again.

ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਅੰਧੁ ਨ ਚੇਤਈ ਕਿਤੁ ਆਇਆ ਸੈਸਾਰਿ ॥

manmukh anDh na chayt-ee kit aa-i-aa saisaar.

The blind, self-willed manmukh does not think of the Lord; why did he even come into the world?

ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਨ ਕਉ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੇ ਸੇ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਲੰਘੇ ਪਾਰਿ ॥੧॥

naanak jin ka-o nadar karay say gurmukh langhay paar. ||1||

O Nanak, that Gurmukh, upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace, crosses over the world-ocean. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

A heart that never tastes the sweetness of the good keeps circling, restless.

It's easy to forget what really matters and wonder why life feels empty.

But a heart touched by grace crosses safely to what's good and true.

A heart that never tastes the good stays restless — but grace can carry any heart across to what's good.

The deeper layer

A warning-Shalok, softened. It laments a heart that never "savors the taste of the Shabad" and so stays restless ("why did he even come into the world?" — rendered gently as wondering why life feels empty). The hopeful close: the Gurmukh "upon whom the Lord casts His Glance of Grace crosses over." For a child: a heart that never tastes the good stays restless — but grace can carry any heart across to what's good.

A Question to Sit With

What's a 'taste' of goodness you could give your heart today?

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

About this shabad →

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