Sikhism·Raag Wadahans·Shabad 52
Verse 53 of 64

The Me-Versus-Them Way Brings Needless Hurt

ਸਲੋਕ ਮਃ ੩ ॥
salok mehlaa 3.
Shalok, Third Mehl:
ਜਗਤੁ ਅਗਿਆਨੀ ਅੰਧੁ ਹੈ ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਇ ॥
jagat agi-aanee anDh hai doojai bhaa-ay karam kamaa-ay.
The world is blind and ignorant; in the love of duality, it engages in actions.
ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ਜੇਤੇ ਕਰਮ ਕਰੇ ਦੁਖੁ ਲਗੈ ਤਨਿ ਧਾਇ ॥
doojai bhaa-ay jaytay karam karay dukh lagai tan Dhaa-ay.
But those actions which are performed in the love of duality, cause only pain to the body.
ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਸੁਖੁ ਊਪਜੈ ਜਾ ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਸਬਦੁ ਕਮਾਇ ॥
gur parsaadee sukh oopjai jaa gur kaa sabad kamaa-ay.
By Guru's Grace, peace wells up, when one acts according to the Word of the Guru's Shabad.
ਸਚੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਕਰਮ ਕਰੇ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਇ ॥
sachee banee karam karay an-din naam Dhi-aa-ay.
He acts according to the True Word of the Guru's Bani; night and day, he meditates on the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਤੁ ਆਪੇ ਲਾਏ ਤਿਤੁ ਲਗੇ ਕਹਣਾ ਕਿਛੂ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥੧॥
naanak jit aapay laa-ay tit lagay kahnaa kichhoo na jaa-ay. ||1||
O Nanak, as the Lord Himself engages him, so is he engaged; no one has any say in this matter. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Living in the me-versus-them split brings a lot of needless hurt.

But acting from good, true words, a deep peace wells up.

It all unfolds within a gentle larger flow, bigger than us.

The me-versus-them way of living brings needless hurt — acting from goodness lets peace well up instead.
The deeper layer

"The world... in the love of duality, engages in actions that cause only pain... but by Guru's Grace, peace wells up, when one acts according to the Shabad." The me-vs-them split hurts; acting from goodness heals. And the trust-note: "as the Lord Himself engages him, so is he engaged" — it all unfolds within a larger flow. For a child: the me-versus-them way of living brings needless hurt — acting from goodness lets peace well up instead.

A Question to Sit With

How does dropping the 'us vs. them' feeling make room for more peace?

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

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