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Sikhism·Raag Wadahans·Shabad 52
Verse 8 of 64

Make Truth What You Do, Wear, and Lean On

ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਃ ੩ ॥
salok mehlaa 3.
Shalok, Third Mehl:
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਚਾਕਰੀ ਸੁਖੀ ਹੂੰ ਸੁਖ ਸਾਰੁ ॥
satgur kee sayvaa chaakree sukhee hooN sukh saar.
Service to, and obedience to the True Guru, is the essence of comfort and peace.
ਐਥੈ ਮਿਲਨਿ ਵਡਿਆਈਆ ਦਰਗਹ ਮੋਖ ਦੁਆਰੁ ॥
aithai milan vadi-aa-ee-aa dargeh mokh du-aar.
Doing so, one obtains honor here, and the door of salvation in the Court of the Lord.
ਸਚੀ ਕਾਰ ਕਮਾਵਣੀ ਸਚੁ ਪੈਨਣੁ ਸਚੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਅਧਾਰੁ ॥
sachee kaar kamaavnee sach painan sach naam aDhaar.
In this way, perform the tasks of Truth, wear Truth, and take the Support of the True Name.
ਸਚੀ ਸੰਗਤਿ ਸਚਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਸਚੈ ਨਾਇ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥
sachee sangat sach milai sachai naa-ay pi-aar.
Associating with Truth, obtain Truth, and love the True Name.
ਸਚੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਹਰਖੁ ਸਦਾ ਦਰਿ ਸਚੈ ਸਚਿਆਰੁ ॥
sachai sabad harakh sadaa dar sachai sachiaar.
Through the True Word of the Shabad, be always happy, and you shall be acclaimed as True in the True Court.
ਨਾਨਕ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਸੋ ਕਰੈ ਜਿਸ ਨੋ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੈ ਕਰਤਾਰੁ ॥੧॥
naanak satgur kee sayvaa so karai jis no nadar karai kartaar. ||1||
O Nanak, he alone serves the True Guru, whom the Creator has blessed with His Glance of Grace. ||1||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Serving what's wise and good brings real comfort and peace.

Do truthful work, wear truth, lean on truth, and keep company with truth.

Live that way and you'll be genuinely happy, at home in what's real.

Make truth the thing you do, wear, lean on, and keep company with — and you'll be genuinely happy.
The deeper layer

This Shalok, like the Sach Ashtapadee (Shabad 24), builds a whole life out of truth: "do the tasks of Truth, wear Truth, take the Support of the True Name... associate with Truth." Truth as work, clothing, support, and company — woven through everything. "Through the True Word, be always happy." For a child: make truth the thing you do, wear, lean on, and keep company with — and you'll be genuinely happy.

A Question to Sit With

What would it look like to 'wear truth' — to let honesty show in everything about you?

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

About this shabad →
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