Salok Mehlaa 9, Salok 50 — even the great ones passed on

ਰਾਮੁ ਗਇਓ ਰਾਵਨੁ ਗਇਓ ਜਾ ਕਉ ਬਹੁ ਪਰਵਾਰੁ ॥

raam ga-i-o raavan ga-i-o jaa ka-o baho parvaar.

Raam Chand passed away, as did Raawan, even though he had lots of relatives.

ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਥਿਰੁ ਕਛੁ ਨਹੀ ਸੁਪਨੇ ਜਿਉ ਸੰਸਾਰੁ ॥੫੦॥

kaho naanak thir kachh nahee supnay ji-o sansaar. ||50||

Says Nanak, nothing lasts forever; the world is like a dream. ||50||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Raam, the great king of the old stories, passed away, and so did Raavan, who fought him, though Raavan had a huge family.

Nanak says: nothing lasts forever. The world is like a dream.

Even the greatest could not keep the passing world, so hold yours with an open hand.

The deeper layer

Even the greatest names of old passed on; nothing in the world stays.

Raam ga-i-o raavan ga-i-o: Raam went, Raavan went. Raam is the hero of the Ramayana, an old and much-loved Hindu story; Raavan is the king who fought him. Jaa ka-o baho parvaar: Raavan had a very large family, and even so he could not stay.

Thir kachh nahee: nothing is lasting. Supnay ji-o sansaar: the world is like a dream.

A Question to Sit With

If even the mightiest kings could not hold onto everything, what does that free you to let go of?

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

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