Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Facing the Guru, you gain the eight wonder-powers the yogis seek, and all wisdom.
Facing the Guru, you cross the frightening ocean of the world, with true understanding.
Facing the Guru, you know the ways of truth and untruth.
Facing the Guru, you understand both living in the world and letting it go.
Facing the Guru, you cross over, and carry others across too.
Nanak says: facing the Guru, you are set free through the Word.
The power worth having is wisdom.
The yogis prized asat siddhee, eight wonder-powers they believed long practice could bring. For the gurmukh, those powers come along with something greater: sabh buddhee, all wisdom. Knowing what is true matters more than any trick.
The gurmukh, one who faces the Guru, knows parvirat and narvirat. Parvirat means doing things in the world. Narvirat means letting go. The gurmukh holds both in balance, and does not run to one side. It is like riding a bike. You keep moving, and you stay balanced.
And the gurmukh does not cross the wide ocean of life alone. They carry others across too, freed by the Word.
If you had one superpower, would wisdom make the list?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI