Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
When the Husband goes away, the bride suffers in the pain of separation —
like the fish in shallow water, crying for mercy.
As it pleases the Will of the Husband Lord, peace is obtained when He Himself casts His Glance of Grace.
This one says that missing the One is like a fish missing deep water.
When the beloved is far away, the bride aches. Then comes the picture: ji-o jal thorhai machhulee, "like a fish in shallow water," crying for mercy. A fish needs deep water to live. In a shallow puddle it struggles.
The soul is like that fish. It needs the One the way a fish needs water. When the One feels far away, the soul feels that thin, dry place.
How does it end? Jaa aapay nadar karay-i: "when He Himself looks with kindness." Nadar means the loving look of grace. Peace comes as a gift from the One, not as a prize we win. It is okay to feel the ache and to call out. That calling is right, and the answer comes from above.
What does the experience of spiritual separation feel like — when the connection to what matters most feels thin or absent? And what has restored it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI