Sikhism·Siree Raag·Ashtapadee 7
Verse 7 of 9

The Vedas Proclaim and the Words of Vyaas Tell Us

ਬੇਦੁ ਪੁਕਾਰੇ ਵਾਚੀਐ ਬਾਣੀ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਬਿਆਸੁ ॥
bayd pukaaray vaachee-ai banee barahm bi-aas.
The Vedas proclaim, and the words of Vyaasa tell us,
ਮੁਨਿ ਜਨ ਸੇਵਕ ਸਾਧਿਕਾ ਨਾਮਿ ਰਤੇ ਗੁਣਤਾਸੁ ॥
mun jan sayvak saaDhikaa naam ratay guntaas.
that the silent sages, the servants of the Lord, and those who practice a life of spiritual discipline are attuned to the Naam, the Treasure of Excellence.
ਸਚਿ ਰਤੇ ਸੇ ਜਿਣਿ ਗਏ ਹਉ ਸਦ ਬਲਿਹਾਰੈ ਜਾਸੁ ॥੬॥
sach ratay say jin ga-ay ha-o sad balihaarai jaas. ||6||
Those who are attuned to the True Name win the game of life; I am forever a sacrifice to them. ||6||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The Vedas proclaim, and the words of Vyaas tell us,

that the silent sages, the servants of the Lord, and those who practice spiritual discipline are attuned to the Naam, the Treasure of Excellence.

Those who are attuned to the True Name win the game of life. I am forever a sacrifice to them.

The Vedas and Vyaas and the sages all say the same thing: attuned to the True Name wins the game.
The deeper layer

The cross-scriptural confirmation: the Vedas, Vyaas (the sage who compiled the Mahabharata), the silent sages — all say the same thing. The convergence is not coincidental. What all genuine traditions and teachers say, when followed to their root, is: attuned to the Naam.

'Win the game of life' (jit) — life as a game (khel) that can be won or lost. The winning condition is attunement to the True Name. This is a more hopeful framing than most: the game can be won. It is not rigged against you.

A Question to Sit With

What does it mean to you to 'win' your life — to have lived it well, to have succeeded at what matters most? What are your criteria?

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

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