Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
What sort of a resting place is this world?
Do deeds of faith. Pack up the supplies for your journey. And remain committed to the Name.
This line asks: what kind of resting place is this world? And it answers: live with faith, pack for the journey, and hold on to the Name.
This is the rahaa-o line. Rahaa-o means "pause." It is the line you stop on, the center of the whole song.
Dunee-aa kais mukaamay: what sort of resting place is the world? It is a real question. Take an honest look. Is it the forever home we treat it as?
Kar sidak karnee kharach baadhhu: with sidak, faith, and karnee, good deeds, pack your kharach, your supplies for the road. Laag rahu naamay: and stay close to the Name.
The steps build on each other. First, live with faith. Second, act like a traveler, not someone who will stay forever. Third, remember that the Name is what goes in the backpack.
Think of packing for a school trip. You bring what you will really need: water, a snack, a jacket. Good deeds and the Name are the things that go with us. The line is deep, but it is also very practical.
If you were genuinely preparing for a long journey and could only take one thing, what would it be — and does how you live show that you know this?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI