Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
He alone is a true Brahmin who knows the Lord Brahma and is attuned to the Love of the Lord.
God is close at hand. He dwells deep within the hearts of all. How rare are those who, as Gurmukh, truly know Him.
O Nanak — through the Naam, greatness is obtained. Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, He is realized.
This line says: a truly holy person is the one who knows God and loves Him, whatever family they were born into.
So baraahman barahm jo binday: the real Brahmin is the one who knows God. In Hindu society, Brahmins were the priest-teachers, given the highest rank by birth. Har saytee rang raataa: they are colored through and through with love for the Lord.
So here holiness is measured by knowing and loving God, not by birth, ritual or rank. This is not a putdown of any faith or any group. It is a warning against empty labels, for everyone.
Think back over this song: Namdev the cloth-printer, Kabir the weaver, Prahlad the demon king's son. Each of them knew God. By this measure, each is a true Brahmin. A title from birth, with no love for God inside it, is only a label.
Prabh nikat vasai sabhnaa ghat antar: God is close. He lives inside every heart. Gurmukh virlai jaataa: but few, following the Guru, truly know it. It is not rare because it needs a special birth. It needs the Guru's way of seeing.
Naanak naam milai vadi-aa-ee: O Nanak, through the Name comes true honor. Gur kai sabad pachhaataa: through the Guru's Word, He is recognized.
Think of WiFi in your house. It is in every room already. You just need to connect.
If the divine truly dwells in every heart — including yours, right now — what would change about how you treat yourself and others if you genuinely knew this?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI