Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The meditatives practice meditation.
And the wise practice spiritual wisdom.
But how rare are those who truly know God.
This line says: some people meditate, some people study deeply, but very few truly know God.
The list of paths begins here. Dhi-aanee dhi-aan laaveh: the meditators practice dhi-aan, which means focused, quiet attention. Gi-aanee gi-aan kamaaveh: the wise work at gi-aan, which means spiritual knowing and understanding.
Both are good and real. Guru Arjan is not saying they are wrong. People have followed them for thousands of years, and many were sincere.
Then comes the turn: prabh kin hee jaataa, "but how few have come to know God!"
Think of a student who practices the piano every day. Practice matters a lot. But playing the notes is not the same as feeling the music. In the same way, the practice is real, but the place it points to is not promised by the practice alone.
Across this whole song, the few who truly know God are the ones the Guru fills and the Lord draws close. It is not about who has the best technique. This idea runs through every line that follows.
What is the difference between spiritual practice that produces deep states and spiritual practice that produces genuine knowing? Have you experienced either?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI