Softly and Gently, Drop by Drop, the Ambrosial Nectar Trickles Down

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

Boond-aa boond-i-aa, amrit-u varsiaa, sahaj subhaa-ay — drop by drop (boond-aa boond-i-aa — drops, drops), the Ambrosial Nectar (amrit-u) rains down (varsiaa); with gentle ease (sahaj subhaa-ay — in sahaj, in natural ease, with the quality of effortlessness). The most tender image of divine grace in the ashtapadees: not a torrent, not a sudden flooding — drop by drop, gently, in sahaj. The grace that comes gradually, so gradually that you may not notice until you realize you are soaked.

Boliaa keh-aa, jo tujh-ai bhaaviaa — I speak what (keh-aa) He causes me to say (boliaa); whatever pleases You (jo tujh-ai bhaaviaa). The speaker's words are not their own — they speak what the Lord makes them speak. This is the theology of sacred utterance: the Gurus did not compose their poetry from their own genius. They spoke what the Lord put in their mouths. Guru Arjan, the compiler of the GGS, makes this claim humbly: whatever I said was what You caused me to say.

Sach-u saahib-u, sir-i dhar-ee-ai, naanak balihaarii — placing the True Lord (sach-u saahib-u) above my head (sir-i dhar-ee-ai — placed upon my head, as a crown or as the supreme authority), Nanak is a sacrifice (balihaarii). The acceptance prayer: let me be accepted by You, O True Lord.