Through Age After Age, I Am the Servant of the Merciful Lord

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

The closing pauri of Shabad 128 — and of the entire ashtapadee section of Siree Raag. Jug-u jug-u sev-aa Rah-im-u manio — through age after age (jug-u jug-u — age upon age, era upon era), the soul has been the servant (sev-aa) of the Merciful Lord (Rah-im-u — the Arabic Raheem, the Compassionate). Not just this life — across all the ages that the soul has passed through.

Gur-i ketai bund-h khul-aai-aa — the Guru has cut away (khul-aai-aa — opened, released) many bonds (ketai bund-h). The chains that bound the soul across many lifetimes — the accumulated karma, the ego-structure, the Maya-attachment — the Guru has cut them. Not all at once; ketai (many, several) — one by one, the bonds have been released.

Phir-i akhaari-aa na naacha-ee-ai, naanak mau-kaa laa-i-aa — I shall not dance (na naacha-ee-ai) in the wrestling arena again (phir-i akhaari-aa — the arena of life, the wrestling ground of existence); Nanak has found (laa-i-aa — obtained, found the opportunity) this opportunity (mau-kaa — the right moment, the opportunity). The soul who has wrestled and won (Pauri18), whose bonds the Guru has cut, who has served across ages — this soul shall not return to the arena. Liberation: not having to dance in the wrestling match of existence again. And the recognition: this human birth was the opportunity. Nanak searched and found it.