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Sikhism·Siree Raag·Shabad 54
Verse 4 of 5

By His Grace, One Meditates on the Naam

ਆਖਣੁ ਵੇਖਣੁ ਬੋਲਣਾ ਸਬਦੇ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਇ ॥
aakhan vaykhan bolnaa sabday rahi-aa samaa-ay.
In speaking, in seeing and in words, remain immersed in the Shabad.
ਬਾਣੀ ਵਜੀ ਚਹੁ ਜੁਗੀ ਸਚੋ ਸਚੁ ਸੁਣਾਇ ॥
banee vajee chahu jugee sacho sach sunaa-ay.
The Word of the Guru's Bani vibrates throughout the four ages. As Truth, it teaches Truth.
ਹਉਮੈ ਮੇਰਾ ਰਹਿ ਗਇਆ ਸਚੈ ਲਇਆ ਮਿਲਾਇ ॥
ha-umai mayraa reh ga-i-aa sachai la-i-aa milaa-ay.
Egotism and possessiveness are eliminated, and the True One absorbs them into Himself.
ਤਿਨ ਕਉ ਮਹਲੁ ਹਦੂਰਿ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਸਚਿ ਰਹੇ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇ ॥੩॥
tin ka-o mahal hadoor hai jo sach rahay liv laa-ay. ||3||
Those who remain lovingly absorbed in the True One see the Mansion of His Presence close at hand. ||3||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

By His Grace, one meditates on the Naam. And through the Naam, one finds peace.

Becoming Gurmukh, one contemplates the True Word of the Shabad. Through the Shabad, all is understood.

Grace enables the practice; the practice deepens the grace. The circle turns in the right direction.

Grace initiates the practice; the practice deepens the grace — the spiral turns upward.
The deeper layer

The sequence: grace (kirpaa) → meditation on Naam → peace. Then: Gurmukh state → contemplation of Shabad → all understood.

The two sequences reinforce each other: grace initiates, practice deepens, understanding grows, which deepens practice, which deepens grace. This is the upward spiral of genuine spiritual practice — the opposite of the downward spiral of ego-reinforcing behavior.

A Question to Sit With

Can you identify an upward spiral in your life — something where doing more made more possible, which made still more possible? What started that spiral?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

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