Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Here is the untouched person: a tongue that does not touch lies. Eyes that do not touch what belongs to others.
Ears that refuse to feast on bad talk about anyone. A heart in love with the Pure One, gladly serving the saints and loving the Sangat.
Someone who sees themselves as the least of all - and who, by grace, has dropped what corrupts, has shown the door to the mind's darker wants, and stands free of the five passions.
Among millions, says Nanak, there is barely one such untouched soul.
The "untouched" person stays in the world, and keeps only the bad stuff out.
The verse rebuilds "touching nothing" one sense at a time. And every sense stays in the world. The tongue is not silenced. Mithi-aa naahee rasnaa paras — it simply does not touch lies. The eyes are not shut. They just do not stare at other people's partners. The ears are not plugged. Karan na sunai kaahoo kee nindaa — they do not listen to gossip about anyone.
That is the big difference. The old kind of apras pulled his senses away from everything. Guru Arjan's apras stays fully in touch with life and pulls away only from what is rotten. Think of a good goalkeeper. They stay right in the game, and only keep the ball out of the net.
Saadh kee tahal satsang hayt — he serves the saints and loves the Sangat — people gathered together to remember the One.
Look at what holds the list together. Sabh tay jaanai aapas ka-o mandaa — he sees himself as the least of all. The one thing truly not to touch is thinking you are better than everyone.
The last line counts honestly. Naanak kot maDhay ko aisaa apras — among millions, hardly one is like this. That is not meant to discourage. The title was always rare. Guru Arjan has only fixed what it is rare for.
Which is harder: never hearing gossip, or hearing it and refusing to enjoy it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI