I Have Come to Listen and Read the Teachings

The Sabad speaks directly to the "unaware mind," urging it to become aware of the profound narrative told by the Truth-Exemplars, the enlightened beings who carry Divine wisdom. The simplicity of the language reflects the straightforwardness of the message—awareness of the Divine's presence is the key to spiritual liberation. Forgetting Nam leads to the cyclical suffering of life while remembering it brings peace and freedom from the cycle of coming and going (birth and death).

Guru Arjan Sahib reminds us that the Divine bestows all effort, strength, and wisdom. Only through Divine grace can we even utter Nam and engage in devotion. This highlights the essential humility in spiritual practice—acknowledging that all power and ability stem from the Divine.

The final lines of the Sabad emphasize that those devoted to the Divine are liked by the All-Pervasive. The devotees' devotion connects them to the Divine, and in that connection, they find comfort. Through Sarang Rag, this Sabad calls for simplicity, humility, and unwavering devotion to Nam as the path to spiritual liberation and divine favor.

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I have come to listen and read the Teachings.
Forgetting Nam¹, engaging in other greeds, human life wasted. Reflect.

O! My unaware mind! Understand,
become aware of the indescribable narrative told by Truth-Exemplars.

Earn profit: Remember All-Pervasive in the heart,
free yourself from coming-going.

Effort, strength, and wisdom are Yours,
when You bestow, then I utter Nam.

Nanak: Devotees are engaged in devotion,
and they are liked by the Divine. 2.

¹ Divine Identification.

     Guru Arjan Sahib in Rag Sarang  |  Guru Granth Sahib 1219
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ਸਾਰਗ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥
ਆਇਓ ਸੁਨਨ ਪੜਨ ਕਉ ਬਾਣੀ ॥
ਨਾਮੁ ਵਿਸਾਰਿ ਲਗਹਿ ਅਨ ਲਾਲਚਿ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਪਰਾਣੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਸਮਝੁ ਅਚੇਤ ਚੇਤਿ ਮਨ ਮੇਰੇ ਕਥੀ ਸੰਤਨ ਅਕਥ ਕਹਾਣੀ ॥
ਲਾਭੁ ਲੈਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਰਿਦੈ ਅਰਾਧਹੁ ਛੁਟਕੈ ਆਵਣ ਜਾਣੀ ॥੧॥
ਉਦਮੁ ਸਕਤਿ ਸਿਆਣਪ ਤੁਮ੍ਹਰੀ ਦੇਹਿ ਤ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਾਣੀ ॥
ਸੇਈ ਭਗਤ ਭਗਤਿ ਸੇ ਲਾਗੇ ਨਾਨਕ ਜੋ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਭਾਣੀ ॥੨॥੫੬॥੭੯॥

About Sabad of the Week

We are finite; our understanding is finite. Our understanding was different yesterday and may evolve tomorrow as we deepen our relationship with the Sabad. In this trans-creation, we have chosen to keep the repeating words in the Sabad same. We aspire to learn and retain the Divine attribute used in the original Sabad and avoid terms like God or Lord.