Skip to main content

A verse shared with you

Japji Sahib · Pauri 18

ਅਸੰਖ ਜਪ ਅਸੰਖ ਭਾਉ ॥ਅਸੰਖ ਪੂਜਾ ਅਸੰਖ ਤਪ ਤਾਉ ॥ਅਸੰਖ ਗਰੰਥ ਮੁਖਿ ਵੇਦ ਪਾਠ ॥ਅਸੰਖ ਜੋਗ ਮਨਿ ਰਹਹਿ ਉਦਾਸ ॥ਅਸੰਖ ਭਗਤ ਗੁਣ ਗਿਆਨ ਵੀਚਾਰ ॥ਅਸੰਖ ਸਤੀ ਅਸੰਖ ਦਾਤਾਰ ॥ਅਸੰਖ ਸੂਰ ਮੁਹ ਭਖ ਸਾਰ ॥ਅਸੰਖ ਮੋਨਿ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਇ ਤਾਰ ॥ਕੁਦਰਤਿ ਕਵਣ ਕਹਾ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ਵਾਰਿਆ ਨ ਜਾਵਾ ਏਕ ਵਾਰ ॥ਜੋ ਤੁਧੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਸਾਈ ਭਲੀ ਕਾਰ ॥ਤੂ ਸਦਾ ਸਲਾਮਤਿ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ॥੧੭॥

Asankh jap asankh bhaa-o. Asankh poojaa asankh tap taa-o. Asankh garanth mukh vayd paath. Asankh jog man rahahi udaas. Asankh bhagat gun gi-aan veechaar. Asankh satee asankh daataar. Asankh soor muh bhakh saar. Asankh mon liv laa-ay taar. Kudrat kavan kahaa veechaar. Vaari-aa na jaavaa ayk vaar. Jo tudh bhaavai saa-ee bhalee kaar. Too sadaa salaamat Nirankaar.

Countless are the meditations, countless the loving devotions. Countless the worships, countless the austerities of fire. Countless the scriptures, countless the recited Vedas. Countless the yogis whose minds rest in detachment. Countless the devotees who contemplate virtue and knowledge. Countless the truth-firm, countless the generous. Countless the heroes whose mouths bite iron. Countless the silent ones holding unbroken attentive love. What can I say of Your Nature? I cannot match You even once. Whatever pleases You is the only right action. You are forever inviolate, O Formless One.

— Japji Sahib 18

Source: Original Gurmukhi by Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469–1539). Public-domain English renderings drawn from Manmohan Singh and Pritam Singh Chahil translations.

Read this — and the whole library — in SoulVriti

Read wisdom from many traditions in a calm web reader, with translations, transliteration, and reflection. A connection is required on the web.

Read in SoulVriti