Japji Sahib · Pauri 23

ਪਾਤਾਲਾ ਪਾਤਾਲ ਲਖ ਆਗਾਸਾ ਆਗਾਸ ॥ਓੜਕ ਓੜਕ ਭਾਲਿ ਥਕੇ ਵੇਦ ਕਹਨਿ ਇਕ ਵਾਤ ॥ਸਹਸ ਅਠਾਰਹ ਕਹਨਿ ਕਤੇਬਾ ਅਸੁਲੂ ਇਕੁ ਧਾਤੁ ॥ਲੇਖਾ ਹੋਇ ਤ ਲਿਖੀਐ ਲੇਖੈ ਹੋਇ ਵਿਣਾਸੁ ॥ਨਾਨਕ ਵਡਾ ਆਖੀਐ ਆਪੇ ਜਾਣੈ ਆਪੁ ॥੨੨॥

Paataalaa paataal lakh aagaasaa aagaas. Orhak orhak bhaal thakay vayd kahan ik vaat. Sahas athaarah kahan kataybaa asuloo ik dhaat. Laykhaa ho-ay ta likhee-ai laykhai ho-ay vinaas. Nanak vadaa aakhee-ai aapay jaanai aap.

Nether-regions upon nether-regions, hundreds of thousands of skies upon skies. Searching the limit, the Vedas grew tired — and the Vedas say: there is one essential thing. The Kitabs say eighteen thousand worlds — but the underlying Substance is One. If accounts could be kept, they would be — but in the very keeping, the counter is destroyed. Nanak says — call Him great; He alone knows Himself.

— Japji Sahib 23

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