Book II / XVII

Shabd is the Heritage of a rare Devotee of the Master

Everyone wishes to see God face to face but only a rare soul gets the holy communion through the Shabd.

How many are pining to meet Thee? A rare soul realizes Thee with the Word of the Master. 

Guru Nanak, Basant M1

This body is the holy temple of God, with God's Power working in and out of it. All persons, rich and poor, lettered and unlettered, young and aged man and woman, anywhere and everywhere, irrespective of colour, caste and creed, are qualified to have a free access to that Power within through the grace of some competent Master and thus practice Shabd quite easily and naturally and reap the fruit thereof.

Holy temple of the body is His Emporium with the Shabd beautifully set within, a devotee of the Master may find the precious Naam therein. 

Gura Amar Das, Parbhati M3

Without contact with the Shabd, the world remains in delusion and the human life goes in vain. Oh Nanak, Shabd is the Water of Life and a rare devotee of the Master gets to It. 

Guru Amar Das, Parbhati M3

A mind-ridden person, because of the oscillation of the mind, does not recognize the Shabd and remains a total stranger to this elixir.

The restless mind knows not the Way, the filthy mind cannot recognize the Word. 

Guru Nanak, Asa M1

A slave of the senses knows not the Word and loses his self-respect, and he finds no delight in the Shabd as he remains engaged in the sensual pursuits. 

Guru Amar Das, Sri Rag M3