Japji Sahib · Stanza 22
Pauri 22
There are countless worlds above and below — and only God knows the full count of His own creation.
Listen and read along
Your child does not need to read Gurmukhi to start this pauri. They can follow the words as they hear them.
- Press Listen and follow along — each word lights up exactly as it is recited.
- Tap ▶ beside any line to hear just that line, as many times as you like.
- Turn the transliteration or the meaning on and off, and make the Gurmukhi bigger or smaller.
ਪਾਤਾਲਾ ਪਾਤਾਲ ਲਖ ਆਗਾਸਾ ਆਗਾਸ ॥
Paataalaa paataal lakh aagaasaa aagaas.
There are worlds upon worlds below, and skies upon skies above — countless of them.
ਓੜਕ ਓੜਕ ਭਾਲਿ ਥਕੇ ਵੇਦ ਕਹਨਿ ਇਕ ਵਾਤ ॥
Orhak orhak bhaal thake ved kahan ik vaat.
People searched and searched for the very end and grew tired; the scriptures all say one thing.
ਸਹਸ ਅਠਾਰਹ ਕਹਨਿ ਕਤੇਬਾ ਅਸੁਲੂ ਇਕੁ ਧਾਤੁ ॥
Sahas athaarah kahan katebaa asuloo ik dhaat.
Some books speak of eighteen thousand worlds, but the one true source behind them all is God.
ਲੇਖਾ ਹੋਇ ਤ ਲਿਖੀਐ ਲੇਖੈ ਹੋਇ ਵਿਣਾਸੁ ॥
Lekhaa ho-e ta likee-ai lekhai ho-e vinaas.
If His creation could be counted, we would write it down — but the counter would finish before the count does.
ਨਾਨਕ ਵਡਾ ਆਖੀਐ ਆਪੇ ਜਾਣੈ ਆਪੁ ॥੨੨॥
Naanak vadaa aakhee-ai aape jaanai aap. ॥22॥
Says Nanak: we call God great — and only He Himself truly knows Himself. ॥22॥
✦ The Gurmukhi shown is the original Gurbani. The transliteration and English meaning are a simple, kid-friendly rendering for learning — under review, not a replacement for the original bani.
Words to know
4 words from this stanza
ਪਾਤਾਲ
Paataal
The worlds below; nether worlds
ਆਗਾਸ
Aagaas
The skies; the heavens above
ਲਖ
Lakh
Hundreds of thousands; countless
ਲੇਖਾ
Lekhaa
An account; a count or reckoning
Play & remember
Activities for this stanza
Guess what each Gurmukhi word means, then flip the card to check.
What does this word mean?
Take a guess, then flip the card.
A calm sheet with the Gurmukhi on a floral border — print it and color while you learn this stanza.
Print coloring sheet