Japji Sahib · Stanza 32
Pauri 32
Even a million tongues praising God is a ladder upward — but God is reached by grace, not by boasting.
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.
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ਇਕ ਦੂ ਜੀਭੌ ਲਖ ਹੋਹਿ ਲਖ ਹੋਵਹਿ ਲਖ ਵੀਸ ॥
Ik doo jeebhau lakh hohi lakh hoveh lakh vees.
If my one tongue became a hundred thousand, and those became twenty times more,
ਲਖੁ ਲਖੁ ਗੇੜਾ ਆਖੀਅਹਿ ਏਕੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਗਦੀਸ ॥
Lakh lakh geraa aakheeah ek naam jagdees.
and with each I said the one Name of the Lord of the world countless times —
ਏਤੁ ਰਾਹਿ ਪਤਿ ਪਵੜੀਆ ਚੜੀਐ ਹੋਇ ਇਕੀਸ ॥
Et raah pat pavreeaa chareeai hoe ikees.
this is the path: rung by rung we climb, and become one with God.
ਸੁਣਿ ਗਲਾ ਆਕਾਸ ਕੀ ਕੀਟਾ ਆਈ ਰੀਸ ॥
Sun galaa aakaas kee keetaa aaee rees.
Hearing talk of the heavens, even tiny crawling creatures long to rise.
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਦਰੀ ਪਾਈਐ ਕੂੜੀ ਕੂੜੈ ਠੀਸ ॥੩੨॥
Naanak nadree paaeeai koorhee koorhai thees. ॥32॥
Says Nanak: God is found through grace — false people only make false boasts. ॥32॥
✦ 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
ਜੀਭੌ
Jeebhau
Tongue
ਨਾਮੁ
Naam
God's Name; remembering God
ਪਵੜੀਆ
Pavreeaa
Steps; rungs of a ladder
ਨਦਰੀ
Nadree
By God's gracious glance; by grace
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