O God, keep the boat of the heart safe in the ocean of life; many captains are found to steer it, but a truly God-fearing person is nowhere to be found.
In this evocative couplet, life is imagined as a turbulent ocean, and the vulnerable heart as a small boat adrift upon its waves. The poet plays masterfully on the words 'nakhuda' (helmsman) and 'ba-khuda' (one devoted to God), lamenting that while worldly captains eager to take the wheel are plentiful, genuinely spiritual and selfless guides are nowhere to be found. It is an earnest prayer born out of human disillusionment, asking the Divine directly to steer the heart safely through life's storms.
Interpretation note: meanings and explanations may be AI-assisted and should not replace a primary text or scholarly edition. See the editorial policy.
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