Shabads are hymns or spiritual poems written by saints and mystics from different spiritual traditions of the Indian subcontinent. The shabads convey a deep message of truth and are sung with heartfelt devotion. They express the intense longing of the soul for union with the Lord. These songs of devotion are prayers that inspire the true seeker to turn inwards to contact the ultimate Truth – the inner divine music that reverberates within every being.

May the slanderer live for ages –
with his help, my task is accomplished.
My task is accomplished by a servant
who charges not a penny.
Arming himself with stories,
he goes from place to place
and enlightens the whole world about me.
He does not forget me even for a moment;
with great fondness, he hurls abuse at me day and night.
He strengthens the message of the saints
and rids the world of delusion;
the slanderer is indeed my benefactor
for he brings me closer to Nam.
On hearing that the slanderer died,
Paltu burst into tears.
May the slanderer live for ages –
through him my task is accomplished!
On hearing that the slanderer died,
Paltu burst into tears.
May the slanderer live for ages –
through him my task is accomplished!
A slanderer is truly beneficent to others –
he helps the devotee.
He helps the devotee
by slandering him in the world.
If there were no slanderers,
how would devotees have attained liberation?
They themselves go to hell
but help the devotee to attain emancipation;
for the sake of the devotee
they continue in the cycle of transmigration.
They think only of the devotee
and nothing else pleases them;
look at the love they have for the devotee
and how they always keep him in their minds.
O Paltu, what a washerman he is
who washes everything without any charge!
A slanderer is truly beneficent to others –
he helps the devotee.
O Paltu, what a washerman he is
who washes everything without any charge!
A slanderer is truly beneficent to others –
he helps the devotee.

This shabad is published by Radha Soami Satsang Beas.
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