Salok Sehskritee, Salok 8 — This Body Was Given, So Use It Well
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
This body is a fragile fort, made of water, plastered with blood and wrapped in skin.
It has nine gates but no doors, and it stands on pillars of wind, the breath going in and out.
The one who does not understand forgets to remember the Lord of the World, and thinks this body will last forever.
Nanak says: this precious body is saved in the shelter of the holy people,
repeating the Naam of the One: Har, Har, Har, Har, Har, Haray.
The body is a fragile fort, and it finds its worth in remembering the One.
It pictures the body as a small fort. It is made of water, held together with blood, and wrapped in skin. It has "nine gates but no doors." Those are the nine openings of the body, like the eyes, ears and mouth. It stands on "pillars of wind," which means the breath going in and out.
Some people think this fort will last forever, so they forget the One. But a phone battery does not last forever either. So you charge it and use it for what matters.
The turn comes at the end. Durlabh dayh uDhrant saaDh saran: in the shelter of holy people, this rare body is saved. The verse repeats the Naam: har har har har har haray. That repeating is simran, loving remembrance. It is what gives the body its worth.
What is one good thing you could do with your body and your day that would still matter later?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI