Gaathaa, Salok 1 — even perfume spoils on the body
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
There is only One. And the One is found by the True Guru's grace — a gift that is always here, waiting for an open heart.
Camphor, flowers and sweet perfume lose their sweetness when they touch the human body.
Nanak says: still, the one who does not understand is proud of this body — of its marrow, blood and bones, which do not smell sweet at all.
Being proud of the body means being proud of something that cannot even keep perfume sweet.
Gaathaa is a set of short verses by Guru Arjan, written in an old, Sanskrit-flavored style. It opens with a strong picture: karpoor puhap sugandhaa, camphor, flowers and perfume, all lovely on their own, lose their freshness once they touch the body. The body itself is majaa rudhir, marrow and blood.
The picture is hard on purpose. Naanak ath garbayn agyaanano: only someone who does not understand is proud of such a body. The pride is the problem, not the body. The body is a gift to use well, not a thing to show off.
What is one thing about you that would still be true even without the mirror?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI