Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
He has towering palaces and mansions and queens, elephants and fine horses to delight the mind,
and a great family of sons and daughters —
but, lost in attachment, the blind fool wastes away to death.
It is not the palace that wastes a life. It is the clinging.
The verse lists everything the world calls success. Tall palaces and mansions. Queens. Elephants and fine horses. A big family of sons and daughters. Then comes the same ending: mohi pachay pach anDhaa moo-aa — lost in attachment, the blind one wastes away and dies. Moh is attachment, holding on too tight.
The things themselves are not blamed. Having them is fine. The trouble is gripping them so hard you cannot see anything else. Think of a kid holding a new phone so close to their face that they miss the whole birthday party. Another shabad in Raag Aasaa makes the same point about what the world prizes.
Can you enjoy good things without being blinded by attachment to them?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI