Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Who has seized and conquered the five powerful fighters? Is anyone strong enough?
He alone who conquers the five demons is perfect in this dark age.
This is the pause line, the Rahao, the center of the shabad. It asks what real strength is.
Jin mil maaray panch soorbeer — who has beaten the five mighty fighters? Is anyone that strong? The five fighters are inside us: desire, anger, greed, attachment, and pride. Real strength is not beating other people. It is beating these five within.
So pooraa ih kalee — that one alone is complete in this dark age. Kalee, or Kali Yuga, is the dark age, a time when doing right is hard. Think of a champion wrestler who wins every match but still loses his temper at home. The hardest win, and the one most worth having, is the one inside. Another shabad in Raag Aasaa calls this conquering your own self.
What's the difference between defeating others and defeating your own worst impulses?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI