Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The false desires and dream-like delights —
the self-willed call these true.
The sleeping mind thinks its dream is real.
Guru Arjan names the big mistake. People chase false wishes and dream-like fun. Man mukh sat kahay — and the manmukh calls these things true. A manmukh is someone who follows only their own wants, facing away from the One.
Think of a dream where you win a giant prize. It feels completely real, until you wake up and your hands are empty.
That is the sleeping mind. It calls what passes away real. It calls what is truly real unreal. This mix-up is exactly what it means to be asleep and led by your own wants.
What in your life have you treated as solid that turned out to be a passing dream?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI