Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
When someone dies, the five passions gather and mourn his death.
Overcoming self-conceit, one washes off his filth with the Word.
One who knows and understands enters the home of peace; without understanding, he loses all his honor.
This one says that when someone dies, the loudest crying often comes from our own wants.
The shabad opens with a surprising picture. Ayk marai panchay mil roveh — when someone dies, the five get together and cry. The "five" are the five strong pulls inside us: strong desire, anger, greed, clinging and pride.
Why would they cry? Because they have lost the body they lived in. They lived on that person, like weeds living off a garden.
But some people have already washed off their pride with the Guru's Word. Samajh soojh sahj ghar hoveh — one who understands comes into a home of calm and peace. For that person, understanding means death is no loss. Without understanding, a person loses their honor.
What in us mourns loss — our love, or our attachment?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI