Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Again and again, forever, the genuine coins are gathered and treasured. With them the true goods are bought.
The fake coins are not even seen in that Treasury. They are taken and thrown into the fire again.
This one says the fake coin is melted down and made again until it rings true.
The testing goes on. The fake coin is cast into the fire again. That is not punishment for its own sake. It is the melting pot. The fire melts the fake coin so the metal can be stamped true. Gurbani sounds strict here, but mercy is tucked inside. Many in the tradition hear rebirth in this line: the soul goes back to the fire until it comes out right.
Think of a potter who squashes a lopsided pot back into clay, to shape it again.
Meanwhile the genuine coins are treasured, nit nit, again and again. They become the money that buys the true goods. Being real is not just approved. It can be spent on what matters.
What experiences have felt like fire but actually re-formed you closer to true?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI