A Heart Split Among Wants Misses What It Longs For

ਦੂਜੜੈ ਕਾਮਣਿ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲੀ ਹਰਿ ਵਰੁ ਨ ਪਾਏ ਰਾਮ ॥

doojrhai kaaman bharam bhulee har var na paa-ay raam.

The soul-bride who has been led astray by duality and doubt, does not attain her Husband Lord.

ਕਾਮਣਿ ਗੁਣੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਏ ਰਾਮ ॥

kaaman gun naahee birthaa janam gavaa-ay raam.

That soul-bride has no virtue, and she wastes her life in vain.

ਬਿਰਥਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਏ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਇਆਣੀ ਅਉਗਣਵੰਤੀ ਝੂਰੇ ॥

birthaa janam gavaa-ay manmukh i-aanee a-uganvantee jhooray.

The self-willed, ignorant and disgraceful manmukh wastes her life in vain, and in the end, she comes to grief.

ਆਪਣਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਸੇਵਿ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਤਾ ਪਿਰੁ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਹਦੂਰੇ ॥

aapnaa satgur sayv sadaa sukh paa-i-aa taa pir mili-aa hadooray.

But when she serves her True Guru, she obtains peace, and then she meets her Husband Lord, face to face.

ਦੇਖਿ ਪਿਰੁ ਵਿਗਸੀ ਅੰਦਰਹੁ ਸਰਸੀ ਸਚੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਸੁਭਾਏ ॥

daykh pir vigsee andrahu sarsee sachai sabad subhaa-ay.

Beholding her Husband Lord, she blossoms forth; her heart is delighted, and she is beautified by the True Word of the Shabad.

ਨਾਨਕ ਵਿਣੁ ਨਾਵੈ ਕਾਮਣਿ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਣੀ ਮਿਲਿ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਏ ॥੨॥

naanak vin naavai kaaman bharam bhulaanee mil pareetam sukh paa-ay. ||2||

O Nanak, without the Name, the soul-bride wanders around, deluded by doubt. Meeting her Beloved, she obtains peace. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

A heart pulled in two directions, chasing this and that, misses the very thing it longs for.

But turning to true guidance brings peace — and then comes the meeting, face to face. Seeing the One she loves, her whole heart blossoms open.

A heart split between too many wants misses what it most longs for — one true turn, and it blossoms.

The deeper layer

The verse contrasts two states without cruelty. The heart led astray by duality and doubt — divided, chasing many things — misses the Beloved and 'wastes its chance.' The word for this is manmukh, the self-following mind. But the verse doesn't leave her there: jaa sat gur sayvay... sukh paa-ay — the moment she turns to true guidance, peace comes and the meeting happens face to face. And the image of arrival is pure delight: vigsee — she blossoms, opening like a flower in sun. Being divided is not a life sentence; one turn toward what's true, and the blossoming begins.

A Question to Sit With

When has focusing on one thing you truly care about felt better than chasing many?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

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