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Sikhism·Raag Aasaa·Shabad 307
Verse 2 of 4

Chasing Shiny Things Leaves You Spinning

ਮਨਮੁਖਾ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਮੁਏ ਮੇਰੀ ਕਰਿ ਮਾਇਆ ਰਾਮ ॥
manmukhaa manmukh mu-ay mayree kar maa-i-aa raam.
The self-willed manmukhs die in their self-willed stubbornness, declaring that the wealth of Maya is theirs.
ਖਿਨੁ ਆਵੈ ਖਿਨੁ ਜਾਵੈ ਦੁਰਗੰਧ ਮੜੈ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਇਆ ਰਾਮ ॥
khin aavai khin jaavai durganDh marhai chit laa-i-aa raam.
They attach their consciousness to the foul-smelling pile of filth, which comes for a moment, and departs in an instant.
ਲਾਇਆ ਦੁਰਗੰਧ ਮੜੈ ਚਿਤੁ ਲਾਗਾ ਜਿਉ ਰੰਗੁ ਕਸੁੰਭ ਦਿਖਾਇਆ ॥
laa-i-aa durganDh marhai chit laagaa ji-o rang kasumbh dikhaa-i-aa.
They attach their consciousness to the foul-smelling pile of filth, which is transitory, like the fading color of the safflower.
ਖਿਨੁ ਪੂਰਬਿ ਖਿਨੁ ਪਛਮਿ ਛਾਏ ਜਿਉ ਚਕੁ ਕੁਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਿਆਰਿ ਭਵਾਇਆ ॥
khin poorab khin pachham chhaa-ay ji-o chak kumHi-aar bhavaa-i-aa.
One moment, they are facing east, and the next instant, they are facing west; they continue spinning around, like the potter's wheel.
ਦੁਖੁ ਖਾਵਹਿ ਦੁਖੁ ਸੰਚਹਿ ਭੋਗਹਿ ਦੁਖ ਕੀ ਬਿਰਧਿ ਵਧਾਈ ॥
dukh khaaveh dukh saNcheh bhogeh dukh kee biraDh vaDhaa-ee.
In sorrow, they eat, and in sorrow, they gather things and try to enjoy them, but they only increase their stores of sorrow.
ਨਾਨਕ ਬਿਖਮੁ ਸੁਹੇਲਾ ਤਰੀਐ ਜਾ ਆਵੈ ਗੁਰ ਸਰਣਾਈ ॥੨॥
naanak bikham suhaylaa taree-ai jaa aavai gur sarnaa-ee. ||2||
O Nanak, one easily crosses over the terrifying world-ocean, when he comes to the Sanctuary of the Guru. ||2||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Chasing after shiny things is like chasing a color that fades before you get home.

It leaves you spinning in circles, gathering worry instead of joy. But there's an easy way across all of it — simply take shelter in wise guidance.

Chasing shiny things leaves you spinning and gathering worry — the way out is to stop and take shelter.
The deeper layer

The verse pictures the restlessness of grasping: Maya's wealth is a fading color, like the safflower dye that bleeds out fast, and the grasping mind spins like a potter's wheel, facing east one moment, west the next. The sharp truth: in sorrow they gather, only increasing their stores of sorrow — clutching more of what can't satisfy just makes more ache. But the verse never traps you there; it ends with the easy exit — one crosses the terrifying ocean simply by coming to the Sanctuary of the Guru. The way out of the spinning is not more spinning; it's stopping, and taking shelter.

A Question to Sit With

What's something you kept chasing that only left you wanting more?

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

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