ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ik-oNkaar satgur parsaad.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ ਘਰੁ ੬ ਕੇ ੩ ॥
mehlaa 4 raag aasaa ghar 6 kay 3.
Fourth Mehl, Raag Aasaa, 3 Of Sixth House:
ਹਥਿ ਕਰਿ ਤੰਤੁ ਵਜਾਵੈ ਜੋਗੀ ਥੋਥਰ ਵਾਜੈ ਬੇਨ ॥
hath kar tant vajaavai jogee thothar vaajai bayn.
You may pluck the strings with your hand, O Yogi, but your playing of the harp is in vain.
ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਬੋਲਹੁ ਜੋਗੀ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੂਆ ਹਰਿ ਰੰਗਿ ਭੇਨ ॥੧॥
gurmat har gun bolhu jogee ih manoo-aa har rang bhayn. ||1||
Under Guru's Instruction, chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord, O Yogi, and this mind of yours shall be imbued with the Lord's Love. ||1||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
You may pluck the strings with your hand, Yogi, but your harp-playing is in vain.
Instead, under the Guru's guidance, sing the praises of the One — and this mind of yours will be soaked in the One's love.
It's not the harp in your hands but the song in your heart that soaks you in love.
Guru Ram Das addresses a Yogi who makes music as his practice, and tells him plainly that the outer playing is "in vain." The fingers on the strings accomplish nothing; what soaks the mind in love is singing the One's praises through the Guru. The instrument that matters is the heart, not the harp.
A Question to Sit With
What is something you can do perfectly on the outside while your heart isn't in it at all?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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