ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪੇ ਆਪਿ ਆਪਿ ਖੁਆਈਐ ॥
naanak aapay aap aap khu-aa-ee-ai.
O Nanak, his identity consumes his identical identity.
ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਮਨਿ ਪਰਗਾਸੁ ਸਚਾ ਪਾਈਐ ॥੪॥੧੩॥੬੫॥
gurmat man pargaas sachaa paa-ee-ai. ||4||13||65||
Through the Guru's Teachings, the mind is illumined, and meets the True Lord. ||4||13||65||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Says Nanak: his very sense of being a separate self devours his true self.
Through the Guru's teaching the mind lights up, and meets the True One.
The false, separate self quietly eats the true self it was meant to reveal — until understanding lights the way.
The closing line names the ego's self-defeat precisely: "his identity consumes his identical identity" — the false, separate self eats the true Self it was meant to reveal. The remedy is light: "through the Guru's Teachings, the mind is illumined." Understanding lights up the dark where the treasure lay, and the soul meets the True One.
A Question to Sit With
What is the difference between your true self and the image you sometimes defend?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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