Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Someone may wear their hair matted and tangled on the head, smear ashes on the body, and take off their clothes and go bare.
But without the Naam of the One, the heart is never full. The holy robes are on, yet they are still tied by the karma of what they did in lives before.
Without the Naam, the heart stays hungry, whatever robes you wear.
The verse describes people who give up everything to look holy. They grow jataa, long matted hair. They rub bhasam, ash, on their skin. Some even give up clothes altogether. This was the path of some yogis, who left ordinary life behind.
"raam naam bin taripat na aavai" — without the Name, the heart is not satisfied. Taripat means feeling full. The verse adds that such a person wears holy robes, yet is still tied by kirat, their own past actions. It is like wearing a firefighter's costume. It looks brave, but it cannot put out a fire. People who give things up are never mocked; the point is inner truth over outward show.
When have you seen someone look the part without living it — or the opposite?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI