Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Some things we pour into ourselves cloud our thinking and make us forget what matters.
They blur the line between what's ours and what's others', and stir up trouble.
So it's wise to steer clear of what muddles you, if you can.
There's a far better thing to be filled with — a steady, clear love that keeps you close to what's good.
This Shalok contrasts two 'wines.' The false wine (literal alcohol, and by extension anything that clouds the mind) "takes away intelligence, brings madness," and blurs judgment — "he cannot distinguish his own from others'." The plain counsel: "do not drink the false wine at all, if it is in your power" — a rare, direct piece of practical guidance. But the Shalok doesn't stop at don't; it offers a better fill: "by His Grace one obtains the True Wine," the clear, steady intoxication of love that "dwells forever in the Love of the Lord." The Gurus rarely just forbid; they replace — here, muddling drink swapped for clarifying love. For a child: some things cloud your mind and blur right from wrong — and there's a better thing to fill up on: a clear, steady love of what's good.
What are some things that muddle your thinking, and what helps you stay clear-headed?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI