O mother, without the Guru, spiritual wisdom is not obtained.
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
O mother, without the teacher, real wisdom doesn't come.
They wander around weeping and crying in all sorts of ways, but the One does not meet them.
A sober verse about the limits of self-effort. People "wander weeping," trying every way they can think of, and still the meeting doesn't happen — because, Guru Arjan says, the one missing ingredient is the teacher (the awakening wisdom that comes from outside the closed loop of your own mind). This is not a put-down of seekers; it names a real trap. You cannot pull yourself out of your own confusion using only the mind that is confused — you need a light from beyond your own thinking. All the sincere effort in the world, without that, keeps circling. The tears are real; what they're missing is a guide.
When you're stuck, why can it help so much to have someone wiser show you the way, instead of just trying harder alone?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI