Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Sometimes I have made choices that led me in circles and left me feeling low — we all have.
And when I notice that, a gentle question wakes me up: the sweet Name is right here, like fresh clear water — so why keep sipping the bitter stuff that never satisfies? I can just choose the sweet.
When something sweet is right here, why choose what harms you?
Raam naam chhaad amrit kaahay bikh khaa-ee: why leave the amrit, sweet nectar, of the Name and swallow bikh, poison? It is like having cold, fresh water on the table and drinking from a muddy puddle instead.
The verse also uses a sharp picture of wandering through many lives. The lasting teaching is simple and kind: choose what nourishes you over what harms you. It is an invitation, not a scolding.
What's something that looks tempting but never leaves you satisfied?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI