Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Worship, fasting, a mark on the forehead, ritual baths, giving to charity, going hard on the body.
The Master is not won over by these alone, no matter how sweetly a person speaks.
Good acts on the outside matter most when the heart is in them too.
The verse lists many outward acts of faith. Poojaa is worship. Varat is fasting. Tilak is a holy mark on the forehead. Isnaanaa is a ritual bath. Punn daan is giving to charity. Then it says, gently, that none of these bheejai on its own. Bheejai means soaks in, the way rain soaks into soil.
This honors prayer and generosity. The point is about what goes with them. Think of a birthday card. A card with only a signature is nice. A card with a note you really meant is one the person keeps. The outside act comes alive when the inside is there too.
When is doing the right thing meaningful, and when is it just going through the motions?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI