ਚੰਚਲ ਮਨੁ ਦਹ ਦਿਸਿ ਕਉ ਧਾਵਤ ਅਚਲ ਜਾਹਿ ਠਹਰਾਨੋ ॥
chanchal man dah dis ka-o Dhaavat achal jaahi thehraano.
The restless mind wanders in the ten directions - it needs to be pacified and restrained.
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਇਹ ਬਿਧਿ ਕੋ ਜੋ ਨਰੁ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਤਾਹਿ ਤੁਮ ਮਾਨੋ ॥੨॥੩॥
kaho naanak ih biDh ko jo nar mukat taahi tum maano. ||2||3||
Says Nanak, whoever knows this technique is judged to be liberated. ||2||3||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The restless mind keeps darting off in every direction, all ten at once.
The one who can gently bring it to stillness — know that person is free.
Freedom is a restless mind finally allowed to be still.
Whoever can calm a racing mind is free.
Chanchal man dah dis ka-o Dhaavat — the restless mind runs off in ten directions. It is like a puppy in a park, chasing every smell at once.
Achal jaahi thehraano — whoever can bring it to achal, stillness, is mukat, free.
The "way" the verse talks about is not a trick. It is a settling down, like muddy water going clear when you let it sit. It grows out of the steady, even heart the verse before described.
A Question to Sit With
What helps your mind settle when it's racing everywhere?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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