Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
A little wooden puppet cannot make itself dance — it is the one holding the strings who makes it move.
Whatever costume the puppeteer dresses it in, that is the part the puppet plays.
The famous kaath kee putree (wooden puppet) image. It is easy to misread as fatalism, but the teaching is about humility, not helplessness: the small self should not be proud, imagining it authored its own gifts and roles. Khilaavanhaaro jaanai — the Player knows the whole play. Jaisaa bhaykh karaavai — whatever role we're dressed in, we play. Read within the shabad, this deflates the arrogance the opening named (afaaro): if even your talents are 'costumes' from the One, there is nothing to be puffed up about — and nothing to fear either.
What is a talent or advantage you have that you didn't actually earn — that came to you as a gift?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI