Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The restless mind keeps running and running after passing things.
What is clear and true has no room for the smudge of grasping.
Nanak: the one who faces the teaching sings the wonders of the One.
This one says the restless mind finds its rest in singing.
This is the closing verse. Man chanchal Dhaavat fun Dhaavai — the chanchal, flickering, mind runs and runs again. It is the same restlessness Guru Tegh Bahadur's shabads name.
Saachay soochay mail na bhaavai — the clear, True One has no room for mail, the smudge of grasping. This is not a verdict on the person. It describes how things are: clarity and clinging cannot share the same space. Think of a clean glass of water. Stir in mud, and you can no longer see through it.
The ending is bright and simple. Naanak gurmukh har gun gaavai — the one who faces the teaching sings the One's praises. The running mind finds its rest in song.
When your mind won't stop running, what's one thing that gently brings it back and settles it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI