Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Someone can go through all the outward motions, quite proud of themselves.
They sit very still each day as if deep in meditation, like a stork standing frozen by the water, only waiting to snatch a fish.
When the end comes for them, only then are they sorry.
This one says sitting still just for show is like a stork waiting to catch a fish.
Bag ji-o laa-ay bahai nit Dhi-aanaa — they sit every day like a bag, a stork, pretending to meditate. It is a brilliant and slightly funny picture. The stork stands perfectly still. But it is not still from peace. It is still from hunger, waiting to strike. It is calm on the outside and greedy on the inside.
Manmukh karam karay bahut abhimaanaa — the self-willed do their outward acts full of abhimaan, pride. Guru Amar Das's point is gentle but sharp. A meditation pose worn for show and ruled by pride is empty. The aim is at hollowness, never at meditation itself.
The last line speaks of the end of life, when regret comes too late. But the heart of the picture is simple. True stillness rises from a quiet heart, not from a pose you hold. Think of a kid who sits still only while the teacher is watching, and a kid who is truly calm inside.
What is the difference between looking calm on the outside and actually being calm inside?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI