Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Without ever remembering the One, even our busy doings can feel hollow. There is lots of motion, but somehow it does not nourish.
It is like feeding on things that never really satisfy, while the good, warm feast was waiting all along.
Being busy without remembering the One can leave you feeling empty.
Bin simran dharig karam karaas — without remembrance, all our doing is a waste. Dharig is a strong word, like "what a shame." Put simply, action without remembrance can feel empty. It is going through the motions without being fed.
Next the verse uses a blunt picture: kaag batan bistaa meh vaas, a crow's beak poking about in dirt. The point is not disgust at anyone. It is the contrast. Real nourishment is waiting: the warm feast of remembrance.
Think of eating chips all afternoon and still feeling hungry, while a home-cooked dinner sits ready on the table. Nothing here condemns a person. It names the emptiness of being merely busy, and points to something fuller.
When has being really busy still left you feeling strangely empty inside?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI