Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
I was burning up inside, all heat and distress.
Then the teaching poured something cool over me, soothing as a shade tree on the hottest day.
This one says that when you are burning inside, the Guru's words cool you down.
Balto jalto ta-uki-aa — I was burning, on fire, and water was poured over me. Gur chandan seetlaa-i-o — the Guru cooled me like chandan, sandalwood. Sandalwood has long been a picture of soothing coolness.
The fire here is the fever of a troubled mind. Anger, worry, and hurt can all feel like burning. The answer is not blame. It is relief, like a cool cloth on a hot forehead. The teaching is the balm.
What cools you down when you feel hot with worry or upset?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI