Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
This is the wisdom the Beloved shares. O my mind — steady your breath, steady yourself, and grow quiet and still within.
Steady the breath, and the mind grows still.
This is the rahao, the "pause" line. It is the center of the shabad. Aisaa gi-aan kathai banvaaree — this is the wisdom the Beloved shares. Banvaaree is a loving name for the One.
Man ray pavan darirh sukhman naaree — O mind, hold the breath steady in the sukhman. The yogis spoke of the sukhman as a central channel inside the body. In their practice, the breath is guided there.
Kabir borrows their words about breath. But he turns them inward, toward a still and steady mind. Think of the moment before a big test, when you take one slow breath and feel yourself settle. That calm is something any child can taste.
What helps you steady yourself and grow calm when you feel scattered?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI