Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Think of a hired porter carrying heavy bags of gold on his head all day — but the gold isn't his. It goes to someone else's house, and he's left with only sore shoulders.
Or think of dreaming you're a king, sitting on a throne — until you open your eyes and there's nothing there at all.
Guru Arjan gives two pictures of carrying treasure that was never yours.
First, the bigaaree, a hired porter. He carries bags of daam, money, on his head all day. But it all goes to his master's house. He keeps only the dookh, the ache in his shoulders.
Second, a man dreams he is a king on a throne. Then naytar pasaarai, he opens his eyes, and it is all gone.
Both pictures say the same thing about maya, the passing show of the world. We carry it, enjoy it, and seem to own it. But it was never ours to keep. Think of a delivery driver bringing a big pizza to someone else's door. It smells great, but it is not his dinner.
Have you ever dreamed something wonderful, then woken up and felt the loss of it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI