Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
A person could make the costliest sacrifices and give away what they treasure most.
They could hear every scripture from end to end.
Yet if they tear others down, none of it holds any weight.
Ravidas lists even bigger acts, and still says the same thing.
A person might bathe at Kurukshetra, a famous holy place, during an eclipse. They might give away what they treasure most. They might listen to all the Simritees, the old books of duties and rules. Karai nind kavnai nahee gunai — if they run others down, none of it counts.
The verse's old picture even speaks of offering a wife. A person is never a thing to be given away. The point is about giving up your most precious things.
Think of a student who gets top marks on every test but mocks classmates in the hallway. The marks are real, yet something important is missing. Costly rituals and deep learning cannot cover for words that hurt people.
Is it possible to look very good on the outside while causing quiet harm? How?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI