Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Why bother with spells, with harsh austerities, with churning water to no purpose?
Remember instead the One of deepest peace, who made all the countless forms of life.
Busy spiritual effort means little if it never reaches the heart.
Kaa-ay japahu ray kaa-ay taphu ray — why chant spells? Why put yourself through hard trials? Kaa-ay bilovahu paanee — why churn water? Churning is how you make butter from milk. But you can churn water all day and get no butter at all. It is a great picture of effort that makes nothing.
Instead, one thing is offered. Remember the One who made the 8.4 million kinds of living beings. That number is an old way of saying all life. Remembering the Maker of all life takes the place of empty effort. Aim at the One, not at the method.
What effort in your life might be 'churning water' — lots of motion, no butter? What would aim at the real thing?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI