ਕਥਨੀ ਬਦਨੀ ਜੇ ਕਰੇ ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਬੂਝ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥
kathnee badnee jay karay manmukh boojh na ho-ay.
The self-willed manmukh babbles on and on, but he does not understand.
ਗੁਰਮਤੀ ਘਟਿ ਚਾਨਣਾ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਪਾਵੈ ਸੋਇ ॥੩॥
gurmatee ghat chaannaa har naam paavai so-ay. ||3||
One whose heart is illumined, by Guru's Teachings, obtains the Name of the Lord. ||3||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The self-centered mind talks and talks but never actually takes it in.
The one whose heart the teaching has lit up is the one who receives the Name.
Talking about something can be a way of avoiding actually taking it in — what counts is whether the light got in.
A crisp contrast between noise and light. The manmukh "babbles on and on" — plenty of words, no reception; talking about the thing as a substitute for having it. Opposite is the heart "illumined by Guru's Teachings," which receives without a flood of talk. The lesson pairs with P0: words, whether studied or spoken, are not the treasure. What counts is whether the light got in.
A Question to Sit With
When do you talk *about* something instead of actually doing or receiving it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
Use ← → to navigate