Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Forget the wrong things of the world, the way you would stay away from poison. Keep the praise of the One in your heart.
Nanak says, calling out loud: this chance is slipping away.
Let go of what poisons the heart and fill it with praise of the One, because the chance is passing.
Bikhi-aa bikh means the poison of harmful habits. These are things that hurt the heart, like greed, cruelty and never-ending wanting. Naming them is a way to see them clearly, without piling on shame.
The cure is not gritting your teeth to stay away. It is filling the space with something better. The verse says to hold the praise of the One in your heart. Then thankfulness crowds the poison out. It is like a garden. Plant enough flowers, and the weeds have less room to grow.
A-osar bihaat hai — the chance is slipping away. That is urgency, not doom. The window of a human life is open right now. Remembering the One while it is open is the whole invitation.
What is one thing you could set down that has been quietly weighing your heart down?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI