Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
My ears were made to hear something wonderful — the living presence of the One who is Life itself. When I forget that, even the best sounds feel empty.
A life spent only on tasting, buying, and consuming — with no room for remembering — starts to feel heavy, like carrying a load that never gets lighter.
Without it, the days can spin in circles, busy but going nowhere. With it, even ordinary moments open up.
So I turn back toward what my heart is actually hungry for: the One who gives life to everything.
Our ears, and our whole life, are made for the Name.
Har kay naam bin dharig sarot: without the Name, the ears are dharig. Dharig means cursed, or worth nothing. This is the rahaa-o, the "pause" line and the center of the shabad. Jeevan roop is the One as Life itself. Forget that, and what kind of living is left?
Then Guru Arjan paints two strong pictures. One is a donkey, carrying loads all day. The other is a bull tied to an oil-press, walking in circles day and night. Both show a life spent only eating, buying and using things. It stays busy, but it goes nowhere.
Think of a hamster on a wheel, running hard but never getting anywhere. The heart of it is simple. We are made for more than what we can eat and buy.
What is something your heart is hungry for that money cannot buy?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI