The Treasure's Doors Are Locked Only by Ego

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

The treasure is behind heavy doors. No one can force them open. But they are locked only by the ego, and grace opens them.

This verse adds a new picture to the cave: bajar kapaat, rigid doors. Bajar means hard as a thunderbolt, like the heaviest steel. These doors seal the cave and lock the treasure away. We cannot push them open by our own strength, however hard we try. Many seekers in these songs tried that. Some did outward rituals. Some wandered to holy places. Some worked at hard practices. In a way, they were all shoving at doors that would not budge.

So how do the doors open? Ha-umai maar bajar kapaat khulaa-i-aa — quiet the ha-umai (the ego, the "me, me, me" feeling), and the rigid doors swing open. Notice the order. You do not pry the doors open first and then deal with the ego. The ego is the lock. Let it go, and the doors open by themselves. The rock at the cave mouth in the first verse and these heavy doors are the same thing: the self.

Think of trying to open a door that says "PULL" by pushing with all your might. You can push forever. The moment you stop pushing, it opens easily.

And behind the doors is the prize. Naam amolak gur parsaadee paa-i-aa — the amolak (priceless) Name is found by the Guru's grace. No money in the world could buy it. It is the endless treasure of the cave.

But the verse keeps us humble, three times over. It comes by the Guru's grace. Bin sabdai naam na paa-ay ko-ee — without the Guru's Word, no one finds the Name. Gur kirpaa man vasaavani-aa — by the Guru's kindness, it is planted in the heart. Grace, grace, and grace again.

So here is the whole little lesson. A priceless treasure sits behind doors that cannot be broken. The doors are locked by the ego. And grace, through the Guru's Word, melts the ego and swings them open. You do not break in. You let the ego go, and the doors open on their own.