Kept Safe Like a Chick in the Nest
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Like a charm that keeps a snake from frightening you.
Like a bird safe in its cage, where the cat can't reach.
Like a mother bird keeping her eggs warm and close.
Like grain that stays whole by holding to the mill's steady center.
That's how the Name keeps you.
This one gives a last set of pictures, all about being kept whole when danger is near.
First, a charm that keeps a snake from scaring you. In the old stories, the name of Garuda, the great eagle, sends snakes away. Next, a parrot in its cage, where the cat cannot reach it. Then a mother bird who keeps her eggs close to her heart.
The last picture is the best known. Jaiso daano chakee daraahi — like grain that holds on to the center post of a grinding mill. The grain near the post does not get crushed.
Think of a merry-go-round. Near the edge, you get flung around. Near the center pole, you stay steady. Hold the steady center, and you are not ground down.
Danger is there in every picture. But being near what protects you takes the danger away.
What is the 'steady center' you hold onto when life spins fast?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI