The Riches That Cannot Follow You

ਪਉੜੀ ॥

pa-orhee.

Pauree:

ਮਾਇਆ ਵੇਖਿ ਨ ਭੁਲੁ ਤੂ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਮੂਰਖਾ ॥

maa-i-aa vaykh na bhul too manmukh moorkhaa.

Don't be fooled by gazing at the riches of Maya, you foolish self-willed manmukh.

ਚਲਦਿਆ ਨਾਲਿ ਨ ਚਲਈ ਸਭੁ ਝੂਠੁ ਦਰਬੁ ਲਖਾ ॥

chaldi-aa naal na chal-ee sabh jhooth darab lakhaa.

It shall not go along with you when you must depart; all the wealth you see is false.

ਅਗਿਆਨੀ ਅੰਧੁ ਨ ਬੂਝਈ ਸਿਰ ਊਪਰਿ ਜਮ ਖੜਗੁ ਕਲਖਾ ॥

agi-aanee anDh na boojh-ee sir oopar jam kharhag kalkhaa.

The blind and ignorant do not understand, that the sword of death is hanging over their heads.

ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਉਬਰੇ ਜਿਨ ਹਰਿ ਰਸੁ ਚਖਾ ॥

gur parsaadee ubray jin har ras chakhaa.

By Guru's Grace, those who drink in the sublime essence of the Lord are saved.

ਆਪਿ ਕਰਾਏ ਕਰੇ ਆਪਿ ਆਪੇ ਹਰਿ ਰਖਾ ॥੩॥

aap karaa-ay karay aap aapay har rakhaa. ||3||

He Himself is the Doer, and He Himself is the Cause; the Lord Himself is our Saving Grace. ||3||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

Do not be dazzled by piles of things that shine; they cannot hold what you need most.

They will not walk beside you when it is time to move on; so much of what looks solid is only passing.

But those who taste the deeper sweetness of the One are kept safe, for the One is both the maker and the mending of everything.

Anything that cannot come with you was never your deepest wealth.

The deeper layer

The third Pauree (||3||). Maya (the glittering world of possessions) is not evil but impermanent; the danger is being fooled into thinking it is the deepest treasure. Outward wealth cannot go along with us when we leave. By the Guru's grace, those who taste the sweetness of the One are kept safe.

A Question to Sit With

What is something valuable to you that no one could ever take away?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

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