Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The world's shimmer pulls at everyone; it is easy to get tangled in wanting more.
We spend our days saying "mine, mine," piling things up — and in the end, none of it can be held onto. Better to know that now.
Grabbing and saying "mine" never gets to keep anything.
Mohnee means the one who charms. Here it is Maya, the shiny pull of things that makes us want more. It holds the whole world, which moves by three moods, the three gunas. Lobh vi-aapee jhoothee dunee-aa — the false world is caught up in greed.
Mayree mayree kar kai sanchee — saying "mine, mine," people pile things up. Ant kee baar sagal lay chhalee-aa — at the end, all of them are fooled. Think of a kid who fills a whole locker with stuff. At the end of the year, the locker has to be emptied. None of it was really his to keep.
The verse says this gently. It is not meant to scare. It is something worth knowing now, while there is time to hold things lightly.
What is something you wanted badly that didn't last?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI