Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Some become hermits and sit deep in stillness.
Some are yogis, some keep strict vows, some are scholars and thinkers.
Some stay at home, and some go to live by graveyards or in lonely forests.
Yet the same clinging follows them even there.
You cannot run away from wanting by changing where you live.
Some people become hermits and sit in deep stillness. Some are yogis, people who train body and mind. Some keep strict vows, and some are scholars and thinkers. Some live at home. Some go to lonely places, even graveyards and forests. Ooth tinaa kai laagee palee-aa — still, Maya clings to them there. Maya is the pull of wanting things.
The reason is simple. The clinging lives in the mind, not in the place. It is like moving to a new school to get away from a bad habit. The habit packs itself in your bag and comes along.
The verse is not making fun of anyone. Hermits, yogis, and scholars are treated with respect. The point is only that where you sit does not change what your heart holds.
Could you be peaceful anywhere if your mind were calm?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI