ਮਾਗਰਮਛੁ ਫਹਾਈਐ ਕੁੰਡੀ ਜਾਲੁ ਵਤਾਇ ॥
maagarmachh fahaa-ee-ai kundee jaal vataa-ay.
The crocodile is caught by the hook and line;
ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਫਾਥਾ ਫਾਹੀਐ ਫਿਰਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਪਛੋਤਾਇ ॥
durmat faathaa faa-ee-ai fir fir pachhotaa-ay.
caught in the trap of evil-mindedness, he regrets and repents, again and again.
ਜੰਮਣ ਮਰਣੁ ਨ ਸੁਝਈ ਕਿਰਤੁ ਨ ਮੇਟਿਆ ਜਾਇ ॥੫॥
jaman maran na sujh-ee kirat na mayti-aa jaa-ay. ||5||
He does not understand birth and death; the inscription of one's past actions cannot be erased. ||5||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
A fish is caught the moment it bites the shiny hook. In the same way, chasing after harmful things can catch me and leave me sorry.
The way out is not more struggling on the hook. It is learning to see the bait for what it is, and turning gently toward what is real.
The shiny hook only catches you if you bite; learn to see the bait.
The hooked fish stands for being caught by durmat, harmful thinking. The verse's talk of birth and death and of past actions that cannot be erased is read forward: the past is past, and release comes from seeing clearly now, never from despair.
A Question to Sit With
What is a shiny hook that is easy to get caught by?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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