ਸਾਕਤ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਕਾਣਿ ਨ ਚੂਕੈ ॥
saakat jam kee kaan na chookai.
The faithless cynic is not rid of his fear of death.
ਜਮ ਕਾ ਡੰਡੁ ਨ ਕਬਹੂ ਮੂਕੈ ॥
jam kaa dand na kabhoo mookai.
The Messenger of Death's club is never taken away.
ਬਾਕੀ ਧਰਮ ਰਾਇ ਕੀ ਲੀਜੈ ਸਿਰਿ ਅਫਰਿਓ ਭਾਰੁ ਅਫਾਰਾ ਹੇ ॥੧੦॥
baakee Dharam raa-ay kee leejai sir afri-o bhaar afaaraa hay. ||10||
He has to answer to the Righteous Judge of Dharma for the account of his actions; the egotistical being carries the unbearable load. ||10||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Clinging tightly to only our small self keeps a shadow of fear nearby.
That fear does not lift on its own while we carry the whole weight alone.
The load of me, me, and mine grows heavy — but it was never ours to carry forever. Hand it to the One, and walk light.
The heavy load of me-and-mine was never yours to carry forever.
The one who turns from the One (saakat) is never free of the fear of death, and carries a load too heavy to bear (bhaar afaaraa). Pride makes that load heavy; handed to the One, it can be set down.
A Question to Sit With
What would it feel like to set down the need for everything to be about you?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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