ਇਸੁ ਤਨ ਧਨ ਕਾ ਕਹਹੁ ਗਰਬੁ ਕੈਸਾ ॥
is tan Dhan kaa kahhu garab kaisaa.
Tell me - why are you so proud of your body and wealth?
ਬਿਨਸਤ ਬਾਰ ਨ ਲਾਗੈ ਬਵਰੇ ਹਉਮੈ ਗਰਬਿ ਖਪੈ ਜਗੁ ਐਸਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
binsat baar na laagai bavray ha-umai garab khapai jag aisaa. ||1|| rahaa-o.
They shall vanish in an instant; O madman, this is how the world is wasting away, in egotism and pride. ||1||Pause||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Tell me, why are you so proud of your body and your wealth?
They can vanish in a moment, O foolish one. This is how the world wears itself away, in ego and pride.
Nothing you can lose in a blink is a safe place to build your worth.
Pride in your body and your wealth leans on things that can vanish in a moment.
This is the rahaa-o, the pause line, the center of the shabad. Haumai, ego, the feeling of being a separate self, is named as the root. Pride in tan-dhan, body and wealth, wears a life away. Bavray means "O mad one," a sharp call to wake up. The whole world wastes away like this, in ego and pride.
A Question to Sit With
When has being proud of something ended up making you feel smaller, not bigger?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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