Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The Yogis are split into twelve schools, and the Sannyasis, the wandering monks, into ten.
Yogis, people in special robes, and Jain monks who keep hard vows for the body — without the Word, the Shabad, they are still tied up, as if a rope were around their necks.
A group name or a special robe does not free the heart by itself. What lives inside does.
The verse names people in religious orders. Baarah meh raaval: the Yogis are split into twelve schools. The sani-aasee, wandering monks who give up home, are split into ten. Then it names Yogis, robe-wearers, and the sirkhoothay, Jain monks who keep strict vows about the body.
Bin sabdai gal faasee: without the Shabad, the living Word, they are still tied up, like a knot they cannot undo. This is not a strike at any of these groups. It speaks to every tradition, our own too. It is like wearing a team jersey without ever learning to play. The shirt is fine, but it cannot play the game for you.
Can wearing the right uniform or joining the right club make someone good inside? What does?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI