You Cannot Kill a Snake by Filling Its Hole
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
They tie on ankle bells and clash the cymbals.
But with trickery inside, they wander lost, like restless spirits.
Smashing the snake's hole does not kill the snake.
The One who made you knows everything.
Smashing the snake's hole leaves the snake alive; the trouble inside is what needs your care.
The verse pictures someone dancing: ghooghar baaDh bajaaveh taalaa, tying on ankle bells and playing cymbals. But antar kapat fireh baytaalaa: inside there is trickery, and they wander lost.
Then comes a picture that is hard to forget: varmee maaree saap na moo-aa. Varmee means the snake's hole. Smashing the hole does not get rid of the snake. It is like painting over a crack in the wall. The crack is still there. You have to deal with what is inside. And parabh sabh kichh jaanai jin too kee-aa: the One who made you already knows it all.
What problem inside you needs fixing, not just covering up?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI