The Body Is a Mansion

ਪਉੜੀ ॥

pa-orhee.

Pauree:

ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਮੰਦਰੁ ਆਖੀਐ ਕਾਇਆ ਕੋਟੁ ਗੜੁ ॥

har kaa mandar aakhee-ai kaa-i-aa kot garh.

The fortress of the body is called the Mansion of the Lord.

ਅੰਦਰਿ ਲਾਲ ਜਵੇਹਰੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਪੜੁ ॥

andar laal javayharee gurmukh har naam parh.

The rubies and gems are found within it; the Gurmukh chants the Name of the Lord.

ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਮੰਦਰੁ ਸਰੀਰੁ ਅਤਿ ਸੋਹਣਾ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਦਿੜੁ ॥

har kaa mandar sareer at sohnaa har har naam dirh.

The body, the Mansion of the Lord, is very beautiful, when the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is implanted deep within.

ਮਨਮੁਖ ਆਪਿ ਖੁਆਇਅਨੁ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹ ਨਿਤ ਕੜੁ ॥

manmukh aap khu-aa-i-an maa-i-aa moh nit karh.

The self-willed manmukhs ruin themselves; they boil continuously in attachment to Maya.

ਸਭਨਾ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਏਕੁ ਹੈ ਪੂਰੈ ਭਾਗਿ ਪਾਇਆ ਜਾਈ ॥੧੧॥

sabhnaa saahib ayk hai poorai bhaag paa-i-aa jaa-ee. ||11||

The One Lord is the Master of all. He is found only by perfect destiny. ||11||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The body is called the One's temple, a fortress, a castle.

Inside are rubies and gems. Following the Guru, speak the One's Naam.

The body, the One's temple, is very beautiful when the Naam of the One is planted firmly inside.

Those who follow only their own mind ruin themselves. Day after day they boil in their clinging to Maya, the pull of the world.

The One is the Master of all, and is found only by perfect good fortune.

You are not looking for treasure out there, you are carrying a palace of it.

The deeper layer

The body is the Mansion of the One, a fortress holding rubies and gems, inner riches, found by keeping the Name within. Clinging to Maya keeps a person boiling, while meeting the One comes as great good fortune, grace rather than achievement. Here the Vaar's long conversation with the yogis of Raamkalee about the body as a fortress begins.

A Question to Sit With

What treasure might already be inside you, waiting to be noticed?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

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