Why do you waver, O my mind? The Lord is the Fulfiller of hopes and desires.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਧਿਆਇ ਤੂ ਸਭਿ ਦੁਖ ਵਿਸਾਰਣਹਾਰੁ ॥
satgur purakhDhi-aa-ay too sabhdukh visaaranhaar.
Meditate on the True Guru, the Primal Being; He is the Destroyer of all pains.
ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਾ ਆਰਾਧਿ ਮਨ ਸਭਿ ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਜਾਹਿ ਵਿਕਾਰ ॥
har naamaa aaraaDh man sabh kilvikh jaahi vikaar.
Worship and adore the Lord's Name, O my mind; all sins and corruption shall be washed away.
ਜਿਨ ਕਉ ਪੂਰਬਿ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਤਿਨ ਰੰਗੁ ਲਗਾ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ॥
jin ka-o poorab likhi-aa tin rang lagaa nirankaar.
Those who are blessed with such pre-ordained destiny, are in love with the Formless Lord.
ਓਨੀ ਛਡਿਆ ਮਾਇਆ ਸੁਆਵੜਾ ਧਨੁ ਸੰਚਿਆ ਨਾਮੁ ਅਪਾਰੁ ॥
onee chhadi-aa maa-i-aa su-aavarhaa Dhan sanchi-aa naam apaar.
They abandon the tastes of Maya, and gather in the infinite wealth of the Naam.
ਅਠੇ ਪਹਰ ਇਕਤੈ ਲਿਵੈ ਮੰਨੇਨਿ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਅਪਾਰੁ ॥
athay pahar iktai livai mannayn hukam apaar.
Twenty-four hours a day, they are lovingly absorbed in the One Lord; they surrender and accept the Will of the Infinite Lord.
ਜਨੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਮੰਗੈ ਦਾਨੁ ਇਕੁ ਦੇਹੁ ਦਰਸੁ ਮਨਿ ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥੨॥
jan naanak mangai daan ik dayh daras man pi-aar. ||2||
Servant Nanak begs for this one gift: please bless me, Lord, with the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan; my mind is in love with You. ||2||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
In plain words
Why do you waver, my mind? The One fulfills every hope.
Meditate on the True Guru, the first Being, who takes away all pain.
Worship the Naam of the One, my mind, and every wrong and every stain will be washed away.
Those with this written for them from long ago are in love with the Formless One.
They let go of Maya's tastes and gather the endless wealth of the Naam.
All day and all night they are lovingly joined to the One, and they accept the will of the Infinite.
Nanak says: I, Your servant, beg for one gift — let me see You; my mind is in love with You.
A wavering mind steadies when it remembers the One who fulfills every hope.
The deeper layer
The wavering mind (dolna) is addressed directly and steadied: the One fulfills hope and dissolves pain. Those turned toward the Formless trade the flickering tastes of Maya for the settled wealth of the Name, aligning with the Infinite Will around the clock. The single request is simply darshan — to see.
A Question to Sit With
What helps you settle down when your mind feels shaky?
