Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Listen, Machhindra, to what Nanak says: whoever masters the five strong pulls inside, desire, anger, greed, clinging and pride, does not wobble.
Whoever lives yoga in that way crosses over, and carries their whole family across too.
The deepest yoga happens inside you.
Guru Nanak speaks to Machhindra, a famous yogi master. Machhindra, also called Matsyendranath, was honored as the founder of the Nath yogis. So the verse talks to him directly, the way you call a friend by name.
The teaching is simple. Jog means yoga, and yoga means union, being joined with the One. Real jog is not bending the body into hard shapes. It is vasgat panch — keeping the five strong pulls in hand. The five are strong desire, anger, greed, clinging, and pride.
Think of riding a bike on a windy day. Gusts push from every side. A steady rider keeps the handlebars firm and does not wobble. That is the one who has mastered the five pulls.
And the good does not stop with one person. Aap tarai saglay kul taaray — such a person crosses over and lifts their whole family line too. When one person grows steady, the whole house feels calmer.
Which inner pull is hardest for you to steady, anger, wanting, or something else?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI