Meeting the True Guru, she discards her red dress, and eradicates egotism from within.
ਮਨੁ ਤਨੁ ਰਤਾ ਲਾਲੁ ਹੋਆ ਰਸਨਾ ਰਤੀ ਗੁਣ ਸਾਰਿ ॥
man tan rataa laal ho-aa rasnaa ratee gun saar.
Her mind and body are imbued with the deep red color of His Love, and her tongue is imbued, singing His Praises and excellences.
ਸਦਾ ਸੋਹਾਗਣਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਮਨਿ ਭੈ ਭਾਇ ਕਰੇ ਸੀਗਾਰੁ ॥
sadaa sohagan sabad man bhai bhaa-ay karay seegaar.
She becomes His soul-bride forever, with the Word of the Shabad in her mind; she makes the Fear of God and the Love of God her ornaments and decorations.
ਨਾਨਕ ਕਰਮੀ ਮਹਲੁ ਪਾਇਆ ਪਿਰੁ ਰਾਖਿਆ ਉਰ ਧਾਰਿ ॥੧॥
naanak karmee mahal paa-i-aa pir raakhi-aa ur Dhaar. ||1||
O Nanak, by His Merciful Grace, she obtains the Mansion of the Lord's Presence, and keeps Him enshrined in her heart. ||1||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
In plain words
Set down the bright fading costume, and something real can finally grow — love for the One.
No one ever reached the Source by dressing the part. But when you meet the teaching, the costume simply falls away, and the loud, self-important me quiets down. Then your whole self takes on the deep, lasting color, and your words fill up with gladness and praise. A heart like that is home for good, holding the One close inside.
When the costume falls away, real love finally has room to grow.
The deeper layer
dajh mu-ee (burnt to death) is softened per wellbeing rules — the meaning kept is that chasing appearances leaves you aching and empty, not literal burning. haumai vichahu maar = stilling the ego within. karmee mahal paa-i-aa = by grace, not effort, the Mansion of the Presence is found. rasnaa ratee gun saar = the tongue soaked in praise.
A Question to Sit With
What is something you enjoy more once you stop worrying how it looks to others?
