Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The self-willed mind does not soften; it stays muddy and hard as stone.
Feed a snake milk, and inside it is still full of poison.
A shut heart cannot take in even the kindness offered to it.
Manmukh man na bhij-ee — the manmukh's mind does not soften. A manmukh is someone turned toward their own wants. Bhij-ee means getting soaked, like a sponge in water. At mailay chit kathor — that mind stays muddy and hard as stone.
Then the verse gives a picture. Even if you feed a snake milk, it still carries poison. The point is not to call anyone a snake. It is to look after our own hearts. A heart shut tight is like a raincoat. Kindness just runs right off it. A soft, open heart lets goodness soak in.
What helps your heart stay soft when you'd rather shut down?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI