Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Imagine not being thrown around by what people say, not puffed up by praise, not crushed by criticism.
Not grabbing greedily, not clinging tightly, not swelling up with pride.
Joy and sorrow, being honored or ignored, the settled heart meets them all with the same calm.
This one says the settled heart isn't pushed around by praise or blame.
Nah nindi-aa nah ustat — slander doesn't sway it, and praise doesn't either. Greed, clinging and pride don't grab it. Harakh sog tay rahai ni-aara-o — it stays steady through joy and sadness. The same goes for maan apmaanaa, being honored or being ignored.
This isn't about not caring for people. It is about not letting their opinion decide who you are. Think of a seesaw on the playground. Praise pushes you up, and blame drops you down. A settled heart simply steps off the seesaw.
If someone is being unkind to you or hurting you, that is never something you have to accept. Telling a grown-up you trust is always the right thing to do.
How does it feel when you do not need everyone's approval to feel okay?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI