Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
When a heart is wrapped up in grabbing at things, it never quite settles — it stays jumpy and unsteady.
Such a heart feels feverish and restless day and night, worn thin by the constant need to prove itself.
Greed builds a kind of dark wall inside, and after a while people stop wanting to come close.
That is a lonely, unhappy way to live, always chasing and never resting.
But the moment such a heart turns and rests at the teacher's feet, the True One forgives it and welcomes it home.
Greed builds a dark wall inside, but grace opens the door the moment the heart turns.
The manmukh is the self-centered mind, turned away from the teaching. The verse says such people are jalat raheh, burning day and night. It means a feverish restlessness, never still. Antar lobh mahaa gubaaraa means inside there is the pitch darkness of greed. Tin kai nikat na ko-ee jaahi: no one wants to come near. Think of a kid who never shares. After a while, the others stop asking to play.
The verse also says such people are born only to die again and again. It is a picture of going round in the same unhappy circle.
But the verse ends on grace. Naanak bakhas la-ay parabh saachaa: the True One forgives, the moment the heart turns to the Guru's feet. Ego and greed are things to heal from, and the healing is never held back.
Have you ever noticed that the more someone grabs and shows off, the fewer real friends they seem to have? Why do you think greed pushes people away?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI