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Sikhism·Raag Wadahans·Shabad 30
Verse 4 of 4

The Luckiest Learn to Be the Gentle Boss of Their Minds

ਮਨ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਸੇਵਨਿ ਆਪਣਾ ਸੇ ਜਨ ਵਡਭਾਗੀ ਰਾਮ ॥
man mayray satgur sayvan aapnaa say jan vadbhaagee raam.
O my mind, those who serve their True Guru are the most fortunate beings.
ਜੋ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਰਹਿ ਆਪਣਾ ਸੇ ਪੁਰਖ ਬੈਰਾਗੀ ਰਾਮ ॥
jo man maareh aapnaa say purakh bairaagee raam.
Those who conquer their minds are beings of renunciation and detachment.
ਸੇ ਜਨ ਬੈਰਾਗੀ ਸਚਿ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਗੀ ਆਪਣਾ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣਿਆ ॥
say jan bairaagee sach liv laagee aapnaa aap pachhaani-aa.
They are beings of renunciation and detachment, who lovingly focus their consciousness on the True Lord; they realize and understand their own selves.
ਮਤਿ ਨਿਹਚਲ ਅਤਿ ਗੂੜੀ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸਹਜੇ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਖਾਣਿਆ ॥
mat nihchal at goorhee gurmukh sehjay naam vakhaani-aa.
Their intellect is steady, deep and profound; as Gurmukh, they naturally chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
ਇਕ ਕਾਮਣਿ ਹਿਤਕਾਰੀ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹਿ ਪਿਆਰੀ ਮਨਮੁਖ ਸੋਇ ਰਹੇ ਅਭਾਗੇ ॥
ik kaaman hitkaaree maa-i-aa mohi pi-aaree manmukh so-ay rahay abhaagay.
Some are lovers of beautiful young women; emotional attachment to Maya is very dear to them. The unfortunate self-willed manmukhs remain asleep.
ਨਾਨਕ ਸਹਜੇ ਸੇਵਹਿ ਗੁਰੁ ਅਪਣਾ ਸੇ ਪੂਰੇ ਵਡਭਾਗੇ ॥੪॥੩॥
naanak sehjay sayveh gur apnaa say pooray vadbhaagay. ||4||3||
O Nanak, those who intuitively serve their Guru, have perfect destiny. ||4||3||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

The luckiest people are the ones who serve what's good and wise.

Mastering your own mind is its own kind of quiet freedom.

Some hearts stay asleep, dazzled by passing pleasures — but anyone can wake up.

The luckiest people learn to be the gentle boss of their own minds — and anyone can wake up to that.
The deeper layer

"Those who serve their True Guru are the most fortunate... those who conquer their minds are beings of renunciation." Real freedom is self-mastery — being the boss of your own mind — not fleeing the world. "Some are lovers of [fleeting pleasures]... the manmukhs remain asleep" is rendered gently: some hearts stay asleep, dazzled by passing things, but (the raag's steady hope) anyone can wake up. The colophon (||4||3||) closes the shabad. For a child: the luckiest people learn to be the boss of their own minds — and anyone can wake up to that.

A Question to Sit With

What would it feel like to be the calm boss of your own mind, instead of it bossing you?

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI

About this shabad →
← Verse 3 of 4 Set Down Self-Importance and the Heart Fills With Good
Shabad 31 · Verse 1 →A Heart of Goodness Blends Into the Great Goodness
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