ਮਃ ੩ ॥
mehlaa 3.
Third Mehl:
ਹੰਉਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਖੜਕੁ ਹੈ ਖੜਕੇ ਖੜਕਿ ਵਿਹਾਇ ॥
haN-umai andar kharhak hai kharhkay kharhak vihaa-ay.
In egotism, one is assailed by fear; he passes his life totally troubled by fear.
ਹੰਉਮੈ ਵਡਾ ਰੋਗੁ ਹੈ ਮਰਿ ਜੰਮੈ ਆਵੈ ਜਾਇ ॥
haN-umai vadaa rog hai mar jammai aavai jaa-ay.
Egotism is such a terrible disease; he dies, to be reincarnated - he continues coming and going.
ਜਿਨ ਕਉ ਪੂਰਬਿ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਤਿਨਾ ਸਤਗੁਰੁ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਆਇ ॥
jin ka-o poorab likhi-aa tinaa satgur mili-aa parabh aa-ay.
Those who have such pre-ordained destiny meet with the True Guru, God Incarnate.
ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਉਬਰੇ ਹਉਮੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਜਲਾਇ ॥੨॥
naanak gur parsaadee ubray ha-umai sabad jalaa-ay. ||2||
O Nanak, by Guru's Grace, they are redeemed; their egos are burnt away through the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
When we live for the puffed-up 'me,' fear tends to follow us around.
Self-importance keeps a heart restless and unsettled.
But turning toward the good, by grace, the fear burns away.
Living for the puffed-up 'me' keeps fear following you around — but turning toward the good burns the fear away.
"In egotism, one is assailed by fear... egotism is such a terrible disease." A precise psychological truth: self-importance breeds fear (because the fragile 'me' always feels threatened). Turning toward the good, "their egos are burnt away" — and the fear goes with it. For a child: living for the puffed-up 'me' keeps fear following you around — but turning toward the good burns the fear away.
A Question to Sit With
How might caring less about being 'the best' actually make you less afraid?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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