Salok Mehlaa 9, Salok 34 — a very honest prayer

ਜਤਨ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਮੈ ਕਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਮਿਟਿਓ ਨ ਮਨ ਕੋ ਮਾਨੁ ॥

jatan bahut mai kar rahi-o miti-o na man ko maan.

I have tried so many things, but the pride of my mind has not been dispelled.

ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਸਿਉ ਨਾਨਕ ਫਧਿਓ ਰਾਖਿ ਲੇਹੁ ਭਗਵਾਨ ॥੩੪॥

durmat si-o naanak faDhi-o raakh layho bhagvaan. ||34||

I am engrossed in evil-mindedness, Nanak. O God, please save me! ||34||

Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa

In plain words

I have tried so many things, yet the pride of my mind has not gone away.

Nanak prays: I am caught in wrong thinking. O Lord, please save me!

When you are stuck, asking for help is a brave thing to do.

The deeper layer

Sometimes the only way through stubborn pride is to ask for help.

Jatan bahut mai kar rahi-o: I have made so many efforts. Miti-o na man ko maan: the pride of the mind has not gone. Durmat si-o naanak faDhi-o: Nanak is caught in durmat, wrong thinking. Guru Tegh Bahadur speaks here for every person.

Raakh layho bhagvaan: O Lord, save me. Admitting you are stuck and asking for help takes courage. Grace is a gift, always there, never earned.

A Question to Sit With

What is something you have tried hard to change but cannot do alone? Who could you ask?

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

← Verse 33 of 57 Salok Mehlaa 9, Salok 33 — you shall dwell in the Fearless One

Verse 35 of 57 →Salok Mehlaa 9, Salok 35 — childhood, youth, and age

Use ← → to navigate