ਕਿਤੁ ਬਿਧਿ ਪੁਰਖਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਵਟਾਇਆ ॥
kit biDh purkhaa janam vataa-i-aa.
"How have you changed the course of your life?
ਕਾਹੇ ਕਉ ਤੁਝੁ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਲਾਇਆ ॥
kaahay ka-o tujh ih man laa-i-aa.
With what have you linked your mind?
ਕਿਤੁ ਬਿਧਿ ਆਸਾ ਮਨਸਾ ਖਾਈ ॥
kit biDh aasaa mansaa khaa-ee.
How have you subdued your hopes and desires?
ਕਿਤੁ ਬਿਧਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਨਿਰੰਤਰਿ ਪਾਈ ॥
kit biDh jot nirantar paa-ee.
How have you found the Light deep within your nucleus?
ਬਿਨੁ ਦੰਤਾ ਕਿਉ ਖਾਈਐ ਸਾਰੁ ॥
bin dantaa ki-o khaa-ee-ai saar.
Without teeth, how can you eat iron?
ਨਾਨਕ ਸਾਚਾ ਕਰਹੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ॥੧੯॥
naanak saachaa karahu beechaar. ||19||
Give us your true opinion, Nanak."||19||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
How did you change the course of your life?
What have you joined your mind to?
How did you quiet your hopes and wants?
How did you find the Light deep inside?
Without teeth, how can anyone chew iron?
Give us your true answer, Nanak.
Some things look impossible, like chewing iron, until you learn the way.
Without teeth, how do you chew iron? The famous riddle, bin dantaa kio khaa-ee-ai saar, is about the task that looks impossible: mastering the ego. It is a fair test, and the answer comes in the next verse.
A Question to Sit With
What once looked impossible to you but is not anymore?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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