ਮੈਣ ਕੇ ਦੰਤ ਕਿਉ ਖਾਈਐ ਸਾਰੁ ॥
main kay dant ki-o khaa-ee-ai saar.
"With teeth of wax, how can one chew iron?
ਜਿਤੁ ਗਰਬੁ ਜਾਇ ਸੁ ਕਵਣੁ ਆਹਾਰੁ ॥
jit garab jaa-ay so kavan aahaar.
What is that food, which takes away pride?
ਹਿਵੈ ਕਾ ਘਰੁ ਮੰਦਰੁ ਅਗਨਿ ਪਿਰਾਹਨੁ ॥
hivai kaa ghar mandar agan piraahan.
How can one live in the palace, the home of snow, wearing robes of fire?
ਕਵਨ ਗੁਫਾ ਜਿਤੁ ਰਹੈ ਅਵਾਹਨੁ ॥
kavan gufaa jit rahai avaahan.
Where is that cave, within which one may remain unshaken?
ਇਤ ਉਤ ਕਿਸ ਕਉ ਜਾਣਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥
it ut kis ka-o jaan samaavai.
Who should we know to be pervading here and there?
ਕਵਨ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਮਨੁ ਮਨਹਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥੪੫॥
kavan Dhi-aan man maneh samaavai. ||45||
What is that meditation, which leads the mind to be absorbed in itself?"||45||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
"With teeth of wax, how can anyone chew iron?
What is the food that takes pride away?
How can you live in a palace of snow while wearing clothes of fire?
Where is the cave in which you stay unshaken?
Who should we know is filling here and there?
What is the meditation that lets the mind rest in itself?"
The hardest tasks sound impossible until you find the inner way.
Some inner tasks sound impossible: chewing iron with wax teeth, staying cool while dressed in fire.
The Siddhas ask in riddles. Wax teeth chewing iron is a soft mind taking on the hard ego; a house of snow with robes of fire is staying cool while craving burns. The answers come in the next two verses.
A Question to Sit With
What feels like chewing iron for you right now?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
Use ← → to navigate