Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
"Where is the place where harmful thoughts end?
Why do people miss the heart of things and keep getting hurt?"
Tied up at death's door, no one can save you.
Without the Word, you have no honor and no standing.
"How can a person understand and cross over?"
Nanak says: the foolish mind that follows only itself does not understand.
Without the Word, harmful thoughts keep tripping you up, and no one else can untie you.
Kubudh, harmful thinking, is the bad advice the mind gives itself. Chotaa khaa-ay, taking blows, is what happens when we miss the tat, the heart of things. Being tied at death's door is a stark picture of a life caught by its own habits. The answer, the Word, comes in the next verse.
Where do your worries finally quiet down?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI