Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The men of silence observe silence.
The Sanyaasees observe celibacy.
And the Udaasees abide in detachment.
The list goes on: people who keep silent, people who stay unmarried, and people who stay detached.
Monee monidhaaree: the monee are people who take a promise of silence. Quieting the mind's chatter is an old and respected practice.
Sani-aasee barahamchaaree: the sani-aasee are people who leave home and family behind to follow God. They promise to stay unmarried.
Udaasee udaas raataa: the udaasee keep themselves detached. Udaas means "not held by anything," staying calm in both happy and hard times. The Udaasee order was started by Baba Sri Chand, Guru Nanak's son.
That calm is close to what Guru Amar Das calls sahaj, a steady, easy peace. So why is it on this list? Because having the right attitude is still not the same as being united with the Lord.
Think of a runner with perfect shoes and a perfect warm-up. Those things help. But they are not the finish line.
Each of these people is fully committed. And the question stays: does this, by itself, please the Lord?
Is silence a practice in your life — not absence of sound, but the intentional quieting of inner noise? What happens when you try?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI