Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Faith, contentment, and patience — these are what angels eat. These are what keep the pure ones alive.
When you live with these, you receive the Perfect Vision of the Lord.
But those who spend their time gossiping and tearing people down? They find no resting place.
Three virtues as nourishment
Santokh sardhā dharmaj sanjam, ā'ī pannā devteā dā — "faith, contentment and tolerance are the food and provisions of the angels." The three: sardhā (sincere faith, trust), santokh (contentment, satisfaction with what one has), dharmaj (patience, endurance, tolerance). These are not just virtues to cultivate; they are the nourishment that keeps a spiritually alive person alive.
An angel that doesn't eat these starves spiritually. Contention, discontent, and impatience are the spiritual equivalents of junk food — filling in the short term, depleting in the long.
Gossip as the opposite of contentment
Nindak na pā'e visrāmu — "those who slander find no place of rest." Nindā (slander, gossiping, speaking ill of others behind their backs) is the direct opposite of contentment and tolerance. The one who gossips is measuring others, finding them inadequate, asserting their own superiority — all of which prevents the rest that comes from contentment. The connection between gossip and restlessness is psychological: the mind that is always comparing, judging, and criticizing can never settle.
*What is the difference between how you feel after a conversation where you talked positively about someone versus one where you talked badly about someone? Which leaves you with more rest?*
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI