ਜਤਨ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਮੈ ਕਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਮਿਟਿਓ ਨ ਮਨ ਕੋ ਮਾਨੁ ॥

ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਸਿਉ ਨਾਨਕ ਫਧਿਓ ਰਾਖਿ ਲੇਹੁ ਭਗਵਾਨ ॥੩੪॥

Jatan Bahut Mai Kar Reho Miteo Na Man Ko Maan |

Durmat Seo Naanak Fadheo Rakh Leho Bhagvaan | 34 |

All the methods and modes of earth I have tried,

None of them were able to erase my mind’s pride.

In harmful net of bad thoughts stuck is Naanak’s mind,

It will be rescued by God’s grace limitless and kind.

Commentary: 

Guru Ji is talking about our incapacity to wipe pride and ego by our self from our mind. He says that we must practice meditation and sing the glories of remembrance of Lord, and when its grace will bestow, then only our mind be free from all the ego and egoistic behavior, and bad thoughts will vanish, too. When ego, the self-centeredness decreases, then bad thoughts cannot arise. Guru Ji requests us to keep purifying our mind every day through devotion. In Guru Granth Sahib Ji there is a hymn by Bhagat Kabir Ji that says: “Keep searching your own mind, O human, and find all your flaws and wash them with the water of God’s name.

Did you notice that Guru Ji in all these salok is taking the name of Naanak, or mind, or o human being, and each time he is referring to himself? It is essentially because he is in the state of humbleness says his own name, even though he is the purest of the purest, he shows himself downtrodden; he lowers himself to remind us that even if we become the powerful of all, we still need be down to earth, kind-hearted. In a subtle way, he is referring to all of us (for Naanak Ji, Buddha Ji, or Sri Krishna Ji, the Divine live in our heart) to keep our mind clean, and aware of all our flaws and virtues, and at the same time to harness the virtues and decrease our flaws. 

P.S.

Pardon me all, I won’t be able to post for at least a month from today. 

God bless you all. Please take care all of you. 

Satnaam Sri Waheguru. Jai Sri Hari.