The donkey's leash is only removed, after the load is placed on his back?

Sat Sri Akal Ji

Can someone please explain the metaphor being used here:

mn Kuthr qyrw nhI ibswsu qU mhw audmwdw ]
man khuttehar thaeraa nehee bisaas thoo mehaa oudhamaadhaa ||
O vicious mind, no faith can be placed in you; you are totally intoxicated.

Kr kw pYKru qau CutY jau aUpir lwdw ]1] rhwau ]
khar kaa paikhar tho shhuttai jo oopar laadhaa ||1|| rehaao ||
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/gurmat-vichaar/37853-donkeys-leash-only-removed-after-load.html
The donkey's leash is only removed, after the load is placed on his back. ||1||Pause||

I'm afraid I have no frame of reference to interpret the donkey metaphor.

Here is the entire shabad from ang 815:

iblwvlu mhlw 5 ]
bilaaval mehalaa 5 ||
Bilaaval, Fifth Mehla:

kvnu kvnu nhI pqirAw qum@rI prqIiq ]
kavan kavan nehee pathariaa thumharee paratheeth ||
Who? Who has not fallen, by placing their hopes in you?

mhw mohnI moihAw nrk kI rIiq ]1]
mehaa mohanee mohiaa narak kee reeth ||1||
You are enticed by the great enticer - this is the way to hell! ||1||

mn Kuthr qyrw nhI ibswsu qU mhw audmwdw ]
man khuttehar thaeraa nehee bisaas thoo mehaa oudhamaadhaa ||
O vicious mind, no faith can be placed in you; you are totally intoxicated.

Kr kw pYKru qau CutY jau aUpir lwdw ]1] rhwau ]
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=37853
khar kaa paikhar tho shhuttai jo oopar laadhaa ||1|| rehaao ||
The donkey's leash is only removed, after the load is placed on his back. ||1||Pause||

jp qp sMjm qum@ KMfy jm ky duK fWf ]
jap thap sa(n)jam thumh kha(n)ddae jam kae dhukh ddaa(n)dd ||
You destroy the value of chanting, intensive meditation and self-discipline; you shall suffer in pain, beaten by the Messenger of Death.

ismrih nwhI join duK inrljy BWf ]2]
simarehi naahee jon dhukh niralajae bhaa(n)dd ||2||
You do not meditate, so you shall suffer the pains of reincarnation, you shameless buffoon! ||2||

hir sMig shweI mhw mIqu iqs isau qyrw Bydu ]
har sa(n)g sehaaee mehaa meeth this sio thaeraa bhaedh ||
The Lord is your Companion, your Helper, your Best Friend; but you disagree with Him.

bIDw pMc btvwreI aupijE mhw Kydu ]3]
beedhhaa pa(n)ch battavaaree oupajiou mehaa khaedh ||3||
You are in love with the five thieves; this brings terrible pain. ||3||

nwnk iqn sMqn srxwgqI ijn mnu vis kInw ]
naanak thin sa(n)than saranaagathee jin man vas keenaa ||
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the Saints, who have conquered their minds.

qnu Dnu srbsu Awpxw pRiB jn kau dIn@w ]4]28]58]
than dhhan sarabas aapanaa prabh jan ko dheenhaa ||4||28||58||
He gives body, wealth and everything to the slaves of God. ||4||28||58||


Thank you.

 
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Ishna Bhain ji I did my translation in the following thinking it may be helpful on a standalone basis as a sabad.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=37853

http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/gurmat...tml#post159065
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=37853

Let me know if that is OK or you want me to put it in this thread then I can delete the other one.

Sat Sri Akal.

hmmm... Ishna Ji,

Donkeys are:
stubborn,
kinda dumb (they eat garbage),
don't walk straight (i kno b/c ive dealt with one...),
easily frightened/confused,
not particularly vicious, terrifying or threatening

--all of the above ive observed when they're idle... maybe once they're trained, they change. maybe, like dogs, they are loyal and loving towards their master and good at doing what they do: carrying stuff.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=37853

anyways, i guess God would see us kinda see us that way, we eat garbage sometimes... we are stubborn, we don't walk straight, easily confused, we need direction... i guess once there's a load on us, a responsibility to take care of and love others, it gives us stability and safety, we tread more steadily...? i like donkeys, they're cute.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=37853

Many thanks Ambarsaria ji and Navdeep ji.

Quote:

2.

Would it be safe to say then that the mind is the skittish donkey which we must first subdue before piling up faith, and then can let go to do it's function per it's master's request?

One interpretation of the lines could be be that perhaps the discipline of sitting down for nitnem is the binding of the donkey's legs while the piling on of nitnem bania takes place, then the 'legs are unbound' and you go about your daily business. I quite like that, if it is indeed the correct understanding.

The word 'leash' in the Sant Singh Khalsa translation is quite misleading - a leash is a rope by which an animal is led (in my understanding), which is quite different to having it's back legs tied. I see now I should have referred to the Manmohan Singh translation instead for this one.

The MANN shouldnt be allowed "freedom" to roam and be merry....it should be kept on tight leash....its not a metaphor..its just the practical way to load a donkey..it wont stand still and kick its heels unless they are tied...lots of cows/buffaloes in Punjab have to have their hidn legs tied up when MILKING them..as they may kick the milk bucket...its just a way of doing things..

Navdeep88 Bhain ji based on the following video they are not that dumb (at least as compared to a camel), and you can also see the reason for tying rear legs. They have vicious kicks when one least expects like rear firing bombers

Ishna ji I will review the sabad again I read it as that the maya/un-smart living is what equated to being tied down and loaded with un-necessaries of life.

Sat Sri Akal.

rofl Ambarsaria Ji,
I like that donkey, he's got some gusto! The camels are like 3x bigger than him and he still sent them packing! .

This is probably really bad but if I showed this to my mom, she would laugh and point to me. When I was a kid, everytime my brother got something b/c he was a "boy" I always demanded that I got it too. Smh. Everything from being gifted a gold chain from my maternal grandparents at birth (I ended up with a gold ring)...to just every stupid little thing, I always questioned it. And my mom always gave, which is really bad, looking back on it. Not everyone is as openminded or liberal as her.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=37853
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=37853

Back home people inscribe their sons and fathers names onto dishes... I noticed this when I was in the shop with my mom and asked why it was just his name. My mom didn't really have an answer... so I got a PLATE with my name on it! I was about 7 and ELATED then. She spoiled me, I'm gonna go complain to her now. The real world doesn't work that way... men like girls who are hush hush.

waheguru ji ka khasa waheguru ji ki fateh ji...punjabi fonts nhi show ho rahe tudpost vich ji...

waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh ji....tuhadi post te punjabi fonts nhi show ho rahe kirpa kake dassan di khechal karo ki kehre fonts use kite ne ji?