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Guru Nanak Sahib compares night’s quarters to a life divided into four parts: infancy, youth, adulthood, and old age. The effects of these stages on the human mind and body are described here. Seekers are advised to protect their invaluable human birth from vices.
tījai paharai   raiṇi kai vaṇjāriā mitrā   sari hans ulathṛe āi.
jobanu ghaṭai jarūā jiṇai vaṇjāriā mitrā   āv ghaṭai dinu jāi.
anti kāli pachutāsī andhule   jami pakaṛi calāiā.
sabhu kichu apunā kari kari rākhiā   khin mahi bhaïā parāiā.
budhi visarajī gaī siāṇap   kari avgaṇ pachutāi.
kahu nānak prāṇī tījai paharai   prabhu cetahu liv lāi.3.
-Guru Granth Sahib-75-76
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Literal Translation
Interpretive Transcreation
Poetical Dimension
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In the third quarter of life, O trader-friend, your youthfulness is now over, and the signs of aging start to descend upon you. The hair on your head has changed color to white as the swans, which are seen basking together in a pool of water. In the remaining days and nights you have left, will you still choose to ignore the value you have placed on your wealth, assets, and jewelry? Do you not realize that these prized possessions will be somebody else’s property when you leave? Consider then, what will you be able to actually claim to be yours? Think about the energy you have devoted towards maintaining your pride and status in the world and the relationships you valued and claimed to be yours forever. Even the wisdom and intellect that has served you well in the company of others will start to decline. We reflect on what we will be leaving with at the end of our life. Will we have regrets about our life journey, repenting what we spent our time and energy on? Experiencing a midlife crisis is not uncommon at this stage of life. Either we will treat ourselves to the latest toys and gadgets that will lure us and stimulate our minds or realize that what we have been chasing after will never bring us real happiness. During a midlife crisis, some will leave their well-paying jobs, choose to live simply and start to think and act on things that really matter. However, it is not too late to refocus and connect with Nam,1Ness. So how will we spend our remaining days? O trader-friend, in the third quarter of life, can we trade our lusts and desires for material and temporary things and connect with our Creator-Provider?
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