ਹਸਤੀ (hastee)
Meaning: noun: Elephant.
Quote:
ਸਉ ਮਣੁ ਹਸਤੀ ਘਿਉ ਗੁੜੁ ਖਾਵੈ ਪੰਜਿ ਸੈ ਦਾਣਾ ਖਾਇ॥
ਡਕੈ ਫੂਕੈ ਖੇਹ ਉਡਾਵੈ ਸਾਹਿ ਗਇਐ ਪਛੁਤਾਇ॥
ਹਾਥੀ (ਆਪਣੇ ਜੀਵਨ-ਕਾਲ ਦੌਰਾਨ) ਸੌ ਮਣ ਘਿਉ ਤੇ ਗੁੜ ਖਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਪੰਜ ਸੌ (ਮਣ) ਦਾਣਾ ਖਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ। (ਫਿਰ) ਡਕਾਰਦਾ ਹੈ, ਸ਼ੂਕਦਾ ਹੈ, ਮਿੱਟੀ-ਘੱਟਾ ਉਡਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਪਰ ਸੁਆਸ (ਜਾਂ ਸਾਹ-ਸੱਤ ) ਨਿਕਲ ਜਾਣ ਤੇ ਪਛਤਾਉਂਦਾ ਹੈ।
sau maṇ hastee ghiu guṛ khaavai paňj sai daaṇaa khaai.
ḍakai phookai kheh uḍaavai saah ga-i-ai pachhutaai.
(During his lifetime) an elephant eats a hundred pounds of ghee and jaggery and five hundred pounds of corn. (After eating) he belches, grunts, and scatters dust, but when the breath leaves him, he regrets it. -Guru Nanak Sahib, Guru Granth Sahib, 1286
Message: An elephant is a very large animal. It consumes a huge amount of food. But even such a big and mighty creature, becomes old and weak, and sooner or later, breathes its last.
In the same way, one may consider oneself larger than average and boast about one’s affluence and power, but the end is the same: all come from dust and all return to dust. Only by overcoming our sense of egoism can we be pleasing to the Divine and receive Divine love and grace.
Etymology: From Sanskrit hastin (having hands or clever with the hands, elephant), which evolved to haathee in many modern Indian languages, such as Old Bengali, Bihari, Awadhi, Punjabi, Hindi, etc.
