ਗਾਵਾ (gaavaa)
Meaning: noun: Village.
Quote:
ਦੇਹੀ ਗਾਵਾ ਜੀਉ ਧਰ ਮਹਤਉ ਬਸਹਿ ਪੰਚ ਕਿਰਸਾਨਾ॥
ਮਨੁੱਖਾ ਦੇਹੀ (ਮਾਨੋ ਇਕ) ਪਿੰਡ ਹੈ ਅਤੇ ਜੀਵਾਤਮਾ ਇਸ (ਪਿੰਡ ਦੀ) ਜਮੀਨ ਦਾ ਚੌਧਰੀ ਹੈ, ਜਿਥੇ ਪੰਜ ਕਿਸਾਨ (ਗਿਆਨ-ਇੰਦ੍ਰੇ) ਵੱਸਦੇ ਹਨ।
dehee gaavaa jeeu dhar mahatu basahi paňch kirsaanaa.
Human body is the village and the mind is the owner of its land, where five farm-hands (sensory organs) live. -Bhagat Kabir, Guru Granth Sahib, 1104
Message: Imagine you are the manager of a company and some people work under you, but none of them obey your instructions. When asked, they give excuses and invent clever arguments. You will end up losing not only your staff’s respect but ultimately the business altogether.
Likewise, our body is like a village, and the mind is like the owner of its land. The five sensory organs, our eyes, nose, ears, tongue and skin are like the five farm-hands (workers) who live there and work for the owner, the mind. But they don’t heed the call of the mind. They have gone out of the mind’s control and instead of doing good, they are destroying the mind.
If the mind controls the five senses, then the senses will plant the right crops and give the mind a good harvest. Meaning, if we control our senses and perform the right actions, we will reap the right rewards too. We will have good results in our life. We will make ourselves and others happy too.
Etymology: From Sanskrit gram→ Punjabi gaav→ Hindi gaanv (village, hamlet, suburb).
