As many as are the waves of the sea

by Dadu Dayal

English version by K. N. Upadhyaya

As many as are the waves of the sea,
so many are the desires of the mind.
Stilling them all, one sits with contentment
holding the thought of the One
in his self.

As in the presence of a magnet the iron
is drawn,
So do thou attach thy senses, mind
and dispositions to the One alone.

When one discovers the true seat
of the mind, then all regions come
to his sight.
When he brings back all five senses
to that one point, then the secrets
of the holy scriptures are revealed
to him.

The fickle mind wanders in the four
directions. Bind it with the instructions
of the Master,
And bring it into the company
of the Saint, then will it be united
with the Supreme Lord, O Dadu.

Making millions of efforts, many were
consumed by death, but the mind
continued to run in all ten directions.
Only with God's Name as the barrier
will it stop; no other way is there.

Let the mind be the horse, the vigilant
aspirant the rider, and one-pointed
attention the bridle;
Using the Word as a whip,
some wise, holy aspirant will reach
the goal.

Vanquish the mind by means
of the Name; discipline it through
the teachings of the Saints.
Remove whatever duality is there, then
will there be bliss within, O Dadu.

Once the mind is attached to God, how
can it go anywhere else?
Like salt dissolves in water, it enters
into the Lord, O Dadu.