The key message of Jo Mange is to remove our vices: Avgun Sab Mete.  This is what the singer asks for. O oneness, come and hug me and remove my vices. 

Jo mange ...

Jo mange ...

ਚਤੁਰ ਦਿਸਾ ਕੀਨੋ ਬਲੁ ਅਪਨਾ ਸਿਰ ਊਪਰਿ ਕਰੁ ਧਾਰਿਓ ॥

ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਟਾਖ੍ਯ੍ਯ ਅਵਲੋਕਨੁ ਕੀਨੋ ਦਾਸ ਕਾ ਦੂਖੁ ਬਿਦਾਰਿਓ ॥੧॥

ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਰਾਖੇ ਗੁਰ ਗੋਵਿੰਦ ॥

ਕੰਠਿ ਲਾਇ ਅਵਗੁਣ ਸਭਿ ਮੇਟੇ ਦਇਆਲ ਪੁਰਖ ਬਖਸੰਦ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਨਾਨਕ ਦਾਸੁ ਮੁਖ ਤੇ ਜੋ ਬੋਲੈ ਈਹਾ ਊਹਾ ਸਚੁ ਹੋਵੈ ॥੨॥੧੪॥੪੫॥

In somewhat contrasting light, Mirza Ghalib relates desires to death:

Death is the final cure for all desires, the ultimate end to all of our earthly struggles and desires.

One interpretation of this idea is that death is the ultimate release from suffering. All of our desires, whether they are for pleasure, love, success, or something else entirely, are ultimately driven by a desire to avoid suffering. We seek pleasure to avoid pain, we seek love to avoid loneliness, and we seek success to avoid failure. However, no matter how much we try to satisfy our desires, there will always be some degree of suffering in our lives. Death, therefore, is seen as the ultimate release from this suffering. It is the final cure for all our earthly desires and a way to achieve the ultimate peace.

Another interpretation of this idea is that death is the ultimate equalizer. No matter how rich, powerful, or successful we are in life, we all face the same fate in death. In this sense, death is seen as the ultimate leveler, the great equalizer that puts everyone on an even playing field. It is the one thing that we all have in common, regardless of our differences in life.

While the idea that death is the ultimate cure for all desires may seem bleak or pessimistic, it can also be seen as a reminder to appreciate the time we have on this earth and to make the most of it. Rather than chasing after unattainable desires, we can focus on living our lives in a way that brings us joy and fulfillment, knowing that in the end, death will come for us all. By accepting this reality, we can find peace and meaning in the present moment, rather than constantly striving for something more.

We seek our initial desire is for happiness through various means, such as pleasure, love, and success. However, as we experience the ups and downs of life, we realize that happiness is fleeting and that sorrow is an inevitable part of the human experience. Therefore, our desires shift from seeking happiness to seeking freedom from sorrows. We seek to avoid pain, suffering, and loss, and strive to live a life that is free from these negative experiences.

Despite our best efforts, however, we cannot completely escape sorrow and suffering. At some point, we realize that death is the ultimate release from these experiences. It is the final cure for all our desires and the ultimate solution to our problems. While this may seem like a bleak or nihilistic view of life, it is actually a reminder of the impermanence of all things and the importance of living in the present moment.

By accepting that death is an inevitable part of life, we can learn to appreciate the time that we have and to focus on what truly matters. We can let go of our attachment to material possessions and external circumstances and focus on cultivating inner peace and contentment. Rather than constantly striving for happiness or freedom from sorrows, we can focus on living a life that is meaningful and fulfilling, knowing that in the end, death will come for us all.

This truth rings clear and sharp in his poem, and is adapted by Denise Levertov in another poem where the reader ends singing what he always knew: "I can." (see poem below) This reminds me of "I Think I Can," a children's story that conveys the message of determination and positive thinking. The story follows a small locomotive that is tasked with transporting a heavy load of toys and good over a mountain, despite its own doubts and the discouraging words of other engines. The little engine repeatedly says to itself "I think I can," and through its perseverance and determination, it successfully makes it over the mountain and delivers the goods.

This is a song of oneness that once Emerson sang, "Trust thyself: every heart vibrates to that iron string.” This sage advice comes from Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay "Self-Reliance," and it refers to the idea that every person has an innermost core of truth and integrity that they are drawn to and guided by. Emerson believed that this "iron string" is a universal principle that connects all people, and that it is the source of an individual's personal sense of morality, ethics, and purpose. He saw it as a kind of inner compass that can help people navigate their lives and make decisions that are true to themselves.

In this context, the "iron string" represents the power of the self and the inner voice that speaks to each individual, guiding them towards their own personal truth and purpose. By heeding this inner voice and following their own unique path, Emerson believed that people could live fulfilling and authentic lives.

- Rainer Maria Rilke

English version by Anita Barrows and Joanna Macy

Original Language German

The hour is striking so close above me,

so clear and sharp,

that all my senses ring with it.

I feel it now: there's a power in me

to grasp and give shape to my world.

I know that nothing has ever been real

without my beholding it.

All becoming has needed me.

My looking ripens things

and they come toward me, to meet and be met.