Human life is not the bed of roses, howsoever well one is placed in his life. Everyone finds himself in the Examination Hall, Question Paper placed before him, and he has to solve his problems. Man on his own is not equal to the problems he faces, invariably succumbs to the life of ease and transitory pleasures, which become the source of his entanglements, from which he finds himself incapable of breaking his shackes to come out.
Sri Guru Arjan Dev Jee, in the following short Composition, describes the human problem of Man's entanglements. The Guru gives here the similie of a bird in cage, who has totally lost its capacity to fly out of the cage and enjoy freedom. He Guru teaches the way out of this despondency in the following Composition.
"Come out, O my Mind bird out of the cage, and let the meditative remembrance of the Lord be your wings. In Holy Association of saints, take to His Sanctuary, and keep the perfect jewel of the Lord's remembrance enshrined in your heart. 1 . Pause .
O my Mind, you are sunk in the dark deep well of superstitious beliefs, the thirst for your sensual pleasure is the mud in it you find stuck in it, and emotional attachment is the noose, so tightly put around your neck. (O my Mind Bird, you find yourself in such a state of helplessness that you cannot fly out of the cage). The only one who can cut these strangles and make you free to come out of this cage is the Universal Guru , the Lord of the Universe, abiding in you. So let yourself dwell at His Lotus Feet. 1.
Bestow Your Mercy, O Lord of the Universe, O God, My Beloved, Master of the meek - please, listen to my prayer. Take my hand, O Lord and Master of Nanak; my body and my all, belong to You. 2 . 3 .120 ."
(Gauri M.5, page 204)