-
Page1of23
, ,
Oneshouldnotabuseabladeofgrassunderone'sfeet.Ifthathappenstostrikeonone'seyethentherewillbeterrificpain
, |
, ||
Effortscanaccomplisheverything.Nothingcanbeaccomplishedwithouttakingefforts.A
purifiedbutterthatisfrozencannotbetakenoutwithastraightfingerMana
unmana na toliye, shabd ke mol na tol
Murakh log na jansi, aapa khoya bol , | , ||
When your mind is raged then you should not react to the words.
One does not have any means for the valuation and weight of words.
The fools do not understand this
and lose their balance while talking Pehle shabd pehchaniye,
pichhe kije mol
Parkhi parkhe rattan ko, shabd ka mol na tol , |
, || First you should understand what has been said by others.
Then you can make the
valuation of the words that you have listened. A goldsmith can
test the purity of gold. One does not have any means for the
valuation and weight of words.
Naari purush sab hi suno, yeh satguru ki saakh Vish phal phale
anek hai, mat dekho koi chaakh
, | , ||
Listen everybody to the preaching of a good preacher. There are
many ways of sensual enjoyment. But one should abstain from any
such way
Shabd barabar dhan nahi, jo koi jaane bol Heera to damo mile,
shabd mol na tol
, | , ||
He who is good at speaking understands that there is no wealth
like words. A diamond can be purchased for a value. One do not
just
have any means for valuation of word Padha suna seekha sabhi,
miti na sanshay shool
Kahe kabir kaso kahu, ye sab dukh ka mool , | , ||
One may read, listen and learn everything. But after doing all
this he has confusion. Kabir is at pains to explain that confusion
is the root of sorrow
Vishaya tyag bairaya hai, samata kahiye gyan Sukhdayi sab jeev
so, yahi bhakti parmaan
, ,
Being detached means renouncing the sensual pleasures. Knowledge
means equanimity. Devotion means creating happiness
for all the beings.
-
Page2of23
Parnaari ki rachnao, jo lehasun ki khani Khoone besir khaiy,
pragat hoye deewani
, ,
A desire for other's wife is like a mine of garlic. A person can
eat garlic hiding from all. But the fact of his having consumed
garlic is clear to anyone who meets him
, , ,
Kabira darshan sadhu ke, karat na kije kani Jo udham se lakshmi,
aalas man se hani
, ,
MEANING Dont shirk to meet a good person. An intoxicated or
lethargic mind
causes loss of wealth Hari ras peeya jaaniye, kabahu na jaaye
khumaar.
Maimanta ghoomat phire, naahee tan ke saar. , | , ||
MEANING How will you know who is a GOD-realized soul, who has
tasted the great wine, the
nectar of GOD?? Kabir says you can see the symptoms the person
who has attained thecommunity with GOD, looks like intoxicated all
the time. This intoxication never comesdown, he looks like insane,
wanders like the same, doesnt even bother about
his body or appearance. Ghat kaa pardaa kholkar, sanmukh de
deedaar.
Baal sanehi saaiyaa, awe ant kaa yaar. , | , ||
MEANING He opens the veil within your being and shows himself in
front of you!! HE only is our true friend. At the time of our birth
(here it refers spiritual birth or the moment when this creation
came in existence and we as separate being came into picture) he
was the only friend and when the journey of the soul has come to an
end, I see him
only as true friend. he has been our friend throughout our all
lives, only it took whole journey from the origin to coming down
this material world and going back to our
source to make us realize this truth!! Had mein chale so
maanava, behad chale so saadh
Had behad dono taje, taako bata agaadh , | , ||
The one who is confined in limitations is human, the one who
roams into unlimited, is a Sadhu. The one who has dropped both
limited and unlimited, unfathomable is
his being and understanding. Jaap mare, ajapaa mare, anahad hu
mari jaye
Ram snehi na mare, kahe Kabir samjhaye , , | , ||
MEANING
-
Page3of23
The nector of love makes us immortal Jis marne se jag dare, mere
man mein anand
Kab maru kab paon, puran parmanad , | , ||
The whole world fears death, but death will be full of bliss for
me I am waiting for death which will merge me, into absolute
bliss
Chali jo putli laun ki, thah sindhu ka len Aaphu gali paani
bhai, ulti kahe ko bain
, | , ||
A piece of salt entered the ocean to find its depth It dissolved
and turned into salty water, who will return to tell the depth
MEANING God is like an ocean. When seeker wants to find his
depth and enters into the region
of god, he himself merges into god. Thus duality, which is
necessay to give report, does not exist
Naino ki kari kothri, putli palang bichhai
Palko ki chik darike, piya ko liya rijhai , |
, || I made my eyes into a bridal room, and the pupils into a
bridal bed
I pulled down curtains of the eyelids and pleased my beloved
Neend nishani maut ki, uthh kabira jaag
Aur rasayan chhod ke, naam rasayan laag , | , ||
A state of being asleep is at par with the state of being dead.
Therefore Kabir should get up. He should shun everything else and
remember the God.
Loot sake to loot le, ram naam ki loot Paache pachhtayega, jab
pran jayenge chhoot
, | , ||
You have the access to the name of Ram without any cost. Why
dont you have access to it as much as you can. Otherwise at the
last moment of your life you will feel sorry
Jaisi bhakti kare sabhi, vaise pooja hoye Bhay paras hai jeev
ko, nirbhay hoy naa koye
, | , ||
Your mind should have devotion to come out of the loop of fear.
Kabira yeh sansar hai, jaisa semal phool
Din das ke vyavahar mein, jhoote rang na bhool , | , ||
This world is like a flower that traps a bee. Dont get
overwhelmed by what you experience for a while.
Bhakti mahal bahu oonch hai, door hi se darshay
-
Page4of23
Jo koi jan bhakti kare, shobha barni naa jaaye , |
, || The palace of devotion has a very great height. This one
can observe from a distance.
Whoever is engaged in devotion, words fall short for describing
his beauty. Daas kahavan kathin hai, mein dasan ka daas
Ab to aisa hoye rahu, paav tale ki ghas , | , ||
It is difficult to serve others. I am serving those who are
serving others. Now I long to become like a grass under the feet of
people.
Kehta hu kahi jaat hu, kahat bajaye dhol Swasa khali jaat hai,
teen lok ka mol
, | , ||
Dont say that you belong to a very prominent caste. This is
nothing for which you should beat drums. You are wasting your
breaths and standing separated from the
eternal spirit. Satguru mila to sab mile, naa to mila na koy
Maat pita sut bandhva, yeh to ghar ghar hoy
, | , ||
If someone is able to have a privilege of being in the company
of a good preceptor then he has the privilege of being in the
company of all. Otherwise he does not
understand any relation. The relatives like mother, father, son
and brother are there in all families.
Kabira seep samunder ki, khara jal nahi le Paani piye swati ka,
shobha sagar de
, | , ||
A shell in the ocean does not take any salty water from the
ocean. It drinks the raindrops falling during the period of Swati
Constellation and adds to the beauty of
the ocean Karta raha so kyo raha, ab kari kyo pachhataye
Boye ped babul ka, so amua kaha se paaye , | , ||
why were u doing what you were doing, now what the use of
repenting you have sown seeds of Babool tree, don't expect mangoes
from that
Koyla bhi ho ujla, jari pari jo sek Murakh hoy na ujla, jo kaala
ka khet
, | , ||
A coal becomes white when put on fire. A fool does not shun his
foolishness after any treatment.
Kasturi kundal base, mrag dhundhat ban mahi Jyo ghat ghat ram
hai, duniya dekhe nahi
, |
-
Page5of23
, | A deer has the fragrance in itself and runs throughout the
forest for finding it.
Similarly Ram is everywhere but the world does not see. Naina
antar aaw tu, nain jhaapi tohi leu
Na mein dekhu aur ko, na tohi dekhan deu , | , ||
O my beloved! Come into my eyes, I will take you in and close
them Then, neither will I see anyone else, nor will I allow anyone
to see you
MEANING Eyes are like doors, and images enter through them to
the heart. The lover of god wants to realize his beauty in his
heart. Devotee is waiting for the Darshan of god.
Premi dundat mein phiru, premi miliya na koy Premi ko premi
mile, tab sab vish amrit hoy
, | , ||
I wondered in search of true lover but did not find any When a
lover meets another, then all all poison turns into nector
MEANING True lover of god rarely found but when they come
together they rejoice, and the
nector of love over flows, and everybody enjoys it Ram rasayan
prem ras, pivat adhik rasal Kabir pivan durlabh hai, mange sis
kalal
, | , ||
The very powerful drug of god is love, which is very sweet But
it is difficult to obtain, because the seller asks for your head as
its price
MEANING No one can enter the region of god with his head on his
shoulder i.e. with his ego.
Only the humble devotee can drink the nector of gods love Sadhu
shabd samunder hai, jaa mein ratan bharay
Mand bhag mutthi bhare, kankar haath lagaay , | , ||
A good person is an ocean of pearls Those who are not
intelligent end with handful of sand after meeting a good
person
Sadhu bhukha bhav ka, dhan ka bhukha nahi Dhan ka bhukha jo
phire, so to sadhu nahi
, | , ||
A good person wants that you should have faith in what he says.
He is not after your money. He who roams for money is not a good
person.
Bhesh dekh na pujiye, puchh lijiye gyan Bina kasauti hot nahi,
kanchan ki pehchan
, | , ||
-
Page6of23
Dont go after the outward appearance. See whether he has the
right knowledge. A goldsmith cannot verify the purity of gold
without
putting it to test. Boond samani hai samunder mein, janat hai
sab koi
Samunder samana boond mein, bujhe birla koi , | , ||
When a drop merges into the ocean, everyone understands it But
when the ocean merges into the drop, seldom does one understand
it
MEANING It is very simple to understand that a devotee merges
into God, but it is difficult to
accept that God merges into a devotee.reality is the union of
God and devotee and all differences are lost. This is a state
rarely found. God dwells in the heart of a devotee
as an ocean merged into the drop. Herat herat hey sakhi, raha
kabir heray
Boond samani samunder mein, so kat heri jay , |
, || Kabir says- searching over and over, O my friend! I lost
myself in Him(god)
As the drop mixes with the ocean, where can one search for it Tu
tu karta tu bhaya, mujhme rahi nah hun
Baari pheri bali gai, jit dekhu tit tu , | , ||
Oh God ! by reciting your name all the time I merged in you and
my ego disappeared My troubles of transmigration disappeared. Now,
wherever I look I see you.
MEANING The recitation of Gods name leads the devotee to God. He
reaches the state of union with God, and his cycle of rebirths
disappears, just as a drop of water mixes with the
ocean and its separation disappers Prem gali ati sankari, tamein
dou na samai
Jab mein tha tab hari nahi, ab hari hai mein naahi , | , ||
The street of love is very narrow, two cant pass through it at
the same time When I was, there was no God(hari), now there is God
but I am not
MEANING To attain true love, one has to give up his ego. When
the ego disappears, God
appears. So the devotee must give up his ego to realize God Prem
na badi upje, prem na haat bikai
Raja prja jis ruche, sis dey le jai , | , ||
Love is not grown in the field, and it isnt sold in the market
But a king or a pauper who likes it, offers his head to obtain
it
MEANING In the region of love there is no difference between
king or pauper. Who wants to get
love has to give up his ego, all other wealth has no value in
love. Love is a spiritual and not a material thing.
-
Page7of23
Jin dhundha tin payiya, gahire pani paith Mein bori duban dari,
rahi kinare baith
, | , ||
Those who searched by diving into the deep water found I
foolishly feared drowning and remained seated on the shore
MEANING One who wants to get some pearls has to dive deeply into
the ocean. The person who
will fear drowning will not get anything. In the same way, he
who wants God realization has to dive deeply in meditation, and
merge completely into God's love.
Laali meri laal ki, jit dekhu tit laal Laali dekhan mein gayi,
mein bhi ho gayi laal
, | , ||
The redness (illumination)of my beloved is everywhere When I
went to see the redness I also became illuminated
MEANING When a devotee realizes God, he sees illumination of God
all over the world. He also merges into God's love in such a way
that all the differences between him and God
disappears. He realizes (sees) only God and nothing else.
Pavak roopi saiyan, sab ghat raha samay Chit chakmak laage
naahi, tate bujhi bujhi jay
, | , ||
God is like fire dwelling in each and every heart But because
the flint stone does not spark in the heart, it does not give
light
Sahib teri sahibi, sab ghat rahi samay Jyon mehandi ke pat mein,
laali lakhi na jay
, | , ||
Power of Almighty dwells in every heart but is invisible Just as
the red colour resides in the green mehandi leaves and is
invisible
MEANING To get the red colour from the mehendi leaves one has to
grind them into a fine paste
and apply it on the hands. When the paste dries and the hands
are washed, the red colour appears. In the same way one has to
grind (cleanse) his mind by meditation to
realize God. Ghat ghat mera saiyan, suni sej na koy Balihari
ghat tasu ki, jag hat pargat hoy
, | , ||
My Lord is dwelling in each and every heart, not a single place
is empty But that heart is great where God manifests his
qualities
MEANING Though the bliss of Gods love is in the human heart,
because of ignorance, people do not know it, and they search for
happiness in wordly things. Instead of bliss they get
disappointment. One should realize that God is dwelling in evry
heart. And service to
humanity is service to God
-
Page8of23
Kabira garv na kijiye, kabahu na hasiye koy Ajhu naav samunder
mein, na jaane kya hoy
, | , ||
Dont feel proud, dont mock at anybody. Your life is like a boat
in the sea, who can say what may happen at any time.
MEANING It is foolish to be proud or to laugh at the less
fortunate.
Maati kahe kumhar se, tu kya rondhe mohe Ek din aisa aayega,
mein rondhugi tohe
, | , ||
The earth says to the potter, why are you trampling on me now?
One day will come when I will trample on you
MEANING We must be humble and kind, and try to learn from
everything. What you do to
others will return to you. Malin aavat dekh ke, kaliyan kare
pukar
Phoole phoole chun liye, kaal humari baar , | , ||
Seeing the gardner coming, the flower buds started to lament
Today he plucks the blossoms and tomarrow it will be our turn
MEANING Every mature person knows that sooner or later everyone
has to leave this world. So
you must do good deeds so that you dont have to lament later
Kali kaal tatkal hai, bura karo jini koi
An bove loha dahine, bove soo lunta hoi , | , ||
In this Iron age you get quick results. Dont do anything wrong
Whatever you sow, the same will reap
MEANING Every action has a equal and opposite reaction
Paw palak ki sudhi naahi, kare kaal ko saaj Kaal achanak marsi,
jyon titar ko baaz
, | , ||
We do not know what will happen in the next moment, but still we
prepare for the distant future Death will come suddenly just as
hawks pounce upon birds
Kachi kaya man athir, thir thir kaam karat Jyon jyon nar
nidhadak phire, tyon tyon kaal hasat
, | , ||
The body is perishable like an unbaked clay pot, and the mind is
restless Still, man delays in worldly actions unmindful of fear,
death looks at him and laughs
Bin rakhware bahira, chidiyo khaya khet Ardha pardha ubre, cheti
sake to chet
, |
-
Page9of23
, || Without protection the grain of the farm is being eaten up
by the birds
Still, a little bit is remaining. Protect it if you can
MEANING
Without protection from lust, anger, greed, desires etc our
devotion to God is being plundered. What little remains we must
protect it, otherwise our life will be wasted
in vain Aaj kahe hari kal bhajuga, kaal kahe phir kaal
Aaj kaalke karat hi, avsar jaasi chaal , | , ||
Today you say that you will do devotion to God tomarrow, and
tomarrow you will again say tomarrow
Saying tomarrow and tomarrow you lose the opportunity in this
life Meetha sabse boliye, sukh upje chahu aur
Vasikaran yeh mantra hai, tajiye vachan kathor , | , ||
Speak sweetly and politely, you will make all happy This is just
like a charm, give up harsh words
MEANING When you speak sweetly and politely you make many people
happy, they attract people towards you. Harsh words are improper,
they hurt people and can turn
against you. Sweet words win hearts Madhur vachan hai aushadhi,
kutil vachan hai tir
Sravan dwar hai sanchre, sale sakal sarir , | , ||
Sweet words are like medicine, harsh words are like arrows Which
enter through the doors of the ears, give distress to the whole
body
MEANING We have to speak truth but also politely, many problems
are created by misuse of
words. So we must use sweet, polite and proper words suitable to
the occasion. Our words also reveal our personality
Kathni mithi khand si, karni vish ki loi Kathni chhodi karni
kare, vish ka amrit hoi
, | , ||
Speech is sweet like sugar, deeds are like poison Instead of
merly speaking sweet we must do must do good deeds, the poison will
turn
into nector MEANING
Actions are more important than words Kabir sab jag nirdhana,
dhanwanta naahi koye
Dhanwanta soi janiye, ram nam dhan hoye , | , ||
Kabir says the whole world is poor, no one is truly rich Who has
the wealth of Gods name is truly rich
-
Page10of23
MEANING People having material wealth are not prosperous,
material things are perishable.
True wealth is the name of God which is immortal Rukha sukha
khai ke, thanda pani pee Dekh parai chupadi, mat lalchao jee
, | , ||
Eat simple food and drink cold water Do not look at the buttered
bread of others and long for it.
MEANING You have to try to live simply and be satisfied. If you
try to pursue the luxurious lives
of others, you will not have peace in your life. Materialism
does not bring peace in life. The more a person gets the more he
wants. There is no end to greed.
Nindak nihare rakhiye, aangan kuti chhaway Bin pani bin sabun,
nirmal kare subhav
, | , ||
MEANING Keep your critic close, you get to know your faults if
someone criticizes you, and you have a chance to correct them. Give
your critics shelter in your courtyard and listen to the criticism
without annoyance, because critic is not your enemy, he is
helping
you to clean the rubbish from your life without soap and water.
Aapa taje hari bhaje, nakh sikh taje vikar
Sab jiwan se nirbair rahe, sadhu mta hai saar , | , ||
Give up the pride of caste and clan and do devotion to the God.
Give up your faults like lust, anger, greed. Don't be an enemy to
anyone. This is the basic principle of the
saints. Silvant sabse bada, sab ratno ki khan Tin lok ki
sampada, rahi sil mein aan
, | , ||
MEANING Whoever has good character is the greatest of all. He is
mine of all jewels. The wealth
of the three worlds is merged in good character Pakha pakhi ke
karan, sab jag raha bhulan Nirpakh hoi ke hari bhaje, soi sant
sujan
, | , ||
MEANING People are divided into various religions and thus the
whole world is misguided,
being impartial to the worldly groups (religions), one who
performs the devotion to Almighty God is the true saint. A saint
understands that all souls are the same, and
that God is dwelling in every heart. The saint recognises God in
all, and remains impartial to the various religions.
Ek shabd gurudev ka, taka anant vichar Thake muni jan pandita,
veda na pave paar
, |
-
Page11of23
, || The one word of Sat Guru gives limitless meanings.only a
humble devotee can get it, Munis and pandits (full of ego of their
knowledge) became exhausted trying to find
its meaning. Vedas cannot fathom its depth. Guru bichara kya
kare sikkhahi mahin chuk Bhave tyon parbodhiye, baans bajaye
phunk
, | , ||
MEANING What can the poor Guru does if the disciple has faults.
The Guru can only guide, but
the disciple has to walk. Guru gives knowledge but it becomes
useless, just as a broken flute does not produce music. The
disciple must have
Hari kripa tab janiye, de manav avtar Guru kripa tab janiye,
mukt kare sansar
, | , ||
MEANING We must thank God for giving us human life, but it is
the grace of the Guru which
liberates us from the cycle of birth and death. Timir gaya ravi
dekhte, kumati gayi guru gyan Sumati gayi ati lobhate, bhakti gayi
abhiman
, | , ||
MEANING Darkness disappears when the sun arises and ignorance
goes away by the Gurus
wisdom (gyan). wisdom is lost because of greed, and devotion is
lost because of ego. Keson kaha bigadia, je moonde soo bar
Man ko kahe na moondiye, jaa mein vishey vikaar ,
, What harm have the hair done, you shave them hundred times
Why not shave the mind, there grow unchecked countless poisonous
thoughts Guru ko kije bandagi , koti koti paranam
Kit na jane bhring ko , guru karle aap saman , |
, || MEANING
One has to offer salutations and obeisances to Guru who takes
the disciple on the path to God, and helps him in every way even
though the disciple does not know it,
just as a wasp takes a worm into its nest and another wasp
emerges. The Guru imparts wisdom to him and makes the ordinary
disciple as himself
Moond mundavat din gaye, ajhun na miliya Ram Ram naam kahu kya
kare, je man ke aurey kaam
, | , ||
Ages have passed shaving the head, yet union with Ram is not
here Recitation of Ram Naam is futile, when mind is engaged
elsewhere
-
Page12of23
Kabira maala kaath ki, kahi samjhave tohi Man na phirave aapna,
kaha phirave mohi
, | , ||
Kabir, the rosary made of wooden beads explicitly proceeds to
educate (If) you set not your mind in (a focused) motion, (then) to
what end you rotate
Maala to kar mein phire, jibh phire mukh maahi Manua to chahun
dish phire, yeh to sumiran naahi
, | , ||
The rosary rotating by the hand (or) the tongue twisting in the
mouth, With the mind wandering everywhere, this isn't meditation
(Oh uncouth!).
MEANING Counting the Rosary, Repeating Mantras, If the Mind is
Traveling - this is not
meditation. So control the mind, not the beads or the words.
Kabir yeh ghar prem ka, khala ka ghar naahi
Sis utare hathi kari, so paise ghar maahi , | , ||
Kabir, this is the abode of love, Not the house of an aunt Only
that one can enter here who has relinquished all pride
Ek kahu to hai nahi, do kahu to gari Hai jaisa taisa rahe, kahe
Kabir vichari
, | , ||
If I say one, It is not, if I say two, it will be a violation
Let 'It' be what 'It' is, says Kabir upon contemplation
MEANING There is a oneness behind the apparent diversity. But
oneness is not seen. Yet if I
accept duality, it would be a violation, a false acceptance. Let
it be, whatever it is - I'll drop the analyzing.
Aasha jive jag mare, log mare mar jayee Soyee sube dhan
sanchate, so ubrey je khayee
, | , ||
Hope lives in a dying world, people die and die again Perish yet
hoarding wealth, spend and freedom attain
MEANING Hope is that people will wake up, drop their attachments
and hoardings and be free
from the clutches of illusion. Aag jo lagi samunder mein, dhuan
na pargat hoye
So jane jo jarmua, jaki lagi hoye , | ||
With the ocean set ablaze, the smoke yet manifests not Only the
one who gets burnt, envisions the heat of loving thought
Jab tu aaya jagat mein, log hanse tu roye Aise karni na kari,
pachhe hanse sab koye
, |
-
Page13of23
, || When you were born in this world, Everyone laughed while
you cried
Did not conduct yourself in manner such that they laugh when you
are gone Jyon naino mein putli, tyon malik ghat mahin Moorakh log
na janhin, bahar dhudhan jahin
, | , ||
Like the pupil in the eyes, the Lord resides inside Ignorant do
not know this fact, they search Him outside
MEANING God is within, the ignorant look for Him on the
outside.
Kabira kiya kuch na hot hai, ankiya sab hoye Jo kiya kuch hot
hai, karta aur koye
, | , ||
Kabir says By my doing nothing happens, what I don't does come
to pass If anything happens as if my doing, then truly it is done
by someone else
MEANING All things happen as per Gods wish, it just seems that
we are doing them.
Kabira garv na kijiye, ooncha dekh aavas Kaal pado bhu letna,
ooper jamsi ghaas
, | , ||
Kabir says Don't be so proud and vain, looking at your high
mansion Death makes one lie on bare land, and grass will grow
thereon
MEANING Don't be proud and vain, tomorrow you'll be lying six
foot under feet, on top will
grow grass that goats and sheep will eat! Chinta aisi dakini,
kaat kaleja khaye
Vaid bechara kya kare, kaha tak dawa lagaye , |
, || Worry is the bandit that eats into one's heart
What the doctor can do, what remedy to impart? MEANING
Dont worry be happy Akath kahani prem ki, kuch kahi na jaye
Goonge keri sarkara, baithe muskaye , |
, || Inexpressible is the story of Love, It cannot be revealed
by words
Like the dumb eating sweet-meat,Only smiles, the sweetness he
cannot tell MEANING
The story of love is to be experienced, it can not be expressed,
it can be known and felt - but not by the five senses.
Jeevat samjhe jeevat bujhe, jeevat hi karo aas Jeevat karam ki
fansi na kate, mue mukti ki aas
, | , ||
-
Page14of23
Alive one sees, alive one knows, thus crave for salvation when
full of life Alive you did not cut the noose of binding actions,
hoping liberation with death
Kabir soyee surma, man soon maande jhoojh Panch pyada paadi le,
door kare sab dooj
, | , ||
O Kabir, he alone the warrior, who takes on the mind head on
Crushing the shield of the sensual five, all duality is gone
MEANING The real fighter, the real Warrior is the one who takes
on his own mind. The Mind
controls the 'sensual five', the five senses of sight, sound,
touch, smell. These senses tell us lies, they tell us that duality
exist, though we know that it does not.
Kabir soota kya kare, koode kaaj niwaar Jis panth tu chalna, soy
panth sawar
, | , ||
Arise from stagnation O Kabir, divert yourself of the rubbish
deeds Be focused and illumine the path on which you were meant to
tread
MEANING Focus on the thing that you really love to do, the path
you were meant to follow.
Guru dhobi sikh kapda, saboo sirjan har Surti sila par dhoiye,
nikse jyoti apaar
, | , ||
Guru the washerman disciple is the cloth, God himself is the
soap Wash the mind on foundation firm, to realize the glow of
Truth
Jaise til mein tel hai, jyon chakmak mein aag Tera sai tujh mein
hai, tu jaag sake to jaag
, | , ||
Like seed contains the oil, fire in flint stone Your temple
seats the Divine, realize if you can
MEANING God is within, like the oil in the seed - wake up if you
have the power to.
Boli to anmol hai, jo koi jane bol Hridya taraju tol ke, tab
much bahar khol
, | , ||
Words are indeed priceless, if one knows what to say Says kabir,
weigh inside all that you wish to convey
MEANING All relations between human beings are formed by their
words of mouth. In order to
keep the relation good and sweet, each should carefully weigh
what he is saying to the other. Then their relationship remain
cordial
Kabira tahan na jaiye, jaha kapat ka het Jaalu kali anar ki, tan
rito man set
, | , ||
Says kabir, do not go there, where people are not frank
-
Page15of23
Like the pomegranate bud, colourful but inside dark MEANING
Kabir implies here that it is difficult to know the unknown
cunning people and so no intimacy should be built with such a man.
Kabir implies of whom man should be
aware and from whom keep away Laghuta mein prabhuta base,
prabhuta te prabhu door
Chinti le sakkar chali, haathi ke sir dhoor , | , ||
You gain in power by becoming humble Little ants move with sugar
in mouth, mighty elephants in dust bath foul
MEANING Sant Kabir give example of the little creature ant and
the mighty animal elephant. He observes that the ant because of its
humility collects sugar to carry home whereas the
proud elephant showers on his head dust from road sucked by its
trunk Anmanga uttam kaha, madyam mangi jo ley
Kahe Kabir nikrisht so par dharna dey , | , ||
The best is not to beg at all, middling who collects his needs
Says Kabir, the worst is he who demands and tight sits
MEANING Sant kabir has held clearly that begging is same as
death and as such the best is not
to beg at all. The medium type is to beg and collect ones need
and not more. The worst is to demand alms and sit till the demand
is fulfilled
Sajjan jan wahi jo, dhal sarikha hoye Dukh mein aage rahe, sukh
mein piche hoye
, | , ||
Noble man is like the shield, comes forward in distress Remains
quite far behind in peace and happiness
MEANING The noble man acts like the shield by coming forward to
help the neighbour in times
of disaster and distress, but remains quietly at home in times
of peace. Kabira jab hum paida huye, jag hanse hum roye
Aisi karni kar chalo, hum hanse jag roye , | , ||
Says Kabir, when I was born( I cried ) all laughed in happiness
Let me do such deeds that when I will die, I will laugh and others
cry in distress
MEANING When a son is born all laugh in happiness on the birth
of the son. Kabir says that he
should do such deeds on earth that all will praise and be happy.
And, when he departs on death others will be sorry to have lost
such a good and helpful soul but he
will be happy as he did not harm anybody Aachhe din paachhe
gaye, hari se kiya na het Ab pachhtaye hot kya, chidiya chug gayi
khet
, | , ||
-
Page16of23
O dear soul ! your good days are passed away when you had energy
and time to do love and devotion to God
you didn't do it at that time, what is the use of regretting now
MEANING
We have to try to make the best use of our opportunity. If we
are lazy, we will lose it and
then have only regrets. Aavat gari ek hai, ooltat hot anek
Kahe Kabir na ooltiye, bani ek ko ek , | , ||
A verbal abuse is one, but responding to it will make many;
Kabir says: "Do not respond to the abuse and it will remain
one.
MEANING When someone speaks abusive words to any person, and
that person responds, the
quarrel will grow more and more. If you want to prevent a
quarrel, do not respond to words of abuse. Keep calm. Don't indulge
your tongue in uttering bad words.
Kabira kahe ko dare, sir par sirjan har Hasti chadhi na dariye,
kutiya bhoonke hazar
, | , ||
Why should Kabir be afraid for, god is above all On elephants
back is any afraid, if dogs howl from below
MEANING If man takes true shelter of the Almighty Father he need
not fear any assault on him causing serious damage. God will help
him in all circumstances. Elephants back has
been figuratively used for shelter of God. Jo toko kanta buve,
tahi tu buve fool To ko fool ko fool hai, kanta ko tirsul
, | , ||
who pricks you with nail, you prick him with flower you will get
back flower for flower, he a trident for nail, be sure.
MEANING Every action has got its reaction in equal measure. If
you prick another by nail you
will get prick by trident, but if for nail you prick by flower,
you will get a flowers soft touch in return
Durbal ko na sataiye, jaki moti haay Mari khal ki saans se, loh
bhasam ho jaaye
, | , ||
Do not oppress the poor and weak, think not they are helpless
Remember, the breath of the lifeless blower can burn steel to
ashes
MEANING Sant Kabir warns saying that the poor and weak man
should not be oppressed
thinking that he is not capable to protect himself or repulse
the oppression. He cites the example of the blower made of lifeless
hide causing by its breath to burn strong
iron to ash
-
Page17of23
Kabira man nirmal bhaya, jaise Ganga neer Pachhe laga hari
phire, kehat Kabir, Kabir
, | , ", " ||
Says Kabir, I have made my mind pure like holy Ganges water Now
God running after me calling Kabir Kabir
Kabira teri jhopdi, gal katiyan ke paas Jaisi karni waisi
bharni, tu kyu bhaya udas
, | , ||
O Kabir ! your hut is next to the butchers bay Why do you feel
down? For their conduct they only shall pay
MEANING One reaps what one sows
Mangan maran saman hai, mat mange koi bheekh
Mangan se marna bhala, yeh satguru ki seekh , | , ||
Begging is like dying, Let no one Beg It is better to die than
beg, this is the SatGuru's message
MEANING Begging is as good as death, for you leave your
profession and become dependent on
others. This is reprehensible conduct on the part of an active
living man Dukh mein sumiran sab kare, sukh mein kare na koye
Jo sukh mein sumiran kare, to dukh kahe ko hoye , | , ||
In anguish everyone prays to Him, in joy does none To one who
prays in happiness, how can sorrow come
Bada hua to kya hua, jaise ped khajoor
Panthi ko chhaya nahi, phal laage ati door , | , ||
In vain is the eminence, just like a date tree
-
Page18of23
No shade for travelers, fruit is hard to reach Dheere dheere re
mana, dheere sab kuch hoye
Mali seenche soo ghara, ritu aaye phal hoye , |
, || Slowly slowly O mind, everything in own pace happens
Gardner may water a hundred buckets, fruit arrives only in its
season Sai itna deejiye, ja mein kutumb samaye
mein bhi bhookha na rahu, sadhu na bhookha jaye , | , ||
Give so much O God, suffice to envelop my clan I should not
suffer cravings, nor the visitor goes unfed
MEANING In reality, there is no peace without satisfaction and
satisfaction does not come with material wealth because the more we
get the more we want. We require only enough
for our daily needs. That is why the devotee is asking only for
enough to maintain himself and his family, and to help others, and
he remains peaceful
Sab dharti kagaj karu, lekhni sab banray Saat samunder ki masi
karu, gurugun likha na jaaye
, ,
Even if the whole earth is transformed into paper with all the
big trees made into pens and if the entire water in the seven
oceans are transformed into writing ink,
even then the glories of the Guru cannot be written. So much is
the greatness of the Guru
Kabir so dhan sanchiye, jo aage ko hoye Sees chadaye potli, le
jaat na dekhya koye
, | , ||
Kabir, save the wealth that 'remains' in the moment ultimate
Departing with a crown of material wealth, none has crossed the
gate
Kaga kako dhan hare, koyal kako det Meethe sabd sunaiyke, jag
apno kar let
, | , ||
Crow does not steal anything, koyal (cuckoo) does not make a
gift For its sweet songs cuckoo wins love of all
It is by ones nature and habit that he be friends others. Ek din
aisa hoyega, sab so pare bichhohu Raja rani rao rank, sawadh kyu
nahi hohu
, | , ||
A day will come when you will be separated from everything
Whether you are a king, landlord or pauper, why are you not
awakening
MEANING On the last day there will be separation from
everybody
Aaye hai to jayege, raja rank fakir
-
Page19of23
Ek sihanshan chadi chale, ek bandhe janjir , |
, || Who has come will go, wheather he is a king or
fakir(pauper) One goes sitting on a throne and another goes tied in
chains
MEANING Who is born in this world will certainly die, even if he
spends huge amounts of wealth
to save his life. We must therefore do good deeds so that our
departure will be peaceful.
Durlabh manus janam hai, deh na barambar Taruvar jo patti jhade,
bahuri na lage dar
, | , ||
Human birth is difficult to obtain, you will not get it again
and again Just as a ripened fallen fruit, does not reattach to the
branch
MEANING In this world human life is the best in which you have
the opportunity to do good. It
is difficult to get the same type of opportunity again and
again. If you will not perform proper actions your deeds will
prevent you from getting this chance again.
Guru bin gyan na upje, guru bin mile na moksha Guru bin likhe na
satya ko, guru bin mite na dosh
, | , ||
MEANING Without the Guru no one obtains spiritual knowledge or
achieves salvation.
Without the Guru no one can see Truth or have his doubts
removed.
Jab mein tha tab hari nahi, ab hari hai mein naahi Sab andhiyara
mit gaya, jab deepak dekhya maahi
, | , ||
When "I" was then Hari was not, Now Hari "is" and "I" am not All
the darkness (illusions) dissolved, When I saw the light
(illumination) within.
Chalti chakki dekh kar, diya kabira roye Do paatan ke bich mein,
sabut bacha na koye
, | , ||
Looking at the grinding stones, Kabir laments In the duel of
wheels, nothing stays intact
EXPLANATION Kabir sees the grinding stones as the duality that
we live in. Heaven and earth, Good
and Bad, Male and Female, High and Low - all around is duality.
This play of opposites, this Chalti Chakki (moving mill) gets
everyone, no one is save from in it's
powerful grip. Whoever enters this duality is crushed. No one
survives. Kabir cries because rarely, if ever, does one see the
oneness, the divinity, behind the duality.el of wheels, nothing
stays intact Khod khad dharti sahe, kaatkoot banraye
Kutil vachan sadhu sahe, aur se saha na jaaye
-
Page20of23
, | , ||
The earth bears the digging. The forest bears the axe. The noble
bears the harsh words. Others cannot bear the odds
Mera mujh mein kuch nahi, jo kachu hai so toh Tera tujhko
saupate, kya lagat hai moh
, | , ||
Nothing mine belongs to me, all that is yours To give all that
to you, whats there for my remorse ?
EXPLANATION Kabir affirms that all things of man belong to the
Almighty Father as his grant of
grace to man. As such, why should there be any hesitation on the
part of man to give all that to the God, the giver ?
Bura jo dekhan mein chala, bura na milaya koye Jo man dekha
aapna, mujhse bura na koye
, | , ||
I searched for the crooked, met not a single one When searched
myself, I found the crooked one
Maya mari na man mara, mar mar gaye sarir Asha trishna na mari,
keh gaye das kabir
, | , ||
Neither illusion nor the mind, only body attained death Hope and
delusion did not die, so said Kabir
Pothi padh padh jag muya, pandit bhaya na koye Dhai akshar prem
ka, padhe so pandit hoye
, | , ||
Reading books everyone died, no one became any wise One who
reads the words of love, only became wise
Kabira khada baazar mein, sabki mange khair Na kahu se dosti, na
kahu se bair
, | , ||
Kabira in the market place, wishes welfare for all Neither
friendship nor enmity with anyone at all
MEANING Kabir was impartial. He was neither attached to, nor
detached from, any religious group. He went neither to the temple
nor to the mosque. If he had used temples to preach, the Muslims
would have been left out because they could not go into the
temple. And if he had chosen to preach in the mosque, the Hindus
would have had to remain outside. He chose the market place to
preach, because people of all religions
go there. Kabir preached the truth and wanted the welfare of all
equally Mala fherat jug bhaya, fira na man ka fher Kar ka manka dar
de, man ka manka fher
, | , ||
-
Page21of23
Eons have passed whirling rosary, restless remains the mind Give
up the beads of rosary, and rotate the beads of mind
Kabira garv na kijiye, kaal gaye kar keshNa jaane kit maare hai,
kya gar kya pardesh
, | , ||
Kabir saysDont be so proud and vain, the clutches of time are
dark
Who knows where shall it kill, whether at home or
abroadEXPLANATION
Don't be proud and vain, who knows when or where time will kill.
Kaal kare so aaj kar, aaj kare so ab
Pal mein pralaya hoyegi, bahuri karega kab , | , ||
Tomorrows work do today,today,s work nowIf the moment is lost,
the work be done how.
EXPLAINATIONThe person who puts off tills tomorrow what he
should do today will, never really be successful in life. Laziness
and delay cause loss of opportunities and failures. They
destroy valuable life, and cause regrets instead. Promptness is
a great virtue
Guru govind dohu khade, kake lagu paanyeBalihari guru aapne
govind diyo bataye
, | , ||
guru and god both are here to whom should I first bestow all
glory be unto the aisi vani boliye, man ka aapa khoye
auran ko sheetal kare, aaphu sheetal hoye , |
, ||Speak in words so sweet, that fill the heart with joy
Like a cool breeze in summer, for others and self to
enjoyEXPLANATION
In speech use such words that your ego is eliminated. Don't
boast, don't gloat, and dont make yourself out to be big,
important, rich or anything else that the ego
attaches to. Building the Ego takes energy from the body, takes
away the bodies composure. If ego is lost in ones speech, the
listener finds peace from listening to it
-
Page22of23
santkabirdaspictures
-
Page23of23
Kabir,whoprobablylivedinthefifteenthsixteenthcenturies,wasoneofthemostinfluentialsaints.HewasbroughtupinafamilyofMuslimjulahasorweaverssettledinornearthecityofBenares(Varanasi).Wehavelittlereliableinformationabouthislife.Wegettoknowofhisideasfromavastcollectionofversescalledsakhisandpadssaidtohavebeencomposedbyhimandsungbywanderingbhajansingers.SomeofthesewerelatercollectedandpreservedintheGuruGranthSahib,PanchVaniandBijak.Kabirsteachingswerebasedonacomplete,indeedvehement,rejectionofthemajorreligioustraditions.HisteachingsopenlyridiculedallformsofexternalworshipofbothBrahmanicalHinduismandIslam,thepreeminenceofthepriestlyclassesandthecastesystem.ThelanguageofhispoetrywasaformofspokenHindiwidelyunderstoodbyordinarypeople.Healsosometimesusedcrypticlanguage,whichisdifficulttofollow.KabirbelievedinaformlessSupremeGodandpreachedthattheonlypathtosalvationwasthroughbhaktiordevotion.KabirdrewhisfollowersfromamongbothHindusandMuslims.