Kabir Lyrics

8/19/2019 Kabir Lyrics

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Jhini jhini bini chadariya.

kah ke tana, kah ke bharni, kaun taar se bini chadariya

ingla pingla taana bharni, sushumna tar se bini

chadariya.ashta kamal dal charkha doley, panch tatva, gun tini

chadariya

saiin ko siyat mas dus lagey, thonk-thonk ke bini

chadariya.

so chaadar sur nar muni odhi, odhi ke maili kini

chadariya

das Kabir jatan kari odhi, jyon ki tyon dhar deeni

chadariya.

जन नजन नबन चदनरय

क क त , क क भरन , क तरस नबन चदनरय

ई गल नपगल त भर , स शमण तरस नबन चदनरय ।

अष -कमल दल चर! "#ल , पचत$% & नतन चदनरय

The Lord Supreme has woven a very fne and delicate tapestry, ree o impurities o

any kind!

What refned and subtle yarn, what complex interlacing, e has used to weave it!

sing veins and breath is threads Twenty our hours on end, is spinning wheel

turns,

Weaving the tapestry rom all fve essential elements"

Ten months does it take the Lord to weave his tapestry,

sing the greatest o cratsmanship, care and skill"


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That ex#uisite tapestry is worn by the celestials,by Saints, and by human beings

alike"

$ut they all invariably have defled it !

%our humble devotee &abir has worn it scrupulously and meticulously,

'nd is returning it to %ou, ()Lord, unblemished and pure !


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&abir has hardly spared any animate and inanimate examples to ridicule the bigots

who have great illusions about their sel image and through their belies repeatedly,

make a ool o themselves"

*n the same spirit, * came across yet another simple yet interest verses"

Poem 1:

'panpo aap hi bisaro"

Says &abir, they all prey to their own illusions and orget the essence o our

existence"

+aise sonha kaanch mandir me, bharamat bhunki paro"

+ust as dog who enters the house o mirrors, goes cray barking at the images,

considering them di-erent" This is a very curious satire on those bigots who bark at

other bigots, thinking they are di-erent, but in essence are re.ections o each other"

+yo kehari bapu nirakhi koop /al, pratima dekhi paro"

' lion looks deep into the well, and mistakes his own re.ection as another lion, and

/umps into it" This also satires on the 0lions) o di-erent aiths, who are such egoists,

that they destroy themselves, in challenging other 0lions) in the business" The

current sectarian bigots could be appropriate here"

'isehi madga/ phaTik sila par, dasanani aani aro"

'n elephant, so proud o its strength, bangs his head against the rock, and hits it

with his teeth" ere rocks could be interpreted as hard, rock like belies which they

bang their heads against"

1arakaT muThi swad na bisare, ghar2ghar naTat phiro"

' greedy monkey or whom the ood in the pot is not enough, and goes rom home

to home asking or more" This is perhaps reerence to looking outwards, though we

could easily content with what is with us"


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&ah &abir lalani ke suwana, tohi kaune pakaro"

Says &abir, their logic is as impossible to catch as the parrot o a village girl" ere he

gives a satire o those who keep repeating mindlessly like a parrot, with no logic

what so ever"

'nd then in contrast to the satire, many verses o &abir bring home the messagethrough simple, day to day examples, o how should we be viewing our belies, and

the essence o our existence"

Poem 2:

1an tu maanat kyu na mana re"

() the wandering mind, why don)t you understand3

&aun kahan ko, kaun sunan ko, doo/a kaun /ana re"

Who is worth to speak or to listen, when there is (45 truth"

ere he reers to perhaps the various claimants o (45, and give it di-erent names

and orms"

6 The next verse makes it clearer7

8arapan me pratibimb /o bhase, aape chahu disi soi"

e is all round in every atom, the way there is a re.ection in every mirror"

6 This could be compared to the idea o sheesh mahal9made o tiny mirrors all

around one image is seen in each and every tiny mirror7

8ubidha mite, ek /ab howe, tau lakh paawe koi"

* you get (45 truth, you will get contentment worth a million, and the conusion o

mind will go away"

+aise /al se hem banat hai, hem ghoom /al hoi"

The way ice is frst made o water, then returns back to the same water"

Taise yah tat wahu tat so, phir yah aru wah soi"

*n the same way, we are all come rom that truth, and unto the same truth we have

to return to"

+o sama/he so khari kahat hai, na sama/he to khoTi"

Those who get this, call this a stark truth" Those ignorant who don)t get this,

consider it alsehood"


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&ah &abir khara pakh tyaage, waaki mati hai moTi"

Says &abir, one who gives up the essence o truth, his brain is thick 6 stubborn7"

*t is remarkable how &abir talks o evils o bigotry, unity o mankind and the true

spirit o secular spirits, rising above the super.uous divisions in the dark ages"

(r perhaps, we are living in darker ages"

*ndeed, it is a long road, beore &abir)s examples and teachings become irrelevant to

the current times"

The &abir bha/an below, again, gives some more examples through which he

challenges the bigots" 4ote the translation subtitles" This is my avourite

tran#uillising &abir song"

Son comes beore the

https://thinkloud65.wordpress.com/2011/10/30/son-comes-before-motherkabir/https://thinkloud65.wordpress.com/2011/10/30/son-comes-before-motherkabir/


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Translation:

;irst, the son was born, and then, his mother"

The guru alls at the eet o the disciple

Listen to this strange thing,

( Siblings o 8estiny!

* saw the lion herding the cows"

The fsh o the water gives birth upon a tree"

* saw a cat carrying away a dog

The branches are below, and the roots are above"

The trunk o that tree bears ruits and .owers

?,

when we read this" * recall with nostalgia o all the discussion that was triggered by

the poetry" While the boys at the back benches were busy cracking various mostly


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crude and a ew decent /okes about it, the girls in the ront benches, 6 that)s where

they usually sit7 were amused yet trying to s#ueee their giggles desperately"

While the very serious indi teacher with a twinkle in her eyes, and mind ully

immersed in &abir was engrossed in explaining the spirit o the verses, compleltely

oblivious to what was happening in ront o her"

nlike many other indi lessons, this poem unknowingly let 0an impact) strong

enough to keep reading &abir once the compulsory indi sub/ect was over"

* would suggest the readers to frst read the verses, it)s translation and then again

the verses to get some sense o it)s meaning, and to check whether their brain

thinks the way &abir)s brain did"

The *nterpretation:

The whole poem through various interesting examples, cites an open secret o our

lives, so aptly described in a #uote by


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So is the humanity who)s lie supports are compassion, contentment, empathy and

knowledge" What i they too start to antasie or what they consider as higher

pleasures 6 a kin to trees7 like greed, wealth or other egocentric dreams, will they be

able to sustain the purpose o their existence 3

8ekhath kutaraa lai gee bilaaee

The cunning human heart 6 the catC in 0some) societies is considered as a cunning

animal7 , in lure o superfcial values, has captured and held hostage the

contentment, aith and bravado 6 the dog7 within him" 6 *ncidentally, in the times o

5gyptian Bharoahs, dog was considered as a symbol o contentment, reliability and

bravery"

Talai re baisaa oopar soolaa"

Tis kai ped lage al oolaa

When we see the image o the tree in a lake, it appears beautiul but upside down"So is the truth o our worldly gratifcations, they may appear wonderul, but they are

exactly opposite o what the purpose o our existence in the world is"

=horai chari bhais charaavan /aaee"

1an)s desires 6 as bulky as a bu-alo7 ride and gallop rapidly on greed 6 the horse7 to

make the mind wander and grae the grass o one)s ego"

$aahar bail gon ghar aaee

(wing to man)s enslavement to lust and instant gratifcation, his patience and

perseverance 6bull, which is an embodiment o perseverance7 has let him, instead,

a cart load ull o material cravings have ound home in him 6@gon ghar aaeeA7"

&ahaat &abeer /u is pad boo/hai"


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The above salok 6verses7 o Sant &abir are taken rom =uru =ranth Saheb 6 the oly

$ook o Sikhs"

Translation by Tagore 6>E>F7:

The Swan Will ;ly 'way 'll 'lone,

Spectacle o the World Will $e a 1ere ;air

's the Lea ;alls rom the Tree

*s 8iGcult to ;ind

Who &nows Where it Will ;all


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(nce it is Struck with a =ust ( Wind

When Lie Span is Domplete

Then Listening to (rders,

ollowing (thers,

Will $e (ver

The 1essengers o %ama are Hery Strong

*t)s an 5ntanglement with the %ama

Servant &abir Braises the 'ttributes o the Lord

e ;inds the Lord Soon

=uru Will =o 'ccording to is 8oings

The 8isciple 'ccording to is

5xplanation

ere Swan represents our ree2spirit that continues to live beyond the death o the

body" When the physical death comes, the @less2constrainedA lie leaves every

worldly thing behind 6including the body7 and the whole spectacle o the world is like

a air or carnival that we witness and now know its true transient nature"

&abir reminds us that we are much like a lea i when severed rom the universalspirit 6the tree7 is liable to be blown away by the gust o unulflled desires" *n such a

state it is diGcult to predict where the lea 6spirit7 will fnally land on getting

dismembered rom the tree o universal oneness"

'll through our physical lie we are listening to either orders o others or are ordered

by our own desires" When death comes nobody is really with us and we fnally

realie that the obeying and ollowing others is not as meaningul as ollowing our

inner voice" @&alaA 6%ama7 or time, is relentless even in the wake o our last2minute

realiations and eeling unulflled"

;inally &abir reinorces that a continuous dedication to =od yields instantaneous

results" $ut warns that its our own e-ort that bear ruits and everybody 6both =uru

and 8isciple7 progresses according to their own actions"

4otes Dourtesy2


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5k daal do panchi baitha, kaun guru kaun chela

=uru ki karni guru bharega, chele ki karni chela

sadho bhai, r /a hans akela

1ati chun chun mahal banaya, log kahen ghar mera

4a ghar tera, na ghar mera, chiriya rain basera

$hai, r /a hans akelaI

&auri kauri maya /ori, /or bharela thaila&ehat &abir suno bhai sadho, sang chale na dhela"

r /aII

1aat kahe ye putra hamara, bahen kahe ye veera,

$hai kahe ye bhu/a hamari, 4aari kahe nar mera"

r /aI"

Beit pakar kar mata roye, baanh pakar ke bhai,

Lapat /hapat ke tiriya roye, hans akela /ayee"Sadho bhai ur /aI

+ab tak /eeve mata roye, bahen roye das maasa,

$arah din tak tiriya roye, pher kare ghar waasa"

r /aI

Dhaar gadiya ghar manwayi, chara kaath ki ghori,

Dhaaron kone aag lagai, phoonk diyo /as hori"

Sadho bhai ur /aI$haar /ale ho /aise laakri, khey /ale /as dhaga,

Sona /aisi kaya /al gai, koi na aaya paasa"

r /a hansI

=har ki tiriya dhoondan lagi, dhoond phiri chahoo desa,

&ehat &abir suno bhai sadho, choro /ag ki aasa"

r /a I

$aghbaan ne bagh lagaya, bagh lagaya kela,&ache pakke ki marm na /aane, tora phool gandela"

r /aI"


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4a koi ata na koi /ata, /hoota /ag ka nata

4a kahoo ki bahen bhan/i, na kahoo ki mataa"

Sadho bhai ur /a hansI"

https:JJthinkloud KF" wordpress"comJ ?>>J?KJMJNOPJ

;irst published in english daily, The *slamabad 8ateline on Kth +une,

?>>

'lmost M?? years ago, when religious polarisation in the *ndian

subcontinent was at its helm, a preacher was born" e was named &abirand he spent the rest o lie trying to bind indus and 1uslims together"

Today, as religious hatred is bred into masses and intolerance is in/ected

https://thinkloud65.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/3284/https://thinkloud65.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/3284/https://thinkloud65.wordpress.com/2011/06/27/3284/


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into young minds one fnds it necessary to bring orth &abir, the

champion o religious tolerance and interaith harmony"

The mystics rom united *ndia are more relevant to us than Bersian or

Turkish voices as they spring rom the culture we own" ;or a relatively

more radicalied society in Bakistan, these pluralistic and tolerant voices

need to be disseminated vehemently" These great men seemed to be arahead o their times and &abir is no exception" &abir stands tall, in the

line o greatest mystics o all time with St" 'ugustine,


14/50

1aatii 'ik 'naik $haanth &er Saa/i Sa/an aray

6The Dlay *s The Same, $ut The 8esigner as 8esigned *t *n Harious

Ways7

&abir through his words challenged the authority our society has given

to clerics #uite audaciously: The spiritual athlete oten changes the color o his clothes

Q his mind remains gray and loveless"

(r he drills holes in his ears, his beard grows enormous

Beople mistake him or a goat"

e shaves his skull Q puts his robe in an orange vat,


15/50

6* %ou are $ig so what3 +ust like a date tree J 4o shade or travelers, ruit

is hard to reach7"

e used simple vernacular language, with metaphors rom common

examples to engage the people around him" Beople were ascinated by

the deep moral messages contained in his simple poetry"&abira =arv 4a &ee/iye, ncha 8ekh 'avaas J &aal Baron Bunyah Letna,

(uper +amsi =haas

6&abi , 8on)t be so proud and vain, Looking at your high mansion J

Tomorow you)ll lie under eet, (n top will grow =rass7"

'b Tun 'aya +agat 1ein, Log anse Tu


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17/50

Dertainly &abir is the answer to the religious extremism rampant in the

pakiland today" *t is down to earth humanity o &abir and $ulle Shah)s

audacious humanism which can restore sanity to the blood2thirsty

religious bigots o the sub2continent and kindle 0'man ki 'asha) in the

hearts o the people"

ro54well said: +uly N, ?>> at E:P> am

? ?


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>" 4o doubt, to us, our Sufs are better that oreign Sufs because they

spoke in our tongue" Like, it would be unny, indeed, i to your blog in

5nglish * comment in Bersian or 'rabic" 8espite all this, &abir,


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'll great reormers preached what they practiced! 6They weren)t

hypocrites like our clergies and politicians7" *nterering in other)s amily

or religious matter is prohibited by &abir but he encourages interering

in social matters that deal with community" ;or example, i in your

amily, @there is a lot o emphasis on ritualsA * should not orce them to

abandon this, though *)m not addicted to perorming 0rituals)" $ut i youound me orcing someone to child labour or sex trade, you)ve defnite

right to interere in my matter" This is all what &abir and all other sages

taught us"

%ou said, @Inow everyone ollows him saying @&abir &abirA, very true it

is, no3A

1any o us chant @&abirdas &abirdasA while at the same time practicing

Burohits) acts" This is dilemma :


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&abira kuan ek hai, paani bharein anek,

$handey mein hi bhed hai, pani sab mein ek"

Z&abir, the source o water, the well is one, though many pull water

rom it"

The aults are in the pitchers, the water within them is exactly the

same"[&abir dares to de2monopolie =od rom the clutches o the clergy" is

preaching to the common man was unconventional and casual" e

would sit at his loom weaving, while the people would surround him and

discuss the matters o aith and daily lie" e weaved the harmony

between diametrically opposed aiths, through easy examples, as as his

loom weaved the vertical threads to create a beautiul abric"

Sadhu dekho /ag baurana

Sanchi kaho to maran dhawe +hoote /ag patiyana

$ahute dekhi nemi dharmi

Braat kare asnana

'tam chari pashan pu/e

Thotha unka gyana"

$ahute dekhe peer auliya

Barhe kitab kurana"

&are mureed batlawe kabarnhun khuda na /aana"

&ahe &abir sun bhai sadhu,

8ono mein kou na dewana"

( gentleman, see the world has got mad,

* say truth but they run to beat me and believe the ake"

* have seen a lot o religious people who ollow the strict routine,

bath early, worship idols, but their knowledge is hollow,

* have seen a lot o preachers who read \uran

'nd speak to worship graves, but do not understand =od"

( gentleman none o them is a passionate lover o =od"

'ppreciate the simplicity how &abir sums up the mindless, and illogical

world)s thinking is:


21/50

Dall moving ob/ect, as stuck6gaari7, laments &abir"[

*nstead o bigotry, he advises people to introspect beore point fngers

at others:

$ura /o dekhan main chala, bura na miliya koye,

+ab mun /hanka aapna, mu/hse bura na koye"

Z* went searching or the crooked, * ound none,When looked within, * was the most crooked one["

There is hardly any issue o the day to day lie that &abir did not touch in

his 8ohas" e used simple vernacular language, with poetic metaphors

rom common examples to engage the people around him" 's a result,

his poetry became so incorporated into the local olklore that it was

transerred by word o mouth, generation ater generation" e remains

one o the most #uoted *ndian poet in the world"

&abir was a also amily man , married with children and lived a simplelie o a weaver" e did not abandon worldly lie to become a renunciate

6 a sadhu7" e chose to live a balanced lie as an ordinary man relating

to a breadwinner, a amily man, a tradesman along with being a mystic

and a contemplative"

&abir was a people)s poet"

@While there is evidence that both indus and 1uslims were ready to

assault &abir physically during his lietime, they have since his death

been ready to assault each other over the privilege o claiming him astheir own" ISome modern commentators have tried to present &abir as

a synthesier o induism and *slamR but the picture is a alse one" While

drawing on various traditions as he saw ft, &abir emphatically declared

his independence rom both the ma/or religions o his countrymen,

vigorously attacked the ollies o both, and tried to kindle the fre o

similar autonomy and courage in those who claimed to be his disciples"A

Vwrites Linda ess in the *ntroduction to The $i/ak o &abir 6>EONR??7

' M?? and some years ago &abir thought o intercommunal harmony

with common origins, common purpose and common destiny o all

human beings irrespective o their aith, color or class"

Domplete version o the poem6 above7:

Sadho dekho /ag baurana

Saachi kahi tou maran dhawe, /hootey /ag patiyana

indu kehet hai


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'asan mari dimbh dhari baithe, man mein bahut gumana

Bipar pathar pu/an laage, tirath barath bhulana

1ala phire, topi pahire, chhaap tilak anumana

Sakhi sabde gawat bhule, aatam khabar na /ana"

=har ghar mantra /o den phirat hai, maya ke abhimana

=urua sahit shishya sab bhure anthkaal pachtana"$ahut dekhe pir auliya , parhi kitan \urana

&are murid, kabar batlabe unhu khuda na /ana"

indu ki daya, meher Turkan ki, donon ghar se bhagi

Wah kare /ibhah, waa /hatka maare, aag dau ghar laagi"

ye vidhihasth chalat hai humko, aap kahawe sayaana,

&ahee &abir suno bhai Sadho, in mein kaun deewana"

're we even prepared to think like &abir, even today,seven centuries

later3* can only take a deep sigh !

*lmana ;asih

F 8ecember, ?>?

' flm on &abir $y Hirmani 6EK min7:

http:JJwww"cultureunplugged"comJplayJONNJ&oi2Sunta]?ai:

]?+ourneys]?with]?&umar]?Q]?&abir]?6Someone]?is

]?Listening7

Koi Sunta Hai: Journeys with Kumar & Kabir (Someone is Listening) :

Director: Shabnam Virmani | Producer: Srishti

Genre: Documentary | Produced In: 200 | Story Teller's Country: !n"ia

Tags: #sia$ %eie' $ !n"ia$ oitics$ eigion$ S*iritua #wareness

Synopsis: !nterwea+ing the 'o, music tra"itions o' the mystic *oet Kabir with the i'e an" music o' the ate !n"ian

cassica singer Kumar -an"har+a$ this 'im searches 'or that eusi+e soun"$ that ./hini si awaa.$ that Kabir urges

us to hear1 here "oes it resonate$ that subte soun"3 Journeying between 'o, an" cassica$ ora an" written$ rura

an" urban e4*ressions o' this 56th century mystic *oet o' north !n"ia$ the 'im 'in"s moments o' both continuity an"

ru*ture between these "is*arate wor"s1

https:JJthinkloudKF"wordpress"comJ?>>J?>J?PJkabir2the2man2the2myth2the2mystic2the2

master2and2]5]O?]'K2more2]5]O?]'KJ

http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/2833/Koi-Sunta%20Hai:%20Journeys%20with%20Kumar%20&%20Kabir%20(Someone%20is%20Listening)http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/2833/Koi-Sunta%20Hai:%20Journeys%20with%20Kumar%20&%20Kabir%20(Someone%20is%20Listening)http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/2833/Koi-Sunta%20Hai:%20Journeys%20with%20Kumar%20&%20Kabir%20(Someone%20is%20Listening)http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&genreId=10http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&genreId=10http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/storyTellers.php#view=thumb&page=1&listBy=country&val=INhttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=asiahttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=asiahttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=beliefhttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=beliefhttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=indiahttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=politicshttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=politicshttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=politicshttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=religionhttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=spiritual%20awarenesshttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=spiritual%20awarenesshttps://thinkloud65.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/kabir-the-man-the-myth-the-mystic-the-master-and-%E2%80%A6-more-%E2%80%A6/https://thinkloud65.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/kabir-the-man-the-myth-the-mystic-the-master-and-%E2%80%A6-more-%E2%80%A6/http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/2833/Koi-Sunta%20Hai:%20Journeys%20with%20Kumar%20&%20Kabir%20(Someone%20is%20Listening)http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/2833/Koi-Sunta%20Hai:%20Journeys%20with%20Kumar%20&%20Kabir%20(Someone%20is%20Listening)http://www.cultureunplugged.com/play/2833/Koi-Sunta%20Hai:%20Journeys%20with%20Kumar%20&%20Kabir%20(Someone%20is%20Listening)http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&genreId=10http://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/storyTellers.php#view=thumb&page=1&listBy=country&val=INhttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=asiahttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=beliefhttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=indiahttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=politicshttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=religionhttp://www.cultureunplugged.com/documentaries/watch-online/filmedia/films.php#view=thumb&page=1&tags=spiritual%20awarenesshttps://thinkloud65.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/kabir-the-man-the-myth-the-mystic-the-master-and-%E2%80%A6-more-%E2%80%A6/https://thinkloud65.wordpress.com/2011/01/04/kabir-the-man-the-myth-the-mystic-the-master-and-%E2%80%A6-more-%E2%80%A6/


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Bosting an excellent article on &'$*< by 1aalok"

&abir was one o *ndia)s leading spiritual saints who lived in the northern

part o *ndia in 6and around7 the holy city o $enares 6also called

Haranasi7" e is widely renowned or his pithy couplets and songs that

connect lie and spirituality in a simple yet powerul way" &abir)s geniushas been in that he has inspired the scholarsJpoets like


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celibateJascetic sects claim that &abir never married and i evidence o

his marriage is presented, they retort that he never had an intimate

relationship with his wie" Broponents o tantric traditions point to &abir)s

songs to show that he was in.uenced very much by the &undalini

practices" Sikh and Shabad2based traditions say that the essence o

&abir)s practice was based on tuning in to the internal sounds, eventhough they vehemently deny that =uru 4anak was &abir)s disciple and

tend to support the theory that &abir died beore the birth o =uru

4anak" *n summary, each sect)s claim on &abir appears to be sel2

serving and, hence, cannot be considered as providing reliable

inormation on his lie" *ndeed, it is likely that divergent viewpoints and

claims on &abir)s lie will continue to exist despite the e-orts o

historians, philosophers and literary scholars to reach consensus"

*n my opinion, it is ironic but no coincidence that such conundrums on&abir)s physical existence persist" Berhaps, &abir would have liked it that

way3 e was #uite unimpressed and even irreverent to the dogmas o

organied religion and society" is essence was ar more subtle,

pervasive, unconstrained and universal C in short, beyond the

boundaries laid down by religious, sectarian and social traditions" *n this

article, * attempt to humbly share with you my personal understandings

and experiences o &abir that, despite my own biases and limitations,

continue to have a lie o their own within me"&abir, The 1an

We can saely say that &abir lived during the >Fth or >Kth century" 5ven

though his exact birth and death times cannot be ascertained reliably, it

is #uite likely that he lived beyond the age o F?" *t would be reasonable

to assume that he was not ormally educated because his songs and

couplets lack the erudite tone and have a rereshing rustic #uality" That

he may have been a weaver is evident rom his songs and couplets that

draw inspiration and metaphors rom the weaving proession" *t is also

likely that he was born and brought up poor and continued to work

throughout his lie as he strongly upheld the working2to2earn way o lie"

*t is clear rom his songs and teachings that he was a very observant

and thoughtul person, who #uestioned everything that was taught or

presented to him" *t is likely that he spent considerable time observing

nature, as his teachings also draw inspiration and learning rom the

trees, animals, birds and the ocean" Long2standing traditions o &abir in

the states o =u/arat, 1aharashtra, $engal, Bun/ab and 1adhya

Bradesh> indicate that either &abir or his leading disciple6s7 traveled to


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those parts, andJor his popularity drew seekers rom these parts to come

and learn rom him and later returned to establish a ollowing in their

native areas"

What distinguished &abir rom other @gurusA were his inner conviction

and an undying trust in his own sel and experience" e seems to have

#uestioned and challenged all scriptural teachings, traditions andrituals, until he himsel was able to validate their truth" This, however,

should not be taken to imply that he re/ected all teachings and

practices" To the contrary, given his amiliarity with, and his use o

storiesJteachings rom, a variety o traditions, he appears to have

openly embraced and accepted any path that could be validated by his

own experience" Berhaps, this is why it is so diGcult to typecast &abir

into this or that aith or tradition" Sometimes, he was this, sometimes he

was that and at other times he was neither this nor that!What is clear is that &abir was courageous enough to speak his truth

even in ace o societal pressures and coercion" ;rom his work, we know

that he was #uite critical o hypocrisy especially among religious

leaders" 5ven though we cannot ascertain whether he was tolerant o

genuine devotees who worshipped physical orms o =od, we can be

reasonably confdent that his own spiritual path was ocused more on an

internal orm o devotion to =od and =uru C terms that he oten used

interchangeably to convey the cosmic orce" *n essence, the core o&abir)s lie and teachings are based on honesty, truth, conviction and

simplicity, renewed continuously by inner experience and propelled by

an unceasing detachment rom the web o physical and mental realities"

&abir, The 1yth

's we discussed earlier, many controversies exist about &abir)s birth,

upbringing, amily lie, teachings, practices and death" *n my opinion

these @mythsA are irrelevant to the essence o &abir" *ndeed, * would say

that those who are enamored or engaged by these myths are, probably,

missing the point" Still, or the record, * would now like to propose

clarifcations on a ew other widely2held belies about &abir"

&abir is oten considered to be a social or religious reormer who tried to

bridge the gap among various castes and religious sects" 5ven though

&abir showed a healthy disregard or conventional boundaries o society

and organied religion, his intrinsic pursuit was rooted in spirituality and

spirituality alone" *n the process o conveying the innate spirituality o all

o creation, &abir, in all likelihood, had to deal with and overcome


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prevalent parochial barriers" $ut this ought not to be misconstrued to

imply that his intent was to reorm society or religion"

'nother prevalent myth is that &abir was primarily a literary fgure, a

poet and an orator" $ut, &abir)s lie was deeply ingrained in spirituality,

and in the process o conveying his teachings he probably used poetry

and metaphors" Thereore, his magnifcent contribution to indiliterature is only secondary and, indeed, a testimony to the undamental

spiritual message o his teachings"

;inally, there are many written or sung verses attributed to &abir in

circulation in the commercialJspiritual marketplace" *t is my opinion that

many o these are altered, modifed, embellished or corrupted" 'ter an

extensive study o &abir)s work, it is my understanding that &abir did not

use the name @


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is, through one)s care and nurturing, &abir)s words have the potential to

.ower into a variety o experiences that are not immediately obvious in

the frst engagement" ;or instance, it is one thing to intellectually

understand the meaning o @Dhalti Dhaaki 8ekh &ar 8iya &abira


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conversational teachings o &abir, are actually a dialog between &abir,

the 1aster and &abir, the disciple, inside o him" 8espite his open

criticism o dogmas and sects, &abir is very embracing o every seeker

and includes himsel in that category" *t)s a bond o riendship that &abir

extends to everybody by his simple calling C @&ahat &abir Suno $hai

SadhoIAP" *n this simple way he aGrms the intrinsic divinity in each ous and opens up an intimate and direct channel o communication with

each one o us"

*n conclusion, * would like to share with you my personal encounter with

&abir C one that changed me prooundly:

* was visiting my parents in *ndia on vacation" (ne o &abir)s songs was

playing in the background on the portable boom box" * walked into the

kitchen and noticed that the middle2aged maid, who was cleaning the

utensils, was using her saree to wipe her tears" * could not understandwhy she was crying and * did not eel it appropriate or me to ask her"

'ter a ew minutes she hersel spoke sotly in her village indi dialect C

@$haia, yeh theek hi toh bolta hai" $hagwan ka kare /ab hum hi bhul gai

usko3A $rother, he 6reerring to &abir)s words7 is speaking the truth"

What can =od do i * mysel have orgotten him3X" *ntrigued by her

comment, * asked her i she understood the meaning o what he was

saying" She simply replied, @aan bhaiya, theek bolta haiA %es brother,

he speaks the truthX" er simple reply instantaneously threw myintellectual understanding into insignifcance" The words o &abir

became less important than the truth o her realiation" &abir had

maniested himsel through her" *n that moment &abir 8as taught me

Truth2>?> through that divine lady" * got a true introduction and initiation

to the experience o &abir"

1ay ?, ??

61aalok is a Bh8 in 5ngineering and is currently on the aculty at a large

public university" is passions are teaching and sel2discovery"7

Moko Kahan Dhundhere Bande Mein To Tere Paas Mein

Na Teerath Mein, Na Moorat Mein Na Ekant Niwas MeinNa Mandir Mein, Na Masjid Mein Na Kabe Kailas Mein


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Mein To Tere Paas Mein Bande Mein To Tere Paas Mein

Na Mein Jap Mein, Na Mein Tap Mein Na Mein Barat Upaas Mein

Na Mein Kiriya Karm Mein ehta Nahin Jo! "anyas Mein

Nahin Pran Mein Nahin Pind Mein Na Brahmand #kas MeinNa Mein Prakuti Prawar $u%a Mein Nahin "wasan Ki "wans Mein

Khoji &oye Turat Mil Jaoon 'k Pal Ki Talas Mein

Kahet Kabir "uno Bhai "adho Mein To &un (iswas Mein

TranslationWhere do you search me3 * am with you

4ot in pilgrimage, nor in icons, 4either in solitudes4ot in temples, nor in mos#ues 4either in &aba nor in &ailash

* am with you o man, * am with you

4ot in prayers, nor in meditation, 4either in asting

4ot in yogic exercises, 4either in renunciation

4either in the vital orce nor in the body, 4ot even in the ethereal space

4either in the womb o 4ature, 4ot in the breath o the breath

Seek earnestly and discover, *n but a moment o search

Says &abir, Listen with care, Where your aith is, * am there"1y nderstanding

*n spite o the di-erent approaches o all religious and philosophical

teachings, it is very clear that the all2pervading, omniscient,

omnipresent actor is fnally =od" 8ue to our customs, traditions,

languages we only address im by various names" %et, it is also true

that in spite o this awareness, we spend a lot o time in arguing about

=od and try to impose attributes"

&abir noticed this centuries old phenomenon in his times also" 'nd thisgreat 1aster, in the above verse highlights the underlying principle that

=od is everywhere"

&abir reveals in this verse the various search patterns adopted by

mankind" 'nd each one seems to be /ustiying his chosen method" Some

say =od will be realied through pilgrimages while some /ustiy the idol

worship" Some say e is up in the mountains while some believe that e

is in places o worship" Some proclaim prayers and meditation the path,

others believe realiation through asting" 1any talk about yogicexercises 6activity7 and renunciation"


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*n this verse &abir seems to be saying that =od is 4(T in any o these"

owever, this cannot be true" To my understanding, &abir is saying that

=od is everywhere and thereore in all these too" owever, his saying

@4oA simply means that we should apply our aith to (ne and ollow it

up sincerely" This will lead to instant realiation o the divinity within us"

owever, i we @switchA our approach rom one path to another, then weare simply conducting a sort o gymnastic" *n his typical mystical ways,

&abir shows us the omniscience o =od"


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Na mein kiriya karam me rahata, nahi jog sanyaas

me. * am not in the worldy rituals nor in the act renunciation"

Khoji hoy turat mili jaaun, ek pal ki talaash me.

* you seek me in true spirits, * am ound in a moment)s search"Main to raho shahar ke baahar, meri puri mawaas

me.* reside away rom the city 6(utside the usual places people associate

with me7 * live in the real abode"

Kahe Kabir suno bhai saadho, sab sanso ki saans

me.

&abir says C Listen () the learned, * live within the breath o all yourbreaths"

6*n your conscience7"

,a'ir -ysti% on! /1 : (sun! 'y 0a!jit in!h)

aani mein meen payasi, !meen" #sh$

Mohe sun sun aawe haasi. Jal thal sagar hoor raha hai, !hoor" searching$

%hatkat phire udasi rey.

&tam gyan bina nar bhatke, !atam gyan"enlightenment,

nar" man$

Koi mathura koi kaashi rey !Mathura, Kaashi" holy

cities$

Kehet Kabir, suno bhai sadho,'ahaj mile, na vinashi rey. !sahaj"easily(

vinash"destruction so na vinashi means )indestructible

or immortal$

Sakhiya Wah =har Sabse 4yara,


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+aha Buran Burush umara

+aha 4ahi Sukh 8ukh

Sanch +huth 4ahi

Bap 4a Bun Basara

4ahin 8in


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;ive 5lemental Donstituents and the Trinity 're $oth 4ot There

Witnessing n2struck Shabad Sound is 'lso 4ot There"

4o


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Bassionate is my Love

Like the thirsty longs or water

Will someone do me a avor

'nd narrate my predicament to my beloved

&abir is now in total distress

Without seeing the beloved, he is going to die1y nderstanding

6by


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Dukh Deh Mael /utaye De e Khoob angi

JhakJhore

'ahib Ne 2hunri angi e reetam 2hatur 'ujaan

'ab Kutch 1n ar 0aar Dun e an Man Dhan &ur

ran

Kahat Kabir angrej iyare Mujh ar *uye Dayal

'eetal 2hunri 3rike e %hayee *aun Magan

Nihaal

Translation:

The 1aster is an expert 8yer, e has colored my veil


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covered by a myriad o worldly colors, the spiritual coloring, on the other

hand, is uni#ue, one2pointed and singular" That is, it replaces our

dispersed perspective by a single color o love or =od" This oneness

removes conusion and cleanses the root o all maladies" 'nd once an

unalloyed clarity emerges even this color disappears, making us the

display the glorious radiance o our inner being in all its purity and /oy"

ha"ariya jhini re jhini# re ram naam ras 'hini

body is like fnely woven cloth and is permeated by the raam naam

6ra^ma rechek purak 6breath77

3sht amal a %harha 'anaya# pan%h tat4 i pooni

5ight2petaled lotus was used as a spinning wheel, and the F elements as

yarn

a& "as maas 'unan o laa!e# moorah maili eeni

took E2>? months to knit it, (h ool you soiled it!

0a' meri %ha"ar 'an !har aaee# ran! rej o "eeniWhen * got my sheet, * gave it to person who dyes sheet6guru7"

3isa ran! ran!a ran!rej ne# laalo lal ar "eeni

*t was dyed such, totally red in color

6hru4# Prahla"# u"ama ne o"hi# uh"e4 ne nirmal eeni

8hruv Brahlad and Sudama wore it, Sukhdev made it pure"

6as ,a'ir ne aisi o"hi# jyo i tyon "har "eeni

Servant &abeer wore it such, he let it as it is 6as he got it7

9&abir here talks about body, or human experience and how to utilie it"

e talks about how he lived in the body, how other notable

predecessors lived and how does an average man live"

$ody is a sheet" breath is the link which makes body experience

possible"6raam naam7, hence re raam naam ras bhini chadariya

5ight lotuses, eight latent tendencies o body6survival, threat,

accumulation, attention, domination , suppression, discontentment,7

correlate with eight energy centres within body6M^>6bindu7" The fve elements o nature C earth, sky, fre, water, and wind2are the

yarn which weave the sheet 6 body7"


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This sheath takes involves E2>? lunar cycles around earth, time as

celestial movement" celestial connection with sheath"

%ou soiled it, you lost awareness"

&abir now talks about his own body 6mori chadar what happened with

his sheet7" When kabir took body, he let his guru work on it" is guru

dyed it6 permanent transormation o body based experiences 7 andmade it red" 6red is the color o awareness7"

&abir now talks about how other noted people who wore it, 8hruv,

Brahlad Sudama6all saints7, and Sukhdev, and purifed it 6lived with

awareness7"

ow did &abir wear it3 &abir, didn)t let it get soiled" e maintained the

newborn)s awareness all his lie"

*aman hai ish4 mastana

*aman ko hoshiyari kya

ahen a5ad ya jag mein

*aman duniya se yaari kyatrans:

* 6am7 bursting with love,

Why do * need to be careul3

$eing ree in the world,

Why do * need any attachment to 6this7 world 3

6sung by ,auram bamaniya)


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Man Mustt *ua ab Kyon %ole

*ira aya +anth +anthiyayo, %ar %ar 6ahko Kyon

khole

*alki hi Jab 2hari ara5u, oori %hayee ab Kyon

ole

'urat Kalari %hayee Matwari, Madwa e +ayee

%in ole

*ansa aye Mansarover, al aliya Kyon Dole

era 'ahib *ai +hat Mahin, %ahar Naina Kyon

Khole

Kahat Kabir 'uno %hai 'adho, 'ahib Mil +aye il3le

Translation

With mind immersed in Love, why should * talk3

aving the diamond knotted sae, why again * open the knot3

5mpty scales at initiation are ull, why measure again3


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lassi%al 4ersion( ,umar 7an"har4a)'unta hai guru gyani

+agan me awaa5 ho rahi hai jheeni jheeni

'unta hai guru gyani

aahi liyaye

Naad bindu se peechhe jamaya paani ho ji

'ab ghat puran guru rahya hai

&lakh purush nirvaani ho ji


0ahaa se aaya pata likhaya

rushna toone bujhai

&mrut chhod chhod vishay ko dhaave

Khol de phaans phansaani ho ji


+agan mandal mein koi

%oi pe dahi jamaya

Makhan makhan santon ne khaya2hhar jagat babarani ho ji


%in dharti ek ma daal deeje

%in taruvar joo paani re

+agan mandal me hoye ujiyala%ol guru-mukh baani ho ji


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3ham soham baja baje

ipu ki tham suhani re

7da pingala sukhman nari

'unatha ja behrani ho ji


Kahe Kabir suno bhai saadho

Jaag agam ke baani re

Din bhar re jo na5ar bhar dekhe &jar amar ho nishani ho ji


+agan me awaa5 ho rahi hai jheeni jheeni


e8rain9

'akal hans me ram viraje

&rre, am bina koi dham nahin

'ab bharmand mein jyot ka vasa

!*ar ghat me hai, jyot ka vasa$

am ko sumiro ne duja nahin

0erses9

een gun par tej hamara

anch tatva par jyot jale

Jin ka ujala, chaudah lok me


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'urat dor akaash chadhe

Nabhi kamal se parakh lena

*riday kamal beech phire mani

&nhad baja, baje sheher mein

%hramand par awaa5 hui

*eera jo moti laal jawaharat

rem padarath parkho yahin

'aancha moti sumar lena,

am dhani se mhari dor lagi

+uru jan hoye to heri lo ghat mein

%ahar sheher mein bhatko mati +uru pratap Nanak sah ke varne,

%hitar bole koi dujo nahin

ranslation9

7n every swan, resplendent /ord resides.

here:s no abode without *im.

verywhere in the universe/ives the light.

emember *im,

here:s no other.

adiance in the three 4ualities,

%rilliance in the #ve elements.

3ne whose light shineshrough 8ourteen worlds

climbs to the sky by the string

o8 awareness.

7n the navel lotus, 8eel the presence,

7n the heart lotus a jewel turns,

7n the city an untouched instrument plays,

he sound resounds through the universe.

Diamonds, rubies, pearls,


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& pile o8 jewels9 discover here

he wealth o8 love.

Discerning the pure gem ) a string

2onnects me to my master /ord

78 you seek the /ord, search in your body,

Don:t wander aimlessly in the city,

'aint speaks o8 the /ord:s power9

7t speaks within, there:s no other.

Kabira Kha"a %aaar 7ein: Journeys ith Sacre" & Secuar Kabir (!n the7ar,et Stan"s Kabir) :

Director: Shabnam Virmani | Producer: Srishti

Genre: Documentary | Produced In: 200 | Story Teller's Country: !n"ia

Tags: #sia$ %eie' $ 8ommunication$ 8uture$ eigion$ S*iritua #wareness

Synopsis: !n 56th9century orth !n"ia$ the mystic wea+er Kabir s*o,e his *oems in the mar,et*ace$ his s*irituaity

'irmy groun"e" in the *ubic s;uare1 i*anya$ a Dait singer whose *artici*ation in both"omains$ begins to raise "i''icut ;uestions 'or him about ritua an" organie" reigion1

http:&&&.%ultureunplu!!e".%omplay28*9,a'ira/,ha"a

2;Ba


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onesel" The only ray o hope let are the ew shining stars in this dark

sky that shone on our lands several centuries ago" Their golden words

still need to be heard and heeded by one and all"

&abir rom *ndia and $ulleh Shah rom what is now Bakistan are two

voices that spoke o peace and love beyond belies and borders" They

were shunned in their own times, but i they were reborn now, theywould not fnd much has changed rom those days"


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,a'irBullehhahil ;;*

&abir says:

Bothi parh parh /ag muwa pandit bhaya na koi,

8haayi akher prem ka parhe to pandit hoye"

ZThe whole world read books ater books, but no one became learned,

??>


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The peace symbols in the middle o the silk scar are crisscrossed by

chaos and conusion prevalent in our times"


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The edges below the verses represent the hearts interlinked through

love and peace, i only we heeded the verses in spirit"

It was heartening to see Kabir’s message of love and peace ( coincidentally the same verses

that I was scribbling), being presented in another art form, called Dastangoi. I dedicate this

piece and the blog to this wonderful Kabir presentation.

Brologue: 5xpressing my thoughts through writing had never ever been

a diGcult /ob or me, beore embarking on this topic" Several times *

abandoned the idea o completing this note but then repeatedly kept

returning to it as i out o compulsion"

The concept o en &oans is a diGcult one or those who shall read it or

the frst time but * suggest you to 0go slow) and take in small doses at a

time"(ver several readings it becomes intoxicating and literally a way o

lie"


47/50

Well in advance, * beg to apologise to those who might fnd some o the

concepts outrageous, maybe not subscribing to their rame o thoughts

or even might hurt their religious sensibilities" * sincerely register my

apologies to them and make it clear that this is purely my eeble

understanding o the concept o en &oans and * ound it intriguing ater

having read about it some months ago"(; 'LL %( &4(W, %( 1*=T ;*48 1% D(4D5BTS '$S(LT5L%

;L'W58 '48


48/50

*n everyday lie and through societal learning , we develop ideas about

reality and possibilities that are well endorsed by our peers" We accept

these @lawsA as irreutable and immutable because o its certifcation by

our society"

;or example, scientifc authorities state that there is a law o gravity and

that time is linear and proceeds orm one second to the next" These@truthsA are supported , cemented and bolstered by our society, our

parents, our teachers, our education, by our peers and even by our

common sense until they become un#uestionable acts"

This also applies to our ideas o human personality and o ourselves"'t

the same time we apply the same human attributes to =od too"

4(W &'$*< '48 *TS D(1B'


49/50

Translation:

With the ocean set ablae C The smoke yet maniests not

(nly the one who gets burnt C 5nvisions the heat o loving thought

5xplaination:

This 8oha by &abir is again a superb example o mystic poetry where in

two lines, &abir is able to pro/ect the agony and the ecstasy o true loveand devotion"

The agony and turmoil in the heart o a devotee, is symbolically shown

in this 8oha as the .ame that is burning the ocean" %et none knows or

can know about this pain because the @smokeA is not visible! (nly the

one who is su-ering the separation rom one)s lord can understand the

orce o such a fre"

&abir, in this 8oha depicts the agony that a devotee eels or his Lord ,

or in our normal day to day lie, a person eels or the loved one" Toothers, the intensity, the pain o separation is not comprehensible or

this too is precious and abstract or the devotees to explain and reveal"

*t is but a private a-air!

Simply saying: 8on)t they say, only the wearer knows where the shoe

pinches!!

&abir Soota &ya &are, &oore &aa/ 4iwaar

+is Banthu Tu Dhaalna, Soyee Banth Samwaar

Translation:'rise rom slumber ( &abir, divest yoursel o the rubbish deeds

$e ocused and illumine the path on which you were meant to tread

5xplaination:

ere slumber reers to a state o dae and fxation on what is perceived

by the senses" Sleep is no di-erent rom the normal waking state in that

it engages our senses completely" $oth are essentially o the same

intrinsic nature where mind is the central player" &abir recognies the

utility o mental and physical worlds and categories everything in

these domains as @rubbishA" e then urges us to ocus ourselves on

fnding our true spiritual root C putting an end to the cyclical realities

that have kept us engaged thus ar"

*lmana ;asih

O ?ctober ?>?


50/50

Loori, +ohn 8aido" Sitting with &oans: 5ssential Writings on the en

Bractice o &oan Study" Wisdom Bublications, ??F" *S$4 EMO2?2OK>M>2

NKE2>

;N K3&N'9

http:JJwww"ashidakim"comJenkoansJenindex"html

http:JJwww"bolo/i"comJkabirJdohasJindex"htm

B"S" ;inally * gathered enough drive today to upload this on ;$II

8'T58: >P 85D51$5< ?>?
http://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/zenindex.htmlhttp://www.boloji.com/kabir/dohas/index.htmhttp://www.ashidakim.com/zenkoans/zenindex.htmlhttp://www.boloji.com/kabir/dohas/index.htm

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