please reread my post of 5th november…
Archive for the ‘KABIR’ category
please read it again
November 13th, 2009JINDAGEE KAY RUNG KABIR DASS KAY SUNG
March 25th, 2008
Sahib tumhi dayaal ho, tum lug meri dour.
Jaisey kaag jahaaz ko, sujhey aur na thour.
All wanderings in life are done in order to know the Absolute. This is our perch. The bird may fly hither and thither but it always returns to the mast of the boat that plies through the waters of life.
Jaise til mey tel hai,jyon chakamak mein aag
Tera saien tujh mein basey, tu jaag sakey tou jaag.
The Lord of our self is within each of us. It is a truth that is as intrinsic as the oil in the sesame seed. It is glorious and evident even if it seems distant like the fire in the lightening. It is up to each one of us to wake up to this truth.
Kasturi kundal basey,mrig doondey mun maahi.
Aise ghut mein peev hai, duniyaan jaaney naahin.
The average man of the world goes about his daily life not knowing that subconsciously he is seeking the Absolute truth, the Beloved in the jeev. The mind-body equipment of man contains this Beloved yet he seeks for it everywhere else but within. The musk deer attracted by its own scent searches for it in the woods. Little does it know that in its body is the source of this fragrance.
Dheeray dheeray ray munaa, dheeray subh kuch hoay.
Maali seench sou ghataa, ritu aaye phal hoy.
Efforts must be consistent with time. Overloading of efforts is no use in order for results to materialize. The gardener can pour hundred pots of water to a tree but it will produce fruit only when the fruiting season arrives, not before.
Buraa jo dekhan mein chalaa, buraa na miliyaa koay.
Jo dil khojaa aapnaa,mujh saa buraa na koay.
Self- analysis helps one realize that it is tough to accuse others of evil. Kabir on his mission to find evil people, found none. He says, when he examined his own mind he found that no one was more evil than himself.
Dekhiay raam hi saban mein, ek bas bharpur.
Jyo ukh mein ras sum bhayo, cheenee shakkar gur.
It is the essential sweetness found in the sugar cane that is the basis of sugar, jaggery and molasses. So too one must see the Ram that is the essence in all beings.
Kabeer khadaa baajaar mein, maangay sabh kee khair.
Na koe say dosti, na koe say bair.
An abiding mind must be the framework for all our relationships. This calls for the tugging of fondness and the loosening of adversariness. This does not however mean genuine lack of interest in others either. All relationships in the market of life must be free of friendship and enemity
Kabeer sangat saadhu ki, jo gandhee kee baas.
Jo kachu gandhee dey nahin, tou bhee vaas suvaas
Even when you do not receive any perfume from a visit to the perfumery, you will find that you will walk away carrying the scent on you. Such is the value of company with the good.
Badaa bhayaa tho kyaa bhayaa, jaisey padde khajur.
Panthee ko saayaa nahi, phal lagey ati dur.
Greatness of wealth and resources is of no value if those in need cannot benefit from these that you have. The tall date tree's height is of no value for it neither provides adequate shade for the birds nor are its fruits readily available.
Saieen itnaa deejiye, jaa mein kutumbh samaay.
Mein bhee bhookhaa naa rahoon, sadhu na bhookaa jaay.
It is important that we be not a burden to society even while in sadhana. We must neither aggregate more than what we really need. Thus Kabir prays to the Divine to provide him with only as much wealth so that he can provide for himself, his family and have some more for those in need. The remaining dohaas reveal the state of realization of this Sant.
Anjaaney ko svarg narak hai, hari jaaney ko naahi.
Jahi dur sey sab loug darat hai, so dur hamare naahi.
Heaven and hell and the creators of these do not hold any fear for Kabir. That which is fearful for the rest of the world is not of concern to him who is in the search of the Absolute Truth.
Laali maray laal ki, jin dakhun tit laal.
Laali dekhan mein gayi, mein bhi ho gayee laal.
The process of dyeing that was so familiar to Kabir often reminded him of Divine Love and the Divine Dyer. The colour red stands for Divine Love. Kabir tries to seek the manifestation of his personal dyer lord within, specifically outside of him. He found the Dyer could not be localized. He saw was the Dyer's work everywhere. Everything was red. In the process he says he too became Red.
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August 2nd, 2007Deh Dhare Ka Dand Hai, | doh Qaro ka dMD hO |
Translation
Penalty of embodiment, transpires to all
Learned deals with knowledge, ignorant with moans
Says Kabir I would then fear, if it happened only to me
Death, old age and perils, is a must for all
O man, why do you act, why regret the done deed
Having sown Babool, Mango, how can you eat
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July 31st, 2007
Mystic Songs Jo Dise So To Hai Nahin, | jaao idsao saao tao hO naaihM |
Translation
What is seen is not the Truth
What *is* cannot be said
Trust comes not without seeing
Nor understanding without words
The wise comprehends with knowledge
To the ignorant it is but a wonder
Some worship the formless God
Some worship His various forms
In what way He is beyond these attributes
Only the Knower knows
That music cannot be written
How can then be the notes
Says Kabir, awareness alone will overcome illusion
My Understanding
Kabir in this verse affirms that only when one becomes aware and regulates one’s affairs with awareness, only then one can be free from the pitfalls of illusion.
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July 31st, 2007
Kabir Love Songs - 1 Samajh Dekh Man Meet Piyarva, | samaJa doK mana maIt ipyarvaa |
Translation
Understand perceive O beloved mind
How can you slumber and be a Lover?
Having received then share it all
Or would you rather lose it possessing?
If crumbs be all that you have to fare
Does it matter if it is salt less or tasty?
When eyes are loaded with deep sleep
What is then the pillow and bedding?
Says Kabir, such is the path of Love
Why lose heart having committed yourself?
My Understanding
In this song, Kabir explains the human feelings and emotions of one in Love. We all know that when we are in love, our situation is such that we are unable to control our emotions. We almost get obsessed and even become unaware of our surroundings and the concept of time. Seemingly in love, we are sometimes lost and all caution is thrown to winds and we get possessed.
Kabir, in this wonderful love song, makes us aware of this phenomenon. In simple and clear words he warns us to be awaken and be aware.
As if talking with himself, Kabir poses candid questions relating to different situations and by building an equation, reveals the answers. Love can be a very painful affair particularly when we get attached and bound with someone. The separation causes a lot of pain. In modern society, divorces take place everyday causing a lot of suffering. But, is Love to be blamed for this or our own ignorance and perception of love?
Love seeks itself and receives only to give. Love breeds compassion and fortitude to endure the hardships of life which come to everyone in one form or the other. Nothing matters when you are truly in Love, for Love is the source of all strength. So says Kabir, one should not lose heart for the path of Love is such.
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July 30th, 2007Pothi Padh Padh Kar Jag Mua, Pandit Bhayo Na Koye
Dhai Aakhar Prem Ke, Jo Padhe so Pandit Hoye
paoqaI pD, pD, jaga mauAa, pMiDt Bayaao na kaoe
Za[ AaKr p`oma ko, jaao pD,o saao pMiDt haoe
Translation
Reading books everyone died, none became any wise
One who reads the word of Love, only becomes wise
My Understanding
To understand this doha in its true perspective is important. We all read and now with tremendous media exposure, we are seemingly more informed. Everyone seems to know everything. Yet, the truth is that inspite of all this information, there is no awareness. We are not at peace. There is a lot of frustration all around. Our minds are not quiet and relaxed. We talk of Love but have no compassion. Selfishness, greed, fear, hatred and similar tendencies seem to grip us all the time. Why?
I have found myself in this quagmire a number of times.
Kabir in this doha shows the way, in his simple but dynamic style. He daringly says that despite all our readings, despite all our knowledge, we cannot become wise. Only if we ‘read’ Love, become loving and loveable, only then wisdom will dawn on us. Only then Life will be worth living.
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July 30th, 2007Gur Dhobi Sikh Kapda, Saboo Sirjan Har
Surti Sila Pur Dhoiye, Nikse Jyoti Apaar
gaur QaaobaI isaK kpD,a, saabaU isarjana har
saurit isalaa pr Qaao[yao, inaksao jyaaoit Apar
Translation
Guru the washer man, disciple is the cloth
The name of God liken to the soap
Wash the mind on foundation firm
To realize the glow of Truth
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July 26th, 2007Why Kabir?
Ever since I was a young child, Kabir has mystified me. Kabir, a saint to millions, a universal Guru, a poet, a lover, a weaver by profession, a Sufi, and last but not the least a mystic.
To read Kabir is a blessing, to hear him is a blessing and to write about him, well for me personally, is a blessing.
Kabir teachings in the form of dohas (two line poems), have been my guide in most of my work-a-day moments of life. Kabir touches the soul, the conscience, the sense of awareness and the vitality of existence in a manner that is unequalled in both simplicity and style.
All of Kabir’s recorded verses are in Hindi. The meter and the simplicity in which they are written, it sometimes becomes very hard to translate. And, for a person like me, who has nothing to boast about academics, it becomes all the more difficult. Yet, if I have dared to present Kabir, it is only because Kabir has left a deep impact on my psyche and his teachings have helped me in understanding myself. His simple but complicated (read between the lines) verses have helped transform me, as perhaps, many others worldwide have been helped.
To be able to see oneself straight faced in the mirror is not an art, but the ability to see oneself stark naked. Following Kabir means understanding one’s inner self, realizing oneself, accepting oneself as is, and becoming harmonious with one’s surroundings.
To put the records straight, I have attempted to present Kabir when I am 48, while Kabir was introduced to me when I was but a little kid - as a part of our primary school curriculum. Millions worldwide can recite his poetry, but only a handful can claim to truly understand the essence of Kabir.
To say this, does not mean that I understand Kabir fully. No, not the least. To claim this, will be a blasphemy. Kabir is simple. Yet in his simplicity are all the difficulties. Aren’t all simple things complicated? On the face of it, Kabir says not much, but between the lines, he tends to shake up the entire universe.
I must confess the “taste” that one gets in the original does not and perhaps cannot be cherished in translations. Keeping this fact in mind, after translating them as best as I can, I have tried to explain the inference drawn from them in as simple a manner as is possible as “My Understanding”.
If I have faulted anywhere in this presentation, then the fault lies with my personal knowledge and ability, not the least with Kabir and definitely not with scholars, writers and academicians through whom I came in contact with Kabir in the first place. At this point, I take the opportunity of thanking all those, whether my school teachers or my family members or social contacts at large, who somehow motivated me to study Kabir.
I may mention here, that I was born and raised in a family whose main vocation was to deal in selling books. It is at my father’s bookshop (less in school) that I got exposed to all kind of literature. As I write this, I remember my father who laughingly once said, “We all sell books, but my son reads them”. Bravo Rajender (self kudos), but it is true that because of my access to my parental shop comprising of thousands of books on all kinds of subjects, I was exposed to the intricacies of life much early in life, as compared to an average person. Is this a plus point? I wonder! for I have been the prince and the beggar at the same time; many a times. And it has been a great experience. Life is a great teacher and Kabir projects Life’s ethos only as Kabir can.
I hope you will enjoy “Kabir - The Mystic Poet”, and perhaps, discover yourself, as I am doing. I hope you like Kabir-The Mystic Poet, then please recommend it to your friends.
Your Feedback is important. I welcome all of your comments and suggestions.
Rajender Krishan
New York, 1999
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July 26th, 2007Sahib Hai Rangrej Syaahi Rang Churaye ke re | saahba hO rMgaroja syaahI rMga CuD,ayako ro‚ |
The Master is an expert Dyer, He has colored my veil
Removing the dark stains, he gave that color of love
By washing which fades not but becomes brighter by the day
Using water of affection in the tub of feelings, He poured the color of love
Rinsing away the bodily sorrows and dirt, the Expert dyed it deftly
The Master who dyed the veil is expert, beloved and great
I surrender everything to Him ' Body, Mind, Wealth and Life
Says Kabir, The Beloved Dyer is benevolent on me
Covered with this cool veil, My being is blissfully fulfilled.
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July 26th, 2007Naiharva Hum Ka Na Bhave | naOhrvaa hma kaM na Baava saa^[- kI nagarI prma Ait saundr jahM kao[- jaana na AavaO caaMd saurja jahM pvana na panaI kaO sandoSa phuMcaavaO drd yah saa^[- kao saunaavaO Aagao caalaaO pMqa nahIM saUJao pICo daoYa lagaavaO koih ibaiQa sasauro jaa}M maaorI sajanaI ibarha jaaor jaravaO ivaYaO rsa naaca nacaavaO ibana satgau$ Apnaao naihM kao[- jaao yah rah batavaO kht kbaIr saunaao Baa[- saaQaao saupnao naa pItma AavaO tpna yah ijayaa kI bauJaavaO |
I Don't Find any Interest in My Parent's House
My Beloved's Town is Most Beautiful
However, Nobody Goes or Comes from There
There is no Moon, Sun, Wind or Water There
Then Who Will Take My Message There?
Then Who Will Tell My Pain to My Beloved?
There is No Visible Path to Move Forward
And You Blame the Past for It
How Should the Bride go to the House of the Beloved?
Powerful Pangs of Separation are Burning from Inside
Dual Reality is Fashioning a Dance to Its Tune
There is None Other Than the Guru Who is Mine Who Can Tell the Way
Says Kabir Listen oh Aspirant
Your Beloved Will Come in a Dream-like State
That Alone Will Quench the Thirst of your Heart
