Kinni

I was just doing some research about Kabir jee and came across this site which is pretty interesting...it looks at his salokhs in a more professional manner i think very nicely organized. I thought this person did a great job!

http://www.kettering.edu/~bguru/KABIR.html

http://www.kettering.edu/~bguru/Kabeer/K001.pdf

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

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Ek On-kaar Sat-gur Par-saad

One Lord, realized by the everlasting Guru's blessings

Shalok Bhagat Kabeer ji-O kay

Verses of Devotee Kabeer Jee

Kabeer may- ree si-ma-r-nee, ra-s-naa Uppa- r Raam

Aaa-di ju-gaa-di sa-ga- l bha-ga-t, taan ko su-kh bi-s- raa-m ||1||

Raam i s on the t ip of my tongue

O Kabeer , my rosar y is thi s

By prai sing Him from time immemor ial

Devotees at tained ever las ting bli ss 1.

The central theme of thi s verse reverberates al l through these hymns that follows .

The Lord i s remembered by numerous names and Raam i s one of them. In this verse, Kabeer

is not condemning the use of rosary as long as i t helps a person focus hi s attention on the

Name of the Lord. Kabeer say s, as far as I am concerned, the name of the Lord, whi ch is

alway s on the tip of tongue, is my rosary . I don’ t need any other prop to reci te His Name

because my tongue i s unequi vocal ly reci ting Hi s endles s vir tues. From the ver y day the world

was created and, thereaf ter, all through the ages , His devotees have been singing Hi s

prai ses whi le enjoying the everlast ing s tate of bli ss .

Kabeer may-ree jaa-t i ko, sa-bh ko ha-s-nay-haa- r

bal i-haa- ree Is jaa-ti ko, jih ja-pi-oh Sir-ja-n-haa- r | |2| |

Kabeer , ever yone used to make fun of my clas s

Simply as a mat ter of detestation

However, I am thankful of my clas s

As i t helped me render my adorat ion 2.

Ac cording to the caste sy s tem, al l Hindus are di vided into four classes . The class

sy stem has become so r igid, that the class (soc ial s tatus) of a per son i s st il l being

determined by one’ s birth and not by one’ s ac tions . Kabeer was born in the lowest clas s of

Shudras. He say s that people used to laugh at him because he was born in the lowest clas s.

In those day s, a great majorit y of the per sons belonging to the lowest clas s were il literate.

Since he was able to worship the Lord, he i s thankful that he was born in thi s class . Those,

who belong to the highest class of Brahmins (Pundit s), are supposed to be wel l-versed in the

spir itual knowledge because they are free to read and reci te the hol y book s. Brahmins used

to consider themsel ves as superior ( in almos t al l over India they s ti ll do) due to their highes t

rank ling among others . Indirect ly Kabeer says that i f I were born in the highes t c lass, i t i s

jus t pos sible that I might have neglec ted the Lord's wor ship because of my arrogance and

pride.

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

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Kabeer dag-mag ki-Aaa ka- reh, ka-haan Du-laa-veh j i-O

sa- ra-b soo-kh ko naa-ee-ko, Raam Naam ra-ss pi-O ||3||

Kabeer , how come you are so shak y?

How come you have a wavering soul?

The Lord i s the Prov ider of all comfor ts

To taste Hi s Name’ s essence must be your goal 3.

Kabeer say s that if you want to attain peace of mind, you have to remember the

Lord's Name. One cannot attain bl is s by wandering aimles s ly in al l pos sible di rect ions. Rec ite

Hi s Name, tas te it s mind-comfor ting es sence, and consequentl y enjoy everlas ting bli ss . Do

not seek any favors from anyone el se since the Lord alone is the Bestower of all gi fts .

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Kabeer kan-cha-n kay kun-dal ba-nay, Uppa-r laa- l ja- rhaa-O

dee-seh daa-dhai kaa-n ji -On, ji-n ma-n naa-hin Naa-O | |4||

Kabeer , if one wear s the earrings made of gold,

Studded wi th precious gems

If the Lord's Name i s not in the wearer’ s mind

They are l ike the burnt-reed stems 4.

A reed i s a bushy plant that cat ches fire very easi ly espec ial ly when i t is dry . I ts

stems scorched by f ire may s ti ll be standing tal l and gl ittering in the sun. However , i f you

break one of these stems, you may f ind nothing but blac k soot on your hands. Such i s also

the case of a person who has for saken the Lord. Outwardl y he may appear prosperous and

happy but inwardl y he is burning in the f ire of fi ve deadly pass ions ( lust, anger, greed,

attachment, and ego).

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Kabeer Aai-saa Ek Aaa-dh, jo jee-va-t mi r- ta-k ho-ay

nir-bhai ho-ay kai gu-n ra-vai, ja-t pay-khi-On ta-t so-ay | |5| |

Who remains unaffected by the wordl y affairs

O Kabeer , such a per son i s very rare

Who fearles sl y sings the Lord's prai ses

The ver y Lord, wherever one looks , i s there 5.

Consider him as a rare person who is not inf luenced by the earthly pleasures while

tak ing care of hi s household responsibi lit ies. He i s spiri tuall y al ive because he has complete

control over hi s senses. Such a person enjoys carefree sleep because he treat s happiness

and sorrow ali ke. Lust does not sway him and the anger does not control him. Greed does not

affect him and the infatuat ion does not restrain him. He i s alway s contemplating about the

Lord. Kabeer says as long as one aspires for the worldl y pleasures, one cannot obtain

eternal bl i ss. A person who fearles sl y reci tes the Lord's Praises and prays for Hi s

forgiveness reali zes the ul timate truth that the Lord pervades ever ywhere. With love for all

and fear from none, he devotes hi s ent ire li fe in chanting Hi s name whi le car ry ing out all the

expected wor ldly respons ibil it ies.

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

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Kabeer jaa di-n ha-On moo-Aaa, paa-chhai bha-ee-Aaa A-nan-d

mo-hay mil i-O pa-ra-bh Aap-naa, san-gee bha-jh-ain Go-bin-d ||6| |

Kabeer , that very day I los t my ego

I began to enjoy the bl is sful state

Not only I have found the Lord of the Uni ver se,

But my companions al so began to medi tate 6.

Kabeer explains a ver y s imple technique that can help one obtain everlast ing bli ss .

Al l one has to do is to overcome one’ s ego. I t i s believed that a ver y thin vei l, li ke the wings

of a butter fl y, ex is ts as a wall that separates one from the Lord. Once the wal l of ego is torn

down one reali zes the Lord's presence within onesel f. Thereafter, the Lord’ s Name begins to

permeate from all parts of one’s body. A unique awareness takes over one’s mind and soul.

Then, all the preceptory organs of a per son take delight in s inging His glor ious praises.

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Kabeer sa-bh tay ham bu-ray, ham ta-ji bha- loh sa-bh ko-ay

ji-ni Aai-saa ka- r bhoo-jhi-Aaa, mee-t ha-maa- raa so-ay ||7| |

Kabeer , I am wors t of all ,

Ex cept me everyone el se i s good

He is definitel y my bes t f riend

This real ity who has under stood 7.

Kabeer say s that as soon as I had complete control over my ego, a new sense of

awareness prevailed over me. I began to real ize my frai lt ies . I am no more a proud per son as

I once was when my ego was at it s zenith. Then, I used to f ind faul ts in other s. Now I f ind

faults within myself and see the Lord’s presence in all beings. For thi s reason, I cons ider

myself as a bad person and treat al l others with due respect . In fac t, only he, who i s free

from wor ldly i llus ions, is my bes t fr iend. I need such a rare per son so that I can dovetail my

act iv it ies with his and chant the Lord's prai ses in unison wi th him.

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Kabeer Aaa-yee mu-jhai -h peh, a-ni-k ka- ray kar bhay-s

ham raa-khay gur Aap-nay, Uni kee-noh Aaa-day-s | |8||

Kabeer , in // ious forms and gui ses

The ego came to me in an attempt to sway

However, I am saved by my Guru

It bows to me for the respect it longs to pay 8.

It is ver y dif fi cult to reali ze when a per son i s aff li cted by ego because for the

ordinar y person the ego br ings wor ldl y sati sfact ion. The ego comes in many such forms as

parents , sons, daughters , wi fe, weal th, proper ty, et c . There, in fact , i s no end to its guises . I t

makes the af fl ic ted per son say, “I am the king”, “There i s none equal to me”, “ I can do

any thing I want ”, et c. The glar ing mater ial energy has the power to sway a per son from the

path of righteousnes s. When a per son becomes its prey, it deceives and betray s him in no

time. However, when one begins to reci te the Lord’ s Name and serve the needy, the ego

disappear s as humil it y set s in and one obtains spir itual enlightenment . Such a per son

remains detached from the earthy pleasures while performing hi s wor ldly duties .

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

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Kabeer so-Eee maa- ri-Aai, j ih moo-Aai su-kh ho-ay

bha-loh bha- loh sa-bh ko ka-hain, bu- ro na maa-nai ko-ay | |9||

Kabeer , that must be k il led

Once ki lled, peace i s obtained by one

Everyone say s i t's good, it's good

This act is cons idered as bad by none 9.

The ego corrupts a person's mind as he forget s the dif ference between good and bad.

It makes him think that he has the power to protect his famil y from al l the calamit ies . He ends

up spending hi s li fe in a perplexed state. Onl y by overcoming his ego a person can lead a

fami ly l ife free from such perplex it ies. Once a person has ki lled hi s ego, he al so begins to

accept the Wi ll of the Lord. He begins to perform his dut ies wi thout ever worr ying about frui ts

of his actions. He al so begins to treat all human beings al ike as he sees His image in all

beings . For thi s reason, he i s loved and admired by all and hated by none.

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Kabeer raa-teen ho-vain kaa- ree-Aan, kaa- ray Oo-bhai jan-t

Lai faa-hay U-Th dhaa-va-tay, say jaa-ni maa- ray - Bhag-wan-t ||10| |

Kabeer , when the night s are dark

Vi cious thieves commit many a misdeed

They go on the rampage with ropes

Know it so that they are al ready deceased 10.

Onl y he, who has conquered his ego, can s leep carefree and enjoy eternal bli s s. He

is li ked and commended by all . On the other hand, there are per sons who are wi ll ing to hurt

and ki ll other s jus t to sat i sfy their worldl y pleasures . Compel led by greed, they ransac k the

houses and strangle the owner s wi th the ropes . In the process of pleasing themselves, they

may not real ize that they are also put ting their li ves in danger . They may think themsel ves as

brave and courageous but in real it y they are wor se than cowards. The Lord has already

condemned them and they wil l go on suffering the pains of birth and death. There is no hope

for their sal vation.

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Kabeer chan-da-n kaa bir-waa bha-laa, bay- rhi -O Dhaa-k pa- laa-s

O-ay bhee chan-da-n ho-ay ra-hain, ba-sain ju chan-da-n paa-s ||11||

Kabeer , even though it i s surrounded by weeds

A sapling of a sandalwood tree i s good

The weeds too tend to smell just as wel l

Owing to the close proximi ty of sandalwood 11.

The small sapl ing of a sandalwood tree i s li ked by al l because of i ts aromat ic smel l

even though It may be completely sur rounded by the weeds. It seems as if the useles s weeds

adjoining the sandalwood sapling are emanat ing the fragrance. Regardless of the class in

which a per son i s born, i t is the sweet- smell of hi s humi lit y that wins the heart s of other s.

The good deeds done by a humble person make others who are in his c lose proximit y look

good as wel l. If a per son i s wi ll ing to change hi s l ife st yle, he wi ll become pious in the

company of the Holy . Let i t be known that where there i s ego, there i s no humi l ity .

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

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Kabeer baan-s ba-Daa-Eee boo-Di-Aaa, E-yon ma-t Du-boh ko-ay

chan-da-n kai nik-Tay ba-sai, baan-s su-gan-dh na ho-ay ||12||

Kabeer , the bamboo tree i s drowned in i ts pride

Drown li ke that one never should

The bamboo does not retain the aromat ic smel l

Al though i t dwell s close to the sandalwood 12.

A bamboo tree is full of pr ide because it i s tal ler than any other tree in it s vi cinit y. It

can never smel l l i ke sandalwood even though i t may be growing in a c lose prox imi ty to the

sandalwood sapl ing. Therefore, a person mus t not boas t in order to at tain good qual it ies . A

person who boasts about his temporal posses sions i s as shallow from ins ide as the

hol lowness of a bamboo tree.

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Kabeer dee-n ga-vaa-yaa du-nee si-yon, du-nee na cha-lee saa-th

paa-Aain ku-haa- rhaa maa- ri -Aaa, gaa-fi ll Aap-nay haa-th | |13||

Kabeer , the wor ld did not go along wi th him

For whose sake he lost hi s creed

It is as if the careless one struc k his foot

Wi th an axe in his hands indeed 13.

In order to collec t huge amounts of weal th and property , a per son tends to cheat and

decei ve others . He wi ll not shy away from doing anything improper for the sake of hi s kith

and kin. But the irony i s that when his t ime comes to depart from thi s world, he has to go

alone. No one is wil ling to ac company him at the t ime of his death. Not even the near and

dear ones for whose enjoyment s he spent hi s ent ire l ife. In the Lord’s Court , he has to face

the consequences for hi s misdeeds al l by himself . He has trul y axed hi s own future with his

own hands for those who abandoned him when he needed them the most .

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Kabeer jeh jeh ha-On fi -ri-O, ka-O-tak Thaa-On Thaa-ay

Ik Raam sa-nay-hee baah-raa, Oo-ja-rh may- rai bhaan-ay ||14||

Kabeer , it did not matter wherever I went

I saw wonderful act s ever ywhere

Barren is that place from my stand

If the Lord's lovers are not there 14.

Kabeer say s that as he moved from one place to another, he careful ly anal yzed each

situat ion and conc luded that ever yone is busy in amass ing wealth, bui lding huge mans ions ,

and performing all sor t of dev il ish act iv it ies for the enjoyment of the ear thly pleasures .

Rarely a per son was there who was s incerel y thanking the Lord for the count less bount ies he

has recei ved. There may be a lot of hust le and bus tle at a gi ven place, but i t i s barren i f the

wor shippers of the Lord are not there. Nothing useful grows in a barren land. Likewise,

nothing spir itual ly useful t ranspires at a place where the Lord's Name is not being rec ited.

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

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Kabeer san-ta-n kee Jhun-gee-Aaa Bha- lee, Bha-Thi ku-s-tee gaan-On

Aag lagi-Ou t ih dha-Ol-har, jih naa-hin Hari ko Naa-On ||15| |

Kabeer , better is the small cottage of a sage

Like the furnace is the v il lage of a dishones t clown

Where the Lord’ s prai ses are not being sung

Those mans ions may as well be burnt down 15.

This verse further elaborates the theme of the preceding verse. Kabeer is not say ing

that one should s tart l iv ing in a smal l cot tage because it is better than a mans ion. The

cot tage and the mans ion are used s imply to highlight the point. The cottage having a

that ched roof points to it s humblenes s whereas the mans ion due to it s grandeur i s a s ign of

pride. What good is that mans ion i f the Lord’s Name is not being reci ted there? A cottage,

where sincere del iberat ions about the Lord are tak ing place, is better than a mans ion for a

devotee. A mansion, without the Lord's presence, makes the desire for the worldl y pass ions

to f lare. It is better to pas s your li fe with the Guru in a smal l cottage than with a sinner in a

mans ion. Because of the presence of the Guru, the Name of the Lord wi ll be on the t ip of

your tongue. By fol lowing the advi ce of the Guru, it i s pos sible for you to earn the Lord’s

Name and obtain sal vat ion.

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Kabeer san-t moo-ay ki-Aaa ro-ee-Aai, jo Aa-pu-nay gri-hi jaa-ay

ro- woh saa-ka-t baa-pu- ray, ju haa-Tai haa-T bi-kaa-ay | |16| |

Kabeer , weep not when a sage pas ses away

As to his permanent abode he i s on his way

Weep for that unfor tunate soul

From store to store who i s car ted away 16.

We must not shed a tear when a true di sc iple passes away because hi s soul is final ly

rest ing at the Lord’s Feet. Thi s wor ld is trans itory in the sense that , sooner or later, a mortal

has to depart from it. There i s no better place for one to go than the Lord’ s Abode. For a

devotee the Lord's Mans ion i s his f inal rest ing home. We should however feel sad upon the

death of a person who has abandoned the Lord. He i s the one who is bound to go through the

cy cles of pain and suffer ing each time he takes birth and faces death.

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Kabeer saa-ka-t Aai-saa hai , Jai -see la-sa-n kee khaa-nn

ko-nay bai-Thay khaa-ee-Aai, par-ga-T ho-ay ni-daa-nn ||17| |

Kabeer , the fate of a nonbeliever

Is li ke that of a garl ic ’s cell

Even if the cloves are eaten in secrecy

It becomes obv ious from it s smel l 17.

One who has lost his faith for the sake of the wor ldl y pleasures i s l ike a s tore fil led

wi th garl ic . Its pungent smell cannot be locked inside the store. It does not matter how hard a

person tries to hide hi s wi ckedness , it becomes qui te obvious in a matter of course. There

are alway s some hidden moti ves in the pretentious deeds of such a per son because no

goodness can spring from his ins incere ac tions .

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

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Kabeer Maa-yaa Dol-nee, pa-va-n jha-ko-lan-haa- r

San- toh maa-kha-n khaa-yaa, chhaa-chh pee-Aai san-saa- r | |18||

Kabeer , the wor ldly deception i s li ke a churn

It is being churned by each breath

Butter i s eaten by the saints

While the but termil k is for the res t 18.

The ult imate aim of one’ s l ife i s to keep Lord’ s Name on the t ip of one’s tongue while

fai thful ly executing al l the neces sar y wor ldly responsibil it ies. Those who have grasped the

true objec ti ve of l ife in thi s world, have attained thei r goal. For example, the main purpose of

churning the mi lk i s to make but ter. Those who continue to churn mi lk wil l f inal ly ex tract it s

essence (but ter) and savor it s tas te. Those who gi ve up the churning proces s prior to it s

completion are lef t wi th nothing but buttermi lk. The mater ial consc iousnes s has the power to

sway one's mind from the dif fi cul t path of righteousness . One can eas il y gi ve in to the

allurement s of the worldl y decept ions (Maya) and lose the game of l ife.

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Kabeer Maa-yaa Dol-nee, pa-va-n va-hai hiv-dhaa- r

ji-ni bi-lo-yaa t i-nih khaa-yaa, Aa-wa- r bi-lo-van-haa- r | |19| |

Kabeer , the wor ldly deception i s li ke a churn

Each breath i s the cold water poured in it

One who churns eats the butter

The rest are l ike the churning- st ic k 19.

This verse further elucidates the theme of the prev ious ver se. When one churns the

mil k, one adds cold water to enhance the proces s of mak ing butter . In thi s ver se, “each

breath is the cold water ” s imply relates to the calmness and the per severance of the

devotees of the Lord. They calml y keep on reci ting the Lord's Name and place themselves at

Hi s merc y. They keep on chant ing Hi s name l ike a person who keeps on churning the mi lk

unt il he makes butter. Those who keep their minds closed are l i ke the churning st ic k. It

unfor tunatel y keeps on churning but never reall y get s to taste the but ter . People who never

attain their true goal in life keep on wandering aimless ly through the ages li ke the whirl ing of

the churning st ic k.

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Kabeer Maa-yaa chor-Tee, mu-si mu-si laa-vai haa-T

E-kee Ka-bee- raa naa mu-sai , ji-nih kee-nee baa- rain baa-T | |20||

Kabeer , the wor ldly deception i s li ke a thief

Who break s in and robs the s tore

Since Kabeer has smashed i t into twelve bits

It cannot rob him anymore 20.

The wor ldly deception (Maya) is invar iabl y forc ing a person to go as tray from his true

mis sion in l ife. whi ch, of course, is to recite the Lord's Name. Those, who have suc cumbed to

the wor ldly entanglements , have been robbed of the prof it they would have obtained by

reci ting Hi s Name. The profi t of Hi s Name would have freed them from the never ending c yc le

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

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of life and death. It would have led them to the Lord's Mans ion where they would have rested

forever in peace. Kabeer says that Maya cannot allure him anymore because he has

under stood i ts wic kednes s . Therefore, he has obtained freedom from i ts shac kles by

overpower ing it (smashing into small pieces) . In order to learn how to achieve peace of mind,

inner tranqui li ty, and freedom from the wor ldl y pass ions, one has to seek out a bona-f ide

Guru and fol low his directions without ever quest ioning his moti ves.

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Kabeer su-kh na Eain-h ju-g, ka- reh ju ba-hu-tai mee-t

jo chi-t raa-khay Ek si-yon, tay su-kh paa-veh nee-t ||21| |

Kabeer , hav ing lots of fr iends don’t guaranty ,

In thi s life, happiness of any kind

But who focuses his at tent ion on the One

Always enjoys peaceful state of mind 21.

A per son, who i s alway s running af ter the at tainment of all the worldl y pas sions and

pleasures , is forever worried of los ing them. He can never have peace of mind regardless of

how many friends he has to console him. Such a per son wil l not hesitate to perpetrate

ungodl y act s of cruelt y upon other s for the fulf il lment of his wor ldly desires . In fact, he

deri ves sensuous delight f rom his wic ked act ions. Kabeer say s that only the faith in the Lord

can save a per son from the unending worr ies of l ife. A faithful servant of the Lord learns to

li ve ac cording to Hi s Wi ll . Since he remains indi fferent from happines s and despair , he

continuousl y enjoy s a s teady-s tate of peaceful bl is s.

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Kabeer ji-s mar-nay tay ja-g Da- rai, may- ray ma-n Aaa-nan-d

mar-nay hee tay paa-ee-Aai, poo- ra-n par-maa-nan-d | |22| |

The death f rom whi ch the wor ld is afraid of

O Kabeer , i t f il ls up my mind wi th joy

It is only after dy ing such a death

Supreme bli ss one trul y enjoy 22.

Kabeer i s not talk ing about the phy si cal death of a person. He i s referr ing to that

indifferent att itude that one obtains when a per son gives up al l the wor ldly pleasures and

keeps the Lord’ s Name on hi s tongue. Such a death is ver y dif fi cult to obtain and ever yone is

afraid of it because of hi s attachment and affect ion for his famil y, weal th, and property . A

rare but for tunate per son who i s able to die such a spir itual death enjoys supreme bl is s since

nothing in the world can influence him anymore. He has obtained deli verance f rom the

nes cience of mater ial attachment. He devotes hi s entire l ife for the welfare of other s as he

sees God's ref lect ion in al l beings . The grat ifi cation of his own sense-pleasures i s farthest

from hi s mind. He finds solace in singing His praises in the company of the Hol y.

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Raam pa-daar-th paa-ay kai , Ka-bee- raa gaan-Th na kho-lh

na-hin pa-Ta-nh na-hin paa- r-khoo, na-hin gaa-ha-k na-hin mo-lh ||23| |

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

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Kabeer , do not undo its knot

Once the treasure of the Lord’ s Name is found

There i s neither a market nor an asses sor

Neither i ts worth can be assessed nor a buyer is around 23.

In thi s wor ld everyone i s running af ter the worldl y pleasures . O Kabeer , consider

your self as the most for tunate one because you have found the treasure of the Lord’ s Name.

Now keep thi s treasure intact because there is none who can real l y appreciate its worth.

None is going to buy it by pay ing the mos t appropriate pr ice for it, whi ch, of course, i s the

renunciat ion of all the wor ldl y attachments . The psy che of the common man i s engrained in

think ing that he can attain spiri tual upl if t by performing idol wor ship as well as other ri tes

and r itual s. O Kabeer, no one is going to pay any attent ion no matter how hard he tries. They

do not know that both the Lord and the duali ty cannot reside in one’s heart at the same t ime.

These ease-loving people do not unders tand the fact that one has to sacr if ice the dualit y to

seek union wi th the Lord. Those who have enshr ined the Lord's Name in their heart s keep

mum and do not ever dream of enact ing shows of decei t.

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Kabeer taan si-yon p- ree-t kar, jaa ko Thaa-kur Raam

Pandit raa-jay bhoo-pa-ti, Aaa-veh ka-O-nay kaam | |24||

Kabeer , whose Master i s the Lord

Fall in love wi th him you should

The pundit s, the k ings, and the landlords

Your love for them i s of what good? 24.

O Kabeer if you want to fall in love with someone, then fal l in love wi th the Lord

because He is the Savior. Others including the learned pundit s, the so-cal led k ings, and the

landlords are of no use to you. They cannot help you obtain sal vat ion. They cannot free

themselves from the clutches of Maya, how can they be of any help to anyone else? Only the

Lord has the power to redeem you. Therefore keep your cons ciousness focused upon Him.

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Kabeer P- ree-t Ek si -yon kee-ay, Aaa-n du-bi-dhaa jaa-ay

bhaan-vain laan-bay kay-s kar, bhaan-vain gha-ra- ri mun-Daa-ay | |25| |

Kabeer , fal l in love wi th the One

To end all dismay and dread

Whether one may have long hair

Or one may have c losel y c ropped head 25.

A per son in this world is alway s worr ied about losing something. These worr ies are

continuall y pestering him. In order to obtain peace of mind, he tends to give up hi s famil y l ife

and becomes as cet ic . On the other hand, among the ascet ic s there are many cult s. One cul t

bel ieves in hav ing long matted hair whereas the other believes in shav ing of f the head.

Kabeer say s that one cannot obtain freedom from worries either by suppor ting matted hai r or

by shaving off one's head. O Kabeer, onl y he can obtain peace of mind who i s in love wi th

the One Lord. Such a love demands total submi ss ion to Him. The outwardly appearances do

not mat ter. Masquerading li ke a saint, without real iz ing the my ster y of the Lord's inf inite

glor y, is a fool of fools .

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

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Kabeer ja-g kaa-ja-l kee ko-Th- ree, Aan-dh pa-ray t is maa-hain

Ha-On bali-haa- ree ti -n ko, pai-si ju ni-k-si jaa-hain | |26||

Kabeer , the wor ld i s li ke a soot-f il led cel l

The blind per sons are caught in it s snare

Commend those who af ter being trapped

Know very well how to es cape from there 26.

It does not mat ter whether one i s a k ing with immense wealth, an educated per son

wi th thorough knowledge of s criptures , or a landlord wi th huge proper ty , all are suscept ible to

fal l in the trap of Maya (the cel l of black soot). They cannot escape from it because of thei r

ease-lov ing nature and love for earthly pleasures. The same i s the fate of those per sons who

bel ieve that they wil l achieve salvat ion just because they have long matted hai r or closely

cropped head. Say s Kabeer, onl y that person who loves the Lord and sings His glorious

prai ses wi ll achieve sal vat ion and i s wor thy of commendation. He wi ll come out of the sootfil

led cel l wi th no smear on his face. In other words , one has to li ve in this wor ld, car ry on al l

the expec ted worldl y respons ibil ities , and st il l remain detached from it.

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Kabeer Eh ta-nu jaa-ee-gaa, sa-k-Oh ta lay-ho ba-ho- r

Naan-gay paa-ve-hun tay ga-ay, ji-n kay laa-kh ka-ro- r | |27| |

Kabeer , thi s body shall parish

Save it , i f you can do so

Even those who had mi l lions upon mil lions

Bare-footed they had to go 27.

O mortal, learn to face the stark reali ty. Why are you so engros sed in love wi th your

spouse and chi ldren, relat i ves and fr iends, your property , your weal th, et c? The day wi ll

come when you have to depart from thi s world wi thout anyone or any thing ac companying you.

Forget about the friends, your famil y, your wealth and proper ty, not even your own body wil l

go wi th you. Tr y hard as you may, you cannot save the body from becoming dust. You came

into thi s wor ld bare- footed and bare-footed you have to go.

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Kabeer E-hu ta-n jaa-ee-gaa, ka-va-nai maa- ra-g laa-ay

kai san-ga-t kar saa-dh kee, kai Hari kay gu-n gaa-ay | |28||

Kabeer , thi s body shall parish

Place i t on the path that leads to sal vat ion

So join the company of the Hol y

And s ing the praises of God with elat ion 28.

As ment ioned in the preceding verse, the body i s going to pari sh one day and i t wil l

not ac company anyone when the time comes to bid farewel l to thi s wor ld. Therefore, it is

about t ime for you to place i t on the r ight path that leads to sal vat ion. The right path, of

cour se, leads to the congregat ion of the Holy where the glorious praises of the Lord are

being sung. Only in the company of the holy one learns that all human beings have the same

phy si cal appearance. We must recogni ze them as one because ever yone enshrines the same

soul that i s a part of the Supreme Soul.

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

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Kabeer mar-taa mar-taa ja-g moo-Aaa, mar bhee na jaa-ni-Aaa ko-ay

Aai-say mar-nay jo ma- rai , ba-hu- r na mar-naa ho-ay | |29| |

Kabeer , the wor ld faces death t ime and again

What is it s signi fi cance no one knows?

One who dies knowing i ts enormit y

Wi ll never again face i ts blows 29.

O Kabeer , one, who has been completely consumed by Maya, is alway s under the

fear of death. He is alway s worr ied about losing something or the other . He i s at a loss to

know how to escape from the never-ending mi sgi vings of l ife. But a person who sings the

prai ses of the Lord in the company of the saint s always remains in the state of tranquil it y.

Since he has impart ial att i tude toward life, he treats happines s and despair, and l ife and

death ali ke. Such a person i s not at al l afraid of death. As long as he i s ali ve, he faithfull y

dis charges hi s respons ibil i ties while chanting Hi s Name. He worships the One and the Onl y,

the Sustainer of the uni ver se. After his phys ical death, he rest s in peace at the Lord's feet

and liberates himself from the c yc les of l ife and death.

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Kabeer maa-na-s ja-na-m du-lan-bh hai, ho-ay na baa- rain baa- r

ji-yon ba-n pha- l paa-kay bhu-yain gee-reh, ba-hur na laa-gai Daa- r ||30| |

Kabeer , the human form i s di ffi cult to obtain

Over and over again it does not befal l

Like the r ipe frui t fal len to the ground in the forest

Cannot be reattached to the branch at al l 30.

The key word in this example i s the forest . When the fruit of a tree fall s to the ground

in a fores t, it disappears in the thi ck growth covering the ground and goes to waste. I t i s

even beyond the reach of the birds that may come and take refuge in the tree. It cannot be

reattached to the tree's branch so that i t again becomes vi s ible. Kabeer say s that we humans

are ver y much l ike that fruit. Once it fall s to the ground, it i s gone and becomes useles s. The

life as a human being is very dif fi cult to obtain. One simpl y does not take bir th as a human

being over and over again. The prevail ing thought i s that one has to gyrate through 84 lac s

(8.4 mi ll ion) forms of l ife before tak ing a bir th as a human-being.

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Ka-bee- raa tu-hee Kabeer too, tay- ro naa-on Kabeer

Raam ra- ta-n ta-b paa-ee-Aai, ja-O pe-hi-lay ta-jeh sa- ree- r | |31| |

O Kabeer , the Almight y God is the greatest

And the Greatest is His Appel lat ion

The pri celes s Name of the Lord i s obtained

When the body's love is f ir st forsaken 31.

O Lord, You are the highest of al l. The greatest of all is Your Name. The pri celes s

Name of the Lord i s obtained onl y when a mor tal gives up hi s love for his body . It s imply

means that one should for sake one’s indulgences in the earthl y pleasures and completely

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

12

submit to His Wi ll. The Lord cannot be reali zed by chant ing the empt y words, wearing

tattered c lothes, shav ing off the head, smearing ashes over the body, suppor ting matted hair,

becoming a yogi, maintaining celibacy, endur ing thir st and hunger , performing supernatural

feat s, l ighting sacrif ic ial fi res, hanging upside down, standing on one foot , etc . The my stery

of the Lord i s real ized when one trul y beholds Him in al l beings , r ighteous ly thank s Him for

Hi s bounties, cons c ientiousl y accept s Him as the Creator , and absolutel y surrender s to Hi s

Wi ll .

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Kabeer jhan-kh na jhan-khee-Aai, tu-m- ro kehi-O na ho-ay

ka- ra-m ka- ree-m ju kar ra-hai , may-Ti na saa-kai ko-ay ||32||

Kabeer , don’t invol ve in verbal altercation

'Cause what you say is not going to take place

Whatever the Merc iful and the Benevolent Lord does

The out come of Hi s act ion none can ef face 32.

When a person gi ves up the love for his phys ical body, he begins to fol low the

commands of the Lord and stops bic ker ing about His ac tions . He knows i t ver y well that his

wi shes for the worldl y pleasures are merel y wi shes because nothing can happen wi thout the

Wi ll of the Lord. Whatever the most Mer ci ful and the Benevolent God does, onl y that happens

and nobody has the power to change i t, not even a bit.

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Kabeer ka-so-Tee Raam kee, jhu-Tha Ti-kai na ko-ay

Raam ka-so-Tee so sa-hai, jo mar jee-van ho-ay | |33||

Kabeer , the false cannot wi ths tand

The tes t of the Lord’s touchstone

He who is dead yet al ive

Can pass the tes t by himself alone 33.

A per son who is in love wi th his phys ical body cannot pass the tes t of his genuine

love for the Lord. Only that per son can pass this test who has complete cont rol over his

senses and is truly absorbed in singing the glor ies of the Lord. Such a person is said to be

dead from the material entanglement s but al ive because of hi s insight of the Lord. He alone

is ac cepted and exalted in His Court.

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Kabeer U-j ja- l peh- reh kaa-p- ray, paa-n su-paa-ree khaa-hain

E-ka-s Hari kay Naam bin, baan-dhay jam-pur jaan-hain | |34||

Kabeer , some chew betel nut s and betel leaves

In neat and clean dresses they attire

But without the Name of the Lord, they are

On the way to Hell bound by wor ldly desire 34.

There are people in this world who are preoc cupied in beaut if ying their bodies and

engrossed in worldl y indulgences . They chew betel leaves and betel nut s to redden the lips

and sweeten the smell. They wear c lean clothes but their heart s are fi lled wi th black soot.

Such per sons cannot obtain peace of mind without chant ing the Lord's Name. Therefore, they

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

13

are bound to suf fer the fear of death. Says Kabeer, they are bound to go to the Cit y of the

Dead (Yam-Pur) to face torture as their heart s are not as clean as their c lothes.

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Kabeer bai- rhaa jar-ja- raa, Foo-Tay chhain-k ha- zaa- r

ha-ru-ay ha- ru-ay ti- ri ga-ay, Doo-bay j i-n si r bh-aa- r | |35| |

Kabeer , those who are light can get across

In the old ferryboat with thousand crac ks

But they are doomed to drown

Who carry on their heads heavy sack s 35.

Kabeer refers to the wor ld as a dreadful ocean. We are all in it and our aim is to get

across i t. To do so, we need a boat of good deeds. Those persons who find time to perform

good deeds are very rare. They see the Lord’ s image in everyone and consider themselves as

ins ignif icant whi le al l others as good. However, most of us pass our l ives engrossed in

wor ldl y pas s ions. We don’ t have the Lord’s Name on our lips . When the old age takes over

our bodies , then the stark real it y of life dawns upon us. We are then drowned in the fear of

death. Kabeer say s that the old age i s l ike the ferr yboat with thousand crac ks in i t. The

crac ks are the result of our mi sdeeds. We carry the burden of al l our misdeeds on our heads .

Under the weight of these misdeeds , we are bound to drown in thi s ocean and suf fer the

pains of li fe and death t ime and t ime again. On the other hand, those per sons who have done

nothing but good deeds in their l ives , their minds are not distorted by material des ires. They

don’t have any burden of s ins on their heads. They are so l ight that they can get eas il y

across this ghas tl y wor ld-ocean wi thout any fear of drowning in their minds .

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Kabeer haa-D ja- ray ji-yon laa-ka- ree, kay-s ja-ray ji-yon ghaa-s

Eh ja-g jar-taa day-kh kai, bhaa-yo Kabeer U-daa-s ||36| |

Kabeer , the bones burn li ke wood

Like the straw burns the hair

Af ter having seen the wor ld on f ire

Kabeer i s sei zed by despair 36.

In thi s hymn, Kabeer i s us ing the Hindu belief of cremating a person after hi s death.

Kabeer say s that sooner or later the death lay s its c laim upon a mortal's body. When the

body i s placed on a burning pyre, the bones burn l ike the wood and the hair li ke the straw.

Before your own eyes, the whole body i s reduced to ashes in no time. Such a horrible s cene

has transformed Kabeer into a per son who has no att ract ion for the wor ld. He has gi ven up

all the wor ldly attachment s and now chants the Lord's Name.

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Kabeer ga- ra-b na kee- jee-Aai , chaa-m la-pay-Tay haa-D

hai-va- r U-ppa- r chha- tar tar, tay fu-ni dhar-nee gaa-D | |37||

Kabeer , do not be so proud of your body

Wrapping the s keleton is the sk in

Who rode superior horses wi th canopies over heads

Deep under the ground they were buried then 37.

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

14

The mortal spends mos t of hi s life in the admiration of his body . He forget s that in

real it y the body is a skeleton of bones, whi ch is hidden beneath the sk in. The day wil l come

when the body that makes you so proud of your self wi ll betray you. Say s Kabeer, look

around. What has happened to those who used to ride superior and swif t horses? They called

themselves as sultans , kings, and emperors and each one of them was proud of his wor ldly

status . To protect themsel ves from the sun, they had canopies over their heads . Where are

they today? In the end, each one has reduced to dus t. Kabeer i s not saying that one should

not r ide horses or one should not keep onesel f c lean. He is simply reminding us that we

should alway s be thankful to the Lord for Hi s bounties. It is the Lord who has given us

ever ything inc luding our body and soul.

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Kabeer ga- ra-b na kee- jee-Aai , Oo-chaa day-kh Aa-waa-s

Aaa- j kaa-l bhu-ain lay-T-nhaa, U-ppa- r jaa-mai ghaa-s ||38||

Kabeer , do not be so proud

By beholding your mansion so majest ic

You wi ll be in the grave before you know

And the grass wil l grow upon it 38.

A mortal takes great pr ide in building huge mans ions to show off hi s wor ldly ri ches.

He forget s the fact that sooner or later he wi ll become dust . Even hi s ident it y wi ll di sappear

because the grass wil l cover his grave. Onl y those persons are remembered in this wor ld who

have done something good in their l ives .

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Kabeer ga- ra-b na kee-jee-Aai, Ran-k na ha-see-Aai ko-ay

Aa-j-hoon su naa-O sa-mun-da- r meh, ki-Aaa jaa-no ki-Aaa ho-ay | |39| |

Kabeer , do not be so proud of your weal th

At the poor man’s plight do not glee

Who knows what may sti ll happen

'Cause your boat is s ti ll at sea 39.

It is quite common for a weal thy per son to make fun of a poor man. Kabeer say s that

no one reall y knows what i s going to take place in the very next moment . The Lord has the

uncanny abi li ty to change the fate of a person. In no time, He can make a pauper into a k ing

and vi ce versa. O mortal, your boat is s ti ll far at sea. You don’t have any foggiest idea when

it can develop crac ks and become the cause of your drowning. Ac cording to the old Engl ish

proverb, there are many a sl ip between the cup and the lip. O man, what you are today, that

may not hold true for tomorrow.

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Kabeer ga- ra-b na kee- jee-Aai , day-hee day-kh su- ran-g

Aaa- j kaa-l taj jaa-hu-gay, ji-yon kaan-chu- ree bhu-yan-g | |40||

Kabeer , do not be so proud of body

As you behold i t in it s pr ime

Jus t as the snake sheds it s s kin

You wi ll leave i t behind in no t ime 40.

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

15

O Mortal, do not be so proud of your exquis ite body because it is gi ven in trus t to you

by the Lord. It does not belong to you. It i s simpl y a skeleton of bones covered by a thin

layer of sk in. That day i s not ver y far when you have to dis card i t jus t l ike a snake who

moves on by cast ing of f it s dead s kin. O Mortal, now a days , you spend so much time in

embell ishing your body that you don't have time to chant His Name. But the body is so

ungrateful i t wi ll not accompany you. I t is the Name of the Lord that wi ll alway s be with you.

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Kabeer loo-T-naa hai ta loo-T lai , Raam Naam hai loo-T

Phi- r pa-chhai pa-chh- taa-hu-gay, p- raa-n jaa-hain-gay chhoo-T | |41||

Kabeer , the Lord’ s Name i s the booty

Loot i t i f you can and loot it fas t

Otherwise, you wi ll repent in the end

When you wil l breathe your last 41.

O mortal, why are you putt ing your li fe in danger when in the cover of dar kness you

enter into other ’s houses to rob them. You are committ ing s ins for the sake of your fami ly.

However, the fami ly i s not going to ac company you when you need them the most . These sins

are nothing but heavy burden over your head, whi ch wil l s ink you deeper and deeper in the

wor ldl y ocean. However, if you must rob, then go ahead and plunder the Lord’ s Name. I t is

available in abundance. Best of al l, It wil l make you lighter so you can get across the ocean

of fear and at tachment . O mortal, do not think that you are too young to worry about your

death. The death can come at any time in numerous gui ses to pos ses s your body before you

know it. By then, my fr iend, it wi ll be too late for you.

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Kabeer Aai-saa ko-ee na ja-na-mi-O, Aa-pu-nai gha- r laa-vai Aaa-g

paan-cho la- ri-kaa jaa- r kai, ra-hai Raam liv laa-g | |42||

Kabeer , such a person is not yet born

Who burns his home ac cording to his wil l

Af ter burning his f ive sons

In contemplation of the Lord who remains st il l 42.

Rarely you wi l l meet a per son in this world who has indi fferent at ti tude toward the

pleasures of the wor ld. If there is such a per son, he has already ki lled hi s f i ve sons, vi z. ,

lust, anger, greed, attachment, and pride. He has burnt his own ego. Such a per son has

completely surrendered himself to the Wi ll of the Lord. Above all , he pas ses his time by

inces santl y contemplating upon His Name.

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Ko hai la- ri-kaa bay-ch-ee, la- ri-kee bay-chai ko-ay

san-jhaa ka- rai Kabeer si-yon, Hari san-g ba-na-j ka- ray | |43||

Those who bar ter away their sons and daughter s

Such per sons are ver il y rare

Kabeer , form a partnership with them

To deal with the Lord, make that your affair 43.

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

16

Such a person is trul y rare in this world who has not onl y traded hi s f ive sons (Lus t,

anger , greed, attachment, and pride) but also exchanged hi s daughters (expectations,

quest, jealousy, greatness, et c.) for the Name of the Lord. Kabeer wishes to form a

partnership with such a person so that he can also earn the Lord’ s Name in profi t.

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Kabeer Eh chay-taa-va-nee, mat seh-saa reh jaa-ay

pa-chhai bho-g ju bho-g-vai , t i-n ko gu- rh lai khaa-ay ||44| |

Kabeer , les t there be any doubt

Let me state this warning again

Al l pas t pleasures are equivalent to a candy

Which i s final ly thrown into a bargain 44.

In the good old days , when a per son shopped at a s tore, he was given something

extra such as a candy (or a dr y piece of molas ses) by the shopkeeper. It had a ver y lit tle

value for the shopkeeper but it was well accepted by the shopper. Kabeer say s that one must

not be fooled by the fact that he has been enjoying all the wor ldly pleasures. In fact , the total

worth of these pleasures i s no more than the candy given by the shopkeeper .

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Kabeer main jaa-ni-O pa-rhi-bo bha- loh, pa- rhi -bo si-yon bha- l jog

bha-g-ti na chhaa-D-yon Raam kee, bhaan-vain ni-d-Ou log ||45| |

Kabeer , f irs t I thought that learning was good

Jog i s better then I thought

Though the world may defame me for saying so

Abandon devot ional worship of Raam, I wi ll not 45.

Kabeer l ived near Benaras , a holy ci ty especial ly for the Hindus. There he fir st saw

the learned men (Brahmins) reading s criptures and he real ized that learning i s good for a

person. Then he saw these learned men babbl ing about the s criptures with no spir itual end

result. Kabeer says that if reading of the holy books leads only to controvers ial debates , then

it is better for me to s impl y remain the devotee of the Lord. It i s pos sible that the people may

curse me for saying so, but I wil l not leave the devot ional ser vi ce of the Lord for the sake of

learning the s criptures. When one does not fol low what is wr it ten in the scr iptures , then what

goodness can be deri ved by simpl y reading and rec i ting them l ike par rot s?

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Kabeer log ki nin-dain ba-pu- rhaa, j ih ma-n naa-hin gi-Aaa-n

Raam Ka-bee- raa re-vi ra-hai , A-wa- r ta-jay sa-bh kaam | |46||

Kabeer , those who are not ver y wi se and intell igent

How can these helpless people me defame?

Af ter abandoning al l other ac ti vit ies

Kabeer now dwel ls upon the Lord’s Name 46.

O Kabeer , how can these people be cons idered wise and learned when they do not

even under stand that the Lord’s worship i s alway s better than mere dis cuss ions of the

scr iptures? Those who read s criptures and do not fol low the adv ice have no r ight to defame

me. In fac t, I am now bus y rec it ing the Lord’s Name as I have given up al l other wor ldly

attachments. Note that Kabeer is not saying that he has gi ven up his profess ion as wel l. One

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

17

has to work to maintain the mater ial body . In addition, the Lord never sugges t s some thing

that i s impract ical . One must always remember the Lord while one i s performing the

neces sar y household duties.

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Kabeer par-day-see kai ghaa-gh-rai, cha-hun di-si laa-gee Aaa-g

khin-thaa jal ko-ee-laa bha-ee, taa-gay Aaan-ch na laa-g | |47||

Kabeer , the foreigner is entrapped ins ide

As the door i s on f ire from sides four

The burnt patched coat has reduced to ashes

But i t could not touch the thread of soul 47.

We are al l foreigner s in this wor ld l ike the Yogi who wear s a patched and worn-out

gown and comes to s tay in a vi llage for a few day s. In this world, we are all enveloped by the

fire of immoral act s burning all around us . Those who have fallen in this trap are totall y

consumed by it and their patched coat s (bodies ) have reduced to ashes . However, he who

kept himsel f aloof from the worldl y attachment s was able to save hi s soul from this fire.

Kabeer say s that the f ire of pass ions cannot burn even a thread of such a per son’ s soul. A

thread is so deli cate that i t can be eas il y broken into pieces. However, when the Lord is on

your s ide, none has any power to even touch i t and the fire cannot consume it .

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Kabeer khin-thaa jal ko-ee-laa bha-Eee, khaa-pa-r foo-T ma-foo-T

jogi ba-pu- rhaa khay-l i-Oh, Aaa-sa-n ra-hee bi-bhoo-t ||48||

Kabeer , the burnt pat ched coat is reduced to coal

Into many pieces the begging bowl did smash

The poor Yogi has lost the game

Now at its place there i s nothing but ash 48.

The f raudulent Yogi who wore the ceremonious patched and worn-out gown and

carr ied the begging bowl for alms has lost the game of life. Entrapped in the f ire of immoral

act s (pas sions), hi s body has finall y reduced to ashes and the begging bowl has shattered

into pieces . Af ter hi s death he leaves nothing in this wor ld ex cept hi s ashes.

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Kabeer tho- rai jal maa-chhu- lee, jhee-wa- r may- li-O jaa-l

Eh To-gha-nai na chhoo-T-sain, phi- ri kar sa-mun-d sa-maa-l | |49||

Kabeer , for the fi sh in the shallow water

The f isherman has spread his net

In thi s lit tle pond there is no escape

Make ocean the refuge from the threat 49.

When the fi sh i s in the shallow water , the fi sherman can eas il y cat ch it by cas ting his

net. If the f ish wants to es cape the threat of the f isherman’s net, it must seek refuge in the

ocean. Li kewi se, a per son, who spends all his l ife in enjoy ing wor ldl y pleasures, can easi ly

fal l in the trap of immoral act s. If he want s to escape from the fire of pas sions , he has to

take refuge at the Lord’ s Feet by us ing Hi s Name as the rosary . A wi se per son takes refuge

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

18

in the Lord and does not surrender to demigods . He certainl y obtains freedom from the c yc le

of birth and death by habitual ly engaging in devotional ser vi ce.

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Kabeer sa-mun-d na chho-Di-Aai, Ja-O Aa-ti khaa- rai ho-ay

po-kha- r po-kha- r Dhun-Dh-tay, Bha-loh na keh hai ko-ay ||50||

Kabeer , do not leave the ocean

Even though the water tas tes l ike salt

Searching for the shel ter f rom puddle to puddle

No one wil l call such an act as smart 50.

Kabeer say s that it i s a fooli sh ac t for the fi sh if i t jumps from one puddle to another

in the hope of es caping from the fi sherman’s net. It wi ll sooner or later be caught. Therefore,

it should s tay in the deep water of the ocean even though i t i s salty . Li kewi se, a per son shall

never seek refuge at any other place ex cept at the Lord’s Feet. Of course, it i s a ver y

dif fi cul t tas k to rec ite the Name of the Lord because of the fami ly at tachment s and al lurement

of wealth and other earthl y pleasures .

The earthly pleasures are easy to gain

The Lord’s Name is hard to obtain

: 92<

+

Kabeer ni-gu-saa-Eain beh ga-ay, thaan-ghee naa-hin ko-ay

dee-n ga- ree-bee Aaa-pu-nee, kar- tay ho-ay su ho-ay ||51||

Kabeer , those wi thout the Guru as the Sailor

By the waves afar they are swept

Whatever happens is the Wi ll of the Creator

The humble and meek wil lingl y accept 51.

O Kabeer , the wor ld i s l ike the ocean and the frail human body is l ike an old fer ryboat

wi th thousand crack s. Those who are in thi s boat without the Guru as the sailor are bound to

drown. They are carr ied far away by the current s in the ocean. Those who submit themsel ves

to the Wil l of God are saved from drowning because the Guru is their Sai lor .

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Kabeer vai-sh-n-oh kee koo-kar bha-lee, saa-ka-t kee bu- ree maa-ay

Oh nit su-nai Hari Naam jas, Oh paa-p bi-saa-han jaa-ay ||52| |

Kabeer , the dog of a devotee is bet ter

Than the faithles s c ynic ’s mother

One hears the prai ses of the Lord’s Name

While partner in the s ins i s the other 52.

The mos t fortunate is the dog of a devotee s ince it hears the prai ses of the Lord. On

the other hand, the unluck y i s the mother of a nonbeliever because she has given birth to

him. Since her son indulges himsel f in immoral act iv i ties, she i s equal ly responsible for the

frui ts of hi s ev il ac tions .

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

19

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Kabeer har-naa doo-ba- laa, Ehu hari-Aaa- raa taa- l

laa-kh Aa-hay- ree Eku ji-Ou, kay- taa ban-ch-O kaa- l ||53| |

Kabeer , the mind is l ike a weak deer

The pond i s lush wi th green herbage

Mil lions of hunters are af ter one being

From death how long can i t escape? 53.

The wor ld-ocean is full of decept ions. The mind of a person bereft of spiri tual v is ion

is li ke a weak deer. For no good reason, i t i s always jumping from one thing to another. The

magi cal powers of the wor ld are li ke thousand hunters chasing it. Sooner or later, it i s going

to be trapped by them if it does not learn to control i ts vagaries . O Kabeer, one cannot

escape form these hunter s by one’ s own ef fort s. One has to seek the company of the Holy

and learn to fi xate his mind on the Supreme Lord.

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Kabeer gan-gaa tee-r ju gha- r ka- reh, pee-veh ni- r-mal nee- r

bin Hari bha-g-ti , na mu-ka-ti ho-ay, E-yon keh ra-may Kabeer | |54||

Kabeer , by drink ing the pure water of Ganges

And bui lding a house along i ts shore

One cannot earn salvat ion without devot ional serv ice

By say ing so Kabeer chant s even more 54.

The Ganges i s one of the hol iest r ivers in India especial ly for the Hindus. It is

bel ieved that if one takes a bath in it and drinks i ts water, one obtains remi ss ion from one’s

sins. Kabeer says that one cannot obtain salvat ion ei ther by merel y tak ing a dip in the

Ganges , by bui lding a house on it s bank s, or by dr inking its water. Salvat ion can onl y be

obtained by per forming devot ional worship of the Lord and chanting His Name. Hi s Name

must alway s be on the tip of one’s tongue. One must use Hi s Name as the pure water to wash

away the dir t of pas t sins.

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Kabeer ma-n ni- r-mal bha-yaa, jai-saa gan-gaa nee-r

paa-chhai laa-go Hari phi-rai , ke-ha- t Kabeer Kabeer ||55||

O Kabeer , l ike the pure water of the Ganges

Immaculate has become my mind

Call ing me, O Kabeer, O Kabeer

The Lord i s fol lowing me f rom behind 55.

Neither residing on the banks of a holy ri ver nor drinking its pure water helps a

person to attain sal vat ion. Puri ty of mind is not obtained by bl indl y fol lowing the religious

ritual s and r ites. Mind becomes pure onl y when a person immer ses himsel f completely in the

devotional ser vi ce of the Lord. When that happens, the devotee i s not look ing for the Lord, i t

is the Lord who i s looking for Hi s devotee to attach him to Hi s Feet .

%2 #

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Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

20

Kabeer har-dee pi-Aa-ree, chu-nna U-jja-l bha-ay

Raam sa-nay-hee ta-Ou mi-lai, do-no ba- ra-n ga-vaa-ay | |56||

Kabeer , the turmeri c is yel low

While the lime is ut ter ly white

Per ceive the Beloved Lord only when

The two colors are out of sight 56.

When the yellow turmer ic i s mixed wi th the whi le lime, they lose thei r identi ties and

become one as the mi xture turns red. Likewise, when the dif ference between the high and

low cas tes disappears from a per son’s mind, he has found the Lord. For him all beings are

the same. He knows that we are al l created in the same manner by the same Creator .

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Kabeer har-dee pee- r-ta-n ha- rai, choo-n chi-ha-nn na ra-haa-ay

bali-haa- ree Eh p- ree- t ko, jih jaa-ti ba- ra-n ku-ll jaa-ay | |57| |

Kabeer , the turmeri c loses it s yel low color

Of lime’ s whiteness there remains no trace

Such a love is worthy of commendation

Clas s, color, and ancest ry that does efface 57.

When the turmer ic and l ime are mixed together, the turmer ic loses its yel low color

and there is no trace left of lime’ s whitenes s. Both colors lose their indi vidual charac ter is ti cs

to form a product that is red in color. When a per son from a lower class begins to dwell on

the Lord’s Name, he loses hi s inferiorit y complex. Li kewi se, a per son from a higher clas s

forsakes hi s superiorit y complex. Their love for the Lord is worth commendation as i t enables

them to ef face the di fferences of soc ial s tatus , color, and l ineage from their minds . The

Lord's devotees recogni ze al l human beings as one. They know that we are all fashioned in

the same mould by the Greatest Potter of al l, the Creator of the uni ver se.

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Kabeer mu-ka-t i du-Aaa-raa san-ku- raa, raa-Eee das-vain bhaa-ay

ma-n ta-Ou mai-gal ho-ay re-hi-O, ni-k-so ki-yon kai jaa-ay ||58||

Kabeer , narrow is the door of salvation

Si ze les s than one-tenth of a mus tard seed

How can the mind pass through i t

When it is larger than an elephant with greed? 58.

The door through which one can pas s to obtain freedom from thousands of hunters

who are chas ing the soul i s very narrow. It is less than one-tenth of the s ize of a mustard

seed. Having born in a high caste, having taken a dip in the hol y water s of Ganges, and

hav ing drunk i ts pure water, one’ s mind becomes l ike an intoxi cated elephant wi th pride. O

Kabeer , such a person who i s burning in his ego can never obtain sal vat ion. A person cannot

obtain a bl is sful state as long as hi s mind is tormented by the worldl y des ires.

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

21

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Kabeer Aai-saa Sat-guru jay mi-lai, tu-Thaa ka-ray pa-saa-O

mu-ka-ti du-Aaa- raa mok-laa, seh- jai Aaa-woh jaa-O ||59||

Kabeer , I f I meet such a True Guru

Who pleasingly does me a favor

Then the door of salvation wil l open wide

And I shal l pas s through i t with no endeavor 59.

O Kabeer , in order to be free from the shac kles of worldly at tachment s, a person

must f ind an everlas ting Guru and offer himself to Him. When the Guru is pleased wi th hi s

devotional ser vi ce and blesses him with a favor , the door of salvat ion automati cal ly swings

wide open and he can go through it wi thout a hit ch. He leaves everything to the Wi ll of the

Lord as he enjoys everlas t ing state of bli ss . He is neither beset by ego, swayed by lus t,

control led by anger, pestered by greed, nor weakened by his love for his famil y . He has

obtained the True real ization wi th the help of a bona-fide Guru.

, ,

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Kabeer na mo-hay chhaa-n na chha-pa- ree, naa mu-hay gha- r na-hin gaan-On

mat Hari poo-chhai ka-o-n hai , may- ray jaa-t i na naa-On ||60||

Kabeer , nei ther I have a hut, nor a shed

Neither I have a house nor a vi llage to claim

Perhaps the Lord may inquire

Who i s he wi thout a soc ial status or a name 60.

O Kabeer , I have gi ven up everything for the Name of the Lord. Now there i s nothing

that I can c laim as my own. The smal l hut , the thatched roof shed, the beauti ful house, and

the owner ship of vi llage are not mine. In fac t, nothing i s mine and ever ything belongs to Him.

Now I cannot even dif ferentiate between the people of high or low c las s. I have no desire to

become famous. It is just pos sible that the Lord may as k, “Who is this nameles s person who

has gi ven up all the wor ldl y ri ches and pleasures?”

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Kabeer mu-hi mar-nay kaa chaa-Ou hai, mar-On ta Hari kai du-Aaa- r

mat Hari poo-chai ka-o-n hai , pa- raa ha-ma- ray baa- r ||61||

Kabeer , I long to die a spi ritual death

Let my death be at the Lord’s door

Perhaps the Lord may inquire

Who i s thi s per son, l ying on the f loor 61.

O Kabeer , i t is my earnest desire that I shall k il l my ego and get r id of my worldly

attachments because it i s the veil of pass ions that separates me from the Lord. Kabeer says

that this can onl y happen when one completely surrender s to the Lord by pros trat ing at His

door. Then and only then i t i s conceivable that the Most Mer ci ful One may cast His glance of

merc y upon you. Out of Hi s love for you it i s jus t poss ible that the Lord may ask, “Who i s thi s

person ly ing at My door?” Once a person is in the Eyes of the Lord, nothing in thi s wor ld can

mis lead him from the path of r ighteousnes s.

Ver ses by Devotee Kabeer Jee

22

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Kabeer na ham kee-Aaa na ka- rain-gay, naa kar sa-kai sa- ree- r

ki-Aaa jaa-no ki-chhu Hari kee-Aaa, bha-yo Kabeer Kabeer ||62| |

Kabeer , nei ther I have done nor I shal l be able to do

My body by it sel f cannot perform any task

How do I know what the Lord has done?

People cal l me Kabeer, Kabeer, that ’s al l I grasp 62.

It does not reall y matter how strong a per son i s, he simpl y cannot do anything by

himsel f. Whatever takes place in this world, it does so according to the Wi ll of the Lord.

When the most Benevolent God cas t a mer ci ful glance upon a person, he i s unable to explain

Hi s kindness upon him. All he knows that by the Lord's Grace he has gained fame and glory.

The Lord's devotee cannot hide himself from other s. Sooner or later, the God- fearing people

become aware of him and seek his guidance to help them follow the path of righteousnes s.

*# '* *

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Kabeer su-p-nai hoo bar- rhaa-ay kai , jih mu-kh ni-k-sai Raam

taa kay pa-g kee paa-n-hee, may- ray ta-n ko chaam | |63||

Kabeer , if someone utter s Raam

While babbling in hi s dream

To make shoes for his feet

Let it be my s kin 63.

It is a fac t that a per son most of ten dreams about the deeds that he was per forming

during the day. If a per son utters the Lord's Name in hi s dream, take i t for granted that he

was also thinking about the Lord while he was awake. The consc ience of such a person is

alway s attached to the Lord’s Feet regardles s of his dai ly ac ti vi ties. O Kabeer, it i s an honor

to serve such a person even if you have to wash your hands with your l ife.

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Kabeer maa-Tee kay ham poo-t- ray, maa-na-s raa-khi-O naa-On

chaa- r di-vas kay paa-hu-nay, baD baD roon-dhain Thaa-On ||64| |

Kabeer , we are al l figurines of c lay

But we refer to ourselves as men

For four day s we are here as guest s

We c laim so much space even then 64.

O Kabeer , we are al l f igurines of c lay and are act ing according to the Lord’s

command. We are all gues ts in this world. Sooner or later we wi ll have to leave this wor ld.

Af ter spending a ver y shor t t ime here, we wil l reduce to dust again. Then, why do we forget

Him who has c reated us? Why do we fall in love with every thing when i t i s not going to

accompany us in the end? Why do we keep on acqui ring more and more proper ty when we

know that we are destined to leave i t behind? Why do we bui ld huge mansions when we know

we are not going to li ve there forever? We should all be happy of what the Lord has gi ven to

us. A smal l room with a thatched roof is far bet ter than a mans ion as long as the Lord is

remembered there.

"Nargas" by Bhai Vir Singh translation by Puran Singh

He Came this way; that way he went;

I saw him and I lost him.

He was but now before my eyes;

He has just gone that way.

He has just gone, and yet cannot return.

Ask me not what I am doing in the open--in the rain, sunshine, and storm!

Touch me NOT, advise me NOT!

He came this way, that way he went.

I saw him and lost him. He was just before my eyes;

I am not searching for him,

I am but looking the way he went;

But my left hand shades my eyes,

And I look -- my eyelids do not droop- on the road that he has gone.

My eyes close not, they are still looking for him who hath not yet returned,

He who wakes in me ever new a thousand feelings yet unborn, and things of love uknown to me--

He, he who took my heart away by one glance at me!

Touch me not, advise me no more, Pray!

I am not concerned with the hundred roads that go;

I sit, and here i will sit by this road where he has gone;

I will wait here for him.

I will fix my eyes on this road,

He will look this way,

For this way I saw him go.

I am sad now for his love,

I will still sit and wait for him,

And let pass the pageant of the world.

It shall be nothing to me, if ages pass;

He will soon becoming this way.

Touch me not, advise me no more!

My Mind has let go the hold of all the things it had;

It is only an eye, a beautiful eye, a fixed gaze, an unwearying look, a woman's vow;

It is only looking in the way I saw him go.

My mind is filled with sudden joy;

I feel he is coming, my eyes burn bringhter;

But my heart soon fails with pain again, and my eyes grow dim with tears.

O the pain grows unbearable!

And my eyes mourn as if the life of my life has gone from me for ever.

I caution myself; no such ill forebodings will allow to rule within.

My eyes glow again from a hundred auspicious signs,

I make offerings of joy to gods,

And I look along the way he went -- surely he cannot be very far!

Day changes into night and night into day,

But change not my eyes.

They are fixed now forever;

They have forgotten how to close,

They know no sleep, no rest;

My life neither meat nor drink,

It is all at gaze, on the way that he has gone.

Touch me not, advise me no more!

Destroy the tasks of duty!

Let go, in the great fire of death and change, the deeds and the calls of life!

My vocation of life is this. Go from me. I am not yours!

My body fails, let it fail, let it fade and extinguish!

But never shall the gaze of my eyes turn from the way he has gone!

Touch me not, advise me no more!

LIFE GOES, LET IT GO;

My soul is in my eyes last a little while more!

Mu life is in my eyes,

The elements try in vain to dry me up by drying blood and flesh and bone.

There is a little lamp of life lit by love and set in the shrine of my eyes,

And I tell you the winds of death know not how to blow it out.

It is the light of the beloved,

That burns in the infinite storm of change, unchanged in my eyes.

My eyes are a spark of heaven;

I live and live as long as heaven is,

As long as love and life are.

My eyes beam and glisten,

And they are fixed forever on the road he has gone!

They shall look without an eyelid's droop for ever along that way.

All other limbs are dead, let them die; but let my eyes remain.

The green stem has turned dry,

But heaven and earth nurse them who have ceased to nurse themdselves,

Eternity now is mine!

My eyes have been looking along the way my love has gone from me.

In the name of Allah, I swear,

I had but one glimpse of him!

He came this way, that way he went,

I saw him, and I lost him.

He was but now before my eyes.

He has gone, and hath not yet returned.

It was but one glance, one glance that made me so selfless.

It was one glance that made me for ever pale and white.

And on and on for ever, I look for him!

He made me death-pale, white and ill;

he took my sleep and rest away.

O Allah! I had but one glimpse of him!

My eyes are as cups held in a beggar's hands, waiting still to be filled with love.

He came this way, that way he went!

I saw him and I lost him. He was but now before my eyes.

He has gone, my love has gone that way!

He has gone, and hath not yet returned!

Paths of Life was the first book i read by Puran singh jee.

I just bought Nargas and Satwant Kaur! cant wait to start them! I also have "Spirit Born People, Sisters of the spinning Wheel, The Bride of The Sky, and Walt Whitman and the Sikh inspiration" I hear Spirit born people is one of Puran SIngh Jee's most interesting works.

I still have to find their works online but for now I found a lot of their books at a Book store called Saucha Sauda # 905 459 8351

Thanks for all your help

I love the 07 Toronto version I was at Dixie but decided to leave after 1am i cant believe i missed that shabad.

anyways Im still looking for some historical context anyone know much about this shabad?

WJKK WJKF

Recently I have been bothered by a few puzzling questions. Firstly I do understand these questions revolve around a sensitive issue so I apologize ahead of time if they offend anyone. I do not mean to question faith but these questions arose in my mind after watching a documentary criticizing certain catholic amendments. Before I ask I do want to clarify by no means am I questioning faith, bani, guru path, Sikhi, or legitimacy of things. Second of all my intentions are pure I’m just a bit curious about certain events.

As we all know through advancements in faculties of science and social science scientist have gathered an abundance of data on our planet. For example through tracing mitochondrial DNA mutations in females (b/c mitochondria is only passed by mothers) scientist have traced mitochondrial eve (first common female ancestor) had lived about 140 years ago. The first humans appear in the fossil records about 130,000 years ago AL 288-1 (or Lucy) a fossilized Skelton of an Australopithecus Afarensis (which is a human like species). The age of Lucy’s fossil is about 3.2 million years ago. Anthropologists have even found fossils or bacteria dated about 3.5 billion years ago! Also through DNA, mutation, and fossil records we have been introduced to an extensive amount of proof for evolution theory. With this info out of the way my questions are 1) If the human life is the only way to progress into sach khand how did any of the species before us progress? 2) Also we are told of all the yugs from Sat(h) Yug to Kal yug and their differences. In sat people were known to have extensive life spans and powers. My question is does anyone know of any anthropological or even personal research done to maybe prove or enlighten us of that yug? I mean if there’s been discoveries of fossils 3.5 billion years old I am sure there must be something that must have survived from that era. From the time of Raam ji is there anything preserved? 3) What about the era of Dusht Daman Jee or the demons he fought are their any archaic paintings or artifacts or fossils of that time? Also does anyone know the exact time scale of these eras? 4) Many times I have heard the Singhs of Guru Jee’s time were a lot larger and huskier compared to the people of today. But studies show relatively little difference in body height of humans in the past 300 - 400 years. Is there any skeletal research we have that we can look to understand or claim the height differences? Or when people say this is the spot where Guru Jee sat, or this is the tree that gave shade to guru jee and so on how is that decided?

I want to end by saying I do not mean to question faith nor do I have any intentions of questioning the legitimacy of these things. My questions are only so we can better understand the issues and use that knowledge to understand bani.

Although I see nothing wrong with what I am asking but if by any chance I come across as wrong or criticizing anything I do apologize.

rUp hIn kul hIn gun hIn igAwn hIn

roop heen kul heen gun heen giaan heena

soBw hIn Bwg hIn qp hIn bwvrI ]

sobhaa heen bhaag heen thap heen baavaree ||

idRsit drs hIn sbd suriq hIn

dhrisatt dharas heen sabadh surath heena

buiD bl hIn sUDy hsq n pwvrI ]

budhh bal heen soodhhae hasath n paavaree ||

pRIq hIn rIiq hIn Bwie BY pRqIq hIn

preeth heen reeth heen bhaae bhai pratheeth heena

icq hIn ibq hIn shj suBwvrI ]

chith heen bith heen sehaj subhaavaree ||

AMg AMghIn dInwDIn prwcIn lig

a(n)g a(n)geheen dheenaadhheen paraacheen lagi

crn srin kYsy pRwpq huie rwvrI ]òòú]

charan saran kaisae praapath hue raavaree ||aaa||

http://sikhitothemax.com/page.asp?ShabadID=6713

couple questions what does the words "heen, reeth" translate into for this shabad? "bhavree" means crazy or to go crazy right?

n "Raavaree"?

WJKK WJKF

Guys got a quick question emm I recently developed an interest in Bhai Veer (Vir) Singh Jee's works and I needed some information on him. 1) Is his name spelled Veer or Vir? Because I came across both spellings. The Veer (Vir) Singh I am interested in was connected to (spiritual inspiration of) Professor Puran Singh. 2) Would anyone know if he only wrote in Punjabi or if he has English works too? I found some English stuff on www.dhangurunanak.com but it seems like it is all translations by scholars. I found some old UK forum in which people talked about his work being posted online but I've had trouble finding it. 3) would anyone know where i can find it? anything online? 4) any recommendation on which of his works to read?

Also who is Bibi Satwant Kaur Jee (in Sikh historical context)? Does anyone know anything on her? I know Bhai Vir Singh has written a book by this title. I was also offered a book with the same title but by another author. But I choose "Sisters of the Spinning Wheel" by Puran SIngh Jee instead. SO I wanted to ask around and see who Satwant Kaur was.

*I've also seen the Bibi Jees name spelled "Satvant Kaur"

Also if you have not read Puran singh, o my you need to start.

SO please let me know if you have answers to any of my questions or any recommendations of Artsy or inspiring Sikh books.

i guess to say it in simpler terms "what do you think about when you say waheguru (vaheguru); especially when its for a long period?"

In order to progress spiritually we must grow in a certain direction through simran no? or am i just over thinking or complicating something simple.

just wondering what approaches other people may be taking

WJKK WJKF

As we all know simran is a major part of the Sikh Path. The other day as I was doing simran and a thought came to my head, what truely are we suppose to be focusing on when we simar naam?

Many times an individual may naturally find their self colored in naam and drift into it gracefully. Sometimes listening to a bani line may be inspiring and lead to a focus. And I guess for years it has been a subconscious task for me. But I was just wondering what people focus on while doing simran? Is it literally a word “whaeguru, raam, har etc.” is it a certain feeling or image of god in your mind? Is it a feeling of love or the way of maybe calling out to god with every breath? Like what exactly should one be focusing on while doing simran for a long time?

I understand that most of the time it may be a misture of things. BUt, as we progress spiritually should we be i dunno maybe fine tuning the focus?

^^ good post bibi

I go back to sleep

i did that today

WJKK WJKF

hey dudes just wondering where Kabeer Jees saloks start in the GGS. Can someone hook up a link to the page on one of the bani sites?

Thanks

WJKK WJKF

emm here is an audio I found from the top of my head http://ikirtan.com/Bhai_Niranjan_Singh_Jee...ere_Wal_Hai.mp3

theres also one by Bibi Harjeet Kaur (Toronto) floating somewhere on the net I just cant remember where. But it was really hype

ENJOY :wub: