You Walk Like A Cow

[London Singh]

I just heard this shabad on Alpha from Darbar Sahib. Bhai Rama Singh's autobiography tells about how saddened they felt at the treatment of the Ox - the farmer will treat it really bad. We fare a similar fate if we don't endeavour to live a Gursikh lifestyle. But the cow is revered right so what does a cow stand for in this shabad?

This Shabad is by Bhagat Kabeer Ji in Raag Basant on Pannaa 1196

basa(n)th kabeer jeeou

Basant, KabeerJee:

ik oa(n)kaar sathigur prasaadh ||

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

sureh kee jaisee thaeree chaal ||

You walk like a cow.

thaeree poo(n)shhatt oopar jhamak baal ||1||

The hair on your tail is shiny and lustrous. ||1||

I think this means that we walk around all proud of our beauty, qualities i.e. full of haumai. That's as far as my interpretation goes! please help!

eis ghar mehi hai s thoo dtoo(n)dt khaahi ||

Look around, and eat anything in this house.

aour kis hee kae thoo math hee jaahi ||1|| rehaao ||

But do not go out to any other. ||1||Pause||

chaakee chaattehi choon khaahi ||

You lick the grinding bowl, and eat the flour.

chaakee kaa cheethharaa kehaa(n) lai jaahi ||2||

Where have you taken the kitchen rags? ||2||

shheekae par thaeree bahuth ddeet(h) ||

Your gaze is fixed on the basket in the cupboard.

math lakaree sottaa thaeree parai peet(h) ||3||

Watch out - a stick may strike you from behind. ||3||

kehi kabeer bhog bhalae keen ||

Says Kabeer, you have over-indulged in your pleasures.

math kooo maarai ee(n)att dtaem ||4||1||

Watch out - someone may throw a brick at you. ||4||1||

[ms514]

Sat Sri Akal:

Reference: http://www.gurugranthdarpan.com/1196.html

Basically, Professor Sahib Singh states that this is a description of a dog. When a dog finds a door open, it strolls in with its behind wagging like a cow and eats stuff in the house, moves around stuff like kitchen dish cloths and stares at something out of reach because you want what is inside. Basically, this is the description of humanity, in which we get attracted by Maya (material goods), consume Maya and do a few worldly things in this life. In this lust of Maya, suddenly the quest for the quick fix is rapidly ended by death. That death is the stick or the brick, when it is too late to realize that we could have done something in this life. Suddenly the fun is over and you have to pay for your delusions with pain.

Bhul Chuk Maaf.

[London Singh]

omg - I didn't know abut this website - thanks alot! Is there an English translation as well? My Punjabi is bit sloooowww

Thanks for helping me understand this - Gurbani is sooooooo deep! Wow!

[ms514]

Sat Sri Akal:

As per yet, there is no in depth Katha-like translation of Guru Granth Sahib in english. But hey, when in doubt, post it here and the Sangat will help.