[salok] Kabeer Jeo Kae

[lowest of the low singhni]

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

ਕਬੀਰ ਥੋਰੈ ਜਲਿ ਮਾਛੁਲੀ ਝੀਵਰਿ ਮੇਲਿਓ ਜਾਲੁ ॥

kabeer thorai jal maachhulee jheevar mayli-o jaal.

Kabeer, the fish is in the shallow water; the fisherman has cast his net.

ਇਹ ਟੋਘਨੈ ਨ ਛੂਟਸਹਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਸਮੁੰਦੁ ਸਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਾਲਿ ॥੪੯॥

ih toghnai na chhootsahi fir kar samund samHaal.

You shall not escape this little pool; think about returning to the ocean.

ਥੋਰੈ ਜਲਿ = shallow water; ਮਾਛੁਲੀ = fish; ਝੀਵਰਿ = fisherman; ਜਾਲੁ = net; ਟੋਘਨੈ = pond; ਨ ਛੂਟਸਹਿ = save, escape; ਸਮੁੰਦੁ = ocean; ਸਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਾਲਿ = deliberate, think.

In this Salok Bhagat Kabeer Ji is using the image of fisherman to help us understand how to escape the clutches of Maya. The fisherman can easily catch a fish if it is in shallow water - it has nowhere to swim, and is more likely to be trapped. But if the fish seeks refuge in the vast ocean, it is much harder to find and has a much higher chance of survival.

In the same way we have forgotten our source - Akaal Purakh - and have come to wander in a danger-zone of being carried away by various enjoyments, pleasures and distractions. We don't realise the danger that we're in, until our time is up and we get caught with no way of escape. It's such a struggle for people to find the path to God after they're born. When we're young we're ractically told that maya and other distractions are good - things like toys and nice clothes keep us 'happy' and amused throughout childhood. But when we get older we start to question the life that we're living and feel that something deep is missing.

We have to recognise that Maharaj is always with us, watching over our every step and action. We're safest when we have full faith in Him, the Ocean. Until we truly believe in this, our minds and bodies continue wavering and flailing in Maya's hold. Eventually the hold will tighten around us so much that we won't be able to think of escaping. We're so lucky to have been told about the path of Gursikhi - so many others seem to have no hope, they know that they're searching for something but they don't know what it is, nor how to find it. It's about time we started recognising our gifts and using them before time runs out.

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~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh