[shabad] Bhagat Kabeer Ji

[lowest of the low singhni]

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

This is a Shabad by Bhagat Kabeer Ji on Ang 484 of Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

ਆਸਾ ॥

ਕਰਵਤੁ ਭਲਾ ਨ ਕਰਵਟ ਤੇਰੀ ॥ ਲਾਗੁ ਗਲੇ ਸੁਨੁ ਬਿਨਤੀ ਮੇਰੀ ॥੧॥

I would rather be cut apart by a saw, than have You turn Your back on me. Hug me close, and listen to my prayer.

ਹਉ ਵਾਰੀ ਮੁਖੁ ਫੇਰਿ ਪਿਆਰੇ ॥ ਕਰਵਟੁ ਦੇ ਮੋ ਕਉ ਕਾਹੇ ਕਉ ਮਾਰੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

I am a sacrifice to You - please, turn Your face to me, O Beloved Lord. Why have You turned Your back to me? Why have You killed me?

ਜਉ ਤਨੁ ਚੀਰਹਿ ਅੰਗੁ ਨ ਮੋਰਉ ॥ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰੈ ਤਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਨ ਤੋਰਉ ॥੨॥

Even if You cut my body apart, I shall not pull my limbs away from You. Even if my body falls, I shall not break my bonds of love with You.

ਹਮ ਤੁਮ ਬੀਚੁ ਭਇਓ ਨਹੀ ਕੋਈ ॥ ਤੁਮਹਿ ਸੁ ਕੰਤ ਨਾਰਿ ਹਮ ਸੋਈ ॥੩॥

Between You and I, there is no other. You are the Husband Lord, and I am the soul-bride.

ਕਹਤੁ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਸੁਨਹੁ ਰੇ ਲੋਈ ॥ ਅਬ ਤੁਮਰੀ ਪਰਤੀਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥੪॥੨॥੩੫॥

Says Kabeer, listen, O people: now, I place no reliance in you.

: )

ਆਸਾ ॥

ਕਰਵਤੁ ਭਲਾ ਨ ਕਰਵਟ ਤੇਰੀ ॥

I would rather be cut apart by a saw, than have You turn Your back on me.

ਲਾਗੁ ਗਲੇ ਸੁਨੁ ਬਿਨਤੀ ਮੇਰੀ ॥੧॥

Hug me close, and listen to my prayer.

The word ਕਰਵਤ means a saw. The word ਕਰਵਟ with a ਟ here means to turn away. Bhagat Ji is reciting a prayer to Guru Saheb and asks Him to hold him close and listen to the words. He says that it would be better that he was sawn into pieces than have his beloved King abandon him. For those of us who say Gurbani is only metaphorical, this is an example of how wrong we can be. Those like Shaheed Bhai Mati Das Ji enshrined words like this in their heart - those that were so in love with their Guru that they couldn't bear to turn their faces away from Him but would rather have their body vessels be tortured or sawn alive instead. So much love.

ਹਉ ਵਾਰੀ ਮੁਖੁ ਫੇਰਿ ਪਿਆਰੇ ॥

I am a sacrifice to You - please, turn Your face to me, O Beloved Lord.

ਕਰਵਟੁ ਦੇ ਮੋ ਕਉ ਕਾਹੇ ਕਉ ਮਾਰੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Why have You turned Your back to me? Why have You killed me?

Bhagat Kabeer Ji humbly tells Maharaj that he would willingly give up everything just to have Guru Saheb's glance fall on his heart and soul. The word ਪਿਆਰੇ shows a different story than the usual tale of a King and his subjects. Usually a King will rule his court and the royal subjects will be forced to obey him or face the penalty for treason/disobedience. If the subjects have no respect for the King they serve him out of pure resentment and fear. Bhagat Kabeer Ji shows us something different - He talks to his King in the same sweet tone as a lover would, and he addresses Guru Ji as his beloved. There are no ulterior motives and no sense of self behind these sacred words, just a basketful of love. Bhagat Kabeer Ji further says that for Guru Saheb to turn His back on him would be like killing his heart, maybe even worse. Bhagat Ji describes his search for his beloved King and begs that Guru Saheb watch over him always.

ਜਉ ਤਨੁ ਚੀਰਹਿ ਅੰਗੁ ਨ ਮੋਰਉ ॥

Even if You cut my body apart, I shall not pull my limbs away from You.

ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰੈ ਤਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਨ ਤੋਰਉ ॥੨॥

Even if my body falls, I shall not break my bonds of love with You.

These lines show us how much love a Sikh can have for their Guru. A few days ago I was talking about attachment to people/possessions, and a friend turned around and asked me, 'What would it be like to live without your body?' I told them I couldn't remember ever experiencing that and couldn't even begin to try imagining what it would be like. They told me that we are so worried about being attached to our friends or homes or material objects, yet even without all those things we are still fundamentally attached to our bodies. The strange thing is that when we take Amrit we already told Siri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj that he could have our bodies and our souls.

Here Bhagat Kabeer Ji tells Akaal Purakh that he would give up his body to him readily, without second thought. On top of that, he would remain smiling if Guru Saheb himself cut that body up. Even then his Sikh would not run away from the arms of his most beloved King. Even then they would remain at peace with the love of Guru Saheb in their hearts. In the second line of this verse Bhagat Ji says that even if the body is tortured and broken beyond repair, the love that holds the connection between him and his Lord will never be severed.

ਹਮ ਤੁਮ ਬੀਚੁ ਭਇਓ ਨਹੀ ਕੋਈ ॥

Between You and I, there is no other.

ਤੁਮਹਿ ਸੁ ਕੰਤ ਨਾਰਿ ਹਮ ਸੋਈ ॥੩॥

You are the Husband Lord, and I am the soul-bride.

Bhagat Ji goes on to elaborate on the strength and love in that special connection. Between a Sikh and his Guru what can come in the way? The Sakhi of Bhai Joga Singh shows this nicely. We can read it here (and there are nice pictures there too). Even when Bhai Joga Singh Ji had to leave in the middle of his marriage he left. Even when Bhai Joga Singh Ji was tempted to leave his Guru, Akaal Purakh protected him. Such is the connection between a Sikh and his Guru. Bhagat Kabeer Ji describes it, like many other tuks in Gurbani, like a relationship between a bride and groom; the Husband Akaal Purakh and the bride as our soul.

ਕਹਤੁ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਸੁਨਹੁ ਰੇ ਲੋਈ ॥

Says Kabeer, listen, O people:

ਅਬ ਤੁਮਰੀ ਪਰਤੀਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥੪॥੨॥੩੫॥

now, I place no reliance in you.

The final line in this Shabad tells us that once a Sikh has established that connection with his King, then there is no need to rely on other people for support. Good Sangat never hurt anyone but a lot of the time without our friends we get incredibly lonely. It's at times like that when we need to realise, even without our friends Guru Saheb is with us all the time. These lines remind me of another shabad as well which we can finish off with.

ਮਃ ੧ ॥

ਪਰੰਦਏ ਨ ਗਿਰਾਹ ਜਰ ॥

The birds have no money in their pockets.

ਦਰਖਤ ਆਬ ਆਸ ਕਰ ॥

They place their hopes on trees and water.

ਦਿਹੰਦ ਸੁਈ ॥

He alone is the Giver.

ਏਕ ਤੁਈ ਏਕ ਤੁਈ ॥੬॥

You alone, Lord, You alone.

Ang 144

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

[mskcan]

Well said, however I feel the point can come across more endearingly if praise is given to the martyr's without us having to feel guilty that we do not live up to those standards. If we praise their actions, then we can choose to aspire to have those qualities within ourselves. If we are told, then our egos will say 'why should I'.

[Laadli Fauj]

beautiful post

again

i LOVE that shabad tho

thanks for the kathaa!

[Gupt Singhni]

Excellent post penji thats an amazing shabad.

Vaheguroo

[_anon_]

ਆਸਾ ॥

ਕਰਵਤੁ ਭਲਾ ਨ ਕਰਵਟ ਤੇਰੀ ॥ ਲਾਗੁ ਗਲੇ ਸੁਨੁ ਬਿਨਤੀ ਮੇਰੀ ॥੧॥

I would rather be cut apart by a saw, than have You turn Your back on me. Hug me close, and listen to my prayer.

ਹਉ ਵਾਰੀ ਮੁਖੁ ਫੇਰਿ ਪਿਆਰੇ ॥ ਕਰਵਟੁ ਦੇ ਮੋ ਕਉ ਕਾਹੇ ਕਉ ਮਾਰੇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

I am a sacrifice to You - please, turn Your face to me, O Beloved Lord. Why have You turned Your back to me? Why have You killed me?

ਜਉ ਤਨੁ ਚੀਰਹਿ ਅੰਗੁ ਨ ਮੋਰਉ ॥ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰੈ ਤਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਨ ਤੋਰਉ ॥੨॥

Even if You cut my body apart, I shall not pull my limbs away from You. Even if my body falls, I shall not break my bonds of love with You.

ਹਮ ਤੁਮ ਬੀਚੁ ਭਇਓ ਨਹੀ ਕੋਈ ॥ ਤੁਮਹਿ ਸੁ ਕੰਤ ਨਾਰਿ ਹਮ ਸੋਈ ॥੩॥

Between You and I, there is no other. You are the Husband Lord, and I am the soul-bride.

ਕਹਤੁ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਸੁਨਹੁ ਰੇ ਲੋਈ ॥ ਅਬ ਤੁਮਰੀ ਪਰਤੀਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥੪॥੨॥੩੫॥

Says Kabeer, listen, O people: now, I place no reliance in you.

Bhagat Kabeer Ji further says that for Guru Saheb to turn His back on him would be like killing his heart, maybe even worse. Bhagat Ji describes his search for his beloved King and begs that Guru Saheb watch over him always.

Here Bhagat Kabeer Ji tells Akaal Purakh that he would give up his body to him readily, without second thought. On top of that, he would remain smiling if Guru Saheb himself cut that body up. Even then his Sikh would not run away from the arms of his most beloved King. Even then they would remain at peace with the love of Guru Saheb in their hearts. In the second line of this verse Bhagat Ji says that even if the body is tortured and broken beyond repair, the love that holds the connection between him and his Lord will never be severed.

vaheguru...

[AK-47]

Its been a while since i read the sakhi associated with this shabad, so forgive me if i get some bits out of place.

In the sant kirpal singh steeks he mentions that the story is to do with Bhagat Kabeer Ji and his wife Mata Loi.

(Sorry again this is from the top of my head, would need to check pothi again to be 100% sure) one day bhagat kabeer ji was out and a devotee came to visit him. mata ji was home and invited the devotee inside. The sevak wanted liberation and mukhti from bhagat kabeer ji and asked mata ji to do kirpa on him. Mata ji told him to repeat the name of god, he did, then she said say it again, he did, then she said say it once more, so he did.

So in total the devotee said gods name 3 times and mata ji said his request would be fulfilled. when bhagat kabeer ji returned home he heard about the story and got furious with mata ji. he asked her why she made the devotee say gods name 3 times, was the name not powerful enough to save him by just repeating it once?

on saying this bhagat ji turned his back on mata ji and refused to talk to her. It is at this point that mata ji said these lines to bhagat kabeer ji (who later i guess used them, they may have been slightly diff when first said).

When mata ji is talking to Bhagat ji, she is talking to him both as her husband and also recognising him as the true light of vaheguru i.e. bhramgianni. When the light of vaheguru turns his back on her she cant bear the seperation, she cant handle that vaheguru is upset with her. and she cries that no matter what she will never let go of him.

she then explained why she made the devotee say the name of god 3 times. i cant remember the exact 3 things, but on hearing them bhagat kabeer ji was satisfied and was happy with mata loi.

In the last bhangti bhagat kabeer ji says 'sunoh re loi' loi here is the name of his wife. i cant remember the arth of the last bhangtis so it may mean both people and his wife.

again sorry for the mish mash version of the sakhi, im sure someone else will be able to give a more concise account.

[lowest of the low singhni]

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

Thank you AK-47. I too have heard this Sakhi but my ignorant mind thinks it's strange behaviour of a Bhagat to get annoyed with his wife.

The ang 'loi' has been used by Bhagat Kabeer Ji in many places. The gender in the above Shabad is masculine as told by the ang 'Rey' before it. If it was feminine it would be 'Ree'. In other places Guru Sahib has used the ang 'Loi' to describe the 'world'. So it is possible that is has the same meaning here: Bhagat Kabeer Ji could be renouncing any reliance on the world.

Thanks for posting : )

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh