Why Kabeer Said "Keep Your Hair Long Or Shave Your Head ?"

[SarabjeetS]

ਕਬੀਰ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਇਕ ਸਿਉ ਕੀਏ ਆਨ ਦੁਬਿਧਾ ਜਾਇ ॥

कबीर प्रीति इक सिउ कीए आन दुबिधा जाइ ॥

Kabīr parīṯ ik si▫o kī▫e ān ḏubiḏẖā jā▫e.

Kabeer, when you are in love with the One Lord, duality and alienation depart.

<a class="dict" href="http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.dictionary?Param=%E0%A8%AD%E0%A8%BE%E0%A8%B5%E0%A9%88" ;="" style="text-decoration: none; color: rgb(128, 0, 0); ">ਭਾਵੈ ਲਾਂਬੇ ਕੇਸ ਕਰੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਘਰਰਿ ਮੁਡਾਇ ॥੨੫॥

भावै लांबे केस करु भावै घररि मुडाइ ॥२५॥

Bẖāvai lāʼnbe kes kar bẖāvai gẖarar mudā▫e. ||25||

You may have long hair, or you may shave your head bald. ||25||

If this is the case why keeping kes is necessary in sikhi ?

Let us discuss this shabad !

[MokhamSingh]

Khalsa Ji

When translating Gurbani one must do so in accordance with the Siddant (core/central) theme. Bhagat Ji also state in Gurbani "Why shave the head when it's the mind that needs shaving".

The translation of the Shabad in question is that Naam Simran is the most superior actions and as such what is the point of shaving the head or becoming a member of a certain religious order when one doesn't engage in Naam Simran?

[PAL 07]

Kabber is refering to Jogis who keep long dreadlocks and Jains who pluck all the hair from their heads

[chatanga]

Kabber is refering to Jogis who keep long dreadlocks and Jains who pluck all the hair from their heads

He was refering to both Hindus and Muslims when saying this.

[PAL 07]

agreed chatanga but Gurbani is very deep and has many different dimensions that are percepted through subjectivity

[lowest of the low singhni]

Just a meagre attempt to clarify.

[Balbir Singh]

Pray Truth for all and say Satsriakaal,

Dear all,

Come to know true Naam Simran and experience each Vaak of Sri Guru Granth Saahib Jee as it is.

True Simran leads one out of duality. It does not matter if you have long hairs or not.

Balbir Singh

[MokhamSingh]

<br />Pray Truth for all and say Satsriakaal,<br />Dear all,<br /><br />Come to know true Naam Simran and experience each Vaak of Sri Guru Granth Saahib Jee as it is.<br /><br />True Simran leads one out of duality. It does not matter if you have long hairs or not.<br /><br /><br />Balbir Singh<br />

<br /><br /><br />

ਮੂਡ ਮੁੰਡਾਏ ਜੌ ਸਿਧਿ ਪਾਈ ॥

मूड मुंडाए जौ सिधि पाई ॥

Mūd mundā▫e jou siḏẖ pā▫ī.

If the spiritual perfection of the Siddhas could be obtained by shaving the head,

ਮੁਕਤੀ ਭੇਡ ਨ ਗਈਆ ਕਾਈ ॥੨॥

मुकती भेड न गईआ काई ॥२॥

Mukṯī bẖed na ga▫ī▫ā kā▫ī. ||2||

then why haven't sheep found liberation? ||2||

[Balbir Singh]

ਮੂੰਡੁ ਮੁਡਾਇ ਜਟਾ ਸਿਖ ਬਾਧੀ ਮੋਨਿ ਰਹੈ ਅਭਿਮਾਨਾ ॥

मूंडु मुडाइ जटा सिख बाधी मोनि रहै अभिमाना ॥

Mūnd mudā▫e jatā sikẖ bāḏẖī mon rahai abẖimānā.

Some shave their heads, some keep their hair in matted tangles; some keep it in braids, while some keep silent, filled with egotistical pride.

ਮਨੂਆ ਡੋਲੈ ਦਹ ਦਿਸ ਧਾਵੈ ਬਿਨੁ ਰਤ ਆਤਮ ਗਿਆਨਾ ॥

मनूआ डोलै दह दिस धावै बिनु रत आतम गिआना ॥

Manū▫ā dolai ḏah ḏis ḏẖāvai bin raṯ āṯam gi▫ānā.

Their minds waver and wander in ten directions, without loving devotion and enlightenment of the soul.

ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਛੋਡਿ ਮਹਾ ਬਿਖੁ ਪੀਵੈ ਮਾਇਆ ਕਾ ਦੇਵਾਨਾ ॥

अम्रितु छोडि महा बिखु पीवै माइआ का देवाना ॥

Amriṯ cẖẖod mahā bikẖ pīvai mā▫i▫ā kā ḏevānā.

They abandon the Ambrosial Nectar, and drink the deadly poison, driven mad by Maya.

ਕਿਰਤੁ ਨ ਮਿਟਈ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਨ ਬੂਝੈ ਪਸੂਆ ਮਾਹਿ ਸਮਾਨਾ ॥੫॥

किरतु न मिटई हुकमु न बूझै पसूआ माहि समाना ॥५॥

Kiraṯ na mit▫ī hukam na būjẖai pasū▫ā māhi samānā. ||5||

Past actions cannot be erased; without understanding the Hukam of the Lord's Command, they become beasts. ||5||

Sri Guru Granth Sahib Page 1013