The wisdom of Kabir

I’ve always been a huge fan of Kabir’s simple philosophy.   There are many beautiful couplets (or what are called doha’s).  I am sharing a few doha’s that touched me.  So simple and sensible and so easy to apply in day to day life .. if only we made the effort!  The translation is just the literal translation.  I’ll let you think through the deeper philosophy that he preaches.

कबिरा जब हम पैदा हुए, जग हँसे हम रोये
ऐसी करनी कर चलो, हम हँसे जग रोये

Kabir says: “When I was born I cried and the world laughed in happiness
Please let me live a life so worthy that I laugh and the world cries as I depart this existence.”

बोली तो अनमोल है, जे कोई जाने बोल
ह्रदय तराजू तौल करि, तव मुख बाहर खोल

Words are priceless and invaluable .. if one knows the right words to say
Says Kabir:  process within you what you want to say before you let it out

हिन्दू मुए राम कहि, मुसलमान खुदाय
कह क़बीर सो जीविता, दुहु में कहा न जाय

Hindus chant the name of Rama at death and Muslims take the name of Rahim
But no one ever realises Him during their lives

धीरे धीरे रे मना, धीरे सब कुछ होय
माली सींचे सौ घड़ा, रितु आये फल होय

Please understand oh mind that everything comes to fruition at the right time .. don’t despair
A gardener can water a plant with hundred pots of water each day, but the plant only flowers in the right season

बुरा न सिखिये और का,   गुण सिखिये सब केरा
जैसे मखी मीठे चुन चुन, रस लेही अनेरा

Says Kabir: never focus on the bad qualities of a person, just focus on the good
Like a bee that sucks the sweetest honey from each flower

पानी बाढे नाव में, घर में बाढे दाम
दोऊ हाथ उलीचिये, यहि संतों के काम

When water spills into a boat, or wealth fills your coffers
Throw it out with both your hands quickly, as wise men do

दुःख में सुमिरन सब करे सुख में करै न कोय
जो सुख में सुमिरन करे दुःख काहे को होय

We pray we think of him during times of need but forget him in times of happiness
Where would there be sorrow if we prayed to him and thought of him at all times

जाती ना पूछो साधु की ,पूछ लीजिए ज्ञान
मोल करो तलवार का, पड़ा रहन दो म्यान

Never ask a wise man for his caste, focus on his wisdom
Value the sword, not the cover that it comes in

काल करे सो आज कर, आज करे सो अब
पल में प्रलय होएगी,बहुरि करेगा कब

Whatever good deed you intended to do tomorrow, do it today and whatever you intended to do later today, do it now
Because the world could come to an end in a second and you won’t be able to fulfil what you set out to do

बुरा जो देखन में चला, बुरा न मिलिया कोय
जो मन खोजा आपना, मुझसा बुरा न कोय

I searched the world in vain for a bad person
When I looked within I realised that there was no one as bad as me (as I was looking for bad)

Aisi Karni Kar Chalo …..

I recently said to my lovely husband – ‘you know this might sound funny but I want people to say good things about me after I die.’

There are two kinds of people:

• people who don’t care about what others think of them and
• people who want to be liked.

I belong to the latter group. I always try to do the right thing by people, am way more generous to the world than the world is to me. I don’t expect reciprocation but I do crave acknowledgment. I want to hear that I am making a positive difference to someone in this life. I want to hear someone tell me how I’ve inspired/helped them. I want someone to write nice things about me. How lovely would it be to have someone tell you to your face that you are fantastic!! A poem would be great, an article or blog would be lovely or even a simple verbal message. Sadly, that does not happen to me at all!!  Don’t know why …. 😦

It is in this context that I made this statement to my husband. As I grow older, I find that self-introspection and reflection is an every-day occurrence.  In one of these moments of reflection I smile at my childishness. I see how silly I am! Does it really matter what people say when I am gone? Am I really going to know after I die. It is hardly going to make a difference to me … so why is it so important to me that nice things should be said after I go??

Kabir Das has written two beautiful dohas on this very topic:

“Kabira Jab Paida Hue to Jag Hansa Hum Roye

Aisi Karni Kar Chalo, Hum Hanse Jag Roye”

When you were born in this world

The world rejoiced and you cried

Live a life so worthy that when you go

You rejoice and the world mourns

“Jab Tun Aaya Jagat Mein, Log Hanse Tu Roye

Aise Karni Na Kari, Pache Hanse Sab Koye”

When you were born in this world Everyone laughed while you cried

Conduct NOT yourself in manner such That they laugh when you are gone

Maybe people’s reactions at your death is a yardstick for the kind of life you’ve lived. Maybe it is not so silly to wish for good things to be said after your death. But I do so wish people would say nice things to me when I am alive too so I can be happy!!