कबिरा गर्व न कीजिये, ऊँचे देख आवास, काल परो भूंइ लेटना, ऊपर जम्सो घांस
Kabir says do not be too vain about your tall mansions;In time you will have to lie down on the bare earth and only grass will grow over you
Kabir attacks the false value of pride in worldly possessions.
Five types of afflictions restrict the Union with God .These are
1 Ignorance (in the form of a misunderstanding about Reality) or Avidyaa,
2 egoism (in the form of an erroneous identification of the Self with the intellect) or asmitaa,
3 attachment or raaga,
4 aversion or dvesha and
5 fear of death (which is derived from clinging ignorantly to life) -or abhinivesha.
Out of these afflictions ,Ignorance or Avidyaa means to consider as permanent what is ephemeral, as pure what is not pure , as pleasure what is pain and as the Self what is really the not-Self .Kabir has attacked a part of this Avidyaa here as it makes us think mistakenly that our big properties are ours forever and this makes us vain about these possessions.
Kabir's teachings are married to the Upanishads.Though we find it difficullt to translate them , the 15th century people understood them clearly and easily as these were delivered to them in the language they spoke daily.Kabir brought the Upanishadic thought to the people and made them part of the folklore.
Translated by Arvind Mishra
Thursday, October 29, 2009
माला फेरत जुग भया
माला फेरत जुग भया, फिरा न मन का फेर । कर का मन का डार दे, मन का मनका फेर ॥
An age passed rotating the beads of the rosary, yet the mind did not rotate (inwards to God);Drop the rosary from your hands and rotate the beads of the mind.
The seer sees the world through the mind's eye assisted by the senses.The mind looses all the discretion(viveka) between the seer and seen while it is engrossed by the senses in the outside world and accumulates impressions and modifications or impurities that act like dust on the mirror that cloud the vision and so the reflection of the seer is not seen in the mind's mirror.But when the mind cuts out the effect of the senses through practice of looking inwards assisted by non attachment and devotion to God, it is able to wipe off the dust of impressions and then the image or reflection of the seer is seen clearly and the distinction between the seer and seen becomes apparent and when this happens the seer rests back in its original form and mind is relieved of the cycle of birth and death. तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपे अवस्थानम् II---yogasutra of patanjali
Kabir says we should practise this turning of the mind inwards.Nothing is achieved by showing off to everyone how religious you are by turning the rosary and mulling worldly things in the mind.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
An age passed rotating the beads of the rosary, yet the mind did not rotate (inwards to God);Drop the rosary from your hands and rotate the beads of the mind.
The seer sees the world through the mind's eye assisted by the senses.The mind looses all the discretion(viveka) between the seer and seen while it is engrossed by the senses in the outside world and accumulates impressions and modifications or impurities that act like dust on the mirror that cloud the vision and so the reflection of the seer is not seen in the mind's mirror.But when the mind cuts out the effect of the senses through practice of looking inwards assisted by non attachment and devotion to God, it is able to wipe off the dust of impressions and then the image or reflection of the seer is seen clearly and the distinction between the seer and seen becomes apparent and when this happens the seer rests back in its original form and mind is relieved of the cycle of birth and death. तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपे अवस्थानम् II---yogasutra of patanjali
Kabir says we should practise this turning of the mind inwards.Nothing is achieved by showing off to everyone how religious you are by turning the rosary and mulling worldly things in the mind.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
जैसे तिल में तेल है
जैसे तिल में तेल है, ज्यूं चकमक में आग , तेरा साईं तुझमे है, तू जाग सके तो जाग II
कबीर मन निर्मल भय
कबीर मन निर्मल भय, जैसे गंगा नीर, पाछे पाछे हर फिरे, कहत कबीर कबीर
Kabir's consciousness is cleansed of impurities, just like the ganges water;and the world is following him now repeating his name
Kabir discloses in simple words the deep, tough and complex meaning of Hindu philosophical thought as delineated in shloka 24, 25 and 26 of first chapter of the Patanjali Yogasutra, which translate roughly as
"Iswara is a particular Purusha who is purified of the afflictions, actions, fruit of the actions or the resulting latent impressions.That Iswara is the Gurú even of the former gurus because He is not determined or limited by Time"
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Kabir's consciousness is cleansed of impurities, just like the ganges water;and the world is following him now repeating his name
Kabir discloses in simple words the deep, tough and complex meaning of Hindu philosophical thought as delineated in shloka 24, 25 and 26 of first chapter of the Patanjali Yogasutra, which translate roughly as
"Iswara is a particular Purusha who is purified of the afflictions, actions, fruit of the actions or the resulting latent impressions.That Iswara is the Gurú even of the former gurus because He is not determined or limited by Time"
Translation by Arvind Mishra
अकथ कहानी प्रेम की
अकथ कहानी प्रेम की, कुछ कही न जाये, गूंगे केरी सर्करा, बैठे मुस्काए
Just as someone who cannot speak eats sweets but sits and smiles enjoying the feeling without being able to express it, the story of love (between seer and seen)cannot be told.
It is a matter of deep inner experience which cannot be understood by someone telling or someone listening,; it can only be experienced.It cannot be known or told by the gross five senses and human faculties.Kabir also distinguishes Bhakti Marg from the Gyana marg here .
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Just as someone who cannot speak eats sweets but sits and smiles enjoying the feeling without being able to express it, the story of love (between seer and seen)cannot be told.
It is a matter of deep inner experience which cannot be understood by someone telling or someone listening,; it can only be experienced.It cannot be known or told by the gross five senses and human faculties.Kabir also distinguishes Bhakti Marg from the Gyana marg here .
Translation by Arvind Mishra
पहले अगन बिरहा की
पहले अगन बिरहा की, पाछे प्रेम की प्यास | कहे कबीर तब जानिए, नाम मिलन की आस |
Understand and Unravel Liberation and hope for it only while you are living;for if you are not able to cut the noose of karma(actions) in this life,the hope for Liberation from the cycle of birth and death dies.
Expln: If we are able to cut free from the noose of Karma(actions) we can escape the cycle of birth and death.It is the Karma and its causes and results that keep us diverted from reality and engaged in fruitless pursuits.Kabir emphasises the actual utility of the human birth.Other living beings do not attain liberation, only human beings can, as human birth is primarily designed to enable the liberation of all prakriti or non-God existence and its attaining to the one GOD, the one and only seer and the only chetan or universal absolute consciousness.So human birth should not be wasted and should be utilized for the purpose it came into existence for---realisation of God.Kabir makes the esoteric words of Upanishadas intelligible to the unread minds.Here it may be added that Science is yet to accept and prove the Law of Karma and cycle of birth and death but they form part of the central doctrine of the vedas and upanishads.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Understand and Unravel Liberation and hope for it only while you are living;for if you are not able to cut the noose of karma(actions) in this life,the hope for Liberation from the cycle of birth and death dies.
Expln: If we are able to cut free from the noose of Karma(actions) we can escape the cycle of birth and death.It is the Karma and its causes and results that keep us diverted from reality and engaged in fruitless pursuits.Kabir emphasises the actual utility of the human birth.Other living beings do not attain liberation, only human beings can, as human birth is primarily designed to enable the liberation of all prakriti or non-God existence and its attaining to the one GOD, the one and only seer and the only chetan or universal absolute consciousness.So human birth should not be wasted and should be utilized for the purpose it came into existence for---realisation of God.Kabir makes the esoteric words of Upanishadas intelligible to the unread minds.Here it may be added that Science is yet to accept and prove the Law of Karma and cycle of birth and death but they form part of the central doctrine of the vedas and upanishads.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
चलती चाकी देख कर
चलती चाकी देख कर, दिया कबीरा रोय | दुई पाटन के बीच में फँस के, साबित बचा न कोय ||
Looking at the rotating flour grinding stone mill, Kabir weeps; Between the two stones nothing remains as it was.
Kabir laments the ephemeral state of all things in the mill of the Absolute Consciousness, as a result of the interplay between the aakash(sky) and prithvi(earth) which resemble the rotating stones of the manual grinder,the sky and earth combination in turn representing the energy and matter, supreme consciousness and human soul, seer and seen, Absolute and non-Absolute; all living and non-living bodies are formed out of the elements and to the elements they merge later, the elements forming the matter also are constantly undergo change; Matter, Time and Space do not remain the same and their constituents are everchanging. Nothing but the Absolute is eternal and remains in the same state.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Looking at the rotating flour grinding stone mill, Kabir weeps; Between the two stones nothing remains as it was.
Kabir laments the ephemeral state of all things in the mill of the Absolute Consciousness, as a result of the interplay between the aakash(sky) and prithvi(earth) which resemble the rotating stones of the manual grinder,the sky and earth combination in turn representing the energy and matter, supreme consciousness and human soul, seer and seen, Absolute and non-Absolute; all living and non-living bodies are formed out of the elements and to the elements they merge later, the elements forming the matter also are constantly undergo change; Matter, Time and Space do not remain the same and their constituents are everchanging. Nothing but the Absolute is eternal and remains in the same state.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
ज्यों नैनो में पुतली
ज्यों नैनो में पुतली , त्यों मालिक घट माहि | मूरख लोग ना जानिहि बहिर ढूँढ़न जाहि||
As the pupil inside the eyes,so is the God inside my pot(body); Fools do not know this and go looking outside for Him
Kabir uses the similarity of construction of the pupil inside the eyeball with the Seer(God) inside the Pot representing the body, to drive home his message.Also as we see that the pupil is the seer of all that is outside, through the physical eye, similarly the Absolute seer sees with the help of the body, physical and subtle. Those who try to look with the physical eye , go looking for Him outside whereas those who look for Him inside through the mind's eye can find Him.
The Absolute Consciousness is the one that sees.All that we have to work towards is the removal of the five types of modifications in the mind which act like dirt and dust on the mind's mirror.Once that dust is removed , the vision becomes clear and consequently the seer rests back in its own original nature.This is called Realization of God.
तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपे अवस्थानम् II---yogasutra of patanjali
Translation by Arvind Mishra
As the pupil inside the eyes,so is the God inside my pot(body); Fools do not know this and go looking outside for Him
Kabir uses the similarity of construction of the pupil inside the eyeball with the Seer(God) inside the Pot representing the body, to drive home his message.Also as we see that the pupil is the seer of all that is outside, through the physical eye, similarly the Absolute seer sees with the help of the body, physical and subtle. Those who try to look with the physical eye , go looking for Him outside whereas those who look for Him inside through the mind's eye can find Him.
The Absolute Consciousness is the one that sees.All that we have to work towards is the removal of the five types of modifications in the mind which act like dirt and dust on the mind's mirror.Once that dust is removed , the vision becomes clear and consequently the seer rests back in its own original nature.This is called Realization of God.
तदा द्रष्टुः स्वरूपे अवस्थानम् II---yogasutra of patanjali
Translation by Arvind Mishra
काल करे सो आज कर
काल करे सो आज कर, आज करे सो अब | पल में परलय होएगी, बहुरि करोगे कब ||
Do today what you plan to do tomorrow, and do now what you plan for today;if cataclysm happens when then will you do it?
Expln Kabir emphasises the significance of the present moment.We should not live in the past or the future but focus on best utilizing the present.The karma or work that we do right now will decide if we will accumulate karma and the quality of karma we will accumulate.It will decide how soon we will be able to get rid of all accumulated karmas and realise God.Time is short and human birth being short on time and life being rife with uncertainties , we must not waste time and use every moment to achieve progress towards escaping the cycle of birth and death and achieve God realization .Use the NOW , the present moment to achieve full benefit.Human birth is designed to enable God realization and has no other purpose in the God's scheme of things so do not while it away and use every moment.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Do today what you plan to do tomorrow, and do now what you plan for today;if cataclysm happens when then will you do it?
Expln Kabir emphasises the significance of the present moment.We should not live in the past or the future but focus on best utilizing the present.The karma or work that we do right now will decide if we will accumulate karma and the quality of karma we will accumulate.It will decide how soon we will be able to get rid of all accumulated karmas and realise God.Time is short and human birth being short on time and life being rife with uncertainties , we must not waste time and use every moment to achieve progress towards escaping the cycle of birth and death and achieve God realization .Use the NOW , the present moment to achieve full benefit.Human birth is designed to enable God realization and has no other purpose in the God's scheme of things so do not while it away and use every moment.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
कबीर सो धन संचिये
कबीर सो धन संचिये, जो आगे को होए| सीस चढाये पोटली, ले जात न देख्या कोए||
Kabir says accumulate only as much wealth as would be of use later ;no one has been seen taking his pot (of wealth)with him(after death) on his head
Wealth will remain with you only till death.There is no point accumulating wealth that will not be of any use to us.So accumulation should be within limits with an eye on possible use in lifetime.One can also say that excess wealth earned should be spent suitably/given away according to Dharma rather than accumulated.Accumulation of wealth leads to delay in and prevention of its enjoyment by society.
The motivation behind creation of wealth should be its employment to earn and accumulate good karma rather than accumulation of wealth.Good Karmas is that wealth that needs to be accumulated as it would be of use later also, both in this life as well as in future lives.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Kabir says accumulate only as much wealth as would be of use later ;no one has been seen taking his pot (of wealth)with him(after death) on his head
Wealth will remain with you only till death.There is no point accumulating wealth that will not be of any use to us.So accumulation should be within limits with an eye on possible use in lifetime.One can also say that excess wealth earned should be spent suitably/given away according to Dharma rather than accumulated.Accumulation of wealth leads to delay in and prevention of its enjoyment by society.
The motivation behind creation of wealth should be its employment to earn and accumulate good karma rather than accumulation of wealth.Good Karmas is that wealth that needs to be accumulated as it would be of use later also, both in this life as well as in future lives.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
ऐसी वाणी बोलिए
ऐसी वाणी बोलिए, मन का आपा खोये | अपना तन शीतल करे, औरन को सुख होए ||
Speak such language and tone that is devoid of the "I" in your mind; It will calm and comfort your body as well as make others feel happy.
The real "I" is the absolute and the identification of the mind and its modifications and patterns as "I" is a false identification.The mind trapped inside the body does not do or see anything, the doer or seer is the Absolute consciousness who sees,hears, tastes, smells and experiences the sense of touch etc through the faculty of the mind.All matter or prakriti exists for the cause of this seer, the ultimate "Purusha". When we delink from our "I" of the mind and visualise things done for and by the Absolute, then our body and mind feel fine and calm as being the server of the Absolute. Everyone else also feels fine and happy as they do not have to react to you but only see their interaction with the Absolute consciousness. After all when we are not doing anything nor experiencing anything nor are responsible for anything why should we be tense and sad about anything going on inside or outside us. Kabir also emphasises the duty of using the senses and human faculties, particularly of speech to subserve the cause of the Absolute as it is made for that purpose alone.Since it is designed for that purpose it is designed to have the desired effect of helping the process of the realization of the Absolute and so that is the best way to use it.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Speak such language and tone that is devoid of the "I" in your mind; It will calm and comfort your body as well as make others feel happy.
The real "I" is the absolute and the identification of the mind and its modifications and patterns as "I" is a false identification.The mind trapped inside the body does not do or see anything, the doer or seer is the Absolute consciousness who sees,hears, tastes, smells and experiences the sense of touch etc through the faculty of the mind.All matter or prakriti exists for the cause of this seer, the ultimate "Purusha". When we delink from our "I" of the mind and visualise things done for and by the Absolute, then our body and mind feel fine and calm as being the server of the Absolute. Everyone else also feels fine and happy as they do not have to react to you but only see their interaction with the Absolute consciousness. After all when we are not doing anything nor experiencing anything nor are responsible for anything why should we be tense and sad about anything going on inside or outside us. Kabir also emphasises the duty of using the senses and human faculties, particularly of speech to subserve the cause of the Absolute as it is made for that purpose alone.Since it is designed for that purpose it is designed to have the desired effect of helping the process of the realization of the Absolute and so that is the best way to use it.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
कबीरा खडा बाज़ार में
कबीरा खडा बाज़ार में, मांगे सबकी खैर | ना काहू से दोस्ती, ना काहू से बैर ||
In the marketplace of life stands Kabir, praying for everyone's welfare.Neither any friendship nor enmity with anyone.
Kabir stresses the importance of detachment(vairagya) in life. He calls it a market as frequent interactions take place here between people and things.We should not be attached either in positive or in the negative way with anyone or anything.Constant Practice(Abhyasa), non -attachment(Vairagya) and devotion to God(Ishwara Pranidhan) have been mentioned in the old Sanskrit Texts to be the methods to attain union with God.
With regard to non attachment the Yogasutra says " दृष्ट्रानुशाविक विषय वित्रिश्नस्य वशीकार संज्ञा इति वैराग्यम II" which translates as
"As for non-reaction, one can recognize that it has been fully achieved when no attachment arises in regard to anything at all, whether perceived directly or learned".
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Kabir is explaining in laymans language what vairagya constitutes.Union with God is Kabir's context and no other.
However , we human beings can derive a lesson here too for ordinary existence as what is true for gaining divinity must also be true as an ideal for worldly life as both ought to be in consonance with each other. While doing anything we should not form value judgements about anyone or thing; business success also will depend upon if we have fair and transparent policy.
In the marketplace of life stands Kabir, praying for everyone's welfare.Neither any friendship nor enmity with anyone.
Kabir stresses the importance of detachment(vairagya) in life. He calls it a market as frequent interactions take place here between people and things.We should not be attached either in positive or in the negative way with anyone or anything.Constant Practice(Abhyasa), non -attachment(Vairagya) and devotion to God(Ishwara Pranidhan) have been mentioned in the old Sanskrit Texts to be the methods to attain union with God.
With regard to non attachment the Yogasutra says " दृष्ट्रानुशाविक विषय वित्रिश्नस्य वशीकार संज्ञा इति वैराग्यम II" which translates as
"As for non-reaction, one can recognize that it has been fully achieved when no attachment arises in regard to anything at all, whether perceived directly or learned".
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Kabir is explaining in laymans language what vairagya constitutes.Union with God is Kabir's context and no other.
However , we human beings can derive a lesson here too for ordinary existence as what is true for gaining divinity must also be true as an ideal for worldly life as both ought to be in consonance with each other. While doing anything we should not form value judgements about anyone or thing; business success also will depend upon if we have fair and transparent policy.
पोथी पढ़ पढ़ जग मुआ
पोथी पढ़ पढ़ जग मुआ, पंडित भया न कोय| ढाई आखर प्रेम के, जो
None became knowledgeable by reading thick books;two and half letters of the word "प्रेम " is all that anyone needs to read to know
There are so many words that everyone reads but all one needs to know is those two and half letters which contain the essence of all knowledge that we ever need to acquire.The path of love and complete devotion to God helps us the best in realizing God.Patanjali says ईश्वर प्रणिधानात्वा चित्त वृत्ति निरोधः which means roughly as "Union with God or the cessation of the modifications on the mind plate is possible by complete devotion to God also"
Kabir however simplifies it all and believes and propounds that Bhakti or love and devotion to God is the method which is the best and the only one that requires to be read ,understood and followed.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Arvind Mishra
None became knowledgeable by reading thick books;two and half letters of the word "प्रेम " is all that anyone needs to read to know
There are so many words that everyone reads but all one needs to know is those two and half letters which contain the essence of all knowledge that we ever need to acquire.The path of love and complete devotion to God helps us the best in realizing God.Patanjali says ईश्वर प्रणिधानात्वा चित्त वृत्ति निरोधः which means roughly as "Union with God or the cessation of the modifications on the mind plate is possible by complete devotion to God also"
Kabir however simplifies it all and believes and propounds that Bhakti or love and devotion to God is the method which is the best and the only one that requires to be read ,understood and followed.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Arvind Mishra
गुर धोबी सिख कपडा
गुर धोबी सिख कपडा, साबु सिरजन हार| सुरती सिला पर धोइए, निकसे ज्योति अपार|
Guru is the washerman, disciple the cloth,soap is the supreme creator's knowledge;when (the Guru)washes on the stone of shrutis or vedas, elicits the boundless light (of knowledge).
Kabir was great votary of the oral tradition being used to impart knowledge to the disciples by the Guru under the Guru shishya tradition.He has proposed that by means of Guru alone the knowledge of the eternal Self can be imparted in the best manner so as to ensure the escape from karmas and cycle of birth and death. Here he says that the disciple should be washed clean of the impurities of desire , attachment, hatred, sorrow and other mental and physical problems related to perception, by imparting Gods knowledge in the oral tradition as prescribed in the Vedas which show the way to the light .
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Guru is the washerman, disciple the cloth,soap is the supreme creator's knowledge;when (the Guru)washes on the stone of shrutis or vedas, elicits the boundless light (of knowledge).
Kabir was great votary of the oral tradition being used to impart knowledge to the disciples by the Guru under the Guru shishya tradition.He has proposed that by means of Guru alone the knowledge of the eternal Self can be imparted in the best manner so as to ensure the escape from karmas and cycle of birth and death. Here he says that the disciple should be washed clean of the impurities of desire , attachment, hatred, sorrow and other mental and physical problems related to perception, by imparting Gods knowledge in the oral tradition as prescribed in the Vedas which show the way to the light .
Translation by Arvind Mishra
दुःख में सिमरन सब करे
दुःख में सिमरन सब करे, सुख में करे न कोय| जो सुख में सिमरन करे तो दुःख काहे को होय||
Everyone worships God when happy , none when sad;If he who is happy worships God,why should there be sadness
Kabir emphasises and reiterates the need for constant God worship, irrespective of whether there is happiness or sadness in life.The words sumiran, dhyan , prayer and worship mean nearly the same with respect to God.
Bhagwadgeeta says in chapter 12 मय्यावेश्य मनो ये माम नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ;श्रद्धया परया उपेताः ते में युक्ततमा मताः which translates as "Those who are endowed with a firm faith of a special kind beyond material conceptions, fixing the mind upon me ; always engaged exclusively worshiping me ,they are considered by me to be the most superior of all"
Clearly this is considered the best way to attain liberation from the chain of birth and death and it extinguishes all karma , therefore in this way obviously all dukh or sadness also gets extinguished.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Everyone worships God when happy , none when sad;If he who is happy worships God,why should there be sadness
Kabir emphasises and reiterates the need for constant God worship, irrespective of whether there is happiness or sadness in life.The words sumiran, dhyan , prayer and worship mean nearly the same with respect to God.
Bhagwadgeeta says in chapter 12 मय्यावेश्य मनो ये माम नित्ययुक्ता उपासते ;श्रद्धया परया उपेताः ते में युक्ततमा मताः which translates as "Those who are endowed with a firm faith of a special kind beyond material conceptions, fixing the mind upon me ; always engaged exclusively worshiping me ,they are considered by me to be the most superior of all"
Clearly this is considered the best way to attain liberation from the chain of birth and death and it extinguishes all karma , therefore in this way obviously all dukh or sadness also gets extinguished.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
कबीरा गर्व ना कीजिये
कबीरा गर्व ना कीजिये, काल गहे कर केस| न जाने कित मारे है, क्या देस क्या परदेस||
Kabir says do not be too proud of yourself for you are caught by the hair in the hands of Time,no one knows where Time will kill you this place or that
Kabir points to the inevitability of death and advises lack of pride in one's own material existence.With time everything changes and nothing remains constant but the one universal consciousness.Nothing remains the same even for a small moment.But sometimes many people and many times some people are not able to see this momentariness of all things ,and feel pride in something that will not last even for a moment.Kabir points to the fruitlessness and meaninglessness of such a pride.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
Kabir says do not be too proud of yourself for you are caught by the hair in the hands of Time,no one knows where Time will kill you this place or that
Kabir points to the inevitability of death and advises lack of pride in one's own material existence.With time everything changes and nothing remains constant but the one universal consciousness.Nothing remains the same even for a small moment.But sometimes many people and many times some people are not able to see this momentariness of all things ,and feel pride in something that will not last even for a moment.Kabir points to the fruitlessness and meaninglessness of such a pride.
Translation by Arvind Mishra
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