Category Archive: Kabir

Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with Vision is making a positive difference.
– Joel Barker

Kabir – The couplet
कबीर माला काठ की, कही समझावे तोहि ।
मन न फिरावे आपना, काहे फिरावे मोहि ।।

transliterated:
Kabir maala kaath ki, kahi samjhaave tohi |
Man na firave aapna, kaahe firave mohi ||

Translation:

Says Kabir, thus spoke the rosary of wooden beads |
Your mind does not want to move, why move me through your fingers?

My thoughts:

We hear this thought often – practice what you preach, do unto others what you would have them do to you, be like the blade of grass in the wind (supple, and yet and anchored), say not what you do not think right, and so on.

We often pick up work based on our perception of the end result, without taking into consideration the effort that is required.

Or we act without really putting in the effort to think through the purpose driving the act.

If we want to meditate, we need to have the proper end goal. If we cannot take on the life of the monk, then we should stay away from attempts to practice their rigors. And if we want to practice their rigors, we have to agree to the accompanying change of lifestyle and taking on the world as our family J

Nothing is wrong – unless the driving thought behind it is the wrong one!

Remember that daya, compassion, and Maya attachment, are two different things. Attachment means the feeling of ‘my-ness’ toward one’s relatives…Compassion is the love one feels for all beings of the world. It is an attitude of equality…But one thing should be remembered: Maya keeps us in ignorance (of our divine nature) and entangles us in the world, whereas daya makes our hearts pure and gradually unties our bonds and attachments.

– Sri Ramakrishna

Kabir – The couplet

जीवित सम्झे जीवित बुझे, जीवित ही करो आस ।
जीवित कर्म की फाँसी न काटी, मुए मुक्ति की आस ।।

transliterated:
Jeevit Samjhe Jeevit Bujhe, Jeevit He Karo Aas |
Jeevit Karam Ki Fansi Na Kaati, Mue Mukti Ki Aas ||

Translation:
Understand this while yet alive, realize it while you still have time|
If you break not the bonds of attachment now, how can death liberate you?

My thoughts:

While alive, we tie ourselves to the bindings we impose on ourselves – the bond of family, the bindings of friendship, the demands of duty, the need to be heard, the desire to feel good through the positive reinforcement of our perceived image in the eyes of others, the clutches of material possessions, the size of our bank balance, the glory of our social position, the magic of our own perception of our value.

If chasing all of this, we completely ignore the true joy we feel when we give up all and roam free, able to breathe air without restriction or worry.

Ramakrishna Paramahamsa said it perfectly – when I remove the “my”, desire transforms into satisfaction. The same act, performed without ego, moves perception from self-pandering to true bliss.

“The point is, I see no contradiction between my faith and science. Why did God use the Big Bang to create the universe? I don’t know, can you think of a better way? Why did God use evolution to create humans (and dogs, and dolphins and whales, and cats, and rhinos, and dinosaurs)? Maybe it appealed to his sense of artistry. Why did Jackson Pollock make paintings by throwing and dripping paint onto a canvas? I’m pretty sure God has a terrific sense of humor; anyone who’s lived with a cat or a dog (especially a boxer!) knows that.”

– Jeffrey A. Carver (http://starrigger.blogspot.com/2005/03/thoughts-on-faith-and-rationality.html)

 
Kabir – The couplet

पाथेर पूजे हरी मिले, तो मैं पूजूं पहार ।
तानते ते चक्की भली, पीस खाए संसार ।।

 
transliterated:

Paather puje Hari mile, to main pujoon pahaar |
Taante te chakki bhali, pis khaaye sansaar||

 
Translation:

If by praying to a block of stone, I could realize God, I would rather pray to the mountain and see it ALL |
The stone grinder is a better use of stone than an idol – for it provides food to the hungry ||

 
My thoughts:

We often mistake purpose with goal. When we pray, it is to help step closer to the energy within that is God. But we allow others to stop us en-route and park ourselves after the first few steps.

God is not to be found in the place of worship – unless the worship is born from inside you. Once the seed is sown, the place of worship provides sustenance and shelter to the newborn tender shoot emerging from within – till it becomes a bright flame.

Once the flame is fully alive, the place you stand in becomes the place of worship – not vice-versa.

Looked at in this light, the stone of the idol is but a catalyst to finding God within – for God lives inside all that this world contains, and more! Succumb not to the vicissitudes of superstition and blind faith, but rather follow the direction of a pure heart – for that surely is the brightest ray of God’s effulgence.

“If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world.”
― C.S. Lewis

Kabir – The couplet
अच्छाई पुरुष एक पेड़ है, निरंजन वाकी दार |
तिर्देवा शाखा भये, पात भये संसार ||

transliterated:
Acchai purush ek ped hai, niranjan vaaki daar |
Tirdeva shakha bhaye, paat bhaye sansaar ||

Translation:
Existence(the Ultimate Soul) is like a tree, the Creator being the trunk |
The Triumvirate (Creator, Sustainer, Destroyer) are branches, all of creation the leaves||

My thoughts:
We use the concept of God to explain that which we cannot perceive, understand or explain. We then layer philosophy, religion and social practice around this concept and give it form.

Since we are most comfortable with our own form, we make our God in our own likeness, and then swathe God with those human behaviors, attributes and passions that we hold dearest. Into the decoration of this image, we then lavish our hearts deepest desires and wildest dreams. So our Gods walk on water, create and destroy universes within the blink of an eye, and can manifest into the most unimaginable of forms at a moment’s notice. They can both give and take life, and can reward their favorites with all of the world’s greatest material pleasures.

Let us sit back and think – is this not the true definition of maya (illusion)? We are enslaved by maya – and so we have hidden our concept of God behind the same veil. To Realize our God, we need to rid ourselves of this dogged determination that we can only be happy in a perfect world. The world is always perfect – when we are happy, we can truly perceive the misconception of the rest of our times.

In that perfect world, bereft of maya, we can see, perceive and realize the true meaning of God – and then will realize that God is but a stepping stone to the next world – the next level of existence. As we keep peeling away the onion’s layers, we will come to the core – which is when we will see that it is bereft of material existence. And that is when we will unite with the Ultimate Reality. For only when we cease to exist, do we really begin to EXIST.

“The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.”
William Arthur Ward (1921–March 30, 1994), author of “Fountains of Faith”

Kabir – The couplet
अब गुरु दिल में देखिया, गावन को कछु नाही |
कबिरा जब हम गावते, तब जाना गुरु नाही ||

transliterated:
Ab Guru dil mein dekhiyaa, gaavan ko kachhu naahin |
Kabira jab hum gaavate, tab jaana Guru naahin ||

Translation:
Now I see the Teacher in my heart, I have no more praises to sing |
While I sang His praise, I had not yet realized him ||

My thoughts:
I have finally understood my Teacher – and He is me.

The Teacher is my guide to all of Knowledge – and all Knowledge is already in me, for I am the entirety of existence.

Till I find my Teacher, I sing in praise, but not with understanding – for the Teacher who will help me understand is not yet found by me. When I find Him, I have nothing more to say – for now I understand it all.

William Arthur Ward is right – and I have found my inspiration.

“Happy the man who can endure the highest and the lowest fortune. He, who has endured such vicissitudes with equanimity, has deprived misfortune of its power.”
 – Seneca (Roman philosopher from mid 1st century AD)

Kabir – The couplet
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???? ?????? ?? ??, ??? ???? ??????? ||

transliterated:
Agni aanch sahana sugam, sugam khadag ki dhaar |
Nahi nibahan ek ras, maha kathin vyavahaar ||

Translation:
The bite of a flame can be endured, as can the slice of a sharp dagger |
To deal with all in one tone and temper, though, is a truly difficult task ||

My thoughts:
We live in a space of extremes and opposites.

We know heat because we understand cold. Happiness is enjoyed only after understanding the pangs of sorrow. Suffering (minor or major) precedes true joy. We love because we can hate. Sanity is perceived because madness exists.

In the middle of these opposites (and the associated extremes) we live with a deep desire for calmness. This state of calm, the true center of peaceful bliss, is achieved when we can perceive and work with both ends of the spectrum, without being drawn to, influenced by or attached to either extreme or end.

Then we have found another definition of the path to real happiness.

“There’s music in the sighing of a reed;
There’s music in the gushing of a rill;
There’s music in all things, if men had ears:
Their earth is but an echo of the spheres.”
– Lord Byron

Kabir – The couplet

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?? ? ??? ??? ???, ?? ???? ?? ????? ||

transliterated:

Sab rang taanth rabaab tan, birah bajaave nit |
Aur na koi sun sake, kai sai kai chitt ||

Translation:

This human body is the complete musical instrument, played incessantly by the longing |
None other can hear the music though, but the mind, the Lord, and the connected souls ||

My thoughts:

Music surrounds us. Creation is music – life is but an expression.

The music we make comes in many forms. Our art is our music – our work is the crescendo. The rise and fall of the chest of a sleeping human is the gentlest music of them all – it is our communion with the self.

The bright sun sings with light, while the dark night envelops us in quiet velvet. Hunger sings with growls, while satiation performs with satisfied sighs. Sadness and melancholy are but the slow second part of the symphony of life, with the joyous crescendo yet to come.

Find the music all around you and connect to it – listen, and you will have learned to communicate with God.

“Most people are not really free. They are confined by the niche in the world that they carve out for themselves. They limit themselves to fewer possibilities by the narrowness of their vision.”
– V.S. Naipal (Trinidadian writer of Indian descent, awarded the Nobel Literature Prize in 2001)

Kabir – The couplet
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?? ???? ???? ???, ???? ???? ???? ||

transliterated:
Har chale so maanav, behad chale so saadh |
Hadh behad dono taje, taako bhaata agadh ||

Translation:
He who stays within the limits of teachings is man, he who explores beyond is a guide |
But he who soars beyond without limit, he is the true seeker, the saint who finds ||

My thoughts:
Freedom is a curious concept. We are free to think of anything in any way at any time; but to be truly free, we have to first learn to exercise restraint.

The musician who wants to be free to create music needs to limit his other activities so as to allow himself to be immersed in his music – the scientist chasing the elusive solution to a puzzle removes himself from the humdrum of daily life.

Freedom, then, comes from the realization of complete discipline. The first step to freedom is knowledge. Knowledge is what sets us free and on the path to seek truth. Truth enables us to realize the purpose of our existence. Realizing our purpose, when we walk on the path leading to the fulfillment of that purpose is when we find true freedom.

” One reason so few of us achieve what we truly want is that we never direct our focus; we never concentrate our power. Most people dabble their way through life, never deciding to master anything in particular.”
– Anthony Robbins

Kabir – The couplet
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?? ??? ??? ?? ???, ??? ????? ??? ||

transliterated:
Man ke bahut satrang hai, chun chun badale soye |
Ek rang mein jo rahe, aisa birla koi ||

Translation:
The mind flits like a butterfly through many colors, picking one after the other |
When the mind finds focus, it can then direct the soul to success ||

My thoughts:
Our rationality tends to sometimes lead us astray. We need to find reason, and this quest often leads as astray of our target. Sometimes, reason becomes evident only after attaining that which is sought.

This is why many generals insist on discipline and look for obedience rather than free thought. Everyone has a different perspective, and this colors our view of the object. The entire army needs to think as one – the decision is the burden of the general alone. In the absence of such discipline, many wars would have led to pure chaos.

Our entire being is in and of itself larger than any army. Each of senses perceives different from the rest. Each limb has different ways to get to where it needs to be, and each independent part of the body needs to do something different, but in complete coordination, for the body to be where it needs to be at any time. And this still needs coordination with the mind for the inner being to be in sync with the external world.

Focus and concentration – these are what will help us find the right way every time. But we still need direction from our goal, our ambition. So they are not the entire answer, but they are the right way to the answer.

“Life has meaning only if one barters it day by day for something other than itself. “
– Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Kabir – The couplet
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?? ???? ??????? ??, ?? ??? ?? ?????? ||

transliterated:
Bandhe ko bandhe mile, choota kaun upaay |
Jo mile nirbandhko, pal mein le chhoodai ||

Translation:
When a bound person meets another bound person, both are equally helpless |
But a bound person who meets a free man, can be free in no time at all ||

My thoughts:
As a general rule, humans tend to find comfort with others of their own kind of thinking and state. The other common truth about humans is that we are social beings, and use our circle of friends, acquaintances and family to find answers to anything that vexes us.

However, the truth is that if the other is struggling with the same problem, he cannot help me with the answer that he has yet to find. In this manner, as the days of a life progress, we dig ourselves into very deep holes lined with unanswered questions, and pretty soon, all daylight is invisible to us inside the tunnel we have forced ourselves into.

This is when it helps to seek out an unburdened soul – for this soul, in the absence of my binding vexations, finds simple, easy and often fun solutions to my issues along with other side benefits that my blinders had hidden from my sight.

A real teacher is a good guide, and a simple person – for the complex ones are too busy resolving their own complexities to truly understand my questions properly.

“..for though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again, but the wicked are brought down by calamity.”
– The New Testament – Proverbs 24:16

Kabir – The couplet
?? ??? ?????? ???? ??, ???? ??? ??? |
??? ???? ????? ???, ?????? ?? ?? ? ??? ||||

transliterated:
Jo koi ninde sadhu ko, sankat aave soye |
Narak jaaye janme mare, mukti kabahu na hoye ||

Translation:
He who curses the righteous, suffer much in life |
Lives in hell, he does, and finds not but a moment of peace||

My thoughts:
In our daily rush to get to the end of the day, we rarely pause to stop and see the effect our words, actions and thoughts have on those around us. But it is these very actions and words that define our ability to enjoy a peaceful night of sleep at the end of the day.

Every human, rich or poor, needs to feed, and needs to sleep. If I can find enough food to stave off my hunger, and I can sleep a full night without restless tossing, I am already better off than 80 percent of humanity. How much money can buy me that level of satisfaction?

“Not the maker of plans and promises, but rather the one who offers faithful service in small matters. This is the person who is most likely to achieve what is good and lasting.”
– Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Kabir – The couplet
???? ?? ??? ??????, ???????? ?? ??? |
?? ??? ???? ???, ????? ????? ??? ||

transliterated:
Bhookhe ko kuch dijiye, yatha shakti jo hoye |
Taa upar sheetal vachan, lakhon aatma soye ||

Translation:
Feed the poor, to the extent personal resources allow |
Blessed by a satisfied soul, we gain the strength to satisfy many more ||

My thoughts:
The quote and the couplet above already state the obvious. But there is an underlying truth that is often ignored. When we serve, especially when we serve without thought of gain or return, we get more than another soul’s blessing. We learn, we discover more of our real self, and we become more that we were when we started.

This is because service helps us reach in and find that inner core of strength to go beyond a material need to understand another person. This learning is more than an entire life can pay for – and the enrichment gained is otherwise unattainable.

Without civic morality communities perish; without personal morality their survival has no value.
– Bertrand Russell

Kabir – The couplet
??? ????? ?? ????, ??? ???????? ?? ??? |
??? ??? ?????? ????, ??? ??? ?? ??? ||

transliterated:
Sheel, kshama jab upaje, alag dhristi tab hoye |
Bin sheel pahunche nahi, lakh kahe jo koi ||

Translation:
Morality and forgiveness, when realized, change our very perception of the world around |
Without morality, we end up at the door of nowhere, no matter how much we say ||

My understanding:
Morality is guided by ethics, and when combined with the virtue of forgiveness, allows us to overcome our darkest fears and most troubling moments.

For our fears, when truly understood, stem from our own lack of knowledge – not from any threat to our being.

Ethics tells us what is right, and morality guides our action. When this is coupled with the ability to forgive, we have finally learned to live. This is the stepping stone, nay the foundation block, on which we can simplify our lives and perceive the real truth, rather than the fog that our five physical senses impose on our perception.

The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.
– Oscar Wilde

Kabir – The couplet
????? ????? ????? ???, ??? ???? ? ?? ??? |
?? ??? ??????? ???, ?? ?? ???? ???? ||

transliterated:
Kabira gyan vichar bin, Hari dhoondan ko jaaye|
Tan mein Tirloki base, ab tak parkha naahi ||

Translation:
Without appropriate thought or knowledge, we look for God is all external spaces |
The truth is, God is inside us, but we perceive not the wonder inside! ||

My understanding:
We as humans have been gifted with the magic of rationality, reasoning and clear thought. However, we put all this aside the moment we are faced with any new question – and the quest for God is one of those timeless quests.

We search everywhere, when the simple reality is that he is the inner voice, the core of peace and understanding, the nub of clarity that exists in all of us. If only we still the noises of our crowding thoughts and external input for a sheer fleeting moment, we will find our personal God, and life will forever be changed with this realization.

Find that God inside, and find eternal peace and bliss.

True bliss is a right we were all born with – it is up to us to find and enjoy it!

“In history as in human life, regret does not bring back a lost moment and a thousand years will not recover something lost in a single hour.”
– Stefan Zweig

Kabir – The couplet
?? ?????? ? ??????, ???? ?? ??? ? ??? |
???? ??? ? ?????, ?? ???? ??? ||

transliterated:
Man unmana na toliye, shabd ke mol na tol|
Murakh log na jaanasi, aapa khoye bol ||

Translation:
When the mind is disturbed, pay no heed to the words that flow – they mean nothing |
The fool, ignorant of this simple truth, raves, rants and loses||

My thoughts:
In the previous post, I had talked about the need to listen to that, which is not being said. Even here, that statement holds true. Find inner silence, and then listen to that which is not being said. That allows us to hear past the anger and emotion, and arrive at the heart of the matter quickly. This allows us to offer appropriate help, or stay away till the others find their own inner peace.

Juxtaposing this couplet on the previous one, one is able to see the completion of the circle – speak only after understanding, express with love, and silence the self when overcome by emotion.

“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
– Maya Angelou

Kabir – The couplet
????? ???? ????????, ???? ???? ??? |
???? ??? ??? ??, ???? ?? ??? ? ??? ||

transliterated:
Pehele shabd pehchaaniye, peeche kije mol |
Parakhi parakh rattan ko, shabd ka mol na tol ||

Translation:
Recognize the words being said, then understand, leave the judgment for much later |
A goldsmith can tell us the value of the gold, but not the value of the gift ||

My thoughts:
Once again, this is a couplet that says more with what is not being said. The value of a jewel is not just its commercial value – which any reasonable appraiser can help determine. The true value is determined by the thought behind the gift, the effort to ensure it is shaped just the right way to say that which words cannot express.

So Kabir is asking us to dig deeper, go beyond that which is being said, to understand that which is being expressed. To really be able to do this, I have to silence my inner voice, find complete peace and silence, and then let the words fill me. Then I am able to hear without interference, and perceive the true meaning of the statement, the look, and the gesture.

This state of peace is the first step to true understanding, and thenceforth to real bliss!

“Whoever renders service to many puts himself in line for greatness – great wealth, great return, great satisfaction, great reputation, and great joy.”
– Jim Rohn

Kabir – The couplet
????? ???? ????? ???, ??? ????? ??????? |
???? ???? ?? ????, ?????? ??? ????? ||

transliterated:
Gyan samagan prem sukh, daya bhakti biswas |
Guru seva te paiye, satguru charan niwas ||

Translation:
Knowledge, good company, love, a peaceful composure, forgiveness, devotion, trust |
When all are added to service at a teacher’s feet, one finds heaven on earth ||

My thoughts:
C.S. Lewis was quoted as saying “What does not satisfy when we find it, was not the thing we were desiring.”

We only see with our eyes, hear with our ears, touch with our skin, taste with our tongue and smell with our nose. We then take this as the representation of what we are receiving. But true receipt happens only after we have completed the job of perception and understanding. Just as the sight of a bright exterior is not representative of the hidden interior, the five physical senses do not interpret and translate true meaning or desire.

This is where we, as rational thinking beings, need to use our innate rationality to weed out desire from requirement. What we need is what we must look for – not what we just sense as attractive or pleasing.

Receiving, however, is only the first part – we must take just as much as we need, and then offer service everywhere we can. Once we fold ourselves into the practice of service, we will uncover the fountain of infinite bliss. For real pleasure comes when we do something that puts a smile in the heart of another – not when we attempt to get others to do that for us.

“All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.”
– Leo Tolstoy

Kabir – The couplet
????? ?????? ????? ??, ???? ??? ???? |
??? ??? ??? ?? ???, ?? ??? ???? ??? ||

transliterated:
Kabira pyala prem ka, antar liye lagaay |
Rom rom mein ram rahe, aura amal kya khay ? |

Translation:
Says Kabir, I have drunk from the cup of love |
Every cell in me is full – what more wonderful could I have?

My thoughts:
If maya (illusion) is the creator of all chaos, love is the supreme cleanser. When we learn to love, we learn to forgive. Once all is forgiven, negativity has no space to exist. And when negative thoughts vanish, we fill up with love, which illuminates us from inside and brings out the real person hidden inside each of us.

Love is the potion that intoxicates beyond reason, while simultaneously allowing us to be crystal clear in our thought and action. When we come equipped with such powerful medicine naturally, what need for the chemical drugs our pharmacies produce?

“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
– Aristotle

Kabir – The couplet
???? ???? ??? ??, ?? ??? ???? ??? |
?? ???? ???? ???, ?? ??? ??? ? ??? ||

transliterated:
Kala nala heen jal, so phir paani hoye|
Jo paani moti bane, so phir neer na hoye||

Translation:
Even the dark waters of a dirty drain, filtered by nature, become the clear waters of a river |
But that water which has been absorbed to become a pearl, does not go back to being water ever again||

My thoughts:
Life is the filter, cleanser, and the mirror, which helps us wash of the grime of each day to emerge as a new person at each dawn. Having been put through the furnace of my experiences yesterday, I have emerged today as a little less carbon and a little more diamond. Each day, while I am still human, I need to use this furnace to cleanse myself of deadweight and better expose the light inside me that is bursting to see daylight.

Experience is the process that makes us a pearl – and once made, we cannot go back to being the inexperienced person we were before!

“Patience is power.
Patience is not an absence of action;
rather it is “timing”
it waits on the right time to act,
for the right principles
and in the right way.”
– Fulton J. Sheen

Kabir – The couplet
??? ????? ?? ????, ??? ?????? ?? ??? |
??? ??? ?????? ????, ??? ??? ?? ??? ||

transliterated:
Sheel, kshama jab upaje, alag dhristi tab hoye|
Bin sheel pahoonche nahi, lakh kahe jo koye||

Translation:
When patience, forgiveness and determination surface, one’s vision and perception becomes true |
Without patience and determination, the truth will never become visible||

My thoughts:
Nature is our best teacher of the virtue of patience. Look all around you. Tempests, hurricanes, drought, blinding sunlight and long frosts all beat up and even destroy all of man’s creations. Nature, however, always comes back with a smile and a bright new green to welcome the new dawn. It is implacable in its pursuit of the morn, despite all obstacles in its path.

Patience, of necessity, fosters the company of forgiveness and determination. We need determination to wait out the storms of life, and forgiveness to give up temporary losses, for the morning will surely always come, and it will surely bring new bounties!

This, then, is our true strength – to be patient, and do the right thing at the right time!

“He that lies down with dogs shall rise up with fleas.”
– Benjamin Franklin

Kabir – The couplet
????? ?? ???? ???, ???? ??? ?? ????? |
?? ???? ????? ???, ?? ???? ?? ???? |

transliterated:
Kabira man pancchi bhaye, bhaave taha te aajaye |
Jo jaisa sangat kare, to taisa phal paaye ||

Translation:
The bird, free in flight, alights where it’s fancy leads it|
Our choice of company, defines who we are and become||

My thoughts:
I have often misread this and related quotes. As parents, as teachers, as guides, we look to present the “correct” and “proper” environment for our wards to grow and foster in. However, the mind, unbound by the body, but a slave to the vagaries of desire (maya), picks that which best suits its fancy.

We can but guide, teach and hope the right choices are made. Even if the right ones are made, there is no guarantee that they will be the ones that are kept. As the world changes, choice needs to change to adapt – and the change needs to be picked with great caution – for all that glitters is not gold ?

So our duty is to show the right path – by speech, thought and living example. Each individual is free to make their own choice – even if we disagree. Our responsibility ends at the completion of the example – and theirs begins after the choice is made. Each of us have to carry the burden of our choices by our own selves – and that is what the world will judge us by.

“It takes quite a spine to turn the other cheek. It takes phenomenal fortitude to love your enemy. It takes firm resolve to pray for those who persecute you.”
– Rob Bell

Kabir – The couplet
??? ??? ???? ???, ??? ??? ????? |
????? ??? ???? ???, ?? ?? ??? ? ??? ||

transliterated:
Khod khaad dharti sahe, kaat koon vanraay |
Kutil vachan sadhu sahe, aur se saha na jaay ||

Translation:
The earth sustains the blows of a hammer, the tree of an axe – without retaliation|
Only the learned can accept slander without effect, lesser mortals can only react||

My thoughts:
The Bible (Matthew 5), Mahatma Gandhi, and every wise person and book before, between and since, have always urged us to turn the other cheek, and even demonstrated by example. Sant Eknath (1533 – 1599, a great devotee of Lord Vitthala) demonstrated forbearance most famously by his taking bath 108 times in the river Godavari to wash off the spit of persons who were convinced that they had to insult him. After 108 times, after their mouths had run dry, and he still came back with a smile, they asked him why he was not mad at them. To which his famous response came – it is thanks to your act that I was able to achieve 108 baths in one day in these holy waters. Thank you for the opportunity!

If we were to think back, each and every day, nigh every moment, we are presented with opportunities to be humble and receive of this world’s and God’s bounty. However, our ego, our own personal opinion of how the world is all about us, gets in the way and prevents us from lighting that wonderful internal light that can light up our countenance and the world brighter than a thousand suns.

True strength comes not from mighty physical deeds, but form simple acceptance. When we accept and bow our head, even the mightiest arm stays, stops and waits for the next moment. When there is no reaction, action stops and understanding floods the space, washing out all confusion.

Let us teach patience, acceptance and forbearance to the world, one person at a time. Reach into yourself, and allow the world to see, feel and benefit from the real you. That is the real purpose of our existence in this moment!

“When you least feel like it, do something for someone else. You forget about your own situation. It gives you a purpose, as opposed being sorrowful and lonely.”
– Dana Reeve

Kabir – The couplet
???? ???? ??? ???, ???? ????? ??? |
??? ????? ?????, ???? ??? ? ??? ||

transliterated:
Sevak seva mein rahe, sevak kahiye soy |
Kahe kabira bavla, sevak kabhi na hoy ||

Translation:
The disciple offers service always, and stays a student always|
The (senseless) egotist, with falsified pretenses, can never be a disciple||

My thoughts:
Our days fold into each other, as we focus on using our own abilities to our individual (perceived) betterment. However, history is proof to the fact that the only way to becoming happy, satisfied and truly complete is by using our knowledge and ability to help all those we can.

When we take, we deplete some of our own collected savings and goodwill to pay for that which we take. When we give without thought of recompense, however, we receive manifold in return, and the world stops to take care of our deepest wants without our asking.

Give freely, for that is the only way to receive!

“I had looked for happiness in fast living, but it was not there. I tried to find it in money, but it was not there either. But when I placed myself in tune with what I believe to be the fundamental truths of life, when I began to develop my limited ability, to rid my mind of all kinds of tangled thoughts, and fill it with zeal and courage and love, when I gave myself a chance by treating myself decently and sensibly, I began to feel the stimulating, warm glow of happiness.”
– Edward Young

Kabir – The couplet
????? ?? ??? ?????, ????? ???? ? ??? |
?? ?? ?? ???? ????, ??? ??? ????? ||

transliterated:
Kabira yeh gati atpati, chatpati laakhi na jaaye |
Jo man ki khatpat mite, uddhar bhaya thehraaye||

Translation:
(Kabir says) this pace of life is fast but aimless, and hence the mind is frustrated|
Once the mind finds a quiet moment, it finds both rest and true purpose||

My thoughts:
We often measure our day, our moment, our availability and our worth in terms of physical time. We then match up this time to our desires, and panic that there is not time enough in a lifetime to satisfy even a small percentage of desire.

However, if we stop for a moment, put aside all concern for the ticking of the clock, and focus on what the end goal of the fulfillment of desire is, we will realize that even desire aims to fill us with happiness.

So instead of chasing desire, and subjecting ourselves to the momentary pleasure at the end followed by the empty feeling that it is done and now we need to look for more, we need to teach ourselves to practice satisfaction, and enjoy the eternal happiness that results.

” A mirage is not real, but yet we see it. A dream taking place while sleeping is not real, yet we experience it during the time of the dream as a reality.”
– Remez Sasson

Kabir – The couplet
???? ???? ?? ???, ???? ???? ? ??? |
?? ???? ? ?????, ???? ???? ??? ||

transliterated:
Maya maya sab kahe, maya laakhe na koi |
Jo manase na utaare, maya kahaaye soi ||

Translation:
References to illusions are all around, yet the illusion in front of us is not recognized|
That which seems like reality, is the true illusion that engulfs us||

My thoughts:
How often have we been caught up in the entirety of a moment and made rushed decisions, only to later reflect on the real insignificance of what seemed to be the most important act in the world?

We learn in early biology class that what we perceive as sight is only the brain’s interpretation of what the eyes signal as received input – yet we take that to be the true sight of what is in front of us. Psychologists have proved beyond doubt that the mind can coerce the brain to perceive what the mind prefers – and the brain does succumb to the coercion.

The human being is permanently engaged in a struggle with making reality what is truly but a convenient truth – and yet, we have, throughout history, gone to war and even our graves with that perceived conviction.

This is the true strength of illusion – to make us believe that it is the true reality. That is the maya that Kabir wants us to conquer. When we can get past our own vulnerability to illusion, we can become the true powerhouse that we are destined to be.

“Happiness is a conscious choice, not an automatic response.”
– Mildred Barthel

Kabir – The couplet
???? ??? ?? ??? ???, ???? ?? ?? ??? |
?? ????? ??? ??, ??? ??? ???, ??? ???? ||

transliterated:
Jhute sukh ko sukh kahe, maanat hai man mauj |
Jag chabena kaal ka, kuch mukh mein, kuch gaud ||

Translation:
We often mistake sensual pleasure for satisfaction, and the mind is led astray|
The world (us) is chewing time, some in the mouth, the rest in food displays||

My thoughts:
When I want to be happy, I search for things that will satisfy me. Around me, everyone resorts to food as the first step in this path. Inevitably, my search unearths more than I need to satiate my body’s hunger. So now I have to find a way to preserve it to savor later when I will be hungry again, and the cycle repeats.

Meanwhile, I have lost track of the original purpose – to be happy. And it keeps digging itself further into the background till it is almost completely forgotten. All this while, on the other hand, I have been nurturing the opposites – desire (for taste), frustration (not finding what my mind wants but brain cannot define in the form of readily available food), jealousy (for those who seem to be able to enjoy the food on their plate) and heartache (from all the indigestion I bring on myself from the food I eat).

Others try to find happiness in their soul mate. The first struggle is to find the one that will be the soul mate. Then we spend a large portion of our life shaping and re-molding the person to be the perfect fit – only to realize we have changed ourselves during all this time, and so we need to re-mold, all over again, from the beginning. If only we can realize that our real mate is not the one we love, but the one that loves us. And if we can learn to love that person, without doubt or question, the perfect marriage has once again happened. The rest that remains is to stay true to purpose. Happiness comes when we accept without question, and spread sunshine when we can, and step away when we cannot.

The pursuit of sensual pleasures takes us away from the path to true happiness and satisfaction. Food, craving, desire for love, earthly possessions, even the wish to see the sun rise a specific way in a specific place are all sensual cravings. The satisfaction they give is very momentary, and it always leaves us feeling a little emptier and craving a lot more – until we realize that the desire is an endless pit that will never fill.

True happiness, realized from simple events (I can breathe, I can smile, my heart still beats, I can still think) always stays a brimming cup, and spreads sunshine into the darkest places. One happy person can light up a roomful of people lost under craving.

Be happy – do not chase after desire!

“To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you.”
– Lewis B. Smedes

Kabir – The couplet
????? ???? ?? ???? ??, ???? ?? ????? |
?? ?????? ?? ?? ???, ?? ???????? ???? ??? ||

transliterated:
Kshama bade ko ucchit hai, chhotan ko utpat |
Kaa Vishnu ka ghat gaya, jo Bhrighu maari laat ||

Translation:
Forgiveness is a fitting virtue of the truly great, others get flustered by it|
Why should God (Vishnu) be botheres, even when a mortal sage (Bhrighu) kicked him||

My thoughts:
Lewis B Smedes found the sweet spot in his quote above.

As a mortal, I tend to put me (I, me, mine) before everything else. I am the center of the universe, and nothing else matters ? Hence, it is up to the other to forgive and forget – not me!

However, if I can find the wherewithal to think my actions through, forgiveness buys me the peace, acceptance and tranquility that no wealth of this world can pay for. When I find tranquility, I find the ability to transcend both the problem and its cause.

This is what Kabir is referring to. Greatness is not achieved by doing great or grand things – it is achieved when one simplifies life and does all the little things right!

“Mindfulness is the aware, balanced acceptance of the present experience. It isn’t more complicated that that.
It is opening to or receiving the present moment, pleasant or unpleasant, just as it is, without either clinging to it or rejecting it.”
– Sylvia Boorstein

Kabir – The couplet
????? ???? ?? ???, ???? ?? ?? ???? |
??? ??? ????? ???, ????? ?? ?? ???? ||

transliterated:
Kabira dheeraj ke dhare, haathi man bha khaaye |
Tuk tuk bekar mein, svan ghar ghar jaaye ||

Translation:
Mindful of its needs, an elephant eats well enough to satisfy its hunger|
A dog, however, impatiently wanders everywhere for food, hungry or not||

My thoughts:

We humans tend to be reactive rather than receptive. We react first, and judge afterwards.

If we could instead learn patience, we would slowly but surely learn to be receptive, both to the world outside and the soul and body inside. This would allow us to accept happenings with a calmer approach. This calmer approach will help us satiate the need, rather than attempt to satiate desire. That is the real difference Kabir is talking of between the elephant and the dog. The elephant satiates its hunger with available food and then proceeds to the next moment, while the dog searches to satisfy the demands of its nose, and often stays unsatisfied.

We as humans hunger for love, food, rest, satisfaction, peace and gratification in all we do. However, all of this is desire, especially when combined with the ubiquitous “I” or “me”. When we can still our mind, if only for a moment, and be dispassionate about our surroundings and ourselves, we can differentiate between need and desire.

When we learn this art, we can distinguish effectively between requirement and craving. That will be our first step on the path to eternal bliss!

“Trying to make a single momentous change is often not only not successful, but often does not result in the desired effect. In fact, it is far better to make small habitual positive life changes that will catapult you to success. “ – Lighthouse Marketing Blog

Kabir – The couplet
???? ?? ?? ?? ??? ???, ??? ???? ???? ? ???? |
???? ????? ?? ???, ????? ????? ???? ||

transliterated:
Shram se hi sab kuch bane, bin shram mile na kaahi |
Sidhi ungli ghee jame, kabashu nikase naahi ||

Translation:
Only by working (laboring) can something be achieved, not any other way |
Once butter as been processed into ghee, it will not come our (of the cup) with a straight finger (needs a spoon or curved surface)||

My thoughts:

We always desire success. Our definition of success is the end goal. But more often than not, we completely and blissfully ignore the reality that there are multiple small steps between our current state and the moment when we achieve the desired goal. The ONLY way to achieve that goal is to spend the time and work our way through each individual step/task, no matter how small or insignificant or even undesirable it seems.

Once the goal is achieved, we then need to understand the goal in its entirety. Up close, it may seem different than what we surmised at the beginning of the journey. This should not be taken to mean the goal has changed – it only means our initial understanding was flawed.

If we then develop the discipline of finding satisfaction in doing each task on this path and slowing down to enjoy each moment of satisfaction, our path will be the desirable path and the goal will shower us with much more benefits than we can hope for!

“If one regards himself superior or equal or inferior by reason of the body that is impermanent, painful and subject to change, what else is it than not seeing reality? Or if one regards himself superior or equal or inferior by reason of feelings, perceptions, volitions or consciousness, what else is it than not seeing reality? If one does not regard himself superior or equal or inferior by reason of the body, the feelings, perceptions, volitions or consciousness what else is it than seeing reality?”
— SN 22.49 (Buddhist teachings)

Kabir – The couplet
?????? ?? ????? ????, ??? ????? ???? |
???? ??? ?????, ??? ????? ??? ||

transliterated:
Gyani se kahiye kya, kahat Kabira lajaaye|
Andhe aage naachte, kala akaarat jaaye ||

Translation:
How can I say anything to a learned man, says Kabir, shyly |
Dancing in front of a blind man, is of no avail to the art form||

My thoughts:

“A feeling of superiority is a very pleasant mental state, but it is essentially akusala — unhealthy and unskilled, highly dangerous in its results.” – What Can Be Done About Conceit? by Dr. Elizabeth Ashby
Pride inevitably lands us at the feet of conceit – which can give the body and the physical brain a very addictive (but short-lived) high.

Pride and conceit do drive a person to work for more – but the high from each “achievement” is very short-lived – driving the person to attempt the next “achievement” – and the low from each even partial failure can be debilitating.

That was why our elders preach moderation and a calm detachment – as Lord Krishna
preached to Arjuna (in the Bhagawad Gita) , it is our job to do what we need to do – results will come but that cannot be our focus. Our job is to do our tasks with a sense of calm detachment (the detachment is from the result, not the task itself).

Pride and conceit lead to addiction and ultimate failure. Peaceful outlook and calm satisfaction will ALWAYS lead to happiness and hence realization of Life’s true goals.

“The giving of wealth results in obtaining wealth, the giving of teaching results in obtaining wisdom, the giving of fearlessness results in obtaining health and long life.”
–Buddhist teaching

Kabir – The couplet
??????? ???? ?? ?? ???, ??? ?? ????? ? ??? |
??? ??? ?? ? ???, ?? ??? ??? ???? ||

transliterated:
Chidiya chonch bhar le gayi, nadi ka ghatyo na neer |
Daan diye dhan na ghate, keh gayo daas Kabir ||

Translation:
The beakful of water the bird takes, makes no difference to the river’s volume |
Donations do not reduce one’s wealth, so says Sage Kabir||

My understanding:

Giving is the best way or receiving and retaining – no matter what we are talking about. Wealth, knowledge, peace, and harmony – even the negatives like anger, jealousy and pride – all increase for us as we learn to give and share.

This is one of the greatest truths and yet most humans stay blinded to it by the mists of maya. This is just like a bank – until we put some money away, we do not have a balance to draw from. Unless the balance stays there for a while, it will not grow with interest.

Similarly for our wealth, knowledge, peace and tranquility – the more we give, the more we are banking for our future use. For when the moment of adversity arrives, this is the only fund we can draw from. The material world cannot replenish the mind, heart or soul. Our collected deeds, goodwill and love will be our steadying oar when all else is lost.

“It is lack of love for ourselves that inhibits our compassion toward others. If we make friends with ourselves, then there is no obstacle to opening our hearts and minds to others.”
-unknown

Kabir – The couplet
???? ??? ??? ?? ???, ????? ?? ? ??? |
??? ????? ????? ??, ???? ?? ????? ??? ||

transliterated:
Pothi padh padh jag mua, pandit bhaya na koi |
Dhai akshar prem se, padhe so pandit hoye ||

Translation:
Reading all the books of the world, has not made a scholar ever |
A word spoken with love, has allown one to gain real wisdom||

My understanding:

I am revisiting an old favorite couplet – but going a few layers deeper (at least to my perspective).

Knowledge is not the true path to wisdom – knowledge only fills us up with facts and information. Love allows us to empathise, and hence leads to compassion. When we practice compassion, we gain an understanding – why the flower flower, why a child cries, why our friend frowns. This compassion allows us to share our own being and become part of the solution rather than create a new problem.

That, then, leads to true wisdom. Love creates empathy, which generates compassion, and compassion generates understanding , which is the soul of real wisdom.

So the sage Kabir has once again proved his intense depth – there is more hidden in this simple couplet than all the riches of the legendary Atlantis!

” A mistake is not a truth because it is shared by many people, just as a truth is not false because it is emitted by a single individual. ”
– Mahatma Ghandi

Kabir – The couplet
??? ?? ?? ?? ?????, ?? ?? ??? ? ??? |
????? ????? ???? ????, ????? ????? ???? ??? ||

transliterated:
Ati hat naa kar baavare, hat se baat na hoy |
Jyon jyon bheege kamari, tyon tyon bhari hoy ||

Translation:
Do not insist to the point of stubbornness – insistence does not help any end be acheived |
As the bag of salt gets wetter, it only becomes heavier – not easier to carry||

My understanding:

I have often seen a child carry on for something he/she wants, and a parent give in if only to appease the child. However, this is not true of life.

No matter how long we carry on, we cannot change reality through mere word. We cannot also change behavior by demanding it for long enough.

Change needs justification. Change needs a different way of thinking. Change needs a different perspective. We can only convince people to listen to us as long as we are reasonable, as long as we make sense. Else, we become a nag and get tuned out.

If I do not want to be the heavy bag of salt, I will have to learn to be pleasant, brief and to the point. In the extreme case, the bag of salt, if left in water long enough, will have the salt melt and flow away, leaving behind only an empty bag. [In this metaphor, I am the bearer of the bag, the bag is my mind and voice, and the salt is my desire/idea. ]

“Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they’re yours.”
– Richard Bach

Kabir – The couplet
???? ?? ??? ??? ??, ??? ?? ???? ??? |
??? ? ??? ??????, ??? ??? ??? ??? ||

transliterated:
Meetha sab koi khaat hai, vish hai laage dhaay |
Neem na koi peevasi, sabe rog mit jaay ||

Translation:
All of us willingly enjoy (eat) sweets, even though the sweet is as poison to us |
No one willingly drinks the juice of the neem, though it can destroy much sickness||

My understanding:

We like to take the easy path in life.

Sweets taste good, though the after-effects are often deleterious to our health. Medicinal foods, though greatly beneficial, often taste bad to abominable, and hence we avoid them.

The tongue sees food for but a couple of seconds – and yet defines what we eat. The stomach, intestines, and the rest of the digestive system that have to separate the good from the bad, and deal with all that enters the mouth, have little to no say in what we eat.

We live our life in a similar fashion. Fleeting impressions often shape our life rather than well-thought out and understood actions. We rarely, if ever pause to understand that what looks good from a distance may in fact be extremely dangerous to us.

So here is a clarion call to slow down, deliberate more and put more thought into our everyday decisions.

“Now that it’s all over, what did you really do yesterday that’s worth mentioning? “
– Coleman Cox

Kabir – The couplet
???? ???? ?????????, ???? ?????? ???? |
???? ?????? ??? ??? ??, ?????? ?? ??? ??? ?? ||

transliterated:
Sheetal shabd ucchhariye, aham maaniye naahi |
Tera preetam tujh mein hai, dushman bhi tujh mein hai ||

Translation:
Our words need to be soothing, completely absent of ego |
For all our love is inside of us, as also our enemies, our negativity||

My understanding:

We often hear the statement “hindsight is 20-20”. As the first quote on the top says, think back to the events and activities of yesterday. How many of them, on review, were worth the angst and heartache you put yourself through while in the moment?

Life is such – we presume the worst even while hoping for the best, and then agonize ourselves and all around us in the worry that we did not take more into consideration when figuring out the worst – we KNOW that the worst is far greater than what we dream of ?

And then the moment passes, and all is well. Even the worst is not really a bad world. All it really needed was a moment of quiet introspection and a smile – both of which we are not ready to give at the apt moment.

So, please – stop, think, and spread only love. Life is very very beautiful, and the world is here to please us, make us happy!

“I am not young enough to know everything.”
– Oscar Wilde

Kabir – The couplet
???? ???? ???? ???, ???? ? ???? ??? |
??? ???? ??? ????, ?? ?? ???? ?? ??? ||

transliterated:
Padha suna seekha sabhi, miti na sanshay shool |
Kahe Kabir – kaise kahoon, yeh sab dukh ka mool ||

Translation:
As we began to learn to read and write, the more our confusion increase, not decrease |
Says Kabir – how should I express this? – half-knowledge is the root of all pain ||

My understanding:

Humans are always in a rush. As soon as we complete a word, we presume the sentence. Having read the sentence, we know the paragraph. A word later, the story has filled our being – at least, our version of the story – the way I want it to be, the way that suits my way of thinking, my way of being.

We have to learn to do a lot of things, just as we teach our children.

Learning the alphabet does not mean we have learnt grammar. Mastery of grammar does not imply clarity of expression. Clear expression still does not necessarily include clarity of thought or pleasant artistry.

I am still learning to say what I mean, and so are the old masters. This humility is the only way to continue to open doors to further learning and understanding, to peel back more layers of the fruit if we are ever to perceive the seed hidden inside – the little nub that explains our reason for existence.

“Self importance is our greatest enemy….our self importance requires that we spend most of our lives offended by someone.”
–Carlos Castaneda

Kabir – The couplet
???? ??? ?? ???? ???, ??? ??? ? ???? |
??? ???? ?????? ???, ??? ??? ?? ???? ||

transliterated:
Maya taja to kya hua, maan taja na jaaye |
Maan bade munivar taje, maan saban ko khaye ||

Translation:
Giving up wealth takes little effort , but nigh impossible it is to give up ego |
Ego has reduced the greatest and enlightened to ordinary, no one is immune to it’s charms ||

My understanding:

As a race, one of the greatest facets of being human is our ability to recognize, celebrate and thrive in our diversity.

Ego, on the other hand uses differences to drive separation and distance me from everyone else.

Ego has made a politician of the statesman, a soldier of the general, an ordinary man of the enlightened.

Ego has no redeeming quality for a good life – for it uses our good energy to amplify and feed the negative side.

Give up ego, and stay on watch – for it will always lurk just around the corner, in range and always ready to pounce.

“We smile at the ignorance of the savage who cuts down the tree in order to reach its fruit; but the same blunder is made by every person who is over eager and impatient in the pursuit of pleasure.”
— William Channing

Kabir – The couplet
???? ???? ?? ???, ???? ?? ??? ??? |
???? ????? ?? ????, ??? ??? ?? ??? ||

transliterated:
Dheere dheere re mana, dheere sab kuch hoye |
Maali seenche sau ghada, ritu aaye phal hoye ||

Translation:
Patience, O Heart – everything takes time |
No matter the amount of watering by the gardener, fruit will only arrive in season||

My understanding:

We rush, and want everything around us to speed up with us. But the real virtue is to learn to slow down to the pace of everything around us.

Children do not grow up and gain wisdom overnight – they need time to grow, to learn, to experience. Protecting them from the “badness” of the world does not make them better – only less equipped. The story of Mahavira is but an example of this.

Only the tree that has weathered a few storms provides both cool shelter from the sun and enough fruit to satiate a hungry man.

Experience needs time – time to gain, and then more time to understand, appreciate and imbibe. Then, and only then, are we ready to really learn from the experience – and this needs more time. So then, experience will be experience only after we give it time, effort and understanding!

People often say that this or that person has not yet found himself. But the self is not something one finds, it is something one creates.
– Thomas Szasz, “Personal Conduct,” The Second Sin, 1973

Kabir – The couplet
??????? ????? ???, ??? ???? ?? ???? |
??? ??? ??? ??? ??, ?????? ???? ???? ||

transliterated:
Kasturi kundal base, mrig dhoonde ban maahi |
Aise ghat ghat Ram hai, duniya dekhe naahi ||

Translation:
The musk deer has its musk inside, yet hunts the fragrance all over the forest |
So also Ram (realization) is inside and all around us – and yet we see it not||

My understanding:

The most profound things in life are often the easiest to find – if we can slow down our racing thoughts enough.

We are fully equipped to find our place and purpose in this world – if we can quiet the furnace of our thoughts and focus on the consciousness inside us.

Our true greatness is not in what we do, but rather in what we can do and the reason we exist. If we can find that and focus on it to the exclusion of all else, we can each be greater than ourselves, and the world will truly become “heaven on earth” !

“While we are free to choose our actions, we are not free to choose the consequences of our actions.”
– Stephen Covey

Kabir – The couplet
???? ?? ?? ????? ????, ?? ??? ????? ????? |
???? ???? ???? ??, ?? ???? ?? ??? ||

transliterated:
Karta tha so kyon kiya, ab kare kyon pachtaye |
Boya ped babool ka, aam kahan te paaye ||

Translation:
Why did you do that which is done, and why cry after the deed |
Having sown seed of a date palm, the fruits will not be grapes ||

My understanding:

Very simple, this couplet and the thought. As you sow, so shall you reap. However, very profound too.

For each pin that pricks us in the course of our daily life, we often tend to blame fate, circumstance, and the great beyond for our suffering while taking all ownership of all pleasure and happiness and the causes thereof. Another pointer to the fickle nature of human ego and its fragile existence.

I am centrally responsible for all that happens to me and around me. And when I fully embrace this thought, life gains a rich new glow, purpose and meaning for me.

“Fast, easy and cheap may work for a one-night-stand, if that’s what you’re into, but it’s not going to work for a healthy, sustainable relationship. Once we make a real committment, the other changes will follow.”
– Beth Bader (http://eatdrinkbetter.com/2008/12/05/food-for-thought-we-are-what-we-eat/ )

Kabir – The couplet
???? ???? ??????, ???? ?? ?? ??? |
???? ???? ??????, ???? ???? ??? ||

transliterated:
Jaise bhojan kijiye, vaise hi man hoye |
Jaise paani pijiye, vaise vaani hoye ||

Translation:
The food one eats will reflect in the heart of the person |
The water one drinks is what defines the voice of the person ||

My understanding:

Almost universally, each individual pays the least attention to the self – until something goes wrong – sometimes, waiting till it is horribly wrong.

The way we are made, our only source of nourishment is what we eat – for we cannot use the energy from the sun and air to replenish spent energy. However, we often enough race through food, with scant attention to detail – until the physical body is beyond redemption. We then blame everything else from the world economy to global warning for our inability to eat right or properly.

If I do not take care of myself, how can I blame it on anyone or anything else? Life is not tough – we make it hard by not pacing ourselves properly – filling our calendar till we have no time for ourselves, or the ones we love.

The food I eat, and how I eat it, will define my temperament and outlook for the day. If I spend time enjoying it, I can truly appreciate the love and effort that went into transforming it from the raw materials to the serving on the plate in front of me. This allows me to then expand my pleasure to beyond me to the entire world – and the glow will make the world a better place.

The water I drink is what smoothens the vocal passages, an sweetens or roughens the voice.
When temperament and voice are in sync and gentle, the world is a wonderful place. We disturb this even tenor in our rush.

Let us resolve now to slow down, enjoy ourselves and transform the world into a happier place!

“Humility gives you a teachable spirit that makes everything easier.”
– Seth Barnes (http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=the-importance-of-humility)

Kabir – The couplet
???? ????? ?? ???, ????? ?? ?? ??? |
???? ??????? ?? ????????, ??? ??? ?? ??? ||

transliterated:
Sabse laghuta hi bhala, laghuta se sab hoye |
Jaise dwitiya ka chandrama, shashi lahai sab koye ||

Translation:
The humble person is better than the rest, all can relate better to the humble one|
Just as the new moon on the day after no-moon day, is loved by all more than even the full moon!!

My understanding:

Humility is the core strength in every one of us that allows us to become all that we can be. Humility teaches us that all are equal, that any individual does not posses all.

To quote Hugh Prather (“Notes to myself on becoming a person”), ‘Once I realize that I know no more than the next man, does this wisdom make me any the wiser?’

I am but a grain of sand in the beach that is humanity. My knowledge is limited – for the more I know, the more I realize how much more there is to learn. My wealth in this world is also limited – if one person had all the wealth, and no one else had anything, then the wealth would be worthless since the others would find other things to trade with ?

My real worth comes from my acceptance of my being limited, and my willingness to always stay open to learning. From there springs the true wealth of realization. This realization is what makes life worth living.

“Have you ever noticed how refreshingly fun it is to be around positive thinking people who seem to naturally maintain a positive attitude? No matter how bad the circumstances, negativity never even enters their minds, let alone crosses their lips to form negative, faithless words!”
– Positive Attitude Tips – by Karen Wolf
about.com – http://christianity.about.com/od/practicaltools/a/positivethinkin.htm

Kabir – The couplet
????? ???? ???? ??, ???? ?? ?? ????? |
???? ??? ????? ???, ?? ??? ???? ????? ||

transliterated:
Chandan jaisa sadhu hai, sarp hi sab sansar |
Taake ang lipta rahe, man mein nahi vikar ||

Translation:
The realized person is like the sandal tree, the rest of the world a snake |
Though the snake wraps itself around the tree, the tree loses not its scent or become poisonous ||

My understanding:

Today, more than ever before in history, the temptation to take the easy path, the quick pickings, the short-cut, the quick cheat, is all around us. Google is full of tips on the quick win.

However, this is where the innate goodness of man and our desire to do things the right way wins, even now. While I will not say I have never taken shortcuts (I have, very often), I always stop short of doing that which is wrong – at least by my definition. That little voice, our conscience, is the sandal tree in the couplet above.

The snake is my desire, my ambition, my jealousy. The snake is always with me – but so is my conscience. And I am happy to say that the conscience is alive, well and healthy!

Every time we take that extra miniscule moment to listen to , pay attention to that voice in our head that we know is the conscience, the sandal tree keeps growing and flowering. Water it, feed it, and watch life prosper!

“I don’t want to come to the end of my life and find that I have just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.”
– Diane Ackerman

Kabir – The couplet
??? ????? ??? ????, ????? ???? ??? |
?? ???? ???? ???, ??? ?????? ??? ||

transliterated:
Jin dhunda tin payiya, gahire pani paith |
Mai bauri duban dari, rahi kinare baith ||

Translation:
The seeker found the sought, by diving into the deep |
Apprehensive of the depth, I stayed safe on the shore ||

My understanding:
On the face of it, this is an extremely simple thought – no risk, no gain- and no loss!

However, there is deeper significance to it.

Every moment of life presents us with the opportunity for enormous gain – if we dive into the unknown risk supported only by our collected wealth of experience. The only way to see beyond is by scaling the peaks in front of us.

More importantly, the exploration of the opportunity is a primary purpose, not a possible potential benefit of being born. We each have a responsibility to see further, learn more, dive deeper and gather more (riches of knowledge) than what is present in our world as it exists now.

That is the yardstick by which the great seer Kabir is asking us to measure ourselves by – that I made the effort to do more than I could every moment of the way.

The significance of man is that he is that part of the universe that asks the question, What is the significance of Man? He alone can stand apart imaginatively and, regarding himself and the universe in their eternal aspects, pronounce a judgment:
The significance of man is that he is insignificant and is aware of it.
-Carl Lotus Becker (Progress and Power, 1935)

Kabir – The couplet
???? ????? ?? ????, ???? ???? ???? |
???? ????? ????? ???, ??? ?? ???? ??? ||

transliterated:
Herat herat he sakhi, rahya kabir herai |
Boond samani samund mein, so kat heri jai ||

Translation:
Looking (searching) here and there, everywhere, I lost myself in the search |
Like the drop of water in the ocean: how can one find it once merged into the ocean?||

My understanding:
We – me, you, and all other humans – are just one of many billions of species, on one tiny planet, that is just one of many in a solar system that is itself just one of many billions in the universe.

Our significance comes from and finds strength in the realization of this truth – that we are but a single entity in a collection, which is itself an insignificant portion of a much larger whole.

We need to accept that each of us, as individuals, are important contributors and participants, but it is society as a whole that permits us to assume and retain an identity. Without society to participate in, we have nothing to contribute to and no one to receive from. That whole, then, is the ocean that Kabir refers to – and the entity that we can understand as God.

God is not an external entity, a wielder of magic, or a granter of boons. God is the single unified Identity that society, humanity, Life in the larger form, represents. That is the source of strength and inspiration – the collective larger existence.

The world is not for us – we are for the world. If we vanished today or went missing, the world would not pause for even a millisecond. On the other hand, if the world vanished, we would have nothing to do and be completely out of place. We all need to understand and absorb this truth.

Prayer is not about asking God to give us things – it is about reaching deep into ourselves to find peace and the strength to take on the challenges the world presents. If we do not find the time to pray, we cannot take on the world.

This world is ours – we make it whole. Let us make it better – not because of someone else, but for ourselves! When we do, everyone, and everything, will find a better reason for existence.

I believe that love cannot be bought except with love.
– John Steinbeck

Love cannot triumph unless it becomes the one passion of our life. Until we have a passionate love for Our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament, we shall accomplish nothing.
– St. Peter Eymard

Kabir – The couplet
????? ? ???? ????, ????? ? ??? ???? |
??? ????? ???? ????, ??? ??? ?? ??? ||

transliterated:
Prem na badi upjai, prem na haat bikaay |
Raja praja johi ruche, sheesh dehi le jaay ||

Translation:
Love is not a field crop to harvest, nor is it sold in the marketplace |
And yet king or citizen, when they desire it, willingly sacrifice life in exchange ||

My understanding:
Some amongst us claim not to believe in that which cannot be perceived, and hence their lack of faith in God.

Yet the same person happily professes undying love for the passion of their life.

We, as humans, tend to contradict ourselves depending on the situation. Since love makes us feel good, we ‘go for it’, as the saying goes. And yet we refuse, steadfastly, to put in the little effort towards introspection that will help us realize the eternal bliss and perfect peace that ‘God-realization’ will give us.

This is not a call to gain religion (or maybe it is, at least partly). God is not just a luminiscient being up there who can solve everything and has all the answers. ‘God’ is the reference we use for the construct that allows us to center our focus and concentrate our own innate energies to finding thise simple yet elusive answers to questions that consume our daily living.

So, back to the original topic – love. Love is the pathway to finding both satisfaction and peace – again, non-transient and yet all-powerful entities. When we love, we learn to look over and beyond the small imperfections that our other negative instincts (jealousy, desire) magnify into insurmountable obstacles. Love is the lubricant that makes the journey of life a comfortable ride, and the discovery of the self a simpler quest.

Love is something latent within all, not something that can be traded for or bought with currency. Love is as omniscient and intangible as life itself, for it is the other true face of the coin of life. So instead of looking for it, use it, and it will allow us to bloom!

But have you ever tried to get your mind to wander? It’s about as easy as getting a cat to stay where you tell it to, or telling a toddler not to cry, or willing the heavy clouds not to rain on your picnic.
– by Kristin on May 5, 2010 (http://www.halfwaytonormal.com/?p=1058)

Kabir – The couplet
?? ????? ?? ?? ??, ??? ???? ??? ?? |
???? ????? ??? ???, ???? ??? ????||

transliterated:
Tan bohit man kag hai, lakh yojan udi jai |
Kabahu dariya agam bahi, kabahi gagan samai||

Translation:
The body is bound (to earth) but the mind can fly, many leagues at once |
Sometimes to distant lands, other times into the sky, unlimited in reach||

My understanding:
Each human being is a wonderful mixture of opposites, of different faces of the same coin, an admixture or reality and fantasy all bound into a single composite existent presentation.

The body is our host, our physical manifestation, and our presentation of the self to the physical world. This is bound by physical laws, and is slave to physical forces like gravity and ambient temperature. The mind, on the other hand is the free bird, untouched by either the pains or the pleasures of the physical flesh.

However, we often confuse one for the other, and therein is our undoing.

Desire makes us blur the distinction between the mind and body, and jealousy and craving make us believe the body can achieve the effortless aimless wandering of the mind.

Peace and satisfaction help center the mind in the body, so that both can be at the same place at the same time – which is the first step on the path to salvation, mukti, moksha, heaven or whatever other name we call our real goal by.

A clear understanding of this dichotomy and the need to center the mind in the body before doing anything else needs to be the first procedure in the attainment of the step to peace and satisfaction.

“When an ordinary man attains knowledge he is a sage; when a sage attains understanding he is an ordinary man.”
–Zen Buddhism

Kabir – The couplet
????? ???? ??????, ?? ?? ??? ???? |
????? ??????? ?? ?? ???, ???? ???? ? ??? ||

transliterated:
Sahib teri saahibi, sab ghat rahi samai |
Jyon mehendi ke pat me, lali lakhi na jai||

Translation:
O Lord, your Greatness exists and manifests everywhere|
Just as the dye in the Mehendi leaves, though red – shows not in the leaves that are green evne when ground to paste ||

My understanding:
We often tend to ask questions, and then expect the answer to find its way back to us. More often than not, the answer is right there, and the question is only a step in the path to the answer (goal).

Our concept and structure of God uses a construct that says He is all powerful, and holds all powers and answers.

In reality, man is a representative of that same construct – The Supreme Being. We have all of the solutions, all of the methods, all of the inventions locked away deep inside the folds of the brain. Every invention known to us, realized by us, every benefit, every glory, every achievement, came from the work of man.

And yet we lament that God has not given us what we need? He has bestowed us with the ability, it is now our duty to visualize and realize the wealth that is inside of us.

Perhaps the undoing of this quandary is in our current definition of God. If we were look on Him as the Supreme Teacher, instead of the Supreme Being, perhaps we would look to learn from him, instead of just waiting for his Blessings to shower on us (in reality, the showers never ceased – we are still able to read this letter and comprehend – right? If I can do this, then all my faculties are intact, which means God is right here with me, now and for ever.).

All of this is is my own learning from the ocean of knowledge, at whose edge I sip – perhaps I do not comprehend this right? If so, all elders and teachers who are reading this, please correct my thinking.