Bhagat Kabir · Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji · Ang 1364 · Salok
Bhagat Kabir: six saloks
Bhagat Kabir is the largest contributor among the saints whose words stand beside the Gurus' in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism counts 227 hymns in 17 raags and 237 saloks by him. His saloks begin at ang 1364. Sri Guru Arjun Dev Ji entered them in 1604, and some of his compositions were already in the Goindwal pothis.
He worked as a weaver and lived mainly at Kashi, now Varanasi. Tradition gives his dates as 1398 to 1518, while recent scholarship cited by the Encyclopaedia prefers 1398 to 1448. It is agreed that he passed away at Magahar, a place he chose against popular belief.
These are saloks 7, 22, 146, 155, 239 and 243, as numbered in the scripture. Each has its own BaniDB number. They show his plainness: humility, a death that holds no fear, and the demand that a person's life match what that person claims.
- 1ਕਬੀਰ ਸਭ ਤੇ ਹਮ ਬੁਰੇ ਹਮ ਤਜਿ ਭਲੋ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਇ ॥kabeer sabh te ham bure ham taj bhalo sabh koi
Kabir, there is none worse than I, and every other person is better.
- 2ਜਿਨਿ ਐਸਾ ਕਰਿ ਬੂਝਿਆ ਮੀਤੁ ਹਮਾਰਾ ਸੋਇ ॥੭॥jin aaisaa kar boojhiaa meet hamaaraa soi
Whoever has come to see things this way is my friend.
- 3ਕਬੀਰ ਜਿਸੁ ਮਰਨੇ ਤੇ ਜਗੁ ਡਰੈ ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨਿ ਆਨੰਦੁ ॥kabeer jis marane te jag ddarai mere man aanandh
Kabir, the death that frightens the world fills my mind with joy.
Note. Prof. Sahib Singh takes this death as dying to worldly attachment. The English translations leave it as death.
- 4ਮਰਨੇ ਹੀ ਤੇ ਪਾਈਐ ਪੂਰਨੁ ਪਰਮਾਨੰਦੁ ॥੨੨॥marane hee te paieeaai pooran paramaanandh
It is by dying that one reaches complete, supreme bliss.
- 5ਕਬੀਰ ਰੋੜਾ ਹੋਇ ਰਹੁ ਬਾਟ ਕਾ ਤਜਿ ਮਨ ਕਾ ਅਭਿਮਾਨੁ ॥kabeer roRaa hoi rahu baaT kaa taj man kaa abhimaan
Kabir, be like a stone lying on the road, and let go of your pride.
- 6ਐਸਾ ਕੋਈ ਦਾਸੁ ਹੋਇ ਤਾਹਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਭਗਵਾਨੁ ॥੧੪੬॥aaisaa koiee dhaas hoi taeh milai bhagavaan
The servant who becomes like that will meet the Lord.
- 7ਕਬੀਰਾ ਜਹਾ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਤਹ ਧਰਮੁ ਹੈ ਜਹਾ ਝੂਠੁ ਤਹ ਪਾਪੁ ॥kabeeraa jahaa giaan teh dharam hai jahaa jhooTh teh paap
Kabir, wisdom brings dharma with it, as falsehood brings wrongdoing.
- 8ਜਹਾ ਲੋਭੁ ਤਹ ਕਾਲੁ ਹੈ ਜਹਾ ਖਿਮਾ ਤਹ ਆਪਿ ॥੧੫੫॥jahaa lobh teh kaal hai jahaa khimaa teh aap
Greed brings death with it, and in forgiveness God is present.
Note. 'Kal' is death or time. Prof. Sahib Singh reads spiritual death.
- 9ਕਬੀਰ ਜਉ ਤੁਹਿ ਸਾਧ ਪਿਰੰਮ ਕੀ ਸੀਸੁ ਕਾਟਿ ਕਰਿ ਗੋਇ ॥kabeer jau tuh saadh piranm kee sees kaaT kar goi
Kabir, if love's game is what you crave, then take off your head and use it for the ball.
Note. The image is of giving up the self entirely for love of God.
- 10ਖੇਲਤ ਖੇਲਤ ਹਾਲ ਕਰਿ ਜੋ ਕਿਛੁ ਹੋਇ ਤ ਹੋਇ ॥੨੩੯॥khelat khelat haal kar jo kichh hoi ta hoi
Become lost in the game, whatever may come of it.
- 11ਕਬੀਰ ਜਉ ਗ੍ਰਿਹੁ ਕਰਹਿ ਤ ਧਰਮੁ ਕਰੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਤ ਕਰੁ ਬੈਰਾਗੁ ॥kabeer jau girahu kareh ta dharam kar naahee ta kar bairaag
Kabir, if you keep a household, live it rightly. If not, give up the world.
- 12ਬੈਰਾਗੀ ਬੰਧਨੁ ਕਰੈ ਤਾ ਕੋ ਬਡੋ ਅਭਾਗੁ ॥੨੪੩॥bairaagee bandhan karai taa ko baddo abhaag
If one who has given up the world takes on its ties again, that is great misfortune.
Our line is a reading of the intent. For the Gurmukhi source text and reference translations seeSikhiToTheMax (part 1), SikhiToTheMax (part 2), SikhiToTheMax (part 3), SikhiToTheMax (part 4), SikhiToTheMax (part 5), SikhiToTheMax (part 6) and SikhRI's Guru Granth Sahib Project.[DB][EoS]