Kabir Dohas - 12 Kabir Man Nirmal Bhaya, Jaise Ganga Neer

Kabir Dohas - 12

Kabir Man Nirmal Bhaya, Jaise Ganga Neer
Pache Pache Har Phire, Kahat Kabir Kabir

kbaIr mana inama-la Bayaa‚ jaOsao gaMgaa naIr
PaaCo PaaCo hir ifro,‚ kht kbaIr kbaIr

Translation
Kabir's mind got cleansed like the holy Ganges water
Now everyone follows, saying Kabir Kabir

My Understanding
Everyone desires to be known, to belong. Yet due to the chaotic states of our minds, we find ourselves secluded and limited. The cause of this chaos is our attachments and bondages. For some reason we are unable to break these shackles and are therefore confined.

The desire to scale the heights of infinity can be achieved only when there is release from our attachments and feelings of insecurity that bind us. And, this is possible only when our mind is cleansed from the impurities of ego, illicit passions, anger, fear, greed and procrastination.

Once the mind is free then we find ourselves relaxed, loving and compassionate. Then everyone looks up to us and wants to associate with us with confidence. Only those with relaxed and loving mind find themselves in harmony with everyone.

Kabir Dohas - 10 Maya Mari Na Man Mara, Mar Mar Gaye Shareer

Kabir Dohas - 10

Maya Mari Na Man Mara, Mar Mar Gaye Shareer
Asha Trishna Na Mari, Keh Gaye Das Kabir

maayaa marI na mana mara, mar mar gae SarIr
AaSaa t`YNaa na marI, kh gae dasa kbaIr

Translation
Neither illusion nor the mind, only bodies attained death
Hope and delusion did not die, so Kabir said.

My Understanding
To understand this doha correctly, one must understand first the word 'Maya'. This word is like an unsolved riddle and hard to translate. For want of a proper word, it is loosely translated as illusion. In its depths, 'Maya' perhaps means, Nature on the go...ever changing...hence an illusion.

In this doha, Kabir says while the physical body that is born, lives and eventually dies, the world of Maya goes on as does the Mind (that intelligent governing Self). Hope and the deceptive greed or delusion does not die either. Even in his death bed, one continues to cling with the perishable - the body, with one's aspirations, desires - and the cravings, the urges, the yearnings (trishna) dies not. In fact, the play of the world "leela" goes on because of this.

In his typical mystic style, Kabir compels the reader to contemplate and realize the Truth.