Kabir Dohas - 14 Dukh Mein Simran Sab Kare, Sukh Mein Kare Na Koye

Kabir Dohas - 14

Dukh Mein Simran Sab Kare, Sukh Mein Kare Na Koye
Jo Sukh Mein Simran Kare, Tau Dukh Kahe Ko Hoye

duK maoM isamarna saba kro, sauK maoM kro na kaoe
jaao sauK maoM isamarna kro, tao duK kaho kao haoe

Translation
In anguish everyone prays to Him, in joy does none
To One who prays in happiness, how sorrow can come

My Understanding
Let someone suddenly wave his hand in front of your eyes and you will see that the eyes blink. And if you are caught unawares, you may just say 'O my God'!

Such is the nature of mankind. When we are in distress, in a state of helplessness, we invariably then look up in the skies and communicate with Him in our own silent prayer. However, when things are going good, we forget Him. Kabir in this doha highlights this and gives a promise when he says that we shall not suffer if we pray to Him during our good times.

Kabir Dohas - 11 Kabira Khara Bazaar Mein, Mange Sabki Khair

Kabir Dohas - 11

Kabira Khara Bazaar Mein, Mange Sabki Khair
Na Kahu Se Dosti, Na Kahu Se Bair

kbaIra KD,a baaj,aar maoM maaMgao sabakI KOr
naa kahU sao daostI naa kahU sao baOr

Translation
Kabira in the market place, wishes welfare of all
Neither friendship nor enmity with anyone at all

My Understanding
Kabir, the professional weaver, visited the market place to sell his woven goods. Now selling is a competitive affair and all kinds of strategies are adopted by merchants to make the extra buck. Sometimes the strategy can even be a dirty trick or a scam.

In this doha, as is his style, Kabir without saying much, presents a balanced approach. He seems to affirm that while conducting one's business, one need not adopt tricky means and should not become emotional. An honest deal does not warrant the businessman to become either friendly with one's clientele nor develop any malice. This is one of the important maxims of Do's and Don'ts of any progressive business.

From spiritual and mystic point of view, Bazaar is a reference to the world itself where give and take, is the mechanism of dealings...i.e. all relationships at the physical level are conditional and based on business-like (not literally business) transactions. So Kabir is giving us an idea of how we experience ups and downs due to attachments - i.e. due to strong feelings towards or against things. And he says the best way to avoid that is by being in a state of acceptance and detachment.

Kabir Dohas - 8 Jaise Til Mein Tel Hai, Jyon Chakmak Mein Aag

Kabir Dohas - 8

Jaise Til Mein Tel Hai, Jyon Chakmak Mein Aag
Tera Sayeen Tujh Mein Hai, Tu Jaag Sake To Jaag

jaOsao itla maoM tola hO, jyaaoM cakmak maoM Aaga
tora saaM[- tuJamao hO, tU jaaga sako tao jaaga

Translation
Like seed contains the oil, fire in flint stone
Your temple seats the Divine, realize if you can

My Understanding
What is real and how is it veiled?

This yearning for the Truth is the basic search of everyone. We all want to know what God really is. Kabir in this doha reveals the secret. He unfolds the mystery in a very simple way. He takes the example of the anti-seed which contains the oil. However, when we see the seed, we don't see the oil. It is only seen when energy is used to extract the oil from the seed. Same way fire is not visible when we look at the flint stone. However, vigorous rubbing manifests fire which is already hidden in the flint. Same way, Kabir asserts, that our body - the temple - seats the Divine. This divinity is our true self. However, due to our ignorance, we are unaware of this reality. Kabir challenges us in this doha to shed the veils of ignorance and awaken to realize our true self.

This doha also reminds of Swami Vivekananda, who said, "Man is potentially divine and the sole purpose of this life is to discover that divinity. The time to do is here and now".

Kabir Dohas - 6 Sayeen Itna Deejiye, Ja Mein Kutumb Samaye

Kabir Dohas - 6

Sayeen Itna Deejiye, Ja Mein Kutumb Samaye
Main Bhi Bhookha Na Rahun, Sadhu Na Bhookha Jaye

saaM[- i[tnaa dIjaIe‚ jaamaoM kuTumba samaae
maOM BaI BauKa na rhUM‚ saaQaU na BaUKa jaae

Translation
Give so much O God, suffice to envelop my clan
I should not suffer cravings, nor the visitor goes unfed

My Understanding
Very simple in the native Hindi, but very difficult to translate. It is also true, that because of its simplicity, the reader can miss the point that Kabir wants to make.

This Doha deals with the concept of contentment, compassion and a very clear attitude of service. It is not greed when Kabir asks God for abundance. We have to remember that Kabir was a professional weaver, a house-holder with children. Thus, being the primary provider, he reveals in this Doha his commitment to his clan. At the same time, Kabir is content. He is not greedy. He prays to God to give him enough that would be suffice to take care of his needs.

The next lines add another dimension. It reveals the compassion Kabir has for others. In India it is a tradition that if a sadhu visits, the household will make sure that they feed him. Sadhu literally means a monk, a sanyasin, who has renounced the world.

I personally understand that Kabir implies here the the 'sadhu' to be any visitor or as we call "Atithi" - a guest. Kabir wants to ensure that if someone visited his household, that guest should also go fulfilled.

Kabir Dohas - 1 Chalti Chakki Dekh Kar, Diya Kabira Roye

Kabir Dohas - 1

Chalti Chakki Dekh Kar, Diya Kabira Roye
Dui Paatan Ke Beech Mein,Sabit Bacha Na Koye

calatI ca@kI doKkr, idyaa kbaIra raoe
du[- paTna ko baIca maoM, saabaut bacaa na kaoe

Translation
Looking at the grinding stones, Kabir laments
In the duel of wheels, nothing stays intact.

My understanding
This doha picks up a situation from our daily life. Kabir watches the woman grinding wheat on the flour mill. I have used the word woman here as generally it is the woman who does this work even today in the rural Indian society. The wheels are made of stone. One is stationary while the other on top is made to rotate by turning it with the help of a handle attached to it. The grain that is put into it gets crushed and the converted flour comes out. Thus the literal translation given above conveys that.

(Diya Kabira Roye) Kabir cries out, however, is what makes the reader to contemplate on this Doha and realize for oneself the hidden meaning behind this metaphor. Dui Patan here signifies earth (Prithvi) and sky (Akash) and within the ambit of these is all creation and life as also the manifestation of all natural phenomenon of dualities – day and night, life and death, joys and sorrows, thereby making life forever in motion (Chalti Chakki) and an ever changing process. Trapped in this duality, whatever we see is perishable. Nothing that we comprehend is eternal.