Ishq Samandar Dil De Andar

When Kabir speaks about the Lord, he associates it with love. Only devotion is not enough, but pure and unconditional love- like a committed and dedicated wife does to her husband. A wife does all house chores, serves all family members yet the only thought hangs in her mind is the thought of her husband and the only pleasure for her is to meet him!!

The existence is the ocean of love. The Lord is the ocean of love and even we are tiny drops of the same but still the power of this love within us is overwhelming. We just need to remember it. Even this tiny drop is again kind of an ocean of love flowing in our own heart!!!

Saints have described this kind of love to make sure that there shouldn’t be any other expectations from our beloved but only love. We feel this missing thing in life, we try hard to find it everywhere but the last resort is our Lord. When we put our devotion towards him, we take first step on this path. There is some time when we have traveled some distance but we have not reached our destination. The nearer we reach, the more restless we become (to meet him). This situation is often called Birah or pang of separation.

***The slenderest strands of love are more powerful than thick ropes of steel…. (Arren Stephen - Moth & Flame – page-288)

Here are some Dohas and Pads by Kabir on this love factor felt by the seeker.

1. Nature of love……….
Kabir nij ghar prem ka, maarag agam agaadh.
Sees utaari pagatal dhare, tab nikaTi prem ka swaad.
Kabir says – the path of our true home is quite difficult. This is world of love and we can enter into it when we drop our head (ego) and make our way upon our own self. Only then we can taste the divine drink of love.

Kabir yah ghar prem ka, Khala ka ghar naahi
Sheesh utaare bhui dhare, tab paiThe ghar maanhi.
Kabir says it is not your aunt’s home where you can enter when ever you want. His home is home of love, you can enter here only when you take your head off and put it on the earth. Then only you can enter this house. Our beloved one is the ONE, which is prevailing in everything. And to know him, we need to feel the oneness with everything, to say feel love for everyone and everything. Until we think ourselves as separate entities, we can’t feel the absolute love. And the interesting thing is that we seek absolute love and everlasting bliss, and so we start searching GOD, but at the end we find that is has to come through us, that we have to be a medium only to flow this pure energy which is unconditional love. So dropping the thought of our being as separate entity and then make this flow a reality is what is all about taking off your head.

Prem na baree upajai, prem na haaT bikaay.
Raja paraja jehi ruche, sheesh dei lai jay.
This love doesn’t grow in field; neither can it be traded in the market. Doesn’t matter who wants to buy it. Whether it is a king or the public, its price would the same- your head. Give your head and take love in exchange of it. That is the only price possible for this trade.

Saai sent na paaiye, baataan mile na koy.
Kabir sauda raam so, sir bin kadain na hoy.
You can’t get your beloved without great effort. You can’t find him by only big talks. Kabir says this trade is for Ram (Lord); you can trade for him only in exchange of your head. Without dropping your self completely, you can’t find him.

Kabir rekh sindoor ki, kaajal diya na jay.
Nain ramaiyaa rami raha, dooja kahan samaay.
Kabir says- a devoted wife can’t put black kajal in place of sindoor. In the same way no one else can enter in a true lover’s eyes apart from his beloved.

Kabir kutta Ram ka, Mutia mera naau.
Gale Ram ki jewadi, jit khenche tit jaau.
To-to kare to bahurau, dur-dur kare to jaau.
Jyu Hari rakhe tyu raho, jo deve so khaau.
Someone has said right that no human being can love you like your pet dog loves you! In human love there is certain kind of expectations. But a pet dog loves for the sake of love.
Kabir is referring here that pure love. He says - I am like the dog of my Lord. He has the chain in his hand with which he has bound me. I go where ever he pulls me. When he calls me with love, I come back to him and when he scolds me, I go away from him!! I live the way he keeps me and eat what ever he provides!!
Can we imagine loving him like that? What ever he provides is acceptable with pleasure, his love and his punishment are equal to us and we need not anything else, but to be with him, to love him!! When we are able to attain this kind of love, it is sure he will show up!!

Jal me base kamodinee, chanda base akaash.
Jo hai jako bhwatam so tahee ke paas.
The Kamodini(A white flower growing in water which blossoms when it is moonlight and fades in sun light) lives in the water and the Moon is in the sky still they love each other. Distance doesn’t make a difference to them. In the same way, love is what matters, and if there is love, distance doesn’t make any difference (so is true for your Lord and Guru).

Agini aanch sahana sugam, sugam khaDg kee dhaar.
Neh nibaahan ekras, maha kaThin byohaar.
It is easy to jump into fire and it is also comparatively easy to bear wounds of sword. The brave and courageous people go through it, but it is far more difficult to love someone in the same way throughout the life.
Kabir says the difference between temporary passion and true love, whether it is worldly or divine. People tend to fall in love, do a lot of madness and then they start loosing the passion. But love is something which might be little but it will go through all ups and downs and throughout all your life. This love is rare, but it is the practice what is needed in this path.

Kaanch kadheer adheer nar, taahi na upajai prem.
Kah Kabir kasanee sahe, kai heeraa kai hem.
Immature and impatient man can’t get what love is all about. Kabir says it is only gold or diamond which is able to go through touchstone. Likewise a brave and courageous person will be able to walk on the path of love.

2. Birah-Baan Jihi Lagiya………....................
Virah kee oodee laakaree, sapuchai aur dhudhuaay.
Dukh se tab hee bachihaun, jab sakalau jari jaay.
The wet wood of Birah(separation from the beloved, mostly taken in the context of two true lovers) just burns a little and gives smokes only. How to get rid of this sorrow o my dear friend, only way to get out of this pain is to get completely burnt out. (Here wet wood refers to our mind full of filth- desires, thoughts and karmas).
Here separation is from our beloved Lord, and pain comes when we start feeling Lord’s existence and our relation with him but we are not able to meet him. Our karmas and attachments start burning one by one but we feel the heat and pain till everything is turned into ashes and we come out glittering like pure gold. There is no other way to come out of this pain and to meet the Lord, but to burn all impurities, attachments, dreams and desires.

Hawas kare piy Milan ki, au sukh chaahe ang.
Peer sahe binu padminee*, poot na let ulang.(Padmini – Poetic word used for most beautiful woman)

Kabir says you desire to meet your beloved and want happiness and joy? That is not possible, even the most beautiful woman goes through great pain to bear and give birth to a child and to take him in her arms. Yes, when she takes the little bundle of joy in her arms, she will feel great joy but the way she gets this joy is through pain and sufferings. Likewise when we meet our Lord, our all pain is gone and we are in infinite bliss, but the journey goes though great sufferings and difficulty so be used of it.

Birah bhuwangam paisi kari, kiya kaleje ghav.
Saadhu ang n moDahi, jyu bhave tyu khaav.
This Birah is like poisonous snake entered into the body, it has bitten me at the very core of my heart. True Sadhu is who doesn’t even tremble by this pain and has surrendered his body to this Birah, to be eaten as it likes (body here refers to all layers of soul).

Yahu tan jaalon masi karo, jyu dhuwaan jaai saraggi.
Mati wai Raam daya karen, barasi bujhaawe aggi.
I will burn this body to the ashes and the smoke will reach to the heaven. Even if Lord doesn’t have mercy on me seeing this smoke, it will turn into rain and will put off this fire which is burning me.

Yahu tan jaalo masi karo, likho Raam ka naam.
Lekhani karau karank ki, likhi-likhi raam paThaau.
I will burn my body to ashes and will make ink of it. I will make pen of my skeleton and will write name of Ram and will send it to him.

Nainaa neejhar laaiyaa, rahaT bahai nis jam.
Papeeha jyu piv-piv karo, kabahu miloahuge raam.
My two eyes are like waterfalls, always dropping tears like the RahanT( two buckets used to pull water from the well) keeps throwing water. I keep calling his name like Papeeha( a bird which sounds like piyu meaning beloved) calls piyu –piyu. O my dear Ram, tell me when you will come to meet me.

Sukhiya sab sansaar hai, khaabe aur sobe.
Dukhiya das Kabir hai, jaage aur rowe.
(Kabir lost his home in this world, in search of his beloved.) He is still unable to meet his love and he sees that whole the world is happy eating in days and sleeping in nights. What to say about Kabir who wakes up in nights and weeps for his beloved (without whom Kabir can’t find peace and happiness).

Chakai bichhudi raini kee, aai mili parbhaati.
Je jan bichhuDe Raam se, te din mile na rati.
Chakvi (a famous bird in India – it is said that the couple are separated in night hours and meet each other in day time only) is separated from her beloved in nights but she is able to meet him in dawn hours. But we souls, who are separated from our beloved Lord, can’t meet him in day or night. This separation is extremely painful.

Dhyaan na aawe, neend na bhaawe, birah sataawe mohi.
Ghaayal see ghoomat phirun, darad naa jaane koi.
Now I can’t concentrate (on anything) nor I can sleep, this separation is being hard to me. I wander like a wounded person (who is going through great pain and can’t feel rest anywhere), and no one is able to understand my pain and suffering.

Parbat parbat main phira, nain gawaye roy.
Wah booTi paaun nahi, jaate jeewan hoy.
I wandered in mountains and I lost my eyes weeping for you still I couldn’t find the herb anywhere which could bring life back to me(refers to love what Kabir had been searching for).

Aage aage dau jale, paachhe hariar hoy.
Baliharee ta birakh ki, jaD kaaTe phal hoy.
This jungle behaves strangely (the jungle of consciousness), the more you burn its woods, the more it grows green. The fire goes burning ahead and behind the fire it grows greener. Kabir says this tree is of great importance, when you cut its roots, then only it bears the fruits.
Kabir is here talking about the consciousness spread to all senses in our body. When we start turning off our outer senses, our spiritual world starts growing and when you are able to cut the root of attachment to this world then only our soul bears the fruit of GOD Realization.

Birah jalaai main jalauan, jalati jalahari jaau.
Mo dekhya jalahari jale, santo kahan bujhaau.
I am getting burned in the fire of separation. I went to the river in hope to put off the fire, but the river itself caught fire seeing me. O saints, where else now would I turn to put this fire off?

Birah jalanti main phiru, mo birhin ko dukh.
Chhanh na baiThun darapati, mati jal uThe bhuk.
I wander here and there burning in the fire of separation, but poor me has great trouble. I can’t even find a shadow in hope of some coolness. I fear sitting in the shadow of the tree, so the tree wouldn’t catch fire from me.

Aai sakon na tujjh pe, sakaun na tujjh bulaai.
Jiyaraa yonhi lehuge, birah tapaai-tapaai.
I can’t come to you; neither can I ask you to come to me. I know you will take my life burning in your separation only.

AankhaDiyaa jhaai paree, panth nihaari-nihari.
JeehaDiya chhalaa paDyaa, Ram pukaari-pukaari.
O my dear, my eyes are blackened watching your way and my tongue is burned calling your name (yet you didn’t come to me!).

Kabir dekhat din gaya, nis bhi dekhat jaai.
Birhin piy pawe nahi, jiyara talafe maai.
Kabir says – O mother, the day was gone watching his way, now the night is also at the end. This dear bride who is separated from her husband is restless without him.

Lakadee jali koyala bhai, Koyalaa jal bhayo raakh.
Main papan aisee jaee, koyalaa bhayi na raakh.
The wood burnt to coal and coal burnt to ashes. But I - the great sinner, kept burning yet couldn’t become coal or ashes.
Kabir is saying about the karmas and sins which need to be burnt when we start meditating. Slowly our karmas and desires start burning, but it gives us pain and some kind of suffering also. Until these all are burnt and we become pure, we will not be able to meet our Lord and find the ultimate love.

Birah-baan jihi laagiyaa, aushadhi lage na taahi.
Sisaki-sisaki mari-mari jiwe, uThe karaahi-karaahi.
Someone who is bored by the pang of separation can’t be cured. No medicine, no drugs will help him. He has to live crying, weeping and moaning. (Till a soul is become pure and is able to see the true self, it feels this pain and suffering).

Mans gaya pinjar raha, taakan laage kaag.
Sahib ajahu na aaya, mand hamare bhaag.
The Birhin (the bride separated from her husband) keeps waiting and watching for her husband, can’t enjoy anything now. She is so desperate and sad, her health has gone down. Now flesh is not on her body, only skeleton remains. Knowing that her death is nearing, crows are watching (for her flesh).Still her beloved didn’t come. Kabir says my luck is so bad, my Sahib still didn’t consider me worth him.

Kaaga sab tan khaaiyo, chun chun khaaiyo maans.
Do naina mat khaaiyo, mohe piya Milan kee aas.
Kabir is in the state that now he can’t bear the pain of separation and will die. He requests to crows (it is common in Parasis to leave the dead body for flesh eater birds to finish it) – Please eat my whole body, eat all the flesh, but please don’t eat my eyes. I am still waiting to see my beloved!! I have still hope even I am dieing, he will come to meet me and my eyes will show him to me!!

Birhin udee panth siri, panthee bujhe dhaai.
Ek shabad kah peev ka, kab re milenge aai.
Birhin waits near the path and runs to the traveler when someone goes on the way. She asks – tell me something about my beloved, when he will come to meet me? This is a metaphor of the souls waiting to meet the Lord, and they keep asking to their Guru when they will be so lucky to meet their Lord.

Atakee bhaal shareer me, teer raha hai TooT.
Chumbak bina nikale nahee,koti Jatan ko PhooT.
Imagine an arrow which was broken while it was in our body and its sharp piece is still in the body. When all things fail, a magnet works to pull it out. Here Kabir is saying about our soul trapped in these physical and other layers of body and is unable to come out of it by itself. There we need a Guru, who has met with the Lord, has become charged and magnet like and he can pull our soul upwards.

Birah bhuvangam tan base, mantra na laage koy.
Raam-biyogee na jiwe, jiwe to bauraa hoy.
This poisonous snake of Birah(is Kabir referring Kundalini here??) entered in my body, now no mantra works on it. (It bites me from within), people say it right- who have felt this separation from Ram, will not survive anymore. Even if they survive, it is sure they will become insane. When this love truly happens to devotee, he starts being aloof from the outer world, and not being able to meet the Lord, he looks like insane. (When he meets the Lord, he becomes saturated with love and bliss, thus even then he looks like insane to the outer world).

Jo roun to bal ghaTe, hansu to Raam risaay.
Jiyara yonhee lehunge, birah tapaai-tapaai.
If I cry for him, my strength lessens and if I laugh (I take pleasure in worldly things), my Lord will get angry of me. O my dear Lord, I know you will take my life in this way only, burning me slowly in this pang of separation.

Kabir hari ka bhawata, Jheenaa pinajr saans.
Raini na aawe neendDee,angi na chaDhai maans.
Kabir says – the lover of the Lord looks like skeleton taking breathe somehow. He can’t sleep in nights and is even worse in his health and body.

Raam biyogee tan bikal, taahi naa cheenhe koi.
Tambolee ke paan jyu, din-din peela hoi.
The person who is separated from Ram and is searching for his beloved is restless and even careless about his physical appearance. People don’t recognize (his condition). He grows pale day by day like the betel leaves.

Yaa birhin ko maut de, yaa aapaa dikhalaay.
AaTh pahar kaa daajhaNaa, mope sahyaa na jay.
Oh my dear beloved, please give me death or show yourself. Now it is unbearable to bear this 24 hours pain and suffering (I can’t live without seeing you and I would prefer death than living without you).

Kabeer hansanaa doori kari, kari rowan so chitt.
Bin rowan kyu paaiye, prem piyaara mitt.
Kabir says stop laughing (enjoying worldly things) and make commitment to weeping. No one is able to meet him without crying for him.

***The same example is given by Ramkrishna. He says when a child is playing and laughing, his mother doesn’t pay attention. But when the kid wants to go to mother and doesn’t enjoy playing anymore, he starts crying. At that time, even his mother is busy with something, she comes running and picks her child. So is true for the Lord. Till he sees that we are enjoying here, he doesn’t bother showing himself. But when we cry from the heart for him, he comes to us. Ramkrishna used to say even if you cry constantly for three days and nights reminding only him, it is sure he will show himself to you, but this cry should be from the core of heart as the child cries.

Sab rang taant rabaab tan, birah bajaawe nitt.
Aur na akoi sun sake, kai saai kai chitt.
This body is like all colored (all notes of music) Rabab(a musical instrument), the Birah plays is day and night. Its melody is hearable only to my soul or my dear beloved.

3. Baalam Aao Hamare Geh(O dear, come to my home)………….................
Naina antar aav tu, tyuhi nain jhapeun.
Na haun dekhun aur kun, n tujh dekhan deun.
Kabir says, O my beloved, come into my eyes. As soon as you come, I will close my eyes, thus will keep you closed in my eyes. My love is so firm, neither shall I see anyone else, nor shall I let you see anyone else.

Kabir supine Hari milaa, sowt liyaa jagaay.
Aankhi na kholun darapata, mati sapana hoi jay.
Kabir says – My Lord came to me in dream, and called me to wake up. Now I fear opening my eyes that this sweet meeting wouldn’t turn into mere a dream and I would loose sight of my beloved!!

Is tan kaa deewaa karun, baatee melyun jeev.
Lohee seenchu tel jyu, Kab mukh dekhyu peev.
I will make the lamp of this body and will make the wick of my soul. I will pour the blood as oil in this lamp and in the light of this lamp; I shall see the face of my beloved.

Eke grih ek sang me, hau birhin sang kant.
Kab preetam hansi bolihe, joh rahee main panth.
Me and my beloved live in the same home with each other, yet I am Birhin(the bride separated from the groom). I am still waiting -when he will come to me and will take me and talk to me happily.

Man parteet na premras, na is tan me Dhang.
Na jano us peev su, kaise rahasee sang.
My mind is not firm in faith neither I have love in me. I don’t know any good manner. I wonder how will I be able to meet my beloved and how I will live with him (Kabir is here referring the immaturity and innocence of the soul when she fears about the unknown-the existence, the love, the Lord).

Bahut dinan ki johatee, baaT tumharee Raam
Jiy tarase tujh milan ko, man naahee bisaraam
I am waiting and watching your way for so long time. My heart is craving to meet you; my mind can’t find peace and rest (until I see you).

Patibartaa mailee bhalee, kaalee kuchit kuroop.
Patibartaa ke roop par, waro koTi saroop.
A Satee( dedicated and committed wife) is the most beautiful woman even she is ugly and black and is dirty. She is the dearest and the most beautiful woman in eyes of her husband. I will sacrifice crores of beautiful (woman) for that one.
Kabir is indicating here that single minded devotion is what matters in the eyes of the Lord. Even if a soul is not so advanced and is not so pure but she is devoted to his beloved, the Lord considers her beautiful and loves her and makes her path smooth.

Talafai bin balam mor jiya.
Din nahi chain raat nahi nindiyaa, talaf-talaf ke bhor kiyaa.
Tan-man mor rahanT as dole, soon sej par janam chhiya.
Nain thakit bhaye, panth na soojhe, saai bedardi sudh na liyaa.
Kahat kabir suno bhai saadho, haro peer dukh jor kiyaa.(*Language – Bhojpuri mixed Hindi)

My heart aches without my beloved. I can’t find peace in day and can’t even sleep in nights. I spend whole the night this way. My body and mind (soul) trembles like ranahT(buckets used to pull water from the well), sleeping on this vacant bed (where my beloved is not with me) is a great shame for me. My eyes got tired watching the path ( on which he will come to me), now I can’t see even my way to go ahead, still my heartless beloved doesn’t remember me, doesn’t care for me. Kabir says – O Saints, I call him desperately to come and take all my pains away.

Baalam aao hamare geh re.
Tum bin dukhiya deh re.
Sab koi kahe tumharee naree, moko yah andeh re.
Ekmek hwai sej na sowe, tab lag kaisaa neh re.
Ann na bhawe, neend na aawe, grih ban dhare na dheer re.
Jyo kamee ko kamini pyaree, juy pyaase ko neer re.
Hai koi aisa par upakaaree, hari so kahe sunaai re.
Ab to Kabir behal bhaye hain, bin dekhe jiu jaai re.
O my dear, please come to my home. My body (being) is in great pain. All people say that I am your bride, but I have doubt in it. Until I sleep with you being absolutely one with you, how can I feel your love? Now I don’t like eating, nor can I sleep a bit. I can’t find peace at home or in jungle. My heart is restless without you like a lustful person feels for the woman and a thirsty person searches for the water. Kabir cries his heart out – O dear, is there anyone who can tell my beloved about my situation so he could come to me. Kabir is going through great suffering, now he will die without seeing his beloved.

Avinaashee dulha kab miliho, sab santan ke pratipaal.
Jal upajee, jala hee so neha, raTat piyaas piyaas.
Main birhin ThaDhee mag joun, Ram tumhaaree aas.
Chhadyo geh neh lagi tumse, bhai charan laualeen.
Talaabeli hot ghaT bheetar, jaise jal binu meen.
Diwas na bhukh, raini nahi nidra, man angana na suhaai.
Sejariyaa barin bhai moko, jaagat raini bihaai.
When I will find my immortal groom, who is the care taker of all saints? It is like I was born in the water, and am in love with the water still I am dieing crying for water (because I am not able to drink it and I am still thirsty. It is said that this existence is nothing but love or GOD, we are born in it, we are made of it and we search for it, but are unable to find it.). I am standing by the side of the way watching your visit, O my Lord; I have only hope of you. I left the home and absorbed in your love, attached myself to your feet. There is great restlessness in me, like a fish would be dieing out of water. I don’t feel hunger in days neither am I able to sleep in nights and even don’t like my courtyard. Now my bed seems enemy for me (I can’t sleep) and I spend whole night waking and waiting for you.

Dagamag ChaaDi de man bauraa.
Ab to jare mare bani aawe, leenho haath sinhoraa.
Hoi nisank magan hwai nacho, lobh-moh bhram chhaaDo.
Sooro kaha maran the darape, satee na sanchay bhanDo.
Lokbed kul ki marjaada, yahe gale me phansee.
Aadha chal kar paachha phirihe, hoihe jag me haansee.
Yahu sansaar sakal hai mailaa, Ram kahe te soochaa.
Kahe Kabir naav nahi chaaDo, girat-parat chaDhi unchaa.
Kabir says – now don’t keep a doubt in your mind. Don’t think twice, now it is time to burn yourself to death. Like a Satee woman doesn’t fear for her life for a second when she takes SINHORA( small box used to keep sindoor) in her hands(when she decides to burn herself with the dead body of her husband, she takes it as a symbol of commitment) so you keep your commitment to the Lord. Now be doubtless and dance with great ecstasy, drop all greed, attachment and illusion. A warrior doesn’t have fear of death and a Satee woman won’t collect pots (She is going to be with her husband, it is useless for her).
This world, society and prestige of your family – these all are just obstacles, chains around your neck. Drop all these thoughts. Now don’t look or come back from the half way, people will laugh at you and will make big fun of you. This world is all filthy, only name of Ram is pure and true. Kabir says don’t leave the boat, just follow your journey; you will reach at the highest somehow.
Kabir is describing the commitment, determination and un-attachment needed in the path of spirituality. He always gives example of Sadhu(un-attachment), Satee(dedication and commitment) and Warrior(fearlessness and determination) for that purpose. Here he is taking an example of Satee who is all three in one when she decides to burn with the dead body of her husband.

Karo jaatan sakhee saai milan kee.
GuDiya GuDawa soop supeliya, taj de budhi larikaiyaa khelan kee.
Dewata pittar, bhuiyaa bhawaanee, yah maarag chaurasee chalan kee.
Unchaa mahal ajab ranag ranglaa, saai sej wahan phulwa phulan kee.
Tana-man-dhan arapan karu wahan, surat samhaaru paru paiyana sajan kee.
Kah Kabir nirbhay hoy hansaa, kunji bata deu talaa khulan kee.
Kabir says O dear sakhee (friend who is girl, refers to soul), do everything in pursuit to meet your beloved. Now you are grown up, abandon all your dolls and playthings (soop supeliya – things to do house chores, little girls play with their models) and drop this childlike attitude to play with dolls (fake things). Here Kabir is indicating to the ways people do worship of different deities and think they are real one. According to Kabir, it is like playing with dolls. Till a girl is not grown up, she will not be able to understand the true meaning of marriage and groom. So it is useless to tell her about real things, she likes to play at that time. Same is true for souls, until they are grown up and are ready to meet the Lord, they like to do these worship and prayers.
Kabir says-It is time to get real life experience (you are grown up and now are ready to be bride). Worship of all deities and dead ancestors and worshiping mother earth and mother power are all the ways to come in this 84 lacs species again and again. Your true groom resides where he has highest palace, and he is colored in such strange color (you have not seen before). There your groom’s bed is made of blossomed flowers. Surrender your body, mind and wealth to him, hold up your all consciousness and bow down to his feet. Kabir says your soul (swan -free souls) shall become fearless there; I will tell you the key of the lock which when opened, leads to that place.

Jaagu piyaaree ab ka sowe.
Raini gayee din kaahe ko khowe.
Jin jaaga tin maanik paaya.
Tain bauree sab soy gawaayaa.
Piy tere chatur tu moorakh naaree.
Kabahu na piy ki sej sanwaaree.
Tain bauree bauraapan keenho.
Bhar joban piy apan na cheenho.
Jaag dekh piy sej na tere.
Tohi chhaDi uTh gaye sabere.
Kah Kabir soi jan jaage.
Shabd-baan ur-antar laage.
Oh my dear, wake up, why are you sleeping now? Your whole night is spent sleeping, now don’t get your days lost. Those who keep awaken, find the gems. You poor soul, you spent all your life sleeping. Your beloved is a smart one and you are a dumb woman (who can’t compete to her husband in love); never did you make your husband’s bed. You poor dumb woman, you did all foolish things, never recognized your beloved one while you were young. Wake up and see, your husband is not with you, he woke up early leaving you on the bed. Kabir says - only those are awaken whose heart is bored by the arrow of words (shabd, celestial music, in worldly sense it refers to words of love).

Kabir is simplifying the soul’s consciousness and recognition towards her Lord, like a foolish wife doesn’t understand her husband’s standards and doesn’t care for her husband and soon her husband gets bored with her and leaves her behind. Later the wife searches for her husband madly. Same way, our own Lord is within us, with us, but we never care for him, and we do all worldly things but not anything to please him. Soon he leaves us (bed-body, our self with all layers of being). We spend our all life in sleeping state (our consciousness is not in waken state) without recognizing our beloved and tasting the nectar of love.

Piya Milan ki aas, raho kablo kharee.
Unche nahi chaDhi jaaye, mane lajja bharee.
Paanv nahi Thaharaay, chaDhun giri-giri paDun.
Phiri-phiri chaDhun samhaari, charan aage dharun.
Ang-ang thaharaay to bahu bidhi Dari rahun.
Karam kapaT mag gheri to bhram me pari rahun.
Baree nipaT anaari to jheenee gail hai.
ATapaT chaal tumhaar, milan kas hoi hai.
Chhoro kumati vikaar, sumati gahi leejiye.
Satguru shabd samhaari charan chit deejiye.
AntarpaT de khol shabd ur laav ree.
Dil bich das Kabir mile tohi baawaree.
How long I will stand here in the hope to meet my beloved? The path is so narrow and high, how will I climb up? My heart is full of shame (a bride is supposed to wait for her husband and not to make a move by herself to meet her husband). My feet don’t hold the ground properly and I fall again and again while trying to climb up. I again try to climb up with great care and put my foot ahead. When my whole body trembles (the path is so slippery), I fear I will fall. My karmas and bad habits try to entangle me on the way and I fall in great illusion. Kabir says (to the bride) - Oh dear, you are so young and so immature, and the path is so narrow. You keep your walk straight, or how will you be able to meet your husband? Abandon all wrong thoughts and get attached to good thoughts, keep remembering your Guru’s words and his feet in your heart. Open the door within you and keep the sound in your heart. Kabir says your beloved will meet you in your own heart only.
This metaphor represents the efforts, obstacles, hope and disappointments of the soul when she tries to go within and to meet her beloved one, the Lord.

Kaise din katihe, jatan bataye jaiyo Rama.
Ehi paar Ganga, wohi paar Jamana,
Bichwa maraiya hamka, chawaye jaiyo Rama.
Anchara phadi ke kagaj banay lai,
Apnee suratiyaa hiyare likhaye jaiyo Rama
Kahat Kabeer suno bhai saadho,
Bahiya pakad ke, rahiya bataay jaiyo Rama.
Kabir asks -how I will spend my days (without you) .Tell me the ways I could survive without you. The Ganga is this side and the Yamuna on the other side. Please make a hut for me in between, where I could live in these days (while I have not found you). (Here Ganga and Jamuna indicate Ida and Pingla Nadi and hut in between indicates Sushumna through which we go inside in meditation.)
Kabir says - I will tear my saree and will make paper of it. I request you to imprint your face on it; I will keep it with my heart. Kabir says, O saints, please get me by arms and show me the path to my beloved.

Ye ankhiyan alsaanee, piy ho sej chalo.
Khambha pakaD patang as Dole, bole madhuri baanee.
Phoolan sej bichhay jo raakhyo, piya bina kumhalaanee.
Dhere paanv dharo palangaa par, jaagat nanad jiThaanee.
Kahe Kabir suno bhai sadho, lok-laaj bichhalanee.
Kabir was a poet before a saint and he was kind of lover rather than a devotee, so he has told so many pads regarding this love factor. He considers himself as a dedicated and committed bride who has only one pleasure in this world, and that is to meet her groom. Though mystics take so many relations with the Lord to make their attachment so firm that nothing could shake them from their path, but the most loving and unbreakable bond is that of husband and wife, or to say true committed lovers. Kabir brings this divine experience to the level where even a human can understand its overwhelming feeling and influence. So he sings absolutely like a bride who is so mad for her husband and nothing is dear to her except the company of her groom. In this pad Kabir says- O my dear beloved, come to the bed (bed here refers to the body where meeting of the soul and her Lord takes place), my eyes are being sleepy, I want to sleep with you. My heart sings sweet and trembles like a kite stuck to a poll (Feelings lovers get – Sensations during meditation in context of divine love). I had made a bed of flowers but it is being faded without my beloved. O my dear soul, put your feet on the bed so noiselessly, your sister-in-law and mother-in-law (villains in real life love stories, our physical senses in spiritual language) are awaken (they will disturb your meeting with your beloved). Kabir says- O dear saints, now I have dropped all the thoughts of shame and prestige of this world and society for my love, I am going to meet my dear beloved.

***Ramkrishna has also said- drop these three things also-Shame, Hatred and Fear, to pursue the path of the beloved………

Milana kaThin hai, kaise milaungi piy jay.
Samujhi soch pag dharo jatan se, baar-baar dig jay.
Unchi gail raah rapaTeelee, paanv nahee Thaharaay.
Lok-laaj kul kee marjaadaa, dekhat man sakuchaay.
Naihar baas basa peehar me, laaj tajee nahi jay.
Adhar bhoomi janh mahal piya ka, hampe chadyo na jay.
Dhani bhai baree, purush bhaye bhola, surat jhakora khaay.
Dootee satguru mile beech me, deenho bhed bataay.
Sahib Kabir piya so bhetyo, seetal kanTh lagaay.
This meeting is too difficult, how I will go and meet to my beloved? Oh dear, think carefully and put your feet carefully ahead, it trembles again and again. What I will do, this path is going so high and so slippery, and my feet are unable to stand on it. The pressure and fear of society (Kabir says it again and again, because even worldly love is a shame in society and people don’t have good thoughts about lovers, though later they sing thousands of songs about their love, and so is true for the love and devotion to the Lord, people laugh at the mystics in their lifetime and later they praise them). When I see all these obstacles, I feel ashamed. I spent my life in my parents home(Naihar – Kabir speaks a lot about it- represents this world where this soul has come to be born, to grow up and then to meet her beloved- the Lord) so I have difficulty dropping this feeling of shame. My beloved’s palace is high in the sky; I can’t climb up to it. Kabir says – the bride is too young and the groom is innocent, the surat (consciousness) trembles (like a tree in the wind) while it tries to go upside. Kabir says - my Guru, the messenger of love met to me in mid way and he told me the secret. Now Kabir has met to his beloved. It was so cool and blissful when he met and hugged me!!

Toko piya milenge, ghunghaT ke paT khol re.
GhaT-ghaT me wah saai rahata, kaTuk bachan mat bol re.
Dhan-joban ka garab na keeje, jhooTha panchrang chol re.
Sunnmahal me diyana bari le, aasan so mat Dol re.
Jag jugut so rangmahal me, piya paayo anamol re.
Kahe Kabir aanand bhayo hai, baajat anahad Dhol re.
Oh my dear, don’t put it on, open the veil and you will find the beloved. The Lord prevails in everything; never speak a bitter word to anyone. Never be proud of the wealth, youth or power. This body –colored in five colors (made of five elements) is a fake. Light your lamp in the void palace, and don’t wave from your position. Kabir says I have found my priceless beloved in this palace by waking and making great effort. Now I am in infinite bliss and the unstuck melody is resounding everywhere.