World of Matrix!!

We all have seen the great movie – The Matrix. Everything is going fine, running fine; people are having fun and living happily. Yet there is a sense of something amiss in that, rarely felt by few people. Actual human being is somewhere caged, life energy being sucked to make and run machines. There is a virtual world to roam around, so people can never know where they actually are. World of Matrix is created to materialize all things sensually but not in reality so humans won’t be able to know the reality. By no means can a human being realize the truth without outer help, help from those who have escaped from this Matrix and are now ready to take others out. It sounds crazy and we fear it can happen one day, by the speed technology is evolving faster and faster and life sources going thinner, may one day human energy will be used to run machines.

But what if we are still living in kind of Matrix world, our actual self encaged in so many layers and what ever we see and feel, are nothing but a projection through so many layers of films and far away from the reality??

Ancient Mystics and Saints have been saying the same thing again and again. That what ever we see, visualize and think as reality, is nothing but an illusion to get us engaged in this world of Maya. We are in constant illusion, what we think happiness and pleasure is not true, because it is so short. What we think as misery is often gift in disguise. There is nothing as absolute reality because what it seems to us is only a comparative perception of individuals. Nothing is assumed as it in total reality or truth which can justify even seemingly contradictory situations. Saints say that till we are engaged in this sensual pleasure, we don’t think who we really are, what is our true nature we and are not able to see the ultimate reality. How this reality differs to what we think or perceive reality is??

Scriptures give an interesting example of this world of Maya – as spider weaves web around it and sits at the center, so we create a false world of desires (starting point is having desire), thoughts, pride and prejudice and then sit at the center and enjoy it (though this enjoyment is full of duality and pain and pleasure are the two aspects of the same coin!). We tend to forget the center, the core being and thus get trapped in our own net!!

Here are few pads of Kabir stating the nature of this world.

1. What our soul is searching for??

Aisa koi na mila, jaso rahiye laag.
Sab jag jalata dekhiya, apanee-apanee aag.

I was searching for help, for love, someone where I could be myself being with him. But I couldn’t find anyone. Everyone here is going through his or her own hell. All are troubled by either way. How can someone find peace and happiness here?

Some saints say we are actually seeking intimacy or love, which is our true nature, because at the core we are ONE, one consciousness in so many expressions! When we tend to create our own world of desires and thoughts, a thin layer covers our being, we feel separated from the ONE and miss and seek this intimacy in so many forms-wealth, name, fame or relations!! Had Kabir also searched an intimacy and couldn’t find?? The interesting thing is the more love grows within us, the more people feel intimate to us, and that is the reason people feel ultimate intimacy and bliss in the company of Saints!!

Dil kaa maraham na mila, jo milaa so garajee.
Kah kabir asmaan phate, kyokar seewe darajee.

I couldn’t find the ointment to heal the wounds of my heart. Who so ever I met, are self-obsessed, and are no good for others. Kabir says – when the sky is torn, which tailor is capable to stitch it? So worse is the condition of Kabir, and he is not able to find a healer!! I assume here Kabir is referring about his restlessness for realization and search for a true Guru.

2. Kabir speaks about the human body and its components...............

Jheenee- jheenee beenee chadariyaa.
Kaahe ke taanaa, kaahe ke bharani, kaun taar se beenee chadariya.
Ingala-pingala taanaa bharanee, sushaman taar se beenee chadariyaa.
Aath kawal das charakha dole, paanch tatva gun teenee chadariyaa.
Saai ko siyat maas das laage, Thok-Thok ke beenee chadaryaa.
So chadar sur-nar muni oDhee, oDh ke mailee keenee chadariyaa.
Das Kabir jatan se odhee, jyo ki tyo dhar deenee chadariyaa.
This body is nothing but clothing on the soul, as scriptures state it. In Bhagwadgita it is said that as we drop one old cloth and wear a new one, so our soul drops its body when it gets too old and torn and gets a new one. But what this cloth is made of?

Kabir says this cloth (chadar, shawl) is made by thin linings. What are the Tana and Bana and which thread is used to weave this cloth? Ingala ( one nadi of three main nadees) and Pingala are like taana and baana( linings of weaver’s tool on which he weaves cloths) and Sushmana thread is used to weave it. In this cloth, there are eight lotuses flowering (there is eighth lotus in Sant Mat – Surati Kawal), and ten doors ( charkha, exit organs of body), five elements( earth, water,air, fire and ether) and three gunas( SAT, RAJ and TAM). My Lord weaved this great cloth in ten months (pregnancy period of human being). He made it with great love and care. All deities, humans and monks wore this cloth and made it dirty. Blessed is Kabir who wore it with great care and put it down as pure as it was given to him by Lord.
This clothing is not only this physical body but all layers of the soul. We get our body dirty and wash it with soap and water, but what about the filth of mind and heart?? We should keep cleaning them as well by doing meditation and devotion to Lord, so we could submit this soul as pure as he has made it.

Dash dware kaa pinjaraa, taame panchhe paun.
Rahibe ko acharaj hai, jaaye to acharaj kaun.
This cage has ten doors (ten exit organs of body), and encaged bird (soul) is just like air. It is strange that it still remains in this cage; no wonder if it leaves it and flies away.

Mori chunaree me pari gayo daag piyaa.
Panch tatt kee bane chunariya, sorah sai band mora laage jiyaa.
Ye chunaree more maike te aai, sasure me manwaa khoy diyaa.
Mali mali dhoyi, daag na chute, gyaan ko saabun laaye piyaa.
Kahe Kabeer daag tab chhutihe, jab sahib apanaay liyaa.
Oh my dear beloved!! I got my chunri dirty with spots. This chunari is made of five elements (earth, air, water, fire and ether), and there are sixteen designs on it( five sense organs, five work organs, three gunas, mind, ego, and prana - vital life energy). I got this chunari from my parents – and my mind got it lost at my in-laws house!! Now I try hard to wash it, but the spots are not washed away. O my dear beloved, please give me the soap of knowledge so I could get it washed. Kabir says – nothing will work on it, only when Sahib (Lord) hugs you and takes you by his side, only then all your filth and spots will be cleansed.

Our Mayaka or Naihar(parents’ home, though sometimes Kabir takes it in opposite meaning, e.g. Naihar indicates this world) as Kabir calls it -is true home of the soul and in-laws house is this illusionary world where we get engaged so many wrong deeds. Our chunri or shawl is the layers of body on our soul which gets dirty here, how will we be able to meet our Lord? Only by applying knowledge we can make it clean, and Lord’s grace will help cleaning it.

3. Kabir on death scenes......................

HaaD jale jyo laakadee, kes jale jyu ghaas.
Sab tan jalata dekhakar, bhaya Kabir udaas.
The undeniable reality in this world is that who ever is born, will die one day and the greatest fear in this world is the fear of unknown- death. We feel this sorrow when we see someone dear leaving this world, and we feel this fear for ourselves as well. But our whole effort goes not to face, encounter and defeat this fear, but to escape away from this reality as soon and as often we can. Only way to defeat this fear is to face it and then try to find a way to get out of it. We need to keep in mind this ultimate truth – the death. Kabir has said this sad truth so many times. He says – I saw the bones burning like wood, and hairs burning like gross. I saw the whole body burning in this way, I became very sad.

Panee kera budbuda, as manus ki jaat.
Dekhat hi chhup jaayega, jyu tare parbhaat.
This human race (and this world as well) is nothing but like a bubble on the surface of the sea, it will vanish in little time like stars vanish when dawn falls. So short is this humans life and earth’s as well.

Kabir yah jag kuchh nahee, khin khaara khin meeTh.
Kaalh jo baitha mandape, aaj masaane deeTh.
This world is nothing; it is so suffering and painful, one moment is so sweet and another moment it is just bitter. Whom I saw under Mandap (Mandap – rectangle structure under which marriage ceremony is performed – under Mandap means getting married) yesterday, is lying in funeral today (yesterday he was enjoying his greatest joy, today he is dead).

Aaaye hai to jaayenge, raja rank phakeer.
Ek sinhaasan chadi chale, ek bandhe janjeer.
Who ever has come here, has to leave one day, doesn’t matter he or she is a beggar, a poor or a King. At the time of final journey, everyone goes on the same cot tied by the same chain ( rope used to tie the dead body).

Ek din aisaa hoyega, kou kaahu kaa naahi.
Ghar kee naaree ko kahe, tan kee naaree jaahi.
Dear why do you forget the death? It is unavoidable, accept it. The day will come when Nadee of your body will leave you, what to say about Nadee( woman/wife) at your home? No one will go with you, not even your breaths (so try to be un-attached in this world and attach your soul to your Lord).

Kabir jantra na baajai, TuTi gayae sab taar.
Jantra bichara kya kare, gayaa bajaawanhaar.
Now this instrument doesn’t play a bit. All wires are broken, it is now of no use. What will this instrument do when the player has left it alone? This instrument is body and the player is the soul, when death ceases life and soul leaves the body, it is useless.

Kabir kaahe garabiyo, Kaal gahe kar kesh.
Naa jaane kahn maarisee, ke ghar ke pardes.
Kabir says what you are being so proud of? Time (Kaal) is standing nearby to grab your head by hairs in his hand. You never know where he will get you killed – in your house or in foreign land.

Kyaa bharosa deh ka, binas jaat chhan maanh.
Saans-saans sumiran karo, aur jatan kachhu naah.
This body is unreliable; no one knows when it will cheat you, when it will get destroyed by death. Do HIS simaran as you take breathes, don’t keep thoughts of anything else.

Patta TooTa daar se, lai gayi pawan udaay.
Abake bichhaDe kab milenge, door parenge jay.
When a leaf breaks off from a branch, it flies far away, doesn’t come back to the tree. So are we souls, death takes us apart from all dear ones and we never return to them (always speak sweet and wear loving attitude).

4. Tricks of the mind.................

Bajigar kaa bandara, aisaa jeev man ke saath.
Nana naach nachaay kar, raakhe apane saath.
Like a Monkey performs so many acts by the order of his master, so has this soul become with its mind. Mind keeps full control over it and makes it running from one desire to another thus never lets it be free.


Chalti chaaki dekhke, diya kabira roy.
Dui paaTan ke beech me, saabut bachaa n koy.
Kabir wept when he saw the grinder running. Nothing could escape from this grinder; the two stones grind everything into pieces.
Two stones of grinder are assumed as Kal and Maya or the earth and sky, sorrow and happiness. Kabir was so loving and full of compassion; he used to feel for others like his own. So even being enlightened, he often speaks about the trouble and pain souls get in this world.

6. Spider’s Net.........................
Ko chhutyo ihi jaal pari, kat kurang akulay.
Jyo jyo surajhi bhajyo chahe, tyo tyo arujhat jay.
Who is so strong, so clever to escape out from the web of this world? This is the web of illusion (MAYA); no one is able to cut its threads. Like a deer falls in a net, tries hard to get out of it, but more he tries to untie its knots, more it gets tied, and gets trapped more densely so is the net of this MAYA.

Kabir yah sansaar hai, jaisaa semal phool.
Din das ke byohaar me, jhooThe rang na bhool
This world is like flower of Semal(red and very attractive flower), which is attractive for few days. Don’t get misled by it. Like a parrot keeps looking and waiting for this flower, thinking that one day it will bear sweet fruit, but when this flower gets fully flourished, the fruits are broken and cotton is spread away, leaving the parrot disappointed. So is this world, you keep working and guarding your business and relations that one day they will give you happiness and satisfaction, but when time comes, they start going their own way leaving you alone and disappointed. Find your true happiness, don’t go for this illusion.

Kabir gaaphil kyo phire, kyu sotaa ghanaghor.
Tere siraane jam kharaa, jyu andhiyaare chor.
Why do you wander so ignorant? Why do you waste your time in sleeping (sleeping is used here in both sense- sleeping physically and sleeping spiritually – not in awaken state of consciousness)? Yam (deity of death) is standing near your bed, like a thieve stands silent in darkness (waiting to get a chance). Wake and save yourself from being slave at Yam’s hand.

Kabir naubat aapanee, din das lehu bajaay.
Yah pur paaTan yah galee, bahuri na dekhe aay.
Beat your drum for ten days (very short period), play this drama of name and fame, richness and grandeur, power and kingdom (Naubat – kind of drum which was used to announce new rules of King in his whole kingdom). You will not be visiting this state, this kingdom and this street again (so it is better to make best use of it).

Jap-tap deesai thotharaa, Teerath-brat besaans.
Suwe semal seviya, tau jag chalyaa niraash.
No jaap, no tap(couldn’t find exact word in English – similar to haThyoga or giving trouble to body in hope to find GOD) seems to work out, all seem worthless to me. Going to holy places, doing fasting is useless. Like the parrot keeps looking on Semal flower in hope to get sweet fruit, so are these ceremonies, at last we will have to be disappointed (GOD can’t be realized in this way).

JhooThe sukh ko sukh kahe, maanat hai man mod.
Khalak chabenaa kaal ka, kachhu mukh me kachhu god.
This world enjoys in false things and becomes happy. It doesn’t know this world is only snacks of Kaal, some are in his mouth and some are on lap (he will eat it soon!!!)

Neend nishanee maut kee, Uth kabiraa jaag.
Aur rasaayan chhaDi ke, naam rasaayan laag.
Sleeping is the sign of death, O Kabir! Wake and stand up. Leave all other medicines /drugs and take the drug of Naam, so you will be immortal.


Deh dhare ko danD hai, sab kahoo ko hoy.
Gyanee bhugate gyan kari, moorakh bhugate roy.
All pains and sufferings are kind of the punishment of taking this body. The wise person bears this punishment knowingly and wisely, and ignorant ones keep crying.

Maya mui na man muaa, mari mari gaya shareer.
Asha trishna na mui, yo kahi gyaa kabeer.
Kabir says- We have gone through so many incarnations, our body died so many times, still we are not able to control our mind, neither we are able to defeat this illusion. Our hope and desires didn’t die; they are still alive to keep us engaged in this illusionary world.

Kabir maya papinee, hari su kare haraam.
Mukh kadiyaalee kumati ki, kahan na dei Raam.
Kabir says, this illusion (Maya) is great sinner, it does unfaithfulness to GOD. And our bad thoughts don’t let us do simaran.

Karata tha to kyu raha, ab kari kyu pachhtaay.
Boye ped babool ka, amua kaha se paay.
When you were doing all wrong deeds then you never thought about it. Why you are regretting it now? You saw seed of acacia (one tree with thorns only), how will you get mango fruits from it? What you saw, so shall you reap.

Makhee gud me gari rahe, pankh rahe lipataay.
Hath male aur sir dhune, laalach buri balaay.
The bee went to taste the sweetmeat, and got trapped in greed. Now it is stuck in the sweetmeat and is unable to fly. Now it regrets that greed is the cause of great danger. So is the soul, got stuck in worldly pleasures, now it is unable to fly in infinite which is its true nature.

Kagad kero naav dee, panee kera gang.
Kahe kabeer kaise phirun, panch kusangi sang.
Kabir says this world is full of great problems, how will I cross this river (bhavsaagar-world of illusion)? Here is the boat made by paper (body so vulnerable and easily perishable), and the river is full of water. Again five bad friends (lust, greed, anger, attachment and ego) are with me, who try to lead me to wrong directions. O GOD, how will I be able to cross this huge river??

Main bhawaraa tohi barajiyaa, ban-ban baas na ley.
ATakegaa kahun beli me, taDap-taDap jiy dey.
Kabir says – O my dear wasp! I forbade you so many times not to go wandering in jungles and taste the sweetness of flowers. It might be that you will get hooked by thorns and will have to die there.
The wasp is the soul searching for sensual pleasures and mostly seeking for lust. The soul will get trapped and will not be able to progress further!!

7. Normal Human Behavior....................

Jihi ghat preet na premras, puni rasana nahi raam.
Te nar is snsaar me, upaji bhaye bekaam.
Those people who have hearts empty from love and devotion, and who don’t do simaran of Ram, are a waste in this world. They didn’t use their potentials; they just wasted their time and life.

Jo ghar saadhu na poojiye, hari ki sewa naahi.
Te ghar marghaT saa dikhe, bhoot base tin maahi.
The home where Saints are not welcome and praised and people are not at the service of GOD, are like cemetery, like full of ghosts (empty of virtues, people are like ghosts and not a living being).

Manuaa to panchhi bhaya udke chalaa akaash.
Uper hi te gir pada, yaa maya ke paas.
Our mind is like bird, when it gets full swing into positive thoughts, it flies higher and higher in sky, but it is not certain that it will remain so high, it can go swinging to another extreme, which is negative one, can drop down to this worldly illusions, so powerful is this MAYA.

Aache din pachhe gaye, hari se kiyo na het.
Ab pachhataye hot kya jab chidiya chug gayi khet.
O dear soul!! Your good days are passed away when you had energy and time to do love and devotion to GOD. You didn’t do it at that time, what is the use of regretting now? (Famous saying – what will you do when you didn’t keep guarding your farm and birds have eaten all your grains). All your enemies-(five enemies – lust, greed, anger, ego and attachment) have eaten all your potentials.

Bada hua to kya hua jaise ped khajoor.
Panthi ko chhaya nahi, phal lage ati door.
What if you are a great personality, what if you have got enormous wealth and what if you are world famous if you don’t do any good for anyone? What are you worth of then?? You are like the date tree who is taller but neither travelers can get a shadow to rest for a while to protect them from heat neither they can get their hands on fruits.

Kabir Hari sabakun bhaje, Hari ku bhaje na koi.
Jab jag aas sareer kee, tab lagi daas na hoi.
Kabir says – GOD almighty loves everyone, in fact he can’t help loving because he is made of love, but no one loves him actually. Till people are attached with bodily pleasures and keep hope for that, they don’t serve the Lord.

Jab tum aaye jagat me, jagat hansaa, tum roy.
Aisee karanee kari chalo, tum haanso, jag roy.
Kabir says -Oh dear soul! When you came in this world, you cried (a new born baby always cries- myth is that it feels very bad coming in this world from the heaven) but people around the baby laugh with joy to welcome new soul. Kabir says do such kind of work so you would leave this place laughing (because you did perform all work assigned to you and did some good to this world) and people weep for you (because you became so dear to them).

Raat gawaai soy ke, diwas gawaya khay.
Heera janam amol tha, kaoDee badle jay.
You spend whole night sleeping and whole day in eating (and taking pleasure in worthless things). O dear, your life was like diamond (human life is said to be availed by great luck and it is not sure you will get it again soon) and you are trading it in exchange of seashells!!

Heera wahan na kholiye, janh KhoTee hai haat.
Chup kari bandho gaaTharee, uthi kar chalo baat.
You shouldn’t open your gems in the market where people don’t differentiate between diamond and coal. They will not evaluate it, so better put your diamonds in bag and go ahead on your way.

Kabir is referring here about true knowledge – people are not able to understand reality and true knowledge. As they like polishing and sparkling, so even glass work attracts them and not diamond. The same way, they don’t differentiate true Guru and so called Gurus – who keep a big disciples’ lobby and big ashram. They get attracted to name fame and crowd. So a true Guru should better keep mum and go ahead in his journey, only true seekers are eligible to get this knowledge.

Raini gayi mat din bhi jaai, Bhawanr uDe bag baiThe aayi.
Tharhar kampe bala jeev.Na jane ka kariho peev.
Kanche karave rahe na paanee.
Hanas uDaa kaaya kumhilaani.
Kaag udaawat bhujaa piraane.
Kahe Kabir yah katha siraanee.
Kabir say- the night is gone, watch whether the day would not be spent in this way. The wasps are flied away, now cranes are sitting here. The young girl trembles in fear and distrust, she is so young she doesn’t know how her husband will treat to her. Kabir says water can’t be kept in unbaked pot. The swan flied away, now the body is faded. The bride calls the crows to ask about her husband, her whole life was gone doing this and her story is finished.

This is again a beautiful example of high level poetry by Kabir. Here is a chain of allegories unfolding so many meanings and truth. When Kabir says night is gone, means half the time to do devotion is gone doing useless things. He warns that you should take care that another half- the day is not spent in that way. Here Wasp refers to black hairs or youth and crane refers to whiteness in hairs means old age. This line says that even you have spent half your life doing worthless things, you should make better use of another half one. The young bride refers to new devotee of the Lord who wants to meet her beloved but is not mature and brave enough to walk on the path. The soul has doubt how she will be able to progress, how the Lord will treat her? Shall she have to drop her identity (fear of death or end of separate identity)? Again Kabir says immature people can’t keep the words of true knowledge, the devotion of Lord. The soul has to be strong enough to walk on the path. The famous ritual – make a wish to crow to make the beloved come back home is done by village brides. Here Kabir is referring it to symbolize the soul’s waiting to get her beloved at home/in heart. Kabir says the soul remains in the state of indecision whether she should walk on the path or not. This way life is finished and the love story of the soul doesn’t have a happy ending.
This is the common story of the people who want to walk on the path but don’t make firm determination and thus they die unfulfilled.

Poot piyaarau pita ko, gauhani laagyo dhaai.
Lobh-miThaai haath de, aapan gayo bhulaai.
Kabir says we all are his children. When a kid runs to his father and grabs his legs showing his love, the father, being in a hurry to leave for some work gives some sweets to the kid thus makes him forget about his father. Same way our divine father – the GOD has given us so many things in this world to get involved and thus forget about our true home and true father. We shouldn’t fall in this illusion and grab his feet for his love.

Kabir maaya papinee, Phand le baiThee haaTi.
Sab jag to phande paryaa, gyaa Kabeera kaaTi.
Kabir says this MAYA (illusion) is a great sinner. It is always ready with net in the market (world) to get you trapped. This whole world has got trapped in this net, but Kabir was able to cut its threads and to fly away.