Words of Kabir

Five Senses: The curtain between me and my Beloved
आप खोये हरि मिले, हरि मिलत सब जाय ।
अकथ कहानी राम की, कहे सौ कौन पतियाय ॥
I lost myself, I found my Beloved, finding him the games
of illusion all ended; strange are the ways of my Beloved
but there is none to heed what I tell.

Remembrance
दास कहावन को कठन है, मैं दासन को दास ।
अब तो ऐसा हो रहूँ, पाँव तले की घास ई ॥
To declare myself Your slave would be too audacious on
my part; just make me a slave of Your slaves; Nay! even
this is asking for too much. Just let me be the dust under
Your Lotus Feet.

The difficulties of the Path
हाट हाट हिरा नहीं, कंचन का नहीं पहाड़ ।
सिंहन का टोला नहीं, संत बिरला संसार ॥
Diamonds are not to be found everywhere; neither are
there mountains of gold; as lions are but a few in the
forest, so also with the Lovers of God whose existence
is rare.

Fear of what the Future holds
राम ही किया सौ हुआ, राम करे सौ होय ।
राम करे सौ होयेगा, कहे कल्पो कोय ॥
All that happened was ordained by Him, all that is happening
in the present and all that shall be in the future too shall be
by His wish and will alone,

Futility of Arguments
सबसे हिलिये, सबसे मिलिये, सबका लीजिये नाम ।
हाँ जी हाँ जी! सबसे कहिये, बसिये अपने धाम ॥
Greet all with love, move in the crowd with love, address
everyone with respect, say 'yes', 'yes' to one and all
(to any suggestions that are offered) but in the end pay
heed alone to the voice of your own conscience.

True Bravery
शीष उतारी भू धरे, ऊपर धर दे पाय ।
दास कबीरा यूँ कहे, ऐसा हो तब आय ॥
One who dies for God, his great good fortune is beyond
comprehension of the worldly people; being forever united
with God he is forever free of Maya (illusion); Maya sits in a
corner moaning her loss.

—from Words of Kabir & other stories by Sam Kerawala, 2008.