Couplets of Kabir

Couplet of Kabir Das refers to the concise and impactful verses composed by Kabir Das, a revered 15th-century Indian poet-saint. Kabir Das's couplets are known for their profound philosophical insights and simplicity, often addressing the themes of spirituality, devotion, and the nature of existence.

Overview

Kabir Das, an influential figure in the Bhakti movement, utilized his couplets to convey deep spiritual truths and challenge the religious orthodoxy of his time. His poetry often transcends the boundaries of established religious traditions, incorporating elements from both Hinduism and Islam, and advocating for a personal and direct experience of the divine.

Notable Couplet

Some examples of Kabir Das's couplets are:

Man ke haare haar hai, man ke jeete jeet.
Kahe Kabir Hari paaiye, man hi ki parteet.
—Kabir Das
Translation: Victory and defeat in life are only feelings of the mind. If a man is defeated in the mind, disappointed, then there is defeat, and if he wins the mind, then he is the winner. God can also be attained only by the faith of the mind; if there is no faith in attainment, then how will you be able to find it?

Mala ferat jug bhaya, phira na man ka fer.
Kar ka manka daar de, man ka manka fer.
—Kabir Das
Translation: A person keeps a garland of pearls in his hand for a long time, but the mood of his mind does not change, the movement of his mind does not calm down. Kabir’s advice to such a person is to leave this rosary in hand and change or spin the pearls of the mind.

Bura jo dekhan main chala, bura na miliya koy.
Jo dil khoja apna, mujhse bura na koy.
—Kabir Das
Translation: I couldn't find anything evil in this world when I went looking for it. When I examined my mind, I discovered that there is no one worse than myself.

Dheere Dheere Re Mana, Dheere Sub Kutch Hoye.
Mali Seenche So Ghara, Ritu Aaye Phal Hoye.
—Kabir Das
Translation: Slowly slowly stay my mind, Slowly everything happens Gardner may water garden a hundred times, When the Season comes, there is fruit Meaning Kabir tells his mind to slow down, everything in life happens slowly, in its own time. The fruit only comes when the season comes, so will the fruit of life come in its own time.

Legacy

Kabir’s couplets continue to be celebrated for their eloquence and depth. They are widely quoted and studied in various spiritual and philosophical contexts. His works have been preserved in the "Bijak," a collection of his verses, and have influenced various spiritual traditions and reform movements in India.

Kabir Das's ability to distill complex spiritual concepts into succinct and memorable couplets has cemented his status as a major figure in Indian literary and spiritual history.

See also

• Kabir

External links

• Couplets From Kabir by G.n. Das
• Kabir Says By David Masterman

Bibliography

• Lorenzen, David N. (1 January 1991). Kabir Legends and Ananta-Das's Kabir Parachai. Translated by Kumar, Jadgish; Thukral, Uma. Albany: SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-7914-0461-4.
• Tinker, Hugh (1990). South Asia: A Short History. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-1287-4. Retrieved 12 July 2012.
• Schomer, Karine; McLeod, William Hewat (1987). The Sants: Studies in a Devotional Tradition of India. Berkeley Religious Studies Series. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-0277-3. OCLC 925707272.
• Classe, Olive (2000). Classe, Olive (ed.). Encyclopedia of Literary Translation into English. Vol. A–L. Routledge. doi:10.4324/9780203825501. ISBN 978-0-203-82550-1.