14 verses · ~5 min
गगन दमामा बाजिया, पड्या निसानैं घाव। खेत बुहार्या सूरिमै, मुझ मरणे का चाव॥1॥
`कबीर' सोई सूरिमा, मन सूं मांडै झूझ। पंच पयादा पाड़ि ले, दूरि करै सब दूज॥2॥
`कबीर' संसा कोउ नहीं, हरि सूं लाग्गा हेत। काम क्रोध सूं झूझणा, चौड़ै मांड्या खेत॥3॥
सूरा तबही परषिये, लड़ै धणी के हेत। पुरिजा-पुरिजा ह्वै पड़ै, तऊ न छांड़ै खेत॥4॥
अब तौ झूझ्या हीं बणै, मुड़ि चाल्यां घर दूर। सिर साहिब कौं सौंपतां, सोच न कीजै सूर॥5॥
जिस मरनैं थैं जग डरै, सो मेरे आनन्द। कब मरिहूं, कब देखिहूं पूरन परमानंद॥6॥
कायर बहुत पमांवहीं, बहकि न बोलै सूर। काम पड्यां हीं जाणिये, किस मुख परि है नूर॥7॥
`कबीर' यह घर पेम का, खाला का घर नाहिं। सीस उतारे हाथि धरि, सो पैसे घर माहिं॥8॥
`कबीर' निज घर प्रेम का, मारग अगम अगाध। सीस उतारि पग तलि धरै, तब निकट प्रेम का स्वाद॥9॥
प्रेम न खेतौं नीपजै, प्रेम न हाटि बिकाइ। राजा परजा जिस रुचै, सिर दे सो ले जाइ॥10॥
`कबीर' घोड़ा प्रेम का, चेतनि चढ़ि असवार। ग्यान खड़ग गहि काल सिरि, भली मचाई मार॥11॥
जेते तारे रैणि के, तेतै बैरी मुझ। धड़ सूली सिर कंगुरैं, तऊ न बिसारौं तुझ॥12॥
सिरसाटें हरि सेविये, छांड़ि जीव की बाणि। जे सिर दीया हरि मिलै, तब लगि हाणि न जाणि॥13॥
`कबीर' हरि सबकूं भजै, हरि कूं भजै न कोइ। जबलग आस सरीर की, तबलग दास न होइ॥14॥
इति
The Poet
कबीर
Kabir
1398 · 1518
To speak of Kabir within the ordinary parameters of literary biography is almost impossible. Born in the fifteenth century to a Muslim weaver's family in the sacred Hindu city of Banaras, he became a voice that refused to be domesticated by any temple, mosque, or scholarly apparatus. Kabir claimed no scripture, no caste, and no sacred language as his exclusive property. He stood at the loom of reality and wove his dohas (devastating two-line couplets) from the raw thread of direct spiritual encounter. His critique was not merely religious but civilizational. He asked with the serene ferocity of an awakened mind why human beings had chosen the architecture of division over the open sky of the divine. Centuries have passed, empires have crumbled, and languages have shifted. Yet, Kabir's couplets are still recited in village squares and debated in universities today. He requires no temple because he built one inside language itself. He is the conscience of the Indian soul.
Paired Painting
The Universal Form of Krishna
This profound image depicts the climactic revelation of the Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna unveils his infinite Vishvarupa to his devoted friend, Arjuna, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. It captures the terrifying and glorious moment where time and eternity collide. As Arjuna stands in humble, trembling prayer upon his chariot, he witnesses the entirety of the cosmos housed within the divine form. The painting invites the viewer to contemplate the smallness of human ego against the backdrop of an all encompassing reality that births, sustains, and ultimately consumes all existence.
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