Kabir doha

Kabir, who was a poet and played main part in India’s Bhakti Movement, was not a believer of either Hinduism or Islam and questioned the existence of both.

Kabir believed that true God is with the person who is on the path of righteousness, considered all creatures on earth as his own self and who is passively detached from the affairs of the world.

Although his life revolved around this, his poetry is what we are here for.

1. गुरु गोविंद दोनों खड़े, काके लागूं पाँय ।
बलिहारी गुरु आपनो, गोविंद दियो मिलाय ॥

This is one of the most famous Kabir dohe and has been adopted by school textbooks too.

It has been heard by almost everyone through one way or the other.

It means teacher and lord both are standing, of whom should I touch the feet first? But my teacher/guru you are the one who told me God is greater.”

He has written some remarkable poetry which is widely loved by everyone today.

2. बुरा जो देखन मैं चला, बुरा न मिलिया कोय ।
जो दिल खोजा आपना, मुझसे बुरा न कोय।।

“When I started to look for evil, I couldn’t find any. When I started to look inside my heart, I found out that I am the evilest.”

This doha tells the reality that whenever we find something wrong being done, we start to point out fingers and blame people for that.

If you really start to find someone who is bad, you will not find any but start to look inside yourself. Your inner self is bad and no other one.

3. चिंता ऐसी डाकिनी, काट कलेजा खाए |

वैद बेचारा क्या करे, कहा तक दवा लगाए ||

This couplet of Kabir states the condition of every human being. It means, “Worry is such a thief that it eats one’s heart. What can a doctor do? How far will his medicine reach??

4. दुख: में सुमिरन सब करे, सुख में करे न कोई ।
जो सुख में सुमिरन करे, तो दुःख काहे को होय ॥

This Kabir doha tells us the common behaviour of the people who believe in God. It says “everyone remembers God, prays to him and chants hymns to him in bad times but no one remembers him in good times. But, if you will remember him and pray to him in good times as well, you will never ever face bad times in your life.”