Salok Bhagat Kabir, Salok 48 — only ashes on the seat
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Kabir says: the cloth has burned to charcoal, and the begging bowl is broken into pieces.
The poor yogi has played out his game; only ashes are left on his seat.
When the body's time is over, its game is over, and only ashes are left behind.
Kabir pictures a jogee, a yogi, a holy man who wanders and lives on what people give him. His khinthaa, his patched cloth, has burned to charcoal. His khaapar, his begging bowl, is foot mafoot, smashed to pieces.
Jogee bapurhaa khayli-o, the poor yogi has played his game. Aasan rahee bibhoot, only ash remains where he sat. The cloth and bowl can be read as the body: when it is gone, the game played in it is finished.
Kabir is not mocking yogis or any path. The same end comes to everyone, in every robe.
Think of a board game packed back into its box. Whatever happened on the board, the playing is over.
If your time here is a game, how do you want to play it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI