Salok Bhagat Kabir, Salok 83 — who would give up the house of "mine"
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Kabir says: is there anyone who would let his whole house of "mine" go up in flames,
and get rid of the five thieves inside him that he cares for like his own sons, so he can stay lovingly tied to the One?
Staying close to the One means letting go of what we cling to, and of the five thieves inside us.
The picture is fierce on purpose. Mandar day-ay jaraa-ay: setting one's own house on fire. Larikay maar kai: getting rid of one's sons. These are pictures, never things to do.
The house is everything we call "mine." The five sons are the five thieves: lust, anger, greed, clinging and pride, which we feed and protect as if they were our own children. Kabir asks who will let them go and raam li-o laa-ay, stay lovingly tied to Raam, the One. Such a person is rare.
Which of the five thieves (wanting, anger, greed, clinging, pride) visits you most?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI