Verse 243 of 450
Salok Bhagat Kabir, Salok 185 — a whole heart before the journey
ਸੇਖ ਸਬੂਰੀ ਬਾਹਰਾ ਕਿਆ ਹਜ ਕਾਬੇ ਜਾਇ ॥
saykh sabooree baahraa ki-aa haj kaabay jaa-ay.
Why does the Shaykh bother to go on pilgrimage to Mecca, if he is not content with himself?
ਕਬੀਰ ਜਾ ਕੀ ਦਿਲ ਸਾਬਤਿ ਨਹੀ ਤਾ ਕਉ ਕਹਾਂ ਖੁਦਾਇ ॥੧੮੫॥
kabeer jaa kee dil saabat nahee taa ka-o kahaaN khudaa-ay. ||185||
Kabir, one whose heart is not healthy and whole - how can he attain his Lord? ||185||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
O Shaykh, if you have no contentment, what good is the pilgrimage to Mecca?
Kabir says: if your heart is not whole and healthy, how can you reach the Lord?
A whole heart matters more than a long journey.
A heart at peace matters more than any long journey.
Saykh sabooree baahraa: a Shaykh, a Muslim teacher, without sabooree, patience and contentment. Ki-aa haj kaabay jaa-ay: what is gained by going on Hajj to the Kaaba? Jaa kee dil saabat nahee: the one whose heart is not whole cannot find the Lord, wherever they travel.
The question is about the heart, never about the pilgrimage itself, which Muslims hold dear.
A Question to Sit With
What helps your heart feel whole and calm?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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