Verse 276 of 450
Salok Bhagat Kabir, Salok 218 — a few feet of ground at the end
ਕਬੀਰ ਕੋਠੇ ਮੰਡਪ ਹੇਤੁ ਕਰਿ ਕਾਹੇ ਮਰਹੁ ਸਵਾਰਿ ॥
kabeer kothay mandap hayt kar kaahay marahu savaar.
Kabir, why kill yourself for your love of decorations of your home and mansion?
ਕਾਰਜੁ ਸਾਢੇ ਤੀਨਿ ਹਥ ਘਨੀ ਤ ਪਉਨੇ ਚਾਰਿ ॥੨੧੮॥
kaaraj saadhay teen hath ghanee ta pa-unay chaar. ||218||
In the end, only six feet, or a little more, shall be your lot. ||218||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Kabir says: why spend your whole life, right up to the day you die, decorating your house and your mansion out of love for them?
In the end, all you need is a few feet of ground — six feet, or a little more.
A house cannot come with you; spend your heart on what can.
A grand house cannot come with you; in the end the body needs only a small piece of ground.
Kothay mandap: houses and grand halls. Kaahay marahu savaar: why die decorating them? Saadhay teen hath: three and a half cubits, about six feet, the space for a body at the end. Paunay chaar: at most, a little less than four. The picture is plain on purpose, so the heart is spent on what goes with you.
A Question to Sit With
What are you working hardest for, and will it come with you?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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