Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
This trickster lives inside everyone, cozying up to each of us like a friend or family.
But she only truly serves the one who has mastered her — she bows to the wise.
Kabir describes how cunning Maya is: she dwells within everyone, and she flatters her way close by claiming to be everyone's sister, everyone's family — she pretends to be your friend, on your side. That's how the pull of grasping works: it disguises itself as what you want, what's good for you. But the verse reveals the twist: she is actually the servant of the one who masters her. To the person who sees through her and won't be ruled by her, she loses all her power and becomes a servant instead — useful, harmless. It's the raag's recurring lesson (from the Mehl 5 shabads too): Maya enslaves those who chase her, but serves those who see through her. Master the pull, and it works for you instead of ruling you.
How can something go from bossing you around to actually working for you, once you understand it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI