Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The beads are at my neck, and the One's Name is on my tongue.
I say the Name a thousand times, and I bow to the One.
This one says that simple habits of prayer are beautiful when they are filled with love.
Kanthay maalaa means "beads around my neck." A maalaa is a string of prayer beads. Jihvaa raam means "the One's Name on my tongue." Sahans naam lai lai karao salaam means "saying the Name a thousand times, I bow."
Elsewhere, Kabir speaks sharply about empty rituals done for show. But here he happily keeps a practice of his own. The difference is never the outer form. It is whether love is inside it.
Think of a goodnight hug. It happens every night, the same way. It never gets boring, because it is full of love. Kabir's beads are like that. They are not a badge to show off. They are a loving way to keep the One close, again and again. A repeated word or a quiet bow comes alive when love is in it.
What's a small, steady habit that helps you keep something you love close to your heart?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI