Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Some people carefully bathe and do their routines, morning and evening, again and again. They are like frogs that live their whole lives in the pond, always in the water yet never changed by it.
This one says you can do all the right motions and still not be changed inside.
Some people take their isnaan, their holy bath, every evening and every morning. Ji-o bha-ay daadur paanee maahee — they are like daadur, frogs, in the water.
A frog is always in the water, yet the water teaches it nothing. That is Kabir's picture of repeating an outward routine without the heart being moved.
As always, Kabir aims at empty routine wherever it shows up, in every tradition. He is not aiming at any group's practice. Think of brushing your teeth while your mind is miles away. The motion happens, but you are not really there. Presence and love make an act alive. Plain repeating leaves you right where you were.
What is something you do out of habit that would feel completely different if you did it with your whole heart?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI