Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Standing at famous holy rivers doesn't, by itself, quiet a restless mind. People stay tangled up, sorting endlessly through what counts as good and what counts as bad, and never find the peace they went looking for.
Going to a holy place cannot quiet a restless mind by itself. The peace we want is found inside.
Tat tirath nahee man patee-aa-ay — on the banks of holy rivers, the mind is not satisfied. A tirath is a place of pilgrimage, a holy spot people travel to. Kabir speaks with respect here. He simply points past the outer journey to the inner home named in the pause line.
Chaar achaar rahay urjhaa-ay — people stay tangled up in good deeds and bad deeds. Picture a mind that is always keeping score, like a player adding up points after every move. That scorekeeping never lets it rest.
The point is about leaning on the outer act for peace. It is true for everyone. It is never a put-down of pilgrimage itself.
When your mind is busy and tangled, does going somewhere new fix it, or does the tangle come with you?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI