Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
You can rub the finest sandalwood oil into your skin and dress this body beautifully — but the body is not the lasting thing. Care for it, yes, and remember: what truly stays with you is not the wrapping.
The body is a gift to care for, but it is not the part of us that lasts.
Bhagat Kabir opens with a plain reminder. Cho-aa chandan mardan angaa — you may rub sandalwood oil into your arms and legs. Sandalwood oil was a fancy, sweet-smelling treat for the skin.
So tan jalai kaath kai sangaa — yet that same body one day comes to an end, like every body, and returns to the earth.
Kabir says the truth gently. The body is precious. It is also for a while, not forever. Something deeper is what lasts. Think of a beautiful gift box. We take good care of the box, but the real gift is what is inside.
What part of a person do you think lasts longer than their body — and how do you tend to it?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI