Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Bodies come to their end in all sorts of ways —
some are given to the fire, some are laid to rest in the earth.
This one says that every body returns to the earth, whatever the custom.
Kaa-i-aa bigootee baho bidh bhaatee — the body comes to its end in many ways. Ko jaaray ko gad lay maatee — some burn it, and some bury it in the earth.
Families and faiths care for their dead in different ways. Kabir does not say one way is better. He simply notices that each way returns the body to the elements.
Think of autumn leaves. Some are raked into a pile, and some sink into the soil. Either way they go back to the earth. So Kabir says: do not build your whole sense of who you are on the body. Look for what does not return to dust.
Different families and faiths care for their dead in different ways — what do you think matters most?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI