Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Says Kabir: one last puzzle has left me quietly stirred and unsettled.
Which is greater — a place of pilgrimage, or a humble servant of the Beloved?
Kabir's last puzzle hints that a heart full of love may hold more holiness than the holiest place.
Kahi kabeer ha-o bha-i-aa udaas — says Kabir, I have grown heavy-hearted. Udaas means low and unsettled. Tirath badaa ke har kaa daas — is a place of pilgrimage greater, or a servant of the One? A tirath is a holy place people travel to.
Kabir leaves the answer hanging, but we can feel it. Think of a famous shrine far away, and a kind neighbour who quietly loves the One in her own kitchen. A living heart that loves the One may carry more holiness than any holy place. It is a gentle levelling: the love matters more than the destination.
What matters more — going somewhere special, or how you carry your heart wherever you are?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI