Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Many do not honor their elders while those elders are alive, and then hold feasts in their name once they are gone.
Tell me, how can those dear ones receive food that the crows and the dogs end up eating?
Love the people you have while they are still here.
Kabir, a poet-saint whose songs are part of the Guru Granth Sahib, begins with the shraadh. That is a memorial feast held for family elders after they have died. He is not against remembering those we have lost. Remembering them is tender and good. His point is about timing. Jeevat pitar na maanai ko-oo — no one honors the elders while they are alive.
Then he asks a sharp question. The food at the feast gets eaten by crows and dogs. How could it ever reach the ones who are gone?
Love that waits until someone is gone has missed its chance to be felt. It is like saving a birthday card until after the party is over. A visit or a phone call reaches someone while they are here. The lesson is simple and true everywhere: love the people you have while you have them.
Who in your life could you show a little more love to today, while they are right here with you?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI