Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Even great seekers of old gave up everything they had to search for this treasure.
The one whose mind rests in the One, and whose words carry the Name, walks free — not even death can bind them.
This treasure is so precious that even the greatest seekers gave up everything to look for it.
Kabir names Shiva and Sanak, two revered figures from Hindu tradition. He names them with respect, as great seekers. They became udaasees, people who leave ordinary life behind, in their longing for the highest truth. Kabir honors them. He is not making fun of any tradition. He is showing how precious this treasure is, since even the mightiest went searching for it.
Man mukand jihbaa naaraa-in — the One in the mind, the Name on the tongue. Then comes parai na jam kee faasee, not caught by the noose of Jam, the messenger of death.
The point is freedom and fearlessness, not a threat. Think of a child holding a parent's hand in a dark hallway. The dark is still there, but the fear is gone. To hold the One in mind and in words is to be past what frightens people most.
What would you be willing to search a long time for?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI