Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The story goes that a devoted father, worn out by the world's long journey, longed for the divine —
and because of his love, the Beloved came as a child into his home. How great was the good fortune of that humble man!
This one tells how love brought the divine close, as a little child.
Kabir begins with a much-loved Hindu story. Nand was the foster-father of Krishna, and he was blessed to raise the divine child. Lakh cha-oraaseeh jee-a jon meh bharmat nand baho thaako ray — Nand grew weary, wandering through 8.4 million kinds of life. Bhagat hayt avtaar lee-o hai — because of his devotion, the divine was born into his home.
Kabir tells this story warmly and with respect. It is a story of love rewarded with closeness. Think of how a new baby changes a whole house, and everyone gathers around.
But watch closely. Kabir is setting up a gentle riddle. He honors the story so that, in the very next breath, he can point past even this beloved picture. He points toward the One who was never born at all. The devotion is real. The deeper truth is even bigger.
Have you ever loved a story so much that thinking harder about it opened something even bigger?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI