Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The Maker built this body like a wonderful little house with six chambers, and hid a priceless treasure deep inside it.
Then, as its guard, the Maker set the breath of life, with a lock and key to keep the treasure safe — and did all of this in the blink of an eye.
You already carry something priceless inside you; it was built into you from the start.
Kabir opens with one of his playful picture-riddles, called ulat-baasee. The human body is a treasure house. Khat naym kar koth-rhee baaNDhee — the Maker built the body like a little house with six rings. The six rings echo an old yogic map of six energy centers in the body.
Basat anoop beech paa-ee — and placed inside it the basat anoop, the thing beyond compare. That treasure is the One, living within you.
Then comes a guard. Kunjee kulaf paraan kar raakhay — the breath of life is made the watchman, with lock and key. Kartay baar na laa-ee — and the Creator did it all in no time at all.
The point is not the body's parts. It is the wonder of it. Think of finding out your ordinary backpack has had a gold coin in a secret pocket all along. The treasure is not far away, waiting to be earned. It was built into you.
If you knew a treasure was hidden inside you, how might you treat yourself differently?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI