Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Each of us gets our turn to play our drum for a little while — a handful of days on a big stage — and then it is time to move along.
And here is the thing: all the money, all the savings, every treasure tucked away — none of it can come with us when we go.
Our time here is short, and our things stay behind when we go.
This is the rahaa-o, the "pause" line. It is the center of the whole shabad. A na-ubat is a big drum played at royal celebrations. Chaar din apnee na-ubat chalay bajaa-ay means we beat our drum for a few days, and then we move on.
Think of a school play. You get your turn on stage, and the lights shine on you. Then the curtain closes, and the costumes go back in the box. Kabir says the same about money, savings and buried treasure: sang na kachh lai jaa-ay, nothing goes along with us.
He says this calmly, even warmly. It is not a threat. It is a nudge to spend our lives on what lasts.
If you cannot take things with you, what kind of things are worth collecting instead?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI