Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
Kabir says: the foolish and thoughtless do not remember the One.
They do not know the Naam. How will they get across?
The Naam is the boat that carries us across.
Kahi kabeer chaytai nahee — Kabir says, some people do not remember. The verse uses hard words for them: fools, idiots, brutes. What it describes is a forgetful heart. Raam naam jaani-o nahee — they do not know the Name. Kaisay utras paar — how will they get across?
Life is pictured as a wide river. Think of standing on one bank with a boat tied right beside you, and forgetting it is there. The Name is that boat. Anyone at all can learn it. So the shabad ends as an invitation, not a verdict.
What helps you remember what matters when you've forgotten?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI