Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The palm tree is called unclean, and so its leaves are thought unclean too.
But when loving prayers are written on paper made from those leaves, people bow down before it in worship.
A humble thing becomes worthy of honor when it carries the One's praise.
The palmyra palm (tar taar) is judged unclean, and so its leaves, made into paper, are thought unclean too. But once the praises of the One are written on it, people bow and worship before it. Ravidas's argument marches straight at caste: if a "low" material becomes worthy of reverence by carrying the Name, then a "low"-born person who carries the Name in the heart is worthy of reverence too. The container's origin never determined its holiness; the Name did.
If a humble thing can become worthy of respect, what does that say about people?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI