ਜਿਹ ਮੁਖ ਬੇਦੁ ਗਾਇਤ੍ਰੀ ਨਿਕਸੈ ਸੋ ਕਿਉ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਨੁ ਬਿਸਰੁ ਕਰੈ ॥
jih mukh bayd gaa-itaree niksai so ki-o barahman bisar karai.
O Brahmin, how can you forget the One, from whose mouth the Vedas and the Gayitri prayer issured forth?
ਜਾ ਕੈ ਪਾਇ ਜਗਤੁ ਸਭੁ ਲਾਗੈ ਸੋ ਕਿਉ ਪੰਡਿਤੁ ਹਰਿ ਨ ਕਹੈ ॥੧॥
jaa kai paa-ay jagat sabh laagai so ki-o pandit har na kahai. ||1||
The whole world falls at His feet; why don't you chant the Name of that Lord, O Pandit? ||1||
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
O Brahmin, the Vedas and the Gayatri prayer came from the One's own mouth. How can you forget that One?
The whole world falls at that One's feet. O Pandit, why don't you say the Naam of the One?
Knowing about something holy is not the same as turning your heart to it.
The One is the source even of the sacred scriptures, so knowing the books is a doorway, not the room. The destination is turning your heart to the living presence behind them.
The Brahmin and the Pandit are the learned priests of Kabir's day; the question reaches anyone who loves learning, in any tradition.
A Question to Sit With
What is the difference between knowing facts about something and caring about it deeply?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI
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