Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
O my mind, it is easy to lose your way here. The world can feel like a dark room where you cannot see the door.
Time keeps moving, all around, carrying everyone along with it. So stay awake. Do not fall asleep to what truly matters.
It is easy to lose your way in this world, so stay awake to what truly matters.
This is the rahaa-o line, the "pause" line, the center of the shabad. Man ray sansaar anDh gahayraa — "O my mind, the world is a deep, dark pit." It can feel like a dark room where you cannot find the door.
Chahu dis pasri-o hai jam jayvraa — on all four sides, the net of Jam is spread. Jam is the old picture of death, the end that comes to every life. Kabir's point is not to frighten anyone. Time keeps moving for everyone, carrying us all along. So the wise thing is to wake up now, not later.
Think of a school trip to a huge museum. There is so much to see that you could wander for hours. Then a good friend taps your shoulder: "Don't forget the one room we came for." Kabir is that friend.
When have you felt half-asleep to something important, and what woke you up?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI