Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
The poets who filled the world with beautiful verses reach the end of their days. So do the seekers who walk to the highest mountain shrines.
The hermits with their long matted hair, who gave up everything, reach it too. Even they, with all their devotion, had not yet touched Your deepest state.
Even people with the finest gifts and the hardest journeys still need the One.
Kabir goes on with his list. Kabit parhay parh kabitaa moo-ay — the poets, reciting their poems, pass on. Kaparh kaydaarai jaa-ee — so do the wandering seekers who travel to Kedarnath, a holy shrine high in the Himalaya mountains. Jataa Dhaar Dhaar jogee moo-ay — and the yogis, holy men with long matted hair, pass on too.
Kabir is not making fun of any of these. He honors how sincere they were. His point is gentle but clear: tayree gat ineh na paa-ee — "even they do not reach Your true state." Effort and fame alone do not finish the journey.
Think of a runner with the best shoes and the fanciest training plan. All of that helps, but it is not the finish line. For Kabir, the finish line is the One.
Can you admire someone's dedication and still ask whether their heart has found peace?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI