Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa
This body does not last forever. In the end it returns to the earth, the way all living things do.
Think of a cup made of clay that was never fired in the kiln. Pour water into it and it slowly softens and melts away. Our bodies are a little like that, gentle and temporary.
Kabir says our body is precious but does not last forever.
He speaks plainly about what happens after a life ends. The body is cremated and becomes bhasam, ash, or it goes back into the soil. Every living thing returns to the earth this way.
Then he gives a gentler picture. Kaachee gaagar neer parat hai: a clay pot that was never baked in a kiln melts when you pour water in. I-aa tan kee ihai badaa-ee: that is what the body is like.
Think of a sandcastle at the beach. It is beautiful, and you can enjoy it all afternoon. But the tide will come. Knowing that doesn't make it less special. It makes you enjoy it now, and care about what truly lasts.
What does it change in you to remember that your body is a gift you get to borrow for a while?
Translation by Dr. Sant Singh Khalsa·How we use AI