Kabir Dohas - 1                                                              

Chalti Chakki Dekh Kar, Diya Kabira Roye
Dui Paatan Ke Beech Mein,Sabit Bacha Na Koye

calatI ca@kI doKkr, idyaa kbaIra raoe 
du[- paTna ko baIca maoM, saabaut bacaa na kaoe 

Translation
Looking at the grinding stones, Kabir laments
In the duel of wheels, nothing stays intact.

My understanding
This doha picks up a situation from our daily life. Kabir watches the woman grinding wheat on the flour mill. I have used the word woman here as generally it is the woman who does this work even today in the rural Indian society. The wheels are made of stone.  One is stationary while the other on top is made to rotate by turning it with the help of a handle attached to it. The grain that is put into it gets crushed and the converted flour comes out.  Thus the literal translation given above conveys that.

(Diya Kabira Roye) Kabir cries out, however,  is what makes the reader to contemplate on this Doha and realize for oneself the hidden meaning behind this metaphor. Dui Patan here signifies earth (Prithvi) and sky (Akash) and within the ambit of these is all creation and life as also the manifestation of all natural phenomenon of dualities – day and night, life and death, joys and sorrows, thereby making life forever in motion (Chalti Chakki) and an ever changing process. Trapped in this duality, whatever we see is perishable. Nothing that we comprehend is eternal.

– Rajender Krishan

Visual Art by Simi Nallaseth

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