Kabir Dohas - 16

Jeevat Samjhe Jeevat Bujhe, Jeevat He Karo Aas
Jeevat Karam Ki Fansi Na Kaati, Mue Mukti Ki Aas  

jaIvat samaJao jaIvat baUJao, jaIvat hI krao Aasa 
jaIvat krma faMsa na kaTI, maue maui@t kI Aasa  

Translation
Alive one sees, alive one knows
Thus crave for salvation when full of life
Alive you did not cut the noose of binding actions
Hoping liberation with death!

My Understanding
In this Doha, Kabir is referring to the concept of salvation which all religions guarantee in one form or the other.  When someone dies, we all tend to offer condolences by saying, "May God give peace to the departed soul".

However, liberation cannot come until one snaps all earthly bonds.  Besides, what good is liberation or salvation, when one is dead, unable to recount, unable to narrate and unable to share?

Referring to the theory of Karma, Kabir clearly suggests in this Doha that while conducting our actions, we should be diligent. We should not get attached or enslaved by them and thereby get trapped in the quagmire of ego, greed, hatred, fear, procrastination, etc. Only when one is non-attached to the fruits of the action, only then one can be free from the bondage, only then one can be liberated while full of life. 

– Rajender Krishan

Visual Art by Simi Nallaseth

Top