Kabir Dohas - 37

Kabira Teri Jhompri Gal Katiyan Ke Paas
Jo Karenge So Bharenge Tu Kyon Bhayo Udaas

kbaIra torI JaaoMpD,I‚ gala kiTyana ko pasa
jaao kroMgao saao BaroMgao‚ tU @yaaoM Bayaao ]dasa 

Translation
O Kabir! Your Hut Is Next to the Butchers’ Bay
Why Do You Feel Down? For Their Conduct They Only Shall Pay  

My Understanding
At the time when Kabir lived there was a lot of importance attached, in religion, to ritualism. Religious heads and puritans aggressively promoted the ideas of purity and righteousness. Kabir was largely unimpressed and irreverent to these external rules and regulations. Through his life and teachings he emphasized the importance of internal purity.

Being a weaver of lower caste, Kabir lived in an area close to the butcher's shop. Kabir gave his religious teachings sitting in what the "pundits" (of higher caste) considered an "unholy" place; for which they criticized him. Kabir, while not countering the criticism directly, via this Doha, took the discussion on this matter to a totally different level. In his humble way, Kabir teaches us here the idea of detachment. In spiritual texts this concept is likened to the existence of the Lotus - a beautiful flower that grows in swampy and dirty ponds and rises above it.

Here Kabir tells us to live in the world and focus on our own journey and not worry about the good, bad or ugly going on around us. According to him the world and its ways will take care of itself, that's not our job - we should focus our attention only on the real reason of coming to the world, to find out who we truly are. All else does not matter. 

– Rajender Krishan and Maalok
November 27, 2005

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