I have almost completed my work of renderings of Kabir in English along with a brief on its Idiom and Imagery and also the Inference . Here, I post 10 Dohas of Kabir
©Arvind Shah All Rights Reserved
“Kabir , As I Read The Poet” 10 Dohas with English Rendering by Mr © Arvind Shah 220624 All Rights Reserved
Kabir is a poet of realism, therefore he speaks reality of everyone. The power of the poetry of Kabir is simple and straightforward to touch, both heart and head, alike. The Dohas bath the body with purity and sets in vibration on the spirit, to get sustainable freshening rejuvenation, relevant to society as well as spirituality. Kabir uses images from everyday life to make his expressions revealing.
Hereunder are ten dohas of kabir trans-recreated by me into English
1 Integrity
तिनका कबहुं ना निन्दिये, जो पांवन तर होय,कबहुं उड़ी आंखिन पड़े, तो पीर घनेरी होय।Translation © Arvind Shah
a small, insignificant straw bit , meek
any time it gets to get into the eye
gives unbearable intense agony.
Idiom and Imagery
A little flake of straw gets into the eye, the insignificant bit makes life miserable with agony.
Inference
Nothing is insignificant, even a little flake of straw can distract the composure and harm , keeping no consciousness for the weak and meek makes one miserable.
2 Patience
धीरे-धीरे रे मना, धीरे सब कुछ होय,माली सींचे सौ घड़ा, ॠतु आए फल होय।Translation © Arvind Shah
patience gets forth the result, thence
the gardner nurtures beds with care
the season sets in blooms, to appear.
Idiom and Imagery
The seedlings in a flower bed are patiently and steadily nurtured and regularly irrigated by a gardener to have blooms.
Inference
Patience and regular attention, without losing the focus, is the key to achievements.
3 Spirituality
कबीर हमारा कोई नहीं, हम काहू के नाहिं,पारै पहुंचे नाव ज्यौ, मीलके बिछुरी जाह।
Translation© Arvind Shah
We have none to own us, as their own
as the boat gets across to the bank
everyone goes to mind, its track.
Idiom and Imagery
A boat that ferries passengers across a river - every passenger goes its way on reaching to the other bank.
Inference
Passengers in a boat are associates within the limits of the boat. And, as soon as the boat reaches the other bank none is a companion at the end of the journey - everyone is alone.
4 Socio-spirituality
दोस पराए देखि करि, चला हसन्त हसन्त,अपने याद न आवई, जिनका आदि न अंत।Translation © Arvind Shah
brings sarcastic smiles to enjoy
not looking within to see own fault
there are endlessly to make lot and lot.
Idiom and Imagery
persons finding faults with others for the pleasure of sarcastic smiles forget to see their own faults.
Inference
Individual consciousness gets to realise the true scope of elevation by identifying own faults and shortcomings.
5 Integrity
ऐसी बानी बोलिये, मन का आपा खोय,औरन को सीतल करे आपहुं सीतल होय।Translation© Arvind Shah
self ego to vanish, and be true
others get warmth, to cheer
and self gets warmth to wear.
Idiom and Imagery
The power of the word of compassionate brings warmth in relationships
Inference
The spoken word is the expression of one's personality. Communications , not ridden with ego carry compassionate tones; love-bond is superiorness
© Arvind Shah 2024 All Rights Reserved
6 Socio-spirituality
बिनु साखी संसार का, झगरा छूटत नाहिं।।
Translation
Getting true wisdom-vision to find
Gets His love enshrined on mind,
Without true love-bond to grow
Troubles of the world are not to go.
Idiom and Imagery
The eye with vision of love is wisdom gets the outlook for establishing a love-bond.
Inference
An unrestricted love-bond in the world establishes peace to share and peace to enjoy. A vision of love-bond is paramount for peace otherwise illusions set in misery of fights and wars.
© Arvind Shah 2024 All Rights Reserved
7 Socio-spirituality
कायर बहुत पमांवहीं, बहकि न बोलै सूर।
काम पड्यां हीं जाणिये, किस मुख परि है नूर!!
Translation
Cowards boast with words, aloud.
Brave don't brag, to look profound,
The task at hand tells the story
Who keeps, to possess the glory.
Idiom and Imagey
Action determines grace. Cowards talk tall and do no action.
Inference
Too much talking, to boast and brag indicates hollowness. Keeping a determined focused approach to the objective is consciousness of grace.
© Arvind Shah 2024 All Rights Reserved
8. Spirituality
सकलों दुर्मति दूर करू, अच्छा जन्म बनाव
काग गौन गति छाडि के, हंस गवन चलिए आव
Translation
Clean all evils and vices
For living a life of virtues,
To give up dirty habits of a crow
Clean habits of a swan to own.
Idiom and Imagery
Swans are neat and clean in appearance and so are their habits, whereas crows are engaged in dirt picking.
Inference
One has to possess clean habits and clean disposition to keep grace and to share grace. Clean habits help get supreme consciousness.
9
बिन रखवारे बाहिरा, चिड़िया खाया खेत।
आधा प्रधा ऊबरै, चेति सै तो चेत॥
Outsiders steal unguarded field
Birds fly in and pick up the yield ,
Be conscious to save whatever
Gather the signal to be aware.
Idiom and Imagery
The guard of consciousness keeps the yield safe not to let the effort go waste
Inference
Consciousness results in achievement. There are no desired results and all efforts go waste, if consciousness is not focused on the objective of realising supreme consciousness.
© Arvind Shah 2024 All Rights Reserved
10.
कथनी कथी तो क्या भया, जो करनी नां ठहराइ।
कालबूत के कोटज्यूं, देषतही ढहि जाइ।।
Translation
What is there in high attendance
If it is not to reflecting in actions,
Effigies of soil substance
Shatter with little disturbance.
Idiom and Imagey
Tall talks are like effigies of clay (hung in fields to keep away birds), but a little disturbance shatters the effigies.
Inference
Speaking words of self praise and accomplishments which are not substantiated by actions are fake, it is a clay effigy.
