One Hundred Poems of Kabir/LVII

by Kabir

LVII

I. 66. sadho, sabd sadhana kijai

sadho, sabd sadhana kijai
je hee shabd te pragat bhaye sab, soyee shabd gahee leejye
shabd guru shabd sun sikh bhaye, shabd so birlaa bhoojhye
soyee shishya soyee guru mahaatam, jehin antar gati soojhye
shabdye ved-puraan kahat hain, shabdye sath thaharaavye
shabdye sur-muni sant kahat hain, shabd bhed nahin paavye
shabdye sun sun bhesh dharat hain, shabdye kahye anuraagee
shat-darshan sab shabd kahat hain, shabd kahye vairaagee
shabdye kaayaa jag utpaani, shabdye keree pasaaraa
kahyen Kabir jahaan shabd hot hai, bhavan bhed mein nyaaraa

 

Receive that Word from which the Universe springeth!
That Word is the Guru; I have heard it, and become the disciple.
How many are there who know the meaning of that Word?
O Sadhu! practise that Word!
The Vedas and the Puranas proclaim it,
The world is established in it,
The Rishis and devotees speak of it:
But none knows the mystery of the Word.
The householder leaves his house when he hears it, The ascetic comes back to love when he hears it,
The Six Philosophies expound it,
The Spirit of Renunciation points to that Word,
From that Word the world-form has sprung,
That Word reveals all.
Kabir says: "But who knows whence the Word cometh?"