One Hundred Poems of Kabir/XLII
XLII
I. 79. tirath men to sab pani hai
tirath men to sab pani hai, hove nahin kachhu anhaay dekhaa
pratima sakal to jad hai bhaai, bolen nahin bolaay dekha
puraan koraan sabye baat hai, ya ghat kaa pardaa khol dekha
anubhav kee baat kabir kahyen yah, sab hai jhoothi pol dekha
There is nothing but water at the holy bathing places; and I know that they are useless, for I have bathed in them.
The images are all lifeless, they cannot speak; I know, for I have cried aloud to them.
The Purana and the Koran are mere words; lifting up the curtain, I have seen.
Kabir gives utterance to the words of experience; and he knows very well that all other things are untrue.