Ang-401 — Chapter 84

Aasaa:

My daughter-in-law was first called Dhannia, the woman of wealth,

but now she is called Raam-jannia, the servant of the Lord. ||1||

These shaven-headed saints have ruined my house.

They have caused my son to start chanting the Lord's Name. ||1||Pause||

Says Kabeer, listen, O mother:

these shaven-headed saints have done away with my low social status. ||2||3||33||

Aasaa:

Stay, stay, O daughter-in-law - do not cover your face with a veil.

In the end, this shall not bring you even half a shell. ||1||Pause||

The one before you used to veil her face;

do not follow in her footsteps. ||1||

The only merit in veiling your face is

that for a few days, people will say, "What a noble bride has come". ||2||

Your veil shall be true only if

you skip, dance and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||3||

Says Kabeer, the soul-bride shall win,

only if she passes her life singing the Lord's Praises. ||4||1||34||

Aasaa:

I would rather be cut apart by a saw, than have You turn Your back on me.

Hug me close, and listen to my prayer. ||1||

I am a sacrifice to You - please, turn Your face to me, O Beloved Lord.

Why have You turned Your back to me? Why have You killed me? ||1||Pause||

Even if You cut my body apart, I shall not pull my limbs away from You.

Even if my body falls, I shall not break my bonds of love with You. ||2||

Between You and I, there is no other.

You are the Husband Lord, and I am the soul-bride. ||3||

Says Kabeer, listen, O people:

now, I place no reliance in you. ||4||2||35||

Aasaa:

No one knows the secret of God, the Cosmic Weaver.

He has stretched out the fabric of the whole world. ||1||Pause||

When you listen to the Vedas and the Puraanas,

you shall know that the whole world is only a small piece of His woven fabric. ||1||

He has made the earth and sky His loom.

Upon it, He moves the two bobbins of the sun and the moon. ||2||

Placing my feet together, I have accomplished one thing - my mind is pleased with that Weaver.

I have come to understand my own home, and recognize the Lord within my heart. ||3||

Says Kabeer, when my body workshop breaks,

the Weaver shall blend my thread with His thread. ||4||3||36||

Aasaa:

With filth within the heart, even if one bathes at sacred places of pilgrimage, still, he shall not go to heaven.

Nothing is gained by trying to please others - the Lord cannot be fooled. ||1||

Worship the One Divine Lord.

The true cleansing bath is service to the Guru. ||1||Pause||

If salvation can be obtained by bathing in water, then what about the frog, which is always bathing in water?

As is the frog, so is that mortal; he is reincarnated, over and over again. ||2||

If the hard-hearted sinner dies in Benaares, he cannot escape hell.

And even if the Lord's Saint dies in the cursed land of Haramba, still, he saves all his family. ||3||

Where there is neither day nor night, and neither Vedas nor Shaastras, there, the Formless Lord abides.

Says Kabeer, meditate on Him, O mad-men of the world. ||4||4||37||