One Hundred Poems of Kabir/XXIV
XXIV
II. 48. jis se rahani apar jagat men
jis se rahani apar jagat men, so preetam mujhe piyaaraa ho
jaise puryini rahi jal-bheetar, jalahi mein karat pasaaraa ho
vaake paani patra n laagye, dhalaki chalye jas paaraa ho
jaise sati chadhe agin par, prem-bachan naa taaraa ho
aap jarye aurani ko jaare, raakhye prem-marjaadaa ho
bhavsaagar ik nadee agam hai, ahad agaah dhaaraa ho
kahyen Kabir suno bhaai sadho, birlye utare paaraa ho
More than all else do I cherish at heart that love which makes me to live a limitless life in this world.
It is like the lotus, which lives in the water and blooms in the water: yet the water cannot touch its petals, they open beyond its reach.
It is like a wife, who enters the fire at the bidding of love. She burns and lets others grieve, yet never dishonours love.
This ocean of the world is hard to cross: its waters are very deep. Kabir says: "Listen to me, O Sadhu! few there are
who have reached its end"