One Hundred Poems of Kabir/XXXVII
XXXVII
1. 36. sur parkas, tanh rain kahan paiye
sur parkas, tanh rain kahan paiye?
raiin-parkaas nahin soor bhaasye,
gyaan-parkaas agyaan kahn paayiye?
hoy agyaan tahn gyaan naasye
kaam balwaan tahn prem kahn paayiye?
prem jahaan hoy tahn kaam naaheen
kahyen kabir yah satt vichaar hai*
samajh vichaar kar dekh maanheen*
pakad samser sangraam main paiseeye
deh-parjant kar juddh bhaai
kaat sir bairiyaan daab jahn ko tahaan
aay darbaar mein sees navaayee
soor sangraam ko dekh bhaagye nahin
dekh bhaagye soi soor naahin
kaam aur krodh mad lobh se joojhnaa
machaa ghamsaan tan-khet maaheen
seel aur saanch santosh saahee bhaye
naam sa,ser tahaan khoob baaje
kahye kabir koi joojheehye soormaa
kayraan bheed tahn turt bhajye
saadho khel to vikat bedaan matee
sati aur soor kee chaal aage
soor ghamsaan hai palak do chaar kaa
satee ghamsaan pal ek laagye
saadh sangraam hai raiin-din joojhnaa
deh-parjant kaa kaam bhaai
[*These lines are there in the original text.]
Where is the night, when the sun is shining? If it is night, then the sun withdraws its light.
Where knowledge is, can ignorance endure? If there be ignorance, then knowledge must die.
If there be lust, how can love be there? Where there is love, there is no lust.
Lay hold on your sword, and join in the fight. Fight, O my brother, as long as life lasts.
Strike off your enemy's head, and there make an end of him quickly: then come, and bow your head at your King's Durbar.
He who is brave, never forsakes the battle: he who flies from it is no true fighter.
In the field of this body a great war goes forward, against passion, anger, pride, and greed:
It is in the kingdom of truth, contentment and purity, that this battle is raging; and the sword that rings forth most loudly is the sword of His Name.
Kabir says: "When a brave knight takes the field, a host of cowards is put to flight.
It is a hard fight and a weary one, this fight of the truth-seeker: for the vow of the truth-seeker is more hard than that of the warrior, or of the widowed wife who would follow her husband.
For the warrior fights for a few hours, and the widow's struggle with death is soon ended:
But the truth-seeker's battle goes on day and night, as long as life lasts it never ceases"