Kabir Doha II (Mind)

Mind is the base on which everything else is build.This fact has been proven again and again in our everyday life.Human agency and free will flow from the mind.One who has a control on his mind is the happiest being on earth.Mind management is life management is one of the oft quoted line.So what does Kabir,the saint from India (13th-14th century),have to say about mind?

1.Nahaye dhoye kya hua,jo man mail na jaye
Meen sada jal mein rahe,dhoye bas na jaaye
[what will daily bathing do,if mind is not made clean;
Fish lives in water always,the smell doesn't leave on washing]
My understanding is that the inside matters more than outside.You may look the most cultured man from outside but till you have control over your mind,your inner beauty will not come out and you would not actualise your potential.

2.Kabir Soyee Soorma, Man Soon Maande Jhoojh
Panch Pyada Paari Le, Door Kare Sab Dooj

[O Kabir, He alone's the Warrior ,who takes on the "mind" head-on
Crushing the shield of the sensual five, all duality is gone]
Till we conquer our five senses { smell(nose),sight(eyes),hearing(ears),taste(mouth) and feeling(skin)}we can come closer to god and realise the ultimate truth.And for this control to happen we have to tame our mind - the biggest battle on earth.As someone said the biggest battle is what we fight within ourselves.

3.Moond Munddavat Din Gaye‚ Ajhun Na Miliya Raam
Raam Naam Kahu Kya Karey‚ Je Man Ke Aurey Kaam
[Ages have passed shaving the head, yet union with Ram is not here
what will Ram Naam do, when mind is engaged elsewhere]

This is a critique of the way some search for God by shaving off their head and engaging in recitation of HIS name without working on mind.If the mind is not in one's control then all amount of recitation will take you nowhere in your spiritual search.

4.Keson Kaha Bigadia, Je Moonde Sau Baar
Man Ko Kahe Na Moondiye, Jaamein Vishey Vikaar
[What harm have the hair done, you shave them hundred times
Why not shave the mind,filled with poisonous & materialistic thoughts]

5.Bura Jo Dekhan Main Chala, Bura Naa Milya Koye
Jo Mann Khoja Apnaa, To Mujhse Bura Naa Koye
[I searched for the wicked, found no one
When I searched within, No one was more wicked than me]
This is Kabir's way of saying that stop finding fault with the world.If you will look inwards and do a deep introspection you will find that roots of all troubles lie within.The fault we see in others are first present within us and they get manifested in others(because we see them in that way).

6.Chinta Aisee Dakini, Kat Kaleja Khaye
Vaid Bichara Kya Kare, Kahan Tak Dawa Lagaye
[Worry is the bandit that eats into one's heart
What's the doctor to do, where to put in the ointment?]
The biggest problem with our lives is the endless worries our mind engages in.WE either worry about the past events which were not to our liking or worry about the future which is yet to come.We just keep on recycling the same thought again and again.Hardly 10-15% of thoughts are original in our day to day existence.There is no medicine available for the worries.If we could reduce the amount of worries half our problems would be solved.


7.Maala Pherat Jug Bhaya, Mita Na Man Ka Pher
Kar Ka Manka Chhor De, Man Ka Manka Pher

[Ages passed spinning rosary, yet restless remains the mind
Give up the beads of rosary and rotate the beads of mind]
Again the same point is made more emphatically:Take control of your mind.

8.Kabir Maala Kaath Kee, Kahi Samjhave Tohi
Man Na Firave Aapna, Kaha Firave Mohi
[Kabir, the rosary made of wooden beads,wants to tell you
(If) you can't get your mind in (focus) motion, (then)why rotate me.]
If one can't exert control on one's mind taking it where one wants,to what end it is to count beads.If you are a student and can sit for study when you want(control over mind) to what end the prayers work?How many times is it that we go according to our mind instead of the mind to ours?Till the mind is controlled one can't be a better human being.

Well this does it for today.Buddha said that miseries exist because we have desires.And giving in to desires is not the way to liberation.For smaller desires lead to bigger desires and one is never satiated.No one has conquered desire by hoarding material things.The only end in sight is to get out of this vicious cycle of desires.And the one and only way is to take control of one's mind.For Mind is terrible servant but a wonderful master.