Kabir's most famous dohas (couplets)
The top 3 according to 0 votes from people: The world died reading books, yet no one became wise. / Who reads the two and a half letters of love becomes wise. · Slowly, slowly, O mind, everything happens slowly. / The gardener may pour a hundred pots, but fruit comes in its season. · Guru and God both stand before me: whose feet should I touch first? / I bow to the guru, who showed me the way to God.. (Updated May 6, 2023.)
The couplets of the 15th-century poet-saint Kabir that are still taught in Indian schools and quoted every day, with a simple meaning. From Hindi Wikiquote.
Automatically translated (original in हिन्दी). See the original
Top 12
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1
The world died reading books, yet no one became wise. / Who reads the two and a half letters of love becomes wise.
Book learning doesn't make you wise; understanding love does.
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2
Slowly, slowly, O mind, everything happens slowly. / The gardener may pour a hundred pots, but fruit comes in its season.
Be patient: everything happens in its own time.
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3
Guru and God both stand before me: whose feet should I touch first? / I bow to the guru, who showed me the way to God.
The teacher comes first, because he showed the way.
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4
The clay says to the potter: why do you trample me? / A day will come when I will trample you.
Don't be proud: in the end, we all return to the earth.
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5
Everyone remembers God in sorrow, no one in joy. / If you remembered Him in joy, why would sorrow come?
People only pray when things go wrong.
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6
Don't ask a holy man his caste, ask about his knowledge. / Value the sword, and leave the sheath aside.
Judge people by their wisdom, not their caste.
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7
What use is being big, like the date palm? / It gives no shade to the traveller and its fruit hangs far too high.
Greatness is worthless if it doesn't help others.
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8
Those who searched, found, diving into deep water. / I, poor fool, feared drowning and sat on the shore.
Those who dare find; those who fear stay with nothing.
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9
Lord, give me just enough for my family. / So I don't go hungry, nor does any guest who comes to my door.
Ask only for enough, and enough to share.
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10
Ages passed turning the rosary, yet the mind never turned. / Drop the beads in your hand and turn the beads of your mind.
Rituals are worthless if your heart doesn't change.
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11
You lost the night sleeping and the day eating. / A birth precious as a diamond, traded for a cowrie shell.
Don't waste the priceless gift of life.
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12
Desire gone, worry gone, the mind is carefree. / Whoever needs nothing is the king of kings.
Whoever wants nothing is the richest of all.
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Comments (18)
अंग्रेज़ी और स्पेनिश अनुवाद देखकर अच्छा लगा।
गुरु गोविंद दोनों खड़े, शिक्षक दिवस पर हमेशा सुनते थे।
दुःख में सुमिरन सब करे, बिल्कुल सच।
माटी कहे कुम्हार से — बहुत गहरी बात।
बहुत सुंदर संग्रह, धन्यवाद।
चाह मिटी चिंता मिटी, असली सुख यही है।
कबीर आज भी उतने ही प्रासंगिक हैं।
जाति न पूछो साधु की, आज के समय में सबसे ज़रूरी दोहा।
कबीर वाणी अमर है।
माला फेरत जुग भया, दिखावे पर करारी चोट।
साईं इतना दीजिये, सादगी का संदेश।
रात गंवाई सोय के, आजकल मोबाइल गंवाया खाय 😄
पोथी पढ़ि पढ़ि जग मुआ — ये दोहा हर किसी को याद रखना चाहिए।
जिन खोजा तिन पाइया, मेरी पसंदीदा।
निंदक नियरे राखिए वाला दोहा भी होना चाहिए था।
धीरे-धीरे रे मना, स्कूल में सबसे पहले यही सीखा था।
कबीर के दोहे बच्चों को ज़रूर पढ़ाने चाहिए।
बडा हुआ तो क्या हुआ जैसे पेड़ खजूर, दादी अक्सर कहती थीं।