Bāvre ṯai Giān Bīcẖār Na Pāiā | ਬਾਵਰੇ ਤੈ ਗਿਆਨ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ

[aristotle]

This Shabad is found on Page 793 of Guru Granth Sahib Maharaj, in Raag Suhi. The Shabad here is accompanied by Manmohan Singh's translation. As is typical of Bhagat Kabir Ji, he urges the human being to 'stop and think', to contemplate on his actions, to realise the Naam that is enshrined within himself. This Shabad, with its metaphors and poetic beauty, is a perfect food-for-thought...

ਸੂਹੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀਉ ਲਲਿਤ ॥
Sūhī Kabīr jī▫o laliṯ.

ਥਾਕੇ ਨੈਨ ਸ੍ਰਵਨ ਸੁਨਿ ਥਾਕੇ ਥਾਕੀ ਸੁੰਦਰਿ ਕਾਇਆ ॥
Thāke nain sarvan sun thāke thākī sunḏar kā▫i▫ā.
Tired are the eyes, and tired are the ears of hearing, and tired too is the beauteous body.

ਜਰਾ ਹਾਕ ਦੀ ਸਭ ਮਤਿ ਥਾਕੀ ਏਕ ਨ ਥਾਕਸਿ ਮਾਇਆ ॥੧॥
Jarā hāk ḏī sabẖ maṯ thākī ek na thākas mā▫i▫ā. ||1||
Driven forward by old age, all the senses are worn out, but the love of wealth alone grows not weary.

ਬਾਵਰੇ ਤੈ ਗਿਆਨ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
Bāvre ṯai gi▫ān bīcẖār na pā▫i▫ā.
O mad man, thou hast gained not the Lord's gnosis and meditation.


ਬਿਰਥਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Birthā janam gavā▫i▫ā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
Thou hast lost thy human life in vain. Pause.

ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਪ੍ਰਾਨੀ ਤਿਸੈ ਸਰੇਵਹੁ ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਘਟ ਮਹਿ ਸਾਸਾ ॥
Ŧab lag parānī ṯisai sarevhu jab lag gẖat mėh sāsā.
O mortal, as long as there is breath in the body, till then serve thou that Lord of thine.

ਜੇ ਘਟੁ ਜਾਇ ਤ ਭਾਉ ਨ ਜਾਸੀ ਹਰਿ ਕੇ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸਾ ॥੨॥
Je gẖat jā▫e ṯa bẖā▫o na jāsī har ke cẖaran nivāsā. ||2||
When thy body perishes, even then thy love for the Lord, shall perish not and thou shalt abide in the Lord's feet.

ਜਿਸ ਕਉ ਸਬਦੁ ਬਸਾਵੈ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਚੂਕੈ ਤਿਸਹਿ ਪਿਆਸਾ ॥
Jis ka▫o sabaḏ basāvai anṯar cẖūkai ṯisėh pi▫āsā.
He within whose mind God enshrines His Name, his thirst is quenched.

ਹੁਕਮੈ ਬੂਝੈ ਚਉਪੜਿ ਖੇਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਜਿਣਿ ਢਾਲੇ ਪਾਸਾ ॥੩॥
Hukmai būjẖai cẖa▫upaṛ kẖelai man jiṇ dẖāle pāsā. ||3||
He realizes the will of his Lord, plays the game of chess and throws the dice of the conquest of his mind.

ਜੋ ਜਨ ਜਾਨਿ ਭਜਹਿ ਅਬਿਗਤ ਕਉ ਤਿਨ ਕਾ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਨਾਸਾ ॥
Jo jan jān bẖajėh abigaṯ ka▫o ṯin kā kacẖẖū na nāsā.
The persons, who know and contemplate the Imperishable Lord, they are not destroyed at all.

ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਤੇ ਜਨ ਕਬਹੁ ਨ ਹਾਰਹਿ ਢਾਲਿ ਜੁ ਜਾਨਹਿ ਪਾਸਾ ॥੪॥੪॥
Kaho Kabīr ṯe jan kabahu na hārėh dẖāl jo jānėh pāsā. ||4||4||
Says Kabir, the men, who know to throw the dice, lose not their game ever.

(Guru Granth Sahib Maharaj, Page 793)

 

[Harry Haller]

live truthfully and don't waste your time satisfying impulses and urges that bring nothing but habit and despair, live truthfully and you cannot lose, ever

 

[Tejwant Singh]

ਬਾਵਰੇ ਤੈ ਗਿਆਨ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
Bāvre ṯai gi▫ān bīcẖār na pā▫i▫ā.
O mad man, thou hast gained not the Lord's gnosis and meditation.

ਬਿਰਥਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Birthā janam gavā▫i▫ā. ||1|| rahā▫o.
Thou hast lost thy human life in vain. Pause.

Oh fool! You have wasted the only life you know in vain and hence you are living like a zombie, a dead man walking. You have made yourself a worthless piece of nothing. you are like a Cuckoo in a Grandfather's clock whose only duty is to take its beak out every hour for a nanosecond and then go and disappear in the wasteland of the self. You are not even worth pitting yourself about this wastefulness.

 

[swarn bains]

bavre tai gian vichar na paaiea.
O innocent person, you could not contemplate divine knowledge