“The glories of our birth and state
Are shadows, not substantial things;
There is no armour against fate:
Death lays his icy hands on kings;
Sceptre and crown
Must tumble down,
And in the dust be equal made
With the poor crooked scythe and spade.”
– James Shirley (Death’s Final Conquest)
Kabir – The couplet
????? ???? ? ??????, ??? ??? ?? ??? |
? ???? ??? ???? ??, ???? ??? ???? ????? ||
transliterated:
Kabira Garv Na Keejiye, Kaal Gahe Kar Kes |
Na Jaane Kit Mare Hai, Kya Des Kya Pardesh ||
Translation:
Says Kabir be not proud or vain, for Time is dark and mysterious |
We know not when we run out of time, or even if it is in a place of our choice (home/abroad) ||
My understanding:
Continuing from the past couple of days….
Since time immemorial, we have been fascinated by the concept of death, and what lays beyond.
However, this, on deeper reflection, turns out to be but another distraction from the purpose of life, and a big boost to ego. For what can be more pleasant to the ego than to wonder on the grandness of my legacy, my “footprints in the sands of time”, what I bequeth to those who will come after me?
In the pursuit of this grandeur, I will waste much and misuse the time I have to plan for what comes after, giving up that which I could receive now – simple peace, an understanding of the need of this moment, the ability to provide light for my soul now.
This is the maya of creation – we have all we need, and yet, we are loaded with desire for that which always stays elusive: and the pursuit of the desire leaves us with neither – no satisfied desire, and no ability to receive and appreciate that which is already ours.
And it is this maya that Kabir, James Shirley, and every enlightened individual since the time of Creation have warned us to watch out for.