Category: Religion

“How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.”— Annie Dillard, The Writing Life Kabir – The couplet कबीर नौबति आपणी, दिन दस लेहु बजाइ।ए पुर पटन ए गली, बहुरि न देखै आइ॥ Transliterated Kabīr naubati āpaṇī, din das lehu bajāi |E pur paṭan e galī, bahuri na dekhai āi ||…

“One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.”— Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own (1929) Kabir – The couplet कबिरा क्षुधा है कूकरी, करत भजन में भंग।याको टुकरा डारि के, सुमिरन करो निशंक॥ Transliterated Kabīrā kṣudhā hai kūkarī, karat bhajan mẽ bhaṅg |Yāko ṭukrā ḍāri ke, sumiran karo…

“Craftsmanship names an enduring, basic human impulse, the desire to do a job well for its own sake.”— Richard Sennett, The Craftsman (2008)Kabir – The coupletनाँन्हाँ काती चित दे, महँगे मोलि बिकाइ।गाहक राजा राम है, और न नेड़ा आइ॥TransliteratedNā̃nhā̃ kātī cita de, mahaṅge moli bikāi |Gāhaka rājā Rāma hai, aura na neṛā āi ||TranslationSpin the…

“In the end we discover that to love and let go can be the same thing.”— Jack Kornfield, A Path with Heart

“Attention is the beginning of devotion.”— Mary Oliver, Upstream Kabir – The couplet मन मथुरा दिल द्वारिका, काया कासी जाणि।दसवाँ द्वारा देहुरा, तामै जोति पिछांणि॥ Transliterated Man Mathurā dil Dvārikā, kāyā Kāsī jāṇi |Dasvā̃ dvārā dehurā, tāmai jyoti pichhāṇi || Translation Know the mind as Mathura, the heart as Dwarka, and the body as Kashi.The…

“The first principle is that you must not fool yourself—and you are the easiest person to fool.”— Richard P. Feynman, Caltech Commencement Address, 1974 Kabir – The couplet साहु चोर चीन्है नहीं, अँधा मति का हीन।पारख बिना बिनास है, कर बिचार होहु भीन॥ Transliterated Sāhu cor cīnhai nahī̃, ãdhā mati kā hīn |Pārakh binā binās…

“Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done.”— Bryan Stevenson Kabir – The couplet कबीर घास न नींदिये, जो पाऊँ तलि होइ।उड़ि पड़ै जब आँखि में, खरा दुहेली होइ॥ Transliterated Kabīr ghās na nīndiye, jo pāū̃ tali hoi |Uṛi paṛai jab ā̃khi mẽ, kharā duhelī hoi || Translation Kabir says: Do…

Sant Kabir’s couplet धीरे-धीरे रे मना, धीरे सब कुछ होय।माली सींचे सौ घड़ा, ऋतु आए फल होय॥ Transliteration Dhīre-dhīre re manā, dhīre sab kuch hoy |Mālī sīñche sau ghaṛā, ṛtu āe phal hoy || Translation Slowly, slowly, O mind; everything happens in its own time.The gardener may pour a hundred pots of water,but the fruit…

“Your beliefs don’t make you a better person. Your behavior does.”— Anonymous Sant Kabir’s couplet माला फेरत जुग भया, फिरा न मन का फेर।कर का मनका छोड़ि दे, मन का मनका फेर॥ Transliteration Mālā pherat jug bhayā, phirā na man kā pher |Kar kā mankā chhoṛi de, man kā mankā pher || Translation An age…

“One small crack does not mean that you are broken; it means that you were put to the test and you didn’t fall apart.” — Linda Poindexter  Kabir – The coupletजब ही नाम दय धरयो, भयो पाप का नाश ।मानो चिंगारी अगि की, पिर पुरानी घास || Transliterated:Jab hi naam liya dharyo, bhayo paap ka naash | Maano chingari agni ki, pari puraani ghaas|| Translation:When the name of God is remembered, all sins are…