Jan 9, 2015

Hiye Kaaya Mein



In yet another song on the body, Kabir meditates on the fragility of our lives - like a necklace of pearls that will scatter, like a garden of flowers that will be grazed away, or like a clay pot that will shatter one day. This body is also described as a marketplace, where one must strike a good bargain.

We learnt this beautiful song from Mooralala ji. This is a live recording (hence the low levels) made in Rome by the renowned oral historian, Alessandro Portelli, who had warmly invited and hosted us. Singing here at the Apollo Film Club as part of our tour of Europe in 2014.

Hiye kaaya mein bartan maati ro
Hiye dehi mein bartan maati ro
Phooti jaase nahin kare ranako
Sahib hamko darr laage ek din ro

Ek hi din ro, ghadi palak ro
Nahin re bharoso ek hi pal ro
Sahib hamko darr laage ek din ro

Hiye kaaya mein maala motiyan ki
Tooti jaase doro roodho tan ko
Sahib hamko darr laage ek din ro

Hiye kaaya mein haat bajaara
Sauda kari le ho roodho pal ro
Sahib hamko darr laage ek din ro

Hiye kaaya mein vaadi phuliyan ki
Mriga chari jaaye ho roodho van ro
Sahib hamko darr laage ek din ro

Ek din aavse, sab ne bulaavse
Lekha lese raai til ro
Sahib hamko darr laage ek din ro

Kahat Kabira suno bhai saadho
Pehla hai naam alakh ro
Sahib hamko darr laage ek din ro 

In This Body 

In this body, a vessel of clay
It will shatter
Then never resound

I fear that day, lord
Just one day, one moment
The blink of an eyelid
Can you trust
A single instant?

In this body, a string of pearls
The thread of this body
Will snap one day
I fear that day, lord…

In this body, a market bustles
Find a true saint
Strike a good bargain
I fear that day, lord…

In this body, a field of flowers
A deer grazes away
The beautiful garden
I fear that day, lord…

A day will come
Each one will be called
An account taken
Of every moment
I fear that day, lord…

Says Kabir, listen seekers
First and foremost
Remember the invisible
I fear that day, lord…

(Translation by Vipul Rikhi and Shabnam Virmani)

5 comments:

  1. such a wonderful poem, thanks for rendering it for public. May HIS grace shower upon you.

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  2. The poems and dohas of Kabir truly captures the essence of Indian beliefs.

    Maathi Bhaniand Moorawala are reviving Kabirdas poems.

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