Kabir's dohe in English
Fifty of Kabir's dohe, to read slowly or to send to someone who needs one today.
Kabir's best known doha, "Guru Govind dou khade", asks whom to bow to first, the guru or God, and answers: the guru, who showed the way to God. It is in Kavita-Kaumudi (1917). Below are 50 dohe in the original with our English meanings and where each one is found.
Tap an underlined word for its meaning
गुरु गोविंद दोऊ खड़े काके लागू पाँय। बलिहारी गुरु आपने जिन गोविंद दिया बताय॥
guru goviṁd doū khaṛe kāke lāgū pāṁy balihārī guru āpane jin goviṁd diyā batāy
If guru and God both stood before me, I would bow to the guru first. He showed me God.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
On the guru
The dohe people send on Guru Purnima and Teachers' Day.
गुरु गोविंद दोऊ खड़े काके लागू पाँय। बलिहारी गुरु आपने जिन गोविंद दिया बताय॥
guru goviṁd doū khaṛe kāke lāgū pāṁy balihārī guru āpane jin goviṁd diyā batāy
If guru and God both stood before me, I would bow to the guru first. He showed me God.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
गुरु कुम्हार सिष कुंभ है, गढ़ि-गढ़ि काढ़ै खोट। अन्तर हाथ सहार दै, बाहर बाहै चोट॥
guru kumhār siṣ kuṁbh hai, gaṛhi-gaṛhi kāṛhai khoṭ antar hāth sahār dai, bāhar bāhai coṭ
The guru is a potter, the student a pot. One hand supports from inside while the other taps out flaws.
From the sung tradition
गुरु बिन ज्ञान न उपजै, गुरु बिन मिलै न मोष। गुरु बिन लखै न सत्य को, गुरु बिन मिटे न दोष॥
guru bin jñān na upajai, guru bin milai na moṣ guru bin lakhai na saty ko, guru bin miṭe na doṣ
Without a guru no knowledge, no freedom. Without a guru you do not see truth or lose your faults.
From the sung tradition
कबीर संगत साधु की ज्यों गंधी का बास। जो कछु गंधी दे नहीं तो भी बास सुबास॥
kabīr saṁgat sādhu kī jyoṁ gaṁdhī kā bās jo kachu gaṁdhī de nahīṁ to bhī bās subās
Good company is like a perfumer's shop. Even if he gives you nothing, you leave fragrant.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
Speech and conduct
How to speak, how to behave, and what to do with criticism.
बुरा जो देखन मैं चला बुरा न मिलिया कोय। जो दिल खोजौं आपना मुझसा बुरा न कोय॥
burā jo dekhan maiṁ calā burā na miliyā koy jo dil khojauṁ āpanā mujhasā burā na koy
I went looking for a bad person and found none. When I searched my own heart, no one was worse.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
ऐसी बानी बोलिये मन का आपा खोय। औरन को सीतल करै आपहुँ सीतल होय॥
aisī bānī boliye man kā āpā khoy auran ko sītal karai āpahuṁ sītal hoy
Speak words that drop your ego. They cool the one who hears them, and cool you too.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
बड़ा हुआ तो क्या हुआ जैसे पेड़ खजूर। पंछी को छाया नहीं फल लागे अति दूर॥
baṛā huā to kyā huā jaise peṛ khajūr paṁchī ko chāyā nahīṁ phal lāge ati dūr
What use is being tall like a date palm? No shade for birds, and its fruit hangs out of reach.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
निंदक नियारे राखिये, आंगन कुटि छबाय। बिन पाणी बिन सबुना, निरमल करै सुभाय॥
niṁdak niyāre rākhiye, āṁgan kuṭi chabāy bin pāṇī bin sabunā, niramal karai subhāy
Keep your critic close, give him a hut in your courtyard. Without soap or water he cleans your nature.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
तिनका कबहुँ न निंदिये, जो पाँयन तर होय। कबहुँ उड़ आँखिन परे, पीर घनेरी होय॥
tinakā kabahuṁ na niṁdiye, jo pāṁyan tar hoy kabahuṁ uṛ āṁkhin pare, pīr ghanerī hoy
Never scorn the straw under your feet. If it flies into your eye, it hurts badly.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
जहाँ दया तह धर्म है जहाँ लोभ तह पाप। जहाँ क्रोध तह काल है जहाँ छिमा तहाँ आप॥
jahāṁ dayā tah dharm hai jahāṁ lobh tah pāp jahāṁ krodh tah kāl hai jahāṁ chimā tahāṁ āp
Where there is kindness there is dharma, where greed, sin. Anger brings ruin. Where there is forgiveness, God is there.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
कबिरा आप ठगाइए, और न ठगिए कोय। आप ठगे सुख होत है, और ठगे दुख होय॥
kabirā āp ṭhagāie, aur na ṭhagie koy āp ṭhage sukh hot hai, aur ṭhage dukh hoy
Let yourself be cheated, but cheat no one. Being cheated brings peace, cheating brings grief.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
शीलवन्त सबसे बड़ा, सब रतनन की खान। तीन लोक की सम्पदा, रही शील में आन॥
śīlavant sabase baṛā, sab ratanan kī khān tīn lok kī sampadā, rahī śīl meṁ ān
The person of good character is greatest, a mine of every jewel. The wealth of three worlds lies in it.
From the sung tradition
जो तोकूं काँटा बुवै, ताहि बोय तू फूल। तोकू फूल के फूल है, बाँकू है तिरशूल॥
jo tokūṁ kāṁṭā buvai, tāhi boy tū phūl tokū phūl ke phūl hai, bāṁkū hai tiraśūl
If someone sows thorns for you, sow flowers for them. You reap flowers, they reap the thorns.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
बिरछा कबहुँ न फल भखै, नदी न अंचय नीर। परमारथ के कारने, साधु धरा शरीर॥
birachā kabahuṁ na phal bhakhai, nadī na aṁcay nīr paramārath ke kārane, sādhu dharā śarīr
A tree never eats its fruit, a river never drinks its water. Saints live for the good of others.
From the sung tradition
साधु ऐसा चाहिए, जैसा सूप सुभाय। सार-सार को गहि रहे, थोथ देइ उड़ाय॥
sādhu aisā cāhie, jaisā sūp subhāy sār-sār ko gahi rahe, thoth dei uṛāy
Be like a winnowing basket: keep the grain, let the husk blow away.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
आवत गारी एक है, उलटन होय अनेक। कह कबीर नहिं उलटिये, वही एक की एक॥
āvat gārī ek hai, ulaṭan hoy anek kah kabīr nahiṁ ulaṭiye, vahī ek kī ek
An insult comes as one. Throw it back and it multiplies. Do not return it, and it stays one.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
दुर्बल को न सताइए, जाकी मोटी हाय। बिना जीव की हाय से, लोहा भस्म हो जाय॥
durbal ko na satāie, jākī moṭī hāy binā jīv kī hāy se, lohā bhasm ho jāy
Do not torment the weak; their sigh is heavy. Even a lifeless bellows of hide can melt iron.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
सबते लघुताई भली, लघुता ते सब होय। जैसे दूज का चन्द्रमा, शीश नवे सब कोय॥
sabate laghutāī bhalī, laghutā te sab hoy jaise dūj kā candramā, śīś nave sab koy
Humility is best, everything comes from it. Everyone bows to the slender second-day moon.
From the sung tradition
Time and life
Today will not come again. Kabir says it a dozen ways.
काल करे सो आज कर, आज करे सो अब। पल में प्रलय होएगी, बहुरि करेगा कब॥
kāl kare so āj kar, āj kare so ab pal meṁ pralay hoegī, bahuri karegā kab
Do tomorrow's work today and today's work now. The end can come in a moment.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
धीरे-धीरे रे मना, धीरे सब कुछ होय। माली सींचे सौ घड़ा, ॠतु आए फल होय॥
dhīre-dhīre re manā, dhīre sab kuch hoy mālī sīṁce sau ghaṛā, ṝtu āe phal hoy
Slowly, mind, everything comes slowly. Water the tree a hundred times, it fruits in its season.
From the sung tradition
चलती चक्की देख के, दिया कबीरा रोय। दुइ पट भीतर आइके, साबित बचा न कोय॥
calatī cakkī dekh ke, diyā kabīrā roy dui paṭ bhītar āike, sābit bacā na koy
Kabir wept at the turning millstones. Between the two stones, no grain comes out whole.
From the sung tradition
माटी कहे कुम्हार से, तु क्या रौंदे मोय। एक दिन ऐसा आएगा, मैं रौंदूंगी तोय॥
māṭī kahe kumhār se, tu kyā rauṁde moy ek din aisā āegā, maiṁ rauṁdūṁgī toy
The clay tells the potter: you knead me today. One day I will lie over you.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
पानी केरा बुदबुदा, अस मानस की जात। देखत ही छिप जाएगा, ज्यों तारा परभात॥
pānī kerā budabudā, as mānas kī jāt dekhat hī chip jāegā, jyoṁ tārā parabhāt
A human life is a bubble on water. It vanishes the way stars fade at dawn.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
रात गंवाई सोय के, दिवस गंवाया खाय। हीरा जन्म अनमोल था, कौड़ी बदले जाए॥
rāt gaṁvāī soy ke, divas gaṁvāyā khāy hīrā janm anamol thā, kauṛī badale jāe
Nights lost to sleep, days to eating. A life worth a diamond went for a shell.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
आछे दिन पाछे गये गुरु से किया न हेत। अब पछतावा क्या करै चिड़ियाँ चुग गई खेत॥
āche din pāche gaye guru se kiyā na het ab pachatāvā kyā karai ciṛiyāṁ cug gaī khet
The good days passed and I never loved the guru. Why regret now? The birds have eaten the field.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
आए हैं सो जाएँगे, राजा रंक फकीर। एक सिंहासन चढ़ि चले, एक बाँधि जंजीर॥
āe haiṁ so jāeṁge, rājā raṁk phakīr ek siṁhāsan caṛhi cale, ek bāṁdhi jaṁjīr
All who come will go, king, pauper or fakir. One leaves on a throne, another in chains.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
दुर्लभ मानुष जन्म है, देह न बारम्बार। तरुवर ज्यों पत्ती झड़े, बहुरि न लागे डार॥
durlabh mānuṣ janm hai, deh na bārambār taruvar jyoṁ pattī jhaṛe, bahuri na lāge ḍār
A human birth is rare and does not come again, as a fallen leaf never returns to the branch.
From the sung tradition
माया मरी न मन मरा, मर-मर गए शरीर। आशा तृष्णा न मरी, कह गए दास कबीर॥
māyā marī na man marā, mar-mar gae śarīr āśā tṛṣṇā na marī, kah gae dās kabīr
Neither illusion nor mind died. Bodies died again and again, but hope and craving never did.
From the sung tradition
कबीर जो दिन आज है, सो दिन नहीं काल। चेति सकै तो चेत ले, मीच परी है ख्याल॥
kabīr jo din āj hai, so din nahīṁ kāl ceti sakai to cet le, mīc parī hai khyāl
Today will not be here tomorrow. Wake up while you can, death keeps watch.
From the sung tradition
कबीर यह संसार है, जैसा सेमल फूल। दिन दस के व्यवहार में, झूठे रंग न भूल॥
kabīr yah saṁsār hai, jaisā semal phūl din das ke vyavahār meṁ, jhūṭhe raṁg na bhūl
This world is a silk cotton flower, bright and empty. Do not lose yourself in ten days of false colour.
From the sung tradition
करता था सो क्यों किया, अब कर क्यों पछिताय। बोया पेड़ बबूल का, आम कहाँ से खाय॥
karatā thā so kyoṁ kiyā, ab kar kyoṁ pachitāy boyā peṛ babūl kā, ām kahāṁ se khāy
Why do it, then regret it now? Plant a thorn tree and you will not eat mangoes.
From the sung tradition
Love and devotion
Love beyond books, and the Ram who lives inside you.
पोथी पढ़-पढ़ जग मुआ, पंडित भया न कोय। ढाई आखर प्रेम का, पढ़ै सो पंडित होय॥
pothī paṛh-paṛh jag muā, paṁḍit bhayā na koy ḍhāī ākhar prem kā, paṛhai so paṁḍit hoy
The world died reading books and no one became wise. Learn the two and a half letters of love.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
साईं इतना दीजिये, जा में कुटुम समाय। मैं भी भूखा न रहूँ, साधु ना भूखा जाय॥
sāīṁ itanā dījiye, jā meṁ kuṭum samāy maiṁ bhī bhūkhā na rahūṁ, sādhu nā bhūkhā jāy
Lord, give me just enough for my family, so neither I nor a guest at my door goes hungry.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
दुख में सुमरिन सब करे, सुख में करे न कोय। जो सुख में सुमरिन करे, दुख काहे को होय॥
dukh meṁ sumarin sab kare, sukh meṁ kare na koy jo sukh meṁ sumarin kare, dukh kāhe ko hoy
Everyone remembers God in pain, no one in comfort. Remember Him in comfort and pain will not come.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
कस्तूरी कुन्डल बसे, म्रग ढूंढे बन माहिं। ऐसे घट-घट राम है, दुनिया देखे नाहिं॥
kastūrī kunḍal base, mrag ḍhūṁḍhe ban māhiṁ aise ghaṭ-ghaṭ rām hai, duniyā dekhe nāhiṁ
The musk is in the deer's own navel, yet it searches the forest. Ram lives in every heart.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
सात समंद की मसि करौं, लेखनि सब बनराइ। धरती सब कागद करौं, तऊ हरि गुण लिख्या न जाइ॥
sāt samaṁd kī masi karauṁ, lekhani sab banarāi dharatī sab kāgad karauṁ, taū hari guṇ likhyā na jāi
Make ink of the seven seas, pens of every forest, paper of the earth, and God's qualities still go unwritten.
In the Kabir Granthavali
लूट सके तो लूट ले, राम नाम की लूट। पाछे फिरे पछताओगे, प्राण जाहिं जब छूट॥
lūṭ sake to lūṭ le, rām nām kī lūṭ pāche phire pachatāoge, prāṇ jāhiṁ jab chūṭ
Ram's name is free for the taking, take all you can. You will regret it when life slips away.
From the sung tradition
प्रेम न बाड़ी ऊपजै, प्रेम न हाट बिकाय। राजा-परजा जेहि रुचें, शीश देई ले जाय॥
prem na bāṛī ūpajai, prem na hāṭ bikāy rājā-parajā jehi ruceṁ, śīś deī le jāy
Love grows in no field and sells in no market. King or subject, pay with your ego.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
तेरा साँई तुझमें, ज्यों पहुपन में बास। कस्तूरी का हिरन ज्यों, फिर-फिर ढ़ूँढ़त घास॥
terā sāṁī tujhameṁ, jyoṁ pahupan meṁ bās kastūrī kā hiran jyoṁ, phir-phir ṛhūṁṛhat ghās
Your Lord is in you, like fragrance in a flower. Still, like the musk deer, you search the grass.
From the sung tradition
ज्यों तिल मांही तेल है, ज्यों चकमक में आग। तेरा सांई तुझमें, बस जाग सके तो जाग॥
jyoṁ til māṁhī tel hai, jyoṁ cakamak meṁ āg terā sāṁī tujhameṁ, bas jāg sake to jāg
Like oil in sesame and fire in flint, your Lord is in you. Wake up if you can.
From the sung tradition
जब मैं था तब हरि नहीं, अब हरि हैं मैं नाहिं। सब अंधियारा मिटि गया, जब दीपक देख्या माहिं॥
jab maiṁ thā tab hari nahīṁ, ab hari haiṁ maiṁ nāhiṁ sab aṁdhiyārā miṭi gayā, jab dīpak dekhyā māhiṁ
While I was there, God was not. Now God is and I am gone; the lamp within ended the dark.
In the Kabir Granthavali
लाली मेरे लाल की जित देखों तित लाल। लाली देखन मैं गई मैं भी हो गई लाल॥
lālī mere lāl kī jit dekhoṁ tit lāl lālī dekhan maiṁ gaī maiṁ bhī ho gaī lāl
My Beloved's red is everywhere I look. I went to see it and turned red myself.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
आग जो लागी समुद्र में, धुआँ न प्रकट होय। सो जाने जो जरमुआ, जाकी लाई होय॥
āg jo lāgī samudr meṁ, dhuāṁ na prakaṭ hoy so jāne jo jaramuā, jākī lāī hoy
A fire in the sea shows no smoke. Only the one burning, or the one who lit it, knows.
From the sung tradition
सुखिया सब संसार है, खावै और सौवे। दुखिया दास कबीर है, जागे अरु रौवे॥
sukhiyā sab saṁsār hai, khāvai aur sauve dukhiyā dās kabīr hai, jāge aru rauve
The whole world is happy, it eats and sleeps. Only Kabir is sad, awake and weeping for God.
In the Kabir Granthavali, In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
Truth and show
Kabir on beads, idols and caste, said plainly.
माला फेरत जुग भया, फिरा न मन का फेर। कर का मन का डार दें, मन का मनका फेर॥
mālā pherat jug bhayā, phirā na man kā pher kar kā man kā ḍār deṁ, man kā manakā pher
Ages spent turning prayer beads, and the mind never turned. Drop the beads, turn the mind.
From the sung tradition
जाति न पूछो साधु की, पूछ लीजिये ज्ञान। मोल करो तरवार का, पड़ा रहन दो म्यान॥
jāti na pūcho sādhu kī, pūch lījiye jñān mol karo taravār kā, paṛā rahan do myān
Do not ask a sage his caste, ask what he knows. Value the sword, let the sheath lie.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
माँगन मरण समान है, मति माँगो कोई भीख। माँगन से तो मरना भला, यह सतगुरु की सीख॥
māṁgan maraṇ samān hai, mati māṁgo koī bhīkh māṁgan se to maranā bhalā, yah sataguru kī sīkh
Begging is like dying, so ask no one for alms. Better to die than to beg, the guru teaches.
From the sung tradition
सांच बराबर तप नहीं, झूठ बराबर पाप। जाके हिरदै में सांच है, ताके हिरदै हरि आप॥
sāṁc barābar tap nahīṁ, jhūṭh barābar pāp jāke hiradai meṁ sāṁc hai, tāke hiradai hari āp
No penance equals truth, no sin equals a lie. God lives in the heart that holds truth.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
पाहन पूजे हरि मिलें, तो मैं पूजौं पहार। याते ये चक्की भली, पीस खाय संसार॥
pāhan pūje hari mileṁ, to maiṁ pūjauṁ pahār yāte ye cakkī bhalī, pīs khāy saṁsār
If worshipping a stone found God, I would worship a mountain. Better the grinding stone that feeds the world.
In Kavita-Kaumudi (1917)
मन मैला तन ऊजरा, बगुला कपटी अंग। तासों तो कौवा भला, तन मन एकहि रंग॥
man mailā tan ūjarā, bagulā kapaṭī aṁg tāsoṁ to kauvā bhalā, tan man ekahi raṁg
Dirty mind, bright body, like the deceitful heron. The crow is better, one colour inside and out.
From the sung tradition
Where these dohe are found
Kabir did not write; he sang. His dohe travelled for centuries through wandering singers, and each region shaped them to its own speech. So we do not call any doha fake. Each card says where the doha is found:
- Kabir Granthavali (ed. Shyamsundar Das)
- The standard scholarly edition of his sakhis.
- Kavita-Kaumudi vol 1 (Ramnaresh Tripathi, 1917)
- An anthology more than a century old.
- Sung tradition
- Dohe that are in neither, but are sung in Kabir's name in folk and bhajan singing.
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Sources and method
Text: Kavita-Kaumudi vol 1 (1917) and the Kabir Granthavali via Wikisource and Kavitakosh, plus the Kavitakosh Kabir Dohavali. Evident typing errors are corrected. Meanings and word meanings are Wisdom's own.
15 lines in Kabir's name use the words nari or kamini. We read each one and left out the 2 that demean women. The doha "Kshama badan ko" belongs to Rahim, so it is not here.
84 lines in the source set repeat with small changes; each doha appears here once.