Mati Kaha Kumhar se

Mati Kaha  Kumhar se

(The mud told the potter)

  By

Sant Kabir Das

Translated by

P.R.Ramachander

(Sabt Kabir was a   great mysic poet    who lived in the 15^th centuary. He was  by birth as weaver   and his writings are critical of both Hindu and Islam religions .These  songs  have been  sung by Anup Jalota in a Bhajan   and I was greatly attracted by them. But I  do not have mastery  of the  Hinidi language  .So I did consult the translations   given in http://bhajansagar.blogspot.in/2012/06/bhajan-sandhya-by-anoop-jalota-thumak.html  but the words  and style of translations are my own.I wish  all of you   should read  this and hear  it sung by Anup Jalota in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IVrFqwZK-M&safe=active )

1.mati Kaha  Kumahar se  , kya roundhe mohe ,

Yik dhin aisa  aayega  main roundungi   toye

1.The mud told the potter’You are crushing me now,

But a day will come, when I   will crush you.

2.AAyen hai  to jayenge  , raja rank sabhi  ,

Yek simhasan chadhi   chale yek bandhe    zanjir.

2.Those who have come will have to go ,whether they are king or beggar ,

One of whom climbed the throne and another  bound by a chain.

3.Durbal ko na sathayiye  , jaaki  mothi haaye  ,

Bina  jeebh  ke  haaye  ke loha  basm hoyi jaaye.

3.Do not cheat the weak people   for their curse  is severe ,

As  even without the toungue  , they  turn steel  in to ash.

4.CHalthi chakki   dekh ke   dhiya  kabira roye  ,

Do patan ke beech  mein  sabut  bacha  na koye

4.Seeing   the powdering mill working  Kabir cried,

Because between the two slabs  no full grain was saved.

(A tread mill  was called Ezhundhiram in Tamil .After  ,

The grain is put in the centre  the upper part is rotated. The grains get crushed ,

And the powder  falls  from  all sides. Kabir cried becaue when treadmill ,

Of time   rotates  no one  ever survives.)

5.Haad jalr ju lakdi  , kesh jale  jug has,

Sab jad   jaltha dekh  ke bhaye   kabir udhas.

5.Bones  burm like wood, hair burns like grass,

Seeing  that  everything was  burning , Kabitr becomes listless.

6.Kabira khai  koti ki  pani peeve na khaaye  ,

Jayee mile  jab  gang say  gangothak haye ,

6.Kabir says , the water  from drain in the house  is neither eaten nor drunk,

But when it merges with Ganga, it becomes as pure as water of Gangothri.

7.Thulsi  thulsi   sab kahe  , thulsi bab ki  ghas,

Ho gayi krupa   ram ki   to ban gayen THulsi das.

7.People say Thulasi, thulasi  as if  he is  a shrub of forest  ,

But  when he got the   grace of Rama , he became Thulasidas.

8.Saanch bar bar  thap nahi joot barabar pap,

Jake hridaya   sanch hi   take  hiradaya  Prabhu.

8.Truth is the  right penance   and lie  is the right sin,

In the hearts where  truth lives, the  lord also lives.

9.Dukh mein   sumiran   sab Karen , sukh mein kare  na koi,

JO sukh  mein sumiran karen  to dukh.

9.Everyone remembers God when he  is sad and no one  when he is happy  ,

But if one remembers  him while he is happy, how can sorrow exist.

10.Rahimaan  dhhaga  prem ka  no yodo chitkaye  ,

Toote  se phir  ma jude , jude tho gaanth  pad jaye.

10.God says   to not break the  thread of love,

For once it breaks  it does not join and even if it does , there would be a knot.

11.Aisi deni   den ju  , kith sikhe hosain,

Jyu jyu   kar uncho  karyo tyun  niche  nain

11.Where did you learn this type of charity,

Of  looking   down with your eye   when  you hands rise to give.

12.DEnhaar  koi aur  hai bhejat   jo dhin rain,

Log bhram humpar   Karen  taso neeche nain

12.The one  who gives in not me but has sent me to give ,

And when people misunderstand, my eyes   are downcast.

13.Thulasi samsar  meain sabse  miliye dhai  ,

Na jaane ki  roop mein  Narayan mil jaayen

13.THulsidas   rushes to meet every one in this world ,

For knows not he , in which form he will meet Narayana,

Appendix

   

These verses are not there  in Anup Jalotas  BHajan  but he tells a story of Kabir meeting Thulasi  in verses 11-13. .But   these  two verses  are included  instead of them   in  http://bhajans.holydrops.com/maati-kahe-kumhar-se-164.htm

1.Patta  toota  daal se  , le gayi  pavan udai  ,

Ab ke bichde kab milenge , door pademgay jay.

1.A leaf fell  from a broken branch and the wind  took it away,

When will they who are  separated meet again  as distance keeps on increasing.

2.Kabir aap  thaagayiye  , aur na thagiye koi ,

Aap  thage   dukh upaje , aur thage dukh hoi.

2.Oh  Kabir , either one cheats you or  you cheat  any other,

If you cheat  you become happy , if you get cheated some one else   would be happy.