Teach your mind

A most beautiful Kabir bhajan that touched all our hearts yesterday, sung by a most humble and enlightened soul from a small village in India - despite his humble background, his ideas couldn't have been more progressive. In particular, what he said about the need for unity amongst people today, and how that would come about if we truly recognized that in essence we are all one and the same is just the balm for today's ailing world...

हे यूही मन समझावे
बिन खोज कुछ भेद न पावे
थारो विरथा जनम गमावे हो सुन शायर ज्ञानी
रे नर तू यून्ज (फोकट) मन समझावे

हाँ जो पनिहारी पानी वां चाले, तो बेडो भरी ने घर लावे
हाले डोले बात बनावे, पर सुरत बेवडा में लावे
हो सुन शायर ज्ञानी...

अरे जो नटरी आ चढ़े बलत पे, तो नटडो ढोल बजावे
हाँ ऊपर चढ़ कर मंगल गावे, वां सुरत बरत में लावे
हो सुन शायर ज्ञानी...

अरे जैसे भुजंग चले बन माहिं, ओस चाट लई जावे
कभी चाते कभी मणि को चितवे, वो मणि पर प्राण गमावे
हो सुन शायर ज्ञानी...

या सती चली आ सत्त करबाने, अपनी काया जलावे
मात पिता सुत कुटुंब त्याग के, हे सुरत पति में लावे
हो सुन शायर ज्ञानी...

जो मरजीवा होवे समुंद का, तो डुबकी वामे लगावे
अरे कहे कबीर सुनो भाई साधो, वो हिरा लाल बीन लावे
हो सुन शायर ज्ञानी...

Roughly translated, this means:

Teach your mind like this,
teach your useless mind like this.
Without seeking, how will you find?
Without looking, how will you see
the secret?
You're wasting your precious life.
Listen you wandering fool,
listen you wise sage.

Like a water-bearer who sets a brimming pot
on her head and walks toward home.
Swinging, swaying, she chatters away, but her awareness
is always on the pot.
Teach your mind like this . . .

Like a woman acrobat who walks the tightrope
while her man beats the drum.
She sings as she climbs, but her awareness
is always on the rope.
Teach your mind like this . . .

Like a snake that slides through the forest
licking the dew.
As it licks, it stays aware
of the gem in its forehead.
It would give up its life for that gem.
Teach your mind like this . . .

Like the sati who lays down her life
for truth, burns her body,
gives up her family,
her mother, father, child,
only aware of the lord.
Teach your mind like this . . .

Like a diver who plunges into the sea,
totally absorbed.
Kabir says, listen, seekers, friends,
he instantly finds the jewel,
plucks it up from the sea’s floor.
Teach your mind like this . . .