સદ્‌ગુરુ સંત કબીર, પાયે લાગું, સદ્‌ગુરુ સંત કબીર

પદ - ૧૨૦૧
Pada – 1201

સદ્‌ગુરુ સંત કબીર, પાયે લાગું, સદ્‌ગુરુ સંત કબીર
sadguru sant kabir, pāye lāgun, sadguru sant kabir

અબુધ જીવડો મારો, માયામાં ફસાયો,
લખ ચોરાસી યોનીમાં અટવાયો,
     ઉગારો દીનાનાથ ગુરુ મારા ... સદ્‌ગુરુ સંત કબીર
abudh jivado māro, māyā-mā fasāyo,
lakh chorāsi yoni-mā atvāyo,
     ugāro dina-nāth guru mārā... sadguru sant kabir

જોરૂ છોરૂ ને ભેરુ, કોઈ નથી મારું,
ભજન વિના જીવન એળે ગયું મારું,
     આપો ભક્તિનું જ્ઞાન, ગુરુ મારા ... સદ્‌ગુરુ સંત કબીર
joru chhoru ne bheru, koi nathi mārun,
bhajana vinā jivana ele gayun mārun,
     āpo bhaktinun gyāna, guru mārā... sadguru sant kabir

જીવન નૈયા મારી ડગમગ ડોલે,
ભક્તોનાં સદ્‌ગુરુ કબીર કૃપા કરો,
     ઉતારો ભવજળ પાર, ગુરુ મારા ... સદ્‌ગુરુ સંત કબીર
jivana naiyā māri dagamaga dole,
bhaktonān sadguru kabira krupā karo,
     utāro bhavajala pāra, guru mārā... sadguru sant kabir

English translation (by AI):
This prayer is a first-person plea for spiritual rescue. Realizing my soul is trapped in illusion across endless lifetimes, I acknowledge that worldly relationships cannot save me. With my life-boat tossing unsteadily on a turbulent ocean, I surrender to Master Kabir, begging for devotional wisdom to cross over safely.

O true Master, Saint Kabir, I bow down at Your holy feet;
O true Master, Saint Kabir, in Your presence my soul finds its retreat.

My ignorant soul is helplessly trapped in the web of worldly illusion;
Wandering through millions of life cycles, lost in endless confusion.
     Save me, O protector of the meek, my Master divine!

Wife, children, and companions—none of them truly belong to me;
Without devotion, my entire life has gone to waste, empty as can be.
     Bless me with the wisdom of true devotion, my Master divine!

The boat of my life tosses and turns, unsteady upon the roaring sea;
O Master Kabir of all devotees, shower Your supreme grace upon me.
     Carry me across this vast ocean of worldly existence, my Master divine!

...

The Spiritual Context
This prayer belongs to the Bhajan (devotional hymn) tradition of Nirguni Bhakti (devotion to the formless Divine), heavily popularized by Saint Kabir. In Gujarati cultural and spiritual gatherings, it is sung as a soulful plea for liberation from the wheel of transmigration. It echoes the core philosophy of detachment (Vairagya) shared across Jainism, Hinduism, and Sufism.

The Core Meaning
The core meaning of this prayer is the absolute surrender of a lost soul seeking a spiritual anchor. It captures the exact moment a human being wakes up to the realization that worldly achievements, family bonds, and material pursuits are temporary, leaving the soul completely bankrupt without spiritual connection (Bhajan).

Key Spiritual Themes Broken Down
1. The Trap of the 8.4 Million Life Cycles (Stanza 1)
• The Concept: "Lakha Choraasee Yoneemaa Atvaayo" refers to the ancient Indian cosmic belief that a soul wanders through 8.4 million different species (plants, insects, animals, humans) before getting a human birth.
• The Truth: The prayer highlights that human life is a rare, fleeting opportunity. To spend it entirely trapped in illusion (Maya) without seeking the ultimate truth is a tragic waste of a long evolutionary journey.

2. The Illusion of Worldly Relationships (Stanza 2)
• The Concept: "Jooru Chooru Ne Bheru" translates literally to "wife, children, and friends."
• The Truth: This is a radical reality check. The prayer states that while these relationships are real in the physical world, they cannot accompany the soul after death. Realizing that "koee nathee maarun" (none of them truly belong to my soul) is not about hating one's family; it is about breaking the absolute dependence on temporary worldly bonds for ultimate happiness.

3. Life as an Unsteady Boat (Stanza 3)
• The Concept: The human body and mind are compared to a fragile boat (Jeevana Naiyaa) tossing violently on the turbulent ocean of worldly existence (Bhavajal).
• The Truth: The ocean represents the endless storms of desire, old age, disease, and emotional pain. The prayer reveals that human willpower alone is not enough to navigate these waters; you need the grace (Krupa) of a True Master (Sadguru) acting as the helmsman to carry you safely to the shore of enlightenment.

Summary: The Essence
The ultimate essence of this bhajan is the awakening of spiritual discrimination (Viveka). It moves the seeker from a state of ignorance (Abudha) to a state of absolute clarity. It teaches that the ultimate purpose of life is not mere survival or social success, but finding a Master who can grant the "wisdom of devotion" (Bhaktinun Gyaana) to cross the ocean of life.