Kaho pandit sucha kavan thaoo – Raag Basant – Ang 1195

SGGS Angg 1195.

Raag Basant – Bhagat Kabir Ji.

Bhagat Kabir Ji was a weaver by profession. As he took a break, he washed His hands and with shukrana to God started eating his food. A passing pandit had been observing Bhagat Ji. He told Bhagat Ji that he was not observing proper protocols of sucham (purity), before eating. The pandit said food should be cooked in a square with lines drawn around to ward of negative energies. It should be cooked on two stoves. One for bread and the other for curry. The devas connected with food should be appeased before eating. Otherwise the food one eats would be jutha (impure/defiled).

Bhagat Ji responded with this Shabad. Bhagat Ji says speaking of impurity, the mother is impure, the father is impure, the fruit (children) they produce are also impure. (Bhagat Ji’s view stems from the fact that only God/Naam is Pure and Imperishable. All else is impure and perishable).

“Mata juthi pita bhi jutha juthey hi fall laagey.”

They come in impurity and go away impure; the unfortunate ones die in impurity.

“Aave juthey jaaye bhi juthey juthey marey abhaagey.”

In the rahao, Bhagat poses a question to the pandit. Tell me which place is pure; where I can sit and eat my meal.

“Kaho pandit sucha kavan thaoo; jaha bess hao bhojan khaoo” (rahao).

Continuing the thread on impurities, Bhagat Ji says the tongue is impure, so is its speech. The eyes and ears are totally impure; the impurity of the organs does not depart. You are consumed by the fire of your Brahmin ignorance.

“Jihva juthi bolat jutha karan netar sabh juthey; indri ki juth utras nahi Brahm aggan ke luthey”

The fire is impure and so is the water impure. The square you sit in and cook is also impure; impure is the ladle which serves the food and the one who sits to eat it is also impure.

“Aggan bhi juthi pani jutha juthi bess pakaaeya; juthi karshi parosan laaga juthey hi baith khaiya.”

Impure are the cow dung patties, impure is the kitchen square and impure are the lines that mark it.

“Gobarr jutha chauka jutha juthi dinni kaara.”

Finally, Bhagat Ji tells us what is pure. Kabir says, they alone are pure who have obtained Pure Divine understanding (which comes from Naam).

“Kahe Kabir tehi nar suchey suchi bhari bichaara.”

This is exactly what Guru Nanak Ji says in Asa Ki Vaar Ang 472:

“Nanak jinni gurmukh bujiya tinna sutak nahi.”  (O Nanak the gurmukhs who have understanding of God are not stained by impurity.)‎

Shabad Viakhya by Bhai Manjeet Singh Ji

Shahad Kirtan available on YouTube