Pati torey malnee pati pati jio – Raag Assa – Ang 479

SGGS Angg 479.

Raag Assa Bhagat Kabeer (Kabir) Ji.

Bhagat Ji looks at the Hindu practice of using leaves, small branches and flowers, as offerings to devi deva idols. He also gives His views about prayer to idols.

Bhagat Ji says the she gardener (reference is to the jeev isteri) plucks at leaves, not realizing each leaf is alive; (the irony is), the stone idol for whose worship she plucks those leaves – is lifeless.

“Pati torey malnee pati pati jio; jis pahan ko pati torey so pahan nirjio.”

In this, you are mistaken O lady gardener; the Satguru (who is truly worthy of service), is Alive.

“Bhulee malnee hai jio; Satgur jagtaa hai Deo.” (rahao).

(I see), Brahma is in the leaves, Vishnu is in the branches, and Shankar is in the flowers; you have broken these three devas before my very eyes; whose service are you performing?

“Brahm pati Bisan dari phool Sankardeo; teen dev partakh torey kare kis ki seo.”

(Actually Kabir Ji is quoting Hindu Scriptures which claim the peepal tree, the bodhi tree and other sacred trees have Brahma Vishnu and Shiva as leaves, branches and flowers respectively. Some Scriptures say these devas are on the legendary Parijat tree).

Kabir Ji next tells us how an idol is sculptured.

The sculptor carves the stone, and placing his feet on it’s chest, fashions it into an idol; if the stone god was truly alive, he would have devoured the sculptor for this (sacrilege).

“Pakhaan gadh ke murat kinni de ke shatee paoo; je eh murat sachi hai to garhanharey khaoo.”

A lot of food is prepared as offerings for the idols to eat. Kabir Ji says rice, beans, butter milk (lassi – lapsee) cookies, and rough nourishing panjiree  kasaar) are offered to the idol; the priest enjoys all these, – all the idol gets, is ashes.

“Paat pahat aur lapsee karkara kasaar; bhoganharey bhogiya eis murat ke mukh shaar.”

The she gardener is mistaken, the world is mistaken, but I have not been misled; Kabir says, the Lord King has saved me with His Blessings.

“Maalan bhulee jag bhulanaa ham bhulaney nahey; kaho Kabir ham Raam rakhey kirpa kar Har Rai.”

Shabad Viakhya by Manjeet Singh 

Shabad Kirtan available on YouTube