Feeling Lost? These 5 Saint Kabir Wisdoms Will Guide You to Inner Peace

There are some questions in life, which are important but we don’t have answers. Say, How much wealth is sufficient to live a happy life? or a simple one, what is the right way of living life ? Luckily, we have great saints like Sant Kabir, who dedicated their 120 years of life(1398-1518) solving these questions and providing answers to the common man. In just two lines, Sant Kabir was able to provide simple solutions to our complex problems of life. Even after 600 years, his Doha’s are relevant today. Kabir, who is known as a poet of Bhakti movement , many scholars also saw him as a social reformer as well. Kabir touches on all the aspects of human and social life. Kabir believed that true God is with the person who is on the path of righteousness irrespective of religion, caste and creed.

Here are 5 dohas of kabir who made Kabir immortal and still inspiring us today.
कबीरा गर्व ना कीजिये, काल गहे कर केश |
(Don’t be so proud and vain, the clutches of time are dark)

Here Kabir told humankind that no one knows what will happen with you the very next time. A king named Viraj ruled with arrogance and ego, believing no one can defeat him. One day , he mocked a saint , who simply retreated to the king. Viraj laughed and ignored the words of the saint. Years passed, an incurable illness binds the king. His riches, power and influence failed to save him. As death gripped him, he remembered the saint’s words - TIMES SPARES NONE. He realized his pride was meaningless, and what mattered to him now was only humility. In his final moments, he whispered a prayer of wisdom, regretting his arrogance. But it was too late - death already seized him. True wealth, he finally understood, was humility and kindness.

माया मरी न मन मरा, मर-मर गए शरीर ।
आशा तृष्णा न मरी, कह गए दास कबीर ।
(Neither Illusion nor the mind, only bodies attained death
Hope and delusion did not die, so Kabir said.)

These lines of Kabir carrying the word “Maya” have a vast meaning in itself. How we become “slaves” of “Maya”. From the very first moment of coming into this world, “Maya” tries each and every thing to keep us attached to this world. As we grow old, we go deep into all sorts of pleasures, materialist or immaterial items and events. Even though the body is at the verge of perishing, a heart filled with “maya” will always divert the mind from the correct path.
Wishing to have something is good, but when this desire grows its roots deep, it is bad. When “Maya” trapped you and sat on your head it became a sign of one’s downfall. One of the prime examples we had of Vijay Mallya,once a business tycoon, now he lives in exile. Mallaya’s wealth diminished, but his desire and attachment to luxury persisted. His story shows that money may vanish, the body may perish, but greed often outlives. True peace lies in detachment, not endless accumulation.

“प्रेम गली अति संकरी, तामें दाऊ न समाई |
(The street of love is very narrow,
two can’t pass through it at the same time)

THE couplets means that the path of love is so narrow and their ego and love cannot coexist. To experience pure love- whether for God, humanity, or relationships - one must let go of his ego, pride and selfishness. It is applicable to every kind of love. If you walk on the roads of love with your ego beside you – you will never reach that blissful point that you seek. Either you can keep your ego, or you can keep your love and relationship. Neither can live while the other survives. Considering your most loved ones as an inseparable part of you – is the stepping stone of any great relationship.
We can relate it with the example of recent divorces among celebrities like Joe Jonas and Sophie Turner. Despite love, ego clashes and personal ambitions led to separation. Kabir teaches that love demands humility and sacrifice. When ego enters, love fades. Whether in friendships, marriage, or devotion, only those who let go of pride can truly experience love’s depth.

बुरा जो देखन मैं चला बुरा न मिलिया कोय।
जो दिल खोजा आपना मुझसे बुरा न कोय ।।
(I went on the search for the Bad Guy, Bad Guy I couldn't find
When I searched my mind, No- one is Nastier than me)

This Doha is about observing one's own mind or self- introspection. Kabir says that he searched the world for the bad guy, but he couldn't find the evil person no matter where he looked. Then he looked within at his own thinking process, his own mind. Then he found the real evil person who lived in his mind, unchecked. When we accuse, condemn another, it is our mind that is doing the finger pointing, the other person is probably innocent or the victim of his circumstances. Were we to inhabit the condemned person's body, live his life, have his conditioning, then we too would behave and act the same. He emphasizes that instead of finding faults in others, one should first examine their own flaws. True wisdom comes from self-awareness, not from blaming others.

In a digital era, we can observe ourselves in Social media outrage often lacking self-reflection. For example, during elections, people criticize politicians for corruption and inefficiency but don’t question their own role—whether they vote responsibly or engage in meaningful civic actions. Similarly, online culture judges public figures harshly while ignoring personal biases. Kabir’s wisdom is timeless: before blaming others, we must assess our own actions. Real change begins when individuals hold themselves accountable instead of just pointing fingers at society.

माला फेरत जुग भया, फिरा न मन का फेर,
कर का मनका डार दे, मन का मनका फेर।
(Turning the beads of your japa mālā for such a long time,
but the tendencies of your mind have not changed.
Put aside the beads in your hand; instead,
turn the beads of your mind with the mantra.)

Kabir is trying to say by this Doha that the purpose of using rosary is not the end but a medium which is helpful in meditation. The aim of all meditations is to calm the mind and become its master. The rosary is not an aim but a mere tool. Having explained this Kabir proceeds to state that although many centuries have elapsed since humans started using the rosary as a tool, still after all the efforts we see that by and large our mind is restless and agitated while the tool appears to have become a symbol in itself. Addressing the spiritual aspirants, Kabir asserts that instead of concentrating on the rosary beads and its count of rotation, one should focus and become aware of the wandering mind. For only by becoming aware shall we become alert and be able to guide ourselves towards poise and serenity. This is the ultimate aim of meditation - to become calm and experience the oneness between our individual self and the cosmic self.

The Dohas of Sant Kabir offer profound yet straightforward guidance on leading a good life. He instructs us to focus on love and kindness, to let go of our attachment to material possessions, and to be modest and avoid ego and arrogance. Kabir also promotes introspection and focusing on oneself rather than placing blame on others. He thinks that mental control, not merely ritual observance, but is the source of sincere devotion. Despite being from centuries ago, his lessons are still relevant today because they serve as a reminder that genuine pleasure originates from within—through humility, self-awareness, and love—rather than from material success.