POETRY & LITERATURE

ढाई आखर प्रेम के (Four Letters of Love)

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Kabir कबीर (Indian mystic poet and saint 15th-century)

पोथी पढ़ पढ़ जग मुआ, पंडित भयो न कोई
ढाई आखर प्रेम के, जो पढ़े सो पंडित होए                                                         

Pothi Padh Padh Jag Mua, Pandit Bhayo Na Koye
Dhai Aakhar Prem Ke, Jo Padhe so Pandit Hoye

Reading the scriptures everyone died, none became wise
Only those who studied the four letters* of Love, became wise.
(Translation – Dimitrios Vassiliadis)

* Literally the two and half (dhai) syllabic letters of the Hindi word  ‘prem’

Cover photo: Kabir the weaver