I said to the wanting creature inside me: What is this river you want to cross? There are no travelers on the river road, and no road. Do you see anyone moving about on that bank, or nesting? There is no river at all, and no boat, and no boatman. There is no tow rope either, and no one to pull it. There is no ground, no sky, no time, no bank, no ford! And there is no body, and no mind!
Do you believe there is some place that will make the soul less thirsty? In that great absence, you will find nothing. Be strong then, and enter into your own body; there you have a solid place for your feet. Think about it carefully! Don’t go off somewhere else!
~ Kabir
Questioner (Q): Acharya Ji, the thirst of the soul cannot be quenched by anyone, anywhere, at any time, and yet there is hope and longing for God. What does Kabir Sahib mean when he says, “Enter into your own body” and “Don’t go off somewhere else”?
Acharya Prashant (AP): Who is thirsty? The bodied one is thirsty. Before you look around to quench your thirst, it is important to understand the nature of this thirst; it is important to go within yourself and know why you are thirsty at all. Who is the one who is thirsty? What exactly is the definition of this thirst? That’s what Kabir Sahib is saying.
