पोथी पढ़ि-पढ़ि जग मुआ (Pothi padhi-padhi jag mua)

पोथी पढ़ि-पढ़ि जग मुआ (Pothi padhi-padhi jag mua)

- कबीर दास (Kabirdas)

पोथी पढ़ि-पढ़ि जग मुआ, पंडित भया न कोय।

Pothi padhi-padhi jag mua, pandiit bhaya na koy.

ढाई आखर प्रेम का, पढ़े सो पंडित होय॥

Dhai aakhar prem ka, padhe so pandit hoy.

This verse literally means- people reach their death bed (meaning spend their whole life) while reading so many books, still no one becomes a scholar. But one who has only read a two-and-half letter word, prem (meaning love) can become a scholar.

But this verse hides a deeper meaning within it. Poet Kabir was a great saint and has always motivated people to follow the path of God through his writings. Here, he meant... What does people get from reading so many books! One can never become a scholar like this. In saint Kabir's language, a scholar is the one who has reached liberation, one who is close to the God. A person can become closer to God simply through the path of love and devotion. He meant only love towards the Lord can take you to liberation.