Mala Pherata Jug Bhaya

In this doha, Saint Kabir gives us invaluable guidance for our practice of the So’ham mantra. The poet-saint addresses the seeker who has been turning the beads of his japa mala “for such a long time” without changing the tendencies of his mind. By tendencies of mind, Saint Kabir refers to the negative patterns of thoughts and emotions that keep us from experiencing the bliss of our true Self.

To transform such tendencies, Kabir teaches, we can instead turn the beads of the mind with the mantra. We can do this by taking time, throughout the day, to refocus our mind, gently repeating ham on the in-breath and so or saḥ on the out-breath. By doing this day after day, we transform and purify our inner perception.

Kabir gives us another insight into the power of the mantra through his use of wordplay in the Hindi language. The words man ka, which mean “of the mind,” have the exact same pronunciation as manka, which means “bead.” Through this wordplay, we can understand that Kabir is teaching us about the profound identity between mind and mantra as forms of Consciousness.

As you practice the So’ham mantra, you may hold the awareness that your mind—man—is sacred in its essential nature. Your mind and the mantra are manifestations of the same divine principle. As the mantra turns the bead of the mind toward its own light, you will be putting Gurumayi’s Message into practice. As you do this again and again, you will recognize the transformative power of this practice in your life.