Shabd or Naam has been described by Saints as a rare jewel, a priceless diamond. It is within every human being, but man, ignorant of the treasure within him, is deeply engrossed in worldly pursuits. He has gathered the tinsel of worldly possessions and accumulated the mud of greed, lust and attachment; as a result the diamond is encrusted with dross, and he can neither see its luster nor know its worth. The jewel of Naam is lost for him. Kabir's poems on the diamond have as their theme the loss of Naam and the way to find it.

The diamond is lost in the mud.
Some run to the east to find it,
Some rush to the west; in search of it
Some plunge themselves in holy waters,
Some bow their heads to stone idols.
Gods, men and ascetics,
Sages and the learned are deluded,
And stay deluded in the pride
Of rituals and ceremonies.
Kabir, the slave, has appraised
The value of this rare jewel;
With tender care he has wrapped it
Safe in the folds of his heart.

K.S., II:38
Tor hirā hirāilbā

God is the diamond,
Men of God the jewelers;
They have put the jewel
In the market for sale.
When the one who knows its worth
Approaches the jeweler's stall,
Only then will the deal be made.

K.G., p. 62:49:3

Bijak, Sakhi 171

The true diamond is the Lord's Name,
Seek it, find it within your heart;
Outside, it is present everywhere;
Within, it fills every pot —
Yet it has ever been
Unwritten and unseen.

K.S.S., p. 83:3

Kabir has acquired the diamond
Through barter, at a very high cost.
Though his body became lean
And his bones began to crumble,
Yet the jewel he could not gain;
But when he offered his head
The deal was made.

K.G., p. 55:28