Human birth is a priceless gift from the Lord. After endless lives in the lower species and long sojourns in heavens and hells, one is blessed with this opportunity to go back to the Lord and become one with Him. Kabir says that only the human life of one who goes to a Master and worships the Lord under his guidance is worthwhile. Even gods, goddesses and angels cannot realize God until they come to the world in human form — the gateway to the Lord's mansion. Kabir also says that God is within the human body and the seeker must contemplate and realize Him within his own body. When the seeker meets the Master, his inner eye — the door to the inner spiritual regions — is opened and his rounds of birth and death end.

If you earn devotion
Through service to the Master,
Only then consider yourself
A human being.

Even gods crave a human form;
You've obtained this precious body,
Now keep yourself engaged
In devotion for the Lord.
Worship Him, forget Him not,
For realization of God
Is the profit to be reaped
From this human form.

Before age and disease pounce upon you,
Before death's shadow eclipses your body,
Before senility muffles your speech,
Worship the Lord, O man,
Worship Him.

If you do not adore Him now, brother,
When will you adore Him?
When the end hangs over your head
You'll not be able to worship the Lord.
Whatever you must do,
Do it now; do it now
Or you'll repent
When you're adrift in the ocean.

He is a true devotee
Who is absorbed
In devotion for the Lord;
He alone will obtain
The Immaculate One.
He who meets the Master,
His inner door is flung open;
He will never return
By way of the womb.

This is your opportunity,
This your only chance
To contemplate and realize God
Within your own body.
Kabir proclaims over and again:
It's now up to you,
Win or lose the game.

A.G., Bhairau, p. 1159
Gur sewā te bhagati kamāi

You neglect to repeat the Lord's Name;
O man, have you become blind?
Without His Name
Yama will entrap you
In his deadly noose.

Wife and son, upon whom
You were always doting,
For whom you toiled
— And toiled all your life —
At the time of your death,
Like robbers they will deprive you
Of all your wealth, worldly and spiritual.

Avidly you gather
Hoards and hoards of wealth,
But not even a dented pan
Will go with you
When it is time for you
To quit the world.

With arms raised Kabir calls:
Repeat,
Repeat the Lord's Name
Each day, with each breath,
For Naam alone will be your saviour
At the perilous hour of death.

K.G., p. 98:128
Rām na japahu kahā bhayou andhā