This poem enunciates Kabir's path of practice. The devotee, realizing the significance of his human birth, must give up his craving for worldly gains, purify his mind, accept life and death as they come, and learn the way of dying while living — the method of withdrawing the soul from the nine doors of the body and bringing it to the eye center. If he merges in the Master's words, that is, if he completely molds his life according to the Master's directions, he will be attached to the Lord's Name within and will be rid of all delusions. The practice of Shabd will then lead the disciple step by step to the highest spiritual realm, the court of the Lord. At the end of the poem, Kabir refers to the disciple's spiritual union with the Master in one of the inner spiritual regions and says that only after this union the disciple realizes what Truth really is.

You may not get the human body again;
Keep remembering the Lord with ardor and joy.

If your mind discards not its vile ways,
How will you cross the dreadful ocean?
If mind will give up its wayward trend
The Lord himself will come and meet you.

Since you were born, you will one day die;
Be not dejected on this account.
But one who willingly dies while living
Will never have to face death again.

When one merges in the Master's words
He will be attached to the Lord's Name;
When he is attached to the Lord's Name
His delusions depart, his fears end.

When the moon becomes one with the sun
The unstruck melody resounds within;
When the melody of the bagpipe resounds
The soul shares the throne with the Lord.

Keep constantly the company of Saints,
Then your mind will be dyed in the Lord's hue;
Have firm faith in the Saints' lotus feet
And you will take abode where there is no fear.

It is not a game for the unripe to play,
The rare valiant one alone plays it well;
When he plays the game with audacity,
The firmament within he makes his home.

Hold your restless mind, keep it still
And taste the elixir of his love;
When you drink this elixir within,
Death dies and you begin truly to live.

Thus singing, Kabir the Lord's slave,
Through mind controls
His wayward mind;
When he stilled his mind within
He became one with his Master,
He realized the Truth.

K.G., p. 109:173
Nar dehi bahuri na pāiye

With six articles this cell is built,
Within it is kept a unique thing;
Under lock and key the soul is held,
The Architect did not take long
To fashion the cell.

O my mind, keep awake now,
Through indolence you have
Wasted away your human life;
Burglars have crept into your house,
They are robbing you of your wealth.

Five watchmen guard the doors
But they cannot be trusted;
If you will become alert,
You will be illumined
By divine light within.

The wife who remains enamored
Of the body with nine portals
Will not attain the priceless treasure;
Says Kabir: When the nine doors
Are vanquished, one enters the tenth
And realizes the Truth.

A.G., Gauri, p. 339
Khat nem kar kothari bāndhi