Ud Jayega Huns Akela: Reality Of Our Existence

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This bhajan by Kabir Das highlights one of the biggest realities of our spiritual existence. He was one of the most influential and evocative poets.  He played a major role in the Bhakti movement in India in around the 15th century through his simple poetry that touched the common man. One of his most well-known poems was, “Ud Jayega Huns Akela” This poem elucidates the reality of our existence by giving apt metaphors, rich in meaning and imagery.

Ud Jayega Huns Akela, Jug Darshan Ka Mela
Jaise Paat Gire Taruvar Se, Milna Bahut Duhela
Naa Jane Kidhar Girega, Lageya Pawan Ka Rela
Jub Howe Umur Puri, Jab Chute Ga Hukum Huzuri
Jum Ke Doot Bade Mazboot, Jum Se Pada Jhamela
Das Kabir Har Ke Gun Gawe, Wah Har Ko Paran Pawe
Guru Ki Karni Guru Jayega, Chele Ki Karni Chela

Here Huns (Swan) represents our free-spirit that continues to live beyond the death of the body. When the physical death comes, the "less-constrained" life leaves every worldly thing behind (including the body) and the whole spectacle of the world becomes a mere fair or carnival. The temporal and transient nature of life is highlighted here.

Kabir reminds us that we are much like a leaf, if when severed from the universal spirit (the tree) are liable to be blown away by the gust of unfulfilled desires.

All through our physical life we are listening to either orders of others or are ordered by our own desires. When death comes nobody is really with us and we finally realize that the obeying and following others becomes irrelevant.

Finally in the last stanza Kabir reinforces that a continuous dedication to God yields instantaneous results. But warns that it is our own effort that bear fruits and everybody (both Guru and Disciple) progresses according to their own actions. 

 Please find below the fantastic, almost surreal rendition of the song by Pt. Kumar Gandharva. He has done full justice to Kabir Das’ poetry... touching us most profoundly.

   

Pt.Kumar Gandharva

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