ਦੇਹ (deh)
Meaning: noun: Body.
Quote:
ਗਰਬੁ ਕਰਤੁ ਹੈ ਦੇਹ ਕੋ ਬਿਨਸੈ ਛਿਨ ਮੈ ਮੀਤ॥
garab karat hai deh ko binsai chhin mai meet.
O friend! Humans are so proud of their body, but it perishes in an instant. – Guru Teg Bahadar Sahib, Guru Granth Sahib, 1428
Message: When you pass a good-looking person who wears a supercilious expression you know instantly that this is excessive pride of one’s body.
But this body or its charm or beauty is not permanent.
It withers away with the passage of time.
Why be so proud of a transient thing? Ultimately, everyone has to leave behind this body, beautiful or ugly, and depart from this world empty-handed.
ਕਬੀਰ ਗਰਬ ਨ ਕੀਜੀਐ ਦੇਹੀ ਦੇਖਿ ਸੁਰੰਗ॥ ਆਜੁ ਕਾਲਿ ਤਜਿ ਜਾਹੁਗੇ ਜਿਉ ਕਾਂਚੁਰੀ ਭੁਯੰਗ॥
Kabir! Do not be so proud, looking at your beautiful body. Today or tomorrow, you will leave it, like the snake shedding its skin. – Bhagat Kabir, Guru Granth Sahib, 1366
Etymology: From Sanskrit deh (body) → Pali → Prakrit → Gurbani deh/dehaa/dehee.
