Kabir says that the true devotee (pir) is one who does not depend on the divine; one who depends on the divine is the devotee of the infidel. The mind is a bird, captured by the peacock, which dwells in anguish; it remains wrapped in a garland of poison, yet desires to taste the fruit of nectar.

When we examine these verses by Kabir, we realize they are not just religious teachings, but profound observations on the complexity of the human mind. The first couplet suggests that true devotion is self-reliant; dependence on external validation makes one a follower of false idols. The second couplet beautifully personifies the mind as an agitated bird, trapped in its own beautiful bondage. It remains wrapped in a garland of poison, yet yearns desperately to taste the nectar—a perfect metaphor for the mind's contradictory desires and suffering.