This song by the 15th century Sufi poet Kabir who tries to tell the untellable grandeur of Māyā as much more than a mere illusion. She is a swindler alright but all that is perceived is Her, so even the Holy Trinity are not above Her. So are not an ascetic, a priest, a yogi, a devotee, a king, a merchant or a beggar!
māyā mahā-thagnī* ham jāni
tirguṇ phas liye kar dole, bole madhurī bānī
Māyā the great thug(-ess), I have come to know.
Her hands sway, holding the three gunas*
She speaks in a sweet voice.
kesav ke kamlā ve baiṭi
śiva ki bhavan bhavānī
paṇdā ke mūrat ve baiṭi
tīrat main bhāyi pānī
For Kesava(Viśhṇu), She is seated as Lakṣmī
In Śiva's house, She is Bhavāni
For the priest, She is in the idol
At the pilgrimage, She is the holy water
yogi ke yogin ve baiṭi
rāja ke ghar rāṇi
kāhu ke hīra ve baiṭi
kāhu ke kodi kani
For the yogi She is the yogini
In the king's palace She is the queen
For some She is a diamond
For some She is a mere cowry
bhaktan ke bhaktin veh baithi
brahma ke brahmani
kahe kabir suno bhai sadho
yeh sab akath kahani
For devotees She is the devotee(-ess)
For Brahma She is Brahmāṇi
Says Kabīr, listen fellow aspirants
Her tale is indeed an untellable tale
*thugs were a criminal tribe in India. thagni is a female thug!
*guṇā - Each of the three threads that weave the Universe.
