Hansa
(हंस)Literal Meaning
The swan; the soul
Etymology & Sanskrit Root
Sanskrit for 'swan,' a bird traditionally believed to separate milk from water; a common Sant-tradition metaphor Kabir uses for the discerning soul trapped in the cage of the body, longing to fly back to its true home.
Spiritual Insight & Context
The hansa's mythical ability to separate milk from water becomes, in Kabir's hands, a metaphor for spiritual discernment — the trained soul learns to separate truth from illusion.