The body, its limbs, time, and decay consume it gradually. The body is afflicted, the gods are distant, and no one can grasp its essence.

Kabir paints a stark picture of life's impermanence. He uses the metaphor of the 'time-worm' (Kaal Ghun) to show how decay consumes us relentlessly, no matter how much effort we put in. This couplet teaches us that physical health and even divine grace are transient; the true essence (marm) of the self is beyond the reach of physical affliction or worldly remedies. It is a powerful call toward detachment.