Kabir (1398–1518 CE) is not only the first Sat Guru in the World, the Adi - primal one, but he is also known as the Rumi of India, the great spiritual poet, mystic and lover of the Beloved.
His writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement, and his verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib, the Satguru Granth Sahib of Saint Garib Das, and Kabir Sagar of Dharamdas. Today, his poems are not only sung by Hindus and Sikhs, but also by Muslims, especially Sufis.
Born in the city of Varanasi in what is now Uttar Pradesh, he is known for being critical of both organized religion and religions. He questioned what he regarded to be the meaningless and unethical practices of all religions, primarily what he considered to be the wrong practices in the Hindu and Muslim religions. During his lifetime, he was threatened by both Hindus and Muslims for his views. When he died, several Hindus and the Muslims he had inspired claimed him as theirs.
While there is evidence that both Hindus and Muslims were ready to assault Kabir physically during his lifetime, they have, since his death, been ready to assault each other over the privilege of claiming him as their own. A famous legend about Kabir shows his Hindu and Muslim followers massed for combat after his death, each side demanding to take charge of the body. But before the first blow is struck, someone removes the shroud to discover that a heap of flowers has replaced the cadaver. The two religious groups divide the flowers, and each goes off to bury or burn its half according to prescribed rituals.
Kabir suggested that "truth" is with the person who is on the path of righteousness, considered everything, living and non-living, as divine, and who is passively detached from the affairs of the world. Kabir's legacy survives and continues through the Kabir panth ("Path of Kabir"), a religious community that recognizes him as its founder and is one of the Sant Mat branches. Its members are known as Kabir panthis.
Early life and background
Kabir is believed to have been born in 1398, 14–15 on the full moon day of Jyeshtha month (according to the historical Hindu calendar Vikram Samvat) at the time of Brahmamuharta. Many followers of Kabir believe that he came from Sat Lok by assuming the body of light, and incarnated on a lotus flower and claim that the rishi Ashtanand was the direct witness of this incident, who himself appeared on a lotus flower in the Lahartara Pond.
A few accounts mention that Kabir, in the form of a child, was found at Lahartara Lake by a Muslim weaver called Niru and his wife Nima, who raised him as his parents.
Kabir's family is believed to have lived in the locality of Kabir Chaura in Varanasi (Banaras).
Philosophy
Literary works with compositions attributed to Kabir include Kabir Bijak, Kabir Parachai, Sakhi Granth, Adi Granth (Sikh), and Kabir Granthawali (Rajasthan). There are 82 works attributed to Kabir as mentioned in Kabir and the Kabir panth by Westcott.
Kabir's poems were verbally composed in the 15th century and transmitted viva voce through the 17th century.
Where spring, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
There, the streams of light flow in all directions; few are the men who can cross to that shore!
There, where millions of Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Where millions of Vishnus bow their heads, where millions of Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
Where millions of Shivas are lost in contemplation, where millions of Indras dwell in the sky,
Where the demi-gods and the munis are unnumbered, where millions of Saraswatis, goddess of music play the vina,
There is my Lord self-revealed, and the scent of sandal and flowers dwells in those deeps.
— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
Kabir the Mystic Saint is one of the most famous mystic saints India has produced. His teachings are important for people of all religions equally because he spoke impartially.
In one of his famous couplets (sakhis), he says: "Kabir khade bazar men, sab ki chache khair; na kahu se dosti, na kahu se bair (Kabir stands in the open marketplace and seeks the welfare of all. He is neither friend nor enemy to anyone)".
His goal was to teach people a true religion of the heart. He wanted to turn people away from the empty ritualism of religion and to show them the inner path that leads to union with the Divine. In other words, he was teaching God-realization and loving devotion to the formless Divine Power that dwells within all. Kabir, therefore, taught and lived a combination of Jnana yoga (yoga of spiritual knowledge), Bhakti yoga (yoga of loving devotion), and Karma yoga (yoga of action). He did all of these as an expression of his own inner realization and identification with the Divine.
Of all the terms he used to refer to the enlightenment experience or the means of reaching it, the most prominent is Shabda, the Word. He stresses direct contact with the Master, indicating that the only authentic teaching is the word from the Sat Guru’s mouth. And he continually urges immediate understanding, a recognition which (like the apprehension of a vibrating word) is sahaja, spontaneous, simple.
If Kabir insisted on anything, it was on the penetration of everything inessential, every layer of dishonesty and delusion. The individual must find the truth in his own body and mind, so simple, so direct, that the line between “him” and “it” disappears. One of the formulaic phrases in Kabir’s verses is ghaṭa ghaṭa mẽ, in everybody, in every vessel. The truth is close—closer than close.
Legacy
Kabir's literature legacy was promoted by two of his disciples, Bhāgodās and Dharamdas. Songs of Kabir were collected by Kshitimohan Sen from mendicants across India, these were then translated to English by Rabindranath Tagore.
Kabir's legacy continues to be carried forward by the Kabir panth ("Path of Kabir"), a religious community that recognizes him as its founder and is one of the Sant Mat branches. Its members, known as Kabir panthis, are estimated to be around 9.6 million.
Today, Kabir has over 25 million devotees in various Kabir Panth and Sant lineages and is loved by Sikhs, Hindus, and Muslims alike. Kabir hymns are still sung in the satsangs of various paths all over India, Nepal, and around the world.
There are two temples dedicated to Kabir located in Benares. One of them is maintained by Hindus, while the other is by Muslims. Both the temples practice similar forms of worship where his songs are sung daily. Other rituals of aarti and distributing prasad are similar to other Hindu temples. The followers of Kabir are vegetarians and abstain from alcohol.
Kabir's influence on the religious life of the people of India has been quite substantial. He has been recognized as noteworthy in many spheres of spiritual activity:
1. Kabir is hailed as the father of Hindi poetry. Prior to Kabir, scriptural teachings were generally in Sanskrit, a language that was not understood by people at large but was confined to priests and scholars. He conveyed the highest spiritual teachings in the spoken language of the people so everyone could understand them. For this reason, his songs and couplets are still sung by people in India and abroad.
2. Kabir was the initiator of Sant Mat, the practice of keeping the company of saintly people. He said: "sant milan ko jayiye, taji mamta abhiman; jo jo pag age dhare, kotin yagya saman." (Give up ego and humbly seek the company of saintly people. Each step you take towards them will be equal to countless ceremonies.)
3. Kabir was the founder of the Nirgun school of Bhakti. This is the practice of loving devotion to the formless Divine. Prior to Kabir, the bhakti movement was called Sagun Bhakti, or devotion to the Divine Being who incarnates in physical forms.
4. Kabir also introduced Sahaj yoga, or the yoga of easy and natural union with God. This yoga leads to Sahaj Samadhi, or the realization of one's unity with God. Kabir, therefore, sang: “Santo! sahaj samadhi bhali." (O my brothers! Easy, natural union with God is best.)
5. Kabir strongly emphasized vegetarianism so one does not need to take the lives of other living creatures since, as he saw it, their lives are as dear to them as ours are to us. He stated: "jiw mat mero bapura, sab men ekai pran; hatya kabahun na chhati hai, kotin suno puran." (Do not take life for the same life force pervades all. The sin of such actions will never leave you, even if you listened to millions of scriptures.) Again, "jaise pir apan anga jana, taise sab jiw men mana." (Just as you feel pain, realize other living beings feel pain the same way.)
6. Kabir laid great emphasis on the realization of God and the liberation of the Soul and saw it as the manifestation of the Divine in all of us and in all beings. This realization produces not only enlightenment but also release from the clutches of Kal Niranjan and reincarnation into any universes. This theme occurs frequently in Kabir's poems.
Kabir, Guru Nanak and the Guru Granth Sahib
Kabir's verses were incorporated into Adi Granth, the scripture of Sikhism, with verses attributed to Kabir constituting the largest non-Sikh contribution.
The story of Kabir's initiation of Guru Nanak recounts their journey to Satlok and then all the way to Sat Purush.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji beheld Kabir in his true form in Sat Purush, perceiving no distinction between Sat Purush and Kabir. Through Kabir, across the yugas and ages, before the 15th century, when Kabir bestowed the sacred gift of SAT NAM, the Divine name, and the Divine Light and Sound Current upon all souls, this eternal essence was preserved.
Kabir, or Gyani, brought forth this SAT NAM, the Divine Life Current, through which the soul can return to Satlok, the True Divine Home.
Kabir's spiritual teachings and profound impact resonate across time and space, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries and inspiring millions to seek the path of truth and Soul Liberation.
"The Complete Bijak of Kabir" by Jagessar Das
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