Bhagat Kabir

Aman Singh · #1 (**permalink**) 24-Sep-2009, 02:01 AM

Are you looking for me? I am in the next seat.
My shoulder is against yours.
You will not find me in the stupas, not in temples, nor in synagogues, nor in cathedrals; not in masses, nor kirtans, not in legs winding around your own neck, nor in eating nothing but vegetables;
When you really look for me, you will see me instantly;
You will find me in the tiniest house of time.

Kabir says: "Student, tell me - what is God?"
He is the breath inside the breath.
___

These words were written 600 years ago by the mystic poet Kabir, a spiritual master revered by Muslims, Sufis, Hindus and Sikhs, although he criticized all religious sects.

Kabir was born in 1398 AD. He was raised in Varanasi, India by Muslim parents. Early in life Kabir became a disciple of the famous Hindu saint, Ramananda. Of course, it was unheard of for a Hindu master to accept a Muslim student, but tradition says the young Kabir found a creative way to overcome this sectarian problem.

One special day each year anyone might become a disciple of a great master by having the master speak the name of God over him.

On this special day, Satguru Ramananda walked to his pre-dawn bath in the Ganges, as he did every other day. As he climbed down to the steps to enter the waters, a hand suddenly shot out and grabbed the saint's big toe. Ramananda was so startled that he cried out the name of God. Then, looking down, the great master saw the hand of the child Kabir. Ramananda adopted Kabir as his son and disciple, and brought him back to his ashram, to the protests of his Hindu students, some of whom left.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/bhagats/26791-bhagat-kabir.html

It is said that what made this meeting so special was that only after Kabir's enlightenment did Ramananda, his teacher, father and guru, became enlightened himself.

It's the task of the mystic to unite with the One and return to instruct others on how it can be done.

Kabir never abandoned his worldly life, choosing to live as a householder and a mystic, a tradesman and a contemplative. He was married, had children and made his living as a weaver.

Although Kabir devoted much of his life to unifying the faithful of Islam and Hinduism, he was disgusted by professional piety and repelled by organized religion, and he was not afraid to say so. This earned him the persecution of the religious authorities, and at age 60, this gentle man was denounced to the king. Because he was a Muslim, he was spared execution and instead was banished.

Kabir is the most quoted author in India. The "Bible" of the Sikh religion, the Guru Granth Sahib, contains over 500 verses by Kabir, even though he was not a Sikh.

Randip Singh · #2 (**permalink**) 25-Sep-2009, 04:20 AM

Kabir ji was a remarkable man and his shabads are probably the least understood in Bani, although most quoted.

If you look at the History of when he grew up, he witnessed like Guru Nanak (inavsion by Babur) a Muslim invasion (invasion by Timur), and incredible death and destruction.

Memoirs of an Islamist - Timur

Quote:

125,000 infidels, impious idolaters, were on that day slain. Maulana Nasiru-d din ‘Umar, a counsellor and man of learning, who, in all his life, had never killed a sparrow, now, in execution of my order, slew with his sword fifteen idolatrous Hindus, who were his captives.

Massacres in Varnasi were on a Massive scale. When Kabir ji is saying this:

Quote:

Kabeer: O Mullah, why do you climb to the top of the minaret? The Lord is not hard of hearing.
Look within your own heart for the One, for whose sake you shout your prayers.
Why does the Shaykh bother to go on pilgrimage to Mecca, if he is not content with himself?
Kabeer, one whose heart is not healthy and whole - how can he attain his Lord?
Kabeer, worship the Lord Allah; meditating in remembrance on Him, troubles and pains depart.
The Lord shall be revealed within your own heart, and the burning fire within shall be extinguished by His Name.
Kabeer, to use force is tyranny, even if you call it legal.
When your account is called for in the Court of the Lord, what will your condition be then?
Kabeer, the dinner of beans and rice is excellent, if it is flavored with salt.
Who would cut his throat, to have meat with his bread?

at the back of his mind is this:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/742629/posts

Quote:

Massacre of 125,000 Hindus At this Court Amir Jahan Shah and Amir Sulaiman Shah, and other amirs of experience, brought to my notice that, from the time of entering Hindustan up to the present time, we had taken more than 125,000 infidels and Hindus prisoners, and that they were all in my camp. On the previous day, when the enemy’s forces made the attack upon us, the prisoners made signs of rejoicing, uttered imprecations against us, and were ready, as soon as they heard of the enemy’s success, to form themselves into a body, break their bonds, plunder our tents, and then to go and join the enemy, and so increase his [p. 53] numbers and strength. I asked their advice about the prisoners, and they said that on the great day of battle these 125,000 prisoners could not be left with the baggage, and that it would be entirely opposed to the rules of war to set these idolaters and foes of Islam at liberty. In fact, no other course remained but that of making them all food for the sword. When I heard these words I found them in accord with the rules of war, and I directly gave my command for the Tawachis to proclaim throughout the camp that every man who had infidel prisoners was to put them to death, and whoever neglected to do so should himself be executed and his property given to the informer. When this order became known to the ghazis of Islam, they drew their swords and put their prisoners to death. 125,000 infidels, impious idolaters, were on that day slain. Maulana Nasiru-d din ‘Umar, a counsellor and man of learning, who, in all his life, had never killed a sparrow, now, in execution of my order, slew with his sword fifteen idolatrous Hindus, who were his captives.

You can imagine this young devout Muslim, witnessing, so called fellow Muslims massacring his innocent Hindu neighbours. Probably people he knew. This must have had a profound effect on him. Similar Guru Nanak in Babur Bani.

Narayanjot Kaur · #3 (**permalink**) 04-Oct-2009, 09:38 AM

Har_ka_bilovna_bilovo_mera_bhai

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ ਆਸਾ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀਉ ਕੇ ਚਉਪਦੇ ਇਕਤੁਕੇ ॥
ਸਨਕ ਸਨੰਦ ਅੰਤੁ ਨਹੀ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ ਬੇਦ ਪੜੇ ਪੜਿ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੇ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥੧॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=26791
ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਬਿਲੋਵਨਾ ਬਿਲੋਵਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਸਹਜਿ ਬਿਲੋਵਹੁ ਜੈਸੇ ਤਤੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਤਨੁ ਕਰਿ ਮਟੁਕੀ ਮਨ ਮਾਹਿ ਬਿਲੋਈ ॥ ਇਸੁ ਮਟੁਕੀ ਮਹਿ ਸਬਦੁ ਸੰਜੋਈ ॥੨॥
ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਬਿਲੋਵਨਾ ਮਨ ਕਾ ਬੀਚਾਰਾ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ਪਾਵੈ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਧਾਰਾ ॥੩॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਨਦਰਿ ਕਰੇ ਜੇ ਮੀਰਾ ॥ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਲਗਿ ਉਤਰੇ ਤੀਰਾ ॥੪॥੧॥੧੦॥

Du-Tukay One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru: Aasaa Of Kabeer Jee, Chau-Paday, Ik-Tukay:
Sanak and Sanand, the sons of Brahma, could not find the Lord's limits. Brahma wasted his life away, continually reading the Vedas. ||1||
Churn the churn of the Lord, O my Siblings of Destiny. Churn it steadily, so that the essence, the butter, may not be lost. ||1||Pause||
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=26791
Make your body the churning jar, and use the stick of your mind to churn it. Gather the curds of the Word of the Shabad. ||2||
The churning of the Lord is to reflect upon Him within your mind. By Guru's Grace, the Ambrosial Nectar flows into us. ||3||
Says Kabeer, if the Lord, our King casts His Glance of Grace, one is carried across to the other side, holding fast to the Lord's Name. ||4||1||10||

dhuthukae ik oa(n)kaar sathigur prasaadh || aasaa sree kabeer jeeo kae choupadhae eikathukae ||
sanak sana(n)dh a(n)th nehee paaeiaa || baedh parrae parr brehamae janam gavaaeiaa ||1||
har kaa bilovanaa bilovahu maerae bhaaee || sehaj bilovahu jaisae thath n jaaee ||1|| rehaao ||
than kar mattukee man maahi biloee || eis mattukee mehi sabadh sa(n)joee ||2||
har kaa bilovanaa man kaa beechaaraa || gur prasaadh paavai a(n)mrith dhhaaraa ||3||
kahu kabeer nadhar karae jae ma(n)aeeraa || raam naam lag outharae theeraa ||4||1||10||

Audio Bibi Kamaljit Kaur
http://www.sikhiwiki.org/images/9/98..._mera_bhai.mp3

Source http://www.sikhiwiki.com/index.php/H...lovo_mera_bhai

Archived_member15 · #4 (**permalink**) 27-Apr-2012, 17:16 PM

This is a wonderful thread brothers and sisters about an incredible human being which is why I have resurrected it

These words of Bhagat Kabir ji mean very much to me:

"...O FRIEND! hope for Him whilst you live, know whilst you live, understand whilst you live: for in life deliverance abides. If your bonds be not broken whilst living, what hope of deliverance in death? It is but an empty dream, that the soul shall have union whith Him because it has passed from the body: If He is found now, He is found then, If not, we do but go to dwell in the City of Death. If you have union now, you shall have it hereafter. Bathe in the truth, know the true Guru, have faith in the true Name! Kabir says : 'It is the spirit of the quest which helps; I am the slave of this Spirit of the quest.'..."
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=26791

- Kabir (1440–1518)
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=26791

I first read this in Aldous Huxley's, "The Perrenial Philosophy" and it made me read more of Kabir's writings. I was AWED

I am reminded of something St Hildegard of Bingen said:

"...Good People, most royal greening verdancy, rooted in the sun, you shine with radiant light. In this circle of earthly existence, your shining surpasses understanding. God hugs you. You are encircled by the arms of the mystery..."

- Saint Hildegard of Bingen (1098 –1179), Catholic mystic & Doctor of the Church

God hugs us "in this circle of earthly existence"; right here and now we are "radiant" with the light of the Sun (God withinn us); right now we are "royal", rich, wealthy in spiritual terms; and our shinning with God "surpasses understanding". Not tommorrow, not afterlife - NOW.

prakash.s.bagga · #5 (**permalink**) 27-Apr-2012, 20:45 PM

Gurbanee tells us that the life in Human body is an opportunity to realise and unite with the CREATOR.Once this union happens in this life one would remain merged with the CREATOR hereafter also.Gurbanee is the medium to achieve the union with the CREATORand this is a common message of the whole of Gurbanee.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=26791
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=26791

Prakash.S.Bagga

Randip Singh · #6 (**permalink**) 28-Apr-2012, 02:42 AM

Nanak however disagreed with Kabir on women:

http://singhsabha.com/bhagat_kabir.htm

Kabir does not think well of women. there is almost a tirade against them in the hymns of Kabir. Woman is characterised as "a black cobra', the pit of hell and the refuse of the world." She is considered to be a hurdle in the path of the spiritual progress of man. He spoke, "woman ruins everything when she comes near a man; devotion, salvation and divine knowledge no longer enter his soul." His views, about woman are also evident from all his vehement attacks against maya. Almost everywhere he links maya to a woman who is out to entice and entrap man, and destroy his spiritual life. Such views about woman from a married person are, indeed, quite uncommon. The cosmological views of Kabir give a clear clue to his worldview. He finds Niranjana to be the creator of the world; maya or woman. And this woman stands between man and God. She is there to entice him away from Him.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=26791
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=26791

Guru Nanak says:

From woman, man is born;
within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married.
Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come.
When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound.
So why call her bad? From her, kings are born.
From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all.

— Guru Nanak, Raag Aasaa Mehal 1, Page 473

Archived_member15 · #7 (**permalink**) 28-Apr-2012, 04:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Randip Singh

Nanak however disagreed with Kabir on women:

http://singhsabha.com/bhagat_kabir.htm

Kabir does not think well of women. there is almost a tirade against them in the hymns of Kabir. Woman is characterised as "a black cobra', the pit of hell and the refuse of the world." She is considered to be a hurdle in the path of the spiritual progress of man. He spoke, "woman ruins everything when she comes near a man; devotion, salvation and divine knowledge no longer enter his soul." His views, about woman are also evident from all his vehement attacks against maya. Almost everywhere he links maya to a woman who is out to entice and entrap man, and destroy his spiritual life. Such views about woman from a married person are, indeed, quite uncommon. The cosmological views of Kabir give a clear clue to his worldview. He finds Niranjana to be the creator of the world; maya or woman. And this woman stands between man and God. She is there to entice him away from Him.

Guru Nanak says:

From woman, man is born;
within woman, man is conceived; to woman he is engaged and married.
Woman becomes his friend; through woman, the future generations come.
When his woman dies, he seeks another woman; to woman he is bound.
So why call her bad? From her, kings are born.
From woman, woman is born; without woman, there would be no one at all.

— Guru Nanak, Raag Aasaa Mehal 1, Page 473

Thank you for this Brother Randip

I was not aware of Kabir having these negative opinions of women. Naturally Nanak expresses the true equality and dignity of women in beautiful, powerful language.

Nevertheless it does not diminsh my adoration of Kabir. I will always love his writings. No one is perfect, and to an extent we could say that maybe Kabir was influenced by his culture, time period and background in his negative understanding of women. Prior to the advent of Sikhism, women had a very, very low status in Indian society. Widows, as you know, were burned on pyres after their husband's deaths.

Nanak was a kind of proto-feminist, if you don't mind me saying. He spoke up for the rights of destitute and oppressed women at a time when they had no voice to speak for them.

Kabir was an incredible human being though. His faults only endear me to him more - since it shows how any of us, faulty and imperfect as we are, can attain to such lofty spiritual heights through the Grace of God.

Randip Singh · #8 (**permalink**) 28-Apr-2012, 15:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vouthon

Thank you for this Brother Randip

I was not aware of Kabir having these negative opinions of women. Naturally Nanak expresses the true equality and dignity of women in beautiful, powerful language.

Nevertheless it does not diminsh my adoration of Kabir. I will always love his writings. No one is perfect, and to an extent we could say that maybe Kabir was influenced by his culture, time period and background in his negative understanding of women. Prior to the advent of Sikhism, women had a very, very low status in Indian society. Widows, as you know, were burned on pyres after their husband's deaths.

Nanak was a kind of proto-feminist, if you don't mind me saying. He spoke up for the rights of destitute and oppressed women at a time when they had no voice to speak for them.

Kabir was an incredible human being though. His faults only endear me to him more - since it shows how any of us, faulty and imperfect as we are, can attain to such lofty spiritual heights through the Grace of God.

I think what I am trying to say is that Nanak tooks those shloks and aspects of what the Bhaghats preached that he agreed with and disregarded the rest. He and the other 9 Nanaks only included in Bani, that which fitted with Sikhphilosophy.

This ineffects negates claims by Kabirpanthi's that Sikhs are Kabir panthis.