Are you looking for me? I am in the next seat. My shoulder is against yours. You will not find me in the stupas, nor in the shrines, nor in synagogues, nor in cathedrals when you really look for me, you will see me instantly, I (God) am the breath inside the breath,” says Bhagat Kabir.
Kabir, a 15th century Indian saint, was a poet, social reformer and a revolutionary. To surrender to the Almighty with an absolute devotion and to rebel against the orthodox social system makes him an extraordinary spiritual personality. No wonder, his name “Kabir”, in Arabic, means “Great”.
The birth of Bhagat Kabir is as unique as his life is. Born in a Muslim family, his spiritual journey was influenced by bhakti way of salvation as well as by Islamic mysticism. He criticised both Hinduism and Islam and questioned the meaningless rituals, idol-worship, caste system, authority of the Brahmins and animal sacrifices. Kabir was a rebel saint with a rational outlook. His philosophy revolves around questioning and then acceptance of the truth. His ways were distinctive and appeared strange to others. Kabir would greet the Hindus with “salaam” and Muslims with “Ram-Ram”. It was his way to teach that all paths are true and lead to the “Truth”. Kabir writes, “If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong? If Ram be within the image, which you find upon your pilgrimage? Who is there to know what happens without? Hari is in the East, Allah is the West. Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram.”
Kabir spent his life at Kashi, Varanasi. It is believed that those who die here will enter heaven. Bhagat Kabir, a rebel as he was, had left Kashi during his last days and moved to Maghar where he left for heavenly abode. People believed that if a person died at Maghar he would go to hell. Through rejection of Kashi as a passport to heaven, Kabir emphasised on purity of conduct as a way of salvation and proved the futility of baseless rituals and myths.
Bhagat Kabir argues that high status, high caste, sacred rivers cannot lead to true path. He questioned the Brahman’s claim that the waters of the Ganga cleanses a person of all sins. Once Kabir offered a bowl of Ganga water to the Brahmans but they refused to accept it on the grounds that the bowl had become impure through the touch of a low caste man like Kabir who was of a weaver caste. Then Kabir says if the water of the Ganga failed to keep the bowl pure, how could it remove the impurities of the evil persons? Not surprisingly, he was condemned and persecuted for his sayings. He writes, “If I tell the truth they rush to beat me, If I lie they trust me.” Kabir did not hesitate to preach the low castes and prostitutes. His messages appealed to the poor, oppressed as well as people from all religions, castes and social strata.
What is the path of realisation? Kabir says it lies within your heart. He asserts that “All know that the drop merges into the ocean, but few know that the ocean merges into the drop”. Pure conduct, devotion, love to all creatures of the Almighty, honest earning, kindness, forgiveness and detachment within the householder’s way of life is the simple spiritual way of salvation. He condemns rituals, pilgrimages, sacrifices with a strong belief that “From the One Light, the entire universe welled up. So who is good, and who is bad”!
Kabir emphasised on equality and humanity. He conveyed his message through his writings, especially poems written in simple Hindi with a sprinkling of Avadhi and Braj words. These poems reflect not only Kabir’s thoughts but present a way of life leading to the ultimate realisation.
Bhagat Kabir’s compositions are included in the Guru Granth Sahib. Of all the 15 bhagats mentioned in the sacred Granth, Kabir contributed the maximum number of hymns. His 541 hymns are set to 18 ragas. Kabir and his philosophy of nirankar (without any shape) Supreme Being appeals to all human beings. His reckless, fearless attitude combined with devotion makes him one of the most prominent saints of the Bhakti movement.
