“Bolee hamaree poorabee, hame lakhe nahi koy.
Hamako to soi lakhe, dhur poorab ka hoy.”
Kabir says that his language is which belongs to Far East region, and no one can understand it. Only those who belong to that region would be able to understand it. At first place he says about his origin which was Banars ( which is in East part of India), but as his sayings often have more than one meaning and sometimes the second one is more real and important so is true here. Its actual meaning is that Kabir’s language is of the previous (poorab) region (which was the state of the soul when it was in its homeland) and only those will be able to understand it who belong to that land. This way he says about his cryptic, symbolic language which is not for common people, but for spiritually advanced people. Kabir’s sayings have a mystical mask as he states in above Doha.
There are three kind of sayings –
1. First kind is where he talks about this world’s problems, illusions (MAYA), a soul’s ignorance and suffering, common behavior of humankind including fake Gurus and right ways to live a good life.These pads are written in Doha and Chaupaai style and are called “Ramaini”( means going into lust, the way to indulge in this world ).
2. Second kind of pads are where he speaks about truth stating all aspects of life, mortal and immortal, the best way to behave in this world, the best way to persue higher realities. These are based on his own experiences so these are called “SAKHI” or witness.
3. Third kind of pads is where he talks about different techniques and stages of sadhana that is meditation, Yoga, Kundalini sadhana etc. These are where he talks about his spiritual experiences. These are called Shabd. These are also of three kinds –
I. First is where he talks about his enlightenment, fulfillment and joy of meeting his beloved “the ONE”.
II. Second kind of pads is of love where he sings like a woman, a bride of the GOD full with love and devotion which sounds really interesting and mysterious. There are pads of separation, pain of separation and of joy of meeting. I will try to explain as per my understanding why he sounds like that because I have found this tendency in Ramkrishna and other mystic writers like Rabindranath Tagore also. So I think there must be some sound reason behind it.
III. Third kind of mystic pads are in which he talks absolutely in symbols -a chain of symbols and these symbols are mostly taken from his early path Nathpanth. FYI Nathpanth was impressed and originated by Bauddh Tanrta Mat. These pads are called ULATBANSI or opposite statement. These are pads told in symbols which sound opposite to reality but they decipher some deep and mystic meaning which doesn’t match with words in pads even if we try to see it as metaphor and find a meaning in them. All main words represent meanings individually and they can make a whole statement if we can understand the meaning each word represents for. That was the way for those mystics to keep sayings in safe way and only those who were able to achieve a higher stage could decipher it.
In this post I am giving some pads of different stages of Kabir’s journey. As well known, Kabir was a illiterate person but was a great poet in heart. And as poets do, he often sang his songs in great depth. Whatever came to him, became a part of his pads. Even there are examples of rude statements towards ignorant people. He was kinda Mauji Jeev, so always spoke what the truth seemed to be to him. He faced great opposition from all Gurus of all religion and Panths active in India, especially from Hindu and Muslim community. In below lines he discards all opposition saying that he speaks based upon experience and others talk about scriptures and holy books….
“Mera tera manua ek kaise hoi re.
Main kahata aankhin kee dekhee,
Tu kahata kaagad kee lekhee,
Main kahata surjhavanhaaree, tu rakhyo arujhaai re.”
How can my mind and your mind act in the same way? What ever I say is my own experience, I have seen them by my own eyes and you say what ever is written in books. I try to say things in simple way to make it understandable, but you make it complex, you know it only by books and so get it mixed.
“Avadhu mera man matawaara.
Unmuni chaDha gagan-ras peewe, tribhuvan bhaya ujiyaara.
Gud kari gyan dhyaan kari mahua, bhav-bhaThee kari bharaa.
Sushaman naree sahaj samaanee, peewe peewanhara.
Doi puri joDi chugaai bhaaThee, chua maharas bhaaree. K
Kam-krodh dui kiya paleeta, ChhooTi gayi sansaaree.
Sunni mahal me mandala baaje, tahan mera man naache.
Guru Prasad amrit fal payaa, sahaj sushumana kaachhe*.
Poora milya tabai sukh upajyo, tan ki tapani bujhaanee.
Kahe Kabir bhav bandhan chhooTe, jotahi jot samanee.”
Kachhe - (to pull water out from a pond or well to make it empty-here refers to burn away all worldly desires..)
Kabir says to Avadhoot (commonly used for Nathpanthi yogi) or Sadhu – “My mind is drunk with the great wine. It is turned upward now (unmuni, a stage of Kundalini sadhana, also used in context of meditaiton which is done by pulling consciousness upwardly), and is drunk with that great nectar (gagan-ras) and three Loks are enlightened. And how did he be able to make this great wine?? He took true knowledge as Gud ( sweetmeat) ,meditation as Mahua(a small fruit which is used in Indian villages to make local wine), and this world as bhaThee( the oven used to make the wine). This way Sushumna (Main nadee in three nadis) went up in natural way and Kabir, the drinker is drinking this great wine. He put two nadis (Ida and Pingala) as two woods in that oven to make the fire, put the lust and anger as fuses and this way he made the holy fire in which all worldly desires were burnt away. Now that great wine is ready and Kabir is fully drunk of it. Now Kabir listens the great music which is coming from sunnmahal (A place where GOD is supposed to be, commonly used as sunnmahal, shabdmahal by kabir, some explain it as a region which comes in the way of spiritual journey and is far below the actual place of GOD) and he is madly dancing in joy. Kabir says that it was Guru’s grace and blessings that he was able to get that fruit of immortality naturally. Kabir says that only when he got the whole (the GOD), he was happy and joyous. His body and soul are now feeling coolness. Kabir says that now his tie-ups with this world and its illusion are broken and he is free, so free that his soul (consciousness) or light within him became one with light of GOD.
"Avadhu gaganamandal ghar keeje.
Amrit jhare sada sukh upaje, bank naali ras peeje.
Mool bandhi sar gagan samaanaa, sushaman yo tan laagee.
Kam-krodh dui kiya paleeta, tahaan jogani jaagee.
Manwa jaai dareewe baitha, magan bhaya ras laaga.
Kahe kabir jiy sansaa naahi, shabad anahad baagaa."
Kabir says – “O Sadhu, make your home in the gaganmandal( a place in spiritual journey, not sure whether he is refering gagan-gufa or a place higher). Sit there in dhyan, there nectar is flowing and there is unbroken joy and happiness. When you will be there you will be able to drink it through banknaal ( which in mystic world is assumed to start after sahasrar and leads the way ahead). When he closed his Mooladhar (An aasan in Yoga which is called moolbandh), the flow (sar- river) started rising above and reached to sky (gagan), Sushmana became alive and active in body. He put lust and anger as fuses, thus the Kundalini(Jogani) got awaken. Thus his mind sat at the third eye (dareebe – a small window in palaces) and became intoxicated with the great wine. Kabir says no doubt remains in the Garden of unstuck melody.
Avadhu achchharhu te nyaaraa.
Jo tum pawana gagan chadhao, karo gufa me wasaa.
Gagana pawanaa dono binase, kanh gaya jog tumhaara.
Gagana madhdhhe jotee jhalakai, paanee madhdhhe taaraa.
Ghatige neer, binasige taara, nikari gayo kehi dwaara.
MerudanD par daari dulaichee, jogee taaree laayaa.
So sumer par khak uDegee, kachcha jog kamaayaa.
Ingala binase, pingalaa binase, binase sushaman naaDee.
Jab unmani kee taaree TuTe, tab kanh rahee tumharee.
Adwait-viraag kaThin haia bhaai, anTake munivr-jogi.
Akshar-lok ki gamm batawe, so haia mukti-virogi.
Kah aaru akah duhu te nyaaraa, satt-asatt ke paraa.
Kahe kabir taahi lakh jogi, utari jaye bhav-paaraa.
We saw in above pad how Kabir narrates about Kundalini Sadhana. Here he is trying to say its limitations. Kabir here reveals the true path and the real goal to us. Once he realized the limitations of other ways, he started telling people about it. There are two basic concepts of GOD in Hindu culture- one is SAKAR (GOD as form or avatar) and NIRAKAR (FoRMLESS one). Again they say there are two things working in this creation which eventually made all things happen in this form- they are JAD(non-living, matter) and CHAITANYA(living or soul) or Kshar(which is destroyable) and Akshar(Which can’t be destroyed).Respectively first is nature or matter (five elements) and and second is GOD, part of it working within creatures which makes them alive. There are many Panths or ways to pray GOD. People who have spiritual knowledge and depth say that the FORM or SAKAR are only to help ignorant people understand the concept of something super natural power within their limited knowledge and concentrate upon that so they could sharpen their vision. This will help them understand later the FORMLESS ONE and follow the way leading to it. But the Saints who have achieved self-realization say that Nirakar or Akshar is not the last stage of Realization. There is something beyond that – that is the real thing. In this pad Kabir is explaining this to a Spiritual being – Sadhu or Avadhu. He says HE is beyond the place of even Akshar – immortality. You try to meditate and pull your wind (here referring the five winds used to pull consciousness upward to raise Kundalini) and you do raise it to Gagan-Gufa (inverted cave, A place in spiritual journey which comes between Sahasrar and TrikuTi ), but when your meditation breaks and you come down to your natural consciousness then where is your yoga with GOD?? In meditation you see the light in sky, but it is nothing but like a person seeing image of stars in water. The moment water dries away; you are unable to see them. They put colorful blanket on back ( merudandh, said for spinal cord-the place of three nadees ) and start doing meditation. But this achievement is not permanent. The moment death ceases the breathes, this way the Sumer (Sumer, called for spinal cord, it is also a mountain so said here in mischievous way) will turn into ashes. You have learnt unripe yoga. This ida, pingla and sushumna will be perished away one day, the moment the flow of meditation stops, where does go your yoga at that time? Do you remain in constant communion with HIM all the time while doing meditation or doing work?? There is one path called adwait marg. But it is highly difficult way to go on; this way is for ONENESS, NON-DUALITY. But due to extreme difficulties on this path, whoever tried to go on this way, got wandered. The person who shows the way till Akshar-lok (immortal world) is not true in giving salvation. To achieve the true salvation, go beyond the spoken and the unspoken, the truth and the untruth, see the thing which is beyond everything and you will go beyond the cycles of life and death, you will be liberated.
Sadho shabd-saadhana keeje.
Jaasu shabd te pragaT bhaye sab, soi shabd gah leeje.
Shabdahi guru, shabd muni shish bhaye, shabd so biralaa boojhe.
Saai shishya aur guru mahaatam, jehi antargat soojhe.
Shabde ved-puraan kahat hai, shabde sab Thaharaawe.
Shabde sur-nar-muni sant kahat hain, Shabd bhed nahi paawe.
Shabde suni-suni bhesh dharat hain, shabd kahe anuraagi.
ShaT-darshan sab shabd kahat hain, shabd kahe bairaagee.
Shabde maaya jag utapaanee, shabde ker pasaaraa.
Kah Kabir janh shabd hot hai, gagan-bhed hai nyaaraa.
Kabir says – O dear Sadhu, do the meditation of Shabd (sound, un-struck melody). Keep your attention to the sound from which all things sprang out. Sound is the Guru, Sound is the Disciple and Monks but very few understand its mystery. GOD, disciple and the great Guru all are nothing but Sound, but few know it when they seek and find the truth within themselves. All holy books like Ved and Purana talk about the Shabd (here it refers about book of words or worldly language), every body talks about these words. All deities, humans, monks and saints talk about this Shabd (here it refers in both meaning, words of worldly language and Sound) but they are unable to know the secret mystery of this sound. Monks and Sanyasis(Renunciate) wear their special dress after knowing the words about HIM (refers words in books), the lover of HIM (sounds like it is about the believer of SAAKAR) speaks Shabds (words and bhajans), all six schools of philosophy (six branches of Indian ancient philosophy) speak Shabd (words of books) and the Sanyasi (one who has left worldly things -vairagee) also speaks about the shabd. This Sound made this world with Maya (illusion) and all this creation is nothing but sound’s work. Here it says about creation of Sound plus the illusion created by written books and words also; all faiths, rituals and all things that are being carried out with spoken, written or unspoken laws and words. Kabir says it is visible world of the Sound, the creation, the outer surface. The place which is the origin of this sound, is the secret of everything, it is beyond expression. Try to locate the place and be there, it is the real thing.
Satguru ho maharaj, mope saai rang daara.
Shabd ki choT lagi mere man me, bedh gaya tan saara.
AushaDh mool kachhu nahai laage, kya kare baid bichaara.
Sur-nar-munijan-peer-auliyaa, koi n paawe paara.
Sahib Kabir sarv rang rangiya, sarv rang se nyaaraa.
So far we have reached here, where Kabir found his Guru and followed his way of meditation upon Sound. He heard that amazing sound and now is unable to focus on anything else. So sweet is the melody!! He says – O dear Satguru, HE is playing with me with colors of Sound. He throws colors upon me, when he plays the music!! The wound of the Shabd hurt my mind, and it is slowly spreading all over my body. Now no medicine seems to cure me, no Doctor has the remedy of this wound. All holy people are trying to know the secret of it, but even they couldn’t get the resolution. Kabir says his Sahib is the greatest, he has colored me with all colors yet he is beyond of all colors.
**(Here for reference I would like to give an example from Ramakrishna – he often used to tell stories, symbolic to convey the mysterious experiences. This is one of his favorites – There was a cloth dyer who had a bucket full of some liquid. Who ever came to him and wanted the cloth to be colored in any particular color, he just dipped the cloth in the bucket and lo! The same desired color was of the cloth! A person was watching this entire process. When he saw that each and every color is coming from the same liquid, he asked that I don’t want any cloth colored. Please give me the same thing you have in your bucket!!)
This way kabir got the wound of Love with the grace of the Guru and kept searching for the medicine, which couldn’t be anything less then absolute Love of GOD – the original liquid of all colors!!
AaTHahu pahar matwaala laagee rahe, AaaThahu pahar kee chhak peewe.
AaaThahu pahar mastaanaa maataa rahe, Brahm kee chhaul me saadh jeewe.
Saanch hi kahatu aur saanch hi gahatu hai, Kaanch ko tyaag kari saanch laagaa.
Kahe kabir yon saadh nirbhay hua, Janam aur maran ka bharam bhaaga.
Gagan ki gufa tahaa gaib ka chandanaa, Udaya aur ast ka naam naahee.
Diwas aur rain tahaan neku nahi paaiye, Prem - parkas ke sindh maahee.
Sadaa aanand dukh dand vyape nahi, Pooranaanand bharpoor dekhaa.
Bharam ur bbhranti tanh nek aawe nahi, Kahe Kabir ras ek pekha.
What is the surprise here for Kabir! He kept searching until he reaches at the place where only happiness and joy remains and nothing else. This is the place of Gagan-Gufa, from where anahat sound is originating (Saints say there are different sounds or melodies at dfferent stages but this is the place where a seeker starts hearing this sound and gets unexplainable bliss !!). People who know something about sant-mat can see that whatever he is saying here is not the ultimate truth and experience. I will like to say to those people that it is quite possible that Kabir kept saying his pads while he was on the journey. We can make a diversion and see this Doha for the proof –
**"Pahunchenge tab kahenge, uterenge us Thay.
Ajahu beDa samud me, boli biguche kaay.
In these lines he says that it is not good to say anything right now (about spiritual experiences), because my boat is still in the mid sea (bhavsaagar or the sea of world). It will be good if I speak about it after I reach the destination safely. Saying something right now can make me proud, can hinder the journey. Worthless to say that as he was a poet in heart, he kept singing and talking about his experiences throughout the journey to share his joy and bliss.
So here in above pad he speaks about the experience of the place where according to him, he is intoxicated 24 hours a day (Pahar is three hours, eight pahar mean 24 hours, whole day and night) with the nectar of GOD, he is drinking this holy nectar whole day and night and moves in the swing of Brahm.He speaks and catches the truth and truth only, he left all illusions (raw nature) behind and got attached to the truth. Kabir says that in this way Sadhu (Kabir) became fearless. The fear of death and birth vanished. It is the cave in the sky (gagan-gufa).There is no sunrise or sunset yet a strange light is spread all over. There is no day or night and all time light is spread from the ocean of light and love. Here is all joy and happiness and no sorrow at all. It is the whole of joy and happiness, nothing less than the WHOLE. Here no illusion can stand in mind and I saw the only one thing - joy -all around there.
Santo sahaj smaaadhi bhalee.
Guru prataap jaa din te upajee, din din adhik chalee.
Aankh na mundu, kaan na rundhu, kaayaa kashT na dharu.
Khule nain main hanshans dekhu, sunder roop niharu.
Kahon so naam suno so sumiran, khaw-piyo so poojaa.
Girah ujaad ek sam lekhon, bhaw na rakho doojaa.
Janh-janh Dolun, soi parikarma, Jo kachhu karau so sewa.
Jab sowon tab karaun danDwat, poojaun aur na dewa.
Shabad nirantar se man laaga, malin waasanaa tyagee.
UThat baiThat kabahoo na chute, aisee taaree laagee.
Kahe Kabir yah unmuni rahanee, yahi paragaT kari gaai.
Sukh-dukh ke ek pare param-sukh, tehi me raha samaai.
In above pad Kabir says that that way of natural samaadhi is the best. With the grace of my Guru it triggered in me and grows day by day. Now I don’t need to close my eyes, to block my ears and to trouble my body. Now I see HIM happily with my open eyes! Now whatever I speak is his NAAM, whatever I listen is his SUMIRAN. What ever I eat and drink is his worship only. Now home and the desert are alike for me, I don’t see any difference between them. Where ever I walk, is nothing but parikrama( the ritual to move around idols, temples, holy places) and whatever I do is only his service. When I sleep, it is danDwat (to lay down in prayer) to him, I don’t pray another GOD. My attention attached to the unstruck, unbroken Sound and all bad habits have left me now. This communion never breaks, whether I sit or stand up. Kabir says it is a way to be always upward (unmuni – the state of being upward in meditation, to be towards GOD) and it is what I want to say you all. There is a place which is beyond sorrow and happiness, which is ultimate bliss, I got attached and absorbed in the same. Now I see him with my open eyes !! When Kabir got his final realization which was love and only love for GOD, he didn’t need to do any yoga, meditation or something like that. He was able to commune with him with open eyes! Such is the power of love; it makes the beloved run towards the lover!! Does it matter whether the beloved is a human or non-human creature or even GOD? HE is thirsty for love that is why he made this creation out of his desire.
Ramakrishna said once that among all devotees, love happens to very few. But when it happens, it has the magic power to call his beloved at the wish as if HE is chained with this love, such it the great power of love.
This way Kabir says again about experiences after realization –
Jaap mare, ajapaa mare, anahad hu mari jay.
Ram sanehi na mare, kahe Kabir samujhaay.
Those who do sumiran and jaap will die, those who do ajapaa jaap or maanas sumiran will also die. The person who has gone till the region of anahad or Sound may die. But the person who loves HIM can’t die. This is the nectar of love, which makes us immortal!! Here are few references Kabir gives to recognize a GOD-Realized soul.
Had me rahe so maanwa, behad rahe so saadh.
Had - behad dono taje, taakee mata agaadh.
The person who is within limits, is a human. The person who travels to unlimited regions is a Sadhu. But the person who has gone beyond the limited and the unlimited, his consciousness is like infinite. He is the truly realized soul!!
GhaT kaa pardaa kholkar, sanmukh de deedaar.
Baal sanehi saaiyaa, awe ant kaa yaar.
HE opens the veil within your being and shows HIMSELF in front of you!! HE only is our true friend. At the time of our birth (here it refers spiritual birth or the moment when this creation came in existence and we as separate being came into picture) HE was the only friend and when the journey of the soul has come to an end, I see HIM only as true friend. HE has been our friend throughout our all lives, only it took whole journey from the origin to coming down this material world and going back to our source to make us realize this truth!!
Hari ras peeya jaaniye, kabahu na jaaye khumaar.
Maimanta ghoomat phire, naahee tan kee saar.
How will you know who is a GOD-realized soul, who has tasted the great wine, the nectar of GOD?? Kabir says you can see the symptoms – the person who has attained the community with GOD, looks like intoxicated all the time. This intoxication never comes down, he looks like insane, wanders like the same, doesn’t even bother about his body or appearance.
Jihi hirde Hari aaiyaa, so kyu chhanaa hoi.
Jatan-Jatan kari daabiye, tau ujaalaa hoi.
Kabir says when HE comes in someone’s heart, you can know it instantly. It can’t be kept under thickest veils. Even if the person wants to hide it, to keep it as secret and tries to do so, he can’t. The more he tries, the more its light comes out. It can’t be hidden in anyway. So graceful is his presence in devotee’s heart.
Hamako to soi lakhe, dhur poorab ka hoy.”
Kabir says that his language is which belongs to Far East region, and no one can understand it. Only those who belong to that region would be able to understand it. At first place he says about his origin which was Banars ( which is in East part of India), but as his sayings often have more than one meaning and sometimes the second one is more real and important so is true here. Its actual meaning is that Kabir’s language is of the previous (poorab) region (which was the state of the soul when it was in its homeland) and only those will be able to understand it who belong to that land. This way he says about his cryptic, symbolic language which is not for common people, but for spiritually advanced people. Kabir’s sayings have a mystical mask as he states in above Doha.
There are three kind of sayings –
1. First kind is where he talks about this world’s problems, illusions (MAYA), a soul’s ignorance and suffering, common behavior of humankind including fake Gurus and right ways to live a good life.These pads are written in Doha and Chaupaai style and are called “Ramaini”( means going into lust, the way to indulge in this world ).
2. Second kind of pads are where he speaks about truth stating all aspects of life, mortal and immortal, the best way to behave in this world, the best way to persue higher realities. These are based on his own experiences so these are called “SAKHI” or witness.
3. Third kind of pads is where he talks about different techniques and stages of sadhana that is meditation, Yoga, Kundalini sadhana etc. These are where he talks about his spiritual experiences. These are called Shabd. These are also of three kinds –
I. First is where he talks about his enlightenment, fulfillment and joy of meeting his beloved “the ONE”.
II. Second kind of pads is of love where he sings like a woman, a bride of the GOD full with love and devotion which sounds really interesting and mysterious. There are pads of separation, pain of separation and of joy of meeting. I will try to explain as per my understanding why he sounds like that because I have found this tendency in Ramkrishna and other mystic writers like Rabindranath Tagore also. So I think there must be some sound reason behind it.
III. Third kind of mystic pads are in which he talks absolutely in symbols -a chain of symbols and these symbols are mostly taken from his early path Nathpanth. FYI Nathpanth was impressed and originated by Bauddh Tanrta Mat. These pads are called ULATBANSI or opposite statement. These are pads told in symbols which sound opposite to reality but they decipher some deep and mystic meaning which doesn’t match with words in pads even if we try to see it as metaphor and find a meaning in them. All main words represent meanings individually and they can make a whole statement if we can understand the meaning each word represents for. That was the way for those mystics to keep sayings in safe way and only those who were able to achieve a higher stage could decipher it.
In this post I am giving some pads of different stages of Kabir’s journey. As well known, Kabir was a illiterate person but was a great poet in heart. And as poets do, he often sang his songs in great depth. Whatever came to him, became a part of his pads. Even there are examples of rude statements towards ignorant people. He was kinda Mauji Jeev, so always spoke what the truth seemed to be to him. He faced great opposition from all Gurus of all religion and Panths active in India, especially from Hindu and Muslim community. In below lines he discards all opposition saying that he speaks based upon experience and others talk about scriptures and holy books….
“Mera tera manua ek kaise hoi re.
Main kahata aankhin kee dekhee,
Tu kahata kaagad kee lekhee,
Main kahata surjhavanhaaree, tu rakhyo arujhaai re.”
How can my mind and your mind act in the same way? What ever I say is my own experience, I have seen them by my own eyes and you say what ever is written in books. I try to say things in simple way to make it understandable, but you make it complex, you know it only by books and so get it mixed.
“Avadhu mera man matawaara.
Unmuni chaDha gagan-ras peewe, tribhuvan bhaya ujiyaara.
Gud kari gyan dhyaan kari mahua, bhav-bhaThee kari bharaa.
Sushaman naree sahaj samaanee, peewe peewanhara.
Doi puri joDi chugaai bhaaThee, chua maharas bhaaree. K
Kam-krodh dui kiya paleeta, ChhooTi gayi sansaaree.
Sunni mahal me mandala baaje, tahan mera man naache.
Guru Prasad amrit fal payaa, sahaj sushumana kaachhe*.
Poora milya tabai sukh upajyo, tan ki tapani bujhaanee.
Kahe Kabir bhav bandhan chhooTe, jotahi jot samanee.”
Kachhe - (to pull water out from a pond or well to make it empty-here refers to burn away all worldly desires..)
Kabir says to Avadhoot (commonly used for Nathpanthi yogi) or Sadhu – “My mind is drunk with the great wine. It is turned upward now (unmuni, a stage of Kundalini sadhana, also used in context of meditaiton which is done by pulling consciousness upwardly), and is drunk with that great nectar (gagan-ras) and three Loks are enlightened. And how did he be able to make this great wine?? He took true knowledge as Gud ( sweetmeat) ,meditation as Mahua(a small fruit which is used in Indian villages to make local wine), and this world as bhaThee( the oven used to make the wine). This way Sushumna (Main nadee in three nadis) went up in natural way and Kabir, the drinker is drinking this great wine. He put two nadis (Ida and Pingala) as two woods in that oven to make the fire, put the lust and anger as fuses and this way he made the holy fire in which all worldly desires were burnt away. Now that great wine is ready and Kabir is fully drunk of it. Now Kabir listens the great music which is coming from sunnmahal (A place where GOD is supposed to be, commonly used as sunnmahal, shabdmahal by kabir, some explain it as a region which comes in the way of spiritual journey and is far below the actual place of GOD) and he is madly dancing in joy. Kabir says that it was Guru’s grace and blessings that he was able to get that fruit of immortality naturally. Kabir says that only when he got the whole (the GOD), he was happy and joyous. His body and soul are now feeling coolness. Kabir says that now his tie-ups with this world and its illusion are broken and he is free, so free that his soul (consciousness) or light within him became one with light of GOD.
"Avadhu gaganamandal ghar keeje.
Amrit jhare sada sukh upaje, bank naali ras peeje.
Mool bandhi sar gagan samaanaa, sushaman yo tan laagee.
Kam-krodh dui kiya paleeta, tahaan jogani jaagee.
Manwa jaai dareewe baitha, magan bhaya ras laaga.
Kahe kabir jiy sansaa naahi, shabad anahad baagaa."
Kabir says – “O Sadhu, make your home in the gaganmandal( a place in spiritual journey, not sure whether he is refering gagan-gufa or a place higher). Sit there in dhyan, there nectar is flowing and there is unbroken joy and happiness. When you will be there you will be able to drink it through banknaal ( which in mystic world is assumed to start after sahasrar and leads the way ahead). When he closed his Mooladhar (An aasan in Yoga which is called moolbandh), the flow (sar- river) started rising above and reached to sky (gagan), Sushmana became alive and active in body. He put lust and anger as fuses, thus the Kundalini(Jogani) got awaken. Thus his mind sat at the third eye (dareebe – a small window in palaces) and became intoxicated with the great wine. Kabir says no doubt remains in the Garden of unstuck melody.
Avadhu achchharhu te nyaaraa.
Jo tum pawana gagan chadhao, karo gufa me wasaa.
Gagana pawanaa dono binase, kanh gaya jog tumhaara.
Gagana madhdhhe jotee jhalakai, paanee madhdhhe taaraa.
Ghatige neer, binasige taara, nikari gayo kehi dwaara.
MerudanD par daari dulaichee, jogee taaree laayaa.
So sumer par khak uDegee, kachcha jog kamaayaa.
Ingala binase, pingalaa binase, binase sushaman naaDee.
Jab unmani kee taaree TuTe, tab kanh rahee tumharee.
Adwait-viraag kaThin haia bhaai, anTake munivr-jogi.
Akshar-lok ki gamm batawe, so haia mukti-virogi.
Kah aaru akah duhu te nyaaraa, satt-asatt ke paraa.
Kahe kabir taahi lakh jogi, utari jaye bhav-paaraa.
We saw in above pad how Kabir narrates about Kundalini Sadhana. Here he is trying to say its limitations. Kabir here reveals the true path and the real goal to us. Once he realized the limitations of other ways, he started telling people about it. There are two basic concepts of GOD in Hindu culture- one is SAKAR (GOD as form or avatar) and NIRAKAR (FoRMLESS one). Again they say there are two things working in this creation which eventually made all things happen in this form- they are JAD(non-living, matter) and CHAITANYA(living or soul) or Kshar(which is destroyable) and Akshar(Which can’t be destroyed).Respectively first is nature or matter (five elements) and and second is GOD, part of it working within creatures which makes them alive. There are many Panths or ways to pray GOD. People who have spiritual knowledge and depth say that the FORM or SAKAR are only to help ignorant people understand the concept of something super natural power within their limited knowledge and concentrate upon that so they could sharpen their vision. This will help them understand later the FORMLESS ONE and follow the way leading to it. But the Saints who have achieved self-realization say that Nirakar or Akshar is not the last stage of Realization. There is something beyond that – that is the real thing. In this pad Kabir is explaining this to a Spiritual being – Sadhu or Avadhu. He says HE is beyond the place of even Akshar – immortality. You try to meditate and pull your wind (here referring the five winds used to pull consciousness upward to raise Kundalini) and you do raise it to Gagan-Gufa (inverted cave, A place in spiritual journey which comes between Sahasrar and TrikuTi ), but when your meditation breaks and you come down to your natural consciousness then where is your yoga with GOD?? In meditation you see the light in sky, but it is nothing but like a person seeing image of stars in water. The moment water dries away; you are unable to see them. They put colorful blanket on back ( merudandh, said for spinal cord-the place of three nadees ) and start doing meditation. But this achievement is not permanent. The moment death ceases the breathes, this way the Sumer (Sumer, called for spinal cord, it is also a mountain so said here in mischievous way) will turn into ashes. You have learnt unripe yoga. This ida, pingla and sushumna will be perished away one day, the moment the flow of meditation stops, where does go your yoga at that time? Do you remain in constant communion with HIM all the time while doing meditation or doing work?? There is one path called adwait marg. But it is highly difficult way to go on; this way is for ONENESS, NON-DUALITY. But due to extreme difficulties on this path, whoever tried to go on this way, got wandered. The person who shows the way till Akshar-lok (immortal world) is not true in giving salvation. To achieve the true salvation, go beyond the spoken and the unspoken, the truth and the untruth, see the thing which is beyond everything and you will go beyond the cycles of life and death, you will be liberated.
Sadho shabd-saadhana keeje.
Jaasu shabd te pragaT bhaye sab, soi shabd gah leeje.
Shabdahi guru, shabd muni shish bhaye, shabd so biralaa boojhe.
Saai shishya aur guru mahaatam, jehi antargat soojhe.
Shabde ved-puraan kahat hai, shabde sab Thaharaawe.
Shabde sur-nar-muni sant kahat hain, Shabd bhed nahi paawe.
Shabde suni-suni bhesh dharat hain, shabd kahe anuraagi.
ShaT-darshan sab shabd kahat hain, shabd kahe bairaagee.
Shabde maaya jag utapaanee, shabde ker pasaaraa.
Kah Kabir janh shabd hot hai, gagan-bhed hai nyaaraa.
Kabir says – O dear Sadhu, do the meditation of Shabd (sound, un-struck melody). Keep your attention to the sound from which all things sprang out. Sound is the Guru, Sound is the Disciple and Monks but very few understand its mystery. GOD, disciple and the great Guru all are nothing but Sound, but few know it when they seek and find the truth within themselves. All holy books like Ved and Purana talk about the Shabd (here it refers about book of words or worldly language), every body talks about these words. All deities, humans, monks and saints talk about this Shabd (here it refers in both meaning, words of worldly language and Sound) but they are unable to know the secret mystery of this sound. Monks and Sanyasis(Renunciate) wear their special dress after knowing the words about HIM (refers words in books), the lover of HIM (sounds like it is about the believer of SAAKAR) speaks Shabds (words and bhajans), all six schools of philosophy (six branches of Indian ancient philosophy) speak Shabd (words of books) and the Sanyasi (one who has left worldly things -vairagee) also speaks about the shabd. This Sound made this world with Maya (illusion) and all this creation is nothing but sound’s work. Here it says about creation of Sound plus the illusion created by written books and words also; all faiths, rituals and all things that are being carried out with spoken, written or unspoken laws and words. Kabir says it is visible world of the Sound, the creation, the outer surface. The place which is the origin of this sound, is the secret of everything, it is beyond expression. Try to locate the place and be there, it is the real thing.
Satguru ho maharaj, mope saai rang daara.
Shabd ki choT lagi mere man me, bedh gaya tan saara.
AushaDh mool kachhu nahai laage, kya kare baid bichaara.
Sur-nar-munijan-peer-auliyaa, koi n paawe paara.
Sahib Kabir sarv rang rangiya, sarv rang se nyaaraa.
So far we have reached here, where Kabir found his Guru and followed his way of meditation upon Sound. He heard that amazing sound and now is unable to focus on anything else. So sweet is the melody!! He says – O dear Satguru, HE is playing with me with colors of Sound. He throws colors upon me, when he plays the music!! The wound of the Shabd hurt my mind, and it is slowly spreading all over my body. Now no medicine seems to cure me, no Doctor has the remedy of this wound. All holy people are trying to know the secret of it, but even they couldn’t get the resolution. Kabir says his Sahib is the greatest, he has colored me with all colors yet he is beyond of all colors.
**(Here for reference I would like to give an example from Ramakrishna – he often used to tell stories, symbolic to convey the mysterious experiences. This is one of his favorites – There was a cloth dyer who had a bucket full of some liquid. Who ever came to him and wanted the cloth to be colored in any particular color, he just dipped the cloth in the bucket and lo! The same desired color was of the cloth! A person was watching this entire process. When he saw that each and every color is coming from the same liquid, he asked that I don’t want any cloth colored. Please give me the same thing you have in your bucket!!)
This way kabir got the wound of Love with the grace of the Guru and kept searching for the medicine, which couldn’t be anything less then absolute Love of GOD – the original liquid of all colors!!
AaTHahu pahar matwaala laagee rahe, AaaThahu pahar kee chhak peewe.
AaaThahu pahar mastaanaa maataa rahe, Brahm kee chhaul me saadh jeewe.
Saanch hi kahatu aur saanch hi gahatu hai, Kaanch ko tyaag kari saanch laagaa.
Kahe kabir yon saadh nirbhay hua, Janam aur maran ka bharam bhaaga.
Gagan ki gufa tahaa gaib ka chandanaa, Udaya aur ast ka naam naahee.
Diwas aur rain tahaan neku nahi paaiye, Prem - parkas ke sindh maahee.
Sadaa aanand dukh dand vyape nahi, Pooranaanand bharpoor dekhaa.
Bharam ur bbhranti tanh nek aawe nahi, Kahe Kabir ras ek pekha.
What is the surprise here for Kabir! He kept searching until he reaches at the place where only happiness and joy remains and nothing else. This is the place of Gagan-Gufa, from where anahat sound is originating (Saints say there are different sounds or melodies at dfferent stages but this is the place where a seeker starts hearing this sound and gets unexplainable bliss !!). People who know something about sant-mat can see that whatever he is saying here is not the ultimate truth and experience. I will like to say to those people that it is quite possible that Kabir kept saying his pads while he was on the journey. We can make a diversion and see this Doha for the proof –
**"Pahunchenge tab kahenge, uterenge us Thay.
Ajahu beDa samud me, boli biguche kaay.
In these lines he says that it is not good to say anything right now (about spiritual experiences), because my boat is still in the mid sea (bhavsaagar or the sea of world). It will be good if I speak about it after I reach the destination safely. Saying something right now can make me proud, can hinder the journey. Worthless to say that as he was a poet in heart, he kept singing and talking about his experiences throughout the journey to share his joy and bliss.
So here in above pad he speaks about the experience of the place where according to him, he is intoxicated 24 hours a day (Pahar is three hours, eight pahar mean 24 hours, whole day and night) with the nectar of GOD, he is drinking this holy nectar whole day and night and moves in the swing of Brahm.He speaks and catches the truth and truth only, he left all illusions (raw nature) behind and got attached to the truth. Kabir says that in this way Sadhu (Kabir) became fearless. The fear of death and birth vanished. It is the cave in the sky (gagan-gufa).There is no sunrise or sunset yet a strange light is spread all over. There is no day or night and all time light is spread from the ocean of light and love. Here is all joy and happiness and no sorrow at all. It is the whole of joy and happiness, nothing less than the WHOLE. Here no illusion can stand in mind and I saw the only one thing - joy -all around there.
Santo sahaj smaaadhi bhalee.
Guru prataap jaa din te upajee, din din adhik chalee.
Aankh na mundu, kaan na rundhu, kaayaa kashT na dharu.
Khule nain main hanshans dekhu, sunder roop niharu.
Kahon so naam suno so sumiran, khaw-piyo so poojaa.
Girah ujaad ek sam lekhon, bhaw na rakho doojaa.
Janh-janh Dolun, soi parikarma, Jo kachhu karau so sewa.
Jab sowon tab karaun danDwat, poojaun aur na dewa.
Shabad nirantar se man laaga, malin waasanaa tyagee.
UThat baiThat kabahoo na chute, aisee taaree laagee.
Kahe Kabir yah unmuni rahanee, yahi paragaT kari gaai.
Sukh-dukh ke ek pare param-sukh, tehi me raha samaai.
In above pad Kabir says that that way of natural samaadhi is the best. With the grace of my Guru it triggered in me and grows day by day. Now I don’t need to close my eyes, to block my ears and to trouble my body. Now I see HIM happily with my open eyes! Now whatever I speak is his NAAM, whatever I listen is his SUMIRAN. What ever I eat and drink is his worship only. Now home and the desert are alike for me, I don’t see any difference between them. Where ever I walk, is nothing but parikrama( the ritual to move around idols, temples, holy places) and whatever I do is only his service. When I sleep, it is danDwat (to lay down in prayer) to him, I don’t pray another GOD. My attention attached to the unstruck, unbroken Sound and all bad habits have left me now. This communion never breaks, whether I sit or stand up. Kabir says it is a way to be always upward (unmuni – the state of being upward in meditation, to be towards GOD) and it is what I want to say you all. There is a place which is beyond sorrow and happiness, which is ultimate bliss, I got attached and absorbed in the same. Now I see him with my open eyes !! When Kabir got his final realization which was love and only love for GOD, he didn’t need to do any yoga, meditation or something like that. He was able to commune with him with open eyes! Such is the power of love; it makes the beloved run towards the lover!! Does it matter whether the beloved is a human or non-human creature or even GOD? HE is thirsty for love that is why he made this creation out of his desire.
Ramakrishna said once that among all devotees, love happens to very few. But when it happens, it has the magic power to call his beloved at the wish as if HE is chained with this love, such it the great power of love.
This way Kabir says again about experiences after realization –
Jaap mare, ajapaa mare, anahad hu mari jay.
Ram sanehi na mare, kahe Kabir samujhaay.
Those who do sumiran and jaap will die, those who do ajapaa jaap or maanas sumiran will also die. The person who has gone till the region of anahad or Sound may die. But the person who loves HIM can’t die. This is the nectar of love, which makes us immortal!! Here are few references Kabir gives to recognize a GOD-Realized soul.
Had me rahe so maanwa, behad rahe so saadh.
Had - behad dono taje, taakee mata agaadh.
The person who is within limits, is a human. The person who travels to unlimited regions is a Sadhu. But the person who has gone beyond the limited and the unlimited, his consciousness is like infinite. He is the truly realized soul!!
GhaT kaa pardaa kholkar, sanmukh de deedaar.
Baal sanehi saaiyaa, awe ant kaa yaar.
HE opens the veil within your being and shows HIMSELF in front of you!! HE only is our true friend. At the time of our birth (here it refers spiritual birth or the moment when this creation came in existence and we as separate being came into picture) HE was the only friend and when the journey of the soul has come to an end, I see HIM only as true friend. HE has been our friend throughout our all lives, only it took whole journey from the origin to coming down this material world and going back to our source to make us realize this truth!!
Hari ras peeya jaaniye, kabahu na jaaye khumaar.
Maimanta ghoomat phire, naahee tan kee saar.
How will you know who is a GOD-realized soul, who has tasted the great wine, the nectar of GOD?? Kabir says you can see the symptoms – the person who has attained the community with GOD, looks like intoxicated all the time. This intoxication never comes down, he looks like insane, wanders like the same, doesn’t even bother about his body or appearance.
Jihi hirde Hari aaiyaa, so kyu chhanaa hoi.
Jatan-Jatan kari daabiye, tau ujaalaa hoi.
Kabir says when HE comes in someone’s heart, you can know it instantly. It can’t be kept under thickest veils. Even if the person wants to hide it, to keep it as secret and tries to do so, he can’t. The more he tries, the more its light comes out. It can’t be hidden in anyway. So graceful is his presence in devotee’s heart.
2 comments:
I very good selection of Kabir Sahib's bani with such a nice explanation of it.
Definitely a nice explanation... Need few minor corrections at few places..
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