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Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Saint Kabir's way of approaching God

 

CHENNAI, JULY 15. Saints are enigmatic personalities. Their ways

are miraculous because they always retain God's vision within.

One such outstanding divine messenger became aware of his

impending death and as people did not know whether he was a Hindu

or a Muslim, both groups were called and told about his own end

due shortly. As the followers of the two communities started

arguing whether the body should be buried or cremated according

to their respective customs, the doors of his room were opened

and they did not find the body but only the flowers. While one

group burnt it, the other gave it a burial.

 

No one knew whether he was a Hindu or a Muslim. As an abandoned

child, a Muslim weaver couple brought him up and as he grew, he

turned a devotee of Rama. ``I was taught 52 letters but I threw

away 50 of these and retained two only, Ra and Ma'' he said when

sent to the school. He was called ``Kabir'' (the great). His life

represents spiritual revolution.

 

Kabir's message was that there is no purpose in merely rolling

the beads nor the tongue singing the praise of God without

devotion but the mind should concentrate on Him. There is also no

need for elaborate rituals or shouting during prayers as God, who

is not deaf, can hear even the sound of a crawling ant. ``Go to

the land of immortality from where we came'' was his indelible

advice. One of his songs contains identical sentiments of the

``Bhaja Govindam'', explaining how the childhood days are lost in

play, the adult stage in family commitment and so when one

becomes old there is no possibility of thinking about God.

 

In his lecture, Swami Mitrananda said, jealous of his method of

approaching God and of his popularity, people complained to the

ruler who summoned Kabir. He went late and did not bow before the

former as he declared he would prostrate only before God. He was

tied to a stone and thrown into water, he was consigned to flames

and was made to face a mad elephant (which was forced to trample

upon him but went back without harming him) but he emerged safe

on all occasions. ``A greater force set me free'' he said and

asked everyone to be fearless, and entrust themselves to God who

will take care of the devotees. A man seated on an elephant need

not worry about a barking dog was his example. On another

occasion to embarrass him, invitations were issued in his name,

to many saintly men, for a religious congregation, hoping that

Kabir would fail to feed them all. But without his knowledge, God

as a merchant attended to the needs of everyone assembled. Kabir

emitted the fragrance of a divine life.

 

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