Bhakthirathnakara-2.1Sant kabir- background

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Sant Kabirdas

 

 

Kabir

is supposed to have lived during 15th century. He occupies a special

place in the galaxy of the devotees due to his ideology advocating universal

religion. Thus his teachings through his songs were above the boundaries of

religion and hence he was denounced by both Hindus and Muslims as he

remonstrated against the traditions of the Islam though he was brought up by

muslim parents and he criticized equally the superstitions and the blind

beliefs of the Hindus.

 

There

are many legends regarding his life and it is difficult to say which were

genuine and which were not but since a saint is recognized only through his

words to humanity I will highlight his devotion and philosophy dealing briefly

with the incidents of his life.

 

Kabir

was a saint, mystic, preacher and above all a compassionate human being. He

lived in Benaras through out his life and spent his last days in Maghar, the

reason for his doing so is itself an

interesting episode.

 

Kabir

like all saints never left any account of his life and hence unlike Meera who

was a historical figure, the life of Kabir is full of controversies. The great

devotees think nothing of their individual identities and never wrote about themselves. This is

true from the time of Valmiki. But with some we do have a biography written by

others such as their followers or disciples as in the south but in the north it

is rare mainly due to the saints themselves being simple folks.

 

According

to one legend, a disciple of Ramanand, a

well known vaishnavite preceptor, saw a light descending at Banaras.

When he mentioned this to his guru, Ramanand said that it indicates the birth

of a great soul.

 

Niru

, a muslim weaver who was walking along a lake found an infant floating on the water

and he said to his wife Nima that they could take him and bring him up. When

she hesitated, not knowing the origin of

the baby, it spoke telling her that he had come to guide the people towards salvation and wished that the couple

will have the honour of bringing him up.

 

According

to another legend a Brahmin lady was blessed by Ramanand to have a child. not

knowing that she was a widow. She found a child in her hands and placed him on

a lotus in the lake where Niru and his wife found him.

 

Whichever

is true it is a fact that Kabir was brought up by a muslim couple. In the

naming ceremony of the child a kazi was called to give him a name and when he

opened the Koran he found four names including Kabir , all meaning `the great,'

describing God. The kazi thought it is not appropriate and opened another page

but soon found that the four names were found in all the pages. Then the child

spoke and said that he was not of human birth but born out of light.

 

When

Kabir was young, he went to the Ganges were Ramanand

was taking bath and pulled his toe. Ramanand was shocked and said `Ram Ram.'

Kabir was delighted that he had the manthra upadesa from a guru like Ramanand

and became his disciple.

 

From

his childhood Kabir used to sing songs and would repeat the ramanama all the

time. He was denounced by muslims and hindus alike. Muslims called him a kafir,

an unbeliever while the hindus thought he was polluting the ramanama. But Rama

is not a personalised God for Kabir but stands for the infinite whom he called

Rama due to the manthra instructed to him.