Sai Baba and Kabir

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Sai Baba and Kabir

 

For a parallel with Saibaba, I shall focus on the following characteristics

traditionally attributed to Kabir's persona and teaching: (1) the way he used to

define himself, (2) the fundamental importance he gave to the teacher, (3) the

path of devotion leading to surrender, (4) the essential role played by the

remembrance of the divine name, (5) the use of attributing many different names

to God, (6) the prominence of Rama's name and, finally (7) the refusal of

" tantras " and " mantras " as being deceptions of the power of maya.

 

Kabir like Sai referred to himself in various ways: God's slave or servant, a

devotee of God, faqir, even God himself. He said: " I am Hari's humble slave, and

I would not let go of His lotus feet for anything the world might offer me " . He

said, " I am your humble servant, oh Lord, and you are the light which

illuminates all of my recesses. " I am the fakir who has found his truth. One and

the same God created Hindus and Muslims alike, and these poor fools fight each

other in His name " . He also said, I am your devotee, oh Lord, and I come towards

You with the hope I my heart of finding refuge " .

 

Kabir particularly insisted on the necessity of finding a Guru. The Guru is

everything in Kabir's vision, and innumerable are the passages in which he

extols his supremacy. He said, " infinite is the Guru's kindness, and

incalculable the help which he lavishes. Only he knows how to open the

disciple's eyes, so that the vision of the Infinite may bless his sight " . " Only

the knowledge which Guru grants makes it possible for one to save himself. "

 

Devotion is the foundation on which Kabir based his religious life. He insisted

on the notion of surrender, of totally submitting oneself to God. Kabir, like

Saibaba, insisted upon the necessity of practicing God's remembrance, not in a

mechanical way but by reminding oneself of God's presence in one's heart,

bringing to mind all that the divine name connotes. The divine name constitutes

the only safe path leading to realization. Says Kabir: " Sing Rama's glory with

your heart, tongue, and actions.

 

Kabir, like Saibaba, used different names taken from both the Muslim and Hindu

traditions to designate God. He said, " To me Rama, Rahim, Karim, and Kesava are

all truth. And the same are Bismil and Visvambhara. With Rama's name as his

support, Kabir declares that both tantras and mantras are deceptions of maya.

This offers another interesting parallel with Saibaba who always refused to give

out tantras and mantras. G.G. Narke stated, Saibaba never gave me any mantra,

tantra or upadesa, and so far as I know, he gave them to nobody.