Guru Poornima Series - Guru Bhakthi-5 : Kabirdas

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Radhe Krishna To All,

 

 

Guru gobind dovu khade kaake laagav paay |

balihari guru aapne govind deeyo bataaye ||

 

When the Guru and God both stand in front of me, who will I bow to first?

Prostrations unto the Guru who bestowed me the path to God!

 

Even the Saints, who are by birth enlightened, insist on the importance of a

Guru. Sant Kabirdas was one among them. Though born in a Muslim family, Kabirdas

had developed intense love and devotion for Lord Rama and His Divine Name. In

spite of chanting the Name of Rama, Kabirdas longed to be initiated into ‘Rama

Nama’ by a Guru. For, he was certain that only the Grace of Guru could take

one across the fierce ocean of Samsara.

 

Kabirdas lived in the city of Varanasi, the foremost among the seven

Mokshapuris. Saint Sri Ramananda, who was an ardent devotee of Sri Rama, too had

an Ashram in the same city. Knowing him to be a great soul (‘Mahan’), Kabir

wanted to be a disciple of Sri Ramananda and be initiated into Rama Nama by Him.

With this intention, Kabir visited the Ashram daily. Since he was a Muslim by

birth, he was not let into the Ashram and so could never get a chance to have

even a glimpse of Sri Ramananda, whom he had mentally accepted as his Guru. The

other disciples of Sri Ramananda would drive Kabir away if they chanced to see

him at the doors of their Ashram. This happened not for a day or two, but for

months together. Still Kabir wouldn’t give up. He unstintingly visited the

Ashram and begged to be given a chance to meet His Guru. He would cry for having

a darshan of his Guru but the inmates of the Ashram were not touched by his

devoutness or earnestness.

Neither did they bother to inform their Guru about Kabir and his desire. Thus,

Sri Ramananda was quite unaware of these happenings.

 

Being in constant communion with Sri Rama mentally, Sri Ramananda had a vision

of his beloved deity. In the vision, he could see and hear the conversation

between Sri Rama and His brother Sri Lakshmana. Sri Rama addressed Lakshmana,

“Lakshmana! Let us leave this Ashram this very moment. What do we have to do

in a place where a sincere devotee is being neglected and driven away?†Seeing

his beloved deity ready to leave his Ashram Sri Ramananda spoke to his Lord,

“Lord! Please do not leave this slave of yours! I am totally unaware of such

an incident in the Ashram. Pray! Tell me what wrong have I done?†Sri Rama

said, “There is a devotee of mine who is longing to be initiated into my

Divine Name by you. He visits the Ashram unfailingly everyday only to be driven

away by your disciples. How can I tolerate if my beloved devotee is ill treated

like this in my presence?†Sri Ramananda was shocked to hear this. He

instantly promised, “ Lord! I

will look into this immediately. But please give me a chance to rectify my

mistake and do not abandon this child of yours!†Sri Rama too agreed to stay

back in the Ashram on the condition that his devotee will not be driven away the

next time.

 

Sri Ramananda inquired his disciples about the incident narrated by Sri Rama.

The disciples were ashamed of their deed and confessed that a Muslim did come

everyday to have darshan of Sri Ramanada and they drove him away assuming that

their Guru would not like meet someone who was a Muslim. Sri Ramananda was

pained by this knowledge. He could not sleep for the whole of night. Neither

could Kabir sleep. He was lying in the steps in the bank of Ganges and was

weeping bitterly. He thought, “Another day has passed! Alas! I have not

received the Divine Name of Rama from my Guru! When will I have the fortune of

having darshan of my Guru and receive the Divine Name from Him? â€

 

In the early hours of morning, Sri Ramananda walked to the banks of Ganges to a

have a Holy dip in its waters. His heart was heavy and he was in a very

contemplative mood. As he stepped on the steps leading to the Ganges, his

‘Paduka’(sandals) touched some head lying on the steps. In any state, Mahans

utter only the Divine Name of the Lord. So, Sri Ramananda too uttered, “Rama!

Rama! Rama!†It was Kabir, who was lying there weeping for having a darshan of

his Guru! Kabir looked up and was overjoyed to see his Guru standing before him.

He said, “Master! I longed only to be initiated by you into the Divine Name of

Rama. But Lo! How gifted am I! You have not just initiated me as you would

normally do for others but have blessed me with the touch of your Paduka! Great

indeed is my fortune!†Saying so, he danced around with joy chanting the

Divine Name of Rama. Sri Ramananda was moved by the devotion and love of Kabir.

 

Such was the Guru Bhakti of Kabir that he says in his couplet (Doha), “If I

chance to see both God and my Guru at the same time, I would worship my Guru

before I prostrate to God. Guru is like a mother. A mother takes care of the

child from the day she conceives it. She puts up with lots of difficulties and

sacrifices her desires for the welfare of the child. My Guru too took me into

His arms and fondled me when I was called as sinner by the rest of the world

just as a mother would fondle a child. But God turned to look at me only after I

was purified by the grace and love of my Guru just as a father would cherish to

see his grown up child holding a high position in the society and shares none of

the difficulties of a mother. â€

 

If Kabir, who was a great soul, yearned for grace and love of a Guru, what can

be said about the greatness of Guru and the Guru Bhakti of such souls!

 

 

Regards

 

Please Chant

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

 

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