In beginning this chapter I first want to say that before writing this chapter I had never read any of Kabir’s writings. I have always had a very good intuitive feeling about him, however it wasn’t till just recently that I found out that He was one of Sai Baba’s past lives. I have such an ongoing love affair with Sai Baba, I immediately was in search of all the books I could find on His life and teachings. By the grace of God I was able to find a most wonderful book from India called "Kabir the Weaver of God’s Name", by V.K. Sethi.
After carefully studying His life story and writings I had no idea what a profound individual and God realized being He was. His poetry is the most beautiful God inspired poetry I have ever read. His love and devotion to God that comes through His writings is beyond what I can describe in words.
After reading this material it only makes sense to me that a being of this spiritual magnitude would have to be the past life of Shirdi Sai Baba and Sathya Sai Baba. The similarity of their teachings is quite remarkable.
What I realize quite clearly from studying this material is that Kabir, besides being totally Self realized, was a master of soul travel. Being an absolute Master of Sabda Yoga (yoga of the holy sound), He was able to travel to the inner spiritual worlds at will. His writings are not the book of knowledge of academic scholars. His knowledge comes straight from "direct" experiential knowledge of the highest realms of spirit and God. It is my great, great joy to share with you His life story, most sacred teachings, and God intoxicated poetry.
Kabir was born in 1398 AD, the son of a Muslim weaver. He was given the name Kabir which means most high. They lived on the outskirts of the holy city of Benares. Kabir showed signs of being interested in religion from a very young age. Because of his family’s poverty he didn’t have the opportunity for a formal education, and focused his energy on learning the family trade, and became a master weaver. his spiritual hunger grew as He moved into adolescence. On one occasion His father wanted to sacrifice an animal at a particular festival. Kabir got so emotionally upset and distraught that His father agreed to release the animal. On another occasion a beggar was shivering in the cold. Kabir gave him all the cloth he had with him even though He and his family were exceedingly poor. He received a scolding from His parents on returning home.
Kabir’s guru was a man named Ramanand, although it is clear from His writings that He visited many holy men. On one occasion Ramanand made a mistake in his religions practice while inside the temple. Somehow from outside the temple Kabir clairvoyantly saw what happened and called to him to make him aware of the problem.
Ramanand embraced Kabir and gained new found respect for Kabir’s spiritual powers. It is even believed that Ramanand became greatly influenced by Kabir’s teachings later in their lives. Kabir got married and had a son, Kamal, and a daughter, Kamli. Kabir recommended a family life rather than forced celibacy and renunciation. He preached the practice of the middle way in all things. In his writings it was seen that his wife was often angry with him for his hospitality to holy men. He worked regularly on his loom and sold his cloth in the weekly market. Kabir had very lofty ideals and would never compromise his ideals or principles. Their small family lived a life of devotion and spiritual practice which was inspired by Kabir’s example.
Kabir initiated his wife into his practice of Sabda Yoga. Kamali, his daughter, also became his disciple. As Kabir matured He began to attract disciples from all walks of society. One of His disciples was the King Vir Singh Baghela, who was the ruler of a neighboring state.
In their first meeting Kabir happened to be in town at the celebration of the king’s new palace. When the king happened to ask Kabir if he liked his new beautiful palace, Kabir said he liked it but it had two blemishes. The king was surprised by this comment and asked Kabir what he meant by this. Kabir said that the first blemish was that the palace would eventually crumble and fall. The second blemish was the one who built it would have to leave it.
The king was annoyed by these comments but recognized Kabir as a holy man. Kabir replied, "Oh King, the law of this world is such that the sun that rises must set, the day that comes must go, whatever is created has to crumble, and whoever is born has to die." Of course, Kabir was referring to the impermeable nature of worldly attachments. The king became his loyal disciple.
On another occasion a great scholar of the Vedas and scriptures, named Sarvanand, had defeated many learned men in debates on subjects of theosophy and metaphysics and the six systems of philosophy. He was so egotistically prideful with himself he changed his name to Sarvajit, which means conqueror of all. His mother had recently been initiated by Kabir whom she was as a true holy man. She told her son that she would accept him as the conqueror of all only if he defeated Kabir in a debate.
He thought to himself that this would be a piece of cake, for Kabir is nothing more than a lowly weaver. On arriving at Kabir’s home with a load of books, Kabir was not home. However, His daughter, seeing the load of books said, "Kabir’s home is on a peak, the path is slippery and hard. Where even an ants foot finds no hold, the pundit wants to reach there with a bullock cart of books!!!"
When Kabir arrived home finally, He was challenged by Sarvajit to hold a debate on any subject. Kabir replied, "I am grateful that you have given me the honor of talking to a great scholar. I am only an illiterate weaver who has never before even seen such a large number of books."
Sarvajit told him the story of why he had to debate. Kabir admitted His defeat before they even had the debate and said He would sign any paper the man wanted to attest to the fact for His name was the only thing He could write. Sarvajit wrote on a document, "Sarvajit has defeated Kabir", and had Kabir sign it. Triumphantly he marched off to see his mother. However, when he gave it to his mother the paper read, "Kabir has defeated Sarvajit." Sarvajit marched back to Kabir’s home and had Him sign a new document. He brought it back to his mother and again it read "Kabir has defeated Sarvajit." Sarvajit made a third trip and the same thing happened again.
After the third time Sarvajit was exasperated and accused Kabir of being a magician. His mother said, "Son, He is a saint, a man of God, not a magician. See how humble He is, not ashamed to admit his humility." Sarvajit finally understood and returned to Kabir in humility and humbleness.
On his return to his mother he said, "Kabir is truly great. I fell at his feet and owned my defeat. He initiated me and took me into his fold." Sarvajit’s mother said, "Yes, my son, you have now found the path to real knowledge, one who owns defeat at the saint’s feet is the real victor. He wins their heart." Kabir had his own unique way of dealing with people. A Muslim Deverish whose name was Jahan Gasht Sha, heard that Kabir was a great holy man and came to Benares to meet Him. Upon his arrival, while waiting for an audience, Kabir said to one of his disciples that this man, though a noble soul and true seeker, had not freed himself from certain deep rooted prejudices which had become a hindrance in his spiritual progress. He then proceeded to ask the disciple to bring a pig and tie it near the door of his hut.
When Jahan Gast arrived he was greatly disturbed to see the pig which he saw as an impure being, especially at the door of a holy man. He severely judged Kabir for his unholy act. Before storming out in anger, Kabir said to him, "Friend, I have kept the impure outside my house. You have given it shelter within your heart. Did not your eyes flash with anger and hatred for me? Are anger and hatred pure and within the tenets of religion? In god’s creation no being should be despised. In the eyes of the Lord, no being is filthy, for He has created each one of them to fulfill His own design."
Kabir taught the path of God realization to Hindu and Muslim alike, for over 70 years despite great slander and criticism from the orthodoxy of His time. In V.F. Sethi’s book, "Kabir the Weaver of God’s name", Kabir is quoted as saying, "If you say God dwells only in the mosque or He dwells only in an idol, then who dwells in the rest of the world? You say, in the South is the home of Hari, or in the West is the abode of Allah, but not one of you has found the truth. Search for Him in you heart, search for Him deep within yourself. This is the place where He lives, this is His true abode."
Kabir was a great proponent of repeating the name of God. He is quoted as saying in this regard, "Take refuge in the One, Repeat His name. Only then will you cross the ocean." In regard to those who believed in the caste system He has this to say, "In the womb the soul has neither caste nor clan. All souls have sprung from the seed of Brahm. No one is high, no one low. All are nurtured by Him who has given them form. …Only he is low whose heart is adverse to God’s name."
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