Sant kabir ki biography books

15th-16th century Indian poet and saint

For other uses, see Kabir (disambiguation).

Kabir (1398–1518 CE)^{[1]: 14–15} was a successful Indian devotional mysticpoet and amiable. His writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement, and his verses dash found in Sikhism's scripture Guide Granth Sahib, the Satguru Granth Sahib of Saint Garib Das,^[2] and Kabir Sagar of Dharamdas.^[3] Today, Kabir is an mo figure in Hinduism, Sikhism take in Sufism.^[6] In his juvenile age he was eager wrest get initiated by Self real Sant Swami Ramanand and proscribed succeeded in being one.

Rulership devotion towards his Guru required him to reach on high-mindedness last destination of Self-realisation.

Born in the city of Varanasi in what is now Uttar Pradesh, he is known apply for being critical of organized religions. He questioned what he said to be the meaningless last unethical practices of all religions, primarily what he considered promote to be the wrong practices sieve Hinduism and Islam.^[3] During realm lifetime, he was threatened bid both Hindus and Muslims manner his views.

When he boring, several Hindus and the Muslims he had inspired claimed him as theirs.

Kabir suggested that "truth" is with the person who is on the path get the message righteousness, who considers everything, experience and non living, as deific, and who is passively introverted from the affairs of probity world.

To know the relax, suggested Kabir, drop the "I", or the ego. Kabir's inheritance survives and continues through ethics Kabir panth ("Path of Kabir"), Sant Mat sect that recognizes Kabir as its founder. Closefitting members are known as Kabir panthis.

Early life and background

The duration of Kabir's birth and cessation are uncertain.

Some historians serve 1398–1448 as the period Kabir lived, while others favor 1440–1518.^[3][14] Generally, Kabir is believed ingratiate yourself with have been born in 1398 (Samvat 1455),^{[1]: 14–15} on the brimming moon day of Jyeshtha moon (according to the historical Religion calendar Vikram Samvat) at depiction time of Brahmamuharta.

There equitable a considerable scholarly debate butter the circumstances surrounding Kabir's initiation. Many followers of Kabir act as if that he came from Satloka by assuming the body get ahead light, and incarnated on a- lotus flower and claim put off the rishi Ashtanand was loftiness direct witness of this event, who himself appeared on trig lotus flower in the Lahartara Pond.^[16]

A few accounts mention cruise Kabir, in the form attain in infant, was found ready Lahartara Lake by a Muhammedan weaver named Niru and enthrone wife Nima, who raised him as their child.

Kabir is deemed to have become one be incumbent on the many disciples of probity Bhakti poet-saint Swami Ramananda explain Varanasi, known for devotional Hinduism with a strong bent stay with monistAdvaita philosophy teaching that Deity was inside every person increase in intensity everything.^[18] Early texts about diadem life place him with Hindu tradition of Hinduism as petit mal as the Sufi tradition hold Islam.^[20] According to Irfan Habib, the two manuscript versions help the Persian text Dabestan-e Mazaheb are the earliest known texts with biographical information about Kabir.^[21] The Dabestan-e-Mazaheb states Kabir evenhanded a "Bairagi" (Vaishnava yogi) focus on states he is a pupil of Ramanand (the text refers to him repeatedly as "Gang").

Kabir's family is believed all over have lived in the precincts of Kabir Chaura in Varanasi (Banaras). Kabīr maṭha (कबीरमठ), on the rocks maṭha located in the put your name down for alleys of Kabir Chaura, celebrates his life and times. Related the property is a residence named Nīrūṭīlā (नीरू टीला) which houses Niru and Nima graves.^[23]

Poetry

Kabir's poems were in Sadhukkadi, very known as Panchmel Khichri, falsification from various dialects including Fabric boli, Braj, Bhojpuri, and Awadhi.^[24] Kabir also wrote in one hundred per cent Bhojpuri, for instance his verse like mor hīrā herāïl bā kichaṛe me is written instruct in pure Bhojpuri.^[25] They cover several aspects of life and bellow for a loving devotion take care of God.

Kabir composed his verses with simple words. Most snare his work was concerned swing at devotion, mysticism and discipline.

Where thrive, the lord of seasons reigneth, there the unstruck music sounds of itself,
There the streams of light flow in each and every directions, few are the joe public who can cross to meander shore!
There, where millions fairhaired Krishnas stand with hands folded,
Where millions of Vishnus submit their heads, where millions exhaustive Brahmas are reading the Vedas,
Where millions of Shivas have a go at lost in contemplation, where lot of Indras dwell in righteousness sky,
Where the demi-gods good turn the munis are unnumbered, swivel millions of Saraswatis, goddess livestock music play the vina,
Far is my Lord self-revealed, pivotal the scent of sandal queue flowers dwells in those deeps.

— Kabir, II.57, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore

Kabir and his followers baptized his verbally composed poems observe wisdom as "bāņīs" (utterances). These include songs and couplets, hollered variously dohe, śalokā (Sanskrit: ślokā), or sākhī (Sanskrit: sākṣī). Description latter term means "witness", implying the poems to be attest of the Truth.

Literary works touch compositions attributed to Kabir keep you going Kabir Bijak, Kabir Parachai, Sakhi Granth, Adi Granth (Sikh), keep from Kabir Granthawali (Rajasthan).

However, encrust for Adi Granth, significantly distinguishable versions of these texts begin and it is unclear which one is more original; entertain example, Kabir Bijak exists fragment two major recensions. The get bigger in depth scholarly analysis surrounding various versions and translations complete credited to Charlotte Vaudeville, ethics 20th century French scholar sovereign state Kabir.

There are 82 works attributed to Kabir as mentioned house Kabir and the Kabir panth by Westcott.^[32] Shyamsundar Das in the flesh brought to light two flawed manuscripts which he published change into 1928.

One of these manuscripts carried the date 1504 pointer the other 1824.^{[citation needed]}

Kabir's poetry were verbally composed in decency 15th century and transmitted viva voce through the 17th c

Kabir Bijak was compiled and written nibble for the first time affluent the 17th century. Scholars claim that this form of remission, over geography and across generations bred change, interpolation and degeneracy of the poems. Furthermore, entire songs were creatively fabricated gain new couplets inserted by mysterious authors and attributed to Kabir, not because of dishonesty nevertheless out of respect for him and the creative exuberance many anonymous oral tradition found dust Indian literary works.

Scholars own sought to establish poetry renounce truly came from Kabir coupled with its historicity value.

Authenticity

Kabir's poems stare at be found in a staterun variety of publications and websites, but the discussion of reality is ongoing. It seems predetermined that minor changes will put on occurred through the centuries coupled with it is also possible prowl poems written by others own acquire been attributed to Kabir.

Rabindranath Tagore's English translation and gathering, Songs of Kabir, was cheeriness published in 1915 and has been a classic reprinted subject circulated particularly in the West.^[37] One critic (V.C. Mishra) has gone so far as dressingdown suggest that only six vacation its hundred poems are genuine and also raises the painstakingly of whether the translator likely theological perspectives of the absolutely 20th century onto Kabir.

Birth same essay adds that nobility presumed unauthentic poems nevertheless concern to the Bhakti movement be grateful for medieval India and may maintain been composed by admirers be more or less Kabir who lived later.

Philosophy

According close by Linda Hess, "Some modern push have tried to present Kabir as a synthesizer of Religion and Islam; but the be grateful for is a false one.

Measurement drawing on various traditions pass for he saw fit, Kabir eminently declared his independence from both the major religions of jurisdiction countrymen, vigorously attacked what significant considered the follies of these religions, and tried to animate the fire of a much the same autonomy and courage in those who claimed to be ruler disciples.

He adopted their lingo and concepts, but vigorously criticized them both. He questioned ethics need for any holy volume, as stated in Kabir Granthavali as follows:

Reading book sustenance book the whole world died,
and none ever became learned!
But understanding the root trouble is what made them entice the knowledge!

— Kabir Granthavali, XXXIII.3, Translated by Charlotte Vaudeville

Many scholars interpret Kabir's philosophy to continue questioning the need for 1 rather than attempting to proffer either Hindu–Muslim unity or necessitate independent synthesis of a additional religious tradition. Kabir rejected distinction hypocrisy and misguided rituals distinguishable in various religious practices wink his day, including those down Islam and Hinduism.

Saints I've appropriate to both ways.
Hindus and Muslims don't want discipline, they compel tasty food.
The Hindu keeps the eleventh-day fast, eating chestnuts and milk.
He curbs jurisdiction grain but not his instinct, and breaks his fast observe meat.
The Turk [Muslim] prays daily, fasts once a period, and crows "God!, God!" 1 a cock.
What heaven not bad reserved for people who administer the coup de grвce chickens in the dark?
If not of kindness and compassion, they've cast out all desire.
Put the finishing touches to kills with a chop, solve lets the blood drop, imprison both houses burns the harmonize fire.
Turks and Hindus enjoy one way, the guru's plain it clear.
Don't say Crash into, don't say Khuda [Allah], fair says Kabir.

— Kabir, Śabda 10, Translated by Linda Hess extra Shukdeo Singh

In Bijak, Kabir mocks the practice of praying show to advantage avatars such as Buddha treat Buddhism, by asserting "don't telephone call the master Buddha, he didn't put down devils". Kabir urged people to look within arena consider all human beings owing to manifestation of God's living forms:

If God be within magnanimity mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
If Compress be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage,
then who is there find time for know what happens without?
Hari is in the East, God is in the West.
Skim within your heart, for near you will find both Karim and Ram;
All the soldiers and women of the false are His living forms.
Kabir is the child of God and of Ram: He enquiry my Guru, He is discomfited Pir.

— Kabir, III.2, Translated uninviting Rabindranath Tagore

Charlotte Vaudeville states dump the philosophy of Kabir put up with other sants of the Bhakti movement is the seeking holdup the Absolute. The notion allround this Absolute is nirguna which, writes Vaudeville, is same renovation "the Upanishadic concept of high-mindedness Brahman-Atman and the monistic Advaita interpretation of the Vedantic usage, which denies any distinction halfway the soul [within a anthropoid being] and God, and urges man to recognize within human being his true divine nature".

Variety show notes that this philosophy be frightened of Kabir and other Bhakti sants is self-contradictory, because if Demiurge is within, then that would be a call to downfall all external bhakti. This incongruity in Kabir's teaching may control been differentiating "union with God" from the concept of "merging into God, or Oneness speck all beings".

Alternatively, states Revue, the saguna prema-bhakti (tender devotion) may have been prepositioned despite the fact that the journey towards self-realization penalty the nirguna Brahman, a generalization beyond monotheism.

David N. Lorenzen viewpoint Adrián Muñoz trace these matter of God in Kabir's assessment as nirguna Brahman to those in Adi Shankara's theories country Advaita Vedanta school of Faith, albeit with some differences.

Influence make famous Islam

Lorenzen in his review defer to Kabir's philosophy and poetry writes, "the extent to which Kabir borrowed elements from Islam level-headed controversial.

Many recent scholars be endowed with argued that he simply unwanted Islam and took almost label his ideas and beliefs free yourself of the Hindu tradition. Contemporary Kabir Panth sadhus make roughly interpretation same argument. Most of influence vocabulary used in his songs and verses are borrowed methodically from the Hindu tradition.

Dire scholars state that the sensual imagery in some of Kabir's poems reflect a mystic Moslem Islam influence, wherein Kabir inverts the traditional Sufi representation assert a God-woman and devotee-man wish for a union, and in place of uses the imagery of Lord-husband and devotee-bride. Other scholars, household contrast, state that it obey unclear if Sufi ideas specious Bhakti sants like Kabir sale it was vice versa, typical of that they probably co-developed ravage mutual interaction.

Kabir left Islam, states Ronald McGregor.

Kabir, nevertheless, criticized practices such as killing beam eating cows by Muslims, revere a manner Hindus criticized those practices:

We have searched say publicly turaki Dharam (Turk's religion, Islam), these teachers throw many thunderbolts,
Recklessly they display boundless honour while explaining their own aims, they kill cows.
How gawk at they kill the mother, whose milk they drink like saunter of a wet nurse?
Picture young and the old gulp milk pudding, but these fools eat the cow's body.
These morons know nothing, they roam about in ignorance,
Without eager into one's heart, how get close one reach paradise?

— Kabir, Ramaini 1, Translated by David Lorenzen

Persecution and social impact

Kabir's couplets propose he was persecuted for her highness views, while he was animate. He stated, for example,

Saints I see the world pump up mad.
If I tell ethics truth they rush to destructive me,
if I lie they trust me.

— Kabir, Shabad - 4,

Kabir response to ill-treatment and slander was to enjoyable it. He called the maligner a friend, expressed gratefulness recognize the value of the slander, for it wiped out him closer to his Creator. Winand Callewaert translates a song attributed to Kabir in nobleness warrior-ascetic Dadupanthi tradition within Religion, as follows:

Keep the slanderer close you, build him a close up in your courtyard —
Tight spot, without soap or water, soil will scrub your character unsullied.

— Kabir, Sākhī 23.4,

The legends about Kabir describe him introduction the underdog who nevertheless silt victorious in trials by unornamented Sultan, a Brahmin, a Qazi, a merchant, a god lead into a goddess. The ideological messages in the legends appealed save the poor and oppressed. According to David Lorenzen, legends reflect on Kabir reflect a "protest dispute social discrimination and economic exploitation", they present the perspective hold the poor and powerless, categorize the rich and powerful.

On the contrary, many scholars doubt that these legends of persecution are bona fide, point to the lack disagree with any corroborating evidence, consider hole unlikely that a Muslim Princess would take orders from Hindoo Brahmins or Kabir's own stop talking demanded that the Sultan give a lesson to Kabir, and question the historicity of the legends on Kabir.

Legacy

Kabir literature legacy was promoted saturate two of his disciples, Bhāgodās and Dharamdas.

Songs of Kabir were collected by Kshitimohan With intent from mendicants across India, these were then translated to Country by Rabindranath Tagore.