In the body is God, the body is the temple of God, in the body are pilgrims and travellers ;
In the body are incense, lamps, sacrificial food; in the body are offerings of leaves.1
I have searched many regions, and it is only in the body I have found the nine treasures.
There is no coming and no going for me since I have appealed to God.
What is in the universe is found in the body : whoever searcheth for it shall find it there.
Pipa representeth, God is the Primal Essence ; when there is a true guru he will show him.
SAIN
SAIN was a disciple of Ramanand and conse quently lived in the end of the fourteenth and the beginning of the fifteenth century of the Christian era. He was a barber at the court of Raja Ram, king of Rewa, then called Bandhavgarh. The tendency of the age was towards devotion and religious composition, and Sain found leisure in the midst of his duties to study the hymns of Ramanand, shape his life on the principles inculcated in them, and successfully imitate their spirit and devotional fervour.
The accomplishments and duties of an Indian court barber at the time of Sain were and are still of a miscellaneous character. He is something of a surgeon and ordinarily a marriage or match-maker, he oils the king's body, shampoos his limbs, pares his nails, shaves his face and head, if he be a Hindu, and clips his moustache, if he be a Musalman; amuses him with gossip and tales ; often plays the rebeck and sings his own compositions, which deftly combine flattery of his master with social satire or pleasantry.1
God is said by the Hindu chronicler to have cherished Sain as a cow her calf. He frequented the society of holy men and was very happy in their company. He performed for them all menial offices, for he believed that serving saints was equivalent to serving God Himself.
The Bhagat Mai contains a legend which at once
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illustrates Sain's devotion to saints and the estima tion in which he was held for his piety. When going one day to perform his usual ministrations for king Raja Ram, he met some holy men on the way. He thought it was his first duty to attend to them. He took them with him, and began to render them the customary services. With the greatest mental satisfaction to himself he gave them consecrated and secular food to relieve their souls and bodies. In thus acting Sain disregarded his duty to the king and braved his displeasure.
The legend states that a holy man, by God's favour, in order to avert the king's wrath and save Sain from punishment, assumed his appearance, and having gone and performed the customary duties for the king, took his departure. Soon after Sain arrived and began to apologize for his delay. The king said, ' Thou hast only just gone after the usual services to me ; why apologize ? ' Sain replied, ' I have not been here. Perhaps thy Majesty sayest so to excuse my absence.' The Raja then knew that a special providence had intervened and performed for him the usual tonsorial duties. He was at once converted, fell at Sain's feet, worshipped him as his guru, and thus sought an asylum in God. It had at any rate at the time of the composition of the Bhagat Mai become an established custom that the successive kings of the house of Bandhav- garh should always be disciples of the descendants of Sain. They are now said to be followers of Kabir.1
The following hymn of Sain in the Dhanasari measure is found in the Granth Sahib :—
Having made an oblation of incense, lamps, and clarified butter,
I go to offer them to Thee, O God.2
Hail to Thee, O God, hail !
Ever hail to Thee, O Sovereign God !
Thy name is the best lamp, meditation thereon the purest wick ;
Thou alone art the Bright One, O God.
It is the saints of God who feel divine pleasure ;
They describe Thee as all-pervading and the Supreme Joy.1
Thou, of fascinating form, O God, float us over the ocean of terror.
Sain saith, worship the Supreme Joy.2
KABIR
THERE was a certain Brahman in Banaras, who remained continually in attendance on Ramanand. The Brahman had a daughter, a virgin widow, who desired to behold the object of her father's reverence and attentions. Her father took her one day to see the holy man. She was allowed to prostrate herself before him and touch his feet with her forehead. He in ignorance of her status prayed that she might be blest with a son. When her father replied that she was a widow, Ramanand said that his words could not be recalled and she should have a son ; but no one should see any signs of her pregnancy, and no stigma should attach to her reputation. Her son should reform religion and save the world. She consequently conceived, and in due time a son was born to her on Monday, the day of the full moon, in the month of Jeth, 1455, of the Vikrama- ditya era, corresponding to A.D. I3Q8.3 She exposed
It is Ramanand who knoweth devotion to God ; It is he who can describe the_ Perfect Primal Joy.
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her child on a lake called Lahar Talao, a short distance from Banaras. He was found by a Musal- man weaver, called Ali — who from living beside the water (nir) was popularly known by the name of Niru — when he was taking home his wife from her parents' house.
He saw the boy lying in the lake, it is said, on a blossoming water-lily. The child had obviously been abandoned by an unmarried woman. Niru hastened to inform his wife Nima. They had no son of their own, and it was in their power to adopt him. Nima represented the gossip that would result, and the danger to their reputation and that of the whole tribe. On looking into the child's face, however, her determination gave way. He was fair to look on, and did not scream like other children, but on the contrary looked bright and cheerful. They took him up and bore him home.
The Lahar Talao is a lake about a mile and a quarter long, and an eighth of a mile broad. At the time of the author's visit in December, it was, except for some rushes here and there, covered with a russet weed on which aquatic birds alighted and sported. On the margin of the lake is a small temple sacred to Kabir. It is kept by some monks, who pride themselves on their knowledge of Sanskrit literature. Hard by is the tomb of Niru, Kabir's foster-father.
After the discovery of the child a Oazi was in due time called to give him a name. The Quran was opened, and a lot was cast. The word Kabir, which means great in the Arabic language, was the first that presented itself. This name was accord- indebted to the work Kabir Kasauti of the late Lahina Singh of Panjorin the Patiala State, the Kabir Manshur of Sadhu Paramanand (Hindi), the Kavi Charitar (Gujrati), the Bharat Khanda cha Arara- chin Kosh and the Bhakta Vijay of Mahipati (Marathi). The author also acknowledges assistance from inquiries made by Mr. G. H. Radice. of the Indian Civil Service.
ingly given to the child. When Kabir arrived at an age to understand the nature of the doubts cast on his birth he composed the following : —
I have just come from God.
Mammon hath led the world astray ; it hath not found the secret of my birth.
I was not born, nor did I dwell in a womb ; I have ap peared a child as I am.
A weaver found me near his hut in a lake at Banaras.
I was not in heaven, or in earth, or in any country ; my divine knowledge is endless.
The spirit which is manifested in His own world is my name.
I have no bones, no blood, no skin ; I have been manifested by the Word.
I am beyond all body and endless, a superior being whom men call the immortal Kabir.1
It would appear that, though the boy was adopted by Musalmans, he was subjected to Hindu influences from his earliest years. Banaras was and is the stronghold of Hinduism, and even its Muhammadan inhabitants are often strongly tinctured with the ancient religion of India.
Moreover, it is said that Gosain Ashtanand, a Hindu saint of the period, said to have been a disciple of Ramanand, saw the child at the time of his expo sure in the tank ; and it is most probable that he subsequently followed his fate and gave him religious instruction as opportunities offered.
At a very early age Kabir 's religious education was far advanced. While playing with his com panions he used to repeat the name Ram or Hari, Hindu names of God. Musalmans said the child was an infidel. Kabir retorted that an infidel was he —
1Who struck any person without just cause,
2Who wore a religious garb to deceive the world,
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3Who drank wine,
4Who stole,
5Who committed suicide,
6Who smoked tobacco,
7Who committed highway robbery,
8Who took life.
These became Kabir's commandments.
One day he put on the frontal mark and the sacrificial thread of the Hindus. A Brahman called Mukand remonstrated, and said that Kabir, having been brought up a Muhammadan, and following, moreover, the trade of his foster-father, had no concern with Hinduism, and was not entitled to wear its distinguishing badge or symbols. Kabir replied with the following hymn : —
In my house is thread, I am continually weaving, while only one sacrificial thread is on thy neck.
Thou readest only the Veds and the Gayatri, while God is in my heart.
On my tongue dwelleth God, in mine eyes dwelleth God, and in my heart dwelleth God.1
When thou art examined, 0 mad Mukand, at Death's door, what shalt thou say ?
I am the cow, thou the herdsman, lord of the earth, and guardian of man at every birth.2
Thou hast not taken me beyond the river to graze ; 3 what sort of master have I ?
Thou art a Brahman, I am a Banaras weaver, understand my instruction.
Thou beggest from lords and kings, while I meditate on God ; which of us is better ? 4
As Kabir grew up, his devotion, spiritual power,
and miracles became famous. He deemed every thing blasphemy which was opposed to the worship of God. He considered the practice of jog, alms, fasting, and the feeding of Brahmans not only useless, but improper, without the repetition of God's name and love for Him. In reality the special tenor of the Shastars is, according to Nabhaji's Bhagat Mai, that all the above-mentioned religious works are ciphers, and the name of God is, as it were, a numeral. The practice of jog, feeding Brahmans, &c., are useless without the numeral of God's name. The meaning of the author of the Bhagat Mai is, that all religious works should be performed for the acquisition of devotion and love of God, and not for objects of a temporal character.
Kabir has written works which all religious denominations can accept, and which, if perused without bigotry, are advantageous for the salvation of all persons. Kabir was so steadfast in his utterance of God's name, that in comparison with it he deemed worthless the rules of caste and the Hindu and Muhammadan religious observances.
From Kabir' s boyhood his mind was filled with intuitive knowledge, and his reasoning faculties were so acute that he vanquished the most learned men of his age, both Hindu and Musalman, in theological and ethical discussions. The Brahmans and the Mullas contrived many expedients to silence him, but all their efforts were baffled. At last they decided that they would call him a nigura, or person without a spiritual guide, and consequently an infidel, with the dubious moral character which that word in the estimation of the vulgar connotes, and that they would thus humble and shame him. Having heard of the Brahman's resolution and of Ramanand's fame Kabir sought him out and became his disciple.1
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When Kabir's foster-parents found they eould not restrain his Hindu proclivities, they determined to circumcise him. Upon this he uttered the following hymn :—
Whence have come the Hindus and Musalmans ? Who hath put them on their different ways ? l
Having thought and reflected in thy heart, answer this — who shall obtain heaven and who hell ?
Such readers and students as thou have failed ; none of them hath obtained knowledge.
Thou practisest circumcision for love of woman : ~ I shall never believe in it, O brother.
If God had desired to make me a Musalman, I should have been born ckcumcised.
If a man become a Musalman by circumcision, what is to be done to a woman ? 3
Thou puttest not away thy wife who is half thy body ; wherefore thou remainest a Hindu.
Give up thy books, O foolish man, and worship God ; thou practisest gross oppression.
Kabir hath laid hold of the prop of God ; the Musalmans have totally failed.4
When Kabir's mother found that his attention was directed to the worship of the God of the Hindus in opposition to the God of Islam, she raised loud complaints. Kabir paid no attention to her, but employed himself as usual in the repetition and remembrance of God's name.
Kabir continued to follow his trade, but at the same time received and served holy men and mendi-
" The Musalmans tell a fanciful story regarding the origin of circumcision by Abraham. He had two wives, and one exacted a promise from him that he would not approach the other under pain of death. He broke his promise, but his favourite wife, subduing her rage, expressed herself satisfied with his circumcision instead of the decapitation which had been stipulated.
cants. At this his mother was greatly distressed, and uttered the complaints versified in the first part of the following hymn : —
Thou art always rising early and bringing fresh l utensils ; thy life hath gone in plastering cooking squares ;
Thou payest no attention to thy weaving ; thou art engrossed in the pleasure of saying ' God, God '.
Who in our family hath ever uttered the name of Ram ? 2
Since this worthless 3 son of ours began to wear a rosary, we have had no peace.
Hear, wife of my eldest brother-in-law ; hear, wife of my youngest brother-in-law ; 4 a wonderful thing hath oc curred !
This boy hath ruined our weaving business ; 5 why is he not dead ?
Kabir replied as follows :—
The one God is the Lord of all happiness ; the guru hath granted me His name.
He preserved the honour of the saint6 Prahlad, and destroyed Harnakhas with Nar sink's nails.
Prahlad abandoned the gods 7 and ancestors 8 of his house, and embraced the instruction of his guru Narad.
Saith Kabir, God is the destroyer of all sin ; He saveth His saints.9
In Banaras, among opulent Hindus, sun-dried vessels are replaced daily. It is believed that the
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night renders them impure* Kabir was anxious to attract holy men, and followed the popular custom of daily renewing his cooking vessels and smearing his cooking places, The above hymn was written in Kabir 's youth.
One day he was selling a piece of cloth in the market-place. He asked five double paise for it, but no one would give him more than three. A broker came up, and, seeing that Kabir was undervaluing his cloth, began to assist him in its sale. The broker asked intending purchasers twelve double paise. They, forming an idea of the value of the cloth from the price put upon it by the seller, offered seven double paise, and at this sum a bargain was struck. Upon this Kabir uttered the following couplet : —
If I speak the truth, you beat me down ; the world is pleased with falsehood, A sheet worth five double paise is sold for seven.
Kabir kept his mind continually fixed on God, and worked sufficiently to maintain himself and his family. Another day, as he was standing in the market place selling cloth, a faqir came and begged for wherewithal to cover his nakedness. Kabir offered him half the cloth he had for sale. The faqir replied that that was not enough. Upon this Kabir gave him the whole. Kabir then reflected that his mother and family were waiting for the price of the cloth, and how could he return to them with empty hands ? He therefore decided to conceal himself and not return home. His people became very anxious regarding him.
Meantime God put it into the heart of a corn-mer chant to take ox-loads of food of every description to Kabir's house, so that his family might not suffer during his absence. Kabir's mother strenuously resented the offering, and said, ' My son will not take even a single grain of corn from any one. Who art thou who throwest such a quantity of provisions at
my door ? ' The merchant, however, heeded her not, but leaving all the provisions took his departure. Two or three men then went in quest of Kabir, and brought him home. When he saw the unexpected supplies and heard the circumstances, he knew it was all due to the kindness of God, and became highly pleased and grateful to the Giver. He then sent for some saints and distributed what he had received among them.
When the Brahmans of Banaras heard that Kabir had given hundreds of mans of corn to holy men, but not even one grain to themselves, they went in a body to his house and thus addressed him : * Weaver, thou hast become very proud of thy wealth, since, without any intimation to us, thou hast distributed provisions among low caste faqirs and Sudars. Leave this city at once, and take up thy residence elsewhere.' Kabir asked why he should leave the city. Had he broken into any one's house or committed highway robbery, that they sought to exile him ? The Brahmans replied that, since he had served and done honour to faqirs instead of them selves, it was an offence sufficient to merit expulsion from the city. * Say no more,' they continued, ' it is better for thee either to make us an offering or depart hence.' Kabir replied that his house was all he had, and they could take possession of it. Thus saying, he escaped from them, and again con cealed himself in a distant forest.1
Upon this some admirers of Kabir's sanctity, and sympathizers with his troubles, distributed among the Brahmans such an amount of money and pro visions that the name and praises of Kabir resounded throughout the whole city, and the Brahmans were highly delighted and gratified on finding their stomachs filled to repletion. After that, a holy man sought out Kabir, and asked him why he spent his days in the forest. ' Why goest thou not to thine
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own house ? Whoever goeth to thy door obtaineth money and provisions, and shall there be nothing for thee ? ' Kabir then went home, and, finding ample supplies for his family, was grateful for God's mercy and love. When the report of such good fortune and God's bounty was noised abroad, people went in great numbers to the saint. Finding his meditations interrupted by his visitors, he resorted to a singular expedient to blacken his own character and keep them at a distance.1 Pious people were scandalized, and said that, though Kabir had been a perfect saint, he must now be deemed a wicked man unfit for the association of the virtuous.
While Kabir 's desire for seclusion was thus fully attained, and people ceased to throng round him in numbers, ignorant people uttered reproaches and satirized him. Kabir went in strange guise to the king's court, and sat down in the midst of the assembly. The king and his courtiers, seeing his strange behaviour, treated him despitefully and ordered him out of their presence. The king, how ever, on reflection was ashamed of his hasty order and want of consideration for such a saint, not withstanding the strange guise he had adopted. The king then began to consider how his own sins could be pardoned. He put an axe on his shoulder and a bundle of firewood on his head, went bare footed with his queen into Kabir 's presence, and fell down with great humility and modesty at the saint's feet. Kabir pardoned his discourtesy, and showed him the way of devotion to God.