3o6 BHAGATS OF THE GRANTH SAHIB
From hail I melted into water, and flowing on I blended with the Ocean.1
CLXXVIII
Kabir, God having collected dust made bodies like a physician's powders —
Spectacles for four days, but after all they are only dust.
Kabir, all bodies are as the rising and setting of the sun and moon ; 2
But if they meet not God and the guru, they all turn into dust again.
Where the Fearless One is, there is no fear of others ; where there is fear, there God is not :
Kabir speaketh thus deliberately ; O saints, give me willing ear.
Kabir, they who know naught pass their time in the sleep of peace :
While they who think they know have their rill of trouble.
CLXXXII
Kabir, they who are subdued by worldly love utter many cries, but different is the cry of the pir : 3
Kabir who was struck on a vulnerable spot 4 fell where he stood.
CLXXXIII
Kabir, slight is the stroke of a lance ; though struck by it man may breathe for a time ;
But he who can endure the stroke of the Word is a guru,5 and I am his slave.
KABIR'S SLOKS 307
CLXXXIV
Kabir, why, O Mulla, ascendest thou the minaret ? the Lord is not deaf :
Search within thy heart for Him for whose sake thou callest to prayer.
Why doth the Shaikh who is without resignation, perform a pilgrimage to the Kaaba ?
Kabir, how can God be for him whose heart is not firm in his faith ?
CLXXXVI
Kabir, offer thy homage to God, by remembering whom trouble shall depart ;
The Lord will be manifest in thy heart, and the fire 1 which burneth thee shall be extinguished.
CLXXXVII
Kabir, to use force is tyranny though thou call it lawful ; When thine accounts are called for at God's office, what shall be thy condition ?
CLXXXVIII
Kabir, an excellent dinner is khichari 2 seasoned with sufficient salt to make it palatable ;
Who would cut his own throat by eating meat with his bread ? 3
CLXXXIX
Kabir, know that the guru will have touched thy heart when worldly love and ambition have been effaced ;
Joy and sorrow shall not then affect thee ; thou shall become God Himself.4
Kabir, there are different ways of saying Ram ; 5 there is one point to be considered :
X2
3o8 BHAGATS OF THE GRANTH SAHIB
He whom everybody calleth Ram was only a mounte bank.1
Kabir, call Him Ram who is omnipresent ; we must discriminate in mentioning the two Rams ;
The one Ram (God) is contained in all things ; the other (Ram Chandar) is only contained in one thing, himself.2
Kabir, in the house in which saints are not served God is not served ;
That house is like a cremation-ground, and ghosts dwell therein.
Kabir, I have become dumb, insane, deaf, And lame from the stroke of the true guru's arrow.
Kabir, the brave true guru shot an arrow at me ;
On its striking me I fell to the ground with a hole in my heart.3
Kabir, the pure rain of heaven 4 hath fallen on barren soil ;
compositions. Sometimes Har, Hari, Gobind, and other names are used, but it is understood that the reference is always to the Supreme God, the Lord of creation.
Kabir, there are different ways of uttering Ram ; in this there is an important point.
People in general utter Ram one way, and the saints another way.
Kabir, utter Ram, Ram, but use discrimination in uttering it. Some while doing so are engaged in their various pursuits while others are absorbed in the one God.
u That is, the guru's exhortation made an impression on my heart. 4 The true guru's instruction.
KABIR'S SLOKS 309
Know that without good association it becometh like the ashes of a furnace ;
But, Kabir, when the pure rain of heaven meeteth absorb ing soil,1
It cannot be removed, however much clever men may worry themselves.
Kabir, I was going on a pilgrimage to the Kaaba, and I met God on the way ;
The Lord fell a-quarrelling with me, ' Who ordered thee to go to that place ? '
CXCVIII
Kabir, I have often made the pilgrimage to the Kaaba — how many times, O Kabir ?
0 my Master, what fault have I committed that Thou wilt not speak to me ?
Kabir, when God produceth His record, what shall be the fate of him
Who violently killeth animals and calleth it lawful ?
Kabir, to use violence is tyranny ; God will call for thy defence ;
When thine account is produced from His office, thou shalt be beaten on the mouth.
Kabir, to render thine account is easy, if thy heart be pure ; In that True Court no one shall molest thee.2
ecu
Saith Kabir, O duality, in earth and heaven thou art very difficult to destroy ; 3
The six religious systems and the eighty-four Sidhs are involved in doubt.
Kabir, whatever there is in me is not mine ; whatever there is, is Thine, 0 God.
If Thine own property be rendered unto Thee, what doth it cost me ?
Kabir, by repeating, ' Thou, Thou,' I have become Thou, O God ; I have not remained in myself ; ; When the difference between Thee and me was removed, wherever I looked there wast Thou.
Kabir, man meditateth sin and entertaineth delusive hopes ;
None of his desires is satisfied ; he departeth in despair.
Kabir, he who remembereth God is happy in this world ; He whom the Creator protecteth wavereth not either in this world or the next.
Kabir, I was being pressed like a handful of sesame when the true guru rescued me ;
He came and appeared to me by primal and ancient destiny.
Kabir, my days have been spent in evading payment of my debts to God ; interest goeth on increasing ;
I worshipped not God, nor had I my account torn up when Death arrived.
Guru Arjan has here inserted the three following couplets :—
Kabir, man is a barking dog which runneth after carrion : 1 By grace I have obtained the true guru who hath delivered me.
KABIR'S SLOKS 311
OCX
Kabir, the earth belongeth to the holy, but thieves have taken possession of it ;
The earth feeleth not their weight ; to them it is clear gain.1
Kabir, on account of the husk rice is beaten with a mallet ; So when men sit in bad company, Dharmraj shall call them to account.
Here Kabir' s couplets continue :—
' O Namdev, worldly love hath bewitched thee,' said his friend Trilochan ;
' Why printest thou chintzes and thinkest not on God ? '
Namdev replied, c Repeat God's name with thy lips, O Trilochan,
' Perform all thy duties with thy hands and feet, but let thy heart be with God.'
Guru Arjan again interposes :—
1 am contained in Him who hath created this world.
Kabir's instructions are resumed :—
Kabir, when flour hath fallen into the mud, none of it is saved ;
It is that which is chewed while being ground that
availeth.2
Kabir, man knoweth everything, and yet he knowingly committeth sin ;
What advantage is it to a man to have a lamp in his hand if he fall into a well ?
Kabir, my love is for the Friend ; foolish people try to dissuade me ;
How can it be proper to break with Him to whom belong my life and soul ?
CCXVIII
Kabir, why killest thou thyself on account of houses, and mansions, and their decoration,
When three and a half cubits, or at most three and three quarters, shall be thy lot ?
Kabir, if God do not what I desire, what availeth my desiring it ;
God doeth what He Himself desireth, not what I desire.
The following couplet of Guru Amar Das, is here found :—
God produceth anxiety in man, and also freeth him therefrom ;
Nanak, praise Him who taketh care of all.
A couplet of Guru Arjan here follows :—
Kabir, man thinketh not of God ; he goeth astray through greed ;
He dieth committing sin, and his life is at an end in a moment.
Here Kabir's couplets continue : —
Kabir, the body is a frail vessel of only frail metal ;
KABIR'S SLOKS 313
If thou wish to make it permanent, worship God, other wise it will perish.
CCXXIII
Kabir, call out the name of God ; sleep not listlessly ; By calling out night and day God may sometime hear thy cries.
Kabir, the body is a plantain grove, the heart an elephant maddened by passion, which breaketh it down ;
The jewel of divine knowledge is the goad, and a rare saint the tamer l of the elephant.
Kabir, God's name is a jewel, the mouth a purse to hold it ; open it before him who can appreciate the jewel ;
If any purchaser be found, he may take it at a high price.2
Kabir, man knoweth not God's name while bringing up a numerous family ;
He dieth in the midst of his worldly duties, and is not heard of in the outer world.
CCXXVII
Kabir, in the twinkling of an eye and in a moment life passeth away ;
Since the mind freeth not itself from entanglements, Death beateth his drum, and leadeth away his victim in triumph.
CCXXVIII
Kabir, God is as a tree, abandonment of the world as its fruit ;
The saint who hath abandoned bootless discussions n as its shade.
Kabir, plant the seed of such a tree as shall bear perennial fruit,
Whose shade shall be cool, whose fruit shall be profuse, and on which birds l shall play.
Kabir, the Giver is a tree whose fruit is mercy which sheddeth favours on men ;
When the birds which it sheltereth migrate,2 they say 4 O Tree, mayest thou be fruitful ! '
Kabir, association with saints is obtained by destiny ; By such association the boon of salvation is obtained, and the difficult road to God not obstructed.
CCXXXII
Kabir, even for a ghari, half a ghari, or half that again, Converse held with the saints is clear gain.
CCXXXIII
Kabir, the mortals who eat bhang and fish 3 and drink wine,
Shall all go to hell, whatever pilgrimages, fastings, and daily devotion they may perform.
CCXXXIV
Kabir, if I cast down mine eyes and take the Friend into my heart,
I enjoy every pleasure with my Beloved, and I disclose this to no one.
The fifth Guru here interposes :—
KABIR'S SLOKS 315
For the eight watches, the sixty-four gharis of the day, my soul looketh towards Thee, O God.
Why cast down mine eyes since I behold the Beloved in every heart ?
CCXXXVI
Hear, my companions, either my soul dwelleth in my Beloved or my Beloved in my soul.
I know not whether my soul is in my heart, or my Beloved dwelleth in my soul.
CCXXXVII
Kabir, the Brahman is the guru of the world, but he is not the guru of the saints ;
He killeth himself over the perplexities of the four Veds.
CCXXXVIII
God is as sugar scattered in the sand, but the elephant cannot pick it up ;
Saith Kabir, the guru gave this excellent advice, ' Become an ant and eat it.' 1
CCXXXIX
Kabir, if thou desire the Beloved, cut off thy head and make it into a ball ; 2
While playing attain such a state of ecstasy that thou shalt be satisfied with whatever happen eth thee.
Kabir, if thou desire the Beloved, play with a true guru ; If unripe oil-seeds be pressed, neither oil-cake nor oil will be obtained.3
Here a couplet of Namdev is introduced :—
Man searching for God stumbleth like a blind man and recognizeth not the saint ;
Saith Namdev, how shalt thou obtain God without the mediation of His saints ?
The following lines of Rav Das are here inserted : —
He who forsaking God the diamond yearneth for other gods,
Shall go to hell, verily saith Rav Das.
CCXLIII
O Kabir, if thou embrace a domestic life, act honestly ; otherwise abandon the world ;
But if any one, having abandoned the world, again become entangled with it, great indeed shall be his mis fortune.
RAV DAS
RAV DAS is the author of many hymns in the Granth Sahib. He was certainly a disciple of Rama- nand and a contemporary of Kabir, but otherwise there is nothing known regarding his precise date, parentage, or place of birth. When Rav Das arrived at years of discretion he began to wait on saints. He used to present them with everything he could procure from his father's house. His father was displeased at this and gave him a separate place of residence. Though his father's wealth and means were considerable, yet he gave nothing whatever to his son. The latter, who by this time had entered the married state, supported himself and his wife by making shoes, and lived very happily. Whenever he saw a holy man he supplied him gratuitously with covering for his feet. He afterwards built a hut, set up in it an idol which he had made from
RAV DAS 317
a hide, and applied himself to its worship. When he was reproached for making an idol out of a hide, he defended himself by descanting on the various advan tages of hides. Drums used in worship were made from hides. The cow held sacred by Hindus had a hide. God is contained in animals which have hides, &c., &c. Rav Das was ever immersed in his devotions, a circumstance which led to the abandonment of his trade and the deterioration of his circumstances. He soon presented all the external marks of poverty and hard life, yet his heart was glad and happy in the contemplation of God. It was during this period of distress that a holy man desired to render him assist ance. Rav Das gave him bread to eat and lavished every attention on him. His visitor in return pre sented him with a philosopher's stone, explained its qualities, and told him to keep it carefully. Rav Das replied that he did not require it, as his property and wealth consisted in the name of God. When the visitor saw that Rav Das absolutely coveted nothing, he implored him to accept the philosopher's stone. Rav Das told him he might leave it in the thatch of his house, by which he meant that the article was not worth acceptance. The visitor obeyed Rav Das and departed. On that occasion Rav Das composed the following hymn : -
God's name is the great wealth of God's saints ;
Day by day it increaseth and in no way decreaseth.
Nothing can steal it either by day or night ; its possessor sleepeth secure in his home.
O God, what need of a stone hath he who possesseth this wealth ?
After the lapse of thirteen months the visitor returned and found Rav Das in the same circum stances as before. He asked him what had become of the philosopher's stone. Rav Das replied, ' It must be where thou didst put it ; I have been afraid to touch it.' Upon this the visitor took it from the
3i8 BHAGATS OF THE GRANTH SAHIB
thatch and departed, fully satisfied that Rav Das desired no earthly wealth.
One day the saint found five gold coins in a basket employed to hold accessories of worship. The result was that he began to fear even devotion to God, lest it might bring him wealth. Then God said to him in a vision, ' Although thou absolutely desirest nothing, yet accept the wealth I give thee now/ Rav Das promised to do so. A pious admirer gave him money with which he built a sara, or rest- house, wherein he entertained holy men. He then built a temple and so decorated it with a canopy, fringes, cords of gold lace, wall lamps, chandeliers, &c., that visitors on seeing its beauty became en chanted. After that Rav Das built a two-storied house for himself on the site of the hut he had hitherto used as a temple, and there he continued to worship with perfect love.
Rav Das experienced the ordinary fate of men suddenly enriched. The Brahmans, through envy and jealousy, complained to the king of Banaras that there was no authority in the Shastars for a shoemaker to make an image of God, yet Rav Das had without any fear or compunction set up such an image and was worshipping it and offering it homage. He ought therefore to be made to suffer for his pre sumption. The king summoned Rav Das, but was so much impressed with the dignity and reasonable ness of his defence that he found no difficulty in immediately declaring him guiltless of any offence against religion.
Jhali, the Queen of Chitaur, hearing of Rav Das's fame, visited him and became a disciple of his. At this her attendant Brahmans waxed highly indignant. They said that the queen had lost her reason, and they went and complained of her to the Rana, her husband, who had accompanied her to Banaras. He sent for Rav Das, and heard the charges of the assembled Brahmans against him. They repre-
RAV DAS 319
sented the supreme importance of caste, and the impropriety of allowing a shoemaker to usurp a higher spiritual or social position than that in which he had been born. Rav Das replied, ' What is dear to God is devotion ; He payeth no heed to caste.* Upon this the Brahmans proposed to refer the matter to the arbitrament of prayer. They read the Veds for three full hours and repeated many spells, but did not succeed in inducing God to persuade the Rana of Rav Das's guilt. When it came to Rav Das's turn, he said, ( O Great King, be true to thy name of Pardoner of sinners.' He then sang a couple of stanzas. The first line of the first stanza is : —
0 come without delay or call me unto Thee. The first lines of the second stanza are : —
O God of gods, I Thy protection crave ; Have mercy on me, knowing me Thy slave.
The Rana was easily convinced of Rav Das's innocence and expressed himself accordingly. Upon this it is said all present became believers in Rav Das's sanctity.
After that Queen Jhali left Banaras, and returned to her kingdom, where she decided on holding a thanks giving festival. With great modesty and humility she invited Rav Das to be pleased to attend it. He accepted her invitation and went to Chitaur. His visit afforded her intense pleasure. She distributed a large sum of money in alms on the occasion, and invited the principal Brahmans of her state to meet the holy man. The Brahmans knew that the queen's guru had been a shoemaker, and it would be better for them to take raw provisions of their own and cook them than partake of food proffered by the queen. They accordingly had food cooked for them selves, but, when they sat down to eat it, it is said, they saw Rav Das seated between every two of them. They then believed in his divine mission and fell at his feet. It is stated that he gained many
disciples on that occasion. Rav Das composed the following after the entertainment :—
Clever men,1 I am notoriously a tanner by caste, But in my heart I meditate on God.
If wine be made even with Ganges water, you holy men will not drink it ;
But if wine which is impure, or other liquid be put into Ganges water, the latter will not be altered.2
The palmyra palm-tree, sirs, is admittedly impure,3 as its leaves 4 are also deemed ;
But if God's words be written thereon, men will worship it and bow before it.
My trade is dressing and cutting leather and daily remov ing dead cattle round about Banaras.
Yet prominent Brahmans now prostrate themselves before me, since I, the slave Rav Das, have sought the shelter of Thy name, 0 God.
Rav Das is said to have been such a perfect saint of God that his conversation and poetry were like suns to dispel the darkness of doubt and infidelity. He performed the meritorious acts prescribed in the Veds and the Shastars. Orientals believe that if milk mixed with water be placed before a swan, it can by its peculiar bill separate both, and drink only the milk. In the same way Rav Das selected virtue from vice, made choice of good acts and avoided things forbidden.