On Hymns of Kabir

Maharaj Kirpal Singh tells us that the Saints lead the seeking souls into the life of the spirit “each in his own time, according to the then prevailing conditions and people’s aspirations; for they (Masters) always try to lead them from the line of least resistance and dole out the basic goodness in terms that may readily appeal to and fit in with their mental make-up, for a step higher in the process of evolution or unfoldment of the of the spirit.”

When Hazur Sawan Singh instructed Baba Somanath to leave the Dera and return to South India to propagate the teaching of Sant Mat, He said: “Somanath, the body in which your soul dwells is highly suitable for spreading the teaching of Sant Mat in South India for you have both the understanding of the ways of the people of the South and with the Grace of the Masters have perfected the meditation after passing through every lower stage of the journey. Go and commence the work of Satsang.”

We find that Baba Somanath’s Satsangs are filled with a wealth of words, names, places and concepts from the Sanskrit epics like the Ramayana and the Mahabharat, from Hindu traditions prevalent at the time of His mission, and from Vedanta and other branches of Indian philosophy. To translate this feast of spirituality into English with no reference to His original words would be disservice to His meaning and to the deep devotional atmosphere that pervades His discourses. Further, Baba Somanath loved to draw on puns and folk etymology to explain complex spiritual truths to His sangat that was comprised, to a large degree, of farmers and mill workers; and much of His meaning would be lost without reference to the original Hindi.  Therefore, many Hindi and Sanskrit words appear in the translations, and it may be helpful here to say a few words about the methodology employed to transliterate them.

The transliteration scheme used in these Satsangs has one goal — to give an intuitive approximation of the correct pronunciation of the Hindi sounds for readers who are unfamiliar with the sound systems of Indian languages. The transliteration follows the familiar pattern used in the bhajan book In Praise of Kirpal. A little extra information has been added with diacritics drawn from IAST (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration) and from other established historic usage. If you encounter an unfamiliar Hindi word, diacritics can offer clues to how that word is pronounced.

VOWELS
If you are going to remember only one thing while reading the transliterated Hindi, let it be the distinction between the short “a” (as in “alive”) and the long “ā” (as in “father).  Short vowels have no added diacritic. Long vowels have a dash (macron) above the vowel. You can safely ignore everything else about the transliteration scheme and do just fine. 

If you are up for a little more detail, here is the full list of long and short vowels:

a   as in alive, achieve

ā   as in calm, mom

i    as in sit, knit

ī    as in sweet, Rita

u   as in foot, brook

ū   as in school, rule

And to round out the vowels, here’s what remains:

e         like hay, rain (but not a diphthong, that is, no “ee” sound at the end)

ai        like west, zest (regionally, may also be pronounced like cat, sat)

au       like draw, shawl

ri/rhi  pronounced like “ri” in ridge or “ru” in ruse, depending on the region

An informational side note here: all Hindi vowels (with the exception of the vocalic “ri”) can be nasalized. You don’t need to give much attention to this point, but just be aware that when you see a vowel with a tilde (ã, ẽ, ĩ, õ, ũ, aĩ, aũ, ā̃, ī̃, etc.) it means the vowel is nasalized. If you are a French speaker this will be a snap for you, because nasalized vowels are common in French (bon, maison, lavande, Antibes). Otherwise, you can think of vowels pronounced through the nose with a country and western twang.

CONSONANTS
Consonants should be fairly intuitive and should not present any difficulty. Simply pronounce them as you would in English and you’ll be fine.  

But if you’d like to know a little more about the sound systeml, read on…

A distinction that you may already be familiar with from In Praise of Kirpal is that some consonants are followed by a “h”, indicating that Hindi speakers pronounce those letters with an extra puff of air (aspirated). You can safely disregard this extra aspiration and pronounce “th” as “t,” or “dh” as “d” and so forth.

Also, sometimes you’ll notice a dot under a consonant. These dots usually indicate retroflex sounds, that is, consonants pronounced slightly farther back in the mouth than their equivalent English consonants.  In fact, the English pronunciation is already close enough to the Hindi retroflex to make it an acceptable substitute. (The one tricky set is “ṛ” and “ṛh.”  You can just pronounce them both as the “r” in “rhyme” and be close enough. You can also approximate the “ṛ” sound more closely by pronouncing it as the “rd” in the word “Urdu.” The tongue bends back, strikes the palate and flips forward. But, unless you are actually learning to speak Hindi, there is no need to master that sound set.)

Sometimes, the dots with consonants can indicate a Perso-Arabic sounds in loan words. These words are common in Sufi literature and in the ecumenical Sant literature drawn, as it is, from a vast array of religious traditions. If you encounter these letters, you can just pronounce them as you would in English and disregard the dots. (For instance, kḥ is usually pronounced simply as “kh” in modern standard Hindi, but the Perso-Arabic letter actually sounds like the “ch” in the Scottish “loch” or the German “Bach.”)

Nasal consonants have been simplified. All nasal consonants are transcribed as “n”, “m”, or “ṇ” (retroflex n). We have already mentioned that nasalized vowels are marked with a tilde (ã, ĩ, õ, etc.)  No distinction is made for ṅ, and ñ; both are transliterated as “n”. Usually, no distinction is made within a word between between anusvāra and anunāsika. Final anunāsika is transcribed as the appropriate vowel with a tilde rather than using the IAST transcription “ṃ”.

Also, IAST transliterates regular “sh” as “ś” and retroflex “sh” as “ṣ”.  Since most readers would be unfamiliar with IAST conventions, we have chosen to use regular “sh” as “sh” and retroflex “sh” as “ṣh”.

It is worth mentioning the letter “v.” In some regions, “v” is pronounced as “w” and is often represented in English spellings of Hindi words as “w,” for instance, in the word “Swami.” So, in the case of “v,” we use “v” when specifically transliterating a Hindi word, but in the text, we stick with the English spelling for words such as “Swami” that have a commonly accepted English form. 

Finally, we don’t usually add diacritics to commonly known words such as “prana.” But if those words appear in lists where diacritics are necessary for unfamiliar words, we add diacritics to everything for consistency, for instance, in this sequence describing the koshas or sheaths: “annamaya, the food sheath; prāṇamaya, the sheath of the vital airs; manomaya, the mental sheath; vigyānamaya, the sheath of knowledge, with two aspects, gyān and vigyān (gyānamaya, concerned with knowledge of the material planes and vigyānamaya, concerned with enlightenment in the spiritual planes)  and, lastly, anandamaya, the sheath of bliss, the final gossamer-thin kosha covering the soul.”

SANSKRIT vs. HINDI

The inherent “a” at the end of words is silent in modern Hindi, and so is not usually transcribed. However, it may be included for words taken directly from Sanskrit. Visarga is transcribed as ḥ, but again it is confined to Sanskrit words. The Sanskrit conjunct “jña” is transcribed as “gya” which is the more common modern pronunciation.

For the grammatical form of Sanskrit words in the text, we have been guided by Baba Somanath’s own usage. For instance, He usually favors “ātmā” (nominative singular) over “ātman” (the neutral “dictionary” form) to indicate “soul” or “self,” and we follow His lead.

Kabir Sahib

If you have the yearning to meet God,
Keep your love absorbed in Him every moment.

Tujhe hai shauk milane kā, to hardam lau lagāte jā

तुझे है शौक मिलने का, तो हरदम लौ लगाता जा ।
जलाकर ख़ुदनुमाई को, भसम तन पर रमाता जा ।।
पकड़कर इश्क की झाड़ू, सफ़ाकर हुज्र-ए-दिल को ।
दुई की धूल को लेकर, मुसल्लेह पर उड़ाता जा ।।
तोड़कर फेंक दे तस्बीह, किताबें डाल पानी में ।
मुताले जो किया कुछ है, वह दिल से सब भुलाता जा ।।
न मर भूखा, न कर रोज़ा, ना जा मस्जिद में कर सिजदा ।
वज़ू का तोड़ कर  कूजा, शराब-ए-शौक  पीता  जा ।।
न हो मुल्ला, न बन बह्मन, दुई का तर्क कर झगड़ा ।
हुकुमनामा कलंदर का, अनल हक तू सुनाता जा ।।

                        (Source not located)

If you have the yearning to meet God, keep your love absorbed in Him every moment.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. By yearning, He means that your aim in life is to meet God and that you have true love for Him. We people are in love with the world. Day and night, all our efforts are directed towards the outer things, and since we are tied up only in the worldly work, we have become the very image of the world.  But now we must reverse the direction of our endeavors. One power is changeable; the other is permanent and immovable. Because our attention has remained extroverted, we have become disconnected from the inner, unchanging Power. Remaining engaged day and night with the impermanent creations of Maya, our attention is always vacillating from one thing to another.

Now, we need to extricate our thoughts from things external and direct our yearning towards the Power of Truth and Unchangeable Permanence within. This is what is called true love.  If you have true love in your heart and the longing to meet the Lord, then banish the outer thoughts and desires from your within. With deep love and fixed purpose, keep your attention riveted on the Lord. In that way alone can you severe your connection with this world.

You cannot hope to meet the Beloved Lord within while you remain a slave to the worldly pursuits. Your attention will be torn in two directions, and you will accomplish nothing. In the beginning, when the longing to meet God first arises within us, our heart is still weak; we feel the pull of the outer world. But as we go forward on our spiritual quest, we gradually grasp the principles of spirituality and apply them to our life. When we do the practices enjoined by the Guru and experience the Lord within, then our condition undergoes a radical change — the love within us no longer clings to this outer world, and we are drawn, as if by a magnet, towards the Beloved within.

Burn to ashes your boastfulness and pride; then smear those ashes over your body.

Direct your longing towards Him within, to such a degree that you forget all thought of this world. Burn away every worldly desire and then take the sacred ash of true love that remains and smear that over the limbs of your body. Then only One Love remains — both without and within. Do you think you can dabble a little here, there, everywhere? My friend, you won’t get anywhere in this way. When the Lord Himself is only One, how can you hope to meet Him till you have become unified within?  Pride of the body, intellectual vanity, gross material thoughts, and arrogance — until you remove these from your within, how can you hope to merge into Oneness? He is only One — to meet Him, you must also become one.

The sacred ash of true love removes all the worldly thoughts. When the rays of True Love dawn within your heart, that divine Light of Love is the sacred ash that purifies your whole being. Outwardly, we may collect some ash from the hearth and smear that ash over our body; we think that is all there is to it. But this is not what Kabir Sahib means by bhasm or sacred ash.

Take up the broom of love, and sweep the chamber of your heart.

Taking the broom of love in your hand, clean the temple of your heart. No filth or garbage should accumulate there. What is that garbage? The worldly thoughts and attachments. We must take up the broom of the Lord’s love and sweep the heart clean. Only when we have made our hearts clean, can the Lord — who is immaculate and pure — manifest there.  He is already residing there, but He will manifest. We don’t need to bring some other lord from outside. The false worldly thoughts come from outside and fill up our within. But the Almighty Lord is already innate in our within; He does not descend from some other realm.

Collect the dust of duality and whisk it away with your prayer mat.

Duality is the root of all suffering. What is duality? The sense of “I and you. Mine and yours.” Examine the worldly thoughts carefully, and you will realize that the form of this world is duality — “I and you. Mine and yours.” Sweep away this dust of duality.  Then that Power — the form of Oneness —will manifest within you.

No one is tormenting you from outside. No one has ensnared you in this world. No one has clapped you in the chains of birth and death.  You imprisoned yourself here when you lost your inner yearning and directed all your strength towards fulfilling the worldly desires. And because all the outer things are perishable, time and again you go on revolving through the wheel of transmigration. This is all your own doing. 

Break the rosary and toss it out; throw your books into the water.

Kabir Sahib tells us, “Forgetting this inner secret and losing the true understanding, you go on performing rites and rituals, but to no avail. Your efforts are all futile. That rosary you are turning, break it and toss it away; all those books you have collected, throw them into the water — then, proceed on this Path.” What do you find in the books? Your own intellect perceives the words written there and imparts meaning to them. You pile up hollow words in your within, and the Truth remains far away.

All that you have learned up till now, expunge it from your heart.

Empty your heart of all its previous impressions. Your heart is filled with the thoughts and desires you have accumulated throughout this lifetime — from childhood up to the present moment. All these impressions are stored in your heart.  Now, if you wish to connect your love with the Almighty Lord, you must remove all of these impressions from your within. Then your heart will become open and unattached. When you remember the Lord with an open heart, the Power of the Lord will manifest within you. 

If the thief is already in your house and you are still standing guard at the door with your gun, do you think that thief within will not plunder you? When at heart of hearts, we are already filled up with worldly thoughts, vanity of the body, sorrow and happiness, concern over honor and disgrace, do you think we can protect our wealth of spirituality through a few outer practices?  My friend, how is this possible?

You don’t need to fast and die of hunger; you don’t need to prostrate yourself in the mosque to pray.

We do not need to go hungry. We do not need to keep the vrat (Hindu fast) or the rozā (Muslim fast). In our Hindu religion, we celebrate numerous religious festivals:  Ekadashī,1The eleventh day of each lunar fortnight; considered a spiritual day, often observed by a partial fast Shivarātrī,2An annual festival commemorating the night when Shiva performs his heavenly dance and many others. On those days, we observe the sacred fast, and then the following day, we eat double the amount of food. So, what was the point of keeping that fast?

Likewise, during the month of Ramadan, the Muslims abstain from food and drink during the day, but at night they drink and eat meat and other flesh foods. During the daytime, fasting is prescribed, but at night there is no such restriction. From dawn till dusk, they keep the fast, but break it after nightfall. This is the state of affairs. Therefore, Kabir Sahib tells us: “There is no need to go hungry. You don’t need to observe the rozā; neither do you need to observe the vrat at Ekadashī or Dvādashī.”3Twelfth day of the lunar fortnight Devotion is a subject of love. Fix your attention at the Lord’s door, and cry to Him with a heart full of yearning. This is what is meant by true love — never abandon this Path.

Where do the devout Muslims offer namāz (prayers)? In the mosque. But that outer mosque that is built by human hands is not the true mosque. The real mosque lies within our hearts. In that mosque, we should offer the ceaseless namāz — our deep and undivided love for the Lord.   

Smash the sacred pot for performing ablutions; go on drinking the wine of God’s love.

Vuzū4Also referred to in Arabic as wuḍū. is a purificatory practice. Before performing namāz, the Muslims take water and perform a ritual ablution, working from the right side of the body to the left. This is called vuzū.  Kabir Sahib says that you should smash the vessel used for the vuzū practice and drink the wine of love; day and night drink the Lord’s intoxicating nectar of Naam. When you go on imbibing this elixir of love, the taste for the sense pleasures and worldly Maya goes away by itself.  You become consumed in the intoxication of the Lord and the intoxication of the world fades. Now we are dyed in the taste of the worldly things — enjoyment, luxury, comfort. But once we drink the nectar of Naam, the taste of the world loses all its savor.

Don’t become a Mullah; don’t become a Brahmin; lost in disputes
of duality, they clash with one another.

There is no need to become a Mullah or a Brahmin.  Recognize their real condition, and give up this idea. You could become a Brahmin; you could become a Mullah — but what difference is there between them? Both are entangled in the same labyrinth of illusion.

The qalandar (saint) issues this decree: Ceaselessly proclaim “anal-haq.”

The qalandar speaks the Hukam or decree of the Lord: Repeat “anal-haq.” “Anal-haq” means: I am the Truth — I am God. Sat Naam and the Hukam of God are two names for one and the same Power. Repeat “anal-haq” day and night.

Audio: H006, 00:00

Kabir Sahib

I have become the mastana of love. What need do I have of cleverness?

Haman hãi ishq mastānā, haman ko hoshiyāri kyā 

हमन हैं इश्क मस्ताना, हमन को होशियारी क्या ।
रहें आज़ाद हम जग से, हमन दुनिया से यारी क्या ।। १ ।।
जो बिछुड़े हैं पिया रे से, भटकते दर बदर फिरते ।
हमारा यार है हम में, हमन को इंतिज़ारी क्या ।। २ ।।
खलक़ सब नाम अपने को, बहुत कुछ सिर पटकता है ।
हमन गुरु नाम साँचा है, हमन दुनिया से यारी क्या ।। ३ ।।
न पल बिछुड़ें पिया हम से, न हम बिछुड़ें पिया रे से ।
उन्हीं से नेह लागी है, हमन को बेक़रारी क्या ।। ४ ।।
कबीरा इश्क़ का माता, दुई को दूर कर दिल से ।
जो चलना राह नाज़ुक है, हमन सिर बोझ भारी क्या ।। ५ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 1
Virah aur Prem, shabd 25

I have become the mastana (madman) of love. What need do I have of cleverness?

When you cherish the Naam of the Lord and hold His Form in your heart, then His Love awakens within you. In this intoxicated state, you proclaim: “I have become so mad in the love of my Lord that the world is forgotten. Now, what relationship do I have with the world?” 

I am freed from the outer shackles. What friendship do I have with this world?

“I have become free. I am liberated from all bonds.” As long as you preserve your connection with the world, you remain enslaved.

Whoever is separated from the Beloved wanders lost from door to door.

When you become separated from the Lord, fear takes possession of your heart. You wander from door to door in this world, begging for worthless things. You start to fret: “If I don’t perform this deed or that, what will happen? What must I accomplish tomorrow? What should I do in the future?”  Fear has made its home in your within.  The root cause of all this trouble is separation from God.  Separation brings fear in its wake. Maya is a mirage. Trying to lay hold of that illusory Maya, we stumble from door to door.

But my friend resides within me. 
What need do I have to look for Him outside?

When we direct our yearning toward the Lord over and over, we become His very form.  Then we say, “He has become my true Friend. I have no more need to wait for His coming. If He were separate from me, then I would have to search for Him and wait for Him. But I am in Him, and He is in me. So now what is the point of seeking Him?  Where would I search, and who would I wait for?”  

Trying to make a name for themselves, everyone beats their head against the wall.

The devotees suffer in separation because they have not yet understood the full perfection of the Lord; they have not yet experienced His real greatness. Searching for Naam outside, everyone is beating their head against the wall.  Some go to bathe at the holy places of pilgrimage; some build dharamshalas, 5Rest houses for travelers some distribute food and money to the needy, some bow down at sacred sites, this and that. But such actions cannot be called real philanthropy. No doubt you accrue benefit from your righteous deeds, but the truly righteous deed is to experience the Lord’s Oneness within; becoming absorbed in that Oneness is the real philanthropy. [tape ends]

[remainder of bani]

For me the Guru’s Name is true. What friendship do I have with the world?

Never for a moment is my Beloved separated from me, nor am I separated from my Beloved.

The string of love binds my heart to His. How could I feel restless or impatient?

Becoming intoxicated in that love, Kabir has banished all duality from his heart.

Why lug a heavy burden on your head when the Path you have to tread is as fragile as air?

Audio: H006, 14:08

Kabir Sahib
Sheer, delicate shawl, so finely woven

Jhīnī jhīnī bīnī chadariyā

झीनी झीनी बीनी चदरिया ।। टेक ।।
काहे कै ताना काहे कै भरनी, कौने तार से बीनी चदरिया ।। १ ।।
इँगला पिंगला ताना भरनी, सुषमन तार से बीनी चदरिया ।। २ ।।
आठ कँवल दल चरखा डोलै, पाँच तत्त गुन तीनी चदरिया ।। ३ ।।
साँई को सियत मास दस लागे, ठोक ठोक के बीनी चदरिया ।। ४ ।।
सो चादर सुर नर मुनि ओढ़ी, ओढ़ी के मैली कीन्ही चदरिया ।। ५ ।।
दास कबीर जतन से ओढ़ी, ज्यों की त्यों धर दीन्ही चदरिया ।। ६ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Śhabdāvalī, bhāg 1
Chitāvani aur Updeśh, Bhed Bānī, śhabd 15

Sheer, delicate shawl, so finely woven,
What is its warp and what its weft? What fiber forms the strands?

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji.  What a miracle that the Almighty Lord has made this shawl of the human body.  All other shawls are made of cloth. We may dye them with some colors to form a design; still there is nothing special about such shawls. But the shawl of the body is fashioned by the Great Weaver Himself, and no one else has the skill to create it. The makeup of this body is so subtle and complex that we cannot add even one hair to it. If one of our hairs falls out, even if a hundred doctors exert all their skill, still they cannot restore that hair to our body. 

With His great power and competence, the Almighty Lord Himself has made this beautiful shawl — so delicate and fine. Therefore, Kabir Sahib says: “What warp has He chosen and what weft has He filled it with? How could anyone fashion such a garment?”  Now He describes to us how the Almighty wove this shawl.

The yarn stretched on the loom is called tānā — the warp. The yarn that fills the warp, that is woven into the warp to form the fabric, is called bānā — the weft. What are these yarns made of?  What thread has been plied and twisted to form their strands? He explains all this to us in great detail. 

Ingla forms the warp, pingla forms the weft that fills it, sushumna is the thread from which they are spun — thus the shawl is woven.

In the language of the Shastras, the subtle veins in the forehead are called इड़ा iṛā and पिंगला piṅgalā.  But in everyday Hindi, we just say ingla-pingla. He tells us these subtle veins are located on the right and left sides of our forehead — ingla on the left and pingla on the right. From these two veins emanate lesser veins that carry the lifeforce and empower our hands, feet, stomach, head and so forth. But the vein supporting all the others is the shuṣhumna naḍi in the center of the forehead. The shuṣhumna naḍi is one and from it arise the other two major veins (ingla-pingla) through which the entire body comes into being.

He turns the spinning wheel of the eight-petalled lotus, twisting the five elements and the three gunas into yarn.

Upon crossing the seventh chakra, we encounter the eight-petalled lotus (the third eye). From that source, the entire shawl of the body draws its power. And because of that power, the body can move and speak and walk. Drawing power from this source, the five physical elements,6Pañch bhūt — the five gross elements or tattvas: prithvī (earth), jal (water), agni (fire/light), vāyu (air), and ākāsh (ether) three gunas, twenty-five prakritis, ten indris and five subtle elements7Pañch vishay — the five subtle elements or tanmātras: gandh (smell), ras (taste), rūp (sight; perceives forms), sparśh (touch), śhabd (sound) carry on all the other functions. In this way, the Master Weaver creates the shawl of the body.

It takes the Lord ten months to fashion it. Thunk, thunk — His shuttle flies back and forth. Thus the shawl is woven.

It takes ten months to weave this shawl. Just like cloth is woven, in the same way, the Lord works very hard for ten months weaving that shawl. No one sees Him working, but after ten months that shawl is ready. And who has woven it, no one knows.

Gods, men and sages alike wrap themselves in that shawl, but wearing it they soil and defile its delicate fabric.

All the yakhshas and gandharvas, all the human beings, men and women alike, wear this shawl. The whole creation — Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh, the 33 million gods and goddesses, and the beings in the seven nether regions and below — all are wrapped in this shawl.  But whoever puts it on sullies it and then tosses it away. No one cleanses it. Whoever wears it, stains it and makes it dirty. If they were to wash it and make it clean again that would be beneficial. But they don’t even understand how to wash the cloth. They need to find some skilled Washerman.  

We wrap ourselves in that shawl, we make it filthy, and then throw it away. This is the reason we go on revolving endlessly in the cycle of birth and death.  The Lord has woven this shawl, and if we could only understand how to treat it properly and offer it back to him pure and unstained, then we would never again have to take rebirth. But instead, we go on making the shawl dirty and so over and over again, we have to come into this world.

The servant Kabir handles it with great care and returns it to the Lord as spotless and immaculate as when he received it.

Now Kabir Sahib explains to us: “I also put on this shawl, just like you, but I have kept my shawl spotlessly clean. When I offered it back to the Lord, that shawl was like brand new. I washed the pride from this body and so I will never have to take birth in this world again.  The pure, spotless shawl that the Lord entrusted to me, I offered back to Him just as He had gave it. 

Audio: H013, 00:00

Kabir Sahib

A sweet fruit grows high in the treetops; who can climb up to pick it?

Phal miṭha pai ūnchā tarabar
फल मीठा पै ऊँचा तरबर, कौनि जतन करि लीजै ।
नेक निचोड़ सुधा रस वा को, कौनि जुगति से पीजै ।।१।।
पेड़ बिकट है महा सिलहिला, अगह गह्यो नहिं जावै ।
तन मन डारि चढ़े सरधा से, तब वा फल के खावै ।।२।।
बहुतक लोग चढ़े बिन भेदै, देखी देखा याँहीं ।
रपटि पाँव गिरि परे अधर तें, अइ परे भुइँ माहीं ।।३।।
सत्त सब्द के खूँटे धरि पग, गहि गुरु-ज्ञानहिं डोरा ।
कहैं कबीर सुनो भाइ साधो, तब बा फल को तोरा ।।४।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 1
Chitāvani aur Updesh, 16

A sweet fruit grows high in the treetops; who can climb up to pick it?

He says that fruit is exceedingly sweet — no other sweetness can compare with it. But that fruit is growing high in the treetops, far above all the other fruits. Only a rare soul can pick that fruit; no one else can climb so high.

Only a true one who knows the method to extract that nectar can drink it.

The juice of that fruit is nectar. Only if you have found the Truth and follow the correct method can you drink that nectar. Until you are true through and through, you won’t get the juice of that fruit. You will drink a very different “nectar.”  If falsehood has taken up residence within you, then you will pick only the fruit of falsehood.  To reach the fruit of Truth, you must be true yourself.  When the amrit of the True Naam manifests in your within, only then can you drink the nectar from the fruit of Truth.

Climbing that tree is an arduous task; its trunk is very slippery.
Each time you try to climb higher, you slide back down again.

This tree is so slippery that as soon as you place your foot on its trunk, you slip right down into the nether worlds. Only a rare, brave one, who takes the support of the Satguru and the Naam, can climb this tree. If you attempt it on your own, without surrendering to the Satguru, you climb up a little way, but then slip back down and break your bones. You exert for a while and then declare: “This bhakti is not for me. Maybe more spiritual people can succeed at it, but I’m through with it. I’ve been trying for ten years, twenty years, and I haven’t achieved anything at all. I’m going to forget all about it; that’s the thing to do. If I go on like this I will get nothing from the devotion or the world either. Let me at least enjoy some worldly pleasures while I’m here.” Thinking like this, our foot slips yet again; we fall down and our bones are crushed. But the devotees who rely on the Master, who persevere with regularity and determination, they can climb up that tree and taste that fruit. Others are only indulging in wishful thinking.

Many people become satsangis; but only by doing the meditation with accuracy and regularity can you move forward. Now we sit for meditation and we fix our attention — that is like placing our foot on the tree trunk to climb upward. But right away, when some thought of the world comes, we slip and fall back down. Many years pass by like this. Yes, the meditation is going on after a fashion, but we are accomplishing nothing. When we try to meditate we fall asleep, or we are assailed by pride, or we are overtaken by worldly thoughts. Then thud, our devotion comes to an abrupt halt.

Toss aside pride of body and mind, ascend with reverence and humility,
Then you will taste that fruit.

Now, He tells us, renounce pride of both body and mind. Become the servant, the lowly one. Then you will climb up to the branch where that fruit is hanging and will partake of its nectar. Until that feeling of humility and lowliness takes root in your heart, how can you progress on your quest? My friend, if you are seeking worldly grandeur, well, how many times have you already achieved that in past births?  The thing you want you have already had in abundance. It is that very sense of self-importance that you must eradicate through the bhakti. If you are doing the devotion just to become great in the eyes of the world, what can you hope to achieve through your practice? All you will gain is another revolution in the wheel of 84 lakh births and deaths.  Kabir tells us:

ऊँचा ऊँचा सब कोई चाले, नीचे चाले न कोई,
जो कोई प्राणी नीचे चाले, वो सबसे ऊँचा होई ।

Everyone wishes for greatness;
No one wants to be the lowly one.
But the soul that treads the path of humility,
Becomes the most exalted of all.

Until we become lowly, we can’t rise up higher. All the yogis, gyanis, jatis, and so forth have this thought: “Let me be the greatest of all.”  In our earthly sojourn, we have already become big; our ego has expanded beyond measure. If we wish to ascend into the inner realms, we must become the lowly ones. The main tenet of bhakti is to become humble — to toss aside ego and pride.

भगति सब कोइ करै भर्मना ना टरै,
भर्म जंजाल दुख दुन्द भारी ।

Everyone performs the bhakti but no one discards illusion.
The trap of illusion brings on untold suffering.

Everyone does bhakti. But until you remove the feeling of illusion from your within, your bhakti can’t be successful.  Even while doing your bhakti, you are miserable, attacked by the duality — the clash of loves and hatreds. The bliss, the happiness and the inner experience all disappear, and you have no idea where they have gone. 

Many people start the ascent without understanding the Path.
You take up the practice, imitating others;
Then your foot slips, you fall down from the heights
And land on earth again.

Seeing others practicing devotion, some people think: “I will take this Naam and you should also. We have several elderly people in our household — my grandfather and grandmother. I should get them initiated too. Then after taking Naam, if they die, let them die. They will be taken care of.”

My friend, what benefit can you gain from taking Naam in this way? None at all. You yourself should first understand the principles of the Path, what practices you must adopt. And then you should follow the instructions yourself and rise within.  Once you gain real understanding and experience, then you can encourage your old people to take initiation. Right now, your own thoughts are not stilled, and also you are not free of pride and ego. Many people hear of the Naam and say: “If will be a good thing if we take the initiation.” But do you understand why it will be a good thing? Just taking Naam is not enough. Until you manifest the Naam within yourself, what good can it do for you?

Therefore, seeing others doing the devotion, many people imitate them and take the Naam. They get a little inspiration to progress on the inner way, but after rising briefly within, they crash back down, breaking their bones. Then they say they want nothing more to do with bhakti. You get no benefit from such incomplete devotion — for all you hard work you receive only suffering. 

Place your foot on the step of True Shabd;
Grasp the rope of the Guru’s Knowledge.

There is a rope within you — the Sound of True Shabd. The Ringing Radiance is reverberating within you.  Attach your thoughts to that Inner Sound. [end of tape.]

Kabir says, listen Brother Sadhu,
Then you can pluck that fruit.

Audio:  H013, 10:08

Kabir Sahib

O renunciate! First, perfect the practice, and then sing His praise.

Avadhū amal karai so gāvai

अवधू अमल करै सो गावै ।
जौं लग अमल असर ना होवै, तौं लग प्रेम न आवै।। टेक ।।
बिन खाये फल स्वाद बखानै, कहत न सोभा पावै।
बिन गुरु ज्ञान गाँठि के हीने, नाहक वस्तु भुलावैं ।। १ ।।
आँधर हाथ लेय कर दीपक, करि परकास दिखावै ।
औरन आगे करैं चाँदना, आपु अँधेरे धावैं ।। २ ।।
आँधर आप आँधर दस गोहने, जग में गुरु कहावैं ।
मुल महल की खबर न जानैं, औरन को भरमावैं ।। ३ ।।
ले अमृत मूरख रँड सींचैं कलप-वृच्छ बिसरावैं ।
लैके बीज ऊसर में बोवै, पाहन पानी नावै ।। ४ ।।
लागी आग जरैं घर आपन, मूरख घूर बुतावै ।
पढ़ा गुना जो पंडित भूलैं, वाको को समुझावैं ।। ५ ।।
कहै कबीर सुनो हे गोरख, यह संतन नहिं भावै ।
है कोइ सूर पूर जग माहीं जो यह पद अर्थावैं ।। ६ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 1
Chitāvani aur Updesh, 37

O renunciate! First, perfect the practice, and then sing His praise.

This is the bani of Param Sant Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. He tells us that whoever has withdrawn their thoughts from outside and fixed them at the still point within, whoever has manifested the Shabd — their words are true. They can impart the Truth to others, based on what they themselves have seen and experienced within. Unless the soul is drawn within and unites with the Shabd, our words are meaningless and false. Only the one who has seen can say.

Until the spiritual practice bears fruit,
We remain bereft of love.

The love will not be awakened until the inner portal opens, and we experience the power of the Shabd within. The door of mind and Maya blocks our way. When that door swings open, the treasure house of love that lies within will stand revealed. If there is no spiritual practice, there is no love.

If we praise the fruit without savoring its sweetness,
Our empty words impart no glory.

If we have not eaten the fruit ourselves, if we have not savored and enjoyed it, then how can we praise its delicious taste? If someone has never eaten the fruit, has never even seen it, how can they sing its praise? Their words are empty and do not shed any glory on the fruit. Such praise lacks the ring of truth.

Without the Guru we cannot unravel the mystery of the inner knowledge;
We remain lost in the false and useless things.

Until we have met the perfect Satguru and have devoted ourselves to the practices He enjoins, we remain in illusion. Until we have the first-hand experience of the inner way, all our talk is worthless — we are only squandering our spiritual capital. Our intellect is controlled by the ego. Acting on its advice, we believe it is enough to perform auspicious deeds and to avoid inauspicious actions. We waste our lives enjoying the pleasures and suffering the pains, and then we depart from this world empty-handed. We have not received the true knowledge from the Guru, and we have not achieved any experience of the beyond. Until we meet with the true Guru, what path can we follow? And without knowledge of the right path, how can we progress on the spiritual journey?

Taking the lamp in his hand,
The blind person tries to illumine the path.

A blind person takes a torch or a lantern or a lamp, instructs the other blind people to follow him, and then sets out to guide them along a dark path. That blind person has no idea what light is; he has never even seen it. So how can he guide others and light their way? In the same manner, we entrust our fate to our own blind intellect. We accept the intellect as our god; and serving that god, we throw away our precious human birth.

Once four blind men went to see an elephant. One blind man rubbed his hand over the elephant’s back and declared, “The elephant is like a wall.” The second blind man rubbed his hand over the elephant’s leg and said, “No, the elephant is like a pillar.” The third blind man approached the elephant and happened to rub his hand over the elephant’s big, flat ear. That blind man told the others, “This elephant is much like a winnowing basket.” The fourth blind man approached to find out about the elephant; seizing the elephant’s tail, he told the others, “You are all wrong. The elephant is just like a rope.” Each blind man was expressing the impression he formed of the elephant through his sense of touch. But if someone with eyes had looked at that elephant, they would have seen that the elephant was something quite different from the impressions of those four blind men.

Similarly, we people are spiritually blind. One person says God has five faces, someone else says God is the four-faced Brahma, someone else says God is the three-faced Dattreya. And on and on. But what is the reality? God does not take birth or die. He has no form; He has no color. He is a Self-Existing Power. He supports everything that exists with His Power. The whole world, the entire creation, exists in Him. How could He have three or four or five faces? We conceive of these ideas with our intellect, and then — worshiping the fantasies that we ourselves have created — we fritter away the human birth.

You want to enlighten others,
While you yourself are stumbling in the dark.

We relate so many stories, exhibiting our knowledge of God to others, but we ourselves remain in the dark. Until the light of the Guru’s knowledge dawns in our own hearts, what enlightenment can we offer to others, no matter how much we preach? We cannot impart what we do not know.

You are spiritually blind, but when ten more blind people flock around you,
All the world calls you a guru.

One blind person starts preaching, and many other blind people gather around. They call that person a guru and the congregation swells to a great size. The word “Guru” means the one who shines light in the darkness. “Gu” means darkness. “Ru” means light. So until the light of the Guru Power manifests in the darkness of your heart, how can you be called a Guru?

Having no knowledge of the True Home,
You lead others astray.

“Where have I come from? What is my true country? What road should I follow? What principles must I adopt? What inner experience leads to my lost homeland?” Until you acquire this knowledge, you cannot progress. It makes no difference if the whole world follows you and praises you as the guru of gurus.

O Fool! You are watering a dead stump with nectar,
While the wish-granting tree is forgotten.

This priceless human body is like nectar. But placing your faith in the false intellect, you are squandering your life. You are pouring that nectar on a dead stump. You do not get the inner experience of the Naam, and you do not discover that True Lord, who is the wish-granting tree.

You sow the seed in the brackish earth,
And you are pouring water on the stones.

We have gotten this priceless human birth, and we have repeated a little bit of Naam Simran. But what kind of Naam Simran? It is just like taking the seed and planting it in the dry, brackish soil. That seed doesn’t sprout and it produces no fruit.

We say that God dwells in idols made of stone. Daily we go and wash those idols and become their servants. But those idols never eat, they never speak, they never move, they don’t do anything. Even if we go on lifelong pouring water over those idols, we will gain nothing at all.

O Fool, your own house is burning,
But you are trying to extinguish the fires of others.

The fire of “I and mine,” of desires and longings, of lust and anger, is burning in your heart. You are trying to put out the smoldering garbage heaps of others. Friend, first extinguish your own fire. It is said:

पहिले अपना मन परबोधे, पीछे औरन समझावे ।।
First, awaken your own mind, then you can make others understand.

You can prepare so many delicious dishes, but if you wish to satisfy your hunger, you must eat them. You must experience their taste before you can praise them to others. Then your words will carry some weight. But you haven’t eaten those foods and enjoyed them. You don’t know what they taste like, and still, you are advising other people to eat some food or other, saying, “You should eat this. It will make you as strong as a wrestler.” But what about your own condition? When someone asks you yourself are doing, you reply, “Well, I am afflicted with tuberculosis.” What value can anyone gain from your advice?

The pandits are deluded, even though they read and study.
Who will explain to them and set them right?

Some people call themselves scholars, intellectuals and gyanis. But if these learned people are themselves going astray, if they are making mistakes, who will be able to point out their errors to them? When the leaders are going down the wrong path, what will become of the world?

Kabir says, “Listen, O Gorakh. The Saints are not pleased with all this.”

Kabir Sahib tells Gorakh Nath, “O Gorakh, the Saints are not pleased with such discussions and teachings and worldly ways.”

Only the rare brave Warriors, those who achieve perfection,
Can explain this state.

He says, “Call those people brave, who have triumphed over the enemies of lust, anger, attachment, greed and egotism.” The Perfect Ones merge into that Form of Perfection. Kabir Sahib tells us, “Only such a brave warrior, who experiences this state of perfection, can explain it to others.”

Audio: H030
SBSJkS, Book 2, Satsang 15

Kabir Sahib

Satguru has showered such grace on me that the unknown has become known.

Satguru soi dayā kari dīnhā, tātẽ anachinhār main chīnhā

सतगुरु सोईं दया करि दीन्हा, तातें अनचिन्हार मैं चीन्हा ।।
बिन पग चलना बिन पर उड़ना, बिना चूंच का चुगना ।
बिन नैन का देखन पेखन, बिन सरवन का सुनना ।। १ ।।
चंद न सूर दिवस नहि रजनी, तहाँ सुरत लौ लाई । 
बिन अन्न अमृत रस भोजन, बिन जल तृषा बुझाई ।। २ ।।
जहाँ हरष तहँ पूरन सुख है, यह सुख का से कहना ।
कहै कबीर बल बल सतगुरु की, धन्य सिष्य का लहना ।। ३ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 2,
Satguru Mahimā, shabd 12

Satguru has showered such grace on me
That the unknown has become known.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. He tells us that there is no deity equal to the Guru because all the other gods and goddesses only reward us for the good deeds and righteous acts that we have performed, but if we wish to achieve liberation, we must go to the feet of the Guru. Therefore, describing the greatness of the Guru, Kabir Sahib says, “When Satguru showered His grace upon me — that Reality which was beyond the grasp of my intellect; which was beyond my finite powers of perception; which is glorified endlessly by the Vedas and Shastras and other holy scriptures — He gave me an experience of that Reality. There is no one in this world like my Satguru; in all the created world, in all the divisions and grand divisions of the universe, He has no equal. Therefore, Kabir Sahib says:

गुरु गोबिन्द दोनो खड़े किसको लागूँ पाँय |
बलिहारी गुरु अपने जिन गोबिन्द दिया बतलाय ||
If my Guru and Almighty God both stand before me, to whom will I make my obeisance?
I sacrifice myself to my Guru, who showed me the Path to God.

Kabir Sahib tells us: “There is no harm in declaring that the Guru is greater than God because for millions of yugas and countless lifetimes, God resided in my heart, and even now — from the time of my birth up to the present moment — He has been the support of my life. But that Hidden Lord never spoke to me. He never told me that He was within me or that He was caring for me. He never told me how to become freed from the clutches of Kal. He never made Himself known to me at all. But when the Satguru showered His mercy and grace upon me, He made me contemplate on the Conscious Power that had been hidden from my intellect. He lifted the veil, and I saw that the Lord was nearer than the nearest, living in my very heart of hearts.”

Without feet, you walk; without wings, you fly;
Without a beak, you receive nourishment.

What kind of grace did He shower? How can I describe the mercy He showed me? Whoever takes birth in this world will see through the outer eyes, hear through the outer ears, eat and drink with the outer mouth, walk with the outer feet, and perform all their deeds in this world using this physical body. But when my Satguru described to me that incomprehensible state and inspired me to contemplate within, what did He say? “Without eyes, you will see. Without feet, you will walk. Without wings, you will fly. Without ears, you will hear.” When my Satguru taught me the inner technique, the impossible became a reality.

He says: “Without a mouth, you receive nourishment.” The jiva imbibes the life giving nectar within, and the soul becomes satisfied. Satguru opens the way within.

Without eyes, you see;
Without ears, you hear.

To see without eyes, to hear without ears — this is an inner experience. Guru Nanak has also spoken on this subject:

अखी बाझहु वेखणा विणु कंना सुनणा ॥
To see without eyes; to hear without ears.

All the Saints teach the same thing. No matter how hard you may try, you will not be able to have the darshan of that Inner Lord using these physical eyes. Ramdas Swami tells us:

चर्म चक्षु न लखे, ज्ञान चक्षू निर्खें
These eyes of flesh cannot see him;
You can behold the Lord only with the eye of Knowledge (the inner eye).

He cannot be seen with these eyes of flesh. Only when you look with the inner eye of Knowledge will you behold Him. In the same way, you will hear without ears. Through the physical ears, you hear the sounds of the outer words. But the inner Dhun is resounding of itself, and that Sound is heard without ears. We hear outer sounds through the physical ears, but if the inner Sound did not exist, our sense organs would not function — our very life breath would cease.

Where there is no sun or moon, no day or night,
My soul is engrossed in that realm.

Now, He says that in that realm where there is no outer moon or sun, where there is no outer light at all, there I have anchored my attention. I have realized that the Power of Light that illumines both sun and moon is the very Power enlivening my soul. The Satguru has revealed the method of making the soul still and contemplating on that Conscious Power within, and through that practice, He has liberated the jivas. This is the meaning of the word “Guru.” The Guru is not a mere physical body.

Without eating, I have feasted on sweet ambrosia;
Without drinking water, I have quenched my thirst.

We assuage our hunger in a shower of sweet ambrosia. How can such a thing be possible? And without drinking water, our thirst is quenched. These are the hidden secrets of the inner realms.

राम नाम के आलसी भोजन के होशियार।
तुलसी ऐसे नर को बार बार धिक्कार।।
Slothful repeating Ram Naam, but greedy for every meal.
Tulsi says: Such a person is cursed, over and over again.

As soon as we people wake up, we want something to eat. We get up in the morning and have chai, coffee, idli, dosa. We eat our fill and then go out. But what nourishment does Satguru distribute within? The nectar of Naam. If we would drink that nectar, then every cell of our body would become infused with His life force. We would achieve complete peace and tranquility. In that state, no desire remains. Love of the body vanishes; the weight of unconsciousness is lifted. Becoming the form of the One Light — both without and within — we merge into the Shabd. That life-giving nectar is already flowing within us in abundance, but it is only through the grace of the Satguru that we can obtain it. We eat all kinds of sweets and other tasty dishes outwardly; then, we are overtaken by drowsiness and fall into deep slumber. Trapped in the storm of falsehood, we remain bound to this world and throw away our precious human birth. This cannot be called spirituality.

In that delight, we find the fullness of happiness.
Whom can we tell of our joy?

In that realm, we are filled with delight and bliss, hope and love. The wonder of this true happiness lies beyond the feeble capacity of human words. The Vedas proclaim: “Neti, Neti! This is not it; this is not it.” Even those sacred texts lack the evocative power to express that Inner Reality. True happiness lies within each one of us, and it is the duty of every Satsangi to dive deep into that ocean of Ineffable Bliss within. It is only to achieve this exalted state that we have taken initiation from the Perfect Guru.

Kabir says: “The Guru is great beyond words,
And great is the good fortune of the disciple.”

Then Kabir Sahib tells us: “Blessed, blessed is such a Guru. His Glory is beyond description.” But to go into the shelter of such an exalted One, the disciple must also have great good fortune. What is required? Only if we can sacrifice body, mind, and wealth to Him, only if we cherish His teaching in our hearts are we worthy to be called His disciples. Guru Teg Bahadur speaks in a similar vein:

जन नानक कोटन मै कोऊ भजनु राम को पावै
The servant Nanak says: From among millions,
only a few rare ones can do the meditation of the Lord.

Out of millions, only a handful can be called true disciples. All the rest fall short of the mark. If we do not live up to His teachings, we are still on probation. The true disciples cherish the Guru’s teachings in their hearts. Daily they devote themselves to the meditation of Naam and experience the ecstasy within. This is the true meaning of discipleship.

Audio: H037, 00:00

Kabir Sahib

I sacrifice myself on the Satguru, who removed all my illusion.

Vārī jāũ maĩ satguru ke, merā kiyā bharam sab dūr

वारी जाउँ मैं सतगुरु के, मेरा किया भरम सब दूर ।। टेक ।।
चंद चढ़ा कुल आलम देखै, मैं देखूँ भ्रम दूर ।। १ ।।
हुआ प्रकास आस गइ दूजी, उगिया निरमल नूर ।। २ ।।
माया मोह तिमिर सब नासा, पाया हाल हजूर ।। ३ ।।
बिषय बिकार लार है जेता, जारि किया सब धूर ।। ४ ।।
पिया पियाला सुधिबुधि बिसरी, हो गया चकनाचूर ।। ५ ।।
हुआ अमर मरै नहिं कबहूँ, पाया जीवन मूर ।। ६ ।।
बन्धन कटा छटिया जम से, किया दरस मंजूर ।। ७ ।।
ममता गई भई उर समता, दुख सुख डारा दूर ।। ८ ।।
समझे बनै कहे नहिं आवै, भयो आनँद भरपूर ।। ९ ।।
कहै कबीर सुनो भाई साधो, बजिया निरमल तूर ।। १० ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 2
Satguru Mahimā, shabd 7

I sacrifice myself on the Satguru, who removed all my illusion.

I sacrifice myself on such a Perfect Satguru who dispelled all my illusion. Now we act in the arena of illusion. We are entangled in the past, present and future. We remember the deeds we have done in the past; we think on our current condition in the present time, and concerning the future, we are anxious about achieving high or low status, indulging in the sense pleasures, acquiring and hoarding wealth. Our heart is ever-restless as we grapple with these three sprites — past, present, and future. We dwell on the past, we are mired in the present, and we fear for the future. In this trap of time, we are frittering away the days of our lives.

Therefore, Kabir Sahib says, “Blessed is that disciple who is anchored in the remembrance of Sat Naam given by the Satguru. I sacrifice myself on such a Satguru who removes the illusion that has enshrouded my heart.”

The whole world sees the moon rise; but when I behold the inner moon, all the darkness of illusion flies away.

The whole world sees the moon outside. But when I behold the moon within, all the illusion of my heart flies away. In the Yajur Veda it is said:

यथा ब्रहमांडे तथा पिंडे
As is Brahmand, so is the human body.

The human body is the repository of all Brahmand. 8“The macrocosm is in the microcosm. The human body is the prototype of the universe and much more than that. In it there are millions of solar systems with their suns, moons and earths revolving in and out. The sweetest of the sweet music is also going on in it, emanating from the true throne of the True King — God.” Kirpal Singh, Simran: the Sweet Remembrance of God. Just like all the towns and other places in India show up on a map of India or of the world, in the same way all the realms of Brahmand appear within the human body. But as long as we are wandering lost in the nine doors below, we can gain no knowledge of this reality. It is only when we rise above these nine apertures that the Light of Truth dawns upon us; as Kabir Sahib tells us: “When I behold the inner moon, all the darkness of illusion flies away.”

When the Light burst forth, all other desires vanished. The Immaculate Radiance has dawned.

When the One Light manifested both within and without, the darkness that filled my heart was driven away, and illusion was vanquished. Illusion exists only when our perception of reality is based on incomplete understanding or “ādhā buddhi” 9Literally: “half-intellect,” partial understanding; colloquially “half-wit.”. When the false understanding of inference provided through the buddhi or intellect (an aspect of the mind and an agent of Maya) becomes mixed with the true understanding of direct knowledge coming from the inner conscious Power of the soul, this understanding is referred to as “ādhā buddhi.” And when these two methods of perception intermingle, the result is illusion.

If our understanding is not “mixed,” then illusion does not arise. If there is complete darkness, nothing is visible to give rise to illusion. If there is all light, then everything is visible, and illusion cannot come there. Now, animals, birds, insects, etc. are in darkness (they do not have the etheric element of higher consciousness). The souls in those bodies cannot achieve liberation; they do not have the capacity for higher thought and understanding. On the other hand, the Realized Souls are filled with All-Light; they have complete understanding, and there is no room at all within them for illusion. But the mixed power of perception that emerges between these two extremes of darkness and Light gives rise to illusion.

For example, say a man leaves his house at 5:00 in the morning and sets out walking down the road. An old, worn-out piece of rope has been discarded there, and seeing that rope from a distance, the man’s heart is filled with fear. He imagines that rope is a snake. But there is no snake lying in the middle of the road. Now, just consider carefully how this illusion of a snake arose. If it were pitch dark, the man would not even see the rope, and no fear of the snake would arise. On the other hand, if it were broad daylight, he would see plainly the piece of rope and again, he would have no reason to feel afraid of a snake. But there in the half-light of dawn, a mixture of day and night, the forces of both light and darkness are at play.

And just consider one more thing; there was no preconception on either side. Before he left home, that man did not think: “I will go out and walk along the road to such and such a place. And there I will be frightened by a snake.” Also, the rope was not planning: “Such and such a man is coming. I will lie here and pretend to be a snake, and then I can scare him.”

It was all just a spontaneous illusion, and the cause of that illusion was the half-light of dawn — the mixture of day and night. In the same way, when our understanding is based on both the inference of the unconscious buddhi or intellect and the direct knowledge of the Conscious Soul, when unconsciousness and Consciousness are tied together by the knot of duality, then illusion ensnares us. But when the Satguru floods our within with the Divine Light, all the illusion is swept away.

When the Divine Light appeared, all the darkness of Maya (illusion) and attachment was banished, and I attained God Consciousness.

Attachment to Maya is darkness — and darkness is banished by the Light. Maya means the attachment to the destructible, material things of this world; all these things arise when darkness intrudes. Think carefully about this. When you close your eyes, you see some darkness within. And where even a trace of darkness prevails, the thieves are lurking. The storehouse of lust, anger, greed, attachment, ego, and the other evil propensities always remains full. But when the full Light of Consciousness dawns, all of these bad qualities run away on their own. There will be no need to chase them off. When the sun rises, who can say where the dark night has gone? In the same way, when the Inner Light dawns within you, the darkness of ignorance is driven away.

We are caught up in the sense pleasures and evil deeds; burn them away; reduce them to dust.

As long as the worldly desires and other evil propensities linger in your heart, you cannot escape from their ill effects. They will destroy your life. In some people, they are hidden beneath the surface, while in other people, they are in full view, but the same shortcomings are present within all. Until the Satguru graciously shines the Light of Naam in our within, we cannot become free from these negative tendencies. Even if we bathe in the holy Ganges waters a hundred times, even if we make a pilgrimage on foot across the length and breadth of India — from Kashmir to Kanyakumari — still we cannot remove the dirt from our within. But when the Inner Light manifests, it burns away all the filth and evil deeds.

When you drink from the cup of Love, you lose all consciousness of this world; your ego is crushed to bits.

When you drink the nectar of Love, then all sense of self is forgotten; all the thought of “I and mine” that filled up your within is smashed to pieces. When the sense of self dies, then the Inner Divine Consciousness awakens. These things are very easy to talk about, but when the time comes, you realize how difficult it is to perform the spiritual practices. The mind brings so many excuses; when it is time to get up in the morning to meditate, you are put to the test. Here, I am talking about those disciples who get up for meditation. Those who are sleeping unconcerned, this does not pertain to them. If they are sleeping, let them sleep. But those who do the meditation, only they know how many means the mind employs and how many obstacles it throws in the way of their devotion.

First of all, the mind won’t let you get up. And if somehow you manage to get up and sit for meditation, then after a short while, the mind who is sitting within the meditator, will suggest: “What harm would there be if you lie down to do your Naam Simran?” Then you stretch out your legs, get comfortable, and do three or four rounds of Simran. Finally, you drift into sleep, and that is the end of your meditation. The next morning you get up and start the same routine again. From morning till night, you are involved in stealth, deception, and all the false dealing of this world. Then when evening comes, you tie up all the things you have collected in your bundle and head back home. When it is time to go to bed, you think: “I will meditate later. I can do it in the morning.” But when morning comes your condition is exactly the same as before, and in this way, day after day flies by. Even if you go on meditating like this your whole lifetime, you will accomplish nothing. For that reason, it is said:

जैसे माया मन रमै, तैसे ही रमै राम
Just as your mind is now engrossed in Maya,
Immerse your whole being in the Lord instead.

Just as your thoughts are now attached to the things of Maya, in the same way, when you absorb your attention in the Lord, you can perfect your meditation. But if all your efforts in meditation are only superficial, what can you hope to accomplish? You go to the temple, ring the bell, prostrate yourself before the idol, apply the sindūr (red powder) of Hanuman Ji to your forehead, and on Saturday, you even break a coconut. But what have you achieved? Nothing at all.

When you go within, you no longer remain aware of the body — who you are, where you are sitting. Then the false love of the world that fills your heart dies away. Otherwise, there is no remedy. Many great rishis, munis, japis 10Japis are spiritual practitioners who repeat sacred mantras, prayers, and scriptures., and tapis 11Tapis perform tapsya, or austerities. left hearth and home behind and spent thousands of years performing austerities — but still the mind tricked them. Now, just consider honestly. How much bhajan do we people do? If you observe in the morning, you will come to know the sad state of affairs. The great devotees did hundreds of years of practice, but even then, the mind duped them. So what about our condition? How much real meditation have we done?

When you become immortal, you leave death behind and realize the essence of life.

But Kabir Sahib tells us: “Now, I do not take birth or die. I see the Almighty Lord before me, and I have merged into His Self-existing Form.” Describing this form, Guru Nanak Dev Ji says

आदि सच्च जुगादि सच्च, है भी सच्च, नानक होसी भी सच्च

He was when there was nothing; He was before all ages began;
He existeth now, O Nanak, and shall exist forevermore.

That True Power is the very support of your heart. You may call that Power as Soul or Lord or Truth or any other name you like. It makes no difference. You may call that Power as Guru or Naam or anything else but when it manifests within you, then your soul will never again die or take rebirth. This state is called liberation, and until you attain liberation, illusion will not leave your heart.

Your chains are broken, and you are freed from Yama — the Lord of Death. You have the darshan of the Lord.

What does He mean by chains? The chains that bind us are not something outside of us. The power of Kal generates these bonds and takes up residence within us. The word Kal means “time.” Time is divided into day and night. And within the spectrum of day and night three states of consciousness are at play: jāgrat or wakefulness, svapan or dream, and suṣhupti or deep sleep. During the daytime we experience the phase of wakefulness; we eat and drink; we wander about here and there. At night, we indulge in the sense pleasures and slip down into the state of dreams [and finally, sink into deep sleep]. These are the three states of consciousness, and as long as our buddhi or intellect is functioning within them, we are enslaved by Kal. But when we rise out of these three states and enter into Divine Consciousness, we do not remain aware of eating and drink, and we aren’t bothered by sleep. We no longer try to deceive others. All thoughts of self-interest, greed, and attachment disappear. These are the fetters of Kal, but when the Inner Light manifests, those fetters are broken.

Attachment flees, the heart enjoys equanimity; happiness and sorrow run away.

Ruled by attachment, we remain involved in enmity and disputes, high and low, large and small. But when we achieve samatā, or impartiality, we see with an equal eye. We understand that our own soul, our own life force, pervades all — I am in everyone, and everyone is in me. What is the sign of this impartial vision?  Whenever some need arises or calamity befalls, we will perceive not only our own suffering, but also the suffering of others. Whenever we have some pain or discomfort in our body, we will not only procure all the remedies to alleviate our own pain, but we will also make the same arrangements to help others who are suffering. We will view others as our own selves, and show compassion and concern for all.

When our own family and children have some difficulty, we spare no pains in coming to their aid. But they are our very own — we are helping them out of attachment and self-interest. This cannot be called samatā.  When the power of impartiality manifests within us, it sweeps away all selfishness, and we realize that the power enlivening our soul is also permeating the whole creation. Then we look upon all as our very own selves.

Now we are trapped in high and low, mine and thine. But when impartiality manifests, when the sense of self is eradicated, then not even happiness and sorrow remain.  We experience happiness and sorrow only as long as the sense of “I-hood” dominates our within.

This incomprehensible and ineffable state is beyond description. A current of ecstasy penetrates the innermost recesses of your soul.

Now, the question arises: “What is the nature of samatā? What is its form?” So, Kabir Sahib Himself explains that this question has no answer: “This incomprehensible and ineffable state is beyond description.”  Only when impartiality dawns in our hearts can we divine its nature. We cannot impart that experience through words. Why? Because when our soul reaches that exalted state, the outer eyes and ears no longer work. The antahkarana (inner mind) itself — with its aspects of chitta (subconscious), buddhi (intellect), manas (mind), and ahankāra (ego) — becomes paralyzed. So what faculty then remains to give an explanation in words? And what faculty remains to hear that description? The soul is in perfect balance. This is the state of swayambhū or Self-Existence.

Kabir says, listen, O, brother sadhu: The immaculate Music (trumpet) is resounding.

He is giving out this teaching for the sadhus — the devotees who practice the sadhana. Others teachers may attach their own name to some verses and give out other teachings, but Kabir Sahib Ji says, “Listen, O brother sadhu. Those who want to do the sadhana, those who are the real children of the Guru, those who are the true disciples of the Guru — my teachings are for them. To all the others who do not want to meditate, I have nothing to say.”

If you follow His instructions, your meditation will flourish. And when the immaculate Dhun resounds within you day and night, permeating every cell of your body, the tumult of the world will subside by itself.

Audio: H037, 13:33

Kabir Sahib

I have seen that He is One!

Ham to ek hī kara jāno

हम तो एक ही करि जानो ।। टेक ।।
दोय कहै तेहि को दुबिधा है, जिन सत नाम न जानो ।। १ ।।
एकै पवन एक ही पानी, एकै जोति समानो ।। २ ।।
इक मट्टी कै घड़ा गढ़ैला, एकै कोहरा सानो ।। ३ ।।
माया देखि के जगत लुभानो, काहे रे नर गरबानो ।। ४ ।।
कहे कबीर सुनों भाई साधो, गुरु के हाथ काहे न बिकानो ।। ५ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Śhabdāvalī, bhāg 2,
Satguru Mahimā, śhabd 21

I have seen that He is One!
Those who say He is two are in delusion and have not yet fathomed the nature of Sat Naam.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. He says that the Almighty Lord is One and Self-Existent. He does not take birth. He does not die. Where He dwells, there is no day; there is no night. Nothing else exists in that place. He Himself is the Self-Existing, Radiant Power. Whoever describes Him as two — Purush and Prakriti, Shiva and Shakti, Brahma and Devi, etc. — has become entangled in the play of words, and that game has no end. But the people who indulge in debates and pen learned commentaries are totally ignorant of the True Naam. Duality rules their hearts and keeps them dancing in perpetual mental gyrations. 

The air is one, the water is one. One Light pervades all.

Kabir Sahib puts the plain truth before us. He says that there is no room for duality. The air is one; the water is one; the power of the One Light suffuses all creation. That Light is present in all jivas, even in the gods and goddesses, so where is the question of high and low? Do you think the wind blows less on the poor and more on the affluent? The wind does not play favorites. Of course, you can go the bazaar and buy a fan to circulate the air, but that is something artificial. The natural cooling breeze refreshes everyone alike. In the same way, the water flows for everyone. The air, the water, the fire, the ether, the earth: all are supported by the same Self-Radiant Light, and that Light itself is One, free from any taint of duality. But those who are still ensnared in duality have no knowledge of Sat Naam.

Each pot is made from the same clay, and one potter fashions them all.

A potter makes thousands of pots, some small, some large. He makes vessels of all sizes and descriptions, but each one is fashioned from the same clay. The large water jugs are clay; the little cups and bowls are also clay.  Likewise, God Almighty is only One; there is no question of high or low in His Court. But caught up in duality and disputes, we wander on endlessly through the 84 lakh species of life. 

All the devotees are stuck fast. Shaivites proclaim Shiva as the greatest. Vaishnavites believe Vishnu has no equal. And the Brahmins accept Brahma as the highest of all. We have so many gods and goddesses, and everyone selects their own deity who they worship as the Supreme Being. But truly speaking, all of these gods are just a product of our own imagination. They are the embodiment of duality. There is no deity other than God Almighty Himself, and that same God is worshipped by Hindus, Muslims, Jains, Christians, and all others.

Beholding Maya, you are enticed by her creations. O man, why do you strut and swagger?

In this world, the power of forgetfulness is in full force. Using the tool of forgetfulness, Maya separates us from the One Lord and spreads before us countless alluring forms. Captivated by Maya, we become trapped in “I and mine,” and in our arrogance, we plunge headlong into her creation. Giving up the remembrance of the Supreme Lord who is the Form of Oneness, we become imprisoned in countless forms and go on suffering in the wheel of 84 lakh births and deaths.

Kabir says, “Hear me, brother sadhu. Why have you still not surrendered to the Guru?”

Kabir Sahib’s teaching about the nature of Oneness is only for the sadhus, those who perform the sadhana. His teaching is not for those who shirk the meditation. Why have you not become the real disciple of the Satguru? Why do you not surrender yourself to Him?  You will gain the knowledge of Oneness only when you give up your egotism. As long as you remain mired in “I and mine,” you will not change. It is like covering hot coals with ashes; outwardly the fire appears to be extinguished but it is still burning underneath. Superficially, you may pretend to understand Oneness, but within you the fire of duality is still raging. Of what use is such devotion?    

All the world is supported by the Power of the One Light; but held in thrall by the countless colors of creation, we bring misery down upon our own heads.  Whatever suffering the mother and father have experienced in their own lives, they themselves prepare the same snare of suffering for their children. We ourselves are caught in the snare of happiness and sorrow, and we feel pleased when we see others fall into the same trap. Our greatest worldly satisfaction lies in beholding the misfortune of others; when troubles assail them, we feel buoyed up. Why? Because we are blinded by duality.

Once, three men were traveling together to another village. It was about two or three o’clock in the afternoon, and they began to suffer under the blazing heat of the sun. There was no village or dwelling nearby, but casting about they spied a temple dedicated to Ganesh, the elephant god. It was an ancient temple and housed a very large stone idol of Ganesh. The idol had been rubbed smooth, and, daily anointed with fragrant oils, it had taken on a soft, delicate sheen. And since the temple itself was made of stone, all its interior was cool and dim.

The three travelers approached the temple, and one of them went into the sanctuary to have the darshan of Lord Ganesh. He ran his hand over the trunk and belly of the idol. The stone was cool and pleasing. Since Ganesh has a very round stomach, the navel of the idol was a good two inches deep, and that man stuck his finger in it. Now, a scorpion was sitting in the coolness of the navel, and that scorpion bit the man’s finger. That man turned the matter over in his mind: “If I call out that a scorpion has stung me, if I cry out in pain, then these other two who are accompanying me will laugh.  So I should concoct a story to tell them.”

Coming out of the sanctuary, he said, “Well, why are you just standing here talking about cooling off?  Why don’t you go on in and have the darshan of Ganesh? It’s really cool and pleasant in there.” So the second man went in and the first man told him, “Why don’t you rub your hand over the idol?” And the second man rubbed his hand over Ganesh’s trunk. Then the first man said, “Now rub your hand over his belly. But that’s not all. Put your finger in Ganesh’s navel and see how cool it is.” The second man put his finger in the navel, and the scorpion bit him as well. He exclaimed, “Oh, a scorpion has stung me!” The first man told him, “Shhh! Don’t tell our friend. He hasn’t had his turn yet, and if we tell him about the scorpion, he’ll escape being stung like we have been.”

So both of them started praising the wonderful coolness of Ganesh’s sanctuary. “Oh, it so pleasant in here. This stone idol of Ganesh Ji is really cold.” Finally, the third man got up and came in with the other two. He started rubbing his hand over Ganesh’s trunk and rubbed his hand over the idol’s potbelly also. “No, no,” his friends told him. “Put your finger in his navel. You’ll find it as cold as ice.” So, the third man put his finger in the idol’s navel and the scorpion stung him. He cried out: “Oh! A scorpion has bitten me.” Then his friends burst out laughing and told him: “Well, brother, it stung us as well.”

All our thinking is colored by the veil of duality. Our head is stuffed with blind tradition, gods and goddesses, holy scriptures and accounts written by others, along with all the sweet deceivers: mother, father, relatives, caste, and clan. Therefore, many people claim, “This Path of Radhaswami is set on destroying our gods and goddesses.” But that assertion is not correct. The Path is not about destruction; the Path is about accepting the Truth. So He tells us, “You should sell yourself; you should surrender yourself into the hands of the Guru.”

Audio: H038, 0:00

Kabir Sahib
This many-colored veil does not please me.

Chunariyā panchrang hamai na suhāy

चुनरिया पचरँग हमैं न सुहाय ।। टेक ।।
पाँच रंग कै हमरी चुनरिया, नाम बिना रंग फीक दिखाय ।।
यह चुनरी मोरे मैके से आई, अपने गुरु से ल्यों बदलाय ।।
चुनरि पहिरि धन निकसी बजरिया, काल बली लिहले पछुवाय।।
तोरी चुनर पर साहिब रीझें, जम दहिजरवा फिरिफिरि जाय ।।
कहै कबीर सुनो भाई साधो, को अब आवै को घर जाय ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 2,
Prem, shabd 24

This many-colored veil does not please me.
My veil has been dyed with five hues,
But without the Naam, that color has no luster.

The word chunarī refers to a veil that women wear as a head-covering. The chunarī 12Kabir uses the word chunarī for the head veil, but chunarī also refers to any multi-colored textile produced by traditional tie-dying, often on a bright red background. is commonly worn in the Marwar region of Rajasthan and many other places.

So, He tells us that the soul has been covered with a chunarī — the human body that has been dyed in the colors of the five elements. Therefore, Kabir Sahib tells us, “This many-colored veil (chunarī) does not please me.” These five elements are supported by the True Naam. If the elements did not have the support of the one Naam, they would disintegrate into gross, undefined matter.

I brought this chunarī from my parent’s home,
But it has been transformed by my Guru.

First of all, where did this chunarī come from? I brought it from my parental home.13In India, a woman leaves her parent’s home when she marries and resides with the family of her husband. The woman then refers to her parental home as “maykaa,” literally, mother’s place. Maya wove it from the five elements. The egotisical jiva wrapped itself in that five-colored veil and took on an individual identity. To get that color removed from my veil – to become free of the falsehood of egotism — I have gone into the shelter of the Guru, who made my chunarī pure white.

When I put on that veil and set out for the bazaar,
Mighty Kal followed after me, but he had to repent.

Wearing that white chunarī, I walked to the bazaar. Mighty Kal dogged my footsteps, but now he could not harm me at all.

God Almighty has become pleased with your chunarī.
Yama’s beard is singed, and he turns away in disappointment.

When God Almighty sees you putting on that spotless, gleaming veil, He becomes pleased. But then, the Lord of Death understands he has lost and laments: “My prey has slipped out of my grasp. Now, I cannot work any more mischief.” 

Kabir says, “Listen, O brother sadhu.
Now who is left to come and go?

Kabir says, “Listen, O brother sadhu. When oneness merges into Oneness, all coming and going ceases. When you are separate from the Lord, when you are two, you go on revolving in the wheel of birth and death. When you are two, you converse with others and are immersed in the world; when you are two, you remain the doer and carry on your own affairs. But when you merge in to the One, where is the question of coming and going ever again?

Audio: H038, 14:39

Kabir Sahib

O Kabir, Shabd is playing in this body;
The strings are resounding, but no instrument is to be seen.

Kabīr sabad sarīr mẽ, bina guna bāje tānt

कबीर सबद सरीर में, बिन गुन बाजै ताँत ।
बाहर भीतर रमि रहा, ता तें छूटी भ्रांति ।। १ ।।
जो जन खोजी सबद का, धन्य संत है सोय ।
कह कबीर सबदै गहे, कबहुँ न जाय बिगोय ।। २ ।।
सबद सबद बहु अंतरा, सबद सार का सीर ।
सबद सबद का खोजना, सबद सबद का पीर ।। ३ ।।
सबद हबद बहु अंतरा, सार सबद चित देय ।
जा सबदै साहिब मिलै, सोई सबद गहि लेय ।। ४ ।।
सबद सबद सब कोइ कहै, वो तो सबद बिदेह ।
जिभ्या पर आवै नहीं, निरखि परखि करि देह ।। ५ ।।
एक सबद सुखरास है, एक सबद दुखरास ।
एक सबद बंधन कटै, एक सबद गल फाँस ।। ६ ।।
एक सबद सब कोइ कहै, सबद के हाथ न पाँव ।
एक सबद औषधि करै, एक सबद करै घाव ।। ७ ।।
सीखै सुनै बिचारि लै, ताहि सबद सुख देय ।
बिंना समझ सबदै गहै, कछू न लाहा लेय ।। ८ ।।

Kabīr Sākhī–Sangrah, bhāg 1-2,
Shabd kā Ang, shabd 92

O Kabir, Shabd is playing in this body; the strings are resounding, but no instrument (guna) is to be seen.
That Music spreads in all directions, within and without, dispelling all my illusion.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib. He tells us that we can grasp the subject of Shabd only when we cultivate a very subtle understanding. Shabd pervades all, yet dwells beyond all. Shabd vibrates in the earth, in all the elements. In the water, Shabd is bubbling (kharbar/khalbhal). In the fire, Shabd is crackling (dagdag). In the wind, Shabd is murmuring (barbar). The Sound of Shabd resonates in the subtle, all-pervasive element of ether.14 “The first downward projection of the spiritual current, as it emanated from God, brought into manifestation ether (akash), which is the most subtle of the elements and spreads everywhere in space. This has two aspects. One is that of the spirit or soul remaining unmanifest in the ether, and the other that of the manifest ether, wherein the two forces, positive and negative, which are inherent in it, further combined and brought into manifestation air (vayu) and exactly in the same way the manifest air gave birth to fire (agni) and the manifest fire produced water (jal) and the manifest water led to the formation of earth (prithvi), while the spirit of each element which is essentially the same remained unmanifest throughout.” Kirpal Singh, Crown of Life, pt 1, ch 1, Yoga, An Introduction: Soul and Oversoul:9.

नाम के धारे खंड ब्रह्मंड
नाम के धारे पुरिआ15 आगास पाताल

Naam supports the divisions and grand divisions of the creation.
Naam supports the heavens and nether worlds.

Whether you call it Naam or Shabd makes no difference; they are one and the same thing. The entire world is supported by the Power of the Shabd. Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar (Shiva), the 33 million gods and goddesses, and the five elements — all exist only with the support of Shabd. That Shabd permeates your very being in the form of soul.  Day and night, that Sound is reverberating in all created beings.

Further Kabir Sahib says that the strings are resounding, but no instrument is seen. Without the support of any guna (quality) the strings are resounding. He tells us that the Shabd is playing without the support of the gunas, without the conceptions of the mind (sankalp), and without the thoughts of the intellect (buddhi kā vichār). That Unstruck Sound is playing within you; it is Self-Resonant.  

Whoever does the practice of Shabd, unites their attention with Shabd, and becomes the form of Shabd, will hear the music of Shabd both within and without. Then the heart’s illusion is removed and duality is destroyed.

Whoever searches out the Shabd, that Blessed One is a Sant.

Whoever delves into the mystery of Shabd is called Sant — the Blessed of the Blessed.

Kabir says, “Take firm hold of the Shabd, and you will never fail.”

In this line of the bani, Kabir Sahib tells us that if we go on doing the meditation of Shabd day and night, our efforts will not be in vain.

There is a great difference between shabd and Shabd — Shabd is the highest Truth.
You can find the True Sound by passing through the lower sounds; the True Sound is the pinnacle of all.

Many yogis master the dashvidhi nād — the ten types of lower sounds. Through the practice of pranayama, the ten sounds vibrating in the body manifest of themselves. Those who absorb themselves in these sounds take them to be the highest teaching — the final goal. Therefore, Kabir Sahib says that there is a great difference between shabd (the various manifestations of the Sound Current as it descends into the realms of matter), and Shabd (the Primal Sound Current, shorn of all matter). The entire creation is permeated by the Shabd.  Only through the Shabd can you comprehend the meaning of Oneness. All thoughts take their power from the Shabd. And when you do the inner meditation practice, there is also a difference between listening to the lower shabds and contemplating on the true Shabd.

Many people meditate on the dashvidhi nād and remain in that practice. Some reach the first level (Thousand-Petalled Lotus) and stop there. Some reach the second level (Trikuti), where the sound emanates from the form of Brahma, and most go no farther. But those few who meditate on Shabd, the Primal Sound Current, discover that it is the crown of all practices.

जाप मरे अजपा मरे अनहद भी मर जाये
सार शब्द चीने बिना फिर फिर गोते खाए

Japa dies, Ajapa dies, and even Anhad is subject to death.16Simranis called Japa when it is repeated with the tongue of flesh or the tongue of thought; then, you are the speaker. Simran is called Ajapa when it goes on within automatically; then, you are the listener. When you become absorbed in the Anhad Shabd, the sound of Brahmand, neither speaker nor listener remains.
Until you catch hold of Sār Shabd, you will drown in this world over and over again.17 “…it is sufficiently clear that all Master-souls, whether Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and countless others, were conversant with the practice of the Word, though they did not necessarily expound it as a regular science. Most of them tell of Anhad Shabd only, leading up to Und and Brahmand or the subtle and cosmic regions. But perfect saints, irrespective of whether they belonged to one religion or the other, have gone even beyond this and have spoken of Sar Shabd and Sat Shabd as well, and of regions beyond Brahmand (Par-Brahmand, i.e., Sach Khand, Alakh and Agam Deshas).” Kirpal Singh, Naam or Word (Delhi, India: Ruhani Satsang, 1970) 42-43.

Japa happens with the tongue, below the level of the eyes. And when you cross beyond the inner sky (ākāsh), you reach the Anhad Shabd, the sound of Brahmand.  When you travel beyond the realm of Sunn, the Void, then you take the support of the Sar Shabd. Therefore, He tells us that there is a great difference between the sounds manifesting in the lower regions and the True Shabd beyond the realm of Brahm.

Only Shabd can lead you to Shabd. Following Shabd, stage by stage, you finally merge into its highest manifestation, the True Shabd. Letting go of the lower manifestations of Shabd, take the support of the Shabd and climb higher. As the Celestial Sound pulls you ever upward, its lower manifestations loosen their hold. You can discover the mystery of Shabd only by traveling upward on the Shabd itself. When you begin your search in the lower levels, the Higher Shabd comes to your aid and becomes your support. Sat Shabd is the ruler of all the sounds below.  As you rise higher and higher on the Shabd, you come to realize that Shabd is the Owner of All Creation.  

There is a great difference between shabd and Shabd; fix your chit in the Sār Shabd.
Whoever wishes to meet with the Almighty Lord must take firm hold of the Shabd.

There is a great difference between shabd and Shabd. The Sār Shabd echoes in the highest regions. So, you must choose. If you adopt the True Shabd it will transport you to Sat Lok and unite you with the Almighty Lord. Accept this Shabd.

Everyone says, “Shabd, Shabd,” but the True Shabd is bodiless.
It cannot be spoken by the tongue; you perceive it through contemplation and discrimination.

Everyone speaks of the Shabd or Sound Current. The yogis call listening to the inner sounds nādānusandhān.18 Nāda (sound) + anusandhān (search/research): Nādānusandhān is the pranayama practice of listening to the inner sounds, usually the ten sounds of the physical body, but also the higher sounds all the way up to Brahmand. The goal of the practioner goal is to become one with the sound. But friend, what kind of sounds (nād) are you talking about and what technique are you following?  The Shabd is present everywhere, and all the devotees are seeking a way to unite with that Sound. But what form of Shabd are you pursuing, and what type of listening practice do you follow? Kabir Sahib tells us that everyone says, “Shabd Shabd,” but the Sat Shabd and Sār Shabd19Sat Shabd is the Sound coming from Sach Khand; Sār Shabd is the sound of the Sohang region. The two terms are sometimes used synonymously for the pure Sound reverberating beyond the three worlds. resound in the realms beyond of all the bodily coverings. When the soul resides in the body composed of five elements, the Sound vibrates there in the form of the 52 letters (of the Sanskrit alphabet).20 The 52 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet correspond to the petals of the six bodily chakras (48 petals) and the antahkarana (4 petals). But we have to rise above these lower manifestations of Shabd. Kabir Sahib tells us: “The three lokas and the fifty-two letters are one and all subject to decay, but the eternal and the everlasting holy Word is quite distinct from them.“ But when the soul rises into the Akash, in those realms the bell and conch are resounding. And if you ascend further, you find that in each of the five planes the Sound reverberates differently according to their various qualities. The soul ascends upward, shedding the physical, astral, causal, and supercausal bodies. But the True Sound has no connection with the physical, astral, causal, and supercasual bodies in these realms. That Shabd is videh — bodiless.21 vi (without) + deh (body) It is totally independent of the four bodies. That Sound is not spoken with the mouth; you can only experience it through careful observation and discernment. By focusing your attention within, you can pick out the higher Sounds and become absorbed in the Shabd.

One Shabd is the nectar of happiness; one shabd is the bitter potion of sorrow.
One Shabd cuts your bonds, one shabd draws a noose around your neck.

He says that even when we speak the outer words (shabd literally means “word”), there is a great difference between sweet words and bitter words. If you are humble and loving, if you speak polite and respectful words to others, then you create the feeling of love within their hearts. And that feeling also reacts back to you and manifests love in your heart as well. On the other hand, if you speak harsh words, it is just like piercing someone’s heart with an arrow. And that pain will react back to your heart — you will also suffer. 

आवत गाली ऐक है, उलटत होत अनेक
कहै कबीर ताहि न उलटिये  रहे ऐक का ऐक।

If someone maligns you, the insult is one;
But if you reply in kind the insult increases beyond count.
Kabir says: “Don’t answer with harsh words;
Then, that insult remains only one.”

If someone calls you names and you respond with more name calling and abuse, then that one insult becomes two. From two it grows to four; from four it becomes eight. And after that, someone picks up a stick and blows fall. Just think; it all started from one word, but that bitter dispute will linger throughout the entire lifetime.  Therefore, Kabir Sahib tells us that every time we speak, we should remember the great value of each word.

बोली तो अनमोल है, जो कोई जाने बोल |
हिये तराजू तोल के, तब मुख बाहर खोल ||

Words are priceless when spoken with courtesy.
First, weigh the words in the scale of your heart;
Only then let them pass your lips.

Speech is precious. Before you speak, you should think in your heart, “What will be the result for me when I speak these words, and how will my words affect others?” Having weighed the words in the scale of your heart, then let them come out of your mouth. Only after you have considered your words carefully are you ready to share them.

Otherwise, your words are just like the noise from a spinning phonograph record that plays on and on without any comprehension. Your words are just like the sound of the machines in the mills. First, the roving (cotton bundle) is fed unto the mechanism at one end; then it is twisted into yarn and collected on spindles at the other end. In between, the humming machine spins on and on unbroken — with no beginning, middle, or end. What meaning can such “speech” convey? The noise just goes on and on.

Similarly, if you speak without thinking, what sense can the person who is listening to you draw from your utterance? You go on speaking empty words with no thought behind them, so what can you convey to others? No one gains anything from such mindless babble.

You should speak in such a way that your words sink deep into the heart of your listeners. Your speech should awaken love and devotion. The purity of your words inspires the hearts of others, and your own heart is purified as well.  If you must speak, then speak in this manner.

But further He tells us that there is a vast difference between the outer shabd and the Inner Shabd. The One Inner Shabd is an Ocean of Happiness. What does Satguru do for us? He bestows on us that Shabd; He immerses us in that bliss. The other shabd is the image of this anguished, mortal world.

Through the Inner Sat Shabd all your worldly fetters are removed, but the false outer shabd binds you to this creation and throws a noose around your neck.

[Pushpamma sings a Kannada vachana of Basaveshwara22 Basaveshwara was a 12^th century poet and exponent of the Sharana movement in South India. “Sharana” means one who has surrendered to the Guru and accepted His shelter or sharan. The Sharanas were bhaktas of Shiva and champions of social equality. and Baba Somanath Ji comments]

Until your words become pure, you cannot earn the Guru’s pleasure. Through your pure words, you earn His pleasure, and because of your words, He showers His grace on you. 

With one word of His, He can make you the king of the entire world. With one word of His, he can make you a pauper; and begging from door to door you will be destroyed. For each true spiritual aspirant you encounter, you will meet many others who take on the outer form of a devotee, talking nonsense and wandering aimlessly here and there. To these people, Basaveshwara says, “Be quiet. Hold your tongue,” because when people speak meaningless words, it creates doubt and duality in the hearts of their listeners. How can such words even be called speech? Better to call it ignorance instead.

What does Basaveshwara tell us? “O Lord, come to my aid! Loose my tongue and make my words for Your ears alone. Let no words come forth from my mouth except the prayers I offer to You.” He is imploring the Lord to let him remain forever absorbed in His Love.  

How did the war between the Kauravas and the Pandavas get started? One word from Draupadi set off the whole chain of events. The demon Mayāsur built a marvelous palace for the Pandavas. He was a master of optical illusion, and his skill was so amazing that he could make a wall look like a door. He could polish the stone floors so that they reflected everything around them and looked just like pools of water. And he could make a pool of water appear to be a solid floor.

When the work was completed, the Pandavas, with great respect and politeness, invited the Kauravas to visit their palace of illusions. The five Pandavas were all there, and Draupadi was also present. Mayāsur had revealed all the secrets of the palace to the Pandavas, but Duryodhan, who was a Kaurava, wasn’t aware of its illusive nature. So, when he began to tour the palace, first he came to a room with a finished floor, but when he tried to walk on it, he found he had stepped into a pool of water. Next he came to a room with a floor that looked like a rippling pool. When he approached carefully to wade through the water, he stepped instead on to dry, solid ground. When he tried to walk through a door, he collided with a wall.

Seeing all this Draupadi mocked him, saying: “This son of a blind man must be blind himself.” Duryodhan’s father, Dritarāshtra, had been blind since birth, and Draupadi was laughing at him, saying that he was as blind as his father. Her thoughtless speech set off the Mahabharat war, and we people are still feeling the effects of that horrific confrontation. All from one airy word.

[Baba Somanath Ji returns to the bani of Kabir Sahib]

Everyone says, “Shabd, Shabd,” but the True Shabd has no hands or feet.
One shabd makes the wound, and the other Shabd affects the cure.

Kabir Sahib tells us that everyone recites: “Shabd, Shabd.”  But the True Shabd has no hands or feet (it is bodiless). Everyone speaks of Shabd, but there is a great difference in shabd and Shabd — one shabd is the disease and the other Shabd is the medicine.

First learn of the Shabd, then listen to it, and finally contemplate on it; that Shabd bestows happiness.
If you try to grasp the Shabd with no understanding, you will come up empty-handed.

First of all, learn about Shabd; understand the value of the Shabd fully, within your own heart. Next, when you have understood about the Shabd outwardly, listen with your inner hearing faculty. And finally, when the Shabd becomes audible within, contemplate on that Sound.

Until you engage with the Shabd in these three ways — understanding, listening, and contemplating — the Radiance of Shabd won’t manifest. Many people do perform the Shabd practice, but without any understanding of its significance. The final word of the Simran is Sat Naam. You should go on doing the Simran, and merge your attention in the Sound Current of Sat Naam. Do the Simran aiming your attention within like an arrow at its target. Then the door of Shabd will burst open.

Audio: H040, 00:00

Kabir Sahib

There is no austerity equal to the Truth, no sin equal to falsehood.

Sāch barābar tap nahī̃, jhūth barābar pāp 

साच बराबर तप नहीं, झूठ बराबर पाप
जाके हिरदे साँच है, ता हिरदे गुरु आप ।। १ ।।
साईं से साचा रहौ, साईं साच सुहाय ।
भावै लम्बे केस रखु, भावै घोट मुँड़ाय ।। २ ।।
साचे स्राप न लागई, साचे काल न खाय
साचे को साचा मिलै, साचे माहिं समाय ।। ३ ।।
साचै सौदा कीजिये, अपने जिव में जानि ।
साचै हीरा पाइये, झूठै मूलहुँ हानि ।। ४ ।।

Kabīr Sākhī-Sangrah, Nav Ratna vā Sakāri Ang, 7: Sāch kā Ang, 1-4

There is no austerity equal to the Truth, no sin equal to falsehood.
If your heart is filled with Truth, the Guru makes His dwelling there.

Now, He explains about punya (virtuous deeds) and pāp (sins). We talk about virtuous deeds and sins, but do we understand their real significance? When we give donations and feed the hungry, we consider ourselves are virtuous. If we visit the places of pilgrimage and bathe in the holy waters, then we say that we have earned merit through our righteous deeds.  In our eyes, all these outer rites and rituals are virtuous actions through which we gain religious merit. It is like this in Poona and Bombay.

But what is the true meaning virtuous deeds and sins? Kabir Sahib tells us that there is no austerity equal to Truth, and falsehood is the greatest sin of all. As long as you harbor falsehood within, you are full of sin. The real austerity is Truth, and when you understand this mystery, falsehood flees from your heart. You become the same both without and within. Then there is no difference between you and the Creator residing in you.  If you wish to become one with Him, if you wish to become His, then you must become like He is. If you remain as you are — if you remain your own — then how can you meet with the Almighty Lord?

Remain true to the Lord; the Lord is pleased with Truth.
It makes no difference if you keep long hair or shave your head bald.

The Almighty Lord is Truth. To receive the Truth, you must make your own heart true. Many people who are involved in rites and rituals construct a small sanctuary in their homes and call it the house of the gods. They collect idols of all the gods and goddesses and install them in that place. And then, out of respect for the sanctity of that place, they don’t allow anyone from outside to enter there.

So, in the same way, we should make our heart the temple of the Lord, and we should not allow anyone to enter that sacred place. We should lock the door and keep everyone out. Outwardly, we don’t allow anyone to enter the place we have dedicated to the idols. Similarly, when we make the heart the dwelling place of Almighty God, only He should enter there.

हृदय शुद्ध किया नहीं बौरे, कहत सुनत दिन बीता रे ।

O crazy one, you have not purified the chamber of your heart;
You sit chatting idly, and the days pass by.

The root of all spirituality is a pure heart. Purity is most necessary. Until you have purified your heart, how can you invite anyone to enter there? Who would accept your invitation to come in? Even a dog will not sit in a dirty place.

No curse can touch the Truth; Kal cannot devour it.
Truth meets with Truth and merges into it.

The Power of Truth exists beyond the cycles of day and night; yet that Truth kindles the radiance of the sun and the moon. Truth dwells where Kal cannot enter; in that realm no years or days or nights measure out the time. Therefore, Kabir Sahib tells us that that Kal, who is the Lord of Time, cannot devour the Truth.

In the same way, once you have manifested that Truth within yourself, not even a curse can exert any power over you. In the heat of an argument, many people curse others, saying: “May your truth be destroyed.” My friend, how can the eternal Truth you have been blessed with ever be destroyed? If your heart is true, no one’s curse can touch you. If your heart is devoid of Truth, that is a different matter; then someone may well say: “May your truth be destroyed.” But once that Truth has manifested within you, how could it ever be diminished? Truth is Unchangeable Permanence, and puny curses lose all their potency.  Kal is powerless before the Truth. If you make your heart true and merge with Truth, then you become the form of Shabd. So, how could you ever fall again into Kal’s cycle of births and deaths?

Gain true understanding in your within, and make the true bargain.
Obtain the diamond of Truth, and cut the root of falsehood.

He says, “Make the true bargain — the sachā saudā.” But first of all, think carefully in your own heart — what is the nature of Truth? What benefit does it impart?  Once you understand Truth, all your transactions become true. If you don’t understand Truth, how can you put aside your bogus dealings?  Just for show, you may adopt the appearance of Truth, but your currency is counterfeit. To seal the true bargain, you must make your heart the purest of the pure.

Guru Nanak’s father was named Kalu Ji. From the very childhood, Guru Nanak Dev Ji was lovingly absorbed in the Lord’s Name, but the worldly people called Him lazy and said he had gone mad. And as he grew older, still he took no interest in the dealings of the world. Every day, on one pretext or another, His father would scold and taunt him. One day he said to Nanak: “At least today, go and transact some kind of profitable business.” Obeying His father’s order, Nanak got ready to go.  Somehow, His father had obtained a quantity of cloth from the wholesaler and gave it to Nanak saying: “Now come back home only after doing some real business. When customers show some interest, you can sit with them casually and talk about the virtues of your cloth. In this way, your business will increase and flourish.” Nanak replied, “Very well, Father,” and he set out on his errand.

It was a cold winter’s day, and as he walked along, he encountered an assembly of sadhus.  Seeing that they were shivering with the cold, he gave every one of them a piece of that cloth so they could keep warm. Having distributed all the cloth to the sadhus, Nanak returned to his home. His father asked him, “What about the money you made from selling the cloth?” Nanak answered, “Who would be giving me any money? You told me to do some true business, and having transacted a true bargain I have returned home.” Kalu Ji asked, “What are you talking about?” Nanak explained, “Over there, I encountered a group of sadhus sitting in the cold. The poor souls were shivering, and their teeth were chattering.  So I distributed all the cloth to them, giving a piece of cloth to each one, and now I have come home.”  Enraged, his father said, “Get out of my house; you can’t live here anymore.” Nanak humbly replied, “Alright, Father. Now I am going,” and then he went to the home of his married sister.

So, this is what is meant by a true bargain. First examine your heart and understand the Truth. Weed out profit and loss of the world, happiness and sorrow, honor and dishonor; resolve that these things will never enter your within. Only when you make your heart pure can you transact the true bargain. Then you will obtain the Diamond of Truth. You will flee from falsehood, and its very roots will be destroyed

Audio: H040, 20:28

Kabir Sahib

Brahm (God) is known throughout the whole of creation;
No other will prevails.

Brahm bidit hai sarv bhūt mẽ, dūsar bhāv na hoya

[ब]
ब्रह्म बिदित है सर्ब भूत में, दूसर भाव न होय ।
बर्त्तमान चित चेतै नाहीं, भूत भविष्य बिलोय ।।
बड़े पढ़े ते बिषम बुद्धि लिये, बोलनहार न जोहै ।
ब्रह्म दुखित करि पाहन पूजै, बरबस आपु बिगाहै ।।
बन्दि परे नर काल के, बुद्धि ठगाइनि जानि ।
बन्दी छोरौं लैचलौं, जो मोहिं गहि पहिचानि ।।२३।।
[भ]
भाड़ परै यह देस बिराना, भवसागर अवगाहा ।
भक्त अभक्त सभन को बोरै, कोई न पावै थाहा ।।
भच्छक आप लीला बिस्तारा, कला अनंत दिखावै ।
भच्छक को रच्छक करि जानै, रच्छक चीन्हि न पावै ।।
भजै जाहि सो भच्छक, रच्छक रहा निनार ।
भर्म चक्र में परे जीव सब, लखै न सब्द हमार ।।२४।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 4,
Rāg Kakaharā, “B”/ “BH”

“B”

Brahm bidit hai sarv bhūt mẽ, dūsar bhāv na hoya
Barttmān chit chetai nāhī̃, bhūt bhaviṣhya biloya

Brahm (God) is known throughout the whole of creation; no other will prevails.
But we have no awareness of Him; we churn the past, present, and future.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib. It forms part of a kakaharā, an acrostic poem built on the alphabet, beginning with the letter “k” (क the first consonant of the Hindi alphabet), working through all the consonants, and, in this case, terminating with the conjunct letter “ksh” (क्ष). Each verse is based on a different letter. Day before yesterday, I had commented on the letters up to “p” (प) and “ph” (फ). Today we will begin with the letter “b” (ब).

Kabir Sahib tells us that Sarvatra Brahm, the Supreme Lord, is One — All-Pervading, Omnipresent and Eternal.23Sarvatra Brahm, or Puran Akshar Brahm refers to the Sat Purush. Baba Somanath Ji is clarifying that Kabir is speaking of the Lord of Sach Khand.  That Power is present everywhere in the creation and eternally one, but you have not yet known that Power. So your consciousness must awaken; when your lesser consciousness merges with the Greater Consciousness, when you unite with the Lord, you become His very image. Then your cycle of birth and death will come to an end.  

But what is our condition? We speak of past, present, and future. We sit mulling over these three aspects of time. What has already happened we designate as the “past” — all our deeds of this lifetime, all our enemies and friends, all we have gained and lost, all the happiness and suffering we have experienced. Then with the word “future,” we indicate our preoccupation with all that is to come: “I will construct a new house in such and such a style. It will be just right for my son when he gets married. Then he will have sons of his own, and I will get to play with my grandchildren there.” These restless thoughts mold our future. And even in the “present,” we are forging the chains of the kriyaman karmas, by the actions with perform day‑in and day‑out. 

Abandoning the Almighty Lord, the form of Oneness, you agonize over these three aspects of time — past, present, and future — churning them over and over in your mind. But all your planning and worrying is to no avail. If you face the reality, you will realize that whatever is written in your fate will come to you, sure and certain. No one can stop that unfolding destiny; no one can touch what has been written in your account by the flowing pen of God. And whatever He has written in the fate of others will definitely go to them; you have no claim on it at all.

Guru Nanak Sahib tells us:

सोचै सोचि न होवई जे सोची लख वार
One cannot comprehend Him through reason,
even if one reasoned for ages

He says that, up till now, our planning and worrying have changed nothing. And in the future also, our thinking will exert no effect. Whatever is ordained will come to pass. Brooding about past, present, and future is meaningless. Your whole life will be frittered away in this useless exercise.

Baṛe paṛhe te biṣham buddhi liye, bolanahār na johai

That Conscious Power is within you, but always controlled by the mind and subservient to your karmas, you do not recognize that true Brahma within.  You thrash about, entangled in the net of happiness and sorrow, and bow before stones understanding them as the Almighty Lord.   You are destroying your own life, and one day you will leave this world empty-handed.

Bandī pare nar kāl ke, budhhi tagāini jāni

Kal has bound us; the enticing buddhi has lured us astray.

Every single person is caught in the web of the world; everyone is bound in the fetters of Kal. It is through our very faculty of understanding, our buddhi, that Kal ensnares and deceives us.  We are duped by the very faculty through which we should gain knowledge of the Lord.  Because our buddhi is turned to the outer world, we mistake Kal for the Power we are seeking. Becoming extroverted, all the jivas are deceived and plundered. But by turning our buddhi within, we can be liberated from Kal’s snare.

Bandī chorãu laichalãu, jo mohin gahi pahichāni

The Lord says, “Whoever recognizes me, I spring them from the trap.”

When the Guru frees you from Kal’s bondage, you recognize that you are a soul, separate from all the worldly things. And freed from the trap of Kal, your merge into the Lord. No other method is effective.  But is you rely on your own extroverted intellect, then you yourself are setting the trap, and you will become ensnared in it.

“BH”

Bhāṛ parai yeh desh birānā, bhavasāgar avagāhā

This world is an alien land; may it be tossed into in the furnace.
The ocean of this world has no bottom.

He says this world is not your own country. Driven by attachment and pride, you have tried to take possession of it. When we are asked what possessions we can claim, we reply: “Well, first of all, of course, there is myself. Then here is my house, my village, my country.”  But we are speaking one falsehood after another. Truly speaking, the country is not ours. The house is not ours. Not even this body belongs to us.

This body is composed of five elements. And the village, house, country, etc., are composed of earth, water, etc. These are the things of Maya; they do not belong to us. Someone may say, “India is my country. The rest of the world is a foreign land; it belongs to others.” But no matter where you travel on this earth, you will find the same stones, the same water, the same dirt. All the building blocks are the same. So how can people claim that one country belongs to them and them alone?  Even this body is not your own, so how can declare all these other worldly things are yours?  Kabir Sahib tells us to throw the worldly thoughts into the furnace. Throw all the outer attachments into the fire and burn them to ashes. The thoughts of this world will never cease. The ocean of this world is bottomless; it has no end.  Tossed on its waves, we are pulled under.

Bhakt abhakt sabhan ko bauraii, koii na pāvai thāhā

The bhakt and the abhakt will both be destroyed.
Neither will reach the other shore.

As long as your intellect is directed outside, as long as you are involved in the worship of some Iṣht-dev,25Any god or goddess chosen by the devotee for reverent adoration then it makes no difference if you are performing that bhakti or not.  There is no difference between the bhakt (devotee) who is outwardly worshiping the gods and goddesses and the abhakt (atheist) who denies the existence of God altogether. Both will be destroyed.

If you have seized on an idol of stone and are worshipping that inert object, it’s all one whether you perform that bhakti or not; such a devotee will be destroyed in the end.   And if you don’t believe in God at all, you will also be destroyed.  The worshiper of idols and the atheist come to the same end. Neither fathom the inner secret; neither discover that Eternal Power that permeates and sustains the whole creation.

This ocean of the world is so deep that both the devotee and the atheist drown in it. The ocean stretches on and on…it has no end.

He is a butcher, a beast of prey, unfolding the play of this creation; his arts and subterfuges are endless.

Kal the butcher has fashioned this universe with countless forms and colors. He feeds all the creatures till they are plump and sleek, and then he devours them.

The Muslims take good care of their goats before Bakr Īd. They feed those goats well and fatten them up. And then on the day of Īd, they slaughter them all. Daily they poke and prod those goats; they measure them around the middle to see how much meat they have on their bones. In the same way, Mother Shakti, who is the form of Kal, feeds us with the food of wealth, spouse, children, grandchildren, caste, clan, honor and all manner of vanities to fatten us up. And then one day, Kal slaughters us — this is his nature.


Bhachak ko rachak kari jāni, rachak chīnhi na pāve.

We take that butcher as our well-wisher; we don’t recognize our true Protector.

Now all the poor creatures that are raised for food — the chickens, the goats, and all the others — do you think they understand that the butcher is raising them to slaughter and devour. Kabir Sahib tells us they have no idea; they think, “This nice person is our friend. He is taking care of us and feeding us good food every day.”

Similarly, Kal Purush creates all sorts of worldly things to lure and attract us. This is the food he offers. And eating this food, we become intoxicated. We think, “How could he ever hurt us? Look at all the good things he is giving us. I have three or four children. I am making a good living. I have this thing; I have that thing.” The goat goes on happily eating. But then the day, when we are fattened on the worldly food, Kal slaughters and consumes us. And we never even came to know that Power who is our true Protector, that Almighty Lord who resides in our within.

Bhajai jāhi so bhachak, rachak rahā ninār
Bharma chakra me pare jīv sab, lakhai na sabad hamār

The one we are worshipping is a butcher; our Protector remains aloof.
All the jivas have fallen in the cycle of illusion; no one discerns the Shabd, the form of our True Lord.

The one who we meditate on, the one who we address as Lord, the one we are devoted to is a butcher, a beast of prey. And our true Protector has remained aloof. He is within us, but He is hidden. He does not reveal Himself to us. 

Everyone is revolving in the wheel of illusion. We think, “Whatever I am doing, whatever I am saying, it is all correct. I am on the true path.”  But we never spare a thought for the true Shabd that is resounding within us.

Audio: H048, 00:00

Kabir Sahib

All the world repeats Rām, Rām

Rām hī Rām sab jagat hī kahata  

राम ही राम सब जगत ही कहत है, कहों जी राम का रूप कैसा ।
कौन सी कोठरी कौन दर्बार है, कौन से महल में राम वैसा ।।
कौन सी सुन्दरी रमै सुख सेजि में, दिवस औ रैन मिलि स्याम संगा ।
मिल गई पीव से और दरसै नहीं, नारि औ पुरुष मिलि एक अंगा ।।
कहो जी राम का कौन सा रंग है, हरित की सेत रत पीत काला ।
कहो जो राम का कौन अस्थूल है, ज्वान देखा किधौं बृद्ध बाला ।।
बेद से रहित है भेद कैसे प्रगट, बिना मुख जीभ आवाज होई ।
रमै घट घट में आपु न्यारा रहै, पूर्व आनन्द है राम सोई ।।
पाँच पच्चीस गुन तीन तें रहित है, कौन सी दृष्टि से राम देखा ।
सोई हैं संत जिन्ह भेद पाया सही, कहै कबीर जिन्ह राम पेखा ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Gyān Gudaṛī: Reḳhte aur Jhūlne,
Reḳhte, reḳhta 9

All the world repeats Rām, Rām; Sītā
Tell me what he looks like? What is his form?

Kabir Sahib says that when we repeat the name of God, it is most important that we see the One we are naming. Without beholding the form, repeating the name is empty.  In the worldly way, if we have no gold in our possession but we go on saying gold, gold, what good does it do? None at all. The same is true if we just go on repeating Rām, Rām.  We don’t even know what Rām looks. He may be short or tall, dark or fair, but we know nothing about his form. We have seen likenesses of him; he is depicted as dusky in color; we say that he carries a bow, and Sītā is his wife. Extolling his qualities, people describe him this way and that. 

But what does Kabir Sahib tell us:

एक राम घट-घट बोले दुसरा राम दशरथ घर डोले
तीसरा राम का सकल पसारा, चौथा राम सब से न्यारा

One Rām resides in everyone.
The second Rām came as Dashrath’s son.
The third Rām fashioned the whole creation;
The fourth Rām dwells separate from all.   

One Rām, the soul, dwells within every being. The second Rām incarnated into this world as Lord Rāma, the son of King Dashrath; so that incarnation was another Rām. The third Rām is the Universal Mind, the all-pervading Power that created the material universe. And the fourth Rām is unique — dwelling beyond everything and remaining apart from all.

So when you chant Rām, Rām, which Rām are you entreating? You should think about this carefully. There is a vast difference between Rām and Rām, and your repetition will bear fruit accordingly.  Are you remembering Rām, the soul? Or are you addressing Rām, the son of Dashrath? Are you bowing before Rām who made the three material worlds (Pinḍ, Anḍ, Brahmānḍ)? Or are you seeking the unique eternal Rām that remains aloof from all? Consider this before you repeat Rām. What can you hope to achieve with your Rām, Rām when you don’t even know which Rām you are praying to? 

Besides, Rām is a popular name, just about everyone names a son Ramchandra. Or someone may choose to call their son Dashrath; since he was Rām’s father. There are so people named Rām, but what can you gain through their devotion? Nothing at all.  So now tell me, which Rām is yours? What is your Rām like?

Where is his house? How is his court adorned?
In what palace does he make his home?

Now where is Rām’s dwelling? What is his street and number? Which his house? Where does he choose to reside? Tell me how to find his dwelling place. If you don’t have someone’s address it will be hard to locate them. To make it even more confusing, there is usually someone named Rām in every household. In every chawl (apartment building), you will find three or four Rām’s. These Rām’s can’t help you. So, where does your Rām dwell? Does he rule from a palace? Does he pass his days in a bungalow? Are his living quarters fine? Think carefully, and settle this matter. Where does Rām reside?  Tell me about His residence.

What consort joins him on the sukh sej, the bed of happiness?
Who is she that, day and night, enjoys union with the Lord?

Who is the wife of Rām? Who is she that remains, day and night, absorbed in the bliss of the Lord? Kabir is not just referring to Sītā Mā (Mother Sītā, the wife of Lord Rāma) in this couplet. Suchlike Sitas are residing in every household.

When you become one with the beloved, where is the question of darshan? Male and female unite in one indivisible whole.

What is the nature of the male and female? The two principles form one body — like Shiva and Shakti or Purush and Prakriti. When the principles of masculine and feminine are joined, you can no longer say that one is distinct from the other. In the higher realms, there is no more duality of male and female.

Once the soul unites with the Husband (Lord), there is no more question of having darshan, because when the soul merges with the Lord, she becomes one with Him. When female and male unite, when Shakti merges into Shiva, they become one, no longer two.

Tell me about Rām’s color.
Is he green or white? Is he red, yellow, or black?

Now Kabir Sahib asks, “What color is this Rām you worship? Is he green or yellow? Is he red, black or white? You go on saying Rām, Rām, Rām, Rām, but can you describe his hue?

What about his stage of life?
Does he appear young? Has he become an old man? Or is he still a child?

Now, besides his color, what about his age? When you see him, how does he appear to you? Is he a child at play? Is he a young man in the prime of life? Or is he an old man hobbling along with a stick?  When you see him, how old would you say he is?

The True Rām dwells beyond the Vedas; so how is His secret revealed?
He speaks without mouth or tongue.

Now Kabir Sahib explains to us the true nature of Rām.  He dwells beyond the Vedas. Whoever has received the inner secret from the Satguru and has had the darshan of Lord within knows what He is like. That primal Rām has no color or form. His True Form is Sound. This is Rām you are searching for.      

रमतीता सो राम।
That which lies beyond utterance is Rām.

राम रामेति रामेति रमे रामे मनोरमे|
सहस्रनाम तत्तुल्यं रामनाम वरानने||

Concentrating on Rām, Rām, Rām,
the mind gets absorbed in the Almighty, All-Pervading Lord.
The thousand names of Vishnu cannot compare
to the Naam of Rām, the All-Powerful Lord.

Set aside the thousand descriptive names of God you have learned by rote. The Power of the Lord that pervades all creation manifests as the resounding Naam within. Merge into that Naam and the thousand names of God will spring forth of their own accord.

Kabir Sahib tells us that He lies beyond the Vedas. When those holy books cannot tell of Him, how do you learn His secret?  He does not have a face, or ears, or any of the senses. He is the Self-Resonating Sound within — the Rām Naam.  

Though you dwell within all, you are separate from all,
O Rām, Perfect Form of Bliss.

The Power of the Lord pervades every being. Yet He remains separate from all. He is the Perfect Form of Bliss. Therefore, He is called Sohang (I Am That) — the Self-Existing One.  He does not take the support of anyone, yet He is the support of all.

He dwells beyond the three, the five, and the twenty-five.
With what eyes can we behold that Rām?

Taking the help of the three gunas, the five indriyas, and the twenty-five prakritis, we repeat the name of Rām. But Kabir Sahib tells us that the True Rām resides beyond all this outer repetition. He dwells apart from all. With what eye can you have His darshan? With what intellect can you comprehend Him?

The one who has uncovered the Inner Secret is called a Saint.
Kabir says, “The Saint has beheld the true Rām, the Supreme Lord.”

The one who discovers the secret of the True, All-Pervading Shabd Power is called a Saint. He alone is True.

Audio: H048, 14:40

Kabir Sahib

Consider this human body; in the end, it will crumble into dust

Deh to dekh mili jāyagī kheh mẽ, deh se kāj kuch kījiye re

देह तो देख मिलि जायगी खेह में,
देह से काज कुछ कीजिये रे ।
राम का भजन और गुरू की बंदगी,
देह धरि लाभ यह लीजिये रे ।।
चालती कौड़ियाँ काज भल कीजिये,
कौड़ियाँ साथ कुछ नाहि जाईं ।,
प्रान के छूटते पलक नहि यार की,
कहै कबीर सुन चेत लाई ।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Gyān Gudaṛī: Rekhte aur Jhūlne,
Reḳhte, reḳhta 78

Consider this human body; in the end, it will crumble into dust,
So do the work you came for.

Now, He says that this human body is the highest of all.  In this body, the Lord has placed the Path that leads us back to Him.  

इस देही को लोचे देवा
Even the gods long for the human body.

The gods and goddesses yearn for a human birth, but even for them, it is difficult to obtain. Therefore, Kabir Sahib tells us to search for the Lord within the human form. There is no guarantee that we will obtain such a beautiful body again. Now we have the blessing of the human birth, but lost in ignorance and forgetfulness, we are throwing our life away. Just look at the condition of the lower lifeforms — the bullock, the donkey, the horse, all the other animals and birds, the insects and the worms. You can see how much the poor things are suffering. They have no understanding about how to meet God; they have no higher consciousness. The Almighty Lord has placed this understanding only in the human beings.  

Yet even when we receive the boon of the human body, still we pass our life in ignorance, and at our end time that body is reduced to ashes and dust. We do not understand or appreciate the opportunity that has been afforded to us. Many people believe they can put off doing the bhakti. They say, “We will do the bhakti in our old age.” But there is no guarantee you will reach old age — some babies die as soon as they are born, some die when they are fifteen days old, and some when they are two years old. Some people die in their youth and may only reach twenty-five. There is no guarantee of the life breaths.

Now we are in the Kaliyuga, and it is said that the expected lifespan in this yuga is one hundred years.  But because we are deep in the Kaliyuga cycle the lifespan may be less.  Just the other day, as someone was delivering a lecture, he had a heart attack and collapsed. What was the outcome? That man died. He was a Minister, but while he was giving his lecture, his heart failed and he left the body then and there. There is no guarantee of this body in the Kaliyuga.

In previous times, through asceticism and yogic powers, some people could increase their lifespan. Through the practice of pūrvak (inhalation), kumbhak (retention), and rechak (exhalation), the yogis could hold their breath for an extended time and could reduce their breathing to one breath per minute.

Normally, we inhale and exhale fifteen times per minute. But such yogis would inhale and exhale only one time in a minute. Each minute they saved fourteen breaths from their allotted store, and in this way, they expanded the length of time they would stay in the body.26“Our age is fixed, not according to the number of years or months or days, mind that; it is fixed according to the number of breaths we take.” Kirpal Singh, Sat Sandesh, December 1976, “No New Faith Mind That.”

But in these times, we people are always in a hurry. As soon as we get up in the morning, we say, “Come on. I have to catch the bus. Let’s go, we have to catch the train.” Always rushing, rushing. In this frame of mind, we are breathing thirty times a minute. In a relaxed mood — if we are engaged in the Lord’s Simran or if our thoughts are composed — we breathe fifteen times a minute.  If we get carried away in some worldly work, when we are running about, we may expend thirty breaths in a minute. And the more we hurry, the faster we breathe.  When we are involved in lust we use up to sixty-four breaths a minute. This is why indulgent people die very early. And in sleep, in the dream state, we can also use up thirty breaths a minute.

Normally, we breathe fifteen times a minute. But in previous times, through japa, tapa, and other yogic practices many people could slow their breathing to one breath a minute. In that way, they gained an extra fourteen breaths each minute and greatly lengthened their span of life.

But nowadays, alas, we people give this no thought. We don’t care at all how we waste the breaths. We think, “All that matters is that I accomplish what I want to do. I should get my work done by any means fair or foul.”

Kabir Sahib says we already know that this physical body will return to dust one day. So, we should complete our own real work before our allotted breaths run out.

Taking up this human body, gain some advantage from it.
Worship the Lord and serve the Guru.

What is the benefit of taking up the human body? In this body, we can meditate on the Lord and do the Guru’s seva. When we serve the Guru, our ego is eradicated and our greed for wealth is removed. When pride is erased, our antahkarana (inner mind) is purified; then we can meditate on Ram Naam and reunite with the Almighty Lord. 

Here where the kauṛīs27Kauṛīs or “cowries” are small shells that were used in India as currency for bartering up to the early 1800’s. While kauṛīs are no longer used for exchange, the word kauṛī is still used figuratively to indicate a coin of very little value. Kabir’s use of kauṛī here is synonymous with “coin”; figuratively, He is referring to the life-breaths. are accepted, accomplish something with your wealth.
When you leave this world, not one kauṛī will go with you.

He says that while the coins in your purse are being accepted in the marketplace of this world, purchase something of lasting value. Once the accepted currency changes, you won’t be able to buy anything at all.

When kauṛīs fell out of favor, metal coins became the legal tender, but now we have banknotes. Coins at least contain some precious metal, but banknotes are only paper. So, the currency changes with the times, and the money of previous eras becomes worthless in the present. Therefore, He warns us: “You have got the human birth and each breath is a kauṛī or coin. The kauṛīs of your human life are diminishing. If you want to purchase something of true value do it now, because when you die not one kauṛī will go with you.”

In less than the blink of an eye, the Lord drags the pranas from the body.
Kabir says, “Listen to me and wake up to the reality.”

Once the pranas cease to circulate, once they withdraw from the body, your ties with the world are broken. Your worldly relationships have no more meaning.  If someone dies at night, it sets off a lot of chatter in the household: “We should remove the body. Quick, put him in that room and lock the door. Otherwise he may turn into a ghost and grab someone.”  If a person dies in the daytime, then they say, “Hurry up and take the body away. I have to go to my work.” It doesn’t matter who died — the father, the mother, the brother or some other relative.  

The neighbors come to mourn the death, but they say, “We have to get back home. Our children are hungry. Please take the body away quickly.” Family and friends who come from outside ask, “Have you done all the rites for his well-being? Then let us take body away.” Four people carry the body to the cremation ground and consign it to the fire. They use whatever wood is available, even if it is green, or wet, or inferior. And that body is reduced to ashes. What does it matter if he was born into this world or not? Friend, in two days, he is forgotten. Then for twelve days, all the rites and ceremonies are performed according to custom. People believe that, otherwise, the soul cannot travel on to the heavens. But this is all the play of the pandits; they have no idea if that soul has gone to the heavens or somewhere else. Who can tell where that soul has gone?  

Therefore, Kabir Sahib proclaims, “At least now wake up. Come to your senses, and search for the Lord. Discover the Power residing within this human body.

Audio: H048, 26:22

Kabir Sahib

O crazy girl, develop some good qualities
while you are in your parent’s home.

Gun karu bavarī gun karu, jab naihar bās ho

गुन करु बवरी गुन करु, जब लग नैहर बास हो ।
पुनि धुनि जैहौ सुसुरे, कंत पियारे पास हो ।। १ ।।
जब लग राज पिता घर, गुन करि लेहु हो ।
सासु ननद के बुलवन, उत्तर का देहु हो ।। २ ।।
आये भाट बराम्हन, लगन धराइन हो ।
लगन सुनत गवने कै, मुँह कुम्हिलाइन हो ।। ३ ।।
बाजन बाजै गहगहा, नगर उठै झनकार हो ।
प्रीतम कहूँ न देखल, आयो चालनहार हो ।। ४ ।।
लै रे उतारिन तेहि घर, जहँ दिस न दुवार हो ।
मन मन झुरवै दुलहिनि, काह कीन्ह करतार हो ।। ५ ।।
जो मैं जनतिउँ ऐसन, गुन करि लेतिउँ हो ।
जातिउ साहिब के देसवाँ, परम सुख पौतिउँ हो ।। ६ ।।
चेति ले बवरी चेति ले, चेति लेहु दिन चारी हो ।
यह संगत सब छूटि है, कहत कबीर बिचारी हो ।। ७ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 4, Rāg Mangal, 3

O crazy girl, develop some good qualities now, here in your parent’s home,
Then your virtue will shine when you go to the home of your beloved husband.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji.  He is using an outer example to explain an inner reality. In this world, we see the union of woman and man. The woman has love for the man, and the man has love for the woman. The two form one natural whole.  This worldly example reflects the unity of the soul and the Almighty Lord. Some people prefer to use the union of Shiva and Shakti to illustrate this divine truth; it is all one and the same thing.

In this bani, Kabir Sahib is using the example of the bride and bridegroom to illustrate divine unity. If, before the girl marries, she develops the qualities that will win her husband’s love, then her future life will be successful.  But if she just flits about, following her own whims while she is still living in the home of her parents, if she spares no thought for the qualities that will make her future life, then how will she enjoy a loving relationship with her husband when that day comes?

Therefore, Kabir Sahib Ji says, “O crazy girl! O mad one! Develop those qualities to win your husband’s love while there is still time.”

As long as you reside in your father’s house, cultivate noble ways.
Then you can offer becoming replies to your mother-in-law and sisters-in-law.

While you are still living in the house of your father, understand which qualities will serve you well in times to come. Because later, when you go to your husband’s home, you must be ready to give gracious and loving replies when you’re your mother-in-law (Sās), or your elder brother-in-law and his wife (Jeṭh and Jeṭhānī) call you. Before you are married and go to your husband’s home, you should prepare yourself to speak in a becoming manner to all the members of your new household. You should practice and perfect all of those skills and qualities while you are still with your mother and father. Otherwise, later, conflict could arise in your new home, and your new relatives may feel confused and upset.

 When the Bhatt Brahmins arrive to fix the date,
Your face turns pale; your heart sinks, when you hear of the time to depart.

When you reach marriageable age, the Bhatt Brahmins28Brahmins who presided at religious rituals and festivities arrive to set the date. Hearing their pronouncements, your face turns pale. You know you have not developed any good qualities.  How will you succeed when you go to your new home? You have not even one good quality to win your husband’s love.  And what about all your new in-laws? If your mother-in-law or your husband’s sisters (nanads) ask you questions, how should you reply to them? Your face falls just thinking of your plight. You are plagued with worry and regret.

The instruments play; the festivities begin; the village resounds with celebration.
The carriers arrive to take you away, but your beloved makes no appearance.

When the time comes for the bride to depart for her husband’s home, the Bhatt Brahmans start playing on instruments and the gaunā29When child marriage was still the prevailing custom, children were betrothed at a very young age, but the bride did not go to her husband’s home until she reached maturity. The gaunā ceremony marked the time she left her parent’s house for good and went to take up her new life. Though customs have changed, departure, which is referred to in different traditions as gaunā, or vidai, or ḍolī, is still a very poignant moment for the bride and her family. ceremony proceeds with a great deal of fanfare. An atmosphere of celebration spreads throughout the whole village. But when this time arrives, instead of radiating happiness, you are sunk in sorrow and trepidation: “What will become of me when I go there?”  You know the husband will not even want to see you. Because of all your faults, he will not look on you with favor. And if you are not admired by your husband, then your youth is worthless.

They carry the ḍolī to the husband’s home; but the door is shut.
The bride is nervous and afraid. Where is the master of the house?

The bride’s kinsman carry the ḍolī30 palanquin and set it down at the husband’s door. Arriving there, the bride’s heart sinks. The place seems deserted, and her husband is nowhere to be seen.

Similarly, when we meditate, we try to focus our attention between the two eyes — the pathway leading to the Lord. We want to fix our gaze and stay at the eye center, but since we have not yet prepared ourselves, that door doesn’t open.  No matter how much we may lament, no matter how much we may try to attract the Lord’s favor, such efforts are all in vain, because we have neglected the practices. Just like that unhappy bride who came in the marriage ḍolī, we have not yet prepared ourselves to please the Lord, and we find His door shut. Like that bride, we are full of defects and bad qualities.  Because we have not developed even one good quality, the Lord’s door does not open to us.

If I had only known sooner, I would have developed those good qualities.
Then I could have traveled to the Lord’s country and won supreme happiness.

The bride says, “If I had known earlier, then I would have perfected those pleasing qualities. But alas, I didn’t take advantage of that time.” Similarly, at our end time, we say, “If we had done the meditation of Naam in our youth and lived the righteous life enjoined by our Satguru, then now at our end time, we would merge into the Love of the Lord and reach our True Home, Sat Lok-Sach Khand. But instead, we wasted our youth and were swept away in the world.” If we have not meditated on Naam during our lifetime, but start crying out Ram, Ram when death is upon us, what Ram will come to our rescue?

My friend, that Ram — that Almighty Lord — is sitting within you. He knows full well how much love you have for Him and how much love you have for the world.  At the time of our death, when darkness overwhelms us, we call out to Him, but we are still entangled in all our worldly attachments. What love do we have to spare for the Lord? At that time we can only weep bitterly and repent that, having obtained this human birth, we took no advantage of it. 

Here, we had one satsangi who was very strong and robust. He was highly respected by the sangat; everyone knew him. But when his death approached, he found himself empty within. At that time, he frankly and openly proclaimed:

“I have been a satsangi for many years, and everyone knew my name. All the people thought that I must be a great meditator. They expected that when my end time came, I would depart this world in joy and would speak of higher realms.  But they were all sadly deceived. Outwardly, I appeared to be a great satsangis, but inwardly, I never engaged in bhajan and simran. I did not meet the Almighty Lord within, and I am going empty-handed.”

“So now, with my last breath, I am warning you. Don’t remain in illusion. Don’t imagine that you can neglect your inner practices and then expect that your Satguru will come to take you within at your end time. Give up this wrong thinking right away. From this moment on, become determined in the meditation. The true profit can be earned only through meditation, not through idle talk. Put aside your misconceptions and understand the reality.” 

Having spoken these words to those around him, he left the body. 

Come to your senses, crazy girl, come to your senses; the life is four days only.
Kabir says: Poor creature, you will have to leave all these companions behind.

Kabir Sahib Ji says, “O crazy girl, O soul! This life is of four days only; come to your senses now.” While you remain in your parent’s home, that is, while you have this boon of the human body, develop the qualities that will stand by you in the beyond.  While you still dwell in the house of the body, cultivate those good qualities that will help you when your end time comes.  Otherwise, when death calls, you will bemoan your fate. When you leave this body, you will not be prepared to meet the Beloved Lord.  

Nothing of this world will accompany you into the beyond; all the worldly things are related to the physical body only.  When you take up the spiritual way, if you don’t follow the Guru’s instructions, then, looking at your condition, people will say: “You haven’t changed one iota. You’re just the same as you ever were.” If you shun the practices, you will remain unchanged. Until you do the meditation and develop the good qualities, you will not be able to pass the test at the time of death. No matter how great your outer accomplishments — you may turn the world on its head and set it upright again — still, those deeds are worthless when death approaches. If you are successful in your final examination, then you can say you have passed.  But if you fail that final test, then your whole life has been wasted. 

Audio: H051

Kabir Sahib
From now on, remain wide awake and vigilant, O brother.

 Ab se khabardār raho bhāī

अब से खबरदार रहो भाई ।। टेक ।।
सतगुरु दीन्हा माल खजाना, राखो जुगत लगाई ।
पाव रती घटने नहिं पावै, दिन दिन बढ़ै सवाई ।। १ ।।
छिमा सील की अलफ़ी पहिनै, जुगति लँगोट लगाई ।
दया की टोपी सिर पर दैके, और अधिक बनि आई ।। २ ।।
वस्तु पाय गाफ़िल मत रहना, निसि दिन करो कमाई ।
घट के भीतर चोर लगतु हैं, बैठे घात लगाई ।। ३ ।।
तन बंदूक सुमति का सिंगरा, प्रीति का गज ठहकाई ।
सुरति पलीता हर दम सुलगै, कस घर राखु चढ़ाई ।। ४ ।।
बाहर वाला खड़ा सिपाही, ज्ञान गम्म अधिकाई ।
साहेब कबीर आदि के अदली, हर दम लेत जगाई ।। ५ ।।
Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvali, bhāg 1
Chitāvanī aur Upadesh, shabd 61

From now on, remain vigilant and wide awake, O brother.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. He says that we should be vigilant and wide awake. From His words, it is clear that we have been lost in slumber. All of the world is sound asleep. Therefore, in order to rouse us, He says: “However long you have slept, whatever has happened up till now — leave it behind you.” There is no benefit at all in dwelling on the past. Thinking of past happiness is useless, and there is nothing to be gained in remembering past sorrows. But now — for the future — remain awake and watchful. Do not become careless and forgetful.

Satguru has given you the spiritual treasure; guard it by the method He has taught you.

Why should you remain vigilant? He says, “Satguru has given you the treasure of Naam. It is your responsibility to stand guard over that treasure.” You have to protect it from the thieves; they want to snatch that treasure away from you. Be careful that it does not fall into their hands through your carelessness. To save it from these thieves, you must remain wakeful and watchful. If you keep your thoughts fixed in the Naam and perform the practices taught by your Guru, then you will remain awake, and the thieves cannot touch you.

Don’t let it decrease by even a fraction of a rattī; go on increasing it day by day.

The smallest jeweler’s weight is a rattī, based on the tiny red seed from the rattī (gunja) plant. So, He says, perform the practice given by your Guru in such a way that your treasure is not reduced by even one-quarter of a rattī. And further, you have to increase your treasure by the repetition (raṭ) of Naam. Do not let your attention leave that repetition (raṭ) for even the tiniest fraction (rattī) of an instant. Go on repeating the Simran of Naam over and over; become so absorbed in the contemplation of Naam that not even one of your priceless breaths falls into the hands of the thieves.

As you go on practicing the meditation, you begin to progress within, and your inner experience increases; then you start to realize the value of the treasure you have been given, and you become more proficient in preserving it. But now, sometimes we may remember the Naam only one time in a whole day. We think, “I have taken Naam initiation. Today, I’ve done five or ten rounds of Simran. That should be plenty.” And another twenty-four hours pass by uselessly.

One old lady received initiation from Hazur Maharaj Sawan Singh Ji. She had come on the initiation day but didn’t know anything about the Simran, or Dhyan, or the other practices. Seeing everyone else signing up for initiation, she also to request the Naam, just like people enlist with the army recruiter. Later, when someone asked her if she was doing the Simran regularly, she replied, “Yes, I am practicing it.” So they asked, “When do you do it?” The old lady said, “In the morning when I get up, I do two rounds of Simran. Then at noon when I eat my lunch, I do another two rounds of Simran. And finally, at night when I go to bed I do two more rounds. Altogether, I am doing six rounds of Simran every day.” What progress can you hope to achieve like that?

So, in this way, after we take the initiation, now and then we may sit for meditation. Sometimes we remember the Naam, and then we do three or four rounds of Simran. And then all day and night we remain in the world, lost in the labyrinth of forgetfulness. The force of forgetfulness grows strong within us, and the children of forgetfulness are the bad habits. We become addicted to the sense enjoyments, and our thoughts become so absorbed in the worldly things that the wealth of our breaths is squandered.

Wear the alfī of forgiveness and continence; put on the langotā of meditation.

Put on the robe of forgiveness and continence and the loincloth of meditation; this is the true renunciation. Adopting this type of renunciation, do the remembrance of Naam. Whether or not you put on the outer alfī (long robe of thick cloth) or the kaphanī (ascetic’s unsewn garment) or langotā (loincloth) makes no difference. If you clothe yourself in these outer garments, what protection can they afford you?

If you put on the alfī of forgiveness, then no matter what the worldly people may say about you — whether they praise you or criticize you, whether they respect you or insult you – still you won’t mind; this is the principle of forgiveness. And continence means keeping your senses under your control. Don’t fill your heart with the impure thoughts of the outer senses. Don’t waste even one breath in this way. Therefore, He says, “Wear the alfī of forgiveness and continence. And, following your Guru’s instructions, put on the langotā of meditation, absorbing your attention day and night in the Lord’s remembrance.”

Place the cap of mercy on your head, and you will make headway on the Path.

So, He has told us about the alfī and the langotā. Now He says, “On your head always wear the cap of mercy for all living beings. Then your renunciation will be true; from such renunciation you will attain the Lord.” Until you develop this quality, how can you progress? How can you love the Lord if you do not love His creation?

Having received the gift, don’t remain idle; do your practice day and night.

Once you establish a connection with the Naam through the Guru’s grace, never entertain thoughts of procrastination. Once you get the Naam, do the meditation day and night and increase your capital. If you give up the repetition of Naam, what can you achieve? We think, “Oh, I am old satsangi. I have been initiated for such a long time.” What benefit is there in being an old satsangi? All it means is that a lot of time has passed.

The thieves are sitting within you, waiting in ambush.

If you become careless and inattentive or if you fall asleep on the job, then you have succumbed to the power of forgetfulness. The thieves are sitting within you in the form of forgetfulness. Lust, anger, greed, attachment, egotism, and the waves of the sense enjoyments that arise moment after moment in your mind – all of these thieves are sitting, awaiting their chance. And when they see that no one is on guard, these thieves say, “Now we can bring this jiva under our control. Let us seize him.” This is how the thieves gain ascendency over you. And when you once come under their sway, your spiritual wealth will be destroyed.

The body is the gun, right thought fills the powder horn, and love is the ramrod.

When the guard is armed with a weapon, then the thieves are frightened. “Friends, he has a gun. He will shoot us and kill us.” But if the guard is sitting empty-handed, then the thieves will overpower him. When you are standing guard over your treasure, be sure you have your weapon ready. Your body is the gun. Right thought is the gunpowder in your powder horn. Just as you fill the gun with gunpowder, in the same way, fill the body with right thoughts — with qualities that are lofty and full of truth. Tulsi Das says:

जहाँ सुमति तहं संपत्ति नाना, जहाँ कुमति तहं विपत्ति निदाना

Where the thoughts are good, prosperity flourishes;
Where the thoughts are bad, they bring misfortune.

First, fill the body with the qualities of goodness. In earlier times, when the gun was filled with gunpowder, it would be packed down with a ramrod. So, He tells us, “Filling the gun of the body with the gunpowder of good thoughts, pack it down with the ramrod of love.”

What is the meaning of filling the body with good thoughts? Now our within is filled with the bad thoughts of the sense enjoyments. When the bad thoughts connect us to the outer world through the outgoing faculties, then we are drawn to the worldly things and become subject to them. But when the good thoughts increase within us, when we follow the path of right understanding, then we join the congregation of Truth. We should fill our within with this gunpowder to such an extent that the bad thoughts have no power over us. If even one bad quality is strong within us, we won’t be able to practice the devotion. Kabir Sahib tells us:

कामी-क्रोधी लालची, इनतै भक्ति न होय ।
भक्ति करे कोई सूरमा, जाती वरन कुल खोय ।

The lustful, the angry, and the greedy ones — they cannot do the devotion.
Only some brave one can do the devotion,
leaving aside thought of caste and color.

When all of the bad qualities are removed from your heart, then you can practice the devotion. Therefore, become so vigilant that the bad qualities find no place in your within. When the bad qualities make their home within you, then the good qualities are driven out and vanish like a dream. If someone else is performing the good deeds and maintaining the good thoughts, then you oppose them. The influence of the bad deeds dominates your perception.

The soul is the ever-burning match to fire the gunpowder; now, where should I aim my gun?

What does He tell us? When you fill the gun with gunpowder and set a match to it, the gunpowder explodes, and the bullet is launched. Similarly, the match of the surat, the conscious Power of the soul, should always be burning. And when a thief comes in sight, you should bring your thoughts, your attention into contact with that surat, where the inner Light of Naam is burning. Then the conscious Power of the soul will ignite the gunpowder, and the bullet will kill the thief.

The sight is an aiming device mounted on top of the gun to align it with the target. When the hunter pursues his prey, he looks in the sight and lines up the image of his prey within the crosshairs. Then he lights the match, or nowadays he pulls the trigger; then the bullet fires, and strikes the target. In the same way, our target is the still point between the two eyes. We should fix our attention there, fire the gun, and launch the bullet of Naam Simran. Then that higher conscious Power will flare up and destroy lust, anger, and all the passions.

The soldier stands on guard, understanding that the Lord dwells in all.

Now, when you are on guard within, then Maya will try to entice you outside to the things of the world. So you have to be on guard outwardly day and night. When you see any outer thing, you should remember that the Almighty Lord pervades all creation. “The Power which dwells in my within is residing in that outer object also.” When this truth dawns, then within and without you will see only that one Lord, and the commotion and confusion of the world will disappear.

Kabir says, “The Primal, Transcendental Lord looks on all with mercy and is perpetually awakening the souls.”

Kabir Sahib says, “I was in the beginning, and my message has come down from time immemorial. Always, with every breath, I am calling out to rouse you from your slumber. I have come to awaken the world.”

Audio: H053

 Kabir Sahib

Worshipping the incomplete Naam,
We come into this world again and again

 Ans nām tẽ phiri phiri āvai, puran nām param pad pāvai

अंस नाम तें फिरि फिरि आवै । पूरन नाम परम पद पावै ।।
नहि आवै नहि जायसो प्रानी । सत्तनाम की जेहि गति जानी ।।
सत्तनाम में रहै समाई । जुग जुग राज करै अधिकाई ।।
सत्त लोक में जाय समाना । सत्तपुरुष से भया मिलाना ।।
हंस सुजान हंस ही पावा । जोग संतायन भया मिलावा ।।
हंसा सुधर दरस दिखलावा । जनम जनम की मूख मिटावा ।।
सुरत सुहागिनि आगे ठाढ़ी । प्रेम सुभाव प्रीति अति बाढ़ी
पुहुप दीप में जाइ समाना । प्रेम सुबास चहुँ दिसि आना ।।
                        दोहा
सुख सागर सुख बिलसही, मानसरोवर न्हाय ।
कोटि काम सी कामिनी, देखत नेन अघाय ।। ५ ।।
सूरत नाम सुनै जब काना । हंसा पावै पद निर्बाना ।।
अब तो कृपा करी गुरु देवा । ता तें सुफल भई सब सेवा ।।
नाम दान अब लेय सुभागी । सत्त नाम पावै बड़ भागी ।।
मन बच क्रम चित निस्चय  राखै । गुरु के सबद अमी रस चाखै ।।
आदि अंत कै भेदै पावै । पवन आड़ में ले बैठावै ।।
सब जग झूठ नाम इक साचा । स्वास स्वास में साचा राचा ।।
झूठा जानि जगत सुख भोगा । साचा साधू नाम सँजोगा ।।
यह तन माटी इन्द्री छारी । सत्तनाम साचा अधिकारी ।।
नाम प्रताप जुगै जुग भाखी। साध संत ले हिरदे राखी ।।
                      दोहा
महिमा बड़ी जो साध की, जा के नाम अधार ।
सतगुरु केरी दया तें, उतरे भौजल पार ।। ६ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 2,
Nirakh Prabodh kī Ramainī, section 1, verse 5-6

Worshipping the incomplete Naam,
We come into this world again and again,
Only when we receive the True Naam can we reach the Highest Realm.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. He says that if someone takes the partial Naam —that is, the varanātmak Naam31Also referred to as aksharātmak or descriptive Naam that can be written or spoken — as all-in-all, even if they remain devoted day and night, still:

जो दिसे सो नाशे, परे आज की काल

Whatever we see will be destroyed, if not today then tomorrow.

If we are searching for the Divine in the lower sounds,

32“Varan Atmak Bani can be classified into four subdivisions: Baikhri, Madhma, Pashyanti and Pra:  Baikhri: These are labial sounds or sounds which are uttered with the aid of tongue and lips;   Madhma: These are guttural sounds which are produced in the throat or at the back or root of the tongue and palate; Pashyanti: These are sounds which originate from the heart center; Pra: These are sounds which arise through vibrations from the navel center. These four types of sounds or words are related in one or another form with the six physical ganglionic centers, and have nothing to do with Naam or the Word or Logos, which is contacted above the six ganglions, is capable of granting salvation, and is technically called Dhun Atmak Bani or the Eternal Sound Current, the source of God’s Light and Life Principles. It is, in fact, the Eternal and Unchangeable Voice of God.” Kirpal Singh, Naam or Word (Delhi, India: Ruhani Satsang, 1970) 241-242.if we get stuck in the outer words, then no matter how inspiring those words may be, and no matter how heartfelt and sincere our devotion still we cannot contact the living God within. Some trace of ego will always remain, and as a result, the soul goes on revolving again and again in transmigration.

Only when we learn the inner secret of the True Naam — the dhunātmak Naam reverberating throughout all creation — will we be able to finish off the cycle of birth and death and achieve liberation.

When the soul gains the knowledge of Sat Naam, its coming and going ceases.

You can experience this True Naam in your own heart with the Grace of the Satguru. The gurumukhs know this secret. That Naam is the form of Oneness. It never comes; it never goes. No trace of defect or dissension can be found in that Naam. It remains ever unalloyed.

आदि सच्च जुगादि सच्च, है भी सच्च, नानक होसी भी सच्च

He was when there was nothing; He was before all ages began;
He existeth now, O Nanak, and shall exist forevermore.

Sat Naam existed before the dawn of creation. Age followed age, but Naam never altered. Unchanged in the present, it will remain unchangeable in the future as well. For all time to come, the dhunātmak Naam, the True Shabd, will remain as it ever was.  

On the other hand, the varanātmak Naam and its many forms stay in constant flux. Just consider how much variation you see in the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Some worship him as Vishnu, some as Ram, some as Lakshmi Narayan. He has shifted his shape many times — Matsya, the fish; Kūrma, the tortoise; Varāha, the boar; Narasimha, the man-lion; Vāmana, the dwarf-god; Parashurāma, the Brahman warrior; Rāma; Krishna; Buddha — on and on, ever-changing. Similarly, Shiva has taken on so many different forms.

 This is the condition in Brahmand and the regions below. From Kal (Nirākār, the one without form) sprang Maya. Maya gave birth to the five elements and three gunas. All the lower creation arose from these powers. And since that whole creation is destructible, if the True Naam has not yet manifested in your heart, if you have not yet merged in Indestructible Oneness and become the form of Oneness, then your coming and going in Kal’s creation will not cease.

The True Naam is One, and you must also become One. Then no desires of the individual ego remain. Desire is the root cause of birth. At the time of death, everyone has some unfulfilled desire, and the desires of those around you give you no peace. When a wealthy person reaches his end time, it causes a great uproar. Everyone from his family, caste and clan, all his business partners and company associates rush to his bedside and hover around him: “Tell us what share of the money is yours and what share is ours. What portion have you set aside for the daughter’s dowries? What portion goes to your sons? Where have you hidden the jewelry and gold? How much treasure is buried there?” They are all tormenting him from outside. These outer “yamduts” (messengers of death) are tugging at him from one side, while within the yamduts sent by Lord Kal are dragging his soul out of the body. He has no peace in this world or in the beyond, and in the end, he will be thrown back again into the wheel of eighty-four.

But those who have manifested the Sat Naam within, they have risen beyond the perishable realm, and at the time of their death, when they caste aside the mortal frame, they will merge into the eternal Naam Dhun. There they will view the picture from a different angle of vision.

[Baba Somanath Ji asks Pushpamma to recite a hymn of Mankutimma in Kannada and comments]

mr̥tyuviṁ bhayavēke? dēśāṁtarakkoyva|
mitranātaṁ; citra hosadirpudalli|
sāttvikadi bāḷdvaṁgettalēṁ bhayavihudu?|
satra hosadihudu naḍe – maṁkutimma||835||33L, Dr. Umadevi. Wisdom of Kagga: A Thematic Rendering of Dr. D. V. Gundappa’s “Mankutimmana Kagga”

Why fear death? Your friend has come to escort you to another country.
There you will see the picture from a different angle of vision.
If you have led a virtuous life, then why should you fear the change?
You are going to a new rest house (choultry):
So says Mankutimma.

This is the verse of one Kannada-speaking Mahatma.34Dr. D. V. Gundappa wrote many aphoristic Kannada poems under the pen name Mankutimma (Crazy Timma). Manku means “crazy.” Timma is a proper name used to denote a simple, country bumpkin. Baba Somanath Ji had great love for him and often commented on his verses in Satsang. He says: “Why are you afraid of death?” If you have lived a satvik life and if, at the end time, you remember the True Lord with a pure heart, there is no cause for dread. If a man goes to another country where he accumulates a lot of wealth, when he returns to his own country his heart will be full of happy expectation: “Now I have become very wealthy. When I go to my home, I will meet my loved ones and dwell there very comfortably.”

In the same way, while living in this foreign country, if we do the meditation and earn the wealth of Sat Naam, if we have lived our life with a pure heart, then what have we to fear when it is time to return home? When we go back to our own country, we will bask in a new bliss, never dreamed of before.

Our friend comes at the end time to free us from this mortal coil and escort us into the beyond, never leaving our side. As we travel inward, one ravishing scene after another unfolds before our dazzled eyes. Why should we fear death? For the jivas who have passed their time on earth immersed in purity, there is no cause for trepidation — here or hereafter.

[Baba Somanath Ji returns to the commentary on a hymn of Kabir Sahib]

Remaining absorbed in the True Naam,
You inherit the Deathless Kingdom for all ages to come.

Those who merge into the True Name and become the form of Sat Naam remain deathless for all ages to come. They have not a trace of ego or desire in them and never come again into this mortal world.

Merging into the Realm of Truth, you unite with Sat Purush, the True Lord.

The home of the soul is Sat Lok-Sach Khand, and Sat Purush is the Lord of that Realm. Merging into Him, you also become the form of Truth. Truth is eternal, and you must also become eternal. The Truth never dies. If we want ensure someone tells the truth, we say, “Swear on the Truth.” We don’t say “Swear by Brahma” or “Swear by Vishnu” or “Swear by Parbrahm.” What do we say? “Swear on the Truth.” We are calling on our own soul, whose nature is Truth, to be our witness. The soul is Truth, and Truth is eternal — it never takes birth; it never dies.

The hansa gains knowledge of the soul’s True Home;
The Saint who has become one with the Lord can join others to Him also.

Kabir Sahib says that the primal home of the soul is Sat Lok-Sach Khand — the Realm of Truth. And He says that the “Yog Santāyan,” the Saint who has achieved union, can impart to us the True Knowledge and make us reach our True Home, Sat Lok.

The purified soul beholds the Realm of Truth, the desires of ages and ages are eradicated.

When the swan bird of the soul reached the primal home Sat Lok-Sach Khand, in the blink of an eye, all the suffering of countless births and countless ages came to an end. How easy it is to say these things! But in this mortal world, such mighty forces are arrayed against us that we have no hope without the Naam. Those forces track even the supreme gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva like prey. Just imagine the power of Maya!

One time, when Shiva was applying ash to his body,35Shiva constantly applies ash to his body to show that nothing is permanent in this creation; everything that is born will die and return to ash. a small stone fell to the ground, and from that small stone a demon sprang up. Shiva named that demon Bhasmāsur, the demon (asur) of the ashes (bhasam). Shiva gave that demon the duty of collecting the ashes from the cremation grounds where the dead bodies were burned. So everyday, Bhasmāsur would go to a different cremation ground, collect all the ashes, bring them back and present them to Shiva. In this way, he eventually emptied out all the cremation grounds and could find no more ashes anywhere. So he bowed before Lord Shiva and begged for a boon: “Maharaj, now I have collected all the ashes from the cremation grounds, and there are no more to be found. Please grant me such a boon, that if I place my hand on anyone’s head, they will be burned to ashes on the spot. Then I will have an unlimited supply for you.” At that time Shiva was only thinking about getting more ashes to smear on his body. Without considering the consequences, he replied : “It shall be as you wish.” So, whenever Bhasmāsur placed his hand on anyone’s head, that person would burst into flames, and quickly be reduced to a pile of ashes. Then he would present those ashes to Shiva, who became very pleased with him.

One day when Bhasmāsur arrived, Shiva was sitting with his wife Pārvatī; and seeing her beauty, the demon was attracted to her. He thought to himself, “Shiva is just a pathetic old man, and Pārvatī is so beautiful. He is not worthy of her. If I just eliminate this old man, then Pārvatī will be mine.” Thinking like this, he tried to put his hand on Shiva’s head. And when the god ran away, Bhasmāsur chased after him. Shiva Ji was running for dear life, and Bhasmāsur was following close behind.

Meanwhile, Lord Vishnu was watching this drama unfold. He thought to himself, “I must do something quickly. Otherwise, this demon will kill the Lord Shiva.” So Vishnu took the form of Mohinī, a young woman even more beautiful and enchanting than Pārvatī. He stood in the pathway, right in front of Bhasmāsur, and asked, “Why are you chasing this old man? Never mind about him. Now, I have come.” Smiling and laughing, she distracted his attention, while the “old man,” Shiva, escaped.

Then Mohinī started teaching the demon a dance, having him mimic her every action. “Leap this way. Step up there. Sway from side to side.” She made a game of it, just like children playing. Demonstrating each move, she was saying, “Now you put you hand on your foot, on your leg, on your stomach, on your shoulder.” Finally, she put her hand on her head, and Bhasmāsur, without thinking, copied her motion. When his hand touched his head, because of Shiva’s boon, he instantly burst into flame and was reduced to ashes.

But then Maya did not spare even Shiva and Vishnu. When the demon was destroyed, Vishnu returned to his true form and Shiva reappeared. He asked Vishnu how he had managed to kill the demon. Vishnu replied, “Never mind all that, Maharaj. I have my methods, and now the demon is destroyed.” But Shiva was insistent: “No, no, I want you to tell me how you did it.” So Vishnu explained, “It was nothing. First, I took on the form of a beautiful woman, and enticed his thoughts away from you. Then with flirting and teasing, I tricked him and finished him off.” But still Shiva persisted: “Well, at least show me what that beautiful form is like.” So once again Vishnu took on the guise of the charming Mohinī, and Shiva, even knowing she was Lord Vishnu in disguise, started chasing after her.

So you see, Maya is so powerful that only a few rare souls who take the support of Sat Naam, can withstand her. It is easy to talk about taking the support of Naam, but actually doing it is tremendously difficult. The radiance of Sat Naam will manifest only in those souls who have the supreme Grace of the Satguru and the Almighty Lord on their heads.

Others like to hear talks about the Naam, but all the time they will be thinking: “Satsang should be over by now; they should let us out. Why hasn’t the bus arrived yet? I will be late getting home. It must be time for lunch already.” Such people who chase after the worldly things are just like Bhasmāsur.

[Pushpamma recites a hymn of Mankutimma in Kannada, and Baba Somanath Ji comments.]

janakajeya daruśanadināytu rāvaṇa capala|
kanakamr̥gadaruśanade jānakiya capala|
janavavana niṁdipudu, kanikaripudākeyali|
manada bageyariyadadu – maṁkutimma||383||36L, Dr. Umadevi. Wisdom of Kagga: A Thematic Rendering of Dr. D. V. Gundappa’s “Mankutimmana Kagga”

The lust of Ravana looking at the beauty of Sita
And Sita’s infatuation with the golden deer spring from the same root of desire.
But the world condemns Ravana and looks on Sita with compassion.
They do not understand the ways of the craving mind:
So says Mankutimma.

Now what does Mankutimma tell us? Many people revile Ravana. They say he was a wicked demon, very ruthless and powerful. Why? Because he forcefully abducted Sita, the wife of Lord Rama. Even now we defame him and burn him in effigy at the time of the Holi festival. But just consider; this Mahatma is telling us in his verse that it was Sita who committed the first mistake. How can that be? A demon in the service of Ravana took the form of a golden deer and began walking back and forth in front of her forest hut. Sita was captivated by the beautiful creature and said to Lord Ramchandra, “Swami, look at this amazing deer. Slay it for me, and I will show off its golden hide to all the family when we return to Ayodhya.”

Just as Ravana was attracted to the beauty of Sita, in the same way, Sita was attracted to the beauty of the enchanted golden deer. So, where is the difference between the two? And yet the whole world scorns Ravana, and lavishes praise on Sita, calling her the Adi Shakti, the Primal Mother. But she was attracted to the beautiful golden dear, so in what way is she different from the wicked demon? Ravana and Sita were the same — both were driven by desire.

The same mind was dwelling in them both, so how can we say that one is wicked and the other virtuous? Desire is desire and they were both afflicted by it. But only a few rare souls, who have experienced the Truth within, can grasp this secret. Everyone else praises Sita to the skies and looks on Ravana with loathing: “He was a fiendish villain!” But the same desire was burning in both their hearts.

[Baba Somanath Ji returns to the hymn of Kabir Sahib]

The surat, the happily married bride, is drawn within;
The stream of Love within is irresistibly attractive and pulls the soul upward.

The conscious surat is like a happily married bride, who when reaching the still point between the eyes, is drawn inward and upward on the magnetic current of Love.

The soul reaches Puhup Dīp, the Island of Flowers.
The fragrance of that place is indescribably sweet.

On the journey homeward, you reach the Island of Flowers, and the delicious fragrance wafting from that place is beyond description.

Reaching the ocean of bliss, the soul frolics in delight
And bathes in the pool of Mansarovar.

Then you reach the ocean of happiness. Four veils have been thrown over the soul — physical, astral, causal, and supercausal. The causal body functions in the realm of Brahm. In the supercausal region, we work in the supercausal body. Beyond these regions lies the Daswan Dwaar and the Pool of Mansarovar, where the soul comes into its own. When the swan bird of the soul bathes in the Mansarovar, then all the four bodies are left behind, and the soul prepares to travel onward to Sat Lok.

Just like millions of lovers beholding their beloveds, the eyes are filled with scenes of ravishing beauty. (5)
When the surat catches the melodious strains of the Naam, the swan bird of the soul achieves salvation.

The ear with the power to hear the Inner Sound is a different ear. The outer ears perceive the outer sounds — the descriptive names of God. But the inner ear that listens to the essential dhunātmak Naam is something entirely different.

If once you hear that Inner Sound and take the support of the Shabd, when you merge into the Shabd and become the form of Shabd, then that Sound descending from the True Home, transports the soul directly back to it source, Sat Lok. There is no need to inquire here and there for directions along the way. When the Almighty Lord created this human body, he placed in it the Path leading homeward. But the veil of mind and Maya blocks our vision. The only means to rend this veil in two is the Grace of the Guru.

When the Guru showers His Grace, all our seva becomes successful.

Now, Kabir Sahib makes a prayer before the Guru: “Maharaj Ji, shower Grace on me, and grant me this experience of the Reality, so that my seva may become successful.” Otherwise, our seva cannot be accepted, because without the Guru’s Grace, we remain busy in the service of the mind. Only a few rare ones do the seva of the Guru; the rest of us remain busy in the works of the mind.

The fortunate ones receive initiation; those with highest destiny achieve Sat Naam.

Whoever meets the Satguru and takes Naam initiation from Him is very fortunate. But the most fortunate one maintains firm faith in the Guru’s words, meditates with regularity, and manifests that Naam within. Such a disciple is called a gurumukh. We do not become a gurumukh just by taking the Naam; but many people start calling themselves “gurumukhs” right after initiation — this is a misunderstanding. Some three or four million people are following the path of Radhaswami, maybe even more. But from among them, to find even one real gurumukh is difficult.

In thought, word, and deed, our resolve must be firm.

Kabir Sahib tells us, “Take up the Guru’s seva with determination, be it the seva of thought, word, or deed.37Mansa=mind or thought; Vāchā=speech; and Kriya=deed (sometime mentioned as Kaya=body) Some people take up the seva of the intellect (thought), some do the seva of speech (word), and some take up the physical seva (deed); whatever needs to be done, they put their shoulders to the wheel. But other people become lazy and say, “This physical seva is just for the poor people. We should be assigned some more appropriate seva befitting our status.” They like to give lectures before dignitaries and other important people. They want to be selected as president of this or that. They apply to be appointed as secretary. Well, secretaries secretly alter the account sums, and any “surplus” disappears into their pockets. And the president is one who will “press” others; he will tyrannize and threaten people to further his own interests. This is what a worldly president does.

But in spirituality the secretary is the one who takes any sums of surplus karmas owed to Maya (Kal) and eliminates them. And the president is the one who “presses” the mind, and, making it stable within, merges the soul with the inner Power of the Shabd.

These are the fitting sevas for the true “secretary” and “president.” The outer presidents who attack and oppress their fellow beings have no place in spirituality — they are less than worthless.

He says, you should be firm and engage in whatever seva you are assigned — be it the seva of speech, seva of action, or seva of the intellect — and remain true to your duties. There is not the slightest doubt about this.

Taste the nectar of the Guru’s Shabd.

Kabir Sahib tells us, “The Word of the Guru is the dhunātmak Naam resounding within.” To merge into that Sound and taste its sweetness is the sign and the fulfillment of one who has become the mouthpiece of the Guru.

[Pushpamma recites a hymn of Basaveshwara in Kannada (text not available), and Baba Somanath Ji comments.]

This is the bani of Basaveshwara, a Mahatma from Kalyāna in Karnatika (12^th century). He says, “Is Har Lok, the Realm of God, different from the mortal world we are familiar with? No. Wherever the Guru dwells is the home of the Almighty Lord.” All the fantasies we propagate about the heavens and the celestial realms are just figments of our own imagination. The place where the Guru dwells is heaven on earth.

Further, he is explaining about the three kinds of greed, explaining that we are deceived by greed of body, greed of mind, and greed of wealth. When it is time for physical seva for the Guru, we are deceived by greed of the body and we run away. We think, “Uh-oh! I’m going to have to do some work,” and we disappear. The greed of the mind also deceives us. We are showing one thing outside, but have something quite different in our hearts. Then, when the time comes for financial seva, we are attacked by greed for wealth. Someone gives a piece of land for a Satsang hall, and we think, “Now they’ll want me to donate some money. I think I’ll slip out now and come back when the collection is over.” It’s like tax evasion; we don’t want to be separated from your wealth. This is the deception of greed. Greed for wealth deceives us.

If we turn away from these three types of greed and replace them with longing for the Lord, He always stands ready to fulfill our wish. But if you remain in the grip of theses three types of greed, if we become the thieves of the Guru’s seva, then we will also receive the fruits of those desires.

[Baba Somanath Ji returns to the hymn of Kabir Sahib]

The life force is collected and stilled; rising above the vital airs you discover the secret of beginning and end.

The mystery of the beginning and the end stands revealed. Initially, the chit or consciousness is stilled, resting on the vital airs, but to rise higher you must leave the vital airs behind. You have to take the support of the Shabd. Merge in the Shabd and become the form of Shabd. Sat Lok is both the source and the Eternal Home of the Shabd. In Sat Lok, you discover the beginning, the primal source of all your wanderings, where the soul set forth on its long journey eons ago, and returning at last to Sat Lok, the Blessed Realm, your soul reaches the journey’s end.

All this world is false; only the One Naam is True.
Each breath we take in the human body is as precious as Truth itself.

All this world is false; only the One Naam is True. And that very Shabd, that very Truth, enlivens every breath in the human body. Therefore, Kabir Sahib Ji tells us:

कहता हूँ कही जात हूँ, कहूँ बजा के ढोल ।
स्वांस जो खाली जात है, ये तीन लोक का मोल ।।

Wherever I go I proclaim it loudly with the beating of drums:
Each breath you breathe is worth the price of the three worlds.

What do we do with these breaths? Consider this carefully. Every single breath that we dedicate to Lord and spend in His Simran, that breath is successful. But if we use up all our breaths on useless things — stirring up trouble, imposing on others, usurping others rights, forming illicit relationships — then our breaths are wasted. It has been reckoned we expend 21,600 breaths every 24 hours or 15 breaths a minute. We recklessly throw away all these precious breaths, but when we go into the Satsang of the Guru, at least then we realize our mistake and take some advantage.

On the other hand, the real meditators do not let even one breath pass by without the Simran. Their Simran never ceases. This is called ajapā jāp, the Simran that goes on reverberating in your within, even without your repeating it. But most of us don’t even wake up for meditation, or if we manage to get up, we are quickly overcome by the mind. After a little while we slump over; then we lay down flat. We get drowsy while you are doing our Simran, and then drift back to sleep. When we wake up again we think, “That’s enough for today. I’ll meditate again tomorrow.” We go on saying tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow, till one day we are carried away to the graveyard. Then we can do nothing at all.

The souls revel in the pleasures of this false world,
But the true Sadhu seeks union with Naam.

Everyone is intoxicated in the illusion and goes on enjoying the worldly things. Only a few rare Sadhus unite with the Sat Naam and enjoy the inner bliss. Trapped in this creation, the jivas remain absorbed in all the worldly attractions, but the Sadhus become one with the Naam within.

This human body is an earthen vessel filled with the dirt of the senses,
But in this body it is our birthright to win the True Naam.

The body is an earthen pot filled to the brim with the thoughts of the senses and the sense pleasures. But the support of the body is Sat Naam.

The Saints and Sadhus enshrine the Naam in their hearts;
For age upon age they have proclaimed its glory.

Kabir Sahib Ji says that the Saints and Sadhus have proclaimed the glory of Naam since the beginning of time. They have borne witness to its greatness but the world turns a deaf ear and remains unmoved.

The Sadhu is worthy of great praise; He has taken the support of Naam.
The one on whom the Satguru showers His Grace,
Sails across the ocean of existence. (6)

No words can describe the greatness of the Sadhu. But if a seeker does the meditation through the Grace of the Satguru and manifests the glory of Sat Naam within, then that soul crosses over the ocean of life and escapes from the wheel of birth and death forever. This is the magnificence and unique greatness of the Primal Sound.

Audio: H059

Kabir Sahib

O mind! Why don’t you show some patience?

Are man dhīraj kāhe na dhare?

     ।। शबद १ ।।
     अरे मन धीरज काहे न धरै ।
शुभ और असुभ करम पूरबले, रती घटै न बढ़ै ।। १ ।।
होनहार होवे पुनि सोई, चिन्ता काहे करै ।
पसु पंछी जिव कीट पतंगा, सब की सुद्ध करै ।। २ ।।
गर्ब वास में खबर लेतु है, बाहर क्यों बिसरै ।
मात पिता सुत सम्पति दारा, मोह के ज्वाला जरै ।। ३ ।।
मन तू हंसन  से साहिब के, भटकत काहे फिरै ।
सतगुरु छोड़ और को ध्यावै, कारज इक न सरै ।। ४ ।।
साधुन सेवा कर मन मेरे, कोटिन ब्याथि हरै ।
कहत कबीर सुनो भाइ साधो, सहज में जीव तरै ।। ५ ।।

     ।। शबद २ ।।
     मन तू मानत क्यों न मना रे ।
कौन कहन को कौन सुनन को, दूजा कौन जना रे ।। १ ।।
दर्पन में प्रतिबिंब जो भासै, आप चहूँ दिसि सोई ।
दुबिधा मिटै एक जब होवै, तौ लखि पावै कोई ।। २ ।।
जैसे जल तें हम बनतु है, हेम घूम जल होई ।
तैसे या तत वाहू तत सो, फिर यह अरु वह सोई ।। ३ ।।
जो समुझै तो खरी कहन है, ना समुझै तो खोटी ।
कहै कबीर दोऊ पख त्यागै, ता की मति है मोटी ।। ४ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 2,
Updesh, shabd 1-2

[Shabd 1]

O mind! Why don’t you show some patience?
All your good and bad fortune springs from your own past deeds;
You cannot decrease or increase it by even one grain.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. This world is the manifestation of happiness and sorrow, and every living plays out their existence on this stage — sometimes buoyed up on waves of happiness, sometimes weighed down by sorrow. Swinging between these two extremes, we waste our entire lifetime.

But if the truth be told, there is no happiness or sorrow in innate in lifeless worldly things.  The conscious Power within us becomes attached to the inert material objects, and coming under the control of the fickle mind, that conscious Power desires one thing one moment, and has run off after some new amusement the next.  As destructible objects come in our grasp and are snatched away, the pendulum swings back and forth from elation to grief. Sometimes, we may even cling to a worldly object one moment, while it gives us pleasure, but hurl it away in disgust the next moment when it gives us pain. In this way, the mercurial mind keeps us in a state of constant agitation. We fret over past sorrows and remain wistful for bygone moments of fleeting happiness. In this never-ending drama, our precious breaths are consumed, and our useless life comes to an end.  

Therefore, Kabir Sahib Ji says, “O mind! Why don’t you show some patience?” Happiness and sorrow are the result of our own past deeds, whether from this life or from some previous life long forgotten. Because nothing is lost in nature, we will have to undergo the reaction — whether good or bad — of every single deed. We may run to astrologers, or fortune tellers, or soothsayers of all description, hoping to rewrite our fate, but it will make no difference. If you plant neem trees, expecting that you will harvest mangos, this can never be.  So whatever deeds we have performed, we will have to undergo the result of those deeds, be it happiness or suffering. 

So, Kabir Sahib tells us to give up such useless thinking and accept the vicissitudes of life with equanimity. Dedicate your whole heart to the devotion of God Almighty and ignore the rest. The ups and downs of life afflict all who take birth in this mortal world. The ghosts of happiness and sorrow pursue you from cradle to grave.

Why do you worry about the future? Whatever is meant to be, that will come to pass.

What is written in your fate cannot be turned aside, so why waste time worrying about it? The pandits are ready and waiting for those who are fearful for the future. They open their “shops,” reading palms, casting horoscopes, and delivering a soothing stream of reassuring patter: “You are afflicted by an inauspicious alignment at present, but more auspicious times lie ahead. All will be well. We know remedies — yajnas, donations, mantras, etc. — that will eliminate your past karmas.” They make a great production of it, and then relieve you of your money. These are the wares they are peddling, but it is all mumbo-jumbo. What is decreed by the flowing pen of God cannot be set aside. What is written in your fate cannot be changed.

The Lord remembers beasts, birds, insects, and all living creatures alike.

So then we ask, “If we entrust everything to the Lord and put our faith in Him, then how do we know He will take care of us, of our children, of all of those connected to us?”

Just think on what Mulak Das tells us:

अजगर करे ना चाकरी पंछी करे ना काम,
दास मलूका कह गए सब के दाता राम

The python lies about all day; the birds never do any work.
Mulak Das says, “Still, the Lord showers blessings on everyone.”

The Lord showers grace on all His creatures. He is always standing ready to come to our aid, and if we turn our thoughts to Him, He will take care of us as well. But we have to be patient. We must remain steadfast and keep our faith strong. Without faith nothing can be accomplished.

Narsi Mehta3815th century Vishnu bhakta from the area of Gujarat. and Sudama39Childhood friend of Sri Krishna. Sudama lived in poverty, but his devotion to Krishna was of a high order. Seeing the quality of his love, Krishna blessed him with both worldly and spiritual wealth. both endured so much hardship, but they never wavered from their goal.  When Narsi Mehta’s son was going to be married, the gods themselves joined the barāt40A wedding procession where the groom travels to the bride’s house, accompanied by his family and other well-wishers. to save his honor, carrying with them a treasure chest filled with jewelry, gold, and precious gems. Narsi Mehta and his family had nothing; they often went hungry and their clothes were in tatters. All he had was faith, and seeing that immovable faith, the Lord lavished all His blessings on Narsi.

But what is our condition? If our meal is delayed by even an hour, we lose all our composure. At this slight provocation, our professions of faith and devotion to God go out the window. Our attention is centered in the annamaya kosha;41Five koshas cover the soul: annamaya kosha or food sheath; prānamaya kosha or vital air sheath; manamaya kosha or mind sheath; gyānamaya kosha or the knowledge sheath; and, anandamaya kosha or bliss sheath. After shedding each of these sheaths in turn, the soul rises into the region of Par Brahm. just a slight delay in our routine and all our good intentions are forgotten.

Therefore, Kabir Sahib says, “O mind! Until you learn patience and develop faith, you won’t accomplish anything in the field of spirituality.”

He looked after you in the womb of the mother,
So why did you forget Him after you took birth?

When you were in the womb of the mother, He nourished you and cared for all your needs. So why did you forget Him when you came out into this mortal world? It is His duty to give to all living creatures, and He will not forget you. But you will receive His bounty only according to your own past karmas.

You are burning in the fire of worldly attachments — mother, father, wife, son, wealth. 

You have forgotten the Almighty Lord, the Power dwelling in your own heart. He is the Supremely Gracious One, the Form of Bliss. Instead, you have filled your heart with mother, father, friends and relations, wife, children, grandchildren, and everything else under the sun.  You are being burned alive in the fire of attachment. Day and night you are consumed with that worry. And in the final hour, you depart from this world, never knowing that Divine Friend who dwells within you, the nearest of the near.

O swan soul! Why have you let the mind mislead you?
Abandoning the Satguru you contemplate on others. You will never be successful in anything.

O swan soul! Discover your true heritage and merge into the Lord. Forget all the worry and commotion of this world. But to achieve this state you must go into the shelter of the Guru with unwavering devotion.  The Guru is not a mere man; he does not dress in colored clothes or preach empty words from lifeless scriptures. The true Guru inverts the attention and teaches you the method to meet God. God is not something outside you, but only the Guru can collect your scattered thoughts at the seat of the soul and guide you on the Path to Him within.

Therefore, Kabir Sahib tells us, “With whole-hearted devotion, go into the shelter of the Guru. Otherwise, your egotism remains an impediment, and your soul cannot merge into that Inner Power.”

If we abandon the Guru’s shelter and turn to idol worship, then we won’t accomplish anything — because all these outer things are inert. We contemplate on Ram and Krishna, but we have never seen those gods face‑to-face. Instead, someone fashions an image of Ram or Krishna according to their own imagination, and we contemplate on that lifeless image. Such practices are all bogus. It has been said:

ध्यान मूलं गुरु मूर्ति …
मोक्ष मूलं गुरु कृपा ।।

The root of meditation is the Guru’s form…
The root of liberation is the Guru’s grace.

Therefore, Kabir Sahib tells us, “Until you go into the Guru’s shelter with unwavering love, you cannot complete your work.”

O my mind! Do the seva of the Sadhus; millions of obstacles will be removed.

If you do the seva of the Sadhus with undivided love, free from all trace of ego, then automatically, your sins from millions of births will be destroyed.

When the Pandavas performed the Ashvamedha Yajna, Lord Krishna told them they would know their yajna was complete when they heard the divine bell sound ringing in the sky. So they performed the yajna and then, to commemorate the completion of the ritual, they invited all the rishis and munis to a great feast and served them lovingly — but no bell rang. Yudhishthira, the King of Dharma, became downhearted and finally said to Lord Krishna, “Bhagwan, you have not yet partaken of our feast.” So Sri Krishna also had food, but still the bell did not ring.

Then Yudhishthira said very sadly, “I set the horse free to roam, and following after it I conquered rajas and maharajas, kingdom after kingdom, seizing their treasuries. Sometimes, I even slaughtered the rulers and their armies, just to complete this Ashvamedha Yajna. But all I earned was more sins; it was all in vain.” Then he said to Sri Krishna, “Bhagwan, something is still lacking. There is still some impediment. Please use your divine vision and tell us our mistake. Otherwise, all this effort will be for naught.” Then Sri Krishna looked with his yogic vision and told them, “Outside of the town dwells one mahatma by the name of Supach, who is a low caste sweeper. If this holy man comes and takes food at your feast, then your yajna will be complete.”

So the five Pandava brothers bound flower garlands around their wrists, folded their hands in respect and walked to the mahatma’s hut. Addressing Supach, they said, “Maharaj, please come and grace our feast with your presence. Partake of our food and make our yajna successful.” Then he replied, “If you will give me the fruit of one crore Ashvamedha Yajnas, only then will I come.” But the Pandavas were already having so much trouble performing even one yajna, so how could they fulfill his request and give him the fruit of one crore yajnas? With crushed hopes they made their slow way back to the palace, and when they arrived, Draupadi asked them, “What has happened? Where is the great mahatma?”  They replied dejectedly, “He will come only if we can give him the fruit of one crore Ashvamedha Yajnas.”

Then Draupadi said, “This is not a problem. I will go myself and bring him here.”  She put on an old tattered sari, and with bare feet, she walked to the hut of the Supach Sudarshan. There she greeted him respectfully and implored him: “Maharaj, please come bless our yajna with your holy presence and make our efforts successful.” Then he replied, “I have already told your husbands my condition when they came here. First, give me the fruit of one crore yajnas, and then only will I come to your feast.”  Then Draudadi asked, “Maharaj Ji, please tell me: are the words of the Saints true or are they false?”  Supach told her, “In this world, the words of the Saints are the truest of all.” Then Draupadi recited this couplet:

संत मिलन को जाइये, तज माया मोह अभिमान,
ज्योंज्यों पग आगे धरे, कोटि यज्ञ समान ।।

Go to the feet of the saint, giving up greed, attachment, and egotism.
Then with every step you take, you earn the fruit of one crore yajnas.

“I have walked so many steps from my home to reach your door. Now take the fruit of one crore yajnas from my one step, and allow me to keep the rest. Then please come with me, Maharaj, and bless our feast with your presence.” 

Supach was struck speechless, and he willingly followed Draupadi back to the palace. Draupadi was famous for her culinary skills. She was the foremost cook of the age, and she took great joy in caring for her household. Nowadays, the ladies order food from the restaurants and hotels. They don’t even want to go into the kitchen. But Draupadi willingly took up this seva, thinking: “This great devotee is our guest and has honored our house with his presence.”

She prepared a delicious meal with her own hands, arranged everything beautifully on a thali, and set it respectfully before the mahatma. Now, Supach was a God-realized soul, and his thoughts were all absorbed within. He was unconcerned with fine foods and, before eating, mixed all the dishes together, as was his habit — chutney, raita, laddus, jalebis, dal and rice. He even tossed in the buttermilk and water. Seeing this, Draupadi thought to herself, “No doubt he is a great mahatma, but he is also a low caste sweeper, so what can you expect? He has no appreciation for the fine dishes I have prepared.” And after Supach humbly ate all the food served to him, still the bell did not ring.

Greatly distressed, the Pandavas implored Sri Krishna: “Maharaj, even now no bell has rung. What has gone wrong?” Sri Krishna replied, “The fault lies with Draupadi. She has allowed an evil thought to creep into her mind.” Hearing his words, Draupadi confessed her error: “Yes, Maharaj Ji, you are correct. I thought the mahatma was of low caste and didn’t appreciate the taste of my fine dishes.” Then, when she folded her hands and begged the mahatma’s forgiveness, the yajna was at last successful, and the mighty bell resounded across all the earth.

Therefore, Kabir Sahib says that it makes no difference whether the Sadhu is high caste or low. Those who engage the practice of Naam Simran can be called Sadhus; there is no other criteria.  Day and night, remain in the service of such Sadhus, giving up all your vanity and ego. If you perform that seva with a pure heart, with undivided devotion, then, millions of your past sins will be washed away. But only if your seva is true.   Otherwise, what kind of “seva” are you practicing?

We had one satsangi here. Before he was initiated, he used to go on pilgrimage to the Vithoba temple in Pandharpur,42Pandharpur is located in Solapur District, Maharashtra. It is the site of the Shri Vitthal-Rukmini Mandir, also referred to as the Vithoba temple. on Ekādashī43Eleventh day of each fortnight in a lunar month.
during the month of Āsārh.44Mid-June through mid-July At that place, the pilgrims would line up and then go into the inner sanctum one after another to have the darshan of the idol of Vithoba.  On each side of the entrance to the room, two guards were stationed to “keep out the dogs.”  When someone would go in for darshan, the guards would not let them stay; they would grab them by the arm and rush them along. This was the method for having darshan. But if anyone put their hand into their pocket to pull out the “entrance fee,” the guards would let that person alone. They could have Vithoba’s darshan in peace.

So what did our satsangi brother do? When his turn came, he would approach the idol of the god, thrust his hand in his pocket, and then pull it out again as though he had a fistful of money. But in reality, it was a trick; his fist was actually empty.  Then he would put his empty fist into the donation bowl, and open his hand as though he were dropping in coins. Finally, he would close his hand again, skimming off the donations on the top of the pile, and stealthily pocket that money. What a way to please the Lord Vithoba!  Such devotees can never receive the Lord’s Grace within, because their bhakti is all deception.

Kabir says, Listen brother sadhu, the jiva easily swims across.

If the devotee serves the Guru whole-heartedly, without any trace of ego, then easily that jiva attains liberation. Such seva is even higher than bhajan. But only if it is done with right understanding and complete surrender.

[Shabd 2]

O mind! Why don’t accept the reality?
Just consider: Who is speaking? Who is listening? Who is knowing?

O mind, spirituality is the subject of knowing the Self within. But we are caught in duality, performing all the rites, rituals, and other practices just to satisfy our individual desires. No doubt the Lord will grant these selfish prayers of the devotees, but this has nothing to do with real spirituality.

Think deeply for a moment about the reality. Who is speaking? Who is listening? Who is seeing? When you consider carefully, you will realize that the soul sitting within powers all these activities. That soul is neither female nor male; it is not young, it is not old. Its origin lies far beyond the realm of duality. The soul’s essence is Self-Existing Light, supporting all the activities of the senses and inner mind. The Power of the soul pervades the whole creation.  When that One Power infuses the body with life, then the ears can hear, the eyes can see, and the tongue can speak. When we invert our thoughts and withdraw them from all these outer things, then we realize that inner Power is none other than our own soul. This is the way to liberation.

Gaze at the reflection in the mirror if you wish to discover your own Self.

When you look in the mirror, you can see your reflection. In the same way, when you look into the mirror of your heart within, you will see the image of your own true Self. But if the mirror is smeared with the filth of the sense pleasures and worldly thoughts, then you can see nothing. When you scrub away the dirt, the brilliant radiance of the pristine soul shines forth.

When the veil of duality is removed, you will behold the Lord.

When duality is removed from your within, when your attention is focused at the still point between the eyes, then you will have the darshan of the Almighty Lord, who is closer than hands and feet.

Just as water freezes into ice, and ice melts into water again,
So, the soul and the Almighty Lord are of the same essence.
When the soul merges into the Lord, who can say they are two?

The soul and the Almighty Lord are the same essence, just like ice and water. When water freezes, it turns to ice; when ice melts it becomes water again.  Similarly, when the soul puts on the body of five elements, it is called jiva, an embodied soul. From that day forward, it is bound to the body, cruelly dominated by ego, entangled in high and low, craving for status and power, striving to wield the scepter and sit upon the throne, looking down on the rest of humanity, all the while proclaiming: “I am the greatest.”  This is the condition of the embodied soul. But when the soul becomes freed from the body of five material elements, when the veil of egotism ripped in two, then — just like ice melts into water — so the soul merges back into its original source and becomes One with the Almighty Lord.

When the soul (ātmā) unites with the oversoul (Paramātmā) it loses its individual identity. When the “jiva becomes Shiva” — that is, when the embodied soul becomes one with the Lord — then who remains?45Kabir Sahib is using “Shiva” in the sense of the Universal God Power. He is not referring to individual god Shiva, included in the Hindu Triumvirate of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The gods themselves are subject to birth and death and cannot free the jiva from the three worlds.  The choice of “Shiva” to express the Almighty Lord is probably a poetic choice in this instance to rhyme with “jiva”. This use of “Shiva” is very similar to the Mahavakya from the Brihadāranyaka Upaniṣhad — Aham Brahmāsmi, literally, I am Brahm. The reference is to the Universal God Power, not to the individual god Brahma, who is himself trapped in Kal’s creation.

Whoever grasps this truth is pure gold, all others are fake tinsel.

[Break in the audio]… You can explain to such a person till you are out of breath, but they will remain unchanged. Therefore He says, “To the one with right understanding, the teachings are the highest truth. But to the one who has no understanding, it all seems like a fairy tale.”

Kabir says, when you rise above duality, for you mud and pearls are one.

He says that you must stop thinking in pairs of opposites — understanding and ignorance, truth and falsehood.  Give up all this duality, and you will become His very form.

Audio: H062

Kabir Sahib

O renunciate! The one who walks on the Path is the beloved of the Lord.

Avadhū chāl chalai so pyārā

     ।।शब्द १५।।
अबधू चाल चलै सो प्यारा ।। टेक ।।
निसु दिन नाम बिदेही सुमिरै, कबहुँ न सूरति टारा ।। १ ।।
सुपने नाम न भूलै कबहूँ, पलक पलक ब्रत धारा ।। २ ।।
सब साधुन से इक ह्वै रहवे, हिलि मिलि सब्द उचारा ।। ३ ।।
कहै कबीर सुनो हो अबधू, सत्त नाम गहि तारा।। ४ ।।
    ।।शब्द १६।।
निरंजन धन तेरो परिवार ।। टेक ।।
रंग महल में जंग खड़े हैं, हवलदार और सूबेदार ।
धूर धूप में साध बिराजे, काहे को करतार ।। १ ।।
विस्वा ओढ़े खासा मलमल, मोतो मूँगा के हार ।
पतिब्रता कौ गजी जुरै नहिं, रूखा सूख अहार ।। २ ।।
पाखंडी कौ आदर जग में, साच न मानै लबार ।
साचा मानै साध बिबेकी, झूठा मानै गँवार ।। ३ ।।
कहै कबीर फकीर पुकारी, सब्द गहो टकसार ।
साचि कहौं जग मारन धावै, झूठा है संसार ।। ४ ।।
     ।।शब्द १७।।
काया नगर में अजब पेच है, बिरले सौदा पाया हो ।। टेक ।।
ओहि दुकनिया कै तीन सौदागर, पाँच पचीस भरि लाया हो ।
खाँड़ कपूर एक सँग लादै, कहु कैसे बिलमाया हो ।। १ ।।
ऊँची दुकनिया के नीची दुवरिया, गाहक फिरि फिरि जाई हो ।
चतुर चतुर सब सौदा कीन्हा, मूरख भाव न पाई हो ।। २ ।।
सार सब्द के बने पालरा, सत कै डाँड़ी लागी हो ।
सतगुरु समरथ घट सौदागर, जो तौलत बनि आवै हो ।। ३ ।।
कहै कबीर सुनो भाइ साधो, बिरले सौदा पाया हो ।
आपु तरै जग जिव मुक्ताबै, बहुरि न भवजल आवै हो ।। ४ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 3,
Mishrit, shabd 15-17

[Shabd 15]

O renunciate! The one who walks on the Path is the beloved of the Lord.

This is the bani of Kabir Sahib Ji.  So many practices have been put forward as pathways to the Lord’s door — devotion, reasoning, renunciation, rites and rituals, fasting and so forth. In their devotion, practitioners have adopted countless different garbs in pursuit of holiness. Every being on this earth is engaged in the remembrance and devotion of God Almighty, each according to their own background and understanding. Many revere time‑honored traditions, scrupulously following practices and prescriptions handed down from generation to generation.

But Kabir Sahib uses simple words to reveal the True Path:

करनी करे सो पुत हमारा
कथनी कथे सो नाती |
रहनी रहे सो गुरु हमारा
हम उन के साथी

The one who follows the teachings is my own son;
The one who speaks of the teachings is my dear relation;
But the one who lives the life of Truth is my Guru;
I will never abandon His company.

For countless ages, our attention has been stuck fast in the gross material things of this world. Day and night, we remain intoxicated, chasing the false happiness they afford — but since everything in this mortal world is destructible, that happiness is short‑lived. And when death overtakes us, the soul, enslaved as it is to fleeting outer phenomena, is dragged back inexorably to the material plane, taking birth again and again in the wheel of transmigration.

To become free from the material world and escape from this endless cycle, to attain Truth and achieve immortality, you must go into the shelter of the Satguru. He will reveal the inner secret to you and teach you the meditation practice that leads to the True Lord. Then it becomes the duty of the disciple to walk on the Path shown by the Guru. You must maintain unshakeable faith in the Guru’s words and perform the meditation practice with unbroken regularity. Until you become fixed and firm in your practice, you cannot rid your heart of worldly fantasies or the love for outer pomp and show.

Many people are inspired to take up the bhajan practice, but their faith is unsteady, and they are lax about following the Guru’s instructions. The result is half-hearted, superficial efforts. You point your gun at the target, but your shaky hand discharges the gun in another direction, and the bullet goes wide. What is the result? You accomplish nothing at all.

Instead, we must follow the Guru’s instructions whole-heartedly, fixing the inner gaze at the still point between the eyes and repeating the Naam Simran mentally without a break. Because our mind is now engaged in the outer simran of the world, it has become extroverted.  Until we take the support of the inner Simran, we cannot rid ourselves of this worldly simran. It is a natural quality of the mind that it can focus on only one thing at a time. It may be fully absorbed in one type of remembrance, but if you offer it a different remembrance, it will quickly forget all about the first.

Now, caught up in the simran of the worldly pleasures, we remain far away from the true essence of the All-Pervading Spirit.  But if the Satguru connects us with the True Naam, then the thoughts of the mind are gradually replaced with the Simran of the Lord. When that Naam Simran becomes perfect, then all fantasies of the world, all assertions of the petty ego, and all cravings for the sense pleasures are banished forever.  As we go on doing the Naam Simran, our within gets illumined with Light. All remnants of ego are shed and the soul shines forth, rising into pure Consciousness and merging into the All-Conscious Shabd. That Shabd transports the soul to the source and fountainhead of the Divine Melody itself. This primal Path is simple and true. It is not manmade. It is the Path laid down in the beginning by the Creator Himself to reunite the lost souls who are yearning for Him.

Day and night, remember the bodiless Naam; never let the connection break.

Kabir Sahib Ji explains to us, but we grasp His meaning according to the stage of development we have reached, according to the degree of right understanding we have cultivated. He says, “Day and night, remember the bodiless Naam.”  Constantly, without a break, repeat the Naam Simran and rise above the body. Because Naam is bodiless, it has no connection to the material coverings whatsoever. The True Naam cannot be spoken with the mouth; it cannot be not repeated by the physical tongue or any other outer means. Sat Naam is videhi (bodiless). It originates far beyond the realms of the bodily coverings. Repeating the Simran, extricate the soul from the trammels of the flesh, and merging into the Naam, travel to the regions of Pure Spirit.

Never let your concentration waver even for a fraction of a second; keep your consciousness anchored in the Naam Power.  When you repeat the Simran over and over, you will become it very form. This is the purpose of Simran. Through constant simran of outer things, the world has so much taken possession of us that we have become the image of the world. The soul has forgotten its true origin and has become trapped in the realm of Maya. We must reverse this process with the Simran of Naam. As we go on repeating the five Holy Names, we take on the color of Naam, and all thoughts of the outer world vanish into thin air.

Do not forget the Naam, even in dreams; maintain your promise every moment.

Now, He tells us: “What to speak of the waking state, never let the remembrance of Naam Simran slip away from your thoughts, even in dreams.” Once the Simran has become constant and automatic, it echoes even in sleep. The Naam reverberates even in the dream state.

रमतीता सो राम।
That which lies beyond utterance is Rama.

The perfect Simran goes on without repetition. When you become the form of Simran, when the little self is forgotten in the remembrance of the Lord, know that your course of Simran is complete.

Now, we sit for meditation and repeat the Naam Simran. But the mind refuses to cooperate. It doesn’t want to concentrate within, and if we manage to tame it briefly, some random thought arises and drags it back outside. Sometimes sleep and laziness attack us. Sometimes our back hurts, or mosquitoes keep biting us. One way or another, our meditation is spoiled, and we give it up. This cannot be called real meditation.

We should go on repeating the Naam Simran and become the form of Naam. Then we will have no awareness of troublesome mosquitoes or aches and pains in the body. As long as our within is filled with poisonous thoughts, as long as we remain the image of the mind, we will be pursued by adversity. But when we lay down the burden of our little self and merge into the Naam, all our trials and tribulations will cease.

From among all the sadhus, choose the One who practices the secret of the Shabd.

Go in the company of that Sadhu who practices the meditation of Shabd. When one lantern is lit, it casts a shadow of darkness beneath it. But when two lanterns are lit together, each one dispels the darkness beneath the other, and it is all light.  Therefore, if you are practicing the Simran of Naam, go in the company of a Sadhu who is adept in that practice.  The Sadhu’s heart is pure and will purify your heart as well; your devotion and love will increase many-fold. So never give up the company of the Sadhu. We are dyed in the color of the company we keep, and the Sadhu will remake you in His own image.  

Say one evening you run into a friend who is fond of the cinema, and he says, “I hear there’s a great picture playing at the cinema house. Let’s go see it together.” Now you were not thinking of going the cinema, but under the influence of your friend, you decide to go, just to keep him company. You think there will be no harm in it.

But mind is such a powerful force that wherever you go, your within is filled with the impressions of that place, and you take that influence with you when you return home. You can’t remain unaffected.

So when you go to the cinema, all the images and songs and dances fill up your mind, and you can’t get rid of them; they come up in your mind over and over again. This is the mind’s natural quality.

Similarly, if someone who has the habit of drinking liquor invites you to their home. They offer you a glass of wine, but what to speak of one glass, by the time you leave them you have had four. Intoxicated from this indulgence, you go on repeating it, and before you know it you have cultivated the habit of drinking.

Therefore, Kabir Sahib Ji enjoins us: “Always keep the company of the Sadhu who does the meditation of Naam. If you remain in His company day and night, then your heart will become pure, and you will progress in your meditation by leaps and bounds.”

Kabir says, “Listen, O renunciate! Seize the lifeline of Sat Naam.”

Understanding the Sadhu as your dear relation, treasure the True Name in your heart, and anchor your thoughts in Sat Naam. One Naam pervades — both within and without. But because the veil of mind and Maya has been thrown over the soul, we have become extroverted. We have turned away from the real Naam, and now have to search within to rediscover its celestial strains. But once our inner eye is opened, we will see clearly that the same Naam pervades the outer and the world alike. That Naam is eternal. Once you contact the All-Pervading Naam within, you will see the same Power working outside as well. You will proclaim with Guru Nanak Dev:

जहाँ देखूँ तहाँ दीन दयाला

Wherever I look, I see the Merciful Lord who is compassionate on the poor ones.

Wherever I look, I see my God standing there before me.

[Shabd 16]

Niranjan is your true wealth and real family.46 The term Niranjan, the One without stain, deserves further explanation.  In Sant Mat, it is used extensively to the describe the Satguru, as well as to the Almighty Lord Himself. Regarding the Satguru as Niranjan, in the chapter “The Nature of Oneness,” in Godman, Master Kirpal quotes from the Gurbani: “Satguru is Niranjan (pure, immaculate); do not consider him as a human being.  [सतगुरु निरंजनु सोइ ॥ मानुख का करि रूपु न जानु ॥ SGGS, p 895].” Kirpal Singh, Godman (Delhi, India: Ruhani Satsang, 1967) 131.  Further, in Gurbani, regarding the Almighty Lord as Niranjan, Guru Arjan tells us: “Wondrous is the Form of Niranjan, the Immaculate One. Through the Guru, I have met Him, O my mother!” [अचरज रूपु निरंजनो गुरि मेलाइआ माइ ॥ SGGS, p 46].   The term “Jot Niranjan” (the light without stain) is applied specifically to the Lord of And or the Astral Plane. Speaking of Jot Niranjan, Master Kirpal Singh tells us: “Each of these planes has its individual presiding deities: Jot Niranjan, for example, is the Lord of And, the subtle or mental plane, and is the creator of the material and physical universe, which is next below in the hierarchy. Onkar is the Lord of the Causal or Seed region and the creator of the lower region of And, or subtle universe. Other deities preside over other planes, in the ascending order of the system of creation. All of them, of course, derive their authority from Sat-purush or Sat Naam, or Dayal or Ekankar, the highest Region.” Kirpal Singh, Spirituality: What it is (Anaheim, California: Ruhani Satsang, 1981) 83.

Kabir Sahib Ji asks, “Who are the real relatives of the soul? Who are your true friends and family?”  We pass our life with our outer relations and companions — our children, our family, our aunts and uncles, and so on — thinking they are the source of happiness. We all live together under one roof, we take our meals together, and the whole household is in a constant state of activity and agitation. We think this is the normal state of affairs.

But if we look at the reality, we see that the soul stands all alone. This creation was fashioned through the action of Maya on the five material elements. We take birth from someone’s womb and that person is our mother. Our father is also there in our home, along with our brothers and sisters and other relatives. Later on we make friends, we take a spouse and have children and grandchildren. Maya spreads her wares, and the fair is open for business.

Who is the real relative of the soul? Kabir Sahib tells us that Niranjan Nirākār, is the soul’s only true friend and relation. Nirākār is the Formless Power, the One without ākār or form. He is the relative of the soul. Anjan means stain and Niranjan is the one without stain of any kind. He is the Self-Existing Lord (Svayambhū). Maya is the stain; so, the Immaculate Power, untainted by Maya is called Niranjan. He is your supreme wealth. He is your relative and your true family as well.

In the colorful palace, a fight has broken out between the havaldar and the subedar.

Kabir Sahib Ji says: “Within you is a colorful palace (rang mahal), a wondrous, self-existing temple of happiness.”  In that palace, a fair is in progress and a crowd has gathered to watch a wrestling match that never ends between the havildar and the subedar. Who are these combatants? We think of a havildar as a sergeant in charge of ten or twenty soldiers. But in the rang mahal the havildar is the one who is giving out havālā (proofs and references. He proclaims: “This is the true path and you should follow it.” The power that offers assertions and proofs indicating this or that way is true and correct is the havildar. And the other power — the subedar — instead of making assertions, follows the True Path himself, remaining within the bounds of subh karm (true and righteous conduct). Kabir is not talking about some outer subedar.47 At the time of the Moghul Empire, the havildar was a senior commanding officer in charge of a fort, while a subedar (subahdar) was the governor of a province (subah). In the current Indian army, the subedar is a junior commissioned officer, several steps above the havildar whose rank is roughly equivalent to that of a sergeant. 

The Sadhu sits enthroned in the brilliant Light streaming from Sach Khand; that Light is no other than the Creator Himself.

The Sadhus have lost themselves in the Power of radiant, scintillating Light. Who else could that Radiant Power be but the Creator Himself? And that Creator also dwells within you.  

The prostitute is draped in delicate, costly fabrics; she wears necklaces of   pearls and red coral around her neck.

In the eyes of the world, sadhus are a sad lot, taking shelter in the bushes when it rains, numb with cold in the winter, sitting in the blazing sun covered in ashes in the summer. No one asks about their well-being. We people say, “They have abandoned worldly affairs and are like ghosts. They have nothing of value.  If we go to them, they will just beg alms from us, so it is better not to go at all.”

But we see everything backwards; our point of view is all wrong. We despise the sadhus, and chase after dancers and prostitutes. The prostitutes wear the finest clothes and are wrapped in sumptuous veils. But the sadhus, who remain absorbed in the meditation on the Almighty Lord, barely have clothes to put on their backs. The world is upside down — we take true for false and false for true.  The prostitute is dripping in jewels. Around her neck she wears golden necklaces set with diamonds, pearls, and elaborate beadwork; and yet she plies a lowly trade.

For the faithful wife, even rough cloth is hard to come by. Her food is simple and plain.

The faithful wife does not have fancy clothes to wear. She eats plain, simple food. And in the meantime, the wrong-doers are enjoying all the luxuries the world has to offer. But within, the faithful wife is filled with inner peace and contentment, while the hearts of the false ones burn in the fire of desire.

The hypocrites are honored in this world; they reject Truth and embrace falsehood.

Some make a false show of devotion. They grow long locks or shave their heads clean. They keep fasts and perform so many other practices for outer show. And seeing their devotions, the people heap honor and respect upon them, when all the while, the real Sadhus are dying of hunger.  

Once a sadhu visited a town and told the people there, “Before coming here, I was performing austerities in the Himalayas. And when I was doing my practices, the tigers and lions and bears would come and sit beside me. But I was so absorbed in my devotion that I wasn’t afraid. I paid no attention to them and didn’t even know when the wild beasts came and went.”  In that town, there was a Vedanta Society and the members provided a room for that sadhu to stay in.  Unfortunately, the room was full of mosquitoes, and all night long they went on biting that sadhu. The next day he announced to the townspeople that he was leaving. They asked him if there was any problem, and he told them, “Yes, there are too many mosquitoes here.” Surprised, they replied, “You were telling us earlier that you had no fear of tigers, lions, scorpions or snakes. Are you going to run away from a few mosquitoes?” Apparently, his austerities made him fearless in the Himalayas, but not in the town.  

Such sadhus are always ready to brag and make a show, but within they are hollow. Their hearts are full of sadness, and they have no peace.

The discriminating sadhus grasp the Truth, but the fools cling to falsehood.

Some discriminating people can discern the Truth. They believe in the true Sadhus and honor them. But the weak-minded people — those who lack judgment — give honor and respect to falsehood. They publish articles in the newspapers. This mahatma is very good. He has given this fine talk or that fine talk; he has done all sorts of wonderful things. Or they say such and such swami has come. He is “Sri” this and “Sri Sri” that and “Sri Sri Sri” something else. They add so many “Sri’s” to his name; a thousand wouldn’t be enough. This is all just advertising, just empty words.  But what is the real condition of these mahatmas and swamis? If we were to get a glimpse of their inner state, it would leave us speechless.  

Kabir says, lay your prayers before the fakir; take hold of the genuine Shabd.

Kabir Sahib Ji proclaims that the dhunatmak Naam within you is true. It is genuine. Connect your thoughts with that Naam, and become its very form. Then you can escape from the cycle of birth and death.

Truly speaking, this world is rushing towards death. It is the form of falsehood.

This world was created out of falsehood. Our heart is engaged in the dealings of falsehood day and night. And at the end time, we die in falsehood. Just consider. From our childhood all the way up to the present time, our whole life has been founded on falsehood. From the time we get up in the morning till we go to bed in the evening, we are amassing falsehood on top of falsehood. We fill our within with untruth, and bring the load home with us when the day ends.  And the world rewards us with a lot of honor and respect. But if we speak the truth, then a battle royal ensues. 

सांच कहे जग मारन धावै, झूठे को जग पतियाय

Truly speaking, we are rushing towards death,
And the world has placed its faith in falsehood.

If you speak the truth, then everyone in the world will blaze up in opposition; but they dance with delight to the tune of falsehood.

[Shabd 17]

This town of the body is a strange and wonderful place; but only the rare ones purchase the true merchandise.

In the town of the body, we people wander around blind. We do not grasp the truth. Understanding falsehood as truth, we go about our daily affairs. We are surrounded by illusion. And in this town, there is a bazaar. In that marketplace, only a few rare ones can make good deals and benefit; all the rest squander their life-breaths purchasing the worthless goods of Maya. And at the end time, they leave empty‑handed. Only a few buyers engage in profitable trade.

Three merchants have opened a shop and have filled it with the five and twenty-five.

Three merchants have a shop in this town. What merchandise do they deal in? They are selling the five subtle elements48The five subtle elements or panch-tanmātra (sound, touch, form, taste and odor) as opposed to the five gross element or panch-bhūt (earth, water, fire, air, ether). and the twenty-five prakritis. These three merchants have piled their godown (warehouse) to the ceiling with these worldly goods.

And who are these three merchants? They are the three gunas — rajogun (activity), tamogun (inertia), and satogun (purity). Brahma, who governs rajogun, forms the “A” or akār in the sacred word AUM. Brahma is the power that gives akār or form to the whole created world. Vishnu, who governs the satogun, forms the “U” or ukār in AUM. We call Vishnu the preserver of the world. He keeps the creation running and cares for everyone’s well-being. [And Shiva is the “M” or makār in AUM.] He is in charge of tamogun (inertia) and oversees the creation’s destruction.

So, these three merchants are always busy within us creating new merchandise for their shop. First of all, a desire arises in the mind (manas). This desire is generated by Brahma, the creator. Then Vishnu, the preserver, acting through the intellect (buddhi), takes charge, examining the desire in great detail and determining what materials are needed to fulfill it. Those desires he deems worthwhile are acted on and brought to fruition. Then Shiva, the destroyer, makes the desire vanish. So a desire arises, the intellect decides what action needs to be taken, and finally, when the process is complete, that desire disappears.

In this way, these three merchants carry on their business. What is this merchandise they are peddling? Their shop is filled with wares fashioned from the five subtle elements and the twenty-five prakritis.

When sugar and camphor are mixed together, you can’t tell one from the other. So how can you separate them out again?

Shopping in this bazaar is a tricky business, because two types of goods are being sold. On one hand, you have all the gross material goods of the physical world, manufactured from the five gross elements, the five subtle elements, the three gunas, the twenty-five prakritis, and the action of the antahkarana (inner mind). And on the other hand, you have the goods of the Conscious Power — chastity, contentment, bliss, and constant Simran. They are a completely different class of goods.

But both types of goods — inert and conscious — are sold in the same bazaar, and they look so much alike that the undiscerning jiva becomes confused and cannot tell one from the other. In this muddled state, we forget our universal nature, and the petty ego asserts: “I am.”  This is the result of mixing up the wares. But when the goods are sorted out, when the conscious is separated clearly from the unconscious, then self-knowledge dawns within us and we proclaim: “I am soul.”

Now both types of goods are piled up together — the awareness of consciousness and the illusion of inert matter. And it is very difficult to separate the two because — just as when camphor49Camphor is used in devotional rituals and is much prized, but, traders often adulterate it to expand the quantity and increase their profits. is adulterated with sugar — the two types of goods can appear the same, even though their natures are vastly different.

So, in every circumstance, we must strive to discern the conscious from the inert. Otherwise, when we are practicing our meditation or when we are doing our seva, our individual ego will creep in, and we will start thinking, “I am the greatest of all.”  

We must exercise discrimination and, like connoisseurs, separate the sugar (false, material goods), from the camphor (the precious merchandise of True Consciousness). Only when we rid ourselves of unconsciousness can we become fit to take up the true seva. If we perform the seva while we are under the illusion of gross matter, then we will assert.  We will think we are the greatest sevadars of all. It is very difficult to separate Truth from falsehood.

But there is another shop tucked away on an upper floor.
Its front door is on the street level, and the customers are puzzled.

Now there is another shop in this marketplace, hidden away on the second or third floor. But the front door is on the ground level. So, when the customers enter the shop, they get confused. They don’t know to go upstairs. They don’t see any merchandise, and voicing their disappointment, they leave empty-handed.

Many people enter on the ground floor to purchase the merchandise of devotion and renunciation. But the ground floor is empty and deserted, and they don’t climb to the upper stories, where the abundance of goods is displayed. Disgruntled, they go away and tell everyone: “Don’t bother to go there. That shop is empty, and there is nothing to buy.” 

You have to climb to the upper story; then you will find the door into the wonderful shop. That shop is well-stocked with true merchandise, but the customers who get stuck on the ground floor never reach there and are the great losers.

The wise customers make good trades, but the fools don’t even know how to bargain.

In this upper-story shop, the wise customers make good deals and gain a lot of benefit.  They purchase valuable merchandise. But the poor, ignorant fools don’t even understand the value of these goods or what price to offer.

The worldly method of bargaining for the right price (bhāv) won’t work here. In this shop, it is only through love (bhāv) that you can buy the true merchandise and merge into the Oneness of the Lord. But the poor fellows know nothing of this method of bargaining and so they lose this priceless opportunity.

He makes Sār Shabd the weighing pans and inserts the balance beam of Truth.

What scale do they use to weigh out goods in this upper-story shop? You know how the baniyas50Merchant caste weigh out goods in the bazaar. In order to cheat the customers, the merchants will put the goods in one pan of the scale and stealthily press down on the balance beam of the scale to make the goods seem heavier than they are. Then quickly they pile up extra weights in the other pan, so they can overcharge their customers.  But, Kabir tells us that in this shop, such subterfuges are not permitted.  The Sar Shabd and the Sat Shabd form the pans of that scale, and the balance beam is Truth. You can purchase these goods only when they have been weighed out properly, with the beam level and the two pans perfectly even. He is telling us that we can purchase the wealth of Naam, only when the mind becomes perfectly still, balanced between the two eyes. This is how the merchandise is sold in the upper-story shop.

If we sit for meditation every day with regularity, we can test this for ourselves.  When you fix your attention at the still point between the eyes,  the Power of Truth comes to your aid, and you will achieve perfect equilibrium. But until you contact that True Power within yourself, everything remains topsy-turvy.
 

Within the body, the Satguru is a competent Trader.
He sees that true measure is given.

So Kabir Sahib tells us that no power is equal to the Satguru.

सतगुरु सम को है सगा, साधु सम को दात ।
हरि समान को हितू है, हरिजन सम को जात ।।

There is no relative so dear as the Satguru;
No benefactor so precious as the Sadhu.
There is no well-wisher so great as Hari;
No caste like the servants of God.

The Satguru is our closest relative, the Power works on our behalf, both here and hereafter. The Guru is not the outer physical body. The Guru is the Self‑Existing Power within. That Power who removes the darkness of ignorance from our hearts and unites us with the Truth is the real Guru. The true business we have to transact, is winning the grace of such a Guru; until we strike such a bargain, our trade can never flourish.  

The Satguru acts as a broker, a go-between. A broker understands both the buyer’s point of view and the seller’s point of view. If the buyer and the seller bicker and break off negotiations, then there will be no sale. So, you need a broker to mediate… [end of tape]

Kabir says, “Listen, O brother sadhu. Only the rare ones strike such a bargain.
If He ferries you across, you will attain liberation;
Otherwise, no soul can cross the ocean of existence on their own.”

Audio: H064

Kabir Sahib

What the Lord wills, that He brings into being.

Karegā soī karatā ne hukum kiyā

[१]

करेगा सोई करता ने हुकुम किया,
सब्द का संग समसेर बंका ।
ज्ञान का चौंर ले प्रेम का पंखा ले,
खैंच के तेग छोड़ाव संका ।। १ ।।
कड़ी कमान जब ऐंठि के खैंचिया,
तीन बेर टनकार सहज टंका ।
मगन मुसक्यात गगन में कूदिया,
ढील कर बाग मैदान हका ।। २ ।।
पाँच पच्चीस औ तीन भागा फिरै,
बड़े सहुंकार औ राव रंका ।
कहैं कबीर कोउ संत जल जौहरी,
बड़े मैदान मों दियो डंका ।। ३ ।।

[२]

खुदी को छाड़ि खुदाय को याद कर,
वो खुदाय क्या दूर है जी ।। १ ।।
खुद बोलते को तहकीत करि ले,
हर दम हजूर जरूर है जी ।। २ ।।
ठोर ठौर क्या भटकत फिरो,
करो गौर तुम ही में नर है जी ।। ३ ।।
कबीर का कहना मानि ले अब,
परवाना सहित मंजूर है जी ।। ४ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 4,
Rāg Jhūlnā, 1-2

What the Lord wills, that He brings into being.
The soul wields the scimitar when He unites it with the Shabd.

[Tape starts mid-sentence] …We do not think: “When I incarnate, I will get the human body. I will take birth from such and such a mother. I will belong to such and such a caste.” Who knows any of these things before they are born? Wherever the Creator gives us birth, whatever body He chooses for us, we have to accept our fate. Therefore, Kabir Sahib tells us: “Whatever He ordains will come to pass.” If He is not gracious, what can we accomplish of our own volition? As soon as our life-breaths come to an end, all our activities in this world cease.

When the Lord becomes our support, when He wishes to grant enlightenment, when He desires to reunite His own jiva with Himself — only then will Gyān or True Knowledge dawn within.51“The term “Gyan” or “Jnana” is derived from the Sanskrit root “gna,” which is equivalent to the English word “know.” In common speech, Gyan or knowledge is taken to mean thinking at the intellectual level, embracing within its fold all knowledge recorded in and derived from books, ancient or modern, spiritual or secular. No doubt this is a kind of Gyan or knowledge; and while it is an elementary kind, it is very extensive, varied and significant as far as it goes… Apart from the Apara Vidya, or Gyan at the level of thinking and writing, there is a subtler and higher type of Knowledge which is gained at the supra-mental level. It is independent of the knowledge gained through the ordinary senses as it is intuitive and a direct experience of the soul. Hence it is called Para Vidya, or the Knowledge of the Beyond. In all religions it is spoken of as the real Gyan, or True Knowledge.”  Kirpal Singh, Naam or Word (Delhi, India: Ruhani Satsang, 1970) 285. Love and devotion for the Satguru will manifest, and whenever we turn our attention toward Him, our task will be accomplished.

If it comes in the Will of the Creator, the soul merges back into the Inner Sound. And becoming the very form of Shabd, that soul grows competent both without and within. Only such a brave warrior can emerge victorious over Maya on the battlefield. Otherwise, one thought after another will attack us with such force and suddenness that we lose our footing. Ultimately, we are overwhelmed: “I’ve had enough of this. What is the point of it anyway? After all, who knows if there is really anything in the Guru and the Naam? I’m leaving.” Duped by the mind, we admit defeat. But once the Lord places His hand on our back, once we take the support of that Power within, not even the mighty Brahma can deflect us from victory.

Wave the fly-whisk of Gyan and rotate the fan of Love.
Take up your sword, and banish all your doubts.

Kabir Sahib is listing the inner qualities we will need to please the Lord. Bhīṣhmachārya had been fighting in the Mahabharat war for many days, but on the seventh day [of Mārgashīrṣha’s dark half]52Mārgashīrṣha is the ninth month of the Hindu lunar calendar. he was attacked, and every inch of his body was pierced through with arrows. At that time, he told Shrī Kriṣhna, “I had wished to see the conclusion of this war. But now, here in the middle of the battle, I am dying from my wounds. Please let me stay as I am on battlefield till the final day.” Shrī Kriṣhna told him, “It shall be as you wish. You will remain here and witness the final eight days of the war.” Arrows were sticking out all over his body. Each arrow had pierced right through him from front to back. So, he said, “At this time, I am in much need of rest. Please take me to some sheltered place where I can lie down, but also watch the battle’s progress.”53Shantanu, the father of Bhīṣhma, had granted him a boon called Icchā Mrityu, the ability to die at a time of his own choosing.  According to the Mahabharata, the war lasted 18 days. Bhīṣhma fell on the tenth day of battle, but remained on the battlefield eight more days to watch the conclusion of the fighting.  He stayed in the body, even after the battle ended; finally, after entrusting the kingdom to Yudhiṣhṭhra, he chose to die on Uttarāyaṇ, about 58 days after he was mortally wounded.

When they had moved him, Duryodhan brought a velvet covered mattress and thick cushions to make him more comfortable. But Bhīṣhma told him, “I am a warrior who has stood many times on the field of battle. Now I am dying, pierced by countless arrows. Soon, I will take leave of this world. And you have brought this luxurious mattress, stuffed with cotton, for me to lie on? I have no use for it; this is not a fitting bed for a hero.” So instead, they laid him down on the ground, supported only by the arrows that had pierced his body, but still he lacked a pillow. Then Arjuna shot three arrows into the ground, forming a cradle to support his head.54 Arjuna also shot one arrow into the ground and a stream of cold Ganges water shot up to quench the thirst of Bhīṣhma.  Just as Bhīṣhmachārya spurned the rich bedding they offered, in the same way, the True Lord who dwells within us has no need of outer comforts like fans or cold water; such trifles are useless to Him.  

Instead, Kabir Sahib is telling us that if we want to please the Almighty Lord, we should take up the fly-whisk of Gyān. When we wave such a whisk, no flies or other insects can come near; that is, the flies of the world — lust, anger, greed, attachment, egotism, and all the other worldly desires — cannot enter our heart. So He says: “Wave the fly-whisk of Knowledge.”

And then He tells us to rotate the fan of Love; that fan manifests peace within your heart. If you rotate the outer fan, when you stop turning it, you will feel twice as hot as before. This is not the fan Kabir Sahib is referring to. When love manifests in your within, you are bathed in coolness.  But if you are devoid of love, that coolness doesn’t come, no matter how much you may fan yourself outwardly.

So, in this way, immerse your heart in that True Love and Knowledge; unite your thoughts with the Shabd. Only the real warrior who fights on this battlefield can be called the brave one. If the Divine Love has not entered your heart, no matter how much show you make outwardly, you won’t achieve anything.

When you fit the arrow in that mighty bow,
With the twang of the bowstring, you banish your three enemies.

Day and night, the brave warrior goes on fighting — aiming and loosing arrows at the target again and again. In the same way, you should fix your thoughts lovingly at the still point between the two eyes, constantly repeat the Simran with Knowledge and Love, and become absorbed into the Naam. Then the three powers — rajas (activity), tamas (inertia), and satva (truthfulness) — will leave you of themselves.

Overjoyed, you vault into the inner sky and become absorbed.
Running free on that verdant plane, you let out a jubilant cry.

At that time, every cell of the body is infused with bliss, and the soul has no wish to stay in the lower realms. Day and night, it remains absorbed in the inner ethereal sky. This is the “battlefield” where the soul rejoices, but it is no easy matter to reach there. From the outside you may appear alright; but if your heart is unchanged, if you have not manifested True Love within, then the Divine Light will not dawn, and you will not be acceptable in the Court of the Lord.

The twenty-five prakritis and the three gunas are put to rout.
It makes no difference if you are a merchant, a king, or a pauper.

The five subtle elements (panch-vishay) and the twenty-five prakritis will not come near. They will find no place there. It makes no difference if you are a rich person, or a general, or a king, or a pauper. No one looks at these outer distinctions; high and low have no meaning there.

The Shabd has no fear of anyone, and the Shabd does not frighten anyone. It is Self-Existing. But as long as our heart is troubled by fear — fear of public shame, fear of disgrace, fear of criticism — then how will we know that fearless Power. Where there is fear, there is no Shabd Power.  

Kabir says, the rare Saint is an Expert Jeweler.
On that vast plain, He beats the drum.

He tells us that only some rare Saint can judge the value of the diamond. He is the Expert Jeweler. He is the one who can read the heart; and when He finds a true warrior who has banished fear, he proclaims it with the beating of drums. 

As for the rest of us, our hearts are filled with fear. We think: “What will become of me? What does the future hold? How will I manage?” Within, we are riddled with fear. Physical fear, mental fear, fear for wealth, fear for name and fame — all of these fears have taken root within us.

To meet the Lord, you must cleanse your heart and become fearless, because the Almighty Lord is nirbhay — the One without fear. But if you peer into your heart, you will discover how much fear is still lurking there. “I am an important person, what if I lose my status? I have so many possessions, what if I lose this or that thing? So many kinds of worry. “If I lose my job, how will I get by?” This is everyone’s condition, is it not so?

Give up your I-hood and remember the Lord.
That Lord is not far away from you.

He says, “Give up your sense of self. Attach your heart to the Lord and repeat His Simran.” When it comes to meditation, everybody says that we can meet the Lord only by giving up our little selves. But abandoning self-love is no small thing. When you sit for meditation, no awareness of the body should remain. We keep thinking: “Now, I am sitting. Now, I am seeing this or that inner sight. Now, I am repeating the Simran.” But we should abandon all these thoughts of I-hood. No worries of the outer world should intrude. Remain all alone, and become absorbed into the inner sky. This is the meaning of giving up the little self. Remember the Almighty Lord. That Lord is always standing ready to meet you; He is not far away. But when do you become successful in your meditations? This happens only when your good fortune awakens. Otherwise, your attention will remain fixed in the body and when the mosquitoes bite you, you will leave your meditation aside.

Seek within yourself for the One who is speaking.  
The Shabd is present with every breath.

Khudā means the Self-Existing Lord who is speaking within everyone. Have firm faith in Him. Become determined and have His darshan. If we go to outer places where He is not speaking, what can we hope to gain from Him? The Muslims go to the mosque where they offer their namaz. In that place, they don’t keep any images at all. The walls are white and bare. Why? They don’t want any distractions when they pray. But all the whitewash they apply does no good in the end. The outer mosque may be clean, but what about the dirt heaped up within? Until your heart is spotlessly pure, the feeling of self-love (khud) does not leave you, and you cannot meet the Lord (Khudā). 

The Lord is present in every breath we take. He is always with us. But since He is hidden behind the curtain, we say He is far away. As long as that curtain obscures our vision, we cannot testify to His presence. We don’t even realize He is there.

Why do you wander from place to place?
Search deep within yourself, where the Light is radiating.

He asks, “Why do you wander from place to place?”  The Divine Light within us gives support to our body and understanding to our inner mind. It is through that Power that our eyes can see and our tongue can taste. But we have abandoned that Inner Power, we are seeking for the Almighty Lord in the stones and the water; we search for Him in all the ten directions, but where can we ever hope to find Him outside? 

बगल में बच्चा, शहर में ढिंढोरा

Your child is tucked under your arm,
But you wander throughout the city sounding the alarm.

You cry out, “My child is lost.” But my friend, your child has not gone anywhere.

Now accept the words of Kabir; realize he is speaking with authority.

Kabir Sahib says, “I am not acting and posing. I am not speaking from rumor or hearsay. I proclaiming the Truth, with the authority of the Almighty Lord. I am not repeating someone else’s claims or quoting from the books and holy scriptures. I am telling you of the True and Eternal Path that I have seen with my own eyes.”

Audio: H068

Kabir Sahib

O crazy mind, stop wavering back and forth.

Chānṛī de man baurā ḍagmag

छाँड़ि दे मन बौरा डगमग ।। टेक ।।
अब तो जरें मरें बनि आवै, लीन्हो हाथ सिंधोरा ।
प्रीत प्रतीत करो दृढ़ गुरू की, सुनो सब्द घनघोरा ।। १ ।।
होइ निसंक मगन ह्वै नाचे, लोभ मोह भ्रम छाँड़े ।
सूरा कहा मरन सों डरपे, सती न संचय भाँड़े ।। २ ।।
लोक लाज कुल की मरजादा, यही गले में फाँसी ।
आगे ह्वै पग पाछे धरिहो, होय जक्त में हाँसी ।। ३ ।।
अगिन जरे ना सती कहावै, रन जूझे नहिं सूरा ।
बिरह अगिन अंतर में जारै, तब पावै पद पूरा ।। ४ ।।
यह संसार सकल जग मैला, नाम गहे तेहि सूँचा ।
कहैं कबीर भक्ति मत छाँड़ो, गिरत परत चढ़ु ऊँचा ।। ५ ।।    

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 1,
Chitāvani aur Updesh, shabd 22

O crazy mind, stop wavering back and forth.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. Everyone is ready and eager to do the devotion of the Almighty Lord, but the power of the mind is always pursuing us. You could call that power Kal; in fact, the mind is a part of Kal. We always start out to perform the true deeds, but each time the mind lures us away, leading us into the labyrinth of the world, where we are assailed by desires and doubts. Finally, we let go of the True Simran, and are swept away in the ever-changing current of the mind.

The mind is such a powerful force — Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are all dominated by the mind. The yogis, the yatis,55Celibate ascetics and the jangams56Wandering monks of the Shaivite tradition. “Jangam” means “wandering lingam,” and the monks were traditionally regarded as Shiva incarnate. are under its control. The three realms of creation are the form of the mind. Casting off the influence of the mind and becoming stable within is called spirituality. Many people set out to travel on the spiritual path and perform the practices. But because the mind is so powerful, they never manage to tame it. Instead, as they proceed along the path, their good intentions go by the wayside, and they begin dancing to the mind’s tune.

If you want to gauge the power of the mind, observe its antics during Simran and Bhajan. When you sit for meditation in the morning hours, the mind will dredge up thoughts that never arise during the normal course of the day. You can’t even imagine where such thoughts sprang from. Recollections from a distant past or imaginings of an unknown future loom up before you, and you are swayed back and forth as the mind’s kaleidoscopic oscillations go on amplifying and breaking apart.

Furthermore, mal, vikshep, and āvaraṇ are three obstacles thrown in our way by the mind. The power of mal is characterized by tamogun or darkness. It does not allow the soul to incline towards spirituality. Mal fills your heart with thoughts of the worldly pleasures, high status, and earning money. It brings greed, lust, and anger within you. If a person dominated by mal does happen to take Naam initiation, first of all, they will never sit for meditation. Or if they do happen to sit, then their mind will waver, disturbed by the thoughts that keep arising — fantasies of the sense pleasures, give and take, family relationships and business dealings — and the meditation is spoiled. Then what does that person say?  “I have been sitting for meditation, but I’m not getting any result. I’m going to give it up.”

Further, vikshep overpowers us when we sit with the resolve to practice Naam Simran, and in just a moment, the power of forgetfulness diverts our attention to other thoughts. This is the meaning of vikshep — we start with one intention, but are led away to something else. 

Then we have to face the obstacle of āvaraṇ, the veil that clouds our vision within. When we are afflicted by āvaraṇ, we may sit for Bhajan and Simran, but, in fact, at that time we are neither meditating, nor are we sleeping. We slip into a drowsy, half-conscious state. Duped by the mind, we think, “I have been meditating for a long time, and my meditation has been successful.”

But in reality, you have not removed that veil of āvaraṇ. Āvaraṇ is a strong force. It is no other than the power of Maya. Therefore, Kabir Sahib Ji says, “O mind, give up this wavering.” As long as the mind continues its vacillations, it cannot become fixed and still within.

The time has come to burn and die;
Take the sindhora57A small pot where a married Indian woman traditionally keeps sindhur, the red powder that is applied to the forehead and part in the hair. in your hand.

Now, once you free yourself from worldly attachments, you will meet with the Almighty Lord. This is what is meant by coming into the Satsang, the company of Truth. This is called spirituality. At that time, what can you gain by wavering, looking this way and that? When you prepare for death and go to face it, when death overtakes you, what will you gain by being afraid? Death will not spare you.  Similarly, when you take up the spiritual Path, in a way you die to thoughts of the world.  But then if you waver and slip back into those worldly thoughts and spend your life entangled in them, then it is the reaction of previous bad karmas.

So first, you should decide your goal once and for all; make a firm resolve. Just as the sati prepares for death, in the same way, you should become determined in your meditation.  Maybe your mind won’t take to the meditation in a day, or in two days, or in a year, or in ten years; but someday, it will definitely focus and go within.

मन गया तो जाने दे मत जाने दे शरीर
ना खैंचे कमान तो कहाँ लगे तीर
If the mind wanders off, let it go, but don’t allow your body to follow.
If you do not even draw the bow, how will the arrow reach its mark?

Next, you will discover that it is the nature of the mind to rush here and there — but you should not let your body follow after it. If your body tries to run away, bring it back. When you sit for meditation, countless thoughts will arise; the mind will dart in and out, but you should not go after it.

Then, all at once, the mind will loose its third weapon, and sleep will overtake you. At the time of meditation, the mind sits within you and says, “You should lie down and get comfortable; you can do your Simran better like that.” Obeying the mind, you stretch out and do three or four rounds of Simran. But sleep is waiting to ambush you, and the next thing you know, you are snoring away happily.  The Sound of the Shabd should be reverberating in your within; but instead, the only sound coming out is the sound of your own snores. You are under the impression that you have meditated, and once again the mind has deceived you. In this way, the mind lays traps for you day after day.  Every day, when we sit for evening meditation, we think, “Today, I will do the meditation with firm determination.” But every day, the same mind is also trailing along right behind us.

Therefore, Kabir Sahib says that when you sit for meditation, you should be as unshakeable as the hero and the sati, who face death without flinching. Becoming determined, do the meditation with love and devotion.

Have firm faith and love for the Guru;
Listen to the thundering resonance of the Shabd.

Our mind is filled up with the love of the world. We have to turn that love inward and connect it with the Almighty Lord.  The Lord is the form of Love, but how do we love Him when we cannot see Him. His is too subtle for our intellect to discern. And so, we must learn to love the Guru who we can see. The Guru is that same Power of Love. The Power that can divert our love away from the world and awaken true Love within us for the Almighty Lord is the Guru. The word “Guru” does not mean some human being. He is not a swami, or a monk from some religious house, or a sadhu with long, matted locks, or a mendicant in colored clothes.  The Guru is the Power of Love that channels our love away from the outer, material world and awakens true Love within our soul.  This is the real meaning of “Guru.” Therefore, Kabir Sahib instructs us to redirect our thoughts that are now attached to the outer world and connect them to the Guru within. 

The purpose of contemplating on the Guru is to develop true Love for the Him. In the worldly way, the lover always thinks of his beloved and keeps her image in his heart. Similarly, we should keep contemplating on the Guru, to such an extent that His form manifests in our within. The true form of the Guru is Shabd, and He says, “Connect yourself with Shabd. Shabd will take you back to the source from which it emanated.”  

The Guru tells us of the true and simple Path, but we take to it only according to our karmas. Tulsidas says:

सकल पदारथ है जग माहीं ।
कर्म हीन नर पावत नाहीं ।।
All things are available in this world,
But you cannot achieve them without effort.

All the material things are available in this world, but you cannot obtain them without working for them. Similarly, you cannot achieve anything in spirituality if you have not made the good karmas — it will not even appeal to you.

Free of doubt, become absorbed within and dance for joy.
Abandon all your greed, attachment, and illusion.

No doubts will remain. When the soul becomes permeated through and through with the inner Divine Light, then there is no scope left for any doubt. Doubts manifest only where illusion reigns. When illusion is dispelled, you merge into the inner Light; you become one with the Shabd, and then doubt finds no place.

If a man falls into the water, he becomes completely immersed. He is surrounded on all sides by water. There is no room left for anything else. In this way, when you become immersed in the Light, then without and within there is only Light, Light, and more Light. So, what room remains for any doubt to intrude? But if your heart is devoid of Light, if your heart is empty, then what will happen? If any doubt comes along, it will fill your empty heart. Some doubt or other will appear to fill that empty space. But when you heart is filled to overflowing with the Divine Light, then there is no room for even a shadow of a doubt to squeeze in. Therefore, He says:

मन मूसा पिंगल भया, पी पारा हरि नाम।
The mouse mind is paralyzed when it drinks the mercury of Hari Naam.

When the mouse mind drinks the mercury of Naam, then it stops running here and there. When it tastes the inner sweetness, when the Light of Naam manifests and the inner spiritual experience unfolds, then the mind becomes fixed and still.

At that time greed and attachment both depart from your heart. Outwardly, many people claim to be free of greed, but all the while greed is lurking in their within.  We can understand this from a worldly example. If you decide to lock your door after a thief has already entered your house, then what good will it do?  The thief is already there stealing all your possessions. Locking the door after the thief has gained entry is like practicing outer, superficial devotion — just following what you have read in books and heard from others. You go on pretending to be a devotee, while in the meantime, greed and attachment have already made their home within us. Until you evict greed and attachment, your heart cannot contact the Almighty Lord, you cannot merge into the Naam, and the Inner Light will not manifest within you. But when the Light manifests, when you become the form of Light, then no room remains for greed and attachment. They run away of themselves.

But what will happen if you just go on denying outwardly that you are affected by greed, while your heart is filled with longing for the worldly things? If your desires are not fulfilled, you will go on scheming — “When will I get this? How will I acquire that?” And if you follow those desires, then you will be led farther away from the Naam and the Guru. Therefore, if greed and attachment have made their home within you, then you must throw them out. Only when you get rid of these thieves can you experience the resplendent Light within. 

The hero does not fear death;
The sati does not decorate her body.

Someone might say, “I am a worldly man. I have to work in the world. Otherwise, how will I make a living? I have no choice.” But this holds true only when you remain enslaved to the worldly works; if you perform your duties with detachment, it is a different story.  We have to become like the hero and the sati. The hero straps on his weapons and stands on the field of battle; even in the face of death, he does not turn away.  At that time, he bravely declares, “Where is my enemy? I have come here only to gain victory over him.” Similarly, if a woman goes to the cremation ground to become a sati, but shrinks in fear when she sees the fire, then how can she be called a true sati?

Some bhaktas do the devotion, removing all worldly thoughts from their minds. Such devotees go into the shelter of the Guru and the Naam. But what of the devotees who waste their lives in worldly attachments? How can they be called true bhaktas? They have put on the outer trappings of a devotee, but real devotion is something else entirely.

If you first understand the Truth, then all of your doubts will go away. But what is Truth? Soul is Truth. And that soul is spread throughout this gross, material body. Once you understand the subtle nature of the soul, then your consciousness can become detached from the inert, material objects.

But what if we do not first understand this mystery? “Who am I? What is my true nature? What practices should I perform?” If we have not answered these questions, then no matter how much we may go on practicing the outer devotion in a superficial way, we will not be able to remove the gross unconsciousness from our within.  And our heart will still be full of all the bad qualities. Outwardly, we may look like devotees, but within our consciousness cannot contact the Almighty Lord.

Public shame and family prestige;
They are a noose around your neck.

Now what does He say? Fretting over your status in the world, worrying about the honor of your caste and clan, dwelling on high and low, all these thoughts are like a noose around your neck. The allure of prestige and praise is so strong, that only a few brave warriors can push that curtain aside.

Raja Harishchandra abandoned his kingdom for the sake of truth. One night in a dream he offered to donate his whole kingdom to the sage Vishwamitra.  It was just a dream; he did not offer anything to Vishwamitra outwardly. But the next morning Vishwamitra himself came to the king to collect that donation and told him, “This kingdom now belongs to me. You should go away.” Harishchandra immediately obeyed him and made preparations to leave Ayodhyā for Kāshi. He had to face so many difficulties, but in spite of all the hardship he endured, still he always maintained truth in his heart. He never turned away from the truth.  In the end, Vishwamitra repented, and, to atone for his misdeed, he had to give Harishchandra the fruit of 7000 years of austerities he had performed.58Raja Harishchandra is renowned for his unshakeable devotion to truth. Even though his promise to give Vishwamitra his kingdom was made in a dream, still he honored it in the waking world. He had to surrender his kingdom, sell his wife and son into servitude, and work in the cremation grounds handling the dead bodies to meet Vishwamitra’s demands, nevertheless he remained true to his word. 

Truth is such a power. But you can practice the truth, only when you come to understand it. As long as your life is filled with sins and vices, the truth remains a closed book. Truth is a tremendous Power, and that Power resides in each of us.

But what do we say? “If I follow this path, what will my family and relatives think? What will my friends and everyone else say? And if I go against them, how will I carry on with my life? My standing in the eyes of the world will be diminished.”  We lack resolution, and countless wavering thoughts crowd into our heart, becoming like a noose strangling the life out of us.

You take a step forward and then run back,
And so you become a laughing stock before the world.

If you have put on the garb of a devotee, but then run away from the devotion, the world will laugh at you.  And after death you will have to endure the beating of Yama and go again into the wheel of eighty-four.  

In the Dvapara Yuga, the Kauravas and the Pandavas waged the great Mahabharata war.  In the thick of the fighting, sensing that his end time was approaching, Dronacharya loosed the Brahmāstra59The Brahmāstra was the mightiest of the supernatural weapons, with the power to the destroy the whole creation and all the beings in it., a divine weapon of enormous power. Sri Krishna knew the potency of the Brahmāstra, and said to Arjuna, “Look out. A Brahmāstra is coming towards us. You should get out of the way.” Obeying Krishna’s words, Arjuna stepped back and ran in the opposite direction.

Now, Bhima was fighting with the army in the midst of the battle. Joining him there, Sri Krishna told him, “Hey, Bhima. Dronacharya has loosed a Brahmāstra, and it is heading in this direction. You should run to safety.” What did Bhima reply? “O, Krishna. You should go warn Arjuna instead. I am a warrior standing on the field of battle. Do you think the fear of death can drive me away? Go give this advice to your friend.” 

Similarly, when we accept the path of bhakti, if we turn and run away, what kind of devotees are we?

दास जो कहाइकै आस न कीजिए, आस जो करै सो दास नाहीं।
If you call yourself a servant, don’t cherish selfish motives.
The one who follows their own desires is no true servant.

Two swords can’t fit in the same scabbard. If you have accepted the discipleship, do you think you can spend your life running after the worldly desires? Someone may say, “I can do both things at once.” But this is not possible. If you take up the devotion, then hold fast to the Path and move forward.

If you don’t burn in the fire, you can’t be called a sati;
If you don’t fight on the battlefield, you are no hero. 

Until a woman burns herself on the funeral pyre with her departed husband, no one will call her a sati. And if a warrior is afraid of death and runs from the battlefield, no one will call him a hero.

The army’s poor commander is like a frightened sheep.
He shambles bleating off the battlefield, but he’s always ready to eat.

The world is full of such “heroes”. And we find many devotees of this type on the path of bhakti. If any difficulty befalls them, then they run away.  What can be accomplished through such devotion? Nothing at all.

Whoever is burning in the fire of viraha, they reach the final goal.

The fire of separation flares up within you spontaneously. No one can teach you the ways of viraha.

सूर को कौन सिखावता है रण मैदान में मरना
Who taught the hero to die on the battlefield?

No one taught the hero how to die before he marched onto the field of battle.

सती को कौन सिखावता है पति के साथ आग में जरना
Who taught the sati to burn on the funeral pyre with her husband?

This is not something that can be taught. The fire of viraha flames up spontaneously in your heart.  No one can teach you about it. You cannot learn it from a book. You can’t achieve it through virtuous deeds. Viraha is a power; something unique in itself. When that fire of separation manifests within, then day and night you have no thought for food and drink. You find no difference in sleeping and waking.

When viraha manifested in the princess Mira Bai, she lost all awareness of high and low. Forgetting all about her royal status, she set out for Vrindawan, playing the khartāl60A pair of wooden castanets fitted with bells as she went along the way.  She had no concern for what other people thought about her; this is the nature of viraha. Viraha is a fire that burns the mind, and when that power manifests within you, then what connection do you have left with this world? None at all. Once you become absorbed in the love within, you will weep constantly in His remembrance.  He becomes everything to you. This is called viraha, or the pain of separation, but only a few rare ones achieve it.

This world is a place of filth and dirt;
Whoever takes hold of the Naam is purified.

This whole world was created from impurity. The dealings of the world are dirty. And at the end time, we have to die in this filth. At the time of death, just see how the dying person’s thoughts are occupied with the gross, material things of this world. But if instead, we remove all the worldly thoughts from our within, then our soul merges with the Naam, and we become purified straight away.  This is not an outer matter.

Kabir says, never give up the devotion.
Stumbling along, keep climbing upward.

Now, what do we say? “I can’t do this. I’ve been following the path of bhakti since I was little. But what good has it done me? So, I say, give it up.” Therefore, Kabir Sahib is trying to wake us up and inspire us with the courage to continue on the Path: “Brother, don’t give up now. When you walk along the road, you have to look out for rocks, and thorns, and snakes, and scorpions and even motor cars.  If you don’t exercise caution, you won’t reach home safely. Don’t give up when you’re just halfway there. Then you are neither of the road, nor of your home. You’re left sitting in the middle of the road with nowhere to go.  If we stop doing our bhakti before we reach our goal, we have nothing. We have given up the world and yet we have not attained spirituality. So, what is to be done? Whatever Path you take up, stick with it till the end. Do your practices, and keep moving forward.

 
Audio: H075, 00:00

Kabir Sahib

The mind doesn’t give up the ways of the baniyā.

Man baniyā̃ bāni na choṛai

मन बनियाँ बानि न छोड़ै ।। टेक ।।
जनम जनम का मारा बनियाँ, अजहूँ पूर न तौलै ।
पासँग क अधिकारी लै लै, भूला भूला डोलै ।। १ ।।
घर में दुबिधा कुमति बनी है, पल पल में चित तोरै ।
कुनबा वाके सकल हरामी, अमृत में बिष घोलै ।। २ ।।
तुमहीं जल में तमहीं थल में, तुमहीं घट घट बोलै ।
कहैं कबीर सिष को डरिये, हिरदे गाँठि न खोलै ।। ३ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 1,
Chitāvani aur Updesh, shabd 24

The mind doesn’t give up the ways of the baniyā.

The mind dwells within as a baniyā61The baniyā is a merchant caste made up of shopkeepers, traders, bankers, financiers, and, in modern times, owners of commercial enterprises. Traditionally, the traders were viewed as somewhat less than above board in their business practices. or merchant.  Nowadays, many people refer to the baniyās as the Kālā Bazaar or Black Market. It is just a name that has stuck. But previously, they really were running a Black Market; they weren’t honest in their dealings. The baniyās had a natural tendency to make the deal that profited them the most.  When they were buying goods from someone, they would use a heavier set of weights. And when they were selling goods, they had a set of weights that were lighter. They would use the heavier weights when buying, so they would receive more goods, and the lighter weights when selling, so they would have to give the customer less merchandise.

They also had other ways of tipping the scale. If they were buying goods from someone, they would pay attention to the pan with the weights and press down on the balance beam in that direction, so more goods would be need to be added to balance the pans. And if they were selling goods then they would press down more on the pan with the merchandise, so more weights would be needed to balance the pans, and they could charge the customer extra.

Therefore, Kabir Sahib Ji says, our mind is like a baniyā. It is fond of profit, comfort and prestige. Wherever prestige is being sold, the mind cheats and tips the scale to get more of it. Wherever money and wealth are available, again the mind tips the scale to accumulate more of them.  

In this way, taking on the form of a baniyā, the mind remains constantly caught up in the worldly affairs. And for millions of ages and millions of births, it has been coming into this world again and again to conduct the same dishonest business. In order to awaken this “baniyā,” Kabir Sahib says, “Oh mind, you keep taking on the form of the baniyā. Now give up these deceitful ways.”

O baniya, for birth after birth you have tipped the scale.
Up till now, you have never given true weight  

He says, “Birth after birth, you have gone on plying your false trade. Up till now, it’s never even entered your head to deal honestly.” Even though we listen to the Satsang every day, still, as soon as we wake up in the morning, we start tampering with the scales. We get swept up in the drama of life. And what about the words we heard in Satsang? Who knows where they have gone. When we get up in the morning we go chasing after falsehood — we start tipping the scales.  

Cheating has taken control of you.
You are lost in error, swaying this way and that.

If someone goes on tipping the scales, if they go on cheating in their dealings, then falsehood takes control of that person. They always remain trapped in illusion. Their heart is molded in the image of the deceit they are practicing. They become the form of falsehood. Not a trace of truth is left.

In the house, duality and wickedness have prospered.
Moment by moment, your consciousness is torn in two.

Now, what does He say? In this house of the body, duality has taken up residence. The meaning of duality is illusion and doubt. Wherever you find duality, doubt will be present there. Where you find the sense of “two,” there you will find doubt. Doubt is founded on duality. This is the case wherever we find the concept of “two,” is it not so?

For this reason, our consciousness keeps running outside every moment — because it is caught up in doubt. And the source of doubt is duality. First, we are burdened with the sense of “I and mine.” Then the duality of “mine and yours” creeps in. Doubt is inherent in this sense of duality, and all our relationships in the world are based on this doubt. We are trapped. Day and night, we keep running here and there.  But still, we cannot complete our task; we are never whole.

All the family is harām.
Poison is mixed with the nectar.

What is the meaning of harām? Many people think of the common definition when they hear the word harām.62Forbidden or proscribed by Islamic law And this is what they mean when they use the word themselves.

But what does harām really mean? When the Almighty Lord, Rām, mixes homẽ (egotism) with our pure soul, then it becomes harām (impure). If we look from this level, all the jivas, all the embodied souls, are harām; unless the jiva removes the egotism, the sense of I-hood, from their within, then their soul cannot reunite with Rām.  

As long as the consciousness within us does not merge into the form of Rām, our impurity will not leave us. Harām or impurity is the source of our birth in the physical plane; so, how can we hope to be free of it? Only when the Perfect Satguru showers His grace can the soul become united with Naam, which is the form of Oneness, then the impurity of egotism leaves us. There is no other way to remove it.

On our own, we have no understanding of how to remove it. We will not even be able to comprehend the nature of harāmi or impurity. This is because our ego or individual nature is mixed with the Divine Nature of Rām. The gross and the conscious within us are bound together by a knot.  If we think we can remove this impurity by means of the intellect, then it will never leave us. Therefore, Kabir Sahib advises us, “Do the meditation and connect your consciousness with the Naam.”

हउमै नावै नालि विरोधु है दुइ न वसहि इक ठाइ ॥

Ego is opposed to the Name of the Lord;
The two do not dwell in the same place.
— Guru Amar Das

There is enmity between the ego and the Naam. They cannot remain together. Therefore, you should always keep your thoughts connected with the Naam. When the Naam manifests, then the impurity will leave you. That Naam is All-Pervading.

You are in the water; you are in the earth
You are speaking within every being.

Now, He tells us about the nature of Rām. He says, “You are in the water. You are in the earth. You are in the sky. You are present even below the seven nether worlds.” [end of tape]

Kabir says, if the disciple is fearful, the knot of the heart will never open.

Audio: H075, 27:40

Kabir Sahib

Without the Gurudev, the jiva’s fantasies are not removed

Gurudev bina jīv kī kalpanā nā miṭe

गुरुदेव बिन जीव की कल्पना ना मिटै,
गुरुदेव बिन जीव का भला नहीं ।
गुरुदेव बिन जीव का तिमर नासै नहीं,
समझि बिचारि ले मनै माहीं ।।
राह बारीक गुरुदेव तें पाइये,
जनम अनेक की अटक खोलै ।
कहै कबीर गुरुदेव पूरन मिलै,
जीव और सीव तब एक तोलै ।। १ ।।
करौ सतसंग गुरुदेव के चरन गहि,
जासु के दरस तें भर्म भागै ।
सील औ साच संतोष आवै दया,
काल की चोट फिरि नाहिं लागै ।।
काल के जाल में सकल जिव बंधिया,
बिन ज्ञान गुरुदेव घट अँधियारा ।
कहै कबीर जन जनम आवै नहीं,
पारस परस पद होय न्यारा ।। २ ।।
गुरुदेव के भेद को जीव जानै नहीं,
जीव तो आपनी बुद्धि ठानै ।
गुरुदेव तो जीव को काढ़ि भवसिंध तें,
फेरि लै सुक्ख के सिन्ध आनै ।।
बंद करि दृष्टि को फेरि अंदर करै,
घट का पाट गुरुदेव खोलै ।
कहत कबीर तू देख संसार में,
गुरुदेव समान कोई नाहिं तोलै ।।

     
Kabīr Sāhib kī Gyān Gudaṛī: Rekhte aur Jhūlne,
Reḳhte, reḳhtā 1-3

Without the Gurudev, the jiva’s fantasies are not removed;
Without the Gurudev, the jiva receives no benefit.

He asks: “Without the Guru’s help, how can you still the waves arising in the heart?”  You may read the four vidyas,63Ancient Hindu philosophy recognized four vidyas or categories of knowledge: Trayī: study of the Vedas and related writings; 2) Ānvīkṣikī: logic and metaphysics; 3) Danḍanitī: politics and public administration; and 4) Varta or Varum: agriculture, commerce, medicine, and other practical arts. you may read the Shastras and Puranas, but all this reading is just another wave.  If you become the vaktā (teller) or if you become the shrotā (listener) of the Ramāyana,64In the traditional recitation of the Ramāyana, both the teller and the listener are important. “Both teller and listener shall be treasurers of wisdom for the tale of Lord Rāma is mysterious.” — traditional saying. that is also a type of wave.

Many people think of the Guru as someone who offers outer guidance, just like a school master. But this is not the work of the Guru. The Guru teaches us to still the waverings of the mind and unites us with the Immaculate Lord or Naam within. In the word “Guru,” the syllable “gu” means darkness, and “ru” which means light; the Guru shines light into the darkness. Unless our antahkarana (inner mind) becomes illumined, our sinfulness and ignorance will not leave us. A building may be very spacious, but if no lamps are burning within to drive out the darkness, then what purpose does it serve?  How can you see the things that are inside the building?

Similarly, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the 33 million gods and goddesses reside within us. The macrocosm of Brahmānḍ is housed within the microcosm of the pinḍ (body). The human body contains the vast expanse of Brahmānḍ, with all its countless realms of existence.  When you peruse a map of the world, you see all the places on earth represented; similarly, within the human body, you will discover the whole universe and all the powers that dwell in it.

We people do grasp this truth intellectually. Outwardly, we claim that all the powers reside in this body — Brāhma, Vishnu, and Shiva; ātmā (the soul) and Paramātmā (the Oversoul); Ishwar, Parameshwar, Sat Lok, Alakh, Agam, and Anāmi.  Everything is within.  But have we ever witnessed this truth that we talk about? Have we ever peeped within? Never, not even once.

We say that we know all about Anāmi. But what are we talking about? We have our evening meal and sink into the oblivion of deep sleep. This is our idea of Anāmi; after all, in that oblivion there is no name or form. Everyone experiences this unconscious state, but what has that to do with Anāmi?

The True Anāmi, the Nameless One, is a Self-Existing Power. And our soul is a part of this Power. But when the soul came into the physical plane, when it became connected with the gross, material body, then it joined the caste of this world. But if the soul wishes to sever that worldly relationship, can it rise again into Higher Consciousness through fantasies and wishful thinking? Such a thing can never be. It makes no difference whether you are a god or a goddess, whether you are a king or an emperor. Only one Power can liberate the soul — the Guru’s Grace. The Power that connects the soul with the Almighty Lord is called Guru. The Guru is not just a human being. Therefore, Kabir Sahib tells us: “If your false understanding is not removed, how can you receive any benefit?”

Without the Gurudev, the jiva’s darkness is not lifted.
Think this over in your mind and understand it.

Without the Guru, the darkness of your heart cannot be dispelled. Once you hear about the Truth, then you must put that Truth into practice; only then will the Light dawn within your heart. Only then will you gain real understanding of the words you have heard. Otherwise, you just go on reading every day: the Guru is like this; the Guru is like that. But you really don’t understand anything about the nature of the Guru. And then what do you do? When you set out to burgle someone’s home, you pray for the Guru to shower His blessings on you. What can the Guru do with such a disciple? What kind of blessings can He shower?

The Gurudev puts you on the subtle Path;
The obstacles of countless births are removed.

The Path leading to the higher planes is the subtlest of the subtle. There is nothing to compare it to in this world. For millions of births and millions of yugas, we have been stuck here. Without the Guru we cannot remove the roadblocks from our Path and meet with the Almighty Lord. Many people say, “We have no further need for the Guru; we already have the Naam initiation.” Such people haven’t gained anything at all. What good has it done them to take the Naam?

Kabir says, “When you find the Perfect Gurudev,
You will discover that jiva and Shiva are the same.”

When the veil of “I and mine” is thrown over the soul it becomes a jiva;  and, wrapped in the veil of “I and mine,” the jiva becomes the doer. The jiva can no longer contact the the God Power. A veil has been placed in between, and when that veil is removed, as Kabir Sahib tells us,  the “jiva” once again becomes “Shiva.”65Kabir Sahib is using “Shiva” in the sense of the Universal God Power. He is not referring to individual god Shiva, included in the Hindu Triumvirate of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. The gods themselves are subject to birth and death and cannot free the jiva from the three worlds.  Kabir’s use of “Shiva” to express the Almighty Lord appears to be a poetic choice intended to rhyme with “jiva”. This use of “Shiva” is very similar to the Mahāvakyā from the Brihadāraṇyaka Upaniṣhad: “Aham Brahmāsmi,” literally, I am Brahm. The reference is to the Universal God Power, not to the individual god Brahma, who is himself trapped in Kal’s creation.  Shorn of I-hood, the pure soul merges back into the Almighty Lord. That Primal Lord, is Self-Existing, but the jiva is bound by individual thoughts and desires and has a very restricted outlook. The embodied soul becomes no more than the puppet of the ego.

Attend the Satsang; take firm hold of the Gurudev’s lotus feet.
When you have His darshan, all illusion runs away.

Now Kabir Sahib tells us to attend the Satsang. But we already go to Satsang daily — we are never absent even for one day. So, what does Kabir Sahib mean? When you go to the Satsang, do you treasure the words of the Satsang in your heart? No doubt, you go to Satsang with the intention of listening to the discourse. But if you are honest, you will admit that when you get up to go and brush the dust off your clothes, you brush away all the words of Satsang as well. You don’t bring anything home with you. So, what is Kabir Sahib advising you to do? When you are listening to the Satsang, keep your contemplation fixed on the Guru. Attach your attention to His lotus feet, and hang on His every word. Then His message will penetrate into your consciousness with special intensity, and you will be filled with the Guru Power. Otherwise, your attention will keep wandering all over the place: “Today, we heard a very nice hymn of Kabir Sahib. Yesterday, they sang something else. Today this happened, that happened…” Leading you along in this way, your mind gradually lures you away from the words of the Satsang. Never mind what happened yesterday. What about your own condition right now? You remain unchanged; you haven’t improved at all. 

So, when you attend Satsang, keep your attention fixed at His lotus feet. The darshan of the Satguru will remove all your illusion. This is what is meant by real Satsang — keeping the company of Truth.

Otherwise, anyone can deliver a spiritual discourse and call it Satsang. They think it’s no special thing: “Just read ten or twenty books and repeat what you’ve read — that’s all there is to it.”

Chastity, truthfulness, and contentment manifest with His Grace.
The blows of Kal cannot harm you.

First, He talks about the virtues: chastity leads to contentment and then to mercy.  These are the qualities that connect you with the Lord.

दया बिना सिद्ध भी कसाई
Without mercy, the siddha is no better than a butcher.

If a person has no mercy in their heart, even if they are a great siddha or accomplished soul, still they are no better than the most cruel-hearted butcher.

दया धर्म का मूल है पाप मूल अभिमान,
तुलसी दया न छोडिये जब लग घट में प्राण

Mercy is the foundation of religion, and egotism is the root of sin.
O Tulsi, never abandon mercy, as long as you have breaths in your body.

Where there is no mercy, the selfish motives cannot be removed. And if the selfish motives remain, then spirituality cannot flourish.  

What can Kal do before such a being as the Guru? The Guru dwells far beyond the realm of Kal; He has no element of Kal within Him.

All the jivas are caught in the trap of Kal.
Without the Knowledge of Gurudev, it is all darkness within.

How has Kal imprisoned all the world? Through lust, anger, greed, attachment, ego, the three gunas, the five subtle elements, the twenty-five prakritis and the restless waves arising in our impure hearts. These are the powers that Kal uses to lay his traps. Until the Light of the Guru’s Knowledge dawns within us, we cannot be released from the snares of Kal. We cannot become liberated. The meaning of mukti or liberation, is to be set free from the snare of Kal. 

Kabir says, you will not come again into the realm of birth.
Touched by the philosopher’s stone, you become separate from this world.

He says that when all the desires are removed from your within, you will not have to take birth again.  When your attachments to this world have all been eradicated, then what can bring you back here?

As long as the husk remains as a covering on the rice grain, you can sow that grain, and it will grow into a rice plant. But if you remove the husk, then can the rice grain sprout and grow? Such a thing is not possible. Similarly, if the veil covering the soul is completely removed, then there is no need for the soul to take birth again.

Further, when the philosopher’s stone touches the iron and transforms it into gold, that gold becomes completely distinct from the grossness of iron. So, who can call it iron? It is pure gold. In the same way, when we take the human birth, if we are touched by the “philosopher’s stone” of the Guru’s Grace, He turns us to pure gold and separates us from this gross, physical world.  

Otherwise, when the soul comes into the human body, it is just like being sentenced to life imprisonment.  If someone commits crimes, if they commit sins, then they will be beaten and thrown into prison.  The sentence may be ten or twenty months, or a year, or two or four or twenty years, according to the crime.  And when hardened criminals have completed their sentence, they tell the jail warden, “Don’t remove my hearthstone. I’m leaving for now, but I will be back again soon.” In the same way, when your time to leave this world approaches, you think, “These are my children, this is my family, this is my house and home. I have so much money. I am a wealthy person. I am this, I am that.” All of these possessions are like your hearthstone. You think this “hearthstone” should remain in place, just as it is, so that all your possessions will be here waiting for you when you return. But meanwhile, the angels of death beat the soul and drag it away. And who knows if that “prisoner” will come back to the same place? Who knows where the departed soul has gone or where it will take birth next?

The jiva doesn’t know the secret of the Gurudev;
The jivas want to flaunt their own intellectual prowess.

The jivas want to show off their own knowledge, and the story is the same no matter where they go. It has been said:

मनोबुद्धि तमन्नास्ति, गुरुबुद्धि विशेषता

The wisdom of the mind cannot comprehend Him,
But the Guru’s wisdom reveals the Almighty Lord.

Even in front of the Guru, you want to showcase your own wares. Do you think the Guru should be teaching you or do you plan to instruct the Guru? When you go in the company of the Guru, no matter how great your power of understanding may be, still you should become like an ignorant child before Him. Then your within will be flooded with the Light of the Guru’s Knowledge.  

But unfortunately, when we go to the Guru, we seek to surpass Him. If He tells us one thing, then we chime in with ten things. We put forward so many examples, so that other people may see what knowledgeable, clever, and accomplished disciples we really are. When this is our attitude, how can the Guru make us understand? 

समझाया समझे नहीं, गयी ना मन की ठौर
बहते को बह जाने दो, दे धक्के दो और

You keep explaining, but they won’t understand.
The mind still runs the show.
They are floating down the stream, but let them go.
In fact, give them an extra shove or two, to send them on their way.

Even when He explains to us, we refuse to understand. So, what can He do? He just gives us a couple of extra pushes to move us along.

There was once a Brahmin who would visit all of his patrons or jajmān66A patron who requests and pays for the performance of religious rituals by the Brahmin priests. once a year. It was his custom to stay at each place for five or ten days, and then, at the end of his stay, the family would give him a donation, which he would take back to his home. He continued with his visits throughout the year, and, in this way, he earned his livelihood. Nowadays, a few Brahmins have adopted English ways, and they have entered the various professions. But in previous times, a Brahmin would have only his panch pātra (a wide‑mouthed copper cup)67The vessel is called panch pātra, “five leaves,” because it is used to hold five kinds of leaves during the puja ceremonies: tulasi, arugu, vembu, vilvam and vanni. and a spoon for performing the sacred rituals. This was the only trade he knew.  

So, in the course of his travels, he once went to the house of some disciples who served him a particularly delicious meal. The Brahmin enjoyed that food so much that the desire for its taste did not leave his heart. As a result, his hands and feet became swollen. When he went back to his home, his wife asked him, “Maharaj, have you fallen ill? What is the matter? It is an inauspicious sign when your hands and feet swell up. I’m very worried about you. What is wrong?” The Brahmin replied, “No, no. Nothing is wrong.” But his wife was adamant: “That can’t be true. Tell me what has happened?” The Brahmin told her, “Don’t worry about it. I am not sick.” And she asked, “Well then, what is this all about?”  

So finally, he gave in and explained: “I visited the home of one disciple, and his family served me a meal. That food was so delicious, that even now I can’t forget the taste of it. It is because of this desire that my hands and feet have puffed up.”  Then his wife told him, “Have I not been born in the form of a woman? Tell me what kind of dish they prepared for you, and bring me the ingredients. I’ll prepare the food right away and serve it to you.” But she was just boasting; she didn’t really know how to prepare that food.

Then, the Brahmin brought all the ingredients: lentils, flour, rice, sugar, ghee and milk. Since his wife had no idea what to do with all those things, she went to an old woman living in the neighborhood, and asked her for advice. “Mother, I have to make this dish for my husband. Can you tell me how to prepare it?” The old woman knew this skill and started to explain the steps in her own simple way. But the Brahmin’s wife kept interrupting her. The old woman told her, “First, you knead the flour.” And the Brahmin’s wife quickly cut in, “I already know how to do that.” The old woman went on, “Then you mix in the ghee.”  And the Brahmin’s interrupted again, “I already know how to do that too.” After a while, the old woman got aggravated by all these interruptions and thought to herself, “She thinks she know everything and won’t listen to me. So, I’m not even going to try to tell her the proper method; I’m just going to make up something ridiculous. Maybe that will teach her a lesson.” Out loud she said, “No, no. This dish is prepared in a special way.” And the Brahmin’s wife replied, “Oh! Well then, tell me how is it done.”

So, the old woman told her, “First you get a big pot and put it on the stove. You start with some water and then throw in the flour, the oil, the chili peppers, the spices. Add in the ghee and the lentils. And finally, toss in the betel leaf and betel nut — everything. Then build up a blazing, hot fire with a lot of wood.” The Brahmin’s wife said, “Very good. I understand now. I didn’t know this method.” Chuckling to herself, the old woman told her, “Yes, this is how it is done. Now you go try it.” The poor Brahmin’s wife went back to her home. She poured some water in the pot, tossed in all the ingredients, and built up a roaring fire. Everything burned, and the thick mixture turned as black as a drum full of tar. Then she took the pot off the fire.

In the meantime, the Brahmin had bathed and was sitting reciting his evening prayers (sandyāvandanam).  So, she called out to him: “What do you think you are doing, sitting there babbling? Come in here.” Then he asked, “What’s the matter?” She replied, “Is this the delicacy you ate? I don’t see how anyone could keep it down. Come take a look.” So, they both sat there stirring that sticky, black mess back and forth with a spoon. How could anyone eat such a concoction?

When we go to the Guru, we are just like that Brahmin’s wife. “I know this Shastra. I know that Purana. The Sri Guru Granth Sahib says this. Kabir Sahib says that.” But why do we need to show off how many scriptures we have read?  We go to the Guru to learn from Him; He is supposed to explain to us. But instead, if we go to Him and do all the talking, then what can the Guru do for us? He tells us, “Okay, you can go. That’s all for now.”

The Gurudev pulls the jivas out of the ocean of this mortal world,
And transports them to the ocean of happiness.

The Guru is gracious. In this ocean of the world, the jiva is enduring countless sufferings. Showering His grace, the Guru rescues us from these sufferings and ferries us to the sukh samudra, the ocean of happiness.  Kabir Sahib tells us further:  

पापी भगति न भावई, हरि कथा न सुहाई
माखी चंदनु परहरै, जह दुरगंध तह जाइ 68Alternate version from the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, p 1368:
कबीर पापी भगति न भावई हरि पूजा न सुहाइ ॥
माखी चंदनु परहरै जह बिगंध तह जाइ ॥६८॥

The sinner has no love for the devotee
And no taste for stories of the Lord.
The fly forsakes the sandalwood tree
And heads straight for the stinking garbage heap.

The Guru is gracious, but the disciple says, “I like the condition that I am in. It is suits me very well.” What can the Guru do for such a disciple?

Close the outer eyes and look within
The Gurudev will open the inner door.

First, close your outer eyes. Invert the mind that is now connected to the world, and turn it within. Focus your mind at the still point between the eyes. Then the mind that is running wild in the world will rise into the Divine Realms within.

Kabir says, you may search the whole world over,
But you will never find one equal to the Gurudev.

In the end, Kabir Sahib tells us of the greatness of the Gurudev. The Congress Party has spent 29 or 30 million rupees trying to get people to give up drinking liquor. But what to speak of anyone giving it up, now they are drinking twice as much. There is a liquor still installed in every house. But the Satguru has taken the soul away from the liquor of this world, and has remade it in the form of the Almighty Lord.  What benefactor can you find equal to Him?  He has no give and take to settle; He is the Selfless Servant.

Audio: H076

[1] Ancient Hindu philosophy recognized four vidyas or categories of knowledge: 1) Trayi: study of the Vedas and related writings; 2) Anviksiki: logic and metaphysics; 3) Dandaniti: science of government; and 4) Varta or Varum: agriculture, commerce, medicine, and other practical arts.

[2] In the traditional recitation of the Ramayana, both the teller and the listener are important. “Both teller and listener shall be treasurers of wisdom for Rama’s tale is mysterious.” — traditional saying.

[3] A patron who requests and pays for the performance of religious rituals by the Brahmin priests.

[4] Alternate version from the Guru Granth Sahib, p 1368:
कबीर पापी भगति न भावई हरि पूजा न सुहाइ ॥
माखी चंदनु परहरै जह बिगंध तह जाइ ॥६८॥

Kabir Sahib
Hans sudh kar apno desaa
O Hansa! Remember your Homeland.

।। शब्द ४४ ।।
हंसा सुधि कर अपनो देसा ।। टेक ।।
इहाँ आइ तोरी सुधि बुधि बिसरी, आनि फँसे परदेसा ।
अबहूँ चेतु हेतु करु पिउ से, सतगुरु के उपदेसा ।। १ ।।
जौन देस से आये हंसा, कबहुँ न कीन्ह अँदेसा ।
आइ पर्यो तुम मोइ फन्द में, काल गह्यो तेरो केसा ।। २ ।।
लाओ सुरत अस्थान अलख पर, जा को रटत महेसा ।
जुगन जुगन की संसय छूटै, छूटै काल कलेसा ।। ३ ।।
का कहि आयौ काह करतु हौ, कहँ भूले परदेसा ।
कहै कबीर वहाँ चल हंसा,  जनम न होय हमेसा ।। ४ ।।

।। शब्द ४५ ।।
का नर सोवत मोह निसा में, जागत नाहिं कूच नियराना ।। टेक ।।
पहिले नगारा सेत केस भे, दूजे बैन सुनत नहिं काना ।। १ ।।
तीजे नैन दृष्टि नहिं सूझै, चौथे आइ गिरा परवाना ।। २ ।।
मातु पिता कहना नहिं माने, बिप्रन से कीन्हा अभिमाना ।। ३ ।।
धरम की नाव चढ़न नहिं जानै, अब जमराज ने भेद बखाना ।। ४ ।।
होत पुकार नगर कसबे में, रैयत लोग सभै अकुलाना ।। ५ ।।
पूरन ब्रह्म की होत तयारी, अंत भवन बिच प्रान लुकाना ।। ६ ।।
प्रेम नगरिया में हाट लगतु है, जहँ रँगरेजवा है सतवाना ।। ७ ।।
कहै कबीर कोइ काम न ऐहै, माटी कै देहिया माटी मिलि जाना ।। ८ ।।

Kabir Sahib ki Shabdavali, Pt2, Chitanvani, shabd 44-45

[shabd 44]

O Hansa! Remember your Homeland.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. He calls the pure, unalloyed soul a hansa or swan. So, you should tap into the truth and immaculate purity that are your intrinsic nature. Ask yourself: Who am I? You may reply, “My name is Atma Ram.” But the name Atma Ram cannot reveal the real nature of the soul (ātmā) or its relation with the Lord (Rām). Or you may say, “I am Bhagwan Das69the servant of God.” This name is just an outer label that your mother and father chose when you were born. It applies only to the physical body. But in its pristine form, the soul is an immaculate swan.

Think about these questions deeply: What is your true nature? Where have you come from? What is this trap that has ensnared you? Which Path will lead you out of this false world? And finally, when will you start your homeward journey? All of these questions are worth pondering. 

Now, what does Paltu Sahib say on the subject? Your span of life goes on diminishing moment by moment. Yesterday has already passed by. And if you waste today stuck in worldly affairs, you can’t get that precious time back again. When evening falls, if you wish to reclaim the early morning hours, it is impossible. Therefore, don’t delay. With every breath, purify yourself. Think of the true nature of your soul, and attain the knowledge of Truth.

Think about your origin: “What country have I come from?” Keep this question in your heart every moment till you discover the answer. Then you will find the way to sever the worldly bonds. Right now, you are entangled in this world, and you just go on talking about finding freedom. But your fetters cannot be cut by words.

When the fire of hunger is burning within, a person may be embarrassed to admit it: “I’m not hungry. I ate before I came. I’m already so full.” But all the while, the fire goes on raging. In the same way, we are intoxicated in the worldly desires. But we are unwilling to admit our condition, and we say, “Now, I have renounced the world for good. I am not at all concerned with these outer things.” Meanwhile, our within is seething with those very desires. This is not what is meant by purity of soul. You cannot be called a hansa.

Since you came here, all consciousness and awareness have left you; you are trapped in this foreign land

This is the country of mind and Maya. Coming here, you no longer remember who you are. Your consciousness (sudh) and your power of thinking (budh) are both completely forgotten.  Instead, Maya’s trap is so strong that attachment and the sense of “I and mine” dominate you completely. Those two keep Kal’s wheel of birth and death turning; and to escape from this wheel is extremely difficult.

Now, remember your true Beloved; this is the teaching of the Satguru.

Having explained all this, next He tells us that nothing is to be gained by remembering bygone days. “My father was a very wealthy man. His treasure chest was stuffed with gold. And now today, just look at my condition.” This kind of thinking is absolutely pointless. Therefore, He tells us that the past is gone – let it go. You should wake up right away and listen to the teachings of the Guru. What does the Guru tell us? He says, “The Lord is within you. The Path to meet Him is also within. Meditate according to these instructions.”

The Guru reveals all this to you. Follow His teachings with full attention, and come to your senses.  Otherwise, you won’t get this beautiful time again. Just as the past has already slipped through your fingers, so the present and the future will also be stolen from you. And then one day, you will find yourself at the cremation ground, the final resting place of the body. What can you do at that time? Nothing at all. Therefore, awaken this instant.

O Hansa! You have never given a thought to the country you came from.

To awaken us, He enquires: “O Hansa! O Soul! Which country have you come from?” We need to understand this. It is just like when you move to Bombay and forget about your native place. If someone asks you where you have come from, you are embarrassed, and you will reply, “I am from Bombay.” You think Bombay is such a huge city, and your own village is just a small, insignificant place — you are reluctant even to name it. You think, “If I say where I have come from, people will look down on me.” So, you simply say, “I am from Bombay.” In the same way, Sat Lok-Sach Khand is our native place. We have come from Sat Naam, the True Name. But we don’t even remember anything about our origin. Instead, we have made this world our home.

You say, “I am from this country.”  You never think of your True Home. If someone asks who you are, you reply, “I am a big businessman; I am a banker; I am a minister; I am the Prime Minister. I am the greatest of all. I am very privileged; I am very wealthy.” This is your condition. But what country have you come from? Where is your true Homeland? You have completely forgotten.

As soon as you came here, you were snared in attachment;
Kal, the Lord of Death, waits eagerly to seize you by the hair.

Having explained all this, He tells us frankly, “You have been trapped in the snare of attachment. You are a prisoner.”  This world is the compound of Kal. You have been trapped in this compound, and you have no idea what lies outside it because Maya’s trap of attachment is so strong. You have no conception of your true nature. Children, family, wealth, possessions, house, high and low status — these were all created by Maya. These things can never remain the same; they are always changing.

Fifty years ago, hardly anyone came to Worli; it was open countryside. But now look at the conditions here; there are so many people that there is hardly room to sit down.70 Baba Somanath Ji’s Mumbai cloth shop and Satsang Hall were located in the bustling area of Worli Naka. In His early years, He had meditated in Worli, when it was a still a pristine and undeveloped jungle. In this way, the whole world is always in an upheaval. And coming into this world, our thoughts have also become confused and disturbed.  We are caught in the trap of attachment. We have made all the children and the family members as our very own. But we did not bring all these things with us when we came into this world. And not one of them will accompany us when we depart.

When a person dies, four people from outside will carry the dead body to the cremation ground.71 Sometimes family and friends carry the body; sometimes other arrangements are made. In modern times, the body is often transported in a vehicle. They are unconcerned; they are just carrying away a dead body. But the family members are weeping and wailing. A few mourners accompany the corpse to the cremation ground. And then that’s an end to it. All connection with that departed soul is severed in a moment. We observe this occurrence all the time, but we make no attempt to detach ourselves from these false relationships. Instead, we become entangled in them even more.

And what do these bonds of attachment amount to in the end? When the Kal Power seizes you by the hair and wrenches your soul from the body, all your relatives stand by helpless; they can do nothing to stop the Lord of Death from claiming your soul.

Focus your consciousness on the Invisible Realm, where even Shiva goes on repeating the Lord’s Name.

There is only one way to escape from these bonds. Detach your thoughts and attention from all the worldly things, and attach them to the Naam of the Lord. And what will be the result? When the taste of the Naam comes in your within, when the purity and power of that Naam infuses your soul with its sweetness,72cf. Sri Guru Granth Sahib, p 1379 , “Sugar cane, candy, jaggery, molasses, honey and buffalo milk;  Farid says, O Lord, the worship of your Name is far sweeter than all of these!” then all the turmoil and trouble of this world will depart of themselves. The inner world is so beautiful and enchanting that the tastes of this world will seem loathsome to you.

We can understand this through a worldly example. For a special occasion, we will go to a particular shop to purchase especially delicious sweets. Even though we may pay a few extra rupees, still we don’t mind because the sweets from all the other shops seem tasteless and ordinary by comparison. Similarly, when we go within and discover the incomparable sweetness of the inner elixir, then the tastes of the worldly attachments appear disgusting to us. When once the soul imbibes the inner sweetness, then the outer tastes fall away automatically. The soul repents, thinking, “How could I have spent so many days trapped in this filth?”

He says that even the gods and goddesses long for the human body and perform devotion to the Almighty Lord.73 The Saints tell us that even the gods and goddesses long for liberation; for this reason, they pray for the gift of the human body and the grace of the Satguru. “Even the gods worship this human form and long to inherit it. Why? — Because it is the most precious time and opportunity when we can return to our True Home. Even the angels bow before it. And, we have got it!” Kirpal Singh, from Sat Sandesh, March 1972, “Who is High? Who is Low?” Now, becoming detached from the world, repeat His True Naam in that Invisible Realm.

The doubts of age upon age will fly away; and the suffering and strife of Kal will leave you.

When you become true and follow the Guru’s teachings, then the mind’s desires and doubts from ages upon ages will leave you. Then no fantasies and doubts will arise in your heart. You will be freed from Kal and the sufferings of this world. You will become one with the Self-Existing Bliss within. But only if you dedicate yourself now to the meditation.

You go on putting off this important work. You say you will do it later today, you will do it tomorrow, you will do it after you grow old, or you will do it in your next birth. But how can you hope to do it in your next birth? Who knows if you will even get the human body again. You may come back as a monkey.

Where did you come from? What are you doing here? How did you forget your True Home in this alien country?

In the womb of the mother, you vowed to do the devotion of the Lord. But when you came out, you were ensnared in this foreign land, and your vow was forgotten. The womb is a very difficult place; only the jiva who is trapped there knows the suffering of that dark, narrow space. And when that suffering becomes unbearable, that soul cries out to the Lord, “O Maharaj! Free me from this captivity.”

Hearing the jiva’s prayer, the Lord becomes gracious and brings it out into this world.  The child is born through the action of the Vishnu Prasūtivāyu.74“prasūtivāyu (प्रसूतिवायु).—m (S) Air generated in the womb during the pangs of travail, and held to be assistant to the expulsion of the birth; puerperal convulsion.”  J.T. Molesworth, A Dictionary, Marathi and English (Bombay: Bombay Education Society’s Press, 1857) 452. In the beginning, the head is turned upward and the unborn child is in a sitting position. But when this vāyu flows, the child’s head quickly rotates downward. At that time, the thunder roars and the jiva feels as if a hundred lightning bolts are striking. And in an instant, the vow to do the Lord’s devotion is completely forgotten. Then, the force of the vāyu pushes the child into the birth canal and out into the physical world, where the attachment of Maya surrounds it. In a little while, it will be laughing and weeping. When it drinks milk, it is delighted, but when it becomes hungry it starts to cry. And gradually, the jiva becomes inextricably bound to this world. The memory of its vow and all the knowledge it had in the womb are wiped away. So, He says, “Coming into this alien world of Kal and Maya, you have forgotten your own True Home.”

Kabir says, “O Hansa! Go to that place where birth and rebirth are finished forever.”

Kabir Sahib Ji tells the soul, “Return to your own place, and become the eternal form of Oneness. That Realm is unchangeable. No thought arises there, and you will not come again into the cycle of birth and death.

[shabd 45]

O Man! Why are you sleeping in this intoxication? The call to depart has come, but still, you don’t awake.

Now, He explains to us: “In the intoxication of attachment, you have fallen into a deep sleep.” Many people work all day long, and then in the evening, they drink a glass of liquor. When you ask them why, they will tell you: “I can’t sleep otherwise. The liquor takes away the weariness of the day and helps me relax; a glass or two does me a lot of good.”

In this world, all the jivas are consuming the liquor of attachment and have fallen into a drunken stupor. We can awaken from that state of oblivion only when our consciousness becomes absorbed into the Higher Consciousness. Then the Light dawns within and without. This is what we call awakening. On the other hand, if we pass our life in ignorance, with our thoughts entangled in Maya, this is called sleeping.

With the first beat of the drum, your hair turns white;
With the second, your ears go deaf.

Now, He gives a stark description of our condition as death approaches. Kal beats the drum to announce our departure, and with the first beat of that drum our hair turns white. Even though we hear that first drumbeat, we still hope we can outrun the Lord Kal. We rush to the bazaar and buy some hair dye. We want to make our hair black again and put off the summons of death.  But how many days can we evade that decree? Many people also dye their mustaches. But that black dye only coats the surface. Underneath the mustache is still white. We think we can avoid death; but we cannot stop the beating of the drum.  When the next beat sounds, we start to lose our hearing. We can’t hear the words that are spoken to us. This is the second drumbeat.

With the third beat, your vision becomes clouded; and the fourth beat announces your death.

With the third drumbeat, our eyes become weak. We cannot see the things that are right in front of us. And the fourth drumbeat sounds the final call — the time of departure has arrived. The drum is calling: “Brother, come along now. You have no more work here. It is time to empty out the house of the body and lock it up.” What will become of that “house”? It is taken to the shmashāna75“Resting place for the corpse”: shma is a form of shav=corpse; shāna is a form of shānt=rest, bedor cremation ground.  In Marathi, we call it sonāpūr, the city of sleep. Now the body goes to its resting place.

You did not obey your mother and father; you didn’t respect the holy men.

Your mother and father gave you so many teachings. Some parents are engaged in the devotion of the Lord, and they teach this devotion to their children. But some parents have bad habits; they themselves drink, and they give their children liquor to drink also. In this way, the mother and father are the first teachers, and they have the duty of introducing their children to a virtuous way of life. Later the children learn from their teachers, and if they receive good teaching, based on spiritual principles, then they remain pure, and the desire to do the devotion grows strong within them. But, if they ignore that good teaching and start to drink liquor, well, a person who drinks will definitely turn to meat eating in due course of time.

In one area, many Brahmins started eating fish. But, even then, they were not satisfied: “Fish eating isn’t good enough for us. We prefer eating four-legged animals.”  So, now, they have started eating goats as well. But it is all one; meat is meat, whether you are eating fish or goats. From meat-eating your intellect becomes dull, and you cannot achieve Higher Consciousness.

You did not learn how to board the boat of dharma; so now, the Lord of Death will explain to you.

In this world, if you lead a noble life and are constantly concerned with Truth, if you follow the ways of dharma, this becomes your boat; that is to say, your true and righteous way of living becomes the support of your life. But if you do not take up the way of Truth, then at your time of death, Lord Kal will come and lay hold of your soul. He drags you away, and no one knows where he has taken you.

Many people will tell you, “Our father has gone to Vaikunth (Vishnu’s heaven).” Well, this will be good for the Brahmins. Other people say, “My departed relatives have gone to Kailash (Shiva’s heaven).” This will be even better for the Brahmins, because after someone dies, then once a year, the family members call the Brahmins to perform a shrāddha76 A Shraddha is a ceremonial offering honoring a departed ancestor, intended to help the departed soul move from lower to higher states of spiritual evolution. The Brahmins conduct the prescribed rituals and receive food and donations for their services. The word श्राद्ध (shraddha) translates roughly as “faith” or “devotion.”for that departed soul.  The family feeds the Brahmins very tasty dishes, thinking that food will reach their relatives in the heavens. Well, your father used to have his coffee and tea three or four times a day, and, on top of that, he would eat two or three hearty meals. And now, one time out of the whole year, you are serving food to the Brahmins on his behalf, hoping it will reach him. Do you think he is he going to be satisfied with such meager fare? This is all hypocrisy and falsehood; these rites and rituals have nothing to do with dharma.

Dharma is true living that purifies your heart. You have to remove falsehood from your heart, from your body, from your speech, and from your mind. This is the real dharma. In this way, you will come in contact with the Truth that already exists naturally within you. Then all the refuse and garbage that have been heaped up will be cleared away, and you will also be purified through and through.

The proclamation has gone out in the cities and towns; those subjects to Kal are uneasy.
But the self-realized soul has prepared for the time when the pranas withdraw back into their source.
In the City of Love, there is a cloth dyer’s shop, where the Dyer is True Lord Himself.

Now, Kabir Sahib tells us that as you go on practicing the meditation, your soul rises to the level of the Universal Consciousness and becomes all-pervading. Then the soul becomes drenched in the color of the True Love and longing for the Lord. When once the Guru, who is the True Dyer, dyes the cloth of the soul with the dyestuff of Shabd, that color is fast; it never washes out.

Kabir says, “Now this body becomes useless; clay mixes back into the clay.”

If you do not use this precious time to attain self-knowledge, if you do not use your human birth to search for the Lord, but instead you waste it in the affairs of the world, then what is your condition? Yamraj, the Lord of Death, comes at your end time to reclaim what is his; because all the elements —earth, water, air, ether, and so forth — are the property of Kal. And at the moment of death, he takes everything back.

We talk about Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and the other days of the week; all these days are also the property of Kal. Morning, afternoon, and evening, also belong to him as well. We can observe that our frame of mind changes according to the time of day. In the morning, our buddhi or understanding is working one way, in the afternoon in another way, and when evening comes and we go to sleep, then our buddhi quits functioning altogether in that unconscious state. The elements and all the divisions of time are the property of Kal; they make up the body and influence the working of our understanding.

So, all this belongs to Kal, and at the time of death, he reclaims his property. If the soul did not achieve Higher Consciousness, it is thrown back into the cycle of 84. This is the real state of affairs.

Audio: H077

Kabir Sahib

How can true ārtī break for a second or even a fraction of a second?

Pāv aur palak kī ārtī kaun sī, rain din ārtī sant gāvai

।।शब्द २ ।।
पाव और पलक की आरती कौन सी,
रैन दिन आरती संत गावै ।
घुरत निस्सान तहँ गैब की झालरा,
गैब के घंट का नाद आवै ।। १ ।।
तहँ नींव बिन देहरा देव निर्बान है,
गगन के तख्त पर जुगत सारी ।
कहैं कब्बीर तहँ रैन दिन आरती,
पासिया पाँच पूजा उतारी ।। २ ।।
।।शब्द ३ ।।
साईं आप की सेव तो आप ही जानिहो,
आप का भेव कहो कौन पावै ।
आपनी आपनी बुद्धि अनुमान से,
बचन बिलास करि लहर लावै ।। १ ।।
तू कहै तैसा नहीं, है सो दीखै नहीं,
निगम हूँ कहत नहिं पार जावै ।
कहैं कब्बीर या सैन गूँगा तईं,
होय गूँगा सोई सैन पावै ।। २ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 1,
Chitāvani aur Updesh, Reḳhta, shabd 2-3

How can true ārtī break for a second or even a fraction of a second?
The Saints’ ārtī is ceaseless. They sing the Lord’s praise day and night.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. Everyone does the ārtī or devotion of the Lord according to their own understanding. Some people rely on dharmic traditions handed down from the ancient past. Some take the support of holy scriptures that contain the teachings left behind by departed saints, mahatmas, rishis and munis.  And then, without understanding their true import, they cling to these practices and revelations, no matter what, and make them into a religion.  Other people perform puja to the various gods and goddesses — Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Sharada,77Sharada is another name for Saraswati. Saraswati, Ganesh and so forth. They say, “These gods were worshipped by our ancestors, and we also offer devotion to them.” But if we look at the matter squarely, we will see that all these practices are just the product of our own imagination.

Now, the time of Gaṇesh Chaturthī78Gaṇesh Chaturthī occurs on the 14^th day of the bright half of Bhādrapad (Bhādoŋ). It is the Hindu festival celebrating Ganesh coming to earth from Mount Kailash with his mother Parvati. Devotees bring plaster of Paris idols of Ganesh that are “infused with life” through a ritual called prāṇa-pratishthā. Then the idols are immersed in water (Gaṇesh Visarjan) and left to dissolve there. is approaching. At that time, so many devotees of Ganesh appear. All of Mumbai gathers by the seashore, where idols of poor Ganesh are immersed in the water. People buy those idols in the bazaars, “infuse them with life”, and then immerse them in the sea where they will dissolve. This whole ritual is called Ganapati Puja or the worship of Ganesh.79Ganapati is another name for Lord Ganesh. We may worship Ganesh or any other god that we choose, but no matter how much devotion we may offer, no matter how many rites and rituals we may perform, still this cannot be called true dharma.

Dharma is the devotion that goes on ceaselessly and naturally within us, day and night — not breaking even for a second. Therefore, Kabir Sahib asks, “What kind of ārtī is it that breaks even for a moment or a fraction of a moment?” Day and night, the Saints remain absorbed in the Truth. They remain immersed in the Inner Light, while the boundless Shabd Dhun reverberates within. This is the true ārtī that never ceases.

The sound of thunder points the way; the hidden cymbals tinkle; and the bell sound echoes from an unseen source.

He says that you will find a hidden Path within yourself. When your attention becomes fixed and still, then easily and naturally your soul follows the signs upward along this Path. What are these signs along this inner way? The countless inner melodies playing — the bell, the conch, the vina, and more.   

In a temple without a foundation, a serene deity dwells.
Before that throne, in the inner sky, you will discover the further way up.

Within you lies a temple. That temple has no foundation or support. A divine being resides there, seated on a throne. How do you reach that temple where you have the darshan of the deity and find the further way up? When your soul crosses the inner sky, you come to the foot of that throne. And there you discover the Path that ascends higher.

Kabir says, “Where the ārtī goes on day and night without a break,
There you learn how to perform the five pujas.”

The ārtī in this realm goes on day and night. Once a year, we perform the jāgran during Shivarātrī.80Shivarātrī is the night when Lord Shiva drives away the darkness. During the jāgran vigil, devotees fast, sing, and perform the “five pujas,” offering fruits, leaves, sweets, and milk to Lord Shiva.

That night you perform the puja five times. This is just a set custom that you follow. But within us, when we cross the inner sky, we find way of the five regions leading upward to Sat Lok-Sach Khand. Each of those five regions has its own characteristic Light and Sound. When you cross the five regions and ascend further — this is the real meaning of performing the five pujas or ārtīs. In this way, you become freed from the cycle of birth and death.

O Lord! Only You know Your own seva.
You reveal Your secret, but who can understand?

The Perfect Mahatmas are the Beloveds of God, in whom the Lord is manifested. And those Mahatmas reveal the infinite secret: “O Lord! Only You know the nature of Your seva.” Only if You Yourself perform the seva will it be accomplished. No one else can understand Your secret. You have no end; You have no limit. You are inaccessible and unknowable. Who else is capable of doing the seva besides You?

Each one infers the truth according to their own understanding;
Indulging in a debate of words, they set wave after wave in motion.

When five or ten people get together, you will find that some people have read the Vedas, some have studied the Shastras, some are familiar with the Puranas and other holy scriptures. Some can quote the Bible.  And using their individual intellects, they have each formed their own ideas about the books they have read.  So naturally, in such a forum, they will discuss and debate. They want to prove their ideas are superior to the others. Someone will win the debate and someone will lose. This is all a display of mental gymnastics. But the Almighty Lord is not accessible through the intellect. He cannot be found in books. In books, we read His praises, but the Lord himself does not reside in those books. This is all just an empty, intellectual exercise.

The word prem (प्रेम) or love is written in Hindi with only two-and-a-half letters. Whoever has read those two-and-a-half letters, has understood everything written in the Vedas and much more. But even if you have studied every word of the Vedas and the other holy scriptures, still, if you have not learned that one word, prem, then you have gained nothing at all. No matter how many holy books you may have read, if you have not read the two-and-a-half letters of love, then your reading was to no avail. This whole world is a congregation of Love. The same Power of Love is working within all — whether animate or inanimate.

Once, four men were traveling together from one village to another — a grocer, a wrestler, a Hindu pandit, and a Muslim maulvi. As they were walking along the way, they saw a little partridge (tītar) by the side of the road. It was sitting in the bushes, singing in its own language. Cheep, chir-ee, chi-ree-up! Cheep, chir-ee, chi-ree-up! So, they stopped to listen.

The Hindu pandit said to the maulvi, “Tell me, respected Mīāŋ.81Mīāŋ is a Muslim term of address showing respect. Do you know what this bird is saying?” The Muslim maulvi replied, “Yes, I know what it is saying. But do you know?” So, the Hindu pandit answered, “Yes, I know. The bird is praising God saying: Rām! Terī Māyā. O Ram! All this creation is yours.”  

Then the maulvi told him, “No, Pandit Ji, you are mistaken. The bird is saying: Subhān! Terī Ḳudarat.  O Pure Lord! All nature belongs to you.”82Subhān means praise or pure. The phrase generally used is subhānallah, meaning Glory to God, or God is pure!

Then the wrestler chimed in: “You are both way off. You don’t understand at all. That bird is saying: Khā Khurāk. Kasrat Kar. Eat hearty and keep exercising!”

Finally, the grocer had his say: “All three of you are wrong. That bird isn’t saying any of these things. It is calling out like I do: “Lo-o-ong, Mi-i-irch, Adarak; Lo-o-ong, Mi-i-irch, Adarak.  Cloves, peppers, and ginger. Cloves, peppers, and ginger.”  In reality, the bird was saying something completely different — but, each of those men interpreted its song according to his own imagination.

Similarly, we people try to describe the Almighty Lord. Someone says He has a trunk like an elephant. Someone else says He has four arms. Someone says He has five faces. We think that Brahma has four faces, and Ravana has ten. But what is the Lord really like? We don’t have the slightest idea.

[Pushpamma sings a verse of Mankutimma, and Baba Somanath Ji comments]

ದೇವರೆಂಬುದೇನು ಕಗ್ಗತ್ತಲೆಯ ಗವಿಯೇ
ನಾವರಿಯಲಾರದೆಲ್ಲದರೊಟ್ಟು ಹೆಸರೇ
ಕಾವನೊಬ್ಬನಿರಲ್ಕೆ ಜಗದ ಕಥೆಯೇಕಿಂತು
ಸಾವು ಹುಟ್ಟುಗಳೇನು – ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ 

What is God? Is he a dark cave?
Or is he everything inaccessible collected together?
If the Protector is only one, how can the world be as it is?
How can birth and death both exist?83Based on the translation of Dr. L. Umadevi, Wisdom of Kagga, p 3

There was a mahatma who called himself Mankutimma84Mankutimma was the pen name of Dr. D. V. Gundappa (1887-1975), a renowned Kannada philosopher and poet. He did not choose to reveal his real identity. He tells us, “You people go on saying God, God, God. Who is this God you are talking about? Is this God you speak of a cave of dense darkness? Or do all the gods we worship collect together and make a mountain of gods?” The mountain of gods and the dark cave are both just inventions of our imagination.85Hindu temples typically have a mountain-like central tower called a vimana or shikara, ornamented with images of many hundreds of gods. That mountain of gods symbolizes their heavenly abode, inaccessible to mortals. Directly below this structure is the dimly lit sanctuary proper, the dark cave or garbha-griha (womb chamber) where the images of the main temple deities are enshrined. Worshipers believe that the gods descend from the lofty “mountaintop” to the “darkened cave.” So who is this God?

Then he tells us: “Many people imagine that God is one — the Almighty Lord, who is our Protector. But if He is the Protector, then why does one die and another take birth?” He kills the person dying and gives life to the child being born. Does your one Almighty Lord have two different natures? You go on saying God is one, but that same God is destroying one and creating another. What kind of God is that?

If your God is One, the Protector of the whole world, then why is this world in such a pitiable state? Why do we die and take birth? Does one power bestow life and mete out death? Does the same power give happiness to some and sorrow to others? The one God you have concocted is ruling over a world of duality. That can’t be true.  

But if you imagine God as many — you people believe in a pantheon of different gods — then which God are you talking about? This is all the product of your own mind; first, you create some conception of God, and then you worship the God of your own making. This is a very deep subject, and it is worth understanding.

[Baba Somanath Ji returns to the bani of Kabir Sahib]

You go on constructing gods with your imagination. You depend on the
power of your buddhi or intellect. You indulge in mental gymnastics and spin fantasies out of thin air.  Then you maintain firmly that whatever God you have fashioned through your mental exertions is the only true God.

Whatever you say of Him — He is not that;
Whatever you see with your eyes — He is not that.
The Vedas cannot describe Him; you have to rise above.  

No matter what you say of Him, you cannot describe His greatness. Whatever form you see with your eyes of flesh, that is not the True Lord — His real form is Unseen and Unchanging. Therefore, the Vedas, the Shastras and the other holy scriptures can only cry out: “Neti! Neti!” He is not this! He is not this! The holy scriptures try to describe the Almighty Lord with words, but they have no knowledge of the One who dwells beyond the reach of words.

Kabir says, “For a dumb person, I explain with gestures.”
Whoever becomes like one dumb will understand my signs.”

Kabir Sahib Ji tells us: “I am explaining the inner mysteries to a dumb person, and so I have to use gestures and hints.” A mother teaches things to her dumb child only through gestures. Generally, we see that if a person is dumb, they are deaf as well. Therefore, it is necessary to use sign language with our fingers, to make them understand. 

Therefore, He says, “The teachings I am giving out, what I am explaining about the experience of the Almighty Lord, I am conveying with gestures and hints. If I use the words arising from the mind and senses, or the buddhi of the inner antahkarana (inner mind) they will convey nothing. I know this person is deaf and dumb, and, for their sake, I am using ‘sign language.’  So, whoever becomes like one deaf and dumb, they will understand my meaning. But whoever goes on seeking answers with their buddhi or intellect, they will not learn my secret.”

Audio: H078

Kabir Sahib

The Almighty Lord and the Guru dwell within you.

Paramātam guru nikaṭ birāje, jāg jāg man mere

[Chitāvanī, shabd 1]

परमातम गुरु निकट बिराजै, जागु जाग मन मेरे ।। टेक ।।
धाइ के सतगुरु चरनन लागौ, काल खड़ा सिर तेरे ।
छिन छिन पल पल सबहि सँघारै, बहु बिधि देत न देरे ।। १ ।।
जुगन जुगन तोहि सोवत बीता, अजहुँ न जागु सबेरे ।
काम क्रोध मद लोभ फंद तजि, छिमा दया दिल हेरे ।। २ ।।
भाई बन्धु कुटुम्ब कबीला, सब स्वारथ के चेरे ।
जब जम जाल में आनि पकरि है, कोइ न संग चले रे ।। ३ ।।
भौसागर बाँकी है धारा, लख चौरासी फेरे ।
कहै कबीर सुनो हो साधो, जग से किये निबेरे ।। ४ ।।

[Satguru Mahimā, shabd 23]

अँखियाँ लागि रहन दो साधो, हिरदे नाम सम्हारा ।
रीझै बूझै साहिब तेरा, कौन पड़ा है द्वारा ।। १ ।।
जम जालिम के सब डर मिटिगे, जा दिन दृष्टि निहारा ।
जब सतगुरु ने किरपा कीन्ही, लौन्ह्यो आप उबारा ।। २ ।।
लख चौरासी बन्धन छूटे, सदा रहै गुरु संगी ।
प्रेम पियाला हर दम पीवै, सदा मस्त बौरंगी ।। ३ ।।
जब लग बस्तु पिछाने नाहीं, तब लग झूठी आसा ।
झिलमिलि जोति लखे कोइ गुरुमुख, उनमुनि घर के बासा ।। ४ ।।
सब को दृष्टि पड़ै अबिनासी, बिरला संत पिछानै ।
कहै कबीर यह भर्म किवाड़ी, जो खोलै सा जानै ।। ५ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 2,
Chitāvanī, shabd 1; Satguru Mahimā, shabd 23

[Chitāvanī, shabd 1]

The Almighty Lord and the Guru dwell within you.
Awake, O my mind, awake!

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. In search for the Lord, past mahatmas have devised countless practices such as yoga, intellectual inference, renunciation, repetitions and austerities, rites and rituals, and all the other outer forms of worship. But by following these practices, the devotees merely conjure up some image of the deity within themselves, and then mistaking that fantasy for the Almighty Lord Himself, they enshrine in their hearts a god of their own creation. They become devotees of this “god,” and then, in order to fulfill some desire or other, they spend their lifetime offering austerities, devotion, and prayers to their imagined deity.

But the most exalted, simple, and true Path is to search within. The common principle of all systems seeking gyān or True Knowledge is contemplation on the nature of the ātmā or soul to develop Self-Knowledge, which paves the way to God-Knowledge. The ātmā or soul realizes it is a drop of pure consciousness untrammeled by mind and matter, and merges back into Paramātmā, the ocean of All-Consciousness.  This is the meaning of gyān.

The pure soul proclaims: “I am not the sense organs. I am not the mind. I am not the antahkarana or higher mind. I am separate from the five elements. I am free from the three conditions — waking, dreaming, deep sleep. I remain the Sākshī, the unconcerned witness.”86Sākshī or pure consciousness “witnesses” the activity of the three worlds, but remains untouched. Becoming separate from all the material elements and qualities, the soul comes into its own true nature and then merges into the Oversoul. This is the Path to meet the Lord within — the Path of gyān. We call this Aham brahmāsmi: “I am Brahm. All the world arose from me. I am the support of all that exists.” This is what is meant by gyān. The soul soars above the lower knowledge of the buddhi (intellect) and into the etheric element; then, rising into the formless it loses itself in the Higher Knowledge.

Now, Satguru Kabir Sahib explains to us that Paramātmā, Guru, and Naam are three manifestations of the same Power. You are simply describing that Power by three different names. In some places, it is called Guru; in some places, it is called Paramātmā (the Almighty Lord); and in some places, it is called Sat Naam. So, Kabir Sahib Ji says that both the Guru and the Naam dwell within you; that Power never leaves you and is the nearest of the near.

And further, trapped in ignorance and duality, your mind is fast asleep. Therefore, Kabir Sahib Ji exhorts the mind: “O mind. Awaken to the Power residing within you.”

Hurry and attach yourself to Satguru’s feet; death is standing on your head

So, He says, “Don’t delay!” Our thoughts linger very contentedly around a fanciful notion of salvation. We imagine how we will achieve it at some later time: “In the future, we will be liberated in such and such a way. In the next lifetime, we will obtain mukti (liberation).” We find such conjecture and anticipation very comforting and pleasant. But what guarantee do we have of such a future? We don’t even know what will happen tomorrow. So, what guarantee could we have for the next life? Therefore, Kabir Sahib tells us, “Go into the shelter of the Satguru as quickly as you can.” And what does the Satguru advise you to do? “Brother, the Naam resides within you. Connect your thoughts with that Naam, and apply yourself to the meditation. In this way, you will achieve emancipation.” Kal is dancing on your head. You don’t know when Kal will come to claim your soul. Therefore, complete your work with all the speed you can muster.

Second by second, moment by moment, everything is passing away.
Don’t delay; use every means at your disposal.

Kal is such a mighty force; there are no words to describe his power. Even the great avatars, who we worship as gods, were all devoured by Kal. Therefore, Guru Nanak has said:

राम गयो रावण गयो, जाको बहु परिवार
अंत काल कोइ थिर ना रहे, स्वपने ज्यों संसार

Rama departed and Ravana departed, with all their kith and kin.
At the end time nothing remains; this world is like a dream.

Ravana was such a magnificent king; the world has not seen his equal before and never will again. But even though he was so great, when his death approached, not one person remained to pour water into his mouth.87Hindus pour a few drops of water into the mouth of the dying person; it is customary to use Ganges water into which a leaf from the Tulsi plant (Ocimum sanctum) has been placed. He was also enslaved by Kal. The mighty Ravana was slain by Rama and had to accept his departure from this world at the appointed time.

Compared to those great beings, our span of life counts as nothing. The Kal Power is so mighty that there is no record of how many jivas he destroys every day, or how many jivas he causes to take birth. We might be able to find a register that records the number of human beings who take birth and die in a day, but who has a tally of all the insects and the many other life forms? They are also subject to Kal. They also take birth and die according to Kal’s decree, but we have no record of their coming and going. 

Therefore, Kabir Sahib says, “Complete your own work now; don’t delay even for a second.”

Age after age, you have gone on sleeping; now wake up — the day has dawned.

It is not just today that you are sleeping; you have been asleep for age upon age. Up till now, you have not awakened. The time in the human body is like the early hours of the dawn. Getting this human birth, your good fortune rises like the morning sun. If you don’t take advantage of this opportunity, you will slumber on in this endless sleep. Therefore, He says, “Wake up now! As soon as you possibly can.”

Cast off the bonds of lust, anger, attachment, greed, and egotism.
Cultivate forgiveness and mercy in your heart.

Now, He explains what is meant by awakening. Two powers reside within you — one divine and one demonic. Lust, anger, greed, attachment, and egotism — these are manifestations of the demonic power. In contrast, the qualities of the divine power are chastity, forgiveness, contentment, generosity, and humility.  Whoever wants to meet the Pure Lord within must first chase away the thieves.  As long as the thieves are lurking in your heart, they will go on plundering the wealth of your life breaths. So, you should replace lust with chastity, anger with forgiveness, greed with generosity, attachment with discrimination, and so forth. When these qualities of Truth awaken in your heart, then you will establish a connection with the Inner Power. As long as your heart is full of greed, then know it for certain that the thieves are still hiding there.

If you want to be successful in the meditation, then when you sit, you should bring together your body, your mind and the Power in whose remembrance you are sitting. They should become one. At that time, all the thieves — lust, anger, and so forth — will stand shoulder to shoulder to block your way.  They are determined not to let you progress.  As soon as start meditating, some worldly thought or other will rise up before you. And if you make the effort to stop those thoughts, then sleep come to bother you. Then, the mind says, “Take a little nap now, and then you can get up and meditate later.” The mind who is sitting within you will give you this advice.

Until you bring the mind under your control, your soul will go following its behests. If it tells you to go to sleep, then you will sleep. Sitting within you, the mind says, “You fell asleep today, but don’t worry. Tomorrow, you can sit with determination.” Well, tomorrow that same mind will still be with you. Therefore, Kabir Sahib Ji says, “Do your meditation every day, with regularity and love.” Whether your mind takes to it or not, sit for two hours every day, from four to six in the morning. If you keep sitting, then after a little while, the mind will definitely invert and go within. It will come in contact with the Naam, and once it tastes the sweetness of Naam, then the taste for the worldly things will fall away.

Brothers, friends, family, relations — they are all slaves of self‑interest.

Now, if you consider the outer world frankly and honestly, you will see that your worldly relatives — your brothers, your sisters, your friends, your family, and your community, in fact, every living being you come in contact with — are all slaves of their own self-interest. If you examine each of these relationships carefully, you will see that none of them are selfless. Your mother and father, brothers and sisters, wife, children, and grandchildren are all bound by selfish motives.

But if you introspect and do the inner practices, then the experience of Truth will dawn within you, and an attitude of genuine selflessness will manifest. And, at that time, the nature of all these worldly relationships will become clear to you. But until you contact the Truth within, you will also remain the prisoner of your little self.

No one will help you when Yama catches you in his snare,

When the time of death arrives, the yamduts seize your breaths and drag your soul out of the body. At that moment, everyone will abandon you. Your body, that you have cared for so tenderly, has been your closest companion. But even that body has to be tossed aside. So, how will your outer relations go with you? When all connections are severed at the end time, how can any of these outer things come to your rescue?

Cross currents in the ocean of existence will sweep you back into the wheel of 84 lakh forms of life.

Now, is the soul automatically liberated after death? Kabir Sahib tells us emphatically, “No!” After death, you will suffer the reactions of all the deeds done while in the human body — for all the storm of falsehood you created, for all the sins you committed, for all the pleasures you indulged in. The yamduts — the angels of death — will beat you and throw you again into the cycle of birth and death.  It will not possible to get the human birth again until you suffer through all the 84 lakh forms of life. Therefore, now, when you have this precious human body, you should do the work you came into this world to accomplish.

Kabir says, “Listen, O Sadhu. Now, become liberated from this world.”

At the end of every verse, Kabir Sahib says, “I am saying all this for the sadhus, the ones who practice the sadhana or meditation. My teachings are not for those who are attached to the worldly relations and activities. I am giving these instructions for those who want to do the meditation and meet the Almighty Lord in this lifetime. My words are directed to those devotees who are ready to apply themselves to the sadhana.” So now, you should hold every word in your heart and try to mold your life according to His teachings. Those who do the meditation with regularity, merge back into the True Naam. They earn the name of sadhu, and their lives are crowned with success.

[Satguru Mahimā, shabd 23]

O Sadhu! Keep your eye fixed on the goal; cherish the Naam in your heart.

So, how do we perform the sadhana or meditation practice? The great souls that came in the past, have left behind clear instructions — a straight road to follow. But until we walk on that road ourselves, the power to understand the true import of their teaching will not come in our within. What do they tell us? Always fix your attention without a break on the True Naam that is reverberating within you. When your aim wanders away from the target, then the power of illusion takes over. There is a strong connection between illusion and the world, and you will become trapped; you will become stuck in the outer world. Therefore, He tells us that the meaning of wakefulness or vigilance is to keep your attention riveted on the True Naam. Never let it waver.

Your Lord becomes pleased with the one who falls at His door.

When you direct your attention towards Him, the Almighty Lord will become pleased with you. His Grace will flow toward you: “This beggar has fallen at my door. I should shower my grace and blessings.” But only if you fix your aim on Him. This is the subject of love, faith, and determination. Religious scriptures, renunciation, or rites and rituals do not count at all.

All fear of Yama’s tyranny disappears, when the Lord casts His gracious glance.

When the Lord directs His glance of grace toward you, even for a moment, then cruel Kal — with all his fearsome traps and power — becomes helpless.

Once, a moneylender set out to visit his debtors who were behind in their payments. He went to one farmer’s house to collect what was owed and forcefully seized all the farmer’s money and goods to clear the debt — including interest. The moneylender was thinking that he would first eat at that farmer’s house, and then have the farmer carry his trunk and bedding for him to the next village. But since that moneylender had taken everything he had in the world, that farmer was very angry: “What do I have to do with this moneylender? He can carry his bedding himself, or just leave it sitting where it is, for all I care.”

So, the moneylender was standing by the road, looking this way and that. He was hoping he could hire someone to carry his trunk and bedding — but no one came along. After a little while a sadhu walked by and said, “O Saukar Ji!88Saukār is a term for a banker or moneylender. Why are you standing here looking so worried?” The moneylender replied, “Maharaj Ji, I have to go to the next village. But I have no one to carry my trunk and bedding for me. That’s why I’m standing here like this.” The sadhu asked him, “How would it be if I carry your luggage for you?” And the moneylender replied, “Yes, that would be very good. Let’s get started.” The moneylender thought to himself, “What luck! I will get a worker for no pay. The sadhus don’t have any give and take with anyone. He won’t expect any payment.”  

So, the sadhu stacked the trunk and bedding on his head, and they set off. As they were going along, the sadhu said, “Look here, Saukar Ji! As we are walking along, either you should tell me something about God, and I will listen, or I will tell you something about God, and you can listen to what I say.” The moneylender replied, “Maharaj, I don’t know anything about God: what He is like, how to meet Him, what kind of devotion pleases Him. I don’t know anything about this at all. Even my father and grandfather did not know about such things. So, whatever you have to say, I’ll just listen to that.” Then, the sadhu explained to him about the greatness of the Almighty Lord and His devotees. He sang the praise of the Naam, and explained the practices for go within. And the moneylender walked along behind, muttering, “Yes. Yes.”

Finally, they reached the next village, and the moneylender said, “Sadhu Maharaj, this is my destination. Someone here owes me money, so, this is where I will be stopping.” The sadhu set the bedding and the trunk down on the ground and started to leave. Then the moneylender said, “Maharaj. At least accept something for your trouble.” But the sadhu replied, “What should I take from you? I don’t need anything at all.”  Hearing his words, the moneylender became very happy: “I got my work accomplished, and it didn’t cost my even a paisa.”

Then the sadhu told him, “I would like to share one last thing with you in parting. You should bear it in mind.” The moneylender asked, “What do you have to say?” The sadhu told him, “Your last day on earth is only eight days away. You are going to die.” When he said this, the moneylender was speechless. All his life he had been greedy and concerned only with profit and loss. He preyed on the poor farmers; instead of one month’s interest he would charge them four. Then he would use his cruelly won gains to celebrate a luxurious Holi.89In Maharashtra, Holi is also called Shimgā. Holi comes in the month of Phāgun (March-April), and celebrates the triumph of light over darkness. Everyone throws colored powder, including a bright red powder called phāg.  The idea of the “luxurious Holi” of the moneylender stems from earlier times when revenue officers collected land rents in March-April, generating a good business for the moneylenders, because farmers often had to borrow heavily to make the burdensome payments. So, at festival time, the poor farmers had nothing, but the moneylenders’ coffers were full. When the moneylender found his voice again, he said, “Maharaj, your words have destroyed me. You have prophesied my death; now, tell me how to avoid it.” Then the sadhu told him, “There is no way to avoid death. But I can give you some advice.” The moneylender said, “What advice can you offer?”

“On the eighth day, at such and such a time, the angels of death will appear. They will seize you and beat you mercilessly and then drag you before Dharam Raj, the Lord of Judgment, to relate all the deeds of your life.  In your entire lifetime, you have not done even one righteous deed until today. You have cheated and swindled and plundered. You have filled your life with a storm of falsehood. These two hours that you have spent with me are the only good moments of your whole life.”

“After Dharam Raj has reviewed your account fully, he will discover these two good hours. At that time, he will ask you ‘Do you want the fruit of these two good hours first, or do you want the punishment for all the sins you committed throughout your lifetime?’ You should reply to him, ‘Maharaj, my sins are like a mountain. When I suffer the punishment for all my sins, who knows how long it will take before I will get the chance to reap the reward for these two good hours. It will be better if you give the reward for that righteous deed first. Afterwards, you can throw me into whatever hell you choose.’ Then, Dharam Raj will ask you, ‘What reward do you want for that one good deed?’ You should tell him, ‘Please take me to that great soul, in whose company I earned this merit, and leave me with him.’ After that, leave it to me; we’ll see what happens.”

Just as the sadhu had foretold, after eight days had passed, the moneylender’s life ended. The yamduts came and dragged him before Dharam Raj. When they examined the moneylender’s account, they reported with great indignation and severity: “Lord, he is a very great sinner. There was not even a trace of a righteous deed in his life. But eight days ago, he had the company of a sadhu mahatma for two hours. That time with the sadhu is his only righteous deed. Otherwise, he has nothing to show but wickedness.” Hearing this, Dharam Raj flared up in a rage and said, “O sinner! Which do you want first, the punishment for all your many sins or the reward for these two righteous hours?”

With great humility and trepidation, the moneylender replied, “Maharaj, I have so many sins to suffer for that I can’t imagine how long it will take. It seems quite hopeless to me. So, first, please give me the fruit of the two good hours. Afterward, you can toss me into any hell you wish.” Dharam Raj asked the moneylender what reward he wanted, and he replied, “Please take me to the mahatma, in whose company I earned this reward, and leave me with him for two hours.”

That sadhu dwelt in the Pure Realms, lost in samadhi. The yamduts transported the moneylender to that region, but they could not enter there themselves. So, they remained outside and pushed him in. He went and sat at the sadhu’s feet, but after two hours had past, the yamduts started calling to him from outside. “Your time is up. You have to come back now.”

That moneylender was very afraid and said to the sadhu, “Maharaj, they are calling me.”  The sadhu told him, “Don’t even look in their direction. Just sit here quietly.”  So, the moneylender ignored the yamduts and just kept sitting. Since the yamduts were not allowed in that region, there was nothing they could do. And, in the end, the moneylender remained there with the sadhu and attained liberation. So, the meaning of saying all this is that when the Almighty Lord showers His grace, then the tyranny and cruelty of Yama cannot touch you.

When the Satguru becomes gracious, He ferries you across.

When the Satguru is gracious, He reveals the secret of Naam within. If you obey His words and do your meditation regularly every day, then the Conscious Power within you will lift you out of this material body, and into the higher realms. With His blessing upon you, no other power in the creation can touch you.

You are freed from the chains of the wheel of birth and death; and you dwell with the Guru forever.

Revolving in the 84 lakh forms of life comes to an end; the torment of Yama comes to an end; birth and death come to an end. You unite forever with the Immaculate Power within.  You become perfectly pure and receive the treasure of salvation.

You drink from the cup of Love and remain lost in His intoxication.

The rain of Naam Amrit is showering within. You can call it the cup of Love or you can call it Naam Amrit; the sweetness is the same. And, when you imbibe it, that shower of Nectar infuses every cell of your body. But you can enjoy that taste it only when your soul merges into the stream of Naam. Then all the tastes of the world fall off of themselves.

As long as you do not recognize the true treasure within, you will be consumed with false desires.

Until you recognize the Truth within yourself, the false desires do not leave your heart. It is only this falsehood that stands in your way — toss it out. The Truth already resides within you. Your soul or atman is Pure Consciousness. Anyone who looks within their own heart can prove this for themselves. Your real nature is Truth; there is no trace of falsehood in it. When Truth manifests, then falsehood runs away. But where falsehood resides, the Truth will remain hidden. Therefore, Kabir Sahib Ji says, “Introspect your own heart, and weed out falsehood. Attach your love to the True Naam and become the form of Truth.” No matter how many material things you collect, they are all false, and not one of them will go with you when you leave this world.

Some rare Gurumukh beholds this scintillating Light and dwells absorbed in the True Abode within.

The Self-Existing Light resides within you. Only by taking the support of this Light can the sun and moon shed their illuminating rays on the world. That refulgent Light is shining within you day and night. When your thoughts merge into that Light, then you will say:

मन तू जोत स्वरूप है, अपना मूल पहचान
O mind, you are the form of Light; now recognize your origin.

Your mind will keep on running here and there as long as it remains lost in gross unconsciousness and connected to the things of this world. But once it merges into the Light within and becomes the form of Light, then all the sins are removed automatically and your ties with the world will be broken. Rise to the level of the Naam, which is untouched by the mind. Contact that Naam within you, and become one with it.

The Indestructible Lord watches over all, but only a rare Saint recognizes Him.

Whoever merges into the eternal Power of Naam achieve an exalted status. But this is the fate of some rare Sant (Saint). Otherwise, one person’s name may be Sant Ram and somebody else may be called Sant Singh. But these “Sants” have nothing to do with the Naam. Attaining the status of a Sant and simply being called by the name Sant Something-or-other are two vastly different things.

Kabir says, “The door of illusion is shut fast; whoever opens it understands the Truth.”

Now, what does He tell us? Truth and untruth are mixed in your within. This mixture is called illusion or inference. So, until you remove untruth, the door of illusion remains shut. As long as your within is still filled with mind and Maya, you can’t go further. Only when you become the form of Truth and rise above will the door be thrown open. But if you try to carry your fantasies and conjectures with you up into the higher realms, then that door will remain like a wall, and you will find no access.

Audio: H083

Kabir Sahib

If you are bereft of love, you cannot meet the Lord

Isq binā nahĩ mili hai sāhib, keto bhesh banāvai

[ञ]
इस्क़ बिना नहिं मिलि है साहिब, केतो भेश बनावै ।।
इस्क मासुक़ न छिपै छिपाये, केतो छिपै छिपावै ।।
इत उत इहाँ उहाँ सब छोड़ो, निःचल गहु गुरु चरना ।
या से सुक्ख होय दुख नासै, मेटे जिवन मरना ।।
आदि नाम है जाहि पहँ, सोइ गुरु है सार ।
जे कृतृम कह ध्यावही, ते भव होय न पार ।। १० ।।
 
[ट]
टीम टाम बाहर बहुतेरे, दिल दासी से बंधा ।
करै आरती संख बाज धुनि छूटै न घर कै धंधा ।।
टिकुली सेंदुर टकुवा चरखा, दासी ने फरमाया ।
कचे बचे ने माँगि मिठाई, मगन भया मन आया ।।
जिन सेवक पूजा दियो, ताहि दियो आसीस ।
जहाँ नहीं कछु तहं भे ठढ़े, भस्म करैं जगदीस ।। ११ ।।

[ठ]
ठग बहुरे भेष बनावैं, गले लगावैं फाँसी ।
स्वाँग बवाये कौन नफा है, जो न भजे अविनासी ।।
ठोकर सहै गुरू के द्वारे, ठीक ठौर तब पावै,
ठकठक जन्म मरन का मेटै, जम के हाथ न आवै ।
मृतक होय गुरु पद गहै, ठीस करै सब दूर ।
कायर तें नहिं भक्ति ह्वै, ठरि रहै कोइ सूर ।। १२ ।।

[ड] 
डगमग तें तो काज सरे नहिं, आडिग नाम गुन गहिये ।
डर मेटे तब बिषम काल का, अछै अमर पद लहिये ।।
डरते रहिये गुरु साधु से, डम्भि काम नहिं आवै ।
डिम्भी होय के भवसागर में, डहन मरन दुख पावै ।।
डेढ़ रोज का जीवना, डारो कुबुधि नसाय ।
डेरा पावो सत्त लाक में, सतगुरु सब्द समाय ।। १३ ।।

[ढ]
ढूढ़त जिसे फिरो सो ढिंग है, तेरा तैं उलटि निरेखो ।
ढोल मारि के सबै चेतावों, सतगुरु सब्द बिबेखो ।।
तुम हौ कौन कहाँ तें आये, कहँ है निज घर तेरा ।
केहि कारन तुम भरमत डोलो, तन तजि कहाँ बसेरा ।।
को रच्छक है जीव का, गहो ताहि पहचानि।
रच्छक के चीन्हें बिना, अन्त होयगी हानि ।। १४ ।।

Kabir Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 4,
Kakaharā: ñ, ṭ, ṭh, ḍ, ḍh

[ñ] Isq binā nahĩ mili hai sāhib, keto bhesh banāvai 90Since Hindi words beginning with “ñ” are just about non-existent, Kabir has substituted another letter, starting the first line of the verse with “i”: isq binā nahiŋ mili hai sahib.  

If you are bereft of love, you cannot meet the Lord,
No matter what garb you may put on.
Love for the Beloved cannot be concealed,
No matter how hard you try to keep it hidden.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. Yesterday we started with ka and kha.91Baba Somanath Ji is commenting on a verse of Kabir called a kakahara — an acrostic, based on the Devanagri alphabet. The first line of each verse begins with a different letter, working through the alphabet in sequence. The sequence goes on through the alphabet: ka, kha, ga, gha, ṇa, ca, cha, ja, jha, ñ, and so forth. Now today, He is explaining about ishq or love. He says that until we manifest love in our hearts for the Almighty Lord, we cannot become successful in spirituality, because spirituality is not a subject of intellect, it is a matter of love. But the love that appears one moment and vanishes the next is no love. When you remain drenched in His intoxication day and night — without a break — this is what is called True Love.

Māshuq means the Beloved, the one to whom your love is attached. The Beloved of the soul is the Power working within — the Almighty Lord. Until your love is directed to the Beloved alone, until that love is undivided and unbroken, the lover and the Beloved cannot meet.  This is a feat of love, and the soul’s love must be directed to the fountainhead of all Love.  The Almighty Lord is the form of Love itself, and when the heart of the lover also becomes the very form of love, when day and night the lover remains absorbed in the contemplation and adoration of the Almighty Lord, then we can say that True Love has blossomed. The Beloved is the treasure house of Love.

Then what does He tell us? Having no understanding of True Love, many people become Bheshdhāri sadhus, those who adopt a distinctive type of dress. There are so many different sects of sadhus who wear the colored clothes, maybe one hundred and ninety-nine, maybe one thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine. But out of all these many sects of sadhus, you will be hard pressed to find even one true lover. Most are enamored of wearing special clothes, or of arranging their hair, or of smearing ashes on their bodies. Others have abandoned their homes over some falling out with the family. But how can these people be called real sadhus? They may have put on the garb of a sadhu, but where there is no love, the Lord who dwells within will never grant His darshan.

Further, Kabir Sahib tells us that when the Almighty Lord manifests in the heart, no matter how hard the lover may try to hide that love, it cannot be concealed. However much you may want to keep it a secret, it is impossible, because that Love is All-Pervading — its fragrance will spread throughout the whole atmosphere.

Give up running here and there, this way and that;
The Guru never wavers; take firm hold of His Feet.

Now, He tells us that we should not consider the practice of love as an outer thing. We should not flit aimlessly from one guru to another: “There’s nothing here, let me try over there. This is too difficult, let me look for something easier.” Our mind leads us from place to place, but we should give up this kind of thinking. Many people take initiation from one gDashanāmis then immediately go looking for someone else.

There was one sadhu who took initiation from five or six gurus. First, he became a Brahmachārī.92Celibate Then later, he joined the Udāsīs.93An ascetic Sikh sect based on the teaching of Sri Chand, the eldest son of Guru Nanak. After that, becoming a devotee of Shiva and Dattāreya, he joined the Dashanāmis who adopt one of the ten names like Giri, Puri and so forth.94The Dashanāmis are Shaivite ascetics associated with Vedanta and Shankarāchārya. When a Dashanāmis aspirant is initiated, they take the name of the order they join. The order names indicate unity with all nature: Giri (mountain), Puri (tract), Bhāratī (land), Vana (forest), Āraṇya (forest), Sāgara (sea), Āshrama (spiritual exertion), Sarasvatī (wisdom of nature), Tīrtha (place of pilgrimage), and Parvata (mountain).  And then he took initiation from the Suthras.95 The Suthras or Suthra Shāhis are a mendicant order who ascribe their origin to Suthra Shāh (1625?‑1682?), a disciple of Guru Hargobind. The Suthras are active in Punjab, but they also come to the South from time to time. They wear iron bangles on their arms and carry sticks in their hands. When they go begging, they beat the bangles with the sticks and make a great racket. They will refuse to go away until you give them a paisa. These people are called Suthras. But after a while, this wandering sadhu also abandoned the Suthras and joined the Nath Panth yogis. Looking at his condition, the Nāths thought, “He has tried out every sect, and now he has come here. We should put kundal96Large round hoop earrings made of wood, bone, or precious metals. earrings in his ears to show he belongs to us.”  So, they pierced his ears, inserted the earrings and initiated him into Nāth Panth yoga. They thought that now he would not be able to run home or to some other sect, since the earrings clearly marked him as a Nāth.  

Later, at the Kumbha Melā celebration, all the sadhus from all over India assembled together. And there, one of the Suthras recognized that sadhu and went to report to the mahant, the head of the order. “Maharaj, this man was with us before. We initiated him as a Suthra. But, now look what has happened. He has taken Nāth Panth initiation and is wearing earrings in his ears.” Hearing this the mahant replied, “Just go call our brother, and bring him here to me.” So, three or four Suthras went and seized that man and brought him to the Suthra encampment. Then, looking him over, the mahant said, “Now, how shall we remove those earrings of the Nāths? I think we will have to cut both his ears off.”  So, they removed his earrings by cutting off his ears, and changed his name to Buche Shāh, the earless one.97Buche means “earless,” and the Suthra Shāhis always add Shāh (king) to their names.

The meaning of this story is that once you have found a True Guru, there is no more need to wander here and there. Then, it becomes a question of manifesting love within. If we just adopt one path and then, after a few days, we change to another path; in this way, the time passes by, but nothing is gained. 

Happiness will dawn, and sorrow will be destroyed.
You will be released from the cycle of birth and death.

Make up your mind, once and for all. Become attached to the Guru’s feet with firm determination. Then the darkness will be removed from your heart, love will awaken within you, and your spiritual journey will be complete. This is the way to succeed; no other method will work.

Wherever the Primal Naam manifests, understand it as the True Guru.

The Primal Naam that manifests within is Self-Existing and Unchanging — it was not created by anyone. Now, when Ram incarnated, everyone began singing his praises; all the emphasis was on glorifying Sita and Rama. But when Krishna came into the world, then everyone started worshiping Radha and Krishna. But the Primal Naam lies beyond Akār, Ukār, and Makār,98The syllables of A-U-M. It is uncreated, and permeates every being Understand that Naam as the True Guru. As for the gurus who whisper some mantra in your ear, well, the world is full of them.

If you contemplate on the artificial naam, that devotion will not carry you across.

There is another type of naam — the artificial, outer naam that can be written, read, and spoken. Whoever devotes themself to this outer naam will never achieve liberation.

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[ṭ] Ṭīm ṭām bāhar bahutere, dil dāsi se bandhā

You make a great display of holiness, but Maya binds your heart.
You perform the artī, and you blow the conch, but you don’t become detached from the household affairs.

On the outer level you perform the three daily prayers or trīkāl sandhyā. 99Three prayers performed at “transition” times during the day: dawn, mealtime (midday), and dusk. You apply the trīpunḍra tilak100Shaivites apply the trīpundra tilak to the forehead; three horizontal lines are drawn with vibhuti (ash) from the sacred fires, completed by a bindu (dot) in the center made of sandalwood paste or vermilion. The three lines broadly signify a “triad,” but each sect ascribes their own specific meaning: three syllables of AUM, three worlds, three gunas, three aspects of Shiva, and so forth.  of sandalwood paste. You don’t allow anyone to touch your body, and you maintain all the rules of ritual purity. But my friend, all this purity is superficial — connected only with your body. Within you, your soul remains the servant of Maya; you have become Maya’s very form. Now, you should put aside all this outer hypocrisy. Until you give up falsehood, Truth cannot manifest in your heart. The mind is only one. You can engage it in hypocrisy or you can engage it in Truth.

So, Kabir Sahib tells us the mind is bound by women and wealth. Many people sit in the temples and perform the artī. They blow the conch, beat the drum, and play on the other instruments as well. Outwardly, they put on quite a show. But within, they remain bound to their homes and their relations; they haven’t severed the worldly ties. You cannot succeed in spirituality through outer display; it is a question of inner detachment.

One morning a brahmin pandit was going to Ganges River in Kāṣhi to have his ritual bath, and along the way he encountered a sweeper who was cleaning the path. When the pandit came up behind him suddenly, the sweeper did not see him and accidentally touched the pandit with his broom. At this, the pandit flew into a rage: “Here I am on my way to the Ganges for my purificatory ablutions, and I have been polluted by the touch of this low caste person.” The pandit started abusing the poor sweeper and calling him names: “This low caste chanḍāl101The chaṇḍāls deal with the disposal of corpses at the cremation ground. has touched me!”   Hearing the pandits words, the sweeper replied, “Maharaj, do you know the real meaning of “chanḍāl”? It is written in your own Vedas and Shastras. Chanḍāl does not mean a person of low caste. Chanḍāl is the anger that arises within. You will have read the Vedas and Shastras yourself, so you will be knowing that if the fire of anger is burning within someone, that person is the real chandal. It is not a matter of high and low caste.” Hearing the sweepers words, that pandit was silenced and went on his way.

As he was walking along, the toe piece on his sandal broke, and he went to hut of Ravi Das the cobbler, on the outskirts of town, to have it mended. Reaching there the pandit said, “Hey, Chamār.102Chamārs are cobblers and leather workers. The toe piece on my sandal has broken. I am in a hurry, and I want you to mend it right away.” Ravi Das replied, “Pandit Ji, I have another job in hand, and until I finish it, I cannot repair your sandal.” Again, the pandit flared up: “You are just a lowly chamār, and you are offering me such insolence? Don’t you realize I am a pandit?” Ravi Das told him, “No doubt you are a pandit, but it makes no difference. I have my own way of working, and I do not alter it.” Hearing this reply, the pandit started calling him all sorts of names, but finally he calmed down. And after Ravi Das had finished his task, he repaired the pandit’s sandal for him.

When the pandit was about to leave, Ravi Das gave him one small coin (paisā) and said, “Pandit Ji, please be so good as to take this coin with you. After you have completed your own ritual bath in the Ganges, please implore the river goddess: “O Ganga Mātā,103Mother Ganges if you will appear to me, I will put this coint in your hand. It is an offering from Ravi Das.” The pandit took the paisa with disdain. He was very angry, and as he went along, he kept on criticizing Ravi Das in his mind: “I am a high-caste pandit. Three times a day, I perform sacred ablutions and prayers. I maintain all the prescriptions of ritual purity. And here is this low-caste cobbler — this chamār — who stitches old, worn-out shoes. Does he think the goddess of the Ganges will appear just to receive his little coin? We’ll see about that.”

So, he had his bath in the Ganges, and after he had said his prayers, he addressed the goddess of the river: “O Ganga Mātā! This coin is an offering from Ravi Das. Please come and receive it.”  And, instantly, the goddess appeared. Taking the coin in her hand, she said, “What can I possibly give in exchange for such an offering?” Then, she placed a jewel-studded bangle in the pandit’s hand, and he was overjoyed. He thought, “I have come here to bathe and offer prayers for so many days; and today, at last, I am receiving the reward for all my good deeds.” He was very pleased. But as he made his way home, he avoided the hut of Ravi Das, thinking: “Why should I go by the hut of a cobbler? I’m going straight home. If I go back to his place, he will say, ‘Ganga Mata appeared to accept my coin, and she meant this bangle for me, so you should leave it here.’ I don’t want that to happen. I’ll go the long way round and avoid his hut altogether.” When he reached home, he told the whole story to his wife. She was very happy and said, “We have been greatly blessed. But if we keep a bangle like this, what good will it do? It will not fill our stomachs. On the other hand, if we sell it, we will get a great deal of wealth and can live comfortably.” So, the pandit asked, “Who can we sell it to?  Who could afford to buy such a treasure?” Then, the pandit’s wife told him, “The local merchants and jewelers will not have the price of it. You should take it to the king. Only he can give you its true value.”

So, the pandit went to the king and offered to sell him the bangle. And the king took the bangle to show to his queen. He told her, “This is no ordinary bangle; it is priceless. It surely comes from Dev Lok, the realm of the gods. Just look at it.” The queen examined the bangle and told the king, “You can’t wear just one bangle. You need a pair — one for each wrist. Whoever has brought this single bangle to you must have stolen it. Call the man and threaten to execute him. Tell him that if he brings the second bangle, you will pardon him. Otherwise, you’ll cut off his head.”

So, the king went back to the court and took his seat again on the throne. Very solemnly he said, “Pandit Ji, where did you get this bangle? You must have stolen it. Otherwise, you would have the matching bangle also. There should be two; you can’t wear just one. Now, you must bring me the matching bangle by this evening. Otherwise, I will cut of your head.”

Hearing this proclamation, the brahmin’s blood ran cold: “I can feel the executioner’s sword at my throat. I am as good as dead.” He staggered back home and related to his wife all that had happened: “I have to present the king with a matching bangle by this evening. Otherwise, it will cost me my life; I will die this very day. What should I do now?” Immediately, his wife told him, “Go back to Ravi Das as fast as you can. Fall at His feet, and beg for His mercy.”

So that pandit raced to the hut of Ravi Das and threw himself at the cobbler’s feet. He cried, “Maharaj, save me!” Ravi Das asked him, “What is the matter?” The pandit replied, “The matter? I will tell you what the matter is. You trusted me to take your offering to Ganga Mātā, and the bracelet she gave you as a reward for your devotion, I kept for myself.  I treated you very unjustly, and now I am reaping the punishment for my sin. If I don’t give the king a matching bracelet by this evening, he has already declared he will cut off my head.”

Hearing his words, Ravi Das laughed and said, “This is no great matter. Just go back to Ganga Mātā and tell her, “Ravi Das wants the matching bangle.” When the pandit did as Ravi Das instructed, the river goddess appeared and gave him another bangle, identical to the first.

Taking that bangle, the pandit went straight back to the king’s court: “Maharaj, following your order, I have brought the matching bangle.” Then the king asked, “How could you come up with it so quickly? This is a treasure from the kingdom of the gods. Such a bangle could not be found in this mortal world. Where did you get it?” Then very meekly, the pandit replied, “Maharaj, what can I say? Outside the town lives one Mahatma named Ravi Das. He gave me a paisa to offer to the goddess of the River Ganges, and in return she gave me that jewel-encrusted bangle. Since no one else in the kingdom could give me the price of it, I brought it to you. And you know what reward you offered me. After I left your court, I ran to Ravi Das and threw myself on His mercy, begging Him to save my life. He sent me to ask Ganga Mātā for the matching bangle, and after she gave it to me, I brought it straight to you so that my life might be spared.”

After he heard the pandit’s story, the king got up from his throne, went straight to the hut of Ravi Das, and bowed down before Him. He implored, “Maharaj, ferry me across the ocean of existence.” Ravi Das granted the king Naam initiation, and made his life successful.

Naam is not some insignificant thing. You cannot obtain it by running from one sect, to a second, and then a third. Naam can never be found in the outer practices.

Tilak and sindhur, spindle and spinning wheel.
The wife has her requests, and the little children go on asking for sweets;
All the while, the mind remains intoxicated in the outer things.

The pandit applies a tilak to his forehead, puts on the sacred thread, and draws mudras all over his body with sacred ash in the prescribed manner. In earlier times, many pandits wore the choṭī, the tuft of hair on the back of the head. That choṭī was supposed to be the size and shape of a cow’s hoof — this was the pattern they used.  Wearing the choṭī was the custom of the brahmins. Nowadays, they cut their hair off short; the choṭī is clean out of fashion. Most brahmins no longer wear it at all. Either they cut their hair short or they wear their hair long and loose like hippies.

These brahmins carry their mats and ephemerides around with them from place to place and caste astrological charts. They foretell bright futures for some people and warn others of approaching doom. Of course, back at home they have five or six hungry children, and when they return, they will bring sweets, dried fruits, and savory snacks from the market — to everyone’s delight. This is the state of the pandits today. 

If the devotees pay well for the puja, they are showered with blessings.
Otherwise, the pandit says: “O Jagdish, Lord of the World. Rain down curses on this place.”

Now, if you give honor and respect to the pandit, if you invite him to your home, then he will recite some mantras and spells to remove impurities, and he will perform some Vedic puja or other. And if you give him money and good things to eat, he will become content and offer benedictions: “May the Lord bless you and shower you with wealth and prosperity.” But if you give him nothing, then he will curse you: “May the Lord bring about your destruction and reduce you to ashes.” This is the way of the pandits.

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[ṭh] Ṭhag bahure bhesh banāvẽ, gale lagāvãi phānsī

The thief wears so many disguises, but ends up with a noose around his neck.
What is the good of pretending, if you do not worship the Indestructible Lord?

Those who put on countless disguises cannot be called real sadhus. This is all just a fraud to swindle the people. The Indestructible Lord is not pleased with wickedness, and such deceivers can never meet God. 

Endure all the blows at your Guru’s door; then you can return to your True Home.

He says, “Always remain at your Guru’s door. Even if the Guru rebukes you hundreds of times, never abandon Him.” Dattātreya is said to have had twenty-four gurus. Who were these gurus? A guru is not someone who just whispers a mantra in your ear. Each of Dattātreya’s gurus showed him an important quality. Whoever taught him something, he accepted them as his guru. He even accepted the dog as his guru.104Dattātreya is often depicted surrounded by four dogs and a cow, symbolizing the four Vedas and Mother Earth who nourishes all beings. The dog is such a faithful creature. If any danger befalls or if any enemy threatens to attack its owner, the dog is ready to offer its life to save him. If the owner beats the dog, it will run away for the moment. But as soon as its owner calls lovingly, it comes running back with its tail wagging and sits at its owner’s feet. The dog is very docile and loving to its owner. Sometimes, the owner may not even feed the dog, but no matter what the owner does, still the dog does not leave his door.

In the same way, no matter how much suffering you have to endure, no matter how difficult your seva may be, never leave the door of the Guru. There you will gain true benefit — through His grace, your attention will become stilled at the seat of the soul, and you will reach your True Home.

The beating of birth and death comes to an end; you won’t go again into the hands of Yama.

When, through the grace of the Satguru, the Light of Sat Naam dawns in your heart, then the sense of duality is removed and no desires remain. All the strife of coming and going is finished — you will not take birth again. There is so much power in the grace of the Satguru. But you have to become worthy of receiving that grace.

Even in doing the Guru’s seva, deception and hypocrisy can creep in.  When the Guru is present physically, many people race about, running here and there and making a great show of doing the seva. But when the Guru goes away, then those very same people get out their mattresses and go sleep under the shade of the trees. This cannot be called seva; it is deception. We think we can fool the Guru. Know it for certain, that Truth cannot arise from such pretense.  When you are ready to give up your life rather than be separated from the Truth, this is what we call Guru seva.

Removing all stubbornness, become a dead body before the Guru and remain under His protection.

Becoming like one dead, remain in the Guru’s shelter.  Don’t let even a trace of duality enter your heart.

The coward cannot do the devotion; only the brave warrior stands firm.

Kabir Sahib says that the brave warrior is unshakeable; only such a devotee can win the prize of bhakti. The coward runs away just seeing the battle; such people cannot do the devotion.  

The army’s poor commander is like a frightened sheep.
He shambles bleating off the battlefield, but he’s always ready to eat.

Such cowards are not fit for bhakti.

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[ḍ] Ḍagmag tẽ to kāj sare nahĩ, āḍig nām gahiye

Without commitment, the work can’t be successful;
Take firm hold of the Immovable Naam.

We are wishy-washy in our devotion: “Maybe I’ll meditate today or maybe I won’t; it will be okay either way. If I don’t meditate today; I can do it tomorrow. And, after all, if I accomplish a little bit in this life, then in my next life I can do a lot more.”

Someone once asked a sadhu, “Maharaj, what righteous deeds should I perform, so that I will get the human birth in my next life?”  The sadhu replied, “There is no roar without a lion.105That is to say, if you didn’t already have the human body, you couldn’t be asking this question. You already have the human body; if you are seeking liberation, why are you thinking of taking another birth. Do the devotion now while you have the opportunity. Why rely on the future?” Who knows whether you will get the human birth in your next life or not. You have no idea about the future and neither does anyone else. Now, when you already have the human body, why not take advantage of your good fortune and do the devotion?

Therefore, Kabir Sahib is telling us, “Don’t listen to the wavering mind. Give up its company. Naam is the Eternal Power that never changes. Adopting the qualities of truth and resolution, merge into the Immovable Naam.

All fear of the terrible Kal will be erased, and you will achieve the Deathless Realm.

Kal is frightful; he terrorizes the three worlds. Give up your fear of this Lord of Death.  Within you in is True Naam, which is Eternal and Unchangeable. Merge into that Naam and become its very form.

Instead, you should fear the Guru Sadhu; nothing good can come from putting on an act.

He says that we should have both fear and love in our heart for the Guru Sadhu. Wherever there is love, fear106Here “fear” indicates reverence and respect. is present also. And where there is fear, there is love. Both are needed for devotion.  If there is love, but no fear, then devotion cannot be successful. If there is fear, but no love within, then this is no better than hypocrisy. If we are only making a show of respect, it will serve no purpose.

In this ocean of existence, deception leads to the pain of birth and death.

If you will not give up acting and posing, you will drown in the ocean of existence. You will revolve again and again in the wheel of birth and death.

Your life is only one-and-a-half days long; now, remove wickedness from your within.

Your life in this world is of a few days only. Therefore, while you have this golden opportunity, remove wickedness from your heart; cast out everything that separates you from the Truth.

You will find shelter in Sat Lok; merge into the Shabd of the Satguru.

Then, wickedness is removed, and your heart becomes pure. Supported by the True Naam, you enter the Realm of Truth, and your coming and going in the cycle of birth and death is finished forever.

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[ḍh] Ḍhūṛhat jise phiro so ḍhing hai, terā tãi ulṭi nirekho

The One you are searching for is not far away.
When you look within yourself, you will find Him.

When you go out in search of the Almighty Lord, you imagine He is something separate from you. Where is the Lord? Someone says He is dwelling in Rameshwar. Someone else says He is in Badrinarāyan. Others believe He is in Kedranāth, Amarnāth, or Pashpatināth. But searching for Him in outer places is all deception. The Power you are seeking already dwells within you, supporting your body and the entire universe. That Power of Truth enlivens your very soul. And still you remain caught in the chimeric webs of illusion, wasting your precious life in make-believe.  Therefore, Kabir Sahib says, “Turn your thoughts away from this world.” Ask yourself: “Who am I?” Focus your attention firmly within, and become one with the Power of the soul already present there. 

Beating the drum, I declare to you all:
Realize the Shabd of the Satguru.

Kabir Sahib says, “I am not holding anything back. I am proclaiming the Truth with the beat of drums. I came in all the four yugas to sing the praise of Satguru’s shabd. I have come only to awaken understanding of the Shabd in the hearts of the jivas. In the golden age, I was called by the name Satsukrit. In the silver age, I was Muninder. In the copper age, I came as, Karunamay. And in this iron age, I am Kabir.  Throughout the four ages, I have come into this world, only to spread the glory of Sat Naam. I have not kept the secret hidden, but have declared it openly.

Who are you and where have you come from? Where is your True Home?

If someone asks us — “Where do you come from?” — then we will reply that we are from such and such outer place. One person says, “I am from Maharashtra.” A second person tells you, “I am from Karnataka.” A third person will say, “I am from Uttar Pradesh.” And a fourth person answers, “I am from Kashmir.”  But my friend, these outer places are not your True Home. You are only describing where your physical body is residing. In reality, you are a part of the Sat Purush and a denizen of Sat Lok, the True Realm.

Therefore, Kabir Sahib asks: “Who were you before you came into the physical world? Where is your real dwelling place? Where is your Homeland?” Up till now, you have not answered these questions, but the time has come to understand. When you are born into this world, your mother and father tell you your given name, your surname, and all the names and titles that come with your clan and rank. But these names are just describing the body; your parents cannot tell you anything about your real nature. So, Kabir Sahib says: “Who are you really? Where is your True Home?”

Why are you wandering lost in illusion? Where will you dwell when you leave this body?

Why are you wandering in this vast land of illusion? Where will you go at the time of death? Think about this carefully while there is still time, and make some preparations.  Then your soul can return to its True Home and cease to roam. Now you are inextricably trapped in the clutches of children, family, relatives, this and that. The more you struggle to be free, the more entangled you become; if you manage to get one foot free, your next step hurls you into hell.  When you are so hopelessly entangled, how can you find the way out on your own?  But if, by the grace of the Satguru, you detach yourself from all these worldly bonds, then the high road to liberation opens before you.

Who is the Protector of the soul? Recognize Him and take His shelter.

Now, Kabir Sahib says, “Recognize the Protector of the jivas and go into His refuge.”

If you don’t realize the Protector, you will come to harm.

The Inner Power that supports this body is your Protector; you can call it Truth or can call it soul. But if you do not realize that Power while you are still in the body, then at your end time, you will be the loser. You are making your way to destruction.

Audio: H089

Kabir Sahib

Play a true game on the field of life.

Sachmuch khel le maidānā

सचमुच खेल ले मैदाना ।। टेक ।।
सब्द गुरू को दृढ़ करि बाँधो, सुरति की खींच कमाना ।
कड़ाबीन करु मन को बस करि, मारों मोह निदाना ।। १ ।।
फाका फरी ज्ञान का गदका, बाँधि मरहटी बाना ।
सनमुख जाय लड़ै जो कोई, वही सूर मरदाना ।। २ ।।
रंजक ध्यान ज्ञान की पट्टी, प्रेम बरूद खजाना ।
भरि भरि तोप झड़ाझड़ मारो, लूटो मुलुक बिगाना ।। ३ ।।
कहैं कबीर सुनो भाई साधो, प्रेम में हो मस्ताना ।
अमर लोक में डेरा दे के, सतगुरु हना निसाना ।। ४ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 1,
Chitāvanī aur Updesh, shabd 86

Play a true game on the field of life.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. He says that this whole world has been spun out of falsehood and fantasy. Where were we before we came into this incarnation? Before we were born, did we have any idea who our parents would be in this lifetime? And now, when we leave this human body, do we have any knowledge of where we will take our next birth? For us, the past and future always remain a closed book; we have no knowledge of what has gone before or no guarantee of what is yet to come. Over and over again, we die and take rebirth — caught in an endless cycle.

Now, when we fall asleep at night, nothing of this world remains with us. At that time, we don’t know where our mother and father are residing. We don’t even know where we are ourselves.  We have no memory of where our children, family, and relatives might be. We have no idea what has become of all our wealth and worldly possessions.  But when the mind reenters the waking world, again we lay claim to all those relatives and possessions as our own.

This world is a vast playing field, and the object of the game is to cross over the field to the other side and win the prize — the Power of Truth. Guru Nanak has described that Power:

आदि सच्च जुगादि सच्च, है भी सच्च, नानक होसी भी सच्च

He was when there was nothing; He was before all ages began;
He existeth now, O Nanak, and shall exist forevermore.

That Power of Truth already resides within you. It is the very support of your body. With the support of that Power the chit (memory), manas (will or resolve), buddhi (intellect), and ahankāra (ego) function.107The four aspects of the antaḥkaraṇa or higher mind In fact, the same Power upholds the entire creation. Now, while we are living in the world, we have the opportunity to discover this True and Eternal Power. If we do not seize that opportunity, then we will go on revolving in the cycle of birth and death and be dragged back into this world again and again.  

Fix your attention firmly on the Shabd Guru; the Sound will pull your soul upward.

You can call it Guru, or Shabd, or Naad, or Naam, but that Power is One and only One. From the beginning, Truth and untruth are intertwined within our heart; the inert and the conscious are bound together by an inextricable knot. Until the Perfect Satguru makes us aware of the Truth already present within us, our soul will remain enveloped by a veil of falsehood. The soul has become the form of falsehood and cannot cast it off. Therefore, through the Satsang, the Satguru instills within us the discrimination to discern Truth from untruth and makes the hidden Truth manifest. Then the soul can perceive clearly: “This Truth permeates my within.” But the fact remains that — even though Truth is residing within you — still, until you are put on the True Path, you will not be able to contact it.

In order to meet that Inner Power, devotees have performed countless sadhanas:  repetitions, austerities, fasting, burning the sacred fire,108Hom -– a fire ritual usually performed by the priest to bless a household at the request of the homeowner. offering yagyas,109Yagya — a large communal event involving offerings to the sacred fire and special mantras. The patron who donates to pay for the yagya is thought to receive considerable spiritual merit. and all the many forms of yoga. But each of these practices keeps you entangled in the business of the intellect. So now, the soul must rise above all these outer practices and unite with the Self-Existing Power within. Therefore, Kabir Sahib tells us, “Attach your love to the Shabd Guru with such dedication and devotion that your thoughts never stray from Him.” Become so absorbed in the Shabd that you become the form of Shabd itself. Until Shabd alone remains, both within and without, you will not be able to banish illusion and self-love from your heart. You will remain enslaved to this outer world.

How do we achieve this total absorption in the Shabd? Kabir Sahib Ji says that when you fix your attention between the two eyes, your soul begins to withdraw from the body below. Do not allow any outer thoughts to drag you away from that still point. When the soul becomes perfectly equipoised, then, merging into the Shabd, it becomes the form of Shabd. And riding on the Sound Current, the soul is transported back to its origin — the fountainhead from which the Shabd arises. 

Aim your gun and bring the mind under control; strike down attachment.

When your attention unites with the Naam, then the mind comes under control automatically. Kabir Sahib says:

मन मूसा पिंगल भया, पी पारा हरि नाम।

The mouse mind is paralyzed when it drinks the mercury of Harī Naam.

When the mouse mind drinks the mercury of the Lord’s Name, it no longer runs here and there. When you fix the mind within, when you make it steady, then you can unite your soul with the Higher Consciousness. When the soul merges into the Naam, then it is no longer dragged here and there in the outer world.

Once the mind comes under control and experiences the inner bliss, then it is freed from all outer attachments. Mind is a lover of pleasure; it is fond of delicious dishes. As long as it is stuck fast in outer enjoyments, as long as it is a slave to the outer tastes, it cannot go within. But once it tastes the bliss within, then it stops running about, and all the outer tastes are forgotten.

Take up the shield of hunger and the sword of knowledge; strapping on your weapons adopt the ways of the Marātha (warrior).110During Kabir’s time, the Marāthas were a caste inhabiting the current area of Maharashtra. They were known for their valor and later formed the Maratha Empire under the rulership of Shiva Ji (1630-1680).

He tells us to hold fast to the True Knowledge. Merging into it, become the form of Knowledge. It has been said: “To fill our stomachs, we are ready to cheat the whole world.”

We are all the slaves and disciples of our stomachs. The stomach sits within us like a king issuing orders, and we — the loyal subjects — carry them out. So, Kabir Sahib says, “Become like a warrior, and stand ready to endure hunger.” Don’t be subject to the dictates of your stomach. Don’t be bound by hunger and thirst. Give up all your desires and longings, and absorb your love into the Oneness within.

Just like the warrior takes up weapons and marches out to defeat the enemy, likewise, taking up the weapon of True Knowledge and wielding it with the might of Inner Experience, the spiritual aspirant should become determined to defeat the mind. 

Whoever fights the enemy face to face can be called a valiant warrior.

The aspirant who goes within and attacks the mind head on is a fearless warrior — a mighty captain on the field of battle. But the majority of humanity comes from a different mold:

भगति सब कोइ करै भर्मना ना टरै,
भर्म जंजाल दुख दुन्द भारी ।

Everyone performs the bhakti but no one discards illusion.
The trap of illusion brings on untold suffering.

We all do the devotion, but our hearts are filled with illusion, and we do not strive to remove it.  That illusion is the root of all suffering. Therefore, Kabir Sahib says that the brave warriors never waver from their purpose. With unshakeable determination, they devote themselves fearlessly to meditation on the Lord.  Uniting with the bliss within, the become the image of bliss. They put the enemy mind to rout; they drive all the useless thoughts and worldly fantasies from the field of battle.  Such devotees are truly courageous.

The devotee who manifests the Lord within can be called a brave warrior. We people love to hear stories about doing bhakti; we find such talk very intoxicating. But when the time comes to actually do the devotion ourselves, it is only the very rare ones who emerge victorious; the rest of us go down in defeat. 

The army’s poor commander is like a frightened sheep.
He shambles bleating off the battlefield, but he’s always ready to eat.

Everyone wants to practice the devotion, but when the time comes to fight the battle and face the mind, we slip away somewhere else very quietly or lie down and pretend to be dead.  When we start practicing the devotion, for a few days we make a great show of it. But then we give it up: “This bhakti is getting old. I’m tired of it; let’s do something else now.”

How long should you hold fast to the devotion? Until your dying breath. If at our end time, we do not remember the bhakti, then when we leave this body, we will again have to endure the pain of birth and death.  

The lesson behind saying all this is that just like military soldiers go through rigorous combat training, in the same way, the practitioners of bhakti must also learn to fight the mind and its minions. Soldiers become competent through daily training; then, when they stand in battle, they are not troubled by fear. They declare heroically: “I have come here only to defeat my enemy.” Thinking like this, they march onto the battlefield and join the fight. 

In the same way, when you practice bhakti, you should never think of retreat. Whatever happens, you should forge ahead with your fight, because, at your end time, only bhakti will stand by you and come to your aid. Your children, your family, and your relatives will all gather together to mourn you. They will cry and beat their breasts. They will carry you to the cremation ground, and then return straightaway to their own homes.  The real devotee of the Lord conquers death in this world and achieves immortality in the world beyond.  

The priming powder of contemplation, the match cord of knowledge, and the gunpowder of love.

Contemplation is the priming powder, and love is the gunpowder. First the priming powder is poured into the flash pan. So, when the burning match cord of knowledge ignites the priming powder of contemplation, the flash from the priming powder flares up through a hole in the gun barrel, explodes the gunpowder of love and hurls the bullet towards its target. And when the musket is fired at the opposing army, the enemy falls down dead.111Baba Somanath Ji is describing the action of the matchlock musket, in use by the Mughal armies of Kabir Sahib’s era.

You need both knowledge and love. If both have manifested within you, then true spiritual experience will dawn. But if you are lacking in love and have only the knowledge of the intellect — the knowledge gained from books — then your heart will be filled with darkness.  Outwardly, what knowledge can you impart to others, when your own within is devoid of light?

Load the cannon and fire it, again and again; conquer the country beyond.

Over and over, load the cannon, aim it at the target, and fire! Attack the enemy (mind) again and again. Gain the victory and take possession of the country beyond (the Spiritual Realms).

Kabir says, “Listen, O brother sadhu — become ecstatic in His love.”

While still living in this world, become immersed in the intoxication of love. When the moment of death arrives, you will cast the body aside, just like a worn-out garment, and your soul will depart for the True Home.

Pitch your tent in the Immortal Realm where the Satguru has raised His banner.

Whether you call it Amar (Immortal), Alakh (Imperceptible) or Agam (Inaccessible), reach that Realm, and merge into the Primal Lord. This is the True Home of the Satguru, where His banner flies. Plant your own flag there.

Audio: H097

Kabir Sahib

O fool, unite with the Guru.

Guru se kar mel ganvārā

।।शब्द २७ ।।
गुरु से कर मेल गँवारा, का सोचत बारम्बारा ।। १ ।।
जब पार उतरना चहिये, तब केवट से मिलि रहिये ।। २ ।।
जब उतरि जाय भवपारा, तब छूटै यह संसारा ।। ३ ।।
जब दरसन देखा चहिये, तब दर्पन माँजत रहिये ।। ४ ।।
जब दर्पन लागत काई, तब दर्सन कहँ ते पाई ।। ५ ।।
जब गढ़ पर बजी बधाई, तब देख तामसे जाई ।। ६ ।।
जब गढ़ बिच होत सकेला, तब हंसा चलत अकेला ।। ७ ।।
कह कबीर देख मन करनी, वा के अंतर बीच कतरनी ।। ८ ।।
कतरनि कै गाँठि न छूटै, तब पकरि पकरि जम लूटै ।। ९ ।।

________________________

।।शब्द २९ ।।
सतसँग लागि रहो रे भाई, तेरी बिगरी बात बनि जाई ।। टेक ।।
दौलत दुनियाँ माल खजाने, बधिया बैल चराई ।
जबही काल कै डंडा बाजै, खोज खबरि नहि पाई ।। १ ।।
ऐसी भगति करौ घट भीतर, छोड़ कपट चतुराई ।
सेवा बंदगी अरु अधिनता, सहज मिलैं गुरु आई ।। २ ।।
कहत कबीर सुनो भाई साधो, सतगुरु बात बताई ।
यह दुनियाँ दिन चार दहाड़े, रहो अलख लौ लाई ।। ३ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 2, Upadesh, shabd 27, 29

O fool, unite with the Guru.
Why waste time thinking over and over again?

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. First of all, He says you need to unite with the Guru, and from His exhortation it becomes apparent that we are still separated — we have not yet secured communion with Him. To merge with the Guru, we must seek shelter at His holy feet. There is no other way but this. There is no question of securing liberation from gods and goddesses or other divine beings — they cannot grant it.

We have wandered very far away from the Lord and have become separated from Him. To be separated from the Almighty Lord is not less than madness. Who do we call as the mad ones? When you forget the Truth, you become like one mad. But when you remember, then the madness leaves you. You come to understand the One who dwells beyond the three aspects of time (past, present, and future) and to merge into that Reality. But if you yourself continue trapped in time, if you remain unaware that your own soul is the same essence as the Eternal Lord — who dwells beyond the reach of time — then you have not yet achieved union.

Therefore, first of all, Kabir Sahib is telling us, “O fool, unite with the Guru.” He says that we mad ones must meet the Guru and become one with Him. Why? Because we have wandered far away from the thing which is eternal and unchanging.  And now, through our own strength and reasoning power, we cannot contact Him.  Therefore, Kabir Sahib declares unequivocally: “If you wish to meet God, fall at the feet of the Guru and beg for His protection.” This is the only way. You cannot take the support of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva112Utpatti or creation is governed by Brahmā, sthiti or maintenance of life is governed by Vishnu, and sanhār or destruction is governed by referring to Shiva. or all the other gods and goddesses. There are no two ways about it — to meet Him you must go into the shelter of the Guru.  

And further, He says that all the rumination arising from the mind and intellect is fruitless. It serves no purpose at all.

When you want to cross to the other shore,
You must look for a competent ferryman.

This is an outer example. When you need to cross over a body of water — whether it is a river, or a lake, or an ocean — then you need a boatman. You cannot make the crossing on your own, because you have no boat, and you can’t reach the other side on your own power. Likewise, when you wish to cross the ocean of life, how can you hope to reach the other shore without the help of an expert Ferryman?

Further, you can determine the size of an outer body of water; you can measure its depth and width and length. But how can you measure the ocean of this world? It is boundless — it has no beginning and no end.

What are we referring to when we use the word “world” (sansār)?  First, some doubt (sansā) is created in our hearts,113Baba Somanath Ji is speaking of the doubt (sansā) as produced by the action of the vritis. Master Kirpal Singh describes vritis in Crown of Life: “When a current emanating from the spirit strikes any object, such as a physical thing, a mental feeling, an idea, or a sensory sensation, and returns to its source, it is called a vriti. The vriti produces a modulation in the mind-stuff. All our knowledge of the world without and within comes from vritis or the rays of thought.” 
He goes on to say that as the soul sinks deeper into the creation, the vritis become increasingly misleading, as seen in the description of the vriti of vikalp: “(iii) Vikalp: It is the relationship that the mind-ridden soul has with the objects, producing doubt and delusion as to the objects themselves, their existence, their intrinsic nature and the life-essence at their core.” Kirpal Singh, Crown of Life: a Study in Yoga (Irvine, CA: Ruhani Satsang Books, 1997) p 7-8 and the essence (sār) of that doubt arises from false perception. Taking the world to be real, we mistakenly think that happiness can be achieved through the enjoyment of outer things. That “essence of doubt” (sansā kā sār) is the nature of the world (sansār).  Therefore, when we are deeply mired in the delusion of this world, how can we hope to navigate its treacherous waters and cross to the other shore unaided?

Offering this outer example, Kabir Sahib has explained to us that if we are going to cross over a river or an ocean, first we must find a ferryman. And what will he do for us? He will take us across in his boat. In the same way, when we want to cross the ocean of this world, the Guru — the Expert Ferryman — takes us in His ship of Naam and transports us safely to the other shore.  So now, there is no more to be said on the subject. Kabir Sahib has laid his wisdom before us. The rare ones will take His words into their hearts and bring into experience the mystery He has described. The rest will just listen to what He has to say, and then not give it another thought.

When you cross over the ocean of existence, this world is left behind.

When you cross beyond the undulating waves of uncertainty, when you become free of all doubt and wavering, then know you have crossed over the ocean of this world. Until your heart is free of uncertainty, how can you cross over? The facts of the matter are right in front of you. Delve into your own heart, and see for yourself. Have you progressed in spirituality, or are you slipping farther away from your goal? As long as your heart is filled to overflowing with thoughts and worries, desires and indulgences, money and wealth, “I and mine,” then no real advancement is possible. Therefore, He says that when no more thoughts or desires trouble your heart, then you have landed on the other shore. This is the clear confirmation.

When you reach the other shore, this world of uncertainty evaporates like a phantom. Not a trace remains. Many people want to renounce this world, but they don’t understand the real significance of renunciation. Outwardly, they may give up the worldly things, but within doubt still torments them. How can this be called renouncing the world? The fetters that bind us to this world are within us, not somewhere outside. In the blink of an eye, we can give up the worldly things outwardly. When you take a trip to Kolkata (Calcutta), you leave your worldly possessions here in your home. But what about your inner attachment to all those things? Can you set that aside? Until the inner bonds are cut, you cannot say you have renounced the world.

Therefore, Kabir Sahib asks: “What is the sign that you have cast off the bonds of this world and crossed to the other side?”  Your heart becomes freed from all doubt and delusion, and your consciousness becomes one with the immaculate and carefree soul within.  This is the proof.

If you want to see your reflection, you must clean the mirror of your heart.

Now, He gives us another worldly example. Many people take the Naam initiation and then claim: “Now, we have achieved liberation.” But Kabir Sahib advises us: “Introspect your own heart.” The heart is like a mirror. If you want to see you face in it, the surface of the mirror must be clean. If it is covered with rust or scum, then you will need to scrub away all that dirt; otherwise, you can’t see a clear reflection, no matter how hard you try. So, if you want to examine your face in the mirror, you will have to make the mirror spotlessly clean. What do we mean by cleaning the mirror of the heart? No doubt or delusion should remain.

In just a moment, you can clean an outer mirror. But the inner mirror of the heart is covered with mud encrusted from age upon age and has become as black as pitch. And it will take a great deal of effort to make it clean again. We people think we have progressed just because it has been two, or four, or fifteen years since we took Naam initiation. No doubt the years have passed by, but what about the condition of your heart? Unfortunately, it is the same as it always has been. There is no need to ask other people about this. You know your own condition, so what can you gain by discussing it with others?  

Someone says, “My children are causing me a lot of trouble,” and tears well up in their eyes. Someone says, “I have lost a lot of money,” and they break down weeping. If someone is crying over the worldly things, know it for certain that the mirror of the heart is still covered with filth.  If your within is shining with the light of purity, why would you be crying over outer things of no consequence?  Everything arises from within you; no one is putting anything in from outside. If you are crying, it means the dirt is still heaped up within. If you are laughing, well, that also comes from within.

Therefore, He tells us, “You must clean the mirror of your heart.” Then, you can behold your reflection.

If the mirror is covered with scum, what can you hope to see there?

So, He says that if the mirror is obscured by rust and scum, then we cannot see any reflection in it, no matter how long we go on gazing. This is an outer example. Similarly, if the mirror of the heart has become besmeared with filth, how can you see the Immaculate Lord reflected there? Forgetting the Truth, we quarrel with others over the Vedas, Shastras, Granths, and Puranas, rites and rituals, and daily prayers. But what is the point of coming to blows over these outer things? It is all useless. 

Instead, look in your within, and ask yourself: “How far have I progressed? What can I do to improve myself?”  Until you introspect your within, spirituality can have no effect on you. What can you gain by looking at others? “So and so is doing such and such.”  Brother, what do other people’s actions have to do with you? Nothing at all.

When the celestial music resounds in the fort of the body,
Then the inner spectacle unfolds before you.

So, when the mirror is made pure, then the attention merges into the immaculate ātmā (pure soul). This is actual experience, not just hearsay.   By what sign can you recognize this experience? Celestial music resounds and you must witness this pageant of bliss and happiness within yourself.

When you concentrate within, the swan bird of the soul flies free.

When the countless melodies of the Anahad Banī begin to play within, then the shackles of this earthly existence fall off, and the soul flies free, untrammeled by mind and matter. This is not a question of second-hand accounts. Those who practice the meditation wholeheartedly experience it within themselves; but the poor lazy fellows know nothing about it at all.

Kabir says, beware of the mind’s antics; it is always ready with its scissors.

When your within becomes pure and you merge into the Naam and ascend to the higher regions, then the workings of the mind stand revealed. Mind is the enemy of spirituality. The mind does not want to be confined, but when the soul ascends within, it is like imprisoning the mind. Therefore, Kabir Sahib says, “My friend, keep a close eye on the doings of the mind.”  The scissors of the mind cut into the fabric of spirituality and spoil it.” We always think: “I will do the Bhajan and Simran. I will do the meditation.” But, in reality, we remain attached to the world, and the scissors of the mind cut our resolutions to ribbons and toss them away.

Therefore, Kabir Sahib alerts us that we should never let down our guard: “What is your most important work? To keep a close watch on the mind.”  The mind is always ready with its scissors, eager to wreak havoc. When some thought of the world arises within us, the mind’s scissors fly, and we are cut to shreds. When a thought arises of children, or of wealth and property, or of “I and mine,” or of love and hatred — then, shearing right and left, the mind severs us from the Lord. Therefore, Kabir Sahib warns us: “Beware of the mind, or it will cut you to pieces.”

If you don’t remove the fastener holding the scissor blades, then Yama will seize and plunder you again and again.

Now, He explains how the scissors of the mind work.  What are the parts? First, you have two separate cutting blades. These two blades symbolize two different powers — one auspicious and the other inauspicious. So, He tells us that the mind’s two scissor blades are held together by a small pin, and that pin of the scissors is egotism — our sense of “I and mine.” Whether our deeds are good or bad, they arise from the same “I.” The two blades are held together by that pin.

Therefore, Kabir Sahib says that until you remove the pin of I-hood, the scissors will go on cutting. If you want to be successful in spirituality, you must remove that pin. Then, even though the two blades remain, they can no longer cut anything. The scissors are rendered useless.

But as long as that fastener is still holding the blades together, the yamduts (angels of death) stand ready to fall upon you and cut you to bits.

___________________________

O brother, remain in the Satsang. Your distorted fate will be set right.

He says that spirituality and inner progress are founded on Satsang.

बिनु सत्संग विवेक न होई
Without Satsang discrimination will not awaken.

Without the Satsang, we have no knowledge of true and false. We do not which things are true. And we do not understand which things are false.  Therefore, He says, “First of all, hear about the Truth in the Satsang.” Don’t think that Satsang is just listening to some stories about Rāma and Rāvana and then going home unchanged. Some people tell of the Pāndavas and Kauravas, some recite the histories of the great kings, some give learned commentaries on the sacred texts. But my friend, none of these things constitute real Satsang — the company of the Truth. During the Satsang, our soul should come in contact with that Truth. Then we will have some lasting impression of Truth in our hearts. We say we are holding Satsang. Someone is reading stories or reciting verses and a few other people have gathered to listen, but this is not Satsang. This is just passing the time. In the real Satsang, your distorted fate will be reshaped. This can be called the company of Truth. Otherwise, you are just hearing some stories and then returning home empty-handed.  

The butcher fattens the bullock with the wealth and treasures of this world.

What treasures does this world have to offer you? Wealth and possessions; wife, children, and grandchildren; honor, name and fame. Instead of giving these things up, we are becoming more and more entangled in them, so how can we hope to benefit from attending the Satsang?

To understand our situation, take the example of a butcher. Say the butcher is going to slaughter a bullock, but it is not yet time to kill the animal. He is thinking he will kill it on the second, third, or fourth day. But, in the meantime, that butcher won’t let the bullock go hungry. Instead, he’ll feed it very lavishly to fatten it up.

Similarly, Kal is a butcher, and the ignorant jiva is the bullock. Kal provides the jiva with food — money and possessions; wife, son and grandson; prestige and honor. The jiva is delighted with that food and has no idea it is about to be slaughtered. The jiva is thinking, “These are my children. I have accomplished so much. I have earned so much money.” My friend, in the end, when you have to leave this world, everything you have earned will be lost.

When your end time comes, the blow of Kal will fall unannounced.

What plain speaking! He says, “When Kal surrounds you and attacks, will he warn you beforehand?”  Do you think the Lord of Death will inform you where he is taking you?  Not the least. The yamduts will beat you soundly and drag you away. In this world, you were a big businessman. You were very respected. You lived in a fine mansion. But at the end time, no one will even be willing to keep your body in the house. When the breath stops, you’re hardly worth a kauṛī (shell used for currency). Everyone says, “Take the body away.” With our own eyes, we have seen so many depart. Daily, we see people dying. But still, the jiva goes on like the poor bullock, consuming the food of Kal.

Become so devoted within that cleverness and deceit are driven out.

What is the nature of “Kal?” Kal means forgetting the Truth and becoming lost in the pride of the body and worldly possessions. And that pride leads us into deception and double-dealing. So now, giving up all duplicity, practice Truth, and be saved from the butcher Kal. If you harbor deceit in your heart and still try to practice the devotion, you will reap the fruit according to your deeds. You plant a thorny acacia tree, but you hope for a rich harvest of wheat. How is that possible?

Through seva, meditation, and humility, you will easily meet the Guru.

Now, He tells us how to rid ourselves of deceit. First of all, do the Guru’s seva. Through seva, arrogance and self-love are washed away. Pride of the body is removed. Many fine gentlemen think, “I am such an important man. Why should I do any seva?” My friend, you are not interested in doing the seva?  Would you rather remain enslaved in the domain of Kal? We take up the seva to cleanse away the pride of the body. We are not doing any favor to the Guru. One or two sevadars can take care of all the Guru’s needs. He doesn’t need thousands of people to serve Him. This is not the aim of seva. We do seva to crush our false pride. When we offer service to the Guru, we are the real gainers.

After doing the seva, next, we need to practice the meditation. Kabir Sahib Ji keeps saying this over and over, but our intellect still doesn’t accept it. Meditation means doing the Naam Simran of the Lord. It means performing the Dhyan and Bhajan practices. But when we do the meditation, we must not become puffed up: “I have done so much meditation.” After all, are we doing this meditation to benefit someone else? No, it is for our own benefit. So, what do we have to be arrogant about? We start thinking, “I am a great swami. I have become something.” This attitude is totally wrong.

Then finally, He tells us that we need to practice humility. We should speak sweetly and lovingly to everyone we meet. Humility and lowliness — these are the qualities we should adopt in our life.  This is the clear sign that we are progressing in the meditation.

When we cultivate these three things — seva, meditation, and humility — then we will have no need to go in search of the Guru. He Himself will come to find us. These are the Guru’s own qualities, and when we cultivate them, He is naturally drawn to us.

Kabir says, “Listen, O brother sadhu. The Guru is speaking to you.
This world is of four days only. Now, anchor your love in the Imperceptible Realm.”

In every verse, Kabir Sahib tells us in the final lines that He is not addressing the worldly people, those who have no use for spirituality: “Listen, O brother sadhu.” His words are for the sadhus, those who practice the sadhana. No one else will understand, so, why should He try to explain? His words would all go in vain.

समझाया समझे नहीं, गयी ना मन की ठौर
बहते को बह जाने दो ,दे धक्के दो और

You keep explaining, but they won’t understand.
The mind still runs the show.
They are floating down the stream, but let them go.
In fact, give them an extra shove or two, to send them on their way.

What other words can He use to explain? If people don’t wish to understand, then what can be done? Therefore, He is saying: “Listen, O brother sadhu. I am speaking to the sadhus, those who want to progress in meditation and achieve liberation in this very lifetime. My words are for these devotees, not for the others. If someone is intoxicated in their children or the other worldly things, what can I tell them?”

These are the Guru’s words. This is His message. Now, there is no more to be said.

Audio: H101

Kabir Sahib

My Lord is the witness of all and everything. (1)

Sab kā sākhī merā sāī̃

सब का साखी मेरा साईं ।
ब्रह्मा बिस्नु रुद्र ईसुर लौं । और अब्याकृत नाहीं ।
पांच पचीस से सुमती करि ले । ये सब जग भरमाया ।
अकार उकार मकार मात्रा । इनके परे बताया ।
जागृत सुपन सुषोपति तुरिया । इनतें न्यारा होई ।
राजस तामस सातिक निर्गुन । इनतें आगे सोई ।
स्थूल सूक्ष्म कारन महाकारन । इन मिलि भोग बखाना ।
बिस्व तेजस पराग आत्मा । इनमें सार न जाना ।
परा पसंती मधमा बैखरि । चौ बानी नहिं मानी ।
पांच कोष नीचे करि देखो । इनमें सार न जानी ।
पांच ज्ञान और पांच कर्म हैं । ये दस इन्द्री जानो ।
चित सोइ अंतःकरन बखानी । इनमें सार न मानो ।
कुरम सेस किरकिला धनंजय । देवदत्त कंह देखो ।
चौदह इन्द्री चौदह इन्द्रा । इनमें अलख न पेखो ।
तत पद त्वं पद और असी पद । बाच लच्छ पहिचाने ।
जहद लच्छना अजहद कहते । अजहद जहद बखाने ।
सतगुरु मिलै सत सबद लखावै । सार सबद बिलगावै ।
कहै कबीर सोई जन पूरा । जो न्यारा करि गावै ।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 2,  Bhed, v 9

My Lord is the witness of all and everything.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji.  He is explaining to us about the relationship between God and this created world. He tells us: “My Almighty Lord is sarvasākshī, the Witness of All.” He is everywhere — in the food; in the water; in the grass; in the wood. He pervades all the five elements and everything else in this world.  He is omniscient and omnipresent. God is a Power and the soul is the same Power as that of God. But in order to understand that Almighty Lord, we need a subtle and conscious inner eye. He dwells within us in His Eternal Form. He is the boon companion to all. But because of our strong attachment to the things of this outer world, we cannot perceive Him.

He pervades Brahma, Vishnu, Rudra and Ishwar, and yet He remains unseen.

Now, what does He say? The Almighty Lord not only pervades the entire universe, He is also the Power behind everything that exists.  He dwells within Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and all the other deities, and they derive their power from Him. The whole of creation came into being with the support of that Almighty Lord.  If He were to withdraw His conscious Power, even for a fraction of a second, this body would crumble into dust.

Consider the five and the twenty-five; they have misled the whole world.

He tells us that we have the five senses and twenty-five prakritis. With the intellect, we can easily understand the five senses. But the twenty-five prakritis (subtle elements compounded in varying proportions) lie beyond the grasp of the intellect.  These twenty-five prakritis combine in seemingly countless variations and determine the individualized make-up of every human being, every creature, and every object. One father may have four or five or ten children. And each of those children comes into this world with a different combination of prakritis that determine their individual natures.  Even the unconscious material objects are fashioned according to the prakritis. So, while the intellect easily comprehends the five senses, it remains baffled by the nature of prakriti. Even the great meditator souls that have access to the higher realms cannot totally reverse the effect of prakriti when they are functioning in the region of the three worlds.  Some trace of their prakritis remains, even if only in minute amounts. 

We read the writings of Kabir Sahib, who teaches about the path of Surat Shabd yoga. And when we read the writings of Swami Ji Maharaj and Tulsi Sahib, we find their teachings are exactly the same. But the prakritis of each Saint that incarnates in this world are different, and if we examine the writings of these great Souls closely, we will see that they have framed their teachings according to their individual personalities and mentalities. The teachings never change, but they will be presented in varying forms according to the prakritis of various Mahatmas. Therefore, He says that we need to understand the nature of the five senses and the twenty-five prakritis. And realizing their reality, we should rise above them and become absorbed in the Naam.

These forces that have brought us into this world do not leave us. They have made their home in our within, and we cannot change them. The only way to change them, to become free of them, is to rise above their sphere of action and leave them behind, because when we are functioning in this mortal world, those prakritis that are present to a greater or lesser extent within everyone will become active at the appropriate time.  

Akār, Ukār, and Makār; He lies beyond the sacred syllables of “Aum.”

Akār, the letter “A”; and ukār, the letter “U”; and makār, the letter “M” — these letters form the three syllables of the sacred word “Aum” (Onkar).  But the Power of the Almighty Lord lies beyond these sounds.  He is not in the Onkār or soham of the yogis. For the yogis, Onkār is the sound of Brahm, and soham 114 Here, Baba Somanath is referring to “soham,” the sound emanating from the throat chakra, the seat of Shakti. Yogis practicing pranayam contemplate on this sound. It is distinct from the “Sohang” of the Saints — “I am Thou” — that reverberates in the fourth inner plane of the soul’s ascent within. The Sound of “Sohang” is the Sound of the Naam pervading all creation. is the sound of Shakti or Maya.   

Consciousness, semi-consciousness, unconsciousness, and superconsciousness — He dwells beyond these four states.

Now, what does he tell us? Day and night, we remain involved in different states of consciousness: jāgrat or waking (consciousness); svapan or dreaming (semi-consciousness); ṣushupti or deep sleep (unconsciousness), [and turīya (superconsciousness).] The dwelling place of the Lord lies far beyond these states.

Rajas, tamas, sattva, and nirgun, He lies beyond the presence or absence of qualities.

The material world is created, maintained and destroyed through the three syllables of Aum — akār, ukār, and makār. The syllable “akār” is the seat of Brahm, the creator; the syllable “ukār” is the seat of Vishnu, the preserver; and the syllable “makār” is the seat of Shiva, the destroyer. The three states of consciousness [in the creation up to Trikuti] are also inherent in the three syllables of Aum: jāgrati (the waking state of consciousness, identified with Vishnu); svapna (the dream state of semi-consciousness, identified with Brahma), and, suṣhupati (the unconscious state of deep sleep, identified with Shiva).  Further, these three syllables of the primal mantra “A-U-M” and the gods that reside in them, also correspond to the three gunas or qualities. Brahma has the quality of rajas or activity, Vishnu has the quality of satva or purity, and Shiva has the quality of tamas or inertia.  These three qualities fill our within.

Since we have not yet been able to understand the workings of all these profound powers or forces that control the creation, we take birth over and over again, and we keep on wandering about outside. This is no trivial matter. To understand these powers and to realize the Soul that lies beyond their domain is not an easy thing. Not everyone is fit for this undertaking.  

Physical, astral, causal, and supercausal — obtaining these bodies, we get lost in the pleasures.

Now, having explained thoroughly about the gunas, Kabir goes on to tell us about the four bodies. All of the centers located below the eyes are the seat of the physical body. Above the physical body lies the astral region, where the astral body functions. This is the subtle region of the gods and goddesses, the heavens, Vaikunt, and so forth. The causal body is the form of Brahm. And the supercausal body lies beyond in the region of Parbrahm. These four bodies are veils that obscure the soul. And blinded by these veils, the yogis and ascetics, and even the great rishis, get waylaid, over and over again.

The Saints teach us the easy and natural Path to God. But following the other paths, the aspirants are led astray.  When they rise above the physical world and enter into the subtle, astral regions, they offer their devotion to the gods and goddesses — Vishnu or Shiva or Ganesh or Lakshmi or Sharda Devi (Saraswati). In return, these deities grant them supernatural powers. Then the devotees fall prey to ego. “I am a great Mahatma.”  As a result, the attention becomes entrapped in the astral body, and they have to incarnate once again into this mortal world.

Beyond the astral region lies the causal. You may call it the causal body or you may call it the form of Brahm or you may call it the dwelling place of Brahm; they are all one and the same thing. Brahm is the ruler of this region, and through Brahm, this whole creation came into being. But the causal body is also just a veil over the soul. Passing beyond the causal region, we reach the supercausal region, where the supercausal body forms yet another covering to be removed. This region is called Daswan Dwar or Mansarovar in the terminology of the Saints.

Vishwa, taijasa, prajna, and ātmā; know the essence does not lie in these.

The soul has four powers or attributes: viṣhva (“earth,” the quality of the consciousness in the physical body); taijasa (“radiance,” the quality of the consciousness in the astral body); pragya (“wisdom,” the quality of the consciousness in the causal body); and ātmā (“soul,” the quality of the consciousness in the supercausal realm). These are also four names of the soul.  The soul has been described as the support of the world, vishwambharam. In the form of taijasa, radiance, it is present within all.  And the pragya is the wisdom that arises spontaneously from our within. These are all the powers of the ātmā or soul.

Para, pashyanti, madhma, and baikhri — don’t pay any attention to these four sounds.

Now Kabir Sahib tells us that four sounds arise from the body: parā, pashyantī, madhyamā, and vaikhrī.  The sound arising from the navel is parā; the sound originating from the heart is pashyantī; the sound produced in the throat is madhyamā; and the sound produced with the mouth is called vaikhrī. So, in the lower chakras of our body, these four sounds are going on.  But the Soul, the True Power, remains separate from all this hubbub. Until we get some experience of that True Power, we cannot rise above. And this is not a small thing. Many people say: “My mind doesn’t take to it; my attention doesn’t become concentrated.” Friend, how will the mind take to it when your within is filled up with these lower things? You have to become separate from these four sounds.

You can gain a little bit of outer knowledge and learn to give lectures. You can start calling yourself a mahatma. You turn the rosary for a few rounds and leave it at that. But this does not make you a True Mahatma. What is there in giving lectures? If you practice it every day, you become good at it.  But the Reality within you lies beyond all the worldly knowledge, and when you experience the Power of the Soul — untrammeled by this outer world — then all of the noise and confusion of this world evaporate. Otherwise, your progress will be stopped at one point or another.

Look beyond the five koshas; don’t take them for the True Essence.

Now He addresses the five koshas or sheaths: annamaya, the food sheath; prāṇamaya, the sheath of the vital airs; manomaya, the mental sheath; vigyānamaya, the sheath of knowledge, with two aspects, gyān and vigyān; [and, lastly, anandamaya, the sheath of bliss, the final gossamer-thin kosha covering the soul.]

Many people focus their attention on the annamaya kosha. They pass their life thinking that eating food, that satisfying their hunger, is the most important thing. But if one day they don’t get any food, and someone comes and tells them — “I will serve you food, but you must sacrifice your life to get it” — they won’t accept that. At that moment, their attention moves upward from the annamaya kosha into the prāṇamaya kosha, which now becomes their main focus. Then they think: “Oh, no! Perhaps I may starve, but I am not willing to give up my life’s breath in this way, just for a meal.” The immediate preservation of the pranas, or vital airs, in the body becomes more important than staving off hunger.

What about when the attention moves from the prāṇamaya kosha into the manomaya kosha? The manomaya kosha, the kosha of the mind-stuff, is characterized by strong beliefs and intense emotions. When focused on the manomaya kosha, a person may be willing to lay down their life for a cause they believe in strongly.  But sadly, we sometimes see that when people commit some irredeemable error, then under the grip of strong emotion centered in the manomaya kosha, they become ready to take their own lives and in this way suicides result.

After this comes the vigyānamaya kosha, the sheath of knowledge. This kosha has two aspects: gyānamaya, concerned with knowledge of the material planes and vigyānamaya, concerned with enlightenment in the spiritual planes. When we focus our thoughts on the All-pervading, All-knowing Power, we come to know: “I am in everything. I am the witness of everything.” Then we become free from the power of the mind-stuff and contact the power of Brahm. Here the manomaya kosha is destroyed, and we transcend into gyānamaya.  Then from the gyānamaya we become absorbed into the vigyānamaya. How does this happen? When we realize that the Power of the Almighty Lord is the cause of all that exists, when we focus our thoughts on that Power and become absorbed into it — this is called vigyānamaya.  But the vigyānamaya kosha resides in the domain of the buddhi or intellect, and the Power of the Soul lies beyond all the koshas. It is something separate from them and has no connection with them at all. 

There are five gyān indris and five karm indris. Understand the nature of these ten.

So, we have seen that a collection of powers has been amassed in this human body. And besides all these powers, there are also five karm indris (the organs of action that interact with the material world), and five gyān indris (the organs of sense that gather information from the material world). The five karm indris are the hands, the feet, the rectum, the genital organ, and the mouth. And the five gyān indris are the ears, the eyes, the nose, the tongue, and the skin.

The distinguishing factor of the indris is that they cannot work independently. The eyes can see the thing we need, but they cannot lift it. This is a drawback, and we need to use one of the karm indris, in this case, the hands, to pick the thing up and carry it along with us.  The eyes can distinguish good things from bad things, but until they get the help of the karm indris, they can’t take hold of anything.  The ears may be able to hear a sound, but they won’t be able to see what is making that sound.  And while the ears can hear and the eyes can see, the work of distinguishing good fragrances from bad odors belongs to the nose. In this way, no one indri can perform all the tasks; the karm indris can act, and the gyān indris can gather information, but they have to cooperate to get anything accomplished. Here Kabir Sahib is telling us that we should rise above the ten indris — the five karm indris and the five gyān indris — and not be bothered about them.

Chitta is a quality of the inner mind. Know that the True Essence is not found there.

Now Kabir Sahib tells us about the four aspects of the antaḥkaraṇa, or inner mind; manas (thinking faculty), buddhi (reasoning intellect), chitta (recording and storing information), and ahankār (egotism: ‘I know’). These are the four powers or characteristics of the inner mind.

There was one German man who used to come to the ashram; he would visit in the evening for Satsang.  He was the manager of a factory somewhere in the area, and he lived in the cantonment in Bengaluru. Suddenly, one night around eleven o’clock, a doubt came into his mind. He thought, “What are the functions of chitta, manas, buddhi, and ahankār? There is only one antaḥkaraṇa. Why have these four powers been created? What do they do?” Our Punjabi brother, Hansraj, was living there also. So, he went and awakened Hansraj, and both of them drove here by car.

When they arrived, I asked them, “Why have you come here at this time of night?” The German man presented his query: “Baba Ji, what are the functions of manas, buddhi, chitta, and ahankār? The antaḥkaraṇa (inner mind) is only one, but it has these four aspects. What are their different functions?” Now, if I had brought out some holy book or scripture, how could I have explained to him? He would have just raised more objections and arguments. So, I said, “Okay. First, the thought arose in your within to come here. This is the work of the manas (mind).  Then you came up with questions. “I will ask him this. I will ask him that.” This is the work of the buddhi (intellect). So first, the thought occurred to you to come here; this was the manas (mind). Then you thought, “I will ask Baba Ji this question and that question.” This thought came from the buddhi. Now you are listening to my answer and making note of it. This is the work of the chitta (attention). Then, when you feel satisfied that your doubt has been resolved, this feeling of satisfaction is the function of your ahankār (egotism: ‘I know’).”

All four of these powers reside in the antaḥkaraṇa (inner mind). Sometimes the manas (mind) thinks of a plan of action and gets started with it. Then the buddhi (intellect) considers the pros and cons of the plan and decides to stop the work. But then the manas (mind) becomes obstinate, ignores the buddhi, and forges ahead with its idea.  So, in this way, day and night, a struggle is raging in our antaḥkaraṇa (inner mind). Therefore, Kabir Sahib tells us that the Soul is watching this play. The Soul is the witness of the four aspects of the mind, the three gunas, and the four states of consciousness. The Soul witnesses the entire workings of Brahmand. If the soul were not overseeing the process, nothing could be accomplished.

Now consider kuram, ses, kirkīlā, dhananjay, and devdatta.

Now he tells us about the secondary pranas: kuram, ses, kirkīla, dhananjay, and devdatta. These are all defined in the Shastras and are also powers working in the body. There are 84 vāyus, or pranic currents, out of which ten are most important. Five of these have major functions: prāṇa, apāna, vyāna, udāna, and samāna. The prāṇa vāyu helps respiration and is located between the two eyes, the apāna vāyu is located in the region below the navel and helps the excretory system, the udāna vāyu is located in the throat and helps with swallowing, the vyāna vāyu aids the circulatory system and pervades the body like an ethereal element. The samāna vāyu is located at the solar plexus and spreads food throughout the body, balancing the actions of the others.  The remaining five have minor functions. Kuram opens and closes the eyes; devdatta causes yawning and brings on gentle sleep. Kirkīlā causes sneezing, ses (nāg) produces belching; and dhananjaya controls assimilation throughout the body via the heart. These ten vāyus are constantly working within everyone.

The fourteen organs and their fourteen rulers, don’t consider them as that Hidden Power.

Now, Kabir Sahib has told us there are fourteen indris: that is, the five karm indriyas, the five gyān indriyas, plus the four aspects of the antaḥkaraṇa or inner mind, (which is sometimes called the sixth gyān indriya). And there are fourteen indras or rulers. Each indriya has a corresponding ruler (indra) that governs it: the skin by the wind, the hand by Indra,115 Indra (upper case) is the King of the gods, the Lord of Heaven, while an indra (lower case) is a power or “ruler” of an individual indriya (sense). the foot by Vishnu, and so on.  But the Highest Power, the True Power, the Power of the Soul does not reside in them. That Power dwells beyond them.

“Tat,” “Tvam,” and “Asi,” — understand the meaning of these words.

Now, to explain the fundamental principle of the one Onkar, Kabir Sahib presents the three concepts from the Mahāvākhya,116 Mahāvākhyas (Great Sayings) are sayings drawn from the Upanishads that express principles of non-dualistic Vedanta. “Tat Tvam Asi,” which literally means — Thou Art That. “Tvam” means “you” referring to the Soul. “Tat” means “that” referring to Onkar. And the word “Asi” meaning “are,” equates the two. The soul realizes that Onkar is an entity and thinks, “I am that.”  This is the real meaning of “Tat Tvam Asi.” But the true Power of the Soul lies beyond this stage; Onkar is only a waystation. 

Kabir Sahib tells us that we have vākhya (words) and lakhshya, (the meaning that can be inferred from the words). Whatever can be spoken with the mouth is called vākhya.  When a person speaks about something, they choose a word, a vākhya, to indicate that thing. Once that word is spoken, we hear it with our faculty of hearing. Then, we can infer the meaning of the word (what that word refers to), and that meaning is called lakhshya.  So Kabir presents the words — Thou Art That, “Tat Tvam Asi,” — and hearing those words, the meaning comes into our mind. The Soul has realized that it is Onkār. But this is not the final goal; the goal still lies ahead.

We split hairs over implications; we say jahad is ajahad and vice versa.

Using words, we try to gain knowledge of God through implication,117 In Vedanta, implied meaning (lakshaṇa) is of three types. In jahallakshaṇa, “exclusive implication,” the literal meaning of a word is rejected and an implied meaning is substituted to get the correct meaning. In the phrase “the village on the Ganges,” the implied word “bank” is added and “Ganges” is removed to achieve the correct implied meaning, that is, the village is located on the bank, not on the Ganges itself.  In ajahallakshaṇa, “inclusive implication,” the literal meaning is retained, but what is implied is also added. In the phrase “the red is running,” the meaning implied is “the red horse is running.” “Red” is retained but the implied word “horse” is added for the correct meaning. Jahad-ajahallakshaṇa is exclusive-inclusive implication. In the phrase “this is that Mohan,” you are implying that the Mohan you met earlier is the very same Mohan you are encountering at the present moment. “Mohan” and “Mohan” are identical and both are retained. But the earlier time/place and the present time/place inherent in “this” and “that” are different and so both are rejected. but only through experience can we gain real Knowledge of the Anahad Dhvani, the limitless Sound of the Almighty Lord, that pervades and enlivens the entire universe.

When you meet with the Satguru, He reveals the True Sound, and you can distinguish the essence of Shabd.

Having said all this, now He tells us the fundamental principle. You should meet a perfect Guru who teaches the path of Surat Shabd Yoga and who can give you a connection with the True Shabd. The disciple needs to cultivate complete love for the Guru and to practice the meditation according to His instructions; only then is it possible to contact the Shabd and complete the spiritual work. But if instead, you try to rely on your limited intellect, you will find it unequal to the task. When the intellect cannot even deal with the complexity of this created world, how can it lead you into the Higher Realms?

Kabir says: “They are the Perfect Ones, who free others and sing the praises of the Lord.”

After explaining all these things to us, Kabir Sahib tells us about the One who has manifested the Power of Perfection within Himself. He who has become separate from the created world, and who can separate others, He is the Perfect one. 

Audio: H133

Kabir Sahib

No one can tell me about the bird that sings within. (1)

So panchī mohi koī na batāvai, jo bolo ghaṭ mā̃hī re

सो पंछी मोहि कोई न बतावै, जो बोलै घट माँही रे
अबरन बरन रूप नहिं रेखा बैठा नाम की छाहीं रे ।। टेक ।।
या तरवर में एक पखेरू रुँगत चुँगत वह डोलै रे
वाकी सन्ध लखै नहिं कोई, कौन भाव से बोलै रे ।१।
दुर्म डारि तहँ अति घनि छाया पंछि बसेरा लेई रे
आवै साँझ उड़ि जाय सवेरा, मरम न काहू देई रे ।२।
दुइ फल चाखि जाय रह्यो आगे, और नहीं दस बीसारे
अगम अपाट निरन्तर बासा, आवत जात न दीसा रे ।३।
कहैं कबीर सुनो भाई साधो यह कछु अगम कहानी रे
या पंछी को कौन ठौर है, बुझो पंडित झानी रे ।४।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 1,
Bhed, shabd 13

No one can tell me about the bird that sings within.

He tells us of a bird that is formless, endless, beyond the limits of the intellect. Even though that bird is sitting within this body singing its sweet melody, no one can discover that bird or give any news of it.

People can tell us what they have heard about Shiva, Rama, Krishna, the heavens above, the hells below, on and on. But my friend, we are concerned with what lies within; we are searching for knowledge of the soul.  We are not looking for some god outside ourselves — we are in search of the God who dwells within all. Therefore, Kabir Sahib says, “A bird is singing within this body, but no one can tell us its secret.”  

It is neither colorful nor colorless; it has no outline or form. It sits sheltered in the tree of Naam.

What does that bird look like? It is neither colorless nor colorful. It has no outline or form. Where has that bird taken up residence?  It is sitting in the shade of the Lord’s Name. It has taken the support of the Naam.

The bird is perched in that tree.
Dancing from branch to branch, it nibbles its food.

There is a bird perched in the tree of Naam. That bird goes on eating and drinking, fluttering about in the branches of the tree.

No one else recognizes it or knows what has inspired its song.
In the deep shade, the bird nestles in the branches of the tree.

Who is this bird? What is its nature? How does it come to be sitting within the body? And from where does its sweet song arise?  No one has unraveled these mysteries.

We know about the outer gods and goddesses. We say: “This god is the true one, and he will give us some reward or other for our devotion.” But such gods and goddesses are just outer concoctions. We ourselves commission images and idols of the gods.  Then we accept one of those gods as are own deity. With deep devotion, we perform the rites and rituals and then stretch out our hands and entreat that god for blessings. But all the time the stone idol of that god just sits there; it never even moves.

So, we ask, “What about the bird sitting within us? From where does its song arise? What kind of bird is it? How can we meet it?” That bird is truly divine. All the outer gods and goddesses we create are just figments of our own imagination.  

Now Kabir Sahib asks, “What bhāv118Bhāv is a deep feeling or mood that arises from ingrained emotional tendencies. It is related to saṃskāra — the impressions coming from past lives. Bhāv is also an important concept in classical Indian music — the predominate feeling which endows any composition or performance with life. The bhāv Kabir Sahib is speaking of is love. inspires that bird to lift its voice in song? From what wellspring of love does that song arise?”

In the created world, the five elements mix together to form the 52 letters and all the outer languages, through which we express the love and longing in the human heart.

Using these outer languages, the great mahatmas, moved by their own bhāv —their own inner feeling of deep devotion to the Lord — composed all the sacred texts: the Vedas, Shastras, Granths, Puranas, and many more.

When Vyasa received inspiration, he penned the eighteen Puranas119All of the eighteen Puranas are traditionally ascribed to Maharishi Vyasa. according to his own devotional inclination.  When inspiration arose within the rishis and munis, they composed the Upanishads imparting their own wisdom. Likewise, in the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna, intoxicated in the love of the Almighty, addressed Arjuna’s questions revealing his own divine nature.

Similarly, we worldly people are also motivated by deep inner feeling built over many past lives, but our bhāv directs us to the world and not to God. When we take up the human form, our emotional and mental makeup guides and influences our course of action in this world. We derive a fleeting happiness from the worldly things and, therefore, devote all our energies to collecting wife, children, money, possessions and so forth. This is where we have focused our love and longing.

But Kabir is speaking of the highest manifestation of Love. He asks, “What bhāv has inspired the bird’s song?” That song springs from the true bhāv. The bird sits sheltered amongst the verdant foliage within, basking in the Self-Existing, Radiant Power of Naam, lost in unbroken contemplation. Bathed in Bliss, it flutes its eternal Melody of Love, pouring forth its song in a language and bhāv far beyond the reach of human understanding.

It alights in the evening, and in the morning, it flies away again. The bird keeps its secret hidden within itself.

That bird comes in the evening and flies away the next morning. And yet, no one has fathomed its secret.  During the hours from dusk till dawn, when night falls and the darkness of ignorance prevails, the bird of the soul comes down into this world;120That is, the soul incarnates in the darkness of the material plane. and when the Light of spiritual awakening dawns, then that bird again takes flight and soars back to its True Home.  But up until now, no one has been able to describe the manner of its coming and going.

That bird is only one, not ten or twenty, and it tastes the nectar of two fruits.

That bird is only one, but it partakes of two different kinds of fruits. When it comes into this world, it gains nourishment from the physical fruit of Maya and also tastes the divine fruit of inner spiritual experience. That bird of the soul consumes both fruits, but is not bound.121“Master Sawan Singh Ji used to say that this world is not bad but do not make it your own. He used to say that the meditator lives in this world like the water fowl lives in the water, but whenever he flies, he flies with dry wings. In the same way, even though the meditator lives in the world, he is unaffected by the dirt of the world.” Sant Ajaib Singh Ji, Light of Ajaib, v 2, April 1984, “On Fear and Love” p 18.

All the trouble arises from the mind. It runs here and there, seeking the enjoyment of the worldly pleasures. Without the support of the soul, the mind would die; on its own, the mind could not enjoy the happiness of the world. And when, taking the support of the soul, the mind does indulge in the worldly enjoyments, then, understanding them as its own, it becomes attached to that fruit.122Hazur Sawan Singh Ji described this situation with the example of the fly and the honey: ‘He used to say that the mahatmas live in this world like that fly who comes and sits on the bowl of honey and tastes the honey and flies away without getting her wings or legs in the honey; whereas the worldly people live in this world like that fly which goes and sits in the center of that bowl of honey. Neither are they able to eat that honey nor are they able to get released from that bowl, because whenever they try to get their legs out of that bowl of honey, their wings are stuck in it, and whenever they try to get their wings out of the honey their legs are stuck in there. So finally, they die in that honey without tasting it. He used to say that in fact Saints are the only ones who enjoy life in the true sense because the love for Almighty Lord has been awakened within them, and because of the support of that love they enjoy the world and they do their work.” Sant Ajaib Singh Ji, Light of Ajaib, v 2, April 1984, “On Fear and Love” p 20:  https://www.mediaseva.com/books/LightOfAjaib_V2.pdf

But when the mind comes to realize its true nature, then the worldly fruits lose their charm. Once it tastes the sweetness of spirituality, then it feasts on that fruit, and — breaking all its attachments — the mind returns to its native place.  

It dwells in the Inaccessible, Limitless, Infinite Realm; no one marks its comings or its goings.

The bird of the soul comes from the Inaccessible, Unbounded and Infinite Realm.  Its nature is beyond understanding. No one sees it arrive or depart. When someone departs from this world, what do we people say? “Oh, that person has died.” The body has died, but the soul is immortal. And where it has gone, no one can say. And when a baby comes into this world, we say, “Oh, now a child is born.” But we do not know what soul has come into our household. We say someone has taken birth or someone has died. But we have no knowledge of where that soul dwelt before in came into the world and no idea where it goes after death. It comes and goes so quietly that no one marks its passage.

Kabir says, “Listen, O Brother Sadhu! This is the unfathomable story.
Let the wise ones seek to know where that bird dwells.”

He says, “O Sadhu! This matter lies beyond the realm of intellect.” Even after Kabir Sahib has explained so beautifully, still the intellect cannot grasp it. But when the intellect ceases to exist, when it unites with the One Lord and merges into the Light within, then true understanding dawns. This matter cannot be comprehended by idle imagination or feeble reason.  

He says, “O Pandit! O Gyani! What can the outer Vedas and Puranas and holy books teach you? Search for the bird that dwells within you. Delve deep and discover its secret. When you gain such enlightenment, your wisdom will be perfected; your knowledge will be complete. But when you don’t unearth the treasures hidden in your own house, what wisdom can you impart to others?”

Audio: H196 

Another satsang on this bani:
SBSJkS, Book 3, Satsang 27, p 49 (no audio file)

Kabir Sahib

Lamps burn in every house, but you cannot see them, O blind one!

Ghar, ghar dīpak barai, lakhai nahĩ andh hai

घर घर दीपक बरै, लखै नहिं अंध है ।
लखत लखत लखि परै , कटै जम फंद है ।। १ ।।
कहन सुनन कछु नाहिं, नाहीं कुछ करन है ।
जीते ही मरि रहै, बहुरि नहिं मरन है ।। २ ।।
जोगी पड़े बिजोग, कहै घर दूर है ।
पासहि बसत हजूर, तु चढ़त खजूर है ।। ३ ।।
बाम्हन दिच्छा देत, सो घर घर घालि है ।
मूर सजीवन पास, सो पाहन पालि है ।। ४ ।।
ऐसन दास कबीर, सलोना आप है ।
नहीं जोग नहिं जाप, पुन्न नहिं पाप है ।। ५ ।।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 2,
Upadesh, shabd 16

Lamps burn in every house, but you cannot see them, O blind one!
When you gaze intently within, that Light will burst forth and the fetters of Yama will be severed.

This is the bani of Satguru Kabir Sahib Ji. He explains that within everyone a lamp is burning, and that lamp gives off a tremendous Light. Now the question arises, why don’t we see that Light? When we close our eyes, we find only dense darkness. Every day we consume several pounds of food. But where that food ends up in our body, we have no idea, because there is only darkness within. Kabir Sahib Ji says, “Lamps burn in every house.” That Self-Radiant Light shines within everyone. Why is it hidden? He tells us: “When you gaze intently within, that Light will burst forth.” When we practice our meditation daily — fixing our attention, and looking intently between the two eyes — then the Divine Light floods our within. And once we behold that Light, “the fetters of Yama will be severed.” We will be freed from the snare of the angel of death, all the shackles of the body will fall away, and we will go forth untrammeled.

There is nothing in speaking and listening; there is nothing in outer practices.
The one who dies while living, will never die again.

He tells us that this is not a matter of empty talk. It is not a matter of idle listening, forgetting everything we have heard as soon as we hear it. It is not a matter of doing fruitless outer practices. Many great rishis retreated to the forests and performed austerities for thousands of years, but they did not accomplish the work of spirituality. They went on asking for the things of this world, and when they had their fill of this mortal realm, then they prayed for the pleasures of the heavens and requested the supernatural powers. But the desire to solve the mystery of life and death did not arise in their within. Practicing the repetitions and the austerities, they even tried to create their own heavens, but they did not realize the self within. What does Kabir Sahib say? “There is nothing in speaking and listening; there is nothing in outer practices.” Instead of indulging in empty talk and vacant listening, instead of wasting effort in useless practices, you must learn to die while living. Then you will not have to die again and again.

Vedanta tells us that to achieve knowledge of Brahm, we have to listen to (shravan), think deeply about (manan), and meditate on (vidyābhyās) the precepts given in the sacred texts. But Brahm cannot be experienced or understood through these intellectual exercises. Likewise, we gain nothing from giving loud, bombastic lectures and talks. Some people think that by lighting the sacrificial fires and performing the rites and rituals prescribed in the Vedas, we gain spiritual merit. But none of these practices bear fruit.

No other practice is effective, except dying while alive. While still living in this body, unite yourself with the inner Naam, giving up all sense of “I-hood.” When only Naam remains — within and without — then you will experience death in life. Otherwise, we go on revolving in the cycle of births and deaths. When we die while living, we experience the state of death while still in the body, and we come to know where the Soul goes after death; we come to understand death’s nature. But if we do not solve this mystery of death, then when our allotted breaths are used up and our end time arrives, Kal will drag the soul forcibly from the body.

The yogi thinks that God is something separate; he says God’s home is far away.
Your Lord dwells within you, yet you are climbing the date palm to seek Him.

Yoga means uniting two separate things. This principle of union functions throughout the creation. Because day and night are united, both are praised. The splendor of the night is enhanced through its contrast with the day. And the day is glorified when it follows the night. Both are linked together. The same is true of woman and man. The yogis also follow this principle of union or yoga by raising the pranas and fixing them in the space between the two eyes. They unite the mind with the pranas or vital airs through purvak (inhalation), kumbhak (retention) and rechak (exhalation). This joining of the mind and pranas is called pranayama.

The yogis make the assumption that the Lord is far away and that they can draw near Him only through the yoga. They think that God is something separate from themselves and that yogic sadhna is the means to unite with Him. But the Almighty Lord is not far away. In His eternal form, in the form of the Naam, He dwells within you. The Naam supports all the divisions and grand divisions of creation, the Brahmand, the heavens, and the hells. And even though that great Power of Naam is holding up the entire creation, still it is also the very Power sustaining our life within us. But the yogis assume the Lord resides somewhere far removed — somewhere below us or above us or beyond us. And to find Him, they restrict the pranas, they endeavor to control the mind, and they perform all the yogic practices. Therefore Kabir Sahib tells us that the Lord is ever-present, but we assume He is far away, and so we climb up to the top of the tall date palm tree to try to catch a glimpse of Him.

The Brahmin priest goes from house to house, granting initiation to the people.
The life-giving spring is within you, and you have set up a stone to worship.

Now the Brahmin also does not understand this reality. Misled himself, he misleads others. Going from house to house with his holy books and almanac, he sings the praises of the Lord and hands out mantras and incantations. And in this way, he earns his livelihood and fills his stomach. But that priest does not find the Lord within. Instead, he goes farther away from Him. The all-pervading conscious Power of the soul dwells within, in its eternal form, and still, he is involved in the temples, and the idols, and the ritual worship and recitation.

Kabir says: “Such is the Beautiful One.
No yoga or recitation can win Him; sin and virtue have no meaning here.”

Salonā means both “beautiful” and “salt.” So Kabir tells us that the Beautiful One dwells within everyone, just like there is salt in every kitchen. The sacrificial ceremonies, the recitations and rites and rituals, the yogic practices, pranayama, and the outer forms of worship — all of these methods have been invented by the mind. Why do we need to perform the virtuous deeds? Because we need to become free of our sins. What does Tukaram Ji say?

पुण्य कर्ता ही पाप घड़े
By doing the righteous deeds, the sins are removed.

When we realize that All-Pervading Lord, yoga and the recitations have no value; the righteous deeds and sins have no meaning. Yoga, the rites and rituals, the practices of outer worship — all are based on the need to remove the sins through the performance of virtuous deeds, so that we can unite with the Almighty Lord.

No Audio File
SBSJkS, Book 3, Satsang 30, p 65

Kabir Sahib

No one can tell me about the bird that sings within. (2)

So panchī mohi koī na batāvai, jo bolo ghaṭ mā̃hī re

सो पंछी मोहि कोई न बतावै, जो बोलै घट माँही रे
अबरन बरन रूप नहिं रेखा बैठा नाम की छाहीं रे ।। टेक ।।
या तरवर में एक पखेरू रुँगत चुँगत वह डोलै रे
वाकी सन्ध लखै नहिं कोई, कौन भाव से बोलै रे ।१।
दुर्म डारि तहँ अति घनि छाया पंछि बसेरा लेई रे
आवै साँझ उड़ि जाय सवेरा, मरम न काहू देई रे ।२।
दुइ फल चाखि जाय रह्यो आगे, और नहीं दस बीसारे
अगम अपाट निरन्तर बासा, आवत जात न दीसा रे ।३।
कहैं कबीर सुनो भाई साधो यह कछु अगम कहानी रे
या पंछी को कौन ठौर है, बुझो पंडित झानी रे ।४।

Kabīr Sāhib kī Shabdāvalī, bhāg 1,
Bhed, shabd 13

No one can tell me about the bird that sings within.

He says: “No one can tell me the secret of that bird who is singing within everyone.” We sing outwardly, but who is singing within us? What power is supporting that singer? No one can tell me the bird’s secret. Supported by that Inner Song, the buddhi (intellect) expresses itself in the world. But who can tell me which bird is singing within? No one can explain the secret of its Song.

It is neither colorful nor colorless; it has no form or outline. It sits sheltered in the tree of Naam.

Where does the bird reside? What kind of bird is it? It is neither colorless nor colorful; its color is beyond description. No one has seen its shape or form. Where does it make its home? Kabir Sahib tells us: “It shelters in the shade of the Inner Music. This bird dwells within, nestled in the tree of Naam.”

The bird is perched in that tree. Dancing from branch to branch, it nibbles its food

The bird perches in that tree day and night. Sitting there, it eats and drinks.

No one else recognizes it or knows what has inspired its song.

No one knows the bird’s secret or what has moved it to sing. No one knows what kind of bird it is or where it resides or what it eats and drinks.

In the deep shade, the bird nestles in the branches of the tree.
It alights in the evening, and in the morning, it flies away again. The bird keeps its secret hidden within itself

Now, what does Kabir Sahib tell us? The birds outside search for food here and there, and then in the evening they fly to the branches of the trees and pass the night sitting on those branches. The next morning at daybreak they fly off away to their native place. In the same way, there is a bird within us, and that bird is the Power of the soul. Its home is in the Higher Realms, and Naam is its support. Its Voice, the Sound of the Dhun, pervades this tree of the body. When night falls, that is, when the soul comes into the physical body, the darkness of ignorance descends. In the morning at daybreak, when the Light of Knowledge dawns, then the soul flies back to its True Home. Its secret remains hidden from all. Where that bird came from or where it goes, no one knows.

When someone’s end time is approaching, you summon all the family and relations by telegram, phone, or by letter, and they come to sit with that dying person. When a wealthy merchant or important official is dying, famous and prestigeous doctors will be in attendance. But when the soul departs, when it vacates the body, no one knows where it has gone. In the same way, when the soul enters the body, no one sees its arrival. When a child is born, we give it a boy’s name or a girl’s name. But no one knows where the soul dwelling in that body has come from — not even the mother or father. So, in this way, that soul comes unannounced in the night, and, then becoming the Form of Knowledge, departs in the morning. But no one sees its coming or its going; the soul’s secret remains hidden.

That bird is only one, not ten or twenty, and it tastes the nectar of two fruits.

What does he say? Only one bird dwells within, not ten or twenty. And that bird drinks the nectar of two different fruits. One is the unconscious nectar of this gross world, and the other is the Conscious Nectar of the beyond. Only one bird drinks the nectar from both these fruits.

It dwells in the Inaccessible, Limitless, Infinite Realm; no one marks its comings or its goings.

He says, “That Power is inaccessible, limitless and infinite. It witnesses everything and is present within all.” But no one sees it coming or going. No one marks its passage, and no one understands its origin — not even the great doctors or the great avatars.

Kabir says, “Listen, O brother sadhu! This is the unfathomable story.
Let the wise ones seek to know where that bird dwells.”

Now he says, “Listen, O brother sadhu.” He is speaking to the sadhus. He is not addressing just any Sakaram or Tukaram off the street.123That is, Kabir Sahib is speaking to those who practice the sadhana, not just any ordinary person who happens to hear. “Sakaram and Tukaram” are common names, equivalent to the English expression “every Tom, Dick and Harry.” (Baba Somanath Ji is not referring to Sant Tukaram, the 17^th century Varkari Sant.)  His words are for those who are practicing the true sadhna; the ones who seek liberation in this lifetime; the ones who want to be free from bondage to the wheel of birth and death. The knowledge He is sharing is for those who can understand. Therefore in the last lines of the bani, Kabir Sahib Ji says, “Listen, O brother sadhu.” The devotees engaged in spiritual practices will be able to hear what He is saying. These teachings are difficult to grasp; they do not lie within the domain of the intellect.

So He goes on to say, “Where is the dwelling place of this bird?” If the scholars and the so-called learned people would first understand this mystery, then they could attain wisdom. Then they would become true pandits and would be worthy of imparting that wisdom to others. But until they fathom the secret of that bird, what wisdom can they offer? How can they teach what they themselves do not understand?

No Audio File
SBSJkS, Book 3, Satsang 27, p 49

Another Satsang on this bani at H196