Introduction
The word ‘guru’ is derived from ‘gu’ which means darkness and ‘ru’ which means light. The guru is a teacher who replaces darkness with light. In spiritual life he is one who replaces spiritual ignorance with divine knowledge in the disciple. In this book I will use the term ‘guru’ to refer to Kabir, bearing in mind the above definition.
Guru Kabir was one of the most famous mystic saints that graced India. His teachings are equally important for people of all religions, because he preached impartially. In one of his famous couplets (sakhis), he stated: kabir khade bazar mein, sab ki chache khair; na kahu se dosti, na kahu se bair (Kabir stands in the open market place and wishes the welfare of all. He is neither a friend nor an enemy to anyone). He came to teach people the “true religion of the heart.” He wanted to turn people away from the empty ritualism of religion, and to show them the inner path that leads one to union with Divinity. In other words, he taught Self-realization and loving devotion to the formless Divine Power that dwells within. Though Self-realization has been taught in the Advaita Vedanta or Non-dualistic school of philosophy of India, Guru Kabir re-emphasized this teaching, along with loving devotion of great intensity and fervour. He thus taught and lived a combination of Gyan Yoga (Yoga of Spiritual Knowledge), Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of loving Devotion), and Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action). And all of these were done in his inimitable way that stemmed from his own inner realization, and his identification with the Supreme Being. He stated: “lali meri lal ki, jit dekhun tit lal; lali dekhan mein gayi, mein bhi ho gayi lal” (I went in search of the beautiful colour of my beloved, and I saw that colour manifesting everywhere. As I searched for it, I found that I have been coloured in the same beautiful colour). (Please note the musical rhythm of the words in alliteration). Again, he stated: “tu tu karta tu bhaya, mujh mein rahi na hun; bari pheri bali gayi, jit dekhun tit tu” (Uttering Your name, I have become You, and I have no individuality or ego left in me. My coming and going vanished, as everywhere I see only You). Further, he stated: “hindu kahun toh hun nahin, musulman bhi nahin; panch tattva ki putala, giabi khele mahin” (I am neither a Hindu nor a Muslim, but a puppet made of five elements in which the Mysterious Being plays). His influence on the religious life of the people of India has been quite substantial.
Guru Kabir has been noteworthy in many spheres of spiritual activity:
i. He has been hailed as the father of Hindi poetry. Prior to him, scriptural teachings were generally in Sanskrit that was not understood by the people at large, but was confined to the priests and scholars. He conveyed the highest spiritual teachings in the spoken language of the people, so that everyone could understand them. For this reason, his songs and couplets are sung, often with great gusto, by people in India and abroad.ii. He was the initiator of Sant Mat, or keeping the company of saintly people. He stated: “sant milan ko jaiye, taji mamta abhiman …” (Give up ego and humbly go to keep the company of saintly people). Now there are various branches of Sant Mat in various parts of the world.
iii. He was the founder of the Nirgun School of Bhakti. This is a loving devotion to a formless Supreme Being. In the book ‘Bhaktmal’ by Nabha Das there is a quotation that “Bhakti arose in Dravidland and Ramanand brought to the North, and Kabir spread it to other lands.” Prior to Guru Kabir’s time, the bhakti movement was called Sagun Bhakti, or devotion to the Supreme Being who takes physical forms.
iv. He introduced Sahaj Yoga or easy and natural union with God. This led to Sahaj Samadhior realization of one’s unity with God. He thus sang: “santo! sahaj samadhi bhali.” (O my brother devotees! Easy, natural union with God is the best).
v. He strongly emphasized vegetarianism, so that one must not take the life of other living creatures, as their life is dear to them, as ours is to us. He stated: “jiv mat maro bapura, sab mein ekai pran; hatya kabahun na chhuti hai, kotin suno puran” (Do not kill any innocent life as the same life force pervades all. The sin of your actions will never leave you, even if you listen to millions of scriptures). Again, “jaise pir apan anga jana, taise sab jiv mein mana” (As you know pain in your own self, realize that other living beings feel pain in the same way).
vi. He laid great stress on realization of the Self or Soul, and that it is the manifestation of Divinity in all of us, and in all beings. This realization produces Enlightenment and freedom from the clutches of Maya. This theme will recur frequently in these poems.
It can thus be seen that Guru Kabir’s contribution to spiritual life has been quite substantial.
Guru Kabir’s Early Life
Guru Kabir’s parents are unknown. He was found as an infant by a young Muslim couple named Niru and Nima, at a small lake called Lahartara, about six kilometers outside Varanasi. They were weavers and they taught him weaving. There are many legends about his birth, but none is known to be authentic. One such popular legend is that the great saint, Swami Ramananda, blessed a Brahmin widow saying that she will be blessed with a son. Because of his spiritual accomplishments, his blessing came true and, since the lady was a widow, she abandoned the child. The Kabir Panth does not generally accept these legends. They quote the words of Guru Kabir, himself: “ab ham avigat se chali aye, koi bhed marm nahin paye; na ham janme garbh basera, balak hoi dikhlae …” (Now I have come from the Unconditioned; people do not know my secret. I did not dwell in the womb, but manifested as a baby…” Another famous couplet by a contemporary saint, Garib Dass, states: “gagan mandal se utare satguru sat kabir; jalaj mahin powdhan kiye, dou dinan ke pir” (Satguru Kabir descended from the Gagan Mandal (heavens). He came amidst the blooming lotuses as the pir of both religions – Hindus and Muslims). There is some justification in accepting this view, as he has, stated that this body is, indeed, very subtle and people have defiled it. He stated, “…jyon ki tyon dhar dini chadariya.” (I have returned the body in the condition that I received it). Since he was found among lotus flowers, just so, he departed from his life in a city called Magahar, leaving not a corpse, but a heap of lotus flowers. Although there were many of his disciples, and two notable kings – Vir Singh Baghail and Bijli Khan Pathan – all around the hut where he was, no one was able to find his body. On lifting the shroud, they found only a heap of lotus flowers. The Muslims buried half, and the Hindus cremated the other half and the two mausoleums are side by side at Magahar. Until now, research has failed to find evidence of his body.
Guru Kabir grew up in a Muslim home, but he did not accept the Muslim way of life, and he did not observe their rituals of circumcision and sacrifice of animals. Reference to these will be found in the various compositions contained in the Bijak. As he grew up, his mind was ever concentrated on God. Among the playmates he will keep uttering the name of God as Ram, which is a Hindu name for God. His Muslim playmates objected to this and complained to their parents. He would put on the sandal mark on his forehead and his Hindu playmates also objected, saying that he was a Muslim and cannot do so. His Hindu playmates objected to his using the Muslim name of God, or being a Muslim, and taking the Hindu name of God. They also teased him that he did not have a guru, thus whatever he uttered was unacceptable. He thus took Swami Ramanand as his guru. Being brought in a Muslim home, it appears quite unusual for him to accept a Hindu guru. But I feel that Guru Kabir had a clear vision of his mission in life, which was above religious confinement. He taught that the soul is divine and knows no religious boundaries. Since Swami Ramanand did not accept non-Hindus as disciples, Guru Kabir resorted to a stratagem. He lay on the steps that led to the Ganges where Swami Ramananda went in the early morning, while still dark, to have his bath. He thus accidentally stepped on Guru Kabir and, on realizing it, uttered the name of God as Ram, Ram. Guru Kabir then accepted this name of God as his Guru Mantra. As other disciples objected to their guru’s taking a low caste Muslim as his disciple, he summoned Kabir to find out if this was so. Guru Kabir then related the incident, and Swami Ramanand then accepted Guru Kabir, as he could not then go back on his word of giving the Name of God to the child. It has been said that it was through Guru Kabir’s influence that Swami Ramanand then accepted disciples of other religions. He was thus excommunicated from his religious order that originated with Ramanuja in South India.
As Guru Kabir grew up he continued his weaving, and he composed many bhajans (hymns), shabdas and sakhis. Since he had no formal education, he wrote nothing. He composed everything in his mind. He sang as he wove. Also, as he traveled to the market and other places, he sang his beautiful compositions. People gathered around him to listen to his singing and his preaching.
His Literary Style
Guru Kabir was a fearless preacher of pure spiritual doctrine. He had a piercing wit and a clarity of thought which others could not challenge. Whether he spoke to religious or temporal authorities, it did not matter to him. He insisted on teaching people the truth about spirituality, and the uselessness of empty formal rituals and practices. He was against all hypocrisy and caste distinctions. In the popular book called Kabir the Great Mystic, the author Isaac Ezekeil says: “Kabir’s songs seek nobody’s approbation. They seek no sanction, ask for no approval, search for no popularity, invite no commendation, crave no compliment. They stand independent of these considerations, and they constitute the most uninhibited literature, the freest of free writing ever produced by a saint.” Ezekeil also stated: “Banter, ridicule, sarcasm, wit and humour – these are the weapons he wields! Nor does he hesitate to hit straight-from-the-shoulder, hitting hard, ceaselessly and without stop, till the face of false piety and hypocrisy is battered out of shape and exposed to the view of the general public for general laughter.” Reverend Keay stated: “There is probably no Indian author whose verses are more on the lips of North India, than those of Kabir unless be it be Tulsidas.” Reverend Dr. W. Orr stated: “For sheer vigor of thought and rugged terseness of style, no bhakti writer can be brought into a comparison with him.” The reason for his forceful and fearless language is easily understood when we realize that priestcraft held sway. Religion was reduced to commercial activity for the priest to earn a living. They did not instruct people in the true religious way of life. They also scorned people of the lower castes who were forbidden from entering temples and reading the holy books. They were not given an education. The priests, themselves, committed evil actions and killing. They formulated elaborate rituals that did not mean anything to the average person. He observed this in both major religions of Hinduism and Islam. He felt that there was no place in spiritual life for such behavior, and he thus spoke out, often in confrontational and challenging language, to try to awaken the people to the realization of their errors. He was famous for his ulta bani or contrary sayings, and challenged the priests to see if they had the spiritual wisdom to supply the right answers.
Guru Kabir’s teachings are being taught in many schools and universities of India. Many people, even those not belonging to the Kabir Panth, are able to quote him freely. Many of his sakhis are quoted as popular wisdom in all parts of India and abroad. Many theses are written by university scholars on the life and works of Guru Kabir from a research standpoint. Other writers have written about Guru Kabir and his teachings out of a spiritual interest in his life and teachings.
Objectives of Guru Kabir
In the introduction to her book ‘A Weaver Named Kabir’ Charlotte Vaudeville stated, “Kabir is one of the best-known and most revered names in Indian tradition. From the Panjab to Bengal and from the Himalayan frontiers to South India, he has long been hailed by Hindus and Muslims alike as a great mystic and bold religious reformer….In Indian religious history, Kabir is unique: to the Hindus, he is a Vaishnava bhakta, to the Muslims a pir, to the Sikhs a bhagat, to the sectarian Kabir-panthis an avatar of the Supreme Being; to modern patriots, Kabir is the champion of Hindu-Muslim unity, to neo-vedantins a promoter of the Universal Religion or the Religion of Man…”
It is important to point out that Guru Kabir was not preaching against any religion, but against the hypocrisy being committed by people in the name of religion. Even now we are all aware of the wrong things religious people commit, even those belonging to the highest religious circles. On the positive side, his objectives can briefly be stated as:
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To detach people from worldly bondage, Maya and passions born out of desires, and to attach them to God by attaining absolute freedom.
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He used no scripture but taught from his own inner realization of Divinity, and his union with God. He wished all people to attain the same realization of unity with the Divine Being.
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He taught fearlessness in spiritual life. He said: “chhodo apne tan ki asha, nirbhai ho gun gawo” (Give up dependence on the physical body and be fearless and sing the glories of God.” Again he stated, “kami krodhi lalchi, inse bhakti na hoi, bhakti kare koi surma, jat varan kul khoi” (Only the brave who can give up lust, anger and greed, and the pride of caste and clan can do devotion).
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He taught purity in thought, word and deed, in order to attain God Realization. He said: “darshan karna chahiye, toh darpan malte rahiye; darpan mein lag gai kai, toh daras kahan se pai” (If you wish to see yourself, then you must clean the mirror again and again; if the mirror gathers dust then how can you see yourself?) If your heart is not pure, as a clean mirror, then how can you see your real Self reflected in your own being?
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He taught to merge in God, as a drop merges in the ocean, and to lose your individual identity or ego. He said: “bund samana samund mein, janat hai sab koi; samund samana bund mein, jane birla koi” (When the drop merges in the ocean, all understand it; but when the ocean merges in the drop, people do not understand). God and the soul are ever merged, one in the other, and are of the same essence.
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He taught universal and unconditional love for all people, and all of God’s creation. He said: “prem prem sab koi kahe, prem na chinhe koi; ath prahar bhija rahe, prem kahawai soi” (Everybody speaks of love, but scarcely do they understand it. If they are immersed in love twenty-four hours a day, then it can be said to be love).
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He taught truth in thought, word and deed. He stated: “sanch barabar tap nahin, jhuth barabar pap; jako hridai sanch hai, take hridai ap” (There is no austerity greater than truth, and there is no sin greater than falsehood. In whose heart truth dwells, in that heart God dwells.)
Guru Kabir instructed all the people that they have come from the Eternal Abode and that is also their destination. Thus he sang: “amar lok se aye bande, phir amar pur jana hai‘ (O dear devotee! You have come from the Eternal Abode and that is where you have to return). But in order to return to that Eternal Abode, he taught that we have to be free from the clutches of maya, and the bondage imposed on us by our absorption in only worldly existence. Our life must be made truly spiritual to achieve the highest spiritual goal that our Divine Master has destined for us.
Satguru Kabir Saheb’s Precepts to live by:
My Dearest Child:
Your human life is a precious gift. God has blessed you with it after countless other forms of life.
Use this rare gift wisely in service to humanity, recognizing God’s presence in the hearts of all beings.
Seek to know yourself–the reality of the soul–by seeking within yourself.
Believe in, and accept, Sat Purush as the Supreme Reality and He manifests Himself in Satguru Kabir to awaken the souls from illusion (Maya) to knowledge of the Self or Atma.
Atma and Parmatma are the same essence, just as water in a jar mixed with the water of the ocean is the same water.
Seek a qualified guru as your teacher and guide. Serve him/her with love and devotion, and follow his/her teachings and example.
Be disciplined in your thoughts, words and deeds that produce good karmas. Let your thoughts, words and deeds be harmonious.
Purify of the body, mind and environment. Kabir Saheb said to clean the evils of the mind just as you clean the dirt of the body.
Seek God within yourself through meditation. Give up ego and consciously surrender to God every day. Give up the idea of heaven and hell, but be close to Sat Purush.
Practice non-violence towards all creatures, including humans. The sin of killing will not leave you even if you listen to millions of scriptures.
Avoid alcohol, hashish, tobacco and illegal drugs that are harmful to you, your family and society. Let your diet be vegetarian.
Make it a habit to remember God in whatever you do, so that all your actions are righteous.
Develop the noble spiritual attributes of love, compassion, humility, forgiveness, charity, service and self-study.
Give up reliance in astrology, charms, amulets, and other superstitious beliefs. They are a hindrance to the soul’s progress.
Keep the company of sadhus and saintly people in satsangs as this will purify your life and character, and keep you on a spiritual path.
See equality in all people irrespective of race, religion, color, caste, creed, economic status, or other differences. Kabir Saheb taught that the spirit of God is the same in all.
Pleasure and pain are parts of life. Accept them, knowing that they depend on the law karma. Good karmas produce good effects. Bad karmas produce bad effects. God is love, and does not impose suffering on his children.
Live life in such a way that as old age, illness or disability occurs, or death approaches, you have no regrets, but have only the peace and bliss of God in your heart.
KABIR SAHEB’S BLESSINGS TO ALL,
Dr. J. Das (Kabir Association of Canada)
Satguru Kabir Saheb
A saint comes to the world to show the right path to the people who have lost their right vision or proper sense of direction in life. In India, fifteenth century was such a period when people of different faiths were fighting. Envy between two major religions of the time was growing rapidly. Envy amongst Hindus and Muslims, Brahmins and Mullahs, touchables and untouchables, was spreading and moving like a cyclone. It was the period of religious bigotry, intolerance, and decrease of social, moral and spiritual values. People were proud of their own religious rites and rituals and scorned those of other religions. The rulers were tyrants. There was inequality amongst the people. At that time, Kabir appeared on the stage of Indian history.
There is a legend about the appearance of Guru Kabir. It was Monday morning, the full moon of Jeshth month, 1455 Vikram Era (June1398 AD), at the pre-dawn hours when Swami Ashtanand was meditating on the bank of Lahartara Pond, near the city of Varanasi. He saw a light appearing on the lotus flower in the pond. The light took the form of a baby. Ashtanand was astonished. He could not figure out what that was, whether it was an illusion or a miracle of God. He left the meditation and went to his Guru, Swami Ramanand, to tell him about the strange incident.
Appearance of Satguru Kabir Saheb
A saint comes to the world to show the right path to the people who have lost their right vision or proper sense of direction in life. In India, fifteenth century was such a period when people of different faiths were fighting. Envy between two major religions of the time was growing rapidly. Envy amongst Hindus and Muslims, Brahmins and Mullahs, touchables and untouchables, was spreading and moving like a cyclone. It was the period of religious bigotry, intolerance, and decrease of social, moral and spiritual values. People were proud of their own religious rites and rituals and scorned those of other religions. The rulers were tyrants. There was inequality amongst the people. At that time, Kabir appeared on the stage of Indian history.
There is a legend about the appearance of Guru Kabir. It was Monday morning, the full moon of Jeshth month, 1455 Vikram Era (June1398 AD), at the pre-dawn hours when Swami Ashtanand was meditating on the bank of Lahartara Pond, near the city of Varanasi. He saw a light appearing on the lotus flower in the pond. The light took the form of a baby. Ashtanand was astonished. He could not figure out what that was, whether it was an illusion or a miracle of God. He left the meditation and went to his Guru, Swami Ramanand, to tell him about the strange incident.
Adoption by Neeru and Neema
In the meanwhile, a recently married weaver couple, Neeru and Neema, came there. When Neema saw the pond she told her husband that she wanted to wash her hands and face. He told her to do so. She went to the pond. When she was washing her hands she heard a baby’s cry. She looked around for the sound. She was enchanted when she saw a beautiful baby boy resting on the lotus flower. He looked like a newborn baby, and his face had a divine shine on it. Neema became very excited by the scene and the divine beauty of the child, that she shouted and called her husband. When he came, he was also enchanted by the baby. Neema could not resist the thought of holding the baby in her arms. She entered the water and took the baby in her arms. She was over-joyed when she held the baby close to her bosoms. She felt a motherly love for the baby over-flowing her heart. First Neeru thought that somebody may have left the baby there and was still close by. He therefore called if someone was around, but there was no response. He then thought that the baby was abandoned. Despite Neeru’s disapproval, Neema persuaded him to take the baby home. Thus the couple became the foster parents of the baby who later became known as “Satguru Kabir”. Whatever the legend may be, it is true that he was not the flesh and blood son of Neeru and Neema
Naming Ceremony
When Neeru and Neema took the baby to their home, many people came to see him. His beauty enchanted them. Whoever saw him felt some divine attraction to him. Some of the women enquired about his caste and religion. Neeru and Neema told them that they found the child in the Lahartara pond, and that they did not know his caste or religion. Soon they arranged the naming ceremony at an appropriate time at their home. They invited pandits and qazis to find a name for the child. The child was first seen in the early hours of the morning, and the time was considered auspicious. The pandits thought of an appropriate name. At the same time the qazis opened the Book (Koran) and found the name “Kabir” which means “The Great”. The qazis opened the Book again and again and, to their amazement, the same name appeared as many times as they opened the Book. To dispel the embarrassment of the people, the child himself spoke in a solemn voice: “You need not worry about my naming. I have already named myself Kabir, and by this name I will be known in the world.”
Deliverance of Discourses
At about ten years of age Satguru Kabir started to deliver sermons on such subjects as Eternal Truth, Unity, Non-violence, and Monotheism. He explained the path of love and compassion in his forthright, unrestrained and lucid language. He impressed the masses. Daily, more and more people attended his discussions which were full of truth. He told people that God loves all irrespective of caste and creed. All of us are His children. There is nothing like high and low castes. Everyone has an equal right to do devotion and to pray to Him. He said: “If God wanted to make pandits and mullahs of high castes and others of low castes, then why did He not make them be born with the sacred thread and/or circumcision. Many pandits and mullahs were not able to respond to his logical questions in his sermons. Some of them could not tolerate his plain truth. They were jealous of his popularity.
When they could not answer the questions he raised, they started a rival propaganda saying that Kabir was not initiated by any Guru (accepted a spiritual master). He therefore had no authority to deliver discourses on religious matters. Kabir Saheb did not need a guru because he was himself the manifestation of supreme knowledge. But just to maintain the conventional tradition, he thought of getting initiated by a prominent Guru.
Initiation by Swami Ramanand
Though formless in origin and the abode of Eternal knowledge, Satguru Kabir manifested himself in a human form. In order to honour the traditional concept of initiation by a Guru, he decided to be a disciple of Swami Ramanand, who was an accomplished Vaishnava saint in those days. Swamiji was a great devotee of God.
One day, at dawn, Satguru Kabir went to the Ganges. He lay down on the steps of the Panchganga Ghat in the form of a child of five years. Ramanandji, at the early dawn, used to go to the Ganges to bathe. While climbing down the steps, Swami Ramanand came to the spot where Kabir, in a motionless state, awaited his arrival. Because of the darkness, Swamiji could not see him and his wooden sandals accidentally struck Kabir’s head. Kabir immediately started crying. Hearing the cry, Swami Ramanand realized that a small child was lying there and got hurt. Swamiji picked Kabir up and caressed him. He said, “Don’t cry my child. Say Ram Ram”. By chance, when Swamiji bent down, the mala (necklace) made of the tulsi (basil) plant, fell from his neck into Kabir’s neck. Guru Kabir was thus initiated by Swami Ramanand.
Satguru in Dual Form
After accepting Swami Ramanand as his guru, Satguru Kabir started to deliver discourses in the true spirit of Vaishnava. When asked about his guru, he replied that he was a disciple of Swami Ramanand. Thereupon, people approached Swami Ramanand and inquired about the initiation. Swami Ramanand told them that he neither initiated nor accepted Kabir as his disciple. To ascertain the fact, Swami Ramanand sent for Kabir. When Kabir Saheb came, Swami Ramanand, without coming outside of the place of worship, asked Kabir about the initiation. Kabir, from the outside of the room, politely narrated the incident on the Panchganga Ghat. Swami Ramanand remembered that he encountered a child about five years old who was un-intentionally hurt by his sandals. He also remembered lifting him up and telling him to say “Ram Ram.” But that was a child and not a grown up person. At that very moment Satguru Kabir manifested himself in dual form. As a child he appeared before Swami Ramanand, and as a youth he was amongst the people gathered in the courtyard of the Ashram. The child Kabir asked Swami Ramanand, “Didn’t I meet your honour on the Panchganga Ghat in this form?” Swami Ramanand was extremely astonished to see Satguru Kabir as a child and instantly realized that he was superhuman. The door of the room was opened and the people witnessed the manifestation of Kabir in two forms and felt themselves fortunate to see such a miracle.
Emperor Sikandar Lodi was Cured of Inflammation
Sikandar Lodi, the ruler of Delhi, was biased against Hindus and was ordering serious punishments for them. As a result of his indiscriminate and outrageous oppression, he was punished by God in the form of inflammation all over his body. Medicines and blessings administered and showered by fakirs and doctors proved ineffective. At that time those jealous of Swami Ramanand and Kabir conspired a plot to destroy them. The wicked people approached the King and advised him to request Ramanand and Kabir to cure his morbid inflammation. The King agreed to the proposal and went to Varanasi. Sikandar Lodi first visited Swami Ramanand, who refused to see him as it was against his principle to look at any Turk (a Muslim person). Now Satguru Kabir was the only hope. By the King’s good fortune, Kabir appeared before him. The agonized King immediately lay prostrate before Kabir and begged him to bless and cure him. Kabir lifted the King holding his hands. And lo! By his divine touch the king was cured.
Warm Welcome
King Sikandar Lodi, who was relieved of his inflammation by Satguru Kabir’s divine touch, looked upon him as an accomplished saint. To acknowledge his gratitude, the King invited Kabir to his residence at Varanasi. Satguru Kabir was taken there on a caparisoned elephant in a grand procession. The king arranged a special ceremony in honour of Kabir Saheb. After a warm and respectful welcome, the King, with folded hands, requested Kabir to say a few words which would help people to understand the spirit of true religion. Satguru agreed to the request and delivered a message of peace in a soothing voice. He spoke on the subjects of Hindu-Muslim unity, non-violence, and love and compassion etc. He told the people that God is the father of all. He is one though people call Him by various names. People should not fight with each other because of their different religious beliefs. The king was greatly impressed by Kabir’s message.
Test of Satguru Kabir Saheb
Shaikh Taqqi, a Muslim priest at Sikandar Lodi’s court, became envious of Guru Kabir whom the King revered greatly. To get rid of Kabir, Shaikh Taqqi started to poison the King’s mind. Shaikh Taqqi tried in many ways to harass and destroy Kabir, but every time his tactics failed
With the King’s consent, Shaikh Taqqi arranged to test Kabir in the courtyard of the palace. Without hesitation, Kabir occupied the chosen spot. An intoxicated elephant was immediately released to crush him. Kabir sat in meditation. He was aware of the danger. With his occult powers he immediately created two fierce lions beside him. The ferocious lions frightened the elephant which quickly ran away. Though the mahout forced the elephant to attack Guru Kabir, it retreated trumpeting in fear of being killed by the two lions. The spectators, of course, couldn’t see the two lions. For them Satguru Kabir was engrossed in meditation, and the elephant was running.