Kabir: The Untold Story of a Mystic's Life

0:00 Hello friends, welcome to Audio Book Legends, where we bring you a new and inspiring audio book every day. So subscribe and listen to this special audio book of today. Have you ever wondered what the truth is? Is it in the idols of temples or in the Azaan of mosques ? Is it hidden in the heavy words of religious texts? Or is it just a show of rituals and customs? Or does the truth lie somewhere else? Beyond all this, within ourselves, in our own breaths, today we are going to hear the story of one such great saint, poet and thinker who had raised all these questions about 600 years ago. A person who was neither Hindu nor Muslim, was just a

0:47 human being. A weaver who was weaving the fabric of society not with clothes but with words. We are talking about Saint Kabir. This audio book is going to be a bit long as it takes both time and patience to understand Kabir. So I would request you to share or save this video somewhere so that you can listen to it intermittently as per your convenience. So let us enter this deep ocean together and search for those pearls that Kabir has given to us. Let us start this amazing journey of the story of Kabir, his biography and his philosophy, Chapter number one, the mysterious birth and childhood of Kabir. The story that got lost in legends. Today we

1:32 go back to that time. About 600 years ago in 15th century India. Imagine Banaras which we know today as Varanasi or Kashi. The banks of the Ganga resonate with the first rays of the morning with the chants of mantras, the sound of bells coming from the temples and the call of Azaan. A city which was considered the centre of religion, knowledge and spirituality. But there was another picture of this same city. On one side great scholars and pundits were debating on the scriptures. On the other hand, society was trapped in the bonds of castes and religions. The walls of discrimination, untouchability and religious fanaticism were very high. In this very environment, in this very city an incident occurred which changed the course of

2:18 Indian thought and literature for centuries to come. That incident was the birth of Kabir. But Kabir's birth was not an ordinary event. This is a mystery in itself, a puzzle which has not been completely solved till date. There is no one concrete story regarding the birth of Kabir but there are many stories and legends. According to the most popular belief, he was not born from the womb of any mother. He is said to have appeared as a newborn baby on a huge lotus flower in the Lahartara pond of Kashi. Just think how wonderful this imagination is. A child who has no family, no caste, no religion. He just came from the lap of nature.

3:06 A Muslim weaver couple, Neeru and Neema, were passing near this Lahar pond. They were childless and always longed for a child. When they saw that bright child on the lotus flower, their happiness knew no bounds. Considering it as a Prasad from God, he picked it up and brought it to his home. This same boy later came to be known as Kabir. This story teaches us that Kabir was not bound by any bond by birth. He did not come with the identity of any one religion or caste and perhaps that is why throughout his life he rose above these identities and talked about humanity. Now imagine a little boy being brought up in a poor weaver’s family. The streets where he played, the environment in which he grew up,

3:53 all these shaped his thoughts. His home was in a Muslim area, so since childhood he was closely observing the teachings and traditions of Islam. He used to listen to Azan and watch Namaz. But Kashi was the stronghold of Hindus. So as soon as he stepped out of the house, he could hear the bells of the temples. Chanting of Ram's name could be heard. Watching the priests performing puja. On one side there were verses from the Quran and on the other side there were mantras from the Vedas. A little child for whom both of these were true. This question must have arisen in his mind that if God is one, then why are the ways to reach Him so different? Why? On one side idol worship is considered everything and on the other side it is considered completely wrong.

4:39 This question, this dilemma went deeper and deeper into his young mind. His childhood was not like that of ordinary children. He was not as interested in sports as other children. Rather, he would often sit alone and think about something. He used to watch his father Neeru weaving clothes on the loom. The weft of threads, how different threads come together to form a beautiful fabric. All this was no less than a spiritual act for him. Perhaps this is where he got the inspiration that just like different threads come together and become one, similarly people who look different are also the same from within. He often sat in the company of sages, saints and fakirs. Used to listen to him. Used to question him. His

5:24 questions were so deep and direct that even great scholars were left speechless at times. He used to ask that if one can find God by worshipping a stone, then I would worship the entire mountain. If sins are washed away by bathing in the Ganga then the fish living in water is the most sacred. Hearing these things, the fundamentalists used to get upset with him. They used to scold him. But no one could stop Kabir. The thirst for truth within him was increasing. He was seeing the hypocrisy spread in the society. He used to see how people chanted Ram Ram with their mouth. But the heart is filled with dishonesty and hatred. He saw how, in the name of caste, humans were treated worse than animals. On one side the Pandits

6:10 called themselves superior and on the other side the Maulvis called themselves superior. Both of them used to say that their own religion was the best and belittled the other one. Seeing all this, Kabir's mind rebelled. He felt that this could not be the true form of religion. God cannot discriminate like this. All this is a pretense created by humans. His childhood was being prepared by all these experiences, questions and the fire of rebellion. He was like clay that was ready to go on the potter's wheel. He was just looking for a right Guru, a right guide who could give a shape to this clay. He was like a spark just waiting for a gust of wind to turn it into a huge flame. But where will we find that Guru? Will the

6:56 great Pandit of Kashi accept the son of a low caste weaver as his disciple or will his fate take him to a door where all rules and restrictions end. We will know this in the next chapter. Chapter number two: Search for Guru and meeting with Ramanand. When the disciple chose the Guru. Kabir was now a teenager. A sea of ​​questions was surging within him. He had understood that bookish knowledge and hearsay could not quench his thirst. He needed a Guru who would not just show him the path but also lead him on that path by holding his hand. Who can tell them what this restlessness, this pain inside, really means? At that time

7:42 Swami Ramanand was very famous in Kashi. He was a very great saint of the Bhakti movement and his fame spread far and wide. He was of liberal views. But still the social rules of that time were very strict. Kabir had accepted Ramanand as his Guru in his heart. But the problem was that Kabir belonged to a Muslim weaver family and Ramanand was a respected Brahmin saint. In that door, no Brahmin could even think of making a weaver his disciple. Kabir went to Ramanand's ashram several times but could not muster the courage. If he goes there directly and requests to be made a disciple, he will be removed from there. But Kabir was not one of those who would give up. If the direct path is closed then a

8:28 true seeker finds another way. He made a plan. Kabir had seen that Swami Ramanand used to go to Panchganga Ghat every morning during Brahma Muhurt to take a bath in the Ganga. He used to go when it was still dark. Kabir thought that this was the right opportunity. One night, well before dawn, he reached the ghat and lay down on those steps. Through which Ramanand ji used to enter the Ganga. There was dense darkness all around. Kabir was just waiting, holding his breath. After some time, as they expected, Swami Ramanand arrived there. In the darkness he could not see any person lying on the stairs and his feet touched Kabir. As soon as his feet touched Kabir he became shocked

9:16 and it came out of his mouth naturally. Ram Ram. Kabir was just waiting for this moment. He immediately stood up and held the feet of Ramanand. He said, Gurudev, I have found my Guru Mantra. You have given me the mantra of Ram Ram and accepted me as your disciple. Swami Ramanand was surprised. At first he did not understand anything. Then when he saw that true dedication and thirst for knowledge in Kabir's eyes, he was moved. He saw that this was no ordinary young man. There is a sparkle in its eyes which is found in only one in thousands. At that moment Ramanand put aside all the rules of society. He realized that true devotion and knowledge do not need any caste or religion.

10:03 He picked up Kabir, hugged him and accepted him as his disciple. It was a historic moment. This was not just a meeting of a Guru and his disciple. It was a confluence of two different streams. On one side there was the stream of Vaishnav devotion and on the other side there was the stream of Sufi love. This one incident struck a deep blow at the social and religious walls of that time. This proved that when a relationship of knowledge and love is formed, then no wall in the world can stop them. Kabir did not choose his Guru but in a way forced the Guru to choose him as his disciple. Kabir's life changed completely after receiving initiation from Guru Ramanand. He had found the direction he wanted. The spark within him had

10:49 now been ignited. Ramanand gave him the knowledge of Vedanta. Explained the path of devotion but he never suppressed Kabir's original thinking. He gave Kabir the freedom to discover and express the truth in his own way. Kabir not only listened to the teachings of his Guru but also implemented them in his life. Test it on your own standards. He understood the formula between Vedanta's Aham Brahmasma, I am the Brahma and Sufis' Anaal Haq, I am the Truth. He understood that the one he was searching for outside in temples and mosques was sitting within him. Where are you finding me, man? I am near you. This realization was the most important knowledge for him. After this incident, there was

11:36 a new sharpness in the words of Kabir. A new confidence came. Now he didn't just ask questions. Now he used to reply also. He respected his guru Ramanand very much. But he was not a disciple who would blindly accept everything he said. He would reason, debate and put forward his point of view. His most important speciality was that he did not accept any knowledge as it is. He tested everything on the basis of his experience. He adopted the path of Nirgun Bhakti i.e. believing in that form of God which has no shape, no colour, no form. He is formless. He lives in the cave. This idea was revolutionary for that time where people were either

12:21 engaged in idol worship or believed in one particular prophet as everything. Kabir challenged both of them. But meeting the Guru was just the beginning. The real struggle was now to begin against society, against hypocrisy and against the darkness within oneself. How a weaver who was not looked upon with respect in the society. Now it was going to challenge the thinking of the entire society. How will he spread light in this dark society with the lamp of knowledge received from the Guru ? We will know in the next chapter. Chapter number three The weaver of Kashi and the rebel of the society. When words acted as weapons , I found a Guru and also found the direction of knowledge. But Kabir's life was not easy.

13:07 Rather, now his problems were going to increase even more. He was a thorn in the eyes of society even earlier. But now he had the support of a great guru like Swami Ramanand. And there was a new fire in his thoughts. Kabir did not give up his profession. He would weave clothes on the loom all day long and in whatever time he got he would talk to people. Expressing his views, he would sing hymns. He was not a saint who would sit on a high seat and deliver sermons. He was a saint of the common man. He lived among the people in the markets, in the streets, and in the chaupals. He used to talk in their own language. He used to give his examples. This was his main strength. He took spirituality out of the influence of pundits and maulvis and made it a thing within the reach of the common man. He used to say that to attain God there is

13:57 no need to abandon home and go to the forest. You can get it while doing your work and fulfilling your responsibilities. But how could the contractors of the society like these ideas of his ? Both the Pandits and Mullahs of Kashi became his enemies. The pundits were upset that a weaver from a low caste could talk about the Vedas and Upanishads. This right belongs only to Brahmins. He was also troubled by the fact that Kabir denounced idol worship. Kabir used to say that if I worship betel leaf and get Hari then I will worship the mountain, otherwise this grinded flour is good and the world will eat it. That means, if one can find God by worshipping a stone, then I will worship the entire mountain instead of a small stone. This mill is better than that, whose flour

14:44 feeds the entire world. It was plain, simple, and hurtful. It touched people's hearts and made them think. All the knowledge and rituals of the pundits paled in comparison to one couplet of Kabir. On the other hand, Muslim fundamentalists were also against him. They felt that Kabir was insulting Islam. Kabir would also go to the mosque and question the Mullah who gave the Azaan. If you build a mosque by joining pebbles and stones then go up and give a call, has the God gone deaf? He used to say that you have built a mosque by collecting pebbles and stones and then you go and shout loudly on it. Has your God gone deaf that you have to scream so much to make him hear?

15:29 Mullah and Maulvi would become furious after hearing these things. He used to say that he is a kafir. This speaks against Islam. The amazing thing is that Hindus called them Muslims and Muslims considered them Hindu infidels. Whereas Kabir was beyond both of these. He used to say that if I am a Hindu then I am not even a Muslim. Mahi also played with the doll of five elements. That means I am neither a Hindu nor a Muslim. I am a puppet made of five elements. Within which that invisible power is at play. Due to his rebellious nature, he had to endure a lot. He was humiliated many times. There were also attempts to kill him. According to a famous story, the Pandits and Maulvis together

16:15 complained about him to Sikandar Lodi, the Sultan of Delhi at that time. They filled the ears of the Sultan that there is a weaver named Kabir who insults both the religions and incites people. The Sultan called Kabir to his court. Kabir appeared before the Sultan without any fear. the Sultan asked angrily. Who are you to question our religion and customs? Kabir replied very calmly. I am what you are, a human being. And it is my right to raise questions because I cannot believe anything with my eyes closed. It is said that the Sultan got angry and had Kabir bound in chains and thrown into the Ganga. But he survived. Then they were sent into the blazing fire. But even the fire

17:01 could not burn them. He was also presented before a mad elephant. But even the elephant did not cause them any harm. These stories may or may not be true, but they show how powerful Kabir's opponents were and how they were willing to go to any lengths to silence him. Despite all these oppositions, Kabir did not bow down and did not break. His faith became stronger. He understood that when you speak the truth, the world turns against you. But he was not alone. Gradually the common people, especially the poor and the oppressed, started joining him. He could hear his own voice in Kabir's words. They felt that there was someone who was talking about their rights. Who wants to free them from the pretenses created by the Pandits and the Maulvis.

17:48 Kabir's Sakhis and verses came on the tongues of the people. He became a folk poet. He became a popular leader. That weaver was not just weaving clothes. He was weaving the fabric of a new society and new thinking. A society which stands on the foundation of love and humanity. But what was this love? What did love mean for Kabir? Was this the same love the world talks about? Or did it have some deeper meaning? How complex and vast was Kabir's love lane? We will get the answer to this in the next chapter. Chapter Number Four Prem Gali Ati Sankhari Kabir's philosophy of love in which there is no place for two. When we talk about Kabir, we

18:33 often remember his rebellious side and his social reformer side. We remember how he attacked hypocrisy. How he opposed the caste system. But there is another aspect of Kabir's personality which is perhaps the most important and most beautiful. And that is his philosophy of love. Kabir was a great lover. His entire spirituality, his entire sadhana was based on love. But his love was not what we commonly understand. It was not a love for any person, any object, or any particular form. This was a different kind of love. A love that breaks all boundaries. Which erases the difference between me and you.

19:18 Kabir says, the path of love is very narrow, two cannot fit in it. That means the path of love is so narrow. It is so thin that two people cannot fit in it. As long as there is a feeling of I and mine, love is not possible. Love happens when the lover and the beloved become one. For Kabir, God was not a frightening power but a beloved. There was a lover with whom he was in love. He saw God sometimes as a father, sometimes as a companion, sometimes as a husband and sometimes as a friend. In his poems, in his verses one finds a feeling of pang of separation. Just like a lover is desperate to meet her lover , similarly Kabir is desperate to meet the supreme power. He says, my beloved, come to our deep place, my body is sad without you.

20:08 That means oh my beloved come to my house. This body of mine is very sad without you. This pain of separation is the essence of Kabir's devotion. He believed that unless this intense thirst, this restlessness to attain the ultimate is born within you, the journey of spirituality does not begin. This is not an intellectual game. It's a matter of the heart. This can be understood only through love, not through the mind. Kabir placed love above knowledge. He says, the world died by learning books and scriptures, but no one could become a true scholar or pandit. It means that the whole world died by learning huge scriptures and books but no one could become a true scholar or pandit. The true pandit is the one

20:54 who has learnt the two and a half letters of love, that is, the one who has learnt to love, who has incorporated love in his life, for them real knowledge was love because in knowledge the ego of I can come. I am knowledgeable. This feeling may come. But in true love ego melts away. I am vanishing. Where there is love, there is only surrender. I just want to become one. That is why Kabir named God as Ram. But his Ram was not the Ram, the son of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya. His Ram was the formless Brahma who dwells in every particle and resides in every heart. He used to say that Dasharatha's son Ram is

21:42 known to all the three people but the real secret of the name Ram is something else. That secret is the secret of love. Kabir's love was not limited to God only. His love was for the entire creation. It was for every person. Irrespective of his caste or religion. Because when you see a part of the same Supreme Power in everyone, then you cannot hate anyone. Then you see your own reflection in every person. This is why he was so against caste and religious discrimination. Because all these things separate people from each other. Creates obstacles in the path of love. Kabir's message was that if you truly love God, then you must love the world He created and the people He created. On

22:27 one hand you worship God and on the other hand you hate humans. Both these things cannot happen together. His philosophy of love was very practical. He used to say that love should be visible not only in your feelings but also in your actions. Helping others, feeding a hungry person, wiping the tears of a sad person, this is true worship. This is true love. So what is that love lane of Kabir ? That is the path within ourselves. The path that leads to surrender by abandoning ego and eliminating the 'I'. This path is narrow because only one person can walk on it at a time. Either your ego or your love cannot go together. When you step into this street, you have to leave behind

23:14 all your masks, all your identities, your caste, your religion, your knowledge, everything. Only a pure heart can enter there. Kabir gave this message of love throughout his life. He said that the essence of religion lies in love and not in fanaticism. The path to salvation lies not in rituals but in love. And the experience of God is not in the arrogance of knowledge but in the surrender of love. But how is this 'Dhaabha' of love related to that attributeless and formless God who has no form and no shape? How Kabir realized the ultimate truth that cannot be seen. What was the real essence of Kabir's Nirgun Bhakti

24:00 ? We will know this in the next chapter. Chapter number five and a half, after all, the essence of love, Nirgun Bhakti, the story of that God who has no face. We tried to understand Kabir's philosophy of love in the last chapter. Now we will talk about the deepest and most revolutionary aspect of his spirituality and that is his Nirguna Bhakti. This word might sound a bit complicated, but its meaning is quite simple. There are considered to be two main paths of devotion. Saguna and Nirguna. Saguna Bhakti means worshipping some form of God, some incarnation like Ram, Krishna, Shiva or Durga. It has a face of God. There is a story. There

24:45 is a statue. This path seems easier for most people because you have a solid foundation of love to meditate on. But the path chosen by Kabir was that of Nirgun Bhakti. Nirgun means one who has no qualities. Which has no form, no shape, no colour. He is unborn, He is formless. He is everywhere. But it is not visible anywhere. Now you think how difficult it would be to love and worship such a God who has no idol, no picture, no story, how will you remember him, how will you build a relationship with him, this is the greatness of Kabir. He explained this formless invisible power in such a simple and straightforward manner that it

25:32 reached the heart of the common man. Kabir said that the God whom you are searching for in temples and mosques, Kaaba and Kailash is not there. Where should you look for attachment, O man? I am near you; neither am I in a temple, nor in a mosque, nor in Kaaba or Kailash. He says that I am neither in the temple, nor in the mosque, nor in the Kaaba, nor on Mount Kailash. I am present within you, in every breath, in every living being. This was a very important revolutionary thing. He removed God from being an object of external search and made him an object of inner experience. He said that there is no need to go anywhere to find God. You just need to look inside yourself. Kabir gave many names to this formless power.

26:17 Sometimes they called him Ram, sometimes Hari, sometimes Govind and sometimes Allah, Khuda, Sahib. But he repeatedly clarified that his name is not for the God of any particular religion. When he says Ram he does not mean Ram, the son of Dasharatha. His Ram is present in every heart. He is present in every particle. That is why he says Kabira well is one. There are many water carriers. Everyone's vessels are different, water is same in all. That means there is only one well but the people filling water from it are different and their vessels are also different. Someone brings a pot, someone a bucket and someone a tumbler. The sizes of the characters may vary. But the water inside everyone is the same. Similarly, there is only

27:03 one ultimate truth or God. But different religions have given it different names and forms. Hindus call him Ram. Muslim Allah, Sikh, Waheguru, Christian, God names are different, paths are different. But the destination is the same for everyone. Then how can we find this attributeless God? According to Kabir, its path is Sahaja Yoga or Sahaja Sadhana. Sahaj means that which is simple, that which is not artificial. For this, there is no need to do any difficult asanas, sit in meditation for hours or perform any complicated rituals. Sahaja Sadhana means living life with full awareness and truth. Whatever work you are doing, whether weaving clothes,

27:49 doing business in the market or spending time with family , do it with complete honesty and consciousness. Remember that Supreme Power every moment, with every breath. This is what Kabir calls the union of Surati and Nirati. Surati means remembrance, remembrance of the Supreme and Nirati means to remain detached from the world while living in it. Just like the lotus flower remains above the dirt even though it lives in it. Live like that in the world. But do n't let the world come inside you. The most beautiful thing about Kabir's Nirgun Bhakti is that it does not consider anyone small or great. When God has no specific form, then how can any one religion or caste claim ownership of Him? He belongs to everyone. He belongs to a Brahmin as much as he belongs to

28:36 a Dalit. He belongs to a Hindu as much as he belongs to a Muslim. This one idea sowed a seed of equality in the society whose crop is flourishing till today. He freed religion from fear and rituals and based it on love and experience. He told that the real pilgrimage is within you. The real worship is your goodness and the real God is your love. But if there is no need for any external rituals or bookish knowledge to attain God, then what is the significance of these religious texts ? By learning which the Pandits and Maulvis consider themselves knowledgeable. How did Kabir explain this difference between knowledge and ignorance ? Is studying books useless? We will get the answer to this in the next chapter. Chapter Number Six Book Learning Learning

29:24 Jagmua The Difference Between Knowledge and Ignorance When Experience Challenged the Books In the times of Kabir and perhaps even today, knowledge is often equated with bookish knowledge. One who has knowledge of huge texts like Vedas and Quran is considered a Pandit or Alim. Knowledge was somehow considered the property of only a few people who knew difficult languages ​​like Sanskrit or Arabic. The common man just had to believe whatever he said. Kabir made a powerful attack on this entire concept. He himself was not educated. In the sense that he had not studied any scripture or text. He also says that Christ did not touch the paper nor did the pen leave his hand. That means, I never

30:10 touched ink and paper nor ever held a pen in my hands. Despite this, there has hardly been anyone as deeply knowledgeable as him. How is this possible? Because for Kabir knowledge did not mean collecting information but directly experiencing the truth. Kabir observed that people memorize religious scriptures like parrots but do not apply their true meaning in their lives. The Pandit talks about the Vedas and Puranas. But they themselves are trapped in the differences of caste and high and low. Maulvi learns verses from the Quran. But his heart is filled with hatred for other religions. Seeing this hypocrisy, Kabir said, Jagmua, learn from the books and there is no scholar brother. That means the world came to an end by learning these huge books.

30:56 But no one could become a true scholar or knowledgeable person. A true wise person is one who has learnt the two and a half letters of love. Who lived the truth. For him, bookish knowledge was like a burden which makes a person arrogant instead of making him humble. The wise man becomes proud that he knows and this pride takes him away from the truth. A true seeker is like an ignorant person who is always ready to learn. Kabir termed the knowledge of books as spoken knowledge and his own experience as seen or experienced knowledge. He used to say. I say I saw it with my own eyes and you say what is written on paper, i.e. I say what I have experienced myself and you

31:42 say what is written on paper. There is a huge difference between these two. Knowledge written on paper can become stale. That's someone else 's experience. Not yours. Unless you go through that experience yourself, that knowledge cannot be yours. Just like thirst is not quenched by just saying the word water. Thirst will be quenched only by drinking water. Similarly, God cannot be found by chanting the name of God or by getting information about Him from scriptures. To achieve it one has to follow the path of experience. What is this path of experience? This is the path of meditation, of love, and of living a simple life. This does not mean that Kabir was completely against books. He was not against the words written in books. Rather, he was against the

32:29 arrogance and hypocrisy born out of those words. He was against that knowledge which makes a person more fanatic instead of making him better. He used to say that if knowledge does not make you humble, if it does not awaken compassion and love within you, then it is not knowledge but ignorance. Real knowledge is that which removes the darkness within you. Let it kill your ego and teach you to love everyone. He cautioned people not to get entangled in the web of words. Truth is beyond words, it cannot be held, it can only be felt. Everyone says a word, but words have neither hands nor legs, one word is medicine and all cause wounds; i.e.

33:15 everyone says words, but words have neither hands nor legs, the same word can work as a medicine and the same word can also cause a deep wound, hence understand the feeling behind the words, its essence. This message of Kabir becomes even more relevant in today's information age. Today we have a treasure of knowledge. We get the answer to every question in one click on Google. But is all this information making us more peaceful, more happy, more loving, or is it making us more anxious and more egoistic. Kabir reminds us that information is not knowledge and knowledge is not experience. The real thing is experience. A direct encounter with your truth, with

34:01 your being. He inspired us to move away from books and study the book of life. He said that real knowledge is not hidden in universities but in life experiences. But when Kabir told such simple and true things to the society then what effect did it have on the system of hierarchy and casteism that existed in the society ? How Kabir directly attacked the most important social evil of that time, the caste system. We will know this in the next chapter. Chapter Number Seven: Don't ask the caste of the saint. An attack on social hypocrisy when humanity became more important than religion and caste. The era in which Kabir lived was one of the

34:47 darkest eras of Indian society. Especially when it comes to social equality. The society was completely trapped in the shackles of caste system. The worth of a person was determined not by his deeds but by his birth. The house you were born in determined the direction of your entire life. The Brahmins considered themselves to be the superior ones and the Shudras or Dalits were considered to be untouchables. They were not allowed to enter temples. He could not take water from public wells. Even his shadow was considered impure. This was not just about Hindu society. Even in Muslim society, there was a distinction between Ashraf, upper caste and Ajalaf, lower caste. The real purpose of religion, which was to unite mankind, had

35:33 become the main weapon to divide them. In this suffocating atmosphere, Kabir's voice came like a breath of fresh air. Perhaps no other saint has attacked this caste system as ruthlessly as Kabir did. He himself belonged to a so-called lower caste, the Julaha caste. He had faced this humiliation and discrimination since childhood. Therefore there was a reality experienced in his words. There was real pain. He did n't make big logical statements. He asked direct and simple questions. Questions to which no one had the answer. He used to ask. The caste group does not ask that if someone worships Hari, he should belong to Hari. That means God does not ask about anyone's caste. Whosoever

36:20 worships Him with a true heart becomes His. It was a simple declaration that everyone is equal in the eyes of God. He explained to the people that this caste system has been created not by God but by humans for their own benefit. He used to give very simple arguments which no one could refute. He used to say that one drop, one excreta, one skin, one anus, one light are all born, who is born, who is vehicle, who is Sudra. This means that every human being is born from a single drop of semen, everyone's body has the same excreta, same skin and flesh, when all are born from the same light, one God, then who became Brahmin and who

37:06 became Shudra. This question was so fundamental that it shook the foundation of the entire casteist structure. He used to ask that if you are a Brahmin and you are so proud of your sacred thread then why don't you make your wife wear it ? If you are a Brahmin by birth, then why were you not born wearing the sacred thread from your mother's womb itself ? These were straightforward and poignant remarks that made people think. Kabir not only attacked the caste system of the Hindu society but also attacked the discrimination prevalent in the Muslim society with equal boldness. He placed the contractors of both the religions in the same dock. He used to say that you people are only entangled in external identities. Some people consider themselves great by applying a tilak and some by keeping a long beard.

37:52 But you all have forgotten the basic religion of humanity. His most famous couplet is Don't ask the caste of a sadhu. Ask for the value of knowledge, but leave the pride of the sword aside i.e. do not ask a saint or a gentleman about his caste, but ask him about his knowledge, the real price is of the sword, not its pride, whether it is made of gold or iron. Similarly, the price of a man is determined by his qualities, not his caste or his clan. This message of Kabir was not just a message of social reform; it was a deep spiritual message. He wanted to say that till you are trapped in these external differences and the ego of caste, religion, clan, then you cannot find the ultimate truth which is beyond all these. The

38:39 first condition to attain God is that you see the form of the same God in every human being. If you consider someone inferior because of his caste, then you are insulting not only that person but also the God within him. Kabir showed a new dream to the people. The dream of a world where the identity of a human being is only his humanity. He laid the foundation of a society where there is love and equality, not hatred and discrimination. But talking about all these things was one thing and implementing them in one’s life was another. How Kabir balanced his worldly life, his work as a weaver and his deep spirituality. Can one attain that ultimate height even while living an ordinary family life

39:25 ? We will know its secret in the next chapter. Chapter Number Eight Worldly Life and Spirituality in Kabira Khara Bazaar. When the house itself became a temple. As soon as we talk about spirituality or devotion, a special picture is formed in our mind. A person who has left his home, family, worldly affairs and has settled in a cave, forest or ashram. We feel that spirituality and worldly life are two different paths which cannot go together. If you want to find God, you will have to renounce the world. Kabir completely abolished this notion. He was perhaps the greatest householder saint in the history of spirituality. He never

40:10 renounced the world. Never abandoned my work. He lived in the same streets of Kashi till the end of his life. He continued weaving clothes on the same loom and selling them in the same market. He proved that spirituality is not about escape but it is about living with awareness while fulfilling all your responsibilities while living in the world. Kabir's message was very simple and practical. He used to say that you do not need to go anywhere to find God. If you make your work a worship and your home a temple, you will find God right here. His famous verse is Kabira Khara, in the market take a stick in your hand and those who are going home come with us. This line is often

40:57 misinterpreted as that Kabir is talking about burning or abandoning his home. But here home does not mean a house made of brick and stone. Here home means our ego, our feeling of I and mine, our narrow thinking. Kabir is saying that I am standing in the middle of the market i.e. at the centre of this world. Anyone who is ready to burn down this building of his ego with the torch of knowledge in his hand can come with me. He was not calling us to renounce the world but to learn the right way to live in the world. From the life of Kabir we learn that work and sadhana are not two different things. When he weaved the warp and weft on the loom, he was not just weaving a cloth. He would get

41:44 so immersed in that activity that it would become his meditation. The entanglement and unravelling of the threads seemed to him like the rise and fall of life. For him, putting every thread in the right place was like controlling his mind. He used to say, “Thinly weaved sheet”, which means, I have woven this sheet of life very carefully and very finely. He made his work itself the medium of his sadhana. This gave a new hope to millions of common people who thought that people like us who are householders, who work day and night to earn their livelihood. What spirituality will we get? Kabir told him that whatever you are doing, do it with complete honesty, truth

42:29 and awareness. That is your worship. Kabir also had a family. His wife's name was Loi and his son and daughter's names were Kamal and Kamal. He fulfilled all the responsibilities of a father and a husband. He used to earn money and feed his family. But he was not involved in all this. He performed all his duties like a witness, like an observer. Just like a boat stays in the water but water should not enter the boat. Otherwise, she will drown. Live in the world like that but don't let the world enter your mind. Kabir taught this principle of detachment through his life. He never begged for alms. He lived on his hard-earned money. He used to say, Sai, give me enough that my family can be fed and I do

43:16 not remain hungry and no saint goes hungry, meaning, O God, give me just enough that my family can survive and I do not remain hungry and any saint who comes to my door does not return hungry. What a balanced and beautiful prayer this is. There is neither greed to get more than needed nor has poverty been glorified in it. Kabir standing in the market is a symbol of the fact that a true saint does not run away from the society but lives in the society and tries to clean its filth. He knows that the real challenge lies not in escaping from the world but in living in the midst of the world and remaining pure like a lotus flower. He taught us that true renunciation does

44:02 not come from changing clothes or leaving home. Real renunciation comes from the mind. You can be an ascetic even while living in a palace, and a great pleasure-seeker even while living in a cave. Everything depends on your state of mind. Kabir presented an ideal which was exemplary for every common man. He made religion simple and life a celebration. He lived in Kashi all his life and taught the world the art of living. But when the last moment of his life came, he took a decision that shocked everyone. He decided to leave Kashi. Why? What was the reason that Kabir, who lived in Kashi all his life, went to Maghar in his last days? We will know about this mysterious journey and his views on life and death

44:48 in the next chapter. Chapter Number Nine: Departure from the body in Maghar: The mystery of life and death. The story of a journey that did not end with death. Kashi is a city which is called the city of salvation. For centuries, there has been a belief that the person who gives up his life in Kashi goes straight to heaven. He attains salvation. He gets liberation from the cycle of life and death. Due to this one belief, thousands of people would come and settle in Kashi in the last days of their lives so that they could die there. On the other side, there was a small town near Kashi. Maghar. There was exactly the opposite belief about Maghar. People

45:34 believed that whoever dies in Maghar becomes a donkey in the next life. He gets hell. Now you think of Kabir who spent his entire life in Kashi. Who acquired knowledge here and showed the path to the world from here. When he reached the last stage of his life, he took a surprising decision. He said, I will go home in my last days and give up my life there. Hearing this, there was an uproar amongst his disciples and followers. Everyone tried to stop him. People said, what are you doing? You did so much sadhana throughout your life, earned so much virtue. Now at the end moment why do you want to go home and waste it? You stay in Kashi. You will attain salvation. Kabir

46:19 smiled after hearing his words. He said, is my God so weak that he has to take the help of a place like Kashi to give me salvation. If I have lived a life of truth and honesty all my life. If I have n't done anyone any harm. If I have remembered my Sahib with a true heart, then no matter where I die, I will be blessed. And if I have been hypocritical and have committed sins all my life, then even dying in Kashi will not be able to save me. Saying this, Kabir inflicted another deep blow. On the most important religious belief of that time. Kabir wanted to show that salvation is not achieved by dying at some place. Salvation is achieved through your actions and your way of living. If you have lived your life right then death will become a celebration for you.

47:06 No matter where he comes. And if you have done wrong things throughout your life then death will be a name of fear. Even if you die in a golden palace. He wanted to make people understand that they should not place their hopes on any place. Have faith in your actions. Be it Kashi or barren land, Ram resides in my heart. Kabir, if you leave Kashi, then who will be the Ram? That means, for me, what is the difference between Kashi and barren land ? When Rama is present in my heart and I have to give up my body in Kashi to attain salvation, then what is the benefit of worshipping Rama? Saying this, he picked up his stick and walked towards Maghar. For Kabir, death was not an end but merely a change of state. Just as we

47:53 discard old clothes and wear new ones , similarly the soul discards the old body and takes on a new body. Or for a wise person, giving up this body means merging with the supreme power, just like a drop of water merging into the ocean becomes the ocean itself. He had no fear of death. He carried death with him all his life. He used to say, Kabira, when we were born, the world laughed and we cried, do such deeds that we laugh and the world cries, meaning, when we were born, we were crying and the world was laughing and celebrating, but do such deeds in your life that when you die, you go laughing and the world cries in grief of your departure. He saw death as a friend

48:39 that reminds us that we have limited time. That's why we should live every moment to the fullest. After reaching Maghar, Kabir left his body. But his mystery is as much about his death as it is about his birth. It is said that when he died, his Hindu and Muslim disciples started arguing among themselves. The Hindu disciples wanted his last rites to be performed according to Hindu customs, i.e. cremation, and the Muslim disciples wanted him to be buried in the Islamic way. The dispute became so intense that it came to the point of drawing swords. Kabir who talked about uniting Hindus and Muslims throughout his life. His disciples started arguing over his dead body. Then a miracle happened. When the

49:26 sheet was removed after the dispute, Kabir 's body was not there. Only some flowers were found in their place. Both the parties were surprised to see this. They divided the flowers equally among themselves. Hindus built a Samadhi with their share of flowers and Muslims built a Mazar with their share of flowers. Even today that tomb and shrine remain close to each other in Maghar. Which is proof that Kabir still belongs to both and above all he belongs to humanity. He left physically but left behind a legacy that is still alive today. What was that legacy? What were those words that are guiding us even today ? We will know this in the next and last chapter. Chapter Number 10 Kabir's

50:13 legacy Sakhis, Shabad and Ramayana, those words which never die Kabir left this world about 600 years ago, he was not a king, nor a great commander, he was a poor weaver who never wrote any book, never built any ashram, never started any sect, then what is it that even after 600 years we are remembering him, why do his words seem equally true and relevant even today? The answer lies in the legacy he has given us in the form of words. Kabir himself did not write anything. He used to say that Christ did not touch the paper. He would just speak, sing and his disciples would go on writing down and memorizing his words and his couplets.

51:00 These words, these words are the real legacy of Kabir which is showing the path to millions of people even today. Kabir's words are mainly divided into three parts. Sakhi, word or word and Ramaini. The word Sakhi is derived from Sakshi which means witness. Kabir's Sakhis which are mostly in the form of couplets. It is a direct statement of his own experience and his realization of the truth. He is not saying anything that he has heard but he is testifying to the truth that he has seen himself. I have lived it myself. That is why his statements are so effective and direct. I went to see anything bad but I didn't find anyone bad. Whoever searched for his heart,

51:46 no one is worse than me or slowly O my mind, everything happens slowly, the gardener waters 100 pots, the season comes and fruits are produced, these small friends contain within themselves the deep essence of life. This is like filling the ocean in a pot. These are easily remembered and have remained alive on the tongues of people from one generation to the next. The second part is shabad or word. These are lyrical verses. That means, they can be sung. In the words of Kabir, we find a wonderful confluence of his devotion, his love, his pangs of separation and his philosophical depth. In these he talks to his Sahib, his beloved. Sometimes he rebukes them. Sometimes we wish to meet them and sometimes we rejoice in meeting them.

52:35 Verses like 'Where will you find me, O man' or 'Thinly woven sheet' are his words. There is a wonderful musicality and emotional depth to these verses that sweeps the listener right along with it. Even today, these verses are sung by folk singers as well as on classical music platforms and mesmerize people. This is the voice of Kabir's heart where along with logic, there is also ample space for emotion. The third and most philosophical part is Ramayana. These are mostly written in Chaupai Doha style and contain detailed descriptions of Kabir's philosophical and spiritual thoughts. In these he expresses his views on serious subjects like creation of the universe, soul, Maya, Brahma and salvation. Ramayani is

53:21 a little more difficult to understand as compared to Sakhi and Shabda. Because it is more fundamental. But whoever delves deeper into them realizes the vastness of Kabir's knowledge. These three types of sayings of Kabir were collected by his disciples in a book named Bijak. Bijak means that treasure or that seed in which the entire tree of the future is hidden and indeed Kabir's Bijak is such a treasure from which even today new sprouts of knowledge keep sprouting. Kabir's legacy is not limited to Bijak alone. The most prominent and sacred collection of his sayings is found in the Sikh holy book, Guru Granth Sahib. Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who was a contemporary of Kabir, was greatly influenced by Kabir's thoughts. When the fifth Sikh Guru, Guru

54:09 Arjun Dev Ji compiled the Guru Granth Sahib, he gave equal respect to the sayings of Nanak Dev Ji as well as many other saints like Kabir, Ravidas, Namdev. The Guru Granth Sahib contains hundreds of verses and stanzas of Kabir. This is the most important proof of how universal and true Kabir's words were that it got a place in the most sacred text of Sikhism. Apart from this, many sects were also started in the name of Kabir like Kabir Panth which is still propagating his ideas in many parts of India and the world. His legacy still lives on in folk tales, idioms and the everyday language of the common man.

54:54 Kabir was not just a poet or a saint. He was a complete revolution. There was an idea which even today inspires us to confront hypocrisy and follow the path of humanity. Conclusion: The relevance of Kabir in today's era is a voice that still resonates. So friends, this was a short journey of Kabir's life, his journey and his philosophy. We heard the story from his mysterious birth to his death in Maghar. We saw how a simple weaver challenged the thinking of the entire society with the power of his truth, his courage and his love. But now the most important question is, how relevant is Kabir to us today in this 21st century, in this world of technology and busyness

55:42 ? Do his words sound good only in history books or can we still find solutions to our problems in them ? I think and perhaps you will also agree that Kabir has become more important today than ever before. Today when we are fighting with each other in the name of religion and caste. When the market of hatred and violence is hot, Kabir reminds us that Hindus and Muslims are one, two earthen pots. He reminds us that our real religion is humanity. Today when we all are involved in blind competition behind success, money and fame. When stress and depression have become an epidemic, Kabir teaches us the art of living a simple life. He reminds us that Sai, please give us enough to accommodate the family. He

56:30 teaches us the lessons of contentment and simplicity. Today, when we are living in an information explosion but are moving away from knowledge and wisdom , then Kabir warns us by saying, learn the book and learn Jagmuwa. He inspires us to listen to our inner voice, to the wisdom of experience. Kabir's entire life and philosophy is a proof of the fact that truth has great power. He teaches us that if you are with the truth, you do not need to be afraid of anyone. He gives us the courage to ask questions. It inspires us to not accept anything by closing our eyes. He asks us to move away from external pretenses and focus on inner purity. In short, Kabir

57:16 explained to us the true meaning of religion. What is to be done is to unite, not to divide. He told us the true purpose of life which is not to get something, but to be. Thank you very much for accompanying me on this long journey of this audio book. I hope that these words of Kabir have touched some corner of your heart. It might have forced you to think of something new. Kabir is like an ocean and all of us together have just tried to fill one pot with water from it. If you liked any one thing from this audio book, if any one couplet has touched your heart, then please tell us by commenting below. Which one influenced you the most ? If you like our efforts then

58:02 please like this video. Share it with your friends and family so that this message of Kabir reaches as many people as possible. Can reach more people. And yes, if you want to listen to such deep and inspiring audio books in the future too, then do not forget to subscribe to our channel Audio Book Legends and also press that bell icon so that you get the information about every new audio book of ours first. Once again, my heartfelt thanks to all of you. See you in the next audio book with a new story, a new inspiration. Thank you.