Kabir Das

Kabir Das Jayanti

It is considered that the great poet, Saint Kabir Das, was born in the month of Jyestha on Purnima in the year 1440. That’s why Saint Kabir Das Jayanti or birthday anniversary is celebrated every year with great enthusiasm by his followers and loved ones on the Purnima of Jyestha that lies in the month of May and June.

Kabir Das Jayanti 2023

Kabir Das Jayanti 2023 was celebrated all over India as well as abroad by his followers on the 4^th of June, Sunday.

Biography of Kabir Das

Das Kabir Das, a mystical poet and great Saint of India, was born in the year 1440 and died in 1518. According to Islam, the meaning of the Kabir is something very big and great. Kabir Panth is a huge religious community that identifies Kabir as the originator of the Sant Mat sects. The members of Kabir Panth are known as the Kabir panthis who had extended all over the north and central India. Some of the great writings of the Kabir Das are Bijak, Kabir Granthawali, Anurag Sagar, Sakhi Granth, etc. It is clearly not known about his birth but it is noted that he was raised by a very poor Muslim weavers family. He was very spiritual and became a great Sadhu. He got fame all over the world because of his influential traditions and culture.

It is considered that he got all his spiritual training from his Guru named, Ramananda, in his early childhood. One day, he became a well-known disciple of guru Ramananda. Kabir Das house has been accommodated for students and scholars for living and studying his great works.

There is no clue of the birth parent of the Kabir Das as he was founded in Lehartara, a small town in Varanasi by the Niru and Nima (his caretaker parents). His parents were extremely poor and uneducated but they heartily adopted the little baby and trained him about their own business. He lived a balanced life of a simple householder and a mystic.

Kabir Das Teaching

It is believed that he received his spiritual lessons from Guru Ramananda of Sant Kabir. Initially, Ramananda did not agree to consider Kabir Das his disciple. Once upon a time, Saint Kabir Das was lying on the steps of a pond and was reciting the mantra of Rama-Rama, Ramananda was going to bathe in the morning and Kabir came under his feet. Ramanand felt guilty for that activity and Kabir Das ji urged him to accept him as his student. It is believed that Kabir’s family still lives in Kabir Chaura, Varanasi.

Kabir Matha

Kabir matha is located at the Kabir Chaura, Varanasi, and Lahartara, Varanasi in the back passageways where saints are busy singing Kabir Ke Dohe. It is the place of giving real education of life to the people. Neeru teela was the house of his parents the Neeru and Neema. Now it has become the accommodation for students and scholars who study Kabir’s work.

Philosophies

Sant Kabir was prejudiced by the existing religious mood of that time like Hinduism, Tantrism, as well as the personal devotion, was mixed with the imageless God of Islam. Kabir Das is the first Indian saint who has coordinated Hinduism and Islam by giving a universal path that could be followed by both Hindus and Muslims. According to him, every life has a relationship with two spiritual principles (Jivatma and Paramatma). His view about the moksha was it is the process of uniting these two divine principles.

His great work Bijak has a huge collection of poems that shows Kabir’s general view of spirituality. Kabir’s Hindi was a dialect, simple like his philosophies. He simply followed the unity in God. He has always rejected the murti pujan in Hinduism and shown clear confidence in bhakti and Sufi ideas.

His Poetry

He had composed the poems in a concise and simple style resonating with the admiration of a factual guru. Although being illiterate he had written his poems in Hindi, mixing some other languages like Avadhi, Braj, and Bhojpuri. Although many people insulted him he never gave attention to others.

Legacy

All the poems and songs credited to the Sant Kabir exist in several languages. Kabir and his followers are named according to his poetic response such as banis and utterances. The poems are called dohe, shloka, and Sakhi. Sakhi means to be memorized and to remind the highest Truth. The memorizing, performing, and pondering over these utterances comprises for the Kabir and all his followers a way to the spiritual awakening.

Life History of Kabir Das

Siddhapeeth Kabirchaura Math Mulgadi and his Tradition:

Kabirchaura Math Mulgadi is the home, historical work place and meditation place of the Saint-Shiromani Kabir Das. He was the only saint of his type, known as the “Sab Santan Sartaj”. It is considered as the history of humanity is worthless without Kabirchaura Math Mulgadi just like all the saints are valueless without Saint Kabir. Kabirchaura Math Mulgadi has its own affluent traditions and effective history. It is the home of Kabir as well as the courageous Vidyapeeth for all the saints. The Indian saints of the Madhyakalin India got their spiritual education from this place. It has been proved in the history of human tradition that it is not necessary to go to the Himalayas for deep meditation, but it can be done by living in the society. Kabir Das himself was the ideal indication of this. He is the real indication of the Bhakti, living together with the normal human being life. He showed the way of free Bhakti to the people instead of worshiping stone.

The used things of the Kabir as well as other saints of his tradition are still kept safe and secure in the Kabir Math. The weaving machine, khadau, rudraksha garland (got from his Guru Swami Ramanand), rust-free trident, and all the other things used by the Kabir are available at the Kabir Math.

Historical well:

A historical well is here at the Kabir Math, the water of which is considered as mixed with the Amrit Ras of his Sadhana. It was first guessed by the great Pandit Sarvanand from the south India. He came here for arguing with the Kabir and felt thirsty. He drunk water and ask for address of Kabir from the kamali. Kamali told him the address but in but in the form of dohe of Kabir Das.

Kabir ka ghar sikher par, jahan silhili gal.

Pav na tikai pipil ka, pandit lade bal.

He went to the Kabir for arguing but Kabir never got ready for it and accepted his defeat in a written form and gave it to Sarvanand. Sarvanand returned his home and showed that paper of defeat to his mother and suddenly he saw that the statement turned just opposite. He was greatly influenced by that truth and again returned to the Kashi to the Kabir Math and became the disciple of the Kabir das. He was influenced by such a great level that he never touched any book for the rest of his life. Later, Sarvanand became famous as Acharya Surtigopal Sahab. He became the head of the Kabir Math after Kabir.

How to reach:

Siddhapeeth Kabirchaura Math Mulgadi is located in the famous cultural city of India known as Varanasi. One can reach the place by airlines, railway lines or by road. It is located about 18 Km from the Varanasi Airport and about 3 Km from the Varanasi Junction Railway Station.

Kashi Naresh came here to get a Pardon:

Once upon a time, the Kashi Naresh, Raja Virdev Singh Ju Dev came to the Kabir Math with his wife to get a pardon by leaving his kingdom. The history is: once, Kashi King once called all the saints to his kingdom as he heard a lot about Kabir das. Kabir das reached alone with his small water pot. He poured all the water from the small pot on his legs, the small amount of water started flowing on the ground for a long way and the entire kingdom filled with water, so Kabir was asked about that. He said that a devotee panda, in Jagannathpui, was cooking food in his hut which caught fire.

The water which I poured, was for protecting the hut from being fired. The fire was serious so it was very necessary to get more water from the small bottle. But the King and his followers never accepted that statement and they wanted a real witness. They thought that the fire was caught in the Orissa city and Kabir is pouring water here in the Kashi. The King sent one of his followers for the investigation. The follower returned and told that all the statement of Kabir was true. The king felt very sorry and he and his wife decided to go to the Kabir math to get a pardon. They decided to suicide if they didn’t get a pardon. They got a pardon and from that day the King also became a miserable member of Kabirchaura Math.

Samadhi Mandir:

Samadhi Mandir is constructed at the place where Kabir was used to doing his Sadhana. The journey from Sadhana to Samadhi is considered when a saint visits this place. Even today, it is the place where saints feel a lot of unseen positive energy. This place is famous worldwide for peace and energy. It is considered that, after his death, people were quarreling about taking his body for the Antim Sanskar. But, when the door was opened of his Samadhi room, there were only two flowers, which were distributed among his Hindu Muslim disciples for the Antim Sanskar. The Samadhi Mandir is constructed using the strong bricks of the Mirzapur.

Bijak Mandir at Kabir Chabutara:

This place was the workplace as well as the sadhanasthal of the Kabir das. This is the place where he had given the knowledge of Bhakti, Gyan, Karma, and Manavta to his disciples. The place was named Kabir Chabutara. Bijak was the great work of the Kabir Das, that’s why the Kabir Chabutara was named as Bijak Mandir.

Kabir teri jhopadi, galkatto ke pas.

Jo karega so bharega, tum kyon hot udas.

Kabir Das Contribution to the Country

Saint Kabir Das, a Bhakti and Sufi movement saint of medieval India, is extensively for his Bhakti movement in North India. His life cycle is centered in the region of Kashi (also known as the Banaras or Varanasi). He was related to the weaving occupation and cast of Julaha. His immense contribution towards the Bhakti Movement in India is considered as a pioneered one along with the Farid, Ravidas, and Namdev. He was a saint of combined mystical nature (Nath tradition, Sufism, bhakti) which made him of a distinctive religion of his own. He said that the path of suffering is the real love and life.

In the fifteenth century, people in Varanasi were strongly influenced by the Brahmin orthodoxy as well as learning centers. Kabir Das worked hard to preach his ideology as he belonged to the low caste, Julaha, and made people realize that we all are human. He never felt difference among the people whether they are prostitutes, low caste, or of high caste. He preached to everyone by gathering his followers. He was ridiculed by the Brahmins for his preaching activities but he never criticizes them back and that’s why he was much liked by the common people. He started reforming the mind of common people towards the real truth through his couplets.

He always objected to the ritualistic and ascetic methods as a means of salvation. He said that goodness’s ruby has more value than the ruby mines. According to him, one’s heart with goodness includes all the prosperity of the whole world. A person with mercy has strength, forgiveness has real existence of him, and an individual with righteousness can easily attain the never-ending life. He said that God is in your heart and ever with you, so offer inward worship to him. He had opened the mind of common people by one of his examples that, if the traveler is not able to walk; what can the road do for traveler.

He opened the deep eyes of the people and taught them genuine to lessen of humanity, morality, and spirituality. He was a follower and promoter of the ahimsa. He had turned the people’s minds off his period through his revolutionary preach. There is no real proof and clue about his birth and family, some say he was from a Muslim family; some say he was from a high-class Brahmin family. There was some disagreement among people related to the Muslim and Hindu about the funeral system after his death. His life history is legendary and still teaches human beings real humanity.

The Religion of Kabir Das

According to the Kabir Das, real religion is a way of life the people live it and not made by the people own. According to him, the work is worship and responsibility is like religion. He said that live your life, complete your responsibilities, and work hard to make your life eternal. Never go away from the responsibilities of life like having Sanyasa. He appreciated and valued the family life which is the real meaning of life. It is also mentioned in the Vedas that living life by leaving home and responsibilities is not the real dharma. Living as a householder is also a great and real Sanyasa. Just like, Nirguna sadhus who live a family life, work hard for their daily routine bread as well as chant the name of God.

He has given the people an authentic fact about what is the religion of human beings one should have. Such preaches of him has helped the common people to understand the mystery of life very easily.

Kabir Das: A Hindu or A Muslim

It is considered that after the death of Kabir Das, Hindus and Muslims had claimed for getting the dead body of Kabir Das. Both of them wanted to do the funeral of the dead body of the Kabir Das according to their own customs and traditions. Hindus stated that they want to burn the body as he was a Hindu and Muslims said that they want to bury him under the Mohammedan rites as he was a Muslim.

But, when they removed the sheet from the dead body they found only some flowers at his place. They distributed the flower among each other and completed the funeral according to their own traditions and customs. It is also considered that when they were fighting, the spirit of Kabir das came to them and said that, “I was neither a Hindu nor a Mohammedan. I was both, I was nothing, I was all, I discern God in both. There is no Hindu and no Mussalman. To him who is free from delusion, Hindu and Mussalman are the same. Remove the shroud and behold the miracle!”

The temple of Kabir Das is made at the Kabir Chaura in the Kashi which has now become the great pilgrimage place for the people all over India as well as outside India. And a mosque of him was built by the Muslims over the grave which has become the pilgrimage for Mohammedans.

God of Kabir Das

His Guru Ramanand has given him the name of Lord Rama as a guru-mantra which he had interpreted in his own way. He was devoted to the Nirguna Bhakti and not to the Saguna Bhakti like his Guru. His Rama was an absolute pure Satchitananda, not the son of Dasharatha or king of Ayodhya as he said “Dasaratha ke ghar na janmey, yee chal Maya keenha.” “He was greatly influenced by the Buddhas and the Siddhas over Islamic tradition. According to him, “Nirguna Nama japahu rey Bhaiya, Avigati Ki gati Lakhi Na Jaiya.”

He never differentiated between Allah and Rama, he always preached to the people that these are only different names of one God. He said that there should be a religion of love and brotherhood among people without any high or low class or caste. Devote and surrender yourself towards the God who has no religion or caste. He always believed in the Karma of life.

Death of Kabir Das

Kabir Das, a Sufi poet of the 15th century, there is a belief that he had chosen his own place of death, Magahar, which is located about 240 km away from Lucknow. He has chosen this place to die in order to remove the fairy tale (myth) from the people’s minds. Those days, it was considered that the one who takes his last breathes and dies in the region of Magahar, would never get a place in heaven as well as take birth of a donkey in the next life.

Kabir Das died in Magahar instead of Kashi just because of breaking the myths and superstitions of people. According to the Hindu calendar in Vikram Samvat 1575, he left the world in the Maghar in the month of January in the year 1518 at Magh Shukla Ekadashi. It is also believed that the one who dies in Kashi, go to heaven directly that’s why Hindu people go to the Kashi during their last time and wait for death in order to attain salvation. Kabir Das died out of the Kashi to demolish the myth. One of the famous saying related to this is “jo kabira Kashi mue to rame kaun nihora” which means if there is a simple way to go to heaven just by dying in Kashi then what is the necessity of worshipping God.

The teachings of the Kabir Das are universal and equal to all as he never differentiates among Muslims, Sikhs, Hindus, and others of different religions. There is a mazar and samadhi of the Kabir Das in the Magahar. After his death his Hindu and Muslim followers of the religion fight for the funeral of his body. But when they remove out the sheet from the dead body they only found some flowers taking which they completed the funeral according to their own customs and traditions.

There is a cave a few meters away from the Samadhi indicates his meditation place before death. There is a running trust named Kabir Shodh Sansthan which works as a research foundation in order to promote the research on Kabir Das works. There are running educational institutions as well which includes the teachings of Kabir Das.

Kabir Das: A Mystic Poet

A great mystic poet, Kabir Das, is one of the leading spiritual poets in Indian who has given his philosophical ideas to promote the lives of people. His philosophy of oneness in God and Karma as a real Dharma has changed the mind of people towards goodness. His love and devotion towards God fulfill the concept of both Hindu Bhakti and Muslim Sufi.

It is considered that he was from the Hindu Brahmin family but espoused by the Muslim weavers without a child, Niru and Nimma. He was founded by them into the pond of Lahartara (in Kashi) lying at a huge lotus leaf. At that time there was a lot of disagreement between orthodox Hindu and Muslim people which was the main focus of Kabir Das to resolve that issue by his dohas or couplets.

Professionally he never attended classes but he was a very knowledgeable and mystic person. He wrote his couplets and dohas in the formal language which was greatly spoken at that time which includes Braj, Avadhi, and Bhojpuri as well. He wrote a lot of dohas, couplets, and books of stories based on the social barriers.

Works of Kabir Das

The books written by the Kabir Das are generally collections of dohas and songs. The total works are seventy-two including some of the important and well-known works are Rekhtas, Kabir Bijak, the Suknidhan, Mangal, Vasant, Sabdas, Sakhis, and Holy Agams.

The writing style and language of the Kabir Das is very simple and beautiful. He had written his dohas very boldly and naturally which are full of meanings and significance. He wrote from the depth of his heart. He has compressed the sense of the whole world in his simple dohas and couplet. His sayings are beyond compare and inspiring.

Birth Place of Kabir Das

It is the great pond where Saint Kabir was found by the Neeru and Neema. It is located at the Saint Kabir Math Lahartara in the Kashi.

It is the Saint Kabir Math located in the Lahartara Varanasi. What a great building of peace and real education. Saints from all over the world come here to get a real education.

Kabir Das ke Dohe

“Jab Mein Tha Tab Hari Nahin‚ Ab Hari Hai Mein Nahin,
Sab Andhiyara Mit Gaya‚ Jab Deepak Dekhya Mahin”
“Bada hua to kya hua, jaise ped khajoor
Panthi ko chhaya nahi, phal laage ati door”
“Bura jo dekhan mein chala, bura na milaya koye
Jo man dekha aapna, mujhse bura na koye”
“Guru govind dohu khade, kake lagu paanye
Balihari guru aapne govind diyo bataye”
“Sab dharti kagaj karu, lekhni sab banray
Saat samunder ki masi karu, gurugun likha na jaaye”
“aisi vani boliye, man ka aapa khoye
auran ko sheetal kare, aaphu sheetal hoye”
“Nindak nihare rakhiye, aangan kuti chhaway
Bin pani bin sabun, nirmal kare subhav”
“Bura jo dekhan mein chala, bura na milaya koye
Jo man dekha aapna, mujhse bura na koye”
“Dukh mein sumiran sab kare, sukh mein kare na koye
Jo sukh mein sumiran kare, to dukh kahe ko hoye”
“Maati kahe kumhar se, tu kya rondhe mohe
Ek din aisa aayega, mein rondhugi tohe”
“Chalti chakki dekh kar, diya kabira roye
Do paatan ke bich mein, sabut bacha na koye”
“Malin aavat dekh ke, kaliyan kare pukar
Phoole phoole chun liye, kaal humari baar”
“Kaal kare so aaj kar, aaj kare so ab
Pal mein pralaya hoyegi, bahuri karega kab”
“Pothi padh padh jag muya, pandit bhaya na koye
Dhai akshar prem ka, padhe so pandit hoye”
“Sai itna deejiye, ja mein kutumb samaye
mein bhi bhookha na rahu, sadhu na bhookha jaye”
“Loot sake to loot le, ram naam ki loot
Paache pachhtayega, jab pran jayenge chhoot”
“Maya mari na man mara, mar mar gaye sarir
Asha trishna na mari, keh gaye das kabir”

It is a place where Saint Kabir was used to doing meditation and Bhakti Sadhana.

Related Information

Kabir Das Quotes in English

Kabir Math

Some Frequently Asked Questions