Category: Kabir
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The ‘Headless Rower’ of Sant Kabir
नैय्या मोरी नीके नीके चालन लागी आँधी मेघा, कछु ना व्यापेचढ़े संत बड़ भागी।नैया मोरी नीके नीके चालन लागी। – संत कबीर Different paths point towards the same truth. The Zen masters talk of ‘no-mind’, Nisargadatta Maharaj talks of ‘death of mind’. Krishnamurti talks about a state where observer is the observed. All these masters…
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Who is an Avadhuta (अवधूत)?
The word Avadhuta – अवधूत comes quite often in Kabir’s Nirguni Bhajans. In fact, most of the Nirguni Bhajans are addressed to Avadhuta, like this one : युगन युगन हम योगीअवधूता, युगन युगन हम योगीआवे ना जाये मिटे ना कबहुंशब्द अनाहत भोगीअवधूता, युगन युगन हम योगी || Over the years, the biggest obstacle in making sense…
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Sant Kabir’s Wisdom and E.F. Schumacher’s Economics : Drawing Some Parallels
साहेब सो सब होत हैं, बंदे से कछु नाही |राई सो परबत करें, परबत राई माही || Translation : All doing is done by Him (the lord). How can I claim doing something? He can turn a mustard seed into a mountain and fit a mountain in the mustard seed! Nothing comes close to this…
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Kabir Doha on Guru and Guru’s Grace
To learn something, being with a Guru is inevitable. To land up on the truth, one has to unlearn. The role of a Guru in unlearning is equally or more important than it is in the process of learning. Sant Kabir has spoken many Dohas or couplets which highlight the role and importance of Guru’s…
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Kabir, J. Krishnamurti and Nisargadatta Maharaj : One Truth, Three Manifestations
One of the legendary vocalists of India, Pt. Kumar Gandharva would often say something about Ragas in Indian Classical Music which holds equally true for the absolute truth. As he would say, if you just know trunk of an elephant, you have not known the elephant fully. Knowing elephant fully means being able to recognise…
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How would have Sant Kabir responded to the COVID 19 crisis?
How has been the year 2020? I know, everyone would respond differently to this seemingly simple question. The major length and breadth of 2020 has been occupied by the most unexpected phenomenon : COVID 19. As I go out every morning or evening for the routine walk, I can see a shop or two closing…
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Kabir Ke Dohe : पिसती चक्की देख दिया कबीर रोय
पिसती चक्की देख दिया कबीर रोय। दुई पाटन के बीच साबूत बचा न कोय।। Meaning : Kabir cries when he looks at these grinding wheels, churning endlessly (Pisati Chakki) and mercilessly, crushing everyone in between them, not sparing anyone. This is one of the most commonly known Dohas or couplets of Kabir but…
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Key to Happiness : A Few Insights from Ashtavakra Mahageeta
Ashtavakra Muni can be said to be one of the most rational sages we ever had in India. We often think that spirituality is very thinly related to rationality. The root of this misconception lies in the fact that we, our relationships and our society primarily works through a false structure. The structure itself is…
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The Art of Swimming Through Life Without Getting Entangled : Wisdom of Sant Kabir
Kabir. When we hear this name, the picture that our minds create is of a saint, living a minimalistic life while maintaining a distance from the society. Living silently in his Kuti, may be surrounded by a few disciples. Loi, which we all assume to be his wife, would be sitting silently in a corner.…
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Kabir and Krishnamurti : Drawing Some Parallels
Kabir and the simplicity of his words have always stunned me. So has the intensity of the words of Jiddu Krishnamurti. While reading and singing Kabir with one’s totality, one can experience the truth, suddenly flashing like a thunder in the dark sky filled with clouds. On the other hand, when one completely surrenders to…