Kabir Mat: The Teachings of the Kabir Lineage of Masters
By James Bean     Below are excerpts from three spiritual classics of the Sant tradition, from the sangat of Kabir, also known as the Dharamdasis – satsangs affiliated with the lineage founded by Sant Dharam Dass. Quite often, Dharamdasi Kabir Panth literature is presented in the format of a “dialogues gospel”, a kind of Kaberian catechism or question and answer session between Guru Kabir and his beloved disciple Sant Dharam Dass. The texts quoted below are, The Anurag Sagar or Ocean of Love, abstracted by Baba Kehar Singh, published by the Association of Radha Swami, Dera Baba Bagga Singh, Tarn Taran, in the Punjab; the Brahm Nirupan, translated in English in the Kabir Voice newsletter by Dr. Jagessar Das, president of the Kabir Association of Canada; and, Amar Mul, the abstract of Amar Mul by O.P. Ralhan, found in the book, Sant Kabir, Mira Bai, Shaikh Farid, Bhikan, and Surdas, Anmol Publications of New Delhi.

“Dharam Dass is warned that he must first purify his own heart and mind before he can so preach to others that they can obtain mukti [liberation/salvation, jivan mukti] and escape from the toils of transmigration.” (Amar Mul)

“Those who practice true Bhakti [spiritual love and devotion] save themselves and others, spend all they have in helping others. They speak the truth to all, cherish the True Name in their hearts, suffer not feelings of anger to arise, speak under the influence of the Name, reason about Knowledge [Gnosis, spiritual experience or realization], and teach the doctrine of the Shabda [The Light and Sound of God, True Naam/Name or Word.” (Amar Mul)

“God himself is the Word that cannot be uttered, and himself the Word that speaks to all; himself is Formless and himself is all the forms; he is both Nirguna [Formless] and Saguna [Form].” (Amar Mul)

“The Satguru [Kabir] explains that all sense of duality is due to Maya [illusion], that when man knows himself he becomes himself, and when he realize himself he unites with God. Until he knows himself he weeps and cries, and wades through the swamp of delusion.” (Amar Mul)

“Dharam Dass asks how it is that Jivas [souls] fail to realize their unity with God. The Satguru replies:

All the Jivas came from Satya-Loka [True Realm] undefiled and devoid of Karma. The clouds lift up the water from the ocean and rain down pure water, but in contact with the earth the water becomes impure. Then is the Jiva embraced by Maya [illusion]; the body at birth is defiled by Karma. As the air purifies the impure water, so does Gyan [Gnosis, spiritual Knowledge or realization] remove Karma and the purity of the Jiva is restored. Knowing itself, it separates itself from the water and being disembodied reaches the Durbar [The Abode, Satya Loka]. The Atma [soul] mingles with Paramatma [God], as the rivers flow into the ocean. Only in this way can Paramatma be found. The Atma without Shabda [Divine Light-Sound] is blind and cannot find the Path. He who sees Atma-Raam [Ever-present Lord of the Soul] is present everywhere; all he sees is like himself, there is nought else beside God.” (Amar Mul)

“Dharam Dass, the effect of the ‘Word’ is beyond description. I tell you one thing more that if you practice that ‘Word’, then the fear of the messengers of God of Death vanishes. This ‘Word’ can be had only from a Satguru. He himself is God. Only he has the power to give the ‘Word’ to you. This Sound Current is the thread which takes you from this world to Anami Lok [Nameless Plane]. Its one end is tied to Anami Lok and the other end is in the hands of Guru. Guru and God are connected together. In fact they are inseparable. One who is initiated by a Guru, merges in Him. Further Guru is one with God. God is a friend of Guru. If we develop friendship with Guru, then God also becomes our friend and thus we can meet Him.” (Anurag Sagar)

“For the destruction of doubts, only Satguru’s name is effective [the sacred name(s) given by the Satguru given during initiation]. There is definitely no other method, other than God’s name.” (Brahm Nirupan)

“The devotee who serves such an enlightened Satguru with his body, mind and wealth, conquers old age and death, and definitely goes to dwell in the eternal abode. The eternal abode is Truth. Truth is the only religion. Truth is the name of God. Truth is the true guru. Truth is Enlightenment.” (Brahm Nirupan)

“The Light of Knowledge shines forth when God abides in the heart. Then Karma and Dharma are obliterated; then there is neither coming nor going.” (Amar Mul)

“The person who always meditates on the feet of Satguru, will not have sufferings and fear. Similarly, birth and death are also abolished.” (Brahm Nirupan)

“Dharam Dass, listen further. One who becomes a pure soul (Hans) and merges in Him, he is saluted by the lord of death. Just as we can see our image in a mirror but cannot touch it, similarly we can ‘see’ the ‘Word’ inside us. Our body is composed of five elements – earth, water, air, fire and ether. But the ‘Word’ is beyond them.” (Anurag Sagar)

“Dharam Dass, the Imperishable Name is the essence of all mantras, therefore carefully remember it. It is indeed the name that gives liberation. It is above all other names and is really the Eternal Name of God himself. It is said that the five gross elements of earth, water, fire, air and ether are perishable, and that the soul is imperishable. But the Imperishable Name is different from these. Therefore listen attentively to its nature.” (Brahm Nirupan)

“Explaining ‘Word’ or Sound Current, Kabir says that for practical purpose the Sound Current assumes the form of Guru in this world and reforms the souls. Satguru carries a message from God and ties us to the thread of Naam Simran (i.e. concentration on the Word). If this Naam Simran is interrupted or given up, then we can never reach that Ultimate Power. We will be left behind and below.” (Anurag Sagar)

“Take the example of a hand pump. After it is installed, the water from the ground can be pumped only after some water from outside is first put in the pump. This outside water creates the necessary vacuum for the ground water to move up. Similarly the ‘Naam’ or ‘Word’ given by the Guru connects us to the ‘Word’ already present inside us. If we practice with devotion, we can taste the nectar of Naam.” (Anurag Sagar)

In the beginning we do Simran of Naam with the tongue [repeating Names of God verbally]. Slowly when we transcend to go inside, then this Simran [repetition] goes on without the tongue [is done mentally instead of out loud]. We get hands and feet of the Inner World to proceed further on the journey of Inner Worlds. When Kaal [lord of time and illusion] is confronted, he surrenders and salutes and further requests to place our feet on his head to go further.” (Anurag Sagar)

“Ajapa Jaap i.e. repetition of the Naam from the heart without the movement of tongue now starts and one hears the Sound Current in a very natural state. [The repetition of Names of God eventually leads one to the True or Real Name of God, which is the Sound Current.] Thus one proceeds further on the Path shown by Guru. The mind, which moves with the speed of wind, now becomes calm and one transcends the mind and further one does not care for worldly things. The Sound is heard without the movement of tongue.” (Anurag Sagar)

“For this Ajapa Jaap one does not require rosary. In this way the soul catches the Sound Current and reaches the ever lasting Anami Lok where there is neither death nor birth.” (Anurag Sagar)

“He reaches the tenth door. The tenth door is above the thousand-petalled lotus and reaching there the devotee hears the Unstruck Melody in meditation. A devotee who controls the mind and practices hearing the divine Melody, reaches the difficult to obtain state of union of the right and left nerve currents in the central channel in meditation. These three meet at the Third Eye. In deep silence the devotee sees the intense Eternal Light of Reality. Above the Third Eye there are three states of silences – the beginning, middle and end. These three states of silence merge or dissolve into the eternal Light. He who does not know the secret of these cannot be said to be a Vaishanava. When consciousness in meditation reaches the thousand-petalled lotus, it then rises to the eight lotus of above. This is called Unmani Chakra. In this state the devotee sees the divine Light without there being a lamp and hears the divine Melody without musical instruments.” (Brahm Nirupan)

“Sat Guru Kabir said that the yogi who practices meditation will rise above all of these (the chakras) and going above the Eighth Chakra, reaches a region where the lotus has countless petals. The yogi then sees the Light of millions of moons and suns, and becomes silent. When one, through realization, reaches the eternal abode, he hears beautiful music that is played without hands, and sees elegant dancing performed without feet. This is a transcendental state in which bliss is experienced. In this transcendental state one hears heavenly speech and heavenly singing without the use of ears and mouth. The divine Melody is always resounding when one becomes attuned to it through diligent practice. In that state one sees countless, beautiful, divine forms but without the use of eyes. And there one sees and feels soothing waves rising constantly when there is no water. In that state one sees countless pure and resplendent gems. Their glittering Light is infinite and eternal. This is an inner state of Enlightenment. When the yogi reaches this state of realization, he becomes aware that the Self is free of the support of the body, space, heaven and earth. His consciousness rises above the physical and astral forms, and then even death becomes his servant. This state of consciousness is one of unity with God.” (Brahm Nirupan)

“This is the state beyond all letters and language. It is a state of existence itself This is a state of super consciousness and the Self then dissolves into the Eternal Being. Nirakshar Purush is the Absolute Being whose dwelling place is a vast region called Pushpdweep. The devotee who contemplates regularly with a concentrated mind on the Nirakshar Shabd, which is the essence of the Absolute Being, will, by the grace of Satguru, reach that abode.” (Brahm Nirupan)

“Dharam Dass, on reaching Anami Desh one sees Satpurush [True Being] and one finds that the Light of a micro-part of Satpurush is greater than that of billions of suns and moons. His glamour is beyond description. Here the Light of the soul becomes greater than the Light of sixteen suns. The soul’s own Light is equal to 12 suns in Daswan Dwar.” (Anurag Sagar)

“The Satguru explains that he was once in Satya Loka [First True Plane or Heaven], or rather beyond it, and that he then saw what is indescribable; that the form of Purusha was wonderful, to be imagined, not described; that the abodes in Satya Loka were innumerable and that in all Hansas [souls] was discernible the one Word. In the Loka of Kabir he saw the forms of many Kabirs, butlooking again he saw that it was but one form multiplied. In the Light of the true Shabda all is one, there is no second.” (Amar Mul)