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Kabir Das

15th century CE (1398-1518)

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Introduction

Kabir Das (1398-1518) is one of the most influential saints and poets of the Indian Bhakti movement. He was a leading poet of the Nirguna Bhakti (devotion to the formless divine) tradition who challenged the external rituals and orthodoxies of both Hinduism and Islam, preaching a message of true devotion, love, and humanity. His dohas (couplets) and sakhis (verses of witness) remain widely popular to this day.

Life

Kabir was born in Kashi (Varanasi). Many legends surround his birth. It is said he was born to a Brahmin widow who, fearing social stigma, abandoned him near the Lahar Tara pond. A Muslim weaver couple named Neeru and Neema raised him.

Kabir received no formal education and earned his livelihood by weaving cloth. He accepted Swami Ramananda as his guru. Throughout his life, Kabir opposed caste discrimination, religious hypocrisy, and superstition. His followers included both Hindus and Muslims. He passed away in Magahar. According to legend, after his death both Hindus and Muslims claimed his body, but when the shroud was removed, only flowers were found in place of the corpse.

Major Works

  • Bijak — The primary collection of Kabir’s utterances, comprising three sections: Sakhi, Sabad, and Ramaini.
  • Sakhi — Didactic verses composed in the doha meter, offering spiritual guidance and moral instruction.
  • Sabad (Shabda) — A collection of lyrical compositions meant to be sung.
  • Ramaini — Mystical verses composed in the chaupai meter.
  • Kabir Granthavali — A comprehensive anthology of Kabir’s complete works.
  • Many of Kabir’s verses are also included in the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism.

Teachings

  • Nirguna Bhakti — God is formless and cannot be found through idol worship, rituals, or outward display, but only through true love and inner purity of heart.
  • Opposition to caste discrimination — Kabir fiercely opposed the caste system and declared that all human beings are children of the same God.
  • Hindu-Muslim unity — He challenged the fanaticism of both religions and taught that Ram and Rahim are names of the same God.
  • Importance of the Guru — Both God and Guru stand before me; whose feet shall I touch first? I bow to the Guru, for it is he who showed me the way to God.
  • Virtue and truth — Kabir emphasized speaking truth, remaining humble, and living a virtuous life.
  • Self-reflection — When I went out looking for evil, I found none. When I searched within myself, I found no one worse than me.