KABR WAS A MYSTIC POET AND SAINT OF

INDIA, WHOSE WRITINGS HAVE GREATLY

INFLUENCED THE BHAKTI MOVEMENT. THE
NAME KABIR COMES FROM ARABIC AL-KABR
WHICH MEANS "THE GREAT" THE 37TH NAME
OF GOD IN ISLAM.

KABIR'S LEGACY IS TODAY CARRIED

FORWARD BY THE KABIR PANTH ("PATH
OF KABIR"), A RELIGIOUS COMMUNITY
THAT RECOGNISES HIM AS ITS FOUNDER
AND IS ONE OF THE SANT MAT SECTS. ITS
MEMBERS, KNOWN AS KABIR PANTHIS,
ARE ESTIMATED TO BE AROUND 9.6
MILLION. THEY ARE SPREAD OVER NORTH
AND CENTRAL INDIA, AS WELL AS
DISPERSED WITH THE INDIAN DIASPORA
ACROSS THE WORLD, UP FROM 843,171
IN THE 1901 CENSUS. HIS WRITINGS
INCLUDE BIJAK, SAKHI GRANTH, KABIR
GRANTHAWALI AND ANURAG SAGAR.

EARLY LIFE & BACKGROUND

KABIR'S EARLY LIFE IS NOT FIRMLY ESTABLISHED. IN
INDIAN TRADITION, HE IS COMMONLY SUPPOSED TO HAVE
LIVED FOR 120 YEARS FROM 1398 TO 1518, WHICH
"PERMITS HIM TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH OTHER FAMOUS
FIGURES SUCH AS GURU NANAK AND SIKANDER LODI",
HOWEVER MOST HISTORIANS STATE THIS TO BE HIGHLY
UNLIKELY. HISTORIANS ARE UNCERTAIN ABOUT HIS DATES
OF BIRTH AND DEATH. SOME STATE 1398 AS A DATE OF
BIRTH, WHEREAS OTHERS FAVOUR LATER DATES, SUCH
AS 1440. SOME ASSIGN HIS DEATH DATE TO THE MIDDLE
OF THE 15TH CENTURY FOR EXAMPLE, 1440 OR 1448 WHEREAS OTHERS PLACE IT IN 1518. LIFESPANS
COMMONLY SUGGESTED BY SCHOLARS INCLUDE FROM
1398 TO 1448, AND FROM 1440 TO 1518.

PHILOSOPHIES
Kabir's legends describe his victory in
trials by sultan, a Brahmin, a Qazi, a
merchant and God. The ideological
messages in Kabir's legends appealed
to the poor and oppressed. David
Lorenzen describes primary purpose of
his legends as a "protest against social
discrimination and economic
exploitation".

LEGACY
A considerable body of poetical work
has been attributed to Saint Kabir. And
while two of his disciples, Bhgods
and Dharmads, did write much of it
down, "...there is also much that must
have passed, with expected changes
and distortions, from mouth to mouth,
as part of a well-established oral
tradition."

poetry
Kabir composed in a pithy and earthy
style, replete with surprise and inventive
imagery. His poems resonate with praise
for the true guru who reveals the divine
through direct experience, and denounce
more usual ways of attempting god-union
such as chanting, austerities, etc. Kabir,
being illiterate, expressed his poems
orally in vernacular Hindi, borrowing from
various dialects including Avadhi, Braj,
and Bhojpuri.

Songs of Kabir is a collection

of his poems, collected by
Kshitimohan Sen from
mendicants across India, that
has been translated to
English by Rabindranath
Tagore.

SONG NUMBER 1.
Akath Kahani Prem Ki, Kutch Kahi Na Jaye
Goonge Keri Sarkara, Baithe Muskae
Translation
Inexpressible is the story of Love , It goes without
Saying
Like the dumb guy who eat sweet Sarkara, he only
Smiles
Meaning
The story of love is to be experienced, it can not be
expressed, it can be known and felt - but not by
the five senses.

SONG NUMBER 2.
Chinta Aisee Dakini, Kat Kaleja Khaye
Vaid Bichara Kya Kare, Kahan Tak
Dawa Lagaye
Translation
Worry is such a Thief, it eats one's heart
What can the poor doctor do, How far will
his medicine reach?
Meaning
Don't worry, be happy.

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