INDIANS IN AUSTRALIA

Peoples faith in spirituality as practiced within a culture sometimes deepens and they march forward, leaving the established hierarchy of their creed behind. Ignoring the real purpose of spirituality, afraid of losing their social eminence, the clever clergy uses peoples faith to exploit them and to silence any and every opposition to their invalid, egoistic and sometimes immoral ritualistic practices. The freedom of people is undermined. Their eagerness and ability to free thinking, to question what does not seem logical is decalred to be heresy. This naked dance of human greed exhibited through some of the most poise and the best is a repeating phenomena occuring in every culture and in every era. This was the situation in some parts of India in the fifteenth century when established clergy held a stranglehold on scriptures, their interpretations and the spirituality in general. Such privy knowledge was reserved for high caste only and was denied to common people of lower castes. Further, spirituality was valid only if it was practised in the Himalayas and within the narrow boundaries of priestly directives.

During such oppressing times, a Brahmin named Ramanujam started what was later known as Bhakti movement. He preached spirituality to the lowest caste and encouraged them to practise it while going about their daily lives. Kabir was one such disciple. Though Kabir's poetry is well known and well studied, very little is known about the man Kabir. He was perhaps a Muslim by birth, a cloth weaver by trade and a Bhakat (devotee) in his Karma or actions. He attained the highest realization and wrote his experiences and teachings in the form of poetry. The language used by Kabir was common everyday spoken Hindi with a mix of other regional languages. This along with the purity of his message popularized his teachings among common people. A large chunk of Kabir's poems has been included and adapted by Sikh Gurus who started a similar movement during the fifteenth and sixteenth century.

Any knowledge or nobility of a culture is a heritage of mankind and must be preserved for the benefit of all. It is the utter arrogance of the custodians to claim ownership of such knowledge. To reclaim it from the clutches of a minor group, it is essential to make it available in a language easily understood by the masses. This is what Tulsidaas, Kabir, Rahim, Surdaas, Nanak and others had done in the fifteenth century India. Since then, the world has become one global village. The language of masses is English in some of the most prosperous and influential nations on earth. India and many other countries in their eagerness to catch up with the technological progress of wealthy nations are fast accepting English as one of the important languages for communication. Right or wrong, justifiable or not, laudable or deplorable, English seems to be replacing all else as the language of the masses in future India and of future mankind. It is vital to translate ancient works of value to mankind into English. This alone can postpone a repitition of fifteenth century hypocracy in the twenty first century.

KABIR's POEMS

Below is a transalation in English (our language of the day) of some those Bhakats of India.

Receiving God's warrants, Kabir surrendered with a weep,
Blissful fellowship of true men, he'll miss in heavens deep.

(Raam bulaava bhejaoy dia Kabira roye, jo sukh sadhu sang mein so baikunth na hoye) (Raam-God sent an invitation, Kabir started weeping, the kind of bliss in sadhu-true man's company, its not there in the heaven.)

On receiving God's invitation to come and enjoy the pleasures of the heavens, Kabir could not control himself and started weeping with sadness. The bliss and ecstacy in the company of Sadhus - realized men of truth is not possible in the heavens or even in God's own abode.

Kabir is indicating that people are more important than heavens and that heaven is not a far away place. Bliss and pleasure of heaven can be experienced here on earth. The real bliss can be obtained only among the company of true, sincere and honest friends.

Difference in a Midas and a Sant's touch be known,
One brightens iron, the other makes common his clone.

(Paaras mein aur sant mein baro antaaro jaan, ik loha kanchan kare, ik kar de aap samaan) (Between persia stone and sant, understand the big difference, one livens up iron, other converts like his own self.)

Grasp the big difference between a Persia stone and a realized man of truth (Sant - a man who is above selfish greed and is therefore beyond pleasure and pain). Midas touch (Persia stone) brightens iron (iron turns into gold merely by the touch of a Persia stone) while the latter transforms one like himself. Persia stone only improves from one form of metal to another. It provides only a new shine and gloss to hard cold metal. A man of truth makes an improvement all the way that he can by making one like himself, a realized man of truth. This way the converted man not only is more valuable in himself, he also acquires all the powers of the realized man and can pass on these to others very much like the realized man did to him.

Manifold is one narcotic, potent more than others,
marijuana stupefies consumers, capital crazes carriers.

(Kanak Kanak te so guni maadakta adhikaye, ik khay bauraat hai, ik paaye bauraay) (Kanak-Gold is hundred times more intoxication than the other Kanak-Opium. One makes crazy on consumption, other makes crazy on possession.) Wealth or effect of having money is no less than and is in fact many times worse and powerful than drugs. While one has to consume, take or shoot drugs in order to go crazy, mere possession of wealth crazes and stupefies the mind. A man with enormous wealth is a powerful tyrant who has utter disregard and contempt for others. As has been said, 'Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.'

In vain is the excellence, of a towering date tree,
No shade for travellers, too remote to feed hungry.

(Barra hua to kya hua, jaisa ped khajoor, Panchchi ko ful nahin, nahin chchanv raahgeer) (So what if one is big/great, like a date tree, neither fruit to the birds, nor shade to travellers.)

So what if one is great, like a date tree, if it gives no fruits to resting birds and provides no shade to weary travellers. Greatness of such a being is useless to those around it. The real measure of greatness lies in the benefits one provides to those that come to or come in contact with it. The value of a being is determined by not what it has but what it can give to others.

Establish like a vast tree, nourishing all year long, fruits in respiting cool shade, birds chirp their songs.

(Tarvaar taas bilambiye, barah maas phalant, seetal chaya gahar phal, panshi keli karant.) (Tree like slow down, be of consequence all twelve months. cool shade and abundant fruits, birds do frolics.) (G. 6/731 p.60)

Torch all buildings of creed, and God will not dare,
Never hurt a loving heart please, for HE lives in there.

( )

Religious men and women often mistake a building to be the house of God. They do not see due to there myopia that the true religion is to love and care for everyone around you. Kabir declares that God can be worshiped and found in true love only. To those who are mistaken that God lives outside their world somewhere high in the sky, he challenges that God will not mind a bit or will not raise a finger if all the houses of all religions that claim to be God's house are burned down.

Kabir delivers a wake up call, arouse from dreams and rise,
what your body lingers with, is your make up o,wise.

(Kabir suta kya kare baitha rahu aru jaag, jis ke sang dehi charo wahi ke sang laag) (Kabir, what do you do sleeping, sit up and wake up, with whom you move your body, that becomes your company.)

Kabir demands to know why you are asleep all the time. He chastises one to sit up and stay awake. The physical company of one becomes there mental make up. If one is asleep one is the company of meaningless dreams which lead one nowhere. He asks his followers to wake up from this world of virtual reality into a higher reality that is beyond everyday happenings and do it through meditation and good deeds.

Responsive cord of love Rahim, do not stretch to snap,
snapped will not fuse again, fused will wear a snag.

(Rahiman dhaga prem ka, na todo kichikaye, tute se phir ye na judhe, judhe to ganth paad jaye) (Rahim says, thread of love, do not break by sudden pull. If broken it won't join again, if joined it will have a knot, a life long grouse.)

A relationship of tenderness and affection is like a strong elastic thread that lends itself to stretch without breaking under pressure. Rahim implores that one should not take such tolerance and elasticity for granted. For if stretched too far to its snapping point, it will break. The broken ends retreat away from each other in opposite directions with a great force. Such a broken cord can never be mended. Efforts to rejoin it will always leave a weak string with an obstructing knot. A reestablished relationship of affection will never be as good as the original unbroken was. The pain and mistrust of the broken past will always linger.

Oil is in ani-seed, fire in a flint stone,
Your lord is inside you, know HIM and awaken.

(Jaise til mein tail hai, jo chakmak mein aag, tera sai tujh mein hain, jaag sake to jaan) (Like oil in ani-seed, like fire in flint stone, your Lord is inside you, know him if you can awaken.)

Kabir asserts that our true self is our only and ultimate Lord. Like oil is in a seed but can not be seen and like fire exists within a flint stone but is not apparent except to a discerning eye, similarly, our true self is within each one of us. It takes a squeezing force to extract oil out of seed. It takes vigorous rubbing to get fire out of a flint stone. Similarly it takes vigorous practice, knowledge and devotion in meditation to find our true self within us. Knowing our true self is like an awakening experience and Kabir challenges us to awaken and find out our true self for our self by our own self.

One exhibits only, one's privy qualities ever,
Never mind Kabir, one knows nothing better.

(Jaaki jaisi vastu hai, vohi dait dikhlaye, banka bura na maniye, vo lain kahan se jaaye) (What one has, one shows that only, do not feel bad about it, where else can he get anything.)

One shows what one has, do not feel bad towards him for he has no way of knowing and behaving any better. Do not get mad on people if they do not come up to your expectations or if they show or do bad towards you. We all can give to others only what we have. A bad man will show only badness for that is all he has got. It is no fault of his for he can not go and get anything else from anywhere. Instead of getting mad on him, we should impart some of our goodness to him so that he can start giving his goodness to others. Kabir implores us not to condemn people because they are not as we would like them to be. Be good towards everyone including bad, misguided and incompetent people. We should not lose our equipoise when we come in contact with them and return their badness with our badness. We should give what we have i.e our goodness to everyone.

Kabir pleaded loudly, to scribble two dictates,
money is greed's slavery, given away it emancipates.

(Kahe Kabir pukar ke, do baaten likh dey, Paisa huv ke bandagi, bhukhon ko kachu dey) (Kabir calls out, scribe two things, money is greeds life, give some to hungry.)

Kabir pleads with his scribe not to forget two most important things he had ever to say about money. First that money is the sole reason for the existance of greed. Greedy men acquire money and they talk about money and they value others by their money alone. Greed driven men endavour to gather money from all over and imprison it in their vaults. The second important thing Kabir has to say is about freeing up the money from its imprisonment.

Money can be emancipated by giving it away to hungry and poor people only. As men are salvaged through meditation, money can only be salvaged by giving it away to poor people who actually need it. He implores rich not to lock away their money but to use it for the benefit of those who are less fortunate than them.

Money enslaves its collecter, circulator it emancipates, Spender it provides with luxury, hoarders freedom it decimates. (Surinder)

Some fools mistake currency or money to be the Goddess of wealth. They worship, conserve and protect their acquired wealth. Such people out of their mistaken notion or as a covering for their naked greed keep acquiring more and more. They collect money all their life. All their efforts, their energy and their time is wasted in gathering more and more. Such men are foolish. They are wasting their precious freedom by handing it over to pursuit of money and become its slaves. Like a slave, they serve it by collecting it from all over and then guarding it with all their strength and might.

Money or currency should not become our master but must serve us as our slave. Like a servant hired by us we should use it to alleviate our sufferings and to convinience our lives. It should be used to help us provide comforts and aid us in our goals. We should become the master of our wealth and direct its flow to our benefit rather than it controlling and directing our lives and our actions.

An era telling rosary, mind continued its sway,
forsake the beaded rosary, arrest the mind's runaway.

(Maala pherat jug bhaya, mita na man ka pher, kar ka manka chod de, man ka manka pher) (have been telling rosary beads since an era, minds wandering did not halt, leave the beads in your hand, move the beads of your heart.)

Kabir deplores those meditators who have been reciting a mantra every time they move a bead of their chaplet while their mind has continued its wanderings. The real purpose of reciting mantra during meditation is to control the wanderings of the mind and to make it focus on the meditation itself. To those who have not been able to control their mind's runaway thoughts during meditation, Kabir prescribes that they should forget their spiritual pretense of moving chaplet beads and should instead move the beads of their heart. He asks such pretend meditators to soften their hearts and purify their actions before they attempt further meditation.

Beads twist in the hand, toungue twists up and down, mind twists everywhere, thats not meditation o'clown.

(Maala to kaar mein phire, jeebh phire mukh mahi, manua to chahu dish phire, ye to simran nahi) (Rosary rotates in the hand, tounge rotates inside the mouth, mind wanders in all four directions, this is no remembering.)

To those who mistake the ritual of moving chaplet beads while chanting the name of God, to be prayers and worship, Kabir exhtorts for wasting their time. He describes their physical motions of churning of the beads, moving of the tongue and making loud sounds while their mind continues its world wide journey as a deplorable pretense. He asserts that these outer and physical actions are useles if they are not accompannied by an inner calming of the mind.

Conscious of meditation, poised hush on your face,
desist outer solicitation, unfold the inner space.

(Sumran surat lagaye ke, mukh se kachu na bol, bahar ke paat band kar, andar ke paat khol) (Remember the face, do not say anything from your mouth, close the outer doors, open the inner doors)

Kabir asks such pretend meditators to shut their mouth into silence and to immerse their mind and thoughts in meditation on universal love and truth. Such silent meditation and a journey to the inside is the only way to peace, happiness and bliss. He asks to shut all the outer doors so that one becomes aware of the inner doors and can meet one's own SELF.

Do not love your sleep, not waste life o dreamer,
illusion is this world, like a dream in slumber.

(Kabir soya kya kare, naa kar neend se payar, jaisa supna rain ka, waisa ye samasr) (Why are you sleeping Kabir , do not fall in love with sleep, like a dream of night, is this world.)

Kabir declares that through meditation one finds ones true self. The experience of meeting and knowing ones true self changes ones life forever. It is like an awakening experience. One realizes the extinction of ego and with that wakes up to ones real identity. Once experienced, one can never slip back into ego and ego driven pursuits. One still carries on daily duties (as Kabir continued his profession and daily routine of a cloth weaver on a hand loom) but doing it out of joy and love rather than as a drudgery and compulsion.

The experience of meeting ones self is like waking from a dream and realizing that chasing material goals and pursuits is like chasing a pot at the end of a rainbow. He asks not to fall in love with the material world and its futile exhausting exertions. It is frugle like falling in love with the dream world of night dreams.

Ask not caste of a good soul, ask for wisdom prudence,
Value ever the essence, disregard outer appearence.

(Jaat na pucho sadh ki, pucho sadh ka gyan, moal karo talwar ki, pari rahan do mayan) (Do not ask the caste of a holy man, ask about his knoweldge, bargain the price of sword, leave the scabbard alone.)

The gender, race, caste, parentage, nationality and clan etc. are only superficial appearances and are irrelevant. Kabir says that one should look deeper than the skin or the packaging. It is the contents rather than the packaging that matters. A good man should be measured by his goodness, by his virtues and by his knowledge. One buys a sword for its value in fightng and not for how it looks. The scabbard, the pouch for keeping a sword should neither be a deciding factor nor an influencing factor in buying a sword. The utility of sword is realized only when it is out of the scabbard and that is how it should be appraised.

Start tomorrows charge today, achieve todays onus now,
Doom strikes any time, mission incomplete and you go.

(Kaal kare so aaj kar, aaj kare so aab, paal mein pralaya hoyegi, bahuri karega kaab) (Do tomorrows today, do todays now, dooms day may come any second, when will you do it then.)

Laziness is our biggest enemy. We all have twenty four hours and still some of us claim that they do not have enough time. Kabir says that we should not procrastinate or postpone things. If we have to do something, let us do it now. If we keep postponing it, we will never find time to do it.

Scouting for crooked men, not a single crooked soul,
glanced at my own self, peeked every wicked force.

(Bura jo dekhan main chala, bura naa milya koye, jo dekha munn apnaa, to mujhse bura naa koye) (I went looking for bad; did not find anyone bad, when I looked at my own self; no one is bad than me.)

We like things and people that are conducive to fullfilling our desires and goals. We dislike and term evil as things that are inconducive to fullfilling our desires. When things do not go as we want them to, we find somebody else to blame, someone else is at fault, someone else is bad. So easily do we jump to join in the condemnation of bad acts of others that we never have any time to look into our own selves.

Kabir says that if we go out looking for bad and evil men, everyone we come across will have some evil tendency except our own self. It is only the realized men who can see things more objectively. They recognize their own bad tendencies. That is why Kabir says that one should look into one's own self to find all the badness which we have been projecting onto others and blaming them for. This is the only way to purge our own bad tendencies. Having done that, we will have only goodness to project on to others and will find everyone else to be good. Finding goodness in everyone else realized men do not find anyone else to be bad.

I am the worst of all, all are good but me, those who realize it all, are friends ever of me.

(Kabir, I am the worst of all; all are good except me, Those who have realized the same thing are my friends) (Sloka-7)

Futile are tricks to a seeker, this be no wonder,
desireless unseeking love for all, is HIS only tender.

(Chaturai hari naa mile, aye battan kee baat, ek nisprehi niradhar ka, gahak gopinaath.) (One can not reach Self through cleverness, this is fundamental of all wisdoms. Of desireless love without reason, God is a yielding seeker.) (Granthavali p36,v22)

Many people and religions beleive in ritualistic practices to please or reach God. Kabir says that this are all tricks and useless ones. There is no shortcut to spirituality, there is no benefit of any ritual if one is deviod of love for other beings. God is the creation and to love God, one must love all the creation, all the beings in it. This is the only way to spirituality for God understands and speaks only one language the language of love for everyone. If one has love for everyone that is not based on any self centered desire, such a person does not have to search for HIM any more. For God is always searching for such beings and is a willing customer of such a love. HE will find and fullfill the spirituality and all other needs of such an unseeking and desireless lover.

Fanciful greets delusion, showers charming affection,
Tricked faces enlightened, shatters illussive shackles.

(Jhuthe ku jhuta mile, duna bandhe sneh, jhuthe ko sancha mile, tub he tute neh.) (False meets false, they attach with double affection. False meets truth, that is when illusions are broken.) (Page 34, (17/425) Granthavali)

Kabir, society of good men, ever helps alleviate,
buffing timber with sandalwood, never runs to waste.

(Kabir sangati sadh ki, kade naa nirphal hoi, chandan hosi bandhana, neeb na kehsi koi) (Kabir company of true men, never does it go without results. to tie sandalwood to ordinary timber items, no body thinks it is a waste.) (Granthavali p 38, v1/479)

Kabir, society of good men, energizes in two ways, banishes evil wickedness, secures wisdom's stay.

(Kabir sangati sadh ke, baigi karije jai, durmati dur gawainsi, desi sumati batai) (Kabir, company of true men, does two things. looses evil mindedness / wickedness far away, shows and gives wisdom.) (Granthavali p 38, v2/482) 20.

Rain water in a trench, Kabir, unfit to consume, flow in holy Ganges, is pure for every use.

(Kabir khai koat ki, pani pive naa koi, aai mile jab gang mein, tab saab gangodik hoi.) (Kabir, stagnant, algae ridden water of a ditch, nobody drinks. When it joins in the river Ganges, all of it becomes pure and noble ganagodik.) (Granthavali p 39, v8/488)

River Ganaga flows from Kailash mountains in Himalaya and ends up in the Indian ocean traversing through the Ganges plains.

Ganga water has a unique property of cleanliness that is not found in any other river on earth. Its water is always pure and clean and does not putrefy no matter what amount of organic pollutents flow into it. Its water stored in a container stays pure and clean of bacteria for ever. As it flows through many cities with industries and humans dumping their waste into it, it seems to get polluted. However a few miles downstream, the river Ganges water returns to its original purity and cleanliness. For this property, Ganges is worshipped as a holy river, the ultimate in purity and its water is considered to be scared.

Kabir says that nobody would like to drink stinking, stenching water of a dirty ditch. However when the same water flows into river Ganges and becomes part of it, it becomes as pure as Ganges water itself. The repulsive water of that ditch after coming in contact with pure Ganges becomes as pure, noble and sacred as Gangodik or Ganges water. It can be used as a sacred water from a holy river.

Kabir is using this analogy to emphasize the effect of good company. It can transform even the most wretched, most evil and most hated into ultimate in purity, holiness and noblilty.

He also indicates that the most evil person becomes God like when one discovers and merges with one's own SELF through meditation.

Kabir, this house of true love, has no easy street,
renounce all to serve love, then you own the lease.

(Kabir yeh ghar prem ka, khala ka ghar nahi, sees utaare hathi kare, so paise ghar mahi.) (Kabir this is house of love, not a parental refuge. To chop off own head and hold it in hands, only they are allowed to come in and stay.) (G. p54, v19)

True love is not a child's play and the house of love is no house of refuge. It is a house of determination, courage and sacrifices. Fullfilling true love to someone requires sacrifices not dreamt of in the begining. It requires almost total surrender of the self, thoughts and desires on the alter of love. Only those who have this capacity to give up ones life willingly for a cause are fit to enter and reside in the house of love or claim to be in true love.

Love grows not on pastures, comes not from enterprise, King and common treasure it, succumb entirely and realize.

(prem naa kheton neepuje, prem na hati bikai, raja parja jis ruche, sir de so le jai.) (Love does not grow in fields, love does not sell in shops. King and common relish it, who gives head takes it away.) (G. p55 v21)

Everyone from the most powerful kings to a common man are looking for true love but can not find it. Love can not be bought or grown. Those select few who make the highest scarifices for true love steal it away while the rest keep hoping and watching.

Until time wears this body, until age makes you meager,
until health holds you hearty, get to know your creater.

(Jab tak kaal ghasi nahin kaya, jab tak jara roag nahin aya, jab tak vikal huai nahin wani, kar le re maan bhajan prani.) (until time has not worn out your body, until the disease of old age has not caught up with you. Until your voice has not become feeble, meditate on your inner self.)

Kabir excuse demerits, select merits from anyone,
bee harvesting honey, collect rememberance of everyone.

(Kabir augunn naa gahen, Gunn hee ko le beeni, ghat ghat mahu ke madhup joyun, par atam le chinhin.) (Kabir, do not catch hold of demerits, pick up only merits. Like black bee to verigated honey, take a token of rememberance from other souls.) (Granthavili, p43 v3/539)

Merit has a buyer, its worth is million strong, buyer holds no merit, merit goes for a song.

(jub gunn ku gahak mile, tub gunn lakh bikai, jub gunn ko gahak nahin, tub kori badale jai) (When merit has a buyer, then merit is valued in millions. When merit has no buyer, it is given away for a penny.) (G. 1/49 p. 61)

Speak with such a speak, dismissing ego's bearer,
Composes speaker's body, delights every listener.

(aisi vani boliye, mun ka aapa khoi, apana tan seethal kare, auran ko sukh hoi.) (Utter such speak, sovereign of your mind and ego. Cools and comforts own body, provides bliss to others.) (G. p 44, v9/558)

Remember creater inhaling, waste no exhale ever,
know sure this respiration, no body enjoys forever.

(Shwas shwas mein naam le, vyartha shwas no hoye, naa jane yeh shwas ka aawan hoye naa hoye) (Remember HIM with every exhale, do not waste any exhale. one never knows this respiration, may continue coming or not.)

Decrepit bodies whirling minds, put firm to gratify lust,
as people trial sensuous demands, TIME laughs in disgust.

(Kaachi kaya munn athir, thir kanm karant, jayun jayun nur nidharak phiren, tayun tayun kaal hasant.) (Flimsy body wavering/unsteady mind, constantly engaged in lustful activities. As men dare more and more unmindful, so the lord of time laughs.) (G. 30/723 p. 60)

Equal is swan to nightingale, body colour shape no measure,
same ingredients caused us all, potter made myriad treasure.

(Soham hansa ek samaan, kaya ke gunn aannahin aan, maati ek sakal sansaara, bahuvidhi bhaande gharhe kumbhara.) (Black nightingale and white swan are made alike, physical bodies qualities are not the measure. Everything in this world is made of the same clay, potter makes his pots in many different ways.) (G. p82 v53)

One air one water one planet, one strain of ancestors, same genus grew us all, there is only one CREATOR.

(ekai pawan ek he paani, ek jaati sansaara, ek he khaak ghareh sub bhaande, ek he sirjanhara.) (Same air same water, there is only one caste in the world. All pots are made of the same dirt, of the same Creater.) (G. p82 v55)

Commissioned every piligrimage, home far and abroad,
saints refuse to heed me, what's wrong with me O'Lord.

(haaj kaabe hai hai gaya, keti baar Kabir, miran mujh main kaya khata, mukhan naa bolen peer.) (Piligrimaged to Haaj and Kaaba, many many times, Kabir. Priest, what is wrong with me, GOD will not speak through HIS mouth to me.) (G. p67 v6/796)

Kabir, wake up to the real truth, O'simpleton,
HE who lets us see it all, knows no religion.

(Kahe kabir chetahu bhondhu, bolanhaara Turk naa Hindu.) (Kabir says, wake up simpleton, one who speaks through us all is neither a Turk nor a Hindu.) (G. p82 v56)

Sati blazing for true love, not when he was alive,
had you lived to true love, no cause to flare twice.

(Hoan tohi pucho hai sati, jeevat kayon na marai, muvan peeche saat kare, jeevat kayu na karai.) (I ask you o' Sati, why did not die living. after death want to be a truthful, why did not do while alive.) (G. p56 v38)

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