Kabir
Kabir (1440-1518), a low caste weaver in Banares, was in many respects the pioneer of Hindi devotional verse, using the vernacular to popularize religious themes drawn from both Hindu and Muslim traditions. Though his fundamental concepts are chiefly Hindu, Muslim influence is reflect in his holding to a strict theism, opposition to all forms of idolatry and rejection of caste. God for Kabir is usually called Ram, and is frequently regarded as the divine Guru or Teacher. The mystical conceptions and the phraseology itself of Kabir's verses reflect strong Sufi influences juxtaposed to traditional Hindu doctrines. His poetry is often ungrammatical and borrows freely from both Sanskrit and Persian vocabularies, yet it is direct and forceful. Numerous couplets and didactic saying are attributed to Kabir and constitute much of the folk-wisdom of the average Hindu. During his lifetime Kabir organized a religious order of monks and nuns, who funished teachers and leaders of the community and otherwise propagated his teachings.
Excerpt:
O Lord Increate, who will serve Thee?
Every votary offers his worship to the God of his own creation: each day he receives service--
None seek Him, the Perfect: Brahma, the Indivisible Lord.
They believe in ten Avatars; but no Avatar can be the Infinite Spirit, for he suffers the results of his deeds:
The Supreme One must be other than this.
The Yogi, the Sanyasi, the Ascetics, are disputing one with another:
Kabir says, "O brother! he who has seen the radiance of love, he is saved."
If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong?
If Ram be within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage, then Hari is in the East: Allah is in the West. Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
All the mean and women of the world are His living forms.
Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: His is my Guru, He is my Pir.*
Source: De Bary, WM. Theodore. Sources of Indian Tradition. New York: Columbia University Press, 1958.
(Above is a children's animation of extremely popular sayings and stories from the life of Kabir.)
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