Kabir

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Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

Kabir (कबीर) was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint, whose writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti movement and his verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Guru Granth Sahib

Variants

Early life

The years of Kabir's birth and death are unclear.[1][2] Some historians favour 1398–1448 as the period Kabir lived,[3] while others favour 1440–1518.[4][5][6]

Many legends, inconsistent in their details, exist about his birth family and early life. According to one Dass, Nirmal (1991). Songs of Kabir from the Adi Granth. Albany, NY: SUNY Press. ISBN 0791405605.p.5, Kabir was born to a Brahmin unwed mother in Varanasi, by a seedless conception and delivered through the palm of her hand,[7] who then abandoned him in a basket floating in a pond, and baby Kabir was picked up and then raised by a Muslim family.[8][9]

Kabir's family is believed to have lived in the locality of Kabir Chaura in Varanasi. Kabīr maṭha (कबीरमठ), a maṭha located in the back alleys of Kabir Chaura, celebrates his life and times.[10] Accompanying the property is a house named Nīrūṭīlā (नीरू टीला) which houses Niru and Nima graves.[11]

Kabir Chaura is a locality in Varanasi, India. It is known as the place where mystic poet and saint Kabir grew up.[12] The word 'Chaura' is a distortion of 'Chauraha', literally meaning a four-way crossing (chau meaning "four"; raha meaning "way").

Philosophy

His early life was in a Muslim family, but he was strongly influenced by his teacher, the Hindu bhakti leader Ramananda.[13] Kabir was born in the Indian city of Varanasi but spent most of his life in the city of Faridabad near Delhi.

Kabir is known for being critical of both Hinduism and Islam, stating followers of both were misguided by the Vedas and Quran, and questioning their meaningless rites of initiation such as the sacred thread and circumcision respectively.[14] During his lifetime, he was threatened by both Hindus and Muslims for his views. When he died, both Hindus and Muslims he had inspired claimed him as theirs.[15]

Jat clans

History

मगहर

मगहर (AS, p.693): जिला संत कबीर नगर, उ. प्र. में स्थित है. उत्तर भारत के प्रसिद्ध संत कबीर का मृत्यु स्थान. इनकी मृत्यु 1500 ई. के लगभग हुई थी. तत्कालीन लोकविश्वास के अनुसार मगहर में मृत्यु अशुभ समझी जाती थी. इस विश्वास को झुठलाने के लिए ही ये महात्मा मृत्यु से पहले मगहर चले गए थे. उनका कहना था कि जो ‘कबीरा काशी मरे तो रामहिं कौन निहोरा’. कहा जाता है कि मगहर में मरने के उपरांत उनकी चादर के नीचे केवल फूल मिले थे जिन्हें हिंदू-मुसलमानों ने आधा-आधा बांट कर अपने अपने धर्म की नीति के अनुसार कबीर की समाधि बनवाई. आमी नदी के दाहिने तट पर दोनों समाधियां आज भी विद्यमान है. [16]

लहरताल

लहरताल (AS, p.814) अथवा वाराणसी (उत्तर प्रदेश) से तीन मील की दूरी पर स्थित एक झील है। एक किंवदंती के अनुसार यह माना जाता है कि उत्तर भारत के प्रसिद्ध संत कवि कबीर का जन्म यहाँ हुआ था। कहा जाता है कि कबीर एक विधवा ब्राह्मणी के पुत्र थे। वह विधवा स्त्री लोकलाज से बचने के लिए नवजात शिशु को इस ताल के किनारे डाल गई थी। दैवात् उधर से नीमा तथा नीरू नाम के जुलाहा दंपति जा रहे थे। वे इस बालक को ममतावश घर ले आए और उसे पालपोस कर बड़ा किया। लहरताल एक शांतिपूर्ण एवं रमणीक स्थान है और इसके निकट घने वृक्षों का उपवन है। इसके पास ही कबीर का एक पुराना मंदिर है। कबीर का जन्म संभवतः 1397 ई. में हुआ था। [17]

External links

References

  1. Lorenzen, David (1991). Kabir Legends and Ananta-Das's Kabir Parachai. SUNY Press. p. 12-18.
  2. Dass, Nirmal (1991). Songs of Kabir from the Adi Granth. Albany, NY: SUNY Press. ISBN 0791405605.p.14
  3. Hess, Linda; Singh, Shukdev (2002). The Bijak of Kabir. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-8120802162.
  4. Lorenzen, David N. (2006). Who invented Hinduism?: essays on religion in history. New Dehli: Yoda Press. ISBN 8190227262.
  5. Kabir Encyclopædia Britannica (2015
  6. Dass, Nirmal (1991). Songs of Kabir from the Adi Granth. Albany, NY: SUNY Pres,p.106
  7. Hess, Linda; Shukdev Singh (2002). The Bijak of Kabir. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-8120802162.p.5
  8. Hess, Linda; Shukdev Singh (2002). The Bijak of Kabir. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-8120802162.pp.4-5
  9. Kabir Encyclopædia Britannica (2015)
  10. Schomer, Karine; McLeod, William Hewat (1987). The Sants: Studies in a Devotional Tradition of India. Berkeley Religious Studies Series. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 978-81-208-0277-3. OCLC 925707272. p. 291.
  11. Neeru Teela (Mound)
  12. India Heritage Hub
  13. Kabir Encyclopædia Britannica (2015)
  14. Kabir Encyclopædia Britannica (2015)
  15. Hugh Tinker (1990). South Asia: A Short History. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 75–77. ISBN 978-0-8248-1287-4.
  16. Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.693
  17. Aitihasik Sthanavali by Vijayendra Kumar Mathur, p.814