amrutvani-kabir

amrutvani
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Kabir Dohe Devotional Songs

Na Mein Dharmi Na Hi Adharmi Na Mein Jati Na Kaami Ho
Na Mein Kehta Na Mein Sunta Na Mein Sevak Swami Ho
Na Mein Bandha Na Mein Mukta Na Mein Virat Na Rangi Ho
Na Mein Kahu Se Nyara Hua Na Kahu Ke Sangi Ho
Na Hum Narak Lok Ko Jaate Na Hum Swarag Sidhare Ho
Sab Hi Karam Hamara Kiya Hum Karman Se Nyare Ho
Ya Mat Ko Koi Birla Bujhe So Atal Ho Baitha Ho
Mat Kabir Kaho Ko Thape Mat Kahu Ko Mete Ho -

Neither am I Righteous nor Non-Righteous
Neither am I an Ascetic nor a Sensualist
Neither Do I Speak nor Do I Listen
Neither Am I a Servant nor a Master
Neither Am I Constrained nor Liberated
Neither Am I Sad nor Jubilant
Neither Am I Distinctly Isolated from Anything
Nor Am I Identified Completely with Anything
Neither Do I go to the World of Hell
Nor Do I Proceed to the World of Heaven
All Actions are Really My Actions
But Yet I am Distinct From the Actions
This Truth Only A Rare Exceptional
One Realizes Such A Person Sits in Quiescence
Oh Kabir Don't Bring Forth Any Creation And Don't Efface Anything Either

Explanation "Na Mai Dharmi Na Mai Adharmi" Kabir Vani

This song exemplifies vintage Kabir mysticism.

Since the ultimate cannot be truly described in language or by using analogies
from the physical reality, Kabir uses the concept of negation as a means of instruction.
Here, the master mystic shows that the contrasting polarizing forces are of a similar nature
and truly the opposite sides of the same "worldly" coin.
Ultimate Truth is not a balancing of these opposites but actually beyond.

It is made clear that the path of righteousness is as binding as the
path of non-righteousness, because worldly matters veritably drive both
of these. According to Kabir, an ascetic is as far from the ultimate as an utter materialist, as their focus continues to be on the physical reality -
the ascetic goes to great lengths to negate or move away from it, while a materialist seeks it with relentless persistence. By negating these polar
views the song indicates an approach that tries to do neither - leading a natural and spontaneous existence where the path emerges as the journey proceeds.

In such a state of detachment, the person is identified with the constant observer within,
and therefore realizes that he is neither the one speaking or listening.
He is not the master who commands nor the servant who obeys,
but really the consciousness that unifies everything. Since this observer self
is the superset of everything, it cannot be constrained by
anything because there is nothing outside of itself to be constrained by.
If there are no constraints, then there is no question of liberation either.
Also no desire to see a certain reality manifest implies no jubilation or sadness.
However, lack of jubilation does not mean absence of happiness.

Here Kabir also clarifies that since he is in a state of oneness he cannot be characterized
as different from something or identified with something -
because there is no-thing other than him. He also makes it clear that heaven and hell
are just mental realities and comparable to dream-like states
that one experiences in sleep. Such limited experiences are not, however,
in the realm of his aware and awakened state.
He describes his state of oneness by saying that he is not the doer of the actions but,
at the same time, the actions would not be possible without him being there.
Since he is identifying himself with his invariant Self, there can be no action.
For example, the deep of the ocean in not in any form of action
or commotion even though a typhoon maybe raising havoc in the
form of colossal surface waves. But those waves are possible only because the depth of
the ocean actually exists.

After giving these attributes of his state of identity with the ultimate,
Kabir says that only an extremely rare person realizes this truth.
Most people are enamored by the physical reality. Then others who try to go beyond get caught
in the internal states of mental realities, including visions, which soon become desires
to be fulfilled at the physical level. Being bound to their visions they are as vulnerable
to desires - much like a person seeking physical comfort.
Only a very exceptional person is able to realize the fallibility
of such transient realities; and a person who is able to fully grasp this
truth then attains a state of peaceful bliss.

Having understood all this, Kabir reminds himself not to get
caught in the web of illusory creation and dissolution,
that has so successfully entangled almost everything and everybody.

Source Acknowledgement Copyright
http://www.boloji.com/i
Explanation by Maalok USA June 2, 2001
Maalok is a PhD in Engineering and is currently on the faculty at a large public university. His passions are teaching and self-discovery. He has been influenced by many gurus but finds himself to be one of the most accessible among them. His dream is to be busy doing nothing, enjoying himself in ways that are unimaginable. His role models are trees. Spontaneity and gratitude help him celebrate life. He believes in the transformational power of disbelieving what he believes in. He loves his parents and Guruji for showing him himself. On this site Maalok has contributed immensely through his explanations on many Songs of Kabir besides other writings.
Retrieved on July 24, 2013