Kabir - Part III

Kabir had, as a legend goes, two wives — Ramjaniya and Loi. After the former died, Kabir married the latter. The story is interesting. Like Kabir, Loi was an orphan child, abandoned on the banks of the Ganga and found and nurtured by a holy man. The child was wrapped up in a wrapper (loi) which gave her that name.

One day the holy man suddenly died. The girl somehow grew up to be a practical, intelligent young woman. One day Kabir, with some more holy men, chanced to visit her home. She entertained them all with a cup of milk each. All but Kabir drank the milk. When asked Kabir replied, 'I drink the Divine Name.' He also said that he had reserved the milk for another sadhu expected there any moment; and lo, the sadhu stepped in at that moment! Impressed by Kabir's lofty life and spiritual powers, Loi came to his home as his bride.

As Kabir's preoccupation with prayer and contemplation deepened, his bread-earning work suffered. The family often faced starvation, but Kabir would not approach any man for help. He prayed only to his Rama: 'O Lord, empty stomach is no good for devotion; how can I approach anyone but you for help? Please grant me the barest minimum of food, shelter and raiment.'

On two different occasions Kabir had called back to life a dead boy and a dead girl. They were, we are told, the greatest miracles (kamal) of Kabir. Both the boy and the girl came to live with him as his children and were named Kamal and Kamali respectively.

When Kamali came of age, Kabir found a bridegroom for her in a strange way. A pundit came to Kamali at the village well and asked for drinking water. The young woman gave it to him from her pitcher. After quenching his thirst, the man started accusing her, a Muslim, of 'defiling' his high caste! At this point, Kabir appeared on the scene and thundered:

What is defilement, can you say? Fishes and tortoises are defiling daily the water you drink. The earth of the vessels you use contains crores of dead bodies. The cloth you wear is woven by a low caste weaver. Can you prevent defilement? Dispel such illusions and take the name of Rama.

The pundit was moved by the power behind those words of the saint; he repented and took the hands of Kamali in marriage.

The spiritual power of Kabir was manifesting thus, always enlightenting the ignorant and saving the sinner. At the present spot of Kabir Choura in Kashi once stood Kabir's home, surrounded by a number of houses of prostitutes. Though Kabir did not mind their presence in the least, the ill-famed women wanted him to go away from there so that his night-long singing of prayers did not affect their unholy trade. Seeing Kabir unwilling to oblige, the women set fire to his hut one night. Kabir came out ' of the hut and stood calmly watching it burn, all the while singing the name of Rama.

Suddenly a spark from the flames darted off to set on fire all the neighbouring huts of the prostitutes. The terrified women ran out, and finding all their paramours disappearing without lending any help, they took refuge at Kabir's feet. He had pity on them and miraculously saved their huts from total destruction. By his loving teaching, they were weaned away from their sinful ways.

To be continued

About the author

Swami Gautamananda Maharaj is the President of Ramakrishna Math Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India