Most of the people just get upset when a person starts believing what they don’t believe in because of their programmed minds. In this shabda, Bhagat Kabir ji is trying to explain how the people of his time, reacted as he started believing only in the Universal Creator. His shabda is on SGGS 324:
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ॥ ਜਬ ਹਮ ਏਕੋ ਏਕੁ ਕਰਿ ਜਾਨਿਆ ॥ ਤਬ ਲੋਗਹ ਕਾਹੇ ਦੁਖੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ॥1॥
Ga-oṛī Kabīr jī. Jab ham eko ek kar jāni-ā. Ŧab logah kāhe ḏukẖ māni-ā. ||1||
Raag Gaurhi of Bhagat Kabir .
In essence: When I have realized that there is only one Akalpurakh, why people are upset?
Bhagat Kabir is talking about his contemporary people who had belief in many gods or different faiths, and contrary to them, he believed in only one Creator. Humans are found of trashing others just because they cannot take disagreement positively. Talking about Him, they act ignorantly. Deeming themselves as genius, they create and establish the Creator in their own ways. Obviously, Bhagat Kabir stands in disagreement with them because of his belief in the Creator’s permeating His creation. Now he questions them about their unnecessary anger over his belief. They accuse him of losing his honor in the society by not following their convictions. It is very important to know that no story has anything to do with Bhagat Kabir’s Shabda; it is just his realized ultimate truth about the Creator, which is being passed on to us.
ਹਮ ਅਪਤਹ ਅਪੁਨੀ ਪਤਿ ਖੋਈ ॥ ਹਮਰੈ ਖੋਜਿ ਪਰਹੁ ਮਤਿ ਕੋਈ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Ham apṯah apunī paṯ kẖo-ī. Hamrai kẖoj parahu maṯ ko-ī. ||1|| Rahā-o.
(As per your thought) I am dishonored one, and I have lost my honor. On what path I tread, you do not need to tread on (you remain honored ones. It is ironical expression!). Pause.
Bhagat Kabir says, “If your following of me takes away your honor, you don’t need to do that. So let me remain as I am, and let me believe what I want to. If you think that the real honor is in your way, keep thinking that way.”
ਹਮ ਮੰਦੇ ਮੰਦੇ ਮਨ ਮਾਹੀ ॥ ਸਾਝ ਪਾਤਿ ਕਾਹੂ ਸਿਉ ਨਾਹੀ ॥2॥
Ham manḏe manḏe man māhī. Sājẖ pāṯ kāhū si-o nāhī. ||2||
If I am bad, it is me (what to others?). I am not into establishing relationships with others.
Bhagat Kabir says, “Oh honored ones! Stay away from me to keep your honor!” It is very sarcastic statement! He is very clear about his mission of having union with the Creator, as he sees the hypocritical religious trends in other people through which they establish “receiving and giving honors to one another to feed their conceit.” He declares that this curtain of hypocrisy will be torn up at the end.
ਪਤਿ ਅਪਤਿ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਨਹੀ ਲਾਜ ॥ ਤਬ ਜਾਨਹੁਗੇ ਜਬ ਉਘਰੈਗੋ ਪਾਜ ॥3॥
Paṯ apaṯ ṯā kī nahī lāj. Ŧab jānhuge jab ugẖraigo pāj. ||3||
I don’t care to have honor or dishonor (from you), but you will know the reality when your “cover up” will be exposed.
Bhagat Kabir is hinting at the false honor for which people live. For His devotee, it is Ekankar’s acceptance that supersedes all the worldly honors. Please also ponder over why Bhagat Kabir is saying that the “put up show” of people (of his time) will be exposed eventually. This is what all enlightened ones say, because they deem Ekankar’s acceptance as the real honor and His name, the real wealth. It shows how both “sansaree/worldly” and “bhgatas/His devotees” go opposite directions. The spiritual experience enables the enlightened ones to stand up against all the worldly belief of “honors and dishonors.”
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਪਤਿ ਹਰਿ ਪਰਵਾਨੁ ॥ ਸਰਬ ਤਿਆਗਿ ਭਜੁ ਕੇਵਲ ਰਾਮੁ ॥4॥3॥
Kaho Kabīr paṯ har parvān. Sarab ṯi-āg bẖaj keval rām. ||4||3||
The real honor is in fact Akalpurakh’s acceptance; for that, Oh Kabir! say this: forsake everything else and meditate only on Akalpurakh.
Here Bhagat Kabir puts the secret about His path wide open. It is Akalpurakh’s acceptance which matters and not the worldly for His devotees. They do not need to worry about the worldly honor or dishonor. Remembering only the Creator is their first priority.
Wishes
G.Singh
www.gursoch.com
