The Mystic Journey of the Soul - from the Shri Muhammad Bodh Section of the Kabir Sagar *
Verse 1
The soul-bird [hansa] abandoned the worldly attachments, And the swan (soul) made the True Guru [Satguru] its essence. Just as the bee extracts honey from the flower, the soul flew off, carrying the essence within. Leaving the realms of perishable creation, it reached where even Vishnu’s domain was glimpsed. Indra, Kubera, and divine beings were left behind — the soul transcended even the third divine region.
Verse 2
Leaving the abode of Vaikunth, the swan flew ahead, shining Light blazed in the void beyond. In that radiant illumination, essence was revealed, fear vanished as the soul became fearless. The Formless One, whom the Vedas praise, is the root of all gods, beyond their reach. That Lord appears in luminous white form, fortune itself belongs to those graced by Him.
Verse 3
Beyond the four realms lie sixteen spiritual divisions, leaving the egg-like world, the soul soared above. There it beheld the place of worship, revered and pure, as it entered the tenth gate. In the twelfth region, at the soul’s gathering, ecstasy resounded like a mighty drum. How shall I describe the glory of that face? The body radiates with transcendent Light.
Verse 4
In the realm beyond, the swan-soul soars, resplendent in thirty-six divine Melodies.
The land of the Supreme Lord radiates bliss, where joy and devotion dance in harmony.
With waves of ecstasy, the soul merges into the divine assembly of love, united with the Lord.
Verse 5
When the Lord traverses the six chakras, piercing through the seventh, His gaze turns inward.
In the beauty of divine union, the soul’s desire merges with the eternal Lord’s vision.
No simile can capture His radiance, not even the moon’s glow!
Through the soul’s focus, the divine Sound resonates, revealing the splendor of the Lord’s eternal realm.
Verse 6
In the pure void, the flawless throne of the Lord resides, where the eternal abode shines.
When the swan-soul reaches this ninth plane, it hesitates not even for a moment, fearless.
Like a kite soaring on the thread of the Creator, the soul ascends to the divine realm.
Immersed in bliss, all doubts dissolve, and the soul arrives at the heart’s true home.
Verse 7
The divine swan-souls sing and play instruments, adorned with celestial beauty.
Through eons, they gather in devotion, embracing the Lord with love’s eternal flame.
When the swan beholds the divine vision, all karma of countless births is erased.
In that moment of union, the mind awakens sixteen divine emotions, blossoming within.
Verse 8
In the isle of divine nectar, the swan-soul partakes of the ambrosial feast, its form made of Sound.
The swan and its divine consort dwell in eternal truth, consciousness, and bliss, crowned with divine Light.
Lightning flashes, and the thunder of divine Sound roars, consuming all illusion.
As the clouds of divine resonance pour forth, the Melody of the cosmic Sound enchants.
Verse 9
Listen, O soul, in that divine union, all become one—radiant with a single divine hue.
The spirit revels in devotion, and all actions and delusions flee far away.
No color or ornament can touch that realm, where the soul dives into waves of divine madness.
Lust, anger, greed, pride, and hypocrisy dissolve, as the soul embraces the true divine Sound
[the soul merges into the supreme Word (Sar Shabd)].
How can one describe the glory of the Supreme Being’s divine countenance?
In this world, even the highest metaphors fall short.
The moon and the sun — symbols of Light — cannot compare to even a spark of that divine radiance.
Those who have tasted the essence of divine love,
They alone reach that state, beyond the grasp of worldly men.
Kabir says: In this way, one finds it — the path of truth, so have I sung it.
The body is perishable, the voice is temporary,
And the soul — the messenger of life — cannot be fully described.
The Formless One is called Lahoot in Arabic —
That is the dwelling place of the divine jewel (the Absolute).
Beyond that is Haahoot, Laahoot, Dahaahoot, and Baahoot,
And Jahoot — known only to the One who is the true Lord, Khuda.
That One is "Soham" (I am That), the Lord God —
There is no other refuge in the world; this is the final truth.
* NOTE: The Kabir Sagar is a huge granth or scripture over two-thousand pages in length. The first volume is the most well-known: the Anurag Sagar (Ocean of Love), but there are many more books in this collection. The Shri Muhammad Bodh volume explores the teachings of Muhammad in light of Sufi mysticism as viewed from the vantagepoint of the Sant Dharam Das line of masters in the tradition of Guru Kabir.
