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Sant Mat Fellowship:
- English Translation by Pravesh K. Singh (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sant_santati http://blog.360.yahoo.com/praveshksingh ) ]
Original Verse:
"Kahaun us desh kee batiyaan, jahaan nahi hot din ratiyaan ||1||
Naheen ravi Chandra au taaraa, naheen unjiaar andhiaaraa ||2||
Naheen tanh pavan au paanee, gaye vahi des jin jaanee ||3||
Naheen tanh dharani aakaasha, karai koi sant tanh vaasaa ||4||
Uhaan gam kaal kee naaheen, tahaan nahi dhoop aur chhaaheen ||5||
Na jogee jog se dhyaavai, na tapasee deh jaravaavai ||6||
Sahaj me dhyaan se paavai, surati kaa khel jehi aavai ||7||
Sohangam naad nahi bhaaee, na baajai sankh shahnaaee ||8||
Nihachchhar jaap tanh jaapai, uthat dhun sunna se aapai ||9||
Mandir me deep bahu baaree, nayan binu bhaee andhiyaaree ||10||
Kabeeraa des hai nyaaraa, lakhai koi raam kaa pyaaraa ||11||"
Translation
I describe: ||1||
There is no Sun, Moon or stars there, neither is darkness or light. ||2||
No air or water exists there; only those who have reached there know of (that realm). ||3||
Neither is the Earth there nor is the sky, that land is inhabited by Sants (who have accomplished Self-Realisation and have become one with Him). ||4||
Time has no access there, nor do the sunshine and shade exist there. ||5||
(That land) is not attainable through "hathayoga" by (hath) yogis, nor by "tapasis" (ascetics or performers of austere devotion) who burn (trouble or hurt) their bodies in the fire of "panchaagni" or "Panchadhuni" (ascetic practices or self-mortification). ||6||
Those who know the art (right way) of reverting their "surat" inwardly from the outer world, can get there (to that land) easily through dhyan-yoga (inner meditation). ||7||
O Dear Brother! Even "sohangam naad" does not play there, nor are heard the sounds of conch or great pipe (because that realm is "nihshabd" or Soundless). ||8||
There "nihakshara" is spontaneously chanted (without any conscious chanting), and the primeval Sound naturally emanates out of the void. ||9||
This temple (body), which God has filled with divine Light, has become full of darkness for lack of the eye (the inner vision or sight). ||10||
Strange is that country, says Kabir, and is perceived by only a dear devotee of God (who practices inner meditation having learnt the right technique from a true Guru). ||11||
Commentary:
Sant Kabir Sahab was not a linguist or scholar, but his experiential verses are very much in agreement with the Vedas, Upanishads, Shrimad Bhagvad Gita and the sayings/discourses of other sants. Certain such references are produced below for reflection by the learned:
"Na mrityuraaseedamritam na tarhi na raatraa ahna aaseetpraketah |
Aaneedavaatam swadhayaa tadekam tasmaaddhaanyanna param kim chanaas ||" (Rig Veda Samhita, Mantra 25)
[Then (that time) death did not occur nor was the "amrit" (elixir or the nectar) there, that is, there was neither life nor the absence of it; neither the awareness of night nor day. The true nature of that entity was the vital life force, but it was not the `sthool vayu' (gross air). He was equipped only with his own power to hold or sustain the world or creation. There did not exist then any other matter subtler than Him.]
"Na tatra sooryyo bhaati na chandrataarakam nemaa vidyuto bhaanti kutoayamagnih |
Tamev bhaantamanubhaati sarvam tasya bhaasaa sarvamidam vibhaati ||"
(Kathopanishad Chapter 2, Valli 2, Shloka 15)
[In that world neither does the Sun shine, nor do the moon and stars. Even the lightning does not show up there, what to talk of the fire! Everything glows through His Light, everything is seen through His Light.]
"Na tadbhaasate sooryo na shashaanko na paavakah |
yadgatvaa na nivartante taddhaam paramam mam ||
(Shrimad Bhagvad Gita, Chapter 15)
[Neither the sun, moon nor fire can illuminate that Self-illumined One. Mine is that realm, the Absolute Kingdom, going where one does not have to come back or return (to this world).]
Jhilmil jhilakai chandu na taaraa |
Sooraj kirani na bijulee gainaaraa || (Guru Nanak, Maaru Mahalaa 1)
[The Moon does not shine there nor do glitter the Sun, stars or lightning.]
"Jahaan chand nahi soor jahaan nahi jagamag taare|
Jahaan nahi traidev trigun maayaa nahi laare ||
Jahaan veda nahi bhed jahaan nahi joga jagya tap |
Jahaan pavan nahi dharani agin nahi jahaan gagan ap ||
Jahaan raat nahi diwas hai paap punya nahi vyaapaee |
Aadi ant aru Madhya hai, kahai Charandas brahma aap hee ||
(Sant Charandas ji)
[Where there are no Moon, Sun and glistening stars; where there are no trinity of gods (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva) and play of the three gunas (three gunas namely `sat', `raj' and `tam'). Where there are no Vedas, no dichotomy, no Yoga, no `yajna' (religious sacrifice and oblation) and `tap' (asceticism). No air, land, fire, sky (space) and water subsist there. No cycles of days and nights there. No sins or virtuosity. There is no beginning, middle and end of that. There Brahma and Brahma alone exists.]
As per a story in "Bahiyasutta" in the book titled "Udaan" a monk named Bahiya is said to have attained nirvana. Throwing light on the concept of nirvana, Lord Buddha says,
"Yattha aapo cha pathavee, tejo vaayo na gaadhati | Na tattha sukkaa jotanti, aadichcho na pakaasati ||
Na tatha chandimaa bhaasati, tamo tattha na vijjatee | Yadaa cha attanaa vedi, muni monen braahmano |
Atha roopaa aroopa cha, sukh dukkhaa pamuchchati ||
[That is Nirvana where there is no room for water, earth, fire and air. Stars do not twinkle there, nor does shine the Sun. Though there is no moon-light there, there is not any darkness over there. When a muni (hermit) or a Brahmin becomes silent (still), he automatically knows Him (God) and becomes free of the dichotomy of form & formlessness, pleasure & pain.]
Sant Paltoo Sahab also opines,
"Jahavaan dharatee naahi akaasaa |
Chaand suruj naahi paragaasaa ||
Jahavaan Brahmaa Vishnu na jaahee |
Das avataar na tahaan samaahee ||
Jahavaan pavan jaay nahi paanee |
Ved Kiteb maram naa jaanee ||
Aadi joti naa basai niranjan |
Jahavaan shoonya shabd nahi ganjan ||
Nirankaar naa uhaan akaaraa |
Satya shabd naahi vistaaraa ||"
[Where there is no earth and sky, the moon and the sun do not emit light. There are no Brahmaa, Vishnu or the ten incarnations there. Air or water does not have a reach there. Vedas or other scriptures can't know Him. No light glitters there; sound does not buzz in that land. That place is beyond all form or formlessness or even the essential Sound.]
Listen what does Sant Keshavdas ji have to say on nirvana, "That is the position of Nirvana, the highest or the absolute realm, where there is no scintillating light, no Sun, no Moon, no states of day & night."
Sant Tulsi Sahab of Hathras proved the rank of nirvana to be beyond all sorts of fetters. Narrating his own experience he states,
"Fand faadi baaher gaee, laee jo sataguru baanh |
Jahaan dhoop ravi sasi nahi, Tulsi pahunche taanh ||"
[Holding on gratefully to the gracious hands of blessings of my Sataguru I came out tearing all the trappings and reached unto where there is no sunshine, no Moon or Sun.]
