Description of the Appearance of God Kabir Ji on a Lotus Flower in Lahartara Pond in the Forest of Kashi City
Parakh Ka Ang, Speech no. 381-384
Garib, Kaashipuri kast kiya, utre adhar adhaar |
moman koon mujra huva, jangal mein deedaar ||381||
Garib, koti kiran shashi bhaan sudhi, aasan adhar bimaan |
parsat Puranbrahm koon, sheetal pindru praan ||382||
Garib, god liya mukh choombi kari, hem roop jhalkant |
jagar magar kaaya karae, damkaen padam anant ||383||
Garib, kaashi umti gul bhayaa, moman ka ghar gher |
koi kahae Brahma Bishnu hain, koi kahae Indra Kuber ||384||
Meaning of Parakh Ka Ang, Speech no. 381-384: -
"Incarnation of God Kabir in Kalyug"
In the words of the author: - Bandi Chhor Supreme God Kabir Ji had taken His beloved disciple Sudarshan Valmiki ji in His refuge in Dwapar Yug. Devotee Sudarshan ji's parents did not accept the knowledge of Supreme God Kabir ji. His father's name was "Bheekhu Ram" and mother's name was "Sukhwanti". When both of his parents passed away, devotee Sudarshan ji started remaining perturbed. He used to worship less as well. Omniscient Karunamay ji (God Kabir was performing a divine act by the name of Karunamay in Dwapar Yug) on reading his devotee’s mind asked, “O Devotee Sudarshan! What is worrying you? Is parental separation troubling you? Or is there some other family problem? Tell me.”
Devotee Sudarshan ji said, “O Bandi Chhor (Liberator from prison)! O Omniscient! You are All-knowing. You are aware of everything – obvious and concealed. O God! I do not feel sorry for the death of my parents because they were very old. You have told that this effigy of five elements has to get destroyed one day. I am worried that my parents were very pious, kind and virtuous souls. They worshipped according to the folklore which was against the injunctions of the scriptures. As a result of which, their human life was in vain. Now who knows in which creature’s life they would be suffering? This servant of yours makes a humble request to you that if my parents ever get human lives, then take them in your refuge, God, and ferry them also across the ocean of the universe (from the world of Kaal Brahm), my Benefactor! This is what is worrying me.” Supreme God Kabir thought that this gullible devotee Sudarshan entangling in the love of his parents would remain entrapped in the Kaal’s web. Kaal Brahm has made the snare of attachment extremely strong. Considering this, God Kabir Ji said, “O Devotee Sudarshan! Do not worry. I will definitely take your parents in my refuge and will certainly emancipate them. You may go to Satyalok. Quit worrying about it.” After the assurance of Supreme God Kabir Ji, Devotee Sudarshan went to Satyalok after doing true worship. He attained complete salvation.
Information About Other Human Births of the Souls of the Parents of Devotee Sudarshan in Kalyug
The first time, devotee Sudarshan's parents were born as Kulpati Brahmin (father) and Maheshwari (mother). They both got married. They did not have a child. One day, while worshipping the Sun, Maheshwari was asking for a son with outstretched hands. At that very moment, Supreme God Kabir acquiring the form of a baby appeared in her hands. Considering him the reward (gift) of the Sun god, she took the child home. They were extremely poor. They started getting (one tola) 10 grams of gold daily under God's bedding. They considered this also the grace of the Sun god. When God Kabir turned five, he told them the way of worship, but considering him a child, they did not believe even a single word of God. They did not recognise God in that birth. Due to which, God Kabir present in the child-form disappeared. Both husband and wife were distraught over the loss of their son. As a result of the service to God, their next birth was also of a human - in the city of Chandwara; the man's name was Chandan and the woman's name was Uddha. They were born in Brahmin families. Both were childless. One day Uddha went to the lake to take a bath. There God Kabir assuming the form of an infant became seated on a lotus flower. Uddha picked up baby Kabir and took him home. Due to fear of societal norms, Chandan told his wife, “Leave this child at the place from where you have brought him. The people of the family will ridicule us.” When both husband and wife went to put God in the water, God disappeared from their hands. Both became very upset. Because of the fear of not accepting the God's gift, they wept for the rest of their lives. The next birth was also of a human. The story is as follows: -
The third life of the souls of the parents of devotee Sudarshan Valmiki in Kalyug was also of a human. In Kashi city in India, the soul of Sudarshan's father was born in a Brahmin family and he was named Gaurishankar, and the soul of Sudarshan's mother also took birth in the form of a girl child in the house of a Brahmin and was named Saraswati. They got married on reaching adulthood. Gauri Shankar Brahmin was a worshipper of Lord Shiv. He used to sing praises of Lord Shiv by narrating stories from Shiv Puran. Gaurishankar was not greedy. He used to spend the money earned from reading the holy book in meritorious deeds only. All the people who used to ask him to narrate the holy book for them and who listened to it, praised the sacrifice of Gauri Shankar Brahmin.
Due to which Gauri Shankar was acquiring fame in the whole of Kashi. The business of other selfish Brahmins of collecting money by telling stories from holy books stopped. For this reason, those brahmins were jealous of that Gaurishankar Brahmin. The Muslims came to know that a Gaurishankar Brahmin is vigorously promoting Hindu religion in Kashi. They started thinking of how to stop him. The Muslims learned that all the Brahmins of Kashi were jealous of Gaurishankar. The Muslims took advantage of this. They sprinkled their water inside the house of Gaurishankar and Saraswati. They put their sipped water on their mouth. They also sprinkled it on their clothes and announced that Gaurishankar and Saraswati had become Muslims. They named the man Noor Ali alias Neeru and the woman Niyamat alias Neema. When other selfish brahmins came to know about it, they capitalised on it and immediately convened a Panchayat (village assembly) of Brahmins and adjudged, “Gaurishankar and Saraswati have become Muslims. Now they have no relation with the Brahmin society. They have been banned from bathing in the Ganges, going to temples and reading Hindu texts.”
Gaurishankar (Neeru) ji was very upset for some days. Whatever money he used to earn from telling stories from holy books provided subsistence. When that stopped, it became difficult to even get food to eat. After consideration, Neeru started weaving cloth for a living. Hence, he was called a weaver. He used to feed himself and his wife on the wages he got from weaving cloth. Whenever he earned more money, he used to spend it on meritorious deeds. Many years had passed since their marriage. They did not have any children. Both husband and wife performed many rituals to have children. They also took blessings of the sages, but they did not get children. They had been prohibited by the Hindus from taking bath in the Ganges. About four kilometres from their residence, there was a lake called Lahar Tara, in which the water of the river Ganges itself used to fall through waves splashing over a lower bank. Hence, that lake got the name Lahar Tara. Large lotus flowers were growing in that pond. Gaurishankar was named Noor Ali by the Muslims, and he became known by his nickname Neeru. They named his wife Niyamat who became known by her nickname Neema. Although Neeru-Neema had become Muslims, they used to worship Lord Shankar from their heart, and they used to go to take bath in Lahartara pond every morning before sunrise.
Even on the full-moon Monday of the (Shukl Paksh) waxing moon period of the Jyeshth month (May-June) in Vikrami Samvat 1455 (1398 C.E.), they were going to take bath in the Brahm Muhurat (the time of Brahma Muhurt is about one and a half hours before sunrise). Neema was praying to Lord Shankar on the way, “O Lord of the poor! Grant a child to your servants too. There is no shortage in your house, Lord. Our life will also be successful. My soul becomes sad on hearing the sarcasms of the world. What mistake have I, a sinner, committed and in which birth, due to which I have to yearn to see the face of a child. Forgive our sins, Lord! Grant us a child too.”
Saying this, Neema started crying bitterly. Then Neeru consoled her and said, “O Neema! We do not have children in our destiny. If we had children in our destiny, Lord Shiv would have definitely provided them. You will spoil your eyes by crying. There is no child in our fate who would hold our finger in the old age. Do not cry. I cannot see you crying again and again.” Saying this, Neeru's eyes also filled with tears. Thus, while discussing about God and pleading for a child, they reached the same Lahartara pond. First Neema entered, after that Neeru entered the pond to take bath. The darkness of the morning soon turns into light. By the time Neema had taken bath, it was dark. When after changing her clothes, she again went back to the pond to wash that cloth which she was wearing while bathing, at that time Neeru had entered the pond and was bathing by dunking and rubbing himself in the water.
Neema's eyes fell on a lotus flower on which something was moving. First Neema thought that there is a snake sitting on a lotus flower, who is lifting its hood and shaking it. She thought, lest this snake bite my husband. Neema looked at it carefully, and realised that it is not a snake, it is a child who has put one foot in his mouth and is shaking the other. Neema loudly said to her husband, “Look! A small child is lying on a lotus flower. He might drown in the water.” Neeru while bathing, without looking at him, said, “Neema! The desire for children has made you insane. Now you have started seeing children in the water too.” Neema said in a louder voice, “I am telling the truth. Look, there really is a child on a lotus flower; there he is, look, look!” Seeing the change in Neema's voice and more vexation, Neeru looked in the direction Neema was pointing with her hand. Seeing the new-born baby on the lotus flower, Neeru did not think twice and promptly picking up the child along with the lotus flower gave it to his wife.
Neema embraced God Kabir ji, kissed his face, and loved him as her son. The God in search of whom, sages and seers performed spiritual practices contrary to the scriptures all their lives but did not find Him, the same God was playing in the lap of devotee Neema. The peace-giving God who is worshipped with the desire to attain Him for the attainment of bliss, the same Supreme God was in Neema’s hands held against her chest. The serenity and the joy that devotee Neema would be experiencing at the time can only be imagined. Neeru came out of the water after taking a bath. Neeru thought, if we take this child to the city, then the people of the city will doubt us and think that we have stolen someone's child. Maybe they will kick us out of the city. Out of this fear, Neeru told his wife, “Neema! It is in our own interest to leave this child here.” Neema said, O dear husband! This is a toy given by Lord Shankar. I do not know what spell this child has cast on me that my mind is under his control now. I cannot abandon this child.” Neeru made Neema aware of his concerns. He said, “The people of the city will snatch this child away from us. They will ask us from where we have brought him. We would say that we found him on a lotus flower in the Lahartara pond. No one will believe us. They may even expel us from the city.” Then Neema said, “I will even accept banishment from the country with this child. But I cannot abandon this child. I will accept my death too. But I will not be able to stay away from this child.”
Seeing Neema's stubbornness, Neeru got angry and raised his hand in the position of slapping and with tears in his eyes said in a compassionate voice, “Neema, I have not rejected any of your words till date. Considering that we have no children, I have given you the love of both a husband and a father. You are taking undue advantage of my humble nature. Today, by not understanding my situation, you are giving me trouble due to your stubborn nature.” For the first time in their married life, Neeru had raised his hand to slap his wife, and he said, “Either keep this child here or else I will beat you a lot today.”
At that very moment, God clinging to Neema's chest in the form of an infant said, “O Neeru! Take me to your home. No trouble will befall you. I have come here from Satlok for your welfare.” Hearing the above words from the mouth of a newborn baby, Neeru (Noor Ali) got scared lest he be a deity, a Pitra (deceased ancestor) or a Siddh Purush (man with spiritual powers) and curse him. Neeru did not say anything because of this fear and set off towards his house. His wife followed him while cuddling God.
Like every day, even on the full-moon Monday of the Jyeshth (May-June) month in Vikrami Samvat 1455 (1398 C.E.), a sage named Ashtanand, who was a disciple of Sage Swami Ramanand ji, went as usual to bathe in the clean water of Lahartara pond outside Kashi city. It was Brahm Muhurt (the time of Brahm Muhurt is about one and a half hours before sunrise.) Sage Ashtanand ji took bath in Lahartara pond. He used to sit there every day and worship for some time. Sage Ashtanand ji was trying to become engrossed in meditation, at that very moment, he saw a beam of light coming down from the sky. It was such a bright light that the sage's naked eyes could not bear it, just as the eyes cannot tolerate sunlight. After seeing the light of the sun, on shutting the eyes, the shape of the sun becomes visible; there is not much light in it.
Similarly, on seeing the light of God for the first time, the sage’s eyes closed. Seeing a child in closed eyes, he opened his eyes again. Sage Ashtanand ji saw that the light had landed on the Lahartara pond. Due to which, the whole lake became illuminated and as he was watching, that light contracted to a corner of the reservoir. Sage Ashtanand ji thought, “What kind of sight did I see? Is this an achievement of my worship or a visual hallucination? I will ask Gurudev Swami Ramanand ji about this.” Considering this, Sage Ashtanand ji left his remaining religious practice and went to his revered Gurudev. After narrating all the events to Swami Ramanand ji, he asked, “O Gurudev! Is this an achievement of my worship or am I hallucinating? I saw the light coming down from the sky which my eyes could not bear. When my eyes closed, I saw a newborn baby. When I opened my eyes again, the entire reservoir lit up by that light. After that, that light became confined to one corner of the pond. I have left my worship midway with the desire to know the reason from you. Please clear my doubt.”
Sage Ramanand Swami ji said to his disciple Ashtanand, “O Brahmin! Neither is this an achievement of your worship nor are you hallucinating. Such incidents happen when some deity from the higher worlds descend to incarnate on the earth. He resides in the womb of a woman. Then acquiring the form of a child, he plays the divine role of a human being and completes his intended work. Some god has descended from the higher worlds. He will fulfill his objective by taking birth in someone's house in Kashi city.” Sage Ramanand Swami ji resolved the doubts of his disciple Ashtanand by the above words. It was the belief of those sages that all incarnations are born from the womb of a mother.
Parakh Ka Ang, Speech no. 385-391
Garib, koee kahae barun dharmrai hai, koee koee kahte eesh |
solah kalaa subhaan gati, koee kahae Jagdeesh ||385||
Garib, bhakti mukti le utre, metan teenoon taap |
moman ke dera liya, kahae Kabira baap ||386||
Garib, doodh na peevae na ann bhakhae, nahin palney jhoolant |
adhar amaan dhiyaan mein, kamal kalaa foolant ||387||
Garib, koee kahae chhal ishvar nahin, koee kinnar kahlaay |
koee kahae gan eesh ka, jyoon jyoon maat risaay ||388||
Garib, kaashi mein achraj bhayaa, gayi jagat kee neend |
aise dulhe ootre, jyoon kanya var beend ||389||
Garib, khalak mulak dekhan gaya, raaja praja reet |
jambudeep jihaan mein, utre shabd ateet ||390||
Garib, dunee kahae yoh dev hai, dev kahat hain eesh |
eesh kahae Parbrahm hai, pooran beesve bees ||391||
Meaning: - Neeru and Neema brought the child home in weaver colony. Whoever, man or woman, saw God Kabir ji in the form of a newborn baby, they could not take their eyes off him. God’s body was extremely beautiful. The eyes were like lotus flowers, he had curly hair, long hands and fingers, and it seemed as if His body was emitting light. There was no such wonderful child in the entire Kashi city.
Whoever saw him spread the word - ‘Noor Ali has found a child in the pond. A child born today. Due to fear of public shame, some widow must have left him. On looking at the child, you do not feel like taking your eyes off his face, your soul automatically gets drawn to him. Do not know what kind of magic is there on the face of the child?’ The entire Kashi thronged to see the infant form of the Supreme God. Men and women while singing auspicious songs flocked to Neeru's house to see the child.
On seeing the child (Supreme God Kabir), someone was saying that this child is an incarnation of a deity, someone was saying that he seems to be Vishnu ji himself. Somebody was saying that he is Lord Shiv who has taken birth to bless his Kashi city. Some were saying that he is an incarnation of a eunuch, some were saying that he has come from the city of Pitras. Hearing all these conversations, Neema got displeased and said, “Do not say anything about my child. O Allah! Protect my child from their evil eye. Have you ever seen a child or not? Groups of you are coming to see my child.” The men and women who had come said, “O Neema. We have seen many children, but we have not seen a child like yours. That is wh,y we have come to see him.” Shri Brahma ji, Shri Vishnu ji and Shri Shivji also started peeping from their worlds above. On hearing from the mouth of the people of Kashi that he was a child from amongst themselves (Shri Brahma, Shri Vishnu and Shri Shiv), they said, “This child has come from some other world. We are also unfamiliar with his original place, but he possesses a lot of power; he is some Siddh Purush.
