Gaudi Sahib Kabir Ji Ki - Janam Sakhi Bhai Bale Wali
Kabir Sahib’s Teachings from Janam Sakhi Bhai Bale Wali: Oneness of God and the Futility of Rituals
This profound speech by Kabir Sahib, preserved in Janam Sakhi Bhai Bale Wali, delivers a timeless message about the oneness of God and the futility of empty religious practices. Kabir Sahib highlights how humanity, despite worshiping the same Supreme God, has been divided into sects and rituals.
He criticizes both Hindus and Muslims for being trapped in outward ceremonies like temple visits, fasting, circumcision, animal sacrifice, and pilgrimages, while forgetting the essence of true devotion. Kabir Sahib points out that God was One in the beginning and remains One in the end, but in the middle, people stray into divisions. He emphasizes that the same Supreme God resides in all beings and can only be realized through true spiritual knowledge and the grace of the Eternal Lord.
This teaching dismantles religious hypocrisy and calls everyone to recognize the inner presence of the same God (Ram) in every heart, rising above false differences created by hollow traditions.
ਗਉੜੀ ਭਗਤ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ਕੀ॥
ਸਾਧੋ ਏਕ ਪਗ ਦੋਇ ਬਾਂਟਾ ਰੇ ॥।
ਆਦਿ ਏਕੁ ਅੰਤੁ ਹੈ ਏਕੋ ਵਿਚ ਮਾਰਗ ਯਹ ਫਾਂਟਾ ਰੇ ।ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਹਿੰਦੁ ਕੀ ਹਦ ਗਉ ਦੇਹੁਰਾ ਤੀਰਥ ਬਰਤ ਇਸ਼ਨਾਨਾ ਰੇ॥
ਬਕਰੀ ਮਾਰ ਮਾਸ ਮੁਖਿ ਮੇਲਹਿ ਤਿਸ ਕੈਸੇ ਰਾਮੈ ਜਾਨਾ ਰੇ॥੧॥
ਰੋਜਾ ਰਖਣ ਨਮਾਜ਼ ਗੁਜਾਰਹਿ ਮਕੇ ਮਸੀਤ ਲਪਟਨਾ ॥
ਤਸਬੀ ਫੇਰ ਤਕੱਬਰ ਨ ਛਾਡਹੀ ਤਿਨ ਕੈਸੇ ਅਲਾਹ ਪਛਾਨਾ ਰੇ ॥
ਮਾਂ ਕੇ ਗਲੇ ਜਨੇਊ ਨਾਹੀ ਪੂਤ ਕਹਾਵੈ' ਪਾਂਡੇ ਰੇ॥
ਬੀਬੀ ਕਉ ਤਾਂ ਸੁੰਨਤ ਨਾਹੀਂ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਣ ਕਾਜੀ ਭਾਂਡੇ ਰੇ॥੩ ॥
ਆਪਣੇ ਵਿਤ ਕਉ ਕਾਨ ਛਿਦਾਏ ਸੁੰਨਤ ਉਹੈ ਕਰਾਈ ਰੇ ॥
ਜੇਕਰ ਹੁਕਮ ਖੁਦਾਈ ਹੋਤਾ ਧੁਰੋ' ਹੀ ਕਾਟੀ ਆਈ ਰੇ॥ ੪ ॥
ਗਉ ਸੁਰ ਕੀ ਏਕੋ ਕਾਇਆ ਏਕੋਂ ਲੋਹੂ ਚਾਮਾ ਰੇ॥
ਕਹਿਤ ਕਬੀਰ ਦੋ ਕਹੂੰ ਨ ਦੇਖੋ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਏਕੋ ਰਾਮਾ ਰੇ॥੧॥
Explanation
ਸਾਧੋ ਏਕ ਪਗ ਦੋਇ ਬਾਂਟਾ ਰੇ ॥।
Kabir Sahib says: O Saints! People are divided into two paths from the very first step. Instead of walking on the one true path, they split into divisions.
ਆਦਿ ਏਕੁ ਅੰਤੁ ਹੈ ਏਕੋ ਵਿਚ ਮਾਰਗ ਯਹ ਫਾਂਟਾ ਰੇ । ਰਹਾਉ ॥
From the beginning, God is One, and in the end also, He is One. But in the middle (during life), the path splits into different sects and divisions. (Rahaao – main point): People fight over religious divisions instead of realizing the one Supreme God.
ਹਿੰਦੁ ਕੀ ਹਦ ਗਉ ਦੇਹੁਰਾ ਤੀਰਥ ਬਰਤ ਇਸ਼ਨਾਨਾ ਰੇ॥
Hindus are bound by their religious limits of going to temples, bathing at pilgrimage places, fasting, and performing rituals.
ਬਕਰੀ ਮਾਰ ਮਾਸ ਮੁਖਿ ਮੇਲਹਿ ਤਿਸ ਕੈਸੇ ਰਾਮੈ ਜਾਨਾ ਰੇ॥੧॥
They slaughter goats and eat their flesh, yet claim to be close to God. Kabir Sahib questions – how can such people know the Supreme Lord?
ਰੋਜਾ ਰਖਣ ਨਮਾਜ਼ ਗੁਜਾਰਹਿ ਮਕੇ ਮਸੀਤ ਲਪਟਨਾ ॥
Muslims, on the other hand, keep fasts (roza), offer namaz, go to Mecca and mosques, and bow there.
ਤਸਬੀ ਫੇਰ ਤਕੱਬਰ ਨ ਛਾਡਹੀ ਤਿਨ ਕੈਸੇ ਅਲਾਹ ਪਛਾਨਾ ਰੇ ॥੨॥
Even while turning the rosary (tasbih), they do not give up arrogance (takabbur). Kabir Sahib says – how will they recognize Allah when pride blinds them?
ਮਾਂ ਕੇ ਗਲੇ ਜਨੇਊ ਨਾਹੀ ਪੂਤ ਕਹਾਵੈ' ਪਾਂਡੇ ਰੇ॥
A Brahmin does not put the sacred thread (janeu) around his mother’s neck, but still calls himself ‘son of a Brahmin’.
ਬੀਬੀ ਕਉ ਤਾਂ ਸੁੰਨਤ ਨਾਹੀਂ ਬ੍ਰਹਮਣ ਕਾਜੀ ਭਾਂਡੇ ਰੇ॥੩ ॥
Neither do they perform circumcision (sunnat) on women. Both Brahmins and Qazis (Muslim priests) are thus caught in hypocrisy and meaningless divisions.
ਆਪਣੇ ਵਿਤ ਕਉ ਕਾਨ ਛਿਦਾਏ ਸੁੰਨਤ ਉਹੈ ਕਰਾਈ ਰੇ ॥
People pierce their sons’ ears or perform circumcision, believing these physical signs make them religious.
ਜੇਕਰ ਹੁਕਮ ਖੁਦਾਈ ਹੋਤਾ ਧੁਰੋ' ਹੀ ਕਾਟੀ ਆਈ ਰੇ॥ ੪ ॥
Kabir Sahib says – if God had truly commanded circumcision, children would have been born circumcised from the beginning.
ਗਉ ਸੁਰ ਕੀ ਏਕੋ ਕਾਇਆ ਏਕੋਂ ਲੋਹੂ ਚਾਮਾ ਰੇ॥
Whether it is a cow or a pig, the same type of body, flesh, and blood is present.
ਕਹਿਤ ਕਬੀਰ ਦੋ ਕਹੂੰ ਨ ਦੇਖੋ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਏਕੋ ਰਾਮਾ ਰੇ॥੧॥
Kabir Sahib concludes – see no difference between any beings. The same Ram (Supreme God) resides in every heart.
Summary:
In this speech, Kabir Sahib teaches that both Hindus and Muslims have fallen into hollow external practices like rituals, fasting, circumcision, pilgrimage, and animal sacrifice, without actually connecting with the Supreme God. God is One from the beginning to the end, but due to ignorance, people are divided into sects. He emphasizes that God resides equally in all beings and cannot be realized through pride or meaningless practices, but only through true devotion and the guidance of the Supreme God.
Core Message:
- God is One for all; divisions in religion are man-made.
- External rituals, pride, and violence (like animal sacrifice) do not lead to God.
- True spirituality is seeing the same God in everyone and following the path shown by the Supreme God (Kabir Sahib).
Ref:
Shabadai Shabad Bakhana – The Secret of Five Shabads & True Naam by Kabir Sahib Ji Kar Naino Didar Mahal Mein Pyara Hai
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