Kabir Das
Ji

Who was Kabir Das ji ?
Kabir was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint, whose writings influenced Hinduism's Bhakti
movement and his verses are found in Sikhism's scripture Adi Granth.
His early life was in a Muslim family, but he was strongly influenced by his teacher, the Hindu bhakti
leader Ramananda.
Kabir suggested that True God is with the person who is on the path of righteousness.
Kabir’s legacy survives and continues through the Kabir panth (“Path of Kabir”).

Born 1398
Varanasi, Sayyid dynasty
Died 1518
Maghar, Lodhi dynasty
Occupation Weaver, poet
Known for Influencing the Bhakti movement, Sant
Mat and Kabir Panth movements. Having hymns
included in the Guru Granth Sahib
Movement Bhakti (Ramananda's disciple)
Parents Neeru (father)
Neema (Mother)
Early life and Background
Kabir Das Working as a craftsman

● Kabir Saheb was born in 1398 (Samvat 1455), on the full moon day of Jyeshtha month at the time of
Brahmamuharta. There is a considerbale scholarly debate on the circumstances surrounding Kabir's
birth. A few accounts mention that he was raised by a Muslim weaver, Niru and his wife Nima.
● Kabir is widely believed to have become one of the many disciples of the Bhakti poet-sant
Swami Ramananda in Varanasi, known for devotional Vaishnavism with a strong bent to monist Advaita
philosophy teaching that God was inside every person, everything.
● Early texts about his life place him with Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism as well as the Sufi tradition of
Islam. According to Irfan Habib, the two manuscript versions of the Persian text Dabistan-i-Mazahib are
the earliest known texts with biographical information about Kabir. The Dabistan-i-Mazahib states Kabir is
a "Bairagi" (Vaishnava yogi) and states he is a disciple of Ramanand (the text refers to him repeatedly as
"Gang").

● Kabir composed poems in a pithy and
earthy style, fused with imagery.
● His poems were in vernacular Hindi,
borrowing from various dialects including
Avadhi, Braj, and Bhojpuri.
● His verbally composed poems of wisdom
as "bā
ņ
ī
s" (utterances).
● Literary works with compositions
attributed to Kabir include Kabir Bijak,
Kabir Parachai, Sakhi Granth, Adi Granth
(Sikh), and Kabir Granthawali (Rajasthan)
Poetry
Kabir Das 1952 Indian Postage
Stamp

Famous poetry and sayings
● If God be within the mosque, then to whom does this world belong? If Ram be
within the image which you find upon your pilgrimage, then who is there to know
what happens without?
Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.
Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram;
All the men and women of the world are His living forms. Kabir is the child of Allah
and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir.
- Kabir, III.2, Translated by Rabindranath Tagore
● Kabir's couplets suggest he was persecuted for his views, while he was alive. He
stated, for example,
Saints I see the world is mad. If I tell the truth they rush to beat me, if I lie they trust
me. For, without soap or water, he will scrub your character clean.

Bura Jo Dekhan Main Chala,
Bura Naa Milya Koye
Jo Munn Khoja Apnaa, To
Mujhse Bura Naa Koye

Aag Jo Lagi Samand Mein, Dhuan Na
Pargat Hoye
So Jane Jo Jarmua, Jaki Lagi Hoye
Aasa Jive Jag Marey, Log Marey
Mar Jayee
Soyee Sube Dhan Sanchate, So
Ubrey Jey Khayee
Aisee Vani Boliye, Mun Ka Aapa
Khoye
Apna Tan Sheetal Kare, Auran
Ko Sukh Hoye

● Kabir's legacy continues to be carried forward
by the Kabir panth ("Path of Kabir"), a
religious community that recognises him as
its founder and is one of the Sant Mat sects
● Kabir's literature legacy was championed by
two of his disciples, Bhāgodās and
Dharmadās.
● Songs of Kabir were collected by Kshitimohan
Sen from mendicants across India, these
were then translated to English by
Rabindranath Tagore.
Legacy

● Kabir has been criticised for his depiction of
women. According to Kabir, a woman
prevents man's spiritual progress.
● Woman ruins everything when she comes
near man; Devotion, liberation, and divine
knowledge no longer enter his soul.
- Kabir, Translated by Nikky-Guninder Kaur
Singh
Criticism

CREDITS: This presentation template was created by Slidesgo,
including icons by Flaticon, and infographics & images by Freepik
Thanks