कामी क्रोधी लालची, इनसे भक्ति न होय ।
भक्ति करे कोइ सूरमा, जाति वरण कुल खोय ।।
Bhakti movement, initially began in around 7th century in South India and expanded northwards, focused on spiritual love and devotion to religious concepts & principles, generally concentrating on loving relationship with a defined God. The initial Bhakti movement and its impact on Dharma/ Ethical living have been covered in some of my earlier Blogs including Blog 8, " Impact during Classical Puranic Hinduism period". From 15th century on-wards till middle of 17th century, it swept across north & east India, enveloped around Vaishnavism, Shaivism and Shaktism.
Some religious scholars have interpreted that Bhakti movement has been essentially a revival, reworking and re-contextualization of ancient Vedic traditions. Bhakti movement tried to remove social inequities and welcomed in its fold people of all castes, including so called untouchables, a reformist movement in society. SEVA, DANA, Community Kitchens, Free Shared Food, Free Hostels for poor, Providing Community Labor, Feeding Houses for Poor, Guru Ka Langar and many more reformist concepts were introduced during this movement by its Spiritual Leaders & Gurus. One can easily say that DHARMA & Ethical practices took a big LEAP with expanded scope & new definitions during this movement. learnings from this period being vast, we shall cover these in three to four blogs, beginning with Sant Ramananda ( 1400-1480 CE) and his prominent disciple Sant Kabir ( 1440-1518 CE) in this blog.
Sant Ramananda, also known as Jagatguru Ramanandacharya, was a great social reformer. He had several prominent disciples including Sant Kabir, Sant Ravidas . His preaching s had a universal appeal and to some extent, also influenced founding of SIKHISM in 15th century. Quoting a line from his writings impacting Dharma/ Ethical Living;
Some religious scholars have interpreted that Bhakti movement has been essentially a revival, reworking and re-contextualization of ancient Vedic traditions. Bhakti movement tried to remove social inequities and welcomed in its fold people of all castes, including so called untouchables, a reformist movement in society. SEVA, DANA, Community Kitchens, Free Shared Food, Free Hostels for poor, Providing Community Labor, Feeding Houses for Poor, Guru Ka Langar and many more reformist concepts were introduced during this movement by its Spiritual Leaders & Gurus. One can easily say that DHARMA & Ethical practices took a big LEAP with expanded scope & new definitions during this movement. learnings from this period being vast, we shall cover these in three to four blogs, beginning with Sant Ramananda ( 1400-1480 CE) and his prominent disciple Sant Kabir ( 1440-1518 CE) in this blog.
Sant Ramananda, also known as Jagatguru Ramanandacharya, was a great social reformer. He had several prominent disciples including Sant Kabir, Sant Ravidas . His preaching s had a universal appeal and to some extent, also influenced founding of SIKHISM in 15th century. Quoting a line from his writings impacting Dharma/ Ethical Living;
जाति पाति पूछे न कोई, हरि को भजे सो हरि का होई ।।
Another of his writing known as Raga Basant , a part of Guru Granth Sahib, conveys that God is within a person and one need not go to any temple. " Where should I go? I am happy at home.My heart will not go with me. My mind has become crippled. One day, a desire welled up in my mind, I ground up sandalwood, along with several fragrant oils.I went to the temple, to worship HIM there, then my GURU showed the BRAHMA within my heart."Some of these preaching s created considerable impact on the society in practicing Dharma and Ethical practices by way of removing social inequities and unethical practices.
Sant Kabir's preaching s were full of spiritual wisdom in simple, straight forward, sometimes even blunt, words. These touched everyone and impacted lives of people of all classes in leading ethical life. In a way, these also indirectly expressed what DHARMA is, in real sense. Quoting a few relevant verses of Sant Kabir on DHARMA & Ethical Practices.
कबीरा खड़ा बाजा़र में, माँंगे सबकी खैर । ना काहू से दोस्ती, ना काहू से वैर ।।
कबीर आप ठगाइए, और ना ठगिए कोए । आप ठगै सुख उपजै, ओर ठगै दुख होए ।।
जहाँं दया तहाँं धर्म है, जहाँं लोभ तहाँं पाप । जहाँं क्रोध तहाँं पाप है, जहाँं क्षमा तहाँं आप ।।
दुर्बल को न सताइए, जाकि मोटी हाय । बिना जीव की हाय से, लौह भस्म हो जाय ।।
Each word of Sant Kabir in his numerous verses describes Dharma & Ethical living norms. " Kade Abhiman Na Kijiye, Kahe Kabir Samajhaye " ie Ego should have no place in a person's life. Another one on HUMILITY impacts living;
" Sabse laghuta hi bhali, laghuta Se sab hoye. " ie it's always better to be humble, which mostly leads to effective results. On one's VAANI or speech, Sant Kabir emphasized non aggression and calmness in speech. He is categorical on speaking TRUTH since it leads to piousness in behavior and closeness to God.
ऐसी वाणी बोलिए, मन का आपा खोय । ओरों को शीतल करे, आप ही शीतल होय ।।
बोली एक अनमोल है, जो कोई बोले जानि ।हिये तराजू तौलिके, तब मुख बाहर आनि ।।
साँंच बराबर तप नहीं, झूठ बराबर पाप । जाके हिरदे साँंच है, ता हिरदे हरि आप ।।
Every couplet of Sant Kabir focuses on Dharma and ethical practices for society to follow. " Maya Mari na Mann mara, mar mar gaye sharir ; Aasha trishna na Mari, keh gaye das Kabir". Sant Kabir was very modest even in seeking blessings of God--- " सांई इतना दीजिए, जा में कुटम्ब समाए । मैं भी भूखा न रहूं, साधु न भूखा जाए ।। What a great Ethical message ? In fact, Dharma and Ethical practices took a giant leap during this period. respect for HUMAN VALUES grew in society and social inequities were impacted.
Bhakti movement went on encompassing more and more members of society in all parts of India and with it came Tolerance, Forgiveness and Acceptance with Humility. Leanings from the preaching s of Sant Kabir are phenomenal and can not be covered in a small blog. I have only tried to include a small no of selective verses from his vast reservoir of Spiritual/ Humanity based values. Summing up, these describe कामी, क्रोधी, लालची, अभिमानी as unethical traits; while दया, क्षमा, सत्यता, वाणी की शीतलता, नम्रता, सेवा, दानी होना, गरीबो की मदद, किसी को न सताना, सबको प्यार करना और साथ लेकर चलना आदि as Dharmic & Ethical traits.
Let me end the blog by a couplet of Sant Kabir on a strong value of " PURUSHARTH ", ie one's Dharma by meeting life's needs through working and not begging. What a wonderful deep message on KARMA in life, as one's Dharma, which is ethical ?
कबीरा खड़ा बाजा़र में, माँंगे सबकी खैर । ना काहू से दोस्ती, ना काहू से वैर ।।
कबीर आप ठगाइए, और ना ठगिए कोए । आप ठगै सुख उपजै, ओर ठगै दुख होए ।।
जहाँं दया तहाँं धर्म है, जहाँं लोभ तहाँं पाप । जहाँं क्रोध तहाँं पाप है, जहाँं क्षमा तहाँं आप ।।
दुर्बल को न सताइए, जाकि मोटी हाय । बिना जीव की हाय से, लौह भस्म हो जाय ।।
Each word of Sant Kabir in his numerous verses describes Dharma & Ethical living norms. " Kade Abhiman Na Kijiye, Kahe Kabir Samajhaye " ie Ego should have no place in a person's life. Another one on HUMILITY impacts living;
" Sabse laghuta hi bhali, laghuta Se sab hoye. " ie it's always better to be humble, which mostly leads to effective results. On one's VAANI or speech, Sant Kabir emphasized non aggression and calmness in speech. He is categorical on speaking TRUTH since it leads to piousness in behavior and closeness to God.
ऐसी वाणी बोलिए, मन का आपा खोय । ओरों को शीतल करे, आप ही शीतल होय ।।
बोली एक अनमोल है, जो कोई बोले जानि ।हिये तराजू तौलिके, तब मुख बाहर आनि ।।
साँंच बराबर तप नहीं, झूठ बराबर पाप । जाके हिरदे साँंच है, ता हिरदे हरि आप ।।
Every couplet of Sant Kabir focuses on Dharma and ethical practices for society to follow. " Maya Mari na Mann mara, mar mar gaye sharir ; Aasha trishna na Mari, keh gaye das Kabir". Sant Kabir was very modest even in seeking blessings of God--- " सांई इतना दीजिए, जा में कुटम्ब समाए । मैं भी भूखा न रहूं, साधु न भूखा जाए ।। What a great Ethical message ? In fact, Dharma and Ethical practices took a giant leap during this period. respect for HUMAN VALUES grew in society and social inequities were impacted.
Bhakti movement went on encompassing more and more members of society in all parts of India and with it came Tolerance, Forgiveness and Acceptance with Humility. Leanings from the preaching s of Sant Kabir are phenomenal and can not be covered in a small blog. I have only tried to include a small no of selective verses from his vast reservoir of Spiritual/ Humanity based values. Summing up, these describe कामी, क्रोधी, लालची, अभिमानी as unethical traits; while दया, क्षमा, सत्यता, वाणी की शीतलता, नम्रता, सेवा, दानी होना, गरीबो की मदद, किसी को न सताना, सबको प्यार करना और साथ लेकर चलना आदि as Dharmic & Ethical traits.
Let me end the blog by a couplet of Sant Kabir on a strong value of " PURUSHARTH ", ie one's Dharma by meeting life's needs through working and not begging. What a wonderful deep message on KARMA in life, as one's Dharma, which is ethical ?
माँंगन मरण समान है, मत माँंगो कोई भीख ।
माँंगन से मरना भला, यह सतगुरू की सीख ।।
