6.
Sakhi Bhagat Kabir Ji
Bhagat Kabeer Ji was a
revolutionary saint who emphasized the equality and fraternity of all
mankind. He would recite His (Gods) name eternally and worshiped God and
none else. Kabeer Ji considered himself neither a Muslim nor a Hindu. He
says,
"I do
not keep fasts, nor do I observe the month of Ramadaan. I
serve only the One, who will protect me in the end."
Due to all this he met with
opposition from Pandits and Maulvis alike who in turn complained to the King
- Sultan Sikandar Lodi. The king told him to accept Islam and sing only in
the praise of Allah but Kabeer Ji refused and thus was punished in various
ways .. They threw Kabeer ji infront of an elephant to be crushed as
explained by Kabeer ji below ...
"They
tied my arms, bundled me up, and threw me before an elephant.The
elephant driver struck him on the head, and infuriated him. But
the elephant ran away, trumpeting, "I am
a sacrifice to this image of the Lord."||1|| O my
Lord and Master, You are my strength. The
Qazi shouted at the driver to drive the elephant on. ||1||Pause|| He
yelled out, ""O driver, I shall cut you into pieces. Hit
him, and drive him on !"" But
the elephant did not move; instead, he began to meditate. The
Lord God abides within his mind. ||2||" What
sin has this Saint committed, that
you have made him into a bundle and thrown him before the elephant ?
Lifting up the bundle, the elephant bows down before it. The
Qazi could not understand it; he was blind. (in ego) ||3||
Shri Guru Granth Sahib, Ang. 870
Then, He was tied up with the
chains by the order of the king. The king's men brought Kabeer near the bank
of the river Ganges. There was not a single person with Kabeer but God.
Kabeer Ji says,
"The
mother Ganges is deep and profound. Tied
up in chains, they took Kabeer there. ||1|| My
mind was not shaken; why should my body be afraid ? My
consciousness remained immersed in the Lotus Feet of the Lord.
||1||Pause||"
The king's men threw Kabeer's
body tied up with chain's in the river Ganges to drown. Kabeer Ji describes
this situation as follow,
"The
waves of the Ganges broke the chains and Kabeer was seated on a deer
skin.Says Kabeer, I have no friend or companion, on the water, and on the
land, the
Lord is my Savior"
Shri Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 1162
But God raised Kabeer Ji from the
water to protect His devotee. Watching all this, the king was amazed and
full of embarrassment. The King begged Kabeer Ji for an apology. Such are
the ways of God who always saves His saints.