Kabir, Misc. History
Etznab
KABIR - kah-beer' The Hundu poet-mystic
in the sixteenth century was the first of the
ECK Masters to bring the ECK mysteries
out into the open and for this was hounded
by both his adversaries and the followers of
Soul Travel.
ECKANKAR DICTIONARY, Paul Twitchell,
3rd Printing 1978, p. 75
Kabir kah-BEER The Hindu poet-mystic
in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, a
follower of ECK, who was the first to bring
the mysteries of SOUL TRAVEL out into
the open. For this he was hounded by both
his Hindu and Muslim followers.
A Cosmic Sea of Words, THE ECKANKAR
LEXICON, Harold Klemp, 1998, p. 107
"KABIR (1440-1518 A.D.)—A great Indian
Saint and contemporary of Guru Nanak. The
modern age of Sant Mat wherein the Science
of Surat Shabd Yoga is openly taught and first-
hand experience given may be said to have
begun with Kabir Sahib."
http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/gloss.htm
"No written instructions had been put down for
the followers of ECKANKAR, nor any part of it,
until the sixteenth century when Kabir, the Hindu
mystic poet, took it upon himself to unwrap the
mysteries of the ancient science of Soul Travel."
[Based on: ECKANKAR, Compiled Writings,
Vol. 1 (Copyright 1975 by Gail T. Gross), by
Paul Twitchell, p. 59]
"The art of exteriorization was revived by Kabir,
the Hindu mystic-poet in the sixteenth century
and passed through a succession of savants,
by secret initiation until Sawan Singh openly
started giving initiation to anyone who came
to his ashram. When he passed his spiritual
mantle to Kirpal Singh, the instructions were
to carry out this policy." [13]
[13] Paul Twitchell, "Ancient Science of Eckankar,"
publisher unknown (May 1965).
http://www.geocities.com/eckcult/chapters/tmsm5.html
"From Kabir's day those who have helped spread
the doctrine of bilocation were mainly, the leader
of the Sikh order, especially Nanka Guru [sic], the
founder. Others have been the Sufi saints, e.g.,
Hafiz, Jalal din Rumi, Shamus Tabriz, and Sawan
Singh, Kirpal Singh, St. Anthony of Padua, and the
contemporary clergyman, Padre Pie [sic], to name
a few."
September 1965 issue of Search Magazine.
http://www.geocities.com/eckcult/chapters/tmsm5.html
***************************************************************
Kabir appeared to know something about the
teachings of Eckankar and Surat Shabda Yoga
from the references I have seen.
Some historical accounts make him out to be
a contemporary of Guru Nanak (1469-1539?), &
others claim their lives did not overlap.
Regardless different birthdates, Kabir appears
to be the older and come before Nanak.
Question: Did the writings of Kabir ever make
mention of anything like "Eckankar"? Nanak re-
portedly mentioned "EK Onkar". So how about
Kabir?
***************************************************************
Ramaini 27
brahma ko dinho brahmanda, sat dip puhumi now khanda;
satya satya kahi vishnu dridhai, tin lok mahh rakhin jai;
linga rup tab shankar kinha, dharti kili rasatal dinha;
tab ashtangi rachi kumari, tin lok mohini sab jhari;
dutiya nam parvati bhiyau, tap karte shankar kaha diyau;
ekai purush ek hai nari, tate rachin khani bhow chari;
sarman barman dev ru dasa, raj sat tam gun dharti akasa.
Sakhi: ek and onkar te, sabh jag bhaya pasar;
kahahin kabir sab nari ram ke, avichal purush bhartar.
Meaning
God gave Brahma this universe to create and the
latter created the "seven islands" and the "nine parts"
of the earth. Vishnu, being truthful to his mother, was
given the power to protect the three worlds. Then Shiva
came in the form of linga (male genital organ) and pierced
the earth and reached the nether world. God then created
a young girl (Adhya) with eight parts (maya) and the three
worlds became fascinated with her. Her second name was
Parvati and she was married to Shiva who was doing
austerity. There is one Purush (Niranjan and one woman
[maya]); the four forms of life came from them. The Brah-
mins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras were created;
the three gunas - rajas, tamas and sattva - were spread
from earth to heaven.
Sakhi: Onkar is like an egg and all the world manifested
from it. Kabir says that all are the wives of Ram and He
is the husband and Imperishable Lord.
http://www.members.shaw.ca/kabirweb/
***************************************************************
I'd like to look at other translations for Ramaini 27
if anyone should happen to find some.
When there is time I will look myself.
Etznab
Etznab
Attempting to research "onkar" and discover what, if
any, relationsip it has with the idea of an "egg". I'll put
my results onto this thread.
"[....] The Brahmand is the manifestation of the Power
of God, lodged in Om, the most sacred syllable in the
Vedic lore; hence It is the akar or form of Om (Om-kar).
It is the Logos of the Greeks and Ek-Onkar of the various
scriptures. [....]"
http://www.ruhanisatsangusa.org/mod/mod_v.htm
BTW, Brahmand means "egg of Braham". Search
keyword Brahmand + egg.
"Hinduism believes that it was the cosmic egg (Brah-
mand) which gave birth to everything."
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040904/saturday/above.htm
"According to Hindu mythology, after the great deluge
the almighty fertilized the waters to produce an egg.
From one part of this egg came Brahma the Creator,
and from another the universe. Hence, the universe is
called brahmand or the cosmic egg in Sanskrit. Another
legend states that Brahma emerged from a lotus that
grew out of Vishnu the Preserver’s navel."
http://www.indiaprofile.com/religion-culture/lotus.htm
***************************************************************
From the Kabir-related link appears this section.
Sakhi: ek and onkar te, sabh jag bhaya pasar;
kahahin kabir sab nari ram ke, avichal purush bhartar.
With this translation.
Sakhi: Onkar is like an egg and all the world manifested
from it. Kabir says that all are the wives of Ram and He
is the husband and Imperishable Lord.
http://www.members.shaw.ca/kabirweb/
[See: Ramainis 27 - link at left.]
***************************************************************
I am not sure what word alludes to egg, in the phrase
ek and onkar te
I believe that corresponds (at least, in part) with:
Onkar is like an egg
The word for "egg" could be "and" (Sanskrit "anda"?)
I've also seen "onkar" described as (on other links)
as a "mysterious symbol". Which, IMO, isn't specific
enough.
***************************************************************
That was interesting, I thought. Something called
"onkar" being compared to an "egg". The way I read
it, at least.
Also, that Kabir site appears fairly extensive with a
number of illustrations.
I was looking for a transliteration for Kabir's "Bijak"
when I came across that link. On a lot of links you
had to buy a book to look at the material by Kabir,
but that site had some illustrations for free. Can't say
whether they are the best translations & commentary.
I'm still trying to study the language.
Etznab
Etznab
I'm looking for other places where the word "onkar"
appears on that Kabir-related site.
http://www.members.shaw.ca/kabirweb/
It appears in Ramaini #6 (besides Ramaini #27)
Where a part of the "Commentary section reads:
"[....]
"He states that when one realizes God, then it is a
knowledge beyond the existence of Onkar, who is
responsible for the creation of the world through
Brahma, his Son."
"[....]"
Some other notable words and where they appear.
BTW, a description for Purush, Prakrti & Maya app-
ears in Shabd #5
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"ek":
Shabd #5
Ramaini #37
"ek" appears to mean basically "one", "singular"
"non-dual" (from what I can gather).
"Purush":
Shabd #5
Shabd #6
Ramaini #6
"Maya"
Shabd #5
"Niranjan":
Ramaini #21
Ramaini #22
"Niran-" appears to have something to do with "mind".
There is another word that has "niran-" for the first part
of it. This is, besides the word niranjan.
One other interesting section I found was Shabd #1.
It appears to be some kind of riddle.
I'm not sure whether or not this is the same "onkar"
that Guru Nanak mentions in the Mool Mantra. Nanak
(reportedly) put the Sanskrit numeral "1" before the
"onkar", rendering it "Ek Onkar".
http://www.gurbani.org/articles/webart253.htm
All of this is what "history" appears to say. However,
I have to wonder (after all these years) whether Kabir
and Nanak's words have come down to us unaltered.
For example, how do I know whether the translations
are correct? How do I know whether the definitions for
words reportedly spoken / written by them are being
interpreted the same way today as they were at the
time of composition?
"Onkar" is the most curious to me, as I've seen so
many different definitions for it.
BTW (not that it means anything), one Greek word
for egg is "oon".
"Some scientific terms begin with /OO/ (two syllables),
from oon, Greek for egg."
http://www.io.com/~dierdorf/ww-20.html
Etznab
Etznab
This Wikipedia article also appears to echo the idea
Braham was created from Onkaar.
**************************************************************
Guru Nanak dev ji writes that, "From Onkaar, the One
Universal Creator God, Brahma was created. He kept
Ongkaar in his consciousness. From Ongkaar, the
mountains and the ages were created. Onkaar created
the Vedas."[6]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aum
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Brahma was like a highest God in Hinduism at the
time of the *Islamic Sultanates in India (1206–1596).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_India
Shamus Tabriz, Rumi, Kabir and Nanak all fall within
that time period, apparently, when Islamic Sultanates
were active in India, at least.
It is not surprising to me, in this regard, to find the
concept of "One God", or "God is One", or somrthing
like "Ek Onkar" trumping Brahma in certain parts of
India. Serving as the creator of Brahma even!
There is one reportedly historical character that app-
ears to have escaped Islamic influence. Milarepa.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milarepa
I'd like to look at the teachings espoused by him
next, to see what they share in common with Kabir
and Nanak.
BTW, though Milarepa was described as a follower
of Eckankar, how about his master, Marpa?
Remember when Ford Johnson's site mentioned
the path of Michael Owens? back in June, 2005?
Remember how Owens' line of Masters had for a
Torch Bearer Milarepa? Owens writes:
"I am the Living Sehaji Master, the 974th in an unbroken
line of Masters spanning the centuries from Milati and
Agnotti, two of the first in this universe, through Milarepa,
the Torch Bearer, and others who have held similar pos-
itions of honor. I received the Rod of Power in 2003 in the
Valley of Tirmer at the hand of Milarepa, the Spiritual
Master who heads the Grand Council."
http://www.thewayoftruth.org/letter.htm
Remember the Mystic World article around June 2005?
I'm going on memory, so I'll have to check on this one.
Wouldn't that be something? If The Way of Truth had
Milarepa for a Torch Bearer & Eckankar had Marpa as
an Eck Master?
Why do I think that the case? I need to look at Mystic
World article for June 2005 to confirm.
Etznab
Sean
I liked it, knw it was good but had a lot of trouble understanding it. Too
mnay things and ideas in the way. Many years later now I feel that I have a
much better grasp of such things than ever before.
BTW have you ever read LTG 3 etznab ?? I just got a copy of it, and the
first things I read were just perfect to fill in a few pieces for me in the
now.
cheers sean
"Etznab" <etz...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:4748549c-6312-4748...@a37g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
Etznab
>
> read more »
"BTW have you ever read LTG 3 etznab ?? I just got
a copy of it, and the first things I read were just perfect
to fill in a few pieces for me in the now."
Sean,
Yes. I have that book.
Glad to hear you got a copy. It's quite a book. IMO.
Etznab