Ab tab jab kab Tuhi Tuhi – Raag Ramkali – Ang 969

SGGS Angg 969.

Raag Ramkali – Bhagat Kabir Ji.

Bhagat Ji shares his love for God. It was that total faith in God that saw him leave Benares and to live at Maghar. It is the same intense love for God that saw Bhagat Ji abandon all thoughts of heaven or hell, and led him to meet and have Darshan of the Lord.

Making reference to the Solid Support he receives from God, Bhagat Ji says, You are my Sumer mountain (mount Meru or Sumeru or Mahameru) is the fabled five peaked mountain of Hindu, Jain and Buddhist teachings which is believed to be the centre of the physical, spiritual and metaphysical Universe), O Lord and Master and I hold tight to Your Support; You do not ever waver (tremble, shake) and I do not fall. My honor (and faith in You) have been preserved by You.

“Tu mero Mer Parbat Suami ote gahee mai Teri; na Tum dolho na ham girtay rakh linee Har meri.”

Now and then, here and there, You, only You; by Your Grace, I am forever in peace.

“Ab tab jab kab Tuhi Tuhi; ham Tao Parsad sukhi sadh hi.” (rahao).

It was believed Benares was a blessed place. The town had been founded by the deva Ganesh. Moreover, Shiva had done lots of penances (tapp) there, and had said that if anyone died at Benares, he would go straight to heaven.

Some years later, Vishvamitar, a famed rishi decided he too would bless a place and place it on an equal footing, if not better than Benares. He chose Maghar, a town about 160 kilometres north of Benares, to do his tapasya (penances to get a boon).

He sat in deep samadhi. Vishvamitra was revered as a very holy rishi, but was feared for his short temper. Shiva took on the disguise of a poor brahmin and went to the rishi. He interrupted the samadhi of Vishvamitra and in a child like innocence asked him what he was doing. Annoyed at being disturbed, Vishvamitra replied with all the calm he could muster, and said that he wanted to bless Maghar to ensure all who died there would go directly to heaven with full honor.
The brahmin appeared half an hour or so later, and again asked where dead people from Maghar would go to. Vishvamitra replied coldly, but held his temper in check. This irritation continued for about 15 times and unable to hold himself any longer, Vishvamitra cursed aloud and said anyone who died in Maghar would go to hell and be reincarnated as a donkey.

Many left Maghar and the older ones used to go to Benares when they felt their time was up as no one wanted to die at Maghar in view of the curse.

Bhagat Kabir was born in Benares and lived there for many years. About two years before his death, Bhagat Kabir Ji moved to Maghar as he did not believe in any of these superstitions. Bhagat Ji maintained it was your conduct and the Naam you have in you, that will take you across, and where you die, makes no difference.

There are 4 Shabads by Bhagat Kabir Ji in SGGS Ji where he makes reference to moving from Benares to Maghar. His Samadh is preserved in Maghar by his followers, the Kabirpanthis.

Bhagat Ji says, God, relying upon You I live in Maghar, and you have put out the fires in my body

“Tere bharose Maghar basiyo mere tann ki tapatt bujhayee.”

Now Bhagat Ji uses Maghar and Kashi (Benares) in a totally different sense. Maghar, the town is quite barren and hardly anything grows there. Bhagat Ji says I had Darshan of the Lord in my body Maghar (which is barren now of all desires), and (in my body Kashi – a blessed place, the Daswa Dwar) I now reside in Kashi.

“Pahile Darshan Maghar paaiyo funh Kashi basse ayee.”

Now Bhagat Ji speaks of the physical towns Maghar and Kashi. They are the same to him.

“Jaisa Maghar taisee Kashi ham ekay kar jaani.”

This realisation that there is no difference between the two towns is a result of the True Wealth of Naam, without which the proud ones burst and die in vain.

“Ham nirdhan jio eh dhan paaya martay foot ghumani.”

One who takes pride in himself gets poked by thorns (Sohila – “sakatt Har rass sadh na jaaniya tin antar haumai kanda hai.”) and no one relieves him by taking them out; here he cries bitterly, and hereafter, he burns in the most hideous hell.

“Kare ghumaan chubay tiss soola ko kadhan ko nahee; ajay so chobh ko bilall bilatey narkay ghor pachahee.”

What is hell about, and heaven too? The Saints reject them both; I have no obligation to them (i.e. I will neither go to heaven or hell), by the Grace of my Guru.

“Kavan narak kavan surag bichara Santann douu raadey; ham kaahu ki kaan na kadtay apne Gur Parsaday.”

Now I have mounted to the Throne (Daswa Dwar) and met the Lord, Sustainer of the world; the Lord and Kabir are merged as One and none can distinguish one from the other.

“Ab tao jaye chadhe Singhasan milhe hai Sarangpani; Raam Kabira Ek bhaye hai koye na sakay pechanee.”

Shabad Viakhya by Bhai Manjeet Singh Ji

Shahad Kirtan available on YouTube