Kabir and the kabir panth.

KABIR AND THE KABIR PANTH JJY REV. 110, WESTCOTT,Jil OKKKLliOW ALLAHABAD (TNIVKUSITV, :OAWNroltK OHKWT C!IUHAT THPWNTMD ANU I I907OrPREFACE the"iresult ofThe following pages represent over the last ten Theinquiries extending years. in which such as isgradual way Information, has been and the number ofgiven, acquired times that first have had toimpressions give would suffi-to discoveries beway subsequent cient that this of thewarning representation is little to he free from errors.subject likely is that this will doMy hope study something feltto increase the interest inalready by many been calledthe various sects that havereligious in the efforts ofinto existence India through teachers.distinguished I have tried to avoid ondogmatising ques- wetions that call for fuller but;investigation Kabir anhave at rate in the ofany teaching down the thatto break barriersattempt separate from and we haveHindus Muhammadans, in the Kabir Panth a religious systemprobably that owes to MuhammadanHindu^.something and Christian influences.(IV) If Christ had been an would notIndian, his have been welcomedGospel who nowbymany refuse to ?listen For in this I amhelp undertaking principal- indebted toly Badlumy whoMali, isDass, himself a member of the Panth. He has visited all of interest inplaces connexion with the has introducedmePanth, to Mahantsmany and conducted withinquiries great intelligence. The Rev. Ahmad who is nowShah, engaged in out an edition of thebringing hasBijak, made valuablemany and has alsosuggestions the ofsuperintended variouscopying Kabir Panthi MSS. Mr. U. R. Clement and the Rev. Prem Chanel have also rendered valuable assist- while the Rev.ance, B. H. P. Fisher of this Mission has seen thesekindly pages through the Press. G. H. WESTCOTT. S. P. G. MISSION HOUSE CAWNPORE.(V) CONTENTS, THE .L LIFE OF KABIR I Additional Note. Kabir in History 25 1L THK LIFE OF KAII1K ... 2g(Gvnttf.) III. THE TEACHING OF KAlilR 45 Additional A>;Ms\ The: Bijak 73 The Doetime of Shabda (word) 74 IV. SAKIIIS ATTKHiUTKT) TO KAHIR 77 V. THK KABIR PANTH ... ... <)B Additional Mole. Lists of Mahants 114 ...VI. THK KABIR PANTH. 117 Additional Notes. . .The Orders of Islam 135Religious in Nor-Christian influencesRarly .. ..."thern India 137(Ti) VII. THE OFTEACHING THE PANTH,., 140 Additional Notes. Literature on life and ofTeaching * Kabir ... ... 160 Pandit Bhai ... ...Walji 172 Addenda and ...Corrigenda 174 GLOSSARY OF INDIAN TERMS ... 177 INDEX ... ... . S ILLUSTRATIONS. as in theKabir, picturerepresented in thehung Kabir Charan Benares.Math, A Potter at io illustratework, Sakhi,(9). to 80,fact p. A of Kabirgroup inPanthis, at thecamp Magh Allahabtd.Mela, toface p. 104.(Til) TABLE,CHROXOLOGICA! Century Hindu, Uiri:*uan. A. D. ' 1oo1 Rumapuja 1200 Raman.iw! liiTf*\Vyrk 1324-84 Joi'danus*1300-1400 (r) 1321 Gorakh Naih !'4";i;>inu.;1400 j 1467- i1420-14X5 (?) :.'<' j Kahir Luther 14^3-15461440-151^ Nanak Crannicr 1489-14^0-1538 1555 Chaitanya Vallabha Swami Fr Xavicr 1506- Dadu : Xavicr toJ.1544-1603 Lahore : 1596. 'BassTuki 1544* was inhorn and died In 828,Sankarucharya 78!LChapter THE LIFE OF KAB(R. allowed that ofIt is all thegenerally great Reformers Kahir and TulsfHindu Dass have had the influence forgreatest good among the uneducated classes of Northern and Cen- KabiV has beentral India. describedfittingly Sir W. W* Hooter as the Indian Lutherby of the 15th century. those who their in-Among acknowledge to as adebtedness Kubir arespiritual guide Niinak Shah of the the founder ofPanjab, the Sikh Dddii of Ahmedabaclcommunity ; ] the Pauthfounder of that bears his(1544) and Dass of Oudhname, Jag Juvan (1760) the founder of the Sat Nami sect. Among teachers whose doctrine is said toreligious based the of Kabirbe teachinglargely upon are the founder of the Sddh com-Bribhan, LaiBiba of Mdlwi and Shivimunity (1658), Naraia of Ghazipur. these Ndnak Shdh is the teacher withOf whose name the reader is most familiarEnglish well in his case toand it is therefore enlarge All in the refer to the Annothe elates text(1 ) given year Domiui.OF KAB{R.THE LIFE2 ofa bald assertion indebted-somewhat upon ness. 2 Kabir is mentioned asthe Janam SdkhtIn in to Nanak andmerita himself,equalBhagat his exam-are exhorted to followother Bhagats Nanakmore than one occasionOn quotesple. verses attributed towith approvalemphasised Kabir. Adi the sacred book of theThe Granth, much information theconcerningSikhs, gives the of hislife of Kabir and character teaching. which Nanak felt in Kabir wasThe interest enhanced the fact that he hadbyprobably 4withtheintercourse reformer,personalenjoyed In the number of those whomodern days have in one or another come under theway (influence of Kabir is In the Censusvery great. for the number of Kabir Pantbis1901Report alone is returned as and the actual843,171 number is as inprobably considerably larger, the United Provinces Kabir Panthfsmany Janam Sakhi or of IH the(2) (Evidence Story birth) name to the accounts of currentgiven iilttNannie, Hwotitf followers. A translation of two such account* will ! found in edition of the Adi Granth.Trumpp's Adi Granth book The term(3) first, principal. Granth is used several sects to denote their authoritativeby wrftftigH The from the Adi Granth arequotations takim from translation.Trumpp's Ninak is said to have been 27 of(4) years when h<*a# met Kabir, As Nsiriak was born in 1460 the ofyear marling will have been the1496, in which Bikamtarvery year theLoiii, of visitedEmperor Delhi, and other cities inJaunpur that neighbourhood.