1. In the Beginning

Dharam Das’ Questions about the Creation

Dharam Das said:

Now, my Lord, tell me where the Plane of Immortality is. Describe all the planes to me – and make me, the thirsty one, drink the Nectar. Where does the Soul live and where is the residence of Sat Purush? What does the Soul eat there and where does this Sound come from? How did Sat Purush create the planes, and why did He desire to create them? Tell me about the creation of the three worlds – describe everything to me and hide nothing from me. 

How was Kal Niranjan born and how were the sixteen sons born? How were the four kinds of created beings spread and how were the Souls thrown in the hands of Kal? How were Kurma and Shesh Nag born, and how were Matsya and Varah incarnated? How were the three gods born and how was the starry sphere created? How was this body created? 

Oh Lord, tell me the story of creation, so that all my doubts may go away, and my mind may become content.

Oh Satguru, graciously tell this servant of Yours the story of creation. Throw light on me with the nectar of Your words so that the fear of Yama may be destroyed. Understanding me as Your slave, tell me every single thing and describe it. Oh Satguru, I am convinced that what You tell me will be true!

– Your words are true and very dear to me. Your Grace is indescribable – it is my good fortune that You have given Your Darshan to me.

Kabir said:

Dharam Das, I have found you the appropriate person, and therefore I will tell you the secrets. Listen to the words of the beginning of creation, which is the sign of dissolution.

Kabir tells Dharam Das about the Beginning

Dharam Das, listen! When there was no earth, sky or lower regions, when Kurma, Varah and Shesh Nag didn’t exist, and Sadaswat Parwant and Ganesha were not born, not even the thirty other gods were created then – I will tell you about that time.

– When there was no Brahma, Vishnu or Mahesh, and the Shastras and Puranas were not yet created, all these things were in the Sat Purush then, like the shadow that lives in the banyan tree.

Oh Dharam Das, listen to the story of creation, which no one knows. Since the creation came into being after these events, what proof could I give? The four Vedas do not know these stories of Sat Purush, because then the Vedas also did not exist – so how could they describe the indescribable?

The Birth of Creation – The Expression of Sat Purush

When Sat Purush existed in latent form, He had not created the body and matter. As oil is hidden in the lotus, in the same way Sat Purush used to exist, hidden. In His will, He created the Souls, and looking at them He felt very happy. From the first Shabda originated by Him, the worlds and ocean were created, in which He dwelt. He made the throne of four worlds and sat on the lotus. Where Sat Purush sat, desire was created there. In the will of Sat Purush eighty-eight thousand islands were created. In all the worlds His desire exists. His desire is very fragrant.

The Manifestation of the sixteen Shabdas

From the second Shabda of Sat Purush the Kurma was created, with the desire of remaining attached to His feet. When Sat Purush uttered the third Shabda, a son named Gyan was born. When He came before Sat Purush and bowed down to Him, He ordered Him to go into creation. When the fourth Shabda was made, the son named Vivek was created. He was ordered to live in creation by Sat Purush.

With the fifth Shabda a brilliant light came into existence: when Sat Purush uttered the fifth Shabda, Kal Niranjan was incarnated. He is created from the most glorious part of the body of Sat Purush – that is why he troubles the Soul. Souls are of the essence of Sat Purush and no one knows their beginning and end.

When with His mouth, Sat Purush uttered the sixth Shabda, Sahaj was born. With the seventh Shabda, Santosh was created, who was given permission to go into creation. When Sat Purush uttered the eighth Shabda, Surat was settled in the beautiful world. With the ninth Shabda was created infinite Happiness and the tenth Shabda created Forgiveness. The eleventh Shabda created a son named Nishkam and the twelfth Shabda created a son named Jal-Rangi; the thirteenth Shabda created Achint, and with the fourteenth Shabda was created Love. With the fifteenth Shabda Din Dayal was born and the sixteenth Shabda created Patience. 

With the seventeenth Shabda, Yoga and the Saints were created; they all were born from the same origin. 

Shabda created all the sons, Shabda created all the worlds and oceans. In every world the parts of His essence – the Souls – were settled and their food was Nectar. The beauty of the Souls is endless and always happiness exists there; the glory of the Souls is inaccessible and indescribable – who can describe their endless beauty?

All the sons meditate on Sat Purush and eating Nectar, enjoy happiness. In this way, sixteen sons were born: Dharam Das, take this to heart.

The limitless beauty of the worlds created cannot be described. It is a wonderful creation; its beauty is such that it is impossible to describe in words. All worlds get light from the Light of Sach Khand. Even the sun and moon shine with the Light of one hair of Sat Purush.

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Illustration: see next page.