5. Kal traps the Jivas

Kal creates a Snare

Kabir said:

Listen, Dharam Das, this is such a play of Kal that not even pandits and kadis can understand it. They address Kal as the Lord, and leaving the Nectar, they drink the poison. The four together created this creation and coloured the Jivas in their temporary colour. The Jiva, who has five elements and three gunas in her, knows that with her are fourteen yamas. In this way the human body was created, then killed; and after eating it up, again it was brought into existence. Onkar is the root of the Vedas. In Onkar all the world is lost. Onkar is Niranjan, understand this. And Sat Purush and His Naam are hidden.

Brahma gave birth to eighty-eight thousand, which were developed under the protection of Kal. The bodies who were created by Brahma – their development also took place. And they made the Smritis, Shastras and Puranas, in which all the Jivas were trapped. Brahma misleads the Jivas and makes them firm in the devotion of Alakh Niranjan. Following the teachings of the Vedas all the Souls were deluded and no one knew the secret of Sat Purush. Oh Dharam Das, understand how Nirankar produced this drama.

Hymn

First, by becoming demons, gods, rishis, munis. Then he incarnates himself as the protector and destroys the demons. In this way he shows many dramas to the Jivas – seeing which, the Jivas trust him: 'He is our lord and protector.' Showing the Jivas his performance as the protector, in the end he devours them. When the Souls find themselves in the mouth of Kal, then they repent.

Then Brahma made the sixty-eight places of pilgrimage, karma, sins and virtues. The twelve signs of the Zodiac, twenty-seven planets, seven days, fifteen lunar days were then made. Then the four yugas were created, and the minute, second and breathing time was estimated. The month of Kartik and Magh were considered auspicious. Few can understand this play of Kal! Importance was given to pilgrimages and holy places, and thus the Jivas do not leave illusion and recognise their own self. All were trapped in good and bad deeds. In this way all the Souls were entangled. Jivas cannot be saved without the True Shabd, and without the Essential Shabd, Jivas go into the mouth of Kal. Being afraid, people earn merits, but by their fruit their needs are not met.

As long as the rope of Sat Purush is not caught, the Jiva wanders in different bodies. Kal deludes the Souls in many ways, and so the Jiva doesn’t find the secret of Sat Purush. The Jivas are involved in greed for profit and because of their desires they are devoured by Kal. Nobody knows the drama of Kal! Giving them hope, Kal makes the Souls dance. First listen to the tradition of Sat Yuga, in which Kal takes the Souls and eats them up. Daily he eats one lakh Souls. Kal is a very mighty and cruel butcher. There he has a heated rock, which remains hot day and night, where he puts the Jivas. Burning the Jivas, he puts them to pain. Then he throws them into the cycle of eighty-four. He makes them wander in different bodies, and in this way gives them trouble. In many ways the Jivas cried out that Kal was giving them too much pain.

The Distress Call of the agonized Jivas;
by Sat Purush’s Order, Kabir comes to relieve them

"Oh Master, please help! the pain given by Kal is unbearable!" 

Hymn

When Sat Purush saw the Souls in such a pitiful condition. He felt Mercy on them. Then I was called by the generous gracious Lord. He explained to me many things, and ordered me to awaken the Souls. He told me to extinguish the fire of the Souls: He said that whoever sees me will become cool.

I obeyed His orders and took His words on my head. I started from there that moment, bowing my head to Sat Purush. I came to where Yama was harassing the Jivas; where Kal Niranjan was making the Souls dance. I stood there where the Jivas were being burned.

Seeing me they called,

"Oh Lord, please rescue us."

Then I called aloud the Sat Shabd, and connected the Jivas with the Shabd of Sat Purush.

The Prayer of the Jivas

Then all the Jivas prayed,

"Blessed are You, oh Lord, Who has put out our fire. Oh Lord, please save us from Yama. Shower Grace, All-Conscious Lord."

Then I explained to the Souls that if I were to use force, the Word of the Sat Purush could not be kept.

"When you go in the world and take up a body, love the Shabd. Recognise the Naam and Simran of the Sat Purush and accept the Truth. If, when you come in the body, you will be absorbed in Sat Shabd, only then will your Soul go to Sach Khand."

Whereof you are attached – there you go

"Whatever desire you remember in thought, word and deed – according to your attachment – you will dwell there. In the body whatever you desire will lead you to dwell there in the end. In the world, after taking up the body, if you forget Sat Purush, Kal will devour you."

The Jivas said,

"Listen, Ancient One, when we go in the body we will forget this knowledge. We will remember Yam Rai, and think that he is Sat Purush, as the Vedas and Puranas all say: Love the Formless. Demons, men, munis, and thirty-three crores of gods are all tied with the rope of Niranjan. According to his teachings we believed all this, but now we understand the snare of Yama."

Kabir answered the Jivas:

"Oh Jivas, listen: this is the deception of the mind. Because of mind, the trap of Kal has become stronger."

Hymn

Using his skill, Kal has created many pleasures for the Jivas. Pilgrimages, fasting, japa, yoga: all are traps of Kal. No one knows the way to escape from them. Kal himself takes up the body and he himself praises his own existence. He made many qualities and deeds, and caught the Jivas in his trap. Kal is terrible, and the Jivas are in his control. Birth after birth they get punished by him, without recognising the True Naam.

Kabir said to Dharam Das:

After awakening the Souls and giving some happiness, I went to Sat Purush.

Making them happy, I told the Jivas to understand this knowledge:

"When you take up the body and come into the world, then I will tell you the secret of Shabd. When you catch the rope of Sat Naam, then I will make you free from Yama."

After teaching the Jivas I went to Sat Purush and explained the sufferings of the Jivas. The gracious Sat Purush, Who is the generous Lord, Who is without desires, and at Whose feet lies our safety, told me in many ways to bring the Souls back after making them remember the Shabd.

Dharam Das then requested:

Oh Gyani, explain to me, and don’t hide from me, the Shabd which was told by the Sat Purush. Tell me, oh Lord, which Shabd saves the Souls?

The Satguru said:

I am telling you now whatever Sat Purush ordered: in many ways He explained to me and told me to bring the Souls back, making them remember the Shabd. The Lord gave me that which is latent – understand this: the bodiless Naam is the emancipation-giver. He gave me the authority and the sign to connect the Souls with Him. Without the tongue that Sound is made; but only with the help of a Perfect Master can one get It. Five Nectars are the root of liberation – by which the going into physical wombs comes to an end. The Soul who gets the Naam in this way, He told me to liberate one more generation – than the present one – of the Souls who get that Naam. Such Souls will go to Sach Khand by the rope of Naam and even Dharam Rai will be afraid to see them.

Sat Purush told me,

"When you make these Souls your disciples, make them free from Yama; as I have given you this knowledge, in the same way you give it to your disciples."

The Greatness of the Guru

One should always keep the Shabd of the Gurumukh in his heart. Day and night he should drink the Nectar of Naam. As the woman has love for her husband, in the same way the disciple should love the form of the Guru. Moment after moment he should gaze at the beauty of the Gurumukh. The disciple should be as the moon bird and the Master as the peace-giving moon. As the loyal wife is faithful and not even in dreams does she think of another man; and in that way she glorifies both families – hers and her husband’s; in the same way the disciple should follow Sant Mat. As the loyal wife remembers her husband, in the same way the disciple should obey the orders of the Master. There is no one superior to the Guru: Dharam Das, understand this! There is no one greater than the Guru. Leaving illusion, worship the Satguru. Even those who serve the pilgrimages, temples and gods with all their heart, sacrificing their head, do not speak beneficial words. The whole world is forgotten in illusion.

Hymn

Oh Dharam Das, Gurubhakti is unchangeable and great. There is nothing as good as Gurubhakti. Compared to it, japas, yogas, tapas, fasting, donating and ritual worship are like straw. Only the Saint on whom Satguru is gracious will accept this in his heart. Oh Saint, you will see the radiance of the lamp of Master’s knowledge: if Satguru showers Grace, one can have liberation and security.

The Narration of Sukhdev Ji

Sukhdev was an arrogant yogishwar, nobody else was like him. He went to Vishnu Lok by the power of his austerities, but without the Master he could not remain there.

Vishnu asked him,

"How did you come here, oh Rishi? Without the Master the glory of austerities is not counted. I don’t like the person with no Guru: such a person comes in the body again and again and suffers. Go back and take up a wise and Perfect Master. Only then will you get this place."

Hearing this, Sukhdev Muni returned; without a Master he could not stay there. He took the bodiless Janak as his Master, and became as happy as the rainbird when it rains.

Narad was the son of Brahma and was a scholar, everyone knows his story: many other gods, rishis, munivars – those who went into the refuge of a Master – crossed the ocean of life. If one gets a Perfect Master, He shows him the Real Path and He makes him see the truth and untruth. Only He is the Perfect Guru Who shows the Truth. Other gurus are of no use. He gives the message of Sat Purush and removes the sufferings of birth after birth. One Who does not give the hope of sin and virtue; Who resides in the shade of the indestructible tree; One Who has the quality of Bhirangi – listen, Dharam Das – He is the True Master!

Hymn

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Illustration: see next page.