Love's Fulfilment

The aim of divine love is union with the Beloved. These poems, though independent of one another, depict the fulfilment of the lover's efforts to meet the Lord. Kabir describes it as the reunion of a long-parted wife with her husband, the reawakening of an age-old love. The devotee is rid of all his delusions in the presence of the "Lamp" — the Beloved. He loses his ego and merges his identity in that of the Lord. He reaches the Beloved's radiant presence, himself becomes radiant, and reflects that radiance. He now dwells in love, he becomes the embodiment of love, and the beauty and sweetness of the Lord's love reflect in all his words and deeds.

 

Kabir, such is the radiance
Of the Eternal One
As if I am in the presence
Of a row of suns;
The beautiful wife who keeps awake
With her husband
Sees this glorious sight.

 

K.G., p. 9:5:1

 

My body is flooded
With the light of love;
My love, eons old,
Has awoken now;
Delusions dispelled,
I am united again
With my beloved Husband.

 

K.G., p. 10:13

 

My body is flooded
With the light of love,
My soul radiates with bliss;
Love's fragrance
Fills my mouth,
Its aroma spreads
With each word I speak.

 

K.G., p. 10:14

 

The bird flew high in the sky,
Its body remained
In this foreign land;
Without beak
It drank divine water
And became oblivious
Of this domain.

 

K.G., p. 11:20

 

Surat merged into nirat
And nirat lost its base;
When I experienced
The union of the two,
The doors of the lion gate
Swung apart.

 

K.G., p. 11:22

 

Whoever has obtained the Nectar
Cherishes it with boundless joy:
They drink it, they become addicts;
They have acquired a rare jewel
And know the futility
Of groping in the world.

 

K.G., p. 12:33

 

When I was, God was not;
Now that God is,
I am no more.
The dark shadows
Of I-ness vanished
When I came
Face to face with the Lamp.

 

K.G., p. 12:35

 

Truly that bride has met
The Beloved
Whom the Beloved holds
In his loving embrace,
On whose face shines
The Beloved's radiance
And dazzles those
Who look at her.

 

K.S.S., p. 107:1

 

Such is the radiance
Of my Beloved
That wherever I look
His radiance alone I see;
To fathom His radiance
I went,
But I myself became
Radiant.

 

K.S.S., p. 107:2

 

Whatever could be said
I have tried to say,
Beyond this nothing
Have I to convey:
Only the One remains,
The other has vanished —
The wave has merged in the Sea.

 

K.S.S., p. 108:13

 

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