Before commencing the translation of the speech of “Bhakti Bodh”, let me give you some essential information. Majority of the speech in ‘Bhakti Bodh’ is of Sant Garibdas Maharaj ji. Sant Garibdas ji was born in Village-Chhudani, District-Jhajjar, State-Haryana in year 1717 (Vikrami Samvat 1774).
Garibdas Maharaj ji has his maternal grandparents’ house in village Chhudani. He was a resident of Village Karontha (District-Rohtak, Haryana) and his (gotra) caste was Dhankhad. His father Shri Balram ji was married to Shri Shivlal Sihag’s daughter Rani Devi in village Chhudani. Shri Shivlal ji did not have any son. Therefore, he had kept his son-in-law Shri Balram ji at his home. It had been 12 years since Shri Balram ji had been living in Village Chhudani, when Sant Garibdas Maharaj ji was born in Village Chhudani. Shri Shivlal ji had 2500 Bigha (bigger bigha which used to be 2.75 times bigger than the current bigha) land. Currently, it would be equivalent to (2500x 2.75/5 =1410 acres) 1400 acres of land. Shri Balram ji was the heir to that entire land, and after him his only son Sant Garibdas ji was the heir to that entire land. At that time, people used to rear a lot of cattle. Shri Balram ji used to keep around 150 cows. He had hired many cowherds to graze those cows with his son Garibdas ji. Garibdas ji also used to graze the cows in the fields. When Sant Garibdas ji became 10 years old, he had gone with the other cowherds to graze the cattle in a field named Nalaa. In Falgun month, on the day of Shudhi Dwadasi, at around 10 o’clock in the morning, Param Akshar Brahm met him in the attire of a Jinda Mahatma. He drank the milk of a heifer. When the cowherds requested God attired as Jinda to drink the milk, God said that I will drink milk of a heifer. Child Garibdas brought a heifer who was 1.5 years old and stood her in front of Jinda Baba. God kept His hand on the back of the heifer and blessed her. The heifer’s udders grew long. A clay pot with a capacity of approximately 5 litres was kept under the udders of the heifer. The milk automatically started flowing from the udders, and stopped after the clay pot got filled. First Jinda Baba drank the milk. When he offered the rest of the milk to other cowherds, the older cowherds (who were 10-12 in number) said that – “Baba ji, milk of a heifer is sinful milk. We will not drink it. Secondly, we don’t know which caste you belong to. We will not drink your leftover milk. Thirdly, you have extracted this milk through incantations. The incantations will have an adverse effect on us.” Saying this, they left from the Jandi tree under which they were sitting. They sat down under a tree at a distance.
Then child Garibdas ji said, “O Baba ji! Your leftover milk is nectar. Give it to me.” Child Garibdas drank some milk. Supreme God attired as Jinda gave spiritual instruction to Sant Garibdas ji. He imparted Tatvgyan (knowledge of Sukshm Ved) to him. On repeated request of Sant Garibdas ji, Supreme God separated his soul from his body and showed him around the celestial regions. He showed him all the loks built in one brahmand, and introduced him to Shri Brahma, Shri Vishnu and Shri Shiv ji. Thereafter, God showed him Brahm Lok and the lok of Shri Devi (Durga). On crossing the tenth door (Brahmrandra) and then crossing the eleventh door at the zenith of the 21 brahmands of Brahm Kaal, they entered into the lok (region) of 7 sankh (700 quadrillion) brahmands of Akshar Purush. He showed all the brahmands to Sant Garibdas ji and introduced him to Akshar Purush. Earlier, he had only two arms, but as soon as God went near him, Akshar Purush developed ten thousand (10,000) arms just as a peacock spreads his wings. Akshar Purush does this when he suspects a danger. He exhibits his power because Akshar Purush can show maximum ten thousand arms. Kshar Purush has a thousand arms; the Viraat form of one thousand arms that he showed in Gita Chapter 10-11. In Gita Chapter 11 Verse 46, Arjun said that – O Sahastrabahu (One with one thousand arms) Acquire your Chaturbhuj (four-armed) form. After revealing the secret of and showing the 7 sankh brahmands of Akshar Purush to Sant Garibdas ji, Supreme God Jinda Baba took him in front of the twelfth (12th) door which is built on the boundary of the Lok of Akshar Purush. One enters into the Bhanwar Gufa from there. Supreme God guised as Jinda told Sant Garibdas ji that I had opened the Tenth (10th) Door (Brahm Randra) with the recitation of Satyanaam. I had opened the Eleventh (11th) Door with ‘Tat’ and ‘Sat’ (which are indicative mantras). The locks on these doors cannot be opened by any other mantra. Now this is the Twelfth (12th) Door. I will open this with the ‘Sat’ Shabd (Saar Naam). It cannot open by the recitation of any mantra except this. Then God recited the Saarnaam internally in His mind. The Twelfth Door opened, and Supreme God in Jinda form and the soul of Sant Garibdas ji entered into the Bhanwar Gufa. Then on entering Satyalok, they stood in front of the white dome in the middle of which, Param Akshar Brahm in an effulgent white human form was seated on a throne (Takht in Urdu). The light emitting from his one hair follicle was more than the combined light of crore suns and crore moons. The brightness of the entire body of that Param Akshar Brahm (Satya Purush) can be estimated from this. Satyalok is itself illuminated like a diamond. The light emitting from the sacred body of the Supreme God and from that Eternal Place can only be seen with the eyes of the soul (divine vision). One cannot see it with naked eyes.
Then Jinda Baba took child Garibdas ji along with him close to the throne and picking the whisk kept there, started swaying it over the God sitting on the throne. Child Garibdas ji thought that - this is God and this Baba is the servant of God. At that very moment, the effulgent God stood up from the throne and taking the whisk from Jinda Baba’s hand, indicated the Jinda Baba to sit down on the throne. God guised as Jinda sat down on the throne as the master of infinite brahmands. The former God started swaying the whisk over Jinda Baba. Just when Sant Garibdas ji was thinking who could be the God out of these two, God with the radiant body merged into the body of Jinda Baba. They both merged and became one. The body of Jinda Baba became as radiant as was that of the effulgent SatyaPurush who was initially sat on the throne. In a few moments, Supreme God said, “O Garibdas! I am the master of infinite brahmands. I myself have created all the brahmands. I only have created all the souls with my word. The five elements and all the material have been created by me alone. I only have also created Kshar Purush (Brahm), Akshar Purush and their Loks. I only have granted the kingdom of all the brahmands to these in return for their penance. I had played the role of a weaver named Kabir on Earth for 120 years. There was a couple called Neeru-Neema in Kashi city (Banaras) in India (Jambu Dweep). They were Muslim weavers. They were childless. On the morning (in Brahm Muhurat) of Jyeshth Shudhi Purnamasi, I acquired the form of a newborn baby and lay on a lotus flower in Lahartara Lake in the forest outside Kashi. I had gone from this very place of mine. Weaver Neeru and his wife used to go to bathe in that lake every day. They were ecstatic to obtain me in the form of a baby that day. They took me home. I had not eaten anything for 25 days. Then Shiv ji guised as a sadhu came to their house. It was all my inspiration. I had said to Shiv ji that I drink milk of a heifer. Then Neeru brought a heifer. I granted power to Shiv. He kept his blessed hand on the heifer’s back. The heifer gave milk. Then I had drunk milk. I perform such a divine act in every era. When I appear in the form of a baby, then this divine act of my upbringing by the heifers takes place. O Garib Das! All the four Vedas describe my glory.
Ved mera bhed hain, main na Vedan ke maahi |
Jaun Ved se main milun, veh Ved jaante naahi ||
It is written in Rigved Mandal 9 Sukt 1 Mantra 9 that ‘when Supreme God appears on earth in the form of a baby, the divine act of his upbringing is done by heifers.’ I had appeared in Satyayug by the name “Satyasukrit”, in Tretayug by the name “Muninder”, in Dwapar by the name “Karunamay” and in Samvat 1455 Jyeshth Shudhi Purnamasi in Kalyug, I appeared and became famous by the name “Kabir”.
On hearing this entire account, Sant Garibdas ji said, “O God! How will I remember this knowledge?” Then Supreme God blessed child Garibdas and said, “I have opened your Gyanyog. I have put spiritual knowledge in your inner-self. Now you will even remember knowledge of the time prior to infinite yugas as well as of the present and the future.
On the other hand, below on earth, at 3 o’clock the other cowherds recalled that – ‘Garib Das is not around. Get him.’ One of the cowherds went. He shouted from a distance – “O Garib Das! Come, it is your turn to guard the cows. We have been standing for a long time.” Neither did devotee Garibdas ji say anything nor get up because it was only his body on earth. His soul was roaming around the cosmic regions. That cowherd went near him and as he shook his body with his hands, Garibdas ji’s body fell on the floor. Earlier it was stable in Sukhasan (easy sitting pose). When the cowherd checked, he found child Garibdas dead. He screamed. Other cowherds came running. One of them ran towards village Chhudani. On the way from Village Chhudani to Village Kablana was that Jandi tree under which Supreme God in Jinda form sat with Garibdas ji and the other cowherds. That field which belongs to Village Chhudani was sticking to the boundary of Village Kablana. It was Garibdas ji’s own field. That place is 1.5 kms away from Village Chhudani. On reaching Village Chhudani, that cowherd narrated the entire account to Garibdas ji’s parents and grandparents that a Baba extracted milk from a heifer through incantations. We did not drink that milk, but child Garibdas drank it. We just found out that he has died. Child Garibdas’ body was kept on a funeral pyre and preparations for the last rites were done. At that very moment, Supreme God said, “O Garibdas! You may go down. They are going to destroy your body.” When Sant Garibdas ji looked down, this earth was looking equivalent to hell in comparison to Satyalok. Sant Garibdas ji said, “O God! Do not send me down. Keep me here.” Then SatyaPurush Kabir Ji said, “You will first do bhakti. With the earnings (power) of the way of worship that I will tell you, you will then gain permanent place here. Look ahead; that is your palace which is empty. All the food stores are full. Down on earth, food grains grow only if it rains. How much hard work one has to do. The food items found here are not even present on earth. You shall go down. I have given you the first mantra. Then I will come to give you Satyanaam. This Satyanaam is of two words. One is ‘Om’ word and the second is ‘Tat’ word which is indicative. Then after some time, I will give you Saarnaam. You will only be able to come here after doing (sadhna) religious practice of all these mantras (first, second and third). I always remain with a devotee. Do not worry. Now you may go quickly.” On saying this, Param Akshar Purush inserted the soul of Sant Garibdas ji into his body. The members of his family were about to set fire to the pyre. At that very moment, there was movement in the child’s body. A corpse is tied with a rope. That rope also automatically broke. Sant Garibdas ji sat up. He got out of the funeral pyre and stood up. The villagers and the family members present there were thrilled. Child Garibdas was looking up at God, and started uttering the nectar-speech of the nectar-knowledge that Supreme God had put into his inner-self in the form of couplets, quatrains and hymns. The villagers were not aware of that nectar-knowledge. Therefore, they thought that the Baba has damned him as a result of which he is raving. He is talking gibberish. But they were immensely thanking God that their daughter’s son had become alive. Even though he is insane, still daughter Rani Devi will at least console herself and remain happy. Comprehending this, they started calling the great man Garibdas ji mad (‘Baawlia’ in rural language).
After three years, there was a Gopal Das who was initiated from the sect of Sant Dadu Das ji. He used to understand the speech of saints. He knew its importance. He belonged to the Vaishya caste, and used to dress up like saints. Because of being born in a Baniya family, he was also a bit educated. He had renounced home and adopted ‘Sanyas’ (asceticism). Majority of the time, he used to travel. He used to promulgate by going to every village. He had also made some disciples. He also had a disciple from Bairagi caste in Village Chhudani. He was staying at his house. That disciple said to Sant Gopal Das, “O Gurudev! The grandson (daughter’s son) of our village (Chaudhary) head has become mad by the bane of a sadhu. He had actually died and was kept on a pyre. Daughter Rani was lucky that the boy became alive, but he became mad. He has been treated by various exorcists; other medicines to get rid of the madness have also been given, but there has been no relief. That disciple also narrated the entire incident of feeding milk extracted from a heifer to child Garibdas. Then he said, “It is said that only a saint can counteract the sorcery of a saint. Shower some grace, Gurudev.”
Sant Gopal Das ji said, “Call that boy.” The disciple said to Chaudhary Shivlal ji, “A Baba ji has visited my home. I have told him about your grandson Garibdas. Baba ji has asked to call the boy. He will become alright. Show him once. At the moment Baba ji is present in the village itself. He is a very renowned saint.”
Along with Shivlal ji, many other villagers also went to the Baba. They also took child Garibdas along with them. Sant Gopal Das ji asked child Garibdas ji a question, “Son! Who was that Baba who ruined your life?” Here, it is imperative to tell the dear readers that Sant Gopal Das ji was initiated from the sect of Sant Dadu Das ji. Just like Sant Garibdas ji, Supreme God Kabir in the form of Baba Jinda had also met Sant Dadu ji at the age of 7. Supreme God had also taken Sant Dadu ji out of his body and taken him to Satyalok. Sant Dadu ji stayed in an unconscious state for three days and nights. On regaining consciousness on the third day, he had stated that – ‘I had gone to Amar Lok (Eternal Place) with Supreme God Kabir. He is the Great God Kabir. He is the Creator of all. He is the Creator of the entire nature.’ He has stated: -
Jin mujhko nij naam diya, soyi Satguru hamaar |
Dadu doosra koyi nahin, Kabir Sirjan Haar ||
Dadu naam Kabir ki, jae koyi leve oat |
Unko kabahu laagey nahin, Kaal vajra ki chot ||
Ab hi teri sab mitae, Kaal karm ki peer |
Swaans-uswaans sumarley, Dadu naam Kabir ||
Kehri naam Kabir ka, visham Kaal gajraaj |
This speech is written in the holy book of Dadu ji. Gopal Das knew about this that God had met Dadu ji in the form of an old Baba. Dadu ji was a Muslim oil man. Therefore, the Muslim society interprets the meaning of Kabir as Great. Due to which, they do not believe in the Weaver Kabir of Kashi. Dadu Panthis say that the meaning of Kabir is Great God. Allahu Kabir = They say Allah Akabir.
Similarly, Shri Nanak Dev ji went to take bath in the Bein river flowing near Sultanpur City. God met him at that time in the form of a Jinda Baba. God had also kept him with Him for three days. He had taken him to Sachkhand (Satyalok) and then brought him back.
There was an Emperor named Abrahim Sultan Adham of Balakh Bukhara City. (He was a resident of Iraq.) God had met him too in the form of a Jinda Baba. Supreme God Kabir had emancipated him as well.
Sant Gopal Das had asked child Garibdas ji a question that – “Which Baba had met you who ruined your life?” Sant Garibdas ji had replied, “O Mahatma ji! The Baba that met me has led to my wellbeing. He has made life prosperous. He is the Complete God.
Garib, Hum Sultani Nanak taarey, Dadu ko updesh diya |
Jaati julaha bhed na paya, Kashi maahein Kabir hua ||
Garib, anant koti brahmand ka, ek rati nahin bhaar |
Satpurush Purush Kabir hain, kul ke sirjan haar ||
Garib, sab padvi ke mool hain, sakal siddhi hai teer |
Das Garib Satpurush bhajo, avigat kalaa Kabir ||
Garib, ajab nagar mein le gaye, humko Satguru aan |
Jhilke bimb agaadh gati, sootey chaadar taan ||
Garib, shabd swaroopi utre, Satguru Sat Kabir |
Das Garib dayal hain, digey bandhaavain dheer ||
Garib, alal pankh anuraag hai, sun mandal rah theer |
Das Garib udhaariya, Satguru miley Kabir ||
Garib, prapattan veh lok hai, jahan adli Satguru saar |
Bhakti het se utre, paya hum deedar ||
Garib, aisa Satguru hum milya, hai Jinda Jagdish |
Sunn Videshi mil gaya, chhatra mukut hai sheesh ||
Garib, jam jaura jaase darein, Dharmrai dharae dheer |
Aisa Satguru ek hai, adli asal Kabir ||
Garib, Maya ka ras piye kar, ho gaye dama dol |
Aisa Satguru hum milya, gyan yog diya khol ||
Garib, jam jaura jaase darein, mitein karm ke lekh |
Adli asal Kabir hain, kul ke Satguru ek ||
Sant Garibdas ji gave the introduction of who had met him to Baba ji. It is clear from the abovementioned speech that the Supreme God, who emancipated us all, Sant Garibdas, Sant Dadu Das, Sant Nanak Dev and King Abrahim Sultani etc, has become famous as Weaver Kabir in Kashi City in India. He is the creator of the infinite brahmands. He had met me. After uttering this aforesaid speech, the 13 years old child Sant Garibdas walked away. Sant Gopal Das ji understood that he is not an ordinary child. He has met God. He is uttering such a nectar-speech. This speech ought to be written down. On thinking this, he followed child Garibdas and said, “O Villagers! This child is not mad. You are mad. You could not comprehend what he was saying. I have realised that this child is an incarnation of God. God Himself had met him in the form of a Jinda Baba. Likewise, God had also met our venerable Dadu Sahib ji. All the speeches of Dadu ji were not written down. Now I will get all the speeches written down through this child. I will myself write it down. This speech will cause welfare of many souls in Kalyug. On repeated requests of Sant Gopal Das ji, Sant Garibdas ji said, “Gopal Das ji, if you will write the entire speech, only then I will get it written down. If you will leave midway, then I will not get it written.” Sant Gopal Das ji said, “Maharaj ji, I have renounced home for wellbeing and salvation. I have turned 62. There is nothing better than this for me to do. Please shower your grace.”
Then Sant Garibdas ji and Sant Gopal Das ji sitting under a Jandi tree in a berry (Indian jujube) garden started writing and getting written the speech. That berry garden belonged to Sant Garibdas ji. At that time, the area around Village Chhudani was sandy like it is in Rajasthan. Jandi trees were in abundance there. They were mostly used for shade. In this way, Sant Garibdas ji uttered the complete spiritual knowledge (Tatvgyan) obtained from God and the eye-witnessed account in the form of speech, and Sant Gopal Das ji penned it. This work was done for approximately six months. Then whenever Sant Garibdas ji used to utter any speech during a discussion with anyone, other people also used to write it down. It was all written by hand in the form of a Holy Text.
The recitation of that Holy Text had commenced from Sant Garibdas ji’s time itself. It was typed a few years ago. Some excerpts (Nectar) have been taken from that very sacred speech (Ocean of Nectar) and written in book “Bhakti Bodh”. Apart from this, speech has been taken from the ocean of nectar (Kabir Sagar), the speech uttered by Supreme God Kabir from His lotus mouth in Sukshm Ved, and has been written in this book “Bhakti Bodh”. The translation of that nectar-speech is now being commenced.
Translator
(Sant) Rampal Das
Satlok Ashram
Tohana Road, Barwala
District – Hisar (Haryana).
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Sumit Tyagi
I've come across information about Saint Dadu Ji, as a friend of mine is associated with that sect. I hold great respect for Him based on what I've heard. I would like to learn more about His method of worship.
Satlok Ashram
Dear reader, we appreciate your interest in spirituality. Dadu Dayal Ji, a devotee of Kabir Saheb Ji, received guidance in childhood that led to the true path of worship. A similar path is elucidated by Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj, providing profound benefits and ensuring complete salvation. To delve deeper, we recommend exploring the Gyan Ganga book and tuning into the spiritual discourses of Saint Rampal Ji Maharaj.