Customer Reviews

Songs of Kabir

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Kabir was born about 1440 (probably), and was a contemporary of the founder of the Sikh religion, Guru Nanak (possibly his mentor). A weaver by trade, and a mystic by nature, his spiritual vision accepted no division between Life and Creator, man and God, as evinced by the following excerpts; "I Laugh when I hear that the fish in the water is thirsty: You do not see that the Real is in your home, and you wander...listlessly! Here is the truth! Go where you will...if you do not find your soul, the world is unreal to you." and ..."Kabir says, God is the breath of all breath". Many of these songs contain criticism, not of "worldly" people who lived materialistically, but of renunciates who sought God outside of life and relationships; "The infinite dwelling of the Infinite Being is everywhere: in earth, water, sky, and air...He who is within is without; I see Him and none else". This translation by Tagore also contains allusions to Kabirs' cosmology and essential spiritual practice (absorbtion into the Divine Word or creative power) missing in the naturalistic and minimalistic interpretatations of Robert Bly. The poems, or songs, themselves are remarkably fresh, as if they contained the living inspiration which gave them form, and remain, as it were, untouched by time.

I first found this book when I was young, 16, and exploring religion in my heart. These poems spoke to me. The relationship with god that is described in the poems is the one I wanted for myself. I have since read other versions of Kabir and many poems by Tagore, but this book remains my one and truest "Bible," which I always have closeby, and read in times of trouble or gladness. Whenever I read these poems I feel at peace and at one with my heart. I can't recommend these beautiful poems highly enough.

Tagore wrote these translations a century ago. The language is often stilted or archaic.

However, I sense that these translations may be truer to the original than Robert Bly's. Indeed, reading these helped me to understand that some language that I thought was Kabir's was actually Bly's. For instance, I was always impressed with the line in Bly's translation that refers to a place "where those who live are not afraid to die."

But in Tagore's translation, that same reference was something to the effect of a place where there is no fear of death. The contrast between the living and the dead was not Kabir's but Bly's.

If I could only read one translation I would read Bly's. But why read only one?

the songs of kabir, which were translated in this edition < 100 years ago, is an inspiring, uplifting, loving, divine product. i am not a professional translator, thus, i am not able to comment on the accuracy of the translated product, other than to say that the final product is beautiful and seems to capture the essence of the man of whom i've read about. while this is a relatively short read, i've preferred to visit it daily, reading a page or two or three. it seems that when i read such a book that way, i am better able to understand the next piece. now free on amazon kindle, i strongly recommend this to all readers with an interest in self development, mysticism, and sufi thought. this certainly merits an "A".

To be able to read the words of a religious thinker from the 15th century is incredible! My suggestion is to initially skip the introduction, which is quite lengthy, and jump right into the verses. Then return later and read about Kabir's life as it is believed to have been. It takes a little practice to be able to flow with his style, but don't give up, set it aside for awhile and let your mind ruminate on the words, then return to the verses. I was amazed at his ability to 'see' God, Beloved, etc. in all facets of the world around him. And to understand at a deeper level than most people that everything from Him and about Him is love. I thank the people that are responsible for making writings such as this available and affordable to the everyday reader.

The poetry of the great mystic Kabir translated by Rabindranath Tagore--how could you go wrong. I have this edition, and I hope this work is still in print. Poem XXIII in this edition is perhaps the greatest mystical poem ever written, if not simply the greatest poem ever.

Rabindranath Tagore won the Nobel prize for literature with his 'Gitanjali', however i am not always that mad on his poetry... this however is something different.

I have not read any of the other translations of Kabirs poetry, must have to say that this is atmospheric, and whilst reading this work for the first three or four times my heart was smoldering within me. the burning fire of love. this guy Kabir was an absolute master. i feel almost embarassed not giving this book five stars. this book is pointing so clearly towards truth and love.

i am still reading the songs of Kabir, though have leant it to a friend for a few days. loved it so much had to share with someone else! i have recently read some of Tukaram's Abhangas (songs), rather wonderful, more worshipful than Kabir, but less immersed in love. his language of love is less real than Kabirs. Mirabai... is more of longing 'after' the love has gone, not as inspiring as Kabir or Tukaram. all pretty special in their own way. i would rank Kabir as first among these three.

though having always said that to me the ultimate has to be Love, i say that i belive this to the utter depths and bottom of my heart and though beliving this so surely have to with dejection say that i the least of lovers, he who has harmed more than done good am smitten at the feet of God, unworthy even to be called his slave, even his toe nails - unworthy to look upon. i say this with absolute honesty.

... but with hope and i hope i am not deceived, he reassures me that i am his. that he loves me and that he is using me... though how is often a matter of sore perplexion to me.

so i the least of lovers, the most hateful of the most hateful, bow before and offer my worship to Loving Kindness Himself. knowing that i am unworthy, in the sight of God and in the sight of men, to be called his disciple.

i was exhorted to love, above all things to love, but when i tried to i found and still find myself unable to do so... thank God for the Grace and mercy found in Jesus Christ, who is my only hope.

with my scrap of love, from, flakey. xxx

ps. some musings on the fire of love... the fire of love may burn within, or simply be a little glow, this warmth we feel from time to time within our hearts may become a raging flame. from the fire of love we receive the light of truth and from the light of truth we find the colours of being. the one being potentially the many and the many being potentially the one. the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God who is 'fire'". (Blaise Pascal). light represents truth and awareness is truth, truth is also life. if a being has awareness (and all do) then it has truth and having truth it has life. even the inanimate has life. mountains, cups, seeds and fields. awareness (truth) is aware of colour or being which is 'consciousness'. consciousness arises from awareness. beings, themselves conscious, arise from awareness, and yet the objects/forms we percieve are objective realities. only that perception often filters what it sees. one will see 'i', another will see '1'. another will see both. and another none. so as my friend told me... we should try to remove our filters and view reality objectively. possible? seek and ye shall find.tc.

another metaphor is of the 'roaring' of the flame as being the 'word'. it is a sound and is spoken. the word being one... it is 'i'. i am one, you are one... one is an individual. the word is subject. in having a subject we see an object. the object is 'you' two. the word produces 'knowledge'. knowledge is not 'understanding' (truth) though the subject seeks to understand the object in order to love. i seek to understand you. knowledge is 'knowing', deep down. some will say that words can only point towards this, others will say that certain words are transcendent. roaring of flame, is like light of flame. the word is also a vibration, as is being... sound, the music of light, the roaring of flame. every word being a sound is in our mind as a vibratory word, it is words that can activate 'knowledge', the words being themselves little miracles in the mind... so truth 'understanding' may be expressed in a simple smile, and word/sound in a complex harmony, essay or conversation, both 'truth' and 'knowledge', proceed from the flames of love, being different they complement each other.tc. ***

This is a classic translation of Kabir. So classic that you don't have to pay to read, print or distribute it. So unless you're particularly interested in Andrew Harvey's new introduction, you might want to shop around for a cheaper, or free, copy of this unusually profound text.