Guru Kabir has been noteworthy in many spheres of spiritual activity:

i. He has been hailed as the father of Hindi poetry. Prior to him, scriptural teachings were in Sanskrit which was not understood by the people at large, but was confined to the priests and scholars. He conveyed the highest spiritual teachings in the spoken language of the people so that everyone could understand them. For this reason his songs and couplets are sung often with great gusto by people all over India and abroad.

ii. He was the initiator of Sant Mat, or keeping the company of saintly people. He stated: "sant milan ko jayiye, taji mamta abhiman ..." ( Give up ego and humbly go to keep the company of saintly people). Now there are various branches of Sant Mat in various parts of the world.

iii. He was the founder of the Nirgun School of Bhakti. This is loving devotion to a formless Supreme Being. Prior to his time, the bhakti movement was called Sagun Bhakti or devotion to the Supreme Being who takes physical forms.

iv. He introduced Sahaj Yoga, or easy union with God. This led to Sahaj Samadhi or realization of one's unity with God. He thus sang: "Santo! Sahaj Samadhi bhali." ( "O my brother devotees! Easy union with God is the best").

v. He strongly emphasized vegetarianism, so that one must not inflict harm to other living creatures, as their life is dear to them, as ours is to us. He stated: "jiw mat maro bapura, sab men ekai pran; hatya kabahun na chhuti hai, kotin suno puran." (Do not kill any life as the same life force pervades all. The sin of your actions will never leave you, even if you listen to millions of scriptures). Again, "jaise pir apan anga jana, taise sab jiw men mana" (As you know pain in your own self, realize that other living beings feel pain in the same way).

vi. He laid great stress on realization of the Self or Soul, and that it is the manifestation of Divinity in all of us, and in all beings. This realization produces Enlightenment and release from the clutches of maya. This theme will recur frequently in these Ramainis.

It can thus be seen that Guru Kabir's contribution to spiritual life has been quite substantial.

Guru Kabir's early life:

Guru Kabir's parents are unknown. He was found as an infant by a young Muslim couple named Niru and Nima. They were weavers and they taught him weaving. There are many legends about his birth, but none is known to be authentic. One such popular legend is that the great saint, Swami Ramananda, blessed a Brahmin widow saying that she will be blessed with a son. Because of his spiritual accomplishments, his blessing came true and, since the lady was a widow, she abandoned the child. The Kabir Panth do not generally accept these legends. They quote the words of Guru Kabir, himself: "ab ham avigat se chali aye ..." (Now I have come from the Unconditioned; people do not know my secret." Another famous couplet states: "I have descended from the Gagan Mandal (heavens), Satguru Sat Kabir. I came amidst the blooming lotuses as the pir of both religions - Hindus and Muslims." There is some justification in accepting this view, as he has, himself, stated that this body is, indeed, very subtle and people have defiled it. Guru Kabir's body was pure and he returned it to the Divine just as he found it. Since his parents were unknown, and he was found among lotus flowers, just so he departed from his life in a city called Magahar, and although there were many of his disciples and two notable kings all around the hut where he was, no one was able to find his body. On lifting the shroud they found only a heap of lotus flowers. Until now research has failed to reveal the finding of his body.

Guru Kabir grew up in a Muslim home, but he did not accept the Muslim way of life, and he did not observe their rituals of circumcision and sacrifice of animals. Reference to these will be found in the various compositions contained in this book. As he grew up, his mind was ever concentrated on God. Among the playmates he will keep uttering the name of God as Ram, which is a Hindu name for God. His Muslim playmates objected to this and complained to their parents. He would put on the sandal mark on his forehead and his Muslim playmates also objected. His Hindu playmates objected to his using the Muslim name of God, or being a Muslim, and taking the Hindu name of God. They also teased him that he did not have a guru, thus whatever he uttered was unacceptable. He thus took Swami Ramanand as his guru. Being brought up as a Muslim, it appears quite unusual for him to accept a Hindu guru. But I feel that Guru Kabir had a clear vision of his mission in life, which was above religious confinement. He taught that the soul is Divine and knows no religious boundaries. Since Swami Ramanand did not accept non-Hindus as disciples, Guru Kabir lay on the steps that led to the Ganges where Swami Ramananda went in the early morning at dusk to have his bath. He thus accidentally stepped on Guru Kabir and, on realizing it, he took the name of God as Ram, Ram. Guru Kabir then accepted this name of God as his Guru Mantra. As other disciples objected to their guru's taking a low caste Muslim as his disciple, he summoned Kabir to find out if this was so. Guru Kabir then related the incident, and Swami Ramanand then accepted Guru Kabir as the could not then go back on his word of giving the Name of God to the child. It has been said that it was through Guru Kabir's influence that Swami Ramanand then accepted disciples of other religions. He was thus excommunicated from his order.

As Guru Kabir grew up he continued his weaving and he composed many bhajans (hymns), shabdas and sakhis. Since he had no formal education, he wrote nothing. He composed everything in his mind. He sang as he weaved. Also, as he travelled to the market and other places, he sang his beautiful compositions. People gathered around him to listen to his singing and his preaching.

His literary style:

Guru Kabir was a fearless preacher of pure spiritual doctrine. Whether he spoke to religious or temporal authorities, it did not matter to him. He insisted on teaching people the truth about spirituality, and the uselessness of empty formal rituals and practices. He was against all hypocrisy and caste distinctions. In the popular book called: "Kabir the Great Mystic", the author Isaac Ezekeil says: "Kabir's songs seek nobody's approbation. They seek no sanction, ask for no approval, search for no popularity, invite no commendation, crave no compliment. They stand independent of these considerations, and they constitute the most uninhibited literature, the freest of free writing ever produced by a saint." Ezekeil also stated: "Banter, ridicule, scarcism, wit and humour - these are the weapons he wields! Nor does he hesitate to hit straight-from-the-shoulder, hitting hard, ceaselessly and without stop, till the face of false piety and hypocrisy is battered out of shape and exposed to the view of the general public for general laughter." Reverend Keay stated: "There is probably no Indian author whose verses are more on the lips of North India, than those of Kabir unless be it be Tulsidas". Reverend Dr. W. Orr stated: "For sheer vigor of thought and rugged terseness of style, no bhakti writer can be brought into a comparison with him". The reason for his forceful and fearless language is easily understood when we realize that priestcraft held sway. Religion was reduced to commercial activity for the priest to earn a living. They did not instruct people in the true religious way of life. They also scorned people of the lower castes who were forbidden from entering temples and reading the holy books. They were not given an education. The priests, themselves, committed evil actions and killing. They formulated elaborate rituals which did not mean anything to the average person. He observed this in both major religions of Hinduism and Islam. He felt that there was no place in spiritual life for such behavior, and he thus spoke out, often in confrontational and challenging language, to try to awaken the people to the realization of their errors. He was famous for his ulta bani or contrary sayings, and challenged the priests to see if they had the spiritual wisdom to supply the right answers. Examples of this will be found in the book.

Guru Kabir's teachings are being taught in the schools and universities of India. Many people, even those not belonging to the Kabir Panth, are able to quote him freely. Many of his sakhis are quoted as popular wisdom in all parts of India and abroad. He had a piercing wit and a clarity of thought which others could not challenge. Many theses are written by university scholars on the life and works of Guru Kabir from a research standpoint. Other writers have written about Guru Kabir and his teachings out of a spiritual interest in his life and teachings.

Objectives of Guru Kabir:

It is important to point out that Guru Kabir was not preaching against any religion, but against the hypocrisy being committed by people in the name of religion. Even now we are all aware of the wrong things being committed by religious people, even those belonging to the highest religious circles. On the positive side, his objectives can briefly be stated as:

1. To detach people from worldly bondage, maya and passions born out of desires, and to attach them to God by attaining absolute freedom.

2. He used no scripture but taught from his own inner realization of Divinity, and his union with God. Again he stated: "Only the brave who can give up lust, anger and greed, and the pride of caste and clan can do devotion."

He wished all people to attain the same realization of unity with the Divine Being.

3. He taught fearlessness in spiritual life. He said: "Give up dependence on the physical body and be fearless and sing the glories of God."

4. He taught purity in thought, word and deed, in order to attain God Realization. He said: "If you wish to see yourself, then you must clean the mirror again and again; if the mirror gathers dirt then how can you see yourself?" If your heart is not pure, as a clean mirror, then how can you see your real Self reflected in your own being?

5. He taught to merge in God, as a drop merges in the ocean, and to lose your individual identity or ego. He said: "When the drop merges into the ocean, all understand it; but when the ocean merges into the drop, people do not understand." God and the soul are ever merged, one in the other.

6. He taught universal and unconditional love for all people and all of God's creation. He said: "Everybody speaks of love, but scarcely do they understand it. If they are immersed in love twenty four hours a day, then it can be said to be love."

7. He taught truth in thought, word and deed. He stated: "There is no austerity greater than truth, and there is no sin greater than falsehood. In whose heart truth dwells, in that heart You dwell.)

Guru Kabir instructed all the people that they have come from the eternal abode and that is also their destination. Thus he sang: "O dear devotee! You have come from the Eternal abode and that is where you have to return." But in order to return to that Eternal abode he taught that we have to be free from the clutches of maya, and the bondage imposed on us by our absorption in only worldly existence. Our life must be made truly spiritual to achieve the highest spiritual goal which our Divine Master has destined for us.