dayalbagh-The Story of Creation-radhaswami

11. The Story of  Creation
I. In  the Beginning
QUESTION ABOUT THE CREATION
Dharam Das said:
Now, my Lord, tell me where the Plane of  Immortality is.
Describe all the planes to me-and  make me, the thirsty one, drink
the Nectar.
Where does the soul live and where is the residence of Sat Purush?
What  does the  soul eat  there  and  where  does  this  Sound come
from?
How did Sat Purush create  the planes,  and why  did He desire  to
create them?
Tell me about the creation of the three worlds-describe  everything
to me and hide nothing from me.
How was Kal Niranjan born and how were the sixteen sons born?
How were the four kinds of created beings spread and how were the
souls thrown  in  the hands of Kal?
How were Kurma and Shesh Nag born, and how were Matsya and
Varah incarnated?
How were  the three gods born and how was  the starry sphere cre-
ated?
How was this body created? 0 Lord, tell me the Story of Creation,
So that  all my doubts may  go away,  and my mind  may  become
content.
HYMN
0 Satguru, graciously  tell this servant of Yours  the Story of Crea-
tion. 1.  IN  THE  BEGINNING  19
Throw light on me with the nectar of Your words so that the fear of
Yama may be destroyed.
Understanding me  as Your  slave,  tell me  every single  thing  and
describe it.
0 Satguru, I am convinced  that what You tell me will be true!
COUPLET
Your words are true and very dear to me.
Your grace is  indescribable-it  is my good fortune that You have
given Your darshan to me.
Kabir said:
Dharam Das, I have found you  the appropriate person, and there-
fore I will tell you the secrets.
Listen to the words of the beginning of creation, which is the sign of
dissolution.
WHAT WAS  IN THE BEGINNING?
Dharam Das, listen! When there was no earth, sky or lower regions,
KAL NIRANJAN Full  name of  the Negative  Power, often  shortened to Kal
(q.v.). Niranjan means "beyond illusion," and is applied to Kal  ("Time")
because he is the creator of  illusion.
FOUR KINDS OF CREATED  BEINGS Setaj or Ushmaj,  the "moisture-bdrn" (in-
vertebrates, etc.); Uttbhuj or Asthavar,  the seed-born (plants); Andaj  or
egg-born (most vertebrates); Jeraj or Pindaj,  the womb-born (mammals,
including human  beings). These four  forms of  life  figure prominently
later in Anurag  Sagar.  (See pp. 62-64)
KURMA A very  important figure in Indian mythology, commonly depicted
in the shape of  a tortoise which, it has been pointed out, is roughly the
shape of  the universe. Kurma, the first created son of  Sat Purush, is that
aspect of  the Father which holds  the lower creation in latency.
SHE~H  NAG  A primordial serpent figure, ruler of  a clan which figures heav-
ily in  Indian mythology and appears to be  the prototype of  the dragon.
Intelligent, long-lived, reptilian, neither evil nor good, but indifferent to
man, Shesh Nag  has no place  in  the universe once  it  is dominated by
humans and his role in Anurag Sagar is minor. Later in the poem he is a
mother figure, nourishing  the still unborn earth in its embryonic stage.
MATSYA The first  incarnation  of  Vishnu,  in the form of  a fish or whale.
VARAH The third incarnation  of  Vishnu, in the form of  a boar.
THREE GODS Brahma, Vishnu  and Shiva, the three sons of Kal who figure
prominently later in the poem.
SIGN OF  DISSOLUTION Whatever  is  created carries  the  inevitability  of  its
dissolution with it. 20  THE  STORY  OF CREATION
When Kurma,  Varah  and Shesh Nag  didn't  exist,  and Sadaswat
Parwant and Ganesha were not born,
Not  even  the  thirty other gods were  created  then-1  will  tell  you
about that  time.
COUPLET
When there was no Brahma, Vishnu or Mahesh, and the Shastras
and Puranas were not yet  created,
All  these things were  in  the Sat Purush then,  like  the shadow that
lives in the banyan  tree.
HYMN
0 Dharam Das, listen to the story of creation, which no one knows.
Since the creation  came  into being  after  these events, what  proof
could I  give?
The four Vedas do not know  these stories of Sat Purush,
Because  then the  Vedas  also  did  not  exist-so  how  could they
describe the indescribable?
COUPLET
The Vedas do not know anything about  creation  then,  or under-
stand the formless:
The world  follows  the path  of Veda,  but  the Gyani, condemning
them, shows the right path.
The birth of creation-The creation of Sat Purush
When Sat Purush lived in latent form, He had not created the body
and matter.
As oil is hidden in the lotus, in the same way Sat Purush used to live,
hidden.
In His Will, He created the souls, and looking at them He felt very
happy.
From the first Shabda created by Him, the worlds and ocean were
created, in which He dwelt.
He made the throne of four worlds and sat on the lotus.
Where Sat Purush sat, desire was created  there.
In the will of Sat Purush eighty-eight thousand islands were created.
In all  the worlds His desire exists.  His desire is very  fragrant.
Manifestation of sixteen sons
From the second Shabda of Sat Purush  the Kurma was created, 1.  IN  THE  BEGINNING  2 1
With  the desire of  remaining  attached  to His Feet.
When Sat Purush uttered the third Shabda, a son named Gyan was
born.
SADASWAT  PARWANT, AND  GANESHA Hindu  gods.  There are  myriads  of
them.
MAHESH Another  name  of  Shiva. He  is  also  referred to  as Mahadev or
Rudra.
SHASTRAS  AND  PURANAS Hindu scriptures, written  in Sanskrit.
VEDAS The most sacred of  all Hindu scriptures. Their origin is an important
event  in Anurag  Sagar.
GYANI "Knower"; Sanskrit jnani.  The equivalent of  the Greek gnostic. Gyan
means Knowledge, in  the highest  sense: the esoteric knowledge  of  the
creation available to  those who  live on  the  level of  the fifth plane and
therefore  really "know" what the universe  is all about. Gyani as used  in
Anurag  Sagar  is a very  high  title, equivalent  to Master or Sant, and  is
often  applied  to Kabir.
LOTUS Lotus leaves have a greasiness which can be felt but  not  seen
SOULS As  the  context  shows, the  souls are created  by Sat  Purush  out  of
Himself.
FOUR WORLDS The spiritual creation or Sat Desh which is often divided into
four parts: Sat Lok  or Sach Khand, which is the full manifestation of  the
Absolute or Essence into Existence; Alakh Lok  and Aganl Lok, which are
stages  in  the manifestation of  the Absolute: and Anami  or Radhasoami
which  is the Absolute Unmanifested Essence.
DESIRE The "desire" [that is, Will) of  God. Withmt  it,  there would be no
creation.
THE SONS OF  SAT PURUSH Each  son  represents  an  aspect  of  Sat  Purush
which  had  to manifest separately  in  order  for Creation  to  take place,
even  on  the  highest  spiritual level.  "Creation," esoterically  speaking,
means just  this:  God  separating  Himself  into so many  parts, which
become  the Creation. Since the Ultimate Reality is the oneness of  God.
not His many-ness, there is a very real sense in which Creation on any
level, even the highest, is unreal and illusory. Kirpal Singh has written,
"Creation as such does not exist per se. The actual and the real is ever the
same and is not  subject to change  . . .  there can be nothing apart from
the Absolute Unity. It  projects  Itself  into varying  forms, which are the
expression  of  Its power." [The Crown of Life, p.  124). Note  that Kal  or
Time is also one of  the sons, "Time" being a part of  the whole that only
causes difficulties when separated from the rest. Thus the fall of Kal and
the whole  lower creation  are  implicit  in  this first creative act  of  Sat
Purush. Because  these aspects of  Sat  Purush  are also presented  as  in-
dividuals, we are, for  the most  part,  leaving  their Sanskrit names un-
translated,  as these  names  connote individuality  where  the  English
words do not. [They are still used  as personal  names in  India.)
GYAN Knowledge  in  the highest  sense. This is the son of  Sat Purush Who
later  incarnates as Sat Sukrit, Maninder, Karunamai and Kabir. THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
When he came before Sat Purush  and bowed  down  to Him, He
ordered him  to go into creation.
When the fourth Shabda was made, the son named Vivek was cre-
ated.
He was  ordered  to  live  in  creation  by  Sat Purush. With  the  fifth
Shabda a brilliant  light  came into existence:
When Sat Purush uttered the fifth Shabda, Kal Niranjan was incar-
nated.
He is created from the most glorious part of the body of Sat Purush
-that  is why he troubles the soul.
Souls are of  the essence of Sat Purush and no one knows their be-
ginning and end.
When with His mouth, Sat Purush uttered  the sixth Shabda, Sahaj
was born.
With the seventh Shabda, Santosh was created, who was given per-
mission  to go into creation.
When Sat Purush  uttered  the eighth  Shabda, Surat was settled  in
the beautiful world.
With the ninth Shabda was created lnfinite Happiness and the tenth
Shabda created Forgiveness.
The eleventh Shabda created a son named Nishkam and the twelfth
Shabda created a  son named Jal-Rangi;
The thirteenth Shabda created Achint, and with the fourteenth was
created Love.
With  the  fifteenth  Shabda Din Dayal was  born  and  the sixteenth
Shabda created Patience.
With  the seventeenth Shabda, Yoga  and  the Saints were  created;
They all were born from the same origin.
Shabda  created  all  the  sons,  Shabda  created  all  the worlds  and
oceans.
In every world the parts of His essence-the  jivas-were  settled and
their  food was nectar.
The beauty of the jivas  is endless and always happiness exists there;
The glory of  the jivas  is endless and always happiness exists there;
The glory of  the jivas  is  inaccessible and  indescribable-who  can
describe Their endless beauty?
All  the  sons meditate  on  Sat Purush  and  eating  nectar, enjoy
happiness.
In this way, sixteen sons were born: Dharam Das, take this to heart. 2.  THE  FALL  OF KAL
23
HYMN
The limitless beauty of the worlds created cannot be described.
It  is a wonderful creation;  its beauty  is such that  it is impossible  to
describe in words.
All worlds get  light  from the Light of  Sat Lok.
Even  the  sun  and moon  shine with  the Light  of  one hair  of
Purush.
COUPLET
The Satguru is an abode of happiness. Grief, attachment and pain
do not exist there.
Having the darshan of Sat Purush,  the jivas  are enjoying.
2. The Fall  of  Kal
THE DEVOTION OF NIRANJAN AND HIS ACQUISITION
OF MANSAROVAR AND THE VOID
In  this way many days passed  and after that  this happened:
Dharam Rai played  this way-Dharam  Das,  listen  to it:
Standing on one foot he did the devotion of Sat Purush for seventy
yugas and pleased  Him.
He  did  a  very  difficult  devotion-that  is  why  Sat  Purush  was
pleased.
VIVEK Discrimination.
MOST GLORIOUS  PART Although Kal  fell, his  original beauty  is not  com-
pletely destroyed; it makes his claim to be God more credible  and his
temptations more effective.
SAHAJ Effortlessness, fearlessness.
SANTOSH Contentment.
SURAT Attention.
NISHKAM Selflessness.
ACHINT Worrilessness.
DIN DAYAL The merciful one; the one who is gracious toward the poor and
humble.
WORLD That is, every world  that was yet created.
SEVENTY YUGAS Yugas vary  in  length, the shortest being about four hun-
dred thousand years.  We  are  dealing  here  with  time  on  a scale
ungraspable  by  the human intellect.
SAT PURUSH WAS PLEASED  Why should Sat Purush have been pleased with
this devotion? Kabir  never explains this, yet  it is a pivotal point in the 24  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
The Word of Sat Purush came to him and asked: "Why  have you
done this devotion?"
Bowing his head  Dharam  Rai  said, "Please  give me some place
where  I  can live."
Then he was ordered by Sat Purush, "0 Son, go to Mansarovar."
Then Dharam Rai  felt much  happiness  in  his heart  and went  to
Mansarovar.
When he came there, again he was  full of  happiness.
Again he remembered Sat Purush and did His devotion for seventy
yugas more.
He did this devotion standing on one  foot, and  the gracious Sat
Purush  felt pity  for him.
Sat Purush speaks to Sahaj
When Sat Purush manifested His Words, this is what came on His
lips:
"0 Sahaj, go to Dharam Rai and ask him why he has remembered
Me this time.
He has done a very hard practice,  so I give him the place where he
lives.''
(So in a moment he was given the ownership of  the three worlds.)
"I  did this looking at his seva. The dear one has received the three
worlds and is happy.
Now go and ask him; whatever he says, come and tell me."
Sahaj goes to Niranjan
Bowing his head, Sahaj started  from  there  and went  to Dharam
Rai.
Sahaj  said,  "Listen,  my  brother, Sat Purush  has accepted  your
devotion.
Now what do you want? Tell me-Sat  Purush has sent this message
to you."
Niranjan said  to Sahaj:
"0, Sahaj, my brother-go  and make this request  to Sat Purush:
I  don't  like this small place. Please give me a big kingdom.
In my heart I have felt such love for Him! He should bless me with a
big place.
He should either give me the world of  the gods, or else a separate
world." 2.  THE  FALL  OF KAL
After  listening to Dharam Rai,  Sahaj went  to Sat Purush
And conveyed Dharam Rai's  request  to Him.
HYMN
After hearing  the words of Sahaj, Sat Purush said this:
"I  am pleased with Dharam Rai; take this  to your heart:
I have given him the three worlds, now go and tell him to develop
the Void plane.
0 Sahaj, tell him  to make his creation there.
COUPLET
0 Sahaj, go there quickly and tell  this to Dharam Rai:
He has been given the Void plane where he can create his own uni-
verse."
HOW NIRANJAN GOT WHAT HE NEEDED
TO CREATE HIS UNIVERSE
What Sat Purush had  told  to Sahaj, he conveyed  to Niranjan.
development of Anurag Sugar. Kal means "Time," and since the devotion
described implies  the  suspension  of  all  his  activity, for  incalculable
periods of  "time," it would appear that the practices done by Kal please
Sat Purush because of  their implications when done by him, rather than
because standing  on  one  foot  has any particular  objective merit. The
period  of  Kal's austerities-seventy  yugas-  is more than fifteen times as
long as the period of  creation-  four yugas. By stopping himself dead for
such long periods, he postponed his own fall and thus allowed the jivas
that much more time with their Father before being sent into the lower
worlds.  If  this  is  true,  it  certainly  is  a  cosmic  paradox: his devotion
postponed his fall, but it also brought it about. But, as we have seen, the
fall  of  Time was probably inevitable once he was separated from  the
One.
MANSAROVAR  The lake of  Nectar, also called Amritsar, located  in Daswan
Dwar, one  of  the two intermediary planes  between  Sat  Lok  and  the
three worlds of  Kal's creation. The poem does not explicitly describe the
creation  of  these  intermediary planes, although  it may  be  implicit  in
what is already said. In any case, they exist and they are not created by
Kal. Mansarovar would be at the farthest reach of  the universe as it ex-
ists at  this point:  thus  Kal  is  exhibiting his  strong desire  to  remove
himself  from the influence and control of  Sat Purush. His fall, in other
words, has already begun.
THE VOID  PLANE The  three worlds  in  their pre-existent  state.  (cf.
Genesis 1:21 26  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
Kabir said:
Hearing the words of Sahaj, Dharam Rai was pleased;
He was happy and a little surprised.
Dhararn Rai said,  "Listen,  dear Sahaj, how do I  create  the uni-
verse?
The Gracious Lord has given me this Kingdom, but  I don't  know
the way  to develop  it!
I  know nothing about the Inconceivable!-please  shower grace on
me and tell me Its secret;
Please convey my request  to Sat Purush, 0 my brother,  I sacrifice
myself  on you:
How do I  create nine universes,  as I  have been  ordered by Him?
0 my God! Give me what  I need  to create the universe."
Then Sahaj went  to Sat Lok, where he bowed  to Sat Purush again
and again.
Sat Purush said to Sahaj:
"0 Sahaj, tell me why you have come; tell me in detail everything
that happened."
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
Then Sahaj told Sat Purush what Dharam Rai had  said;
He conveyed  to Him the requests that he had made.
Then Sat Purush ordered  this:  "Listen  to my words, 0 Sahaj.
All that is needed  for creation are within Kurma; taking them from
him, Dharam Rai should do his work.
He should go to him and, bowing his head, should ask him for what
he needs.
The journey of Sahaj to Dharam Rai
Again Sahaj went  to Dharam Rai and conveyed  to him  the orders
of Sat Purush:
"Go  to Kurma and ask him  for what you need, bowing your head
to him.
When you bow down to Kurma and when he showers grace on you,
then only will you get what you need." 2.  THE  FALL  OF KAL
The journey  of Niranjan  to Kurma
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
Dharam  Rai  approached Kurma with  happiness  in  his  heart  and
pride in his mind.
He went  and  stood before Kurma, but  didn't  greet  him or salute
him.
But Kurma is  like nectar  and is happiness-giving.  He didn't have
any anger in him. He was cool and devoid of passion.
Swollen with  pride,  Kal  saw  that  Kurma  was very  patient  and
mighty.
The body of Kurma was twelve units and the mighty Dharam Rai's
body was six units.
Dharam Rai walked  around Kurma  in anger, considering how  to
get the materials of  creation  from him.
Kal  attacked the heads of Kurma with  his nails,  and breaking  his
stomach, air came out.
From the three heads of Kurma the dynasty of Brahma, Vishnu and
Mahesh came out.
Five elements came out, including the sky with  the moon, sun and
stars; they allcame out of him.
Matsya,  Shesh Nag,  Varah,  and  the  pillars  to  support  the  earth
came out, and  in  this way  the creation of  earth started.
When Kal pulled  the head of Kurma,  sweat came out,
When that drop of sweat spread, the earth started floating on it.
As  the cream  lives on milk,  in  the  same way  the earth  rested  on
water;
IN ANGER Kal does not even consider, apparently, doing what he was told-
to bow down and ask him. His impatience here and at other places is one
of  the  results  of  the  impact  of  Time  on  Eternity-or the other  way
around. If  the  fall  of  Kal becomes inevitable at  any one moment, this
would seem to be it. The existence of  the lower creation within the first
created son  of  the  Father would imply  that  its  manifestation  was
planned from the beginning; but  the impinging of  Time  is ruining  it.
FIVE ELEMENTS The  tattwas,  or  different  stages  of  the  manifestation  of
energy: sky, air, fire, water and earth. These have nothing to do with the
hundred or so elements of  modern science.
MOON, SUN, STARS Not physical at this stage. The physical universe is still
a long way from being created. All of  the things described here as com-
ing out from Kurma are latent; it is their potentiality that Kal is getting,
not  their actuality. That is what he will contribute.
EARTH The three worlds in their latent form, in which the Pind or physical
universe  is included. 28  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
The earth  is  supported  on  the  teeth of Varah  and  in  the physical
earth furious winds blow.
Recognize  the sky as an egg in which  consider  the existence of the
earth.
From the stomach of Kurma, his son Kurma was born-on  whom
Shesh N&  and Varah were erected.
Recognize the head of Shesh Nag as the earth, below whom the son
Kurma resides.
The created son of Kurma is  in  the egg, while  the original Kurma
lives separately in Sat Lok, where he meditates on Sat Purush
as before.
Kurrna said  to Sat Purush:
"Nirankar  came at me with full force and manifesting his character
climbed  on my body:
He tore my  stomach and didn't  obey your orders."
Then Sat Purush said this to Kurma: "He  is your younger brother.
This  is  the way of the older ones: they should not pay attention  to
the bad qualities of the younger, and they should love them."
Kabir .said to Dhararn Das:
Hearing the words of Sat Purush, Kurma was pleased. He was the
form of nectar, and remained forever  in  happiness.
Again Niranjan remembered Sat Purush and again for many yugas
he did  the devotion.
But he did devotion  for his self-desire, and after making  the crea-
tion, he  repented  it:
Dharam Rai  thought, "How  do I  develop  these worlds?
Without the Seed, what do I  do with the heavenly world, the mortal
world, and the world below?
With what do I  think? How do I  make the body?
So, again doing devotion,  I will ask  for that which can put life  into
my three worlds."
He determined  to get life  for the worlds,  and began remembering
Sat Purush.
He did devotion  for sixty-four yugas-standing  on one foot. 2.  THE  FALL  OF KAL
Sat Purush again sends Sahaj to Niranjan
HYMN
Sat Purush,  the Abode of Grace, was pleased with his seva.
He told Sahaj, "What  new  thing does he ask  for now?
Sahaj, go to Niranjan and give him whatever he wants.
Tell him  to create the universe,  leaving all deceptions."
When Sat Purush ordered, Sahaj went  to Kal, bowing his head  to
him;
He arrived where Kal was standing, doing his devotion.
Looking at Sahaj, Dharam Rai became happy and was convinced
that Sat Purush was pleased with  him.
Sahaj said, "Listen,  0 Dharam Rai! Now why  are you  doing de-
votion?"
Bowing his head, Dharam Rai said,  "Give  me some place where I
can dwell."
Then Sahaj said, "Listen,  Dharam Rai! Sat Purush has given you
everything.
EGG  The conception of  the lower-universe as a gigantic cosmic egg is wide-
spread. The terms And and Brahmand, used by the Masters of  Sant Mat
for these worlds, mean "egg" and "egg of  Brahm" respectively. Compare
also the poetry  of  Blake.
SON KURMA One  of  the  incarnations of  Vishnu,  as  is Varah. Kabir  dis-
tinguishes carefully between  the son, a  lesser god who is only a reflec-
tion of  his father, and the father, the highest and most basic of all created
beings. When the potentiality of  the lower creation was forced out of  the
original Kurma, it included a potential reflection of  himself existing on a
lower  level. Actually, according  to  the  Masters,  the  entire lower
universe  is a  reflection  of  the higher, and many of  the most imposing
phenomena of  the astral and causal planes are only diminished reflec-
tions of  the Reality of  Sat Lok
THEN SAT PURUSH SAID Note  the very  great  reluctance  of  Sat  Purush  to
condemn Kal. He is one of  His sons, after all, a part of  His essence, and
He loves him dearly. If, as we have seen, the nature of  Kal or Time is
such  that  he  cannot  be  separated  from the wholeness  of  the  Father
without falling, then Sat Purush must in some way take ultimate respon-
sibility for his deeds.
SEED The essence of  Life or the soul, later  called  Root  Seed. This comes
only from Sat Purush. Kal's "creating" is confined to shaping or develop-
ing what proceeds from the Seed into various forms; if  he does not have
the Seed, he has nothing to work with and cannot "create." 30  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
Whatever  came out  from Kurma's  stomach, Sat Purush  has or-
dered to give to you.
You have  been given  the  Kingdom  of  the  three  worlds!  Now,
without any fear, create the universe."
Then Niranjan  said, "How  do I  create the universe?
Please tell Sat Purush, folding your hands, this: 'I  am Your servant
and not a  strange one.'
Tell Sat Purush I  beg Him to give me the Seed  for the field of my
creation.
I am His servant and do not rely on any one else. Daily I  remember
Him.
Go and tell this to Sat Purush: 'Please give me the Seed, the sign of
immortality.'  "
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
Again  Sahaj returned  to Sat Purush and  told Him Niranjan's  re-
quest.
Then,  as Sat Purush  ordered,  Sahaj  returned  home  to Sat  Lok,
which  is  full of happiness.
The gracious Sat Purush doesn't look at good or bad deeds-He  is
controlled by  service.
The creation of Adhya
Then Sat Purush  in His Will created a  female who had eight parts
in  her body.
She had  eight  hands,  and came and  stood  on the left side of  Sat
Purush.
Bowing her head she asked Him,  "0 Sat Purush, what  are Your
orders  for me?"
Sat Purush gives the Root Seed to Adhya
Then Sat Purush  said this:  "Daughter,  go to Dharam Rai.
Take hold of that which  I give you, and meeting with Dharam Rai,
create the universe."
Kubir said  to Dharam Das:
Then Sat Purush  gave  her  the Seed  of  the  jiva,  Whose name  is
Sohang. 2.  THE  FALL  OF KAL  3 1
There is no difference between jiva  and Sohang; jiva  is the essence
of Sat Purush.
Sat  Purush  created three powers:  fearlessness,  consciousness  of
Himself,  and Ulghani.
HYMN
When Sat Purush was pleased, He gave Ashtangi to Dharam Rai.
She was told  to go to Mansarovar and join with him.
The woman Ashtangi was very beautiful and charming:
She was ordered to go to Mansarovar and create the dense creation.
COUPLET
She was given  the Root Seed of eighty-four lakhs of births.
She went to create the living universe, after bowing her head to Sat
Purush.
All  this was given  to the first woman, who went  to Mansarovar.
Sat Purush called Sahaj immediately, and he came running.
Sat Purush said:
Sahaj, go to Dharam Rai and tell him,  "You  have been given that
thing which you desired.
SERVICE Seva, which  implies personal devotion as well as activity. This is
the principle of  grace- that devotion can outweigh bad deeds in the eyes
of  God. Since without  grace we would  all  be  in  difficult  straits, we
should  not complain  if  Kal  also receives it.  Since  the nature  of  the
highest  God  is  grace,  it  follows  that  all  who  sin  are ultimately
forgiven-  no matter who they are.
FEMALE Although  the  personal  pronoun  "he" has been  used  to  describe
them, the fact is that all of  the entities who are content with Sat Lok and
the spiritual creation are neither male nor female, but both. Above the
causal plane  there  is  no  division  into sexes. We have seen that Shesh
Nag's original role was a mother-nourisher, and although the Saints refer
to Sat Purush  as the Father, they also refer to Him as the Mother [see
Guru Arjan's great hymn, "You are my Father, You are my Mother  .  .  .").
Sex distinctions only come  into being when attention goes downward
into the lower creation. Kal, as we have seen, has been  steadily falling
for some time now-  moving irreversibly away from his Father-  and Sat
Purush's creation of  the prototypical female Adhya (also called Ashtangi
or  Bhavani) at this  point  can probably  be understood  best  as the
crystallization  of  Kal's feminine aspect outside of  himself  as a separate
being- the first time in the universe that this has happened. The fallen-
ness of  the lower creation is never more vividly  seen than in this, that it
cannot come into being until its "creator" is split  into male and female. 3 2  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
The Root  Seed  has  been  sent  to you. Now  you  can  create  the
universe as you  like.
Go and Iive in Mansarovar, so that the universe can be created."
Again Sahaj went to where Niranjan was standing in His devotion.
When he told him the words of Sat Purush, Niranjan obeyed him.
IN MANSAROVAR:
THE SWALLOWING OF ADHYA BY NIRANJAN
AFTER BEING ATTRACTED TO HER;
THE CURSE OF SAT PURUSH
Hearing  the word  of Sat Purush,  Niranjan  came and  settled  in
Mansarovar,
When he first saw the woman, Dharam Rai was pleased.
Looking  at  Ashtangi,  Dharam  Rai  behaved  in  a self-conceited
manner.
He said, "There  is no limit to the limitless Lord."  Delighted by the
beauty of that woman he looked  at her.
Looking at every single part of her body he became  impatient,
And he swallowed  the woman! 0 ,  Dharam Das, hear about Kal's
nature!
When  that unjust Kal swallowed  the woman,  she was astonished.
At once she cried  for help saying, "Kal  has made me his  food."
Then Dharam Rai came to Sahaj, who took back  the plane of Void
consciousness from him.
Then Sat Purush remembered what had happened  to Kurma: how
Kal had also attacked him  to control him,
And had destroyed his three heads. Sat Purush  is gracious but He
knows all-
Knowing this  character  of  Kal, Sat  Purush  cursed  him-about
which  1 will  tell you  now:
Sat Purush's curse on Niranjan
"If  you will devour one lakh jivas daily, one-and-one-quarter lakhs
will be developed. "
HYMN
Then Sat Purush thought, "How  can  I  finish Kal?
He is very dangerous and will make the souls restless.
I cannot destroy him or stop him; he is my worthless son. 2.  THE  FALL  OF KAL  33
If  I withdraw him into myself, I will have to bring everything back.
COUPLET
This is my  immovable Word:  I will remove Kal  from here.
He will never be allowed to enter my region!  I will keep my word."
Sat Purush sends Jogjit with orders to expel Kal  from Mansarovar
Sat Purush  called  Jogjit  and made him understand the character
of Dharam kdi:
"Jogjit,  go quickly and expel Kal after beating him.
HE SWALLOWED  THE WOMAN This is the point of  no return in the fall of Kal;
his  fate, and that  of  the  lower  creation,  is  sealed  at  this  point.  He
swallows her  in  an  attempt  to reincorporate  what  had  been  his  own
female nature; but Kal is also Yama or  the Death God; and throughout
the poem, Kal "swallowing" or "devouring" someone means that that per-
son has died. But  although Adhya  has been  swallowed  in  his second
overt act of  direct disobedience, she does not die, and  this is an impor-
tant point, connected with Sat Purush's curse.
SAT PURUSH'S  CURSE In other words, no matter how much Kal or Yama  is
interested in  playing  the  role  of  a Death  God, no matter  how many
created  forms  in  the  lower worlds are swallowed  or  devoured by Kal
(i.e. die) the end result will  only  be more life. Death is ultimately both
illusory and self-defeating. Sant Ajaib Singh  has compared the thought
here to a farmer sowing seeds: each seed has come from a plant  that  is
supposedly dead and, as Christ pointed out, each seed has to die as a seed
before it can bring forth fruit in abundance. When Kal finishes devour-
ing  100,000 entities,  instead  of  100,000 dead  bodies,  the  reality  is
125,000 entities. From  Kal's  point  of  view, this  is  a  curse  because  it
frustrates his aim and insures that the will of  the Father will ultimately
prevail as a direct result of  his activity. And Adhya's experience at this
point is prototypical: far from dying when eaten by Kal, she becomes the
mother and co-creator of  the entire lower universe.
SAT PURUSH THOUGHT A  tremendously important  passage.  The  Father
"cannot destroy or stop" Kal because he is His son: worthless, but still His
son and therefore a part of Himself. "If I withdraw him into myself, I will
have to bring everything back,"- the only way to prevent Kal from being
Kal is to pull him back  into the Father; but  the manifested universe is a
projection  of  all sixteen sons, and if  any one of  them is reabsorbed  into
the Source, the creation will disintegrate-which,  for better or worse, is
not  the Father's wish.
REMOVE KAL FROM HERE From the upper universe- Daswan Dwar or Man-
sarovar upwards. Time, being  (when separated from the whole) inher-
ently negative or against the grain of Eternity, can be banished  from the
Spiritual creation but not from creation as a whole; it sinks to the bottom
under its own weight, as it were. 34  THE  STORY OF  CREATION
Now he cannot live in Mansarovar and in  this plane of Sat Lok, he
must never come.
In the stomach of Dharam Rai is that woman. Tell her to remember
my Shabda,
And  to go and live in  heaven,  in  the mortal world,  and the world
below, whose king is Kal.
She should come out of the stomach of Dharam Rai and she will get
good  fruit  for this good deed.
Go and tell Dharam Rai that now that woman  is his."
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
Bowing his head  to Sat Purush, Jogjit went  to Mansarovar
When Kal saw him, he became very dreadful.
Kal asked him, "Why did you come here? Who has sent you here
today?"
Jogjit  said, "0 Dharam Rai, you  have eaten that woman!
And Sat Purush has ordered me to expel you  from here."
Jogjit asked  the woman,  "Why  are you in his stomach?
Tear it  and come out!-and  remember  the Glory of Sat Purush!"
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
Hearing  this, Dharam Rai burned with anger within himself,  and
coming before Jogjit he clashed with him.
Then Jogjit remembered  Sat Purush, and received His Light  and
Power:
Sat Purush  ordered  him  to hit  the center  of Kal's  forehead with
full  force.
Jogjit did as he was ordered.
HYMN
When Jogjit hit him, Dharam Rai fell down far from Sat Lok.
He was afraid of Sat Purush and got up by himself.
The woman came out from his stomach, and, seeing him again, be-
came afraid.
She was  in doubt and afraid of Kal.
She stood-thinking-looking  at the ground here and there. 2.  THE  FALL  OF KAL  35
Dharam Rai said, "Listen,  woman! Give up your fear of me.
Sat Purush created you  for me,  now  let us create  the universe  to-
gether.
I am your man and you are my woman: give up your fear!"
The woman  said,  "Why  do you talk  like this? You  are my elder
brother! "
The woman said, "Listen,  father, why do you talk like this, know-
ing our relation?
I am your daughter now,  since you  put me in your stomach!
Previously you were my elder brother-now  you are my father.
Look at me with pure eyes, or you will be committing a sin!
If you look at me with desire you will become a sinner."
Niranjan  said, "Listen, Bhavani, I will tell you the truth:
I  am  not afraid  of sins  and  virtues, because  I  myself  am  their
creator.
All the sins and virtues are born from me, and from me no one will
ask  the account.
I will spread sins and virtues,  and any one who becomes entangled
in  them is ours.
That  is why  I am telling you  to understand and accept my word.
Sat Purush has given you  to me, Bhavani! Obey my word!"
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
Hearing this, the woman laughed; they agreed with each other and
both of  them were delighted.
She spoke attractive words in a sweet voice; she thought of having
sexual relations with Dharam Rai.
THE WOMAN CAME OUT She has fallen too, with all that that implies.
SINS AND VIRTUES Kal is speaking as Dharam Rai, the Lord of  Law or Judg-
ment, and he  is absolutely right: what are called "sins" and "virtues" in
the  lower worlds - the origin of  the Law of  Karma - does proceed  from
him. He is the Lawgiver, and his Law is so thorough and intricate that no
one can keep it. As mentioned above ("GOOD AND BAD")  there is a higher
level of "morality" taught by the Masters, which relates entirely to return
to the Father and is based on Love, not fear. "If ye love me, keep my com-
mandments." 3 6  THE  STORY  OF CREATION
Hearing her sweet words, Dharam Rai was pleased, and he decided
to perform  the sexual act with  her.
HYMN
The woman  said,  "I  don't  have a genital organ."  Then Niranjan
acted  this way:
With his nail, he immediately cut the hole of her genital organ, and
in  that way  the door of creation was  formed.
The blood started pouring from the genital organ as it was harmed
by  the  nail  and  since then  the  act  of  sexual  intercourse has
existed.
0 Dharam  Das!  Listen  to  the story  of  creation,  which  no man
knows:
Kal indulged for three times and Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh were
born.
Brahma  is  the oldest, Vishnu  the second  born, and Shambu  the
youngest.
COUPLET
When Kal and the woman enjoyed  together,
The creation was begun.
3. The Creation of  the Lower Worlds
Dharam Das, understand what  happened afterwards:
Fire, Air, Water, Earth and Sky-all  these came out from Kurma's
stomach.
The five elements were taken from his stomach and the three quali-
ties came out of his head.
In  this way  the three gunas were manifested  and Dharam Rai cre-
ated  the universe.
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
He mixed the elements and the gunas and gave them to the goddess,
and then he created his own essence.
He dropped three drops in the genital organ of the woman and three
parts were created.
Five elements and  three gunas were mixed:  In  this way  the world
was created. 3.  THE  CREATION  OF  THE  LOWER  WORLDS  37
From  the  first  drop Brahma  was  born, who was  given  the Rajo
Guna and the  five elements.
From  the  second  drop Vishnu  was  born  and was given  the Sato
Guna and the  five elements.
From the third drop Mahesh was born and was blessed with Tamo
Guna and  the  five elements.
Five  elements and  three  gunas were mixed,  and  thus  their  bodies
were made.
That  is why, again  and again,  the world  is  destroyed, and no one
knows  the secret of its beginning.
Then Dharam Rai said, "Listen,  0 Woman!  Obey me.
You have  the Seed  of  Life. Using  it,  create  the universe."
Again Niranjan  said, "Listen,  my queen-do  as I  say.
I  have given you  three sons. Now I  am going to take my attention to
the service of  Sat Purush.
Taking these three children,  rule over the world, and don't  tell  the
secret of my  existence  to anyone.
None of my three sons will have my darshan; if one searches for me,
he will waste his  life.
Spread such beliefs  in  the world  that no soul will be able to get  the
Knowledge of  Sat Purush.
When my  three sons get older, send them  to churn the Ocean."
THE ACT OF SEXUAL  INTERCOURSE The prototypical sexual act  is a kind  of
cosmic  rape-an  ominous development  for  the  future  of  the  three
worlds. The division  into sexes, crystalized and rendered  irrevocable by
the Fall, is acted upon by Impatience (another aspect of Time) and so the
whole  creation from  the  causal plane  downward  is  conceived in
violence.
THREE GUNAS The three gunas or qualities (sattva, rajas and  tamas) are the
abstractions  of  Brahma, Vishnu  and Shiva, as the next  few  lines make
clear; sattva is the quality or mode of  Peace and Balance, rajas of  Activi-
ty, and  tamas of  Inertia. The lower creation is formed by Time using the
impact  of  the  three gunas on the  five  tattwas  or  elements-neither  of
which is eternal, hence its inevitable destruction: it was created by Time
and will end in Time. What  is eternal is the "Seed of  Life," and that does
not  end in Time.
SECRET OF MY EXISTENCE  If  no one knows of  the existence of  the Negative
Power, then his actions will be ascribed to the Positive Power, as indeed
they  often  are. Kal's disappearance  is  tied  up with  his injunction  two
lines below: the most efficient way for him to prevent the worship of Sat
Purush is to pre-empt it for himself, by allowing people to think he is Sat
Purush. This is a pivotal point, and one of  the main keys to the meaning,
not only of  the poem, but  of  the universe which  the poem explains. Tere Prem Bavari Kita
SANT AJAIB  SINGH  JI
Chorus:
Tere prem bavari  kita,  hun  koi pesh  na  jandi  e
Your  love has made me mad. Now  I  have  no control  over  it.
Loki kahinde  prem  sukhala, e da jhapat  hai  shera vala  (repeat)
E  ta  nag  jahrila  kala,  thar thar ruh ghabrandi e, Tere prem  . .
People say  that love  is  easy,  but  its attack  is  like that  oi the tiger. It  is  the
poisonous  black  cobra. The soul  trembles  and becomes  perplexed.
Tera  prem  hada vich  rarke,  kadam uthava  ta  dil  dharke  (repeat)
Andro  tar  prem  di  dharke,  jind  pae gote khandi  e, Tere prem  . .  .
I  tee1 your  love  in my bones. When  I  take  a step  tny  heart  throbs.
From within  the  string  ot  love vibrates. The soul  d~ves into  the  love
Teri  surat  chand  misal,  vang  chakora sada ha1  (repeat)
Dahdha paya  prem  da jal,  sadi  ruh kurlandi  e, Tere  prem  . . .
Your  face  is  l~ke  the moon and our  cond~t~on  is  like  the moonbird
The  trap of  love  is very strong. Our  soul weeps.
Suniyo  satguru  ji  Kirpal,  sada dukhiya  da ki  ha1  (repeat)
Baksho  satguru  din  dayal,  ruh pae  vaste  pandi  e, Tere prem  . . .
Listen, 0 Satguru Ji Kirpal, what  is our  condit~on,  the suttering ones?
Forgive us, 0 Satguru, graclous on the poor ones-the  soul makes this  request  to You.
Jehra  prem  kamauna  chave,  pehila  sir  nu bhet  charhave  (repeat)
Ajaib darash  piya  da pave,  bani  e phurmandi  e,  Tere prem  .  . .
He who wants  to earn  the  love  should  tirst sacritice his  head.
Ajaib  says, Then  he gets  the darshan  ot hts  beloved. So says  the Bani
NOTE: The  Hindi words  to  thir  bhajan  \\el-e incorrectly  PI-inted in the  February  1985 SANT
BANI. This version supersedes  the one  printed  there. 40  THE  STORY OF  CREATION
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
Explaining these things to the goddess, Niranjan became invisible.
He resided  in the cave of Void consciousness-who  can know this
secret?
He has become invisible; now understand  your mind as Niranjan.
When one defeats the mind and gets the Knowledge of Sat Purush,
Sat Purush Himself manifests within  such a person.
COUPLE1
All  the jivas  have become  foolish and  think  that Kal  is  the Incon-
ceivable One.
Involved in  the tides of Karma,  they are suffering pain  birth after
birth.
Kal troubles the jivas, involving them  in many Karmas:
He himself  plays the tricks-but gives the consequences to the jiva.
THE CHURNING OF THE OCEAN:
THE CREATION OF FOURTEEN JEWELS
When  the  three boys  became wise,  their mother  told  them  to go
churn the Ocean.
But they were playing games, and didn't  want to go.
Dharam Das,  listen  and understand what happened  there!  In  the
meantime  it so happened,
Niranjan practiced Yoga and started blowing much wind.
When he exhaled,  out came the Vedas.
The Vedas came out with his breathing, but  few know this secret.
Then the Vedas prayed and asked, "What  are the oracles for us, O
Niranjan?"
They were  told:  "Go and live in  the Ocean. Remain with him who
will  find you."
This sound occurred but  the form was not seen. Only a deep light
was seen.
Then the Vedas shone by their own light as the world shines with the
light of  the sun.
The Vedas came to where Dharam Rai had created  the Ocean.
When they went into the depths of it, Dharam Rai thought of this:
He spoke to the goddess,  through  invisible dhyan,  and asked  her
why she was stopping the children from churning  the Ocean.
He told  her, "Quickly  send the three children  to churn the Ocean!
Obey my orders with determination." 3.  THE CREATION  OF THE  LOWER  WORLDS  4 1
Then he  himself  went  into the Ocean, while  the goddess  thought
about churning it.
She told  the three boys what  she wanted  and, blessing  them,  she
sent them.
"Go  to  the Ocean  quickly,  my sons!  There  you  will  find  the
treasures."
Brahma  obeyed her  words  and  started towards  the Ocean. The
other two followed  him.
HYMN
Three children went playing,  like beautiful children of  the Swan.
YOUR MIND AS NIRANJAN Kal does not usually manifest in the lower worlds
except as individual mind. He can be seen as himself by  those who are
coming from above, but not by  those who come from below. As far as
the  individual  is  concerned, the Negative  Power  is his mind  and  his
mind  is the Negative Power.
KAL TROUBLES  THE JIVAS The mind is the sower, the soul the reaper. This is
the supreme trick  of  Kal, the essence of  the illusion of Maya: the mind
appears to the individual to be its most  integral part, but in fact it is not a
part of  the individual  at all. It is only along for the ride.
CHURN THE OCEAN Bhav Sagar, the ocean of  this world  (as contrasted with
Anurag Sagar, the Ocean of Love) which has not yet come into existence;
the churning of  it brings forth the lower creation out of  its latency. The
concept  is the same as "the deep" and "the waters" in Genesis 1.
WIND Not physical wind, but a mental force which brings  into manifesta-
tion  that which  is latent. There is a humorous allusion to the practice of
pranayam, or  holding and  exhaling  the breath  forcefully, as is done in
some yoga systems. Kal of  course does not exactly have any breath, but
this  is the equivalent of  it.
VEDAS The Vedas,  the most holy  scriptures of  Hinduism, are the crystal-
lization of  the whole  idea  of  religion  as an expression  of  law (dharma)
and  hence  originated  with  Dharam  Rai. Their teaching  is  concerned
with  getting what one wants, and  keeping  this or that  god  from being
angry with us, through various methods of  sacrifice or manipulation of
the  gods.  It  is  a  great  mistake to  assume  that  the Vedas proper  are a
spiritual document; they are not. At  a  later date under the influence of
the Masters of  that time,  the writings  known as the Upanishads were
added to the Vedas as a kind of  spiritual appendix, but that is not what is
referred to  here. All  Indian Masters  from Buddha  onward  have been
very consistent in this: that the Vedas are to be ignored and transcended.
THREE CHILDREN WENT PLAYING This  beautifully evocative  verse  shows
the danger of  taking a simplistic or superficial attitude even toward  the
nature of Kal and his children. Fallen they are, with all that that implies;
evil in  the cardboard cut-out sense they are not. And although they are
not  human and exist  on a magnitude and time-scale incomprehensible
to us, they share certain qualities with humans, as this verse shows. 3.  THE  CREATION  OF  THE  LOWER  WORLDS  43
Catching each other and chasing each other they walked extraordi-
narily.
Sometimes they walked, sometimes they ran, sometimes they stood
waving their hands.
Not even the Vedas sing of  the beauty of  that  time.
The three of  them went  and stood near the Ocean.
Each of  them was wondering how  to churn it.
First churning of  the Ocean
When each of  them churned the Ocean they got three things:
Brahma got the Vedas, Vishnu fire, and Mahesh poison.
Taking all three,  they started happily home to their mother.
They came to her and showed her their  things.
She told  them to keep them to themselves.
Second churning of  the Ocean
"Again  go and churn  the Ocean. Whatever  you  get, keep it with
you."
Saying this, Adhi-Bhavani played a trick, and created three women.
Each of  them had her essence in her.
Each  of  them  came  before their  mother, who  distributed  them
among her sons.
The three sons had gone to churn the Ocean and didn't know about
the women.
But  when  they  churned  this  time,  they  found the  three women,
which made them very pleased.
Taking the women with  them, they came and bowed down to their
mother.
The mother said, "Listen, my children: These are for your work."
Each was given a woman and ordered  to enjoy with her:
FIRST CHURNING Each churning brings  forth one of  the  lower planes:  the
first  one the causal, the second  the astral, the  third  the physical. The
causal  plane,  closest  to  the  essence  of  Kal  and  Adhya's  original
"creation," did not require further division of male and female; the lower
planes do. Each churning brings forth a thicker aspect of  the creation-
stuff, and  the  specific  things mentioned  are used  in  determining the
form  of  the  creation. The fourteen jewels,  e.g., are the  specific  im-
plements used in bringing  into being  the physical plane. 44  THE  STORY OF  CREATION
"Brahma,  you  take Savitri; Vishnu, you  take Laxmi."
Parvati  was  given  to  Shankar.  These  were  the  orders  of their
mother.
Accepting whatever Adhya gave them,  they bowed  down  to her.
Receiving  the women made  them as happy as  the chakor when  it
sees the moon at night.
All  three brothers  indulged  in lust  and thus the gods and demons
were born.
Dharam Das, understand  this:  the one who was once a girl became
the mother-
Again  the mother told  them, "All  you  brothers!  go and churn the
ocean again!
Whatever you get, keep it with you;  and don't  delay!"
The third  churning of  the ocean
Bowing their heads, the three sons went; "We  will do whatever you
say."
They churned the ocean without  any  delay  and distributed  what
they got among themselves.
The mine of fourteen jewels came out, which they brought  to their
mother.
All three brothers were happy; Vishnu took the Nectar and Mahesh
took the Poison.
ADHYA ORDERS HER THREE SONS TO CREATE
THE UNIVERSE
THE FOUR KINDS OF CREATED BEINGS
Then their mother said this: "All  three of you: create the universe!''
She created  the egg-born, Brahma created  the womb-born,
Vishnu  created  the moisture-born,  and Shiva developed  the seed-
born;
Eighty-four lakhs of species were created, and the earth was made
half water, half  land.
In  the seed-born  is one element;  the moisture-born has two;
The egg-born has three elements and the womb-born  four.
In  the human beings are five elements, and the three gunas beauti-
fy them.
Brahma comes to know about the Formless by  reading the Vedas
Then Brahma read  the Vedas,  and reading them  he  felt love. 3.  THE  CREATION  OF  THE  LOWER  WORLDS  45
The Vedas say, "There  is but one Sat Purush, He is Nirankar and
doesn't  have any form.
He is seen in  the form of Light in the plane of Void consciousness,
and He cannot be  seen with  the physical body.
His head  is  in  the heavens  and His  feet  lie  in  the world  below."
Finding  this out, Brahma got intoxicated.
He  told Vishnu:  "The  Vedas  have told  me  about  the' Original
Person."
Then he told Shiva that the gist of  the Vedas is that  there is one Sat
Purush.
COUPLET
The Vedas say, "There  is one Sat Purush, but we don't  know His
secret. "
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
Then Brahma came to his mother. Saluting her, he touched her feet.
"0 mother, the Vedas have told me that there is another Creator!"
HYMN
Brahma  said, "Listen,  my  mother!  Tell me-Who  is  your  hus-
band?
Shower grace  on me  and  don't  hide this  from me:  Where is our
father?"
His mother said, "Listen  Brahma, you don't have any father;
Everything  is  created  from me;  I  have  nourished  the whole crea-
tion."
CREATE  THE UNIVERSE NOW that Kal has receded, Adhya, who is the great
goddess Maya, worshiped by the Hindus as Kali or Durga, is responsible
for the further creation which begins now, but is not finished for aeons;
the events that  follow  take place during the creation process.
EIGHTY-FOUR  LAKHS One lakh equals 100,000, so eighty-four lakhs equals
8,400,000 which  is the number of  species available for the soul to incar-
nate  in  (the figure includes a number of  astral or non-physical entities).
This is the origin of  the famous expression "the wheel of  eighty-four": the
soul rises up through the entire series of  possibilities from minerals and
plants to the body of  a human being; if  she misuses her human birth, she
begins the descent back down to the bottom, from which again she may
rise. There  is much comment on this later in the poem.
SAT PURUSH The name of  Sat Purush  is used, but  it  is Kal who  is meant;
this is part  of  the illusion. 46  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
Brahma said, "Mother,  listen carefully:
The Vedas  have reached  the conclusion  that  there  is  one Purush
who is in hidden form."
Adhya said, "Listen,  my son Brahma: there is no other creator but
me.
I have created the three worlds, and I alone have created  the seven
oceans. "
Brahma said to Adhya:
"I  believe you, that you have done all this: but why did you hide this
before?
The Vedas say that there is one Alakh Niranjan  Sat Purush-
If you are the creator, why didn't  you  think of  this before?-
You made the Vedas: why did you mention  the Alakh Niranjan in
them as the creator?
COUPLET
If you created everything by yourself, then, mother, why didn't you
write that in  the Vedas?
Don't play  tricks with me, tell me the truth."
When Brahma showed  his  stubbornness, Adhya considered what
to do.
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
She thought, "How  do I make him understand? He doesn't believe
me.
If  I  tell him about Niranjan, how is he going to accept  it?
Moreover Niranjan has told me that no one can have his darshan.
If I  tell him he is  invisible.  how do I make him see him?"
Thinking carefully, she told her son, "Alakh  Niranjan doesn't  give
his darshan."
Brahma said, "Tell me where he is, and don't worry about pros and
cons.
I  don't  believe your words;  I  don't  like this business.
First  you  want  to  delude me,  now you  say,  'He  doesn't  give
darshan,
So you won't  have darshan.'  Don't say useless  things like  this. 3.  THE  CREATION  OF THE  LOWER WORLDS
HYMN
Give me his darshan right now. I no longer rely on you.
Clear up my doubts-don't  delay  for a moment."
His mother said, "Listen  Brahma!  I  am telling you  the truth.
His  head  is  in  the seventh  heaven  and  his  feet  are in  the seventh
world below.
HYMN
If  you desire his darshan, take a  flower  in  your hand  and go bow
your head  to him."
Hearing this Brahma turned towards the earth, with his head down.
His mother  thought, "He  doesn't  obey me-
The Vedas have  taught  him this, but he won't  be able to have his
darshan."
Ashtangi said, "Listen,  my  child: Alakh Niranjan is your  father.
But dear son, you will  never  have  his darshan;  I say this with full
understanding."
Hearing  this Brahma was  disturbed.  In his mind  dwelt  the deter-
mination  to have his  father's darshan.
Bowing his head to his mother, he decided that only after having the
darshan  of his  father would he return.
At  once he started moving toward  the north,  rapidly.
Vishnu headed  for the world below; he also wanted the darshan of
his  father.
But Mahesh didn't  let his attention waver. He didn't utter a word;
he just  kept  serving his mother.
Shivaji didn't worry. He kept his attention on his mother's  service.
Many days passed while  the mother worried about her children.
Vishnu returns from his search and tells how he did not see his feet
First Vishnu  returned  to his mother and told  her his  story:
"I  didn't  see my  father's  feet. With the fire of Shesh Nag's  poison
my body became black.
I  became upset over this and came back.  I  didn't  have my father's
darshan."
Hearing this, Adhya was very pleased. Lovingly she called Vishnu
near her and caressed him. 48  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
She kissed  him  and keeping her  hand  on his head  in  blessing,  she
said, "My  son, you  have  told me  the truth."
Dhururn Dus said  to Kubir:
My doubt has been cleared; 0 my Lord, tell me now about Brahma.
Did  he have  the darshan of his  father's  head  or did he also come
back  disappointed?
HYMN
You have told me the story of the day when Rrahma went  to see his
father.
Did  he meet his  father or not? Did  he have his darshan or not?
0 my Satguru, tell me all this, explaining them one by one to me.
Understanding  me  as Your servant, throw  light  on  this  matter.
Don't  hide anything from me.
My Lord,  I  am your servant, please make my birth  successful:
Tell me what happened  afterwards."
The story of Brahma's search for his father
Kubir said  to Dharan? Das:
Dharam Das, you  are very dear to me. Understand my  teachings,
and with determination keep  them  in your heart.
Brahma didn't take  long  to get  there,  as  he  desired  his  father's
darshan.
He got  to the place where there is no sun nor moon-it  is only the
Void  there.
In many ways he prayed, and then he contemplated  the Light.
In this way many days passed but still he didn't  have the darshan of
his  father.
He wasted four yugas in contemplating the Void, but still he did not
have his  father's darshan.
Adhya worries about Brahma
Brahma didn't  have  the darshan of  his  father; meditating  on  the
Void many yugas passed.
His  mother  worried  in  her heart, "Where  is  my  oldest  son,
Brahma?
How can  I  continue to create? When will he come back?"
The creation of Gayatri
Rubbing her body, the mother took out filth and created the form
of a daughter. 3.  THE  CREATION  OF THE  LOWER  WORLDS  49
The essence of  Shakti was mixed  with  her,  and  the name Gayatri
was given  to her.
Gayatri bowed  down  to her mother,  kissed  her feet,  and put  her
head  on her  feet.
Folding  both  her  hands,  Gayatri  made  this request:  "Listen,
mother,  to my one question:
Why did you create me? Tell me so that  I may obey your orders."
Adhya  said,  "Daughter,  listen  to  this:  Brahma  is  your  eldest
brother.
He has gone in  the sky  to have  the darshan  of his  father. Go and
bring him  back  after making him understand
That he will never have the darshan of  this father. He will waste his
birth in searching for him.
Whatever it takes to bring him, go and do it, and bring him back."
Gayatri goes in search  of Brahma
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
Gayatri started  on  the way with  the words  of  her mother  in her
heart.
The girl with the tender body walked  along, thinking of her moth-
er's words.
HYMN
On reaching there she saw the Wise One, whose eyes were closed;
For a  few days she remained there; then she thought of a plan.
"How  will he get up? Now what  to do?"
Remembering her mother,  she thought and thought-and eventu-
ally made contact with her.
CONTINUE  TO CREATE Brahma  is the Creator, although he utilizes the help
of  the others; as  long  as he  is  gone, the  creation  of  the  lower worlds,
although begun, is suspended.
SHAKTI Power, the manifestation  of  the Root Seed or Seed of  Life which
Adhya has been given. It is because she has custody of  the Seed that she
is able to create forms by herself. Gayatri is a prominent Hindu goddess;
the "filth" mentioned  does not  imply anything about Gayatri, but refers
to  the inner  parts  of  Adhya  (the equivalent  of  her  blood, bile,  etc.);
although Adhya is not physical, she is, after all, Maya, and thus no mat-
ter  how  clean  and  beautiful  she  is on  the outside  she  is by definition
otherwise within. 50  THE  STORY OF  CREATION
Adhya  tells Gayatri how to awakeh Brahma
When Gayatri contacted Adhya, she received  this message:
"Brahma  will awaken only when you  touch him."
So Gayatri did as she was  told by  her mother:
After reflection, she touched his lotus feet.
The waking of Brahma; his anger at Gayatri
When Brahma awoke and his attention was disturbed, he became
upset and said,
"Who  is this sinner, this guilty one, who has made me leave off my
Samadhi?
I  will  curse you  because you have  disturbed  me  from my  father's
remembrance! "
Gayatri said, "First  know my sin and  then  curse me.
I  am telling you  the truth; your mother has sent me  to bring  you
back.
Now come on, quickly-don't  delay! Without you, who will spread
creation?"
Brahma said,  "How  can  I  go?  I  haven't  had my  father's  darshan
yet!"
Gayatri  said,  "You  will  have his  darshan, but  now  come quickly
with me or you will  repent."
Brahma tells Gayatri  to bear false witness; Gayatri demands sexual
relations with Brahma
Brahma said, "If  you will bear witness that  I  have seen the head of
my  father with my eyes
And will make my mother convinced,  I  will  come with you."
Hearing this, Gayatri said, "I  won't  utter  false words;
But  if  you  fulfill my desire, my brother, only  then can  I  lie."
Brahma said, "1  don't  understand. Explain yourself; be clear."
Gayatri said, "Have  sexual intercourse with  me,  and  then  1  will
lie and you will win."
Kubir said to Dharum Das:
Gayatri said, "Of  course it  is selfish, but  1  am telling you  to do it- 3.  THE  CREATION  OF THE  LOWER  WORLDS
comidering it  as a virtuous, charitable thing."
Hearing this Brahma thought  in his heart,  "What  to do now?
HYMN
If  I  remain indifferent to her, my purpose will  not be served-
She won't  bear witness  and my mother will  put me to shame.
I  didn't  see my father-none  of my purposes will be accomplished
by  thinking about sins.  I  must  lie with  her!"
Brahma copulated with her and the determination  to have the dar-
shan of  his  father vanished  from his mind.
Both of them here full of ardour, and in place of decent thoughts,
bad  intellect  came.
The creation of Puhupnvati
When Brahma told Gayatri to come to their mother, she said,
"1  have another idea. Let me create one more witness."
Brahma said, "Good.  Do anything to make Mother believe."
Then Gayatri  thought, and, removing filth  from her body,
She created a daughter. Mixing  her own essence  in  her  she named
her Savitri.
When Gayatri told her  to say that Brahma had had the darshan of
his  father,
Savitri said, "I  don't  know  this.  I  will  lose if  I  bear  false witness."
Hearing  this,  both  of  them were very  worried. They didn't  know
what  to do.
Gayatri  tried  to  convince her  in  many  ways, but  Savitri  didn't
accept it.
Finally, Savitri uttered  these words:
"If  Brahma will copulate with me,  I  will  lie."
Gayatri  said  to  Brahma,  "Copulate  with her  and  complete  our
work."
Brahma  indulged with Savitri and in  this way carried more burden
of sin on his head.
SAVITRI Another Hindu goddess. worshiped by many. One of  the points of
the poem, written within  the Hindu  tradition  and aimed at  the Hindu
people, is to expose the hollowness and inferior status of  these gods and
goddesses  and  to  encourage  the worship  of  the  One  True God,  :he
Supreme Father.  Savitri  appears  to  have  been created directly  by
Gayatri, as Gayatri was by Adhya: but  the placement  in  the poem does
not  rule  out a  causal connection  with  Gayatri's  intercourse with
Brahma. 5 2  THE  STORY  OF  CliEATION
(Savitri has another name too: she is also called  Puhupavati.)
All  three started for the place where their mother was.
Rrahma returns to his mother with Gayatri and Savitri and all of
them get cursed
Brahma saluted  his mother, and she asked  him  how  he was:
"Tell  me, Brahma, did you have the darshan of your father? And
from where did you get  this other wonian?"
Brahma said, "Both of them are my witnesses-that  I  have seen the
head  of the Lord with my  own eyes."
Then  the mother  asked Gayatri  to consider carefully  and  tell  the
truth:
"Did  you see him  having darshan? Tell me  its  true effect."
Then Gayatri said this: "Brahma  had the darshan of the head of his
father.
I  have seen  that  he  touched  his  head;  Brahnia met  the Lord.
HYMN
Brahma  touched  the head  of his  father with  flowers in  his hand.  I
was seeing with my own eyes.
He offered him  flowers-pouring  the water. 0 my mother,  this  i~
true.
From  those flowers came out  this Puhupavati at  that place.
He has had the darshan of his  father. Ask  the girl.
0 mother,  this  is  true. You can ask  Puhupavati.
I  am telling you  the truth.  It  has no trace of falsehood in  it."
Mother asked Puhupavati,  "Tell  me the truth.
Tell me what happened when Brahma touched his  forehead.
HYMN
0 Puhupavati, tell me the story of  thc darshan  in detail.
I  am asking you to tell me: How did Brahma have the darshan of his
father?"
Then Puhupavati  said, "Mother,  this is  the truth.
The Wise One had the darshan of his father's head and he definitely
offered him  flowers." 3.  THE  CREATION  OF THE  LOWER WORLDS  53
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
Hearing the witness,  Adhya became  perplexed.  She was  surprised
and didn't  understand  the secret behind  it.
Adhya's worry
"Alakh  Niranjan  told  me with  determination  that  no one would
ever  see him.
Then are these three lying, 0 Alakh Niranjan? Explain this to me."
Ashtangi remembered Niranjan, who in  turn  told  her:
"Brahma  has not  had my darshan. He has brought  false witnesses.
All  of them have  lied.  Do not  believe them-this  is  completely
untrue."
Adhya curses Rrahma
Hearing  this  the mother became angry and cursed Brahma:
"No  one will worship you  because you  have not spoken the truth.
You spoke untruth. Moreover you committed bad karma and carry
the burden of hell  on your head.
Your  race will  also  lie,  and  their  inner selveg will  be  full  of sinner
filth.
They will make many rules and regulations;
They will  have the devotees of Vishnu, and  thus will  fall  in hell.
They will tell  the story of  the Puranas to others, but acting differ-
ently, they will  suffer pain.
I  truly  tell  you  about  those who,  hearing  your  race,  will  get  their
knowledge and do their devotion:
They will search for the essence of other gods and criticizing, will go
into  the mouth of Kal.
They will worship  the gods  in many ways,  and for the sake of do-
nations  they will  cut off heads.
Those who become  their  disciples  and  follow  them will  never get
any spiritual wealth.
ADHYA CURSES BRAHMA A two-fold curse, which  explains why, although
Brahma is the first and presumably the most powerful of  the three gods,
he does not have and apparently never has had any worshipers to speak
of. Vishnu  and  Shiva  [and Adhya, as Kali  or Durga) divide  the whole
Hindu population between them. The curse is also a scathing put-down
of  the Brahmin  caste- the Hindu priests who take Brahma's name and
are  therefore  "his  racen'- totally  unprecedented  in  Indian  scriptures.
This is a revolutionary  passage. 54  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
They will  never  reach  the Path  of Spirituality, and for  their  self-
interest  they will  teach  others.
For self-interest they will make the world hear their knowledge, and
will make their own worshiping firm  in  the world.
They will consider themselves higher and others lower. 0 Brahma.
your  race will  be very  blemished!"
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
When  the mother attacked Brahma with this curce, he fainted and
fell down.
Adhya curses Gayatri
"Gayatri,  it  is now your turn. You will have five husbands.
Your  first  husband  will  be  Vrishab.  Your  race  will  spread  very
much, but will be destroyed.
You will  be  incarnated many  times,  and will  eat inedible  food, as
you  have  lied monstrously.
For self-interest  you lied. Why did you  bear  false witness?"
Gayatri accepted  the curse, then Adhya looked at Savitri.
Adhya curses Savitri
"0 Puhupavati, knowingly you  lied and have spoiled your birth.
Listen, Puhupavati:  no one will ever believe  you  nor worship you
for his own wishes.
You will dwell where there is dirt. Go and suffer hell, as you  lied for
lust.
One who will  sow  and  nourich  you--his  dynasty will  come to an
end.
Now go and  take another incarnation  as Kevda-Ketaki."
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
HYMN
All  of them were  cursed  as the  result  of  the  foolish  evil  done by
them.
Woman as sex-object  is  the greatest trick  of  the Negative Power,
who has stung everybody.
Neither Brahma nor Shiva, not even Shankadi nor Narada, escaped
from  it.
Hear, 0 Dharam Das, only he who is attached to Sat Naam escapes
from it. 3.  THE  CREATION  OF THE  LOWER WORLDS  5 5
With  the glorious grace of Sat Shabda, this  art of Kal  can never
reach him.
One who remains attached to Master's  feet in mind, word and deed
-this  sin can never  come near him.
Adhya's  repentance and fear of  Niranjan
HYMN
She repented  in her mind after she had cursed  them, and thought:
"What  will Niranjan do with me now?  I'm  not  forgivable."
Niranjan  curses Adhya
A  sound came from the sky, "0 Bhavani, what have you done?
I  sent you  to create the universe. Why did you  do this?
HYMN
If any higher one harasses a lower one, 1 am the one who takes care
of  the reprisal.
When the Third Age comes you will have  five husbands."
Kahir said  to Dharam Das:
\'hen  Bhavani  heard  the  curse  in  the form of  an  exchange,  she
didn't  say but  thought,
"I  am cursed  as a  result  of cursing. Now, Niranjan Rai, what will
I  do?
I  am in your control. Do whatever you want."
Why Vishnu  turned black
Then Adhya asked Vishnu, caressing him, "Listen, my son, to one
word  of mine.
Tell me truly: when you went  to have the darshan of your  father's
feet,
You were white. How did you become black?"
Vishnu  said  to Adhya:
"As  soon as you permitted me,  I  started  for the world  below  to
have  the darshan of my  father's  feet.
NIRANJAN  CURSES ADHYA Kal  as Dharam Rai - the Lord  of  Law - not  only
gives  the Law, but  also dispenses Justice within its framework. In this
aspect  he  is scrupulously fair. Here he  turns Adhya's curse on Gayatri
back  on  her own  head, which  is  fulfilled  when  she incarnates  as
Draupadi in the time of  the Mahabharata War and marries the five Pan-
dava brothers simultaneously. 56  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
I n  my  hands  1  carried Akshat  flowers and  started walking  on the
path  to the world below.
I  drew near the Shesh Nag, whose poison's  power  slowed me.
The power  of  that poison dwelt within me, and  turned me black.
At  that  time  I  heard  one sound, which  I  will  tell you  about:
I t   said, 'Vishnu, go back  to your mother and  tell  her  the truth.
As  in  Sat Yuga and Treta Yuga, when  the  fourth  path  of Dwapar
Yuga will  come,
Then you will be incarnated as Krishna.  I  tell you, a1  that  time you
will be avenged.
In  the Kalindi river you  will  stick  Shesh Nag on a string. Nou  yo
back without delay.
One who harasses lower ones after becoming higher, gets avenged
by me.
I  will avenge him who harasses others.'
Then 1 came back  to you  and  told  the truth to you.
I  didn't  see my father's  feet and my body became black like the fire
of  poison.
1 came  back  as  I  grew  restless.  I  didn't  have  the darshan  of  my
father's  feet."
Adhya gives Vishnu  the darshan of  light.
Hearing this much, his mother was happy; she lifted Vishnu up and
sat him  in her  lap.
Then Adi-Bhavani spoke in  this way: "My  dear son.  listen  to me:
You see, my son, now  I will make you see your father and will clear
up the  illusion of your mind.
First  of all, look with  the eye of your intellect, and obey my words
with  your heart.
Understand your mind as the creator:  know no one as the creator
except  the mind.
In  the heavens and worlds below, only the mind  is spread. Mind  is
unstable and untrue,
Within a moment he shows limitless frauds. No one can ever see the
mind.
Call mind  the Nirankar  and  day  and  night  remain  happy  in  its
wishes;
Inverting your attention,  look  in  the void, where  light  is shining:
Control your breathing and reach to Gaggan; then contemplate on
the path of  the sky." 3.  THE  CREATION  OF THE  LOWER WORLDS  5 7
Vishnu  did  in  his mind as his mother had explained.
HYMN
Controlling the breath,  he went within  the cave and contemplated.
A  loud sound was made in  the sky by a wave of wind.
Hearing the  sound,  his  mind became intoxicated  and  then  ima-
gined.
With the  imagination of  his mind, white,  yellow,  green,  and  red
clouds were seen  in  the void plane.
Thereafter, Dharam Das, mind  showed himself  to him.
He showed the light-seeing  which Vishnu became happy.
Vishnu  bowed  his  head  to  his  mother  with  humility  and  depen-
dence:
"0 my mother, with your grace 1 have seen the Lord."
Dharam Das humbly asked: 0 Lord,  I  am uncertain  about this:
The woman  told  him  about  the contemplating mind-is  that how
all  the jivas  are deluded?
The Satguru said:
Dharam Das, this is the character of Kal and because of  it, Vishnu
didn't get  the knowledge of  Sat Purush.
Look  at  the  trick played  by  the woman: Hiding  the Nectar,  she
cleverly gave the Poison  to her son.
There is no difference between Kal and that  light  seen by Vishnu:
After understanding the truth,  stick  to the true religion.
This is the character of Kal: whatever  is within him, he acts accord-
ingly outside.
When a man  lights  the flame, think  about its character:
Looking at the light,  a moth comes near;  he understands  it as his
Beloved.
STICK SHESH NAG ON A  STRING One of Krishna's most celebrated exploits is
his conquest of  the thousand-headed serpent, here identified with Shesh
Nag.  This  defeat, which  took  place at  the dawn  of  recorded  history
[Krishna's death is traditionally dated 3200 B.C.) explains both the recur-
rent  memories  of  the  "dragon" race  and  its lack  of  visibility  on  the
historic  scene.
TRICK PLAYED BY  THE WOMAN That is, she allows Brahma's mistaken iden-
tification of Sat Purush with Kal to stand, and does not inform him of  the
existence of  the True God even though  she knows about  it. 5 8  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
But  as soon as he touches it, he is  reduced  to ashes. Unknowingly
he dies for nothing.
Kal  is like the flame. This cruel Kal leaves no one.
He has devoured  crores of  incarnations of Vishnu.  Brahma  and
Mahesh are also devoured by him-after  he troubles  them.
There are so many problems  he  causes  the  jivas,  I  could  never
mention them all:
Thinking about them,  I  am frightened.
Daily  he devours one lakh jivas-so  horrible  is this butcher Kal!
Dharam Das said:
Listen, my Lord:  one doubt has come into my mind.
Ashtangi  was  created by  Sat  Purush,  and  1  know how  she was
created;
She was swallowed by Dharam Rai and she came out by the glorious
grace of Sat Purush.
But this  same Ashtangi committed  fraud-turning  on Sat Purush
she made Yama manifest.
She didn't  tell the secret of Sat Purush to her sons; she made them
meditate on Kal Niranjan.
Why did Ashtangi do this? Why did she leave Sat Purush and be-
friend Kal?
The Satguru said:
0 Dharam Das, listen to the attributes of woman: I'll make you un-
derstand  it all.
When there is a girl in the family, she is brought up with many con-
veniences:
Her food, clothing and bedding are provided. But everyone regards
her as an outsider.
Lovingly performing the ceremonies, she is made to depart with her
husband.
When the daughter goes to her husband's  home, she is dyed in  the
colors of her husband.
She forgets her mother and father: Dharam Das,  this is the quality
of woman.
That is why Adhya also became an alien, and she, the Bhavani, be-
came a part  of Kal.
That is why she didn't manifest Sat Purush and showed the form of
Kal  to Vishnu. 3.  THE  CREATION  OF  THE  LOWER WORLDS  5 9
Dharam Das said  to Kabir:
0 ,  my Lord,  I  now  know the secret. Now  tell me what happened
beyond this.
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
The mother destroyed Brahma's pride and again called her dear son
Vishnu:
"0 Vishnu, you have this blessing: You will be the favorite among
the gods.
I will work  for fulfilling every desire you will have  in  your heart.
Maya makes Vishnu supreme
The  first  son Brahma  is  reproached,  because falsehood  and evil
deeds were dear to him.
Now you  are  supreme  among  gods,  and  everyone  will  worship
you,"  said his mother.
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
Thus the mother said those words,  full of grace, and made Vishnu
the supreme one.
Then she went to Mahesh. Looking at her, Mahesh was full of hap-
piness.
Adhya blesses Mahesh
Again  the mother asked, "Tell  me, my child, you-Shiva-tell  me
what is in your heart.
Ask  for whatever you  like--Mother  will give you  that.
My  son,  I  am determined  to give you a  boon  according  to your
wish."
Folding both his hands, Shiva said, "Mother,  I'll  do as you order.
I  ask  for this boon only: that my body will never be destroyed!
DIES FOR NOTHING Interesting reversal of  an image used in a positive way
at the beginning of  the poem. Kai here is the Death God, and if  we are
devoured by him before fulfilling our purpose we have nothing to show
for  it.
THIS BUTCHER KAL  From the human point of  view, this is the exact truth.
A PART OF KAI.  Just as a physical father gives his daughter away to her hus-
band, so Sat Purush had ordered Adhya to co-create with Kal. Their joint
Fall  altered  the  way  in  which she  carried  out her  con~mission, but
ultimately  she is blameless. 60  THE  STORY  OF CREATION
0 my mother,  shower such grace on me that my body may never
perish."
Ashtangi said,  "This  can  never  happen;  no  one  can  become
immortal.
But  if  you practice Yoga,  and  control  the  breathing, then  your
body will  survive for four yugas.
As long as the earth and sky exist your body will  never perish."
Dharam Das said:
Explain  to me the Knowledge.
I  have gotten all  the secrets; now  tell me about Brahma.
After getting cursed  by Adhya, what did Brahma do?
Kabir said:
When both Vishnu  and Mahesh got  the boons,  they were  happy
and excited.
In  their minds  they were  delighted; whereas  Brahma was humil-
iated.
Dhararn Das,  I  know everything.  I  will  tell  it  to you  one by one.
Being cursed, Brahma desperately  goes to Vishnu  and  tells him of
his pain; Vishnu consoles him.
Brahma became very sad  in  his mind  and went  to Vishnu.
Arriving there, he requested Vishnu, saying, "Yo11  are my brother
and supreme among Gods.
Mother is gracious on you, whereas,  because of  the curse,  I  am in
pain.
0 Brother,  I  am suffering due to my own deeds. How can  I  blame
Mother?
0 Brother, now  do something by  which  my  race may  continue,
following Mother's words."
Vishnu  said, "Give  up the fear of your mind;  I will serve you.
You  are my elder  and  I  am your younger  brother.  So remove  all
doubts and worries.
Anyone who is my devotee will serve your  family  too.
HYMN
I  will guarantee this faith in the world:  that if you desire the virtues
and the fruits of devotion, 3.  THE  CREATION  OF THE  LOWER WORLDS  6 1
The  Yajna  and  worship  done  without  a  Brahmin  will  not  be
accepted.
Those who will worship the Brahmin will be doing virtuous deeds,
And only they will be dear to me. To them alone will I give a place
to dwell in my abode."
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
Brahma was pleased when Vishnu said  that:
"0 Brother, you have finished my mind's pain. Now I  am happy,"
he said.
Kal's manipulation
Dharam Das, look at  the scope of what was done by Kal. He has
deceived all  the world  by  it.
He makes the jiva  forgetful by making him  hopeful, and puts him
into the troubles of birth after birth.
Bali, Harishchandra, Van, Verachan, Kunti's  son and many others
Were  the  virtuous renunciate  kings.  What  place  did  he give  to
them?
All  the world, which  is under  the control of Kal, knows what has
happened  to them.
Everyone knows  that  they cannot be purified  as Kal controls  their
intellect  by his power.
Being  in  the wave  of  mind, the  jiva  has  forgotten;  and  now  he
doesn't  know how  to go back  to his own home.
Dharam Das said:
Listen, my Lord:  tell me  the story of what happened  next.
With your grace I am now able to recognize the deception of Yama.
Now  I  have definitely put my mind  at Your Feet.
Giving me  the Nectar  in  Shabda form, You have saved me  from
drowning in  this Ocean  of  the world.
FOUR YUGAS One  time-cycle or  maha  yuga-the  Sat, Treta, Dwapar and
Kali Yugas in succession - which is followed by pralaya or dissolution, in
which  all  forms  from  the  causal  downward are withdrawn  into  the
higher planes.
I WILL SERVE YOU  Vishnu modifies Adhya's curse on Brahma, though only
in  temporal  terms. He  guarantees  the  Brahmin's indispensability in
Vaishnavite Hindu ritual  and veneration among Vaishnavites, but can-
not  remove the fruits of  hell  from his head-nor  does he try. 62  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
Now tell me the rest of the story, and explain to me how their curses
came to an end.
Gayatri's  curse of Adhya
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
Dharam  Das,  I  will  tell  this  to you,  the Word  of  lnconceivable
Knowledge:
When Gayatri  accepted  the  curse  given by  her  mother,  she  her-
self cursed her mother:
"You  will be the mother of  those  five, of whom  I will be wife.
You will conceive a child without the help of man and all the world
will know this,"  she said.
So both  of  them  suffered  the  reaction of  the  cursed.  At  the ap-
pointed  time both of  them came in  the human body.
SPECIAL ACCOUNT OF THE WORLD'S  CREATION
After all  these happenings  the world was created.
This time eighty-four lakhs bodies and four kinds of creation were
formed.
HYMN
First Mother created  the egg-born and Brahma created  the womb-
born;
Vishnu created the moisture-born and Mahesh undertook  the crea-
tion of  the seed-born.
Then  the  creation  of  bodies  started.  Know  him who  creates  the
body.
In this way four kinds of creation were spread in all four directions.
0 Dharam Das, now you know the story of creating the four kinds
of  life. Keep it  in your mind.
4. The Four Kinds of  Life
Dharam Das asked this, folding  his hands:
0 Satguru, please  tell me this:
Tell me about the existence of  the creation of  four different kinds
and explain  it  to me.
How are the eighty-four lakh bodies divided? What is their span? 4.  THE  FOUR  KINDS  OF  LIFE
Kabir said:
Listen, Dharam Das:  I will describe the births  to you.
I will explain everything to you, one by one; I won't hide anything
from you.
Listen  to me attentively, and don't bring any doubt in your mind.
HOW THE EIGHTY-FOUR  LAKHS ARE DISTRIBUTED
Distribution  of eighty-four lakhs births
There are nine lakh kinds of water creatures; fourteen lakh kinds of
birds.  I will describe them:
Insects  are of  twenty-seven  lakh  kinds;  thirty lakhs  of  trees  and
plants exist.
There  are four  lakh  kinds of  rational  beings  among which  the
human body  is  supreme.
In other species of life the jiva cannot know God; tied by karma,
he comes and goes.
Why  is human life  the best?
Dharam Das bowed his head  to His feet and requested the Lord  to
explain to him:
In all kinds of  birth  the jiva  is  similar. Then why don't  they have
equal knowledge?
Tell me why  there  is  this difference, so that  the doubt of my mind
may go away.
The Satguru said:
Listen, Dharam Das, you  are my  ornament;  I will explain  to you
this  shortcoming.
In all four kinds of creation  the jivas  are similar; but  listen
To what  I  am telling  you  now.  In  the seed-born, there is  one ele-
ment.
The moisture-born contains  two  elements, whereas  the egg-born
contains three.
In  the womb-born are four elements, and in  the human body five
elements are present.
THE WORLD WAS CREATED The creation of  the lower worlds, begun aeons
back, is at  last  completed  and the basic  life-forms established.
RATIONAL BEINGS Includes the marnmals as well as "supernatural" entities
-ghosts,  fairies, etc. 64  THE  STORY  OF CREATION
Because of  the human body,  a jiva  holds  the right  to understand
Knowledge.
The human body  is made for the devotion of God.
What elements are present  in which  kind of  creation?
Dharam Das said  to Kabir:
0 Lord, explain  to me, which elements they contain.
What elements are in the egg-born and womb-born. and what are in
moisture-born and seed-born?
Describe  them all to me. Shower grace on me; don't hide anything
from me.
HYMN
The Satgum said:
Listen, Dharam Das, about the elements contained by the different
kinds of creation:
I  will  tell you which contains what.
In  the egg-born are three elements: water, air, and fire.
In  the seed-born is only one: the element of water  is present  there.
The moisture-born has two elements in  it;  they are air and fire.
The womb-born contains four elements: earth, fire, water and air.
Among the womb-born,  the human body  is supreme, which  con-
tains five elements.
Kabir says this truly, Dharam Das: you can test  it.
The body of man is created from the womb-born, but  in it  five ele-
ments are developed:
That is why he has more knowledge and goes to Sat Lok after catch-
ing Naam.
Why don't  all the human beings have equal amount of  intellect?
Dharam Das said:
Listen, 0 reliever of prisoners,  please clear up my one illusion:
All men  and women have  similar  elements, but  they  don't  have
similar intellect.
Some have compassion,  chastity,  contentment  and  forgiveness  in
them, whereas some are devoid of these qualities.
Some are criminals, some are cool-hearted, and some are as cruel as
Kal.
Some kill others and eat them, whereas some are very gracious. 4.  THE  FOUR  KINDS  OF  LIFE  65
Some become  happy  by  listening  to  the Knowledge of  God, but
some like to sing the praises  of Kal.
My Lord, explain to me why there are different qualities in different
human beings.
Kabir said  to Dharam Das:
Dharam Das, listen to me attentively; I will tell you the qualities of
men  and women.
I will make you understand  the reason man becomes intelligent or
foolish.
The souls who come into the human body  from the body of  the
Lion, snake, dog, jackal, crow, vulture, pig,  cat,  and  bodies  like
that, eat inedible  things.
Know  them as persons with bad qualities.
The nature of their past doesn't  leave them because of their karmas;
only great virtue can liberate them.
That is why even though they are manifested as human beings, still
they behave  as beasts.
From whatever  body  the  soul has  come,  it  has  its nature accord-
ingly:
They come as sinners, violent ones and killers, and worship poison.
Whatever quality  they have cannot be changed.
The way of  removing the effect of  the past  life's  body
When one meets the Satguru and He gives him Knowledge, he for-
gets his beastliness;
Brother, when  the sandpaper of Naam  is applied, only then is  the
rust  of  the soul removed.
EGG-BORN Andaj; birds, reptiles, etc. Includes all animals where birth takes
place within  a fixed  time of  conception, from eggs laid  by  the mother.
SEED-BORN Uttbhul or asthavar; the immovable creation. Includes all plants.
MOISTURE-BORN  Setaj or ushmaj: the lower forms of animal life whose birth,
while it may be from eggs, is the result of  external  stimuli, such as the
change of seasons, increase of  moisture, etc. Invertebrates.
WOMB-BORN  Jeraj  or pindaj, animals whose young are born alive from the
womb and are nourished  by  the mother. Mammals,  including  human
beings.
BODY OF MAN Man  is biologically  a mammal; the difference between him
and the other  mammals-the  spiritual  dimension-is  due  to  the
presence of  the fifth element, akash (usually translated as "sky") which is
non-physical. 66  THE  STORY  OF CREATION
When the washerman washes  the clothes, he uses soap:
The clothes which have little dirt in them need little labor to remove
the dirt.
The clothes which  are very dirty need more labor.
The nature of man is like the clothes and dirt.
Some souls get Knowledge with only a little explanation and labor.
Dharam Das said:
This was  the description of  a  few bodies. But now  please  tell me
about every kind of creation.
When the souls come into the human body from all four different
types of creation,
What qualities do they have? Tell me, explaining them one by one.
0 ,  my Lord, have grace on me so that learning this I may get some
awareness.
RECOGNITION OF THE SOULS FROM FOUR KINDS
OF CREATION
Kabir said:
Dharam Das, pay attention to me.  I will  explain  the attributes of
the four kinds of creation.
After wandering in all four kinds,  the soul comes into the human
body.
According to the attributes of whatever body the soul has left be-
fore becoming human, the man gets knowledge.
Now I will tell you  the good and bad qualities of the souls, accord-
ing to their past bodies.
Recognition of humans who come from  the egg-born creation
First of all I will tell you about the egg-born. (One by one I will ex-
plain  them.)
They have much  laziness, sleep,  lust, anger, poverty in them.
They like to steal; they are very active; and within  them they have a
strong desire for Maya.
They  like  to backbite and criticize, and to put  their  house on fire
by  themselves.
Sometimes they weep, sometimes they laugh, sometimes they sing.
They  like  to serve the spirits.
When  they  see others giving in  charity,  they become jealous  and
think  ill of  them. 4.  THE  FOUR  KINDS  OF LIFE
They debate with others and do not allow any knowledge of God in
their mind.
They do not accept any Guru or Satguru, and throw away the Vedas
and Shastras.
They consider  others  to be  inferior, and call themselves superior.
They do not understand others as equal to them.
They wear dirty clothes and do not bathe. Their eyes remain full of
dirt and from their mouth also, saliva flows down.
SOULS FROM  FOUR KINDS If  the "wheel of  eighty-four" is  indeed  a wheel,
and the souls ride up and down on it ascending to and descending from
the human birth at  the top, then  how can souls come directly  into the
human body from each kind of  life? This is not explained in the text, but
the knowledge of  it on  the part of  the reader is assumed: one aspect of
the mission of  the living Master or Satguru is to short-circuit the action of
the wheel wherever possible. He does this by granting human birth  im-
mediately to any individual in a lower form of  life who is killed by his
agency or from whom he takes any degree of  service. Baba Sawan Singh
says  in  this context:  "When  a  Sant  walks  on the ground,  the  land
becomes pure and sacred. When he walks over the grass or in walking
crushes any worms or insects, they get a man's body direct, irrespective
of  the cyclic order and stages of  evolution of  creation of  life on earth in
Nature's science. The fruit trees and plants from which the cereal comes
which a Sant uses in his diet also get human bodies directly. The tree, a
portion  of  which  the Sant uses as his datan  (toothbrush), and the cows
who provide milk for the Sants also get man's body direct. Similarly the
mares, etc., Sants ride, the ants or worms whose bodies touch the flow-
ing water in which a Sant bathes, or any flying bird who happens to see
the naked portion  of  the body of  a Sant also get  the same advantage."
Quoted  by Kirpal Singh, The Way of the Saints,  pp. 136-37.
EXPLAIN  THE ATTRIBUTES The descriptions  that follow are general, not  in-
dividual, and there  is  some overlapping  between types. Obviously  no
one individual  is going to manifest  every trait.
I WILL TELL YOU ABOUT THE EGG-BORN This description, as are the other
two descriptions of humans born directly from the lower orders, is over-
whelmingly negative. Human birth  is a bit  heady for these souls; they
are not used  to its freedom and hence misuse it  in many ways. But not
necessarily in the most important way: because they owe their humani-
ty directly to  the Master, they  tend  to  be  drawn  to  him and even  to
become his disciples. If  the  initiates of  any Master are in the habit  of
romanticizing their past  lives, or of  thinking of  themselves as in  some
way  intrinsically  worthy  of  the  grace  they  have been  given, a little
reflection on this point should be chastening. This is also the reason, or
one of  them, why Masters frequently appeal to "sinnersn-"Why eateth
your Master with publicans and sinners?"Matthew  9:11] more than to
higher  types, and why they are so often plagued with misbehavior and
lack of understanding on the part of  their disciples. Almost every page of
the Gospels reflects  this. 68  THE  STORY  OF CREATION
They like to gamble and are never aware of  the glory of the Guru's
feet.
Their head  is bent,  their  legs are long and always  they sleep.
HYMN
These are the signs of the man which I  told you. Discern it, 0 intelli-
gent Dharam Das.
I  told you  about  the egg-born  kind  of  creation-I  have made  its
secret available to you.
I  described  the signs of  the souls who come in  human form from
Andaj.  I  didn't  hide anything from you.
I  am telling you how the souls are wandering. I will remove all your
illusions.
Recognition  of  souls who come  from  the moisture-born creation
to the human form
Now I will tell you of the other type of creation, of which qualities I
mentioned to you-
The jivas who come into the human body  from the moisture-born
creation.
Kabir says: Listen, Dharam Das, I  will tell you the secret of Ushmaj.
They go hunting and kill jivas;  they cook them in different ways and
eat them.
They criticize Naam and the knowledge of God; they also criticize
the rite of the chauka and the coconut.
They know many ways of talking and they love to explain things to
others.
In a gathering of people-they lie; they wear crooked turbans leav-
ing one end hanging.
They do not bring compassion and  righteousness with  them, and
they laugh at those who help others.
They put tilak and sandalwood dust on their forehead, and wearing
shining clothes they roam  in  the market.
They have sin in their heart and pretend  to be compassionate. Such
jivas definitely go to Yama.
They have long teeth and a fearful body. Their eyes are yellow and
deep.
HYMN
Kabir said:
Listen, Dharam Das, now you know about this. 4.  THE  FOUR  KINDS  OF  LIFE
Without the Satguru no one can have this knowledge.
I have explained  to you clearly.
It was good you have met me-I  won't  hide anything from you.
Whatever you ask  from me, I'll tell you  its entire secret.
Recognition of souls who come from the seed-born creation to the
human form
The third type of creation  is called Immovable.
I will tell you the attributes of the souls coming to the human body
from it.
I will give you  the message of  this kind of creation. The soul takes
up a body according to her previous garb.
These souls have momentary intellect; it doesn't  take them long to
change their mind.
They  wear  long shirts,  girdles,  and  turbans,  and  they  like  to
serve  in  the  imperial  court.
They ride on horses and keep  three swords tied  to their waists.
They  wink  and  flirt  with  other  men's  wives-expressing  them-
selves through winks.
They talk very sweetly and have lust within  them.
They peep  into others'  houses  and, when  caught,  are brought  to
the king;
But even when  people laugh  at  them,  they  still  do not  feel  em-
barrassed.
They start to worship one moment and the next they start serving.
They forget God in one moment and the next start worshiping Him.
They read profound books in one moment and the next start dan-
cing around.
They are brave in one moment and in  the next are cowards.
They are honest in one moment and the next multiply accusations
against another.
One moment  they act religious;  the next  they do bad karmas.
While eating they  scratch themselves and are always rubbing their
thighs and hands.
After eating they sleep; if  anyone wakes  them up they run to beat
him.
CHAUKA  AND COCONUT Reference to a symbolic ritual explained further on
in the poem.
CROOKED  TURBANS They are sloppy. 70  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
Their eyes remain  red. What else is left  for me to say?
HYMN
Dharam Das,  the jiva  coming  from the  immovable creation pos-
sesses an instantaneous mind.
I  am telling you this  truth:  that he undoes all  that he achieves  in a
moment.
When such a jiva  is met by the Satguru, He removes the effect of the
previous body:
When  he surrenders to the feet  of  the Guru, He sends him  to Sat
Lok.
Recognition of  souls who come from  the womb-born  creation  to
the human body
HYMN
Listen Dharam Das, while  I  tell you  the attributes and signs of  the
womb-born:
I will  tell you now of  the fourth kind  of creation.
The signs of a  soul coming  from Pindaj are this:
He lives as a renunciate and keeps silent. He acts religious only after
digesting  religious books.
He goes on pilgrimage  and performs Yoga  and Samadhi. He at-
taches his mind  to the Guru's  feet.
He talks about the Vedas and Puranas, and sitting among a group
of people, he talks about good things.
He is able to become a  king, and enjoys woman, but never brings
any doubt in his mind.
He likes wealth and money's  happiness,  and sleeps on a comfort-
able bed.
He is very  fond of good food, and often eats clove and betel nut.
He spends a lot  of  his money  on charity and  thus he purifies his
heart.
His eyes are bright and his body  is strong and he is brave.
He has heavens in his hands-he always bows to the idols.
HYMN
0 Dharam Das, he is very humble, so know that jiva.
Day and night he keeps to the Satguru's  feet, and with determina-
tion he follows the path of Shabda. 72  THE  STORY  OF CREATION
Tell me the signs of the man who comes from the human body, and
explain  to me how  it  is possible.
Kabir said:
Dharam Das,  you will  understand  this very well,  as I  will now  tell
you its secret.
When death comes before his time
A man who dies before his  time  is  up comes again  in  the human
body.
Those  foolish  ones who  don't  believe  this  can  understand  it  by
burning a  lamp's wick.
When a  lamp is full of oil,  if  a puff of wind  comes, it goes out-
But again it is lighted with the fire.  In  the same way, the soul comes
into the human body again.
Hear, wise one:  I  will  tell you  the attributes of such a one. I  won't
hide any knowledge from you.
Such a man  is brave among men-fear never  comes near him.
He doesn't  get  attached  to Maya and  attachment;  and looking at
him, his enemies start trembling with  fear.
He believes in  the True Shabda, and never knows what criticism is.
He always maintains love for the Satguru and speaks lovingly with
humility.
He  searches  for  knowledge, pretending  to  be  ignorant,  but  he
makes people know about the True Naam.
The man who has all these qualities, Dharam Das, know him as one
who has come from the human body.
HYMN
He who gets the Shabda becomes free of the dirt of birth after birth.
The jiva who gets the Naam and Simran goes to Sat Lok.
The soul who accepts the Shabda of  the Master with  firmness be-
comes as valuable as nectar.
He goes back  to his home with  the strength of Sat Naam  and his
soul sings in peace and happiness.
Kal doesn't  stop the soul who has the glory of Sat Naam with her.
Even Kal bows down to the soul who has the stamp of Naam on her. 4.  THE  FOUR  KINDS  OF  LIFE
"Why was the stream of eighty-four lakhs made?"
Dharam Das said:
I  have been told the secret of the four kinds of creation; now please
tell me whatever else I  ask  from you!
Why was  the stream of  eighty-four lakhs births developed?
Was  it  made  for man or  for  the other  jivas  to pay  off their  ac-
counts?
0 ,  my Master, tell me the reason. Have grace on me; don't deny me.
The Satguru said:
Dharam Das, the  human  body  is  happiness-giving.  Only  in  the
human body can  the knowledge of  the Guru be understood.
No matter where a man goes after getting the human body, without
the Satguru's devotion he will always suffer.
For man this eighty-four was created, as this foolish species doesn't
accept Shabda.
He doesn't leave the habits of the eighty-four, and doesn't divert his
love to the true Naam.
Again he goes to the cycle of eighty-four where he cannot find any
knowledge of God.
He  continually  runs into the  mouth  of  Kal,  but  even  then,  he
doesn't wake up.
It  is explained  to him  in many ways,  but still he himself  invites the
problems.
If he takes Sat Naam while in the human body, then, with the glory
of Naam, he can go back  to his eternal home.
HYMN
Understanding the Love,  rising above  the body,  the jiva  who be-
comes firm in  the Original Naam,
Gets  the parshad  of  Simran. And  by  the grace of  the Master,  he
comes to the Path.
BEFORE HIS TIME IS UP  Not  someone who dies before his time  to die (the
time of  death is fixed and irrevocable) but someone who dies before his
purpose  is  fulfilled:  e.g., a person moving  in  the direction  of  God but
who has not had an opportunity to be initiated. If  the choice to move up-
ward has been made, even on an unconscious level, the soul has to exist
in a human body at  least until a Master is met.
FOR MAN THIS EIGHTY-FOUR Given the fact of  the Fall, the Wheel, with its
built-in escape route in the form of  the human body, is the best possible
arrangement of  the forms of  life. It gives scope for grace to work. 74  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
Leaving the habits of the crow he accepts the path of the Hansa and
separates milk  from water.
With the sight of his  knowledge he  sees  the invisible. Such a  soul
recognizes  the perfect Master.
The Wordless is everything, Who is shown by the Word made flesh.
Dharam Das, think  this over:  the Wordless  is without elements.
Dharam Das said:
Blessed was the day for me, 0 my Lord, when  I had Your darshan.
Have mercy on this servant. Understanding me as Your slave, give
me  this boon: that day and  night I may  remain  absorbed  in
Your Feet;  that not even for a moment may my mind waver.
The dust of Your beautiful Lotus Feet purifies many sinners.
0 ,  Ocean of Grace, Merciful Lord, have grace on me, O All Con-
scious One.
0 ,  my Lord,  I  sacrifice myself  on You:  tell me more of  the story
clearly.
What was done after creating the four kinds of  life? Tell me all the
secrets.
5. Kal  Traps the livas
KAL CREATES A SNARE
Kubir said:
Listen,  Dharam  Das,  this  is  such  a  play  of  Kal  that  not  even
pundits and kazis can understand  it.
They address Kal as the Lord, and leaving the nectar they drink the
poison.
The four together created this creation and colored the jivas in their
temporary color.
The jiva, who has five elements and three gunas in him, knows that
with him  are fourteen yamas.
In  this way the human body was created, then killed; and after eat-
ing 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. 5.  KAL  TRAPS  THE  JIVAS  75
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.
0 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.
THE FOUR TOGETHER Adhya or Maya, Brahma, Vishnu  and Shiva, as ex-
plained above.
ONKAR  IS NIRANJAN Onkar means "the form of  Om," and refers specifically
to  the  sound  of  thunder  coming  from  the  causal  plane,  the  aspect  of
Shabda or Word manifesting on that  level. The Rishis who wrote  the
Hindu scriptures heard this Sound within themselves and reduced  it to
language as Om, which  is  indeed a holy  name. But, even though that
Sound  is high  from our point  of  view, and even though  it  is connected
with the higher Sounds coming from the pure spiritual planes above, it
is still coming from Kal Niranjan; and unless one goes beyond it [which,
in  the nature of  things, cannot  be  done unless  one is being guided  by
someone who  has  gone beyond  it], instead  of  finding  liberation, one
finds oneself ultimately back in the cycle (although consciousness at this
level  is the highest possible  in the three worlds). This is another replay
of  the "trick of  Maya," one of  the very basic deceptions on which  the
fallen world hinges: that yogis and many others believe  that Om is Sat
Purush and  liberating  by  itself, whereas  the  opposite is  true:  Om  is
Niranjan, and ultimately binding  if  one does not go past.
SMRITIS, SHASTRAS AND  PURANAS Hindu scriptures,  all  perpetuating  the
basic  error referred  to above. 5.  KAL  TRAPS  THE  JIVAS  77
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 recognize 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  Shabda, and without the
Essential Shabda, 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 de-
sires 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.
THEN BRAHMA MADE The full flowering  of  the three  lower worlds, char-
acterized by Time, duality, and the religion of  sacrificial ritual and law.
GIVING  THEM HOPE  If we think we are waking up, we won't try to wake up;
religious rituals, etc., can be positively counter-productive and a pivotal
point of  the "drama of  Kal." 78  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
The jivas call out after getting pain on the heated  rock; with Sat
Purush's orders, Kabir relieves them
"0 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,  "0 Lord, please rescue us."
Then  I  called  aloud  the Sat  Shabda, and connected  the jivas with
the Shabda of Sat Purush.
The jivas'  prayer
Then all the jivas  prayed,  "Blessed  are You, 0 Lord, who has put
out our  fire.
0 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 Shabda.
Recognize 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 Shabda,
only  then will your soul go to Sat Lok."
Where there  is attachment-there  you go
"Whatever desire  you  remember  in  thought,  word  and  deed-
according to your attachment-you  will dwell  there. 5 .   KAL  TRAPS  THE  JIVAS  79
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 under-
stand the snare of Yama."
Kabir said to the jivas:
0 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 exist-
ence.
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 recognizing the
true Naam.
I WAS CALLED Kabir enters the narrative for the first time; from now on he
will  play  an increasingly important  role as the prototypical Master.
THE WORD OF  SAT PURUSH The original  gift  of  the  lower creation to Kal.
One of  the attributes of  the Holy  is  that  it  is vulnerable,  in  the short
term, to the activities of  the unholy. The lower creation was given to Kal
as a trust: the trust was betrayed, but, because of  the nature of  God, it
could not be rescinded; it could only be adjusted to. Ultimately the souls
who appear  to be caught  in  the middle will  not be  the  losers; they too
will  benefit  from  the Father's love. Just  as He  loves Kal  and will not
betray His word to him, so does He love us and won't betray His word to
us: as Blake puts it, "Eternity is ever in  love with the products of Time." 80  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
~abir  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 Shabda.
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 suf-
ferings of the jivas.
The gracious Sat Purush, Who is the generous Lord, Who is with-
out desires,  and at Whose feet lies our safety,
Told me  in many ways  to bring  the souls back  after making them
remember the Shabda.
Dhararn Das then requested:
0 Gyani, explain to me, and don't hide from me, the Shabda which
was  told by the Sat Purush.
Tell me, 0 Lord, which Shabda 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 Shabda.
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 Sat Lok by  the rope of Naam and even Dha-
ram Rai will be afraid  to see them.
Sat Purush  told me, "When  you make  these souls your disciples,
make them  free from Yama; 5. KAL  TRAPS  THE  JIVAS  8 1
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 Shabda of the Chrumukh 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 disci-
ple  should love the form of  the Guru.
Moment after moment  he  should gaze at  the beauty of  the Guru-
mukh.
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  hus-
band's;  in  the same way  the disciple  should  follow Sant Mat.
As the loyal wife remembers her husband, in the same way the dis-
ciple 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
0 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.
FIVE NECTARS Punch amrit, esoteric reference to the five levels of  the Sound
Current; it defines "the bodiless Naam," "That Which is latent," which is
the true emancipation-giver.
ONE MORE GENERATION  A very compressed thought. Sat Purush is guaran-
teeing that  for  each person liberated  by Kabir  there will  be one more
person  of  the  following  generation  liberated-thus  insuring  the  con-
tinuity of  the Path. 82  THE  STORY  OF  CREATION
0 saint, you will see the radiance of  the Lamp of Master's  Knowl-
edge:
If  Satguru showers grace, one can have liberation and security.
The story 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, O 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 Bhringi-listen,  Dharam Das-He  is
the True Master!
HYMN
He who shows the Void Home-accept  Him as the True Guru.
Take His words as true Who goes to the Fourth after giving up the
three.
This body  is controlled by  five and three. The bodiless  Shabda is
different from this. 5.  KAL  TRAPS  THE  JIVAS  83
He is seen bodiless in the body-I tell you, this is the essence of the
Master's teaching.
COUPLET
By meditation one who absorbs himself in  the bodiless-which  is
the only purpose of  taking up the body-
Never comes and never goes-he  becomes bodiless  in the body.
If  one takes such a Guru, he never has to take up the body in this
world  again:
He on whom Satguru is gracious, never comes and never goes.
YOGISHWAR Yogi who has  reached  the  second  or causal plane.
SUKHDEV  JI  Famous  story  in  the Hindu tradition; only a  little of  it  is told
here.
HOPE OF SIN AND VIRTUE Our salvation is not dependent  on how good we
are when judged  by  the Law, but  on the grace of  God.
HE IS  SEEN BODILESS  IN THE  BODY  A  reference to  the Gurudev  or Radiant
Form of  the Master, seen by  the disciple within himself.