This composition by Bhagat Kabir
Ji is based on fifteen lunar dates. It consists of one
salok and sixteen
pauris. In it, Bhagat Kabir Ji conveys that IkOankar (the Divine) is the Creator of all. When one develops love for the
Nam of IkOankar, their mind is cleansed of the filth of vices. By singing IkOankar’s praises, one remains alert to the temptations of vices. Those who remain absorbed in IkOankar’s love become free of suffering. Additionally, the pauris of the composition inspire the being to accept the teachings of the Wisdom (
Guru), contemplate Nam, renounce desires, master the mind, and free oneself from the influence of transient things and relationships.
The being whose love is attached to the lotus-feet of Gobind, through the grace of Saint-Guru, the mind of that being becomes filth-free. On the first day after the new moon, Bhagat Kabir urges us to reflect on the beloved One. Here, he uses
Pritam to refer to
IkOankar (One Creative and Pervasive Force, 1Force, the One), a word imbued with feelings of affection, adoration, and love. Bhagat Kabir further describes the beloved One as formless and boundless, yet present within every being and all things. Through reflection and dwelling with this beloved One, fears about time and death fall away. Bhagat Kabir highlights the beloved as the Original Being, the Primordial Being, the One who existed before anything else. Immersed in
that One, the seeker has no concern for death or time and abides in the love of IkOankar.
As beings often preoccupied with death and time, our efforts to overcome these concerns often lead us into ritual. Bhagat Kabir’s guidance for us on the day after the new moon is not to wash or donate a specific item, write intentions, recite a set amount, or light candles. His sole advice is to reflect on IkOankar, the One who is dearest to us, who we love and cherish as our closest companion. This relationship is sustained by love; nurturing our love for IkOankar allows us to see this path through, to the full illumination of the beloved One within. We are guided to reflect on the beloved One as formless and boundless, yet present in all beings and things. When we truly see the beloved One everywhere, we recognize the beauty inherent in all. This is the moment where we don’t realize we’ve been wearing dark sunglasses for so long until we take them off and see the illuminating light we were blind to; it’s the Moon coming back to fully reflect the Sun’s light. IkOankar is also remembered as the One who precedes space, time, and all creation. Bhagat Kabir says, if we truly seek the path, we ought to reflect on this all-pervasive Primal Being, IkOankar. Therein, our concerns of time and death slip away, as we unite with the One who exists beyond them. Will we immerse ourselves in the love of the Primal Being, IkOankar? Will we reflect on the most beloved One who rids us of our fears?
