Spiritual Love in the Songs of Kabir

The love between a man and a woman has existed for thousands of years, despite the fact the expressions have evolved in many forms, in several ways. There is a distinction to be made between physical and spiritual love. Spiritual love‌ does not talk about quenching physical lust. True love transcends beauty, wealth, and sensual pleasures.

The affection of Saint Meerabaai for Lord Krishna when she said “Mere to Giridhar Gopal Doosro Na Koi” was for her spiritual fulfilment. Radha was older than Krishna but she still loved him. She waited for him to come back from Dwarka to Vrindavan. Radha, crying and weeping in his bereavement, asks the garden of flowers and trees, ‘How come you are still so green? How come you didn’t burn up? (“Madhuban Tum Kyon Rahat Hare? Birah Biyog Shyamsunder ke Thare Kyon na Jare“).

This is spiritual love and is well explained by Kabir in this famous Doha:

Pothi padhi padhi jag mua, Pandit bhaya na koi.
Dhaee aakhar prem ke padhe so pandit hoy.

Kabir says that just reading religious books does not make one knowledgeable, the same as love is not understood by reading about it. Kabir says read between the eyes of the beloved. It is a pleasant emotional feeling. Scientific research says that when you are in love a particular part of the brain is activated giving a pleasant feeling. Sure, love is a cycle of pleasure and pain. It is a pleasure when one is immersed in the love (Bhakti) for the beloved (Ishvar). You can not swim by reading lessons on swimming. You must jump in the water and shake your hands and legs vehemently to float on the water. Similarly, to attain blessing from God, one should love him utmost by immersing oneself in devotion, even though physical pain is experienced. If you master the art of reading what is not written, reading the mind of his / her through the eyes, then you are more knowledgeable than the pandit who has spent his life assimilating the knowledge.

The next is:

Kabeera kabeera kya kahe, ja jamuna ke teer,
Ek ek gopee prem mein, bah gaye koti kabeer.

Kabir considers the love of Gopis for Lord Krishna to be greater than his own devotion. He despises his own love. He says that millions like him flow away in waters of Yamuna when on the banks of it, Gopis bestowed their pure love and devotion for Krishna. Love isn’t a beautiful lady, and it’s certainly not her manicured hand. Love is not defined by building a castle in the sand with your loved ones, nor is it defined by surfing on the waves of a wild sea. Love isn’t a lovely bouquet or even a pleasant smile. You’re wrong if you think love is a romantic evening, just as you’re wrong if you think that love is a rainbow. A seductive look isn’t love, and a sorrowful song isn’t love. It’s not a colourful butterfly, nor is it a blue sky with an ocean on the horizon. It’s also not love to lie awake every night dreaming he’s kissing every area of your body. You’re mistaken if you think a solitary canoe paddling slowly in a lake on a moonlit night is love. It exists beyond the sphere of physical perception.

Love does not grow in the field, Kabir says:

Prem na bari upjai prem na hat bikaye
Raja parja jehi ruchai, shish deyi le jaye

Love does not grow in the field nor sold in the market, so that only king can buy it. No, it is available to anyone, be a king or an ordinary citizen. It requires a willingness to give up everything and prepare oneself for sacrifice all materials which puts oneself in a comfort zone. Love is possible only if you get rid of ego, selfishness, negativity from your mind and cleanse the brain, and bow your head unto almighty, because love is a matter of heart. In a rebellion of the brain against mind, one has to be ready to listen to the mind.

About the path of love, Kabir says:

Prem panth me pag dharai, det na sheesh daraay,
Sapane moh byaape nahee, taako janam nasaay.

If you have embarked on the path of love, do not seek shelter for your head; one who is in love is not deluded even while dreaming, and his rebirth comes to an end. He attains salvation.

Kabir has a different idea seeing people falling in love with many women/men in their lifetime. Everyone has different tastes, different desires, different addictions as it is a physical touch, which acts like an intoxicant, but as always happens with intoxicants, it hangs for some time and when novelty wanes, it takes a downward course. But the one who walks on the path of spiritual love does not get intoxicated and stays true to his self and Identity. His path is filled with an unprecedented, unshakable perfection, joy, satisfaction, bliss and ecstasy ... forever.

March 26, 2022

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