Kabir lived all his life in Benares. Hindus believe that if you die in Benares, you will definitely ascend to heaven. Therefore, people specially came to die in this city. When Kabir became old and sick, he asked his disciples to transport him to Magahar. Magahar is a small, poor village on the opposite bank of the Ganges. There was a superstition that everyone who died in this place would go straight to hell. Probably because it is the opposite of Benares. Kabir said:
— I want to move to Magahar.
His students became worried:
-You're crazy!
He insisted:
“Think what you want, but I don’t want to die in Benares, because if I die here and go to heaven, then what respect will I get?” Respect will go to Benares. I’m going to die in Magahar and I want to see how they can send me to hell.
Kabir insisted on his own, and the disciples transported him in a boat to the opposite side. He lived for several years with his disciples in Magahar and died there. He was the only person who specifically came to Magahar to die. After this incident, prejudice about Magahara ceased to exist. This was Kabir's last act of compassion for people. The unfortunate people, the inhabitants of Magahar, were freed from centuries of stupidity. And now it is Magahar that is considered a holy place, and every year almost the entire population of Benares is transported there by boat to pay tribute to Kabir. On his tombstone are written the following words: “I am going to heaven straight from Magahar.”
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru