Kabir moved to Magahar only in his old age. And he spent his entire life in Benares. This city is considered the holiest for Hindus and one of the most ancient cities in the world. It is impossible to find a single scripture, no matter how ancient, that does not mention this city. It seemed as if he had always existed. The Great Council of the Hindus met from time to time in this city. One day Kabir was asked to lead it. He tried to refuse, citing the fact that he had never read the scriptures. They answered him:
“You don’t need to read anything.” You don't have to say anything. Your presence is enough. It will make us wise.
Kabir did not belong to any religion. One day, when the muezzin was loudly calling on God from the minaret, Kabir asked:
- Is your God deaf?
But no one was ever offended by him. The Muslims considered him theirs, the Hindus theirs, the Sufis theirs. He was born into a Muslim family and raised by a Hindu monk who found him early in the morning on the banks of the Ganges.
It was a dark night when this happened. Apparently, the boy's parents were starving and left him in the hope that some kind person would find him and give him shelter. The monk brought it to his ashram. Many tried to convince him that this was not good:
“We don’t know what caste this child belongs to, but you are a Brahmin, and your students are Brahmins; It could turn out to be an unnecessary scandal. He's probably from the untouchable caste. Ramanada, that was the monk's name, replied:
- It doesn't matter. Where am I going to put the poor child? If someone doesn't like it, let them leave.
He was a brave man. Many disciples left him, but Ramanadu did not care much about what people said about him; he began to raise a child.
Kabir was not very small. When Ramanada found him, he told him his name. He knew a few words, but did not know the names of his father and mother. Years later, Ramanada, already an old man, said:
- I haven't lost anything. All these students and learned men are not worth Kabir alone. Yes, I lost followers. They began to shun me, but I could not do otherwise. And I'm happy. The boy grew up and people started talking about him. People from all over the world reached out to him: Muslims, Hindus, Sufis. Everyone loved and revered him as their saint.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru