Kabir named his son Kamal, which means “Miracle”. Before his death, he called him and read him his early poems. They are truly beautiful!
Oh, my friend, my beloved, I have set out on the Path - to look for Myself.
But something strange happened.
Instead of finding myself, I disappeared, just like a drop disappears in the ocean.
The drop fell into the ocean. Is it possible to find this drop again?
After reading the poems, he said:
“Before I leave this life, you must correct one of my poems.” I wrote: a drop fell into the ocean. You have to change this. Just rearrange the words: the ocean fell into a drop. Because now I know it from the other side. My first experience was on this shore. Now I speak from the other shore, from beyond! I realized: not a drop fell into the ocean; it was the ocean that fell into a drop.
Kamal said:
- I've already thought about this.
And he showed his notes in which this line was underlined.
Kabir said:
- You are truly a “Miracle”! It's amazing, but you realized it before me!
Kamal was an extraordinary person. As a young man, he baffled his father with his questions. And often this happened in the presence of hundreds of Kabir's followers. It was annoying sometimes. One day Kabir became so angry that he said to his son:
- My family ends with me.
This happened after he learned that Kamal was taking money and gifts from people. Kabir worked as a weaver all his life and, even after becoming an enlightened Master, continued to weave and never took any offerings from people. Kamal answered the indignant Kabir:
“If your family ends with you, then my family begins with me.”
He left and built a hut opposite his father's house.
The human mind constantly compares and evaluates. That's how he's built. An inferiority complex or megalomania arises as a consequence and, as it develops, gives rise to all human problems and suffering. Therefore, an intelligent person who strives for freedom and enlightenment must stop evaluating and judging. But even a holy person, unattached and enlightened, in the recesses of his soul can have the subtlest ego. Kabir's son creates conditions that provoke his father and show him the subtlest affection.
The Emperor of Benares was a devotee of Kabir and visited him often. One day he came and, without meeting Kamal, asked:
-Where is your son? Why can't I see him?
Kabir replied:
- This is a sad story. I got so angry and reprimanded him sharply that he left me and built a hut opposite.
The Emperor asked:
- What happened? Why are you suddenly angry?
Kabir replied:
“People come to me with money, diamonds and emeralds, but I don’t need them, I refuse them, and he sits next to me and says: “Okay, if he refuses, give them to me.” He sits next to me and collects these gifts! I told him it was wrong, but he said, “Don't order me! I'm not your student, I'm your son! I myself know what is good and what is bad. If you are an enlightened Master, then why does such a small thing bother you? You shouldn’t be bothered by the imperfections of others!”
The Emperor said:
- This doesn't look like him. I'll talk to him.
He went to Kamal. They talked for a long time, and before leaving the emperor said:
- I want to give you this diamond. This is a very rare and expensive stone!
Kamal thanked him and said:
“Put it in the roof of my hut.”
The emperor stuck the diamond into the hollow bamboo above the entrance and left. A month later he visited Kamal again and asked:
— Did you like my gift?
He replied:
— To be honest, I forgot about him. Please see if it is where you left it? I didn't have a chance to look at him. I look inside myself.
The Emperor found the diamond where he had left it. He went to Kabir and said:
- You're wrong. Your son is truly a “Miracle”! He is not interested in wealth.
Finally Kabir had to go to Kamal's hut and ask him:
- Forgive me. I was wrong. You were just testing me: whether I would be angry or not. And I got really angry, thinking that you were being greedy.
Kamal said:
“I am your blood, your flesh, your essence.” How could you imagine that I'm greedy? You probably have greed in you if it makes you angry.
Kabir looked inside himself and agreed with Kamal:
- You're probably right. My interest and anger at you collecting money demonstrates not your greed, but mine. And besides, my anger. Please forgive me and come back.
And Kamal returned to the family. He was Kabir's successor and no less great and aware. But, oddly enough, it is Kabir who is remembered. He organized the religion of his followers - the Path of Kabir. Kamal had nothing. He didn't create any movement. Even though thousands of people listened to him, he remained only a friend. He helped people, shared his light with them, but never gave any rituals, any commandments, any principles of movement. This is his greatness! Because the Master who gives the teaching inevitably retreats from the center of Truth. Thousands of Masters came to Earth and strengthened the Flow of Life with their light. And only the names of some of them have been preserved in history.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru