The Storm of Divine Wisdom
Kabir Ji has used the metaphor of a storm to describe his inner transformation. The storm swept through him awakening Divine Wisdom, higher intellect in him. It came so suddenly and with such intensity that Kabir Ji feels that the storm metaphor captures essence of its unfolding. The description of the after effects of the storm has been beautifully captured by Kabir in the composition. Let us try to get the picture as painted by Kabir Ji. He says:
ਦੇਖੌ ਭਾਈ ਗ੍ਯ੍ਯਾਨ ਕੀ ਆਈ ਆਂਧੀ ॥
देखौ भाई ग्यान की आई आंधी ॥
Ḏekẖou bẖā▫ī ga▫yān kī ā▫ī āʼnḏẖī.
ਸਭੈ ਉਡਾਨੀ ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕੀ ਟਾਟੀ ਰਹੈ ਨ ਮਾਇਆ ਬਾਂਧੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
सभै उडानी भ्रम की टाटी रहै न माइआ बांधी ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Sabẖai udānī bẖaram kī tātī rahai na mā▫i▫ā bāʼnḏẖī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
ਦੁਚਿਤੇ ਕੀ ਦੁਇ ਥੂਨਿ ਗਿਰਾਨੀ ਮੋਹ ਬਲੇਡਾ ਟੂਟਾ ॥
दुचिते की दुइ थूनि गिरानी मोह बलेडा टूटा ॥
Ḏucẖiṯe kī ḏu▫e thūn girānī moh baledā tūtā.
ਤਿਸਨਾ ਛਾਨਿ ਪਰੀ ਧਰ ਊਪਰਿ ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਭਾਂਡਾ ਫੂਟਾ ॥੧॥
तिसना छानि परी धर ऊपरि दुरमति भांडा फूटा ॥१॥
Ŧisnā cẖẖān parī ḏẖar ūpar ḏurmaṯ bẖāʼndā fūtā. ||1||
ਆਂਧੀ ਪਾਛੇ ਜੋ ਜਲੁ ਬਰਖੈ ਤਿਹਿ ਤੇਰਾ ਜਨੁ ਭੀਨਾਂ ॥
आंधी पाछे जो जलु बरखै तिहि तेरा जनु भीनां ॥
Āʼnḏẖī pācẖẖe jo jal barkẖai ṯihi ṯerā jan bẖīnāʼn.
ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਮਨਿ ਭਇਆ ਪ੍ਰਗਾਸਾ ਉਦੈ ਭਾਨੁ ਜਬ ਚੀਨਾ ॥੨॥੪੩॥
कहि कबीर मनि भइआ प्रगासा उदै भानु जब चीना ॥२॥४३॥
Kahi Kabīr man bẖa▫i▫ā pargāsā uḏai bẖān jab cẖīnā. ||2||43|| (SGGS, Pg. No. 331)
Translation: Behold, O Brothers of Destiny, the storm of spiritual wisdom has come. It has totally blown away the thatched huts of doubt, confusion and torn apart the bonds of Maya. 1. Pause. The two pillars of double-mindedness have fallen, and the beams of emotional attachment have come crashing down. The thatched roof of greed has caved in, and the pitcher of evil-mindedness has been broken. 1. Your servant is drenched with the rain that has fallen in this storm. Says Kabir, my mind became enlightened, when I saw the sun rise. 2.43.
Commentary: For Kabir Ji the Divine Wisdom came with an intensity of a storm, first it knocked off the four thatched walls of the hut. Kabir Ji compares the human life to a thatched hut which he equates to the hut/house of ignorance. Although the hut quite fragile to withstand a severe weather conditions, yet its coziness comforts us. The hay mats of doubts and confusion making the four walls blew away, along with the cords of illusion used to secure them. In effect, he is saying that the ignorance of the mind is tied with strings of illusion to the beams and pillars of the hut. Next, he describes the pillars by saying that the two pillars representing the double-mindedness or duality supporting the hut to keep it erected came down. When the pillars came down the propped up beams of attachment also hit the ground. Just as pillars acting as props support the hut, same way we are looking in others for props in form of support to help us during our challenges in life. We put our expectations on them, yet carry a lingering doubt in our mind if they will come through at the time of reckoning or not? When the expectations are not met, there is disillusionment, disappointment, resentment plus soured relationships. Then that grudge is carried on for very long time. As the beams and pillars caved in, the thatched roof of greed caved in as well. Inside the hut there was a clay pitcher of false wisdom or evil-mindedness which shattered to pieces by the impact. So, the false wisdom was completely smashed to pieces in the wake.
Next, the heavy downpour followed the severe storm. Kabir Ji compares it to shower of Divine Naam that completely drenched him, in the process of transforming and rejuvenating him. With the false wisdom sheltered in the hut of ignorance already crushed, a new detachment took birth within, pushing away doubts, fickle mindedness, fears, along with evil thoughts that are prompting the mind to implement them; evil deeds as a direct result of evil thoughts were also banished. All the impediments to divine wisdom were being washed out like being cleaned in a heavy downpour. Now, the fickle mindedness which was purged was replaced with equipoise and faith in Almighty.
When the downpour finally stopped early next morning the bright Sun came out and everything was glittering, pristine, reflecting in the Sun. The bright Sun and clear skies that greet the dawn of the new day came in form of divine wisdom. The clear bright spectacle was a realization that everything that he was witnessing had the divine essence in it and same essence was inside him as well. This is the dawn of Divine Wisdom, which had driven away the following:
Conclusion: So, the false wisdom acted like a shell, a capsule containing the other first five listed above it. The storm like Divine Wisdom dawned driving away the wavering mind, illusion, confusion, greed, and attachment to the world a result of the false thinking was shattered. The double mindedness which was ferociously swinging like a pendulum from one extreme to other, completely stopped. Now, his mind was in neutral state, poised, totally calm without any lust, greed, craving or attachment to the world. As the new day dawned the bright Sun rose, that illumined his mind with the new divine wisdom. The mind had transcended limitations. Now, it saw the divine in everything, and himself as well. Everything witnessed or observed was part of Limitless. The blissful feeling that he experienced, he shared it in these words:
ਅਬ ਹਮ ਤੁਮ ਏਕ ਭਏ ਹਹਿ ਏਕੈ ਦੇਖਤ ਮਨੁ ਪਤੀਆਹੀ ॥੧॥
अब हम तुम एक भए हहि एकै देखत मनु पतीआही ॥१॥
Ab ham ṯum ek bẖa▫e hėh ekai ḏekẖaṯ man paṯī▫āhī. ||1||
Translation: Now, You and I have become one; seeing this, my mind is content. 1.
