Sant Kabir and Nirgunwad: An Exploration of Theism, Love and Universal Fraternity

Sant Kabir is basically a saint poet from Varanasi, U.P. India, whose relevance continues influential from his own era till the present century. It is wonderful reading about him that he was an illiterate person, without any kind of formal education, and he becomes one of the axes of education and philosophy for centuries to follow him. His hagiography and writings cast a great influence on the Bhakti movement of Hinduism and his verses contribute up to a great extent to the formation of the scriptures of Sikhism, Guru Granth Sahib, Sadguru Granth Sahib of Saint Garib Das, and Kabir Sagar of Dharamdas. Sant Kabir’s ideas prevail over Hinduism, Sikhism, and Islam, especially in Sufism, and rectification of both Hinduism and Islam through his critical verses in terms of their unethical practices makes him the pathfinder of the truth. Due to his fearless vitriolic comments, he was always subject to threats of religious communities, sometimes even thrown to die. His teaching and preaching continue through Kabirpanth (“Path of Kabir”), an idea which declares him the founder of a new sect of the Kabirpanthees. His birth is supposed to take place in 1398 (Samvat 1455), in Brahmamuharta at Varanasi. Kabir Bijak, Adi Granth (Sikh), and Kabir Granthawali are some famous works of the poet under scholarly discussion. He was one of the disciples of bhakti poet-saint Swami Ramananda of Vaishnavism, a preacher of monist Advaita philosophy teaching that God lives inside all the people and every object. Many points from his biography are debate points notwithstanding people love his great spiritual ideas creating a new way to theism and essential fraternity across world. This research paper explores Sant Kabir’s contribution to theism through his Nirgunawad during 15th century and give an understanding to the message of love and brotherhood imparted time and again through his verses, the very basis of Bhakti Marg.