The Previous Births of Kamaali

"Other Tests of Kabir Ji by Shekhtaqi"

"The Previous Births of Kamaali" (The Story of Rabia)

(Complete Liberation is Impossible Without a Complete Saint)

In Satyug, Kamaali's soul was Deepika, the wife of Vidyadhar Pandit. Then in Tretayug, it was Surya, the wife of Sage Vedvigya (who was the soul of Vidyadhar only). In Satyayug and Tretayug, these only had received Supreme God Kabir in the form of a child. Thereafter, that soul acquired other life forms and in Kaliyug, it took birth in Muslim religion as a girl named Rabi. In the next birth, it led life of a prostitute. Subsequently, it was born as a girl named Bansuri. Then it was born as Shekhtaqi’s daughter named Kamaali.

Verses, as evidence for Rabia, from Granth Sahib composed by Sant Garibdas Saheb,

Parakh Ka Ang, Speech no. 56 to 59: -

Garib, Sultaani Makke gaye, Makka nahin mukaam |
gaya raand ke len koon, kahae Adham Sultaan ||56||
Garib, Raabiya parsi rabb syoun, Makke kee asvaar |
teen manjil Makka gaya, bibi ke deedaar ||57||
Garib, phir Raabiya Bansari bani, Makke chadhaaya sheesh |
Poorabley sanskaar kuchh, dhanya Satguru Jagdish ||58||
Garib, Bansari se veshya bani, shabd sunaaya raag |
bahur Kamaali putri, yug yug tyaag bairaag ||59||

For proof – Granth Saheb composed by Sant Garibdas Saheb, Achla Ka Ang, Speech no. 363 to 368: -

Garib Raabi kun Satguru miley, deena apna tej |
byaahi ek Sahaab se, bibi chadhi na sej ||363||
Garib, Raabi Makke koon chali, dharya Alah kaa dhyaan |
kutti ek pyaasi khadi, chhutey jaat hain praan ||364||
Garib, kesh upaarey sheesh ke, baati rassi been |
jaakae vastr baandh kar, jal kaadya praveen ||365||
Garib, sunaheen koon paani peeya, utri arsh avaaj |
teen manjil Makka gaya, bibi tumhre kaaj ||366||
Garib, bibi Makke par chadhi, Raabi rang apaar |
ek laakh assi jahaan, dekhe sab sansaar ||367||
Garib, Raabi patra ghaali kar, kiya jahaan asnaan |
ek laakh assi bahey, magar malya Sultaan ||368||

{The following story has been briefly described in the above verses.}

The Story of Rabia

A girl named Rabi was born in the Muslim religion. Supreme God Kabir met her when she was 16 years old. She had great love for God. She used to diligently perform all traditional religious practices according to the religion e.g., observing (Roza) fast, offering (Namaz) prayer, and celebrating Eid.

At that time, Lord Kabir told her, “Daughter! This religious practice is not for attaining God. He narrated the entire creation of nature and told her the path of true worship. That girl Rabia took the initiation. Then after performing true worship for four years, due to the pressure of society and fear of societal disapproval, she quit the right path and resumed the same traditional religious practices. The girl was so devoted to God that she refused to marry. Her parents started crying that how would we keep our young daughter at home? Seeing the parents deeply worried, Rabia agreed to the marriage. That girl Rabia got married to a high-ranking (sahib) officer. But she clearly told her husband, “I will not procreate. I have married because of excessive pressure from my parents and to honour societal conventions. If you do not agree with me, I will commit suicide. Consider this my final decision. I only want self-welfare by worshipping God.”

Rabia's husband thought, “Why should I distress this devotee and incur sin? After contemplating, he said, “Rabia! Just as you were afraid of society likewise, I also have a society of my own. You will have to live like my wife in the eyes of society. In my eyes, you will be my sister. I will not let you go out of the house. You may worship. If you say, I will appoint two maids for you.” Rabia was very pleased and said, “O Lord! Thank you for listening to me.” From that day onwards, Rabia continued to perform religious practices prevalent in the Muslim religion.

She was born in the Muslim religion. She used to celebrate Eid, Bakrid, and observe fasts with reverence. When she was above fifty years of age, she said to her husband, “It is said that it is essential to go to Mecca. I do not know when I might breathe my last. I want to perform Hajj once.” Her husband said, “You can go. If you say, I will get a camel arranged for you.” Rabia said, “I will go on foot. Many other travellers are also going.” Her husband said, “You may go.”

Rabia left for Hajj in Mecca. On the way, she saw a bitch who was very thirsty. The bitch was sometimes running towards Rabia's feet, and sometimes going towards the well. Rabia understood that the bitch was extremely thirsty. Along with her were her puppies. Rabia thought, “If she does not get water, she will die and so will her puppies.” There is a lot of compassion in a devotee. Rabia went to the well. She saw that there was neither a bucket nor a rope. She could not even see any village nearby.

Without any delay, Rabia plucked the hair from her head and made a long rope out of it. She took off her clothes (because people used to wear thick khadi clothes in those days), tied them with the rope, soaked them in water in the well, and taking them out, wrung them in the broken half of a pitcher which was kept there and filled it.

The bitch gulped down the water. Rabia's whole body was bleeding. Wiping the whole body with her clothes, she washed those clothes and wore them. As soon as she got ready to set forth, that Mecca, the entire house (Holy Mosque), ascended from its place and reached there near that well for Rabia. An ethervoice occurred, “O Devotee, that Mecca has come flying for you from three manzil i.e., 60 miles. You may enter it.” Rabia entered it. Mecca ascended from there. Flying like an airplane, it returned to its original place. Seeing this divine spectacle, there was a special discussion in society that one’s devotion should be like that of Rabia. Rabia’s (just like Meera Bai) name earned respect in the Muslim world. Everyone started giving special respect to her.

The Life of Bansuri (2nd birth)

After some time, Rabia passed away. Her second birth was of a girl named Bansuri in the Muslim religion, because a living being continues to be born where it is destined. She was a very good girl with a religious temperament and used to sing beautiful praises of Lord. She kept worshipping according to Muslim religion throughout her life. She had also heard in folklores that if one dies in Mecca, then the door of Heaven opens for that person, that is, that living being goes straight to heaven.

On getting old, she went to Mecca to perform Hajj. She thought, “What would be a better opportunity than this, if I die in Mecca and go to heaven?” The girl severed her head and offered it in Mecca. There was a special discussion in the entire Muslim world that a sacrifice in the name of the Lord should be like this. Bansuri will go to heaven.

(Now here the ignorant people should think that sacrifice should be done of oneself, not of a goat, cow or a chicken in the name of God. The real sacrifice is surrendering oneself at the feet of God and true worship. There is no salvation by beheading oneself and worshipping against the injunctions. This is a maze of Kaal. A sacrifice is not made by severing one’s neck, but by surrendering oneself. Surrender oneself wholeheartedly for the sake of God with this feeling “O God! My body is yours, my wealth is yours, this slave is also yours; God likes this sacrifice. God never likes violence or murder.)

The life of a prostitute (3rd birth)

Thereafter, the third birth of the same girl Rabia was in another society. She became a prostitute based on her deeds. Only Supreme God (Satpurush Kabir Sahib) can eliminate the sins of a living being; others cannot. Just as the President of India can even pardon the death penalty, what is there to say about other punishments? No one else can pardon the death penalty. Similarly, Supreme God Kabir, the Almighty, can remove all our sorrows. No other God can end the suffering written in one’s fate.

(Rest of the Story of Rabia) (4th birth)

The soul of Rabia after completing the life of a prostitute died. The fourth human birth of that same Rabia took place in the form of a girl at the house of Shekhtaqi Pir. Shekhtaqi Pir was the religious leader of Sikandar Lodhi in Delhi. She died at the age of twelve. She was buried in the grave. Lord Kabir says that: -

Garib, jo jan meri sharan hai, taaka hoon main daas |
gael gael laagya rahoon, jab lag dharani aakaash ||
Garib jyon bachha gaoo ki najar mein, yon saai ne sant |
bhakton ke peechhey firey, vo bhakt vatsal Bhagwant ||

Supreme God i.e., KavirDev Himself comes in the form of a saint and tells the method of His worship. This girl performed the true worship preached by that God Kabir appeared in the form of a Satguru for four to five years. She had abandoned it after that. As a result of that worship, she got three consecutive human births. She was not destined to have any human birth in future. Now this soul had to suffer greatly in the lives of eighty-four lakh life-forms. God Kabir is merciful. He made a reason; by resurrecting that girl from the grave, taking her in His refuge, named her Kamaali and gave initiation to that lovely daughter and granted her salvation. Similarly, we will have to think that if we put water in the roots, then the plant will flourish. We are worshipping leaves and twigs; this is wrong.

Kabir, Akshar Purush ek ped hai, Niranjan vaaki daar |
Teeno deva shaakha hain, paat roop sansaar ||

The world-like tree is hanging upside down. Its root above is Param Akshar Purush, SatPurush, Purna Brahm (Complete God), and consider the trunk that is visible outside the ground to be Akshar Purush (ParBrahm). Beyond that, the trunk has a thick branch. Consider that branch to be Jyoti Niranjan (Brahm). That branch has three further branches; consider them to be Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh. Consider their twigs to be gods-goddesses and leaves the world. This is how Lord Kabir narrated the entire creation of nature in a single couplet.