Kabir

Once suddenly, some saints arrived at Kabir's house in the middle of the night while everyone was asleep. However, Kabir, being observant, noticed their noble presence. Immediately, both Kabir and his wife woke up and respectfully paid their obeisance to the Vaishnaras. Their house was old and dilapidated, with broken wattle walls. There was no food in the house, and the children had gone to bed hungry. They even removed the matting from under the children and offered it to the saints to rest upon.

Kabir turned to his wife and said, "We must make an offering to them." Troubled, his wife replied, "That's true, but I'm worried. We have no grain in the house, and no one in the city will lend us any." Gathering courage, she went alone to the marketplace, uttering words of worship to Shri Ram as she walked swiftly through the streets. She thought, "If I don't find food after this effort, my good deeds will be in vain."

Upon reaching a row of grocery shops, she searched and found one where a grocer was awake. Approaching him with a sweet voice, she said, "Some saints have arrived at our house as guests, coming from sacred places. They are in need of provisions. Please don't delay, name your price, and I will bring it to you." The grocer inquired, "Who are you, and whose wife are you?" She replied gently, "I am the wife of the noble Vaishnava, Kabir, who was born in a Muslim family. Please, hurry and provide me with the necessary items. The saints are hungry."

As she spoke these words, the grocer became enamored by her beauty, just as Indra was when he saw Ahilya, or as Bhasmasur was when he saw the lovely Parvati, or as Ravana looked upon the Divine Mother with sinful intentions, or as Duryodhan lusted after Draupadi, the faithful wife of the Pandavas. The grocer, filled with wicked thoughts, spoke to Kabir's wife, "If you fulfill my desires, I will give you the materials you need. I will provide you with as many garments and adornments as you desire. If you have any reservations, return to your home."

Upon hearing the grocer's words, she pondered, "If I refuse him, where else can I find food? The saints will go hungry, and that would hinder my good deeds. I must act according to the circumstances, respond appropriately to the situation, judge the character of the audience before performing a kirtan, and sow seeds according to the nature of the soil. King Harischandra, known for his noble character, carried water at an outcast's house, causing great humiliation to his queen, Taramati. Chaff should be blown away in the direction of the wind, and when sinking, one may seek the support of an outcast. During times of famine, beggars have to ask even the stingiest individuals for food. Brahmins may serve Muslims to manage their domestic affairs. When the king of the Kali Yuga comes to power, he often compels people to engage in unusual actions. The Shastras have instructed us about our duties and what is not our duty. However, if performing an action that is not our duty leads us closer to the feet of Shri Hari, then we should do it. Our parents are like sacred bathing places, and we should honor our elder brothers just like them. The commands of our family guru and the needs of a guest are our authorities for action. If Bharat had listened to his mother, he would not have been united with the feet of Shri Ram. Prahlad pleased Narahari by going against his father's wishes. Bali did not heed Shukra's words and offered land to Vaman, covering the distance of His three steps. The cowherdesses abandoned their husbands to immerse themselves in the form of Krishna. The wives of the rishis disobeyed their husbands' commands and offered food to Krishna. If they had followed the Shastras, they would have been separated from the feet of Shri Hari. And now, if I consult the Shastras, my saintly guests will remain hungry. Therefore, I will promise the grocer and achieve my purpose. I believe in the names of God, the Dweller in Ayodhya, the Life of Janaki, who can perceive the thoughts of the heart and is a Cloud of intelligence. He will deliver me from all my troubles."

With courage, Kabir's wife replied to the grocer, "First, provide me with the cooking materials, and then I will come as promised. The night is already late, and the saints in my home are hungry. If I delay further, these Vaishnavas will fall asleep." The grocer heard her but doubted her sincerity, just as Duryodhan saw no goodness in anyone, a blind man assumes everyone is blind, a thief considers moonlight as impure, the sick exclaim, "Why did you cook this bitter food?" and a miser lacks compassion for other lives. How can a meat-eater have love in their heart? A person with tuberculosis doesn't even dream of having a healthy body. How can an evil person possess feelings of love? A slanderer sees no one as virtuous, and a person from a lower caste doubts the integrity of a Brahmin's conduct. Thus, the grocer found it difficult to believe Kabir's wife's promise to be true. He said, "If you make a definite promise, then I will consider it true."

Upon hearing the grocer's words, Kabir's wife, with the strength of her courage, controlled her mind. She thought, "If I don't make the promise, I won't receive the necessary materials."

So she gave him the promise and took the materials she needed in her garments. She hurried back to her home and prepared the cooking materials. The saints then said to Kabir's wife, "We wish to do the cooking ourselves." The Vaishnavas lovingly took the cooking vessels and started cooking. With great pleasure, they prepared various kinds of delicious food, which was served on plates. Kabir and his wife began the ceremonies of worshipping the saints. They offered perfume, rice, garlands of flowers, fragrant ointments, incense, and bowed to them with reverence. The saints had their appetites satisfied with the food they liked.

Kabir's wife then called her husband into a private room and said, "You must stay with the saints. I made a definite promise to the grocer, and that allowed me to quickly bring home the cooking materials. Please give me permission to fulfill the grocer's desire. If I delay any longer, the day will break, and it will tarnish my reputation for truthfulness."

Upon hearing her words, the devotee Kabir replied, "I will accompany you as well. The grocer has shown great kindness to us. The saints have been able to have food today, and that will be credited to him as a good deed. We have no way to repay his kindness. You have come up with a good solution by offering your own body in the service of the saints. I will carry you on my shoulder and take you there. It is raining heavily, and there is a dense darkness tonight. I fear letting you go alone."

Saying this, Kabir made his wife sit on his shoulder and hurriedly went to the marketplace. As they walked through the streets, they both worshiped Shri Ram lovingly. They exclaimed, "Blessed is this auspicious day that brought the Vaishnavas to our home." Engaging in conversation, they quickly reached the grocer's shop. Kabir then said to his wife, "I will now return home. The saints are still at our house, and they might suddenly leave. I must hurry back to serve at their feet. Do not hesitate. Fulfill the grocer's wishes."

Having spoken these words, the devotee Kabir hurried back home. The grocer, driven by his evil desires, was waiting for her. He thought to himself, "She came alone tonight and deceived me, but now she has returned." As this wicked man talked to himself, he saw Kabir's wife before him, which made him happy to see that she had kept her promise. Sitting in his usual place, the grocer said to her, "The clouds are pouring down rain endlessly. How is it that your feet are not covered in mud? This puzzles me. Tell me the truth, good woman."

Upon hearing his words, the virtuous woman replied to the grocer, "Listen to me, kind sir. I will tell you exactly what happened. After promising you, I fulfilled the needs of the saints. The Vaishnavas were satisfied, and that good deed will be credited to you. Your great kindness towards us can never be repaid. I consider myself a faithful wife, and my husband's command is my authority for action. I made that promise to you because of the distress I was in. I informed Kabir, the lord of my life, about what had happened. He carried me on his shoulder and brought me to you, and then he returned. So put aside your doubts and do whatever your heart desires."

Upon hearing these words, the grocer felt remorseful. He said to himself, "I have attained a human body, but I haven't accomplished anything through it. After wandering through countless births, I have suddenly obtained this human body, yet I did not think properly and allowed my mind to indulge in worldly desires. Kabir is indifferent to earthly passions and is generous, and I have cruelly troubled his wife. It is as if someone were to take an axe and cut down a tulsi plant, or forcefully tear down a sacrificial building with a hoe, or push aside the worship of Shiva and disrespect His emblem with kicks. It is as if someone intentionally spilled a jar of nectar or crushed the Shaligram (emblem of Vishnu), or cut down a banyan tree or a peepal tree with an axe. It is as if someone crossed the Ganges without bathing in it or slandered the Shri Bhagwat. I have committed similar faults by causing trouble to the devotee Kabir. I have never seen any other husband who would willingly offer his wife to another man. Blessed are you, O mother, who possesses good qualities and is the mother of the world."

Repenting in his heart, the grocer made a gesture of respect to her and said, "I am your child, and you are my mother. Do not keep in your mind my transgressions. I have foolishly troubled you out of ignorance. Please forgive me for all I have done and bless me. Take me by the hand as your child and place me at Kabir's feet."

Hearing these heartfelt words, she exclaimed, "O grocer, blessed is your mind. It is as soft as butter. The great men have expressed the opinion of the Shastras that even if one has committed numerous evil deeds, if repentance arises in the heart, those sins immediately disappear. It is as if one were to consume poison and then drink nectar, thus avoiding harm. This is what all wise men say. So listen to me, brave man. As soon as repentance arose in your heart, the disease of sin in this earthly life fled from you. I will now take you to meet Kabir immediately."

Upon hearing her words, the grocer was filled with supreme joy. He let go of his pride and conceit, abandoning all evil qualities. He renounced delusions and firmly held onto virtuous qualities. Thus, becoming pure in heart and radiating with light, he left his shop. He hurriedly went from there, cutting through the web of illusions. Accompanied by Kabir's wife, he reached her home in less than a minute, and with reverence and love, he prostrated himself before Kabir. He said, "I am an ignorant and foolish child. I have truly committed countless transgressions. Please forgive me, your servant, and place your hand upon me and bless me."

Kabir, being a perfect reader of inner thoughts, recognized the grocer's feeling of repentance. He embraced the grocer and said, "Do not fear. I forgive you and give you my blessings." Such was the God-loving devotee Kabir, always trusting, believing, understanding. He remained indifferent to worldly matters but was full of compassion for others.

The grocer, having repented, started worshiping Shri Ram. This illustrates the greatness of associating with a saint, a power that even the Vedas and Shastras cannot fully comprehend.