Mukti Bodh - Intro

Mukti Bodh (Realization of Liberation)

Before beginning the simplified explanation of the divine words of Saint Garibdas Ji's immortal scripture, I consider it necessary to provide some essential information. The majority of the verses in the revered scripture Sadh Granth Sahib are those of Saint Garibdas Maharaj Ji.

Saint Garibdas Ji Maharaj

Saint Garibdas Ji was born in the village of Chhudani, District Jhajjar, Haryana, in the year 1717 (Vikram Samvat 1774). Chhudani is the maternal home (nanaka) of Garibdas Maharaj Ji. He belonged to the Dhanakhar clan and was originally from the village of Karontha in the Rohtak district of Haryana. His father, Shri Balram Ji, married Rani Devi, the daughter of Shri Shivalal Sihag, who was a resident of Chhudani village. Since Shri Shivalal Ji had no son, Shri Balram Ji was made a son-in-law who stayed at the bride’s home.

After living in Chhudani for 12 years, Saint Garibdas Maharaj Ji was born in the same village. Shri Shivalal Ji owned 2,500 bighas (a large bigha, which was 2.75 times larger than the current measurement) of land, equivalent to 1,400 acres today. All this land was inherited by Shri Balram Ji and subsequently by his only son, Saint Garibdas Ji. During those times, it was common to raise cattle, and Shri Balram Ji kept around 150 cows. To graze these cows, other shepherds (referred to as palis or gwalas) were hired alongside Garibdas Ji, who also helped in herding.

At the age of 10, when Saint Garibdas Ji was herding cows along with other shepherds in a field named Nala, an extraordinary event occurred. On a Falgun month's bright twelfth day (Shukla Dwadashi), at around 10 AM, the Supreme God (Param Akshar Brahm), disguised as a living saint, appeared near them. The Nala field bordered the village of Kablana. All the shepherds were seated under a jandi tree, having their meals. This tree was located on a dirt road connecting Kablana and Chhudani, which is now a paved road constructed by the government.

The Supreme God descended from Satlok at a distance from the tree and started walking toward Chhudani via Kablana. Upon reaching the shepherds, He was greeted with, “Baba Ji, orders! Ram-Ram!” The Supreme God responded, “Ram-Ram!” The shepherds offered Him food, saying, “Baba Ji, have some food.” The Supreme God replied, “I ate in my village before coming here.” The shepherds insisted, “If you won't eat, you must at least drink some milk. We don't let guests leave without offering something to eat or drink.”

The Supreme God agreed and said, “Alright, give me some milk. But listen—I only drink milk from a virgin cow.” Hearing this, the elder shepherds laughed and said, “You must be joking. A virgin cow doesn’t give milk!” The Supreme God reiterated, “I will drink milk from a virgin cow.”

Young Garibdas brought a heifer about one year old to the Supreme God. The Lord placed His blessing-filled hand on the heifer’s back, and her udders suddenly grew long. A clay pot with a capacity of about 5 kilograms was placed beneath her udders, and milk started flowing on its own, filling the pot completely. Once the pot was full, the milk stopped flowing.

The Supreme God first drank the milk Himself and then offered it to the other shepherds. However, the elder shepherds refused, saying, “Baba Ji, the milk of a virgin cow is impure—we won’t drink it. Secondly, we don’t know your caste, and we won’t drink leftover milk from an unknown person. Thirdly, you have used some magic to extract this milk, and it might have a harmful effect on us.”

Saying this, they left the jandi tree and went to sit under another tree at a distance.

Then the young Garibdas Ji said, "O Baba Ji! Your leftover milk is like nectar. Please give it to me." Garibdas Ji drank some of the milk. The Supreme God, in His living saint form, imparted divine knowledge (gyanopadesh) to Saint Garibdas Ji and explained the essence of true knowledge (tattvgyan), the subtle Vedas.

Upon Saint Garibdas Ji's earnest request, the Supreme God separated his soul from his body and gave him a tour of the spiritual realms. He showed him all the realms within a single universe, introduced him to Shri Brahma, Shri Vishnu, and Shiv Ji. After that, He showed him Brahm Lok and the realm of Shri Devi (Durga).

Then, crossing the tenth gate (Brahmarandhra), they traversed beyond the 21 universes of Brahm Kaal to the edge of the eleventh gate. Crossing the eleventh gate, they entered the realm of Akshar Purush, which contains seven conch-shaped universes. The Supreme God showed Saint Garibdas Ji all the universes and introduced him to Akshar Purush. Initially, Akshar Purush appeared with two arms, but as He approached the Supreme God, He expanded to ten thousand arms, similar to how a peacock spreads its feathers. Akshar Purush reveals this form during times of perceived threat, displaying His power, as He can manifest up to ten thousand arms.

In contrast, Kshar Purush has one thousand arms. In Bhagavad Gita Chapter 10, Verse 11, Lord Krishna revealed His universal form with one thousand arms. In Chapter 11, Verse 46, Arjun said, "O thousand-armed Lord, please return to Your four-armed form."

Saint Garibdas Ji was shown the mysteries of Akshar Purush's seven conch-shaped universes. After this, the Supreme God led him to the twelfth gate, located at the boundary of Akshar Purush's realm, from where one enters the Bhanwar Gufa (whirling cave). The living form of the Supreme God explained to Saint Garibdas Ji that the tenth gate (Brahmarandhra) had been opened through the chanting of the Satnam mantra. The eleventh gate was opened through the chanting of the symbolic mantras Tat and Sat. These gates cannot be unlocked with any other mantra.

Finally, the Supreme God said that the twelfth gate could only be opened with the chant of Sat (Saarnaam). No other mantra can unlock it. The Supreme God chanted Saarnaam silently, and the twelfth gate opened. The Supreme God, in His living form, along with Saint Garibdas Ji’s soul, entered the Bhanwar Gufa.

They then entered Satlok and stood before the white dome, at the center of which was the throne (Takht in Urdu). On this throne sat Param Akshar Brahm in a luminous human form. From a single hair of His body emanated light greater than the combined radiance of a billion suns and moons. This gives an idea of how resplendent the entire body of Param Akshar Brahm (Satpurush) must be.

Satlok itself is as radiant as a diamond. The light emanating from the Holy Body of the Supreme God and His eternal realm can only be seen with the eyes of the soul (divine vision). It cannot be perceived with physical eyes.

Then the living Baba (Jinda Baba) took young Garibdas Ji near the throne and picked up the ceremonial fan (chanvar), waving it over the Supreme God seated on the throne. Young Garibdas Ji thought to himself, "This is the Supreme God, and this Baba must be His servant." At that moment, the radiant-bodied Lord rose from the throne, took the chanvar from Jinda Baba, and signaled him to sit on the throne. The Supreme God, in the form of Jinda Baba, sat on the throne as the Lord of countless universes.

The previous Lord then began waving the chanvar over Jinda Baba. Saint Garibdas Ji was still pondering who among them was the Supreme God when suddenly the radiant-bodied Lord merged into the body of Jinda Baba, becoming one. The brightness of Jinda Baba's form became as intense as that of the radiant Lord previously seated on the throne.

In a moment, the Supreme God spoke: "O Garibdas! I am the Master of countless universes. I alone have created all the universes. Through my word, I created all souls. The five elements and all materials were also created by me. I created Kshar Purush (Brahm), Akshar Purush, and their realms. I have granted them the rulership of their respective universes as a reward for their austerities. I am the same Supreme God who came to Earth for 120 years, assuming the role of a weaver named Kabir.

"In the city of Kashi (Varanasi) in the land of India (Jambu Dweep), there lived a couple named Neeru and Neema, who were Muslim weavers. They were childless. On the morning of Jyestha Sudhi Purnima (full moon day), during the Brahma Muhurta (pre-dawn), I appeared as an infant lying on a lotus flower in the Lahar Taal pond, located in the forest outside Kashi. I traveled to that spot from my eternal realm. Neeru and Neema used to visit the pond daily for their morning bath. That day, they found me in the form of a baby and were overjoyed. They took me home.

"For 25 days, I did not consume any food. Then Lord Shiv, in the guise of a monk, visited their home. That was all through my divine inspiration. I had instructed Shiv that I drink the milk of a virgin cow. Neeru brought a young heifer, and I bestowed power upon Shiv. He placed his blessing-filled hand on the heifer's back, and the virgin cow began producing milk. I then drank the milk. In every age, I perform similar divine pastimes. When I manifest in the form of an infant, my upbringing is accomplished through the milk of virgin cows.

"O Garibdas! The four Vedas sing my glory:

"In Rigveda Mandal 9, Sukt 1, Mantra 9, it is written that when the Supreme God appears on Earth as an infant, His upbringing is accomplished through virgin cows.

"In Satyayug, I appeared under the name ‘Satyasukrit.’ In Tretayug, I was known as ‘Munindra.’ In Dwaparyug, I was called ‘Karunamay.’ In Kaliyug, I appeared as ‘Kabir’ on Jyestha Sudhi Purnima in the year 1455 Vikram Samvat."

After hearing all these events, Saint Garibdas Ji said, "O Lord! How will I remember this knowledge?" Then the Supreme God blessed young Garibdas Ji and said, "I have unlocked your knowledge-yoga (gyan-yog). I have infused spiritual wisdom into your inner being. Now, you will remember the knowledge of countless ages, from the past to the present and even the future."

Meanwhile, on Earth, around 3 p.m., other cowherds remembered that Garibdas was missing and decided to call him. One of them went and called out from a distance, "O Garibdas! Come and take your turn to guard the cows. We've been waiting for a long time." Devotee Garibdas Ji did not respond or move because his soul was traveling in the higher realms while only his body remained on Earth.

The cowherd went closer and shook his body, causing it to fall to the ground from the seated posture it was in. Seeing Garibdas lying lifeless, the cowherd raised an alarm, and the other cowherds rushed to the spot. One of them ran towards the village Chhudani to inform Garibdas Ji's parents and grandparents about the incident.

The tree where Lord Kabir, in His Jinda (living) form, was seated with Garibdas Ji and other cowherds was near the boundary of Kabalana village, adjacent to the fields of Chhudani village. That field belonged to Saint Garibdas Ji and was located about one kilometer from Chhudani village.

Upon reaching Chhudani, the cowherd informed Garibdas Ji's parents and grandparents about what had happened: "A Baba performed some magic to extract milk from a virgin cow. We did not drink it, but young Garibdas did. When we checked on him, he appeared to be dead." Preparations for his final rites began, and his body was placed on a pyre for cremation.

At that moment, the Supreme God said to Garibdas Ji, "O Garibdas! Return to your body; they are about to destroy it." Saint Garibdas Ji looked down and saw the Earth, which appeared like a realm of suffering compared to Satlok. He said, "O Lord! Please do not send me back. Keep me here."

Then, the Eternal Supreme Lord Kabir Ji said, "You must first engage in devotion. Through the practice I will teach you, you will earn the spiritual wealth (power) to attain this permanent place. Look ahead—that is your palace, which lies vacant, filled with all kinds of sustenance. On Earth, people must toil for food, and only after rain can they grow crops. The materials found here are far superior to anything on Earth. But you must go back.

"I have already given you the first mantra. Later, I will come again to grant you the Satnam. This Satnam consists of two syllables: one is Om and the other is Tat (these are symbolic). Later, I will grant you the Sarnam. By practicing devotion to these names—first, second, and third—you will be able to return here permanently. I am always with my devotees. Do not worry; now you must go quickly."

Translation:

After saying this, the Supreme Eternal God (Param Akshar Purush) infused the soul of Saint Garibdas Ji back into his body. Just as the family was about to light the funeral pyre, the child’s body began to move. The rope that was used to bind the corpse snapped on its own. Saint Garibdas Ji sat up, climbed down from the pyre, and stood upright. The joy of the gathered villagers and family members knew no bounds.

The young Garibdas looked upward toward the Supreme God, and the divine knowledge (amrit gyan) that God had instilled in him began to flow out in the form of celestial hymns, couplets, and verses. However, the villagers were unfamiliar with the significance of this sacred speech. They assumed that the boy was mumbling incoherently due to the scolding he had received from the Baba. They thought he was speaking nonsense. Nonetheless, they repeatedly expressed their gratitude to God for sparing the boy’s life, reasoning that even if he appeared mad, his mother, Rani Devi, would find some solace in his survival.

With this misunderstanding, the people of the village started calling the great Saint Garibdas Ji "mad" (in their local language, bawliya).

Three Years Later

Three years after this incident, a saint named Gopal Das visited the village of Chhudani. He was initiated into the sect of Saint Dadu Das Ji and had a deep understanding of saints' teachings and their significance. Gopal Das was of the Vaishya caste and had renounced his household life to become an ascetic. He was literate due to his upbringing in a merchant family and often traveled to spread spiritual teachings, gaining a few disciples along the way. One of his disciples from the Bairagi caste lived in the village of Chhudani, and Gopal Das stayed at his home.

This disciple spoke to Saint Gopal Das about Garibdas Ji, saying, "O Gurudev, the grandson (daughter's son) of the village chieftain has been declared mad after receiving a scolding from a sadhu. He had actually died and was placed on the funeral pyre but came back to life, thanks to the good fortune of Rani, the boy’s mother. However, since then, he has been acting insane. Despite efforts from exorcists and the use of various remedies for madness, there has been no relief.

"The incident began when milk was extracted from a virgin cow and fed to the boy. They say only a saint can counter another saint's power. Please, Gurudev, help us."

Saint Gopal Das replied, "Bring the boy to me."

The disciple conveyed this to Choudhary Shivalal Ji, saying, "A Baba has arrived at my home. I told him about your grandson, Garibdas. The Baba said to bring him here once; he will be cured. Please bring the boy. This saint is very accomplished and has come to our village."

Shivalal Ji, accompanied by several villagers, went to visit the Baba, taking the boy Garibdas Ji along with them. Saint Gopal Das Ji questioned young Garibdas Ji, saying, "Son, who was the Baba that ruined your life?"

(Note to the readers: It is important to mention here that Saint Gopal Das Ji was initiated into the lineage of Saint Dadu Das Ji. Much like Saint Garibdas Ji, Saint Dadu Ji also encountered Supreme God Kabir Ji at the age of seven (though some texts mention it as eleven years), appearing in the form of Jinda Baba. Supreme God Kabir Ji had also taken Saint Dadu Ji’s soul to Satlok (the eternal realm). Saint Dadu Ji remained in an unconscious state for three days and nights. When he regained consciousness on the third day, he proclaimed that he had been to the eternal realm with Supreme God Kabir Ji. He described Kabir as the Almighty Creator of all universes and said):

These verses are recorded in the writings of Dadu Ji. Gopal Das Ji knew that Dadu Ji had met Supreme God in the form of an elderly Baba. Dadu Ji, who was originally from a Muslim Teli (oil-presser) background, identified Kabir as the Almighty Creator. This is why the Muslim community associates "Kabir" with greatness, interpreting the name as "the Great God," or "Allah Kabir" (Allah Akbar).

Similarly, Guru Nanak Dev Ji met Supreme God in the form of Jinda Baba while bathing in the Bein River near Sultanpur. Nanak Dev Ji was also taken to Satlok by the Supreme God for three days and was later returned to earth.

A ruler named Ibrahim Sultan Adham, who governed the city of Balkh and Bukhara (in present-day Iraq), also encountered Supreme God in the form of Jinda Baba. Kabir Parmeshwar Ji delivered him as well.

When Saint Gopal Das Ji questioned young Garibdas Ji about which Baba he had encountered, Garibdas Ji responded with reverence, saying, "O Mahatma Ji, the Baba I met has not ruined my life but has blessed and transformed it. He is the Supreme God."

Who Did Saint Garibdas Ji Encounter?

Saint Garibdas Ji revealed the identity of the Baba he met, clarifying through the sacred verses mentioned above. He declared that the Supreme God Kabir Ji, who delivered souls like Saint Garibdas, Saint Dadu Das, Saint Nanak Dev, and King Ibrahim Sultan, is none other than the Creator of infinite universes. This Supreme Being is renowned in India’s Kashi (Varanasi) city under the name "Kabir the Weaver." It was He who met Saint Garibdas Ji.

After expressing these profound truths, the 13-year-old Garibdas Ji began walking away. Saint Gopal Das Ji, understanding that this was no ordinary child but one blessed by the Supreme God, thought to himself, "This divine child speaks such nectar-like words. These must be recorded."

Realizing the significance of this divine revelation, Gopal Das Ji followed young Garibdas Ji and announced to the villagers:

"This boy is not insane; you are the ones who fail to understand him. I have discerned that this child is an incarnation of the Divine. Supreme God in the form of Jinda Baba has personally met him. Just as He met our revered Saint Dadu Sahib Ji. Unfortunately, not all of Saint Dadu Ji’s divine verses were recorded. But I will ensure that all the sacred words of this boy are written down. These teachings will benefit countless souls in the age of Kaliyug."

Upon Saint Gopal Das Ji's persistent request, Garibdas Ji agreed to dictate his sacred verses, saying, "I will only narrate if you promise to write everything without leaving anything incomplete." Saint Gopal Das Ji replied, "Maharaj Ji, I have dedicated my life to spiritual service and salvation. At the age of 62, I see no better purpose than this. Please bless me to fulfill this task."

Thus, Saint Garibdas Ji and Saint Gopal Das Ji sat under a Jandi tree in a grove belonging to Garibdas Ji himself, located near Chhudani village. During that era, the area around Chhudani was sandy, resembling the landscape of Rajasthan, with abundant Jandi trees providing shade.

For approximately six months, Garibdas Ji narrated the divine knowledge he received directly from the Supreme God, describing his experiences in vivid detail, which Gopal Das Ji meticulously recorded. On later occasions, as Saint Garibdas Ji spoke with other individuals, they too began writing down his sacred words. These collective writings were eventually compiled into a manuscript.

From the time of Saint Garibdas Ji, this manuscript became a text for regular recitation. A few decades ago, it was transcribed into a typed format. Additionally, some divine verses from the Kabir Sagar (the "Ocean of Kabir"), spoken by Supreme God Kabir Ji, were also included at the end of this sacred text. This collection of holy nectar-like verses was named the Amar Granth (The Immortal Text).

Author and translator:
(Saint) Rampal Das
Satlok Ashram
Tohana Road, Barwala,
District Hisar, Haryana.