5.6: God as a Brahman tests Kabir

78. Kabir quickly arose and went and sat inside, and continued his worship of Ram [Rama] with love and affection.

79. Just as a daughter-in-law hides herself saying, ‘My mother-in-law will treat me roughly,’ so Kabir out of fear of his mother sat alone in this deserted house.

80. Or just as when Dhruva was k’icked.by his mother, and sulking went into the forest, so this bhakta Kabir became indifferent to worldly things, and went and sat down in this vacant house.

81. Just as sannyasis attain their highest order by abandoning every form of action, so Kabir became indifferent to his domestic affairs, and sat down in this vacant house.

82. The servant of Vishnu having entered this deserted house for that purpose, the Pervader of the universe, seeing his devotion, came to test the truth of it.

83. He took the form of a very aged Brahman, with old and torn clothes. The cold was intense, just as it is in the months of Paush [Pausha] (January) and Magha (February).

84. In order to test the generosity of Kabir, the Life of the world entered shivering. As he sat there worshipping, this Brahman arrived.

85. Just as the son of Gadhi arrived to give trouble to the King Harischandra, or as the Lord of Kailas, assuming the form of a guest, came to trouble Shriyal;

86. or as the Muni Durvas, having heard of the goodness of Ambarish [Ambarisha], came to trouble him; or as when God assuming the form of Vaman came to test Bali with his own eyes.

87. In that way this Brahman spoke to Kabir in a distressed voice, ‘I am old, helpless and poor. I have no clothes to wear.

88. You are the bhakta of Vishnu and exceedingly generous. It is intensely cold; if you have any garments, give me some.’

89. As the Dweller in the Heaven Vaikunth [Vaikuntha] said thus, Kabir thought to himself, ‘If I say No to this Brahman, it will be to the harm of my desire to be good.’

90. So he tore his scarf in half and gave one piece to the Brahman. Kabir then full of love continued his worship.

91. Krishna then put on this garment and came immediately outside. Then he thought to Himself, ‘I will go in again, and see what is happening.’

92. Thus saying, Krishna became a fakir in the guise of a Muhammadan. His head was adorned with a mass of hair. On his feet was an ornament made of crystal.

93. Carrying in his hands a rosary and opening wide his blood-shot eyes, the cloud-dark-One rushed violently into the house to test the truth about Kabir.

94. When gold is seen to be dimmed in lustre it is rubbed on a testing stone. Or when a coin is suspected of being false, it is forcibly punctured by an instrument.

95. Or when a valuable diamond is under consideration, the expert hammers it on an anvil. So, God became a Muhammadam fakir in order to test the mind of Kabir.

96. In a violent laughter He stood at the door and called Kabir. He said to Kabir, ‘Give me at once a garment.

97. God is without form and without qualities. You have forgotten this. Why do you leave Him and worship Ram?’

98. Hearing this harsh voice, Kabir replied in soft tones. He said, ‘To be without form and at the same tame possess qualities, both can exist without any difference between them.

99. If butter is hardened or melted, it does not thereby lose its character of being butter. Or when an ornament is made of gold it does not thereby lose its lustre.

100. So, the Unmanifested, Eternal Being has taken form. The Pervader of the universe has assumed visible form for the purpose of His bhaktas.’

101. To these words of the noble Vaishnava the fakir said in reply, ‘If you have got any garment, give it to me quickly.’

102. Kabir hastened to remove the half of the scarf which remained with him and gave it to the fakir. He then continued to sit there without any concern and the fakir hastened away.

103. Just as when the rainy season has passed away the sky looks clear; or as when the soldering is tested it turns out to be brilliant gold;

104. just as when the python has left the mount Maila, or as when Rahu has let go the moon, so Kabir sat down to his worship with quietness of mind.

105. Or as the water of the Ganges appears clear after the flood has ceased; or as when mount Mandara was drawn out of the ocean its roar ceased;

106. so, the concern which Kabir felt, when no customer appeared for the purchase of the scarf, disappeared from his mind. Kabir was now in a state of joy.

107. So thus satisfied in his mind, he sat worshipping Shri Ram [Rama]. The Life of the world hearing this did something which I ask you to listen to.