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I am the Soul
531
within, has to be made manifest, has to be appeased – that is, the self itself has to appease the Lord Atma. Neither the Lord Atma nor the idol in the temple can be appeased by merely offering money, rice-grain or fruits and flowers. To appease the soul within, it is necessary to become engrossed with it. It is necessary to observe only the Lord Atma in the body and mind, by going beyond all the external sanyogas.
Kabir's love as a consort thus appeases the Lord. Kabir has experienced the pangs of separation from the Lord. He has also tried to appease Him, believing Him to be his lover. When Kabir manages to go deeper into self-realisation, he feels the presence of the Lord within himself. But the Lord does not manifest before him. Kabir is in a dilemma as to how to attain that Lord. He says
प्रीतमको पतियां लिखू, जो कर्ह होत विदेस;
TH, #, # # atahit ano ah ....?
Had my lover been abroad, I would write him a letter and get news from him, call him over. But how do I send a message to someone who is settled in my body, mind and eyes? What message do I send him? Kabir is trying to say, My Supreme Lord, the Satchidananda Brahma is residing within me. There is no need to look for Him anywhere. Once He is appeased, He will never be able go away from me. Taking the simile of conjugal life, Kabir says: In the chamber of my eyes, I shall set the bed of my pupils for my lover to be appeased behind the veil of my eyelids.
नयननकी करी कोठरी, पुतरी पलंग बिछाय;
Yachtchi falch strict, fury ant its fisir .... With external eyes closed and inner eyes open, if one gets engrossed in the soul spirit, the lover Lord will certainly appear. Then immersed in the rapture of eternal joy one can celebrate with the Supreme.
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