Saint Kabirdas (1398-1518)

Why in News? : Sant Kabir Jayanti is celebrated every year on Jyeshtha Purnima and in the year 2025 it was celebrated on 11 June.
Introduction : Saint Kabir Das was a 15th-century Indian mystic poet and saint. He is a seminal figure in Hindi literature, and belongs to Bhakti period of Nirgun Dhara. Kabir strongly opposed social evils, religious ostentation and caste discrimination.
Life and Background: He was born in 1398 AD in Lahartara in Varanasi. He was born to a Brahmin widow and later raised by Neeru And Neema. His guru’s name was Swami Ramanand. He spent most of his life in Varanasi, but before his death he went to Maghar because at that time there was a belief that those who died in Maghar would not attain heaven. Kabir did this to dispel this superstition.
Philosophy and Teachings : Kabir’s philosophy was based on monotheism. He described God as nirguna (formless) and believed that God is one, whether it is Rama or Rahim. He advocated love and devotion as the only path to God. He opposed idol worship, pilgrimages and rituals. His teachings emphasised on importance of Guru and Self-knowledge.
Literary Contribution : His collection of compositions is called Bijak, which has three parts : Sakhi, Shabda and Ramaini. His language is called Sadhukari or Panchmel Khichdi, which contains words from many languages such as Hindi, Awadhi, Punjabi, Rajasthani and Braj.