Today, while at the DMV which is really the old State Highway Patrol office where all of us who got our licenses in Alachua County got our licenses, I was reading "Songs of Kabir" by Nirmal Dass. I wondered what century Kabir lived in and I turned to the introduction. I soon began to realize the introduction was a pretty important part of this book. I still haven't finished the introduction but it was really interesting reading. I particularly liked how Sikhism became militarized. One of its Gurus was murdered. A king, inspired by the Guru's brother did it.
Ain't that somethin'!
But the intro throughout was an object in learning for me. Who Kabir was, the various saints whose compositions appear in Adi Granth. Very interesting. The merging of the Hindu and Muslim, too, not as simple as I thought. Sufis and bhagavats, as they called them. Other cultural influences involved. A very interesting introduction. I had been reading some poems that were very pious, speaking of bridling the desires in the body. Then in the intro I read of how Sikhs see themselves much like the Krsna Devotees, as brides for the bridegroom and much of their poetry is written in that vain. It was very interesting and satisfying. Maybe my gender had something to do with it as they say Sikhism or the Granth is very misogynistic. I had to correct myself at one point when a woman's pride was mentioned and remind myself this was about God and his bride, the disciple though I do not see disciple often used in this literature, more frequently beloved or devotee.
Ain't that somethin'!
But the intro throughout was an object in learning for me. Who Kabir was, the various saints whose compositions appear in Adi Granth. Very interesting. The merging of the Hindu and Muslim, too, not as simple as I thought. Sufis and bhagavats, as they called them. Other cultural influences involved. A very interesting introduction. I had been reading some poems that were very pious, speaking of bridling the desires in the body. Then in the intro I read of how Sikhs see themselves much like the Krsna Devotees, as brides for the bridegroom and much of their poetry is written in that vain. It was very interesting and satisfying. Maybe my gender had something to do with it as they say Sikhism or the Granth is very misogynistic. I had to correct myself at one point when a woman's pride was mentioned and remind myself this was about God and his bride, the disciple though I do not see disciple often used in this literature, more frequently beloved or devotee.
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