OF THE HINDUS. 53 



KABIR PANT'HIS. 



Amongst the twelve disciples of Ramanand, the most celebrated of all, 

 and one who seems to have produced directly or indirectly, a greater effect 

 on the state of popular belief than any other was Kabir : with an unpre- 

 cedented boldness he assailed the whole system of idolatrous worship, and 

 ridiculed the learning of the Pandits, and doctrines of the Sastras, in a style 

 peculiarly well suited to the genius of his countrymen to whom he addressed 

 himself, whilst he also directed his compositions to the Musselman, as well as 

 to the Hindu faith, and with equal severity attacked the Mulla and Koran. The 

 effect of his lessons, as confined to his own immediate followers, will be shewn. 

 to have been considerable, but their indirect effect has been still greater ; 

 several of the popular sects being little more than ramifications from his stock, 

 whilst Ndnak Shah, the only Hindu reformer who has established a national 

 faith, appears to have been chiefly indebted for his religious notions to his 

 predecessor Kabir.* This sect therefore claims particular attention. 



* Malcolm says, that Nanak constantly referred to the writings of the celebrated Mo- 

 hammedan Cabir, (A. R. XL 267.) and the Kabir Panf his asserts, that he has incorporated several 

 thousand passages from Kabir s writings. As to Kabir s being a Mohammedan, I shall allude to the 

 improbability of this, I may say impossibility, in the text, nor is Col. Malcolm more accurate 

 when he calls him a celebrated Sii/i, for his doctrines have nothing in common apparently with 

 that sect ; indeed I think it not at all improbable that no such person as Kabir ever existed, and that 

 his name is a mere cover to the innovations of some freethinker amongst the Hindus : perhaps some 

 one of those considered as his principal disciples : his names are very suspicious, and Jnydni, the 

 sage, or Kabir, the greatest, are generic rather than individual denominations : at any rate, even if 

 the individual were distinct, we must suppose that the name which occurs in his writings is nothing 

 more than the TaKhallus or assumed name, under which both Musselman and Hindu poets have 

 been accustomed to send their compositions into the world. To return, however, to the obligations 

 which the popular religions owe to the real or supposed Kabir, I find him avowedly or unavowedly 

 cited by Baba Lai, and in the writings of the Sddhs, the Satndmis, the Sri Nardinis and 

 Sunydhddis, and I am told that the Dddu Pant'his, and Derya Ddsis are equally indebted to him. 



