The Mystical Poems of Kabir

by Swami Rama, Robert B. Regli

It is said that every poet has a touch of mysticism, but Kabir's poetry is both highly mystical and at the same time realistic. Kabir drew from many sources and synthesized the best from each to create a poetry that appeals to many diverse cultures. His poems have a timeless quality, making them as appropriate to the modern world as they were to the fifteenth century.

Paperback

First published June 1, 1997

About the author

Swāmī Rāma was born Brij Kiśore Dhasmana or Brij Kiśore Kumar,to a northern Indian Brahmin family in a small village called Toli in the Garhwal Himalayas. From an early age he was raised in the Himalayas by his master Bengali Baba and, under the guidance of his master, traveled from temple to temple and studied with a variety of Himalayan saints and sages, including his grandmaster, who was living in a remote region of Tibet. From 1949 to 1952 he held the prestigious position of Shankaracharya of Karvirpitham in South India. After returning to his master in 1952 and practising further for many years in the Himalayan caves, Swami Rama was encouraged by his teacher to go to the West, where he spent a considerable portion of his life teaching, specifically in the United States and Europe.
He is especially notable as one of the first yogis to allow himself to be studied by Western scientists.
Swami Rama authored several books in which he describes the path he took to becoming a yogi and lays out the philosophy and benefits behind practices such as meditation. One of the common themes expressed in such books as "Enlightenment Without God" and "Living with the Himalayan Masters" is the ability of any person to achieve peace without the need for a structured religion. He was critical of the tendency for yogis to use supernatural feats to demonstrate their enlightenment, arguing that these only demonstrated the ability to perform a feat.

Reviews

[Nicole Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have a practice of making time in the morning to read something spiritual. These poems by the mystic Kabir, translated by Swami Rama, were perfect to add to the morning. They opened my heart and also made me think. I recommend this book.

[Sudarshan Bindal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lovely,rhyming translation