SOME FACTS ABOUT THE KABIR PANTH ASSOCIATION OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO INC

By Dharmacharya Shri Mht. Deodath Dass

 

  1. Members of the above Association are devotees of Sahib Kabir and are considered ‘Dharamdass Jan’.  Dharamdass initiated the Rituals as performed in the ‘Panth’. 

  2. Originally, Kabir did not prescribe any rites or rituals and had established ‘Sahaj Samaadhi’ - simple union with God within. 

  3. Dharamdass, foremost disciple of Sat Guru Kabir, seeing the need for rituals like those of Swami Raamanand, sought them from the Sat Guru. 

  4. Kabir came to our world to bring peace between the Hindus and Muslims who were at war at that period in India.  He had to bring a Name for God that would have been accepted by both religions and so He introduced the name – SATYA NAAM meaning the Eternal Name. 

  5. In promoting ‘Ahimsa’ (no killing) and to replace the sacrificing of animals as a form of worship, He prescribed the offering of the Coconut – the choicest of the fruits.

  6. Worship of the Sat Guru in the rituals, embraces all forms of worship just as watering the roots of a tree nurtures all its parts. 

  7. To satisfy the request of the disciple Dharamdass, Sat Guru Kabir drew from the rituals of Raamanand Swami and modified as well as spiritually enhanced them to produce our rituals of CHOWKA, ARTEE, JHANDAA and other ceremonies. 

  8. To satisfy Dharamdass’ questions He gave the following:  What is the most important ‘Brat/Fast to be observed?   The Poonam Brat/ Fast.  The Fast at Full Moon. What Flag to be planted?  The flag of Satya Naam. What ceremony to be performed?   The rituals of Chowka, Artee etc.  

  9. To gain liberation/Mukti, one must have a Guru/Preceptor and be initiated in the WORD/SHABD. This act of initiation involves a ritual to be performed by the Guru – a living entity through whom the Sat Guru Kabir in our case, works to enlighten the soul of the initiated on the Satya Maarag/the Pathway of Truth leading back to ‘Sat Loka’…. (Heaven)

  10. Our priests are ordained as ‘Mahants’ to practice the rituals as a form of devotion to God (Bhakti) – to initiate, to enlighten the devotees and maintain the traditions as passed on to us by our forefathers who came to Trinidad from 1845 to 1910.

  11. Mahants should be saintly – vegetarian, nonalcoholic, simple, tolerant, caring and divinely loving.  They should seek the welfare not only of the devotees but also of the world and so they are considered protectors of the unprotected in society. 

  12. Saints/Sadhus should be considered Divine entities (embodied) closely connected to the ‘Adi Brahm’ - The True Almighty God. 

  13. We perform Anandi Chowka for the welfare of the living and Chalaawaa Chowka for the soul of the departed.