The Land Where Days & Nights Don't Happen!

Journey to that land where days and nights do not happen!

[English rendering of Hindi translation, by Maharshi Santsewi ji Paramhans (1920-2007), of a verse composed by Sant Kabir Sahab, excerpted from the August 2005 edition of the Hindi Monthly "Shanti Sandesh" (Message of Peace) published from Maharshi Mehi Ashram, Kuppa Ghat, Bhagalpur, Bihar, India -812 003.
- English Translation by Pravesh K. Singh (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/sant_santati http://profiles.yahoo.com/praveshksingh
http://praveshksingh.blogspot.com ) ]


Original Verse:


"kahaun us desh kI batiyAn, jahAn nahin hot din ratiyAn 1
nahIn ravi chandra au tArA, nahIn unjiAr andhiArA 2 nahIn tanh pavan au pAnI, gaye vahi des jin jAnI 3
nahIn tanh dharani AkAshA, karai koi sant tanh vAsA 4
uhAn gam kAl kI nAhIn, tahAn nahi dhUp aur chhAhIn 5
na jogI jog se dhyAvai, na tapasI deh jaravAvai 6
sahaj me dhyAn se pAvai, surati kA khel jehi Avai 7
sohangam nAd nahi bhAI, na bAjai sankh shahanAI 8
nihachchhar jAp tanh jApai, uThat dhun sunna se Apai 9
mandir me dIp bahu bAree, nayan binu bhaI andhiyArI 10
kabIrA des hai nyArA, lakhai koi Ram kA pyArA 11"


Translation:

I describe that realm where days and nights don't happen. 1

There are no Sun, Moon or stars there, neither is darkness or light. 2

No air or water exists there; only those who have reached there know of (that realm). 3

Neither is the Earth there nor is the sky, that land is inhabited by sants (who have accomplished Self-Realisation and have become one with Him). 4

Time has no access there, nor do the sunshine and shade exist there. 5

(That land) is not attainable through "hathayoga" by (hath)yogis, nor by "tapasis" (ascetics or performers of austere devotion) who burn (trouble or hurt) their bodies in the fire of "panchaagni" or "Panchadhuni" (ascetic practices or self-mortification). 6

Those who know the art (right way) of reverting their "surat" inwardly from the outer world, can get there (to that land) easily through dhyan-yoga (inner meditation). 7

O Dear Brother! Even "sohangam naad" does not play there, nor are heard the sounds of conch or great pipe (because that realm is "nihshabd" or soundless). 8

There "nihakshara" is spontaneously chanted (without any conscious chanting), and the primeval sound naturally emanates out of the void. 9

This temple (body), which God has filled with divine light, has become full of darkness for lack of the eye (the inner vision or sight). 10

Strange is that country, says Kabir, and is perceived by only a dear devotee of God (who practices inner meditation having learnt the right technique from a true Guru). 11


Commentary:
Sant Kabir Sahab was not a linguist or scholar, but his experiential verses are very much in agreement with the Vedas, Upanishads, Shrimad Bhagvad Gita and the sayings/ discourses of other sants. Certain such references are produced below for reflection by the learned:-

"na mrityurAsIdamritam na tarhi na rAtrA ahna AsItpraketah AnIdavAtam swadhayA tadekam tasmAddhAnyanna param kim chanAs " (Rig Veda Samhita, Mantra 25)
[Then (that time) death did not occur nor was the "amrit" (elixir or the nectar) there, that is, there was neither life nor the absence of it; neither the awareness of night nor day. The true nature of that entity was the vital life force, but it was not the `sthool vayu' (gross air). He was equipped only with his own power to hold or sustain the world or creation. There did not exist then any other matter subtler than Him.]

"na tatra sUryyo bhAti na chandratArakam nemA vidyuto bhAnti kutoayamagnih
tamev bhAntamanubhAti sarvam tasya bhAsaa sarvamidam vibhAti " (Kathopanishad Chapter 2, Valli 2, Shloka 15)
[In that world neither does the Sun shine, nor do the moon and stars. Even the lightning does not show up there, what to talk of the fire! Everything glows out of His light, everything is seen through His light.]

"na tadbhAsate sUryo na shashAnko na pAvakah yadgatvA na nivartante taddhAm paramam mam (Shrimad Bhagvad Gita, Chapter 15)
[Neither the sun, moon nor fire can illuminate that Self-illumined One. Mine is that realm, the Absolute Kingdom, going where one does not have to come back or return (to this world).]

"jhilmil jhilakai chandu na tArA sUraj kirani na bijulI gainArA
(Guru Nanak, Maaru Mahalaa 1)
[The Moon does not shine there nor do glitter the Sun, stars or lightning.]

"jahAn chand nahi sUr jahAn nahi jagamag tAre
jahAn nahi traidev trigun mAyA nahi lAre
jahAn veda nahi bhed jahAn nahi joga jagya tap
jahAn pavan nahi dharani agin nahi jahAn gagan ap
jahAn rAt nahi diwas hai pAp punya nahi vyApaI
Adi ant aru madhya hai, kahai Charandas brahma Ap hI
(Sant Charandas ji)
[Where there are no Moon, Sun and glistening stars; where there are no trinity of gods (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva) and play of the three gunas (three gunas namely `sat', `raj' and `tam'). Where there are no Vedas, no dichotomy, no Yog, no `yajna' (religious sacrifice and oblation) and `tap' (asceticism). No air, land, fire, sky (space) and water subsist there. No cycles of days and nights there. No sins or virtuosity. There is no beginning, middle and end of that. There Brahma and Brahma alone exists.]

As per a story in "Bahiyasutta" in the book titled "Udaan" a monk named Bahiya is said to have attained nirvana. Throwing light on the concept of nirvana, Lord Buddha says,

"yattha Apo cha pathavI, tejo vAyo na gAdhati na tattha sukkA jotanti, Adichcho na pakAsati na tatha chandimA bhAsati, tamo tattha na vijjatI yadA cha attanA vedi, muni monen brAhmano atha rUpA arUpa cha, sukh dukkhA pamuchchati
[That is Nirvana where there is no room for water, earth, fire and air. Stars do not twinkle there, nor does shine the Sun. Though there is no moon-light there, there is not any darkness over there. When a muni (hermit) or a Brahmin becomes silent (still), he automatically knows Him (God) and becomes free of the dichotomy of form & formlessness, pleasure & pain.]

Sant Paltoo Sahab also opines,
"jahavAn dharatI nAhin akAsA
chAnd suruj nAhi paragAsA
jahavAn BrahmA Vishnu na jAhee
das avatAr na tahAn samAhI
jahavAn pavan jAy nahi pAnI
ved Kiteb maram naa jAnI
Adi joti nA basai niranjan
jahavAn shUnya shabd nahi ganjan
nirankAr nA uhAn akArA
satya shabd nAhi vistArA "
[Where there is no earth and skyT
he moon and the sun do not emit light.
There are no Brahmaa, Vishnu
Or the ten incarnations are there.
Air or water does not have a reach there.
Vedas or other scriptures can't know Him.
No light glitters or there is sound.
No sound buzzes in that land.
That place is beyond all form or formlessness
Or even the quintessential sound. ]

Listen what does Sant Keshavdas ji have to say on nirvana, "That is the position of Nirvana, the highest or the absolute realm, where there is no scintillating light, no Sun, no Moon, no states of day & night."

Sant Tulsi Sahab of Hathras proved the rank of nirvana to be beyond all sorts of fetters. Narrating his own experience he states,
"fand fAdi bAher gaI, laI jo sataguru bAnh
JahAn dhUp ravi sasi nahi, Tulsi pahunche tAnh "
[Holding on gratefully to the gracious hands of blessings of my Sataguru I came out tearing all the trappings and reached unto where there is no sunshine, no Moon or Sun.]