kabira khada bazaar mein

the third kabir film (alas, only one more remains) was screened today. it brought out subtle distinctions to be kept in mind when one tries to live according to what one believes is the truth. my (brief) jottings from the viewing are as follows:

• a play on kabir is being directed and one of the scenes sees kabir protecting a young boy from being attacked by a group of hindu priests. the director mentions that he likes kabir because kabir stood up for his actions instead of intellectualizing like most sages are wont to. he appreciates that kabir's teachings are not about the abstract, but about daily living.
  
• the first step on the spiritual path involves chants, idol worship, rituals, etc. but man must go beyond that step too.
• tipanya's wife says "atma puja, phir kaam duja", that is, first one must worship the soul, then do any other task. she also adds that worshipping the soul entails serving others.
• "the one who sings, plays, laughs, listens - he goes to satlok (the fourth world)."
• one of the characters used to be a materialistic accountant, and beat up people if they did not return his money, etc. another used to be a naxalite rebel. kabir found them (and reformed them) too.
• kele ke paat paat mein paat, gadhe ki laat laat mein laat, kavi ki baat baat mein baat, hindu ki jaat jaat mein jaat (roughly: a banana has leaves within leaves, a donkey has kicks within kicks, a poet's words are nested within each other, and a hindu has castes within castes).
• "everyone has set up their shops and sells their wisdom, but the greatest wisdom of all is that which is mine own."
• "i realized this is all humbug."
  
• "till you are one, you cannot say anything."
• "a lotus only blooms in the swamps. be one of them (the common men), then rise above."
• "i have seen satlok. satlok is here, in front of me. this is what i have seen - gentleness of speech, of love. this is satlok."
• he finds kabir's words stronger than bullets... the bullet of wisdom strikes.
• a final word: "to my son sahir, for putting up with kabir" :).