Page:A History of Hindi Literature.djvu/79

 THE SUCCESSORS OF KABIR 65 was a Brahman is probably correct. His spirit of forgiveness and kindness (dayd) was so great that he was called Dadu Dayal. His teaching is very similar to that of Kabir, but is not so much affected by Muhammadan ideas. Much of the Hinduism against which Dadu protested has found its way back into the sect. Dadu rejected, for instance, the teaching of the Vedanta, caste, and idolatry, but some of his modern followers are Vedantists, and only twice-born Hindus are allowed to read the Bani, and the sect has no dealings at all with outcastes. Moreover, Da.dus Bam is worshipped with idolatrous rites. Dadu's teaching was spread by fifty-two disciples. His doctrines are contained in the Bant, a book of about five thousand verses. It is divided into thirty-seven chapters dealing with such subjects as the Divine Teacher, Remembrance, Separation, The Meeting, The Mind, Truth, The Good, Faith, Prayer, etc. The verses of Dadu are very attractive and have a musical rhythm, and hymns which are included amongst them are set to music and used both for public and private worship. The following is a translation of a few of Dadu's verses : — " Receive that which is perfect into your hearts to the exclusion of all besides ; abandon all things for the love of God, for this Dadu declares is the true devotion. " Cast off pride, and become acquainted with that which is devoid of sin. Attach yourselves to Rama, who is sinless, and suffer the thread of your meditations to be upon him. " All have it in their power to take away their own lives, but they cannot release their souls from punishment ; for God alone is able to pardon the soul, though few deserve His mercy. " Listen to the admonitions of God, and you will care not for hunger nor for thirst ; neither for heat, nor cold ; ye will be absolved from the imperfections of the flesh. " Draw your mind forth, from within, and dedicate it to God ; because if ye subdue the imperfections of your flesh, ye will think only of God. " If ye call upon God, ye will be able to subdue your imperfec- tions, and the evil inclinations of your mind will depart from you ; but they will return to you again when ye cease to call upon him. "Dadu loved Rama incessantly; he partook of his spiritual essence and constantly examined the mirror, which was within him. 5