Bhagat Kabir ji ang1158 Shabad Vichaar

[Lucky]

ANG 1158

ਚੰਦਨ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ਤਰਵਰੁ ਬਿਗਰਿਓ ॥
Cẖanḏan kai sang ṯarvar bigri▫o.
Associating with the sandalwood tree, the tree nearby is changed;

ਸੋ ਤਰਵਰੁ ਚੰਦਨੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਿਬਰਿਓ ॥੨॥
So ṯarvar cẖanḏan ho▫e nibri▫o. ||2||
that tree begins to smell just like the sandalwood tree. ||2||

The Divine smell of sandalwood is so distinct and pure that any average wood or tree that comes within it's proximity, also begins to emanate the same divine smell of chandan. A transformation takes place in the otherwise average wood.  

Chandan is a blissful and heavenly aroma that can be sensed in the company of high avastha gurmukhs.  Kabirji gives the resemblance and explanation that any old wood can transform into the purer and blissful chandan by simply being in it's company.  We;like the ordinary wood, can also be transformed by being in the presence of a single GURU- the Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji.

 

Please note the highlighted words "sang" / "nearby"  in this first couplet. It's quite important, because in the next couplet he speaks about another 'transformation' that involves "contact" and not being nearby.   The distinction is of significance because the above couplet is likened to being in the company of sangat and the divine Guru.  Hence, it's about the outward approach that we have to take at beginner spiritual levels. Whereas, the next couplet refers to the more advanced inner approach which occurs inside us once we progress to higher levels.

ਪਾਰਸ ਕੈ ਸੰਗਿ ਤਾਂਬਾ ਬਿਗਰਿਓ ॥   
Pāras kai sang ṯāʼnbā bigri▫o.
Coming into contact with the philosophers' stone, copper is transformed;

ਸੋ ਤਾਂਬਾ ਕੰਚਨੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਿਬਰਿਓ ॥੩॥
So ṯāʼnbā kancẖan ho▫e nibri▫o. ||3||
that copper is transformed into gold. ||3||

The "Paras" /philosophers stone, that is in many ancient myths and stories is about the Touch of Gold, when everything gets transformed into Gold after being touched. It's not just about undergoing a change in smell sensation as with the sandalwood, but also a change in it's physical appearance; that occurs inside us. The sukham sareer inside us becomes to make the jyot pargat. The further cleansing and abyass starts showing the HariMandar. The Golden Temple that was not seen previously; starts to glow and become radiant in it's brilliant honey colored gold. In abyaas levels, it's when we start going towards dasam duar to take darshan in Har'mandar.(hari's mandar)

I find it very interesting that references from alchemy used in books like Harry Potter and many other stories show the relationship of elixir of life/divine nectar/fountain of youth to the philosophers stone. As per gurbani and abyaas, i believe that this nectar is the amrit that flows from Hari's mandar, bathing the transformed gold.

 

ਸੰਤਨ ਸੰਗਿ ਕਬੀਰਾ ਬਿਗਰਿਓ ॥
Sanṯan sang kabīrā bigri▫o.
In the Society of the Saints, Kabeer is transformed;

ਸੋ ਕਬੀਰੁ ਰਾਮੈ ਹੋਇ ਨਿਬਰਿਓ ॥੪॥੫॥
So Kabīr rāmai ho▫e nibri▫o. ||4||5||
that Kabeer is transformed into the Lord. ||4||5||

Kabirji tells us that after his outer and inner transforming, he has become one and the same with God. Kabir has transformed into the almighty raam. He's completely transformed and reached the final stage of settling(nibrio ਨਿਬਰਿਓ ),...meaning that there is no further transforming and the end goal of Nirankar has been reached.

 

All vichaar and explanations are my own understandings and I stand corrected. Bhull chuk maaf.