The Boat of Nam

Kabir Sahib was a 15th-century Indian mystic known for using poetry to convey his teachings. Challenging the belief that rituals, ceremonies, and idol worship are effective methods of spirituality, Kabir Sahib taught the timeless practice of Shabd (the divine sound or Word) as the path of God-realization, emphasizing the importance of a living master on this journey.

Kabir Sahib’s poetry is replete with powerful imagery. Common motifs include depicting life as a sea or an ocean, and a true, living master as the captain or oarsman of the only vessel capable of spiritual salvation: the ship of Nam. This metaphor of the ship of Nam symbolizes the spiritual journey, with Nam serving as the means to navigate the challenges of life and reach the shore of spiritual bliss:

In the world’s deadly ocean
Surge waves of desire and avarice,
The billows of pride and anger
Make the waters turbulent.
The sharks of ego and envy
Lie in wait to prey on you;
Joy and sorrow, pleasure and pain
Are its ever-changing shores.
_{Kabir: The Weaver of God’s Name}

Kabir Sahib’s metaphorical “deadly ocean” represents life as a challenging sea journey. The surging “waves of desire and avarice” symbolize the strength of our attachment to material possessions and worldly relationships. Alone and adrift in this turbulent sea, the “billows of pride and anger” rise dramatically, creating storms devastating our peace of mind. These powerful emotions obscure our judgment and lead to conflicts with others, making life’s waters even more difficult to navigate. The storm of pride inflates our ego, blinding us to our limitations and fostering arrogance. Meanwhile, the thunderstorm unleashed by anger creates misery and harm, affecting ourselves and those around us. Alongside the dangers posed by ocean waves and stormy weather, prowling beneath the sea’s surface are the “sharks of ego and envy.” These represent hidden threats of allowing one’s ego to dominate our actions and jealousy to erode our sense of contentment.

In the vast expanse of Kabir Sahib’s metaphorical deadly ocean, what if a passing ship took pity on us and helped us to the shore? Would we find safety there? The last two lines of the verse above suggest not. Mirroring the dual nature of existence, the ocean’s shoreline is ever-changing, where joy is counterbalanced with sorrow. The relentless cycle of pleasure and pain is elaborated upon in a different poem by Kabir Sahib:

People drown or stay moored
To this shore of misery and pain –
They keep burning in the world’s deadly fires,
No one comes to their rescue.
They do nothing to save themselves;…
[but] Burn in their own blazing passions,
Like moths in the flame.
_{Kabir: The Weaver of God’s Name}

The term “moored” suggests being anchored or tied down, indicating that human beings are not just temporarily experiencing pain but are permanently bound to a “shore of misery and pain.” This sense of desolation is further intensified by the imagery of “burning in the world’s deadly fires.” Here, the metaphor highlights how people are consumed by their desires and cravings, leading to a continuous cycle of suffering and ignorance. These desires trap individuals in a relentless pursuit to satisfy ever-growing wants, closing their eyes to what is truly beneficial or harmful. This metaphorical fire keeps them agitated and restless, preventing them from reaching a state of contentment.

Kabir Sahib’s analogy of “moths in the flame” further illustrates this point. He suggests that humans, like moths drawn to light, surrender to their “blazing passions.” Initially alluring, these passions ultimately lead to self-destruction in the same way that flames consume moths. Consequently, human beings remain stuck in the endless cycle of birth and rebirth, unable to escape the illusions and attachments of the material world.

The stark lines “No one comes to their rescue” and “They do nothing to save themselves” highlight the tragedy of the human condition. The former indicates that despite having a loving family and good friends, we ultimately endure our suffering alone. The latter emphasizes that until we act upon the guidance of an “adept oarsman,” a true master, we remain the cause of our own pain, suffering, and imprisonment in the material realm.

In several poems, Kabir Sahib employs the metaphor of a boat or ship to illustrate how the Lord’s name serves as a vessel for spiritual salvation. The “boat” (or ship) represents the spiritual practice of Nam, which offers one both a refuge from the disappointments and challenges of life but, more significantly, carries us across the turbulent ocean of the material world. In The Ship of Nam, for example, Kabir Sahib wrote:

My gracious Lord in his mercy
Raised the ship of Nam,
And its command He entrusted
To the saints.

Nam is the destroyer of all pain,
The adornment of the entire creation;
The source of all love and devotion,
It is the haven of peace and bliss.
The Lord himself has made this ship,
And it is called the Lord’s Name.

Those who hold onto the ship firmly,
Cross over to the shore of bliss.
_{Kabir: The Weaver of God’s Name}

Kabir Sahib emphasizes that the spiritual pathway of Nam (the divine name) has been established through the Lord’s grace. This imagery suggests that the path to liberation is divinely guided. The ship, crafted by the Lord, signifies its trustworthiness and highlights that spiritual salvation is attainable through the divine name. Nam is portrayed as a powerful force that alleviates suffering and is the source of life. It is described as a destroyer of pain, suggesting that remembrance of the divine name can alleviate misery and bring solace. It is the fountainhead of love and devotion, providing peace and joy to those who embrace it sincerely.

The journey across this metaphorical ocean is not one we can undertake alone; it demands the insightful guidance of a living, enlightened master who comprehends the intricacies of the human condition and is adept at navigating life’s perilous ocean. True mystics are entrusted by the divine to lead others. They act as navigators, aiding devotees in traversing the ocean of worldly existence toward spiritual enlightenment. As depicted in Kabir Sahib’s poetry, only a true master, likened to an adept oarsman, possesses the wisdom to steer disciples safely toward the shores of spiritual fulfilment. Without such protection, the treacherous ocean waves threaten to overwhelm us, dragging us to the bottom of the sea and disconnecting us from our humanity.

Kabir Sahib concludes the poem by emphasizing that the soul’s liberation is attainable when a practitioner’s life centres on love and devotion to the Master. He urges individuals to connect with the Shabd and awaken to their true selves. This timeless message inspires a life of faith, love, and unwavering commitment to the divine, a sentiment echoed nearly five hundred years later by Maharaj Charan Singh in Spiritual Discourses Vol. I:

It is only by meeting with masters who are themselves steeped in Nam-bhakti, and by following their directions, we can cross the ocean of phenomena, and tear away the veil that masks the reality and that we can break through the barrier that hides the Lord from our sight; and that we can transcend ourselves, and that we can transform ourselves, and merge in the Lord himself and become one with Him.