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OF THE HINDUS.
69
style peculiarly well suited to the genius of his countrymen to whom he addressed himself, whilst he also directed his compositions to the Musalman, as well as to the Hindu faith, and with equal severity attacked the Mulla and Korán. The effect of his lessons, as confined to his own immediate followers, will be shewn to have been considerable, but their indirect effect has been still greater; several of the popular sects being little more than ramifications from his stock, whilst Nának Shuh, the only Hindu reformer who has established a national faith, appears to have been chiefly indebted for his religious notions to his predecessor Kabir'. This sect therefore claims particular attention.
I MALCOLM says, that NÁNAK constantly referred to the writings of the celebrated Mohammedan Cabir, (A. R. XI, 267.) and the Kabir Panthis assert, that he has incorporated several thousand passages from Kabir's writings. As to Kabir's being a Mohammedan, I shall allude to the improbability, I may say impossibility, of this in the text; nor is COL. MALCOLM more accurate when he calls him a celebrated Ssúfí, for his doctrines have nothing in common apparently with that sect; indeed I think it not at all improbable that no such person as Kabir ever existed, and that his name is a mere cover to the innovations of some freethinker amongst the Hindus: perhaps some one of those considered as his principal disciples: his names are very suspicious, and Inání, the sage, or Kabir, the greatest, are generic rather than individual denominations: at any rate, even if the individual were distinct, we must suppose that the name which occurs in his writings is nothing more than the Takhallus, or assumed name, under which both Musalman and Hindu poets have been accustomed to send their compositions into the world. To return, however, to the obligations which the popular reli
| SR No. | 007688 |
| Book Title | Essays Lectures on Religion of Hindu Vol 01 |
| Original Sutra Author | N/A |
| Author | H H Wilson |
| Publisher | Trubner and Company London |
| Publication Year | 1861 |
| Total Pages | 480 |
| Language | English |
| Classification | Interfaith & Hinduism |
| File Size | 28 MB |