Kabir (c. 1398-c. 1448 or c. 1440-1518, dates disputed) was a mystic poet and saint of medieval India, born in or near Varanasi, whose devotional verses blended elements of Hindu bhakti devotion and Sufi Islamic mysticism while rejecting the formal ritualism, caste distinctions and religious orthodoxy of both traditions. His couplets and hymns, transmitted orally and later written down, emphasize a direct, personal relationship with a formless divine and were later incorporated into Sikh scripture as well as into Hindu and Muslim devotional traditions. He remains one of the most widely quoted poets in North Indian languages and a central figure in India's syncretic religious history.
Facts
RoleDevotional mystic poet and saint 1 Role
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Source Wikipedia: Kabir
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Source Wikidata: Kabir
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1. Wikipedia: Kabir
WikipediaLead paragraph, opening sentence
Kabir (fl. 15th century) was a famous Indian devotional mystic poet and saint
Lead paragraph, second sentence
He was born in the city of Varanasi in what is now Uttar Pradesh
Kabir: Gender
His couplets and hymns, transmitted orally and later written down, emphasize a direct, personal relationship with a formless divine and were later incorporated into Sikh scripture as well as into Hindu and Muslim devotional traditions.
Infobox: birth_date
1398
In Era: The Post-Classical and Medieval Period, lead paragraph, lifespan
Some historians favour 1398-1448 as the period Kabir lived, while others favour 1440-1518.
View the Source Wikidata: Kabir
Wikidata Q312551, class allow-list match (w-wdresolver-0926)View the Source Open Questions (1 open question)
When was Kabir born and when did he die?
Scholars favour two non-overlapping lifespans for Kabir, roughly a century apart, with no consensus resolution.
What would resolve this A securely dated primary source (an inscription, a dated manuscript colophon, or a contemporary chronicle reference) fixing Kabir' s birth or death within one of the two proposed ranges.
Medieval South Asian religious history and hagiography studiesWikipedia: Kabir
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