If you must be crazy, then don’t be crazy for fleeting things; rather, drop your cleverness and go mad in adoring the source of life and love within. Such is the daring declaration of the mystics and bhaktas, like Kabir Sahib or Baba Bulleh Shah. In this spirited piece, Anandmurti Gurumaa sings this very song of love, inviting each of us to live in abandon, and be blissfully baura – crazy.
Sometimes, in our meditation retreats, people are moving, crying, and shaking in ecstasy. Ignorant people don’t understand; they have weak minds and get scared, wondering if they’ve come to an asylum. The truth is: you are so unlucky if you’re not crazy, so unfortunate. And the craziest possible people living on this earth are the devotees, the mystics, and the saints.
Yearning Heart of a Devotee
For example, there’s a couplet that pays tribute to the poet’s Master. He says,
“The name of the Lord is like a fragrant flower, and my Master has planted it in my mind. This plant receives divine water, hence it grows beautifully. My Master puts this seed of the Lord’s name into people’s minds, and wherever he sows it, it instantly grows. Now, this beautiful name of the Lord is emanating a strong fragrance in me. My heart is blooming. May my Master live long!”
These lines are expressions of deep love. The poet says that he never tires of seeing is Master, whose face is like a full moon, and wishes for a pair of eyes on every hair on his body. “With these millions of eyes, even if one blinks, others remain open. Let me see the luminous face of my Master, who has sown the seed of the Lord in my mind. But even after watching with so many eyes, I am not satiated; I am still hungry to see more. The vision of my Master is equivalent to a pilgrimage; my Master’s home is like a pilgrimage site to me, where all His lovers go, prostrate and salute Him”.
Now he speaks of his Master’s physical beauty. His Master had long, curly hair and a dimple on his chin. Two locks of curls dropped on either side of his face. He says, “These two locks of hair protect and beautify the fruit of his two eyes. My Master’s dimple on the chin is like a sacred pond, from which sanctified water is drawn. That dimple is filled with nectar. People like me go and satiate themselves from there”.
Real Religion
Most religious folk only focus on perfecting their rituals, but no one asks for divine love. But here, the poet asks for this love alone, and that it never fades. The place you can reach by love, you can never attain through so-called religion.
Have you ever seen any priest sway in ecstasy? Many pundits are merely performing pujas as a profession. But in truth, who is a real pundit? “So pundit jo man par bodhai, Raam Naam aatam mai sodhai”. A true pundit is one who carries wisdom and has realised the Lord within his soul. That is the highest thing. But most of the time, you won’t meet such great pundits.
When Kabir Became Baura
One such realised being and ardent lover of the Lord was Sant Kabir Sahib. Now, normally everyone wants to be perceived as intelligent. If someone calls you a fool or crazy, you’ll be very upset. But in one of his many poems, Kabir says,
“I am baura, crazy, because my Ram (God) has made me this way. When I came to my Guru, he removed all my illusions. I haven’t received any formal education, nor do I have any knowledge of philosophies. I simply heard satsangs, and by listening, I became baura. My worldly passions, my anger, and all the malice of my mind were burned along with the world when I became baura”.
Although ‘crazy’ is not a perfect translation, it’s the closest equivalent to the word baura. A lover of the Lord, one who is tasting divine love, doesn’t need to do anything. The fire of love will burn away all your negativities, and you will shine like gold.
“Whatever happens in my life is the will of my sweet Lord. And what do I do? I just sing His songs”. He isn’t asking for good things in life, or to be rich, famous, or powerful, no. He says, “Give me whatever You wish, Lord – I am happy, because I am baura”. And those who go baura, crazy in the love of the Lord, are truly fortunate ones.
“I have become polluted – save yourself”, says Kabir. “Run, run away from the Master! Because if you stay close, the fire of the Master’s love will catch you. And once it catches you, it will burn you – starting with your ego. So protect your ego and run away. Don’t even look. Because if you look, He will catch you. That’s the Master’s way”.
Two Types of Crazy People
The so-called smart people of the world are the truly crazy ones. They collect money, jewellery, clothes, and build houses – and end up with nothing. A bhakta, on the other hand, earns the wealth of naam – because he knows his mind will go to that place where the mantra comes from.
There are two types of crazy: good crazy and bad crazy. The good crazy are those mad in love for God. The bad crazy are those mad after money, houses, cars, children, and worldly stuff. And these are the ones we call “smart”. They live on loans, work 15 hours a day, chase money – and then get a heart attack! With so much strain on their hearts, a heart attack is a natural consequence. If not today, then tomorrow. Sometimes people tell me, “So-and-so got a heart attack”. And I say, “I’d be surprised if they didn’t!”
The amount of stress you carry – and for what? Things. In reality, all your things are nothing. You think you have things, but they’re an illusion. Like in a magic show, where the magician gives you a ball, says “giligiligum”, and the ball disappears. You wonder where it went. Likewise, you amass things, and death comes – and “giligiligum!”, it’s gone. And the person’s body lies like a wooden log.
Devotees Die in Style
Have you ever seen the face of a dead person? Often, their eyes are wide open, looking terrifying. That’s why, in every culture, we cover the face. But if you get to see a Mahatma’s dead body, their faces still look soft, as if they’re just sleeping.
I recall the cremation of my dear friend Swami Bua Ji. People were preparing the pyre as his body lay on the ground. I was watching and thinking that maybe he was joking, he’ll get up anytime. Because he was a great jester, and further, had complete control over his physiology, having mastered the yogic method of kumbhak. His mastery was such that he could even breathe through his eyes! I thought any moment he might get up. But that evening, he didn’t. So, I saw his body, which had turned stiff, but his face was soft as a baby’s, as if resting. Not horrific, not hard to look at.
But when a worldly person dies, their eyes are wide open; because in their last moments, they’re still looking – “My wife, my house, my children! My money, my world – all gone! My breath is fading – I’m leaving, but I don’t want to”. That’s why, when someone dies, the doctors tape the eyes so they don’t pop open.
The Mystic’s Way
So, someone who wastes their life chasing wealth, knowing they can’t take any of it with them, can you call that person intelligent or crazy? The wise don’t waste their lives on things; they seek the Truth within, they seek divine love. They become drenched, intoxicated with it. And yes, they go mad in love. The world calls such mystics crazy, and the majority are with the world. But from the mystic’s point of view, it’s the world that is crazy.
A Mahatma’s beauty lies in their ability to redefine even negative words. Once, someone was very angry at Baba Bulleh Shah and yelled, “You dog!” Bulleh Shah said, “Oh, thank you so much”. They asked, “Are you crazy? I called you a dog and you’re thanking me?” “Yes, I’m thankful for that greeting. I truly wish to be like a dog. No one is as obedient and loyal, loving unconditionally. If I could be the Lord’s dog, there would be nothing greater”. Bulleh Shah could often be seen dancing in spiritual fervour.
So, were these mystics crazy? Yes, I’d say, they were – crazy in love. Love for Ishwara, love for their Guru. And such blissful madness comes only to the most fortunate. These great souls possessed immense wisdom and knowledge, yet they were so humble to call themselves crazy while calling everyone else intelligent.
So, don’t worry about stuff. Money comes and goes, boyfriends and girlfriends come and go. Don’t depend on people or things; otherwise, you will go crazy. But Kabir says: if you must, then be crazy in divine love.
