Verses attributed to the poet saint Kabir have been compiled in which of the following textual traditions and collections?

Difficulty: Medium

Correct Answer: 1, 2 and 3

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
Kabir is one of the most influential poet saints of the Bhakti movement in North India. His verses on devotion, social criticism, and spiritual wisdom have been preserved in multiple textual traditions belonging to different religious and regional communities. Understanding where Kabir verses are compiled is important for both religious studies and medieval Indian history. This question asks you to identify which among the listed traditions contain verses ascribed to Kabir.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • Statement 1: Bijak in Varanasi.
  • Statement 2: Kabir Granthavali in Rajasthan.
  • Statement 3: Adi Granth Sahib of the Sikh tradition.
  • The options combine these statements in various ways, and you must pick the correct combination.


Concept / Approach:
Kabir verses have circulated in oral and written form across different communities. The Bijak is a key collection followed by Kabir Panth traditions, especially in and around Varanasi. Kabir Granthavali is another compilation associated with traditions in regions like Rajasthan. Additionally, several hymns of Kabir are included in the Adi Granth, the central scripture of Sikhism. Therefore, all three listed traditions have preserved verses attributed to Kabir, which means that the correct answer includes 1, 2, and 3.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Evaluate statement 1. The Bijak is a well known compilation of Kabir verses, and it is associated with the Kabir Panth based in and around Varanasi, so statement 1 is correct. Step 2: Evaluate statement 2. Kabir Granthavali is another important textual tradition that collects Dohas and poems attributed to Kabir, particularly in the literary and devotional traditions of Rajasthan, so statement 2 is also correct. Step 3: Evaluate statement 3. The Adi Granth Sahib, the sacred scripture of the Sikhs, contains hymns not only of the Sikh Gurus but also of several Bhakti saints including Kabir, so statement 3 is correct as well. Step 4: Since all three statements accurately name traditions that include Kabir verses, you must choose the option that lists 1, 2, and 3. Step 5: Option 1, 2 and 3 corresponds to this evaluation and is therefore correct.


Verification / Alternative check:
If you consult sources on Kabir literature, you will find frequent references to the Bijak as a primary collection in the Kabir Panth. Literary studies also mention Kabir Granthavali as an important compilation used by scholars of Rajasthani and Hindi poetry. Sikh studies confirm that the Adi Granth contains many hymns by Bhakti saints, including Kabir, Ravidas, and Namdev. The presence of Kabir verses in all three traditions is thus well documented and widely accepted.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
1 and 2 only: This option wrongly excludes the Adi Granth Sahib, even though it definitely contains Kabir hymns.

2 and 3 only: This option leaves out the Bijak, which is one of the central Kabir Panth scriptures and a key Kabir compilation.
3 only: This narrows the tradition to the Sikh scripture alone and ignores the independent Kabir related compilations Bijak and Kabir Granthavali.


Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to assume that Kabir is associated exclusively with one religious community, such as the Kabir Panth, and to overlook his presence in Sikh scripture or in regional literary collections. Another error is to think that Adi Granth Sahib contains only hymns by Sikh Gurus. To avoid these pitfalls, remember that Kabir was a shared figure whose verses moved across religious boundaries and are preserved in multiple textual traditions.


Final Answer:
Verses ascribed to Kabir have been compiled in Bijak, Kabir Granthavali, and the Adi Granth Sahib, so all three statements 1, 2, and 3 are correct.

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