Question

What does Kabir liken Heaven to in “Tell me, O Swan, your ancient tale”?

Answer 1

ʜɪ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ!
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ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴀʟʟ, ʜᴇʀᴇ'ꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴩᴏᴇᴍ:-

Tell me, O Swan, your ancient tale.
From what land do you come,
O Swan? to what shore will you fly?
Where would you take your rest,
O Swan, and what do you seek?

Even this morning, O Swan, awake, arise, follow me!
There is a land where no doubt nor sorrow have rule:
where the terror of Death is no more.
There the woods of spring are a-bloom,
and the fragrant scent 'He is I' is borne on the wind:
There the bee of the heart is deeply immersed,
and desires no other joy.

- ᴋᴀʙɪʀ

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ꜱᴇᴄᴏɴᴅʟy, ʜᴇʀᴇ'ꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɴꜱᴡᴇʀ:-

The "ꜱᴡᴀɴ" is a metaphor for our "soul", which is ancient and timeless. The speaker wants to know where it's going and what it wants, what's the purpose in life. He asks our soul to follow him in knowing that "God" is "Us" and the answer to the question "Who Am I" that was written on the wind of God's whim to know Himself that blew over His being in the beginning of creation. And to connect to God consciously on the path to knowing Him is the joy of loving Him, like a bee that will grow and end our sorrows by ending desire. In that connection there is no doubt about "God" and "His" existence forever.

Here, the features of "Heaven" are also beautifully described in the verses --

"There is a land where no doubt nor sorrow have rule:
where the terror of Death is no more.
There the woods of spring are a-bloom,
and the fragrant scent 'He is I' is borne on the wind:
There the bee of the heart is deeply immersed,
and desires no other joy."
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hσpє ít hєlpѕ! :-)

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