Agarwal said that Kabir’s writings represent the first step towards the modern world. “His thoughts may at times be incomprehensible, but his words captivate our sense of humanity. Kabir was a weaver’s son, but became much more than that. Galileo also went against the dogma of the Church. These modern , are the first examples of individual thinking.”
In discussing his book with author Devdutt Patnaik, Agarwal emphasized the importance of historical context, explaining how Jayasi is ridiculed for talking about Sati in Padmavat. “People believe that Jayasi, being a Muslim, used to focus on the practice of Sati. But he did not notice that Jayasi talks of Sati in only one verse out of 700. He also says that men can do sati. Agarwal said, “Someone’s future is my present and my present can be someone’s past. This interconnection needs to be appreciated.”
The author said that the Bhakti movement rejected a binary view. “A person will read Padmavat either from a Rajput point of view or will see it through a Khilji lens. But Joyce used the work as a tool to truly write about love. Kabir is also more than religion. He talks about two truths – life and death,” said Agarwal.
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