I. Prophet
'Guru Nanak Dev Ji - Image of the Lord.'
The late night moon that was getting thinner with each passing day today stands in the easterly corner as a thin bow waiting for the sun rays and ready to sacrifice its moonlight like the refined butter on the mouth of the tapering vessel in the hands of the priest is ready to jump in the sacrificial fire. The starry constellation has been showering their luster and invisibly dancing round the North Star, in anticipation of the arrival of the godly soul, and sacrificing their luster, while going. The clear blue sky is blossoming like a washed sapphire, as if in devotion and sublimity, and is waiting with head bowed down to receive a godly soul.
A sweet, gentle and subtle breeze loaded with fragrance has started blowing softly as if an invisible group of charming girls is ready to wave the lighted lamps in a tray in a circular motion on the arrival of a godly soul who has come to bless the world.
The plants and trees in the gardens and forests seem to be holding baskets of flowers on their heads ready to spread the flowers on the path where the godly soul, the handsome king, the emperor of hearts and the majesty for the weak has to put his sacred feet. They are spreading their fragrance and making the souls fragrant and are in exuberance to shower flowers.
The branches with green leaves of the tall and high trees are moving gently as if waving a whisk on the head of a godly soul. The green grass, clean as if it had a bath, is spread as a velvety carpet for the prophet. From the east came the first sunrays. More and more soft and silky rays are following
impatiently. The sparrows sing a song. All the birds twitter as if singing in happiness and delight.
See, from the east a glittering disc of radiance coming out of the gap between the earth and the sky. What a wonderful glimpse of color of melted gold, radiance, intoxication and spring of happiness, it is. One can see it clearly. The eyes do not feel uneasy. Instead, it is enjoyable. With a loving grace this sunlight enters the eyes and makes you intoxicated. Yes, those who are thirsty for radiance, who get a sensation from radiance, who have value for radiance, who take radiance in their lap, the eyes that are longing for radiance are drinking this radiance. They do not even blink.
As the disc of radiance is rising, the eyes are having a bath in the lake of radiance. Although, one is standing in this radiance but it appears as if the entire body had a bath in this lake of radiance. Not only has it made the eyes feel fresh, it has made the entire body feel light and fresh.
See, the crimson disc has now risen high. Now, one cannot see towards it but the sparkling rays spread far and wide.
The earth, the sky, the entire cosmos became full of radiance. The radiance showered as if there was never any darkness on earth. The shadows of the buildings and the trees lay flat on the ground on seeing this radiance.
The darkness of the earth ran away, as also the evils in the minds vanished.
Sleep is running away so fast that one cannot see it running.
The radiance is entering the minds of the people in the form of awakenness. People sleeping in the lap of casualness are awakening early in the morning and flying with the wings of endeavor. The minds that are in meditation are scattering like the rays of the sun and enjoying the ecstasy from the wondrous nature.
A long and soft tune can be heard. You , you , you , you , Who is
it? Is it some person?
No. It is a running well, we can see, it is unintentional.
It is making a tune zoon , zoon , zoon But now, the godly ears
have come that can have the sensation of you...., you...., you.... In his awakened ears, it is singing a song: You...., you...., you
The well is giving water to the fields and with the tune of zoon...., zoon...., zoon...., it is giving attention of its running to the farmer. But, yes, the godly mind that has come from the heavens, the saintly mind, the poetic mind, the prophet mind, the mind attuned to the Lord is getting the sensation: You...., you...., you
The metallic pot in the Persian wheel is bringing the water up.
It pours water in the aqueduct and goes down. The aqueduct pours water in the channel. The channel takes the water and gives it further. The tank takes the water, fills itself and then, gives it to the small channel. The small channel becomes full but it gives the water to the fields. The fields take the water deep in it and make the seeds, that are sitting hidden in it, drink the water. They awaken and become green plants, blossom and wave.
The balance of water goes down the earth into the bottom of the well from where again it is drawn up by the Persian wheel.
Yes, the well is running and singing a tune you...., you...., you
Near the well is a nice clean platform, on which is sitting a person of middle age after having finished his bath and dressed. His ears are listening to
the tune of the well saying: You...., you...., you But he is not in the habit of
perceiving the you...., you in this zoon...., zoon He is himself reciting
some scripture but he cannot feel the sensation of the ongoing tune. He is the priest of the town. His name is Hardyal. His vocation is to perform the ceremonies, when there is an auspicious occasion in the house, like, marriage or birth. He does take charity money but he is pious. He is devoted to the Lord. The invaders are ruling the country. The priest feels the suffering of the people in general and the people of his caste much. But he has no strength or stamina to do something for the people. There is no unity in the country. There is no love for each other in the country. Nobody has a spirit of sacrifice in him. When he feels the suffering, he prays to the Lord: O Lord, whenever there is a downfall in religiousness, you come to the earth. Now it is worse, you come and save us. When the saints suffer at the hands of demons, you only come and save them. Then only, your saints are saved. You come. Now the entire country has no religiousness.
At this time, a voice comes from distant trees: 'O Lord, you are great'. 'O Lord, you are great'.
The priest is startled: Ah! You have come. Seems like that. My estimation seems to be correct. (Overwhelmingly) Fortunate are my eyes. They have become lucky. O Lord, O powerful creator I bow to you.
He was reciting the scripture and was in reverence to the Lord when a person, who was a bit younger to him, came after finishing his bath and sat down on the platform. He was also a Brahmin but he was not a priest, he was a tutor. He taught reading and writing. Then, he taught arithmetic to the children. He taught plus, minus, multiplication, divide, calculation of accounts
and writing of books of accounts. He also taught how to write letters to other traders in other cities. He taught everything that enabled his students to do well in business. His name was Gopal. He knew Sanskrit and could teach the language but he was not a learned pandit.
He wished to talk to Hardyal, but Hardyal was looking towards the rising sun and paying reverence to the person from whom the voice of 'O Lord, you are great' was coming. So, the tutor kept sitting and looking at him with reverence.
Now, came Pandit Brij Nath after having a bath and dressing up. He was neither a priest nor a tutor. But he was a learned scholar and a Sanskrit teacher. He earned by teaching Sanskrit to children. He had other income from his lands as well. He also felt the suffering of the people and was sometimes sad about it. Today, he was sad about some suffering that a Vaishnav sadhu from Delhi had related to him. He came and sat on the platform, waiting for the reverence that Hardyal was paying looking eastward, to finish.
After a little while Hardyal became free. The voice that was coming to his ears was no more audible now and the support that his mind was getting in paying reverence was gone and he opened his eyes.
All the three pandits now greeted each other and came nearer to one another. Their conversation started. The sun had risen. It was a nice weather and a fine time.
Brij Nath (Heaving a sigh): Destiny is such, who knows it may be time for the Hindu religion to end. Last time, we heard from Jaunpur, what happened to the persons who were worshipping the goddess? From Delhi, we hear of tyranny every day. Then, the treatment meted out to Ram Parshad at Kanshi was frightening. Today, again I have heard about the atrocities on Hindus at Delhi. It seems, the time of Mahmood has come back again.
Hardyal: When was it ever peace? From the time of the death of Kingjai Pal, when did we have peace even for a day? Our country that was full of gold, silver, knowledge, art, and comfort has been sacrificed by the fire of 'hunger and greed' of these invaders. We are finished but their greed and hunger is not satiated.
Gopal: This, king of ours is quite gentle. Our king, Rai is a Muslim but he takes care of Hindus. It is quite strange, because generally Muslims are against Hindus. But Rai Bular Ji is not such.
Hardyal: I think, his nature is good and more so he has got good advisers.
I have already been telling you that the atrocities from rulers have crossed
all limits. Now, a prophet will come. The signs are of the arrival of a prophet.
See, since some years it rains on time, the seasons are on time. These are the signs of a prophet coming.
Brij Nath Pandit: The estimation is like that. The time given in the old scripture for a prophet to come to earth is this only.
But how long should we remain in hope?
We have already suffered enough but now the atrocities of the present king Lodhi have become unbearable. We don't even die and finish. All of us should sleep one night forever. Then, the sufferings will be over.
Gopal Tutor: The despair is like that but life is such a thing that even in sufferings one wants to live on. What should we do? We are poor, weak Brahmins. Our kings have all gone to the mountains to live. Since Rai Pithora died, it seems he has taken Hindu splendor with him. Now, a Hindu king is half Muslim with no honor or splendor. We can still breathe and heave a sigh but the kings are always in fear of the rulers, like a goat in a slaughterhouse. They are living by giving gifts, bribing and bowing to the rulers like slaves. So, where can we see any hope? W e imbibe some hope with your expectation. Since, you are a pandit and devoted to the Lord, your estimation may become true, that it is time for a prophet to come. Then, we would be able to see with these eyes.
Hardyal Priest: My estimation has made me sure that it is time for the prophet to come and if I am not mistaken, he has already come. He is in childhood and not pronounced as yet, but the signs are all of a prophet.
Pandit Brij Nath (Hurriedly): O priest, really? You tell us also. Let us have his glimpse, see and make sure.
Priest (looking towards Gopal tutor): Why? Mr. Gopal, did you not feel?
Tutor (in amazement): When? Where? Who?
Priest: The child of the Bedi family?
Tutor: Which Bedi family? Among us, Bedi is Mehta Kalu Ji. Isn't it? Priest: Yes, his child only, Nanak.
Tutor: Nanak, Nanak, Nanak, O Yes, prophet. (After some thinking) O yes, signs are miraculous.
Priest: He had been coming to you for studies. You must have seen him closely.
Tutor: I did see his miracles but it did not strike me that he is a prophet from the heavens. But the signs are wondrous. I have never seen or heard.
Pandit: O Priest, are you sure? The signs of a prophet are very prominent. Have you verified yourself?
Priest: I had gone there when the child was born, being a priest and an astrologer. I had to write the birth Horoscope. So I was called, there and then, to verify the time in minutes and seconds.
See, when the child was born, the nurse tells us that it seemed as if happiness and delight reigned all over the sky and earth. Then, it seemed as if some invisible people stood in the sky showering flowers and stars. The child was born smiling. It was like a prominent personality suddenly arriving. The nurse tells that at that time it appeared as if some group of people were singing welcome songs. Something was audible like that. At that time, only I was called and then I had a glimpse of him also. My vocation is that of a priest. I have seen many children being born to rich people in this town and the neighboring towns and prepared their horoscopes but I have neither seen such a godly soul nor any miraculous-ness that is in this child.
Pandit: When you felt like that, then, why didn't you tell us also? We would have offered him prayer with lighted lamps.
Priest: We have ego in our mind. When we see such miraculous-ness we start having doubts. Secondly, if whatever faith I have, is true, then, to publicize it, is not good. He cannot be hidden. How long, a fortune written on the forehead or a philosopher's stone kept in the turban be kept hidden?
But these tyrant kings are enemies of prophets. How much effort Kans made to kill Shri Krishna? These days, the Lodhi-Pathans are white demons. They say, they are religious and civilized but in practice they are so hardhearted and cruel. So, I don't say much due to the fear that these tyrants may not bring trouble for him in this childhood. Sometimes, the ego of the mind puts a seal on my lips.
Brij Nath : Isn't it strange that a prophet from the heavens has come in our town and he will allay the suffering of the people, and we even do not know of it?
Priest: We do know, O Pandit, but the ego in our mind veils off. Did you not hear that a son is born in the Bedi family who is very handsome and the nurse has told many miraculous things of happiness and delight that happened on the occasion? But have you ever thought of making an effort to know more about it?
Brij Nath : I did hear. But prophet, my attention did not go towards this. There are some children who are different. I saw one child in Benares who
could do high arithmetic at the age of seven. Once, I saw an eight-year child singing vocal music of a very high order. In Orissa, I saw a Brahmin's child who would in no time repeat whatever was read out to him only once. I read verses from the Vedas. He immediately repeated all of them, although he had not studied Sanskrit at all. Sometimes, at some places such special children are born but mostly I have seen that they do not live for long.
Tutor: O Pandit, you are right. At Lahore, once I saw a child. He was the son of an astrologer. He was hardly six or seven years old. He worked out geometry so well without any error. His dad and everybody were astonished but he did not live long.
Priest: What you say is true. Such children are born sometimes. Even the Muslims, who generally do not believe in such things, sometimes wonder.
The world wonders, but we know that the efforts and practices done in previous birth, sometimes, fructify in this birth in this young age. Even the doctors say that the brain of certain persons shows wonders.
But here, the signs are different. These signs are not of efforts and practices of previous birth. These are signs of a prophet.
In my view this child is a prophet.
Pandit: O Priest, how do you think like that?
Priest: You are a scholar. I am only a priest of the town. But listen. A prophet is born in coolness. His personality is sweet, loving and dominating. His nature is to give charity. Even in childhood, he doesn't wish to acquire or grab anything. His talk has a feeling in it. His forehead shines with radiance. Miracles happen from him automatically. This is how I understood him when he was born. I did the ceremony of the sixth day of birth. I made him wear the dress. I saw him throughout his childhood. Every second day, I have been going to see him. I see him and I become cool. It gives delight and peace of mind. I have never seen him crying like other children. Even in the cradle he looks a godly soul. Whenever you see him, he is showering happiness from his nectar-filled eyes. When he started walking, he would pick up and give away anything that came to him. When he grew more in age, even then, no beggar or needy would go disappointed. He would give whatever he saw near. Many times he gave away the utensils of the house to the needy. This charity is a nature of a godly soul. When he started playing with other children. I always saw as if he were the head of all children.
Generally, children fight on issues. I have never seen him fighting. One day, I saw him dropping fruits from a tree for the children but himself he did
not eat. Then, I saw him at the age of five, sitting with eyes closed in solitude for an hour or even two hours together. At that time, his forehead shines giving luster, his lips are in a subtle smile and it seems, he is immersed in the love of the Lord. When he plays with children, he is always the guide. He never loses, always wins. What more should I tell? My first day's estimation that he is a prophet doesn't go out of my mind. Day by day, my faith is increasing. Just now, from the east was coming the voice, 'O Lord you are great'. It was he, who was singing.
Tutor: They brought him to my school, for me to teach him.
Priest: Yes, his charitable-ness increased so much that it irked the dad. Moms are of a sentimental nature. Mom, Mrs. Tripta, respected mom, fortunate mom, picture of piousness, she hides his giving away of anything but dad somehow comes to know. When he saw that the child Nanak was giving away even expensive clothes and sometimes jewelry also in charity, then, he came to me and complained: You say, 'your son has brought good luck and you are fortunate. He will be a king or a prophet. He will bless you and the world too', but as it is, he is giving away even the household articles of the house. I tried to make him understand. He has sentiment for his son, but the ego of the mind comes in. So, one day it was decided that he should be sent to a school. When he will be away the whole day, then, he will get less chance to give away things and more so, he is the son of an upper caste Khatri, he must learn to read and write and accounts, so that he can take charge of his dad's work when he comes of age. That is how he took him to you. But the signs are not like that. I feel he is not going to do the dad's work. He will be a prophet of the world, of the universe. O tutor, you tell, what you have seen in him. What I have seen, all points towards his being a prophet. I have listened to him. Sometimes, he talks like children but then suddenly, he becomes serious and sits down, sometimes he talks of the unseen Lord. Even the people in the neighborhood talk highly of him. Everybody says he is an image of the Lord.
Tutor: O priest, I respect you, but my mind has not thought of his being a prophet, nor I have seen anything, but one thing that astonishes me is, that Mehta Kalu Ji said, 'This boy gives away household articles. He is fearless and carefree. In this young age he goes and meets the saints and sadhus. What comes to his hands, he gives it to them. You please teach him'. But what I have seen is that he reads as if he has already read. I wrote the alphabet on a board. In one day only, he wrote all that himself. I would sometimes look at his face and sometimes at his feet and wonder 'what miracle is this'? Then, I
wrote the multiplication tables. That also, he learnt in one day only. It is only a few days but he has reached up to calculation of interest. He is never unruly. Instead he is always smiling. Sometimes, he closes his eyes and gets immersed. I did not understand this. I thought he might be sleeping like that. Now, since you have said, I realize that what I thought was sleep, must be meditation, because he never swayed like a sleepy person. When he steps in the school, one feels some coolness and happiness. Today, boys have told me that whenever I am out, he makes all the boys sing in chorus 'O Lord you are great', and his face becomes radiant.
So, O godly priest, it seems your thinking is correct. The signs are all miraculous. Surely, the child will be a prophet.
Brij Nath: O Tutor, from your talk it appears that Hardyal priest's estimation is correct. All right, you tell if the other boys mtirnidate or threaten him, then, does he get frightened?
Tutor: Boys dare not threaten him. He himself is not afraid of anyone nor he frightens anyone, he doesn't get angry. He doesn't fight but all boys follow him. Wherever goes Nanak, there go the boys.
Pandit: This is a sign of being a prophet. All right, have you ever seen an aura around his face?
Tutor: Well, I have not seen so far, but some boys tell, that when Nanak sits with eyes closed or when he makes them sing in chorus, at that time his face emits radiance. I just scold them and ask them to get away, because my attention never went this side earlier than today.
Priest: This also is the sign of a prophet. All right, have you ever noticed that when he is walking in the sun, then, his shadow is not falling on the ground?
Tutor: I have not given attention. Now, I will notice.
Pandit: Well, you finish teaching him accounts, letter writing etc., then, (looking towards Hardyal priest) you have him sent to me, then, I can see whether your estimation is correct. Then, I can teach him Vedas and other scriptures. In this way, I will get a chance of having his glimpse.
Priest: Your suggestion is good. But my estimation is that he will not learn, he will teach. It will appear as if he is learning but he will be teaching.
O Pandit, you see his forehead sometimes. I have never seen such broad forehead in this young age. Then, you see the luster on his forehead. It is cool and sweet, emitting radiance, not like the mild sheen of the moon but radiance like the early morning sun, sweet, loving and bright.
II (Tutor)
In the fifteenth century the people of India, suppressed under the rule of the tyrant Pathans, witnessed the violent struggle wherein the Mughals overpowered the Pathan rulers. The cruelty of the last ruling Pathans of the Lodhi family the heirs of Sikandar Lodhi is mentioned by Guru Ji.
The Muslim historians, in a wild excitement of pleasure, have unintentionally written all the atrocities that were being committed on the Hindus. On reading the vehemence, frenzy, excitement and zeal, one's heart trembles.
The Hindu saints and sadhus passed time by staying at high mountains or deep forests or at distant and aloof places.
Amongst such aloof places, was a town named Talwandi. It was about twenty-four kilometers from Lahore, but it was aloof in some plain forest.
One, Rai Bhoe of Pindi Bhatian had colonized it, and named it Talwandi Rai Bhoe. It was in fact an old village but Rai Bhoe made new settlements and made it the headquarters of his estate.
These Bhatis or Rais were poets and singers in the Hindu time.
Rai Bhoe became a Muslim and he got a lot of land and ten villages in lieu. So, he made this town, Talwandi, a new settlement and settled here.
To keep the accounts of these ten villages, he appointed Shiv Ram Bedi s/ o Ram Narain of Goda village as a revenue collector under him and made him settle here. When Rai Bhoe died, then, his son Rai Bular Ji became the head of this estate. He appointed Shiv Ram's son Kalyan Chand as the revenue collector, whom he called Mehta Kalu Ji.
The lands here were giving good income. Irrigation was from wells. There were forests around, due to which saints and sadhus visited this place quite often.
Rai Bhoe became a Muslim out of some compulsion or pressure. He was not a cruel-hearted person in his own time. The Hindu saints, sadhus and priests also got respect in his estate and felt comfortable.
Similarly, his son Rai Bular Ji was also a God-loving person, due to which the saints and sadhus of all religious denominations were respected in Talwandi. He himself was also fond of serving the saints.
The atrocities of Sikandar Lodhi were talked in every house. The honour of Hindu girls and women was reduced to dust. So much so, that a Hindu family could not wear or keep good clothes or ornaments. The order was to
confiscate grains, if somebody kept in the house, for requirements of more than six months. When the kings gave such orders, would his courtiers and other subordinates not be much more cruel?
The earth was trembling in such atrocities. That is how Guru Ji said while recounting those atrocities: Kings are lions and his subordinates are dogs.
If there was some peace to the people, that was under some small chiefs, Hindus and Muslims, who held small states, wished to live in peace, be good to their subjects and paid taxes to the Delhi rulers. But these were a few only.
In this type was this Talwandi in Sandalbar that was not desolate. It had habitation at a few places. This place had the privilege of the birth of a prophet who came to allay the suffering of the people. Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born here.
After the above conversation, the three pandits went to their respective homes.
Next day, the tutor watched his student with attention. That day, the child took his writing board and went and sat alone. He was writing on the board and a fine sweet voice was audible as if he is singing something. The tutor looked at him again and again so that he may get a proof of what the priest had said, but such proofs are not obtained that easily however keen and desirous the person might be.
One day, the tutor waited, so that when Nanak comes to him he shall give him some new words to write, but that day Nanak did not go to him.
Then, the tutor called him: O Nanak, you have not shown me your writing board today.
The miraculous child got up like a big sea wave from a deep sea, and walked in a self-absorbed gait and a sweet charm of pearls in his eyes. His body was in sweet intoxication. He came and gave one writing board in the hands of the tutor and he kept two boards with himself.
What did the tutor see now? It wasn't any arithmetic. It was a divine text. With each alphabet, was written something. But what was written? Was it that Nanak had read? No it was something else. The tutor started reading. With each alphabet, was written a divine text. The tutor was wonder struck to read the divine text with each alphabet. He would sometimes look at the godly child's forehead, sometimes, read the board again and again.
He remembered the words of Hardyal priest: This age, this writing, this devotion and this discourse.
Today, the tutor said to himself: He has this consciousness in this age. That is why he gives away whatever comes in his hands to saints and sadhus and he is happy to talk to them. He is surely a prophet.
To clear his doubts, the tutor thought: I may ask him and see whether he gives the same replies as he has written.
Then, he said: O Nanak, why don't you learn what your dad wants you to learn? If you learn the accounts that I teach, then you will become a big accountant.
Then, the child looked towards the tutor with merciful eyes and said in a sweet voice: O pious man, burn the sentiments. That will be the ink. Let the inner mind be a paper. Let the love of the Lord be the pen. Then, write the Lord's name and His praise. If you learn this writing, then when you die and go to the Lord, where you will be asked, 'what good deeds have you done in this world'? At that time, this writing will save you and the Lord will give you the fruits of writing the Lord's name.
On listening to this, the tutor was bewildered. For once, his sentimental net was burnt. He realized the world as perishable, the worldly pleasures as a trap, and love of the Lord as the real true happiness in this world and the next world too. He became sure that the estimation of Hardyal is correct.
He fell at the child's feet in respect and said: You are not a child. You are a prophet. You do what comes to your mind. You bless me. Your grace should fall on me.
Now, for some days, the child Nanak did not go for studying. He was sitting at home all the time, or he would go out to the fields and forest and talk to the sadhus and other people about the Lord.
Ill
Now, again one day, Mehta Kalu Ji, the godly child's dad, met the priest and said: O Pandit, what horoscope have you made for my son? He keeps lying down like a crazy person. He is not going to the tutor. He is not studying. He is not doing anything. He only talks of spiritualism with the sadhus. Say, what should I do? You are a wise man. You suggest a way out.
Hardyal priest said: If he talks of spiritual things in this age, then, he is a big saint or a prophet. His aptitude is towards spiritualism. You better take him to pandit Brij Nath. He will teach him Sanskrit language. Then, he will become a big saint. Even otherwise, if a child studies according to his aptitude, then, he feels happy and becomes intelligent.
Mehta Kalu Ji agreed to the suggestion of the priest and so he took his dear son to pandit Brij Nath. Pandit was already wishing that if this child, who is being talked about all over in the town, comes to him, then, he shall also know what the people talk about.
So, he welcomed the child. He wrote the alphabets of Sanskrit on a writing board and asked the child to copy and re-write those. The godly child wrote those easily. Whatever the pandit wrote, he could read. The pandit was amazed that from where the child had got so much intelligence.
One day, on seeing a paper in his hand, his dad Shri Kalu Mehta asked him: What is this?
The godly child replied: This is a seven couplet scripture.
Dad was astonished as to how the child has learnt so much in such a short time. He took him to the pandit and showed him what the child had written.
The pandit said: O Child, will you read it?
Then, the child read it all and also told the meanings of the same.
The Pandit looked at his face without blinking. He could see radiance on the child's forehead and an ecstasy in his words. The ecstasy was going in his ears and eyes. The Pandit was in wondrousness and ecstasy.
When the child Nanak finished telling the meanings of the words, then, his sweet lips opened again and said: But O Pandit, salvation is in praising the Lord.
The Pandit's eyes got bonded at the child's face in wondrousness. He sat like a statue. Only after sometime, he heaved a sigh of freshness, his eyes opened and closed. With folded hands, he fell at the child's feet. But the godly child, like the dazzle of lightning, had already left.
When Kalu Mehta reached home, the child was playing with other children, laughing and running, climbing the tree and coming down, jumping. Suddenly, he ran out, all the children followed him. Wherever he went and whatever he did all children followed. It became evening. He came back. All children also came in. He asked everyone to sit in rows and asked mom to serve dinner to everyone. Everyone had food and then, they went home.
For a few more days he went to the Pandit gladly.
Seeing his miracles and listening to his words the Pandit developed a feeling of devotion to the Lord. He got the sensation of the Lord in his mind and body. His mind was elevated.
IV (Muslim priest)
Mom and dad, on seeing two moods of the godly child, felt sometimes delighted and sometimes sad. They felt delighted when they saw him laughing and studying but when they saw him sitting the whole day in the forest in solitude and talking to the sadhus or lying down quiet in the house the whole day, then they felt sad. Then, they thought that whatever way Hardyal exalted him or whatever unique they saw in him was imaginary and they became worried and said: We have only one son. O Lord, what will happen?
Now the godly child used to go to the forest. Sit there for long hours and meet the sadhus and recluses. He listened to whatever knowledge the sadhus had and discuss the old scriptures and then, guide them towards love of the Lord. However, sitting in meditation with eyes closed, immersed in the Lord's love, then, seeing in nature with eyes open, the Lord whom he called 'All pervading', he perceived God in him and everywhere else since the beginning of time.
To remain incessantly in this 'love of the Lord', to dive deep in this love, to get drenched in this love, this was Lord's grace that kept him always engrossed from the beginning of time.
The godly soul, that was attuned with nature, saw the Lord everywhere, in the solitude of the forest, in the twittering of the birds, in the zoon... zoon... of the Persian wheel of the well, in the blue sky, in the radiance of the rising of the sun disc, in the sweet beauty of the night, in the glittering and sparkling of the stars and in the moonlight spreading on earth.
All this made him immersed in the love of the Lord and he was in ecstasy and rapture always.
But, this beauty in nature did not trap him in itself. It showed him that this is a veil created by an illusion and it took him behind the veil to be immersed in reality, i.e. the Lord. He could see the Lord who had created nature and who was the support of nature.
He was absorbed in the Lord who lived in nature but was also above this nature, 'One', alone, all in all, only 'One' who is the creator of His creation.
This love sensation was from the heavens.
No priest or sadhu could give this love to the master of this love sensation. The priests and sadhus were themselves in the forgetfulness of the Lord.
How could the priest or tutor know where does the mind of Nanak go and touch? Where does it remain in the incessant touch and where does it get so much engrossed and absorbed that sometimes his mind and body even
don't move? This is the touch he has to give to this world. This is the touch for which he has come to this earth.
All three, the priest, the pandit and the tutor, saw his miracles and accepted that he is a prophet. But who could have an inner vision of him.
Mom and dad also did see that his nature, handsome-ness, way of living is miraculous but without an inner vision they could not judge his greatness.
They thought: If he is really great, then, why is he giving away household articles? Why he keeps sleeping in laziness? Why he keeps sitting in the forest? When he plays, why he keeps on playing and playing? Are these signs of madness or greatness?
This is what the sages call illusion or ego of the mind.
Mehta Kalu Ji now, saw that his son remains happy in the forests and with those who stay there. But he did not know that he would sit only with those sadhus who would come and join him in singing the praises of the Lord or those who would sing the praises of the Lord and Guru Nanak Dev Ji would sit and listen. Mehta Kalu Ji, however, remained sad in seeing all this and this affected his work also.
When Rai Bular Ji came to know that Mehta Kalu Ji is sad, then, he consoled him and said: O Mehta, you make your son learn Persian language. Then, he can take charge of the work that you are doing. He is good and honest. Mehta Kalu Ji agreed to the suggestion of Rai Bular Ji.
Did the godly soul not like to obey his parents or do what they liked?
No, whatever the parents said, he would do it with attentive-ness.
But he was one with the Lord and nature. The beauty in nature and his vision of the Lord in the creation attracted him towards the Lord and he got immersed in the love of the Lord automatically, powerlessly. If it had been in his power not to get immersed, then, Nanak, the king from the heavens, would have been an intellectual. But he was incessantly living in the touch of the Lord. He was a fountain of love of the Lord. He was to awaken the sleeping souls of the world with the godly touch, himself, being one with the Lord. How could it be that the vision of the Lord in nature would not immerse him in the love of the Lord, and he would not, always, be living in the palace of the Lord, about which he said: O Lord, your palace is so big where you sit and look after the entire creation.
One day, seeing the child Nanak in a cheerful mood, dad took him to the Muslim priest. Even here, like before, he started studying. The Muslim priest was astonished to see how quickly he learnt the Persian language.
But his love of the Lord, his love of beauty in nature, his immersion in the Lord's love and his detachment of worldly desires, like the wet dew was always in him.
One day, the priest told him: O Nanak, you don't study so diligently as before. You do not come on time and you go away on your own.
Then, he replied: I have already read and I read what He makes me read.
Muslim Priest: Who makes you read and what have you read?
Then, the godly child gave one copy to the Muslim priest. In the copy were written all the Persian alphabets and against each alphabet was a stanza in praise of the Lord.
On reading the same, the Muslim priest bowed his head and he said: You have divine knowledge in you. You are a prophet. You belong to the Lord. This age and this knowledge! The Lord speaks in you. After saying this, again he bowed his head.
Guru Ji came home. Now, again, he was in the same mood. Either, he would spend the whole day in the forest or lie down in the house or sit with eyes closed. He stopped talking and even taking food regularly; sometimes, he would have it and sometimes not. The parents got worried.
They thought: Some witch has influenced him in the forest.
So, they called the Muslim priest and said: See, what has happened to the child. The Muslim priest talked to the godly child and tried to make him speak but the child remained lying down quiet.
Then, the Muslim priest whispered in his ears: Nanak, for the sake of God, whom you love, please get up.
On listening to the Lord's name, he got up to sit. The face that was hidden under the sheet should have been pale, instead it looked bright like the brightness of a full moon, and there was a blossom on his forehead. He looked towards the Muslim priest with merciful eyes.
Then, he spoke one couplet in Persian, wherein he asked the priest to pray to the Lord. In the prayer, he told the priest to say to the Lord: We are in worldly desires day and night and in your forgetfulness. The world is perishable. Please do not see to our bad deeds. Prompt us to do good deeds. Prompt us that we love you. Give us the company of holy people. Give us your love, O Lord.
He said to the priest: This precious life is going waste in the forgetfulness of the Lord. Make it fruitful.
It had a magical effect on the priest. With folded hands he said: I am at your feet. You pray that I get out of the cycle of births and deaths. You bless me and save me from the worldly fires.
Guru Ji blessed him with the Lord's name. The Muslim priest started reciting the Lords' name and got immersed in the love of the Lord and got true happiness.
The Muslim priest who had come to cure the child, himself was cured and he went away.
Then again, he was lying down for some days. Sometimes, in exuberance and blossom and sometimes, lying down quiet. Two different moods appeared strange. It seems, his own elevation of the mind, the beauty in nature and his seeing the Lord, in nature and everywhere, kept him in exuberance. But when he would see the suffering of the world and ponder: How to allay this suffering? Then, he felt sympathetic and lay down quiet How to save the world?
V. Buffaloes
After some days, again he started moving out. He would go and sit in the forest, come home, have food on time, talk to everyone, laugh and play also.
Then, Mehta Kalu Ji said to himself: What a son I have got? Sometimes, he is cheerful and sometimes sad. I have put him in so many schools. The tutors said that he has learnt. Now he teaches us. He is a prophet. They say that he has blessed them. But what do they know that he keeps lying down lazily or keeps sitting in the forest the whole day. A person who has one son and he would go and sit with sadhus, do no work, who would not learn to earn money, only parents can know their sadness, who else can feel?
But now, what should we do that he gets into some work. A thought came that he is fond of going to the forest. Then, they thought: We should give him such vocation that he may go to the forest and do some vocation also.
So, they decided that they should send the cows and buffaloes for grazing with him. He will go to the forest and his vocation will also go on. If he gets used to this work, then, we can buy a herd of cows and buffaloes.
So, dad Mehta Kalu Ji said: O son Nanak, you remain happy in the fields, garden or forest, and you are fond of cows, buffaloes and calves. You are happy to feed them. Now you take the cows and buffaloes to the fields. They will be grazing and you will also be happy. By the grace of God, there is plenty in the house.
Then, the child Guru Ji said : O.K.
So, now the child Nanak, yes, Guru Nanak Dev Ji became a herdsman. One who has to take hordes of big and small people to the Lord's palace has, today, become a herdsman. He took the cows and buffaloes to the village pasture or further in open fields where there was more of grass.
The cattle were happy to graze the grass and he was happy immersed in his love of the Lord. Sometimes he would close his eyes and be in meditation of the Lord. He felt the Lord very near to him and inside his body and outside in nature. He was immersed in the Lord's love and was in ecstasy. Sometimes, he used to recite His name as if he were calling Him. Sometimes, he sang sweet songs as if he were enjoying His love.
What happened one day? This godly child sat immersed in the love of the Lord and his eyes closed. He got so much immersed as if lost. The child Guru Ji was not aware of the goings on nearby. People say that the yogis go into deep meditation. Similarly, Guru Ji went into deep meditation as if unconscious. The handsome child was in remembrance and love of the Lord but outwardly it appeared as if he was in a trance.
VI Justice
Under a dense shade is kept a bed with red legs. A jewel embedded sheet is spread on the bed and on it is sitting the chief of the area. On the ground also, sheets are spread, whereon sat some gentlemen and courtiers.
Walking hastily came one landlord holding a handsome young man from his arm.
Landlord: O king, I have been duped. You do justice. I have been duped.
Rai: It is your right to ask for justice and it is my duty to do justice. Say, what has happened.
Landlord: Your Excellency. This season there was good rain.
I worked so hard in making the earth soft, then putting the seeds and manure, and my field was full of green healthy plants, and I was in delight that a year will pass nicely in selling the wheat and earning good.
One courtier sitting on the ground: Then, what happened to your green fairies?
Landlord (in restlessness): What happened? I have been duped. I want justice, justice, fair play, fair play, justice, justice. Who will make the duped and the duper equal?
Muslim priest: Rai will do.
Landlord: That is why I have come to Rai for justice. It should not happen that when your own official is involved, then you side with him.
Courtier: Be respectful. Don't open your mouth too much. Our king's justice is justice, like weighing on a weighing scale.
Landlord: That is why I have come to the king.
Rai: You say something, what has happened?
Landlord: I have been duped. I am duped. (Like a mad person) I am duped.
Rai (in an angry tone): Who has duped you?
Landlord: What should I tell? It is your own man.
Courtier: Listen. Will you tell the name or not?
Landlord: See, I caught him and I have brought him with me here.
Rai (Looking towards Guru Ji): Well, he is Mehta Kalu Ji's son.
Landlord: Yes, Mehta Kalu Ji's pampered son.
Courtier: But, he is mad.
Landlord: Now, you will leave him off saying that he is mad, because he is the son of an official. I am going to the king at Lahore. I am duped.
Rai: O gentleman, won't you tell, what has happened? You are only fooling around. 'I am duped'. 'I am duped'. Who has duped? What has been lost?
Landlord: This, mad, Mehta's son has eaten all my green fairies, all long green wheat plants.
Every body laughed.
Courtier: A man eating your green wheat plants. Isn't it strange?
Landlord: O brother, does it not amount to eating? Himself, he went and slept in the forest and let his cows and buffaloes enter my field that was full of long green plants. They ate up all and did not leave even a bit of straw. You tell, where should I go? What should I do? How will the year pass? How will I pay the taxes? How will I support my family? I am duped. I am duped. (Staring at Rai) Now, will you do justice? (Looking towards the courtiers) Now, everybody is quiet. He is son of your official and you call him mad. Oh! Let me go to the king at Lahore.
Rai: O Landlord, listen. Don't panic. Have patience. You will get compensation for your entire loss.
Landlord: God bless you. Put the compensation in my lap (spreading a sheet).
Rai: O Nathu, go and bring Mehta Kalu Ji. This child is mad. Mehta Kalu Ji should come and pay compensation to the Landlord.
Landlord: O king, you are great. May you live for a million years.
Nathu, while going to call Mehta Kalu Ji, was looking self-consciously at the Landlord. Soon, he was out of sight.
The Landlord again looked towards Rai and said: See, Your Excellency, how carefree, is he standing? Mad? Does he talk anything? He is mad. But one is sane when something comes on him. Now, he will understand when his dad will have to pay the damages. This young man is pampered by the parents.
Rai again looked at the godly child's face and was astonished to see how quietly he was standing with a handsome blossoming face as if a prince was standing in a king's durbar.
After some time Mehta Kalu Ji arrived.
Rai: Listen Mehta, see what your son has done. He has finished the year's earning of this Landlord. Himself, he went off to sleep and let the buffaloes enter the field of this Landlord. They ate all his plants.
Mehta (looking towards son): O Rai, what should I do? I have tried my best that he does some work, but whatever he did, he lost money. His madness doesn't go.
Landlord: Mad. Mad. He enjoys sleep and Mehta's buffaloes graze in somebody else's fields. Who cares if somebody else's fields are eaten up. Every house should have such mad sons. Yes, but today he will understand.
Courtier: O Landlord, you do not speak.
Rai: Listen Mehta, I do not say anything else because the child is not in himself. I do not blame anybody for that. But, you pay the damages to this Landlord. This, you will have to pay. This cannot be forgiven. This is the justice.
Landlord: O king, you rule for hundred years. You have done justice. The scale of justice was leaning, but you have weighed correctly.
Many people were coming and standing behind the Landlord. One of them loudly said: First, you verify the damage.
Rai: Yes, you have said at the right time. Justice is no justice till both sides are checked.
(Loudly): Two orderlies go and take one person who can take measurements. Take this Landlord along. Assess, how much damage is done.
Then, two orderlies went along with the Landlord and returned after some time.
Orderly: Your Excellency, the field that this Landlord said, has been eaten up, is blossoming with large green plants.
Rai looked at the person who had gone for measurement. Person: Sir, there is no sign of buffaloes having eaten even a little grass. Rai (in astonishment): O Landlord. Is it true, what these three men are telling?
Landlord: I won't speak a lie. The truth is, that what they are telling is true.
Rai: Then, why you made a false complaint? Why you made false accusations unnecessarily?
Landlord: I say, in the name of God, that I did not tell a lie (looking towards the godly child).
Rai: Has your dad made the field green?
Landlord: Sir, this child is a magician. He sits with saints and sadhus. He has used some supernatural powers and made it green.
Rai: Tell the truth. Did you see the field eaten up, with your own eyes?
Landlord: Sir, yes, with these two eyes that are now seeing you sitting on the red bed. I swear, there was not a straw left in the field.
Rai (Looking at everybody): Say, what do you understand?
One: Mehta Kalu Ji's son is not mad. It is his age of eating and drinking. It is his age for sleeping deeply. Maybe some buffalo may have put her mouth in his field. He must have seen from a distance. He thought his field is plucked, like a mirage.
Landlord: O, why are you telling a He? Why are you flattering? Don't forget God.
Second: No sir, Landlord is right. Nanak has supernatural powers. He has cast some spell that the field has become green again.
Third: He does meditation. With some power, he has done it.
Fourth: Sir, in my view this child is not an ordinary child. Nor is he a magician. He is a beloved of the Lord. The Lord has saved the honor of his beloved. I have seen him sitting in the forest and swaying his head while reciting the Lord's name.
One priest: Your Excellency, you please do justice now. The Lord's secrets, the Lord knows. Whatever has happened has happened. The Landlord is happy. His fields are full. Mehta is free. Let him go with honor. Let the child go and play. For us, it is time for the evening prayer.
Rai: Yes, it is right. Everybody please go.
These talks were going on. At this moment, the child Nanak sang a divine song. It meant: The yogis, the householders, the pilgrims, are all busy in
themselves. They have no awaken-ness in their mind. Their minds are not elevated. O Lord, I have got your sensation in my mind. If somebody recites 'Your' name incessantly, then, he will have 'Your' sensation in his mind. Further, he said: Two things are important.
'Good deeds' and 'incessant recitation of the Lord's name'.
1. One should do good deeds.
2. When one will go to the Lord's court, then, whoever remained in the incessant remembrance of the Lord will not be asked anything.
He said: Without the Lord's name, this body is of no use. It is fruitless. The Lord's name that we recite has to go deep into our body, mind and soul. If we have not reached this goal in this life, then, our entire life has gone waste.
Rai used to listen that Mehta Kalu Ji's son talks like a mad person.
Today, it was a happening in his presence, where he saw that Nanak whom people called mad is standing like a prince, quiet and relaxed. Then, when he left with Mehta, he was swaying and singing a divine song. With what cheerfulness, he was showering charm on everybody's heart. Then, he was amazed. How the field became green? Then, the voice echoed in his ears: If somebody recites the Lord's name incessantly, then, he will have the sensation of His presence in his mind.
Rai pondered: Does this child listen to some message from the Lord when he sits and recites the Lord's name?
Wrapped in these thoughts he went home, had food and went to sleep, but whenever he woke up, he heard the echo in his ears: 'The breath in which one is not in remembrance of the Lord, that breath is going waste'.
Rai pondered: Even, my breath is going waste. I am not in remembrance of the Lord. How many would be in remembrance? But this child surely is in remembrance of the Lord. See, how quiet and graceful he was standing? There was a luster on his forehead. How his face was emitting radiance? He was being made a culprit but he was standing blameless, innocent, and carefree. He was not nervous, really carefree. The field is all green and he does not say that this Landlord is telling a lie. His field is all green. Is he mad, with no sense? Or mad in the love of the Lord.
How he said: When the Lord is benevolent, even hot air cannot come near you.
VII. The sacred thread
Now, the dad saw the godly child in a good mood. The godly child would take the buffaloes for grazing to the forests and come back laughing. Dad thought that this vocation has suited him. Now, we should have the ceremony of putting the sacred thread. He is growing now. Then, he has to be married.
Accordingly, a day was fixed for the celebration. All the relatives, brothers, sisters and friends were invited. Very delicious snacks and food were made and served. According to the tradition of the Khatris, a goat was to be sacrificed.
The priest Hardyal chanted some holy text and then picked up the sacred thread to put around the godly child's neck.
Then, the godly child looked towards the priest with love, raised his hand, stopped the priest and said: What is it and why you want to put it on my neck?
Then, the priest said: You are an upper caste Bedi Khatri. You will be considered reborn. By wearing this thread, you will be initiated as an upper caste Khatri. Those who are not initiated are not considered upper caste Khatris. They are considered as low caste.
On hearing the words low caste, the child showed a frown on his forehead, but then, he became normal and asked the pandit: This will become dirty by wearing on the neck.
Pandit: Then, you can wash it.
Guru Ji said: This will wear out and break.
Pandit: You can buy another one and wear on your neck.
Guru Ji: Don't you have a sacred thread that should not get dirty nor break?
Pandit: I do not have, but O novel child, if you have anything, then, you tell me. Wonderful are your miracles.
The godly child looked towards the priest with merciful eyes and said: O priest, Do not consider anybody as low. Be merciful to everybody. This should be the cotton. Don't be greedy. Be happy with what you have. Pandit, you call it contentment. Let this be the spinning. Let speaking the truth be the twisting. Let purity of mind be the knots, so that it remains sacred. O, pandit you put this sacred thread, this will neither break nor get dirty.
Fortunate are those who will go to the Lord's house with this sacred thread on their neck.
The priest smiled and said: This is a religious symbol. It always remains with you.
The godly child said: This will become dirty. It will wear out and break.
The priest's heart melted on listening to the godly child.
It came to his mind that his estimation that this child is a prophet is true.
But being tied down to traditions, he said: O loving child, what you say is true. The thread you have suggested is for the mind. But wearing this thread on the body is a Vedic tradition since ages. Everybody has been wearing. So, you also wear.
Now, Guru Ji stood up on the dais and looked towards all the relatives, friends, Bralimins and other guests who were swarming around and said: What is this thread that you wear? The pandit makes it by twisting the threads and then chants some holy text. This thread breaks as it becomes old. The pandit dies of old age. Whatever the pandit whispers in your ears, nobody understands. So, really speaking, nothing goes in anybody's mind and nothing goes with you when you leave this world. You wear the thread and are initiated as upper caste. But you are killing goats and eating meat. After wearing this sacred thread you are telling lies, you indulge in stealing, you think evil of other people. You deceive people. Neither you remain true nor you remain pure. You are engaged in dirty habits doing evil deeds. How is it that you have become upper caste by wearing the thread and how others are low caste? You were supposed to stop doing evil deeds after wearing the sacred thread. Your hands and feet should not have been a source of suffering for other people. Your eyes should have seen other people with love. You should have spoken sweetly. Then, it could be said that you are upper caste and the thread has strength. The pandit himself is not away from evil deeds but preaches others to do goodness.
Wear the sacred thread that I have told. This will neither become dirty nor break. This will make you happy in this world as also in the next world too. Then, the priest thought: I considered him as a prophet who will keep the traditions but he is against the wearing of this sacred thread. Why is it so?
Then he pondered: Yes, he is telling the truth. This thread was a sign of high character in upper castes. The character has gone down the dust. It is true. But the tradition has to be kept up. If he is a prophet and he does not like this thread, then which thread shall he wear? Let me ask. On asking, he got the reply.
Guru Ji: The true thread is 'singing the praises of the Lord' and 'reciting the Lord's name with love'. Wearing this thread will make you respectable in the Lord's palace.
On listening to this, the pandit pondered: This godly child has so much high thinking. But again he thought of the honor of the family and again requested: This is a tradition. This is a symbol of upper caste. The body requires this. What you have said is for the mind. That, you make us wear. You have already worn that. This is for the body to wear.
But the fearless and true Guru Ji said in a firm voice: O priest, you have not put the thread on your sensual desires, you have not put the thread on your hands and feet to keep them away from vices. You have not put the thread on your eyes, so that you may not see with an evil eye, you have not put the thread on your tongue, so that you do not talk ill of others. Listen everybody. His mind is not enlightened but he calls himself an intellectual priest.
On listening to this, the priest became humble and said: You are great. You have come from the heavens. You know your greatness.
□ □ □ □