I [The story of Harrapa]
From Saidpur, the Guru traveled towards south. He did not enter any village or town. He kept on traveling in the forests. Nights, he would spend under a tree. Then, a town came and he asked Mardana: Are you hungry? Mardana said: You know everything. The Guru said: Go to the town and have food.
Mardana said: I do not know anyone. Who will give me food like that? If you say I shall beg for food.
The Guru replied: O singer of divine hymns, you need not beg for food. You go and stand in front of the house of Uppal Khatris. They will be having food. They will be delighted to see you. All the people in the town may be Hindus or Mohammedans will come and touch your feet. They will bring all sorts of food for you. Some will even bring clothes. Whosoever will see you, will say: I will bring my entire wealth for you. They will say: O, handsome child of the Lord, we adore you. But there will be some who won't bother who you are and from where have you come.
On hearing the words of the Guru, Mardana went to the town. What the Guru had said became true word by word. The entire town came and touched his feet. People gave him money, food and clothes. They gave him respect and asked him for service. Mardana was delighted to see all that. He could not control his happiness. But when a person passed by who would not bother about him, then he felt somewhat dejected. In this way, when it was evening, he carried the money and other things and brought them to the Guru.
When the Guru saw all the money and food and clothes of silk and cotton and other things, he laughed and laughed and said: Mardana what have you brought?
Mardana: It is because of your words, that all people gave me food, money and other things. I had food to my fill and these things, I have brought for you.
Guru (laughingly): Mardana you have done well in bringing these things, but they are of no use to me.
Mardana: O Guru, then what should I do with them?
Guru: Throw them away.
Mardana for once saw the Guru's blossoming face, then, he looked inside himself. Again he looked at the shining forehead of the Guru from where shining rays were coming out. Like, the light rays come from the moon, the Guru's face looked like a full moon. Mardana picked up the bundle and threw it at a distance.
Then he came near, sat down and asked: You remain unattached to everything. You don't even touch anything. People give with pleasure. Even then you throw away everything. How is that?
Guru: These riches, I have left at home, to travel. If again I cling to them, then what is the idea?
Mardana: But then you do not like even the recluses who have left their homes.
Guru: It is not that I do not like them. But after renouncing the home, children, wife, mom and dad they become non-earning and burden on others. That is bad. Just renouncing the home and family does not serve any purpose.
Mardana: Why don't you accept anything?
Guru: O Mardana, I have started travels on the command of the Lord. For me, house or forest is the same. For me, to acquire or to give up is same. Wherever He keeps me, I am happy. His wish is to allay the suffering of the people, to go places and bless the people with the Lord's name and to uplift the downtrodden. I have started my travels on this command of the Lord. I have not come for accepting riches.
Mardana: Your Holiness, this body requires food. How can it even stand without food? Traveling so much and that too without food?
True Guru: The body lives by eating food. To leave food is a misplaced belief. Man lives on the support of the food that he eats but there is a support of love from the beloved ones also. If a beloved sends his love from a distance even that is a support. It is not that man lives on food alone. One can live on
the support of Lord's name also. We recite the Name on the strength of food but the body has a support of Name also. This, you will experience sometime.
Mardana: O benevolent Guru, after all, these riches are a livelihood. You throw them away as a dead snake.
Guru: Yes, money is a source of livelihood. It is true. One cannot give it up. One requires money to fill one's tummy. One requires money for living. But those who keep fasts do not renounce it. The efforts to renounce by keeping fasts are fruitless. Renouncing the greed from the mind is renouncing the riches.
Mardana: Yes, you have said rightly. Then, why have you thrown away all these clothes and money?
Guru: When there is no greed, then we should act accordingly.
I don't need the clothes and money. Therefore, I have thrown them away. When I do not need them, then to carry them is greed. You are attached to the riches. Even after throwing them away, you are remembering them. O Mardana, say O Lord, O Lord.
Mardana: O Lord, O Lord.
Guru: Mardana, see, you have been blessed with the Lord's name. Understand the support of Name. Life is on the support of Name.
Mardana: Yes, Name and your words have value. Your handsome mouth uttered that everybody will fall at my feet and it happened. I did not realize that it is due to your words. I should understand your words. I should love your words. I am stupid and humble. Your grace is showering like rain, spontaneously.
Guru: Mardana, play the rebeck and sing a divine song.
The divine song and the heavenly tune had a salutary effect on Mardana. Mardana's mind was elevated. Mardana realized that love of the Lord is the real thing. To love the Lord is remembering Him. Remembrance is in recitation. It can be Name, it can be divine songs with or without music, or it may be the utterance of the true Guru.
Guru: One, who is in the service of the Lord, will recite the Name himself and make others recite the Name. He will not be in greed. One, who is in greed, is not a servant of the Lord. Those who are in recitation of Name are not greedy. They are contented. They consider riches as the dirt of hands and feet. If a person is greedy, then, he is not a Lord's servant. Greed makes you do evil, by telling lies, by deceiving, by short weighing, by taking bribes, by confirming a lie, by doing evil to others and by betraying one's employer.
The greed makes you accumulate wealth by many evil deeds. Where greed is, evil comes and deceives.
II [Sajjan's Mansion]
Now, he left this place. He came near another town. The town was still at a distance but there was a big mansion on the roadside. There was a boundary wall on the four sides of the mansion. On one side, there was a door and a verandah. On the two front corners were two sacred places. On one side, was an idol temple and on the other side was a mosque. Next to the verandah was a courtyard and then there were rooms and a basement. There was a well inside that was hidden and secretly made. The passage to the well was secretly made. There were more rooms and verandahs and courtyards inside. There was one owner of this mansion and he had many servants.
When the Guru and Mardana came to this mansion, then two servants came out and (with folded hands) said: Come. Your Holiness, your face has radiance, a shine of the Lord's benevolence and wealth, you are fortunate, come inside, welcome, it is your own home, you seem to be tired in traveling, dust is kissing the eyebrows on your forehead, come inside. This is an inn for the travelers. You can stay and relax. We are at your service.
Guru Nanak's sacred feet that generally kept away from towns and mansions, today, hurriedly entered the mansion.
Mardana, who was always keen and quick in entering towns, today, did follow but with hesitation, fear and trembling.
He uttered: O Lord, save us.
Guru: O Mardana, come along. You are right in hesitating but don't hesitate. They are saying: It is your house. Every house is Lord's house. If it is not, it will become. Come in.
Inside, they were escorted to a very well decorated room and they sat down. The persons who escorted went away. Then, a gentleman, with a polished face, trim beard, eyes like a chameleon, a delicate gait, a turban on head, a garland of beads in hand, and wearing a muffler on the neck, walked in. After greeting the guests he sat down and said: Welcome to you. This house is for the travelers. It is your own house. God has put me here as a servant to serve the guests. I have shunned greed and desires. I am a humble servant of the saints and sadhus. I have no worldly attachments. On the right side, is the temple for idol worship and on the left is a mosque. Both are God's places.
Meanwhile, two servants brought hot water and said: Your Holiness, shall we wash your tired feet?
Guru (in a sober voice): No. I do not feel like washing my feet. I am comfortable as it is. (Looking towards the owner) Gentleman, what is your name?
Owner: My name is without enmity. Guru: Is it? It is the Lord, who is without enmity. Owner: I am only a servant. However, my name is Sajjan. Guru: Sajjan? What is after, Das, Ram, Lai?
Owner: The Muslims call me Sheikh Sajjan and Hindus call me Sajjan Ram but I am a servant of both.
On listening to all this, Mardana was startled. He stared at the owner but his eyes closed. He said to his mind: Here, it is fear everywhere, in the house, from the servants, from the owner, from the temple, from the mosque. I feel scared. I don't know why my master has come here today?
The servants who had brought hot water went away. The owner also went away. After sometime, when the Guru went towards the mosque, he saw Sajjan saying prayers there. After finishing that, Sajjan was in the temple doing idol worship. Then, he came and brought a tray of food for the guru.
The Guru said: We do not wish to have food. You may take it back.
Sajjan: When guests come and remain hungry, it will be a sin for me.
Guru: It will not be a sin for you. If you make us eat, then it will be a sin for you.
Sajjan (in anxiety): O fortunate person, why don't you have food? This is your home. Don't be superstitious. I am a Hindu. This mosque is for the Muslims because they are the rulers. It is just to keep them pleased.
Guru: One should accept what a saint says. (Looking towards Mardana) Are you hungry?
Mardana: My master, today, me, who is always hungry, is feeling satiated. I cannot eat even a bit.
Sajjan: O.K. I want your happiness only. (Looking towards his servant) Take away this food. (To the Guru): Will you have milk?
Guru: My mind says, 'No'. O Sajjan, go and rest. See, the fish catcher spreads his net everyday. He is dependent on catching of fish and selling them. But sometimes a crocodile comes in the net.
Sajjan (Startled): What have you said? Do you have any ill will against
me?
Guru: Saints do not have ill will against evil persons. They have ill will against evil. You have respected us. You have given us a place to stay. I am for doing goodness to you. Now, you go and have food.
After a couple of hours, Sajjan again came and said: Your Holiness, beds are spread. Come, relax arid sleep.
Guru: O Sajjan, you go and sleep, the sleep that gives rest to the body, that puts everybody in its cradle, that makes a sinner and a pious equal, that makes rich and poor equal, while living. We will sit here. We do not wish to sleep just now.
Sajjan: How can the body stay without sleep? Don't be formal, O benevolent saint. This is your house.
Guru (smilingly): Do not say again and again, 'It is your house'. It might become ours. You live comfortably. Keep us for the night and make us go in the morning. Don't insist. Let the saints enjoy the night in awaken-ness.
Sajjan (showing humility): As you wish, as you wish, I am happy in your wish.
Guru: Then, you go and sleep.
Ill (Plans in Sajjan's House)
In Sajjan's house now, he was in conference with his associates and Sajjan was asking them about their views.
Sajjan: Now you tell, whether he is a saint or a rich man or a detective.
One: In my opinion, he is an ordinary saint in renunciation doing penances and fasts. He has no wealth. Leave him alone. Let him go in the morning.
Second: No. He is wealthy. His forehead shines with wealth. Can the forehead and face shine without wealth? He has earned some good riches. He has diamonds and gems. Must be a small box full of them.
Third: No. He has said, 'sometimes, a fish in the net' and 'sometimes, a crocodile'. Why he said so? This is a sure sign of being a detective. If he stays here for a day or two and comes to know of some secret of ours, then, we are in soup. It is better if we bury him here only. He is surely a detective.
One lady: You are all intelligent and they say women are not far-sighted. But still, you listen to me. All your inferences including that of our master are wrong.
Sajjan (interrupting): Then, why he said 'crocodile'? Lady: I tell you. You all intelligent persons, listen to 'me stupid'. So many people, rich, poor, sadhus, saints, have come and you have seen, but his
appearance is somewhat different. The luster on his forehead is not that of money. His eyes are charming but when you look at him they spread coolness. He seems to be immersed in the love of the Lord. If you go near him, you feel ecstasy. This has never been felt with anyone earlier. Then, whatever he talks has a deep meaning. One has to ponder deeply to understand. He is surely not a detective. If he were a detective, then he would never have said it. He would never have made us cautious by saying so, as you have become now. Detectives do not give a hint of themselves. Detectives first win your confidence and then strike.
Sajyan: Then, what does he mean by 'crocodile'?
Lady: This, I do not know. But it is some saintly witty remark that our unenlightened minds have not understood. Even, with me, he made a witty remark. I said: I am sympathetic to you. Then, he said: If you are sympathetic to us, then Lord will be sympathetic to you. Even if you are un-sympathetic, the Lord will be sympathetic to you. Now, you ponder. Only a real saint will say like that. No rich or poor or ordinary saint can say that. Then, when he said this, the tone of his utterance was full of sympathy.
Sajjan: O wise lady, why don't you die? Is there any real man of God in this world? It is all hypocrisy. Is there any pious man? Not one. All are selfish. If there had been any, then Sajjan would have been amongst them and you all would have been my disciples. I did so much kindness but got suffering in return. I came to the conclusion that this world is a house of deception, lies, hypocrisy, selfishness and sinfulness. Whoever is the bigger sinner is the big man. You see the faces, see people going to temples and see their generosity. You will be happy. But when you deal with them, they are deceivers like a cat waiting for a mouse. See the businessmen, the workers and the contractors. All are a pack of deceivers. So, my mind said: You become a leader in deception. I do not agree that there is a real saint. But today, my heart is throbbing with fear that he is bigger than me 'a crocodile in the net'.
Lady: What you say maybe right, but today you will see what a lady has said will become true. You can do whatever you think but I must try to stop you. He is not just a saint. He seems to be a prophet, a powerful saint. He has said 'crocodile', so that you have some fear and your mind that has become hard in sins turns away from sins.
Sajjan: Since when have you become saintly? I have a doubt that this detective has given you some money to side with him.
Lady: Don't you remember? How you deceived me and brought me here and made me a sinner. I was married to a sadhu. Many sadhus used to come to our house. I served them and listened to them. I did not come on my own. I was forced to come. What I have realized is that when the mind is evil, then one sees all evil around. But when the mind is clean and pure, then one can see some pure minds. Others may be sinners, deceivers, at least we should not be. But it is destiny. Me, wife of a sadhu has become an accomplice of robbers (she said this and cried).
Sajjan: O companions, today, you keep a watch on both. One, the guests and the other, this enemy in the house who has become hostile to us after meeting the saints whom she thinks are of her kith and kin. I have brainwashed her mind enough but still her mind goes awry.
Lady: You can kill me. I have served you much but still you do not trust me. Better you get up and kill me first, so that I am quiet.
Sajjan: Will you keep shut now? In times of difficulty one has to ponder seriously. You have no brain.
One: Better leave her. Why are you all afraid? Leave it to me. I will keep awake at night and see them off in the morning. Unnecessarily, you are thinking of a rope as a snake.
Second: You all go. I will keep awake. If I don't steal the jewel box, then you talk.
Third: You tell, what is the harm? We all get together and tie them up, take them to the secret well and finish them. If they have money, it will come out. If nothing, then, where a hundred has gone, it will be hundred and one gone. What difference will it make? If he is a detective, even then he will be finished. Neither, he will go out, nor speak to any one, nor will there be any risk to us.
Lady: What are you talking? If they have no money, even then you will kill them for nothing. You say if he is a detective, then he is finished. How will that be? Is the agency that has sent the detective not watching? They will bring a police force and search every nook and corner. Why you talk like a child today?
Sajjan went into deep thought. A hard criminal, today, is perplexed. After lot of discussions, it was finally decided that before dawn, six or seven of us should drag them to the secret well and finish them.
Engrossed in killing, as a businessman is engrossed in business, the sinner Sajjan started preparations to kill the 'Guru from the heavens'. He went to his room and lay down. He closed his eyes but could not sleep. He tried to rest but his mind did not. When the sinners plan, they plan thoroughly. They are hard hearted and they can go to any extent in committing a sin. But they also have a fear that shakes them. Sajjan is now afraid that if these guests are detectives, then, even after killing them will we be safe or not? But his hardhearted mind says 'not to bother'.
Sajjan was in this double thinking and feeling drowsy when he heard music being played. It was such a sweet and lovely tune. The melody went on for some time. Sajjan got up and sat down. Unknowingly his ears listened. Now, a divine song came out of a sweet throat. The stone-heart Sajjan felt a pull.
Now, he listened with attention. He could understand what was being sung. It was all praises of the Lord.
Sajjan came out of his room. From the slit he saw that the disciple is singing the divine song and the godly saint is sitting in meditation and he could see radiance on the face of the godly saint. He came in, somewhat for show off that was his habit and somewhat helplessly and sat down in a corner.
The divine song went on and he listened. There was peace of mind in the room. His eyes started closing. His mind got some elevation. He dozed off. In a dream, he saw that all the people whom he had killed have stood up and are shouting: Kill him, kill him, let him not run away, revenge, revenge, he is the killer, he is the sinner, he is the robber, kill him, kill him, kill him. At their feet, the widows, orphans, old parents are wailing and crying. O Sajjan, see, this is the garden, where you have sown the plants of killings. This is the field where you have sown the plants of killings. So many aggrieved people overpowered Sajjan. Somebody beat him, somebody pinched him, somebody beat him with a stick and somebody squeezed his throat. O Sajjan, see the sufferings you gave to people. How they have taken a reverse-turn and they have come to you. The evil you do to others comes back to you. O Sajjan, did you ever understand this? In writhing, Sajjan's eyes opened.
The earthen lamp is lit. The music is going on but the singing has stopped.
Sajjan in his mind: Thanks, O Lord. It was a dream. Thanks, O Lord. It was not in real. Thanks, O Lord. It finished quickly. I woke up.
Yes, now Sajjan is pondering. Maybe this saint is really godly? No, but nobody is a real saint in this world. Whatever, but what was the dream? The people that I killed, are they not dead? Are they still living? They shout revenge? Revenge? How many are they? I am alone. Oh my mind, it was a dream, but see, no servant, no associate, no companion came to my rescue. The beating, I bore alone. Sons, daughters, relatives, no one came to my rescue. I alone had to face the suffering. Nobody is yours. All are your friends when you spend on them. When the need came, no one came near. But this was a dream. O coward, you have got scared by a dream. Forget the dream. Pick up courage. If one over-eats, then bad dreams follow. Leave it It was in reality a dream. Forget it and let it go from the mind. But why does it come to the mind again and again? When, it was a dream, why it appears to be real while awake? O dream, go to your sphere of dreams and sleep with comfort. What business do you have in this awakened world? Go away from my eyes. Go away.
Then, he saw intently. The sweet music was going on. It was melodious. He saw the godly soul in meditation. There was radiance on his face.
He felt horrified, fear haunted him, again his eyes closed and he had the dream again. Again, when he opened his eyes, he had a glimpse of the godly soul, and when he closed his eyes, he saw the dream as if in real and felt horrified.
Now, the godly soul woke up from meditation and sang a divine song. Sajjan listened to the song helplessly. His attention went towards the song and he got absorbed in listening. As each line was sung, it had a magical effect on Sajjan. Again and again, he looked at the handsome face of the godly soul.
Oh! What a song, it is a picture of my deeds. Oh! He is not a detective or a rich man or an ordinary sadhu. If I am not wrong, he is the one about whom I say: There is no one in the world. Isn't he somebody who has never been seen before? Then, he remembered Harnakash, Ravan and Kans, the demons and considered himself like these demons.
The divine song and the Guru's glance awakened Sajjan's conscience. All the persons whom he had deceived and killed came to his mind and his mind said: One day, I have to leave everything and all the money that I have accumulated by deceiving and killing innocent people will go to someone else, but I shall have to go to the Lord's court where the good deeds and the bad deeds will be weighed and I shall have to bear the punishment.
Then, he realized that the Guru was not a moneyed man as he had thought.
He was a real saint or a prophet who had judged his deception. The shine on his face was godly.
So, Sajjan felt sorry for everything and fell at the Guru's feet and said again and again: Bless me and forgive my sins, you are the savior.
Then, the Guru said: O Sajjan, forgiveness can come and blessings can come but you have to do two things. One is that you have to be true. You admit your sins and evil deeds truly. Secondly, whatever money you have earned by deception and evil deeds, you give it away. Return it to the people whom you have robbed if you know the addresses.
Then, Sajjan with folded hands admitted all his evil deeds.
He told the Guru whatever evil deeds he had done and admitted: "I am a sinner, I don't deny". He brought all the money and gold that he had accumulated by robbing people and showed it to the Guru.
Next morning, he started distributing it to the needy and poor and returned the money to those whose addresses were known.
In this way, this evil den closed. Sajjan fell at the Guru's feet and prayed: Your Holiness, please have mercy on me. Please bless me.
When Sajjan started giving away all the accumulated money, then the Guru asked him to demolish the mansion that he had constructed with the money earned by his evil deeds. The Guru told him to construct a proper gurdwara where there should be recitation of the Lord's name and singing of divine hymns and be sincerely at the service of the people. This should be constructed from honestly earned money.
Sajjan again, fell at the Guru's feet and prayed for mercy and blessings.
The Guru blessed him with the Lord's name and Sajjan started reciting the Lord's name. Rest of his life, Sajjan lived in that new gurdwara and recited the Lord's name and sang the divine hymns and was spreading the Lord's name to others. It is written that this was the first gurdwara that the Guru asked to be constructed.
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Beloved Guru's Stay on a Hillock
After blessing Sajjan, the Guru got ready to depart. Fhen, Sajjan prayed: My master, you are going. I am yet a small child born in your house. How will I live in separation? I want your hand on my head.
True Guru: O Sajjan, the Lord's hand is on your head. You did horrible crimes. You were not fit to be touched. But fortunate are those who fall in a well and then come out of it. The blind get into evil easily but once they realize that it is evil, they come out of it. They are fortunate. The Lord has showered His grace on you that not only you have come out of evil but you have got inner awaken-ness as well. You have realized that evil is bad, only a sinner will consider it good. May the Lord prompt you to use your stamina, that you were earlier using for evil, for goodness to the people, remain in recitation, read the word and do goodness to others while sitting in the gurdwara. Recite the Name, make others recite the Name, do service to the holy people, do service to the needy, poor or a destitute. Previously, you were cruel to them, now, be kind to them. Lord is with you.
Sajjan: Your blessings will be my support, but O benevolent Guru, I have no strength. I am afraid. I may not slip again. If you will remember me, like the migratory birds remember their young ones, then, I will be able to become steadfast in this new awakened life. (With tears in eyes and hands folded): As your wish! But when (tears fell), when will you give your glimpse?
Guru: The Lord will be gracious.
Saying, thanks O Lord, thanks O Lord Sajjan fell at the Guru's feet. His tears fell at the Guru's feet.
Yes, the man, who was killing and looting travelers, strangers, rich and poor and had created wailing widows and orphans shedding tears, is today, shedding tears of repentance, tears of love, tears of separation, tears from a melted heart on the feet of the savior Guru.
O Guru Nanak, this is the gift that an awakened mind can give. It is you, who is giving life to lifelessly living people and awakening their sleeping souls. O Guru Nanak, you are great.
Now, the Guru moved ahead, like a gentle cool breeze, full of fragrance of the Lord's name. Mardana as well as Sajjan followed. Many other people who had become disciples also followed. They came up to one or two kilometers to see him off. With great persuasion the Guru asked them to go back.
Mardana (accompanying alone): It is so difficult to apprehend the Lord. O Guru Nanak, I cannot understand you even, although I am your rebeck player and live with you so close. How many people were there whom you could bless, why you blessed this cruel robber? What a sinner, for whom you were benevolent? He should have been beaten to the hilt. How have you transformed him? What for have you blessed him? Blessed a sinner? You know best. I can neither understand the Lord, nor can I understand you. It is your wish.
Guru: Is converting a bad smelling pond into a clean water spring good or not? It is not that this one person has been blessed. You see, how many innocent lives have been saved, that he would have killed and robbed. Now, with this holy congregation here, how many other sinners will become pious and sufferings of the poor will go. The transformation of one person will mean making a river of piousness. These robbers have stamina in them but due to their evil minds they use their strength for evil deeds. If their mind is changed towards doing goodness, then their strength is diverted towards doing goodness.
On the other hand, the weak, lazy and idle do not care what is good and what is bad. They do not have any stamina or strength. Who knows, if an idle person gets strength, he may get into doing evil. So, where strength and stamina is there, what is required is proper guidance. If they become enlightened, then, their strength is used for a good purpose. Is it not simple to understand?
Mardana: Yes, you are right. These robbers and gamblers, have lot of stamina. Un-necessarily they are doing evil deeds. When their eyes open, then, they use their strength for doing good deeds. But how much strength you have that you can divert their minds from evil to goodness. O Guru, you are great. Well, where do we go now? I thought we will go to Multan but you
have turned towards east.
Guru: Mardana, we have to go to the confluence of the rivers Satluj and Beas. There, one holy man is making people suffer.
Mardana: Do holy men make people suffei ?
Guru: A person may be a saint or a king or an intellectual or having supernatural powers or a practitioner of hath yoga, whoever has some strength or power, but has no enlightenment, then, he does indulge in some sinful acts. Goodness is in those who are enlightened, whether they are poor or rich or educated or uneducated.
Mardana: One becomes a saint after a lot of yoga practice, keeping fasts etc. Then, why do they indulge in sinful acts?
Guru: Even for yoga practice and keeping fasts, proper interpretation is required. Without proper interpretation, they get lost.
Mardana: Do they not have any insight?
Guru: The mind is full of desires and besides the desires it has greed. So, when after doing some yoga practices, they get some fame or get some supernatural powers, then the mind gets stuck there, because the mind is hungry for fame and full of greed. This is where the persons who practice yoga get lost.
Mardana: How to save one's self and if one is lost, how to get out of it?
Guru: One should have a proper understanding from the beginning. One should aim to meet the Lord. One should rein the five senses, control the mind and keep away from passions and vices. Then, remember the Lord and practice recitation of His name. Remain in the love of the Lord. Deviate the mind away from worldly desires towards the Lord. Then, one does not get lost.
Mardana: Now, will the holy man whom we are going to meet be the same like Sajjan, wanting to kill us, or will he be better? Guru: Don't be afraid. Lord is with us.
In this way, talking and walking, and staying for two or three days and nights on the way, they reached a village. Seeing a nice hillock, they stayed in the open, under a tree. Mardana sang the divine songs. The villagers came to have a glimpse of the Guru and were delighted to meet him. They requested him to come and stay in a house in the village, but the Guru declined. He continued to stay there for some days.
Now, some people went to the holy man, about whom the Guru had mentioned to Mardana, and told him that one saint has come to stay, who is
very handsome and who has no greed. His singing attracts everyone. Then, somebody told him that he is going to settle down here and may construct a mansion here to stay.
On listening to this, the holy man became furious.
The holy man practiced concentration, not for reaching the Lord, but for worldly gains, so that people know that he meditates a lot and can do miracles. In this way, people were afraid of him and they praised him. If somebody did not go the way he suggested, he got angry with him. In this way, he was terrifying people. He was living in a double-storied house and did not allow anybody else to make a double-storied house.
Guru Nanak did not like this. He wished that a saint or a holy man should be in the love of Lord. He should not be greedy for money and other worldly gains. He should do goodness to people. He should allay the suffering of the people and put them on the true path of loving the Lord, so that people got inner happiness. That is why the Guru came here to make the holy man a true saint, so that whosoever comes to him gets true happiness.
Now, the holy man came to know that someone has come who is on the true path of love of the Lord, and people have started giving him more respect than what the people are giving to me. Then, he felt a pinch. He got afraid that if another saint, who is better than me, comes and settles down here, then, my importance will go down. When somebody said that the Guru might make a double-storied house here to stay, then he got more jealous.
Actually, the holy man himself lived in a double-storied house, but he did not allow anyone else to make a double-storied house. If somebody made a double-storied, then, he got it demolished. It was Muslim rule in those days and no Muslim was ready to stop his high-handedness. Even if he gave any other suffering to a Hindu, no action was taken against him. For this reason also, the people were afraid of him.
Now, when he heard about the Guru making a double-storied house, then, he got furious and came to the place where the Guru was staying, with the intention of asking him to go away. So, he came and greeted the Guru and sat down. He thought: The Guru is a Hindu. I can win him with a little talk.
He said: O saint, from where have you come and where will you go?
Guru replied: The breeze comes from one side and goes to the other side. It keeps on moving. We just call it coming and going.
Holy man: I heard you wish to stay here. If you wish to stay, then, I can get a room made for you. You may sit and meditate.
Guru: You sit. For me the order is to travel. Holy man: I heard you might make a double-storied house. Guru: Will I make or will I demolish? The saint's house is in the Lord's palace.
Holy man: I don't understand what you mean by demolishing.
Guru: It is said that the human body is made of earth.
So, man loves the earth. One thing of earth is the body and another thing of earth is the building that he makes and lives in. He is then proud that he is the owner. But as soon as a call comes from the Lord, he leaves both the things and goes away. It is the way of the dirty mind to get lost in the earth.
A saint has an intellectual mind. He realizes that there is the Lord living in the body. The saint lives with the Lord. He is in the remembrance of the Lord while walking, sleeping, sitting and standing. Remembrance of the Lord is his house. The love of earth takes you to the earth.
This was a very precious advice that the Guru gave to the holy man.
It meant: O holy man, your body is made of earth. It is made of air, water, fire, etc., which are a part of earth. You have a soul inside that is living. What is required is that you love the soul in the body so that you may purify your soul and merge with the Supreme soul. You have gone towards the losing path that you have started loving the 'brick and mortar building' so much that you are giving suffering to other people. When you get somebody's building demolished, then they suffer.
They say, you are a holy man. A holy man is considered elder. An elder person has to give comfort to younger ones. Now, your love for the building has become a cause of suffering to the people. To make others suffer is evil. Then, when you will die, your people will bury you under the ground. You won't be on the earth even, but in a grave, in a hollow pit under the earth. So, your love for the building will keep you in the graveyard. It should have been that after death you should have gone to live with the Lord.
This was the meaning of the words that the Guru spoke to the holy man.
When the holy man heard the true words of the Guru that the Guru said with love, then, the holy man had an awakening in his mind. He realized that what he was doing was not good. Then, with folded hands, he requested the Guru to stay for some more days. The Guru agreed. The holy man started coming to listen to the Guru's singing of the divine hymns everyday. He became a true disciple and started reciting the Lord's name with love. He understood that the Lord has given life to everyone, that we are all Lord's
children, we should love everyone and we should not make anybody suffer.
One thing: One should love the Lord and recite His name.
Second: What the Lord does, we should accept it as good.
After blessing the holy man and making him a true saint for himself and for others, the Guru left the place.
As the Guru had transformed 'Sajjan, the robber', into a saint and it was good for the world, similarly, the Guru turned the mind of this holy man and allayed the suffering of many people who were unhappy due to the highhandedness of this holy man.
O Great Guru Nanak, O Great Guru Nanak
O Great Guru Nanak Dev
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