Gurbani Tutor

The river Yamuna leaving the mountains, passing through Shivalik, making the fields blossom with greenery comes to Delhi. From Shahjahan's Delhi about two kilometers towards the north, the bank of the river is much higher than the level of the flowing Yamuna water. It looks like a platform.

Here a sadhu whose name was Majnu, lived and the place became known as Majnu-ka-ulla. On the other side are green fields. This side, where the bank is at a height, is called Timarpur. Long time back Taimur invaded and stayed here. It appears this place was named after him.

Today, early morning, one can hear divine songs being sung under a tree. Bhai Mardana is singing the divine songs and the beloved of the Lord, Guru Nanak Dev, is listening to the divine songs.

After leaving Panipat, the Guru stayed on the way at some places, blessed people and reached Delhi.

Seeing, the scenic beauty of this place, the Guru decided to stay here. Very near this place was the elephant stable of king Ibrahim Lodhi. When the divine singing stopped, the Guru went for a stroll on the bank of the river and was looking at the flowing waters, when his ears that were intoxicated with the divine music, heard someone crying.

The heart that was full of love and emotion, the heart that was soft like silk, could not bear the suffering of the people who were crying.

He thought: See, how the world is in suffering? Wherever you see, there is suffering.

O Lord! Be benevolent for the world. He prayed to the Lord to be gracious. Meanwhile, the crying increased.

Then, he asked Mardana to go and find out why the people were crying?

Mardana went and brought the news: O Benevolent Guru, the elephantkeepers, who were hospitable to us, their elephant died and all the family members are crying.

Then, the Guru who had come to allay the suffering of the people himself went and asked: Listen why are you crying?

Elephant-keeper: O Lord's saint, our elephant has died.

Guru: Then what? The elephant belongs to the king. He has no shortage of money. If one dies, he can buy ten more. Why do you cry?

Elephant-keeper: We are crying because, firstly, the king may be angry that his death is due to our negligence. Then, this was our source of earning. Today, we will be out of job. Then, when another elephant comes, we cannot be sure whether we will be retained or somebody else will be given the job. Our earning is very difficult. Everybody does not keep an elephant. Only the kings keep elephants. It is very difficult to get a job from a king.

Saying this, he wept bitterly.

The elephant-keeper was narrating his story and the family members were crying and wailing.

The Guru's soft heart melted. He said: O women, O children, be quiet and listen to me: If the elephant becomes alive, then you won't cry?

They became quiet and said: Then, we will laugh. We shall be happy. But O saint, the dead never become alive again.

Then, the Guru said: 'It is the Lord who gives life.

It is the Lord who takes life.'

The elephant-keeper and his family members and other elephant keepers were all looking towards the Guru. Poor people have more faith. Faith can work wonders. They are waiting. He is a saint. He is a powerful saint.

After a while, the Guru opened his merciful eyes that had tears in them.

Then, in compassion, he said: Go and rub your hands on the elephant's face and say 'O Lord' in his ears.

The elephant-keeper obeyed the order of the Guru and went and rubbed his hands on the face of the elephant and in his ears said, 'O Lord'.

The Guru, the beloved of the Lord, was looking towards the elephant and the miraculous Lord did the miracle.

With the life-giving power and sensation of the Lord's name, the elephant stretched his body, opened his small eyes and in a trembling motion stood up

with his giant body. It swayed his ears like a fan, moved his trunk up and down, opened his trunk and looked towards the life-giving Guru with his small eyes.

Yes. O elephant, you were the sustenance for the humans. So, you have been made to stand.

'The elephant has become alive'. The news spread like wild fire.

King Ibrahim Lodhi had already been informed that his favorite elephant had died. The Veterinary Doctor had also communicated to the king the reason for his death, when suddenly the news reached the king that an extraordinary saint, a Lord's holy man has made him alive. Then, he sent messengers to make sure that the news was true.

The Veterinary Doctor checked and informed the king: 'It is true that the elephant has become alive'.

In great amazement the king, who was a cause of suffering for Hindus and saints, himself came and saw the elephant alive and made sure that he had really died.

Then, he came to the Guru, greeted him and said: O saint, have you made this elephant alive?

Then, the Guru said: O king of men, the Lord gives life and He takes life. The saints pray and the Lord has mercy.

King: O Lord's saint, I do not understand?

Then, the Guru said: It is Lord's own discretion to give life and take life. Nobody else has the power. A saint has prayer. Sometimes, for a good cause, a saint does pray and the Lord listens. If, he wishes, he bestows mercy. The saint has the prayer only. Mercy is in His hands.

Then, the king astonishingly, said: If you again pray, will he die? Let him die.

Then, the Guru smiled. Then, his eyes became solemn and there was a frown on his forehead. He looked towards the heavens and said: It is He, who gives life and takes. It is no one else except Him. The moment he uttered these words, the elephant staggered and fell flat on the ground. It heaved long sighs, closed its eyes and within moments, was a dead body.

On seeing this, the king and his courtiers were dazed. For sometime everybody was quiet.

Then, the king said: Now, you make him alive again.

Then, the Guru said: O king of men, he cannot become alive again. This was not a sport. It was a saint's prayer and the Lord's mercy. This requires respect.

Then, the king asked: What is the reason?

Then, the Guru said: Listen O king. Iron is iron. It is not fire. If you put it in fire, it becomes red hot. One cannot hold it in the hands even for a fraction of a moment without burning the hand, but one can hold a burning fire for a fraction of a moment without burning the hand.

Similarly, saints are immersed in the Lord's love, they can change what the Lord has done but the Lord will not change what they have done.

It means that a saint is a beloved of the Lord, but being in the incessant remembrance of the Lord, he is immersed in the Lord and becomes like the Lord, as the iron immersed in fire becomes like fire. Then, he is able to do something that he wishes while immersed in the Lord.

Then the Muslim saint, Nizam, who had come with the king, understood and said to the king: This saint is a big saint. What he has said is right. The Lord for the love of his saint does what the saint wishes but for the same love he does not change what the saint does.

The king who was hard-hearted became soft now and said: O Saint, you accept something from me.

Then, the Guru said: I desire the Lord. I am hungry for the Lord. I want Him only. All other desires are gone. I desire the love of the Lord and nothing else.

The king, then, realized that he is a real big saint. Then he greeted him and went away.

Then the Guru departed from there.

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Shiekh Bajeed Sayyad

From Delhi, the Guru did not go home. He moved forward. His dress was unique. It did not reflect any one sect. He traveled for some distance and then sat down under a tree. Mardana sang the divine hymns.

There was another big tree nearby that was giving good shade. After sometime a palanquin that was being carried by six laborers came. The laborers put the palanquin down under the shade of the tree.

One saint was traveling in this palanquin. His name was Sheikh Bajeed Sayyad. He got down from the palanquin and started strolling.

The laborers, then, spread a sheet and the holy man lay down. Now, the laborers started massaging the holy man. One laborer started waving a fan for him. Another went to fetch water from the well.

When Mardana saw this, he asked the Guru: O benevolent Guru, God is one or two? The Guru laughed and said: O Mardana, Lord is one.

Then, Mardana said: O handsome Guru, who is the creator of the person who was riding the palanquin and who is the creator of those who have lifted? This holy man has come sitting in a palanquin. He has got tired. He has not walked. He sat in the palanquin, so that he doesn't get tired. How is it that the holy man who has come sitting has got tired and the laborers who carried the palanquin, and should have got tired, are now massaging him and waving the fan for him and doing other chores?

Guru: Mardana, those who keep walking are healthy. They feel hungry. They eat well and digest well and they remain healthy. By sitting the appetite goes down. If they eat more, they cannot digest and become unwell. If they eat less, then, their strength goes down and they get tired quickly.

They say, a person walking and roaming will not die, but a person who is sitting will die.

Mardana: But sir, he sat in the palanquin so that he doesn't get tired. Now, whether he is tired or not, he is having himself massaged.

The Guru smiled and said: O Mardana, he is tired in two ways. So he is getting himself massaged. In his previous life he did ascetic practices, he kept fasts, kept awake for nights, had bath in extreme cold water so that he can attain supernatural powers. So he got tired. Now, his penances have borne fruit. He has got wealth and fame. To manage this and to enjoy the comforts and passions, also makes a person tired. So, he has double tiredness, what else can he do except getting himself massaged? (Laughed)

Mardana: Then, what is the reason that somebody is in happiness and somebody is in suffering?

True Guru: Well. Only the Lord knows the reason. He is everything. But the humans do the deeds and the deeds are either good or bad. Both influence the mind and that make your habits. Habits are the source of happiness or sufferings. When you sow suffering, it will give suffering, and when you sow comforts they will bring comforts. So, the person gets the fruits of comfort or suffering as per the seeds he has sown. Those, who do Hath yoga and penances for worldly gains, they get into grabbing and passions, because they had not imbibed good habits. So the bad deeds again give them suffering. That is why, it is said, 'From penances to kingdom and from kingdom to hell'.

Mardana: Can the deeds done be washed ever?

True Guru: The influences of the deeds get settled in the sub-conscious mind and one has to bear the fruits of deeds. But friend, men do the deeds after birth, and something that has a beginning has an end also. So, the deeds done are washed also.

Like, a mound of wood is burnt with a small spark, in the same way, by the Lord's grace, the deeds done, are washed. If a man recites the Lord's name incessantly and is immersed in the love of the Lord, then the Lord's name settles in the sub-conscious mind and the influences of the deeds are washed away. Comforts, sufferings, life, birth and death happen according to the deeds done but peace of mind is Lord's grace. Lord's grace comes to those who attract it

Mardana: Who can attract it?

Guru: Whoever loves the gracious Lord? It is the love that attracts the Lord also. Love, love of the unseen Lord is remembering Him and reciting His name by the tongue. We also love him by singing His divine hymns.

Grace is entirely from Him. But the path is to love Him, to remember Him, to recite His name, to do goodness in the world, to be pious, to be kind and to keep away from vices.

What the true Guru has explained in this story, this question arises in everybody's mind. The Guru, in his discourse, has said that whatever deeds are done, do have their influence. But they are washed also. Deeds are done after man is born. There were no deeds done when the Lord gave life first. So, the deeds have a beginning. Then, life is finite. Its time ends. The deeds cannot be endless. So, anything that has a beginning has an end, and anything that is not endless will end.

To end the influence of deeds, the path is to do good deeds, so that the influence of bad deeds may not increase in future.

More so, to remain in the remembrance of the Lord and recitation of His name and singing His divine hymns. In this way, the Lord's name will settle in the mind. His sacredness will make our mind pure.

If we go away from fire, we feel cold. If we are near the fire, we get warmth. Similarly, with bad deeds we get away from the Lord, in forgetfulness of the Lord.

With good deeds and remembrance of the Lord we get near Him. When we are near Him, we are in comfort and we get peace of mind.

Then, by remembering and reciting His name, the name settles in our sub-conscious mind. Remembrance and reciting His name is to love Him. But one has to endeavor to remember His name, so that with time, the name settles in the sub-conscious mind.

The endeavor is: The tongue should recite His name.

The mind should remember Him with love.

Then, we will feel His presence inside our body and outside in nature and we will be living in His presence.

In this way, the bad deeds are washed away and the penalty of bad deeds ends.

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Godly Soul at Nanak Matta

Daytime is over. The king of the day has gone towards the west and hid himself behind the earth in yearning. The day is setting and it is evening but not late-evening. It is like a forest but one can see inhabitants living there. They cannot be termed inhabitants. There is no child, no young, no woman and no head of the family. There are mud huts and thatched huts. Some sadhus of the Gorakh sect can be seen in the huts and outside, with fires lit.

At a little distance is a fig tree with a mud platform around. The fig tree is there but its leaves have dried.

Under this tree, somebody is sitting. Is he 'somebody'? It is disrespectful to say 'somebody' but the sadhus, near whose huts he is sitting, are saying 'somebody' has come.

From the direction of the huts another person is coming in a dejected mood. He stood in front of the handsome 'somebody' and said: Your Holiness, I have been to all the sadhus, asking them to give a few pieces of wood and one piece of burning wood, but they refused and instead replied in a nasty manner. I have come back disappointed.

Guru: I have come to reform these sadhus. O Mardana, you have been insulted and you have not insulted them. But you have not forgotten the insult. Your mind is tied down to the insult. In this way, one goes into forgetfulness of the Lord and the blossom of the mind goes away. One feels sad. When you felt insulted, your mind got tied to the insult When the mind gets tied to the insult then, one goes into forgetfulness of the Lord. When the remembrance is gone, then the blossom is gone. When blossom is gone, then what is life? Combustion only. The combustion of wood in a fireplace produces heat Similarly, combustion

of food in the body produces heat that runs the body. This combustion is going on in the earth in the form of volcanoes. Combustion is going on in birds and animals. If you touch them, you feel that their body is warmer than the stones around. There is warmth in them. This combustion is not real life.

This combustion in human beings and animals produces the heat and the energy to run the body. When, for any reason, it stops, life does not remain.

Trees, animals, birds and humans are all in this cycle because they are all dependent on this combustion.

But in this life, there is an awakening and a blossom. That is the real life.

If a person is blossoming, then, he or she is living a real life otherwise it is all combustion. The life of blossom becomes an eternal blossoming life.

A man may live or die, the blossom remains. The person feels the Lord's presence and this Blossom is with him on earth and in heaven.

So, O Mardana, blossoming in the Lord's love is the real life.

Mardana: O Guru, you are great. Your words are great. I am, a humble singer, in your company for so long. I understand what you say and try to act on that, but this mind slips. Your words are eternal blossom. Your words are the nature's music. Your Holiness, my mind is in blossom now. It has come back into remembrance of the Lord. My mind is in exuberance now. It is all due to your blessing. (Heaving a long sigh) Your Holiness, why is it, that when the mind comes out of dejection into blossom, then, one heaves long sighs?

Guru: I told you, the ideal men live in remembrance of Name. When they are dyed in the love of Name, then, that keeps their mind in exuberance. But it is difficult to sustain this exuberance. When it is not sustained, then one goes into forgetfulness of the Lord and causes dejection. The mind gets tied in that dejection. When the dejection goes and the mind comes back to remembrance of the Lord and the blossom returns, then one feels that the mind has got rid of the weight of mountains, and feels relieved. Then, one heaves sighs. These sighs are sighs of comfort to the mind. The mind feels relaxed and becomes steadfast in remembrance of the Lord and blossoms. You remain watchful.

Mardana: Watchfulness, only your blessing can give. Me, humble singer, my mind goes in fear and gets tied to it. You have just now taken me out of dejection, but again I am afraid. The night is coming. It is so cold. How shall it pass?

Guru: At least sometimes, you put away your fears. For a moment, stop thinking. Remember the Lord. See inwardly; keep away all thoughts and recite the Lord's name. Perceive yourself with the Lord whose name is on your tongue. Feel inwardly, for one moment, concentrate, you are living in the presence of the Lord. Keep yourself in His presence and forbid your thought Make a determined effort to live in His presence. The night will pass by itself.

This is meeting the Lord. This is immersion in the Lord's love. This is the faith in the Lord. This is the embrace with the Lord.

Now, you think that you are in the embrace of the Lord and he is worried about the night. At least sometimes, leave the anxieties and feel relaxed and see what the Lord does. You may worry. I don't stop you, but simultaneously make an effort but in the process do not forget the Name. Secondly, if your efforts don't bear fruit, then, don't feel sad on that account. Then, your blossom of mind will remain. But if you feel dejected when your efforts do not bear fruit and are angry or when you are successful in your efforts and you boast and are proud of it, then, your blossom will go. The sensation of Name will slacken and you will feel dejected. Then, in suffering, you will say: My whole life is gone in suffering, suffering day-in and suffering day-out. The world is a suffering. Why is it all suffering? Oh! I am suffering.

Mardana: Your Holiness, as you say, the mind becomes tranquil with Name, then, what about the needs? Will they be fulfilled automatically?

Guru: Yes, mostly they are fulfilled automatically. But even if they are not fulfilled, at least the blossom of mind remains.

The recitation of the Lord's name keeps the mind in elevation.

The fulfillment of needs remains the same. Even with the best efforts, sometimes, they are fulfilled and sometimes, not.

If one remains in remembrance, then the awaken-ness remains.

And if we say that let the needs be fulfilled first, then only we shall recite the Name, then it is not love and devotion it is bargain or exchange.

Mardana: Then, should we not use our mind and make an effort?

Guru: Again, you are saying the same what the un-enlightened talk. Use your brain and make an effort, why not? Nobody says stupidity or laziness is good. I am talking of the enlightened persons who have awakened their minds and are in the incessant remembrance of the Lord and whose mind is blossoming and in exuberance, how they keep their minds in blossom. Now, you see to your experience. You have used your brain and made an effort. It did not bear any fruit but you lost the remembrance of the Lord and the

blossom of your mind. Wisdom and effort is not bad but losing the blossom is bad. You may make another effort if you wish but do not lose your blossom. When your blossom is not lost, then you are living an eternal life. See deeply, the things that you are after, will not remain, but the blossom of the mind, that is eternal blossom will remain. If you are satiated with running after your wise mind, then, you recite the Name. Make your mind blossom with Name and sit down with patience. Seeing inwardly, the mind automatically gets the touch of the Lord. Sit in this ecstasy. Wait for the night. If some food comes, it will be Lord's grace, if it does not come, remain in this touch of the Lord. At least you won't go into forgetfulness of the Lord. At least one thing, that is most valuable will remain with you. Say, do you understand?

Mardana: I appreciate your patience in making me understand. The Lord is gracious that He gives His touch when we fall at His feet. Now, you bless me that the seedling of Name that you have planted in my mind blossoms at night.

Saying this, Mardana, sat down in recitation of Name. After some time, he fell off to sleep. The body got relaxed in sleep. Early morning, by force of habit, he got up. His mind was tranquil and in the incessant remembrance of the Lord. It was slightly cold but not much. Then, he opened his eyes and looking towards the sky said: O mind, get up. Play the rebeck and sing the divine songs. It is time to sing.

When he got up, he saw fire was lit nearby and some more wooden logs were lying extra. He was astonished. Then, he saw the Guru's sheet is spread but he is not there. After a while, he came back.

Then, Mardana asked: Your Holiness, how is this fire lit?

The Guru laughed and said: The Lord, in whose embrace you slept, it is His grace. He prompted somebody's mind to do this service.

Mardana: How did it happen?

Guru: O Mardana, you were tired and shortly you fell off to sleep. It was evening only, when a person came from the forest. He was a hunter and had a load of wooden logs on his head. He saw us, kept his load of logs on the ground, sat down and with love said: O respected saint, how will you spend the night? You do not have a fire lit nearby?

Then, I said: Time will pass.

He said: Shall I light a fire?

I said: You seem to be a family man. You will sell this wood and buy food.

He said: We are humble people and our vocation also is small, but O Saint, it pinches me that you will spend the night in the open and in cold. I have got a stock of logs at home and enough rations. My mom, wife and children won't remain hungry. You accept my humble offer.

Then, I said: If you have so much love in you, then it's O.K.

0 Mardana. When one has love in the mind, it is a sign of coming elevation of mind. Then, he lighted a fire, kept some extra logs and took the rest of the wood that he was carrying and went away.

The sadhus noticed at night only, that a fire is lit near the fig tree despite our refusal. They could hear from a distance the singing of divine songs. They also noticed that the fig tree has started becoming green and branches and leaves have started growing. They felt astonished.

Initially, they envied that who is this saint who is not of our Gorakh sect but appears to be a saint. They thought that by refusing a fire we should make him go away. But when they saw the fig tree becoming green, they realized that this saint has supernatural powers. By his sitting near the tree, the tree has started blossoming.

They were astonished: He is not a sadhu of our sect but has supernatural powers. We should bring him to our fold. He will enhance the prestige of our sect.

So, a couple of senior sadhus came and with respect asked: Whose disciple are you? From whom have you been baptized?

The Guru replied: My guru is the Almighty Lord. My baptism is that I remember Him always and I remain in recitation of His name.

1 pray to the Lord:

O Lord, you are the creator and savior.

O Lord, give me the strength that I remain in your love.

O Lord, you are infinite, we cannot find your limits.

O Lord, you are here, there, everywhere.

O Lord, keep me immersed in your remembrance.

O Lord, you are my comfort and my happiness.

O Lord, I am nobody, you are everything.

When the sadhus heard these words, they understood that the Guru is a real beloved of the Lord. We should not fight with him. We should make him our disciple. It will be an honor to us if he joins our sect.

Then, the sadhus said: O child, you get baptized from us. You join our sect. Put on the dress of a sadhu. Become our disciple. Wear a patched blanket.

Keep a stick. Pierce your ears and wear earrings. Shave your head. Rub ash on your body. Roam from house to house or sacred places and blow the horn to ask for food.

The Guru understood all what they meant and replied: Listen, O sadhus, the path towards the Lord is to remain immersed in the Lord's love.

By wearing a patched blanket, by rubbing ash on the body, by shaving the head, by wearing earrings, by blowing the horn, by sitting in burial grounds, or by roaming in sacred places, the mind does not get tied to the Lord. These are all outwardly things.

Sadhus: Then, what is the true path?

Guru: The true path is, that while living in this world, we should not do evil deeds. The worldly passions should not attract us. The true discipleship is that the mind should not think of evil. The body should not go after passions. The mind should be turned towards the Lord.

We should, all the time, recite the Lord's name and love the Lord.

By recitation of Name, the mind will get elevation and ecstasy. Then, you drink the Lord's nectar. The mind will remain immersed in the love of the Lord and in blossom. While sitting, standing, walking, one should remember the Lord at all times and live in His presence.

The shell that you blow and the sound that comes, is not mystic music. The mystic music is that which you listen without blowing the shell, which you can listen only when you meet the Lord.

Then, you need not hide yourself in forests and mountains but live in this world but with mind detached. When your mind is attached to the Lord, then, automatically it is detached from the worldly desires. The real thing is that one should be immersed in the love of the Lord.

The sadhus realized that the Guru is a real saint and has something better and higher to guide. We cannot win him by discussions. We should try some other means to bring him to our fold.

At night, when it was time for the sadhus to drink, then, they invited the Guru, and Bhangar Nath himself offered a glass of wine to the Guru.

Then, the Guru asked: O Bhangar Nath, what is this and what good it will do?

Sadhu: This is a glass of nectar. After drinking this, you get into meditation. Then, it gives exhilaration. Then, one drinks the nectar and listens to the mystic music. Then, you get a glimpse of the Lord.

Guru: This wine, that you say is nectar, is not nectar. This intoxicates and makes you unconscious. The intoxication makes you mad. After its effect is over, you get a hangover. The mystic music that you say is not mystic music. It is just some ordinary sound in the ears. The glimpse that you say will be an illusion. When consciousness is lost, how can there be a mystic music and a glimpse? It will be all passions. The real thing is remembrance of the Lord.

The practice is 'recitation of the Lord's name with love'. This gives elevation to the mind. The mind gets immersed in the love of the Lord and is in ecstasy. This is the real intoxication. It remains with you all twenty-four hours. The effect of this intoxication is, that you see the Lord here, there, everywhere. You feel the presence the Lord in your body and outside in nature like a subtle fragrance. It gives rapture all the time.

There were more such discussions but they could not make the Guru agree to drink wine. The sadhus lost in the discussions.

Now, they became vindictive. It is generally seen that when anybody loses, he becomes vindictive.

Firstly, they did not succeed in making him go away by ill treatment. Secondly, they could not make him drink wine and persuade him in this way. Thirdly, they could not win him in discussions.

Now, the fourth thing they thought was to prove their superiority in supernatural powers.

The Guru always said that these supernatural powers are a bond. They are not helpful in pursuing the path towards love of the Lord.

He said that the real miracle is to be immersed in the remembrance and love of the Lord. He had come as a prophet from the heavens. He was always immersed in the love of the Lord. He possessed all supernatural powers which he did not like to use or show. If at all, at times, he used his supernatural powers, that was only, to bless people or sometimes, to take out the sadhus from their mistaken beliefs or arrogance.

A mind that has concentration has some powers but Guru Nanak was an image of the Lord and powers were at his feet.

In 'History of Sikhs' is written: The sadhus, by their supernatural powers, made their blankets fly in air.

Then, Mardana said: O Guru, you give them a lesson otherwise I will feel bad.

Then, the Guru's shoe flew and pushed the blankets away. When the sadhus accepted defeat, then the shoe came down.

In 'Nanak Prakash' is written that the sadhus forcibly took away the fire that was lit near the fig tree where the Guru was staying. But after a few moments they saw that the fire was again lit at that place.

Then, by their supernatural powers they raised a dust storm but with that dust storm their own fire got extinguished.

They tried their supernatural power but could not light the fire. Then, they trembled in cold.

Finally, they sent Bhartari to ask for fire from the Guru.

Then, the Guru said: O Bhartari yogi, bring the shoes and earrings of Gorakh. Then, we shall give fire in lieu of that.

Perforce, he brought both the items and took the fire in lieu of that.

In this way, Gorakh lost his concentration to do supernatural powers and felt ashamed.

On seeing Gorakh in a sad mood, Bhangar Nath, in anger, came to the Guru with a jug and said: Fill this jug with milk. The Guru filled it with water but it became milk. Bhangar Nath took the filled jug to his companions. Everybody drank milk to his fill but the milk did not finish.

Now, they realized that Guru Nanak has more supernatural powers than we have and we cannot make him lose in this way. So, they became afraid that if the Guru stays on, we might have to go from here. This, they could not tolerate.

So, one day, they asked the Guru to go away from there.

The Guru said: The entire land belongs to the Lord and I have no attachment for any particular place. But your asking me to go away is not proper. I have not come here to occupy this place nor have I come to push you out. I see darkness all over. I am searching, if there is any place where there is 'Love of the Lord'.

In that search I have visited many places and now, I came here to see whether you are interested 'only in your importance and the offerings and that the people should remain bound to you in fear of your supernatural powers' or you are preaching religiousness to the people and yourself living as recluses.

What I have seen is the first thing. This is darkness of the mind.

It was your duty to remember the Lord and keep away from worldly desires. You should have controlled your mind and the senses, not killed the instincts but reined the mind, made it blossom like a flying bird and not let it be bound by worldly desires and passions.

Now at least, you act on what I say: You remember the Lord. Recite His name. Awaken your soul. Live in ecstasy. Awaken the sleeping souls of everybody. Put everybody on the true path of 'Recitation of the Lord's name and love of the Lord'. Everybody's mind will blossom.

If you are afraid that the offerings you are getting will diminish, then I can tell you, I do not want any offerings. You don't have to be anxious. I will go, but after reforming you.

But the sadhus were not satisfied with the Guru's assurances.

They said: Let us first decide, whom this land belongs to?

The Guru said: I do not claim this land.

Then, the sadhus said: Let this be decided by a supernatural power. We may ask the land whom it belongs, whether it belongs to the sadhus or it belongs to Guru Nanak.

Guru Nanak: If you so wish. I have no objection.

Then, the sadhus shouted: O Land, whom do you belong to? If you are ours, you say, you belong to sadhus. Say it three times, so that no doubt remains.

A voice replied: I belong to the sadhus. Second time, again they asked.

Again, a voice replied: Yes, surely I belong to the sadhus and no one else. The sadhus were trying to prove, as a miracle, that they have won and the Guru has lost.

Now again, in a pride, they shouted: O land, say whom do you belong to, say it a third time, so that, the matter is settled.

At this time, the Guru said: O Boy, are you still able to speak?

Now, the sadhus asked again and again but there was no reply.

The Guru got up quickly, went to the place from where the voice had come. He removed the grass and leaves from a soft looking spot. By this time the sadhus also reached there.

The Guru said: Dig up this place.

The sadhus did not wish to dig up the place, but they had to do it. They were in a fix. Finally, they dug it up. Underneath was a sadhu child who now looked like dead.

What had actually happened was, that at night they had dug up a pit and made a sadhu child sit in it and then covered the pit with some soft earth and leaves etc and kept a hole for air and voice, so that when they shouted at the land, the sadhu child will reply and it will be deemed that the land is replying

through their supernatural powers. They never thought that their plan might fail.

But the Guru, intuitively, understood everything and he exposed their hypocrisy.

When, their hypocrisy was exposed, then, the people's belief in the sadhus waned and slowly, they left the place.

The Guru stayed there for some days. People became Guru-disciples. Later, a gurdwara was constructed at the place, where the Guru had stayed under the fig tree. They named it Nanak Matta.

During the time of the sixth Guru, the sadhus again came and turned out the Guru-disciple Almast and burnt the fig tree so that the miracle of Guru Nanak making it green is forgotten.

At that time, the sixth guru, Guru Hargobind was on the Guru's seat.

When Guru Hargobind came to know of this, then he went there. He got the place back and again appointed Almast to look after it. The Guru also sprinkled water on the fig tree. This fig tree has watermarks on its leaves.

The sadhus, however, left.

For some years, the disciples of Almast were looking after the place. But now a committee has been formed under government supervision that looks after the sacred place. The committee has constructed a new gurdwara. There is place for pilgrims to stay. A fair is celebrated on Diwali day.

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From Guru Nanak Chamatkar, Part 1 by Bhai Sahib Bhai Vir Singh ji