I. Dejection
Mom: Daughter, since this cold season has started, your brother keeps lying down day and night. Neither, he sits, nor he goes out, nor he talks to anyone. Has he been talking to you?
Daughter: Mom, he hardly speaks, he keeps lying down in the Lord's love. It is nearly three months now. It is the same.
Mom: What should we do? We have only one son. That also behaves sometimes in a careless and some times in a crazy manner. Sometimes he gives away household articles. Sometimes he keeps lying down, sometimes happy, sometimes sad. O Lord, it is our destiny. What should we do?
Daughter: Mom, don't say like that. We are luckier than everybody else. Brother is higher than everybody. Whatever he does, it is his wish. He is the master of the world. Don't say he is crazy.
Mom: I do not know what you see in him and how you see? We are baffled and our heart sinks with anxiety. He should live properly, get up, do some vocation, look after the household, should be a handsome well earning son, laugh and play and make everybody happy. He is lying down all the time. He would not eat meals. If he goes out, he goes to the forest only, giving away the household articles. Are these normal habits? People talk about him. Your dad has stopped feeling hungry. He says: What should I do and what should I not do? First, we sent him to the tutor so that he may learn accounts. Then, we sent him to the Pandit He stopped going to them. Then, we sent him to the Muslim Priest, so that he learns Persian. We are government servants. If he learns well, he can get a good job. But all our efforts have gone waste. Your brother did not study properly anywhere.
Then, we thought maybe, he wants to do some outdoor work. So, we sent him for grazing of cows and buffaloes. He will be free and the vocation will go on. If he sticks to it, we can buy a herd of cattle for him. Then, he will have enough earning. What vocation is left that we may put him in that? If he is O.K. for four days, then he is pensive for two months. He goes to the forest and sits and talks to recluses who are run-away from their homes. But with us he does not talk. What is it that I should feel happy about and say he is too good? They say, a mom of one son is blind. That is very true in my case. I am mad that I have one son but I don't see him cheerful as other people's sons.
Daughter: Mom, you are right in your own way. But Brother is not of the world. He is from the heavens. I am stupid but the visions that I see of my brother are unique. Brother has not come to do farming or jobs. You don't get sad. You keep him happy. Then, you will see something good will happen that you will be delighted. O dear Mom, Brother is very high. O Mom, he is all radiance. I have myself seen him as radiance.
Mom: Sisters surely, are sentimental towards brothers. Sisters do have a soft heart for brothers. That is why you are taking his side. But have you ever told him that mom and dad are always complaining and that he should listen to them. Daughter, it is your duty also to make him understand.
Daughter: Mom, no doubt I am elder to him, but otherwise he is very high. What should I tell? When he talks to me, he tells: What we see is perishable. In the unseen is the imperishable Lord. Then, he talks about the Lord with extreme love. He has tears in his eyes. If I say, mom and dad are complaining, you listen to them. Then, he looks towards me and says: You are also talking in the same language. Then Mom, I feel some restlessness in me and I sit down quietly. Then, I tell him: O brother, you do as you wish, you are very high. Sometimes I tell him, dad is suffering. Then, he looks towards the heavens and with tears in his eyes says: The world is in great suffering. I do not understand, Mom, what it means?
Mom: He has been lying down since two months now. You tell him, leave the rest. At least he should look after himself.
Daughter: In these days, whenever I went to him, I called him Brother, but he did not reply. I sat down quietly near him. Then, I saw an aura around him. That is not a light from outside. One day again, I saw many people in this vision. One day, I could hear a very sweet voice of somebody singing. One gets coolness and peace of mind. One feels ecstasy. So, whenever I went, I had a feeling of respect for him and I could not talk.
Mom: O girl, it appears you are also going mad like him. Be in senses. He is a man. He can manage to live. You are a girl. You have to live with your inlaws and other relatives. If you start talking in this language, then how will you manage? Take care of yourself. Be in senses. Don't get into superstitions. You, brother and sister, can see heavenly people sitting here but you cannot see us crying and wailing here. Yes, mom and dad may keep on sulking, disgrace may keep coming to us, but you keep flying in dreams the whole day.
Daughter (with tears in her eyes): Mom, you don't get angry. You are my loving mom. My heart sinks. O Mom, brother is very high.
Saying this, the daughter could not stop her tears. She wept bitterly. She could not control her crying. Mom embraced the daughter, kissed her forehead, put her head on her chest but even then, the crying did not stop. Finally, sobbing, she went off to sleep in the mom's lap.
Meanwhile, Mehta Kalu arrived. Mom escorted the daughter to the bed and then went to the kitchen to serve food.
While having food, Mehta Kalu said: Tripta, did Nanak get up or not?
Tripta: Well, he got up, spent an hour outside and returned. Since then, he is lying down again. He hasn't had food for two days. Even that day, Nanki made him eat by imploring.
Mehta Kalu: You tell daughter to make him understand. He listens to her.
Tripta: That's what I did today. I told daughter to make him understand. He should leave this laziness, get up, eat and drink, take up some vocation. He should sit handsomely in the drawing room. But I had hardly said it that daughter started crying and could not control her crying. She kept crying and saying brother is very high. You don't say anything to him. He will do what he thinks is good. It is his wish. Then, she said: I see a sweet aura around him. Heavenly people sing hymns. Thousands of heavenly people come to pay respect to him. I trembled with fear. Daughter is going the same way as the son has gone. O God, we are left in the world to be made fun of. But before I could tell her anything further she wept so bitterly that with difficulty I made her sleep in my lap. When you came, I put her on the bed. So, you tell, whom should I say anything?
When I go near him, sometimes he says yes, and sometimes he does not reply at all. When Daultan goes, she also begs, but comes back without getting any response. She is also afraid. She also says something that is superstition. I being a humble woman, what can I do? You have to think of something.
Kalu (with hand on his forehead): I called the Muslim priest, the doctor,
the priest, the tutor and the pandit. Nobody could do anything. I talked to him several times. His uncle Laloo, talked to him for months but to no avail. Whoever said anything to him got straight replies or he was quiet. Then, I sent him to school, then, for grazing the cattle and then, farming. But everything was short-lived. Nanak was again in sadness and dejection. God has given us a son, although late, but such a son that we could not fulfill our desires from him. What should I do and what should I not do? Nothing comes to my mind.
Tripta: Why don't you tell Rai? He should make him understand. He is a big man and king of the estate. We are eating his salt. Who knows he might listen to him.
Kalu: What should I say? Either, I am mad or the world is mad. Rai says Nanak is a holy saint. Since he has seen the miracles of the field becoming green and the snake giving him shade, he respects Nanak. Instead wants me to understand. He says Nanak is a prophet. In this age he can do miracles. It is astonishing. So, dear, you tell, what should I tell Rai? Whenever, I have told him anything, he gives me a lecture and does not say anything to Nanak. I do not know whether the world is mad or Kalu.
Tripta: Now, what should we do? What is the use of sulking and complaining? Let things go as they are going. We are unable to do anything to improve. Whatever happens let it happen. Our daughter says the same, 'You see, whatever Brother will do, will be good'. We will see whatever happens. Time being, we are in anxiety.
Tripta went on with her outbursts and Kalu, while listening, dozed off to sleep.
III. Ego
What did he see? It is wintry cold. The stream is flowing. The water level in the stream is quite low but not too low. It is early morning, cold breeze is blowing, Kalu is standing in the icy cold water and chanting a text from old scriptures. In this chanting, he stood there till the sun rose, but the clouds also came and it became cloudy.
Kalu now, came out of water. Although he was used to this type of yoga and could withstand extreme cold or extreme heat but today, he felt much cold when he came out of water, even his teeth clattered. He wiped is body, changed his wet clothes, dressed up, wore a shawl, picked up the water jug, but he felt a bit lazy and he sat down resting his back against the stump of a tree.
The moment he sat down, his eyes closed and he felt semi-consciousness. Now, he saw an angel figure standing in front of him and saying: Kalu, you have meditated a lot. Even, your body has become old. It may not be able to withstand this type of yoga. You leave the yoga and go for devotional love i.e. 'Love of the Lord'.
Kalu: I will do as you say, but my wish should be fulfilled.
Angel figure: Say, what is your wish?
Kalu: The Lord whom we call Supreme Soul should meet me in human form. He should meet me as if he is my dear one.
Angel figure: Kalu, you have done yoga for a long time but you have not gone for devotional love, 'Love of the Lord'. Without the Love of the Lord, your mind is not elevated. Your ego has not gone. You have not loved the Lord. Even if you get what you are wishing, you won't get ecstasy. Till your mind is not elevated, ecstasy cannot come. So, first you go for devotional love.
Kalu: With devotional love, i.e. 'Love of the Lord', I shall reach the Lord's palace, but I wish that the Lord should come to this earth, in my house and play in my lap.
Angel figure: Kalu, you know what you wish. To meditate and ask for fulfillment of a wish is easy. But to know, what will be the result of your wish is a bit difficult to perceive. So, you think once again.
Kalu: If you are benevolent, then you give what I wish. I cannot go for devotional love. I am all right here. He should come here. I will get salvation from him. If he comes, the world will see, many people will get salvation. If I go for devotional love, then, only I will get salvation.
Angel figure: You have said right that many will get salvation. But you go for devotional love. Then, your mind will be elevated and you will feel ecstasy. With yoga-meditation you do get some concentration of mind but the ego does not go and you do not get ecstasy.
Kalu: I have got tired now. Neither can I do meditation nor devotional love. So, if you are benevolent, then you fulfill my wish.
Angle figure: O. K. Your wish will be fulfilled.
Saying this, the angel figure vanished. Kalu opened his eyes. It was afternoon now and it was drizzling but not so much that the clothes would get wet. Slowly, he walked up to his hut and starting thinking. I asked for a good wish and I have got it also. Everything is set right now.
In the meantime, his mentor saint arrived. On listening to the fulfillment of his wish, he said: Kalu, if I had been so fortunate in your place, then I
would not have gone after my mind. The words of the angel figures and saints who are spiritually very high are always good for us. One should not stick to one's own wish at that time. We are not perfect It is beneficial to obey them.
Kalu: Well, I have already asked what I wished and am happy that my wish will be fulfilled. That time has gone, and then, how can I go for devotional love in this age? My body has no strength now.
Mentor: Well, whatever has happened, well and good? But there is still time. You go in for devotional love. You have been bestowed fulfillment of your wish but what he told you that your ego has not gone. That means that when the Lord will come your egoistic mind will not recognize him.
O saint, this veil of 'ego and desires' does not let you meet the Lord and it comes in subtle ways. So, it is essential that you go for devotional love, so that you are not trapped in its charming magic. If not much, then, you do some, so that if you do not recognize him in the first instance, then, at least later you may recognize him. The veil of 'ego and desires' should go sometime. What is the gain in meeting the Lord if we do not perceive him as such? If there is no love that 'He is mine' and the mind does not forget 'you and me' and you do not get immersed in His love, then, what is the gain of meeting?
Kalu: Will I not perceive that he is my Lord?
Mentor: What the angel figure has told you, means, that he will meet you but your mind will remain in darkness. He has said that this darkness is in your mind because your ego has not gone.
So, O saint, you may go for devotional love or not but I have come to realize that devotional love is superior to yoga-meditation. I will now go for devotional love and shall pray: O Lord, you may come and meet me whenever you like and in whatever form, but I should always remain in your love and longing.
Kalu (In despair): O saint, I did not understand my darkness or the veil of 'ego and desires'. I thought, I won't be in the sensation of the Lord but I shall see him as the Lord and worship him as the idol worshippers worship the idol. They worship a stone and I shall worship a living God.
Mentor: It is O.K. But you should have tried to understand his words or otherwise obeyed him. But, doesn't matter, that time is gone, but now, at least you remain in prayer: O Lord, whenever you meet me, in the beginning, middle or end at least, this veil of 'ego and desires' of mine should go, so that I am able to recognize you.
Kalu: But O saint, when will my wish be fulfilled?
Mentor: You didn't ask the angel figure at that time? In my view, it will be after you leave this body. Because now, you are a recluse and what you have wished can be fulfilled when you are a family man.
Saying that, the mentor said: O Lord, O Lord and went away.
Then, Kalu being tired lay down. While lying down he felt that this body is going to die. So, he went into prayer as his mentor had told him and felt that the body has died. After death, he got up in a new town. First, there was light, then darkness. Then, his eyes really opened and what Kalu saw was that he had dozed off to sleep on his own chair in his own kitchen. It is the same house and door. It is the same kitchen and rooms, the same Mehta Kalu, Revenue Collector of Rai Bular. Neither the stream is there, nor the meditative Kalu, nor the mentor, nor the angel figure. But what he saw in the dream came to his mind again and again. Oh! Did I ever meditate? Where has my meditation gone? Then, I became a family man. Oh! Has this child Nanak come from the heavens as per my wish bestowed? Is he really a godly soul and I am in the dark? Am I in ego? Let me get up and see.
Like a mad person, Kalu got up and rushed straight to the room where the child Nanak lay down. The room was lit without any lamp being there. Nanak, the godly soul was sitting. Saints from the heavens were standing at his service. It was cool, peaceful and delightful as if music was going on.
For once, he became semiconscious and went into ecstasy. Powerless, he lay prostrate on the ground and said:
Forgive me. Forgive me. Bless me. Bless me.
But then, when Kalu got up, there was darkness in the room. The child Nanak, his son Nanak was not in the room.
Kalu said to this mind: Oh! What a stupid person am I? Son is not there at all. How did I see him sitting on the throne and celestial bodies standing at his service as also singing of divine songs? It was all an illusion. A mirage. I saw meditative Kalu in dreams. This dream is all illusory (shaking his head). This is, what is called illusion.
In these thoughts, he came out and enquired: Where is Nanak?
Then, somebody said: He is roaming in the fields.
The thought that it was an illusion got confirmed. He got conscious but again his mind went into darkness. He got the fulfillment of his wish but the veil of 'ego and desires' did go for a while but again the veil came and spread itself.
III. Blossom
Winter is gone it is spring season now. Nanak had been lying down for the last three months. He is in a cheerful mood now. He sits in the kitchen and has food both times, morning and evening. He is wearing new clothes that mom got stitched for him with love. He talks to everybody, laughs, talks to the relatives nicely. When he laughs, he is boisterous. He goes out. He talks to mom and sister. He talks to dad and uncle. His face is showing brightness. There is luster on his face. His eyes have a heavenly charm. When he laughs, he showers delight on everyone.
Sister Nanki is no doubt very happy seeing him like this. Even mom and dad are delighted. Rai Bular also came to know that Nanak is in a cheerful mood these days. He was also much delighted.
Everybody said that Nanak has become all right now. There was some evil influence that has vanished.
But actually whatever delight and blossom was there was a heavenly love and the three months that he was lying down was also heavenly love. He had the same heavenly love always. But the minds in ego could not understand this secret. The godly Nanak was blossoming in this young age like blossoming of the spring season. Now, he talked to friends of his age and sometimes a sweet voice 'O Lord, O great Lord' was audible from his sweet lips.
Like the light coming from the stars, like the golden wires dropping from the gold embroidered dresses, wherever he went and talked, rays of ecstasy were being showered.
If somebody is happy, he is happy in himself, but from the cheerful face of the godly soul, who was sometimes called mad, cheerfulness spread around? Whoever looked and came near him got cheerfulness and ecstasy.
IV. Best Bargain
It was sister Nanki who understood his cheerfulness. Yes, it was Nanki who perceived that brother was godly and had come from the heavens. She understood that brother was not of the world but from the heavens. He was beloved of the Lord, one with the Supreme Soul, image of the Lord.
But mom saw him as a son who was under some evil spell and had now become all right. In this thinking she gave charity and thanked her stars. Dad was happy that son had become all right Now, he would take up some vocation. He would become a family man and sit with relatives and friends with pride. It would be honor for the family. He would serve us in our old age.
Yes, when the godly child was blossoming in heavenly love and showering ecstasy, Mehta Kalu was happy in the thinking: 'My son will now start earning money and become rich'.
Mehta's mind thought that he did not stick to anything earlier. Now, since his nature is moving more outside, I should put him in such a business that he moves around and does business also.
So, his sharp business mind decided to make him a trader. He may go to other towns, buy merchandise and sell here. Also, buy merchandise here and sell in other towns. Now, he had in his mind, this business of trading.
The dream that said the truth, he thought that as illusion and this greed of money that is an illusion, he thought was the true thing.
The time when the godly child blossomed in heavenly love, for Mehta Kalu it was time to put Nanak into earning money.
So, one day he made the godly child sit near him, loved him on his head and said: O Nanak, you are my only son, light of our eyes and light of the world.
So far, you have been living like recluses. It is nice that your mind has changed for the better and you have started living like family people. I was sure that you will be a good earner and will enhance the prestige of the family. Whatever efforts I made to make you earn money have gone waste and we all were disappointed. Now, if you listen to me and go according to the tradition of elders, then, you pick up some vocation while I am living.
In this way, dad tried to make him understand for full one hour and Guru Nanak kept on listening.
When Mehta Kalu finished all his outburst of anger and complaints and became quiet, then, the godly child said: O dad, you felt sad, but it is not in me. Whatever happens, it is by the Lord's will. If that has made you sad, then you forgive me for that. Further, whatever you say, I shall try my best to do. But it is not in me. I will not do any wrong on my own.
On listening to this, Mehta Kalu thought that son is on the right track. Now, I should fix him up in some vocation.
So, he said: Nanak, I had sent you to the tutor, Muslim priest and farming, so that I could buy an entire village and you could develop it and become a big estate owner but let us forget that.
Now son, you take some money and go to another town and buy something that is cheaper there. In the beginning you do some small trading. You take these twenty rupees. You go to some town and see what are the items cheaper
there. You buy those and bring and sell them at a good price here in Talwandi and make some profit. Then, you can add the profit to these twenty rupees and go again. When you will learn to buy and sell in this way, then you can go to some foreign country to do bigger business.
To start with, you go to Chuharkana that is only a few kilometers away and buy some merchandise. But be careful buy the best only. It should be the best bargain. Be sure that it is of good quality so that there is no loss at all.
Guru Nanak: But dad, I have no experience.
Mehta Kalu: You are going for the first time. You take Bala along. He will be at your service and he will be a security for you.
Then, the Guru said: O. K. Dad, as you say, I shall do.
So both of them started. They walked about five kilometers and from a distance the town of Chuharkana became visible.
Bala thought it is good we shall buy something from this town only. So, they started walking towards the town. When they reached near the town, they saw a garden. It was on a little height and big trees and plants were giving good shade.
Here, the Guru saw some sadhus sitting, with ash spread on their bodies and had a fire burning to keep them warm. Some sadhus were hanging from trees, some were sitting in cold water, some were standing on one leg and some were sitting with arms high up. Amongst them, one appeared to be senior to others. He was the head of the group.
The Guru went and sat close to the head of the group and said: O saint, it is cold and you are all without clothes. Food is also not visible. Are you staying like this intentionally or you don't get enough to eat?
Saint: O respectable child. We had everything. We were like you, staying with family in our house. We have renounced our family and house. The world and this body are perishable. We want salvation. So, we keep away from the worldly desires and do yoga practices. We keep fasts and we don't stay at one place so that we may not get attached to it. The mind should remain away from greed, the body should do yoga practices and we get salvation.
Guru Nanak: Since how many days have you been fasting now?
Saint: O young man, you don't ask us this question. We do not beg for food. We eat when He sends, otherwise we remain hungry in our yoga practices or we manage by eating leaves and some fruits. Today is the seventh day that we haven't had food.
On hearing this, the intuitive Guru thought that they are telling the truth. They are hungry for the last seven days and have pinned hopes on the Lord. The town is nearby but they have not gone to beg for food. Why not buy them food?
Guru Nanak: O Saint, what is your name?
Saint: My name is Saint Rain and I am the Head of this group. But what saint and what Head we are all on the path of salvation.
Guru Nanak: If I bring food for you, will you eat?
Saint: You are young and you must have got money from your parents. You don't bother about us.
The Guru's heart was overflowing with mercy. The thought that the Lord's children have pinned hope on the Lord and are hungry for the last seven days and I have got money by which their suffering of hunger can be allayed, the Guru could not bear. It was difficult for the Guru who had a soft heart, to leave the hungry in hunger and move ahead with a stony heart. The biggest suffering of man is hunger.
The Guru has counted four big sufferings of mankind:
1. Separation.
2. Hunger
3. Messengers of Death.
4. Sickness of the body.
To see the sadhus in this biggest suffering and Guru Nanak having twenty rupees in his pocket and to keep the money and not spend for allaying the suffering, this thing was contrary to the nature of his elevated mind.
He thought this was the best bargain.
So, promptly he took out twenty rupees from his pocket and kept it in front of the Head of the group and said: O saint, I have got this money right now. You get food for all of you.
Saint: You are young. You have a big heart. This money, your dad must have given you for some work. If you give this money to us, then your dad will be angry with you. The Lord will look after us.
The Guru thought for a moment, then he smiled and in a feeling of tenderness said: The body should learn to withstand hardships and sufferings, the mind should learn to be tender in love and affection, what has to happen, happens, but the 'moment to do goodness9 does not come handy so quickly. Money is a servant and it is for service.
The Lord has made the heart soft, not of silver or gold.
You spend this money for allaying your hunger free from worry.
The saint was astonished to listen to the words of the Guru. He was dazed to see the luster on his forehead.
Then, he said: If you are so sure, then, we do not want this money. You may get us the groceries.
On listening to this, the Guru went into the town. It was named Chuharkana. He went to a shop and bought rice, wheat, refined butter and other items of grocery and brought them to the sadhus.
When the Guru had gone to Chuharkana, the saint sat in meditation. The Guru's handsome face had made a mark in his mind. In his vision, he saw the Guru as a godly soul. He could not bear the dazzle. He saw celestial beings at the service of the Guru. He could listen the tune 'O Lord, O great Lord' from the Guru's body cells.
When the Guru came back with the groceries, then the saint's eyes opened. He perceived the Guru as a prophet. He could not bear the dazzle from his forehead.
Then, the saint said: I have got your glimpse. I have got ecstasy. Now, you may go. These sadhus will cook for themselves and eat. Then, the Lord's loving Guru Nanak started the return journey to Talwandi.
After the Guru left, some sadhus who were sitting close to the saint asked him: This godly person had a soft heart. He was God loving. Such people deserve salvation. Why did you ask him to go?
The saint replied: This godly soul is a prophet of the prophets. In my view, he has been sent by the Lord to allay the suffering of the people. He was himself the Lord. He came for our welfare. It was not proper that he should do some service for us.
The child of the Lord, the image of the Lord, Guru Nanak, the savior, departed and the sadhus immersed in his love got busy in cooking and eating.
V. The Hardship
The twenty rupees that Mehta Kalu gave to the child Guru for business, he spent in buying groceries for the sadhus who were hungry for seven days and then he was on his way back to Talwandi. When they reached near Talwandi, a thought came to him: Where am I going? Am I going home? Which home? The home that had sent me for business to make profit and that money has been spent on allaying the hunger. Now, neither the principal money is there,
nor the profit. What face shall I show at home? Then, he said to Bala: What shall we say at home? Dad will be angry. He will never agree that what I did was really the best bargain.
Bala, who was already feeling afraid of Mehta Kalu, said: It is none of my fault. When you offered money to the saint, I made a gesture to stop you. Then, at Chuharkana again I stopped you. But I am your servant. Why are you worrying now? Whatever will happen, you have to bear. But you save me. It should not come on me that I prompted you to give away the money.
The Guru listened to him and became quiet.
Oh, this world! The only son of the parents is afraid of the parents on spending twenty rupees for a good cause. This is the world.
When they reached the outskirts of Talwandi, the Guru said to Bala: You go to your home. I am not going to my home just now.
So, Bala went away to his home and the handsome child Nanak sat on the stairs of a dry pond.
The night passed. The next morning, somebody informed Mehta Kalu 'Bala is back home'.
Mom and dad got worried: Oh, where has our son gone? Why did Bala not come to us and inform us at night? Why Nanak has not accompanied him? Was the money stolen? Is Nanak annoyed or is he lost? A thousand thoughts came to Mehta Kalu's mind.
Hurriedly then, Mehta Kalu sent for Bala and when he came, asked about the child. Bala told the whole story and to save his own skin, he also said to him: I tried my best to stop him but after all, being a servant, what could I do? I could not force him. After spending money, he himself was afraid of your getting angry. That is why he did not come home. He sat on the dry pond.
On hearing this, the dad was furious. Why would he not get furious?
What a world! It has no place for elevated minds. It has no respect for those who have the sensation of the Lord in them. Oh! 'The vision of money', that doesn't let you see above the earth. The whole world is money-minded, money and comforts of money for self. Nobody feels happy to give comfort to others. Nobody has perceived the sensation of the Lord in his mind. Nobody has awakened his mind to the ecstasy of the Lord. Those who are awakened souls the world is their enemy.
Now, Mehta Kalu took Bala along and went out to find the child.
The mood and the wrath with which Mehta Kalu walked and went, was known best to his wife Mrs. Tripta.
Yes, Mom Tripta was also sullen on this failing but the mom's heart is after all a mom's heart. In her sad heart she also felt afraid that today 'my child cannot escape the wrath of his dad'. So, mom, with a mom's heart ran and hurriedly said to daughter: O daughter, you go. Follow your dad. Go and save your brother, save your dear brother from the wrath of dad. You are the only one who can hold the wrath of your dad. I implore you. You run and go.
In madness, the mom sent her daughter, but then repented, 'why I sent her alone'? Then, she sent her maid and a servant to follow and accompany her.
There, Mehta Kalu, the same Mehta Kalu, who had seen that this son has come in fulfillment of his wish, in lieu of his yoga meditation, the same Mehta Kalu who is the dad of an only son, and wants to see him in prosperity, today is going in a fit of anger. On reaching the forest, he found him sitting on the bank of the dry pond. The image of the Lord was sitting immersed in the love of the Lord under the shade of a tree. His handsome face was radiant with luster on his forehead. But O world! You have come as an embodiment of ego. So, it just happened what the mom had expected.
Mehta Kalu, in a rage, picked up the child and made him stand and said: O you, 'good for nothing', now, you are sitting in meditation. O squanderer! Where is the money, where is the business, where are your gentle words 'I will do as you say'? Say, why don't you talk now?
Dad, pitilessly, pulls his arm. The godly child, with head bent, doesn't look up. The fire of anger flares up. Mehta Kalu's right arm goes up and slaps the godly child's left cheek.
Then, Mehta Kalu, no, the world, the merciless world, yes, your left arm goes up and slaps the godly child on the right cheek. After giving a slap, Mehta Kalu's fire of anger flares more to give a second slap.
The master of the world is standing quiet getting the beating. Tears are coming from his eyes but his lips are shut and his body is standing still.
See this figure, young age, delicate body, godly soul, image of the Lord is standing as a culprit for the offence of allaying the suffering of hunger of the world.
See, how still he is standing, how quiet, how his head is bent, how tears are falling, how he is being slapped again and again?
How one hand and then the second is being raised for the beating.
O World! O Mehta Kalu, today, if you say, 'you give me one million in lieu of my one rupee lost', then this child's, whom you have made to stand as
a culprit and offender, disciples will say: O Mehta Kalu, you take twenty millions in lieu of twenty rupees but don't look askance towards him.
Alas! Mehta Kalu, today, you are not able to see that in another ten to twenty years, you are going to beg salvation from him, whom you have made to stand as a culprit. Only, he will give you salvation.
But alas! The ego in man, the mercilessness of the world, the darkness of the mind, does not let you understand before hand or on time. It makes you understand quite late.
At this time, Mehta Kalu is right. His mind is extremely sad and he thinks that Nanak is the cause of his sadness. He thinks that Nanak is stupid.
O Mehta Kalu, how many sons tread on the path of their dads, have a family living, have respect in society and accumulate money and die?
The reply will be, 'All'.
Now, you tell, how many are there, who would break these barriers and do the work that Nanak is doing, 'To allay the suffering of the world'?
You tell, who else besides Nanak was there or is there now, to break this barrier to allay the suffering of the world.
But at that time, neither Mehta Kalu understood nor anybody can understand today, nor it is hoped that the world will ever understand. There is no place in the world for those who are beloveds of the Lord.
Nobody, neither mom, nor dad, nor relatives, nor friends, nor the king has any regard for a man of the Lord. Everybody looks askance towards a man of the Lord. They look at him with doubt and welcome him with criticism, envy and cruelty. They serve him by laughing at him.
Yes, O cruel world, for the sake of twenty rupees, the prophet of peace, the beloved of the Lord, who has been accepted as the image of the Lord, is being slapped. His cheeks turned blue, like a black bee sitting on the lotus.
Mehta Kalu has not stopped as yet. Mehta Kalu's anguish at the loss of twenty rupees is not yet over. O world! How much dear are your twenty rupees?
At this time, the brother's loving and understanding sister Nanki reached. Before that, man)' people had gathered to see the show. But not one, of this hard-hearted world, tried to save the savior of the world, Nanak.
Nanki cut through this hard-hearted crowd and like a crazy person embraced her dad and took him at a distance saying: No dad, don't beat innocent brother. Don't beat the godly brother.
It cannot be judged, to what extent Mehta Kalu's anger would have gone and if anybody else had come to rescue Nanak, then, what would have happened, but the cool embrace of the pious Nanki controlled the fire of anger. Now, other people also started making Mehta Kalu understand.
Why not? Now, the pious sister had changed the mood.
Four persons came forward and held Mehta Kalu so that he should not go forward.
Now, the sister left dad and went and embraced 'Brother'.
Even, in this hardship, by the embrace of 'Brother', she got the sensation of the Lord in the mind and body and she went into ecstasy.
Nanki had imagined that she had reached on time, and brother hasn't got the beating and that she stopped the dad's hand on time. But now, when she saw tears in brother's eyes and his blue cheeks, she fell down unconscious. The accompanying maid gave her support and then she got up and embraced brother again and took him towards the house. She is walking but tears are flowing from her eyes. The maid is supporting her. Many more people are accompanying.
Some people are with Mehta Kalu, trying to pacify him.
There, at home, mom is impatient. Even after sending Nanki and the maid and servant, she is worried. Powerless, she left her house open and was coming this side in a hurry. When she reached the outskirts of the town, then, she met her son. Son was quiet, composed and tears had dried up, but when she saw the blue cheeks, she screamed. She embraced son fondly and brought him home. Mom is caressing him, has tears in her eyes but O mom, the cheeks that have become blue, and the pain that the 'soft than lotus' cheeks are giving, that is pain and is still there.
Mom is now also saying: My dear son, you don't worry. You don't do anything. Nobody will tell you for doing any vocation now. You feel comfortable and happy and do whatever you wish and whatever pleases you.
Mom is caressing her son but the cheeks of the image of the Lord are still blue. They are in pain to allay the suffering of the world. His eyes have tears to allay the suffering of the world.
VI. Rai Bular's Love
Now, somebody went and told Rai Bular that Nanak has got a beating today and his cheeks have turned deep blue. He got this beating from his dad, because he was given twenty rupees for trading and that money he spent on
giving food to some hungry sadhus.
Rai Bular became sad on listening to this. He sent his men to bring Nanak and Mehta Kalu. I want to see with my own eyes and listen what the matter is.
Rai Bular was, at this time, sitting in an open durbar. Anybody could come and meet him in this durbar. So, many people had come and more and more were coming and telling the story.
Then, Rai also became angry and said: A prophet gets a beating in my town. This is rowdiness. The king or chief is unfortunate in whose town there is no respect even for prophets. This is an unfortunate incident.
Meanwhile, the godly child arrived. Rai Bular saw the blue marks.
They were there on the handsome Guru Nanak's face. He also saw the tears.
The warrior chief himself wept. He got up, embraced the godly child and kissed his forehead. Then, he rubbed his hands on the godly child's back and again embraced him.
Then, he made the godly child sit on the pillow side of the bed and said: O Lord-sent, Forgive me that you got a beating in my town. You are the Lord's beloved and an apostle of forgiveness and love. You forgive me. I am your servant. Sometimes, he loved him on the head like a dad. Sometimes, he leaned towards his feet like a devotee. Sometimes, he looked at his blue cheeks. Sometimes, he saw luster in his eyes.
The beloved of the Lord was quiet and Rai Bular was feeling a sensation of ecstasy by the presence of Nanak.
Meanwhile, the Rai's men brought Mehta Kalu also.
Then, Rai looked towards Mehta Kalu and said: You are very cruel. You have only one son, Lord's child, born saint. He is a prophet. You are merciless.
You have made his cheeks blue by slapping on this godly child's face. O merciless, you have no fear of the Lord, no fear of me, no fear of what the people will say. You have only one son, who is more handsome than the moon. You beat him. Where is your love and where is your sentiment for him?
Again he wept and said: What should I do? It is unfortunate that I am a Muslim. If I were not a Muslim, then, I would keep this Lord's child in my house and would serve him. As it is, if I forcibly make him stay in my house, then, the people will say that I have forcibly made him a Muslim. Saying this, again, Rai had tears in his eyes and said: O Kalu, you beware and don't ever be angry on him.
Mehta Kalu: Your Excellency, you are my master and I am your servant. I cannot argue with you. But you see, since he has become young, so many times he has given away household articles. Now, I sent him for doing business. He spent all that money in feeding the sadhus. If he had made some profit and given in charity, then, I would not have bothered. People say: 'I am greedy for rupees'. I get angry because he has come of age but not learnt any vocation. How will he spend his life? How will he run his family and house? What, if I slapped him so that he learns something? Beating by the parents is also out of love. Then, you see, he hid himself. At least he should have told us. So, I had to be angry on him.
Rai: No. Kalu, No. Don't ever be angry on him. No anger on this godly soul. The Lord has sent Nanak. He is a prophet. You said that you sent him for a good bargain. Think, what bad he has done? What better bargain can there be than to allay the hunger of the sadhus who were hungry?
It is said: If you give something in charity, you get ten times return in this world and seventy times in the next world. This was the best bargain that Nanak did.
Then, Rai sent his maid to queen Khokhran to bring twenty rupees. Rai Bular: Mehta, here is twenty rupees and don't ever raise your hand on him.
Now, Mehta Kalu felt ashamed. The anger had gone down. Rai Bular had said that Nanak is a prophet.
Mehta Kalu closed his yes and went into deep thought. In this deep thought he visualized the scene of the dream. It appeared to him that Rai Bular was his mentor, whom he saw in his dream and who had advised him to go for devotional love and had said 'whether you go or not, but I will leave this yoga meditation and go for devotional love'. He thought: Rai Bular went for devotional love and that is why he recognizes Nanak. But I am still in ego and desires, so I do not recognize him as such. This thought came for a moment and then his eyes opened.
It was Rai Bular's durbar and a few people were sitting and thinking: 'Mehta Kalu is in the wrong'.
Mehta Kalu, for a moment, saw Nanak as a prophet, but O Lord this ego again had an upper hand. His mind said: How can Nanak be an image of the Lord, when he does not act on what he says. He said, 'I won't make any loss', but he did it.
But, one thing attracted his attention: 'I am sitting on the ground in Rai Bular's durbar but Rai Bular has made my son sit on the pillow side and he himself is sitting on the feet side. This is something that looks big'.
But then, again the un-awakened mind thought that Rai Bular is being whimsical after seeing some supernatural events.
In this way, the veil of ego remained on the mind of Mehta Kalu.
Mehta Kalu refused to accept the money.
Rai said: Nanak is your son and I have to pay him a loan, you take this money.
Then, Mehta Kalu said: He has learned to lose, he never earned. When did you take loan from him?
Rai Bular (in love and respect for Nanak) said: See, whatever riches I have, those are bestowed by him. He has given all the riches to the world. He is the Lord's treasurer. He is the Lord's son. He is a prophet. See, the entire world is eating what he gives. He sits on the right hand side of the Lord.
On listening to this, Mehta Kalu smiled.
The world always smiles. The world sees faith and love of the Lord with fun and smiles. Money is truth, wealth is truth, pride is truth, authority is truth, desires are true, grabbing is true, but love and faith in the Lord is worth a sarcastic smile.
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