It is a sweet and rosy season. The cool and loving breeze, the early morning moon intoxicated and showering sweet moonlight, the imperceptible spray of small dew drops, all these are giving a feeling of ecstasy.
How nicely the forest trees are waving their thin leaves. What a nice mottled floor of shade and light, the moonlight rays are spreading through the empty spaces of these leaves.
In this picturesque garden of shade and light, on a wooden settee, is sitting an old man with his back resting on a pillow. He is sitting in a squatting position. Both his hands are resting on the knees. A garland of marble beads is lying in front His eyes are closed. His body is static and the breath is slow and rhythmical.
The early morning passed like that The early morning daybreak also passed like that Now, one could listen to the chirping of the birds as if the forest has woken up.
Now, the old man with a glowing face, opened his eyes. His hands picked up the garland of beads. His eyes shed one or two tears and he said in a longing and craving tone: 'Without your glimpse, I am suffering pangs of separation'.
From the eyes some tears fell moving along his wrinkled cheeks, like dew drops falling from withering leaves in autumn, slip down. After a few moments, again his eyes closed. His hand moved the beads and in a longing voice he said:
'The worldly ocean of fire is fearsome.
You only can make anybody swim across'.
His voice became feeble and his eyes closed again.
Now it was daytime. The sun became bright The old man opened his
eyes, when from a little distance, one servant came and said: Sir, Your Excellency, your kingdom should always remain. One Muslim priest has come from Lahore.
The old man whose name was Rai Bular Ji but people out of respect called him Rai, said: Let him come.
The old man slipped a little to one side, put the sword and garland of beads on one side, made space and asked the priest to sit down. They exchanged greetings and then the Muslim priest said: O Rai, your father Rai Bhoe was a great warrior. He conquered this Talwandi state and also nearby places. He amalgamated all smaller towns and made this Talwandi a big state. But you are so saintly and kind hearted that even though two or three towns have become independent, you have not bothered. What do you do, sitting in the garden in the middle of the night? Then you sing the songs composed by a Hindu. You do not recognize the Muslim code and command. Your father Rai Bhoe had conquered the entire area from Pindi Bhatian up to Talwandi and consolidated his kingdom, but since you have taken over its control, several towns have become independent and now what remains, is a small state that you are ruling. It is impertinence on my part to talk like that but I am saying it out of love. You are still in some mistaken faith. The nearby ruler of Kharal state is planning to forcibly occupy Talwandi. You be in some readiness to thwart them. Being a friend of your father, I thought while passing, I shall visit here and talk to you. If you like, shall I get you some help from the rulers at Lahore?
Rai Bular Ji: It is so kind of you that you have come and talked to me. But this is not in my hands. The Lord had blessed heroism to my father and He has blessed me with detachment. One has to go by one's nature. I am not inimical to my subjects but I cannot invade and kill innocent people. But if somebody attacks us, then I am there to defend. I don't leave any stone unturned. To win or to loose is in the hands of God. You see, even though we lost once or twice , I saved my subjects from loot and tyranny. But otherwise, I have an intuition that this Talwandi state will be ruined once and it will flourish again, but with the sacred name of the prophet who has to win the world with love, in whose vision there is no hatred between Hindus and Muslims but like the two eyes of one Lord has love for both. He has taught me to do my duty and be religious.
Besides, he has taught me to win over a kingdom for which I have to fight all twenty-four hours. I have to fight a battle early in the morning every day and win a new fort everyday.
After winning over this fort, one is freed from worldly entanglements forever. The sufferings don't come near you and you get salvation while living.
O priest, you have done well to come and talk but I suggest you consider what I tell you:
The elephant eats many kilograms of food every day. It spreads ash and repents, when it dies. But the sparrow eats little and if she says, Lord, Lord, Then she becomes the beloved of the Lord.
Muslim priest That is why I said that you have become powerless.
Rai: O priest, that is why, I pray to the Lord to give me strength that I sacrifice my entire comforts for the sake of my subjects. I don't mean that I will leave the kingdom and start begging for food. I rather sit in a patched blanket and be a devotee of the Lord, than be a king full of pride and ego and in forgetfulness of the Lord. So, I want that I should not become proud but I should remain in the love of the Lord. I should avail of this opportunity in life and fulfill my duty to look after my subjects and defend them. You please tell me, which duty I am not fulfilling. Then I shall put more efforts and pray to God to give me more strength to serve my subjects. The Lord may prompt me to do whatever is His wish. Rest is the destiny of the subjects.
Muslim priest: There is no deficiency in your looking after the subjects and defending them. But, bowing to a Hindu saint and considering the son of Kalu Mehta, who is your servant, as a saint gives lot of pain. Just now you have said that this name Talwandi will be washed and it will be named again after that Hindu saint. I am sorry to say, but this thinking is not desirable.
Rai Bular Ji (tears in his eyes): O priest, I am sorry, without faith and devotion you cannot see the truth in its naked form. He is not a Hindu saint. He is a prophet He has come from the Lord. He is an image of the Lord. Then what I have said that Talwandi will be renamed after him, is a command of the Lord. What can you and I do in that? More, I cannot argue, but for the sake of love that I have for everybody I wish that you have a glimpse of him, so that you are also blessed.
On listening to this, the priest thought that here the love is boundless. I have already said enough. If I say something more that he may not like then he being the king might even kill me. Although he is saintly in nature but who can trust the nature of a king, one moment this side, and one moment that side. In this thinking he just talked generally and went away.
Now Rai sent one servant to Mehta Kalu Ji's house and then sat in longing and craving for the glimpse of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He said a verse that meant
loving Guru Ji, loving Guru Nanak Dev Ji, loving Guru Nanak Dev Ji My heart is trembling, my entire life is spent, is near ending Before these eyes close forever, bless your glimpse. Bless your glimpse.
At a distance, under the trees, a few security guards were patrolling for the security of the king. Now a fresh batch came to replace them. The earlier ones went to their homes.
Meanwhile, Mehta Kalu Ji reached. Rai made him sit with respect and in a longing tone said: O Mehta, tell me any news, whether the sun of the world is going to give a glimpse to this hard-hearted earth or not?
Mehta: O respected Rai, what should I tell? There is no news. I am getting restless. My entire life is spent. We got one son after a long desire, and he has left the family and is in travels. A couple of times there was a tiding that he is coming but nothing definite is known. We don't even have any inkling as to where he has gone. When he went, he said: I have to travel to nearby places. We do not understand what is he doing after undergoing so much hardships of travelling? We have now got into old age and he is also of good age now but still he is travelling and travelling. His mother is always in wishful thinking, that when our son comes on his birthday we will celebrate it with pomp, but the day passes away in waiting only. When he comes back, then you make him understand that he should stay in the house.
Rai Bular Ji: Fortunate are those in whose house he is born. By his glimpse the sins are washed.
O Mehta Kalu Ji, even I have a longing for his glimpse but I cannot assert a right on him. I cannot be proud that he is related to me. I have no strength to say that he is from my caste or community.
Yes, I am dependent only on one thing, his mercy. I am old now. Death is near. I wish to have his glimpse. But if his wish is otherwise, then I have no authority, I should remain in his love and longing. Saying this, he had tears in his eyes and he said:
Guru Nanak Dev Ji
Give me your love
Fill my heart with your love
Without you I am nobody
O Mehta, What can I make him understand? My trying to make him understand is lighting candles in bright sun.
In me, is the devil named ego, that does not let me see his real self. When the godly souls come to the earth, then the veil of ego, the darkness of
selfishness, self-love, keeps us away from their real glimpse. We cry for the saints who have died. But the godly souls that are living with us as our relatives, our friends, our well-wishers and are doing goodness to us, we remain ignorant of their worth.
Unknowingly, we mix up our shortcomings with their good qualities and spend our life, sitting thirsty on a full pond.
O Mehta, he is not your son. He is a prophet He is an image of the Lord. To have a longing for his glimpse is prime piousness.
To have a heart throb in his waiting is equivalent to hundred virtuous actions.
To remember him is the biggest gain.
With the string of remembrance and pull of love, our mind becomes crystal by his godly glimpse. He has met the Lord.
By listening to him and by loving him, we get a glimpse of the Lord.
Mehta: O Rai, Out of sentiments we say son, son. This sentiment has killed us. Many times, when you tell us, we do realize, but again the sentiment comes in between, and we start thinking: O we did not see the comfort of having a son, we did not even talk to him to our fill, did not see our son's hustling, bustling. What is the use of our coming to this world otherwise?
Rai: Make this sentiment as devotion and have a glimpse of the godly soul, who is the saviour from the Lord's palace to this earth.
All right You tell, whether any tiding has come or not? I am very much restless today. Last night, I had a glimpse in my dream. Saying this, he had tears in his eyes again.
Mehta (with tears): Daughter Nanki Ji has sent a message, saying she is arriving today or tomorrow. This is one sign maybe he is coming. O Rai, from our family, she has recognized his greatness. She was assured also that whenever she will remember and make a prayer, he would come.
Rai: Thanks O Lord. At least, I shall have a glimpse of those, who love the beloved. Why should sister Nanki Ji not love him?
O Mehta, make your life fruitful. Life is precious. Don't consider Guru Nanak Dev Ji as your son. He is love in human form. He loves everyone. His formula is love. His meditation is love. He wins over hatred with love. He is travelling all over the world to win over hatred with love. His form is love. His work is to love.
His remembrance is love. His service is to love him. His discipleship is to love him. His path is love. His salvation is love.
When you have got a son, who is all love, then you must win over sentiments and recognize him as a prophet O Lord. It's all your command.
Meanwhile, sound of the tapping of the feet of a horse pulling a twowheeler carriage was heard.
Rai, who thought that he might be leaving this seen world very shortly, looked back. He gazed and saw Bhaijai Ram coming on a horse. Seeing him, the king of the state, but whom love had made so humble, stood up. When, Jai Ram Ji saw Rai standing, then quickly he came forward and fell first at the feet of Rai and next at the feet of Mehta Kalu Ji.
Sister Nanki Ji also got down from the carriage. Rai said loudly: You are our daughter. You are the sister of our respected, beloved. You are our respected daughter. You keep sitting in the carriage.
But sister Nanki Ji knew that Rai Bular Ji is a true disciple of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and he is so much attached to him. How could she stop giving respect to him?
Hurriedly, she got down from the carriage, walked towards her father and his boss and in a scream and a challenging tone, asked: Has brother come or not?
Saying this, she bowed towards her father. But he, quickly, embraced her, cried and said: O daughter, me, entangled in worldly desires. How can I have a glimpse of him?
At this time, Rai Bular Ji bowed to sister Nanki Ji. She could not bear this humility of the old Rai, whom Guru Nanak Dev Ji respected and revered as an old man. How could she bear the bowing of his head to her?
Hurriedly, she moved back and with tears in her eyes and folded hands said: Uncle, I am your daughter and you are my father.
What pull has brought sister Nanki Ji here? Years had passed but sister was never invited to come to the parents' house on Guru Ji's birthday because Guru Ji was never here on his birthday. Now, one night she saw in a dream, that brother's birthday is being celebrated in her parents' house at Talwandi.
The dream created such deep impression that she left Sultanpur and her longing and hope increased, that brother must have arrived, but instead of his having arrived, she found everybody in longing and waiting here. As everybody was in longing and waiting, she also joined them in the longing and waiting.
She also heard that Rai has dreamt that Guru Ji has come to Talwandi.
She also saw the restlessness of her mother and today was the first day, when she saw love in her father's heart also. Now, she had an ardent desire that if brother comes, then father in this old age will get salvation. What happiness will it be?
In her mind, she prayed: O saviour brother, you must come and give us your glimpse.
Now, the sun had risen high. Then Rai said: O Mehta, Jai Ram Ji and sister Nanki Ji have travelled. They must be tired. You take them home. I have stopped them on the way in my own thoughts.
So, everybody took leave from Rai and reached home. Mother came running to the courtyard. Seeing the daughter, she screamed. She embraced the daughter and wept so much that the neighbors had to come to cool her down. Still, in the embrace of the daughter, she said so many words of longing and craving that even stones would melt. She wept so much that she could not even speak. When, she cooled down a bit, then she said:
The world is dark if 1 cannot see my son,
I do not wish to live if I cannot see my son.
Saying this, and embracing the daughter firmly, she became unconscious.
Sister Nanki Ji's heart melted and she prayed with deep love in heart:
godly soul, mother and father are old
And nobody knows about life,
You have blessed the world. Now, you bless them.
Thus praying, she saw a smile on her godly brother's face.
She opened her eyes and said: Thanks Lord. Thanks Lord.
O mother, stop your crying. Godly brother is coming. Forget your sentiments and see him as the image of the Lord. Then you will see your inner self. Then you will see the Lord. You will get salvation.
In this way, with some satisfaction, daughter and mother went inside and the maid prepared food.
Sister Nanki Ji consoled her mother, but still, her mother while sitting and standing, many times, had tears in her eyes and said: Oh! Beloved. Sometimes she said: Oh! Guru Ji. Sometimes, Oh! Nanak. Sometimes, she saw her father in sadness saying: We have got a son whom the world adores, but we are unfortunate.
Everybody respected sister Nanki Ji. Whenever she said that brother is coming, then everybody became sure that he is coming. Now, Guru Ji's birthday was near. So, the family thought that this time Guru Ji would be at home on this auspicious day. The mother started preparations for the birthday. Sister Nanki Ji also helped her.
Sister Nanki Ji was intuitive. So, in her vision, Guru Ji's smile indicated that he had listened to her prayer and given a positive reply. Another couple of days passed.
One day, Rai was sitting in the garden, in the love of the Lord. He was sitting on the ground. Bhai Sajjada Ji was playing the rebeck and singing divine songs composed by Guru Ji.
Bhai Jai Ram Ji and sister Nanki Ji knew that there was a program of singing of divine songs atRai Bular's palace. So, they came and joined the congregation. Mehta Kalu Ji and mother Tripta also came. Everybody listened to the divine songs. When, the singing finished, then everybody talked about the longing for Guru Ji's glimpse. Although Rai Bular Ji was the king and Mehta Kalu Ji an official under him, but due to the love of Guru Ji, everybody loved each other and in the holy congregation there was no discrimination of 'big or small' and no veil of 'master or servant'. Everybody mixed with each other as a family in the ecstasy of divine songs and Guru Nanak Dev Ji's love.
Then the old Rai Bular Ji opened his eyes looked towards the sky and said:
daughter Nanki Ji, the Lord's beloved has not come. You tell me truly whether
1 will get a glimpse of him before my eyes close forever?
Nanki Ji (with tears in her eyes): O my respected father. Don't be disheartened. He reaches, where love is. This is his nature. His birthday is near. Your wish will be fulfilled.
Rai: Yes, O respected daughter, he will surely come. Birthday, O Lord, I forgot Birthday you can say, who have some authority, being relatives. I am a disciple. How can I say so? I will say, when is the 'Birthday festival' of my true Guru Nanak Dev Ji? What is the auspicious day of the birth of the image of the Lord?
Sister Nanki Ji: Respected father, you are right. Even, we wish to be his disciples, although the attachment of relationship may be, but we have to win over it. The birthday of our beloved Guru Ji, O father, is after eight days.
She had hardly said this when they saw two gentlemen arriving. All eyes looked that side, everybody felt attracted with love. In a few moments both of them reached. They were Bhai Bhagirath Ji and Bhai Mansukh Ji, the beloved disciples of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Sister Nanki Ji recognized them. She stood up to greet them with folded hands, bowed down and said loudly: O beloveds of my godly brother, come here, you are welcome.
They listened to the voice of sister Nanki Ji and then lay prostate on the ground. Sister Nanki Ji lifted their heads and with tears in eyes said:
O beloveds of Guru Ji, O true devotees of Guru Ji, let us know how far is brother and when is he coming?
Bhai Bhagirath Ji: Sister, we have come here with the hope that he will be here. For the last one month Bhai Mansukh Ji and myself had gone out somewhere. There, we spent good time in holy company.
About a week back, we thought, let us go to Talwandi and we felt as if somebody is pulling us. We presumed he has already come, so we came directly.
Sister: That means you are not coming from Lahore? You have come from some other nearby place. It is true, before the rain, the clouds arrive and before spring, nice breeze comes. Your putting sacred feet here, indicates that brother is coming.
These conversations were going on, when, from another road Bhai Lalo Ji, the image of humility and sacredness arrived. On seeing the hustle-bustle of holy congregation, he came and bowed his head. On seeing Lalo Ji, everybody felt reassured that Guru Ji would surely come.
Rai asked: Is there any message from the beloved Guru Ji?
Bhai Lalo Ji: O respected Rai, while reading the scripture, I got a vision and I saw him at Talwandi. So, I thought he must have arrived here and his birthday is nearing also. That is what has brought me here.
Sister Nanki Ji: The cranes come before the arrival of dewy winter nights. The nightingales come before the arrival of delicious juicy mangoes.
The Lord's ideal men are coming before the arrival of dear brother. Brother will surely come.
In this way, in longing and craving, in divine singing, in prayers, days passed. For the disciples, the day of festival came. For the family his birthday came. Preparations were made.
The first day passed, the night passed. It became early morning, but there was no news. Where the sacred tank is situated now, Rai came and sat here in meditation. Bhai Sajjada Ji started singing divine songs in a soft tone. The three disciples and brother-in-law Jai Ram Ji came and sat down. Before daybreak, sister Nanki Ji with mother and father also came and sat down. The divine songs finished. The sunrays spread. Guru Ji has not arrived. Everybody has got faith that Guru Ji is arriving. But God only knows. It became daytime. The sun rose and it became hot. Everybody is quiet and in remembrance of the Lord's name. When the sun rose high, then Rai opened his eyes and said: In this holy congregation my soul is too heavy. You throw me away so that the boat may sail. I eat the king's food. I eat from the money of my subjects. Guru Ji is coming but my sins are holding him back. Please get up, O friends, sisters, and mothers and go home. He said this and had tears in his eyes.
Then after a little conversation everybody went home.
Rai kept sitting there only and remained in meditation of Name. He got immersed in the love of the Lord. He said: Today, is the festival of the beloved. Today is a day for rejoicing. To read his scripture is meeting him. The real happiness is to keep the mind away from worldly entanglements and be absorbed in the love of the Lord. Today, the mind should not think of anything except the Lord. That will be my celebration of the festival.
Now, the other three disciples went and sat under a shaded tree. They got so much absorbed in the love of the Lord that it appeared they have no body.
Meanwhile, sister Nanki Ji came home and then took food where these people were sitting. See, sister Nanki Ji's love. In her mind and heart she sees and remembers her brother. But with her hands, she has cooked food and carried it herself for the holy disciples.
The disciples said: Sister, you are doing too much for your servants. But the godly sister said: I am serving my brother. The disciples are his image. In your love, I see my brother.
They are having food. She is immensely delighted: 'I had the privilege to serve the true disciples with my own hands. For me, the festival has been celebrated in this way'.
Bhai Jai Ram Ji had a little food and is moving from tree to tree. Then he prayed: O beloved Guru Ji, bless me that I remain in the incessant remembrance of the Lord. While praying, he would startle: 'O he has come'. Then he would go to another tree and say: O Tree, did Guru Ji sit under your shade and did you get his sacred touch? I should also get his sacred touch in his remembrance. In restlessness, again he said: O saviour, today at least, you give your glimpse. Then he would go and sit under another tree and shed tears of love. Such is the way, in which the disciples are celebrating his birthday.
Where is the mother, who has to celebrate his birthday? She opens a set of shirt and pant and says: O son, wear this. I have spent a year to make it. Oh ho! I don't think I am so fortunate. The shell is searching for the pearl. O shell, you are of lime, son is a pearl. So, he went and sat with diamonds. You understand your worth.
Oh ho! The mine is crying, diamond should come. He is a diamond. So, he went and sat with the diamond lovers.
Saying this, she cried. Then she started talking and behaving like a mad woman. O son has come, come son embrace me. I will kiss your forehead. O son, take off this loose sleeve gown, you put on this dress. You have done enough work, enough service. Saying this, she opened the set of clothes and raised her hands holding the shirt as if she is going to put it on his neck. Then she became unconscious. Again, when she became conscious, she went up the terrace, looked on all four sides and said: O my loving child Nanak, come. O Godly soul, come. I am not mother. The mother with sentiments has died.
O image of the Lord, come, I adore you. Disappointed, she again came down and said: Nanki Ji, your brother hasn't come. See, the house is looking desolate. You call him. O Nanki Ji, you call him. O beloved brother of your sister, you come. She said this, and wept again. Thus crying she went to the
courtyard. Mehta Kalu Ji was sleeping wearing a blanket. She shook his feet and said: O my master, what should I do? He has not come so far. You get up and see. He might be sleeping under a tree. He might be hiding somewhere. You go and find my dear one. Somebody should be merciful. Wherever he is, you find him and tell him: For the sake of the Lord give a glimpse today. Oh ho! Please tell, what should I do? My heart flies. Oh! He has come. I can listen, 'Mother I have come'. Saying this, she became unconscious again.
Mehta Kalu Ji was startled, he got up and sprinkled some water on her face and with tears in eyes said: O Lord, you blessed a diamond and now so much waiting and longing? But what can I say? I had even slapped him. It is a punishment for my sin. But you are a son who respects me. You did not mind it. I am bad. I don't blame you. I say to myself: A godly soul came in my house and I pushed him out. Why did my hands not stop? I did not value the gift that came free. In misconception, I lost the gem. Why did my eyes not open? Why did I not recognize him properly? I have done a great sin. The punishment for me is that I should writhe like a fish. I should not get his glimpse.
But O dear, O godly soul, O what should I say? Please do give a glimpse. Else what should I say? How do I know what to say? My heart sinks. Please do come. Everybody says he will come. My death is now near. Let us see who comes first. But if you wish to call me 'O Father', then you will come first. O Lord, my heart is sinking now. If there is love and devotion, then he will come. For my rustic heart, who should come? But you were born in this rustic house. You yourself were gracious.
What qualities were there in us at that time? In the same way, you give a glimpse on your own. Oh ho! My heart sinks. Nanki Ji, Nanki Ji, come child. I am going to pop off. There, dear son is going towards the sky, your mom is going along, they are calling me. I am going. Saying this, he became unconscious and lay down.
Nanki Ji was at the terrace. It became evening. She was sitting immersed in the love of the Lord. How could she listen to her father? She was longing and craving for the glimpse of her godly brother. She was praying from the core of her heart: O brother I am longing and waiting for the day, when your moon-like face will say: O sister.
O! There comes radiance. The sister's longing has borne fruit. The godly brother has come. Brother had sown the seedling of remembrance of the Lord in the sister's heart He has come to see the plant growing. The prayer was from the soul that was immersed in the love of the Lord.
In this love, Guru Ji is looking towards sister with extreme love and his radiant face is smiling and giving love to sister. For sometime, she was in this ecstasy and rapture. Then she opened her eyes. Her eyes saw towards the courtyard. What did she see? She saw the dazzling face of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Mother and father are lying unconscious and the loving figure is shaking their feet and saying: Mother, get up. She sees with intent. The saviour brother has lived up to his natural repute and is shaking the feet of mother and father and saying: Get up dear. Impulsively, Nanki Ji got up to run but then she thought: Let Mother and father meet him first, after that I shall meet him.
What a sacrifice? In love, the lover has sacrificed even the love, as the sister has done. Suddenly, father's eyes opened and saw son standing in front of his eyes and bending. He, hastily, got up and embraced son and said: O Image of the Lord. Bless me. He clasped him firmly and didn't like to leave him. In this clasp he thought: I was always in mistakes. I am without love and showed him disrespect. I am clasping him and his Mother is bereft of meeting him, whose love for son is so much and real. She has a better right to meet him. He doesn't want to leave but considering the right of his wife more than himself he relented and shook his wife from the shoulder and shouted: O Tripta, dear son has come.
Guru Ji shook her feet, then Mother moved a little and in semiconsciousness said: O Nanak has come.
The true Guru Ji repeated the same words: Ndnak has come.
Now, her eyes opened. She saw her son. She got up and embraced him. She cried with happiness. She clasped him with one hand and with one hand she rubbed his shoulders and said: Mother has died. I am not mother. Now, you don't go away again. So much time passed in this love. She opened her eyes again.
Now, the first thing that came to her mind was: Where is sister Nanki Ji? O dear, has sister met you or not?
Guru Ji: Mother, sister meets me always.
Mother: O Nanki Ji, O Nanki Ji come. O child come, O daughter with auspicious feet come. O fortunate come. Come and feel delighted to see me meeting your brother. (Looking towards Guru Ji): Dear son, Nanki Ji remembers you very much.
Now, sister, who was crying in happiness to see this wonderful meeting, walked fast and fell at Guru Ji's feet. But the true Guru Ji held her head midway and himself bowed his head towards her. Sister was in a fix but mother embraced both and clasped them.
Here, they were in happiness and meeting. In the neighbourhood, the news had spread and everybody assembled at Mehta Kalu Ji's house. The loving neighbours brought lamps and lighted on the roofs. People got on to the roof and showered rose-petals. Message went to Rai Bular Ji. The old aged king of the state came walking. He was in the courtyard only, when Guru Ji got up and went forward and was about to bow down his head, but Rai Bular Ji, hurriedly, fell at Guru Ji's feet and said: Let this pride die before I die.
But Guru Ji immediately lifted his head and said: Dear Rai, you are great Remain immersed in the Lord's love. Saying this, he embraced him and in this love spontaneously, he said: Dear Rai, you are blessed.
By now, Bhai Lalo Ji, Bhai Bhagirath Ji and Bhai Mansukh Ji had arrived. Guru Ji embraced his loving disciples and said: You are blessed. When all these meetings were over, the minds that were flying with wings came down. Then mother brought the clothes that she had got stitched and asked Guru Ji to wear those and everybody had food. People from the city were coming in large numbers to compliment the family and have a glimpse of Guru Ji. Whoever came was blessed. In the meantime, Guru Ji startled and got up.
Father said: Dear son, what has happened?
Guru Ji said: Brother Jai Ram Ji is lying unconscious under the tree. Let us go and bring him. Mardana Ji had gone to fetch him but he could not wake him up. In a hurry, he stood up and walked fast towards the forest. Other relatives and friends followed.
On one side, under a tree, Bhai Jai Ram Ji was lying down. In semiconsciousness he was uttering: O Guru Nanak Dev Ji, O Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Bhai Mardana Ji had tried to wake him up but could not. Now, Mardana Ji was singing a divine song. The true Guru Ji bent forward and bowed his head and said: O Brother, get up. Lord is great.
He got up, as if, from a deep sleep. When he saw Guru Ji, he got up and bent to fall at Guru Ji's feet. But Guru Ji held his head and embraced him. Quite some time passed in this embrace. Then everybody got up and came home. Here, in the street and in the house illumination had been made. Everybody congratulated Mother. Then dinner was served to all the people who had come. It became midnight. Bhai Mardana Ji and Bhai Sajjada Ji started singing the divine songs. The entire night passed in singing divine songs. For the disciples, the festival of Guru Ji's birthday was celebrated, and for the family, son's birthday was celebrated. O Great Guru Nanak Dev Ji, O Great Guru Nanak Dev Ji.