It is early morning golden time and a sensation-giving tune can be heard. In the street an ascetic is roaming and singing a divine song. Sometimes he stops, and again starts walking, sometimes he is quiet and again starts singing. He is now singing Asa raga in a very melodious tune that is enthralling. Thus singing, he has roamed many streets.
At this moment he is standing and singing in front of a house. His sweet voice and the melodious tune have awakened the inmates of that house.
The master asked his wife: Who is this fellow who sings divine songs in the street. It is something new. I have never heard such heart piercing divine songs in such melodious tune before.
Wife: Dear, he is the same Shiva-worshipper who stayed at Achal and meditated. He had prompted you to meditate and you did meditation for a few days. It is fortunate that you stopped that Shiva-worship, otherwise who knows you would have left the house and roamed in streets.
Husband: He was a very proud guy. How come he has started roaming in streets?
Wife: Now, he is not an idol-worshipper. He has stopped Shiva-idol worship. He has met someone. He is dyed in his love. Husband: Whom has he met?
Wife: They say, in this Un-enlightened era (Kalyug) people meditate and become saints but nobody is a bom saint or prophet. But a wonderful thing has happened. One saint has come to this earth in this Un-enlightened era (Kalyug) as a born prophet. This ascetic has met him and is dyed in his love. He has discarded the Shiva-idol worship. Now, he does not sit in front of the ritual fire. He eats two pieces of bread in the daytime. Then I don't know where he spends the day. He roams in the streets early in the morning and his
divine singing is a wake up alarm for the sleeping people. When he meets someone, he guides him to Guru Ji.
One thing about him is now too good. He never asks anyone to renounce the house. He says, live in the family like a lotus lives in water. Now he doesn't uproot families.
Husband: How do you know so much?
Wife: Ladies keep a watch on these ascetics because they uproot families. Husband: What does he mean by 'golden'.
Wife: I do not know. But I have heard that the newborn prophet has named the early morning time as golden time. He says, do not sleep in this time. You wake up early in the morning and do something. He says, you recite the Lord's name and listen or sing the divine songs.
He says, by reciting the Lord's Name and singing His praises the dirt of the mind is washed and a family man becomes a saint. In the day, you may do your worldly chores and in the morning you recite the Lord's name and listen or sing the divine songs. Then there is no need for any Hath Yoga, penances, austerities, empty rituals and rubbing of ash on bodies. Another remarkable thing that he has said is that woman should also get up early in the morning, recite the Lord's name and sing the divine songs for an hour or so and then do the household chores the whole day. They will get salvation.
The Brahmins of the town and the ascetics of the hermitage are malicious. They say, the woman's religion is only 'service to the husband', the family man's religion is 'service to Brahmins' and to become a saint is for recluses only. But he says, for both men and women religiousness is to love the Lord and remember him. Whether a person is a family man or a recluse, everyone's religion is to love the Lord and remember him. This is the true path to attain salvation.
Husband: You know everything.
Wife: I myself talked to the ascetic and expressed my anger for his earlier trying to uproot our family. He did not mind my being angry on him and he explained everything to me with extreme patience. He said 'my Guru Ji is shortly coming here. His name, he said, is Guru Nanak Dev Ji'.
Husband: Must be the same, the son-in-law of our rich merchant of the town, Moola Shah. He is widely known as 'A prophet from the heavens'.
Wife: Must be the same. But when he says that do not renounce the family and do not go to the forests, live in your houses, then why has he renounced his own family and house? Moola Shah's wife wails and tears from her eyes flow like a river. He has two handsome sons and a pretty wife. She is living in her parents' house and he is travelling places. Shiv Nath said that he
has to allay the suffering of the world. He has come from the Lord. I do not wash to talk against him. It is a sin to talk against a real saint or prophet But the mind, when listening to the sorrows of Moola Shah and his wife, starts thinking negatively.
Husband: Yes, on principle, it appears to be not the right thing.He himself leaves the family and house but tells others to remain in the family. But one thing we must ponder. If he sits at home, then who will give this new message to the world? The whole world is praising him, many Hindu saints, Mohammedan saints, recluses and ascetics, all fall at his feet and respect him. Let us hope we get a chance to have his glimpse. You keep a track, if he comes to our town we must have his glimpse. We have seen meditative of Hath yoga, recluses and saints with supernatural powers but we have never met a prophet.
Wife: Well, today, when Shiv Nath comes to our street in the day, I will stop him and ask him. When he comes to our street, generally he stops at our door. If I give him bread he feels very happy and says, 'you give with love'.
In this conversation, the early morning time passed. The moon waned, the stars hid themselves, nice cool breeze started blowing softly and the sun came up. The man got up. The wife started her household chores.
Meanwhile, a voice came from outside: O, Brother.
Husband to wife: Dear, who is that? So early he has dropped in, the sun has hardly risen.
Wife: Must be some needy person, otherwise, who comes so early? O wait (recognizing the voice), he seems to be Moola Shah. He has a long life. We were just talking about him.
Husband: Yes, you can judge better. It is his voice only. Let me go and open the door.
Wife: Have buttermilk to drink and then go.
Husband: I will first open the door, make him sit in the hall, then come and have buttermilk. We have to show respect. He is the revenue collector.
Saying this he went and opened the door and said: Welcome, sir, so early in the morning? I hope all is well.
Moola Shah: Yes, brother. All is well. He has come here, our son-in-law, who is travelling as a saint. He has come and is staying in your big garden. It is difficult to change somebody's nature but I thought let us try to persuade him. It might help. O brother, it is difficult to keep a married daughter in the house. O brother, nobody should have a daughter. I thought I should not go alone. I should take you along. You will be my support. It is giving you trouble but your coming along might help.
Ajita: Oh No. It is no trouble for me. I shall be glad to accompany you. You see, today early morning, the singing of divine songs by Shiv Nath woke me up. My wife and I have been talking about him only up till now. My wife knew much about him but she did not know that the prophet has come and is staying in our garden. Even, I came from my lands only last night I was already telling my wife to keep a watch, if the prophet comes here, we must meet him. We must see the one who is being praised in the world. Is he really a prophet or people are just talking? It is a long time when I saw him at his marriage ceremony. He was very handsome.
Moola Shah: What do we know about his greatness. We have to look to our need. Our need is that he should look after his family so that the burden goes away from our head. If the burden of his family remains on our head, then even if he is the Lord, what does it matter to us? We are not satiated. If the whole world is benefited, what benefit to us?
Ajita: Yes, it is true, whoever is able to cure our illness he is a doctor for us even if he is dyer of clothes. Come, sir, come in, have a glass of buttermilk, then we shall go.
Moola Shah: I had my breakfast. You go and have your breakfast. I shall sit here in the drawing room.
After this conversation, Ajita went inside. He talked everything to his wife. He had his breakfast. When he wore his shawl and was about to leave, then his wife said: Dear, be careful, to be related is different and the minds in dejection for the daughter's sadness are in anger. Do not go after what Moola Shah says. What do we know, he may be a prophet and powerful. Don't speak harshly to him on behalf of Moola Shah. We have children and live comfortably. We cannot afford to annoy a saint.
Ajita: Dear, you don't consider me a child. I meet many saints, ascetics and meditative. I am not going for a fight. Then he is staying in our garden. He is our guest. Nobody fights with guests. Maybe he has come to bless us. I have been in endeavour all my life. Saying this, Ajita whose caste was Randhawa accompanied by Moola Shah went towards his garden.
When they reached the garden, one musician was singing divine songs. Ajita had constructed a stone platform in his garden and two or three settees were also placed there. Sometimes people assembled there for a meeting. Sometimes, some ascetic came and stayed. He used to send food also for such guests.
From a distance he saw one person sitting on the settee and singing a divine song with music and on the other settee was sitting one godly figure. His eyes were closed but there was radiance on his face and a luster that was
attracting and showering grace. Ajita went forward and bowed his head down but Moola Shah looked with anger and bowed slightly and sat down.
After sometime the singing stopped and the godly figure opened his eyes. Lord is great, Lord is great, he uttered. He looked around, saw Ajita and smiled. Then he saw towards Moola Shah and smiled. Then he said: Welcome. Is everybody all right?
Ajita towards whom Guru Ji was looking had not replied yet but Moola Shah hastily spoke: What all right? Those in whose houses married daughters are staying, for them, what is all right? He looked towards Ajita and said some more angry words.
Guru Ji listened to the harsh words but did not say anything. Ajita also listened to the harsh words but his eyes did not go towards Moola Shah. His eyes were glued towards the prophet regarding whom he had heard in the early morning. He had never seen such radiance before. In wondrousness he kept sitting. But when Moola Shah uttered more harsh words, then Ajita said to him: It is not becoming of you to speak harshly. You ponder. When he left the house, he did not take the ancestors wealth along with him. Mehta Kalu Ji is a person of high status with enough wealth. He is the only son of Mehta Kalu Ji. If you had sent your daughter and the children to their paternal grand parents, then Mehta Kalu Ji would have gladly supported them. They are his heirs. But you did not allow them to go there and now you are complaining.
On listening to the reasoning from his own friend, good sense prevailed on him and after sometime he went away to his house.
After sitting for sometime and enjoying the ecstasy from Guru Ji's glimpse Ajita also got up and asked Guru Ji: Shall I bring food for you?
Guru Ji made a gesture towards the sky and then looked towards the earth and said: The earth is productive and the Lord is the giver of nourishment to all. Ajita now bowed down to Guru Ji and left.
Soon, Moola Shah came with nice food and new clothes: He kept the basket of food in front of Guru Ji and the clothes by his side and said: You discard the sadhu dress and put on these clothes. But Guru Ji neither wore those clothes nor ate the food. He did not say anything.
Meanwhile, Siri Chand and Laxmi Das came. They fell at Guru Ji's feet and sat down. After sometime Moola Shah and both the sons left.
News of the arrival of the true Guru Ji had already spread and people had started coming in large numbers to have a glimpse of Guru Ji.
Ajita reached his house and talked everything to his wife. He also called Shiv Nath, the ascetic, who was now a Guru-disciple. Ajita heard all goodness of Guru Ji from Shiv Nath. Ajita who was already impressed by Guru Ji's
glimpse now started going to listen to the divine songs early in the morning everyday. One morning when the divine singing finished, Ajita fell at Guru Ji's feet and did not lift his head. Guru Ji was absorbed in meditation. It was after a couple of hours that Guru Ji opened his eyes and saw Ajita's head on his feet. Guru Ji then benevolently, lifted Ajita's head with his own sacred hands and made him sit comfortably.
Then Ajita prayed to Guru Ji: I have met many saints but I have not got peace of mind from anybody. Now, I am at your feet. You bless me.
Then Guru Ji explained to him both types of meditation, the Hath Yoga and 'Love of the Lord'.
Then Ajita said: Bless me that I remain in your love.
Then Guru Ji said: You are blessed and further you will bless others.
In Guru Nanak Dev Ji Prakash is written:
Ajita prayed to Guru Ji: You bless me.
Then Guru Ji said: Ajita, fall at the Lord's feet with humility and pray for his blessings. On listening to this, Ajita bowed and clamped Guru Ji's feet. The moment his head touched Guru Ji's sacred feet he got elevation of mind and he got the sensation of the Lord in his mind, heart and body. He was filled with ecstasy. His body soul got immersed in the Supreme soul. Guru Nanak Dev Ji's graciousness gave him salvation. Bhai Gurdas Ji has included Ajita's name in the list of Guru Nanak Dev Ji's blessed ideal men.
Now in the congregation, Ajita mainly does service for the congregation. Food is served everyday and Ajita serves. He spends most of his time in the garden in service to Guru Ji and the congregation.
Ill
The holy congregation assembles every day. There is singing of the divine songs and Asa-di-Var, every morning. Food is served to the holy congregation. Some people bring groceries, some people cook, some serve and everybody eats. Guru Ji gives discourses everyday.
One day again Guru Ji's father-in-law and mother-in-law both came and in angry tone started talking in harsh words. Bibi Sulakhni Ji Guru Ji's wife also came along. Ajita was at his house at that time. Someone from the congregation came to his house and told him that Moola Shah has come to your garden and is talking to Guru Ji in harsh words.
Then Ajita came running and said to Moola Shah: Why are you indulging in ineffectual arguments? You are unfortunate who has not recognized the greatness of Guru Ji. O Moola Shah, here the Lord himself has come to earth. Whatever Guru Ji does is the Lord's command. If you respect his wishes you will be fortunate but it is destiny that the relatives in sentimental
love do not recognize the Lord-sent prophets. The world is getting salvation and you are lamenting. He is a godly soul. He is from the Lord. He is the prophet of the prophets. Don't waste your energies. Who knows what happens tomorrow? Recognize him. Love him. Fall at his feet. Get salvation from him, otherwise you may sit at home. Your arguing has no effect on him or on us as we have recognized him as a prophet.
On listening to Ajita's advice, Moola Shah said: O brother, I feel insulted amongst my relatives and friends. The expenses on the daughter and children are a burden on me.
Ajita said: Well, if you do not want to send her to her in-laws' house, then I shall support them so far as money is concerned. She is my sister and I am your brother. You don't be the least afraid of expenses.
Moola Shah: O brother, it doesn't go well like this. The relatives and friends will criticize. We will have to listen to their criticism.
Now, Chando Rani (Guru Ji's mother-in-law) shouted in anger.
Ajita tried to make her understand but she did not stop speaking harsh words.
They had hardly become quiet when Bibi Sulakhni Ji started speaking. Then Ajita said: Your parents have said enough. It is not proper for you to speak.
Then Bibi Sulakhni Ji said: O brother, you look at my suffering. What should I do? I with my two children am a burden on them. If they bear the burden with pleasure then I can stay with them and live. It will be their benevolence. But they are fed up now. All the time they are taunting and ridiculing and openly express anguish that the daughter is staying here. They say, 'to keep a married daughter in the house is genocide'. They say, 'you also go and become an ascetic, take your sons, roam and beg, we cannot spend on you'. O brother, you tell, where should I go and what should I do? Oh! My good sister-in-law (May she live in the heavens), so long as she was living I did not mind his travels, when she passed away, then I came to my parents' house. My parents now consider me a burden. If I had gone to my in-laws house I would have been better off. There was enough money there. Now, that time is gone. My sons are grown up now. They do not like the taunting of the grandparents. From where should I get support so that I undo the burden of my parents?
When Bibi Sulakhni Ji uttered such words in so much humility and with tears in her eyes that would melt a heart, then Guru Ji said: If you can do away with the desire of living in a comfortable house, if your mind can remain happy in service to the holy congregation, if you can tolerate hardship and
hunger, if you can win over sentimental love of your relatives, then it is blissful. If you are allergic to the taunting and feel suffering in the house, then leave that house, come and take the Lord's shelter. The Lord is giving food to everyone here. The holy congregation eats food everybody. You also come and bring the children and have food here. The Lord will take care of you.
The words of Guru Ji had a salutary effect on Bibi Sulakhni Ji who was till now in sentimental love and worldly desires.
She was delighted and said: I wish to live near you. I shall be happy in suffering and hunger when I am near you. I shall forget my relatives and do service to the holy congregation. But I wish to live near you.
Then Guru Ji who was not bound by any inhibitions, who was benevolent to everyone, who was out to allay everyone's suffering said: Then the Lord will bless you, take shelter of the Lord, with mind in humility, in service to the holy congregation, in toleration of hardships and hunger, come and start service in the Lord's kitchen. Service is the prime source of comfort.
On listening to the words of Guru Ji, Bibi Sulakhni Ji immediately went and came back bringing her two sons and started service in the kitchen with eagerness.
When she discarded the sentimental relationships, sacrificed the comforts of living in mansions, decided to remain happy in discomforts and hunger and with a detached mind took to service in Guru Ji's kitchen, everybody started respecting her as god-mother. Everybody revered her.
But Moola Shah and Chandorani Guru Ji's father-in-law and mother-inlaw felt distressed. They desired that Guru Ji should live a family life in the house like them. But it so happened that the daughter and grandsons left the house in disgust and chose to do service to the holy congregation. Their wish that the son-in-law should become a family man did not bear fruit Instead, the daughter became a saint Both felt dejected and repented.
In the garden, the holy congregation assembled everyday and Guru Ji blessed everyone with the Lord's name.
Bibi Sulakhni Ji is now doing service to the holy congregation as per Guru Ji's wish. Ajita is serving with love. The miraculous Guru Ji is staying on in Ajita's garden in the town of his in-laws for some benevolence.
After reaching home Moola Shah felt uneasy because he feared that the relatives will now talk that he has turned out his daughter from the house as he does not wish to spend money on them. Sometimes, he thought: Am I wrong in judging Guru Ji's greatness or the whole world is wrong in adoring Guru Ji. Everybody says: Nanak is an image of the Lord but I think that he
is just a recluse who has renounced the house. Not only ordinary people even intellectuals accept him as a prophet Saints bow to him. Even Shiv Nath who had a following in hundreds has stopped Shiva idol-worship and become his disciple. Even good Mohammedan saints are bowing to him. It is not possible that a Muslim saint would bow to a Hindu saint unless they find real greatness in him. Maybe, I am at fault. While pondering like this, one night he saw in a dream that Guru Nanak Dev Ji is an image of the Lord. Millions of lights are in illumination for him. All the big saints of the seen and unseen world are in adoration for him and swaying lamps in adoration for him. On waking up again it came to his mind that Ajita is a very wise person. He had met many saints but he did not bow to anyone. Here he has fallen at his feet and loves to do that In this thinking he went and talked to Ajita for advice. Slowly, the ego of his mind came down by itself. What itself, when Guru Ji, the shower of graciousness is sitting in this town and blessing the world, he knows the time when he has to bless his relatives also. It is his natural repute.
Now, it came to Moola Shah's mind that one has to die one day. Nobody stays forever. I am clinging to something that I have to leave behind. I am so much attached to money that I considered my own daughter and children as strangers. I thought money being spent on them is being wasted. In fact it was being spent fruitfully.
In fact his mind got the first shock when the daughter and children left his house. Till Guru Ji was quiet, he was angry and stubborn. When the daughter and grandsons quitted, then his ego came down. When the ego came down, then slowly good sense prevailed on him.
Now he realized the greatness of Guru Ji. His mind said: Who is such that he would leave the comforts of the house, high government service, sons, wife, saintly sister, mother, father and relatives and undertake difficult travels tolerating the heat, cold and other hazards to allay the suffering of the world and put people on the path of love of the Lord. Guru Nanak Dev Ji is certainly a prophet and a saviour.
In these thoughts and seeing the impressive and radiance emitting face of Guru Ji, one day, Moola Shah bowed to Guru Ji and prayed: 0, Guru Ji, you are great, you are an image of the Lord. You have come to bless the world. Me stupid did not realize your greatness. Not for one day but for years I have been speaking ill of you. You, who are worthy of immense praise, I criticized you. I am at your feet I deserve extreme punishment but you are benevolent It is your natural repute that you forgive those who repent and you bless them. You bless me also. Seeing Moola Shah in such humility the
benevolent Guru Ji's heart melted. Everybody does goodness to one who is good, but to do goodness to someone who has always talked against you is only Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Yes. Guru Nanak Dev Ji was benevolent. He said: Recite the Lord's name. Do service to the holy congregation. Fall at the Lord's feet. You are blessed.
Moola Shah was blessed. He got elevation of mind. His ego vanished. He got the sensation of the Lord in his mind, heart and body. He felt ecstasy. He got dyed in the love of the Lord.
When Chando Rani saw her husband in such ecstasy and blossom, then she also changed. Her ego came down. She also realized the greatness in her son-in-law Guru Ji. She now became eager to be one with the holy congregation. But in her mind she felt ashamed for speaking ill against Guru Ji. She thought: With what face should I go to Guru Ji? But when she saw her husband in ecstasy, then she felt some moral strength. She said to her mind: He is all love. My harsh words had no effect on him. He is a shower of love. Her husband also prompted her and she came and bowed to Guru Ji. The benevolent Guru Ji blessed her also. Her mind got elevation and she started reciting the Lord's Name. She was filled with ecstasy.
Now, she realized the greatness of Guru Ji. She realized that Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the image of the Lord and his travels are for allaying the suffering of the world. Thus, we got an opportunity to serve him by keeping the children in the house but we did not consider it as our duty. We thought it was a burden. But it is his greatness that he did not mind our meanness and he has showered blessings on us.
Now, Chando Rani realizes the greatness of Guru Ji, his being a saviour and a shower of grace. She is thankful to him, has extreme love for him and has great regard for him. When she is in ecstasy, she says to her mind: O this ecstasy he has given. What treasure he has got that we have got now and could never even dream of it. Now, she doesn't think that her daughter has become an ascetic. Now, she feels that her daughter is a 'highly respected lady'. Guru Ji stayed here for a long time. He blessed everybody who came to meet him. Ajita became an ideal man and Guru Ji's mother-in-law and father-in-law got salvation. Then Guru Ji departed and came to Kartarpur. Ajita made arrangements for Bibi Sulakhni Ji (Guru Ji's wife) and sons to travel to Kartarpur. They also reached there.
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