The town was once ruled by Khalifa Haroon Rashid and adorned by Zabida, his pious and enlightened wife, and was a prime town in Arab. Today it is sleeping when on the outskirts of the town somebody is singing such sweet divine music that by listening to which one goes into ecstasy.
It is early morning, sweet dewdrops are falling and the night is going into hiding. The stars with their lustrous eyes are looking at the earth from the heavens. Ecstasy is showering in torrents and a gentle breeze is blowing softly. The cool and sweet breeze that is coming after embracing the surface of the river water is giving sweetness.
The moonlight of the late night with its sheen is spreading on the earth. In this natural calmness that is immersing one's self in the love of the Lord, somebody is singing divine music. Asa Raga is being sung which is enthralling. It is taking the mind to the world of sensation.
O great Guru Nanak Dev Ji who makes saints from men and it doesn't take him time to do that. Ah ha! a Muslim town inhabited by Muslims, how has Asa-diVar reached here? Yes, the master of Asa-di-Var, the benevolent Guru Ji, who gave the secret of the Lord in Asa-di-Var has himself reached here and has been staying here for the last few days.
People come. A holy congregation is formed. They listen to his discourse. They listen to the true path of love of the Lord and have started treading on the true path of 'recitation of the Lord's name with love'. The benevolent Guru Ji talks to them in their own Persian language and delivers a discourse. They take blessings from Guru Ji, recite the Lord's name with love and get elevation of mind and ecstasy. A holy congregation of a few such people has been formed here. They come from the town in the morning and assemble at this place that is on the outskirts of the town and listen to the divine music.
Although they do not understand the words properly, the melodious and rhythmic tune enthralls them and the glimpse of the godly Guru Ji takes them into ecstasy. Some people listen to the meanings of the scripture in their own language and write it down to remember.
In this way, Guru Nanak Dev Ji who has come from the heavens has established his supremacy in the town where Muslim faith is at its peak.
But one should not understand that there was no conflict with him. There was a conflict and it was very strong.
His staying, his discourse, his divine singing became a talk of the town. Whoever became his disciple, people started harbouring ill will and religious intolerance towards him.
In the Muslim Quranic law, 'to play music' is prohibited. There were protests on his singing the divine songs.
People said: Who is he? Who is a saint said to be from the Lord, who is a preacher, then he sings the divine songs and listens. Then his followers do not practise ritual of saying prayers five times a day. Whoever have become his followers do some recitation but it is not known what recitation they do.
Then the people heard about his love of the Lord and his miraculous and supernatural powers that are considered as a sign of being a prophet.
Sometimes somebody went and had discussion with him and some times some groups went to have discussions and show disrespect but whoever went to him got lost in the discussions. When they saw his radiant face and his magnificence, nobody dared to show disrespect to him.
Even then since the singing of divine songs was against the Muslim religious law their opposition to him increased day by day.
Now, the opposition group decided that they should tell the saint who sits on the seat of noted saint Dastgir and is a respected person in the Muslim world. He will surely be able to find a way out. He is himself a saint He can himself issue a verdict under the Muslim religious law or he can prompt the rulers to give punishment In this thinking, they went and made a complaint to the saint.
The saint pondered: A person who sings the divine songs while sitting near our sacred mausoleum and knows that Muslims will consider it an insult surely he has power in his mind. Otherwise, how can an ordinary person even think of doing anything that is sure to bring punishment? He would not be a Hindu because no Hindu has the courage to do anything that could be insulting to Muslims. I should, therefore, look before I leap.
In this thinking, he sent a message to Guru Ji to stop singing the divine songs with music saying that 'it is not allowed here.'
When the messenger brought this message, then Guru Ji said: We will not stop the singing of divine songs with music till such time that the saint does not come himself.
The seat of saint Dastgir is the most prominent seat in Baghdad. Even now Muslims from all countries go to Baghdad to pay respect to him. In India also there are many Muslims who are followers of this saint.
At this time some Indian Muslims who were followers of this saint were on a visit there. From amongst these someone listened to Guru Ji's scripture and understood its meanings from the newly formed disciples of Guru Ji in their own language.
Then a second complaint was made to the saint that the newly come saint also talks against the Muslim religious law. He tells his followers that there are millions of hells and millions of heavens but according to our scripture they are seven each that makes a total of fourteen.
This was one more complaint that was made to the saint. One was singing the divine songs with music, second was not stopping the music even after being told to stop and third giving discourses against Muslim theory.
Going against Muslim religious law is an instrument that can give extreme punishment to the person who opposes it. These complaints of opposing the Muslim religious law were now the instrument in the Muslim saint's hands. The increasing praise and grandeur of the newly arrived unique saint was another distressing thorn. Sometimes, like the enviousness amongst kings, the saints also feel envious of the magnificence of another saint.
Now, the saint told the people: I won't stop you. You do what the Muslim religious law tells you to do. We stopped him from singing the divine songs with music but he did not listen. Now, the Muslim religious law will prevail. The Muslim religious law tells to kill the person with stones. You may go ahead.
On listening to this, the stupid people with stones in hands walked towards Guru Ji, the saviour Guru Ji who came to bless the world.
The saviour Guru Ji was sitting immersed in the love of the Lord when the people arrived. People gathered at some distance. Guru Ji saw the stones in the hands of everybody and understood the motive of their coming over to him. Yes, this is the respect given to the Lord-sent beloveds of the Lord who come from the Lord's palace to bless the world and give the Lord's message of love to the people.
On seeing all this, Guru Ji was neither afraid nor he felt lonesome. He stood up. One person came forward and said: Follow the Muslim law otherwise you will be stoned to death.
This was the time for the Muslims to give the call for the prayer. The Muslims, who were fanatics, in their excessive enthusiasm, even forgot that it was time for prayers and we should not miss the prayers. We may say the prayers and after that stone him to death.
But the saviour Guru Ji understood the evil in their mind and possessed immense power to give them the right thinking. He stood up, put his hands on his ears (as is the ritual), looked towards the sky and started giving a call for prayers in exactly the same tone and pitch in which the Muslims give a call for prayers. Lord is great, he said. There is no other Lord, he also said. Stand up for the sake of goodness, he also said. But he did not say Mohammed as the prophet of Lord and in this way he finished the call by saying (in his own language), the most sacred Lord, the true Lord, remember His name in your heart, the gracious Lord. He gives life to all.
Saying that Lord is great, there is no other Lord, stand up for the sake of goodness, was not against his own doctrine and then saying in his own language the most sacred Lord, the true Lord, everything what he said was all right But changing the actual words of the Muslim prayer was something daring. If the people had noticed the change in the words,/then it would have been another offence to stone him to death more quickly and more strongly. But that did not happen.
The sound of the call, the sweet tune of the call, the enthralling tone and pitch of the call and most of all the impressive spiritual power of Guru Ji had so much effect that the listeners became unconscious. Everybody went into a daze. Everybody went into trance. The effect was so much that wherever Guru Ji's voice reached up to the town everybody went into a trance. The stones fell down from their hands. Nobody had the strength to pick up the stone or hit. The people as also the saint became like statues.
Then Guru Ji looked towards the saint with graciousness. The saint got consciousness. He was astonished to see his followers. Then in his meditation he saw that Guru Ji is a prophet sent by the Lord and he is the prophet of the prophets. He belongs to the Lord and is immersed in the love of the Lord. The Lord has made him a prophet in the heavens and on earth.
Now, the saint realized that Guru Ji is a prophet and he is immersed in the love of the Lord. He is not an ordinary saint Going and meeting him will not be a matter of disgrace .
In this thinking he got up and came to meet Guru Ji. Then he saw that everybody who had come to kill is in a coma and the stones have fallen from their hands. He greeted Guru Ji and prayed to him to bless the people so that they become conscious. Guru Ji said: They are all in a trance. They had come to stone my body to death. I have hit their minds with the strength of Name. So, their minds are elevated with Name. They are in a trance.
The saint said: You bless that they come out of the trance and see your glimpse.
Then the saint touched Guru Ji's feet and said: Here in Baghdad nobody has supernatural powers but you are a big saint with miraculous-ness that I have seen with my own eyes. Now, you forgive us for our guilt.
Guru Ji looked towards the people with merciful eyes. They all became conscious. When they got consciousness, then they bowed down to Guru Ji. By Guru Ji's grace everybody came out of the trance and bowed to the guru.
Ill
Now, the saint sat down and had conversation with Guru Ji.
Saint You are a big saint with supernatural powers. Your words have a strength and writ. Why haven't you gone as per the Muslim religious law? Please be good to tell us what is your religion? What sect you belong to and what is your name? We might understand your doctrine and your practice.
Guru Ji: What religious sect I belong to? What prominent saints seat I am occupying? I have one reply to these questions that I am not of this world. So, I have no sect or seat of a saint. The Lord has sent me to this world. I recognize only the one Lord who is the creator and the all-pervading Lord on earth, heaven and all corners of the world. I have refuted the saints who are sitting as prisoners of their own mind that is overflowing with ego and desires. They are in empty rituals. They call themselves as 'of the Lord' but are engrossed in passions and desires. I have come to refute such saints. You say, there are fourteen dynasties and seventy-two sects and they are accepted as such. These are boundaries. The Lord loves everybody and He has refuted all barriers where there is ego and pride.
If you ask my name, then I belong to the Lord. You may call me 'of the Lord' and if you wish to know my name what my parents have named me, then it is Nanak.
When the saint heard the name, he bowed his head again. He had already heard his name. People coming from Mecca had already talked to him and praised Guru Ji. O you are a saint from India, he bowed his head again and said: Listening to your name has given me delight I have already heard your
praise that you are immersed in the love of the Lord and are putting people on the path of 'recitation of the Lord's name with love'. But O beloved of the Lord, this music is very flirtatious. It takes the mind towards passions. The wealthy as also the immoral people of the world are being ruined by this music. Something that turns the mind away from the Lord towards passions, how do you say it is good? Please, it will be your goodness if you explain it to me. We are astonished to see your love for singing the divine songs with music.
Guru Ji: Music is not something that makes the mind flirtatious. In fact it is something that gives concentration to the mind. Yes, music softens the mind. By listening to music, the mind melts and becomes soft Then the softened mind can be dyed in the love of the Lord. This music gives elevation to the mind. Goodness comes in the mind. Sensations that cannot be described come in the mind and the mind gets turned towards the Lord. Many times wandering, sad and despair minds become calm and peaceful. Music turns the mind from bad thoughts and evil desires and makes it clean and fresh. You must have noticed that everybody may be a child, young or old, likes it Even the birds and animals like music.
Saint (interrupting): You say, everybody likes it. Has music been created by the Lord?
Guru Ji: Music is heavenly. Man has not invented it He has only discovered it.
Saint: Man has invented the violin, guitar, harmonium and other musical instruments. How could music be played otherwise?
Guru Ji: The breeze passing through the elephant grass is musical. The stream passing through grass is musical. The breeze in the forests is musical. The throats of the birds are singing music. The Lord has created the throat of man that sings music. The wheel of the well that brings the water is making music. The Lord has created the ears that listen to music. The Lord has given the sense to the mind to learn the art of music and understand the melody. The Lord has given the sense to the mind to feel delight and ecstasy from music. The Lord has given the sense to the mind to understand the different measures of music and their good effects, otherwise, a stone cannot sense the music or an earthworm cannot sense the music.
Saint: But is there any doubt that music has increased passions? Bad characters and others in vices play music. It is due to music that the profession of dancing girls has flourished.
Guru Ji: What you say is true that music is played by low people but that is not the fault of music. Music is an art of the highest order, it has strength, it
has power and it has a strong effect on the mind. If you sing divine songs with music, then it takes you out of this noise, din, confusion, dispute, discord, quarrel and conflict and gives harmony to the world. It gives relaxation and poise to the mind. When the mind is depressed in sadness or dejection then the music provides exuberance and relaxation. If the mind is in ego, pride, boastful or frenzied, then it subdues it and gives poise. Even a snake that has poison in it gets ecstasy from music and forgets to bite.
O saint, the effect of music is relaxation, poise, freshness, exuberance, ecstasy, harmony and goodness. But this is the effect of music in its pure form. Music in the pure form (without words) is from the inner self. To give out our thoughts it is the language that we speak and bring out what we mean. Similarly, the inner sensations come out by playing or listening to music. The inner mind gets elevation with this music but to perceive the effect of music in its pure form is very difficult. That is why man has combined his own language with music. Like the cuckoo or nightingale he plays music and combines his singing that displays his sentiments. These sentiments voiced in his language in accompaniment of music have a greater effect on the mind.
Some people sing cheap songs in accompaniment with music and play music at cheap places. Maybe this singing of cheap songs is banned in your Muslim religious law. When the words that increase passions, anger or conflict are sung with music, then that music creates a vicious effect on the mind. But that effect is not of the music, it is of the vicious words. Therefore, do not think that since the effect of vicious words combined with music is bad, music is the cause. Actually, the cause is the vicious words. If you separate the music from the vicious words, then the music alone will give an effect of relaxation and peace of mind.
If you see a lover of music engrossed in playing mandolin, how exhilarated is he in the melody of the tune? Sometimes his inner self becomes exuberant. Pure music is something that takes your mind out of passions and takes you into ecstasy.
Now, you only tell whether it is proper to call a diamond wrapped in rags as stone? Diamond is a diamond when you take it out of the wrapping of rags, you cannot call it a stone.
Similarly, if you separate the vicious words, songs, stanzas or whatever you may say and replace those with divine words and pure thoughts, then with accompaniment of music the effect of the divine words and pure thoughts is enhanced. Is praise of the Lord not written in your scripture?
Saint Surely, it is there. That only is our worship.
Guru Ji: Then you see, there are three ways to praise the Lord. One is to feel his praise in the mind and fall at his feet in that feeling. Second is to recite his praise by the tongue, the mind is turned towards the Lord and the tongue recites the praise in words. Third is to combine the words of praise with music and sing. This third type of praise is most effective on one's own mind and on other people's minds. It has a marvellous effect on everybody's mind. Music is something that melts the heart, softens the mind. When the mind is too full of desires and passions it is difficult to turn it towards the Lord. But when it is soft then it is easy to turn it towards the love of the Lord.
That is why, when one has to turn the mind towards love of the Lord, sensation of the Lord, love of humanity, love of praise of the Lord, love of the Lord's name, then if one melts the mind with music, like butter is melt with warmth, the mind is turned towards the Lord easily.
Saint: All what you have said is heart piercing. It must be so that music is banned in our scripture. It is not to stop singing of divine music. The ban must be for singing of cheap songs.
Guru Ji: O Saint, There is another helplessness. Banning the music will not stop it. Whether one is a Muslim or Greek or Christian or Hindu, whether music is improper according to his religion, everybody does sing. The king plays or listens music. Similarly, a pauper also plays or listens music.
You see a ploughman plough. Sometimes he must sing. See a boatman moving the oars. Sometimes he must sing a verse, may be good or bad but he will sing. A labourer while doing labour and a labourer while pounding lime must sing sometimes. The lady water carrier while carrying the pitcher of water on her head must sing. The queen will sing love songs remembering the king when the king goes out for fighting. In this way you see, everybody is singing a tune sometimes.
Now, when it is for certain that the people cannot be stopped from singing, then it is better that you compose pious words, praise of the Lord, love of the Lord, praise of His name that would give sensation to the mind, true path towards the Lord, your discourse in simple and understandable language, love of humanity, and words of goodness and sing those with music. Rich and poor would love to sing those songs. They should be on everybody's tongue. People should sing in carefree-ness like birds. Who knows when and which song will give elevation to the mind. Everybody's character will develop, everybody will become broad-minded and passions and vices will run away.
If you keep the music away from pious words and praise of the Lord, then people helplessly in the habit of singing will surely sing. But then what will they sing? They will sing whatever is easily available to them.
Now, what are easily available to them are cheap songs of passions, cheap jokes, enmities, false quarrels etc. By singing these cheap songs their / mind will remain in passions and vices.
O Saint, music is not cheap. It is not going in the wrong hands by itself. By your banning, the music has gone in the hands of the lower class of people. They play music for earning money. They sing songs that increase passions and vices and give sensuous pleasure and thus play music for the sake of money.
So, it is a blunder that a sacred and natural thing that turns the mind towards the Lord be banned on religious grounds.
The purpose of music is that it should give elevation to the mind and turn it from the worldly pleasures. It should make the mind rise above worldly desires. It should make the mind sublime and then immerse the body soul in the Supreme soul.
Music is a stairs that takes you from the earthly sphere into the heavenly sphere. Music is a ship that takes you from the narrow river's passions to the ocean of ecstasy.
Saint (heaving a sigh): What you have said is true. It is astonishing why music is banned in our religion?
Guru Ji while saying all that was immersed in the love of the Lord. His eyes were closed. His entire body had become musical with the divine sensation like a musical instrument. His eyes did not open when the saint spoke.
Then the saint looked towards, Mardana Ji.
Mardana Ji saw Guru Ji dyed in the love of the Lord. Then he came a bit forward and talked to the saint in a soft voice: Even His Holiness Mohammed did not say anything against divine music. You recollect, one day His Holiness Mohammed himself went to a holy congregation where music was being sung. He also took his respected wife along. If he had hated music, then why would he allow his wife to attend and why would he himself attend?
Then the Muslim Holy Scripture is not all prose. There is poetry in it. One purpose of poetry is that it can be sung. So, even according to your Holy Scripture, it means that it is permissible. Then you see there are no words in the Holy Scripture that say that music is not permissible.
After some time Guru Ji's eyes that were immersed in the love of the Lord opened. The saint looked towards his eyes. A sensation went through his body. A sensation went in his mind and heart.
His heart said: He is an image of the Lord. His glimpse is giving ecstasy. But why is he not a Muslim following the Muslim religious law? But what
should I say? What he has said about music is impressive. He doesn't speak any words that might hurt. Then he speaks quintessence. Let me ask him something more. Let us listen to the other astonishing things that he tells. He has said, millions of heavens and hells. Let me ask him how he has knowledge about that? Whether he tells the truth or hearsay. Then the saint said: You have said that heavens and hell are in millions. How is that? Our scripture says a total of 14 spheres, seven heavens and seven hells. How do you say they are in millions? Have you read somewhere or seen or have you just guessed?
Guru Ji was sitting dyed in the love of the Lord as before. Sometimes his eyes opened, sometimes closed and sometimes the eyelids were falling with the weight of ecstasy. He heard the question but he did not reply. But after a while in a slightly love-immersed voice he said: Those who saw fourteen would say fourteen, those who saw millions would utter millions. It is one's look. Why have a dispute about it?
Saint Why can't we see?
Guru Ji: Some people estimate fourteen spheres but the creation is far and far. There are millions of regions and millions of stars, the sun and the moon. They are spread in millions of sq: kilometers. O saint, the creation is too big and far and further. The distance that we see, we call the upper side as the heaven and the lower side as hell. It is far and further. Who can count? The Lord only knows how big is His creation. Our mind can gain enough knowledge but we cannot know the vastness. For us we might say that the universe is infinite because we cannot know its vastness. But don't think that this universe is infinite. For the Lord who is the creator this universe is finite. It has an end. Only He himself is infinite, indescribable and limitless.
Saint: How is it? Is it really so?
Guru Ji: For us it is so big that we might call it limitless and endless but it is a creation of the Lord. For him it has an end. If you say that the universe is infinite, then there will be two infinites. When you say two infinites that is equivalent to saying two finites. O saint, Lord is infinite. Only He is limitless and indescribable.
Saint I understand now. Then how have you estimated as millions?
Guru Ji: It is the job of the astronomers to count the stars, planets or the skies and not of saints. To count the stars at night and study the movement of planets is part of their education. Our job is to love the creator. The shining stars and the moon take the saint into wondrousness. Even for an ordinary man to see millions of twinkling stars with the deep inner self gives delight and ecstasy. The astrologer counts the stars but a saint sometimes closes his eyes
and in meditation gets immersed in the love of the Lord. If he opens his eyes and sees the stars and planets in that wondrousness, then he sees deep and perceives that they are in millions and far and further. Those who have counted fourteen, earlier they had counted seven. Sometimes, again when they count, they will count more. The starry night gives ecstasy to the saint. Sometimes the eyes see inwardly and the awakened inner eyes see the universe so vast that even after gazing at millions of kilometers neither the distance ends nor the count.
The saint's vision sees inwardly and perceives different spiritual spheres and finally reaches and falls at the Lord's feet and gets the touch of the Lord. Those are the saints who have a sensation of the Lord in them. Their aim is to tread on the path towards the Lord and meet the Lord. The lovers are immersed in the love of the Lord. They automatically have a glimpse of the cosmos or space but they are not interested in its size or count Their mind sees the one Lord in diversities. They see the one Lord in the expanse. From the length, breadth and height, they wish to reach the center point i.e. the Lord. From the visible world they wish to reach the invisible i.e. the Lord.
But one should not close one's eyes to the beauty, charm, magnificence and marvel of the seen world. One should get a touch of wondrousness from that. The touch of wondrousness also gives elevation to the mind and the mind feels ecstasy.
The beauty of the seen world, the magnificence of the seen world gives ecstasy to the minds that are not in ego and desires and the inner self rises and falls at the Lord's feet
The saint's mind felt wondrousness and ecstasy and said: O Guru Nanak Dev Ji, can you show me that the heavenly spheres are not fourteen but in millions.
Guru Ji: When the astronomers or astrologers learn more, then they will be able to tell. Our way is concentration of mind. Yes, in a way it is meditation. If you meditate, then you can also see.
The saint's son was sitting near. The innocent child was listening to the conversation and feeling wondrousness. On listening to the words of his father, he said: O respected Guru Nanak Dev Ji, can you please show me this glimpse?
Saint O beloved Guru Ji, my son's desire is intense. You show him only. I shall be satisfied.
Then Guru Ji held the child's hand and told him to close his eyes. When he closed his eyes, then he saw that he and Guru Nanak Dev Ji are flying in the skies. He saw uncountable suns, moons, planets and stars. There were many systems that were well organized. They were further and further and far
and far. When he tried to count, he was dazed. His eyes got tired in seeing and counting. What he had thought as high or low, that perception vanished. He saw that this earth was quite small. When he reached the planets, then he realized that they were big like the earth. Some were small and some big. He saw many planets like the earth. He saw some planets blazing like the sun and some were desolate.
When he got tired in seeing all that, then the beloved Guru Ji said: What you consider as hell, that also you may see.
When he saw that side, again he saw everything in millions. At one place a holy congregation had assembled and were singing divine songs. Here the saint's son said: Let us go back. We have been traveling for too long and I am also tired now.
Then the true Guru Ji said: Your father will not believe. You take some token with you. You take something that your father may believe. Then the child saw a tray full of sacred sweet at the holy congregation.
Then he said: You fill my bowl with this sacred sweet. When, this will be with me when I reach there, then my father will believe, because when I came it was empty. Then he will believe that I have brought this sacred sweet
So, the child took the bowl full of sacred sweet and it appeared that they were going towards the earth.
When he opened his eyes he saw that he was sitting in Baghdad only in front of his father.
Then the saint asked his son: O son, narrate what you saw.
Then the son said: O father, I have got tired. I felt I was flying at an astonishing speed and I saw uncountable suns, moons, stars and planets and their systems. The stars that we see from here are as big as the sun. The spheres are uncountable. We cannot count the heavens and hells from this earth. There are big planets in the cosmos that is immeasurable and they are moving at distances in a systematic manner. I have perceived it as further and further. The eyes get tired in seeing and mind gets tired in thinking.
Saint: Have you brought any token from somewhere or you have just been sight-seeing like magic in the eyes.
Son: It wasn't sight seeing like magic in the eyes. I felt my inner eyes have opened up by some grace. I have seen in real but what I have seen is different from what is seen here. The perception of time was different there. When I opened my eyes I thought a very long time has elapsed but after seeing here I have realized that here very little time has been spent. O father, I saw one holy congregation. They paid so much respect to Guru Nanak Dev Ji. I brought a bowl of sacred sweet irom there as. a token. You see, it is really with me.
When the saint saw the son's bowl full of sacred sweet he was dazed. When his son had closed his eyes it was empty and no one else had come there to give the sacred sweet.
The saint became sure that the sacred sweet has come from some supernatural power and was deeply impressed by Guru Ji's divinity.
The saint touched Guru Ji's feet in reverence. Then he said to his followers: Don't consider him just a saint. He is an image of the Lord. Ask forgiveness from him.
Then everybody bowed their heads to Guru Ji and asked for forgiveness.
Guru Ji said: See, the one Lord in everybody. Tread on the true path of 'recitation of the Lord's Name with love'. You will get salvation.
Now, Guru Ji stayed there for some days. People started coming without any fear. The saint himself also came quite often to meet Guru Ji. He got elevation of mind. Guru Ji was merciful not only on sinful, stupid and suffering people, but he understood the sufferings of those who were rich and in luxuries. He was more merciful to those also. That is why he visited religious centers despite the expected confrontation. In whatever way, his aim was to put the saints and their followers on the correct path. Here also he did the same. On listening to the true words of Guru Ji the saint's mind got turned towards love of the Lord and love of humanity. He felt the grace being showered by Guru Ji. Guru Ji gave him the Lord's name and his mind got the sensation of the presence of the Lord in his mind, heart and body. He got a great love and regard for Guru Ji but sometimes he did put questions to him. One day he asked: As a potter goes on making containers and keeps them, similarly, the Lord is creating on earth men without any proper faith in their minds. Why does the Lord wish to do that? As the containers are made by the rotation of the potter's wheel, similarly, from the rotation of the sky men are being born in this world.
Then Guru Ji replied: The containers are made from clay only. The soft clay only is put on the wheel. The dough can be made from soft clay only. Nothing can be made from hard earth. But the potter does not make the containers to keep them in that softness. His process is to make them hard in the kiln. The sufferings and sorrows of the world and lack of peace of mind make a man to search for some true happiness. In that search one finds something. Then the mind becomes strong in sufferings and sorrow. Then he becomes strong like the containers from the potter's kiln.
As you said that by the rotation of the sky men are being born, but the men who are born become saints in the holy company of saints.
Saint: Is there any purpose of the suffering in this world?
Guru Ji: The Lord only knows His will. But O saint, what is evident is that the beating that a wrestler suffers in exercise, fighting, falling, getting up, jumping, knocking and boxing with a stronger person, that only gives strength to his muscles to become victorious over others. Those who keep sitting in comfort do not become valiant In this way, comfort is the sickness and suffering the medicine. The life that has come in this world or you may say that the soul that has come in this arena i.e. the world has come to win over the worldly desires. The worldly desires trap it and create a hindrance but the soul fights, falls, suffers and makes a determined effort and becomes victorious, pure, crystal and meets the Supreme soul. Like, the soft clay containers become hard and useful after putting them in the kiln.
The Lord Himself knows His will but it is evident that one who makes an endeavor and wins over the worldly desires becomes a saint and a Lord's beloved.
Saint You have explained so well. You are great Now, I have one more question to ask you. According to Hindu religion, the soul remains in the cycle of births and deaths but according to Muslim religion there is no rebirth. What do you say about?
Guru Ji: Something that happens in one sphere is not perceived in another sphere. Stupid people make their own theories and then insist on those theories. One who has got elevation of mind through his endeavour of remembrance of the Lord, who has got the sensation of the Lord in his mind, heart and body, he does not suffer in this world. He has got salvation. He will go to the Lord's palace. The fruit that becomes ripe on the tree does not remain hanging on the branch. Now, the branch is not the place for him to stay. He will go to the owner's palace. That is the place for him. But one who has wasted his time in the forgetfulness of the Lord, who has not ripened himself and gone unripened, he will come to know of his un-ripened-ness in the Lord's palace where the good deeds and bad deeds are taken into account The un-ripenedness requires it to be reborn. The seed of birth is still in it. Because once the corn pops up, then there is no seed left in it to pop up again. But if it is not popped up, then the seed remains in it to pop up. Similarly, for the unripened to ripen again, the Lord's mercy gives them a chance again and again to ripen. So that again it makes an endeavour to remain in remembrance and shed its forgetfulness of the Lord.
The parents sending their sons to the wrestling arena again and again is to give them an opportunity to become strong men.
O saint, thinking and reasoning is our mind's job. Sometimes we feel comfortable, sometimes in suffering. If we think the right way i.e. positively, then it removes our doubts, we have faith in the Lord. Then another mind develops i.e. sublime mind. That takes us to the Lord's palace.
If we think the wrong way i.e. negatively, then we remain in doubt. We remain in the forgetfulness of the Lord. Then we remain in despair and suffering. We do perceive that the Lord is there but the worldly desires and the wandering of the mind keep us in the forgetfulness of the Lord.
It is the Lord's name that turns our mind inwardly and keeps us in the presence of the Lord.
To live in the presence of the Lord, yes, to live in the presence of the Lord all twenty-four hours is real life. It is ripen-ness. It is awaken-ness of soul.
One who is living in the presence of the Lord in this world, he is living in the palace of the Lord. Then he will not go into forgetfulness of the Lord i.e. un-ripen-ness. He has reached the Lord's palace. He will always live there.
While in this body he is living in the Lord's palace. When the body is not there even then his soul will live in the Lord's palace.
Recite the Lord's name with love and sing the praises of the Lord. The incessant recitation of Name keeps you in the presence of the Lord. It keeps you in the love of the Lord. It doesn't let you be away from the love of the Lord.
One who is in the forgetfulness of the Lord is like an un-ripened fruit. One who lives in the remembrance of the Lord is like a ripened fruit One who is living in the incessant remembrance of the Lord is living in the Lord's palace.
The worldly desires and passions try to pull us out from remembrance, but while living in the world we have not to come out from the remembrance. This is our wrestling in the arena. We have to fight the desires and passions that take us into forgetfulness and be victorious over them. There are five devils in the body that are the ambassadors for taking you away from remembrance of the Lord. Tie them down with a strong rope and remain in the remembrance of the Lord. That is our being victorious over them.
The Lord is always present, here, there, everywhere. He is omnipresent. We are living in His presence but our mind remains in His forgetfulness. Now, we have to learn to keep our mind in His presence always.
Saint (heaving a sigh): Yes, it is true. But what is the endeavour?
Guru Ji: Singing the praises of the Lord and recitation of the Lord's Name with love. Recite the Lord's Name all twenty-four hours. The Name keeps you
in the presence of the Lord. His remembrance, recitation with love, remembrance of His praises, remembrance in thanks, remembrance in prayer, this is Name. On listening to Guru Ji's words the saint got dyed in the love of the Lord. He felt elevation of mind and a sensation of the presence of the Lord in his mind, heart and body. He was blessed.
VII
On reading an Arabic inscription in a shrine outside the town of Baghdad, Swami Anandacharya of Sweden writes in his book named Snow Birds:
Upon this simple slab of granite didst thou sit,
discoursing of fraternal love and holy light,
Guru Nanak Dev Ji, prince among India's Holy sons.
What songs from the source of seven waters,
thou didst sing to charm the soul of Iran.
What peace from Himalaya's lonely caves and forests,
thou didst carry to the vine-groves and rose gardens of Baghdad.
What light from Badri Nath's snowy peaks thou didst bear to illumine the
heart of Balol, thy saintly Persian disciple.
Eight fortnights Balol hearkened to thy words on Life and Path and Spring Eternal while the moon waxed and waned in the pomegranate grove beside the grassy desert of the dead.
And after thou hadst left him to return to thy beloved Bharata's land, the Fakir, it is said, would speak to none nor listen to the voice of man or angel. His fame spread far and wide and the Shah came to pay him homage, but the holy man would take no earthly treasures nor hear the praise of kings and courtiers.
Thus lived he lonely, devoted, thoughtful,
for sixty winters sitting before the stone whereon thy sacred feet had rested.
And ere he left the house of ignorance he wrote these words upon the stone: "Here spoke the Hindu Guru Nanak Dev Ji to Faqir Balol, and for these sixty winters,
since Guru Ji left Iran, the soul of Balol has rested on the Master's word, like a bee poised on a dawnlit honey-rose"
DODO