One on whom Guru Nanak Dev Ji showers his grace gets eternal happiness. When Sikander invaded India, his idea was that he should make one region from Greece to India including India and make it his kingdom. That is why he went on capturing territory after territory and made them habitable towns for Greeks to occupy and live and at some places he constructed forts so that he may go on advancing further. Some historians have said that the city of Kandhar in Afghanistan is one such place. From Hiraat up to India this is a very strategic place for a fort. Whether Sikander made it habitable or it was already flourishing but to make a fortress here was Sikander's plan.
For centuries this town flourished with its green fields that were moneyspinners. Later, Nadir invaded this town and made it a base fort to keep his plundered treasures. When Nadir was assassinated, then Ahmed Shah Abdali seized this territory as well as the treasure. He proclaimed himself the King and constructed a new town at a little distance and made it the capital. Ahmed Shah constructed the present Kandhar town that has a crossing in the centre and the four roads divide the town in four parts. The old Kandhar town is at a little distance now in ruins.
It is nearly five centuries when this Kandhar that is in ruins was a flourishing town. The town was hustling and bustling and happy crowds thronged when a 'King of peace' invaded this town. He was not a tyrant invader to seize forts and fight unprovoked and unwarranted bloody battles and occupy territories. Nof he established supremacy by threat and force. This valiant won the hearts and was called 'King of freedom' because he gave freedom to bonded hearts. He made the mind free from the trap of worldly desires and connected it to
the fountain of love that would give eternal happiness. He would take out the minds from greed, selfishness and enmity and make all as brothers and sisters. As such, people also call him as a 'Prophet of Peace'.
Yes, one day this warrior entered the walls of Kandhar. He has no troops, no regiment of artillery, no guns and no arrows. He is one himself and two more companions who are asking him: O master, where and what is the address where we are going?
He said: See, it is the Lord's wish. Whomsoever he wants to bless, the person will meet us and will be blessed.
Meanwhile, unhindered the benevolent Guru Ji entered the town. He went and stood in front of a house where a handsome young Mughal came out. The moment he came out his eyes met the wondrous eyes. He was dazed and his hurriedly moving steps stopped. He saw intently and felt wondrousness. Sometimes, he got a sensation in his mind, sometimes he felt an attraction and sometimes his vision went towards Guru Ji's feet. After some moments in this state, he asked: O master with charming eyes, what is your good name? Guru Ji: My name is Nanak, sent by the Lord.
Mughal: Nanak, sent by the Lord. What is the meaning of this name? I have never heard this name before. Guru Ji: It means, servant of Lord.
Mughal: Ah ha. I have become fortunate. I have met a servant of Lord. Ah ha. He went on looking at his face and got absorbed in ecstasy.
Then he said: Which country you belong to? Kabul or Greece or India? Guru Ji: I am of the Lord but people call me Indian.
Mughal: Ah ha. Your homeland is of the Lord. Your glimpse is of the Lord. Then who is your mentor, spiritual guide or prophet?
Guru Ji: The Lord Himself is my spiritual guide and prophet. He has sent
me.
Mughal: Servant of the Lord, homeland of the Lord, prophet is Lord. Your glimpse is majestic. I have not seen our prophet but my mind says that you are more handsome than our prophet. Mughal (to his mind): Oh ho! I am becoming an infidel. I see him as the image of the Lord.
Mughal: O Lord-sent, are you not an image of the Lord? A piece of coal that becomes red in fire is fire. Isn't it?
Mughal (in his mind): O Yar Wali, till you were reading the scripture the law of the scriptures had to be reckoned. It said, this is God, this is prophet, this is mentor, this is atheist, this is religiousness, this is piousness, this one has
controlled his passions, this one is atheist, this one is delightful, this one is without religiousness. Till I reckoned with these ideas I remained dry, like wood cut from a tree and thrown away is dry. Today, after having a glimpse of this godly soul, I feel freshness in my arteries. The dry wood that I was has become green and has become flexible as if living. Now forget the scripture laws. O Yar Wali, burn the laws. This glimpse that is giving freshness to the arteries is surely a glimpse of the Lord. Have you ever felt this ecstasy before? You have been meeting the priests and bowed down to saints but you have never felt this sensation that is happening in your body today. Have faith that this is the image of the Lord or the Lord Himself.
In this thinking and in the ecstasy that he got from the glimpse, he bowed his head and fell at Guru Ji's feet. Guru Ji with the wondrous eyes lifted Yar Wali's head with his sacred hands. He looked towards him with graciousness. Yes, Guru Ji lifted Yar Wali's head that was bowing down with the weight of ecstasy.
Yar Wali was overwhelmed. He could not speak but he picked up strength and said: O benevolent, you are the Lord in human form. Bless me.
Guru Ji: The Lord Himself is the master of the seen and unseen world. I am his humble servant You tell what is your wish?
Yar Wali: I am in search of true happiness. I am in search of the unseen Lord. My whole life has gone in longing and craving but my efforts have not borne any fruit. I see the Lord in you. You make me your disciple. If you are the Lord, then give me shelter at your feet. If the Lord is your beloved, then you get me His shelter. I have no knowledge. I have read the scripture but I am stupid. Till today I could not perceive anything. Now in your glimpse I perceive that you are an image of the Lord or yourself the Lord. Please be benevolent and bless me. Saying this, again he fell at Guru Ji's feet.
Guru Ji lifted his head again and then everybody went inside the house and sat in the verandah of the house.
Yar Wali (with folded hands): O Lord sent When we love someone in the world then that picture remains in the mind. But when I tried to remember my spiritual guide, then his picture did not stay in my mind. I tried but got tired. What is this magic that your godly glimpse has gone into my heart within a moment by itself. Now you have come. You remove my shortcomings.
Guru Ji: God bless you. Say, O Lord, O Lord. First, you got into sentimental love. They create dirt on the mind. They do attract you and entice you but that increases the sentimental love and it becomes difficult to detach your mind from that. Then you tried to concentrate your mind on your mentor or
prophet or God. That takes a very long time and one feels delight in reading verses and poems of poets. One feels self as a poet and starts blaming the Lord. This also creates subtle dirt on the mind. Then O pious man, mostly you find spiritual guides whose aim is to have more and more of followers. On listening to their own praise from their followers, they feel more of joy and ego. They think that this is their spiritual delight. When the gathering is large and comprises rich people, then their joy in discourse is more but when the listeners are few, then there joy goes down. This also creates dirt on the mind. So, how can their glimpse or company be impressive? When, there is a man of the Lord, a lover of the Lord's name, who has inner happiness, then his glimpse will impress. The more the people come to him the more he feels the dirt. Since his mind is crystal, he does not let the dirt settle on his mind. When he talks, he thinks of goodness for others and tells what is really true. O dear, truth is somewhat blunt.
Now listen: When it is late night or early morning, the family and children are asleep. The world is asleep. One says, sleep and death are equal. At that time the whole world and the family are dead. That is the time to see your inner self. One may be a disciple or a saint one should sit at that time. One should deviate one's mind from wandering and see inwardly. At that time, one will see one's shortcomings and dirt of the mind. If one is in remembrance of the Lord, then the mind will concentrate, feel happy to be alone and will meditate. By the Lord's grace he will feel some ecstasy in His remembrance. He will feel elevation of mind. You understand this.
Now, when the sun rises, then the love, praise, respect, whatever you are getting and they are giving delight, then you will understand that these are all increasing the ego and increasing the dirt on the mind. In this way, one learns to bp true to one's inner self. This should be the first step.
Yar Wali (heaving a sigh): Wonderful!
Guru Ji: First step is to be true to one's self. Do not deceive yourself. Get up early in the morning and see your inner self and see its shortcomings. Whatever wrongs you have done in the day, you analyze and improve upon. I am not talking of the big deceits of the world. I am talking of the falsehood, insincerity and ego of your own mind. These are there even in big religious preachers. Mostly, these are there as a habitual behaviour. The mind leans towards them. These are the veils that create a distance between our self and the Lord. Analyze your mind, how it is being looted by the five senses of the body. One has to realize this deception of one's own mind and understand what is this world and what is fame, passions and comforts of the world for whjch the
mind is doing all wrongs and remains in the forgetfulness of the Lord.
Yar Wali: Then you bless me and rid me of these evils of the mind.
Guru Ji: This mind is evil only. There is no devil or un-enlightenment that comes from outside. The mind itself is the devil and un-enlightened. It is the mind's own ego that creates a wall between our self and the Lord. The forgetfulness of the Lord does not let us reach the Lord.
Have you understood now? The preachers are stuck up in this forgetfulness of the Lord and so are their disciples.
Yar Wali: Yes, I do understand.
It is a very strange thing that you have made me understand that our own mind is deceiving our inner self. Oh! Oh! Then please bless me.
Guru Ji: If one deceives others, then one deceives one's self also. So, first we have to perceive this deception of our own mind, then ponder over it and then try to rein the mind. Second thing is to remember the Lord and live in His presence. That is to love Him. When the remembrance becomes incessant, then the distance between our self and the Lord vanishes. When the distance is vanished that is meeting the Lord.
Yar Wali: Then how would it happen? Should we keep on thinking that we are living in His presence? But this thinking does not remain constant. One goes into forgetfulness.
Guru Ji: If the mind cannot keep the remembrance incessantly, then we have to recite His name by the tongue. This recitation by the tongue turns the mind towards remembrance. The attention keeps on going towards the Lord. If one does the recitation of Name with love and remains steadfast in recitation, then the Name gets into the mind, heart and body and the remembrance becomes incessant The Lord is already living in the body. The veil was the forgetfulness. That veil will go by remembrance. In this way, we start living in His presence. When we live in His presence, then we perceive our inner self. When we do not forget the Lord, when we live in the presence of the Lord while sitting, standing, walking and strolling then we remain in the touch of the Lord. So, one should remain in this one endeavour. Rest the quibbling, pettifogging and running after new preachers divert the mind from the main aim to reach the Lord. Even little thoughts that go into your mind when you meet different people distract your mind from remembrance of Name. If somebody becomes inclined towards spiritualism, then some sentiment distracts him from going on that path. The mind is trapped in sentiments, desires and ego. One's own mind does not let you go on the path.
Yar Wali: Then what should I do? I have no strength to do anything on my own. You bless me the recitation of Name.
Guru Ji was sitting in wondrousness and making Yar Wali understand the easy and simple but the true path. Without knowing this true path thousands of seekers of the Lord wavered. Saying this, the heavenly Guru Ji showered grace on Yar Wali. In a melodious voice he said:
O dear, say 'O Lord', 'O Lord'. Yes, say and keep saying,
'O Lord', 'O Lord'. Never forget this Name.
Yar wali was blessed.
Yar wali got a sensation of Name in his mind, heart and body cells and his tongue started reciting the name 'O Lord'. The word was not in his known language but his tongue did not feel it unfamiliar. His tongue recited the Name. The ecstasy of Name went inside his mind, heart and body and he felt a sensation in his body cells. He felt as if his body cells were closed and now they have opened. The body has become light like a flower and 'O Lord' is being recited automatically. This is Name. This is grace.
Never forget the Lord's Name. The Lord should live in our body and we should live in the presence of the Lord.
How Guru Ji blessed Yar Wali who was stuck in the middle despite hard endeavours for years? Like, when you take out a peel of wood that is pierced in the body, with the end of a small needle, then you feel comfortable. Similarly, Guru Ji rid Yar Wali's mind from the ego and dirt of the mind and applied the sweet, cool and comforting balm of Name.
Yar Wali was filled with ecstasy. He felt the sensation of the Lord's name in his body. He is in immense gratitude and thankfulness. He has all adoration for Guru Ji.
Guru Ji wanted to leave but with folded hands he requested him to stay on. He had so much love for Guru Ji. Out of love, Guru Ji stayed at his house for one day. After winning this battlefront, Guru Ji went ahead.
Early morning Guru Ji left Yar Wali's house and went and sat on the bank of an extensive pond. The water of the pond was clean but there was a thick layer of ice frozen on the surface.
After a little while a Khatri came. In that wintry cold, he removed his clothes, broke a small portion of ice on the surface and made a gap, had a dip in that icy cold water and came out trembling with cold. Then he started putting on his clothes uttering Sita Ram, Sita Ram. When Guru Ji saw his hard ascetic practice he felt merciful and said to his mind: The Lord's will has
brought me here for giving salvation to such people. He is doing such hard ascetic practice with so much eagerness. But it has borne no fruit. His hard endeavour has brought no result.
Then he looked towards the man and called him near and said: O friend, what for are you undergoing so much hardship?
Khatri: O Lord sent! You seem to me as an image of the Lord. I am afraid of death. I want to get out of the cycle of births and deaths. I take a bath early in the morning. One recluse sadhu had said: It is piousness to have a bath in cold water in the morning.
Then I keep reciting Sita Ram, Sita Ram and go home. In my home, I sit in a lonely corner and worship the idol. Then I go for my work. I have endeavored a lot but I am still in despair.
Listening to this, Guru Ji looked towards the Khatri with merciful eyes and said: Without the Lord's Name all endeavours go waste.
Only those who tread on the path shown by the true Guru Ji are respected in the Lord's palace.
On listening to the words of Guru Ji the Khatri pondered: Is it so that without the Lord's name all endeavours go waste? He is above rituals and his words are having a magical effect. They are going deep in the heart Who is he? Thus amazed, he felt attracted and he came forward.
The benevolent Guru Ji asked him: Who are you?
Then the Khatri trembled and said: I am a Khatri here in this Kandhar city and doing business of buying and selling and I am a seeker of the Lord.
Guru Ji: To keep going on the path is reaching the goal if one treads on the right path. When the path reaches the goal, then that end of the path is called the goal.
Khatri: O beloved of the Lord. Then you make me tread on the true path. I have been longing to meet a real saint. I have got faith in you. You bless me by your supernatural powers.
Guru Ji: By having a bath, the body becomes clean. Cleanliness does have an effect on the mind but just undergoing hardship of bath in cold water does not help on the spiritual path. Remember the Name. Recite the Name. This will reach you to the Lord.
Khatri: I do recite but I do not know what happens?
Guru Ji: You have done penances and Hath yoga. You have kept fasts. You have done recitation but your ego has not gone. You throw yourself at the Lord's feet. Be a servant to Him. Let the Lord's Name be your support. Leave everything else. Say, 'O Lord', 'O Lord'.(Waheguru, Waheguru)
He said: 'O Lord', 'O Lord'. (Waheguru, Waheguru)
Then Guru Ji said: Remember this Name only. While sitting, standing, strolling and walking keep reciting this Name. When you concentrate on one point, then only the arrow shoots rightly. From the tongue the Name will go to the mind. Then it will go into the breath. It will itself dye you in the love of the Lord whose name you are reciting. This one seedling, this seedling that has gone inside your body will flourish to unlimited extent. Your previous endeavour has also been reckoned today. You have got soul awakening today.
Those are living in whose mind the Lord lives
Nobody else is living, says Nanak. Remember this Name with a hard knot.
The Khatri got the sensation of the Lord's name in his mind, heart and body but he did not wish to leave Guru Ji. With folded hands he said: O beloved of the Lord, come to my house.
The benevolent Guru Ji accepted his love and went to his house. He stayed there for three days. The Khatri served Guru Ji with great respect and love. He became fortunate to get the treasure of Name.
Then on the fourth day Guru Ji departed from his house and went and sat in the open.
Ill
There was one more soul to be won over in Kandhar. His name was Shah Sharaf. Who was this Shah Sharaf? He was a Pathan who originally hailed from Bidar town in South India. He settled in Kandhar since long.
Yar Wali and Sharaf were both friends and used to exchange views on spiritualism.
One day, Sharaf came to see his friend. Guru Nanak Dev Ji had already blessed Yar Wali a few days back. When Sharaf sat down after exchanging greetings with Yar Wali, then he noticed that Yar Wali's face was looking serene, his eyes had a sweet charm, his face showed a sweet aura. Today, he felt so comforting to enter Yar Wali's house as one feels comfort to enter one's own house after a long period.
Then Sharaf said: O friend, you are in exuberance. Surely, you have found something. You must tell me.
Yar Wali (smiling): What should I tell? We went searching for the sweet breeze. But the breeze came by itself. We went searching for the clouds but the shower of ecstasy came to my hut by itself.
Shah Sharaf: Then my estimation is correct You have found something. Ecstasy has showered on your forehead. Your eyes are showing that they have drunk nectar.
Yar Wali: My lips had become so dry that they were not even capable of drinking anything. Shower of nectar came by some grace. My dry lips got life and from the lips the nectar went into the body. Some godly soul came and took out the mistaken beliefs from my mind and blessed me the Lord's Name. It is not my effort that I have found something. My efforts were all fruitless efforts.
Sharaf: Then you drank the nectar alone. You should have remembered your friend.
Yar Wali: What you say is correct But the truth is that I was so much overwhelmed that I could not remember anything or anybody.
Sharaf: My friend, I give you credit that you have told the truth. Now you please tell which side the fragrant breeze has gone?
Yar Wali: You cannot find the fragrant breeze. You cannot catch it by running after it Have a longing in your heart The fragrant breeze might come this side.
Sharaf: You are right You are right.
Saying this, he looked towards his friend and became quiet and sat down in longing at the same spot where we was sitting and kept sitting for four days.
For full four days he kept on sitting in longing and craving.
After four days reached the god of love in whose longing he was sitting. Sharaf got a glimpse of the godly soul. When he saw Guru Ji, first his eyes drank the nectar, then from the looks he did not appear to be a Muslim. A thin line of ego of his being a Muslim came in his mind. His mind was impressed but his mind that carried the slight dirt of ego thought of examining. With folded hands he asked Guru Ji to sit down and himself sat down with knees bent and said: O Gracious Guru Ji, I beg your pardon. The seekers of the Lord are of two types. First are those who fall at the feet on having a glimpse like salt in water. Second are those who first satisfy their egoistic mind, then they fall at the feet.
Guru Ji: The mind has to be dyed in the love of the Lord. You can dye it in whatever way you want to. O holy man, you may ask anything.
Sharaf: You are wearing this gown. What does this denote?
Guru Ji: A corpse is shrouded.
Similarly, I have put this gown because so far as the people are concerned I am dead (smiling).
Sharaf: Do you mean, dead for the people but for one-self living?
Guru Ji: Not living but got awakened life.
Sharaf: (In his mind) Not living but got awakened life.
Sharaf: (To Guru Ji) I do not understand. What is the difference?
Guru Ji: When one is attached to the Lord, then one is detached from the family and people. When the mind got detached from the family and people, then it became crystal and got attached to the Lord and got awaken-ness.
Sharaf: Wonderful, you have delighted me. How is it that dying gives life?
Guru Ji: One who swims as if dead does not drown.
Sharaf: What does this patched blanket denote?
Guru Ji: Tearing, needles, thread, sewing, wearing.
Sharaf: What does this mean?
Guru Ji: To tear the self to analyze the mind, needle of patience, thread of holy company, sewing is accepting the Lord's will, wearing is killing the ego.
Sharaf: What is the gain in wearing this?
Guru Ji: The messengers of death do not come near you.
Sharaf: Who is that who swims across this ocean of fire, the world?
Guru Ji: One who has realized that the Lord is present here, there, everywhere and is dyed in His love. He swims across this ocean of fire, the world.
Sharaf: Is it so, even if he is in vices and sentimental love of wife and children?
Guru Ji: One who is dyed in the love of the Lord, who has no other desire but of the Lord, he is automatically above vices. Attachment to the Lord is automatic detachment from the world. One who is in love of the Lord is automatically above sentimental love. The marriage of the daughter with the husband is automatic detachment from parents. The real thing is detachment of the mind. When the mind is detached from something, then one is renounced from that thing. It is not necessary to renounce the body.
If the mind is detached, then whether the body is renounced or not is immaterial. The proof is that when the mind is detached, then the body is renounced from vices.
Sharaf now understood this point well. He was stubbornly keeping away the body from vices with difficulty. He was doing oenances and fasts and austerities to keep the mind away from vices but the mind by nature has desires. So, it was again going towards passions. Like a snake when it feels cold it appears to be dead but as soon it gets warmth it becomes active again. Guru Ji's words that the mind has to be detached went deep into his heart. Then he looked towards Guru Ji's face and seeing the radiance on his face he fell at Guru Ji's feet.
Guru Ji said: Say, 'O Lord', 'O Lord', with love.
Guru Ji lifted his head with his sacred hands. The moment Sharaf s head touched Guru Ji's feet he got a sensation of the Lord's name in his mind, heart and body cells. His mind was elevated and filled with ecstasy. He felt light. The recitation of Name became incessant.
Guru Ji: O Sharaf, with this incessant recitation of Name one stays close to the lion i.e. the Lord. When you are living with the lion, then other animals i.e. vices do not come near. So, remain in the love of the Lord. To love is to remember Him. To remember Him is to recite His name.
In His love one is automatically above passions and desires. Pious deeds and kindness are goodness. They wash the ego and dirt of the mind. But the strength of the mind comes from the Lord's name. The Name also removes the ego of the mind. Name is one cure for all maladies.
Tie the Name to your mind with a hard knot.
In mistaken belief we start thinking that we have become saints but that stays as ego only.
The inner self flourishes with Name only. So, go on reciting the Lord's Name with love.
This will rid all vices and bring all goodness. It will reach you to the Lord. It will give ecstasy and delight. This is a twenty-four hours meditation.
Sharaf got so much love and gratitude for Guru Ji in his mind that he would not go home and requested Guru Ji to keep him along.
But Guru Ji consoled him saying that you have the company of Yar Wali here. If you want more holy company, then there lives one saint in Khurram. Sometimes, you may go and meet him.
Then according to the wish of Guru Ji, with mind filled with Name, ecstasy and deep love, Sharaf went home.
When Guru Ji got ready to leave the city, then Yar Wali became emotional and said: O Lord sent! When will you give a glimpse again? Or you take me along. I cannot bear the separation.
Listening to the words of love, Guru Ji who had lot of endurance in him said: The bodies cannot stay together indefinitely. Although it is the body where the soul flourishes with recitation of Name but the body cannot remain alive indefinitely. Remain in recitation of Name dyed in the love of the Lord. Don't make a mistaken claim that 'I am a big saint'. The Lord is everything. We are at his feet. At his feet, we are high, pure, rich and in comfort.
People that come to you, preach them the true path of recitation of Name.
Don't claim to them that you can give salvation. Put them on the true path without any attachment In this way the other person will benefit and your
mind will not get any dirt If you claim to be a big saint then you will get ego. Then the mind will wander as per its nature. If you accept the Lord's will then you will remain detached. Ego is the veil between our self and the Lord.
The Lord's command is 'to recite His name'. We recite His name. The Lord's command is 'Recite my name, you will meet me'. The mind remains at peace and delighted. If it is the Lord's command to preach then you do preach but with detached mind. Be sure, you can remain detached only if you go as per the Lord's command. If you understand the Lord's command, then your mind will remain pure and sacred. You will get salvation and your followers will get salvation. But O friend, this 'ego and desires' is stuck in the mind. You have to keep a watch on its tricks and traps. You can keep a watch when you remain in recitation of Name. With recitation of Name the mind is elevated and you get soul awakening. With this soul awakening one is not trapped. The mind should remain elevated with recitation of Name. Accept the Lord's will. This awakening does not let your mind get trapped.
Yes, the Lord's warrior has conquered Kandhar by winning over three men. Yes, Kandhar is conquered by winning over three men. How? Two were saints. Both had a large number of followers. Both were meditative but stuck on the way without proper guidance for themselves. They were pious saints but they did not have the Lord's love sensation in them. Guru Ji removed their shortcomings and blessed them the love sensation of the Lord. Now, the Lord seekers will get the true path of 'recitation of the Lord's Name with love' through them. The third one was also a meditative. He also had some followers. They will also be benefited.
In this way, we come to understand Guru Ji's noteworthy achievements. By elevating three minds, the three saints became lighthouses for the people of Kandhar town. Now, people will get on to the true path of 'recitation of Name'.
Now, Guru Ji moved ahead. He stayed near a town in the forest. One Pathan from the town passed that way. He was a simple and pious man. He felt delighted on seeing Guru Ji's face and said: O Sairt . from which place have you come and where are you going? If you want somebody's address, then I can help you. If you do not know anyone, then can I be of service to you?
The true Guru Ji smiled and said: God bless you. We are men of the Lord. We are sitting here because we wish to meet someone in the town. We have some work with him.
Pathan: If you tell me the name, then I can tell whether he is there or not.
Guru Ji: He is a Khatri and not a Pathan or Afghan. His name is Man Chand. His father's name is Khan Chand.
Pathan: O, Lord sent! Then you please come with me to the town. I will escort you up to his house. Yes, Man Chand s/o Khan Chand lives in the town. He is a handsome young man respected by all.
Guru Ji: O man of the Lord. It is so nice of you. But we have no mind to go to the town. He will himself come and meet us.
The Khan bowed down and said: He will himself come and meet you. Your carefree-ness is your throne and that is the palace for you. Fortunate Man Chand should himself come. That is the correct thing. God is great
The Khan bowed down, went, met Man Chand and said: Gentleman, outside the town ore saint is sitting. Appears to be a godly soul. There is radiance on his face. Even a blunt person like me got attracted.
Man Chand: Then have you talked to him?
Pathan: Yes, this much he said that he has come to meet you. But he said, "He will himself come and meet us".
When Man Chand asked more information, then the Pathan said: His dress is somewhat of a Muslim saint and somewhat of a Hindu saint. I do not know his name but he seems to be Indian.
Then Man Chand pondered and said: O Khan, I do not know any saint of this description.
Pathan: O Man Chand, what is the harm in meeting a saint even if you don't know him? It is difficult to come across a good saint I was delighted to meet him.
Then Man Chand got up. He picked up some fruits as a gift and reached the place. He placed the fruits in front of Guru Ji and sat down and looked at Guru Ji's face. In his mind he said: I have not met him before and I do not know him but I do not feel that he is a stranger.
What the Pathan had said that his glimpse gives delight, he also experienced the same. But he was quite astonished in his mind: When I do not know him, how does he know me?
He was sitting in this astonishment but was feeling a delight to see him when Guru Ji said: O Man Chand, is everything fine?
Man Chand: O Saint ! You are asking my welfare as if I am your old acquaintance. From where have you come, what does your dress denote and what service can I do for you?
Guru Ji: Those who are on the Lord's path are beads in a string. They are of the Lord. Hence we know you. We are also of the Lord. We have work with you, some message for you.
Man Chand: I am amazed to see your dress. Now I am more amazed to listen to your talk.
Guru Ji: Actually, what is amazing is that we cannot live indefinitely in this world. But everybody is busy in collecting things of the world even by telling lies and deceiving. The people are doing it as if they have to stay here indefinitely. Then it is also amazing that nobody is bothered about the love of the Lord that stays forever.
Man Chand: But one cannot see the ever-living Lord. Where is He and how is He? I have pondered enough and come to the conclusion that 'doing goodness to all' is everything. Rest, I do not see anything beyond.
Guru Ji: That is why you are passing time nicely and people have regard for you. But there is another treasure that you have to save.
Man Chand (Heaving a sigh): I do not know anything.
Guru Ji: At night we sleep and we are like a dead body. In the morning we wake up and become living again. Tell what do you know?
Man Chand: Well I do not know.
Guru Ji: The creator who creates only knows. How can the creation know the creator? He who has created knows and sees His creation. We are his created bodies. What can we say? The creator knows everything. The creation cannot know the creator.
Man Chand: I do not know why the mind is very fond of knowing. It is not satisfied till it knows.
Guru Ji: The body has to look after its upbringing in this world. The mind runs the body. Its nature is to gain knowledge. When he has knowledge, only then he can do the upbringing. It is essential to have knowledge to live in this world. But the thing is that something that we cannot see how do we come to know of it? The outer and intellectual minds can have knowledge of what is seen. How can they have knowledge of what is unseen? Whatever is seen is finite. What is infinite and limitless, how can it be apprehended by the finite? So, it is not the right way to expect to see the infinite with the finite. There is another way of apprehending the unseen i.e. if we go on the way that is opposite of the way of seeing the seen. One who wants a sensation of the Lord in him his mind awakens if one goes on" that way.
Another mind develops that is called sublime mind. That mind apprehends the unseen Lord. One gets a sensation of the Lord in the mind. That quenches our thirst and longing to meet the Lord.
Man Chand: Then should one have faith and go on doing kind deeds or something else also?
Guru Ji: One should realize that death is certain and this life is temporary. So, why should one indulge in vices? If somebody does bad to us we feel it bad, then why make anyone suffer, one should give comfort to others as far as possible.
Man Chand: Yes, this much I understand and fellow and that is all.
Guru Ji: O dear, this is not all. The Lord has given His sensation to his beloved ones. They tell us that the Lord is here, there, everywhere. To love Him is the root of all happiness because He is always living. Those who love him are enjoying ecstasy. Even after death they will be in ecstasy. But those who love the worldly pleasures will feel the suffering to see the worldly desires in their soul. At that time the body will not be there to enjoy the worldly pleasures but the thi»-st of worldly pleasures remains unquenched. In this way, the repentance of vicas done gives you suffering.
So, we have to turn our mind from worldly pleasures to the everlasting ecstasy of love of the Lord. We have to make ourselves live in ecstasy in this world and the next world too.
I am in this love that I will remember the Lord and make the world remember the Lord's Name that will give eternal happiness.
One who has not loved the Lord in this body, he repents when he leaves this body and goes to the Lord's court, then he regrets and shakes his head in repentance.
Man Chand: Why so much repentance?
Guru Ji: Then one realizes that the human birth was an opportunity for the soul to flourish, that has gone and now another human birth is not easy to come quickly. Like, if somebody is playing chess and his chessman is picked away in the middle before reaching the end, then one feels sorry, similarly missing the chance of meeting the Lord in this human birth gone waste gives a sorry feeling of repentance. Then one comes to know that we can get a chance of meeting the Lord when we get human birth again.
Man Chand: We cannot see or apprehend Him and the result is so dreadful and alarming, then what should one do?
Guru Ji: The path is easy if one is not intoxicated with wealth and ego of pleasure living. Then one will realize that there are some people who are ahead of me in the love of the Lord and in recitation of Name and their inner self is higher than my inner self. Then one will realize, why should I blame anyone, my mind is the culprit.
Man Chand: Then again one has not found any way, only repentance remains.
Guru Ji: Why go in repentance? One should always be alert. If one is alert then one ponders and sees far.
Man Chand: But what will the pondering yield excepting repentance?
Guru Ji: Pondering will be that whoever have reached the Lord, I should go and ask them, fall at their feet, pray to them, in whatever way ask them the way to reach the Lord.
Man Chand: You seem to be very benevolent. My mind is getting coolness from you. You tell, where should I go to find out the beloved of the Lord? You are sitting in front of me, I beg you and fall at your feet and ask you the way. You put me on the true path. I am stuck mid-way.
Guru Ji: I am in the service of the Lord only. I am not the Lord. As per the wish of the Lord I have come to take you from mid-way to further path. I have already told you that my job is to remember the Lord and make others remember the Lord. Everybody gets salvation on this path.
Man Chand: Any other ritual to please the Lord?
Guru Ji: 1. One can reach the Lord by recitation of His name with love.
2. Accept His will. Whatever He does, accept it as good.
3. Do not do any evil. The Lord sees everything. Do goodness. With these three things one meets the Lord.
Man Chand: O Godly soul ! I read some Vedanta. That said that the Lord is in the body. I thought that He is I and I am He.
So, I tried my best to feel higher but I remained Man Chand only. Sometimes, I felt high but later I realized that it was my pride only. Was this a fallacy or what?
Guru Ji: Gentleman, you cannot meet the Lord by talking. When you are in the incessant remembrance of the Lord in your mind and heart, then you can say that you have met the Lord. Look O dear, something that has not settled in our sub-conscious mind from the outer mind, how can we say, we have acquired? All educated men get educated in this way. What they read goes to the subconscious mind and remains there. Then they can call themselves educated. Whatever goes deep into the mind and heart that we can say we have acquired. When you listen to some discourse for a few minutes, that time goes, what remains with us? The mind remains in whatever was already settled in the sub-conscious mind. Now, if you remember that the Lord is there and this remembrance goes deep into your mind and heart, then your mind and heart will remain in a meeting with the Lord. Then forgetfulness that is the veil between the Lord and us will go. When the forgetfulness goes away from the mind and the mind remains in the remembrance of the Lord and this
remembrance becomes incessant then it can be said that you have met the Lord. That is why 'remembrance is the way to meet the Lord'.
Man Chand: If by remembrance, the Lord settles in your mind and heart, then what?
Guru Ji: Then you have met the Lord, because Lord is the Supreme soul, we are a body but our inner self is the soul. When our body soul gets into touch with the Supreme soul by remembrance, then our body soul immerses in the Supreme soul.
Man Chand: Please, once again you repeat.
Guru Ji: The body soul will meet the Supreme soul. By remembrance our body soul will become pure and run to meet the Supreme soul that is also pure. This happens by the grace of Guru Ji. Knowing this is not the knowing by the mind. It is a sensation. It is sublime consciousness.
Man Chand: Why?
Guru Ji: In this way the pure soul meets the Supreme soul.
Man Chand: Well (After a little thought), what is this sensation that you have said?
Guru Ji: I have already told you the mistake of the world. People want to see the Lord with the outer mind and the intellectual mind. The Lord cannot be seen with these minds.
By the recitation of Name when the remembrance become incessant all twenty-four hours, then another consciousness comes in the body, the mind rises above the intellectual facet of the mind and feels a consciousness of the unseen Lord. That is a sensation. To feel the Lord in our body is a sensation.
Man Chand: We want that we should see the Lord with these eyes and this mind but the reality is that we should recite and remember His name and then another sublime consciousness will emerge in the body that will perceive the Lord in the body and that is a sensation of the Lord.
How foolish are we? We want to see the Lord as we see radish and cabbage. It is really saddening.
Guru Ji: If you have a betel plant in the house, the donkey does not appreciate. Similarly, oae who has sensation of fragrance he only can know the value of flowers.
Man Chand: Yes, you are right. Only a doctor knows the medicinal value of a betel plant. How can a donkey differentiate between grass or betel plant? You have said that our intellect goes up to the seen objects. The Lord is beyond and one can see if one sees inwardly instead of outwardly.
Guru Ji: Now you have understood that first you have to recite the Lord's Name so that the mind turns toward the Lord. Then the mind is elevated and the body soul meets the Supreme soul. One drinks the Lord's nectar. One gets eternal happiness in this world and the next world too.
Man Chand: O Lord sent, now you bless that I step on the first stair i.e. 'recitation of Name' that will remain with me in this world and the next world. You bless that I should recite and never forget the Name.
Guru Ji was sitting immersed in the love of the Lord. With his charming eyes he looked towards Man Chand and in exuberance he showed his wand and said: O Man Chand, the devil of forgetfulness goes out with this wand of remembrance.
Man Chand took the wand and put it on his head. The moment he got a touch of the wand something clicked, like, when the poppy bud blossoms the outer green leaf breaks and falls down and a red blooming flower comes out
Similarly, something clicked and recitation of Name became incessant in Man Chand's body. Man Chand whose mind was stuck in the idea that there is nothing beyond goodness, moved ahead towards love of the Lord and recitation of the Lord's Name incessantly. He felt ecstasy.
Further to goodness is love of the Lord, recitation of Name incessantly, awakening of mind and the body soul meeting the Supreme soul.
Man Chand got the true treasure of the Lord's Name and the benevolent Guru Ji after blessing him departed from Kandhar to bless more people.
O great Guru Nanak Dev Ji who allayed the suffering of the people. 'O Great Guru Nanak Dev Ji' 'O Great Guru Nanak Dev Ji'
D D O D