See, the time, how fast it moves. The saviour Guru Nanak stayed at Talwandi as a child, then at Sultanpur as Stores Manager, met the Lord and distributed his household articles. Then he travelled to near and faroff places in India and abroad. He blessed innumerable people. He gave life to lifelessly living people. He broke many houses of deceit.
Now, he has come home but he is still in his sadhu's dress. He has shown that when the Lord is in your heart, then whether you live in the house or in the forest, it is just the same. He is now staying in the house with mind detached. His splendour adores the house of mother Tripta.
Now, the son is not a small child. Now, he is the heavenly sun giving heavenly light to the world. But the sentiment of the parents is still the same sentiment. Still, they wish: He should leave this sadhu's dress. Wear the family dress, should keep his wife and children along, look after us, he should not travel anymore.
Guru Nanak understands their wishes, but for him, 'allaying the suffering of the world is the Lord's command'.
Whatever it is, he has come to the house and is staying there. The singing of divine songs goes on here and people from far and near are coming to take his blessings.
Mehta Kalu, one day, forgetting all promises he had made to his wife, that now he will not say anything to the son, lest he goes away, could not refrain, came and sat near him and said: Dear child, you have come of age now. You have roamed in the country and abroad. We have become old, now you do not travel anymore and stay here permanently. You may do anything you like. You see, it is so long that your wife and children are separated from you. Now, you live together. You live as a family man and
control the house. There is plenty to eat and drink. You have only to settle down here. Now, you don't be away from our eyes. Your mother remains sad. Now, you don't give her separation. Whatever days we have to live in this world we should not remain thirsty to see your shining forehead. You do not go away from our eyes. The family is separated. Let them join you and live in comfort.
The saviour listened, smiled and said: O father, what you say is right but it is all Lord's command. He has sent me. I am not a recluse, nor an ascetic, nor a householder, nor a traveler. I am obeying. Whatever the Lord commands, I do, wherever he prompts, I go.
At this time, Mother also came and sat down.
Mehta Kalu: In this world, the prime right is of mother and father. Who is that Lord under whose command you are doing everything after discarding service to us?
Listening to these words, the benevolent Guru's face changed. His eyes spelled a wondrous charm. He looked towards father but then his eyes closed.
Now, on his face, like a lighted lamp, a splendour could be seen. Mother and father were amazed to see that. After a few moments, from the heavenly throat, came a voice:' O great Lord', 'O great Lord'.
For a long time, tranquillity prevailed on everybody's mind, such that Mehta Kalu's wandering mind became tranquil and started saying: 'O great Lord', 'O great Lord'. Some more time passed like this.
Meanwhile, more people arrived. Whoever came, got tranquillity and joined in chorus: O great Lord. O great Lord.
After some time, the eyes, immersed in the love of the Lord, opened, looked towards father and said: I am the Lord's servant. I fell at His feet and my ego ran away. I got immersed in His love and He made me His beloved.
Now, He is my sustainer.
Today, came the first day that Mehta Kalu's heart got a sensation. He looked towards son with a vision, the vision that he did not have before. His head swayed, a sensation went through. Again, he looked towards son, he became semi-conscious. The veil that 'son should earn wealth and serve the parents' broke. In a moment, the sentiment of son vanished and he saw the figure sitting in the courtyard as an image of the Lord. Next moment, he fell asleep and saw years that had passed. He opened his eyes again and looked and thought: Maybe, he is really a godly soul. The whole world is at his feet. He has also not deviated from his preaching and whatever he utters has a pull of love.
These thoughts and the vision were coming to him again and again alternatively.
Then the Guru looked towards him with graciousness. The veil, that doesn't go from the mind without the recitation of Name, slipped aside. Mehta Kalu saw the son as a prophet.
Again, the Guru looked at father with graciousness. The veil of desires broke and his fears and anxieties vanished. The darkness of his mind vanished and his mind became crystal. His mind got an awaken-ness that he had not experienced before.
Now he saw, 'we are not father and son'. I am a seeker of the Lord and in front of me is the saviour who has come from the heavens. The entire seen and unseen world is at his feet. Then in great reverence and love he said:
/ thought you as a son. You are a prophet, a saviour.
You bless me that I get out of the cycle of births and deaths.
You bless me thai I get eternal happiness.
I did not know who I was. I was in fears and anxieties.
My mind was never tranquil even for a moment.
It was in sentiment and selfishness.
He realized the state of his mind and had a longing for eternal happiness.
Then the Guru said: Whatever all you see, there is One Lord pervading everywhere. This is all His creation. He is the life support. Whoever is living in His presence has got real happiness. Like, when you are in front of a fire you are warm. Whoever is at a distance from him, in his forgetfulness, is in suffering. One, who is away from fire, is suffering in cold. Similarly, one who is away from the Lord is in suffering. We have to remember Him all twentyfour hours. When the Lord is everywhere, then what friendship and what enmity? The Lord is present everywhere, then what does the mind fear for?
When He is the sustainer and gives nourishment, then what is the need for a dark desire for money? When He is present in the house and outside, then why is the attachment to the house and what is the fear outside?
Mehta Kalu: But O dear, we cannot see Him.
Guru Nanak: The Lord is everywhere. Like, there is water in the earth but is hidden. Similarly, the Lord is present in everybody but hidden. Like, when you dig a well, then the water is visible. Similarly, a seeker of Lord, with love and remembrance, can visualize Him.
Like, the river water is flowing by itself and is visible without making any effort. Similarly, those who are in love and devotion, whose minds have got awaken-ness, to them, He is visible and felt.
So, the Lord is present here, there, everywhere. He is omnipresent. The difference is in the perception of the mind. The mind is enticed in worldly desires. It has to be awakened.
Mehta Kalu: How does the sleeping mind awaken?
Guru Nanak: One has to recite His name, remember Him sitting, standing, walking, sleeping or while doing chores. One should never forget Him.
This remembrance, this incessant remembrance breaks the veil of desires. This remembrance settles in our mind and removes all distance between our self and the Lord.
On listening to this, Mehta Kalu again looked towards the Guru. At this time, his mind was in devotion and the sentiment of son was not there.
In wondrousness, he saw that even the body cells of Guru Nanak were uttering O great Lord, O great Lord. One could see with eyes and listen with ears. Around Guru Nanak, the sun rays of the great Lord were being showered.
Mehta Kalu got the sensation of the Lord and he started reciting O Lord, O Lord. His mind got an awaken-ness and he recited O Lord, O Lord. Yes, Mehta Kalu is today reciting the Lord's name.
Today, he got awaken-ness of mind from Guru Nanak, from the child Guru Nanak, the Nanak whom he tried to push to worldly desires, the Nanak whom he thought has spoiled his prestige and honour of the family, whom he said, was giving away household articles, whom he thought was non-earning and mad, he has now realized that Nanak is an image of the Lord.
Nanak whom he slapped because he had spent twenty rupees in charity, today he sees him as the master of heavens and all wealth of the world at his feet.
Oh World! It is sad that you never understand people on time. Whose heads you severed in ignorance, for them you made temples later to remember them. Many times you made a mistake and many times you learnt the lessons but you never made use of the lessons learnt.
Always, you gave suffering to great men and till today, you never understood them on time. You have never considered the worth of the worthy on time.
Today, Mehta Kalu who thought that his son had disgraced the honor of the family said: He has come as a prophet in this Unenlightened era (Kalyug). He has to bless the people.
Bhai Gurdas sings the same: To bless the people in this Unenlightened era (Kalyug), Guru Nanak has come.
Let us also sing: To bless the people in this Unenlightened era (Kalyug), Guru Nanak has come.
To bless me, Guru Nanak has come.
To bless the people in this Un enlightened era (Kalyug),
Guru Nanak has come.
Now you see Guru Nanak's honourable nature. The father who always scolded him, who slapped him on his cheeks and made them blue, he comes to meet the same father again and again, respects him, tolerates his scolding and bows to him. When the time come, he thought it an appropriate time, he got a chance to shoot an arrow, then he shoots an arrow of 'Love of the Lord' in the father's heart and pierces the veil of 'ego and desires' and fills his mind with 'Love of the Lord'. He gives him life from lifelessness.
Now the son looked towards his mother. Her eyes were closed and there was lustre on her face. Lord only knows her inner state of mind but the face was tranquil. The Guru now, looked towards her with gracious eyes. She opened her eyes and hurriedly tried to fall at his feet but the Guru caught her half way and said loudly: 'Great Lord', 'Great Lord'. The words went deep into mother's body. Her body cells echoed 'Great Lord', 'Great Lord'.
She could see the Lord everywhere. She got awaken-ness of mind. Her mind, sleeping in sentiments, awakened. The sentimental love was gone. Pure love and devotion took its place and her body cells got a tongue and said:
Thanks O Lord, thanks O Lord.
O Master of the earth and sky. Why did you not give this glimpse on the first day? I remained in sentimental love and you were godly.
O mother, pious mother, O sacred mother. The benevolent Guru did give his glimpse.
He blessed the tutor, Muslim priest, pandit and doctor in your presence.
He gave his glimpse to sister Nanki and king Rai Bular.
But both of you did not understand. You asserted a right This is a grace. Those get who do not assert a right and are humble. Nobody gives to those who assert a right.
Yes, but this is also Guru Nanak's honourable nature, that he blessed his mother and father who always pulled him into sentimental attachments.
This auspicious moment and the auspicious day passed. The Guru is at present still in Talwandi. He is in parents house and in divine ecstasy.
One day, he came from outside and saw cooked dishes and delicacies being made. On one side, the pandit was chanting something and lots of people had gathered outside to have food.
The Guru sat with father and asked: What for, all this today?
Then Mehta Kalu said: Today is the ancestor's day. This is feasting for the benefit of ancestors. On listening to this, the Guru smiled and said: The ancestors have already got salvation. What is the point to think about them?
Mehta Kalu was astonished and he said: You mean, our ancestors have already got salvation. Do you know it for certain?
Guru: Yes, I know it for certain.
Mehta Kalu: Can I see them?
Guru Nanak: Lord willing.
Mehta Kalu: Then show me.
Guru Nanak: Close your eyes and meditate on Name.
Mehta Kalu now closed his eyes and sat in meditation of Name. What he saw was a little darkness and a little restlessness. There was a voice of gloom, Oh ho, Oh ho. Then this darkness went away. There was brightness. It was not a dazzle that would be pinching to the eyes. There was a soft milky shade in it. Then the brightness went on increasing but the power of the eyes to see in that brightness also increased. Finally, a place came where it was very bright and it was wavy like waves in a sea.
Mehta Kalu had never witnessed such brightness even in his dreams. There, he saw his father who was in a wondrous dress. There were no bodies and no clothes but the figures were visible in subtle wondrous and beautiful dresses. The dresses were not like the clothes here but were some heavenly dresses that were signs of respect.
Mehta Kalu saw his father in a beautiful dress, then he saw his grandfather, and then other ancestors.
Mehta Kalu asked: What place is this?
They said: This is a very sacred place of ecstasy.
Mehta Kalu: How have you come here?
They said: Since the time, the prophet of the world came to your house, we have been picked up from wherever we were and brought here and we are living in ecstasy. But it is sad that being attracted to sentiments you did not understand him. Then it is thanks to him that he did not mind whatever you thought of him and he has blessed you with the Lord's name. Don't consider him your son. See him as the image of the Lord.
Mehta Kalu bowed his head and said: It is true. Yes, O ancestors, this place is rapturous. You keep me here. I don't wish to go back.
They said: You have come here by the grace of the Guru. You have still time to live in the seen world. This is a place where it is always brightness. That is a place of darkness. You will come here when the time comes if you love the saviour.
Now, the Guru woke up father. After waking up, Mehta Kalu looked at the son's face with a mind full of love and devotion.
The deep sensation that he got from today's miracle, he had not got that deep on the day, when he was blessed with the Lord's name.
Today, no deficiency was left. Mehta Kalu got fully immersed in the love of the Lord. Yes, Mehta Kalu has got fully immersed in the love of the Lord.
He has perceived Guru Nanak's real form. He has got a sensation of the presence of the omnipresent Lord in his mind, heart and body cells.
He is now in the incessant recitation of O Lord, O Lord and in that remembrance his soul (the spark of life) has merged with the flame (the Lord). His soul that was a spark has the light of the flame now.
He said to his son: That place was full of rapture.
The Guru said: Time has not come yet. You have some more time to live in this world.
Mehta Kalu now understands the will of the Lord. He has complete faith in the Lord and is in incessant recitation of Name and in ecstasy.
The Guru has again planned to travel. Yes, the saviour wants to go. The icy peaks attract the clouds to keep them near. The thunders are in longing to keep the clouds in the sky always. But the clouds have to give coolness and shower everywhere. That is why, they move.
Similarly, the Guru departed. Mehta Kalu and mother Tripta are sad, but they are not crying in separation. Today, their hearts do not sink. Today, they are not angry on destiny, they are not angry with son, they are not angry with the Lord. Today, they are in thanks. In thanks is sadness. In sadness is love. In the Lord's will, they are satisfied and cool.
They have tears in their eyes, but in ecstasy they dry up in the eyes itself.
Today, they see the departure of Guru Nanak as a heavenly grace and mercy. They see the world in suffering, crying, sighing and sobbing and in the heavens, they see the Lord in graciousness and Guru Nanak, under his command, holding a shower of coolness in his hand, like an 'always showering cloud' and travelling to shower coolness.
This is the gain of awakened living to which the world is sleeping. This is the greatness of the awakened living that the world considers an illusion, a superstition, or a doubtful thing. The world laughs at it. The world makes a mockery of it.
In contrast, it considers good and true, the life full of desires, passions, greed, vices, selfishness and anxieties.
This is the difference between the life that the world loves and that Mehta Kalu was living earlier, and the life that Mehta Kalu has got now, of which the
world is ignorant and for this reason, the world is rude and is giving suffering to people who have awakened minds.
Today, the same Mehta Kalu, in his newly acquired awakened living, sees his son, the saviour of the world, Guru Nanak departing. He does wish that he should stay in the family and he should not give separation. He wishes, even more than before, to have his glimpse all the time.
But today, he realized that Guru Nanak is in my heart now, he is not for me alone. He is for everybody. He is in everybody's heart. He may live anywhere but he is present in the hearts of those who love him.
Like, if you put one thousand bowls of water in moonlight, the moon is there in all of them.
So, Mehta Kalu now understands that as my mind has become tranquil, other wandering and suffering minds may also become tranquil. We should sacrifice our sentiment so that the world may benefit.
In this prime sacrifice, father Mehta Kalu and mother Tripta see off their dear, 'more dear than their breath' son today and have become a part of the Lord's love for the world.
This is the gain of the 'awakened life' that Guru Nanak brought and bestowed on the world and then as you mix rennet with milk to prepare yogurt or cheese, he bestowed the same on Guru Angad and Bhai Buddha for further bestowing it to the world.
It is our duty to awaken ourselves in this 'awakened life'.
Great Guru Nanak Dev
Great Guru Nanak Dev
The question of Mehta Kalu and answer by Guru Nanak is repeated once again:
Mehta Kalu: How does the sleeping mind awaken?
Guru Nanak: One has to recite His name, remember Him sitting, standing, walking, sleeping or while doing chores. One should never forget Him.
This remembrance, this incessant remembrance breaks the veil of desires. This remembrance settles in our mind and removes all distance between our self and the Lord.
Let us recite: 'Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru.'
'O Lord, O Lord, O Lord'
Starting with at least five minutes a day.
3 O O O