It is early morning. It is the same town Pakhoke Randhawa, it is the same street, it is the same late night moon shedding cool moonlight, he is the same ascetic who was earlier without religiousness in him and is now a beloved of the Lord. He is singing with his same throat an enchanting melody and the listeners are listening.
Ajita is awake today. He was awake even before the voice was heard and is immersed in the love of the Lord. He is dyed in the love of the Lord and his inner self is in ecstasy. His inner self was immersed in the love of the Lord, when suddenly he listened to the voice of the holy man. A sweet and loving melody went into his ears. He went into rapture. But today his wife is still asleep. When she heard the voice of the holy man, she woke up. Her lips uttered: O great Guru Nanak, O great Lord. Is it early morning? O Lord, I went on sleeping. O Lord, I was unmindful. O holy man, God bless you. You are distributing your love to others. Your coming to earth is fruitful. This is doing goodness to others. O my dear, are you awake? Ajita: Yes. By the grace of the Lord, I am awake.
Wife: O dear, why does this holy man not sit in meditation at this early morning time? No doubt it is doing goodness to others but himself he loses his time of meditation.
Ajita: I asked him one day. He said: 'I have eaten the salt and food of this town, so I want to do goodness here. The best goodness is that people should not lose this early morning time in sleep. If a gurdwara is constructed and divine songs are sung early in the morning and the time is announced by the beat of drum and the people who wish to become pious may assemble there to listen to the divine songs, then I need not roam the streets to wake up
people. For the present, I have to awaken the people and prompt them to recite the Lord's Name and then myself sit in meditation. I have to recite the Lord's Name myself and make others recite the Name.
Wife: He is so pious now. Previously, as an ascetic, he had no love, kindness or goodness in him. He was proud with ego and his forehead had frowns of anger in him. O great Guru Nanak, how much love he imbibes in people that their minds get rid of ego and anger and become full of love.
Saying this, Ajita's wife got up had her bath and sat in meditation of the Lord's name. The early morning time passed, it became daytime. Ajita went to his fields. The holy man was already sitting there. They started talking about spirituality. In this talk he came to know that the Guru has come back from his travels and is presently staying at Kartarpur. On learning this he felt a longing. He came home discussed with his wife and reached Kartarpur. On having a glimpse of the Guru, he felt ecstasy. Then in the service of the Guru his mind blossomed and became exuberant Ajita was well known as a pious and devoted disciple of the Guru and everybody respected him but Ajita had love for the holy congregation and felt happy to do service to them.
The garden of holy congregation is blossoming at Kartarpur. When the Guru came back to Kartarpur after his fourth travel, there was immense rejoicing. People thronged to meet him. People from far-off places came to get his blessings. The true Guru took off the Sadhu's dress that he wore when he went westward. He used to put on different types of dresses quite often to show to the Hindu and Muslim priests that it does not matter what dress one wears. What really matters is to imbibe love of the Lord in one's mind and heart Now, he had put on an ordinary dress that everybody wears. This, he did to show that if once one starts wearing a sadhu's dress, one should not be in a mistaken belief that this should ever remain as a ritual. A saint is not bound in rituals. It is not that once he has adopted a ritual he must remain bound to that. Early morning divine songs were sung. Then he gave a discourse preaching the people that the true path is 'recitation of the Lord's Name with love'. He prompted the people to tread on this true path.
Now, he started farming at Kartarpur. The disciples who came did the cultivation. The sacred kitchen was run with the honest earning from land farming and grain produced by hard labour. In this way, it became 'hands to work' and 'mind to Lord'. He asked people to remain in the family like a lotus in water. He asked people to remain in the world but away from passions and vices with mind and heart in love of the Lord. Now, the rime for a fair on the eve of Shivrati at Achal Watala was near. At the fair, all the sidhas used to
assemble, people worshipped and gave lot of money to them. But the people who came on pilgrimage to worship did not get any proper spiritual guidance. The fair had become a mere sport and merriment The Guru had adopted a distinctive way to put the preachers of religion and those saints who had a lot of following on the correct path, so that, through them their followers would automatically benefit But if they did not listen, then at least the people would listen and many would be benefited. For this reason or for some other reason he decided to attend the fair at Achal and bless the Lord's Name to the people. He departed from Kartarpur. Ajita also accompanied him.
Ill
When they reached Achal it was evening. A strong thunderstorm came and then a hailstorm and many birds died. The Guru stayed at a place on the east side that was a bit raised ground. The next day the fair was over-crowded. Too many people had come after knowing that the sidhas are at the fair. The prominence of Guru Nanak had spread far and wide. When people came to know that the Guru has put his sacred feet at the fair, then everybody thronged to have his glimpse. Then they would sit and listen to the divine songs. The Guru's glimpse filled them with ecstasy. The Guru blessed the people with the Lord's Name. People were told to stay in the family and tread on the true path of 'recitation of the Lord's name with love'. He had shown the way of living in the family and the world with mind towards the Lord. It was a new way of relaxed yoga. Everybody sought his blessings. People were not satiated with one glimpse of the Guru. They had a longing that they should keep on having his glimpse for a longer time. Like a partridge wished to go on seeing the moon for as long as possible. In this way, the entire congregation assembled where the Guru was sitting and it was silence where the sidhas were sitting.
The sidhas had created an impression on the people that they possessed supernatural powers as also they had created a fear on the minds of the people that if the sidhas become angry and curse, then the families and houses will be ruined. This was their way for collecting charity money from the people. It was this fear that brought people to the sidhas. No one had any love or respect for the sidhas. Everybody bowed to them out of fear.
Guru Nanak was giving a message of love. He preached that the Lord is all love and He loves everybody. He met the people with warmth, love and delight. He was taking out the people from the mistaken belief of empty rituals and fear of curses and supernatural powers.
He said: Recite the Lord's Name with love. Remember the Lord. Do your worldly chores while in remembrance of the Lord all twenty-four hours. Do not be afraid of anyone nor frighten anyone. Yes, be afraid of the Lord. This
fear of the Lord is a pure fear. This pure fear of the Lord is not something that would create awe in the mind. This fear keeps you away from vices. This fear is love-immersed and deviates your mind towards the Lord. Remembrance attracts you towards the Lord and the pure fear keeps you away from vices and pushes you towards the Lord.
In this way in love and fear you meet the Lord.
The fear of the sidhas was something that created awe in the minds of the people and their belief that the sidhas possessed supernatural powers made the people double-minded. Besides that the people were over-awed. They were also fed up with the sidhas.
Similar was the attitude of the Muslim priests.
But those who came to the Guru were preached to rise above the worldly desires. The Guru told the people to tread on the true path of recitation of the Lord's name with love. From recitation by the tongue and remembrance in the mind and heart up to meeting of body soul with the Supreme soul, was the right path. He told the people to love the fearless Lord and recitation of His name with love was the endeavor. With recitation the mind concentrates. With recitation the mind becomes strong. He also told the people to control the five senses of the body and keep away from vices. Use your strength of mind and body to do goodness to people. For doing goodness to people and to keep away from vices, one has to rein the five senses of the body. One should use the strength of the mind to control the five senses. This reining of mind can be done when one has fear of the Lord and love of the Lord. With this reining of the mind one should have forgiveness for the world. Everybody is in despair. Every home has some sort of suffering. One should be kind to the people and not be angry. Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody needs help. An ideal man must never curse anyone. He should always forgive. He should always be in the recitation of Name. He should himself recite and make others recite the Name.
People were much impressed by this true path preached by the Guru. The message that the Guru gave to the people was that the enfeebled mind has to get rid of slavery and the self has to rise in elevation and by recitation of Name get immersed in the love of the Lord. So, people thronged to become disciples of the Guru.
Now, the sidhas decided to be vindictive to the Guru. The sidhas had learnt concentration of mind that gives some supernatural powers but they had not reined the mind to keep it away from anger and other fires of the body. But even in sidhas, there were few like Mangal Nath who understood the greatness
of the Guru. He tried to make the sidhas understand that the Guru is a prophet and they should not be jealous. He is not a family man city dweller who would bow to you in fear. But no one paid any attention to what he said. They had become used to show their supernatural powers that they had acquired by concentration of mind for their selfish gains, although the purpose of concentration of mind is to rid the desires, rid the vices, become crystal and strong and this strong and crystal mind should rise in elevation and meet the omnipresent Lord.
So, the first thing they thought of was to engage the Guru in some laughing stock so that his esteem in the minds of people goes down.
At one place some performers were acting in a drama of Shri Krishna and many people were watching the same. In the centre of that was kept a tray where everybody offered money. The sidhas by some supernatural power hid the money tray. The attention of the performers got diverted towards the loss of their money tray and they stopped the drama. Then the sidhas came forward and said that if Guru Nanak has some supernatural powers, then why don't you ask him to find the money tray?
Bhai Gurdas writes: The intuitive Guru took out the money tray from where the sidhas had hidden it Seeing, the miraculous-ness of the Guru, in taking out the money tray from where the sidhas had hidden, the sidhas became more vindictive. Then the Sidhas came in a group and sat down on the opposite side where the Guru was sitting and started questioning the Guru. They thought they would ridicule the Guru by taunts and gibes and put the Guru to disgrace in the minds of the people.
So, they put the question: When you yourself have renounced the family and house, then why do you preach others to live in the family?
The Guru replied: You are born and brought up in the family. Then you renounce the family. But again, why do you go to the families asking for bread? Then you ask them for charity by frightening them with curses. What he meant was that they have renounced the family but it is no renouncement in the real sense.
If the family man does not plough the field and cultivate the land and the grinder does not grind the wheat, then from where will the recluse get the flour? The recluses are dependent on the system of the family men. Then to hate the family man, think them as low or try to describe them low, then fleece them for money by threatening them with curses. Is it becoming of a recluse?
The Guru had never adopted a permanent dress code for himself as ascetics did. Sometimes he wore some dress and sometimes another. Sometimes
he dressed like a Hindu priest, sometimes like a Muslim priest and some times he wore a mixed dress that meant that he does not belong to any particular religion or sect. He was immersed in the love of the Lord and was carefree in the choice of dresses. He wore all types of dresses. That meant that he was not bound to any particular dress. He wore whatever he wished to wear.
When the sidhas were defeated in arguments, then they thought of frightening the Guru and the people by using their supernatural powers. They disguised themselves as tigers, snakes and fireballs. When they adopted this method of terrifying, then of course the Guru was not the least afraid but the people trembled with fear. Then, the fearless Guru said in a loud voice: O children of the Lord, don't be afraid. Have patience. This is all an illusion and a trap.
Then again the Guru said: O Ajita, draw a line around the people who are sitting here with us. No tiger or snake or fireball would enter within this circle. O child, get up, keep uttering O Lord, O Lord and draw the line around all the people.
The Guru had already blessed supernatural powers to Ajita. Now, again he blessed him more strength. Ajita got up, uttered O Lord, O Lord and drew a line around all the people. All the people inside the line became fearless.
But the strength that the Guru blessed Ajita was unbearable and he was over-exuberant In pride he thought that if he shows some supernatural power, then the people's faith in the Guru will remain steadfast and the sidhas will get a beating. So, he went into the lake. He spread a sheet on the water and sat on it as one sits on a plank. He picked up some birds that had fallen dead on the previous day and made them fly. People were amazed to see that even the disciples of the Guru have supernatural powers. The Guru has supernatural powers.
The Guru was sitting immersed in the love of the Lord. The sidhas tried their best but neither the Guru got frightened nor the people felt any fear. The sidhas used all their strength. Now in despair, they felt ashamed. They realized that all their desperate efforts became useless.
See, first they hid the money tray of the performers and blamed the Guru for the same. They lost in that endeavour. Then they tried to ridicule the Guru with taunts and gibes but again they were themselves ridiculed. Third they tried to frighten the Guru and the people by disguising themselves as jungle animals. They could not succeed in that. Now they came and sat down with two things in mind, one that they will ask the Guru to bless them with supernatural powers and second they will have a debate on the interpretation of scriptures.
So, the sidhas said: You have shown your supernatural powers to the world. You also show us some supernatural powers.
Guru: O sidhas, I do not possess any supernatural powers. I have the Lord's Name and love of the Lord. The Lord is the creator of the universe and the sustainer also.
Saying this he looked towards the sidhas. The sidhas lost all their concentration of mind. They asked for supernatural powers. They lost whatever supernatural powers they had. But they did not realize that it is the Guru's miraculous-ness that they have lost their concentration of mind. At this time, the Guru by chance looked towards the lake and saw the dead birds flying. Then he asked, who is it who is making the dead birds alive and sitting on water as if in a boat. Who is that who is showing off his supernatural power and trying to become famous?
The sidhas said: O Guru, this is your disciple and the supernatural power is with you and your disciples only.
On listening to this the Guru had a frown on his forehead and he sent somebody to call back Ajita, He looked towards Ajita with merciful eyes. Ajita lost all strength of the mind and felt enfeebled.
In the book, Guru Nanak Prakash, is another story that throws light on principles.
It is that one 'father and mother' brought their child of twelve years age to the Guru and said: O beloved Guru, whenever we had a child that child died. We got blessings from many saints but it did not help. Then we worshipped your name and this child has lived. According to our resolve this child is yours. You keep him in your service.
The miraculous Guru wanted to make sure whether the parents are really serious in their offer or they have just said it for the sake of formality. Also whether the child likes that. He knew that the child is a saint and was born and has lived by his blessings but he wanted to reform the world so that people see the test that the parents are put to and the sidhas see their hollowness that the supernatural powers have no place in the path to salvation. He asked one disciple to light a fire and asked the child to step in it. Neither the child hesitated to enter the burning fire nor the parents frowned at what the Guru was doing! The child thought that whatever the Guru does is his wish. The parents thought that it is the Guru who gives life and takes. He is unerring. Whatever he does has a meaning that we do not understand.
The sidhas were perplexed that if somebody offers a disciple like that we would bless him immensely but the Guru is going to burn him.
Ajita also realized that the Guru had asked him to draw a line and he got concentration of mind and strength. That was so easy but even then he could not bear the strength of the mind. But this boy has so much strength of mind that he is ready to burn himself on the Guru's asking.
People were watching that the Guru has won over sentimental love and desires but it was a serious happening and everybody felt afraid.
People were confident that the Guru is an ocean of mercy, god of love and some miracle will happen. But still many people became diffident that the Guru is ready to burn his disciples. It might be better to become followers of sidhas.
When everybody saw the child entering the fire on the Guru's asking, then everyone looked with eyes and mouth open and with hands on the heart but nothing happened to the child. Neither the child shuddered with fear nor he got burnt. Everybody was dazed to see the child unmoved. Then the Guru asked the child to come out of the fire and said: You are blessed. You are out of the cycle of births and deaths. On listening to the Guru's words the child came out of the fire. He felt elevation of mind and a sensation of the presence of the Lord in his mind, heart and body. He got intuitiveness.
Then the Guru said: You ask for anything.
The child said: For me there is nothing better than what you have given me already but uncle Ajita and the sidhas are feeling despair in losing their supernatural power. You bless them that they regain their powers.
In this way, the Guru showed to the people that to accept the Lord's will is the prime thing. One who accepts the Lord's will is the real disciple of the Lord. He has met the Lord. In accepting the Lord's will many a times sufferings come. They should be considered as the Lord's will and be accepted. Those who tread on the true path towards the Lord do not wish to acquire supernatural powers. They are dyed in the love of the Lord and they wish goodness for others. The child did that.
Then he exemplified that to use supernatural powers for fame and money is hypocrisy and what he did not like in sidhas he did not like even in his own disciple, Ajita. He treated both of them in the same way.
A question now arises that when the Guru asked Ajita to draw a line around the pilgrims and said that no fear will come to those sitting inside this line, that also was a supernatural power and the Guru had himself asked Ajita to perform. Now, we must understand that this was neither for fame nor hypocrisy. Nor it was for any selfish gain. This was meant to save the people from the unwarranted harassment from the sidhas and Ajita was asked to do that much only. He felt that Ajita's walking on water and making the dead
birds alive was a desire for fame. That is why he reprimanded Ajita for his fault. The Guru at most times did not like to use supernatural powers. Not that the supernatural powers were not there. The powers were in abundance and being a prophet the powers were inherent in him but he never used those for show off or fame or material gains. They were used for goodness to others or to exemplify that supernatural powers have no value as compared to love of the Lord.
When the sidhas realized that by the Guru's word they have got their supernatural powers back and he has exemplified that the supernatural powers have no value as compared to love of the Lord and one should accept the Lord's will. Then they realized that the Guru is not an ordinary saint who has attained supernatural powers by concentration of mind. He has come from the Lord and is immersed in the love of the Lord and has strength of the Lord in him. We should now leave aside the supernatural powers and get some higher spiritual knowledge from him that will be for our benefit. But the habits do not die soon. Their mind was engrossed in supernatural powers. So, they started discussing in respect of supernatural powers. They thought that would also give us an assessment of his spiritual strength.
So, they asked: O Guru, please tell us how much supernatural power do you possess? We haven't met anyone who has so much power as you have.
Then, the Guru said: Even if one has supernatural power to move the entire universe, it is futile without the Lord's Name. They keep you trapped in worldly desires.
The real supernatural power or miracle is that the Lord should be gracious and bless us His Name. Such a fortunate person, I consider him miraculous.
The Guru said that the people are suffering because they are not being guided truly by the preachers of religion.
Now, when they lost in every way they started a debate. Then the sidhas realized their mistaken beliefs and were impressed by the greatness of the Guru. They admitted that 'recitation of the Lord's Name with love' was the real true path. The fair was over, the Guru sent the child back with the parents saying that he will live with you. He will himself recite the Lord's Name and make others recite the Lord's Name. The child's name is mentioned as Sangtia.
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