Grand-pa: O Child! Your steps are so slow. Even my feet stumble, my
breath has become heavy. Is it a mountainous climb? Girl: O Grand-pa! It is not a mountainous climb but otherwise there is a slight ascent. It is late evening. When I could see properly, then I evaded the stones and mounds. Now it has become dark and the feet stumble sometimes. Grand-pa: Has the moon not come up? Girl: No! Grandpa! No stars even. It seems a bit cloudy. Grand-pa: O child! See and gaze. Maybe some light is visible. Maybe some hut or well is near.
Girl: Here is a narrow stream. It seems water is flowing through stones. Across that some light is visible. That might be a candle or fire burning. There is no light anywhere this nearer side.
Grand-pa (felt a puff of wintry wind): From where has this cold wind come? I am already dead tired and exhausted and on the top of it this stream is making me afraid. Me! Blind and you are a child. These hilly streams make the feet of lions slip. Who knows both of us might get carried away by the stream and our hopes and desires that axe only a couple of days away might get postponed to another lifetime?
Girl: O Grand-pa! Even hunger is biting and killing. There is no fried flour in the knap sack. May be some bread is left but that also dried.
Grand-pa: It is really unfortunate that an innocent girl that you are is put to distress on account of my sins. If I had perceived the right when my eyesight was intact, then I would not have run after inner eyes today. But O destiny! I did not perceive the right when my eye-sight was intact. I did not realize properly even after seeing and finding. I did not pay heed to good
advice. Those who became devotees, they got salvation. They have crossed the worldly ocean of fire and I am scared even to cross a stream today. Eyes are a boon but if they see properly. They are a boon if the eyes also perceive the right. Those who have eyes are running like blind persons and those who are blind are searching for eyes. Eyes without a proper perception are equivalent to blindness.
Girl: O grand pa! Don't talk like that. Let us move on straight.
Grandpa: O Child! If a voice goes into my ears saying, "Forgiven", then I shall forget all my distress. I have put "an innocent girl" in distress. The sins I did but I have put their weight on your head.
Girl: Grandpa! Don't talk like that. I feel bad. You are my only support and then you talk sadly. Please do not remember and remind me any distress.
Grand-pa: O Child! How far is the stream?
Girl: Grand-pa! Now it is just near.
Grandpa: Is the water running fast? Is it possible to measure the depth? Does it appear to be too deep?
Girl: At the moment. I cannot say anything.
Grandpa: O Child! See! My walking stick has fallen. Wait! Pick it up and give me.
Girl (Found the stick and while giving): O grand-pa! Take this. Oh! My God!
Grand-pa: O Child! What happened?
Girl: O grand-pa! When I bent down to pick the stick, then I got pain in my back. The back has stiffened by walking so much.
Grand-pa: Yes! It is so long since we started and then it is so cold. The body had to stiffen. What shall we do?
Girl: The narrow path has taken a curve. One can hear the rustling of water. The path goes towards the stream. It is quite dark.
Grand-pa: O Child! Let's go on walking. We should not lose heart. Let the fate decide if we have to lose. Remain in the look out if any hut of some saint is visible where we can stay for the night otherwise let us keep on moving.
Girl: Alright Grand-pa.
Grandpa: Yes! Where we are going to beg forgiveness, to rid our darkness of the mind by his gracious light, we may pray to him. We may beseech his blessings. But O Child! I did not learn to pray. I remained entangled in worldly desires. When the worldly gains were so much, then who would pray?
Girl: Respected Uncle used to say: Let the dead past bury its dead. Save the present time .
Grand-pa: That is true. O Child! You only can save the present. I can only put my hand on your shoulder and follow you.
Girl: O Grandpa! We are moving but our mind is wandering. As uncle said: If we turn the mind towards the true Guru Ji and recite "O Lord, O Lord" "Waheguru, Waheguru, " then the true Guru Ji will surely come to our rescue.
Grand-pa: O Yes, child just wait.
Girl: O Grand-pa! Why?
Grand-pa: O Child! I stepped into low ground. I have sprained my ankle.
Girl: Yes! Rest for a while. I will press your legs. O Guru Ji! Please help (Presses the leg).
Grand-pa: That is sufficient. O darling Child! Let us move.
Girl: We have reached the stream. I wonder what would be the depth of the water in the stream.
Grand-pa: O Child! Look this side, that side. See, if there is a bridge?
Girl: O Grandpa! I cannot see in this darkness. Water is visible but there is no bridge on this narrow path.
Grand-pa: The sound of water is imperceptible. That means water is deep and flowing fast.
Girl: The Lord knows.
Grand-pa: O Child! What shall we do now?
Girl: Guru Ji shall come to our rescue. Guru Ji shall show us the way. O true Guru Ji! Make us cross this stream. O true Guru Ji! Come and help us out. Saying this, the girl got engrossed in deep prayer.
Girl (opened her eyes): O Grand-pa! The heaven has thrown light. There is a flash of lightning. See! There is something like a bridge on the stream. O grand-pa! Come! Let us see.
Grand-pa: Let us go.
Girl (having reached): O grandpa! Here tire water is less. One big tree seems to have fallen. It is like a bridge on the stream. We can cross the stream walking on it.
Grand-pa: Is there any visibility?
Girl: Yes! This flash of lightning is helpful but really speaking it is a difficult task. Come! Maybe Guru Ji has made a bridge for us. Guru Ji will also help us in crossing over. Oh Lord! O Grand-pa! Here! Here! This is the stub. Put your foot on it.
Grand-pa: O Child! This is very difficult.
Girl: "Difficult or easy", leave it to Guru Ji. He will accomplish. Support yourself with your hand on my shoulder and move.
Grand pa: O beloved Guru Ji, please help us. You gave salvation to -Ajamal. Help us also.
Girl: Yes! like this, walk step by step slowly.
Grand-pa: O Guru Ji! Please make us cross this bridge.
Girl: O Grand-pa! Wait, I am gone! Sit down. Oh! This flash of lightning, I feel dizzy. My eyes cannot bear the dazzle. In dizziness I was about to fall.
Grand-pa: O Child! Better sit down. To walk in standing posture is more risky. While sitting hold the tree with your hand and move slowly like a duck. I will follow you like that.
Girl (sat down and walked): Yes! This way is better. We shall be able to
Grand-pa: O Guru Ji! Please give us your support. . Girl (on reaching the end): Thanks O Lord! We have crossed the stream.
Having crossed the stream the girl saw some fire burning at a place. They went there straight. A fire was burning. On the further side a few Pathans were sitting and eating something. Both of them sat near the fire to warm up.
One Pathan (came near): "Who are you"? Old man!
Old man (with little fear in mind): We are strangers and very tired. Can we warm up a little? We are poor.
Pathan (stared at the girl but in a soft voice) said: Yes, Old man! You may warm up. You are a sadhu. Have something to eat.
Old man: We have got food to eat.
Pathan: Alright. Have food.
Then he went away.
Old man: God bless you!
They felt relieved and relaxed after warming up. They took out fried bread that was cooked in the morning, warmed it and ate. Then they lay down near the fire. Extremely tired that they were, they immediately dozed off and slept.
Next morning when they turned over the sun had already risen. Hurriedly hey got up, picked up their knapsack and started walking.
Pathan (in a threatening tone): Old man, beware! Do not move. Old man: Gentleman! Why?
Pathan: Listen with ears open. You are under my captivity. Do not move one step further.
Old man: Gentleman! What harm have we done to you?
Pathan: Shut up.
(To peasant who had just come with his ox to plough the land) O Peasant! Take this old man as a gift. He will be a caretaker for you. If you have thirty rupees, then you take this girl also.
Peasant: Have you bought these slaves? Talk softly. The kingdom of Guru Ji is nearby. If somebody listens that slaves are being sold, they will punish you.
Pathan: Who can punish?
Saying this he started off downwards. He had hardly gone a little distance when he met a Rajput strolling accompanied by his soldiers.
Pathan: O Captain! Will you buy a slave girl? Just for forty rupees? Captain: Wait I will ask my Chieftain. Pathan: Tell me quickly.
Captain (came back after asking): How much have you paid for her? Pathan: I have paid twenty. I want profit of twenty. Captain: Here is forty rupees.
The Captain paid the money and took the girl to his Chieftain. Chieftain: Yes! She is healthy looking.
Captain: Yes Master! She will be a good slave for your newly married wife.
Ill
Next morning when the peasant came early in the morning at the well and found the old man crying, then he asked: O Old man! Why are you wailing? If it is written in your fate to become a slave, then one cannot help. Your tears have not stopped since twenty-four hours.
Old man: I am crying for the child who has been made a slave forcibly. If she had died in front of my eyes, then the suffering would not have been so much. Now pain is killing like the rankling of a broken thorn in a wound.
Peasant: Old man! How did you get into captivity?
Old man: I and my grand-daughter were going to Anandpur to have a glimpse of Guru Ji. On seeing a fire lit, we came here to warm up. In the morning when we started they held us in captivity.
Peasant (listening to the name Anandpur, he felt awe): That means, you have been trapped inadvertently. (After a thought) Are you a Guru-disciple?
Old man: I am father of a Guru-devotee and I was going to get blessings from Guru Ji. (Heaving a sigh) O Guru Ji with the plume! If you are a true Guru Ji, then you save the daughter of your beloved disciple Ram Singh with honour and give her refugee at your feet. I do not mind dying or suffering
but for the child, I pray to you to save her. O saviour of Hindu religion! O true Guru Ji! There is no one except you who can save the sufferers. O beloved Guru Ji! Please help! You are the pillar of support. Again he cried with loud wails.
Peasant: Old man! Do you belong to a rich family?
Old man: I am a merchant fromjalandhar. I was a millionaire. My family members died in a calamity. I had five sons, young and stout like lions. The youngest Ram Singh became a Guru-disciple. When the sons died, then my relatives in connivance with Municipal Officers grabbed my land and property. In wailing, I lost my eyesight. Then my mind said: Let me go to Ram Singh's Guru Ji. He will give peace of mind. So I started accompanied by my only grand-daughter, this girl. Destiny was against me. I travelled with my granddaughter and lost her. I became a slave. (Looking towards the sky) O Guru Ji at Anandpur! Have mercy on the sufferers.
Peasant: Old man! Do not curse me. I am a family man with children. From my side, you are free. You may go to Anandpur. I am telling truly. You may go now or you may go tomorrow. I have no grudge.
The peasant was afraid of Guru-devotees. Saying this he went away to meet his son who was coming from a distance. Soon he was out of sight.
The old man said loudly: God bless you! God bless you!
But how could he go without someone to guide?
After a few moments, to the utter amazement of the old man his granddaughter arrived and embraced him. O grand-pa! O Grand-pa! I have come.
Grand-pa (in thankfulness, in happiness, in amazement and hugging her): O daughter! O daughter! Thanks to the Lord! I hope nobody is watching. How have you managed to come?
Girl: I slipped out stealthily and came running. Do not worry. Nobody is watching. It is somewhat dark.
Grand-pa: If the peasant is not there and nobody is watching, then let us start walking lest somebody comes. Both of them walked and talked.
Grand-pa: O Child! Lion child! Guru-disciple child! Great is Guru Ji! Omnipresent Guru Ji! He has heard my wailing. He has made the separated together. Great is Guru Ji!
Girl: Father said that Guru Ji always helps in times of distress.
Grand-pa: O Child! How you got emancipation? Was somebody merciful to you like the peasant was merciful?
Girl: No! Grand-pa! The Pathan sold me to a Rajput for forty rupees. He was a rich man newly married. He made me maid for his wife. I was ordered to massage the bride. I massaged but my wailing did not stop. She became angry and asked me to get out. It was midnight. I came down the stairs into the verandah. The guard was fast asleep. The door of the verandah was locked from inside. I noticed a gap on the top of the door. I climbed the door and slipped out. Then slowly I rested my feet on a projection and jumped down. Then I hid myself behind the side-wall for a few moments and finally ran to this place.
She embraced Grand-pa again: O Grand-pa!
Now they are walking but they missed the path. The sun rose. They reached the place where the Pathans were standing. They stared at both of them. The girl was stunned like a goat seeing a lion. The; had not even talked that two horse-riders reached fast on their horses. They were from the group who had bought the girl as a slave and came searching for her. Oh! Now the child girl and the feeble old man who is blind and poor are trapped in a double net.
Dust rose from a distance. Everybody had hardly looked that side that a sound was heard 'Thuk'. What did they see? An arrow has struck the stump of a tree lying at a distance. Now the sound of tapping of heels of horses became audible. They were still dazed that another arrow came and struck the Pathan's horse that was tied to a tree and made a noise 'Thuk'. They just looked up when a challenging voice said: Beware! And soon the Pathans were surrounded by about twenty or twenty five Guru-soldiers. Collectively they said: "Lord is the Saviour".
Girl: He has come! O Grand-pa! He has come! (Clapping her handsSee! Grand-pa! Beloved Guru Ji has come!
The sudden arrival of the sun of hope in this extreme despair and terrifying situation had a magical effect on the old man's mind. He went into trance. He forgot all his distress. In his inner mind the influence of his blindness was erased. Some feeling surged to have a glimpse of the beloved Guru Ji. He opened his eyes. His eyesight was fully restored. The eyes that had gone blind by excessive wailing filled with love-tears in emotion and thanks.
In full sunlight his eyes opened and they had a real glimpse of the beloved Guru Ji for whom his thirsty mind and thirsty soul was craving.
He got a glimpse of the 'Guru Ji with the plume5, the liberator of captives. He got a real glimpse of the 'Guru Ji with the plur *e' that liberated him from the clutches of messengers of death.
Old man and grand daughter both were saved and they also got immense blessings of the 'Guru Ji with the plume1.
0 Magnificent Great Guru Gobind Singh Ji! 0 Magnificent Great Guru Gobind Singh Ji!
o o o o