One side was battles and valour, second side was religious preaching. The foundation of both was laid on character and virtuous conduct. The Guru's ideal men were to imbibe true virtuous conduct and keep away from falsehood, deception, bad company, tyranny or anything that was not virtuous.
Following is a specimen that depicts the true Guru's strictness on character. It was the month of August and at night nice cool breeze blew. Magnificent Guru sat on the roof when he heard some sort of quarrel from the roof of the adjoining house. Here lived one Guru-disciple named Lahora Singh. He used to supervise while the Guru's sons played.
Mala Singh's house was next to his house. Mala Singh was a trader and a financier also. Once when Lahora Singh was in need of money, he borrowed it from Mala Singh. But he did not return the same.
Mala Singh was kind hearted and virtuous. He did not harass Lahora Singh to return the money.
Sometime passed, Mala Singh suffered losses and was short of money. Some more time passed. Mala Singh became too short of money even to buy proper daily food.
Then he asked Lahora Singh to pay back the money that he owed to him. But he put him off with witticism.
Tonight Mala Singh went to his house and demanded the money. But Lahora Singh, in no mood to return ridiculed, "Guru-disciple takes money from Guru-disciple and forgets the worry to return". Again he said: "Eating, drinking and laughing is our job, rest the Guru will look after".
When Mala Singh told him about his urgent necessity, then Lahora Singh said, "It is everyone's destiny, it is for you to bear".
Mala Singh said: Those who tell lies, they have to reply in the Lord's court. When the messengers of hell will beat you then you will repent.
On listening to this Lahora Singh said: "When the Guru is gracious, messengers of death do not ask anything".
The true Guru overheard their conversation. When Lahora Singh quoted the sacred scripture to assert his characterless and sinful behaviour, then the true Guru, the Master of virtuousness recited a line in a loud voice that Lahora Singh could hear, "Right of others is pig to Muslims and cow to Hindus, the Guru will redeem only if the sinful repents, "
The first line that Lahora Singh had said, "Guru-disciple takes money from Guru-disciple and forgets."
To counter this, the true Guru recited another line loudly, "One who himself eats and does not let others eat and deceives is banned from Guru's house. "
Then the second line that he had said, "Eating, drinking, laughing is our job. Rest, the Guru will look after."
To counter this, the true Guru said loudly in an admonishing tone, "The Guru will bless or punish as per the deeds done. "
On listening to the Guru's words Lahora Singh trembled and in humility said to Mala Singh: O Brother! Please excuse me. I shall return the money to you tomorrow. I was just joking with you.
, Next morning, Lahora Singh went to Mala Singh's house and with folded hands, returned the borrowed money. Then he got ready and went to the Guru's hall of audience. He fell at the Guru's feet and prayed: "Without the Guru's support we are in greed, forgive us and give us refuge. Do not be angry on us. We are attached to family and worldly desires. We have not realized the world as perishable."
Then the Guru said, "Stay away from sex, anger, greed and pride. Stay away from deception. Remain in piousness in the community."
Then the Guru looked towards the congregation and gave a short discourse.
Poet Santokh Singh writes as follows:
Guru-disciples should not borrow money. If someone takes, then he should return respectfully. He should not listen to lies nor speak a lie. He should stay away from lies. Keep holy company and earn honestly. Always be truthful. One should be without hypocrisy. In this way he made the disciples determined and asked them to recite the Lord's name incessantly.
When the congregation came to know that Lahora Singh refused to return the money borrowed from Mala Singh and recited a line from the scripture to assert his viciousness and was admonished by the true Guru, then everybody realized the greatness of the Guru and said: Great is the true Guru. How much busy he remains in gigantic tasks. Still even in small personal problems of his disciples, he corrects the wrongs done.
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