I lis inclination was towards forming an army. His arrows always shot the target. Besides arrow-shooting he practiced gun shooting. Kis gunshots hit the target marvellously.
His devotee's love for him was such that they did ^hatever pleased him. The Chief of Kabul sent one Canopy worth two millions to the King at Delhi. I
But the devotees at Delhi wished that for our King who is the true King of the Sphere of soul we should get a still better extremely beautiful Canopy.
The devotees at Afghanistan got a still better Catiopy worth about two and a half to three millions. The Canopy was all em broidered with golden threads and embedded with diamonds and gems.
Duni Chand, a wealthy merchant of Kabul spent about two millions. But other devotees also donated money and decorations. Bhai Dyal Das, the Cash Collector supervised the making of this Canopy. When he Canopy was spread and side walls fixed, it was so prominent that the congregation could not bear the sheen.
In the history of Sikhs, the year is mentioned as 1736 (Indian Calendar) when the Canopy was fixed at Anandpur.
These are a few and rare specimens that have remeiined in memory in the sands of time. How the disciples loved the Guru, how they were immersed in the Lord's love and how 'Ideal Men', men of valour and freedom were coming up even in the rule of the tyrant king Aurangzeb.
O O O O I
Page 73 of 558 |
ffinag Rattan Ran
ne young king, early in the morning, was combing and dressing his hair, when suddenly his eyes noticed something in the comer of his forehead. He saw there was a mark near the hair. It seemed there were some letters but it was not clear what it was. It was not identifiable.
The young king thought that it might be the scar of an injury in childhood or maybe some pimple has left a scar. But it didn't appear to be a scar. It seemed something else. In this thinking his curiosity increased and the desire to find out the reality also increased. It occurred to his mind that whether it is the scar of an injury or the scar left by a pimple, mom would definitely know what it is and how it happened.
On the thought of this, he finished tying his turban and went to his mom. His mom was sitting with folded hands and eyes closed in meditation.
The young king waited for some time. When she opened her eyes, he bowed down.
His mom embraced him, kissed his forehead and touched his head lovingly. The young king then took off the turban from his head and asked: Mom! What is this mark on my forehead?
Mom looked at the mark. Her eyes closed. She had tears in her eyes.
Seeing this, the young king felt a little un-easiness in his mind.
He thought: I may not have made my mom sad.
Hastily he said: Have I done some disrespect that you have tears in your eyes?
Mom opened her eyes. Tears were still there, looked towards her son and with her hand made a gesture of 'No'. She wanted to talk but she was so much overwhelmed that she could not speak.
Now her darling son again said: Mom! If you dcjm't want to tell, then I won't ask. But you feel relaxed.
Mom remained quiet for some time. Then she spoke and said: My darling son! This mark is not an injury or a pimple. This is the story of your birth. Yours and mine happiness is hidden in it.
Listening to this, the young king became very eabjer to know about the secret behind this mark,
Hastily he said: Mom! Then you must tell me the secret.
Mom replied: Darling son! Before you know this secret it is essential that
3less you and you will You are young. Your
you have clove and devotion' for the Lord. Lord will have devotion. But you also have to prepare yourself.
inclinations are towards merriment. You have sat on the throne at a very young age. I hope you have no outwardly desires in your mind at the moment. This secret requires respect. If your dad had been alive today, he himself would have told you and this utmost sacred and difficult task would not have been upon me to do. But everything happens as the Lord wishes.
Young king: Mom! Have I ever done anything that might make you sad? You are my loving mom. You are my darling mom. Don't be afraid. I will do whatever dad wished. I will do whatever will make you delighted.
Mom: Darling son! Then listen: You have come iiji our family in our old age sent by the Lord. A long time has passed when Akbar sent Raja Man Singh to invade Assam and occupy the state. But he did not succeed. Later, Aurangzeb sent Mir Jumla to invade Assam but he did not succeed either. Aurangzeb then sent Raja Ram Singh Rajput with lot of troops to invade Assam. '
Now my darling son, you be full of respect and listen to the other side.
Evil and barbarism has increased so much on earth. The Lord almighty sent a prophet from the heavens to save people from this evil and to make people love the Lord. His name was Guru Nanak Dev.
Saying this she was full of emotion and tears fell bowed down in the remembrance and respect for Guru Nanak Dev. young king also was in deep respect.
Mom: Guru Nanak was bom in Punjab where the Mohammedans were very cruel to the Hindus. Guru Nanak traveled far and ^Adde and made people remember the Lord.
Young King: Mom! Where is he now?
Mom: Well! After doing the heavenly work, he left for the heavens but in his place he appointed Guru Angad Dev. Guru Angad Dev was just like Guru
rom her eyes and she The
Nanak. He gave life to lifelessly living people and when he left for the heavens, he appointed Guru Amar Das in his place. Similarly, there were eight incarnations like that. After that Guru Tegh Bahadur became the ninth guru. He was the Lord's image. We had heard a lot about the goodness and graciousness of the eight Gurus but lucky are these eyes that had a glimpse of the ninth Guru.
Young King (in eagerness): When Mom, when, when?
Mom: It was when you had not come into this world.
Young King: Mom! Did you go to meet him?
Mom: The Guru himself came to Assam to bless people. Even, Guru Nanak had come to Assam and traveled there in the state. There is a temple in Dhubri in remembrance of his visit. As Guru Nanak came to this earth to bless people, similarly, Guru Tegh Bahadur came to bless us.
Young King: Did you have a glance of him yourself, Mom?
Mom: Yes, with these eyes, as I am seeing you now. Darling! Now you remember the first thing we were talking about. When Raja Ram Singh Rajput came with his troops to invade Assam, then Guru Tegh Bahadur intervened and got a compromise made between Raja Ram Singh Rajput and the ruler of Assam. Thus the invasion and the consequent blood bath were averted.
Young King: Where was the Guru staying? Was he staying in our state?
Mom: The Guru was staying in Dhaka. From Dhaka he went to Mathurapur and then to Gangamati on the banks of river Brahmaputra. But for getting the compromise, he crossed the river and got the compromise made between Raja Ram Singh Rajput and the ruler of Assam. At Dhubri, he got a platform constructed at the place where Guru Nanak had put his sacred feet and deputed his disciples to spread Guru Nanak's message. After this, he came back this side of the river and started spreading the Lord's Name and blessings to the people. We were Guru's disciples since the time of Guru Nanak but quite much we had forgotten. When Guru Nanak blessed Noor Shah who was practicing hypnotism and mesmerism and misleading people, then the fame of Guru Nanak spread far and wide. In Assam, the name of Guru Nanak was already respected very much. So, when people came to know that the ninth incarnation of Guru Nanak, Guru Tegh Bahadur has come to Assam, then all the people thronged to meet him. Whoever went to the Guru got his wishes fulfilled as also the Lord's name. We also went and met him. What a glance it was?
A loving, cool, rapturous sensation went into our body. We felt as if he is our own. It was a delight and rapture. There was ecstasy in our heart. Our
body became light like a flower. A charm and blossonji filled our eyes. We felt exuberance in our mind and our mind went into high spirits. Within foments our tongue started reciting the Lord's name. Automatically, we felt our ears are listening the name 'O Lord4, 40 Lord4. Sometimes, we felt our tongue is reciting the name 40 Lord4, cO Lord4.
Young King: Mom! What is this, "O Lord?"
Mom: This is the name of the Almighty God. The Guru blesses us this Name. When we saw this miraculous-ness in the Guru, then your dad fell at his feet and became a Guru-disciple. The Guru blessed us with the Lord's name. We got into the lap of the Lord. We became his disciples. One day on seeing your dad sad, the Guru asked him: O King! Why do you look sad? Your dad said: O true Guru! 1 have become quite old and I do not have a son. Having a kingdom, sometimes I feel that I am the; king of the state. After me, who will look after my kingdom? Who will look after my subjects? Previously, this sadness was constant but since I have met you my mind is at peace. But sometimes, when the thought comes to my mind, I feel sad. Sometimes I think, what to me, I have got all comforts. I should :: recite the Lord's name. The Lord will look after the subjects. Sometimes, I feel you are so gracious, I may ask you for the boon of a son. At that moment the Guru was playing with his ring. He had removed his ring from the finger and was shuttling it from one hand to another and was listening to your dad. litis eyes were in ecstasy and were showering charm. Your dad again said to him: If you are gracious and bestow a son, it will be a boon from the house of Guru Nanak and I shall be too happy while living and even after death. After saying all this, your dad fell at his feet. With the same ring that he had in his hand, the Guru touched your dad's forehead and said: Look King! One child will come from the house of Guru Nanak. He will have long hair on his head which will ever remain. On his head, will be a stamp of this ring, so that you are sure that he has come from the house of Guru Nanak. So! My darling son, his words became true. Exactly after one year, you were bom and it was wondrous to see that there was not only a stamp of the ring but even the word 4One Lord' was embossed on your head and could be read. So! You have come to this world sent by Guru Nanak who came to bless people and this stamp is his signature.
The young king felt it a wondrous happening. A Ifear came to his eyes. He heaved a sigh and said: Mom! Can I meet the Guru? Now, Mom heaved a long sigh and had tears in her eyes, was overwhelmed and could not speak. After a few moments, she spole: Darling! He blessed
everybody and saw the torture that Aurangzeb was committing on everybody and took pity on people.
Aurangzeb felt jealous that there was so much love and respect for the Guru in the entire country. Later, when Aurangzeb started converting Hindus to Islam by force, then the Guru sent a message to him, saying that the people should be free to choose their own religion. Also, Aurangzeb received news that those Hindus who are followers of Guru Nanak and Guru Tegh Bahadur do not agree conversion to Islam and they also tell others not to do so. It was also suggested to him that if Guru Tegh Bahadur accepts Islam, then the entire country would become Mohammedan in no time. Then Aurangzeb called the Guru to Delhi and tried to persuade him to accept Islam but when he found that the Guru is adamant and will not agree, then he ordered cutting off the Guru's head.
Young King (with tears in his eyes): Is it? Is it? Mom! Is it?
Both became quiet and were in tears.
After sometime, Mom said: He was not in the cycle of births and deaths. He came for doing goodness to other people. He gave the life spark and recitation of the Lord's name to everybody. He made the Lord living in everybody's heart. The cycle of births and deaths is for people like us. For him, it was a sacrifice.
Young King: I am very unlucky.
Mom: A disciple of Guru Nanak is never unlucky. You are a Gurudisciple. Then how can you be unlucky? Young King: How?
Mom: In his place, the tenth Guru is now on the Guru's throne.
The young king became very happy and said: It is wondrous that his son is on his throne now.
Mom: He is the tenth incarnation spreading the Lord's name and blessing people. In the Guru's house, whoever sits on the Guru's throne, it is, as if Guru Nanak is sitting on the throne, only the body is changed.
Young King: Mom! Where is the sacred place where he is living?
Mom: It is in Punjab state on the banks of river Satiuj near Himalaya mounts near Shivalik hillocks, city of Anandpur.
Young King: It is far but it is not far. I shall endeavor to meet him and fall at his feet. Like you have been blessed with the Lord's name, I shall also be blessed with the Lord's name. Mom! Dad must have been very peaceful when he left for his heavenly abode.
Mom: Some people said that his end was so peaceful that even big saints do not have such a blissful end. It was all due to the Lord's narie that the Guru blessed.
Young King: Mom! If I go to Punjab, will you come with me?
Mom: What better thing can I imagine that my darling son gets me a glimpse of the life-giving Guru in this old age?
The yes from Mom gave the young king so much happiness and to hide his happiness, he just said 'Alright', bowed his head to Mom and went away.
Mom got up. With folded hands she said a prayer. She recited the names of the ten Gurus. Then she remembered the ninth guru and prayed: It is your benevolence that you gave a son. It is your grace that you gave us the Lord's name. Again it is your grace that you have given a holy love sensation to my son. I am lucky that as I desired and by your grace my child has got a love sensation for you. O Lord! It is all your benevolence. While praying, she remembered her loving husband and his last desire: See! Make my son a disciple of Guru Nanak. It should not happen that he gets into bad company. I am going. Son is a child of seven years only. Now it is your duty to put him on the true Guru's path.
When she remembered all this, then she was in tears and said: My loving husband! Your son has become a lover of the Guru. The duty that you gave me, the Guru has helped me do it today.
The young king's mind in merriments got a heart pierding from his Mom. i he euphoria and inclinations towards merriments decreased. The young mind that is generally carefree got a diversion. His mind got a direction to move. There was a center towards which the mind got attracted. The center was not visible but the idea got into his heart. The idea gave a direction to his mind. The direction was towards north. His mind was filled with fervor and joy. His mind was now all towards, how to be ready to go, how to reach and how he should meet the Guru.
His mind said: Although I am myself a king sitting on the throne, but there, where the king is of the Spiritual kingdom and the Kingdom of the heaven, the worldly kings are no match. The Guru gave his life and did not even whisper. The Guru did not bow down to Emperor Aurangzeb but preferred to sacrifice. For him it is no difference whether somebody is a king and there is no hatred for a poor person.
SRI KALG1DHAR CHAMATKAR (VOL - i)
He got so much love and respect for the Guru that sometimes, he had tears in his eyes, pondering whether and when the Guru will look at him with love and when the Guru will bless him as he had blessed his dad.
He thought: What preparation should I do that the Guru might bless me when I meet him? What should I do? At the door of the Guru, kings like me are in waiting as my subjects wait for me. There, those are blessed whom the Guru bestows his grace upon. I do not know what is the requirement? These are the thoughts that crossed his mind. This is not inferiority complex. This is not depression. This is the love spark that his Mom has pierced in his heart intentionally.
Yes, there was another Mother, Mainawanti who pierced renunciation in his son's heart and King Gopichand abandoned his throne and became a recluse and begged for food in streets. Mainawanti died in sadness and the queens jumped from the palace and committed suicide. The kingdom was lost and the subjects were distressed.
The dream of Mainawanti that through yoga the body will escape death and live forever did not materialize. What remained were the hard yoga practices that Gopichand did while living in a cave but still the body could not live for long.
But here the Mom has deep understanding. She is talented. She has not pierced her son's heart with dry empty rituals and mistaken beliefs but she has pierced his heart with cool and sweet love spark of the Guru which has turned his mind towards the omnipresent living Guru. The Guru's life spark will give him life from lifelessness. She has given diversion to his mind so that he does not get into bad company and lose his kingdom in merriments. She has made his son shoot two arrows. One towards the enemies of his kingdom and the other that will kill the darkness of the soul and the soul will become crystal. This arrow will make her son a dutiful son. He will be blessed and then he will bless others. He will shoot two arrows at one time. He will not beg but will sit on his dad's throne and simultaneously remain in the love of the Lord. She has given a direction to her son's mind and is blessing him and is praying for him. My son! Do both things now. Rule your kingdom and love the Lord. Mom has pierced an arrow in her son's heart that is a 'Guru-love' arrow that has given happiness. The 'Guru-love' arrow has given sweetness and not grief. It has not taken him into mistaken beliefs, sadness or depression. It has not taken him away from his duty of looking after his subjects.
Mom has shot the 'Guru-love' arrow but not without any direction. It has a direction. The son has got freedom but from worldly desires only. His eyes
SRI KALGSDHAR CHAMA7KAR (VOL.- 1]
are now attached to the Guru. His mind is now detaphed but from worldly desires only.
His eyes are now longing for the Guru's glimpse. It is not dejection or sadness or inferiority complex or aloneness. Mom's losing words have turned his mind but not without any direction. The 'love antow' has given delight. The young king has become lovelorn. The love is for tie living Guru. He has love and eagerness now for the glimpse of the Gunji all the time. He has eagerness to meet and hope to be blessed and is in exuberance to make the Guru happy.
This is the love and this is the happiness. On the |Guru path is love and happiness together. The Guru is lovable. This gives the sweetness. One wants to love the Guru. This giving of love makes you feel delighted. It is ^sacrifice to the Guru. !
This Mom is a wise Mom. She has not shot an arrow of 'renunciation and sadness' but she has shot an arrow of 'Guru-love and Ijappiness'. She has put her son in the magnetic pull of Guru Nanak.
What is the young king doing now? He is searching for gifts for the Guru.
Assam is a house of elephants. He has found an elephant which is jet black but whose forehead is ivory-white like the elephant's teeth. It has white lines going down from his forehead up to his legs. Itj appears as if it is the Kailash mount. The forehead is a lake and there are four rivers coming down its legs. It is a unique elephant. Another of this type nay not be found. The young king has eagerness that the Guru who is the kin£ of my heart will now ride on this elephant and I will consider it his grace to pie. He is eager to see the glimpse. ■
His own age is of desires. But he has not desired jhat "I should ride the elephant and my subjects may see and say, 'how big }s our king' and then I feel happy that I am a great king".
Not having this eagerness and not having this desire has gone into his heart without giving any pain. This is not sadness or renunciation or depression.
This is freedom from desires like the foundations of a building over which is building the eagerness to see how lucky I shll be to see the Guru riding the elephant and I shall be in ecstasy.
The elephant is being decorated in this eagerness. The saddle, the frontal, the back covering and the sides of the saddle are being decorated with silks, pearls, beads and brocades and golden embroidery. Also, trainers are training
the elephant. The elephant can now carry a torch and
shoot an arrow, he would go and pick up and bring it bp, ck to you. If you give
can illuminate. If you
a whisk, then he will brandish the whisk at the person standing in front. Then the young king came to know that the beloved Guru is fond of arms. He is happy to receive arms.
Accordingly, he got a gun made which had five different modes in it. It could be a sword or a pistol or a dagger. Similarly, he got one sandalwood table. On pressing a button, a chessboard and two dolls would come out on both sides to play.
Similarly, he got a costly flower vase made. Ke selected five very swift horses.
He got lots of guns and other arms made. He got silks and pearl chains from Dhaka.
The first thing he did was to make arrangement so that in his absence the work of his kingdom should not suffer. He fixed the responsibility of the kingdom to his ministers. His ministers were all experienced and old. Guru Tegh Bahadur had blessed them. All of them were thankful to the Lord that the young king is treading on his dad's path as per the wishes of his dad. It is very good for the subjects that he has become religious minded.
The young king consulted his Mom and decided to take his Prime Minister along.
He was satisfied that his other ministers would manage his kingdom well and people will have no problem of any kind in his absence.
The young king spent a lot of time in getting the presents ready and making all arrangements.
His love for the Guru increased day by day. He was the king and he was young and with the blessings of his saintly Mom his love for the Guru knew no bounds.
Sometimes, he would feel exuberant to meet the Guru. The saintly Mom also told him another secret that he had not known before.
She had the Holy Scripture 'Guru Granth Sahib' in the palace that she used to read without anybody's knowledge. The saintly Mother explained it all to her son and he started reading the scripture. That increased his love for the Guru very much.
Mother also told him that Guru Nanak wished that everybody should do all the worldly chores but the mind should remain detached from worldly desires.
One day the young king came to his mother with tears in his eyes and said: The scripture says that there should be no ego. Whatever I have got
made was all my desire and pandit says it is ego. If thie Guru does not accept all these gifts thinking that these are all from ego then \jvhat shall I do? You say that in the Guru's durbar, the kings and poor men aire treated as equal. He had tears in his eyes that he tried to hold but could npt.
Mother saw the tears in his eyes and said: listeiji! When your dad was alive, then all the time we had holy company. The Gijiru had deputed five of his selected disciples to stay with us and they gave us tieir holy company and went only after truly putting us on the true path and wfhen we got the rapture of the Lord's name in us.
Whatever we have been told and we understand that whatever wish is there in your mind is a pious wish. It is not for you. Ypu are doing all for the pleasure of the Guru and out of your love for the Guriji. Any desire that is not for one's self but for the Guru or for the Lord is grac£. This grace has come from the Lord.
This is the eagerness out of love. There is no iselfish motive in love though outwardly it may look selfish. Actually love lis a sacrifice. My son! Pandits have book knowledge only. They are not in th£ incessant recitation of the Lord's name. They have no love for the Lord. Theijr mind becomes clever after reading some books and gaining some knowledge but they have ego in them which does not let them have a sensation of the Iord's name. The ego is a veil between the mind and the Lord.
They understand but they have no feeling or sensation of the Lord in them.
They know but the Lord's name is not in their heart. They give discourses but are themselves without the love and sensation of the Lord. It is like a scientist telling the qualities of salt from the books. But Unless somebody tastes the salt or if the salt is put on a wound, only then a peijson has a taste, feeling and sensation of salt.
Without actual tasting, it is dry knowledge only. $similar is the case with pandits.
What the pandit calls selfishness, is actually a situation when the mind is in the forgetfulness of the Lord or when there is ?io awakening of the remembrance of the Lord or when one is not in love \yith the Guru or when there is no love sensation in the person. Then there mjght be selfishness and the pandit may be right. But where there is a drizzle of ijove, where the Lord is in your heart, where there is a pull to have a glance, wtjere the things that you like, you do not wish them for yourself but feel happy iiji presenting to the one whom you love, then it is all sacrifice. The enthusiasm jin serving the beloved
is not ego. It is not darkness. It is a messenger from the heavens. It wili guide us and take us to the Lord's palace.
This is 'Love enthusiasm'. My son! This is something that people did not understand properly and the kings relinquished their kingdoms and the family men left their families. The good people went into forests. The lights in their houses were extinguished and the people suffered. My son! Understand one more thing. The doctor had said one day that when one is healthy one's mind is also healthy. One Guru-disciple had also said that when one's mind is neither above human inclinations nor below human inclinations, then it has normal emotional feelings. If it goes below human inclinations, then it is evil. And when it goes above normal inclinations, then it is virtuous. When it is immersed in the Lord's name, then it is on a higher level.
So! Having normal inclinations is not bad. It is better than evil. It is only next to virtuous inclinations. People with normal inclinations reach the Lord much easier than those with evil inclinations. For the saint it is easy to prompt people with normal inclinations towards the Lord. The saint has to do much more effort to prompt the people with evil inclinations. Soi We should pray to the Guru that he should make us rise above these three characteristics and immerse us in the Lord's name. But till then we should never go below the normal inclinations. We should never have evil inclinations. My son! The pandits do not understand these things. They have not experienced any such thing. They talk what they have read. When they wili have the sensation of the Lord in their mind, then they will be able to tell something better. The more we are without desires when we love the Guru, the more we will be nearer him. Your mind is full of love for the true Guru and you wish to meet him because of your love for him and you wish to please him. In my view you have no desires for yourself. This is another sign of your being above normal human inclinations. We should not get into what the pandits say. We should go on the path of love and the principle of love. When our mind feels happy in the love of the Guru and die love is for love's sake only, then take it that we are surely treading on the right path. If there is any desire or deception, then this is a fault in us and we should try to remove it. Don't go after what the pandits say. They have book knowledge only. They do not have any love sensation in them. Like, sometimes cripple talk about valiant. They are themselves not valiant. They themselves have never been in fighting.
Young King: Momi I do have a desire. Sometimes I am just in love with the Guru but sometimes I have a feeling of fear from death. Then I wish that I should meet the Guru quickly and please him so that he blesses me out of
the cycle of births and deaths. This is my desire for mypelf. Mom what you say is right but the pandit is also right. My love is out of a desire as such. This should not be the right spirit. Mom! This seems to pe a fault. Is ;^ere any remedy for this?
Saying this, the young king had tears in his eyes and was overwhelmed.
Mom: This desire in itself is a non desire. This desire is an unselfish act. To wish for emancipation from worldly desires is a real non-desire. It is a desire but it is a non-desire. We are the Lord's children and our soul is a particle of the Supreme soul. To get it out of the worldly entanglements and be immersed in the Lord's name is not a selfish desire. Do not have any misgiving. This is an awakening from darkness. Thi$ is an awakening from slumber. This is an awakening of the mind from the yorldly intoxication that comes only by the grace of the Lord.
Young King: Mom! In that case my love and enthusiasm is all right.
Mom: It is all Lord's grace. When the Lord is benevolent he prompts you to love the true Guru.
Ill
the young king started young king Rattan Rai er for finance and other
They had many such discussions. After some days towards Punjab. The travel was to be like this: The deputed the official work to his ministers. The minist ministers stayed back. He took along the Prime Minister and some respectable people. Mom and some maids came along. Some of the troops went along for providing security.
A palanquin for Mom, horses for self and arrangement for the gifts that he had got for the Guru were made. They left Assaqi.
The young king has so much enthusiasm in himj that he is going to meet the Guru.
There is a pull of love, throb in the heart, eagerness to wait for the blessed day when his forehead would touch the Gijiru's feet. His ears were waiting for the day when the Guru's words of nectar would enter his ears. His eyes were longing for the day when the glimpse of Guru would enter his eyes and make them cool.
In this way, the young king had an aim and his irjind was set on the same. In this kind of an aim love springs up. He had an attraction, was exuberant and in love.
Sometimes, they are saying prayers and thanking the Guru for his benevolence.
the true and handsome
At night before sleeping, Mom narrates some good things of the Guru or some good story of some Guru-disciple. The young king's mind, like a swan, eats the pearls of 'Guru-love'. When Mom does not narrate a good story about the Guru, then he doesn't get good sleep. He gets up early in the morning. He recites the Lord's name and reads the Guru's scripture.
He tries to find out in advance if there is a Guru-disciple living in the village or the town that he has to cross. Tries to meet them and listens from them, some story about the Guru. Wherever such a place as a Guru temple comes, everybody offers sacred sweet and listens to the divine music and then they move forward.
Like this, travelling almost every day they reached Patna. They visited the place where the Guru was bom and stayed in his childhood. They bowed there with reverence and touched their forehead to the sacred ground. Many people from Patna welcomed them and were delighted to see the young king's love for the Guru.
The young king Rattan Rai listened to all the tales and happenings of the time when the Guru was in Patna. He met with love all the people who were blessed by the Guru when the Guru was in Patna. He was so much delighted to hear how the Guru blessed everybody that he stayed in Patna for more than ten days. He visited the beaches where the Guru used to play and have bath there. He saw the metallic pitchers in which the Guru had pierced holes with his arrows while playing.
While leaving, he donated a lot of money for making a Gurdwara in bricks and mortar where the Guru was bom.
In this way, after visiting all Gurdwaras that came on the way, they reached the other side of the river Yamuna where the beginning of the Punjab province starts. Moving ahead they reached the river Satiuj and then Anandpur was close by. They selected a place with trees that gave good shade. They put up tents there and rested.
Now the Guru got the information that the Guru's disciple, the young king of Assam has come. The Guru was also in young age. The Lord's love spark that was in the Guru like a flame in his entire body cells was giving a wondrous heavenly handsomeness on his face that attracted the disciples like a magnet and the Guru was always in graciousness for his disciples.
On listening to the young king's arrival, the Guru deputed persons and ordered: The young king is a guest. He should be provided proper place to stay and all groceries, water, wheat, grass and fodder for the horses, and all comforts be provided. Everything should be done for his hospitality. He shquld feel at home.
The Gum's maternal uncle Kirpal Chand personally supervised the young king's stay and all comforts were provided to the king apd he explained all the traditional practices being followed at the Guru's palace.
The young king's entire cavalcade was delighted tj) see the love from the Guru's men. Everybody rested at night.
In the morning, the young king made a request tjo Uncle Kirpal Chand for the Guru's meeting.
Uncle Kirpal Chand went to the Guru and told hip about the request.
The true Guru said: They are welcome to com£ to the durbar in the afternoon.
Listening to this, the young king's happiness knew no bounds. His heart was delighted that today he will have a glimpse of the ]true Guru. The golden time had come for which he was yearning for so long; The golden time had come for which he was suffering pangs of longing. That he will meet the true Guru and meet him today was like receiving a gift qf treasure. Only those who love the Guru from the bottom of their hearts qan feel this happiness. They only can value such a message whose hearts arq pierced in love.
Mom felt, "My son's one wish will be fulfilled today. But my two wishes will be fulfilled today. For my son, he will be in raptur^ to meet the Guru and for me my wish to meet the Guru again in this age vpill be fulfilled and the second that my son has become a bee on the 'Guru lotus' by the grace of the Guru."
Moms are happier to see the happiness of their children than their own. Mom is seeing how exuberant is her son for the glimpse of the Guru?
The elephants are being decorated. The horses ^re being bridled. The young king himself inspects off and on whether the decoration is being done properly. By afternoon the elephant was in full decora-tion. The elephant was wearing golden laced bridles, on his forehead was rjed velvet, golden lace embedded with pearls, gold carvings on his teeth, silver anklets on his feet and was standing and swaying.
Alongside were the five horses with golden bridlesi and other decorations. They were in full bloom and even a fly could not sit or}' them. Similarly, all the gifts were ready to be presented to the Guru.
At this moment, Mom called her son inside anc( said: My darling son! Your gifts are marvelous and very expensive. You unjust be very happy that the Lord has given you so much that you are able to bring all these gifts for the Guru. But darling! This is the time to be watchful. The ego is very tricky. It comes at times when you least expect it to come. Wljiat the pandit had told
SRI KALGIDHAR CHAV1ATKAR (VOL-!)
you, you have to be watchful about it, now. Don't think that you have brought all these gifts. This will be ego if you think like that. Remain in prayer that it is the Lord's grace that he has given us the privilege of having a glimpse of the Guru. Be in prayer that our humble gifts be accepted by the Guru. The gifts are of the Guru. We also belong to the Guru.
When the owner of a garden comes to the garden and the gardener presents him with flowers that actually belong to the owner only, even then the owner feels happy to receive those flowers. Similarly, we have to be humble and in prayer.
It is for the Guru to be gracious. The Guru is more gracious when are doing everything in love for him. So! Keep up this love and respect Don't let ego drop in.
The young king listened to his mom attentively and was in tears of love for the Guru. He said to his mom: Let us pray.
Mother, immediately got up and prayed: O Lord of the heavens! Our eyes look outwardly and we cannot see you. We humble creatures have not learnt to look inwardly. You had given glimpse of yourself to outwardly looking people like us. We could see you in the true Guru in whose heart you were. You, yourself came to this earth, lived like us and blessed us with your divine love. Since then we have been longing to have your glimpse again and again. By your grace, you have given us an opportunity that these longing, pining, yearning eyes may once again see you in the Guru's glimpse. Please bestow your grace that we see 'You only'. We are humble and full of mistakes. Be benevolent and bless us your rapture and ecstasy. When we see you, we should not forget you again. Your blessing and grace may be incessant. Please open my son's inner eyes and bless that he never forgets you again. You have made us your own. Please keep us your own. We have no strength. Give us your grace. Bless us always.
Mom kept on praying like this with tears of humility in her eyes. Her eyes were closed and her face was heavenly ivory-white and bright immersed in love.
It was time to move. The young king bowed to her mom, but mom quickly lifted his head and said: Now your forehead has to touch the Guru's feet. Do not let it touch anybody else's.
The young king was in deep love for his mom. He was feeling thankful that: Whatever I am going to get is due to the goodness of my mom and I should touch her feet. Generally, moms stop their children from holy company but my mom is great wrho has put me on the Lord's path and given me proper
advice and saved me from going into, bad company. In this way, mom and son were readying themselves to move.
Meanwhile, the message came that the Guru is sitting on the throne in his durbar. 1
The young king along with his courtiers walked aijid reached the durbar that is very difficult to find even for yogis and meditative.
They reached the entrance, and bowed there. Th^ young king could not restrain his love. With lips shut and with eyes filled with tears of love, with lots of faith and love he entered the durbar. They crossed tie gateway and bowed again. From a distance, he got a glimpse of the Guru. His eyes saw the handsomeness that he had never seen before. Like a lightning flash, his love crossed barriers. He walked fast and fell at the Gurufs feet. Kow could he imagine what the touch of the Guru's feet was? The mojnent his head touched the Guru's feet, he felt a sensation like an electric cunjent in his entire body. His entire body trembled. He felt a magical sensation. His entire vision changed. He was in rapture and ecstasy. His inner ijelf became fresh and clean. He felt himself in high spirits. He felt rapture land felt a new life in himself. He felt his body so light as if it is not there.! His inner self was all rapture and in ecstasy. For some time he could not feel where he is, whether he is there or not. When he felt he is there, it was jail ecstasy. When he became fully conscious, he felt as light as a flower, injcomfort, in ecstasy, in rapture that he had never experienced before and never imagined. Fie felt a magnetic pull and did not want to leave the Guru's feet. His mind was not ready to leave this pull. Time went by unknowingly. :
Now the young king felt the Guru's sacred haid caressing his head, sending waves of divine sensation and joy and a divine voice said: Get up King, you are blessed. You are blessed in both the seable as well as the unseen world. You are Guru Nanak's child. You are blessed. Rattan Rai! Lord is with you.
Listening to the Guru's words the young king who did not want to leave the Guru's feet got up. For a few minutes ]ie was in thi^; rapture. He looked at the Guru's face and his eyes closed. His eyes opened] and closed like this a number of times. After some time, he became alert. Thje Guru then asked him about his welfare. The young king responded and replied with respect Then his minister narrated how the young king's father bepame a disciple of the Guru and prayed to him for a son.
In the meantime, all the gifts that the young king tad got made with love and enthusiasm were brought in. All muslins, brocades, silks, jewelry, arms,
tables, expensive bowls and all other items were displayed and presented to the Guru.
The minister narrated with how much love and enthusiasm, the young king got all these gifts prepared.
The Guru listened to everything very attentively. It took more than an hour and a half to explain everything to the Guru. The specialties of the horses and the elephant were explained to the Guru. The special table and the five-in-one gun were presented to the Guru.
Then the topic came, how the young king's mother had brought up the young king and made him a follower of Sikh religion. How Mom, after the death of her husband king was looking after the kingdom and was deeply immersed in Guru-love and how she made her son kind, graceful and good for his subjects and developed love for the Guru.
When the Guru listened, he asked about the young king's mom.
He was told: Since we had not asked for permission from your side, so she is waiting anxiously in the guesthouse.
The Guru at once sent for her and she came. The eyes that had already got a glimpse of Guru Tegh Bahadur again saw the same divine face in Magnificent Guru Gobind Singh. She went into such deep ecstasy where the soul becomes crystal. It was rapturous beyond words. In this ecstasy her head touched the Guru's feet. She, who was already in rapture, now went into deep ecstasy. When her forehead touched the Guru's feet, the Guru felt the ecstasy in her mind and soul and said: Lady! You are blessed. You are blessed in both the seeable as well as the un-seen world. Again, he blessed her and said: Lady! You will not come into the cycle of births and deaths. You will always remain immersed in the Lord's love.
How wondrous it is, to see how the Guru had blessed even the kings and queens and given them the life spark and they got life from lifelessness.
After the mom was blessed, the young king said: O true Guru! Please also bless me. I hiambly say so.
The Guru then blessed and said:
Live in high spirits and in incessant remembrance of the Lord.
After having met the Guru about whom he had initially heard a lot and then he had the longing to meet, the young king went to the guesthouse.
In what rapture the young king is now? He doesn't speak much. His eves have a subtle charm in them. There is a shine on his forehead. There is
coolness in the body. He feels as if his body cells were earlier closed and now they have opened up.
The mind, it appears has got up from a slumber. |He has a sensation of awaken-ness in him. In this awakening there is sweetness], freshness and ecstasy. He feels he has just woken up. The body weight seens to have gone down. He is feeling as light as a flower. The entire body's feelipg has come as above.
Mom understands that the Guru has bestowed a ]|ife spark to the young king and the touch of the same has ushered a new awakening in him and he has joined the fraternity of blessed people. Herself having this type of awakening in her, she understands the son's awakening better.
Mom did not speak much to her son. She did pot narrate any Guru praises. She wanted that the young king should have dinner and he should go to sleep. He should not enter into any gossip or think of any worrisome issues. He should have dinner and go to sleep and again in the morning go to meet the Guru.
In this time, he should remain un-disturbed and not talk or do anything that may disturb his mind. She sat down near his bed land recited Sohila and Anand and then went to sleep.
She got up in the morning. Besides Japji, today she recited Sukhmani in a rhythmic tune. It was so well recited and rapturous as ff it was a divine music from the heavens. When she finished the recitation, jhe young king got up and the first word that came out of the mom's daring son was 'O Lord' 'Waheguru'. It was in such a loving voice, that mom flt ecstatic.
Mom was immensely delighted to see her own-planted love-seed grow into a flower. She was happy that her son has got rea| inner happiness. Now he won't care for the un real worldly merriments. Nojw his mind will not be wandering aimlessly after worldly pleasures.
The mind is such that it goes after one thing, enjoy is it and then discards it and again starts running after another thing. Again, erjjoy it and then discard it and again start running after a new thing. In this ^vyay, his entire life goes away. At the end only tiredness remains.
Mom is now sure that her son will not be lost in this world like a 'string cut' kite.
He has now got a center and an aim. She was alj in thankfulness to the Lord for all this.
The young king now got ready, wore his arms ancfl decorations and went to meet the Guru along with his Minister and courtier^.
The Guru was sitting immersed in the love of the Lord and it appeared as if the Lord himself has come to earth.
SRI KALG!DHAR CHAV1ATKAR (VOL-!)
The young king came and sat at a little distance after bowing down in respect.
The musicians were singing Ramkali raga. The music was very sweet and cool.
The musician playing tabla was playing it so softly that it appeared as if it was a sitar. It did not sound like a tabla. The musicians were sensitive to the Guru sitting in rapture. They were playing the music very harmoniously and very softly. They did not want to utter any words that may give more sound nor wanted to play the music loudly. The sweet music was, as if the tunes were dancing on the silent waves of water and through the ears was taking you to the Lord's palace.
Till such time that the Guru did not open his eyes, the musicians played the music softly and that elevated the minds.
The music was falling softly on the ears like the snow falling like cotton soft balls.
The rays of the sun came. The Guru opened his eyes. The musicians started playing Bilawal raga in a soft sweet tune. Everybody in the holy congregation opened their eyes. In the entire durbar, it was already a feeling of rapture and now it became a wondrous ecstasy. Slowly, the music stopped. It became daytime. Today's durbar was in the open big lawn. After the recitation of the scripture and prayer, sacred sweet was distributed.
Now, the Guru met the young king. The young king's presents were now exhibited in the presence of the Guru. One by one, all the items were opened and explained to the Guru. The young king showed the five-in-one gun to the Guru and explained the use of it." The chess table was shown. By pressing a button, the chessboard came up and by pressing another button, players came up and sat. Another item was shown that became a throne on pressing a button. Similarly, the feats of the horses were displayed and then other arms and fighting equipment was shown.
In the end, the elephant held a torch in his trunk and waved. Then the elephant brought back the arrows shot at a distance. The elephant then waved a whisk.
The Guru was pleased and he caressed the elephant. The elephant then picked up the Guru's shoes and put the shoes in front of him.
The Guru was pleased to see all the feats that the elephant did and he named the elephant Prasadi. He ordered that the elephant be kept in the elephant yard and an exclusive person be appointed to look after this elephant and the man should learn to look after the elephant from the young king's men.
The Guru then sat down. All the gifts were taken care of and it became quiet. The Guru sat immersed in the Lord's name for quite some \i:.^*e. Then he opened his eyes and said: King Rattan Rai! You have come to this earth by the blessing of my dad Guru. You are a Guru-disciple. My dad called you from Guru Nanak's palace and blessed you to your dad king. Now you are blessed again.
Saying this, the Guru blessed the young king with love and said: 'G Lord' 'Waheguru'.
The moment the Guru said £ O Lord' (Waheguru\ then there was a sensation of *0 Lord' 'Waheguru' in the entire body cells of the.young king. The name 'O Lord' 'Waheguru' settled in his mind. The young king got immersed in the Lord's name. The young king knew the Lord's naijne. Everybody sees an arrow in the hand or in the quiver but one in a million can feel the arrow being shot by a powerful hand and having pierced the heart.
The young king already had the sensatiQn of the Lord's name in his body on the first night itself when his mom had put him to 3leep in the cradle of the Lord's name. But today the Lord's name went deep into his soul. It is not that the Lord's name has just got into his heart only but the young king feels that his tongue and his body cells have become fountains of the Lord's name. When he looks towards the sky, the earth, the tres, he can visualize the miracles of the waves of the Lord's name. He visualises, everything has got a tongue and is reciting the Lord's name. He is in ecstasy. This is the arrow shot from the bow of the true Guru. The Guru has pierced the heart of the young king with the Lord's name. He has been blessed immensely.
The young king now stayed at Anandpur. He Ijad come to Anandpur, 'the town of rapture' but now the rapture has gone into his body in the Lord's name. There is another type of strength in his mind and body. He is in delightful high spirits. These are the results of having met the true Guru and being blessed by him.
It is said that the young king had come to Anandpur on the occasion of Deepavali and stayed here for five months.
Early morning, he listened to Asa-di-var, have breakfast and some rest and then go to the Guru's palace with his mother to meet the Guru. They talked to Mother Gujri ji, the Guru's mother.
When the Guru went for hunting, he used to take the young king along. Many times, the elephant's feats were displayed in the forests. The Guru and the young king were both of young age and both sides were abundant in gallantry and arms. For five months, it was a delight. Many times, they went to
the river Satluj for swimming and other water sports, sometimes walking and hunting and sometimes riding on Prasadi elephant.
But one thing was unique that despite the Guru treating the young king as a friend and equal to him, the young king's love and respect for the Guru increased.
It is generally seen that when a person gets an equal treatment and liberty, the respect for the person giving liberty becomes less and one tries to take undue advantage of the privileges and liberties extended to him but there are a few only in whom the respect and love increases when they are given love and liberty. The love they get increases the respect in them for the giver. In a selfish person, the love produces self-interest because of the greed in him but a pious person thinks otherwise. He thinks: See! I am getting so much love and respect that I really do not deserve. He thinks this way and his respect and love for the person increases.
This is the reason that the givers give that much as they get the love. They do not love overwhelmingly unless they are sure that the person is worthy of it
A worthy person will respect the love he gets while an un-worthy person will not appreciate it and instead would be spoiled by the same.
Mom! Whenever she saw the Guru giving so much love to her son and treating him with liberty like a friend was pensive and always prayed to the Lord saying: O Lord, we are not used to getting so much love from you. Give us that much love for which we are worthy. Please do not give us so much love for which we are not worthy. But the true Guru knows the worthiness of both the mom and the son and has given them so much love because he knows they are worthy. Both of them accepted the love of the Guru with respect.
Now the time came to go back. Many times, the dates for departure were fixed but when the time to depart came, the young king got so much pull that he would postpone the date. Many times, the young king got ready to go but the Guru with his loving words would say, "Why not stay for another ten days?" and made the young king stay on. Sometimes, of his own love and sometimes of the guru's love, the young king stayed on but after full five months the departure was finally fixed.
It was not a renunciation or yoga practice that the young king would cut himself away from his kingdom like a kite with its cord cut flying astray and suffer in hard yoga practices and penances.
The young king is on the path of love, on the path of 'love of the Lord',
on the path of 'remembrance of the Lord' without any slackness and forgetfulness.
For a person on the path of love, it does not matter whether it is renunciation or family living, whether it is a house or an open land, whether it is a kingdom or a hut in a forest, whether it is excessive wealth or begging. It all pertains to the body and one has to accept whatever is in one's destiny. All other things are not important. The important thing is love of the Lord', remembrance of the Lord, 'the direction of the mind towards the Lord', the creator and savior and incessant remembrance of thq Lord.
The most important thiimg is to reEEiakiiB His touch. When the touch is not there, then we are like a pond of dirty water not connected to the fountain of fresh water. We have to be always at his feet. Away from the Lord is our souPs death.
The Guru has said: Those who are at the feet of the Lord are saved from the cycle of births and deaths. The mind is in its own: sphere when it is not in the incessant love of the Lord. Sufferings are the result or so to say, sufferings engulf the mind because the mind has only a little strength of its own. When the mind is immersed in the Lord's love, then it gets the strength of the Lord in itself. When the Lord's strength is there, then the sufferings vanish.
O man! Why should you forget the Almighty who has all the strength? When you are in his remembrance all the time, then his strength will remove all your sufferings because he is the savior. He looks after those who fall at his feet. He is all comfort and sufferings cannot come near him. like, if you go near a fire, you get the warmth and the feeling of cold goes away. Again, he is all benevolence. Everything is in his hands. Whatever you ask for, he gives. Again, when you are in the company of the Lord, then you get the fruits of the company. A good company gives good fruits. Your mind will get the Lord's strength. O my mind! You remain in the remembrance of the Lord always.
The young king has got the blessing of incessant remembrance of the Lord. His mind is now immersed in the Lord's love and he has the strength of the Lord in him.
Whether he rules a kingdom or he begs from door to door has no importance for him. If he leaves the throne and starts begging, it will be a wonder but it is of no consequence to him. He has got the sacred and important thing, that is, 'the incessant remembrance of the Lord'. This was the most important thing. This was the most important need. This was the ultimate aim of human birth. Now that he has got the ultimate aim, the only thing that
remains is to look after the body. Why should he not live when the Lord has given him everything? He is now living:
1. In the constant remembrance of the Lord.
2. In high spirits.
3. To do goodness.
The young king has got the Lord's name in his heart. He is living in the incessant remembrance of the Lord. The connection of man with the Lord, he has found.
Guru Nanak has said, "Name is everything."
So! One thing is over. Now since the Lord's name is incessant, the mind remains in high spirits. This is for one's self. So! Second thing is over. Now, the mind is in the incessant remembrance of the Lord and is in high spirits. When he looks towards others, he wishes good for everyone. This is the third thing.
Man has only three connections: 1. With the Almighty. 2. Self. 3. People. There is no fourth.
1. Connection with Lord, it is that the Lord is with you always.
2. Connection with self, it is that self remains in high spirits.
3. Connection with people, it is that he wishes good for everyone.
A person who wishes good for everyone will also do goodness to others. He will do goodness, but he will do it in the name of the Lord according to the will of the Lord. The aim of life is thus fulfilled.
So! Why should a king pierce his ears and beg from door to door? Why should he not rule the kingdom with an un-selfish and awakened mind so that his subjects are benefited?
It is difficult but one has to do all three things. The first two are being done by the Lord's name, the third he has to do by sitting on the throne. The young king has to go back to his kingdom. This is the wish of the Guru.
This is Guru disciple-ship:
"One has to remain in this world, As a lotus remains in mud".
At last, the day of departing came. Mom and son first went to the Guru's palace and paid respect to the Guru's wife. Then they fell at the Guru's feet with tears of love in their eyes. Now after the presentation of horses and elephant, they are presenting their inner self to the Guru. The saline tears are love tears that are coming out by themselves and are being presented to the Guru.
In this way, they took leave from the true Guru at the Guru's palace. Again, before leaving they came to the Guru's durbar with the same love and devotion. The Guru embraced the young king again and again. The Guru's uncle brought some presents.
The Guru gifted those to the young king with his blessings. The Guru gave him one book of the Lord's hymns.
Against all norms and practices, the Guru walked with the young king for some distance to bid him farewell. On this, the young king touched the Guru's feet and said: You have already blessed me so much. Now you please stay back. The young king could not speak. He was full of tears. He fell at the Guru's feet. His love tears fell on the Guru's feet. The Guru blessed him again and again. The Guru bestowed on him the Lord's name, the Lord's sensation and disciple-ship. The Guru blessed him again.
In this way, with folded hands, Mom, son, and all courtiers bowed to the Guru and departed. The young king separated from the Guru with pangs of love.
Mom and son are now traveling. Mom is sitting in a palanquin and singing the hymns of Guru Ram Das with deep love. She is singing and feeling the sensation. A soft voice is audible. Her eyes are full of tears. The young king is now walking along. He is listening to the hymns and getting the sensation and feeling the ecstasy.
* "k * ic
The Guru's words to the young king are repeated once again: "Live in high spirits and in the incessant remembrance of the Lord".
Let us be in remembrance. Let us recite: 0 Lord, 0 Lord, 0 Lord, 0 Lord Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru starting with at least five minutes a day.
Guru Nanak has said: "Name is everything".
Note: The quarrels of King Bhim Chand, Guru's advice to the kings to save the country, their pointless argumentation and excuses joined with some external pressure were the incidences that happened after King Rattan Rai left. That created a thought whether to stay on at Anandpur. At this time King
Fateh Shah grabbed some land belonging to the King of Nahan. The King of Nahan was in despair on that account. Across Yamuna in Dehradun, Ram Rai had become well known but his succumbing to his Cash Collectors was causing anxiety. Some meditative in that area who were devoted to the Guru were longing that he visits them. All these happenings prompted the Guru to go to Nahan. But before going to Nahan, there is story of his blessings to his devotees.
In Kiratpur lived one meditative named Budhan Shah. Guru Nanak blessed him, then Guru Hargobind, the sixth Guru blessed him. Now the tenth Guru meets him.
o o o o