Time passed. The old lady Sabhrai was passing her days in the peace and poise that comes of finding shelter in God. Then came another terrible piece of news which was the merging into Divine Light of Guru Gobind Singh himself. She heard the news with a sudden wrench, but then followed the feeling imparted by these lines from Gurbani:
“Both above birth and death are the philanthropic persons
who come to do good to others. They give the gift of spiritual _ life, and turn men to divine devotion and make men meet
with God.”
(Rag Suhi P. 749)
_ This piece of news was broken to the congregation after the evening service. Looking towards the heavens she said, “Lord this is Thy wonder-play. He came to bring liberation toa deluded world and stood in different relationships to various people. He came to remove darkness from the eyes of mankind and after conferring the life of devotion took his departure for the Divine realm. He is not gone, but is ever with us. Our eyes behold only this visible world which one day we must leave. But the world beyond, we do not behold, where eternal life prevails. That realm is for those who are wide-awake in God. Thatrealmisthe state of peace. Our matenaleyes cannot behold it, though it is ever with us. Those who come under God's shelter, never leave it after. They find the life eternal. Change affects them not. The material eyes see only a veil and illusion which conceals the eternal life. Our life is eternal. We are ever in the eternal light. The Guru too is ever with us. He has not departed from this world. So why this suffering in separation?” Absorbed in such ideas, the old lady’s mind was at the height of a vision. She was finding a strange joy. This joy, however,
i i
was momentarily broken, but then again the vision of the life eternal and devotion and singing divine laudation brought back peace. A struggle again began in her mind. She cast off the influence of this bad dream and concluded that this was the result of dark impulse of mind (Tamo Guna). The sights of suffering arose within her, but at the same time.she was also meditating on God's Name. Ultimately, she had recourse to the lines from ‘Japuji': “Salutation to Him who is primal, untouched by Maya, beginningless and endless, and in all ages the same.” Then touching her forehead on the earth, she lay down in that state. Now her mind was composed. Peace came over her after repeating this incantation a few times and she felt joy-cooled. Someforce within her cried. “Don'tbe deceived, keepyour mind composed; don’t stray from absorption. The earth is the region of sighs, but above is the realm of joy. Keep your mind uplifted . and fix it in God. Meditation is a source of great power. As it 1s Said in Japuji, God elect are guided by meditation. The mind seeks to keep us absorbed in the visible world. Your endeavour should be that meditation should lift you up to enable you to seek shelter in God. Our self assumes the form that our meditation takes. One who meditates on God lodges Him in the mind and becomes God's joyful self.” These thoughts gave the lady a feeling of joy. Her mind now felt strong. It became now one with vision. Allhappeningsshesawasfulfillingsome Divine purpose. They are beyond our control. The mind can only view these, and getting into the spirit of resignation should try to uplift it self. Wrapped in suchideas, the old lady was, by stages, finding peace in the thought that the Guru is the eternal light, his departure is not real. Her mind was getting uplifted in the midst of momentary sorrow. She found comfort in the vision of the eternal life beyond death. In the shelter given by the saints of God and holy chanting of laudation she felt soothed with joy. In the words of the Guru, “In holy company the mind finds eternal lodgement. The illumination once achieved never foresakes the mind.” Finding peace, her night of sufferings was passed, illusion was lifted and faith brought her poise.
The Third Guru has mentioned two states of mind— devotion and desire. Those who are absorbed in the devotion have union with God.” Says Nanak:
“One is no more attuned to the Lord, and the Wnit of Maya begins to run. This Maya maketh us forsake the Lord; and love for the Other wells up in the mind.
says Nanak: “They, who are attuned to the Lord, by the Guru’s Grace, attain the Lord in the midst of Maya.” (Anand P. 919}
Those who do not have devotion are caught in desire and are under Maya’s influence. As says the Guru, “As devotion is interrupted and desire comes, Maya overrules.”
A man under the influence of Maya is weakened in spirit and finds the body powerless, he!pless. Says Nanak:
“Without the True Attunement the body is shorn of all power; And being powerless, what can the poor thing do? O Lord, no one is Powerful without Thee; so Bless Thou me, O Lord of the Woods. There’s no other place for one to go to, one’s body is embellished only with the Word. says Nanak: “Without being attuned to the Lord, of what avail is my poor body?”
(Anand P. 917)
The Guru’s Word is the only medicine to cure the malady of desire. The Guru's Word has the power to fix the mind firmly in meditation on God. A man fixed in such devotion lives ever in joy. The contention and suffering of such a one are removed. “One freed from desire and anxiety has egoism burnt by the holy Word.” Then the mind sees the vision beyond death and desire is shed, uplifting the self.
By now the old lady Sabharai had been upliited so far that the news of the Guru's departure gave her a momentary sorrow, but she did not lose her poise. Her mind was in peace and poise. Devotion had acquired vision—a vision surcharged with joy. Despite a brief tremor her mind was in transport of joy. The
bonds of desire were snapped and taking shelter with God she
was immune from all shaking of the mind. In this way the morning hour arrived, but in her absorption she could not move away, although the third hour had struck. Gradually her eyes opened, though all night long she had kept awake. A strange ecstasy and light appeared to rain down from her in shower. A wonder at the mystery was surrounding her. In this state she came to the Gurdwara and was absorbed in the holy chant.
Thus passed the sixth terrible night of the body which however, brought her absorption.