"he writer of yore described the love inspired couple as detached lost and absorbed in love divine, unaware and unconcemed bodily, oblivious of every thing around. They had reached this state of consciousness by anxiously waiting for the Guru, but there was no indication, no message from the Guru about his visit. The Bhai continued to participate in the religious services. As usual he would reach the shrine early moming at five, but would remain unusually quiet. Sparse had become his food and scanty was his sleep. Prayer and meditation continued unabated like a running stream. Serene was his face absorbed in the love of the beloved Guru, and he seemed strangely drunk in a state of bliss. Ramo too, was in a
similar state of mind.
One day, all of a sudden a devoted Sikh came to him and said, “Sir, a messenger has brought the news that the reverend mother and Ramo’s sister Damodani alongwith other members of the family are shortly arriving to see you and Ihave come to inform you in advance.” On hearing this both became silent. Their eyes closed and were lost in thoughts for sometime. After some time Bhai Sain Dass opened his eyes and looked around as if dazed. The informer repeated the message and told him that the messenger is waiting outside. The Bhai collected himself a little and spoKe louder than usual, “Who is waiting?” The Sikh replied, “The messenger, Sir,” The Bhai again asked, “What messenger, from where has he come?” The Bhai was told again that the Guru's family had come. The Bhai went on talking as if in a dream.-“Has the Guru's family come. The Guru gone towards the temple? There is rejoicing? Isn’t there? Unlucky me who could not have glimpse of thee,“ utteringsuch confusing words Bhai Sain Dass swooned.
The worried Sikh pressed his feet, rubbed and massaged the soles of his feet to bring him around, while lovingly repeating the message. The Bhai heard, opened his eyes, and sat up duly revived. The devotee gave him a glass of water to drink and repeated the message. The Bhai spoke as if half awake, “Have they come?” The Sikh replied, “Yes, the family has come, the Guru's family.” The Bhai again said, “The Guru has come? Has the Guru come?” The bewildered Sikh was finding it hard to convey to the Bhai that only the Guru's family had come and that the Guru would arrive later. The Bhai had somewhat regained his mental poise, and with eyes full of tears said, “Yes, the family has come? But the Guru has not come as yet?” He was informed that Guru's mother Mata Ganga ji had arrived.
On hearing the news of the Mother's arrival Bhai Sain Dass felt somewhat encouraged and came out of his house followed by his wife Ramo. A great many devotees from the villages had already gathered. Ramo, her friends and many of : the women devotees from the village accompanied the messenger to receive the reverend holy Mother with due respect and ceremony. Bhai Sain Dass unlocked the newly constructed house, which had been elegantly furnished and neatly maintained. Itwas cleaned and swept daily and incense was bummed daily to freshen it up. The beds were made, carpets were unrolled and orders were given for preparing the food for the visitors. One devotee was specially deputed to cook the ritual sweet pudding to be distributed among the members of the congregation gathered there to receive and welcome the holy Mother. After making all these arrangements the Bhai also set out to meet and welcome the eagerly awaited guests. He had not far to go since thy had almost reached the village along with the advance welcome party. The holy mother and her entourage was helped to alight from the vehicles with greatreverence and love. The whole congregation bowed their heads in sister, Damodari and the Mother to the new house. At the entrance bowed heads, folded hands and showing of flowers. Atthe threshold Ramo and Bhai Sain Dass, with folded
hands greeted entered the portals of the new house reciting “Praised be Guru Nanak, Praised be Guru Nanak,” ‘Once inside all of them settled on the beautiful beds spread out for them. The holy sweet pudding beside it at the feet of the reverend Mother. The depth of his devotion and the tears of love welling up in his eyes overwhelmed the holy mother and she was also moved to tears. She got up from the bed, put her loving hands on Bhai Sain Dass’s head and consoled him with these words, “Guru-blest Bhai Sain Dass, be patient, the saviour Guru is coming very soon. He had to go to Nanak Matta because a religious shrine was desecrated. He has gone to restore its sanctity and, redress the suffering and alleviate the agony of a very devout sadhu and steadfast Sikh. After doing ail this he will come straightaway to this place.”
After encouraging the Bhai with these words, the mother stood up to offer prayer, a supplication to Almighty God and all the six Gurus. The prayer over, the mother asked that the sanctified sweet pudding be distributed among the congregation. Then the congregation dispersed. Only a few volunteers, both men and women remained there to attend and serve the honoured guests. Bhai Sain Dass went out to make board and lodging arrangements for the mother’s encourage of body-guards, attendants, a host of friends, admirers and their servants. Moreover he had also to depute some Sikhs to make arrangements for the fodder and forage for the horses of the guests. There were a large number of very keen villagers ready to serve the honoured guests. They were also to be assigned to various other duties. By now lunch was ready which Ramo served with zeal and loving care. After lunch the visitors retired for rest and afternoon siesta. Both Ramo and Bhai Sain Dass left the guests to rest in comfort and peace in the new house while they went to their mud hut to rest awhule.
The daily routine now was like this. The early morning prayer service, singing and recitation of Asa-di-Var, was performed at the new house. After this the congregation dispersed. People would go to their homes to attend to their
daily chores, while Ramo and Sain Dass would keep themselves busy in looking after and waiting upon the Guru's family till lunch, after which they would retire to their modest hut. similarly after the evening service, recitation of Rehras, Sodar etc., was done. The guests were served dinner and after making arrangements for their sleep, the couple would return to sleep in the same humble hut of theirs.
Asisits nature, time passed on inexorably. Bits and pieces of news that trickled out from Nanak Matta about the sojourn of the Guru revealed that the Guru had left Nanak Matta and was on his way to Daroli, that the Guru had restored the sanctity of the Nanak Matta shrine and that the orthodox Kanpatta zealots had surrendered themselves to the Guru. These Kanpattas had desecrated the place that had been sanctified by Guru Nanak’s visit. They had set the sacred shrine on fire and had burnt the sacred (Banyan} tree. But when Guru Hargobind sprayed the place with saffron water, the charred trunk started sprouting afresh. The fresh leaves retained the water-drop marks made by the water sprinkled there by the Guru. The soapnut tree bearing sweet berries which had been in adverse possession of the Kanpatta Yogis had also been restored to the former devout caretaker. The Yogis had surrendered themselves spiritually to the Guru and had given an undertaking that, in future, they would not make any attempt to violate the sanctity of the monuments sacred to the memory of Guru Nanak. The Guru was expected to arrive very shortly after successfully resolving to the entire satisfaction of the Sikh Sangat there the ticklish problem created by the Kanpattas at Nanak Matta.
The Guru was coming after scoring a spiritual victory over the sacriligious Yogis. He was coming fast and in triumph and glory; advancing like an ocean tide to embrace, honour and bless the epitome of the exalted spirit of Sikhism-the revealed, immaculate purest love divine, the blessed Bhai Sain Dass.
Such news of happy tidings about the Guru was exciting and uplifting the Bhai’s mind who-was now frantically busy making preparations for a befitting welcome to the approaching
Guru. Ennobled and sublimated though he was by love divine, Bhai Sain Dass, alas! was also a creature of the earth. Equally overwhelming was his desire to see and meet and touch the Guru in person. This longing to meet the Guru, the spirit divine. incarnate in the person of the Guru, grew so intense that often it became unbearable and uncontrollable and tormented him to no end.
Mata Gangaji, the Guru's mother rejoiced in her heart to find Bhai Sain Dass in a state of spiritual exaltation, as she herself had experienced this state of exalted consciousness through aceaseless devotion and life long service to Guru Arjan Dev, the Martyr Saint, her own husband. She who had attained the state of love divine and seen the vision beautific was touched by Bhai Sain Dass’s state of mind. Her eyes often became misty with tears and her heart would soften and melt to see Bhai Sain Dass ravished thus by Love.
she would bestow on both Ramo and Sain Dass her love and kindness and bless them graciously. The love, the grace and the blessings of the holy Mother were a source of spiritual strength to the tormented soul of Bhai Sain Dass.
gaaag
he day came, when all the dark despondency disappeared
and tumed into an edifying expectation. A rider came, a welcome rider. He came to Daroli. He came with the news that the Guru was approaching Daroliand would be there very soon. The whole family heard the news and were overjoyed with expectation. When Bhai Sain Dass heard it he was ecstatic like the legendary chatrik bird longing for a drop of rain. Bhai sain Dass was intoxicated with joy, bewildered and oblivious of everything around and like a man possessed he set out in the direction from which the Guru was expected to come. In this state, excited, elated and overwhelmed with emotions he ran, stopped, stumbled, got up, sat down, rose again, fell down up again he moved on and on, till it became impossible even to move a step forward. He collapsed, sat down by the side of the road and was soon lost in a state of trance, oblivious of corporeal existence.
Irresistibly drawn and attracted by the intense love of the beloved devotee the Guru was speeding towards Daroli at a steady pace. Suddenly he caught sight of the beloved devotee motionless like a statue, absorbed and lost in bliss by the roadside. He stopped the horse, got down, came beside the entranced and tranquil Bhai Sain Dass, regarding him with eyes tender, kind and full of grace, and said,” Arise! Arise my beloved and blessed one.” Who could have heard this in such a state of absorption and contemplation! The Guru was touched and moved to tears. The Guru identified himself with Bhai’s state who was lost in the Guru, as thus becoming one with him the Guru spoke as a soul to a soul, “Awake!” and lifted up Bhai Sain Dass in an embrace. Startled, the Bhai opened his eyes as if waking up from a deep slumber, and found himself in the arms of the Guru, the sacred and heavenly hymn of Gurusinging
in his ears:-
Thy devotees hunger but only for Thee.
O lord, fulfil my desire, yes,
O Thou giver of peace, bless me with Thy vision. And take me into thy embrace.
— Adi Granth
Bhai Sain Dass fell prostrate on the Guru's feet who again bent down, lifted him up and embraced him, Sain Dass prostrated himself again at the feet of the Guru, very gracefully and with great joy the Guru enclosed him in his arms and blessed him with the timeless knowledge and eternal enlightenment. Now Bhai Sain Dass was a regenerate Sikh, the elect, the blessed, the beloved Sikh of the Guru, who had seen graced and beautified by the Guru. The luckiest person is the Gursikh, the elect, who is absorbed in the love-divine of the true Guru, and has become one with it, i.e., the ‘self’ gets absorbed in the spirit Divine. He is bom of it andis evermerging with it. Such was the good fortune of Bhai Sain Dass, who else could have deserved it? ~~
The Guru started walking towards Daroli, Bhai Sain Dass was on his left, his horse following him instinctively. Both were completely absorbed in an intimate conversation, a dialogue and acommunion of two kindered souls. Preoccupied thus they were hardly aware of the considerable distance they had covered. Only when they heard the ringing sounds of ecstatic hymn singing by a large group of people, they realised they had almost reached the outskirts of Daroli. The people and the Sikh Sangat had come to welcome their Guru singing in unison the sacred hymns in honour of the Divine Guru. They were also carrying with them the sacred sweet pudding to welcome and honour him. It was neither was he among the villagers who had come to welcome and honour the Guru nor did he participate in serving the guests. He wondered if he had not been led astray by his overwhelming love for the Guru. Very soon, his inner self reassured him that he had been on the right path, the welcome path, that his feet had trodden unbidden . This was the path of divine love, where a loving
devotee merges with the beloved Lord and becomes one with Him. The surroundings were surcharged with the indescribable feelings of reverence joy, love and devotion; the whole atmosphere reverberating with the melodious hymn singing by the joyous devotees. After the joyous prayers were over, the whole congregation stood silently, hands folded and heads bowed in reverence to the Guru. One of the devotees came forward to say the thanks giving prayer. When the prayer was over, heads again bowed in reverence. The sacred sweet pudding was offered ritually to the Guru, and then distributed among all present, every one partaking of it and bowing in gratitude to Almighty and the Guru. In the meanwhile the Guru's retinue had also arrived. They were also given the sweet pudding.
After this ceremonial welcome the Gumi proceeded towards the village shrine, where all the villagers had assembled to reverentially welcome and receive the Guru. Mata Ganga Ji, the Guru's mother was also there, eagerly waiting for the Guru. Restless and anxious, the mother was waiting for her beloved son - the son who is the Guru as well. She clasped her son who bowed to touch her feet. But the loving mother instead held his head in her hands embraced and kissed his forehead. She also honoured him with respect and reverence due to a Guru. But mother as she was, therefore, like all the worldly mothers, she blessed him, dusted his face with one end of her head gear (Dupatta) and felt proud ofhim. When all the mute endearments were over the overwhelmed mother inquired his well being during the journey.
The Guru got up, seeking valedictory permission from his mother to go who also got up and started walking along with him. The Guru looked towards Bhai Sain Dass who was standing and waiting there with his head bowed, hands folded wearing a sash, face radiant with the halo of Nam and eyes luminous with love divine. The Guru smilingly said, “Let us go, Bhai Sain Dass,”. The Guru's family was in the new house. Ramo was eagerly waiting at the portals of the new house; the tears of joy were flowing like a welcome shower; the loving profile of Ramo framed by the doorpost looked statuesque as if
originally placed there for decoration. She was lost and drowned in the ever rising tide of love and devotion. She forgot all about the paraphernalia of traditional welcome she had kept ready. Instead the intense vibrations from deep within her heart were ready and eager, restlessly waiting to welcome the all knowing Guru, who arrived that very moment as if responding to them. He looked at the, then looked towards the house, hesitated a little, looked again at the house and said:
Even if one meditateth on the Lord's Name in a ruin, It becometh a castle of gold.
Twice he repeated the words and then moved forward uttering, “Praised be Guru Nanak.” As he crossed the threshold, one foot going across and the other still behind, Ramo and sain Dass fell prostrate at his feet, clutching one foot each. Both were lost in a rapture. This momentspentinjoy and peace, the exalted moment of devotional consummation and loving communion is the most blessed moment, the transcendental moment, transporting them beyond time to the ultimate union with the beloved Lord. The Guru lovingly placed his hands on their heads in benediction and said “Praised be the Sikh spirit,” and, “Be joyous.” Saying so, he went ahead straight towards a bed and sat down. Once again Bhai Sain Dass and Ramo touched his lotus feet and washed them with tears of love. Ramo got up, went inside and came back escorting her sister, the Guru's wife and the other intimates who in sheer joy clung to his feet. The munificent benefactor and the loving guardian as he is to - all, he blessed them, bestowing all his love and grace to their delight. Ramo went into the kitchen and the Bhai got busy making arrangements for the Guru's ablutions. In the meanwhile the Sangat had gathered there around the Guru. The Guru sat resplendent, like a sun in the world, radiating divine light of grace on this fallen and sinful world. Every Sikh there bowed his head in obeisance offered his love and reverence and in turn received from the Guru the benediction of Name Divine. The Divine power emanating from the mind of the Guru filled the minds of the Sikh with celestial joy. His divine
wisdom ennobled their consciousness and by making it transcend the mundane worldly doubts and vanities. Thus their uplifted inner ‘selves’ were enabled to soar and float in the high heavens. Knowledge when imparted by the word of mouth is first received by listening with ears and is then confirmed by repeating it with tongue. It is thus increased by _ repetition and practice, leading to sharpening of the intellect. Spiritual knowledge is enhanced likewise by listening © with ears; by constant repetition with tongue and sharpening of the intellect and comprehension. Mind, too, is awakened by rigorous practice or when guided by an ‘enlightened’ spiritual mentor, who could show the seeker the state of mental detachment, when the mind rises over and above the mundane thoughts of this dam earth and remains ever absorbed in the purity of bliss. This spiritual knowledge (Brahma Gyan} is a gift of the Guru, the spiritual mentor. Just as the swimmer can teach how to swim; the exalted can uplift the lowly and the meek. The blooming spring can serve the dry and refresh the wilted and the shrivelled and can regentrate the barren to bloom. similarly the ‘enlightened’ soul elevates and shows the way. There is no theorising, empty and impractical, but what is dark is illumined and what is lowis raised like adecrepitfallingroof | lifted up and supported by upright pillars and elevated beams.
The bookish knowledge merely sharpens the intellect and makesunderstanding keener, but the knowledge provided by ‘the enlightened’ and ‘the percipient’ raises ‘the self’ to a very exalted state of awareness. This higher state of consciousness is neither temporal pride nor selfish egocentrism, but is a state or sublime spiritual awareness. The generous and bountiful Guru did shake and stir the minds, ‘the inner selves’ of the devotees present there, bestowing on the them his grace.
The holy preceptor redeems and liberates the mind by normally bestowing only a particle of Name Divine; as Guru Granth the holy book says:-
‘Brother the Master by a particle of the Name To millions brings liberation.
Yes, the Guru, the holy mentor is offering one particle of Name Divine a particle of life, vibrant, incandescent, a particle of ‘soul life’ a particle of vital force and spiritual life, to revive the fallen, the lifeless and the dead. Great and blessed is the life giving Guru as the scripture says:-
Above birth and death are they, for,
They come into the world to do good to others. And they bless all with the life of the soul and Lead all to thy Worship and
Unite all with Thee.
--~ Suhi M.5 Adi Granth 749
Yes, the Guru was great. He gave the vital life-particle the bestower of life. Equally blessed and great are the recepients favoured with this particle of vital force. As the Guru says, “Beyond expression is the praise of men. In whose self is lodged even a particle of the laudation of God.”
_ One miniscule particle, the particle of vital life stirs the lifeless into life. Without it men are lifeless and dead. With it the dead regain life and with it they attain the state of exaltation, because “Where there is contemplation of Lord’s Name Divine, the Formless One is every present there.” Where dwells the Name Divine there dwells God Himself. That tiny particle, a divine spark, a particle of Divine-life is what dwells inside. Ifit is there we are alive, if absent, we are lifeless and empty as “the husk is empty without the grain.” The faces are vacant and desolate without the name-Divine. If such desolate and forlorn faces are dead, then who are the living? “Only he in whom He ever dwells is alive and all others are nothing but lifeless.” |
He who lives in contemplation of God is living. Others are slumbering, lifeless corpses. Just as fire wood burns in a furnace similarly in their stomach, the body’s furnace, burns the food cereals, fruits, vegetables etc. Those who remain deprived and oblivious of the immortal and omnipresent divine light of life, the ever pulsating and stirring ocean of spiritual life, are ~ engrossed in ignorance and are, therefore, not living but dead. He who is always devoted and attached to the Immortal and
eternal Master, the Supreme being, is immortal. Once absorbed and rapt in the inner ‘self’ he should remain steadfast and persist and persevere without the thought of deserting or forsaking this path ever entering his mind. But then, how does one attain this state of mind? A person can achieve it by meditation and contemplation on Name Divine; by receiving the spark of divine light through the grace of Guru Hargobind or somebody equally enlightened and spiritually exalted. After this, one should contemplate and meditate upon the Name Divine received from the holy Preceptor. This is how one would learn to be really alive and live truly. The particle of life imbibed thus willignite the fire of life, just as a spark of fire ever hot and incandescent is capable of igniting blazing fires. Therefore, come under the shelter of the Guru and seek his protection, forsake your dependence on the ego. Only the clever indulge in verbal jugglery and intellectual! hair splitting, but salvation ultimately lies in contemplation. As the Guru says, “To forget Him is to invite perpetual wickedness. To remember Him is an everlasting joy! always live in His presence and remember Him every moment of life, whether you are sitting, sleeping or walking. Therefore, arise! and be awakened. Awake! The awakening is to remember Him, the perpetual and unforgettable remembering of the beloved Lord.”
The Guru the bountiful benefactor bestowed the particle of divine life on all. He sat there in his divine glory both as their holy Preceptor and as an enlightened one blessing and bestowing the boon of life on millions, uplifting and redeeming them. This was how the Great Guruset his foot into Sain Dass’s house. This was how he graced it by his benign presence. This was the ceremonial inauguration and the blessed house warming. One must remember that ultimately everyone has to abandon the house he lives in. Nobody and nothing is eternal. It was not the wish of Sain Dass to build a house for himself. He built it only for the Guru to let it be blest by the Guru's holy feet. Sain Dass merely acted as the servant of God, and instrument of divine grace through whose benevolent efforts, inumberable sinners received the gift of life and divine grace. The Guru exultant in divine pleasure bestowed on those present, the
spark of divine-light, inspiring them into leading a life of devotion, prayer and contemplation on Name Divine, and thus infused them with new life, revived and revitalised them. Blessed were Bhai Sain Dass and his wife Ramo. Equally blessed was the house! Blessed was this marvellous house warming! Remarkable and wondrous are the acts of the God inspired. |
By this time the community lunch (Langar) was ready. The Guru sat on a raised seat after finishing his ablutions. The congregation and all the visiting devotees sat in straight lines on the ground. Everyone present, including the Guru, partook of the mealserved there. Ramoand Sain Dass were both waiting upon and serving the Guru. They were busy serving food and using the hand fan on him, with eyes filled with tears of joy. Sain Dass was serving an august relative. Therefore, he was enjoying the bliss of the divine view in the Guru's presence.
This couple, the inspired and exalted devotees, were imbued with an unselfish, selfless and pure loving devotion. They were serving the Guru as if motivated by avery high and noble sense of mission. After he finished his langar they offered him a towel to dry his hands with. The Guru delighted by this humility, spirit of service and sense of devotion, in an exalted mood of beneficence; face radiant and suffused with light celestial said, “The love and devotion I have observed will liberate you from Wanderings in the turbulent ocean. You have pleased meimmensely, Therefore, I bless you with the ultimate bliss.” On hearing this Bhai Sain Dass fell at the Guru’s feet. Though he was an awakened soul already, still he felt as if new vistas of spiritual insight had been opened. His “self” now seemed to have reached the ultimate realm of “the self". How can one talk about what had happened toSain Dass and Ramo since the experience was ineffable. The state of non-being and non existence had come to an end. The “self” had attained a state of joy, peace and equanimity, a perfect and true state of existence, transcendental and indestructible.
Judaid