Some poets praise Guru ji’s feet by comparing them to the Kalapbrish; some say they are like lotus flowers. What those poets don’t know is that both the Kalapbrish and the lotus flower are not conscious nor can they give Mukti. The lotus does not bloom forever. It closes itself at night. Satguru ji’s feet are conscious and givers of Mukti. They fulfill the wishes of the Bhagats. They are in one-state, day and night. I do not consider the Kalapbrish or the lotus flower deserving of comparison to Guru ji’s feet. His feet are His feet. They are not the Kalapbrish and they are not the lotus.
Bhai Bala ji held a toombee in his hand. He tied a langote and wrapped himself with a blanket. He wore a white Topi. His beard was pure white. He had Guru Nanak Dev ji in his heart and was bowing to his feet. From his moon-like face, he was speaking the history of Guru Nanak Dev ji. Although Kavi Santokh Singh ji is writing the Sri Nanak Prakash Granth, his main source of resource was the Janamsakhi of Bhai Bala ji; the narrator of this Granth will be Bhai Bala ji from this point on, unless stated otherwise.
Sri Bala Sandhur Vaach.
Kaliyuga was in its fierce form. It came on too strong in its early stages. The sins increased in numbers. Droughts and tragedies began to occur often. The kings became corrupt. The Panth of Mohammed grew quick. The ones that interpreted the Panth of Mohammed in a fundamental and narrow way, became tyrants to those who didn’t follow their way. The poor and weak were preyed upon. Cows and the poor were being killed, despite of being innocent. The kings acted like the messengers of death and became corrupt. The kings were unwise and corrupt-minded. People were stopped from doing the good acts. The ministers and officials became engrossed in adultery, visiting prostitutes. Their minds were crocked and committed sins. Corrupt minds, tyranny, gambling, pain; this became the norm. They became like the son of the demoness, Rahu. Dharam was the Pooranmaashi moon that was being covered by Rahu. The Rajas didn’t listen to anyone’s cries for help. The Qaazis took bribes to make lies into the truth. They didn’t think of giving justice to the righteous. The language of corruption covered the land. People discarded their Dharma. Acts of humanity became weak. Good deeds were scarce. Sins became strong. The poor and weak were being looted. Others’ tasks were being spoiled. Others’ money, slandering and adultery became the items of interest for all who were trying to possess them, day and night. Jangams, Sarayvarays and Dighambhers fought with each other. The 6 Matts were wasting their time without the Name of Akaal Purakh. The Jogis had 12 Panths: Hetu, Paav, Ayee, Gumya, Paagal, Gopal, Das, Kunthri, Bann, Dhvuj, Choli and Raaval. Without Prema Bhagti they were separated from the Master. The Brahmins debated and quarrelled over the Shastras. Some became Sanyasis by shaving their heads but their minds longed for money and women. Some became Ateets and called themselves Bairagis; but their minds burned in desires more than the Ghristis. Pandits and guards did thefts. Who was going to protect everyone then? The kings were supposed to be moats for the subjects but the moats were eating up the fields, badly.
The sins had exceeded the tolerance of the world. Dharma had lost its patience. Love and empathy were lost in the world. Prema Bhagti ceased to exist. Dharti had become scared. Dharti remembered the “Ikankaar” Akaal Purakh. She became humble and made a request to Akaal Purakh: “you are omnipotent. You are ancient and the root of existence. You are “Sanatan.” You are the saviour of the weak. You are compassionate to the weak. Oh master of the weak, you sustain all life forms. You are new in all states of time; you are indestructible; you are indescribable; you cannot be quantified; you are homogenous and have no differences. You are the master of Maya. The sins of Kaliyuga are too much for me to tolerate. It is a tough time for me. The people are too sinful in Kaliyuga. I can’t stay like this. There were 4 pillars in Satyuga: Sat – Truth; Soch – Purity; Tapp – Austerity; and Daya - Merci. Treta had 3 and Dwapur had 2. Kaliyuga only has one. I can’t stay standing on one pillar. The sins of Kaliyuga are too fierce. The weight is too much for one pillar to keep myself up. I need support. Oh Ikankaar, listen to my cries: make me stable. Give me support.” The Jot form of Akaal Purakh heard Dharti’s cries. The giver of joy and peace pondered: “I have sent many Prophets and messengers to stabilize Dharma but they all started their own religions. The task I sent them for, they didn’t do. I wanted them to give the people of the world my Name. Instead, they started their own ideologies and didn’t tell the people of the glory of the Naam. Naam would have given stabilization to the world.” In this way, the Master thought. Akaal Purakh said to Dharti: “you will be stabilized when Naam and Keertan will be prevalent. To do this task, I will have to come myself. Nobody else can do this besides me.” The house of Dharma gave hope to Dharti and decided to come with all of the powers. Dharti was really happy to hear this. Akaal Purakh continued: “the house of the Raghus is without stains. I will come in the family of Ram Chander ji.” Ikankaar ji was born in the house of Bedis, who were from the generation of Ram Chander ji. Akaal Purakh ji came as the Satguru.
There was darkness in the world. The corrupt thieves were like the twinkling stars. In this darkness, the Kumud (a flower that blooms at night) was blooming. The path of Mohammed grew during this time which was interpreted in the wrong way. The path of Mohammed was of love and peace. The greedy sinners used religion to gain wealth and lands; killing and converting others unwillingly. The darkness spread. The radiance of Guru Nanak Dev ji was like the sun. The saints bloomed seeing the Satguru; just as the lotus blooms seeing the sun. Guru Nanak Dev ji’s words were like the sunrays. The sinners were like owls who felt the pain of the morning sun rising. The rising sun made the servants happy like the Chakwa and the Chakwi. Bhagti illuminated in the world. The ignorance diminished like the sleep in the morning. The Sikhs gained the Gyaan. The people woke up because of Gyaan, leaving the dream of the darkness of the mind behind. They adhered to Dharma. Guru Nanak Dev ji came to give stability to Dharti. He was born in the house of the Bedis.
Listen oh listeners: I, Bala Sandhur, have told you the reason of Guru ji’s birth. Guru Angad Dev ji, I will tell you about his birth now. Guru Angad Dev ji, you are the provider of joy. The area between Ravi and Chenab was known as Baar Desh. It is considered the Raja of all the lands. Just as a wise king doesn’t let the subjects live in pain, the people of Baar Desh were happy. Ravi flows on the one side, which has beautiful waves. The waves were like the fan for this Raja Desh (king of countries). The Baar Desh shows royalty. The other side, flows the Chenab which also has beautiful waves. It was the Chaur of the Desh. It was the symbol of the glory of the Desh. There was never a drought in this area. It was always green. The 7 types of droughts never touched this area due to the rivers. Thieves had left the area. Their generations had left. Fruits and flowers decorated the land. Travellers would not want to leave the area. The trees gave shade and fruit to everyone. The people who lived there were moral, full of compassion and followers of Dharam. They loved to serve visitors. They served people in different ways. Scholars and artists lived there. Horses of good breeds lived there. Animal and birds of good species lived there. Brahma made this Desh a treasure of all good things. It was the best place in Bharat. In the Baar Desh, there was a beautiful Nagri called Rai Bhoi di Talwandi. All four castes lived there. There were beautiful gardens in this area. Fragrant flowers adorned the area. The grading of the Nagri was high. The other villages were jealous of Talwandi. The balconies and rooftops spoke to the sky. Beautiful houses were made in this Desh. It was never too hot nor too cold. The markets were always full. Brahma had made this place into heaven for the birth of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. It was full of joys and happiness. The milk of the cows was like Amrit. The people of the village were like Devatas. They were wise and knowledgeable. Vishwakarma was amazed to see this place. This Nagri had the best reciters of the Vedas. They were full of Dharam. Wise Brahmins lived there. The Kshatriyas were ready to fight for Dharma. The Merchants were rich. The wise people followed the Vedic traditions. The Devatas and saints had already taken birth, waiting for Akaal Purakh to be born here. The Shudras served everyone with devotion. People were healthy because they had the knowledge of Ayurveda. The Bedi family lived there. They were scholars of Shastervidya. The flags of Mukh Kalika, Agni Kund and Yagna Thumb were flying there. The ones doing Yagna had discarded cowardness. The Bedis had lived here for a while. Baba Shiv Ram ji was born in this family. He was a Satoguni person. He had discarded Rajoguni and Tamoguni ideologies. Baba Shiv Ram ji was married to Mata Banarsi ji. She was a Pativrata. They had two sons: Baba Kalu ji and Baba Lalu ji. They were fortunate and of good karma. They were Bhagats, Jappis, Tappis, Brathis, and Nemis from many births. Baba Kalu ji wanted Akaal Purakh to be born into his house. He wanted the house of Gyaan, Vishnu, to be born in his home. He did a lot of Bhagti and carried out efforts to fulfill his wish. He did an ardaas: “Prabhoo, you have taken a birth in the home of bore and fish as Varaah and Much Avatar. If I am without Virtues, I am still eligible for you to be born in my house as I am human. You have been praised in the Vedas: you do the impossible for love. You took a birth in the home of Aditi and Kashyap as Bhaavan because of love. You destroyed the Daynts and are praised in every form.” He prayed in every birth and did strict Tapasya for this. When he took birth as Baba Kalu ji, his wish was fulfilled. Baba Shivram ji married his son, Baba Kalu ji, in a good home. Baba Kalu ji was married to a Pativrata woman who was full of countless virtues. She was Mata Tripta ji. Her calmness and greatness could not be quantified. Both wife and husband did Bhagti of Akaal Purakh. In the Nagri of Rai Bhoi di Talwandi, Rai Bhullaar was the Haakam. He loved Baba Kalu ji like his own brother. The Jageer of 20 villages was under Rai Bhullaar’s rule. He had made Baba Kalu ji the Patvaari (administrator) of these villages. Baba Kalu ji and Mata Tripta ji lived a joyful life. They had the wish of having a child. A great daughter was born to them. It was Bebe Nanaki ji. She was wise and pure. She was the Avatar of Bhagti and Bhuddi. She was like Parvati, born in the house of Himalaya and Maina. She was a beautiful girl who did the Bhagti of Prabhoo all the time.
Time passed on. The master of the universe saw the love in Baba Kalu ji’s heart and made the effort to be born as his son. It was time to fulfill his wish of having Akaal Purakh as his son. Mata Tripta ji was pregnant for a second time. Just as the glow of the moon grows from the second night of the new moon, that is how the radiance of Mata Tripta ji grew. Mata Tripta ji had taken off her jewellery. She looked very beautiful. She was radiant. Wherever she went, she illuminated wherever she sat. If the listener is to be skeptical of this, consider this: the illuminator of all the dimensions was in her womb. Why wouldn’t the mother of Akaal Purakh be glowing? As the time approached for the Master to be born, the crocked people began to become pure. Truth, contentment, Dharma, purity, and love came into their hearts. The winds of Talwandi became cool and fragrant. The wind was pleasant to all. Clouds with heavy rains came to water the land as per the wishes of the inhabitants. Flowers and fruits grew and ripened. The fruits and flowers wished to show everyone their joy. Parmeshwar was coming to relieve the pain of all. The hearts became joyful. There was bliss everywhere. It was like they were filled with honey. The earth was a new green. People were happy. The animals and birds were happy. The plants were happy. As the nine months passed, the Sarada Rut (winter) moon glowed. It was the full moon of Kathak. The stars in the sky glowed like the virtues of the Jagyaso (seeker of truth). The clouds moved away, empty of rain; just as vices leave a person after doing the Satsangat. The full moon of Kathak came and the glories of Hari illuminated. It was 1526 Vikram (1469 CE), when the Master of the Universe took an Avatar during the Amritvela. Everyone was filled with joy when the Satguru came. Everyone around the area was happy, without them knowing why. They couldn’t figure out why they were so happy. The life on land and in the sky did the Simran of the Indestructible One. The Devatas and humans; all did Simran of Akaal Purakh. They played the conches and shouted out: “Jai! Jai! Jai!” The Devatas sprayed essences of sandalwood, saffron and Kapoor in the house of Baba Kalu ji. They showered his house with the flowers from the Kalapbrish tree. People were amazed to smell this great fragrance. They had no idea where the beautiful smell was coming from. The Devatas came and did the Aarti of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. The nurses and midwives from good homes came to help Mata Tripta ji. The Divas with 8 lights were lit. That was the tradition of the time during birth. Guru Nanak Dev ji’s radiance was so bright that the light from the Divas was less. The radiance from his face amazed the nurses. They were mesmerized with the divinity of the baby. Guru Nanak Dev ji did not cry when he was born. Instead, he was smiling. The nurses did the darshan of Akaal Purakh coming to earth. The nurses didn’t know if this was a good or bad omen as they had never seen a baby smiling when born before. They were used to seeing babies cry after birth. The unwise nurses didn’t know what mystery this baby brought. Meeting the Satguru would wash their pains away. How would he be in pain? The maid ran to Baba Kalu ji and said: “Patvaari Sahib ji, congratulations! A son is born to you. His face is radiant. It is time for celebration.” Baba Kalu ji heard the news of his son being born. He put a fist full of money into the chunni of the nurse. He had received the joy of the world this day. The joy was compared to a beggar having the Kalapbrish growing in his home. It was a tradition of the Vedas to bathe with the clothes on and so that is what Baba Kalu ji did. He focused his attention unto Parmeshwar and bowed his head with his hands folded.
In this way, the birth of Guru ji happened. This is how Guru Nanak Dev ji came into the world. He came to give joy to the Bhagats and the Dharti. I will also tell you the way the celebration took place. I will tell you about the one who destroyed the illnesses of this Earth.