The lotus feet of Sri Guru ji, its dust is like a chain around the elephant-like mind, which is controlled. I make my mind still and begin the Katha which gives Mukti.
Sri Bala Sandhur Vaach..
In Ahmnabad, Guru ji stayed with Bhai Laalo ji. He stayed with him because of love. For 15 days, Bhai Laalo ji served Guru ji’s feet. The king was a Pathaan of Ahmnabad. The people of his court were all corrupt. His Minister was a Kshatriya named Malik Bhaago. He was not wise at all. He was really rich who had collected money by committing many sins. To have himself praised among the people, he held a Brahm Bhoj (a Langar for all 4 castes). Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras; all were invited. The many places of Fakirs and saints, he sent his men to invite them as well. He had a servant Brahmin go around giving invitations. He came to where the flag of the Bedis was. He saw Guru ji and said: “oh Nanak Tappa, where are you going? You have been invited for a Brahm Bhoj.” Guru ji responded: “oh Brahmin, what invitation? Think about it and tell me.” The Brahmin said: “The Kshatriya Malik Bhaago has invited all 4 castes. He has called for a Brahm Bhoj. Many will go to his home.” Guru ji said: “whom do I belong to? I am a Dervish who does not belong to any caste.” The Brahmin heard this and laughed. He said: “this is why you are called the Kurahia. The words you say, you always say the opposite. You left the traditions of the world. That’s why you are called Kurahia. Whoever doesn’t come to the Brahm Bhoj, Malik Bhaago will get angry at them. He will kick you out of the city. I have told you. Now it’s up to you on what you wish to do.” The Brahmin left after giving the invitation.
The Home of Forgiveness remained quiet. Malik Bhaago had a lot of food made. High and low castes were all called. Many people came to eat the food. A lot of foods were made. They were all satiated and praised Malik Bhaago. They saw him as a gracious person. The corrupt people didn’t know how big of a sinner Malik Bhaago was. He collected money by sin. He had a great Bhoj.
Guru Nanak Dev ji didn’t go to Malik Bhaago’s. He spent his whole day in the jungle. In the evening, Guru ji came to Bhai Laalo ji’s home. The Brahmin noticed that the “Tappa” had not come to the Bhoj. He told Malik Bhaago about this. He tattletaled on Guru ji to Malik Bhaago. He was already jealous so he didn’t waste any time telling Malik Bhaago: “look Malik ji, the Kshatriya Nanak Tappa did not come. He thinks he is greater than you. He didn’t come to your home to eat your food for this reason. He doesn’t come under anyone’s eye. He has left the traditions and follows the wrong path. He walks the wrong path and eats food at a Shudra’s home. He is not afraid of you and didn’t come here.” Malik Bhaago asked: “did you invite him this morning or not?” The Brahmin said: “I did invite him. I told him many times.” Malik Bhaago heard this and got angry. It was like an insect getting angry on top of a lion. He said: “go Brahmin and call him. I will see his manliness. I want to see his strength. It’s amazing that he is not afraid.” The Brahmin got happy and went to Guru ji.
Where Bhai Laalo ji’s home was, the Brahmin came to the door and shouted out loud: “Laalo, is Nanak Tappa here?” Bhai Laalo ji said: “yes! He is sitting inside. What task do you have with him? Tell me.” The Brahmin said: “send him outside.” Sri Guru ji got up and came outside. Guru ji said: “what are you saying? Tell me your reason for coming.” The Brahmin said: “Come! Malik Bhaago is calling you. If you don’t come, he will send his men to get you.” The home of joy said: “what work does Malik Bhaago have with me? I don’t know any Malki Bhaago nor do I know where he lives. I have never heard of him. I have nothing to give or take with him. Why did he send you? Why is he commanding me?” The Brahmin came back, who didn’t know the greatness of Guru ji. He said to Malik Bhaago: “listen Malik ji, he didn’t obey your command. He doesn’t see you as anything. He disobeyed you. He says: “I don’t know Malik Bhaago or where he lives.” He is stubborn. He spoke harsh words about you. He didn’t come after you called him. You can do as you wish. He slanders your Bhoj. He eats at the bad Shudra’s home. He is a Kshatriya and has no shame in breaking the traditions.” Malik Bhaago got angry. The Brahmin’s words were like Ahooti in the fire. He became red with anger. He said: “if he doesn’t come this time, I will send many men to get him.” He said to his men: “get ready and go with the Brahmin.” The Brahmin took 5 men with anger.
The Brahmin came to Guru ji and shouted: “oh Nanak Tappa! Malik ji is very angry with you. Come with me. Make up your mind to go. Otherwise the men with me will take you by force. They won’t waste time.” Sri Prabhoo ji heard the harsh words and laughed. He then went to where Malik Bhaago was sitting. To defeat the foolish Malik and destroy his ego, to make him embarrassed, Sri Guru ji went to Malki Bhaago’s home. Bhai Laalo ji followed with fear and doubt. The men went behind. They were really happy. They didn’t know it was Parmeshwar coming with them.
In the city it was now known that Sri Guru ji had been called to Malik Bhaago. People came running to walk with Guru ji. They all came to Malik Bhaago’s home. The Brahmin said: “Nanak has come to you.” Malik Bhaago said: “good he has come. Bring him here.” Sri Guru ji said: “why did you call me here? You sent your men, over and over again. What work do you have with me? You commanded me without fear.” Malik Bhaago said: “why didn’t you come to the Brahm Bhoj? The Brahmin invited you. You didn’t come to eat the food. What fault did you see in my Brahm Bhoj that you didn’t want to come?” Guru ji said: “I am a Fakir. I have no claim on anything. I spend where I can. I don’t promise anything. Wherever I get food, I eat. I have no wish to eat anything great. Whatever I get, I eat what is made with faith. I eat with joy.” Malik heard this and got angry. He said: “you go against tradition. You are not afraid. I heard that you are a Kshatriya. You ate at the home of a Shudra. You call yourself a Tappa. I am angry looking at you. I held this Brahm Bhoj and you find faults in it. You ate at the home of a low caste person. I invited you but you didn’t come. You didn’t consider my invitation. The Brahmins and Kshatriyas and other castes ate at my home. Look everyone, he didn’t like my food.” Sri Guru ji said: “bring your food now from the Brahm Bhoj. Bring what you prepared. I don’t want any desire to remain in your heart.” Guru ji said to Bhai Laalo ji: “go to your home and bring any food that remains.” Bhai Laalo ji went to his home and saw a piece of a Kodra (millet) Oat Roti.
Malik Bhaago brought his ghee drenched food. Whatever was prepared, it was brought out. Mal Pooras, Pooris, Karah and other foods were brought out, quickly. The food was placed in front of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. Malik Bhaago spoke with pride: “eat with joy!” Guru ji looked towards Bhai Laalo ji who was arriving with a piece of his Kodra Roti. Guru ji took the Kodra Roti from Bhai Laalo ji’s home in his hand. Guru ji held the Pooras of Malik Bhaago’s Brahm Bhoj in his left hand and the Kodra Roti of Bhai Laalo ji in his right hand. Guru ji then squeezed both of his hands. A lot of people were watching. Liquid trails came out of the two hands. The place was filled with many people. From one hand came a trail of milk and from the other hand, there was blood leaking. It was like Ganga and Sarasvati flowing. The Ganga is known to be white and the Sarasvati is known to be red. On one side, the milk fell to the ground and on the other side, blood fell to the ground. As Guru ji squeezed his hands more, more milk and blood flowed from his hands. Everyone was amazed and surprised to see this. They said: “we have never seen anything like this. He took out blood and milk from the food.” The crowd gathered. The people were surprised to see what was happening. They couldn’t understand what was happening. They just watched.
Sri Guru ji was the root of Dharma. He spoke great words, which were blissful: “Malik, you have taken the blood of many. You did the Brahm Bhoj from the blood of the poor. You made the poor work hard for your profits. Eating your sinful food, the virtues and good deeds run away. You earned money by sinful ways. Listen to my words. These unwise people don’t know this. These people ate your food who don’t understand this. Eating this food, the Tapasya of Tapasvis is destroyed. The focus of the meditator will not stay eating this food. This food makes the mind dirty. The new colour of the praises of Hari will not be absorbed. Prema Bhagti will not be felt by eating this food. The pure-minded ones who know this, why would they drink this blood? Why would they want to lose their good deeds? You should understand this. Look at the food from the Shudra’s home. Pure milk comes out of his food. There is a Brahm Bhoj at his home every day. I eat his food every day. He works honestly all day. He doesn’t think of making money with sins. He works hard with his hands and earns the money. He eats from those earnings. He gives to the poor first and then he eats. Eating his food makes the mind pure and washes away the filth from many lives. You, Malik Bhaago, collect the earnings by committing sins and then you want people to praise you so you give them rich food. You hide your sins in your mind. You don’t show or tell anyone how you earned the food. You planted a Kikar seed (Gum Arabic) which grows thorns and pricks the travelers. This so-called “good deed” that you are doing by feeding everyone is for the purpose of feeding your ego by their praises. The seed that is not planted does not grow fruit. Only the one that is hidden in the earth grows to give fruit. This tradition is known by all. You are opposite to both these things. You will know this when the Jumms scare you. You earned money with sins and then you fed your ego.” Seeing the great fire-like radiance of Satguru ji, Malik Bhaago’s mind was like firewood. He got burnt by Guru ji’s word. The fool didn’t understand anything. Guru ji’s words were like ghee, touching the fire and making the fire fiercer. Malik Bhaago got angrier. He couldn’t do anything though. He was embarrassed. He lowered his head. He didn’t know what to say. He got anxious like a cheap person losing his money. It was like a person losing money in gambling; like a thief going into a home and getting caught; like a cheater getting caught. The people of all castes, high and low, stood there and listened. They were amazed. Sri Guru ji got up and came outside. He was like the sun of Gyaan. Bhai Laalo ji was with him. He was really happy. His body showed his joy. Guru ji’s teeth were like white crystal flowers. The Home of Compassion, Guru ji, his face was like the moon.
Guru ji came back to Bhai Laalo ji’s home after exposing Malik Bhaago. His compassion makes the pain of the Jumms go away. In the city of Ahmnabad, the news spread. People talked about the miracle of leaking milk and blood from the food: “Malik Bhaago is embarrassed. He couldn’t say anything to Guru ji as he spoke.” The wise people understood the glory of Guru ji in their hearts. They started to bow to Guru ji wherever they saw him from that day onwards. His Darshan destroyed all the 3 illnesses. The people saw him as a powerful person. They said: “don’t slander him. That will give you pain. He is a saint. His ways are different. His power is undefeatable. No one can defeat him.” The foolish unwise people didn’t see his greatness after seeing the miracle. It was like a monkey holding the Chintamani and not knowing its value; biting it and throwing it away. They said: “he blocked our vision. We couldn’t understand what he did.”
Malik, the foolish unwise one, he was filthy with sins. He couldn’t know the greatness of Guru ji after seeing the miracle. He was jealous. The unwise one thought to himself: “I will take revenge. Then I will be in peace. Look how he embarrassed me. I will go to the Khan and have him arrested.” The fool didn’t know that doing such a thing would make his pain grow even more. He was going to go to Hell for this. He went to the Khan king’s home in the morning. He went to the Khan’s court. The Khan’s son was sick, on his deathbed. Everyone tried their best to save the prince but the illness would not go away. Malik was asked by the Khan: “my son is still sick. No effort or medicine worked. What should I do? I tried many medicines. I went to the Gauns and Fakirs with powers. Nothing worked. I tried everything that everyone told me to do. I did it all.” Malik Bhaago thought to himself: “what I wanted, that is what has happened.” The sinner spoke words which would give him Hell: “go to a big Fakir. That person can cure your son. Only that complete Fakir can cure your son. It’s like weak arms can’t catch an enemy. Find a complete Fakir.” The Khan heard this and said: “I can’t see anyone who is complete. I haven’t seen such a Fakir.” Malik Bhaago said: “there is one named “Nanak.” He is a complete Fakir.” Many hear things but don’t see advantage or disadvantage. People don’t know good from bad. They don’t know if a Fakir should be arrested or respected. They don’t know if one should do their Seva or capture them? How would a saint be happy being arrested? The Khan heard the words and sent his guards.
The guards of the Khan came to Bhai Laalo ji’s home. Guru Nanak Dev ji was in the jungle, where Rori Sahib is. The lotus-eyed one met the guards in the jungle. The guards said: “come with us. The king has called for you. If you don’t come with us, we will take you by force.” The Lotus-bodied One went with the guards to the home of the Khan.
The Master of the Universe sat beside the Khan. The Khan did Guru ji’s Darshan and said: “oh Fakir, my son is sick. Make his pain go away. Cure him. Make us happy. Otherwise, I will arrest you. I won’t let you go nor will I feed you in jail.” Guru Nanak Dev ji heard this and said: “you are caught in the bonds of attachment and are deteriorating. The son you wish to cure, has already gone to the realm of Jumms. If you don’t believe me, go and send your men for his news. Don’t show your pride off to me, sitting here with your inflated ego.” The Khan was surprised. He sent someone to his home. He was in pain, hearing Guru ji’s words. As this was happening, a person came from the Khan’s home with news of his son’s death. The king heard this and was upset. The Master of the Universe got up and came outside of the court. He went back to the jungle. The egotistical Khan, his ego was destroyed. Guru ji spent time in this way. He destroyed the jungle of pain of his servants with his fire-like arrow. Guru ji stayed with Bhai Laalo ji in the night. During the day, he would go to the jungle to do Tapasya.