The feet of Sri Guru ji are the canopy over the head. It gives the never-ending shade. The sun of the Jumms does not come close.
Sri Bala Sandur Vaach..
Guru ji stayed in Bishamberpur for a long time and destroyed the bad wisdom of the people. He spread Sikhi, the way of Mukti, there. Everyone did the Simran of Satnam, the giver of peace. One day as Guru ji was sitting, Bhai Mardana ji spoke: “have you come to stay here? The city is beautiful. You seem to have fallen in love with it. When you left Talwandi, you were detached from everything. It seems as though you are happy here. We should travel to other lands now. Wherever you wish, you should go.” I heard this and thought to myself: “he is a Doom Marashi after all, so he keeps talking. He hasn’t let go of his ways. He has seen Guru ji’s glory so many times but still doesn’t live by his will.” Guru ji said: “let’s go Mardana! Let’s go and see other lands of different areas.” Guru ji took leave from the city. He established Bhagti in the world.
The Giver of Mukti travelled on ahead. After a few miles, we saw the shore of the ocean. A Mach, a big fish, was on the shore. The fish was spread over 100 km. Guru ji got on top of its back and spoke: “listen Mardana and Bala, we are traveling on top of this, do you know who this is?” I said: “what do we know? Only you know your ways. We are unwise. What would we know. You are the Parmeshwar, the great being. We know what you make us know. We see what you show us.” Guru ji said: “this is a big Mach. We have been travelling on it for a while. It is really big. Let’s go and see how big it is.” We all travelled and sat at the head of the Mach. Bhai Mardana ji looked around and saw the really big face of the fish. Its eyes were really big. He got scared and was surprised. He then spoke: “Sri Guru ji, your power and nature are only known by you.” The night passed and the morning came. The Mach’s body changed into a Devata. He was touched by Guru ji’s feet. He bowed to Guru ji’s feet and praised him: “you are the Chetna and Anand form. You destroy the pains. You are the Sri Parmatma, the Dev of Devatas. Only you know your ways.” The Light of the Bedis said: “who are you? Tell us. How did you become such a big fish? You let that go and came into the form of a Devata. You look wise now with nice clothes and jewellery.” The Mach spoke: “you know everything about me. I will tell you the story because you want others to hear it. Oh Master, you are asking me so I will tell you. From the time of Raja Janak in Tretayuga, I was his servant. He was Mukat. One day, he told me to do something. I did the work in anger. Raja Janak was omniscient. He knew what I was thinking and said: “you did the work but you suffered like a fish.” By his words, I became a fish. I was a fish for a long time. I touched your feet today and so I became a Devata.” The Mach then went to the dimension of Devatas as his curse from Raja Janak broke.
Guru ji traveled on ahead. As we walked, Bhai Mardana ji said: “Sri Prabhoo ji, forgive my mistake. I didn’t know your glory. I’m always speaking in front of you. I don’t keep respect in front of you.” Guru ji laughed and said: “I had forgiven your past sins first, then I took you with me. Why did you doubt this? Don’t worry about thinking about that. I have a deep love for you. I have a lot of work with you.” Bhai Mardana ji was happy to hear that.
We travelled on the ocean as we had done before. Bhai Mardana ji said: “there is no difference between you and Khuddah.” He spoke with devotion. Guru ji said: “don’t say anything. Just walk behind me quietly.” Bhai Mardana ji said: “Prabhoo ji, whom do I fear? I am with you.” Guru ji said: “there will be a big problem ahead. The form is scary and it is big. You will be scared seeing it.” Bhai Mardana ji got scared and said: “why are we going that way then? We should go back, quickly. Protect us from it.” Guru ji saw Bhai Mardana ji scared and laughed. He said: “if we run back, it won’t let us go. It will run and catch you. It’s better to go on ahead. Kartaar will do good.” Kal (the wife of Naarad), was coming ahead. Her form was scary. Her eyes were red like blood. She was black. Her teeth were scary and big. She had human intestines around her neck. She held skull pots of blood in her hands. Her hair was brown and metallic. It was open. The Devatas and Daynts were scared to see her. She opened her mouth and walked towards Guru ji. When Guru ji saw her, he saw a staff in the ocean. He picked up the staff and hit Kal in the face with it. Kal tried to hold the staff but there was nothing she could do. The staff got stuck in her throat. She was in pain. She yelled in great pain. She shed tears. Bhagat Naarad Muni ji came with the Veena in his hands. He was drenched in Prema Bhagti. He came, singing the praises of Kartaar. He did the Darshan of Guru ji. Both bowed to each other. Both folded their hands and bowed to each other with respect. Naarad ji had Guru ji release his wife. He then looked at Guru ji’s form, which was the beautiful Amrit. Naarad ji could not get enough of looking at Guru ji. He praised Guru ji: “you are the beginning who said the 12 Vaaks of the Vedas; so Brahma would recognize himself. Brahma then spoke the 4 Vedas. In Satyuga, you sustained the Dharam. You gave the wisdom of the Name and Yoga. The people who did Simran, you cut their pains. You then saw the low wisdom of the people and then lowered their age. By Manu Raja, you gave him the Manu Simriti and said: “do Simran and Yagna.” In Treta, you sustained Dharma in this way. Many received Mukti in this way. The tradition of the Dharma was spread. In Dwapur, you saw the wisdom of the people go bad. You lowered the age and gave them the Puranas in the form of Vyaas. You gave him the 18 Puranas. You told them to do Simran of the Name and to do the Pooja of 16 types. In this way, you saved many in Dwapur. Dharma was spread in this way. Now it’s the time of Kaliyuga. People are not wise. They are dirty, stuck in desires and vices. You came and gave the beautiful Baani. You gave the wisdom of the Name of Parmeshwar. They are to do Simran and come to the Satsang. You destroyed the doubts of many humans. You saved them from the world ocean. The people who obey you, they will be saved. When you see the Dharma being slandered and in trouble, you come as a great Avatar. You save the people yourself. You keep the Maryada and give joy to all.” Guru ji was happy with Naarad ji and spoke sweetly: “oh Dev Rishi, you are the Ishwar of the Munnis. You are the greatest. You know yourself. You live in every heart. The Viraat form of Kartaar, you are the Munn of the Viraat form. (This is to clarify that Naarad is the power of the mind and makes the efforts) You are the supreme Bhagat of Prema Bhagti. There is no one like you. The praise of Sri Kartaar is like the water. You, oh patient one, your mind is like a fish in that water.” They met each other with joy. There was a lot of love from both sides.
Naarad Munni ji brought his wife, Kal, and made her bow to Guru ji’s feet. He said: “please forgive her mistake. Be compassionate with her. She has been hungry for a long time. She didn’t know of your greatness.” When Guru ji heard these humble words, Guru ji became compassionate and said: “this is my first form. When I will be in the 6th form, I will satiate her hunger. Then in my 10th Avatar, I will establish a strong Panth. There will be many wars. Her desires will be fulfilled then. She will be fully satiated then (Kal is only satiated by the blood and flesh of true warriors).” Guru ji blessed both and gave them leave. They went to where they pleased. This history is beautiful. Listen Guru Angad Dev ji, oh Compassionate One.”
The other Sikhs that were listening, they asked Bhai Bala ji some questions: “Naarad Munni ji praised Guru ji. He said that Guru ji kept the glory of the Naam in all the Yugas. We can conclude that without the Name, Mukti cannot be achieved. There is nothing bigger than the Name. Why was Yoga, Yagna and Pooja talked about? The 3 Yugas had the Naam. Why were the other practices mentioned? In Kaliyuga, it’s only the Naam. Doing Simran will give you Mukti.” The listeners asked Bhai Bala ji these questions. Bhai Bala ji said: “listen oh Sikhs, the lovers of the Satguru, I will tell you what I have heard and learnt. Listen to the example: there were 2 men who had stomach aches. One was poor and the other was rich. The pains in their stomachs were unbearable. They yelled out in pain. They lost their patience. The rich man went to a Vaid (doctor). He told him of his pain. The Vaid was wise. He understood his pain. He thought to himself: “he can be cured easily. If I give him Ajwain, he will be cured. If I tell him this, he won’t know the greatness of Ajwain. He is rich, he won’t think he can be cured that easily.” The wise Vaid made a placebo and gave it to the rich man. He said to him: “take this medicine with ajwain. Mix them together and eat it. Your stomach illness will be cured.” The rich man came home with the placebo. He mixed it with the ajwain and ate it. He was cured. He understood the Vaid as quite wise. He told everyone: “the Vaid give me a medicine which cured my stomach illness.”
The poor man also went to the Vaid. He didn’t have even one coin in his home. He told the Vaid of his illness: “cure my pain. Do something.” The Vaid diagnosed the poor man with the same illness as the rich man’s. He said: “just take some ajwain. Eat it and you will be cured.” The poor man folded his hands and said: “I don’t have money to buy ajwain. Please be compassionate and give me something to cure me.” The Vaid heard this and became compassionate. He gave him money to buy ajwain. The poor man took the money and bought ajwain. He ate the ajwain and cured himself. In the same way, the complete Guru saw this. He gave wisdom as per the strength and ability of the people. In Satyuga, the wisdom was pure. They lived for 100,000 years. They won’t be able to pass their time doing only Simran. With the Naam, they were given the wisdom of Yoga. Prana Yam along with Simran, many crossed this world ocean. When Treta Yuga came, their age was reduced to 10,000 years. People became rich. Guru ji gave them wisdom according to their situation. Along with the Simran of the Naam, they were told to do Yagnas. By doing this, this Dharma broke the bonds of the world. Many did Yagnas and Simran to be saved in that Yuga. Dwapur then came. People lived till 1,000 years. They had to do Pooja with the Simran of the Naam. The Giver of joy gave this wisdom. Many wise people were saved like this. In the 3 Yugas, the people were stronger and lived longer. Strength, wealth and age was a lot. Guru ji saw Kaliyuga without these 3 things. The pain had grabbed the humans. The poor were given the wisdom of the Naam of the Parmeshwar. The Guru, the Master of the Universe, was the Vaid. People didn’t have the wisdom. They couldn’t learn Sanskrit. The Satguru gave the wisdom in the language of the people. He gave us the money needed to buy the ajwain. It was hard to learn and understand Sanskrit. They wouldn’t have been able to understand the glory of the Naam that was engrained in the Vedas. For this reason, Satguru ji uttered the Bani from his mouth. He wrote it for the people. Just as the cloud drinks water from the ocean, to become generous to the people, the ocean water is salty, the clouds make the water sweet and rain over the different lands; Jeevs and animals are in joy then, the pain runs away; the Vedas and Puranas are great like the ocean; they are difficult to consume like salty water; the people don’t know what is more important and what is not so important in the Vedas and Puranas. The cream of the Vedas and Puranas; Guru ji is the cloud that has picked up only the water from the ocean and not the salt. He made the language easy for all the lands to understand. The language that is easy for all men and women; king and pauper; high class and low class; they can read it and earn it in the world.” Bhai Bala ji said: “listen oh listeners, the one Naam is the Giver of Mukti. Let go of your ego and do the Simran with focus. You will break the bonds of the world. Where there is ego, Naam won’t be able to stay there. Where there is Naam, ego runs away. These are not my words. This is what Sri Satguru ji, the Giver of Mukti, said.”