Guru ji’s actions were blissful and beautiful like the lotus flower. The praise is radiant like the swan; illuminating like Sharda. This beauty and radiance; it is as though bees are looking to smell the fragrance of the virtues of the wise beings. I see them and fold my hands. I pray to them: may the praise of the Guru reside in my heart.
Bala Sandhur Vaach.
Guru ji plays with the children and says valuable words. He has beautiful jewellery on his body. He is without flaw. He washes the sins away. He is gracious to the poor. Sometimes he would sit under trees and sometimes he would play in the courtyard of the home. The children would always surround him and be in bliss.
Seeing the son of Mehta Kalu ji ready for education, the people were happy. Pitha Mehta Kalu ji recognized that it was time to transfer the education of the Patwari of the 20 villages to his son. The administration work was detailed. His son needed to learn mathematics and other subjects. Mehta Kalu ji thought: “I should have my son learn from the Pandha. At least as educated as I him. After that, I can teach him the work. Many wise men say: the father that does not provide a path to education to his son, that father is his son’s own enemy. It is well-known that: uneducated people are not radiant in the world. They are not wise. They can’t do good business nor earn money. The person remains naïve and is easily manipulated.” Mehta Kalu ji decided to enrol Guru Nanak Dev ji in formal education the next morning.
Mehta Kalu ji got ready the next morning and wanted to take him to the Madrassa. A plate was filled with rice along with betelnut on top. New clothes were put on Guru Nanak Dev ji’s body. The clothes looked great on Guru Nanak Dev ji, on the first day of school. Both father and son walked to the Madrasa. Mata ji rejoiced as she saw her son’s back as he walked away. Guru ji walked like a carefree elephant. His feet were like lotus flowers. He was holding his father’s finger in his hand and walked with him. The bracelets in his wrists clanked along with his belt. His earrings shined. His wide eyes looked beautiful. He had a small Dastaar on his head that looked radiant.
The Madrassa was beautiful. The children were reciting their multiplication tables out loud. The echoes of the children, reciting timetables, could be heard throughout the school. Guru ji was sat down near Gopal Pandha. The plate of rice was placed in front of him. The Pandha had taught many kids. He looked at Guru ji and was filled with bliss. His heart bloomed like a lotus. Pitha ji said: “this is my only son. His name is Nanak. He is wise. I have brought him here so he can be given an education. Please teach my son. When you make him a learned person, I promise to fill your lap with money and wealth. Teach him math and other subjects in 2 years. I will take him and give you money and anything you ask for. I wish for my son to be well-educated. The work of Patwaris requires mathematics.” The Pandha said: “don’t worry. I will teach him.” Pitha ji turned back and went to work.
Pandha ji was happy. He checked the auspicious times and did the Pooja of Sarasvati, the power of education. He was going to teach the one who was the creator of numbers and mathematics. He was the infinite power who could not be quantified. His father had made him sit there and so Guru ji learned as per his father’s command. Guru ji was the creator of all education. He sat down and studied whatever he was taught the first day. He repeated everything he was told. the Pandha noticed that the child was easily absorbing everything. He would ask Guru ji to repeat what he was told and Guru ji would say it back to him. The Pandha was really happy that the child was extremely wise. He thought to himself: “he won’t take long to learn everything. He will be ready in a few months. I will get the money sooner than I thought from his father. He looks like he is the home of wisdom and focus. No other child is like him. I haven’t seen such a smart child before.” Guru ji learnt everything he was told. When it was evening, Guru ji came home. His mother saw him and got happy. She hugged him and picked him up in her lap. She asked him: “what did you learn today?” Guru ji recited the timetable he learnt by heart. Mata ji was very happy to hear him. She fed him food and put him to sleep. Guru ji was always without fear. Visiting him would give one peace and bliss.
The next day, Guru ji was taken to school after being bathed. When the Pandha saw Guru ji and Mehta Kalu ji, he said to him: “he is a wise child. He won’t need to be here more than a few months.” Pitha ji was happy to hear this. He then went away. Pandha ji took Guru ji to the side and wanted to teach him separately as he was wiser than the other children. He taught him the next lesson but Guru ji did not speak. The Pandha wanted him to speak, but Guru Nanak Dev ji remained quiet. The Pandha said: “why do you not speak today? Listen to me. Yesterday you learnt everything. You recited the timetables. Do today what you did yesterday. The other children are learning too. When you will grow up, this education will be useful to you. You seem to be wanting to play today. Look! Do you see this stick in my hand? You will get hit with it if you don’t listen.” When Guru ji heard this, Guru ji was going to give the Pandha the very first sermon via Gurbani. He said to him: “what have you learnt? Was it useful to you? You want to make me like you. I don’t not wish to learn. Teach me the education which will clear all my entries. Tell me how to erase my Karma. Tell me what you learnt. Then teach me.” The Pandha was amazed to hear this. He had never been questioned like this before. He said to Guru Nanak Dev ji: “I have learnt mathematics, measuring the land, fractional timetables, construction, engineering quantification and other subjects. This will teach you to be a good Patwari. Why do you not want to learn this?” Guru ji said: “this is the bondage by which everyone is bounded by. Listen Pandha ji, these worldly skills do not help you in the court of Akaal Purakh. When the pain of the Jumms comes, this education won’t help you. One spends the whole life in these things and suffers when he/she dies. This will not give you Mukti. I want to be free from these worldly things. Listen as I speak.”
The giver of Mukti; the house of joy; the lotus-like blooming Guru was gracious and uttered a Shabad:
Sri Raag Mahalla 1.
Burn the worldly attachments and grind it into ink, make your intelligence into the pure paper..
Make love your pen, and your mind the scribe; ask the Guru and write the thoughts..
Write the praises of the Naam, the Name of the Lord; write of the Lord’s infiniteness..1..
Baba, oh Pandha, write this understanding..
In the dimension where this account will be asked, you will have the true mark..1.. Rahao..
(SGGS 16)
Listen to the translations of the Shabad that came from the mouth of Sri Guru ji. This is the first Shabad that Guru ji uttered. It was the Bani from Parmeshwar. Listening to the Bani, gives one the highest status in Sach Khand. Akaal Purakh took an Avatar in a human body and began his holy mission. He started at a very young age because he couldn’t tolerate the pain that the world was in. He uttered this first Shabad to help the Pandha across this world. Guru ji spoke of the ideology of all the Vedas. Anyone who hears this Bani and accepts it, they will cross the world ocean.
The body is the Deeva, attachment is the oil. The desires are the wick. The Gyaan is the flame. With the grace of the Guru, Gyaan will be received. The flame will burn the oil and then the wick. Aatam Gyaan will touch it and burn it. Aatam Gyaan will give the highest status. Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji is the dispeller of pain and darkness. He told the world the ultimate truth:
“Pandha ji, when the attachment (oil) is burnt, by the Gyaan fire; the leftover ash will be the devotion. The ego of the body (thinking the body is yours) will be destroyed by this devotion. Make the wisdom the paper. Make the ash the ink. Write with the quill of love. Your mind should be the hand. The writer is the consciousness. Take the wisdom from the Guru. Write about the True form of Akaal Purakh that is ever-existing. The world is false. Let go of the false world, which is temporary. You should learn how to write this. There is no loss in this. Write the name of Akaal Purakh and sing his praises. Write about how Akaal Purakh as no end. Within the court of Dharmaraj, where Karma is seen, the writing that you have written, will be shown there. Dharmaraja cannot say anything to them. Neither can the Jumms. Just as the treasurer of the Shahukaar is, the servants cannot ask about the transactions from them. The ones that have the name of Akaal Purakh on their Bhuddi, Dharmaraja cannot ask them anything. They come and serve those saints instead. They listen to them. They are afraid of them. Pandha ji, if you have such a writing, whoever has written such a writing, they have crossed this world ocean. The Jeev is weak. If the Jeev has this writing, Paramatma helps them like a friend. The person who is in the shelter of the highest king, they are not afraid of anyone.”
The Pandha heard this and was amazed. He was amazed to see such a small child speaking such deep thoughts. He thought: “just as the moon of the second night that keeps growing, this child can only grow more from this point.” He was happy seeing this child. His mind was filled with love. Just as a Chakor looks at the moon without moving, this is how the Pandha was. He wanted to listen to the child. This child was not like other children. The Pandha thought: “this child has the power of Akaal Purakh. He will be benevolent. He is the destroyer of the sins of Kaliyuga. The sinners that have become strong, they will be destroyed.” When the Pandha understood who Guru ji was, he wanted to ask him a question. Just as a bee comes to the lotus to admire its beauty, that is how the Pandha was. He said: “I have seen the great saints and Bhagats of Akaal Purakh. Their Bhagti was like the love of a fish with water. They did not let go of Bhagti. The Bhagats were very poor though. They never had food or clothes. They don’t have enough. They come and live like the poor. For this reason, my faith has been broken. I know that everyone has to die one day. The Bhagats and worldly people all have to die in the same way.” The giver of hope to the world, the support of Dharma, Guru ji, he spoke to the Pandha by saying a second Shabad:
Sri Mukhvaak:
Where glory is received by the Bhagats, unending joy, happiness and inspiration at the highest level is given..
They are marked with Tikas on their faces, the ones who have the Name of Akaal Purakh in their minds..
It is with Parmatama’s blessing that such a Name of Akaal Purakh is received. Other things are useless to speak about. The life is wasted in other things..2..
(SGGS 16)
Don’t think like this Pandha ji. The Bhagats and fools don’t die in the same way. The fools die with pain and sorrow. They take births, over and over again. They are born in different life forms and are hung many times. The saint is always in joy and peace. They are never afraid of the Jumms. They are always happy and inspired. They chant the name of Akaal Purakh, all the time and see him close to them. They are never worried, even when they die. They live in the world with joy and receive happiness in the court of Akaal Purakh. They get the Tika of victory. The Bhagats who are always engrossed in Bhagti, they are glorified. The ones whom the Parmeshwar is compassionate towards, they receive the Naam. The ones who receive the Naam, they see everything else as nothing. All other words just become wind to them." As Gopal Pandha ji listened to the Bani, he felt his mind was the snake that was being charmed by Mantras. He saw his mind becoming still. Humility was entering his heart. The pride of his knowledge was dying. His words were becoming sweeter. He asked Satguru ji: "the kings and emperors who do not have the love of Bhagwant, they are stuck within the pleasures of the world. They do not have faith in the Naam of Parmeshwar. They spend their life in pleasures and desires. They are all like bees on a lotus, stuck in its pleasures. They do not do any Simran of Parmeshwar till they die. They are engrossed in sins all their life. The are ignorant towards the One who gave them their body, mind, wealth and kingdom. They are like the frog living in the mud, who is totally unaware of the lotus flower. They live without the Naam their whole life. They never do Simran. They still live a life of joy. They only love pleasure. They are never in pain. They don't think about what will happen to them in the afterlife. How do they live in joy? What happens to them in the afterlife? I am in doubt about this. Please answer my questions, oh Compassionate One." The lotus-eyed uttered words that were to destroy all pain and doubts. Listening to these words causes detachment from the world:
Sri Mukhvaak..
One is coming and one is getting up and going away, some are named kings..
Some are beggars, some have huge courts..
Going to the next world, one will know: that without the Naam, everything is useless..3..
(SGGS 16)
"The ones who did Tapasya with desires, they received many births. They received kingdoms and forgot the Parmeshwar. They went to Hell. Those people were called kings. The ones who had bad karma had to become beggars and begged from those kings. This world is only for a few days. They get stuck and forget the trouble of Jumms. They understand what happens when they go ahead. They rub their hands and scratch their heads. They regret not doing Simran then. They understand the glory of the Naam. The Jumms punish such people. They scold them and put heavy chains around their necks. They are tied to burning hot pillars. They are placed in cauldrons of boiling oil. Hot metal is put into their mouths. Taking so much pain, they call out for help, but no one hears them. They had no Guru. There are many pains in Hell. This is what happens to the ones who do not do Simran. They are unwise. They spend their whole life in pleasures and do not do any Simran. They did not focus on the Prabhoo their whole life. When a thief gets caught, no one helps him, seeing his crime. When a person goes to the Jumms alone, he/she is punished in many ways; no one helps him/her. Children, wife, wealth, kingdom and pleasures, the Jeev has all this. Without the Naam they're entire life, they are not blessed by the Prabhoo." The Pandha heard this and became eager to ask more questions. The Guru's words were like the Ankush, controlling the elephant-like mind. He said to Guru ji: "I know now that you are with many powers. Your words give Mukti. They are beautiful. I have one more doubt. Please answer it as I see you as my Guru now. These Sultan Khans who are stuck in attachment, they do not do Simran of the Parmeshwar, even by accident. Why doesn't the Master give them fear? That would make them do the Simran of the omniscient one. They indulge in pleasures because they are fearless. They don't know the Simran of Prabhoo. They don't remember it. They are obsessed with pleasure and wealth. They are attached to their minds and bodies. They can't detach from them. They see the world as permanent. That's why they keep collecting wealth." Guru Nanak Dev ji, the master of the weak and humble, heard this and spoke:
Sri Mukhvaak..
Fear is in the body, the body is deteriorating by the day..
The ones who are called Sultans and Khans, I have seen them mixed into the dust..
Says Nanak, when one leaves this world, the false love for this world dies as well..4..
(SGGS 16)
"Day and night scare the person. The unwise forget the fear of Prabhoo. Life passes by slowly and the state of the body changes. They are indulged within the pleasures and desires. When the body deteriorates, life ends. The Sultans and Khans have been seen mixed into the earth. Loving the body and the wealth is a false love. They have to leave it on earth. It does not go with them to the afterlife. They lose the game of life in this way. Without Gyaan, the ignorant ones do not know their end. They are not aware of it. They are like a blind person passing a poisonous snake. Whoever the Satguru is compassionate towards, they are not punished by the Jumms. The Satguru gives wisdom. He gives them the eyes to see the truth. They are no longer afraid of the snake. Their attentions become focused into the Naam. They let go of the love of the body and wealth. They are focused on the highest status. They become detached from the ways of the world. They see their body and everything else associated with it, as a myth, a delusion. They do not have desires any more. They had forgotten their real form. They wish to know that form then. By going to the Satsangat, they practice getting to know their real form. Their doubt, of not knowing they are Brahm, goes away. Joy illuminates in their heart by itself. They do not feel pain anymore. They do not find joy within the pleasures of the world. They become still and do not waiver. They are always in the single state. Duality goes away from their mind. They become free from being born or dying again. They receive the status of "Hari," and become Mukat. Oh Pandha, follow this path. Engrain it in your heart and do not be egotistical of your body. Do the Simran of Hari and let go of your ego. Don't think of anyone else besides Hari. Make your precious life a success. You won't be born again. You will receive the highest status."
The Pandha heard this and fell to his knees. He bowed his head onto Guru Nanak Dev ji's feet. He said to Guru ji: "I am unwise. I bow to you. I didn't know your greatness. You are the Avatar of Mukand, the giver of Mukti. Your words are like a sword. Gyaan is the sharpener of your sword. The hilt is Bhagti. Vairagya is the width. Whichever warrior comes in front of this sword, their ignorance part is cut away like a limb. They will know their real form. They will receive the joy of Heaven. The ones stuck in pleasures; they will not face this sword. They will lose their patience and run away. They will spoil their life and afterlife. They step back from this battlefield." When the giver of Mukti heard the Pandha, Guru ji saw his humility and looked at him with compassion. The Pandha immersed into the Naam and went into Samadhi. The Pandha said: "your words are priceless. Your words are a key that opens the good virtues. The disrespectful words that I said earlier, I ask for your forgiveness. I see you as Sri Prabhoo ji." He bowed to Guru ji, over and over again. He continued: "doing your Darshan, my 3 illnesses are gone. You came with the name of being the son of Kallu but you are here to save the people. You are here to save the unwise and ignorant." He then went quiet. He was in bliss. It was like a person who couldn't speak, eating sweets. He couldn’t describe his bliss. He achieved the highest status.