The praise of Sri Guru ji is a garden of lotuses. Make your mind a bee and indulge in it. Smell the fragrance day and night. Be Mukat with it
Sri Bala Sandhur Vaach..
Sri Guru Angad Dev ji, listen to the great Katha. Bhai Mardana ji spoke to Sri Guru ji: "we have travelled a lot now. We saw the whole world. Let's go home now." Guru ji heard this and said: "Mardana, you remember your home still? You never forget it. If you really want to go, I can send you without delay. Go and meet your family. Love your wife and children. Stay there for a few days." Bhai Mardana ji said: "I just asked casually. I don't wish to go. I just asked out of joy. What will I do, going before you. I will go only if you go." Guru ji said: "you will have to go before me. You will go to your permanent home before me. I will come after. You will be taken out of all bondage. You won't come back to this world again. You will have complete Mukti. You will no longer feel the pain of birth and death." Understanding Guru ji's words as true, Bhai Mardana ji said: "you speak the truth." He spoke without attachment: "where will I leave my body? How much time do I have left? You know everything in your heart. Please tell me." Guru ji said: "it will be a beautiful place where you will leave. You have 5 days and 2 hours left. You will leave your body that is made of the 5 primal elements. You will go to Sach Khand." Bhai Mardana ji asked: "when I leave, will you be with me or not? I wish to know this." Guru ji said: "I will be with you. I will complete your burial by your traditions and then I will go on ahead." After saying this, Guru ji left the place of Peer Dastgir.
We walked slowly. After 4 days, Bhai Mardana ji had a dream. He said to Guru ji: "I had a dream. Some are cremated and some are buried. The ones that are buried, they are burnt ahead anyways. Please cremate me here. Don't bury me into the earth. I don't want my body to stay. I dreamt of this." Guru ji said: "I will cremate you. I won't bury you. I will do as you say. You won't think about this later, will you? You won’t regret your decision, will you? I will do as you say. Let's go to the City of Khurma. You are to eat your last meal there still, as per your remaining Karma. Where you will leave your body, your children will live there." We all went to Khurma. The city was beautiful. Guru ji went to the market and said: "you still have a meal left here. I will feed you. Eat your last meal." Bhai Mardana ji obeyed and ate the food. It was almost noon. We came out of the city and saw a nice place to sit.
Guru ji said: "what do you say? Are you ready?" Bhai Mardana ji said: "I am ready." He folded his hands and placed his head at Guru ji's feet. His attachment was gone. His mind was still." Guru ji said: "you are leaving? What do you feel?" Bhai Mardana ji said: "by staying with you, I can see everything. You gave me this achievement. I can feel everything. The knot of air in my navel, has just opened now. I have 9 breaths left. You can count them. I am not lying."
Sri Guru Angad Dev ji, listen, Guru ji said to me: "Bala count." I started counting. I counted 9 breaths and then I touched Bhai Mardana ji’s body. I didn't feel a tenth breath. I said to Guru ji: "he has left and immersed into you. He achieved the highest status. Not even Devatas or Jogis could achieve the high status that he achieved. This is all by your compassion. Whoever is blessed by you, only they leave like this. He left his body like an elephant breaking a flower garland around its neck. He had no pain." Sri Guru ji said: "listen Bala, let's cremate him." Guru ji had a Chadra with him. He put it on top of Bhai Mardana ji’s body. I had a Chadra too which I laid on top of Bhai Mardana ji as well. We collected firewood and made a pyre. Guru ji set the pyre on fire. The body burnt to ash. Guru ji stayed one night there. Doing the Darshan of Prabhoo ji makes all of the pain go away.
As we got ready to leave, we saw Gorakh Nath ji coming. He had some Sidhs with him. They said: "Adesh Adesh." Guru ji said: "Ikankaar Adesh hai." The Sidhs sat down to speak with Guru ji. They said: "how can the bad wisdom be destroyed? How can we be saved from the world? How can we swim across it? How can you die while being alive? How can you recognize the truth? How can we know the path to Parmeshwar? How can the Indrees be in your control? How can the mind be in your control and be still? How can you know the real form? How big is it? What deeds should one do? Where does the person come from and where do they go? What do they immerse in?" Guru ji heard this and gave the answers quickly: "by taking the Gurmat (the wisdom and teachings of the Guru), the bad wisdom will be destroyed. The world can be crossed by connecting to the Naam, the mind drenching in Naam. The ones who keep the Shabad of the Guru in their hearts, they are dead while being alive. They don't die again. The Gurmukh (one who follows the Guru's teachings) recognizes the truth (that the body is not the real self. The Aatma is infinite). The Gurmukh finds the path to Parmeshwar and knows it. Killing the mind, the Indrees come under control, spontaneously. The mind follows then. The form of Parmeshwar cannot be described. His beauty can't be described. Chanting his name, day and night, there is no other better deed. One comes by the Hukam and goes by the same command. The Jeev stays by Hukam." Gorakh Nath ji then said: "let's go to the Mela of Shivratri at Achal." Guru ji asked: "how far is it? When will the Mela be done?" Gorakh ji said: "it's 600 Kos from here. It's a harsh way there. It will start tomorrow." Guru ji said: "Gorakh, listen, you are powerful. You can fly like a bird. I will come slowly. You can fly tomorrow. We can't be together. The powerful and the powerless can never meet.” Gorakh ji said: "when you came to Sumer, you made my sandals fly. You showed your powers to everyone. Where did your powers go now? How did your powers get destroyed? Did you lose your powers in a debate?" Guru ji said: "I didn't make your sandal fly. Sri Parmeshwar did it. A human can't have any powers. Only the Niranjan is powerful. If he makes me fly, I will go. You can go now. I will come right behind you."
The Sidhs all flew away to the Mela at Achal. They went with their will. After a while, the Master of the World arrived in Achal Vatala. He reached before the Sidhs. He saw a high place and sat there. He was really radiant. The Sidhs arrived after Guru ji. They all saw Guru ji and were surprised. They said: "Adesh, Adesh." They said: "you are quite the magician! You tricked us! You started after us and came before us." Guru ji said: "my magician is the Ikankaar. The Guru's Shabad gives me power. Shamboo Nath is always stuck in bad wisdom. He follows something else besides Kartaar's way." The Sidhs set up their Asanas and made people worship them. Many people came to bow to Guru ji. The Sidhs saw this and became jealous. When the Mela was finished, the Sidhs went to their own Dheras. This Katha will come again in detail in the 39th Adhyaaya.
Guru ji said to me: "let's go. We will go and get Mardana's son. Let's go to Talwandi and bring him to Khurma. We will give him a Siropa and seat him on his father's throne. This is a debt on my head to settle his family." We quickly left the place and reached Talwandi. We stayed at the well of my father. Guru ji said: "think of my mother, father and Rai Bhullaar ji. They have all left to Parlok (the life hereafter). Chacha Lalu ji is alive still. When he sees me, he will love me a lot and won't let me go. He will hug me and cry. He will stop me from going. At night, go into the city quietly. I won't go into the city. Bring the son of Mardana, Shazada. I will stay here and leave from here." I obeyed and went into the city at night. I saw nobody. I came to Bhai Mardana ji's door and called out to his son. Bhai Shahzada ji came out and was happy to see me. He thought his father had come when he saw me. He grabbed my feet with love. I blessed him and said: "Sri Guru ji is sitting outside of the city. He is calling you. He sent me to get you." Bhai Shahzada ji said: "where did you leave my father? Why did he not come home? Why is Prabhoo ji sitting outside of the city, leaving Talwandi?" I said: "come to Guru ji, don't waste time. He will give you all of your answers." Bhai Shahzada ji was fortunate. He came with me without delay. He came and did Guru ji's Darshan. He placed his head upon Guru ji's feet. Sri Guru ji said to him: "your father's age has completed. He has left his body. Where the great city of Khurumapur is, I have come to take you there. That's why I called for you. I have to give you a Siropa. Your father had it. How will you want to take it?" Bhai Shahzada ji thought about this and said: "whatever you gave to my father, please be compassionate and give me that as well." Guru ji said: "your father asked for Keertan and to stay with me. I cremated his body. He wanted me to do this. You should come and live there now. You will be like Mardana. You will be radiant there. Live there. Make your homes there forever. You can do as you please. This is what I would like you to do." Bhai Shahzada ji folded his hands and said: "I am under your command. Just as my father was your servant, see me as the same, oh Giver of Joy." Prabhoo ji then took Bhai Shazada ji and went to Tulamba village first (present day Makhdoompur, Pakistan).
In Tulamba a person named “Sajjan” lived there. He dressed like a Vaishnav saint but had no compassion, not even a little bit. He wore very expensive clothes. Sri Prabhoo ji came near the city and sat down. Bhai Shazada ji came with Guru ji. He was hungry and so he took permission to go into the city. He saw a Dharamsala, which was the place of Sajjan. There was a Mosque and a Mandir there. Bhai Shazada ji was impressed. He went to Sajjan and sat down near him. Sajjan spoke with respect: “come brother! Where do you live? What is your Varan? Where did you come from and where are you going?” Bhai Shazada ji said: “I am a Miraashi. My home is far from here. I am going on ahead for a special task. I came to your place because I am hungry.” Sajjan spoke very cunningly: “there is a lot of food here. Who is your master? How big is he, seeing how he has such a good Miraashi? Is he greater than me or lesser than me?” Bhai Shazada ji said: “my Prabhoo is bigger than you and I. He can fulfill any task you wish for. He is a Kshatriya named Sri Guru Nanak ji, the Great.” Looking towards his people with a deceitful eye, Sajjan said to them: “he is the Miraashi of a great Prabhoo. Serve him well by which he becomes happy.” One person came to call him and spoke sarcastically: “come Miraashi, the food is ready.” They took Bhai Shazada ji to another room. There were 3 other men there. They were strong people. They grabbed Bhai Shazada ji and tied him up. The expensive clothes that he was wearing, they were taken off of him. They beat him and scolded him: “whatever other items you have, tell us right now where they are. Otherwise we will kill you here.” When Bhai Shazada ji was in pain from the beating, he thought of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji: “this is great Tappa ji that you sent me here! I am in pain. They are beating me up. I saw him as a Vaishnav and got fooled. I didn’t know he was a great sinner.” Guru ji sensed what was happening to Bhai Shazada ji and quickly came.
Guru ji sat down where Sajjan was sitting as a Vaishnav. Sajjan wore 12 Tilaks on his body. The King of the Bedis said: “Sri Kartaar! Kartaar! Sajjan! My Miraashi came here after leaving me. He didn’t come back to me. Who knows what happened to him.” Sajjan said: “nobody came here. If someone came here, he would have been here.” Guru ji said: “he definitely came to your home. Don’t lie! He is here!” Sajjan heard this and said: “you seem like a great saint. I wouldn’t lie to you. If you don’t trust me than you can look around yourself.” Guru ji said to me: “Bala, go inside and make this Vaishnav’s face black. Bring Shazada from inside and make his face black.” I heard this and quickly went. I saw Bhai Shazada ji tied up inside. I went to free him. I picked him up. Bhai Shazada ji said to me: “this is a nice place the Master sent me! They took my clothes off and tied me up! Tell them to give my clothes back! They are sinners who gave me pain.” The Thugs said: “he wasn’t wearing any clothes when he came.” I heard this and took Bhai Shazada ji without any clothes to Guru ji. Guru ji asked: “why are you naked? Who took your clothes?” Bhai Shazada ji heard this and said: “listen, oh Destroyer of Pain, this person who pretends to be a saint, there is no bigger sinner thug than him. He took me inside, telling me there’s food inside. They tied me up and beat me. They took my clothes off and hit me. He is filled with sin.” As Bhai Shazada ji spoke, Sajjan was humiliated. He lowered his head and couldn’t say anything. He wanted to hide. He was embarrassed with his reality exposed. Guru ji uttered a Shabad:
Soohi Mahalla 1 Ghar 6
Ik Oankaar Satgur Prasaad..
Bronze is bright and shiny, but when it is rubbed, its blackness comes out. Washing it, its impurity is not removed, even if it is washed a hundred times. ||1||
They alone are my Sajjans (friends), who travel along with me when leaving this place. Where the accounts are called for, they appear standing with me there (the good Karma). ||1||Rahao||
There are houses, mansions and tall buildings, painted on all sides; they became ruins and empty within, they became useless ruins. ||2||
The herons (thugs) have white clothes (feathers) and live near Teeraths. They tear apart and eat the living beings, and so they are not called white (swans/saints). ||3||
The Simmal tree; seeing its fruits, one is forgotten. They are fooled seeing the big tree and fruit because Its fruits are useless - just like the qualities of the body. ||4||
Just as a blind man (without good deeds) carrying such a heavy load, journeys through the mountains. He wishes for eyes as he cannot find the Way (to Sach Khand). How can he climb and cross over the mountain? ||5||
What good does it do to serve, be good, and be clever? Nanak, contemplate the Naam, the Name of the Lord, and you shall be released from bondage. ||6||1||3||
(SGGS 729)
“You have a corrupt mind! You are the home of sins. You pretend to be a Vaishnav. You are pure from the outside like Amrit but filled with poison inside. The Jumms will punish you severely when they put a chain around your neck. You will be beaten. Who will help you then? You collected money in one place with corruption. It won’t help you when you yell in pain. Your sons, wife and relatives; none of them will be able to help you. You will suffer pain for a very long time. Your sins will make you suffer.” Sajjan did Guru ji’s Darshan. He was afraid to hear the scary words. He became humble and grabbed Guru ji’s feet. He folded his hands and said: “I have done a lot of sins. Now, keep me in your sanctuary. It is the Dharma of the saints to be generous. Meeting you, I am aware of my actions.” Guru ji said: “if you stop committing sins, the Kartaar will be compassionate over you. Do the Simran of Satnam with love and focus. You will be blessed and be in joy.” Sajjan said: “I won’t ever do this again. Forgive my mistakes of the past. Give me wisdom and make me your Sikh. Give me the Naam to chant. You came here because of some good karma of mines.” He bowed to Guru ji’s feet, over and over again. Guru ji spoke with compassion: “this Miraashi is your Guru now. If you follow him, you will be blessed. Stop doing all the sins.” Sajjan bowed to Bhai Shazada ji. Sajjan became blessed. Guru ji said: “the money you have in your home, collected from sins, give it all away.” Sajjan obeyed and gave all of his money away to the poor. He called them and gave them money. Guru ji blessed Sajjan in this way. Guru ji then travelled on.
We all arrived in Khurumapur. Guru ji said to Bhai Shazada ji: “this city is great. I cremated Mardana here.” Bhai Shazada ji heard this and saw where his father was cremated. He bowed his head to the place. Guru ji said: “listen to my words: bring your family and live here. If you live here, you will be like your father. This whole city will worship you.” Bhai Shazada ji folded his hands and spoke to the Master of the World: “who will be our support? You are going to go to a foreign land.” Sri Guru ji said: “in your home, you will have everything to give you joy. Your family will be really big. See my words as true. When you think of me in your mind, I will come to you without delay. Trust my words. Don’t let your mind wander.” Bhai Shazada ji folded his hands and said: “I trust you, oh Master of the World.” Guru ji gave Bhai Shazada ji a Manji. Guru ji then wished to leave the city. Bhai Shazada ji headed back home to bring his family to the new place. Since then, they have lived in the new city. His family grew in big numbers.
By the reference given in this chapter of being 600 Kos from Achal Vatala, by this calculation, this place seems to be the place of Kurram, Pakistan in today’s time.