I bow to Sharda who illuminates wisdom into the heart. Please be compassionate and complete the history of Sri Guru ji.
Sri Bala Sandhur Vaach..
Listen, oh Head of the Trehans, to the Katha of the Prabhoo. The River of Sikhi spread in the world. The minds of the Sikhs were fish who never wanted to part with this river. They all did the practice of the Shabad. They did the Simran of Satnam. It illuminated everywhere.
One day, to see the love of the Sikhs, Sri Guru ji left from Kartarpur and took me with him. We came to a city where a Tarkhan Sikh lived. He made a living with less. He served Sikhs when they came to him. He made whatever food he had. Sometimes, he had food in the evening but nothing for the morning. He and his family never ate a full meal. They gave it to the Sikhs. If the Sikhs came and he had nothing, he would go to the other Sikhs’ homes and ask for food. He never asked for himself though, only for Sikh guests. He did what it took to get food for the visiting Sikhs.
We arrived at the home of the Tarkhan. The family came to bow to Guru ji. The Sikh said to his wife: “prepare food quickly.” The wife said: “you know everything. I would make food if there were some raw foods at home.” The Tarkhan went around the city to ask for food but nobody gave him anything. The people said: “he makes the excuse of asking for Sikh guests when he actually takes it for himself.” He got nothing that day. He came home empty-handed. That day, the Raja had held a Mal Akhara, wrestling show. The Tarkhan was worried: “how will I feed food to Guru ji? My life will be a disgrace if I can’t give food to Guru ji.” Many people were going to the Mal Akhara. The Tarkhan asked one person: “where are you all going?” The person said: “the king has held a Mal Akhara. There will be a reward for 1,000 Rupees for the winner who defeats the wrestler. If you lose, you get half the reward.” The Tarkhan was happy to hear this. He headed towards the Mal Akhara.
The Raja and the wrestlers were gathered in the Akhara. The Dhols were playing. Many had gathered. When the Tarkhan entered the Akhara, everyone laughed at him. They said: “the wrestler is really strong. He will grind you to dust. You are like an egotistical deer wishing to fight the lion. What are you thinking? You wish to die?” They stopped him but he didn’t listen. He said: “if I die, there’s nothing better than that. If my damage is good for someone else, that’s great.” When he came to the Mal Akhara, the wrestler said: “why are you calling your death?” The Sikh heard this and told him everything: “saints have come to my home but I have no food to feed them. I have come to fight for them. If I die, I will be in peace.” The wrestler said: “very good! You are wise. You are a great saint. You are putting your life on the line for others. Fight with me without fear.” Both of the men met in wrestling. The wrestler fell on purpose. He knew that the Tarkhan was fighting for the good of others. He didn’t use his strength at all. When the wrestler fell, the people were shocked to see this. The Raja gave beautiful clothes to the Tarkhan along with 1,000 Rupees. The wrestler received Gyaan because he destroyed his attachment and desires. When he fell, his desires fell too.
The Sikh came home with the money and had food made. He had Guru ji seated on a high place. He washed Guru ji’s feet and drank the Charanamrit. As soon as he drank that, he gained the awareness of the 3 Loks. Guru ji looked at him and gave him Mukti. The whole family was given Mukti. Guru ji ate the food made with love. Prabhoo ji’s praises spread in the 10 directions. Guru ji stayed the night in the home of the Tarkhaan and left the next morning.
Guru ji went to another village where a poor Sikh stayed. The Sikh came to do Guru ji’s Darshan, outside of the village, under a tree. He bowed and said: “please come to my home. Your feet will make my home pure. Your words will wash our sins away.” Guru ji saw the love in the Sikh and went to his home. The poor Sikh and his wife had one son. They were hit hard with poverty. They could only eat one meal a day. They remained hungry for a second meal. If they ate one day, they didn’t get anything the second day. They didn’t have much furniture or pots and pans. The Sikh sold some belongings to bring food for Guru ji. After eating the food, Guru ji stayed another day. On the second day, the poor Sikh cut his hair, made it into a rope and sold it. He bought food with it and gave it to his wife. He said: “prepare this food.” The wife brought water and cleaned the kitchen. She brought firewood and lit a fire. She went outside of the home for some task. She sat her child down there near the stove. The child fell into the stove. The fire burnt the child’s body. When the woman came back, she saw her dead burnt son. She remained quiet as she didn’t want the saints in her home to hear. She didn’t want Guru ji to be disturbed or to leave without eating: “we will become sinners if he leaves without eating.” She wrapped up her dead son’s body in a blanket and placed him in their room. She came to the kitchen and continued cooking. She didn’t tell her husband about anything. The wise woman cooked the food and called Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji to eat. Guru ji was seated in the clean place. When the food was placed in front of Guru ji, Sri Guru ji said: “you have a beautiful son. I don’t see him in the home now.” The woman said: “he is sleeping. He was playing so he got tired and went to sleep. He won’t wake up now.” Guru ji said: “listen wise woman, wake him up now. He will eat with us.” The woman stayed quiet. Satguru ji spoke again: “tell me what is the boy’s name?” The Sikh said: “his name is Lala.” Sri Prabhoo ji called out for the boy: “come Lala! Come and eat.” The boy heard Guru ji’s voice and was alive again. He got up and came to Guru ji. Guru ji fed the child from his own plate. The mother was really happy, seeing her child eating. She told her husband everything. The faith in Guru ji the couple had got deeper. The couple bowed to Guru ji’s feet. They saw Guru ji as the great and complete being in their minds.
The next day, there was no food again. Guru ji continued staying there. The couple was worried. The Sikh was about to take the child to be sold in the market, when Guru ji saw him. He said: “where are you taking your child? What task do you have with the child?” The Sikh said: “you are omniscient. Oh Master, why are you asking me? You know everything.” Guru ji called the boy to him. He held the boy’s arm and said: “your parents are taking you to the market to be sold as a slave. You should serve your master well. You will have to grind the flour, wave the fan and massage his feet. You can’t disobey him. This is the way of the servant.” The boy folded his hands and said: “I will obey my master.” The Compassionate One heard this and said a Shabad:
Maaroo Mahalla 1..
I am Lala, your purchased slave, and so I am called fortunate.
I was sold at the store for the Guru's Word; whatever You link me to, to that I am linked. ||1||
What cleverness can Your Lala have with You? The command of the Master cannot be reversed. ||1||Rahao||
My mother is Your slave, and my father is Your slave; I am the child of Your slaves.
My slave mother dances, and my slave father sings; I practice your Bhagti, O my Sovereign Lord. ||2||
If You wish to drink water, then I shall get it for You; if You wish to eat, I shall grind the wheat for You.
I wave the fan over You, and massage Your feet; I continue to chant Your Name. ||3||
I have been deceitful, but Nanak is Your slave; please forgive me; this is Your glorious greatness.
Since the very beginning of time, and throughout the ages, You have been the merciful and generous Lord. Without You, liberation cannot be attained. ||4||6||
(SGGS 991)
After saying this, the Prabhoo looked up at the family with his divine vision. He destroyed all of their pains and problems. Guru ji hugged the little boy and picked him up in his lap. Guru ji gave them the 9 Niddhis in their home. They received the 4 Padarthas in a second. Guru ji gave the 3 people Jeevan Mukti. After blessing them, the Prabhoo ji then left from there.
We went to another village. There was a Sikh that lived there. If a saint went to his home, he would serve them with love. He would then ask the saint a question: “what is the reward of meeting a Sadhoo?” To complete his desire, the Gareeb Nivaaj came to his home. The Sikh bowed to Guru ji and had him sit inside with joy. He served Guru ji with a lot of love. He was drenched in Prema Bhagti. He then asked Guru ji: “what is the reward of meeting a Sadhoo? I have asked many people this question but nobody gave me a good answer. They told me in many ways but I wasn’t convinced. My answer wasn’t given. You are the complete Satguru. Please answer my question.” The Compassionate One said: “go to the great ruins outside your village. The jungle. There is a tree there. Sit under there and say Vahiguru. You will be satisfied there.”
The Sikh heard this and went to the jungle. He saw the tree as he was told and sat under it. He said Vahiguru and looked up. He saw two crows on the tree. The crows became herons, right before his eyes. He sat for about 2 hours and came back home. He told Guru ji: “I went where you told me to go. I didn’t meet anyone who would answer my question.” Prabhoo ji said: “go again in the morning and get your answer.” The Sikh obeyed and went again in the morning. As he looked up, the herons became cranes before his eyes. He came back and told Guru ji: “I saw crows turn to herons and today they became cranes. I didn’t get an answer. I am in doubt still.” Sri Guru ji said: “go again tomorrow. You will get your answer. Go see where the cranes are.” In the morning the Sikh went again. When the cranes saw the Sikh, they became humans. They sat near the Sikh. They came over and said: “Pairi Pana (we touch your feet).” As the Sikh sat down with them, he said to the two humans: “what is the reward of meeting a Sadhoo? Please tell me.” The humans answered the Sikh: “did you still not understand? We were crows before. We saw you and became herons. We then became cranes the next day we saw you. You gave us your Darshan again today after being in the presence of the Prabhoo and now we are man and woman. You blessed us. Think about what the reward of meeting a Sadhoo is. Your Satguru is Dhan! Doing his Darshan the sinners become pure. We wish to do his Darshan as well. We wish to rid ourselves of attachment and doubts.” The Sikh was happy and took the man and woman home. They came to Satguru ji and bowed with humility. Guru ji cut the bonds of attachment for all of them. Guru ji said: “are you satisfied now?” The Sikh folded his hands and said: “when the Karta Purakh comes to your home and meets you, why wouldn’t one be satisfied?” The Compassionate Prabhoo was happy and said: “your bonds of being born and dying are now broken. They are broken as you served the saints. You will live out your destiny and then go to the place of the Prabhoo after.” After giving this boon to the Sikh, Guru ji travelled on. Meditating on him destroys the sins. Guru ji came back to Kartarpur. The servants and Sikhs bowed to him. Guru ji didn’t go anywhere else again. He remained in Kartarpur. The people did his Darshan and had their sins washed away.