I bow to thee, I bow to thee, over and over again I bow to thee, oh beautiful words of the Satguru. By listening to the words, the troubles leave and one knows the real form.
Sri Bala Sandhur Vaach..
Sri Guru Angad Dev ji, listen to the Katha ahead which gives joy to the listeners. Guru ji had come back to Kartarpur. He didn’t go anywhere else after that. At around 2am Guru ji would wake up and go outside. He bathed in the Airavati (Ravi) and sat down on the shores in Samadhi. When it was around an hour and a half to sunrise, Guru ji would come and sit in the Dharamsala. Keertan would happen along with the chant of Sri Satnam. Love would come into the hearts of those who did the Simran.
A Sikh named Bhai Saido Gheyo ji lived among the Sangat. His heart was filled with faith. He had a doubt about something he saw about Guru ji. He couldn’t see the deeper meaning of something that Guru ji did. He saw Guru ji go outside at around 2am and bathe. He thought to himself: “Guru ji probably serves Varun Devata, sitting by the shore. That’s how he is able to fulfil his wishes. He has done a lot of Seva of Varun Dev. That’s why his powers are so great. He got all of his powers by making Varun Dev happy. He received the status of Guru of the World from Varun. I will serve Varun Dev as well. I will receive powers as well.” He thought of this in his heart.
The next day, when it was 2 am, Bhai Saido went to the Ravi, a little before Guru ji had come. He met a person on the way. The person had a fish in his hand. Bhai Saido saw him and asked: “who are you and where are you going? At night, only thieves and Sikhs are up and about.” The person heard this and said: “don’t see me as a thief. I am the Master of all the Rivers. My name is Varun Devata. I went to go to do the Pooja of Sri Guru ji. I do his Pooja everyday after doing his Darshan.” Surprised, Bhai Saido ji said: “I was thinking something else. I thought Sri Guru ji did your Seva and that’s how he got his great powers. I thought he got the Riddhis and Siddhis from you. This is what I thought. I was going to do your Seva. You met me and told me the truth. If you go to do his Pooja, then why should I be in doubt?” Varun Dev heard this and said: “Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji is the treasure of all the virtues. He took an Avatar to save the people. The Sri Kartar took on a human body. Have deep faith in him. Don’t doubt him. Serve his Lotus feet.” Bhai Saido Gheyo ji heard this and ran to where the Prabhoo was sitting. He bowed to Guru ji and sat down near him. The Light of the Bedis saw the Sikh and said to him: “why did you come during the night? You usually come during sunrise.” Bhai Saido ji told Guru ji everything in a humble way: “Prabhoo ji, I didn’t know your greatness. I was unwise and in doubt. I know your bright radiance now.” Sri Gunkhaani heard this and uttered a Shabad in a sweet way which was later written by Guru Angad Dev ji:
Sri Mukhvaak..
Salok M:2..
The 8 watches/portions of the day (Twenty-four hours), the eight Khands (bends in the body), and the ninth Kand, is the body; destroy these concepts.
Within the body are the nine treasures of the One Name of the Lord; the wise ones seek it from within.
The ones blessed with the karma of good actions praise the Lord. O Nanak, they make the Guru their Peer.
In the fourth watch of the day (early morning hours), the eager ones (the conscious ones) arise.
They are friends with the rivers; the True Name is in their minds and on their lips
The Amrit is distributed there, and those with good karma receive this gift.
The bodies are tightened and become golden, and take on the radiant brightness.
If the Jeweller (Guru) casts His Glance of Grace, they are not placed in the fire again.
Throughout the other seven watches of the day (the time other than Amritvela), it is good to speak the Truth, and sit with the wise and educated ones (Gyaanis).
There, sin and virtue are discussed, and the capital of falsehood is decreased.
There, the counterfeits are cast aside, and the genuine are cheered.
Speech is useless, O Nanak, pain and pleasure are in the power of our Lord and Master. ||1||
(SGGS 146)
The Sikh heard this and had a deep faith. He began to do the Seva of Guru ji. He began to write Gurbani and pondered on it. He listened with love and then memorized the Bani. He sat in the Dharamsala with Sri Guru ji everyday. The Keertan happened with a lot of love.
People from many lands would come to Guru ji after hearing his praises. They came with love in their hearts. The ones that came with wishes, their wishes were fulfilled. The ones that had no desires, they received Gyaan and bliss. There was a crowd everyday in Kartarpur. A lot of Langer was made all of the time. As Guru ji was sitting one day, a person came. He folded his hands, bowed and said: “should I be a Sikh or a Fakir? Should I follow the Ghrist Dharma? What is your will, please tell me so I may follow that. I have heard of your great praises and so I came to you for my answers.” The Compassionate One then spoke: “first do this: take my letter and leave today. A Sikh of mine lives in a village. Go and ask for the Sikh and go to his home. Take 200 Rupees from the Sikh and then eat food from his home. When you come back, I will give you your answer.”
The person obeyed and took Guru ji’s Hukamnama letter. He went to the Sikh’s village and found his home. The Sikh was really poor. He had food only sometimes. The Sikh had a good wife and a daughter. The person gave the Sikh Guru ji’s Hukamnama. The Sikh was filled with love and bowed his head. He had the person sit with respect. He washed his feet and then said: “eat food. You travelled a long distance. You must be tired.” The person said: “Guru ji commanded me not to eat till I take the money from you, as mentioned in the Hukamnama. I can eat after.” The Sikh went quiet hearing this. Worry flowed like a river in his mind. He thought to himself: “how can I give him the money? What should I do? I wish for my Sikhi to remain today. There is nothing in the home that I can sell in the market for money.” For his daughter, a Shahukaar was ready to pay 500 Rupees for her but the Sikh had previously refused him, seeing the money as sinful. When an hour passed by, the wife of the Sikh spoke: “what are you worried about? Whatever is in our home was given to us by Satguru ji. Sell our daughter and get the 200 Rupees. You can give the money to Satguru ji. If we would take the money for ourselves, then it would be a sin. For the good of others, it is not a sin. Go and do this quickly. Keep your promise of Sikhi.” Hearing the advice of his wife, the Sikh agreed and went to the home of the Shahukaar. He said to the Shahukaar: “give me 250 Rupees and marry my daughter.” The Shahukaar said: “take more. I have a lot of money in my home. Your poverty will be gone forever. You will be in joy. Don’t doubt this.” The Sikh said: “I don’t have any other wish. I just want what I ask for.” The Sikh took 250 Rupees and gave it to the person in his home. He gave 200 as per Guru ji’s Hukamnama and 50 to the person for his gift. They all ate food in joy. The person was amazed at the Sikh. He went back to Guru ji after eating.
On the way back, it was noon. He saw a Sadhoo and sat with him. He was really tired when he met the Sadhoo. A big Shahukaar came and saw the Sadhoo and the person. He gave an expensive shawl to the Sadhoo and placed some sweet foods in front of him. He bowed with love in his heart. The Shahukaar gave money to the Sadhoo. The Sadhoo was unaffected by anything. The Shahukaar left. Another traveller came to the same place. The traveller took the shawl, money and food and ran off. The Sadhoo didn’t say anything. He saw the gifts given and the theft as the same. He saw the giver and the thief as the same. He didn’t judge any of them. He didn’t say anything good or bad. When the gifts came, the Sadhoo was not happy. He wasn’t in sorrow when they were stolen. The person sat and saw the whole drama. He then got up and went back to the Prabhoo. As he walked, it was evening. There was no village nearby. It was just jungle. He sat under a tree. Upon the tree, a bird couple lived there. When the night was just 2 hours young, the female bird said to the male bird: “we have a guest. We should give him food.” The male bird flew to the city. He brought a stick with fire back. He gave it to the Sikh right away. They had gathered some dried grass and lit it with the fire. The female bird jumped into the fire and the male bird followed. They gave their lives to feed their meat to the person. The person saw this and ate the birds. The birds were Sikhs in their previous births. Because of some Karma, they had to become birds. They still had their wisdom though. They gave their lives and freed themselves. Sri Guru ji gave them Mukti for their act. When the person ate the meat, he was really surprised. In the morning, he continued his travels.
The person arrived in Kartarpur and placed the money in front of Guru ji. He folded his hands and bowed. He wished for wisdom. Prabhoo ji said: “are you now convinced of your questions?” The person said: “I didn’t understand anything. Please tell me.” Sri Prabhoo ji said: “the Sikh that you saw; he saw himself as the Guru’s own and sold his daughter to give money. If you wish to be a Sikh then be like him. You will get the highest Mukti then. If you wish to be a Fakir then let go of joy and sorrow. The Sadhoo you saw on the way, be like him if you want to be a Fakir. If you receive something, don’t be happy. If you lose it, don’t be in sorrow. If you wish to enter the Ghrist Dharma, then take on the characteristics of the birds you saw. For the sake of guests, don’t think of your own pain. They gave their lives for you in the blink of an eye. Think of all three of these ways in a good way. Wherever your faith lies, do as you wish.” The person lost his patience as he didn’t think he was able to do any 3 of those things. He folded his hands and said: “I find all 3 ways very difficult. I won’t be able to follow any one path. The ones who do this, they are great. Even though I can’t do them, I still came to your shelter. To save people like me is your Dharma. To purify the sinners, the whole world says, this is your promise. Please be compassionate and save me. I am not capable of anything. Please protect me.” When Guru ji heard this, he said: “be without deceit and work for a living according to the Dharma. Destroy your ego and serve the Sikhs with humility. You will be blessed slowly.” The person heard this and did as he was told. He did Seva with love. As time went on, he did the Simran of the Satnam. His focus was still and his wisdom became beautiful. He became deserving of Mukti. His cycle of birth and death was destroyed. In this way, he was given wisdom. Guru ji saved him as well.