Make your mind the paper. Make the good wisdom the ink. Write the glory of the Satguru and you shall receive the highest status.
Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji, the Treasure of Blessings, gave the wisdom of Brahmgyaan to Bhai Lehna ji. Some time went by. Sri Param Lehna ji did a lot of Seva of Guru ji with love. As the tree bows with more fruit, so did Bhai Lehna ji become humbler with the Gyaan. Guru ji saw the deep humility and gave him more blessings. He saw that Bhai Lehna ji had the ability to tolerate the intolerable, the ability to harness the greatest powers. The Giver of Mukti was really happy. The thought of Guru ji increased by the day upon Bhai Lehna ji. The Sangat met each other and said: “Sri Lehna ji is blessed by Guru ji. It seems as though Guru ji is really happy with him and will give his Takhat to him. Baba Sri Chand ji and Baba Lakhmi Das ji, it seems as they won’t get the Ghaddi.” In this way, the discussions spread. They sat with each other and spoke: “when the Compassionate One tested Sikhi, Bhai Lehna ji remained still every time. It is right to give the Ghaddi to him. This is not surprising.”
When Mata Sulakhani ji heard of this, she felt pain in her heart. She was worried and came to the Sangat where the Master was sitting in the Dharamsala. She saw both of her sons sitting near Guru ji. Bhai Lehna ji was serving Guru ji’s feet. Many other Sikhs sat around Guru ji. Mata ji came there with a depressed mind. She sat in front of Guru ji and said: “listen father of Sri Chand, Gunkhaani; why are you thinking an unorthodox tradition? The traditional way of the world, do that. Your sons are deserving in every way. You don’t love them though. Your family will spread because of them. The praise spreads through children. Your name remains because of them. Your children keep the name of the family. You have rejected your virtuous sons and you love your servant. The powers and status you have, you want to give them to your servant. You are going to give him the greatness. Many other Avatars that came before you, none have thought of this. They have never given the greatness to the servants over their sons. Nobody made the servant sit on their seat. This is not a good thing you have thought of. What is in your heart, your sons will burn in their heart. They will see the injustice and be in pain.” The Bhagat Vatsal heard this and sat quietly for a long time. At that time, a cat was carrying a mouse in its mouth. She chewed a bit of the mouse and threw the rest out. The dead mouse landed in the middle of the Sangat. The Sikhs scared the cat away. The mouse was on the ground. When Guru ji saw the mouse, he spoke, to make his wife understand. He said to Baba Sri Chand ji: “this dead mouse doesn’t look good here. Pick it up and throw it outside of the Dharamsala.” Baba Sri Chand ji said: “I have seen many magicians. They can make feathers into pigeons and make it fly away. You have certainly done something like that. You are doing some sort of drama again. You had done a drama with pigs and dogs before. You also showed a dead body to everyone. You then made the body into Karah Prashaad. I know that this is another trick of yours. I don’t wish to see such tricks. I would never pick up a dead mouse.” Baba Sri Chand ji went quiet. Guru ji said to his other son: “Lakhmi Das, son, listen: pick up the dead mouse and throw it far away.” Baba Lakhmi Das ji said: “listen Pitha ji, this is not right that you say this to us. I would never touch this. I can ask the servants to pick it up.” He then went quiet as well. Guru ji looked at Bhai Lehna ji and said: “get up, oh beloved of Kartar. Pick up the mouse and throw it away.” As Guru ji was mid-sentence, Bhai Lehna ji quickly got up and picked up the dead mouse. He threw it far away from the Dharamsala. Guru Nanak Dev ji said: “oh daughter of Moola, wise woman, look with your eyes and think about it. These are our sons before you. Look at them and look at the son of another. Your sons did not obey me. This servant is always obedient. Nothing is in anyone’s hands. Everything is by the will of the Kartaar. Whoever is blessed by him, he will get the seat. The land that is lower, the water (of virtues) gathers there. Where the high hill is, not a drop of water stays there.” Mata ji saw this with her own eyes. She got up and went to the home.
After a few days, Guru ji wanted to do another test. Guru ji was a ship to take everyone across this world ocean. When night came, Guru ji was laying down. His sons and other senior Sikhs were in the same room. Guru ji called his son, Baba Sri Chand ji at midnight and said: “take my Chadras and wash them. Dry them and bring them back to me.” Baba Sri Chand ji said: “I am tired. I am resting. My hands are too soft. They get cold at night with cold water. I will get the servants to wash them in the morning. I can’t do this right now.” Guru ji then told his younger son to go but he also refused. Then, Guru ji told Bhai Lehna ji: “Purkha, wash my 2 Chadra clothes.” The fortunate Bhai Lehna ji got up and picked up the 2 Chadras. He went to the Sarovar to wash the clothes. It was freezing cold. As he was washing, in the middle of the night, the sun came up. It was like noon. Bhai Lehna ji was surprised to see this. The clothes were washed and dried in the sun. He brought the clothes back to Satguru ji’s home. He placed the clothes down and bowed to Guru ji. Guru ji lifted Bhai Lehna ji up and said: “oh wise one, never a person such as you as ever been born in this world. How was the night when you washed the clothes?” Bhai Lehna ji said: “only you know your ways, Master.” Satguru ji said: “the seat will go to the fortunate one. Without destiny, they can’t get it, even after millions of births.” Satguru ji wished to test further.
One day, Guru ji was sitting with the Sikhs. The two sons of Guru ji were there as well. Mata Sulakhani ji was there too. Guru ji took a copper bowl and threw it where the used water was gathering, in the mud. The dirty water from washing the dishes was settling there. Guru ji said to Baba Sri Chand ji: “the bowl fell into the mud. Take it out and give it to me. Wash and clean it first.” Baba Sri Chand ji heard this and said: “I am wearing expensive clothes. I can’t go into the mud. The water is used water. I won’t go there. Many servants that serve me, they will obey me without delay. Command them. They will take the bowl out. If I do it, my honour will be lost in front of them.” The Master then said to his other son: “Lakhmi Das, take out the bowl and wash it.” Baba Lakhmi Das ji heard this and said: “Pitha ji, you are very wise. You are making us do the dirty work. You are lowering our honour among everyone. This is what you do. I won’t do it.” Guru ji looked towards Bhai Lehna ji and said: “oh fortunate one, the bowl is in the mud. Take it out and wash it.” Bhai Lehna ji was wearing expensive clothes as well but he heard the command and did not delay. He jumped into the mud and did as he was told. He was determined to obey Guru ji. He took out the bowl and washed it. His clothes were dirty with mud. He was so dirty that he couldn’t be recognized. Everyone saw this and said: “Dhan Dhan.” The Sikhi of the Guru is sharper that the edge of a sword. Those people are great who become Sikhs and become Mukat. The Kirpa Nidhaan was very happy with Bhai Lehna ji. He spoke with sweet words: “fold your hands and bow before Kartaar. There is no comparison to you. You will achieve the highest status.” Bhai Lehna ji heard this and bowed to Guru ji’s Lotus Feet. He bowed his head and felt a great bliss. For many days, Bhai Lehna ji continued to serve Guru ji’s feet.
One day, Bhai Boora ji (Baba Bhudda ji) thought to himself: “I do a lot of Seva as well. I obey Guru ji but the blessing of Guru ji is heavy upon Sri Bhai Lehna ji.” The Omniscient Sri Guru ji sensed this. To test Bhai Boora ji, Guru ji thought of a plan. One night, while Guru ji was laying down, Bhai Boora ji and Bhai Lehna ji were close by. The Home of Joy spoke: “Boora, go outside of the home and see how much of the night is left. Tell me how much night is left. Tell me if it’s my time to bathe or not.” Bhai Boora ji went outside to check. He came back and said: “Prabhoo, it is midnight. Half of the night remains.” Guru ji said: “it can’t be so. There are only 3 hours left for the night. Go and check again. Tell me without thinking with your naïve mind.” Bhai Boora ji checked again. He said: “it is midnight Guru ji. I have checked properly. It is midnight.” Guru ji said: “only 3 hours remain. You didn’t check properly.” Bhai Boora ji went outside a third time. He looked up at the stars to determine the time. He came back and said: “by my calculations it is midnight.” Three times he didn’t accept Guru ji’s words. He didn’t understand Guru ji’s wish. The Giver of Mukti looked towards Bhai Lehna ji and said: “go outside and check how much of the night remains. Tell me what remains.” Bhai Lehna ji did not delay and went outside. He looked up at the stars and said: “oh Sri Gunkhaani, it is midnight.” Guru ji said: “check properly. There are only 3 hours left. That, is correct.” Bhai Lehna ji thought about this: “it is midnight indeed but whatever Guru ji is saying, we servants aren’t understanding it. We are limited and he is complete and omnipotent. There must be something we are not seeing.” After thinking about this, Bhai Lehna ji said: “Prabhoo ji, my eyes are lazy from sleep. I’ve made a mistake and said it was midnight. I understand that it is indeed only 3 hours remaining. Whatever hours of the night you have passed by, that is what has passed. I can only see a portion of it. Whatever you wish to remain, remains as the night. You are the keeper of time. You are its Master. Please forgive my disobedience. I have no qualities. You are always forgiving. I was unwise and couldn’t see properly. I spoke falsely and spoke what I saw.” Seeing the humility, Guru ji was really happy. He knew that his servant was the greatest. He had passed every test he had put him through. He was the gold that was pure after the 12 fires. He was pure. The servants were tested in every way. Bhai Lehna ji had no fault remaining. Guru ji saw Bhai Lehna ji as deserving of the treasure of Gurta. He decided to enter his Jot into Bhai Lehna ji. He made up his mind to give him the Gurta Takhat. He wanted to take on a new incarnation, in a new body. He was going to enter the new body. The Ocean of Joy, the indestructible One, the cutter of the noose of his servants; he had no form, no body, no colour, no attachment, no illness, no sorrow; who was called the Akaal (timeless); the complete Sri Parameshwar; the Purshottam who could not be quantified; who has no caste, no creed, no mother, no father, no brother, no difference, no end; that Kartaar took on an Avatar as the form of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. The animals and plants were created by him. He created the signs of men and women. He was the beautiful Jot. He was the king of kings and emperor of emperors. He was the great one without a beginning; who has no end; who can’t be cut; who is meditated upon by Sadhoos; that is Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. He was determined to go into Sri Guru Angad Dev ji’s body. Sri Parmatma, the Omniscient One, the one who gives status to all; the destroyer of all; the destroyer of pain; whose chanting of his name, the sins run away; who was unmeasurable in himself; the root of the universe; the destroyer of hypocrisy; the blesser of servants is his way; Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji had made the decision to live in the body of Sri Lehna ji.
To bathe in the Airavati (Ravi) Guru ji got up. Sri Bhai Lehna ji went with Guru ji as his servant. Guru ji’s feet was Bhai Lehna ji’s support. Sri Guru ji removed his clothes to bathe. He went into the Ravi and stood in the middle. He had destroyed the pains of his servants in both worlds. Sri Lehna ji bathed as well. Bhai Lehna ji came out of the river and sat in Samadhi at the shore. He instilled his breaths in the Dasam Duar. He was in full bliss. Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji’s beautiful form that was in his heart, Bhai Lehna ji went beyond his body, into his Aatma. He was in his heart and in bliss. He sat still in Samadhi, focusing on the form of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. Bhai Lehna ji was in Samadhi. He was focused on to the form of the Guru. Guru ji was tied in the rope of love. He stopped his Tapp in the river and came to the shore. He saw his servant, Bhai Lehna ji. Bhai Lehna ji was in Samadhi and unaware of his body. Bhai Lehna ji was focused in his Aatma, One with the light of Guru Nanak Dev ji. The form that he was meditating upon, Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji pulled his form away from Bhai Lehna ji’s focus. Bhai Lehna ji noticed the form of Guru Nanak Dev ji disappear from his heart. Startled, he opened his eyes right away. He saw Guru Nanak Dev ji standing in front of him. He folded his hands and bowed to Guru ji.
Guru ji had love and compassion in his eyes. (The Devatas looked upon this blessed time. They sang the Raags of Joy, for Parmeshwar was going to enter into a new body. They sounded their conches, rang the bells and shouted Jaikaras of Guru Nanak Dev ji and Bhai Lehna ji) Guru ji raised Bhai Lehna ji and took him to the Dharamsala. The Giver of Joy to the Sikhs, made Bhai Lehna ji sit in the middle and called all of the Sikhs. Bhai Boora ji, Bhai Bagheerath ji, Bhai Sadharan ji and all of the other Sikhs came. Guru ji called both of his sons as well. Guru ji looked at Bhai Lehna ji with great compassion. He placed 5 Paisas and a coconut in front of Bhai Lehna ji. He did 3 Parkarmas around Bhai Lehna ji. Guru Nanak Dev ji folded his hands and bowed to Bhai Lehna ji, transferring the Gurta Ghaddi of Akaal Purakh, with all its powers and abilities, to Bhai Lehna ji. Bhai Lehna ji saw this tradition and got scared. He was surprised to see this. He wondered at the unorthodox tradition that Guru ji had just done with him. He said to Guru Nanak Dev ji: “you are the Kartaar, the Master of all creation. You are the High Parmeshwar, the Sri Maharaja. The body that you had just bowed to, this is deserving of great pain (this body should be in pain from leprosy.” As soon as Guru Angad Dev ji said this, the lesions of leprosy began to form on his toe. As the lesions were about to go upwards, Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji grabbed Guru Angad Dev ji’s toe and stopped the illness from spreading upwards) Guru Nanak Dev ji then spoke with compassion in his eyes: “Purkha, stop! Stay quiet. Don’t say that again. Whatever you say now will become reality. Don’t say such words again. Obey by command. You are now the Guru of the world. The world is your servant now. You will be known as “Angad” from now. You have been formed from my “Ang” (my body part). Make the Simran of Satnam illuminate in the world. Spread the tradition of Sikhi, everywhere.” After saying this, the Prabhoo radiated two forms of himself at the same time. It was like the Sri Ganga raising a wave inside of her. Guru Angad Dev ji became very radiant. (He felt the unlimited bliss. He was the Sri Parmeshwar himself. His face glowed brighter. He was the Infinite One, higher than any Devata or any saint) It was like a torch being lit by another torch. Guru Nanak Dev ji made the Ganga flow the opposite way. He made the Sikh into the Guru. He gave the Gurta Ghaddi to his Sikh servant. In this way, he seated Guru Angad Dev ji upon the Takhat of the Universe.
Guru Nanak Dev ji then said to everyone: “whosoever obeys me, come and bow to Guru Angad Dev ji. As you saw my form, in the same way, see Guru Angad Dev ji. Follow him in the same way.” Hearing Guru Nanak Dev ji, Baba Bhudda ji, Bhai Sadharan ji, Bhai Mansukh ji, Bhai Bagheerath ji and others got up. They saw Guru ji’s wish and bowed to Sri Guru Angad Dev ji. The two sons of Guru Nanak Dev ji did not get up though. They remained sitting, filled with ego. Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji said to his sons: “you should get up and bow as well.” The sons said: “he is your servant! We are your sons. We are higher than him! How can we bow to him? We can’t do this unorthodox thing.” After saying this, the sons got up and went home. They didn’t obey their father’s command. They did not understand their father’s heart. They didn’t see his greatness. Sri Guru ji did not say anything to them.
Guru Nanak Dev ji said to Guru Angad Dev ji: “you are to bless the world. Take on the Mool Mantra. Say the Mool Mantra. See my Bani as the treasure of virtues. Gather the Pauris and recite the Bani to me. Tie this tradition and bless all. The ones who are born after me, the Bani will give them Mukti. Make such a ship that one can be blessed, boarding it. The world will be saved.” Sri Guru Angad Dev ji heard this and bowed. He gathered the Pauris of Japji Sahib and recited them in the order as we known it today (it was not in order at that time. Guru Angad Dev ji set the order). Guru Angad Dev ji decided the order and recited the Japji Sahib with bliss and Guru Nanak Dev ji gave his approval towards the order of the Pauris. Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji called the Bani “Jap.” Guru Nanak Dev ji then spoke of the greatness of Japji Sahib: “whoever wishes for Sikhi, they should wake up in the last watch of the night and bathe. They should then recite Japji Sahib with awareness and think of its meanings in their heart. They will undoubtedly receive Mukti. The ones who love to serve Sri Japji Sahib (as Japji Sahib is the form of the Parmeshwar) they will be close to me. The ones who recite this with a wish in their heart, the wish will be fulfilled suddenly. All of the Jantras, Mantra and Tantras are in this. The strongest Bhoots, Prayts and Daynts wouldn’t be able to harm the Sikhs. They won’t come near the Sikhs, the ones who recite this with love. The Jeevs who have human life and don’t recite the Japji, they would be wasting their lives for nothing. This is the Yoga Mantra for the Sikhs. It will give joy to the Sikhs in both worlds. The Sikh who does not memorize the Japji, they are only Sikh by name and clothes. There is no tradition greater than this; do the Seva of Japji that makes the mind pure. The Kamdhenu, Chintamani and Kalapbrish are not even a sesame seed’s worth in comparison to Japji Sahib. I have spoken little praise of the Japji Shaib. The unwise will never understand it. The greatness is unspeakable.” Kavi Santokh Singh ji speaks: “Japji Sahib is the giver of joy. Oh foolish mind of mine, always serve the Japji Sahib everyday. What the Munis, Devatas and Devis wish for, they wish for the human life and recite the Japji Sahib. Only that person will understand the Sikhi of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji who does the Seva of Japji Sahib. The noose of the Jumms will be cut. They will receive the status of being without end. This is what the Devatas wish for. They will receive everything. What can we say? When the end time comes, nobody can help you. The person regrets while rubbing their hands. They say: “why did I waste my human life? The Human life was rare that I received. I dressed as a Sikh. It was the time of Kaliyuga. Guru ji is happy with little Seva.” The one missing this opportunity is like climbing the Sumer and then falling from it to Rasatal. Everyone should memorize Japji Sahib. It washes the sins of many births. The mind becomes pure with it. One receives Mukti and the bonds break. The one who practices the Shabad, no other task is left for them.”