Satguru Angad Dev ji had a daughter named Bibi Amaro ji. Bibi Amaro ji would always remain engrossed in her Bhagti. She was considered the Avatar of Bhagti itself. Sri Amardas ji had a younger brother named Bhai Manik Chand ji. Bhai Manik Chand ji had a son named Bhai Jasoo ji, who was a very intelligent and knowledgeable person. Bibi Amaro ji was married to Bhai Jasoo ji. Bibi Amaro ji would do the housework all day long and would listen to everyone in the house. She would wake up before the last watch of the night (around 2 am) and take a bath to read the Gurbani of Guru Nanak Dev ji. That same night that Sri Amardas ji was up, Bibi Amaro ji did her Simran and got to her household chores. She was churning butter and singing the Bani of Guru Nanak Dev ji and enjoying herself as she sang it. Her focus was one with the Bani and every word she sung would give her joy. As Sri Amardas ji was up all night, praying for the Satguru to find him, he heard the sweet singing of his nephew’s wife. He stopped his mind’s thoughts, and his breath, to listen to the Gurbani being sung. The sweet tune got stuck in his heart. His heart blossomed as it heard the Gurbani. He got up and walked close to the wall to hear the singing. He didn’t want to be seen by her, so that she didn’t stop singing by feeling shy. He hid and heard her singing for a long time. As the sun rose, Sri Amardas ji went to Bibi Amaro ji and asked her: “what were these words that you were singing? Oh daughter, please sing those words again. Those words resurrected my dead spirit. Listening to those words was like Amrit (nectar of eternal life) in my mouth. I am alive again! You have done a great service to me and you shall be rewarded with great Karma.” Bibi Amaro ji was shy, as it was not polite to speak in front of the elders in that time period. She timidly said the words of the Gurbani again:
Sri Mukhvaak (from the holy mouth of the Guru) Maaroo Mahalla 1 Ghar 1 (Raag Maaroo, Nanak I, sung in the first house)
The actions of the person are like paper, the mind is the inkpot. Good and bad are the writings. As the past karmas inspire, the pen flows in that manner. Your virtues have no end, Akaal Purakh, nobody can figure out your ways. Oh, foolish person, why do you not remember Hari. By forgetting Hari, your good karma will rot away. Rahao.
The small net of the night and the big net of the day, the watches of the day are the ropes around your neck. The person is engrossed in the pleasures of life and stuck in these nets. By which actions can you be free, oh foolish one? Your body is the furnace and your mind is the iron, burning in the fire of the vices (lust, anger, greed, attachment and ego). The coal of sins added on top. The mind is being burned by the tong of worries, holding on to the mind. The mind is burnt and turned into slag (metallic waste) but can turn into gold if it meets the Guru. The name of Akaal Purakh, which is the ambrosial nectar, is given by the Guru, Says Nanak, then the body is saved. (SGGS 990)
Listening to these words, Sri Amardas ji was very happy. He said: “oh daughter, whatever you have said, this is exactly the state my mind is in right now. My youth is gone, I didn’t think of doing Bhagti or Seva then. Now I am old and my mind is turned to slag, all burnt. The words that you have said, it states that the slag can turn into gold with the philosopher’s stone if I meet the Guru. It seems as though this Gurbani is for me. This is how I am. I need the philosopher’s stone, the Guru.” Sri Amardas ji asked her again: “who wrote these words and how do you know them? The person who wrote this, is that saint still living in this word? Listening to this Shabad, I am filled with love and I am now happy. This Shabad was written for me.” Bibi Amaro ji heard his words and said: “this Gurbani is written by Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. He has written these words in beautiful writings. He has written a lot of Gurbani for the salvation of Humankind. By reading it, one is filled with love and he/she is saved in this world and in the world beyond. My father sings and listens to this Gurbani with love. At my father’s house, the Rababis sing this Gurbani day and night. The whole Sangat listens to this Gurbani. Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji has left for Vaikunt (Sach Khand) and gave his light, his throne, to my father, Guru Angad Dev ji. I heard this Gurbani and memorized it from my father. The Bani of Guru Nanak Dev ji destroys sins. There are many Sikh servants that sing this Gurbani, who live in far away lands as well as close by. The Sikhs let go of their vices and meditate on the name of Akaal Purakh.” Sri Amardas ji said: “listen, do this favor for me: take me to your father. I wish to meet him. I wish to meet the Guru as I cannot continue living like this. I am old and have no wisdom. I need to go right away. My daughter, please make me alive again.” Bibi Amaro ji said: “Pitha ji, you are my elder, I will obey your command without doubt. You are elder than my father-in-law, I cannot say no to you. I am afraid of one thing though: when I was married off, I was told that my house is now my husband’s home. I am not allowed to go to my father’s home unless I am called. I cannot go without being invited. I can go if there are functions at my father’s home, but not otherwise. I need to obey my father’s command and cannot come with you. I cannot come without his command and cannot leave his home without his command either. I am afraid of his words as anything that comes from his mouth turns into reality.” Sri Amardas ji responded: “don’t worry about this. Your father is the true Guru, he will not be mad if you do this work for me. He will see me as his servant and keep me there.” Bibi Amaro ji agreed and then got ready to go.
Bibi Amaro ji called the jheevars (fishermen or water carriers. They would also travel along, carrying palanquins) to pick up her palanquin. Sri Amardas ji followed her. He saw many great signs as he left his home. He thought to himself: “I feel Akaal Purakh and nature are on my side.” They walked towards Khadoor slowly. Bibi Amaro ji said to Sri Amardas ji: “Thayaji, as we come close to my father’s home, would you kindly wait just outside the village as I go and meet my father first, please? My father may be in Samadhi and then I will ask him when he opens his eyes. When he agrees to seeing you, I will come get you. You can meet him and stay with him. I will need to do this though.” Sri Amardas ji agreed and Bibi Amaro ji went to her father’s home. She met her father with love and sat beside him. The True Guru spoke to his daughter: “what brings you here today? You were not called to come. You came without being called upon, my daughter. On top of that, why did you leave the person you brought along with you outside of the village? Bring the person inside.” Bibi Amaro ji folded her hands and said: “yes Pitha ji, I will bring him. I wasn’t sure if I had your permission to bring him. I will bring him right away. My father-in-law has a deep desire to meet you.” Bibi Amaro ji went to Sri Amardas ji and brought him to her father. As soon as he met the Guru, he has extremely happy. He saw that the Guru was above pain and pleasure, joy and sorrow. He was exactly how the Shasters described such a being. Guru Angad Dev ji got up to meet Sri Amardas, as he was the father-in-law of his daughter. He took out his hands to hug Sri Amardas ji but Sri Amardas ji fell to Guru Angad Dev ji’s feet and said: “oh Satguru, I am not worthy of hugging you. Please make me the servant of your feet.” Guru Angad Dev ji lifted him up and hugged my forcefully. They both sat down and asked how the family was doing.
After a while of sitting and chatting the Langri came to announce the Langar. Guru Angad Dev ji and other Sikhs such as Baba Bhudda ji came to the Pangat. Guru Angad Dev ji came and sat down. Sri Amardas ji sat down in the Pangat as well. First the rice and dhaal (lentils) came. After that, the meat came. Sri Amardas ji saw the meat and got concerned. He thought to himself: “I have never eaten meat in my life before. I consider it a sin. How can I get up from here? If I knew this was going to happen, I would not have sat down. If I say no, the Langris may get mad. I came to be initiated as a Sikh. If I say no to the food, the Guru may be mad. I hope I am not rejected from being his Sikh. If the Guru is not happy, he may not accept me. I have no other way out now. If the Guru is complete and can see inside my heart, I wish for the Guru to stop the Langri from giving me the meat. If this happens, firstly, my Dharam will not break, secondly my faith in the Guru will increase. If the Guru fulfills my heart’s wishes, I can see that he his complete and will surely save my soul.” Guru Angad Dev ji heard the heart of Sri Amardas ji. Guru ji stopped the Langri with the bucket of meat and said: “the new person that has come, bring rice and dhaal for him. He does not eat meat, as he follows a vegetarian tradition.” The Langri skipped Sri Amardas ji and distributed the meat to the rest of the Sangat. Sri Amardas ji received rice and Dhaal. Everyone ate and were satisfied. They drank water and got up. Sri Amardas ji was very happy and thought to himself: “the Guru is complete. My sins will now be washed away. My good karma has come to fruition. There is no other Guru more powerful than Guru Angad Dev ji. I would be fortunate if this Guru would keep me in his service. The Ganga has heard my cry, this Guru is a complete Avatar. He is the greatest form.” Sri Amardas ji sat down and was thinking how the miracle had just occurred, just as he wanted it. The night passed and the day came. The next day the Langar was ready again. Guru Angad Dev ji would sit amongst the Sangat to eat Langar. Sri Amardas ji sat down again and thought: “Guru ji, I have full faith in you and don’t wish to test you again. I have another wish: I wish that you give me the food from your plate, without me asking for it. When I get the food from the Guru’s plate, I will be purified. My heart will be pure.” Guru Angad Dev ji heard Sri Amardas ji’s plea. He ate his food and drank his water but left a little food behind. He called a sevadaar and said to him: “take my plate to the new person that is here. He wishes to have my food.” The servant took Guru ji’s plate and gave it to Sri Amardas ji. Sri Amardas ji took the plate and ate it. He was now in bliss and his whole body was reciting “Dhan Guru Angad Dev ji.” As soon as he took the first bite, his mind stopped wandering. He became still. He was in peace. All his doubts were cleared. He drank water and finished every last bit of food. He came outside and didn’t know the Sikhs, as he was new. He was sitting alone. He would come when the Langar would be called and would eat whatever was given. He would stay in the same place and instill his mind in Simran.
Sri Amardas ji spent many days like this. Guru Angad Dev ji hadn’t called him for this whole time. He didn’t say any words. This is how the Guru was testing the Sikh. Sri Amardas ji was shy to meet or talk to anyone. He would eat in the Langar and then spend time alone and recite the name of Akaal Purakh. He wouldn’t talk to anyone and nobody else would talk to him. Sri Amardas ji was determined to stay here for the rest of his life.