After seven days, Guru ji started to implement the traditions of the Guru’s house. This is what his daily routine was. In the last watch of the night (around 2 am), Satguru ji would wake up, as it was the time to recite the name of Akaal Purakh. Bhai Bhulloo ji would go to the Beas River to get water for Guru ji’s bath. Guru ji would wash his hair and white beard with yoghurt. Bhai Bhulloo would rub vatna (mixture made with sandalwood paste, turmeric and other herbs) on to Guru ji’s body and wash it away with water. Guru ji would then put his clothes on. Guru ji would place a tilak (mark on the forehead) made of sandalwood paste on his forehead and sit down on his Singhasan. He would immerse himself into his true self and connect with Akaal Purakh, in pure bliss. He would go into a Samadhi. This was who Jogis, Brahma, Shiv ji and Vishnu would worship. Guru ji would keep his eyes closed and remain in Samadhi till the sun would rise. Once the sun would rise, Guru ji would ascend his Singhasan in Sangat. The Rababis would come and sing Shabad Gurbani. They would sing different reets (traditional musical compositions) in different Raags. Guru ji would listen to the Kirtan and be in bliss. The Kirtan was as though peacocks singing, seeing the clouds. The glory of Guru Amardas ji was just as the glory of Guru Nanak Dev ji and Guru Angad Dev ji. Guru ji blessed the Sangat with happiness, just as the elder Gurus did. The Sangat would do Simran and say “Dhan” from their mouths. The Sangat was attached to Guru ji in a deep bond of love. It was the time of Amrit Vela (the early morning during the first rays of light) and the Sikhs were focused onto the feet of Guru Amardas ji. Guru ji would shower them with the ambrosial nectar of immortality by speaking to them. The fortunate ones were able to come to the Guru at this hour in the morning. This was the time when great gifts were received. It was as though the waves in the ocean were delivering its pearls and gems at this time. By being in the company of Guru ji, the Sangat would receive great virtues. Guru ji would release them from the cycle of birth and death. During this time, their heart would be filled with love, when they would say Satnam. They would see the world as false and as a myth when they would connect with the true name of Akaal Purakh at this time. As the morning would progress into day, the Sangat would come to meet Guru ji. Guru ji’s radiance was amazing for anyone to witness. Guru ji’s form was pure and calm. Everyone would be at peace once they would meet him. Guru ji was very old. It was the third incarnation of the Guru. The Sikhs would visit and make both their life on earth and after-life a success. They would bow and sit next to Guru ji. Their hearts would be filled with joy, when they were in his presence. The Sikhs that wished to be one with Akaal Purakh, Guru ji would be extremely happy with them and love them more. He would grant them their wish to be one with Akaal Purakh. He would give them Brahmgyaan. Guru ji would give them wisdom as to how they can achieve the Parmanand (the ultimate bliss). By following this path, Simran would become their most favorite task and their egos would be destroyed. The people that came to ask for worldly things and money, Guru ji would give them what they desired as well, since this was the Guru’s duty. Those people only liked to spend money for pleasureful things. The ones that were in love with the path to Parmeshwar, Guru ji would speak to them with great love and help them become one with Akaal Purakh Hari. The ones who come to ask for sons and wealth, their desires were fulfilled but they were not in the love bonds with Guru ji. In this way, Guru ji would hold court till noon. When the Langar would be ready, the Langri would come and announce the Langar. Guru ji and the Sangat would get up and then have Langar.
The Sangat would wash Guru ji’s feet and everyone would go have Langar together. There was no concern of caste or creed. Everyone sat on the same level to have Langar. Just as all swans are equally beautiful, so are all humans; high caste or low caste; rich or poor. Satguru ji, sitting in the Pangat, would look like Ram Chander ji sitting with Rishis and Munis (Saints and ascetics) in the jungle. Satguru ji would only eat once a day. He would have a dish called Ogra (a cooked grain in milk, yoghurt or water) without any salt. He would not eat a full meal and stay a little hungry. The rest of the Sangat ate the great tasting Langar to their heart’s content. Many types of dishes would be prepared, which would make the Sangat very happy. When the first Pangat was done eating, they would get up and leave. The second group would then come and have Langer.
In the evening, Guru ji would hold another Divaan. He would come and sit on his throne. There was a Pandit by the name of Kesho Gopal that would come, with whom Guru ji formed a great relationship with. Kesho Gopal wished to do Katha in Sangat to impress Guru ji and attain to the oneness of Akaal Purakh. Guru ji sensed his wishes and asked him to start doing Katha in Sangat. Kesho Gopal was a scholar of many forms of knowledge. He would do Katha of history and other knowledge. Guru ji and the Sangat would listen to his Katha with great love and attention. After the Katha, the Rababis would come and perform Kirtan. They would sing in different Raags and Raagnis. The evening Divaan would run for 3 hours and everyone would listen with full attention. They would listen and do the Simran of Satnam in their hearts and out loud. After the Divaan, Guru ji would go to bed and complete the day in this manner. Seeing the Guru’s routine, one’s sins would run away.
Guru ji would wear white and light clothes. He would only keep one set of clothes and wash and wear it everyday. He wouldn’t keep another set of clothes in the house. When his set of clothes would go old, only then would he get another set made. They would be white and simple as well. He would give his old clothes to the poor and not keep them for anything. The Langar that was made was also new everyday, nothing was stored over night. The faith that: Akaal Purakh will provide food everyday, was a solid faith that Guru ji instilled into the hearts of everyone. It is only Akaal Purakh that provides for all. Whatever food and grains that would come on a daily basis would all be cooked. The Sikh Sangat, rich or poor, would eat to their heart’s content. Whatever Langar was leftover, was distributed out to everyone and to the needy. They would also give the leftover Langar to the animals in the village. There was nothing kept for the next day. Whatever food and grain would come to the Langar during the day, nothing was kept, not even the collected water. All the pots and pans would be washed and placed upside down. Just as birds and dervishes never gather anything, that is how it was in Guru ji’s Langar. Birds and dervishes find new food to eat everyday and do not store anything. They live under the will of Akaal Purakh. The extra food after feeding the animals was then put into the Beas River. Extra clothes were not kept as well. This is how Guru ji’s ways were. The Sikhs would say Vahiguru from their mouths and upon meeting one another, they would greet each other with “pairee puvna Satguru,” (I touch thy feet, oh Satguru). Seeing these new traditions that Guru ji had started, the people of the world were jealous and angry.
Some people would talk bad about the new ways of the House of the Guru. The fools did not know that this was the way to salvation and prosperity. In Kaliyuga, the way to mukti is only Bhagti. Guru ji started these traditions which were inclusive to all castes. He would say: “whoever believes in the Ashrams and comes to the Guru’s Darbar, they will need to first sit in the Pangat and eat Langar with all of the other castes, sitting on the same level; only then are they allowed to see me and sit in the Guru’s court.” The people that believed: that the purity of the food is only maintained by the food made by the higher castes, they were not allowed to visit the Guru and had to return without seeing him. The ones that did not recognize the four Ashrams and the four castes, only they were allowed to see Guru ji. They ate Langar and met Guru ji. The Sikhs of the Guru brought food everyday with love. There was never a shortage and everyone ate as much as they wanted to. The news of the Guru’s ways spread far and wide. Hearing the glories of the Guru, Sikhs came from far away lands. Sikhs from the time of Guru Nanak Dev ji came to visit Guru Amardas ji. The Sikhs that knew about the glories of Guru Angad Dev ji also came to visit Guru ji. Everyone came, recognizing the third incarnation of the Guru. Whatever wishes they had in their hearts, they would come true, without them saying it to Guru ji. People that came with money and gifts, only one day’s worth of cost was kept. The rest was given back to them. Nothing was stored or treasured. They would beg for Guru ji to accept their money but if it was not needed for the day, it was not kept.
The Glory of Guru ji grew by the day. The radiance of Bhagti spread far and wide. More and more Sikhs were now immersing into the Bhagti of Akaal Purakh. Many Sikhs began to live with Guru ji and achieved many powers and miraculous abilities. They would serve the Guru’s feet with great love and devotion and did Simran of Satnam, day and night. Many Sikhs came and settled in Goindwal and made new houses for themselves. Many new businesses and shops were set up as well. Everyone made a good living and there was no shortage of anything. There was no illness, only happiness and peace, that everyone lived in.