One, Laaloo the wise, second Durga and third, Jivanda. All three came to meet Guru Amardas ji to serve him. They came to Guru ji and bowed. They began to do seva in the Guru’s complex. One day, they came to Guru ji and made a request with folded hands: “Guru ji, please give us, your servants, wisdom, by which we may attain salvation.” Sri Guru Amardas ji said to them: “there is nothing else compared to helping others with a selfless motive. A person that helps others selflessly, is always in peace. There are three types of services by which you may help others. Take this wisdom and engrave it into your hearts: First type- if you have money, give it to the poor, who you think are in pain and suffering in life. Wherever you see a poor person or an orphan, give them food and clothes. Have compassion in your heart for them and relieve them of their pain, as much as you can. The second type- always speak kindly and compassionately. Solve others’ problems that might be making them go off course in life. If you have some sort of education, give it to them. Third type- have well wishes for everyone in your heart. Never accept a decision to do something bad to someone else. So, to recap: 1. Donate 2. Speak well 3. Think well. Make a constant effort to make life easier for others and help them relieve their pain by any which way you can. The best donation is to give food. Constantly make an effort to donate food to others. Always think about places and people you can give food to. Food gives life and therefore, no other donation is better than food. Prepared or un-prepared (raw), give it wherever and whenever you can. Never refuse a hungry person. Whatever time it may be, morning or evening, give food without thinking twice about it. Don’t be concerned with high or low caste, satiate the hunger of the hungry person.” The three Sikhs listened to Guru Amardas ji’s words with faith and devotion. They made it their life’s mission to feed everyone. They donated food to many people from that day onwards. They became good Sikhs of the Guru and would come to meet Guru ji often. They would do Bhagti and seva along with donating food. Their preference was to stay with Guru ji. They stayed in Goindwal more than they did at home.
A Sikh by the name of Jagga came to see Satguru ji. He bowed his head and saw many other Sikhs in Guru ji’s court. He was happy to see so many other Sikhs. He folded his hands and spoke: “Guru ji, I wish to be blessed. I met a Jogi one day and I made a request to him. This is what the Jogi said to me: your family and relatives are all bondages for you. Renounce them all and become a Fakir and come to me. Come to me for wisdom by which you will receive salvation. Renounce the home that is filled with trouble and problems.” I have come to you Guru ji. How can I make my mind pure and reach salvation? How can I achieve the great Bhagti by which Nirvana, the Prabhoo is achieved?” Guru ji saw Jagga’s faith and said: “don’t renounce your home. If one would be able to meet Akaal Purakh by renouncing their home, then why do Fakir’s come to villages and cities amongst the householders? They go to the shops and fight with the merchants and beg all day long. The Gurmukh householder stays in the home and does Bhagti. They receive mukti and are not born in this world again. Just as a lotus flower lives in the water, but does not get wet; it looks at the sun all day long and keeps its position strong and tall; it looks towards the higher source; that is how Gursikhs work for a living, giving a portion of their earnings to the Satsangat. By this, their good deeds accumulate. When a Fakir begs for food and eats it, their japp and tapp are spent by it. The ones who serve the Fakir, take the Fakir’s japp and tapp. They then are rewarded by it. When the householders feed the Fakirs, they take the Fakir’s Bhagti. Just as people feed the cow grass and take its milk, that is how people serve saints who do Simran and take a portion of their soul’s peacefulness. Oh Jagga! Understand this very carefully: the supreme way of life in Kaliyuga is the life of a householder. Use your body to work for a living and also serve saints. With your mind, do the Bhagti of Hari Deva (Akaal Purakh). You will reach Brahmgyaan very quickly this way. Don’t renounce your home. Keep your attention focused on your Guru.” The Sikh heard Guru ji’s words and engraved them in his heart. He understood how to do Bhagti at the same time as doing his job. He lived his life according to the teachings of Guru ji and began to serve Satguru Amardas ji.
A father and son named Khanoo and Mayeea came to see Guru ji. A third person, named Govind Bhandari, came with them as well. They said to Guru ji: “we come to seek your blessings and wish to be your Sikhs. Please give us wisdom by which we are filled with all of the virtues.” Satguru ji said to them: “the greatest virtue in this world is the Bhagti of Hari. By doing Bhagti, all of the virtues are acquired. The Bhagavan Akaal Purakh is impressed with Bhagti. Bhagavan is the treasure of all virtues. When the giver of all virtues is on your side, then no other virtue is left.” All three of the Sikhs asked Guru ji: “how is Bhagti done? Please tell us how the love of Bhagti may illuminate inside of us.” Satguru ji then said to them: “there are nine types of Bhagtis. The first is Sukhdai. The second is Prema Bhagti. The third is Paraa Bhagti. Listen to the differences of all nine. Their pain is all gone, who understand these nine Bhagtis. Listen to the Guru’s words with faith and devotion. Keep your mind and eyes focused on the Guru. Secondly, do Kirtan and Katha and sing the glories of Prabhoo. Thirdly, do the Simran of Satnam. Don’t let any time go without doing Simran. Synchronize your breath with the Simran and don’t forget it while sitting down or getting up. Fourthly, consider the Guru as the same as Bhagavan. Focus on the lotus-like feet of the Guru. Wash the feet of saints and drink the Amrit from their feet. Fifth, when you are about to eat, first offer a portion to the Guru. Pray to the Guru by doing Ardaas and then eat. Whatever is your financial and personal ability, feed food to saints. Get clothes made for saints and sadhoos. Sixth, go to the court of the Guru and circumvent around the Gurduara. Light incense and diva lamps. Spray sandalwood and other pleasant-smelling essences. Bring flowers for the Guru. Seventh, consider yourself the servant; and Parmeshwar, as the master. Everything that you have, body, mind, and wealth, consider these things as gifts from Parmeshwar. Consider Akaal Purakh as your husband, while being a chaste wife. Eighth, consider Parmeshwar your friend and never let your mind wander. Whatever the Parmeshwar does, consider it good. Don’t doubt whatever Parmeshwar does, as everything happens in Parmeshwar’s will. Just like you trust your friends and what he or she does is good, trust that whatever Parmeshwar does, will be good for you. Ninth, give your body and wealth to Prabhoo. Don’t consider anything as your own. Renounce the desire of material objects and do not be attached to them. Understand that everything belongs to Hari and pay no attention to pain or pleasure. These are the nine types of Bhagtis. If one is to achieve any one of them, they reach salvation. If one is to experience all nine, then there is no room for doubt. There is nothing else compared to Prema Bhagti. Just as a fruit is first green and bitter, and then it turns yellow and becomes sour; later on, it acquires the sweetness from the tree; when it is fully ripe, it becomes red and really sweet; that is how the lover of Parmeshwar is. First the bhagat feels like crying as it wishes to meet Parmeshwar. The Bhagat sees themselves as separated from Parmeshwar and this hurts them. The Bhagat sighs and takes deep breaths. They become emotional and cannot speak while their hairs stand on end. Sometimes they sing the glories and sometimes they are quiet. Their face turns dark and they are not aware of their own body parts anymore. As the love grows, their hunger and thirst decrease for food and tastes. They eat less. Hunger and thirst become a low priority for them. Day and night their mind is drenched in love. The emotion causes them pain and restlessness. After that, their face turns yellow. If someone talks about their love, Akaal Purakh, they seek the company of such saints. They try to see and listen; to identify the souls that are connected to Akaal Purakh. They feel closer to Akaal Purakh, by being in the company of saints who are connected to Akaal Purakh. When the company of saints becomes constant and frequent for them, they then begin to see the Supreme Prabhoo in all. Their faces then turn a red colour. Their minds are satiated and do not wander anywhere else. Then the sweet stillness comes. Their mind is completely still. They are determined to focus their attention on the Aatam Gyaan. This is the Paraa Bhagti. They wished to see their true self but found that they are the same as the one Eshwar. The real self was the Sat (ever-existing), Chetan (conscious) Anand (ultimate bliss), Brahm (supreme) Saroop (form). It is existing everywhere, just like space. It is the most beautiful form. If one is to do this type of Bhagti, then they become one with the Brahm form.” Khanoo, Mayeea and Gobind, all three were in bliss after hearing Guru ji’s words.