One day, Bhai Paro ji did an Ardaas do Guru ji: “the Sangat comes in small quantities to you Guru ji. They are not able to see all of the Sangat and meet and greet with them. They are not able to widen their Sangat circle as they come throughout the year at different times. They don’t get to know each other; as they come and go at different times. If there was a special event, a mela, then the Sangat would meet each other and the love would grow. They would do Bhagti together and benefit from each other’s company. If there was a mela, the Sangat would be happy and grow in numbers. My request is to have a mela one day so the Sangat from far away would come all at once. If you would command, we can have a mela and the Sangat will get to meet the entire Sangat of Guru Nanak Dev ji.” Guru Amardas ji heard Bhai Paro ji’s request and was extremely happy. He said to Bhai Paro ji: “Paro you are great. Gurmat is illuminating inside of you and you think of the greater good of everyone. You want others to be happy and blissful. You think of others before yourself. The Sikhs will meet each other and they will be blessed. What you just said right now, I was thinking of the same thing. Vaisakhi is a good time. Send out invitations with my command to come to Goindwal for Vaisakhi. I give my permission. Send out hukamnamas to come see the Guru on Vaisakhi.” Bhai Paro ji got to work right away and sent out hukamnamas to far away lands. The Sikhs got the hukamnama and became eager to go as they were called by their Guru to come. They were excited to go to Goindwal on Vaisakhi. They wanted to see the different Sangat. The Sangat waited for Vaisakhi to come and started their journeys. Their excitement and eagerness grew by the day. The wish to see Guru ji was four times as much as before.
The Sissur rut (also known as putt-churr or winter season) passed and Basant (spring) was here. The flowers and perennials began to blossom in the forests and the gardens. It wasn’t too cold or too hot. It was the perfect weather to travel. Wherever the Sikhs of the Satguru lived, they began to gather and started to travel in groups. They fixed their carts and buggies, and begin their journey. They made travel parties and came from all four directions. They arrived in Goindwal, bringing food and gifts. They came to see Guru ji and the mela was great. The mela was huge. The Sangat was like the chakors and Guru ji was like the moon. There was a great crowd in Goindwal. People had to line up to see Guru ji. They came and bowed to Guru ji’s feet, bringing ghee and sugar. Many Sikhs cooked the Langar as it was continuously distributed. They cooked with love in their hearts. Some Sikhs went to fetch water from the wells and the river. Hundreds would do seva with faith and love. There was a great celebration and everyone was happy. They got to know each other and their love grew for one another. They all sang the glories of Guru ji. The Sikhs were in bliss and enjoyed the mela.
After some time, the gracious Guru then said: “where is Sri Ramdas? It has been a while since I saw him and met him.” Bhai Bhalloo ji, Guru ji’s personal attendant said: “he has been doing the Seva of the Sangat. He prepares Langar and serves the Sangat in the Pangat. He fills cold water from the wells and asks each and everyone to drink water. He relieves the hunger and thirst of the Sangat. Whatever the Sangat asks for, he provides for them. He fans the Sangat with hand fans. He makes sure the Sangat is happy. He goes around the Sangat looking for seva and making sure everyone is happy and fulfilled. He brings food and water to everyone and doesn’t rest, day or night. He is involved in this type of Seva. He didn’t get time to come here, as he is busy in the Langar. There is a lot of work. If some mothers need milk for their children, he brings them milk.” Listening to this, Guru Amardas ji was extremely happy and said: “Ramdas Dhan Hai (Great is Ramdas). He does seva of the Sangat and has great love for me in his heart. He will never have any shortage of anything in life. He will be able to possess anything he wishes. He will have the 9 Niddhis and 18 Siddhis. He has served my Sikhs with love and there will be no other fortunate person, more than him. His family will grow in every direction and they will be worshiped in the world. There will be Avatars in his family. Whoever serves my Sangat, they will receive the fruits of both words. The state that I am in, Ramdas has knowledge of that and will be rewarded. He has achieved the highest level in both worlds. He will illuminate brightly and he will bring many Sikhs to salvation. His glory will be the highest.” (The most Shabads written by the Bhatts in Guru Granth Sahib ji are towards the praise of Guru Ramdas ji) In this way Guru Amardas ji praised Guru Ramdas ji, greatly.
The Sangat from different regions became very close friends. Sikhs would serve other Sikhs, just like they would serve the Guru. They drank the Charanamrit of other Sikhs, seeing Sikhs just like the Guru. The sounds of Kirtan were heard everywhere in Goindwal. Everyone did Simran of Vahiguru. Guru ji made an announcement: “there will be a mela every year on Vaisakhi from now on.”
Seeing the grand celebration and the glory of Satguru ji growing, the ill-intentioned, slanderers were burning with jealousy. As the celebration completed, everyone went back to their home towns. They returned to their homes and spoke of the glory of Satguru ji. They said: “Guru ji has started a new path in which people from all castes are welcomed. All classes, all creeds and all castes are invited and treated equally. All four castes sit in the Langar and eat at the same level. They serve Langar with great love and devotion. Guru ji gives Charanamrit, initiating them as his own Sikhs and the Mantra of Vahiguru is given to do Simran of.” The ignorant Brahmans and Khatris heard this and thought this was wrong. They were jealous to hear Guru ji’s glory and said: “what farce is this?” They all met one day and had a discussion: “this is a bad tradition that has been started. Nobody will listen to the Brahmans anymore and the Dharma of the Kshatriyas will be destroyed. All four castes have been made into one and Dharma in the world has been maligned. All four castes sit at the same level and eat food and intermingle with each other in the Guru’s new religion. There is no difference between the castes now. The ways of the Devatas and the ancestors have been disregarded. The traditional ways have been destroyed. There is only one solution: we must go to the Emperor to stop this new tradition.”
In this way, the group got together and collected other people with the same mindset. The leaders of the Brahmans and Kshatriyas from many different regions, got together and went to Lahore to meet the Emperor, Akbar. They said to Akbar: “you must save our tradition. You fix all spoiled ways in the world. There is a Guru in Goindwal named Guru Amardas ji. He has spoiled the tradition of all four castes. Instead of the Ram Gayatri Mantra, he makes everyone recite a new mantra: Vahiguru. They do not recite the Vedas or Geetas and instead, they sing their own Gurbani. This has never happened in any of the four yugas before. The traditions have never been spoiled like this before. They do not follow the path of the Shrutis and Simritees and have made up their own way. They follow one, Baba Nanak ji and have become independent and different from us. We want justice. If our Dharma is maintained, your kingdom will grow. If the way of Guru Nanak ji grows, nobody will listen to us or you. If it grows, they will take over the world.” Akbar heard their pleas and said: “don’t worry. Trust me. I will give you justice. I will call Guru Amardas ji to Lahore and you can come too. You can then put forth your complaints and he will have to answer you. I will make the decision after listening to both sides. I will see what the truth is. I will listen to both sides. I will then make the correct decisions. I see that you are the leaders from different regions; come the same day that Guru Amardas ji comes.” The Pandits said: “we will stay in Lahore till then.” The Kshatriyas and the Brahmans wanted to stop the Panth of Guru Amardas ji. The fools were egotistical and proud of their castes and statuses. They had all gathered for foolish reasons.
In a few days, Akbar wrote a Parwana (royal command) to Guru Amardas ji: “there has been a complaint raised against you by the leaders of many regions. Come and answer their questions, otherwise follow their traditions and ways.” The Parwana came to Guru ji. Guru ji heard the command, that he had been called upon by Akbar for clarification.