Guru Amardas ji and the Sangat headed towards Jyotisar Teerath. This is the main place of Kurukshetra. (8 Gurus have visited this place). This is the place where the battle between the Kauravs and Pandavs happened. 18 Achoohani (around 5.4 million) soldiers perished in this battle. They faced each other with many weapons and chariots. The Pandavs had 7 Achoohani (2.1 million) and the Kauravs had 11 Achoohani (3.3 million). This is where the war of Mahabharat happened. Arjan was about to face his cousins and nephews. He began to think as to why he was ready to kill his own family and teachers. He saw his Guru, Guru Drona and his grandfather, Bheesham Pitamah and the rest of his family members. How could he kill his own family members? He didn’t see any enemies. He asked Krishan ji to separate his chariot from his army and go to the middle. This is the place of Jyotisar. Krishan ji understood that Arjan was in doubt and needed wisdom. Krishan ji gave him the wisdom of the Geeta with 18 Adhyaays to remove his attachment. Krishan ji said: “understand the relations of this body as a myth. Sat, Chetan, and Anand are true. The Aatma is Sat Chetan Anand. The Aatma cannot be burnt by fire, drenched in water, cut by weapons or blown by the wind. Arjan, you are not the Karta, (the doer) or the sensor. Understand that you are really the Aatma and not the body. The bodies of your family will die one day.” In this way, Krishan ji gave Arjan the wisdom to become a warrior and not a coward. He told him to be a Kshatriya and follow his duty to protect the Dharam. Vasudev ji (Krishan) explained the Geeta in many ways, to fight the war. That was the place where the chariot stood and Krishan ji gave Arjan the wisdom of the Geeta. This place is holy and pure. Guru ji had all of the Sangat take a bath in that area. They all bathed and donated to the Brahmins and the poor.
They went to Thanesar next along with the Sangat. They ate and rested there. In the morning, they bathed and did Keertan. They played beautiful Raags to invoke the love within the hearts for Parmeshwar. As the sun came up, they visited the Brahamsarover and other Teeraths along with Sidhvati where Guru Nanak Dev ji advised the Brahmins to reject their debates regarding meat and plants. Guru Nanak Dev ji had a deer cooked there. The Sarasvati flows there into the Brahamsarover. Many Teeraths are visited by the Sarasvati River. The Sikhs bathed in all of the sarovars and the river. The poor were given donations. The news spread that the third incarnation of Guru Nanak Dev ji had arrived. The people of the area said: “Guru Amardas ji has come to visit the Teeraths. Let’s all go to see him. Guru Nanak Dev ji is the light of Akaal Purakh. His light shines within Guru Amardas ji.” It was the solar eclipses and many people were visiting. Sanyasis, Brahamachaaris, Jogis, Bairagis, and the wisest Pandits were visiting. They came to see Guru Amardas ji. Ghristi householders and other Sikhs in the area also came. Many people came to see Guru ji. There were already thousands of Sikhs with Guru ji and many thousands more came to see Guru ji. They all brought food and delicacies for the Sangat to eat. The Sikhs brought flour, milk, vegetables, sweets and ghee. Langar was being cooked and everyone ate. People brought garlands of flowers and other bouquets for Guru ji. It was their devotion, that they showed. Some brought fruits. All four castes came to see Guru ji. They saw Guru ji and bowed their heads. Many people gathered and Guru ji’s radiance made everyone happy. His face was bright with nectar in his divine sight. He blessed everyone. The Pandits and Sanyasis were happy.
The arrogant scholars sat down to see Guru ji and bowed. They questioned Guru ji: “the Gurbani that Guru Nanak Dev ji has written, what use was this because the wisdom is already there. There are 4 Vedas and 18 Puranas. People read and listen to them to understand wisdom. It was written for people’s salvation. It is the path of Moksha. The wisdom is in different ways. There so many Granths, why did Guru Nanak Dev ji write more? We don’t understand this.” Guru Amardas ji heard the Pandits and responded with a Shabad:
Mahalla 3. Gauri Bairaagan Sri Mukhvaak
Just as the clouds shower on to the earth, is there no water in the earth already? If you need to take water out of the earth, you need to dig a well. The clouds let down the water without feet.1.
(Guru Nanak Dev ji has showered Bani just like the clouds. The Vedas were already there, but needed to be learnt with great effort. The knowledge may be salty by the ego or by lack of grammar. The Gurbani is easy to understand and readily available to provide wisdom.)
Baba, let go of this doubt. Whatever happens in this world, it is the command of Akaal Purakh. 1.Rahao.
Some are men and some are women; what do they do? They are the many forms of Akaal Purakh and are born from Akaal Purakh.2.
Many births have passed and the doubt has accumulated. If they reach Akaal Purakh then they are not in doubt.3.
This is Akaal Purakh’s work and only Akaal Purakh knows. Those who are absorbed in the Guru’s word, understand this.3.
Oh Akaal Purakh, you are the Shabad and you are the Gurbani; it’s only you, there is no doubt. Says Nanak, when the Aatma is absorbed into the Parmatma, then there are no more births.4.1.15.35
(SGGS 162)
“The wisdom of the Vedas and the Puranas cannot be achieved by everyone, everywhere. On top of that, you don’t give this wisdom to the lower castes. To read those Granths, a person needs to understand grammar and have basic knowledge. After that, there is a lot of effort to read those Granths. You need to sit in solitude to remember the scriptures. The person who understands that the Aatma will go on, can only benefit from the knowledge. Only one from millions reach this level. The one who believes in the afterlife, only reaches. Just as the water of the well; to drink that water requires great effort to dig the well and then to build its walls. The well in the fields can only provide water to a few fields. To learn the Vedas is like digging a well. You need to go to Kanshi to learn the Vedas. You need to learn the Angs of the Vedas: Vyakarana, Jyotish, Nirukt, Sikhya, Kalapa, Pingala and then you can read the Vedas. Sri Satguru ji has made Gurbani easy to understand and available for all castes. Just as the rain showers everyone, so is the Gurbani for all; and not confined to an area like a well. Gurbani is available in every country and any time. Everyone can ready Gurbani and destroy their doubts and pains. Both, High class and low class can read Gurbani. Rich and poor can sing the glories of Hari, walking around or sitting down. You don’t need to do ritualistic bathing to read Gurbani. You can meditate on Akaal Purakh and be blessed. High and low are equal and can hear the wisdom of Gurbani. The Vedas and Puranas are like a well and only some can benefit. The Satguru’s Bani is like the cloud. It is showered in every direction. The birds and animals in the jungles benefit from the rain. They drink the water and their thirst is quenched by it. The well is not available everywhere. The clouds give “everyone” peace. Every field benefits without effort. The Satguru’s words are easily understood. Reading Gurbani and understanding it, one gets mukti. The well water is already there; the cloud still showers on top of it. Oh Pandits, think about the difference between a well and a cloud. This was the reason for Gurbani. Listen to Gurbani and remove your doubts. Gurbani has given mukti to millions. High caste and low caste. The ones who read it with love and ingest the wisdom; and live by the word, they reach salvation.” Everyone that heard Guru ji’s words were extremely happy. They bowed to Guru ji and praised him as they went to their homes. The Pandits had other discussions and destroyed their egos and doubts. Everyone ate and went to sleep. Guru ji spent two nights there.
On the third day, everyone went to a different Teerath and bathed. They gave donations there. Guru ji sat in his place. Everyone came to Guru ji after eating. They said to Guru ji: “Guru ji, you know everything. This Kurukshetra is 48 ko (144 km). How is it pure? There are thousands of Teeraths here where many have done Tapasya here. The Kauravs and Pandavs fought a war here, seeing this as a pure place; and many people lost their lives, yet this place is still considered so pure. By which blessing was this place made pure and holy? Please tell us.” Guru ji’s eyes were filled with blessings. Guru ji was always blessing everyone and removing everyone’s doubts. This was the reason he had taken an Avatar: to make Bhagti easier for everyone. The history of this place was ancient. So old, that there is no track of time. Guru ji was about to tell the Sangat its history. Guru ji then spoke: “Oh Sangat, listen. When the world had not been created, Sri Narayan ji sat in this area. Sri Narayan ji’s knees were spread up to 24 km downwards. Towards north, was his back; and towards the south was his face. In the diameter of 24 km was the body of Vishnu ji which is known as Thanesar.” The Sangat listened and then further inquired: “how did Parmeshwar sit here? What was the reason? Please tell us. You know the past, present and future.” Sri Guru Amardas ji fulfilled the wishes of the Sikhs. He was going to tell the ancient history of what the Prabhoo did when the world was made. Kavi Santokh Singh ji says: “listen to the katha of Sri Narayan ji, by which sins are washed away.”