Guru ji saw that the Sikhs were quite confused. Guru ji then decided to answer their questions in order to relieve their worry. Guru ji said: “In the world, there’s a type of person who lives under a “Maryada” (guidelines or rules) and wishes to achieve Mukti. Another type of a person lives in love but not Maryada. That person is always drenched in love and focuses his/her attention on Akaal Purakh. Those people in which love grows on a daily bases, the Prabhoo becomes enslaved by them. Without love, Simran and Seva are less fruitful. Let’s test the love inside both of Rama ji and Ramdas ji. As the love will grow, they will be happier. The deep love makes Prabhoo be on your side. You are not able to test which one has more love. I will test them and see who has more love for Prabhoo. Don’t tell them anything, just keep it to yourselves.”
In order to answer the Sikhs’ question and to see who is the true heir to the Guru’s Singhasan (throne), Guru ji called both sons-in-law to him. Both, Rama ji and Ramdas ji came to Satguru ji. Guru ji then took them to the Baoli. Guru ji used to carry a cane to support his aging body. Guru ji scoped an area there and said to Bhai Rama ji: “make a throne for me to sit on, here.” Guru ji took his cane and lined out an area in the ground and said: “make the throne like this.” Guru ji then went over to another spot and stood there. He looked towards Ramdas ji and said: “make a throne here, for me to sit on.” He drew out the area again and said: “make it like so. I will sit here in the morning and sit on the throne made by Bhai Rama ji in the evening.” Satguru ji gave out the instructions and left. The two sons-in-law began to work.
Guru ji returned to see the progress of his thrones in the evening. Guru ji inspected Bhai Rama ji’s throne first and said: “this is not made well. I don’t like this throne to sit on. All of your work has gone to waste. The sides of the throne are crooked. Tear it down right away. Listen to me carefully and make the sides in a straight line. Then it will be good.” Bhai Rama ji was sad and said: “I have made it exactly as you said. What is the reason that you did not like it? This is excellent for sitting on. Sikhs will be able to meet you while standing up. It is not my fault. I made it the way you asked me to. I made it exactly the way you wanted it.” Bhai Rama ji gave his justification but Guru ji had the throne torn down anyway. Guru ji marked the area again with his cane and said: “make it so.” Guru ji then went to the other side where Sri Ramdas ji had built the throne. Guru ji stood next to Sri Ramdas ji. Sri Ramdas ji bowed to Guru Sahib and stood up again. Guru ji looked at the throne and said: “you did not understand my wish. You did not make the throne as I had instructed. This is not good for me to sit on. Tear it down.” Sri Ramdas ji heard Guru ji and tore down the throne right away, fearing Guru ji’s dissatisfaction. He said to Guru ji: “please forgive my mistake this time. I am without wisdom and did not understand your instructions. Please explain your wishes to me again, oh gracious one.” Guru ji drew the lines on the ground again and gave him another method to build it: “both of you make the thrones again.” Guru ji went back to his home.
In the morning, everyone was back to work, early. Both men were working on the thrones. They used the best bricks and set them well. In the evening, Guru ji came to the place near the Baoli to inspect the thrones. He first went to Bhai Rama ji. Guru ji said to him: “this is not made well. This is not the way I wanted it. Tear it down again. You are not using your wisdom and wasting your efforts.” Rama ji thought to himself: “I made the throne with care.” He said to Guru ji: “I made it exactly how you wanted it. This is excellent to sit on. People saw this and praised it. How can I tear this down? How can I make a better throne than this?” Guru ji had the throne torn down and said: “make it like this. Focus your attention, and use your wisdom.” Guru ji then went to Sri Ramdas ji. He saw the throne and said: “this is not made well. I don’t like this for me to sit on. Don’t keep this. Tear it down. You did not understand what I wanted.” Sri Ramdas ji did not say anything and tore down the throne. Fearing Guru ji, Sri Ramdas ji spoke: “your wisdom is infinite and great. My wisdom is poor. I do not understand your wishes. Please bless me so that I may make a throne to your liking. I am not wise so I make mistakes repeatedly. Please forgive me. Please tell me how you would like your throne. I will make it again right away.” Guru ji made a line again and said: “make it like so.” Guru ji then went to his home slowly after instructing both men.
In the morning, both men began to build the thrones again. They used the best bricks and made sure they were in one line. They worked on it all day long and were extra careful, using their wisdom. Guru ji then came a third time. Nobody knew what Guru ji was doing. Guru ji was extremely patient and with great character. Guru ji came to Bhai Rama ji first and inspected the throne. Guru ji said: “oh Rama! I have instructed you many times already. You did not make the throne as I wanted it. I don’t like this. It is not the way I told you. I told you many times but you are not understanding. You are not able to make a throne.” Bhai Rama thought to himself: “I wonder what is wrong.” He wondered and thought to himself: “Guru ji has gone old. He does not remember what he says. I made it as he showed.” Bhai Rama ji then said to Guru ji: “I made the throne just as you told me to. I used my wisdom and strength to make the throne. It is as you said. I made it in the best way. You are forgetting what you say. How is that my fault?” Guru ji heard this and stayed quiet. He had great patience. He got his answer. Guru ji then went to Sri Ramdas ji. Guru ji inspected the throne and said: “this is not made well. I instructed you many times but you are not understanding what I want. The way I wanted it, it is not. Your effort is going to waste. You are not understanding my wishes.” Sri Ramdas ji, fearing Guru ji’s anger, grabbed Guru ji’s feet. Sri Ramdas ji placed his head on Guru ji’s feet and said: “Guru ji, I am not wise and err everyday. Please forgive me. You are great. Please bless me. You are gracious that you forgive me over and over again. I am guilty and a fool. Whatever wisdom you give me, that is what I know. A person is nothing without you giving them wisdom. Please forgive me and give me your instructions. I am not wise and I am unfortunate that I can’t understand your wishes.” Sri Ramdas ji stood up and folded his hands and continued: “please forgive me Guru ji.” All of the Sikhs that were standing by, saw this. They understood that Sri Ramdas ji had passed Guru ji’s test. The all-powerful Guru was extremely happy. The one with the great character and personality, Sri Ramdas ji was deemed eligible for the throne of the Guru. He had all the traits that are to be in the Guru. Guru ji then said out loud so everyone could hear: “his Seva has been accepted. I am impressed with his Seva. He does not consider himself as great. Prema Bhagti has made his mind pure. He is drenched in love, day and night.” The Sikhs confusion was now gone. They knew that Sri Ramdas ji was going to be the next Guru. They noticed this from their words. One was self-involved and the other was self-sacrificing.
Guru ji then returned to his home. The Sikh Sangat that was with him, he said to them: “Sri Ramdas is a great person. Many people in his Sangat will be saved. He will bless many and give them mukti. He has done a lot of my Seva. There is nothing left for me to give him as he has achieved the highest status.”