Countless Sikhs did Seva at the Sarovar of Amritsar. The Sikhs would carry the bricks, after they were baked in the kilns, and bring them to the side of the Sarovar. The task of making the steps within the Sarovar with bricks was given to the Masands. The money that came from the Sikhs from foreign lands during the Vaisakhi celebration, the Masands had kept under them. They would spend the money for whatever needs of the Guru’s house there were. The houses that Sikhs were building, the Masands would pay for them. They would go to other lands to collect the Dasvands. The craftsmen were paid by the Masands as well. All of the payments or expenditures were done by the Masands. Food and rations were purchased by the Masands. They overlooked all incoming and outgoing transactions. Many Sikhs brought money. The Sikhs that wished to stay in Amritsar, their houses were made from them. Bhai Behlo ji and other Sikhs would do Seva as well. Bhai Behlo ji collected manure and feces to make bricks. People did Seva and their minds and hearts became pure. The devotion caused the purity. Whatever wishes they had, Guru ji fulfilled them. They got many wishes granted for doing Seva. Their wishes were fulfilled by doing only a few days of Seva. The Sikhs who had no wishes, but only to do Seva, their minds became pure. They got the joys and pleasures of this world and the next. Guru ji had a buffet of wishes running because of the Seva. Guru ji took great joy in fulfilling the wishes of the Sikhs. The Seva of the Sarovar is great. Guru Arjan Dev ji wrote a lot of Gurbani in reference to the Amritsar Sarovar of Guru Ramdas ji. He said: “bathing in the Sarovar washes all the sins away. A person’s wishes would be fulfilled here.” The Sikhs knew of the glory of the Sarovar. They would do Seva with faith and devotion.
After a lot of steps were built for the Sarovar, some Sikhs came to Guru ji and said: “this Sarovar has a greatness to it. You said that this Teerath will exist for thousands of years. Guru ji, the work on it is not the greatest though. The steps are made with sub-parr quality mud. They use one brick and cover it with choona but the bricks underneath are set by using mud. Those bricks will slip in a few years. The Masands are trying to save money by using less choona and more mud. They are greedy. Why are they not using choona? The Gurbani you write about the Sarovar, these Masands are not doing a good job. Please ask the Masands to use better quality. You are omnipotent and the master of the three worlds.” Guru ji listened to the Sikhs and called the Masands. He said to the Masands: “why are you using mud to set the bricks? Why are you not spending the money? Why are you being greedy? Use the choona. Don’t worry about saving money. The craftsmen that are asking for the choona and bricks, bring them what they need. Don’t worry about the money.” The Masands replied: “Sri Guru ji, a lot of money is being spent. It is not just the Sarovar that is being built, there are other expenses as well. Langar for thousands of Sikhs is made everyday. Without money, we can’t buy anything. We need to bring a lot of flour and lentils everyday. A lot of money is being spent. We need more money. We give Siropas to Sikhs; that requires money as well. We watch the budget for these reasons. When you command us, we make arrangements to bring you what you need. We need thousands of Rupees everyday. Money is needed for the permanent Sarovar. We make the choona with great effort and expense. Many raw materials are needed for the choona. We spend a lot of money for those raw materials. Many people are required to make the choona. We have to pay them too.” Guru ji understood that the hearts of the Masands were cheap. They only thought about money. Guru ji said to them: “the kheesa (pocket/wallet) is of the Guru’s. Make your hearts bigger. The money will not finish. Spend with an open hand on the right things. Have faith in the Guru’s work. There will never be a shortage. Don’t have any doubts in your heart.” Satguru ji spoke to the Masands in this way. The Masands couldn’t gather the faith they needed. They said to Guru ji: “as the money will come, we will complete the task of the steps slowly.”
For a few days, the Masands used choona to lay the bricks. After that, they stopped the choona and used mud again. They would use one brick and set it with choona and use mud for the rest. The Masands would supervise the work and direct the masons in this way. They wouldn’t give the masons what they wanted. They stood by the tradesmen all day long. The Sikhs and the workers had to do what the Masands said, as they had all of the money. The Masands had all of the responsibilities. When the Sikhs with devotion saw this, they were upset to see what the Masands were doing: “they don’t listen to anyone. They do as they please.” The Sikhs went to Guru ji again and said: “Guru ji, the Masands don’t listen. They use one brick with choona and the rest with mud. The front brick is set with choona; the rear ones are set with mud. The workers have to listen to the Masands. The Sarovar is weak from the inside. These Masands are corrupt. Their hearts are not clean.” Guru ji called the Masands again. Guru ji said to them: “don’t cheat in making the Sarovar. This is for the Guru. Why are you not using better quality? Use choona. Don’t use mud. There will be no shortage. Do Seva with faith and devotion.” The Masands heard this and said: “the Sikhs do not know the real reason. They only tell on us and you listen to them. They don’t know how hard we are working. They say we don’t spend the money; we are spending so much money. They don’t know how much money comes and goes. We spend thousands everyday. These Sikhs don’t know how we budget everything. We listen to you and do Seva. We are making the tradesmen work and are paying them too.” After saying this, they left.
After a few days, they were afraid of Guru ji and used choona. When they noticed that the money was being used more than they could handle, they used mud again. The Sikhs did not like that the Masands were using mud, as the Sarovar is supposed to last for thousands of years. The Masands were corrupt and trying to fool everyone. The Sikhs went to Guru ji a third time, where Guru Arjan Dev ji was sitting. The Sikhs said: “Guru ji, the Masands are using mud again. When you scold them, they use choona but they revert back to mud after a few days. They don’t think about making the Sarovar strong.” Guru ji heard the Sikhs the third time and got upset. Guru ji said: “the foundation of the Amritsar Sarovar is really strong; it won’t be broken. There will be a time that the Sarovar will be destroyed but the Panth will make it again (this happened during the time of Ahmed Shah Abdali. Sardar Jassa Singh Ahluwalia ji did the Ardaas to re-build the Sarovar). The Masands that have made the Sarovar weak, they have actually made their own roots weak by doing such a thing. The Masands will be destroyed. The Sangat will not look towards the Masands. My Sikhs will become strong and take on the task of making the Sarovar again. They will use choona with every brick for the steps in the Sarovar. They will be strong and beautiful. The foundation is strong. The people who will use permanent materials, they will never be destroyed. The corrupt things that the Masands have done, they will be destroyed. The Masands will finish first and then the Sarovar will be re-built by the Singhs. But before that, the place will be demolished. It will be permanent after that. It is their karma that is making them do this. They will get what they deserve. Whatever intentions a person comes here with, the Sarovar fulfills their wishes. There is nothing more to say to the Masands.”