Guru ji was quiet for some time. The Sangat was quiet too. Guru Arjan Dev ji looked towards Peelo (who had written poetry on Mirza as well as spiritual Shabads) and said: “tell me your ideology now. I want to hear your Shabads so we can get the wisdom of Gurmat. It should have the Simran of Parmeshwar in it. One should read it and be connected to Prabhoo. It should have love and Bhagti in it.” Peelo heard this and said a Shabad in the court:
Peelo Vaach..
Peelo asaa nalo say bhalay jamdia ju muay..
Ona chickar paav na boriaa na aalood bhae..
Peelo, those are better than me that died as soon as they were born.
They did not dirty their feet in the mud of the world, they were not dirty..
Guru ji said: “I can’t accept this either. It does not have the wisdom of Bhagti in it. Sri Kartar’s will is to have people be born. If everyone is to die, how would that be following Kartar’s will? Birth and death are on everyone’s head. You received the life of a human to benefit by doing Simran of Akaal Purakh. Accept Akaal Purakh’s command and will. Let go of your ego and conflicts.” Guru ji looked towards Chajhoo and said: “Chajhoo tell me your ideology as you see it.” Chajhoo obeyed and made a new Shabad.
Chajhoo Vaach..
Kaaghad Sandhi pootli, taoo na treeyaa nihaar.
Yo hee maar lijaavhee jatha balochan dhaar..
If there is a woman made of paper, do not look towards it.
It will kill you like the Balochi thieves loot and kill you..
Guru ji responded: “Chajhoo Bhagat listen, this ideology does not align with ours. Listen to our path: our path is to do Satsang and do Simran of Parmeshwar with everyone. It is with the life of a householder that a person must connect with Akaal Purakh without a gap. Earn the living of Dharma. Do Seva of saints with love. One will cross the world with Prema Bhagti by absorbing the colour of Simran, Satnam. There is no other way other than the life of a householder. Staying hungry in the jungle does not work in Kaliyuga. Some saints live close to villages and cities. They meet the people of the village and then desires come into their minds. There are only some that are without desires. How can one not look at women while living among the people? The best way is to be married and do Simran of Prabhoo. One should work themselves for a living and then share the earnings with everyone. Leave your ego and do Satsangat. Do Bhagti with love. Sing the praises of Akaal Purakh. Without doing Bhagti, there is no other way to be a Brahmgyaani. Without being in the sanctuary of Sri Prabhoo, there is no other way in Kaliyuga. For this reason, the way of the Ghristi is the best. Don’t forget Akaal Purakh while you work.” Shah Hussain said a Shabad after Guru ji told him to. Everyone heard him in the court.
Shaho Hussain Baach..
Chup ve araya chup ve araya.
Bolan di nahi jae vay araya. Sujana bolan di jae nahi.
Andar baahar hika saee. Kisnoo aakh sunaee.
Iko dilbar sabh ghat raviaa dooji nahi kadaee.
Kahay Husaain Fakeer nimana Satgur tho bal bal jahi..1..
Stay quiet my friend stay quiet my friend.
There is no place to speak. Oh friend there is no place to speak.
Akaal Purakh is everywhere, whom do I speak to?
There is only one Akaal Purakh in every heart, there is no other place.
Hussain, the humble says, I am a sacrifice to my Satguru.
Guru ji smiled and said with compassion filled in his eyes: “it is good to be quiet in the mind. Shah Hussain, don’t speak now.” Guru ji rejected the three other Bhagats as well. These three did not argue with Guru ji. The curses were severe that happened before so the Bhagats were quiet. They were upset though. They returned back to Lahore. They didn’t want to stay in Amritsar any longer. Things didn’t go their way in front of Guru ji. They thought to themselves: “it was a mistake to come here. We were insulted. We got cursed. It was better to stay in our homes. If we didn’t come, we wouldn’t have been upset.”
Kana was in his chariot. He sat in the Padamasana. He was an expert in Yoga. He pulled his breath to his Dasam Duaar. He wanted to get to Lahore but Guru Arjan Dev ji’s curse scared him. He didn’t want to die. As his breath was lifted, he lost awareness of his body. All four Bhagats were travelling home. They all saw bad omens on the way. They knew something bad was going to happen. They travelled during the day and they reached close to Lahore just before evening. They were less scared, now that death may not come. They were happy that Kana may not die now. The driver of the chariot started to hurry and rode the chariot faster. As they travelled, a wind storm came. The wind was severe which uprooted some of the trees. Pebbles and rocks flew. People covered their eyes and could no longer see ahead. People got anxious. Animals and people couldn’t see. It became dark. The horses got scared and headed in the wrong direction. The driver pulled the reins to control the horses. He tried to stop them but the horses ran. The chariot flipped over. Kana fell towards the front and the wheel came on top of him. Nobody noticed where Kana had fell. The wheel rolled over Kana’s head. His head got squished and his brain squeezed out. He died instantly. He didn’t know what happened to his body. There was no one to save him. The chariot driver noticed that the bhagat was gone. He stopped the chariot with great effort. After a half hour, the storm calmed down. When the sun came back, they started to look for Kana Bhagat. They eventually saw Kana Bhagat with his head split open, blood pouring out. Guru Arjan Dev ji’s words had destroyed Kana. They all began to shout as they lifted Kana’s body and brought it back to Lahore. His servants and Sikhs came to get him as well. Kana had already died. The other Bhagats and Kana’s servants cremated his body. His Sikhs said: “what happened to this Saint? He said his age was going to be 500 years.” The rest of the Bhagats told them the whole story, how he was cursed by Guru Arjan Dev ji. Everyone realised how powerful Guru Arjan Dev ji was. They knew that Guru ji’s words were like Ram Chander ji’s arrows. His words were irreversible. Everyone was amazed. Nobody could face Guru ji. The immortal Devatas can die and mountains can be moved by Guru ji’s words. The ocean can be moved up; the strong can be made weak and the Sumer Mountain can become like a mustard seed in front of Guru ji. The kings become paupers; the warriors become cowards if Guru ji looks with a negative eye towards them.
In this way, the history of the four bhagats happened. Guru ji continued to write the Guru Granth Sahib ji. Guru ji had reached Raag Prabhaati. He made the tradition of singing the Gurbani. Bhai Gurdas ji then wrote the Sahiskriti Saloks, with great joy. How these Saloks were written, the Katha moves forward.
Two Pandits, Pandit Krishan Lal ji and Pandit Hari Lal ji came from Kanshi. They were brothers who were great scholars. They had faith in Guru Nanak Dev ji, as Guru ji had visited their grandfather in Kanshi. They had a great urge to meet Guru ji, having love and devotion in their hearts. They had let go of the pleasures of the world and wanted to achieve Brahmgyaan. They came and bowed to Guru Arjan Dev ji’s feet. They sat down near Guru ji. Guru ji gave them a lot of respect and asked them: “oh Brahmins, where are you from? Where have you visited? What are your names and what do you do? You look like wise people.” The Pandits folded their hands and said: “you are omniscient and know the history. Since you have asked, we will speak. We live in Kanshi, near the shores of the Ganga. We have heard of your praises, oh dispeller of pain. We wanted to come see you. There was a time when Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji visited Kanshi and stayed there. He had many discussions with Brahmin scholars there. They were all glad to speak to Guru ji. Our grandfather spoke to him as well. He received the wisdom of Prema Bhagti from Guru ji. Guru ji gave our grandfather the wisdom of the Satnam and instilled it in his heart. Our grandfather asked Guru ji to recite Bani in his language. Guru Nanak Dev ji recited 4 Shabads in Sahiskrit, which our grandfather quickly wrote. We were going through our grandfather’s books as we were looking for peace. We found the Saloks of Guru Nanak Dev ji, written by our grandfather, and read them. Our minds were instantly in peace. We memorized the Saloks and began to recite them everyday. Guru ji wrote about showing off empty rituals in those Shabads. He wrote about the Akaal Purakh, that is pure and residing inside the mind.” Par Pustak Saloks, they recited. They said to Guru ji: “please recite more Bani in this language of Sahiskrit by which we will achieve Gurmat. We wish to have the true Name of Satnam reside in our hearts. We wish to sing the praises of Akaal Purakh by this. We wish to listen to this Bani which will purify our minds. Please recite the Saloks in Sahiskriti.” Guru ji listened to the Pandits and then recited the Sahiskriti Saloks. After Sahiskriti Saloks, Guru ji recited the Bani named Gatha. The Pandits listened to this Bani and had bliss in their hearts. They grabbed Guru ji’s feet as they were filled with so much joy. The love of Prabhoo, they could taste now. The Simran of Satnam gave joy to them. As soon as they touched Guru Arjan Dev ji’s feet, the bliss in their hearts grew many times. They praised Guru ji: “you are the form of Ram Chander ji. You are Krishan who killed Kans. You are the Jot of Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji. You are the Triambak Shiva that gives the Taarak Mantra in the dying person’s ear. You hide your powers so that’s why people don’t know who you are, but those who you wish to show, recognize you. They know you are the root of life. You are not in birth or death. You are indestructible. Laxmi is your servant. You destroy the enemies. You are Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the sustainer; and Rudra the destroyer.” Satguru ji was happy and said: “tell me your wishes. You have come from afar. Don’t keep your wish inside your heart.” Both of the brothers folded their hands with love. They said: “our tasks are completed by visiting you, we have no other wishes left. Please give us the satiation that all of the bad bonds of the world break for us. We wish to have your feet engrained in our minds and that we do Simran, day and night.” Satguru ji said: “so it shall be.” The Pandits were happy to hear this. The Pandits lived in Amritsar for a few days and went back to their homes.
The Sahiskriti Saloks were written after the Raags by Guru Arjan Dev ji. Guru ji then looked towards Bhai Gurdas ji and said: “the Bani that you have written in praise of the Gurus, show that to me.” The Bhagats were sitting with Guru ji and having discussions with him. Bhai Gurdas ji went to his tent and brought back his writings. He sat down and recited his writings to Guru ji, in which the praises of the Gurus were written. The Bhagats and Satguru ji listened and were very happy. Guru ji said to Bhai Gurdas ji: “take some of your Bani and write it into the Guru Granth Sahib ji.” Bhai Gurdas ji folded his hands and said: “Guru ji, I am the servant of your servants. Servants are always lower and sit lower than the Master. The Master sits on a throne. There is a difference between my Bani and yours. A firefly cannot be compared to the sun. Your illumination is so great.” Guru ji told Bhai Gurdas ji three times but each time Bhai Gurdas ji gave the same answer. He saw himself as small and did not want to be placed at the same level as Guru ji. Guru ji was happy and said: “your Bani will give great rewards. Ones who read it will achieve Gursikhi and their faith and devotion for Satguru ji will increase.” Bhai Gurdas ji folded his hands and bowed to Guru ji’s feet. Guru ji blessed the writings of Bhai Gurdas ji in this way. It was given a blessing of giving bliss.