One day, Guru Arjan Dev ji was sitting and the Sangat came to meet him. Bhai Tiloka, a Sikh, came and bowed to Guru ji’s feet. He folded his hands and said: “I have come to your sanctuary, Prabhoo ji. I wish to be blessed so that I am in bliss in both worlds. Please give me the wisdom which would make my troubles go away.” Guru ji was compassionate and said to Bhai Tiloka: “adhere to the Satnam all the time. Keep your attention focused on the Name. Standing or sitting; coming or going; do not let go of the Simran, day or night. Accept the will of Parmeshwar. Be happy with what happens because Akaal Purakh is doing everything. Akaal Purakh always does good. Don’t blame anything on Akaal Purakh. Akaal Purakh is present everywhere. Don’t see your body as you. This is a body on top of your Aatma. The Aatma is separate from your body. Slowly, the illumination of Akaal Purakh’s form will illuminate. Don’t give anyone harm. Remain compassionate to all. Don’t hurt anyone’s heart. Whatever profit you make, be content with it. Let go of your anger, jealousy, greed, ego and desire.” After taking the wisdom from Guru ji, Bhai Tiloka went to his home in Ghazni. He used to work for the Mughals in the army. He was always mounted on the horse who travelled with his boss. He got 50 Rajitpuns from his job. He always had weapons with him.
One day, Bhai Tiloka’s boss went hunting and Bhai Tiloka went with him. The Mughal boss chased a doe. When Bhai Tiloka got close to the doe with his horse, he pulled his sword out. He sliced the doe in two. It was a pregnant doe. Two baby deer fell out of the womb and died after suffering. Bhai Tiloka was really upset seeing this. He was cursing himself for doing such an act. He had killed three by killing one. He started thinking about Guru ji’s wisdom about not hurting anyone. He was to be compassionate. “I didn’t follow my Guru’s words. I am a sinner. I am not going to keep my weapons anymore. They make me do sins. I will let them go from now on.” He wanted to let go of his weapons but he still had to work. Instead of the real sword, he kept a wooden sword from that day on. Many days passed and nobody noticed. A person, who was not a well-wisher, found out and told the Mughal boss. He found out that it really was a wooden sword. He told on Bhai Tiloka to his boss: “your soldier, Tiloka, your bodyguard, keeps a wooden sword with him. Only the hilt is metal. He is taking his pay in this sneaky way.” The Mughal heard this and didn’t believe the other person. He said: “the brave Tiloka is a warrior. I have kept him as the best person in my army. He is a great warrior and fights with courage on the battlefield.” The tattle-tailer said again: “hold a court and tell everyone to show you their swords. Ask them all of a sudden. Don’t let anyone know of your plan. You will know for sure then. If his sword is wooden, fire him. If his sword is metal, you can punish me for it.” The Mughal was in doubt now. He ordered for a court to be in session. All of the soldiers were present. Bhai Tiloka was sitting in the court as well. The Mughal thought to himself: “I will ask everyone to see their swords.” The Mughal took his own sword out first. He showed everyone his sword and asked the others to show theirs. Everyone was told to take their swords out too: “everyone, take your swords out. I want to see how good they are.” Bhai Tiloka was worried about this as his was a wooden one: “he will see my sword and punish me.” Bhai Tiloka started to do the Simran of Guru Arjan Dev ji: “I have been living by your teachings and for this reason I wear a wooden sword so I don’t kill anyone. I will be humiliated and fired today. Please protect me Guru ji, just as Draupati was saved in the court. Keep my truth hidden from the court. Draupati was saved and Duryodhana’s wish was not fulfilled. Make my sword into metal. If he sees my wooden sword, the Mughal will fire me. He will kill me and my family. I am worried.” He thought about Guru ji. Guru ji heard his call. Satguru ji came to his rescue. When everyone showed their swords, Tiloka was asked to show his sword as well. They wanted to see the stamps on his sword; of how many battles it had won. Tiloka said: “the Guru is the strength of my sword. It has his stamp on it. I will show it to you.” He said “Vahiguru” and pulled his sword out from its sheath. It shined like lightening in the court. It was the most beautiful sword with the sharpest edge. It was a strong sword. The Mughal was amazed and happy. He thought to himself: “I will pay him double and promote him. The tattle-tailer was wrong.” The person who told on him was punished and kicked out. Bhai Tiloka’s faith grew.
Bhai Tiloka came to Amritsar after a few days. He bowed to Guru ji’s feet and said: “Dhan, you are great!” He told the whole Sangat of what happened to him. Satguru ji heard his story and said: “you lived up to your promise of being compassionate. Why wouldn’t have the Guru protected you? You lived up to the word of Gurbani.” The Sikhs heard the whole story and said; “Dhan Guru Arjan Dev ji.” Their faith for Guru ji grew even more. After a few days Bhai Tiloka ji went to his home.
A Sikh named Kataroo came to visit Guru Arjan Dev ji. He came and bowed to Guru ji’s feet with respect. He stood up, folded his hands and said: “please protect me oh master. You support the Sikhs and make their troubles go away. Give me wisdom that will make my troubles go away. I live in the Kabul Sooba. I work there as a scaler. I weigh things for a living.” Guru ji said: “if you are a scaler, don’t weigh things falsely. Do the Simran of Satnam and give your Dasvand to the Guru. You won’t have any shortages.” Bhai Kataroo came back to his home. He came back to Kabul and made an honest living. He did the Simran of “Guru” as he worked.
There was a time when a merchant gave Bhai Kataroo a weighing stone. The merchant’s stone was 5 Paisas less. Bhai Kataroo didn’t know that. He used that stone to weigh everything. Whoever came to buy things from him, got less for what they paid for. One customer who bought things from Bhai Kataroo, went to another scaler and found out that he got less. That customer told the Soobaydaar: “your scaler is cheating people.” The Soobaydaar called for the scaler and told him to bring his scale and stones with him. When Bhai Kataroo came to the Soobaydaar’s court, the Soobaydaar said to him: “weigh your stones against the others. I want to investigate this.” Bhai Kataroo got scared and thought of the Satguru. He recalled the Guru’s praises and thought: “no one can help me now but you. Please help me. I did not know that I have been scaling less. I made an honest mistake. I only rely on your support. I don’t have faith on anyone else.” Guru ji was sitting in his court. One Sikh came and offered 5 Paisas for the Ardaas. Guru ji picked up the 5 Paisas and began to check its weight in his right hand. He then checked the weight of the 5 Paisas in his left hand. A Sikh standing behind Guru ji asked Guru ji: “Guru ji, many gold and silver coins have been offered in your court but you have never touched them. The Masands take them. Why have you picked up these 5 Paisas today and are checking its weight? What is the reason for this? Please tell us oh master. We are unwise to your ways.” Guru ji said: “one Sikh’s weighing stone is 5 Paisas less. I am completing his stone. The stone is being moved from one side of the scale to the other. I am moving it in my hands to complete the side that needs it to be even. His name is Bhai Kataroo of Kabul. He has called for me from there. He didn’t know that his stone was less in weight by 5 Paisas.” Satguru ji said this for all of the Sikhs to hear. In Kabul, the stone was complete in its weight. The Sooba was happy with Bhai Kataroo, seeing him as an honest person. He said to the tattle-tailer: “you are a liar!” the Sooba promoted the scaler Bhai Kataroo to his personal treasurer. He was now in charge of the Sooba’s treasury.
After a few months, Bhai Kataroo ji came to Amritsar to see Guru Arjan Dev ji. He met Guru Arjan Dev ji and bowed to his feet. He said to Guru ji: “Guru ji, you protect your Sikhs in the hardest places, where one’s mother nor father can come to help.” The Sikhs asked Bhai Kataroo about his story. Bhai Kataroo told them what happened and then the Sikhs told Bhai Kataroo of how Guru ji was checking the weight of the 5 Paisas in his right and left hands. The praises of Guru ji spread everywhere and people came in the thousands to become the Sikhs of the Guru.