Bhai Lalloo Bij, Bhai Balloo Bij and Bhai Hari Das ji came to meet Guru Arjan Dev ji. They folded their hands and bowed to Guru ji. They sat down and said to Guru ji: “please give us wisdom and have us included with the other Sikhs. Please give us wisdom by which we may receive Mukti.” Guru ji heard them and said: “first of all, kill your ego, attachment and jealousy. Don’t think or want bad for others; no pain will come to you then. Meet with love when you see a Sikh of the Guru. Fold your hands and bow to the other Sikh, with love. Speak sweetly and stay humble; share what you eat; meet others with love; do the work of Dharma and earn your subsistence. These 5 things will give you peace and joy. Don’t forget these things. Stay in Ghrist and you will receive Mukti.” The three heard Guru ji’s wisdom and lived by it. Their pain was all gone.
Bhai Dheer Nihaloo, Bhai Tulsiya, and Bhai Bhoola Chandiya came to Guru ji, seeing him as the giver of peace. They bowed to Guru ji and sat in the court. Keertan was in progress when they came. They all listened to the praises of Guru Nanak Dev ji and started to think about it. Many people were in doubt when the Sikhs began their discussion. They all began to argue in the discussion. They folded their hands and asked Guru ji with love and devotion: “Guru ji, many people argue during their discussions. They lose their wisdom during the discussion. We were in doubt when the people were arguing. You are omnipotent, Guru ji. A lot of people say that Guru Nanak Dev ji was the Avatar of Raja Janaka. Some say he is the form of Vishnu; that’s why he did many tasks. Other things were said too. We couldn’t come to a conclusion. Please bless us and tell us what are the facts. Tell us who Guru Nanak Dev ji’s Avatar was. We will listen to your words and our minds will be calm. Our faith will grow and we will follow Sikhi and be happy in many ways. We have been in doubt for a long time about Guru Nanak Dev ji’s Avatar. Many others are thinking the same thing.” Guru Arjan Dev ji said: “Sri Satguru Nanak Dev ji is the treasure of virtues. He is who the Vedas have said “nayt, nayt; not quantified, not quantified.” They can not measure him. Brahma, Shiva, Sanak and others used their wisdom and power; they could not find the end of Guru Nanak Dev ji. Shaishnaag says thousands of new names of Parmeshwar, but he couldn’t find the end of Parmeshwar as well. The Dharti (Earth) prayed to Akaal Purakh: “jog, yagna, tapp, and good deeds do not exist in Kaliyuga. I am burdened with the weight of the sinners. I cannot stay stable on one foot. Please support me.” Parbraham, who is amazing, the sustainer of the world, the washer of sins, came as Guru Nanak Dev ji and established the beautiful path of Sikhi. People were without power, jog, yagna, and tapp. Guru Nanak Dev ji wanted to save the people. That is why Gursikhi was established, which is growing on a daily basis. He came and gave the wisdom of doing Simran of Satnam, giving Daan (donations) and Ishnaan (purification). Guru Nanak Dev ji took the wisdom of the 4 Vedas and stated it in vernacular language for all to understand. Sanskrit was not available for all to learn. Guru Nanak Dev ji made the wisdom accessible to all. The tradition within the Sikhs was as such, the wisdom was readily available to them. They did Simran of Satnam and began to ponder and did Bhagti of the form of Brahm. Their hearts became pure and pain did not come near them. The Vedas were stated in the vernacular, Guru Nanak Dev ji was gracious and gave us the Gurbani, filled with nectar. You should ponder upon Gurbani. Make your mind still and your doubts will be gone. Be faithful and follow Sikhi. You will not go to the Jumms and be in pain.” The three heard Guru Arjan Dev ji and their doubts were gone. They were very happy to hear about Guru Nanak Dev ji. They now knew that he was the Avtar of Akaal Purakh, who would give power to other Avatars. They began to think about Gurbani. This was the root of Bhagti and Gyan. They all achieved Mukti as they served Guru ji.
Bhai Tota and Bhai Mudhoo; Bhai Ghokha and Bhai Toda Mehta; these four came to Guru Arjan Dev ji’s home. They bowed to Guru ji’s feet and sat down. They folded their hands and saw an opportunity to speak. They said: “Guru ji, you are the saviour of the poor and weak. Please take us out of the cycle of birth and death. We have heard your glories and saw you as the one who can help us.” Guru ji said: “recite, listen and sing Gurbani. Ponder the meanings of Gurbani amongst yourselves. Try to see what Guru ji wants. Let go of what is noted to be discarded by Gurbani. Gain the virtues which are mentioned by Gurbani.” The Sikhs then said: “reading or discussing Gurbani, how much reward is given for this? We want to hear this from you and be at peace.” Guru ji responded: “know the reward as this: listen to Gurbani and have devotion. Those who recite Gurbani, their sins are washed away. The fiercest ones. Their mind, wisdom and consciousness become pure. The ones who recite Gurbani everyday with love, memorize it and recite it at Amritvela, with a still mind; they will receive a lot of great rewards. They will be in joy. The ones who recite, speak and have others listen to Gurbani; their wishes will be fulfilled. The ones who read Gurbani without wishes, their minds will become pure. Those who always think about the meanings of Gurbani, don’t have the wants of worldly praises in their mind; only want to reach Mukti; they will achieve Brahmgyaan. Just as there is fire inside the wood but cannot come out without effort, the people who succeed at this, the wood becomes the form of fire; in the same way, Gurbani has Gyaan. The people are able to get rid of their ego with Gurbani. They begin to look for their real from. The fortunate ones find it and achieve Brahmgyaan and become one with Akaal Purakh. They are no longer in doubt and duality. When one forgets the ego of the body, they become Brahmgyaanis. Go to the Satsangat and recite Gurbani. Ponder upon the meanings of Gurbani. You will be blessed and will receive Mukti. The bonds will be broken.” The four began to listen to Gurbani and went to the Satsangat.
Bhai Jhanjh, Bhai Mukanda and Bhai Kidara came to Guru Arjan Dev ji for salvation. They folded their hands and sat beside Guru ji. They said to Guru ji: “how can we be saved? You are omnipotent. Please tell us.” Guru Arjan Dev ji said to them: “you are musicians and know the Raags. Sing Gurbani in Raags and have the glories of Akaal Purakh dwell into your heart. As you gain the joy from singing the Raags, your love for Parmeshwar will grow. There is nothing compared to Keertan in Kaliyuga. If someone does a strict Tapasya and claims to have done a Tapasya equal to Keertan, that would be false. The other karma that people do, that are done with money or the body, they do not compare to Keertan as well. Keertan is the greatest. For this reason, do Keertan of Gurbani. Make others listen and let the effects of Keertan change you. As you go deeper into Keertan, the others who listen to you will be affected as well.” The three heard this and asked Guru ji: “you have stated that the glory of Keertan is great. What is the reward of reciting Gurbani and doing Katha? Please tell us.” Guru ji spoke: “One who recites Gurbani, this makes the mind pure. It is like watering your fields with the well. It makes the vegetation green. When the vegetables are ripe, one brings it to their home and they are then happy. The water of the well will go to other fields as well. This water, however, does not reach fields that are far away from the well. This is what reciting Bani does. Only the ones who hear it, will benefit from it. Keertan is like a heavy downpour of rain. Everyone is happy with rain. All of the fields in the area become green and lush with vegetation. Rain, however, cannot reach the high places as water goes downwards. Listen to the rewards of the Katha. After the rain, the droplets that fall, they get absorbed right away. They do not run off like rain. The misty droplets, sprinkling is good for all. The higher hills absorb that water as well. Katha is easily understood by all. There can be wastage of water in rain, via the runoff, but not in spitting rain. Katha reaches everyone of every state. Everyone can ponder upon the Katha and reach Aatam Gyan. Katha and Keertan are both great. When they are done together, it has a great effect on the mind. The Katha explains the glory of Akaal Purakh. The Keertan makes the mind pure. When one does Keertan, it brings joy into the heart. Just as a mother is glorified because of the children, the Katha is glorified because of the Keertan. Just as a mother nurtures her children, Katha makes Keertan happy.” The Sikhs said: “why is the Katha the mother and why is Keertan the child? Who is the husband of Katha, the father of Keertan? Please tell us.” Guru ji said: “understand Love. Love is the husband of Katha and the father of Keertan. They are glorified by Love. If there is Love, then Katha and Keertan will be glorified. It will give great rewards.” The Sikhs listened to this wisdom and did Keertan with love. They were free of their desires after this. They were happy with what they had and received. They lived off of what they received with contentment. The Sangat gave them money when they heard Keertan, Bhai Jhanjh, Bhai Mukanda and Bhai Kidara made their living in this way. They had no desires when they did Keertan. They did Seva of Satguru ji and reached the Mukti state.