Bhai Moola, Bhai Sooja Dhaavnay, Bhai Chandoo Chaujar, Bhai Ramdas Bhandari, Bhai Bala and Bhai Saeendas came to Guru Arjan Dev ji. They bowed to his feet and made a plea: “Guru ji, you are the saviour of the poor and weak. The life forms do two types of Karma. When a person goes to Dharmaraja, their Karma is weighed. How is the karma seen? Does the karma cancel each other out or do you have to endure the result of all your karma?” Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji said: “there are 4 types of Sikhs. One type of Sikhs do karma with desire. One do karma without desires. The third type are the Bhagti ones. The fourth are the Brahmgyaanis. Out of the 4, who are you asking for?” The Sikhs said: “please tell us about all 4.” Guru ji said: “just as a big king has 4 types of citizens: the farmers who farm. Soldiers stand on top of them and separate the crops. They don’t cheat anyone. If they do cheat, the soldiers punish the farmers. The second type are the ones who rent land and pay a portion out of their crops every six months. The king’s men come to collect it. These tenants pay half and have no other worries. The third type is the one who give gifts to the King. They live close to the borders of the king and give gifts when they want to make the King happy. They rule over other villages and live in joy. The fourth type of citizens are the exempted ones from everything. They are independent and can do whatever they went. They rule wherever they want. If the king needs an army, they go and help the king. They take food from the King. Parmeshwar has four types of citizens as well: the ones with desire and work. They are in desire and anger all the time. They do not do the Bhagti of Hari. If they go to a Teerath or give donations, they do it for rewards. Dharmaraja is always on top of their heads. Their good karma is taken away and go to Hell. Their karma is not cancelled out. They get the rewards of good deeds and are punished for their bad deeds. The ones who do Karma without desires, they enjoy the Dharma and do Bhagti. They are like the tenants. If they do a bad deed, their deeds are collected and cancelled by their good karma. If the sins are more, then they are in pain. If the good deeds are more, then they only get rewards. Their sins become weak. The third are the ones that do Bhagti. They never sin. If they do sin by accident, because they live in Dharam with joy, their sins are cancelled. They are taken out of the cycle of birth and death. If they have to take another birth because of their fate, they still have Gyan in their mind and they continue their Bhagti. They achieve Nirvana then. There are two types of Bhagats: the ones that desire heaven. They go to heaven and then they are born in the home of a rich person. They are rich but they go to the Satsangat. They receive Mukti and break their bonds. The ones who do Bhagti without desire, they are born in the homes of saints by the order of Prabhoo. They do Bhagti and receive Mukti through Aatam Gyan. They are like the ones that rule and give gifts to the King. They do Bhagti and keep the king happy. The Gyanis are the exempted ones. They are always happy. They see the world as false. They see the body and karma as false. They never get attached to anything. Just as darkness can never go close to the sun, karma does not affect the Bhagats. They are Mukat from life. They are never in pain.” The Sikhs asked: “how are the Karmas of the Brahmgyaanis washed away?” Guru ji said: “the Brahmgyaanis give their good karma to their servants. The slanderers take their bad karma away. They are always in a “net-zero” state of karma. They are above karma and not affected by good or bad deeds.” The Sikhs heard this and were in a serene state. Their minds were calm.
Bhai Bishan Beebra and Bhai Sundar Maachi came to Guru Arjan Dev ji’s sanctuary. They were humble and grabbed Guru ji’s feet. They said: “please save us. We have heard of your glory, everywhere we have travelled.” Guru ji said: “do Seva with humility.” Both Sikhs began to do Seva. Bhai Sundar would bring firewood and water for the Langar. Bhai Bishan ji would wake up at Amritvela and do Seva of the Sangat. He would warm water for the Sangat’s baths. He would remove their dirt. The two Sikhs would listen to Guru ji’s words and do Seva. When they died, they reached Moksha and broke their bonds.
Bhai Jatoo, Bhai Bhanoo ji, Bhai Nihaloo ji and Bhai Teeratha ji came to Guru ji’s court. They were of the Chadha caste. They folded their hands and said to Guru ji: “Sri Satguru ji, your words are great which we translate in different ways amongst us:
You are the doer. There is nothing in the hands of the human.
Whatever one plants, that is what one must endure..
The ungrateful one forgets the grace of Hari, they go through many species..4..
(SGGS 706)
If Parmeshwar is the one that does everything, then we only do what Parmeshwar wants us to do. Why do humans have to suffer the fate then? We do good deeds and let go of bad deeds. Your Bani gives this wisdom: which are good and which are bad deeds? Please clarify this.” Guru ji said: “Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji’s Bani is of the Guru’s. This Bani saves people. The wise people read and live by the Bani. The Shabads are according to different states. The ones who need wisdom, they get wisdom. The Gursikhs are deserving of everything. They use their wisdom to understand Bani. The ones who don’t come to Sangat, are stuck in worldly matters or enjoying the pleasures of kingdoms; this Shabad is for them:
What you plant is what you will get, this body is the field of karma..
(SGGS 134)
There are some who are connected to Bhagti by Simran of Satnam. They see Parmeshwar in all of life. This line is for them:
You are the doer. There is nothing in the hands of the human.
They see Akaal Purakh everywhere. The third type of Sikhs are deserving of Gyaan. They always discuss truth and false in their minds. They see Brahm in their mind. For them, this Shabad is for them: “
Bilawal Mahalla 5.
Brahm is seen, Brahm is heard, only the One is known everywhere..
The ultimate Aatma is the doer. There is none other than Prabhoo that is known..
(SGGS 846)
There are other people in other stages but there are three major ones that I have explained: Karam, Upasana and Gyan. Just as a wise doctor has an ill person come to him, the doctor examines the patient. The doctor checks the nerve and urine to see what the illness is. Then he prescribes a medicine; that is how the Guru is. The Guru knows by observing the Sikh’s words and actions. The Guru then determines what state the Sikh is in. The wisdom is given accordingly. If the doctor is not wise, the illness cannot be found. He gives the wrong medicine. The patient dies by the disease. The weak Guru cannot see the correct state of the Sikh. That Guru will give the wrong wisdom. Instead of Mukti, the disciple goes to Hell. For this reason, think about it and make Guru Granth Sahib ji your Guru. The Gurbani gives wisdom according to your state. Do Bhagti. Do Simran of Satnam, day and night. Do the Seva of the Satsangat. Serve the Gursikhs and let go of your pride.” The Sikhs heard the wisdom of Guru ji and started to do Seva. They did Simran of the Name and achieved the Mukti status. They did the Seva of the Satguru. The Satguru saved them at their end time.