Bhai Naoo Bholoo ji, Bhai Sekhar ji, Bhai Jatoo Bheeva ji and Bhai Moola ji were all wise people. The four came to Guru Arjan Dev ji and bowed with love. They folded their hands to the saviour of the weak and said: “your Bani gives wisdom of many sorts. When a person knows of their states, they understand the meaning of the Shabad. We don’t know what our state is. How should we know if we should do Karma (actions) or Upasana? Are we in the state of Gyan Khand?” Guru ji heard this and said: “if you want to know what state you are in and want to know if you should do Karma, Upasana or Gyaan, then listen to the Bani of the Guru. Figure out what is the difference between good and bad. If you wish to do good Karma but your mind runs towards bad things and you actually do the bad deeds, you will need to do Karma then. Do the Seva of Gursikhs and listen to Gurbani with love. Slowly, get rid of the filth in your mind. You will wish to meet Parmeshwar then. If you hear the Guru’s words, the wish to do bad karma will go away. If one listens to the words of the Guru and doesn’t let the bad things come to reality, one should go towards Upasana. Listen to Gurbani and understand its meanings. Get rid of the wishes to do bad things. If listening to the Guru’s word, the vices die out, the mind does not wish to do anything bad, one sees the world as pain, that person deserves Gyaan. They will think about good and bad. In this way you can figure out where you stand. Gurbani has been written with everyone in mind. The Sikhs are of various states. Use your wisdom to see where you stand: Karam, Upasana or Gyaan. They will fall in love with Gurbani.” The four heard Guru ji’s words and knew where they stood.
Bhai Chaturdas ji and Bhai Moola ji were of the Kapoor caste; Bhai Haardoo ji and Bhai Gaardoo ji were of the Vij caste; they all came to Guru Arjan Dev ji. They folded their hands and said: “you have given a lot of wisdom to “wake up,” do good deeds, and do Simran of the Satnam. All of the saints say this too. They all say “wake up.” There is a Salok in Sri Raag ki Vaar that has caused questions in our mind:
Salok M:1
The giver gives, what goes with the person?
One, the awakened do not get; one; the sleeping are woken up and given..1..
(SGGS 83)
What we have understood is that: some were awaken from their sleep and given. The awaken didn’t get anything. Isn’t it better to stay sleeping then?” The head of the Sodhis then spoke: “this line of Gurbani has a different meaning. Some are called Pandits who are well-educated scholars. They are proud of their education. There is ego intermingled in their minds. They do not serve saints and think they are higher. They are only caught up in debates and do not have faith. They do not listen to the wisdom. On the other hand, some are uneducated without ego. They serve the Guru and saints. The educated remained empty but the uneducated were filled with treasures. In this way, the awakened one who had the knowledge were not given anything. The asleep were given everything. There is another translation for this. Listen to this: just as a person goes to the Satsang and listens to katha and Keertan; when they listen to Gurbani, they fall asleep. Then during the distribution of the Karah Prashaad, they are awakened and given the Prashaad. There is an example for this: there were 2 Saudagars who wished to do business. Their ship was to leave the next morning and so they prepared the night before. They came close to the ship the evening before. One took his merchandise and boarded the ship to sleep on the ship. The other did not board the ship and decided to board the ship in the morning after waking up. He stayed awake all night. In the morning, the Nagara played and the ship left. The Saudagar on the dock was lost in some other thought and didn’t hear the Nagara. He did not know when the ship left. When he checked, the ship was long gone. The one that was sleeping on the ship with his merchandise, he was awoken by another person. He reached his destination and then sold his stuff to make a lot of money. The one that didn’t board the ship, was alone near the dock. Robbers came and looted his merchandise. He came home with nothing. In the same way, the Satsangat is the ship. The ones who make the effort to come, they are like the ones sleeping on the ship. Even if they fall asleep, the saints will wake him up. Some Gurbani will be heard. If the Prashaad is being given, the people are awakened and given. If a person stays awake in their home, they do not receive the Prashaad or listen to the word of the Guru. The uneducated person who comes to the Satsangat; they do Seva with humility; their sleep of avidya (illiteracy) is taken away by the Guru. Gyaan is given to them. They benefit from knowing their Aatma like the Saudagar on the ship. The literate ones who call themselves awakened, they do not come to the Sangat. They are fearless and do bad deeds. They stay empty from Gyaan.” The Sikhs became humble and did the Sangat of the Guru. The four achieved the highest status when they died. Guru Arjan Dev ji was with them.
Bhai Firna Bail ji, Bhai Chunga ji and Bhai Jetha ji came to see Guru ji. They folded their hands, bowed and said to Guru ji: “Guru ji, saviour of the weak and poor, please remove our doubts. Some do Simran of Ram and some do Simran of Hari Ghanshyam, Krishna. Some say Om and some say Sohang. They all achieve the highest status. Please tell us which name should we do Simran of?” Guru ji heard this and commanded: “do the Simran of Vahiguru. This name is the destroyer of pain. The work of ferries is to cross rivers. All of the names of Parmeshwar are the ferries. One will cross the river on the ferry they have boarded, think about this. All of the names of Parmeshwar have the power to cross. Do the Simran. The name that the Satguru gives, that is what will take the Sikhs across. The Sikh should only do Simran of that name. There was fog for 36 Yugas at one time. There were no population and no king. The One, Ikankaar, Akaal Purakh did not create anything. It was all “Sunn,” nothingness. There was only darkness. There was nothing solid. Akaal Purakh, Guru Nanak Dev ji, then made a wish and uttered one letter “Vava” for 9 yugas. Then Akaal Purakh uttered “Haha” for 9 Yugas. Similary, 9 Yugas were taken by “Gugga” and “Rara.” The four letters were joined to make the Name: Vahiguru. This was pleasing to the saints. This Gurmantra was given to the Sikhs. Whoever did this Simran, their pains were gone. If one does Simran of this Mantra, their wishes will be fulfilled, their bonds of rebirth will be broken, and they will receive Mukti. Do the Simran of Vahiguru, day and night with your mind and body. The Satguru will be with you to protect you and destroy your doubts. At the end, you will be One with the Sat, Chetan, Anand form.” The Sikhs heard this and did the Simran of Kartar. They did Simran of Vahiguru. They did Seva of Guru Arjan Dev ji. They achieved the highest status. They preached Sikhi and others achieved the same status.