Bhai Harbans Tappa ji did Seva in a Dharamsala. He would wash the feet of tired Sikhs with warm water. He would feed the hungry and massage the feet of Sikhs at night time. He would give out blankets in the winter. He would re-plaster the building of the Dharamsala. He would wake up during Amritvela and warm water for the bathing of the Sikhs. He would recite the Bani of the Satguru. He did this great Seva and took on these responsibilities. One day, Bhai Harbans Tappa ji was reciting the Bani of Bhai Gurdas ji with love. Some Sikhs asked him: “why do you not read the Bani of the Guru? A Sikh shouldn’t read Bani of other poets. They read the Bani of the Guru with love.” They got into an argument which eventually was brought to the attention of Guru ji. They all went to Guru Arjan Dev ji. Bhai Harbans ji said: “I read Bhai Gurdas ji’s Bani. You have said that it is the key to Gurbani. These Sikhs are getting mad at me for reading Bhai Gurdas ji’s Bani.” Guru ji said: “the Bani which has the praises of the Guru; states the glory of the Satnam; that should be read. Don’t doubt it. If somebody tries to be equal to the Satguru, that person is a fool who writes Bani in that way. Don’t read that Bani which tries to be equal to Gurbani. If a Sikh reads that, their wisdom will be affected. Their faith would break. Bani that has the same ideology as Gurbani; has the stories of the Avatars of Prabhoo; read the Bani which explains the Bani of the Satguru. Read that Bani with faith. The Bani/poetry that opposes the ideology of the Guru; causes the vices to grow in the mind; has the stories of humans in them; reading that poetry is useless. They are rumbling clouds without rain. The ones who read Bani that causes doubt towards the Guru and Hari, they will go to Hell. The Bani of Bhai Gurdas ji should not be doubted. It is the same ideology of Gurbani. Reading it will give you Gurmat. The ones who read it will have faith in their hearts. They will achieve Sikhi. Don’t doubt the Guru or Hari. Bhai Gurdas ji’s Bani praises the Guru and Hari. Read Gurbani and read Bhai Gurdas ji’s Bani as well. You will get joy in reading it. Do Katha of the Guru and Hari.” They all heard Guru ji’s words and accepted it. They all started to read the great Bani of Bhai Gurdas ji.
Bhai Anud Murari ji was a wise Sikh and Aatam Gyani. Bhai Nano ji was from the Latkan caste. Bhai Bindrao ji, Bhai Aalam Chand Handa ji, Bhai Saisara Taalvaar ji. All of these Sikhs came to meet Guru Arjan Dev ji for wisdom. Their minds were Jagyasos (seekers of wisdom). They bowed and said: “oh Guru, the saviour of the poor, give us your wisdom and take our pain away. We come to your sanctuary for Mukti.” Sri Satguru ji said: “practice the Shabad everyday. Do the Seva of Sikh Saints. Do the Simran of Satnam.” They heard Guru ji and said: “when we hear the Shabad with our ears, our minds become humble. When we go to do our household tasks, we forget the Name.” Sri Satguru ji responded: “your practice of listening to the Shabad needs more work still. The practice is not perfected yet. You have spent many births in over-indulgence. The tradition of doing the household tasks is solid in your heart. You only started to practice the Guru’s word now. The illumination of the Guru’s Shabad is low right now. Your ego, the belief that “You” are the body, has been with you for many births. You will need to kill this. It will happen slowly. Recite and listen to the Shabad everyday. This practice will get deeper and you will forget about your body. The ego will go away. You will achieve Mukti then. Just as the water flows in the river, to change the direction of the flow, it will take effort and time. It will take time to set in. Otherwise, it will continue on its current direction. Make your mind humble. Water flows and settles in low places. Naam stays in low and humble places. Create the dam of Brahm Gyaan. Adhere to Sat (truth), Santokh (contentment), Dheeraj (patience), Sam (controlling of the mind), Dam (controlling of the senses), Upramta (unattachment from the world), Samadhaan (Tapp), Tateeksha (seeing pleasure and pain as the same) and other virtues. The flow of the river will change then. When the flow changes, then there is no need for anything else. You will achieve bliss easily. The pain of duality will go away.” The Sikhs heard this and started to do Bhagti. Bhai Murari ji became a Brahmgyaani.
Bhai Bhaanu Sooghar ji (written Soohar in Bhai Gurdas ji’s 11th Vaar) and Bhai Jagna Nand ji came to Guru ji and bowed to him. They sat down and said: “we control our Indriyas and Pranas. We then do Simran. We want to connect to the Prabhoo but when we see a commodity, our mind goes towards it.” Guru ji said: “you will have to do three things: kill the vices of your mind, kill your mind (where the wishes arise from), and make the Gyaan of the Aatma come into your mind. Practice this over and over again. Make the effort to control your mind.” The Sikhs heard this and said: “please give us wisdom by which we can control our mind and receive Mukti, the Aatam Gyaan.” Sri Guru Arjan Dev ji said: “the mind rides the horses of the Pranas (breaths). The Pranas make the mind wander. When the Pranas come inside the body via the breaths, they touch the Naabi (navel) and come out. When the breath comes out, it shakes the mind on its way out. The Pranas need to be settled in the Trikuti (behind the forehead, between the eyebrows). Control your mind in this way. When the Pranas are calmed in the Trikuti, the mind will be destroyed. See the whole world as a myth. It is like the mirage that does not exist in reality. See all of the material things in this world as false. Your desires will die when you see the world like this. Have devotion towards the Brahm in your mind. See yourself as separate from the 5 Tatt (elements), the 5 Koshes (Anmai Kosh- physical body; Puranamya Kosh- the Prana system; Maanmya Kosh- where will and desire are; Vagyaanmya Kosh – wisdom; Anandmya Kosh- body of bliss), and Indriyas (ears, eyes, nose, tongue, skin, hands, feet, voice box, anus and urethra). Use your Bhuddi (wisdom/intellect) to see your Indriyas as false. They are false, without consciousness. It is the Aatma’s power reflection that gives them the illusion that they are real. Ponder the wisdom of the Shabad Gurbani. It is the cream of the Vedas. Your vices and desires will die along with your mind. The Aatam Gyaan Teerath will illuminate inside of you. These three things will support each other. The one who does this will achieve Mukti. Just as a King who has 3 Soobas (Governors), who are given their specific lands; the King gives them wisdom before they go. First the king says: “go together to fight stronger enemies. First the boundary needs to be won (Sirhind). Then go and win Lahore and kill the thieves in that area. After that, go to Kashmir and conquer it. You will need to win all three areas together. Then you can separate and rule your specifically assigned areas. If you go separately in the beginning, you will not be victorious. For this reason, go together to do your tasks.” The three actions that I described must be done together to win your mind. The mind and desires need to be killed together with the knowledge of the Brahm. The army of ignorance, desire, is everywhere. It keeps all of the good qualities away. If you kill all three at once, you will win. You will need to control your mind, kill your desires and do the Simran with every breath. Your mind will be calm.” The Sikhs heard this and had bliss in their minds. They did exactly as Guru ji said.
Bhai Jaith ji and Bhai Shingaroo ji were great warriors. They were fearless on the battlefield. Guru ji said to them: “when I am in my 6th incarnation, I will wield weapons and punish the corrupt. The Turks will be destroyed. I will practice Shaster Vidya. I will take the rule (Meeree) of great kings (Meers) away. I will have love for the Guru’s word and take the Peeree of the Peers. I will have both Meeree and Peeree. I will give bliss to my Sikhs in both worlds. I will save my Sikhs in the fiercest period of Kaliyuga. You should go to Sri Hargobind ji now. Obey him and be happy. Fight by his side in battle. Kill the Turks by wielding weapons.” The Sikhs folded their hands and obeyed. They both went to Sri Hargobind ji and enlisted in his army. They wielded weapons and practiced Shaster Vidya with him. After a while, they took some time off to go home for 2 months. When they went home, they met a Yogi in their village. The Yogi was impressed with their Seva and gave them a Rasayan. They took the Rasayan and put it in the shell of a hard fruit. They brought it back to Sri Hargobind ji as they thought it would be better for him. Sikhs would come across great things and bring them straight to the Guru out of love. They told him about its benefits: “this Rasayan is made by dehydrating mercury. 52 Tola Copper, can be made into gold by using 1 Ratti of this Rasayan. If one eats the equivalent of a grain of rice, one will be able to eat 1.25 Maunds of food and become strong like an elephant. The illnesses will be gone.” Sri Hargobind ji said: “the ones who have killed their minds, the Rasayan is not needed for them. The thing that makes copper into gold, this is not needed. Killing the mind, one receives everything and becomes Parmeshwar. Gold can only make you rich. You will still die one day. Since you have brought it, I will honor your devotion.” Sri Hargobind ji took a grain of rice worth rasayan and ate it with two leaves. The rest was poured in the Sarovar. The Sikhs were given high statuses. He kept them close and gave them many powers. They fought battles along Guru Hargobind ji’s side.