Bhai Jaita ji, Bhai Nanda ji and Bhai Piraga ji all came to see Guru Arjan Dev ji. They folded their hands and said: “give us the wisdom by which we require nothing else. May we engrave your wisdom into our hearts and achieve Mukti.” Guru ji said: “control your Indriyas and always be aware. Do Simran with every breath, all the time. The Name, Vahiguru, is the highest. When you notice that your mind is not focused, then recite Gurbani out loud to tell your mind to be still. Keep your mind engaged with the Satguru’s Bani. This is how one achieves Brahm Gyaan.” The Sikhs heard Guru ji’s words and did what he said. The Brahmins in their village saw their new lifestyle and said: “what are you doing? You do not do any Karam Kaand. You have stopped doing the Nit and Namit Karmas. You have become corrupt. Who are you following?” The Sikhs responded: “we have found the all-powerful, omnipotent Satguru. Since we met the Satguru, our ignorance patriarch has died. The son named Brahmgyaan has been born. Because of this death and birth, the impure “sootak” has come upon us. Because of that, the Karam Kaands have been destroyed, as per the direction of the sootak traditions (the place of sootak cannot have Karma Kaands performed). Whoever has sootak, the Karma Kaand is not counted. This is the direction that you give in your teachings, Pandit ji. For this reason, we don’t do the Karma Kaand. If you say that the sootak remains for a limited time period, the Guru says: “when the breath rises from the Naabi, that is when we are born. We are illuminated then. The breath then goes out from the nose, that is when we die.” By this, sootak is constant; as we breath all the time. We are looking for the time when there is no sootak, but we failed to find such a time. We do Simran with every breath. This is our support. This is what the Satguru said.” The Pandits went quiet when they heard this. They thought about it but they had no answer.
There was a Paati (one who recited Gurbani) named Bhai Tiloka ji. Another Sikh, Bhai Tota Mehta ji, had stopped his mind from wandering. Both of these Sikhs came to see Guru Arjan Dev ji. They bowed to his lotus-like feet. They folded their hands and said: “Satguru ji, your wisdom says to do Simran of Ram with a focused mind. One who does this will not go to Hell. The Brahmins raise doubts about this. They say: if by doing Simran, one does not go to Hell, everyone says the name of Ram. Why do some of them go to Hell then? If this is true why did Prabhoo make Hell? Everyone that says “Ram” should get Mukti. Heaven is useless then. There shouldn’t be Heaven or Hell if Simran gives Mukti.” Satguru ji said: “there is no doubt about everyone saying “Ram.” The most that are saying it, they do not have faith or love on Ram. Their minds are not focussed either. How would they be blessed then? Tell the Brahmins about the Katha of Koda Rakash and Mardana. When Mardana ji was walking in the jungle of Jabalpur, he was captured by a demon named Koda. Koda heated oil in a pot and wanted to put Bhai Mardana ji in it to eat him. Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji told Mardana ji to do the Simran of the Name. When Bhai Mardana ji did Simran of the Name, the oil went cold right away. The glory of the Name illuminated in the world. Go and tell the Brahmins: if you do the Simran of Ram, then we will boil oil and put you into the pot. If everyone does Simran of Ram, let’s see what happens to you. If the oil goes cold than you are right because that would mean that everyone’s Simran is the same. If you get burned then there is a difference.” This world is being boiled in their desires. They are not able to come out of this pot. The Guru gives the Sikhs the Name which makes the desires calm down.” The Sikhs heard Guru ji and went back home. When the Pandits met them, they told them the Katha that Guru ji said. The Pandits got scared of putting their hands into the pot of boiling oil. In this way the Satguru’s glory spread. The doubters were quiet then. They all understood the glory of the Guru’s home.
Bhai Sai Das ji came to Guru ji, folded his hands and said: “I have served many Sikhs. I have engraved your wisdom in my heart and think of your feet all the time. I listen to the Shabad but my mind does not stay focused. You say: “one should focus the mind and recite the Shabad with love.” Guru ji said: “you now know where your mind stands. You understand that your mind wanders. You didn’t know that before you started reading Bani or doing Simran. Now that you know where your mind runs too, show it the mythical world that it’s living in. Show it that the material goods are fake. They are mythical and temporary. Bring the mind back to the Shabad of the Guru. When it runs away again, keep bringing it back with the word of the Guru. Just as you mount a stubborn horse, the rider does not let the horse look left or right. It shows it the straight path. The horse tries to go in a different direction but it is forced to go straight. The horse has to give in eventually. If the horse still does not listen, the rider shows the horse his whip. In this way, make the mind connect to the Shabad of the Guru. Eventually, the mind will begin to like listening to the words of the Guru.” The Sikh listened to Guru ji and did as he was told. Slowly, his mind came under his control. He didn’t want to be acknowledged for his Seva, which he did, day and night. In this way, Guru ji gave wisdom to the Sikhs in Amritsar.
Guru ji wanted to go to Goindwal and meet the children of Guru Amardas ji. Guru ji got ready along with other Brahmgyaani Sikhs to go to Goindwal, together. Many of the Sikhs were Brahmgyaanis. Baba Bhudda ji was the head of the Brahmgyaani Sikhs. They all travelled with Guru ji. Guru Arjan Dev ji was the ocean of virtues. He was benevolent and wanted to bless everyone just as the sun illuminates the whole world, indiscriminately. The slanderers did not know the glory of the Guru. They were like the owls who did not appreciate the sun. They were blind to the sun. Guru ji sat in his palanquin. Mata Ganga ji met Guru ji. Guru ji said to her: “stay here. I will return after some time.”
Guru ji travelled about 3 km and saw a beautiful place. The land called out to Guru ji. There was a Teerath here before that wanted to be exposed. This was the place of Taran Taaran Sahib. Guru ji looked with his divine vision and saw many men and women bathing here in the future. The ones who would bathe here with devotion, their wishes would be fulfilled. Their illnesses would go away. They would be filled with bliss. Many lepers were here who needed to be cured. There were two villages nearby: Palasoor and Khanvaal. There were other villages that fought for this land of Taran Taaran. Many people fought and died for this land. Guru ji set up camp in that area. Guru ji wanted to solve the conflicts of the area.
The next day, Guru ji called the Panchayats of the two villages. Guru ji convinced them to stop fighting. He told them: “your conflict can be resolved. What price do you want for this land? This place will be a Teerath. You will receive rewards along with others for bathing here. Give this land to the Guru’s home. You can ask for double its value.” The people from Khanvaal were Khatris. The people of Palasoor were Rangars. They all decided to stop fighting and listen to Guru Arjan Dev ji. Many had died in their conflict. Guru ji gave 157,000 Rajitpuns for the land. Guru ji bought the land and started to live there. He wanted to set up a new Teerath which would give joy to all and take away their pain. Just as the moon fills essence in all of the plants and herbs; it satiates everyone; that is how Guru ji wanted to make everyone happy. Guru ji wanted to make a great Sarovar there. All of the Masands were called and told to make the Sarovar. The Masands called the labourers and the Sangat to begin the Kar of the Sarovar. 17 Vaisakh, 1647 (Vikram) was the date that the work started. The materials were all bought. Guru ji had Karah Prashaad prepared. Many Sikhs came. A celebration took place. Everyone was happy for a new Teerath to be established. A Divaan was held and Guru ji told Baba Bhudda ji to do the Ardaas for the ground-breaking ceremony. Baba Bhudda ji, who was connected with the Brahm, stood up. He had the supreme powers of Akaal Purakh. It was like the powers just resided on his palm. Day and night, he was always in Samadhi. His mind was always calm. He stood in front of Guru ji and did the Ardaas.
A Khatri named Bhai Devi Chand ji was from Goindwal. He came to meet Guru ji. He had 1 Rajitpun which he had divided for change. He kept half for himself and presented the other half to Guru ji. He folded his hands and bowed. Guru ji said: “Baba Bhudda ji, look! Half of the money is here! The Sarovar will be completed. I don’t think this Sarovar will be completed now though. We got half of a Rajitpun so half of the Sarovar will be completed now. Half of the payment will come. The other half will be completed by the Khalsa Panth. This is the command of Parmeshwar.” (To make the Saran of Noordheen, the bricks were looted during that time. Guru Arjan Dev ji said: “the Khalsa will bring the bricks back.” Sardar Jassa Singh ji Ramgharia brought the bricks back after 150 years to complete the Sarovar. Maharaja Ranjit Singh ji made the Darbar. Kunwar Naunihaal Singh ji made the Bhoonga of Taran Taaran Sahib) Baba Bhudda ji did the Ardaas and the Karah Prashaad was distributed. Baba Bhudda ji broke the ground and the Seva started. Many labourers were called and started working. The brick kilns were built. The cement and grout were prepared. It was as though the Mansarovar was being built. The steps were being built. Guru ji told the Masands to do the Seva properly: “don’t hold back. There is not shortage in the Guru’s house. Pay everyone well that makes everyone happy. Make sure it is complete.” The Masands directed the digging. The bricks were baked. The cement and grout were prepared. Guru ji supervised the work and made assessments. Many Sikhs did the Seva to impress Guru ji. Guru ji spent many days here by which he was doing a great task. The eastern steps were made first. The Sangat from Kabul and Balak Bukhara came. Dhani Kaip, Peshawar, Multan, Shikaar Puri; the Sangat came. Sangat from the south came. Sangat from many lands came to do Seva. They all came to do Seva of the Teerath. There was a great joy. They would look towards Guru ji for his command. The eastern steps were completed and some of the digging was done.