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Full text of "Glimpses Of The Divine Masters
"
See other formats
GLIMPSES
OF
THE DIVINE MASTERS
(GURU NANAK—GURU GOBIND SINGH)
1469—1708
RANBIR SINGH
INTERNATIONAL TRADERS CORPORATION
P. O. BOX NO. 2588
NEW DELHI - 110005
Sri Satguru Jagjit Singh Ji eLibrary NamdhariElibrary@gmail.com
www.archive.org/details/namdhari
© All rights reserved by the Publishers
International Traders Corporation
New Delhi-110005
First printed February, 1965
Second printed February, 1975
Printed at the Caxton Press (P) Ltd., New Delhi-110055
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www.archive.org/details/namdhari
CONTENTS
Pages
INTRODUCTORY
Quest for Peace of Mind ach ids 1
Religion and its necessity ee ey 18
Concept of the Guru in Sikhism es oe 42
Condition of India at the advent of Guru Nanak .. 60
GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
I. Guru Nanak (1469—1539 A.D.) .. fea 68
Manifestation ee ae oe 68
Nanak—the child .. ah Ms 69
Nanak—the boy .. ea a 70
Ceremony of the sacred thread .. “3% 72
Nanak as a stock Breeder ix aa 73
Attempts to put Nanak in some profession .. 75
Nanak sits silent in seclusion... re 76
Profitable Bargain . sh ie 79
Nanak to Sultanpur hie 81
Nanak as Guru—The Divine Master a 82
Guru Nanak on Divine Mission as 85
Among the lowliest and lost ine Pe 88
Guru Nanak with Sajjan Thug .. ic 90
Guru Nanak at Hardwar a te 92
Abolition of slavery ee a3 94
At the temple of Jagannath ss is 95
In the city of Kamroop Se oa 97
Kauda, the cannibal ee i 99
Renaissance of Bhai Mardana .. .. 101
Home coming ; ea -. 103
The Guru in Leper’s ea a -. 105
Bhai Buddha a = .. 106
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Dunichand enters the path of discipleship .. 107
The parents enlightened 2 .. 108
The Guru in Sangladeep se .. 113
Nanak in Kashmir .. 116
Guru Nanak to Kailash & NManearwar »» I19
Sidh Gosht Sa 120
Gorakhmata comes to be baSwite as Nanakimata 124
Guru Nanak visits Mecca 34 -. 126
Guru Nanak at Baghdad ¥6 .. 128
Guru Nanak and Vali Qandhari .. 130
The massacre of Saidpur be ws. 132
Guru Nanak as a farmer af sw 435
Bhai Lehna ji na .. 137
Nanak’s Ascension se ~- 139
II. Guru Angad (1539—1552) ae .. 143
IW. Guru Amardas (1552—1574) - se. 152
Datu’s jealousy “ fd vs. 452
Temple of Bread .. ba ec. J52
Satti Abolished .. i: wae ASS
A society on the anvil ie wee 153
Prema, the leper, cured hs om Ss
Mystics and scholars visit the Guru .. 156
Akbar visits Guru Amardas oe oe “ST
Bibi Bhani a8 ae .. 158
Bridegroom crowned ee aS 160
Song of Bliss oa bs .. 161
IV. Guru Ram Dass (1574—1581 A.D.) .. 164
V. Guru Arjan Dev (1581-1606 A.D.) .. .. 170
His unique Personality
Compilation of Holy Granth Sahib .- 170
Guru Arjan’s Sukhmani ; .. 174
The Golden Temple of Amritsar: .. 174
Akbar, the Emperor of India paid a visit .. 177
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Page
Social reforms ae .. 178
Contemporary Poets, Mystics and ‘Scholars ve, T79
Mathura’s observations about Guru Arjan .. = 181
The Great Sacrifice oa .. 181
The Testimony of Bhai Gurdas .. .. 184
VI. Glimpses of Guru Har Gobind (1606-1644) .. 186
The New Spirit and Life Be .. 186
True Dharma is to live rich victorious life .. 188
The True King Se .. 190
‘Bandichor’—The Great Deliverer: oe 191
Har Gobind and Shah Jahan... - 193
Pande Khan ae 3 a 195
The Master and His disciples .. .. 197
The service of the people is the service of the .. 197
Master
A Maharata saint meets Har Gobind -- 198
Bhai Sain Das ee nee .. 199
Bhai Budha ei as .. 200
VII. Guru Har Rai (1644-1661) es .. 201
VI. Guru Har Kishan (1661-1664) iy .. 204
IX. Guru Tegh Bahadur—The Saviour and Defender 208
of Faith (1664-1675)
Tegh Bahadur visits Amritsar... .. 210
Guru on missionary tour aa 2a 210
Birth of Gobind .. we Soul
Aurangzeb compaign of seligions: peisecution se a2
Pandits of Kashmir approach the Guru .. 213
Guru summoned to Delhi i .. 214
Guru’s Words és oe .. 216
X. Glimpses of Guru Gobind Singh (1675-1708 A.D.) 220
Love offerings from Kabul and Assam Say “geez
The vision of a Rishi as ae eee
Errant Sikh recants - er 236
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Page
Sayyed Budhu Shah, ae ax | Sor
The battle of Bhangani = .. 240
Love conquests .. 243
Blossoms for the Guru’s Biethday: .. 247
Bhai Nandlal Renaissance 3 <3 ~253
The call of the Master ie .. 260
The great miracle of creation .. .. 263
The Khalsa Brotherhood—Global Fraternity .. 268
The Disciples initiate the Master .- 271
How the fragrance spread a. Wale
The Hill Rajas, the tools of the Mughal Empire 281
The strange prayer of an old sed .. 284
Bhai Joga Singh ‘ .. 285
A Jain Monk embraces sikhism .. .» 290
The Guru’s Gift $s .. 309
Padma—Princess of Nahan
The epistle of Nawab of Malerkotla ca gos
Zafarnama—tThe Epistle of Victory .. 340
Tie the broken Ties 2% .. 342
Love gathering again ie .. 345
At Dam dama Sahib . 348
Bahadur Shah approaches the Guru for help: « ae |
Banda Singh Bahadur ws is 393
Life at Nander : iat. “Soo
Guru Gobind Singh’s Kecension. .. 361
The ever living presence of the Guru .. 364
Reading from Japji of Guru Nanak .. 370
Hymns of Guru Gobind Singh .. 378
The Sikh thought and way of life .. .. 382
The Belief ; is .. 382
The Sikh way of life wi sy. 3399
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www.archive.org/details/namdhar!
“Ever and ever, remembering, remember God thy Lord:
Thus thou shalt attain perfect peace,
And get over all thy ills, sorrow and suffering.
Bethink thyself of Him who sustains the whole universe,
Whose Name untold millions do e’er e’er chant.
The essence of the Vedas, Puranas and all other religious books
Is to contemplate the One—the Eternal, All-Pervading
DIVINE SPIRIT.
He who but treasureth a grain of the Lord’s Love in his heart
Who can recount his enrichment or his exaltation ?
With those, O Lord, who yearn to have but a glimpse of Thee
Save me, Nanak prayeth, O Lord, with them save me!
Peace Celestial, lieth in naught else
But reposing in Divine Spirit
Which, like ambrosia, bestoweth eternal bliss,
It indwelleth in the hearts of the Lord’s saints.”
(Guru Arjan: Sukhmani 1-1)
Translated
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www.archive.org/details/namdhari
INTRODUCTORY
(a) Quest for Peace of Mind
Modern man is endowed with all the comforts—
nay luxuries—of life, yet he is verily not happy.
Instead, he lacks peace of mind. Emptiness and
vacuum of spirit generally prevail. His inner self
is bruised and he is bleeding. It appears that some-
thing vital is woefully wanting in him.
Today, man is living in an atmosphere of mutual
distrust, hatred and illwill and there is burning unrest
everywhere. It is a pity, indeed, that the world at
present is torn asunder by selfishness, invidious dis-
tinctions, unhealthy prejudices and strifes.
Time and again, we are faced with the obstinate
question: why is it that man today lacks inner happi-
ness, mutual love and trust in an otherwise, rapidly
advancing civilization? Man is seen drifting farther
and farther away from God, his Creator. On the
whole, mankind is, undoubtedly, in the fatal grip of
materialism. A grave world-problem, as to how can
man be rescued from its clutches to enable him to
stage a comeback into the realm of peace and
happiness—his heritage—is agitating all serious and
sane minds.
Indeed, the life of the average man flows out in a
deadly stream of monotony. The eternal treadmill
of eating, sleeping and working for a_ living; and
living for eating, sleeping and working goes on till a
man ultimately finds himself physically spent up and
spiritually bankrupt. Charmed by the fascination of
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2 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
the materialistic world and lost in the wilderness of
‘Sansara’ he gives little or no thought to the eternal
values of life. Is it not a tragedy that the precious
span of man’s earthly life is frittered away without
achieving the purpose for which it is created?
The purpose of human life is to blossom like a
flower with joy everlasting, by abiding in the True
Source of its being, and to emit its fragrance and
sweetness all around. He who keeps his soul in tune
with the Infinite is like the flower which has its roots
in the earth, but looks up to heaven.
Man, by nature, seeks happiness. But in his
ignorance he is allured by passions and pleasures of
senses. As the birds of the air fall upon the grain
scattered underneath the hunter’s net and they are
caught and become helpless, even so with the man.
In his ardent pursuit of sensual gratifications, he is
easily entrapped by greed and is victimized by infatua-
tion. Attachment to earthly possessions narrows his
vision and his vanity accentuates his sense of ‘Ego’
which is undoubtedly the barrier between him and
God.
Thus the ignorant man fails to grasp the meaning
and purpose of his life. Without the right knowledge
of his own true nature and that of the True Source of
his being, man’s life is barren and is void of the
fertility of infinite peace and joy.
But some youngmen, of exuberant fancy, are apt
to imagine that could a man possess all earthly desir-
ables: health, wealth, beauty, talent, power and fame
—with such other minor ingredients, he would have
all that is required for a perfectly satisfied life.
But no, not so. The most important element of
all is the Peace of Mind, lacking which, each possession
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QUEST FOR PEACE OF MIND 3
becomes a hideous torment, and the schedule of
mortal goods as a whole, an intolerable burden.
Health is a commonplace. Wealth is with many.
Talent and beauty God gives to not a few. Power and
fame are not rare. But PEACE OF MIND—God’s
final gift of approval, the fondest sign of His Love, He
bestows it charily. It descends upon those blessed
souls that are imbued with the Love of God, the
Creator. Peace of Mind is the characteristic mark
of God Himself and it has always been the true goal
of the considered life.
But modern man is devoid of the love of God.
Stricken by psychic anxieties, cloven by emotional
conflicts, beset by economic insecurities, assailed by
political doubts and cynicism, man of today is a
peculiarly plucked rooster as he struts along the path
of civilization.
Those who are endowed with riches and appear to
be happy, do none the less suffer from ailments of
many kinds and have a life ever cankered with care and
anxiety. They suffer for their very abundance, and
more often than not, they indulge in luxuries and
sensual enjoyments until they feel defeated by the
demonic influence of their own powers and scorched
in the fires of their baser passions.
When luxury and pleasure become a disease, pain
and suffering may sometime come as a remedy from
Heaven. Adversity may be a blessing in disguise,
awakening the sleeping mind. Man may then try to
get out of the wilderness of their sensual cravings. It
is then that one begins his quest for Reality and Truth
in right earnest and seeks happiness and peace. For
no worldly man is really happy, however, rich he may
be.
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4 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
The life of the common man is invariably not one
of tranquillity. It is full of wants and worries. He
is very often sad and stricken with sorrow. His peace
and poise of mind is frequently disturbed when mis-
fortunes befall him. He is tormented by fits of
melancholy and despair. He writhes in agony,
awfully disappointed, not gaining the objects of his
desire. Indeed, desires unsatisfied cause misery.
Sometime the physical pangs of hunger and sickness
smite him hard. Sometime he is to face the misery
and worry of tangled interpersonal family relations.
Sometime the loss of loved ones overwhelms him with
profound grief. The infirmity and frustration of
old age are unbearable and the fear of death is always
haunting him. Is there any way of escape from these
gnawing ills of the world? Is there any soothing
remedy for the burning ills of life? These are the
problems of the seeker of Truth.
To what then shall we turn to achieve the shock-
proof balance of mind? Not to alcoholic drinks—
though excessive drinking is being resorted to drown the
sorrows of life, not to tablets for sedative repose though
most of the peoplein the west frequently use them to
get over their woes and worries. Certainly we shall not
find solace in sensual indulgence and motion pictures.
Neither shall we find peace in furious pursuit of
wealth, which slips like quicksilver through our
grasping fingers. Nor is tranquillity to be gained in
the race for power and fame. Nor can even intel-
lectualism and philosophy confer peace of mind.
Where then shall we look, at what bar shall we
sue, what posture shall we take, what principles invoke,
in this endless, basic and all important quest for Peace
of Mind?
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QUEST FOR PEACE OF MIND 5
Worthy question, deserving of thoughtful sincere
answer. The key to the problem is to be found in
Guru Arjan’s “Sukhmani”-PSALM OF PEACE-ETERNAL.
‘‘My friends, O good people!
Aspiring to have peace of mind,
Abandoning all other ways, devote yourselves unto God,
Live, live ye in constant consciousness of His Divinity,
Thus peace-eternal shall be thine
Sing His praises yourselves,
And give earnest advice to others to do the same,
This love-ht devotion will take ye across the sea of life
Without the light of love, there 1s pain, suffering and a hell of it
Devotion means eternal life, bliss and union with the Beloved,
It upholds even those sinking in sin—nay even drowned ones,
All troubles, all sorrow cease, nay these are even rooted out,
If ye lovingly and consciously repeat, O Nanak,
The Name of the Lord,
Who is the Treasure-House of all excellences
(Guru Arjan Sukhmani 20-5)
Translated.
Thus speaks Guru Nanak :—
“If a man sings of God and hears of Him
And lets love of God sprout within him,
His all sorrow shall depart,
And in the soul, God will create abiding peace ”’
(Translation From Japjt)
At another place he says:
“Everyone seems worried and care-ridden;
He alone gets peace and becomes care-free
Who cherisheth the One God 1n his heart ”
(Translated from Dakhni Onkar)
“If thou seekest perpetual peace
And everlasting yoy, O Nanak,
Dwell thou ever on thy Lord”
(Guru Arjun : Rag Tod:)
Translated
Guru Nank gives us a fundamental formula for
peace, joy and bliss: rise at the ambrosial hours of
the fragrant dawn and meditate upon:—
“There 1s but Onc God—Manifested & Unmanifested One,
The Eternal and All Pervading Divine Spirit,
The Creator, The Supreme Being (omnipresent, omniscient, omnipot nt)
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6 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Without fear, Without enmity,
Immortal Reality,
Unborn, Self-Existent,
Realized through the Grac: of the Guru—the
Divine Master”
In the Sikh scriptures, there are many other
quotations, which, though differently worded, have
the same bearing and lay stress on the same point.
Indeed, in every age poets, prophets, saints and
mystics have humbly acknowledged that all peace
proceeds from God, and that to find it, we must find
Him. This has been the sum of man’s wisdom from time
immemorial that there is no rest till we find rest in Him.
But we are like stubborn, wilful invalids who
know they are ill but will not accept the sharp pres-
cription of cure. Yet until we do so there can be no
hope for recovery.
Man gropes in darkness, and in pursuit of peace
and happiness makes countless fitful efforts but all to
no avail. If, however, by good fortune, a seeker of
Truth comes in contact with a person who has the
living experience of Spirit of God in man, he gets right
guidance and faith comes to him.
There are, of course, a handful of men, who are
perhaps as rare as oasis in a desert, who bloom with
the joy of the Spirit that dwells in them and flourish
like fragrant and beautiful roses. In this age of
fierce turmoil and harrowing doubts, they live a calm
and cool life, above baser passions such as lust, anger,
greed, attachment and conceit. Such men as these
possess the subjective control over their minds or the
desireless contact with the objects of attraction; for
they have taken refuge in the Supreme Soul that is
inherently calm and tranquil and satisfied in its own
delight.
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QUEST FOR PEACE OF MIND 7
Such God-blessed souls are always meek and
sweet and free from the tentacles of egoism. They do
not assert themselves. Nor do they seek self-glori-
fication. They always sing the praises of the Lord
and exhort others to do the same. He who has him-
self realized the Truth, he leads others to the same
goal. He expects no remuneration for what he does.
His activity is based on love and sympathy. The
distinctive sign of such a saint is:
“He who never forgetteth God, even for a moment
And whose mind ever cherisheth the Lord’s Name
Blessed is he, Nanak;
For perfect saint is he alone.” (Translated)
When an aspirant comes into association of such
a spirit-born person, he begins to practise the presence
of God by consciously repeating His Name and
singing His glories. He begins to live by ‘Gurbani’—
the Divine Word, that proceedeth out of the mouth
of the Lord. For he comes to realise that the Word
of God purifies the mind and nourishes the soul.
Those who fail to live by ‘Gurbani’ suffer spiritual
starvation.
By prayer, praise (singing of Guru’s hymns in
praise of God) and by contemplation upon Nam—
All-Pervading Divine Spirit, the mind is washed clean
of the dirt of sins sticking to it. And love of God
is awakened in the heart. Nam acts like a balm that
heals the wounded soul, wounded by sin, grief or
distress in life.
By constant loving remembrance of the Lord in
the heart, ‘Nam-Ras’—Amritam or Elixer of Life
wells up within us. When we once have a taste of
this sweet savour of ‘Nam-Ras’, all other ‘rasas’—
savours become insipid and tasteless. Not until this
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8 GLIMPSLS OF THF DIVINE MASTERS
Ambrosial Nam fills the heart, can the mind be
subdued. It then no more flutters in passions’ flame,
but remains self-restrained and begins to look within;
instead of running out after objects of temptations.
The man then keeps wide awake in this world of
illusion and lives a pure life by thought, word and
deed. As the man continues to practise the presence
of God and sings His praises, a day comes when the
veil of ‘Egoism’ that blurs man’s vision of Truth and
Reality is rent asunder. And by the Grace of the
Guru (Divine Master) the soul of man comes in
blissful contact of the Supreme Soul—already within
him. The man is then transformed and achieves
perfect peace of mind, inner tranquillity, and ever-
lasting joy.
“With the coming of spring,
The whole vegetation blossoms out,
In the same way
With the coming of inner devotion to God
All sentient cieatures have an inner blossoming
And the mind becomes fresh and green,
Day and night repeating the Name of the Lord
They wash away all egoism by the Grace of the Guru "’
(Guru Amar Das Rag Basant)
Translated
“In his heart arise,
Millions of songs of rejoicing,
In whose soul and body
The Lord, the Primal Joy, indwelleth ”
(Guru Arjan Rag Bthagra)
Translated
“It 18 perpetual spring for those,
In whose heart dwelleth the Beloved Lord,
But those self-willed from whom the Bzloved 1s away
Keep on burning day and night as if on pyre”
(Guru Arjan: Rag Basant)
Translated
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QUEST FOR PEACE OF MIND 9
Thus transformed and enlightened individual no
longer wishes what he once wished for. The desires
formerly irresistible to him, no longer torment him.
His perception of life is now different from those of
worldly people. His eyes see what those around him
do not see. They see the world and its affinities as
solid realities while he himself, with the depth of his
vision comprehends that there are greater values than
those of this earth. And before those, these facts of
this world are, as though they were mere fictions,
transitory and fleeting.
The enlightened man’s values of life are derived
from lofty spiritual ideals in which the love of God and
the service of humanity are predominant. He is not
idle and indolent. He works to promote wealth and
plenty out of a spirit of fraternity but not out of
selfishness or greed. It is the moral and spiritual
perfection of life that he seeks and not material glory
and greatness. Truly it is he, who deems work as
worship.
But today have we not turned our faces away from
God,—the Great Sun of Reality—and thoughtlessly
mistaken the shadow for the substance and pursued it
in an endless chase? If only we turn our faces
towards Him, the Reality, the illusory shadow would
follow us of itself. Doubt and delusion, what they
call ‘Maya’ indeed beguiles man and misleads him;
so that he gambles away his valuable life for a mere
trifle and trash. The spiritually ignorant man, there-
fore, casts away the pearls of eternal values for the
pebbles of temporal gain.
“Thou hast been given this human body,
Now this is thy opportunity to meet God, the Lord;
Of no avail would be thy other activities.
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10 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Seek the company of the holy and contemplate on Nam.
Swim across the sea of life and fulfil the life’s purpose.
Thy life is being wasted away
In attachment to the world’s illusion.”’
(Guru Arjan: Rag Asa)
Translated.
At some stage or other of our lives, the truth may
dawn on us that the world that we live in, is not a
mere playground purely for our amusement. God
has created us for a definite purpose. And we have
no right to lead a life of purely selfish ends. But
while we decide to live for our own joy, apparently we
suffer for it. We should understand that we are here
as in a school. If we try to play in school, God, our
Supreme Master, does not mind; for he loves His
children like a father and likes to see them happy.
But in our playing we neglect our lessons and do
not see how much there is to learn. Furthermore we
do not care. Like the school master who admonishes
the children who neglect their studies at school, the
Lord cares for us and in His own gentle way speaks to
us. Sometimes a look is enough and it brings us back
to our senses. Did not Peter repent and shed bitter
tears of remorse when Jesus looked towards him, when
he had three times disowned the Master? Do we
respond to His gentle knock at the door of our hearts ?
Or do we wait for Him to startle us with a louder
voice? Perhaps he has to speak to us louder when
we do not heed. It could be like a thunder-clap
startling the stillness of a summer night to set us
right. It, therefore, behoves us to discipline ourselves.
Discipline in life is an essential preparation for meeting
the Lord, our Master.
‘Maya’ or illusion causes us to identify our-
selves entirely with our bodies thereby drifting us into
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QUEST FOR PEACE OF MIND 11
a state of forgetfulness, where we fail to see that our
own self is the spirit or soul within our physical frame.
The body is the vehicle and the spirit is its rider. We
irrationally attach greater importance to the vehicle
than to the rider and place the vehicle above the rider.
The soul suffers total neglect as we deceive ourselves,
craving for and cherishing only our physical necessities.
Indeed, the real cause of man’s pain and sufferings is,
that illusion had created wrong values of things and
he had forgotten his real self.
In the dark wilderness of our ignorance, we have
lost the path of righteousness and gone astray and,
therefore, there is suffering and pain; even as a child
going astray in a lovely garden finds himself amidst
thorns and briers. God had created the world like a
beautiful garden. There are in it, no doubt, some
thorns along with roses. But those little children that
tread the path in this world-garden holding on to the
Finger of the Father, enjoy it and are happy. They do
not ramble into the way-side thorny bushes and are
not bruised by them.
On occasions little children accompany _ their
mothers to a festival or fair. They make merry and
thoroughly enjoy themselves. As long as the child
is under the guidance of his mother, he delights in the
show. If unfortunately the child leaves the guiding
hand of his mother and misses in the fair, the child
frets and cries in distress. The hitherto delightful
world of the child now crumbles into a miserable one of
loneliness and despair.
Similarly in this great world-fair we have some-
how left the guiding-hand of our Father. Conse-
quently we go astray and are Jost and forlorn. There-
fore, there is suffering and pain. The root cause of all
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12 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
ills is our total negligence of God. We go into a
state of oblivion where we totally lose sight of His
Omnipresence and fall easy victims to evil.
Religion is the link that binds man with his
Creator. A man that abides in Him, lives in a joyous
and exalted state, where his spirit revels in the riches
of Divine Love. All the wealth of the world cannot
give him the peace and joy that spiritual wealth brings
him. When the link between God and man snaps,
man is helpless and of little worth, like a kite that
floats for a short while without anchor and soon drops
off. Religion being the bedrock of our living, we
feel the supreme need to fall back on it for strength and
support.
A school of thought exists which lays down that
in the modern scientific age, there is no place for
religion; for religious dogmas and traditions cannot
face the challenge of Scientific truths. It is true that
Christianity (the great religion of the West) has lost
the inner meanings of some centuries-old biblical
stories and fables, such as that of Garden of Eden, and
it had taken these myths as plain statements of facts
and so there began a great estrangement between
science and religion. But now these fables that were
coined long long ago to illustrate some useful truth
are no more considered as having any basis in fact.
When these, as well as Hindu Puranic myths are
admitted as mere fictions and not facts, there can be
no valid challenge of science to religion on the basis
of these stories. Nor has religion anything to
challenge in science.
In fact there can be no contradiction between the
findings of science and religion; for they are both
concerned with entirely different aspects of human
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QUEST FOR PEACE OF MIND 13
knowledge. Science deals with the objective world
of the matter around us; while religion is concerned
with the man himself or the subjective world of soul.
There is now a growing realization in the West that
science has not told the whole story. It cannot do so.
For it gives exclusively the knowledge of the matter.
But something more is needed for living a fuller and
more satisfying life.
Unfortunately in India and elsewhere, today, the
brilliant achievements of science have dazzled the eyes
of youth and have not enabled them to appreciate
the values of religion. Communist propaganda
against religion also left its mark. The communists
preached what they called militant atheism and coined
an arsenal of abusive words against religion. It was,
as it appeared, quite a deplorable state. But now the
trend has changed. These attacks upon religion are
now becoming out-dated. It cannot be denied,
however, that religion has sometimes been abused by
politicians and even by so called religious leaders who
clamoured for power. But at no time in history,
have any apostle of faith, or true seekers of God in .
any religion exploited their faith for selfish ends. All
the great religious teachers championed the cause of
truth and in them the weak and the down-trodden
found their unflinching supporters.
There are many systems of faith in the world.
But unfortunately what passes on for religion often
appears to contain more of husk than kernel. For in
some of the hoary religions, the Spirit of Truth is
buried deep under heap of senseless dogmas, meaning-
less rituals and bundles of ceremonies. Ever so many
absurd superstitions have been associated with
religion. They are like the thick clouds in the sky
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14 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
obscuring the Light of the Day. This darkness of
ignorance and hypocrisy of the priestly class need to be
cleared in order to understand the true religion in its
pristine glory.
In this book I have tried to explain what is the
true meaning of religion and why it is necessary and
indispensable for the proper development of human
character. Indeed, it is not worthwhile to live with-
out religion, that is, without a knowledge of good and
evil beyond the animal instinct, and without a know-
ledge of one’s ownself and that of one’s Creator.
There can be no peace or abiding happiness unless we
know ourselves and find God in our life. The
purpose of human life is to seek Him and abide in
Him.
In this book, I have attempted to portray glimpses
of the Divine Masters, Guru Nanak to Guru Gobind
Singh (1469-1708 A.D.). The God-illumined hearts
of the Gurus, in direct and constant touch with the
Eternal Reality, have shown to mankind the true way
of life. They enlightened us to the Path of Truth,
Love and Service. Those who endeavour to follow this
Path are known as Sikhs. Sikhism is a sovereign
religion. It is a new, original and direct revelation.
This faith is crystal—clear and is like the new dawn so
pure, fresh and fragrant that the moment we have a
glimpse of it, we voluntarily, and instinctly relinquish
all existing time-rotten notions, such views that have
been contaminated and polluted by self-seeking and
spiritually blind priests, who are mainly responsible
for all this degeneration. Fortunately we have no
priest class in Sikh religion.
Sikhism is, in fact, divinity taught through
Guru Nanak in the form of Ten Gurus and now
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QUEST FOR PEACE OF MIND 15
through Guru Granth Sahib, the Embodiment of the
Divine Word. Sikhism is a Way of Life, and a
practical one, leading man straight to his goal, and
does not involve itself in verbose theorising.
The Gurus brought about a new consciousness,
a new awakening in men, shaking the foundation
of the time-worn society.
Religion, as taught by the Gurus, is thus the art
of living a beautiful flower-like life, a life of fullness
in all its aspects, a life of Light, Love and Service, a life
filled with the fire and fervour of God, a life of vigour,
vitality and valour in the midst of perils. This life of
inspiration is the gift of the Master. Man achieves
this illumination through His goodwill and grace.
In this book, I have also endeavoured to depict
the Sikh Thought and Way of Life in simple and
brief outline so as to acquaint the busy readers with
them at once.
I owe a deep debt of gratitude to the authors I have
consulted and upon some of whom I have drawn
freely for exposition of the various aspects of this
great religion, which has something of special value
to say to the rest of the world. Finally, I offer my
thanks to Mrs. Sulochana Balraj, towards her help
rendered in editing this book.
New DELHI—5 }
Ist August, 1964 j RANBIR SINGH
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The best of religions ?
A thirst for the Divine !
And the goodness of action !
(Guru Arjan: Sukhmani)
Translated
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(b) Religion and its Necessity
THE average young man of to-day is wholly
indifferent to religion. He believes that religion has
no place in modern life, and he is so convinced of the
soundness of his own belief that he will openly confess
it and argue about it.
In this age of materialism, men are face to face
with the grim realities of life such as problems of
unemployment, labour, wages etc. These are the
thoughts that occupy the modern mind, and not God
who feeds even the worms in the heart of a rock.
People have no time nor taste for personal regeneration
and culture, they have no desire to become good men,
or to cultivate finer emotions. For no salary attaches
to personal culture and a good life brings no cash.
Here I am reminded of an anecdote. A man was
sitting in midday summer sun. A passerby said to
him, “‘Please get up, and sit somewhere under the
shade.” The man replied: ‘What will you give if I
go under the shade?” ‘“‘Nothing!” said the passer-
by, “You may keep sitting where you are.” “Then
what will you pay if I remain where I am.” Is it not
the same attitude of the modern man towards life?
He wants to value every thing he does in terms of
money.
Materialistic Upsurge: People find themselves
enmeshed in the deadly economic struggle. “God”,
they say, “if there be any, let Him be, we do
not want Him.” The question primarily is of the
stomach—of hunger and thirst. What a tragedy that
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RELIGION AND ITS NECESSITY 19
the most enlightened and civilised age in the annals
of mankind should degenerate man and drive him back
to the primal instinct of the savage man! Man sells
his soul for a mess of pottage.
Socialists claim that they have found the panacea.
Of course, socialism is a popular doctrine of the present
day. It has some good aspects. It aims at bringing
about an approximate equality of fortunes between
individuals and as such there is no incompatibility
between the ideals of a true and untarnished religion
and those of socialism. Both abhor and detest class
and caste distinctions. But socialism is based on the
mere equality of stomachs and therefore it cannot
think beyond material needs; thus it lacks the essential
virtues to make it a real success. It can only succeed
if it creates the spirit of fraternity and willing renuncia-
tion. Selfish and greedy persons fail to do social
justice. They tend to be corrupt and arrogant. Men
must be actuated by high spiritual ideals, to willingly
share the fruits of their honest labour with other
labourers in a spirit of brotherliness. Selfishness and
greed in men can only be overcome by love of God and
service to humanity. We have to learn from religion
how to make our lives pure, righteous and sublime.
True Renunciation: The true renunciation of
the individual is dedication to society or state. It
can only come when the state is identified with the
Beloved, and man lives elevated above the sordid
details of rights and mights, and finds better occupation
in his love. Like trees, he drives his struggle below
the ground and his blossoms and fruits are up in the
air. Inspontaneous renunciation of his little self in the
love of the Lord, he freely distributes the fruits of his
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20 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
labour, almost subconsciously. The state needs to be
organised on the rich love of man for man.
Material progress, with a higher standard of
living and equality of status, should not lead us to
neglect our mental and spiritual developments which
are of greater significance and value; otherwise it will
be one-sided advancement and unsatisfying achieve-
ment, and giving a free rein to selfish ambition and
moral degradation. But modern Socialists and their
extreme type, the Communists, through their miserably
narrow view of human life, hold that man lives by
‘Bread’ alone. Of course, it must be admitted that
‘Bread’ is a grim reality and man the animal cannot
live without it. But to glorify this physical necessity
and totally forget and ignore the mind and the spirit,
is the outcome of ignorance and blindness to higher
values. Our bullocks and horses eat and eat all the
day long. Miserable would man be, if he were to eat
and drink all the time. The more we subordinate the
physical life to the intellectual, the intellectual to the
intuitional and spiritual, the higher we ascend towards
reality and God.
Rise of Communism: Communism has been
an upheavel in protest against despotic kings and
ruthless capitalists. Of course the gross type of
capitalism is reprehensible. It is disheartening when
we contemplate how man neglects man and denies
him the necessities of life. Where the spirit of God
truly prevails, no one should be hungry. God’s
children must have a hospitable feasting with bread,
love and faith. But communism in its savage struggle
for ‘Bread’ has thrown to the winds all the moral and
spiritual values. Man’s hunger and greed shattered
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RELIGION AND ITS NECESSITY 21
the beautiful vision of the life of the spirit. And,
without the life of the spirit, selfishness in man which
is the root cause of all troubles, cannot be got rid of.
Selfishness is transcended by love of God alone. By
living in Him, in love of Him, man attains his man-
hood which is ever divine and unselfish. Without
Him, there would be moral degradation and bank-
ruptcy of spirit, bringing down man to the level of
brutes ready to jump upon each other.
Religious Impostors: There are some people,
who want to do away with religion because it
leads to communal fights and retards progress. It is
true that sometimes, politicians and other people
with motives behind become custodians of religion.
These impostors exploit religion for their own ends.
Their followers become fanatical and fight, and thus,
religion becomes instrumental in keeping the people
in bondage and superstitions. These cunning and
crafty people misuse religion. And, therefore, people
sometimes become disgusted with religion. But there
are always some wiser people in the world who cannot
be misled by these impostors. They see through the
game and realize that these human-wolves wearing the
garb of lambs are out to deceive them. They become
wary of them and warn others of the danger. They
remove the moss from off the surface and discover that
there is priceless treasure underneath.
There are still others who think religion to be a
mere belief in myths and miracles, or in some such
dogmas. They take religion for a mere formalism
which consists of ringing of bells and cymbals in
temples, and several other ceremonies, rites and
rituals. The more sensible people consider all this an
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22 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
absurd waste of time, and unfortunately they forsake
religion altogether.
True Meaning of Religion: But religion, by
which we mean ‘Dharma’ as distinguished from
different systems of faith and worship, is the essential
nature of a thing without which that thing can never
exist. Thus the power of burning is the Dharma of
fire. Man is essentially a divine being. God
made the soul of man after his own image—
“O man, thou art a radiant being divine in essence,
Discover thyself and the source whence thou hast come.”’
(Guru Nanak)
Translated.
There is an eternal yearning for God lying
dormant in the heart of man. Man’s_ desire
cannot be satiated and he can have no peace
unless he discovers his antecedents. But divinity lies
deep within our beings. We do not perceive it as long
as our sense of self that is ‘Ego’ obstructs our
vision. Just as light cannot be seen through smoky
glass, so God’s Light cannot be seen through the veil
of ‘Ego’, though all the while God is within every one
of us, One-in-All and All-in-One.
Lust, anger, greed, attachment and conceit all
these impurities are the offshoots of Egoism. So
long as these sway our minds, we behave, more often
than not, like brutes. Our impurities not only fill the
cup of our misery but also bring untold sufferings upon
others. However, as human beings we are endowed
with the power of removing all impurities from our
minds and of becoming godly in all our bearings. On
the other hand if we revel in these impurities, we
continue to live in this mire and go astray from sin to sin.
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RELIGION AND ITS NECESSITY 23
Suffering & Sacrifice Involved: Now religion
is a life of discipline and self-purification. Toilers
after this life have to hammer out virtues in
their dealings with other men through constant
suffering and sacrifice. Thus by selfless service, by
association with inspired souls and by singing God’s
praises, man’s mind becomes purer, and he acquires
greater strength till one day he rises above nature and
is exuberant with joy, love and wisdom. Nothing
can disturb the peace of his mind. He knows no
misery, no grief, no fear. His face glows with divine
joy, his conduct marks him out as aman of God. His
selfless love flows alike to all. His contact brings
strength, purity and solace to all who come near to
him. He alone can be said to be a truly religious
man.
So religion or Dharma is not mere creeds or a
bundle of senseless dogmas and meaningless rituals and
ceremonies as some people hold, though these may
have a secondary place. Much of this crude stuff has
been included in old religions by ignorant and spiri-
tually dead priests. Guru Nanak separated the husk
from the kernel and presented religion or Dharma in
its essence—in pure crystal form. Religion as taught
by Guru Nanak is the art of living a pure and a
beautiful life—tlife in its fullness, in all its aspects.
And, this is attained by keeping the Divine Light
aflame, that is by constant abiding in Nam. It is
the life of light, love and service. (Gyan, Prem and
Seva). The goal of life is to meet God, not after death
in some unknown region, but now and here, in this
very life. Now religion teaches us how we can attain
to this blessed goal. This is why religion is something
immensely practical.
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24 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
The Existence of God: But there are sceptics
among men who deny God. For the non-believers
in God a little reasoning helps; though our belief in
God is not based on mere reason, but it is based
On experience and realization.
Suppose you were standing on the sea-shore
witnessing a big ship drawing along-side the harbour.
If someone were to say to you, “A lot of people think
that the ship is the result of someone’s carefully
designed plans, but I know better. There was really
no intelligence at work on it at all. The iron, by some
mysterious process, gradually came out of the earth
and fashioned itself into plates. Slowly holes were
formed at the edges of these plates and rivets appeared
too, flattening themselves out on either side. After
a long time, by the same process, the engines were in
place until one fine day men on the sea-shore found her
floating quietly in a sheltered cove.”
You would definitely consider him a lunatic, and
would move away to escape his senseless chatter.
Why, you know that where there is a design, there
must be a designer, and having seen other productions
of the human mind, just like a steamer in question,
you would refuse to believe that it was not planned
by human intelligence and built by human skill.
Yet there are men not considered fools who tell
us that the world and the whole solar system evolved
from its nebulous state merely by chance, and there
was really no higher intelligence at work on it. It is
guite inconceivable that blind matter of its own
accord could have set itself to form all the wonderful
fauna and flora that we see in this world. Obviously
all this orderly harmony in the universe would be
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RELIGION AND ITS NECESSITY 25
impossible without a co-ordinating power behind it to
give impetus to this extraordinary development and
direct its course to the common end and purpose.
The unbelievers, however, offer us the anomaly
of design without a designer, of creation without a
creator, of effect without cause; and to escape from
this dilemma, they ask, if God be considered the
“First great cause’, then account for Him! Who made
God? Such a question contradicts itself; for it is
evident that no cause could make the first cause, or the
first cause would then become the second cause; while
we are bound eventually by deduction to arrive at the
First Cause. So God is Self-Existent, Self-Radiant
and Ultimate Reality, Infinite and beyond compre-
hension of the finites. Behind the co-operating forces
of nature, which aim at a purpose, we must admit a
cause, inconceivable in its nature, of which we can only
say one thing with certainty, and that is, it must be
Divine. Because, there is a design, and orderly harmony
in the universe and a purpose behind every creation
and wisdom manifested in all nature, it is obvious that
there is a Supreme Being, the Highest Intelligence.
But it is not by reason alone that we know
and believe that there is God. The knowledge
about God and His existence has been based
on rational personal experience. It has _ not
been based on mere conjecture. The Master-
Spirits felt and realized the presence of God. It
was not an idea or conception; but a Reality. With
the philosophers, God might be abstract, a mere notion.
but with the mystics, God is not an idea but a fact;
not something abstract but a Reality, a presence and
an entity that warms and uplifts. A mere philosopher
cannot find God; for he lacks the inner eye and
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26 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
gropes in the dark. He remains enmeshed in the
knots of his thoughts, unable to extricate himself from
the entanglements or find either end of the cord. The
mystic on the other hand sees Reality like the sun at
dawn, and is radiant under its rays.
Science & Religion: Some people hold that
there is antagonism between science and religion.
They think that religion has outlived its utility and that
it cannot be appreciated in this scientific age. They
forget that modern physical science is the objective
science of the matter, the knowledge of which comes
to us by our outer senses. But religion is a subjective
science—science of the man himself. Itis not for the
physical scientists to pronounce opinions on ‘Soul’,
‘Existence of God’ or “What happens after death’.
For this is beyond their sphere of knowledge. Their
investigations concern the matter, its action and inter-
action. They can probe into nature or creation. But
the Creator—the Master of Nature is beyond the
limits of their field of knowledge and grasp. The
physical laboratory and its apparatus are not appli-
cable to the subjective realm of ‘Soul’ and ‘God’. In
the inner realms, ‘the field of knowledge’, ‘the
knower’ and that ‘to be known’ all become one when
Truth dawns. Then the whole universe appears one
continuous beam of light merging into the Supreme
Light—The Reality Behind.
Human mind and intellect are all limited;
while God, is Unlimited, Infinite and Absolute
Truth and is, therefore, beyond the wings of
intellect. The approach of religion, however, is
subjective, beyond the five senses, above mind and
intellect. It is by His Grace, by His Inspiration that
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RELIGION AND ITS NECESSITY 27
Divine Light dawns upon man in a state which is
beyond the three modes of matter and transcends time,
space and causality. As God’s existence is on sub-
jective plane, we cannot see Him with these physical
eyes. The eyes that discern Him are different. It is
with the ‘Inner Eye’ that we see the Divine Light.
This Inner Eye is a rare gift. It invariably lies hidden,
in a dormant state. We have to contemplate on Nam
(The Divine Spirit) to awaken it. But as long as we
do not acquire this vision, we do not understand what
Divine Light means.
In a lecture on the “The Reality of the Unseen’
Sir Oliver Lodge remarked, ““The researches of science
justified the view that there lay a higher Reality than
anything in the ordinary daily life and if we could catch
a glimpse of that Reality, we must have a kind of sense
different from ordinary material sense, which has come
down in the process of evolution....’> Some people
are, however, gifted with intuition. Those who are
gifted with this sense see what we ordinary people do
not see and comprehend. Intuitive knowledge is
different from deductive knowledge. [Intuition is
not reasoning, not feeling or the power of will alone,
it is a combination of all three and, in its unity, it
transcends all of them. It may be termed as Super-
Consciousness.
A Transforming Experience: Religion is a trans-
forming experience. It is not a theory of God,
but a spiritual consciousness, an insight into Reality.
Even those who are the children of science and reason
must submit to the fact of spiritual experience, which
is primary and positive. When a man gets the life of
the spirit, he experiences that every aspect of his being
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28 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
is raised to its zenith. All the senses fuse, the whole
mind leaps forward and realises in one quivering
instant such things as cannot be expressed. Though it
is beyond the power of speech or concept of the mind
or perception of the intellect, yet the longing and the
love of the soul, its desire and anxiety, its search and
-experience are filled with the highest purpose. This is
religion—not a mere discussion of the existence of
God. Some of the mystics, who are advanced in
spiritual life, feel as if they perceived, and tasted God
and communed with Him. They have a sort of vision
of the soul, the power by which spiritual things are
apprehended, just as material things are apprehended
by physical senses. Without these spiritual assets,
mere scientific achievements would tend to destroy
us.
For long, physical science groped in darkness and
placed matter above spirit, formulating a mechanical
explanation of the nature of cosmic energy. But
during the last few years the concept has changed. In
the words of Kirtley F. Mather: “...... the nearest
approach we have thus far made to the ultimate in our
analysis of matter and of energy indicates that the
universal reality is mind. The truth is, not matter,
not force, not any physical thing but mind and per-
sonality is the eternal fact of the universe.”
This is now supported by J.B.S. Haldane as
indeed by all advanced physicists. Albert Einstein
said: “I believe in God of Spinoza, who reveals Him-
self in the orderly harmony of the universe. I believe
that intelligence is manifested throughout all nature.”
However, knowledge of modern science or tech-
nology does not reduce human greed, lust or anger.
Indeed scientific and technological knowledge has no-
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RELIGION AND ITS NECESSITY 29
thing to do with criminal stirrings in the mind. On
the contrary, it finds fresh tools for evil and actually
facilitates greater indulgence in all forms of greed,
lust and anger.
Science tells nothing about any purpose in life.
Nor did man, so powerful in his control of nature,
has the power to control himself, and the monster he
has created may run amuck and destroy the civilization
he has built.
Formation of Character: The only thing that
can prevent or restrain these evils is the religious
sense, which is sustained by continuous remem-
brance of God. It is religion that fortifies man
against temptations and gives him courage to live,
work and die for noble causes.
A question can be rightly asked: Can’t the
ethical and moral teachings alone lead a man to evolve
good conduct ? Most of the intellectuals to-day
would answer that they can. They hold the view that
they can form good moral character while doing away
with God and religion.
This view is utterly wrong, based on sheer igno-
rance of the root causes of evil, vice and sin. It is
man’s ignorance of Reality and of spiritual values that
is the basis of all selfishness in him. It is selfishness
that makes man desire and promote his own ends,
at the expense of greater whole. What is wrong
with us is, that our minds are attracted by earthly
magnets—worldly temptations that encompass us and
lead us astray.
How can Mind be Disciplined? As a first step,
we must draw back our senses when they are
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30 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
inclined to rush out to seize and enjoy an object,
draw them away from their object, as the tortoise
draws his limbs into the shell when attacked.
Our sense organs are like unto horses, the mind
is the rein, the intellect the charioteer, the soul is the
rider and the body is the chariot. If the horses are
very strong and they do not obey the reins, and if the
charioteer—the intellect—does not know how to control
the horses, then the chariot and the rider will come to
grief.
But the control of the intellect over the mind is
never strong enough. The control is soon lost and
the mind craves for the fulfilment of its desires. Even
if one isolates oneself and keeps away from the objects
of temptations, one cannot get rid of the base desires,
the likes and dislikes. They continue to remain.
Experience has shown that if a man gains all his
ambitions and acquires great wealth and luxuries,
still his mind is not contented. Nor is he at peace.
No resolutions, no amount of will-power can alter
his inner cravings and desires. No moral teachings,
that seek to evolve good conduct without furnishing
a sanction for it, can achieve the purpose.
Basis of Morality: Morality may run for some
time on a previously acquired religious momentum,
but when the momentum is spent, it stops dead.
Morals cannot stand on their own feet, but to be
effective, they must be based on religion or contem-
plation of the Supreme Being.
The morality of some takes its sanction from the
fear of the police. There are others whose morality
draws sanction from the requirements of social
expediency. But the morality of a truly religious man
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RELIGION AND ITS NECESSITY 31
draws its sanction from a higher source. The reli-
gious man acts morally, not because it is expedient
to do so, but because of his inner urge to do the right
and eschew the wrong.
A salesman or a shop assistant will ‘control’ his
temper merely to secure orders or keep his job. A
society lady may ‘school’ herself in the same manner
to remain ‘sweet’. The modern educated man thus
looks good merely because he is outwardly groomed
and polished. But inwardly he is, more often than
not, grossly dull and dark. For he desires to do the
wrong but restrains himself for a while. This is not
genuine goodness. The so called civilised man of
today is hiding iron claws under soft gloves. Like
a wolf, he is ready to pounce on others as he gets an
opportunity to do so. In his egoism, materialism,
and sensualism, man has turned his back upon God—
the Sun of Reality and is running after the shadow,
pining in anguish and mental suffering and heading
towards moral bankruptcy.
The question is then how to control the mind;
so that we can have desireless contact with the objects
of attraction. The mind is fickle; greed and lust abide
in it and hence it cannot remain stable. It wavers
and craves for pleasures and revels in vicious desires.
It has become dark with the sins of ages and, like the
oilman’s rag, hundreds of washings cannot make it
clean. Recitations of holy books, penances, pilgri-
mages, religious rites and rituals, yogic exercises and
all other mechanical contrivances fail and nothing
avails.
A piece of charcoal
I tried to scratch off its blackness
I put it in curd,
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32 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Washed it with milk and soap in the hope
That its blackness might turn white
But no
Lo ! when it was put back in fire
It began to glow
(Dr Bhai Vir Singh)
Translat d
When we thus come in contact with the Divine
Spirit, the mirror of our heart is wiped bright and
Nam (Divine Spirit) illumines our whole being, it is
only then that we come to have a subjective control
over our sense organs. And above all, the mind—the
arch-rogue—is subdued. For the Master Spirit gives
us the Bread of Life to eat, Nectar to drink that we
shall not hunger and feel thirsty again. It is only
then that our inner likes and dislikes are changed.
The depraved desires and vices after which our mind
used to hanker, now lose their glamour.
“O tongue, dry-parched, seared and withered
Thou art infatuated with earthly savour
The more thou tasteth these, the more thou art athirst,
Thy thirst shall never be quenched by aught else,
Not until thou obtaineth the Heavenly Elixir,
Thou shalt then pant not, thirst not, ye, never never,
But this Nectar is obtained only by those
Who by good fortune come in contact with the Master Spirit”
(Guru Amar Dass Anand Sahib)
Translated
‘*He who drinketh the Lord’s Essence 1s forever intoxicated,
All other intoxications wear off in a moment
Imbued with the Lord’s Essence, the mind 1s ever in bloom and bliss,
While intoxication of worldly savours bring one to woe and care
He who drinketh the Lord’s Drink 1s for ever in Esctasy
But all other drinks are futile (Pause)
The Heavenly Elixir is invaluable,
And it 1s at the Saints’ stores that it 1s available
It cannot be had even though one may spend millions upon millions
He who attameth to the company of the inspired persons, him the Lord
giveth
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RELIGION AND ITS NECESSITY 33
Nanak is wonder-struck tasting the Lord’s Essence,
Yea, he, by the Guru’s Grace, hath tasted its taste,
And then it leaveth him not here, or hereafter,
Nanak is so inebriated with the Lord’s Essence.
(Guru Arjan : Rag Asa Tipadas)
Guru Tegh Bahadur thus speaks in the Ist person
while describing the condition of the mind of a disciple
as he gets the Divine Light embedded in his soul.
‘**Mother O! I have obtained the wealth of God’s Name
My mind no more flutters in passions’ flame
It has found peace in self-restraint.
All attachments of the senses have ebbed and waned,
The Light of Pure Wisdom now with me remains.
From greed and low cravings the mind is detached
To love of God it is deeply attached.
When the precious pearl of Divine Name I availed
The delusion that from many past lives prevailed
Has now been unveiled.
The flames of desires in the mind are no more
I found in self, full comfort of the soul!
He who is blessed by the merciful God
Sings the songs of the glory of the Lord.
Saith Nanak such precious wealth
Some rare enlightened persons through Guru’s Grace get.”
(Guru Tegh Bahadur)
Translated
The wonderful thing is that when we take refuge
at the Lotus Feet of the Lord, He removes from our
hearts, the very impulse to do wrong. Our minds then
do not go astray, but remain stable. Our actions
become automatically good and we then lead a highly
moral life.
Cardinal Sin: But a mere moral life, consisting
of principles of piety is not of much worth. The
sin of sins is the very forgetfulness of God, the Lord.
A plot of land may be ploughed, harrowed and manured
but nothing will be produced in it until seed is sown in
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34 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
it. Likewise a mere moral life is of no avail, if the
Seed of Faith is not put in the soil of the heart and if
Love for God has not yet sprung.
Similarly an uninspired life, whether virtuous or
vicious is almost equally valueless. What really makes
difference is the Glow of His Love when it dawns on
man as a divine inspiration. A thousand sinners like
Mary Magdelene, before meeting Jesus Christ, a
thousand Marthas as pious house-wives, mean little,
but Mary after having seen the Master is a changed
individual, quite different from others. She had a
vision which others had not. It is this inner Glow of
Life which uplifts the spirit of man that matters.
O Saki, pour into my heart a drop of Thy Life-
Giving Wine of Light, break our principles of: piety
and erase our names from the list of the ‘Moralists’
that drink not the ‘Nectar of Life’ and love not the
Lord.
“O ignorant man! Realise, how wondrous is thy Maker!
From what origin, He brought thee up and gave this beautiful existence,
He made thee, fashioned thee like an artist,
And gave it those subtle touches, that made thee look so charming,
How in the mother’s womb, He miraculously brought thee up.
Milk was given unto you, while you were just a babe,
And then the handsome youth!
All comforts of life provided unto you,
The old man! so many persons around you, your friends and relatives
Well, you just sit there in your bed, you ask for a thing,
And they bring it unto you,
The blessings from the Lord,....
....you realise not, the value of these blessings
Ingratitude!
Mercy of the Lord on you, O man!”
““Grace of the Lord unto you—you enjoy the comforts of heaven upon
this earth,
You have those moments of intense happiness,
The blessed company of your friends,
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RELIGION AND ITS NECESSITY 35
Your brothers, wife and your sons,
The cool, life-giving water you drink,
The air, the fire, those priceless things,
‘The countless other things of life,
all of them for your comfort and peace,
Just think, what precious things are:
The hands, the feet, the ears, the eyes, the power of speech,
These blessings from the Divine Lord !
And your ingratitude !
You receive the blessings and enjoy them !
And forget the Blesser,
What sin!
Folly. . . blindness. . . I may say
Mercy of the Lord on you, o man....!
“Divine Lord saves you from harm,
sustains you throughout life,
You have never felt devoted unto Him, O ignorant man,
By whose grace you have all these boons and rich treasures,
It becomes a duty unto you, that you love Him.
But like a blind person, you think that the Lord is away from you, as
nowhere!
That Lord is Omnipresent,
His Grace will bring you honour here and hereafter,
But you forget Him,
That’s your folly and ignorance,
You are always apt to go astray, O Man....
But the mercy of the Lord is infinite, your hope in that... .”
“The man throws away the pearl!
And thinks that empty shell is the precious thing,
He forsakes the True One, and lives absorbed in falsehood,
The transient things of passing value, he thinks them everlasting,
The things that bring him immortality he keeps himself detached from
them,
An ass! What the sweet fragrance unto him!
A roll in the dust—the pleasure of the animal,
In the pitch darkness of ignorance!
May the benevolence of the Lord help you, O man.
(Guru Arjan’s Sukhmani)
Ashatpadi 4
1—4
Translated.
The fact is, as long as man remains attached to his
flesh, and hankers after objects of pleasure in utter
forgetfulness of God, the Lord, he is a poor miserable
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36 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
little creature buffeted helplessly by every turn of
fortune.
Identifying himself wholly with the physical self
and sense-organs, man appears during this stage to be
a bond-slave of passions, swayed by anger, malice, lust,
conceit and above all by selfishness. His soul or his
ownself is clouded by his turbid mind and he is living
in darkness. Unless the veil of egoism is rent by
abiding in Nam or the Divine Spirit, man remains
under the influence of Maya or illusion and is led
away from sin to sin. He is still, so to say, almost
at the animal stage of life.
Religion is meant for men and not for animals.
Among sheep, cows and tigers, there can be no religion.
Toa materialist, life is like an arrow shot from darkness
to darkness. In him, there is no urge to rise above
animal life, no perfection to be achieved. To him,
religion is indeed ‘an opiate to the people’ and ‘a
conspiracy of the rich’! This would indeed be the
opinion of the animal world also if we could preach
religion to them.
Religion is the balm to the agonised mind that
remains perturbed; even when endowed with all the
best in life. Man longs for happiness and peace which
mere possession of wealth alone cannot bring. How,
then can he seek happiness? This is an age-old
question, the answer to which is sought from time
immemorial.
Consider a flower—a rose. How it is blooming
with joy. It radiates its joy all around. It spreads
its fragrance on all sides without asking, without
knowing. It is a symbol of the joy of life. A person
is happy only if he carries out the function for which
he was created.
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RELIGION AND ITS NECESSITY 37
Purpose of Life: You may well ask what is the
purpose for which man is created? The Guru gives
an answer to this great question:—
“Having gained a human body
A rare opportunity is thine
This is thy turn to meet the Lord
Other activities will bear no fruit
In the company of the saints
Learn to adore God
Set thy mind on crossing
The sea of life.
Life is wasted, in pursuits
Of pleasures of the world.”
(Guru Arjan: Asa)
Translated.
And Guru Nanak gives us a prescription for
perpetual happiness. He says: ““You may have palaces
of pearls set with jewels, delightful expensive perfumes
and a beautiful amorous woman. You may possess
occult or supernatural powers, and command a great
respect from the people, you may be a great king with
mighty armies at your command, yet, you will not be
happy unless you realize and abide in Him. And Nam
is the Key to the Kingdom of God.” (Excerpt from
Guru Nanak: Sri Rag)
The Guru has counted all the worldly pleasures
and possessions one can wish for, and with all of them,
he pointed out, that man cannot be happy if he forgets
Him. It is only by abiding in God that we get peace
of mind. And peace of mind may transform a cottage
into a spacious manor hall; the want of it can make a
regal park an imprisoning nutshell.
So to speed this glorious transformation and to
realize God, is the very object of human life. Every
thing else is to be considered as a means to this end.
Scholarship, wealth, progeny all have only secondary
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38 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
values in so far as they contribute towards the
advancement of realization of God. If they cannot
be made to serve this purpose they are mere trash.
Sooner or later all waters must flow down to sea
whence they came and so all life must ultimately go
back to God in whom it was. There is no staying here
anywhere. All life is transient and moves on and on
the whirling wheel of transmigration in accordance with
its ‘karmas’ or actions good or bad. And so long
as man denies God and chooses to go astray from Him,
there is suffering and anguish and he has many times
to be thrust into the red hell of the furnace and have
many times to be reborn, reshaped, re-tempered
until he learns this lesson to submit and accept God as
his Lord.
“Far from you, O Lord, I stray, because of actions blind;
Embrace me back, my generous Lord, be merciful and kind.
I roamed about throughout the world, I saw its places best,
But tired I feel, and feel worn out, I come to Thee for rest.
A milkless cow of no use is, no price would it secure,
A plant unless with water fed, no fruit would ever bear
The house, the town, the village small, are burning pits of fire
And toiletries, scents and body white are full of dirt and mire;
IF THERE BE NOT WITH THEM THE LORD, §shall shed they
burning tears
Without my Beloved, the Master of the house,
Like death are all other friends and dears.
I humbly pray then for this gift, grant me your love, O Lord,
Unite me unto thine own Grace, my own Eternal God.”
Those who surrender and love God, the Lord, they
meet Him, not after death in some unknown region but
here and now in this very life. The Kingdom of God
is within us, only a thin veil of our egoism separates
us from our Lord. To those who constantly apply
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RELIGION AND ITS NECESSITY 39
their minds to the adoration of God, the doors of
Heaven are opened and they obtain salvation in this
very world. They become one with the Lord, wave
into wave, light into light! What mortality! No
more the painful wheel of coming and going. Peace
unto those blessed souls. But the sleeping mind is
awakened to Reality only when by some good fortune
it comes in contact with the Guru—the Divine Master.
This life of inspiration is the Master’s gift, when we lay
our egoism like a carpet under his feet. It is to be
obtained and not attained.
We may study books all our lives, we may become
very intellectuals, but when it comes to action and the
living of a truly spiritual life, we shall find ourselves
woefully deficient and wanting. Unless the Guru-
Sun rises in the firmament of a man’s soul, he remains
spiritually blind. Guru, the Divine Master, is the
Light of the World. He is the Tree of Life and we are
His branches. Those who abide in Him, ‘Amrita’—
the Life-Sap flows through their veins and they bloom
and blossom and their fragrance spreads far and wide.
They bear much fruit—they are sweet and meek and
bow down with their goodness. While those that
are cut off from the life source, wither, dry and perish.
Let us, therefore, always live in His presence.
By consciously living in Him, moving in Him, peace,
grace, and truth would spring within us like a fountain.
The water of gladness will flow out and flood the
deserts of our barren lives. Joy will appear raining
on all sides! And there will be everlasting bliss!
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The Master-Spirit is that,
That takes its touch,
Direct from the Spirit Divine !
The soul of the common man,
Comes in touch with the Master-Spirit;
And realizes the Spirit Divine.
(Guru Arjan: Sukhmani)
canto 18th
Translated.
“There is no one at par with the Guru,
I have searched and seen the whole universe.”’
(Guru Arjan: Sri Rag)
Translated.
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(c) Concept of Guru in Sikhism
“All hail unto the Guru—the Light Eterna]
That was in the beginning,
Even before time had its birth.
All hail to the Divine Spirit,
That existed in the past infinity of ages,
All hail unto the Master Spirit, who is,
And shall ever and ever be Truth Eternal.”’
(Guru Arjan: Sukhmani 1-1)
’ Translated.
Guru—The Divine Master: When godliness
suffered an eclipse in India, when evil prevailed and
falsehood overshadowed the land like a thick veil of
darkness, when the path of Truth and Righteousness
was lost, and the masses steeped in ignorance groaned
under the atrocities committed on them in the name
of the religion, 1t was then, that the All-Pervading
Divine Spirit, that lives for ever, unfolded and mani-
fested its attributes in human form, in order to awaken
in human mind the consciousness of God, the Creator.
And through this awakening and illumination to
inspire and lift up the erring humanity back to God.
‘‘Jot sarup har ap Guru Nanak kahyo.”
(Swayas Bhatan )
Translation: ““When the Impersonal God
(Nirgun Brahm) manifested His attributes in person,
He was called Guru Nanak’. It was a rare pheno-
menon intended to fulfil God’s own purpose on earth.
Guru Nanak came to show the True Way to
humanity, out of darkness of superstition and forma-
lism. He came to cure the sickness of the soul.
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CONCEPT OF GURU IN SIKHISM 43
The Guru, impersonally (in spirit) resting in God
and His Wisdom, was a perfect channel for the expres-
sion of the Divine Will for the understanding of human
intellect and through him, God poured forth into the
world, Divine Word (Shabad) pregnant with
Sweet Love and Light (Prem and Gyan)—a veritable
Elixir of Life.
The Spirit of God, they may say, is everywhere
and in all beings. No doubt, it is. But in that love-
lit, blessed soul, we call the Guru, the Divine Spirit
finds special expression. In others it is hidden by
the sense of “I-am-ness” or egoism. Egoism, which
is due to Maya (cosmic illusion) keeps one ignorant of
the Light within and leads one astray from sin to sin.
Guru Nanak was born free from self-centring
instincts, had no traces of egoism in his mind and he
was in perfect tune with the Divine Will and could
see the things in their true perspective. He was
rooted in Truth—nay he was Truth himself. He was
radiantly innocent, sinless by nature, pure of thought,
pure of word and pure of deed. He desired nothing
and took naught from anyone, but gave Life, Love and
Light to all those who came in contact with him.
The term Guru, according to the Sikh faith, is
applicable only to the Ten Masters—Guru Nanak and
his nine successors and to Guru Granth Sahib, the
embodiment of the Divine Word. God showed forth
His Divine Reality through the Ten Masters, in order to
recall to humanity the purpose of life on earth and in
such a way that their human minds could understand
and be inspired by the Guru Personality.
There are some people, however, who believe that
there is no need at all for guidance from any guru.
Why not go direct to the Infinite Source itself? They
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44 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
say that the conscience is the inner guide and light for
all.
Such people as these have not got the right con-
ception of the term Guru, as used in the Sikh scriptures.
In Hinduism, the word ‘guru’ applies to a teacher,
particularly to a religious teacher or to one who
interprets the scriptures or to a learned Brahman, who
gives religious instructions. Such gurus are human
and not divine. Learned persons and scholars may
not require any guidance from such human gurus
or teachers and they can dispense with such gurus at
one Stage or the other.
But in Sikhism the term Guru has a special mean-
ing. It is used for the Divine Master, the Spiritual
Enlightener, in the sense of the Cosmic Personality-
Impersonal. But when he reacts on an individual,
and transforms. him to a new life he becomes Personal
God and the consequent inspiration and companion-
ship of his presence becomes continuous. There is a
great technical difference between the Brahmanical
man-worship as guru-worship and the Guru Nanak’s
ideal of Guru. Guru Nanak always takes care to say
Sat-Guru—True Guru—tThe Divine Spirit that lives
for ever. That is Sikh ideal of Guru consciousness.
The purpose of human life is to seek God and this
aim can only be realised through the Grace of the
Guru.
The doctrine of Guruship is a cardinal principle
of Sikh religion and therefore forms a part of the
Basic Formula (Mul-Mantar). This significant phrase
in Mul-Mantar is: “‘Gur-Prasad’—By Guru’s Grace.
This phrase refers to a cosmic phenomenon that
takes place when the disciple gets embedded in his soul
consciousness—a nucleus of the life of the spirit,
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CONCEPT OF GURU IN SIKHISM 45
small as a mustard grain and bright as a point of fire.
Thenceforward the disciple lives inspired of it and
is sustained by it. Without this Spark of Life come
from Heaven, it is all sorrow, misery, distress and
death. And with it glowing within man’s soul, it is all
joy, prosperity, freedom and immortality. It is,
therefore, that the Divine Word (Gurbani) declares
again and again that to cross over the Ocean of Life,
the Guru’s guidance and Grace are the essential pre-
requisites.
“Let no one in the world remain in doubt
That it could ever be possible to be saved without the Guru.”
(Guru Arjan: Gond)
This Favour makes manifest to the disciple, his
- Personal God Who thenceforward lives in his soul and
works to free him from the bondages of ‘Karmas’ and
leads him to the Realm of Love. All religions of man
are stupors without this cosmic phenomenon taking
place in the soul-consciousness of man. No spiritual
regeneration is possible for anyone without the Guru’s
Grace. When a man is thus converted, the cocoon of
illusion breaks and the butterfly of the soul wings away
into the Infinite rapture of the Blue. True freedom is
there in that realm of the spirit and nowhere else.
Many believe in the existence of God, but owing
to the predominating influence of the ego-centric
instinct, man is blind to the spiritual truth. The life
of the passion of which we see so much around us is
a direct result of our ignorance to the spiritual values
and of the selfish attitude of our minds. With a
mentality darkened with self-hood, it is impossible to
realize or feel the presence of God. This feeling does
not come tous naturally; for there is a veil of egoism
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46 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
that blurrs our vision. God is beyond the wings of
thought. He is beyond the plumbing of silence. Vain
are the ways of men. The movements of human
mind, the thousand acts of wisdom of the world, leave
him dark: nothing avails.
Impelled by egoism a man engages in selfish
activity and that activity nourishes his individuality.
This leads him to struggle for possession. Whatever
thought a man thinks, whatever word he speaks, what-
ever deeds he does, leave an impression on his mind.
When those thoughts, words and deeds are repeated,
the impressions get deeper and deeper and ultimately
change into habits. Actions thus performed under the
the spell of egoism become strong fetters. Misery is
the result of man’s own action. Guru Nanak has
described the whole process in a nutshell as follows:
“Mind is the paper, actions the ink,
Good and evil, the two writings
Are being inscribed on it.
We move as our past actions direct us.
Forgetting Him, O man! thy good qualities decay
Why dost thou not think of God O foolish man!
There is no limit to His virtues.
Thy actions of both night and day
Weave nets and snares for thee
Thou fallest upon the grain scattered underneath,
How wilt thou free thyself,
O foolish man?
Thy body hath become the furnace,
Mind the iron,
And the fires of five passions are blazing in it.
The charcoal of sins are being heaped upon them.
The mind is burning gripped by the vice of anxiety.
Thus turned into dross thy mind,
However, can be re-transformed into gold
If it cometh into contact with the Guru—the philosopher's stone.
He gives the Nectar of NAM
That extinguishes the fire of passions blazing in the body.
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CONCEPT OF GURU IN SIKHISM 47
To remove the filth of ages, the soul needs the help
of the Guru. Guru is the intermediary between God
and creation. It is so ordained by God, the Lord
Almighty. The Guru is the Master-Piece of God’s
creativity. He is the peak of humanity and the bridge
between God and man. The Guru forms the stair-
case to lift man to God. The Guru is the ship that
carries man across the Ocean of Life. The Guru is
the Lamp of the world, the light of his teachings bani-
shes the darkness of the soul; his speech is faultless and
sheds light for all times. The Grace of the Guru
transforms the ego-centric tendencies into longings for
Love of God. He makes men God-minded, and
turns brutes into angels.
If a hundred moons appear and a thousand suns
arise; with so many lights there would still be utter
darkness without the Guru. They, who are smug in
their own wisdom and do not cherish the Guru in their
minds, can never have spiritual life. They may study
books all their lives, they may become very intellectual
but when it comes to action and the living of a truly
spiritual life, they will find themselves woefully defi-
cient and wanting. They search for it in vain in the
shining sand of their intellect. They are deluded and
are lost in mirage. Unless the Guru-Sun arises in the
firmament of man’s soul, he remains spiritually blind
and his soul consciousness is petrified. None has
ever realized Truth without the Divine Master, none
without him. God has enshrined Himself in the Guru
and has manifested and declared Himself through him.
“If thou wanderest through the world in search for the remedy
Thy fire of Maya is extinguished not.
Nor is washed thy inner dirt.
O cursed be the life and cursed the manner it lives.
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48 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Thou canst not worship thy Lord
Except through the Guru’s Word.
O man! quench thy Fire of desire with the help of the Guru,
And fill thy mind with the Word and rend asunder
Thy veil of ego that hides the Truth from thee.”
(Guru Nanak: Sri Rag)
Translated.
“Guru is like a river with waters always clean,
When you meet him all dirt is washed out of the sickeningTheart.
The True Guru gives us a perfect bath,
He turns brutes and demons into angels and gods.”’
(Guru Nanak: Parbhati)
Translated.
“The Guru is like the philosopher’s stone
And we are like the iron ore;
O God, grant that we may meet such a person
That the iron of us may be turned into gold.
The Guru gives us the Divine Light,
The human life then becomes beautiful and godly.”
(Guru Ram Das: Tukhari)
Translated.
“The Lord’s Light that pervadeth all,
Shines forth in one’s mind through the Guru’s Grace.
Yea, the dirt of one’s ego goeth through the Guru’s Word,
His mind becometh pure
And day and night he is imbued with the Lord’s worship;
And by so doing he attaineth to the Lord.”
(Guru Amar Das: Majh)
Translated.
Thus when a man comes in contact with the
Impersonal-Personality of the Guru in the inner realm
of his soul, then all of a sudden his innerself bursts
forth into a new universe of white blossoms. Just as
spring is to the trees, so is the advent of the Guru, an
inspiration to the human race. And it is worthwhile
to put up with a thousand winters for the sake of one
day of blossoming as in spring! Guru is the highest
and most perfect being who brings about this spring of
inspiration to human beings.
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CONCEPT OF GURU IN SIKHISM 49
Warning against Fake Gurus: While there are
some self-conceited and spiritually ignorant people
who think there is no need at all for the Guru,
yet there are those others who are so charmed by this
accepted doctrine of Guruship, that they would not
feel restful unless they had someone whom they could
call as their guru. They are mostly after human-guru
of the Brahamanical type. This blind and unintelli-
gent faith has led to gurudom finding free scope and
flourishing at the expense of so many unsophisticated
people who are being exploited by clever and unscrupu-
lous self-seekers by posing themselves as gurus. They
quote scriptures that there can be no ‘gyan’ without a
guru and then they reason that the guru, like a doctor,
should be present in person on spot; otherwise he can
do no good. They ask their disciples to close their
eyes, ears and shut their mouth and listen to the inner
sound, which they call as ‘ANHAD SHABAD’ men-
tioned in the holy books. This inner sound one may
listen in silence, is really the sound of heart-beating
and ringing in of the closed ears. This gives no
peace of mind. The ANHAD SHABAD referred to in
Guru Granth Sahib is not heard by ears or sense
organs. This Celestial Symphony is only realized by
the soul within when Nam —the Heavenly Elixir
upwelleth in the inner Tubernacle, and the Five
Enemies of mankind are smitten and subdued. This
is unconditioned state above time and space.
The fake gurus are thus amassing great wealth by
deceiving the spiritually ignorant people.
But the Divine Guru, God-illumined personality
impersonally ever abiding in Him, flows out in charity
towards Heaven and upon earth. He accepts no
remuneration for the peace he gives. His activity is
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50 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
based purely on love and sympathy. He is very sweet,
quite meek and perfect in self-abnegation.
“The True Guru is one whose very presence provideth bliss
Mental doubt departeth and the Supreme State is attained.”
Humility and Piety of the Guru: The Guru,
putting on God-given robe of humility and piety,
moves about in the world under the guise of a simple
man. The Lord’s ways are so mysterious. The Light
shines in the darkness, but darkness comprehends it
not. The worldly-wise eye is dazzled and sees not the
‘Noonday-Sun’, the wings of intellect are singed and it
has no reach unto him. The Divine Spirit stooping
down to earth takes up the form of a servant and draws
humanity Godward through himself. Thus the Guru,
saviour of humanity, in whose hands God has given
all things, resting in deep humility considers himself
the servant of the Lord and speaks of himself as such.
Conceit can never approach where he walks in the
clothes of the humble. Oh! who can find his way to
where he keeps company with the companionless and
among the poorest, the lowliest and the lost. He is
there where the tiller is tilling the hard ground and
where the path maker is breaking the stones. He is
with them in sun and shower, and his garment is
covered with dust. God’s Light reaches down to the
lowest orders of being, and there is no man too low to
realize God. He toils and labours hard with such men
as these and patiently bears all the hardships of life.
He prays to Heaven through thick and thin and in so
doing is fulfilling the perfect Will of God.
The Guru considers himself the servant of God,
yet the servant of the Lord is like the Lord Himself.
For he has the same attributes and he is at-one with
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CONCEPT OF GURU IN SIKHISM 51
God and perfectly in tune with the Divine Will.
Verily, Guru is God-like and there is no difference
between the Blessed Soul and the Supreme Soul.
The question arises here, what is the Sikh belief?
Does God descend on earth and assume human form
to carry out some divine mission as the AVTARA theory
in the Hindu literature portrays?
The answer is emphatic No. The Sikh conception
of God is such, as cannot tolerate the idea that God can
assume human form and be subject to birth and death.
No birth can embody Him and no death can take Him
away. He is Unborn, Immortal and Self-Radiant.
Such ideas as God can be borifas a human being would
even raise the Guru’s anger:—
“Burnt be the tongue that says that the Lord takes birth and undergoes
death.”
(Guru Arjan: Bhairon)
Translated.
“God hath no mother nor father,
No son, nor friend,
No passion nor wife.
Self-Existing is He, Pure, Beyond conception,
Though all life and all light is from Him.”
(Guru Arjan: Sorath)
Translated.
The Gurus could not tolerate people calling
them God, as has been the case with some of the
religious teachers before and after them.
“Hell to those who call me God,
I am an humble servant of the Lord,
There is absolutely no doubt about it.”
(Guru Gobind Singh: Vichitar Natak)
Translated.
The Sikhs believe in the transcendence of God and
also in His immanance, that is while He is Absolute,
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52 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
beyond nature, beyond comprehension, He is also
pervading in His creation and is Omnipresent. The
Guru says:—
“Thou hast created the world;
Thou dost ever stand in the midst of Thy works;
But all the same, art ever aloof and away from them all.”
(Var Suhi, Slok)
Translated.
“This world is like His house, and He dwelleth in it.”
(Guru Angad: Asa di var)
“Whatever you see in the world, is the very form of Him.”
(Guru Amar Das: Ramkali Anad).
. Translated.
Whatever we see in the world has emanated from
Him. It is His Light that shineth in al]. In this way
He is Immanent but not exactly born. The physical
conception of AVATARA as enunciated in the Gita,
and as popularly interpreted, is foreign to the teachings
of Sikhism. In the Avtar theory, God is supposed to
descend on earth and is born as a man.
At places out of number the Gurus have stated
that the Supreme Reality, Formless God, manifested
Himself in His creation and it is His Potential Life
Force which is working in everyone and everywhere,
yet He is Formless, Perfect, Limitless, Fathomless,
Abodeless and beyond comprehension.
Here the question may arise how do we explain
the various verses from the holy Guru Granth Sahib
which apparently refer to the Divine character of the
Guru, such as:—
(1) “Partagh ridai Guru Arjan kai
Har puran Braham nivas lio”
Evidently God, the Supreme Lord, hath enshrined Himself in the heart
of Guru Arjan.”
Translated.
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CONCEPT OF GURU IN SIKHISM 53
(2) “Bhan Mathura kach bhed nahi
Guru Arjan partakh har”.
(Bhattan de Swayye V)
Mathra saith, there is no difference between Guru Arjan and God.
Guru Arjan is evidently God Himself.
Translated.
(3) ‘Ap Narain kala dhar jag main parvario
Nirankar akar jot jag mandal kario”
(Bhattan de Swayye III)
The Potential Life Force or Light of Formless God is manifested in the
form of Guru Amar Das, and this Light has illumined the whole of
the world.
Translated.
And many other similar quotations can be cited
from the Holy Book.
But all these verses have a bearing that the Guru’s
mind has been illumined by God and he has assumed
all the attributes and virtues of God and so there is no
difference in the character of God and that of the Guru.
Guru is God-like in that sense. Guru is Divine
because by the Grace of the Lord, he is illumined by the
Spirit of God. There was a display of the Divine
attributes through human _ personality when that
personality was chosen and made completely free of
ego-centric tendencies and was completely identified
with the Divine purpose. Instead of ego-centric
tendencies, the Guru was gifted by God-centric action
from the very birth.
In the nature of the highest type of human life,
we have access to the nature of God. We see
something finite partaking in the life of the Infinite.
Man is Divinity-incarnate in as muc has he reveals
in his life the divine qualities or virtues of love,
light, truth andgoodness. The Guru is_ perfect
in love and perfect in goodness and other godly
qualities. In that perfection he is one with God and
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54 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
in tune with the Divine Will:—
“The servant of the Lord is like the Lord Himself,
That he is in human body makes no difference.
Just as a wave rises in water
And then it merges into water, water mixing with water.”
(Guru Arjan Maru Solhe)
Translated.
Guru is also unlike those vedantic poets who
exclaim ‘Soham’— ‘I am God’, when under intoxication
of sudden joy, their minds ascend to the astral plane
and they get some transcendental vision or get a sip
or two from Love’s Cup of Wine. They see their
ownself in all forms and in all beings, and they love
everyone. But they stop short at this, as if were
befogged. They see not the Sunshine behind the
clouds, and in unbecoming levity of mind the cry of
‘Soham’ goes out of them of itself.
But beside them there are also some philosophers,
who while still bound in the cocoon of ‘MAYA’
(Illusion) and have never tasted even a drop of His
Life-Giving Wine of Light and yet blindly imitating
the poets of the vision, they echo and re-echo ‘Soham’
‘Soham’ (I am God) under dome of their egoism. But
the Guru drinking deep at the fountain of ‘NAM-
AMRITAM’ and brimming with the Divine Spirit asks
us to say ‘Wah-e-Guru’—Lord Thou art Wonder-
ful (Subhan Allah). Thou! Thou! Thou, O Lord!
I-am-ness has no place where the Guru abides. Even
the capital ‘I? which Shri Ved Vyas, the compiler of
Gita, puts into the mouth of Lord Krishna is hushed
into silence in the presence of the Divine Master.
When ‘I’ transcends itself and is washed in the
Infinitude, and becomes as beautiful as the white ‘TI’
of the lotus abloom on its stem, then it ceases to be I
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CONCEPT OF GURU IN SIKHISM 55
and becomes ‘Eye’ that looks at naught but the Lord
and does see none but Him.
“Where petty-self exists, God is not,
Where God exists, there is no self.
Sages! Probe this mystery
Of the immanence of the Lord in all that JS
Without the Grace of the Guru
We could not know this essence of Truth.”
In the charming presence of the Divine Incarnate
none can expound wrangling philosophy or listen to
that, which is mundane, dry and devoid of the Love of
the Lord.
In the glorious presence of the Guru, every one
wrapped in wonder and worship utters God’s Name. The
Master Spirit is so lovely and his face so fascinating that
to be away from the sight of his face, our hearts know
no rest nor respite, and our actions become an endless
toil in a shoreless sea. Like Gopikas of Brindaban,
we wish only that the Lord may ever remain before our
eyes and he may stand in the middle of us and we may
all hover round him in unending and glowing ring of
sport, song and dance, sucking of the joy of his soul
like bees poised on a dew-washed and dawn-lit honey
rose. No greater joy!
The disciples thus used to clung to the outer
appearance or the body of the Guru. This close,
living and practical touch with the Guru was quite
natural for the human heart, as it was attracted by the
spiritual beauty and the matchless glory on the face
of the Master. They saw in the Guru, the Eternal
Spirit living before their very eyes in flesh and blood.
In him they had dear, loveable, concrete world of
shape and form, of individual and personal existence.
So this clinging of the disciples to the outward is
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56 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
easily intelligible, but it clearly had its own weakness.
For the disciples, as they were to grow in the things of
the spirit, it was necessary for them to pass on to a
still higher stage. There was, so to say, a ‘weaning’
process whereby this clinging to the concrete evidence
of the senses passed on into a realization of the Guru’s
inner presence through the practice of ‘Gurbani’
(Divine Word) and ‘Simran’ (Loving-remembrance).
The essential thing to be borne in mind is that God
or His Divine Light (Braham Gyan) is the perfect
Enlightener and Guru Nanak and his successors were
the perfect channels for the expression of that Gyan—
divine knowledge. It was God’s revelation that
became Guru’s Word or Gurbani. Thus God, Guru
Nanak and Guru’s Words are all identical terms
meaning the same thing, affirming that God, the True
Guru, was speaking through Guru Nanak. Guru
Nanak himself confirms it:—
“2 Lalo! As comes the Divine Word to me, So do I preach.”
(Guru Nanak: Rag Tilang)
Translated
At another place he says:—
“Nanak revealth the True Word’’
(Guru Nanak: Rag Tilang)
Again in Suhi Chant :—
“I say what He commands me to say.”
“This Word hath come from Him who hath created the world.”
(Guru Ram Das: Gauri)
“O Sikhs of the Guru, recognise the Word of the True Guru as true; for
the Creator Himself hath put it in the Guru’s mouth.”
(Guru Ram Das: Gauri)
Translated.
“True Guru’s Word is the Guru and the Guru is the Word
It revealeth the path of salvation.”’
(Guru Ram Das: Kanra)
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CONCEPT OF GURU IN SIKHISM 57
“Whosoever shall reflect upon Gurbani
And practise it
Verily, verily sayeth Nanak!
He shall get salvation.
No austerities or muttering of any charmed word
Can equal Gurbani
Gurbani is supreme.
(Guru Nanak: Dhanasri)
Guru resides in his Word. His Word is the
Guru. As Guru Ram Das says:
“The Word is the Guru,
And the Guru is the Word
And the Guru’s Word is full of life-giving Elixer
Whosoever shall obey, what Bani commands,
Verily he shall get salvation.”
(Gauri Guru Ram Das)
Thus Guru Granth Sahib, the embodiment of
the Divine Word becomes Gyan Guru that enlightens
the human mind. Through Gurbani the disciples
realize the ever abiding inner presence of the Guru
—an Impersonal-Personality in the inner realm of the
soul. The Guru thus becomes impersonal in charac-
ter, above name, form, time and space and without
any human limitations.
*““My True Guru is for ever and ever,
He is not born, Nor does he ever die.
(Guru Ram Das: Suhi)
“The Guru is everywhere and is now always with me.”
(Guru Arjan: Asa)
The disciples thus experienced the true meaning of
the ‘Guru’s coming’ and how such an inward ‘coming’
to the soul, brought with it an abiding peace. But
still the language used in Gurbani (Guru’s hymns)
of ‘coming’ and ‘going’, ‘Charn Kanwal’ (the Lotus
Feet), ‘Gur-Murat’ (Guru’s Being), and such other
words as these, are mere metaphors and similies. The
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58 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Guru had to employ these figures and similies
because the personal experience of a spiritual kind
could not be imparted or transferred through human
words that have their limitations. Yet all these
symbolic expressions refer to the Divine Spirit in the
inner realm of the soul.
Our relationship with the Guru is not confined to
the body alone, but it is beyond the physical relation-
ship. It is a communion of the soul with the soul,
the spirit with the spirit. He is the life of our lives,
ever abiding with us, our constant companion and
comforter. He is the Impersonal-Personality (Nirgun-
Sargun), luminous as the sun. The sun-rise and sun-
set are relative expression on a_ lower plane. In
reality the sun never rises, nor does it ever set. It is
ever present. So is the Guru, being at-one with God,
he is omnipresent, perpetual and immortal in spirit.
The Guru—God’s Light is eternal, everlasting, ever-
shining, and all-pervading. True in the past, True at
present and True for ever and anon.
All hail, All hail unto him—the Master Spirit,
Wonderful Lord. Wahe-Guru, Wahe-Guru, Wahe-
Jio!
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You reap the same what you have sown
None else can be blamed for it;
All evils flock around a man
His Lord if he forgets.
Who turn their faces from God of Love
Are lost for evermore;
To meanness turn all things and men,
Bred in the earthly lore.
(Guru Arjan: Baramah)
Translated
Persuing worldly love and sensual pleasure
The Princes of Hindustan had lost their heads.
Desecration and desolation was the result.
So brutally have the people been slain
So heart-rending is their agony
And so groaning are their lamentation
Is it not all pain inflicted on Thy heart?
O God!
My Lord and my Master
Guardian of the people’s destiny!
Save Thy people!
Behold!
The soul of the people is on fire!
Send down Thy mercy, Lord
Come out to them from any direction as it be Thy
pleasure
Save Thy people, My Lord!
Their soul is on Fire!
O Master Divine !
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(d) The Condition of India at the advent of Guru Nanak
Centuries ago, India was full of happiness, beauty
and prosperity. It was a country of compassion,
peace and love. It was self-sufficient and strong. Its
inhabitants had been pre-eminently a religious people.
Even at a time, when the rest of the world still existed
in ignorance, the Hindus of India could boast of a
high stage of civilization, culture and system of
religious philosophy. They also led the world in
astronomy and mathematics.
Even about 200 B.C. India had been the dynamic
centre from which radiated innumerable missions of
Buddhism, lightening all Asia with the glory of teaching
of the Truth. During those days India had come to be
regarded as the treasure-house of wisdom. She was
the holy land of a free and a soaring culture, purifying,
ennobling and refining all those who came in contact
with her.
But when Buddhism began to degenerate, image-
making received a fillip among them. Statues of
Buddha and Budhisattvas became very common.
Innumerable temples were built for their installation
and wealth was lavishly spent in the performance of the
ceremonial worship of these stone-idols. As Buddhism
declined, it also came under the influence of the
Tantric Cult (of black magic) which dulled their mental
life, and the masses lost all reverence for morality.
When Buddhism was almost driven out from India,
the latter Hindu society, that was rebuilt on the ashes
of Buddhism also took a wrong turn. In imitations
to Buddhists, they set up their own gods and goddesses
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CONDITION OF INDIA AT THE ADVENT OF GURU NANAK 61
and began to worship their stone-images. They
strayed from the path of righteousness, of personal
purity and social freedom and stooped down from the
lofty ideals of their noble ancestors.
The priests who had been for centuries, the self-
made custodians of ‘religious knowledge’ had
reduced religion to a mockery, its spirit was well-nigh
dead and, in its place, there had gradually sprung up
a religion of forms, rituals, and ceremonies devoid of
any sense or meaning.
“The popular religion about the time of Nanak’s birth was confined to
peculiar form of eating and drinking, peculiar ways of bathing and
painting the fore-head, and such other mechanical observances—the
worship of idols. ...pilgrimages to the Ganges....The springs of true
religion had been choked by weeds of unmeaning ceremonial, debasing
superstition, the selfishness of the priests and the indifference of the
people.”
(Dr. Sir Gokal Chand Narang)
‘The Hindu leaders neglected to teach the spiritual realities to the people
at large who were sunk in superstition and materialism. Religion
became confused with caste distinctions and taboos about eating and
drinking....”
(Dr. Sir S. Radhakrishnan)
The Hindu caste system, having lost its original
elasticity, had come to be extremely rigid and a source
of a good deal of evil and misery as well as excuse for
manifold tyranny. It was being abused mercilessly by
the privileged classes. The great body of population
were denied the solace of direct approach to God. The
sacred books were inaccessible to them, both because
they were in a language they did not understand, and
because their study was forbidden to the lower classes.
They were the untouchables—a touch of these lower
caste people, even the shadow of these seemed to
pollute the higher castes.
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62 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Religion, with the superstitions associated with it,
had divided the Hindu community, into innumerable
water-tight compartments. Instead of acting as a
unifying principle and a source of moral and spiritual
elevation, religion had come to be a curse and led to
mental and intellectual slavery and moral degradation
of the Hindu society. Thus when moral and spiritual
decay had weakened and emasculated the soul of
Indian people, when the Brahminical distinction of
caste had disintegrated their social life, and when small
states and principalities had divided and broken the
integrity of India, the Muslim legions descended from
the North-West like a storm that clears the atmosphere.
The Muslim invaders were ruthless beyond
description, massacring men without mercy, plundering
their homes, lifting women, desecrating and demolish-
ing their temples and robbing the wealth of offerings
of centuries that accumulated there. They converted
the Hindus to Islam at the point of the sword.
So weak and demoralised had the Hindus become,
that this inhuman treatment roused within them no
thought of protest, much less of resistance. Amongst
Buddhists the responsibility of safeguarding the faith
rested entirely with the monks. Buddhism taught
non-violence and so they offered no resistance. They
expected that the recitation of Tantric Mantras before
their gods would save them. But the Tantric practices
were of no avail. They were powerless before the
conquering legions. And while crowds of Tantric
magicians were busy in their ‘balis’ and mumbling
their mantras, the city of Taxilla, the biggest centre of
Buddhism in the North West was razed to the ground.
Statues of Budhisattavas, gods and goddesses were
thrown down from their high alters and utterly
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CONDITION OF INDIA AT THE ADVENT OF GURU NANAK 63
smashed. Thousands of monks were slain or converted
to Islam.
Even the warlike Rajputs, except a few honourable
exceptions, considered it a privilege to offer their
daughters to Mohammedan rulers in wedlock.
Most of the Buddhist monks fled to Tibet to save
their skins. And those of the Hindus who could not
bear such a life of dishonour and servility had sought
shelter from persecution and death in the loneliness of
forests where they lived single-minded as individuals by
themselves, or took to purposeless wandering.
To understand the characteristics of the Muslim
rulers, prevailing at that time, it will be in fitness of
things to give a little account of the rise of the Islam
and its spread in India culled mostly from the writings
of Mohammedan and British historians:
Syyad Mohammad Latif M.A. in his History of
the Punjab (page 75-76) writes about the beliefs, of the
Mohammedan:
**.,..A drop of blood shed in the cause of God, a night spent in arms,
is of more avail to the faithful than two months of fasting and prayer.
He who perished in holy war went straight to Heaven. In Paradise
nymphs of fascinating beauty impatiently waited to greet his first
approach. There the gallant martyrs lived for ever a life of happiness
and bliss, free from sorrows and liable to no inconvenience from excess.
They would possess thousands of beautiful slaves and get houses furni-
shed with splendid gardens and with all the luxuries of life to live on.
Such liberal promises of future happiness, added to an immediate pro-
spect of riches and wealth, were enough to kindle the frenzy of the
desert population of Arabia. Their martial spirit was roused and their
sensual passions were enflamed.”
INDIA IN THE MOHAMMEDAN PERIOD—V.A. Smith (page 257)
**,...their fierce fanatiscism which regarded the destruction of Non-
Muslims as a service eminently pleasing to God, made them absolutely
pitiless.”
“Great jealousy and hatred existed those days between the Hindus and
Mohammedans and the whole Non-Muslim population was subject to
persecution by the Mohammedan rulers.”
(History of the Punjab by Syyd Mohd Latif page 240).
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64 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
IBN ASIR in his Kamilu-at-Twarikh records that Shahab-ud-Din of
Ghazni massacred thousand of the inhabitants of Ajmer and reserved
the remainder for slavery. At Banaras, too, the slaughter of the Hindus
men, women and children was immense.
Hasan Nizam-i-Naishapuri in his TAJ-UL-MA’ASIR states that Qutab-
ud-Din Aibak (1194-1210 A.D.) when he conquered Meerut, he demoli-
shed 700 Hindu temples and erected mosques on their sites. In the
city of Koil, now called Aligarh, he converted the Hindu inhabitants to
Islam by the sword and beheaded all who adhered to their religion. In
Kalinjar he destroyed one hundred and thirteen temples, built mosques
on their sites, massacred over one Lac Hindus, and made slaves of about
fifty thousand and more and sent them to Ghazni.
ABDULLA WASAF in his Tazjiyat-ul-Amsar wa Tajriyat-ul-Asar
writes that when Ala-ud-Din Khilji (1295-1316 A.D.) captured the city
of Cambay at the head of the gulf of Cambay, he killed the adult male
Hindu inhabitants for the glory of Islam, set flowing seas of blood, and
sent the women of the country to his home and made about twenty
thousand maidens his private slaves.
‘Alauddin once asked his Qazi what the Mohammedan Law prescribed
for Hindus. The Qazi replied, ‘‘Hindus are like the earth, if silver is
demanded from them, they ought, with the greatest humility, to offer
gold. And if a Mohammedan desires to spit into a Hindu’s mouth, the
Hindu should open it wide for the purpose. God created Hindus to be
slaves of Mohammedans. The Prophet hath ordained that, if the
Hindus do not accept Islam, they should be imprisoned, tortured, and
finally put to death, and their property confiscated.”
In the Tabagqat-Nasiri by Minha-j-ul-Sira; it is stated that Mohammed
Bkhtyar Khilji conquered Bihar with a band of 200 cavalry, he put to
sword about one Lac Buddhist and burnt a valuable library of ancient
Pali books and Sanskrit.
Here is a leaf from Twarikh-i-Timuri revealing that Amir Timur brutally
put to sword 752,000 Hindus and burnt 29,000 alive. Timur wrote
proudly in his auto-biography that he massacred 1,00,000 Hindus on one
day.
AMIR KHUSRAU in his TWARIKH ALAI or LHAZAIN UL FUTUH
writes that when the Emperor Feroz Shah Tughlak (1351-88) took the
city of Bhilsa in Bhopal, he destroyed all its Hindu temples, took away
their idols, placed them in front of his fort and had them daily bathed
with the blood of a thousand Hindus.”’
INDIA IN MOHAMMEDAN PERIOD by V.A. SMITH: “After
the Tughlaks came the Sayyids and the Lodis. All of them were fierce
bigots. Their reigns too, offer little but scenes of bloodshed, tyranny and
treachery.”
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CONDITION OF INDIA AT THE ADVENT OF GURU NANAK 65
ELPHINSTONE THE HISTORY OF INDIA (Page 410) Sikandar
Lodi was one of those bigots who have sat on the throne of India. He
destroyed the temples in towns and forts that he took from the Hindus,
and he forbade the people performing pilgrimages, and bathing on
certain festivals at places on the sacred streams within his own dominions.
On one occassion he carried his zeal to cruelty and injustice for a
Brahmin having been active in propagating the doctine that “all
religions, if sincerely practised, were equally acceptable to God’, he
summoned him to defend this opinion in his presence, against twelve
Mohammedan divines, and on his refusing to renounce his tolerant
maxim, put him to death.”
(See also History of Medieval India by Ishwari Pershad page 481.)
Thus, with Mohammedans, religion had come to
mean but little more than an injuction for the persecu-
tion of the non-believer, a sanction for all sorts of
licentiousness, vice and corruption, and a system
requiring the performance of meaningless, very
often Un-Islamic, rites and cermonies. It no longer
inspired its votaries to a life of devotion, morality
and human-kindliness.
As day follows night so good follows evil, righte-
ousness overtakes unrighteousness. It is this truth
which Lord Krishna had declared long ago in Gita:
“When there is decay of righteousness, O Bharta,
and there is exaltation of unrighteousness, then I myself come forth.
For the protection of good, for the destruction of the evil doers,
for the sake of firmly establishing righteousness, I am born from age to
age.”
In the Punjab, where darkness was thickest, there
then appeared a Redeemer, who led mankind from
darkness to light. With his coming, the darkness of
unrighteousness was wiped out and sunshine of truth
prevailed. He himself being the incarnation of Love,
defeated the spirit of hate and led men to path of
goodness by the divinity of his own personality. He
kindled the Flame of Love and Life in the hearts and
laid the foundation of a brotherhood of Warrior-
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66 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Saints who in due course of time, snatched the sword
from the tyrant’s hands and destroyed the evil-doers,
root and branch. With unbreakable bonds of love,
he united all sections of the Indian people. He founded
the Holy Fellowship, where the lowest was to be equal
with the highest in race, in social, political and religious
rights. That great personality was GURU NANAK—
The Divine Master, of whom we shall have the glimpses
in the following pages.
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Ye people, rise! awake !
The season of spring hath come,
And the Beloved Friend hath also come
The promised moment hath come.
© tell the flowers to smile
As the sweet tongued nightingale
Hath come to delight and regale.
God, the Merciful Lord
Heard our bewailings and lamentations
And sent Guru Nanak, the Saviour of the world.
He comforted us,
Showed us the light out of the darkness of falsehood.
He awakened in human mind the consciousness of God
And brought the erring humanity back to the Lord
And cured the sickness of the soul.
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GURU NANAK
(1469—1539 A-:D.)
(1)
Manifestation : ‘Light’ looked down from
Heaven and beheld darkness in the world below.
‘Love’ looked down and beheld hatred and bigotry.
‘Truth’ looked down and beheld falsehood. ‘Peace’
looked down and beheld burning unrest. ‘‘Thither
will we go’, said they. So in a timeless hour of
eternity, a gleam of perpetual Light broke through the
darkness of ages and there came Light, Love, Truth and
Peace all together personified in that wonderful person,
whom we called Guru Nanak. He came without the
shackles of time and age. He came and spoke the
words of eternal truth to one and all, and for all times.
Fifty-five miles North West of Lahore, in a thick
jungle, away from the hustle and bustle of the cities,
there lay a small village called Talwandi of Rai Bhaun,
subsequently known as Nanakana Sahib (now in
Pakistan). It was here that the Divine Light dawned.
In history’s counting, it was the year 1469 A.D. There
blossomed that Flower of Humanity which appears
once rarely in ages but, when it blooms, fills the world
with the fragrance of Wisdom and sweetens with
honey-drops of Love.
Guru Nanak came. It was a critical period of
our Indian history. In that century and in the centuries
that preceded it, we had experienced the march of
invading armies ruthless beyond description, massacring
men without mercy in the name of religion and plunder-
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GURU NANAK 69
ing hearths and homes without distinction. We were
helpless and could not defend ourselves. Hinduism,
as it was then understood, taught non-resistance, and
non-violence. Dharma had degenerated into mere
formalism, endless rituals and worship of idols. The
Spirit of Truth was stifled by bigotry, fanaticism and
by the hypocracy of rennunciation. People had come
to think that they would be saved by merely believing
in this or that dogma. Falsehood overshadowed the
land as a thick veil of darkness and the Moon of
Truth could be seen no more. Thousands were
longing for Life, searching for Light, hungering for
Love but without any clear direction.
There appeared then, the Great Guru Nanak—
the Sun of Reality. The clouds of darkness that
overhung the world disappeared as the fleeting fog
before the noonday-sun and there was light. Guru
Nanak came to give Light and show the way. He
was the Way and Light himself.
(2)
Nanak—the Child: All who beheld this infant
felt drawn towards him. There was always a beaming
smile on his face that those who saw him felt an
unknown joy stealing into their hearts and elating their
souls.
From his very infancy Nanak’s sister saw in him
the Light of God, but kept her discovery as a profound
secret. To her he was a dream of God’s beauty
descended on earth—a miracle of God’s Grace sent to
mankind as the promise of ages. She was the first to be
inspired by Heaven, to be his disciple. Rai Bular, the
Muslim Governor of the state was the second; for in
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70 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Nanak he had seen a rare gleam of soul. In his old
age, Rai Bular cried like a child for the holy sight of his
saviour when the Guru was abroad on his_ divine
mission.
(3)
Nanak—the Boy: When Nanak played with
other boys, did they not feel that the light in his
eyes was a Strange light and that his words, so rich in
music and melody, cast on them a spell they could not
resist! Even as a boy, Nanak spoke of God, sang
of God, and of his own longing for Him. Veiled and
hidden was his life. Yet, when he spoke or sang, the
very winds were filled with music, and the very deaf
were drawn to him and the sightless beheld in their
hearts anew beauty. And all those who were suffering
were comforted in their loneliness and remembered that
their home was not here, but in the Realm of Light.
Nanak, at the age of seven,was sent to school. He
learnt the alphabet in no time as though he had known
it already. Gopal, Panda (The school teacher), was
astonished when Nanak wrote an acrostic on Punjabi
Alphabet and at his eloquence in explaining the deeper
truths about man and God and the way to realize the
Divine in terms of the alphabet.
‘Teach me’ said he to his teacher, ‘Only the One
large Letter of Life. And speak to me of the Creator
and the wonder of His creation.” “‘All learning is in
vain, without the knowledge of Him and of the way to
serve Him.” continued the boy. “To love Him is the
end of knowledge and to forget Him is to forget the
Truth, even though one may carry a cartload of books.”
Nanak said to the teacher.
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GURU NANAK 71
But the teacher still continued in his own way and
asked the child to take to figures; so that he would be
able to keep accounts.
The pupil smiled, he raised his eyes in glory and a
limpid ray shot from his raven orbs, and from his lips
rang notes of silver cadence :—
‘Oh pitiful, mist-clouded souls of men,
Behold ye not the Light of Heaven,
Burn all thy attachment to the worldliness,
And their ashes rub and make thy ink,
Write on the clean paper of thy heart
With the faith as thy pen
Write the Name of the Lord and His praises as the Divine Master tells you
And ceaselessly praise Him who is without an end.
Your worldly figures will avail thee not,
When at the judgement throne your life book’s balance,
Will give its own uninfluenced account.
oot eee ere ee eros eer ee eeeeeeer eet eons eeeoee
The mighty of the earth have I seen striken,
Divorced from the Eternal and reduced to dust.
Tear not, therefore, that thread asunder
That binds you to the universal God.”
(Guru Nanak: Sri Rag)
Translated
The school-master then stood abashed before this
Divine Master and with folded hands bowed to his
boy-pupil. He then took Nanak with him to his
father.
Mehta Kalu, Guru Nanak’s father, was surprised
to see his son and his teacher coming back to him so
early. Nanak must have played the truant and the
Panda (teacher) must have brought him back to be
reprimanded, he thought. ‘“‘Mehtaji, this son of yours
is an Avatara, a Divine Person and no ordinary mortal,”
said the Panda as he took his seat near Mehta Kalu.
*““He has come to redeem the victims of Kalyug. He is
destined to be a World Teacher, there’s nothing that
I can teach him.”
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72 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Mehta Kalu looked at the Panda with unbelieving
eyes, but the Panda rose and prostrated himself at the
feet of the Guru and departed repeating what he believed
to be true.
(4)
Ceremony of Sacred Thread: The Guru reached
the age when he must be, according to the custom
among higher castes of Hindus, invested with the
sacred thread.
Mehta Kalu made great preparations for the
performance of the ceremony. He made elaborate
arrangements for the entertainment of his guests—
relatives, friends and others whom he invited.
Hardyal, the family prohit (Priest) came in great form.
He began by propitiating the stars by chanting mantras
in Sanskrit, and then he blessed the boy and blessed the
sacred thread. He was about to place it round Nanak’s
shoulder, when he stopped him, and refused to wear
the thread.
The whole assembly was struck dumb. They all
tried to persuade him but the Guru refused to be
persuaded. With a loving thoughtful smile playing
on his lips, the Guru said:
“What strange ceremony is this!
The Brahman spins a thread out of cotton
And twists it into shape.
And then puts it on
When it decays, it is cast away,
And a new one has to be put on again
If the thread had any virtue
It would not decay or break.
There is no thread to control the organs,
No thread to restrain the senses.
The Brahmin himself goes about without such a thread
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GURU NANAK 73
Yet he twists threads for others
And puts them round their necks,
Hear, ye men, look at the wonder of it:
The man with blind mind claims to be enlightened.” (Guru Nanak)
Translated
To the Prohit he said, “With thousand evils
lurking in the soul of man, what good can this sacri-
ficial thread do to him?”
The Prohit in utter despair then asked “What kind
of sacred thread, O Nanak, wouldst thou wear?”
The Guru thus spoke to the priest:
“Out of the cotton of compassion
Spin the thread of contentment,
Tie knots of chastity,
Give it twist of truth.
Put around me such a thread,
If thou hast it, O Brahman,
Such a thread once worn will never break
Nor get soiled burnt or lost.
The man who weareth such a thread is blessed.”
(Guru Nanak: Asa di Var)
Translated
(5)
Nanak as a Stock-Breeder: Mehta Kalu was
anxious to lead his son to some profitable occupa-
tion. He had observed that he cared for cows and
buffaloes, enjoyed feeding them and making friends
with them. He also noticed that Nanak preferred to
spend his days out in the fields, sitting under trees
enjoying the nature. This gave him an idea that he
could interest Nanak in becoming a stock-breeder.
‘So Nanak was asked to take out the family cows
and buffaloes for grazing. The animals followed him
as if they had been attached to him for a long time.
He brought them home in the evening.
Sitting on green grass in solitude, Nanak heard
the Voice of his Beloved! The cows looked at him,
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74 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
with wonder in their mild eyes. They came near him,
touched him and felt blessed.
Nanak used to take the herd out and then sit there
under a tree. He let the animals out to graze by
themselves and himself sat alone in deep meditation,
unaware of things around him. One day his cattle
strayed into a neighbouring field and _ feasted
on the growing crop. The animals knew nothing of
any man’s ownership of meadows. For them, all
belonged to God. The cows could make no difference
between ‘his’ grass and ‘my’ grass.
Just as the cattle almost finished grazing, the owner
of the field appeared. He turned from his field to
Nanak and said, ““Wake up, you sluggard, see what
your cattle have done. They have ruined my crop.”
The Guru looked up with eyes full of compassion,
and said, “Have patience, my friend. Be not enraged.
What if God’s dumb creatures have taken a few bites
from thy crop? The bountiful Lord will bless you with
plenty. You will have no cause to grieve.”
But the owner of the farm was not to be appeased.
““You cannot deceive me by words’’, he said. “I am
going to Rai Bular and IJ will make your father pay the
full damage.” Enraged beyond measure, shouting
and complaining, he ran to the village, and in bitter-
ness of heart reported his loss to Rai Bular.
Rai Bular sent for Nanak’s father and asked him to
compensate the loss. At the same time Rai Bular sent
an appraiser with the owner to estimate the loss. They
were astonished when they reached the field to find it
lush with the growing crop.
The appraiser began to upbraid the owner of the
field. The owner himself was surprised and could not
believe his eyes.
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The appraiser returned to Rai Bular and told him
that all was well with the crop.
Rai Bular had heard of Nanak and his discourse to
his teacher and his refusal to wear the sacred thread.
He was confirmed in his belief that Nanak was a man of
God.
A few days later, Rai Bular himself saw an asto-
nishing scene. He was returning home from an adjoin-
ing village, when, from a distance, he saw Nanak sleep-
ing in a field and a big cobra holding his hood over his
head shading his face from the hot sun. Rai Bular
thought the boy was bitten and was dead, as he was
lying absolutely motionless. Rai Bular with his
attendants hurriedly approached the spot. As they
came near, the cobra disappeared and Nanak woke up
and greeted them witha smile. Rai Bular was so much
moved that he immediately jumped down from his
horse, embraced Nanak and kissed him. From that
day onward Rai Bular came to have an unfaultering
faith in the divinity of Nanak.
(6)
Attempts to put Nanak in some _ profession :
The story of the cattle grazing duly reached Mehta
Kalu. He was deeply disturbed. He sent for Nanak
and wanted to reprimand him, but on seeing him
became mild.
Father: ‘“‘They say you have been a failure as
a cowherd. I am ashamed of it. If cattle grazing
does not suit you, better be a farmer. I have a small
tract of land, and you may start ploughing it.”
Nanak: ‘Father, I am already engaged in real
farming. Listen:
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76 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
“This body is the field
The mind is the ploughman
Modesty the irrigating water.
I sow the seed of Hari Nam
And with the leveller of contentment
I pulverise the crust of pride into true humility
In it the crop of Love will prosper.
Seated in the Abode of Truth,
I behold its progress.
Father, Mammon accompanieth not man
The world is deluded by it.
Only a few walk out of the delusion and attain discrimination.”
(Guru Nanak)
Translated
His father refused to give any heed to the Guru’s
homily and continued: ‘If farming does not appeal to
you, why not open a shop?” The Guru again answered:
“‘Time and space are my shop, I stock it with Nam,
I deal in song. I trade with dealers of His devotees,
and thus accumulate the wealth of Truth.”
Kalu persisted that Nanak must do something to
earn. He made all attempts to bind our Master to
some worldly career, but it was like trying to bind
the light of the morning sun. After all, Kalu left him
in despair saying, ““You are a strange youth, Nanak!”
(7)
Nanak sits silent in seclusion: As Nanak grew
in years, he studiously avoided company and sought
seclusion. For days together, he would sit silent in
solitude without food and without drink. His
soaring spirit could not be restrained by closed
walls of a house. He loved to live alone with God
in the nature’s wilderness. There the voice of the
Eternal Silence roused his meditative soul from ecstasy
to ecstasy. But in the loneliness of the forest, his
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GURU NANAK 717
heart could also hear the tragic cry of the souls of the
millions being crushed under their sins. For the
miserable and wretched people of the world, Nanak
sobbed in bitter anguish. Thus between ecstasy and
woe divided, he silently drew his solace from the
Divine Spirit within him.
His parents became anxious about his health. To
them Nanak’s unworldliness appeared insane. They
sent for a physician. Hari Dass, a well-known Vaidya
(physician) came and was conducted to Nanak’s room
and he began to feel his pulse. The Guru withdrew
his arm and spoke with a thrilling voice unsurpassed
in sweetness:
“They have called the physician to ‘me’!
The poor doctor fecls my pulse!
What can a pulse disclose?
The pang lies deep in the heart!
Go back! Go back! physician, and heal thyself,
Diagnose thy own disease,
Then thou mayst diagnose the diseases of others
And call thyself a physician.’
Hari Dass smiled sardonically. He was familiar
with cases of deranged mind.
“So you think I too am sick and need a cure?”
asked Hari Dass.
“Undoubtedly”, said the Guru, “You suffer from
the sickness of the soul. “‘I-am-ness’”’ is the disease.
It separates us not only from our fellow-men, but from
the source of life, God Himself.” The Guru then
looked at Hari Dass with eyes full of compassion and
further said:
“‘Man suffers because of his ego
It has separated him from the Lord.
Ego is the cause of all suffering and sin
O physician, go back, go back and find a cure
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78 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
If thou canst for all these human ills,
And then call thyself a physician.”
(Translated)
Hari Dass was lost in wonder for what the Guru
said was true. He felt a strange peace stealing over
him filling his heart and soul.
“You speak of the things of the spirit. My concern
is with the body alone.”’ said Hari Dass.
The Guru turned his loving eyes on him, and said,
Is body worth anything without the spirit?’
“That is true,” said the physician, “but how is it
that this truth eludes mankind?’’
‘Listen,’ said the Guru:
“‘Man’s mind blind with desire,
sows the seed of its own suffering,
In pursuit of the indulgence of the self,
O! Ignorant physician,
Thy physic is of no avail:
Suffering itself is the symptom of disease,
It also leads man to seek for cure.”
“Is there no help? What is the remedy?,, asked
Hari Dass.
“Yes,” said the Guru, “‘disease and its cause can
be cured.
“When God sends saving Grace to man,
He begins to practise the Word of the Guru.
Says Nanak, hear ye all,
This is the way to cure the disease.”’
(Guru Nanak)
Translated
Hari Dass forgot all his professional ways and his
task of curing Nanak. He sat spell-bound trying
to draw into his soul the aroma of spirit which pervaded
the Guru. He bowed to the Master and as he left,
he told Mehta Kalu that his anxiety about his son
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was useless, as he was born “‘A Healer of the Sickened
Souls” and he was destined to follow the ways of all
prophets.
(8)
Profitable Bargain: Mehta Kalu in spite of
accumulating evidence about the spiritual greatness
of the Guru saw in him only a wayward youth, self-
willed and headstrong who was wasting his days in
profitless contemplation.
One day, he again approached Guru Nanak,
lovingly patted him on the back and said, ‘“‘My son!
when will you learn to make good and profitable
bargains?”
““Any time you command me to, father.” replied
Guru Nanak with a smile.
Mehta Kalu was much pleased to hear this. He
then gave some money to his son and instructed him
to go to the nearest market, Chuharkana, and make
some profitable bargain. Kalu asked his servant,
Bala, to accompany Nanak.
On the way, Nanak met a party of ascetics who
were without food for some days.
The Guru went to the bazar at Chuharkana and
purchased provisions, which Bala thought were being
purchased for a profitable transaction. Bala carried
the purchases for him.
On their way home, however, they again came
across the party of the ascetics sitting without food.
The Guru stopped and without a moment’s hesitation,
laid all the provisions before them and without waiting
for a word from them started homeward followed by
Bala.
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As they came near the village, Nanak stopped near
a grove of trees in the neighbourhood and _ told
Bala to go home.
Bala met Mehta Kalu, just as he entered the
village, who asked him where his son was. Bala told
him the whole story and said that he left Nanak in the
yonder grove.
‘‘Take me there,’’ commanded Mehta Kalu.
Nanak was sitting calmly in meditation. Kalu
shook him angrily, and said, ‘““What are you doing
here? What have you done with the money?”
The Guru opened his eyes and looked him full in
the face but made no answer.
Mehta Kalu grew still more angry and was about
to slap him, when Rai Bular, the Governor of the
place, appeared on the scene.
Mehta Kalu greeted him and related how his son
had wasted all the money he gave him and returned
empty handed.
“‘How has the money been wasted?’ enquired
Rai Bular, turning to Bala, who had accompanied
Nanak.
‘“‘Forgive me, Sir,” said Bala. ‘‘Nanak bought
some provisions with the money and, finding a party
of ascetics who had gone without food for many days,
and in spite of my protests he gave it to them.”
‘Why did you do it?” asked Rai Bular from
Nanak.
“TY could think of no more profitable bargain.”
said Nanak. Rai Bular was a man of real under-
standing. He turned to Mehta Kalu and said, “Your
son is not meant for gaining this world; his gains are,
gains of Heaven. Don’t grow angry with him but
let him follow his own way; for his way is the right way.
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Kalu could say nothing. He bowed his head to Rai
Bular, though he remained entirely unconvinced.
(9)
Nanak to Sultanpur: Bibi Nanaki, the elder
married sister of the Guru, came to visit her parents
with her husband, Jai Ram, who was the Dewan
of Nawab Daulat Khan Lodi of Sultanpur. She
was devoted to her younger brother and noticed with
concern her father’s impatience at the boy’s indifference
towards all that he valued most: position, wealth and
worldly property.
Bibi Nanaki decided to take her brother along with
hertoSultanpur. Her father gave his consent. Nanak
readily agreed to go with his sister. Rai Bular gave a
banquet in his honour and the whole village came to see
him off at his departure.
Nanak was now in his seventeenth year. Jai Ram
brought him the offer of the post of officer-in-charge
of Nawab’s provision stores. Nanak raised no objec-
tion but took up his duty with a regularity which was
an agreeable surprise to his sister. Nanak loved to
distribute the provisions: nay here he distributed
himself also. None begged at Nanak’s store-house
in vain, he lavished his goodness on every visitor.
The village folk here saw him and marvelled at the
wonder in his eyes.
The world thought the stores belonged to the
Nawab of Sultanpur. But what mattered that to
Nanak, the servant of the Nawab of Heaven and
Earth. It is said of him in a Punjabi proverb that God
gave him His stores and then forgot all about them;
key, lock and all with Nanak.
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82 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Once weighing out wheat-flour, counting the
weighings—“One, two, three.....till he reached the
number thirteen, “ITera’ which in Punjabi language
also means ‘Thine’, he forgot all counting and went
on weighing in ecstacy repeating Tera, Tera, Tera....
“Thine, Thine, Thine... .”
And the poor customer knew not how to carry
the bountiful gifts of this strange store holder.
After a time, Nanak was married, He led a
family life. He had two children. It seemed as if it
was the purpose of the Guru to demonstrate that the
household was a school in which self-love is exalted
into love for others and that to earn an honest living
was pre-requisite of godliness.
(10)
Nanak as Guru—The Divine Master: One day
they saw him going for a dip in the stream which
ran past the town. Casting his garments upon the
‘Shore of Life’ Nanak plunged into the Infinite. He
suddenly disappeared and was taken as drowned.
“‘He must have misappropriated both provisions and
proceeds, and being afraid of the consequence must
have put an end to his life,” the gossip-mongering
tongues lashed out in support of their seemingly
commendable prudence, which unfortunately for
them, did not appeal to the Nawab’s righteous mind.
The waters of the river were combed. Divers were
pressed into service. Search parties were organised,
but to no avail. In fact hope faded, dwindled and was
lost altogether.
At the end of the third day, Nanak reappeared
on the scene to the unending joy of the sorrowing
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citizens of Sultanpur. But he was now a completely
changed man with a divine glory on his face and
luminous halo around the head. Crowds gathered
around him. He was not Nanak now, but Guru
Nanak—The Divine Master, the World-Teacher.
The call had come, the much awaited call! Now he
was to go forth into the world as the Divine Messenger
to extirpate the agonies of a million furrowed brows
and innumerable groping hearts lost in the wilderness
of a dark, decadent world.
Nanak had, had a vision of the Infinite. The
vision had thrilled him:
“I was a minstrel of the Lord out of work,
The Lord gave me His appointment.
Thus spake Great God unto me
Night and day, sing ye my praises!
The Lord did summon this minstrel
To His most Exalted Court.
On me He bestowed the robe of honour of those who sing His glory.
On me He bestowed the Nectar in a cup,
The Nectar of His Eternal Holy Nam.
Those who at the bidding of the Guru
Feast and take their fill
Of the Lord’s Holiness
Attain Peace and Joy.
Thy minstrel spreadeth Thy glory
By singing Thy Word;
Nanak, by adoring the Truth
We attain to the All-Highest.”
(Guru Nanak: Majh ki var)
Translated
When Nanak came out of water, the words that
were on his lips, were: ‘“There is no Hindu, no Musal-
man”, meaning thereby that there is to be no distinc-
tion between man and man. ‘Hindu’ and ‘Muslim’
are our names for the ‘Mask’, behind the mask is
‘Man’. Nanak realized the unity of Hindus and
Muslims in the Man universal. Nanak’s was the
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84 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
religion of Man. The emphasis, in his message, was
not on rituals, ceremonies and dogmas, but on life, on
love of God and right action.
Nanak rose above philosophy and metaphysics,
above rites and rituals, above creeds and conventions,
above all nation-cults and all race-gospels to a vision of
thedeeds of love. ‘““God will not ask man’’, said Nanak
‘““Of what race and religion he belongs to. He will
but aks him ‘What have you done’? Deeds, not
creeds, is what Nanak asked of his disciples. Nanak
preached a religion for which men would live, a
religion which would illuminate lives, a religion of love,
service and sacrifice. Nanak’s vision of life embraced
all countries and all races and all times.
As Nanak had declared that there was no Hindu,
no Musalman, the Qazi of Sultanpur was furious. He
said, “The Hindus may not be the Hindus, but we
Muslims say our prayers five times during the day and
we are truly Muslims.” He then called for an
explanation from the Guru for his remarks. Thus
spoke Guru Nanak:
“Five prayers thou sayest five times a day
With five different names,
But if Truth be thy first prayer.,
The second to honestly earn your daily bread,
The third to share thy bread with others in the name of God,
Purity of mind be thy fourth prayer
And adoration of God thy fifth;
If thou practiseth these five virtues,
And good deeds be thine Kalma—the article of faith,
Then thou can’st call thyself truly a Muslim.
By mere hypocracy Nanak,
A man is deemed false through and through.”
(Guru Nanak)
Translated
As Nanak had pronounced that all men were the
the same and there was to be no distinction between
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man and man, thereupon the Qazi prevailed upon the
Nawab to ask Nanak to participate in the Namaz in
the mosque. Guru Nanak accepted the invitation,
but he stood silent during their prayer and did not
join the drill of the Namaz with the congregation. The
Qazi was angry and asked the Nawab to call for an
explanation.
Guru Nanak’s reply, however, stunned the Qazi,
the Nawab and the public alike.
“How could I follow the Qazi,” said the Guru,
“whose body was in prayer, but whose mind was
anxiously looking after the new born filly that it
might not jump into the well in his court-yard and
Nawab’s mind too was busy planning to buy horses
in Kabul. Both of you were absent-minded all the
while, when you were saying your prayer, so how
could I follow you?”
“It is a wonder’, the Nawab cried aloud to the
Qazi, “thou seest not, Khuda (God) speaketh to us
through Nanak?”
(11)
Gura Nanak on Divine Mission: Thus spoke
God unto Guru Nanak:
*Thou My Son be a World-Teacher,
Carry all over the world
The Torch of My Light and Truth.
I am in thee
My spirit is in thy soul and being,
My will is thy will.
The world is sunk in sin and wickedness
Without True Knowledge about Me and of My Love
People are ignorant of higher joys and bliss
They are all confused and perplexed
Their faith in spiritual life is shaken
Fergetting Me, the Creator
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They seek happiness in the creation
Go, reveal the True Path to humanity.”
Nanak meekly replied:
“Am I, O Lord, worthy of this great mission ?
I am but Thy humble servant, O Great God,
Could I carry such Light and Inspiration
As to change the outlook of the whole world?
Great is Thy mission Lord, so humble am I,
But I will obey Thy Command with all my heart,
Be Thou my Guide and my Voice, O Lord,
Be Thou my power and Light, O Eternal Father,
And may I ever abide in Thee O Lord.”
Nanak then set out for the regeneration of all
mankind on earth. He had to go out to the world on
long journeys, into the trackless lands around, mostly
on foot. His father Mehta Kalu came to counsel him,
but with no effect. His elder sister then appealed to
him to think of his family and not to leave them. She
brought his two little children before him who clasped
his legs. The Master replied, “My dear sister, huma-
nity is my family and serving it, I serve my Lord. These
children I leave in the care of Him who cares for all.”
She approached the Guru again and said, “O
divine one! What will be the condition of us disciples?
How shall we bear thy separation? How shall the
lotus-flowers (thy disciples) thou hast planted, live and
bloom without thee?”
“Sister dear,’ said the brother, “‘there is a call
from Heaven. I must go whither He directs me.
Many will obtain the life of the spirit if you forgo for
a while your own yearnings. I shall not be gone from
you. Whenever you think of me, I shall be with
you.”’
As he turned to go, his wife came and clung to
his feet. She sobbed and shed tears.
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The Master put his hand on her head and this
changed her despair into calm content.
“Go, my Lord and Master,” she said, bowing
“‘The world is in flames, go and quench its fire.”
Guru Nanak then left his home.
He dedicated his life to the service of Love. And
Love took him by the hand and led him on, from place
to place, to preach, to teach, to bear witness to the
Light Divine. Guru Nanak was filled to the brim
with Divine Love. And in far off countries, as in the
land of his birth, he revealed to prince and peasant,
to Hindu and Muslim, the shining truth of life, full
of love and light.
He undertook long journeys, mostly on foot to
propagate the truth he had. He went on to Ceylon
and other isles in the South, to Tibet in the North,
upto Indo-China in the East. He went to Mecca,
Baghdad, Bokhara and right up to Caucasian mountains
in the West. He came back by way of Afghanis-
tan. He travelled throughout the Northern Fron-
tiers of India and Kashmir. He travelled more than
Marco Polo. He thrilled the earth with his spirit,
and wherever he went he awakened the spiritual
consciousness of the ‘Religion of Man’.
Whosoever came to Guru Nanak, he was purged
of his out-dated views and fallacies. His genial,
heavenly smile overwhelmed all those who sought
him. They were wonder-struck and became speech-
less and, in an instant, were immersed in the Ocean of
Light.
Mere indulgence in high-brow philosophy, which
had become a religious mania of the learned in India,
was now considered of no merit. What was of supreme
significance was living a good life. And the hypocrisy
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of renunciation, the observances of fasts and vows of
celibacy were denounced. And the so-called yoga and
its feats were declared as far fetched and unbecoming.
When Truth dawns upon one, the absurdities of all
other systems no longer hold good.
(12)
Among the Lowliest and Lost: Guru Nanak
left Sultanpur accompanied by Mardana, his muslim
minstrel. He first halted at Saidpur, now known
as Emenabad. Nanak loved to stay with the
simple and the poor. There lived a poor carpenter of
low caste, named Lalo, who earned his living by the
sweat of his brow. Nanak called on him. Lalo was
sitting in the courtyard of his house with his back
towards the door and was busy with his work.
“‘Lalo’’, the Guru Said, ‘““What are you doing?”
“Yt am mending wooden pegs” said Lalo without
raising his head. He thought one of his friends had
asked him this question.
“What! Mending wooden pegs?’ The Master
asked, “‘Has life no better purpose, O man? Come,
ye must learn how to mend the mind.”
This touched Lalo. He looked up and stood erect.
He saw the Master, he bowed with great humility and
reverence, and, realized that all these years he had
been absorbed in mere trash. Surely life was meant
for something better. The Master looked at him
graciously and the simple unsophisticated mind of Lalo
was dyed deep in the colours of Divine Love and he was
a changed man.
Lalo’s love and devotion so overwhelmed the
Master, that he chose to stay with him for sometime as
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his guest. Here men gathered round him as moths
gather round a light.
The news that a saint was staying at the house of a
low caste carpenter reached Malik Bhago, the chief of
the town and a fellow caste man. He was corrupt and
wicked. He imposed many hardships on the poor and
extracted money from them by unfair and foul means.
Once, he was holding a sacrificial feast and had invited
all holy men to partake of his repast. He also sent a
servant to invite Guru Nanak. The Guru, however,
refused to accept the invitation. This sorely pained
Malik Bhago.
The Malik then sent his special representative to re-
quest Nanak to come, and when he came to his house,
he placed before him the nicest bread and choicest
dishes and said, ‘““Wherefore, leaving such dishes, O
holy man, you stay with a poor carpenter and eat
with a low caste man! You are a strange man!”
‘IT have no caste’’, said the Guru. He then looked
at those dishes, smiled and replied. I cannot partake
of your food, because your bread is ill-begotton and has
been made from blood sucked from the poor, O Malik,
while Lalo’s bread is made from milk, earned by
honest and hard labour.” This made the chief
very angry and he asked the Guru to prove his point.
At this the Guru sent for a loaf from Lalo’s house.
In one hand he held Bhago’s bread and in the
other that of Lalo’s. When he squeezed both, from
one oozed blood of the exploited poor and from the
other the sweet milk of honest labour and human
kindness.
At this Bhago was touched by a consciousness of
his guilt and repented his past mis-deeds and prayed
for mercy. The Guru asked him to distribute to the
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90 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
poor his ill-gotton wealth and henceforth to live an
honest life of love and service. Bhago was thus
regenerated.
When Guru Nanak was about to start on his
journey, Bhai Lalo wept like a child, clung to his feet
and wished that the Guru should ever stay there with
him. Separation was unbearable to him. But Guru
wanted him to pass on to a higher spiritual stage.
There was needed that weaning process whereby this
clinging to the Guru in person, would pass on into a
full realization of Guru’s inner presence in the realm of
the spirit by continuous ‘Simran’ leading to ‘Dhyanam’.
(13)
Guru Nanak with Sajjan Thag: After a long and
tiresome journey, the Guru happened to come to a
place where lived Sajjan (meaning a good friend), a
notorious assassin. The name of the man was as
deceptive as his house. Sajjan always dressed himself
in pure white and displayed his rosary. He posed
himself as a religious man, but he was a wolf in a
lamb’s skin. He had built a Hindu temple and a
Muslim mosque at his gate. He invited wayfarers to
his mansion to take rest for the night. But at night
the sleeping guests were Sajjan’s victims and their
goods, his property. Not one or two, but countless
travellers went in and never returned. The more
their wealth, the better love and care they got; and the
softer robes and cosier beds, but death with them they
brought.
Into such a knave’s den the Guru was invited.
Sajjan served the Guru with utmost devotion; for he
took him for a very rich jeweller. He saw the sparkle
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GURU NANAK 91
of a million jewels on the Guru’s forehead. Sajjan
greatly rejoiced thinking that a huge wealth would fall
to his hands.
When night fell Sajjan began to get impatient; for
the Guru tarried long before going to bed. He went in
to see his guest. ‘‘A little sleep will soothe your
limbs”, he ventured to suggest.
But the Guru said, “‘The time to rest for us is not
yet come, you may go and take rest if your limbs
require it. God’s minstrel does not go to sleep, till
God sends word that he should retire.”
The Guru then bade Mardana to play a tune on the
rebec and he sang a_ haunting melody that took
Sajjan on a novel trek.
“Bright sparkles the bronze,
But Rub it thou and its black comes off:
And a hundred washings cannot remove its inner blackness.
They are sajjans, they are true comrades,
Whose friendship bears the mark of sincerity,
Who stand by, in a friend’s hour of need.
Temple attractive in outer appearance but hollow within,
Deceitful disguises to cheat the world!
Houses and mansions decorated and painted
They will be of little use; they must crumble away.
Men clad in white, like herons wait for their victims
At places of pilgrimage and follow a nefarious trade.
How can then their whiteness proclaim their purity?
They are not Sajjan, they are not good friends.
They are like the ‘seemal’ tree that attracts birds,
By its brilliant flowers, but being without fruit,
It sends them away hungry and unsatisfied.
So men without virtue are like a tree without fruit
They blindly load themselves with sin
Knowing not that the road is long and dreary
And those heavy-laden with sin
Have to traverse the dreary road.
Blinded and without sight; they cannot ascend the heights.
Their service, and a hundred cunning crafts are of no avail
Cherish thou, O Nanak, God’s Name, that Thy bonds are snapped.
(Guru Nanak: Suhi 6-1-3)
Translated
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92 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Sajjan who was waiting to follow his nefarious
calling listened and as he listened, he realised that the
Guru’s words were addressed to him. The song
pierced through Sajjan’s guile and invaded his heart
straightaway, demanding repentance. Sajjan was
overwhelmed with consciousness of his misdeeds,
broken and crestfallen he fell at the Guru’s feet. Tears
flowed from his eyes and bathed the Master’s feet. He
repented from the depth of his heart and vowed to
abstain from sin evermore.
Repentance is not a mere repeating of a formula,
it is recognition of wrong and driving out the tendencies
that lead to wrong doing. Being washed with heavenly
music, a new consciousness welled up in Sajjan. He
cried like a child: “‘Lord, I have sinned grieviously.
Save me, Even me, O Saviour.”
“Be poor, Give away your ill-gotton wealth.”
said the Guru. “And abide in Nam—tThe Spirit of
Truth, the Eternal and All-pervading Divine Light.”
The Spark of Life that the Guru imparted to him was
embeded in his soul and henceforth he lived by it in
Dhyanam.
(14)
Guru Nanak at Hardwar: The Guru by slow
stages, after visiting many villages and towns on the
way, and instructing all those who came in touch
with him, atlast reached Hardwar.
Nanak discarded rotten traditions, fought against
ignorance and superstitions, and showed new paths.
So often, he came in conflict with orthodox opinion.
This time it happened to be with the learned
priests of Hardwar. He saw a multitude of people
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GURU NANAK 93
with priests throwing water towards the sun with the
right hands while they bathed in the Ganges.
With a faint smile on his lips and in a tone,
innocent of all pretence, Nanak asked them: ‘“‘O wise
men, what is it that you are doing?”
“We are offering water to our dead ancestors
in the Region of Sun ” said one of the priests, “‘to
quench their thirst’’.
“Is it so?” Nanak pondered for a while and
started throwing water to the West.
The pilgrims laughed and asked the meaning of
the ‘folly’. “I am watering my corn fields in my
village in the Punjab’, replied the Guru in a tone of
simple conviction.
The listeners were thoroughly amused and the
priest said triumphantly, “But how will the water reach
your fields, so distant from this place, O strange
of strangers?”
““How far are your ancestors from here?’”’ asked
the Guru, “‘Far above, inthe other world.” said one
of them.
“If the water I throw cannot reach my land,
which is on this earth, how can the water you throw
reach your ancestors who are no more of this earth
and no more troubled by the hunger and thirst of the
body?”
This set the people really thinking and they looked
at each other in dumb realization.
The crowd for a while stood spell-bound and
the Guru enlightened them and showed them the
path of truth. They all listened to him with rapt-
attention.
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94 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
(15)
Abolition of Slavery: In Rohelkhand, the Rohela
clan of the Afghans had settled in mountain tracts.
They were engaged in slave trade. Guru Nanak
purposely went towards that side. A Rohela horse-
man captured Guru Nanak and offered him for sale
in the market.
The Rohela chief purchased Nanak in exchange for
two Iraqi horses. The chief was called Mir. He took
Nanak with him to his place of residence and bade him
to bring a pitcher-full of water from the well. But the
well got dried up and water was to be found no where
in the vicinity. And the whole populace was grieved
and became panicky.
They soon realized that Nanak was no ordinary
person, but a man of God. The light in his eyes,
the radiance on his forehead, the fear-free peace and
serenity that marked his mien and the ineffable joy
that seemed to engulf his whole being, had a quick,
strange effect on the proud, stony-hearted chief and
his people.
The Mir said to Nanak, “Be merciful to me, O
holy man. I have sinned against thee.”
The Guru looked at the Rohela chief with eyes
full of profound pity, and said to him, “Thou hast
captured so many persons and reduced them to slavery.
Thou hast tortured men and women. So hast thou
forged chains for thee. Heavy is thy burden, O Mir!”
And the Mir said, “Forgive me, O holy man!
How may I and my people be saved?”
Nanak said, “O Mir! Thou hast set, alas, thy
house on fire and art asleep therein! Release all the
slaves you have, give away all the money thou hast
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gained by evil means, by exploiting the poor and
robbing the wayfarers, and abolish slavery forever.”
The beaming smile on the glorious face of the
Guru, reversed the whole position. Mir, the master,
became the slave and the slave became the Master.
Mir, at the bidding of the Master, set free all the
slave in the town and in the neighbourhood and then
water was again available. Thenceforth, Mir and his
people began to live a simple and honest life and
adoring Nam by day and night.
(16)
At the Temple of Jagannath: Preaching his
Gospel of Nam at Allahabad, Banaras, Kashi, Gaya
and many other places, Guru Nanak reached one day,
the famous temple of Jagannath at Puri.
It was evening, and the priests of the temple
prepared to sing their hymns to gods. They brought
a salver. In it were kindled many lamps and in the
salver were also put flowers and incence and the
pearls of the temple. And all stood to offer the same
to their enshrined idol-god. The ceremony is called
““Arati’”. An Arati is a song of invocation and
dedication, a hymn offering everything. The priests
sang, but in their song, alas, there was no breath of
love, no fragrance of faith.
The Guru paid no heed. After the ceremony,
the priests were very angry with him.
Then came Guru Nanak’s voice and all stood
listening in the stillness of the night. They listened
to his song as listened cowherd Gopikas of Brindaban
to Lord Krishna singing on the flute. The Guru sang
as sings a lyre of silvery strings. He sang of that
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96 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
deeper religion in which faith and reason meet each
other and offer their gifts to the One Divine Spirit.
ARATI of GURU NANAK
“The Heaven is Thy Azure salver,
The sun and the moon thy lamps,
Millions of twinkling stars are pearls scattered thereon in thy worship.
The whole firmament goes round and round Thee Beloved
The woods of sandal are offering incense to Thee
The winds move the royal whisk on Thee,
The million flowers of the forests lie as offering at Thy Feet!
O Lord of Light, Beloved!
How wonderful is this worship
O Thou destroyer of sufferings!
The Divine music at Thy gate resounds!
A million eyes hath my Beloved!
And yet no mortal eye!
A million Lotus-Feet are His!
And yet no mortal feet!
A million forms hast Thou
And yet no mortal forms, Beloved!
I die with joy of the perfume of His presence!
From His Light shines everything
By the beam of His Face the stars shine bright
And He is the soul, the life and the light of all.
My Arati is my waiting for things to be as He willeth.
When the Master comes and stands by, the Divine Light is revealed!
O Lord, my mind yearns for Thy Lotus-Feet,
As the honey-bee for the nectar of the flowers.
Night and day, Lord I am athirst like ‘sarang’ for the rain-drop
Give water of Thy Grace to Nanak
And let him repose for ever and ever in Thy Holy, Holy Nam.”
(Guru Nanak: Rag Dhanasri)
Translated
The Guru’s song vibrated the deep recesses of
their hearts and opened their eyes to Reality. After a
momentary pause, the Guru addressed the congrega-
tion: “The Lord of the universe cannot be set up and
worshipped in the forms of wooden statues or idols.
He is Formless and All-Pervading Spirit that lives for
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ever. It is He who creates, sustains and destroys.
The earth, the sun and the moon, nay the whole
universe and all the planets and millions of stars and
other solar systems are of His creation and all move
under His command and His control. It is His Light
which is in the sun and the moon and in each one of
us. Seek it within your hearts. It is by the Grace of
the Guru—the Divine Master that this secret Light is
revealed. This Divine Light is manifested in Shabd
or All-Pervading Nam. Therefore, take refuge in the
Lotus-Feet of the Lord. Salvation is attained by His
Grace.”
They stood in mute admiration and then the Guru
cast a sweet, loving look on them. It cleansed their
mind and awoke their souls. A new life throbbed in
them. They then began to live the life of active love,
service and of devotion to the infinite Lord of the
creation.
(17)
In the City of Kamroop: From Jagannath Puri
the Guru crossed over to Assam and reached the
city of Kamroop. This city was then ruled by a
woman of black magic. She had assumed the name of
Nurshah, the name of one from whom she had learnt
this art. She herself and her woman companions
practised black magic and exercised strange powers
over all in that locality. She fascinated and subordi-
nated many, by her spells, compelling them to dance
to her tunes. She owned the whole country around,
and many a mystic, and many a celebate and yogi had
fallen into her snares.
The Guru made himself comfortable under a tree
in the outskirt of the city, but Mardana, the Guru’s
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98 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
rebec player, who accompanied him in his missionary
travels all over, went forth into the city to get some food
for himself. He had not gone far when he encountered
a party of three gaily dressed women. Mardana fell
a victim to their machination. They served him with
delicious food and worshipped him, but ‘“‘made a lamb
of him.” He obeyed their signs and suggestions and
began to bleat and behave like a lamb. They put him
under their spell, he drank without water and ate
without bread. Under mesmeric influence he did all
that they commanded him to do.
Mardana was thus imprisoned by the witchcraft
of Nurshah and could not return to the Guru.
In the meantime the Guru saw what had happened
to his minstrel and he immediately started to save him
from torments.
Nurshah, the bewitching beauty of Kamroop,
saw him coming. She tried to captivate the Guru
with her charms, but her art failed her. She was
fascinated. She then brought all her silver, gold and
jewels and laid them at the Master’s feet and prayed,
“O great magician, accept me as _ thy disciple, teach me
thy magic.”
The Guru told her to take away her gold. ‘‘The
only treasure’, he said, “is the Name of God which
heals suffering hearts and gives perpetual peace of
mind.”
When she failed to tempt the Guru with her riches
even, she broke down and fell at his feet and prayed for
mercy and said, “Maharaj, we have been misled. We
followed the traditions of Toda tribe, to which my
master Nurshah belonged.”
‘That is why I have come to you to lead you to the
right path” said the Guru. “Listen:
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“The Light of the Lord shines
When we turn our mind to Him
When we discard evil doing,
And do what is good,
Misery vanishes,
And is replaced by happiness,
Nanak says serve Him
By serving Him all suffering is destroyed
He is the giver of all things.” (Translated)
She then repented and gave up practising magic
and as a reformed woman became a disciple of the
Guru. She released all her slaves and she herself
obtained freedom from ‘Self-hood’ in the song of
Nam.
After a short stay, the Guru departed leaving
behind an aroma of peace and awakened souls to
carry on his mission.
(19)
Kauda, the Cannibal: The Guru travelled many
a weary mile in the wilderness of Assam. His
companion, Mardana, felt very much tired, hungry and
depressed. At his persistent request, the Master
atlast stopped at a place and sat under atree. After
a little rest, Mardana exclaimed, ““You, O Guru, are of
God, neither hunger, nor thirst, nor fatigue affect you.
I am a mere mortal man. I must have food.” So
saying, he started to find something to eat.
Mardana had not gone far, when he was noticed
from a distance by a cannibal, who was on the look out
to capture a man for eating. He was delighted at the
prospect of a delicious flesh.
This cannibal was very notorious in that vicinity
and was known as Kauda. He took Mardana by
surprise and in an instant trussed him with rope that
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he carried. Kauda bound him hand and foot and
carried him to the spot where he had kept a big pan of
oil for frying the flesh of his victims. Kauda began
his preparation, lightening a fire under his pan and to
boil the oil in it.
Mardana saw all that and was extremely terrified.
He now prayed to the Guru to save him. The Guru
already knew of his distress and was on his way to get
him released.
Kauda was surprised when all of a sudden, the
fire under his pan went out. He tried again and again
to re-kindle it, but with the same result, and his pan
of oil began to cool.
Kauda looked up and there stood Guru Nanak.
This disconcerted Kauda. He was entirely bewildered.
The Master then looked at him compassionately
and said, ““Kauda! See-est thou not what thou dost.
Wilt thou cast thyself in the burning hell?”
Kauda, whose conscience was dead with heinous
crimes he had been committing, suddenly came to
himself, as if, he had arisen from amongst the dead.
All the sins he had committed, passed like a film before
his mental eye. He was shocked to see the record, of
his black deeds, that he carried. He was overwhelmed
with remorse and repentance. Immediately releasing
Mardana, he fell at the feet of the Master and prayed
for mercy.
“God is All-Merciful’’, said the Guru, ‘‘He for-
gives all those who sincerely repeat and abstain from
doing wrong.”
“IT will do as you bid me,” said Kauda, “‘pray
accept me as your disciple.”
“From now onward resolve to harm no one, be
merciful and kind and serve all those who need your
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service. Rise early before dawn and meditate on All-
Pervading and All-Merciful God, the Creator of us
all. Learn to love Him with all your heart and let
Hari-Nam sustain you in your life’, the Guru
instructed him thus.
Kauda’s heart, which was on fire of sins, and
boiling like oil in his frying pan, now became cool
and calm with the Guru-given Nam.
Kauda was converted completely and to the end
of his days acted as a devout disciple of the Master.
(20)
Renaissance of Bhai Mardana: Mardana was
a Mohammedan minstrel. He was enamoured with
the songs of Nanak, while he was still at Talwandi.
When Nanak came to stay at Sultanpur, he also
moved to that place.
At the time of Nanak’s marriage, Mardana asked
_ the bridegroom for a small wedding gift that may help
to keep him ever close to the Master.
Nanak gave him a rebec and said, “‘Wait till I call
you.” Mardana was called, and he never left the
presence of the “Divine Bridegroom”’.
Mardana, the Master’s rebec player, ever stayed
by his side through most of his travels, contributing
his own little part by plucking on the strings of the rebec
and diffusing haunting melodies that set to music
Nanak’s flood of spontaneous songs.
Mardana’s music mingled with Nanak’s enthralling
songs, and they in turn plucked at the strings of many a
human heart, creating a lasting impact on each.
Under the stars, under trees, on the raodside, in
forests, and on the eternal snows of the highest
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mountains in Central Asia, the Guru sang his hymns.
In his discussions with the countless varieties of Indian
and Eastern mystics and faqirs, the Hindus and the
Muslims, the Yogis and the ascetics, the princes and
the peasants, the rich and the poor in a thousand diff-
erent studies of man and nature, in a deep association
of silence with life, labour and love, the Guru sang his
soul out, as the rebec of Mardana played trembling
beyond itself.
The name of Mardana is so much associated with
the Master that we cannot think of Guru Nanak
apart from Mardana, playing by his side on the rebec.
‘““Mardana, play the rebec, the music of Heaven
cometh.” These are the first words of Guru Nanak
almost every time when he begins to sing a hymn.
Mardana is a blunt philosopher with all the wit
and humour of the Punjabi minstrel. He has been
often heard saying to the Guru: “‘O Guru, you live on
Heaven’s breath and whispers, but we men need food
and raiment. Please leave these forests, and let us go
to the haunts of men, where we may get something to
cure hunger.”’
The Guru smiles and says: “‘Mardana! have
faith, Keep calm. Wait and thou shalt see the
wonderful works of the Beloved.”
The daily accounts of his hunger and thirst, related
with all the confidence of his supreme love for the
Guru, are genuine items of prayer which a child of man
can utter to his God.
But now as Mardana got released from the clutches
of Kauda, he first thanked the Guru for saving him
from the horrible death. But after some time, he
insisted upon their going back home, and refused to go
any further.
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Like a child he became stubborn and he broke
off with the Guru, so much so, that he even refused
to speak to him, unless he agreed to return.
The Guru, however, treated him lovingly as to a
child and tried to console him, but Mardana did not
listen to him and refused to be appeased.
The Guru then gracefully looked at him and said,
*“Mardana! would you please speak and say if.in any
way or on any condition you could be reconciled.”
Mardana: “If you be so gracious then favour me
with Heaven’s Manna that I may have hunger and
thirst no more, and if you would forgive my wrongs and
love me out of my short-comings, and if I go astray,
you would set me right, and if I break off the ties with
you, you would re-tie the broken ties.”
The Guru said, ““Mardana! Heaven’s Grace be
upon thee.”
Mardana was thrilled, his mind became calm and
tranquil and blossomed out with flowers of perpetual
joy. In his heart arose millions of songs of rejoicing.
He realized that to live in tune with the Divine Will was
the greatest virtue and to be consenting to be His
forever and ever was the life’s fulfilment.
(21)
Home Coming: The Guru continued his journey
up to Indo-China, halting in the way at several places
and instructing all those who came in contact with him.
From Indo-China he wended his way back to the
Punjab, passing through many villages and towns and
kindling hearts ready to receive the Divine Light.
By slow stages he made his way to Talwandi, after
12 long years of absence from home.
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His aged parents, pining for him all the while, his
wife languishing in separation from him, were all
over-joyed to see him back home again, after such a
long time.
The news of his home coming went all over, quick
and fast. People came from far and near as moths
gather round a light in the rainy season. They
rejoiced in his company once again. For sometime
Nanak stayed at home. His family members and all
people over there were happy during his stay.
But before long Nanak again set out on his tour,
this time, of the villages and cities of the Punjab. As
he was about to depart, his father said to him, “My
son, why not stay at home and enter into the Govern-
ment service which is fairly easy?”
Nanak: ‘“‘Father! I have already entered His
service, I cannot serve another. I go whither He
directs me to go and I do as He bids me.”
Father: ““Who is your Master, we have not seen
him?”
Nanak: “‘Those who have seen Him have admired
Him. He is so great, so benevolent, so gracious that
He provides everything to me without my asking.”
Upon this, the Guru’s mother affectionately
addressed him: “‘My dear Nanak, go not away from
us. You need not do anything. You simply stay
on with us, live in your house with your family as of
old.”
Nanak: “‘God is my home, His Grace is my
family. His pleasure is my utmost riches. Mother!
He blesses me and His blessings are boundless. He
provides me with everything. I am forever happy in
Him.”
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(22)
The Guru in Leper’s Hut: The Guru was going
from village to village enlightening people, bringing
comfort to the sick, and hope to the hopeless.
It was a moon-lit night. The Guru called at the
hut of a leper at Depalpur. The Master said he would
be the leper’s guest for the night. The leper was
amazed to see such a glorious person coming to visit
him, as it was, the leper was shunned by everybody.
His own people had deserted him and had evicted him.
“Who are you?” said the leper.
The song flowed from the Guru as soft loving
light from the moon:
“It is but for a night, as the birds rest on the tree!
For, at the earliest dawn we go—no talk of me and thee!
A night on the roadside—a night and a day
It is but as the meeting of travellers on their way!
Each noisy bird passing from its branch, its bearing takes:
Then every bough is silent; we are flown as morning breaks!
How could the leper believe that he could have a
guest! He came out of his hut and saw the Master with
his own eyes. The song descended on the leper as the
moonlight clothed him with affection. The leper was
healed. The Guru blessed him and departed at dawn.
The song of Nanak lingered long in the heart of the
leper. Nanak sang:
“Sing ye the song of Divine Nam
And ye will know that suffering comes
When we forget Him, the Beloved!
Forgetfulness is the seed of suffering;
And suffering sets the heart on fire
We pass through a hundred fires,
Until we learn to sing the Nam,
And fever dieth down
And we are cool again!
Sing, brother leper! Sing
The song of holy Nam!
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(23)
Bhai Buddha: Guru Nanak was going from
village to village kindling those ready to receive the
Light with the torch of Truth. One day, as he was
sitting under the shade of a tree, people of the
villages around began to pour in large numbers for his
holy ‘darshan’. A little boy who was tending his
sheep in the field nearby, saw them coming and
going and gleaming with joy after visiting the Guru.
He thought that his mother would also come one day
to see the Guru and he would accompany her.
The boy went home. The next day he saw his
mother kindling fire. He observed that the smaller
twigs caught fire first and the bigger ones a little later.
He wondered why the smaller twigs caught fire first.
He thought, as such it was he who must first go to the
Guru and catch the glow from him and burn with
it. His mother then might follow a little later. Seeing
Guru Nanak, is like touching the Fire of Heaven and to
be kindled with it.
With this inward realization of wonder, the little
boy did go to Guru Nanak. At his sight he was
thrilled. His joy knew no bounds. The Guru called
the young boyto him. He heard his story and gave him
the title of Bhai Buddha—so young in age and so great
in wisdom.
What happened to Bhai Buddha, who can tell?
Common history gives corpses of events. It records
dead facts of the objective world. Who can report the
life of the spirit, the inner awakening?
The whole life of Bhai Buddha thenceforward was
a marvel. He lived wrapped in the “‘Dhyanam’ of the
Master. His lips ceaselessly repeated His Name. The
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whole firmament with its myriad twinkling lights
appeared to him going around in the worship of the
Beloved. His bosom throbbed like that of a bird that
thrilled a song. His hair stood in ecstacy. The bliss
of Guru Nanak, sent him reverberating with joy, endless
as the waves of a mighty ocean. He was content to
live a beautiful life like that of a lotus; doing without
knowing, the greatest service to life that pure beauty
could render. His half-closed eyes were shedding joy
all round.
Bhai Buddha lived wholly immersed in the Divine
and continued to see Guru Nanak in the form of five
Gurus succeeding him, up to the time of Guru Har
Gobind.
(24)
Duni Chand enters the Path of Discipleship:
The Guru once passed through Lahore. Duni Chand,
a big banker, was performing his father’s ‘Sharaddha’
ceremony. He invited the Guru to partake in the
celebration, but the Guru took the occasion to dis-
courage all such rites. He exposed the futility of the
‘“Sharaddha’ ceremony dependent on the supposed
intercession of a particular class, and showed there
was no merit in it. Duni Chand then saw a vision,
whereby he was convinced that what one sends to
the manes of his forefathers via priests can never
reach them. Such rites are mere customs performed
under wrong notions and blind faith.
One day, Duni Chand and his wife came to pay
their homage to Nanak, the Enlightened.
The Guru gave Duni Chand a needle saying,
“Duni Chand, keep it with thee and give it back to me
in the next world.”
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*‘Master! How can we carry a needle with us
beyond death.”” The couple asked in perplexity.
The Master then gracefully looked at the couple
and said, ““With what hope then art thou amassing all
this wealth? Of what use then, Duni Chand, art thy
millions to thee?”
Duni Chand and his wife were struck dumb.
Duni Chand became sad. His mind was so much
attached to his wealth that he could think of nothing
else, but of making money and money all the time.
He got suddenly awakened to a new consciousness, as
from a deep slumber of ages.
“Pray, then, tell us Master, what can we take with
us!’ said Duni Chand.
““The wealth of loving Him’’, said the Guru, “‘Hari
Nam will go with you.”
““How can we acquire that wealth?” asked Dunit
Chand.
“Just as you have this, if the Guru so pleaseth,
if he giveth the Grain of Life, the initial capital,
through His Grace.” said the Guru.
Duni Chand then humbly begged for that Spark
of Life that enlightences the mind. Duni Chand and
his wife both entered the path of discipleship. They
were transformed.
After enlightenment they spent most of what they
possessed for the service of the poor and needy and
devoted themselves to rememberance of God, conti-
nuously and lovingly.
(25)
The Parents Enlightened: The Guru in his
tour of the villages and cities of the Punjab spoke
to Hindus and Muslims alike. Wherever he went,
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people swarmed around him like bees round a
honeycomb. They listened to him with rapt attention
and received his Gospel of Nam in all sincerity.
After completing this tour, the Guru slowly made
his way to Talwandi. Rai Bular, the Nawab of
Talwandi was now too old and was eagerly longing
for a glimpse of his Saviour before leaving this world.
The Guru’s sister, at Sultanpur, saw Nanak’s home-
coming in her ‘dhyanam’ so she also started for Tal-
wandi and reached there a couple of days before the
arrival of her brother. Some other disciples of the
Master had also intuitively perceived that he was
moving towards his home and so they too set out for his
holy ‘darshan.’
It was late in the evening that Nanak reached
home. The Guru’s sister was the first to see him as he
entered the court-yard of the house. She was going
to rush out to meet him, but kept back; so that his
father and mother might meet him first. She then ran
into the house to give the happy news to her parents.
Mehta Kalu’s joy knew no bounds. He hastily
came out. Nanak respectfully bowed to his father,
and he took him in his embrace with great affection.
In the meanwhile Nanak’s mother, Tripta, also came
up. Nanak touched her feet and lovingly said,
“Mother! I have come.” She kissed him, hugged
him. Tears rolled down from her eyes and fell on
Nanak’s cheek.
“Have you met the sister?”’ she asked.
Nanak: “She remains in touch with me always,
but otherwise I have not met her yet.”
“Come girl, meet your brother now.”’ Tripta said.
Nanaki, who was standing by and delightfully
watching the meeting of her parents with their son after
39
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long separation, now stepped forward. She, who
considered Nanak as the Guru, wanted to bow and pay
her homage to him, but the Guru did not allow her
to do so. He just held her up, while their mother
affectionately took both of them in her embrace.
The news of Nanak’s arrival went around quick and
fast. Neighbours and all the people of the vicinity
gathered there in no time and they joyously illuminated
Mehta Kalu’s house and showered flowers on the
Guru to welcome him home.
Rai Bular, as soon as he heard the good news,
hurriedly came for the ‘darshan’ and to pay his
homage. The Guru out of regard for his age and
position went forward to receive him. The Nawab
tried to fall at the Guru’s feet, but the Master held
him in his arms. The Nawab said, “Let this pride
of Nawabship be cast out of me, before I die.”
In a few days, Bhai Lalo, Bhagirath and some
other disciples also arrived from outside. Daily
‘Satsang’ (holy congregations), ‘Kirtan’ (Musical
recitation of the hymns) were held and the Guru
showered his blessings on one and all, but upon Rai
Bular, he bestowed the gift of highest spiritual reali-
zation, the gift of Salvation and Eternal Bliss.
Mehat Kalu, in spite of his having seen and heard
so much about the spiritual greatness of Nanak, still
considered that his son was wasting his days in unpro-
fitable engagements and in roaming about abroad.
So one day, seeing Nanak sitting alone, he came and
sat by him and said, ““Nanak, my dear son, I am
now old and may pass away any day to the other
world. You have to take my place as the head of the
family. Now, you have seen enough of the world,
you should not anymore go away from home, but
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should stay here from now on, and take care of the
family.”
Nanak smiled and said, “My dear father, what
you Say is right, but I have been sent here by my Master
and everything is in His Hands. I do what my Master
commands me to do. I am not an ascetic, not a
recluse, not a yogi and not a house-holder either.
I am but a servant of the Supreme Lord. I go thither
He directs me to go.”
Just at this time, Tripta, Nanak’s mother also
came in and sat by the side of her son.
Mehta Kalu then said, ““The parents have a
right on their son and no one else can have a
greater claim than them. Who is your Master, under
whose command you leave us and your home and go
abroad?”
Hearing this, the Guru kept quiet, his eyes
spontaneously closed, he began to look inwardly at
the Divine in the self. His face began to glow. A
strange light was seen around his head. Kalu and
Tripta were both amazed and became speechless.
After a good while, the Guru opened his eyes and
looked towards his parents, as he had never looked at
them before. And he uttered, “Dhan Nirankar’—
Wonderful Lord! Lord Thou art Wonderful, Hail
my Beloved Master! Waho! Waho!”
To-day was the first day that Kalu was moved.
The veil of worldliness, that was hiding the Truth from
him, was as if lifted. He now realized that under
delusion of ‘Maya’ he had considered himself as the
father and Nanak as his son. But in reality there was
no father and noson. He now saw his real self as only
a seeker of Truth, in quest of the path of devotion and
love leading to salvation, and the one sitting before was
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the Guru, the Giver who could bestow the life of the
spirit. It is through his Grace that one sees the pre-
sence of God everywhere.
The Guru then spoke to Kalu: ‘‘There is but One
Divine Spirit (we call Nam) pervading throughout the
creation. This universe itself is the manifestation of
the same Divinity. He is the One-in-All and All-in-
One. He is the Creator and Eternal Reality. He is
the Light of all hearts. By the Light, that is of God,
is every soul illuminated and sustained.
Those facing towards Nam—the Divine Spirit,
get peace and bliss, while those others who turn away
from Him suffer torments. Just as those who are
close to fire in winter remain warm and those that are
away from it are exposed to cold.
It is the veil of egoism that does not allow us to see
the Reality. In darkness of Maya our minds waver and
blindly run after sense objects and evil desires and
this in strain brings sufferings. Without Nam, this
restive mind has nothing to rest upon and its hunger
cannot be appeased. It is by loving rememberance
of God, by thought, word and deed and by singing His
praises, under conditions of complete surrender to His
Will that will effectively demolish the wall of ‘haumain’
(ego) which forms an impregnable barrier between the
soul and the Supreme Soul. As God is Formless,
we do not see Him with these eyes. It is only when the
True Guru comes and stand by, that the Divine Light
is revealed.”
The Guru again said, “Dhan Nirankar’—Hail
Lord, Thou Formless Creator, Thou art Wonderful!
At this one utterance of ‘Dhan Nirankar’ by the
Guru, Mehta Kalu and Tripta both realized as if the
whole nature with its myriads tongues, the leaves of the
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forest and blades of grass with countless voices were
all uttering ‘Dhan Nirankar’ ‘Dhan Nirankar’ and
every pore of their skin sentforth with it a strain with
the music of His Nam.
After a good while remaining in that state of
ecstasy Tripta said, ““O Thou Master of Heaven and
Earth! Why did you not reveal this vision to us the
very first day. Under great delusion, all this while,
we had with you the attachment of filial love, while
you had come from Heaven above.”’
After a few days, there was again a call from
Heaven. The Guru got ready to depart again on
his divine mission. His father now understood
full well that he was going on the work of Him, Who
is the Father of all and his going will bring peace and
comfort to many others, if we forego our yearnings.
So they gladly submitted to the Divine Will.
(26)
The Guru in Sangladeep: In his second missio-
nary expedition, the Guru travelled far to the
South. He visited Rameshwar, Kanya Kumari and
many other places on the way. He also went across the
sea to Sangladeep and other isles.
Shiv Nabh was the Raja of Sangladeep. He was
pining for the Master.
Bhai Mansukh, a trader from the Punjab, and a
disciple of Guru Nanak, had been to Sangladeep in
connection with his business and long before the
Guru’s visit. His personality had stirred the city.
He had told the Raja all about Guru Nanak, his
wonderful power of leading people to the true path
and conferring salvation.
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One day, he spontaneously uttered ““Wahe-Guru”
Hail Lord, Thou art Wonderful! Lord! in such a
frame of mind, that it pierced the Raja’s mind and
awakened in him, love for the Guru.
The Raja asked Mansukh how he could meet the
Guru. Mansukh replied, “Rise early before dawn
and meditate upon:—
“There is but ONE God—Manifested and Unmanifested One,
The Eternal and All-Pervading Divine Spirit,
The Creator, the Supreme Being,
Without fear, Without enmity,
Immortal Reality,
Unborn, Sel-Existent,
He can be realized
Through the Grace of the Guru.”
And he said, “If you earnestly pray for the Guru
to reveal himself to you, he shall not fail to respond to
your prayers.”
Every morning Shiv Nabh meditated and prayed
as instructed by Mansukh. Many a person came and
claimed to be the Guru, but were found to be charlatons.
Days ran into months, months into years, but the
Guru did not appear. But as the time went on, Raja’s
love and longing for the Guru became deeper and
deeper. Sitting alone by himself on the sea-shore, the
Raja would pour out his heartfelt feelings:
“J pant for thee, O Divine Master!
Passes not my night,
My eyes know no sleep
When shall I see the Lord,
Ages, not days have gone by
And the rain-bird has no drop of nectar
Blessed is the land,
Where thou dwellest!
Poignant is my sorrow
As that of the rain-bird that cries for the cloud
Always thirsty! Restless am I,
O Beloved Guru for the sight of thee.”
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Time‘rolled on.
One day news was brought to the Raja that a holy
man, with a rare glory beaming on his face, had arrived
and taken his seat in the old neglected garden, and that
as soon as, he had set his feet therein, the withered trees
sprouted into green foliage.
But some sadhus, who were unredeemed within,
had previously posed themselves as the Guru, and had
tried to deceive the Raja, so he had chalked out a plan
of his own to test the visitors before he could bow his
his head to any one of them. Notwithstanding what
had been reported about the holyman, he still
ordered that two of the prettiest young dancing girls be
sent to tempt and seduce the new comer with their
wiles.
The girls, dressed in very light gay garments, full
of laughter and mischief, carrying baskets of flowers
and proud of their beauty and the magic of their pas-
sionate enchantments and sure of their conquest, entered
the garden. But no sooner did they come in the garden,
they lost all their charms and were robbed of their
artful ways. An indescribable calmness possessed their
minds and they walked humbly towards the place where
the Guru had his seat. They bowed to him in all
humility and sat respectfully at a distance from him.
They sat for a while spell-bound like statues and with
their minds freed of all evil thoughts.
The report was sent to the Raja that the girls not
only failed to seduce the visitor, but they had been
themselves transformed under his spell.
Hearing this, the Raja was overtaken by remorse
and repentance for the disrespect and irreverence he had
shown by putting the Divine Master to the test. But
without a pause, he hurried to the Guru, as if he was a
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116 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
piece of iron attracted by magnet or a rivulet
speedily rushing on to the sea.
He saw the Master. His mind, instantaneously,
became cool and calm. Spontaneously he fell at the
feet of the Guru. The Guru placed his hand on his
head and blessed him. Fora while he remained ina
trance. The Guru then lifted him and gracefully looked
at him.
O! Who can describe the ecstatic joy that dawned
upon him. Bliss! Bliss! Transcendent bliss, when the
Lotus Feet of the Master he kissed. All his hunger was
appeased, all fires quenched. No more sin, no more
sorrow, no more suffering, no more sickness for him.
Peace, Beatitude and Felicitations from Heaven filled
his mind.
The whole city flocked to the garden to see the
Guru. It was about sun-set now. The Raja begged
the Guru to come to his palace and sanctify the same by
his holy presence and stay over there. But the Guru
said to the Raja that he would go only to a Dharam-
sala, which was then quickly built. The Guru held
daily congregations in the Dharamsala and preached
his divine mission there. Many persons were enlight-
ened.
All the people of the town entered the path of
discipleship.
(27)
Nanak in Kashmir: In his third missionary
expedition, the Guru went through the beautiful valley
of Kashmir. People flocked to him wherever he went.
There lived at Srinagar a very learned Pundit.
His name was Brahm Dass. He always had three
camels following him, loaded with volumes of ancient
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GURU NANAK 117
wisdom. He learnt that a great Teacher had arrived
and many a man that had gone to him were transformed.
Brahm Dass at first decided to visit the Guru, but then
his pride of learning kept him away.
One day, he went to see one of his friends, Kamal,
a Mohammedan faqir, who lived in the forest near
the great lake. Brahm Dass mentioned to him of the
arrival of the strange visitor in the valley.
Kamal was a very pious Pathan with glowing eyes
and a seeker of Truth. He was an old man now, and
looked at himself as at the setting sun. Kamal, who
has been yearning for the life of the Spirit and pining
for that celestial goodness which comes to man only
through the Grace of God, so he immediately sought
the presence of Nanak, fell at his feet and fainted with
Joy. \ . °
As he rose, he found in his own heart the Light he
had been seeking invain in the forests. Kamal followed
the Master. Nanak asked him to settle in the Kurram
valley. It was from there that the song of Nam
spread to Kabul, Qaundhar and Tirah.
Brahm Dass came atlast, followed by his camels,
loaded with books. He wanted to have a discussion
in his lore with the Guru and boasted of his great
learning. The Guru said:
“One may read cartloads of books,
With caravan-loads of books to follow;
One may study boatloads of books
Or fill cellers with volumes of his study,
One may read for years and years
And spend every month in the year in study only:
And one may read all one’s life
Right up to his last breath,
Yet, Nanak, there is one Truth that matters
All else is vanity and vexation of the egoistic mind.”
(Guru Nanak: Asa di Var)
Translated
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118 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
“Knowledge which partakes of the darkness of self
is of little avail’’, said the Guru, “pride darkens man’s
vision. This I-am-ness is the greatest barrier and
unless the man gets rid of it, he cannot grasp the
Truth and there can be no peace of mind.”
The Truth struck home. ‘Forgive me, O
Teacher,’ he exclaimed “‘I have read sacred books and
have acquired academic knowledge of all the six
schools of philosophy, but I must confess I have found
no peace. Pray tell me how I can get it.”
You had made your mind a begging bowl and
stuffed it with crumbs of bread of learning begged
from door to door, and filled it with the pieces that fell
to youfrom every house of learning; this made you
heavy and feel proud that you were a Pundit—scholar.
Unless this bowl of your mind is turned upside down
and cleansed of the dirt of learning, the glow of life
cannot come and there can be no celestial vision and
no peace of mind.”
Brahm Dass then fell at the feet of the Master,
leaving all pride, and exclaimed, ‘‘Save me O Lord!
I was in darkness and a sinner. Give me Light and
bestow on me the peace you bestowed on Kamal.”’
*‘Mardana!”’ said the Guru, “‘Play the rebec, the
music of Heaven cometh’’:
“Blessed is the disciple that hath met the Master!
He is gay as the face of earth adorned with flowers and leaves,
He seeth this world, the garden of Beauty, in full bloom!
All lakes are brimful of nectar.
He is made divine and rich in colouring as a garment dyed with madder
dye,
The Mystic body of the Master has melted into his silver limbs
And the Lotus of Life burst in full blossom in the heart-lake of the
disciple.
The whole world cries as the antelope caught in a hunters trap,
Fear and pain and thirst and hunger crowd from all sides,
But blessed is the disciple that hath met the Master!’’
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GURU NANAK 119
The Guru gave him the celestial vision, Brahm
Dass entered the path.
He was given the authority to distribute amongst
the folk of the Kashmir Valley the Divine Riches given
by God.
(29)
Guru Nanak to Kailash and Mansarowar: From
Srinagar the Guru travelled into lower Tibet and met
many a Buddhist monk in their monasteries, and they
profited much by his teachings, and were enriched by
his wisdom. The Lama said to the Guru, “Your
words are like shafts of light, which illumine the dark-
ness of the mind.”
In due time the Guru reached the Lake of
MANSAROWAR, high up in the mountains of Tibet,
where Sidhas or master-yogis had their abode.
There he also met many yogis who being afraid of
the political chaos in India had taken refuge in the
mountains. The Guru condemned them because when
they were needed to guide oppressed humanity, they
were hiding there. The master yogis asked Guru Nanak
about the conditions prevailing in India and how the
people of the country were faring. Guru Nanak told
them, that falsehood overshadowed the land and the
Moon of Truth could be seen no where. The kings
were like butchers, justice had taken wings and flown
away. People were ignorant and groaning under
political atrocities. And he said, ‘“‘Nathji, who is there
now to lead the people to better ways of life, if sidhas
have concealed themselves in mountain retreats’’.
At Mansarowar Lake, and then again at Achal
Batala, the Guru had long discussions with the Yogis.
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120 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
He brought home to them that the life of indifference
that they were leading was a sullen and disconsolate
creed and a negative attitude towards life. These dis-
cussions known as “‘SIDH GOSHAT”’ were later recorded
by the Guru himself, when he settled down at Kartarpur
after his missionary expeditions. A few stanzas of
‘Sidh Gosht’ translated from the Holy-Book are
given hereunder:
SIDH GOSHT
Charpat Yogi aks: “The great sea of life is hard to cross, pray tell us how to
get safely across it.”
Nanak answers: “Good man, thou hast rightly put the question, hear then
the answer that of:
“As the lotus flower floats in the lake
And is uneffected by waves,
As the swan swims in it
And is not drenched by water.
So with the mind
Intent upon the Divine Word
Repeating the Holy Name
One can safely cross the sea of life.
Living apart,
Keeping God alone in Mind
Remaining unattached and desireless
In the world of hopes and desires
One can know the unknowable,
Comprehend the incomprehensible
Such a one is self-realized
And can make others realize the Truth
Nanak is his servant.”
(Stanzas 4 & 5th)
Yogi: “I beg to request thee
Master! If you don’t mind,
Pray tell us how to find such a Guru
Who can make us realize the Truth.”’
Nanak: “To the true seeker God Himself brings in contact with
the Master-Spirit
The restive mind then gets peace in the song of Nam
And abide in Truth!”
(Stanza 6th)
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GURU NANAK 121
Loharipa Yogi
Intervenes : “No, I tell you the way of Yoga
Keep off the towns and shun highways
Live in forests under trees,
Upon wild fruits, flowers and roots
The yogi must live the contemplative life of a recluse;
For purification of mind, he must go and bathe at the
sacred places
Know ye, this is the old established path of Yoga.”
(Stanza 7th)
Nanak: “Even while living in towns and near highways
Remain vigilant.
Let your mind not waver,
Nor covet another man’s wealth or wife;
But O adept!
Without Nam
This restive mind has nothing to rest upon
Its hunger cannot be satiated.
As the Guru hath shown,
The real life of the city,
The real life of its markets
Is a life within us
Where we trade in Truth.
And then as a matter of course
We eat little and sleep little,
This, saith Nanak,
Is the essence of the whole thought.”
(Stanza 8th)
Loharipa
Expostulates : “But Yoga is a system,
Let you adopt the same;
Wear the patched coat and jade earings
And have a beggar’s wallet
And be called Yogindra.
Out of the six systems,
The system of Yoga is the best.
Out of the twelve sects of Yogis,
Join ours the leading one.
Thou hath said, that
Only those whom God enlightens comprehend Him;
But I say control thy mind by my rules
And thou canst attain Yoga.’
(Stanza 9th)
Nanak: “To abide constantly on the Divine Word within
Is my system that I have adopted;
To discard ego and attachment
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122 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Is my way of wearing earings;
To see God in everything
Is my patched coat and wallet.
To leave lust, anger and pride
Is my path that I follow.
Only God can make us free.
The Lord is the Truth;
Truth is His Name
This the Lord hath made clear to me,
He who will, may test it.”
(Stanza 10th)
Another Yogi
Questions: “What is the source of thy system
And when did it start?
Who is the Guru, of whom thou art the disciple?
What teachings keepeth thee detached?
Speak out Nanak
Explain to us, my child,
How canst the Word ferry us across?”
(Stanza 43rd)
Nanak: ““My system began
With the beginning of the breath of life.
Its source is the Wisdom of the True Guru.
The Primal Guru is the Word (Eternal All-Pervading
Divine Spirit)
And the intentive mind is the disciple.
One remains unattached to worldliness
By pondering over the One Divine Word,
That lives forever from age to age.
Meditating on Divine Spirit
The *‘Gurmukh’ destroys the flame of egoism
And crosses over the sea of life.”
(Stanza 44th)
Another Yogi: **How can the steel be chewed with waxen teeth?
What is that food, by eating which pride is removed?
How shall we dress a snow man in fire?
In what cave mind can be set at rest?
What is it that is everywhere,
With whom every mind should be at-one?
What object of concentration
Can turn the mind to itself?”
(Stanza 45th)
Manak: ‘*True the world is as hard as steel
For the stubborn and self-willed folly,
But, through the might of the Word
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GURU NANAK 123
The steel can be digested.
It is not the food, but the fear of God, that removes pride.
If the True Word indwelleth in the heart
The mind becomes cool and peaceful
And is dyed in the colours of love.
Destroy the inner fire of lust and anger
Rather than acquire power to bear outer fire
This fire is extinguished by the Grace of the Master.
One who ponders over and over again
“On the Guru’s Word, he realizes the One,
He lives in the “Cave of Peace’’, where mind is at rest.
Outside thyself and within thyself feel His presence
And from within, from within
Make the self as naught as naught
Remove all feelings of otherness
And become at-one with God.
But this stage is attained, O Yogi!
By the Grace of the Guru.”
Nanak : “Without serving the True Guru,
There can be no Yoga;
Without meeting the True Master
There can be no salvation.
Without contacting the Divine Master,
Nam cannot be realized;
Without meeting the True Guru,
The man suffers much (in transmigration),
Without meeting the Divine Master,
The man remains in egoism and darkness;
Without the Guru,
The man dies as one defeated in life.”
(Stanza 70th)
Epilogue: “Lord Thou alone knowest Thyself,
(Nanak) Who else can describe Thee?
By Thy Will, Thou revealeth Thyself or remaineth unknown.
Care-free, Thou enjoyest All-in-All
These novices in Yoga, the Sidhas and the Master Yogis
And many of their disciples had remained seeking Thy
commandment during these periods.
But now by Thy Will
These mendicants beg of me, Thy servant,
The alms of Thy Nam
They beseach for this gift
And they are a sacrifice to the Gospel of Thy Nam.
The Everlasting Lord Himself
Hath arranged this play,
This the saints realized.
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124 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
God Himself grants His dispensations from age to age
He is All-in-All
We know no other one.”’
(The last stanza 73rd).
(30)
Gorakhmata comes to be known as Nanakmata:
The Guru travelled from Kailash and Mansarowar
towards Almora and somewhere in the lap of the
glaciers he met another party of Sidhas and Yogis.
They received the Guru with great courtesy and
invited him to adopt their cult, wear their garb and
join in as a Yogi.
The Guru told them that the secluded life that was
not in the service of their fellow beings was worthless.
The Guru explained to them; and said:
“Yoga lieth not in wearing the Yogis’ garb
Not in the staff on which he leans
Nor in the ashes the Yogi rubs on his body.
Yoga lieth not in earings, the Yogi wears
Not in the shaven head
Nor in the blowing of conch shell.
Live amidst the world pure and free of vice.
You will then be on the path to wherein truth lies.
Not by discussion is Yoga done,
It is life, which looks equal on all men
Yoga is not by graves or glaciers to squat,
Or to sit in contemplative postures on mats;
To wander about in lands abroad is not Yoga
Nor bathing at sacred places.
Live midst the world, pure and free of vice,
You will then be on the path to wherein truth lies.
Only True Guru’s company can break
All bonds and make man free,
And it is then that blinds come to see,
And in heart true yearning for God grows
Within one’s house then the truth one knows.”
(Translated)
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Guru Nanak in his missionary travels had to
contend with yogis at several places. They predomi-
nated in the religious life of those days. The Yogis
or Naths, as they were called, were ascetic nomads
wearing mendicant garbs. Their creed was an amal-
gam of Shaivism, Yoga partly of Patanjli and partly
Hath-Yog and Vedantism.
These recluses, by corporal mortifications, were
supposed to have acquired certain powers. Some of
them could bury themselves under ground and yet
keep alive through breath control.
Exploiting their physical discipline and the
religious garb, they performed such tricks which were
taken for miracles by the onlookers. Naturally these
tricks had a great fascination for the average mind.
People from far and near heard of them and their
popularity was therefore widespread. Their blessings
were eagerly sought by the householders and their
curses avoided at all costs.
The Guru then wended his way through Almora
to the forests in the area, which is now included in the
district of Pilibhit and reached another abode of
Yogis, known as Gorakhmata. He sat at a little
distance from their residence under a soapnut tree and
preached his Gospel of Nam to them. The Guru
taught them that the vesture of the body and the
symbols of denominations were of no account, nor
could the desire die with leaving household. The inner
change, the true conversion, can take place anywhere,
more likely under the strain and stress of the perfor-
mance of ordinary duties of a householder, which
constantly call for self-denial, and sacrifice, than by
abandoning the ‘school’ of life and wandering into the
desert lands and visiting places of pilgrimage. The
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126 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
secret of Yoga—union with God, is to be discovered
by remaining in the world without being effected by it.
The Yogis said, ‘““Master! The fire of desire is not
quenched even by endless subjection of the body to
discipline. Pray, tell us a simple way to quench it.
The Guru said:—
“Destroy the feeling of ‘I-am-ness’
And with it the sense of separation,
Destroy the sense of duality and attain oneness.
The path is hard for ignorant and egotistic
But those who take shelter in the Word, are absorbed in it.
He, who realizes that both within and without is He,
His fire is quenched by the Grace of the Guru.
O friend, sayeth Nanak destroy the poison of passion,
And the fire of desire, and win the favour of the Beloved.”
All the Sidhas and Yogis at Gorakhmata were
converted and entered the path of discipleship.
Gorakhmata then came to be known as NANAKMATA.
The branch of the soapnut tree, under which Guru
Nanak sat and preached his Gospal, came to have
sweet fruits. And it is sweet up to this day, while the
rest of the same tree bears bitter fruits. Soapnuts are
always very bitter, but those of the branch under which
Guru Nanak sat are sweet.
(31)
Guru Nanak Visits Mecca: The Guru after a
fairly long sojourn at Kartarpur started on his fourth
Missionary Expedition and this time he went to
Mecca. The Guru, dressed in the blue costume of
the Hajis, with a staff in one hand, a Muslim ablution
cup in the other and a book under his arm like the other
pilgrims, went to Jeddah by sea, and thence to Mecca,
the holy city of the Muslims.
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At night he slept in the stone-paved premises of the
shrine, with his feet inadvertently towards Kaaba—
the House of God. A devotee from India, Jiwan by
name, who had settled in Mecca; while on his nightly
rounds to clean the precincts of the holy place, came and
saw an elderly stranger sleeping with his feet towards
the Kaaba. He informed the priest that a pilgrim was
committing a great sacrilege by turning his feet
towards the House of God. The priest in high
dudgeon rushed to where the Guru was sleeping.
Jiwan, enraged, as he was, now gave a kick
while the priest asked, “‘Who is this infidel, lying with
his feet towards the House of God?”
Loud and harsh were his admonitions and he
called down all the curses in fury.
But calm and quiet was the ‘trespasser’. He said
that he was very weary, and entreated them to turn
his feet in the direction where the House of God was
not.
Jiwan rudely dragged his legs towards another
direction. To their utter bewilderment, to whichever
direction they turned the Guru’s feet, they saw Kaaba
in the same direction. They stood spell-bound and
this opened their eyes. They realized that God was
not confined into any one place, however holy it
might be. God is everywhere and not imprisoned in
any temple or mosque.
The Guru then rose and with a radiant face and
with eyes that beamed peace, he looked at them.
They bowed to him and humbly begged his pardon.
Next morning, people flocked round Baba Nanak.
On learning that Nanak had come from Hindustan,
they questioned him whether he was a Hindu or a
Muslim.
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128 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Guru Nanak’s reply to this vexed question was that
he was neither a Hindu nor a Muslim, but he was of
Him, who is One without a second, who is the Master
of all the creation and who pervades everywhere, whom
no birth can envisage and no death can take away.
The Hajis from India, who were bent upon
establishing the religion of the Man of God, then asked
him, ‘“Who is the Superior of the two, the Hindu or
Muslim?”
Guru Nanak told the pilgrims that, without
good deeds, both will repent. The superiority lies in
deeds and not in mere formal creeds. Without love
of God and purity of life mere creeds were like broken
reeds. To live in tune with the Divine Will was the
greatest virtue and consenting to be His forever and
ever was the fulfilment of life.
The chief priest was a seeker of Truth. As he
heard what had happened, he hastened to the Guru in
the hope of getting some glimpses of the Eternal
Light. The Guru gave him instructions in the art of
true living—to practise to live in His presence day
and night and to glorify the Lord and thereby to
rub out from the tablet of the mind the dirt of sins
and polish it into the brightness of a mirror. The
Divine Light that is already there in every heart
would be reflected then, and man would realize the
presence of God.
(32)
Guru Nanak at Baghdad: From Mecca, the Guru
proceeded to Medina and from Medina to Baghdad:
At Baghdad, Nanak discoursed with Bahlol, a
renowned Muslim saint. Bahlol drank deep at Nanak’s
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GURU NANAK 129
perennial spring of spirituality. He asked him about
Truth, the Path and Peace Eternal.
Bahlol was Nanak’s forever.
At last, fascinating the saints of palmgroves,
fakirs of rose gardens, the people of Arabia, Iraq and
Persia, our Lord returned to the Land of Five Rivers.
They say that Bahlol passed sixty long years at
the foot of the slab, where the sacred feet of Guru
Nanak had rested during their discussions.
Bahlol, lonely and devoted, sat wholly absorbed
in Nam when the Shah of Persia came and bowed
down to the very feet of the disciple of Nanak and
exclaimed: “If he is only the disciple, how will be his
Master, Nanak himself.”
A Shrine built in Guru Nanak’s memory, still
stands in the outskirts of Baghdad. On reading the
Arabic inscription on the slab in the shrine and touching
the holy slab, Shri Ananda Acharya of Sweeden went
into an ecstacy and wrote the following poem, which
appeared in his book: “Snow Birds’ (published by
Macmillan & Sons London.):
“Upon this simple slab of granite didst thou sit,
discoursing of fraternal love and holy light,
O Guru Nanak, prince among India’s holy sons,
What song from the source of the Seven Waters
thou didst sing to charm the soul of Iraq!
What peace from Himalaya’s lonely caves and forests
thou didst bring to the vine-groves and rose-gardens of Baghdad!
What light from Badrinath’s snowy peaks
thou didst bear to illumine the heart of Bahlol the saintly Persian
disciple!
Eight fortnights Bahlol hearkened to thy
words of Life and the Path and Springs Eternal,
while the moon waxed and waned in the pomegranate
grove beside the grassy desert of the dead.
And after thou hadst left him to return to the
the beloved Bharat’s land, the Fakir, it is
said would speak to none nor listen to the
voice of man nor angel;
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130 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
His fame spread far and wide and the Shah came to pay
homage—but the holy man would take no earthly
treasures nor hear the praise from kings and courtiers.
Thus lived he—lonely, devoted, thoughtful—for sixty winters,
sitting before the stone whereon thy sacred feet had rested;
And ere he left this House of Ignorance he wrote these
words upon the stone:
Here spake the Hindi Guru Nanak to Fakir Bahlol, and
for these sixty winters, since the Guru left Iraq,
the soul of Bahlol has rested on the Master’s Word,
like a bee poised on a dawn lit honey rose.”’
Yet another shrine has been discovered in Iraq.
It seems to have been re-erected by the king Murad.
The inscription on the slab fixed there has been
translated as under:
‘“‘When Murad saw that the monument of Hazrat Rab-i-majid,
Baba Nanak, Auliya-i-Allah (The Prophet of God) has fallen,
Murad, by the Grace of God Almighty, re-built the same
with his own hands; so that this Fountain of Goodness
may continue from generation to generation. (917 Era Hijri)”
Crossing the Iran plateau, Guru next went to
Balkh and Bukhara in Central Asia. He worked his
way round by Kabul to Peshawar, where again he had
to contend with Yogis at Gorakh Hatri.
(33)
Guru Nanak and Vali-Qandhari: Guru Nanak
while returning from Kabul came to a bleak dry
hill near the ancient Buddhist city of Taxila. He sat
at the foot of the hill. Mardana felt thirsty. There
was no water to be found for miles around. At the
top of the hill there lived a Mohammedan fakir known
as Vali-Qandhari. He was maintaining a little
reservoir of water.
Guru Nanak asked Mardana to go up and request
water of him.
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Mardana went up the hill.
“Who are you?” asked the Vali.
“My name is Mardana, I am the disciple of
Nanak, who is sitting below the hill. I am thirsty.
I asked my Master to tell me where to get water and
he directed me to you.”
Vali was annoyed to hear of another holy man
coming to the place and not paying him homage.
“There is no water here for such as you, go back
and ask your Master for it. If your Master is a holy
man, why does he not procure water for you instead
of sending you to me.”
Poor Mardana returned disappointed and related
to the Guru what had happened.
‘““Never mind what the Vali said; go again and
request him for water very humbly,’’ commanded the
Guru,
Mardana was tired and thirsty but he could not
disobey his Master, so he made another attempt and
climbed up the hill and begged humbly for water.
But the Fakir told him forcefully that there was
no water for him because of his association with an
infidel, as he called Guru Nanak, believing him a Hindu.
Mardana came back to the Guru tired and thirsty
and almost fainting.
The Guru smiled and said, ““Do not lose heart,
Mardana! utter Sat Nam.” So saying the Master
looked towards the hill.
Cool, crystal-clear water gushed out of it to kiss the
feet of the Lord. Mardana quenched his thirst to his
heart’s content. The Vali was deeply concerned as
his reservoir of water was getting drained and dried
up. He got up and saw the water flowing at the feet
of the Guru. He was furious and, while coming down,
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132 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
the proud but shaken fakir rolled down a piece of
rock so that it might fall on the Guru and crush him.
The Guru did not move. As the rock came
rolling down, the Guru held out his hand and as it
touched it, it came to a standstill. With the holy touch,
the heart of the stone melted and softened like wax
and left the mark of the Master’s palm indelibly deep
into it.
Vali-Qandhari was astonished at this and broke
down. He fell at the feet of the Master. Guru
Nanak spoke to him, “‘O friend, those who live so
high, should not be hard like stone. Vali was enriched
with the wisdom of the Master.
The imprint of Guru’s hand (Panja) is still visible
on the stone and the pool of crystal clear water still
flows forth from there. A Gurdwara stands there
in his memory. It is known as Panja Sahib (at Hasan
Abdal) and is now in Pakistan.
(34)
The Massacre of Saidpur: Passing through
Bhera and Dinga, the Guru hastened his way to
Saidpur (now known as Eminabad and at present
in Pakistan). The town was inhabited mostly by
Pathans, who were the rulers of the place, and were
leading a luxurious life and caring little for others.
Guru Nanak came and fore-warned the people of
Babar’s invasion that was in the offing. Many people
took the warning and removed themselves from the
town to escape the calamity that was threatening the
town.
Guru Nanak at his advent found the people of
this country in a state of degradation. The Punjab,
through successive raids of the foreigners, had become
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GURU NANAK 133
utterly helpless and ruined and lay like a door-mat at
the gate of India. Its people had become physically
and morally bankrupt. They had lost all self-respect
and fellow-feeling.
At present, the people of the Punjab are renowned
for their bravery. They are social and charitable.
The same people, before the birth of Sikhism, were
content to see their wives and daughters being led
away like cattle without attempting to protect and save
them. They had no sense of unity or organisation
left in them. Guru Nanak’s heart grieved when he
saw his own people helpless against invaders who
wrought cruelty and havoc upon them.
Guru Nanak witnessed Babar’s invasion of India.
This was in 1521 A.D. When the invader sacked the
town of Eminabad and subjected it to massacre, loot
and rape, so outraged did the Master feel that he shed
bitter tears. As Guru Nanak records, there lay in the
dust, the fairy heads of the damsels and beautiful
women, with their morning toilet still fresh with
perfumed wax. He saw the vermillion at the parting
of hair on their heads—the sign of wedded life amongst
Hindus, with feeling of a wounded father.
Alas! Nanak had no nation at his back at that
time. He and his successors were yet to create it. But
still he did not sit down in impotent rage and utter idle
jeremiads. However, depressing the state of affairs
was, this did not make Guru Nanak pessimistic.
Being a practical man, he set about doing as much as
the circumstances would permit. He was unwilling
to leave the people whom Babar’s mad soldiers had
taken captives. He came forward and he too was
made a prisoner like the others. They were taken to
the concentration camp and both men and women
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134 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
were given hand-mills to grind the corn. The Guru
was also required to do so. Nanak heard the cries
of pain and anguish from the injured among the
people. He let go the hand-mill and the grinding of
corn to itself and asked Mardana to touch the strings
of his rebec; for the song came from Heaven:
“O God!
My Lord and My Master
Guardian of the people’s destiny!
Save Thy people!
Behold!
The soul of the people is on Fire!
Send down Thy mercy, Lord!
Come out to them from any direction as it be Thy pleasrue
Save Thy people, my Lord!
Their soul is on Fire!
O Master Divine!
Thou hast saved Khurasan from Babar’s ravages, as if it were Thy own
And Thou hast sent this great terror to Hindustan
Thou, O Creator of all things!
Takest to Thyself no blame.
Thou hast sent Death disguised as the great Mughal
So brutally have the people been slain,
So heart-rending is their agony
And so groaning are the lamentations!
Is it not all pain inflicted on Thy heart!
O Lord, Thou belongest all to,
Thou feelest for all.
If power strikes another power one need not feel much agrieved
But when blood-thirsty tigers and wolves are let loose as now, upon the
flocks of sheep
It is Thee, the Shepherd, on whom the responsibility lies.
O Beloved! Thou canst not endure the tyrant of a conqueror that wasteth
the jewels of life thus,
And prideth himself on his power, seeing not what cometh after death,
Praise, Praise be to God
Who bringeth us together and then severest us.
They call themselves kings, and power mad they do what they desire,
But Thou seest, my Lord!
In Thine eyes they are no better than crawling worms
Nibbling an ear of corn.
A hundred blows of death come and strike, and yet
Thy tyrant knoweth not Thy Will!
(Guru Nanak: Tilang Rag) (Translated)
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The music burst forth as the shower of cooling
rain to the thirsty people. The miserable crowd heard
the celestial hymn, and every one forgot his distress.
Babar, the Mughal King, came and listened. He
pressed Guru Nanak to ask for some favour from him.
Boldly answered the Guru:
‘Hear, O Babar Meer!
Foolish is the faqir
Who begs anything of thee
Whose own hunger has not appeased.”
“O holy man I see God in thy face’? Said Babar,
“TI will do any thing you ask for.”
“Nanak is hungry for God, Nanak asks for
nought,”’ said the Guru, “Set at liberty, if you please,
these people, who have been wantonly oppressed and
ruined by you.”
Babar was over taken by remorse. A new moral
and spiritual consciousness was awakened in him. He
forthwith released all of them and gave away the
wealth he had plundered; so as to resettle those people
as far as could be possible.
Babar took Nanak to his tent and offered him a
glass of wine. ‘‘My cup is full,” said Nanak, “I have
drunk the Wine of His love, which keeps me intoxicated
day and night.” And these winged words of Nanak
lifted Babar for a while to the Celestial Realms. The
would-be-Emperor of India saw in Guru’s presence
the true Empire of Pure Beauty.
(35)
Guru Nanak as a Farmer: On his return from
distant travels, Guru Nanak settled down as a
farmer. His people came from far and near and
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136 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
worked with him in his fields, singing the hymns of
Nam. A colony arose around him and soon grew
into a town known as Kartarpur (the city of the
Creator) on the banks of the River Ravi. The Guru
took delight in sowing wheat and reaping the golden
harvest. His stores were open to the people. The
bread and water was the Lord’s the Guru taught; and
the bread which the Lord gave was a ‘prasad’ (God’s
Grace). “Bread and water belong to the Guru” said
the Sikhs. Crowds of people came and freely partook
of the Guru’s gifts. What is spiritual life in the Temple
of Flesh without a full meal first? The very first
temple made by Guru Nanak, therefore, was the
Temple of Bread or Guru’s Langar. In the common
Temple of Bread, the bread of God was made free to the
children of Man. Let none be hungry where the
spirit of God prevails.
In the trackless world of that time, Guru Nanak
had travelled on foot to distant lands singing his
Hymns of Nam and kindling the hearts of all those that
were ready to receive the Divine Light. Now crowds
of people flocked to the old Father from all places
where he had been in his younger days. All comers
were filled from the Guru’s treasury of thought and
love. His strong personal attractiveness, his lovable
ways and playful sense of humour, his persuasive
words and simplicity which came out of the heart of
his own all-embracing love went straight to the heart
of all his hearers; he seemed to draw the poor and
sorrowing especially to his arms.
The diseased and distressed were healed ana
comforted by him. The disciples, both men and
women, came from all directions, from distant Kabul
and Central Asia, from Assam and Southern India,
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and they laid their selfishness at his feet and felt one
with the Master, their hearts and minds mingled with
one another and with those of the Master by the
magic of His presence.
Work and worship, love and labour, silence and
song were blended together in the life of Kartarpur and
from there spread the fire of a new love of God and
man all over the Punjab. His radiated love and faith
attracted men as light gathers moths.
Guru Nanak cultivated a triple silence. He
merged himself in the Silence of God—Sat Nam or
the Eternal Word, in the silence of the nature,—the
silence that shines in the starry sky and dwells in the
lonely hills and in the flowing river, and in the silence
of Sangat—fellowship of the congregation of believers
or worshippers of God, whom he _ called Bhais
(brothers).
The community at Kartarpur, drinking in the
inspiration of his song and his personal presence,
learnt more and more to purify their hearts for the
worship of One Infinite and for service of the humanity.
The life of the blended prayer and service undermined
all egoism and self-idolatory. This community of the
disciples, began to shine with a radiance of the Light
which God pours out upon his devoted and dedicated
servants.
It was here, at Kartarpur, that the Guru also
recorded the hymns that he had sung during his travels
abroad and elsewhere in India.
(36)
Bhai Lehna Ji: ‘Lehna’ in Punjabi means
‘the dues to be collected’. It happened to be
also the name of a great man of the Punjab. Lehna
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138 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
was the son of a rich trader. He used to go up every
year to Kangra Hills to worship the volcano flame,
which the orthodox Hindus considered as a goddess
Durga.
One early morning in 1532, he chanced to hear
Bhai Jodhe chanting hymns of Guru Nanak, and he
was so charmed by their beauty that he made up his
mind to see the renowned Saint as soon as possible.
In fact the very name of Guru Nanak, as he heard it
from Bhai Jodhe, awakened in him love for Nanak.
Bhai Lehna said to Jodhe that he felt as if Guru
Nanak was his own, and he was already having a great
affinity for him.
Soon after, as Bhai Lehna was leading a company
of Durga woshippers to Kangra, he stopped on his
way to see Guru Nanak, towards whom he was
being pulled by strings of love. Lehna came to the
city of the Master on horse-back. Nanak met him
outside the village; perhaps he had purposely gone
forward to receive him. Nanak asked him his name.
He said that his name was Lehna. The Guru
said, ““‘Welcome Lehna! You come atlast. Jam to
pay your ‘Lehna’—dues!”’
Bhai Lehna got down from the horse and apolo-
gised to the Master for not having got down earlier.
Guru Nanak said, ‘“‘Bhai Lehna, those who come to
collect their dues from the debtors, you know, they
come on horse back, as is customary.”
Bhai Lehna was so much fascinated to see Guru
Nanak that he decided not to go back to his companions
and stayed on at Kartarpur. His companions, the
worshippers of goddess Durga went on their way to
Kangra, beating their cymbals and ringing their bells
as usual.
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The love that Bhai Lehna had for the Master had
no parallel. Everything else that can be thought of or
seen was insignificant for Lehna beside his love for
the Guru. Dead to the world, Bhai Lehna lived in the
spirit of Nanak. Dispelling all doubts and fears, he
lived a life of humility, deep patience and faith. He
did what the Master willed. He forgot all hunger and
sleep in his love. He was always busy serving the
people, comforting the weary and helping the needy.
As a bee buzzing round the flower, Lehna went round
about the Master all the time looking at him in wonder
and worship.
Lehna was the son of a very rich man. Once, as
he returned to Kartarpur after paying a brief visit to
his home town, he went straight to the wheat farms
where Guru Nanak worked. The Guru, not caring
for the comfort of his disciple and the expensive silk
dress that he was wearing at that time, made him carry
a heavy bundle of wet grass that was weeded out from
the fields. His silk garment was stained by the mud
dripping off the wet grass. As they entered the house,
the Guru’s wife said with great concern, “Lord! How
heavy the load and see how his fine clothes are stanied
with mud.”
Guru Nanak looked back and said, ““Mud! seest
thou not, good lady! He bears the burden of suffer-
ing humanity. Those are not mud stains, they are the
sacred saffron-anointing! The Heaven annoints,
him, he is the Divine Bridegroom,”
(37)
Guru Nanak’s Ascension: And now the day
was come when Nanak was to depart. The disciples
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140 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
and saints assembled. Nanak had chiselled Bhai
Lehna into a Divine Statue of Love, and when he
looked in the mirror of his heart, the Guru saw his
transfigured-self, and he bowed down to him. Bhai
Lehna was renamed Guru Angad—the Master’s
Ownself. And Guru Nanak said to him, “Thy
‘lehna’ (due) was from me, I had to pay thee.
Wonder no more, brother! Now I call thee Angad.
Thou art a limb of my body, a breath of my being,
one with me in the spirit, blended with my soul.”
Then one day in an open ‘dewan’ Nanak placed
Angad on his own seat and bowed to him in acknow-
ledgment.
When call came from Heaven for the Guru’s
departure, the Sikhs and saints flocked round him
from all directions. The Guru sat serene and un-
disturbed and, as usual, spoke to the crowd telling
them that his mission had been fulfilled and they
would make him happy if they rejoiced with him on
his return.
Bright was the day and beautiful the hour of
Nanak’s departure from this earth.
Guru Nanak sang a song of joy and asked all
those around him to sing the wedding song:
“Sing ye, my comrades,
Sing now my wedding song!
Sing ye, the song of His praises
May I be a sacrifice
To Him the Beloved!
The blessed day hath dawned!
The hour of wedding is come.
Come! comrades, come!
Anoint the bride with your blessings
Behold! The bride doth meet her Lord!”
Many of the disciples shed tears, and asked him,
“‘Master, you leave us in anguish.” Some of them
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asked him, “Shall we cremate your body?” And
others said, ““No, we shall bury the body.”
The Guru replied, “Do not quarrel over this!
Let you all bring flowers and place on my sides, and
let them do what they please whose flowers remain
fresh and fragrant.
Indifferent was the Guru to cremation or burial.
He only asked that the flowers remained fresh and
fragrant, the flowers of faith and love.
Nanak slept with a sheet of cloth over him and
as they removed the sheet atlast, there was nothing to be
found under it except the flowers on both sides as
fresh and fragrant as before and they understood the
Master. We, the disciples must ask ourselves to-day,
are our flowers of faith and love still fresh and fragrant?
Guru Nanak left the earth amid a chorus of song:
“They search for the Master in vain who search him in the tomb,
The old father of his people is not to be found in the grave
Nor in the cremation ground either,
He lives in the heart of Guru Angad.”’
Bhai Gurdas, a Sikh apostle sang later on:
*‘Heaven at last heard the prayers of the people,
Guru Nanak was sent to the world.
The disciples met and drank the nectar of his Lotus Feet,
And realized the Divine in this age of materialism.
Guru Nanak re-established Dharma,
All castes he merged into one caste of man,
The rich and the poor he brought on one level,
From this Founder of Humanity a new race oflove goes forth;
In humility they bow down to each other.
The Master and the disciple become one:
His song of Nam gives us a new life
He is the Saviour in this age of materialism.
Nanak came, the worlds were lighted.
The sun rises, the darkness disappears.
Wherever the Guru put his foot,
It became the temple of worship.
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142 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
The far-famed seats of the Sidhas changed their names,
The Yoga-houses became Guru-houses.
Humanity resounded with his divine hymns;
In every house of the disciple, the Lord was worshipped.
The Guru went in all directions,
Seeking his own all over the earth.
A river of love and peace
Flows in us singing his song.’’
(Translated)
“Nanak the Master, sowed the seed of Nam in the hearts of men;
and the fields are ripe with the golden corn.
The harvest shall come, and the harvest shall pass,
But the seed is of God and is growing!
He gave Angad his own love, his own face and name and soul.
He gave him his own throne in the hearts of men,’
Called him ‘Born of my loins,’”? and made another Nanak on_ this
earth!
This is Nanak the Master; the Spirit of God, that fashions Himself
forever in the image of man!
The harvest shall come, and the harvest shall pass,
But the seed is of God and is growing.”
(Prof: Puran Singh.)
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GURU ANGAD
(1539—1552)
When the luminous figure of Guru Nanak became
invisible, Angad saw the Guru’s spirit entering his
own soul. He felt elated with joy and wonder. He
quietly sought the lowly house of a humble disciple
and confined himself to a room. He was unwilling
to open his eyes to look at anything else. Angad, lost
in himself, sat in a trance of ‘Dhyanam’, his soul fast
asleep in the Master’s soul. Months passed by and no
one knew where Guru Angad was. They yearned to
see him and to touch his lotus feet. Crowds surged
everywhere in the .country searching for him and
longing to see him.
At last Bhai Budha intruded on the love-smadhi
of the Master and implored him to come out and give
‘darshan’ to his people.
When Guru Angad came out of his seclusion, the
disciples saw in him the same aura, the same face and
the same speech, as of his Master, Nanak. Guru
Angad———Nanak the second, was in reality from the
self-same Flame; but the Divine Hand had kept him
concealed in the garb of Bhai Lehna till Nanak lifted
the veil off him and in the mirror of his heart saw his
own image and bowed down to him and announced
him as Guru Angad—Nanak’s own-self.
From the nectar-laved glance of Guru Angad, a
million eyes drew inspiration. By his blissful smile
he destroyed sorrows and sufferings of the people and
filled their hearts with felicity and joy. His transmut-
ing touch turned the baser metal of the men’s mind
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144 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
into pure gold. A mass of people came to the new
Master, some to be fed, some to be healed and blessed
and others to be initiated in the Gospel of Nam. But
whosoever came hovered round the magic personality
of Guru Angad in love and wonder, as moths round a
lamp in the darkness.
From Angad, the Master, spontaneously flew
‘Sparks of Life’, and the soul of the people caught fire
from them. His creative power was observed in the
raising of the dead by his presence. From him, the
life of the spirit flowed in a thousand shining rivers to
the soul of the people. He worked in the Unseen.
Guru Angad loved little children. They were also
delighted to be round him. The Master took great
interest in their education. He opened schools for
their instruction and he simplified the old Punjabi
characters (that had come down from the time of the
Greeks) into a new alphabet; since then this script has
come to be called Gurmukhi. Thus in addition to the
Temple of Bread and Temple of Song built by Guru
Nanak, Angad the Master gave a third, the Temple of
Teaching.
Daya Nath Yogi meets Guru Angad: At Achal
Batala, a group of Yogis under the leadership of
Yogi Bhangar Nath, came into a voilent ideological
clash with Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak gave a
convincing revelation of his ‘Shabad’ philosophy and
won over the Sidhas to his ideology.
Now when Guru Angad came on the spiritual
throne of Nanak, some of those yogis came to Khadur
Sahib to test the spiritual greatness of Guru Angad.
They had been defeated by Guru Nanak and so some
of them perhaps wanted to pay off old scores. But on
encounter with him, they found Guru Angad spiri-
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tually as formidable as Guru Nanak was. The yogis
got peace and cooling solace from him and after paying
their homage and humble salutations, they went away
fully satisfied.
Now Daya Nath was another Yogi of great renown
and acquirements. He was not in the Punjab at the
time of discussions that were held at Achal Batala
between Guru Nanak and the Yogis. So he was
curious to know, how Guru Nanak gave an ideological
defeat to such a prominent Sidha, as Bhangar Nath,
the Yogi Superior of Achal Batala Centre.
Daya Nath had learnt that Guru Nanak was no
more in the world, and that he was succeeded by his
disciple Angad, who was with him when Guru Nanak
held his doctrinal discourse with the Sidhas at Achal
Batala. So Daya Nath came to Guru Angad at
Khadur in order to know directly from him what the
Sikh view of life was, which had challenged and over-
powered the leaders of all the Six system of philosophy
at Achal Batala.
Daya Nath came to Khadur with about a hundred
followers. Guru Angad was sitting in a garden out-
side the village and there were about 200 people sitting
around him and listening to him.
Daya Nath came and sat near the Guru and after
exchange of greetings he said that he had come with a
definite purpose. So saying he asked the Guru to
explain how ‘Yoga’ (union with God) can be attained.
Guru Angad: “Listen please, Yoga cannot be
attained by dialectics and wrangling controversies.
When a man’s mind lives and moves in the Divine
Spirit—Pure and Spotless Being (Niranjan) and
remains detached from the worldliness, only then he
gets union and can be deemed a real yogi”.
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146 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Daya Nath: “‘Guruji! But to me it appears only
those people can attain Yoga, who join and take up
the cult of yoga and wear the garb of yogis—ear-rings,
begging bowl, staff and smear their bodies with ashes
and carry a conch of horn, and live in forests away from
cities, and sit in deep concentration, suspending their
breath. What do you think of such practices of
Yoga?”
Guru Angad: “‘Please listen, no Yoga (union with
God) can be attained by merely wearing the garb of a
Yogi. If an actor puts on the uniform of a king, can
anyone consider him to be a real king? He is a mere
actor who acts as a king but can never be deemed a real
king.
By abandoning one’s home and going to forests,
one does not become a yogi. Nor can yoga be attained
by suspending breath and sitting for long in yogic
postures, nor by bathing in places of pilgrimages and
wandering from country to country. Nothing spiri-
tual can be acquired through such practices.”
Daya Nath: “If yoga cannot be attained through
such penance and ascetic practices, then tell me, sire,
by what code of restraint and self control can real yoga
be attained?”
Guru Angad: Guru Nanak points out:
If one meets the true Guru,
The mind stops wandering,
A stream of bliss flows in the being;
Spontaneous Divine Music pours forth,
And fearless spiritual state is attained.
One remains detached from worldliness
And in one’s ownself is God realized.
Daya Nath Yogi: “Revered Guru! I have practised
all the severe disciplines and austerities prescribed for
sanyasa and yoga. I have met yogis absorbed in the
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most difficult practices of austerities and penances.
But I have not found the peace of mind. Nor have I
met a God-realized man. Please gracious Master,
bless me with this gift of peace and enlightenment.”
So saying Yogi Daya Nath bowed in reverence
and humble salutation and touched the feet of the
Guru with his forehead. The touch of the holy feet
of the Guru gave him peace and cooling solace. And
Daya Nath was transmuted.
Emperor Humayun comes to Guru Angad: Emperor
Humayun, who had succeeded his father Babar, was
utterly defeated by Sher Shah. Dejected, wornout
and in great distress he came to Guru Angad to
seek his blessings for regaining the throne.
Guru Angad _ loved little children—simple,
innocent and pure. Absorbed as he was in innocent
sport with his little playmates, he did not notice the
arrival of the Emperor, who kept standing near by.
The Emperor had thus to wait for some time.
Although Humayun had been vanquished, his kingly
pride was unsubdued.
He lost his patience and felt offended and, in a fit
of anger put his hand on the hilt of his sword with the
intention of striking the Guru with it. The sword,
however, would not come out of the sheath. His
strength failed him.
Meanwhile, the Guru looked up, smiled and
calmly said, “Brave Humayun! Where was your sword
when you were facing Sher Shah? You ought to have
used it then, but being beaten by him, you can do no
better than strike a faqir with it.”
Remorsefully, Humayun bowed and asked for the
Guru’s forgiveness. The Guru blessed him but said
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148 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
that he would have to spend some years in exile before
he regained his throne. And that is what took place.
Guru Angad receives Amardas: Amardas was an
old man of 70 and had been forty times on pilgrimages
to the sacred Ganges at Hardwar and had met many
saints. Although he was charitable, good and pure, but
the Lamp in him had not been lighted. He always
felt some void and emptiness in soul. It seemed to
him that he lacked something vital in him, but he
knew it not what.
Early one dawn, a sweet voice, surcharged with
life-aroma fell into his ears. It was the angelic voice
of Bibi Amro from the neighbouring house. She was
his nephew’s wife and daughter of Guru Angad. She
was singing the Guru’s hymns while she churned to
make butter for the family. Amardas was so charmed
by the lovely melody and thrilling words that he stood
spell bound listening to her song. The hymn she sang
ended thus:
“The sear and scarred soul, dry as dust becomes whole again, when
the Guru is met.” (Translated).
Do they, the dead ones rise? Do old rickety
bones swing back into life? Where did this joy-laden
news come from?
The old man ran to the hidden nightingale in the
neighbouring house and said, “‘O daughter, dear, whose
song is it that gives good news?”
“Our Father’s’’, said the girl.
““My dear daughter! I am burnt from top to toe.
I need the Living-Touch of the Master to burst forth
again into life. Pray, take me, take me to the
Fountain of Light.”
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Bibi Amro took this elderly man to her father,
Guru Angad. He received him with great respect
that was befitting of his age and position in society.
As soon as Amardas beheld the love-lit, glowing
face of the Guru, his mind melted like snow in the
golden sunshine.
Enraptured by his holy-darshan (sight) he could
not bear leaving his presence. So deep and intense
was his love for the Master that he would find pleasure
in serving him in every way. He would bring him a
pitcher of fresh water from the river Beas every morn-
ing before dawn for his bath, he would wash his
clothes and would serve in his Temple of Bread—
taking keen delight in the utter effacement of self in his
labour of love.
Guru Angad had imparted the hidden Spark of
Life to Amardas. This had flushed his soul, body and
mind. The Holy Spring had sprung in him. Having
ignited him with the Fire of Truth, the Master left the
disciple alone to his ecstasies, to his labour of love, to
his Smadhi, making response to him only in the unseen,
as the Master chose to conceal his fine work of art
beneath a thick veil, away from the vulgar gaze.
Amardas for ever abided by Nam and lived in
the charming music of His sweet presence. Fond
like a child, he would remain gazing at the Guru in a
continual trance of wonder, joy and love.
While going every day with a brass vessel to the
river to fetch water and returning with it, Amardas
never turned his back to the Guru. To him it seemed
he would die if he had turned his back on the Master,
even in the physical sense. '
At the early ambrosial hour of fragrant dawn
every day, Amardas brought the water from the Beas,
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150 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
for his Master’s bath, irrespective of rain, lightning
and thunder. The Master must bathe and the disciple
must bring the Beas water and carry the love-load.
On a frightfully cold winter night, Amardas was
carrying the vessel full of water through the dark
streets. He struck against a wooden peg, which a
weaver had driven into the ground, and he fell into the
loom-pit.
The weaver’s wife, still snugly sleeping in her
comfortable bed, was disturbed by the thud of his fall.
And she said to her husband beside her, ‘““Ah, who
could it be at this hour? It must be that homeless
Amru, who sleeps not, who knows no rest and tires
never.”
The Master sitting at Khadur felt the twitch and
he was deeply moved. He took the old Baba to his
bosom. The two souls met, as never before, and in
that meeting arose another Moon in our sky. A
great veil had been lifted somewhere in the depth of
his heart and the Fountain of Eternal Joy burst forth
in Amardas.
“My Amardas! My Amardas! said the Master,”
“He is the home of the homeless, the refuge of the
refugeless, the honour of the honourless, the strength
of the strengthless, the Light of the world. My
Amardas! My Amardas is the Divine Master,
Nanak himself. He then bowed to Amardas and
seated him on the spiritual throne of Guru Nank.
Guru Angad’s hymns: We have 62 hymns of
Guru Angad in Guru Granth Sahib (the Holy Book).
They are as bwef as they are intense:
I
Were a hundred moons to appear,
Were a thousand suns to arise.
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GURU ANGAD 15]
«With so many lights.
There would still be utter darkness
If there were no Guru.
Il
For those, O Nanak, it is perpetual spring
Who have their Beloved in their homes,
But those whose Beloved is far off——
Day and night they remain burning.
tif
My sisters, it is the rainy month of ‘Sawan’
Clouds are gathering in the sky,
Think of the Beloved and enjoy,
If I think of another, I die!
My sisters! it is the month of ‘Sawan’
It is raining love, it is raining joy!
To awake now is sin;
O let me lie in the embrace of my Beloved.
Wake me not, take me not from here,
It is the sleep of peace!
O sisters! It is the month of ‘Sawan’.
IV
He is not to be called a lover
Who attaches himself to a person other than the Beloved.
Nanak, only he can be called God’s lover
Who remains in constant communion with Him
If he takes favourable things as good
And unfavourable as bad ©
He is no lover, who deals with Him
In this calculating manner.
Vv
The Nectar of which we hear is the love of God.
Immortality for which we long is the song of Nam.
The secret of life is hidden in us,
But it opens in the kind glance of the Guru.
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GURU AMARDAS
(15521574 A.D.)
Nanak’s spiritual self, his very presence passed into
the mind and body of Amardas, a tall sturdy old man
of love and Jabour, with a knot of silver hair on top
and white beard flowing down like a river of light.
Behold! Nanak is now in the form of Amardas.
For a while the Guru observed a retreat in lonely
and silent prayer, and then assumed the responsibility
of his high place; he was at this time 73 years old.
Personally, he still lived in the greatest simplicity;
save for two single suit of clothes he gave away all his
other possessions.
Datu’s Jealousy: Guru Angad’s unworthy son,
Datu grew jealous of Amardas. Being a son of
Guru Angad, he thought, it was he who was entitled
to Guruship. So he proclaimed himself as Guru at
Khadur. But he was not accepted. At this he was
enraged and went to Goindwal where Amardas had
taken up his residence. He attacked the Master and
kicked him off the seat. But Amardas in great humi-
lity and self-restraint began to rub Datu’s feet and
said, ““Sir, pardon me, my old bones are hard and must
have hurt your tender feet.”’
Temple of Bread: At Goindwal, a liberal and
free common kitchen known as ‘Guru-ka-Langar’
was maintained and it was the injunction of the Master
that none was to see him unless he had first partaken
of the Bread of Grace at the Temple of the Bread.
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GURU AMARDAS 153
Thereby Guru Amardas intended to remove the caste
restrictions, caste prejudices and the curse of untou-
chability. In his ‘Langar’ Hindus, or Muslims,
Brahmans or Sudras, rich or poor, all were to dine
together without any distinction. When the Raja of
Haripur or even Akbar, the Emperor of India, came to
see the Guru, they had to sit with other common
people and dine together with them before the Master
would consent to see them. In this way, people were
made to renounce their social prejudices and look upon
one another as brothers and equals.
Sati abolished: The status of women in Hindu
society at that time was very low. When the
husband died, she either voluntarily burnt herself
on the pyre of her husband or was thrown into the
fire where the corpse of her husband was being
cremated. Guru Amardas carried out a vigorous
compaign against this practice of Sati, thereby he
brought about the emancipation of women from this
social oppression and religious cruelty.
-Through the Guru’s teachings, men began to see
and realize the worth of women; and so the women
began to receive the respect and honour they deserved.
Thus Guru Amardas rooted out many evils prevalent
then in the society.
A Society on the Anvil: Before the advent of
Guru Nanak, the religious teachers in India usually
impressed the people that the world was a mere
empty dream and advocated renunciation. They did
not at all concern themselves about the social, economic,
and political conditions of the masses. Guru Nanak
realized what they failed to see: that a religion, if it is
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154 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
to be a living force, must be a practical religion, one
that teaches mankind not how to escape from the
world, but how to live worthily in it, making the best
use of life, not how to avoid evil but how to meet and
overcome all evil and live a victorious life.
So along with living a godly life as an individual,
the Sikh was to form a part of a corporate life—be
it a society, community or a nation; so a Sikh must
tune himself to several strings. The development of
this kind of life is most difficult and the teachers of
the world have often ignored it. It is the glory of the
Sikh history that the Gurus had in mind the duties
of a society or a community or a nation as much as the
duties of an individual. This was a task not to be
achieved in a life or two. Hence it was that successive
Gurus by their precept and example inspired to men,
to cultivate human nature both in mundane and
spiritual sense, in all its aspects and in all its bearings.
So we shall see that while the principles of life remained
the same, the Sikh community as a whole underwent
transfiguration, assuming a great variety of forms
according to the circumstances that arose from ‘time
to time.
How the Fragrance Spread: Guru Amardas, out
of the abundance of his generosity, gave authority and
power to 146 of his apostles to go to various parts
of the country and spread the fragrance of Nam.
And to preach the truth through the language of
action in one uniform spirit of the Master. Out of
these 146 persons, 94 were men and 52 women. They
were all glowing with Nam and filled with the divine
spirit. The Guru also appointed 22 dioceses (Man-
jian), each under a pious Sikh.
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GURU AMARDAS 155
Wherever these itinerant preachers went, they
poured out floods of love in utter effacement of self.
The women acted as mothers to the orphans and
protectors of many poor girls, deserted by their cruel
husbands—gamblers, thieves and drunkards. These
disciples of the Master brought solace to those in
despair, nourished the sick and poor with milk of love.
Every one in need and distress called upon them.
These disciples of the Master were akin to a secret
river flowing in a thousand channels bringing the water
of life to the dead and dying. Every act of the holy
brothers was a prayer, every step a song and like full
bloomed roses they spread their fragrance far and
wide without knowing and without asking. Many
would catch the gleam of their souls and following the
same would come to the Fountain of Light at Goindwat
and join the holy association of the Guru.
Prema, the Leper cured: Prema was a leper and
had lost hislimbs and had become crippled. He heard
about the Guru and came all the way crawling to Go-
indwal, where Guru Amardas lived. He stayed at a
little distance from the Guru’s ‘Darbar’ but where he
could listen the hymns sung by the congregation.
Some of the disciples fed him and looked after him.
One day he was called by the Guru and given a bath.
Prema was cured not only of his leprosy, but he
got his limbs also restored, as he uttered Sat-Nam
Wahguru, as directed by the Master.
The Guru then looked at him gracefully, and
Prema was transformed. He was renamed Murari and
the Guru also got him married into a good family.
He was then sent out as one of the itinerant preachers
of the Guru’s gospel.
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156 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Mystics Scholars visit the Guru: Some mystics
and scholars of Uttar Pradesh came to Goindwal seek-
ing the ‘Hidden Light’ that illumines the mind. They
were genuine seekers of truth and had wandered all
over India but had not found the peace anywhere.
They had at last received this life of the spirit at
the feet of the Guru and were wholly transformed.
We have in record what they spoke about the Guru
from their personal knowledge and experience of him.
Thus writes Bhikha, who was one of them:
“In vain I wandered about
In search of a true saint.
I met many a recluse.
Many a ‘sanyasis’ I contacted
Many hermits and adepts I came across
And these scholars
Who were outwardly good and sweet.
For full one year in this search I wandered
But no one could give the glow and solace to my mind.
They talked a lot in high sounding words
But their actions were most disappointing.
Discarding the Name of God,
They indulged in worldly pursuits
No need to talk of them anymore.
At last God by His Grace
Brought me in touch with Guru Amardas
The lotus in me, bloomed and my mind was set at rest
I shall ever abide
As be Thy will, O Guru Amardas.”’
(Translated)
Salh, another mystic and a poet, thus speaks
of him;
“Wearing the armour of meditation,
Mounting the steed of knowledge
With the bow of righteousness in hand
And arrow of peaceful devotion
You O, Guru Amardas, thus fought the battle of life.
Keeping the fearless Lord in your heart,
Holding the lance of Guru’s Word
You have cut to pieces the demons
Of lust, anger, avarice and of ego and attachmnet
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GURU AMARDAS 157
O, thou son of Tejbhan, monarch of a honourable lineage,
You had the blessings of Guru Nanak, the king of kings,
Salh proclaimeth the truth.
Guru Amardas fighting thus
Defeated the satanic forces in the battle of life.”’
(Translated)
Jalap, another mystic of Uttar Pradesh speaks
of him:
“Blessed are the feet
Which lead on to Guru Amardas;
Blessed are the hands
That touch the holy feet of the Guru;
Blessed is the tongue
Which sings the glory of Guru Amardas;
Blessed are the eyes
Which have the opportunity to look at him;
Blessed are the ears which listen to his words;
Blessed is the heart
In which dwelleth Guru Amardas,
The Divine Father of the world.
Blessed is the head, says Jalap
That bows at the feet of the Guru.”
(Translated)
Akbar visits Guru Amardas: Akbar, the then
Emperor of India, travelled all the way from
Delhi to visit Guru Amardas at Goindwal. But he
could not be shown into the presence of the Master
unless and until he had dined with others in the
common kitchen or the Temple of Bread. The king
partook of the simple food in the langar. The more
he had it, the more he wanted it. “There must be
something mystical in the Guru’s food that it is so
delicious that I like to eat more and more of it.”’ remar-
ked the Emperor.
The Emperor, having complied with these prelimi-
naries, obtained the audience of the Guru. The
Guru rose to receive the Emperor in his arms,
but Akbar spontaneously bowed to touch the feet of
the Master. The Guru lifted him up and seated him
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158 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
nearby. The monarch, by the holy touch, felt a thrill
of joy in him. Peace and comfort came to him. He
was deeply moved and impressed by the few words
that the Master spoke to him.
Having received the Guru’s blessings, when the
Emperor took leave, he offered a large estate for the
service of the Temple of Bread. But the Master
declined the offer saying, “I have already more than
enough from my Creator. The people are my lands
and estates. We receive our daily bread from God:
we do not think of the morrow. We are contend to
be of the poor and think of the Beloved.”
“But as a token of my love and in keeping with
the lessons of unity and universal brotherhood that
you have given here, from now on—I regard your
daughter as my own—all the same, whether they be
your daughters and sons or mine. Therefore, I
present this little Jagir to Bibi Bhani (Guru’s daughter).
It is my sincere wish and promise that I treat all
equally.” Said the king.
“All right, all right, as thou wishes O King Akbr,
the great. I do not want it either for me or for the
Guru’s kitchen, your contribution would be utilised
for the widows and orphans and Bibi Bhani wil! be the
trustee and treasuress,.”’ said the Guru.
This was the estate where later on Guru Ram das,
Bhani’s consort, built Amritsar, the City of Golden
Temple. To this day, all the inhabitants of Amritsar
approach Guru Ram Das in prayer in all their needs,
troubles and distress.
Bibi Bhani: Bibi Bhani was the younger daughter
of Guru Amardas. From her very childhood, she used
to recite the Guru’s hymns and sit alone in meditation.
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GURU AMARDAS 159
Later on, she used to serve in the Guru’s kitchen.
As Bhani came of age, one day her mother spoke
to the Guru about her, ““We must give away Bibi Bhani
in marriage now.”
“To whom shall we give her,” said the father.
“To a young man like him,” she said, pointing at
the same time to a youngman passing by.
“Yes give her in marriage to him then; for no one
else can be like him.” said the father.
The youngman thus chosen was Ram Das. He
was from Lahore.
When Ram Das was just a small boy, his father
had died. Driven by circumstances, he used to sell
boiled grams. Once he chanced to come to Goindwal
along with other pilgrims from Lahore. When he saw
Guru Amar Das, he was so much fascinated and
charmed by his grace that while other pilgrims went
back to their homes, he continued to stay at Goindwal
and daily used to attend the holy congregation.
He was selfless, meek and sweet like hundred
thousands of the Master’s other disciples at Goindwal.
He also did the service of love, digging the Guru’s
Baoli (a big wide well with masonry stairs leading down
to the surface of the water). Ram Das like others
carried baskets full of earth and mud on his head. He
surrendered himself to the divine in his love and
devotion, renouncing all cares of the past and all
anxiety for the future. He lived in continuous
remembrance of ‘Nam’. He was thus discovered by
the Guru’s discerning eye and was chosen as the
bridegroom and was married to Bibi Bhani.
At the time of marriage of the bridegroom was
asked by the Guru to chose a gift for himself, as was
customary.
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160 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
“Sire, Give me the gift of Hari Nam, give me the
Song of His praise.”
It was here that Ram Das realized the Noontide
Influx of Light, the Sun of suns-golden, the Moon of
moons! The Source of Illumination! The very Life
and Soul of the universe! When Nam_ illumines
human vision, all is drenched, enveloped with this
Holy-Radiance Divine. It turns the Face—from our
little self to the Universal-Self. Ram Das thus came
in tune with the Infinite.
Bridegroom Crowned: What Nanak saw in Angad,
what Angad saw in Amardas, Amardas saw in
Ram Das. And in due course, one day.,
As Guru Amardas sat up
And of his own sweet will,
He sent for his family and disciples.
“I go, I go, O Disciples Dear.
This is the Will of the Lord
Let no one weep after me
That would not please me in the least.
“‘A friend who desires that his friend be esteemed
Must be pleased when his friend
Goes to the Lord to receive the robe of honour.
Reflect then my children and brothers
Is it good to weep and wail
When God adorns the Guru
With a robe of honour?
“‘No more barley rolls, nor bread on leaves
No more Puranas, no more dead obsequice of the dead.
——TI live, I live, the Living Flame leaps,
Leaps up into the Flame Hidden,
The only obsequice that I order is holy, all holy song.”
As said the Master, so did they comply
And patiently surrendered to the Will Divine.
The Guru then made all his disciples, relations, sons and brothers
Bow to the feet of Ram Das.
(Sunder Sadd: Ramkali)
Translated.
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GURU AMARDAS 161
Amardas then asked his younger son Mohri, how
he would look upon Ram Das, “Sire, to me, he is
Nanak, Angad and thyself in One.” replied Mohri.
Song of Bliss: Guru Amardas contributed 907
hymns to Guru Granth Sahib, all of which were
written between the age of 73 and 95. Translation
of a few stanzas from his Song of Bliss is given below:
]
“Bliss, Bliss, O Mother, Transcendent Bliss!
The Eternal Master’s lotus feet have I kissed!
The True Guru I have found with all ease,
And my mind is filled with felicitations indeed.
The heavenly muses, the be-jewelled ones,
All hover around to sing
In response to Celestial Music from above.
Sing ye the hymns of praise to Him
Who dwells in my heart.
Saith Nanak verily, this ecstatic joy dawned on me
When I discovered the True Hidden Lord in me.”
i
“O my mind, abide thou ever with God,
If thou dost abide in His presence evermore,
No more sin, no more sorrow.
If He accepts thee
All thy affairs will be set right.
The Lord is Perfect and All Powerful in every way.
Why shouldst thou forget the Lord?
Saith Nanak, O my mind,
Abide thou ever with God.”
I
“O my True Lord!
What is there that is not in Thy house?
Everything is in Thy house
But he alone getteth whom Thou givest.
He sings Thy glories forever,
And enshrines Thy Name in his heart.
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162 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTER3
Heavenly Music resoundeth
In the heart where the Lord dwelleth.
Saith Nanak, O my True Lord,
What is there that is not in Thy house?”
IV
“Thy Name, O Lord is my only sustenance;
It hath appeased all my hunger;
It hath quenched all the fires.
The True Name abiding in my heart
Hath given me peace and joy
And fulfilled all my desires.
I am ever a sacrifice unto the Guru,
Whose gifts these are,
Saith Nanak, Listen O saints, Love the Word,
Thy, Name, O lord, is my sustenance.”
v
“Celestial Music is heard in that blessed house,
The heart, where God dwelleth,
Yea, It dwelleth in that happy house
In whom God puts forth his spiritual power
Therein the Lord subdueth the five evil passions
And destroys the fear of death.
They on whom descendeth Thy Grace from above,
Only they discover Thy Nam hidden
Saith Nanak, they obtain happiness,
And in their heart Divine Music is heard.”
XVII
‘The consummation state is not reached
Through rituals and outward religious observances
And without this state of Supreme Equilibrium being attained
Doubt and illusion will not depart,
No amount of outward observances
Will remove doubt and illusions;
The mind is filthy with falsehood
How can it be made clean?
Wash thy mind in the light of the Word
And fix it upon the Lord,
Saith Nanak, It is by the Grace of the Guru
That knowledge of Transcendent dawns
This way, this way alone the doubts and illusion depart.”
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GURU AMARDAS 163
XL
“Listen, O fortunate ones, this Song of Bliss!
No more, no more, earthly yearning
Peace! Beatitude! Fullest Fruition !
I have found, yea, I have realised -
The Lord in His uttermost Supremacy
No more sorrow, no more suffering,
My grief, my sickness and all torments departed
When the True -Word was heard.
_The: saints and dil ‘holy men ~
By this, from good to. better become and are filled vith rjey; :
When they. hear the Word from the Perfect Master;
The listeners of the Word become pure,
The speaker is sanctified.
The Master True pervadeth everywhere;
Nanak humbly humbly prociaimeth,
For him the Divine Music resoundeth—
He who falleth at the feet of the Guru.”
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GURU RAM DAS
(1574-1581 A.D.)
Guru Nanak’s torch was now taken up by RamDas.
“Thou Ram Das art Nanak—Fourth, Thou art
Angad, Thou art Amar Das, so do I deem thee.”
As a result of the teachings of the Gurus, there had
been set up a distinct community that differed from its
neighbours in religious outlook, social customs and
latent political ideals. They had a common object of
worship of One and only God (no gods and goddesses),
and a common source of knowledge divine—their
Guru. The pride of caste on the one side and the
sense of inferiority on the other had been replaced by
a feeling of love and brotherliness.
Guru Ram Das, realising the needs of the growing
community, founded a central place of worship and
gathering, where all could meet from time to time and
cultivate mutual love and understanding and draw
inspiration from a common source.
He left Goindwal for this new colony of disciples.
{t was built on the part of the land which Emperor
Akbar had presented to Bibi Bhani. Following the
Guru, many Sikhs also settled there. A very big tank
was excavated there and a temple was built in the centre
of it. Hari Mandir, the temple as it was called, grew
out of the waters and floated like a lotus on the crystal
pool. The pool was known as Amritsar—the Lake of
Immortality and the place itself came to be known after,
it, as the city Amritsar.
The work of the tank and temple which was initia-
ted by Guru Ram Das, was however completed by Guru
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GURU RAMDAS 165
Arjan Dev, the Fifth Nanak. When the tank was
under construction and was still a big pool, a leper took
bath in its water and was cured of his disease. This
miraculous healing led to its fame being spread far and
wide.
The temple, now popularly called Darbar Sahib
or Golden Temple is a symbol of the culture and
conduct of the Sikh people. It enshrines a liberal
religious tradition consecrated by noble deeds of piety,
sacrifice and heroism. Unlike the old Indian temples
of the Hindus with a single entrance and closed
from all sides, it has a wide open atmosphere with
four entrances in the four different directions, offering
welcome to all people irrespective of class, colour or
creed. It is accessible to men and women of all faiths,
castes and nationalities. Where Hindu _ temples
enshrined idols, no image found a place in the
Golden Temple, it has no sectarian bias. Hari Kirtan
—singing of the hymns to the glory of God, continues
during all hours of day and night. And bread is
served free to all.
Ramdas and Srichand: Baba Sri Chand, the eldest
son of Guru Nanak had founded a religious sect of
his own known as Udasis. Sri Chand himself roamed
about in the country as a recluse and a mystic. He
once visited Amritsar and happened to see Guru
Ram Das. Seeing long flowing beard of Ram Das,
Sri Chand asked him jocularly why he grew it.
“To wipe the dust from thy holy feet.” replied
Ram Das.
“It is your sweet humility and enchanting speech
that make you so great and me make feelso small,”
said Baba Sri Chand.
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166 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Service of Love: “In the doctrines of Nanak,”
says C.H. Pyne, “Morality holds a higher place
than in those of any other Hindu reformers. Few
even of the world’s greatest philosophers have laid
down a more exalted moral code than is to be found in
the pages of Granth Sahib (the Sikh sacred scripture).
Purity: of life is set forth as the highest object of human
endeavour, chastity, honesty, justice, mercy and tem-
perance’ are among the: virtues on wen vital stress is
laid.” : -
| Tbrough- the iachines of. the Garis a constant
communion with God, the disciples got rid of all kinds
of: superstitions and became fearless. All barriers of
inequalities and differences between man and man were
eliminated. The peoples’ minds were enriched and
nourished with the love of God, so that they did not
entertain any class feelings or duality.
We are never selfish when we are in love. These
spirit-born people loved and served everyone. ‘For
all those that are of God and knoweth God, loveth.
He that loveth not, knoweth not God. For God is
love.’
People came to Guru Ram Das from far an near
and laid their selfishness at his feet and then begged a
little of it for his service. To serve the people was
to serve the Master. Here was a religion that made love
and labour the common property of man. Religion
is the inspiration of love. The Beloved is in His people,
and the service of the people is the service of God. And
it is through service that love is realized. ‘Bread and
water all belong to the Lord.”’ We are fortunate to be
endowed with opportunities to serve mankind.
~ The greatest service, however, is to serve with ‘Life’
and one who is ‘Alive’ himself can give ‘Life’ to others.
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GURU RAMDAS 167
So the Master says that the opportunity to serve God in
humanity is His gift.
The disciples thus distinguished themselves by a
character suitable for service to mankind. The Guru,
required Sikhs to unwittingly offer their service to
others. Therefore it became customary for Sikhs to
meet the needs of their neighbours and other fellow
beings. They not only fed the wearied travellers and
hungry and quenched their thirst, but also nourished
the sick, physically helped the disabled and needy.
They enjoyed supreme bliss in helping others. It
became customary for Sikhs to sacrifice their com-
forts and spends the fruits of thier savings on those in
need. The Guru exhorted Sikhs to adopt fair and
honest means of earning .and share the fruits of their
hard labour with their brethern.
Arjan Dey: Was the youngest son of Guru Ram Das.
As a child he was sweet, loving, humble and dutiful
and his parents doted on him. From his early years,
he devoted himself to self-culture and grew to be a man
of great scholarship and piety—While yet in his teens,
he seems to have been transfigured by the Holy Light
which he had realized and gleaned.
One day, Guru Ram Das, one by one, asked his
two elder sons to proceed to Lahore to attend a
marriage there. But they gave a pretext not to go; for
they thought their interests would be best served by
staying on the spot. But Arjan, the youngest boy,
gladly obeyed. He was instructed to stay on in Lahore,
even after the marriage, as a missionary till he should
be recalled.
The pangs of separation for a long time were
unbearable for Arjan, but he had to carry out the
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168 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
behest of the Master. He wrote his epistles from
Lahore to his father Guru Ram Das, two of which
were intercepted by his jealous elder brother, Prithia,
and were not handed over to the Guru. The third
epistle however got through, and Prithia lied to hide
his deceit. But the truth came to light. Arjan was at
once recalled. On his home-coming from Lahore
nearly after three years, Guru Ram Das embraced
Arjan Dev and installed him as the Fifth Guru.
The three epistles which Arjan Dev wrote from
Lahore and the fourth cuplet which he sang on meeting
the Master, we treasure as of great value. A transla-
tion of them is produced :—
I
“My soul is a-thirst, my mind is full of longing
O Holy Master, for Thee, O Father sublime,
It panteth and craveth, as the rain-bird doth for rain,
This thirst unquenchable,
No peace, no rest, without Thy sight Holy
A sacrifice, O loving sacrifice love-dipped sacrifice
Am I to Thee——O Master Eternal!’’
It
“Lord, how beautiful is Thy face,
How pleasant and sweet the melody of Thy voice
Ages, not days, have gone by and the rain-bird has had no drop of the
nectar.
Blessed is the land where Thou dwellest, my Lord!”
jane
‘One moment if I see Thee not,
Is like a dark age to me.
When shall I see Thee again, My Lord?
Passes not my night,
My eyes know no sleep,
Unless I see Thy Royal Court, O True King.”
IV
“Great good fortune, great beyond measure, fortune mine!
The Lord, the Divine Master, my Saint today I find!
All bliss is life, I have found my Beloved within my heart
No separation now, no pining, O Master, how can I now part
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GURU RAMDAS 169
Tendril like I cling to Thee eternally, eternally
I in Thee and Thou in me
One, One, One, everlastingly.”
The Hymns of Ram Das: The songs of Guru Ram
Das thrill the soul and make every one pure. His
lyrics flow like a stream of love whose refreshing
melody yearns for the Beloved. These are compared
to the yearnings and heart-throbs of the Bride of God
(Human Soul) who pines for one more glimpse of Him
and is never content with many more. We have 679
hymns of Guru Ram Das incorporated in Guru Granth
Sahib.
Guru Ram Das has laid down the daily routine
which a Sikh is to follow:
“He who deems himself a Sikh of the Guru
Should rise at an early hour & meditate on Nam—All-Pervading
Divine Spirit
He should bathe & make an effort
To cleanse his mind in the inner Tank of Nectar.
He should repeat the Name of the Lord
As taught by the Guru.
This will wash away the stains of sins from his mind
Then at day break he should sing the hymns of the Guru,
And throughout the busy day
He should practise to consciously live in presence of God.
He who constantly remembers God, the Lord
Such a Sikh is indeed dear to the Guru.
The Seeker of Truth on Whom the Lord bestows His Grace
Receives the gift of Nam from the Guru.
Nanak seekest the dust under the feet of such a Sikh
Who himself repeats God’s Name & inspires others to do the same.
(Translated)
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GURU ARJAN DEV
(1581-1606 A.D.)
His Unique Personality
Guru Arjan, the Fifth Guru, is the central most
figure of the Sikh Theocracy and by virtue of his unique
personality, he is the most brilliant star in the galaxy
of seers, saints and sages.
Guru Arjan was born poet and composer of
music. He was a saint and scholar of rare piety and
literary attainments. His compositions bespeak the
great depth of his mind and sublimity of his thought,
full of Divine Love and human sympathy. But above
all we find in him a paramount Saviour, carrying the
Torch of Divine Light which sets the dead soul awake.
Guru Arjan Dev’s hands were always full with
matters spiritual which aimed at dispelling the forces
of darkness, and ushering in Light into this Land of
Five Rivers. Many-fold as were his activities in his
busy life of about 40 years, yet there were three out-
standing works connected with him, any one of which,
by itself, would be sufficient to make his name
immortal. They were: the compilation of the Holy
Granth, the construction of the Golden Temple and
above all his own sacrifice in up-holding Truth and
righteousness.
Complication of Holy Granth: It was an Himalayan
task which Guru Arjan Dev took on his shoulders and
he carried it through, as he alone could. Mere words
are inadequate to pay tribute to the extent of work
put forth and of the labour involved in compiling this
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GURU ARJAN DEV 171
sacred book. It was indeed an Herculean task
accomplished and to which generations of seekers of
Truth and devotees would continue to pay their
homage.
Holy Granth is by no means a Sikh Bible alone,
but it is the universal Bible of Man. For its spirit
is so large and profound and there is nothing sectarian
in it. It contains only universal Truth. It is the lyric
of divine love, and all the people of the earth subsist
on such glowing lyrical prayer.
Along with the hymns of the Gurus, we find Psalms
of Kabir, Ravidas, Namdev, Jaidev and of Muslim
divines like Sheikh Farid and Bhikam and of many
others who were inspired by the Divine Spirit. Al-
though the hyms of fifteen saints have been included
in Granth Sahib yet it is a single great book in which
there is a remarkable unity of outlook, sincerity of
purpose and beauty of poetry and realism of vision.
It has really one theme—man’s search for God, his
longing and yearning after God, his intense love for
Him, and to feel His presence and live mentally and
spiritually healthy life on earth. Guru Grantha is but
One Song, One Idea and One Life.
Guru Arjan’s personal contibution to Granth
Sahib is by far the greatest of all the Bhagatas combined
together. There are 2218 humns contributed by Guru
Arjan himself. The hymns are set to music. There is
a wide range of mystical emotions, intimate expressions
of the personal realizations of God and rapturous
hymns of divine love.
To convey their message of love, light and life, the
Gurus employed both music and poetry in the writings
of Guru Granth. For you can speak Truth uncon-
tradicted in verse, you cannot in prose. The hymns
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172 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
of Guru Granth are set to measures of thirtyone
classical Indian ragas. In this way each hymn acquires
a specific emotinal evocation and a distinctive spiritual
aura.
Guru Nanak’s poetry displays a remarkable
freedom of expression. The pastrol beauty, the ripen-
ing cornfields, the break of dawn and the awakening
of birds; the comely leap of deer in the woodlands
the awesome majesty of monsoon clouds and the music
of rainfall aroused him to religious & poetic frenzy.
The fifth Guru Arjan, expresses the same deep senti-
ments in his poetry as Guru Nanak. His verses abound
with beautiful phrases and has an enchanting melody,
produced by the use of alliteration & repetition of
words. How beautifully worded hymns crave for
union with God:
“O blissful night, long be thy hours,
O wretched sleep, be brief,
I have a tryst with the Lord I love,
I long to touch the Lotus Feet of the Lord.”
(Guru Arjan: Rag Behagri)
(translated.)
One who reads this Divine Book is undoubtedly
stirred to the depth by the spirit which pervades the
whole poetry. Each verse sparkles with divine
refulgence, each line tingles us with rare joy. There
is no human chord that is not struck, there is no depth
that is not stirred. It imparts the Spark of Life that
kindles the “Extinguished-Ones” and makes whole the
‘Broken-Ones’.
In the pages of holy Grantha, we do feel man
comes into his own, developed to his full stature of
manhood, when man is no longer a mere man, but one
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GURU ARJAN DEV 173
with the Supreme Self. No longer are forces of nature,
the object of worship, but only the Timeless Spirit.
The arid desert of philosophy has been replaced by
mountain-heights of love-lit meditation.
Guru Granth Sahib is not a book of cold wrangling
philosophy, but it is pulsating with the warm blood of
the heart. Sweet humility has taken the place of
inflated egoism.
In Guru Granth Sahib, there is the first genuine
attempt to completely take off the veil from the Spirit.
Above all, Guru Granth is the only Bible which gives
you complete information about NAM—the Word or
Logos, which is the Key to the Kingdom of Heaven
within us, and but for which all poetry is verbiage
and all philosophy illusory. This Divine Poetry
brings the man face to face with this Dazzling, Eternal
and All-Pervading Reality, Golden State ultimate,
reaching which all is one.
Each psalm of the Guru, is a beautiful piece which
can well be termed the Gems of the Spirit. The
following is one such inspired psalm which depicts the
state of mind, when Truth dawns on man:
“The shell of the egg of illusion has burst,
My mind is illumined;
The Guru has broken the fetters
The captive soul is freed.
No more cycles of life and death,
No more fretting and fuming
The steaming cauldron of desires has cooled down
No sooner the Guru showered the blessings of NAM on me.
My enemies—the senses that assailed me,
Are under my control since I found the Saint’s company.
The Lord in His mercy has now removed
All the temptations that once stood in my way.
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‘174 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
The loadof ‘Karma’ is taken off my breast
And I soar like a bird, free on its wings,
No more restraint,
I now act without any desire for reward.
I have crossed the sea of life
And have reached the shore.
The Guru hath done this act of mercy
Now Truth is my Resting Ground,
Truth is the Rock on which I stand, I dwell in Truth
Truth is my Capital and Stock-in-Trade,
Saith Nanak, Yea, I have found My House within me.”
(GuruArajn: Rag Maru)
(translated).
Guru Arjan’s Sukhmani (The Song of Eternal
Peace): His Sukhmani is the most popular and
widely chanted hymn. It is veritably the Kohi-
Noor of the Spiritual Diamonds. It is joy: infinite
-which is beyond the span of words; for words are
volatile, but the joy which emanates from this Song of
songs is eternal.
Sukhmani came out from the heart of Gin Arjan
as a river. flows out from a snow covered: mountain.
It is a great: healer of all the ills of the mind.. When
worries seize you, and troubles burden you and out-
weigh your spirit, plunge into Sukhmani, the. ever-
flowing River of Peace and you will be soothed and
comforted. It makes you fearless and joyous. You
will feel refreshed, stimulated and anew.
The Golden Temple of Amritsar: (Darbar Sahib):
It is said that Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh
religion, during his missionery tours once halted by
a natural pond in the midst of a thick jungle in the
Punjab. This secluded spot afforded great peace
and he stayed there for some time to enjoy the
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GURU ARJAN DEV 175
crystal clear waters and to commune with God in
the midst of this cool, quiet place.
Because Guru Nanak had been so fond of this
spot, it naturally took on a hallowed significance to his
disciples and followers. When Emperor Akbar
visited Guru Amar Das and received spiritual satis-
faction, he made a presentation of this land to Bibi
Bhani, the daughter of Guru Amar Das. At any
rate, Guru Ram Das established his residence in the
area where Guru Nanak first halted and in 1577 the
city was founded with the construction of the tank
which was to be called Amrit-Sar. The construction
of the tank and the temple was at first commenced by
Guru Ram Das, but the subsequent modelling and
finish was due entirely to the Fifth Guru. It was the
task of Guru Arjan, to crystalize the spiritual aspect
of the religion and its metropolis. He not only
compiled the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy book,
but he also established the Golden Temple as the
religious centre of the Sikh community.
Blind ritualism had smothered the essence of the
religion of the Hindus and the peculiar forms of eating
and drinking had become the ultimate in ritualism.
So Guru Nanak and his successors, to hit at the heart
of artificiality, established a free kitchen and decreed
that all who come to see them must first sit side by side
with other pilgrims and eat food prepared by the
devotees. Thus each man had to shed his ritualistic
beliefs by sitting by the side of men and women of other
castes. In this way the Guru abolished superficialities
and showed the people that under the ritualism lay an
inner sameness. Thus Sikhism opened its doors to
all and gave men simple basic beliefs which all could
follow.
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176 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
The Golden Temple was designed as a symbol of
such a faith and, to demonstrate its universality, Guru
Arjan asked his dear Muslim friend, Mian Mir, to lay
the foundation stone.
A marble synthesis of the arts and cultures that
had passed through the Punjab, the Hari Mandir, as the
temple was originally called, grew out of the waters and
floated like a lotus on the crystal pool. The pool of
water around the temple not only isolates it from a
temporal environment but also adds considerably to
its majesty and beauty. The temple’s glimmering
reflection in the myriad ripples of the holy water,
dancing around it, isan unforgettable memory. By day,
under the blue sky, dazzling in the sunlight, the temple
looks like a garnished ornament. By night, when the
temple and its causeway are lit with lights of different
colours they resemble a miniature fairyland. Conn-
ected to the shores bya single bridge, its surrounding
water bordered by a wide walk, this temple is
accessible to men and women of all faiths, castes and
nationalities.
Where Indian places of worship normally had one
door opened towards the direction of that faith’s
conception of God’s abode, the Golden Temple was
built with four doors opening to the cardinal points
to show that God is everywhere at all timés. Where
Hindu temples were open only to those of chosen
castes, the Golden Temple opened its doors to all who
would seek God. Where Muslim mosques were open
only to men, the Golden Temple received also women,
giving them dignity and equality with men and making
them personally responsible to God. Where Hindu
temples enshrined idols of gods for worship, no image
found a place in Golden Temple and worship of only
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one God was done. God who is formless all-pervading,
who is the creator of the universe, who is not an
abstraction but a reality, Immortal, unborn and Self-
existent. And He is worshipped through love and
righteousness by singing odes and hymns in praise of
Him.
Thus the establishment of the Golden Temple was
a revolutionary step in Indian history.
But those, who look on merely the alabaster and
the gold of the temple, miss the inner spirit which
pervades the whole building. The whole atmosphere
is surcharged with Divine Light and no one who enters
the sacred precinets of the Golden Temple would fail
to perceive its sacred influence.
Everyday, Guru Arjan, chanted the life giving
hymns, playing the Tambura exquisitely with his own
deft fingers; his melodious voice, and with his disciples
gathered round him listening to his divine lyrics in
wonder and worship. The lovely music rose from
under the dome of Hari Mandir and was absorbed and
reabsorbed by the thirsty lake which surrounded it.
His divine voice still lingers on and its reverberating
echoes still awaken the sleeping souls. The mystics
and the ‘Living Ones’ know and appreciate the sacred
influence of the atmosphere there.
Akbar, the Emperor of India pays a visit: Akbar
paid a visit to the Guru in order to see the Temple
and its architectural beauty. He asked the Guru,
as was his wont, the way to acceptance by God. The
Guru said, “Through Service and Love.” Akbar
wished to make a contribution towards the mainten-
ance of the Golden Temple. But the Guru declined
the offer, saying that it was being well supported
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178 : GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
by the people. But when the Emperor insisted,
the Guru said, ‘‘There is an acute famine in the
country; it would be best if the Imperial visit were
to be marked by the remission of this year’s land
revenue to the poor farmers.”
Akbar gave orders accordingly.
Sociai Reforms: Arjan felt that there could be
no hope for the social and political regeneration
of our people as long as they did not take interest
in the development of arts and industries. Men
of high castes kept aloof and left the hard work
to be done by the so called lower classes. All those
who were spiritually minded shunned work, as it was
looked upon by them as mean, degrading and worldly.
Guru Arjan said that every man must work. It is
only those that work and earn and share their earnings
with others that find the true path.
Renunciation of the world was against the teach-
ings of the Gurus. He preached that retirement from
the world was a confession of failure, like a run-away
soldier from the battle field.
The Guru recognised that the reform of a nation
meant the reform of its masses. A nation is as
great as its rank and file. It is the common man that
was of utmost significance and therefore the Guru
left no stone unturned to care for him. All classes
were declared equal. All occupations that were
honest were glorified as sacred. There was to be no
prejudice against any trade and profession. Worldly
riches were no longer to be considered ‘Maya’. These
could be helpful in the conduct of human affairs.
For a religious man, it was not irreligious to
acquire wealth, provided he makes use of his wealth
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GURU ARJAN DEV 179
beneficially to give comfort and derive comfort.
So now the intelligentsia also began to take active
part in all arts and industries. The Guru patronised
and encouraged them, as this was one of the noblest
ways of serving the country. At the same time,
centres of commerce and industries like Amritsar and
Tarn Tarn were founded by the Guru.
Centuries of Mohammedan rule had demoralised
the Hindus so much so, that in desperation they had
come to believe that all pain and suffering was meted
out to them by God because of their sins and that
virtuous men would never suffer. They said that
king Dasrath, Rama’s father, suffered agony in the
exile of his son, because he had caused pain to the
father of Sarwan. So all actions that involved pain
and suffering began to be shunned. The concept of
sacrifice and patriotism were thrown to the winds.
Guru Arjan Dev laid great stress on the service of
love and self-sacrifice for a virtuous cause. His pur-
pose was to show that whatever suffering one had to
undergo in the cause of doing good to others, is not
the outcome of one’s sins, but a necessary co-relative
of virtue. How can a conscientious man can remain
at ease as long as his fellow brethern are suffering
before his eyes. Guru Arjan enjoined upon the Sikhs
to voluntarily contribute atleast One Tenth of their
income as a love-full offering for the advancement of
the social, national and ‘Dharmic’ causes.
Contemporary Poets, Mystics and Scholars: Some
contemporary poets, mystics and scholars who per-
sonally saw the Master and came inclose contact with
him wrote about him thus:
“Unfathomable, pure, serene and immortal is the spirit of Guru Arjan
Dev. The light of his soul is brighter than the moon and more resplendent
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180 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
than sun He 1s imbued with the love of God and in him burns the
undying Flame of the Eternal Every-one acknowledges the spiritual
greatness of Guru Arjan, and the wise and enlightened sing songs about
his virtues and spiritual granduer Guru Arjan personal life and his
spiritual ideals attracted people of divergent faiths, men and women
belonging to all the four different castes, those who were devout follo-
wers Of Vedas and those belonging to the Six Schools of Philosophy
Guru Arjan’s heart vibrates with Celestial Music His inner self 1s the
abode of perennial joy and bliss, as he 1s deeply absorbed tn the love
of God His personality emanates Truth
From the North and South, from the East and West, seekers of Truth
flock to Guru Arjan and accept the discipleship of his faith He
maintains a free Kitchen giving bodily food as well as spiritual food to
all those who seek it ”’
(Bhai: Gurdas Translated)
“T relate from my personal experience, the virtues of Guru Arjan Dev
He was born 1n the house of Guru Ram Das His birth fulfilled the great
expectations of the house of the Guru He had the divine, ilumination
from his very birth He 1s a great seer who loveth God truly and liveth
a detached life in this world He has given the widest expression to the
Holy Word The Name of the Lord ts ever on his lips His mind 1s ever
at peace He has perfect realization of God
Ever since I have felt the moral and spiritual influence of Guru Aryan,
my mind has experienced Truth through the Guru’s Word My
thirst for true knowledge of God has been appeased and my search
has ended in this supreme realization
Immortal! and mvaluable 1s the inherent divinity in Guru Arjan — His
Inner spirit 1s the very image of God and 1s everlasting The supreme
Light of the Holy Word passed from Guru Nanak to Angad, then to
Amardas and from him to Ram Das’ With the transmuting touch of
Ram Das, Guru Arjan became the torch-bearer of Guru Nanak
Guru Arjan ever remains united with God So impressive and pure 1s
his personality that whosoever comes in contact with him praises his
virtues He has come to bear the burden of the world Through his
moral and spiritual influence he dispells all fears and does everything to
remove the sorrows and sufferings of others He ts gracious and com-
passionate like God Himself
Guru Arjan 1s an embodiment of patience, tolerance and calm endurance
He 1s also a profound scholar By his very touch all ego departs He
is the perennial fountain of charity The greatest gift which he freely
gives to others 1s the divine wisdom __ He preaches Truth, loves Truth
and stands by Truth He 1s the King of kings and the most perfect
living being Great is Guru Arjan indeed as he fills to the brim the
empty, spiritless souls with the Light and Love of God ”
(Kalya Sahar—a poet and scholar of Banaras)
translated
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GURU ARJAN DEV 181
Mathura’s_ observations about Guru Arjan:
Mathura, a mystic and a scholar makes observations
about Guru Arjan which are briefly as under:
“God is Supreme Light. The same Divine Light manifested itself in human
form and was known as Guru Nanak. The Divine Spirit of Guru Nanak came
to be passed on to Guru Arjan. Blessed am I to see the Light of the Perfect
Guru shining in Arjan Dev with my own eyes. This Light radiates from his
personality and spreads in all realms. In this dark age, Guru Arjan is a ship
to save humanity from the tumultuous and the stormy waters of this dark
ocean—our world.
Hear, ye people, I seek the Light that shines in Guru Arjan. His mind is
imbibed with a genuine love for humanity and God. Ah! who can measure
the spiritual greatness of Guru Arjan. He has come to enlighten the seekers of
truth and to save suffering humanity. Ah! who else can bestow peace and
light on mankind, plunged in darkness except the great Guru Arjan. Those
who have drunk deep from the cup of nectar which he alone at present holds
out to humanity, have overcome all sorrows and sufferings.
Pure is the life of Guru Arjan and pure are his principles, whoever treads
his path becomes pure like him. On the earth and in sky and in worlds, the
light of God pervades. That resplendent light of God can be visibly seen in
Guru Arjan.” (Translated)
The great sacrifice: Hundreds of thousands of
people equally from amongst the Hindus and Muslims
flocked to Guru Arjan, fascinated by the beauty of his
spirit, his purity and saintliness. A great number of
villages with hundreds of Muslim inhabitants bowed
before the Guru and became his disciples.
Up to the time of Akbar, the Mughal Emperors
had not greatly interfered with this peaceful move-
ment. But the ever growing popularity and influence
of Sikhism perturbed Jahangir, who had little of the
mildness and tolerance of his father. As a Moha-
mmedan, he thought it was his duty to bring the
infidels to the fold of Islam.
Thus the bigotry of Emperor Jehangir was
stirred up. He himself writes in his autobiography:
“On the banks of the river Beas, there stands a
village Goindwal, where dwells a person Arjan by
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GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
name. He is known as Guru. He has taken into his
folds quite a number of Hindus, as also simple Moha-
mmedans by influence of his ways and manners. His
purity and saintliness is being loudly proclaimed on all
sides and worshippers from all parts of the country
rally round him. They manifest complete faith in him
and pay their homage to him. This movement has
been going on for the past three to four generations.
I have been contemplating for a long time either to end
this movement or to convert the Guru to Islam.”
A pretext was soon created for hauling up the Guru
on charge of sedition. Chandu, the Dewan, conspired
with servile informers and invented the story that
the Guru had helped Khusrau, the rebellous son
of the Emperor Jahangir, while he was passing through
Goindwal and that the Guru had applied a ‘tilk’ on
his forehead as a token of his blessings. The Emperor
grabbed this opportunity of giving vent to his pent-
up feelings and rage.
Referring to these allegations, Jahangir writes
in his autobiography: “I was already fully aware of
his heresies and as I was now informed of him, I
ordered that the Guru be brought into my presence
and I conferred all his belongings to Murtza Hussain
Khan and further ordered that he should be tortur-
ed to death under the Law of Yusa.”’ Power-mad
Monarchs are often blind to truth and reason. The
following day the Emperor left Lahore for Kashmir,
with no effort to know or seek the truth behind all
these allegations against the Guru; and even before the
Guru could be brought to Lahore.*
*Jehangir’s son, Khusrau, had rebelled against him. He was fleeing towards
Lahore and the Emperor was closely pursuing him. On the way he mercilessly
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After the Emperor left for Kashmir, the Guru was
broughtto Lahore. Murtza Hussain Khan handed him
over to Chandu, the dewan who devised the tortures
inflicted upon the Guru. Guru Arjan was made to
sit on red hot iron and burning sand was poured over
his bare body. But the Guru remained calm and
ranquil throughout, and his face flushed with divine
glory.
When Hazrat Mian Mir, a Muslim saint, who had
laid the foundation-stone of the Golden Temple, heard
this tale of sorrow, he rushed to see the Guru. Tears
trickled down the cheeks of the aged Mian Mir when
he saw the ghastly scene. He cried like a child and
massacred all those who were reported to have helped Khusrau in any way.
The Emperor’s diary shows that on the 16th Zeeulhaj he was at Serai Qaziwali.
On the 17th he reached Goindwa! starting the same morning from Sultanpur.
He knew that Guru Arjan lived at Goindwal. If the Guru had really helped
Khusrau in any way, the Emperor would have surely dealt with him then and
there. But there was no report against him.
From there, the Emperor marched on to Jaipal, a village seven miles from
Lahore and stayed there till the 28th. He heard nothing against the Guru till
then.
On the 3rd of Muharram, Khusrau was arrested and 700 of his companions
were impaled alive on spikes pitched outside the Lahore gates. Some of them
were sewn up in wet cowhides and asshides. The Emperor remained at Lahore
till the 8th. It was not until the 7th that he was suddenly infcrmed that Guru
Arjan had applied a tilak on Khusrau’s forehead in token of his blessings.
Now in the house of Guru Nanak, tilak was never applied to anyone
except on the forehead of the succeeding Guru when he was installed on the
spiritual throne. Even when the Emperor Akbar visited the Guru Amar Das
and then also Guru Arjan himself, no tilak was applied to his forehead.
It was an utterly false charge that was brought against the Guru. Chandu,
the Dewan had conspired with some fanatic Mohammedans and fabricated
the whole story.
Chandu bore a grudge against the Guru. His malice was due to the Guru’s
refusal to accept his daughter in marriage to his son Har Gobind. Chandu
had spoken contemptuously of the house of Guru Nanak and therefore the
Guru refused his offer.
But Jehangir, who for reasons of his own, had long since been contemplating
to take some strong action against the Guru, now found a good excuse to order
that he should be arrested and tortured to death.
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184 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
said: ‘“‘Master! I cannot bear to see these horrors
inflicted on you.” But the Master comforted him and
asked him to look up. When lo! the hosts of Heaven
were seen hovering around the Guru and angels stood
awaiting his commands. But the Guru was unruffled,
quite calm and tranquil and full of ineffable peace.
He completely resigned himself to the Will of God,
and submitted cheerfully to the most agonising physical,
torture, and said: “Sweet be Thy Will, My Lord, Thy
Grace alone I beseecheth.”
Mian Mir then bowed and left in silence.
At last, Chandu made up his mind to kill Guru
Arjan by suffocating him in a fresh cowhide, in which
he was to be sewn up. The Guru asked for a bath in
Ravi River. He was permitted to bathe, as Chandu
revelled in the thought that the Guru’s body full of
blisters would undergo greater pain when it would be
dipped in cold water.
He was led out to the river which flowed embrac-
ing the walls of the Lahore fort. The Master’s disct-
ples saw him. He looked at them still forbidding any
action. “Such is the Will of my God, submit to the
Divine Will,” said he, ‘“‘move not, stand calm against
all woes.”
Crowds of people watched him, calm but deeply
afflicted while the Master stood in water and had a dip
and disappeared. The Light blended with Light and
his body was to be found nowhere.
The testimony of Bhai Gurdas on Guru Arjan’s
martyrdom is of great importance. Particularly note-
worthy are the comments of this saint-scholar who
lived during that period. He does not brood over
the horrors of torture, but elucidates the superhuman
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GURU ARJAN DEV 185
endurance, equanimity and calmness of Guru Arjan
under the severest torments and extreme agony. He
writes:
“Profound indeed was Guru Arjan’s martyr-
dom. As a fish swims into the depth of flowing
water, so Guru Arjan lived deep into the Eternal
Stream of Lord’s presence. As the moth flings its
body into flame sacrificing itself on it, so Guru Arjan
submitted his body to the torture of fire and heat and
blended his soul with the Undying Flame of God.
As a deer, cares not for the deadly arrows of the
hunter but runs heedlessly towards the call of the drum,
Guru Arjan cared not for the cruel hands of the
murderer but marched on fearlessly to face a martyr’s
death, keeping all the time his mind absorbed in the
Celestial Music within his soul. Even at the severest
torture and at the most tragic moment of his end, he
thought not of anything else but the enchanting of
Heaven’s symphony within his mind.
As a butterfly, when trapped in the petals of the
lotus flower dies in the joy of its fragrance and honey,
so Guru Arjan cared not for any physical torture but
kept his mind unsullied in the fragrance of the Lord’s
Love.
Like a rainbird, thirsting only for a drop of rain
and no other water, Guru Arjan abondoned all
worldly opportunities offered to him and desired but an
abiding repose in the Love and Will of God. So
deeply was he absorbed in the undisturbed and un-
broken vision of the Lord, that his enlightened and
elevated spirit conquered all sorrow and pain and his
soul rested peacefully in the eternal embrace of God’s
love. I am a sacrifice unto Guru Arjan, the Perfect
One.” (translated).
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GURU HAR GOBIND
(1606-1644 A.D.)
The New Spirit and Life
The cruel and torturous execution of Guru Arjan
Dev aroused a very strong wave of feeling among the
masses. The enlightened, but not passive, sufferings
of the Guru instilled a new spirit and life into the people
and they resolved to exert and sacrifice themselves for
the sake of righteousness. They were determined to
resist and evict evil from the country. Resistance
meant sorrow, suffering, hunger and death for them-
selves and for their children but so great was the love
of the people for the Master that they were prepared
to endure everything. Those who fight for a noble
cause do not enter into calculations.
The devotion they bore to their Master was deep
and selfless. Now that the Guru had been tortured
to death of what use was the life? So great was their
indignation that they were ready to sacrifice all that
they held dear—their homes, wealth and families as a
mark of their love and devotion to the Guru.
For centuries, countless Hindu men, women and
children had fallen under the Muslim sword; but this
had not softened the hard hearts of their oppressors;
they had become even more brutal. On the other
hand, the barbarous inhumanities committed on the
Hindus had totally demoralised them. They had
become so impotent and pessimistic that they could
not contemplate any kind of resistance. It was for
the very first time, now, during the long bondage of the
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GURU HAR GOBIND 187
Hindus that resistance began to be organised. The
Sikh community at that time was numerically small
but spiritually great. It had acquired an intensity of
character which steeled it against all tyranny and
oppression.
When the sixth Guru Har Gobind, sat on the
spiritual throne of Guru Nanak, Bhai Buddha, the
silvery-haired saint, as usual, placed before him the
“Seli’” or Ribbon of Renunciation that Nanak had
worn and given to Angad, who had presented it in
turn to Amardas and Amardas to Ramsad and then
to Arjun. Guru Har Gobind said to Bhai Buddha:
“No, give me a sword to wear instead.” He saluted
the Seli and put it aside. The sword was brought but
Bhai Buddha who had never worn a sword, placed it
on the wrong side of Har Gobind. The Guru said,
“Bring another one, I will wear two swords.” The
two swords which the Master wore were emblems of
spiritual and temporal authority—Piri and Miri—the
combination of ‘Bhakti? and ‘Shakti’. The Master
ordered all his men to carry swords, to keep horses,
and to manufacture arms. He was determined to take
his disciples through blood and fire. The house of
Nanak, from its very foundation, stood for love,
peace, truth, freedom and self respect. But now the
fire that had come leaping from outside into the camp
of peace needed to be extinguished.
Thus bands of warrior-saints came up who would
not shun or fear danger but would dedicate their lives
to the banishment of tyranny and oppression. Their
sword was to strike not in a spirit of anger, hatred or
aggression or for self-glorification. They were instead
to wield the sword asa shield to defend and protect the
weak and oppressed, to uphold truth and righteousness.
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188 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
True Dharma—is to live rich victorious life.
In the past, as even today, most of the people
think that Dharma or religion is to live humbly, in
poverty and to pass on the one’s days peacefully and
quietly in renunciation and self-abnegation. A man,
who lives a life of suffering, surrender and self-denial
is considered a truly religious man. The so called
religious men, therefore, abstained from the gratifi-
cation of natural desires, though yet desiring them.
This had led to forced celibacy, ‘tyaga’ (physical
renunciation of the world) and mortification of flesh.
Such has been the philosophy of latter Hinduism that
was built on the ashes of Buddhism. Its natural
conclusion is one of pessimism and defeatism.
But the true Dharma is a rich, victorious life of
high spirit. Such a life of real Dharma, springs of
‘Dhyanam’ the inspiration alike of Lord Krishna,
Christ, Buddha and Nanak, comes of art and not
philosophy. Philosophy creeps in when inspiration
leaves us. Philosophy is incapable of giving eyes to
the spiritually blind. It cannot impart life to the dead
souls. Living Dharma or true religion does not stand
upon the crutches of philosophy.
Besides the Buddhists, the Hindus of medieval
India also followed the path of self-denial; even Sufis
and some school of Christians in the west chose this
path. Men, endowed with the divine spirit are
rare and it is these rare gifted men, who by their
living examples lead humanity to the right path.
Without such a man to guide, people often go astray.
The Truth of Life has been repeatedly mistaken for a
dead creed. The Mohammedans of middle ages and
of modern times on the other hand have taken up just
the opposite view of life. Unlike Christians and
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GURU HAR GOBIND 189
Hindus who follow the way of self-denial, Muslims
follow the philosophy of self-assertion.
Now self-assertion and self-denial, both these
ways of thought and action take the world to the
extremes and each one is one sided and incomplete by
itself. The ideal way is SEHAJ-AVASTHA—The Balanc-
ed State, above the three modes (Three Gunas—Raj,
Sat, Tam). Those who are inwardly awakened by
Nam (The Divine Spirit) feel a certain elevation, a
certain perception of inner beauty and bliss. In this
life of the spirit, the dispute of self-denial and self-
assertion, of violence and non-violence is settled and
squared up once for all. One gets a steady vision of
life, a life of ‘Sehaj’ or of equilibrium. It is neither
passive, nor active, yet it is a combination of the two.
This attitude of the spirit-born people towards the
world is called in Sikh terminology “‘CHADI-KALA”’ or
the Way of Exalted Spirits. A man of this supreme
nature is fearless and does not create fears in others.
He is victorious in spirit and has an indomitable
personality and supreme spiritual grace. Assertion
and Denial both work in him simultaneously and
accommodate each other spontaneously, like the two
wings of a flying bird. Yet he remains above both,
neither concept affecting him. Such were the Saint-
Soldiers that Guru Har Gobind had around him.
They were all seasoned heroes, Knights of Honour,
of the Divine Master.
News of the war-like preparations soon reached
Emperor Jahangir; for Chandu, the arch enemy of
the Nanak’s House, still worked against it. There was
now a good deal of evidence of a charge of of rebellion
against Guru Har Gobind. Atlast, the Guru was
called by the Emperor at Delhi. He went, he saw and
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190 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
conquered Delhvies, so to say, by his natural majesty.
All real conquests in the field of life are mental and
moral; physical conquests are no conquests. The
highly intensified and illumined mind is over-powering
that it is seemingly fascinating and attractive even
physically. It gathers its own moths like the intense
flame of a night lamp. The presence of a_ great
spiritual man over-powers millions of people.
Guru Har Gobind began to live at Delhi as the
Emperor’s guest. Wherever Jehangir went out into
a camp, there was a separate tent and camping ground
for the Guru.
The True King—Jahangir encamped at Agra.
Tents were pitched for Guru Har Gobind side by side
with those of the Emperor. A humble grass-cutter,
who was a Sikh belonging to Agra, got the news of
Guru’s visit. He went to have his holy ‘Darshan’. He
was, however, led to Jahangir’s tent. The grass-
cutter placed an offering of two copper pice out of his
daily earnings before the Emperor, bowed down to
him and prayed, ““O True King: Save me thy humble
servant, take me across this ocean of darkness, show
me the Light and take me into thy refuge, that is All-
Knowledge.”
The Emperor was puzzled for a moment and then
said, “I am not ‘that True King’ you seek. His tents
are pitched yonder. I am unable to give what you
ask for. If you want wealth, I can give you, but for
the boon you ask for, go thither.”
The grass-cutter hastily took back his two copper-
coins and turning away said, ‘I want the holy Darshan
of the True King. Ido not want riches.”
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GURU HAR GOBIND 191
Bandi Chhor—The Great Deliverer: About this
time Jehangir fell ill, He sent for his astrologers
to find out which evil stars had wrought him ill-luck
and what was the remedy. Chandu taking advantage
of the situation, heavily bribed the astrologers in his
anxiety to severe connections between the Emperor
and the Guru. The astrologers accordingly suggested
that a holy man of God should go to the Fort of
Gwalior and pray for the Emperor’s recovery there.
Chandu on the other hand advised the Emperor that
Guru Har Gobind was the holiest of the men and
thus played the double role. Jehangir requested
Har Gobind to go. The Guru saw through the game
but he agreed to leave for Gwalior; for another Mission
awaited him there. Great was the distress of the
Sikhs of Delhiand Amritsar at this. They apprehended
some foul play on the part of Chandu. In fact, Chandu
did write to Hari Das, the Governor of the Gwalior
Fort, urging him to poison Har Gobind and put an
end to him. Hari Das, however, laid all these letters
before the Master; for he had by that time become his
devotee. The Guru smiled on seeing these letters
but said nothing.
There were at that time fiftytwo Indian princes
imprisoned in the Gwalior Fort, who were spending
their days in lamentation and misery. Guru Har
Gobind met them, comforted them, and gave them
peace, making them feel happy even in adversity.
When Jehangir recovered from his illness, he
forgot to recall the Guru. O, such is the world!
When a person is in difficulty, one bows and prays,
but as soon as one gets out of it, one forgets his bene-
factor and becomes quite indifferent. O ungrateful
world!
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192 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
However, through the good offices of Hazrat
Mian Mir and Wazir Khan who evinced a disciple-
like devotion to the Master, Jehangir was moved to
recall the Guru.
Hazrat Mian Mir also brought home to the
Emperor, the innocence of Guru Arjan and how under
his cruel orders, the great divine had been tortured to
death. The Emperor, however, washed his hands
clean of this sin and held Chandu entirely responsible
for this crime. Thereafter, Chandu was arrested by
Emperor’s order and taken to Lahore to be publically
executed there. While Chandu was being paraded,
by the Kotwal, through the streets of Lahore, people
cursed him, threw filth on him and a grain parcher,
struck him on the head with his ladle and the wretch
died.
Guru Har Gobind, when recalled, would not leave
the fort, unless all the prisoners were also released.
The Emperor conceded to his wish and released all the
fiftytwo prince prisoners. Since then the Guru was
hailed at Gwalior as ‘BANDI CHHOR’—The Great
Deliverer, who snaps off the prisoners’ fetters. There
still stands a shrine ‘Bandi Chhor’ in the historic
Fort of Gwalior, where a lamp is lit in the memory
of the event. Guru Har Gobind is remembered as
Bandi Chhor in the daily prayers of the Sikhs. He
certainly bore this name from Gwalior to Amritsar.
While the Master was away at Gwalior, the Sikhs
at Amritsar felt very keenly the pangs of separation
from him. Headed by Bhai Buddha, they organised
daily choirs. They lighted torches and went in
procession around the Hari Mandir in the ‘Dhyanam’
of the Master, singing songs yearning for a glimpse of
their Beloved. Their devotion had response from
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GURU HAR GOBIND 193
the Guru and they realized his inner presence and felt
blessed by him. The nightly choirs organised by
Bhai Buddha have ever since been continued. Even
today the Sikhs at the Golden Temple go around in
choir in his hallowed memory every evening. The
Devotees continue to feel thrilled while moving in his
Dhyanam in these choir-processions at night.
Har Gobind and Shah Jehan: As long as Jehangir
lived he did not do any harm to Guru Har Gobind.
Jehangir died in Kashmir and after his death, Shah
Jehan became the Emperor ofIndia. His mind was
poisoned against the Guru and soon he waged a war
against the Sikhs.
Some people might be led to think that Guru
Nanak’s disciples’ main concern was the contempla-
tion of the Pure, the Absolute, the ‘Braham’ like the
ancient Hindu devotees. But no, the type of man
that the Guru created was quite different. The
ineffable bliss of Guru Nanak waves in the heart of a
Sikh like a vast ocean. It is ever in motion, yet wholly
at rest in itself. The pang of Guru Nanak’s love is
manifested in the life of the disciples in different ways.
It might take the shape of absolute forgiveness of a
sinner, for in this acute pang, man is much too sweet
for any revenge which, in many forms, is known on
this earth as justice. Where love reigns and not
hatred, the justice in the vision of the disciple is total
fogiveness.
This bliss of remembrance of Him might take the
form of total self-sacrifice in peace or in war, or it
might live content, as beautiful as the lotus, a flower-
like life, doing without knowing, the greatest service
to life that Pure Beauty can render. Again it might
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194 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
take the form of a political revolution against tyranny,
as it did in time of Guru Har Gobind and Guru
Gobind Singh. This bliss of the disciple is restless
with the human pain, which moved Lord Buddha to
compassion.
Now the order of Guru Har Gobind, the merciful
Lord, had gone forth that no one should molest others.
And the Sikhs understood what the Guru meant.
The forces of good had been organised and were now
to be put in action against the forces of evil. The
weak must not be allowed to be trampled under the
foot of the unjust and tyrant. Justice must be secured
even to the lowliest and weak irrespective of cast,
colour and creed.
At times, it might be possible to reform the evil
doer by opposing untruth and injustice by non-violent
methods. The silent resistance and suffering for a
righteous cause might enable the tyrant to see the
evil in his ways and he might be improved. But no
amount of non-violence can succeed against tyrant who
is hardened and steeped in criminal oppressive ways
and who pays no heed to the basic values of moral
and civilised conduct. Against such men non-violence
is only another name of disgraceful cowardice. Such
power drunk men must be faced bravely with a stick
bigger than theirs.
The Guru’s Sikhs never took offence against any
one. But when the Imperial armies made a raid upon
them, they stood firm against cruelty and oppression
and fought with indomitable courage and routed the
imperial armies in all the three affrays. Not only did
the Sikhs accomplish the work of protecting the weak;
but where possible they reformed the wrong doer by
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GURU HAR GOBIND 195
breaking his haughtiness and awakening in him his
better self.
Painde Khan: Painde Khan was a forlorn orphan
child. He was brought up by Guru Har Gobind,
educated and given all the necessary training in the
use of all kinds of arms, as was required in those
days. In the course of time the Guru’s ward became
a fine cavalier.
In the first battle, forced upon the Guru by an
attack of Shah Jehan’s army, a great and gruesome
fight took place at Pipli Sahib, three miles from
Amritsar. Victory kissed the feet of the Guru.
Painde Khan showed great prowess and bravery in the
battle. Pleased with this, the Guru bestowed upon him
a rich robe and a military charger.
But Painde Khan soon became too proud of
himself and after some time went over to Shah
Jehan and re-appeared as a general of the Imperial
Army. As the hostile army came marching on the
Guru, the Sikhs came in hot haste to inform him that
the enemy was at hand, and that Painde Khan was
heading the Mughal forces. But Guru Har Gobind
was never at a loss, never in haste, and never afraid of
the consequences. He said to his men, “Be Calm.
There is nothing to be afraid of. All comes as our
Creator Wills.”
Both armies met face to face. A few men were
killed on either side. As the battle was becoming hot,
Guru Har Gobind appeared before Painde Khan
riding on his faithful charger. The ungrateful Painde
Khan uttered profance words to the Master. In
the words of Mohsan Fani, a muslim historian of the
time, Guru Har Gobind spoke to Painde Khan as a
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196 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
school master would do to his pupil, ““Painde Khan,
why use such words when the sword is in thy hand.
Brave as you are my boy, come I give thee full leave
to strike first. I have no grudge against you. But
you are full of wrath. You can wreack your rage by
striking the first blow.”
The proud and over-confident Pathan was over-
joyed on hearing this. With his horse prancing and
his head held high, he aimed a heavy sword blow with
all his might at the Master. But Har Gobind the
great, calm and cool warrior parried off the blow.
Painde Khan was allowed to strike again, but to no
avail. Har Gobind was sportive with his dear old
follower, thereby trying to awaken in him his original
sense of fealty. But it only made the ungrateful
Painde Khan mad with anger. Infuriated with his
double failure, he gave the third blow with all the tact
and force he could muster; but again the Guru was
able to avoid it. The Master then said to him,
“Come, my boy, I will teach you how to strike. Not
your way but thus....”’ So saying the Master gave
him such a strong and dextrous blow that Panide Khan
fell down from his horse, mortally wounded. From
this blow he seems to have re-gained his old sense of
discipleship. And as he lay dying, the Master came
down from his horse, and took him in his arms,
thereby re-admitting him to grace. The death of
Painde Khan is one of the most pathetic scenes in the
life of Har Gobind. As the Master sat shading
Painde Khan’s face from the hot sun with his shield,
he addressed him lovingly, ‘O Painde Khan, thou art
a Muslim, recite thy Kalma, for thou art dying.”
The fully awakened Painde Khan, replied, “O
Master ! from thy sword has already flowed the
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Elixir of Immortality into my mouth. Master, thy
sword-cut is my Kalma now.”
The Master and His Disciples: There lived in
Kashmir, a poor old woman, Bhag Bhari by name.
She lived a life of dedication to the Guru by
continuously abiding in Nam and reciting the holy
hymns. At the time when Har Gobind was busy
fighting a small skirmish near Amritsar, this old
woman in her Dhynam made a shirt of coarse cloth
with yarn spun with her own hands. She stitched it
herself, singing all the while the songs of the Beloved
and deluging the cloth with the Dhyanam of love, as
it trickled from her eyes in tears of ecstasy.
“O God! Will my Beloved Master come and
wear it? Will he honour his humble servant. O,
How can he come this way? My Beloved come to me
now before these eyes close for ever. May I once
more behold thy divine face.”
Nameless feelings of love rose and sank in her
veins. The garments was ready for the Master. The
prayers of yearning heart, touched the tender cords of
Master’s heart. Leaving the battle field he rode his
charger in all haste to Kashmir, knocked at her door
and said, ‘“Give me my shirt, good lady! With tears
in his eyes he donned the shirt of coarse cloth, knowing
she had cried all these days for a glimpse of him.
The Service of Peoples is The Service of The
Master: A devotee was carrying a jar of honey for
presentation to the Master while he was staying at
Baramula. On the way he met Bhai Katu, a Sikh
of Kashmir. Bhai Katu asked the man what was in
the jar he was carrying. Being told it was honey
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198 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
that was being taken to the Guru. The poor Sikh
asked him to give a little bit of it to him, for he
very much longed to have a taste of it. However,
much Bhai Katu entreateed him, the man refused to
give any to him, saying that it had been specially
collected and purified for the sake of the Guru and
was meant for him alone. He would not pollute it
by giving it out to any one else.
When the man reached Baramula and presented
the jar of honey to the Guru, the Master refused to
accept it or even partake a little of it, saying it had
become profane and polluted and was not fit for him.
The man pleaded that its sanctity had not been voilated
in any way. The Master said that while he was on the
way, he wanted it and asked for it but however much
he had requested he was refused; now he would not
take it.
The man was surprised to hear this and when he
opened the jar, he found the honey had become foul
and unfit for consumption.
A Maratha Saint meets Har Gobind: While
Guru was at Srinagar (Kashmir), a Maratha saint
Shri Samarath Ram Das, met him. The Guru,
fully armed and riding a charger had just returned
from a hunting excursion. “J have heard that you
occupy the gaddi of Guru Nanak.” said Ram Das.
*“Nanak was a Tyagi Sadhu—a saint who had renoun-
ced the world. But you are wearing arms and keep-
ing an army of horsemen and you are addressed as
Sacha Padsha—The True King. I wonder, what
sort of a Sadhu are you?” asked the Maratha Saint.
Guru Har Gobind replied, ““The ideal man is
internally a saint and externally a prince. The
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combination of Raj and Yog. Miri and Piri —
Spiritual and Temporal powers put together. Arms
mean protection of the weak and poor and destruction
of the tyrant and cruel. Baba Nanak had not renoun-
ced the world, but had renounced Maya 1.e. Self-Ego
and Worldliness.”” These words of Guru Har
Gobind went deep into the heart of Ram Das and
he said, “This quite appeals to my mind.”
He seems to have realised that the Marathas who
had much in common with the people of the Punjab
in their physical and spiritual make up, could well
imbibe the spirit of the Guru and collaborate with the
Sikhs in resisting and vanquishing the intolerant
Mughals. Samarath Ram Das inspired Shivaji with
the same spirit.
The vision of Har Gobind and Ram Das was
fulfilled in the eighteenth century, when the disciples
of these great teachers the Sikhs in the North and
Marathas in the South smashed to pieces the tyra-
nnous empire of the great Mughals.
Bhai Sain Das: Bhai Sain Das, a devout Sikh,
built a new house in his village near Ferozepur
and would not occupy it unless the Master came and
graced the room first which had been prepared for
him. ‘“‘Why not write to the Guru to come to us.”’,
said his wife, who was the sister of the holy consort of
the Guru. ‘Oh, why write him when he can hear the
prayers of our hearts,’ said Sain Das. Thereupon,
Guru Har Gobind at Amritsar felt himself drawn by
the love and Dhyanam of his disciple and went to
him at his village Darauli.
On this very journey, the Master went right up to
Pilibhit in resposne to the love of a Sikh Saint Almast
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200 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
—a man intoxicated with the love of God.
Bhai Buddha: Bhai Buddha, who was near death
lay waiting for the Master at his village Ramdas,
near Amritsar when Guru Har Gobind hastened to
his side. Bhai Buddha was beside himself with joy.
The Guru said: ‘‘Bhai Buddha, thou hast seen the
last five Gurus and lived with them, and thy realiza-
tion is great. Please give me your wise counsel.”
Buddha replied, ““Thou art the Sun and I am only
a fire-fly. Thou hast, out of thy infinite mercy, come
to help me to swim across thesea of life. Touch me,
touch me with thy hand and bless me, O Master
mine, Sustain me and let me pass death’s door with-
out suffering. Help me, O Lord. O Saviour of the
World.” ‘Thou has already entered the realm of
immortals, brother” said the Master and he placed
his hand on his forehead and Bhai Bhuddha passed
away.
The Guru similarly responded to the Dhyanam
of his disciples. Where he could not go personally,
he answered to their inmost prayers in the inner realm
of the spirit and this was continued in the midst of
battles even.
Guru Har Gobind found in Har Rai, the Divine
Spirit of Nanak, and it was at Kiratpur that the Master
gave his throne to him and left for his heavenly abode.
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GURU HAR RAI
(1645—1661)
Under the sixth Guru, the Sikhs learnt to fight for
justice, but if the struggle were to continue for long
there was danger of their becoming harsh in character.
So the sternness of justice was tempered with Mercy.
Therefore, the great Guru Har Rai insisted upon
tenderness. One day as a child, while passing through
a garden, his loose flowing robes broke away some
flowers and scattered their petals on the ground. The
sight was too much for his tender heart and this
brought tears to his eyes. Thenceforward, he always
walked with his skirts tucked up, and resolved ever
after not to harm anything, in the world.
When he grew up, he carried the same heart with
him. He was very fond of quoting Baba Farid:
““Men’s hearts are like valuable jewels. It is wicked
to distress them. If you desire to see the Beloved,
do not distress others’ hearts.”
Guru Har Rai was the most magnanimous of men
and yet he was a great soldier and led a life of rigid
discipline. He had 2,200 cavaliers in his retinue,
but the Master’s order was that they should not
unsheath their swords and all problems were to be
solved by peaceful negotiations.
The quality of mercy is most genuine and high-
lighted when it is preached by a strong man, who feels
his strength and yet suppresses himself and is tender.
It is most sublime when humility, gentleness and mercy
is practiced by those who are strong enough and hold
the power in their hands.
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202 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
It was well in keeping with Sikhism that the teach-
ing of mercy and compassion should come after the
teaching of courage. For a coward is very often the
cruelest of men.
Emperor Shah Jahan had seen during the life time
of Har Gobind, that it served no good purpose to
make the Sikhs his enemies. On the illness of his
youngest and most beloved son Dara Shikoh, the
Emperor sent a conciliatory letter to Guru Har Rai
and asked for his blessings.
But not many years after, Shah Jahan was taken
prisoner by his son Aurangzeb, who also killed his
brothers and usurped the throne of Delhi.
Aurangzeb soon turned his attention to Har Rai,
but instead of adopting strong measures, the Emperor
sent him a polite invitation to visit Delhi. Har Rai
refused to accept it. He, however, sent his eldest
son Ram Rai. This young man worked miracles
there to display his own greatness and even dared to
distort a hymn of Guru Nanak, so as to render it more
pleasing to the Muslim and thus flattered the Emperor.
When the news of this moral weakness reached the
Guru, he ordered that his son should never come back
to see him. “Let him go whither he pleases.’ said
the Guru.
Hunger for Love Song: One day during a ride,
the Guru halted and knocked at the door of a cottage
of a poor woman and said, “Good lady, I am very
hungry, bring me the bread you have for me.”
The woman, throbbing with joy, brought out some
coarse bread, which he ate while still on his saddle and
relished it very much. He then blessed the woman and
marched onward with his retinue of the cavaliers.
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GURU HAR RAI 203
The disciples were astonished at his departure
from his iron discipline in such matters and asking for
bread at these unusual hours.
The next day as they rode, they offered him the
meal at the same hour. He laughed and said, ““My
friends, what caused me to beg for bread, was not the
hunger of the stomach, but it was the hunger for the
song of love and ‘Dhyanam’ of which this bread was
made and which attracted me to go there and beg for
it. It is seldom I get such bread. I am pulled by the
strings of love that my disciples some times snatch
away from the Hand of God. God is love.”
Guru Har Rai peacefully transformed the lives
of several people and so many good families entered
the path of discipleship. He taught his disciples to
seek happiness in pondering on the Guru’s Words,
which alone could lead them to the path of devotion,
saintliness and liberation.
Having duly enthroned his younger son as Guru,
bidding the Sikhs look on the child as his own image
and put all faith in him, Guru Har Rai passed away
on 6th October 1661, “Light blending with the
Light.”
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SRI GURU HAR KRISHAN
(1661—1664)
Har Krishan was the youngest son of Guru Har
Rai. He was a child of only five, but he had the
gleam of the Divine Light which distinguished all
great Masters. The very ‘darshanam’ of Sri Guru
Har Krishan healed the sick and comforted the miser-
able. Guru Har Rai bowed down to this child as he
would to Guru Nanak and left the earth. At this
very early age he was called to lead and to teach the
wide-spread and vigorous Sikh community. He
taught the Gospal of Guru Nanak with full confidence
and cleared the doubts of all those who came to him.
He also sent over missionaries to the farthest outposts.
But his elder brother, Ram Rai had proclaimed himself
Guru in rivalry to him. As no one paid any heed to his
claim, he went off to Aurangzeb to complain, against
his father’s injustice in disinheriting him, the elder
son. In this quarrel the Emperor saw a good means
of creating dissention and destroying the Sikhs.
The Emperor sent a polite message to the Guru,
inviting him for a visit to Delhi. Raja Jai Singh of
Amber was deputed to bring the Guru to Delhi.
Now Raja Jai Singh was, for sometime past, very
much grieved and tormented for the blot that was
coming down on his family. For his grand father Raja
Bhagwan Das had given his daughter in wedlock to
prince Saleem (afterwards Emperor Jahangir). This he
felt was a great slur on his family.
He was told by some holy men that all his griefs,
sickness and tormentation would depart from his
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SRI GURU HAR KRISHAN 205
conscience by the very sight of Sri Guru Har Krishan—
the holiest of the holies. And the black spot on his
family would be washed off if the Guru blesses him
by his visit.
So Raja Jai Singh who himself longed for Guru’s
darshan availed of this opportunity and went to see the
Guru and to invite him for a visit to Delhi. At his
request the Guru consented to visit the capital, on
the condition that he would not be asked to see the
Emperor. Raja Jai Singh agreed to these terms.
So the party set out for Delhi. The very sight of
the Guru healed many sick folk who met him on the
road while he was on his way to Delhi.
While on his way, the Guru encamped at a place
known as Panjokhra. A learned Pandit came to see
the Guru there. He was surprised to find a mere
child of about seven years on the spiritual throne of
Guru Nanak. He asked the Guru to explain to him
certain Sanskrit Shlokas from Gita and he initiated a
religious discussion.
At this time, there stood nearby a dumb and
illiterate man called Chajju who hailed from the same
village as the Pandit. He was serving water in the
free-kitchen of the Guru where he encamped. The
Guru beckoned to him to come nearer and looking
at him asked him to reply the Pandit’s questions,
and explain the Shlokas to him. The amazement of the
Pundit knew no bounds when he found the dumb and
illiterate Chajju explaining the Shlokas and _ illustrat-
ing the same by quoting holy verses from Vedas and
Upnishadas. At this the Pundit fell at the Guru’s feet
and appologised for his indiscreet behaviour.
When the Guru reached Delhi, Raja Jai Singh
placed his bungalow at the disposal of the Guru and
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206 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
made all the necessary arrangements for his comfort-
able stay. This is the place which is now known as
Gurudwara Bangla Sahib.
To test the sagacity or spiritual power of the young
Guru, the Rani of Raja Jai Singh disguised herself as
a maid servant and mixed herself amongst similarly
attired women. The Guru was asked to recognise
the Chief Rani, which he did at once.
Thousands of people of Delhi and suburbs
thronged at the palace of Raja Jai Singh to have the
holy ‘darshan’ of the Guru. The sick were healed
and those in distress were comforted by the very sight
of the Master.
While he was at Delhi, the Guru was asked many
times to see the Emperor, but he persistantly refused
to do so. Finally he fell ill at Delhi. The illness of
Har Krishan is to us, his disciples, in the nature of a
protest.
When Har Krishan, lay ill at Delhi, his august
mother, at his bed side, realized that he was thinking
of leaving this vesture of body.
“O son, why art thou turning thy thoughts away
from this earth so soon?” she asked.
‘“*Be not anxious, mother, for me.’ said the Guru,
‘““My safety isin His Will. I am safe wherever He may
take me. Mother, be not anxious; youth are age does
not matter. He is the Reaper of His Crop; it is His
pleasure, and sometimes He reaps it while it is still
green and sometimes when it is golden ripe. Whatever
God does is best. What pleaseth Him is good.”
Guru Har Krishan before he breathed his last, saw in
his celestial vision the holiest of the holies, who was
to be the next Nanak and bowed down to him saying,
‘‘Baba Bakale.”’ Meaning thereby that they will find
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SRI GURU HAR KRISHAN 207
Baba Nanak at the Bakala village. The Boy Master
felt his spiritual responsibility for the people and
named the place whence Guru Nanak would come to
his disciples once again.
Think of Sri Guru Har Krishan and say, “Hail
Master, Hail Holy One.” Dhayanam of Sri Guru
Har Krishan is the cure of all the ills of life.
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GURU TEGH BAHADUR—OUR SAVIOUR AND
DEFENDER OF THE FAITH
(1664-1675)
“BABA Bakale”! This was the only clue given
by Guru Har Krishan about his successor to guruship.
Soon after Guru Har Krishan’s Light had merged into
the Infinite, twentytwo impostors, who were his distant
blood relations, proclaimed themselves the next Guru
and set themselves up in the same village. But thanks
to the training imparted through nearly eight genera-
tions, the shrewed disciples knew well the fragrance of
soul that comes from the true Guru. So, great was the
joy, when a disciple Makhan Shah, a merchant-shipper,
got on top of the house and cried in ecstasy to the
heavens and earth “Guru Ladho”! “Guru Ladho”’!
“The Enlightener is found, the Enlightener is found.’ ”’
The other claimants then faded at once from the picture.
Tegh Bahadur, youngest son of Guru Har Gobind
was born on lst April 1621; he was so named because
the Guru foresaw he would be powerful to endure the
sword (tegh). Even as a child he enjoyed ecstatic
trance. He continued his quiet life of contemplative
solitude, wholly absorbed in the meditation on the
Beloved. For that reason he did not catch the notice
of the common man.
But, caught in the magic net of God’s own
effulgence, Tegh Bahadur was forced to come out of
his life of calm meditation in order to save dharma and
uphold righteousness in the difficult times that were
ahead.
Guru Tegh Bahadur was so tender hearted that
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GURU TEGH BAHADUR 209
he could not bear the sight of suffering humanity
without a deep agitation of spirit. Spontaneous
sympathy flowed from him. A person like him would
even be ready to lay down his life to make them
happy. His songs are as tears shed over the sorrows
of the world in the silence of his heart. Soft as rain
clouds his lyrics awakened the mind sleeping under
the spell of ‘Maya’ and filled the dry hearts of men
with honey drops of love.
Guru Tegh Bahadur’s note is of renunciation, not
of the world but of worldliness. His mind is ever
awake and is free from the drowsiness that ‘Maya’
or illusion induces in every one.
“To forget the One and to feel enamoured of another is Maya or
illusion,
“You shall sleep not, O bride. If you have chosen to wait for your
Beloved tonight. O man! Thy supreme vocation is to live in the
Beloved.”
Guru Tegh Bahadur finds joy only by abiding in
‘NAM’ (Divine Spirit) and in singing His praises, and he
exhorts every one to live in Him and convert the sorrows
of his life into the vision of Heaven—a joy of self-
realization.
“O brother, nothing in this world can be thine forever; therefore
think of Him alone, and live aloof from the sorrows of life. Plunge
thyself again and again into this thought, and see what little the world
contains that can promise aught; the illusion of magic colours,
bewitches you again without purpose, therefore, turn within and see
the Truth within thyself.’
‘Forget yourselves, O people, but forget not the Beloved. Forget not
in your joy of gifts, the great Giver.”
(Translated)
Such is the message of Guru Tegh Bahadur, which
sinking deep into the heart reveals the sadness of life
and its delicacy. It makes men sleepless; but full of
peace of the Infinite.
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210 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Tegh Bahadur visits Amritsar: When Guru Har
Gobind, the sixth Guru had shifted his seat to Kirat-
pur, most of the disciples had also accompanied
him. The Temple at Amritsar had passed into the
hands of the impostors. On Guru Tegh Bahadur’s
visit to Amritsar, the priests shut the doors of the
Temple against him. He turned his back on the
temple of bricks and mortar and bore away the true
Hari-Mandir in his heart as a holy vision. The
Golden Temple would have gone for ever from
Amritsar, but as the news spread, all the people of
Amritsar came out to pour their soul at his feet.
The women of the city took the lead, welcomed
him with the Guru’s songs and went singing all the
way with him to the village Wadala where he stayed
in the humble abode of a devout disciple. The Master
blessed the women of Amritsar and blessed Amritsar
itself. The Golden Temple was thus saved for this
poor earth of ours by Sikh womenhood.
Guru on Missionary Tour: Guru Tegh Bahadur
founded the city of Anandpur, but he did not
stay there long. He soon started on an extensive
missionary tour, visiting Kurkshetra, Agra, Prayag,
Varanasi, Gaya and ultimately made his sojourn
at Patna Sahib in Bihar. During these travels his
mother and his wife accompanied him. He had
to leave them at Patna when he went further to Dacca
and Kamrup (now in East Pakistan). Wherever he
went he resurrected the memory of Guru Nanak,
who had been there long before him and had given
his soul stirring message.
Raja Ram Singh, son of the late Raja Jai Singh,
accompanied the Guru from Patna onward. He had
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GURU TEGH BAHADUR 211
sought his blessings and spiritual help during an
expedition to Bengal on which he was sent by the
Emperor Aurangzeb. When the Guru reached the
banks of the river Brahmaputra, the Raja of Kamrup
came to pay homage to him. The Guru, on this occas-
sion, brought about a peaceful settlement between
the Raja of Kamrup and Raja Ram Singh. A battle
was thus avoided. In token of this event and in the
sacred memory of the Guru’s visit, a high mound
was raised at Dhubri by the soldiers of both sides.
At this place the Raja of Assam, who also came to
pay his homage to the Guru, invited the Master to
his state, and became his disciple. In Assam the
Guru illumined many a household with spiritual
light and organised holy congregations.
Birth of Gobind: During these days news was
conveyed to the Guru of the birth of his son at
Patna. On returning from Assam he stayed for
sometime at Patna and then returned to the Punjab.
It was not considered advisable for the mother of
the baby to undertake the long journey. So the Guru’s
family stayed at Patna where Gobind, the child,
passed the first seven years of his life. Separation
from Guru Tegh Bahadur for such a long time was
telling on the patience of his mother and wife and
now his child also. ‘But such is the call of Heaven,’
he had told them as he had left for the Punjab.
During his stay at Patna, the charming child
Gobind bewitched many hearts. He became a new
centre of Dhyanam for devotees to whom he revealed
the Divine symbol that marked a spiritual genius.
He appeared either as Rama or Krishna in vision,
in response to the wishes of the devotees at Patna.
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212 ‘GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Early in the mornings, seated on the banks of the
Ganges, the devotees saw Gobind through their
closed eyes—Gobind, the Beloved, stood in the disc
of the rising sun and shot Golden Arrows from the
blue bow. He played tricks upon Patna house-wives
and maidens and caused them laughter and mirth.
Like Krishna, he played merry tricks, sometimes
breaking the earthen vessels with arrowshafts to the
delight of all. He conquered new hearts every day. The
people were delighted and drank of the divine joy
when Gobind spoke to them or touched them or
played with them.
Guru Tegh Bahadur ultimately sent for his family
at Anandpur. But the Master was to have only a brief
sojourn at Anandpur after his family from Patna had
joined him there.
Aurangzeb’s Campaign of Religious Persecution :
Aurangzeb who had ascended the throne of India
after the cruel incarceration of his father and cold
blooded murder of his brothers and their families,
had earned for himself the disapprobation of the
saner section of the whole Muslim world. To cover
his sins, he decided to enlist the sympathies of the
fanatical section of his co-religionists. Spurred in part
by the bigotted and short-sighted mullas, but mostly
by the promptings of his merciless heart and hardened
conscience, he resolved to carry on a regular jehad.
His ideal was the extermination of the idolatrous
Hindus and the convertion of the whole of India to
Islam. His orders had gone round to all the deputies
and provincial governors that no pains and efforts
were to be spared in furthering this cause.
The proslytising zeal of the officials, with their
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www.archive.org/details/namdhari
GURU TEGH BAHADUR 213
campaign of religious persecution and their conversion
at the point of the sword, had sent a wave of terror
all through the country. In a short span of six years,
the wails of the Hindus were heard from all corners of
the Mughal Empire. The Hindu shrines and temples
were pulled down in cities like Banaras and Brindaban
in broad daylight, and mosques were raised in the
sites. The Mohammadan Law was interpreted to
sanction the annihilation of the unbelievers.
Sher Afghan, the Subedar of Kashmir, had already
converted more than half the people he governed, and
was still busy as ever. A large section of the lower
classes needed very little pressure to embrace the
State religion. He now directed his main efforts
against the high caste Hindus. He addressed the
pandits and offered them the choice between Islam and
death. They prayed for time to consult among them-
selves and invoke their gods. This was scornfully
allowed, for the rulers were sure that the stone idols
of Brahmins could not respond to prayer or offer help.
The alloted time was about to end. They were verily
between the devil and the deep sea and in this perplexity
cried and groaned.
Pandits of Kashmir Approach Guru Tegh Bahadur :
The pandits of Kashmir at last flocked to Anandpur,
the city of the Master, and a deputation representing
them waited upon the Guru. They narrated their
tale of woe and suffering, shedding tears of blood.
This plunged the Guru into deep thought. Just at
this moment, the child Gobind came in. He lovingly
approached his father, but seeing him in an unusually
grave mood, said, ““Father dear, what makes you so
sad and serious today?” He replied, ““The sufferings
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214 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
and lementations of these people; they are in a very
helpless condition; their rulers are as wolves and there
is no end to their misery and shame.”
“But what is the remedy father?” asked the child.
“This requires sacrifice—the sacrifice of the
purest and holiest person, but the question is where
to find such a person.”
Gobind, still a child of nine years, listened and
said, though impulsively, at once; “Father, who can
be holier than you and who more pure? Offer thy-
self, father, and save the people.”
The Man of God must sacrifice himself for the
people, the Son of God must be bled to pour life
into the dead bones of the fallen people—such is the
ancient mystic law of spiritual life.
To the Pandits who had sought succour, the Guru
said that they should convey to their Governor and
through him to the Emperor Aurangzeb that the
ruler should stop individual persecution, but if he
could convert Tegh Bahadur to Islam, they would
follow suit. This, of course, was a very pleasing
proposition to the Governor of Kashmir and the
Emperor.
Guru Summoned To Delhi: The emissaries of
Aurangzeb came to Anandpur to summon the Master
to Delhi. The Guru did not go with them, but he
promised to follow. He had yet to go to see some of
his disciples who were longing to see him and lived on
his way to Delhi. He took his own time and his own
road; it led through the midst of his disciples. At last
at Agra, the Master with five chosen disciples delivered
himself to the Emperor’s men. From Agra he was taken
to Delhi. At Delhi they explained to the Guru the
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GURU TEGH BAHADUR 215
benefits he would derive himself and confer upon
others by embracing Islam. He was offered all the
worldly temptation, but the Master spurned them and
abondened all that the world could offer, desiring
nothing but an abiding repose in the love and Will
of God. He was then put to severe tortures. But
Guru Tegh Bahadur felt no remorse but courageously
faced a martyr’s death, keeping all the time his
mind absorbed in the only and eternal Reality.
Neither sorrow at his own condition, nor illwill for his
persecutors disturbed his soul. He was as calm as if
he was still amidst his kith and kin at Anandpur and
maintained his peace of mind. What was torture,
wrath of king or death to one who stood in the loving
embrace of the Lord?
When they found the Guru unmoved and indiff-
erent to all they could do to him, they in order to
strike terror in him, directed their attention to one of
his disciples, Bhai Mati Das. They offered him the
choice between Islam, with all the benefits of self
and pleasure it would fetch, and a horrible death by
being sawn alive like a log of wood. Glory to Bhai
Mati Das, who preferred death, but did not abjure
his faith and was sawn alive from head to foot into
two as a beam of timber.
The other disciple that was with the Master, Bhai
Dyala, was boiled alive like rice in a boiling cauldron
before the Guru’s eyes. But all this could not terro-
rise the Guru. When they found him unshakable
in his resolve, they sentenced him to be publically
beheaded. The exceution took place in Chandni
Chowk, Delhi under the banyan tree where stands
today the Gurudwara Sis-Ganj.
On the occurrence of this horrible catastrophe
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216 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
a great dust storm swept Delhi that day, thesky became
blood red. Under the cover of this storm, a daring
sikh, Bhai Jaita, picked up the head of the Master
and hurried away with it to Anandpur. The Guru’s
son Gobind, upon seeing this, was touched by
the extreme devotion of Bhai Jaita, a Sikh from
the so-called low caste. Gobind flung his arms
around his neck and blessed him and his tribe. He
cremated the head there with due honour and devo-
tion. The body of the Guru was removed by another
disciple, Bhai Lakhi, whose convoy of carts was moving
out of the Delhi Fort towards Chandni Chowk after
unloading supplies. He secretly lifted the body while
the storm was still blowing and hastily drove his carts
on towards his house at Rakab Ganj, and immediately
cremated the body by setting fire to his house and all
his belongings, to give an impression that the fire was
an accident. On this spot stands today Gurudwara
Rakab Ganj.
Tegh Bahadur is gone!
The world says,‘Alas, Alas!
The heaven rings with hallelujahs!
Welcoming his return Home!
The angels sing,‘The victor comes home!
The victor comes Home.”
Guru’s Word: There are 115 hymns of Guru
Tegh Bahadur incorporated in Guru Granth Sahib
including 57 Slokas. Translation of a few of them is
given below:
“That man who in midst of grief is free from grieving
And joy has got no attraction for him
Who is free from fear and who deemeth gold as dust
Who is above slander and remains unaffected by praise
Who has got no greed, no vanity and no worldly attachment
Who remains balanced at his centre unmoved by good or iil fortune
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GURU TEGH BAHADUR 217
Who is indifferent to honour or dishonour
Who hath renounced all cravings and desires
And expecteth nothing from the world
Whom lust and rath can touch not,
In the heart of such a person dwelleth God.
On whom the Guru bestoweth His Grace
He alone knoweth the way to this conduct
His soul, O Nanak, is blended with the Lord
As water is blended with water.”
(Guru Tegh Bahadur: Rag Sorath)
Translated
**Those who have never sung the praises of the Lord:
They have wasted their life in vain
Saith Nanak, O my mind, dive into the love of God
As fish longs to dive into water.”’
(1st Slok)
“Why art thou steeped in vicious ways of life,
And dost not for a moment feel disgusted of them?
Saith Nanak, O man, devote thyself to Lord
So as to escape the snares of Death.”
(2nd Slok)
“The days of thy youth passed away uselessly
Old age has now overtaken thee
Saith Nanak, O man, devote thyself to God
For the sun of thy life is about to set.”
(3rd Slok)
*Thou hast grown old, yet thou dost not realize that death is at hand
Saith Nanak, mad man, why dost thou not even now worship thy
Creator and be saved.
(4th Slok)
“Wealth, wife and all worldly possessions
Which thou deemest as thy own
None of them will accompany thee at the end
Saith Nanak, realize this to bea fact.”
(5th Slok)
“God is the Saviour of the sinners
He is the dispeller of fear,
He alone is the helper of forlorn;
Saith Nanak, hold this in thy mind
He alone abideth with thee ever and annon.”’
(6th Slok)
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218 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
“Not cast down by misery
Nor over-elated in joy
Unaffected by covetousness,
Aloof from pride and attachment
Such a man, saith Nanak
Is the very image of God.”
(13th Slok)
“Who frighteneth none
Nor himself feareth any
Such a man saith Nanak
Is to be known as enlightened one .
39
(16th Slok)
“In happiness and prosperity there are many friends
But in adversity and sorrow there is none
Saith Nanak, ponder on the Beloved, O my soul
Even in the bitterness of death, He will come to your rescue.”’
(32nd Slok)
“The Word of God shall be everlasting;
The saints shall also endure eternally
So shall the Guru’s glory remain ever and annon
In this world, saith Nanak,
Those that have endeared themselves to God’s Name
Truly, they are few and far between.”
(56th Slok)
**Keep the Lord’s Name ever in thy heart
Nothing can equal it
Loving rememberance of God removes all distress
And the vision of the Beloved is obtained.”
(57th Slok)
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‘‘For this purpose have I come into the world:
To uphold and spread Righteousness
To protect and save the good and saintly persons
And to destroy and uproot the villainous tyrant
and evil doers.”
(Guru Gobind Singh)
Translated
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GURU GOBIND SINGH
(Tenth Master)
(1675—1708)
“Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth Master, is Guru Nanak at the climax
of his spiritual glory. He wears the starry crest. He rides on his
blue steed when a thousand swords rain their flashes. His pennon
waves. His flags flutter high on the walls of Heaven. He defends
the sacred cause and purpose of God on earth. The angels cry aloud
to him: “* Hail Master ! Hail Holy One! Lord Thou art wonderful !”’
(Prof. Puran Singh)
Guru Gobind Singh, the last of the Ten Masters,
is a unique personality in the history of the world.
Although his name is still not so widely known as that
of Jesus of Jerusalem, Mohammed of Arabia and
Buddha of India, yet he remains an unparalleled world
figure. He could well rank the greatest among men,
mankind had ever known. It would be no exaggera-
tion to say that throughout the annals of history,
there was no other individual who could be of more
inspiring personality than Guru Gobind Singh.
But mankind has to know, appreciate and understand
the height of his spiritual ideals, his own practical
adherence to their dictates and the way in which they
sprouted and blossomed in the heart of his followers.
In Guru Gobind Singh we find culmination of
all humane qualities. He combines in him all that
is good, lofty and sweet. The honeyed humility of
Nanak, the lamb-like virtues of Jesus Christ, the
cloud rapt wisdom of Buddha, the bubbling energy
of the prophet of Arabia, the sun-kissed glory of
Krishna, the homely grandeur of wandering Rama—
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 221
all these and many more colours merged into one
integral whole, even as the seven colours of a spectrum,
are imbued in the rainbow on the sky. In his person-
ality all phases of human life are combined, blended
as in a rare diamond with its million facets radiating
light and joy in every direction.
In him we have a poet, a prophet, and a patriot;
Saviour, scholar, soldier and statesman. As Sayyad
Mohd. Latif writes in the History of the Punjab:
“He is a king on his masnad, yet the poorest among
poor labouring hard with them. He is a born states-
man, yet a saint; for he knows no guile; a law-giver
on the pulpit, and a champion in the field.”
Yet it is as a Divine Person that he shines the
most. All other qualities that we find gorgeously
arrayed around him, form but his outer garment as a
whorl of ruby-petals around the inner heart of the
lotus. So we must peep into his innerself, the interior,
which sheds a radium-like lustre all around to produce
the many hued rain-bow.
Gobind was barely nine years of age, when his
father Guru Tegh Bahadur was martyred at Delhi.
Gobind assumed the reins of spiritual suzerainty and
became the Guru. Anandpur, the city of his father,
where he resided became a place of pilgrimage.
Thousands flocked to him. Guru Gobind brought
fresh delight to the people. He scattered joy and light
in abundance hitherto unknown, even in the Sikh life
of the past nine generations of this dispensation of
divine grace. Around the Master assembled poets,
painters and scholars, and he encouraged the develop-
ment of art and learning among his people. Anandpur
became a centre of the life of the people: spiritual,
mental and physical.
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222 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
(1) Love Offerings from Kabul and Assam: Surg-
ing crowds of people, their hearts filled with love,
joy and song thronged to see Guru Gobind
from many distant lands as if a million bees were
hovering around his musk-scented black tresses,
intoxicated with his love and each swarm was more
glorious than the other. Like the encircling radiance
of a halo of light, he was wrapped in layers of luminous
glory. People from Kabul, Qandhar, Ghazni, Balkh
and Bukhara flocked to him. They brought several
priceless gifts and offerings of rugs, carpets, shawls
and other valuables, when they came to pay their
homage to the Master.
But the most magnificent and valuable of all the
presents was a ‘shamiana’ or a Royal Canopy, on which
was displayed a fine work of embroidery in gold and
silver studded with pearls. It was a thing of great
beauty and splendour. They say its splendour sur-
passed that of the Emperor’s canopy.
(2) Ram Rai, the Raja of Assam had approached
Guru Tegh Bahadur, when he was there on a politico-
religious mission, and had made earnest supplication
for the boon of a son. His wish was granted. The
Raja wanted to take the child to Anandpur and place
him at the feet of the Guru and offer him his thanks.
But he died soon after and could not visit Anandpur.
The Raja’s last injunction to his Rani was that
the prince was to be brought up as a devout Sikh.
The Rani faithfully carried out the behests of her
husband. She imparted the knowledge of the lives
and teachings of the Gurus to the growing child—she
related to him innumerable interesting stories of the
Great Gurus.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 223
When Rattan Rai, the prince, was still a lad of
twelve, his mother, one day, spoke of him about Guru
Tegh Bahadur and to his blessings. The young prince
came to have an intense desire for the Guru’s ‘darshan’.
She then disclosed to him the tale of how Guru Tegh
Bahadur was martyred by Emperor Aurangzeb and
how the Guru had sacrificed his life in order to
help the Hindus to uphold their religion. The
anecdote overwhelmed the boy with grief and sorrow.
However, his mother comforted the despairing boy by
telling him that Guru never dies and that He lives for
ever anon. It is His Will that he may manifest him-
self in human body or not, but he lives for ever in his
Impersonal-self in Divine Spirit. And she added that
although they could not then see Guru Tegh Bahadur
in his body, his spirit was still there in Guru Gobind,
his son, who sat on his spiritual throne at Anandpur.
““My dear son, you can go and see him there in
person and be blessed”’ she said.
Rattan Rai was delighted at this prospect. It
was resolved that they should go for his holy darshan.
The necessary preparations for this long journey
began to be made. They started gathering some
precious and novel gifts for offering to the Guru in
token of their love for him. But owing to the out-
break of rains which, in Assam have the character
of a deluge, the journey could not be undertaken for
some time.
As the days passed on, the prince became more
and more eager for the Guru’s darshan. He felt as
if some mysterious power was pulling him towards
Anandpur. Waking or sleeping he was constantly
thinking of the Guru in his mind. Atlast one day he
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224 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
said, ‘Mother O, When will you start? I can wait no
longer.”’
The Rani was pleased to find that Guru’s love had
awakened in the heart of the young prince. She kissed
his forehead and made a prayer of thanks giving to the
Guru for having blessed the boy with love for his lotus
feet.
On the fixed day in early March, the royal caval-
cade started. It consisted of the Prince, the Rani, the
Prime Minister, and other officers of the state, a
body of soldiers for protection, and the valuable
presents they had collected for the Guru.
A rare elephant as black as ebony with only a
white strip from the trunk to the tail, five splendid
state horses with sumptuous trappings of gold and
silver and velvet, bracelets of gold encased the tusks
and a large number of other valuable presents had
been chosen and were carried along.
The young prince was delighted and was filled
with elation that he would be offering such gifts as
these to the Guru. But his mother who had drunk
deep of the cup of devotion, was meek and humble.
She noticed a little vanity in her son and so said to
him, ‘“‘Darling! All that which we think belongs to us,
is really what the Master has bestowed on us and we
ought to be thankful to him, who gave us these
blessings. It is absurd to feel proud and vain of our
offering to the Guru, a little out of plenty which he
has given us, even as it would seem ridiculous when a
gardener offers to us with vanity, a few roses, from our
own garden. The offerings are to be made in a spirit
of humble devotion.”
Upon this the young prince requested his mother
to pray for him to the Guru that his mind may always
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 225
remain free from vanity and pride that imperceptibly
enters into one’s heart.
The Guru having been informed of the coming
of the devoted and illustrious guests sent forward his
uncle, Bhai Kirpal Chand, to receive them. It was
late in the afternoon when the guests reached Anand-
pur. The Guru decided to give them his darshan in
the following morning’s Durbar.
Next day when the service was over, the guests
were ushered into the Durbar. Ratan Rai who was
about the age of Guru Gobind, laid his head at the
Guru’s feet at the very moment he was brought
into his presence. With warm affection the Guru
lifted him up to a seat near by him. The young
prince was in tears which were the manifestation of
his superb joy and devotion. The Guru inquired
about their welfare. The Rani also was given audience
and the ministers, too, saw Guru Tegh Bahadur’s son
and offered reverent salutations.
They, then humbly presented their offerings and
prayed that these may be graciously accepted and
may remain in the service of the Master alone. The
Guru accepted the offering and was pleased with them
and blessed them.
The prince and his mother stayed at Anandpur
for full five months. Durnig this long period of time
~ they enjoyed the ‘kirtan’ and felt uplifted by the Guru’s
‘updesh’—sermons. The practice of NAM during
these days greatly elevated the prince’s mind. The
most important of his realization was that in every
activity the sanction of the Divine Will must be sought.
Then came parting. .The scene was an expression
of profound human emotions blended with feelings
of love and reverence. The Guru accompanied the
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226 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
guests to some distance and bade them good-bye.
They were sent off with presents which Rattan Rai
and his mother kept as priceless souvenir and abiding
memorials of their historic visit. Besides these tan-
gible gifts, the Guru gave Rattan Rai, a RATTAN—
jewel of RAM-NAM, as a parting gift with which the
heart of the young prince glowed with delight and his
SELF blossomed out with joy of new life—that which
Yogis beseech after putting years and years of hard
labour towards the concentration of their mind,
but without love of God and Grace, they cannot
of themselves inclucate in their heart, they fail to
attain it.
“ .,.NAM is the priceless Jewel that the perfect Guru hath.
If one dedicates oneself in love to the True Guru,
He lights in one’s heart the Light of Wisdom and Nam is then revealed.
Blessed is the fortunate one who goeth to meet the Guru. .. ”
(Guru Ram Das: Sri Rag)
Translated
Without the True Guru thou findest not the Lord’s Name,
Even if thou does a million acts of piety.
Without destiny, thou findest not the Guru, even though
Thou sittest daily near to him in the temple.
For in thee is the darkness of ignorance and doubt
And this screens thee off from him.
Thou becomest not Gold without the touch of the True Guru
Thou art heavy at heart like iron,
And as thou takest not the Refuge of the Boat, thou art sunk.
The True Guru‘s boat is Lord’s Name,
But how to board it, O dear !
He who walks in the Way of His Will,
Findest himself ferried across.
Yea, fortunate is he, Nanak, whom the Guru by Grace unites with the
Lord.”
(Guru Ram Das : Sri Rag)
Translated.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 227
(3) The Vision of a Rishi: Raja Bhim Chand
of Kahlur, the chief of the neighbouring hill state,
heard about the grandeur of the Guru’s court.
He became jealous and wanted to acquire all the
valuable presents made to the Guru by hook or crook.
Bhim Chand’s tricks and threats failed to have any
effect on the Guru. The Raja then decided to get the
Guru’s possessions by a show of arms, but postponed
the showdown on account of the pending marriage of
his son. Meanwhile, Raja Medani Parkash of Nahan
sent an envoy to the Guru with an invitation to him to
visit his state.
Raja Fateh Shah of Garhwal had forcibly occu-
pied a territory of the ruler of Nahan state and also
contemplated further annexation. Fateh Shah had
Ram Rai as his friend who was known to possess
great occult powers. He had an ally in Bhim Chand
also. For his daughter was betrothed to the son of
Bhim Chand. So the ruler of Nahan was anxious to
find some such allies for his safety. The problem was
wherefrom and how to find them.
One of his ministers informed him that there
lived at Kalsi, on the banks of the river Jumna, just at
the border of their state, a Rishi, who had spent all his
life in penance and meditation. It was decided that
they should go to him and seek his spiritual help.
The Rishi who was living in contemplative seclu-
sion, on hearing the tramping of horses’ hoofs, suddenly
opened his eyes and was amazed to see strangers such
as he had never seen before. He tried to rise, but
his legs failed him, He ejaculated, ““O Lord hast Thou
come? Is it you?”
“‘He is the Raja of this state”, said the minister,
pointing towards the Raja.
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228 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
‘“‘Hast not the Lord said in Gita: ‘I am the Raja
(prince) among men. Let him come in the garb of a
Raja, if it so pleaseth Him” said the Rishi.
The minister: ‘‘He has not come as a Raja, but
he has come to you to seek your kind help.”
The Rishi when he heard their tale said, “Sire, I
have lived and meditated in your territory and I am
indebted to you for this privilege. But I have not the
power to help you. However, I can guide you to one
who can be of real help. In my meditation, I have
been blessed with a vision of one who has appeared
as an AVTAR (Saviour) in this age of ‘Kal-Yuga’.”
They asked his whereabouts and some discrip-
tion of him. Upon this the Rishi said, “He is a strong
youngman with a tress-knot on his head and with his
arms reaching down to his knees. He is called the
Guru. Raja! Go and seek him, and pray to him for
assistance. He is so benevolent and kind. If you
seek him and find him, I implore you not to forget me.
Do take me to him and let me rest at his feet. Weak
and feeble as I am, my legs cannot carry my burden and
I cannot reach him otherwise. But you, who have
everything at your command, can seek him. I long
to have his holy ‘darshan’ before these eyes of mine
are closed for ever.”
The Raja and minister welcomed the suggestion
and promised to take him to the Guru, if they found
him. They had no difficulty in identifying the Guru,
of whom the Rishi had the vision. They under-
stood that Guru Gobind occupied the spiritual throne
of Guru Nanak and was more than a match for Ram
Rai. He had also an army of brave and devoted
soldiers. They, therefore decided to approach him
and invite him to their state.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 229
An envoy was sent to the Guru with an invitation.
The Guru accepted the invitation. He took care to
take with him a band of his choicest soldiers. Five
hundred Udasis also accompanied him. When
Ram Rai heard that Guru had arrived at Nahan, he
advised Fateh Shah to be on good terms with the chief
of Nahan. For he realized the greatness of the
Guru and knew that he himself, a humble devotee
of the same house, dare not stand against the Master.
The Raja heeded his advice, met the Guru, and made
peace with the ruler of Nahan and returned to him
the territory which he had forcibly annexed.
The Raja of Nahan in token of his love and
gratitude urged the Guru to choose a place and make
his abode in his territory. The Guru selected a
beautiful elevated spot on the bank of the river
Jumna—passing through hills and dales. He called
this place Paunta.
The days of his life that he passed there, were of
the greatest earthly happiness. Poets, artists, saints
scholars gathered round him as at Anandpur. People
from all sides rallied to him like bees buzzing around
a lotus. Fiftytwo poets of renown, formed part of
his majestic court. Very often the Guru held poetic
symposium and distributed prizes among the winners.
A great literary seminar, unique of its kind, was
held at the banks of the Jumna. The Guru himself
wrote poetry prolifically, with quaint music, reminis-
cent of the torrential flow of the hill streams, of the
switl of the sounding cataracts, of the roar of thunder,
of the blare of trumpets and the galloping sweep of
marching cavalry. His writing inspired even the
weakest to dare and die for a righteous cause. His
literature makes one wonder at his marvellous
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230 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
command of languages namely—Brij-Bhasha, Oudhi,
Hindi, Persian, Sanskrit and Punjabi. He developed
a style which, rich in martial cadence, variety of form,
wealth of imagination and realistic illustrations and
similies drawn from life, remained unsurpassed since
his time.
While dictating AKAL-USTAT—Praises of the
Immortal Lord, he losses himself in the word:
“TUHI, TUHI’—Thou, Thou....’which he kept
repeating and remained absorbed in contemplation
of the epithet for full sixteen hours.
The Raja and his minister, no more thought of
the Rishi who had directed them to the Guru for the
help they needed. Having met the Guru and accom-
plishing their task, they were now free of the fear and
uneasiness of the peril to their state. Now that their
object was achieved, they forgot all about the Rishi
and their promise to him. Oh! the world is so sel-
fish! When man is in need and in trouble, he meekly
seeks help, but no sooner his need is fulfilled and he
gets out of the difficulty; selfishness in him comes to
predominate and he forgets his benefactor, and some
time even denies the help he got from him.
The Raja has seen that the very presence of the
Guru had solved all his problems of the state. He
realized that the Guru was not only brave, chivalrous
and benevolent, but was also in command of super-
human powers and many a devotee bowed to him and
sought spiritual life from him. Despite all this know-
ledge about the Guru, now that his state was out of
danger, the Raja made no further attempt to seek the
Guru for spiritual light. Only in times of stress and
strain, men seek saints and sadhus, but when they are
delivered of the earthly needs, they turn away and
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 231
go no further. Very few indeed are alive to the higher
spiritual values, who seek the company of the saints
for spiritual guidance and for realization of the
Divine Truth.
Now the Rishi at Kalsi wondered what might
have happened to the Raja that he had not given any
information to him about the Guru. Sometime he
thought that the Raja might not have succeeded and
his search might still be continuing. At another time,
he mused, that the Raja had forgotton all about him
now that, he had achieved his object. In despair,
even doubted the reality of his own vision. He thought,
that it might be his own imagination or hallucination.
But he resigned it all, to the Will of God.
The Rishi was conscious of his advancing age,
he knew that his end was drawing near and, therefore
yearned more than ever for a darshan of Guru-Avtar.
During the last days of his life, once, he was
filled with sorrow. Therefore, he beckoned Chando,
a simple orphan boy who took care of his_ cattle and
said, ‘““Chando, my son! The cup of my life is full.
I may pass away any day. When I am dead, you may
dispose of my body in the river and leave for your
village with these cows. But if you ever hear that
an Avtar—Saviour, has appeared, go to him, touch his
lotus feet and give him my message :—
**A devotee, on the bank of the Jumna, who spent
his life, longing for thy holy sight, has passed away.
He was too old and feeble to go out to find thee. He
had neither money nor men to send in search of thee.
He was helpless with no one to give him news of thee.
He had holy vision of Thee and was inspired with
inward words and voices, but was of no avail. He °
groaned with delight and longing to see thy glorious
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232 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
face, but was grieved that he was denied thy sight.
Throughout his life, his eager and restless mind sought
thee. His years were spent with the hope and joy of
meeting thee. Too old, when he could wait no more,
he passed away. Be gracious O Lord, and take care
of him.”
The Rishi’s words plunged the shepherd boy into
sorrow. Poor Chando—unsophisticated simpleton
as he was, now offered to go and fetch the Guru,
wherever he might be. He asked the Rishi for some
description and sign by which Guru might be recogni-
sed. The Rishisaid: ‘He is a tall, and smart young man
with a knot of hair, high up on his head. He has
grace and charm, and glory radiates from his face.”
‘Tell me something more definite by which I may
easily distinguish him” said the boy.
The Rishi replied, ‘““His arms are so long that his
hands touch his knees.”
Little Chando was pleased with this indication
and lowering his own arms, found that they did not
reach up to his knees. So did he find the Rishi’s.
The boy asked the Rishi, if he might take the
liberty to stretch and measure the Guru’s arms.
*“No”’, said the Rishi for such a thought was not quite
in keeping with Guru’s greatness and dignity and
therefore the Rishi implored the boy to wait till the
Guru, lowered his arms, on his own accord.
Chando learnt by heart the message which the
Rishi was to convey to the Guru. In his search for
the Guru, the boy strolled along either bank of the
stream, eagerly looking for the one with the given
description. Many a time he had to follow people for
* a good distance until they lowered their arms but
invariably he had to be disappointed. For none of
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 233
their arms touched their knees. Roaming over hills
and dales, and making such strange enquiries at many
a hut and hamlet, if any one had seen the Avtar, made
the boy look almost insane and out of his mind.
Gradually the light of life in the Rishi became
very dim. His breath was fading, his arms and legs
were numb and lifeless. Young Chando knew that
the Rishi’s end had come, as he had witnessed his
mother die similarly. He wept and wailed helpless
as a child. In his despair, he rushed out exclaiming,
*“He has come, he has come!” He ran a good dis-
tance at a stretch till he came to a place where he saw
a group of men, seated on a carpet playing chess. A
little away from them, another group of men stood
with their horses tied to the trees. The men who were
playing chess were good looking and richly dressed.
Chando had never seen such men before. But since
their guard warded him off, he stood a little away,
waiting to see if any one of them complied with the
description of the Avtar.
At last, when they rose, Chando found that none
of their arms reached up to their knees. Bitterly
disappointed, Chando was about to return, imagining
that the Rishi would have died by then. All of a
sudden, Chando sighted a rider coming up at a great
speed. Four other horsemen followed him.
To Chando’s amazement, all those who stood there
bowed in reverence to this man on the horseback.
Soon, when he got down from his blue horse, Chando’s
heart leapt as he saw his arms reaching well down to
his knees. He clapped his hand with sudden joy and
cheered the man in wild delight and went closer to him.
He knelt down beside this great man and took hold
of his arm and carefully checked that it did quite
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234 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
touch his knees. To be doubly sure, he then measured
his other arm and thought surely he was the Guru,
Rishi wanted me to find. But in his frenzy of excite-
ment, Chando forgot the message of the Rishi.
While Chando like an innocent little child took the
liberty of examining Guru’s arms, the Guru stood
thrilled, loosening his arms to the entire satisfaction
of the young boy. The Guru was gentle and loving,
smiling a genial smile while feeling the simple,
pure and unsullied love that flowed from the heart of
that unsophisticated boy. All of a sudden it dawned
upon Chando that he was there to deliver the Rishi’s
message. He knelt down, touched the Lotus Feet of
the Lord and said, “‘You are surely Guru—Avtar!
Arn’t you? Pray take your message:
‘*A devotee, on the bank of the Jumna, who spent his life, longing for
thy holy sight, has passed away. He was too old and feeble to go out
to find thee. He had neither money nor men to send in search of thee.
He was helpless with no one to give him news of thee. He had holy
vision of thee and was inspired with inward words and voices, but was
of no avail. He groaned with delight and longing to see thy glorious
face, but was grieved that he was denied thy sight. His years were spent
with the hope and joy of meeting thee. Too old, when he could wait no
more, he passed away. Be garcious O Lord, and take care of him.”
The Guru was all peace and calm. He closed his
eyes for a moment and said, ‘““My good boy! Has the
Rishi really died? Are you sure?”
“Certainly! He is dead by now. My mother
took this much time in dying!” replied Chando.
““No ! My simple child, He is not dead.”
Then turning aside, the Guru addressed the Raja
and his minister, who had come on a hunting expedi-
tion and had just finished their game of chess, ““Come,
Raja ji, you owe a debt to someone. Come follow me
on your horses.”
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 235
With these words, the Guru jumped upon his
steed. One of his men, lifted Chando upon his own
horse. They all rode at full speed and within a short
time, reached the Rishi’s abode, a simple hut.
It was a winter day but the sun was warm. The
Rishi lay unconscious and was on the verge of death.
He lay on a raised wooden platform with a lion-skin
spread underneath him and was smugly wrapped in
blankets but his face remained uncovered.
The Guru sat beside him, lifted him to his lap,
and comfortingly soothed his chest. His men mass-
aged his hands and feet. Slowly warmth was restored
to the cold body. Now the Rishi opened his eyes.
Slowly and steadily, the Rishi gained strength like an
earthen lamp whose flickering and dying wick lights up
again to flame as it is nourished with more oil. The
Rishi’s fading body was restored and revived by the
thrill he derived from the Guru’s presence. Gradually
he gained some strength. He now opened his eyes
and looked up and uttered these words in sheer happi-
ness: ““My Lord! My Saviour!”
The Guru lowering his head to his face, lovingly
kissed his forehead. The Rishi was overwhelmed
with the touch of the divine love. He had never
experienced such a joy before, in his life of penances
and austerities. His heart leapt with delight, his body
quivered as if to grasp and taste the Divine Being.
The Rishi held the Master’s hand, kissed it, pressing
it to his eyes and chest, in an expression of human
love for God. The Rishi’s self bloomed out in flowers
of joy. A fountain of Heavenly Nectar burst out
within him, which washed clean the slate of his
mind, and flooded with waters of gladness the soil of
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236 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
his heart which had remained barren all these long
years of his life. His soul was awakened and kindled
with the Divine Flame. This realization was beyond
words.
All those who stood witnessing the scene, partook
this life of devotion and love. They rejoiced and felt
as though every leaf of the trees, every blade of grass
and the whole nature around was echoing with them
in millions of tongues: ““Wonderful ! Lord Thou art
Wonderful.”
Chando was standing by, patiently awaiting his
turn to fall at the feet of the Lord. His soul was
hungry, and looked for the Heavenly Manna. He was
unable to express his hunger in words. But the Guru
understood what his soul yearned for, while he stood
in silence.
At last the Master cast his looks on him and filled
his empty mind with the Love of God. His simple,
pure and guileless mind was dyed deep in crimson
colours of love that could neither fade, nor could ever
be washed away. His whole-self was now as if one
continuous song of the glory of the Lord. Chando
leaped and clasped the hands of the Master, kissed them
in token of his expressionless love. At the behest of
the Guru, the Raja arranged that the Rishi should be
carried in a ‘Palki’ to Paunta, where he lived at the feet
of the Master till his death.
(4) Errant Sikh Recants: Baba Ram Rai, the
eldest son of Guru Har Rai, won the displeasure
of his father, who eventually disowned him. He
was accused of distorting the holy words of Guru
Nanak in the court of Emperor Aurangzeb in order to
please the Monarch. Having been abrogated, Baba
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 237
Ram Rai went away and founded the town of Dehra
Dun where he continued to live.
Now when he heard of the arrival of Guru Gobind,
in the neighbourhood at Paunta, he wished to go and
see the Guru. For he was aware of his greatness not
only as his uncle but as the inheritor of Guru Nanak’s
spiritual throne. On both these accounts, the Guru
was entitled to his homage. Yet Ram Rai quelled his
desire in him to see the Guru because of his pride and
ego.
Finally he gave in, and reluctantly set out to see
the Guru. But when he actually came _ into his
presence, Ram Rai felt himself a candle before the
radiance of the Sun. He then discarded the garb of
ego and pride and reverently bowed to the Divine
Master. He sought the forgiveness of the Guru for
his past conduct.
He was pardoned, redeemed and re-admitted to
the Guru’s Grace.
(5) Sayyad Buddhu Shah Pir of Sadhaura enters
the path of discipleship: Sayyad Buddhu Shah was a
Mohammedan saint who lived at Sadhaura about ten
miles from Paunta. He was well known for his piety and
had a large number of followers. He was leading a life
of rigid austerity. He had read several religious books
and was associated with many pious persons, faqirs
and ascetics but yet he had not attained the stage of
spiritual enlightenment where God stands revealed
in His Glory. He had always felt a vacuum, a void
in his spirit. And, in fact he was in search of one who
could tear the veil and bring him face to face with the
Divine Light.
He had heard of Guru Nanak and his mission and
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238 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
of the work that his successors had done. He had also
learnt that Guru Nanak’s throne was now occupied
by Guru Gobind, who stayed in the neighbourhood.
Therefore, he decided to visit him. He took a band of
his followers with him when he went to meet him. He
felt that it was below his dignity to bow before the
young Guru, especially since he had a train of his men.
The Guru seated the Sayyad near him and soon the
Sayyad addressed the Guru saying’ “‘Pray! tell us how
one meets God Almighty?”
Guru: “As night meets day!”
Sayyad. “JI don’t understand sir, when day appears night 1s no more ”
Guru: “Yes, you have rightly understood When Truth dawns ‘I-am-ness’
(sense of Ego) disappears.”
Sayyad: “Then what 1s this union, sir, Is there no soul 1n us, 1s it not true ”’
Guru. ‘Assertion of self 1s not true It 1s the false sense of Ego that 1s a
barrier between God and man and makes him sin continuously _ It
vanishes when Light comes. What remains is Truth. Truth merges
in Truth ”
Sayyad: ‘How shall the Light shine 1n us?”
Guru: “When we remove the veil of falsehood.”’
Sayyad. ‘‘Superficialty forms part of our lives, and falsehood does not
leave us I have done my best to curb the flesh I have performed
many ceremonies and rituals. I have read innumerable books.
I have practised rigid austerities, but I have been unable to subdue
the mind.”
Guru “You need not smother the flesh The emphasis you lay on this
or that outer ceremony 1s after all of little use These ceremonies
often prove impediments and obstacles rather than a help. But
God dwells in every heart. But we revel in 1gnorance and lack of
foresight and get absorbed in our own world, we get lost in our
worldly attachments such as love of one’s own family, wealth,
love for fame, popularity and prestige This wall of “my and mine”
of vanity and self-conceit or what we call Ego is a_ barrier between
God and man, and we fail to see Him
When the loss of our separation from Him, dawns on us, we in our
effort to realize His presence, follow various methods. Our ignorance
leads us to adopt different measures of penances: Some torture
their bodies, others continuously sit 1n different postures, still other
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 239
worship this or that object or sit lost in their effort on concentration
of mind but all this is of no avail. The wall of Ego becomes still
thicker obstructing our vision to see the Reality.
Sayyad: How shall then the veil of falsehood be rent asunder and how
shall we realize the Truth?
Guru: ‘‘Abide thou by the Divine Will and submit to Him gladly. It is
only when we learn to bear ourselves in conformity with the Divine
Will and attune ourselves to the Infinite, that the screen is torn
asunder and Truth that we had vainly searched for outside’ in
forests, is revealed enthroned in our own heart. We merge ourselves
in Him and find Him in ourselves.”
Sayyad: ‘Pray tell us what is the Divine Will! How shall we know His
commandment following which the veil of Ego will be lifted and
Truth realized?
Guru: “In order to realize the concept of ‘HUKUM’ (Command), we
must approach the Guru-The Divine Master, who is sinless by
nature, pure of heart and clear of conscience and at-one with God,
the Creator.”
“So long as the man does not realize the commandment, he suffers
but when after meeting the Guru, the commandment is realized,
he acquires peace and comfort .”
“Eko Nam Hukam hai Sat-Gur dia bujhai jio”
Translation: To contemplate upon One Nam is the Lord’s Commandment.
It has been made clear by the True Guru.”
Thereupon, Buddhu Shah humbly submitted to the
Master. There was a glow in the eyes of the Guru
which radiated Divine Light which could not but
inspire the Pir and he exclaimed with sudden joy:
*““Allah-hu-Akbar!’—Great is God Almighty. Buddhu
Shah had now become a real Shah—Emperor of the
World!
After a while Shah said, “‘Master, I was blind and
thou hast given me sight.”
But who can tell what happened to Buddhu Shah.
Such things are beyond the perception of intellect.
The awakening of one’s soul is entirely the privilege
of the one on whom the Grace is bestowed. The
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240 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
divine life, for which all mortals aspire and which the
Shah yearned to attain and worked too hard to
achieve for all these years, but was denied to him, now
was conferred upon him in a twinkling of an eye.
It is a life of sheer ecstasy, of perpetual peace and
harmony. Such a glorious life of eternal joy, can be
ours if we learn to swim in NAM—The Eternal All
Pervading Divine Spirit—The Cosmic Soul. Shah
attained this glory by the Grace of the Master when
he submitted himself to him. Those who take these
Wings of Nam, they soar to Celestial heights, fly
through star-lit space, they become like the moon
crescent which sails in the azure blue. Those who
drink of the Cup of the Wine of Divine Love—
the Nectar, they are redeemed, rejuvenated and
regenerated souls. Ah the Glory! the Peace, the
Bliss, the Awakening!
(6) The Battle of Bhangani : One day the Guru
received an invitation from Raja Fateh Shah of Garhwal
to attend the wedding ceremony of his daughter. The
daughter was to be married to the son of Raja Bhim
Chand of Kahlur who nursed enmity against the Guru.
Guru sent his envoy with costly gifts for the princess.
Bhim Chand, when he learnt, that Guru’s envoy was
there, he was enraged, and refused to accept Fateh
Shah’s daughter for his son, if he continued to keep
friendship with the Guru. He asked Fateh Shah to
choose between himself and the Guru. Fateh Shah was
thus obliged to yield.
Before the hill chiefs could take hold of the valu-
ables and do away with the envoy, the envoy managed
to escape. Bhim Chand was indignant and mad with
rage. He excited and moved all the hill chiefs
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 241
against the Guru and it was resolved to immediately
march upon him, either to kill him or take captive and
send him on to the Emperor.
The hill chiefs ordered their troops to march upon
Paunta. The news of the impending attack came quick
and fast to Paunta before the army could move, and
so the Guru was not taken by surprise.
The 500 Pathans, who were enlisted in the Guru’s
army at the request of Pir Buddhu Shah, became
apprehensive of the scanty resources of the Guru and
they therefore deserted him. The Udasi Sadhus,
except their chief Mahant Kripal, also took to their
heels. On hearing all this, Pir Buddhu Shah hurried
to Paunta with his two brothers, his four sons and
700 disciples.
The Guru stationed his men at an eminent place
8 miles North of Paunta, near the village Bhangani.
A sever and bloody battle was raged. Many brave
soldiers were killed on either side. Although the
Raja’s army far outnumbered the Guru’s men, but
they had not the same spirit of sacrifice. Nor did
they have the same devotion to their leaders, as the
Sikhs had.
The hill chiefs were astonished to see Guru’s men
fight like trained soldiers. The Guru, himself riding
on his splendid steed, was in the van-guard of his army.
The Guru in his autobiography described a scene of
this battle as under:
“Hari Chand, one of the hill chiefs, in his rage drew forth the arrows.
He struck my steed with one and then discharged another at me, but
God preserved me and it only grazed my ears in its flight. His third
arrow penetrated the buckle of my waist belt and touched my body,
but wounded me not. It is only God who protected me, His servant.
When I felt the touch of the arrow, my spirit was kindled. I took up
my bow and taking aim killed the young chief Hari Chand with my very
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242 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
first shot. I discharged arrows in abundance. Upon this my adversa-
ries began to flee. The chief of Korari was also seized by death. Upon
this the hill men fled in consternation and I, through the favour of God
Almighty, gained the victory....” (translated).
Many precious lives were lost also on the side
of the Guru. The two of the Guru’s cousin brothers,
Sango Shah and Jit mal, two sons of Pir Buddhu Shah
and many other of his disciples were laid to rest in the
battle field.
Buddhu Shah now came to the Guru to take
leave of him. The Guru was at that time combing his
hair. Buddhu Shah begged of him to give him the
comb with his loose hair as a sacred souvenir. The
Guru also blessed him with further gift of NAM, a
gift which is far more precious than all the valuable
earthly gifts. Besides these, the Guru gave him a robe
of honour, a sword, and aturban. The Guru’s comb
with hair in it and the sword are still preserved as
sacred relics.
When Pir Buddhu Shah returned home, his wife
and other relatives began to mourn for his two sons,
who had died in battle. Buddhu Shah bade them
banish all woe and asked them not to grieve. He
comforted his family saying that his sons were not dead
but were immortal in Heaven.
But Nasiran, his consort, would not listen to his
sermon. Her heart was torn with grief. It knew no
peace. She mourned, grieved continuously, fainting
each time when she wept bitterly. At last one day,
as she lay in a swoon, Buddhu Shah prayed to the
Master to bestow peace upon her. Nasiran, while
still unconscious in the fainting fit, was blessed by the
Guru. On regaining consciousness, Nasiran thus
described the revelation to Pir Sahib:
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 243
“When thy speech sinks in a sea of wonder,
When thy hands drop aside, the body lies like a garment on the river bank
as the bather bathes,
Thine eyes close and see the dream—splendours of the soul
Where suns and stars are mere eddies and waves of the Light of Lights,
When for days and days thou livest thus entranced,
Where music becomes thy drink and meat,
O Prince of Yogis!
In the sleep of wonder thy vision grows and the streams of thy ecstasy
flow as milky ways in the heavenly realm of soul,
Thou canst hardly awake from that beatific realm, and
When thou dost wake, all this world to thee is a shadow, and
Thou breathest on earth still remembering thy Realm of Vision,
O Saint of Simran, the witness of the Guru’s Unbroken Light!
The two most noble sons like two Messiahs go forth
To fight for the Guru and die.
The Truth lives and thy deathless passion for Truth burns
In the flaming youth of thy sons,
Thy sons are like two shining orbs in the Heaven of Love,
Nasiran meets her sons, the Guru appears in a dream,
Tears the veil and there in that strange Realm,
The mother meets her sons,
And they say, ‘Mother! grieve not.
We live in perpetual youth and untold bliss.
Life is real here, it is the light of a thousand suns.
Dream, the violet veil, through which we speak
Is the only light of earthly mind that is faintly luminous here.”
(We are indebted to the Guru-Blessed, the late Prof: Puran Singh for
giving us this beautiful prose-poem.)
(7) Love-conquests: After a brief sojourn at
Paunta, the Guru decided to return to Anandpur.
But he took a circuitous route; for he was attracted
thither by the magnetic power of some loving hearts,
which he could not resist.
There was a small state of Raipur, near Ambala.
The Rani, the woman ruler, had caught a gleam of the
divine love from an elderly lady, who was a devoted
disciple of the Guru. Day by day, the Rani’s faith
in the Master became deeper and deeper and she
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244 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
yearned to have his holy ‘darshan’. But her ministers
advised her to give up her new faith on_ political
grounds. For the main body of the adjoining hill
chiefs were at war with the Guru and they would surely
resent the Rani’s inclinations towards him. They
might invade her capital and annex her state. So
caution was counselled.
But Rani’s faith was firm and unshakeable. No
political or material consideration could make any
change in her mind. She had laid her heart at the feet
of the Master. Although she realized that her advisors
cared for her own safety and welfare, but she could not
accept their advice. ‘“‘What’’, she said, “if I lose my
Raj! Had there not been millions of kings and queens
in the world? Where were they now? They have
all perished and became as dust.
What difference then would it make if I were to
be deprived of my kingdom and be_ reduced to a
beggar. The Raj was his gift, beggary would also
be his gift and I should love them with equal accep-
tance. Why should I fear when God, the Lord is
real and for ever true and everything is under His
command.”
So she did not waver in her faith and stood firm
like a rock. She threw to the winds all wise counsel
and declared: “I shall forego my kingdom and
wealth, if it so pleaseth Him, but I shall live and my
faith in the Master shall flourish.”
One day, the people of Raipur observed clouds of
dust rising and approaching their city from the direc-
tion of the adjoining state of Ram Garh. They were
alarmed. They were certain that some of the hill chiefs
were coming to invade and conquer Raipur.
The Rani was called out from her palace. The
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 245
soldiers were ordered to stand by. Arms and ammu-
nition were kept ready. Fort guns were loaded and
the generals were busy issuing orders and encouraging
the men to prove their mettle. Children cried and
women sobbed. The people prostrated before their
stone gods and cried for help. But gods showed no
sign of life, gave no assurance, and infused no confi-
dence in their votaries.
The Rani, however, was not perturbed. She was
calm all through. She had rather a kind of strange
inner feelings and in her heart of hearts she was con-
vinced that this was not a hostile invasion, which
they should fear, but this would turn out to be an
occasion of joy and mirth.
The ‘invaders’ were now not far off. The beat
of their drum could now be heard. With every beat
of the drum, the Rani’s heart-throb increased with
unknown joy. She told her soldiers to stand still until
she gave them further orders.
Providence sent the old lady who had been the
source of inspiration to the Rani. At this juncture
she assured the Rani that the beating of the drum and
clarions were those of the Great Guru, whom they
adored.
Being thus doubly assured, the Rani said to her
ministers and generals, ‘““‘We shall surrender to the
invader, body and soul. Let us all march out to
receive him. He is our Master and not our enemy.
Lay down the arms, they are no longer necessary.”
Saying this, she moved forward in the direction
of the approaching ‘conqueror’. The ministers and
generals were amazed at the Rani’s action, but they
all obeyed. Soon all doubts were removed. It was
the Conqueror of Hearts, come to make fresh conquests
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246 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
of Jove. She bowed to the Guru. The ministers bow-
ed to him. The general and the soldiers followed suit
and the whole city bowed to the Great Master.
The Guru’s tents were set up in the ground in
front of the fort. The Rani entertained the Guru and
his men with her best. In the evening, she attending
the “Dewan’—holy congregation and listened to
‘Hari Kirtan’ and partook of the immortalising Word
of the Master. She drank deep at the Fountain of
Bliss. At the conclusion of the Diwan, the Rani
begged the Guru to conduct the morning service
within her palace.
Throughout the night the Rani’s men were busy
arranging and decorating the hall where the morning
diwan was to be held. When the diwan was over,
the honoured guests were treated to a sumptuous
meal.
The Guru then expressed his wish to depart by the
afternoon. The Rani presented him a _ beautiful
horse with costly trappings, and a purse of eleven
hundred Rupees. The Guru gave her young son a
robe of honour, a sword and a shield. To the Rani
he gave a book of the Divine Word. He blessed her
and hers. The Guru departed from the city, but not
from the citadel of her heart. By constant ‘Simran’,
she for ever remained in contact with the impersonal
personality of the Guru,—the Guru in spirit.
Having passed through several villages where he
was lovingly received, he at last reached Anandpur.
The whole populace turned out to receive him—
every street, every lane and every house, presented a
show of gaiety—All rejoiced at the Guru’s return after
an absence of nearly three years.
Raja Bhim Chand now thought it best to make
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 247
peace with the Guru; for he now feared to remain
hostile to the Guru who had completely routed the
combined hill forces. Therefore he sent a messenger
to Anandpur and later he himself went to the Guru
and craved his pardon. The Guru assured him that
if the Raja really intended peace, he need have no
fears about him. The Guru was ever ready to forgive
those who repented and help and redeem those who
were oppressed.
(8) Blossoms for the Guru’s Birthday: Sohina
was once a rich man of Raipur. There was no luxury
of life that was not his for the asking. He was also
an adept musician and a gifted poet. Happily
married to a pretty girl, Mohina, who was also an
accomplished singer and an artist and shared every
interest of her husband. They both enjoyed a bliss-
fully happy home life. But the couple constantly
found something amiss. They felt some void and
emptiness of spirit inthem. In their quest for Truth,
they came across a recluse who led them, to worship
a deity-in-stone. Every morning at early dawn, they
bathed at a well and fetched water to give bath to the
deity. They then decorated it and worshipped it in
the prescribed manner. Ever since the recluse had
put them on this mode of worship, they never wavered
once in their daily rituals.
One day, while they took water from the well for
their deity, they saw a white turbaned-man with a
silvery white beard, profusely bleeding and obviously
in pain, rushing towards the well. He was fatally
wounded and was dying of thirst. As he came near
them, he fell down in utter exhaustion and cried out:
‘water, water!’
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248 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Sohina and Mohina looked at him and then at
their bucketful of water they were holding. But the
couple did not like their sacred water to be so polluted.
For it was meant for the worship of their idol.
With this thought, any intention that they had
of doing a good turn, soon melted into nothingness.
Alas! They turned away refusing to give water to the
wounded thirsty man.
Little did they realize then, that to do one good
turn a day, was more valuable than a whole lifetime of
idol worship. Dear was the price they had to pay
for ignoring the cry for water made in the name of
God; for the old man in his anguish hurled a curse
upon them thus:
“O you say, you have to worship Him, verily, verily I say unto you, He
shall not show even a glimpse of His face to you. Mark my words.”’
Back home, they tried to bathe the deity but their
hands trembled and there was an uneasiness in their
heart. The words which escaped from the lips of the
turbaned-man, and his looks, made such a deep
impression on their minds that they could not sit down
to pray. Their conscience refused to conform with
their supplications directed towards evoking God’s
mercy. They were all the while haunted by thoughts
of thirsty turbaned-man. They then hurriedly return-
ed from the sanctuary to the well to serve him water.
The old man lay there just the same, the expression
on his face unchanged. But his soul had left his
body for eternal rest.
A lot of people had gathered around the corpse.
They had come in search of him. Sohina and Mohina
learnt from them the story of the deceased. He was
a Sikh, a disciple of the Guru. He had been living in
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 249
the jungle nearby. Along with his rosary, he had
a sword for self-protection. The old man encountered
a party of gangsters who way-laid and attacked a
group of men, women and children. The Sikh fought
with the band of ruffians in order to save the way-
farers and in the scuffle that followed had been fatally
wounded. In his plight, he grew very thirsty and
therefore ran towards the well crying ““Water, Water’.
Those who had been helped by the old man came in
search of him and found him dead.
The couple was overtaken by remorse. They
wept in sorrow and regret, but nothing could help
them. His words still rang in their ears, his looks,
reproaching them continuously stood before their
eyes.
They tried to forget the event and in order to gain
peace of mind, resorted to acts of charity, benevolence
and prayer. But they were forever haunted by the
pitiable face of the turbaned old man and their ears
constantly heard his fateful words. They found no
joy in their songs, no peace in their sleep and no
comfort in their prayers to their gods.
Sohina and Mohina had learnt that the turbaned-
man was a Sikh, a disciple of Guru Gobind, who was
the guest of the Rani of Raipur. The heroic deeds of
of the Sikh had created a lasting impression on them
that they longed to meet the Guru when he visited
Raipur. But every time they attempted to secure a
fleeting glimpse of the Guru, some coincidence of
events prevented them from doing so. And they
remained deprived of Guru’s ‘darshan’ and each time
they were reminded of his words: “He shall not
show even a glimpse of his face to you.” And they
wept in sorrow.
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250 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
They disposed of most of their wealth and spent
the money in digging wells wherever there was shor-
tage of water. They had refused a cup of water to a
man of God under the delusion that they were serv-
ing their god thereby, and, now their conscience
allowed them no rest. The urgency for immediate
atonement forever tugged at their heart. For the
words of that Sikh continued to ring in their ears,
reminding them of their merciless act.
Ultimately they migrated to Anandpur determined
total self-immolation. They disguised themselves as
poor people and begged the Guru’s gardener, Bhai
Kesra Singh, to give them a chance to serve the Guru.
They were accomplished horticulturists and could
make plants grow and flowers bloom irrespective of
seasons and climatic conditions.
One day, the Guru visited the garden. Seeing
such beautiful flowers blooming out of season, the
Master asked Kesra Singh, if it was his skill and art.
He said, “‘No sir! This is the work of a couple
who serve in the garden without any remuneration:
the only reward they desire, is a holy ‘darshan’ of
thee, Lord.’’
The Master looked up and said, ““No, not yet.”
And then he said almost in a whisper the same words
that had escaped from the lips of his dying disciple:
“Verily, verily, he shall not show even a glimpse of his
face to you.”
Bhai Kesra Singh communicated these words of
the Master to Sohina and his wife; and they were
astonished but continued to serve with love and
devotion.
Mata Jito ji, the Guru’s consort, one day learnt
from Bhai Kesra Singh that they were great artists,
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 251
musicians and horticulturist and that they were for-
bidden to seek the Master’s darshan. Mata ji ap-
proached the Master on their behalf, but she was
told that they had once a sentence pronounced against
them by a Sikh, who was a man of Simran and reali-
zation that “the Guru shall not show them even a
glimpse of his face.” His words, the Master said
were irrevocable. ‘‘A devotee can undo my bindings,
but I cannot undo the Bhagata’s binding. If they were
ever to bind me, I would be helpless indeed.” He
further said that if that Sikh were alive he could
revoke his words. But now if they themselves could
cross the line and discard Egoism, then alone they can
come under the Guru’s Grace and have glimpses of the
Cosmic-Soul, the Universal Atman—the Divine Spirit.
Mata ji, however, got the permission of the Master
to visit them and help them to rise above ‘‘I-am-ness”’
and pave the way for ‘“‘Atman-darshan”’, this being the
highest service one can do to his fellow men to help
them to realize the Eternal, All-Pervading Existence’,
said the Master.
Jito ji, paid them occassional visits, her words
nourished their drooping hearts and encouraged them.
Hope arose in their breast that the Master would one
day agree to let them see him.
One morning, a faqir called Roda Jalali came aud
begged of the couple for some of their flowers which
were a novelty at that time of the year. Mohina and
Sohina had preserved them for the Guru’s birth day
which was approaching. They were sacred and so
they could not part with them. Yet they were afraid
lest this refusal might also land them into some
trouble.
At night Roda Jalali stole like a cat into the garden
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252 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINB MASTERS
and plucked off all the flowers. Next morning, as
the Guru was sitting amidst the congregation of dis-
ciples, Roda Jalali presented himself and made an
offering of the basket of flowers.
The Master said, ““Why did you pluck these
blooming flowers, O fakir?”’
“‘Because I had nothing else to offer’. replied
Roda Jalali. If that is so, you should have come
empty handed. The empty hands of a faqir are
praiseworthy. But you have come not with an empty
hand but with an empty heart!”
As Roda bowed, his cap fell off and lo! Gold
Mohars out of it tingled on the floor. The Guru said,
“You are not Roda Jalali (Roda the Glorious), but
Roda Palali (Roda the Impostor)! O Roda, You
have not plucked the flowers from the bushes, but
you have torn two hearts, two precious souls.”
Saying this our Lord scurried down barefooted
to the path that led to where the sensitive couple,
feeling the loss of flowers, they had cherished so much,
lay unconscious beside their ravaged flower-bed. He
lifted them in his lap while Mata Jito ji poured water
in their mouths. The gracious looks of the Master
restored them.
Imagine the joy of those smitten souls, who on
regaining consciousness, found their heads resting in
the Guru’s lap and the soothing touch of his hands
upon their ruffled brows! As they opened their eyes,
they saw the Guru gazing deep into theirs and the
compassionate Master whispered to them: “Sohina,
Mohina, I have come; your devotion has won.”
The conqueror of hearts was thus conquered by
these loving hearts.
The Guru in his benevolence said, ‘“Sohina,
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 253
Mohina! You may please ask for a gift whatever
you like! Guru Nanak is so gracious.”
They said, ““Merciful Lord! If you be so kind,
grant pardon to Roda and bless him too.” At this,
the Guru was much pleased.
Roda was then redeemed and blessed by the
Master and he became Roda Jalali—Roda the glorious
in the true sense of the word.
(9) Bhai Nand Lal’s Renaissance: Diwan Bhai
Nand Lal Goya, the accomplished Persian scholar
and poet, who is well known for his most endearing
verses, composed in praise of God and Guru
Gobind Singh, and who left a distinguished mark in
Sikh History as a devoted writer, was born at Ghazni
in Afghanistan in 1643.
His father, Diwan Chhaju Ram, a very capable
writer and administrator, was employed as Mir-Munshi
(revenue Officer) by the ruler of Ghazni, and enjoyed
his confidence and patronage due to his honesty and
integrity.
Even as a child, Nand Lal was gifted with
an extraordinary intelligence and grasp. He soon
achieved a high standard of efficiency in Arabic and
Persian literature and started composing Persian
verses at an early age. Bhai Nand Lal was hardly
nineteen, when his father and mother, both passed
away, leaving him without any support in those far
off lands. Since the Nawab of Ghazni hesitated to
entrust the young Nand Lal with the high office held
by his esteemed father, Bhai Nand Lal said good-bye
to Afghanistan, the land of his birth, and migrated
to the city of Multan (now in West Pakistan), where
he purchased some land and took his residence.
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254 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
The Nawab of Multan being much impressed
with the scholastic talents and personality of the
youngman took him in his service and soon appointed
him his “‘Mir-Munshi’’. At the age of 45 Nand Lal
left his service and retired from the world and
wandered from place to place in search of Truth and
Peace. But he could find it no where. He felt sad
and disappointed. At last he made his way to
Anandpur where the young Guru lived.
Nand Lal reaching Anandpur decided to test the
Guru before he could accept him. He took a small
house and lived a quiet life there. He made up his
mind that he would go to the Guru only if the Guru
especially sent for him and called him by his name,
which he did not disclose to any body there. The
Guru did not call him for sometime. During this
period Nand Lal remained as restless as a magnetic
needle in the vicinity of a big magnet. He records:
“How long shall I patiently wait?
My heart 1s restless for a vision of thee,
My tearful eyes, says Goya,
Have become flooding streams of love
Flowing in a passionate affection towards thee.”
(translated).
He further writes in his Persian Ghazals that he
was all the while on fire, burning with pangs of separa-
tion from the Unseen Beloved who was drawing his
heart towards him with strings of hidden love. Thus
speaks Nand Lal:
“‘My heart burns in separation of the Beloved
My soul 1s aflame with a passion for Him.
I am so much enveloped in these flaming emotions
That whoever sees me 1n this plight
Burns like pinewood that catches fire.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 255
I am not the only one burning in these flames
The whole world around me is ablaze
I am burning on the embers of separation
Just as a chemist burns chemicals on a furnace
Blessed be thou O heart of Goya
For being burnt in passion flames of love.”
(translated).
At last Nand Lal was called. His joy knew no
bounds. When Nand Lal approached the Master
for ‘darshan’, the Guru was sitting quiet in a super-
conscious state amidst his holy congregation, and with
his eyes closed, looking inwardly at God-in-Self.
Nand Lal saw the Master. He was wonder-
struck. He forgot his self in the joy of his beauty.
He exclaimed:
“O! The Prince of Heaven! The King of the
Beautifuls! Pray do not become more beautiful, I
have no more strength left in me. Allured, charmed
and fascinated by thee, I sacrifice myself unto thee!
Glory, Glory, O Beloved.”
‘*My life and faith are held in bondage,
By His sweet and angelic face;
The glory of Heaven and earth,
Is hardly worth,
A hair of His golden locks.
O! how can I bear the light,
Shed by the piercing glance of His love,
To ennoble and enlighten life,
A glimpse of the Beloved is enough.”’
Bhai Nand Lal: (Translated).
After a short while the Master opened his eyes and
gently smiled as he looked towards Nand Lal. By
mere opening of his own eyes, he enabled Nand Lal
to see the Divine. His one glance of Grace was his
whole knowledge. Nand Lal bows down saying:
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256 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
“Lord! my doubts are dispelled, I know the Truth.
The doors of my heart have opened. The lotus in
me has bloomed, and I have attained peace.”
Thus sings Bhai Nand Lal in his beautiful Persian
Ghazals:
“From the beautiful bow of His eye-brow
He shot the arrow of His Glance
The arrow of Love is through my heart,
There is no cure, no remedy.”
“The eyes that art half closed with joy
Caught from the beam of Thy face,
Look not at anything else
If in their way, a thousand thrones wait for them
The joy-sealed eyes have no time to cast
Even a passing glance on the jewelled crowns.”
(Nand Lal: translated).
Nand Lal thus lived on at Anandpur in service and
love of the Master. One day, the Guru said to Bhai
Nand Lal, “You left home and renounced the world;
such a renunciation is not acceptable to me. Go back,
live in the world, work for your living, serve humanity.
But do not get involved in the mesh of worldliness;
live pure among the impurities of the world, free from
illusion of Maya. The lotus flower floats in the pond
but remains above water, the swan swims in the lake
but remains unwetted. Likewise you live in the world
of hopes and desires, but remain unattached, keeping
God alone in thy mind.”
‘‘Master! Whither shall I go?’ said Nand Lal.
“To whichever direction thy feet carry thee.”
replied the Master. Nand Lal bowed and immediately
started from Anandpur and at last he found him-
self in Agra, the City of the Taj, where Prince Bahadur
Shah, son of Emperor Aurangzeb, was residing and
holding his court.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 257
On reaching Agra, Bhai Nand Lal found the
atmosphere congenial to his taste and inborn faculties.
At Agra there were some well known scholars, poets
and artists patronised by Prince Bahadur Shah. Bhai
Nand Lal was soon recognised at Agra as a great
scholar and poet and his talents earned for him the
office and emoluments of a Mir Munshi (Minister-
in-Waiting).
During his employment with the Prince, Bhai
Nand Lal distinguished himself as a man of an out-
standing genius, loyal and devoted to the task
entrusted to him. Emperor Aurangzeb and _ his
ministers at Delhi, were deeply impressed with the
highly academic qualities of the communications
drafted by Bhai Nand Lal on behalf of Prince Bahadur
Shah, as these revealed the extraordinary merit of the
writer. No wonder, the Prince was so proud of his
new ‘find’.
Bhai Nand Lal, however, was not destined to
enjoy the aura of peaceful life of honour and recogni-
tion for a long time, and an unexpected storm soon
started brewing on the horizon of his prosperous and
contented life.
Once Emperor Aurangzeb held a ‘Darbar’ in which
learned men from far and wide participated and gave
different versions of the exposition of a certain verse
of the Qoran sought by the Emperor. Aurangzeb,
however, was far from satisfied with the common
interpretations rendred by the Muslim ‘Ulemas’
(scholars), he himself being a great scholar.
Prince Bahadur Shah, then, sought the help of
Bhai Nand Lal, who gave his own interpretation to the
prince in private. Aurangzeb greatly admired and
appreciated the outstanding erudition of Bhai Nand
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258 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Lal and rewarded him with Royal Khillat and
Rs. 500/- but he could not tolerate the fact that the
recipient of such honour and public recognition, was
a non-Muslim.
He told Prince Bahadur Shah to convert Bhai
Nand Lal to Islam by persuation if possible, and by
force otherwise.
The news leaked out, and Bhai Nand Lal made
a firm resolve to leave this glamorous world of honour
and prosperity, which he had created for himself, and
which now threatened to cost him the unbearable
loss of his Faith.
With the help of Ghiasuddin, a Muslim admirer
and follower of Bhai Nand Lal, he escaped from Agra
one night, and fled to Anandpur, the only place where
such refugees could find safe asylum.
On reaching Anandpur with his friend Ghiasuddin,
Bhai Nand paid his homage to the Master, who
received him with regard and affection, and blessed
him and his friend.
After a while addressing Ghiasuddin, the Guru
said, ‘““Ghiasuddin whom do you own as your Master?”’
Ghiasuddin pointed to Bhai Nand Lal. At this, Bhai
Alam Singh, one of the disciples hastened to correct
him, but the Master promptly stopped him and said,
‘‘Alam Singh! Nand Lal belongs to me and he
belongs to Nand Lal, therefore both belong to me.
Bhai Nand Lal received the gift of Nam from the Guru.
He himself contemplates on Nam and he has been
empowered and authorised by the Guru to inspire
others to do the same.
These words were enough for Bhai Nand Lal.
He burst out into a beautiful Persian Ghazal:
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 259
*O Lord! Grant that my eyes may ever feast
On the beauty of thy vision,
Make my mind the treasure-house of divine wisdom.
Pray, dye my heart in rich crimson colour of thy love.
O Beloved! Grant that this slave of thine
Be ever passionately devoted to Thy Lotus Feet.
To my physical separation bestow the longing for union,
And in the autum of my life confer on me the joy of perennial spring,
And through thy Grace, give tongue to every hair on my body;
So that with millions of these tongues
I may sing Thy glory ever annon.
(Translated)
Enjoying the blissful life at the Master’s feet at
Anandpur, Bhai Nand Lal, now settled down to
a routine of a devoted disciple, regularly attending
the morning and evening congregations. The presence
of many renowned poets and scholars there, provided
further inspiration to him, to write poetry in praise
of God and the Guru. Bhai Nand Lal, one day,
presented Guru Gobind Singh his book of verses,
to which he gave the title of Bandgi Nama (The Book
of Meditation). In appreciation of this valuable
present, the Guru composed the following verse and
changed the title of the Book to Zindgi Nama (Book of
Life).
‘abe haivan pur shud chun jam-i-o
Zindgi Nama shud jan nam-i-o”
When this goblet was filled with the immortalizing nectar from
heaven,
Its name then became Zindgi Nama——(The Book of life).
(Translated)
Bhai Nand Lal verses reflect his deep realization
of Divinity, which can only sprout from a sublimate
soul who is enjoying a blissful aura of spiritual ecstasy;
and has reached the final stage of a ‘Brahm Giani’.
To such an emanicipated soul, God is manifested in
the entire creation.
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260 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
(10) The call of the Master: The Guru called for
a big gathering at Anandpur on the Baisakhi day of
Sammat 1756 (1699 A.D.). The disciples heard the
call of the Master. They rushed forth with great
zeal and devotion. The whole of the Punjab was on
the march. It appeard as if the waters of the five
rivers were rushing forth to meet and mingle with
the ocean. They came from all parts of the country.
After the morning ‘Hari-kirtan’, the Guru in all his
glory and superhuman splendour stood up on his
platform; his eyes shone like fire, his face was flushed
with the might of his resolve and his whole body was
transformed like that of warrior stepping forth into
the battle field. In a voice as of a thunder, with a
naked sword in his hand, he called upon his disciples:
“Is there anyone here who would lay down his life
under my steel? I need the head of a Sikh, who will
offer it.” O what a trial!
This caused some terror in the assembly and people
were stunned. There was dead silence. He called
forth again. At this, Bhat Dya Ram, a Khatri of
Lahore aged thirty stood up and came forward. With
his head bent in deep reverence he said, ‘“‘Master!
This head is thine for ever.”” The Guru took him by
the arm to the tent that was pitched yonder in an
enclosure. A blow and thud were heard and a stream
of blood gushed out.
The Guru, with his sword dripping with blood,
came again and called for another head. After a
pause another stood up. He was Dharm Das a Jat
of Hariana, now in Rohtak district. He was thirty-
three years of age. He said, “Lord, chop off my head
in punishment for not rising at thy first call.” He was
also led to the tent. Another blow, another thud,
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 261
and a fresh stream of blood, convinced the horror-
stricken people that the second Sikh, too, had been
sacrificed.
Then the Guru again came out with the blood
dripping sword and asked for another head. In this
manner, three other man stood, one after the other,
and offered themselves for the sacrifice. One was
Mohkam Chand, who hailed from Dwarka (West
Coast of India), another was Himmat Chand a resi-
dent of Jagan Nath Puri, in Orissa and the third was
Sahib Chand, from Bidar (In Central India).
The last time the Guru stayed longer in the tent.
People began to breath with relief. Perhaps he had
finished and would not repeat the dreadful call.
At last, he came out. But! O heavenly Bliss,
What a change! His sword was sheathed, his face
was beaming with joy and satisfaction and his eyes
were drunk with cheer that filled his heart. And Good
Lord! Who were they that followed him, looking
strangely like him? They were the Beloved Five. They
had been sacrified. Had they come back to life? Were
they in mortal frame or in celestial ones?
To the extreme wonderment and joy of those
assembled and still sitting there, the Guru brought out
his Five Beloved Ones, ‘Punj Pyare’, in their new
robes, radiant with a new vitality of dedication to God.
They had offered their heads to the Guru, and the
Guru had given them himself and his glory.
There were exclamations of wonder and sighs of
regret on all sides. Every one was sorry that he had
not offered his head. One came up to the Master
with tears in his eyes and said, ‘“‘Master! I failed in the
trial and deserve punishment. The heads of these
my brethern, thou hast accepted and made thine own,
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262 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Throw this one of mine into the gutter; for it is un-
worthy to stand on these shoulders.”
Another got up and said, ““My Lord! I was all the
while making up my mind. I thought you would call
for a sixth head. But, it was my ill-luck, Master,
thou didst never call for another. I took too long to
decide, but I did decide. So be kind, and let me die
for this tardiness in responding to the call. It was
a grievious fault, Master, so strike this unworthy head
off these ugly shoulders.’
The Guru then addressed the assembly saying,
*““My dear Sikhs! Be ye of good cheer. The power
of prompt response to the call of the hour is not given
to all. Yet blessed are they who rise equal to the
occasion. All hail! All hail! to the FIVE BELOVED
ONES who have proved their firm and fast devotion to
the Guru, and have stood the ordeal successfully.
This is a matter of joy for us all. Now I feel certain
that true religion will flourish and my Sikhs will ever
be foremost among the winners of country’s freedom.
They would be defenders of faith and protectors of the
weak and the oppressed ones. Be ye all of good
cheers. This is yet the beginning. I shall need the
heads of all of you in the course of time to come. So
wait. They also serve who wait and get ready for
the call. Beware, lest you should fail again.”
The Guru had thus tested the fidelity and courage
of his followers. The divine path on which the devotees
have to tread is narrow and sharp like the edge of a
sword. It is indeed difficult to step on it. It demands
self-sacrifice, unflinching and unquestionable obedi-
ence to the Divine Master, which pauses not to
question and lingers not to receive an answer and
which only demands ‘to do and die.’
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 263
(11) The Great Miracle of Creation : On the
day following, the Guru proceeded to dissolve the
steel of the double-edged dagger and the Divine Song
in water in a steel urn; and he prepared the Nectar
of Knowledge Absolute. In the Immortal Draught
he resolved to give himself away to the children of
Guru Nanak. When the Nectar (AMRIT) was ready,
the god-mother of his disciples, Mata Sahib Devan,
came with sugar crystals or ‘Patasas’ and stood
waiting before the Master.
‘“‘Welcome, Sweet Lady!” said the Guru, “Thou
hast come in, at a very opportune moment when thy
gift is needed most. Valour and courage, without
the sweetness of soul means little. Pour thy sweetness
into the Nactar; so that the Khalsa may be blessed
not only with Valour and courage, but also with the
grace of a woman’s sweet-soul.” And the Mother
thereupon poured down the sugar crystals in the steel
and vessel sweetened the Amrit Life-giving Elixir.
The Guru then stood up, with the sacred Amrit
contained in the steel vessel, to give the blessed abun-
dance of God-in-Man away. Each of the Five Be-
loved Ones, by turn, kneeling upon his left knee, look-
ed up to the Master to receive his Eternal Light. The
Master gazed into the eyes of the disciple, and showered
Amrit on his face, calling him aloud with each shower
to sing: “‘Waheguru ji ka khalsa, Waheguru ji ki
fateh.” -——“*The Liberated Ones, Pure Ones belong
to the Glorious Master, They are of the Lord’s own.
He is Truth, and Truth triumphs now; All triumph
be to His Name.”
The ‘Keshas’ (hair) of each disciple was then
anointed by him with showers of Amrit. Thence
forward every hair of the disciple’s head became
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264 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
sacred for all times. The Beloved Five were thus
baptized by the Guru. He then asked them to take
deep draughts of the Amrit from the same steel cup;
so that they may be totally transformed into the Guru’s
pattern and be knit together in unbreakable bonds of
brotherly love.
In those days of strict caste barriers, they took
Amrit from the same vessel, people of the all castes and
classes. This caused a great stir and furore in the
orthodox society. The Master then addressed them
to the following effect:
“Ye the liberated ones, pure ones, I name ye the
KHALSA, and give ye the surname of Singh. Ye shall
keep the Divine Spark of Life lit in ye, ever pure,
bright and unflickering. Ye shall never worship stock
or stones, idols or tombs, gods and goddesses or their
statues and pictures. Believe not anyone to be the
Creator except God Eternal, not subject to birth and
death. Know Him to be God. Eternal, Immortal,
All-Pervading Reality He only to be meditated upon.
And ye to keep Him alone in thy ‘dhyanam’.
Ye shall not believe in fasts, mortification of
body and penances. Ye shall not pay heed to places
of pilgrimages. Ye shall love man as man, making
no distinction of caste, colour, creed or country.
Ye shall earn living by fair and honest means and
by the sweat of thy brows, setting apart atleast one
tenth of your hard earned income for the Guru’s cause
or for service to humanity. Ye shall not beg alms or
live upon charity. Ye must henceforth be Saint-
Soldiers, worshipping God, serving the weak, needy
and oppressed ones. Ye shall be saviour of men and
defenders of faith.
Each one of you shall love your wedded wife and
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 265
shall not covet another woman even in thought or
dream.
Ye must not smoke or take other intoxicants.
Nor shall ye take the flesh of an animal killed by slow
degrees, as they do in the Mohammedan way.
Ye must not cut your Keshas. Keshas must be
be your first token of Sikh faith.
You are to keep discipline and always wear the
uniform that I, from today, prescribe for my Khalsa.
They are to wear five Ks:
(1) KESHAS—they were to grow unshorn hair and
untrimmed beards
(2) KARA or Steel bracelet on the wrist
(3) KACHHA or breeches reaching up to knees.
(4) KANGA or Comb
(5) KIRPAN (dagger or sword).
Guru Gobind Singh gathered the waves of Ocean
of Consciousness as he gathered the long tresses of the
Five Beloved, like the mother of the children. The
Master lovingly tied them in knot on top of their heads,
as a vow of future man-hood which shall know no
caste, no distinction between man and man. The
Master concealed the Spark of Life under a sheaf of
hair. The Keshas are the holy woods on which the
honeyed-monsoon of Nam settles. He touched our
hair and blessed us, we nestle the fragrance of his
touch in our tresses. So every hair of the Sikh is thus
sacred for all times. The Master enjoined the baptised
ones (who take Guru’s Amrit) to observe the 5-Ks,
as mentioned above.
Every Sikh is to wear Kirpan—His sword. It is
a gift from the Guru. It is not a mere instrument of
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266 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
offence and defence. It is an outer symbol of the
inner spirit that knows no defeat, no disappointment;
the personality that is unconquerable in its hope, in
its spiritual radiance. Guru Gobind Singh says, “I will
make my one, stand against a million.”” The presence
of a great spiritual man fascinates and overpowers
millions.
Similarly KARA (Iron Ring) comes to us as a gift
from the Master, our personal God, who is dearer to
us than our dear and near ones. He gave all these
5-Ks as gifts to us and they aresacred. We carry them
lovingly as signs of His remembrance, as souvenir.
Woe upon us, if we to-day argue and discuss the
usefulness of 5-Ks or their justification. Dazzled
by the glamour of fashion and worldliness and of
mammon and sex, some youngmen become oblivious
of the values of the spirit and fall a prey to their carnal
urges. They ask for justification of these symbols
merely to find justification for discarding them, impel-
led, no doubt, by fashion and considerations of
convenience.
It may be said that the principal justification for
the Sikhs’ adherence to the Keshas and other Ks
must be their loving regard for the Gurus—their
craving to be accepted at the feet of the Master.
Yes, the absolute truth of the matter is that there
is no substitute for love and devotion in the realm
of spirituality. Divested of these two essentials, the
relation between the Sikh and the Guru is reduced to
a naught.
These very ties of love and devotion binding the
Sikh to the Guru, stood by the martyr Bhai Taru Singh
through his ordeal, and made him accept the tearing
of his scalp in preference to the shaving of his hair.
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It may be observed that behind these 5-Ks, now
lie our noble tradition and _ inspiring history that
carried us triumphantly through many a crisis. They
gave us a sense of unity, moral prestige and religious
zeal that resulted in many shining deeds of heroism
and sacrifice. They have enabled us to up-hold and
keep aloft the Guru’s ideal as distinct from the old
Brahamanism, but for them we would be extinguished,
absorbed and lost like Buddhism that was lost in the
mass-herd of Hinduism.
Apart from their value, as a discipline for promot-
ing spirituality, the symbols have another socio-
religious purpose. For the spread and subsistence of
all religions, the existence of strong nuclei of the
brother-hood is indispensible. If Guru Nanak had not
founded a community and a church, his religion would
have met the fate of the ideologies propounded by
Kabir, Ravidas and other saints. And a community
strongly consolidated by a common discipline and
uniform can be much stronger force than a loosely-
knit group of individual co-thinkers. This is the
reason why a microscopic minority, such as the Sikhs,
has enjoyed so great an importance in the country’s
affairs.
Religion being an ideology meant to mould our
lives it is to be lived not in isolation by an individual,
but collectively in a society. Religion must mould
our lives in its fullness, in its social and all other aspects.
Hence the importance of ‘Sadh Sangat’ or to say that
religion has to be lived collectively to inspire individuals.
Admitted that Sikhism claims no exclusiveness for
its Keshas, as for any of its secular institutions. But
do the Keshas not represent the colours of our regiment?
Do they not form the rule of the game? You cannot,
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268 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
at one and the same time, fiddle outside the boundary
line and also participate in the play as one of the eleven.
How can you?
Those who do not understand the Law of Love
and devotion may not wear the Master’s knot of the
sacred tresses and those who do must wear it as a token
of their craving to be accepted at the feet of the Master.
For this is Guru Gobind Singh’s command. And
obedience to Him is life. There is no life of the spirit
or regeneration outside that Great Love.
But let it be clearly understood that symbols by
themselves do not constitute religion. Mere outer
form means but little without the inner qualities and
the ideal that it signifies.
The outer shell protects and preserves the inner
kernel, but what if the latter is already rotten? A
fenceless crop is always in the danger of being damaged,
but what could be the value of the hedge that surrounds
a barren unproductive piece of land?
Those who do not care to observe the outer dis-
cipline of Keshas and other symbols are guilty of
breaking the door and laying inside open to pilferage
and pillage; while those who infringe the inner dis-
cipline are eating up the marrow.
(12) The Khalsa Brotherhood—Global Fraternity :
The Khalsa had sprung from the Spirit of the Great
Guru Gobind Singh, as Minerva from the head of
the Jupiter—fully awakened to a new and inspired
life, blending the undaunted courage of the soldier
with the enthusiasm of an enlightened devotee. The
Guru by a flash of his sword filled the dying soul of
India with the life giving light of Truth, and lo! it
shone in all its glory again, in the life of the new
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 269
born Khalsa! The Light of Reality had kindled the
Spark of Life again in the dying soul of the nation.
The Khalsa Brotherhood inaugurated by Guru
Gobind Singh is the brotherhood of Knights of
Honour who live the inward life of NAM and Simran.
This was a kind of chivalry unlike anything that had
appeared in Europe or in Rajasthan. The Sikh
became a knight who had no personal motive, no
passion of worldly love to inspire him in the perfor-
mance of his duty. The sight of wronged innocence
or oppressed weakness was sufficient to move him to
action. The inspired personality of this brotherhood
is love-strung, song-strung, gentle and _ fearless,
seeking no reward for incessant self-sacrifice in the
name of the Master. Brothers, dying like moths
round the lamp, living-like heroes, elevated above the
sad sordid facts of life, caring for the welfare of the
whole universe and desiring nothing in return, except
that they may deserve His love.
‘He who keeps the Light of the Divine Life,
The Torch of Truth,
Burning for all the twenty-four hours
In the Shrine of his heart,
He alone is to be deemed
As the pure Khalsa.”
So defined the Master. If the Lamp of Simran
burns out, if the Torch of Truth is extinguished,
the Sikh would spiritually die. His name would be
struck off the rolls. Those of us, who have not yet
realized NAM—AII Pervading Divine Spirit, are those
still on the waiting list.
“Master! Thy touch alchemical turns
Dross into nobler metals.
Thy Glance uplifts beings
From lower depths to heights unknown,
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270 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
For Thy Grace, O Lord, I wait,
Teach me Thy Name,
Let me breath in Thy Love
And make of me Thy Khalsa.”
“O what am I?
Hundreds of thousand of good people
Deeply drunk with Azure Wine of Thy Love,
Are standing in Thy way
For a glimpse of Thee O Love!
They are offering in exchange their lives,
Which they hold on the palms of their hands.”
The creation of Khalsa is the culmination of
Guru Nanak’s genius. “The harvest which ripened
in the time of Guru Gobind Singh was sown by Guru
Nanak and watered by his successors. The sword
which carved the Khalsa’s way to glory was, undoubte-
dly forged by Gobind, but the steel had been provided
by Nanak.”’
(Sir Dr. Gokal Chand Narang).
The Amrit of the Tenth Master, completely
transmuted and transformed the man irrespective of
caste, creed or religion. After taking Amrit, the
Khalsa resembles no parent type of his own. Just
as lime, betelnut, catechu and betel-leaf, which are the
ingredients of ‘Pan’—betel-leaf, they turn into one
and same red-blood colour when well chewed, simi-
larly in the Khalsa there is the blending of the whole
spiritual character of man of the past, present and
future, as if it were a new creation, a universal man of
God, belonging to one class, caste, colour or creed.
Khalsa is the Super-Man saturated with the glories
and powers of the Infinite, yet exuberating sweetness,
innocence, and brotherliness. He strikes no fear
in others, nor does he fear any.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 271
(13) The Disciples initiate the Master: The
most moving scene of the ceremony was when the
Guru seated the Beloved Five on his throne and
requested them to initiate him as a member of the
““KHALSA BROTHERHOOD”.
The Five sat in a group. and, inspired by the
Divine spirit, prepared Amrit in the same way, as
Master had done. When the Amrit was ready the
Master himself stood before them with clasped hands,
and begged for the Immortalizing Draught from his
Beloved Five. They hesitated a little, but the Guru
said, ‘“‘Why do you hesitate? I have given you my
form, my glory, and my spirit. I have named ye the
Khalsa, the Pure and Liberated Ones, the King’s Own.
The Khalsa is the Guru, and the Guru is the Khalsa.
Ye and I are one for ever.”
Bhai Dya Singh smiled and said, ‘“‘What price do
you offer for this Amrit? We offered ye our heads
for it!”
The Master said, “I offer my mind, my body,
my family and all that I have, as a sacrifice at your
altar.”
The Five Beloved then administered Amrit to the
Guru and conformed upon him the same Rehat
(discipline) exactly in the way as he had done. His
name was thenceforth changed from Gobind Rai to
Gobind Singh. Never has any prophet or Avatar
thus implored his own disciples for grant of spiritual
gift and submitted himself to the discipline to be
enjoined upon him.
Thereupon the whole heavens resounded with
ejaculation: “Sat Sri Akal—AlIl Glory to the Eternal
and Immortal Lord! Hurrah forthe Guru! Wonder-
ful is Guru Gobind Singh, himself the Master and
Le
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272 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
himself the disciple. The Master and the disciples
become One.”
After giving Amrit, the Beloved Ones said, ““O
Lord now that you have blessed us thus, may we also
ask for a boon?”
“Yes”, said the Guru.
And said the Beloved Ones, ‘“‘O Lord of the
Khalsa, Father of the Khalsa, give us your word to
abide with Thy Khalsa, the whole body of the Khalsa
and its individual members—and always help and
guide them.”
“So shall it be,” said the Guru.
The Guru said, “I am the first Khalsa to take
Amrit from the Khalsa. I have tasted and tested the
Khalsa’s Amrit myself. I have seen and felt its
efficacy. Administer this Amrit to one and all.”
About 80,000 men and women were Amritized
in a few days. For days and days, the city of Anand-
pur presented a unique appearance. A contagious
spirit of independence arose and spread, and the face
of the country changed. Where love is supreme, the
heart in which it resides must be clothed in splendour
of steel; the flashing sword must be the expression,
in this dark world, of the light of soul.
(14) How the Fragrance Spread: Gulaba stood
trembling before the Head-Qazi at Delhi. He was
not free of the fear and panic that seized him in the
past, whenever he was summoned by the Muslim
officers at his native town. Now he stood in
obeisance, with folded arms—a Muslim in garb and
appearance, but a Hindu at heart.
Doubtless he, now, found favour in the eyes of
the Qazi. .The Qazi was pleased with this new con-
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 273
vert; for with him the Kambhoh community at
Hoshiarpur embraced Islam _ en-block. ‘“Gulaba!
We are pleased with you,” said the Head-Qazi, “In
token of your conversion, we hereby appoint you
Supervisor of the gardens and Jagir of Hakim Abu
Trab Bahmni at Delhi.”
Gulaba bowed low in acceptance, and turned—
tears welled up in his eyes—his conscience smote him
—a traitor to his own faith—he had yielded, at last,
to the irony of fate—a devout Hindu—now a Muslim
by circumstances—a victim of relentless fate. His
brethren, the whole of Kambhoh community of
Hoshiarpur were now Muslim—the fact that he,
Gulaba, resisted with all his might, only to succumb
to the inevitable at last, was, but a meagre comfort
to him now.
Such was Aurangzeb’s policy of intolerance and
religious persecution that thousands of Hindus were
forced to relinquish their faith for fear of oppression.
The Muslim rulers’ additional weapon was that they
showered on converts, rare privileges and benefits—
the non-believers, no doubt, were dealt with intoler-
able, political and economic impediments—therefore
the masses, the poorer and lower classes of Hindus
could ill-afford resistance of any kind, however un-
sullied and strong their faith in their religion might be.
Now Gulaba found himself at the gates of the
palatial residence of Hakim Abu Trab—the favourite
chief of Aurangzeb. The gates were barred against all
common folk. Within these high walls, lived Hakim
Abu Trab, a life of luxury and indolence—enough
wealth and more kept flowing from the monarch—
the vast Jagir in the vicinity of Delhi was a prized gift
from the Emperor—was there, anyone,'to match Hakim
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274 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
in providing secret and vital information about the
Bahamni rulers of Deccan, against whom Aurangzeb:
was carrying on, a long campaign of conquest? Did
not Hakim hail from the Bahamni clan and was he not
the most confidential adviser and spy of the Emperor?
The gatesman, led Gulaba to the chief. Hakim
surveyed him from head to foot and commanded,
“Take care of my Jagir. You will have ample reward.
Be loyal and honour your sovereign Aurangzeb.”
The charge was humbly accepted. Gulaba’s
responsibilities grew day by day—money and material
came his way. But deep in his heart, the restlessness
and remorse continued and nagged his conscience.
He looked up to his wife, Sherifan, for comfort, but
both of them, grieved. Their material gain gave them
no consolation.
At last, word came, one day from Aurangzeb,
commanding Hakim to proceed to Anandpur in the
Punjab and spy on the activities of Guru Gobind Singh.
Aurangzeb’s wrath, at the news he received about:
the Guru, knew no bounds. So, for this purpose,
he selected Hakim Abu Trab to watch over the Guru’s
activities and advise suitable action. Hakim, there-
fore, deputed Gulaba to go and make the necessary
arrangements at Anandpur for his visit and also spy
over the Guru’s activities.
For Gulaba, this task seemed gruesome—he
pondered over it the whole night—the next morning
he would don the robes of a Hindu and travel to
Anandpur—those were the orders he received. If
Hakim termed it, a disguise, it was -to Gulaba, a
mockery—an ordeal to be set against his own brothern
to whose world, he now, no longer belonged. Yet
he quelled the tumult, that rose in his heart with a,
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 275
strong will—an inner strength he possessed—a strong
sense of duty. So with this seuse of duty only to
uphold him, Gulaba set forth on a journey, not knowing
what lay ahead.
After miles of treading, Gulaba and his wife
looked upon a clear blue sky, valley fresh and green
and a softly rustling river, the Sutlej. Here was the
beautiful city, Anandpur, where they were destined to
come with little friendliness to offer and yet to receive
so much warmth from its inhabitants. They stayed
on for days and weeks and felt refreshed. The follow-
ers of Guru Gobind Singh had a message of peace and
comfort for all. The city reflected this peace and
calm. Here Gulaba found a life without pretence,
simple and honest as against the hypocrisy and pom-
pousness of the mighty rulers at Delhi; peace and
tranquility, instead of conflict and turbulence, love
and mercy instead of hatred and tyranny. Here
were seen bands of young men to uphold love and
service and no- merceneries—the stooges of
Aurangzeb’s regime. The weak and poor resorted
here for protection when tyrannized by their cruel
rulers.
Gulaba and his wife were struck with wonder and
and admiration at everything that they saw. The very
first glimpse of Guru Gobind Singh’s saintly face left
on them, a lasting impression. The divine glow and
serenity of his face inspired them to lofty, pure and
clear thoughts. They spontaneously bowed in rever-
ence to the Great Master and forgot the mission on
which they came. So they lived and learnt—each day
a revelation, of what was good and true—a people
loving, and lovable, brave and sacrificing.
On one such day, Gulaba beheld a funeral pro-
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276 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
cession moving along the silent streets—all was mourn-
ful peace—the chanting of soft hymns by thousands
of mourners lent poignancy to the whole scene—
guns boomed in salute against this stillness in honour
of the departed. Guru himself came, walked along
the bier for some distance, touched the bier and blessed
the departed soul—the procession moved on calmly,
serenely—Gulaba stood a silent witness to this tragic
spectacle.
Later, he learnt the story of the deceased. The
episode had a soul-stirring message for Gulaba. The
man had died a martyr to his faith. During his life
time, he devoted himself to the service of disabled
and needy. One day, he had found a person badly
wounded and lying in the jungle near by. He carried
him on his back and while bringing him to the asylum,
he was way-laid and kidnapped by the soldiers of the
adjoining state of Bilaspur. There, they asked him to
denounce his faith and deny the Guru. On his refus-
ing to do so, he was administered poison, and con-
sequently he died. His body was abandoned in the
jungle nearby. The search parties were sent out as the
news reached Anandpur and they picked him up.
This story stung Gulaba and filled him with remorse.
“Did I not value my life greater than my faith? Where
is my hope and my salvation for this, my great sin.”
He moaned to himself. Soon he found an answer.
Kesra Singh, the Guru’s gardener, was an embodi-
ment of virtue, a true disciple of the Master. His
simple life and genial principles made Gulaba love
and esteem him. Kesra Singh’s eventful life of love
and service, greatly inspired Gulaba. Following his
footsteps, Gulaba turned a new leaf—he began to live
a life of prayer and meditation—of right thought,
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 277
right word and right action—a consummation of love
and service to humanity. Gulaba learnt to recite
Gurbani—the Divine Word and it purified his mind.
The service of love which Kesra Singh rendered to the
deserving people, was now fully shared by Gulaba.
He was consoled with the thought, that atonement of
his sins, was afterall well within his reach.
Time and again, Kesra Singh and his wife sought
to help those devotees who came there to seek shelter.
One, such woman that came there in despair, was the
wife of Pandit Raghuba of Kanshi, who was put to
sword by the order of Aurangzeb; for he had resented
when the Emperor ordered to turn the temple of
Bashesharnath into a mosque. The family of Raghuba
was also ordered to be persecuted. Thereupon, his
learned wife Triyumbka Bai disguised herself as a
man and fled from Kashi, taking the only little child
she had with her. She wandered from place to place,
but O how tragic it was that in the whole of India, she
could find no place of refuge, where she could be safe
from the treacherous hands of Emperor Aurangzeb.
She was greatly distressed and confused and could
find no solution to her plight. She could not tell her
tale to anyone. Nor could she reveal her identity.
At last, she recalled that her husband’s friend
Kanshi Nath, when he was oppressed, took refuge with
Guru Gobind Singh in the Punjab. Therefore, she
was encouraged to seek him. With all the hardships
and perils of travelling those days, the poor woman
was put to immense suffering. It took her months
to traverse those several hundred miles till at last she
reached Anandpur. At the end of the _ tedious
journey, she was weary and wasted. High fever
raged on her tired body. In such a weak and pre-
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278 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
carious state of health she lay in the garden outside
the town, when Kesra Singh’s wife, Karam Kaur,
found her. Kesra Singh’s wife attended upon her,
nursed her in her illness and when she was restored to
good health, presented her to the Guru.
Gulaba thus passed his days very happily at
Anandpur but his peaceful life was disturbed when
Hakim Abu Trab arrived. Gulaba had long ceased
to think of spying and now Hakim’s arrival was a
cruel reminder to him. Yet, Gulaba, in his heart,
was determined not to do spying. The perils of
disobeying Abu Trab’s orders, did not frighten him
now. He was now morally fortified and could face
him without fear. Addressing Abu Trab, he boldly
said, ‘“The mission on which I came here, makes me
detest myself. I am determined not to continue it.
I consider the Guru the holiest of the holies. It is a
sin to spy on such a godly person. I, therefore,
relinquish this loathsome job.”
Abu Trab was indignant to hear Gulaba speak,
but he controlled himself and calmly said, ““Gulaba!
I myself attach little importance to religion. You are
free to follow any faith you like, I do not mind, but
you have only to take care of the Qazis at Delhi.”
Gulaba was distressed but was firm in his resolve.
So was his wife. They said that they would face death
if needed but would not do the odious job. It was
now so repugnant to them.
By a strange turn of fate, Abu Trab fell ill, the
very next day. What seemed at first, mere fever,
developed into a serious malady. His condition
deteriorated day by day. Finding him in a very
serious condition with a little hope of his survival his
nephew and a servant who came with him deserted
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 279
him and went away. Abu Trab now lay unconscious
and in a state of delirium. He had fits of wild excite-
ment and he passed through extreme pain and agony.
Throughout his illness, Kesra Singh and his wife nursed
him. The tenderness with which they cared for this
stranger, who came to them with no love but with
animosity, taught a great lesson to Gulaba—who, but
the noblest, could show such sympathy and love to
their enemies? Gulaba’s regard and respect for Kesra
Singh took the shape of service to Abu Trab. The new
religion of the Gura awakened in him a new spirit of
human sympathy and service of love.
Abu Trab’s recovery did not gladden his own
heart—instedd, he sadly reflected—that while his own
nephew had deserted him, the very people upon whom
he came to spy, had shown him, love and tenderness.
He owed his life to them. Through his physical pain
and suffering, he learnt what torture meant to all
human beings. It dawned on him that wealth and
luxuries could not replace love and sacrifice—all his
wealth could not have given him his life, which was to
him, the most precious. Why, then, man in his short
span of life, did so much harm to mankind? Why,
then, his Emperor Aurangzeb revelled in vain glory?
Was it not gruesome cruelty of the Emperor to imprison
his own aged father? Was it not ruthlessness to
murder his own brothers? Was it not injustice and
tyrannous to plot against the lives of innumerable
Innocent men? Indeed, Guru Gobind Singh’s erudite
wisdom and his faith were a challenge to the wickedness
that gripped the Aurangzeb’s regime. The humanity
and love that Sikhs showed overwhelmed Abu Trab.
Reverence for the Guru and love for him gradually
welled up in his mind.
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280 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
During one of his solitary walks, Abu Trab
happened to come across in the jungle, a decoit who
lay grievously wounded and was dying. He was
helplessly crying for water. A Sikh chanced to pass
that way. Hearing the cries of the dying man, he came
to his rescue, brought him water and then proceeded
to make arrangements to take care of himand tend him.
Abu Trab’s astonishment made him call out to
the Sikh, “Do you know that he is a dacoit? Why
do you help him to live?”
The Sikh replied, “Even a sinner and criminal in
distress needs our mercy and sympathy. It is cowar-
dice to strike a man who is already mortally wounded.”
These were the truths alien to Abu Trabs who had
known only the cruel hands of tyranny.
As he came to know these people more closely
and the faith they followed, Hakim Abu Trab Bahamni
came to have a new outlook of life. He was now a
changed man. He was not the same opportunist and
demagogue strategist of Aurangzeb. He detached
himself on seeing the virtues of the Sikhs at Anandpur.
He gave up spying, as the meanest act against these
—the noblest of men. Along with Gulaba, Hakim
Abu Trab embraced the new faith and sat at the feet
of Guru Gobind Singh as one of his devout disciples.
He was blessed with the life of the spirit. The
splendour of Aurangzeb’s court and the power he
wielded, on account of the confidence that the
Emperor placed in him, could not give him peace and
happiness which he now enjoyed. The Guru in his
purity and nobility of heart, was greater than the most
powerful monarch on earth. Abu Trab Bahamni,
now lead a life of righteousness and devoted himself
to the service of mankind and love of God.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 281
(15) The Hill Rajas, The Tools of the Mughal
Empire: Guru Gobind Singh had come to know of
the evil intentions of Aurangzeb and how he was
pitting the Hill Rajas against him. The Hill Chiefs
were, therefore, again active in their mischievous
designs. They became more vindictive to the Guru
as his teachings of equality, worship of One Formless
God and his administering Amrit to the Khalsa
were against their creed and established customs.
They sent an ultimatum to the Guru either to vacate
Anandpur or to pay tribute to them. When they
found the Guru would not surrender, they attacked
upon him.
The men belonging to the Guru were but few and
not so well trained and equipped, yet they defeated the
enemy in all these skirmishes. The Sikhs had some-
thing which was totally lacking in their opponents—
a firm faith in the Omnipotent God, whose soldiers
they thought themselves to be. And at their head was
a Divine Person, who was a host in himself.
So it became evident to the hill chiefs that even
their armies of over a score of Hill Chiefs could not
withstand the Guru’s might. Therefore, they decided
to call in, the help of the Imperial armies through the
Governor of Sirhind.
The Governor of Sirhind, lost no time in getting
the Emperor’s sanction. An army of ten thousand was
despatched under Dina Beg and. Painde Khan. The
forces of hill chiefs joined them at Rupar and the
allied forces made a forceable attack on Anandpur.
A bloody battle ensued. Painde Khan came forward
and challenged the Guru to a single combat which
should decide the issue of the day’s action. He first
attacked the Guru with sword and then shot two arrows
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282 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
at him in succession, but he failed to hurt the Guru.
The whole of Painde Khan’s body was protected with
an armour of steel, except his ears. The Guru then
shot his gold-tipped arrow through Painde Khan’s ear
and he fell dead on the ground.
Having witnessed the fall of Painde Khan, the hill
chiefs and their soldiers lost their nerves and began
to fly from the field. Dina Beg was also severely
injured. Dina Beg, finding himself deserted by the
very people for whom he had come to help, he too, had
to beat the retreat.
The news that the Guru was attacked spread like
wild fire and it brought thousands of armed Sikhs on
horses from all over the country to Anandpur. As
was expected, the hill chiefs soon after reinforced their
army by a large number of Ranghars and Gujars and
again advanced upon Anandpur. They were deter-
mined to extirpate the Guru. A severe fighting took
place. The Sikhs under prince Ajit Singh, Bhai Daya
Singh, Alim Singh and Udhe Singh fell upon the
enemy. Such was the dash and vigour displayed by
them that although the army of the hill chiefs was
far greater in number, they were reduced to ‘a sore
plight towards the close of the day. The next day’s
fighting yielded the same results.
The hill chiefs were now convinced that they
could not defeat the Sikhs in open warfare, and so they
decided upon a blockade. For over two months they
besieged the city, but with no great success.
Thereupon, Raja Kesri Chand got an elephant
intoxicated with liquor and with its body protected by
steel and equipped with spears on his forehead, was
directed to charge the gate of the Guru’s fort. The
beast was followed by the army and they were con-
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 283
fident of breaking in the fort through the gate. The
Guru on hearing this, called upon Bhai Bichittar Singh
to repel the animal from causing any harm to the gate.
Bichittar Singh beseeched the Guru’s blessings in the
discharge of this mighty task and then dashed out on
a steed to face the animal. While his steed jumped up
and stood on his hind legs, Bichittar Singh fell upon
the beast like a lion and thrust his lance through the
elephant’s head armour. The furious animal turned
round causing a stampede, wounding and treading
upon soldiers, who had relied on it for their victory.
Meanwhile Udhe Singh dashed out and pounced
upon Raja Kesri Chand who was seated on an elephant’s
back and beheaded him with a lightning stroke of
of his sword. The allied army of the hill chiefs was
routed.
Notwithstanding the disastrous defeat of the hill
chiefs, they again approached for assistance to the
Governor of Sirhind. The Governor had also received
the orders from the Emperor to march against the Guru
in conjunction with the hill chiefs. Wazir Khan,
the Governor of Sirhind, along with the hill chiefs made
a furious assault on Anandpur in October 1702.
The Sikhs, although they were over-numbered, yet
they fought with their usual pluck and courage.
Wazir Khan, the Governor of Sirhind, was amazed at
the heroic and persistant resistance offered by the
Sikhs. The allied army was falling rapidly. Wazir
Khan lost all hopes of victory. At last they held a
council as to what they should do to save themselves
of the shame and humiliation of a_ retreat. The
Raja of Basali came to their rescue. He had a faith
in the Guru’s divinity, offered to invite the Guru to
his state, if they undertook not to attack him from the
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284 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
rear. This was agreed to as a convenient manner of
escape from the embarrassing position.
On receipt of invitation from the Raja of Basali,
the Guru directed his troops towards Basali. He
placed himself with the pick of the army at the rear
of the columns. As the Guru had expected, the
allied armies broke their promise and were soon upon
him. But they could not do him much harm. The
hill chiefs were over-joyed at having, as they thought,
got rid of the Guru and went home rejoicing. After
a short stay at Basali and then at Bhabaur, the Guru
returned to Anandpur. None offered any resistance
on his return.
(16) The Strange Prayer of an Old Lady: One
day, an old lady came weeping and lamenting to the
Guru’s Darbar. The Guru enquired of her as to what
had happened to her.
“Great is my grief O Lord’! she said, “My
husband entered the path of discipleship and since
dedicated himself to thee. He lead a life of devotion
like a saint and as the occasion arose, he fell fighting
bravely like a soldier for thy righteous cause. As I
heard of his martyrdom, I thanked the Lord above for
His acceptance of him.”
“My two elder sons’, she continued, “By thy
grace followed in the footsteps of their father and while
repeating God Name in their heart, they also died
fighting under thy banners. I again thanked God that
they laid their lives for a noble cause as saint-warriors.
But now, Master, my third son is sore ill and is on his
death bed, and I am, therefore, woe-begone. My
grief is not that he is dying, but that he is passing
away without serving for thy righteous and noble cause.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 285
What pains me is, that his youth, valour and strength
are being wasted in sickness disease and death.”
“Cure him Lord,” she prayed, “And grant that
he may also die a death of a saint-soldier like his father
and elder brothers, with God in heart and sword in
hand, fighting to up-hold righteousness and destroy
the villainous tyrants. Such are my woes and so I
appeal to you, my Lord.”
“Go Lady”, said the Guru, “Thy son _ will
get well and will be a hero in my army.”
The woman went home rejoicing.
(17) Bhai Joga Singh: From early youth
Joga Singh was living at the Guru’s Darbar and was
greatly devoted to him. Once he went home to
Peshawar for his marriage, which his parents said could
not be postponed any further. But when the marriage
ceremony was half-way through, a man arrived
with an urgent message from the Guru. It was a
a ‘Hukam-Nama’—a command to him from the
Guru to proceed to Anandpur without delay.
Under no circumstances should Joga Singh defer his
departure or tarry.
Joga Singh read the command, bowed to Granth
Sahib and instantly left for Anandpur even without
waiting to see his marriage through. His parents, his
in-laws and all his relatives were surprised and shocked.
Their entreaties were of no avail. Joga Singh would
not delay a single instant even to heed their words.
Indeed, the path of devotees is sharper than the
edge of a sword, and it is narrower than the hair-
breadth on which they have to tread. After Joga Singh
had thus departed in a hurry, his brothers sent behind
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him a horse, some clothes, money and provision for
his journey.
Joga Singh continued his journey as fast as he
could. After he had passed through Lahore and
Amritsar, it occurred to him that he had done a
sacrifice and so he thought “Who could have acted
like me ? Certainly very few Sikhs would carry
out the Guru’s behest like me.” When he reached
Jullunder he imagined that when he would appear
before the Guru, he would be greatly pleased with him
and would say, “Thou art really a perfect Sikh.”
As he progressed towards Anandpur, he mused
and mused and believed in his mind that he was great.
He was thus puffed up with pride and self-conceit.
When man gives way to Egoism, he loses perception
of God’s Name. For Egoism and ‘Nam’ cannot
subsist together. They are poles asunder. As vanity
possessed Joga Singh’s mind, he lost the inner contact
with the Guru’s Spirit and only superfluous thoughts
occupied his mind.
At Hoshiarpur, he halted for the night. Late in
the evening he went for a stroll in the bazaar and while
passing through a street, he saw a beautiful and
charming young prostitute seated in the balcony of her
house. She was looking down on the passersby with
her bewitching eyes. Joga Singh saw her. He stood
entranced by her charm and continued gazing at her.
He fost his head and fell a prey to her charms. His
feet, almost unknowingly carried him towards the
woman. At this juncture, something mysterious
happened. A nebulous speck appeared and circled
high above and in front of Joga Singh. Within that
misty spot, he saw, as in a vision, a magnificent and
splendid person, dignified but annoyed, frowning
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upon him. He had a sword in hts belt, and his angry
looks seemed as though he shot arrows from his eye-
brows. The impact of this splendid vision was more
than what Joga Singh could stand. Joga Singh shook
from head to foot. The sleeping Yogi was given a
sudden jerk and was awakened from the slumber of
‘Maya’ into which he had fallen. He retraced his
steps. He was overtaken by repentance. He realized
that his faith was put to test and that he had failed—he
was weighed and was found wanting.
‘Oh! I was on the brink of disaster’, he said to
himself, ‘““My mind is still impure. My real self has
now been revealed to me which had so far remained
concealed when I was basking in Guru’s favour. Pride
overcame me and I began to feel, who could be better
celebate then I, when I was willing to forgo my marriage
at the call of the Guru, I thought I had conquered the
mammon and subdued passions. But no, there was
pride in me and lust still lurking within me. My
self-conceit dulled my conscience and snapped my
link with the Guru and I forgot God and His Name.
“OQ my mind,” he continued, “If thou were pure in thy
ownself, where had thy purity gone? The purity which
thou: felt in thyself was due to Guru in thee. But
when I-am-ness asserted itself, the Guru left thee
because Egoism was both incompatible and disagree-
able for him to bein thee. Thy self-conceit showed its
colours and made thee sink into a deep mire. But
thanks to the benign Guru who still redeemed thee
from evil and saved thee from sin.”
“Master,” he said, “Thou art a wonderful
Saviour. Thou helpest us in all our difficulties and
makest us fearless. O how I wish I could ever remain
attached to thy Lotus Feet.” ‘“‘O man is foolish when
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he thinks himself great revels in pride. What are
his resolves, his ideas and efforts, labour and pain?
Are not his deeds as fate combined against him?
“O Lord! throw me not on myself;
Of my will I can neither speak nor observe silence.
Throw me not on my own strength;
Of my will I can neither pray nor give myself to Thee.
Nor can I follow life nor even death!
Not be my own power can I a beggar be, or a king;
Throw me not on myself;
For by myself, I can neither gain my soul nor a knowledge of Thee.
Throw me not on myself;
For I am unable to cross the Sea of Change.
I cannot O Lord!”
By thus praying, the mirror of his conscience
became clearer and clearer and his first thought was
with what face could he present himself to the Guru.
O what a shame!
But at the second thought, he said to himself,
“Oh ungrateful! Look thou, how the mother loves
its child. The little child runs to catch the flame and
the mother keeps him off. Similarly the Guru like
the mother has saved thee from the fire of hell. It
is no good to turn away from his Door of Mercy.
Go and fall at his feet. Sin is bad but worse than
sin is the faithlessness that keeps man away from the
cool shade of the Divine Master.”
Bhai Joga Singh was passing through a spiri-
tual stage which was almost like a steep cliff’s
edge, surmounting which, man enters the Infallible
Region. If at this critical juncture, man faces a trial,
momentary slipping might cause disaster but before
such a peril happens, the Master extends his helping
hand. The Master, as he loves his disciples, he helps
them to overcome the difficulty and saves them from
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 289
falling into the sin. While climbing up a mountain we
find many ups and downs—the path is not straight
and easy—every down slope has to be followed by
an uphill—an elevation—till we reach the peak of
the hill. So in the Spiritual Path, there are ups and
downs, and the difficult elevations one has to climb
up till one reaches the Infallible stage, by the Grace
of the Guru.
Bhai Joga Singh now continued his journey
with his mind wholly intent upon the Guru with no
other thought to distract him. When at last he
reached Anandpur, he stood at the farthest end
of the congregation and bowed from there to the
Guru and dared not go near the Master. But the
Guru called him and said, ““Welcome, my good
disciple! Thou hast well carried out my behest.”
Bhai Joga Singh wept and cried like a child and
fell at the feet of the Master and washed them with his
tears, and said, “Master, I am a fallen man, unworthy
to be called thy Sikh. I am a sinner, my Lord. I crave
your forgiveness, though I do not merit to be con-
doned; yet I look up to thee, Lord! save me, not be-
cause I pray but because thou art merciful and great.”
The Guru lifted him up and said, ““My dear Joga
Singh, the Guru was with you throughout, but you, in
your self-conceit broke the link and forgot him. Ego-
ism the barrier that blinds the mind’s eye. You
went astray, slipped and suffered. The Guru had to
suffer with you, he appeared to you in the vision to
save you from the sin.”
The Master through his grace further bestowed
upon him the gift of fearlessness and continuity of
‘Dhyanam’ and thus brought him closer to himself in
an Infallible and Inseparable divine union. Such are
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the ways of the Lord that he does not forsake us,
when once we give ourselves up to him.
(18) A Jain Monk embraces Sikhism: A Jain
monk known as Hans came to the court of Guru
Gobind Singh seeking the ‘hidden Light’ that illu-
mines the mind. He was a great scholar, philoso-
pher and artist. He took a very fine painting of
sunrise as an offering to the Guru. But the orders
were that he should not have an audience of the
Master.
After a few days, the disciples that took interest
in him displayed his painting in a prominent place
so as to bring it to the notice of the Guru. The
Master saw it and remarked: “The painting is
full of light but the painter’s heart is dark. He is
merciless and cruel.’ Saying this he passed on further,
indicating thereby to his disciples that he could not
grant audience to Hans.
These remarks from the Master amazed the dis-
ciples who held Hans in esteem. One day, however,
Senapat, one of the poets of the Guru’s Darbar,
summoned up courage and began to plead for him,
but the Master interrupted him saying, ‘‘Senapat
please, don’t mention his name to me. The dry
and barren deeds are not acceptable. Purification,
contentment, austerities and other traits of discipline
may all be good and commendable in themselves,
but there is no room in God’s Kingdom of Love
for one, who is hard hearted and has little compassion
for others.”
When Hans heard about the Guru’s comment he
said to Senapat, “In my life, I have strictly followed
the principles of “Yama’ consisting of abstinence (self-
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 291
restraint), integrity, honesty, self-denial, and non-
acceptance of gifts and non-voilence (Ahinsa) to all
living beings. This is my faith, and I would not hurt
even a mosquito or a worm. I have been careful
enough to watch out that while walking I do not even
tread on an insect lest it be killed. How can I be cruel
and merciless, I, who am an exponent of non-
violence?” This outburst led to an exchange of views
on certain philosophical points between the two:
SENAPAT: “It is very good that you have follow-
ed these high principles of morality. Of course, we
should not inflict pain to any living creature, but you
seem to have stretched ‘Ahinsa’ to an extent which
is not quite practicable. For instance, if a cow, or
one of our domestic animals, is injured, and the wound
is infested with worms and if we do not destroy them
the cow suffers, and may even die. And if the worms
are destroyed, injury is done to them. So in either
case, we cannot avoid doing injury.”
Hans: “There is truth in what you say. Since
I myself am not fully content, I feel sad and have,
therefore, come here in search of truth. I would have ~°
left this place also because here IJ find some of the
affairs are such as behoves kings. But by careful
observation, I have discovered the following truths:
1. The followers of the Guru are honest.
2. As married men and heads of the households, they do not covet
other women. All other women are considered as mothers,
sisters and daughters.
3. They earn their living with the sweat of their brow and do not
covet the wealth belonging to others.
4, In spite of a happy family life, they do not attach undue impor-
tance to earthly possessions.
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5. Unlike the Jains and Buddhists, Ahinsa or non-voilence is not
followed to the same extent by the Sikhs, but I have seen that
genuine sympathy spontaneously overflows them for the
suffering humanity and they lovingly serve all those in need
and distress.
6. To save the people from the oppression of their present rulers,
they do fight and violence is committed no doubt, but itis not
for the personal glory or greed that the Sikhs fight.
7. The lofty ideals of the path of renunciation and self-denial
called the ‘Navirti Marg’ and those of ‘Association and
Self-Assertion’ called ‘Parvirti Marg’ work hand in hand
in Sikh-life. Both are well balanced and equitable—such a
marvellous achievement is unique.”’
SENAPAT: “The five ‘Yamas’ of Ashtang Yoga
which you referred, may well come under the codes
of morality. They are conducive to a good social life
and are valuable assets. But goodness or morality
is not the end or the objective. It is the life of the
spirit and realization of God that is the goal.”
Hans: ‘What do you mean by the life of the
spirit? When one gives up evil and upholds good,
he attains purification. There is no more sin. The
human soul that had become rusty with evil deeds,
shines once again, man realizes his true self and it is
perfect self-realization. What more is needed?”
SENAPAT: ‘Something more, something higher is
needed.”
Hans: ‘What is that? Is it ‘Gyan’ (Knowledge
of the Real) or ‘Yoga’ (unruffled state of mind)?”
SENAPAT: ‘‘Patanjali in his system of ‘Ashtang
Yoga’ prescribes a graded course of morality and
mental concentration. When the mind becomes
perfectly tranquil and is self-centred, they say,
‘Kewal’ has been attained. This ‘“‘Kewal’ is a kind
of liberation from the state of mind involved in deeds
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that cause pain or pleasure. They say when the rust
and dirt of our deeds has been removed from the mind,
the self stands revealed in its glory, apart from
‘prakriti’ or matter and there is liberation of the soul
from the bondages of ‘Maya’.
Kapal, the author of the Sankhya school of
philosophy maintains that liberation from three kinds
of pains is ‘Kewal’ and the means to it is the sense of
discrimination between good and evil which enables
the man to distinguish the self or soul from prakirti—
matter.
The essence of Jainism is that when partnership
between ‘Atman’—the soul and ‘Pudgal’—the cosmic
energy is dissolved the soul acquires ‘self-realization’
and attains ‘Kewal’, it is liberated from the bondages.
According to Buddhism, desire is the cause of
suffering. When ‘Atman’—soul—become desireless,
it attains ‘Nirvan’ and is liberated from the bondages
of matter and it is not affected by the cycle of birth and
death.
Now, according to all these schools of philosophy
salvation means the liberation of the soul from the
bondages of ‘Maya’; and this may be by means of
either ‘Smadhi’ (Concentration of mind) or by ‘Vivek’
(Sense of discrimination) or by ‘Gyan’ (knowledge) or
by ‘Sanjam’ (austerities or moral discipline).
Obviously, the soul that has been in bondage and
is liberated now, must have been free, sometime before
it became enmeshed in the snares of ‘Maya’, and
after release, it again comes to its primal state.
Now what brought the soul into bondage? It
could not be the result of any of its deeds; for the deeds
could not be possible without body. If ignorance was
the cause of bringing it into captivity, cannot the same
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294 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
cause be responsible for a second spell of captivity.”
HANS: ‘Yes, it is quite possible. The cycle of
bondages and liberation has no beginning and no end.
It is eternal.”
SENAPAT: “If this cycle is to continue, we shall be
forced to go through it sometimes in a state of libera-
tion and sometime in bondages. This will be an
endless affair. Its other words, there would be no
salvation perpetually and no peace everlasting.”
Hans: “No, Iam sorry. I was wrong. When
‘Kewal’ is attained man does not return to the state of
bondage, but he achieves liberation for ever.”
SENAPAT: ‘“‘If it is so, the inference is that the soul
is not pure and self-conscious in its innate state and is
wanting in knowledge. How could it attain this state
permanently by mere loosening of the bondages and
removal of the superficialities? The moon is luminous.
An eclipse or a cloud darkens it. But when clouds
disappear or when the eclipse is over, the moon is as
bright as before. If the moon did not possess lumi-
nosity, it could not keep shining, even after the dis-
appearance of cloud. The clouds neither bind nor
liberate it, yet when they appear they darken it
momentarily. When the clouds clear off the moon,
how can we be sure that they would not appear again?”
Hans: ‘But the doctrine of Advaitism popularised
by Shri Shankaracharya, postulates that the Jiva
(soul) is never an individual being, but in its primal
state it is All-Pervading Conscious-Self. It is Maya
(Illusion) and Avidya (Ignorance) that isolated it in
individualistic. And if Jiva were to acquire ‘Gyan’
(Knowledge of the Real) and suppressed the impres-
sions of desires (Vasna) by giving up all worldly
activity, then it would cease to be individual soul or
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Jiva, but an Atman or All-Pervading Conscious-Self.”’
SENAPAT: “It comes to the same thing whether
the cause of soul’s bondages was Maya (Illusion) or
Avidya (Ignorance) or Prakirti (primal matter) or
Pudgal (Cosmic Energy), call it what you will. It is
assumed that at one time there was no illusion or
ignorance in the conscious-self. But it did fall prey to
illusion, and got into snares and then somehow it
became liberated. The inference is that there is
always a possibility of its again falling to illusion and
being entrapped.”
Hans: ‘Once bitten twice shy.”
SENAPAT: ‘“‘You mean to say that the soul will
be wiser by experience. If once liberated, it will be
wise enough not to fall into a trap again. It means
the soul was ignorant in its primal state when it fell
into bondage. Therefore, the doctrine that the soul
was self-conscious and pure and wise in the primal
state does not hold good.
And, furthermore if this cycle of liberation and
bondage has no beginning, as you say, it has no end
either. Therefore, it is obvious that ‘Kewal’ is not
perpetual salvation but only a stage in the cycle.
Now when we say that after liberation, the soul
will be wiser by experience and will not fall into a trap
again, the inference is that the soul was wanting in
knowledge in its primal state and therefore could not
be All-Pervading Conscious-Self.
These are the obvious deductions from the prin-
ciples and postulates established by all the six schools
of Hindu philosophy. The proponents are great
scholars no doubt, and each one of them offers some
solution from his own point of view, and we appreciate
all of them, but what is desired is perpetual salvation
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296 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
from where there can be no fall, no coming back and
no more bondages.
But the ‘Kewal’, which we have discussed so far
offers only temporary liberation from the snares of
‘Karma’ that is to say, consequences of our deeds in
the shape of pain and pleasure.”
Hans: ‘“‘And what more do we want?’
SENAPAT: ‘‘There is something lacking in us all—
we feel the void, the emptiness of our soul. I was
wandering from place to place in search of this truth
for a long time before I discerned it. I think, it is the
pursuit of the same thing that makes you wander.
This. emptiness of our soul—the spiritual hunger,
unless satisfied, will never bring us happiness and
peace. Intensive learning and rigid moral discip-
line are not competent to bring peace to the soul—
because despite them the emptiness persists, the hunger
is not appeased. There is an eternal yearning of the
soul to find itself and merge in the Cosmic Soul,
but in the average man, this yearning is suppressed
by man’s egoistic activities.”
Hans: ‘You have used wise words. Ido really
feel this void. I perceive some thing is lacking in me
and for this very reason, I have been wandering from
place to place.
As long as Pride and Vanity dominated my
life—the pride arising out of my own learning
and attainments, the conceit derived out of the
praise and admiration from others—I was smug
and satisfied. I did not feel the spiritual hunger.
Lately, ever since sobriety dominates my life and
action, I have been restless and fervently in need
of the something for the lack of which my life has
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a void. Unless and until I seek it and find it, there
can be no peace of mind.”
SENAPAT: ‘Blessed are those who are athirst
for Him. And most blessed are those who enter
into the holy association of the True Guru, who
bestows the Light of Nam. With the gift of His
Name, this thirst is satiated. Neither Yoga, nor
philosophy can give eyes to the blind or appease
the hunger of the soul. The monastic tendency of
Hindu philosophy has well-nigh killed the spirit
of true religion. We have to attain that unflickering
Flame of Life, unruffled and supremely felicitous.
The Guru-God is the way and no other way. Guru
Nanak says:-
“Six are the systems (schools of Hindu thought)
Six their teachers,
And six kinds of different ways they teach,
But the Teacher of the teachers is He, the One Lord alone,
Though various His aspects are;
Yea, in whichever way are His praises sung,
O brother, that way alone is worthy of the praise,
There thy true glory lies.
Seconds, minutes, hours, quarters of a day,
Lunar and solar days make up a month,
And there are many times and many seasons;
But all are due to the same single sun,
Nanak, the Lord is likewise One
However various His aspects are.”’
(Guru Nanak: Sohila)
The fine and subtle thoughts of the ‘Shastras’
(the various schools of philosophy) are likened to
the seasons, months, days and hours. By acquiring
knowledge of the seasons and calculating days and
years, we make out the time and period in which
the various events of the world took place, but by
mere counting of the time, we do not come into
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298 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
direct contact with sun, which is the cause of all these
different aspects of the time. If we have to enjoy
the warmth, the light and energy, we ought to
be directly in the sunshine. Just as through sunshine
we come into contact with the benign sun, so we
come into contact with the Infinite through His Love.
Let us, therefore, come to the Teacher of all teachers,
God, the one Supreme Lord.
Guru Arjan, our Fifth Master, in the 3rd
Shloka of Sukhmani says:-
“Many Shastras and Simrities
Have I searched through
Yea, none dost come near the Divine Nam,
Priceless, O Nanak is the NAM, I exclaim.
Ashatpadi :—
“Mechanical muttering, penances, and all learnings and fixing of mind
on any object,
The discourses on the Six Shastras and the Simrities
The practice of Yoga, the religious rites and rituals,
Renunciation of the world and wandering about in the woods as an
ascetic
And all kinds of efforts made,
Giving jewels in charity and oblations to the sacred fires
And mutilation of the body into shreds and offering each bit as a sacri-
fice to the deities
And observation of fasts and vows and other deeds of merit
Yet these, O all these, equal not Divine Nam and its contemplation
O Nanak, through the Guru dwell thou then on Nam, if but once, this
wonderful revelation.”
HANS: ‘“‘What are you aiming at?”
SENAPAT: “I am trying to bring you to that
state of mind in which men sing the glory of the Lord
and meditate upon Him, the One Supreme Being,
the Creator of the world. It is only through realizing
His presence and taking refuge in Him, that we earn
perpetual liberation from the bondages of ‘Maya’.”
Hans: ‘I do not believe in One and only
Creator the Supreme-Being. My faith is that souls
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 299
(beings) when they are purified from the impuri-
ties of superficialities are then liberated from the
bondages of ‘pudgal’ (the primal matter). It is then
that they attain self-consciousness and possess infinite
knowledge, infinite peace and power. It is then that
they are free of desire and care. Kapil, the compiler
of the Sankhya school of thought also proves the
existence of such souls or gods. He dispenses with
the necessity of God, because the existence of the
universe can be explained without God.”
SENAPAT: ‘The Prakirti or Pudgal (the primal
matter) is blind and consciousless and is subject to
the three ‘Gunas’—(three dynamic modes). Every
soul, according to Sankhya philosophy is believed
to be conscious or is a living being, absolute and
eternal. It goes to say that all beings are equal with
one another or identical in their primal state or
in the ultimate liberated state. When there is abso-
lutely no difference between them, there is no need
to presume so many of them instead of one. For,
it is only the difference, if there be any between
them, that gives the sense of many, and without
this difference, they will make one single unit.
Matter is consciousless or lifeless and the soul
is said to have independent existence and is self-
conscious. Now, who conceived the idea that matter
and soul by uniting together will form a wonderful
world? For instance, if there is a man strong but
blind, and another lame but gifted with eyes, they
could both work together for a common purpose.
The strong man, though deprived of vision, could
lift the lame whose vision could help him pluck fruits.
of a tree. The fruits of their united labour could
be shared by both of them. But how could this
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300 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
happen in the case of soul and matter? Soul being
independent and disinterested, and matter, being
blind and lifeless, could equally be disinterested.
Obviously there is a design and a plan in the
making of the universe and wisdom is manifested
in all nature. So there must be a designer behind,
who must be omnipotent and omniscient. It is
inconceivable, that blind matter of its own accord
or with union of individual souls could have set
itself to form all this wonderful fauna and flora that
we see in this world. All this orderly harmony in
the universe would be inpossible without a co-ordi-
nating power behind to give impetus to this extra-
ordinary development and direct its course to the
common end and purpose.
But it is not by reason alone that we know and
believe that there is but one God—the supreme
Being who is the creator of the universe, but it is
based on personal experience. With the philosopher,
God may be an idea, a notion but with saints mystics
itis a fact, a reality. The Master-Spirits see this
Reality and make other feel and realize His presence.
It may be remembered that according to Sankhya,
matter is not mere illusion, but it has a real existence
and the soul is also real and the union of both is
also real and genuine. The pain and suffering in
the world are also real and genuine, and it is because
of the union of soul with matter.
The remedy suggested is Gyan (knowledge)
of the fact that the soul is independent and conscious
whereas matter is unconscious and blind. But if
matter is not a mere illusion but genuine and real,
how can the bondage be loosend by mere knowledge
of this fact. Knowledge (Gyan) can remove deception
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 30!
or illusion; it can remove ignorance and misunder-
standing, but not the bondage. If there is no
genuine union, then prakirti (matter) is not matter
but (maya) illusion. But the Sankhya school of
thought does not hold it as such.
When we consider the School of Yoga, Patan-
jal, the compiler of this philosophy, had gone a step
further than Kapil, the atheist. He says that there
is also a Supreme Being, who is the Lord and the
Maker of Universe. But this God of Patanjal
remains aside throughout his system. After passing
through the eight successive courses of moral discipline
and rigours of mental concentration, it brings man
to the same state. The first five steps are only pres-
paration for mental concentration and the last three,
namely ‘Dharna’ ‘Dhyan’ and ‘Samadhi’ constitute the
courses of concentration proper. In the final stage, the
mind itself is the object of concentration and when
it is said to become perfectly still, the self is said to
be realized, and the goal is alleged to be reached.
Yoga literally means union, the union of being with
the Supreme Being. But Yoga of Patanjal ends with
concentration and unruffled state of mind. God is
no where reached or realized.”
HANs: “If there is but One God who creates
the world, as you say, then God has a desire to
create. One who has a desire, cannot be perfect and
free of evil.”
SENAPAT: ‘When you impute desire to the
Supreme Being, you credit him with characteristics
of a normal human being. You are measuring
the Infinite, Unlimited and Measureless with your
own yard-stick. One who is above time and space,
cannot be compared or appraised as other things
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302 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
of the world that are the objects of our senses. As
He Himself is endless and unfathomable, so is His
Will or Cosmic Order :—
“Through His Will, He creates all the forms of things,
Through His Will, the stream of life doth flow,
But what His Will is, who can express or know.”
No limits can beimposed on Him, who is bound-
less and Infinite. You cannot lay the limits of Time
and Space upon Him, or His Will. For, all human
thoughts and actions are conditioned under the
three Gunas or psychic modes, while He is trans-
cendent beyond and above human mind, and nature
also. As all rivers must flow down to sea, so all
spirits must go in the Universal Spirit, the self in
Cosmic Self, the beings in Supreme Being. If we
really wish for salvation, we ought to take refuge
in the Lord of the creation. It is only there that
Prakirti or Pudgal or Maya or by whatever name
you call it, is powerless and inaccessible.”
Hans: ‘So far we have been discussing the
Shastras (the different schools of Hindu philosophy).
But please let me know the Sikh Thought. How can
the mind be purified and how can we get the
knowledge of the Transcendent of which you speak.”
SENAPAT: ‘“‘The Guru, unlike the Hindus of
mediaeval ages, does not lay much stress on the
metaphysical philosophy of life, which could be only
intellectually grasped and comprehended. Instead,
he emphasizes the practical way of life which must
be lived and experienced. It is true, there can be
no practice without the doctrine. Sikhism, therefore,
has for its doctrine, its view of Reality, its view of
nature, of man and his behaviour and his inter-relation-
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 303
ship. But it lays primary stress on the practice,
the discipline and the way of life which is based not
upon rules and laws but on self-surrender to the
Guru who moulds and shapes his life to the divine
ends. This life of the spirit is the gift of the Master.
Thus speaks Guru Amar Das, the Third Nanak:—
1. ‘Knowledge of the Transcendent is not obtained,
Through outward religious observances,
Without true Divine Knowledge
Doubt and delusion will not depart,
No amount of outward observances
Will remove doubt and delusion.
When the mind is filthy with ignorance
How can it be made clean?
Wash thy mind, O man, in the Light of the Word,
And fix thy heart and thy soul upon the Lord.
Saith Nanak: It is by the Grace of the Guru,
That knowledge of the Transcendent is obtained.
It is the only way for doubt and delusion to depart.”
(Guru Amar Das: Anand Sahib)
Translated
2. “The world is smeared with the dirt of ego and duality
If one tries to cleanse it off at the holy places, the impurity goes not.
If thou practisest the Way of Action (Karam Marg),
Thy impurity sticks to thee even more,
By learning, these impurities leave thee not,
Ask yea thou, any man of letters.
O my mind seek Refuge in the Guru that thou becomest pure.
The egoists even though they repeat the Name of the Lord endlessly,
But their dirt sticks to them,——(1-Pause)
The impure minds devote not to the Word and receive not the Nam,
Impure they live, impure they die and lose honour as they depart.
If, through the Guru’s Grace, the Lord cometh into us
Our vanity leaves us off.
As the light dispels darkness, so does the Divine knowledge
dispel ignorance.
“T did it, I'll do it” saith the uncouth fool,
But he forgetteth the (real) Doer; for he is in duality.
Wander thou mayest the whole world through;
Thou findest no pain greater than that of Maya;
Yea, thou findest Peace only in the Divine Word;
Take then the Name of the Lord in thy heart.
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304 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
I am a sacrifice to them whom the Lord unites with Himself
When the mind is imbued with devotion,
Through the True Word it findeth itself.
In thy mind then is the Lord, on thy tongue is the Lord
And thou singest the praises of the Lord, the God,
Saith Nanak, “Forget not the Nam, and merge thyself in Him.”
(Guru Amar Das: Sri Rag)
Thus the way to perpetual salvation and Eternal
Bliss lies in abiding in the Lord.
HANS: “Please tell me some fundamental prac-
tical steps for spiritual practice.”
SENAPAT: “Enlightened by God, the Guru
has unravelled one mystery :—
There is but One Benefactor of all beings; may
I never forget Him.”’
(Guru Nanak: Japji)
The Sikh religion draws the seeker of Truth
to the Feet of God, without weaving a cob-web of
intricate philosophical thought. A_ single saying
of the Guru shows the path of salvation. We have
only to surrender ourselves wholly to the Guru—
The Master Spirit, and he makes us holy.
No spiritual regeneration is possible unless the
Guru Sun rises in the firmament of our soul. Without
him only darkness reigns in our mind. With all our
sins and misdeeds, our shortcomings and failures,
we cannot unaided reach the Transcendent and
Formless, God Absolute. We cannot go through the
difficulties and trials of life without a Helper, a
Comforter, a Strengthener, who willl abide with us
in all our daily temptations and help us each
day to purify our hearts and rent the veil of
our egoism that we may truly see God face to face.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 305
The Guru is the perfect embodiment of the Lord’s
Love to sinful men. He also gives back man’s love
to God, as he brings us to the Father’s Arms after
cleansing our mud-smeared hands and washing our
face darkened with sin. Thus he completes the
way, backward and forward, which leads to God.
Guru is a Cosmic Personality, Impersonal-Person
who being atone with God is above Time and Space.
All power is given unto him.
“Worship thou the Guru, thy personal God, with all thy mind;
The True Guru is the bestower of bliss; He is the mainstay of all.
Practice thou the Word of the True Guru—this indeed is the true
philosophy.
Without His holy association, all this attachment to worldly possessions
is as dust.
O my friend, gather-in the Nam of the Lord.
Thy mind will rest in peace in the Assembly of the Holy,
And all thy desires shall be fulfilled.
All-Powerful and Infinite is the Guru;
Fortunate is the one who seeketh His holy Sight;
Incomprehensible, Immaculate & Pure is He;
O, no one can equal the Guru.
Yea, He is the Creator and the Cause; through Him is all glory.
Without the Guru, there is no one; and all that happens is in His Wil}
The Guru is the Place of Pilgrimage; the Guru the Kalp&-tree
The Guru is the fulfiller of our minds’ desires.
The Guru is the Giver of Nam wherewith the whole world is saved.
Yea, He is All-Powerful, the Formless, the High, Unknowable and vast;
Ineffable is His praise; what can a sayer say?
All the rewards our mind seeks are in the Guru’s Hands;
If it were so writ in thy eternal Destiny, He blesseth thee with the
Treasure of True Nam
If thou seekest the Refuge of the True Guru, thou shalt not die again.
Nanak forgets not the Lord, who hath blest him with a soul and life, yea.
(Guru Arjan: Sri-Rag 4-29-99)
Hans: “Yea! I see this life of inspiration is
the Guru’s gift. Senapat please, I pray, beseach
the Mercy of the Master on me that I may also
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306 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
experience this innner life of the spirit, and earn
peace that you seem to enjoy.”
Next day, Senapat, as usual, went to the Guru’s
Darbar. He wanted to say something, but the Master
stopped him and said, “Well, good poet! your
friend is stone-hearted and has no compassion.”
SENAPAT: ‘“‘Lord what you say must be right,
but...... -
GURU SAHIB: ‘“‘Please wait for a day and you will
see for yourself!’’ With these words, the Guru beckoned
to Bhai Daya Singh, and asked him to go toa certain
place at a little distance. Daya Singh would find a
hill there on the right of which was a cave. Within
this cave would be an ascetic whose weak and
feeble condition required compassion. He would be
borne lightly in a palanquin by Daya Singh and
brought before the Guru.
Before Daya Singh arrived with the ascetic in
the palanquin, the Guru asked Senapat to go and
bring his friend Hans, to the Darbar. Hans arrived
and bowing reverently to the Guru, seated himself.
Meanwhile, the weak and famished looking ascetic
with sunken eyes and cheeks, was brought by Daya
Singh. The Master descending from his’ throne
and lifting the ascetic up in his embrace seated him
by the side of his throne.
Tears welled up in the Master’s eyes and with
maternal love and affection he caressed the man
whose frame had no flesh but bones.
‘Lord touch me not, throw me down, I am a
sinner,” quivered his famished lips.
“‘No my son, thou art not a sinner. Thou art
innocent,” said the Guru. The Guru then offered
him hot milk to refresh him and cheered him up.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 307
With the affectionate care and nursing, he was
gradually restored and regaining strength, he rose
and humbly bowed to the Master and sat down.
He thus related his story in a weak and feeble voice :—
“TI hail from Surat. When I was a lad of barely
twelve, a group of Jain Sadhus and nuns visited our
city. They tried to impart their faith to us and arranged
to preach a sermon. The nuns preached to the
women and the Sadhus to the men. Under the
influence of their preaching, I took a vow and offered
myself to be converted as a Jain Sadhu. About the
time of my conversion, a little girl who was my child-
hood playmate and who belonged to my home-town
was also presented to the nuns by her parents. We
were taken together to a hilly tract in northern India,
where we parted, she to the convent of nuns, and I to
the monastry. My life at the temple under Hans was
totally different. I entered the rigid life of a Jain
sadhu observing the various fasts for self-purification.
Long afterwards, one such day, while I had gone to
fetch flowers for Puja (worship) of deity in the wild
forest nearby, I met the girl who was my playmate
in the childhood and had joined the nunnery. Old
memories brought tears to our eyes and we sat
together conversing for a short while. We were not
aware that we were being watched by the matron,
the head of the nunnery, nor did we realize that
what we did was objectionable. Despite our plea of
innocence, both of us were accused of an unpardon-
able crime. Punishment was meted out. The girl
was punished according to the rules of the convent ;—
she was deprived of both of her eyes; I was put to
a number of hard and prolonged penances. I was
being ridiculed by the others and proclaimed a
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308 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
sinner; for I had violated the rule in talking to a
girl, In despair, I asked Hans ji if I could do
something to atone for my sin. He replied that
the most appropriate punishment would be for me
either to be deprived of my eyes or to enter into
continuous penances for a further period of twelve
years. Here, I stand before you a bare skeleton after
being subjugated to untold suffering for the crime I
committed.”
THE GuRU: ‘“Senapat, this is the living picture of
your friend Hans ji. He was responsible for all this.
Now you can see for yourself.”
At this Hans rose, and trembling, fell at the feet
of the Guru and said, “It is true Lord, I am
stonehearted and merciless.” Hans then turned to the
young ascetic and said, “You are not a sinner, I alone
am the sinner. I beseech your pardon and crave that
I should be forgiven’.
The Guru made over the youngman to two Sikhs
bidding them to carefully nurse and look after him.
To Hans he said,
“Hear thou, the instructions of the perfect Guru,
And see thou, near thee, thy transcendent Lord,
And with every breath, utter thou, the Name of God
Thus the affliction of thy mind will depart.’
(Translated)
The Master further asked him to search for the
girl and to bring her to Anandpur.
After a long search, Hans found the blind girl
and took her to the Guru’s Darbar. Meanwhile, the
young man, enjoying the warmth of Guru’s great
love, and care of his disciples, was restored to
complete health. He was initiated into the Raj-Yog
of Nam. While he was seated in the holy congregation
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 309
and Hari-Kirtan (singing of hymns in praise of the
Lord) was in full swing, the blind girl entered. As the
Master looked at her and blessed her, she regained
her eyesight and her face shone with celestial _ bliss.
The Master’s joy was great, and he ordered that the
nuptial of the young man and the girl should be cele-
brated instantly. Great was the rejoicing of the
disciples. Hans was also taken the same day into the
fold of discipleship.
(19) The Guru’s Gift: Devotees from far and
near, with a varied outlook came seeking the Guru.
The hearts of some of them blossomed at the very
sight of the Master, just as the lotus blossoms at
the sunrise. There were others whose doubts and
delusions vanished the moment they saw and heard
the Guru’s Words. Instantaneously, they sought the
Ocean of Light. There was yet another class who
came to the Guru, searched him with questions,
went into contemplation, and thereafter pinned their
faith on Nam and were transformed. A _ fourth
class of people remained floating in illusion for
some time. Having experienced the turns of fortune
and the bitterness that life had in store for them,
they fell back on the Master for peace and solace of
mind. Their sleeping minds awoke to the conscious-
ness of Reality after having undergone bitter ex-
periences. These variations in the transformation of
people, who flocked to the Guru, were due to the
variations in their inner state of mind, as also to their
degree of intellect. Their education, environment
and associations had their impact on their regenera-
tion. Much depends on our powers of thinking,
reasoning and actions, past and present.
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310 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
A man, named Har Gopal, came from Ujjain, to
see the Guru. But he was of wavering mind and
uncertain in belief. Although a worldly wise man, he
lacked in faith.
Har Gopal’s father, Bishamber Das, was a dis-
ciple of the Guru. Bishamber Das wished that his
son should also enter the path of discipleship, become
cultured, and lead a godly life, but Har Gopal’s mind
moved in different channels. His father, however,
insisted that he should visit the Guru at Anandpur in
order that he might receive the Glow of life from him.
Har Gopal Disillusioned; After considerable
hesitation, Har Gopal came to Anandpur. He was
astonished to see the Guru living like a king. He had
formed a different picture of the Guru in his mind.
He thought that the Guru, would be an ascetic sitting
in a cave in meditation, his body a mere skeleton, worn
away by austerities.
When Har Gopal encountered a stately man, with
all the magnificence and splendour of Royalty, doubts
arose in his mind as to the spirituality of the Guru.
His faith was shaken and he was disappointed. He
regretted his mistake in undertaking such a long
journey, especially because of the expenditure involved.
In vain, he thought, he came seeking this man, the
Guru. But he decided to spend a few days at Anand-
pur now that he had taken the trouble of coming over
there.
The people of Anandpur were in the habit of
rising early before dawn and beginning the day with
prayer’s and meditation. Har Gopal too had to rise
early and join the Guru’s’- congregations. The
singing of the Asa-di-Var by the Guru’s musicians was
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 311
melodious and sweet. One such morning, as Har
Gopal, listened to the singing of the sacred lyric, the
music moved him to ecstasy. He was thrilled and
was absorbed in the sacred song—his mind was in a
state of oblivion and on recovering from it he felt
comforted. He realized that he had never felt the
peace and tranquility such as he now experienced,
although his ears and eyes had feasted on lavish music
and dancing many a time before. Such a joyous peace
his mind had never known. The innermost recesses
of his heart were touched and his mind was now
calm, quiet and still. It was perhaps the joy of the
mind being self-centred.
After congregation, he went up to the Guru and
fell at his feet and in a low voice apologized, saying,
“True King! Save me, I am a sinner. Until yesterday
I had not realized your greatness and your glory. I
was awfully mistaken and my mind was clouded with
a wrong conception of thee, my Lord. Master! have
compassion on me.”
The Guru lifting him up said, “Har Gopal, you
have my forgiveness even without asking for it.”
Har Gopal was delighted. He decided to spend
another month at Anandpur. Everyday he listened
to the divine music, met many Sikhs, discussed many
religious problems, and cleared the doubts that clouded
his mind. But his love of riches, his engrossment in
temporal pursuits and superficiality of his mind would
repeatedly swing him back to the same whirlpool of
thought. At last, he decided to return home.
Offering for the Guru: He went to the Guru to
bid him farewell. The Guru sat at the bank of the river
for his evening prayer. Har Gopal, always proud of his
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312 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
wealth, came and bowed before the Guru, “‘Sire, I have
brought a trifling present in token of my love. May
be, it is unworthy of your acceptance, yet here it is.
Since I am leaving tomorrow morning, let me offer it to
you.”” So saying, he laid the two gold bracelets
studded with precious stones at the feet of the great
Master.
The Guru accepted the offering and as though to
display his pleasure, began playing with one of the
bracelets, tossing it up in the air and then catching it
up in his palm, while talking to Har Gopal. Suddenly,
the bracelet slipped and rolled into the river.
Har Gopal, who had been watching the Guru
intently, immediately jumped into the river in order
to find the jewel. The Master smiled, but remained
silent.
After a long search, Har Gopal came out of the
river, his eyes down-cast and his clothes drenched.
“Master, I have hopes of recovering the bracelet if
you could only point out the exact place where it fell.
Inadvertantly I have lost my bearings and cannot
recollect the place where it fell.” So panted, Har
Gopal had his eyes turned more to the river than to
the Master.
Bracelets Discarded: The Guru, who knew and
understood all the feelings that arose in Har Gopal’s
mind, threw the other bracelet into the river and said,
“Lo, Har Gopal, it is there.”
Har Gopal stood aghast, and could not believe
his eyes. He was still more shocked and bewildered.
Thereupon, the Master walked towards him, took
him in his arms, flooded him with kisses and said,
*““Har Gopal, I got rid of the bracelets on purpose,
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 313
as I felt they were a barrier between you and me.”
At this Har Gopal fell at the Master’s feet and during
those brief moments, felt as though he had been lifted
to celestial heights.
The Guru’s Gift: The Guru then sent for some
“‘PERSAD” which he gave to Har Gopal. The Master
also gave him an iron ring as a parting gift and
said, ““This I give you as a souvenir. Please keep
it with regard and with it, I give you my blessings.
Please convey these words to your father and my
good wishes to him.”
Har Gopal reverently bowed with all the faith of
a devoted disciple and departed. But as Har Gopal
went farther and farther from Anandpur, his faith
began to waver and weaken. He began to doubt
and ponder and said to himself, ‘“‘Ah ! What have I
done? I made an offering, nay gave away valuable
bracelet of gold studded with jewels, but what did I get
in return. This ring of iron!’ The Guru said, ‘With it
I give my blessings!”’ ‘‘What blessings can this piece
of iron bring? Of what use can this ring be to
me?”
Conflicting Thoughts: And yet the next moment, he
would say to himself, ““No. I should not let my mind
think like that. The Guru is the Guru of my father.
O, what glory there was on his face. I saw it with my
own eyes. The Guru also knew and understood my
innermost thoughts. I had evidence of it on many
occasions. Nearness to him brought peace and joy to
my mind, and there was no room for doubts and mis-
givings. I experienced it myself. Saints, yogis and
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314 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
devotees of many faiths day and night come and pay
their homage to him. My own father is his devoted
disciple and he did not send me to him for nothing.
The Guru must be divine. It might be true, but
of what worth is this iron ring! Good wishes yield
no reward. My doubts and delusions still haunt
me. I have not seen any Light. Nor have I seen
any vision. Above all, I have not seen any miracle
performed by the Guru.”
With thoughts such as these in his mind, he
continued his journey. By evening, he reached
Chamkaur.
At Chamkaur, there lived a Sikh, Bhai Dhyan
Singh. He saw Har Gopal, a stranger passing
that way in sad and pensive mood. He met him,
and affectionately invited him to spend the night at
his house. It was rather late in the evening and a
stranger needed shelter, and it was customary for
Dhyan Singh to show hospitality to strangers. At
Dhyan Singh’s house, his wife received Har Gopal
with affection and smile. They made him comfortable
and feel at home.
Loss worries Har Gopal: At night, as they con-
versed, Har Gopal spoke to his host of the doubts in
his mind. Dhyan Singh was perturbed and sad to
know that the young man’s faith was shaken. He
explained to him the worth of the iron-ring—“‘It was
a gift from the Guru, it was the symbol of Divine
Love and spiritual well being. When the Master
gave his blessings his words were pregnant with Love
and Grace. Pricelessly precious were the Master’s gifts
and invaluable his Words. The keeping of the sacred
ring and the Master’s counsel would lead you into
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 315
the realms of Divine Wisdom and _ self-realization.
He advised Har Gopal not to falter or waver in his
faith. Despite such wise counsel from Bhai Dhayn
Singh, Har Gopal, the calculating type of man that
he was, measured the worth of Guru’s gift in terms
of Rupees. The monetary worth of Rs. 500 seemed
to be of considerable importance to him and so
he felt the loss of his gold bracelets more than
ever.
Thereupon, Dhyan Singh conferred with his
wife, who was a devotee of the Great Guru. She
learnt with sorrow, the misgivings and lack of faith
in Har Gopal. The fact that the young man held
his gold jewels more precious than the priceless gift
of the iron ring from the Guru, made her shed tears.
She urged her husband to dispose of some of her
valuable ornaments or arrange to mortgage the
property to raise the sum of Rs. 500. This amount,
she insisted, should be paid to Har Gopal and in
return the Guru’s iron ring recovered; for she argued,
that the priceless gift of the Great Master should not
remain with a man who had no faith or regard for the
Guru’s Words.
Har Gopal sells Guru’s Ring: Bhai Dhyan Singh,
a poor farmer as he was, raised Rs. 600 instead
of the Rs. 500. He told Har Gopal next morning,
“If you have faith in Guru’s word and his souvenir
which is priceless beyond word and thought, do
keep it with you with all the love and reverence
it deserves. But if you have no faith and value
money more than the Divine Word, do let us
have the honour of keeping the iron ring with us,
while you can have Rs. 600 from us, instead of
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316 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Rs. 500. But be assured that I do not wish to deceive
you by depriving you of the priceless gift of the
Guru. I implore you still, to realize that pricelessly
precious [is the Guru’s gift and invaluable his
command.”
Har Gopal’s face began to glow with joy as he
pocketed the money. Bhai Dhyan Singh and his
wife stood before him reverently and with great
humility to receive the invaluable gift.
Har Gopal thought Dhyan Singh was a fool,
for paying Rs. 600 for an iron ring which was of no
intrinsic value. So he gave them the ring without
any hesitation and with it the Guru’s Word.
Dhyan Singh’s Insight: Very few among men, are
gifted like Bhai Dhyan Singh—few, indeed, who have
the insight to see and value the priceless gifts of the
Guru. Bhai Dhyan Singh could realize that the
Word of the Guru was more valuable than gems,
jewels and rubies.
When, at last, Har Gopal reached home, he
related the entire episode to his father. He described
at length, how he had felt close to the Guru and
divinity for a short while during his stay at Anandpur
and how the spell had been unable to withstand his
own misbeliefs and faithlessness. He justified his
action in parting with the Guru’s gift of the iron ring
saying that it was but a worthless piece of iron as
compared to the precious gold bracelets which he
had presented to the Guru. He was proud of his
timely wisdom, and told his father as to how he had
recovered the lost fortune, taking advantage of
the ignorance of the foolish farmer. His father
heard the story and was full of grief at what his son
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 317
had done. He rebuked him but could not reconcile
himself to the tragedy of the situation. He moaned,
“Son, I sent you to trade in Truth; but you have
traded in falsehood.”
“Kabir saith what can the True Guru do
If the disciples are wanting in themselves,
The blind can see not the light
The bamboo hollow within can retain nothing,
However hard one may blow in it.”
(Translated.)
Fortune’s ebb & flow: The avaricious and self-
willed Har Gopal would not heed his father’s wise
counsel. It was time when fortune favoured him.
His business prospered and his wealth increased day
by day. Money and material turned his head. His
pride and arrogance increased. He was full of conceit
and gloated over his intelligence that brought him pros-
perity.
After some time, however, his luck deserted him.
His business began to dwindle. He lost all the wealth
that he had accumulated. All that he undertook by
way of improving and prospering his business brought
him further loss and resulted into failure. He wondered
at his own skill and intelligence which now failed to
bring him the success he had hitherto enjoyed. He
was reduced to extreme poverty. In adversity, he
turned to his father and sought his advice.
Father’s Counsel: His father enlightened him with
truth saying: ‘““My son, if man’s intelligence were perfec-
tion in itself, man would be all-knowing—there would
be no higher realms of knowledge and creation beyond
his perception, and all the intelligent persons would have
been always successful. But thereis a background of the
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318 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
nature which is beyond the grasp of intellect. So there
remains the fact, that man’s actions—however intelli-
gent and skilled, are always governed by God’s Will.
Even our intellect is a gift of God. We can see because
of His having given us the eyes. Wecan work because
of His having given us the hands and feet. Our bodies
and all that we have are given by Him when He is the
ultimate source of all power and energy in us, there
can be nothing that we can boast of. No doubt, He
has given free will to the man and man thinks, reasons,
labours and makes ceaseless efforts to achieve his end,
but there isa Divine Factor also that counts. If it is
favourable, man’s efforts are crowned with success
but if it is unfavourable, there is failure. Man must
work consistently and diligently and use all his faculties
to achieve his objective, but the ultimate result is in the
hands of God. Every thing is under His Command,
and His Command _ is based on our deeds, present and
past. He meets out justice and rewards for all our
actions, past and present.
When in comfort, we forget God, but when in
distress we seek Him. Therefore, God in His mercy
administers the medicine of adversity to those ailing
in the comfort of prosperity. The misery that has be-
fallen you, my son, is therefore a blessing in disguise. I
thank the Guru for sending you a timely awakening
that you may begin to seek God.”
HAR GopaL: “Kindly tell me how I may be rid
of poverty and affliction so that I may make a living
again.”
FATHER. Our fifth Guru Arjan says:
** If one is weak and is afflicted by hunger and nudity
And hath no money on him and none is there to give him comfort
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 319
No desire of his is fulfilled; no work of his accomplished
If he, even he, in his heart, bethinketh the Lord, he rolleth in abundance
for ever.”
(Guru Arjan: Sri Rag)
Translated
Further, in another hymn he says:
‘‘Dwell on Him alone, O mind, who is the King of kings,
Rest thy hope on Him alone, who is the hope of all.
Shed all thy cleverness, and take to the Feet of the Guru.
Meditate O my mind, On the Divine Name, in peace and joy.
Day and night call thou on thy God and utter his praises for ever.
Seek His refuge, O my mind, whom no one equals;
Meditating on whom thou gatherest peace, and pain and woe touch
thee not;
Yea, serve thou thy Lord, thy True Master, ever and for ever more,
If we join the society of the holy, we become pure and the Noose of the
Yama is loosed
Pray thou to the Lord, the Giver of Joy, the Destroyer of fear.
On whomsoever God looketh with Mercy, all his deeds come right
For, He is the Greatest of the great, His place is the Highest of high,
He is beyond colour, beyond sign, beyond value.
Have Mercy on Nanak, O Lord, bless him with Thy True Name.”
(Guru Arjan: Sri Rag)
Translated
Forgiveness and Reconciliation: Har Gopal begged
his father to take him to the Guru and obtain forgive-
ness for his sins. Atlast, Bishamber Dass set forth
with his family for Anandpur—they stopped at
Chamkaur in order to meet Bhai Dhyan Singh. Har
Gopal’s father entreated Dhyan Singh to accompany
them on their journey to Anandpur.
The Master, when he saw them all coming, he
smiled. As usual, they were received very cordially.
One day, finding a suitable opportunity, Bishamber
Dass narrated the story of his son’s faithlessness and
craved for the Guru’s pardon. So did Dhyan Singh.
Har Gopal, whose mind was now free from all
impurities of doubts and misgivings, prostrated in utter
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320 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
humility at the feet of the Master. Guru Gobind
Singh blessed him with all happiness and prosperity.
He also bestowed Nam upon him. Har Gopal now
a transformed man, was filled with perpetual
bliss, and lived as a devoted disciple of the Master
throughout his life. Bhai Dhyan Singh was privileged
to receive the Guru’s highest pleasure and added
blessings. The Master blessed Bishamber Dass also
with everlasting joy and happiness.
(20) PADMA—Princess of Nahan: The air was
thick with rumours that the hill Rajas were being
compelled by Aurangzeb to wage war on the Guru
and to vanquish him. The hill Rajas decided to
gather at Rawalsar and they sent an invitation to the
Guru requesting him to come over there for friendly
and reconciliatory talks between them for the establish-
ment of better relations. The Guru, a lover of peace,
accepted the invitation and joined them along with a
few of his choicest and brave disciples.
The Rajas who were accompanied by their
consorts, stayed at Rawalsar for several days. During
this period, all the Ranis sought audience of the Guru
and paid their homage and all of them were greatly
impressed by the Guru’s divinity. Among the Ranis
was the young daughter of the Raja of Nahan. She
was learned besides being a true seeker of Truth. But
she had some doubts about the Reality. Before she
could decide to have holy darshan of the Guru, she
wished to be rid of all the doubts that marred her
faith. Therefore, she wrote letters to the Guru to
explain certain religious enigmas which her mind failed
to comprehend.
In the assembly, where all the Ranis gathered, she
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 321
asked them what they thought of the Guru and what
were their impressions about him. Each one of them
told her that they had visions of the Guru, each
according to her faith, Some saw him as Rama,
others as Shiva, a few as Lord Krishna and Vishnu
and so on. Princess Padma’s quest about the Guru did
not stop with this. She further queried them if any
one of them had examined and found proof of Guru’s
true greatness. At this, the Rani of Dadwal answered
and put the princess wise thus: ‘Listen, Oh my dear
princess. There are two kinds among moths. Those
that truly love the light, fly straight towards the
lamp and falling on it sacrifice themselves. There
are the other class—those that doubt if the light is
genuine or otherwise and in an effort to find the truth,
all the same have their wings charred and drop to the
ground. Their plight is helpless; they can neither
reach the light nor stay away from it, having been con-
vinced of its genuineness. Have you not seen moths
writhing beneath the lamps in the agony of separation,
wistfully longing and yearning to reach their beloved
but cannot?”’
But Princess Padma’s wisdom provoked her to
reply, “Of course, there may be some, who, while
descending on the light in an effort to make sure if it
is genuine, blend and merge in its flame.”
When at last, Padma went to see the Master, her
devotion had reached its peak. Her tender soul
eagerly beheld the Divine Light and refused to part from
its radiance. Separation from the Divinity meant
death to her. Yet she had to return go Nahan.
Padma learnt that there was impending war
between the treacherous hosts and the glorious guest
at Rawalsar. She entreated her father to avert the
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322 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
threatening war. Noneofthe Rajas could dare stand
against Emperor Aurangzeb, and least of all, of Nahan,
a very small state. Therefore, war was inevitable.
Padma’s grief knew no bounds. Before leaving
Rawalsar, she implored the Guru to grant that her eyes
might not see the day when the bloody war is waged
against him. The Master said, “It shall be so.” So
it happened. Padma’s days were numbered. Soon
after leaving Rawalsar, she flew to the Realms of
Heaven cherishing His Perpetual Image winking her
eyes.
(21) General Saiyed Khan bows before the Guru:
The hill chiefs expressed their inability to suppress the
Guru unless the Emperor’s own army took up the
field.
So General Saiyed Khan, who was holding the
command of the Imperial forces at Ghazni, was ordered
by the Emperor to proceed to Anandpur and extirpate
the Guru. A large army was placed at his command.
He was to be joined by the hill chiefs with their forces.
Now, Saiyed Khan’s sister was Pir Budhu Shah’s
wife. Therefore, before marching to Anandpur,
Saiyed Khan first went to Saddhora to see and console
his sister Nasiran on her bereavement. She had lost
two of her sons fighting for Guru Gobind Singh.
Having learnt that the young ones had died fighting
for the opposite cause, Saiyed Khan began a little
altercation with Buddhu Shah for his faith in the
infidel. Buddhu Shah tried to convince him of the
Master’s divine mission, his high ideals and lofty
principles, but Saiyed Khan was incredulous. He
could not understand how a soldier could be a saint.
Their discussion came to an end when Nasiran told
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 323
her brother, how in her deep sorrow she had fallen in-
to a swoon and when she had regained consciousness,
she had become calm and peaceful; because she had
seen that her sons were not dead but they were alive.
She said she had seen them with her own eyes. She
continued that in her trance, she had found herself in
a celestial realm. There she had the vision of Guru
Gobind Singh, whom she had never seen before. He
was wearing a starry crest. She saw him on his blue
steed riding past her. He blessed her saying, ‘“‘Daughter
fear not, do not mourn, thy sons live in this
higher spiritual realm.” He then called out his sons.
They came running, in full angelic effulgence of
perfected souls. She said, they met her and said,
“‘Mother grieve not, we live here in Heaven in perfect
peace, joy and eternal bliss.”
Since her vision, continued Nasirn, she had lived
in an intense Dhyanam of the Guru. She had been
in fact initiated into the path of the discipleship and
the Master had indeed bestowed upon her a very high
spiritual status. Her mind, she said, continuously
remained intent upon the Lotus Feet of the Lord.
Saiyed Khan was thus struck with the holy trans-
formation of his sister. But having received orders to
lead the army against the Guru, Saiyed Khan left
Saddhora for Anandpur after a few days. With a
very huge army at his command, Saiyed Khan was
certain of a complete and speedy victory.
The Guru’s soldiers though far too few to oppose
the mighty host, fought more valiantly and with greater
skill and endurance than Saiyed Khan had imagined
they would. He marvelled at their heroism. He
wondered at the miraculous power behind the Guru’s
words which inspired them with such strength, daunt-
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324 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
less courage, pluck and endurance. He was amazed
and struck with wonder when he saw General Sayyad
Beg and Maimun Khan and many other Moham-
medan soldiers on the side of the Guru and fighting
for him.
The sight of these brave men and the words of Pir
Buddhu Shah that echoed in his ears: “We breathe
and live for the Beloved, we shall willingly die a thou-
sand times to have but one glimpse of Him,” were
beating against the citadel of his heart. But he was not
the man to give in so easily. He, as a reputed General,
had come to conquer. But amidst his war passions,
he was also anxious to meet the Guru face to face.
A day came, when General Saiyed Khan, all of
sudden, saw the Master riding on his blue steed into the
enemy’s camp amidst a thousand swords raining their
flashes upon him. Yet he came galloping right up to
him.
Saiyed Khan aimed a shot at the Guru but it
was missed. He had never missed his shot before.
There was a tremor in his heart. The Master allowed
him to take another chance, he shot a bullet but this
was also a misfire.
The episode appeared to Nasiran, clear as day
light, in her Dhyanam at Saddhora. She saw Saiyed
Khan lifting his gun and aiming it at the Guru. She
instantly shook it making the shot miss its mark.
Saiyed Khan saw her standing near him, asin a vision.
Saiyed Khan was bewildered and rubbed his eyes.
The Master smiled and came still closer to him and
said, ““Come, Saiyed Khan, will you measure swords?
You may avail the first chance.” Saiyed Khan was
fresh from Saddhora, and Nasiran’s face flashed before
his eyes as he beheld the Guru. “Sire, do explain the
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 325
mystery to me. What can I do, my Lord, to have a
glimpse of that Fairyland, of which Nasiran, my sister,
mentioned to me the other day, when I went to condole
her, on the death of her sons in the battle field?”
“That promised land is, no doubt, real—truer
than this solid earth—but thou must seek and get the
key to its hidden portals.” said the Guru.
Enraptured, he bows his head on the Master’s
stirrups and implores him to confer upon him the
Secrets of Immortality. ‘“‘All this life—these weary
years, have I spent in vain in sun and shade,” says the
General, ““Confer on me, O Lord, the bliss of ineffable
union that thou didst confer on Saiyed Buddhu Shah.”
““Saiyed Khan ! Go and gather ye the treasures of
Allah’s Nam.” said the Master.
Saiyed Khan entered the path of discipleship and
obtained the spark of Life or the Seed of Simran.
The battle is still raging, the trumpets are blowing,
the cannons thundering, but General Saiyed Khan is
nowhere to be found in the battle field. He retired
forthwith into the secluded hills of Kangra to accumu-
late the inexhaustible riches of God’s Name. Several
years hence, when Saiyed Khan rose from meditation,
he saw in his Dhyanam Anandpur deserted and the
Master far away in Deccan. He followed him thither
and remained with him to the last.
(22) Bhai Kanhaiya: In the thick of the battle
Bhai Kanhaiya had gone forth serving water and
giving aid to the wounded. A complaint was brought
against him by a new comer that he served the friends
and foes alike. The Guru called him to his presence
and enquired about the charge. Bhai Kanhaiya bowed
to the Master and said: “‘Lord! Ever since I touched
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326 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
thy Lotus Feet, I do not differentiate between man and
man. All men are equal in the sight of God. Thou
hast so enlightened my eyes that I see no other but
Thy All-Pervading Divine Spirit everywhere and in
all. I serve no other but thee. I gave water to none
but Thee, O Master.”
“O Guru! ’tis through Thy Grace that my eyes got the Divine Light
Now these eyes look not on aught else but Thee
This world, this world which of late appeared gall and sore
Now all this, all this is changed, transfigured.
This earth is to-day, Thy Image, O Beloved, Thy Rain-bow-vision
When Thy Grace, O Master, dwelleth in me within,
Then all is One, Yea ,All is Thou, O Beloved emanting into all, that is.
Without Thee, without Thee, O Nanak, these eyes lacked Light
But on meeting the Guru, the veil is lifted
And lo! ‘tis now Eye-Divine
Yea, all is One, One-in-All, and All-in-One, none but Thee alone.”
(Guru Amar Das: Anand Sahib)
Translated.
The Guru was greatly pleased with this spirit of
all embracing love and service exhibited by Bhai
Kanhaiya. He blessed him further with the gift of
Nam and Service, and up to this day these gifts of Nam
and service-of-love are preserved by his people called
Sevapanthis.
(23) The Master besieged: When General
Saiyed Khan left the field, the command of the
Imperial army was taken up by General Ramzan
Khan. He led the charge with renewed vigour and
fury. The Emperor further sent urgent orders to
the Viceroy of Sirhind and Lahore to despatch all
available troops against the Guru. This was in
1701 a.p. The orders were that the Guru himself was
to be captured alive and brought before the Emperor.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 327
The Master was thus faced with heavy odds. The
battle raged long and fierce. The Sikhs could not
withstand the furious onslaught of the overwhelming
forces of the army. So the Guru had to slowly retire
to the fort. A prolonged blockade followed. The
Guru’s supplies were failing. During the siege, the
Master and his disciples starved and with them
Master’s family including his wife, his four sons, his
aged mother, and the Mother of the Khalsa. The
Persadi elephant, the blue steed of the Master, and
many other useful animals died a lingering death for
want of food.
The disciples patiently bore hunger and hardships
foralongtime. But they could not endure to see him
starve, much less his little ones. So they pleaded the
Guru for vacation of Anandpur, but the Master was
adamant and persisted to stay within the fort till the
end.
The hill chiefs and the Emperor sent feelers to the
Guru through their envoys assuring on oath of cow and
the Qoran respectively, a safe passage, in case the
Guru vacated Anandpur. The Guru doubted their
motives. But when the Sikhs again represented for
vacation of the fort, the Guru told the envoy that his
property would be first sent out the next day. The
Guru got litter, rubbish and other waste collected and
loaded it on bullocks. A covering of beautiful brocade
was put on each bullock. No sooner did the bullocks
reach near the invaders, they began to plunder
the property, but were greatly disappointed and
humiliated.
The Guru thus proved to the Sikhs the malafide
intentions of the invaders.
The physical pangs of hunger and the innumerable
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328 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
untold sufferings over the long period of war began to
tell on the Sikhs. Exasperated, some of the Sikhs still
urged the Guru to vacate the fort forthwith failing
which they would part company with him. The Guru,
therefore, told the Sikhs that those who wanted to
leave Anandpur should make a declaration in writing
that they sever their connections with the Guru.
Alas, forty of the disciples gave the disclaimer and
escaped from Anandpur. But when they reached
their homes, the Sikh mothers and Sikh wives like-
wise disclaimed them and they received no welcome
wherever they went. They were filled with remorse
and wished to return to the Master. But they could
not reach Anandpur; for by then, the Guru had left
Anandpur.
It so happened that a few days after these dis-
claimers had deserted, an envoy brought a message
from the Emperor, signed by the Emperor himself
under his seal. It urged the Guru to hasten to him for
an intimate talk and to cease warfare and evacuate
the long besieged fort. The Emperor swore by the
Qoran not to harm the Master and his men, if they
complied with the request to leave the fort and endea-
vour to come towards meeting him.
The Guru could hardly believe this sudden turn
of the Emperor’s mind. However, some of the Sikhs
again represented to the Guru for vacation and the
Guru’s mother interceded on their behalf. The Guru
could not refuse his mother but said, “Mother, thou
shalt have to pay heavily for it.” And he decided
finally to vacate the fort which was besieged, for well-
over a period of three years. The Guru destroyed or
threw into the River Sutlej, all the valuable posses-
sions. The only treasure they carried with them were
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 329
piles of manuscripts, which were the results of years
of literary work.
The party left the fort on the night of 15th of
Maghar 1761 Bikrmi (20/21 December 1704 a.p.).
They had gone for some miles when some of them
realized that it was the time of their daily meditation.
They exclaimed, ‘“‘At the time of our Asa-di-var
(the musical recitation of the sacred hymns), it is sad
that we are marching to save our lives.”
The Guru immediately called for a halt. The
party squatted on the ground around the Master. They
sang whole-heartedly the divine hymns in praise of
God. They were so absorbed in the divine music and
meditation that all sense of danger left them during
those peaceful hours. They felt refreshed and soothed
after meditation.
When the enemy learnt that the Guru and his
men had escaped from the fort, they made haste to
chase them. The Emperor’s solemn promises not to
harm the Sikhs, were simply thrown to the winds.
They fell upon these Sikhs who had hardly finished
their morning prayers. Severe fighting took place bet-
ween them on the banks of the Sarsa Nadi.
A band of Guru’s choicest men, stoutly held up
the enemy and would not let the treacherous soldiers
advance any further near the Guru. Each one of them
fought with a valour and resolve that astonished their
opponents. While these brave Sikhs were over-
powered and fell in the fight, the Guru and members of
his family managed to cross thestream and had gone
fairly far away. Bhai Udhe Singh, the commander of
the Guru’s forces, and three out of the Five Beloved
along with many other Sikhs lost their lives while
fighting at Sarsa Nadi.
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330 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
The stream was in spate and while the Guru
crossed the swelling waters, the disciples stood on his
either side and at his back forming a thick wall to
protect him from the enemy’s arrows. Hundreds of
the disciples thus sacrificed their lives falling around
him like moths round a lamp.
Mata Gujri, the aged mother of Gobind Singh
with her two little grand children escaped in one
direction. Mata Sundri and the Mother of the Khalsa
went towards another direction.
The Guru, accompanied by two of his elder sons
and a group of forty survivors, marched towards
Ropar. Most of the manuscripts were either lost in
the affray or washed away by the stream. A few
scattered hymns and some literary translations from
Sanskrit books, that could be saved, were long after
compiled to and form what was known as “‘Dasam
Granth”.
(24) The Sweetness of Death: News reached
the Master that a large army of the Emperor lay
in wait, a few miles ahead of him. The situa-
tion in which the Guru found himself, sandwiched
by armies to the front and rear, would have unnerved
the mightiest of Generals and made them surrender to
the enemy, but the Guru remained unruffled, and in
the height of his spirits. Gauging the situation, the
Guru hastened to Chamkaur (now in Tehsil Ropar,
Punjab) and occupied there a small fortress which stood
onamound. He had but forty brave disciples along
with his two elder sons. Soon, the Imperial army,
which was in hot pursuit, besieged the fortress.
The disciples held the fortress for a long time
against heavy odds, while the Master from the upper
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 331
storey kept up an incessant shower of arrows. Nahar
Khan and Ghairat Khan tried to scale the wall
but were shot down by the Guru. The arrows and
bullets shot in succession kept the mercenary soldiers
at a distance.
At last, the enemies tried to force open the gate
of the fortress. The Guru’s disciples in a desperate
effort to defend fortress, sallied out in batches fighting
bravely to arrest the advance of the enemy. They
fought valiantly killing many of their adversaries.
The enemy was kept in dismay at a distance but they
far outnumbered this small group of brave men who at
last being overpowered fell victims to their merciless
swords.
The Guru watched the battle with the composure
of his divine self and was not perturbed throughout the
whole fighting. It was to him a melodrama where each
one of them had to play his part but effectively.
The Guru’s eldest son, Prince Ajit Singh, eighteen
years old, sought permission of the Guru to go out of
the fortress and fight the enemy. ‘“‘Dear Father,”
said he, “Thou hast named me Ajit Singh or uncon-
querable Lion. So I shall not be conquered, but if
overpowered, I shall die fighting like my brother
Sikhs.”
“Go, my son! Immortal Lord so Wills it.”
The Sikhs heard this and with anguish they said,
“Master! We cannot bear to see the prince die before
our eyes, while we are in flesh and bone.”
The Master replied: ‘All of you are my sons.
Your tender eyes should get accustomed to seeing
sorrow and bear the burden of grief with equanimity
and forbearance. If He Wills, it should be sweet to
suffer.”
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332 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
So saying the Guru bade his son to go. He
watched him from the balcony and to him it was joy
and satisfaction to see his son fight like a hero. When
he saw him fall, after killing scores of enemy soldiers,
he thanked God that his son proved worthy of the
righteous cause of the Lord.
Prince Jujhar Singh, the Guru’s second son, who
was hardly fourteen, now stood before his father and
made the same request, as his elder brother had done.
“Go my child,” said the Guru, ““We do not belong
to this earth, we are here for a while and shall return
to our Eternal Home. Go and wait for me there.”
This lad of mere fourteen had gone but a few
paces, when he turned back and said that he felt
thirsty and asked for water. Gobind Singh said, “‘No,
go my child! There is no more water for you on this
earth. See yonder, Ajit Singh is holding the cup of
nectar for you which will forever quench your thirst.”
The prince did not wait for another hint. He
rode the way his elder brother had gone. The Guru’s
face was jubilant and his countenance breathed divine
satisfaction when he watched with great interest and
zeal his young son fighting valiantly the holy war and
meeting his end bravely.
All Hail! All Hail! The Guru Glorious! As a
father he was unrivalled, as he had proved as a son.
At the age of nine, he sent his father to diea martyr to
defend the faith of the Hindus against the bigotry and
oppression of the rulers and now he decked his _ tiny
sons for the wedlock of steel and they died as the sons
of Guru Gobind Singh ought to have died to uphold
righteousness and Dharma.
When the brave boys had shed their blue blood,
the Guru then himself got ready to go out, and fight.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 333
The remaining few Sikhs fell on the their knees before
the Guru and entreated him not to go. For at that
critical moment their victory lay in saving the Guru.
If the Guru lived, he would create millions like them.
But the Guru would not listen to any one of them.
Thereupon, the Sikhs formed a _ congregation
and passed a “gurmatta’’ (Resolution unanimously
passed by atleast five Khalsas, fuily enlightened by
Nam ) which embodied a mandate for Guru Gobind
Singh to quit the fortress at night. The Guru had
to bow before the mandate of the Supreme Authority
of the Khalsa Brotherhood, as he had himself at the
time of taking Amrit from the Five Beloved voluntarily
reduced himself to the status of a common member
of the great Brotherhood of Khalsa. Thereafter the
the commands of the Khalsa (Atleast five Persons
fully enlightened by Nam and constantly abiding in
Him) were to be supreme and even binding on the
Guru.
So under the thick dark cover of the night, the
Guru left the fortress with three of his disciples,—
Bhai Dya Singh, Dharm Singh and Man Singh.
The Guru, while going away discharged arrows
from his bow in different directions. This caused a
great confusion in the ranks of the invading forces in
the darkness of the night. The Sikhs who remained
in the fortress continued to fight against the enemy till
they were killed one and all.
(25) In the Jungles of Machhiwara: It was
pitch dark at night. The winter wind was bitingly
cold. The three disciples who were with the Guru
could not keep pace with him. They lost their way
in the darkness and were separated. The Guru,
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334 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
lonely, barefoot and with his clothes in tatters,
trudged along the thorny wilds of Machhiwara. For
days he found neither food nor shelter. His feet were
blistered and bleeding. He slept in the wide open on
chilly winter nights. Thirst, hunger and fatigue
overtook him. One day, as he lay on the ground
resting his head on a clod of earth, Bhai Dya Singh,
Dharm Singh and Man Singh, who had separated from
him in the darkness of the night by sheer fortunate
coincidence arrived at the place where the Guru was
asleep. Although weak and feeble, Guru’s hands
clasped the naked sword while he was asleep.
Throughout this period of agony and distress, his
noble resolve, and patriotic determination did not
flicker in the least. He did not waver in his purpose.
In weal and woe he was the same. Without a morsel
of food, weary, and in physical pain and suffering,
yet in ecstasy of spirit, he burst forth into a song—
the song that was symbolic of his true spirit :—
The Message of we, the disciples, to the Beloved:
O give Him, the Beloved, the news of we, the disciples!
Without Thee, the luxury of soft beds and rich coverings in anguish rack
Pleasures of palaces are like living among snakes, if Thou art away.
The flask of drinks are like unto a Cross
The lips of the cup cut us like a sharp dagger
Yea, without Thee all these articles of joy and comfort kill us like a
butcher’sk nife.
The straw of bed of the Beloved is Heaven for us, if Thou art there!
Burnt be, the rich dwellings, which are like burning hell to us, if Thou
art away, O Beloved.
(Guru Gobind Singh)
Translated.
The disciples found, the Master’s feet sore with
blisters and thorns and that he could not move.
So Bhai Man Singh carried him on his back to a well,
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 335
nearby. There the Master bathed after a lapse of
several days and felt very refreshed. Gulaba, the
owner of the well, supplied them with fresh milk and
gave them shelter in his house. Although he longed
to serve the Guru, but he was afraid of being discovered.
So the Guru soon departed.
The Guru had to undergo innumerable hardships
during his journey till at last he reached Jatpura, where
a Muslim chief, Rai Kalha, heartily entertained him.
Kalha heard the tragic tale of Guru’s sufferings and
shed tears of sorrow, and condemned the oppressors.
The Guru asked his host to send a messenger to Sirhind
to inquire the fate of his aged mother and his two
younger sons. Mahi, the messenger, soon came back
from Sirhind with the fatal news. Mahi, woebegone,
related the tragic story of the innocent children
martyred.
(26) Innocent Children Martyred: In the con-
fusion that followed in crossing the flooded stream
Sarsa, the companions of the Guru and his family
were scattered in different directions. The Guru’s
aged mother, Gujri, and her two little grandsons,
happened to separate from the rest of the party. Lost
and forlorn, they travelled in the direction where
Providence took them, through the thick jungles and
biting cold morning winds. On their way, they were
met by a man called Gangu Brahmin, who had for
sometime worked as a domestic servant in their house-
hold. They trusted their one time loyal servant, when
he offered to provide them shelter in his house in a
nearby village Saheri on the Ropar-Morinda Road.
But he betrayed them, overcome by his greed and
avarice. He made them over to the officer at Morinda
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336 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
who in turn handed them over to Nawab Wazir Khan
at Sirhind.
They were imprisoned in a Cold Tower, at
Sirhind. The young princes Zorawar Singh and
Fateh Singh aged about nine years and seven years
were produced before the Nawab, the following day.
The Governor’s court was stunned to see the tall and
unusually handsome, remarkably bright and strikingly
fearless young boys. Their countenances sparkled
with the divine grace and brilliance of their benign
father.
The children were produced in the court on
December 24th, 1704 A.D. and were tempted with
fabulous rewards if only they would abjure their
faith. Persuasions and temptations failed, threats and
tortures were devised but all in vain. The princes
remained unwavering in their faith. The Nawab
tried to hand them over to two Pathan youths whose
father was lost in the battle against the Guru. They
could revenge themselves on these boys, since the
Guru’s arrow had killed their father. The Pathans
true to their blood, refused to obey to the Nawab,
with these words: “It is cowardice to slay these
innocent children. But we shall only fight the enemy
in an open battle.”
The children and their grandmother passed the
cold winter nights in their imprisonment in the cold,
airy Tower without any bedding or cloth to wrap
themselves. On the fourth day of their captivity,
a council of ministers was called upon to consider ways
and means of bringing the princes in the folds of Islam.
The princes were brought to the court and the inevit-
able choice of death or acceptance of Islam was
offered to them. The princes, true to their faith,
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 337
preferred death and disdainfully rejected the offer of
conversion.
The Nawab was enraged and looked towards his
councillors for advice. Sucha Nand (also called
Kuljas) the Hindu minister said, “Sire, this progeny
of a cobra had better be smothered in time’. There-
upon the Nawab ordered that the children be bricked
alive and buried to death.
He then looked around for someone in the
council to approve and appreciate his command and
thereby confirm what his Hindu minister had proposed.
But everyone of them sat silent with heads bent low
and their eyes downcast. At last, the one, lone, brave
voice of Nawab Sher Mohammed Khan of Maler-
kotla rose in protest and said, “The holy Qoran did
not allow the slaughter of innocent and _ helpless
children.”” But the Qaziconfirmed that the holy law
gives the infidels the choice between Islam and death.
‘*Let them choose what they like,”’ he said.
A very cruel form of execution was devised. The
wall of Sirhind was knocked down for a length of three
yards. These young ones of the Master were made
to stand a yard apart from each other and the wall was
to be built step by step on their tender limbs until the
brick wall came up to the height of their shoulders.
Finally at the behest of the Nawab, the executioner
cut off the throats of the boys with the butchers’
knives. This treacherous event took place on the 13th
of Poh sambat 1762 (27th December 1705 a.p.) and
is significant in Sikh history as another day of martyr-
dom. Grand mother Gujri expired in prison on
hearing the tragic end of her two beloved little
grandsons.
As the messenger Mahi, related his tale of woe,
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338 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Rai Kalha and the other listeners were torn with grief
and wept bitterly. But the Guru was unruffled and
listened to the whole episode with perfect composure
and equanimity. He was above mundane shocks.
When Mahi ended the distressing story, he closed his
eyes and thanked God for the glorious and triumphant
end of his four sons.
After perfect communion with his Heavenly
Father, he said, “‘No, my sons are not dead. They
have returned to their Eternal Home. It is Sirhind that
shall die.” So saying he spontaneously knocked out
a shrub with his arrow and added, “The enemy shall
be uprooted likewise.”” The Master foresaw the entire
destruction of Sirhind and as he saw it in his vision,
a tear rolled down his eyes.*
(27) The Epistle of Nawab of Malerkotla Addressed to the
Emperor Aurangzeb Nawab Sher Mohd. Khan of Malerkotla was
a man of faith, he was a man of conscience, who stood for
chivalry, justice and fairplay, and protested against the cruel order
of the Governor of Sirhind. He left his court in disgust and
worte an historic epistle to the Emperor Aurangzeb: Translated
into English from Persian, it reads as follows:—
**O Mighty king of the world, who on account of justice has
placed thy throne on the azure vault, may the dappled horse of the
skies be ever under thy control, because thou hast eclipsed the brilli-
ance of the sun and Moon by the splendour of innumerable victories.
The humble and devoted petitioner, with all respect due to the
grandeur of the shadow of God and the might of the saviour of the
world, most respectfully begs to lay his humble appeal before your
Most Gracious Majesty and hopes from your Imperial Majesty's
unfathomable kindness and unlimited magnanimity that the august
person of the shadow of God , Viceregeant of the holy Prophet (peace
be on him) in this world, the incarnation of God’s mercy over his
*Three years after this atrocity, Banda Singh Bahadur razed the whole
of Sirhind to the ground and destroyed the enemy root and branch.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 339
creatures by sheer munificence, be pleased to bestow his compassion
and forgiveness on the young sons of Gobind Singh, Tenth Guru of
the Sikh nation.
The Viceroy of Sirhind Province with a view to avenge the
disobedience and disloyal activities of the Guru which may have been
committed by him, has, without any fault or crime of the guiltless and
innocent children, simply on the basis of their being sons of Gobind
Singh, condemned those minor sons liable to execution and has
proposed to wall them up alive till they die.
Although no one dares to raise an objection against the order
of the Viceroy, whose order is as inevitable as death, yet the faithful
servant and well-wisher of thy august Majesty’s Empire deems it most
advisable to humbly appeal and to bring this to Your Majesty’s
benign notice.
May it be said that in view of certain important political consi-
derations Your Majesty is disposed to inflict suitable punishment
on the Sikh nation for their undesirable activities in the past. It
would be quite compatible with justice, but Your Majesty’s humble
and devoted servant thinks, it would be no way consistent with the
principles of sovereignty and supreme power, to wreak vengeance
of the misdeeds of a whole nation on two innocent children, who on
account of their tender age are quite innocent and unable to take a
stand against the all-powerful Viceroy.
This sort of action obviously appears to be absolutely against
the dictates of Islam and the laws propounded by the founder of
Islam (may God’s blessings be showered on him) and Your Majesty's
humble servant is afraid that the enactment of such an atrocious act
would perpetually remain an ugly blot on the face of Your Majesty’s
renowned justice and righteousness. It may graciously be considered
that the mode of inflicting the punishment and tortures as contemplated
by the Viceroy of Sirhind can by no means be considered compatible
with the principles of Supreme Rule, Equity and Justice.
In view of the above consideration Your Majesty’s humble and
and devoted servant most respectfully takes the liberty of suggesting
that if Your Majesty consider it expedient that the sons of Guru
Gobind Singh may be kept under restraint from indulging in disloyal
activities, it would be more appropriate if they could be interned in
the Royal Capital Delhi, till they are duly reformed so as willingly
to acknowledge allegiance and loyalty to the throne.
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340 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
As an alternative both the boys may be placed under my care
so as to keep a check on their actions and movements and not to allow
them to entertain any kind of ideas of Sedition or disloyalty in their
minds. Although the humble petitioner fears that the humble appeal
which is prompted exclusively by the sense of veracity and loyalty |
to the throne may be deemed as transgressing the limits of propriety,
yet the fear of God and urge of truth does not allow undue sup-
pression of truth.
If this humble appeal has the honour of meeting the Roval
acceptance, it shall be most fortunate. If, however, it is unfortunately
deprived of the honour of acceptance, still Your Majesty’s humble
and devoted servant shall have the consolation of having performed
the sacred duty of expressing what was right and just and having
allowed his pen not to deviate in the expression of truth.”
(28) Zafarnama—The Epistle of Victory: The
Guru then took leave of Rai Kalha and moved
onward to Dina, where he was welcomed and
entertained by three brothers, Shamira, Lakhmira and
Takht Mal. These brothers did not care for the
threats of Nawab Wazir Khan, but however, they
kept vigil over the movement of enemy troops, if any.
It was a period of the Master’s life when distress
and despondency could have destroyed the spontaneity
of his spirit and his gaity. Yet, it was at this painful
period that he was found in his most exalted spirits
and liveliness of disposition. The sacrifice of his
dearly loved sons, his revered parents, and thousands
of his faithful followers together with the privations
from his wife and his own endless sufferings, had not
daunted his spirits. But it was during this period, in
the year 1706 A.D. that he wrote from this village Dina,
the Memorable letter called ZAFAR-NAMA—the
Epistle of Victory—to Emperor Aurangzeb. It was
in fact, an exquisite relpy to the letters of invitation
he had received from the Emperor.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 341
The epistle, written in perfect persian verse is a
beautiful piece, the tone of the whole is quite in-keeping
with the title of the theme. The letter is characteris-
tic of the sublimity of the Saint-General. Every
line is pregnant with stimulating truths and righteous
indignation. The letter bore the loftiness of a super-
ior being addressing an individual of a lower, baser
metal.
The Guru told the Emperor, in no uncertain terms
that he had no faith in his solemn promises in the
name of God and oaths on holy Qoran. The fact
remained that he, the Emperor on all occassions
violated his sacred promises and proved false, mean
and treacherous. No doubt, he was a mighty
Monarch and capable General but he lacked the depth
of a true religion.
Referring to the murder of his sons, the Guru
remarked: ‘“‘What, though my four sons were
killed, when lives the whole people — the Khalsa,
all my sons! What bravery is it to quench a few sparks
of life. Thou art merely exciting the big raging fire
all the more......... i
Apart from its literary worth, the letter had a
greater singificance because of its candid manifesta-
tion of naked truths which the Emperor, living as he
was, in a superficial world of sly-flatterers, would
fain had heard. Such was Guru’s fearless exposition
of the Emperor’s merciless acts of tyranny and
grotesque atrocities that even the relentless heart of
Aurangzeb was touched. Its soul stirring strain could
not but move the stone-hearted monarch. The letter
was entrusted to Bhai Dya Singh, who delivered
it to Aurangzeb in Deccan. This letter indeed,
awakened the Emperor’s sleeping conscience and
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342 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
evoked in him a mood of true repentence. It had
such a miraculous effect on him that from the very
day he read the letter, he began to pine and was soon
confined to bed. Seized with a sudden trembling, he
called for his scribe and dictated a letter to his son.
And this was the last letter he dictated when death
was at hand and he acknowledged his defeat in the
life that he lead:-
ae Whatever good or bad I have done,
I am taking it as a load upon my head to the Great
Unseen. How strange it is to contemplate that
I came to this earth all alone, but now I am leaving with a caravan of
my doings.........
My heart is anguished by the thoughts of armies and military resources,
which I am leaving. But it is more bitterly torn by the pain of
death which is around the corner.
I am totally in the dark about the destiny that awaits me. But what
I know is that I have committed enormous sins. Canst tell what
»
Guru Gobind Singh, the Sovereign Redeemer
of humanity, at such a crucial hour made him repent
for his sins and further offered therein words of
solace. He advised him to humbly implore for for-
giveness of his iniquities and to pray for mercy to
God, the Almighty.
(29) Tie The Broken Ties : The Guru left Dina
after despatching the Zafarnama to the Emperor
through Bhai Dya Singh, who stayed then in Deccan.
After a short sojourn at Kot-Kapura and Jaito, he
moved further, collecting men and material; for the
air was thick with rumours that the forces of Sirhind
were on the move and were closing in on the Guru.
Some of the Sikhs, who had deserted the Guru
at Anandpur and had given a disclaimer to him,
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 343
were put to shame by their women folk. One brave
lady, Mai Bhago, gathered 40 such men and brought
them to the aid of the Guru along with a large
contingent of other Majha Sikhs.
The Guru had taken up his position on a sandy
hillock at Khidrana in the District of Ferozepore.
The Mughal army was advancing towards the Guru’s
camp, but before they could attack the Guru, they
had to encounter enroute this contingent under the
command of Mai Bhago of Jhabal and Bhai Mahan
Singh of Rataul. They had encamped in the vicinity
of a small pond fringed by a wild growth of shrubs.
To mislead and make the enemy wonder at their
great numerical strength, this small but brave group
of men, spread white sheets on the shrubs.
A fierce fighting ensued. The Sikhs fought
with their inherent courage and strength. They
fought not so much for victory but for resisting and
delaying the enemy’s advance towards their Master
thereby trying to retrieve the Guru’s Grace and Mercy
upon them. The tenacity and fearlessness of the
saint-soldiers struck terror in the heart of the mercenary
soldiers of the Mughals. The Guru from his position
of high altitude, about two miles further, from the
place of the battle, showered arrows on the leading
commanders of the enemy.
Wazir Khan, the Commander of Imperial forces
soon lost heart. He called forth a council of officers,
for there was no drinking water available for the men.
Kapura, the intelligence officer, informed him that
there was no water to be found in the vicinity. The
men were thirsty and so the commander decided that
it was not worth risking their lives where there was not
a drop of water to drink. Besides they feared the
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344 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
enemy’s numerical strength. They were in the dark
about the exact number of the Sikhs who opposed them.
The men refused to fight without water to quench their
thirst. So the Imperial army began to retreat. They
abondoned their dead and wounded and began to
flee.
As soon as the enemy disappeared from the place
of action, the Guru descended from his place of obser-
vation, to the battle field. He, who had watched the
battle scene, now, with paternal care went about lifting
the heads of the martyrs to his lap, wiping their faces
and blessing each one of them. And among them,
he found the forty who had disclaimed him and deserted
him at Anandpur.
These forty men had left the Master in despair
during the prolonged seige at Anandpur. But when
they reached their homes, they found the doors
closed against them. Their near and dear ones
at home refused to receive them with love; for
they condemned their actions. But a noble Sikh
lady, Mai Bhago, aroused in their hearts the fire of
love and faith that was nearly extinguished. So it
was, they formed a contingent of troops and a host
of other Sikhs joined them and they all hurried forward
to reinforce the Guru’s small army. They all died
fighting for the Guru. Among the dead was one
who was still alive and was on his last breath of life.
The Guru lovingly lifted him to his lap and said,
“Are you not Mahan Singh, my son? You have
all died as martyrs. Look into my face and ask for
anything you desire—have you any prayer for life
or Immortality?”
Mahan Singh, opening his eyes, was delighted
to see the Guru. His countenance glowed and his
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 345
eyes were wet with tears. And he mumbled: “No,
Master! Far from being martyrs, we have sinned
against thee, deserting you at a time of need, we are
sinners, and we died as sinners. Therefore, the Doors
of Heaven—the Region of Grace is closed against
those of us, who have gone ahead of me. This secret
has been revealed to me. Lord! If you could forgive
us out of compassion and grant us thy Grace, it is
the only prayer that I seek. Let the sacred ties that
were broken, be tied again and let us for ever live
at Thy Lotus Feet.”
The Master, taking out the Disclaiming Docu-
ment, which he carried on his vest during all these
viccitudes, tore off the same and blessed the forty
martyrs. Mahan Singh saw this with his own eyes
and breathed his last, happy and content, that they
were forgiven.
The souls of forty were thus saved. The Forty
Mukte—the Saved Ones are remembered in our daily
prayers.
“Tie again the broken ties’ is one of the most
stirring of our religious songs.
Then he sought the place where the noble lady,
Mai Bhago, who inspired these Forties, lay wounded
in an unconscious state. A little aid revived her.
The Guru was greatly pleased with her and blessed
her. She was a Brahm Gyani and henceforth she
remained with the Guru to the last.
The Guru then gathered the bodies of the martyrs
and cremated them.
(30) Love Gatherings again: The Guru then
continued his march. Wherever he went, he spread
wings of love, conquered hearts and emancipated the
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346 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
people’s minds from fear, desire and passion and
instilled in them a longing to deliver their motherland
from the bondage of its tyrannical rulers.
During these vicissitudes, the Master stayed for
a time in the Lakhi Jungle, so called by the Khalsa.
The disciples flocked to him in hundreds and thousands,
even as swarms of bees hover around him fascinated by
his spiritual beauty and maddened by his inner frag-
rance. Each swarm brought greater glory than the other.
Like a halo of light the Master was encircled by the
luminous rays of glory. How the disciples were
overwhelmed with joy on meeting the Master again,
is evident from the following soul-stirring effusion of
the Master, which even now brings tears to our eyes,
his poor disciples:
*“O! When they heard the call of the Beloved,
They came running to him
Even as the buffaloes let drop the half-chewn grass from their mouths,
And lifted in hurry their half slaked lips from the pool,
None lingered to wait for the other,
Each came running all alone,
Such was the over-powering force of the Beloved’s fascination to them.
(Guru Gobind Singh)
Translated
Upon this the poets and songsters gathered on the
sandy plane around the Master, burst forth extempore,
passionate and love inspired poems one after the other.
These spontaneous out-pourings of love, from their
aching hearts, show how the disciples were attached to
the Guru by ties of love and sacrifice and what yearn-
ings they had for reunion with the Master.
Whenever the Guru had a little time to rest, Nam-
Congregations were held, religious discourses were
delivered, and Asa-di-Var was sung in the morning.
Suffice it to say that the blissful atmosphere of
Anandpur was reproduced in Lakhi Jungle. Those
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 347
who saw him there among the disciples would hardly
believe that he had gone through so much suffering
and distress. The radiance of his eyes was not
dulled, the majestic glory of his countenance was
undiminished.
In a remote part of the jungle, in the village
called Chattaina, there lived an aged hermit named
Sayyad Ibrahim. He had spent the greater part of
his life in meditation and such meditations which
bore no fruit.
Dana Singh, an old friend of Sayyad Ibrahim, had
been influenced by Guru’s benign teachings and had
become a Sikh. Since they were friends, it was
habitual for them to get together and discuss religion;
for they were both desirous of attaining the higher
life of the spirit. Now, Sayyad Ibrahim saw the change
in Dana Singh. His eyes gleamed with spiritual
light and his countenance reflected an extraordinary
glow of divinity. When Sayyad questioned him about
this change, Dana Singh admitted that it was the gift
of the Guru. So Sayyad Ibrahim, implored his
friend to take him over to the Guru.
The chanting of Asa-di-Var was over and great
poets like Nandlal were offering their inspired new
poems at the feet of the Master, when Ibrahim came
in the company of Dana Singh to the Master’s presence.
Ibrahim inhaled the spiritual aroma instantly even as
a bumble-bee sucks honey from a flower. The more
he heard, the greater was the transcendence of his
spirit till at last there was but one step between the
finite and Infinite. It was indeed a tremendous step
towards divinity. Just as a little baby, crawling
towards the Queen-Mother on the throne cannot reach
her unless the Mother picks him up in her arms, so
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348 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
with the finite beings, none can soar up into the realms
of Infinity except through Divine Grace.
When ‘Kavi-Darbar’ was over, Sayyad took
up the opportunity to unlock his heart to the
Guru.
‘““Master, I have grown grey in meditation yet
I remain far from the goal. My friend, Dana Singh
who was initiated in the divine ways only the other
day is already soaring up in the realms of Infinity.
Bless me, O Lord, with the same Spark of Life.”
beseeched the aged anchorite.
The Master then blessed him with Nam-Annrit.
He was baptized as Ajmer Singh by the Master. He
grew into a towering personality and lived and died a
true Sikh, the very embodiment of Guru’s ideal of the
Khalsa.
(31) At Dam-Dama Sahib: Passing through
several villages and hamlets, showering bliss and
happiness on the crowds of people who thronged from
every nook and corner to have a glimpse of his holi-
ness, the Guru at last reached Talwandi Sabo (now
called Dam-Dama Sahib).
Dalla, the chief of the locality was a man of
eminence. He had the command and love of the
inhabitants of that area. At his call, the people would
gladly lay aside their plough and take up the sword
for any honourable cause.
When Dalla heard of the Master’s arrival, he led
four hundred stalwart men to meet and welcome the
Guru. He, who had heard with sorrow the poignant
story of Guru’s privations and sad loss of his sons,
said to the Master, “I am sad, my Lord, that you did
not inform me, thy servant. If only you had informed
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 349
me, I would have sent my brave soldiers and they
would have quite vanquished the enemy. The world
would have marvelled at their great courage and the
dear princes would not have died.”
“Do not grieve my friend,” said the Master, ‘““The
princes are not dead. They have returned to their
Eternal Home.”
Just then a visitor entered and presented a gun to
the Master. It was a token of his love to the Guru for
he had spent several days and nights making it with his
own hands. The Guru accepted the offer and said
to Dalla, “Dalla, here is an opportunity, bring me
one of your men, I just want to try this gun.”
Dalla was confounded, yet he returned to his camp
in order to prove his bravado and tried to persuade
one of his men to come, but in vain. Therefore, he
returned to the Lord’s presence with a long face, hang-
ing his head in shame.
The Master then said, ‘“‘Let some one go and
announce to those two Sikhs, whom I see over there
tying their turbans that one is needed by the Guru
as a target for this new musket.”’ No sooner had the
Sikhs heard the call of the Guru, they came running
with their half tied turbans in hand.
The Guru selected the one who arrived first. The
disciple stood steady and firm with his breast thrust
forward ready to receive the bullet.
At this juncture, the other Sikh rushed forward
and said, “Sir, I request you for a little favour. The
target for your aim is my own brother. If he were to
inherit my father’s property, I stand to share half of it,
by virtue of his being, his brother. Now that you are
conferring upon him the cup of immortality, I beg to
claim half of it.”
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350 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
It amused the Lord, and he said, “‘I grant, come and
take your stand behind your brother; so that my
bullet may deal with both of you squarely.”
They both stood straight, and vied with each other,
too eager to receive the shot.
The Guru shouldered the gun, aimed at them and
clicked the gun. But the Lord took care to pass the
bullet over their heads. But the Sikhs did not swerve
even a hair-breadth. Even as the rays of the sun touch
the soul of the earth, a million flowers and leaves
spring forth with arms spread out to meet the lyrical
soul, similarly at the call of the Master’s musket,
disciples came running to him holding their heads on
the palms of their hands. Is not this loving response
akin to the mute yet spontaneous response of the
Gopikas of Bindraban to the call of the Krishna’s
flute?
Dalla, witnessed the scene. He was astonished.
This stirred his spirits, and he requested the Master to
administer him and his men his life-giving Amrit.
Thousands of people took Amrit here. The Guru’s
Darbar here was now as splendid as it used to be at
Anandpur. Poets and scholars who had gathered
around him at Lakhi Jungle had accompanied him to
Dam-Dama Sahib.
By this time, all restrictions against the Guru had
been removed. For on receipt of the Zafar-Nama,
the governors had been ordered by Aurangzeb to
cease molesting the Guru. It was here that the Guru’s
consort and the Mother of the Khalsa joined the Lord.
When they arrived, the Guru was seated in a big
gathering of the disciples numbering about 125,000*
*According to Dr. Trump.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 351
who were singing the immortal songs. Addressing
the Lord, the mother of the Children said:
“‘Where are my Four, Sire? Where are my Four?.
He replied:
“What of thy Four,
O Mother of the Children!
What of thy Four
When lives the whole people, the Khalsa here and all over.
Gone, gone are thy Four
As sacrifice for the life of these millions and more, all thy sons!
O Mother of the Children!
What if thy Four are no more?”
At Dam Dama Sahib, the Master sent for the
original copy of the Granth Sahib from Kartarpur,
at the river Beas, in order to incorporate Guru Tegh
Bahadur’s hymns in it, but the foolish Mahants would
not part with it. So the Guru from his intense
‘Dhyanam’ of the Word dictated the whole of Granth
Sahib, comprising 1430 pages, to Bhai Mani Singh.
Granth Sahib had a second birth from Guru Gobind
Singh, and it came out of his soul, as came his Khalsa.
(32) Bahadur Shah approaches The Guru for help :
Meanwhile, Aurangzeb died in Deccan in February
1707. His death was followed by a war of succession
between his sons. Bahadur Shah, who was the eldest
son, hurried down from Peshawar to oppose his younger
brother, Azam, who had proclaimed himself Emperor.
Now Bahadur Shah sent Bhai Nandlal, to the
Guru and requested him to help him in obtaining the
throne. It has already been stated that Bhai Nand
Lal had been a secretary to the prince, but for a long
time had taken shelter at the Guru’s Darbar. Bahadur
Shah promised the Guru, to be fair and just to the
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352 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Hindus and Muslims alike, and to undo all that his
father had done against them and to atone for the
injustice and oppression committed by his father—the
late Emperor. So the Guru helped him with a detach-
ment of his men in the battle of Jaju and Bahadur
Shah came out victorious.
In grateful regards for the Guru’s timely help,
Bahadur Shah invited him to Agra where he was being
crowned. Bahadur Shah presented to the Guru a rich
Robe of honour and jewelled scarf (worth sixty
thousand Rupees).
After coronation, the Emperor had to go to the
South. He invited the Guru to accompany him, if
he so desired. The Guru had his own mission in
Deccan, he therefore, decided to go in his company.
For his object was also to impress upon the Emperor’s
mind the utter folly of the bigotry, animosity and
narrow mindedness with which the Hindu subject
was being treated. During this journey to the South
he brought home to the Emperor the atrocities and
monstrous cruelties with which the Muslim rulers tried
to spread their faith and convert Hindus to Islam.
While marching to the South, the Guru occasion-
ally separated from the Emperor in order to preach
his Gospel. Once the Guru, followed by his disciples
was passing by the ‘Smadhi’ of saint Dadu. In order
to test the faith of his disciples, he lowered his arrow
before the Smadhi as a token of salutation and waited
to see how the Sikhs would react to it.
It is recorded that the Sikhs at once surrounded
the Master and asked him to come down from his
horse and explain himself. They accused him of
having broken one of the principal tenets of his faith
and therefore should be tried by a regular Commission
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 353
of the Five. He was obliged to confess and exculpate
himself by paying a fine of Rs. 125/-. But he was
much pleased with their alertness and in following the
principles laid down and not personalities. Verily,
the Light of the Perfect One had come to shine in them,
when they coud detect a flaw even in the most honoured
of the personalities in the world.
The Guru finally parted company with the Emperor
when they reached Nander (near Hyderabad, Deccan}
on the banks of the river Godavri. He settled there
and began to preach his Gospel of Nam. Thousands
flocked round him to listen to him and be thrilled by
his holy words.
(33) Banda Singh Bahadur: A secluded hut
stood in a beautiful spot on the bank of the river
Godavri. It belonged to a Bairagi or a monk named
Madho Das. The Guru had journeyed a long way
to Deccan, perhaps, to retrieve the soul of this ascetic
and convert him to his faith and ignite him with
Promethean Fire; so that he might continue to fight
the Mughal oppressors and thus deliver the country
_ from their cruel hands. It was as though ordained
by Heaven that the Guru selected him. When the
Guru came, the Bairagi was not in his hut. The
Guru entered the hut and suddenly occupied the
Bairagi’s couch, which no one dared to touch. For
Bairagi was known to possess some occult powers,
and he mused himself in working miracles on
whosoever visited him.
Now his men hastened to inform him about the
strange intruder. The Guru’s followers had also
killed two wild goats and had cooked their meat in
the forbidden square of the Bairagi.
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354 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Madho Das was an orthodox vegetarian and so he
thought this was adding insult to injury. Therefore,
he was mad with anger and rushed back to his hut
ready to take revenge.
He violently moved headlong towards the Guru,
in his fury without waiting to ask for an explanation.
But all his powers failed him. When he found him-
self helpless, he then asked the Guru as to who he was
and what was the purpose of his visit. The Guru
answered that he was Gobind Singh and he had
come to take him out of the evil deeds and to convert
him, and retrieve his soul.
He had hardly caught the eye of the Guru, when
he was pacified and his anger transformed into active
worship. The divine light from the Guru’s eyes dis-
pelled the flickering darkness from the mind of the
Bairagi, who immediately knelt before the Master and
surrendered himself heart and soul and said that he
was his Banda—slave.
The Master then instructed him in the tenets of
Sikh religion and then and there, administered Amrit
to him and initiated into the folds of his faith, and
named him Banda Singh.*
Syed Mohd Latif m. a. in his History of the
Punjab writes:-
“Gobind Singh by his persuasive eloquence and
religious zeal made such a deep impression on the
mind of Banda that he was initiated into the ‘Pahul’
(Amrit Ceremony) and became disciple of the Guru.”
*(Foot Note) : Refer: (1) Tarikh-i-Hind by Ahmed Shah of Batala
(completed in 1817 A.D.)
(2) Bakhat Mal’s book ‘“Mukhtisar Hal-i-Ibtida-i-Firga-Sikhan.
(completed in 1811 A.D.)
(3) Ibrat Nama of Ali-uf-Din Mufti and Mohd Ali Khan Ansari
(1810 A.D.)
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 355
Banda Singh, as he heard from the Sikhs, the
events in the Punjab which had preceded the Master’s
journey to the South, especially the episode of martyr-
dom of the princes at Chamkaur and those of younger
ones, bricked alive in the wall-at Sirhind, his blood
boiled with rage. Anger lit his heart and aroused in
him righteous indignation. He, therefore, yearned with
all his heart to wage war against the tyrants and vin-
dicate himself and punish the evil doers and subdue
the cruel rulers.
The Guru, sometime before he left this world,
granted his wish, at last. The Guru equipped him
with his own bow and quiver containing five arrows,
a standard (flag) of Saffron colour and a battle drum.
He deputed five of the khalsas to accompany him and
help him with their counsel and advice.
Banda Singh was to be the secular leader of the
Sikhs. He was enjoined to adhere to Truth at all
costs and to abide to the counsel of the Five and never
to ignore them. He was assured that as long as he
was true and faithfully obeyed the word and spirit of
Guru’s parting instructions, victory would ever abide
with him. He was also warned that the Divine Grace
was highly volatile and that it evaporated the moment
it was warmed by the flame of self-seeking and
Egotism. He was, therefore, instructed to follow the
Master’s Will and not his own, and thereby save him-
self from dangers and pitfalls. The counsel of the
Five Khalsas (who were fully enlightened spiritually)
would guide and advise him. Banda Singh took the
oath, bowed and departed.
The outstanding example of Guru Gobind Singh’s
power to make the sparrow to hunt the hawk and one
man fight a legion (sava Lakh) was Banda Singh
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356 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Bahadur, a hermit wedded to the creed of non-violence,
whom the Guru made into the greatest general of the
age.
He planted the Guru’s flag in a village thirtyfive
miles of Delhi. The Sikhs from all over the Punjab
gathered under his banner and made such powerful
and devastating attacks that within a few months of
his arrival, they erased the Mughal adminstration from
all over the Cis-Sutlej territories.
Samana, Shahabad and Sadhaura were among the
first important places to fall in Banda Singh’s hands.
He next moved in the direction of Sirhind, whose
governor, Wazir Khan, came out to meet him with a
large force and an innumerable host of Muslim
crusaders. The battle was fought on the plain of
Chappar Chiri on May 12, 1710. The cold-blooded
murder of the young sons of Guru Gobind Singh
associated with the town and its governor was still
fresh in the memory of the Sikhs. They made so
strong and sweeping attack that the enemy could not
stand against them. Wazir Khan was killed in the
battle. His minister, Sucha Nand, who had supported
the order of the governor of bricking alive of the infant
sons of Guru Gobind Singh was put to _ sword.
Sirhind was razed to the ground.
In the next few years Banda Singh fought the
Mughal Subedars in several pitched battles. His
raids extended from the Himalayan foothills where
he set up his headquarters to the Jumna-Gangetic
Doab. Lahore and Delhi were two islands in a
surging sea of Banda’s soldiers. Emperor Bahadur
Shah failed to crush him and died in delusion of victory
over the Sikhs.
In the whole of the world history, there is no figure
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 357
so remarkable, and mighty who without any equip-
ment and without resources could have challenged
the mightiest empire, as that of the Mughals and in so
short a time brought it to its knees as did Banda.
Even the mightiest of Monarchs and the greatest of
the world generals had not performed the wonders that
Banda Singh achieved during a brief span of a few
years. Banda need only to be touched to be stirred
into great action—the gentle touch of the Master was
enough to inspire him to intense vigour and activity
—that he became a hawk from a sparrow.
Guru Gobind Singh, never wielded arms except
to save a soul. Whoever died under his bow, died
on earth only to live eternally in Heaven. Guru was
God-Sent. He was all love. He was the saviour
come to earth. He created an ideal man—Khalsa.
He struggled to establish, the Kingdom of Heaven on
earth, but not to wreak vengeance or build an Empire.
Where love abides there is no room for revenge.
It was not for him to take up arms against those who
slew his sons. When he took to arms, it was to save
the stricken Punjab or down-trodden Kashmir, where
Islam was being forced upon people at the point of the
sword. The Guru raised his sword not for personal
ends but for righteousness—for saving and up-holding
Hindu Dharma from the bigotary and oppression of
the Muslim rule.
But Banda Singh was born retribution, he was the
shadow or the reverse of Guru Gobind Singh. The
sword of Banda Singh Bahadur struck, but he had no
balm, he fought only to punish and kill and not to
save. Aurangzeb reaped what he had sown. Banda
Singh was a personification of all that were vindictive.
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358 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
He recoiled with greater and increased strength of
revenge on the tyrant.
Banda Singh Bahadur overran the whole of the
area from Lahore to Delhi and destroyed root and
branch all those oppressors and cruel administrators
and meted out punishment to one and all for their
past misdeeds.
Ultimately in the winter of 1715 A.D., Banda
Singh was surrounded at Gurdaspur Nangal and
starved to surrender.
Banda Singh along with his family and over 700
companions were brought in irons to Delhi for
execution. The scene is described by Mirza Mohd:
Harisi who was an eye-witness:
“Those unfortunate Sikhs, who had been reduced to this last extremity,
were quite happy and contented with their fate; not the slightest
sign of dejection or humility was to be seen on their faces.—And
if any one said: ‘‘Now you will be killed,’’ they shouted back:
“Kill us then. When were we afraid of death?”
The execution began on the Sth March, 1716,
A.D. and continued fora week. They were watched by
thousands of citizens. The scene, graphically described
by British envoys, was perhaps the first glimpse of
Sikhism given to the West . They record that not
even one Sikh bought his bodily safety at the price of
his faith.
After 700 men had been executed (including a
young newly married boy who refused to accept
pardon) came the turn of Banda Singh on 19th June,
1716. He was taken to Mehrauli, eleven miles south
of Delhi. He was offered pardon if he accepted
Islam. On his refusal to do so, his son, Ajai Singh,
was hacked to bits before his eyes and the boy’s heart
was thrust into Banda’s mouth.
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 359
Before Banda Singh was executed, a Mughal
noble-man, Mohammed Amin Khan, said to him:
‘It is surprising that one, who shows so much acuteness
in his features and so much of nobility in his conduct,
should have been guilty of such horrors.”
Banda Singh replied :—
“Whenever men become so corrupt and wicked and the tyranny of the
despotic rulers passeth all bounds, then Providence never fails to
raise up a scourage like me to chastise a race so depraved; but when
the measure of punishment is full then he raises up men like
you to bring him to punishment. As you and I can see.”
Translated
Banda Singh’s flesh was torn from his frame by
red-hot pincers and he was put to death in a most
brutal manner.
Banda Singh Bahadur lived like a meteor, blazing
a life of transient splendour and yet his name will
sparkle, when true national history of India would be
written, for his wounderous achievements which were
no less than miracles.
(34) Life at Nander: At Nander, the Guru
selected a charming and a lovely spot on the bank
of the river Godavri, and he pitched his camp there.
Crowds of people seeking spiritual light, love and life
flocked to him.
He spent the last days of his earthly life wrapped
in the wonderous glow of ‘Nam’ which was similar
to the life he lead at Anandpur. The same divine
songs, and the soul stirring Words spontaneously
flowed as from a fountain renewing life and vigour
to the lost and forlorn, sad and dry hearts. It was
indeed a model of ‘Anandpur’ reproduced in Deccan.
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Saiyad Khan, the former general of Imperial
forces, who was so much touched with the divineness
of the Guru in the battle field that he chose to fall
at his lotus feet, now travelled all the way from
Kangra hills to see the Master at Nander. One day,
when Saiyad Khan, was seated in the assembly with
the Master and his disciples, a messenger brought
him a letter from the Punjab. The letter, was a sort
of short song from his sister, Nasiran, telling in brief
the story of heroic death of Sayyed Buddhu Shah of
Sadhura. The Emperor’s armies had _ ransacked
Sadhura and treated Pir Buddhu Shah as a rebel
for having faith in Guru Gobind Singh whom they
considered as a ‘Kafir’—infidel. The letter read:-
“‘Shah Sahib is gone to the Abode of Truth and now it is my turn.
Though I have not seen the Master with these eyes, but I have drunk
of His Beauty in my ‘Dhyanam’. I have tied a white ‘Kafin’ on
my head and have slung a Kirpan in my belt.
Thy Sister Nasiran, the Guru’s Nasiran, is blossoming in joy to
meet death as a soldier of the Master. Lo, brother! Farewell.
Now I am going out to fight and die a glorious death.”
The lady, Nasiran, who was born and bred up as
a Muslim, was enlightened by the Master’s divinity
and her devotion led her to sacrifice her two sons,
her husband and then her own life at the alter of
righteousness.
After a long and weary journey, the messenger
had found Saiyad Khan seated in the assembly sharing
the joy and radiance imparted by the Master’s glow-
ing face.
As the letter was read, the Master closed his
eyes and blessed his daughter, Nasiran.
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(35) Guru Gobind Singh’s Ascension: The close
connections between Bahadur Shah and Guru Gobind
Singh for sometime past alarmed Wazir Khan, the
Nawab of Sirhind. For he had orderéd the infant
sons of Guru to be briked alive in the wall and it
was he, who was responsible for inflicting most of
the sufferings on the Guru. He feared that his
life would be in danger if the new Emperor and
the Guru should come to a compromise. He,
therefore, conspired a plot to kill the Guru and he
sent two young pathans to assassinate him.
One day, the Guru was having a nap after the
evening prayers, the two pathans stole into his tent
room. The Master’s sole attendant was also feeling
drowsy at the time and this afforded the pathans an
opportunity to accomplish their mission. One of
them thrust a dagger into his side, fatally wounding
the Master. Before he could deal another blow,
he fell a prey to the Guru’s sabre. His fleeing com-
panion was stabbed to death by a Sikh who rushed
this side hearing the noise,
The Guru’s wound was immediately stiched up by
the Emperor’s European surgeon and within a few days
it appeared to have been healed. Soon after, when the
Master tugged at a hard strong bow, the imperfectly
healed wound burst open and caused profuse bleeding.
But the Guru maintained his usual cheerfulness and
so nobody could guess that his end was drawing near.
But to the Guru, however, it was crystal clear
that the call of the Father from Heaven had come;
therefore, one day in the sacred assembly of the
Khalsa he gave the last and enduring message of his
mission. Having placed five pice and a cocoanut
before the Granth Sahib, he said:—
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362 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
“So had the Eternal Father ordained,
And therefore I set up the Panth,—The holy Way of Life,
Hear ye all my Sikhs,
This is the final commandment;
The Word is Master now—
Guru Granth, the Brahm Gyan, the Song of Nam.
Let all disciples seek the Master in the Divine Word
The Spirit of all the Ten Gurus
Is enshrined in Guru Granth
The Embodiment of the Divine Word.”
(A free translation)
Having spoken the memorable words, the Guru
bowed before Guru Granth, Brahm Gyan (Divine
Knowledge) and so did all the Sikhs after him. As
for his personality, the Guru had already merged
the same in the Five Beloved Ones—The Khalsa.
The Sikh history had been moving towards this
divine end. There was to be no personal Guru in
future for the Sikhs. Gurbani, the Divine Word
would inspire and bring about the inner realization
of the Impersonal Guru. The Guru—God’s Light
is eternal, ever-lasting, ever shining and all-pervading.
His presence can be realized in the firmament of
our soul, through Gurbani, and Sangat (Association
of the Khalsa).
Thus fulfilling and completing his mission he
retired for the night. About an hour and a half
after midnight, he arose and began to recite the Divine
Word. He, then called his Sikhs around him and
bade them the last farewell.
WAHEGLRU JI KA KHALSA
WAHLIGURU JI KI FATEH
(The Khalsa 1s of God, the Lord
And to God 1s the Victory)
(Translated)
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GURU GOBIND SINGH 363
The Sikhs were shocked at what had so un-
expectedly happened. Deep was their grief that they
had not the opportunity of talking to the Master at
the last moment before his departure.
The Master returned to his Eternal Home.
This happened on the Sth of the bright half of Katik,
Sambat 1765 (7th October 1708 A.D.). The Guru
was then 42 years of age. His stay at Nander was
less than a year.
Come out, O Saki ! once again
And manifest Thyself in our inner spiritual realms
And dye our minds in the fast crimson colour of Thy Love
That this may never get soiled
And ever remain spotlessly clean and bright.
Pray, stay on Thy Door of Mercy
A little while more,
And pour out of Thy Flask the Ruby Wine
On our broken bowls
That the very pieces may combine with joy of Thy presence,
And may still hold on Thy Wine,
Till the dead rise, the dumb sing and the blind see
And all the three drunk with Nam-Ras
May dance round Thy Throne
In pristine glory of the manifestation of Man again !
And welcome a new sun rise in a new sky
Incarnadined by the splash of Thy Ruby Wine.
(The Author)
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THE EVER LIVING PRESENCE OF THE GURU
Guru, tre Divine Master 1s a rrolific Being,
With all powers endowed.
Being Supreme, Infinite Spirit,
Nanak, Guru, is for ever and ever in presence.
(Guru Arjan: Bilwal)
Translated.
Our Father Guru Gobind Singh, the Tenth
Master, before he physically left this planet and hid
himself in the Eternal Realms of the fathomless Spi-
ritual Infinity, said to his disciples: “I give you
now these Divine Songs. The incorporated sacred
hymns will be the voice of the Guru to his disciples.
The Word is the Master, now I name this Embodi-
ment of the Word, as Guru Granth Sahib.”
The Guru thus promised his own presence for
all times to come, in the mystic person of “Guru
Granth”. Guru Granth Sahib is Man with Divine
appointment. Guru Nanak is still with us, a Song,
a Book—nay Braham Gyan. We bow to Braham
Gyan—Divinity incarnated. Guru Grantha is in
every home. And the Father still sings so sweet,
his voice still rings in our ears. Gurbani is sur-
charged with the Guru’s Spirit. The Divine Word
enlightens and inspires the seekers of Truth.
The Master is still before us in his Khalsa.
Khalsa is he, who day and night constantly abides
in Ever-Awake Divine Light of Consciousness and in
whose mind the Full Moon of the Divine Light shines
forth. The Man is still the centre of life. The
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EVER LIVING PRESENCE OF THE GURU 365
saint reminds us of the Father’s love, he speaks with
confidence: ‘Look, the Father-of-All is still standing
behind, who sees ye, but whom ye see not. Be full
of reverence every moment of your life. Beware!
let not the Guru-given fire within die out! Keep up
the Flame of Nam, let not the Flame die out.’ Love
for the Man of God is very love of God. This common
thing is precious beyond value. This is what Jewel-
lers know. My soul! Rise, awake and say Hail
Master, Hail Holy One, Lord Thou art Wonderful.”
The disciples of the Master live not by bread
alone, but by every Word that proceedeth out of the
mouth of the Lord. The Guru’s Word is the voice
of God arousing the soul to spiritual effort.
When the Guru appeared to a person, drawn by
his child-like consciousness, he was wonderstruck to
see the Master. He simply blushed and was speech-
less. He did not know what to say and how to welcome
the Lord and sing his glory. The first gift of the Guru
was the gift of the song of praise in the name of Him-
self.
The inspired disciple then praised the Lord by
those songs put into his soul. These flowers of songs
were showered on the Divine Bridegroom. The poet
in person stands in the back-ground of the Guru
Granth. The Guru portion is absolutely silent. It
is Eternity.
The Master also made prayers for the humanity
in the name of himself in the first person and said,
“Come ye little children, let thou thus pray to the
Lord.”
All divine poetry is thus disciple poetry. Words
have been put in the mouth of the disciples for prayer
and praise.
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366 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
The Guru’s hymns are sung to fill the disciples
with the peace of God when they are faint and exhaus-
ted. Gurbani is the living fountain from which
hundreds quench their thirst. It is like a snow-fed
river in which we can dip our soul. This cools down
all fire of passions and we feel refreshed.
Guru’s songs give us joy, they vitalize the whole
of our spritual being, elevate it and ennoble it. We
meet the Master in his hymns and kiss his Lotus Feet.
Nanak pours the infinite of his soul in his lyrics,
which is then poured into the hearts of the disciples
who then participate in the Infinite.
We love to repeat his songs and recite them over
and over again. So profound has been the influence
of the constant repetition of the divine lyric that its
pure cadence has dissolved in the very blood and
bones of our people.
Of course, mere mechanical repetition, like the
Namaz of the Qazi of Sultanpur, will not be a graceful
act. We must learn to live, move and have our being
in the rhythm of the divine songs and gather experi-
‘ence of love sensation and the thrill of life.
A Sikh is enjoined to rise early in the morning,
bathe and say the Japji* of Guru Nanak, Jap Sahib
and ten Swayas of Guru Gobind Singh. He may
also repeat ‘Sukhmani’ and listen to ‘Asa-di-Var’.
In the evening he is to recite ‘Reheras’ and at bed-time,
the ‘Sohila-Arti’. And he is to remember and con-
sciously repeat the Name of God atall times.
The Japji is a revelation, which springs from the
God-illumined heart of Guru Nanak, in direct and
*Readings from the Japji & translation’ of a few hymns of Guru
Gobind Singh are given in the next chapter.
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EVER LIVING PRESENCE OF THE GURU 367
constant touch with the Eternal Reality, the One-in-
all and All-in-One. Japji is the burden of the
whole Guru Grantha.
The day of the disciples begins with Japji.
Whenever the worldly troubles encompass us, we
go to Japji. . And as we rise in the rhythm of Japji,
there is no more distress or dust. The sore melan-
choly of our heart and mind is made whole by Japji.
It imparts the Spark of Life and the soots on our
faces burn up and they begin to glow like roses. It
is a charmed hymn. In its repetition is life.
Guru Granth Sahib is for ever calling us. It
is the call of the Heavenly Father to his children
reminding them that it is time to cease play and
come home—offering to wash and cleanse their dusty
faces and mud-smeared hands and feet with the Soap
of Sabad. Those who heed this call, are purified in
mind and body, receive and drink Nam Ras—the
Honey of Life which the Divine Master gives them.
Henceforth they are brought under the loving care
of the Father, their faces glowing with the bliss of
innocence and love.
Meeting the Guru, the personification of God,
in the subjective realm within us, is a whole spiritual
enlightenment ina glance. Without his Grace we
grope in darkness. When Guru—the Impersonal
manifests himself in our soul consciousness, he merges
out as our personal God, thereby inspiring us with
his continuous and enduring companionship.
Behold! He tarries at the door and gently
knocks, if any man hears his voice and open the doors
of his heart, he will come unto him and reveal himself.
And fill the devotee’s heart with wonderous strange
new feelings, which will quicken every fibre of his
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368 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
being with the creative instict, and a veritable Elixir
of Life. Man’s whole soul will leap with joy, enlight-
enment and perfect peace, that human words and
human mind cannot possibly picture. The man
comes to realize, that after all these weary years of
wandering, he has at last returned to ‘his home’ and
entered into the Kingdom of God within him.
The more complete our faith, sincerity and surren-
der, the more will be the Guru’s Grace and protection
upon us. When he is our strength and shield,
our rock and fortress, whom should we fear? The
realization of his presence will carry us through all
difficulties, obstacles and danger and we can go our
way careless of all menaces, unaffected by any hosti-
lity however, powerful. Such are his loving care
and tender mercies. |
We should, therefore, take all our problems and
difficulties to Him. His touch can turn difficulties
into opportunities, failures into success and weakness
into unfaltering strength. For the Grace of the Guru
is the sanction of the Supreme. Let us, therefore
submit the realm of our mind to him. Guru Arjan
thus speaks in the Ist person while describing the
condition of the mind of a disciple, when he is
touched by the Grace of the Guru:-
“Happiness I have found in the child-like temperament.
I met the Master, he touched me.
Since then joy or grief, pain or pleasure,
Profit or loss or even life and death are same to me.
My mind remains undisturbed.
So long as I remained entangled in my own thoughts, desires and expec-
tations
There were worries, sorrow and suffering.
But since I am touched by the Grace of the Guru,
There is constant peace and joy.
Before meeting the Master,
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EVER LIVING PRESENCE OF THE GURU 369
The more clever and skilful I tried to become
The more were the bondages and chains around me.
But since the Divine Master blessed me by placing his hand on my head,
I became free of all cares, worries and anxieties.
So long ae I was engrossed in ‘My’ and ‘Mine’
I remained, as if, encompassed by poisonous snakes.
But leaving all my cleverness.,
I gave myself up in his hands,
Like a child in the arms of the mother,
Since then, I have slept comfortably without any worry.
So long as I carried the bundles of responsibilties on my head,
I paid the penalties and remained helplessly servile.
I threw all these bundles at the feet of the Master
And took refuge in Him,
Since then have I become fearless,
No more worry, no fear, no sorrow.
(Guru Arjan: Rag Majh)
So we must not leave our hearts cold and bare,
but prepare in them a Royal Throne for the True
King. Girding our loins in readiness, we ought to
keep our lamps burning, as of those who wait and
watch for their Lord. The Master of the House
might appear any moment and delight us saying:
‘I still am here, My little children! Awake and
say: Hail Master! Hail Holy One. Lord Thou art
Wonderful.”
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READINGS FROM GURU NANAK’S JAPJI
td
(Translated)
PROLOGUE
There is but One God—Manifested and Unmanifested One,
The Eternal All-pervading Divine Spirit,
The Creator, the Supreme Being,
(omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent)
Without fear, without enmity,
Immortal Reality,
Unborn, Self-Existent,
Realized through the Grace of the Guru.
JAPJI
True in the timeless beginning,
True in the past infinity of ages,
Even now, He is the Truth,
Sayeth Nanak, for ever & ever He shall be Truth Eternal.
I
Not by thought can He be comprehended
Tho’ one thinketh a hundred thousand times,
Nor by silence can He be grasped
Even if, it were possible at all, to have continuous silence.
Without Him, the desire satiates not,
Even with the world-loads of wealth.
And of the countless clever devices,
Not even one availeth.
How then to attain the Truth?
How can the veil of falsehood be rent asunder?
Abiding by the Divine Will only,
Which is ingrained in our being.
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READINGS FROM GURU NANAK’S JAP]JI 371
IV
The Lord is Truth Absolute
And is manifested in Truth.
Infinite are the ways in which He is described.
His creatures pray to Him for all kinds of gifts,
The Bounteous One gives unwearingly
Naught is our own, all is His that we possess,
What then should we offer
That we might see His Kingdom?
What sweet words shall we utter to win His Love?
In the ambrosial hours of the fragrant dawn
Meditate on True Nam and His glory.
Our actions determine this vesture of body
But salvation comes through Grace alone.
Thus know, O Nanak,
That the True One is all-in-all Himself.
Vv
He cannot be installed (in temples)
Nor can He be created
He is of Himself, devoid of material conditions
Great are they and honoured of Heaven
Who serve His Will,
He is the Treasure House of all Goodness and Beauty.
Sing ye men, His greatness,
Praise the Lord, and hear of Him
Fill thy heart with His Love & greatness
Thus ye shalt go free of pain & suffering
And thy heart shalt be filled with joy & peace.
The Guru’s Word confers the Celestial Music,
The Guru’s Word is the source of divine illumination,
For the Guru’s Word is inspired by the spirit of God.
This life of holy inspiration is the Master’s gift,
Through His Good Will & Love one sees the presence of God
everywhere.
(we recognise no other gods & goddesses)
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372 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
The Guru’s glory is so exalted
that even if I knew,
It would be impossible to express in human language,
But the Guru has unrevelled one mystery:
That there is but One Benefactor of all creatures;
May I never forget Him
(This is repetition of Nam, this is simran)
VI
I would bathe at the sacred places
If by so doing I could please Him,
But what use is this bathing
If it pleaseth Him not that way?
How can mere bathing help,
When in the whole wide world that I see around
Nothing can be gained without right action
In thy own mind, lie buried
Gems, jewels and rubies
Of thought, goodness & virtue
But only if ye hearken to the one counsel of the Guru
That there is but One Benefactor of all creatures;
May I never forget Him.
Vil
Were a man to live ages four,
Or even ten times more,
Were he be known all over the nine continents
And were all men to follow him
And he to win a name & fame
And to get praise & renown of the whole world,
Yet without the Light of His glance beaming on him
He would be of no account whatever,
Such a man would be a worm among vermins,
A sinner amongst sinners,
But wonderous are the ways of the Lord,
He bestoweth virtue on the non-virtuous who repent
And increasing blessedness to the virtuous
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READINGS FROM GURU NANAK’S JAPJI 373
But I can think of none
Who in turn could do Him any good.
(He is the Infinite Supreme, above all!)
XX
If the hands, feet or body become dirty
They can be washed clean with water
When the clothes are soiled with dirt,
Soap is applied and they are washed clean
But when mind is defiled by sin
Naught else availeth
It needs to be washed
With the Love of Thy Name, O Lord
Thy Name can restore to its fair transparency.
‘Virtuous’ and ‘Vicious’ are not mere words
Whatever one does,
One carries its record along
Just as men sow, so shall they reap
O Nanak, they come and go
As ordained by the Divine Law.
XXI
Small indeed is the merit of making
Pilgrimages, penances, compassion and alms giving
If one has not been within oneself
And bathed in Ambrosial River within.
If one has not felt holy inspiration within,
If the seed of Nam is not put in the soil of the heart,
If love has not yet sprung.
All kinds of Beauty are Thine, O Lord!
No beauty whatever I have,
How can I aspire to love thee
If Thou makest me not to see Thy Beauty everywhere!
All hail to Thee!
O Self-existent, Thou art the Word
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374 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Thou art the Primal Truth, Thou art the Eternal Beauty!
XXII
There are millions and millions of worlds below and above ours,
Man’s mind is tired of this great search.
It cannot reach the end of His vastness.
All knowledge of man and thousands of books of East and West
Proclaim with one voice that He is boundless.
How can the Infinite be reduced to finite?
All attempts to describe Him are lost.
O Nanak, He Himself knows how great He is.
XXII
Ours is to lose ourselves in praise and worship
Nor need we know His greatness
No need to fathom the unfathomable.
As the rivers and streams flow into the sea with their song
Let us flow on to the Infinite
Not knowing how vast is the ocean’s flood
Like an Ocean is the Lord Almighty.
The devotees merge themselves in Him
But cannot describe the greatness of the Lord
On the other hand, kings who possess dominion as vast as the sea
With heaps of wealth as high as mountain
Are not equal to the little ant
The ant that forgetteth not God in its heart.
XXVII
The same and the same and the Eternally True is my Master!
He forever, subsists His Name is True.
He is; He shall be; He cannot be thought away
Nor doth He depart.
He made this world of diverse shapes and colours,
Fold on fold, embryo within embryo,
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READINGS FROM GURU NANAK’S JAP]JI 375
That new to new grows
And my Lord watches His own Handiwork
And enjoys its greatness and glory
All moves by His will.
He wills as He wills.
None can undo His will.
My Lord is the King of Kings, the Absolute!
Nanak, it behoves us to remain resigned to Him.
XXVIII
Of what avail are thy ear-rings O Yogi?
To be a true Yogi,
Put on the ear-rings of Contentment,
Make ‘Spiritual Effort’ thy begging bowl and pouch
‘Mind intent on God’, the a ashes ye rub on thy body
‘The thought of the death’ thy patched coat
‘Virgin-like chastity’ thy way, and Faith thy staff
Make ‘Universal Brotherhood’ thy sect.
To subdue the mind is to conquer the world
Hail to Him who is the beginning of all.
And who Himself is without a beginning
The Primal], Pure, Eternal and Immortal
Who is the same through ages & ages.
XXXII
Let my tongue become a hundred thousand tongues
Let the hundred thousand be mutiplied twenty folds
With each tongue I would repeat the Name of the Lord
Many hundred thousand of time
For this is the path leading to the house of Bridegroom
There are steps which we have to mount
And become one with Him.
By hearing the news of Heavens High
The self-conceited persons
Who are like worms crawling begin to vie
With those whose souls are lit by the glances of God,
who beam with Beatitude Eternal.
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376 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
XXXII
O Lord! Throw me not on myself,
Of my power I can nor speak nor observe silence
Throw me not on my own strength;
Of my will I can
Nor pray nor give myself to Thee!
Nor I can follow life nor even death!
Nor by my own power can I a begger be or a king.
Throw me not on myself;
For by myself I can
Nor gain my soul nor the knowledge of Thyself.
Throw me not on myself.
For I am unable to cross the Sea of change.
I cannot, O Lord!
All Power belong to Thee;
Thou alone can do and undo all things
Verily, Verily, Sayeth Nanak, no one can of himself be high or low.
XXXVIII
They, on whom God looks with favour
Toil hard with patience as smiths
Chastity of thought and speech and deed is their Furnace,
On the anvil of understanding
They hammer with the Hammer of Divine Word
With the blast of Suffering and the Bellows of God’s Fear.
In the Crucible of heart full of love, they melt the Gold of Nam
True is this mint where man is cast and recasts in the image of God,
Where Man is the Word and the Word is Man;
On such as these, He showers His grace and Glance and Bliss of Life
Eternal.
(EPILOGUE)
Air like the Guru’s Word gives us the breath of life,
Water sires us, earth is our mother,
Day and Night are the two nurses
The whole world is playing in their lap
Before the Great judge will be read out our actions good or bad;
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READINGS FROM GURU NANAK’S JAPJI 377
According to our actions
Some of us shall be nearer to Him,
Some of us farther off.
But those who have fixed their Dhyan on Nam,
They shall pass above the pain of labour;
Their task is done.
The faces of those victors reflect glory
Nanak, many more, in their company, shall be saved.
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TRANSLATION OF A FEW HYMNS OF
GURU GOBIND SINGH
BY THY GRACE
Thou art O Lord formless, colourless, markless,
Thou art casteless, classless, creedless,
Thy form, hue, shape and garb
Cannot be described by anyone.
Thou art the Spirit of Eternity.
Self-Radiant Thou shineth in Thy splendovr.
Limitless is Thy power.
Thou art the Lord of countless rulers
The King of kings,
The Supreme sovereign of the whole universe
Highest of the high,
Men, gods and demons,
They all sing of Thee
Nay, even the grass blades of the forest
Speak of Thee in myriad of voices:
“Thou art Infinite, Thou art Infinite,
O Lord, who can tell the count of Thy Names?
Thy names relating to Thy deeds I will state
Through Thy wisdom and grace.
(Jap Sahib—1)
Thou art O Lord;
Formless, Peerless, Beginningless, Birthless.
Bodiless, Colourless, Desireless, Dauntless.
Beyond thought, Beyond praise, Beyond apprehension, Beyond
knowledge,
Beyond time, Beyond action, Beyond fear, Beyond defeat.
Immovable, Invincible, Unassailable, Unconquerable,
Immeasurable, Unknowable, Unfathomable, Incalculable.
Above creation, above praise, above name, above definition,
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HYMNS OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 379
Above work, above support, above bondage, above birth.
My obeisance to Thee.
(Jap-Sahib—29)
Thou hast neither sons nor grandsons
Thou hast neither friends, no foes,
Thou hast neither father nor mother
Thou hast neither caste nor lineage
(Jap-Sahib—148)
Thou art O Lord;
Eternal Existence, Consciousness and Bliss,
Destroyer of enemies of righteousness
Merciful creator, Indweller of all, Marvellous, and with Wonderful
powers,
A Terror to the tyrants,
Destroyer and Preserver,
Compassionate and Merciful.
(Jap-Sahib—198)
Thou art O Lord;
Pervading Spirit in all the fourquarter,
Dominant in all the four directions
Self-Existent and abiding in glory
Controlling everything for its good.
Pilot at two crossings, birth and death,
Embodiment of Grace and Compassion
Ever so near to everyone, Protector of all
Everlasting is Thy Treasure and Glory.
(Jap Sahib 199)
Those bathing at sacred places,
Generous, Charitable,
Those subduing the senses and practising physical restraint,
Performing multitude of religious rituals,
Those studying Vedas, Puranas, and Quran,
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380 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Of all climes and of all times,
Those said to be living only on air,
Celebates, restraining their passions
Thousands of them have I seen,
But without the worship and love of God,
All their deeds are of no account.
(Sudha Swaya 4)
Trained armies accoutred with coats of mail,
Powerful, irresistible, unconquerable,
Filled with high martial spirit,
With indomitable determination
Unshaken even if mountains on wings they encounter,
Shattering the ranks of their enemies,
Ready to humble the pride of mad war-mongers,
They pass on leaving this world.
But without the Grace of Almighty God
They are of no account.
(Sudha Swaya 5)
The temple and mosque are the same;
The Hindu worship and the Muslim prayer are the same;
All men are the same; it is only through error
That we see them different.
All men are endowed with the same eyes, the same body
And are a compound of the same elements.
Thus the Abhek of the Hindus and Allah of Muslim
Mean the same Supreme One;
The Puranas and the Quran sing of the same Lord.
They are all of one form,
The One Lord made them all.
(Akal Ustat 86, 16)
O Great God!
Grant me this boon
May I never waver
From doing righteous acts;
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HYMNS OF GURU GOBIND SINGH 381
May I never fear
To fight evil in the battle of life
Instead let confidence and courage
Bring forth my victory.
May my highest ambition be
To sing Thy praises
And may Thy Glory
Be engrained in my mind.
And when this mortal
Reaches its limit
May I die fighting
With unbounded courage.
(From Chandi-Ki-Var)
He who constantly keeps his mind
Intent upon Ever Awake Light of Consciousness,
And never swerves from the thought of One God;
And he who is adorned with full faith in Him;
And is wholly steeped in the Love of the Lord,
And even by mistake never puts his faith in fasting,
Or in the worship of tombs, sepulchre or crematoriums,
Or in anything else but devotion to One God;
Caring not even for pilgrimages, alms-giving,
Penances or austerities
And in whose heart and soul the Divine Light
Shines forth as the full moon
Such a one is worthy to be deemed as pure Khalsa
(ist of 33 Swayas)
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THE SIKH THOUGHT AND WAY OF LIFE
(a) Sikh Belief
Through countless ages, complete darkness brood-
ed over utter vacancy. There were no worlds, no
firmaments. The Will of the Lord was alone pervasive.
There was neither night, nor day nor sun nor moon,
but only God in ceaseless trance. When there was
no creation at all, Nirankar (Formless), the Unmani-
fested Lord, was centred in Himself, Formless and
Self-Absorbed. When He so willed, He became
manifest as also unmanifest—He, the back-ground
of all things. But just before the world of form was
shaped and all was still in a single unit, in a state of
oneness—all in Divine Light, we call Him Ik-Onkar
—the IK—i1—denotes His unity and uniqueness,
He is one without any equal, in whom Nirgun (Abso-
lute,) and ‘Sargun’ (One Being with attributes) both
were reconciled; in whom subject and object were still
one.
Ik-Onkar first formed Himself into Sat Nam.
Sat Nam (The Word)—the Eternal and All Pervading
Divine Spirit is the first manifestation of the unmani-
fest, and in Him all that is, has its being.
The whole universe flowed out of Sat-Nam.
He made all things and unto Himself He shall again
absorb. It is Nam that ultimately leads back the
manifest into unmanifest One.
“For millions and millions of ages and for uncountable aeons,
There was nothing but nebulous density in the beginning
Neither planets nor sky was there;
Only the Divine Will was pervasive.
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THE SIKH THOUGHT AND WAY OF LIFE 383
There was neither night nor day; neither solar system, nor satellites
but only God self-absorbed.
No atmosphere, no gases no sound,
No water or imprimis water
There was no time either.
When God willed, He created the universe
The expanse was caused without a formal cause,
None knoweth the Lord’s beginning nor His end.
The Perfect Guru revealth this secret.
Nanak, those whom the knowledge of the Lord
Maketh to wonder,
Are caught into His Truth,
Since singing His glory,
They become aware of His wonder. ae
Guru Nanak:
(Maru Sohile 1-3-16)
‘‘When Thou willst, forthwith streams out wonderous cosmoses many
Pervaded all by Thy Hallo-Multicoloured, yea! by the Modes Three
Good and Evil then begin to be spoken of,
So did the fear of Hell and hope of Heaven.
There the entangling-net of Maya is cast, and all earthly snares,
Then follow Egotism; Illusion, fear, error and doubt,
Weal and woe, honour and dishonour; these in endless confusion.
A plethora of these verily! difficult, too dfficult to explain.
This is all God’s play and God Himself is the spectator,
But when He lets the curtain fall, then lo! all is One! The only One God.
(Guru Arjan’s Sukhmani Sahib 21-6)
Translated.
“Through His Will He created all the forms of things,
But His Will cannot be expressed.
It is through His Will the streams of life do flow
Some are exalted and are in higher life, others are born low.”
(From Guru Nanak’s Japji)
Translated.
“From the One are all forms, all colours,
Yea, all contain the same air, water and fire;
And He the Lord seeth all in different forms
But rare are the God-wards, who reflect on this.
The Lord pervades all, at all places,
Yea, He the Manifest, Unmanifest.
He, of Himself, awaken one out of Slumber.”
(Guru Amar Das, Gauri Gaareri)
Translated.
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384 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
The Sikh thought is strictly monistic. There
is nothing Eternal or Self-Existent except God. Both
matter and soul are His creation: ‘“‘From One, the
many emanate and finally they all merge in One.”
God is not detached from His creation. But
while He is transcendent, He is also immanent. He
is Sat-Nam—Eternal All Pervading Supreme Spirit,
Which sustains the whole creation. He is One-in-All
and All-in-One. He is thus described in a single
sentence :—
“One Supreme Being-Becoming, All-Pervading Eternal-Spirit, Being
that creates, Without fear, Without hate, Time-less-Form, Unborn,
Self-Radiant, Known by the Grace of the Guru.
(Japji)
In the Sikh scriptures, God is described as the
greatest moral being Whose justice is truest, who hears
our complaints whether expressed or unexpressed,
Who understands all our intention, and Who is the
perfect Master of His Will.
God expresses Himself in His creation. By
this very act, the Limitlessis limited inthe form of an
individual which comes into existence. The indivi-
dual exists as a separate entity so long as awareness
of ‘I-am-ness’ persists.
‘‘T-am-ness’ or egoism is the limiting factor which
limits the Limitless, Universal Consciousness into
individual consciousness, separating Jiv-Atma from
Param-Atma and creates the separated-asserting-self.
It is because of this egoism that we are born, live,
suffer and die.
The Root of Evil
Thus self-hood, or ego is the deep-rooted disease
from which man suffers and is, therefore, the root of
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THE SIKH THOUGHT AND WAY OF LIFE 385
evil, sin and the cause of pain. This self-hood, or
individuality, appearing in the shadow of Maya,
under interplay of three GUNAS (Raj, Sat, Tam)
creates ‘Karma’ (action) and binds the individual
to the wheel of birth and death. As long as the
asserting of self persists, the Jiv-Atma or the individual
soul, must reap the fruits of its own action or karma
and remain subject to transmigration.
‘‘The Jiva is bound by his own action.
(Guru Ram Das : Bhairon)
As long as he knows himself as theZdoer
He is subject to re-birth.”
(Guru Arjan: Gauri Sukhmani)
Translated
Maya
We see neither God, nor His creation, in its true
light, because we are enveloped by Maya (The Great
Iilusion) which individualizes our personality and
gives the feelings of ‘I-am-ness’. But from where
has Maya descended?
It, too, is the creation of the Self-Same Supreme
God; for darkness is nothing but the other side of
the light, and yet how could we distinguish between
light and darkness without knowing and coming to
grip with either?
Maya, according to Sikhism has_ no positive
existence. As the individual limited consciousness
perceives the Reality only in the form of partial
knowledge, which is a necessary corallary on account
of the process of involution. Just as darkness is
is merely a negative aspect of the light so is Maya or
ignorance, which causes illusion and doubt, an
absence of knowledge.
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386 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
The World is described in the Sikh scriptures not
as an illusion or a source of sin, but as the very house
of God in which he lives. The earth, therefore,
becomes sanctified, being the “‘Abode of the True
One.”; for how could that who is_ Eternally
True, create some thing which is eternally false?’
True this world is transient and is subject to change
and there are greater realities than this; but this does
not mean that the world does not exist at all and is
a mere dream, though it may be short-lived like a
dream. But it does exist in reality.
The Evil: Good and evil are stern facts, and by
no Vedantic hocus-pocus can we get rid of our indivi-
dual responsibility for what we do. We carry the
impressions of our deeds wherever we go, thereby
determining our future accordingly:
“Good and Evil are not mere verbosity
Whatever one does, one carries its records along
Man reaps what he sows
God so wills it, O Nanak,
That consequently man must be subject to the cycle of births and deaths.
(Translated Japyi: 20)
The question arises if God is good, why should
there be evil at all in God’s creation. From where
has it come? Was it God who created evil or whether
evil was due to the misuse of the gift of Free Will? A
good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit. The whole
creation emanates from God, according to Sikhism.
And because God is the embodiment of all that is
good, nothing that emanates from Him could be real
evil, all that is from God is good.
Evil is only something which is a partial view
of the whole, something that gives that impression
when not seen from the correct perspective. It is
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an essential aspect of creation. Evil and good appear
at one stage of this involution-cum-evolution and they
disappear when the process of evolution culminates
into the unitive experience of God, just as the white
ray of light splits into its variegated spectrum while
passing through a prism, and again gathers these
multi-chromatic hues into its all-absorbing whiteness,
when it becomes itself again.
“ Bura Bhala Tichar Akhda jichar hai du mahain”
Gurmukh eko bujhia ekas mahain samain.”
Translation: (Rag Sui Mohalla Guru Amar Dass)
“AS long as man remains in duality, he talks of good and evil:
But the Gurmukh, who has realized Oneness of God, to him both are the
same as they merge in One.”
The whole of creation is God’s Lila—a play of
love, a sportive delight, whose significance and meaning
is beyond the comprehension of human mind. Lila
is motiveless. It is the delight of the Supreme Soul
that all existence is born, by His delight it remains
in being, to His delight, it departs. Creation is God’s
play, His joy, perpetually inexhaustive, creating and
re-creating Himself for the sheer bliss of that self-
creation, of that Self-expression. By this very act
the limitless is limited and the individual comes into
existence as a separate entity. The individual-limited-
consciousness perceives the reality only in the form
of partial knowledge. So this brings in _ illusion,
self-hood and struggle for existence starts. This Maya
of ignorance brings in its train passions, anger, greed,
attachment and self-conceit and these entangle one in the
world. But the glory of light is enhanced by the pre-
sence of darkness in the world. Lust, greed and anger
are there as human sentiments because God desires
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388 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
to mould souls into noble ones, which can conquer
passions and evils. Sufferings, struggle, trials
and tribulations help one develop one’s personality
and character. Although, evil or sin is a fact, yet
it is not a final and all-pervading fact inherent in the
nature of creation.
Evidently, evil is not present on the purely
material plane; for material nature is neutral, it is
neither good nor evil. It is only when evolution
reaches the plane of consciousness that evil originates;
for it is only on this vital plane that self-assertiveness
finds its expression and becomes forcible enough to
preserve itself against all obstacles and hostile forces.
Evil arises under certain conditions and disappears
when these conditions vanish. Evil is certainly a
product of plurality and diversity, and consequent
limitations combined with self-assertive, or egoism.
In the final stage, when the veil of egoism is rent
asunder and man is in tune with the Universal Will,
then all become one; then there is neither good nor
evil.
Free Will & Fate
As I have mentioned, the Sikh belief is that there
was a timeless time when there was nothing but God
absorbed in Himself, in a passive state; but yet He
remained potential and endowed with His Will.
When God willed, He created the Universe. That
being so, there was no original sin or past ‘Karma’
at the beginning of the creation for which man could
be condemned for ever:
“O when the world of form was not shaped
Where was sin and where was virtue then?
(Guru Arjan : Sukhmani V 15)
Translated
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THE SIKH THOUGHT AND WAY OF LIFE 389
“When there was nothing but void,
Who then acted and for what acts
Could one come to take birth?
It is the Creator who sets the game going
And views it in bliss
It is the Lord who has created the creation
(Guru Arjan: Suhi)
Translated
When once, man goes through a cycle of birth
and death, his character is no longer free of the
past. By virtue of having lived a life once before
he was born anew, he inherits characteristics of his
past as well as that of his family and race. These
characteristics undoubtedly contribute to his persona-
lity and being, and inescapably influence the moulding
of his future. Further, the environment in which
he lives, plays a part in shaping his character.
Apart from these factors that influence his
character, man is fortunate to be endowed with the
free will. This helps him modify those inherited
and acquired tendencies which form his character.
In doing so, he can reform his conduct and behaviour.
Freedom of action
If this were not so, he would not be responsible
for his actions. True, under the circumstances man
is free to choose and act to a certain extent and to
that extent alone, he is morally responsible for his
action.
1. “Good or bad that we do, we reap the reward thereof accordingly”
(Guru Nanak: Var Asa)
2. “Why blamest thou others, blame thy deeds
For thou receivest the fruit of what thou sowest.”’
(Guru Nanak: Patti Asa)
3. “You sow poison, but desire to gather ambrosia,
Strange is the standard of justice you want to set up thus.
(Guru Angad: Var Asa)
Translated
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4. The Lord driveth thee by His command,
But His Pen move according to thy deeds
(Var Sarang Guru Ram Das: Shlok M. 1)
5. That what thou doest is writ upon thy forehead
From whom wouldst thou hide thy shame
When the Lord see-eth all.”
(Guru Arjan: Asa, Chant)
6. “The man reaps what he sows in the field of Karma
Ever remember the Lord, devotion to Him brings happiness.
If we are to gather the fruits of our actions,
Why should we then act in an evil manner?
Do absolutely nothing wrong,
Look always at what is to happen at the end.
We should play the game in such a manner
As not to be loser before the Lord;
We should work so as to make profit in the end.
(Guru Nanak: Asa di Var)
Translated
Thus our mode of existence in the present life
is determined by our deeds of previous births. The
destiny cannot be changed in the ordinary course.
However, Sikhism does not postulate a belief in the
indestructibility of ‘karma’. By constant efforts for
good actions, by ceaseless rememberance and contem-
plation on Nam, we can counteract the effect of our
past sins. By prayer and invoking grace the destiny
can be changed or effaced. There is an interesting
blending of effort and Grace in Sikhism. Grace follows
honest effort, truthful living and loving rememberance
of God. These are intertwined:
(a) Lekh na mithi he sakhi jo likhia Kartar
Ape Karan jin Kia Kar Kirpa pag dhar”
Translation: Destiny cannot be effaced O friend, what has
been ordained by God. But the Almighty who is the cause
of everything may bless mercy.”
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THE SIKH THOUGHT AND WAY OF LIFE 391
(b) ‘“‘likhia pher na Saki jion bhavai Tio Sar, nadar teri
Sukh paiya nanak Sabad vichar
Translation: ‘‘Destiny cannot be changed, as He wills, it
takes place.
But happiness is obtained by thy Grace, Saith Nanak by
meditating on the Divine Word.”
(c) “Janam Janam ke kil vikh naseh kot majan ishnane
nam nidhan gavat gun gobind lage Sehaj dhiana.”
Translation: The sins of several birth are removed and
man gets purified,
By singing praises of Lord in true awareness,
And further the man thus attains the balanced, inborn state
of mind.”
(d) ‘“‘Kirat karm na mitai
Nanak Nam dhan Nahin Khatia”’
Translation: Destiny cannot be effaced if a man has not
earned the wealth of Nam. Nam can counter act the
effects of past Karma.”
Again, the will of the man is not left helpless or
isolated, but if through the Guru’s Word, it is attuned
to the Supreme Will, it acquires a force with which
he can transcend all his past and acquire a new char-
acter. For the Law of Karma is objective and is at
play in the objective world of three ‘Gunas’. But
when man becomes truly spiritual by imbibing Nam
in the spirit, then Karma is of no consequence. The
spirituals reap crops, they had never sown. It is the
Realm above three ‘Gunas’ and beyond the poor
‘Karma’ and its deadly reckonings.
The common man may be susceptible about the
outward incongrueties in the thought of the sacred
scriptures. There may appear to him contractions
and inflicting views on men and things, crossing their
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392 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
lines and planes of thought, cutting each other at
infinite number of little points, now holding out the
law of ‘Karma’ then dashing it down like a fragile
snowball. Now _ saying this is Truth and _ then
enunciating a still higher Truth, one sweet mood is
contradicted by another still more fresh and still more
new revealed. All this gives to the thought in Guru
Granth Sahib the cosmic colour, which baffles all
attempts at analysis, unlike the sphere restricted by
man-imposed division and _ limitation. Beyond
language, beyond meaning, the whole design of Guru
Granth Sahib goes and fascinates the soul by an end-
less repetition and by taking the man from within.
This artful blending of variety of notes goes on to
compose an inner harmony. A chequer-board has
black and white squares, but the design and pattern
of the game depends on both. The contrast, despite
its contradiction, is essentially complementary in
mirroring the Designer through the compactness of
His design. In depicting such design lies the real
beauty of the sacred scriptures.
Life is not sinful in its origin, as we have seen.
Having emanated from a Pure Source it remains pure
in its essence. Impurities, however, pollute its state
—such impurities as actions under Maya, or
delusion. But sinful acts that have tarnished the
brightness of our souls could always be expiated by
Nam and thenceforth the soul sparkles with its origi-
nal gleam and lustre.
Object of Life
The object of human life is to seek God and to
be re-united with Him, from where life issued forth.
Just as all waters must flow down to sea whence they
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THE SIKH THOUGHT AND WAY OF LIFE 393
came, so all life must ultimately go back to God in
Whom it was. All life is transient and moves on and
en, on the whirling wheel of transmigration in
accordance with its Karmas, or actions good and bad.
Having gained a human body, this is our only opportu-
nity to meet our Lord. God, whom we seek, is not
merely a God of mercy or even a distant ruler to be
prayed to and supplicated before, but an all too human
God, like a bridegroom yearning to receive his youthful
bride in His restful Arms. The analogy of the
bridegroom employed over and over again in the holy
Granth to explain and express the idea of the indivi-
dual soul and that of the Supreme Soul is pregnant
with a great meaning.
Process of Purification
We have already seen that it is the veil of ““Haun-
Main” or ‘I-am-ness’ which separates the Jiv-Atma
(individual soul) from Parm-Atma, (Supreme Soul. )
The Guru says:
(@) “Haun haun bhit bhio hai bicho”
It is the veil of man’s self-hood that stands in between. .
(Guru Arjan: Sorath)
Translation.
(ii) ‘“SAntar Alakh nah jaii lakhia which parda haumna pai”
God is within us but unrealized, for there is screen of egoism
in between. Translation.
(iii) “‘Nanak Hukme je bujhe tan haumne kahe na koi” (Japji)
He who realizes the Divine Will shall not assert his self-hood.
Translation.
(iv) “Kiv sachiaran howie kiv kure tute pal
Hukam razain chalna Nanak likhia nal.’’ (Japji)
How then shall we become truthful
How shall the veil of falsehood be rent?
Abide thou by His Command and submit to His Will with
pleasure;
His Will, that is ingrained in our heart.
Translation.
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394 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
Now the seeker or truth is likely to ask: What is
the Divine Will, or His Commandment following
which the veil of Ego will be rent and Truth realized?
Curtain of Sin
Because our conscience has been blackened with
sin, or by the filth of our past deeds, in this life and
previous lives, we, therefore, cannot directly pick up
and conceive the Divine Command. Our minds
have gone out of tune with the Infinite. So in order
to realize the concept of Hukam (Command), we must
approach the Guru or the Divine Master, who is pure
of heart, sinless by nature, clear of conscience and at
one with God, the Lord:
(v) “Jab lag Hukam nah bujhta tab lag dukhia
Gur mil Hukam pachania tab hi ta sukhia.”’
So long as the man does not realize the commandment, he suffers;
But when after meeting the Guru,
The Commandment is realized, he acquires peace and comfort.
Translation.
There lies hidden an eternal yearning in the heart
of the man for the Supreme Being and there can be no
peace unless we seek Him and find Him out. This is
the purpose of life. But under delusion of Maya,
we are running after the shadow with our back to the
Sun of Reality, and, therefore, we do not get peace in
our pursuits of the worldly objects. Our hunger is
never appeased.
(vi) ‘Eh man essa Sat-Gur khoj lao jit sewie janam maran dukh jai
Sansa mul han howai haumen Sabad jalai
Kure ki pal wichon nikle sach wase man aie
Nanak pure karam sat Gur mile
Har jio kirpa kare razae.”
(Shlok M. 3 War Wadhhans M4.)
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THE SIKH THOUGHT AND WAY OF LIFE 395
O my mind seek ye the True Guru
By serving whom the pain of death and birth would end.
There should be no scope left for any doubt
And the ego may be burnt up with the Guru’s Word
The veil of falsehood in-between be removed
And Truth may abide in the mind
Nanak saith the True Guru is met by good fortune
May the Lord’s Grace be upon man.
Transtation.
The Guru gives us the concept of the Command-
ment as under:—
(vii) “Eko Nam Hukam hai Sat-Guru dia bujhai jio.”’
To contemplate upon One Nam is the Lord’s Commandment. It has
been made clear to me by the True Guru.
Translation.
(viii) ‘“Simir Gobind man tan dhur likhia.”
Lovingly remember the Lord, this is the Commandment.
It is embedded in the very core of human personality.
Ttranslatien.
(ix) ‘‘Mal kuri Nam utarian, Jap Nam hoia sachiar.”’
(Guru Amar Das: Var Ram Kali)
It is the love of Nam that removes the dirt of falsehood
By repeating His Name, man becomes truthful.
Translation.
(x) “Sift salahan tera Hukam rajain.”
To praise and eulogize the Lord is the commandment.
Translation.
(xi) “Tis ka Hukam bujh sukh hoi, Tis ka Nam rakh kanth proie”
Realize the Divine Commandment and be happy
Lovingly remember Him always inthy mind.
Translation.
(xu) “Hukam mano Guru kera gawo sachi Bani.”
(Guru Amar Das: Anad Sahib).
Obey the command of the Guru
Sing ye the True Word.
Translation.
(xiii) ‘“‘Bin Sabde bharam na chukai na wichon haume jai.”
Without the Divine Word, the illusion cannot be removed
Nor can the ego go from within.
Translation.
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396 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
(xiv) ‘“Ahanbud bandan pare, Nanak Nam chhutar.”
Egoism lays the snares that bind the man
Nanak, it is the Nam that liberates the man from bondages.
(Guru Arjan: Gauri Bawan Akhri)
Translation.
(xv) ‘‘Har ki bhagat bina nah sansa chuke Gur eh bhet batawe.”
Without devotion to the Lord, the doubts and delusion of Maya cannot
be removed
This mystery has been revealed by the Guru.
Translation.
As we have seen, ego gives man his individuality
and leads him to action. It also ties him down to the
world and sends him on a cycle of births and deaths.
From where does come this ego and how can it be
suppressed. It is caused by delusion or Maya which
brings in its train ignorance or darkness by the very
fact of Limitless creating a limited individual. And this
is God’s Will. Thus ego comes to man because of God’s
Will. It is a deep-rooted disease, but it is not without
a remedy. The evil can be cured when by practice
of Guru’s Word and contemplation on Nam one gets
his tiny little will tuned to the Supreme Will of the
Lord.
Reunion
The mere singing or mechanical uttering of the
Word, however, does not lead to the spiritual realiza-
tion, so long as one’s actions are not in accordance
to the Divine Commandment. It is, therefore,
essential for one treading this path to control, but not
to supress the five desires. Sikhism being a Way
of Life, one has to grapple with life in all its aspects
and manifold activities.
By conscious and loving repetition of the sacred
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THE SIKH THOUGHT AND WAY OF LIFE 397
Name, and its constant association with the life
breath purifies the mind. Says the Guru:
“Intellect clouded by sin is washed by the love of NAM.”
(Japji)
Nam endows the mind with Light, and, therefore,
the power to turn from unreality to reality. It dis-
perses the mist of self and enable man to surrender
himself to the Divine Will. And by complete surrender,
a man, even when performing action, becomes
actionless. Inspired by true devotion, with a passionate
longing for God, a man holds himself as naught,
the Beloved becomes the heart and focus of life,
and no thought or action can be performed except
in relation to Him. They who take refuge in Him,
are freed from the bondages of Maya. What others
seek by mental and physical efforts, by mastery over
the senses, the devotee receives by consecration of his
soul to the Beloved.
When through loving worship of God, our tiny
ego is merged in the Super Ego, our passions and
cravings like lust, anger, greed, attachment and pride
vanish. In the pure and stainless Divine Light, all
darkening shadows disappear. There is no more
delusion, no more sin. The sense of duality is lost and
we work and move in the Lord’s Being and accept
joyously His Will in whatever happens. We become
instruments in His hands. The spark of fire merges
in fire, the wave merges in the expanse of sea. The
drop of water goes back to the Ocean, whence it was.
We may say the man flows out of one self into the
Supreme Being.
It is by the Grace of God that such a devotion
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398 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
fills the heart of the disciple and he becomes one with
God. Such a devotee:
“Is not aware of grief
Even when afflicted with grief
He is not aware of comfort, attachment or fear
To him a lump of gold and clod of earth are the same
He talks evil of none,
Nor is he afflicted by praise
Freed from greed, attachment, conceit
Pleasure and pain, honour or dishonour,
Hope and fear, desiring nothing from the world
No more affected by passion and anger;
On whom the Guru bestows His Grace,
He alone knoweth the way to this conduct.
Nanak, He becomes one with God
As water with water.”’
(Guru Tegh Bahadur: Rag Sorath)
Translated
The Sikh religion draws the seeker of Truth to the
Feet of God, without weaving a cobweb of intricate
philosophical thoughts. A single saying of the Guru
shows the path of salvation. If we move one step,
taking refuge in the Lotus Feet of the Lord, the Lord
comes forward to receive us with millions of
steps. A sincere self-giving needs no spiritual or
philosophical learning. Knowledge imports itself
to him who gives himself up to the Lord.
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THE SIKH WAY OF LIFE
GURU NANAK, upon his advent, found the masses
steeped in the darkness of ignorance with no soul-
consciousness whatsoever. The tyranny and oppression
of the rulers of the day and domination of the people
by the priestly class had led to their demoralisation
and degeneration. What passed for religion contained
more of husk than kernal. The Spirit of Turth was
buried under heaps of senseless dogmas, meaningless
rituals and blind superstitions.
“The popular religion about the time of Nanak’s_birth was confined to
peculiar ways of eating and drinking, peculiar ways of bathing and paint-
ing the fore-head and such other mechanical observances. The
worship of idols—pilgrimages to the Ganges... The springs of true
religion had been choked by weeds of unmeaning ceremonials, debasing
superstition, the selfishness of the priests and thejindifference of the
people.”’
(Sir Dr. Gokal,Chand Narang)
The need of the hour was to restore the faith of the
people in One God and to extricate all that hindered
man’s relation with God.
First Thing First
Nanak placed first thing first. He exhorted the
people to forget all supposed agencies of creation,
sustenance and death. And he restored their faith
and undivided loyalty to One God, as source of all
creation. The religion, that Guru Nanak preached
was strictly monotheistic, requiring belief in none
other than the One Supreme Being only. Guru Nanak
described God as Absolute yet Personal, the Eternal,
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400 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
All-Pervading Divine Spirit, the Creator, the
Cause of causes, without enmity, without hate, both
immanent in His creation and transcendent. He is
not jealous or merely a just God, but God of Love and
Grace. That being so, He creates man not to punish
him for his sins or to reward him for his good actions,
but for realization of his true purpose in the cosmos
and to merge-in from where he issued forth.
Way to Reality
Guru Nanak affirmed God as_ Transcendent
“‘NIRGUN” as also Immanent “SURGUN” in whom
personal and impersonal are reconciled. As such,
he taught, there is a way to Reality, in and through the
human soul. We can move and have our being in
Him who is ONE-in-ALL and ALL-in-ONE. We can have
constant communion with him through prayer. God
being the Supreme Spirit, He is to be worshipped in
spirit and not in stones, idols or pictures.
But there can be no true worship as long as man’s
mind is dark with sin. Without virtues, real devotion
is not possible. So then, how can we purify the
mind?
“Dirty hands, feet and body
Can be washed clean with water;
Soiled clothes washed clean with soap.
But when the mind becomes dark with sin
Naught else but the Love of the Divine Name
Can restore it to purity.
“Righteousness and sinfulness are not mere words to talk
Men’s actions have retribution.
Even as they sow, they reap,
So saith Nanak, they come and go under His Divine Law.”
(Guru Nanak: Japji)
Translated
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THE SIKH WAY OF LIFE 401
‘“Bethinking the Lord, the mirror of mind is wiped bright,
Bethinking Him, Nectrine-Nam illuminest self, like sunlight.”
“By singing His praises, O man, thy filth of mind shall be removed,
Thy inflated-egotism and seed of wickedness shall also be destroyed;
Care-free ever! thou shalt in this blissful eternal dwell,
Remember ever the Holy Presence, with every breath, with every morsel,
Give up all cleverness, O creafty mind,
In the company of the saints, this true wealth shalt thou find.”
(Guru Arjan : Sukhmani Sahib)
Translated.
So, we should humbly pray to the Lord, as for
instance:
“All kinds of Beauty are Thine
O, Lord, no virtue whatever have I,
How can I aspire to love Thee, if
Thou makest me not beautiful of heart and wakest me not
To see Thy beauty everywhere.”
(Guru Nanak: Japji)
Translated.
The continuous daily prayers go on cleaning our
minds and a day comes when the evil cloud of selfish-
ness is removed and the Divine Light within the human
heart shines forth in its full effulgence, rendering all
our thoughts and actions pure and in unison with
His eternal Laws.
Religion—Inspiration of Love
Guru Nanak preached that religion is inspiration
of Love. The Beloved is in His people, and the
service of the people is the service of God. His
followers were to utilize all their energies in the service
of Godand humanity. So aSikh—the Seeker of Truth,
is a householder. He works and toils hard and earns
his living by the sweat of his brow and then lovingly
shares the fruits of his labour with his brothern.
Guru Nanak, thus, brought about a new conscious-
ness, a new awakening, shaking all the old foundation
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402 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
of time-worn society. There was a new creation, a new
life. There is no parallel in the Indian history to the
awakening that took its birth in the mind of Guru
Nanak. He spoke with the voice of a_ deliverer,
up-braided the rulers of the day and condemned the
imposition on the people of the priest class and their
hypocrisy. He thus delivered the people’s mind
from blind superstitions, empty rituals, mechanical
ways of worship and dry formulae, which were so
contrived as to make no demand upon the conscience
of man, and in fact sapped the spirit of faith.
Renunciation Denounced
The hypocrisy of renunciation, the dogmatic
systems of asceticism, the observances of fasts, vows
of celibacy meaningless penances, and mortification
of the body in several ways were all denounced. The
practice of the physical Yogic feats acquired through
mental and physical exercises were declared to be
irrelevant. For, even if the mind could be stilled by
Yogic practices, the man remains still remote from the
‘love of God in this meaningless state of blankness,
even as he was when disquietening thoughts filled his
mind.
All those who sought Guru Nanak were blessed by
his genial smile—this smile of the Infinite, together
with his teachings inspired those who met him, and
they soon forgot the fanatic time-worn views. Instead,
overwhelmed by the Guru, they were wonder-struck
and speechless and became immersed in the Ocean of
Light. What took place is a most remarkable
phenomenon of soul-consciousness. The disciple’s
soul was kindled by a Spark of Life. Henceforth, the
disciples lived by its inspiration. They struggled to
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THE SIKH WAY OF LIFE A03
keep this Flame burning in their soul day and night.
This is what we call ‘Nam-Simran’. His body thence-
forward is a temple, his life a wholly dedicated in
memoriam. His eyes see what those around him do not
see. The man not so awakened sees the world as a
solid reality; the man converted realizes that there are
greater values of life than these and before those the
facts of this world are mere illusions, as transitory as a
passing show. His attitude undergoes a complete
transformation.
Journey to Divinity
The life of the spirit really begins when the rain of
His Mercy falls on man. It is the Guru’s favour that
helps man’s soul on its journey towards the divine.
This attainment could be likened to a man climbing up
a mountain in order to get a full and perfect view of the
valley down below, so the man realizes ‘THAT’ by seeing
the Guru. Guru himself is the religion of the disciple.
He is the Way and the Light. When Bhai Nandlal
saw the Master, his eyes were unwilling to open and see
any one else.
No spiritual regeneration is possible unless the
Guru Sun rises in the firmament of our soul. With-
out him only darkness reigns our minds. His physical
presence or absence from us is immaterial. For Guru
is the impersonal personality above time and space.
All worship in temples, churches and mosques is but
futile without aspiring for this Glow of Life. It is a
phenomenon in a spiritual world, as cosmic as_ the
revolution of the solar system. If this Jewel-of-
Nam is not embedded in one’s consciousness, life is
but one of sorrow, misery, distress and death. But
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404 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
when it glows within man’s soul, life is one of joy,
prosperity freedom and immortality.
Religion purified
When sleep overcomes man, he is not conscious
of his arms that might relax and fall to the sides by
themselves—even so, when the Light of Truth dawns
on man he undergoes a natural phenomena where all
superficial beliefs and notions drop off. So all the
way-side views and view points have been discarded
in the hymns of Guru Grantha. The prejudices of
ethics created by man are thus overcome. All gods
and goddesses are eliminated and dispensed with.
All the so called religious systems of philosophy are
rooted out. The indulgence in pedantic philosophy,
which had become a religious practice of the learned
of those days, was no longer considered to be of any
merit without living a good life. The so called creeds
became broken reeds. All the chaff that was mixed up
with the pure corn of religion was thus separated from
it and discarded. Guru Nanak thus presented religion
in a crystal clear and pure form in all its pristine
glory.
Guru Nanak, unlike the Hindus of mediaeval ages,
does not lay much stress on the meta-physical philo-
sophy of life, which could be intellectually grasped and
comprehended. Instead, he emphasizes the practical
way of life which must be lived and experienced. It
is true, there can be no practice without the doctrine.
Sikhism, therefore, has for its doctrine, its view of
Reality, its view of the nature, of man and his behaviour
and his inter-relationship. But it lays primary stress
on the practice, the discipline and the Way of Life,
which is based not upon rules and laws but on disci-
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THE SIKH WAY OF LIFE 405
pleship and following the pattern or model of life set
before him. In the career of the disciple, the Guru’s
personality is all along operative, commanding his
whole being and shaping his life to the divine ends.
“They on whom Master casts his Glance of Grace
Toil with patience at their crafts as smiths
Chastity of thought, speech and deed is their furnace,
Understanding is the anvil on which they hammer it out,
Divine Wisdom serves as tools for those toilers at life,
With the fire of sufferings and the bellows of God’s fear
They make the heart of Love the vessel in which melts the Gold of Nam
True is this mint where man casts and recasts his being in the Image of
God.”
(Guru Nanak: Japji)
Translated
We find Guru Nanak never preached but only
planted with his own hand the seedlings of spiritual life
in the soul of the seeker of Truth, and watched it
steadly grow into a beautiful flower, as the gardener
watches the flower plants.
Surrender essential
Religion to the Sikhs, is thus the art of living a
beautiful flower-like life, a life of fullness, in all its
aspects, a life filled with the fire and the fervour of God,
a life of light, love and service; a life of vigour,
vitality and valour in the midst of perils. This life
of inspiration is the Master’s gift. Man achieves this
illumination through his goodwill and love. The
enlightened one sees God’s presence in all things and
all places.
But this Spark of Life is the reward for those who
lay down their egoism as a carpet under the feet of the
Divine Master and surrender themselves head and
heart unto him.
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406 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
The world had laid down a number of valuable
commandments; but they were all negative and one
sided such as: “Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not
steal, thou shalt not lie etc.” This emphasis on the
negative side of virtue, lead to the adoptation in the
East of asceticism as the highest ideal of life, which
ultimately meant the negation of all manly duties.
Indeed, the monastic tendency of Hindu philosophy
and Hindu life had well-nigh killed the spirit of true
religion in India. Most of the holy men called the
world “Maya” or deception, and shunned it. The
result was that the so called religious leadership of
India sat idle in slumbering meditation while the
masses groaned under the heel of the Mohammedan
invaders. Unlike many other saints and religious
leaders of India, the Gurus did not allow their followers
to confine themselves exclusively to a life of prayer and
devotion. But they awakened in them a new political
consciousness. Guru Nanak had felt outraged at the
invasion of Babar when the town of Eminabad was
subjected to massacre, loot and rape. Like a wounded
father he shed tears of great sorrow. He did not sit
idle in impotent rage but came forward and offered him-
self to be taken captive. Later he up-braided Babar
when he appeared before him and made him repent for
his deeds.
Sikh Chivalry
During the foreign invasions and days of oppre-
ssion by the rulers, it was the women who suffered most.
But it is sadder still that the Indian men failed to
protect their own womenfolk. But with the advent
of Sikhism however, the diginity and respect were
restored to the noble Indian women. It resulted ina
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THE SIKH WAY OF LIFE 407
magnificent role of chivalry. The Sikhs pledged their
lives for the honour of Indian women. Such chivalry
was even unknown in Europe or Rajasthan in India.
The Sikhs were the knights who performed deeds of
valour with no personal motives of attaining glory,
no passions of worldly love to inspire them in the
performance of their duty. The mere sight of wronged
innocence or exploitation of weakness goaded them to
action. The Sikh chivalry rose to such heights of
greatness that there is no parallel to it in Indian history
or even that of the world.
The ideal of life, which the Guru taught is not
happiness, or a life of comfort devoid from sufferings.
He exhorted the Sikhs to love God and serve humanity,
which in itself provides greater bliss than the so called
happiness and peace of a deadened soul, though in
serving mankind one undergoes the trials and tri-
bulations of life. The disciples were to suffer rejoic-
ingly that they were counted worthy to suffer for His
sake.
By far the most starting and revolutionary fact
of Sikhism is the emergence of a race of God-conscious
men, who operates in the mundane world of the
phenomena, .with the object of transforming and
spiritualizing the life of earth into a higher and more
abundant plane of existence. The God-conscious
man is animated with an intense desire to do good in
this world.
What is the discipline, the practice which Sikhism
recommends as necessary and efficacious for attaining
this God-consciousness and for yoking it to the urge
for transformation of life, and humanity on this earth
and on plane of mundane existence? It is the doctrine
and practice of Nam.
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408 GLIMPSES OF THE DIVINE MASTERS
“At the present age of living no other practice
but that of Nam is efficacious, therefore, practice the
discipline of Nam’’, says the Master. Throughout the
voluminous pages of the Sacred scripture of the Skihs,
this fact is stressed again and again with a wealth of
metaphors and imagery, illustrative material and
exposition, that, at the present stage of mankind
the discipline of Nam is the only suitable and efficacious
practice that will lead to the vision of God. The
limitation and sickness in the soul of man can be
removed only by mercerising it with the chemical of
Nam. Nam heals the wounded soul, wounded by
sin, or by grief or by distress in life.
But it is the Divine Master, the Guru who sows
the Grain of Faith in the soil of the heart. And this,
Little Grain thus inplanted fills the disciple with inner
radiance and blesses him so much that he falls on his
knees and closing his eyes in rapture says: “Hail
Master! Hail Holy One! Lord Thou art Wonderful—
Wahe-Guru, Wahe-Guru!”’
The chosen, thus blessed by Nam, while living and
acting in this world, remain unaffected by its worldli-
ness. The Swan swims across a lake, yet its wings
remain dry in water. The Lotus blooms in a pond,
but remains above and unaffected by its ripples. Even,
so, the enlightened men of God, pass through the
vicissitude of life with perfect calmness and confidence
like that of a child walking beside his father. Life to
such a man is joyous, beatific, and a wonderous
venture. Goodness and peace radiate from such a
person. He is called a Khalsa or a Singh who has
reached the goal of life.
THE END
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