By Bhai Sahib Randheer Singh jee in Gurmat Gauravtaa
Once, at my home in Narangvaal, Sree Guru Granth Saahib was parkaash and I was sitting before Guru jee at amrit vela doing naam abhyaas, when at dawn a Jatha of 25-30 Singhs came before me. Upon arriving, they bowed before Sree Guru Granth Sahib jee and sat down. One amongst them was a very Khalsa-looking Singh with an open beard.
Upon seeing this Jatha, I stood up and respectfully offered my Fateh to all. I said "it is by your grace that at amrit vela I have seen all you Singhs and have been gratified. You have removed all sign of gloom and laziness. Please tell me some worthy seva (for your Jatha) so I can engage myself in it."
From among them, the impressive Jathedar Singh spoke and said "The seva we have come for, just listen to that. No need for any other seva"
I humbly replied "please ask for that seva, it will be done, but later. First make me grateful by giving me the seva of feeding you" They replied that they had already eaten and were completely full. I interrupted them and asked from where they had eaten so early in the morning and they replied that they had eaten everything at the KuTeeaa and they had also spent the night there (Outside village Narangvaal, there are some idols, around which there are the huts of the idol-worshippers. They are commonly called KuTeeaa).
I heard this and sat down. My second question was "you spent last night at the KuTeea(n) of Narangvaal and then you probably stayed at the Devi Puree Sadh Dera of Raipur the night before?" They replied "yes, indeed, we all spent the previous night at the Devi Puree Sadhu Dera and there bathed and ate." I heard this and because of the rising of Khalsa Spirit in my heart, I said firmly, "you look like Guru Dashmesh jee's tyaar-bar-tyaar Singhs, but it is very unbecoming that
" ਜਾਕੋਠਾਕੁਰੁਊਚਾਹੋਈ ॥ ਸੋਜਨੁਪਰਘਰਜਾਤਨਸੋਹੀ ॥੧॥ "
You are the servants of the great Satguru Nanak and Dashmesh then what on earth did you go to the deras of these false and unfaithful ones for? When you say you 'went and stayed there," I hear this and feel so much shame"
Hearing this, the Jathedar Singh spoke plainly, "Singh Sahib jee, you can kill us or leave us, however, we certainly went to not only those two places, but countless others. You will ask why?" so now see his response:
"Before you, in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib I will truthfully tell you. My name (perhaps you've heard of it) is Maan Singh. I'm a Nirmala. Don't be fooled by my appearance, I call myself a great intellectual-champion. I've gone to KanKhal and other Hindu pilgrimage sites. No one has lasted before me in a debate. Many famous Pandits from many different schools of thought have debated me and I've defeated all of them. Snaatanists, Arya Smajists, no matter, all the great debaters from the big schools of thought have been defeated by me in debates. All give me respect. I am also a very refined paathee of Sree Guru Granth Saahib jee, no one can do an Akhand Paath like me, nor read baaNee like me. I'm also an expert in doing Katha of GurbaaNee. All those sitting here are my 24 or 25 students. I've taught many many such students Katha. You can know that I am proud of all my Gurmat and other knowledge. But despite this pride, and despite all my readings and scholarly nature, I'm empty from the inside. I haven't found true peace. I have totally not found the Gurmat Naam that all of GurbaaNee speaks about. I have considered my inner state, and to find the secret inner peace, which I know can only be found through Gurmat, I have left my home. I will find this peace and Gurmat Naam from wherever I can, no matter where I have to go. For this, I have not left visiting any Saadh or Sant, I have not restrained myself from going to any fake person or fake-dera even. I have visited Naamdhaarees, so-called Nirankaris, Radha Swamis, and all the famous Sants of these paths. "
I interrupted him and said "there too you only found confusion, what did you gain?"
Maan Singh replied "I've gained nothing. My inner yearning and chaos hasn't gone away. All the fake Saadhs and Sants I visited (according to your words) just had a ruinous, confusing effect on me. According to their own schools of thought, they did not hesitate from blowing their mantars and I didn't hesitate to take them, but I got nothing from them."
I said to this: "if you got nothing from them, then why have you taken these young souls as your students. To teach them story-telling and to make them fake/empty Gianis? Why are you ruining them? You have committed a massive sin. Knowing that you yourself are empty from the inside, how did you develop a taste for pointlessly ruining these young souls? First, go return to their homes all these students you've made homeless as a result of you teaching them empty knowledge and pointless stories. Then come alone and having mercy on your state, I firmly promise that we will prepare naam abhyaasee, jyot vigaasee Panj Pyaaray, and from these Guru-Form Punj Pyaaray you will receive the Gur-Deekhyaa (Gurmantar) and you will immediately find peace and salvation. In this dark Kaljug, the right to give the salvation-giving, true Gur-deekhyaa has been given to the Punj Pyaaray in the presence of Sree Guru Granth Saahib. A fake Sant can be praised and considered as big as he wants, but he still cannot alone give Gur-Deekhyaa or give salvation."
Hearing these words, Maan Singh gave his assent and immediately turned back, saying "It is my good fortune that I have come here. Your words were rough and firm, but they are very beloved to me. I don't know how many places I was going to go and be ruined. In the future I'll go nowhere else. According to your request, I'll attempt to return all these students to their homes and return the carts and carts of books I carry, so I can be rid of my false pride of being a great Scholar."
For two or three years I eagerly awaited him, but he never returned. Later I found out he died. Now he will be saved in his next life.
**********
The moral of the story is that wandering different pilgrimage sites and debating on religious matters for egotistical purposes brings no spiritual reward. Those who don't eat for spiritual purposes, or those who wander naked, or those who keep silent all cannot find any salvation without the Guru. They can never be spiritually awakened without the Guru. Those fools who destroy their own bodies and throw ash upon themselves lose their honour in this world and in the next as well. Without Naam, all other hypocritical acts are not any good, and Naam can only be found from the Guru. Without Gurmat Naam, no one can be saved.
Submitting one's self to the Guru leads to discovery of the truth. From the True Satguru, the True Naam can be found. By meditating on this Gurmat Naam, ego is destroyed and salvation can be found. Leaving Gurmat and taking on some other false hypocritical path leads to nothing.
ਲਿਖਿਲਿਖਿਪੜਿਆ ॥ ਤੇਤਾਕੜਿਆ ॥ ਬਹੁਤੀਰਥਭਵਿਆ ॥ ਤੇਤੋਲਵਿਆ ॥ ਬਹੁਭੇਖਕੀਆਦੇਹੀਦੁਖੁਦੀਆ ॥ ਸਹੁਵੇਜੀਆਅਪਣਾਕੀਆ ॥ ਅੰਨੁਨਖਾਇਆਸਾਦੁਗਵਾਇਆ॥ ਬਹੁਦੁਖੁਪਾਇਆਦੂਜਾਭਾਇਆ ॥ ਬਸਤ੍ਰਨਪਹਿਰੈ ॥ ਅਹਿਨਿਸਿਕਹਰੈ ॥ ਮੋਨਿਵਿਗੂਤਾ ॥ ਕਿਉਜਾਗੈਗੁਰਬਿਨੁਸੂਤਾ ॥ ਪਗਉਪੇਤਾਣਾ ॥ ਅਪਣਾਕੀਆਕਮਾਣਾ ॥ ਅਲੁਮਲੁਖਾਈਸਿਰਿਛਾਈਪਾਈ ॥ ਮੂਰਖਿਅੰਧੈਪਤਿਗਵਾਈ ॥ ਵਿਣੁਨਾਵੈਕਿਛੁਥਾਇਨਪਾਈ ॥ ਰਹੈਬੇਬਾਣੀਮੜੀਮਸਾਣੀ ॥ ਅੰਧੁਨਜਾਣੈਫਿਰਿਪਛੁਤਾਣੀ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁਭੇਟੇਸੋਸੁਖੁਪਾਏ ॥ ਹਰਿਕਾਨਾਮੁਮੰਨਿਵਸਾਏ ॥ ਨਾਨਕਨਦਰਿਕਰੇਸੋਪਾਏ ॥ ਆਸਅੰਦੇਸੇਤੇਨਿਹਕੇਵਲੁਹਉਮੈਸਬਦਿਜਲਾਏ ॥੨ ॥
Upon seeing this Jatha, I stood up and respectfully offered my Fateh to all. I said "it is by your grace that at amrit vela I have seen all you Singhs and have been gratified. You have removed all sign of gloom and laziness. Please tell me some worthy seva (for your Jatha) so I can engage myself in it."
From among them, the impressive Jathedar Singh spoke and said "The seva we have come for, just listen to that. No need for any other seva"
I humbly replied "please ask for that seva, it will be done, but later. First make me grateful by giving me the seva of feeding you" They replied that they had already eaten and were completely full. I interrupted them and asked from where they had eaten so early in the morning and they replied that they had eaten everything at the KuTeeaa and they had also spent the night there (Outside village Narangvaal, there are some idols, around which there are the huts of the idol-worshippers. They are commonly called KuTeeaa).
I heard this and sat down. My second question was "you spent last night at the KuTeea(n) of Narangvaal and then you probably stayed at the Devi Puree Sadh Dera of Raipur the night before?" They replied "yes, indeed, we all spent the previous night at the Devi Puree Sadhu Dera and there bathed and ate." I heard this and because of the rising of Khalsa Spirit in my heart, I said firmly, "you look like Guru Dashmesh jee's tyaar-bar-tyaar Singhs, but it is very unbecoming that
" ਜਾਕੋਠਾਕੁਰੁਊਚਾਹੋਈ ॥ ਸੋਜਨੁਪਰਘਰਜਾਤਨਸੋਹੀ ॥੧॥ "
You are the servants of the great Satguru Nanak and Dashmesh then what on earth did you go to the deras of these false and unfaithful ones for? When you say you 'went and stayed there," I hear this and feel so much shame"
Hearing this, the Jathedar Singh spoke plainly, "Singh Sahib jee, you can kill us or leave us, however, we certainly went to not only those two places, but countless others. You will ask why?" so now see his response:
"Before you, in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib I will truthfully tell you. My name (perhaps you've heard of it) is Maan Singh. I'm a Nirmala. Don't be fooled by my appearance, I call myself a great intellectual-champion. I've gone to KanKhal and other Hindu pilgrimage sites. No one has lasted before me in a debate. Many famous Pandits from many different schools of thought have debated me and I've defeated all of them. Snaatanists, Arya Smajists, no matter, all the great debaters from the big schools of thought have been defeated by me in debates. All give me respect. I am also a very refined paathee of Sree Guru Granth Saahib jee, no one can do an Akhand Paath like me, nor read baaNee like me. I'm also an expert in doing Katha of GurbaaNee. All those sitting here are my 24 or 25 students. I've taught many many such students Katha. You can know that I am proud of all my Gurmat and other knowledge. But despite this pride, and despite all my readings and scholarly nature, I'm empty from the inside. I haven't found true peace. I have totally not found the Gurmat Naam that all of GurbaaNee speaks about. I have considered my inner state, and to find the secret inner peace, which I know can only be found through Gurmat, I have left my home. I will find this peace and Gurmat Naam from wherever I can, no matter where I have to go. For this, I have not left visiting any Saadh or Sant, I have not restrained myself from going to any fake person or fake-dera even. I have visited Naamdhaarees, so-called Nirankaris, Radha Swamis, and all the famous Sants of these paths. "
I interrupted him and said "there too you only found confusion, what did you gain?"
Maan Singh replied "I've gained nothing. My inner yearning and chaos hasn't gone away. All the fake Saadhs and Sants I visited (according to your words) just had a ruinous, confusing effect on me. According to their own schools of thought, they did not hesitate from blowing their mantars and I didn't hesitate to take them, but I got nothing from them."
I said to this: "if you got nothing from them, then why have you taken these young souls as your students. To teach them story-telling and to make them fake/empty Gianis? Why are you ruining them? You have committed a massive sin. Knowing that you yourself are empty from the inside, how did you develop a taste for pointlessly ruining these young souls? First, go return to their homes all these students you've made homeless as a result of you teaching them empty knowledge and pointless stories. Then come alone and having mercy on your state, I firmly promise that we will prepare naam abhyaasee, jyot vigaasee Panj Pyaaray, and from these Guru-Form Punj Pyaaray you will receive the Gur-Deekhyaa (Gurmantar) and you will immediately find peace and salvation. In this dark Kaljug, the right to give the salvation-giving, true Gur-deekhyaa has been given to the Punj Pyaaray in the presence of Sree Guru Granth Saahib. A fake Sant can be praised and considered as big as he wants, but he still cannot alone give Gur-Deekhyaa or give salvation."
Hearing these words, Maan Singh gave his assent and immediately turned back, saying "It is my good fortune that I have come here. Your words were rough and firm, but they are very beloved to me. I don't know how many places I was going to go and be ruined. In the future I'll go nowhere else. According to your request, I'll attempt to return all these students to their homes and return the carts and carts of books I carry, so I can be rid of my false pride of being a great Scholar."
For two or three years I eagerly awaited him, but he never returned. Later I found out he died. Now he will be saved in his next life.
**********
The moral of the story is that wandering different pilgrimage sites and debating on religious matters for egotistical purposes brings no spiritual reward. Those who don't eat for spiritual purposes, or those who wander naked, or those who keep silent all cannot find any salvation without the Guru. They can never be spiritually awakened without the Guru. Those fools who destroy their own bodies and throw ash upon themselves lose their honour in this world and in the next as well. Without Naam, all other hypocritical acts are not any good, and Naam can only be found from the Guru. Without Gurmat Naam, no one can be saved.
Submitting one's self to the Guru leads to discovery of the truth. From the True Satguru, the True Naam can be found. By meditating on this Gurmat Naam, ego is destroyed and salvation can be found. Leaving Gurmat and taking on some other false hypocritical path leads to nothing.
ਲਿਖਿਲਿਖਿਪੜਿਆ ॥ ਤੇਤਾਕੜਿਆ ॥ ਬਹੁਤੀਰਥਭਵਿਆ ॥ ਤੇਤੋਲਵਿਆ ॥ ਬਹੁਭੇਖਕੀਆਦੇਹੀਦੁਖੁਦੀਆ ॥ ਸਹੁਵੇਜੀਆਅਪਣਾਕੀਆ ॥ ਅੰਨੁਨਖਾਇਆਸਾਦੁਗਵਾਇਆ॥ ਬਹੁਦੁਖੁਪਾਇਆਦੂਜਾਭਾਇਆ ॥ ਬਸਤ੍ਰਨਪਹਿਰੈ ॥ ਅਹਿਨਿਸਿਕਹਰੈ ॥ ਮੋਨਿਵਿਗੂਤਾ ॥ ਕਿਉਜਾਗੈਗੁਰਬਿਨੁਸੂਤਾ ॥ ਪਗਉਪੇਤਾਣਾ ॥ ਅਪਣਾਕੀਆਕਮਾਣਾ ॥ ਅਲੁਮਲੁਖਾਈਸਿਰਿਛਾਈਪਾਈ ॥ ਮੂਰਖਿਅੰਧੈਪਤਿਗਵਾਈ ॥ ਵਿਣੁਨਾਵੈਕਿਛੁਥਾਇਨਪਾਈ ॥ ਰਹੈਬੇਬਾਣੀਮੜੀਮਸਾਣੀ ॥ ਅੰਧੁਨਜਾਣੈਫਿਰਿਪਛੁਤਾਣੀ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁਭੇਟੇਸੋਸੁਖੁਪਾਏ ॥ ਹਰਿਕਾਨਾਮੁਮੰਨਿਵਸਾਏ ॥ ਨਾਨਕਨਦਰਿਕਰੇਸੋਪਾਏ ॥ ਆਸਅੰਦੇਸੇਤੇਨਿਹਕੇਵਲੁਹਉਮੈਸਬਦਿਜਲਾਏ ॥੨ ॥
No comments:
Post a Comment