Friday, 22 February 2013

Guru HarKrishan Ji and the Queen

When Guru Har Krishan visited Delhi he stayed at Jai Singh's place ( which is now the site of Gurdwara Bangla Sahib). However it is said that Jai Singh and his wife (the queen) had some doubts probably because of Guru sahib's age( who was very young : 7-8 yrs of age at the time).
So in order to test the Guru that evening Raja Jai Singh sent his queen disguised as a maidservant.

After the evening prayer, the queen(disguised as a maidservant) visited the Guru, along with some of her maids, and asked the Guru if he could go with them to see the queen to discuss religion with her. The Guru said that there was no need to go to the queen's palace because she could hear him very well if he spoke from his seat. The maids again asked the Guru to accompany them to the queen's palace because it was the royal order. The Guru smiled and said, "I am sorry you care more for tricks than for truth."


Saying this he rose from his seat, picked up a small stick and walked towards the maids. He stroked the first with his stick and said, "God bless you." Then he stroked the second and said, "bhali karre kartaar" He stopped near the real queen, put his stick on her head and said, " Truth is more powerful than tricks. You need to learn more, your Majesty. The time is fast approaching when queens like you will become maids not in disguise but in reality." Everybody, was surprised at this incident and the Guru's words. The matter was reported to the king who felt satisfied that Har Krishan Sahib was the real Guru of the Sikhs.

Friday, 15 February 2013

Bhai Soma Shah

Dhan Guru Ramdas Sahib jee was doing kaar-sewa of sarovar at Siri Harmandir Sahib - Siri Amritsar Sahib. A lot of sangat used to do sewa in digging the sarovar and doing other kind of sewa. Bhai Soma was a Sikh of great humility and did lot of sewa. He used to to sell ghunganiyaan (a kind of snack) to residents of Siri Amritsar Sahib and this way made his living.

One day in the evening Guru Sahib saw him and asked him how much vattee (profit) he had made. He came over to Guru Sahib and did 'matha tek' (paid respect) and with extreme humility answered Guru Sahib. Guru Sahib asked him to hand over all his day's earnings. Bhai Soma did not hesitate for a bit and placed all he had at the 'charan' (feet) of Dhan Guru Ramdas Sache Paatshah jee.

Soma was a very poor person and met his ends with great difficulty. Second day too, Guru Sahib asked him how much he had earned and asked him to give all his earnings to him. Guru Sahib kept doing this for 5 days. Soma who was always broke, did not have any doubts on Guru Sahib. He trusted Guru Sahib one hundred percent and believed that Guru Sahib knows better.

On the sixth day, Soma saw Guru Sahib at the Sarovar looking at the sangat doing sewa, with full Kirpa-Drishtee (gaze of grace). This time Soma did not wait for Guru Sahib to ask for the money but he came, 'matha tekked' Guru Sahib and placed all his earning at the lotus feet of Guru Sahib. Guru Sahib, who was only testing Soma, was extremely pleased at Soma and said, "Today am not going to take anything from you but am going to give you. Hence forth you shall not be Soma but Soma Shah" (Shah means very rich person).

Guru Sahib's 'bachan' (word) of calling Soma, Soma Shah, showered the abundant force of Vaheguru's power to come in action. With waheguru jis grace Bhai Soma became a 'shah' (rich person) and kept expanding his business. He became a shah of not only money but also of Naam.

Friday, 8 February 2013

Baba Bulleh Shah

Once Baba Bulleh Shah was sitting on bank of river when he saw this lady selling carrots. People were coming to buy it, but when they start picking and choosing she would say  "I only sell carrots in volumes there is no pick and choose". So all these people had to buy carrots in volumes/in bulk.

Then there was this beautiful man, who came to her to get carrots, but this time she herself picked the best carrots for him ! Bulleh shah was quite surprised looking at the incident so after this men had left  Bulleh shah asked her how come you let only him to hand pick the carrots, in fact you picked and choose carrots for him yourself. She replied, Bulleh Shah ji, he is my husband, there is no counting/accounts between lovers.

This made Bullah Shah realize, what's the point of carrying a rosary. He put it away and asked himself, Bullah are you insane? Why are you doing counting with your beloved? Why count what Waheguru has given me ? How many times have I done simran or went to Gurudwara, or how much money did I gave for charity and then brag about the same etc ?

Friday, 1 February 2013

Mahant Kirpal Daas at Paonta Sahib

In October 1686 the hill chieftains collected a force of 30,000 men and under the leadership of Raja Bhim Chand and Fateh Shah they rode towards Paonta Sahib. Guru Gobind Singh Ji's army consisted of around 4,000 Sikhs only besides a number of Udasis and Pathans.

KIRPAL DAS, MAHANT, was a leader of the Udasi's.  As his followers, not use to fighting ways, fled, Mahant Kirpal Das stayed back and joined action, flourishing his heavy stick called a Kutka.

He was totally inexperienced in the art of war. Yet by Guru ji's grace he engaged the Pathan chief, Hayat Khan(the chief of the Pathans who had recently deserted Guru Gobind Singh ji's forces), who dealt out a heavy blow with his sword. Kirpal Das received it on his club. Then rising in his stirrups and shouting vociferously "Sat Sri Akaal", he struck Hayat Khan`s head with his wooden truncheon so mightily that his skull was crushed.


The scene is described by Guru Gobind Singh in the Bachitra Natak in an eloquent smile. He wrote:

"Mahant Kirpal, raging, lifted his club and struck the fierce Hayat Khan on the head, upon which his brains spilt forth as butter flowed from the Gopi`s pitcher broken by Damodara."