One day the Guru called to his elder son, saying, ‘Come here, crazy Mohan.’ From that moment Mohan, 1n fulfilment of his father’s words, renounced the world, shut himself up in a house, and fixed his attention on God. He used sometimes to eat ravenously with both hands, and sometimes he would speak to no one. His mother, on seeing his idiotic condition, addressed the Guru, ‘ My lord, by thy look of mercy even the dead revive. Be good enough to restore Mohan to reason. Had I known that he should have become like this, I would not have got him married. His wife, thy daughter-in-law, is now sitting in soiled garments mourning and heaving cold sighs.’ The Guru replied, ‘People know not Mohan’s greatness. Tell his wife to decorate herself and fall at her husband’s feet, and she shall have a son.’ His wife accordingly arrayed herself and went to do homage to her husband as he sat alone in his chamber. Her hopes [p. 131] were fulfilled, and in due time she was delivered of ason. On hearing of the child’s birth the Guru said he should become an ascetic saint, who would be called Sant Ram. In a short time the boy’s mother died, and he was brought up under the Guru’s supervision. He became very clever, committed to memory the Guru’s hymns, and used to recite them with great fervour. He compiled the hymns of Guru Amar Das in a volume which is said to be still extant.
A Khatri after much longing obtained a son whom he called Prema. The child’s mother died in giving him birth. Then his father died. His paternal aunt and his sisters, who were nursing him, also died. So did all his paternal and maternal relations, and he was left alone in the world. His property was devoured by designing persons ; and, to crown his troubles, he became a prey to such virulent leprosy that his fingers and toes dropped off, his body melted away, blood trickled from it, and flies, by settling on it and stinging him, completed his misery. Some compassionate person tied a small earthen pot to his neck, that the charitable might put morsels into it for his maintenance. When he changed his place, he did so by crawling ; but nobody would allow him to approach. He heard of the cures effected by the Guru—how he healed the leper, restored sight to the blind, made the deaf hear, and the dumb speak— so his mind was filled with the desire of beholding such a wonder-worker. Trundling along the ground, he with great delay and difficulty reached Goindwal. On beholding the joy that pervaded the Guru’s city and the special happiness of his Sikhs, and on eating food from the Guru’s kitchen, he became so happy that he composed a song in allusion to his bodily ailment, and sang and repeated it with devotion :—
I have now found my lost waist-cloth (body) !
I have now found my lost waist-cloth !
[p. 132]
A crowd collected round, and as they listened to his stammering voice cried, ‘Encore! encore!’ Some put corn, others water into the vessel suspended from his neck. His pains decreased in proportion as he rolled in the dust of the temple. He implored the Sikhs to tell him how he could see the Guru. They replied that, whenever the Guru of his own accord sent for lepers, he might join them. He then began to reflect that his coming was in vain, and if he could find no refuge in the Guru’s sanctuary, whither should he go? He therefore thought that he had better remain where he was and die. He then began to weep and laugh alternately. He blamed the sins of his former existence for having been refused a sight of the Guru, which was free as air to all others.
Some compassionate Sikhs represented the leper’s condition and devotion to the Guru. The Guru said, ‘ He speaketh truly. He hath found his former body. Bathe him to-morrow in the water from my bath, then wrap him up from head to foot and bring him to me.’ The Sikhs acted accordingly. The Guru showed himself to him, and with his own hands removed the cloth in which they had swathed him, when lo! he stood forth in manly beauty and symmetry. He received from the Guru a new name, Murari, one of the epithets of Krishan.
One day in public audience the Guru asked, ‘ Is there any lover of the Guru who will give his daughter In marriage to Murari?’ A man called Sinha stood up and offered to do so. He accordingly took Murari home, and on arriving there sent his wife, who was of stern temper, to her apartment, that she might not see what he was engaged in. Sinha set up a bridal pavilion, and causing the young couple to perform the usual circumambulations and ceremonies, duly solemnized their marriage.
When Sinha’s wife heard of the marriage she ran weeping and wailing to the Guru. ‘A very improper thing hath occurred! I know nothing of this [p. 133] man’s antecedents, or of his caste, or parentage, and yet my husband hath given him my daughter!’ The Guru replied, ‘I am his father and mother, my caste is his caste. Thy daughter’s name is Matho and my son’s Murari. People will afterwards link their names together with reverence. Very fortunate are they who have entered Guru Nanak’s asylum.’ After this the angry mother was appeased, and conferred a dowry on her daughter. The Guru then addressed Murari: ‘Go home now and abide in happiness. Give men initiation by the true Name and save them. Thou too shalt make converts to the faith, and wealth and supernatural power shall wait on thee.’
There was a Brahman called Kheda who was such a devout worshipper of the goddess Durga that he was ever singing her praises. He used to go twice a year to see her arrayed in flame at Jawalamukhi. Once on passing through Goindwal he tarried there in his curiosity to behold the Guru. The Sikhs duly apprised the Guru of the stranger’s visit ; but he as usual said that he could only grant Kheda an interview when he had taken food from his kitchen. Kheda reflected that he was a Brahman, and as such could only eat food which he had cooked himself within a purified square. He could not forfeit his salvation by eating from a kitchen which supplied the four castes indiscriminately. He therefore returned to his party and resolved to continue his journey. It was agreed that they should all proceed on the morrow. At night the goddess of his worship, assuming a terrible shape, appeared to him in a vision. He called out, ‘O Durga, protect me! What offence have I committed ?’ She replied, ‘ Guru Nanak was born to save the world. Guru Amar Das in his image is now on his throne. Turning away from him thou art leaving Goindwal. On this account I have appeared unto thee. Now go, and see the Guru.’ Kheda went back, ate from the Guru’s kitchen, and [p. 134] was then permitted to bow at his feet. In reply to the Guru’s inquiries he told him his whole history. The Guru was pleased with his visit and gave him every consolation. He gave him the spell of initiation as a Sikh, granted him salvation, and bestowed on him the power of conferring it on others. Kheda afterwards materially contributed to the spread of the Sikh gospel.
A pandit called Beni, who expounded the Veds and the Shastars, and who had committed Sanskrit syntax, etymology, and prosody to memory, was travelling round India in great spiritual pride. Wherever he heard of any famous pandit, he went, discussed, vanquished him, and then took possession of all his library. Having defeated in argument the pandits of all the great cities of India, he turned his steps towards Goindwal. The pandits there naturally refused to enter into a discussion with a man who had gained so many victories, and referred him to the Guru. The Guru gave him a seat, and inquired why he favoured him with a visit. He replied, ‘ Thy Sikhs read not the twilight prayers or the gayatri. They perform not pilgrimages, penances, or the religious duties of the Hindus ; how shall they be saved ?° The Guru replied, ‘ Those things sufficed for the first three ages of the world, but in this fourth age they are useless. At present it is the Name alone that can confer salvation. Devotion is the means of salvation, and it is best performed under the Guru’s guidance. Without devotion all ritual is vain. Take a lamp in thy hand and walk not in darkness. Seed can only germinate at the proper season. Jenounce false pride, and perform such devotion as may absorb thy mind in God’s love. Now as thou art a pandit give an answer to my questions :—
Is man a householder or an anchoret ?
Is man without caste and ever immortal ?
[p. 135] Is man fickle or without love for the world ?
Whence hath pride attached to man ?
O Pandit, reflect on man.
Why read so much and bear further burden ?
The Creator attached mammon and worldly love to man,
And according to this law created the world.
By the Guru’s favour understand this, O brother,
And ever abide under God’s protection.
He is a pandit who divesteth himself of the load of the three qualities,
And daily uttereth the one Name.
Such a pandit receiveth the instruction of the true Guru,
And offereth his life unto him.
The pandit who ever abideth apart and unmoved,
Shall be acceptable in God’s court.
To all he preacheth that there is only the one God.
All that he beholdeth he recognizeth as the one God.
Him whom he favoureth he blendeth with God,
And rendereth ever happy in this world and the next.
Saith Nanak, what can one do and how ?
He to whom God is merciful shall be saved ;
He shall each day sing God’s praises,
And not be again deafened with the Shastars and the Veds.’[1]
The Pandit, on hearing this, thought to himself, ‘I have been carried away by the stream of intellectual pride. Now that I have the raft of the Guru’s instruction, I will embark on it, cross the world’s dangerous ocean, and obtain salvation.’ The star of the pandit’s good fortune had arisen ; he sought the Guru’s protection and obtained the fruit thereof. With clasped hands he again addressed the Guru : ‘Great king, I have become a pandit by reading, but until now I have not understood what real knowledge meant. I have been so blinded by pilgrimages, penance, and reading the Shastars, and so absorbed in idol-worship and pride, that I have possessed no [p. 136] real devotion. Now that I have entered thine asylum instruct me and save me.’ The pandit disencumbered himself of all his volumes, and humbly sat at the Guru’s feet for spiritual instruction. The doors of his understanding opened, and he became filled with devotion. Thus having, by the Guru’s favour, obtained salvation while alive, he thanked him and took his departure.
Literally—The Shastars and the Veds shall not again be shouted athim. Rag Malar. ↩︎