The Guru spent some time at Bakala communicating similar instruction. In the month of Magh, Sambat 1722, he went to Amritsar to bathe in the sacred tank, and behold the paradisal temple of Guru Ram Das. He bathed, but the ministrants[1] of the sacred edifice closed the doors of the Har Mandar against him. He saluted it however from without, then went beyond the precincts, and rested on a spot where now is a stone platform dedicated tohim. He said it was they who were rotten within, who had through greed of offerings entered the temple.
The Guru then went and sat on a common near the spot where now is a cattle-market, and on which is erected a damdama, or resting-place, 1n his honour. When the inhabitants of Amritsar heard what had occurred, they went in a body to him, and with great humility prayed him to return and revoke his prophetic curse, because 1t was his holy ancestors who had founded the edifice. The Guru denied [ p. 337 ] that his words bore the significance of a curse. He had merely stated the condition in which the ministrants then were, and in which they should remain.
Meanwhile a company of Sikhs came from the village of Walla, and with great humility prayed him to go and live with them and bless their village, a prayer to which the Guru graciously acceded. On leaving Amritsar the Guru was escorted by the women of the city. On seeing their devotion he said, ‘God’s love and devotion shall ever abide among you. In commemoration of the Guru’s visit a fair called the Kothe da Mela is held yearly at Walla on the day of the full moon in the month of Magh.
Having communicated religious instruction to the inhabitants of Walla, the Guru returned to his favourite Bakala. Here too he was not allowed to abide in peace, for the old jealousy and enmity of the Sodhis had revived. He therefore decided not to remain there, but proceed in the direction of the river Bas. On arriving at its margin he saw some of his men carrying the Granth Sahib and said to them: ‘ You surely have not brought any of Dhir Mal’s property with you?’ They replied that they had returned everything they had taken from him except the Granth Sahib which they had brought with them. He became angry that they had taken any of Dhir Mal’s property and ordered the Granth Sahib to be restored to him. The Guru upon this crossed the river.[2]
Meanwhile the Guru pursuing his journey arrived at the village of Hazara situated not far from Kartarpur, where a memorial Sikh church was subs sequently built in commemoration of his visit. The next day he reached Durga near Nawashahar where also an edifice was erected in his honour. The [ p. 338 ] Guru thence proceeded by very easy stages to Kiratpur. There again he was plagued with the jealousy of the Sodhis, and sought rest on some land about six miles distant, which he subsequently purchased from the Kahlur Raja. He there laid the foundation of the city of Anandpur in the month of Har, Sambat 1722 (A. D. 1665).
On hearing of the founding of the city, Dhir Mal and the Sodhis became still more envious of the Guru, and determined to ruin him. Of this the Guru was duly warned by his people. He merely said in reply that he himself entertained no envy or jealousy of any one. ‘ He who is angry with the Guru without cause shall obtain his deserts. I do not desire to annoy any one. The Guru’s love and kindliness are at the disposal of all. I have received Guru Nanak’s order to cause the true Name to be repeated throughout the world.’ _ The Guru at that time had another cause of disquietude. The Sikhs of Dihli sent a messenger to inform him that Dhir Mal had instigated Ram Rai to complain again to the emperor regarding his supersession. The Guru dismissed the messenger, and told him to put the minds of the Dihli Sikhs at ease. He at the same time wrote to them, “What can a thousand enemies do to those on whose side God the great Guru is? Kings and emperors are all in His power. No one can be touched except by His will.’
The Guru determined to change his abode, as well to giveinstructions to his Sikhs as to avoidannoyance from his relations. On hearing of his intention the people of Anandpur waited on him. They represented that they had all come thither through reliance on him, and yet he was now going to leave them. They had left their homes for the twofold advantage of being able to see the Guru and derive material profit from their change of residence. The Guru preached to them in reply to their representations— [ p. 339 ] ‘ This world is transitory. You ought never to fix your hearts on it. Profit and loss, weal and woe, rejoicing and mourning, which come according to God’s will, ought to be equally endured. Perform the duties of your religion, and repeat God’s name. Meditation on God’s name is the only means of salvation in this world. Wherefore ponder on it, give alms and practise ablution, serve saints with your mind, body, and wealth ; speak civilly to every one, but keep your thoughts fixed on God. A great being shall be born who shall come to abide here, and contribute to the extension and importance of this city. I have only sown the seed; he shall shade this place like an overspreading tree.’
On the 15th of Maghar, Sambat 1722, the Guru set out on his tour from Anandpur. His first long halt was at Mulowal in the Patiala State. On arriving there the people complained to him that they could only obtain drinking water from a great distance. There was a well near, but its water was brackish and unwholesome. He told them to repeat God’s name over it, draw water therefrom, and they should find it pure and sweet. From that day the well has yielded sweet water. It is still known as the Guru’s well.
The Guru then proceeded to Handiaya, where there was a severe epidemic of fever and great consequent mortality. The inhabitants went to put themselves under his protection and implore him to save them. Upon this the Guru uttering the true Name, threw a glance of favour on them and healed them of all their maladies. Having given them the usual religious instruction he proceeded slowly to Dhilwan.
Thence the Guru proceeded to the villages of Khiwa and Bhikki. In the latter lived a man called Desu who was a disciple of Sakhi Sarwar, He, however, went to see the Guru. The Guru, on seeing a piece of bent iron hanging from his [ p. 340 ] neck, asked him what it was. He said it was an article that satisfied all his necessities. It gave him corn, money, and clothing, and he worshipped it every day. ‘I offer a breakfast of bread and sweets,’ said he, ‘to Sakhi Sarwar. The priest having read a blessing and set aside a portion thereof, returneth me the remainder, which I distribute among the people after satisfying myself.’ The Guru on hearing this said that Desu, a Hindu, did what a true-born Musalman would never do, and he was ruining his prospects both in this world and the next. The Guru then gave him spiritual instruction and he became a Sikh. At parting the Guru presented him with five arrows in memory of the occasion.
On arriving at home Desu fell ill. His wife said it was all the result of his having forsaken Sakhi Sarwar and taken the Guru’s arrows with him. She pressed him to return the arrows and resume his religious allegiance to the Baloch Pir. At first Desu stoutly refused, but afterwards consented. His wife then broke the arrows and threw the pieces away. After some days Desu died, leaving a son called Gainda. Gainda’s brother-in-law committed a murder, and was killed by Gainda. The other brothers-in-law then joined and killed Gainda. And Gainda’s son was poisoned by his relations for the sake of his property. Desu’s death and the tragic fate of his relations were popularly attributed to his desertion of the Guru.
The Guru then proceeded to Maur on the Southern Panjab Railway, where he was awaited by a great concourse of people to whom he preached the true Name. He induced the people to sink a well. It should be buttressed with baked bricks when an opportunity offered. The Guru thence went to Maisarkhana, and thence to Talwandi Sabo, now known to the Sikhs as Damdama. He thence travelled to Kot Dharmwala and was everywhere [ p. 341 ] received with affection by the people. During his journey he was pursued by two thieves, one a Musalman and the other a Hindu, who watched day and night for an opportunity to steal his horse. While the Guru wearied with travel lay asleep on a dark night, the thieves, it is said, saw from their place of concealment a tiger issue from a lonely forest and make three prostrations before the sleeping Guru. The Musalman thief became afraid and said to the Hindu, ‘ The Guru whom a carnivorous animal not only toucheth not, but boweth to, must be some wonder-worker.’ The Musalman would therefore never steal his horse, but would go home. The Hindu thief could not avoid recognizing the Guru’s power, but at the same time remained fixed in his resolution to commit the theft. On awaking in the morning the Guru heard of the theft, and 1n reply to his men said that the horse and the thief would be found standing on a certain spot to the north of his camp. He accordingly sent his servants, and ordered them to bring the horse and the thief before him. The Guru asked the thief why he had stolen the horse, and why he had remained standing with the animal instead of running away. The thief told him all that had occurred prior to the theft, and added that when he had mounted the horse he became blind and could not see his way. He had travelled several miles but could not find the road, and therefore halted at the place where he was arrested. In his contrition he afterwards climbed a jand tree, broke off a portion of a branch, and impaled himself on the stump. The place is now called Sulisar. Thus did the thief gather the fruit of his sins. Such is the punishment, as saith Shaikh Farid, that awaiteth those who perpetrate evil deeds.
The Guru then proceeded slowly to Dhamdhan in the Bangar tract, now a station of the Southern Panjab Railway. It is related that the Guru presented [ p. 342 ] the Chaudhri of the village with funds to construct a well and a dharmsal for the reception of travellers. The inhabitants at that time largely subsisted on plunder, and the Guru was anxious to wean them from that mode of livelihood. One of them took milk to the Guru which he refused as being the produce of theft and violence.
The Guru was accompanied by a Sikh called Mihan who was totally devoted to his service. He drew water, brought firewood from the forest, and performed the most menial offices for him. He always kept a cushion on his head for lifting burdens. It was continually wet from water dripping on it, and his head in consequence soon festered. One day as he was on the point of depositing a pitcher of water which he had brought, his cushion and turban fell off when maggots were seen to issue from a sore in his head. The Guru’s mother and wife observed this, and brought it to the Guru’s notice. The Guru sent for Mihan, gave him a robe of honour, and promised him that he should be a Mahant, or superior of a religious order. The Guru then put his hand on his head, and its pain and sores disappeared. Upon this, Mihan obtained a knowledge of God and of the past, present, and future. The Guru presented him with a bullock of the famed Nagauri breed and a drum and banner to grace his new position.
The Guru then proceeded to Tekpur also called Baharjakh. He abode there for three days in the house of a carpenter who conducted him as far as Kaithal. Thence he proceeded to Barna. The Guru there took occasion to preach against the use of tobacco. ‘Save thy people from the vile drug, and employ thyself in the service of Sikhs and holy men. Rely on the Guru who is the protector in both worlds. He giveth his hand and saveth from affliction. When thy people abandon the degrading smoke and cultivate their lands, their wealth and [ p. 343 ] prosperity shall greatly increase, and they shall want for nothing. They shall possess cows and buffaloes in abundance, and they shall be respected by the world, but when they inhale the vile vegetable, they shall grow poor and lose their wealth.’ Bhai Santokh Singh, author of the Suraj Parkash, gives his own testimony after a visit to the village of Barna, that, as long as the people abstained from tobacco, they were happy, but that those who indulged in its use became idle and lost all their property. Men spent money on tobacco which they ought to have applied to the purchase of grain to live on or sow in their fields. Bhai Santokh Singh baptized several of their descendants according to the rites prescribed by the tenth Guru, and did all in his power to induce them to abstain from the pernicious stimulant.