[ p. 105 ]
About this time the Guru, thinking that his kitchen was not well served, paid a visit to it in disguise, and asked for something to eat. He received various refusals from the cooks. One of them said that prayer must first be offered. Another, ‘We must first give the Guru his dinner.’ When the Guru had received several similar excuses and nothing to eat, though he urged that he was hungry, he went to Nand Lal to beg his dinner. Nand Lal at once brought forth flour, vegetables, salt, and clarified butter, and handed them to the supposed mendicant, who took them and departed. Next day the Guru in open court told how he had paid a visit in disguise to his kitchen, and how he had been treated. The cooks were very much ashamed and craved forgiveness. He then gave orders that every wandering Sikh who came to his door should at once receive food, whether raw or cooked, without excuse or delay. The Guru continued: ‘There is nothing equal to the bestowal of food. Blest is the man who giveth to the really hungry. Let no one fix a time for the exercise of this virtue. It is not necessary to consider whether it is night or day, evening or morning, whether the moon is dark or full, or if there is a particular anniversary. Nor is it necessary to consider what the social position of the applicant may be. Avoid all delay in sucha matter. Charity is of all gifts the greatest, for it saveth life.’
The Guru had an opportunity of making further trial of the masands. Some Sikhs of Patna, Manger, and other parts of Bengal came to see him. These were accompanied by Chaia and Maia, sons of Bulaki, the masand of Dhaka. One of the Sikhs presented a piece of Dhaka muslin to the Guru as an offering. His courtiers began to admire it, and said they had never before seen such a beautiful [ p. 106 ] fabric. On inquiry it was discovered that the same Sikh had previously made a similar present through the masands to the Guru’s mother, but it had never reached her. Chaia and Maia were scourged as a punishment.
The Guru heard that the Ranghars and Gujars of a town called Bajrur, beyond the Satluj, had plundered some Sikhs. The Guru took occasion during one of his hunting excursions to proceed thither with a small force. The town was invested and exemplary punishment meted out to its inhabitants, so that no one might afterwards be tempted to annoy the Guru’s followers.
A story is told which illustrates the Sikh view of sacred music. A Sikh complained that the musicians on one occasion began to chant before he had quite finished reciting the Sukhmani. The Guru said that reciting the Gurus’ hymns bore the same comparison to chanting them to musical accompaniments as coarse pulse to sweet sacred food. The gyanis supply another comparison, and say that recitation is to chanting with music as well water, which only benefits the owner of a few fields, to rain water which sheds blessings on all.
There is an anecdote told of a Sikh who in the Guru’s presence mispronounced a word in the Granth Sahib, and so gave a wrong meaning to the line in which it occurred. The Guru took the mistake as a text to preach the advantages of correct reading of the Sikh sacred hymns. ‘O Sikhs, listen to what I have to tell you on this subject. Read the Gurus’ hymns correctly. There is the greatest advantage in such reading, for it will ensure bliss here and hereafter. Ifa hymn be written incorrectly, correct it and then read it, as one may mend and usea household article which hath been broken. The man who thus correcteth not the Gurus’ hymns hath no love for them.’
It will be remembered that Guru Teg Bahadur, [ p. 107 ] when in prison in Dihli, prophesied the advent of the English. One day the conversation between Guru Gobind Singh and his disciples turned on this subject. His disciples asked him what the condition of the Sikhs would be when the English arrived. The Guru replied, ‘The English shall come with a great army. The Sikhs too shall be very powerful, and their army shall engage that of the English. Sometimes victory shall incline to my Sikhs, sometimes to the English. As long as the religion of the Sikhs remaineth distinct, so long shall the glory of those who profess it increase. But when the Sikhs become entangled in the love of mammon, think of nothing but their own children, their wives, and their homes ; when those who administer justice oppress the poor and take bribes; when those who sit on carpets sell their daughters and sisters ; when Sikhs abandon the Gurus’ hymns and in lieu of them follow the Shastars and adopt the religion of the Brahmans; when Sikh rajas forsake their Gurus and fall under the influence of the priests of other religions ; when they scruple not to consort with courtesans, and allow their states to be governed by evil influences, then shall the English rule and their glory increase.’ [1]
The Sikhs asked the Guru what should become of the great empire of the Turks. The Guru replied, ‘ Aurangzeb relying on Makkan oracles is destroying the Hindu religion, and in his insane career will stop at nothing short of a miracle. He is even preparing tocontend with me. He respecteth not the religion of the Gurus, but we shall gain the victory, and the glory of the Turks shall fade away. Such of them as survive shall become common labourers and suffer indignities from their masters. At the end of the Sambat year 1800 (A.D. 1743) the Sikhs shall take possession of many countries. Three years after that Sikhs shall spring out of every bush, and there [ p. 108 ] shall subsequently be terrible warfare between the Sikhs and the Muhammadans.
‘A powerful monarch shall come from Kandhar [2] and destroy countless Sikhs. Their heads shall be piled in heaps. He shall continue his progress of destruction to Mathura in Hindustan, and alarm many lands. None shall be able to withstand him. As prophesied by Guru Arjan, he shall raze the temple of Amritsar to the ground, but the Sikhs shall plunder his camp on his retreat from India.
‘In the Sambat year 1900 (A. D. 1843), the Turks who survive shall lose their empire. A Christian army shall come from Calcutta. The Sikhs who are at variance with one another will join them. There shall be great destruction of life, and men and women shall be expelled from their homes. The Sikhs who abandon their arms and join the Brahmans against the English, shall have great sufferings. The real Sikhs shall hold their ground and survive.’
A Sikh called Kahn Singh was once plastering a wall and let a drop of mud fall on the Guru. The Guru ordered that he should receive one slight stroke as punishment. The Sikhs exceeded their orders, and several of them beat the man severely. The Guru on discovering this wished to make reparation, and the reparation was to provide the sufferer with a wife. The Guru asked his Sikhs if any of them would give his daughter in marriage to the plasterer. All remained silent. The Guru said, ‘ You found it easy to obey my order to strike this man. Why not obey my present order ? I find you are Sikhs only for your own advantage.’
It happened that at that time a Sikh called Ajab Singh from Kandhar was present with his virgin daughter in darbar. He said, ‘O true king, my daughter is at thy disposal.’- The Guru complimented him and said, ‘O Sikh, thou hast to-day [ p. 109 ] proved that thou art a true member of the Khalsa.’
The plasterer represented that he would not marry on account of the endless troubles attending wedded life. The girl on hearing this said to him, ‘ By the Guru’s order I am already thine. If thou accept me not, I will not wed another, but remain here to do service at the Gurw’s feet.’ The Guru then interposed and urged the plasterer to wed the girl. He accordingly did so by Sikh marriage rites known as Anand. The Guru promised that he should have five distinguished sons as the result of his marriage, a prophecy which was duly fulfilled.
The Guru now became frequently silent, a matter which caused his mother great anxiety. Seeing him one day alone, she approached him, and after the usual blessing said, ‘Blest am I that such a son hath been born from my womb; but I am now anxious regarding thee. People say that thou art completely altered. Explain why thy spirits are depressed, and thou art no longer cheerful as before.’ The Guru replied, ‘ Mother dear, I will tell thee my secret. I have been considering how I may confer empire on the Khalsa.’
The Guru prescribed convivial rules as a preliminary to his great enterprise. Wherever he had a kitchen, it should be considered God’s own, and the Sikhs should eat therefrom. Should any of them object on the ground of caste prejudice, he should be deemed beyond the pale of Sikhism. Before the distribution of sacred food a prayer should first be uttered. After meals the first stanza of the fifth Ashtapadi of the Sukhmani should be recited as a thanksgiving. When a man had satisfied himself at the Guru’s kitchen, he should take no food away with him. When a Sikh invited another to dine with him, he should accept his hospitality and not find fault with his viands. Whenever a Sikh was hungry, he should be fed and treated with respect.
After this the Guru prescribed some general rules [ p. 110 ] for the guidance of his Sikhs. At the beginning of every work or enterprise they should recite suitable prayers. They should always assist one another, they should practise riding and the exercise of arms. If the Sikhs remembered the Guru’s instruction, he promised to make all the inhabitants of India subject to them. He who cast a covetous eye on his neighbour’s property should go to hell. He who assisted a Sikh to complete any worthy or noble undertaking or study, should obtain spiritual reward.
Being questioned on the subject of marriage relations, the Guru uttered the following : ‘ When I received understanding, my father Guru Teg Bahadur gave me this instruction, ‘“ O son, as long as there is life in thy body, make this thy sacred duty ever to love thine own wife more and more. Approach not another woman’s couch either by mistake or even in a dream. Know that the love of another’s wife is as a sharp dagger. Believe me, death entereth the body by making love to another’s wife. They who think it great cleverness to enjoy another’s wife, shall in the end die the death of dogs.”’
Once when there was scarcity in the land the Guru’s mother, without consulting him, ordered that food should be cooked only once a day, and even then be sparingly distributed. Upon this the Sikhs complained to the Guru. He said, ‘Some evil persons have induced my mother to issue orders contrary to my wishes, but, O Khalsa, the Guru’s kitchen shall be ever open. The Turks shall flay those who have given evil advice to my mother.’ The Guru’s mother on hearing this became much distressed, and with tears in her eyes implored her son’s pardon. The Guru pardoned her, but added, ‘If thou close the Guru’s kitchen, my curse shall avail, but if thou keep it ever open, my curse shall be retracted.’ From that day forth, twofold, nay fourfold supplies poured into the Guru’s kitchen.