Friday, June 13, 2014

Sakhi Series :- 250 (Karamat qahar hai)

Baba Atal Rai Ji 

The Guru's opposition to the misuse of spiritual powers is well illustrated in the story of the sixth Master's son, Baba Atal.  Young Baba Atal was adored by all the Guru's Sikhs.  People considered him most precocious.  Whatever he said, even s a joke, always turned out to have some deep meaning attached to it.

Atal Rai died at the tender age of nine years. The circumstances of his death, as narrated in Gurbilas Chhevi Patshahi, were most extraordinary. 

The Guru's son had a playmate named Mohan.  Once they played a favourite bat and ball game of theirs all day long.  At nightfall, they agreed to go home and that Mohan would serve a penalty he had earned in the game when they resumed in the morning.

At dawn, Baba Atal went to his playmate's house to resume the game where they had left off. Mohan's family, however, was grieving when he arrived.  They told the Guru's son that his young friend had been bitten by a snake and died during the night.

Baba Atal however was determined to continue his game and he was not about to be off.
"Mohan's not dead," he said, "He's alive.  Come, I'll get him."  Arriving in the room where his friend's body lay, Baba Atal touched Mohan's cold remains with his bat and called out, "Mohan, get up!  Say "Waheguru!"  Open your eyes!  You should not sleep so late.  Get up!  It's your turn to serve." On Baba Atal speaking these words, his friend who had shown no signs of life for four and a half hours, rose as if he had been sleeping.  Mohan's family was naturally amazed and grateful to Baba Atal.

When the Guru heard of the people's rejoicing, he was not so pleased. "karamat qahar hai - Miracle-making is violence! None should attempt to intervene in the Will of the Lord," he told his son.

Atal Rai took the admonition to heart. Making a respectful bow, he quietly retired from the Guru's presence. 

Atal Rai took the admonition to heart. Making a respectful bow, he quietly retired from the Guru's presence. Baba Atal went for a bath in the sarovaar of the Harimandar.  After bathing himself, he walked four times around the temple and sat on the rim of the adjacent Kaulsar pool.  Having recited Japji Sahib on the bank of Kaulsar, he lay down on the ground with the stick underneath his head and went to his eternal repose. 

Monday, June 02, 2014

Sakhi Series :- 249 (Guru Nanak dev ji and Raja ShivNabh)

Guru Nanak dev ji and Raja ShivNabh 

Raja ShivNabh's kingdom was visited by Guru Nanak Dev jee, the Raja was an atheist. Guru Nanak Dev jee went to those places where the greatest sinners and evil people were.

ShivNabh's ministers warned him not to meet Guru Nanak jee unless he wanted to be cursed. Four ministers were sent to meet Guru Nanak Dev jee and to stop him reaching the Kingdom. 

They offered a silver plate laden with diamonds at Guru jee's feet. They said, "This offering shows our King's respect for you."

Guru Nanak jee said, "Tell him how can he respect me with mere pennies?"

The ministers were taken back, all other saints had accepted this offering and left the King alone. ShivNabh was told this is no ordinary saint.

Guru jee said to the ministers, "Tell Shiv-Nabh that if he wants to make an offering then he'll have to come and offer himself." 

ShivNabh was an egotistical man and didn't recognise how great Guru Nanak jee was. 

Guru Nanak jee saw everyone for what they were. King ShivNabh was an egotist and thought that Guru jee was probably one too. Next he sent his dancing prostitutes to try and tempt Guru jee but they failed as Guru jee addressed them as daughters.

The minister told ShivNabh. ShivNabh was shaken, for the first time the fear of God entered him and he thought "Who is this uncorruptable man?"

Without firstly having the fear of God, love can't enter. Without love one can't worship Waheguru. 

ShivNabh had the fear of God enter into his mind. He bowed to Guru jee then put together his two hands and made a request.

To ask for something you have to become humble. "Gareeb Nivaz, O Protector of the Poor, I'm the king of this land. Be merciful and give me some seva, or service, to do. But the service shouldn't be small it should be great enough for a King, what can I offer you in return?" 

Guru jee said, "This is the path of love, no one else can travel this path."

Guru Nanak jee said, "If you want to give an offering, then donate something of yours and do something that's going to help you in your next life."

ShivNabh said, "I will donate MY kingdom to you Guru jee." Guru Nanak jee said, "O foolish ShivNabh, I said give me something of yours, this Kingdom isn't yours and its not going to help you in the next world. Your father couldn't take it when he died, your grandfather couldn't take it either and neither can you take it because it doesn't belong to you."

Guru jee repeated his original question and asked, "O Shiv-Nabh, donate something of yours, the kingdom is not yours, the queen that rules it with you is not yours, no donate something that's yours!" 

ShivNabh said, "I will donate MY body to you Guru jee." Guru said 'O foolish ShivNabh, this body isn't yours. Where are your father's and grandfather's bodies now? They had to leave them in this world, the body wasn't theirs and its not yours either. No donate something that's YOURS!" 

ShivNabh said desparately, "What can I give? Take my name." Guru Nanak jee said, "ShivNabh, if you want to give me your name then show me Shiva's Navel, that's what ShivNabh means. You aren't Shiva, you can't give me his navel, can you?" 

ShivNabh was nervous and confused, he said, "I don't own this body, I haven't got riches, I don't own my Kingdom, the Queen doesn't belong to me, O Guru Jee what can I, I give?"

Guru jee said, "But you're in possession of such a great thing that if you give it you'll be saved from birth and death." 

ShivNabh said, "I can't see what I, I, I can give?"

Guru jee said, "Give this I, I, I that you keep stuttering like a goat! You are not a kingdom, you are not a body and you are not your name."

ShivNabh fell at Guru jee's feet a changed man, he said, "Everything is Yours, nothing is mine, nothing is mine Guru jee." 

ShivNabh, the egotistical King, had a complete change in his state of mind. Now ShivNabh, the humble servant said, "I'm nothing."

Guru Nanak jee said, "Now go back to your duties and rule the Kingdom."

ShivNabh replied, "I can't rule, before I, I, I was doing it, but now I'm nothing I can't do it."

Guru jee said, "If someone asks you who's Kingdom you are ruling, just say it's Guru Nanaks. If someone asks you who do you belong to, just reply to Guru Nanak." 

ShivNabh obtained the knowledge of God - BrahmGian. Guru Nanak jee said, "Ask for something?"

He asked for God's Name, "Bless me with Naam and that I may always have a place at your Lotus feet."