Company of a Saint or Sadhu
The following excerpt is from a book titled 'Divine Mystic Reflections on Gurmat - Talks and Dialogues Book1'.The Book is by the late Saint Scholar Niranjan Singh Ji (Shiromani Kathakar), and is available for free from Sikh nation. Definatley worth a read. Its one of those books that you won't want to put down once you start it.
'This is an incident from the Suraj Perkash Granth. A Gurmukh used to serveholy people; inviting them to his house, serving them food and giving them clothing etc. On their departure from his house, he had only one question to ask of them; a question he never failed to ask any visitor who was about to depart. The question was: What is the fruit or benefit which one gets on meeting and serving the saint?
Their answers would invariably be that God will bless you with property and riches, healthy children, long life, good wife etc. He was never satisfied with any of their answers although they used many different ways to explain to him.
One day, Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji came to this gurmukh's house and was invited to stay the night in his humble home. The following day, when the Guru Ji was about to depart, he put forward the same question to Guru Ji. He told Guru Ji that he had put the same question to many sadhus who he had called at his house but he had not been satisfied with the answers he received from them.
Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji replied "I will answer your question and then explain to you the fruit of serving holy persons(sadhus), if you would listen carefully and do what i request you to do. Early in the morning, leave your house and keep walking until you come to a deep jungle. Don't stop until you come across a tall and beautiful tree in the midst of the deep jungle. Sit down under the shade of the big tree and say Waheguru."
Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji was Akal Roop and could have explained to him everything in his house itself, but he wanted to show the Sikh the practicality of the answer.
'This is an incident from the Suraj Perkash Granth. A Gurmukh used to serveholy people; inviting them to his house, serving them food and giving them clothing etc. On their departure from his house, he had only one question to ask of them; a question he never failed to ask any visitor who was about to depart. The question was: What is the fruit or benefit which one gets on meeting and serving the saint?
Their answers would invariably be that God will bless you with property and riches, healthy children, long life, good wife etc. He was never satisfied with any of their answers although they used many different ways to explain to him.
One day, Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji came to this gurmukh's house and was invited to stay the night in his humble home. The following day, when the Guru Ji was about to depart, he put forward the same question to Guru Ji. He told Guru Ji that he had put the same question to many sadhus who he had called at his house but he had not been satisfied with the answers he received from them.
Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji replied "I will answer your question and then explain to you the fruit of serving holy persons(sadhus), if you would listen carefully and do what i request you to do. Early in the morning, leave your house and keep walking until you come to a deep jungle. Don't stop until you come across a tall and beautiful tree in the midst of the deep jungle. Sit down under the shade of the big tree and say Waheguru."
Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji was Akal Roop and could have explained to him everything in his house itself, but he wanted to show the Sikh the practicality of the answer.
Kabir ja ghar sadh na seviyai Har ki sewa nahi
te ghar marhat saarkhe bhoot basseh tin meh
Kabir, the houses in which the saints are not served
and houses where God is not contemplated.
Those houses are like the cremation ground
and demons dwell in them.
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji 1374)
The Gurmukh did as he was told to do and sat under the tree and said "Waheguru". His sight fell on a branch of the tree where two black crows perched. Within seconds, he observed the pair of black crows changing into white cranes. He sat under the tree for sometime and then made his way home.
He bowed before Guru Ji and told him that he received no answer despite following Guru Ji's instructions. Actually, he had already received the answer but could not comprehend its meaning. He had anticipated an oral answer to his question.
Guru Ji told him to rest for the night and then to go back again in the morning when he would surely get his answer. Off he went and sat under the same tree, not forgetting to repeat the Gurmantar "Waheguru". His eyes again focused on the tree branch and again within a fleeting moment, he saw he pair of cranes transforming into a pair of swans which appeared to be very beautiful. The food of the cranes is fish, frogs etc. but the swans pick up pearls and rubies.
He went back to Guru Ji and said that he still did not get his answer. Guru Ji again asked him to go back the following morning and said that he would definitely obtain an answer this time.
Obediently he went back into the jungle and sat under the same tree saying, "Waheguru". The pair of swans, upon seeing him transformed into human beings and sat under the same tree. The Gurmukh approached and bowed down before them, as was the maryada then, and asked them the same question ie. what is the fruit or benefit a person gets for meeting and serving a sadhu?
The couple(who were husband and wife) told him that they would explain to him - that which he had not understood so far.
They said that they were born a pair of crows because of their karma, and on meeting him (the Gurmukh), they became a couple of cranes. The next day, when they saw him, they became a pair of swans and now they have been transformed into human beings. They have been blessed. Otherwise, it would have taken them millions of births to become human beings from their lives as crows. But, on meeting a sadhu (the Gurmukh), it took them just a few days to be transformed into human beings. That was the fruit of meeting a Sadhu.
Fallen men and persons of evil tendencies have been saved from the wheel of birth and death on meeting a sadhu. The couple then requested the Gurmukh to take them to meet his Guru.
They all came to Guru Ji and in a few moments were blessed by him. Guru Ji then asked the Sikh whether there was still any doubt left in his mind. The Sikh clasped his hands together in prayer and received the light. Akal Purakh, himself had come, in the form of Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji, to his house.
Guru Ji then told the Sikh and the two human beings that they were now free from the cycle of birth and death which had ben severed through their meeting and serving the saint.
He bowed before Guru Ji and told him that he received no answer despite following Guru Ji's instructions. Actually, he had already received the answer but could not comprehend its meaning. He had anticipated an oral answer to his question.
Guru Ji told him to rest for the night and then to go back again in the morning when he would surely get his answer. Off he went and sat under the same tree, not forgetting to repeat the Gurmantar "Waheguru". His eyes again focused on the tree branch and again within a fleeting moment, he saw he pair of cranes transforming into a pair of swans which appeared to be very beautiful. The food of the cranes is fish, frogs etc. but the swans pick up pearls and rubies.
He went back to Guru Ji and said that he still did not get his answer. Guru Ji again asked him to go back the following morning and said that he would definitely obtain an answer this time.
Obediently he went back into the jungle and sat under the same tree saying, "Waheguru". The pair of swans, upon seeing him transformed into human beings and sat under the same tree. The Gurmukh approached and bowed down before them, as was the maryada then, and asked them the same question ie. what is the fruit or benefit a person gets for meeting and serving a sadhu?
The couple(who were husband and wife) told him that they would explain to him - that which he had not understood so far.
They said that they were born a pair of crows because of their karma, and on meeting him (the Gurmukh), they became a couple of cranes. The next day, when they saw him, they became a pair of swans and now they have been transformed into human beings. They have been blessed. Otherwise, it would have taken them millions of births to become human beings from their lives as crows. But, on meeting a sadhu (the Gurmukh), it took them just a few days to be transformed into human beings. That was the fruit of meeting a Sadhu.
Fallen men and persons of evil tendencies have been saved from the wheel of birth and death on meeting a sadhu. The couple then requested the Gurmukh to take them to meet his Guru.
They all came to Guru Ji and in a few moments were blessed by him. Guru Ji then asked the Sikh whether there was still any doubt left in his mind. The Sikh clasped his hands together in prayer and received the light. Akal Purakh, himself had come, in the form of Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji, to his house.
Guru Ji then told the Sikh and the two human beings that they were now free from the cycle of birth and death which had ben severed through their meeting and serving the saint.
Santat hee satsangat sang surang ratey jass gaavat hai
In the company of saintly people,
the persons fall in love with the Name of God
and realize the truth
(Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji 1404)
I'd like to share more stories from this book, as i learned so much from this book, that i did not know previously. I would humbly request that anyone interested in Sikhi should order this book and the follow ups.
Waheguru....
Waheguru....
1 comment:
Another story from the book:
This relates to the sacred pool (sarovar) of santok Sar in Amritsar. When work (Kaar Sewa) was going on for this sacred pool during the time of Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, a box was found at the site of the sarovar. When the box was opened, they foun a sadhu inside. He had pulled his life's breath to the tenth door (dasam dwaar) by way of yoga. This sadhu was in samadhi.
Baba Budha Ji informed Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, who suggested massaging the Sadhu's forehead with almond oil. Upon doing so, the yogi became concious and opened his eyes.
The first question the yogi asked was, "What age (jug) is this? Is it Satjug, Tretajug, Duapur, or kaljug?"
The second question was, "who is sitting on the spiritual throne of Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji?"
Baba Buddha Ji informed he yogi that the age was kaljug and Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji's throne was now occupied by Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji.
The yogi bowed before Sri Arjun Dev Ji and said he was sitting in the box since Satjug. He had aske his guru for Brahm Gyan and wanted to meet Waheguru.
But his guru said that he could only give him material benefits, wealth, sons, etc. but not the Divine Sight (darshan) of Waheguru. The yogis guru said, "I cannot give you immortal life." The yogi replied he did not want any material benefit. His guru then told him that he would tell the yogi the way (jugat) to get salvation.
His guru told the yogi to sit in samadhi till kaljug. Then the fifth Guru on Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Ji's spiritual throne would give him salvation.
So, the yogi sat from Satjug to kaljug in samadhi. Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji gave the yogi Brahm Gyan and the yogi obtained immortality, for which he had long desired. His light blended with the Universal Light
Waheguru.
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