Dhan Siri Guru Raamdaas Sahib jee! Today we are celebrating the Gurpurab of Siri Guru jee and the heart felt like talking about Siri Guru jee's historical feats. Presented below is a short Saakhi of Siri Guru jee's conversation with a Tapa.
In the early days of Siri Guru Raamdaas Sahib jee's Guruship, a Tapa (a Hindu ascetic) heard about Guru Sahib through his encounters with Gursikhs. He noticed that Gursikhs of that time did not believe in the teachings of Vedas and Puranas. They did not go to Teeraths (pilgrimages) and did not believe in giving charity to the Brahmins. Furthermore, they did not observe the Varnashram (caste system). This greatly upset this Tapa and he thought of debating with Siri Guru jee on these issues and why Sikhs had turned their back to the Vedas, the most authoritative scriptures for Hindus.
In Siri Guru jee's Darbar (congregation), melodious Kirtan going on. The Tapa came and sat in the Darbar. He listened to some Kirtan and felt a certain pull in his heart. After some time, Guru Sahib asked the Tapa the purpose of his arrival. At this the Tapa lamented, "I have travelled through many states and have met saints of all religions. I have seen and examined many religious books. I have visited many Teeraths and cleaned myself there but I have found that your Sikhs are very egotistic as they don't follow the teachings of Shasters (Hindu scriptures). Furthermore, the Varna system (caste system) prescribed by the Vedic literature has done much good for the world but your Sikhs don't observe it at all. They only recognize you, O Guru, and chant Vaheguru all the time. As they don't accept the authority of the Vedas, how will they get salvation in the next world."
When Guru Sahib heard the slandering of His Sikhs, He asked Tapa a bit forcefully, as to what he had achieved by going to Teeraths.
The Tapa replied by expanding on the benefits of bathing at teeraths. He explained that by bathing at teeraths one gets access to Brahmalok (abode of Brahma in the next world) and also described many comforts of heavens and other such places.
Siri Guru jee explained," in order to receive the pleasures of the next world, you endure the hardships of this life but my Sikhs don't long for these pleasures that are offered in the heavens. They give up the pleasures of Maya not only in this world but also don't desire them in the next world."
The Tapa was taken aback and then Siri Guru jee continued, "you have never served the Satsangat (attended congregation); then how would you know the benefits and bliss of Satsangat. You have not known what the true substance is and have just wasted your whole life in such activities that yield only transient fruits. Satsangat is an extreme teerath where you can wash the dirt of your sins and get your mind imbued with Parmatma (Vaheguru). On the contrary, you have incurred additional dirt of ego on yourself."
The Tapa was obviously upset and shocked to hear that he had wasted his whole life in attaining short-lasting worldly fruits. He now humbly asked Guru Sahib to explain why and how Satsangat is greater teerath than regular teeraths.
At this Siri Guru jee uttered his masterpiece Shabad in Raag Malaar which goes as follows:
ਮਲਾਰ ਮਹਲਾ 4 ॥
ਗੰਗਾ ਜਮੁਨਾ ਗੋਦਾਵਰੀ ਸਰਸੁਤੀ ਤੇ ਕਰਹਿ ਉਦਮੁ ਧੂਰਿ ਸਾਧੂ ਕੀ ਤਾਈ ॥
ਕਿਲਵਿਖ ਮੈਲੁ ਭਰੇ ਪਰੇ ਹਮਰੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਹਮਰੀ ਮੈਲੁ ਸਾਧੂ ਕੀ ਧੂਰਿ ਗਵਾਈ ॥1॥
ਤੀਰਥਿ ਅਠਸਠਿ ਮਜਨੁ ਨਾਈ ॥
ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਕੀ ਧੂਰਿ ਪਰੀ ਉਡਿ ਨੇਤ੍ਰੀ ਸਭ ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਮੈਲੁ ਗਵਾਈ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਜਾਹਰਨਵੀ ਤਪੈ ਭਾਗੀਰਥਿ ਆਣੀ ਕੇਦਾਰੁ ਥਾਪਿਓ ਮਹਸਾਈ ॥
ਕਾਂਸੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਸਨੁ ਚਰਾਵਤ ਗਾਊ ਮਿਲਿ ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਸੋਭਾ ਪਾਈ ॥2॥
ਜਿਤਨੇ ਤੀਰਥ ਦੇਵੀ ਥਾਪੇ ਸਭਿ ਤਿਤਨੇ ਲੋਚਹਿ ਧੂਰਿ ਸਾਧੂ ਕੀ ਤਾਈ ॥
ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਸੰਤੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਗੁਰ ਸਾਧੂ ਲੈ ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਧੂਰਿ ਮੁਖਿ ਲਾਈ ॥3॥
ਜਿਤਨੀ ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਤੁਮਰੀ ਮੇਰੇ ਸੁਆਮੀ ਸਭ ਤਿਤਨੀ ਲੋਚੈ ਧੂਰਿ ਸਾਧੂ ਕੀ ਤਾਈ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਲਾਟਿ ਹੋਵੈ ਜਿਸੁ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਤਿਸੁ ਸਾਧੂ ਧੂਰਿ ਦੇ ਹਰਿ ਪਾਰਿ ਲੰਘਾਈ ॥4॥2॥Humble translation:The holy rivers Ganga, Jamuna, Godavari and Saraswati, make effort to get the dust of the Feet of Sadhu Satguru. They say, "people with dirt of sins fall in us but our dirt is cleansed with the dust of Sadhu.(1)
The dust of Satsangat flew up and fell in the eyes, it erased all my sinful thinking and the devotee did bathing of 68 teeraths in this way. (Rahao).
Jaharnavi (a name of Ganga river) was brought by sage Bhagirathi to this world, and Kedara was installed by Shiva. In Kanshi, Krishna grazed his cows but (instead of these teeraths) one gets honour by meeting Harijans (Gurmukhs of Satsangat).(2)
All the teeraths that the gods (devtaas) have established, they all long for the dust of Sadhu. They say, "if we meet the Sant of Hari, Gur-Sadhu, we would place His dust on our forehead." (3)
The whole of your universe, O my Lord (Swami), longs for the dust of Sadhu but Guru Sahib says, one who has preordained writing on their forehead, gets across (this world) through the dust of Sadhu. (4)
Hearing the Shabad from the Lotus Mouth of Guru Sahib, the Tapa was cleansed of his evil Karma and immediately begged for Sikhi from Guru Sahib. Merciful Siri Guru jee blessed him with Gurmat Naam and this Tapa made his life successful by serving Guru Sahib and Satsangat.
Such is our Satguru jee. Dhan Siri Guru Raamdaas Sahib jee.
Humbly,
Kulbir Singh
(Based on Suraj Prakash Granth of Mahakavi Santokh Singh jee and oral tradition)
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥
