by Navtej Sarna
According to the Bala janamsakhi, as Nanak was asked to savour rich dishes of Malik Bhago’s feast, he asked that some food be brought from Lalo’s house too. He then held Lalo’s coarse bread in his right hand and Malik Bhago’s delicacies in his left. When he squeezed both his hands, milk dropped out of the coarse bread and blood from the delicacies. Nanak’s message to the amazed onlookers was clear. Blessed is the simple bread earned by hard work and shared with one’s neighbour and cursed the wealth collected through the imposition of suffering on others.
Lalo’s hut became the meeting place of Nanak’s disciples, both Hindus and Muslims. There they gathered to sing hymns in the praise of the Almighty and to meditate on the true omnipresent creator. Guru Nanak was to visit Lalo several times in the years to come. It is not the chronology of his visits to Saidpur, but rather the association with Lalo and the observations contained in the poetry linked to Lalo that are important.
Guru Nanak’s visit to the town of Tulamba in southwest Punjab is famous for the story of the transformation of Sajjan, the thug. Besides the highway along which wayfarers passed lived Sheikh Sajjan, apparently a pious man who gave food and shelter to weary travellers, notwithstanding their creed or religion. However, at night when they slept, the pious man would turn into what he actually was—a highway bandit and murderer. He would kill the unsuspecting guests and take away their goods and money, and return to his apparent God-fearing ways in the morning. As he courteously received Guru Nanak, he was convinced that a man of Nanak’s radiance must be wealthy and he could hardly wait for the guest to retire. However, when night fell and he came to the Guru’s door, he found that the Guru was singing hymns of devotion and the accompanying sweet sounds of Mardana’s rabab filled the night. Sajjan was captivated. The music and the words seemed to touch some inner chord deep within his heart. He felt an inner enlightenment and peace that he had never experienced before. He fell at Guru Nanak’s feet, confessed his sins and asked for forgiveness. Thereafter, he gave away in charity all his ill-gotten property and converted his house into a true dharamsala. The tomb of Sajjan and a ruined mound that bears his name is said to exist in the present-day town of Makhdumpur in Pakistan.
Moving towards Delhi, Nanak reached the ancient town of Kurukshetra, also known as the navel of the earth and the site of the great battle between the Kauravas and the Pandavas in the Mahabharata. Here a great fair was being held to mark the solar eclipse. Guru Nanak decided to challenge the extreme orthodox views that had turned vegetarianism into a rigid fetish by cooking the meat of a deer that had been brought by a disciple. This angered the Brahmins who protested that the cooking of meat on such an auspicious day was an act of deliberate profanity. The Guru responded that man was deeply attached to flesh; he was born of flesh and was flesh himself, so why be averse to it? Who was the sinner—the one who ate flesh or the one who excluded it from his food?
. . . Those who abjure meat
And sit holding their noses
Eat men at night;
They make a show of hypocrisy for others
But have no true knowledge of God.
. . . From flesh are born
Women, men, kings, emperors,
If you see them going to Hell,
Then take thee not their charity
Strange justice—the giver goes to Hell
And the receiver to Heaven!
O Pandit, you understand not yet preach,
You indeed are wise!
—Var Malhar
Nanak then passed through Panipat where he met the successor of the renowned Sufi saint Sheikh Sharaf, also known as Abu Ali Qalandar. In the discourse that followed, the sheikh who was then in charge of the centre queried Nanak about his manner of dress, religious beliefs and so on. Extremely pleased with the answers he received, the Sufi sheikh introduced Nanak to his followers as: ‘What credentials do we need of one who has witnessed God? Just to look upon him is enough.’
Finally Guru Nanak, accompanied by Mardana, entered Delhi and was welcomed by both Hindu and Muslim devotees. He stayed in the dwelling of a pious Muslim faqir named Majnu on the banks of the Yamuna. He initiated Majnu in the mysteries of the supreme lord and held discourses there for several days for both Muslim and Hindu sects. A massive gurdwara, Majnu Ka Tila marks the spot today. The Puratan janamsakhi also records that Nanak spent a night in Delhi at the camp of the sultan’s mahouts. That night one of the elephants died, leading to lamentations all around, as the death would deprive the mahout of his source of livelihood. The Guru forbade the mahouts from crying and urged them instead to pray to God. When they did, it is said that the elephant came back to life. The next day, the sultan rode the same elephant and came to see Nanak. The sultan then bade the Guru to kill and revive the elephant again but Nanak refused, saying that life and death were in the hands of God.
Returning from Delhi, Guru Nanak and Mardana saw a sheikh named Wazid being carried in the comfort of a palanquin by his servants. When the palanquin was laid down in the shade of a tree, a comfortable bed was made out for the sheikh. As the sheikh sprawled on the bed, his servants proceeded to massage and fan him. The spectacle prompted Mardana to ask the Guru, ‘Tell me, Master, is there one God who made this man who gets tired in the comfort of his palanquin and another who made those poor men who run on naked feet carrying him and even now massage and press his legs?’
‘Strange are the ways of God,’ Nanak said. ‘There may be impoverishment in abundance while poverty itself may be abundant. Only his grace gives understanding.’
Nestling in the foothills of the Garhwal Himalayas, Hardwar was, as it still is, an important centre of Hindu pilgrimage. The chanting of hymns in the town’s myriad temples, the sound of conch shells and the crowds of holy men on the banks of the Ganga distinguished the town. Nanak and Mardana went to the crowded banks of the Ganga and watched the pilgrims as they pushed their way to the river and bathed themselves in the holy waters. For many of them it was the end of a long journey; they had travelled from distant towns and villages to wash away their sins and pray to God for forgiveness. Nanak observed that the pilgrims were cupping water in their hands and tossing it towards the rising sun in the east. Nanak himself entered the water and, with his back to the sun, started throwing water towards the west. The pilgrims thought that he was a crazy man and asked him, ‘What manner of man are you? Muslim or Hindu? If you are a Muslim, what are you doing here? If you are a Hindu, why are you throwing water away from the sun?’
‘Why are you throwing water towards the sun?’ asked Nanak, while continuing to throw water towards the west.
‘It will bring peace to the spirits of our ancestors.’
The Guru again resumed throwing water towards the west. The pilgrims persisted with their questions. Finally, the Guru replied, ‘I have left my field near my home in the west. There is no one to irrigate it and the rain water does not stay. I am throwing water to sprinkle my crops.’ The pilgrims were incredulous. ‘How can your water reach your field from here, so many miles away?’ Nanak replied that if their water could reach their ancestors in heaven, then his field was, comparatively speaking, only a stone’s throw away. His message was simple—merit lay in the true love of God, not in empty ritual.
As they bathed and prayed, the pilgrims normally spent several days in Hardwar. In the evenings, they would sit in groups and cook their food. Nanak noticed that they would draw circles on the ground, sprinkle them with water and cook food only within the circle. These circles were meant to keep out the shadow of any low-caste person who may happen to pass by. Nanak spoke to the pilgrims and told them that the real pariahs were the evil elements that dwelt in one’s own heart—evil thoughts, heartlessness, slander of others—and man had to guard himself against them. What good would the drawing of lines in the ground do when such pariahs were seated within one’s own self?
&nb
sp; Truth, Self-discipline, right action
Are the lines to draw
Contemplation of His Name
Is the holy bath
—Raga Sri
Leaving behind the plains and foothills of Uttar Pradesh, Nanak followed the ancient and difficult pilgrim routes into the mountains of Garhwal, the land of sacred rivers and revered mountain peaks of gods and goddesses. Guru Nanak walked towards Joshimath, passing through the great Hindu pilgrimage centres at Kedarnath and Badrinath. From Joshimath, he probably walked across the Antra and Lepu La passes and then along the Kali river towards Almora. Thereafter, and here again the sources vary as to when, he passed through several well-known places, including Gorakhmata, Ayodhya, Varanasi and Prayag. Local traditions and historical gurdwaras have preserved the memories of his visits and the events that took place.
Thirty odd miles east of Haldwani is Gurdwara Retha Sahib. This shrine marks the place where Mardana once again complained to Guru Nanak that he was hungry. To assuage his hunger, the Guru pointed to a tree of bitter soapnuts. When Mardana shook a branch and put one of the nuts in his mouth, he found that it was not bitter but sweet. The tree at Retha Sahib still partially bears sweet nuts which pilgrims from far and wide take away as prasad.
At a distance of another thirty miles in the Terai region was a forest abode of Nath yogis, followers of Gorakh. This cult practised tantric rituals and it was not usual for outsiders to venture into their forest retreat. Guru Nanak and Mardana proceeded towards their camp and sat under a dried-up tree. Mardana walked up to one of the yogis to ask for a light with the help of which they could build a fire in the cold winter night. The yogi turned him away angrily. But when the tree under which Nanak had camped began to sprout new leaves, the yogis were impressed and entered into a discourse with the visitor. After challenging him with their various miracles and listening to his responses, they invited Nanak to join their faith. His answer is contained in the Adi Granth:
Religion lies not in the yogi’s patched garment,
Nor in his staff
Nor in covering the body with ashes.
Religion lies not in wearing large rings
From split ears
Nor in shaving the head nor in the blowing of the conch
To live pure amid temptations of the world
Is to understand religion.
—Raga Suhi
The yogis hailed Nanak as an exalted one. Gorakhmata later changed its name to Nanakmata and it lies just fifteen miles away from the present-day town of Pilibhit. In that area one can find followers of Nanak, known as Nanakpanthis.
The Puratan janamsakhi tells of a shopkeeper who became a follower of Guru Nanak during the latter’s travels and came every day to serve the Guru. One day, another shopkeeper accompanied him out of curiosity to see Nanak. But on the way he was captivated by the charms of a woman. Subsequently, they would leave their village together, one to serve the Guru and the other to visit his mistress. One day they wanted to test the result of their actions and decided to meet at the end of the day at an appointed place. The first man as usual visited Guru Nanak, but as soon as he left the Guru’s presence, his toe was pierced by a thorn. He went to the meeting place with a bandage on his toe and his slipper in his hand. The other man did not find his mistress at home that day and came to the appointed place ahead of time. As he was sitting there he scratched the ground with a stick. The stick hit a gold mohur, and on digging further, the man unearthed a jar of charcoal. When they met up, they both decided to go back to Guru Nanak to be enlightened on the ways of God—the virtuous man had been injured by a thorn but the sinner had found a gold mohur. Nanak told them that the ways of God were strange. It could well be that the virtuous acts of the first man had changed what could have been an impaling stake into a mere thorn while the other’s sins had changed what could have been a jar of gold mohurs into a single mohur and turned the rest to charcoal.
Man’s conduct is the paper
On which, the mind’s quill
Records both good and evil
As our deeds dictate, we live,
But God’s Grace knows no end.
—Raga Maru
During their journey, Guru Nanak and Mardana were once accosted on the road by a group of thugs, who were deceived by the glow on Nanak’s face into believing that he must be a man of means. Nanak pointed out to them the smoke of a funeral pyre and told them to first go and get fire from the pyre so that they could cremate him and Mardana after killing them. The Puratan janamsakhi says that when the thugs went to the pyre, they saw a tussle for the dead man between the angels and the messengers of Yam, the god of death. The angels explained that the dead man had been a big sinner and his soul was not meant for salvation, but the Guru’s glance at the smoke from his pyre had saved his soul. The thugs immediately returned to Guru Nanak and expressing their deep repentance, sought his forgiveness. Guru Nanak advised them to give up their evil ways, take to agriculture and make an honest living.
Ayodhya, the birthplace of Lord Ram, lay across the Ghaggra river. Guru Nanak preached his message of love and tolerance there at the festival marking the return of Ram from his fourteen-year exile in the forests. He told the Bairagi sadhus how religion did not necessarily lie in renunciation but could be obtained while being part of the world. Right conduct, love, service and the grace of God was all that was required. At Prayag, where the Ganga meets the Yamuna in the sangam, he enthralled pilgrims and devotees with his sweet songs. When a priest urged him to bathe in the holy waters, Nanak asked how the bathing of the body would cleanse the impurities of the heart.
The road to Varanasi from Prayag lay along the left bank of the Ganga. In Varanasi, the birthplace of Kabir, Nanak saw groups of Brahmins and acolytes, Vaishnavite sadhus and bare-bodied ascetics. This was the heart of rigid orthodoxy. With penance and prayer all over the place, Nanak felt it necessary to communicate his message of enlightened humanism here.
A leading pandit by the name of Chatur Das accosted him, ‘What faith do you follow? You do not carry the saligram and you wear no necklace of tulsi leaves.’ Nanak replied:
O Brahmin,
You worship and propitiate the stone god
And deem it a good act
To wear a rosary of sweet basil
Why irrigate land that is waste?
Why plaster a weak, falling wall?
. . . Build a raft of the Lord’s name
And pray He shall ferry you across.
—Raga Basant Hindol
Chatur Das, after a lengthy discussion, realized the wisdom of what Guru Nanak had said and became his disciple. He was joined by others who were also impressed by the message of Nanak. According to the Puratan janamsakhi, it was here at Varanasi that Nanak enunciated the fifty-four stanzas of his composition Dakhni Onkar.
Performing rituals does not release one
Without virtue one goes to the city of death
He gains neither this world, nor the one beyond
The sinner in the end regrets
He possesses neither knowledge, nor concentration,
Nor any faith, nor meditation
Without the Name he cannot be fearless
Nor understand the evil of ego
I am tired; how do I reach
The Unfathomable, the Endless!
I do not have loved friends
To whom I may appeal for help
Nanak, if I utter my beloved’s name
The Uniter shall Unite me with Himself
If I love Him boundlessly
The one who separates shall unite.
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��Ramkali Dakhni Onkar, 37
Guru Nanak and Mardana were now headed towards the next major centre of pilgrimage, important to both Hindus and Buddhists: Gaya, in Bihar. There, on the bank of the Phalgu river, the local priests supervised large-scale ceremonies that consisted of offering funeral barley cakes to departed ancestors and lighting lamps that would light up the paths of the departed spirits in the heavens above. The priests tried their best to make Nanak join these ceremonies but the Guru refused, saying that only man’s deeds could help him in the next world.
The Lord is my barley roll and leaf platter
The Creator’s true name is my obsequy.
—Raga Asa
Impressed by Nanak’s teachings, the chief priest of Bodhgaya, Dev Gir, became a disciple of Nanak and began to lead the local congregation.
From Gaya a path led to the town of Hajipur, on the northern bank of the Ganga, at its confluence with the Gandak. Close to Hajipur were the ruins of ancient Pataliputra, where the later city of Patna, the birthplace of the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh was to rise. An old gurdwara marks Nanak’s visit to Hajipur. Here too Mardana complained of hunger. The Guru gave him a stone that he had picked up on the way and told Mardana to go into the town and buy some food with it. Mardana went from shop to shop and was turned away empty-handed until he came to the shop of Salis Rai, a scholar. Salis Rai looked at the stone carefully and immediately wanted to meet the owner of such a priceless jewel. Accompanied by his servant Adhrakka, he followed Mardana to Nanak and, recognizing a great soul, became the Guru’s true disciple. His descendant, Fateh Chand Maini, was to become a favourite disciple of Guru Gobind Singh.
Further to the east, across Bengal, lay the fabled land of Kauru or Kamrup, known for its women sorceresses who practised the awe-inspiring cults of magic and tantra. The story goes that Mardana, on reaching this land, begged the Guru to let him go in search of food. The Guru told him to go if he must but also warned him that he should be careful for here the women were steeped in the secrets of witchcraft. Despite the warning, Mardana was captivated by an enchantress who beckoned him to come to her house. As he entered her doorway, she cast a spell on him and turned him into a ram. When the Guru came and saw the ram tied in the house, he demanded that Mardana be returned to him. The enchantress then tried her spell on Nanak. When she could make no headway, she enlisted the help of other women magicians, described in some versions as women riding a tree, or mounted on the moon or accompanied by a tiger. They too failed to have any impact on Nanak and he released Mardana from the spell by casting one look at him. Then arrived the queen of the sorceresses, Nur Shah, and she tried all her tricks, including the most attractive dances and songs to make Nanak a captive. Her attendants brought pearls and diamonds, gold and silver, and laid them at his feet. Guru Nanak rejected all the gifts and sang of the qualities of a virtuous woman. Finally, Nur Shah and her attendants submitted to Guru Nanak and sought the path to salvation. Guru Nanak told them to renounce the practice of magic and turn their energies to domestic duties. This story is evocative of the Guru’s message against tantra, black magic and other obscurantist practices.