‘If air is the substance of life,’ asked the yogis, ‘wherefrom does air itself draw sustenance?’
‘Sabda is the true sustenance of life,’ replied Nanak. The guru then expounded his views on the importance of prayer, self-control, truth and grace. ‘Hunger for truth consumes other hungers and removes sorrow,’ assured Nanak.
The yogis continued their questions: ‘When there was neither a heart nor a body, where did the mind and breath reside?’
‘In the stillness of sunya,’ replied Nanak. ‘Everyone and everything was a part of God prior to creation. It is the greatest of untold tales.’
‘Then tell us how the world came into existence,’ they demanded.
Nanak replied:
Out of the ego came the world.
When it forgets the Name it will suffer sorrow;
The saintly think over the essence of knowledge
They burn out their ego in the flame of the divine Word;
Their bodies and souls are cleansed, their speech refined,
They remain blended in the True One.
Through the Name of the Lord (who is nameless)
one achieves detachment.
And enshrines the truth within one’s mind.
Without the Name there never can be any union
Ponder over this in your heart and mind.
The Guru further expounded his views on the qualities of a gurmukh, the importance of sabda and nama to effect union with God, and the role of the satguru as a guide.
The Siddha Goshta ends with the praise of God and a prayer for the gift of His Name.
*Bhai Gurudas Var I, paudi 39–44. Paudi literally means step.
**Puratan Janamsakhi.
*Equivalent to pure, active and sluggish, respectively.
CHAPTER EIGHT
GURU NANAK AND GURU GOBIND SINGH
It is little wonder that Nanak came to be revered as the king or shah of the holy men – the guru of the Hindus and the peer of the Mussalmans …. Guru Gobind Singh was … a rare combination of many qualities … who dedicated his life to fighting tyranny; a leader who looked upon his followers as comrades and equals …
Guru Nanak
On the night of the full moon in the month of Vaisakh in the Samvat (one of the Hindu calendars) version – according to Mehervan’s Janamsakhis (birth stories) of Guru Nanak – Tripta, the wife of Mehta Kalian Das Bedi of Talwandi Rae Bhoe, was in labour. Three-quarters of the night had passed. The morning star shone bright in the eastern sky; it was the hour of early dawn when she was delivered of her second child, a son.
Nanak’s birth was thus on 15 April 1469. However, in order to continue an old tradition, the event is celebrated on the full moon night in the month of November. As to the place of his birth, it is thought that the name Nanak was given to the child because he was born in the house of his maternal grandparents or nankey, which was either in Kalma Kacha or Chalewal, two villages in the district of Lahore (now in Pakistan).
Nanak was a precocious child, smiling and sitting up in early infancy. When he was only five years old, people noticed that he did not play with other boys but spoke words of wisdom well beyond his years. The people’s reactions were interesting. Whosoever heard him, Hindu or Muslim, was certain that God spoke through the little boy. This belief grew stronger as Nanak grew older.
At the age of seven, Nanak was taken to a pandit to be taught. Nanak apparently turned the tables on his teacher and his discourse with his teacher is the subject of a beautiful hymn in Sri Raga:
The only real learning is the worship of God; the rest is of no avail and wisdom devoid of the knowledge of the Creator is but the noose of ignorance about one’s neck. He that repeats the name of the Lord in this world will reap his reward in the world to come.
Do you know how and why men come into this world and why they depart? Why some become rich and others poor? Why some hold court while others go begging door to door, and even of the beggars why some receive alms while others do not? Take it from me, O pandit, that those who have enjoyed power and ease in this life and not given praise to the Lord will surely be punished; just as the dhobi (washerman) beats dirty clothes on slabs of stones, so will they be beaten; just as an oilman grinds oilseeds to extract oil will they be ground; just as the miller crushes grain between his millstones will they be crushed. On the other hand, those that are poor and those that have to beg for their living, who spend their lives in prayer, will receive their honour and reward in the divine court of justice.
He that has fear of God is free from all fears. But monarch or commoner, he that fears not God, will be reduced to dust and be reborn to suffer the pangs of hell. That which is gained by falsehood becomes unclean. The only truth is God. Our only love should be for God who is immortal; why love those that will perish – son, wife, power, wealth, youth – all are subject to decay and death.
(Mehervan’s Janamsakhi)
A year later, Nanak was sent to the village mosque to learn Arabic and other subjects. Here, too, Nanak astounded his teacher:
The mullah wrote down the Arabic alphabet from alif to yea. Nanak at once mastered the writing and the pronunciation of the letters and within a few days had learnt arithmetic, accounting and everything else the mullah could teach. The mullah marvelled: ‘Great God! Other children have been struggling for ten years and cannot tell one letter from another, and this child has by Thy grace learnt all within a matter of days.’
(Mehervan’s Janamsakhi)
Nanak was a moody child and often refused to speak to anyone for days on end. He wandered about the woods absorbed in observing the phenomena of nature: the advent of spring with its bees and butterflies; the searing heat of summer that burned up all vegetation followed by the monsoon, which miraculously restored life and turned the countryside green; and the ways of the birds and beasts of the jungle. All this mystery baffled young Nanak’s mind and he began to ponder over the character of the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer and to question the efficacy of rituals, both Hindu and Muslim.
When he was only nine, Nanak demanded of the Brahmin priest who had come to invest him with the sacred thread, the janeau: ‘Do the Brahmins and Kshatriyas lose their faith if they lose their sacred thread? Is their faith maintained by their thread or by their deeds?’
Soon, Nanak was the despair of his parents. He refused to do any kind of work. If he was sent to graze cattle, he let them stray into other people’s fields; if he was given money to do trade, he would give it away to the poor and the hungry. He would be saved from the wrath of his father by his mother and sister and by the village folk who bore witness to the many miracles they had seen emanate from Nanak.
At the age of sixteen Nanak was married to Sulakhni, daughter of Mul Chand Chona of Batala. They had two sons, Sri Chand and Lakhmi Das, and perhaps a daughter or daughters, who died in infancy. Family life did not divert Nanak’s attention for too long. His moods would suddenly descend upon him and he would remain silent for many days and then become argumentative on subjects such as God, man, death, rituals and moral values. And he remained as indifferent to making a living as he had been before he became a husband and a father.
One evening in July (says Mehervan’s Janamsakhi), the skies over Talwandi were darkened by black monsoon clouds and it began to pour. At night the sky was rent with flashes of lightning and there was a fearful crash of thunder. Nanak began to sing hymns in praise of the Lord. His mother came to him and said: ‘Son, it is time you had some sleep.’ Just then the cuckoo called ‘peeoh, peeoh’, and Nanak replied: ‘Mother, when my rival is awake, how can I sleep?’
It became evident to the people that it would not be long before Nanak took the hermit’s path in search of truth and, once, when a group of holy men happened to pass through Talwandi on their way to a pilgrimage, Nanak’s mother expressed her apprehensions: ‘I know that one of these days you too will be leaving me to go on a pilgrimage. I do not complain but would like to know what is gained by going to holy pl
aces?’
‘Nothing,’ replied Nanak categorically. ‘It is in our own body that we have to build our temples, free our minds from the snares of maya [illusion], renounce evil deeds and give praise to our Maker. This is as good as going to bathe in the sixty-eight holy places of pilgrimage.’
‘Then tell these holy men that they pursue the path of error,’ said Nanak’s mother. ‘Tell them that God can be found in their own houses.’
‘Let each one find his own path,’ replied Nanak. ‘Why should I worry my head about their methods?’
The beauty of the woodland in spring cast its usual spell. But, for Nanak, the beauty was now tinged with anguish for he needed to know the truth of the reality that did not change with the seasons. A beautiful hymn in Raga Basant sums up the feeling:
It was springtime. The trees were in new leaf; many wild shrubs were in flower. The woods around Talwandi were a beauteous sight. Young men of his village came to him and said: ‘Nanak, it is spring. Come with us and let us behold the wonders of nature.’
‘The month of Chaitra,’ said Nanak, ‘is the most beautiful of the twelve months of the year because all is green and every living thing seems to blossom into fullness. But my heart does not rejoice at the sight of the blossoming of nature until it is blessed with the name of the Lord. We must first subdue our ego, sing praises of the Lord and then our hearts too will be fragrant.’
‘We do not understand what you say,’ they protested: ‘We want to tell you that in the woods the trees are so green that we cannot find words to describe them; there are varieties of flowers whose beauty is beyond the speech of man; there are fruits whose lusciousness is beyond praise; and beneath them the shade is cool and fragrant. You should see these things with your own eyes.’
‘The Lord’s grace,’ said Nanak, ‘gave the trees their new foliage. His decrees covered them with blossoms of great beauty and filled their fruits with sweet nectarine. When they have their foliage the Lord makes their shade cool and fragrant. I have such foliage in my own heart with similar flowers, fruit and cool shade, and people seek shelter under it.
‘The great God has given us eyes to see, ears to hear and a mouth to speak and eat the corn that grows. Why has he given us these things?
‘He has given you eyes not merely to gape at the woods but to behold His creation and marvel at it; ears to hear godly counsel; the tongue to speak the truth. Thereafter, whatever you receive is your true wealth and sustenance.’
The young men did not understand all that Nanak said. They tried once more to persuade him to come out with them. ‘Spring comes but once a year and nature dons its garb of green but once. Then comes the fall. Trees lose their foliage and the woods are barren of beauty. If you want to see nature at its best, see it in the month of Chaitra.’
‘Months and seasons ever come and go and come again,’ replied Nanak. ‘Trees and bushes attain foliage at one season, lose it at another and once again become green when the season turns. The lesson for you is to see that those who do good acts reap the fruit of good action and those who do evil, wither and die; those who take the name of the Lord ever have spring in their hearts. The grape only receives its juice during the monsoon but the good man receives his reward at all times of the year and all times of the day and night. Human birth is the springtime of the cycle of birth, death and rebirth; it is the time for you to plant the seed of good action and reap its fruit in life thereafter; in this do not tarry.’
As Nanak grew even more detached from the ties of living, he took no notice of his wife or children, of his goods, or of the people around him. His life became one of prayer, alms giving, ablution and the seeking after knowledge: nam, dan, isnan and gyan. Lust, anger and pride fell away as Nanak’s heart was filled with truth and blessed contentment. Nanak lived in this state ‘like one drunk’ for some years till his sister, Nanaki, now married, took the situation in hand. She persuaded her husband, Jai Ram, to invite her brother over to Sultanpur (now in Pakistan), where they lived, and get him employment with his master, Nawab Daulat Khan Lodhi.
Nanak went to Sultanpur accompanied by a family servant, a Muslim named Mardana, who was to become his closest companion. Mardana, the Janamsakhi tells us, came from the brewer caste, and was a gifted musician. He played the rabab (a string instrument) and also sang hymns.
Nawab Daulat Khan Lodhi was impressed with the integrity of his new storekeeper and accountant. Nanak would not accept bribes from agents and refused to follow the corrupt practices of his predecessors. The people in Sultanpur could not stop praising Nanak.
In Sultanpur, Nanak organized his daily life in an ideal manner. Every evening he and Mardana would sing hymns before retiring to bed. Nanak would wake up while it was still dark, and, after a dip in the river close by, sing hymns with the coterie of his followers. After this, at the appointed hour, Nanak would go to the court of the nawab and apply himself to his work.
Though he won the approbation of his employer and those he dealt with, Nanak was unhappy.
‘This has been suddenly put around my neck like a noose,’ he said. He began to say to himself that if he had to serve anyone, wouldn’t it be wiser to serve his own Master who is within him instead of the person without? ‘It is all very well to seek knowledge and wisdom but one cannot escape the noose of maya without sowing seeds of good actions. One cannot earn wages without service and it is the love of the wage which stands in the way of renunciation. Why not then serve the great Master who is the Lord of all?’ Nanak postponed his decision with the thought: ‘I, Nanak, am no better than others; others are no worse than I; what the Lord wills, Nanak will honour and obey.’ (Mehervan’s Janamsakhi.)
It was, however, clear that the time of decision was at hand.
Nanak’s days were spent in noting down receipts and expenses. At the end of the day, he added up the totals to make sure they tallied with the accounts. He often had to work late into the night adding up his figures under the light of the lamp. One night he got angry with himself and threw away his pen and account books. He asked himself: ‘Why have I got involved in these affairs and forgotten my Maker? Am I destined to spend my days and nights writing accounts? It is a vast net in which I find myself caught; if I let the days go by, the noose will close tighter around me. If I have to burn the midnight oil, it should be for something worthwhile.’
Nanak pondered over these issues late into the night and, instead of returning home, went to the stream to bathe. He prayed: ‘Lord send me a guru, a guide who will show me the path that leads to Thy mansion.’
That very night God revealed Himself to Nanak. Nanak prayed fervently and begged the Lord to forgive him and remove him from the world that had so ensnared him. The Lord asked Nanak: ‘Why are you so agitated? You have done no wrong.’
‘I have let my mind turn from Thee,’ replied Nanak, ‘to the petty trifles of the world.’
‘Your errors have I forgiven. The maya that you complain of is also a part of Me. What you see is but its shadow.’
‘Lord destroy in me the longing for worldly gain.’
‘Nanak you shall no more crave for worldly gain. I am pleased with you. On you be My blessing.’ (Mehervan’s Janamsakhi.)
The mystic experience that finally made Nanak take up his mission is put at different times and is variously described. The incident took place in August 1507 on the third night before the full moon. According to the Janamsakhi: The moon had set, but it was dark and the stars still twinkled in the sky when Nanak, followed by his servant, went to the river Bein. Nanak took off his kurta and dhoti and stepped into the stream. He closed his nostrils and ducked into the water. He did not come up. The servant waited a while and then, panicking, ran up and down the river bank crying for Nanak. A strange voice rose from the waters saying: ‘Do not lose patience.’
Mardana, however, ran back to Sultanpur and sobbed out his story. A great commotion took place in the town because Nanak was loved by all – Hindus and Muslims, the rich and the poor. Wh
en Daulat Khan Lodhi heard of the mishap, he was most distressed. ‘Friends,’ he said, ‘Nanak was a man of God. Let us dredge the river and rescue [sic] his corpse.’
While the people of Sultanpur were dredging the river, Nanak was conducted into the presence of God. The Almighty gave him a bowl of milk. ‘Nanak, drink this bowl,’ He commanded. ‘It is not milk as it may seem; this is nectar (amrit). It will give thee power of prayer, love of worship, truth and contentment.’
Nanak drank the nectar and was overcome. He made another obeisance. The Almighty then blessed him:
I release thee from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth; he that sets his eyes on you with faith will be saved; he that hears your words with conviction will be helped by Me; he that you forgive will be forgiven by Me. I grant thee salvation. Nanak go back to the evil world and teach men and women to pray (nam), to give in charity (dan) and to live cleanly (isnan). Do good to the world and redeem it in the age of sin (Kalyuga).
(Mehervan’s Janamsakhi)
At dawn, three days later, on the full moon in August, Nanak re-emerged from the Bein. He was now a changed and determined man. While the people clamoured around him acclaiming him as a new messiah, he paid no heed. ‘What have I to do with men like these!’ he said to himself. He gave away all he had to the poor. He even cast off his clothes, keeping for himself only a loincloth. He left his home and joined a band of hermits.
Soon people began expressing themselves loudly: ‘Nanak was a sensible man,’ some said, but now he has lost his head.’ ‘He is stricken with the fear of the Lord,’ said others, ‘and is no longer himself.’ ‘Something in the river has bitten him,’ the rest were convinced, and took to calling him ‘mad, bewitched’.
‘It is the Lord who has possessed me and made me mad,’ explained Nanak. ‘If I find merit in the eyes of my Lord, then will I have justified my waywardness.’
Agnostic Khushwant Page 11