Guru Nanak Dev Ji
 

Guru Nanak’s sister had married Jai Raam, a Khatri, employed as a steward with Daulat Khan Lodi, the Governor of Sultanpur. Jai Raam visiting Talwandi and finding his father-in-law anxious about his son, offered to take Nanak along with him to Sultanpur and find a job for him. Everyone approved. Nanak, too, didn’t object. Rai Bular wrote to Daulat Khan recommending Nanak in glorious terms.

Daulat Khan met Nanak and was most favourably impressed by the charm of his personality and the transparent honesty of his character. He asked Nanak to take charge of his stores. It was the most appropriate assignment for a God-fearing man like Nanak. A few days later and Mardana, one of Nanaks companions from Talwandi also joined him. Mardana was an instrumentalist by profession, he played the rabab.

During the day Nanak worked at the Nanwab’s storehouse; in the morning and evenings Nanak and Mardana would get together to meditate and sing hymns. Their sessions became longer and longer and more and more people joined.

Before he left his home in Talwandi, Nanak had promised his wife that he would send her part of his earnings which he regularly did. With the rest of the money he would feed the poor and needy. Guru Nanak remained in the service of the Nanwab for about two years.

Early one morning Nanak and Mardana went to a nearby river called Bain for a bath. This was the first thing they did everyday. To Mardana’s surprise, after Nanak had plunged into the water he did not resurface.

 

Mardana waited and waited. Then, grief stricken he ran to the town to seek assistance. Evidently Nanak had drowned or washed away by the strong current. The Nanwab who by now had become a great admirer of Nanak got his best men to dive into the river, but Nanak was know where to be found.

Then some wicked people started an whispering campaign, that Jai Raams brother-in-law had embezzled the store and fearing the consequences had fled and may have committed suicide. The stores were thoroughly checked and the inventory was found to be in perfect order.

Then, to everyone’s delight Nanak appeared in the town three days later as if from nowhere. There was great relief on the Nanwabs household and rejoicing amongst Nanaks relatives and friends. But Nanak was no more his old self; he was a changed soul, there was a divine light in his eyes and a halo seemed to surround his head. People flocked to get a glimpse of him. For Nanak had been summoned to the court of God and charged with putting people on the path of righteousness from which all had deviated from by starting the true faith of God. With folded hands Nanak bowed in front of the Almighty and said “I shall do only as You bid me.”

Back on earth Nanak wouldn’t speak to anybody. He was in a trance. He gave up his job with the Nawab and distributed all that he had to the poor. When he did speak his first words were

“There is no Hindu, there is no Mussalman.”

He spoke in ecstasy, he was no more the dreamy-eyed youth from Talwandi; he was Guru Nanak, the messenger from God, ordained to propagate His name and the virtues of truthfulness and clean honest living. His second utterance was “One must meditate on Gods name, one must do an honest days work and share one’s earnings with others.” When he started his life long mission these were the three cardinal principles of Guru Nanaks teachings, he was thirty years old when he and Mardana left Sultanpur.

Before Nanak took his leave the Nawab asked what Nanak meant when he said “There is no Hindu, there is no Mussalman.” The Nawab said that the Hindus may not be Hindus but the Mussalmans remained devoted to their faith. By way of explanation Guru Nanak Dev Ji said:
  Let compassion be your mosque
Devotion your prayer mat
Truth and fair play the Q’ran
Let your modesty be your circumcision
And courtesy the fast of a Mussalman
Let your conduct be your Ka’aba
Rectitude your guide.
And good deeds your creed and prayer
The rosary should be what pleases Him
Thus would He vindicate your name fair. (Raag Majh Slok)
The quazi in the Nawabs court was not convinced. “If you are not a Hindu you must join us in prayers , we are devout Muslims and believe in the unity of God.” Guru Nanak was certainly willing to keep company with those who had faith in God. He agreed to join them in prayers. But when the quazi commenced the prayers, Guru Nanak stood aside and did not partake. As soon as the prayers were over the infuriated quazi asked "Why didn't you join us in prayer after agreeing to do so?” Guru Nanak Dev Ji told him politely “I did not join you because all the while you were saying your prayers, your mind was on your horse which was let loose in your home. You feared that it might fall into the well in the courtyard.” The quazi heard Guru Nanak and was silenced.

Leaving Sultanpur, Guru Nanak came to Saidpur a small town now in Pakistan. Guru Nanak chose to stay here with Lalo a poor carpenter. Also living in the town was Malik Bhago the local chief who had amassed untold wealth and he was holding a sacrificial feast to which all holy men were invited. Guru Nanak decided to remain away and partook of the simple meal of his host. When Bhago came to know of this, he was furious. “How dare some one refuse my invite” he said in vulgar pride. He had Guru Ji brought to him. When asked why he had not joined in the feast which every other holy man in the surrounding area had blessed with their presence, the Guru by way of an answer sent for the meal from Lalo’s house.

 

Guru Nanak took some chapatties from Lalo’s dish in one hand and those from Bhago’s in the other and squeezed. From Lala’s food dripped milk but from Bhago’s dripped blood. Malik Bhago was put to shame he didn’t need to be told that his riches had been amassed by exploiting the poor and needy while what Lalo offered was the milk of hard earned wages. Malik was a changed man he distributed his ill-gotten wealth to the poor and devoted himself to the service of others.

Bhai Lalo craved Guru Ji’s company longer but the Guru had to proceed on his mission. After several days of journeying through jungles and wilderness, Guru Nanak, accompanied by Mardana arrived at a resting place which was maintained by a saintly looking man called Sujjan. The resting place had tidy rooms for travellers and both a mosque and mandir for prayers.

All this was however a cover for Sujjans misdeeds. He was in fact a robber and a murderer. He would loot travellers who came to stay with him and if need be have them killed. Sujjan usually attacked his victims by night while they were asleep. Noticing the glow on Guru Nanaks face he mistook him for a prosperous trader. He waited and waited that night but Guru Nanak Dev Ji would not retire. The all knowing Guru stayed up all night singing the Lords hymns.
  Bright and brilliant seems the bronze,
But the moment it is rubbed it’s blackness appears.
This cannot be removed even if washed a hundred times. (Raag Suhi)
Guru Ji sang this hymn evidently directed at Sujjan who was, all the while, waiting for his opportunity to attack his visitor. Guru Nanaks words touched him at the core of his heart and he realised his folly. He came out of his hiding place and fell at the Guru’s feet confessing all his misdeeds. The den of the assassins was turned into a dharamsala, a seat of Dharama. It was the first major centre that Guru Nanak set up for the congregation of his disciples.
 
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