Guru Nanak Dev Ji
   
 
During his travels towards the east, Guru Nanak camped in a small town. The rains came and he had to stay there a little longer. Several devotees would come regularly to meet with the Guru. Amongst them were two close friends who lived in the same street. One day on their way to see the Guru one of them came across a lady of the night and was bewitched by her charms. The other who had come to pay homage to the Guru stepped on a thorny bush which caused much pain to his foot, while the first found a gold coin on his way to the Guru. The incident bewildered the two and they put the incident before Guru Ji. Guru Nanak was amused by this:

“Your friend was destined to come across much riches and treasure but because of his evil ways the treasure was reduced to a single coin. On account of your past Karma you were to be impaled with a stake but because your reformed yourself, you have been let off with a mere prick of a thorn.”

Guru Nanaks next stop was at Hardwar, a Hindu center of pilgrimage on the banks of the holy Ganga. Here the Guru found a large gathering of devotees bathing in the river and offering water to the sun.
“Why do you throw water to the sun in this way?” Guru Ji asked the pilgrims.
“It is an offering to our ancestors” they replied.
Guru Nanak heard this and turned the opposite way and started throwing water to the west.
“What are you doing?” asked a fellow pilgrim. “The Sun is to the east , not to the west”
“I am not offering water to the Sun, I am trying to water my fields in a village near Lahore” said the Guru.
The people mocked “How can your water reach your crops so far?”
“If your water can reach your ancestors in the region of the Sun, why can’t mine reach my fields a short distance from here?" asked Guru Nanak. The people realised their folly , Guru Ji had a subtle sense of humour and could make his point effortlessly.

Guru Nanak passed through Panipat, where he met a successor to Sheik Sharaf, a disciple of Khwaja Qutbuddin. He then proceeded to Delhi, where he refused to work a miracle at the insistence of Ibrahim Lodi, the ruling emperor at the time. From here Guru Ji went to Brindaban where he witnessed a performance of Rass Lihla and rejected it as devoid of spiritual devotion. While journeying towards the east Guru Nanak Dev Ji visited Gorakhmata, a temple devoted to Gorakh Nath, situated not far from Pilinhat. Guru Sahib Ji sat under a soapnut tree which immediately sprung greenery. It attracted many ascetics residing at the centre to come and discourse with the Guru. Guru Nanak told then what real asceticism means :
 
  Asceticism doesn’t lie in ascetic robes; nor in the walking staff, nor in the ashes.
Asceticism doesn’t lie in the earrings, the shaven head, or in the blowing of the conch.
Asceticism lies in remaining pure amidst impurities,
Asceticism doesn’t lie in mere words,
He is an ascetic who treats everyone alike,
Asceticism doesn’t lie in visiting burial and cremation grounds.
It lies not in wondering about, nor in bathing ate places of pilgrimage;
Asceticism lies in remaining pure amidst impurities.
On meeting with the True Guru doubts are dispelled and restlessness of the mid stilled,
It drizzles nectar, a steady melody is heard and there is enlightenment within;
Asceticism lies in remaining pure amidst impurities.
Says Nanak, asceticism lies in death in life,
The conch sounds without blowing,
And there is a feeling of security;
Asceticism lies in remaining pure amidst impurities. (Raag Suhi)
   
 
The ascetics were greatly moved at Guru Sahibs utterances; Gorakhmata became known as Nanakmata and is a place of pilgrimage even today. Guru Ji accompanied by Mardana then went to Assam. In Kampur he encountered Nur Shah who practised black magic. Nur Shah heard about Guru Sahibs arrival and sent her scouts to ensnare him with their wiles. They succeeded with Mardana who happened to have gone to the town in search for food. They charmed him and made him behave as a lamb with their hypnotic powers.

Guru Sahib ji was aware of what was going on and was amused. After a while he went to the rescue of his disciple. The women tried their wiles on Guru Nanak Dev Ji also but all failed. Nur Shah who had vanquished many an ascetic was bewildered at Guru Ji’s spiritual prowess. Having tried and failed with all her spells and powers she fell at Guru Ji’s feet.

On their way back from Assam and Nepal, Guru Nanak returned via Orissa visiting the famous temple of Lord Jagannath at Puri. This temple is one of the most important places of pilgrimage for Hindus. Guru Nanak found that the priests attached more importance to rituals then to true faith in God. They would make elaborate arrangements to the deity, with trays of candles and flowers and perfumes. They called it arti. Guru Ji found that none of the devotees joining in the ritual had his heart in it, at best people enjoyed the spectacle of it. He left the congregation, went out of the temple and sitting in a corner started reciting his own arti, an ode to God, with Mardana accompanying him on the rabab.
 
  The sky in the platter
The Sun and Moon are the lights,
The stars the jewels,
Sandalwoods fragrance is the incense,
The wind in the fly-whisk,
And all the forests your flowers.
What a wonderful arti it is!
Oh, You destroyer of life and death!
It’s an unending strain, the melody of Your Name.
You have a thousand eyes and yet not one eye.
You have a thousand forms and yet not one form.
You have a thousand unsoiled feet and yet not one unsoiled foot.
You have a thousand noses and yet not one nose.
Your ways have left me charmed, Oh Lord.
There is my Lords light which enlightens everyone.
By the Gurus’ grace the truth becomes manifest.
The arti is what please you Lord.
I hunger for the fragrance of your lotus feet day and night.
Oh Lord, grant a drop of water of your grace, to Nanak the thirsty bird,
So that in your Name he finds solace. (Raag Dhanasari)
   
 
In the meanwhile the priests and pilgrims had collected around Guru Nanak and they were thrilled to hear him sing the praises of God. His melody seemed to touch their hearts. They were delighted to have such an enlightened soul visiting them. They remembered Guru Nanak for a long time after he left them.

Guru Nanak returned home for a brief period because Mardana had become home sick and wished to see his family. He wished to meet his people and provide for them before he accompanied Guru Nanak on his next proposed journey to the south. Guru Nanak chose to stay back in the forest and asked Mardana to return after he had attended to his family matters. However, when Guru Nanak Dev Ji's parents heard about Mardana's return, Mata Tripta knew her son could not be far. Though Mardana, as advised by Guru Ji did not reveal to them his whereabouts, they succeeded in finding Guru Nanak in the forest and went to him with flowers and fruit and beseeched him to come home with them. Guru Ji relented, but could not be persuaded to take up employment again. He however, assured them that he would keep in touch and visit them occasionally until his mission was complete and then he would come back and stay with them. He parents were consoled and so was his dutiful spouse.

Before long, Guru Ji left for his second mission towards the south. He met Duni Chand, a rich man, and his wife. Duni Chand had amassed a lot of wealth and property and lived a life of luxury. He came to Guru Nanak to pay homage to him, as he was leaving Guru Ji pulled a out a needle from his pouch and gave it to Duni Chand asking him to keep it safe; he would ask for it in the next world. “But how can one carry a needle into the next world?” remarked Duni chand. “Then what have you collected all these riches for?” asked Guru Nanak. Duni Chand and his wife heard the Guru and their eyes suddenly opened. They went back and distributed all their wealth to the poor. They became God-fearing and thereafter started sharing their earnings with the needy.

Guru Nanak then visited Ajodhan, the seat of Baba Farid, the great sufi saint of the twelfth century and met one of his successors, Sheikh Ibrahim. He had a long discourse with him until Sheikh was fully satisfied and said “Guru Nanak, you have indeed found God. This is no difference between Him and you.”

On his journey south, Guru Ji crossed the Vindhyachal ranges and came upon a Jain temple. Its priest, Narbhi, heard about the Guru and came to meet him. He was aware that Guru Sahib Ji did not believe in the exaggerated view of life in every form the way the Jains do. He asked a series of questions : Do you eat old or new corn? Do you drink fresh or boiled water? Do you shake a tree for fruit? Who is your Guru and what power has he to save you?
Guru Ji replied:

 
  If the Guru is kind, devotion is perfected.
If the Guru is kind, you know no sorrow.
If the Guru is kind, pain disappears.
If the Guru is kind, you enjoy life.
If the Guru is kind, there is no fear of death.
If the Guru is kind, you remain ever happy.
If the Guru is kind, the nine treasures are obtained.
If the Guru is kind, the truth is gained. (Majh ki vaar)
  The Jain priest heard this and was satisfied.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji travelled right down to Ramashwaram and Kanyakumari and across the sea to Sri Lanak. It was ruled by a king called Shivnabh. He had heard about Guru Nanak from a trader from the Punjab called Mansukh who used to visit his kingdom. Ever since the king had heard of Guru Nanak he longed to meet him and pay homage. Mansukh assured him that if he remembered the Guru from the core of his heart then the Guru must respond. Learning of the king’s anxiety yo meet his Guru, many a charlatan tried to cheat the king by pretending to be the Guru. Then one day his courtiers told the king that Guru Nanak had arrived and his prayers had indeed been answered. But the king had been deceived several times and so was wary. Accordingly, he sent out two most captivating dancing girls to try their charms on the visiting holy man. The moment the girls set eyes on Guru Nanak Dev Ji they forgot all about their designs. They came and sat down in utter devotion. The king meanwhile was waiting impatiently to know what had happened to his girls. When he learned about their submission to the Guru, he rushed to Guru Nanak Dev Ji and fell at his feet. The raja wanted Guru Ji to accompany him to his palace. Guru Ji would not go, instead he had the king put a dharamsala where devotees congregated daily, singing praises of God.
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