SRI GURU RAM DAS JI                                           

Guru Ram Das Ji was born on 25th September, 1534 A.D. in Chuna Mandi, Lahore. He was the son of Hari Dass Sodhi Khatri and Anupi Devi, known as Daya Kaur. He was named as Ram Das but he was the first child he was popularly known as Jetha. He had one younger brother Haridial and one younger sister Ram Dassi. He was fair in complexion and very handsome.
His parents died when he was merely seven years old. He and his brother and his sister became orphan in childhood. After the death of his parents their grandmother took them to village Basarkhe. His grandfather was not a rich man. So, in order to make his living he began to sell grams under the shade of a tree on the bank of a tank.
When Guru Amardas Ji shifted to Goindwal Bhai Jetha also accompanied them. There Bhai Jetha resumed his work of selling roasted grams. There he found the construction work in full swing. The devotees of Guru Angad Dev Ji had come from far and near and were serving there without taking any wages. Bhai Jetha was very mach influenced by the selfless service of the Sikhs. He also mde up his mind to become a Sikh of Guru Angad Dev Ji. After of buildings. He used also to serve the devotees. 

Guru Angad Dev Ji entrusted the Guruship to Guru Amar Dass Ji in 1552A.D. At that time, the age of Bhai Jetha was about eighteen years.
In December 1552 A.D. one day mother Mansa Devi said to Guru Amar Dass Ji, ''Our daughter Bhanni has now grown up, it is the right time we should select a suitable groom for her.''
The Guru replied, '' It is very proper that you have reminded me that our daughter has reached the marriageable age. But tell me what type of groom should we search for?'' Mother Mansa Devi replied,'' He should be young, healthy, talented, learned, pious Gursikh and very handsome.'' At that time Bhai Jetha had come to meet Guru to take advice for the construction work. When Mansa Devi saw Bhai Jetha standing nearby, then Mother Mansa Devi pointing towards Bhai Jetha said,'' The groom should be like this boy.'' The Guru said,'' He is the only boy who resembles him, there is none else in this world who had the features and qualities like him. If this boy seems you ideal of your imagination as the suitable groom for our daughter Bhanni then why not consider him as suitable groom for her.'' Mother Mansa Devi had no objection to that. After few days Bibi Bhanni was married to Bhai Jetha.
Bhai Jetha's service was selfless. Physically he was feeling lowest of lowest but spiritually he always kept his mind in the recitation of the Name of God. Guru Amar Dass Ji was so influenced by his service that he made up his mind to entrust him the leadership of the Sikhs.
One day he asked Sri Ram Dass to tale bath. After taking the bath Sri Ram Dass worn new clothes specially tailored for him. The Guru Amar Dass Ji embraced him and guided him to the throne of the Guru and asked him to adorn it. Bhai Jetha(Ram Dass) sat on the throne. Then Guru Amar Dass Ji placed five paisa and coconut in front of Guru Ram Dass and after going round of him three times he bowed before him. Then Baba Buddha Ji applied the tilak as a mark of Guruship and spiritual kingdom passed to the fourth Guru.
Guru Amar Dass wanted to colonise a new city. In June 1570A.D. he took Guru Ram Dass Ji reached at that place, Guru Amar Dass sent for the headmen of the villages of Gumtala, Tung Sultanwind and Gillwali. The Guru told them that he wanted to colonize a new city at that place. The people of those villages agreed the proposal of the Guru. Foundation stone of the town was laid by Guru Amar Dass Ji himself and town was named as Guru Ka Chakk.
After completion of the Guru Bazar, digging of the Santokh Sar Sarovar started. The workers and masons also constructed houses for their own residences. The Guru also started Langar for the devotees and the workers.
When Guru Ram Dass Ji constructyed a Darbar Hall and started preaching the devotees then the name of the city was changed to Chakk Guru Ram Dass.
The Guru also brought five hundred bighas of land from the nearby village Tung for the further expansion of town.
Rajni, daughter of Duni Chand, a landlord of Patti was married to a leper. She took her husband by the bank of a small pond in the shade of a 'ber' tree and herself went to Langar.
 

When  the leper was sitting on the bank of pond, he saw a pair of crows dipped down into the pool and flew away with their colours changing from black to white. He considered that the pool did not contain any ordinary water. So, he struggled and by crawling reached near the water of the pond. Then he dipped himself into the water. But when he came out he was astonished to see himself.

CONTINUED IN THE NEXT POST...

                         TRUTH IS SUPREME                               

Taking Bhai Mardana along, Guru Nanak reached the high peaks of the Shivalik mountains where saints and yogis were passing their lives after renouncing the world. Those saints and yogis had a belief that the love for worldly objects will cease of one lives in an uninhabited area. By overcoming the desire to possess worldly material, one can overcome reincarnation. They called themselves celibate and did not get married. They also believed that after marriage, the wife entangles the husband in the net of worldly objects and his escape from it is impossible.
It was difficult for everybody to reach those snow-clad mountains. There was always the danger of wild animals. The yogis were filled wonder on seeing Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana. They questioned, '' How have you come to us? One can reach these hills only with the help of supernatural powers. ''Guru Nanak replied, ''We have reached here with the knowledge of the truth.''
Among those yogis was Bharthari, a disciple of Gorakh, who had renounced his kingdom and adopted yoga. He did not grasp the meaning of what Guru Nanak said because, as long as one does not adopt truth as one's way of life, how can one understand what the Truth is. He advised Guru Nanak, ''You also pierce your ears like me and put on ear-rings, shave your head, discard your clothes, smear your body with ash and adopt Gorakh as your spiritual guide, then you will attain salvation.
Guru Nanak replied, '' You renounced your kingdom, left your home but have not been able to get rid of your ego for which you have not understood it yet.'' Bharthari offered a bowl of cannabis to Guru Nanak and said,'' Nanak drink it so that you may be free from hunger and thirst. Your mind may concentrate and all the woes of the world be forgotten.'' Guru Nanak replied, '' One who trades in the Truth, does not require this drug. He is always intoxicated by the Name which destroys pains and sorrows of the world.''
After Bharthari was satisfied, Sanghar Nath asked, '' What were the means by which you got rid of lust? In which way did give up the love of worldly objects? How did you master anger and why does pride not bother you?'' Guru Nanak replied, When I  gained the knowledge of Truth, I  overcame lust. When I started singing the praises of God, love of worldly materials left men made the greed to flee. The fear of death left me when I  perceived the Lord always in my mind.''
Guru Nanak saw that the impurity of ego had not left the minds of the yogis though they had renounced the world and were tolerating the pains and hardships of the hills far away from human. How could yogis see the light of Truth away from the creation when God resides in it?