GURU GOBIND SINGH JI                         

Guru Gobind Singh Ji was born at Patna on 22nd December 1666A.D. His father was Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji and mother Mata Gujri Ji. Guru Gobind Singh Ji assumed Guruship on 11 November, 1675 A.D. at Anandpur Sahib. Baba Ram Kanwar, a descendant of Baba Buddha Ji performed the ceremony of Guruship. He presented the Guru, a garland of pearls, plumed turban, one sword, one horse, one falcon and five coins of gold. Guru Ji looked very handsome and smart while sitting at the throne of Guruship. The congregation was full of joy and happiness. The musicians were reciting the holy hymns.
After assuming the Guruship, Guru Gobind Singh Ji presented Siropas to Baba Ram Kanwar, Baba Gurditta Ji and other devotees.
In Kabul there lived a very rich man, whose name was Duni Chand was a great devotee of the Guru.
They prepared....

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                                        CONTINUATION..

As he was the son of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, so he bowed before him with great respect took Baba Sri Chand with him and seated beside with him. His few disciples also accompanied him. Baba Sri Chand was very pleased to see the Divine face of Guru. His face seemed to him resembling the face of his father Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He was fascinated by seeing the charming personality of Guru. Thus pointing, towards the beard of the Guru he said,'' Why have you grown such a long beard?'' The Guru said politely,''It is to wipe the dust of the feet of great men like you.'' Baba Sri Chand laughed hearing this answer. He said,'' rIt is the humility and the politeness which has made you the worthy of Guruship. I have heard about your benevolence. generosity and humbleness. but ow I have seen with my own eyes. With your devoted service you have not achieved the Guruship but also won the hearts of mankind.

CONTINUATION OF THE LAST POST.....

Making his house a common religious place he stayed in the house of Sihari Mal. The house of Sihari Mal was very vast.There devotees were coming to pay homage to the Guru during the whole day. It became very difficult for him to get any time for the recitation of the Name of God. The Guru asked them to observe disciple. He fixed time for assembling. He advised them to come in the morning and evening so that he could fix times for the recitation of hymns and for addressing the congregation. He also started there the common kitchen.
After staying for a long time he returned back to Amritsar along with his family and other Sikhs.
Baba Sri Chand was an elder son of Guru Naak Dev Ji. When he heard about the construction of the Amritsar city, Nectar pool and praise of Guru Ram Dass, he came to Amritsar for audience with the Guru.
At that time he was about ninety years old. Due to worship of God, he was very active and healthy. He was wearing a saffron coloured dress. But he had no affinity with the yogis and recluses. When Guru Ram Dass Ji heard about the arrival of Baba Sri Chand, he rose and himself went to receive Baba on the way. 

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CONTINUATION OF THE LAST POST....

                                        SRI GURU RAM DASS JI                   

                                   AMRITSAR                         

He was no longer the leper, as he had been few minutes earlier. He walked as a young man and again sat under the shade of the tree. He waited for Rajni very patiently. When Rajni returned from the Langar house, she was distressed to see a new man sitting near her basket. Her husband told her the complete story of his transformation. But she did not believe it. She took him to Guru Ram Dass who was supervising the construction work inside the city. When the Guru asked the young man to tell the truth, he narrated the whole story which had happened with him. The Guru was convinced to hear the story of the young man as he perceived that pond must be same saced place about which Guru Amar Dass Ji had told. Then the Guru assured Rajni that young man was her real husband. Her belief in God had cured the leprosy of her husband.
Then the Guru told Baba Buddha Ji that pond was the same holy place about which Guru Amar Dass Ji had foretold. He asked him that there a Pool of Nectar must be constructed.
Next Day 'Deg' (a big cooking pot) of Karah Prashad(sweet pudding offered at a Sikh shrine) was prepared. The Guru took Baba Buddha Ji, Bhai Gurdas and other revered  Sikhs with him and reached near the Nectar Pool. Then the Guru asked Baba Buddha to dig a spade of mud from the tank as an inauguration ceremony of the construction work. After reciting the holy hymns, Baba Buddha Ji dug a spade of mud and threw that in a basket. After that Karah Parshad was distributed among all of them.
Then all the Sikhs started digging the mud and filling their baskets were carrying on their heads and were throwing at the bank. So, the digging of the holy tank started from that day.
After completion of the tank four wells were dug at the four corners of the tank. These Persian-wheels were running for twenty four hours and water of these wells was falling in the holy tank.
After the construction of the Amrit Sarovar, the city was renamed as Amritsar.
One day the Guru asked his Sikhs to make arrangements for his departure for Lahore. They perceived that one orphan child due to his self;less service and hard work, had become the True Emperor.
Guru Ram Dass Ji first visited his own house in Chuna Mandi. He stayed there for few days and converted that house into a holy monument.

                  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?

             SHRI GURU ANGAD DEV JI                              

Bhai Lehna Ji who later on came to be known as Guru Angad Dev Ji. He was born on March 31, 1504A.D.  at Matte Di Sarran, district Mukastar. His father Bhai Pheru Mal Ji was well educated. He was working as an accountant. of a Muslim ruler. The people of the village felt very happy when they heard the news of Bhai Lehna Ji. They came in the house of Bhai Pheru Mal to conngratulate him.
In order to celebrate the birth of Bhai Lehna Ji, the devotees came in large number. They sang songs in praise of Durga Mata. On seeing the beautiful child all were thanking goddess.
When Bhai Lehna Ji was sixteen, Bhai Pheru Mal Ji decided to get his son married. Bhai Lehna was married in village Khadoor near Taran Taaran in Amritsar district.
One day Jodha of his district was taking Bath in the tank and was singing the sacred hymns. Bhai Lehna listened to the hymns very carefully, which caused strange effect on his mind. At that time, Bhai Jodha was reciting the pauri number 21 of Asa Di War.  Bhai Lehna Ji had never heard such sacred hymns in praise of God. He only used to listen and sing in praise of goddess.
He then said to Bhai Jodha, '' My friend, from where have you learnt these devotional songs? '' Bhai Jodha replied, 'O, great man, these devotional songs are composed by Guru Nanak.'' Then he told him abut the life of Guru Nanak. He also told that Guru Nanak speaks the word of God as it comes to him from God himself. '' Who recites or listens these hymns, gets a glimpse of the True god and crosses peacefully this worldly ocean.''

Next day when Bhai Lehna took his horse and drove towards Kartarpur. When he reached near the village he saw a well built, healthy and tall old man. He drove near the man and asked about the village and Guru Nanak's abode. That old man was Guru Nanak himself. Instead of pointing towards the residence of Guru Nanak, he asked him politely to follow him. Guru Nanak guided him and Bhai Lehna, discontinuing the horse, followed him. When they reached the Darbar of the Guru, pointing towards a peg, Guru Nanak himself entered his room. He sat on the seat where he generally used to meat his devotees. Bhai Lehna asked from a Sikh about the whereabouts of Guru Nanak. The Sikh told him about the room of the Guru. But when he entered the room, he was astonished to see the same old man who had led him the way, was Guru Nanak himself. Bhai Lehna was filled with shame and remorse.

Guru Nanak made Guru Angad Dev Ji his successor and advised him to go to his native village.The Guru Angad Dev Ji shifted to his village but was staying secretly in the house of Mai Virai. But the Sikhs felt worried as they could not find the whereabouts of Guru.

But Baba Buddha Ji was confident that the Guru must be in the house of Mai Virai. So he took five Sikhs and Rababi Balwand with him and reached the house of Mai Virai. Then he asked Bhai Balwand to tune his rebeck and to recite a hymn of Guru Nanak. Bhai Balwand ecited a hymn of Guru Nanak in a very sweet and loud voice. When Guru Angad Dev Ji heard the voice of Bhai Balwand reciting a holy hymn of Guru Nanak he came outside and stood in the gate. He saw towards Baba Buddha and other Sikhs. He smiled and very happily said, ''You have found the way to locate Guru''. The recitation of the hymn of Guru Nanak has such a power that no man on earth could resist it. Then at the request of Baba Buddha he agreed to go with them in order to see the Sikhs. 

At the new place Khadur Sahib, on one side the Guru was showering the spiritual teachings to the people, and on the other side Mata Kheevi Ji wife of Guru Angad Dev Ji was supplying rich foods to the Sikhs. She was made incharge of Langar and ger duty was to supply food to all, irrespective of caste or creed.

Mata Ji used to get up early in the morning and after performing religious rites she attended the kitchen. Though there were other sewadars also to prepare and serve the food, but Mata Kheevi Ji himself prepared the vegetables, and other dishes. She was keeping a watch in order to make it certain that all had been served according to their requirements. Bhai Balwand Rababi writes, '' Rice prepared in ghee were served to all''.

Himayun once decided Khadur to meet Guru Angad Dev Ji. When Himayun reached Khadur he was astonished to see the grandeur of the great Guru. At that time the Guru was delivering his divine sermons and his followers were listening to him very carefully. When the Emperor tried to enter the Diwan Hall the sewaks stopped him. He felt offeneded and in fit of rage entered into the Diwan Hall forcefully and stood before the Guru. Instead of bowing the Guru, he put his hand....

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                    READING OF GURU GRANTH SAHIB                       

1. Every Sikh should, as far as possible, maintain a separate and exclusive place for installation of Guru Granth Sahib Ji, in his home.
2. Every Sikh, man, woman, boy or girl, should learn Gurmukhi to be able to read the Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
3. It is desirable that every Sikh should carry on a continuous reading of the Guru Granth  Sahib and complete a full reading in one or two months or over a longer period.
4. While undertaking a full reading of the Guru Granth Sahib, one should recite the Anand Sahib and perform the Ardas. One should thereafter, read the Japuji. Akhand Path(uninterrupted non stop completion of the reading of the Guru Granth Sahib).

                        SIKH REHET MARYADA               

BELIEFS, DUTIES AND CEREMONIES

1. A Sikh should pray to God before launching off any work task.
2. Learning Gurmukhi is an essential for Sikh. He should pursue other studies too.
3. The true Sikh of the Guru shall make an honest living by lawful work.
4. A Sikh shall not steal, form dubious associations or engage in Gambling.
5. A Sikh should not kill his daughter, nor should he maintain any relationship with the killer of Daughter.
6. Not believing in any caste or descent untouchability, magic spells. omens days or occasions, influence of stars or any horoscopic dispositions, Ancestor worship.
7. The Khalsa should maintain its distinctiveness among the professors of different religions of the world, but should not hurt the sentiments of another person professing another religion.
8. A Sikh should, in no way, harbour any antipathy to the hair of the head with which the child is born.
9. It is not proper for a Sikh women to wear veil or keep her face hidden by veil or cover.
10. A Sikh when he meets another Sikh, should greet him with, ''Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh''. This is ordained for both men and women.
 

                                           

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                  SOLAR  ECLIPSE                                       

Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Bhai Mardana reached the holy place kurukshetra where the war of Mahabharat had been fought. That was the day of solar eclipse, so people had come in large numbers from far and near for a holy dip. On every side people were waiting for the eclipse to start. Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana chose an open place and sat there. No sooner had the eclipse than groups of beggars starting asking for alms. The rich started to give charity to make amends of their sins. People started bathing in the river. This fallacy is in vogue that if anybody bathes and gives alms at the time of eclipse, all his sins are washed away in the same way as dust is washed from the body with water. Those desirous of washing away their sins were heaping money on the hands of Brahmins even though they had not given a single paisa to the poor before.
Guru Nanak was sitting and watching this show with Jagat Rai, the prince of Hansi state, placed a deer before him and requested, '' Holy man, I have nothing for charity at this auspicious time except this deer which I hunted on my way. Please accept this.'' At Guru Nanak's bidding, Bhai Mardana lit a fire and placed the deer on it to cook.
When Brahmins saw the smoke, they came running to Guru Nanak and said, '' No one can light a fire on this auspicious time. It is a great sin to light a fire. Nothing can be cooked. Only charity can be given at this time.'' Nanu Brahmin said,'' What have you placed in this pan to cook?'' Bhai Mardana said,'' This is the meat of deer.'' Nanu got more angry on hearing it.
Guru Nanak told those who were raising a hue and cry. ''It is not a sin to cook something to satisfy hungry stomach. It is a sin to rob innocent people by telling lies. Tell me how the sins of a sinner can be washed away by giving charity to sinners like you who do not know what meat is. Listen, all bodies consist of flesh. Flesh eats flesh. Flesh marries flesh and brings her home. All the relatives are flesh. When you realise the word of the Lord, you gain the knowledge of what meat is. These foolish vegetarians do not understand that vegetables are also meat. Woman is also a flesh. Those who decry meat, make love to it at night. Children are also flesh which take shape out of the flesh of their parents. Grain, cotton etc are all flesh. If you give up eating and wearing all these then you have given up meat. Those from whom you accept charity, according to your reckoning, will go to hell for eating meal while you will go to hell for accepting charity from them.''
Hearing these words from Guru Nanak, all those who were raising a hue and cry became silent. Guru Nanak further told them, ''No god is under threat. Eclipse are caused by the movements of the planets. Nobody's sins are washed away by bathing in this water and giving charity to these Brahmins. Only remembering and keeping God in mind can wash away sins.''

                   MADNESS FOR GOLD                                

One day Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana reached a country which was ruled by a very cruel king named Karu. He had an urge to amass gold and silver. If he heard that one of his subjects had some gold or silver, he would ask for it and then take it away by force if his request failed. In this way, he had filled forty boxes with gold and silver.
One day he asked his minister,'' Does anyone in our country possess gold or silver about which we have not come to know?'' The minister said,'' I shall inquire about it and let you know tomorrow.''
On the next day, the minister sent a very beautiful slave girl to the market for sale. The sale price of that slave girl was fixed as one silver coin. A merchant's son went to his widowed mother and said,'' If we buy this slave girl for a silver coin, she will do all the house work and make life easy for you.'' The mother replied,'' We do not have any silver coin in our house but when your father died, he was burried with a silver coin in his mouth. You dig the grave and take out that coin to buy the slave girl.'' When the king came to know about the silver coins in the mouths of the dead, he had all the graves dug up and had the silver coins taken out.
Guru Nanak went to his palace and said to the King's gatekeeper,'' Convey our message to the King, two outsiders want to see him.'' When the King came to the door, he saw Guru Nanak counting pieces of broken earthen pots. The King asked in great wonder,'' O holy man, what use are these pieces to you?'' Guru Nanak replied, '' We are to take these to the next world.'' The King said, '' How can you take these pieces to the next world?'' Guru Nanak replied,'' In the same way as the wealth collected by you by cruelty.'' Hearing this, he realised his mistake. He said,'' I  have great love for gold and silver. Advise me so that my love for gold and silver goes away and I may embark on the path of God.''
Guru Nanak said,'' O Karu, whatever you see with the eyes will be destroyed one day. The wealth which is spent in the name of God, goes along with you to the next world. Horses, forces and kingdm will remain here when death overtakes you. You came to this world alone and empty handed and shall leave this world empty handed. You have seen with your eyes that the dead, who had been buried with one silver coin in their mouths could not take even that one coin with them. How will this wealth amassed with sins and cruelty, go with you? However the sins and cruelty committed will surely go along with you and for committing those sins you will be thrown into the fire of hell.''
Hearing about the fire of hell, he trembled more. He asked,'' How can I  escape that fire?'' Guru Nanak said,'' Only if you shun cruelty henceforth and use the wealth which you have collected by your sins, to provide free meals for the poor.''

             TRUE PRAYER                                           

After Guru Nanak got employed as store-keeper at Sultanpur, Mool Chand, a land official at Pakkhode Randhawa, married his daughter, Bibi Sulakhani to him. Sulakhani started living with him at Sultanpur. She gave birth to two sons namely Sri Chand and Lakhmi Chand.

One day when Guru Nanak went to the river Veiyeen to take his bath as usual, he did not come out. This happened in 1497 A.D. when Guru Nanak was 27. After waiting for a long time, Bhai Mardana returned home and informed Nawab Daulat Khan about Guru Nanak's disappearance in the river. The Nawab sent his men to search for him but they could not find him either in the river or outside nearby. The people of the city were ,much grieved at the disappearance of their wise and honest store-keeper. On the third day after this happening, somebody saw Guru Nanak sitting in the graveyard.The news of Guru Nanak sitting in the graveyard also reached Nawab Daulat Khan. The head qazi was standing with him at that time. The Nawab took him along and reached the graveyard where Guru Nanak was sitting. They heard with their own ears, Guru Nanak saying,'' Here nobody is either a Hindu or a Muslim.'' They were struck with wonders. They said,''O, Nanak, if you don't feel any difference between Hindus and Muslims and you think all are created by one God, if you believe that in the court of God, decisions will be made according to the god and bad deeds of each individual, then come with us to the mosque to perform prayer bestowed by God.''At the bidding of the Nawab, Guru Nanak went with them inside the mosque. All the devotees except Guru Nanak began to perform the prayer. After the completion of the prayer, the Nawab asked Guru Nanak, '' Why did you not say the prayer? Why did you keep standing silently when we were performing the prayer?'' Guru Nanak replied,' Dear Nawab, whom would I joined in the prayer? Your mind was in the Kandhar purchasing horses while your body was here.'' The Nawab said,'' Nanak, if my mind was not present in the prayers, you should have joined the qazi.'' Guru Nanak said,'' Dear Nawab, the qazi's mind was looking after the newly born colt at home.'' Hearing this the qazi said,'' Dear Nawab, Nanak is telling the truth. My mare had given birth to a calf this morning. While performing the prayer, I was worrying that my colt might fall into the ditch and might not be able to get out of the ditch on its own.''Guru Nanak said,'' Dear qazi, only the prayer which is performed with the mind and fully concentrated, is accepted at the door of Lord. Prayers performed without full concentration of mind are self- deception and hypocrisy.''

                                                

SAJJAN THE ROBBER

Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Bhai Mardana started from Pakpattan and reached the city of Tulamba in Multan. By the side of the road, they saw a very big and beautiful house, Sajjan, whose real name was Sheikh, had constructed that inn for the comfort of the travelers. In that inn, everyone was given a room to pass night and free meals were served to one's fill. There was no discrimination, be the traveler a Hindu or a Muslim. In that inn, Sheikh had got constructed on one side, a temple for the Hindus to worship and on the other side a mosque, for the Muslims to pray.
Sheikh used to dress like a saint during the day and engaged himself telling beads on his rosary. Seeing him thus, everyone who met him called him Sajjan- the virtuous man or friend. Sajjan had plenty of land which was tilled by labourers. He had adopted another means of income of which no one expect his partners knew. He used to kill the travellers staying for the night, throw their bodies into a well and misappropriate their belongings.
Sajjan guessed that Guru Nanak was a wealthy man. He served Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana very well. Guru Nanak could read what was in the mind of other people. Nothing could remain hidden from him. Guru Nanak read all his black deeds from his conversation with his companions. After dinner, Sajjan requested Guru Nanak,'' O holy man, come and sleep in comfort inside. The night has well advanced. ''Guru Nanak said,'' We shall sing a hymn in praise of God and then sleep.'' Guru Nanak started the recitation of the hymn. 
When Sajjan heard the hymn and understood the meanings, he suspected that Guru Nanak had come to know his black deeds. That was why he was saying, '' A utensil made from bronze looks bright outside but when it is rubbed it makes the fingers black.'' Even if it is washed, that bronze will not be free from blackness. Decorate empty houses outside as you wish but when they are demolished, they will be empty inside. Human bodies are like houses. The bodies devoid of virtues are no avail. The white clad holy men who rob those gone astray, are like storks at places of pilgrimage, who eats frogs. They cannot be called devotees. A man's shrewdness, wisdom and service are useless inless he gives up bad deeds. To become virtuous, one needs the help of Lord.''
When the recital of the hymn was finished, Sajjan fell at Guru Nanak's feet. At the bidding of Guru Nanak, he disturbed all his accumulated wealth among the poor, began to earn his living truthfully and became a true Sajjan.

         

Question: What is the literal meaning of the word 'Sikh'?

Answer: The correct answer is'DISCIPLE'.

Congratulations, to all those who gave this Answer.
And Good Luck to  the rest.

               A HAPPENING AT HARIDWAR                                     

Guru Nanak Dev Ji reached Haridwar where Hindus say their last farewell to the ashes of their dead in the river Ganges. They have the believe that the one whose ashes are put in the river Ganges, remains eternally in heaven. Guru Nanak Dev Ji saw thousand o men and women bathing in the river. He also took off his clothes, handed them to Bhai Mardana and descended into the rivrto bathe.
Those who were bathing in the river were throwing water with their hands towards the east. Guru Nanak started throwing water in the West. Those ho were throwing water towards the East, were wonderstruck at seeing Guru Nanak Dev Ji throwing water towards the West. One of them took courage, and asked Guru Nanak Dev Ji, ''Brother, are you a Hindu or a Muslim? Don't you know even this that water is thrown towards the East?  Guru Nanak Dev Ji stopped throwing water and asked the questioner,'' Brother, why is this water thrown towards the East? He replied,'' Don't you know even this that our ancestors live in the abode of gods? They died due to the lack of water. We give them water.''
Guru Nanak again asked that person, ''How far from Haridwar do your ancestors live?'' He replied, '' They live evn beyond the Sun, millions of miles away.'' Guru Nanak said,'' Does this water thrown by you reaches them?'' He replied,'' Brahmins tell us that the water thrown by us reach them.'' Their thirst is quenched by our water. If we do not throw water they are tormented by thirst.''
Hearing this reply from him, Guru Nanak started throwing the water towards the west vigorously. That man again asked Guru Nanak,'' Why do you throw water towards the west when the ancestors are in East.'' Guru Nanak replied, My ancestors are not dying of thirst but my fields in Punjab are drying due to lack of rain. I am watering them.''
That man replied,'' How can this water thrown by you reach Punjab?'' Guru Nanak replied,'' If water thrown by you can reach your ancestors millions  of miles away, why can this water which I am throwing not reach a place two hundred miles away?'' Some of the listeners came to understand, what Guru Nanak said. They realised that the water which they were throwing,returned to the river. Some stopped throwing water but those who have not understood, continue throwing it towards the East to this day.
Those who throw water towards the Est, have forgotten that originally they were asked to throw water to the rising sun and not towards the East. People who have to give water to the rising Sun, must get out of bed before sunrise. Anyone who wakes up before dawn, cannot be lazy. People who are active, are less likely to fall ill. Poverty is less likely to afflict them. They are free from want and hunger. Their houses are free from quarrels. The custom of giving water was started to shake off laziness but the greed of Brahmins turned it into a hypocrisy. 

    NUMEROUS PLANETS AND NUMEROUS STARS.                                            

On his return from Egypt, Guru Nanak Dev Ji, sat down to spend the night in an open place outside the city of Bagdad. When the people came to know that Guru Nanak Dev Ji, who had revealed the spiritual power at Mecca, was sitting outside the city, they went to the qazi of the city in a big group. The qazi reckoned that stoning such an Infidel hindu to death, would be a very pious deed. He took some of his disciple and went to kill Guru Nanak.
Going head they found that Guru Nanak Dev Ji was singing hymn. Singing was in conflict with their prophet's teachings. However the melody of the hymns made them powerless to hit Guru Nanak with stones. They were stunned and began to look at each other's faces and stones fell from their hands. Guru Nanak made them understand,''Music for singing praises of the Lord is not bad but that music is bad which forces the mind to behave like a devil.'' They asked for forgiveness and took Guru Nanak with them to the city.
The next morning, after taking his bath, Guru Nanak recited Japji Sahib- which is one of the morning prayers. As he passed by Jalal Din, the pir of Bagdad heard the words-''There are numerous skies and nether regions.'' He was filled with wonder after hearing it.
At the end end of the recital, he said ''O, holy man you said that there are numerous skies and numerous nether regions, but our prophets have told us that there are seven skies and seven worlds below. You are telling  a lie.'' Guru Nanak said to the Pir.''Your prophet is not wrong. He saw seven skies and seven worlds below, but I see an unlimited number of these so I speak accordingly. '' Pir Jalal Din  said,''As long as you don't show me , how can I believe you?Guru Nanak Dev Ji told, ''Send anybody with me whom you can trust. I shall show him all these and then you will believe me.
As asked by Guru Nanak, PIr Jalal Din got his son Jul Jalal ready to accompany Guru Nanak. When the people of the city came to know that Guru Nanak was to take the Pir's son to show him numerous skies and numerous nether regions, they assembled in a large at his house. People wanted to see all this with their own eyes. Guru Nanak said Jul Jalal, 'Close your eyes.'' When he closed his eyes, Guru Nanak and Jul vanished out of crowd. After some time they returned.
Guru Nanak brought him back after showing him numerous and numerous nether regions. Jul Jalal had in his hand, a wooden bowl full of semolia pudding. He said,''I have been convinced of there being numerous stars and numerous skies and the worlds below, I have been putting in this bowl, small bits of semolia pudding from every place. When I got tired seeing the places, I requested Guru Nanak to return. I opened my eyes at the word of this Hindu Pir found that I was standing among this gathering with the bowl of pudding in my hand. The putting is still hot.

                       DEATH EATS UP ALL                                     

During his second journey, Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana reached Sialkot city now in Pakistan. They saw that people were raising a hue and cry near hermitage. On inquiry, they came to know that Pir Hamza Gaus was praying to God for the destruction of the whole city. He had made it known among the people that he would shut himself in his dome for forty days, observe a fast and would not see even the light of the Sun. After forty days of fasting, he would come out of the dome and the whole city would sink.
Guru Nanak sent Bhai Mardana to him to persuade him to give up his obstinacy. The disciples of Pir Hamza Gaus did not allow Bhai Mardana to see him. Then Guru Nanak started singing a hymn and the dome cracked. Seeing the sunlight he came out of his dome enraged and said to Guru Nanak,'' You have not done well. You have stopped me from destroying this city. This city is inhabited by liars. A rich man had promised me that if I got a son from him from God, he would leave him at my hermitage for my service. I fulfilled his wish. Now he has backed away his words. Nobody pays any heed to me although I got him the son from God. All the city sympathises with him.''
Guru Nanak replied,'' We can test just now if ant truthful person lives in the city or not.'' Guru Nanak gave Bhai Mardana two paisas and said,'' Please bring one paisa worth of truth and one paisa worth of falsehood from the market.'' Bhai Mardana went from one shop to another for asking one paisa worth of truth and one paisa worth of falsehood. The shopkeepers thought Bhai Mardana was out of mind and bade him move on. Eventually he reached the shop of Mool Chand Khatri. He took the paisas and wrote on a paper''Life is falsehood and death is the truth.''
Bhai Mardana came back with the paper. Guru Nanak showed the paper to Pir Hamza Gauz and said, ''There are truthful persons in the city. To destroy them would have been a sin.'' He said, ''Holy man, they say but they do not act. You may also ascertain this for yourself.'' Hearing this, Guru Nanak called Mool Chand to the hermitage and said to him,'' You have written that death is the truth. If you believe it, then leave hearth and home and come here to serve Pir Hamza Gaus.'' Mool Chand agreed to Guru Nanak. He handed over his home and belongings to his sons and presented himself to Pir Hamxza Gaus. The Pir was very pleased to see Mool Chand at his service. All his anger against the people of the city vanished. The people went away to their homes relieved.
Guru Nanak made Pir Hamza Gaus understand,''God is great. You should not resist him. It is the duty of the holy men to accept His will. They should do good as far as possible. Onne should not even think of harming God's creation.''

                   A STORE IN SULTANPUR                                 

Mehta Kalu Ji took an advice form his village ruler, Rai Bular,a bout the work for Guru Nanak . He said,''Dear Mehta,send your son to his sister Nanki in Sultanpur Lodhi. Her husband, Jai Ram is the minister looking after the estate of Nawab Daulat Khan at Sultanpur. Bhai Jai Ram will get him appointed to a good post in the service of Nawab Daulat Khan.

Acting upon the advice of his ruler, Mehta Kalu sent Guru Nanak to Sultanpur to his sistyer. Bhai Jai Ram introduced Guru Nanak to his Nawab. When the Nawab came to know that Guru Nanak learnt accounts and Persian, he appointed him as store keeper in his general store which was known as Modi Khana. Modi Khana was a very big store for rations in which the farmers tilling the land of the Nawab deposited a part of the produce asa tax. The store keeper used to send that accumulated grain to the kitchen of the army. It was also the duty of the store keeper to sell the surplus and deposit the money in the government treasury. As such the work of the store keeper was of great responsibility. The store keeper used to get a part of the income from his sales every month. 


After taking over the work at the Modi Khana, Guru Nanak called Bhai Mardana to him. It became their daily routine to rise early in the morning, bathe in the Veiyeen river, sing the e Lord and then come to Modi Khana. Whoever came to buy from Guru Nanak, he would weigh in excess rather in short. He did not try to get more from the farmers who brought their produce. If a needy person or holy man came to the store, Guru Nanak looked after their needs. Even after dealing in this way, Guru Nanak saved something every month when accounting was done. Everyone who came to Modi Khana returned happy. Above all N  pleased with Guru Nanak for working honestly. Nobody complained to him about Guru Ji as was the case with the previous store keepers whose complaints of under and over weighing and frauds were often received.

When someone came and asked Guru Nanak,''Nanak, we see you filling you filling the bags of poor with your hands from Modi Khana, yet how is it that there is no loss to it?'' Guru Nanak would reply, ''The Lord has given me the job of Store keeper who has created these poor people. I accomplish this work treating it as His own then how can there be a loss?''

       ADVICE TO THE PHYSICIAN                                                

After giving up learning from Maulvi Kutabdin, Guru Nanak started meeting saints and hermits. When no saint or hermit was available, he used to stay at home immersed in his own thoughts. If anybody came to the house, he talked as if he had met the person for the first time. Observing Guru Nanak's strange behaviour, his parents used to wonder. Guru Nanak also paid no attention to the timing of his meals.
Seeing the state of Guru Nanak, people began to talk thus,''Money is dearer to Mehta Kalu than his son. For the love of money he is not giving any treatment to his son although he is the only son.'' Hearing the people talk like this, Mehta Kalu one day called Haridas, the village physician, to treat Guru Nanak. Physician took Guru Nanak's  arm to feel the pulse. Guru Nanak pulled away his arm from the Physician's hand and said,''Dear physician why did you hold my arm?'' The Physician replied,'' I caught hold of your arm in order to feel your pulse., I was to diagnose your disease due to which you do not feel the hunger and eat nothing and keep lying down all day. I was to give you medicine after the diagnosis which would have cured you and you would have felt hunger at the proper time.''
Guru Nanak said to the physician,''Dear physician, my body whose pulse you are trying to feel is not sick. This illness is in my mind, deep inside myself. A physician who first recognises the malady correctly and then prescribes the medicine which frees the body from all ailments is a wise physician. Both the body and the mind may attain peace. I shall deem yourself to be an accomplished physician if you treat your malady before reliving me all my illness.''
The physician, on hearing that he himself was ill, was much upset. He asked,''Nanak, which illness do I have? I am quite hale and hearty. Tell me quickly which illness do I suffer from?'' Guru Nanak replied,'' You are sick with serious illness of birth and death. This cycle of birth and death cannot be cured by your medicines. Only the physician who does not himself suffer from this disease can give medicines to cure it. That physician, who is neither born nor dies. You are not that Physician.''
Physician Haridas knew only the cures of the diseases of the body. He did not know the medicine to rid oneself of the maladies of the mind, but he came to understand what Guru Nanak said. He took leave from Mehta Kalu telling him,'' Nanak has no physical ailment. He is immersed in love of God. Dear Mehta Kalu, please stop worrying about your son. He does not need any medicine from a physician.''

                                             REAL EDUCATION

Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born on 20th October 1469 AD, at Talwandi Rai Bhoi, which is currently known as Nankana Sahib, in the districy of Sheikhpur which is in Pakistan. Mehta Kaalu, his father was employed as a village official in charge of land records and revenue with Rai Bhullar, the ruler of that village. At the age of seven Guru Nanak Dev Ji's father sent him to Gopal Dass who was the village teacher. He learnt accounts and Devnagiri which is one of the scripts from that time.
One day Guru Nanak Dev Ji was sitting silently with a writing board in font of him. Seeing Guru Nanak Dev Ji sitting in this way, the teacher said, ''Nanak, why are you not learning your lesson?'' Guru Nanak Dev Ji replied, ''Respected teacher, what is the use of learning this lesson which teaches multiplication tables only? This lesson does not tell how to be free from the shackles of the worlds.''
The teacher replied, '' I have learnt only sums and measurements and have been teaching ever since. If you have knowledge of the ways to get freedom from bonds of this world, tell me.'' Guru Nanak Dev Ji replied, ''Respected teacher, writing in worldly deeds. Bonds by the shackles of worldly deeds, the mind is drawn towards The true education helps in breaking the attachment from the bonds of this world and the mind is freed from immorality. When the mind is pure, good feeling grows in it. That true education inspires one towards the praise of the creator and sustainer of this world. By singing his praises, the mind is filled with bliss and the fear of birth and death is removed forever.''
The teacher said,'' Nanak, I have taught you whatever I knew, I know nothing about this true education. I cannot teach it.'' Guru Nanak Dev Ji came home and narrated the whole story to his parents. Guru Nanak was only thirteen at that time so his father started sending him to Islamic religious teacher, Maulvi Kutabudin, to learn Persian. One day Guru Nnak asked Maulvi Kutabdin, What are the meanings of  Persian alphabets?'' No one had asked this type of question from him before, so no answer came to his mind and he said, ''Nanak, you tell me, what these letters of Persian alphabet in words in praise of God. After hearing the meanings of the letters from Guru Nanak Dev Ji, Maulvi Kutubdin understood that if one considers the worldly education, it is the praise of God which can free the mind from worldly attachments. 

   

 DARSHAN ON THE BANK OF RIVER GANGA

                                                

There was a Brahmin named Shiv Dutt who was the devotee of Shri Ram. He used to pray everyday for the auspicious sight of Shri Ram. Everyday, he worshiped at the bank of Ganges with reverence. At the childhood age, Gobind Rai often came there with his friends to play. Whenever, Pandit Shiv Dutt sat for an Ardas(humble request in punjabi) with his closed eyes with the Sacrament( parshad) in front of him specifically 'Laddoos', he noticed that Gobind Rai with all his friends were eating all those Laddoos. Pandit already knew that, Gobind Rai was the only son of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji and Mata Gujri Ji. On  seeing this, Pandit Shiv Dutt went to Mata Gujri Ji and said,'' Mata Ji, Your son Gobind Rai is interrupting in my rituals, moreover he also ate the sacrament of Laddoos with his friends.''
When Mata Ji called Gobind Rai and asked about the situation. gobind Rai Ji answered,'' I only went their on calling his own prayers and worships''. On the next day, when Pandit Shiv Dutt was continuing with his procedure of rituals, the same thing happened again. This time Pandit got angry and again went to Mata Gujri Ji. This time Mata Ji satisfied Pandit by saying,'' I will keep him with myself today and I ensure you that he would not interrupt you again in your rituals.''
The next day the Brahmin kept a stick aside with him while doing his rituals, but this time again Guru Ji with his friends came and as soon as they picked up the Laddoos the Brahmin ran with a stick after Gobind Rai.On reaching to Mata Ji, he asked for Gobind Rai, Mata Ji replied,''I have kept him locked in the room, now he has not  interrupted your prayer. But Pandit refused that,''he had come again.''
When Mata Ji opened the door,Pandit saw Gobind Rai sitting  inside. On asking Gobind Rai he said,'' You only call me everyday through your prayers since many years and now,  when your prayers are coming true, you are running after me with a stick.''
This time the Pandit said, ''I never called you in prayers, I called my Ram.'' This time Gobind Rai replied that, ''I am the only one whom you call in your prayers. But the Brahmin refused to accept and then he said, ''If you are the only one whom I call in my prayers,then just show me the appearance that I have kept in my mind.''On hearing this Gobind Rai changed himself into Shri Ram.
On seeing this Pandit Shiv Dutt fell on his feet and asked Mata Ji to send him daily. After this Gobind Rai went daily to Pandit Shiv Dutt till he left for Anandpur.

                       THE MIND READER                             

The rajas of hill states and the governors had to face another defeat even at their third attack on Anandpur. Then they wrote an exaggerated letter to Aurangzeb saying,''The power of Guru Gobind Singh has increased so much that we are unable to defeat him and it is increasing day by day. It will be appropriate if something is done now. Any delay in action will pose a threat to Delhi regime as we have done our best.''
On receiving the letter, Aurangzeb sent Said Khan to capture Anandpur. Said Khan had resolved, on starting that he would bring the Guru, dead or alive, to Delhi. He was Pir Budhu Shah's brother -in-law. Village Sidhaura where the widow of Pir Budhu Shah and sister of Said Khan lived with her children was situated on the way to Anandpur. While on the march, he stayed for a night at Sidhaura with her sister.
During their conversation at night, his sister advised him that it was not proper to attack on holy men. They cannot be conquered. She said to him, ''One should go to them, to gain something not to make them prisoners. The Guru's fight is against tyranny. He is not after any kingdom. I have sacrificed my two sons and husband for him. You are still unable to understand that the Guru is knower of the minds.''
Although his sister had advised and pleaded with him yet Said Khan did not stop. He attacked Anandpur in collaboration with the hill rajas. This was the fourth battle of Anandpur. When Said Khan saw Said Beg and Moman Khan fighting the royal army on the side of the Guru he thought, ''If, as my sister said, the Guru can read one's mind, I shall be convinced only if he comes face to face with me,''When you have remembered me and so I have come before you. Be ready to strike as I  give you the first chance strike.''
Seeing the Guru standing before him, Said Khan forgot to strike. The dreams of capturing the Guru alive or dead, which he had harboured at the time of marching from Delhi, were shattered. He placed his sword at the feet of he Guru and pleaded with him to be allowed to fight against the tyranny along with the army army of Singhs.
The Guru did not allow him to do this. Acting upon the teachings of the Guru, Said Khan gave up the command of the army and became a recluse. He spent the rest of his life in the service of humanity like a pious and God-fearing man.

               HE BLESSES THE HUMBLE                                         

In 1701 AD the hill rajas attacked Anandpur taking petty landlords and the rich people with them. Their combined forces could not defeat the Singhs. The Singhs fought with the skill from inside the fort. Not seeing victory in sight, the hill rajas beseiged Anandpur and waited. The hill chiefs blocked the supplies of food to the city of Anandpur. Even after a seige of two months the Singhs did not surrender.
One day Raja Kesari Chand chalked a plan wit the other Rajas''Iron plates and shields were to be tied to the forehead of an elephant and it was to be intoxicated by feeding hemp and wine. The gate of Lohgarh fort as then be broken with his help. Attack was to be mounted o the fort after breaking down the gates. The Guru was to be captured alive, if possible.''
This scheme of Kesari Chand for breaking the gate was narrated to the Guru by an informer. The Guru said,''We too have an elephant in the fort, who can defeat Kesari Chand's elephant.'' Duni Chand was standing near the Guru at that time. He thought that the Guru's reference to the elephant of the fort might be towards him. He got frightened of facing the elephant. He thought it better to jump the wall of the fort and flee at night. In the darkness of the night, he fell while crossing the wall and broke his leg. With great difficulty, he reached his home at Amritsar.
When people at home came to know that he had deserted the Guru, they stopped talking to him. Ashamed as he was, he did not venture out of his home. Devoid of the blessings of the Guru, Duni Chand died of snake' bite inside his house. Afterwards, to wash out the blot of ignominy of their father, his two sons Bhai Anup Singh and Sarup Singh presented themselves before the Guru at Anandpur and started serving the Guru's institution, after partaking Amrit.
When the elephant, intoxicated by hill rajas, neared the fort gate, the Guru blessed Bhai Bachittar Singh son of Bhai Mani Singh Singh Martyr. He was given the serpentine spear and sent to face the elephant.With the blessings of the Guru, he got the gate of the fortress opened and with great alacrity, making the horse stand on its hind legs, struck the serpentine spear on the forehead of the elephant. The spear, piercing the iron plates on the forehead of the elephant stuck inside. The intoxication of hemp and wine disappeared. Writhing in pain, it turned and ran. The elephant began to trample the forces of the hill rajas. There was a panic in the forces of Raja Kesari Chand. The Singhs got their opportunity to come out and fight with the enemy. While fighting, Bhai Udhay Singh had a chance and with one clean stroke of his sword severed the head of Kesari Chand. He presented it to the Guru. With the failure of second scheme of the hill rajas and loss of Kesari Chand, the morale of the hill rajas was razed to the ground and in this way the seige of Anadpur was broken.

          TENDER HEARTED SAID BEG                                                   

Said beg and Alif Khan were two generals in the army of Aurangzeb. They were going with their armies, from Delhi to Lahore. Their informer came and told them, Guru Gobind Singh Ji is on his way from Kurukshetra to Anandpur. He has, with him, only a squad of hundred Singhs at this time. This is a good opportunity to capture him. We should take full advantage of this.''
The generals had five thousand men each. They also felt that the Guru could be captured alive. Without thinking and deliberating further, they began to pursue the Guru. They were confident that they had ten thousand fully trained soldiers. One hundred Singhs who had just taken up arms and started riding horses were no match or them.
Singhs at Anandpur came to know that an army of Aurangzeb was pursuing the Guru. They hurriedly managed a squad of further four hundred Singhs who joined the Guru on the way. The Royal Army attacked the Singhs near Chamkaur. The generals were wonder struck on seeing the valour and the method of warfare of the Singhs, who had repulsed their forces.
The generals had heard about the valour of the Singhs but that day they witnessed eveything with their own eyes, how five hundred Singhs were holding an army of ten thousand at bay. Singhs were fighting with such skill and bravery that Said Beg could not stop himself from watching them. He forgot that he himself was in the battle filed to fight. His heart melted. He could not bare the cruelty being meted out to the Singhs. He entrusted the command of his army to Alif Khan and himself joined the Guru. Alif Khan was wounded while fighting. Without a commander, the soldiers thought it better to run and save their lives. The Singhs won the battle. Said Beg came to Anandpur and started living with the Guru.
At Anandpur people were taught,''We are all children of the same father who is the the One Supreme Being.'' The rich and the poor were treated in the same respect.No one thought of encroaching on others rights. Hindus and Muslims were treated alike and respectfully. It can be said that in those days Anandpur was a heaven on earth.  By coming in the presence of Guru Gobind Singh Ji even the hearts of stone become tender and pure in mind. Said Beg also started participating in battles in tyranny. He attained matryrdom while fighting against the Royal Army in the fourth battle of Anandpur.

                THE REAL AND THE FAKE                            

Guru Gobind Singh Ji along with his Singhs went hunting daily in the evening. They hunted tigers and leopards. In this way the fallacy of the general public that hunting was only for kings to pass time was eroded. The hunting encouraged the Singhs to face the dangers. One day the Guru had a tiger skinned and brought the Skin with him. The Guru ordered that this skin be put on a donkey. The Sikhs put the Skin on a donkey who was grazing nearby.
The villagers saw the donkey in the early morning. They thought that a tiger was prowling near the village. They alerted the neighbours about the tiger by going from house to house. All the people of the village were terrified.No on dared to go towards the side the tiger was sighted. That donkey roamed around the village, grazing, for two or three days. Nobody noticed that it could not be a tiger as it at grass. Seeing it's skin from a distance they concluded that it was a tiger.
A porter was passing that way with his donkeys. His donkeys began to bray. The donkey with the tiger's skin also joined it's brethren in the chorus. The porter went and removing the tiger's skin from the donkey threw it away. He was very pleased to find his missing donkey. He drove it away along with other donkeys. By braying, the secret of the donkey was out.
When the people of the village came to know that the tiger's skin had been put on the donkey by the Guru, they got together and went to the Guru. They requested him to enlighten them why he had harassed the villagers for three days? What was the secret behind it.
The Guru explained that this drama had been enacted to make Singhs understand.A Sikh does not become a Singh by adopting outer symbols.A Singh should have the spirit of Sikhism within him.By donning a tiger's skin a donkey could not become a tiger.The donkey terrify the simple villagers only for three days.When it's secret was out,it became a donkey again.
In this way a Sikh does not become a Singh by keeping long hair and beard and a sword.Without good deeds he may be called an imposter. A Singh should always have Sikhism within himself.In reality,a Sikh can be tested by his deeds.This kind of living can only be attained by following the teachings of the Guru.

                                                 

TRUE GUIDE FREES FROM BONDAGE

Once a large number of devotees came to Anandpur from Peshawar to have an audience with Guru Gobind Singh Ji. A very handsome youth between thirteen and fourteen years was one of them. He ceremoniously bowed his head at the feet of the Guru just as his parents and other devotees had done. When he was paying his obeisance, the Guru asked him,''Child, what is your name?'' The youth replied, ''My true guide, my name is Joga''. Joga in punjabi means for Someone.
The Guru again asked, ''Bhai, who is that someone?'' The boy was very clever. He replied promptly, ''True lord, you are.''
The Guru said,''From today you are for me and I am for you.'' On hearing this from the Guru , Joga devoted his body and soul in the service of Guru's institution.
Joga remained with the Guru while his parents and other devotees returned to Peshawar. From that day on, Joga devoted his body and soul in the service of Guru's institution. He was baptised and became Joga Singh from Joga.
His parents betrothed him to a very beautiful girl from a good family. Considering the suitable time for his marriage his parents fixed a date for the ceremony and came to Anandpur to take him with them. As told by his father, Joga Singh asked the Guru to allow him to go for his marriage ceremony. The Guru said, ''Joga Singh, you can go with pleasure. There is only one condition that you should come back immediately upon my orders.''
''Your command be true, it will as your reverence wishes.'' Saying this Joga Singh touched Guru's feet and departed for Peshawar to get married. On the fixed date after the conclusion of the early morning recitation of prayers, the Anand Karaj(Marriage ceremony) of Joga Singh started. After the completion of the first two Lawans (Hymns from Guru Granth Sahib Ji) out of the four which have to be recited to complete the marriage ceremony, a Sikh handed over a letter from the Guru to Joga Singh. The letter stated, ''Return to Anandpur immediately on reading this letter.''
After going through the Guru's letter Joga Singh the marriage ceremony. The relatives pleaded with him to complete the marriage ceremony before proceeding to Anandpur. He payed no attention to their requests. He said to them, ''My Guru has written to come leaving all the works so it is my duty to leave.'' He jumped upon his horse and proceeded towards Anandpur.
It was evening when Joga Singh reached Hoshiyarpur. He deliberated with a thought that into his mind, ''Can there be a Sikh of the Guru who like me will obey the orders of the Guru, leaving even his marriage ceremony unfinished?''He became proud on himself. In the mean time he saw the prostitute, while passing a way through the bazar. Seeing the beautiful prostitute, his mind was set in spending night with her.
The Guru who knew what was in the mind oh his true devotees, had already sent a Singh beforehand, who had been entrusted with the duty of guarding the abode of the prostitute. Joga Singh saw that a Singh was standing at the door. On seeing him he turned back, thinking that he would enter when the Singh had departed.
After sometime when he returned he still saw the Singh standing at the door seeing him he turned away again. In this way Joga Singh continued to come again and again throughout the night but left every time on seeing the Singh standing there. He spent the whole night going to and fro.
At the break of the dawn, when Joga Singh came, the Singh said to him, ''Joga Singh, now it is time to meditate. Go and sing His praises.'' That brought Joga Singh to his senses. He began to repent upon his sin he had been harbouring in his mind throughout the night. The Guru himself came and saved him otherwise he would have committed such immoral deed. He began to feel ashamed of going to the Guru. With a broken heart he presented himself in the congregation at Anandpur.
After the end of the morning assembly, the Guru called Joga Singh. The Guru commended him for his sacrifice at Peshawar. Joga Singh expressing his gratitude for saving his honour during the night at Hoshiarpur, placed his head at the feet of the Guru and said, ''Benefactor as you are, you forgive the mistakes of your devotees. Please forgive me.''
The Guru granted him forgiveness but the Sikhs have not forgotten that happening as they get guidance from it. 

              

                  waheguru ji ka khalsa
                         waheguru ji ki fateh..

                                 THE FIVE LOVED ONES                      

By the supreme sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji at Delhi,the fame of the institution of Guru Nanak Ji spread to nook and corner of the country.The rich and the poor from far and near started coming to Anandpur to see and offer respects to Guru Gobind Rai. The Guru dispensed will the middle men called Masands to collect the offering and tithe from the Sikhs for Gurus institution.
With the end of middlemen,Sikhs themselves brought their offering to Anandpur. This resulted in increase of love for the institution and the devotees began to get pleasure beholding their Guru face to face. The muslim petty land lords and robbers began to harass the Sikhs devotees on their way to Anandpur with their offering.To escape the robberies and harassment on the way the Sikhs devotees armed themselves. They used the arms for self defence. The skirmishes were the signs of awakening of the lowly and down trodden classes.The Sikhs kept arms and had skills to use them but did not carry them all the time.
The Guru, finding the suitable time, decided to arm the Sikhs. He sent invitations to the Sikhs to assemble at Anandpur on Baisakhi Day, the 30th March 1699. An estimated eighty thousand Sikhs were present at Sri Kesgarh in the morning congregation. The Guru joined the congregation after recitation of Asa Di War was over. He had a shining sword in his hand. Showing the sword to the congregation, he said in a thunderous voice, 'I need a head. Is there a Sikh who is ready to present his head to his Guru.''
Seeing this phenomenon of a sword in the Guru's hand and the demand of head by the Guru, the congregation was terrified with disbelief and silence fell alla round. After the third call, Bhai Daya Ram, a kshatri by caste from Lahore, Punjab rose and requested, 'O, true lord, this body and soul belong to you and I offer it to you. Use it as your desire. I ask forgiveness for not offering myself on the first call.''
Holding him by arm, the Guru took him inside the tent. Dread and fear gripped. Congregation heard a sound from inside the tent as if the Guru had severed the head  of Bhai Daya Ram from the body.
The Guru again came to the congregation and asked for an another head. This time Bhai Dharam Dass, a farmer of Delhi offered his head. In this way, three other Sikhs- Bhai Himmat Rai, waterman of jagan Nath Puri, Orissa Bhai Mohkam Chand, Tailor of Dwarka, Gujrat and Bhai Sahib Chand, barber of Bider, Andhra Pradesh presented their heads to Guru.
After the five Sikhs had offered their heads to Guru, the Guru brought them out and presented  them before the congregation. They were the Panj Pyaras(the five loved ones) who had offered their heads to the Guru. They were dressed in the similar attire as to the one worn by the Gurus.They were the fully arrayed Singhs. The Gurus called for an iron bowl  and in that he put water of river sutlej and sugar  candy. Then the Guru and Guru began stirring the water in the five loved ones sat round that iron bowl.taking a doubled edged sword, the Guru  began stirring the water in the bowl and reciting the five banis (scared hymns).The five hymns recite were japu ji, jap sahib,swaiyas,chaupai and anand sahib.
After the completion of recitation of the five sacred hymns, the Guru said, ''This is the Amrit( nectar) which has been prepared. Khalsa ( the pure ) will be created with this nectar. Khalsa will be the army of Waheguru (god). Khalsa will destroy tyranny''.
The Nectar thus prepared was administred to the five loved ones. It was also sprinkled in their eyes and hair. By partaking of the nectar by the five loved ones, Khalsa was created. The Guru requested the Khalsa that he be administered by the bounty of the nectar and be made Khalsa. Having partaken the Amrit Guru Gobind Rai became Guru Gobind Singh.
The Guru bestowed the gift of the nectar on the Sikhs and made them Singhs (lions) and gave women the title of Kaur which means princess. He abolished the four castes and differences created by the Brahmins. He put women on equal footing to men in all respect. The differences between high caste and low caste people were abolished among the Singhs. All the Singhs became brothers. The dirt of ego was washed from the minds of Singhs and they were made Khalsa- the pure one.
The Guru made compulsory for the Singhs to wear five kakars: Kes( hair), Kangha(comb), Kara(iron bracelet), Kirpan (sword) and Kachhera(long breeches).
He also forbid them from the company of other women(adultery), to eat meat of animals killed slowly in Islamic ways, use of intoxicants(to smoke) and to cut hair and asked them to recite the five sacred hymns daily. He made Khalsa the saintly soldier.
It is worth nothing, that the five loved ones who offered their heads to the Guru were all from different states and only one of them was from Punjab. All five were from different places, different professions and spoke different languages. From this, one can imagine how far the roots of Sikhism were spread. The Guru's devotees were not only in Punjab and Delhi but were all over India. The whole of India was sick of the tyranny being committed and was ready to sacrifice everything, including their lives.