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.