Chapter 3: Preparation for Odysseys

Parable 10: Sajjan, the Swindler

`He, the deceiver, abides with the five deceivers. It is the

Comradeship of the like ones.' Ramkali M.5

`The most quarrelsome, vicious and indecent persons have been

rendered pure in Thy company.' Asa M.5

`The mountains were to become gold and silver and be studded

with jewels and gems.

Even then, I would admire Thee, O Lord! and my yearning to

utter Thine praise shall not abate.' Majh M.1

When Sri Baba Satguru Nanak commenced his travel to save the emblazing world, primarily, he diverted his attention towards the desolated places. He would walk through the forests, and on approaching the vicinity of an inhabitation, would not go in. One day as they neared a colony, he asked, "Aye Mardana! Do you feel hungry?"

Mardana replied, "My True Master! You are intuitive."

Guru Jee said, "Go, Mardana, go to the colony and quench your hunger."

Mardana inquired, "My Soul! No body knows me in the town. How can I have the meals by begging? But if you so desire, I will go and beseech."

Guru Jee: "You, the Minstrel! You won't have to beg. You go and go to the household of Uppal Khatris in the town. Go and stand there, and keep quiet. Those people will be having their meals. They will be pleased to see you. Whole town will be topsy-turvy on your sight. Both Hindus and Muslims will flock to your feet. They will serve you various types of foods. A few may bring clothes, too. Who-so-ever face you will say, `Wish to sacrifice my everything.' With your glimpse, they will be gratified and say, `You the one, the minion of your Master! We are delighted. But, Mardana, there must be a few who will not care for who you are or wherefrom you have come.'"

Heeding to this, Mardana entered the town. Whatever the

Guru said, it came true word by word. Whole town converged towards his feet. Plenty of food, money, and clothes were dropped for him. People rendered enormous respect and service. Mardana gained happiness with such service and admiration. He was overwhelmed with the joy but, sometimes, when a few individuals did not care about him, he felt remorse. At the end of the day, Mardana brought all food, money, and clothes to Baba Jee. Baba observed his ecstasy, his minds elation and happiness. He went through his clothes, and numerated the money. Guru Jee scrutinised and smiled. Laughing hard he went nilet, berserk, and asked, "Mardana! What have you brought?"

Mardana: "My True Lord! This is the reaction of what you have said. It is the result of your blessing of the Godly Name..The whole town had come to my service. I had every thing to my fill. All this money and all these clothes, I have brought for yourself."

Guru Jee: "(In happy tone) You have been right in bringing these, your affection is appreciable but what good are these to me?"

Mardana: "Then, what should I do with them?"

Guru Jee: "Throw them away."

Mardana noticed joviality delineating Guru Jee's face. He introspected his inner-self. Again, he gazed at the radiating forehead, picked up the bundle, went away, and disposed it off. He came back, sat down and asked, "You always remain detached. People come to you and present the substance with great pleasure but you don't touch that. What is the reason?"

Guru Jee: "To forsake all this attachment we have abandoned our home and have been going round homeless. Then, what use is all that if we get clung again?"

Mardana: "But those ascetics, who have deserted their household as well, are not agreeable to you."

Guru Jee: "No one is `not agreeable' to me. But it is bad practice to shift ones own burden of household, offspring, wife, mother, and father upon others, and become good-for-nothing. Absolute secession of responsibility is never beneficial."

Mardana: "Why don't you accept anything?"

Guru Jee: "Mardana! We have commenced our tours on the command from the Formless. The household or the forest is equally normal for us. The acquisition is equivalent to secessionist. Remain in His order, how so ever, He beholds. His will for us to go out and pacify the emblazing world; put right the officials committing atrocities at all places, and redeem the afflicted, the repenters, and the cursed ones. Bowing to this celestial command we have turned out, the way air gets round the world beneficently. We have left the families to accumulate the riches."

Mardana: "But, sir, this body is composed of five elements. Without food? How can it stand long travels and extended goals with all that abstinence of food?"

Satguru Jee: "The body needs food to live, and to desist from food is deceitful. But, Mardana, man does not merely live on the food which he acquires himself. The provision of eating through the loved ones can be endured too. If an affectionate one, with an eternal love, comes from far off to present the meal, then that withstands. And also, Mardana, the human being does not survive simply by taking grain, he, also, needs the Godliness in life. You will come across such a preposition."

`But, the saints, O Nanak, hunger to praise Thee, O Lord, and

the True Name is their mainstay.' Asa Dee Var M.1

Mardana: "Chaste is your kindness, my Benevolence! But the wealth is for living and you have been throwing that away like a dead snake."

Guru Jee: "Wealth is for living, it is true. One cannot relinquish but to eat just to live is wealth and, therefore, living itself is wealth. Yes, by fasting, there cannot be abdication of wealth; such efforts of desertion from food are in vain. Yes, to vacate the urge for acquisitive from the mind is asceticism."

Mardana: "You have propounded precisely. Then, why have those clothes and money been thrown away?"

Guru Jee: "If there is no greediness inside, then it is effectual outwardly. We don't need clothes and money and that is why they have been tossed off. When we don't need, then keeping them and taking them with us is rapacious. Internally you have been vested with the love for accumulation. See, how the cast off is reminding you again and again. Mardana, remember only Sat Kartar, the True Creator."

Mardana: "Sat Kartar."

Guru Nanak: "Look, Mardana! You have been endowed with the service of the Shabd, the Word. Recognise the root of Shabad. The living is founded on the Shabad."

Mardana: "My True Lord! Through your delightful diction you directed me to go to the colony. Whole township stood up. With the blessing of your Shabad, they fell on my feet. I did not reckon that all those edibles, clothes and money were the appreciation of the Shabad. I should comprehend the Shabad, love it and, if need be, get punished for sake of Shabad. I am foolish and from a low-caste. Your kindness is incessant and it comes down like the rain."

Guru Jee: "Mardana! Come on, play the rebeck and intone for

Asa Dee Var, the morning hymns."

`One is beggar, who lives on charity, and one a King, who

remains absorbed in himself.

One receives honour and the other dishonour.

The Lord destroys and creates, and keeps all in His mind.

Than Thee, none is greater, O Lord.

Whom should I present to Thee?

Who is better than Thee?

My support is Thy Name alone.

Thou art the Bestower, Doer and the Creator. Pause

I walk not Thy way and follow a zigzag (wrong) path.

Consequently, I get no room to sit in God's court.

I am mentally blind and fettered by mammon. The wall of

my body is ever wearing off, and getting weak.

Thou cherisheth high hope to eat and to live longer, but thou

knowest not that thine breath and morsels are already

counted.

O Lord, ever grant light to the blind man and take care of

him, who is drowning in the terrible world ocean.

I am sacrifice unto them, who utter, hear and believe in the

Name.

Nanak makes one supplication, that his soul and body are all

at Thy disposal, O Lord.

If Thou grantest, I shall repeat Thy Name.

Thus shall I secure room to sit in God's court. When Thou

willest, then, evil-intellect is eliminated, and the jewel of

Divine knowledge, comes and abides in the mind.

Prays Nanak, if the Lord casts His merciful glance, then, man

meets the True Guru, and crosses the dreadful world-ocean.'

Asa M.1 Tituka

The Godly Music, the Divine Tunes, the Celestial Essence

effected and Mardana's heart flew into sky-high heavenly

rendezvous. He bowed his head. He attained the understanding: the

Lord's love was true and the love was the Lord's remembrance, it had eternal sweet form, it was cast in the Godly Name, it waved out in the eulogy of hymns and emerged in the True Lord's own utterances.

Guru Jee: "The attendant to the Shabd, the one who worships the Godly Name, helps others towards veneration, and does not verge towards the avarice. The one, who favours covetousness, is not a true attendant. Ones, who are imbued in the Godly Name, are beyond cupidity. The greedy are not to be trusted, whether they claim to be sent by the Lord or are the Lord's messenger. The rapacity makes one to commit crime through lies, cheating, under-weighing, accepting bribes, creating false prestige, thinking ill of others, and sabotaging of the master. It also makes one to practice hoarding. Where there is greed, there the vices flourish."

Mardana: "My Lord, is there any colony coming nearby?"

Guru Jee: "Mardana! Await for God's doing."

Mardana: "My Lord! Let us halt at some place so that we can appreciate the food and drinks at their appropriate times for a few days."

Guru Jee: "Rely on God's will. He will provide you shelter as well as food, but it will be very costly. The sufferings will be there but the emancipation will come too; the butcher will be hushed."

Mardana: "As you wish. Please get me into the melody of your Will; I won't, then, dance on my own tune."

Guru Jee: "Mardana you have been endowed with the service of Shabd. Play as He wishes."

They walked further on and saw a colony. Just in the outskirts, there was a little inhabitation. It had fence all around. On one side, in the middle there was door followed by a porch. On both corners, there were religious places; a Muslim Mosque on the one side and a Hindu Temple on the other. The courtyard was reached by passing through the porch. On the side was a Mansion, which was quite big. Inside, there were a few spacious rooms, cabins and underground-cellars. At an isolated place, a well had been dug and the way to it was a guarded secret. The Mansion was owned by one man who had several followers and servants.

There reached the duo at the door and the servants received them with both hands folded. "Come in our Lords! Your faces are radiating, please enter and shower the kindness of wealth on our master. Please step in. Welcome, and consider this as your own home. You seem tired walking long distances. The dust is smooching your eye-brows, please come in, it is a hermitage for the tiresome. Welcome, it is our good luck, you the pretty ones, you the ones of our own have come."

The feet of the passionless, which had been steadily walking through colonies after colonies, swiftly went forward. Mardana, always heading towards inhabitants in haste, followed with caution, awe, and hesitation. He stepped ahead but felt going backward. He thought, `Well I'll see, beautiful is Your domain....'

Guru Jee: "Oh, my pretty one! Watch the creator's play. You, the innocent hearted! Follow me. Your hesitation is genuine but don't be afraid as they are designating this to be as our own home. All the houses are our own and those which are not, they become. Come, enter fearlessly."

They moved further and entered an exquisitely decorated room. When the servants, who had ushered them in, had gone, a pious figure appeared; he had well groomed features, docile beard, eyes as wide and as brilliant as of a crocodile, saturated composure, the turban plane but wrapped nicely in layers, a rosary in the hand, and impressive attire. He strolled ahead very steadily, bowed his head and sat down.

"Welcome to this house, it is for the tiresomes, it is your own. This humble servant, who has been installed by the Lord as an attendant has overcome the infatuation and temptation, and is at the assistance of mendicants and the devotees of the God, and it is beyond restrictions; on the right hand there is the (Hindu) prayer and on the left the (Muslim) supplication, both are the abodes of Allah, the God Almighty."

In the meantime two attendants appeared with a bucket of warm water and requested, "Your Lordships! We must wash your feet which have been striding over long distance."

In a steady and contemplative mood Guru Jee said, "You, the faithful people! We have no resolve for washing, our minds are already satiated. (Looking at Master) Brother, what is the name?"

The Master: "My name is Free of Animosity."

Guru Jee: "Is it? God is the only one free of animosity."

The Master: "Yes? But I am the servant of the servants of the Lord. Otherwise, my name is Sajjan, every body's sajjan, the friend, and with ill will for none."

Guru Jee: Sajjan? Any suffix?... Dass, Ram or Lal?"

The Master: " The name of this heap of dust ought to be Dust but being an Attendant, the Muslims call him Sheikh Sajjan and the Hindus as Sajjan Ram, otherwise I am common to both."

Hearing all this, Mardana was alarmed. He frowned at him and then looked back suddenly, thinking, `The place is full of fright; on the gate, in the house, among the servants, in the service, in the idol, as a matter of fact in every action. What would be the repercussion of my Master today?'

The servants, who had come with water, went away. Their master left the place too. When Guru Jee went towards the mosque after a few minutes, he saw Sajjan absolved in supplication. Thereafter, Sajjan joined the priests in the Temple to lit the earthen-lamps and rotated them in front of the idols in prayer. Then, he came to Guru Jee carrying the food tray himself.

Guru Jee said, "Dear Brother! Take it easy on the food, we are here to stay over night. You live and go to bed."

Sajjan: "Tiresomes come to my house and remain empty stomach? How will I repay for this impiety?"

Guru Jee: "You will not be effected for this derision. Rather, coercing us to eat will not benefit you."

Sajjan: (Startled) "O, my fortunate ones! What are trifling meals? It is no bother, don't worry, just enjoy eating. Consider this as your own home and this servant is your menial. There is no inconsistency; my birth is Hindu and my decorum is Hindu as well. The Muslim operation is owing to the (Muslim) Ruler; as the Ruler so are the Ruled."

Guru Jee: "Earn the blessing of mendicants. (Looking at Mardana) Do you feel hungry?"

Mardana: "My Lord! Today I have attained the satisfaction to my appetite for ages. I have no desire to eat, not even as much as a sparrow does."

Sajjan: "As you may wish. I wanted to earn your gratification. (To the servants) Take the meals away. (Addressing Guru Jee) But, will you relish some milk?"

Guru Jee: "There is no desire. Sajjan! Go and relax. One who lives on casting net, his livelihood (depends) on catching and selling the fish, but some times a wild deserter is entangled too."

Sajjan: (Staggered) "What did you pronounce? Are you annoyed with me in any way?"

Guru Jee: "The mendicants have no annoyance with the faulty but with the fault. You have welcomed us, provided us with shelter, we just worry about your well being. Now, go and relish your meals."

In the early hours of the night, Sajjan returned and requested, "My Revered ones! The bed is ready, please come and have the restful slumber."

Guru Jee: My Friend! You go and enjoy the sleep, which is essential for comfort, serenades lullabies, and puts the living- beings, the rich, the poor, the vice and the benefactors on the same footing. We are contented here and have no resolve for sleeping yet."

Sajjan: "How can body persist without a sleep? Please don't feel strange, deem it as your own house."

Guru Jee: (Smiling) "Don't insist again and again; may it not become our house. Repose in peace, give us an opportunity to pass the night and bid goodbye in the morning. Don't insist, let the mendicants enjoy the leisure of ratjge."

Sajjan: (Showing humbleness) "As you wish, as you wish. I am content with your pleasure."

Guru Jee: "Please go, then, and sleep."

Shortly after, a person attired richly, befitting a prince came, sat nearby and said, "Well my splendid ones! I am a traveller too and staying here since yesterday. He is a very benevolent and renders service to all. You seem to be very rich and fortunate. Isn't it? You had enormous earning and possess a lot of diamonds and emeralds. To reach home disguised, you have assumed the role of mendicants. I have detected and you know why? To increase your wealth. I am the younger son of Nawab Eesa Khan Kharal. I have a compulsion for throwing the dice. I could not get an opportunity to play. Let us have a bit of fun; earn more, your wealth may increase. I just crave for the game, I always lose but habits die hard. The Lord has endowed me enough, if I lose, let it be, at least mind gets happiness with entertainment."

Mardana: (Frowning) "We have no wealth."

The Prince: I know you have, but if you still deny, then don't worry, you can borough five hundred from me. Let us play, just for sake of amusement, these long nights of winter don't pass conveniently otherwise."

Guru Jee: "We don't know how to play. We have no liking for it and, moreover, we lost our wealth before we left."

The Prince: "You the simpletons! Why do you make fool of us? Your forehead is gleaming like billionaires. Your eyes are sparkling like millionaire. We can read the signs. I swear, if you win, you take and if you lose, I will not ask you to pay."

Guru Jee: "O, so you are the loser at all the times and the maker of others as winners? May it happen. You feel pleasure in losing? Go, the mendicity will come to you."

The Prince: "Well, let me be a mendicant. If you don't want to bet money, let us have game of dice for fun, cards or chess; chess increases your perception. Should I go get the pawns? There is no expense in loosing this."

Guru Jee: "Those who do not worry the loss of precious life, what do they care for this loss?"

The Prince: "What is precious life; the wealth, goods, fun, play or happiness?"

Guru Jee: "The human body is the precious birth and it is spoiled thus:

"`Forgetting the Lord, man enjoys carnal pleasures, then, do the ailments arise in his body.'" (Malhar M.1)

The Prince: "You are speaking like Sages. Oh, my soul, let me go away. Why quarrel and lose money too. On top of that listening to the reproaches of the ascetics."

And after listening such auditions, he left the place.

Then entered a woman; about fifty years old, declining age, full of motherly affectionate tone. She put the tray in front and said, "I am sacrifice unto you, my dear son! No meal, no water and neither milk, what a great inconvenience you have put yourself into. Bravo, the son of the Lord! This is called the prayer and reverence. (Bowing her head) You have lived on empty utensils, I am sacrifice unto you. You are going to awake whole night, you must give some bolster up your body. Without sustenance how would this thatched frame survive? This jug contains some surpan nectar from the gods. After taking one sip of the same, the ascetic Nath (i.e. Gorakh Nath) remained in the contemplation whole night. And the second jug, there is Soma Ras, which the gods and the saints used to drink and perform their singing vigils. This is the Soma Ras, the herbal plant of which is available from the peaks of the Himalayas to the valleys and sandy dunes in the south. This dissolves (bhang) the causes of weariness and discomfiture. Even now the saints sip and through out the night remain on surveillance.

"And in this, third one, there is the bosom friend; the sweet one--rubbed, mixed, sifted. Malang (the carefree) Benwa and other famous sages have been establishing heart to heart affinity with the Supreme Lord.

"This little box contains the daughter of Poppy, the Chinese Mistress. Those who don't drink, place a little on the tip of their tongue, conduct whole night vigil and reach the celestial tenth door.

"Take a bit of this, the body will be strengthened and the night will pass with contentment."

Guru Jee: "Aye, Epitome of the Mother of the Earth! Go, and rest a while. There is no need of intoxicants, the vicious intoxicants, make you evil. Please go and sleep. The ones who can get absorbed without intoxicants, why should they drink?"

The Woman: "Bravo, you the ones belonging to the Lord! I just sympathised with you but you are above sympathy. God bless you long life."

Guru Jee: "If you have shown compassion then the Supreme Lord's commiserations be upon you. And if you have committed

malignity, then, God may take pity on you."

Hearing this she left the place too.

-0-

In the household of Sajjan, a meeting of his officials was going on and Sajjan was seeking their opinion.

Sajjan: "Now, what do you think, is he really a mendicant, a richman or an agent?"

First: "In my opinion, he is an ordinary mendicant, a novice ascetic, doing penance and muttering prayers. He has got nothing with him, why pursue him, and let him leave in the morning with comfort.

Second: "No, he is rich, his forehead is radiating with wealth and also his body-form is beaming. The pinkness on the cheeks and glow on the forehead don't appear without money. He has come after earning a lot from somewhere, and is in possession of diamonds and emeralds, either in a small case or a box."

Third: "No; from what he had hinted by saying that sometimes fish and sometimes a crocodile in the net, it is a sure sign that he is a detective. Within next couple of days, during his stay, if he took some information, it won't be safe for us. It will be better if we make a tomb of his here. He is definitely some sort of detective."

Fourth, the Woman: "You all seem to be wise. Although men maintain that the women are devoid of intelligence, you listen to me. All your speculations, including the Master's, that he is detective, are wrong.

Sajjan: (Intruding) "Then, why did he mention crocodile."

The Woman: "I'll tell you. listen. Gird up your lions, (you the) unwise, to hear this; many had come here, rich, poor, cunning, sages, mendicants, people of every type. We have seen them all. But his countenance is peculiar; no expression of money on his face, his face is amorous and if you look at it, you get soothing sensation. He seems to vanish and when you go nearer, you savour a distinctive awareness. None coming here had ever given such a realization. And there is strange cognizance when he propounds, hardly one can comprehend. He is not a detective, if it were, he would not hint about the crocodile; he wouldn't put doubt in our minds that could caution us about him being a crocodile, the way we are now. The detectives don't reveal their identity. Rather they build confidence to get more information."

Sajjan: "Then, what is the interpretation of the indication of the deserter?

The Woman: "I don't know but there seems to exist a significant hint towards mendicity, which we, the blind obsessed with vices and illusion, cannot understand. When I said, `I have felt sympathy with you' and he suggested, `if you have shown compassion, then, the Supreme Lord's commiserations be upon you. And if you have committed malignity, then, God may take pity on you.' Now you can ponder over, only a high in piety, and the true follower of God can say such things. Neither a wealthy, nor a pauper or imposter mendicant can propound in such a manner."

Sajjan: "You the dead wise, with white hair and a ruin of prudence! How can there be a true Godly Sage these days? All are the devotees of deceit. (Turning his head) Is there any one with true kindness? No, none, all are egocentric. If there were any Godly persons or kind hearted ones, then Sajjan would have been among them. After testing all, effecting kindnesses, getting blows, bearing bereavements, repenting for my doings and beaten up by the treachery I have reached at the understanding that the world is the centre of vices, malice, falsehood, artificiality, and greed; bigger the trickster, more the comforts. If you watch their sophisticated turbans, see them going to the temples, observe their attentve listening of the parables and hymns and their kind acts, you would be delighted. But when you deal with them, you will find that they all are as spiteful as the cats and mice. The traders, and the labour, they all bargain delusion. Consequently, I said to myself, `Sajjan! You become the leader of the swindlers and lord of the illusionists.' I don't believe if there is any sage, or clean hearted. Alas! My heart has torn up by the distress today; how can be one bigger than me to infiltrate the nett as a gharyal."

The Woman: "May be it is true what you say, and it may be correct what men say about woman's wisdom in her heels, and you can do whatever you like but I would desist you and forbid you.... He does not seem to be an ascetic only, he is sturdy, and facially looks like a man of true lineage. Perhaps he had mentioned the crocodile to instil fear in you to dent your vice-ridden and stone-like thinking, and to break it as soon as a weak point was available for him to hit hard."

Sajjan: "How come you have become a knowledgeable and sign-reader? Isn't it that the detective has bribed you to go against us and become his accomplice?"

The Woman: (Smiling) "You are wise enough to understand that. The senses are reverted at the time of disaster. Then, when the reformation strikes hard, the logic prevails. You remember this? With deceit you brought me here, put me in prison and then led to do the evil deeds. I was the wife of a mendicant. My house was always swarmed with the knowledgeables, the seekers of asceticism and the do-gooders. I served them all; looked after them and listened to them. My bad luck, came here and got stuck. I did not come with pleasure, neither I thought about the atrocities to the world, I was forced to stay.... I have perceived that when one's mind is darkened, one, in the world, comes across vices and nothing but vices. And when mind is unclouded, then, one visions the benevolence. People are wicked, swindlers, and malicious; are we to take after them or we want to adopt kindness? But one is helpless, it is all the play of destiny; the wife of a sage has become an outlaw. My fate!" (She started to sob)

Sajjan: "Dear friends! Let us worry about both of them; on the one hand them two and on other this enemy from our own household. The snake in the lap, on meeting the persons of her brotherhood or after taking a bribe, (she) has started to hiss. We took her teeth out but they have again sprung up."

The Woman: "Break my teeth, crush my head, and eliminate my existence. In spite of abundant service I rendered, you don't trust me? No reliance can be expected from an unfaithful, howsoever you may punish one. Come on, get up and beat me, crush my head; after curling her tail for sometime, this double faced snake will become cold for ever."

Sajjan: "Don't bother now, don't try to whip up your knowledge. The time of crises has arrived. It needs intelligence to recognise and understand the visitor, but you have started to beat your own trumpet."

First Swindler: "Let she be alone. Why you all are panicked? You go and sleep and leave it to me. I will awake whole night and bid to leave early in the morning. You are crying over a snake; it is just a string."

Second: "You all go, I will keep the vigil. Demean my name if I don't get the box of precious stones by the day break."

Third: "Tell me what's the harm, we all get together, tie their hands at the back and take them into the basement. And, there, put them in the tomb for ever. If they have the wealth, it will come out and if they have nothing, let there be two more where hundreds of others are lying. In case he really is a detective, then he will become invisible, neither will he open his trap, nor would there be any danger."

The Woman: "Alright, get no wealth and kill them too. If he is a detective, he becomes invisible no doubt but, whose detective he is, he must be following. He would immediately pounce upon with his army and will tie you up and search each and every leaf. Why are you talking like children today?"

Sajjan went down the deep end of thought. At last they decided to send six or seven people in the early hours of the morning, tie their mouths and hands, drag them to the basement and finish them."

4. Forgiveness--the first Dharamsal

Yes! Get involved in the vices, same way as a trader is engrossed in his trade or a worker in his labour. That wicked household had delved in the perverse endeavour to trade in the existence of the Supreme Lord. Sajjan went into his quarter and lay down on his bed. He closed his eyes but could not sleep. He tried to appease his mind but no consolation. The sinful designers are clever and are webbed in thin loom. They indulge in horrible deeds and by doing so their hearts become pitiless. But, sometimes, internal fear shakes their faith and dreads them. In spite of all his smartness and pitiless, the doubt that they might be detectives filled him (Sajjan) with terror. If they are detectives, then, would it be safe to kill them? This thought was hurting him hard but the spiteful rigidity he had acquired over the years subdued the effect and he went into slumber. He was in this half-awake predicament when he heard the melodious sound of the strings being played. The harmonious and sweet tone had been ensued. The initial intoning persisted for half an hour, first of Raag Bihag, then of Sohani and, then, Jog. Sajjan got up and sat down. Though unwilling, he became attentive. Now, a melody commenced coming out of a very sweet throat. The harmonious voice and the sound of the instrument were effecting into a synonymous formulation. Even the diehard felt charmed. The hymn, which was recited, was coming into understanding as well; the praises of the Almighty were serenaded. Sajjan left his room and came out. He peeped through a crevice in the door; the attendant was singing and, himself, he was seated, eyes closed and in a divine pasture. The splendour was depicting from his face. Sajjan quietly sneaked into the room. He bowed his head to show off, as per his convention, and occupied his seat in the corner. The Godly composure was inspiring. His own eye lids flickered and, then, closed and went into a reflection; all the murdered ones were standing in a row, all were shouting, `Kill, kill, don't let him go; revenge, revenge, he is a killer, a sinner, a swindler, kill him, kill him.'

And under their feet he watched their widows, orphans, aged parents bewailing.

`Sajjan! This is the garden of your misadventures. This is the farm of your ravage and the crop of the ones murdered by you is germinating.'

And all those afflicted ones pounced upon Sajjan; some hit him, some bit him, some squeezed him, some twisted him, some pressed his throat and some hit him with whips.

`Sajjan! These are your executions. How the distresses caused by you are repaying? The adversity distributed to others always bounces back. Listen Sajjan you never tried to understand this.'

In agony, he opened his eyes: the Diwa was twinkling, the instrument was delighting, intoning was continuing but the lips were still secure. `Thank God! it was just a dream, it wasn't a reality. I am awaken.'

Now Sajjan thought, `Who knows he might be a noble and kind man? No, there is no man of good benevolence in this world. Well! What was the dream? The people I have killed are not dead? They are still alive? They are crying for the revenge? How many are there? But, I am all alone. Oh, my life, it was a dream but none of my servants and attendants came at the time of extremities to rescue me. My sons, daughter, family, no one tried to come forward? The punishment, oh my soul, you took all by yourself, all alone. No one does care, they all are ally only at time of comfort. They all relish your dainties but when it comes to repay, O, Sajjan, you are left alone.... But, it was just a dream. You fool, why did you get scare with a dream! Forsake the reaction of the dream, gird up your lions. A bit of excessive eating culminates in bad dreams. It was, indeed, a dream, you idiot! Forget it now.... But why it is visioning again and again? It was dream but why it seems tangible. People call it a day-dream and if you think of it as false, then, your mind is harmed. Sajjan! you are perceiving the truth through the dream. You fool! Leave the dream as a dream.... Oh, my mind, how these mendicants transform the awakening into a dream and you cannot confirm a dream as a dream. Go, you the dream, go to your own domain and sleep there. There is no need of you in this roused world.? Go, get lost.'

Then, he over turned his eye lids and espied the instrument chiming the sweet music along with the intoning of Raag Suhi; what time is it for Suhi? `Bravo you, the swindler! You recognise the Suhi as well?' He noticed him in unperturbed meditation. The radiating face gave him electrifying sensation, his hair stood on their ends, felt grappled in fear, faltered, his eye closed again and once again the same dream. When he opened the eyes, the vision apprehended him and when shut them, he experienced the same dream being brought around.

Now, from the charming throat of Guru Nanak in meditation, the music sprung out. The intonation flourished the singing, and with this the Shabd was resumed. For Sajjan it was just a song and he became attentive. His soul was drawn into the Shabd feeling a soothing effect:

`Bronze is bright and shinning, but by rubbing, its sable

blackness appears.

By washing its impurity is removed not, even though it be

washed a hundred times.

They alone are the friends who travel with me as I go along

and are seen standing there, where the account is called for.

Pause.

Houses, mansions and sky-scrapers, painted on all sides, when

hollow from within, are like the crumbled and useless ruins.

The herons arrayed in white feathers abide in places of

pilgirmage.

Tearing and rending they eat the living beings so they are not called white.

My body is like simal (the silk tree). Beholding me, ones are

mistaken.

Its fruits serve no purpose. Its qualaities, my body

possesses.

The blind man is carrying a heavyload and the mountainous

journey is long.

I see with my eyes, but find not the way. How can I ascent

and cross the mountain?

Without the Name, of what avail are other services, virtues and cleverness?

O Nanak, contemplate thou the Lord's Name wherewith thou

shalt be released from the shackles.' (Suhi M.1 Ghar 6)

Each verse sung was penetrating Sajjan's heart. The Revered singer opened his eyes and through his benevolent vision looked at Sajjan and shut them. The same dreams reoccurs in front of Sajjan, and, sometimes, with his eyes shut he discerns the sight of the singer. With eyes open he watched the veritable and when closed he heard `Tearing and rending they eat the living beings' his heart perceived a shear cropping his heart, `this is a portrait of me and my actions put before me. Initially, in the dream, I was shown the result of my development of poisonous and thorny bushes. And now, when I have just got rid of the feeling of the dream, the work-sheet of my deeds is put before me. He could not be a detective, a beggar, or a rich man. Could he be the same what I sensed that there was no one like him in the world. It is said that Huma and Unka do exist, although no body has seen them. He is not one of the them? He could be the one who had not been visible, neither by doing penance nor lavishing kindness and was, now , noticeable to punish my failings.' Then, he recollected the names of the Demons like Harnakash, Rawan, Kans etcetera. He felt himself like them.

With the enunciation of additional verses, Sajjan envisaged the sketch of the impact of his past deeds on his life. He pitied all his existence gone wasted. He wished that the splitting stratum of vices would come together and fly away those wild sketches; he should not have to discern them. He did not want the illumination of his deeds through the torn curtains.

At the end, his inner-self agitated, he became helpless and by the time last verse was repeated, he got up and threw himself on the feet (of Baba Nanak). He kissed them and sobbed with tears pouring down his eyes, "Please forgive me and forgive me for misdeeds." and while repeating `Forgive me, forgive me' he clung to his feet. More he smooched, more his mind achieved purity and his senses attained tenderness. Satguru placed his hand on his head, and helped him to sit up. Sajjan got up, looked into his eyes seeking redemption and repeated, "Forgive me."

Satguru: "Sajjan! Forgiveness depends on two aspects; come into the truth, spell out all those murders you committed and the depravations and deceits you caused. Secondly, the forgiveness is realized by detaching oneself with the illicit earning and considering it as poison. The wealth accumulated through wickedness is an hindrance in the way of forgiveness."

Sajjan: "Oh, my Benefactor, is there any one who can guide me today. I am sincere, I have committed murders, there is no forbidden deed in which I have not indulged, I confess them all in your presence, and kindly come and see with your own eyes. But, you the Pardoner! You are kind, kindly say you grant me amnesty. Please dole out all my wealth with your own hands. But, alas, how could your pious hands touch this unlawful property, I will have to distribute vice ridden riches with my own corrupt hands, and will personally deliver to the houses which I plundered and whose whereabouts I still remember. But, all I want you, my benefactor, to say, you grant me forgiveness."

Then, Guru Baba entered the domain of Forgiveness, became kind, and said, "Your failings are Forgiven but you must, now, revel in adoration, demolish this house and build a house of righteousness where you sit and worship yourself and affect others. Be charitable to the visitors, serve them food and provide them shelter. Earn the Godly Name."

Sajjan: "Mercy, my Lord! I'll obey to pursue your command." And he fell on the feet.

Now approached the time for the Sajjan's accomplices to come and tie up Guru Baba. They all entered and what they saw, Sajjan was bent down on the feet. With indecision, they leaned against the wall.

Guru Baba gave them looks of kindness and said, "You the Drifters of the Lord! Realize that these ropes, which you have intertwined, will coil you now. And consider those knives, which you have sharpened for other people, will edge on your own throats. You will have to gulp yourself the cups of poison, which you have forced on others. Be afraid! With these, your inner most is getting ravaged. You are bad name and your own conduct is coming to punish you. Be fearful of the Court of Law which certainly, one day, repays for the criminal practices."

Sajjan elevated his head briskly to check his accomplices; might not take any action. He stared and said, "Come, bow on the feet. I am enlightened that he is the one who I could not find on the surface of the earth. Don't delay, come quick down on his feet."

Hearing the command, they hesitated, came forward, and placed their heads on the feet. The malice and sheath of the vices elapsed with the touch, they got their understanding seeking how to acquire the Forgiveness.

When all of them had obeisanced, then Sajjan, with tears in his eyes said, "Hasn't Khemi come?

The Attendant "Don't know where she is."

Sajjan ordered, "Go, get her."

When the attendant went they found her in her room. She had intertwined her victuals and hung them under the ceiling like the gallows. She was preparing to hang herself.

Shocked, the attendant said, "What's that, Mother?"

Khemi: "The extremity of adversity leads the sinners to such an extent. Go, let me finish this vice ridden self."

The Attendant: "Why?"

Khemi: (In rage) "Why, what? I ruined my life, pampered in immoralities, collaborated with the cruels and took part in their devious acts, and at the end I was designated as the betrayer. Among the betrayals, trust is never built. What is left for me to live? Lost my home, no place left out there, became irreligious, and righteousness flew away. Neither I am fit for this world nor hereafter. I am not worthy to live among the sinners even. The betrayers consider me a deceiver too. There is no place for me among the enemies. For sinners I am a sinner. There is only one place for me , except the lap of death. Go, you go away, let me go to my mother now. (Looking up) Mother, oh my dear mother, the death you are, come and pick me up on your lap."

The attendant ran forward, held her and dragged her out of the room, with all her crying brought her to the pious place and told the whole story.

Satguru: "Come Khemi! If you have felt anguish, then the Lord has sympathy with you. If you havn't, even then, the Protector of Anguish renders sympathy. Come you, the one with anguish, we get you forgiveness from the Lord."

Khemi: (Hiccupping) "You, the sympathiser, endower of kind looks, maker of the destiny, take pity on me (with a loud sob) let this unlucky one get the emancipation from life, I am disillusioned with the life."

Guru Jee: (Placing his hand on her head) "Awake! Admit your sins and beg for clemency. Benevolence may shower upon you."

Khemi: (Vehemently in her mind) `The disillusioned mind is getting the light of reliance.' (Looking ahead) "Endower of the virtuous looks! Why have you put your hands on the head of a perpetual sinner. Take them away lest they, the slender and tender hands, may be swelled with the touch of my kindling head."

Guru Jee: "The touch will cool off your head which is blazing with vices. Awake, your sins are excused, your ill-luck is absolved, and your evil-doings are undone. Forgiven."

`Forgiven, forgiven' echoed, the woman and she felt (enlightenment) crackling through her body, she lost the consciousness, her eyes were petrified, and she started to breath hard.

The kind looks kept on their glance on Khemi. Her quivering ceased she regained conscientiousness. She closed her eyes. Her breathing slowed down and, now, it was stabilized.

The Benefactor again placed his hand on her head and said, "Get up!"

She got up calmly but feeling feeble; exhilarated but frail.

Guru Jee: "Benevolence upon you, upon Sajjan and all your household."

The Woman: (Looking around) "All are Forgiven? Who you are? Mendicant? No, no, you are `Himself', `Himself'. Who else can extinguish the fire of hell? (Swivelling her head) Have we been exonerated? True? (Breathing deep and looking at Sajjan) Is it true?"

Sajjan smiled and, then, walked ahead with Guru Baba. Sajjan proceeded Guru Jee followed by Mardana in amazement along with all the accomplices of the swindling behind him.

Sajjan showed all his secret rooms, and divulged all his means of implanting poison, ways of swindling, gambling techniques, all his mischievous mongering. Then, he lead them to the basement where there was a well-shaped ditch. It was full of bones of the dead bodies of the people whose whereabouts were unknown, and the artifacts for the decimation of life were displayed.

The scenes of human extermination made Mardana to shut his eyes. He shrieked spontaneously and, as if, the shriek communicated, `God bless you Guru Nanak, bless, bless the Lord, Guru Nanak. Aye, the creator of the universe! Aye, the benefactor of the afflicted ones! Endower of courage! You let me treat you as my equal but what you are? Who you are to understand human sufferings? How did you enter the domains of death without fear of danger to your own life? How do you eliminate the evil-doers and obliterate the adversities from the world? I deem you are over sighting and, perhaps, going to `Forgive' unjustly. Alas! Neither the Monarch could find this place of execution, nor the people could invoke. How did you detect this all by sitting at home, how did you come here straightaway, how did you awake these sinners, who had been planning your renderings? Why didn't you put them on the gallows? Rather you converged them to the Almighty. Who are you, my benefactor, who are you? I did not acknowledge you, I could not identify you. Whereas you have blessed them, bless me, the thankless one. Shower Forgiveness.'

Satguru's eyes were filled with the vision of Mardana's fusion. Overwhelmed, he held Maradana's head on his chest and said, "Celestial Forgiveness."

5. Bhai Sajjan

The day was bright. Sajjan was handing out all his wealth. He was running to the far and near houses. On the other hand, his own house was being demolished. All accomplishes were reciting, `Great be the Formless, Great be the Formless.'

In the city, it became known that Sajjan, `that Sajjan' had been reformed into a mendicant. The government officials, police authorities and civil controllers were sad and disappointed; they were all friends of Sajjan as they used to get more money from the house of Sajjan than their employer. They knew the misdeeds of Sajjan but they deliberately took no notice as they partook in his plunder; they never arrested, the fence was consuming the crop, the watchmen were the partners of the highway robbers and swindlers and the desirous of the thieves were the police official and spies.

Guru Baba went and sat in solitude. It looked as if the whole world was sprinting ahead to come to have the vision. Mardana was reciting the celestial hymns and from the throne of enlightenment, Baba was showering the benefactions.

Sajjan transformed his resident into a Dharamshala. It is stated in the Janam Sakhi of Hafizabad that Sajjan started to worship the Godly Name and the first Dharamsal was built there.

Yes, Sajjan adopted the righteousness. But due to his association with the sins, the alias did not separate. All consider him as Bhai, the brother, but, inadvertently, Sajjan Thag, the Swindler comes out of their mouths; wounds are healed but the wound-marks are seldom erased.

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