The company of the Divine!

Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha! I bow before the primordial power from whose single breath manifested this Universe and everything in it! Oh Lambodhara, fourteen worlds are contained in your belly. Thou art the source of all learning and knowledge. I humbly place my ego at your feet and beseech you to destroy the obstacles that might arise in my singing your glory. Different people call you by different names and yet in the end they all reach you. I then bow before Mother Saraswathi, for without her consent, how can one sing your glory? My obeisance be to Shree Sita Ramachandra, whose names are enough to reach the end. My obeisance to Lord Shiva whose abode is the pristine Kailasa. The name of Rama is ever on his lips, and the name of Shiva is ever on Hari's lips. Who can fathom this deep mystery. I then bow to all the saints, sadgurus and incarnations to bless me in singing their glory. I then bow before the Sweet form of the Sadguru, who is one with all the above.  You are the destination of all and the protector of the meek and the helpless. Oh Sadguru, I pray to you, guide me in describing your glory. For you alone know the extant of your immesurable splendor. I now seek to sing the glory of Guru Arjan Dev Ji with whom you are but one! I submit my ego at your lotus feet. Oh Sai, add your sweetness which exceeds in nectar in my utterances.

Here now my own experience which but for the Sadguru's grace would not have come to pass. Once one comes into the fold of the Sadguru he feeds and nourishes our devotion like a mother. Listen here to my own tale and then decide for yourself how merciful the Sadguru is!

During recent days I have come under much duress. Fighting with these problems, I have not been especially loquacious when I met a few acquaintances and friends. This has made them move away from me. This was at first thought very troubling! "Oh why is this transpiring?" I thought day and night. Why are people despising me and moving away from me? But then When the Sadguru be with us, why do we need anyone else? Everyone is within Sadguru and the Sadguru is also the inner dweller within everyone. But dullard that I am, this realization did not come to me very easily.

Two days ago, even in the temple of the divine Sadguru Sai, I was pondering thus! That very time, a good friend remembered me and decided to call me! A devotee of God and a believer the maxim "Sabka Malik Ek" (God is one), hard working and good natured, he was a delight and everyone loved this person's company. With happiness at being remembered thus by a good friend, I answered the call. "A wish has sprung up in my mind to visit the Gurudwara!" said he. "Verily never have I gone to  a Gurudwara before! But now a strong urge is there in my mind to visit it! It is my wish to visit it with someone who already has had the good fortune of having prayed  in the Gurudwara. Will you hence, accompany me to this place of worship" said he! My troubled mind was delighted by this request. On one hand was the happiness at meeting a good friend of mine. On the other hand was the prospect of going to worship the friend of the poor and helpless. Guru Nanak has verily adviced us time and again to take his name and remember him at all times. Along with Eshwar and Allah, Waheguru is also one of your sweet names. The ten Gurus and their exalted words and the eleventh Guru, the holy Guru Granth Sahib bring nothing but peace and bliss to one's mind. Thus I immediately replied to him in the affirmative. This happened on Tuesday just before the  holy puja of Lord Satyanarayana (Lord Vishnu) in the temple.

Wednesday came and I was filled with anticipation of visiting the Gurudwara. However in vain it seemed was this anticipation. As the day progressed I did not hear my friend. "Busy he must be at this hour!" I thought! "With lots of things to do now, he probably could not make it today". Thus ended Wednesday without any events worth the mention!

Now hear what happened on this Thursday, the day so dear to the Guru! After a couple of chores were completed I reached home. The call that was expected on Wednesday came miraculously today. "I was held up with a lot of work yesterday" said my friend. "However now I have completed them all!  And now I wish to satisfy myself with a darshan (vision) of the Gurudwara".

I agreed, and off we went to the Gurudwara. Talking about the good old times, we went to worship the ancient supreme being in good cheer. On reaching the Gurudwara, and covering our head we went inside to sit down in the place of worship. The priest was away at that time. A stunning silence and peace reverberated inside. In this pristine environment, jocular as we were by nature, we jested about some things. And yet we both felt an immense bliss in there. The grace of Waheguru, when it is upon us, what can possibly disturb the mind then?

On our way out, the priest met us near the Langhar (The community kitchen in a Gurudwara, where devotees are fed freely and people of all race,religion sit together and eat symbolizing that they are children of the same god). We were about to take our leave, when the priest asked "My good friends, drink some tea at least before you leave" Said he. Looking at us hesitating a bit, he spoke to us in a very hospitable manner and inquired about us. "Is this your first visit here?" he asked. My friend admitted it was for him, and I said I have visited the Gurudwara before. "Please come often. We do special pooja (Prayer or worship) on Friday evenings and Sunday until afternoon". "Today we will start prayers in 10 minutes"  he continued.

"For today, is the martyrdom day of our fifth Guru. Never for once swerving from the true path, and attracting many Hindu and Muslim devotees, Guru Arjan Dev Ji roused the ire of the bigotry and intolerant Mughal emperor Jehangir!" he said.


"Well known now, is the intolerance of these Muslim rulers of India. In the name of religion they killed many! In Lahore in presence of all who loved him, Jehangir had Guru Arjan Dev Ji tortured. A seat on a red hot iron stove and frequent showers of hot sand, could not persuade him to leave his faith. All attempts to make him accept Islam failed. "Allah and Eshwar are one and so are Hindus and Muslims" Said the Guru. "In the eyes of the one God all are same" said he."


"Thus did he show us the true path. Not once did he deter from his firm resolve. Accepting the punishment as God's will, he sat smiling much to the dismay of the barbarous Mlechhas (Mughals). He established the true path of devotion to that ancient being. It was on this day, many hundred years ago that the divine Guru Arjan Dev Ji was martyred. And hence a reading of his Adi Granth and a prayer  we shall do now" said the priest.

Once we were in the Langhar, savoring delicious food and the tastiest tea I have ever had, I remembered the story of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. "When he was being tortured thus by the heartless Mughals" said I, "The great Sufi saint Mian Mir ran to the Guru's side. Being a true man of god and an Awalia (Saint), Mian Mir recognized the greatness of Guru Arjan Dev Ji. His very lotus feet were the sign posts to Allah's abode was known to Mian Mir. "Oh Guru! I no longer can watch this barbarous act!" said Mian. "Permit me! And I shall destroy this wicked and tyrannical empire of the Mughals by the powers bestowed in me by Allah" said he!

"The Guru smiled emphatically and pointed above! There were thirty thousand angels lying in wait for the Guru to but tell them once! One word from the divine lips and they would destroy the wicked Jehangir drunk with power! "No use of any force is necessary!" said the holy Sadguru. "What is destined shall happen as willed by Waheguru!". "One must stick to true faith and not try to run away" . "Not is it our way also, to use powers bestowed on us by Allah". "Ignorant are Jehangir and his minions!" "What matters is devotion and true faith in that one divine being who pervades everything!". "It is time for me to meet that being and merge in him! Let no one be persuaded to change his path to reach the divine! Just as the chaste woman thinks of none but her husband or as the celibate (brahmachari) holds onto the armor of dispassion, likewise oh Mian, may the true devotee stick to the path of truth which is above and beyond all religions,race and caste!" said the Guru. So saying with a blissful divine countenance on his face the Guru left his mortal coil".

We both contemplated on this and discussed how twisted bigotry people throughout history have committed the most heinous crimes in the name of religion. The crusades, the Spanish inquisition came to our minds. As also, the Islamic invasion of India and the inquisition of Goa. Never should such hatred enter our hearts we thought. May the true message of the Gurus reach one and all was what we concluded.

After all this, we both contemplated on the miracle that occurred on the day. We both were supposed to come to the Gurudwara a day before. And yet we came on the day when we were reminded of the martyrdom of the divine Guru Arjan Dev Ji. A thousand blessed things one can learn from this.

After all this I reflected, that I was worried about friends parting from me. Worried was I about being lonely. However this miraculous incident showed how can I be alone. HE is always with me. The sadguru is most kind and compassionate. He is verily the mother. God is essentially formless and attribute-less. However, hungering for devotion of his creation, he took form as the Sadguru. My prostrations are ever to the Sadguru  and also I am grateful to my good friend for taking me to the Gurudwara today. Oh Sadguru, always  keep your merciful glance on me like this. A dullard that I am, I need to be reminded like this that you are always with me. I know that you are always holding my hand and you will lead me to your abode. I know that no matter whoever forsakes me, you never will!

||Waheguru Ji Da Fateh : Waheguru Ji Da Khalsa ||


||Jo Bole So Nihaal : Satsriakal ||


||Shree Satchitananda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai ||


||Shree Satguru Arjun Dev Ji ki Jai ||


Bow to Shree Sai! Peace be to all!