Sakhi Series :- 144 ( BLESSING OF SANGAT )

BLESSING OF SANGAT

Once the State Governor (subedar) carne to see the Guru with the question "O Guru,
when you are pleased with a Sikh, what do you give him?"
"When I am pleased with a Sikh, I send to his house one who is dear to me", replied the Guru.

"Guruji, if you are very pleased with a Sikh, then what do you give him'!,'
"When I am more pleased with a Sikh, I send to his house, two of my dear ones."
"And if, Guruji, you are still more pleased, what would you give him?"
"In that case I would send three of my dear ones to his house."
The subedar continued to repeat his question, until the Guru had raised the number of
dear ones to ten.

"When you send ten dear ones to a Sikh, what does the Sikh gain out of it?"
"The more the dear ones that visit a Sikh, the more is the praise and discussion of the Lord. In the company of saints, spiritual discussion automatically takes place. Whatever the Sikh hears will stay in his mind, and ultimately liberate him from the cycle of birth and death. At the same time his livelihood will flourish, and his family will also follow his example in serving the saintly persons, to become pure like him. Such are the benefits of a saint's visit." The reply pleased the subedur.

saadhhoo dhhoor karo nith majan sabh kilabikh paap gavaaein ||
I take my daily cleansing bath in the dust of the feet of the Holy, and I am rid of all my sins.

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Sakhi Series :- 143 ( Destiny Achieved Through Prayer )

DESTINY ACHIEVED THROUGH PRAYER

(Source : http://trilochankaur.blogspot.com )

One summer when the Guru was travelling, he reached a garden where he camped for the day. It so happened that the king's pir (spiritual advisor), was also camping at the same place. Thus the Pir had a chance to meet Guru Baba. The pir called on the Guru, who seated him with due courtesy by his side. There was a town nearby where a number of Sikhs of the Guru lived. When they heard of the Guru's arrival at the garden, they all flocked to see the Guru with offerings of clothes, arms and money, besides food. The offerings were formally dedicated to the Guru and prayed for blessings, success in temporal pursuits, protection from evil, and the boon of Naam.

The Pir watched the proceedings for the whole day, and then put this question the Guru, "In our scriptures it is said that whatever is destined, is bound to happen. Something else can happen, only if what has been done previously is wrong. Since what has been done, cannot be wrong, there is no scope for anything else happening. So, when the Sikhs pray before you for success in their endeavours, what do they pray for, since nothing else can happen except what is destined?" After hearing the pir's question the Guru took out his seal. He applied ink to the seal and stamped it on a piece of paper.

"Pir ji, this is the answer to your question," replied the Guru. "Kindly explain this to me," said the pir. "The letters on the seal were already there. These have not been written now. But the writer knew that when the seal bows its head to touch the paper, the reverse letters will become straight and get stamped on it. Similarly, the Creator has made this provision in one's destiny, so that when one appear before the Guru / Sangat in humility and performs service / sewa, his adverse destiny is corrected. All his problems are solved. This reversal is as per destiny, and not otherwise. Thus, whatever has been said in your scriptures is correct. Nothing less and nothing more." At this answer the pir was very happy.

Sakhi Series :- 142 ( The Guru Teaches Etiquette )

THE GURU TEACHES ETIQUETTE
(Source : http://trilochankaur.blogspot.com)

Once a diwan of the emperor came to meet Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji. He was a Turk, arrogant because of his position. The Guru was absorbed in some thing, and so did not take notice of him. This indifference enraged the diwan. The idea crossed his mind that he should strike the Guru with his sword and sever his head from the body. The Guru who was all knowing, saw what was going on in the diwan's mind.

The emperor had commissioned him for a particular expedition, in which he had been defeated and forced to flee. As he thought of using the sword, the Guru looked towards him, and said, "You did not strike when you should have done it. But at a saint's place, where you are supposed to pay obeisance, you want to use your sword. Whence did you buy this advice? Go and return it to whoever sold it to you. This is useless." At this the diwan fell at the Guru's feet and said, "0 Guru, I made a grievous error. Forgive me for the ignoble thought. You are in reality, the "Sache Pathshah" (True Emperor). Nothing is hidden from you. You are rightly known as the True emperor. There is no exaggeration in this. I crave your forgiveness."

Guru ji remarked, "Listen, diwan, when you goto a saint, regard him as the image of the Creator. Do not take him to be a mere human being. If you approach him with wicked thoughts, your sword will clash with his far more powerful one, which will strike you dead, while your sword is in your hand. Such are the powers of the saints. They are not powerless. I forgive you. But do not forget the etiquette to be observed in the presence of masters. The more you respect them, the better it will be for you. The rest is up to you."

Waheguru ....