The Sikh Religion/Volume 2/Life of Amar Das/Chapter VI
Chapter VI
One morning, before day, while the Asa ki War was being chanted, the Guru fell into a trance. He thought he saw Guru Nanak appear and order him to make a place of pilgrimage where God alone should be worshipped, and thus confer a favour on the world. It was the object of the Gurus to preserve their Sikhs from contamination at Hardwar, Banaras, and other places of Hindu pilgrimage. Guru Amar Das resolved to obey the order he felt he had thus so solemnly received. He purchased some land, and on the day of the full moon in the month of Kartik laid with all due religious ceremony the foundation of the Bawali, or well with descending steps, which is now such an object of reverent pilgrimage to Hindus as well as Sikhs in the city of Goindwal. His Sikhs all joined in the work. Some dug up the earth, some put it into baskets, some removed it, some made offerings of corn for the support of the workmen, some drew water for them, and some cooked their meals. There was great activity throughout the city during the construction of the Bawali.
There lived in that portion of the city of Lahore called Chuni Mandi a Khatri of the Sodhi tribe named Thakar Das. He was married to a lady called Jaswanti, a word which means the praise-worthy. A son called Hari Das (Servant of God) was born to them. Hari Das afterwards married Anup Devi. After her marriage she was generally known as Daya Kaur. The associations and acts of both husband and wife were ever good and praiseworthy. Contrary to the polytheistic spirit of their time, they worshipped only one God, served saints, and made the repetition of God's name the main object of their devotion. They worked diligently for their livelihood, and were contented with their lot. They rose early to perform their adoration and meditation, and their prayer ever was that a son might be born to them who should be the light of their family, and whose glory should shine like the sun.
The result of their prayer and devotion was that after twelve years of married life, in the early morning of Thursday, the second day of the dark half of the month Kartik, in the Sambat year 1591 (A.D. 1534), a son was born to them, who appeared like a sun of the solar line from which they claimed their descent. He was called Ram Das, but was generally known as Jetha, a name which means first-born. He is described as of fair complexion, handsome figure, pleasing and smiling face, and not disposed to weep or cry in the manner of ordinary children.
As he grew up he frequented the society of holy men, and gave them whatever he received from his parents. The latter desired that he should turn to some occupation for his livelihood, but that was not his own intention. There lived near his parents a poor man who made his living by selling boiled pulse. At his suggestion Jetha's mother boiled some, put it into a basket, and gave it to him to sell, so that he might begin to do something profitable. An ordinary person would have taken the pulse to the bazars and streets for sale, but Jetha went off with his basket to the river Ravi and there sat down. He soon saw a company of holy men coming towards him from the opposite side, and waited until they had bathed and emerged from the river. They were very hungry, and on seeing him with his basket, asked him to supply their necessities. They represented that what was given in the name of the Lord would fructify a thousandfold, and that God would bless his earnings. Jetha gave them the whole contents of his basket and went home. The holy men were very pleased, and prayed that God would reward the boy for his compassionate and timely gift.
He soon fell in with a company of Sikhs singing hymns to the accompaniment of cymbals and drums, and proceeding on their way with great rejoicing. When he asked whither they were going, one of them replied, ‘Come with us, we are going to Goindwal where Guru Amar Das, the third Guru, holds his court. Every blessing in this world and the next is obtained by his favour.’ On hearing this Jetha's heart was filled with devotion, and he at once joined the Sikhs in their pilgrimage. Jetha, on arriving in Goindwal, prostrated himself before the Guru, who was much impressed with his devotion and handsome exterior. In reply to the Guru's inquiries Jetha told his name and station, and how, abandoning all worldly desires, he had sought his spiritual protection. The Guru replied, ‘If thou hast come abandoning all worldly desires, thou shalt obtain a true sovereignty. Perform work and service. It is thus God's court is obtained.’ Jetha was delighted at his reception, and at once applied himself to the Guru's service. He cooked in the kitchen, shampooed his master, drew water, brought firewood from the forest, and, when not so employed, assisted in the excavation of the Bawali. He never thought of his own ease and never felt weary. He was of such meek temper that, even if any one spoke harshly to him, he would never retaliate. He became known as what he really was, namely, Ram Das, which being interpreted means God's slave.
One of the Guru's daughters, Bibi Sulakhani, known as Dani, had married Rama of the Bedi family to which Guru Nanak belonged. The other daughter, Bibi Bhani, was from her earliest years fond of prayer and seclusion. When her young girl companions would invite her on a pleasant day in summer to go with them to indulge in the pastime of the swing, she would inform her father, who invariably gave her permission. At the same time he would remind her of the following composition of his own :—
The world is dead through pride, the proud have no means
of living.
He who walketh as it pleaseth the Guru, shall obtain the
dignity of eternal life.
They who fix their attention on God's feet shall live for
ever.
Nanak, when He who looketh on all with favour, dwelleth
in the heart, the pious man is easily absorbed in Him.
She used to say to her playmates, ‘We are thoughtless beings like the skipping and playing lambs while the butcher Death standeth over us.’ She would then recite Guru Nanak's lines :—
This message is ever sent to every house, such invitations
are ever issued.
Remember the Caller; Nanak, the day is approaching.
By this she meant that Death stood ready for his victims, and it was a mistake to think too much of earthly pleasures. Her mother, who used to ac company her, would then say, ‘By Guru Nanak's favour remain free from anxiety. What fear hast thou of Death? The Guru hath granted his Sikhs happiness in this life and salvation in the next, and hath commanded them to eat and enjoy themselves.’
A faithful Sikh once asked the Guru's permission to offer Bibi Bhani money to purchase dresses and ornaments, so that she might decorate herself like other girls, and not appear at a disadvantage in their company. On hearing of the offer she repeated Guru Nanak's words :—
False is gold, false is silver, false those who wear them;
and reminded the Sikh that the best use to which money could be applied, would be to fill the Guru's kitchen with corn and supply the necessities of pilgrims.
The Guru's wife, Mansa Devi, one day seeing Bibi Bhani playing, remarked to her husband that, as Bhani had arrived at the age of puberty, they ought to search for a husband for her. The Guru ordered the necessary search to be made. When the Guru's agent was ready to depart, Bibi Bhani's mother saw a boy outside her door hawking some articles. On attentively observing him, she said to the agent, ‘Search for a youth like him to be Bibi Bhani's husband.’ Hearing this, the Guru ordered the agent to pause. On examining the youth's lineaments the Guru exclaimed, ‘He is his own parallel, for God had made none other like unto him.’ On this the Guru called the youth and interrogated him on matters in which fathers-in-law are interested. On being satisfied with the boy's replies and his desire to marry Bhani, the Guru sent him with marriage presents to his father, Hari Das, in Lahore, and had the betrothal ceremony performed.
After the completion of the nuptial negotiations Guru Amar Das wrote to Hari Das that the twenty-second of Phagan, Sambat 1610, would be a suitable time for the marriage. All the Sodhis congregated together, and there were great rejoicings. Women sang the Guru's hymns, and bards exhibited their poetical skill. The bridegroom's procession was formed, he was put on horseback, and he and his friends proceeded in state to Goindwal. Mohri, the Guru's eldest son, went forth to receive him. As the bridegroom was about to enter the Guru's house, the Guru said to him, ‘My son Jetha, it is the custom of our family that before the bridegroom entereth the bride's house he should make a request. Make one accordingly.’ Jetha accordingly repeated the first hymn of the Gujari measure contained in the Rahiras.
Guru Amar Das, highly pleased at the request conveyed in the earnest language of the hymn, granted Jetha a present of the Name, promised that at his court it should be unceasingly heard, and that it should flow like a current of waters.
When the marriage was duly celebrated, the marriage procession returned to Lahore. Jetha's parents wished the young couple to live with them according to the usual custom of the East, but Jetha considered the Guru as his god, and himself as his worshipper. He did not think of him at all in the light of a father-in-law, a relation who is ordinarily treated with scant respect by Indian bridegrooms. He deemed parting from him even worse than expulsion from heaven, and accordingly returned with his wife to Goindwal after a short sojourn in Lahore. In his heart he believed that the foundation of love sprang from the Guru's lotus feet, and he used to pray :—
May I abide from beginning to end in the joy of Thy lotus feet!
After his return to Goindwal he was the same Jetha and performed the same service for the Guru as before, without a particle of false pride in his heart. The more Jetha served the Guru, the more his love for him and for all mankind increased. His disposition became divine, as when iron is turned into gold by the contact of the philosopher's stone. Specially did he labour at the Bawali which the Guru was constructing. He made no objection to carrying baskets of earth on his head, and paid no heed to the banter or reproaches of his companions. The Guru took special notice of his conduct, and showed him special favour.
Bibi Bhani not only considered Amar Das her father, but also her Guru, the very image of Guru Nanak. In the same way she served Jetha not only as husband but as saint. In the month of Assu, Sambat 1614, a son, Prithi Chand, was born of the marriage. Three years after, in the month of Har, a second son, Mahadev, made his appearance. On Tuesday, the seventh day of the dark half of Baisakh, Sambat 1620, Jetha and Bhani were blessed with a third son called Arjan, at whose birth there were unusual rejoicings.
Chapter VII
There was a Bairagi named Mai Das, a most devout worshipper of the god Krishan. Strictly adhering to all Vaishnav ceremonials, he would only eat what he had cooked with his own hands. His chief desire was to behold the yellow-robed, peacock-crowned god in bodily form. In the hope of obtaining assistance for the purpose from the Guru, of whose fame he had heard, he went to Goindwal. On arriving there, however, he was informed he could not see the Guru until he had eaten food from his kitchen. He decided that as a strict Vaishnav he could never partake of such food, and he accordingly took his departure. On his way home he said to himself, ‘I have been lucky in deciding to see the Guru, but unlucky in departing without seeing him. I will by way of consolation go to Dwaraka to see Krishan.’ He accordingly made the long journey to Dwaraka, and took up his abode in an adjacent forest. On the night of his arrival he was holding the fast of the eleventh of the lunar month, during which he was allowed to eat fruit, but it was not obtainable for it was then the winter season. Cold winds were blowing, rain was falling in torrents, lightning was flashing, and the night was appallingly dark. He called upon all his gods, ‘O Wasdev, O Krishan, O Girdhari, I have no shelter but in you.’ At last in his dire extremity he accidentally found a hollow tree in which he took shelter for the night.
On the morrow at daybreak he searched the whole