Chapter 6 – The Manifest Sight
And they finally saw Guroo Angad Ji sitting in deep remembrance. His body had become lean, but his face was glowing with peace, just like a body of water, which stops moving, and how the sky settles after a rainfall. While looking at Guroo Angad Ji, Baba Buddha touched the floor with his forehead and then stood up while putting a robe around his neck and closing his eyes. Others also bowed and stood up and closed their eyes just like Baba Buddha Ji. While standing there Baba Buddha Ji did a silent ardas through his heart and that ardas reached the door of Guroo Nanak. Guroo Angad Ji opened his eyes, as if Guroo Nanak had admired him for that internally. Then he saw that the locked door had been opened and at the door Guroo Nanak’s beloved was standing. Baba Buddha Ji’s eyes opened to see that Guroo Ji’s eyes were filled with tears of compassion. He then had the darshan of Guroo Nanak and his tears, which were raining the droplets of mercy. Eyes of both came in sight with each other and Baba Buddha put his eyes down in respect. He then leaped forward and bowed to Guroo Ji while touching his head with the floor. Baba Buddha Ji then took a seat in front of Guroo Angad Ji in search for the raindrop, which would quench the thirst of the rain bird. While Baba Buddha Ji was thinking, a deep voice full of gloom said: -
ਜਿਸੁ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਸਿਉ ਨੇਹੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਆਗੈ ਮਰਿ ਚਲੀਐ ॥
jis piaarae sio naehu this aagai mar chaleeai ||
Die before the one whom you love;
ਧ੍ਰਿਗੁ ਜੀਵਣੁ ਸੰਸਾਰਿ ਤਾ ਕੈ ਪਾਛੈ ਜੀਵਣਾ ॥2॥
dhhrig jeevan sa(n)saar thaa kai paashhai jeevanaa ||2||
to live after he dies is to live a worthless life in this world. ||2||
Tears came in everyone’s eyes, including Baba Buddha Ji; Guroo Nanak’s separation had given them the pain of getting struck with sharp arrows. And then another voice came:
ਜੋ
ਸਿਰੁ ਸਾਂਈ ਨਾ ਨਿਵੈ ਸੋ ਸਿਰੁ ਦੀਜੈ ਡਾਰਿ ॥
jo sir saa(n)ee naa nivai so sir dheejai ddaar ||
Chop off that head which does not bow to the Lord.
ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਸੁ ਪਿੰਜਰ ਮਹਿ ਬਿਰਹਾ ਨਹੀ ਸੋ ਪਿੰਜਰੁ ਲੈ ਜਾਰਿ ॥1॥
naanak jis pi(n)jar mehi birehaa nehee so pi(n)jar lai jaar ||1||
O Nanak, that human body, in which there is no pain of separation from the Lord-take that body and burn it. ||1||
And then there was silence in the room. Just like how the Earth opens itself for rainfall after the summer, Baba Buddha Ji opened his closed lips and said, "Oh Great Giver! Guroo Nanak is with your limb and soul, he turned you into his own image, and you are attached to him and stay attached, but your Sikh Sangat is confounded without your Darshan; so please bless them with your sight and shower them with the blessings of your teachings. They are wandering around in thirst without you." Listening to Baba Buddha Ji, Guroo Ji again uttered taking a deep breath in sorrow-filled tone: -
ਦੀਖਿਆ ਆਖਿ ਬੁਝਾਇਆ ਸਿਫਤੀ ਸਚਿ ਸਮੇਉ ॥
dheekhiaa aakh bujhaaeiaa sifathee sach samaeo ||
Those who have accepted the Guru's Teachings, and who have found the path, remain absorbed in the Praises of the True Lord.
ਤਿਨ ਕਉ ਕਿਆ ਉਪਦੇਸੀਐ ਜਿਨ ਗੁਰੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਦੇਉ ॥1॥
thin ko kiaa oupadhaeseeai jin gur naanak dhaeo ||1||
What teachings can be imparted to those who have the Divine Guru Nanak as their Guru? ||1||
Baba Buddha Ji (putting hands together): Guroo Nanak turned you into himself. Guroo Nanak’s Sikhs never felt satisfied enough with his darshan, so how can they content themselves now? Please give us the blessing of your sight. You have to take care of those who are already attached [to VaheGuroo] and you also have to attach those who still have not come on your path.
Guroo Ji: He himself is the one who attaches. To attach someone is a very difficult job. We should not have the greed to attach others, and those who are already attached should always keep longing.
Baba Buddha:
ਪ੍ਰਣਵੈ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਤੂ ਸਰਵਰੁ ਤੂ ਹੰਸੁ ॥
pranavai naanak baenathee thoo saravar thoo ha(n)s ||
Prays Nanak, please hear my prayer: You are the pool, and You are the soul-swan.
ਕਉਲੁ ਤੂ ਹੈ ਕਵੀਆ ਤੂ ਹੈ ਆਪੇ ਵੇਖਿ ਵਿਗਸੁ ॥4॥25॥
koul thoo hai kaveeaa thoo hai aapae vaekh vigas ||4||25||
You are the lotus flower of the day and You are the water-lily of the night. You Yourself behold them, and blossom forth in bliss. ||4||25||
Guroo Ji (taking a deep breath): Gurooship is greatness. And greatness given by the world detaches one from the Beloved:
ਨਾਨਕ
ਦੁਨੀਆ ਕੀਆਂ ਵਡਿਆਈਆਂ ਅਗੀ ਸੇਤੀ ਜਾਲਿ ॥
naanak dhuneeaa keeaaa(n) vaddiaaeeaaa(n) agee saethee jaal ||
O Nanak, burn worldly greatness and glory in the fire.
ਏਨੀ ਜਲੀਈਂ ਨਾਮੁ ਵਿਸਾਰਿਆ ਇਕ ਨ ਚਲੀਆ ਨਾਲਿ ॥2॥
eaenee jaleeee(n) naam visaariaa eik n chaleeaa naal ||2||
These burnt offerings have caused mortals to forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Not even one of them will go along with you in the end. ||2||
This was said in such a heart-tearing tone that it shook everyone.
Baba Buddha: Oh Giver! The Primal Lord established you as the Guroo; Guroo Nanak himself enshrined his soul within yourself. You have settled the humbleness of the whole world within yourself. In your heart you have no concern with worldly greatness. My mouth is petite, oh my Guroo Nanak! But I still say this: Guroo Nanak turned you into himself and told you to care for his Sangat. You have to follow his will. Where is any desire for personal gain in you? How can there be any longing of personal gain within yourself when you got turned into Guroo Nanak yourself? Having the responsibility of being the Guroo is a way for you to serve your Beloved, and you have to adhere to the wishes of the warrior Guroo.
Guroo Ji (staying silent for a while): Brother Buddha Ji! You are right! This task is difficult, but much harder is to follow the hukam.
ਹੁਕਮਿ
ਮੰਨਿਐ ਹੋਵੈ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ਤਾ ਖਸਮੈ ਕਾ ਮਹਲੁ ਪਾਇਸੀ ॥
hukam ma(n)niai hovai paravaan thaa khasamai kaa mehal paaeisee ||
Obeying the Order of His Will, he becomes acceptable, and then, he obtains the Mansion of the Lord's Presence.
Baba Buddha: You have already accepted the hukam, now please shower mercy upon the sangat on which darkness is taking over. It is your repute to protect those in need, so please enlighten us and bless us with your sight.
Guroo Ji: "
ਨਾਨਕ ਹੁਕਮੈ ਜੇ ਬੁਝੈ ਤ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥2॥" Hard or easy? "ਹੁਕਮਿ ਰਜਾਈ ਚਲਣਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਨਾਲਿ ॥1॥" Yes brother! "ਹੁਕਮੈ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਭੁ ਕੋ ਬਾਹਰਿ ਹੁਕਮ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥"
While talking, Guroo Ji closed his eyes and his face turned very calm. It seemed like the full moon had brought forth the calmness and that the sun was brightly shining over it. The face that Guroo Nanak had blessed was glowing in splendor. Those who were looking at Guroo Ji’s face stood there in freeze. Just like the how the Sun rises from the Earth and Sky’s breakage, the splendid eyes of Guroo Ji opened and he looked at the anxious eyes of Baba Buddha Ji. When the four eyes became two, they caused some bliss to emerge within Baba Buddha Ji. The bliss took its way to his tongue but instead it went to his eyes. Upon reaching the eyes that bliss turned into tears, which ran down Baba Buddha Ji’s eyes. The tears rolling down his cheeks settled down in his splendor-full beard. The great Giver looked at Baba Buddha Ji’s eyes and saw the light which had emerged from there and understood what Baba Buddha Ji wanted to say. There was no sharing of words but still Guroo Sahib understood the meanings of Baba Buddha Ji’s thoughts. Guroo Ji then arose like the bright shinning Sun and held Baba Buddha Ji’s arm and said: "Oh the one who blessed me with the saffron forehead mark, get up now and take me where I have to work with the wishes of Guroo Nanak:
ਸਾਈ
ਕਾਰ ਕਮਾਵਣੀ ਧੁਰਿ ਛੋਡੀ ਤਿੰਨੈ ਪਾਇ ॥
saaee kaar kamaavanee dhhur shhoddee thi(n)nai paae ||
The mortal does that work, which has been pre-destined from the very beginning."
Baba Buddha Ji got up and took off while revering that Guroo Nanak who once told him, "Put the mark of Gurooship on the forehead of Lehna, you have been blessed with the understanding of recognizing the true Guroo." He walked while having his arm held by that Guroo Nanak who he had given the mark of Gurooship and reached the verandah of Maae Veraae’s house where a cot with a white spread was laying on the floor. Some sangat also came along and stood next to it, just like the sun-worshippers sit down on a river edge in search for the sight of the Sun. When the Sikhs got the sight of the face which appeared just like the face that they used to see in Kartarpur, immense love emerged within them and they all bowed and touched their foreheads with the floor while revering Guroo Ji. Now the bright shinning merciful Guroo Ji sat on the cot. The Sangat, which was waiting there for the bliss of Guroo Ji’s darshan, satisfied them with the splendor sight and quenched their thirst with the nectar of Guroo Ji’s sight.