Bhai Kalyana

A ruler can take away the life of a Sikh,
but not his faith or right to worship.

Bhai Kalyana was one of the few Sikhs who were assigned by Guru Arjan Dev Ji the great responsibility of going out to various places, educating people about Gurmat, and making collections for building Harimandar Sahib at Amritsar.

Bhai Sahib was sent to the hill areas of the Mandi state in the north of Punjab. Whenever he went there, he would associate some local people with him, discuss with them the principles of the Sikh faith and sing Gurbani Kirtan. People looked forward to his visits because they loved to sit with him and listen to Gurbani recitations.

Once when Bhai Sahib was preaching Gurmat in the town of Mandi, it was Janam-Ashtmi day. The local ruler announced with the beat of a drum the significance of this Hindu religious day and ordered all people to remain hungry on that day. In addition, people were required to worship Thakur, a special type of stone, on that day. This was a technique adopted by the Brahmans to collect money from the common people.

Bhai Kalyana did not pay any attention to these pronouncements. He cooked his food as usual and shared it with the locals. The matter was brought to the notice of the ruler, Hari Sain. He ordered Bhai Kalyana to appear before him and explain his position for disobeying the instructions. In response, Bhai Sahib recited Gurbani quotations which said that to please God, we should love and respect people instead of worshipping stones. Further, fasting has no religious value.

Hari Sain could give no arguments to challenge the statements of Bhai Ji - however, he observed, "I agree with you in principle, but you must be punished for disobeying my orders." Bhai Kalyana replied, "You have disrespected the wishes of God, who provides food for everyone to eat. Against this, you are instructing people not to eat food. Therefore, you are guilty of a bigger wrong by disobeying the mighty Lord who is the ruler of the whole world."

Hari Sain, who was suffering under the yoke of Brahmans and was practicing meaningless rituals, was awakened. He decided to become a Sikh. He accompanied Bhai Kalyana Ji to Amritsar and got the blessings of Guru Arjan Dev.

Sajjan Thug

Neither be a robber, nor be a cheat.
Be sincere to all, your dealings be neat.

Sajjan means a nice person, a friend, a helper. There was a man with this name living in Tulamba (now in Pakistan). He was known as a good man in his area. He had constructed an inn for travelers to rest for the night.

Whenever a traveler would forget anything in the inn, Sajjan kept it as his own. Slowly he developed the bad habit of stealing valuables of the travelers when they were sleeping at night. After some time, this bad habit made him a wicked man. He even killed people staying at his inn if he wanted to take away the travelers' belongings. The dead bodies were disposed of secretly by burying them in the compound at night. A "sajjan" because of his bad habits thus became a "thug." The people, therefore, called him "Sajjan Thug."

On one of their journeys Guru Nanak Dev and Bhai Mardana stayed with Sajjan Thug for the night. In the evening Guru Nanak Dev sang a shabad while Bhai Mardana played on the rebeck. The shabad explained that if a person is bad at heart, an outward show of good acts means nothing. God knows our mind and no one can bluff Him. The true friends (sajjan) are actually the good deeds of a man. These good deeds help the man not only here in this world but also after death in the next life. By evil acts man makes his own mind dirty, because of which he not only suffers here in this world, but also his soul remains dirty even after death.

Sajjan Thug had been listening to this shabad attentively. As the shabad went into his ears, his mind started "seeing" the truth. He realized he was an evil man. He was taking away the belongings of innocent travelers to whom he was supposed to provide comfort and service.

Sajjan Thug went to the Guru, folded his hands and confessed before the Guru that he was Sajjan only by name. Actually, by his deeds he was a Thug. Sajjan Thug sincerely repented and promised to lead a holy life in the future.

The Guru was pleased by the change of his heart and he was, therefore, very kind to Sajjan Thug. Sajjan was advised to distribute all the ill-got money to the needy and start his life afresh as an honest man. He sincerely practiced as the Guru advised him. He started helping the visitors and making their stay comfortable by whatever he could do for them.

Thus, a Sajjan by name, a thug by profession, became a Sajjan by his deeds as well, after meeting Guru Nanak.

Man is valued by the deeds he does. True friends are our good deeds. They remain with us even when our body dies.

Bhai Lalo and Malik Bhago

Taking the rights of others pollutes the mind.

Always be honest, ever be kind.

Guru Nanak Dev stayed with Bhai Lalo when he began his preaching missions. Bhai Lalo was a carpenter who earned his living honestly by working hard all day. The local village official was a corrupt person. He was known as Malik Bhago. One day he invited every resident of the village to a feast so he could make a good impression on the people. Guru Nanak Dev declined to go to the feast. Special messengers were sent to bring him. Bhago offered delicious food to the Guru and in response to his offer, waited for good words from him. Guru Nanak Dev rather than blessing Malik Bhago declined to accept any food from him. Bhago was surprised to hear a refusal for the delicious food and he immediately asked the reason for the refusal.

The Guru told him that the food which Malik Bhago considered to be tasty and sweet was, in fact, made from the blood of the poor. Malik Bhago had been extracting money from the people, instead of living on his honest earnings. Bhago was very much embarrassed by the bold and frank comments of the Guru. Everyone else appreciated the truth fearlessly spoken by Guru Nanak Dev. Bhago could not deny the allegations made against him at his face in the presence of the respectable people of the village. Good senses prevailed and Malik Bhago confessed his guilt. He requested to be pardoned for his past deeds and promised to live a true and honest life in the future.

Guru Nanak Dev told the gathering there that only honestly earned food, as that of Bhai Lalo, tastes good and sweet like milk. All dishonest earnings are the blood of the innocent. If drops of blood fall on a cloth, it becomes dirty. How can the mind of a person who lives on the blood of the helpless people remain pious and clean?

Such was the effect of Guru Nanak's piety and personality that people did visualize blood in Malik's delicious dinner and milk in Bhai Lalo's frugal meal.

Taking away the rights of others is like drawing their blood, it pollutes the mind. Honest earnings are like sweet milk, they make the mind pious.

Hollow Rituals Have No Value

Hollow Rituals Have No Value
Service to people is service to God.
Rituals, if hollow, value not.

Guru Nanak Dev while on his eastward journey reached Hardwar. It is on the banks of the river Ganges and is one of the major centers for Hindu pilgrimage. The people, gathered there in large numbers, were bathing in the holy river. Guru Nanak Dev observed many people throwing water towards the sun in the east. The Guru had already heard about this meaningless ritual. He, therefore, thought it the right place and the proper time to give correct guidance that those kinds of mindless hollow rituals have no value.

Guru Nanak throwing water towards his farm Guru Nanak Dev Ji entered the river for purposes of bathing as other common pilgrims were doing. Instead of throwing water to the east, he, however, started throwing water in the opposite direction towards the west. Taking him as a naive visitor, the nearby bathers told him that he was not performing the rituals correctly. They advised him to throw water to the east. Guru Nanak Dev continued throwing water towards the west pretending that he was very much absorbed in the 'holy' act and had not heard anything. Soon, many people gathered there to tell him that the proper method of performing the ritual was to throw water in the other direction. His water thrown to the west was of no use to him or to his dead ancestors.


Seeing a lot of people around, Guru Nanak stopped throwing water, looked towards them and asked, "What is the matter? What is wrong with my throwing water?" Many people spoke in one voice. "The water is to be thrown towards the rising sun so that it reaches your dead ancestors." Guru Nanak Dev replied that his crops in his village were dying. The village is toward the west. He wanted to irrigate those crops. After hearing this reply the people started laughing. One of them questioned him as to how the water thrown by him could reach hundreds of miles away. The Guru became serious and asked, "If the water thrown by me cannot reach a few hundred miles away on this very earth, how can water thrown by you to your dead ancestors reach them in the heavens?"


The people became silent and started thinking over the reply given by the Guru. They had no logical argument to challenge his statement.


Guru Nanak Dev Ji came out of the river and the crowd followed him. The Guru calmly told them the truth. He explained that hollow rituals do not have any religious value. They should love, respect and take care of their parents when they are alive. When people die, they do not need anything from us and neither can we send them anything after they have left this world. After death, people get what they have given to the needy, out of their honest earnings, while living on this earth.


Serve your parents and others when they are alive. Hollow, mindless rituals after their death have no value to them at all.

Mata Jiwan Kaur Ji

“All should be charitable according to their means and sources. The needy should be provided with clothing and food. Generosity never leads to exhaustion but the riches drain away by foul ways.”

-Sri Satguru Ram Singh Ji

Mata Jiwan Kaur, reverend mother, was a pious lady with a tender heart. She had love for all. None went away empty handed from her door. Bleeding souls felt relieved of pain by her touch. She equally shared woes and worries of the enemies of the Panth and looked after them more dearly than her own ones. Her loveable nature and service without discrimination brought fame and glory to Sri Bhaini sahib.

It is well known, that after the deportation of Satguru Ram Singh Ji, there were black days for the community. The kookas neither could enter nor leave this holy place without permission. Even Satguru Hari Singh Ji was not allowed to visit other places without complying with formalities.

Mata Ji worked for the langar day and night. Though food stuff ran short, yet the kind mother did not allow anyone to go without having food. Mr. War Burton Supt. Police Ludhiana, very often paid surprise visits at night to know the truth but he returned fully convinced of kind heartedness of Mata Ji.

At Sri Bhaini Sahib notorious Ghamanda and its party left no stone unturned to defame the holy place & gave false reports to the govt. thought the apostle in Court in many cases, yet it was Mata Jiwan Kaur, who always helped Ghamanda in the hour of need. Their members of the family were provided with food and cloth, whenever she learnt their unbearable condition. She used to place flour, ghee and sugar near the entrance at sun-set, so that his children not remain hungry.

When the great mother passed away in 1939 AD Ghamanda was among the mourners with the broken heart. They expressed their grief by saying that they have lost their mother. A poet has rightly said:-

buirAW nwl sB burw kmWdy, mwP krn keI isAwxy[

buirAW nwl muV nykI krnI, ieh guru nwnk jwxy[

Everyone treats the evil-doers badly, only a few intellectuals pardon them. Guru Nanak teaches to be good to all evildoers.

Do Good To All

PrIdw bury dw Blw kir gusw min n hFwie ]

Fareed, answer evil with goodness; do not fill your mind with anger.

dyhI rog n lgeI plY sBu ikCu pwie ]73]

Our body shall not suffer from any disease, and you shall obtain everything.

(pMnw 1381)

The Britishers annexed Punjabi and hatched a new policy to drive a wedge among the sister communities. The hired touts tried to create ill will amongst the communities. In the Sikhs, this policy was done against the Namdharis, the fore-runners of freedom struggle of India. Propagation was carried on by saying “That the kookas utter Kalam instead of Gurbani. No respect is shown to The Holy Granth.” Circulars in this regard were sent to all Gurdwaras. According the priests in the historical Gurdwaras treated the Namdharis as un-touchable.

S. Attar Singh Grewal was a staunch Kookas, who used to visit Mukatsar Frequently. Once he went there and entered the Gurdwara to pay respect. A Nihang on seeing him flew into rage. Though Attar Singh showed all humility, the Nihang hit him on the head and blood gushed out. He became unconscious and fell on the ground. Someone tool him to the Namdhari, Dharamshala, where he was given first aid and given proper treatment. In a few days he was fully recovered and thanked the co-mates.

In those days Punjab was infected with plague. The Nihang also was attacked by the deadly disease. The poor man, almost on his last legs was dragged out to crematorium for cremation, and was left there for his ultimate end. Nobody even bothered whether he was dead or alive.

By chance Sardar Attar Singh went out to answer the call of nature and heard the sobbing and singing of the Nihang. Attar Singh drew nearer, the Nihang and brought him to the Dharamshala on his shoulders. There he was looked after affectionately by S. Attar Singh. In a short time he was able to walk. When he came to know, that it was the same Namdhari whom he had hit on the head. He was much ashamed of himself and lay at his feet entreating to pardon him. He admitted by saying ‘I am a misguided fool. Save me from the fire of hell. I could not understand you. You guru is great. Please excuse me “with these words he again placed his head on his feet. But Attar Singh with profound sincerity said “O Singh Sahib! Why are you bewailing? “Sikhism teaches to serve the needy. I have done nothing more than my duty. All thanks are due to the Master, Cheeniwala, who has given me a chance to serve you.” These sweet words were nectar for him. He, with humble submission, requested to take him to his guru. Attar Singh led him to Sri Bhaini Sahib. There he was blessed by Sri Satguru Hari Singh Ji and Mata Jeewan Kaur. He spent the rest of his life serving in the langar.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DO ALL THE GOOD YOU CAN

BY ALL THE MEANS YOU CAN,

IN ALL THE WAYS YOU CAN

AT ALL THE TIMES YOU CAN,

TO ALL THE PEOPLE YOU CAN,

AS LONG AS EVER YOU CAN

Satguru Ram Singh was the champion of freedom struggle of India. He wished the Indian to be freed through non cooperation and non-violence. This slogan shook the British imperialism. The British policy, based on divide and rule, allowed the kine to be killed in Punjab. The worst of all these slaughter houses were quite close to the sacred places. Similarly a butcher house stood by the wall of Holy Temple Harmander Sahib at Amritsar. The kooka’s could not bear this bloody sight. They attacked the slaughter house to free the cows. Some innocent were arrested, tortured and were forced to confess the crime. The poor fellows could not find any other way than to admit. The court delivered the decision to hang them. But they were acquitted by the kookas, who themselves laid down their lives for noble cause. The govt. considered the kookas their bitter foes and wanted an excuse to crush this freedom movement. At Ludhiana and Ralkote five kookas were hanged in Public in broad-day light. The massacre at Malerkotla was the incident of high handedness. Kooka movement was declared unlawful. A police post was set up at the H.Q. Sri Bhaini Sahib. The enclave of Gurdwara was dug to the water level, and the valuables were conflicted. The greater Lord Satguru Ram Singh with his Subas was deported.

Suba Kahan Singh was taken to Eden the hottest place in Arabia. It is said that a leaf falling from the tree withered dry in no time. Kahan Singh was lodged there, but he cared a bit for this and was cautious for his religious duty only.

One night a fire broke into the bunglow of Supdt. of the Jail. The flames were furious. All the occupants rushed out, but a child was left there in the cradle. On coming to know this the mother bewailed and cried for the child. The fire grew furious and none could dare to enter the room. All were helpless.

Suba Kahan Singh rushed to the spot to rescue the victim. He staked his life for the rescue of child. To the surprise of all. Suba Kahan Singh wrapped in a wet blanket, flew into the flames. On the lips of the audience was prayer. In the twinkling of an eye, the Suba was seen out of the flames, with the child in his arms. The mother of this child in tears ran towards the rescuer. She hastily took the child into her arms, hugged and kissed the baby again and again. All the eye witnesses whether European or Arabian said with one voice “Kahan Singh is not a man but an angel from the Land of Rishis.”

Author: Panth Rattan Master Nihal Singh

Truth And Falsehood

Life is merely a temporary charm.
Be good to all and do no harm.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji reached Sialkot, now in Pakistan, on one of his preaching missions. The people who came to see him told him that they were greatly worried about themselves and their city. Satguru Ji asked the reason for that. They said that a Muslim mystic named Hamza Gaus had gone on a 40-day meditation to destroy the city and its residents. This was because he was angry with the behavior of one person. He made a decision to use his powers to make the whole city sink into the earth and make it vanish forever. Guru Nanak Dev Ji assured them that no harm would come to them. They should go and get busy with their jobs and always keep God in their mind.

Satguru Ji went to the place where the Pir had locked himself in a chamber in which he sat meditating to destroy the city. Bhai Mardana was asked to play on the rebeck while Satguru Ji started singing a shabad. The Pir heard the music and virtues of God sung outside his chamber. He broke his 40-day continuous meditation, opened the door and came out. He was surprised to see the Guru and his associates. He asked them, "Who are you? Why have you come here and interrupted my meditation?"

Satguru Ji told him to calm down and reminded him that holy men are expected to serve and help the people with the power and virtues God bestows on them. It is a sin to use the holy powers to harm people. Pir insisted that all the people of the city were evil. None possessed any goodness. They all deserved to be destroyed. Satguru Ji decided to reveal the truth to him. He gave some money to his associate and sent him to the city to purchase a packet each of "truth" and "falsehood."

The person went to the city and moved from shop to shop in search of truth and falsehood. He always got a negative answer to his query. Finally, he contacted Bhai Moola. He took the money and wrote on a piece of paper, Marna Sach, Jeona Jhuth. "Death is a truth and life is a falsehood."

Satguru Ji showed this to the Pir and warned him that he was totally wrong to think of doing any harm to such people. There were people who knew and understood that life is temporary, hence, a falsehood. Death is sure to come to everyone, while after death, our soul lives forever. Hence, death is a truth.

Pir confessed that he was wrong to believe that everybody was bad and needed to be destroyed. He decided to serve the people and not harm them with the knowledge and virtues that God had given him.

Powers given by God should be used to help people and not harm them. Life is a temporary phase, death is inevitable.