AOW 500 to 599

This event happened a long time before the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) guaranteed every one the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It was also long before the establishment of Western democracies.

The Guru carried out this act of conviction more than three hundred years ago, when religious intolerance and persecution were common all over the world, to secure the right of each and every individual to freely worship the faith of his or her choice.

Guru Tegh Bahadur lived at a time when even personal laws were oppressive and the right to worship as one chose was under attack by a ruler (Aurangzeb) bent on imposing his religion on every citizen of India. This policy of forced conversion culminated in an atmosphere of fear and severe backlash ....More

Contents: Top 500. 510. 520. 530. 540. 550. 560. 570. 580. 590.

509

Learnt just one line of Anand Sahib

Once, a Sikh made a request before the Guru Ji, "O true King! I am grieved by the world. Eliminate the pain of birth and death. Save me from sins. I am in your protection" I am illiterate so cannot even recite or understand Gurbani.

Guru Ji said, "Brother Sikh! You are blessed that you became detached (from the world). To gain wisdom, knowledge is very important. One should get education. An uneducated person cannot understand anything.

Guru Ji asked another learned Sikh to teach that Sikh with love.

The Learned Sikh started to teach him. While teaching, he taught him this line of Anand Sahib prayer by Guru Amar Das:

"Anand bhya meree maaye, Satguroo main paaya." (The heavenly pleasure occurred, O my mother, for I have found my True Guru). ....More

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510

Malik Bhago and Bhai Lalo

".....first be truthfulness, second live honestly, and third be charitable in the Name of God" (SGGS p 141)

Once Guru Nanak Dev stayed with Bhai Lalo ( a devotee) when he began his preaching missions, called the {{udasis]]. 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 enhance his image with the local people.

Guru Nanak Dev declined to go to the feast. Special messengers were sent to bring the Guru. Bhago offered delicious food to the Guru and in response to his offer, waited for good words from him but Guru Nanak Dev, rather than blessing Malik Bhago declined to accept any food from him. ....More

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511

Guru Nanak Sahib and a humble Gursikh

Guru Nanak Dev and Bhai Mardana were on their travels, when they came across a humble servant of the Lord who had nothing but a little mud hut to live in. Guru Sahib and Bhai Mardhana decided to grace the humble Gursikh with their presence, agreeing to reside at the hut for the night.

This Gursikh was most pleased; he had little to eat in the house, but prepared what he did have for the Guru and Bhai Mardana. Bhai Mardhana felt a little sad, knowing that this humble servant of the Lord had very little - and eating out from the little resources that he had.

Guru Sahib knew this and told Bhai Mardhana not to worry, we must live in the will of Waheguru. The Gursikh's humbleness and love was his everything. ....More

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512

Guru Ramdas and the Yogi

After Guru Ramdas had taken the gurgaddi he still continued doing lot of physical sewa. Once Baba Sri chand , son of Guru Nanak decided to meet Guru Ramdas. As soon as the word travelled to Ramdas ji, Guru Ramdas sent his followers to meet Sri Chand ji at the edge of the city and himself left his sewa to meet him.

When Baba Sri Chand saw Guru Ramdas he was shocked because with his yogic eyes he saw his father Guru Nanak in Guru Ramdas ji. He proclaimed you are the image of my father; you have the light of my father, but your beard is much longer than my father! why is your beard so long?

Guru Ramdas ji answered - my beard is so long so that I can wipe the feet of the saints like you and he actually bent over to rub over Sri Chand's feet with his beard. ....More

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513

Guru Nanak in Jaganath Puri - Aarti

The temple of Jagan Nath, was one of the four most revered temples of the Hindus. It is said that Jagan Nath's idol was sculptured by the architect of the gods and it was installed at the temple by Lord Brahma himself. It was the anniversary of installation of the idol when Guru Nanak reached the temple. The Guru visited the temple not to adore their Lord but to educate the people that the worship of God was superior to the worship of the deity.

It was the evening time and the priests brought a salver full of many lighted lamps, flowers, incense and pearls and then all stood to offer the salver to their enshrined idol-god. The ceremony was called 'Aarti', a song of dedication. The high-priest invited the Guru to join in the god's worship. The Guru declined to join their service which enraged the priests.

On being asked the reason the Guru explained that a wonderful serenade was being sung by nature before the invisible altar of God. ....More

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514

Bibi Basant Kaur Jee

When the Mughal forces laid siege around Anandpur Sahib, many Singhs deserted the Guru, including the 40 Singhs who later became the 40 Muktas. Guru Gobind Singh Jee asked Bibi Basant Kaur if she wanted to leave the fort, as there would be terrible hardships in the coming months. However Bibi Jee politely declined, saying that she would not leave her Guru whatever the circumstances.

After some months of real difficulties and hunger, Guru Gobind Singh Jee decided to leave Anandpur Sahib at the request of his Sikhs. Evading the Mughal forces, the Guru and his Sikhs reached the River Sirsa. It was the winter months, and due to the cold weather and fast flowing river current, the Sikhs got scattered. Guru Gobind Singh Jee, Sahibzada Ajit Singh and Sahibzada Jujhar Singh got separated from Mata Gujjer Kaur (Mata Gujri), Sahibzada Zorawar Singh and Sahibzada Fateh Singh. ....More

Contents: Top 500. 510. 520. 530. 540. 550. 560. 570. 580. 590.