Sakhi: The Guru always blesses all

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Our Guru always blesses us

The term 'Sakhi' refers to the common account of historical events in Sikhism. It is a tale usally from the era during the times of the Gurus. However, many Sakhis do exist from the period before and after the times of the Ten Gurus. Most Sakhis have a moral lesson and highlight important Sikh principles. Sakhi means "sakhshi" gavah or "real witness". "Lke bala janamsakhi" means Bhai Bala was the witness of the all sakhis in that book.

Amongst many other sakhis during this time, this sakhi is from the time when Bhai Lehna Ji was trying to follow and obey each one of his Guru's, Guru Nanak Dev Ji's, hukam (order) in order to become a true Sikh of his true Guru. A few years later from this time, Bhai Lehna Ji received Guruship from Guru Nanak Dev Ji and got named as Guru Angad Dev Ji.

The actual account

One day Guru Nanak Dev Ji was seating in his samadhi (meditation) with his eyes closed at the place where the sangat (devotees) used to meet him to receive his teachings in Kartarpur city. When Guru Ji open his eyes, he noticed Bhai Lehna Ji sitting in the sangat as well.

Guru Ji said to Bhai Lehna Ji that he was pleased by the kind of service that Bhai Lenha Ji had been offering. Guru Ji said that there is nothing in this world that Guru Ji would not offer to Bhai Lenha Ji. In other words, anything and everything that Guru Nanak Dev Ji possessed, he would offer it to Bhai Lehna Ji and still always find his services to be of much more value.

Bhai Lehna's ego does not bloat

In reaction, Bhai Lehna Ji did not feel any ego/pride. We should note that generally in our day to day happennings, even if we complete 10% of a job, and someone complements us on its progress, ego starts building up in our minds.

Unfortunately many of us, while completing the rest of that job, just forget the good and honest progress we had made before we received the complement, and do not perform as well.

But Bhai Lehna Ji remained still, folded his hands in honor, bowed himself in respect, touching his head on Guru's feet, and requested Guru Ji for his own darshan.

How can one have their own darshan?

Now, how can one have his own darshan? Was it that Bhai Lehna Ji wanted to see himself in a mirror? Bhai Lehna Ji further said that we watch everything and everyone in this world as visible in front of our two eyes, but we fail to notice ourselves.

We spend our entire life noticing, guessing and judging other people, like: this person does not have good thinking, that person has very good thinking; this person does not have a good appearance, that person that a very good appearance; this person is beautiful, that person is ugly; this is a good person and that is a bad person. We are always making judgments about various aspects of other people.

We do not inspect our own behaviour

So while we keep on noticing and mentioning good and bad qualities of others, seldom do we introspect ourselves. Seldom do we notice as to where we stand; how much love we have for Gurbani (Gurus words or compositions); how much devoted are we for the Nitnem (the daily spiritual meditation of the Sikh); whether we spend time in back biting and gossiping or not?

Further Bhai Lehna Ji said that he does not know of himself; who was he and for what purpose did he come to this world; and that he is always stuck in dukh (bad timies) and sukh (good times).

Sukh and Dukh

Now, many times in our lives, when we have dukh (bad times), our moral level goes so much down as if someone has dug up a pit and we fall in it. As time passes by, the dukh goes away and sukh comes back, we start feeling as if we are flying in the air in happiness. A real person is the one who feels the same in dukh and sukh.

Same is the state that Bhai Lehna Ji is reaching towards step-by-step. Guru Nanak Dev Ji is cleaning up the vessel day-by-day that in some day in future, Guru Ji is going to give the greatest blessing (i.e., Guruship). Guru Ji is testing Bhai Lehna Ji everyday so that when Guru Ji gives him the greatest blessing, Bhai Lehna Ji is capable of receiving it.

We attach ourselves to our ego

Many times when we see material things belonging to others, whether we are in need of those things or not, we become envious; no matter how beautiful our house is, but when we see a bigger house of our neighbor being built, we start thinking as to what does he need it for? From where did he get all the money?

So Bhai Lehna Ji asked Guru Nanak Dev Ji of some remedy to such issues; like we do not become demoralized in our dukh (bad times). Bhai Lehna Ji expressed his faith in Guru Ji by saying that like on all other topics that he follows his Guru, he would obey his Guru on this one too.

Upon hearing repeated requests from Bhai Lehna Ji, a smile appeared on Guru Nanak Dev Ji's face. Guru Ji said that as and when God gives us material possessions, we should just use them. It is in human nature to cling on to material things even if those were given to us by God for some time and not forever. (For example, a house for a couple of years.) Our state of mind upon losing a material possession is exactly the opposite compared to our state of mind when we had requested and received it from God.

Consider Sukh and Dukh as same!

Guru Ji said that when you achieve that state of mind which is neutral to sukh and dukh, at that time you'll experience introspection. You'll be happy in your sukh or your dukh. Such people do not get into the cycles of reincarnation. Consider this world as a dream; one comes in and goes back after playing his role. Be neutral to all material possessions, and do not cling on to them.

Guru Ji started thinking that there'll be a time when no one will be able to tolerate the happenings during that time that only Bhai Lehna Ji will be able to tolerate by achieving that state of mind. And that Bhai Lehna Ji will be able to teach his sangat (followers) the same and show them the path to God. And that Bhai Lehna Ji was progressing to the state of being capable of Guruship.

Bhai Lehna learns to follows the Hukam closely

As per the Sakhi, the sangat noticing the dialogues between Guru Ji and Bhai Lehna Ji started to feel the same as well; that Bhai Lehna Ji has become very close to Guru Ji; and in near future Guru Ji will bless Bhai Lehna Ji with the Guruship. Even both of Guru Ji's sons - Sri Chand Ji and Lakhmi Das Ji, knew that Guru Ji is going to give the Guruship to Bhai Lehna Ji and not to any of the two.

One day Guru Ji was present in the sangat, along with his two sons as well as Bhai Lehna Ji. Guru Ji said that when he tested the Sikhee of the sangat as to who all have attained that state of mind; he found everyone except for Bhai Lehna Ji to be incapable of the test.

Guru Ji futher clarified that no one should consider Bhai Lehna Ji to be a miracle; he possessed the same kind of human body and power as any other being in the sangat; the onle difference being that Bhai Lehna Ji has the feeling of seva (selfless service) compared to people who like to be called as a Sikh but do not have the willingness for any seva. Such people have the state of mind much lower than that of Bhai Lehna Ji.

Mata ji complains to the Guru

When Mata Sulakhani Ji, Guru Ji's wife, got the word that Guru Ji is going to offer Guruship to Bhai Lehna Ji and not to his own sons, she went to Guru Ji. She said that both of his sons are sitting in front of him; and when she heard the news, she quickly came to Guru Ji. Guru Ji kept his cool, kept of listening and did not utter any word yet. Mata Sulakhani Ji complained that Guru Ji has started his own trend.

Consider that many times when we desire and expect something from our Guru; if we do not receive it, we become sad; not realizing whether that thing is good for us or not? Please excuse me from saying this that occasionally we loose our trust. But our Satguru is fully aware of it - which thing is going to be useful to us and which is going to be harmful to us. Our Guru blesses us with just the right thing.

Based on Vaar by Kavi Santokh Singh Ji, narrated at Sri Guru Singh Sabha Gurudwara, Model Town Extension, Ludhiana on Oct 2nd, 2011.


(I ask forgiveness of the readers/sangat for any inadvertent inaccuracy - Bhool Chook Maaf Ji)

See also


Sakhis of Guru Nanak
Bhai Lalo's honesty Darshan The Guru always blesses all Durga worshipper from Khadur Sahib
Dukh Sukh Duni Chand Establishment of Kartarpur Nanak in Sikkim,Ladakh & Tibet
First Udasi Second Udasi Third Udasi The Udasis of Guru Nanak
Fourth Udasi Fifth Udasi Guru Ji's Sickness Guru Nanak and the Vaishno ascetic
Guru Nanak Grazing Buffaloes Guru Nanak and Duni Chand Guru Nanak and Moola Sacha Souda
Guru Nanak and the Sacred Thread Guru Nanak and two students Guru Nanak at Hassan Abdal Sajan the Robber
Guru Nanak at School Guru Nanak at Shikarpur Guru Nanak in Baghdad The Birth of the Guru
Guru Nanak in Mecca Guru Nanak in Nepal Mian Mitha The Two Villages
Guru Nanak in Tibet Guru Nanak in Tibet Quotes Guru Nanak's history Guru Nanak & The Doctor
Iron Clad Soldiers One God for the rich and... Janam Sakhis There is no Hindu and no Musalman
Janamsakhis Kauda the cannibal Mardana and the ants Three Days in the River
Mardana and the stone Mardana gives away clothes and food Watering the Crops Village of Children
Guru Nanak and the Brahman Guru Nanak and the Pandit Guru Nanak and the Millionaire Guru Nanak and Sheikh Brahm
Guru Nanak & the dried up river Bhai Bhoomiya Bhai Mardana Ji And Charity Bhai Sayt And Guru Nanak Dev
Daulat Khan Sakhis of Guru Nanak Stories of Guru Nanak Sakhis
Baba Wali Kandhari Durga worshipper from Khadur Sahib Guru Nanak In Syria Guru Nanak in Turkey
Hamza Gaus Heals the Physician How many Sikhs did Guru Nanak have? Raja Shivnabh And Guru Nanak Dev
Sheikh Brahm Mata Sulakhni