Sheikh sharf
The Udassi of 'PANIPAT AND DELHI'
From Kurkshetra the Guru moved on to Kamal and thence proceeded toward Panipat. Everywhere the people heard with great zest bis message of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of man. They heard his Songs, gave up their evil ways and blind superstitions, woke into a new life of the spirit, and became the Guru's Sikhs or disciples. In a few days the Guru reached Panipat. There then lived a renowned Muhammadan Sufi faqir named Sheikh Sharf. The faqir had a large following among the Muslims. He was a devout man. He had spent his days and nights in ceaseless efforts to realize the Lord, but his efforts had till then bore no fruit. He was as far away from an abiding sentiment of His presence everywhere as he bad been in the beginning, wben he had sat at the feet of his teacher. He was coming to lose heart.
The Sheikh's meeting with Guru Nanak
The Sheikh was in such low spirits when Guru Nanak visited the place. The Guru had taken his seat near a well. One of the disciples of the Sheikh, named Tatihri, went to that well to fetch water for his spiritual guide. Seeing that the Guru was wearing a Persian cap and a strange, motley dress, Tatihri took him for a Persian faqir, He approached the Guru and accosted him with the Muhammadan salutation of 'Salam Alaikum Peace be with you.' The Guru smilingly replied, 'Salam Alekh – Salutation to the Invisible Lord'. Tatihri was astonished to hear this pun on the Muslim salutation. He went back and told of it to his Pir. The latter, too, was puzzled. 'Who can he be?' thought he. 'Not a Hindu, for no Hindu can dare thus to distort the Muhammadan salutation. Who does not know the consequences of such liberty with the state religion? But no Muslim would mock his own religion. There is some mystery in this. He is either a mad man or one who had seen and enjoyed the Supreme Lord, and risen above the limitations imposed by human creeds. In any case, I should like to see him.'
Such indeed was the Guru's method. Wherever he went, be said or did something which at once attracted people's attention and excited their curiosity. He could then lead them in to a realization of God and His ways.
The Sheikh became Guru Nanak's follower
The Sheikh went to the Guru. He saw that the latter was sitting with eyes half-shut, enjoying communion with God. At this sight a sensation of abiding calm and joy of unknown passed through the heart of the Sheikh and soothed his mind. He sat near the Guru and, after an exchange of greetings, began to put him questions about his faith and denomination. The Guru replied with a Song which did for the Pir what his own efforts had till then failed to do. It gave him a vision of the Invisible, Blissful Lord. He found himself face to face with Him. When the Song ceased, the Pir clasped the Guru's feet. A strange current, as that of electricity, passed through his body. There was a new light in his eyes, a new strength in his body, a new joy in his heart, and a new life in his soul. The Pir became a Sikh or disciple of the Guru. With him all who owned him as their spiritual teacher became the Guru's disciples.
The next journey of the Guru afterwards
From Panipat the Guru moved on to Delhi. Sikandar Lodi was then the Emperor. The reader has already seen what a ferocious bigot Sikandar was. He was oppressing the Hindus and forcing them to choose between Islam and death. All men of religion who preached peace and toleration were picked out by him and put to great tortures. Kabir and Ravidas; were among those who had to experience his fanatic fury. Even at the time of the Guru's visit to Delhi, several men of God, mostly Hindus, were undergoing rigorous imprisonment on account of their faith. They had to labour at handmills. Guru Nanak and Mardana were, likewise, arrested and put in prison I. Like others they, too, were set to work at the handmills and given corn to grind. The Guru did the labour for a time. The sight of those weak, innocent men of God doing labour far beyond their physical strength under the fear of the jailor's lash, touched the Guru's heart.
His body shook with a deep emotion. A glory overspread his countenance. He bade Mardana play the rebeck, for the Word of God had come. Then he sang one of his beautiful, soul-stirring Songs. All prisoners forgot their mills and ills. The wardeners forgot their duty of enforcing labour. The lashes fell from their hands. All listened to the heavenly music, wrapped in blissful wonderment. Others also came to the prison gates and began to listen. Emperor Sikander also heard of this. He, too, came and stood listening like a dumb animal. The Guru sang of the Supreme Lord and His infinite Mercy and Grace. He sang of the transitoriness of human life, of the folly of men who take their physical life on this earth to be all in all; he sang of the dreadful consequences of evil acts which overtake all, kings. and beggars alike; he sang the noble qualities of love, sympathy, and devotion, which distinguish man from the beasts and raise him to the level of gods; he sang of the Eternal home of the soul where alone could lasting peace and abiding joy be obtained, and of the way that led to that home of Bliss.
A recap of Guru Nanak meeting with Sikander Lodi
Sikander bowed to the Guru and begged forgiveness for his past sins. The Guru said, 'Forgiveness can be obtained by sincere repentance and honest efforts to undo the wrong done to innocent creatures of God. What harm have these people done to you that you have put them in a place meant for culprits and criminals?'
Sikandar understood what the Guru wanted him to do. He opened the prison-gates and set free all the prisoners. The Guru then advised him to remember God and serve Him by lovingly serving His sons and daughters. 'Remember O’ Emperor,' added the Guru, 'all living beings are the creation of God. The divine spark glows in the depth of every human heart. Regard a beings as thy own self and be king to them all. Differences of creed among men should not mislead you from your duty towards all your subjects. Hindus and Muslims are all His children. You are responsible for both. Remember that acts performed here will accompany you in the life to come. Take heed in time, lest you should tind it too late to make amends. You oppress your subjects and subject them to innumerable tyrannies, you issue orders to please your fancy; remember, narrow and steep is the path that awaits you after death. Nobody will come to your help or rescue there. Your fanatic zeal for Islam is leading you to your own dire doom. Your Prophet will not save you from the consequences of your inhuman deeds, though you perform them in his name. This life is not long; use it for betterment of the life to come, which will be long and lasting. Be just and kind to all, if the subjects are contented, prosperous, and happy, the king rules in peace and security. To be happy and in peace in this life, and to be free from pain and suffering in the life to come, you should be a just and merciful ruler.
The Emperor was deeply impressed with what the Guru said and promised to abide by the advice offered to him.
Latif's punjabi historical writers comments on Guru Nanak capture by Babar
According to Latif, the Guru was arrested on the reports of the Qardars of the Emperor who 'informed his majesty that a faqir, whose tenets were different both from the Koran and the Vedas, was openly preaching to the people, and the importance which he was assuming might, in the end, prove serious to the State'. (p. 245)
This means that the political effect of the Guru's message were even then becoming visible to farsighted men in the service of the ruler. The general populace could not but have felt which way the Guru wanted to lead them. Yet some writers would have us believe-and latif among them-that the Guru had no political or aims.
References
- Guru Nanak Dev Life and Teachings- Kartar Singh M.A. 107-110 At Panipat and Delhi Chapter 18
