The compassionate Guru

Guru Nanak Sahib

In December 2004, while I was studying in London, I visited the Gurdwara Sahib in Southall and Giani jee was doing Katha (discourse on Gurbani). Giani jee's words stuck in my mind. He explained how Gurbani says, "Waheguru resides WITHIN ALL and that Waheguru FORGIVES and CLEANS the sins or filth of a sinner."

He went on to explain how at the end of Ardas we all say together, "naanak naam chardee kalaa, tere bhaane sarbat da bhalaa". Yes, we say, ‘SARBAT DA BHALAA’. We ask for the blessing of ‘ALL’. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib did NOT say, "I ask for the good of all EXCEPT for AURANGZEB who cowardly murdered my two young sons." No. When we do Ardas we do not say, "Sarbat Da Bhalaa, but NOT that person who swore at me last week… I don’t want his bhalaa (good)."

A beautiful analogy was given to illustrate that there is good within all. We say Waheguru is within all, but from personal experience seeing Waheguru in everybody is difficult at times. The example given by Giani jee was: "A lady works hard to earn a living. On the side, every now and then, she saves a little bit of money, so that when there is enough money, she can buy a GOLD BRACLET. Eventually, the lady has enough money and goes to the jewellery shop and buys a gold bracelet. She gives the bracelet to her child. The child one day is walking with the bracelet and accidentally DROPS the bracelet in the GUTTER. The gutter is DIRTY. The amount of filth in the gutter is limitless – there is urine, dirt, people’s spit, and the nasty smell of delay. Only God knows how much filth is in that dirty gutter!" ...Continued.