Guru Nanak & Sajan Thug

[Haych Singh]

Guru Nanak was a master of all arts and had divine power inside him. He was and is ‘Kot brehmand ko takhur swaami ’ meaning ‘King of millions and millions of galaxies.’ Guru Sahib had traveled a lot in his life; in fact he had traveled all of India, Himalayas, Pakistan, Afghanistan and many other places. The amazing thing is Guru Sahib traveled with Bhai Mardana on foot as no cars were available at the time and everybody didn’t travel much, some even stayed within there own villages without going to other villages their whole lives. Mardana was a Gursikh of Guru Nanak and played the Rabab (instrument) whenever Guru Sahib sang Keertan. Whenever ‘Dhur kee bani’ came Guru Sahib sang it and Mardana with his given skills played the melodious Rabab in such a tone that the listeners were amazed and on top of this whoever heard the Shabads and voice of Guru Sahib were left mesmerized.

On one of the travels Guru Sahib was walking with Bhai Mardana and had walked until know one was near for miles accept them both. But there was some one near, this person was Sujan Thug who was a cannibal and use to eat visitors as they passed by and looted them of their goods. When Sajan spotted Guru Sahib and Mardana he became very greedy and wanted to eat them. He started to boil water in cauldron and waited for the right moment to capture the two Saints and boil them alive.

Guru Sahib was Jan-i-jaan (knower of all) and knew that it was his duty to save Sajan from doing such deeds and to liberate such a sinner. As Guru Sahib walked nearer and further into the dense forest Sajan was getting ready for the capture when all of sudden, unexpectedly (as always had done) Guru Sahib said “Mardana, Bani Aei ya, Rabab Baja!!” meaning “Mardana the Bani has come, stroke the key of the Rabab!” and following this Mardana would get out the Rabab and begin to play a raag of certain time of day, or certain mood and Guru Sahib would sing in this raag. So Guru Sahib sang the Shabad which straight away hit the heart of Sajan thug.

aujlu kYhw iclkxw Goitm kwlVI msu ]

DoiqAw jUiT n auqrY jy sau Dovw iqsu ]1]

sjx syeI nwil mY clidAw nwil clµin@ ]

ijQY lyKw mMgIAY iqQY KVy idsMin ]1] rhwau ]

koTy mMfp mwVIAw pwshu icqvIAwhw ]

FTIAw kMim n Awvn@I ivchu sKxIAwhw ]2]

bgw bgy kpVy qIrQ mMiJ vsMin@ ]

Guit Guit jIAw Kwvxy bgy nw khIAin@ ]3]

isMml ruKu srIru mY mYjn dyiK Bulµin@ ]

sy Pl kMim n Awvn@I qy gux mY qin hMin@ ]4]

AMDulY Bwru auTwieAw fUgr vwt bhuqu ]

AKI loVI nw lhw hau ciV lµGw ikqu ]5]

cwkrIAw cMigAweIAw Avr isAwxp ikqu ]

nwnk nwmu smwil qUM bDw Cutih ijqu ]6]1]3]

Guru Sahib has done much Paroupkaar (generosity) on us by writing this Shabad in Gurbani to make our jeevans safal.

As Guru Sahib sang these lines Sajan saw infront of him all his sins, he was in much regret of performing such bad Karams, and the idea of trying to eat such Saints was mind-blowing, he was in mad regret of doing all these sins and as Guru Sahib sang more lines to the Shabad the more he was in regret.

The above Shabad is in Raag Soohi and is composed by Guru Nanak himself. The Shabad is talking about how bronze is nice and shiny but when rubbed its true form appears which is black. Guru Sahib says it doesn’t matter how many times one washes it, it is still black. Guru Sahib in this Shabad was trying to show Sajan his faults and make him realise his mistakes.

Guru Sahib further says:

Guit Guit jIAw Kwvxy bgy nw khIAin@ ]3]

This is directly going towards Sajan as it means “They tear apart and eat the living beings, and so they are not called white. ||3||”

Guru Sahib in these Shabad was trying to make Sajan realize that his life was lived in vain and how would Sajan be saved in the hereafter if he was performing all these bad sins. Guru Sahib finally sang the last line in such a striking tone that it made Sajan cry in pain and the more he cried the lighter he felt as his sins were getting washed away.

nwnk nwmu smwil qUM bDw Cutih ijqu ]6]1]3]

At this point Sajan Thug approached Guru Jee in a humble manner and wanted to know the source of the Naam in more perspective as he knew it was his only savior. When approached Guru jee he observed that Guru Sahib was singing the keertan of Dhur kee bani in such a melodious way and Bhai Mardana was in ‘Majeeta Rang’ (sublime taste of Naam). This made Sajan thirstier for Naam. Guru Sahib gave Sajan Thug the hukam to Jap Naam and to remember Akaal Purakh in this time of Kaljug. Guru Nanak implanted Naam in Sujan and thus Sajan was saved with the Sat Naam of Guru Nanak.

Ending this topic Daas would like to say that Guru Nanak our true master in this time of Kaljug has saved thousands and millions of Sajan Thugs. Guru Sahib saved the most patit (dirtiest) of sinners. Such sinners are even mentioned in Gurbani such as Ajaemal Paapi, Ganka the prostitute, and many others who were saved through Naam. We can also be saved from this fire of sin if we wish. All we have to do is cling on to Guru Nanak’s feet and never let go. Then Guru Sahib will do mercy on you. If we haven’t already done so we must keep hair, keep rehit, take Amrit and keep pukka (strict) Amritvela. This is the only way we will be saved and liberated after this life. If a sinner like Sajan Thug can be saved then we can also be saved if Guru Sahib shows his mercy, we must ask for this mercy and show udham (effort) or we will be left in transmigration with no way out.