[naamnet] 14.21 Spare Time

[ISingh]

14.21 Spare Time

Bhai Mukhi jee was the mukhi sevadar in Baba jee's small dera (residence).

Bhai Mukhi jee, as his name implied, was the mukhi or main sevadar of the dera. He was responsible for organzing everything from langar to amrit vela simran smagams. He and Baba jee loved each other immensely. There was little doubt that once Baba jee merged into waheguru, Bhai Mukhi jee would take over the dera's complete seva.

At nights, Bhai Mukhi jee would massage Baba jee's legs lovingly. It would also be the time for Bhai Mukhi jee to ask Baba jee about spiritual matters. Baba jee spent the day in naam and normally was not available for any questions. But at nights when everything was calm, Baba jee was more suspectible to inquiring spiritual minds.

However one particular night, Bhai Mukhi jee was feeling a little egoistic. This is a common problem amongst aspiring naami jan who haven't attained yet.

So he asked Baba jee the following question:

"Baba jee, who is your greatest disciple."

There was no doubt in his mind that it was he who Baba jee would chose as the greatest disciple.

A small hint of smile caressed Baba jee's lips. It seemed like he was expecting this question from Bhai Mukhi jee. After pausing for a minute he said, "I would have a hard time deciding about that, but Bhai Mohna jee comes to mind."

Bhai Mukhi jee's heart froze.

Usually when Baba jee answered Bhai Mukhi jee's question, Bhai Mukhi jee would not ask anything back; rather, he would ponder over it on for a day or two and then he would ask further questions. But today Bhai Mukhi jee's heart was trembling and he couldn't think straight.

So he blurted out, "Why?"

Baba jee smiled and said, "That you have to see for yourself." This was said in a tone which clearly marked the end of the conversation.

That night was a difficult one for Bhai Mukhi jee. There was no doubt that Bhai Mohna jee was a good disciple. He would come to the dera once in a while and do seva and simran. But him the greastest disciple?!!

In fact, Bhai Mukhi jee remembered several times when Bhai Mohna jee had not attended the weekly simran smagam they held.

Partly out of sincerity, but mostly out of sheer curiousity, Bhai Mukhi jee decided to visit Bhai Mohna jee the next day.

Bhai Mohna jee lived about two hours walking distance from Baba jee's abode. So with Baba jee's blessing, Bhai Mukhi jee started towards Bhai Mohna jee's village the vary next evening.

Bhai Mohna jee was overjoyed to see him. When Bhai Mukhi jee informed him that he planned to stay there for a few days, Bhai Mohna jee was overwhelmed and with tears, he thanked him profusely.

In the following days, Bhai Mukhi jee kept a sharp eye on Bhai Mohna jee's daily routines. Quite surprisingly, Bhai Mohna jee did not wake up until 5 am. And even more shocking, Bhai Mohna jee just down for simran for only 15 minutes before setting off to his farm.

Bhai Mukhi jee followed him to the farm too. No doubt that Bhai Mohna jee recited "waheguru waheguru" with each breath - but that's what Bhai Mukhi jee did too.

Bhai Mukhi jee was quited baffled. He did not see a single spiritual thing that Bhai Mohna jee did that made him better than himself. At night too, Bhai Mohna jee sat down for 15 minutes and

recited "waheguru waheguru" before dozing off.

What Bhai Mukhi jee noticed was that Bhai Mohna jee was an extremely busy person. He worked very hard on the farm and was quite tired when he got home. He was so tired that he had trouble just staying up for supper. During simran too, Bhai Mukhi jee saw him dozing off on several occasions.

Bhai Mukhi jee repeatedly asked Bhai Mohna jee if indeed this was his daily routine. To which Bhai Mohna jee repied, "It gets even busier in the Summer."

After a few days, Bhai Mukhi jee, greatly perplexed, made his way back to Baba jee. At the first chance he got, he blurted out, "Why is Bhai Mohna jee the greatest disciple? He spends all his day on the farm. In fact, Baba jee, he only does 30 minutes of simran."

"Only 30 minutes", Bhai Mukhi jee repeated.

Baba jee smiled and asked Bhai Mukhi jee, "And how much spare time does Mohna have?"

It was then that it all dawned onto Bhai Mukhi jee's mind.

He dreamily replied, "30 minutes."

---------------

Pyari sakhiooo,

waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh

It doesn't matter how many hours of simran we do. What matters is how devoted we are.

Bhai Mohna jee was totally devoted. He had 30 spare minutes and he gave all he had to waheguru. All of it, pyareooo, all of it.

That is the difference between a naami and a non-naami. A naami gives everything, expecting nothing back; while a non-naami gives a little and asks for everything back.

Pyareoo, there is a gursikh on Naam Net who informed daas that he dedicates 5 hours to simran and gurbaNi each day. Pyareoo, this Singh is married, has a kid and holds a very important job. He also told daas that his goal is to dedicate 8 hours to simran each day.

Now that's a naami.

So pyareooo, let us reflect how much of our free time do we give to waheguru? The answer will be directly related to our chardi kala.

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Once Bhai Veer Singh jee went sight-seeing in Simla. There he went to a certain place where there was a big and a very deep lake. There were many fish in the lake and the people who ran that place had built a small pond adjoining the lake.

The pond served the owners and the tourists very well; the tourists would throw food into the pond and fish would come out the lake, grab the food and rush back into their lake. This way the tourist

would get to see some very exotic fish.

Naami gursikhs like Bhai Sahib see small truths in everything. Bhai Sahib was greatly inspired by this and later wrote,

"Gursikhs are like the fish in the lake. They stay in their deep spiritual state (atmaic avastha) at all times. But if there is need to come out to work then they come out and as soon as the work is

done, they return back to their deep spiritual state."

*****

On a similiar subject, Bhai Sahib wrote,

"Gursikhs, since they are househoulders, can only spend a limited amount of time sitting for simran. But there are many gaps in the day which gursikhs fill with simran. The simran done during gaps accumulates to a huge amount and helps gursikhs to progress spiritually."

By gaps, Bhai Sahib means the gaps we have when our mind can be free. For example, during driving, during lunch or other breaks or even during trips to the bathroom.

If we carefully note our schedules, we have many hours absolutely free. Bhai Sahib advises gursikhs not to let those hours go to waste.

Fill them with waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru

waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru.....

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* WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru *

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* WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru *

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[lowest of the low singhni]