True Living

[ISW]

Setha, Gobinda and Bhaga wrre three rich merchants. They lived at Chaniot. Chaniot is a small town in Pakistan. All the three brothers were Hindus and the offered Sharadhs every year. They gave corn, clothes and coins to the Brahmans as Dakshana. Sometimes they wondered if all these things were really reached their forefathers in the next world.

One day they came to Guru Arjan to find out his views about the Sharadhs and Dakshana. "O Guru," said Gobinda "We give Dakshana to the Brahmans in the name of our dear forefathers every year. Tell us whether all this reaches our forefathers or not?"

"No man can tell whether your forefathers are in heaven or hell." said the Guru smilingly. "No one can tell which Brahman will go to heaven and which to hell. Moreover even if a Brahman reaches your forefathers, how can he recognize them out of the millions of dead people? Stop thinking about such things and stop offering Sharadhs. Work hard, tell the truth, help others and remember God."

The three brothers agreed to act upon the Guru's advice and were satisfied, but there was another man, named Chuhar, who couldn't understand the Guru's advice. He said "Sir, how can a merchant like myself and people like Gobinda always speak the truth? Merchants have to tell many lies between sunrise and sunset every day."

“Go back to your village, Chuhar,” said the Guru. “Do your trading and try to act upon my advice. Everyday count your lies and good deeds, write them down on a piece of paper and show me that paper at the end of every month.” Chuhar agreed to act upon the Guru’s advice and went away.

From that day onwards. Chuhar counted and wrote down his lies and good deeds on a piece of paper. At the end of a month he came with it and showed it to the Guru The Guru asked him to read it out to the Sikhs and Chuhar did so. He had done no good deeds and had told a number of lies. He felt small and thought that he should have done better. The Guru however smiled and said, "Chuhar, leave your paper here and keep on trying."

At the end of the second month, Chuhar had really done some good deeds and had told fewer lies. And so it went on. At the end of the eighth month, Chuhar's lies and good deeds were added up. This showed that although he had done only a few good deeds, he had told no lies. Everybody was surprised. Guru Arjan said, "All advice falls flat on those who never think of acting upon it. People have been listening to good advice for thousands of years. The important thing is to act upon it. Cart-loads of books and all the learning in the world are of no use if we do not care to follow them."

All the Sikhs understood the Guru's advice and promised to act upon it.

"As a child is satisfied by drinking milk; As a poor man is happy on finding wealth; As a thirsty man is refreshed by drinking water; So is my soul happy with God."

(Guru Arjan)

"To forget God is death;

To meditate on His Name is life.

Nanak, God is found in the company of the saints."

(Guru Arjan)

[AmarjitKaur]

Thanks for story.

So true.

We waste countless secods, minutes, days, weeks, months and years of our life, doing other things. But one thing which washes our mind, the NAAM, we don't do.

BrIAY hQu pYru qnu dyh ]

bhareeai hathh pair than dhaeh ||

When the hands and the feet and the body are dirty,

pwxI DoqY auqrsu Kyh ]

paanee dhhothai outharas khaeh ||

water can wash away the dirt.

mUq plIqI kpVu hoie ]

mooth paleethee kaparr hoe ||

When the clothes are soiled and stained by urine,

dy swbUxu leIAY Ehu Doie ]

dhae saaboon leeai ouhu dhhoe ||

soap can wash them clean.

BrIAY miq pwpw kY sMig ]

bhareeai math paapaa kai sa(n)g ||

But when the intellect is stained and polluted by sin,

Ehu DopY nwvY kY rMig ]

ouhu dhhopai naavai kai ra(n)g ||

it can only be cleansed by the Love of the Name.

And our minds are filled with so much filth and we keep loading more days in and out.

rwgu jYjwvMqI mhlw 9 ]

raag jaijaava(n)thee mehalaa 9 ||

Raag Jaijaavantee, Ninth Mehla:

rwmu ismir rwmu ismir iehY qyrY kwij hY ]

raam simar raam simar eihai thaerai kaaj hai ||

Meditate in remembrance on the Lord - meditate on the Lord; this alone shall be of use to you.

mwieAw ko sMgu iqAwgu pRB jU kI srin lwgu ]

maaeiaa ko sa(n)g thiaag prabh joo kee saran laag ||

Abandon your association with Maya, and take shelter in the Sanctuary of God.

jgq suK mwnu imiQAw JUTo sB swju hY ]1] rhwau ]

jagath sukh maan mithhiaa jhoot(h)o sabh saaj hai ||1|| rehaao ||

Remember that the pleasures of the world are false; this whole show is just an illusion. ||1||Pause||

supny ijau Dnu pCwnu kwhy pir krq mwnu ]

supanae jio dhhan pashhaan kaahae par karath maan ||

You must understand that this wealth is just a dream. Why are you so proud?

bwrU kI BIiq jYsy bsuDw ko rwju hY ]1]

baaroo kee bheeth jaisae basudhhaa ko raaj hai ||1||

The empires of the earth are like walls of sand. ||1||

nwnku jnu khqu bwq ibnis jYhY qyro gwqu ]

naanak jan kehath baath binas jaihai thaero gaath ||

Servant Nanak speaks the Truth: your body shall perish and pass away.

iCnu iCnu kir gieE kwlu qYsy jwqu Awju hY ]2]1]

shhin shhin kar gaeiou kaal thaisae jaath aaj hai ||2||1||

Moment by moment, yesterday passed. Today is passing as well. ||2||1||