Bhai Manjh’s Steadfast Devotion to the Guru

One, who remains engaged in the Guru’s serve unruffled by the obstacles, huddles enticements in life, becomes a deserving disciple of the Guru. One, who has assimilated the grace of perfected Guru, assimilates the Knowledge of the absolute Truth as well. He alone leads unblessed life, who remains steadfast in his devotion to the Guru even in the face of various adverse circumstances. A landlord called Manjh came to Guru Arian Dev and said,” please make me you disciple.”
“Who do you follow present? “Asked Guru Arjan
“Sakhi Sarwar. We also have a temple in its name at home.”
“Go pay obeisance to it for the last time and come back after razing the temple to he ground.”
“Yes sir, as you command.”
Breaking the temple was not so easy but the landlord had death in the Guru and didn’t care for anything soling as he was carrying out the Guru’s order. So, he destroyed the temple. The people ostracized him for deducting the temple and criticized him severely. The landlord went to the feet of Guru Arjan Dev. Seeing a deserving disciple innate landlord, Arjan Dev bestowed imitation on him and taught him the method of sadhna.
Now the landlord would remain engage in meditation and in doing japa of the Guru mantra without wasting his time in rites and rituals. His whole life style was changed. He was put to one test after another. Soon his horse died, then some of his bullocks, next thieves then came and took some of his possessions. He now started neither facing nor opposition from the people and allof his possession. He now started facing more opposition demanded immediate repayment. The landlord mortgaged his land, cleared all his debts and himself started working omni form. At that time thieves of interest was such that it was almost impossible for anyone who mortgaged his land to raise ageing once a landlord, Manji was now working as himself but his love for the Guru feet never decreased. After some time Manji had wife and chilled. He began to make his livelihood boycotting and selling gross, Arjan Dev inquired about him and fund out that he was living the faith was intact arjan Sev was pleased to know this. Ostracized by h society, Manji had won p place for himself in guru’s Heart.
After some time the Guru again inquired about him and found out that he was leading a hand to mount life. Guru Arjan sent one of his disciples to deliver a letter to Manji
“Be sure to demand twenty rupees s an offering before you give him the letter,” the Guru told the disciple.
Why would the Guru need money? However, He tried the disciple to test his faith and enhance hisablity.And it is true that gold has to pass the test of lire several times to. Manji asked twenty rupees form his wife for the Guru letter. Twenty rupees in those days would be equal to around five to seven thousand rupees today. The wife replied,” Lord I have two wedding bangles find other ornaments. Sell these a send the money to Gurudev
The bangles were sold and reuses twenty sent to the Guru.Gurudve saw that his faith was still intact. After some time the Guru sent Meanjh a second letter for which he was to make an offering of twenty five rupees.
Form where was she to bring the money. There was not a single pie at home. He remembered that the headman of the village had once asked I his son could marry Bhai Manji daughter. The caste system was prevalent in those days and the headman belonged to a lower caste. Manji proposed to the son but I want only twenty five rupees as marriage settlement and nothing else.”
Manji did not mind marrying his daughter to a boy of lower castes, sending his daughter into a family of people wit mean neutrality.
Great is his faith in the Guru .The guru saw that his faith had not wavered yet. He sent a message,” Come hear and look after the ashram’s Kitchen. Fork in ht kitchen and serve food to the people.
Manji crried out the Guru command implicitly and started working in the Kitchen.
“Manji looks after the kitchen, but where does take his food. The Guru asked one of his disciple’s after a few days.
“He gets his food the free community kitchen after serving food to every body the disciple said.
“Bhai Manji is not doing real service,” said the Guru. “He is taking a wage in the from of food. This is not selfless service.”
Manji look the Guru’s gesture as a command. From the next day on Manji served in the kitchen during the day and went to the forest to out food. He then sold the food in the bazaar and used the proceeds to buy food for his family. This went on for a few days. One evening, Manji went to the forest to cut wood, which was needed for the Guru kitchen. A great storm blew up after he had finished cutting the wood. He tried to seek refuge ender a tree with his bubble of wood on his hear but the wind awash so fierce that it blew him inn to a well.
Suddenly Guru Arjan Dev called some o his disciples and set out towards the forest with a long rope and a wooden board. The disciples were surprised. “Manji is at the bottom of this well,” said the guru when they reached the well. Shout down to him and tell him that well.” Shout a board tied too rope. Tell him to cling to the board and we ell pull him out. He then spoke something into a person’s ears and told him to say that to Manji. The person tols Manji, “Brother sees the wretched condition you are in. Why do you follow such a cruel Guru? Why don’t you abandon and forget him?
Manji shouted from within, “How dare you say that Guru is cruel I have only compassion for him in my heart. Never again speak such shameful words.”
The Guru himself had sent that person to break Manti’s faith, but bravo Mnjih said, I would rather die of huger inside the well then listen to slander against the Guru. I will die as the Guru beloved and no at being one of the slanderers and those who are without a Guru. It is better to as the Guru beloved then live immortally being on among the slanderers and those have no Guru.
Bhai Manji first placed the dry wood he was carrying on his head on the wooden board. “Take this wood first,” he said,” Because it is for the Guru kitchen. If it gets wet it would no burn.”
The wood was drowning up, and then Manji himself was pulled out of let well. S he came out he saw his Guru. Prostrated at His feet. Lifting him up and patting him on ht aback. Guru Arjan Dev said, I am proud of you have faced all the tests with unwavering faith, courage and devotion and have come out successful. I will be glad to gift you even the three worlds.
Bhai manji was in tears ashen side, I want only you as a boon from you. I have no love for any other thing “The Guru embraced Manji and said,
“Manji is the Guru’s beloved and the Guru is Manji beloved Now Manji, life the Guru is a ship that cries people safely across the ocean of henomena.”
The Guru enlightened Manji on the Truth. How truing and adverse were the circumstances! However, Manji was undaunted. Manji remained steadfast despite several attempts to breaches faith. That is why from the Guru heart these words overflowed for him,” Manji is my beloved. He like the Grub is a shop that carries people safely across ocean of phenomena.”
Blessed is Manji devotion to ht guru blessed is his faith and blessed I his love for the Guru.
There is nothing unattainable in this world for a simile that has take refuge in a assuror. The sadguru is God’s precious gift to a simile. Nay! Sadguru is the very personification of the Supreme Being Himself.