J.S. Neki
The divine rasa
In a forest in South India, there stood a hermitage occupied by Bharthari yogi and his ascetic followers.
Lord resides in self
From Baghdad Guru Nanak travelled eastward and camped at Kandahar. Entering the town he met a handsome young man, Yar Wali, who addressed the Guru as “Master with charming eyes”. The young man asked, “What is your name?” The Guru said, “My name is Nanak, the servant of the Lord.” Yar Wali fell at the Guru’s feet and said, “I am simply overwhelmed by your presence.”
The singer of Baghdad
On his way back from Mecca, Guru Nanak had camped on the outskirts of Baghdad where, one early morning, he bagan to sing in praise of the Lord. With Mardana always playing the rebec, their exquisite performance attracted a crowd.
Guru and the house of God
Guru Nanak’s companion Mardana was a Muslim by birth. At a previous occasion he had pleaded with the Guru to enable him make a pilgrimage to holy Mecca. And the Guru had said, “I respect your desire to make a visit to Mecca, but you won’t go there only by yourself.
The freedom of faith
Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-1675), the ninth of the 10 gurus of the Sikhs, has always been remembered for sacrificing his life for the freedom of faith.
A spring from the soul
Guru Nanak spent a couple of days in Katas and then decided to move on, when the sadhus, who had discoursed with him, wanted him to extend his stay there. The Guru excused himself saying that he was on his way to Mecca and could not stay put any longer. So he blessed them, invoked the Lord’s pleasure for them and bid them goodbye.
In the world but not of it
It was a Baisakhi when Guru Nanak visited Katas, a pilgrim centre associated with Shiva and visited by sadhus on such an auspicious day. As the Guru arrived there, the heads of various religious sects and sadhus thronged to meet him and have discussion with him on spiritual matters.
Of truth and falsehood
Guru Nanak gave Mardana, his companion, some money and bade him go to the market and buy a rupee worth of truth and falsehood.
The Lord’s seeker
One day Mardana asked Guru Nanak, “Wither are we heading today?” “To a village where someone is waiting for us,” said Guru Nanak.
The true renunciate
During his third odyssey, Guru Nanak travelled northwards to Kashmir and ascending high mountains made a visit to the Mansarovar lake around which well-known Siddha yogis had made their abode.
