Thursday, June 29, 2006
Pride
One day, Raja Shivram went to Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He offered Guru Ji big piles of Golden coins and expensive gifts. Doing this, he said "I am a king, this is my donation. My donation is unique to this world - No-one can equate to my offerings! This is the proof"

Guru Nanak Dev Ji looked at him and requested, "Offer me something that belongs to you"
The King, surprised, replied "This is mine! I am King"

ਖਾਰ ਸਮੁਦ੍ਰੁ ਢੰਢੋਲੀਐ ਇਕੁ ਮਣੀਆ ਪਾਵੈ ॥
Searching the salty sea, one finds the pearl.

ਦੁਇ ਦਿਨ ਚਾਰਿ ਸੁਹਾਵਣਾ ਮਾਟੀ ਤਿਸੁ ਖਾਵੈ ॥
It looks beautiful for a few days, but in the end, it is eaten away by dust.

ਗੁਰੁ ਸਾਗਰੁ ਸਤਿ ਸੇਵੀਐ ਦੇ ਤੋਟਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥6॥

If one serves the Guru, the ocean of Truth, the gifts one receives never run short. 6

Guru Ji makes it clear here, in Gurbani, that just like real pearls (not the common plastic ones) are very fragile and can only last for couple of days, wealth only lasts for a period of time.

When Shah Jahan met Maharaja Ranjit Singh, he offered the biggest diamond in the world; The Kohinoor. The Maharaja looked at this offer and asked for its price. Shah Jahan said "I don't know its value, maybe it's too much for money to buy. But all I know is my father beat the previous King and got this off them. And I know you will also beat me, and take this off me.. So I gave it now anyway!"

ਸਰਮੁ ਧਰਮੁ ਦੁਇ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਜੇ ਧਨੁ ਪਲੈ ਪਾਇ ॥
Modesty and righteousness both, O Nanak, are qualities of those who are blessed with true wealth.

ਸੋ ਧਨੁ ਮਿਤ੍ਰੁ ਨ ਕਾਂਢੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਸਿਰਿ ਚੋਟਾਂ ਖਾਇ ॥
Do not refer to that wealth as your friend, which leads you to get your head beaten.

Why do we seem to be proud of that wealth, which causes break in family relations?! In the news, there are stories of Sons killing their Mothers; Daughters killing their fathers. For what? Money?! How can we have pride for such wealth??

Coming back to the meeting of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Raja Shivram..

Guru Ji: "Who had this maya before you?"
Raja: "My father"
Guru Ji: "What about after you die?"
Raja: "My son"
Guru Ji: "So then, how can this be yours? Before you it belonged to someone else, and after you it will belong to someone else! So why be proud of this?"

...If we look more deeply, even this body doesn't belong to us...
 
Posted by GuptSingh at 12:35 PM |


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