HETERODOXY:THE SECOND AND THIRD GURU'S TIMES:

[Any material thing that can be measured visibly cannot be taken beyond death; only the immeasurable can be
taken. There are two types of sales people in this world. One type is always anxious to measure, always searching seeking for material things to count and weigh. The other type is a seeker of a Gate-way, a 'Guru Dwar'; always looking for what is religiously immeasurable. A 'salesman' himself of the other world: a 'Gurus' Dwaar ': Guru
Nanak: said in the 'Japji Sahib': ".. priceless are His qualities, and His trading, too; priceless are His salesmen,
and His storehouses, too.. !". These *excerpts glimpse such similar "Gurus' Dwaars" who helped by sharing their experiences; to open further such Gate-ways the "Gurus' Dwaars" : in this open global market of this world :
before / during / after: the Gurus.

Also the preservation of the authentic message of their faith by its preachers and its dissemination by its followers has been a perennial problem with all faiths; and so too with the Gurus and the revealed message enshrined in the Guru Granth Sahib. To over come this problem the Gurus lived the revealed message of the Gurbanies, not merely to set a personal example of their faith, but moreover as one of the core criteria for selecting their successors, to preserve the authenticity of the revealed Gurbani and prevent any heterodoxy and rituals thereto: even at the cost of denying their own kith and kin, who refused to abide by its message. One of their tenets: ' As empty-handed one comes; empty-handed one goes…'. These *excerpts glimpse such similar experiences; to preserve the authentic message of the Sri Guru Granth Sahib : in this open global market of this world : before / during / after: the Gurus: -]

' Sri Amar Das lived in his village Basarke, near Amritsar. He was over sixty years of age. He was a shopkeeper. His brother's son or nephew was married to Guru Angad's daughter. Her name was Bibi Amro. It was her
practice to get up three hours before day. Then she bathed and began to recite the Japji and other hymns of Guru Nanak. Early one morning he was sitting on a cot on the roof of his house. He heard Bibi Amro singing Guru Nanak's sacred songs. The hymns had a strong effect on him. He liked them very much. He sat listening attentively. After daybreak Sri Amar Das said to Bibi Amro, 'Whose hymns were you reciting? Where did you learn them?'
She replied, 'They are Guru Nanak's hymns. I learnt them from my father. He is the second Guru of the Sikhs.
' Sri Amar Das learnt the hymns by heart. Then he asked her to take him to her father. He added, 'I want to
become his Sikh.' She did as desired. They reached Khadur Sahib. He went straight to the Guru.

Sri Amar Das was an uncle of Guru Angad's son-in-law. He was also more than twenty years older than the Guru. Hence, on seeing Sri Amar Das, Guru Angad stood up to receive him. But Sri Amar Das fell at the Guru's feet. He said, I am here not as a relative of yours. I have come to be your servant. Please make me a Sikh. Let me serve
you. Guru Angad Dev granted his wish. Sri Amar Das began to live at Khadur Sahib. He spent his time in serving the, Guru and his Sikhs. All the time he kept his mind fixed on God.

He learnt by heart a large number of the Guru's hymns. He got up four or five hours before day. He went to the
river Beas. The river was about five kilometres from Khadur Sahib. He bathed in the river. He brought from
there a pitcher of water for the Guru's bath. Rain, hail or storm could not make him fail in this work. It should be remembered that Sri Amar Das was over sixty years old. After giving bath to the Guru, Sri Amar Das began to
work in the Guru's langar or free kitchen for all. He supplied well-water for use in the kitchen. He brought
firewood from the forest. He cleaned and washed the utensils. He did everything else that was required to be done. Twelve years passed in this way.

Once he started towards the river as usual. It began to rain heavily. At the same time a strong wind began to blow. The night was dark. Sri Amar Das, reached the river. He started back with the pitcher of water on his head.
He had to walk in knee-deep water in some places. Because of the rain, the wind, and the dark, he lost his way. There was a weaver's house near the path. His foot struck against a peg. He fell into the hole of the weaver's loom. But he did not let the pitcher fall from his head. The weaver woke up on hearing the sound of Sri Amar Das's fall.
He said to his wife Somebody seems to have fallen into the loom's hole. I wonder who is going about in this
weather and at this hour. His wife said it must be the poor homeless Amru. He has left his home, family and
business. He has taken shelter with his nephew's father-in-law. He works day and night in order to get food. What should I say about the Guru who takes such work from such a man.'

Sri Amar Das was pained to hear her words against his Guru. He said, 'You have gone mad. That is why you say such things against the Guru.' Saying this, he went away with the pitcher of water for the Guru's bath. The
weaver's wife actually went mad. The weaver went to the Guru in the morning. He told the Guru what had happened. He begged him to pardon the mad woman's error.

The Guru said, 'Sri Amar Das is not poor and homeless. He shall be the home for the homeless; the shelter for the unsheltered, the strength for the weak, and the protector of those in trouble. The peg against which he struck his foot will grow green. The weaver's wife shall become all right.' After that he bathed Sri Amar Das. He dressed him in new clothes. He seated him on the Guru's gaddi or throne. He placed five copper coins and a coconut before him. He ordered Bhai Budha to put a tilak mark on his forehead. Then the Guru bowed before Sri Amar Das. He then said, Sri Amar Das is Guru Amar Das now. He will be the Guru after me.'

[*Excerpt from : Stories from Sikh History ; By Dr. Kartar Singh & Principal Gurdial Singh Dhillon: pub
Hemkunt Press New Delhi.]

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