State of Blissfulness.....

The Sakhi below was narrated by Kishen Singh jee at our local Gurdwara.

Once, a King went to see Guru Gobind Singh jee. He was in the court of Guru Gobind Singh jee and while going to retire Guru jee saw the King and stopped by the place he was sitting. He said to the King, “O Sikh, I am happy to see you here. Ask what you want and your wish will be fulfilled”. Upon this the King who was already rich, asked Guru Gobind Singh jee to shower his blessings (Kirpa) on him (so that he could be progressive spiritualy sa well). Guru Gobind Singh jee then looked at another Sikh and then turned to the King as asked him, “So should I turn you into a Sikh like him, Nihal Singh who is standing over there". The King for a moment saw Nihal Singh and thought in his mind that has the Guru gone crazy. Nihal Singh does not look in right state as his clothes were all shabby and the spade to which cow dung was sticking was on his shoulders and he was smelling aweful. The King asked the Guru that if he was showing his mercy (Kirpa) or his anger (Keher) by turning him (a King) into a person like Nihal Singh (peasent).

Then Guru Gobind Singh jee called Nihal Singh and also said to him, “O Sikh, I am happy to see you here. Ask what you want and your wish will be fulfilled”. Upon this Nihal Singh too asked Guru Gobind Singh jee to shower his blessings (Kirpa) on him. Guru Gobind Singh jee then looked at the King and then turned to Nihal Singh as asked him, “So should I turn you like that King who is standing over there. Upon this Nihal Singh humbly with folded hands asked the Guru that if he was showing his mercy (Kirpa) or his anger (Keher) on him by turning him into a person like the King.

Hearing this, the King was amazed. He thought that Nihal Singh would be glad to accept the Guru’s offer to turn him into a King, but Nihal Singh was not happy to be a King like him. Then the Guru explained to the King. He said, “O King, you thought Nihal Singh to be an ordinary man, but he is nothing ordinary. He is a devout Sikh who has a lots of Sewa and Simran behind him and he is in the blissful state of being one with the Almighty. When I asked you that should I turn you into a person like Nihal Singh, what I meant was spiritually. But O King, you only saw Nihal Singh’s outer appearance and though you also wanted to achieve the blissful state but you could not recognaize that Nihal Singh was in that state and you thought that I am going to turn you into a peasent. On the other hand, Nihal Singh when was offered to be turned into a King got scared that he will lose his Sewa and Simran by becoimg a King as he might get pride in his head, thus he declined to become a King and leave his state of blissfulness because once you reach that state, nothing entices you any more. The king felt real sorry for judging Nihal Singh just by what he looked and asked Guru jee for his forgiveness.