Guru Nanak and Moola

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November 24 is the sacred birthday of the great sikh Guru, Sri Guru Nanak. Here is a short tale from the many inspiring stories from his life.

On the way to Sialkat, which is near Pasrur, Guru Nanak rested outside the town under a wild caper tree, which stands there to this day. His companion Mardana asked "Why do you prefer the wilderness to the comforts of town?"

"There is no comfort in a place where there is no truth," replied the Guru. "The air of the town is filled with falseness. No one can safely breathe it."

"Master, I am hungry," said Mardana, "and unlike you, I can't live on just the air."

"Go into town," said the Guru, "and ask at every shop; 'My master would like a half-anna of truth, and a half-anna of falsehood.' He who answers will feed you."

Mardana, much amused, went into town and stopped at each shop. Some thought that he was insane and others made fun of him. However, at a certain shop, Moola, the owner, replied, "Tell your master that life is false, and death is true."

And just as Guru Nanak had said, Moola offered to give Mardana food. Then, he asked to be taken to the man who asked for such things. When Moola saw the Guru, he recognised his greatness and humbly bowed before him asking, "Show me the true way."

"Seek it and you shall find it," said the Guru. "It is found by searching and lost by talking."

Moola was much impressed by Guru Nanak and followed him for many days, even to Kabul, until the Guru told him to go back to his home and family.

"I want to be a renunciant," said Moola. "I want to give up the world and be a holy man."

"It is not by shirking our duty that we become saints," said the Guru, "but by how we handle our responsibilities in our daily lives."

"Then why is it that people leave their homes in search of God?" he asked.

"There are those who actually seek the truth and there or those who only seek to escape their responsibilities," said the Guru, "but the way I have come to show is to live in service to God in the daily world, keeping His Name on our lips and in our minds. Renunciation of outer things does not make for inner righteousness. Words are meaningless unless translated into action."

Guru Nanak then repeated to him the Jap Ji (what is now one of the most famous Sikh scriptures), and Moola returned home to live the life of a householder, keeping all his Guru’s teachings in his heart.

Guru Nanak and Mardana had an occasion later to visit Sialkot and the Guru wished to see his student. Mardana went looking for Moola, but his wife, fearing that her husband would wish to leave again, convinced Moola that he could die in the wilderness if he went. And so he hid himself away until Mardana left.

When told, the Guru said, "This is the man who said that life is false and death is real, but now he seems to hold to falseness. So be it. But who can escape death? It comes to all no matter where they live.”

- Heart2Heart Team

 

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To access all the previous stories of inspiration, please click here.