Kaalsi Da RikhiThe Hermit of Kaalsi

fromSri Kalgidhar Chamatkar

byBhai Sahib Bhai Vir Singh jiTranslated by Bimal Inderjit Singh

Part – 1

Raja Medni Prakash, who ruled the smallstate of Nahan in the Himalayan foothills, washaving a meeting with his trusted minister,Vazir Harji.

Raja : “Have you any news, Harji?”

Vazir : ”Your Highness, the news is not good,I am afraid. An engagement has beenannounced between the daughter of RajaFateh Shah and the son of Raja Bhimchand.”

These two were the rulers of adjoining statesand a constant threat to Nahan.

Raja : ”So, it has happened!” (Looking at theheavens, he heaved a sigh). “For so long,the lack of a son has caused me such deepanguish, and now, we are faced with this newthreat to my kingdom.”

Harji : ”I too, am extremely worried. As it is,Fateh Shah has been continuouslythreatening to declare war on us. With thisalliance, he will make our lives miserable.”

Raja : ”What is the way out, then?”

Harji : ”I have not been able to find a solutionso far, and can only hope for some heavenlyintervention to help us.”

Raja : ”It’s been my experience that all thegods and goddesses cannot bring downheaven’s blessings! I have prayed and madeofferings at innumerable temples, for the giftof a son, but to no avail. I am now convincedthat there is no truth in such things; they areonly an illusion. But maybe, if we met a trulyholy man and asked for his blessings, there

may yet be hope. I have heard of one, calledBudhu Shah, but he is a Muslim. Then thereis Ramrai, whose miraculous powers havemade even Emperor Aurangzeb bow to him.The only problem is that he is an ally of ourenemy Fateh Shah. So, all paths seem to beblocked for us. The only alternate left, is toincrease the army and pile up the weaponsand get ready to fight and if needs be, to dieon the battlefield. This way, even though thisworld will be lost, at least, we shall go to thenext with our honour intact.”

Harji : ”Yes, to keep in readiness for battle, iswise. And when there is threat from onesenemies, it is also sound statesmanship. It’sa warrior’s duty to die on the battlefield, butthis must not be done with dejection andhopelessness. Effort, spirited effort must bemade at all times.”

Raja : “I agree with you.”

Harji :( After thinking for some time) “I haveheard of an old Brahmin, who is a very saintly

soul and master of the super-natural. Helives in the forest on the outskirts of Nahan. Isuggest that we go and seek his blessings.Meanwhile, we must strengthen our armedforces, as your Highness was thinking. Forthis, you will have to explain the gravity of thesituation to her Royal Highness, your reveredmother, and convince her that the time hascome to open the royal treasure so that thewealth accumulated by your ancestors, canbe utilized now in defense of the kingdom.”

Raja : ”Yes, you are absolutely right. I shallgo and speak to my mother immediately.When should we go to meet the Brahmin?”

Harji : ”I think tomorrow morning at dawnwould be a good time. To all appearances, itshould look as if you are going on a hunt.Once we reach the forest, we shall slip away.”

Raja : ”How far is this place?”

Harji : ”It’s about 20-25 miles east of here.On the banks of the Jamuna river where it

meets the Tons river, there is a small village,Kalsi. In the nearby woods, the Brahmin livesin a simple hut with a young boy, Chando,who takes care of him as well as a couple ofcows.”

Raja : ”Very well. Make all the necessaryarrangements, then.”

Early next morning, the Raja, Vazir Harjialong with a contingent of soldiers and someattendants, set off on their horses for hunting.

In the afternoon, they decided to take rest.While the others busied themselves setting upcamp, the Raja and his vazir rode away andsoon came to the clearing where the oldBrahmin lived. The old man sat on a grassmat on a wooden platform in front of his hut.He appeared to be over 100 years old. Therewas no flesh on his body, all the bones couldbe seen, but though his shoulders werehunched and he looked very frail, heemanated an aura of great spiritual strength.

The Raja and Harji got off their horses andwhile the Raja stayed there, the vazir openedthe rough door in the fence and went in.Going up to the old man, he bowedrespectfully. The Brahmin recognized himand bade him welcome.

Vazir : ”His Royal Highness is waiting outsideand wishes for permission to enter.”

The Brahmin immediately stood up on histrembling legs, and said,”It is my good fortunethat he has come. Even though he comes asa king, he is welcome.”

Vazir Harji moved forward quickly and helpedthe old man to sit, saying,”Please, don’t strainyourself. The king has not come as the Rulerbut as a seeker of your blessings.” Then hewent out and escorted the Raja into the oldsaint’s presence.

The Raja bowed to the Brahmin and sat downnear him. Once the formalities were over, the

Raja narrated the events which had led him toseek the Brahmin’shelp.

Brahmin : ”I have lived and meditated in yourrealm for a very long time, and I cannot see itbeing destroyed. May the Almighty bless youand may your kingdom remain secure for along time to come. But, there is real dangerto you from this alliance between Fateh Shahand Bhim Chand, and the supernaturalpowers of Ramrai, who has complete controlover the elements, can be a formidable forceto contend with.

“I myself don’t give importance to suchpowers, as my Guru – my teacher – hadadvised me not to waste time dabbling inmiracles. My lifelong desire, and for which Ihave prayed constantly, is to have a vision ofthe Almighty, whether in human form orspiritually, it matters not. Alas! This remainsunfulfilled till today,” and his eyes filled withtears.

Vazir : ”Forgive us for coming unannouncedand interrupting your routine, but we areworldly people and impatient to find solutionsto our problems.”

Brahmin : ”As it is the king’s duty to protecthis people, so it is the duty of the people to bepatriotic and vigilant towards the land theydwell in. I have been very happy here andyour coming is not an inconvenience. I praythat the Lord helps and guides you.”

He paused and the next moment his facebrightened and a glow appeared in his eyes.He closed them momentarily and then shookhis head. When he opened his eyes, theywere moist. After a while, he said,”O King,this is the ‘Kalyug’ and three parts of it arealmost over. It is time now, for a great soul toappear on this earth, and it is my belief thathe is here already, but I don’t know the exactplace where he lives. If you can find him thenall your troubles will be over.”

Raja : ”How can we look for someone withoutknowing his whereabouts?”

Brahmin : ”O King, I have spent my lifepraying to various gods and goddesses andsome living ‘gurus’ too, in my search for theAlmighty. Lately, whenever I have sat downto meditate, a saintly vision appears and tellsme not to be disheartened, that He Himselfhas come into this world. He has a royalbearing and He is involved in battles. Hence,He wears armour. But He is the true savioursent from Heaven to bring relief to sufferinghumanity. He is young with a divine auraaround Him. If I could see Him, I am sure Icould recognize Him.”

Raja : ”What is His name?”

Brahmin : ”That I do not know. If only I hadstrength in my legs, I would have set out insearch of Him. I cannot even go down to theriver for my bath without the support of thislad. It is ironical that when the time has comefor my life-long wish to be fulfilled, my feeble

body is letting me down. I pray that I may seeHim before I die and experience the divinebliss which one feels in the presence of theAlmighty. O Raja, you have strength, wealthand man-power; I beseech you to go insearch of Him, so that my eager eyes cansatisfy themselves with His ‘darshan’ beforethey close.”

Listening to the Brahmin’s words and sensingthe deep longing of his heart, the Raja andhis vazir wanted to set off at once. However,they pressed the Brahmin for some moredetails.

Brahmin : ”He is young and extremelyhandsome. He has beautiful doe-like eyes,His arms are very long so that when Helowers them, His hands touch His knees. Heemanates a powerful aura and though Hewears weapons on His person and lives inroyal style, He is the True One.”

The Raja and the Vazir exchanged glances.

Raja : ”Could it be the one from Kalhoor, onewho is Bhima’s enemy?”

Brahmin : ”Enemy? He is no one’s enemy!He is love incarnate, beloved of all!”

Raja : ”Maharaj, if as you say, He is amessiah sent by the Almighty, then He shouldhave the bearings of a saint like you – a manof peace! How can a warrior, carrying arms,be the spiritual messenger of God?”

Brahmin : ”If you look back in time, you willsee that we Brahmins only performed rituals,organized ‘pujas’, and recited the ‘Vedas’. Itwas the Kshatriyas who not only ruled theworld but followed the path of self-realisation.So, there is nothing odd in a messiah being inthe form of a warrior and also being a ‘Guru’!Go now and search Him out but please, don’tforget me.”

Vazir : ”Rikh ji, does He have long hair?”

Brahmin : ”All holy men have long hair. Infact, the ‘Vedas’ describe the Almighty Godas one with long hair and a beautiful, flowingbeard.”

Vazir (addressing the Raja):” This too fits thedescription of the person we are thinkingabout.”

Brahmin : ” His actions will be based on Truthand aimed at the good of all humanity. InHim there is the reflection of not one but tenspirits.”

Raja : ”Rikhi ji, from the details you havegiven, we have found a clear indication to oneperson. We will go directly to where, webelieve, He lives. Once we find Him, we shallask for His help and also request Him tocome here.”

Brahmin : ”Yes,yes, do that. I am sure I shallrecognize Him.”

Raja : ”Do you know if He is more powerfulthan Ramrai? Can He destroy my enemies?Can He bless me with a son?”

Brahmin : ”O Raja, souls sent directly by theLord, do not have to make an effort todevelop supernatural powers. Their spiritualstrength is such that whatever they saycomes true, because their knowledge comesdirectly from God, but if you ask them toperform miracles, they will not do so. Theybelieve in following the will of the Lord. Theylack ego, which plagues the likes of you andme.

“Maybe it’s God’s will which has brought youto me so that I can help you with your search.I don’t know how much time I have left, so goand find Him. You will get an answer to allyour questions and my life-long yearning forHis ‘darshan’ will be fulfilled.”

Bidding the old Rikhi farewell, the Raja andhis vazir departed. From the old man’sdescription, they had concluded that the

person could be Guru Gobind Singh ji. Evenif it turned out that He was not a messiah,they knew He was a brave warrior and thefame of His army had spread far and wide. Ifthey could make Him a friend and ally, theywould become a force to be reckoned with.

When they reached Nahan, the Raja sent hisminister, Sobhu, with an invitation and anumber of costly gifts, to meet Guru GobindSingh ji at Anandpur Sahib. When theminister reached there, he wanted to meetGuru ji in private to convey the Raja’srequest, but Guru ji took the letter from himand read it out aloud, so that the wholecongregation could hear. He then, toldSobhu that He would give him a reply thenext day.

That evening, Guru ji discussed the matterwith His uncle, Mama Kirpal Chand ji andsome other advisers. He spoke about it toHis mother also. Everyone was of the opinionthat He should accept the Raja’s invitation.The next morning, the minister was sent off to

Nahan to inform the Raja that Guru ji wouldbe arriving there shortly.

All arrangements were made for the journeyand on a pleasant October day, Guru jiaccompanied by His mother, Mata Gujari, Hisfamily and other followers set off for Nahan.A company of 500 armed soldiers was inattendance.

After making a couple of halts on the way,they reached Nahan. The news of Guru ji’sarrival had already reached the palace. RajaMedni Prakash and senior members of hiscourt were at the outskirts of the city towelcome the holy entourage. The head priestperformed the traditional ‘aarti’ with duereverence, as befitting to the descendant ofGuru Nanak Dev ji.

Everyone came forward to bow respectfullyand, in turn received Guru ji’s blessings.Then, holding the reins of Guru ji’s horse, theRaja led the party into the town.

A special mansion had been prepared for thisoccasion. A gurdwara, to mark the place,stands there to this day.

The news of Guru ji’s arrival in Nahan and theroyal welcome given to Him, echoedthroughout the valley. Ramrai too, heard thenews. He promptly sent a message to FatehShah, ruler of Srinagar, “Friend, the Masterhas arrived. Even though I have opposedHim, I sincerely believe in His supremacy. Iwill be unable to use my powers against RajaMedni Prakash now. As a well-wisher, Iadvise you to give up your aggressive stancetowards Medni Prakash and hand back to himthose areas which you have occupied.”

Fateh Shah too had heard about Guru ji’sarrival in Nahan with a small army. Now thismessage from Ramrai set him thinking.Ramrai’s followers were spread all over thestate, and going against his wishes meantlosing their support. So, Fateh Shah quietlysent a message to Medni Prakash that as agesture of goodwill, he was returning the

occupied territory to him. Raja MedniPrakash was overjoyed at this news andattributed it directly to Guru ji’s spiritualpower.

Guru ji sent Mama Kirpal Chand ji to meetFateh Shah and convey His message thatfighting among the rulers of the hill kingdomsmust be stopped. If they wanted their peopleto be happy and prosperous, they mustcreate an atmosphere of friendship andpeace. Only by uniting, could they repel theattacks of the invaders and save themselvesfrom becoming their slaves.

Fateh Shah accompanied Mama KirpalChand ji to Nahan and here, in the benignpresence of Guru ji, a treaty of peace andamity was signed by the two rulers.

Medni Prakash was very keen that Guru jishould make Nahan His permanent home.He escorted Guru ji to the most beautiful partsof his state and organized hunting trips intothe thick jungles. Guru ji too, liked the natural

beauty of the state and one picturesque spotespecially. It was at a height, overlooking thefast flowing river,Jamuna, and the thicklywooded hills beyond. Raja Medni Prakashordered the builders and carpenters to erect afortress - type home for Guru ji and His family.Extra rooms were to be built for thecongregation. This place is called PaontaSahib and there is a Gurdwara there alongwith some parts of the original structure.

When the people heard that Guru ji plannedto stay here, they came from far and near. Atemporary township of tents and assortedstructures came up. Daily prayer and ‘Kirtan’darbars were organized. Guru ji alsoarranged contests of physical daring in theriver waters and on the land. He tookfrequent trips into the jungles to huntferocious animals. It was a time of joyfulactivity on every front – physical, mental andspiritual. Guru ji created the largest volume ofpoetry during this period. A number ofwriters, poets and artists gathered here and

received great encouragement and praisefrom Guru ji.

The construction of the buildings was goingon very quickly as it was everyone’s wish thatGuru ji’s next birthday (Gurpurab)should becelebrated with His entry into the new home.

The season had turned very cold, eventhough the hills were still without snow. Oneday, Guru ji appeared restless and reachedthe ‘diwan’ where ‘kirtan’ was being sung,much later than usual. He was heardmurmuring to Himself,”It’s so cold! The bonescan’t take the cold. Old, so very old now!”

Those who were standing nearby werepuzzled at these words, but held their peace,knowing there was some secret behind it,which would be revealed to them in duecourse.

Suddenly, Guru ji turned to the Vazir andsaid,”Please, inform the Raja that I want to gofor a hunt into the hills and would like him to

accompany me. Also ask him to arrange for apalanquin with 6-8 men to carry it.”

Part – 2

The Raja and his vazir had long forgottentheir promise to the old Brahmin. With theirimmediate problems solved, they had becomeimmersed in other matters. The old hermitstill lingered; his desire unfulfilled. At timeshe would murmur to himself, ”I love but mylove is not returned. Will I ever experiencethe spiritual joy for which my soul is thirsting?To see Him with my own eyes before theyfinally close? Grant me this boon, O dearLord! I know He is quite near; I can feel Hispresence,” and he would begin to cry like achild.

The young lad, Chando, who looked afterhim, would become very upset, thinking that itwas his fault that Rikhi ji was unhappy. Hewas a simple village boy, left at the ‘ashram’by his mother when she felt that her end wasnear. Since then he had taken on the duties

of caring for the old man, keeping the placeclean and milking the two cows, whichsupplied sustenance to both of them.

One day, the Rikhi called Chando to him andsaid,”Child, I feel that my days on this earthare coming to an end. I may go at any time.When that happens, place my body in the lapof the river Jamuna. You can take the cowsand go back to your village. If one day youhear that a great saint has appeared in thisworld, go to Him and give Him my message.Tell Him that an old ‘rikhi’ living on the banksof the Jamuna, has passed on, taking anunfulfilled longing for your ‘darshan’ in hisheart. He was too old and weak to come insearch of you himself, nor could he sendsomeone else to do his bidding as he hadneither wealth nor servants. He was aware ofyour presence. He could sense it on thebreezes sighing in the trees. Other than thathe had no indication where he could find you.Carrying his wish deep in his heart, he hasdeparted from this world. He prayed to you tokeep his soul in your protection.’

The boy learnt the Rikhi’s words by heart andthen repeated them to him to see that he hadnot forgotten anything. Then he cried out,” Ifyou go, what will I do?”

Rikhi : ”You can go in search of Him. Maybeyou will have better luck than I. Maybe whenyou give Him my message, He will bless youand allow you to stay with Him.”

Boy : ” But how will I recognize Him?”

Rikhi : ” He is tall, slimly built, very strong,young, has long hair and a soft, curly beard.He carries weapons on His person and hasan aura of power and authority, yet Hisexpression is warm and sweet. And yes, onemore thing. He has very long arms and whenHe lowers them, His hands reach to Hisknees.”

The boy looked happy; now he hadsomething which would be easy to check. Heimmediately stood up to see the length of his

own arms and then he checked the length ofRikhi ji’s arms. Then he smiled, satisfied thathe would have no difficulty in recognizing the‘Avtaar’.

Suddenly, a thought struck him and he asked,”Rikhi ji, will He lower His arms if I ask Himto?”

The Rikhi smiled at his simplicity and said,“Child, you stay close to Him but don’t askanything. At some time He will surely lowerHis arms, and then you can see. Once youare sure, fling yourself at His feet and give mymessage to Him.”

Boy : ”Does He have a name?”

Rikhi : ”I don’t know, but people will refer toHim as ‘Guru Avtaar’.”

Boy : ”Guru, Guru, yes, I can remember that.Shall I go now and look for Him? Then youcan see Him with your own eyes. But – but ifI go, who will take care of you? If I had a

brother, I would have left him with you, but Ihave no one.”

Rikhi : ”Don’t be unhappy! After finishing yourwork here, you can go down into the valleyevery day and if you meet any passer-by youcan ask him. Maybe we will get some newsin this way.”

This remark cheered up the boy. Happily, heset about his chores and the moment he wasfree, he ran down to the village. Here hespent his time looking at the arms of the menand gauging their length. Then he began toask the people if they had heard of a saint – aGuru – who had recently appeared.Disappointed with their replies, he went to theriver the next afternoon, waiting eagerly for apassing traveller. But days passed and noone came that way.

The weather was becoming extremely coldand the Rikhi could feel the chill seep into hisbones. One day, he could not even get up totake his bath. Calling Chando near, he said

in a feeble voice, ”Child, my time has come.My hands and feet are very cold. You havebeen like a son to me. Don’t forget what Iasked you to do.”

For a minute, Chando felt dizzy. Two yearsago, his mother had died; her hands and feettoo had become very cold. He could see thescene clearly even now. Chando’s world hadconsisted of only two people – his mother andRikhi ji. And now, he was going to be leftalone. He rushed out, wiping the tears withhis knuckles. Quickly, he lit the small stoveand taking it inside the hut, placed it nearRikhi ji. Then he covered him with a blanketand any other piece of cloth he could lay hishands on. He ran out and climbed a near-byrock looking anxiously at the path down below– maybe He will come even now?

He ran back to the hut but could see nochange in Rikhi ji’s condition. In sheerdesperation, a scream escaped from histhroat. The sound revived the Rikhi and in atrembling voice, he asked,”Has He come?”

Chando only heard the word, ”Come” andshouting, “He has come! He has come!” herushed out. His voice echoed back from thedistant hills and then there was silence. Likea demented soul, he began to run through thehushed forest, stopping only when he heardvoices and the jingling of the harness ofhorses. Some riders came through the trees.One was slightly ahead of the others.Chando paused and took a long look at him.He felt a thrill run through his slight body, butto be sure, he had to see the rider’s arms.The riders stopped in the clearing and got offtheir horses. Mattresses were placed on thegreen grass and the leader sat down.

Poor Chando! He hid behind a shrub, barelyable to contain his impatience. He wanted torush back to the hut to be with Rikhi ji, butsome strong emotion held him rooted to thespot, as he waited for the leader of the groupto stand up so that he could see the length ofhis arms.

Suddenly, one of the attendants came up witha jug of water and the leader got up to washhis hands. Chando stood, holding his breath,not daring to blink. The tall man washed hishands and then, his face. Taking a towel, hewiped his face and then, he lowered his arms.Chando could not believe his eyes! Surelythe hands had touched the knees! Chandolet out a shout and completely forgetting hismaster’s admonitions, he rushed up chanting,”He has come, He has come!” and kneeling infront of Him, he took hold of His hand andpulled it downwards till it touched the knee.Then nodding to himself, he said, ”Yes, it isso.”

He looked up and in a pleading tone, asked,”It is you? Really you? It is, isn’t it? Please,say yes, that you are He – the Avtaar – mymaster has waited for – the Guru Avtaar ?Please, please, say you are He!”

Guru ji stood quietly. His hand was heldtightly by this innocent boy, who tugged at iteven as words tumbled out of his mouth,

imploring Guru ji to confirm His identity. Guruji looked at him with great compassion, agentle smile lighting His eyes. Before Hecould say anything, Chando’s face darkened,his brows drew together and he said, ”I knowyou are He, the Avtaar! I have a message foryou, a message from the Rikhi of Kalsi. Heknew you, Lord, and he was desperate foryour ‘darshan, yes… he,” and his voicechoked with tears. After a pause hecontinued,” I am sure he must be dead bynow. My mother too, was dead in this muchtime. He had told me that you would havevery long arms and he begged me to find youand give you his message …and “(closing hiseyes tightly in concentration, he recited thewords exactly as the old Rikhi had spokenthem).

As the words came to an end, Guru ji closedHis eyes. He held Chando’s small handtightly in His own and asked, ”Child, is Rikhi jireally dead?”

Chando : ” I am sure, sir. So much time haspassed since I left him. Oh, it’s so late. Imust go back and take care of his body,” andhe hopped from one foot to anotherimpatiently.

Guru ji smiled sightly and said : ”No, my child,Rikhi ji is not dead.”

Turning towards Raja Medni Prakash, Guru jisaid, ”Come, let us leave immediately. Thereis a debt on your head which is long overdue.Don’t worry about the food, we will have freshmilk today.”

Quickly everyone leapt on to their horses, oneof the attendants lifting Chando in front ofhim, and the party moved off at a brisk trot.

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The Rikhi’s hut was surrounded by a thornyhedge with a make-shift gate in the middle.Pushing this open, Chando rushed inside.Rikhi ji was lying just as he had left him.

Guru ji moved forward and lifting the blanket,checked his pulse and felt his forehead. Itwas cool to the touch and he did not appearto be breathing.

Chando gave a wail and exclaimed,” Oh, youtoo have died like my mother, and I was noteven here to light a lamp for you. She toohad wanted more light, but – but I did giveyour message, see?” And he began to sobbitterly.

Guru ji’s eyes were moist at the anguish ofthis simple, loving boy. But His face wore alook of concentration as His hand rested onthe old man’s chest, which still retained somewarmth. Quickly, Guru ji sat down near theRikhi and placing his head on his lap, beganto gently massage his scalp. He instructedthe others to massage the Rikhi’s hands andfeet.

In a short while, the Rikhi’s eyes flutteredopen and then closed again. Very faintly he

said, ”Has He come? Chando beita, hassomeone come? Who is caressing my handsand feet?” He looked at the people sittingnear his feet and asked, ”Who are you?Where is Chando?”

Chando came near and eagerly said, ”Rikhi ji,it is He. He is here. I found Him! I foundHim!” and he clapped his hands joyfully.

The Rikhi took a long breath and moving hishead, he looked upwards questioningly. Guruji supported his head and bending forwardkissed him on his forehead. The Rikhi’s faceglowed suddenly and with new-found energyhe reached up and clasped Guru ji’s hand,sometimes kissing it, sometimes placing it onhis forehead and then holding it tight againsthis chest, as if he would never let it go.

All who watched were profoundly moved.Chando looked on, not understanding butfeeling the warmth and love flowing from Guruji to the Rikhi. He too wanted to be a part ofit. He looked at Guru ji’s long, slender hands

and he too, wanted to hold and kiss them.But he hesitated, knowing that these handswere infusing fresh life into his beloved Rikhi jiand so he waited.

The Rikhi’s eyes were gazing up at Guru ji,gratefully and adoringly. Again and again hislips moved as he said, “Shukar, Shukar!” inthanksgiving to the Lord.

Guru ji blessed him, saying, ”Nihal, Nihal,Nihal! Say ‘Waheguru’.”

The Rikhi felt as if each and every part of himechoed the word, ’Waheguru’again and again. With every breath he feltstronger. “Truly He has come! I am notimagining this. But I have not even greetedHim properly,” and he tried to get up so hecould touch his forehead to Guru ji’s feet.

Guru ji continued to hold him in His arms,telling him to rest till full strength hadreturned. “You need to take some

nourishment. Is there some fresh milk?” Heasked.

Hearing the word ‘milk’, Chando jumped upand quickly brought a bowl of fresh milk.Guru ji took it from Him and helping the Rikhito sip it said, ”Drink this, O beloved of myLord!” and the old man drank eagerly, feelingnew life coursing in his veins. The Rajabrought a cushion and arranged it so that theRikhi could rest comfortably against it.

Guru ji now, looked at Chando, smiled andsaid, ”Come, my son, bring milk for us too.We are guests in Rikhi ji’s house. Since he isnot strong enough to carry out the duties of ahost, you must look after us. Hurry, child!”

Chando was in two minds. He wanted to rushto obey the sweet command, but hecontinued to stare at Guru ji’s hands as ifhypnotized. Guru ji was only too aware of thestruggle going on in the lad’s mind. Smilingly,He extended His right hand. Chando leaptforward eagerly and catching it in both his

hands, began to shower kisses on it, pausingonce to look up adoringly at Guru ji’s face.

In his childish delight, he was not aware ofthe solemnity of the occasion nor of themagnitude of the gift being showered uponhim. He was only aware of an acute joy,which made him stutter, ”Wah, Wah,Waheguru!” His eyes closed and he becamestill.

Guru ji lifted Chando in His arms, sayinggently, ”Awake, my son, awake to an eternallife, Chand Rai. Come, we are all hungry andthirsty. Aren’t you going to bring some milkfor us?”

Chando looked as if he was in seventhheaven. He went out and was soon, backwith a pitcher full of foaming, warm milk.Guru ji filled all the bowls and gave toeveryone and then to Chando. Lastly, He,Himself took some.

The sun had set and darkness wasspreading. They made camp and decided toleave at dawn the following day. In themorning, the Rikhi requested Guru ji to let himstay back in the ‘ashram’, as he did not wishto be a burden. “I cannot serve you in anyway, my Lord, please leave me here,” hepleaded. But Guru ji reassured him andhelped him into the palanquin, in which hewould be comfortably carried to Paonta.

Guru ji then turned to Chando and gave himan enquiring look,” Chando beita, what doyou want to do? Would you like to stay hereand look after the cows?”

Chando ran forward and clutching at Guru ji’sbeloved hand, pleaded,” I want to be withyou, but you all go ahead and I will follow withthe cows. I can look after them in Paonta soyou can have fresh milk every day. That is allI want.”

Guru ji laughed and said, ”All right. I promiseto drink the milk of your cows only.”

Leaving two attendants to guide Chando toPaonta, Guru ji and Raja Medni Prakashdeparted with the Rikhi.

Many people had come to Paonta for the‘Gurpurab’ and lavish celebrations had beenplanned by Guru ji’s family and the ‘Sangat’.

When Guru ji failed to return on ‘Saptami’(day of the Gurpurab), everyone was filledwith disappointment. But next day when Heand His party arrived, a wave of gladnessswept the place and everyone rushed to greetHim.

Later, after the completion of ‘kirtan’ and‘ardas’, Guru ji spoke:

“THITT VAAR NA JOGI JANAI RUTT MAHU NAA KOI”

“The Lord who has made the days andseasons had sent us on a mission. Whenthere is celebration there must be a gift. Thatgift Waheguru ji gave us two days ago and

we have brought it along in the form of adevoted soul, who had spent his whole life inmeditation. We have brought him, the Rikhiof Kalsi, to the ‘darbar’ of the nine Gurus sohe can spend the rest of his life here as amember of the ‘Sadh Sangat’.”