Guru Nanak and Pir Dastgir at Baghdad

Guru Nanak Sahib Ji came to the outskirts of the city of Baghdad. It was early morning. The cool breeze was blowing. The sky was blue and the sun was shining. Many people were passing by. For them it was time for early Naamaz (muslim prayer). Guru Ji started singing divine words, while Mardana started to play the Rebab.

Guru Nanak then said "SATNAM" so loudly that the whole city was astonished and went into absolute silence. Guru Nanak's voice, full of divine melody, drew the attention of the surrounding people of Baghdad.

Poison

Bhai Gurdas Ji said… It was a pure divine bliss that calmed people's mind and soul. They were absorbed within their own consciousness. The news spread in the city like fire in the forest. Now where there is Amrit (ambrosial nectar), there can also be poison present.

Gurbani says: Poison and nectar dwell together. Sandalwood trees are beautiful but snakes full of poison encircle them too.

Similarly while many people were getting blessed with Guru's divine bliss also there were some people who started to argue and condemn the demoralising divine poetry in the musical form. Some even threw stones on Guru Ji, but Guru Nanak Sahib Ji continued singing the divine words (Kirtan). The gentle strains of Guru Nanak's music along with divine words soothed their hearts. They forgot to throw stones at Him. In the meantime the local high priest Pir Dastgir approached. Pir Dastgir asked the locals to bring Guru Ji to his accommodation.

Pir Dastgir's Residence

Shortly after that Guru Nanak was in Pir Dastgir's residence. Pir was sitting on his "precious throne" while Guru Ji was standing on the ground surrounded by many ordinary people. The holy man - Pir [Highest Priest] now began to question Guru Ji to give justification of what was happened in early morning.

Pir Dastgir asked, "O Faqir (Saint), why were you singing unprincipled and immoral musical verses on the sacred land of Baghdad? Don't you know that according to muslim shariat (code of law), music was forbidden? Which category of Faqir (Saint) do you belong to and what is your background?

Pir Dastgir further declared that music animates the passion and was regarded by muslims as a means of bodily pleasure and vulgar joy and consequently banned in Islamic countries.

God Given Music

Guru Nanak Sahib Ji explained to Pir Dastgir the true function of music. Guru Ji stated, "Music is a powerful instrument of both good and evil. It melts the hearts and thus and can be a vehicle of spiritual inspiration.

God the great musician has created the cosmic melody-the gentle rustle of the reeds (a thin strip of material which vibrates to produce a sound on a musical instrument) and waving plants, the murmur of the stream, the gushing of torrents, the humming of the bees, the constitutes the orchestra of nature. Love of music is a part of human nature. Whenever a person is happy or alone, he sings or hums a tune."

Why not use the natural characteristic for music for higher goals and values. Why not sing holy songs in praise of Allah, the Lord of the Universe! This kind of music attunes the individual soul to the Universal Soul. The corrupt passions of man are thus directed to sublime channels. As such, music can be used as an aid to spiritual fulfillment."

Pir Dastgir was greatly impressed by Guru Ji's argument in favor of sacred music. He and his followers who wanted to lynch the Guru for the alleged crime against Islamic tradition became his admirers and friends.

Three Questions

Now Pir Dastgir came to a state of humbleness and had a request of Guru Nanak Sahib Ji,

"O Faqir, since the very first day I started meditating I have been burdened by three questions that have echoing in my head continously,
1. If God (Khuda/ Allah) has created the world, and then who created GOD? Who was before God?
2. Where does God (Allah) live?
3. and what does Khuda (Allah/ God) do?"

Unanswerable questions are always a burden on anyone's mind. If one is walking with a lot of weight on ones head, then it is very hard to walk comfortably. Similarly if we have lots of questions on our mind then we grow anxious, until a perfect answer is discovered.

Pir Dastgir had the burden of questions too. When he judged Guru Nanak a potential of easing his mental load, he offered three questions to Guru Nanak and said,

"These questions have been constantly straining my mind for many years. In Islam we believe Allah lives seven skies above the earth and according to some in seven nether regions including earth itself. But I want you to explain about God's existence"

What Was Before God?

Now Guru Ji said, "Your questions are very valuable and priceless, but difficult too. I know you are a highly spiritual leader. I have heard that people has utmost respect for you and bring pearls, diamonds rubies and jewelries to offer you as obeisance. They bring lots of money to you and bow before you. They also pay respect by donating golden coins on your feet for sake of seeking answers to their sufferings. Now I want you to show me those pearls, diamonds, rubies and jewels? I want you to bring them to me before I answer your questions."

Pir Dastgir instantly had a current of shock waves flowing through his mind. He was now thinking, I have not yet received any answer to my questions, but payment is already being asked. But because he wanted to end his accumulated mental stress over the years, he ordered his disciples to bring a plate full of diamonds, pearls and gold coins to offer Guru Nanak in a hope he might get the answers.

Guru Ji now looked at Pir Dastgir and said, "Pir, I want you to count these diamonds one by one."

Pir was bit astonished but he stared counting as…

"1" [Ek] ……… "2" [Do'] ……… "3" [Tin] ………….."4" [Char]

When the Pir reached to the count of FOUR, Guru Ji stopped him and said, "You are not a good accountant, you lack basic counting skills."

Pir said, "I have counted correctly up to four".

But Guru Ji said, "Yes while counting up to "4" you made a mistake and I want you to recount".

He started counting again, "1" [Ek] ……. "2" [Do'] ……… "3" [Tin] ………….."4" [Char]. Sooner when he reached the count four, Guru Ji stopped him again and said," Pir, you are wrong again". Pir grew bit angry but politely said, "I am going to recount again, just stop me to a point when you think I am wrong. I just want to know where the problem is, in my counting?". Satguru said, " Ok, I will tell you".

Now he started counting as...... "1" [Ek] ……. , Guru Ji stopped him and said, "Pir, start counting prior to "1" [Ek]. Pir replied nervously, "How can I count prior to "1". Before "1" [Ek], is NOTHING. I must start with 1".

Guru Nanak Sahib Ji said, "YES". "1" … Ek Onkar. There is nothing before "1". God is only ONE. Everything start from "1". One is GOD. God is seed, the origin, the primal Lord."

Guru Ji recited Mool Mantar and said it is a seed. Nothing is beyond this. It is the primal truth that the creator is "1" [Ek]. It is the foundation of the whole world and beyond.

"There is only but ONE God, the Eternal Truth, Almighty Creator, and Unfearful, without Hate and Enmity, Immortal Entity, Unborn, Self-Existent. The ONE who was True before the creation, The One who was True in the beginning of the creation, The One Who is True now, and O Nanak, The One who shall be True forever".

WOW!!!!!, said Pir. He was so happy and satisfied, so were the people around him. Pir grew so emotional and came from a state of ego to a state of humbleness and politely offered second question to Guru Nanak,

Where Does God Live?

"Nanak, this seed who is the creator of this world and after, where does God live? Where would we search God? In Islam it is said that God lives in seven skies above the earth."

Guru Ji came into blessing mood and asked Dastgir to tell someone fetch a pot full of milk. The pot full of milk was offered to Guru Nanak instantly. Guru Ji now was focusing his blessed vision upon milk very anxiously and said,

"Pir, there is something in it".

Pir became worried and started thinking that perhaps Guru Nanak thought there was poison in the milk. But Pir knew his followers were very loyal to him and would not do anything wrong against his will. He said, "O Faqir, there is nothing in it, I am sure."

Guru Ji, "There is something in it". "What is it, then, tell us please?" asked Pir. Guru Ji said, "Butter!!!!! Now you show me where is it? Can you see it? Simply tell me yes or no."

Pir Dastgir was a highly spiritual saint so he instantly agreed with Guru Ji and said, "Yes, there is surely 'butter' in it but it is not visible".

Each and every drop of milk contains butter and also the fire is contained in all firewood. Similarly in each and every living being resides GOD. God's Light is contained in the high and the low; the Lord lives in the hearts of all beings. God is pervaded and saturated in each and every heart. The Perfect Lord is completely permeating everyone, everywhere; God created the Creative Power of the Universal energy, within which God dwells.

God's creative power resides in nature. God is saturated in to water, land, and sky; God is all-pervading. God's Creative Power is omnipresent, in all form and color.

The Pir was listening very carefully to Guru Ji's divine message and was so thrilled. He was so happy again and fully convinced with Guru's answers and asked his final question,

What Does God Do?

"Nanak, such a powerful God, what does it do? What is God's profession?"

Guru Nanak Ji smiled and replied, "Dastgir, you can carry on asking me questions and I will be answering them one by one with divine knowledge. But now I am thinking that you are insulting Allah, divine power. God has its shape in divine knowledge (Shabad). [Waho Waho Guru's Shabad is the creator itself). God's true picture is, contemplation (study and understanding) of Shabad. God's power is in God's Shabad. I am thinking that you are not respecting the divine Words coming out of my mouth. You yourself are sitting at a higher place in a "precious throne" and listening to "divine message" about God. This is principally and ethically wrong".

By now, listening to Guru's soothing words had already melted at Dastgir's mind. His heart was pierced by Guru Nanaks spoken words and gently asked, "Nanak, what should I do, then?"

"Just do what you actually should do, come off your throne and down to ground level. I will sit in your throne. You can then ask as many questions you want and I will answer them all", Guru Ji replied.

There is rule/ principle of the world; a teacher/ judge always sits at a higher place or in a higher chair.

Dastgir thought, this business is not that expensive. I want to gain divine knowledge and Nanak wants to freely give me the knowledge. By replacing his seat for a moment is not going do any harm. I must exchange sitting locations, as I need answers to questions that had been bugging my mind for many years. This is the time to receive ultimate peace for my mind and soul.

Pir Dastgir came down and sat at the level of Guru Ji's feet and Satguru Nanak was now sitting on the Pir's throne. Dastgir Pir asked his final question with full devotion and love,

"Nanak, Tell me quickly, what does God do?"
Guru Ji replied, "Dastgir…….. This is what God [Allah/ Waheguru] does. A person who sits on the throne, God brings him down to the ground. And God places a person who is on the ground, at a higher place.
God changes the beggar into a king, and the king into a beggar.
God makes idiotic fool to be transformed into a Pandit (Superior), a religious scholar, and the Pandit (Superior), into a fool.
God assumes so many forms, and plays so many games, and yet, God remains detached from it all.
God makes laughing people cry, and crying people laugh.
God fills what is empty, and empties what is full - such are God's ways. God had spread out the expanse of Maya, and God beholds it. God makes people die and brings the dead to life.
God makes business profitable and the profitable to bear losses."

This is God's task. This is God's profession. No one knows the state of the Lord that how incalculable, infinite, incomprehensible and immaculate is God, who is a mystery to the entire world. All we can do is cast off all our doubts and pray by focus of our consciousness at God's feet ie. through Guru Shabad.

Dastgir was so satisfied. Tears were flowing through his eyes. Guru Ji's divine messages were saturated in his heart and he fell on to Guru Ji's feet. The throne on which Dastgir enshrined Guru Nanak Sahib Ji was called "Amar Singhasan" and still situated in Baghdad. Pir Dastgir had a board and fixed on the throne with the following label:

"Rabul MaJid Hazrat Baba Nanak"

Its translation: The Blessed Messenger of God, Hazarat Baba Nanak.

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