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Prema The Leper

Once, there was a Khatri who, after much longing, obtained a son who he called Prema. The child's mother died in giving him birth. Then his father died. Prema's paternal aunt and his sisters, who were nursing him, also died. So did all his paternal and maternal relations, and he was left alone in the world.

Prema's property was devoured by evil people; and, to crown his troubles, he became a prey to such virulent leprosy that his fingers and toes dropped off, his body melted away, blood trickled from it, and flies, by settling on it and stinging him, completed his misery. Some compassionate person tied a small earthen pot to his neck, so that the charitable might put food into it for Prema to eat.

When Prema moved from place to place, he did so by crawling; but nobody would allow him to approach. He was told that the Guru could cure all sorts of diseases, how he healed lepers, restored sight to the blind, made the deaf hear, and the dumb speak - so his mind was filled with the desire of meeting Guru Amar Das.

Prema Arrives In Goindwal

Trundling along the ground with great delay and difficulty Prema reached Goindwal. On beholding the joy that pervaded the Guru's city and the special happiness of his Sikhs, and on eating food from the Guru's kitchen, he became so happy that he started singing along to the devotional hymns being sung during the prayers in allusion to his ailment. Prema sang and repeated the song with devotion. A crowd gathered round, and as they listened to his stammering voice cried, "Encore! encore!"

Some put corn, others water into the vessel suspended from his neck. Prema's pains decreased in proportion as he rolled in the dust of Goindwal. Prema implored the Sikhs to tell him how he could see the Guru. The Sikhs said that whenever the Guru sent for lepers, he might be able to join them. Prema began to reflect that his arrival in Goindwal was in vain, and if he could find no refuge in the Guru's sanctuary, where could he go? Prema therefore thought that he had better remain where he was and die. He began to weep and laugh alternately. He blamed the sins of his former existence for having been refused a sight of the Guru.

A Sikh narrated the story of Prema to Guru Amar Das. The Guru sent for Prema at once and seeing the boy affiicated with leprosy he bent down, and wrapped him in his own blanket. Then he gave him a bath with his own hands, cleaning him with the water from the holy tank. After a while, he ordered his Sikhs to remove the blanket from Prema's body. And when they did, they were as amazed as Prema to see a clean and healthy body instead of the diseased one. Prema fell at the Guru's feet and began crying. The Guru lifted him gently and gave him his blessings.

A New Beginning

Guru Amar Das declared, "From today Prema is my son and his new name is Murari. After transmigration Murari has replaced Prema. Now he has become perfect, pure and free from all diseases."

Then addressing the Sangat Guru Amar Das asked, "Is there any Sikh ready to marry his daughter to my son Murari?" A Sikh called Bhai Sinha stood up and offered to do so. When Sinha's wife heard of the marriage she ran weeping and wailing to the Guru. "A very improper thing has occurred! I know nothing of this man's antecedents, or of his caste, or parentage, and yet my husband has given him my daughter!"

Guru Amar Das replied, "I am his father and mother, my caste is his caste. Your daughter's name is Matho and my son's Murari. People will link their names together with reverence. Very fortunate are they who have entered Guru Nanak's asylum." After this the angry mother was appeased, and conferred a dowry on her daughter. After learning from Guru Amar Das, Murari taught others to worship the one true God and to save them from temptations of maya and supersition.


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