Guru Nanak Dev Ji At Gaya

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Guru Nanak Dev Ji at Gaya

After Banaras Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji reached Gaya which is a famous hindu pilgrimage place situated at the river Phalgu (Sarju). It was the holy place where Lord Budha is said to have attained enlightenment.

In those days, Gaya had become a strong hold of Hindhu worship. There existed forty-five points from where it was supposed that the forefathers could be supplied things...

The common people people were assured that rice cakes given in the name of their forefathers would bring them satiety. And if, lighted lamps were given to the priests they could use them to illuminate their ancestors paths in heaven.

The simple minded people made huge offerings and the priests fed the piters (ancestors) by offering rice balls, lighted up little lamps to illuminate their paths in the high heavens.

When Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Bhai Mardana arrived, the priests considered them rich men and surrounded them. They asked Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Bhai Mardana to accept their services. Guru Nanak declined their services and said, 'First tell me where my ancestors are resident?'. The priests were bewildered to hear this and they could not answer. Then the Guruasked, 'Can you tell me about my parents? Are they alive or dead?' The Brahmins felt ashsamed and looked at each other.

The hindu priests had declared that any offerings made at Gaya especially at the time of Baisakhi would secure salvation for seven generations of those who had departed from this world.

The Guru started laughing which made the priests very angry. At that point the Guru explained that those who left their bodies on earth, did not need any food nor a glow of lamp to see. If this body could not go to the other world, obviously it was not possible for any material substance of this world to reach the other side.

The Guru advised them;

'Rice cakes placed on plates made of leaf are useless.

God's name alone is man's support here and in the next world

You make the rolls for the departed souls but you eat those yourself.

The light of tiny lampsdoes not illuminate the dark paths of your ancestors.

You are sitting in the darkness of ignorance.

First attain enlightenment yourself.

For that purpose make the sole name of God your lamp, then pour in it oil of sufferings.

This oil should be burnt by the light of realisation.

Don't befool the ordinary people.

You should make the praise of God as a holybath at the Ganga and Banaras.

The true ablution is that when one is attuned foreever in the praise of God.'

So the Guru enlightened the people and asked them to worship One God, the Formless.

On hearing the Guru's words, the Brahmins were greatly impressed and they fell at the feet of the Guru.

There also lived a Dev Gir, the chief priest of the Budha Gaya. He became an ardent devotee of Guru Nanak. The Guru honoured him as his representative and he led his congregation of disciples following the teachings of Guru Nanak.