Stories of Faithful tradition

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Source: SikhNet

Three Days in the River
Each day before sunrise, Guru Nanak would go to the river to bathe in the cold water and sing God's praises. But one day he disappeared and could not be found. His clothes were still lying next to the riverbank, but there was no sign of Nanak. His friends walked up and down calling , "Nanak, Nanak," hoping against hope that they would find him. They grew afraid that he had drowned.
But Nanak was far from the reach of any of them. He was in a divine trance in which he was sitting in God's own presence. God gave him a cup of nectar and said, "I am with you. Go and repeat My Name, and teach others to do the same." Nanak was so filled with love for God that he sang the first part of the Japji: "Ek Ong Kaar, Sat Naam, Kartaa Purakh, Nirbhao, Nirvair, Akaal Moorat, Ajoonee, Saibhang, Gurprasaad, Jap. Aad Sach, Jugaad Sach, Haibee Sach, Naanak Hosee Bhee Sach!" God looked upon him with infinite kindness and said, "My Name is God, and you are the divine Guru."
After three days, Nanak came out of the river. The villagers gasped in disbelief. They had given up any hope of ever seeing him again. For a long time, he said nothing. Finally, when he did speak, he said, "There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim." From that day on, he spread the message to everyone that all are equal, and equally loved by God, no matter how they worship him. He also taught that the best way to show their love for God is by praising His Name.
 

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Angad Dev was Guru Nanak's Friend

A Yogi went to visit Guru Nanak to congratulate him on the large number of followers he had. The Guru said that he had very few true Sikhs. To test his disciples, he sent out a call for all true believers to meet together early the next morning.
The day dawned dark and cloudy. When the Guru appeared, he seemed to be someone other than their kind master, for he wore dirty clothes and a hunting knife and had a fierce dog with him. Several of his followers were terrified and ran away. The rest followed the Guru down a road through the forest. After they had walked for a short while, they found the road covered with copper coins. Some of the Sikhs stuffed the coins in their pockets and ran away. The rest of the group continued on down the road. Further along, they found the road covered with silver coins. More of the Sikhs grabbed the coins and ran away. Few Sikhs remained with the Guru and the Yogi. The small band continued travelling and soon found the road covered with gold coins. The other Sikhs grabbed the coins and fled until only two Sikhs, the Yogi, and the Guru's sevadar Lahina, remained. They came into a clearing where they saw a corpse wrapped up in a white sheet next to a pile of wood. There was a terrible smell in the air. The Guru said to his Sikhs, "Let whoever wants to be a true Sikh of mine eat this with me " The other two Sikhs turned white and drew back in horror, but Lahina kneeled next to the corpse and said, " Master, should I start at the head or the feet?" The Guru told him to start at the waist. As Lahina lifted the sheet to begin eating, the corpse turned into a feast of delicious sacred food. Lahina offered the food to the Guru first and said he would have what was left over. Guru Nanak was delighted, and said, "You have obtained this sacred food because you desired to share it with others. You now know my secret; you are in my own image. I will share with you the secret which will bring you happiness now and forever." The Guru then taught Lahina the Mool Mantra, the beginning of Japji. The Yogi saw that the light in Nanak was the same as in Lahina. He said, "O Nanak, he shall be your Guru who comes from your body - ang." Upon this, the Guru hugged Lahina, named him Angad, and promised that he would be the next Guru.
 

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Anand Sahib

One day a Sidh Yogi went to see Guru Amar Das and said, "O Guru, ever since you have been enthroned, I have longed to see you. Today I am blessed to have my longing fulfilled. I have fasted, I have undergone great hardships, yet still I have not found peace. Iwish to have peace of mind and to know that when I leave my body I will be reborn into your family." The Guru said, "Happiness and peace are not found by fasting and enduring hardships, but by loving God and singing His praises. You shall be reborn into my family; you shall be Mohri's son and my grandson." The Yogi then went to the side of the river Beas and left his body.
In time, a baby was born to the wife of Mohri, the Guru's younger son. The baby was the Sidh Yogi. Without delay, the Guru sent Bhai Ballu to bring him the tiny child. The Guru gently cradled the infant in his lap and named him Anand. He began singing and composed the whole Anand Sahib on the spot. Bhai Ballu climbed to the rooftop and sang the song to the entire village. This Anand Sahib, the Song of Bliss, which is sung in Gurdwara, at weddings and other special occasions, was first created in honor of the Sidh Yogi who became the beloved grandson of Guru Amar Das.
 

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Seven Platforms

Guru Amar Das' elder daughter, Dani, was married to a pious Sikh named Rama. His younger daughter, Bibi Bhani, was married to Jetha who was also most devoted to serving the Guru and his Sikhs. A gathering of followers came to the Guru and said, " Both Rama and Jetha are equally related to you and both perform works with great devotion. Although Rama is older, you seem to favor Jetha. Would you please tell us why?" The Guru said, "I am looking for the one who serves with greater faith, devotion, humility, and obedience. I am going to make a trial of Jetha and Rama; whoever fulfills my wishes the best will be the worthier of the two."
The Guru sat next to the sacred tank and called the two men. He ordered each of them to make a platform for him to sit on, one for the morning and the other for the evening. He said that whoever did the better work would receive the greater honor. They began working and after a time finished the platforms. Rama bowed to the Guru and showed him his platform; he thought he had done a very good job. The Guru looked at the platform and said," It's crooked. Tear it down and build another." Rama said that he had tried very hard to make a beautiful platform to please the Guru. The Guru said he was sure this was so; still, he was not satisfied. Rama built a second platform, yet this one also failed to please the Guru. Rama tore it down, but refused to build a third one. He mumbled, "The Guru has grown old, he must be senile." The Guru replied, "Rama does not know how to obey, how can he lead others as the Guru?"
The Guru then went over to Jetha's platform and, treating him in the same manner, said, "Your platform does not please me; tear it down and build another." At once, Jetha tore the platform down and built it again. When he had finished, the Guru said he was still dissatisfied and asked him to do it again. Over and over he ordered Jetha to rebuild the platform, so that he had to work all day and all night. Finally, after Jetha had rebuilt the platform for the seventh time, the Guru looked at him and said, "As this platform pleases me, so do you. As you have obeyed my order seven times, so shall seven generations of yours sit on the Guru's throne." Turning to his Sikhs, the Guru said, "I have tested both of my sons-in-law. You have seen why Jetha is my most beloved. He is a perfect being who has come to save mankind." Soon after, the Guru bestowed the spiritual crown on Jetha. Thereafter, he was called by his given name, Ram Das, and became the fourth Sikh Guru, Guru Ram Das.
 

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Shabd Hazare

A cousin of Guru Ram Das came to Amritsar from Lahore especially to ask the Guru to attend his son's wedding. The Guru said, "I will not be able to go because I can't leave my duties as Guru. Perhaps I can send one of my Sons instead." Guru Ram Das had three sons: Prithi Chand, called Prithia, Mahadev, and Arjan Mal. Prithia was in charge of collecting donations, of which he secretly took a portion for himself. When the Guru asked him to attend the wedding, Prithia said, "I have to take care of the collections. And I hate going to weddings." Actually, he was afraid if he were away from the Guru for too long, he might not be appointed the Guru's successor. Having no luck with Prithia, the Guru then turned to Mahadev. Mahadev lived his life in meditation and said, "I have no desire to involve myself in worldly affairs." Finally, the Guru asked Arjan if he would go. Arjan said, "I only desire to do what you wish." The Guru was very pleased. He asked Arjan to spend some time in Lahore to share the Guru's teach
ings with the Sikhs there. Any donations he received were to be given to the free kitchen to feed the poor. The last words he said to Arjan were, "You should stay in Lahore until I send for you by letter."

Arjan stayed in Lahore after the wedding and grew to be much loved by his relations and the Sikhs there. Still, all the time he was there, his heart was with his father, Guru Ram Das. When he expressed his longing to his new friends, they suggested he write a letter asking that he be able to return. Arjan wrote a beautiful poem saying, "My soul longs for the Guru like the pied-cuckoo longs for the rain of the monsoon. I am always a sacrifice unto the True Guru." He sent this letter with one of the Sikhs who had come with him to Lahore. When the messenger reached Amritsar, Prithia saw him and suspected that he had a letter for the Guru from Arj an. He said,"I will take the letter to the Guru myself." When he read the letter he knew that it was so beautiful that it would move the Guru's heart in Arjan's favor. So he hid the letter in his coat and sent the Sikh back to Arjan telling him that the Guru said he should stay in Lahore until sent for. When Arjan received this message, he knew that Prithia, and not his father, had sent it. He then wrote a second letter with strict orders that it be given only to the Guru. In it, he wrote, "I love the sight of the Guru's face and the sound of his words, and it has been long since I have seen him. I am ever a sacrifice unto the True Guru." This time, Prithia grabbed the letter out of the messenger's hands, and grew more angry than before. Again, he hid the letter in his coat. He sent another message that Arjan was to remain in Lahore until sent for. When Arjan heard this from the messenger, he wrote a third letter, this time putting a number "3" on it. He told the messenger to be on his guard against Prithia and to give the letter to Guru Ram Das himself. The messenger waited until Prithia had to go home, and then quickly reached the Guru and gave him the letter. In it, Arjan said, "Each second away from the Guru is like an age. I cannot sleep without a sight of the Guru. I am ever a sacrifice unto him." On this letter, the Guru saw the number "3", and knew instantly that he had not received the other two letters. The instantly that he had not received the other two letters. The messenger related the story to him, and the Guru grew very angry. He called for Prithia and asked him three times if he knew anything about the other letters. Prithia denied it. The Guru could read his thoughts, and told the messenger to go get the coat in Prithia's house. When he returned with it, the two missing letters were in the pocket. The Guru charged Prithia with lying in front of the whole congregation, and laid bare his disobedience to the Guru.

At once, the Guru sent Bhai Buddha to Lahore with a carriage to bring Arjan home as soon as possible. When Arjan was finally united with his father, he placed his head on the Guru's chest against his long beard. He remained that way for many moments, while the Guru held him gently in his arms. The Guru then said that as he had written three stanzas, he should write a fourth to finish the poem. Arjan wrote the last verse saying, "It is my good fortune to have met the True Guru, and I have found the Immortal God in my own home. My greatest desire is to never be separated from him again, not even for an instant. I am ever a sacrifice to the True Guru." Upon hearing this, the Guru was very pleased. He said, "The Guruship is passed on because of merit. As only the one who is most humble can claim it, I grant it to you." The Guru then sent for the coconut and five paise and placed them before Arjan. He descended from his throne and seated Arjan upon it in front of the whole sangat. Bhai Buddha pressed the tilak on Arjan's forehead as a symbol that the light of Guru Ram Das had now passed to Arjan.

The poem that Arjan wrote is called Shabd Hazare. It is so beautiful that it is worth the singing of a thousand shabds.
 

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Source: SikhNet

Three Days in the River
Each day before sunrise, Guru Nanak would go to the river to bathe in the cold water and sing God's praises. But one day he disappeared and could not be found. His clothes were still lying next to the riverbank, but there was no sign of Nanak. His friends walked up and down calling , "Nanak, Nanak," hoping against hope that they would find him. They grew afraid that he had drowned.
But Nanak was far from the reach of any of them. He was in a divine trance in which he was sitting in God's own presence. God gave him a cup of nectar and said, "I am with you. Go and repeat My Name, and teach others to do the same." Nanak was so filled with love for God that he sang the first part of the Japji: "Ek Ong Kaar, Sat Naam, Kartaa Purakh, Nirbhao, Nirvair, Akaal Moorat, Ajoonee, Saibhang, Gurprasaad, Jap. Aad Sach, Jugaad Sach, Haibee Sach, Naanak Hosee Bhee Sach!" God looked upon him with infinite kindness and said, "My Name is God, and you are the divine Guru."
After three days, Nanak came out of the river. The villagers gasped in disbelief. They had given up any hope of ever seeing him again. For a long time, he said nothing. Finally, when he did speak, he said, "There is no Hindu, there is no Muslim." From that day on, he spread the message to everyone that all are equal, and equally loved by God, no matter how they worship him. He also taught that the best way to show their love for God is by praising His Name.
sultanpur lodhi hoeya c ehve .. berh sahib gurdware :dr
boht gud lagda othe ja ke :dr
 

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Bring me Arms and Horses

Once when Guru Arjan's wife was serving Bhai Buddha, he said, "As you have given me food to my heart's content, so shall you have a son to your heart's content. He shall be very handsome and brave and shall possess power on earth and in heaven. He shall wear two swords and be mighty in battle. He shall sit on a great imperial throne. He shall be both a great warrior and an exalted Guru."
In time, a beautiful son was born to Guru Arjan and Mata Ganga and he was named Hargobind. His childhood was full of trials because his uncle Prithia wanted his own son, Mihrban, to be the next Guru. He survived these trials and at the proper age received his education from Bhai Buddha. He instructed Hargobind in the Guru's hymns, the sciences, reading and letters, offensive and defensive weapons, sports such as swimming, administration and many other skills that he would need to be a great ruler in the future. He grew up in the court of Guru Arjan and watched his father compile the Guru Granth.
When Hargobind was 11, the emperor imprisoned and tortured Guru Arjan. Shortly before the end of his life, he said to his Sikhs, "I have mastered my life's test. Go to my son, the holy Hargobind, and give him my consolation. Instead of grieving, let him sing God's praises. According to ancient custom, let him put the mark of the Guruship on his forehead. Let him sit fully armed on his throne and maintain an army to the best of his ability. Other than this, let him embrace the practices of all the other Gurus. Let him hold Bhai Buddha in honor and treat his Sikhs with respect. Do not cremate my body, but let it flow into the river." The Guru's body, having suffered so much, then washed into the river, while his spirit merged with the Sach Khand.
Hargobind, upon receiving the news of his father's death, caused the Guru Granth to be read for ten days. When the last rites were finished, Bhai Buddha dressed him in fine clothes and sought to install him as Guru. Rather than wear the seli, or woolen cord worn by the other Gurus, he said, "My seli shall be the swordbelt and I shall crown my turban with the emblem of royalty." The new Guru then sent out a call to all faithful Sikhs in the land: "Bring me offerings of arms and horses!" By this call was Bhai Buddha's prophecy fulfilled. Guru Hargobind wore two swords and earned the title, "Meeri Peeri da Malik" - king of the spiritual and temporal realms. Thus was the character of the Sikhs changed forever. Soldier-saints now incorporated the military determination necessary to protect as well as to serve their faith.
 

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Holy Cakes

A devoted old woman had one prayer: that Guru Har Rai would eat the bread made by her own hands. She made her living by spinning, and one day was able to make some extra money with which she bought the wheat flour and other ingredients for making bread. She made two cakes and took them to a spot where the Guru passed daily. She sat down next to the cakes, focused her mind on the Guru, and began praying. The Guru felt the strength of her prayer. He mounted his horse and, on his way to the chase, went joyfully right to where she was waiting.
She had almost given up hope of his coming when he arrived. He said that he was very hungry from the chase, and wished to have something to eat. She offered him the cakes, which he ate on horseback, without washing his hands. He then said to her, "This is the most delicious food I have ever eaten." She was overjoyed and thanked the Guru for visiting her and accepting her hospitality. He shared his spiritual teachings with her and finally blessed her with liberation from rebirth.
Meanwhile, the Sikhs who had accompanied the Guru were astonished that he had taken food from a strange woman, eaten it on horseback, and not washed his hands. They asked him why he had done so. He gave them no reply, but continued on through the forest. The next day, they prepared sweet cakes with great cleanliness and took them to the forest with the Guru, to eliminate his need to eat unclean food from someone of lower caste. After a while, the Sikhs offered the Guru the cakes they had made, but he said, "I ate food from that woman's hands because she was holy. The food you have made for me, with great ceremony, is not pleasing to me." The Sikhs replied, "O Guru, yesterday you ate two cakes on horseback from that old woman. There was no clean and sacred place to eat; the food was in every way impure. Today, with great care we have made the purest cakes, yet you reject them. Why is this so?" The Guru gave this explanation, "With great faith and devotion, that old woman made those cakes out of what she had earned by the sweat of her brow. Because of this, the food was very pure and that is why I ate it. I was hungry for love; in the matter of love for God, no rule is recognized."
 

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Chhajju

Upon hearing that the seven year old Guru was called Sri Har Krishan, a proud Brahmin went to visit him. He complained, "The poet in the Bhagavad Gita merely calls God Krishan, but you call yourself Sri Har Krishan. If you are such a great guru, come and translate the Gita with me." Guru Har Krishan said to the Brahmin, "I have not read the Gita, and even if I had, you would say I was just some rich man's son who had a private tutor. Bring some ignorant peasant to discuss it with you, and when you have proved your superiority, I will speak to you." The Brabmin went out and got Chhajju, a simple water-carrier, from the nearest village. The Guru fixed his gaze upon him and said, "You are now a great spiritual scholar. Discuss the meaning of the Gita with this Brabmin." The Brahmin and the water-carrier discussed the Gita and Chhajju gave such learned replies that the Brabanin sat in dumbfounded silence. The Brahmin was convinced that Guru Har Krishan has infused his supernatural power into the water-carrier. He begged the Guru's forgiveness and asked to be his disciple. The Guru then taught him that the first value of spiritual importance is humility.​
 

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You are the Holiest in the land

The cruel emperor Aurangzeb tried everything in his power to convert the Hindus into Muslims. The task was first tried with the Kashmiri Brahmins because it was thought that if they converted, the rest of the people would follow. There was talk that they might easily be persuaded by bribes. Also, several Muhammadan countries were nearby and if all else failed, they could be overcome by force. During this time, the Brahmins had a vision that in this last age of the Kali Yug, Guru Nanak was spiritual king and would protect the right of freedom of worship. Guru Teg Bahadur was ninth in the line of Guru Nanak and lived at Anandpur. They resolved to go to him and ask for his protection. After a
hard very Journey, the Brahmins arrived at the Guru's court and
told him their sad story. They said, "Your very name has the power to bring comfort to those in need. The purpose of your life is to protect religion. Please help us to save our faith." The Guru sat silently absorbed with their request. His son, young Gobind Rai, came in and, seeing his father sitting quietly, went up to him. The Guru said nothing, but tenderly embraced the boy. Gobind Rai said to him, "Pitah ji, you are so quiet. What is the matter?" The Guru looked upon his son with compassion and said, "The Kashmiri Brahmins have come to find the holiest man in the land. If he is willing to give his life for their faith, they will be freed from the tyranny of the emperor." The boy gazed at his father and said, "Pitah ji, you are the holiest in the land."

When Guru Teg Bahadur heard these words from his son, he foresaw all that was to happen. He told the Kashmiri Brahmins to go to Delhi with a proposal for the emperor: "Guru Teg Bahadur, ninth Sikh Guru, is now seated on the throne of the great Guru Nanak. First make him a Muslim and then all the people, including ourselves, will adopt the faith." So began the course of events which led to the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur. In the end, as he was about to be beheaded, he tied a small note on a string around his neck. With a knowing look, he told the watching crowd that he was about to perform the miracle they had all been waiting for. This string had magical powers: it would prevent the executioner from cutting off his head. Up, then down swung the executioner's axe. Off came Guru Teg Bahadur's head. When his head was severed, the note was read. It said, "I gave my head, but not my faith."
 

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Two Pots

On the day of Gobind Rai's birth, Bhikan Shah, a Muslim Pir who lived in the Punjab, did a very curious thing. He bowed to the east instead of to the west towards Mecca. His followers were shocked and asked him why he was doing this. He replied, "On this day, a beloved of God has been born who will be both a saint and a hero." He vowed to go worship the new-born saint, and would perform a daily fast until he saw him. He made the very long journey to Patna and arrived there exhausted and weak with hunger. When he came to the Guru's house, he asked to see the child. The Guru's mother and grandmother were cautious and sent word to the Pir that he should come back in three months. He said he would sit, fast, and wait. After two days, he was still there. Finally, Mata Gujari was moved by his devotion and allowed him to come in and present his offerings. The Pir brought in his presents and bowed low to the little child. Then he did a very strange thing. He put two identical covered pots in front of the boy, and sat back and waited. The child looked into the Pir's eyes, smiled, and touched both of the pots. The Pir smiled back at him and prepared to leave. When the Sikhs and his followers asked him what he meant by this, he replied, "In one pot were sweets made by a Hindu sweetmaker, and in the other pot by a Muslim sweetmaker. By putting his hands on both pots, the Guru will give equal respect to both Hindus and Muslims, and will include both in his new religion." So saying, he blessed the child and returned home, remaining a steadfast supporter of the Guru his entire life
 

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I need a Head

The day dawned clear and bright for the Baisakhi celebration of 1699. The Sikhs were in a festive mood because Guru Gobind Rai had proclaimed that all should come together at Anandpur Sahib.

The crowds gathered in anticipation in front of the Guru's tent. They expected to hear a stirring speech. No one was prepared for the sight of the Guru when he did appear. He was dressed in his royal blue uniform with his arms girded about him; his eyes were so intense that no one dared to look at him. He drew his sword and shouted, "I need a head!" People could not believe their ears. The Guru wanted to kill one of his beloved Sikhs? Again the cry rang out, and again. Many people ran away in fear and horror. But one man, Daya Ram, rose and said, "O beloved Guru, my head has always been yours." The Guru took him into the tent and came out with a sword dripping with blood. Again he asked for a head. Dharm Das came up and said, "Take my head, O dear one." Once again, the Guru took him into his tent and emerged with a dripping sword. For the third time, he asked the question. Mokum Chand bowed before his Master. The Sikhs began to think that he was going to kill them all. Two more times the call went out, and two more devoted Sikhs, Himmat and Sahib Chand, stepped forward to fill the void. The Guru then went into the tent himself.

Suddenly, the Guru and the five appeared, as if from the dead. He had dressed them and himself in beautiful golden clothes so that they shone like the sun. To them he said, "You and I are one and the same." The Guru sat the five near him and said, "Guru Nanak had only one devoted Sikh, Angad. In my time there are five Sikhs who are totally devoted to the Guru. They shall lay the foundation for the new Sikh faith." The gathering cheered the five for their courage. The Guru then said, "From this day on the Khalsa, the Pure Ones, will be baptized by the Amrit. They shall become Singhs and Kaurs."

The Guru began stirring water in a steel bowl with his dagger while reciting the banis. When he had finished, two sparrows sipped some of the water and rose up into the air, fighting so fiercely that they killed each other. The Guru's wife, Mata Sahib Devan, was hurriedly brought to the scene by some bystanders. She put some sweets into the holy water so that those who drank it would be both strong and kind. The Guru honored her by making her the Mother of the Khalsa.

The Guru gave the Amrit to the five in much the same manner as it is given today. He laid down the rehit: to wear the five K's, help the poor, be faithful to one's spouse, work by honest labor, keep a healthy body, keep long hair, give one tenth of one's earnings to the Guru, and rise early and praise God's Name. When he had given them the Amrit, he asked them to give it to him. They were amazed at this request. The Guru said, "The Khalsa is the Guru, and the Guru is the Khalsa. There is no difference between you and me. I have now seated you on the Guru's throne." They then baptized him as he had them, with the same ceremony and vows. He called the five Sikhs his "Panj Piare", or five beloved ones, and thereafter called himself Guru Gobind Singh
 

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Shri Guru Granth Sahib​

Guru Gobind Singh was weak from loss of blood and near death. When his Sikhs came to say their last farewell, they asked him who was to succeed him. He replied, "Wherever there are five Sikhs who abide by the Guru's teachings, I am there. My mental and physical strength are one with the Siri Guru Granth Sahib and the Khalsa." He then opened the Granth Sahib, and placing the five paise and coconut before it, bowed to it as his successor. Singing, 'Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa! Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh!', he circumambulated the sacred volume. To his sangat he said, "Let he who desires to behold me, behold the Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Forevermore, it is the visible body of the Guru. He who wishes to find me must search for me there."
 
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