ਕਲਿ ਤਾਰਣ ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਆਯਾ

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

ਸੁਣੀ ਪੁਕਾਰ ਦਾਤਾਰ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਗ ਮਾਹਿੰ ਪਠਾਯਾ॥
sunee pukaar dhaathaar prabh gur naanak jag maahi(n) pat(h)aayaa
The benefactor Lord listened to the cries (of humanity) and sent Guru Nanak to this world.

ਚਰਨ ਧੋਇ ਰਹਿਰਾਸ ਕਰ ਚਰਨਾਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਪੀਲਾਯਾ॥
charan dhhoe rehiraas kar charanaamrith skhiaa(n) peelaayaa
He washed His feet, eulogised God and got his Disciples drink the ambrosia of his feet.

ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਪੂਰਨ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕਲਿਜੁਗ ਅੰਦਰ ਇਕ ਦਿਖਾਯਾ॥
paarabreham pooran breham kalijug a(n)dhar eik dhikhaayaa
He preached in this darkage (kaliyug) that, saragun (Brahm) and nirgun (Parbrahm) are the same and identical.

ਚਾਰੈ ਪੈਰ ਧਰੰਮ ਦੇ ਚਾਰ ਵਰਨ ਇਕ ਵਰਨ ਕਰਾਯਾ॥
chaarai pair dhhara(n)m dhae chaar varan eik varan karaayaa
Dharma was now established on its four feet and all the four castes (through fraternal feeling) were converted into one caste (of humanity).

ਰਾਣਾ ਰੰਕ ਬਰਾਬਰੀ ਪੈਰੀਂ ਪਵਣਾ ਜਗ ਵਰਤਾਯਾ॥
raanaa ra(n)k baraabaree pairee(n) pavanaa jag varathaayaa
Equating the poor with the prince, he spread the etiquette of humbly touching the feet.

ਉਲਟਾ ਖੇਲ ਪਿਰੰਮ ਦਾ ਪੈਰਾਂ ਉਪਰ ਸੀਸ ਨਿਵਾਯਾ॥
oulattaa khael pira(n)m dhaa pairaa(n) oupar sees nivaayaa
Inverse is the game of the beloved; he got the egotist high heads bowed to feet.

ਕਲਿਜੁਗ ਬਾਬੇ ਤਾਰਿਆ ਸੱਤਨਾਮ ਪੜ੍ਹ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਸੁਣਾਯਾ॥
kalijug baabae thaariaa saathanaam parrh ma(n)thr sunaayaa
Baba Nanak rescued this dark age (kaliyug) and recited ‘satinam’ mantr for one and all.

ਕਲਿ ਤਾਰਣ ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਆਯਾ ॥23॥
kal thaaran gur naanak aayaa aa
Guru Nanak came to redeem the kaliyug.

May Guru Sahib do kirpa on us so that we may fulfil the reason of our visit to this world. May Guru Sahib do kirpa on us like he did on Sajjan Thug. This saakhi is just amazing. Guru Sahib changed Sajjan Thug with one shabad. Before retiring to his room Guru Sahib sang this shabad - "SAJJAN SEYEE, NAAL MAIN, CHALDIYAAN NAAL CHALLAN!"

Sajjan Thug was planning to kill Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj and take away his wealth. As he was making these evil plans, he heard the mesmerizing sound of kirtan of Guru Nanak Dev Ji. Good karma from his previous lives had awakened, and he felt that each hair on his body was standing. This Sajjan Thug who had never even thought of becoming a bhagat, was getting absorbed in the shabad of Guru Sahib. He was wondering if this was shabad or pure nectar flowing in the form of sound.

The shabad pretty much summarized the whole life of Sajjan Thug. Tears started flowing from the eyes of Sajjan Thug. He felt his sins flowing out in the form of tears. He saw all the bad deeds he had done in the past and how many he had killed. As the tears flowed from his eyes, he felt his body getting lighter and lighter as if tears were releasing the burden of sins he had in his body. Never before had he felt like this.

The last pankiti of the shabad - "NANAK, NAAM SAMAAL TU, BADHAA CHHUTEH JITT". Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj in the end clearly asked him to take up Naam if he wants to release himself from the chains of maya. He felt himself getting drawn towards the source of the shabad i.e. Guru Sahib. As he approached Guru Sahib with his half-closed eyes, he saw the face of Guru Sahib and Bhai Mardaana Ji glowing with the Majithaa Rang of Naam.

He fell to the feet of Guru Sahib, and begged for Naam. Guru Sahib had done kirpa on him and in one shabad washed all his sins. This is all that it takes. Just one glance of Guru Sahib and we will be washed of our sins. Sajjan Thug became a great Sikh and is credited to have opened the first Dharamshaal (Gurudwara) of Guru Sahib.

The lord of billions of worlds - Guru Nanak Sahib (Kot Brahmand ko thaakur) did kirpa on billions of Sajjan Thugs of all worlds. Let us do ardaas today in the charan of Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj to deliver us from the illusion of his maya and give us amrit naam the only substance capable of making us alive.

Let us recall that leper who was kicked out of his village because he had the deadly disease leprosy. He was moved out and even his wife, mother, children and friends deserted him. He had been the centre of attention of these relations and now they had all abandoned him. Why won't they? No one wanted to catch leprosy as anyone who comes near a leper catches this terrible disease. They used to throw roti once a day outside his small hut and leave. Some days they forgot to give him roti altogether.

This leper was very heart-broken and was totally feeling dejected. Then he had a wonderful dream. His good karma from previous lives had awakened. He saw the most beautiful person who had an amazing glow on his face with another beautiful person with a similar glow on his face. He heard a voice that this person is Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the king of this world and the next and is the only person capable of cutting his misery.

The next morning he felt a new energy in his body. He started calling out Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He started remembering him day and night. How could Guru Sahib hold back to the pleas of a person calling him from heart? He himself came to the door of that leper one rainy day. He came to that door where no one dared to come for fear of catching leprosy. Guru Nanak Sahib instructed Bhai Mardana Ji to bring the leper outside in the rain.

Bhai Mardana a great Sikh did not question Guru Sahib for asking him to touch a leper. He readily went inside and brought the trembling leper outside. With one graceful glance, Guru Sahib cured him of his disease. He fell at the feet of Guru Sahib and asked for Naam medicine. Guru Sahib lifted the blessed ex-leper and gave him amrit-naam. That day in one moment, the fortunate leper, was cured of all his mental, bodily and spiritual diseases. He became one with the Guru.

So great is our Guru. May Guru Sahib do kirpa on us too and give us his amrit naam.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh