Special on the occasion of Shri Guru Nanak Jayanti on 27 November 2023, Monday
On his journey of preaching the message of ‘Satnam’ and ‘Satmarg’, Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji reached Jagannath Puri along with his disciples Bala and Mardana. When they were entering the temple, the priests stopped them from doing so. Seeing this, Guruji told Bala, “Let us sit outside. Jagannath Ji will himself call us.” The three of them sat on a platform just outside the temple premises.
As per their daily routine, the priests were offering food to Jagannath Ji, but that day it was not getting accepted. The priests got worried. With folded hands, they said, “Oh Thakur Ji! What mistake have we committed that you are not accepting our offerings?” Jagannath Ji himself replied by means of a loud voice from the sky, “You have disobeyed me by not allowing my beloved Nanak Nirankari to enter the temple premises. Bring him in; only then I will accept your offerings.”
Hearing these words of Jagannath Ji, the priests came to Shri Guru Nanak Dev, and draped a cloth around Guruji’s neck as a mark of respect. They fell in Guruji’s feet, chanting “Traahimaam Traahimaam” (Protect us). They asked for forgiveness for their behaviour, and requested him to come inside the temple. Guruji said, “You did not let me in, now I have placed Thakur Ji in my heart itself.” The priests and other respectable members of the society kept on pleading for apology. Kind hearted Guruji forgave them and stepped inside the temple. He placed his hands on the food and said, “Don’t place any restrictions on the entry of my disciples here.”
After the food was offered to Thakur Ji and it was accepted, it was the time for the ceremony of Aarti. All the devotees stood up for the same, but Guruji kept sitting there. The priests enquired, “Oh Gurudev! Why did you not stand at the time of Aarti?” Guruji said, “I praise the Almighty and perform his Aarti from the bottom of my heart, but many of you do that only for the sake of showing off your devotion.” In reply, the priests said, “Oh Gurudev! Whether you do Aarti or not, God is always pleased with you. You must be doing the correct thing.” One of them asked Guruji, “What is the Aarti that you perform?” On hearing this, Guru Nanak Dev ji uttered the Aarti of God:
“Dhanasari Mahala 1 Aarti (Anga 663) Satigur Prasad.
Gagan Mai Thaalu Ravi Chandu Deepak Bane Taarika Mandal Janak Moti ….
… . Sabh Mahi Jyoti Jyoti Hai Soi. Tis Kai Chaanani Sabh Mahi Chaananu Hoi. Gur Saakhi Jyoti Pargat Hoi. Jo Tis Bhaavai Su Aarti Hoi …..”
Guru Nanak Devji uttered this holy aarti of God and said that one should recite the Aarti straight from his heart. A person, who overcomes his thoughts and chants it, shall attain salvation. Hearing this, everyone started bowing in front of Guruji and said, “You are a great man! What you say is absolutely true. Kindly bless us all because our mind does not remain stable even for a moment.”
After blessing everyone there, Guru Nanak Dev Ji went on to stay at the banks of the sea. Some residents there said that the water there was very salty, and not fit for their consumption. After listening to their request, Guruji asked them to dig a lake (Baavli) there. When the digging work was completed, sweet water came out as a result of the blessings of Guruji. The people were glad on seeing this and became followers of Guruji. In Jagannath Puri, the water in this lake is sweet even today. This place is named ‘Baavli Sahib’. Even today, the devotees fulfil their wishes by consuming the holy water of ‘Baavli sahib’.
Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji spent his life showing the path of knowledge and truth to his devotees, and connecting them with the name of God. Such a great soul was born on Kartik Purnima Samvat 1526, whose equivalent English date this year is 27th November 2023, Monday. Salutes to him on his 554th birth anniversary!