Submitted by SHABDA - Preceptor on
Sheikh Brahm, generally known as Sheikh Farid, had reached the age of ninety. After a long period of hard penance and prayer he still felt a vacantness in his heart. The occult powers, the adoration of the world, and constrained control of the desires had come to him; but the spontaneous flow of peace and at-one-ment, the perennial source of heavenly joy, both in period of suffering and pleasure, was lacking. For nights and days he longingly prayed for this blessing to come. Guru Nanak at this time had come to Talwandi to meet Rai Bular. There the heart strung longing of Sheikh Farid reached him. With Bala and Mardana he came to Pakpattan and sat in a jungle nine miles from the town. He told Mardana to play on the Rebab and he himself sang a Divine song.
Thou art thyself, the tablet, the pen and the written word upon it Sayeth Nanak it is Thou and Thou alone and none else.
This attracted a disciple of Sheikh Farid, who had come there to fetch firewood for the langar (free kitchen). He fell at Guru Nanaks feet, and requested him to repeat what he had sung. Guru Nanak did so, and the disciple learnt the couplet by heart. With the load of wood on his head, and the couplet ringing in his brain, the disciple hastened to Pakpattan, threw down the load of wood in the langar, and went straight to Sheikh Farid and said, My master! Today I have seen a Faquir, not a Faquir but God himself!
Hast thou merely seen him or brought some valuable asset from him, spoke out the Sheikh.
Yes, said the disciple, I have brought a divine jewel. Thou art thyself, the tablet, the pen and the written word upon it Sayeth it is Thou and Thou alone and none else.
The electric spark of the sacred words touched the heart of Sheikh Farid. He ordered his disciples to take him in a palanquin to where Guru Nanak was. As soon as Guru Nanak came within his sight, Sheikh Farid got out of the palanquin, and walked slowly towards Guru Nanak. With great reverence he bowed down to touch the feet of the Satguru, but Guru stood up and held up his hands within his own. Then wit great love, they kissed each others hands, and sat down. After a few minutes of silent communion of souls, Sheikh Farid asked, Tell me O God-sent messenger of the Almighty, the way to an unbreakable Divine union.
O Sheikh, said the Baba, Ours is to be like a true wife, whose husband has gone on a merchandise tour in distant lands. The wife ever remembers him and keeps faithful to him, in thought, word and action. The husband, when he returns, is overjoyed at her faithful remembrance and love. He puts his hand on her head and says, Thou art mine and I am thine. So we should, O Sheikh, lose ourselves wholly in the Divine Being; forsake all attachment to the flesh, and think of none but Him, both within and without. With constant humility, prayer, Divine Meditation, considering the service of our fellowmen as the service of Him, and the company of the illumined, the spark of Divine light springs up in the human heart and the mind gets illumined, seeing none else but God both within and without. We have to serve and meditate and yet feel that service and meditation is His.
