65.
Sakhi Bhagat Naamdev ji at the Temple
Once
a king in India went to Guru Nanak Dev Ji and asked: "O Guru! As you told
us, God Himself supports His true worshiper, but God has so many apostles,
why does He support Himself ? Why does He not send His apostles to help the
worshiper?" As he said this, his own son who was playing on the bank of a
river nearby slipped in the river. The king did not wait for a second and
jumped in the river as well to save his child. After saving his child he
returned to the Guru.
The
Guru asked : " My dear friend, you were sitting here with me a minute ago
and why did you jump in the river ? The king explained that his son had
slipped into the river and he went to save him. Then the Guru asked : "Dear
friend, you have so many servants , why did you jump in the river yourself ?
Why did not you send your servants to save him?" The king said : "By the
time I would have asked my servants, he would have drowned. I love my child
very much and do not want to lose him at any cost. " Then Guru said: "My
dear friend, God loves His worshipers the same way as you love your son.
That is why He Himself saves His true worshiper. "
Such
a worshipper was Naamdev. For all of his life, Naamdev had worshipped God
and had faith in Him for each and every moment. He did not worship anyone
else but the one immortal God. He says :
"O my
tongue, other occupations are false. The
stateof Nirvaanaa comes only through the Lord's Name. ||2|| The
performance of countless millions of other devotions is not even equal to
one
devotion to the Name of God"
Shri Guru Granth Sahib ji, Ang.1163
The materialistic things would
not deter Naamdev jis spiritual path to meet God. Once while sewing, he
wrote:
"My needle is of gold and my thread
is very expensive but my mind is attached to God. Shri
Guru Granth Sahib ji, Ang. 485
He
cared neither for gold nor silver; he was in love with God. Even though as a
result of his true worship he had become a highly spiritual person, he was
still completely devoid of pride (or ego). Naamdev knew that God does care
for the person who recites His name and remembers Him all the time.
Once
Naamdev went to Avandanagnath Temple situated in the state of Maharashtra,
India. The Hindu priests of that temple believed in the caste system. After
reaching the temple, Naamdev sat and started worshipping God but the Hindu
priests grabbed his arm and drove him out of the temple. The priests said
that Naamdev could not visit the temple because he was of a low class.
Naamdev was deeply hurt so he went to the back of the temple and started
worshipping God. In his prayer he said:
"Joyfully, I came to Your Temple, O Lord.
While Naamdev was worshipping, he was driven out.
I am of a low social class, O Lord;
why was I born into a family of fabric dyers ?
I picked up my blanket and went back, to sit behind the temple"
Shri Guru Granth Sahib ji, Ang. 1164
Naamdev also said:
"O
Lord, please do not forget me because if You forget me then where should I go. There is nowhere else to go and
no one else to believe in except You'.
He further prayed:
"Please do not forget me, do not forget me, please
do not forget me, O Lord. The
temple priests have doubts about this, and
everyone is furious with me. Calling me low-caste and
untouchable, they beat me and drove me out; what
should I do now, O Beloved Father Lord ? If You
give me salvation after I am dead, no one
will know that I attained salvation. These
Priests, these religious scholars, call me low-born; when
they say this, they tarnish Your honour as well. You
are called kind and compassionate; the
power of Your Arm is absolutely unrivalled" Shri
Guru Granth Sahib ji, Ang. 1292). "As
Naamdev uttered the Glorious Praises of the Lord, the
temple turned around to face the Lord's humble devotee"
Shri Guru Granth Sahib ji, Ang. 1164
"The Lord turned the temple around
to face Naamdev and its back to the Priests"
Shri Guru Granth Sahib ji, Ang. 1292
That temple is still rotated.
This is the symbol of the true love of God towards His true worshiper.