88.
Sakhi Guru Har Rai jis compassion
Fareed,
answer evil with goodness; do not fill your mind with anger. Your
body shall not suffer from any disease, and
you shall obtain everything. ||78||
Shri Guru Granth sahib ji, Ang. 1381
Guru
Har Rai was a saint soldier like Guru Hargobind Sahib ji. Guruji would miss
no opportunity to inculcate in his disciples the noble sentiments of
humility, compassion and selfless service. G uru Har Rai ji set up hospitals
for relieving the distress of the sick. Medicines were given free to those
who came for treatment.
Once,
when Emperor Shah Jehan's eldest son, Dara Shikoh became dangerously ill,
the Emperor searched everywhere for the ingredients (for the medicine
prescribed by the royal physician) but they could not be found. It was then
that his Prime Minister, who had heard of the Guru Har Rai ji's fame,
informed that they were available from the Gurus' store house.
Although
the Emperor was hostile to the Guru, yet as the Guru's house was a mine of
sympathy and compassion for all, there was no doubt that he would grant the
articles required. The Emperor thus humbled himself before the Guru and sent
a letter. The Guru on receiving the letter consented to give the required
medicines. When asked by some Sikhs about why Guruji was helping the son of
Shah Jahan who had quarreled with his grandfather and father ( Guru Arjan
Dev ji and Guru Hargobind Sahib ji).
Guru
ji is believed to have said "with one hand man breaks flowers and with one
hand offers them, but the flowers perfume both hands alike. The axe cuts the
sandal tree, yet the sandal perfumes the axe ." The Guru ought, therefore,
to return good for evil. The medicine was administered and effected a speedy
and complete cure.
One
who has a basket of fragrant virtues, should enjoy its fragrance. If my
friends have virtues, I will share in them. Let us
form a partnership, and share our virtues; let us
abandon our faults, and walk on the Path. Let us
wear our virtues like silk clothes; let us
decorate ourselves, and enter the arena. Let us
speak of goodness, wherever we go and sit; let us
skim off the Ambrosial Nectar, and drink it in. One who has a basket of fragrant
virtues, should enjoy its fragrance. ||3||
Shri Guru
Granth sahib ji, Ang. 765