Leper 3 - Guru

He was wearing a white robe, wooden slippers and a white turban. Although his robe was faded and old, he looked like a king. Although his beard was white, his face was overflowing with youthfulness. Although his eyes were half-closed and hidden in the dark, a thousand suns could not match their brilliance; a thousand moons could not match their serenity.

Instinctively I sank to my knees and bowed. Without a word he and his companion both entered my hut and sat on the bed. I was quite dumb-folded and tongue-tied. I just kept staring at his feet. At times, I would quickly glance at his face, but it proved to be too intense an experience for me and I would quickly avert my glance back to his feet. I wanted to say words of welcome, I wanted to thank him for being there, I wanted to ask for forgiveness for my sinful being, but my throat would not, could not form words.

With his signal, his companion opened up the instrument and started playing it. Ah, the wonderful music captivated me.

Then ... he sang.

The song entered me ... nay, flooded and imprisoned me. I drank his song and lost my thirst. His song opened the dam of tears in me and I wept.

With one note of his song, I was drenched in bliss. With one note of his song, my thoughts ceased. With one note of his song, I separated from the pained and diseased body.

He sang about light. He sang about darkness that enveloped me. He sang about the world within. He sang about sorrow-less and death-less truth. He sang about merging with truth. He sang about the wonderful SatNaam. He sang about the blissful utterer of SatNaam. He sang about One, One, One, One, One, One, One, One...

After hearing these songs, I heard songs of utmost stillness.

Without a word, his companion filled a bowl he was carrying with water from my water pitcher and started reciting verses. Whereas the songs were wrapped in love and longing, the verses were wrapped in wisdom and One's greatness. I listened. I felt wise and clean. For the first time in my life I felt completely pure and spotless. At that time everything was pure; my clothes, my hut, and the forest around us. Blessed was my bed, which was serving them - the angels of One. How fortunate was his companion - throughout the songs and recitation the companion gazed at his face with intent of a child looking at his mother.

The companion finished the verses and motioned me to drink the water. To my surprise, it was sweet. I gulped it down - never had I tasted such contentment. I felt intoxicated. I felt I belonged to him, and he to me. I felt his love, his grace, I felt him in me.

He leaned towards me, and in my ear whispered “Sat Naam Wahe Guru”.

A thousand bright suns dawned in me,
A thousand blissful winds blew in me,
A thousand colorful flowers bloomed in me,
A thousand joyful fountains sprang up in me,
A thousand celestial chords played within me,
A thousand angels sang to me.

All the suns, winds, flowers, fountains, in chorus with the angels sang

waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru…

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