| Achievements Are Achieved By The Grace Of Guru |
Saint Kabir used to live outside the village in a hut with his son Kamal. Saint Kabir had a daily routine – after bathing in the river and offering water to all the temples in the village, he would sit for prayers in the afternoon and return home late in the evening. He followed this routine religiously. One night, suddenly, the young son of the landlord of a nearby village passed away. There was mourning throughout the night.
Finally, someone suggested taking the body to the Baba who lived outside the village; maybe he could do something. Everyone agreed. They carried the body to the hut. But the Baba was nowhere to be found. What to do now? Then something miraculous happened. They asked when the Baba would return. Kamal explained that Baba usually returned late after visiting all the temples. What’s your problem? People informed him about the boy’s death. Kamal thought that if the boy had been ill, it would have been different, but he’s already dead. What to do now? Still, he thought, let’s try something; maybe it works.
Kamal picked up a pot. He circled the body three times. Then, he dipped his hand into the Ganges water three times and chanted the name of Ram thrice. Suddenly, the boy got up. People couldn’t contain their joy. Meanwhile, someone informed Kabir Ji that the landlord and others from the village had gone to his hut. Kabir Ji hurried there. On his way, people greeted him with dancing and jubilation. Kabir Ji couldn’t understand what was happening. When he arrived and asked Kamal what had happened, Kamal started explaining something else. He said, “Guru Ji, you have been saying for a long time that you want to go on a pilgrimage. So now you go, and I will take care of everything here.”
Kabir Ji asked, “What will you take care of?” Kamal replied, “Just reviving the dead and healing the sick, etc. I will handle everything. You go on your pilgrimage as you wish.” Kabir Ji thought to himself, “The disciple has achieved Siddhi, but along with Siddhi, pride has also arisen in him. First, I need to cure this before going on the pilgrimage because when pride arises in a seeker, the sadhana (spiritual practice) ends.”
Kabir Ji said, “Okay, I agree. Let’s organize a hymn on the upcoming full moon night, and then I will leave for the pilgrimage. Meanwhile, you go and invite some nearby saints with this letter, inviting them to join the hymn.” Kabir Ji wrote in the letter, “Kamal has become miraculous; Kabir is drowning in disgrace.” Kamal took the letter and went to a saint in the nearby village. He handed over the letter, and the saint understood its message. They gauged Kamal’s mind and asked him how the hymn was organized suddenly.
With pride, Kamal narrated the tale. The saint understood. He asked Kamal, “What else can you do?” Kamal said, “I can revive the dead and heal the sick, etc.” The saint said, “Stop here today and show some miracles here in the evening. Spread the news in the village.” In a short time, a line of two-three hundred people formed. They were all suffering from various illnesses. The saint instructed Kamal, “Heal all these illnesses.”
Kamal was shocked to see so many people. How could he heal them all? This was beyond his capabilities. The saint said, “No problem. Since they have come, it’s not good to send them back disappointed. You sit here.” The saint took water in his pot, chanted the name of Ram once, and sprinkled it on the people. They all got better. Then, he sprinkled water and chanted the name of Ram again, and they all got cured. Just by chanting “Ra” once, they all got better and left.
The saint said, “It’s good, Kamal. We’ll come for the hymn. There’s a saint named Surdas in the nearby village. Go and invite him, and then we’ll all go together for the hymn.” Kamal went to call Surdas. He kept wondering how it happened that just by saying ‘Ram’ once, so many sick people got cured. I did three circumambulations, sprinkled Ganges water thrice, chanted Ram’s name thrice, and then it worked.
Thinking like this, he reached Surdas Ji’s hut. Surdas Ji asked why he had come. Kamal kept listening while Surdas said, “Hurry up and go. Someone is drowning in the river behind the bamboo grove. Quickly save him.” Kamal ran there. He saw a boy floating in the river. Kamal jumped into the water, pulled out the boy, and carried him on his back towards the hut. While walking, he thought, “Surdas Ji is blind. How did he see a boy floating in the river? His mind went blank. When he put the boy on the ground, he realized the boy was already dead.
Surdas Ji sprinkled water and said, “Ra.” By the time he said ‘Ra,’ the boy got up. Now, Kamal was amazed. He thought, “They didn’t even chant the complete ‘Ram,’ and the boy came back to life.” Then, he read the letter himself and understood everything. When he returned and told Kabir Ji, “Guru Ji, there are countless enlightened beings in the world. I am nothing before them. You stay here; I need to go and learn many things by wandering.”
The moral of the story is that through the grace of the Guru, accomplishments are achieved. When one is blessed by the Guru, it’s as if God is standing right beside you. The Guru remains the Guru. They can read all the feelings of the disciple’s mind and, by becoming guides, save them from downfall.