Old Sharing

When Guru Gobind Singh Ji was a little boy, his Mother adorned his hand with a golden bangle. He used to play at the beaches in Patna, a city in India. He resided in Patna Sahib Gurudwara. 

One day, he felt like playing mischief. He took out the golden bangle and threw it into the sea. He returned home and showed his barren hands to his parents. His mother asked him the reason behind the mischief. He shook his shoulders and said that he wished to do so. His mother became silent, but his maternal uncle asked him strongly. The little Gobind grabbed his mother’s bangle and took his uncle to the beach. He threw another bangle into the sea and showed his uncle his method to do the same. His uncle felt helpless. He tried to persuade him not to repeat the mischief. His mother even explained him. But, he was adamant and said that he could not keep an asset that owned ‘old’ in the name. The family felt hopeless. 

The boy grew up and realized the Self. He gave teachings about charity. His famous quote says, “Naam Japa, Keerat Kar, Vaandke Chakh.” This means that we should repeat the name of the Lord, work hard, share the earning, and then taste the food.

A man listened to the words and began practicing charity. He grew old.

One day, he gathered all his grandchildren and took them to a temple. In the temple, a saint was chanting the name, lost in the divine ecstasy. A fan was rotating over his head. But he didn’t bother about it. Several people crowded near him to feel the bliss in the divine aura. Even the old man sat in the crowd with his grandchildren. The fan helped to maintain some ventilation in the hot weather. Suddenly, the man stood up and switched off the fan. People felt suffocative in the hot weather. The old man pointed towards the blade of the fan and showed his grandchildren his name written on the fan. He even showed the golden decorations at the main gate with his name written on them. 

He tried to impress the saint with his achievements in the field of charity. But, we should never try to expose the works of charity we do. Even the left hand should not know the task done by the right hand. Showing off achievements to others bring doom as we gather appreciation from the public and cannot move in the spiritual path. 

The little Gobind tried to explain to us the concept of detachment to materialism. He was not ill-mannered to his kins but wished to make them free from the clutches of gold, which made them far from Lord. 

There is a common parable prevalent in society. Once a young man was riding the horse, participating in his wedding ceremony. He asked his friend to lend his kurta as his kurta became spoiled. He wore the lent kurta. But, his friend could not accept the terms. In the wedding ceremony, he told everyone about the notion that he lent his kurta to his friend. After the ceremony was over, the groom took out the kurta and wore a light suit as he felt stuffy. His friend continued telling everyone that the groom wore the kurta lent by him. The groom felt hopeless and left the ceremony immediately.