The Leper part 3 - The Guru

[Guest guest]

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 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 glance at his face, but it proved to be too intense 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 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....

~~~

Sunlight on my face brought me back to this world. They had departed - a pain shot through me at seeing the bed empty. For a moment I wanted to run and find him, but the quietness of the trees told me they had already gone far.

Slowly I got up from the spot in which I had spent the joyful night. What a night, I thought; the trees were certainly justified in singing about Spring - he was Spring. For a brief moment I thought this was all a dream - perhaps I was still in a dream. But instantly I realized this was real - on the bed lay a small book. With excitement, I picked it up - it was the verses his companion had recited.

I quickly read the first page and turned it. My heart missed a beat - it was the sight of my hand - its sores were dry!

I carefully put the book back on the bed and with trembling hand and heart examined my body. Yes, all my sores were either dry or were drying up.

 

He had cured me!

 

He, the angel of the One, had cured me. He had come to my unclean abode and purified me. Tears welled up in me when I thought of his mercy. Me, a sinner's sinner, an unclean being had been touched by his grace. I bowed to the book, I lovingly kissed it, I pressed it against my heart.