Guru Nanak Dev founded a new village and named it Kartarpur. The Guru used to do farming there. He held his daily satsang(congregation) with the people in the village to tell them about God and the goal of human life. Bhai Lehna ji, a resident of village Khadur, believed in the worship of the goddess. […]
Guru Nanak Dev founded a new village and named it Kartarpur. The Guru used to do farming there. He held his daily satsang(congregation) with the people in the village to tell them about God and the goal of human life. Bhai Lehna ji, a resident of village Khadur, believed in the worship of the goddess.
One early morning at village Sangar, Bhai Lehna went for a bath in the nearby stream, where he saw Bhai Jodha, a Sikh of Guru Nanak, singing the hymns of his Guru (Asa-ki-Vaar) after having his bath. When Bhai Lehna heard these serene and divine heart touching hymns, he was captivated and filled to the brim with ecstasy. He enquired about this spiritual composition from Bhai Jodha, who assigned this divine verse to Guru Nanak, whose present abode was at Kartarpur.
Bhai Lehna with his heart full of divine attraction immediately made up his mind to have holy glimpses of Guru Nanak while going to the Goddess’ pilgrimage with his fellow worshippers. As usual, on the way they halted for the night about 5 miles from Kartarpur. Bhai Lehna took leave of the group and proceeded towards Kartarpur for having Holy glimpses (darshan) of the Guru.
Simultaneously, Guru Nanak left his Holy seat to receive Bhai Lehna:
Charan saran Gur ek painda jaaeh chal, Satgur kot paindaa aageh hoeh layt hai
If you take one step towards the Guru, The Guru will take millions of steps to welcome you.
– Bhai Gurdas ji
On the way Bhai Lehna, riding on his horseback, came across an old man with a spiritual glowing face, from whom he inquired about the abode of Guru Nanak. The gentle old man asked Bhai Lehna to follow him. On reaching the destination, the old man told Bhai Lehna, to tie the horse on the corner and enter the holy abode (satsang). The Holy Old man, being Guru Nanak himself, entered from the other side and immediately sat on his seat, where the congregation was reciting the divine hymns.
While entering the abode, Bhai Lehna, in a state of trance, fell on the feet of Guru Nanak. Guru ji lifted his head with divine affection. As soon as Bhai Lehna glanced at the divine radiating face of Guru Nanak, he felt shocked, humiliated and tears rolled down his cheeks. Guru Nanak patted him and asked for the reason for his tears. He replied that he had committed a great sin that being a disciple; he was riding on the horseback, whereas his holy master was leading him on foot. On hearing this, Guru Ji asked his name and he replied that the humble servant was called Lehna (meaning ” the dues to be collected” in Punjabi). Guru Nanak affectionately told him with a divine smile that a person who is a ‘creditor’ (lehna) always comes to the debtor on horseback, whereas the debtor always approaches the creditor on foot.
Bhai Lehna could not understand this divine prophecy for forthcoming happenings( ie he would one day be the Guru succeeding Guru Nanak). At night, Bhai Lehna had a vision of a beautiful lady, wearing red cloths and sweeping the abode of Guru Nanak. On inquiry, she replied that she was the same Goddess, whom he used to visit every year for blessings. The reply left Bhai Lehna wonderstruck. Then the Goddess gently explained that there was no need for Bhai Lehna to feel depressed. This was the abode of Almighty Lord from where she gets every thing and distributes them to her devotees. This divine vision left deep imprint upon his mind and he thanked Almighty Lord, who had brought him on to his real abode.
Next day, after waiting for a long time, fellow pilgrims came to Bhai Lehna and asked him to lead the group for pilgrimage. He humbly brushed aside their persuasions and told them that he had found the divine abode, which he was searching for, all his life. Now, he won’t go anywhere.