Mata Ganga jee and Naulakha Necklace
Story Behind Baavan Akhree
Translated from Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee’s book – Gurmat Gauravta
Please note that this is a loose translation of Bhai Sahib jee’s original work. This humble daas does not have power or capability to translate Bhai Sahib’s work.
Daas,
Kulbir Singh
Daas,
Kulbir Singh
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Regarding wearing ornaments, there is an extremely beautiful story in our history. The mention of this story in this context (context of wearing ornaments) is extremely important here. Once Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee, who was all-knowing, naturally inspired and advised his wife – Mata Ganga – jee as follows, “Women of rich Mahajans and Khatrees come to see you everyday but you should be aware that no matter how rich or nice these women are but they are still far from Gurmat. Never adopt their non-Gurmat, Manmatt advice”.
This way after naturally advising his wife to not adopt the manmatt actions of the visiting rich women of Mahajans and Khatrees, Siri Guru jee went to Gur-darbaar (where sangat was). That day when Siri Guru jee was preaching Gurmat to sangat, a very rich Seth made an offering of “Naulakha Haar” (Naulakha Haar literally means a necklace worth 900,000 rupees). The whole city of
Amritsar Sahib was talking about this very expensive necklace. Many rich women of the city came to see the necklace and loved the sight of this necklace.
Many of these women got together and went to Mata Ganga jee and starting requesting and cajoling her to wear that expensive necklace as follows, “You are the mother of this whole world yet you are not wearing any ornament. You are the queen of this world but are without any necklace. Being wife of Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee, it does not suit you to be without ornaments. Today, someone has offered the Naulakha Haar (necklace) to Siri Guru jee and being our Guru Mata and being the wife of Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee it would be highly befitting to have you wear that necklace around your neck. We implore to you that you beg before your husband Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee to let you wear this necklace.”
What to say more, this way the group of rich non-Sikh women who came to see Mata Ganga jee, convinced her to wear the Naulakha Haar. Before Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee arrived back at his residence from the Darbar, Mata jee lay herself on her bed, pretending to be sullen (gussay). Jaani-jaan (all knowing) Satguru jee knew about the real cause of Mata jee’s sullenness and said, “Today you seem to have been affected and influenced by the Aanmat (non-Gurmat) lessons of the rich women who visited you today and I had warned you about this earlier.”
Siri Mata jee got conscious of arrival of Siri Guru jee and with folded hands and with palla (hazooriya) in her hands, pleaded before Siri Guru jee, “O True King (Sachay Paatshah), this servant of yours has never ever asked you for anything. This is the first time, I am asking for anything. I am hoping you will show your mercifulness by granting me my wish.”
Siri Guru jee knew everything but still asked her, with a sweet smile on his face, as to what her wish was. Siri Mata jee immediately said, “Today a naulakha haar was offered in your darbar. Please grant me your approval in form of letting me wear that naulakha haar (the necklace).”
Siri Guru jee hearing this plea from Mata Ganga jee laughed a lot and said, “You have confirmed that you have been influenced by your meeting with the non-Sikh rich women who met you today. O innocent one (bholeeyay) and O naïve one, you are talking about necklace worth nine hundred thousand, but even if you wear necklaces worth millions and billions of ruppees, it would still be false or waste thing to do. Today, we are going to make such necklace for you that will not only help you in this world but also in the next world.”
After these bachans (words) to Mata jee, Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee started uttering Siri Baavan Akhree and such was the positive and heavenly influence of this baani on Siri Mata jee that as she listened to this baani, this baani got carved on her inside (her heart). Such a miracle occurred at that time that as Siri Guru jee uttered this baani, this baani got carved on the beautiful heart of Mata Ganga jee and she got this baani memorized in this short time (listening to it only once). With the affect of listening to this beautiful baani, Mata Ganga jee’s heart and her inside got illuminated with this baani. This way, Mata Ganga jee wore the true Naulakha Haar of Baavan Akhree.
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Many of these women got together and went to Mata Ganga jee and starting requesting and cajoling her to wear that expensive necklace as follows, “You are the mother of this whole world yet you are not wearing any ornament. You are the queen of this world but are without any necklace. Being wife of Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee, it does not suit you to be without ornaments. Today, someone has offered the Naulakha Haar (necklace) to Siri Guru jee and being our Guru Mata and being the wife of Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee it would be highly befitting to have you wear that necklace around your neck. We implore to you that you beg before your husband Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee to let you wear this necklace.”
What to say more, this way the group of rich non-Sikh women who came to see Mata Ganga jee, convinced her to wear the Naulakha Haar. Before Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee arrived back at his residence from the Darbar, Mata jee lay herself on her bed, pretending to be sullen (gussay). Jaani-jaan (all knowing) Satguru jee knew about the real cause of Mata jee’s sullenness and said, “Today you seem to have been affected and influenced by the Aanmat (non-Gurmat) lessons of the rich women who visited you today and I had warned you about this earlier.”
Siri Mata jee got conscious of arrival of Siri Guru jee and with folded hands and with palla (hazooriya) in her hands, pleaded before Siri Guru jee, “O True King (Sachay Paatshah), this servant of yours has never ever asked you for anything. This is the first time, I am asking for anything. I am hoping you will show your mercifulness by granting me my wish.”
Siri Guru jee knew everything but still asked her, with a sweet smile on his face, as to what her wish was. Siri Mata jee immediately said, “Today a naulakha haar was offered in your darbar. Please grant me your approval in form of letting me wear that naulakha haar (the necklace).”
Siri Guru jee hearing this plea from Mata Ganga jee laughed a lot and said, “You have confirmed that you have been influenced by your meeting with the non-Sikh rich women who met you today. O innocent one (bholeeyay) and O naïve one, you are talking about necklace worth nine hundred thousand, but even if you wear necklaces worth millions and billions of ruppees, it would still be false or waste thing to do. Today, we are going to make such necklace for you that will not only help you in this world but also in the next world.”
After these bachans (words) to Mata jee, Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee started uttering Siri Baavan Akhree and such was the positive and heavenly influence of this baani on Siri Mata jee that as she listened to this baani, this baani got carved on her inside (her heart). Such a miracle occurred at that time that as Siri Guru jee uttered this baani, this baani got carved on the beautiful heart of Mata Ganga jee and she got this baani memorized in this short time (listening to it only once). With the affect of listening to this beautiful baani, Mata Ganga jee’s heart and her inside got illuminated with this baani. This way, Mata Ganga jee wore the true Naulakha Haar of Baavan Akhree.
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