Background

In Bathinda, there lived a Brahmin by the name of Ganga Ram. While he was working as a priest, in order to make extra money, he also got into the business of buying and selling. He bought a large stock of Baajra (a kind of grain like wheat, corn) and started travelling towards Majha (Amritsar / Lahore area of Punjab) to sell it at a higher price, thereby making a profit.

He crossed Sutlej river and inquired about selling his stock but found no takers. He travelled further West and crossed river Beas to enter Majha zone of Punjab. Upon inquiring there, he found out that his grain would sell very easily at Siri Amritsar Sahib, where under the divine guidance of Siri Guru Arjun Dev Maharaj, Kar Sewa of Siri Darbar Sahib was going on. People told him that there was no better place to do business than Siri Amritsar Sahib. Hearing such words of praise, Ganga Ram along with his carts of Bajra, started travelling towards the Guru’s city (Guru ka Chak).


Ganga Ram arrives at Siri Amritsar Sahib

When he arrived at the spiritual centre of the Sikhs, he found a suitable place for himself and unloaded his stocks there. He was amazed and very glad to see thousands of people from many different lands working selflessly for Guru Sahib. Many were working on removing dirt from the bricks while many others were handling the cement (choona) to be used with bricks. Countless were working in the Langar cooking food, arranging wood for fuel and distributing langar to Sangat there. Countless were working selflessly while countless worked for money and they were paid their wages at evening time.

He was most amazed by the selfless sewa of Gursikhs. Their faces were shining because of Naam, Gurbani and they sewa they were doing. The atmosphere of Siri Amritsar Sahib was extremely spiritual. Ganga Ram mind which was Maya-centred before totally got imbued with the divine colour of Gurmat. He thought to himself - these Gursikhs are working selflessly, day and night, and in this way are becoming prime candidates for spiritual emancipation; why should he be left behind.

He had darshan of Siri Guru jee (Siri Guru Arjun Dev jee) who was personally monitoring the Kar Sewa and he was bewitched by the beautiful and spiritual Darshan of Guru Sahib. His mind was now filled with a deep urge to just fall at Guru Sahib’s Charan-Kamal and stay there forever. He did Matha-tek to Guru Sahib from far and came back to his place of residence.

Shortage of flour at Langar and Ganga Ram Offers his Stock

It so happened that, one day, enough grain and other food did not arrive at Guru ka Langar and for this reason the Langar went Mastana (was not cooked). Thousands of Gursikhs missed their eating time but they continued with the sewa they were doing. When Ganga Ram noticed that Sangat was hungry and still working selflessly, he was deeply moved. He thought in his mind that there was no better work than to provide langar to the hungry Sangat.

After making up his mind to donate his stock to Langar, he went forward and spoke with the Sewadaars in-charge. He asked them where from the ingredients for langar came. The Sewadaars responded saying that the offerings were made by thousands of Sikhs and langar too is served from morning to evening, to thousands of Gurskhs and Sewadaars.

At this point, Ganga Ram informed them that he had brought his stock to sell and make profit but now after viewing how thousands of Sangat was working selflessly, he has made up his mind to donate his stock to Sangat.


Sewadars seek Guru Sahib's Permission and Ganga Ram's stock is taken on credit

The Sewadars asked him to wait so that they may seek permission from Guru Sahib. They approached Guru Sahib and told Guru Sahib about a Brahmin who brought his stock here for selling but now was wishing to donate it to Guru ka Langar. Siri Guru jee replied by instructing the Sewadaars to take as much stock as was needed and to let the Brahmin know that he would be paid after the Vaisaakhi Mela.

The Sewadaars came back and took as much stock as was needed and informed him that he would be paid at Vasaakhi time.

It so happened that in the coming days too, there was shortage of offerings of food for Langar and the Sewadaars slowly bought all the stock that Ganga Ram had brought with him.

There were only few weeks left for Vasaakhi and Ganga Ram just stayed at Siri Amritsar Sahib. He started doing sewa and attending the Sangat Diwans in the morning and evening. His mind was purified as a result of doing Sangat. He started losing the worldly attachments of money, family etc. and his mind got increasingly tilted towards listening to Gurbani.

Vasaakhi Mela and Ganga Ram gets called by Guru Sahib

Soon Vasaakhi came and countless Sangat came from all parts of the world to have Darshan of Guru Sahib. Seeing the love and devotion of Sikhs for Guru Sahib, Ganga Ram was Nihaal (blessed). He too started hoping for salvation from Guru Sahib. He hoped to receive Sikhi from Guru Sahib. After the Vasaakhi mela was over, Siri Guru jee asked his Sewadaars to call Ganga Ram, so that his debt could be paid off. Ganga Ram came to the Darbar of Guru Sahib and fell at Guru Sahib lotus-feet.

Siri Guru jee addressed the Bipr (Brahmin Ganga Ram) very lovingly, “Dijj Joo, (O Brahmin), accept the price for the stock you offered and accept the value higher than the original because firstly you gave us this stock on credit and secondly at the time when we needed it.”

Hearing Guru Sahib sweet words, Ganga Ram strongly but very humble said, “O Prabhu jee, I will not take any money for that stock. I did sewa of that stock with the hope that you will fulfill my spiritual hopes by setting me free (from birth and death). I don’t want to go back to my home. I want to stay here in your sangat and attain salvation. What is better than staying with your sangat, where one can attain salvation? I will never leave your doorstep, O Prabhu jee!”

Hearing the reply of Ganga Ram, Siri Guru jee was pleased but said, “Accept all the money now and go to your home. We don’t accept offerings of Brahmins. Only the offerings of humble Sikhs are accepted here. There is no shortage of any kind in Gurughar. Once you accept the money and drop it off at your home, come back here and you will receive Sikhi (Naam). Then you can do as much sewa as you want.”

Ganga Ram’s mind had been purified doing Sangat all these days. His eyes filled with tears of love and devotion. He begged before Guru Sahib to accept his offerings and give him Naam, so that he may attain salvation.

Guru Sahib was very pleased with his reply. Guru Sahib immediately had his Charan Kamal washed, and there and then gave him Pahul and accepted him as his Sikh.

Now Ganga Ram started doing sewa day and night. He attended the Sat Sangat in the morning and evening. At Amritvela he did chanting of Naam with full concentration. Sooner than later, he developed great spiritual powers. He became an accomplished Sikh. Siri Guru jee called him one day and instructed him to go to his hometown and do Parchaar of Sikhi there. This way Bhai Ganga Ram became and accomplished Gursikh of Guru Sahib, through his sacrifice, love, devotion, Naam Abhyaas and faith.

Later on, with the Ardaas of Bhai Ganga Ram, the great saint of Malwa - Bhai Mool Chand was born.

Daas,
Kulbir Singh