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Source: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?/topic/52263-why-should-we-recite-sri-mool-mantar-sahib/

The Making Of A Brahmgyani

In Guru Ji’s darbar Bhai Surinder Singh Ji (a kirtani from Baba Bakala who was well known at one time (before the advent of tape recorders in Punjab)) narrated the following story to the sangat when he was asked about the importance of naam japna.

One time Bhai Sahib and his Jatha were travelling around Uttar Pradesh and had reached Lucknow the state’s capital. On the Prakash Diwas Gurpurab of Dhan Dhan Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj the Gurudwara’s committee had arranged a one week kirtan programme and had requested that Bhai Sahib and his Jatha partake in this mahaan seva. In this way Bhai Sahib and his Jatha sang the praises of Akaal Purakh for one week at the Gurudwara Sahib in Lucknow.

After the ardas on the final day of the programme Bhai Sahib was approached by an elderly hindu lady called Mata Dhian Dev who had accompanied a Sikh family to the programme. Mata Ji told Bhai Sahib that she had never heard such beautiful ‘bhajans’ before and that she had been deeply moved by the love and peace of the house of Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj. With tears in her eyes she requested Bhai Sahib and the sangat to come and hold a kirtan programme at her house. Although Bhai Sahib and his jatha were meant to leave for Punjab later that night Bhai Sahib being a beloved of Dhan Guru Granth Sahib Ji acceded to her request immediately and said that they would come to her house.

The next day Bhai Sahib and the Sangat from the Gurudwara Sahib arrived at Mataji’s house. Mataji with the help of her relatives had cleared all the furniture from her house and had put white sheets everywhere in preparation for their arrival. For six hours Bhai Sahib and the Sangat sang the praises of Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj.

At the end of the kirtan as Bhai Sahib was about to leave Mata Dhian Dev quickly got up, took hold of his hand and said, “Gyaniji please give me a mantar from this path of Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj”. Bhai Sahib smiled and told Mata Dhian Dev that he could not give her such a mantar as only the Panj Pyarai could do that. Mata Dhain Dev listened to this and then said, “You have sung so many ‘bhajans’ here and at the Gurudwara Sahib please give me any mantar from one of these ‘bhajans’”. Bhai Sahib once again explained that the mantar Mata Dhian Dev was seeking could only be obtained from the Panj Pyarai. He then began to explain in detail the life of a Gursikh and the Amrit Sanchar but Mataji kept asking him to provide her with a mantar. Finally Bhai Sahib told her to repeat Guru Sahib’s mool mantar from Ikonkaar to Nanak Hosi Bhi Sach as many times as she could.

Mataji got up and went to her room and came back holding a mala in her hand. While showing Bhai Sahib her mala she told him that every day she uses it to repeat the name of Shiva and asked if she could use this mala to repeat the mantar he had given her. Bhai Sahib smiled and said yes. Mataji then asked Bhai Sahib how many times she should repeat the mantar. Bhai Sahib said that she should repeat the mool mantar as many times as she could.

A few years after this Bhai Sahib and his jatha visited Lucknow once again to peform kirtan seva. After the programme Bhai Sahib saw the same secretary who was there the last time they had visited the Gurudwara Sahib. Bhai Sahib talked to the secretary for a while and then asked him about the wellbeing of Mataji. When Bhai Sahib did this the secretary didn’t say anything for some time. After a while Bhai Sahib asked if she had passed away.

The secretary looked at Bhai Surinder Singh Ji and said, “No Gyaniji, Mataji has not passed away but has become a Brahmgyani”.

Bhai Sahib was taken aback by this and decided to go and visit Mataji’s house. When he reached her house the front door opened and he was greeted by a beautiful Khalsa decorated in Guru Ji’s dastar and bana who with folded hands loudly uttered, “Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh”.

The beautiful khalsa adorned with Guruji’s pure dastar, bana and shashtars was none other than Mata Dhian Dev who had now become Mata Dhian Kaur a beloved daughter of Dhan Dhan Dhan Dhan Dhan Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj.

Bhai Surrinder Singh Ji eyes began to well up in tears. He was soon caught in Mata Dhian Kaur Ji’s loving embrace. After taking a few moments to compose himself Bhai Surrinder Singh Ji immediately sat Mataji down who with both hands did a benti for Bhai Sahib to do Kirtan.

Bhai Surrinder Singh Ji smiled and said that of course he would do Kirtan but before that he wanted to hear how a few years ago he had left a Hindu mother only to find a beautiful Khalsa mother in her place.

Mataji nodded her head and then began to speak, “Do you remember all those years ago when I asked you to give me a mantar of Satguru Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj? You immediately told me to go and see the Panj Pyarai to be blessed with Naam. I quickly dismissed this and after much insistence you agreed to write out the Sri Mool Mantar Sahib of Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj for me.”

“The day you left I sat down and began to recite Sri Mool Mantar Sahib from Ikonkaar to Nanak Hosi Bhi Sach using my mala. I used to sit down everyday like this and became lost in this practise. Eventually minutes became hours and hours became days. I used to take my mala everywhere with me. Slowly even my mala disappeared until the only thing I could hear, see, feel or think about was Guruji’s Sri Mool Mantar Sahib.”

“Wherever I looked I began to see Satguru Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s Sri Mool Mantar Sahib. It was everywhere and within everything from the floor to the walls, trees, birds, skies and beyond.”

“One day while reciting Sri Mool Mantar Sahib I felt my conscious pulled inwards and was met by four people whose faces were covered. They were dressed in dark clothes and were carrying a throne that was held in place with two long sticks. They told me to climb on to the throne and said that they would carry me to wherever I wanted to go. I quickly got onto that throne. They took me to many places each which was more beautiful than the next and asked me if I liked any of them. I was told not only to look at each place but also to get of the throne and wander around those places. After wandering around for a while I would come back to them and say is there nothing else? Is there no land where only Guruji’s Sri Mool Manatar Sahib resounds?”

“Eventually I was taken to a place that I cannot describe. Outside of this place resided all the devis, devtas and other beings. They were all waiting outside hoping to gain entry to this place. Some were sweeping others were performing other types of seva…”

“I don’t know what happened then but the next thing I knew I was inside this very place. I found myself sat in satsang surrounding by men and women with moon-like faces that were dressed in blue and kesri and decked with sarabloh weapons. In front of all these people sat the most beautiful person I have ever seen.”

“The only way I can describe his beauty is that he was the Sri Mool Mantar Sahib itself”

“After sitting here for a while I was approached by a tall person who had a long flowing beard, was dressed in blue and carried a long stick. This person asked me what are you doing here?”

“I looked at him and said what do you mean? I have recited the Sri Mool Mantar Sahib of Satguru Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj I have every right to be here.”

“I don’t know what happened next but I found myself in front of Sri Mool Mantar Sahib Ji himself who said that I had to leave this place. I began to cry and eventually Sri Mool Mantar Sahib Ji told me that he would give me another chance and that I would have a certain time to ensure that I secure my place in his court. I dropped towards the floor and placed my head at his charankamal.”

“When I raised my head I found that my face was covered with a white sheet and that people around me were uttering, “Ram Nam Satya Hai” (the name of Rama is True). I immediately got up and began to tell people around me that I wasn’t dead but very much alive. They were all in shock.”

“I immediately ran towards the Gurudwara Sahib and asked the Granthi Singh over there to arrange an Amrit Sanchar for me. He told me that in due course one would be arranged but when I narrated my story to him with Guru Sahib’s blessings the Amrit Sanchar was arranged for that day itself.”

Only Guru Sahib and Mata Dhian Kaur knew how much time that he had given her. However how much it was she left this earthly vessel while reciting Sri Mool Mantar Sahib in the house of Satguru Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj.