Mardana: A Devoted Follower of Guru Nanak Dev Ji
A child like no other, a child devoted to the creator Lord, how can this child fit into the ways of the world, how can he succeed? In this show called the the world? His parents despaired, he was a bit of an oddball a misfit. So his attempts met with failure, his parents scolded him " called him marjaneea' 'mar' means death 'jan' means go or live with death. He was scolded so often he started to be called 'Marjaneea' then eventually Mardana, that name stuck and he is known as a devoted follower of Guru Nanak Dev JI.
He was the one who in this life gave up his own life, he did not follow the ways of the world. He gave up his own life to follow the light the light of Guru Nanak. He had died to the world, his parents wish came true. In this time many celebrate Vasakhi , the time when the Panch Pairya gave up their lives to devote themselves to the true Guru. They had died to the world this cruel world and gave themselves to become Gurumukhs.
Total surrender is hard. What do we give up? We give up our attachments, our own desires and our self-interest and joyfully live to support and serve others. We deeply understand the cycle of life, the endless true cycle of creation, birth, life, death and rebirth. The existence of life does not change with birth or death . . . it only alters the costume of existence. Birth enters an ocean of life . . . the water exists as a river before it’s born into the ocean. The water still exists even as it’s evaporated into the clouds of death. Everything exists before it becomes what it becomes, for existence has no beginning, and life has no end. It’s a circular pattern that’s never broken -- the river never stops running.
There are laws of nature we all must abide by. These laws exist everywhere. This is what we call universal Truth: Satya. Take the time to see these natural laws. Just pay attention.
Every year the trees in my garden blossom in the spring, every year the flowers grow. They follow the laws of nature, these are powerful forces that govern our lives and determine how we live. The path of the Sikhi follows the same laws of nature, and when you die you are reborn just like everything in nature.
The Guru refers to this over and over. Here are just a few tuks from Gurbani:
“In front of me, I see the jungle burning; behind me, I see new green plants sprouting. Everything that is born shall merge back into the One.” Ang 20 - Guru Nanak Dev Ji
“I was separated and cut off from the Lord for so many lifetimes; by the Grace of the Holy Saint, the dried-up branches have blossomed forth again in their greenery. I have obtained this sublime understanding, and I meditate on the Naam.” Ang 102 – Guru Arjan Dev Ji
The dried branches are made green again in an instant. His Ambrosial Glance irrigates and revives them.” Ang 191 – Guru Arjan Dev Ji
The dry wood blossoms forth in greenery and red flowers; in the high desert, the beautiful lotus flower blooms. Ang 898 – Guru Arjan Dev Ji
Let me illustrate this by examples of photographs of nature I have taken:
Out of a dead log comes out the creation of beautiful colours and shapes. The colours and canvass of life that creates and creates even when there is nothing left, it continues to create.
Spores coming out of dead logs, have amazing shapes and colours, nature is eager to recreate life that existed within the tree. The shapes and colours of the spores are beautiful.
This painting I did because I was inspired by beautiful poppies while on abroad with my sisters. I was really taken back by the field of poppies. Poppies are symbolic in remembrance of all those who gave up their lives for the greater good. Out of nothing comes nothing but beauty. That is the law of nature and all creation.
Please forgive me for any misunderstanding.
Gurmit Kaur author of The Guide to Marriage
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