The Guru loves and guides all disciples equally. But all disciples are not equally receptive. Only those disciples who have great love, loyalty and obedience towards the Guru are receptive to the Grace of the Guru. Just studying scriptures and doing prayers does not make a good disciple. Absolute faith and discipline defines the worthiness of a disciple.
In the lineage of Guru Nanak- the Sikh Guru- was Guru Ram Dass. He was the fourth Sikh Guru. He had many disciples who could be considered as good and worthy. All the disciples went about doing their daily work and attending the discourses of the Guru. His youngest son Arjan Dev was also a disciple. Guru Ram Dass had given him the task of working in the kitchen and cleaning the utensils. Arjan Dev performed his Guru Seva with utmost dedication. He never questioned why he was asked to do this lowly task. The kitchen of the Guru was always open and anyone who came in at any time was given a hot meal. Arjan Dev was always busy scrubbing vessels.
In the lineage of Guru Nanak- the Sikh Guru- was Guru Ram Dass. He was the fourth Sikh Guru. He had many disciples who could be considered as good and worthy. All the disciples went about doing their daily work and attending the discourses of the Guru. His youngest son Arjan Dev was also a disciple. Guru Ram Dass had given him the task of working in the kitchen and cleaning the utensils. Arjan Dev performed his Guru Seva with utmost dedication. He never questioned why he was asked to do this lowly task. The kitchen of the Guru was always open and anyone who came in at any time was given a hot meal. Arjan Dev was always busy scrubbing vessels.
The other disciples thought lowly of Arjan Dev. They teased him. They said: Arjan, stop scrubbing vessels and come and attend the discourses. You cannot please the Guru with your current behaviour. Come and do other Guru Seva. Then you can please the Guru! Arjan Dev replied: My duty is to obey the Guru. I do not aim to please him by doing other things.
The other disciples gave up on Arjan Dev and left him alone. The Guru had great Love for Arjan Dev due to his love, loyalty and obedience. Time passed by. The Guru and other disciples were busy in discourses, religious congregations and other work. Then there was need to send a disciple to Lahore for doing the Guru’s work. The other disciples urged the Guru to send Arjan Dev. They wanted Arjan Dev out of the way and each one wished to be the next successor of the Guru. Arjan Dev quietly accepted the Guru’s dictum and went to Lahore. He missed his Guru very much and wrote two letters to the Guru. The others in the Ashram hid the letters. When the third letter came in the Guru saw it. He understood that Arjan Dev had written to him before and that others plotted to have him removed. Seeing Arjan Dev’s love and loyalty he had him recalled from Lahore and declared him as his successor.
The utter loyalty and obedience which Arjan Dev had for his Guru made the Guru choose him as his successor over many others who were physically closer to the Guru and perhaps more well versed in scriptures. Guru Arjan Dev became a great Guru. He was the embodiment of Godly devotion, Selfless Service and Universal Love. He contributed to the welfare of society .He was responsible for the construction of the Golden Temple in Amritsar. He collated and compiled the teachings of the previous Gurus and called it the Gurubani. He installed the Gurubani in the Golden Temple. He stood steadfast for the principles he believed in and in the end he sacrificed his life and attained a unique martyrdom in this history of mankind.
When the kitchen help received the blessings of his Guru, he was transformed into one of the Greatest Gurus of the Lineage.
