Guru Ramdas Ji : A Legend of Humility

It is commonly observed that when a person receives power he becomes egoistic and usually misuses it. Guru Ramdas Ji was an exception. He became increasingly humble after attaining Guruship and such a great followership. Guru Nanak's elder son, Baba Sri Chand, had come to visit the Guru accompanied by his follower, Godaria. Guru Ramdas Ji welcomed him and gifted him a horse and Rs. 500. When they met, Sri Chand Ji questioned Guru Ramdas, "Why have you grown such a long beard ?" Guru Ji replied, "To clean the feet of a great man like you, my Lord." Baba Sri Chand was overwhelmed and remarked, "It is this humility of yours that has cost us the Divine seat. God knows what else are you yearning for ?" Guru Ji replied, "I just want the dust that falls off after kissing your feet." Baba Sri Chand Ji bowed his head to the Guru in reverence and commented, "It's now that I realise that Guru Nanak's seat is suitable only for idols of humility like you."

Guru Ramdas Ji's Great Sikhs

Bhai Bhikhari Ji, Bhai Gurdas Ji, Bhai Hundal Ji, Bhai Aadam Ji, Bhai Soman Shah, Bhai Gurmukh Ji, Bhai ManakiChand Ji, Bhai Taaru Ji, Bhai Meehan Ji were some of the great Sikhs of Guru Ramdas Ji. Bhai Bhikhari Ji had broken all records of patience in accepting the Guru's will. He had just come from his son's wedding when the sad news of his death in an accident reached him. An ordinary man would have been crippled by such a mishappening, but Bhikhari Ji did not complain. He accepted the ill fate as God's will and maintained his poise. If someone consoled him for the death, he said, "He was always God's property, I was just a temporary guardian. God needed him, so He has called him back." He took good care of all the guests who had come to attend the wedding despite the sad demise of his youthful son. Everybody was left bewildered by the magnitude of his poise, patience and faith. Another Sikh, Bhai Soman Shah, whose name has been mentioned above, was not initially a rich man as indicated by 'Shah' in his name. He barely lived hand to mouth by selling boiled grams. Guru Ramdas Ji once called him and asked, "How much have you earned today ?" He collected all the day's earnings and placed them in Guru's feet. Guru Ramdas Ji distributed the money to workers constructing the 'sarovar', the holy tank. He repeated the action for five days to test Bhai Soman. Bhai Soman's happiness only increased with each passing day when all his earnings were donated to the workers leaving nothing for him. Guru Ji was so pleased by the gesture and the grandeur of his heart that he renamed him Bhai Soman Shah (Shah is a title attached to the very rich). Later on in his life, with Guru's grace, he became a real Shah, an extremely rich person. Nevertheless he continued to serve at Guru's place for the rest of his life.