A rich contractor named Subhaga came from the west of the Punjab with an offering of five horses. The Guru selected the best among them for his own use. He gave the second to his son Gurditta, the third to Bhai Bidhi Chand, the fourth he sent to Painda Khan, and the fifth he kept in his stable to be subsequently disposed of as might be deemed expedient or necessary.
One day as the Guru sat in the midst of his Sikhs he said, "According to the rules of our religion the repetition of the Gurus' hymns with due understanding and with a pure heart is God's real worship." The Sikhs represented that they all read the Gurus' hymns daily. The Guru replied, "He who can repeat Japji and understand the divine knowledge contained therein, shall have his desires fulfilled, and obtain deliverance hereafter."
A Sikh named Gopal undertook the task. The Guru having caused his feet to be bathed, seated him on a lofty throne in front of him. Gopal then began to repeat the Japji. When he had nearly finished, the Guru began to consider what present he should make him. The wealth of the world would be insignificant for a man of perfect piety. The Guru seriously intended to offer him the Guruship, and sent for five paise and a coconut to perform the ceremony for his appointment.
When Gopal came to the line, "God dwelleth in Sach Khand," in the thirty-seventh pauri of the great Sikh morning religious service, the Guru moved his feet to stand up and do obeisance to the reader as Guru. At that moment, Gopal's thoughts turned away from God, and he said to himself, "Will the Guru reward me with his spare horse, or not?"
The Guru read his thoughts, disclosed them to him, and informed him that but for his mental wanderings, he should receive the Guruship. The Guru gave the fifth horse as his reward, but he lost the Guruship, which would be superior to the wealth of the world. So difficult is it to pray with attention.
from: Max Arthur Macauliffe, The Sikh Religion, Volume IV, pages 119-120
One day as the Guru sat in the midst of his Sikhs he said, "According to the rules of our religion the repetition of the Gurus' hymns with due understanding and with a pure heart is God's real worship." The Sikhs represented that they all read the Gurus' hymns daily. The Guru replied, "He who can repeat Japji and understand the divine knowledge contained therein, shall have his desires fulfilled, and obtain deliverance hereafter."
A Sikh named Gopal undertook the task. The Guru having caused his feet to be bathed, seated him on a lofty throne in front of him. Gopal then began to repeat the Japji. When he had nearly finished, the Guru began to consider what present he should make him. The wealth of the world would be insignificant for a man of perfect piety. The Guru seriously intended to offer him the Guruship, and sent for five paise and a coconut to perform the ceremony for his appointment.
When Gopal came to the line, "God dwelleth in Sach Khand," in the thirty-seventh pauri of the great Sikh morning religious service, the Guru moved his feet to stand up and do obeisance to the reader as Guru. At that moment, Gopal's thoughts turned away from God, and he said to himself, "Will the Guru reward me with his spare horse, or not?"
The Guru read his thoughts, disclosed them to him, and informed him that but for his mental wanderings, he should receive the Guruship. The Guru gave the fifth horse as his reward, but he lost the Guruship, which would be superior to the wealth of the world. So difficult is it to pray with attention.
from: Max Arthur Macauliffe, The Sikh Religion, Volume IV, pages 119-120