a) Conversion of Pilgrims.1


(40) 1. Once, while Pir Shamsh was walking along a road, he met a procession of Hindu pilgrims three men stepped out of the crowd and bowed to him.

2. One was Sangji, a Banya by caste, the other Devram, a Brahmin, and the third Devchand, of the caste of Gola Rana. Thus they met him near the village called Gudi Vilod. 2

3. The pilgrims camped near the village, and went to the river to bathe. The two devotees of Pir Shams, Vimras and Surbhan, also went there to take their ablutions.

4. While they were bathing, some drops of water accidentally fell upon. Devram (mentioned above). He shouted : "We are Brahmins and you are Musalas (Muslims). You have committed a crime (by polluting us)".

5. He ran to the village which was inhabited only by Hindus, there were no Muslims residing there.

6. The people rushed out on hearing his walls. They said : "We shall beat you, Musalas! Why have you sprinkled water on him ?" The whole village assembled around them.

7. Then a man stepped out to speak on behalf of the crowd and asked the devotees: "Who is your superior?"

8. They replied "We have our Pir with us. We merely bathed, and a few drops of water (incidentally) fell upon the Brahmin".

9. Then all of them went before the Pir , and asked him to what caste did those his followers who sprinkled water upon the Brahmin, belong.

10.Sat Gur Pir Shams replied: "These men are my servants. Why does it anger you so much that a few drops of water fell upon him while they bathed ?"

(41) 1. The Brahmins said: "0, great saint! (We are so angry because) we cannot be purified except by bathing in the holy waters of the Ganges."

2. The Pir then stood up and walked towards the village. And lo ! the waters of the Ganges river began to flow before them from the sands!

3. All bathed in it, came out, bowed to the Pir , and sat around the place where he was sitting.

4. They began to implore the Pir to consent to becoming their lord and spiritual guide.

5. Devram (the Brahmin) came up at once, saying that he wanted to become the Pir's obedient slave. He asked the Pir to touch his head with his hand as a sign of acceptance.

6. Then also came out Sangji, the Banya, imploring:"0, lord ! Save me, I am thy slave !"

7. Then came the man of the Rana Gola caste, the one whose name was Devchand. He prostrated himself before the Pir , imploring him to accept him.

8. When all the pilgrims had bathed themselves in the waters of the Ganges, then the villagers came out, and also bathed themselves.

9. After this they went back to their village, chatting on the village square about what had happened : they had bathed in the Ganges without having incurred the heavy expense that the pilgrimage would have cost!

10. All the people bowed to the Pir imploring him to reveal the True Faith.

11. In reply the Pir pointed to his two followers, and told the people to ask them to reveal the knowledge of the True Path.

12. Sat Gur Pir Shams told the people that the two men were his devout followers, and all must trust what they preached.

(42) 1. They all assembled around the devotees, asking them to point out the Path to Salvation.

2. The two devotees (bhagat) then recited the verses of gnan. 3 All were glad to hear the mysteries of the True Path taught to them, asking the preachers to remain with them for ever.

3. Then they came together to take part in the sacred ceremony of the ghat-pat . They kept the ghat , and the kalas 4 was filled with consecrated water which was distributed to all present.

4. Vimras taught them the principles of the religion, while Surbhan preached to them (the rule of righteous life).Then the Pir Shams accepted the oath of allegiance from them.

5. The Pir ordered them to pay tithes and alms, promising them in return the bliss of Paradise.

6. Having said this, the Pir departed. All the pilgrims whose faith in their Pir was strong, then immediately had reached their Ganges.


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