(b) Conversion of pigeons and a Tiger.


(43) 1. Here the Guru spread the Light of Knowledge. Even the pigeons were longing to know the Path to the Goal, salvation of souls.

2. Pir Shams is the Light of the True Guidance. He gave them the Sacred Water to drink, and the pigeons and doves bowed to him in adoration.

3. They all stood on one leg, assembling in large numbers. The Guru blessed them, and showed them the True Path.

4. He gave them (each?) a shoulder bag (?) and taught them the mysteries of the True Religion. He told them to pay tithes and alms in order to purify themselves from their sins.

5. The Guru said : "Nine tenths of the food that you receive belong to you, and the tenth must be set aside as my share".

6. Some of them humbly took up the shoulder bag upon their shoulders asking to whom the earnings should be delivered when collected?

7. Giving them instructions in the presence of Vimras and Surbhan, the Guru went further, proceeding by a desert road.

8. He came to Malva. Here there were many tigers. One of these came out and stood on the road, demanding some meat.

9. Sat Gur Shams then said : "Thou art the king of the jungle. Return to thy jungle abode and permit us to proceed further".

10. A cow came up, and stood by the Pir . The tiger insolently replied, saying that he would like to devour the cow before walking away.

11 "Thou wilt not touch the cow," replied the Sat Gur . "As long as she stands near me she is under my protection, and thou wilt not eat her."

12. The devotees (bhagat) then began to preach to the tiger. The beast listened to this with attention. Then it accepted the True Religion, and abandoned its intention of eating the cow.

13. The tiger paid tithes by leaving a certain portion of the jungle free to other animals, itself never entering it and committing no mischief there.

14. The tiger thus became enlightened through the Knowledge, finding its way to Paradise by giving alms.

15. In this way the Sat Gur Shams preached to the birds and quadrupeds, and those who accepted his words surely attained salvation.

(44) 10 ...In this way, as a faqir in appearance, the Guru passed through different countries, preaching and instructing people in various ways.

11. He visited many places, built seven lakhs (700,000) and five mandhis (temples) in which people could offer their prayers.

12. Eighteen creeds have conceived faith in him, and his bhagats performed the sacred ceremony of ghat-pāt for them Vimras and Surbhan walked with him as his servants.


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