Taan Sain (the Best Musician Of Emperor Akbar) And His Guru

Taan Sain was the best musician in Emperor Akbar's court. Each evening he would sing for the Emperor who was a lover of the arts and would greatly appreciate the musician. He would shower many gifts and praises onto the musician. One evening, after a particularly beautiful performance by the musician, the Emperor called Taan Sain to his palace and said, "Today you overwhelmed me. While I was listening to you sing, a thought occurred to me and that thought was that you are the best musician on this Earth. But as soon as that thought had trespassed my mind, I thought

about the great teacher who must have taught you must also be great. That's the reason I asked for you. Pray tell me, who is your teacher and how can he or she come to this court to perform for the Kingdom." Taan Sain smiled and said, "Sire, my teacher is full of wonders. But I know him enough to tell you that he will not come to this court." The Emperor said, "Of course we will do his seva quite handsomely..." Taan Sain, "With due respect, Sire, no amount of seva will bring my teacher to your court." This greatly intrigued the Emperor, "Surely there is a way that I could

listen to your teacher sing. If he will not come here, perhaps we can go to him." Taan Sain again smiled, "Sire, my teacher is carefree and he might not like us going to him."

Emperor,

"But surely, my good man, there must be a way." Taan Sain thought a while and said, "Well, there is one way. My teacher usually sings in the early mornings by the Ganga River. If the Raja insists, then we must be discreet and hide nearby and listen to him at that time." The Emperor was a spiritual man and he did wake up at early hours of the

morning anyway, so he arranged for them to be taken to a place where Taan Sain's teacher bathed and sang. Both the Emperor and Taan Sain reached the river bank at 1 am and hid in nearby bushes. As was the daily routine of Taan Sain's teacher, he came to the river at 1.30 am, bathed and sat on the river bank and sang.His song was so great that it completely mesmerized the Emperor. The Emperor could not speak or move, and just sat like a stone idol for entire time the teacher sang. Even after the teacher had left, the Emperor had to be nudged from his vismad smadhi by Taan Sain.

The Emperor half dreamily walked back to the carriage which had brought them to the river bank. The Emperor remained in vismad for the whole ride back and indeed, the whole day. After that evening's performance, the Emperor summoned Taan Sain to his palace again and said, "Taan Sain, your teacher is wonder itself. I am very, very curious at one thing. I love your singing but if you wouldn't mind, I would request you answer one question." Taan Sain, "Sire, please ask this servant any question." The Emperor, "With much due

respect, I thought that you were the best on this Earth, but your teacher far surpresses you. I do not wish to offend you in any way, but please tell me how is this possible that your teacher's talent is eons deeper than yours?" Taan Sain laughed and said, "Rajan, I perform for you, he performs for God." ____ Meri pyare guru jee dee pyari pyari sakhiooos, Taan Sain performed for worldly people. His teacher performed for Waheguru. Taan Sain's song was like a rose. His

teacher's song was like a bed of freshly-blossomed and fragranceladen roses dancing in the wind. Taan Sain performed for worldly people. His teacher performed for Waheguru. At the hour that our overwhelminglyloving guru calls "Amrit Vela" we perform for Waheguru. No one else. There is no doubt that when we do seva and sing keertan at the gurudwara, we do it sincerely and with faith. But I will tell, my lovers, there is always a hint of humai (ego) hidden in our actions. When we do good keertan, we wait for someone to say, "Wah, Wah."

But at the time that our overwhelming-ras-filled guru calls "Amrit Vela", there is no one there except guru. Only guru, pyareo, guru. Then we please the guru and the guru only. The guru loves us then. The guru then has the chance to splash us with the guru's overflowing maddening prem, love, ras and jot. The time that our very own father, mother and overwhelmingly unconditionally-loving guru calls "Amrit Vela" is the beginning of sikhi. It is the beginning of our path to the guru's warm and sukh-sagar bosom. it is like talking to guru ,talking to waheguru…

gaavaih tudhno …(jap ji) namo namo namo waheguru…(jaap ji) Prem kiyo waheguru…(svaeye) Tumhe chaaad koi avar na dheaun waheguru…(chaupai) ANAND waheguru… Do not delay. It is "now" or never. waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru