Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!
Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

Bhai Bela Jee was a Gursikh during the times of Guroo Gobind Singh Jee. He came to Guroo Jee and asked if he could stay at Anandpur Sahib. Guroo Jee consented so long as Bhai Bela agreed to partake in Seva. He was asked what form of Seva he wished to partake in, such as, langar seva, recite Bani or join the Guroo’s army and fight in the battlefield. Bhai Bela replied that he could not cook, read Gurbani or knew how to use shashtars. Thus Guroo Jee assigned Bhai Bela Jee the duty of looking after the horses and their stables. At the same time Bhai Bela Jee would be taught Gurbani by Guroo Jee.

Guroo Jee started by teaching Bhai Bela Jee one line of the Japjee Sahib per day. Bhai Bela Jee would spend his whole day, whilst fulfilling his daily chores, repeating that same line. The following morning he would recite it back to Guroo Jee to make sure that he had memorised it correctly, and thus he could progress and go on to learn the next line.

One day, Bhai Bela Jee came to Guroo Jee ready for his next lesson. However Guroo Jee was busy and was preparing to go out. Just as Guroo Jee was about to leave, Bhai Bela Jee got in the way saying, “Guroo Jee, I am ready for my next lesson. I want to learn the next line of JapJee Sahib.” Guroo Gobind Singh Jee replied, “Bhai Bela, na vakhat veecharai naa veyla” meaning, “Bhai Bela, you are not considering the circumstances I am in; I am busy and must go out.”

Yet Bhai Bela Jee was so innocent and obedient, that he understood Guroo Jee’s comment to be the next line of the JapJee Sahib and spent his whole day practising the phrase. When the other Sevadaars heard Bhai Bela Jee, they started laughing and began mocking him. But Bhai Bela Jee ignored them and continued reciting the phrase, eager to learn it well so that he could please Guroo Jee the next morning by reciting it correctly.

The following morning when Bhai Bela Jee went to meet Guroo Jee, the rest of the Sevadaars had gathered there as well. They wanted to see Guroo Jee get angry with Bhai Bela Jee for incorrectly reciting the JapJee Sahib. However, when Bhai Bela Jee recited the line “Bhai Bela, na vakhat veecharai naa veyla,” Guroo Jee instead got up and embraced Bhai Bela Jee.

Guroo Jee said, “this is what a true Sikh is. He does not allow his own intelligence to get in the way of his Guroo’s words. He believes his Guroo’s Bachan to be 100% true and does not consider his own intellect to be above that of his Guroo’s.”

Too often we judge ourselves to be cleverer and more knowledgeable than our Guroo. Bhai Bela Jee sacrificed himself entirely to the Guroo’s words. He was so innocent, subservient and obedient that he placed his faith entirely in the Guroo’s Bachan, forsaking his own mind and intellect.

May Guroo Jee bless us with such pyaar, sharda and faith to forever live according to His Hukam, which is conveyed to us through His Shabad.

Bhul Chuk Maaf

Waheguroo