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Bhai Mardana was Guru
Nanak's long-time Muslim companion throughout
his extensive journeys across the country
and abroad, he was born the son of a
mirasi (a caste of hereditary minstrels
and genealogists) couple, Badra and
Lakkho, of Talvandi Rai Bhoe, now Nankana
Sahib, in Sheikhupura district of Pakistan.
Guru Nanak and Mardana grew up in the
same village. The Meharban Janam Sakhi
describes the latter, who was ten years
senior in age, as the Guru's companion
since his childllood days and as one
who sang to him songs from Kabir, Trilochan,
Ravidas, Dhanna and Beni. According
to Ratan Singh Bhangu, Prachin Panth
Prakash, Guru Nanak as a small boy gave
Mardana a String instrument improvised
from reeds to play on while he sang
the hymns .
As Guru Nanak was employed to take charge
of the granaries and stores of the Nawab
of Sultanpur lodhi, the stories of his
generosity and hospitality spread far
and wide. Mardana, already a married
man and father of two sons and a daughter,
wanted to visit Sultanpur and seek his
bounty. Meanwhile, he was charged by
Guru Nanak's father Mahita Kalu, to
go to Sultanpur and bring news of the
welfare of his son. Mardana went to
Sultanpnr, never to part company with
Guru Nanak again. His occupation was
playing the Ribab rebeck as Guru Nanak
recited God's glory.
When Guru Nanak Prepared to go forth
into the world to preach his message,
he invited Mardana to accompany him.
Mardana hesitated, for he did not wish
to leave his family until his daughter
had heen married off and for this he
did not have sufficient means. One of
Guru Nanak's disciples, Bhai Bhagnath,
bought the needed provisions and Mardana
was able to give away his daughter in
marriage. He was then ready to accompany
Guru Nanak on his travels.
To relieve the rigour of the journeys,
the biographies describe several humorous
situations in which Mardana involved
himself by his panicky behaviour when
prospects of getting the next meal seemed
less than certain. He was not easily
convinced when Guru Nanak told him to
be patient and have trust in something
turning up, but Mardana wished always
to be prepared before travelling with
the rations. As the Puratan Janam Sakhi
narrates, Guru Nanak and Mardana had
not come out very far from Sultanpur
when the latter complained that he felt
hungry and needed something to eat immediately.
The Guru pointed to the village they
had passed and said that, if he went
, he would he well entertained by Khattris
of the Uppal caste who lived in that
village Mardana turned his footsteps
in that direction and, arriving in the
village, he found ever more than hospitable.
he was fed sumptuously and given ample
alms. As he saw him loaded With a bundle
Guru Nanak, says the Janam Sakhi, rolled
on the ground laughing, since the bundle
was very heavy. Mardana realized the
oddity of what he had done and did not
know how to get rid of what he had collected.
He threw the bundle when Guru pointed
out to him that those articles would
be more of a burden to him.
The janam sakhis also contain many
anecdotes picturing Mardana in despair
out of agonizing hunger or petrifying
fear and Guru Nanak or Nature coming
to succour him some what miraculously.
Once the two were passing through a
remote wilderness when suddenly a violent
storm overtook them. So severe was the
tempest that the trees of the jungle
began to fly about. Mardana, trembling
With fear, thus spoke to the Guru, "True
sovereign, thou hast brought me to my
death in this forest. I shall not here
get a shroud nor a grave." The
Guru asked him to remain calm, but Mardana
moaned, "I have not faced a calamity
like this in my life. What is going
to befall my poor soul today?"
Then fire broke out. Smoke was all over
and the blaze on all four sides. Mardana
covered up his face and laid himself
down on the ground saying, "Farewell,
life" Then came water. Thick clouds
gathered and poured water in torrents
"Raise thy head, Mardana,"
spoke the Guru, "and take thy rebeck
" Mardana pulled the strings and
Guru Nanak sang: "If the fear of
God is in the heart, all other fear
is dispelled..."
According to Puratan Janam Sakhi, Mardana
and his Master were taken prisoner by
the Mughals at Saidpur. The Guru was
given a load to carry on his head and
Mardana to lead a horse holding its
rein. Mir Khan, the Mughal commander,
saw that the Guru's bundle was floating
above his head and Mardana's horse was
following him without the reins. He
reported the miracle to Sultan Babar,
who remarked, "Had there been such
faqirs here, the town should not have
been struck" . Mir Khan asked him
to see for himself.
In 1524, at Kartarpur, Mardana, fell
ill. He grew weak and hope of recovery
was lost. Born of a Muslim family, he
had attached himself to Guru Nanak.
The Guru asked him how he wished his
body to be disposed of Mardana replied
that by the Guru's instruction he had
overcome his pride of the body. What
remained of him after death, he said,
be disposed of as the Guru wished. Then
the Guru said. "Shall I make thee
a tomb to render thee famous in the
world?" "when the Guru is
releasing my soul from the body, why
should he entomb me in stone?"
answered Mardana The Guru asked him
to fix his mind on the Creator The following
morning, at a watch before day, Mardana
passed away. The Guru consigned his
hody to the River Ravi, hymns sung and
karahprasad, the sacrament, distributed
among the Sikhs. He consoled Mardana's
son Shahzada, and other members of his
family and asked them not to weep for
him who had returned to his heavenly
home.
Mardana was a poet of some merit. One
of his slokas appears in Guru Granth
Sahib in Bihagare ki Var along with
two others of Guru Nanak's addressed
to Mardana. He is convinced that an
evil body may be cleansed of sin in
sangat (GC, 553).
Copyright © Harbans Singh "The
encyclopedia of Sikhism. "
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