When the sun rose, a well-known merchant…
When the sun rose, a well-known merchant named Duni Chand came to the Thakurdwara (temple) for worship. On his way back, he saw Guru Nanak Dev Ji and, mistaking him for a renunciant, invited him to a Pitru Bhoj (a ritual meal for ancestors) at his home. Guru Ji accepted the invitation with the intent of guiding him on the right path.
As the Pitru Bhoj commenced, Guru Ji gave a sermon, explaining that there is no separate place called Pitru Lok (the realm of ancestors). Every being, based on their deeds, takes another form and experiences the consequences of their actions in this very world. If a person follows the path of truth, they may merge with the Divine, just as the river Ganges merges into the ocean. Otherwise, they remain trapped in the cycle of birth and death in this mortal world.
This cycle of reincarnation does not end until the soul becomes worthy of the Almighty’s grace. In reality, performing shraddha (rituals for ancestors) is merely a ritualistic practice. These actions do not benefit the departed soul in any way, as no one knows which form of existence the soul has taken after death. Such feasts are merely a means of feeding the Brahmins rather than serving any true spiritual purpose. Therefore, one should serve and care for their parents while they are alive, as any service after death is merely for show.
Even if one believes in Pitru Lok based on faith, and assumes that offerings made here reach the ancestors, an important question arises: What about those who acquire wealth through corruption and donate it to Brahmins as charity? If the items offered are stolen or obtained through dishonest means, they will be recognized in Pitru Lok, as it is a place where truth and justice prevail. In such a case, the dishonest Brahmins, acting as intermediaries, will have their hands cut off as punishment—
"Je mohaka gharu muhāi ghar muhi pitari dei, Agai vastu siñāṇīai pitari chor karei."
"Vaḍhīahi hath dalāl ke musafī eh karei, Nanak agai so mile ji khaṭe ghāle dei." (Raag Asa, Ang 472)
Meaning: If someone steals from one household and donates to another, claiming it as an offering for their ancestors, the truth will be revealed in the afterlife, and the ancestors will be exposed as thieves. The hands of the corrupt intermediaries (Brahmins) will be cut off as a penalty. O Nanak! Only those offerings reach the ancestors that are earned through honest labor and rightful means.
Upon hearing Guru Ji’s logical and thought-provoking words, everyone fell silent, realizing their mistake and seeking to repent for their ignorance.