When Guru Ji reached the banks of the Ganga…

When Guru Ji reached the banks of the Ganga near the city of Patna, some curious individuals gathered around him to listen to his discourse. First, Bhai Mardana Ji sang hymns, and then Guru Ji addressed the congregation, saying that time is invaluable and should not be wasted. One must strive to make the best use of their breaths and be grateful to the Almighty, who has given us such a beautiful body.

Everything we have is a gift from Him, and thus, we cannot measure the value of anything He has given us. Take air and water, for instance—we see that these are granted to us from His infinite treasure, without any cost. Those who, for some reason, feel a deficiency in their bodies or are disabled, if they wish to correct their condition at any cost, is it possible? Perhaps not. Such individuals experience firsthand that there is no substitute for the gifts of nature, and thus, we must always remain cautious not to engage in any wrongful acts.

Hearing this discourse, a devotee raised a question: "Guru Ji! Please tell us the value of water."

Guru Ji asked him, "O devotee! What work do you do?"

He replied, "I am a landlord."

Guru Ji said, "A farmer understands the importance of water, but to resolve your doubt, let me attempt to explain the reality of life. Suppose, while traveling, you find yourself in a situation where you cannot find water anywhere. If, in that extreme thirst, someone brings you a cup of water and saves your life, what would you give him in return?"

The landlord replied, "If my survival depends on it, I would give him half of my wealth."

Hearing this answer, Guru Ji continued, "Now suppose that cup of water, after entering your body, gets stuck for some reason, and you are unable to pass it out, causing you unbearable pain. If someone provides you with treatment and restores you to normalcy, what would you give him?"

The landlord responded, "I would give him the remaining half of my wealth."

Then Guru Ji concluded, "This means that the value of a single cup of water is equivalent to your entire wealth, is it not?"

Hearing this, everyone was deeply influenced by Guru Ji’s wisdom.