After this incident, Guruji set out for…

After this incident, Guruji set out for Dipalpur. When he arrived there, it was raining. Due to the clouds, evening had arrived earlier than usual, and the cold waves had rendered the town lifeless. Everyone had shut their doors and were resting in their homes. Therefore, Guruji did not find a place to stay for the night. So, Guruji told Bhai Mardana Ji, "Come, let us move forward. A devotee is calling us. Tonight, we will stay at his place."

Bhai Ji thought to himself that this must be a special devotee where Guruji wished to stay, and he was hopeful for food as he was very hungry. However, Guruji slowly passed through the entire town without stopping anywhere. Eventually, they reached a deserted place where they saw a broken hut with a small flickering lamp. Guruji stopped there and called out, "Sat Kartar! Sat Kartar!"

A voice filled with pain responded from inside, "Who are you? I am a leper, suffering from an infectious disease. It is not safe for anyone to come near me."

But Guruji replied, "Do not worry about that. We have come to help you."

The leper answered, "As you wish, but due to the foul smell, no one can stay near me."

Guruji placed his bag inside the hut and asked Bhai Mardana Ji to play the rabab and start singing hymns. Meanwhile, Guruji lit a fire and prepared a medicinal decoction by boiling water and adding a special substance from his bag. He gently washed the leper’s wounds with the warm mixture and applied a healing paste. The leper's pain subsided, and he started feeling at ease. His heart connected with the hymns that Bhai Mardana was singing. At that moment, Guruji recited the following verse:

"Jit hai baro bar, tap tap khapai bahut bekar. Jai tani bani visar jai, jiyu paka rogi villai."

Raag Dhanasari, Ang 661 Meaning: If the Name of the Almighty and His praises are forgotten, the soul suffers repeatedly, entangled in vices. One who forgets the Lord’s Name suffers like a leper.

The next day, the leper said to Guruji, "You have done a great favor for me. No one used to come near me, fearing my foul smell and my contagious disease. Even my own family members used to throw food from a distance and leave."

Bhai Mardana Ji asked the leper, "How did you get this disease?"

The leper replied, "In my youth, I was a landlord in a village near Dipalpur. Due to my wealth, I indulged in a life of luxury. I abused my power and did as I pleased, violating the honor of many women. The curse of those virtuous women afflicted me with leprosy."

Guruji said, "This is nature’s eternal law—one reaps what one sows."

"Jeha bije so lunne, karma sandra khet."

Meaning: As you sow, so shall you reap. If you plant thorns, you cannot expect mangoes to grow. Even though thorny fruits may seem beautiful, the thorns remain hidden until they fully develop and become visible.

Guruji further explained, "The human body and mind have been created in a wondrous manner. A person's thoughts immediately affect their body. The brain contains certain glands that respond to one's thought process by releasing specific hormones. For example, when we are emotional, tears form in our eyes. When we crave delicious food, our mouths water. Similarly, when we concentrate on the Lord’s Name with devotion, a special secretion is produced in the brain, which is like 'nectar.' This brings immense joy and makes a person radiant and healthy.

"But if a person indulges in sinful thoughts and remains immersed in vices, their brain secretes poison instead. This poison leads to severe illnesses."

Hearing this, the leper said, "Guruji, you are right. In my youth, I was obsessed only with lustful pleasures. I ignored my worldly relations and remained absorbed in indulgence day and night. As a result, my body began to generate poison, which led to my leprosy."

Guruji said, "If you sincerely repent, I will give you the 'Amrit' (nectar) that will neutralize the poison and heal you."

The leper replied, "If you free me from this incurable disease, I will dedicate the rest of my life to selfless service and helping others."

Guruji then made him take a vow of devotion and initiated him into the divine practice of meditating on the Lord’s Name. He explained that this was the only way to generate the divine nectar in the body, which would immediately counteract all poisons.

For the next few days, Guruji continued to treat the leper’s wounds, while Bhai Mardana Ji sang hymns in praise of the Lord. Seeing this, the leper’s family members also expressed their gratitude and began serving food and water to Guruji. Following Guruji’s guidance, the leper devoted himself to divine remembrance. Before long, he was completely healed.

When Guruji was about to leave, he told the leper, "People will ask how you were cured. Tell them that the local fakir, Shah Suhagin, healed you."

The leper asked, "Guruji, why should I say this?"

Guruji replied, "I do not want anyone to be criticized or to lose their means of livelihood because of me."

After Guruji departed, the people of Dipalpur were astonished to see the leper completely healed. When asked about his recovery, he consistently said that Shah Suhagin had cured him. Since the truth required no proof, people once again began to honor Shah Suhagin.

However, Shah Suhagin knew that he had never even met the leper. Curious, he visited Dipalpur and asked the leper, "Tell me the truth—who really healed you?"

Even then, the leper said, "Shah Suhagin healed me."

Hearing this, Shah Suhagin said, "I am Shah Suhagin, but I did not heal you. What is the secret behind your claim?"

The leper then revealed, "It was actually Guru Nanak Dev Ji who healed me, but he instructed me to mention your name. He wanted your previous reputation to be restored."

Realizing Guruji's generosity, Shah Suhagin was deeply moved and went in search of him. After a long journey, he finally met Guruji near Pakpattan. Overcome with remorse for his past deceit, he sought forgiveness.

Seeing his sincere repentance, Guruji was pleased. He guided Shah Suhagin toward true devotion and initiated him into the path of divine meditation, teaching him how to conquer the restless mind.