Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, while preaching in…
Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, while preaching in Mandi, Samka, Munder, and Anjar Nagar, made the priestess of the Asha Purni Devi Temple in Mandvi Nagar his disciple and, to spread education, crossed the Gulf of Kutch by boat and reached Dwarkadham. This place is famous as the capital of Shri Krishna Ji. Gurudev told Bhai Mardana Ji that this is the land of Sorath, i.e., Saurashtra. Here, a special group of musicians resides who sing in the unique tune of Raag Sorath. According to the legends here, the love story of Bija and Sorath, which the Bhatt poets sing in ballads, is called the Sorath Raag. Bhai Mardana Ji expressed his desire to listen to the Bani in this Raag, and Gurudev began reciting the Bani:
Sorathi sada suhawani je sacha mani hoi. Dadi mail na katu mani jeebhai sacha soi.
Sasurai paiai bhai wasi satigur sev nisang. Parhari kapad je pir milai khusi ravai pir sang. - Raag Sorathi, Ang 642
Meaning: Raag Sorath always sounds beautiful if, through it, one sings the praises of the Lord and lets the eternal God reside in the mind. One should not have the habit of slandering others, should bear no enmity in the heart, and should have the true Lord on their tongue. In this way, a soul-bride spends life in this world and the next with the fear of God, and by serving the Guru selflessly, no one can intimidate her.
A large number of listeners gathered to hear the Kirtan. Some of them had idols of Shri Krishna hanging around their necks, while others had symbols of a mace, conch, trident, discus, etc., imprinted on their bodies by branding with hot metal, just as animals like horses are branded. These people believed that merely by having these symbols on their bodies, a person becomes a devotee of God and receives divine grace. Seeing this superstition, Gurudev said that God is not pleased with such symbols; He looks at the purity of one's heart. Simply hanging stone idols around one's neck does not make one a devotee.
These things have no relation whatsoever to spiritual life; they are mere ostentation and hypocrisy. If, instead of hanging an idol around the neck, one holds the pain of longing for the Lord in the heart, it will bring them closer to their goal. Thus, instead of engraving religious symbols on the body, if one strengthens their heart, the chances of succeeding in spiritual life will become brighter. Upon hearing this, everyone realized their mistakes and was deeply influenced by this teaching.