Visiting places like Kurukshetra and Delhi, the Guru reached Hardawar, It is situated on the banks of the Ganges, the river most sacred to the Hindus.
On account of a fair, people had gathered there in large numbers, They were bathing in the sacred river and throwing water towards the rising stand They believed that the water so thrown reached the souls of the dead, The Guni knew that the people were mentally too lazy to think for themselves and were reluctant to forgo the beaten track. The Guru wanted to teach them that right action inspired by night thought alone could lead to truth. So) tucking up his sleeves, he went knee-deep into the river and began to throw water towards the West instead. This strange sight piqued the curiosity of his fellow pilgrims. They said, “We all throw water to the rising sun which is to the East. But wherefore are you throwing water to the West?”
‘The Guru replied, “To my fields in the Punjab, which is to the West.” The people laughed and said, “What a simpleton you arc! How can this water reach your fields hundreds Of miles away?” This was exactly the reply the Guru was awaiting. He retorted, “Then tell me, friends, how you can expect this water 10 reach the Sun which is millions of miles away?”
They had never thought of this before. They hung their heads in shame for doing an act which really had no meaning!
In this way Gunujee tried to dispel superstitions from the minds of the masses who had for centuries been misled by priestly class of India.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 10, 1993
