A Happening at Hardware

Guru Nanak reached Hardware where Hindus say their last farewell to the ashes of their dead in the river Ganges. They have a belief that the one whose ashes are put in the river Ganges remains eternally in heaven. Guru Nanak saw thousand's of men and women bathing in the river. He also took off his clothes, handed them to Bhai Mardana and descended into the river to bathe.

Those who were bathing in the river were throwing water with their hands towards the East. Guru Nanak started throwing water towards the West. Those who were throwing water towards the East were wonder-struck at seeing Guru Nanak throwing water towards the West. One of them took courage and asked Guru Nanak, "Brother, are you a Hindu or a Muslim? Don't you know even this that water is thrown towards the East?" Guru Nanak stopped throwing water and asked the questioner, "Brother, why is this water thrown towards the East?" He replied, "Don't you know even this that our ancestors live in the abode of gods? They died due to the lack of water. We give them water."

Guru Nanak again asked that person, "How far from Hardware do your ancestors live?" He replied, "They live even beyond the Sun, millions of miles away." Guru Nanak said, "Does this water thrown by you reach them?" He replied, "Bramins, tell us that the water thrown by us does reach them. Our water quenches their thirst. If we do not throw water they are tormented by thirst."

Hearing this reply from him, Guru Nanak started throwing water towards the West vigorously. That man again asked Guru Nanak, "Why do you throw water towards the West when the ancestors live towards the East." Guru Nanak replied, "My ancestors are not dying of thirst but my fields in Punjab are drying due to lack of rain. 1 am watering them."

That man said, "How can this water thrown by you reach Punjab?" Guru Nanak replied, "If water thrown by you can reach your ancestors millions of miles away, why can this water which 1 am throwing not reach a place two hundred miles away'?" Some of the listeners came to understand, what Guru Nanak said? They realised that the water, which they were throwing, returned to the river. Some stopped throwing water but those who have not understood continue throwing it towards the East to this day.

Those who throw water towards the East have forgotten that only they were asked to offer water to the rising Sun and not towards the East. People who have to give water to the rising Sun must get out of bed before sunrise. Anyone who wakes up before dawn cannot be lazy. People who are active are less likely to fan ill. Poverty is less likely to afflict them. They are free from want and hunger. Their houses are free from quarrels. The custom of water was started to shake off laziness but the greed of Brahnmis turned It into hypocrisy.