Death Eats Up All

During his second journey Guru Nanak and Bhai Mardana reached Sialkot city now in Pakistan. They saw that people were raising a hue and cry near a hermitage. On inquiry, they came to know that Pir Hamza Gons was praying to God for the destruction of the whole city. He had made it known among the people that he would shut himself in his dome for forty days, observe a fast and would not see even the light of the Sun. After forty days of fasting, He would come out of the dome and the whole city would sink.

Guru Nanak sent Bhai Mardana to him to persuade him to give up his obstinacy. The disciples of Pir Hamza Gons did not allow Bhal Mardana to see him. Then Guru Nanak started singing a hymn and the dome cracked. Seeing the sunlight he came out of his dome enraged and said to Guru Nanak, "You have not done well. You have stopped me from destroying this city. This city is inhabited by liars. A rich man had promised me that if I get a son for him from God, he would leave his son at my hermitage for my service. I fulfilled his wish. Now he has backed away from his word. Nobody pays any heed to me, even though I got him the son from God. All the city sympathises with him."

Guru Nanak said, "We can test just now if any truthful person lives in the city or not." Guru Nanak gave Bhai Mardana two paisas and said, "Please bring one paisa worth of truth and one paisa worth of falsehood from the market." Bhai Mardana went from one shop to another asking for one paisa worth of truth and one paisa worth of falsehood. The shopkeepers thought Bhai Mardana was out of mind and told him to move on. Eventually he reached the shop of Mool Chand Khatri. He took the paisas and wrote on a paper "Life is falsehood and death is the truth."

Bhai Mardana came back with the paper. Guru Nanak showed the paper to Pir Hamza Gons and said, "There are truthful person in this city. To destroy them would have been a sin." He said, "Holy man, they say many things but they do not act upon them. You can check this for yourself." Hearing this Guru Nanak called Mool Chand to the herniitage and said to him, 'You have written that death Is the truth. If you believe it, then leave hearth and home and come here to serve Pir Hamza Gons." Mool Chand agreed to what Guru Nanak said. He handed over his home and belongings to his sons and presented himself for the service of Pir Haniza Gons. The Pir was very pleased to see Mool Chand at his service. All his anger against the people of the city vanished. The people of the city also went away to their homes relieved.

Guru Nanak made Pir Hamza Gons understand, "God is great. You should not resist him. It is the duty of holy men to accept his will. They should do good as far as possible. One should not even think of harming God's creation."