Leper Cured

One day Guru Nanak and Bhal Mardana reached a village in Tehsil Dipalpur of Montgomery district which Is now In Pakistan. It was raining and night was approaching. Bhal Mardana requested Guru Nanak, "If he could go and ask if somebody agrees to give us shelter for the night. Had it not been raining, we would have spent the night In the jungle as usual."

Guru Nanak said, "Bhal Mardana, you may go and ask." Taking leave Bhal Mardana asked the people of the village. Nobody gave them shelter. Everyone refused with this argument, had both of you been Hindus, some Hindu would have kept you or if both of you were Muslims, a Muslim would have been given you a place to stay but who will keep a Hindu and a Muslim in his house?"

Bhal Mardana was coming back when his eyes caught sight of a hut outside the village in which an oil amp was burning. Guru Nanak and Bhal Mardana reached that hut. A leper was living In that hut. He had been turned out of his house by his people, because they thought he was sultering from an Incurable and infectious disease. The people from lils house would give him meals In his hut and filled a pitcher of water in the hut for him to drink.

Seeing, Guru Nanak enter his hut the leper said, "Do not come near me. Keep away from me. I am a leper. You will be Infected by my disease." Guru Nanak paid no heed to that. He entered the hut. Bhal Mardana followed him inside. Seeing the leper in great distress, Guru Nanak recited a hymn which the leper understood.

When God is forgotten, the mind becomes sick. When the mind is sick, diseases take root in the body. A man cries due to the sickness of the body because it can be seen and it gives discomfort and pain. The cure for these diseases is to attune the mind to God who has given hands, feet and all the parts of our body. The body has been given for service. Without service the body becomes diseased."

The illusion was lifted from leper's mind that his disease was incurable. He got up and sat down. He kept listening to Guru Nanak's teachings well into night. In the morning leper went to the river for his bath, after taking a bath he felt that he had no disease. Leaving Mardana in his hut, lepur went to his house. The people at home were amazed to seeing him walking. They asked, "Who has cured you?" Leper said, "Two fakirs who are sitting in my hut." Hearing this, the people of his household. set out to look for the fakirs. The whole village followed them. When the villagers saw the fakirs, they asked forgiveness for the happening of the night before. Guru Nanak said, "I shall be pleased only if you construct a place in the village where travellers may spend the night". The villagers agreed to it.