Anandpur Sahib and the Blessings of the Tenth Master
SS Jot Singh Khalsa
Millis, Massachusetts, USA
After a five hour bus ride to Anandpur Sahib from Amritsar, we arrived in good spirits, into the area where Guru Gobind Singh spent much time in the late 1600s to 1708. The next morning a number of us rose very early to sit and meditate in Keshgar Sahib Gurdwara in the ambrosial hours, and while meditating I felt a special, powerful presence, which I can only describe as feeling like Guru Gobind Singh came and sat down inside of me.
Many of the weapons of the Tenth Master are kept in a special room in the center of this Gurdwara, weapons that were used to defend the weak and the poor from persecution. It was my secret desire to handle these sacred weapons, but I decided to keep my desire to myself. Our group was given a private showing of these weapons by a very knowledgeable man named Gurubaksh Singh, who also took us on a tour of the reconstructed forts and home of Guru Gobind Singh in the area.
After our tour, we arrived back at the guest house for lunch and the desire to repeat my meditative experience of the morning was greater than my hunger. I went back to the Gurdwara and a voice inside me told me to ask the Sevadar if I could hold one of the weapons. Since no one spoke English the Sevadar suggested that I sit down and meditate while waiting for the translator to arrive. It was our morning guide, Gurubaksh Singh, who returned to be my translator. I felt badly having to explain to him what I wanted, since he had explained in the morning that no one was allowed to handle the weapons.
By Guru’s Grace, and the translation of Gurubaksh Singh, the Head Sevadar motioned for me to come with him, and we went to the special room which held Guru Gobind Singh's weapons. The Head Sevadar began passing me the weapons of our Beloved Tenth Master one by one! It is difficult for me to describe the feelings that I had while holding these sacred weapons, but I knew it was something beyond just the power of handling the edged weapons, since that is what I do for my livelihood on a regular basis. Instead, it was the power which the Guru had infused in these weapons that I believe my soul longed to touch. In recounting this experience to others later, I found tears freely flowing down my face. I believe that through the blessing of handling those weapons, including the Khanda that stirred the Amrit for the first Amrit Ceremony, some fear was burned from my karma, and my soul made more free because of this. This Yatra was a very precious experience.