Maya or Naam

Whilst Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Bhai Mardana Ji were on there travels, Bhai Mardana came across a put of gold and silver coins. Bhai Mardana Ji became very happy at the sight of this and started already planning what he would be able to get for the gold and how he would spend it. They had been walking for days and had not had a good nights sleep or a nice hot meal.

However, Guru Nanak Dev Ji told Mardana to leave the gold and silver behind and they went to rest. Bhai Mardana became very sad at this instruction by Guru Nana Dev ji. Whilst resting near a cave which was overlooking the untouched pot of gold, Guru Nana Dev Ji told Bhai Mardana to start doing Kirtan. Bhai Mardana told Guru Ji "I dont feel like singing the Lords praises, my heart is sad, I am a poor man and you have told me to leave that gold behind? That gold which could resolve all my problems? Why cant we take the gold Guru Ji?" Guru Nanak Dev Ji smiled and told Bhai Mardana, "If you want the gold by all means go and take it, but just wait a while and see what happens" Bhai Mardana agreed, whilst they were resting they saw three men walk out of the jungle and stumble across the pot of gold. All three men were friends and became very happy at the sight of the gold and thought they had been blessed. They said to each other we will split this gold three ways and lead a very comfortable life.

The men were hungry and before they shared the gold, one of the friends told the men he would go into the jungle and find some food to eat. So he walked away, whilst the other two waitied for him. As they sat down looking at the gold, one of the friends said to the other "If only me and you had stumbled across this gold? Then we would only have to split it only two ways and we would be even more better off" The other friend agreed and said " I have an idea, lets find a large stick each and when our friend comes back with the food, we will hit him over the head with it and kill him." The other friend agreed and said "Yes, what a good idea, when we get back home, we will tell his family he seperated from us in the jungle!" Both men were in agreement and awaited their friend to come back from the jungle with the food.

The other friend whilst in the jungle, was thinking to himself, if only I had found that gold by myself, then I wouldnt have to share it with them two! I have an idea, I will poison the food that I take back, it will instantly kill them and then I will have all the gold to myself! I will tell there families that I lost them in the jungle! He then found some food and mixed it with the poison and walked back to his friends.

As the friend came back from the jungle and walked towards his other two friends, both men attacked him with the stick killing him on the spot. The men then were about to share the gold, but they were hungry and decided to eat first and then split the gold. As soon as both men took one bite of their food, they died, the poison was so strong! All three men lay dead near the pot of gold.

Guru Nanak Ji looked at Bhai Mardana and said there you go Mardana the gold is all yours for you to take. Bhai Mardana fell at Guru Jis feet and said "I dont want any gold, all I want is naam"