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31
HIR AND RANJHA
But Ranjha was insistent and would not be refused. He said to Balnath: "Seeing your face has lifted the burden from my soul. By putting all the pleasures of the world behind me I have calmed my sorrows. I have now reached the degree of Jog called Chit Akas after passing through the stages of Bhut Kas and Juda Kas [the three different planes of Jog philosophy]. I will die as a Jogi on your threshold and my blood will be on your head." And when the Chelas (pupils of Balnath] saw that his heart was wavering towards Ranjha, they began to taunt their master, and their tongues were as sharp as daggers that had been sharpened on a whet-stone.
FEBRUARY, 1922]
"You are opening your arms to this goodlooking Jat," they said, "and yet you do not give Jog to those who have undergone much trouble for many years. Verily Jogis have become enamoured of comely boys.' And Ranjha tried to pacify them saying: "I look upon you all as equals of Balnath and you are all my brothers. With your help I may hope to get salvation in the day of Judgment."
And the Chelas replied: "Boy, listen to us. For eighteen years we have been serving him. We have given up all and live by begging. All day and night we remember God. Yet he does not give us Jog. He is sometimes like fire and sometimes like water. We cannot discover his secret."
And the Chelas in their anger intrigued with each other and rebelled against Balnath. They left the Jogi's house and kitchen. They pierced the Guru (Holy man) with their shameless taunts.
Whereupon the Guru rebuked them and his anger blazed from his eyes. The Chelas instantly obeyed him, so powerful was the enchantment that the Guru laid upon them. All ill feeling vanished from their minds. They obeyed the orders of their Guru and brought Balnath the earrings as he had told them, and the razor wherewith to shave Ranjha. And the Guru took off Ranjha's clothes and having rubbed him in ashes and embraced him, made him sit by his side. Then he took the razor of separation and shaved him completely. Then he bored his ears and put earrings on him. He gave him the beggars' bowl, the rosary, the horn and the shell in his hands, and made him learn the word Alakh [God]. He taught him the way of God and the Gurus from the beginning, saying: "Your heart should be far from other men's women. That is the way of Jog. An old woman should be treated as your mother and a young woman as your sister."
But Ranjha having achieved his desire and having been granted Jog, shook off the disguise of penitence and replied boldly to Balanth: "Cease vexing me any longer. Even though you force your advice down my throat, I will not follow it. Who has taught you to captivate young men and to ensnare them in your net?"
Hearing this Balnath reproved Ranjha, saying: "Remember you have adopted the creed of humiliation and beggary and you should banish all impure thoughts from your mind and not disgrace the creed of a fakir."
Ranjha replied: "Had I been only a lover of God I should have sought only Him. If I had been silent before the love of women, would I have deserted my family and ruined myself. Hir has captivated my heart. That is why I have become a Jogi. I have become a Fakir only that I might keep my Love in remembrance. Had I known that you would try to keep me from my Love, I would never have set foot on your hill of Tilla. Had I known that you would bore my ears, I would have put these earrings in the fire. Set my ears right or I will bring the sepoy of the Sirkar [Government] here."
And Balnath was sad and hung his head on hearing these wild words, and he said: "Verily I repent and am sorry for having given Jog to this youth. He has got the treasures of Jog without spending a single farthing." And he entreated Ranjha to give up his wilful and evil
