Tale of Jeeva and Datta (Tatva)

There is a city named Bharuch in Gujarat. There is a village named Mangleshwar in Bharuch city. Adjacent to that village, river Narmada divides a place into two parts and makes an island. Around 550 years ago from today, there was a village named Shuklatirth inhabited there. There were 30-40 houses in it. Two Brahmin brothers Jeeva and Tatva used to reside in that village. They listened to the spiritual discourses of saints. Those who are real saints only say that without a true saint, a living being cannot be salvaged. This human life will get wasted due to these misleading incomplete gurus. Then God knows in when and which era, a human life will be attained? Until then, this living being will keep wandering in the 84 lakh births of various species. To get a human life is not a child’s play. To lose it just like that is not wisdom.

Now both the brothers decided that it is completely true that it is a rare thing to attain a human life. If we haven’t done true bhakti in it, it will go in vain. If we will do bhakti of God in it and find the true path, then it will be fruitful, otherwise it is only dust. They had already taken initiation from a saint, but when they heard that without a complete saint, a living being cannot be salvaged, they thought that we will take initiation from a complete saint.

Now what will be the identity of a complete saint? Wherever we go, all the saints say good things, sing praises of God. We like them a lot. We can’t tell who is incomplete in them and who is complete? {Because they are themselves polite souls. They are God-loving souls. They have a distinct longing in them, but they don’t have any particular discretion in them.} They thought that what decision should we take? They themselves took a decision. They planted a shoot of a dried banyan tree, which had become completely dry and worthy of being burnt, in their courtyard just like a plant. They decided that we will wash the feet of all the great men and pour their foot-nectar on this. By whose foot-nectar this shoot will become green, we will consider him to be a complete saint and will take initiation from him and will surrender to him; otherwise, we won’t take initiation. They went to all the great men who had big ashrams and requested them to visit them. Some great men came to their house. They served them, fed them and then washing their feet, poured the foot-nectar on that dry shoot. Those who could not come to the poor men’s house, they washed their feet and brought their foot-nectar home and poured it on the dry shoot. But that shoot instead of turning green started putrefying. They adopted this method for nearly a year, but they didn’t find any saint by whose foot-nectar that shoot could turn green.

Then the two brothers cried before God that Oh Lord, we sinners got a human life, but in a time when there is no complete saint. Oh Benevolent, it is better that you finish us. Give us the rest of our human life when there is a complete saint on earth. Otherwise, this dust will go waste. They used to pray and cry; used to keep lamenting. Many months passed like this. Now that benevolent, omniscient Satguru, Supreme God Kabir, seeing the pang of the devotees, reached Suklatirth. He went past the house of Jeeva and Tatva. Jeeva was standing outside. Jeeva saw that such an endearing face and I am feeling blissful on looking at it.

Garib, jin milte sukh upje, mite koti upaadh
Bhavan chaturdash dhoondhiyo, param snehi saadh

When Supreme God passed in front of them, Jeeva felt joyous and had goosebumps. Meanwhile, God Kabir went ahead. Jeeva said to his brother, “Datta, a Mahatma has come. I don’t know what the reason is. He might be going to someone’s house. He is appearing very nice to me. If you give permission, I shall call him to our house.” Datta said, “Jeeva, it’s your wish, but I don’t feel like that, because there are no saints on earth now. This shoot will not become green by him too, and then we will have to cry. Don’t remind this forgotten thing.” Jeeva said, “It’s your wish, but I have an intense desire to call him once at our home. If you give the permission, then I will call him.” Datta said, “Why should I cause grief to your soul? When you have so much reverence, then it would be good if the saint comes.” Meanwhile, God Kabir again came back as if He was looking for someone’s house. One who develops true devotion in God, God can make any excuse to take him/her in His refuge. He can himself appear or send His saint. When He came near Jeeva’s house, Jeeva prostrating before Him, very politely said, “Oh Lord, Your servant’s hut is nearby. Please visit it once and place your feet in it, oh Benevolent.” God Kabir had come with that very motive. He had to fulfil his motive. He entered the house. They gave a seat to God. God Kabir sat down. Tatva said, “Jeeva, we will make foot-nectar of the saint, will wash His feet.” They washed the feet of Supreme God Kabir. Tatva said, “Jeeva, the foot-nectar of saints should either be drunk or poured over a plant. Don’t just throw it on the street.” Jeeva took that vessel and poured it over the dry shoot. As soon as the foot-nectar was poured over it, that dry shoot turned green and seedlings sprung up from it. Hail Satgurudev Ji. Hail Bandichhor God Kabir.

Now Jeeva was thrilled. He said to his brother Tatva, “Brother, come fast. Whom we were looking for has himself come today.” Now on seeing this, both the brothers were elated. They prayed to God, “God, where were you hidden to date?” Holding one foot each of God Kabir, they both started crying badly. They said, “Oh Benevolent! Why did you not come earlier?” God Kabir said, “I could have come earlier also, but your doubt wouldn’t have been dispelled. You would have thought that there might be one more Mahatma somewhere who might be greater than him. He might be more powerful than God Kabir. This task of yours would have been fulfilled by me, but even then you would have had a doubt in your mind that there might be one more Mahatma somewhere who might be a very big Mandleshwar, and you would have gone there too. Then what happens that :-

Guru ko taje bhaje jo aana, ta pashua ko fokat gyaana

When you find a complete saint, then your faith should not be in any other saint as you have in your Guru. You must respect others though.

Aaye ka aadar kare, chalte nivaave sheesh
Tulsi aise meet ko, miliyo bisve bees

Respect the saints, but not more than the Guru.

Jyon pativrata pati se raati, aan purush nahin bhaavae
Basey peehar mein, dhyaan pritam mein, aise surat lagaavae

When you will find a complete saint, you will gain complete knowledge; you will get the correct naam (mantra) and all your sorrows will be eradicated. It is essential to respect the saints. By disrespecting, hatred arises in us, and with hatred, God moves away. Like a loyal wife has a special love for her husband i.e., she actually worships him. Nevertheless, she gives due respect to her elder brother-in-law and sister-in-law, younger brother-in-law and sister-in-law, relatives and guests. We have to respect all the saints and devotees like this. But we don’t have to respect them the way we respect our Guru. Naturally, it cannot happen. The love a loyal wife can give to her husband, she cannot give to anyone else.” In this way, God Kabir explained everything to Jeeva and Tatva.

Then Jeeva and Tatva said, “Lord, do our welfare.” God Kabir said, “Take initiation.” Bandichhor gave them the first mantra and said that do its jaap for some time. I will come again and then will give you Satnaam. Satnaam-Satnaam is no mantra. That True naam, Satnaam, Satshabd is something else. If a saint gives this jaap of Satnaam-Satnaam, then that saint is not knowledgeable.

Sachanaam (Sachashabd, Satshabd) is different. God Kabir had given it to Dharamdas ji, Garibdas ji, Nanak ji, Naamdev ji, Gheesa Saint ji. That is Satnaam. First of all, only Paan Prvana i.e. the first mantra is given which is for paying the debt of the three worlds. Then in the second time, Satyanaam is given, and in the third stage, on the basis of worthiness and devotion, Saarnaam is given. Saarnaam is of three mantras. Thus, initiation is given in three stages.

In this way, the two brothers, Jeeva and Datta, by coming in refuge of God Kabir, attained salvation.