Spiritual Masters: Guru Nanak

Late one evening, at the end of the kirtan, Nanak noticed a group of shabbily dressed men sitting at his doorstep even when there was sufficient place for them in the courtyard. He beckoned to them to come closer. They hesitated but when Nanak persisted, they came reluctantly into the courtyard to take their place in the congregation. As they sat down, Nanak saw that some of the others drew carefully away, as if to avoid contamination. Nanak smiled a small, sad smile-it would be generations before the "upper castes" learnt to shun the stigma of impurity attached to the "lower castes". But this stigma would only be discarded if people began to speak out against it. In a loud, ringing voice Nanak said, "We often look with distaste and horror at things we consider unclean. We make a distinction between the pure and the impure. For example, our brothers who follow professions that bring them in contact with what we consider unclean, are themselves looked upon as unclean and we shun their company. So much so that there are those among us who must bathe if the mere shadow of such a man falls upon them. But let me ask you, my friends, what is clean and what is unclean? We all work to ensure that the kitchen of our home is kept spotlessly clean, not only for the sake of our health but on religious grounds too. But are we really able to ensure the purity of our food? There are worms and maggots in the firewood and cow dung cakes that we use for fuel. There are tiny insects in the corn that is ground to make flour for our bread. The water we drink has a greenish hue because it is teeming withminiscule organisms." Nanak looked around at the audience. "My friends, we do not become unclean by being in contact with those whom we call "low castes". We become unclean if we do not protect our hearts and minds from polluting thoughts. We become impure if we allow greed and untruth to creep into our hearts. We become impure if our eye covets the wealth or wife of another. We are impure if we allow our ears to listen to calmny."

Nanak's discourses were powerful and passionate and his listeners were struck by his reasoned arguments. It was no wonder that those who heard him once, came back for more.