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Anand Sahib

One day a Sidh Yogi went to see Guru Amar Das and said, "O Guru, ever since you have been enthroned, I have longed to see you. Today I am blessed to have my longing fulfilled. I have fasted, I have undergone great hardships, yet still I have not found peace. Iwish to have peace of mind and to know that when I leave my body I will be reborn into your family." The Guru said, "Happiness and peace are not found by fasting and enduring hardships, but by loving God and singing His praises. You shall be reborn into my family; you shall be Mohri's son and my grandson." The Yogi then went to the side of the river Beas and left his body.

In time, a baby was born to the wife of Mohri, the Guru's younger son. The baby was the Sidh Yogi. Without delay, the Guru sent Bhai Ballu to bring him the tiny child. The Guru gently cradled the infant in his lap and named him Anand. He began singing and composed the whole Anand Sahib on the spot. Bhai Ballu climbed to the rooftop and sang the song to the entire village. This Anand Sahib, the Song of Bliss, which is sung in Gurdwara, at weddings and other special occasions, was first created in honor of the Sidh Yogi who became the beloved grandson of Guru Amar Das.

A Yogi went to visit Guru Nanak to congratulate him on the large number of followers he had. The Guru said that he had very few true Sikhs. To test his disciples, he sent out a call for all true believers to meet together early the next morning.

The day dawned dark and cloudy. When the Guru appeared, he seemed to be someone other than their kind master, for he wore dirty clothes and a hunting knife and had a fierce dog with him. Several of his followers were terrified and ran away. The rest followed the Guru down a road through the forest. After they had walked for a short while, they found the road covered with copper coins. Some of the Sikhs stuffed the coins in their pockets and ran away. The rest of the group continued on down the road. Further along, they found the road covered with silver coins. More of the Sikhs grabbed the coins and ran away. Few Sikhs remained with the Guru and the Yogi. The small band continued travelling and soon found the road covered with gold coins. The other Sikhs grabbed the coins and fled until only two Sikhs, the Yogi, and the Guru's sevadar Lahina, remained. They came into a clearing where they saw a corpse wrapped up in a white sheet next to a pile of wood. There was a terrible smell in the air. The Guru said to his Sikhs, "Let whoever wants to be a true Sikh of mine eat this with me " The other two Sikhs turned white and drew back in horror, but Lahina kneeled next to the corpse and said, " Master, should I start at the head or the feet?" The Guru told him to start at the waist. As Lahina lifted the sheet to begin eating, the corpse turned into a feast of delicious sacred food. Lahina offered the food to the Guru first and said he would have what was left over. Guru Nanak was delighted, and said, "You have obtained this sacred food because you desired to share it with others. You now know my secret; you are in my own image. I will share with you the secret which will bring you happiness now and forever." The Guru then taught Lahina the Mool Mantra, the beginning of Japji. The Yogi saw that the light in Nanak was the same as in Lahina. He said, "O Nanak, he shall be your Guru who comes from your body - ang." Upon this, the Guru hugged Lahina, named him Angad, and promised that he would be the next Guru.