butter from the cinema restaurant; that also failed. Sundar Singh had given instructions that nothing was to be given on credit to his servant. Bachana Singh lay down on his charpoy. He was hungry.
Before he fell asleep, Bachana said a short prayer — his heart was too full for more. He hadn’t asked for a million rupees or motor cars or bungalows — only a small loaf of bread and half a pat of butter. Even that was denied him! He prayed fervently. ‘Great Guru, True Emperor, I have forsaken others and come to Your door. People say You are the Great Giver. I too have seen Your generosity towards the proprietor of the Nishat cinema and to contractor Sundar Singh. But why give You not to me and a hundred thousand others like me? Who else can we turn to? If You really are the Great Giver, then give Your servant a loaf of bread. Otherwise I will conclude that You are the Guru of the chosen few and I shall find a new Guru of my own.’ Bachana Singh’s eyes closed in sleep.
Late in the night he awoke with an eerie feeling. His room was lit with strange effulgence. A bright glittering figure dismounted from a horse and entered his room. A white hawk fluttered on his hand. Of course, it was Guru Govind Singh Himself! Bachana rushed and bowed his head to the Guru’s feet and then offered the Guru his humble three-legged stool. The guru embraced Bachana.
‘My son, you thought of me in your prayers!’
‘Yes, Father!’ replied Bachana folding the palms of his hands and dropping his eyes.
‘Why did you think of me, son?’ asked the Guru with great kindness.
‘Emperor True! You know the innermost secrets of our hearts; You know of my suffering!’
‘Son, ask what you wish and it will be granted.’ Bachana remained silent.
‘Son, be not shy! Ask for what your heart wills most.’
‘Emperor True! Will You really give me what I ask?’
‘Yes son; you thought of me in the truthfulness of your heart. For this whatever your heart wills will be granted.’
‘Give me a small loaf of Delbis and half a pat of butter,’ blurted Bachana smacking his lips.
‘A loaf of Delbis and half a pat of butter! Four and three — that is only seven
annas
worth per day! Son, know the status of the one who gives and then ask. Ask for happiness in this life and the life to come; ask for dominion over the globe and I shall grant it to you; I can make you King of the three worlds.’
‘No my Lord! I do not want dominion or power. It was different in your age; today King’s heads roll in the dust and are kicked about by common people. All I need is a loaf of bread. And many who are as poor as I also need bread. I do not wish to own a kingdom; but I also do not want to spend a lifetime in hunger and want. Appease my hunger in this life; I will not bother about life hereafter.’
‘You will get all you want and quite soon in the life to come you will have everything in full measure. I will have to come back to this world again; not to save India from the perils of a foreign invasion but to give every Indian bread and butter. Wait for my return.’
‘True Emperor! I have waited long. Don’t take more time, come as soon as you can.’
‘I will not be long.’
The effulgent figure remounted the horse and vanished.
‘Oi Bachania!
Get up you lazy lout! Its almost afternoon and you are still in bed. Get up and get my Delbis and butter.’
Bachana had gone to bed very late; then there was that strange dream! When he heard the word Delbis, he rose with a start — but still in his dream world.
‘True Emperor! You have really come — and sooner than you promised! Where is my Delbis and my pat of butter?’
Sundar Singh gave the boy a quizzical glance.
‘Oi,
whose father are you talking to? You didn’t drug yourself with hashish, did you? Do I get the breakfast for you, or you for me? Hurry up you slug-a-bed and get my Delbis and butter.’
‘Someone there is who is going to get Delbis and butter for me; soon, very
Before he fell asleep, Bachana said a short prayer — his heart was too full for more. He hadn’t asked for a million rupees or motor cars or bungalows — only a small loaf of bread and half a pat of butter. Even that was denied him! He prayed fervently. ‘Great Guru, True Emperor, I have forsaken others and come to Your door. People say You are the Great Giver. I too have seen Your generosity towards the proprietor of the Nishat cinema and to contractor Sundar Singh. But why give You not to me and a hundred thousand others like me? Who else can we turn to? If You really are the Great Giver, then give Your servant a loaf of bread. Otherwise I will conclude that You are the Guru of the chosen few and I shall find a new Guru of my own.’ Bachana Singh’s eyes closed in sleep.
Late in the night he awoke with an eerie feeling. His room was lit with strange effulgence. A bright glittering figure dismounted from a horse and entered his room. A white hawk fluttered on his hand. Of course, it was Guru Govind Singh Himself! Bachana rushed and bowed his head to the Guru’s feet and then offered the Guru his humble three-legged stool. The guru embraced Bachana.
‘My son, you thought of me in your prayers!’
‘Yes, Father!’ replied Bachana folding the palms of his hands and dropping his eyes.
‘Why did you think of me, son?’ asked the Guru with great kindness.
‘Emperor True! You know the innermost secrets of our hearts; You know of my suffering!’
‘Son, ask what you wish and it will be granted.’ Bachana remained silent.
‘Son, be not shy! Ask for what your heart wills most.’
‘Emperor True! Will You really give me what I ask?’
‘Yes son; you thought of me in the truthfulness of your heart. For this whatever your heart wills will be granted.’
‘Give me a small loaf of Delbis and half a pat of butter,’ blurted Bachana smacking his lips.
‘A loaf of Delbis and half a pat of butter! Four and three — that is only seven
annas
worth per day! Son, know the status of the one who gives and then ask. Ask for happiness in this life and the life to come; ask for dominion over the globe and I shall grant it to you; I can make you King of the three worlds.’
‘No my Lord! I do not want dominion or power. It was different in your age; today King’s heads roll in the dust and are kicked about by common people. All I need is a loaf of bread. And many who are as poor as I also need bread. I do not wish to own a kingdom; but I also do not want to spend a lifetime in hunger and want. Appease my hunger in this life; I will not bother about life hereafter.’
‘You will get all you want and quite soon in the life to come you will have everything in full measure. I will have to come back to this world again; not to save India from the perils of a foreign invasion but to give every Indian bread and butter. Wait for my return.’
‘True Emperor! I have waited long. Don’t take more time, come as soon as you can.’
‘I will not be long.’
The effulgent figure remounted the horse and vanished.
‘Oi Bachania!
Get up you lazy lout! Its almost afternoon and you are still in bed. Get up and get my Delbis and butter.’
Bachana had gone to bed very late; then there was that strange dream! When he heard the word Delbis, he rose with a start — but still in his dream world.
‘True Emperor! You have really come — and sooner than you promised! Where is my Delbis and my pat of butter?’
Sundar Singh gave the boy a quizzical glance.
‘Oi,
whose father are you talking to? You didn’t drug yourself with hashish, did you? Do I get the breakfast for you, or you for me? Hurry up you slug-a-bed and get my Delbis and butter.’
‘Someone there is who is going to get Delbis and butter for me; soon, very
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