True! I thank Thee a hundred thousand times. Guru Gobind, Lord of the Plumes, all that Thy humble servant gets is but Thy gift; Thou givest and Thy humble servantâs hunger is appeasedâ. And then Sundar Singh would emit a long, satisfied belch.
Bachana heard these words of thanksgiving every morning. How strange, he wondered, that the True Emperor should give to some and not to others! That He should give Sundar Singh a whole loaf with butter every day and him only the leftover crust! Silk shirts to Sundar Singh and tattered rags to Bachana! And then poor Bachana Singh would resume his breakfast of dry crust dipped in tea.
Sometimes Bachana asked himself why he had never thanked the Guru, the True Emperor. So one day he blurted out: âGreat Guru, True Emperor! For what I have received I thank Thee a hundred thousand times!â And immediately after he had uttered the words he felt a little silly; what had he to thank the Guru for? Just for the dry crust of bread? The thanks were due from Sundar Singh because he did get a whole loaf and butter every day. If he (Bachana) gave thanks for the crust, thatâs all the Guru would ever give him!
Once Sundar Singh went off toast for a few days; he began to take milk instead for his breakfast. Poor Bachana was deprived even of his scrap of toast. No wonder the mere picture of a loaf of bread made him drool at the mouth. He resolved to buy the bread and the butter; but where was the money to come from?
When he returned home after parading the streets, he was very tired. His limbs ached, and the longing for bread and butter gnawed at his inside. His master, Sundar Singh came back, changed into a suit and left to go to a reception given by the producer of the âThe Blood of the Lover.â
Bachana Singh had no means of raising a loan; he had asked his companion on the parade to give him eight
annas
but no one would lend the money; perhaps they were as hard up as he. Or did they suspect he would never be able to return the loan? Bachana tried to get a loaf and 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 â his heart was too full for more. He hadnât asked for a million rupees or motor cars or bungalows â only a small loaf of bread and half a pat of butter. Even that was denied him! He prayed fervently. âGreat 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.â Bachana Singhâs 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 Guruâs feet and then offered the Guru his humble three-legged stool. The guru embraced Bachana.
âMy son, you thought of me in your prayers!â
âYes, Father!â replied Bachana folding the palms of his hands and dropping his eyes.
âWhy did you think of me, son?â asked the Guru with great kindness.
âEmperor True! You know the innermost secrets of our hearts; You know of my suffering!â
âSon, ask what you wish and it will be granted.â Bachana remained silent.
âSon, be not shy! Ask for what your heart wills most.â
âEmperor True! Will You really give me what I
Bachana heard these words of thanksgiving every morning. How strange, he wondered, that the True Emperor should give to some and not to others! That He should give Sundar Singh a whole loaf with butter every day and him only the leftover crust! Silk shirts to Sundar Singh and tattered rags to Bachana! And then poor Bachana Singh would resume his breakfast of dry crust dipped in tea.
Sometimes Bachana asked himself why he had never thanked the Guru, the True Emperor. So one day he blurted out: âGreat Guru, True Emperor! For what I have received I thank Thee a hundred thousand times!â And immediately after he had uttered the words he felt a little silly; what had he to thank the Guru for? Just for the dry crust of bread? The thanks were due from Sundar Singh because he did get a whole loaf and butter every day. If he (Bachana) gave thanks for the crust, thatâs all the Guru would ever give him!
Once Sundar Singh went off toast for a few days; he began to take milk instead for his breakfast. Poor Bachana was deprived even of his scrap of toast. No wonder the mere picture of a loaf of bread made him drool at the mouth. He resolved to buy the bread and the butter; but where was the money to come from?
When he returned home after parading the streets, he was very tired. His limbs ached, and the longing for bread and butter gnawed at his inside. His master, Sundar Singh came back, changed into a suit and left to go to a reception given by the producer of the âThe Blood of the Lover.â
Bachana Singh had no means of raising a loan; he had asked his companion on the parade to give him eight
annas
but no one would lend the money; perhaps they were as hard up as he. Or did they suspect he would never be able to return the loan? Bachana tried to get a loaf and 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 â his heart was too full for more. He hadnât asked for a million rupees or motor cars or bungalows â only a small loaf of bread and half a pat of butter. Even that was denied him! He prayed fervently. âGreat 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.â Bachana Singhâs 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 Guruâs feet and then offered the Guru his humble three-legged stool. The guru embraced Bachana.
âMy son, you thought of me in your prayers!â
âYes, Father!â replied Bachana folding the palms of his hands and dropping his eyes.
âWhy did you think of me, son?â asked the Guru with great kindness.
âEmperor True! You know the innermost secrets of our hearts; You know of my suffering!â
âSon, ask what you wish and it will be granted.â Bachana remained silent.
âSon, be not shy! Ask for what your heart wills most.â
âEmperor True! Will You really give me what I
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