
Sri Guru Ravidass Temple of New York 61-01 Broadway, New York

Stories About Shri Guru RavidassJi

GURU RAVIDASSJI, MOTHER GANGES AND BHRAMIN Once, a Brahmin was about to set out for Haridwar to have a ritual purificatory bath there.Guru Ravidassji approached him with a “damari”( small ancient indian coin) that he had saved from his righteous earnings and requested him that he may offer this coin to Ganga Mai(Mother Ganges) only when she stretches out her hands seeking the offer. The Brahmin took it as a joke, but still he accepted the coin and left for Haridwar. It is said that as the Brahmin was having his bath, mother Ganges stretched out her hands and asked the brahim to to give what Guru Ravidassji had sent. The Brahmin was surprised and he put the coin on her hands. Mother Ganges was pleased on receiving an offering from her devotee, and in return she gave a golden bangle to the Brahmin for Guru Ravidassji. The Brahmin was tempted by this beautiful and costly object. On his return he did not give the bangle to Guru Ravidassji, but instead gave it to a King and earned a good wealth in lieu of it. The King's wife was happy to receive a wonderful gift. She requested the King that he should order the Brahmin to bring another similar bangle for her so that she has at least a pair of such bangles. The King ordered the Brahmin to bring one more bangle of the same quality and beauty. The Brahmin now found himself in a difficult situation and was not able to get a solution to this situation.At last, he went to Guru Ravidassji. He admitted his deceit and narrated the whole story to him. He further told Guru Ravidassji that his life could only be spared if Guru Ravidassji will help him to get another bangle for the queen. He fell prostrate before Guru Ravidassji and made a humble request with folded hands that he should be kind enough to help him out and thus save his life. Ravidas asked him to have patience and to look into the bowl which was full of water used to dip the leather into it to make it soft, in the shoe-making process. The Brahmin looked intently into the bowl. He saw the Ganges flowing therein and also lying such bangles at the bottom. The Brahmin was puzzled. Ravidas told him to put his hands into the bowl and take out a bangle to fulfill his need. Thus, he came to know the spiritual position of Guru Ravidassji. Those were the intellectually blind and ego-ridden who looked upon him as a low-caste man.
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