🌿 Guru Nanak Dev Ji & The Three Questions of Peer Dastageer
In this clip, Guru Maharaj Sant Trilochan Darshan Das Ji is telling about the three questions asked by Peer Dast-H-Gir in Baghdad.
Peer Dast-H-Gir invited Guru Nanak Ji to him in the hope of resolving the dispute that had been simmering in his mind throughout his life. He had heard a lot about the kindness of Guru Nanak Ji and requested him to meet for the solution of his spiritual queries. Until now, however, he had not received a satisfactory answer from the saints.
The three questions of Peer Dast-H-Gir were:
1. Does anything exist before God?
Guru Nanak Ji said, “Answer your first question yourself. Start counting—start counting.”
The Peer began, “One, two, three…”
Guru Nanak Ji stopped him and asked him to recount.
The Peer again started counting from the beginning, “One, two…”
Guru Nanak Ji said again, “Count once more and start from the beginning.”
The Peer replied, “I am counting from the beginning.”
Guru Nanak Ji asked, “Then tell me, what comes before anything else?”
The Peer replied, “Nothing comes before a number.”
Guru Nanak Ji explained, “In the same way, no one exists before God. He is the only One, and from Him the entire creation expanded.”
The Peer received a very satisfactory answer to his first question.
2. Where does God live?
Guru Nanak Ji then asked the Peer to please bring a bowl of milk.
When it was brought, Guru Nanak Ji asked, “Do you see anything in the milk?”
The Peer looked at the milk and said, “No, what I see is only milk.”
Guru Nanak Ji said, “Check again, you might find something.”
The Peer examined the milk again and gave the same reply, “I cannot see anything else except milk.”
Guru Nanak Ji then replied, “Don’t you see butter, ghee, and curd in this milk?”
The Peer was surprised by Guru Nanak Ji’s answer and admitted, “Yes, milk contains all these.”
Guru Nanak Ji explained, “Similarly, God resides everywhere. God resides in all of you. Only those who have absorbed God’s energy within themselves receive the divine darshan of His presence. The rest remain caught up in anger, lust, attachment, greed, and pride.”
Guru Nanak Ji asked, “Peer Dast-H-Gir, are you satisfied with both of your questions now?”
The Peer humbly replied, “Yes Guru Nanak Ji, I am very satisfied with the clarity of both answers.”
3. What does God do?
Guru Nanak Ji then said, “To get the answer to this question, you will have to come here. Sitting ten feet above, I am unable to give you the answer.”
The Peer replied, “No worries, I am coming to you. I want to hear the answer to my question.”
When Peer Dast-H-Gir came down to Guru Nanak Ji, Guru Nanak Ji went upstairs and sat on the Peer’s throne.
Everyone in the gathering began murmuring and discussing the unusual act of Guru Nanak Ji.
Guru Ji calmly said, “Be silent and listen carefully to the answer of the third question.”
Guru Nanak Ji explained:
“God uplifts those who are below, and those who are above, He brings down from their pride and mistakes. This is what God does—He creates change.”
Gurbani Reference
Guru Nanak Ji then recited:
|| Aave Na Jaave Naa Dukh Paave,
Naam Ratteh Sehaj Samaave ||
(One who is absorbed in the Naam does not come and go, nor does he suffer pain. Immersed in the Divine Name, he rests in eternal peace.)
Guru Ji concluded:
“To become free from the cycle of birth and rebirth, it is necessary to chant the spiritual Name given by the Holy Master. Through Naam Simran, the soul merges back with God.”
Thus, Peer Dast-H-Gir received the complete answers to all three of his questions, and his lifelong doubts were dissolved by the divine wisdom of Guru Nanak Dev Ji.