Page:The Sikh Religion, its gurus, sacred writings and authors Vol 2.djvu/106

94 forest, but could find nothing to eat. Closing his eyes and meditating on God he prayed for relief. A supreme Jogi, seeing his devotion, brought a plate full of dal and rice, and laying it before him departed. Mai Das on opening his eyes was astonished to see prepared food in such a place. He reflected, ‘This food having been cooked in water is impure. If I eat it, I shall become an outcaste, and if I do not, I shall die. Well, if die I must, let me die by all means, but I will not abandon my principles.’

The supreme Jogi knowing his unshaken faith placed before him unobserved a plate of sweets, which, as having been cooked in clarified butter, even a devout Hindu could receive from the hands of another without defilement. Mai Das then began to consider: ‘Into this solitude no man may bring sweets, nor have I seen anybody coming or going. Impure food was first brought me, and when I refused it, I received pure food. It was certainly God who came to me, but through my misfortune I did not see him.’ Mai Das searched in every direction, and again began to call on his god, ‘O Krishan, O Girdhari, O Murari, pardon my sins. compassionate one, O Gobind, grant me a sight of thee.’ Full of devotion he wandered weeping and shouting through the forest. It is said that he then heard a voice: ‘Thou hast not taken food from Amar Das's kitchen, and hast not beheld him; there fore shalt thou not obtain perfection. If thou desire to do so, then first behold Amar Das.’

On hearing this Mai Das returned to Goindwal. Invoking his favourite god, he partook of food from the Guru's kitchen, and was then allowed the privilege of sitting in the Guru's court and beholding him who had been so long the special object of his thoughts and aspirations. The Guru addressed him, ‘Come, Mai Das, thou art a special saint of God.’ Mai Das with complimentary expressions supplicated to be made the Guru's servant, so that he