Guru Nanak Sahib Ji & the Burglar

ਕਾਹੂ ਬਿਹਾਵੈ ਖੇਲਤ ਜੂਆ ॥
kaahoo bihaavai khaelath jooaa ||
Some pass their lives gambling.

ਕਾਹੂ ਬਿਹਾਵੈ ਅਮਲੀ ਹੂਆ ॥
kaahoo bihaavai amalee hooaa ||
Some pass their lives getting drunk.


ਕਾਹੂ ਬਿਹਾਵੈ ਪਰ ਦਰਬ ਚਰਾਏ ॥
kaahoo bihaavai par dharab chuoraaeae ||
Some pass their lives stealing the property of others.

ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਬਿਹਾਵੈ ਨਾਮ ਧਿਆਏ ॥੩॥
har jan bihaavai naam dhhiaaeae ||3||
The humble servants of the Lord pass their lives meditating on the Naam. ||3||

Guru Nanak once met a burglar who after listening to the Kirtan asked for Pardon from Guruji.
Guru Nanak asked him not to break into people's houses and to live a honest life. When the
latter pleaded that counsel was impossible for him to comply with( for didn't knew anything

else/any other work), Guru Nanak suggested to him the following alternatives:
(i) Do not harm unto a man who's salt you have tasted
(i) Do not be the cause of suffering unto the poor
(ii) Do not lie.
The burglar promised to accept these mottos.
Once the burglar entered a rich baron's house, collected valuables worth a hundred thousand
rupees and was about to flee when he felt hunger and was tempted to partake some food lying
on the table, which upon tasting found it to be having salt in it. He immediately remembered
Gurujis words and left behind all the goods ready and packed.
When the baron found about it the next day, to guard against repitition of the occurence which
may be more effective in depriving him of his property, collected the poor of the vicinity, and
began to subject them to severe persecution to make them tell him who the real culprit was. On
seeing this the burglar was again reminded of Guruji s word ( Not to be cause of suffering to the
poor) and thus to stop the suffering of the poor, the burglar reported himself to the baron.
The baron was very surprised to see the burglar coming to him and confessing himself to save
the poor from suffering. He asked the burglar the reason for his confession on which the burglar
explained the whole story and his promise to Guru Nanak Sahib ji. The baron was very touched
and requested to meet such a Guru. On meeting the Guru he was also reformed and led a life of
honesty and truth fullness thereafter.