Muslim Sultan tries to kill Namdev ji for worshipping Vishnu ji (translation)

[BhagatSingh]

So one of the things that Bhagat Namdev ji taught was that Vishnu ji always protects his loved ones. Namdev ji gave the example of how he protected Prahlaad as the terrifying Narsingh. Prahlaad was being tortured for following a different religion. At the last moment when Prahlaad was about to be killed, Narsingh bursts out of the pillar and destroyed Harnakash.

A similar event took place in Namdev ji's own lifetime. He was imprisoned due to his wide-spread influence. The local Sultan could not stand it. He ordered that Namdev ji be attacked by his elephants. Namdev ji's life was in grave danger, however he kept chanting Ram naam, and in this way, was saved by Vishnu ji.

ਸੁਲਤਾਨੁ ਪੂਛੈ ਸੁਨੁ ਬੇ ਨਾਮਾ ॥ ਦੇਖਉ ਰਾਮ ਤੁਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਾਰੇ ਕਾਮਾ ॥੧॥
ਨਾਮਾ ਸੁਲਤਾਨੇ ਬਾਧਿਲਾ ॥ ਦੇਖਉ ਤੇਰਾ ਹਰਿ ਬੀਠੁਲਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Muslim Sultan asks Namdev ji to show him Namdev ji's god "He says show me your Hari (common name of Vishnu), your Veethala (incarnation of Vishnu) and your Ram (incarnation of Vishnu)."

ਬਿਸਮਿਲਿ ਗਊ ਦੇਹੁ ਜੀਵਾਇ ॥ ਨਾਤਰੁ ਗਰਦਨਿ ਮਾਰਉ ਠਾਂਇ ॥੨॥
(The king knows God is without form so) As a sign, revive this killed cow (bismil, halal slaughtered cow), or I will cut off your head"

ਬਾਦਿਸਾਹ ਐਸੀ ਕਿਉ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਬਿਸਮਿਲਿ ਕੀਆ ਨ ਜੀਵੈ ਕੋਇ ॥੩॥
ਮੇਰਾ ਕੀਆ ਕਛੂ ਨ ਹੋਇ ॥ ਕਰਿ ਹੈ ਰਾਮੁ ਹੋਇ ਹੈ ਸੋਇ ॥੪
Namdev ji says that he cannot revive a slaughtered cow, that whatever happens is according to Ram's wishes.

ਬਾਦਿਸਾਹੁ ਚੜ੍ਹ੍ਹਿਓ ਅਹੰਕਾਰਿ ॥
ਗਜ ਹਸਤੀ ਦੀਨੋ ਚਮਕਾਰਿ ॥੫॥
The king's ego bloats up and he sends an elephant to trample over the chained up Namdev ji.

ਰੁਦਨੁ ਕਰੈ ਨਾਮੇ ਕੀ ਮਾਇ ॥ ਛੋਡਿ ਰਾਮੁ ਕੀ ਨ ਭਜਹਿ ਖੁਦਾਇ ॥੬॥
Seeing this horrific view, Namdev ji's mother cries and pleads him to leave Ram and worship Allah, at least you will survive.

ਨ ਹਉ ਤੇਰਾ ਪੂੰਗੜਾ ਨ ਤੂ ਮੇਰੀ ਮਾਇ ॥ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪੜੈ ਤਉ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਇ ॥੭॥
To that Namdev ji responds, " I am not your son and you are not my mother. Even if I die, i will sing Hari's praises."

ਕਰੈ ਗਜਿੰਦੁ ਸੁੰਡ ਕੀ ਚੋਟ ॥ ਨਾਮਾ ਉਬਰੈ ਹਰਿ ਕੀ ਓਟ ॥੮॥
The elephant attacks Namdev ji with his trunk but Namdev ji survives, saved by Hari.

ਕਾਜੀ ਮੁਲਾਂ ਕਰਹਿ ਸਲਾਮੁ ॥ਇਨਿ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਲਿਆ ਮਾਨੁ ॥੯॥
The king says, "Qazis and Mullahs do salaam to me, but this Hindu has disobeyed me"

ਬਾਦਿਸਾਹ ਬੇਨਤੀ ਸੁਨੇਹੁ ॥ ਨਾਮੇ ਸਰ ਭਰਿ ਸੋਨਾ ਲੇਹੁ ॥੧੦॥
The people said "O king, please accept our request, take equivalent of Nama's weight in gold pieces and release him"

ਮਾਲੁ ਲੇਉ ਤਉ ਦੋਜਕਿ ਪਰਉ ॥ ਦੀਨੁ ਛੋਡਿ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਕਉ ਭਰਉ ॥੧੧॥
King says "If I take the gold, I will end up in hell. It would mean I have left religion and become materialistic.

ਪਾਵਹੁ ਬੇੜੀ ਹਾਥਹੁ ਤਾਲ ॥ ਨਾਮਾ ਗਾਵੈ ਗੁਨ ਗੋਪਾਲ ॥੧੨॥
Nama shakes his chains and locks, plays a melodious beat! and he sings the praises of Gopal, all chained up!

ਗੰਗ ਜਮੁਨ ਜਉ ਉਲਟੀ ਬਹੈ ॥ ਤਉ ਨਾਮਾ ਹਰਿ ਕਰਤਾ ਰਹੈ ॥੧੩॥
Even if Ganga and Yamuna, the biggest rivers in India, were to flow backwards, even then Nama will chant Hari's name.

ਸਾਤ ਘੜੀ ਜਬ ਬੀਤੀ ਸੁਣੀ ॥ ਅਜਹੁ ਨ ਆਇਓ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣ ਧਣੀ ॥੧੪॥
7 phases of the day just gone by, at the 8th phase, Namdev ji would be killed. Yet the Master of the Three Worlds, Shri Vishnu, was nowhere to be seen.


ਪਾਖੰਤਣ ਬਾਜ ਬਜਾਇਲਾ ॥ ਗਰੁੜ ਚੜ੍ਹ੍ਹੇ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਆਇਲਾ ॥੧੫॥
(When suddenly Shri Vishnu arrived!) The melodious sound of Garud's wings could be heard! Riding the Garud, came Govind!

ਅਪਨੇ ਭਗਤ ਪਰਿ ਕੀ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਪਾਲ ॥ ਗਰੁੜ ਚੜ੍ਹ੍ਹੇ ਆਏ ਗੋਪਾਲ ॥੧੬॥
He kept the honour of His bhagat; Gopal came riding on his Garud!

ਕਹਹਿ ਤ ਧਰਣਿ ਇਕੋਡੀ ਕਰਉ ॥ ਕਹਹਿ ਤ ਲੇ ਕਰਿ ਊਪਰਿ ਧਰਉ ॥੧੭॥
Shri Hari says "If you ask, I will tilt his land and render it useless, or take it and put it over him (the king)."

ਕਹਹਿ ਤ ਮੁਈ ਗਊ ਦੇਉ ਜੀਆਇ ॥ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਈ ਦੇਖੈ ਪਤੀਆਇ ॥੧੮॥
"If you say I will revive this cow, and convince everyone of your divinity."

Namdev ji request that the cow be revived and Hari did just that.
ਨਾਮਾ ਪ੍ਰਣਵੈ ਸੇਲ ਮਸੇਲ ॥ ਗਊ ਦੁਹਾਈ ਬਛਰਾ ਮੇਲਿ ॥੧੯॥
Nama signalled that the calf be united with its mother and he proceed to milk the cow.

ਦੂਧਹਿ ਦੁਹਿ ਜਬ ਮਟੁਕੀ ਭਰੀ ॥ ਲੇ ਬਾਦਿਸਾਹ ਕੇ ਆਗੇ ਧਰੀ ॥੨੦॥
When the milk filled the matka/pot, he took the pot and placed it in front of the King.

ਬਾਦਿਸਾਹੁ ਮਹਲ ਮਹਿ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਅਉਘਟ ਕੀ ਘਟ ਲਾਗੀ ਆਇ ॥੨੧॥
The king's worldview shattered! He went back to his palace in utter shock. He felt deeply troubled and agitated.

ਕਾਜੀ ਮੁਲਾਂ ਬਿਨਤੀ ਫੁਰਮਾਇ ॥ ਬਖਸੀ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਮੈ ਤੇਰੀ ਗਾਇ ॥੨੨॥
He sent a message through his Qazi and Mullah. "Forgive me Hindu, I am your cow from now"

ਨਾਮਾ ਕਹੈ ਸੁਨਹੁ ਬਾਦਿਸਾਹ ॥ ਇਹੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਪਤੀਆ ਮੁਝੈ ਦਿਖਾਇ ॥੨੩॥
ਇਸ ਪਤੀਆ ਕਾ ਇਹੈ ਪਰਵਾਨੁ ॥ ਸਾਚਿ ਸੀਲਿ ਚਾਲਹੁ ਸੁਲਿਤਾਨ ॥੨੪॥
Nama says "Listen great king, have I done this miracle? (I haven't done this). The meaning of this event, is for you, king, to now be truthful-humble (peaceful)."

ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਸਭ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਇ ॥ ਮਿਲਿ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਸਭ ਨਾਮੇ ਪਹਿ ਜਾਹਿ ॥੨੫॥  
ਜਉ ਅਬ ਕੀ ਬਾਰ ਨ ਜੀਵੈ ਗਾਇ ॥ ਤ ਨਾਮਦੇਵ ਕਾ ਪਤੀਆ ਜਾਇ ॥੨੬॥
Namdev ji became famous everywhere. The Hindus gathered around Nama and said, "if you hadn't revived the cow, our faith in you would have been lost"

ਨਾਮੇ ਕੀ ਕੀਰਤਿ ਰਹੀ ਸੰਸਾਰਿ ॥ ਭਗਤ ਜਨਾਂ ਲੇ ਉਧਰਿਆ ਪਾਰਿ ॥੨੭॥
In this manner, Namdev ji became famous, and he carried many with him to liberation.

ਸਗਲ ਕਲੇਸ ਨਿੰਦਕ ਭਇਆ ਖੇਦੁ ॥ ਨਾਮੇ ਨਾਰਾਇਨ ਨਾਹੀ ਭੇਦੁ ॥੨੮॥੧॥੧੦॥
The slanderer King became very troubled in his mind, very agitated. And Nama was recognized as indistinguishable from Narayan.