Gurmukh Gaaddi Raah Chalaaya

Bhapa Ram Chand ji often used to quote a verse from Bhai Gurdas ji:

“Gurmukh gaaddi raah chalaaya”

The path of the devotee is like a gaddi (train) which runs on the fixed railroad tracks.

It cannot reach to the destination if it falls off its tracks.

Bhapa ji would further explain that the tracks are the guidelines that are written in the Holy Scriptures by those who had found the right path and achieved their goal - The path shown by the saints, Gurus and masters who have already traveled this path and experienced it.

One must stay on the right path and adhere to the guidelines as directed by the Enlightened ones.”

After one such congregation, when he mentioned this verse in his discourse, I respectfully asked:

Bhapa ji! There were no trains or buses during the time period of Bhai Gurdas ji. There were no railroad tracks in those days. How could he give such example?

He smiled and said: Have you ever been to a village or visited a farm?

I said - yes.

“Have you ever noticed two deep and long parallel groves on the dirt road that leads to the village from the main road or into the farms?” He asked.

I said yes Bhapa ji and I always wondered who made them.

He said “no one really made them intentionally. When the ox-driven carts move on these narrow dirt roads over and over everyday, their wheels inevitably create these tracks. Over the period of time, these tracks become so deep and solid that once the driver or owner of the bullock-cart guides the bulls and places the wheels in the tracks, the cart stays in the tracks. The bulls keep moving on the right path on their own - without being guided by the owner.”  

Then he further added - “that is the kind of ‘Gaaddi Raah’- ‘the wagon and the tracks’ Bhai Gurdas ji was talking about - but this example fits perfectly on today’s railroad tracks, which is easier for everyone to understand these days - especially the younger and urban audiences.

             That evening, I understood that the old metaphors - when translated or converted with current technology and today’s life style - could convey the message more properly - in a better way.

It would certainly make more sense to the new generation at least, because it would be easier for them to understand the old concepts if they can relate to them - with the things they know or have seen personally. 

                                     ‘Rajan Sachdeva’