MARDANA

Minstrel of Guru Nanak in his 4 travels of the world

At Kartarpur, Mardana, the Guru’ s faithful minstrel, advanced in years and wearied with his long wanderings and physical privations, fell ill. He felt that he had no hope of longer life, and resigned himself to man’s inevitable fate. He had originally been a Muhammadan, but, became a Sikh, the question arose as to how his body should be disposed of after death. The Guru said, A Brahman s body is thrown into water, a Khatri s is burnt in the fire, a Vaisya s is thrown to the winds, and a Sudra s is buried in the earth.

Thy body shall be disposed of as you pleases. Mardana replied, through your instruction the pride of my body hath totally departed. With the four castes the disposal of the body is a matter of pride. I deem my soul merely as a spectator of my body, and am not concerned with the latter. Therefore dispose of it as you pleases.

Then the Guru said, Shall I make thee a tomb and render you famous in the world. Mardana replied, when my soul hath been separated from its bodily tomb, why shut it up in a stone tomb?

The Guru answered, since you know God and art therefore a Brahman, we shall dispose of thy body by throwing it into the river Ravi and letting it go with the stream. Sit down therefore on its margin in prayerful posture, fix thine attention on God, repeat God’s name at every inspiration and expiration, and your soul shall be absorbed in the light of God. Mardana accordingly sat down by the river, and his soul separated from its earthly enclosure the following morning at a watch before day. The Guru then, by the aid of his Sikhs, consigned Mardana’ s body to the river Ravi,  caused the Keertan Sohila to be read for his eternal repose, and concluded the obsequies by distributing Karah Parshad  (sacred food). The Guru counselled Mardana’s son Shahzada and his relations not to weep. There ought to be no lamentation for a man who was returning to his heavenly home, and therefore no mourning for Mardana. The Guru bade Shahzada remain with him in the same capacity as his father, and he would be held in equal honor. Accordingly Shahzada, the Guru’s faithful friend and minstrel, accompanied him to the time of his death.

 In the Granth Sahib are found slokes of the Guru, dedicated to Mardana, against the use of wine.

ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਰਦਾਨਾ  ੧
Sloke Mardana 1

ਕਲਿ ਕਲਵਾਲੀ ਕਾਮੁ ਮਦੁ ਮਨੂਆ ਪੀਵਣਹਾਰੁ ॥

ਕ੍ਰੋਧ ਕਟੋਰੀ ਮੋਹਿ ਭਰੀ ਪੀਲਾਵਾ ਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ ॥

ਮਜਲਸ ਕੂੜੇ ਲਬ ਕੀ ਪੀ ਪੀ ਹੋਇ ਖੁਆਰੁ ॥

ਕਰਣੀ ਲਾਹਣਿ ਸਤੁ ਗੁੜੁ ਸਚੁ ਸਰਾ ਕਰਿ ਸਾਰੁ ॥

ਗੁਣ ਮੰਡੇ ਕਰਿ ਸੀਲੁ ਘਿਉ ਸਰਮੁ ਮਾਸੁ ਆਹਾਰੁ ॥

Kal Kalvaalee Kam Mud Manoo-aa Peevanhaar, KroDh Katoree Mohi Bharee Peelaavaa AhaNkaar, Majlas Koorhay Lab Kee Pee Pee Ho-ay Khu-aar, Karnee Laahan Sat Gurh Sach Saraa Kar Saar. Guṇ mande kar sīl gẖi▫o saram mās āhār.

The Dark Age of Kali Yuga is the vessel, filled with the wine of sexual desire; the mind is the drunkard. Anger is the cup, filled with emotional attachment, and egotism is the server. Drinking too much in the company of falsehood and greed, one is ruined.  Make virtue your bread, good conduct the ghee, and modesty the meat to eat.

ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮਰਦਾਨਾ ੧
Sloke Mardana 1.
ਕਾਇਆ ਲਾਹਣਿ ਆਪੁ ਮਦੁ ਮਜਲਸ ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਧਾਤੁ ॥
ਮਨਸਾ ਕਟੋਰੀ ਕੂੜਿ ਭਰੀ ਪੀਲਾਏ ਜਮਕਾਲੁ ॥
ਇਤੁ ਮਦਿ ਪੀਤੈ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਬਹੁਤੇ ਖਟੀਅਹਿ ਬਿਕਾਰ॥
ਗਿਆਨੁ ਗੁੜੁ ਸਾਲਾਹ ਮੰਡੇ ਭਉ ਮਾਸੁ ਆਹਾਰੁ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਇਹੁ ਭੋਜਨੁ ਸਚੁ ਹੈ ਸਚੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਆਧਾਰੁ ॥੨॥
ਕਾਂਯਾਂ ਲਾਹਣਿ ਆਪੁ ਮਦੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਧਾਰ॥
ਸਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਸਿਉ ਮੇਲਾਪੁ ਹੋਇ ਲਿਵ ਕਟੋਰੀ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਭਰੀ ਪੀ ਪੀ ਕਟਹਿ ਬਿਕਾਰ ॥੩॥
Kā▫i▫ā lāhaṇ āp maḏ majlas ṯarisnā ḏẖāṯ. Mansā katorī kūṛ bẖarī pīlā▫e jamkāl. Iṯ maḏ pīṯai nānkā bahuṯe kẖatī▫ah bikār. Gi▫ān guṛ sālāh mande bẖa▫o mās āhār. Nānak ih bẖojan sacẖ hai sacẖ nām āḏẖār. ||2|| Kāʼnyāʼn lāhaṇ āp maḏ amriṯ ṯis kī ḏẖār. Saṯsangaṯ si▫o melāp ho▫e liv katorī amriṯ bẖarī pī pī katėh bikār. ||3||

                                                                                                                                                                       The human body is the vat, self-conceit is the wine, and desire is the company of drinking buddies. The cup of the mind's longing is overflowing with falsehood, and the Messenger of Death is the cup-bearer. Drinking in this wine, O Nanak, one takes on countless sins and corruptions. So make spiritual wisdom your molasses, the Praise of God your bread, and the Fear of God the meat you eat. O Nanak, this is the true food; let the True Name be your only Support. ||2|| If the human body is the vat, and self-realization is the wine, then a stream of Ambrosial Nectar is produced.  Meeting with the Society of the Saints, the cup of the God's Love is filled with this Ambrosial Nectar; drinking it in, one's corruptions and sins are wiped away. ||3||-----Guru Nanak to Mardana, Raag Bihagrha, AGGS, Page, 553-2

Note:  Sad thing is that his descendants were refused by SGPC to sing Sabds in Amritsar Golden Temple.