In the seventeenth century
an Italian called Selini
travelled through India
seeking life’s meaning
he visited the country
its length and breadth
learning Indian thought
and probing its depth
he was keen on religion
its strength and quality
he sought information
on religion and morality
after visiting Hardwar
he arrived in Punjab
to see Guru Har Rai
and the Guru darbar
he travelled to Kiratpur
and saw the Great Guru
the charismatic Har Rai
and his radiant view
Selini sat in the sangat
and enjoyed the kirtan
he felt uplifted with
Guru Nanak’s hymns
later he asked the Guru
there have been prophets
indeed many of them
both in the east and west
Christ and Mohammed
Ram and then Krishan
and here in Punjab
the great Guru Nanak
who does the Guru think
ranks the foremost
to get you redemption
from this difficult world
“prophets are guides
who show you the way
to redeem yourself
on the judgement day
but your final ascent
to the divine one
depends only on you
and your actions alone
in the final analysis
it is your own deeds
that will determine
your end indeed
Jaswinder Singh Chadha