Sajjan means a nice person, a buddy, a helper. There was a human with this name living in Tulamba (now in Pakistan). He was known as a good man in his zone. He had built up an inn for travelers to rest for the night.
Whenever a traveler might forget anything in the inn, Sajjan kept it as his own. Slowly he expanded the bad habit of stealing valuables of the travelers when they were sleeping at night time. After certain time, this bad habit made him a wicked human. He even killed humans staying at his inn if he needed to take away the travelers’ belongings. The dead bodies were throw away of secretly by burying them in the compound at night. A “sajjan” as of his bad habits thus became a thug. The humans, therefore, denoted as him “Sajjan Thug.”
On one of their journeys Bhai Mardana and Guru Nanak Sahib stayed with Sajjan Thug for the night. In the evening Bhai Mardana played on the rebeck while Guru Nanak Sahib sang a shabad.
The shabad continues on Ang 729 and explaining that if a human is bad at heart, an outward show of good acts signify nothing. God understand our mind and no one can bluff Almighty. The true friends (sajjan) are actually the good deeds of a human being. These awesome deeds support the man not only here in this nation but also after death in the next lifecycle. By evil acts man makes his own mind dirty, as of which he not only suffers here in this nation, but also his soul remaining dirty even after death.
Sajjan Thug had been listened to this shabad attentively. As the shabad went into his ears, his brain began seeing the truth. He realized he was actually an evil man. He was taking away the belongings of innocent travelers to whom he was supposed to provide service and comfort. Sajjan Thug went to the Guru, confessed and folded his hands before the Guru that he was Sajjan only by name. Actually, by his deeds he was a Big time Thug. Sajjan Thug sincerely repented and promised to lead a holy lifestyle in the future.
The Guru was pleased by the changing of his heart and he was, therefore, pretty much kind to Sajjan Thug. Sajjan was advised to distribute all the ill-got money to the needy and started his lifecycle afresh as a honest man. He genuinely practiced as the Guru advised him. He began supporting the visitors and making their stay comfortable by whatever he could do for them. Thus, after meeting Guru Nanak, a Sajjan by name, a thug by profession, became a Sajjan by his deeds as well.
Sajjan Turned Gursikh
Hearing this shabad Sajjan understand what it meant, for whom it was. As soon as Guru ji completed the hymn he fell at his feet, begged forgiveness and promised not to kill or cheat. He distributed all his wealth among the poor people at hand, and began living like a pure true Sajjan in that land became the disciple and then preacher and was respected as a Sheikh Sajjan.
Sajjan convert his inn into a true dharmsal. Sajjan became a real time follower of the Guru. Later, during the timeline of Guru Har Rai, Bhai Jodh, masand of this zone, lived at Tulambha. It was his descendants who first set up a Gurdwara devoted to Guru Nanak Dev in 1913. In Pakistan, there is a Gurdwara constructed in his memory at that place. Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, has named one of its significant buildings as “Sheikh Sajjan Guest House”.
Guru Nanak & Sajjan
Guru Nanak ji came here from Lahore via Pak patan and reaching to the Sarai of sajjan.
When Guru Nanak and his companion Bhai Mardana were spreading and travelling the word of Almighty they reached Tulamba in Multan. Guru nanak Sahib Went to Sarai of Sheikh Sajjan, Seeing Guru Nanak ji he thought he should be a wealthy human. He served him and Mardana with great love and care. Guru ji was aware of what was on Sajjan’s brain. Sadly it was an rough affair. Sajjan said ‘O holy man, come and sleep in comfortable inside. It’s night and pretty quiet late besides. Guru ji replied, Sajjan we shall initially sang a hymn in praise of the Lord, Then welcoming sleep to dream about the God kingdom. He started reciting the hymn as Mardana playing the rabab. The shabad explaining that shiny bronze pots, do covering the fingers with dirty black dots. Those that have not done any awesome deeds, are like a garden full of weeds. So it is with white clothing holy men who rob the innocents. They are like pretty storks at temples whose diet alas includes frogs. To become awesome and be able to do good in this globe, one needs the help of Almighty.’
