The glorious greatness of the Guru, the True Guru, is pleasing to the GurSikh’s mind. (Page 310)
Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj respected the priests and often said, “A Sikh priest is the ‘Minister of Guru Sahib’. He should be given all respect.”
The 48-hour recitation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib was once going on at Nirmal Kutiya Johalan. A priest sitting in attendance of the Holy Granth was carrying out the recitation. Sant Baba Basant Singh ji Maharaj came to the place of recitation. He genuflected in front of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and then sat close by to hear the Holy Hymns. The priest reciting the Gurbani saw Sant Baba ji when he was genuflecting and bowed his head in respect.
When this priest completed the turn of his recitation another priest took over from him. He came to Sant Baba ji and touched his feet.
Sant Baba ji asked him, “Where should your eyes be focused when you are reading Gurbani from Sri Guru Granth Sahib?”
The priest replied, “Maharaj ji! The eyes should be on the verse which is being read.”
Sant Baba ji said, “If you know this, then why did you look at me? Sri Guru Granth Sahib is our Guru and we consider it as our highest preceptor. You should not have bowed your head, while reciting the verses of the Holy Granth. In case you look at the person who enters or leaves, your mind is wandering and therefore you make the person more important than your Guru. If you are not concentrating on the verse you are reading then there is no gain from reciting it.”
Sant Baba ji asked the priest not to repeat this in future.
The priest asked for forgiveness and promised to concentrate on the verse he was reading, in future.
This teaching is not limited to the priest but is equally applicable to us all who read and recite Gurbani.