Ganika the Prostitute

Ganika the Prostitute- Translated from Sri Gur Bhagat Mala Steek by Pandit Narain Ji

Ganika was a prostitute and she used to live in a market in the centre of a town. She used to commit adultery and other sins. Men were mesmerised by her beauty and her youth. Every evening, her house will be lit with candles and she will be dressed up with all kinds of jewelleries and beautiful dresses.

Gurbani mentions,

sUAw pVwvq ginkw qrI ]

Teaching a parrot to speak the Lord's Name, Ganika the prostitute was saved.

so hir nYnhu kI pUqrI ]2]

That Lord is the light of my eyes. ||2||

(rwgu goNf bwxI nwmdyau jIau kI Gru 2 Raag Gond, The Word of Naam Dayv Jee, Second House)

Bhagat Naam Dayv Ji tells us that Ganika was saved teaching a parrot to say Lord’s Name. She was then known to be a God’s devotee herself. This was how her life changed for the better.

How did this happen?

One day, a saint came to her house. He had a parrot in his hand. It is said that the saint seldom comes into town, he always stayed out of town. One night it rained heavily, and the saint saw that his parrot was going to die. He loved the bird dearly, as it would recite ‘Ram, Ram’ constantly. He saw the condition of the parrot, picked up the cage, and walked towards town. He had some clothes and other belongings with him as well. He kept on walking, but saw no help in the distance. It was night and everyone was in their homes, with doors and windows closed. He was beginning to lose hope.

He reached Ganika’s home, and saw that candles are lighted up and the doors are open. He said ‘Ram’ and walked inside. Ganika saw him and got happy. She thought, ‘Despite the stormy rain, there are still customers walking through my door.’ She said to the saint, ‘Come, my love. I have been waiting for you.’

Upon hearing these words, and looking at the way Ganika was dressed, the saint was surprised. He said, ‘O daughter, it is raining outside, my hut has been destroyed. I have come with my parrot to seek shelter.'

Ganika trembled when she heard the word ‘daughter’. She got hold of herself and finally said, ‘You wish to stay the night?’

‘Yes, my daughter. I wish to stay the night. The soul is a fraction of the supreme soul, and the body is the home for the soul. To care for the body allows one to walk on the path of righteousness. My dear daughter, God has given you means to all the pleasure you have. You must be remembering God all the time, I suppose.’

The saint had a pure heart, but Ganika, whose real name was ‘Chandramani’, she was shivering listening to the words of the saint. She was a sinner. She asked fearfully, ‘Are you a saint?’

‘Yes, I am one. My master has made me a saint and given me the task to recite Naam. My master is the One who is the Doer and the Giver, Ram.’

Ganika thought, ‘No good man has ever come to my home before this evening. No man has ever stepped in this house, who would stop me from committing sins. The evil minded would lead another evil mind to commit sins.’ She was grateful for the change this time.

‘You are a saint, a beloved of God. Come in and take off your wet clothes. Wear some dry clothes. This is my first time serving a saint. Who knows if I would get this chance again.’

She gave dry clothes to the saint. She burnt some wood and got the saint and the parrot to dry themselves and feel warm. Once they were warm, the parrot started to recite ‘Ram, Ram’. Ganika was amazed by what she saw. She asked the saint, ‘Would you like some food?’

‘Yes, my dear daughter! I am hungry, and so is my parrot. As God wishes, I shall get my food. If not today, then tomorrow. Whatever is God’s Will, I shall obey.’

‘Please accept my offering. But I am a prostitute, and I have lived here for 12 years. I am the one who brings temporary happiness into the lives of men. I am a sinner. But this is the food from the house of a sinner’, said Ganika remorsefully.

The saint saw that Ganika is aware of her sinful acts. He thought now is a good time to give her some advice. He said, ‘I have accepted your food offering. There is influence of Maya in this world. Under this influence, people are stuck in the vices of desire, anger, greed, attachment and pride. People then forget the purpose of life, which is to seek liberation. We forget the recitation of God’s Name.

‘You are right. These men have made me walk on the wrong path. I am a sinner. But I realized about my sins the moment you called me ‘daughter’. Any men, either young or old who has come to my house, has never called me ‘sister’ or ‘daughter’. I do not even know why my parents are. I just spent my whole life in ignorance. It has been raining for two days, and those men who came for their own pleasure, even they didn’t turn up.’

Through the conversation, Ganika started realizing may things and she was going through a transformation.

The saint spoke, ‘Every person has a motive or a purpose, and there is greed attached to the motive. For example, my parrot and I were seeking for hope, and for this hope we have walked and reached your doorstep. This greed has two forms, one towards the illusion of this world, Maya and the other towards God. If a person has this motive to live a good life, then he would recite God’s Name, and meet the saints of God. He would do service to the community, walk on the path of righteousness and follow the discipline of a Godly man.’

‘O daughter, if you would have been married, you would be serving your husband. Then you would have had children, cared for them and pray for your whole family’s well-being. Everyone would have called you a goddess. A person is known by his/her actions, not the body. So, do good deeds. Whatever has happened is in the past now. From now on, walk on the path of righteousness. God, who has given this life, will also care for us.’

Ganika served the saint, and fed bread to the parrot. She then touched the feet of the saint. The company of a saint has reformed her for the better. This is why Gursikhs would tell us to keep the company of good souls and of those who are connected with God, so they can help to join our connection to God as well.

The whole night, Ganika and the saint spoke about God and Dharam. The next day, the sun was out and the sky was bright. As the saint prepared to leave, Ganika made a request.

‘O Saint, please bless me and give me the parrot. I will listen to it reciting ‘Ram, Ram’ and I will teach the parrot as well. Best is if you stay back as well.’

‘Alright my dear daughter, as you wish. Take the cage, and take care of the parrot. I am returning back to my hut. If I continue to stay here, then people will slander us. I will leave.’ The saint then left Ganika’s house.

The parrot would recite ‘Ram, Ram’ and Ganika would say, ‘Say Ram, Ganga, Ram Ram!’ Ganika was so engrossed in her task, that day and night she would teach the parrot to recite ‘Ram, Ram’. She no longer indulged in adultery. Men stopped coming to her house. The current of ‘Ram, Ram’ was vibrating in the whole house. May days will go by without food, but Ganika will still recite ‘Ram, Ram’.

Seeing Ganika’s devotion, God was pleased. To call Ganika back to God, a plan was made. God sent a snake to the house. The snake entered the house and bit the parrot. The parrot died. When Ganika put her hand into the cage, the snake bit her as well. She fell on to the ground. At that point, her soul left the body. On leaving this world, conch shells were blown, bells rung aloud, drum sounds were echoed and flowers were showered upon Ganika as she entered the heavens.

As mentioned by Bhai Gurdas Ji,

21 : ginkw  The Prostitute

ginkw pwpix hoie kY pwpW dw gil hwru proqw[

Gankaa was a sinful prostitute who wore the necklace of misdeeds around her neck.

mhW purKu Awcwxck ginkw vwVy Awie Kloqw[

Once a great man was passing by who halted in her courtyard.

durmiq dyiK dieAwl hoie hQhuM aus no idqonu qoqw[

Seeing her bad plight he became compassionate and offered her a special parrot.

rwm nwmu aupdysu kir Kyil gieAw dy vxju sEqw[

He told her to teach the parrot to repeat the name of Ram. Having made her understand this fruitful trade he then went away.

ilv lwgI iqsu qoiqAhuN inq pVHwey krY Asoqw[

Each and every day, with full concentration, she would teach the parrot to say Ram.

piqq auDwrxu rwm nwmu durmiq pwp klyvru Doqw[

The name of Lord is the liberator of the fallen ones. It washed away her evil wisdom and deeds.

AMqkwlu jm jwlu qoiV nrkY ivic n KwDusu goqw[

At the time of death, it cut away the noose of Yama - the messenger of death she did not have to drown in the ocean of hell.

geI bYkuMiT ibbwix cV@ih nwau nrwiexu Coiq ACoqw[

Due to the elixir of name (of the Lord) she became totally devoid of sins and was lifted to the heavens.

Qwau inQwvy mwxu mxoqw ]21]

The name (of the Lord) is the last refuge of the shelterless ones.

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