Baba Nanak Ji and Bhai Mardana Ji set out on a journey to Mecca.
Along the way, they encountered four pilgrims and a mystic (faqir) named Shah Sharaf. When Shah Sharaf saw Baba Nanak Ji, he was surprised by his simple clothing and spiritual presence.
He turned to the other pilgrims and said,
“If you all agree, let us ask this faqir some questions about true faqiri.” He continued,
“If he gives the correct answers to our questions, then he is truly a perfect faqir.
But if he fails, we will take away his garments and the symbols of his faqiri —
because then he is only pretending to be a spiritual man
Then the mystic Shah Sharaf came near Baba Nanak Ji. With a tone of surprise, he asked: “O brother, who are you?”
Baba Nanak Ji, calm and composed, gently replied: “Listen, O noble dervish! Asking such questions — like ‘Who are you?’ — is a flaw in the path of true faqiri. “A real faqir is one who holds no expectations from the world.”
Hearing these words, Shah Sharaf was stunned.
He fell silent for a moment but began to reflect inwardly: “Indeed! This man walks the path of true faqiri.
The one who can respond with such depth surely understands the essence of spiritual life.
Still… I will ask more — let’s see what he says next.”
Shah Sharaf asked — What is the beginning of true faqiri, and what is its end? What kind of place does a faqir call home? What does his silence represent? What is the light or illumination (his inner spiritual radiance)? Where is his mind (consciousness) focused? What is his view on death or the grave? What is the true treasure of faqiri? What does “silk” mean in the context of faqiri — that is, what is the spiritual softness, refinement, or inner grace of a faqir? What is his “khirqa” (his spiritual robe or outer condition)? What does the kafni represent (symbolizing detachment or awareness of mortality)? What is his “fauhri” (the bag or the symbol of renunciation)? What is his garment or dress? What is his way of daily living (wasla)? What is his discipline or spiritual restraint (saili)? What is the boat (kishti) that carries him across the ocean of life? And what is his food or contentment (mutbaka), the source of his physical and spiritual sustenance?
Baba Nanak Ji replied that the beginning of faqiri is “banāh” — the inner construction of the self in accordance with Divine Will — and its end is “baqā,” eternal union with the Divine; the home of a faqir is “musallam,” a state rooted in humility and faith; his key is silence, for a true faqir speaks through inner realization, not outward noise; his light is unwavering devotion, the ever-present spiritual flame within; his grave is humility, where there is no fear of death but complete surrender; his treasure is the ability to bless every place he steps with love and humility; his path is constant awareness and alertness; his wisdom lies in separating from the crowd and living with understanding; the “silk” of faqiri is Divine vision — the most subtle and beautiful experience; his bite of food is patience, eaten with contentment; his garment, or “khirqa,” reflects a peaceful, kind temperament; his kafni (robe of detachment) symbolizes living as though already beyond worldly desire; his smoke is like an untouchable presence, unbound like a wild beast, separate from the world; his beggar’s bag represents humility, as he becomes like dust, free of ego; his clothing is simple, not for comfort, but full of inner joy; his bond, or “saili,” is total submission before his spiritual master; his boat, or “kishti,” is the path of servanthood that carries him beyond worldly attachments; his union or “wasla” lies in the pain, love, and service that unite him with the Divine; true liberation in faqiri is the freedom of the mind and constant connection with the Creator — and the one who lives by this path is the perfect faqir, while the one who only begs for bread or performs outward rituals is merely lost — not a true seeker.
Then Shah Sharaf asked:
“Is union with the Divine found in the east or the west?
And what is the true direction (Chihshtamni) of the spiritual path?”
Baba Nanak Ji replied: God is One. There is only One Divine Lord.
He is not found in the east or the west — He transcends all directions and places. Union with the Divine is not a matter of geography, but of devotion, awareness, and surrender.
Then Shah Sharaf asked:
“I have another question — will your answer be truly spiritual in nature?
And can you tell us how many true religions exist in essence?”
Baba Nanak Ji replied:
One who shaves the mind (cleanses inner ego) — only he is truly called noble. Merely shaving the head brings no spiritual benefit unless the mind is also cleansed. If one cuts the hair and places it before the Guru, And gives up self-will to follow the Guru’s guidance, only then can one truly cross over. The one who has shaved the mind lives in all colors (remains unaffected by duality), Such a person alone is a true renunciate in the eyes of the Guru.
But this state is not easy — only a rare soul, a true Gurmukh, can truly conquer the mind. When taste, attachment, and possessiveness are all renounced, Then, says Nanak, one truly earns the right to wear the ‘kulah’ — the cap of spiritual honor.
Then Shah Sharaf asked:
“I have another question — what is the khirqa (robe) of a dervish?
What is its true meaning? How would you answer that?”
Baba Nanak Ji replied that one should become a spiritual guide (pir) but not a blind follower (mureed) of others, and the robe (khafni) and cap (topi) only hold real meaning when the mind is adorned with the divine Word (shabad); the one who claims to have crossed many rivers but has not calmed the self truly gains nothing, for true wisdom is found while sitting peacefully within one’s own self; the one who sees joy and sorrow as equal, who awakens from the sleep of ego and evil, and who settles in the state of deep inner stillness (sunn), is the one truly worthy of wearing the khafni and topi; and the one who renounces worldly attachments and becomes inwardly detached — when such a person wears the khafni, then, says Nanak, that is when faqiri becomes beautiful and true.
Then Shah Sharaf asked again:
“I ask you — tell me, what is the religion (faith) of the dervishes (saints)?”
Nanak Shah replied that the one who receives true spiritual instruction through the Guru’s Word, whose mind is absorbed in the Divine, whose five senses are firmly under control, whose vision is free from delusion, who has locked the tenth gate (of higher consciousness), who perceives the sanctity of all sacred places within, and who bears the divine strike of enlightenment by the grace of the True Guru — such a one, says Nanak, is truly worthy of wearing the loincloth (langot) of faqiri.
Then Shah Sharaf asked:
“Now you tell, O dervish, what is the significance of your footwear (pāposh)? Under what religious principle or tradition do you wear it? What meaning does it truly hold?”
Baba Nanak Ji replied that the one who has crossed the ocean of true knowledge, who purifies the mind like fire and air, who lives under the shelter of the tree of Dharma, who cuts down the thorns of ego and illusion from the mind and becomes great, who flows like a storming river and bears witness through devotion — only such a soul is truly worthy of wearing the footwear (pāposh), for wherever such a dervish places his feet, that place should become sacred; but without Divine realization, even the pāposh is meaningless, and Nanak says, such a person is just lost in illusions. Then Nanak says: a faqir is not one who sits at the doorstep or engages in business with maya (worldly wealth), not one who carries a staff and calls himself renounced, not one who wears fancy clothes and pretends humility, not one who carries a begging bowl and lives in expectation, not one who removes clothes and walks around aimlessly, for such a man is only entangled in domestic desires; a true faqir is not the one who straps a sword at his waist — he is merely a rank-holder, not a renunciate; if a faqir seeks comfort and luxury, he cannot reach the spiritual sky; one who wears a grand turban is still lost in pride; one who rides horses and surrounds himself with maya has strayed far from the path; one who begs with ego lives forever in bondage; and if a faqir is not as pure and unattached as air and water, he will keep circling in the cycle of birth and death — better than such false faqirs is the honest householder who lives truthfully and makes his life fruitful.
Then Shah Sharaf asked:
“O Baba Nanak Ji! These people who wear the robes of faqiri and adopt the appearance of renunciation — they call themselves great, but does true faqiri really come through such outer display? They are neither proper householders nor true renunciates; their path seems neither here nor there. But there is one more thing on my mind — please tell me about the special significance of the garments you wear as a faqir, so that we may recognize the true mark of a spiritual being.”
Baba Nanak Ji said: “Listen, Shah Sharaf — faqiri (spiritual poverty) must begin from within. True faqiri is not about the outer robe, the shaved head, the cap, or the loincloth. A person may live in a household or in solitude — what matters is the state of the mind and the heart. If someone wears the garb of a faqir but acts with worldly attachment, pride, or greed, then even those garments reject him. They say to him, ‘O creature of God, why do you wear us when you do not embody what we stand for?’
The cap (topi) says, ‘Wearing me is for those whose mind is childlike and pure. If your mind is clever and full of ego, then don’t wear me — you’ll face shame.’
The kafni (robe) speaks, ‘I belong to the dead — not to the living who burn with desire. If you are truly dead to the world, then wear me. But if you still crave worldly pleasures, stay away.’
The loincloth (langot) says, ‘You should only tie me if you have renounced lust and ego completely.’
Then the blanket (fahori) says, ‘I am like a rag — you should only wrap me around you if you are willing to live like ash, blending with dirt, tolerating praise and insult alike. If you cannot do that, don’t touch me.’
The smoke (dhuaa) says, ‘Don’t burn me unless you’ve already burned away your five senses of ego and illusion. I burn day and night — if you can burn like me for God, then burn me. If not, leave me alone.’
Then the wooden bowl (chipi) says, ‘Why do you hold me? Other dishes have straight mouths — mine curves inward, like one who turns his face away from the world. If you cannot do that, don’t use me.’
The staff (seli) says, ‘I am the symbol of surrender to the master. Only hold me if you have first surrendered fully to your murshid (spiritual guide). Go where he sends you, return only on his word — if not, leave me.’
The shoes (pau-e) speak, ‘We belong to prisoners in chains. If you can wear us with humility, abandon the race of worldly argument and ambition, then place your feet in us. Otherwise, do not wear us.’
And so, all these garments of faqiri speak and warn the one who wears them falsely. They say, ‘Faqiri is not a fashion. Once you have left the world for God, do not return begging door to door in the name of that same world you renounced. Sit in patience, focus on God — if death comes in that state, so be it. If God is found, even better. But if you return to beg from those you abandoned, you have turned away from God.’ Many have left their homes only to chase crumbs again. Such faqiri is false. It is better to remain a householder than to become a pretender. If you walk the path of God sincerely, you will gain both spiritual honor and worldly dignity.
Baba Nanak concludes: One who truly lives faqiri reaches God. One who wears the robes without the inner discipline is merely an actor. Just like a man dresses up as a yogi, but his actions reveal him to be a fake — the world sees through it. Similarly, whether one claims to be a saint, a pir, or a holy man — if he merely poses, he is not true. True faqiri comes only when the ego dies and the heart submits to the One. Nothing is in the hands of man — everything belongs to the Creator who gave this body in the first place.
“Not through clever talk does one become a yogi, nor by walking barefoot along difficult paths.
Where true union with the Beloved (Divine) happens — that place, human intellect cannot reach.”
Shah Sharaf stood silent for a moment, his heart trembling in reverence. Then with folded hands, his voice quivering with emotion, Shah Sharaf spoke:
“O Baba Nanak, your faqiri contains all truths — you are not merely a saint; you are the living synthesis of all the noble paths ever walked.”
He continued:
“The zuhd of Sheikh Farid lives in your detachment.
The spiritual light of Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti shines in your guidance.
The surrender of worldly throne seen in King Janak and King Bhartrihari flows through your simple robe.
The justice of Hazrat Umar is alive in your fairness.
The detachment of Bhagat Kabir speaks through your words.
The yogic stillness of Guru Gorakhnath is present in your silence.
The renunciation of Gopichand and Devdatt mirrors your withdrawal from ego.
The unwavering loyalty of Lakshman echoes in your discipline.
The divine strength of Hanuman pulses in your humility.
The warrior-spirit of Ravana — not in arrogance, but in fearlessness — reflects in your courage to speak truth to power.
The pain of separation, as endured by Lord Rama, rests in your compassion for the world.
The steadfast faith of Bhagat Dhruv burns in your connection to the Divine.
The purity of Sita Mata walks beside your inner truth.
And the sacred householder path lived by Prophet Adam is honoured in your balance of life and spirituality.”
Then Shah Sharaf bowed deeply and said:
“O Nanak, what all these great beings embodied in part, you have lived in fullness.
Where others lit lamps, you are the sun.
Where others carried drops, you are the ocean.
Your faqiri is not imitation — it is illumination.”
His voice softened:
“From this day forward, I renounce the pride of books, of debates, of robes and rituals.
I have seen the One through you — the One who was worshipped by Farid, followed by Kabir, invoked by Chishti, and longed for by Ram and Sita.
The One whose breath moves through Hanuman, whose patience stilled Janak, and whose truth Dhruv held as a child.
You, Baba Nanak, are the meeting point of all these rivers.”
In that moment, Shah Sharaf — who came to test — became the one transformed.
He had found not just a teacher, but a mirror of the Divine.
He left not with victory, but with humility.
Not with arguments, but with awakening.
And thus, in the glow of Baba Nanak’s presence,
a scholar became a seeker, a seeker became silent, and the soul returned to its beloved source.
Teachings of Guru Nanak 
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