TARU POPAT is listed in Bhai Gurdas, Varan, XI. 13, among prominent Sikhs of the time of Guru Nanak (1469-1539). Bhai Mani Singh, Sikhan di Bhagat Mala, elaborating the reference in Bhai Gurdas says that Taru Popat was only a young boy often when he presented himself before the Guru and made the submission, “Friend of the poor, I have heard that whosoever meets a saint obtains peace. I have taken refuge at thy feet!” The Guru said, “You are yet too young and have hardly seen anything of this life. Where from have you learnt to think of these things.” Spoke Popat, “One day I watched my mother make a fire.
I saw that the smaller logs caught fire sooner than the bigger ones. It occurred to me that. I should see a saint as soon as possible so that I secure happiness. Who knows when death might strike?” The Guru pronounced the blessing, “Taru (lit. `swimmer`), thou shalt be the salvager of thy clan. Learn to make an honest living and learn to share the fruit of thy labour with others. Remember thy Creator always.” Acting upon the Guru`s word Taru Popat, says Bhai Mani Singh, attained liberation.
References :
1. Mani Singh, Bhai, Sikhan di Bhagat Mala. Amritsar, 1955
2. Santokh Singh, Bhai, Sri” Gur Pratap Suraj Granth. Amritsar, 1927-35
3. Macauliffe, M.A., The Sikh Religion. Oxford, 1909
Taru Popat is celebrated in Sikh tradition as a young seeker whose early encounter with Guru Nanak encapsulates the profound spiritual yearning that defines the Sikh path. His story is recorded in Bhai Gurdas’s Varan XI.13 and further elaborated in Bhai Mani Singh’s Sikhan di Bhagat Mala. At just about ten years old, Taru Popat approached Guru Nanak with an earnest declaration that touched on the promise of inner peace available to those who seek a spiritual guide:
“Friend of the poor, I have heard that whosoever meets a saint obtains peace. I have taken refuge at thy feet!”
Despite his tender age, his mature insight astonished the Guru. Guru Nanak gently rebuked him by saying, “You are yet too young and have hardly seen anything of this life. Wherefrom have you learned to think of these things?” In response, the young seeker recounted a simple yet poignant observation from his daily life:
“One day I watched my mother make a fire. I saw that the smaller logs caught fire sooner than the bigger ones. It occurred to me that I should see a saint as soon as possible so that I secure happiness. Who knows when death might strike?”
Moved by his sincerity and intuitive grasp of life’s fragile nature, Guru Nanak blessed him with enduring guidance:
“Taru (literally ‘swimmer’), thou shalt be the salvager of thy clan. Learn to make an honest living and share the fruit of thy labour with others. Remember thy Creator always.”
In that moment, Taru Popat’s destiny was set—not only as a beacon of youthful spirituality but as a symbol of the early Sikh commitment to an ethical, community-oriented life. His story reminds us that true wisdom need not arise from years of study but can bloom early in life through simple, earnest observations and a deep yearning for truth.
