In Tretayug, the Self-existent Supreme God Kabir, manifesting as Muninder Rishi, came to the world. Nal and Neel, maternal cousins who had lost their parents, were suffering greatly from both physical and mental ailments. They sought help from various sages and saints, but were told that their suffering was a punishment for sins committed in a previous life and that there was no remedy. Despondent and awaiting death, they had lost all hope.
One day, Nal and Neel had the chance to attend a spiritual discourse by Supreme God Kabir, who was then manifesting as Muninder Rishi. After the discourse, when they touched Muninder Rishi's feet and he placed his hand on their heads, their incurable illnesses vanished. Astonished by this miraculous healing, they wept for hours at God's feet, exclaiming, "Today, we have found the God we were seeking." Deeply moved, they received initiation from Him and began serving Muninder Sahib with devotion.
In earlier times, assemblies of saints were held by riverbanks, utilizing the water for various needs. Nal and Neel, both deeply devoted and innocent, dedicated themselves to serving God and His devotees. They took great care in washing the clothes and dishes of ill, elderly, and disabled attendees. However, their innocent nature led them to become so engrossed in discussing divine tales they had heard during the satsangs that they would sometimes let the items they were washing drift away in the river. If they took four items from someone, they might return only two, absorbed as they were in their spiritual discussions.
Devotees would often complain, "Brothers, despite your dedicated service, you cause us a lot of trouble by losing our items. Where are we supposed to find these lost things? Perhaps it’s best if we handle the service ourselves." Nal and Neel, distressed by the criticism, would plead, promising to be more careful. Despite their assurances, they continued to get engrossed in divine discussions, causing the items to drift away in the river repeatedly.
The devotees approached Rishi Muninder, asking him to advise Nal and Neel. They explained that despite Nal and Neel’s best efforts, they frequently lost items while engrossed in divine discussions, causing frustration among the devotees. Muninder ji spoke with Nal and Neel, who, in their distress, pleaded, "Please don’t take away our opportunity to serve." Muninder ji reassured them, "Continue your service diligently. From now on, nothing will be lost from your hands, whether stone or metal." With this blessing, he granted them his assurance.
You might be familiar with the Ramayan. In that epic, Ravan abducted Sita ji. Initially, Shri Ram did not know who was responsible for the abduction. He searched everywhere until Hanuman ji discovered that Sita ji was held captive by the demon king Ravan in Sri Lanka. Upon learning this, Shri Ram sent a peace envoy to Ravan, requesting Sita ji's return. However, Ravan refused. This led to preparations for battle, and a new challenge arose: how to get the army across the ocean.
God Shri Ramchandra, standing in knee-deep water for three days, pleaded with the ocean to part, but it did not move. When the ocean remained unresponsive, Shri Ram attempted to set it ablaze with a fire arrow (Agni baan). Terrified, the ocean appeared in the form of a Brahmin and said, "Lord, please do not burn me. I have many living creatures within me. Even if you were to succeed, you would create a deep chasm that you could never cross."
The ocean replied, "Lord, find a way to ensure the snake is killed without breaking the stick, preserving both my boundaries and allowing your bridge to be built." Shri Ramchandra then asked the ocean how this could be achieved. The ocean, still in the form of a Brahmin, explained that two soldiers in Shri Ram's army, Nal and Neel, possessed a special power from their Gurudev: they could make even stones float on water. Shri Ramchandra summoned Nal and Neel and inquired if they truly had such a power. They confirmed, "Yes, we can make stones float." Shri Ram instructed them to demonstrate.
Nal and Neel, eager to gain praise, forgot to remember their Gurudev, Muninder (God Kabir), thinking it would undermine their abilities in Shri Ram's eyes. They dropped a stone into the water, but it sank instead of floating. Despite their efforts, the stones remained submerged. Shri Ram looked at the ocean, seemingly questioning its claims. The ocean then pointed out to Nal and Neel that they had forgotten their Gurudev and advised them to remember Him. Realizing their mistake, Nal and Neel called upon Satguru Muninder (God Kabir). Upon His arrival, Shri Ram expressed his disappointment that the stones weren't floating. Muninder ji responded that the stones would not float because Nal and Neel had become prideful.
Satguru ji's speech proves that -
Garib, jaise maata garbh ko, raakhe jatan banaaye Thes lage to ksheen hove, teri aise bhakti jaay
From that day on, Nal and Neel lost their power to make stones float. Shri Ramchandra, in distress, appealed to Supreme God Muninder, saying, "Oh Rishi, I am in a great predicament. Please show mercy and help the army cross the ocean. If You can grant power to Your servants, then have mercy on me as well." Muninder replied that He had drawn a line around the mountain and instructed Shri Ram to bring stones from within this boundary, assuring that they would float.
Shri Ram asked for a stone to be brought for demonstration, and it floated as promised. Nal and Neel, who were skilled sculptors, along with Hanuman ji—who daily chanted "Ram-Ram" and collected rocks—worked together. Nal and Neel sculpted and set the stones in the bridge, enabling it to be built successfully.
Rahe Nal-Neel jatan kar haar, tab Satguru se kari pukaar | Ja sat rekha likhi apaar, sindhu par shila tiraane waale | Dhan-dhan Satguru Sat Kabir, bhakt ki peer mitaane waale ||
Some claimed that Hanuman ji had inscribed Ram's name on the stones, making them float. Others attributed the bridge to Nal and Neel, or to Shri Ram himself. However, the true account, as described above, reveals the actual sequence of events.
(Peev Pichhan Ko Ang)
Kabir — Teen Dev ko sab koi dhyaavae, chauthe Dev ka maram na paavae| Chautha chhaad pancham ko dhyaavae, kahae Kabir so hum par aavae ||3||
Kabir — Omkaar nishchay bhya, yeh karta mat jaan | Sacha shabd Kabir ka, parde maanhi pahchaan ||5||
Kabir — Ram Krishna avatar hain, inka naahi sansaar | Jin Sahib sansaar kiya, so kinhun na janmya naar ||17||
Kabir — Chaar bhuja ke bhajan mein, bhuli pare sab sant | Kabira sumiro taasu ko, jaake bhuja anant ||23||
Kabir — Samudra paat lanka gaye, Sita ko bhartaar | Taahi agast muni peey gayo, inmein ko kartaar ||26||
Kabir — Girvar dharyo Krishna Ji, Dronagiri Hanumant | Shesh naag sab srishti sahaari, inmein ko bhagwant ||27||
Kabir — Kaate bandhan vipati mein, kathin kiya sangram | Chinho re nar praniyan, garud bado ki Ram ||28||
Kabir — Kah Kabir chit chetahun, shabd karo niruvaar | Shri Ramhi karta kahat hain, bhuli paryo sansaar ||29||
Kabir — Jin Ram Krishna va Niranjan kiyo, so to karta nyaar | Andha gyaan na bujhaii, kahae Kabir vichaar ||30||