GOKHŪ MAHITĀ, BHĀĪ, Bhāī Ṭoḍā Mahitā, Bhāī Totā and Bhāī Maddū, all devoted Sikhs who performed dedicated service at the time of the excavation of the sacred tank at Amritsar, once came to Gurū Arjan and begged to be instructed. The Gurū told them to sit in the saṅgat and recite gurbāṇī. The Gurū spoke: "Recitation of the sacred hymns cleanses the mind of sinful thought. To the listeners it gives comfort. Reflecting upon gurbāṇī with no desire other than emancipation of the soul leads to giān or true knowledge. Ego is thus overcome. Knowledge of the Self annihilates the sense of duality, resulting in Bliss Eternal. Assemble, therefore, in the saṅgat of the virtuous, recite gurbāṇī, reflect upon it, and earn release from worldly bondage." The four, writes Bhāī Manī Siṅgh, acted upon the Gurū's advice and attained liberation (Vārāṅ XI.18).