SAadmin
-
Posts
3,462 -
Joined
-
Last visited
-
Days Won
1
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Events
Gallery
Downloads
Posts posted by SAadmin
-
-
Words of wisdom by sant baba waryam singh ji
http://atammarg.org/root/tapes.html
2nd clip on the right..its just 23 minutes long tape.. but its very very veery enlightening.. vaheguroooooooooooo
-
Having read the above, it reminded me of doing amrit shak a few years ago, going through it is something that you can't explain.....only that of true love, joy and happyness all at once! for the Guru!
veer i gotat ask you this.. i m taking amrit this vaishakhi which is not many days away
... just wanted to know do u have to wear chola?? with no pyajama???and plus do u have to wear to brand new-kachera that day???
-
My hightest acheivment would be merging with anand da sagar(vaheguroo) while i m alive... vahegurooooooooooooooooo
... everything else trishna(desires), maya , pride merely anthing for me... -
Another interesting write-up:
Satguru first describes what was before creation: "Arbad, narbad dhundoo kaaraa, dharn na gugana hukum apaaraa" pg 1035. This means for countless ages there was utter darkness (nothingess), no heaven or earth. The will of akaal reigned everywhere. No day no night, no sun, no moon. Only akaal stayed in solitary mediatation.
Then guru jee says "keetaa pasaao eko kavao". With his one word, the universe was created. Then what was the process? on pg 1037-38 Satguru describes that the elements of air and water were evolved along with everything else in the universe. on pg 19, Satguru says "sache te pavanaa bhaiyaa pavne te jal hoi. jal tay tribhavan saajiyaa, ghat ghat jot samaay" from the true one, air (gases) were created and from them was created water. From water arose the three worlds (metaphor or common term for the universe and all within) with his divine light within all bodies. Also "tis tay hoi lukh dareeaao", there were hundreds of thousands of oceans created. This is in line with beliefs that other planets also had/have bodies of water.
Satguru continues and says, "kai baar pasario paasaar, sadaa sadaa ik ekankaar" many times has creation been created (the universe been created) only Akaal is forever. This clearly shows that satguru has told us that the universe has been created, destroyed and recreated many times: we are just in one cycle of this creation. And even commenting on other parts of the universe we can't see, satguru says "kaytay pavan panee baisantar" countless are the airs (atmospheres), waters and fires.
-
got this from somewhere... quite true ..its all media...we live in the forgein country.. we say we are in control of ourselves.. but in fact its not true.... anyhow read this...
the media is shaping up the way we think, whether we like it or not, trends r being set by models to wear snazzy revealing clothes to market guds for big firms which we pay for.. this is causing ripple effects, in the way we r, the way we dress, our mental make ups r changing, come off it ur hardly gonna be religious wearing a tite butt lycra bottom showing the shapes of ur bum cheeks off to others, or a revealing top showing the shape of ur tits with a cleavage hanging out same goes for guys on body tops...look at the mind make up of this kind of person, based on external than internal...now u c y sikhs were supposed to dress modestly..then these saps give u the usual lines " oh ur a fanatic ur strict for us" if u say common sense stuff like dis the gals jump on ur throat and say its jus fashion...WAIT TILL U HAVE A DAUGHTER IN LAW LETS SEE HOW U FEEL WHEN SHES WALKING SIDE BY SIDE WID UR SON IN A MINI SKIRT.. how do u think a father or mother feels when their kid walks around half naked and says its fashion today?? this is one example of giving into society it dont jus reflect sikh gals jus people in general......it dont mean stik a punjabi suit on, modest clothes help.. it dont mean dont mix in wid society, do, but if gays became the trend in society does that mean ur weak enuff to let that affect u and become bent with it or perhaps just accept the fact gays exist?..
ask urself a q how much does a Gap top cost in uk ? round region of £60 quid..
how much does it cost to make that top in child labour factories in singapore?? not even 70 pence per top after the labour, materials and overheads to sew the product per each item.
MAGAZINES, MEDIA, ADVERTS, SOCIETY R GEARING PEOPLES MINDS UP THEIR WAY.. ASK URSELF Y IS THAT?? Y IS IT HAPPENING? WHATS THE SOURCES?? UL TRACE UR WAY UP TO THE BIGGEST FIRMS IN CONTROL OF THE MARKETS...
GIRLS WANT A CLEAN CUT GUY ASK URSELF Y? Y WAS IT DIFF 20 YEARS AGO? DID THE MEDIA HAV E THE SAME EFFECT THEN? IF NOT Y NOT?? PEOPLE WERE MORE IN TUNE WITH THEIR CULTURE DHARM. NOW THEY SEE ONE WRONG THING AND THE BLAME THE WHOLE RELIGION AND JUMP AT THE CHANCE TO BECOME LIKE GOREY..ITS UR LOSS. THIS WORLD IS DECEIVING, THE GRASS MITE LOOK GREENER, BUT END OF DAY UR THE ONE WHOS GONNA GET DUPED THEN UL COME BACK AND ASK URSELF WAS IT WORTH IT???MATERIAL LOOKS CLOTHES IMAGES R ALL DECIEVING THE FOOLS GAVE IN..BUT ITS TOO LATE TO TURN AROUND COS THAT MISTAKE COSTS U NOT ANYONE ELSE..ITS UR LIFE DO WHAT U WANT WID IT..
MUSLIMS R SMART, PROPHET MOHAMMED GAVE WARNINGS TO HIS PEOPLE WHAT THE COMING SIGNS OF THE BAD TIMES WILL B, RELIGIOUS MUSLIMS TOOK IT UPON THEMSELVES AND EDUCATED THEIR KIDS WHAT WHY WHEN THIS STUFF HAPPENS, THE SIGNS THE SYMPTONS AND HOW TO KEEP UR MIND CHASTITY ON GAURD...U GOTTO RESPECT THE GUD INTENTIONED ONES FOR DAT... SIKHS HAVE BEEN GIVEN MORE DETAILS 300 YEARS AGO OF WHATS TO COME FOR THE SIKHS AND PANJABIS AND THE REST OF THE WORLD.. THEY IGNORED IT ENTIRELY AND NOW THEIR KIDS R GETTING SACRIFICED FOR IT.. WHOS THE BIGGER FOOL??? SAU SAKHIS AND DASAM TELL U EVERYTHING U NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE FUTURE, AND SO FAR MAJORITY OF THOSE THINGS HAVE COME OUT TRU WITHIN SIKHS AND OUTSIDE, EACH SIGN SYMPTON.. ITS GONNA GET A LOT WORSE THESE R JUST SMALL SIGNS YET...
-
I been to a few gigs where ive seen a few group of religious girls, kurriya who wear turbans etc. Now they have taken amrit but still out there? whats to be said about that?
I wouldnt judge em..I think they have quite well in control when they went there....Personally, not everyone can do that....they could have just been there for bhangra songs of we know.. its not good to judge but i still say goin to gigs and being commited to sikhism truly doesnt really go along well...you can do one thing at a time...
you gotta understand being to sikhism..learning more and more stuff about it its a commitment but wheras goin in a clubbling its a "resistance" to that commitment because of the environment.. you have to be environment of gursikhs, saints so that effect of this worldy attachments, songs can go away. then you have.. anand hii anand... i wouldnt compare but you have to be at that stage to find out the anand...one is anand while you are alive.. while being in the anand .. you get the higger stage then anand.. which is porma anand.. this is the stage u get when you are dead but there are few sikhs that already have felt that stage and they know when there to death is coming.. actually they are eager to welcome the death.. because thats when you merge with vaheguroo.. no more of that 8.4 million rebirts you have to go through...
vaheguroooooooooooooo!!!
-
Vir Singh, Bhai
Poet, Scholar and Exegete (1872-1957)
He was a major figure in the Sikh renaissance and in the movement for the revival and renewal of Punjabi literary tradition His identification with all the important concerns of modern Sikhism was so complete that he came to be canonized as Bhai, the Brother of the Sikh Order, very early in his career. For his pioneering work in its several different genres, he is acknowledged as the creator of modern Punjabi literature.
Born on 5 December 1,872, in Amritsar, Bhai Vir Singh was the eldest of Dr Charan Singh's three sons. The family traces its ancestry back to Diwan Kaura Mall (d. 1752), who rose to the position of vice-governor of Multan, under Nawab Mir Win ul-Mulk, with the title of Maharaja Bahadur. Baba Kahn Singh (1788-1878) was perhaps the first in the family to be regularly sworn a Sikh. He turned a recluse when he was still in his early teens and spent his entire youth in monasteries at Haridvar and Amritsar acquiring training in traditional Sikh learning. His mother's affection ultimately reclaimed him to the life of a householder at the age of 40, when he got married. Adept in versification in Sanskrit and Braj as well as in the oriental system of medicine, Baba Kahn Singh passed on his interests to his only son, Dr Charan Singh. Apart from his sustained involvement in literary and scholarly pursuits, mainly as a Braj poet, Punjabi prose-writer, musicologist, prosodist and lexicographer, Dr Charan Singh took active interest in the affairs of the Sikh community, then experiencing a new urge for restoration as well as for change.
To this patrimony of Bhai Vir Singh was added from his mother's side a living kinship with another rich tradition of scholarship in exegesis of the Giani school, going back to the times of Guru Gobind Singh. His maternal grandfather Giani Hazara Singh compiled a lexicon of Guru Granth Sahib, and wrote a commentary on Bhai Gurdas' Varan. As a schoolboy, Bhai Vir Singh used to spend a great deal of his time in the company of Giani Hazara Singh under whose guidance he not only learnt the classical and neo-classical languages, Sanskrit, Persian and Braj, but also received grounding, both theoretical and practical, in the science of Sikh exegesis.
Bhai Vir Singh was the child of an age in ferment. The extinction of Sikh sovereignty in the Punjab, the decline in the fortunes of Sikh aristocracy, the gradual emergence of urban middle classes, the dissipation of the "national intellectual life" of the Punjab owing to the neglect and decay of indigenous education of the local people from their political destiny aroused among the Sikhs concern for survival and for redefining the boundaries of their faith. Further challenges arose in the shape of modernization, of Christian, Muslim and Hindu movements of proselytization and the agnostic cults such as Brahmo Samaj. Parallel to the developments foreboding gradual appropriation of Sikhism by the Hindu social order emerged a powerful trend towards Braj classicism in the Sikh literary and scholarly tradition. Mythologization of the persons of Sikh Gurus, mixing of fiction with historical fact and interweaving of Vedantic and Vaisnavite motifs into the essential Sikh teaching were its typical features. In response arose in Sikhism several movements-Nirankari (puritanism), Namdhari (militant protestantism), Singh Sabha (revivalism and renaissance) and Panch Khalsa Diwan (aggressive fundamentalism).
Bhai Vir Singh had the benefit of both the traditional indigenous learning as well as of modern English education. He learnt Persian and Urdu from a Muslim Maulawi in a mosque and was apprenticed to Giani Harbhajan Singh, a leading classical scholar, for Sanskrit and Sikh literature. He then joined the Church Mission School, Amritsar, and took his matriculation examination in 1891. At school, the conversion of some of the students proved a crucial experience which strengthened his own religious conviction. From the Christian missionaries' emphasis on literary resources, he learnt how efficacious the written word could be as a means of informing and influencing a person's innermost being. Through his English courses, he acquired familiarity with modern literary forms, especially short lyric. While still at school, Bhai Vir Singh was married at the age of 17 to Chatar Kaur, daughter of Sardar Narain Singh of Amritsar.
Unlike the educated young men of his time, Bhai Vir Singh was not tempted by prospects of a career in government service. He chose for himself the calling of a writer and created material conditions for a singleminded pursuit of it. An year after his passing the matriculation examination, he set up a lithograph press in collaboration with Bhai Wazir Singh, a friend of his father's. As his first essays in the literary field, Bhai Vir Singh composed some Geography textbooks for schools.
Bhai Vir Singh began taking active interest in the affairs of Singh Sabha movement. To promote its aims and objects, he launched in 1894 the Khalsa Tract Society. In November 1899, he started a Punjabi weekly, the Khalsa Samachar. He was among the principal promoters of several of the Sikh institutions, such as Chief Khalsa Diwan (1902), Sikh Educational Society (1908) and the Punjab and Sind Bank (1908). Interest in corporate activity directed towards community development remained Bhai Vir Singh's constant concern, simultaneously with his creative and scholarly pursuits. In this engagement and, at the same time, in his eschewal of political activity, the Christian missionary example was apparently his model.
In determining the basic parameters of the modern phase of Sikhism, Bhai Vir Singh stressed the autonomy of Sikh faith nourished and sustained by an awakening amongst the Sikhs of the awareness of their distinct theological and cultural identity. Secondly, he aimed at reorienting the Sikhs' understanding of their faith in such a manner as to help them assimilate the different modernizing influences to their historical memory and cultural heritage. Education of the masses was the first requirement for the fulfilment of these objectives. In the meanwhile, the old educational system which had till then served as a channel for communication of the traditional knowledge to the youth of the race had broken down with the withdrawal, under British dispensation, of state patronage from the indigenous institutions. As if to fill the vacuum as well as to build new channels of intra-community communication, Bhai Vr Singh through his single-minded cultivation of Punjabi language as the medium of his theological, scholarly and creative work, resolved the cultural dilemma which the Sikhs faced at the turn of the century. On the one hand was the Sikh literary tradition in Braj language which had collected unmatched riches in multiple directions during the course of its three-centuries-long elitist career, on the other were the compulsions for mobilizing the common Sikhs through their own language. By drawing upon the Sikh tradition of Braj literature for his basic inspiration and cultural motivation and upon the Punjabi literary tradition for its linguistic component, Bhai Vir Singh initiated a new literary idiom distinctly different from both. The tracts produced by the Khalsa Tract Society introduced a down-to-earth literary Punjabi remarkable for lightness of touch as well as for freshness of expression. In this writing lay the beginnings of modern Punjabi prose.
The Khalsa Tract Society periodically made available under the title Nirguniara lowcost publications on Sikh theology, history and philosophy and on social and religious reform. Through this journal Bhai Vir Singh established a living contact with an everexpanding circle of readers. He used the Nirguniara as a vehicle for his own selfexpression and some of his major creative works such as the epic Rana Surat Singh, the novel Baba Naudh Singh, and the lives of the Gurus Sri Guru Nanak Chamatkar and Sri Guru Kalgidhar Chamatkar were originally serialized in its columns.
In literature, Bhai Vir Singh started as a writer of romances which proved to be the forerunners of the Punjabi novel. His writings in this genre- Sundari (1898), Bijay Singh (1899), Satvant Kaur (published in two parts, I in 1900 and II, in 1927)- were aimed at recreating the heroic period (eighteenth century) of Sikh history. Through these novels he made available to his readers typical models of courage, fortitude and human dignity.
Subhag ji da Sudhar Hathin Baba Naudh Singh, popularly known as Baba Naudh Singh (serialized in Nirguniara from 1907 onwards and published in book form in 1921) shares with Rana Surat Singh ( which he had started serializing two years earlier), Bhai Vir Singh's fascination with the theme of widow's desperate urge for a re-union with her dead husband. But in Baba Naudh Singh this search is situated in a more mundane setting. This makes all the difference. The narrative here is more realistic in tone, and almost contemporary in its appeal. Bhai Vir Singh weaves into the narrative numerous motifs of social reform, moral teaching and religious preaching and depicts several situations of intercommunal and urban-rural confrontation.
In 1905, Bhai Vir Singh started serializing through tracts Rana Surat Singh, the first Punjabi epic, written in blank verse of Sirkhandi variety. This long narrative of over 14,000 lines is a striking imaginative evocation of the situation of the Sikhs through a symbolic tale of a widowed queen in quest of her lost paradise. The spiritual voyage of Rani Raj Kaur, the main protagonist of the poem, from external factuality to internal essence has been described by Bhai Vir Singh in the form of a fantasy of spiritual ascension. Apart from living out her earthly destiny of suffering and pain, she symbolized the total ethos of the Sikh people at that historical moment when they were emerging out of their sense of defeat and despair into an era of a fresh beginning.
Bhai Vir Singh's quest for new forms of expression continued. Soon after the publication of Rana Surat Singh in book form in 1919, he turned to shorter poems and lyrics. In quick succession came Dil Tarang (1920), Tarel Tupke (1921), Lahiran de Har (1921), Matak Hulare (1922), and Bijlian de Har (1927). Following at some distance was Mere Saian Jio (1953). In this poetry, Bhai Vir Singh's concerns were more aesthetic than didactic, metaphysical or mystical. He refined the old verse forms and created new ones. The metrical patterns Kabit, Soratha, Baint, etc., which he inherited from classical Punjabi literature, were transformed into light, nimble measures. Bhai Vir Singh also naturalized in Punjabi the Rubai which he borrowed from Urdu. By grafting Soratha and Sirkhandi forms on English blank verse, he paved the way for the emergence of Punjabi poem. As it happened, the first play written in Punjabi, Raja Lakhdata Singh (1910), also came from the pen of Bhai Vir Singh. Tentative in form, the play did reveal the author's powers of constructing crisp and witty dialogues.
Change-over from Braj Bhasa to Punjabi as the main medium of Sikh literary and scholarly expression created the need for new materials such as glossaries, lexicons, encyclopaedias and exegetical works. Bhai Vir Singh himself provided several of the tools. He revised and enlarged Giani Hazara Singh's dictionary, Sri Guru Granth Kosh, originally published in 1898. The revised version, published in 1927, gave evidence of Bhai Vir Singh's command of the science of etymology and of the classical and modern languages. He published critical editions of some of the old Sikh texts such as Sikhan di Bhagat Mala (1912), Prachin Panth Prakash (1914), Puratan Janam Sakhi (1926) and Sakhi Pothi (1950). Monumental in size and scholarship was his annotation of Bhai Santokh Singh's, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, published from 1927 to 1935 in fourteen volumes covering 6668 pages.
No sooner was the Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth completed than Bhai Vir Singh launched on an even more arduous task. This was a detailed commentary on the Guru Granth Sahib. In a way, exegesis had been his lifelong occupation. Early in his career he had annotated selections from the Holy Book published in 1906 under the title Panj Granthi Satik, and, as he himself declared, all of his writing was an exposition of the Sikh Scripture. He devoted himself unsparingly to the commentary, but it remained unfinished. A lifetime of unrelieved hard work and the weight of advancing years at last began to tell. In, early 1957 signs of fatigue and weakness appeared. He was taken ill with a fever and died in his home in Amritsar on 10 june 1957. The portion of the commentary- nearly one half of the Holy Book- he had completed was published posthumously in seven large volumes.
-
wow this is classic.. i saw this while back but never too close :shock: ..
must be 100,000 pounds.. that waht i heard...respect the sword... vaheguroooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!
-
it does clash i no! but i love bhnagra and music, so i love to go to gigs or clubs for that! thats all.
But i also go gurdwara few times a week, does that make me a hypocrite?
im not a very religious person but i am trying to get into sikhi more, but as i prefer to go clubbing does that make a bad person?
see first of all no one is hypocrite ....after all i was a crack-head last year...
...just changed in one year...see its all about self-realization...
sikhi is beautiful because it gives you chance to meet with vaheguroo, to get piece of mind to acheive salvation while you are alive...
people usually think just by taking amrit you become good relegious icons.. but people dont know..
Amrit is just an "enrollment" in the school.. then you have classes 10, 11, 12 , diploma in sikhi, degree in sikhi, masters in sikhi and final one phd in sikhi...this is when you merge with vahegurooo....
but i gotta agree.. just enrolling in the school its a big commitment....its about praticing it... you have no idea... when you take amrit .. it just purifies ur blood with amrit(thats what it suppose to do) ... anand hii anand.. . vahegurooo...i just cant wait until this vaishakhi ..takin it just week from now... preparted to enroll in vaheguroo's class
-
i was just wondering about sokhs views on clubbing? if a person who doesnt drink etc but justr goes to clubs for the music is it acceptable?
lets see..sikhism does directly and indirectly porhibits use of alchohol and goin in clubbling...
lets break all these three things..lets take clubbling for example-
goin to clubbing...most of the people claim they do go for fun with freinds etc..however you in the vulnerable environment where things easily can lead to the five vices we have- anger, greed, attachment, lust and pride...even though you dont drink...because of the environment...
i m not lecturing you or anything...why dont you do a experiment urself...
just take one week off from ur priceless time ...just dedicate whole one week...listening to gurbani, kirtan instead with ur true heart instead of rap, hip-hop, bhangra songs, ragaie etc...you will the find the difference urself...you will find the music of gurbani much more relaxing and peacefull than other music...
i shall direct you to this link if you are interested you can listen to the kirtan here..
http://keertan.waheguroo.com/index.php?viewCat=205
if you like to listen to kirtan in a western style like rock beats and pop.. our fellow white sikh brothers and sisters has done that too..here
http://keertan.waheguroo.com/index.php?viewCat=40
ENJOY THE MUSIC JI :wink:
-
umm bhai mardana was a muslim.... bhai mula was sikh who lata accompanied guru nanak dev ji on some travels
theres a story that guru gobind singh ji captured a rabbit - who was bhai mula in its previous life
I heard bha maula sakhi from baba ishar singh ji tapes.. it goes something like this...
One day guru nanak dev ji asked bhai mardhana to buy Truth and Lie for 1 paise(cent) .. he goes around in the market..askin the shopkeppers...nobody has it.. then finally he reached bhai muala shop...he goes i ll give u that deal.
He writes on the paper...Jainuoo Jhoot, Marna Sach (Living is a lie, Death is a Truth) .. when bhai mardana came back to guru nanak dev ji and show him the papper.. guru ji was quite impressed by him and further invited him to join his company.. he was joined for couple of years.. then his mother was too much worried about his marriage.. bhai maula got married, guru nanak dev ji and bhai mardana proceed in his journey to spread the divine knowledge after soo many years guru ji and bhai mardhana came in his village (sailkot) i beleive.. ..
guru ji asked bhai mardana to call bhai mauna to viist him .. when bhai mardana went his wife told him that he is not here.. she lied to bhai mardana.. and after 3 unsucessful visits to call him.. guru ji was mad and said "jai hanni ta haie hi nahi" right when he said it snake piosned bhai maula and he was dead.. his wife ran to guru ji and begged for his life...
Guru ji said "ek var muoho nikal gaya bacchan vapas nahi aa sakda" it means once something its said it will come true.. bhramgyanis words are firm like a mountain...but guru ji said to his wife that .. he will get mukhti in his 10th janam (10th rebirth) by guru gobind singh ji... and indeed he was rabbit he did gotta mukhti by tenth guru ji.
-
This is great documentary on Sikhism, that was released by the BBC for the celebration of Baisakhi. A must see for Sikhs and Non-sikhs alike. Sikhnet highly reccomends it!!
http://www.sikhnet.com/sikhnet/music.nsf/3...2e!OpenDocument
Also like to share with you this chardi-kalah video about white sikhs celebrating vaishakhi thought it was inspiring.
http://www.sikhnet.com/sikhnet/music.nsf/S...b10065c38a?Open
Sikh Dharma at Western-hemisphere
http://www.sikhnet.com/sikhnet/music.nsf/S...b10065c398?Open
Note: If you like this video or gain anything out of these videos..pls do spread sikhi through email forwards to ur freinds and family ..May vaheguroo bless everyone
-
guru gobind singh ji had 4 sons
baba ajit singh
baba jojhar singh
baba zorawar singh
baba fateh singh
the robbers name was sajan??.... i think :?
and the sikh that accompanied guru nanak dev ji - his name was bhai mula?
Sikh that accompained with guru nanak was bhai mardana...
-
1. How many sons did Guru Gobind Singh have??
2. Guru Nanak met this robber. His name was ??
3. This Sikh was with Guru Nanak in His travels????
whoever gets all 3 right becomes a admin...
jk :wink: -
hey, top idea
14 April 1699 @ Kesgarh Sahib (Anandpur Sahib)
wat does 'Waheguru' mean?
Hey i thought vaishakhi is on 13th april... what is it ??? is it 14th by nanakshai calendar... any1 enlighten me pls?? :cry:
-
1469 at talwandi.. i might be wrong
who first in sikhism started shastr vidiya tradition??? lol .. lets see if any one can get that...
here are the choices.
1. Guru Hargobind ji
2. Guru Nanak Dev jI
3. Baba Buddha Ji
4. Guru Gobind Singh ji
-
neo - i wanna know ur view on this - do u think its right to eat non jhutka meat???
personally im a vegetarian - no fish - no egg - no meat
milk n dairy products i eat
no way.. non-jhatka is when you actually torturing the animal and its slowly gettin killed... according to the recincrnation being has to go through 8.4 million species of rebirth than actually born as human.. imagine that happening to you in ur next life...
i wouldnt eat non-jhatka...i wouldnt eat no meat at the first place... all though if i be nihang i ll do jhatka of goat... because most of the nihangs beleive that if you do jhatka of goat then goat actually will be born as nihang in the next life....that doesnt mean any nihang can do that.. you have to be very spirtual nihang in order to do that...
i wouldnt eat anything because everything counts ...even if you kill a ant...that is written by akal-purkh.. vaheguroooo
-
There is too much too post about this great of the greatest soul
here is whole dedicated site for you sangat ji
-
Anyone can be initiated into the Sikh religion if one can read and understand the contents of Guru Granth Sahib and is matured enough to follow the Sikh code of conduct (Rehat Maryada) . The baptism ceremony is known as 'Amrit Chhakna". It is conducted. in a holy place, any place sanctified with the presence of Guru Granth Sahib, preferably a Gurdwara. The ceremony is conducted by five baptized Sikhs known as Singhs or Khalsa who must be observant of the Sikh religious discipline and the Sikh code of conduct A date and place is fixed for the baptismal ceremony and information to that effect is given in the local press. All the candidates interested in the initiation then formally apply for admission. The candidates are interviewed and if found worthy of initiation are called at the specified place at the fixed date and time.
The formal Amrit ceremony is conducted in the following way:
A. Guru Granth Sahib is opened in the ceremonious way. One of the five Khalsas selected for the Amrit ceremony offers the formal prayer in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib which is followed by a random reading from the holy book.
B. The entrants join in the formal prayer and sit cross legged when the verse from Guru Granth Sahib is being read. Then they stand in front of the congregation (if there is any) and ask their permission for admission into the Khalsa brotherhood. The permission is normally given by means of the religious call-Bolay So Nihal Sat Sri Akal (Whosoever Would Speak Would Be Blessed-God Is The Supreme Truth).
C. One of the Khalsa then instructs the aspirants in the following way: After taking Amrit you must:
1. Believe in the teaching of the ten Sikh Gurus and Guru Granth Sahib.
2. Recite five Banis-(Collection of Hymns) every day.
3. Wear the five Ks-i.e., uncut hair, sword, comb, underwear and the steel bracelet
4. Live upon your own honest and sincere earnings.
5. Treat all human beings as equal.
6. Spread the name of the God.
After taking Amrit you must not:
1. Deal with persons who have no belief in God
2. Take drugs, intoxicants and tobacco in any form
3. Have any faith in magic, superstitions, charms and rituals
4. Have any relations with mines (descendants of Prithi Chand, a brother of Guru Aijan who revolted against his father, Guru Ramdas, to have the Guruship for himself) Dhirmaliaa (descendants of Dhirmal, a grandson of Guru)
Hargobind who also revolted against his father and grand father to inherit the Guruship) and child killers, a sect of Hindus who would kill their babies if they were girls.
After the general acceptance of the above instructions, the Amrit (the holy nectar) is prepared. A big iron bowl is filled with fresh water and some sugar pellets are put in.The water is stirred by all the five selected Khalsa with a double edged dagger. Five holy Banis viz., Jap Sahib., (composed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji), Japji Sahib (composed by Guru Nanak), Sudha Swayas (composed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji), Benti Chaupai (composed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji), and Anand Sahib (composed by Guru Amardas) are recited while the water is being stirred
After the completion of the five Banis a prayer is said and a random verse is read from Guru Granth Sahib. Then the Amrit is administered to each candidate, one by one, as follows:
Firstly, five sips of Amrit are poured into the hollow made by the palm of the right hand of each entrant to drink one after another. Secondly, theAmrit is sprinkled five times into the eyes and heads of the candidates. Finally, each candidate drinks a little Amrit from the same bowl until is finished completely.
After the administration of the Amrit in the above way, the Bani of Anand Sahib is recited followed by the prayer and random reading of a verse from Guru Granth Sahib. At the end Karah Parshad (the sweet pudding) is distributed to all. The congregation then congratulates all the candidates for their admission in the Khalsa brotnerhood
Ambrosial baptism should be held at an exclusive place away from common human traffic. At the place where ambrosial baptism is to be administered, the holy Guru Granth Sahib should be installed and ceremonially opened. Also present should be six committed baptized Sikhs, one of whom should sit in attendance of the Guru Granth Sahib and the other five should be there to administer the ambrosial baptism. These six may even include Sikh women. All of them must have taken bath and washed their hair.
The five beloved ones who administer ambrosial baptism should not include a disabled person, such as a person who is blind or blind in one eye, lame, one with a broken or disabled limb, or one suffering from some chronic disease. The number should not include anyone who has committed a breach of the Sikh discipline and principles. All of them should be committed baptized Sikhs with appealing personalities. Any man or woman of any country, religion or caste who embraces Sikhism and solemnly undertakes to abide by its principles is entitled to ambrosial baptism. The person to be baptized should not be of very young age; he or she should have attained a plausible degree of discretion.
a. Ceremony of Khande di Pahul( Amrit Sanskar) should be held at an exclusive place away from common human traffic.
b. At the place where the ceremony is to be administered, the holy Guru Granth Sahib should be installed and ceremonially opened. Also present should be six committed Amritdhari Sikhs, one of whom should sit in attendance of the Guru Granth Sahib and the other five should be there to administer the Khande di Pahul. These six may even include Sikh women. All of them must have taken bath and washed their hair.
c. The five beloved (Panj Piyare) ones who administer Khande di Pahul should not include a disabled person, such as a person who is blind or blind in one eye, lame, one with a broken or disabled limb, or one suffering from some chronic disease. The number should not include anyone who has committed a breach of the Sikh discipline and principles. All of them should be committed Amritdhari Sikhs with appealing personalities.
d. Any man or woman of any country, religion or caste who embraces Sikhism and solemnly undertakes to abide by its principles is entitled to Khande di Pahul(Amrit).
The person to be Amritdhari , should not be of very young age; he or she should have attained a plausible degree of discretion. The person to be Amritdhari must have taken bath and washed the hair and must wear all five K's- Kesh (unshorn hair), strapped Kirpan (sword),. Kachhehra (prescribed shorts), Kanga (Comb tucked in the tied up hair), Karha (Steel bracelet). He/she must not have on his/her person any token of any other faith. He/she must not have his/her head bare or be wearing a cap. He/she must not be wearing any ornaments piercing through any part of the body. The persons to be Amritdhari must stand respectfully with hands folded facing the Guru Granth Sahib.
e. Anyone seeking Khande di Pahul again, having committed an aberration, should be singled out and the five beloved ones should award chastisement to hinilber in the presence of the congregation.
f. One from amongst the five beloved ones administerning Khande di Pahul to persons seeking to be Amritdhari should explain the principles of the Sikh religion to them:
The Sikh religion advocates the renunciation of the worship of any created thing, and rendering of worship and loving devotion to, and meditating on, the One Supreme Creator. For the fulfilment of such devotion and meditation, reflection on the contents of Gurbani and practising of its tenets, participation in the congregational services, rendering service to the Panth, benevolent exertion (to promote the good of others), love of God's name (loving reflection on and experience of the Divine), living within the Sikh discipline after getting Amrit etc. are the principal means.
He should conclude his exposition of the principles of Sikh religion with the query : Do you accept these willingly?
g. On an affirmative response from the seekers of Khande di Pahul, one from amongst the five beloved ones should perform the Ardas for the preparation of Khande di Pahul and take the holy Hukam (command) The five beloved ones should come close to the bowl for preparing the Khande di Pahul.
h. The bowl should be of pure steel and it should be placed on a clean steel ring or other clean support.
i. Clean water and sugar puffs should be put in the bowl and the five beloved ones should sit around it in bir posture(Bir Assan) and recite the undermentioned scriptural compositions.
j. The scriptural composition to be recited are : The Japuji, The Jaap, The Ten Sawayyas (commencing with Sarawag Sud), The Bainti Chaupai (From "hamri karo hath dai rachha" to "dusht dokh te leho te bachai") and Anand Sahib.
k. Each of the five beloved ones who recites the scripture should hold the edge of the bowl with his left hand and keep stirring the water with a (Khanda) double-edged sword held in his right hand. He should do that with full concentration. The rest of the beloved ones should keep gripping the edge of the bowl with both hands concentrating their full attention on the Khande di Pahul.
l. After the conclusion of the recitation, one from amongst the beloved ones should perform the Ardas.
m. Only that person seeking Amrit who has participated in the entire ceremony of Amrit Sanchar can be Amritdhari. One who has turned up while the ceremony was in progress cannot be given Khande di Pahul.
n. After the Ardas as thinking of our Father, the Tenth Nanak Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, the wearer of the aigrette, every person seeking to be Amritdhari should sit in Bir Assan , putting his/her right hand cupped on the left cupped hand and be made to drink the Amrit five times, as the beloved one who pours the mix into his cupped hand exclaims : say, Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh! (The Khalsa is of the Wondrous Destroyer of darkness; victory, too, is His!) The person being Amritdhari should after imbibing the Amrit, repeat : Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh. Then five handfuls of the Amrit should he sprinkled into the eyes of the person being Amrit and another five into his hair. Each such sprinkling should be accompanied by the beloved one administering Amrit saying, "Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki Fateh", and the person getting Amrit repeating the chant. Whatever Amrit is left over after the administration of the Khande di Pahul (Amrit) to all individual seekers, should be sipped by all (men and women) Amritdharies, together.
o. After this the five beloved ones, all together in chorus communicating the name of Waheguru to all who have been administered the Khande di Pahul, recite to them the Mul Mantar and make them repeat it aloud :
Ik aunkar satnam karta purakh nirbhau nirwair akal murat ajuni saibhang gur prasad.
After this, one from amongst the five beloved ones should explain to the initiates the discipline of the order :
* Today you are reborn in the true Guru's household, ending the cycle of migration, and joined the Khalsa Panth (order).
* Your spiritual father is now Guru Gobind Singh Sahib and the spiritual mother, Mata Sahib Kaur ji.
* Your place of birth is Kesgarh Sahib and your native place is Anandpur Sahib.
* You, being the sons of one father, are, inter-se yourselves and other Amritdhari Sikhs, spiritual brothers.
* You have become the pure Khalsa, having renounced your previous lineage, professional background, calling (occupation), beliefs, that is, having given up all connections with your caste, descent, birth, country, religion, etc..
* You are to worship none except the One Timeless Being (Waheguru) no god, goddess, incarnation or prophet.
* You are not to think of anyone except the Ten Gurus and anything except their gospel as your saviour.
* You are supposed to know Gurmukhi (Punjabi alphabet). (If you do not, you must learn it).
* And recite, or listen in to the recitation of, the under mentioned scriptural compositions, the daily repetition of which is ordained, every day : (1) The Japuji Sahib, (2) The Jaap Sahib, (3) The Ten Sawayyas (Quartrains), beginning "sarawag sudh", (4) The Sodar Rahiras and the Sohila. Besides, you should read from or listen in to the recitation from the Guru Granth Sahib .
Have, on your person, all the time, the five K's :
I. The Keshas (unshorn hair),
II. The Kirpan {sheathed sword} (The length of the sword to be worn is not prescribed.,
III. The Kachhehra (The Kachhehra (drawers like garment) may be made from any cloth, but its legs should not reach down to below the shins.),
IV. The Kanga (comb),
V. The Karha {steel bracelet} (The Karha should be of pure steel.)
The undermentioned four transgressions (tabooed practices) must be avoided
1. Dishonouring the hair;
2. Eating the meat of an animal slaughtered the Muslim way;
3. Cohabiting with a person other than one's spouse;
4. Using tobacco.
In the event of the commission of any of these transgressions, the transgressor must get Amrit again. If a transgression is committed unintentionally and unknowingly, the transgressor shall not be liable to punishment. You must not associate with a Sikh who had uncut hair earlier and has cut it or a Sikh who smokes. You must ever be ready for the service of the Panth and of the Gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship). You must tender one tenth (Daswand) of your earnings to the Guru. In short, you must act the Guru's way in all spheres of activity.You must remain fully aligned to the Khalsa brotherhood in accordance with the principles of the Khalsa faith. If you commit transgression of the Khalsa discipline, you must present yourself before the congregation and beg pardon, accepting whatever punishment is awarded. You must also resolve to remain watchful against defaults in the future.
q The following individuals shall be liable to chastisement involving automatic boycott:
1. Anyone maintaining relations or communion with elements antagonistic to the Panth including the minas (reprobates), the masands (agents once accredited to local Sikh communities as Guru's representatives, since discredited for their faults and aberrations), followers of Dhirmal or Ram Rai, et. al., or users of tobacco or killers of female infants
2. One who eats/drinks Left-overs of the non-Amritdhari or the fallen Sikhs;
3. One who dyes his beard;
4. One who gives off son or daughter in matrimony for a price or reward;
5. Users of intoxicants (hemp, opium, liquor, narcotics, cocaine, etc.);
6. One holding, or being a party to, ceremonies or practices contrary to the Guru's way;
7. One who defaults in the maintenance of Sikh discipline.
r. After this sermon, one from among the five beloved ones should perform the Ardas.
s. Thereafter, the Sikh sitting in attendance of the Guru Granth Sahib should take the Hukam. If anyone from amongst those who have received the Khande di Pahul had not earlier been named in accordance with the Sikh Naming Ceremony, he should renounce his previous name and be given a new name beginning with first letter of the Hukam now taken.
t. And finally, the Karhah Prashad should be distributed. All the newly launched Sikh men and women should eat the Karhah Prashad together off the same bowl.
-
Preaching of Sant Attar Singh Maharaj from Guru Granth Sahib Ji
1. Nitnem (Daily religious observance)
One should always do 'Nitnem'. It is the treasure, asset, wealth and property of a sikh.
"Amrit Vailey Uth Kae jaae Ander Dariaao Nahuande
Sahaj Samadh Agaadh Vich Ek Mun Hoae Gur Jap Japande,
Mathe Tikke Lal Lae Sadh Sangat Chal Jaae Behande,
Sabad Surat Liv Leen Hoae Satgur Bani Gaae Sunande,
Bhaae Bhagat Bhai Varetmaan Gur Sewa Gurpurb Karande
Sanjhe Sodar Gavana Mun Male Milande
Raat Kirat Sohila Kar Aarti Parshad Vandande
Gurmukh Sukh Fal Piram Chakhande." (Bhai Gurdas Ji)
It is the sacred obligation of every baptised Sikh to daily recite at least the following five banies (Holy Hymns) of Nitnem :
Early Morning : Japji Sahib, Jaap Sahib, Sudha Swaiyae, Chaupei, Anand Sahib followed by Ardas (offering prayer)
Evening : Rehraas Sahib
Night : Kirtan Sohila
"Gursikh Rahat Sunho Hae Meet Parbhate Uth Kar Hit Cheet
Waheguru Gurmantra Su Jaap Kar Ishnan Parae Jap Jaap
Sandhiya Samae Sunae Rehraas Kirtan Katha Sunnae Har Yaas
In Meh Nem Ju ek Karaae So Sikh Amarpuri Meh Jaae" (Bhai Nandlal Ji)
Sant Ji Maharaj Also preached that one should recite Nitnem before coming to the morning Dewan (holy congregation) otherwise he fails to do it afterwards.
2. Meditation on the Divine Name is the Prime righteousness of all human beings.
"Jinee Aaesa Har Naam Na Cheteo Se Kahe Jag Aayae Ram Raje" (450)
"Sodhat Sodhat Sodh Beechara Bin Har Bhajan Nahi Chhutkara" (260)
3. Wondrous power of meditation
All the time continuous meditation on the Divine Name with full devotion and concentration, creates a wondrous power that is keeping billions of Suns, Moons, spheres and the entire creations of the Universe moving.
"Naam Japat Kot Soor Ujjaraa Binsae Bhram Andheraa" (700)
Sant Ji Maharaj uttered these words when an engineer was showing him a power plant where electricity was being generated by fast rotation of the dynemo.
4. Method of Nam - Simran (Meditation) -
Feel the presence of the Almighty within, with full faith and devotion, recite the Divine Name with the tongue in the beginning - the lips and the tongue continue gently moving up and down and slowly go on uttering 'Waheguru', 'Waheguru' at a stretch with love and attention; then by and by continue uttering 'Waheguru', 'Waheguru', gently with the tip of the tongue touching the palate and the lips remaining almost still; in the third stage with breathing - 'Wahe' should go along with the breath while inhaling and 'Guru' should emerge alongwith the breath while exhaling.
"Bahar Bhitter Eko Janaho Eh Gur giam Batai" (684)
By reciting the Divine Name in this way and after continuous intense meditation, the fourth stage is bestowed upon the searcher in which the Divine word and the devoted mind become one and merge.
"Kabir Too Too Karta To Hoohaa Mujh Meh Raha Na Hoohn.
Jab Aappa Par Ka Mit Gayaa Jat Dekhau tat Too" (1375)
But the essential requirement of all these steps of Nam-Simran is that one should do it realizing the presence of Akal Purakh within and every where.
"Gur Kee Murat Mun Meh Dhiaan.
Gur Kae Shabad Mantar Mun Maan.
Gur Kae Charan Ridae Lae Dharon.
Gur Parbrehm Sada Namaskaro" (864)
5. The occult powers (ridh-sidh) are of no avail. The realization of God consciousness, 'Atam-Pad' is a far higher stage.
"Ridh sidh Sabh Moh hae Naam Naa Vasse Mun Aayee" (593)
"Achar Chare Tan Sidh Hoi Sidhi Te Budh Paee.
Prem Ke Ser Laage Tan Bhiter Taan Bhrum Kateyaa Jaayee" (607)
6. Spiritual Humility is not possible without selfless service.
"Sewa Karat Hoi Nihkami Tis Ko Hot Prapat Swami" (286)
"Kar Kirpa Jiskae Hirdae Gareebe Bassave.
Nanak Eehaan Mukat Aagae Sukh Paave" (278)
"Gur Sewa Te Sukh Oopjae Phir Dukh Na Lage Aaaye.
Jaman Marna Mit Gayaa Kaale Ka Kichh Naa Basai" (651)
7. Rising above the trinity of Tamo, Rajo and Sato is considered as achieving the stage of God consciousness or opening of Trikuti. Realizing the God within is the opening of Dasam Dwaar.
"Trikuti Chhutae Daswa Dar Khule Tan Mun Khiwaa Bhai" (1123)
"The Chand Na Suraj Pawan Na Pani. Sakhi Jaagi Gurmukh Jaani." (974)
"Dinas Na Raen Baed Nahi Shastra Tahaa Basse Nirankara" (484)
"Begampur Saher Ko Naun. Dookh Andoh Nahin The Thau" (345)
"Gurmukh Anter Sehaj Hai Mun Charyaa Daswai Akaas
Tithai Oongh Na Bhuk Hai Har Amrit Naam Sukh Vaas
Nanak Dukh Sukh Viaapat Nahi Jithe Atam Ram Pargaas" (1414)
8. Sabad Guru Surat Dhun Chela (943). Sant Ji Maharaj clarified that our guru is 'Shabad' only. Never was body guru nor it will be in future. It is not appropriate to worship 'body'.
"Bani Guru Guru Hai Bani Vich Bani Amrit Saare' (982)
"Wah Wah Bani Nirankaar Hai Tis Jewad Avar Na Koi.
Wah Wah Agam Athah Hai Wah Wah Sacha Soi" (515)
9. All Jantras, Mantras and Tantras fade away with the supremacy of Gurbani (The Divine Hymns).
"Dhur Kee Bani Aayee. Tin Sagli Chint Mittai" (628)
"Sunat Japat Har Naam Jass Tan Kee Door Ballai.
Mahan Mantra Nanak Kathe Har Ke Gun Gaaee" (814)
"Kajar Koth Meh Bhaee Na Kaaree Nirmal Baran Banio Ree.
Maha Mantra Gur Hirdai Basio Acharaj Naam Sunio Ree" (384)
"Ram Nam Jo Jan Japae Andin Sad Jaagai.
Tant Mant Nah Johee Tit Chhakh Na Lagai" (817)
10. 'Panth' means Gurmat Way of Life. Masses does not mean Panth. Those who follow the messages of Dashmesh Pita are Panth.
"Charan Chalo Marg Gobind.
Mittae Paap Japiai Har Bind" (281)
"Poora Satguru Janiai Poore Poora That Banaya.
Poore Poora Sadhsang Poore Poora Mantra Dhrirayaa.
Poore Poora Param Ras Poora Gurmukh Panth Challayaa.
Gurmukh Panth Suhelraa Manmukh Bareh Vaat Phirande.
Gurmukh Paar Langhidaa Manmukh Bhawjal Vich Doobande." ( Bhai gurdas ji )
"Santa Sangat Paayeea Jit Jamke Panth Na Jaeeyai" (132)
"Gur Satgur Daatte Panth Battaiya Har Milyaa Aaye Prabh Meri.
Andin Anand Bhaiya Vadbhagi Sabh Aas Puji Jan Keri" (170)
"Mere Heeare Preet Ramrai Ki Gur Marag Panth Bataiya" (172)
11. One should not make an appeal for money is Sangat in the holy presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. If everybody contributes his 'Daswandh' (One tenth of one's income) there will be no shortage of funds and all the programmes will run smoothy.
"Ghal Khai Kich Hathon Deh Nanak Rah Pacchane Sayee" (1245)
12. In holy congregation, Ardas (prayer) need to be performed briefly and the requests too be short.
"Vin Boliaa Sabh Kich Janda Kis Aagee Keechai Ardas Nanak
Ghat Ghat Eko Vartada Sabad Kare Pargaas" (1420)
Sant Ji Maharaj also used to advise that it is not appropriate to stand with a naked sword in hands before Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji while offering prayer (Ardas). It is befitting to make a request with folded hands before the Master.
13. One should always use one's tongue for meditation and praising the bounties of the Almighty. It should not be used for evil speaking, back-biting, uttering hateful words, or bestowing good fortunes and curses.
"Rasna Japti Toohee Toohee" (1215)
"Rasna Japae Na Nam Til Til Kar Katiai" (1363)
"Rasna Gun Gopal Nidh Gayan.
Shant Sehaj Rehus Mun Upjio Saglae Dookh Palayan" (174)
14. The highest degree of meditation is to bear adusive, harsh or rough language of any one without any reaction.
"Ustat Ninda Dou Tiagae. Khojae Pad Nirbana" (219)
"Nindo Nindo Moko Log Nindo. Ninda Jan Ko Khari Piyari" (339)
"Ridae Sudh Jao Ninda Hoe. Hamre Kaprae Nindak Doe" (339)
"Ninda Kare so Humra Meet. Nindak Mahe Hamara Cheet" (339)
"Loken Kee Chaturae Upmaa Te Baesantar Jaar.
Koee Bhala Kahao Bhavae Boora Kahao Hum Tan Deeo Hai Daar." (528)
15. Those are the religious deeds which lead to the achievement of the God consciousness (Atam Pad).
"Sarab Dharam Meh Shresht Dharam.
Har Ko Naam Jap Nirmal Karam" (266)
16. Feelings of brotherhood and fraternity are achieved only by listening to the holy hymns in congregation (Sangat).
"Beesar Gai Sabh Taat Parai Jab Te Sadh Sangat Mohe Paayee.
(Pause) Na Ko Bairee Nahe Bigaana Sagal Sang Hum Ko Ban Aaee.
Jo Prabh Keeno So Bhal Manieo Eh Sumat Sadhu Te Paaee.
Sab Meh Rav Rehaa Prabh Ekae Pekh Pekh Nanak Bigsaaee" (1299)
"Sabh Ko Aaesae Teree Bettha Ghat Ghat Anter Too Hai Vootha.
Sebhe Sanjhiwal Sadain Too Keesae Na Dishe Bahara Jio." (97)
"Gursikha Eko Piar Gur Mitaa Pootan Bhaieean Gur Satguru Bolho Sabh Gur Aakh Guru Jeevaeea" (648)
17. One who craves to make a speech, should not and one who does not like, should deliver a speech; when requested.
"Aaver Updesai Aap Na Karae Aavat Javat Janmae Mare" (269)
"Pareea Jeti Aarjaa Pareh Jete Sas Nanak Lakhae Ek Gal Hor Haumai Zakhna Zakh" (467)
"Kaetae Kaheh Vakan Keh Keh Jawna Ved Kaheh Vakhiaan Ant Na Pawna Pareea Nahi Bhed Bujhia Pawna" (148)
One who want to make a speech, his lecture would be based on his egoism or cleverness but one who does not have such a craving, he would be guided in his lecture by the Almighty and words uttered by him would flow smoothly from his inner soul.
"Re Jan Mun Madho Sio Laeeya Chaturae Na Chaturbhuj Paieya" (324)
"Keh Kabir Bhagat Kar Paiya Bholae Bhai Milae Raghraiya" (324)
18. Peace will prevail in this universe when all the human beings will get up early in the morning, take bath, medidate on The Divine Name recite holy hymns, and sing praises.
"Gur Satgur Ka Jo Sikh Akhae Su Bhaalke Uth Har Naam Dhiawae.
Udam Kare Bhalke Parbhati Ishnaan Kare Amrit Sar Nahvae.
Updes Guru Har Har Jap Jape Sabh Kilbikh Paap Dokh Leh Javae.
Phir Cherae Diwas Gurbani Gavae Behndia Uthdia Har Naam Dhiavae.
Jo Sas Giraas Dhiae Mera Har Har So Gursikh guru Mun Bhaivae.
Jisno Dyal Hovae Mera Swami Tis Gursikh Guru Updes Sunnave.
Jan Nanak Dhoor Mangae Tis Gursikh Kee Jo Aaap Jape Aurah Naam Japavae" (305)
19. Unless one gets away with the attachment of body and ego, the veil of ignorance is not dispelled and he would not be able to achieve the sphere of God consciousness.
"Sadho Eh Tan Mithia Jano.
Ya Bhitar Jo Ram Basat Hai Sacho Tahe Pachano" (1186)
20. Concentration on Akal Purakh and a stage of oneness with Him cannot be achieved unless one shuns attachment with the worldy materialistic things.
"Drisatmaan Hai Sagal Mithena. Ek Mangao Daan Gobind Sant Rena" (1083)
"Jo Deesai So Sagal Binasae Jio Badar Kee Chaaee.
Jan Nanak Jag Janeo Mithia Rehio Ram Sarnaee" (1204)
"Eh Jag Dhoae Ka Pahar Tai Sacha Maniea Kih Beechaar" (1187)
"Re Nar Eh Sachi Jie Dhaar Sagal Japat Hai Jaisae Supna Binsat Lagat Na Bar" (633)
21. Living to the Will of the God and obeying His command is real Gursikhi. Whatever He does is right. There is peace in His Will.
"So Sikh Sakha Bandhap Hai Bhaee Je Gur Ke Bhanee Vich Aavae" (601)
"Hukam Maneia Hovae Parwan Tan Khasmae Ka Mehal Piaesee" (471)
"Hukam Razaee Chalna Nanak Likhia Naal" (1)
"Jo Hoaa Hovat So Jaanae. Prabh Apne Ka Hukam Pachaanae" (286)
"Mane Satgur Hukam Hukam Manaiya Bhana Manae Hukam Gur Phurmaya" (Bhai Gurdas Ji)
"Ek Mun Ek Aradhna Baber Jande Varaj Rahaave.
Hukmee Banda Hoi Kai Khasmae Da Bhana Tis Bhowae." (Bhai Gurdas Ji)
22. One should never indulge in rough or harsh talk while sitting in Sangat in the holy presence of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
"Gaafal Gian Vihoonia Gur Bin gian Na Bhal Jio.
Khichotaan Veegochiae Bure Bhala Duae Naal Jio.
Bin Shabdae Bhae Ratia Sabh Johi Jamkaal Jio" (751)
"Bahoota Bolan Zakhan Hoi. Vin Bole Jainae Sabh Soe" (661)
23. One should come in time to attend the holy congregation. Sant Ji Maharaj always emphasized on this and advised, "Late comers hurt the feelings of those who sit attuned with Him. Let it be raining torrentially or there is a storm, one must be punctual and stick to the given timings."
"Zakhar Zhangi Meeh Varsae Bhee Gur Dekhan Jaee Samund Sagar
Hovae Bhoo Khara Gursikh Langh Gur 8 Peh Jaee." (757)
24. Peace will prevail and the country will have no problems when you will have a common kitchen.
"Sabhee Sanjhiwaal Sadain Too Keesae N Dishae Bahra Jio" (97)
-
Warrior Princess
by Sukhmander Kaur
I am a Princess, I wear a Crown
Don't let my Keshes go tumbling down
Instead i keep them neatly wound
Inside, beneath, my Keski, bound
I am a Princess, I let it show
I want everyone to know
I am daughter of a King, and so
I let 'each' one of my Keshes grow
I am a Princess, I live in His Grace
Fresh and clean without a 'common' trace
I don't 'make up', cut, bleach, or paste
I'm not a phoney, I have an 'honest face'
I am a Princess, as royalty, I wear Bana
With my breath do Simran, read BaNee, learn Kathaa
My hands help with Langar, do shoe Seva
My hearts home is in my Fathers Castle, His Gurudwara
I am a Princess, I keep Panj Kakar
Precious gifts from Five Beloved Sevadar
Weapons to help me fight 5 enemies, win the 'world' war
I am a Warrior Princess, my name is Kaur
-------------------------------------------------
WAKE UP SIKHS!
Harjinder Singh
Awake and arise my brother Sikhs
For if you keep on sleeping
You will never stop weeping
It is already much too late
For you to further sit and wait
Your religion is being hijacked
Your very identity is being attacked
Your image has been battered
Your prestige has been shattered
You are losing your turban gifted to your Gurus
Some of you drink and smoke
Some even cut their hair
You are the followers of Guu Nanak,
The bringer of love and peace
You are the descendants of Guru Gobind,
The symbol of love and sacrifice
Guru Nanak spread the message of love
Guru Gobind sacrificed his own for others
They showed us the right way
So wake up Sikhs!
For you to fail to realise
Or if you fail to wake and rise
Sikhs and their panth will be things of the past
Let us unify
Let is all say:
KHALSA MERO ROOP HAI KHAS,
KHALSA MEH HAU KARU NIWAS,
KHALSA MERO PIND PRAN,
KHALSA MERO JAAN KI JAAN
--------------------------
Are You Proud to be Sikh?
Sharan Singh
We are proud to be Sikhs
So do many speak
--But only of the past
And not these present weeks.
I pity the Khalsa Panth
Which gave up its life for Guru Granth
Who sacrificed their heads instead of their hair
Attaining martyrdom with least worldly care.
Oh! The love for our Guru was so great then
That we were recognized as the purest of men,
But now that our love for Him is fading away
Our Panth is undergoing deep decay.
The problem is we still doubt our Guru
Despite being perfect--and this is quite true.
We get influenced by others' personal philosophies
And the purest knowledge, we thus oversee.
Why, why is this taking place?
Why are we in this disgrace?
Do you have any care at all,
If you are a Sikh from your heart and soul?
A true Sikh is purest in form and feature
He is the embodiment of simple Nature
So please do not practise apostacy
And call yourself a Sikh of Guru Gobind Singh Ji!
If our faith is modern then why not our form?
Because,if your mind is pure,so will be your body's interests
Now,don't make this mistake of following your own norm
And later blame being influenced by the West.
Reflection: I don't in any way mean to offend anybody.I wrote this poem to remind us that we should all realize the present crisis of our faith now and not be carried away by its glorious past.We should be inspired by our past and deal with the present declination of our faith often people tell these excuses of blaming the West, I hope this poem gives the reply to all those who seek it.
WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA
WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH!!
------------------------------------
Guru's Word and Sword
Pritam Singh
On human history's hoary horizon
sparks of hope eternal shine
from a wondrous event that took place
at Kesgarh in sixteen ninety nine.
The Guru stands,Kirpan in hand,
a symbol of justice and grace
with love of humanity in his heart
and compassionate glow on his face.
Calmly he calls upon the Sangat-
'At the alter of Seva and Naam
sacrifice of lives I seek,
Come, O Sikhs, with hands on palm!'
Then five rise one by one
bowing to the Nanak tenth
the Guru's chosen Pyaras Panj,
the nucleus of Khalsa Panth.
Here Rabab and Kirpan merge,
Miri Piri, Word and Sword
giving Gurus' message same-
Help humanity in God's name.
-----------------------------------------------
MAYA
by Satwinder Singh.
An illusion, causes deep confusion,
Who am i, where am i,
sih after sih.
This body is maya, the car is maya,
the house is maya, the money is maya,
It's all gonna go, it's all a dream.
Think, think, money, money,
How can i make it,
Run around like a mad bunny.
Where can I put it, where will it stay,
Can i take it with me,
NO ! not a penny, whatever you say.
A big illusion, Causes deep confusion,
Let it go, think deep,
It's all a dream, not to keep.
There's only one treasure to keep,
The Nam, Vaheguru Vaheguru,
So let's remember Him, even in our sleep.
It's all a dream, nothing will stay,
Worldy greed, attachment and ego,
Leads you astray.
Mine!, Mine! , All the time,
This is the way of the fool,
Missing the Guru's Warning sign.
I want, I want,
more and more,
Not listening, to the Sant.
Proud of this, proud of that,
Don't care about the poor,
Turning into a Fat Cat.
Maya was made by Beutiful Vaheguru,
The only way to protect yourself,
Is to fall to the feet, of the Perfect Guru.
Now listen carefully,
This all doesn't mean,
You can't own houses or watch the telly.
Live like the Lotus flower,
In the society but above,
Then your life, will not turn sour.
I pray to Guru Ji,
Who gave me this life,
Protect me Creator of Maya,
I am yours, protect this weak imboceil,
May i not burn in this world on fire.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROUD !
by Satwinder Singh.
I'm so clever,
I can do, that,
What's happening ?,
I'm going, MAD !.
Mad with I, Mad eith ME,
I.m better than him,
better than her,
Everyone should, call me Sir !
I've forgotten Vaheguru,
My Friend and Supporter,
Forgot my true Mum and Dad,
All this Ego, really makes me sad.
Oh my mind remember Vaheguru,
Oh please do Sewa,
Don't expect a favour,
But, Do it with love and endeavor.
Serve The Wonderful Guru,
Serve Humankind,
That's why Vaheguru,
Given you these hands, feet and mind.
The Guru is the greatest,
The Guru is the best,
Stop ! thinking of yourself,
And give your head a rest.
First I has to die,
To become the dust of everybody,
Because when there is no me,
Then The Truth we will see.
Let's not let pride be our guide,
The Guru's way is beatiful,
The Guru's way is true,
Humility is the way, to the Supreme True Guru.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Gift From Vaheguru
by Satwinder Singh.
Kesh is part of the Khalsa Uniform,
It is not there to deform,
Oh man why do you shave your face,
To try to look like a woman, is a disgrace.
Oh Mr.Singh,
Your a, Lion King,
Don't cut your mane,
To be the same.
To follow pride & vanity,
Truly, leads to insanity,
Don't worry what people think,
Otherwise you will sink.
To be natural is really cool,
Don't cut and be a fool,
It's really hard at the beginning,
Take that step, and stop that trimming.
Oh, fathers, mothers to be old is no shame,
To colour your hair, gives you no fame,
Why do they cut again and again,
Have they gone insane ?
The Kesh gives us our identity,
We can be spotted even if there is plenty,
Be proud of what you are,
The Khalsa can be spotted from very far.
The Kesh is a gift from Vaheguru,
To keep it, is not new,
Have faith in Dhan Guru Gobind Singh Ji,
He will save & protect, you will see.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indian Evil Propaganda
by Gupat Singh Khalsa.
You attacked our Holy land,
You came to destroy;
Heavy artillery and Tanks,
Did you deploy.
Our Heroes Bhai Satwant Singh,
Bhai Beant Singh & Bhai Kehar Singh,
Avenged by killing your leader,
Shot to death when they seen her.
The Khalsa will never forget,
Until it's aim isn't met,
The Khalsa will always sing the deeds,
Of the Great Khalsa Shaheeds.
You turned out be clever,
Using your wicked ways,
You used propaganda,
To cause the Guru Khalsa's, Slander.
You want to destroy the Khalsa,
You want to stop Sikhi,
You say we're Hindu's in your constitution,
In our community have you put pollution.
Fools don't be mistaken,
The Khalsa is a fighting nation,
You must be Barmy !
To mess with, Vaheguru's Army !.
You called us terrorists for protecting our faith,
If it wasn't for Our Guru your faith wouldn't of stayed,
Oh, fellow Sikhs listen carefully,
Don't be led blind, by this evil Indian propaganda Army.
Our Brothers are being tortured,
Our Sister & Mothers have been raped,
Our Fathers are killed,
Why do you hesitate ?
It might sound horrible,
But it's the truth,
Why are we living a lie,
Do we want, our conscious to die.
Awake, Awake ! to the truth,
We are Saint-Soldiers of the True Guru,
Do what you can to help the cause,
Look to Guru Ji for the source.
Don't sit down, and not fight,
Give it all your might,
For Good this body and brain we use,
Because the Khalsa is Vaheguru's !
The Khalsa will uproot this rotting evil tree,
And again taste Victory,
The Khalsa will never lose,
Because the Victory is Vaheguru's !
"Physical death I don't fear,
Death of conscience, is a sure Death."
Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Guru Gobind Singh Jee.
by Prof Puran Singh Jee. Guru Glorious.
They ask me to say something about Guru Gobind Singh;
they ask what is He to me?
I tremble when they ask me, what is He to me?
Unable to say anything in reply,
I burst forth into childlike cries of both joy and pain,
and I faint away,
knowing not what is He to me!
Only I say Guru Glorious! Guru Glorious and I am consoled,
I slumber in His Lap,
soothed by the lullabies of my own sound,
knowing not what is He to me!
Do not ask me to define Him,
Do not ask me to praise Him,
Do not ask me name Him,
Do not ask me to preach Him,
And ask me not to conceal Him,
One who has freed me,-
Me, the self-poisoned,
the down trodden slave in the fragrance of Himself.
Whatever He may be to anyone else,
To me, He is the Creator,
who has cast Himself in the shape of His Song.
And sitting nowhere,
He showers from his eyes a rain of stars in the sky!
Let the Great Ones name Him,
Let the scholars search Him
Let the learned discourse on Him,
Let the martyrs sing Him,
Let the lovers call Him,
Let the maidens garland Him,
and sing Him a welcome!
Let the saints worship Him,
let the devotees kiss the Hem of His Garment,
and anoint their foreheads with the dust under His feet,
Let the children gather round Him,
Whatever He may be to anyone else,
To me He is my sacred friend,
who comes unseen to me in my dark despair,
to wipe a silent tear with the edge of His Kingly Skirt.
And to say to me when I cannot listen even to Him,
choked with my own tears,-
"I am here by your side, the whole of myself when no one is nigh,
I am for you, O sad sinner!
I am exclusively for you and no one else!!"
Let the women say to Him, "I love you,"
let the singer say to Him, "I sing for you,"
Let the dancer say to Him, "I dance for you,"
Let the yogi say to Him, "I lie wrapped up in thought of you,"
Let the pious tell Him, "we obey your law,"
Whatever He may be to anyone else and anybody else to Him,
What can I be?-
I, devoid of all virtue, merit, or light;
I devoid of the sacred vows of piety, silence or poverty;
I a sweeper of the street of the Pleasure of Sense;
I, an aimless chaser of quivering Illusions that fly the trembling colors of the wings of the butterflies that flutter around the Maya of life in full flowers:
What can I, I say to Him?-
I, the old joy-sipper with the everlasting burden of Illusion on my back:
I only cast my head down in shame,
I stand abashed, away from all,
in the corner of my naked body with all its scars and stains;
But behold: He cometh even to me, as the sun goes down,
and the saints leave Him alone.
And as He cometh, I burst forth crying.
And He consoleth me saying: "
Have I been really too long away from thee?"
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hukam
What importance does it serve ME today?
I'm perfectly content living life my own way.
Dictating my actions howsoever I please
and making decisions for comfort and ease.
Living for fun, that is the way it should be!
If happiness comes, that is justification enough for me!
What does the Guru Ji have to say?
OK, I agree that the world was much different back then.
There was much ignorance and inequalities, and injustices done towards women.
So we had to be methodical and the Hukam was "key".
We had to better the future for our children to see!
But that time is long gone because now we are free.
Living in peace, democracy, equality, etc...what more TRUTH can there be?
What does the Guru Ji have to say?
The world today is lovely, dark and deep.
To explore her enchanted, worldliness for all the pleasures that I seek.
I can do what ever I please, I have not made any promises to you.
Everything is relative -- that is defiantly true.
If everything is well, why cant I just do what ever I want to do and go wherever I want to go?
What road will that take me? Do I really want to know?
What does the Guru Ji have to say?
And if I were to die today...
What then would I have to say?
What kind of life would I have lived up to this day?
Would I be remembered by anyone, in anyway?
What really matters? What would He say?
What does the Guru Ji have to say?
What does the Guru Ji have to say?
Writers note: As Sikh living in America many of us have lost the essence of our faith and have become more and more attracted with worldly things - taking us further and further away from the Guru ji's message. Happiness cannot be found by following our ego (being Munmukh), because the mind will never be at peace this way. And how can we turn to prayer only when we find that we need help?
We can only be happy and totally free by fully, following the Guru Ji's Hukam and becoming better Sikhs. We can never forget the message, thinking that times have changed because there are always reoccurring struggles for truth and justice throughout society: such as the recently situation of "disappearences" of Sikh childern by the Punjab police, massacre of 35 Sikhs living in Kashmire, among other examples of human rights violations, torture, & abuse of Sikhs living throughout India.
Only when we fully reject the path of Maya (the illusion of the materialistic world), and try to be better Sikhs by following the Guru ji's Hukam can we find freedom - freedom of the mind.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BE A SAINT-SOLDIER
By Harjit Singh Lakhan
'Nanak says, the ghosts are the ones who are devoid of God's love
and service and have forgotten the Lord. '
(Guru V, Jaitsri Raag : Guru Granth Sahib Jee)
What's goin' on? What's goin' on?
You were gonna be something
But now something's wrong.
You weren't born to have
Fights like an alley cat,
Chin full of greasy fat,
Less love than a sewer rat.
You weren't born to be
Evil and bitter
Don't you know these days were
Meant to be better?
Get your act together
Be a saint-soldier
Guru Nanak Loves You
This Love will make you stronger.
Don't get depressed,
no just don't do it
Love the Life God's given you,
come on get with it
Go Go to it -
to the Gurdwara do it
Try to understand -
you wont regret it.
Dream a dream - the world's a dream
Take control and set your scene
Close your eyes everything is dark
One day you will see the light, if you do your paat.
Don't be dopey - no just don't dig it
High on life - no lie get with it
Go Go to it - to the Gurdwara do it
And understand - you wont regret it.
Dream a dream - the world's a dream
Take control and set your scene
Ignite the light - spark the dark
By the Guru's grace - make your mark!
What's going on? What's going on?
Get Your act together
And sing the Waheguru song.
Waheguru, Waheguru Waheguru jee
Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru jee.
-
Breif Information about the holiness
It is as difficult and beyond imagination to express and narrate the spiritual spheres and virtues of a true saint, as if to capture the ocean in a bowl. The latter might be accomplished one day but the spiritual sphere of a saint will never be brought under limitation. Rare are the Divines who descend on this earth duly empowered and equipped with Divine Grace to shower the fragrance of the Holy Name. Invested with the Eternal Glory of Sri Guru Nanak Sahib, Sant Baba Isher Singh Ji arrived on this earth on Friday 5th August 1905, in the village of Alowal to Baba Ram Singh Ji and Mata Rattan Kaur. His influence on the world had been predicted on two occasions prior to his birth. Firstly as a young girl Mata Rattan Kaur, while serving food to visiting holy men, was told that she would be the mother to a very special child and secondly, after their marriage, Baba Ram Singh was told by another holy man that he would have a son whose influence would spread across the world like the scent from a rose, hence the name Gulab Singh.
Sant Isher Singh Ji's special qualities started coming to light at a young age. When three years old he used to tell the local kids to sit down cross-legged and recite " Waheguru, Waheguru ", whilst he gave "parshad". On another occasion Baba Ram Singh Ji and Mata Rattan Kaur were on their way to visit a local holy man "Vidoshe Wale Sant", and Maharaj Ji, then four years old, insisted on going along. After bowing both Baba Ram Singh Ji and Mata Rattan Kaur, sat a respectful distance away, however Maharaj Ji went and sat next to the holy man in the same manner. On doing so he asked several times whose son this was, eventually and a little fearfully Baba Ram Singh and Mata Rattan Kaur owned up. The holy man laughed and told them they did not realize their son's qualities, he told them that he would be a very holy person and people, many very influential, would come to him for advise and to be in his presence.
Sant Ji received their basic worldly education from the primary School of village 'Chulela'. For higher schooling he went to his uncle at Patiala and passed his matriculation examination from the Model School. Thereafter the worldly education could not hold his mind and in the state of asceticism he became the disciple of Sant Attar Singh Ji of Reru Sahib.
By the inspiration of the latter, he got baptized and was renamed Isher Singh. Thus motivated by the life and teachings of Sant Attar Singh Ji, he adopted the path of devotion and from him received the boon of propagating Sikhism through "Kirtan" (singing of hymns).
Once a year on Sant Baba Karam Singh Ji's barsi, Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji would go to Sehdu Sahib, there after having bathed in the extremely cold river Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji and Maharaj Ji would sit on the river bank and do path and meditate for many hours. On the first occasion, Maharaj Ji being unfamiliar with the cold fell ill but it was only with the permission of Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji that Maharaj Ji was taken and revived.
As time went on Maharaj Ji attained a higher and higher spiritual level and eventually Maharaj Ji was bestowed a "kafni", these being the outer garments to distinguish Maharaj Ji as a Sant. Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji explained that although Maharaj Ji had already attained this state it was important for the Sangat and outside world to know his standing. Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji further stated that Maharaj Ji would attain a very high spiritual level and many very important people from far and wide would come to be in his presence and for his advice. Maharaj Ji replied that he had no interest and relationship with these things since they would take him away from God and Maharaj Ji requested for Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji to bless him that he will never forget God. Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji explained to Maharaj Ji the pitfalls that lay ahead on Maharaj Ji's path and how to be very careful of these things. Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji also told Maharaj Ji to keep increasing his knowledge and to learn how to do kirtan, so that Maharaj Ji will be able to impart some of that knowledge to the Sangat that would come to be in his presence. Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji placed Maharaj Ji's hand on a harmonium to signify this new phase in Maharaj Ji's life.
In 1926 Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji and Maharaj Ji went to Dumdama Sahib for Vasiakhi, there Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji met Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji Mastuana Wale. When leaving Dumdama Sahib when Maharaj Ji paid his final respects to Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji Mastuana Wale, he looked at Maharaj Ji and held him in his arms. Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji Mastauna Wale put his hand on Maharaj Ji's head and stated he would attain a very high spiritual level and people would come to him for advice and to ask for Maharaj Ji's time.
When on 21st January 1927 Sant Attar Singh Ji gave up his corporeal being. Sant Isher Singh Ji became sad and disconsolate. In order to overcome this despondency, he set out on pilgrimage. After visiting Machiwara, Kiratpur Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib, Sri Amritsar Sahib, Sri Nankana Sahib and Punja Sahib he came to Rara Sahib and settled here. By virtue of his devotion he turned this deserted place into a sacred place that has become famous the world over. "A saint remembers the God and helps others remembering Him" following this principle he devoted himself to worship and motivated the people to be 'Gursikhs' and to follow the path, shown by the Sikh Gurus. It is after they had settled at Rara Sahib did Sant Ji begin their life mission of preaching Sikhi. Maharaj Ji is universally acclaimed as one of the most charming and dynamic personalities of their day. Tall and majestic, sweet and warm hearted his heart over flowed with the milk of human kindness, Pious in thought word and deed he was the very image of Godliness. Blessed with the Divine light, he preached God’s truth and delivered Guru Nanak’s message of love and peace to every home in India and abroad. Continuously for 55 years he recited Gurbani and with his sweet and melodious kirtan put thousands of burning minds to rest. After the final Diwan of each location Amrit Sanchar would take place. By this fashion over 700,000 Sikhs received Amrit and entered the Khalsa Panth. In their duty of preaching Sikhi Maharaj went on a 13 months long mission to Africa in 1949. There he gratified the spiritual needs of the Sikh congregation with lucid explanation of the Gurbani, interspersed with his melodious, captivating and soul lifting recitals Dharnas, taken from Gurbani. The thousands of devotees that attended congregations in His holy presence world wide felt as if they had taken a dip in an Ocean of purity. Minds would be cleansed of all accumulated impurities of past sins and Karmas in His holy presence. From this Ocean of purity which Sant Baba Isher Singh Ji Maharaj was and is, beams out to the whole world all the blessings and bliss of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. There was no trace of ego, worldliness or materialism in His dwelling places. Purity was the keynote, main-stay, life-force in His congregations.After returning to Punjab, he continued his mission by holding annual congregations in towns and cities as far as wide as Meerut, Delhi as well as in Punjab. Maharaj Ji had three main Ashrams in India, firstly at Rara Sahib, secondly at Dabhlan, Patiala and thirdly at Hapur, in Uttar Pradesh. To these day all three location are preserved in Maharaj Ji’s loving memory. On this very mission, to propagate Sikhism he also visited England in 1974 and 1975. As Gurbani tells us, whoever comes onto this earth must eventually leave it. Maharaj Ji had started to give hints about the inevitable. At both his last diwans in Ludhiana and Delhi Maharaj Ji stated that they were going to England and they would again grace this county if their body allowed it. They arrived in England and after holding diwans in London they went to Wolverhampton.
Sadly on 26th August 1975, while sitting in meditation in Wolverhampton, England he left the world for heavenly abode. he necessary arrangements were made and Maharaj Ji’s holy body was brought back to India on the 31st of August where more than 20,000 devotees had gathered to have darshan of their most beloved master. The holy body was then brought back to Rara sahib, Maharaj Ji’s home of the last 55 years. The next day the holy body was taken to Gurdwara Bibhaur Sahib, where Guru Gobind Singh Ji composed 'Chaupai'. Here over 50,000 devotees had gathered to bid farewell to their beloved master. After Ardas was performed by Sant Baba Mihan Singh Ji, Maharaj Ji’s holy body was taken out on a boat accompanied by Sant Baba Kishen Singh Ji Maharaj, Sant Baba Mihan Singh Ji, S.Daljit Singh Ji and S.Charanjeet Singh Ji Coca cola wale as well as other members of sangat. Here in the middle of the River Sutlej Maharaji Ji's Holy Body was laid to eternal rest.
-
Sikh Glossary -
----------------------------------------------------------------------
its kinda long to read but it will approx 7 minutes to read it. so dedicate your 7 minutes and accept this seeva from gur ka seevadar.
Forward to as many people you can. You will blessed by Akal Purkh.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
AAA
Adi Granth
Adi means first, Adi Granth is the first edition of the Guru Granth Sahib as was compiled by Guru Arjun in 1604.
Akal Purukh
It means Timeless One, or The Being Beyond Time and is applied as a name of God.
Akhand Path
An uniterupted continous reading of the Guru Granth Sahib. It is undertaken by a team of readers and takes approximately 48 hours.
Amrit
It means nectar. It is sugar water which is used during the Khalsa initiation ceremony.
Amrit Bani
A term applied to the Sikh Scriptures, meaning the words are as sweet as nectar (amrit).
Amrit Vaila
The early morning hours of dawn. This is considered an auspicious time for meditation and prayer as stressed by Guru Nanak.
Amritdhari
A Sikh who has undergone the Khalsa initiation ceremony.
Amritsanskar
The rite of initiation into the Khalsa brotherhood.
Anand
A state of bliss which defies description. It is also the name of a composition by Guru Amar Das found on pg. 917 of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Anand Karaj
The Sikh wedding ceremony.
Anand Sahib
Composition by Guru Amar Das found on page 917 of the Guru Granth Sahib. Parts of it are used in a number of Sikh ceremonies.
Anbhav Prakash
The enlightened perception of reality which is enjoyed by a person who has become a gurmukh.
Antim Ardas
The last of the Sikh funeral rites.
Artha
Wealth, it is acceptable to acqure wealth, but it should not become an end to itself.
Asa Di Var
A collection of hymns ment to be sung at dawn.
Atma
The soul which is considered immortal.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BBB
Babur Bani
References to the invasion of India by the Mughal emperor Babur found in the Guru Granth Sahib. God is said to have sent Babur as deaths messanger.
Baisakhi
The celebration which takes place every April 13th. Guru Amardas initiated the annual gathering of Sikhs at Goindwal in 1567. In 1699 Guru Gobind Singh founded the Khalsa order on this day.
Barhmaha
Compositions about the twelve months. By Guru Arjun in Raga Majh, by Guru Nanak in Raga Tukhari and by Guru Gobind Singh in Krishavtar.
Bani
An abbriviation of Gurbani, applied to any of the writings which appear in the Guru Granth Sahib.
Benati
An appeal for assistance made to Sikhs world wide.
Bhagat Bani
Any of the writings which appear in the Guru Granth Sahib which were not written by the Gurus.
Bhog
The ceremony marking the conclusion of a Path.
Bole So Nihal
Part of the Sikh salutation meaning "anyone who speaks will be happy."
Buddha Dal
The 'army of veterans' formed by Nawab Kapur Singh in 1733 to look after Sikh holy places, preach and initiate new converts to the Khalsa order.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CCC
Chandoa
The canopy which is placed over the Guru Granth Sahib.
Chanpada
A poetical composition consisting of four lines in a specified meter.
Charan Pahul
Baptism ceremony involving the drinking of water which the Guru or a member of the Gurus family had dipped their feet in.
Chaupai
A four line stanza form used by some of the Gurus.
Chaur(i)
Yak hair or manmade fiber embedded in a metal placed in a wooden handle. It is cerimonially waved over the Guru Granth Sahib as a symbol of respect.
Chela
A disciple of the guru, used in the Guru Granth Sahib to refer to Sikhs.
Chola
Clothing of the Gurus. Also applied to the coverings of the nishan sahib at a gurdwara.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DDD
Dal Khalsa
The Khalsa army set up on Baisakhi day 1748 and divided up into 11 misls.
Dasam Granth
The book of writings of Guru Gobind Singh compiled after his death by Bhai Mani Singh and finished in 1734.
Daswandh
Giving of one-tenth of ones income to charity.
Deg Teg
The dual responsibility of the Panth to provide food and protection for the needy and opressed.
Dhadi
One who sings the praises of God.
Dharam Yudh
War in the defence of righteousness.
Dharma
Religion or teaching or lifestyle, as in Sikh Dharma.
Diwali
Indian festival also celebrated by Sikhs. From the time of Guru Amar Das onwards Sikhs annually gathered on this day. In 1577 the foundation stone of the Harmandir Sahib was also laid on this day.
Diwan
Congregational worship where Guru Granth Sahib is present.
Doha
Verse form used commonly by Guru Nanak and Kabir consisting of stanzas of two rhyming lines.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FFF
Forty Immortals
Forty Sikhs who died in the battle of Muktsar in 1762 and blessed by Guru Gobind Singh.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GGG
Gaddi
The seat or throne of guruship.
Giani
A person of spiritual knowledge.
Granthi
One who performs the reading of the Guru Granth Sahib at religious occassions, it may be a man or women.
Gristhi
Sikh ideal is that of being married, having a family, earning ones living by honest socially useful employment, serving ones fellow human beings and worshipping God.
Gurbani
The writings of the Gurus.
Gurdwara
Name given to a Sikh temple. It means 'Gateway to the Guru'.
Gurmat
A general term for Sikhism, including the teachings of the Gurus, as well as the Rahit Maryada.
Gurmata
A resolution passed in a council presided over by the Guru or the advice of the Guru.
Gurmukh
Someone who has become God oriented and God filled instead of self centred (manmukh).
Gurmukhi
The written form of Punjabi used in the Sikh scriptures, propogated by Guru Nanak and Guru Angad.
Gursikh
Someone who is deeply and sincerely devoted to the service of the Guru.
Gurpurb
The celebration of the anniversary of the birth or death of a Guru. Also applied to the anniversary of the installation of the Guru Granth Sahib in 1604 or the deaths of the sons of Guru Gobind Singh.
Gutka
Book containing the daily prayers of the Sikhs.
HHH
Hankar
Pride, one of the weaknesses.
Hazare Shabad
The common name given to 7 Shabads from the Guru Granth Sahib and 10 from the Dasam Granth.
Haumai
Pride and self centeredness.
Hola Mohalla
Annual spring gathering of Sikhs at Anandpur Sahib for sports contests, music and poetry compositions. The annual celebration was initiated by Guru Gobind Singh in 1680.
Hukam
The ordered will of God.
Hukamnama
Instructions issued by the Gurus, or other people in Sikh authority.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
III
Ik Onkar
It is found at the beginning of the Mul Mantra meaning Their is Only One God.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JJJ
Jalous
Outdoor procession led by the Guru Granth Sahib and five Khalsa Sikhs.
Janam Sakhi
A bibliographic account of the live of Guru Nanak, or other Gurus.
Jap
Devout repetition of the divine name of God, or a scripture.
Japu Sahib
A composition of Guru Gobind Singh read by Sikhs as part of their daily prayers.
Jathedar
The appointed head of one of the five Sikh Takhts.
Jhatka Meat
Meat of an animal which has been killed quickly with one stroke. Guru Gobind Singh dictated that Sikhs can eat jhatka meat of any animal but cannot eat Muslim Halal meat, where the animal has been slowly bled to death.
Jivan Mukti
The Sikh belief that a person may achieve spiritual liberation during their lifetime and not necessarily only on their death.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
KKK
Kachha
Drawers or briefs. One of the five physical symbols that a Khalsa Sikh must wear. It is a symbol of self control.
Kalyug
An age in which righteousness and godliness is forgetten.
Kam
Lust, one of the weaknesses.
Kanga
Comb, one of the five physical symbols that a Khalsa Sikh must wear. It is a symbol of hygiene and discipline.
Kara
Steel bracelet, one of the five physical symbols that a Khalsa Sikh must wear. It is a symbol of restraint and rememberance of God.
Karah Parshad
A standard dish served at religious ceremonies in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib and sanctified by prayers. It is a symbol of equality of all members of the congregation.
Karma
The reward or punishment of any action of man is given by Gods order according to merit, God may give it or withhold it.
Kaur
Middle or last name of a Sikh female. Mandatory last name for a Khalsa Sikh female.
Kar Seva
Term used to describe any voluntary work carried out for religious purposes, especially the building of gurdwaras. Also used to refer to the removal of silt from the tank surrounding Harmandir Sahib every 50 years.
Karta Purukh
A name of God, the Creator of all.
Katha
A religious lecture on Sikhism.
Kes
Uncut hair, one of the five physical symbols that a Khalsa Sikh must have. It is a symbol of spirituality.
Kesdhari
A Sikh who does not cut their hair, they may or may not be amritdhari.
Keski
Head covering worn between the turban and hair by some Sikhs. Also worn by some boys before they begin wearing turbans.
Kirpan
Sword, one of the five physical symbols that a Khalsa Sikh must wear. It is a symbol of the Sikh fight against injustice and religious oppression.
Kirtan
Musical rendering of Sikh gurbani.
Kirtan Sohila
Collection of 3 hymns by Guru Nanak, 1 by Guru Ram Das and 1 by Guru Arjun. It is recited as part of Nitnem at bed time and also forms part of the funeral rites.
Krodh
Anger, one of the weaknesses.
Kurahts
The vows of abstinece that one takes on becomming a Khalsa. Not to cut your hair, not to eat muslim halal meat, adultury, intoxicants.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LLL
Langar
Free community kitchen found in all Sikh Gurdwaras. A cornersone of the Sikh religion and a symbol of equality, it was instituted by Guru Nanak.
Lawan
Circumventing the Guru Granth Sahib during the Sikh marriage ceremony. Also the name of the four stanza composition by Guru Ram Das found on page 773 of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Lobh
Greed, one of the weaknesses.
MMM
Maghi
Sikh festival held annualy on January 14 to celebrate the memory of the marytordom of the Forty Immortals in battle at Muktsar.
Mahala
Used in the Guru Granth Sahib to indicate the author of a composition by the Gurus. Each Guru used the name Nanak, for example Mahala 5 is Guru Arjun, Mahala 3 is Guru Amardas.
Mahant
Corrupt officials who had control of the gurdwaras prior to the Shromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee gaining control in 1925.
Manji
The stool or string bed upon which the Guru Granth Sahib is placed on as a symbol of its sovregnity.
Mala
A wool cord with knots used as an aid to prayer or meditation.
Manmukh
A person who is self-centered and has forgotten God, the opposite of a Gurmukh.
Matta tekna
Bowing down and touching the floor with your forehead in front of the Guru Granth Sahib as a sign of respect to the Living Guru.
Maya
The dillusion of being wrapped up in the material world and attached to it.
Mela
Any Sikh religious festival other than the birth or death of a Guru.
Miri & Piri
The concept of spiritual and worldly matters. Sikhs are expected to maintain the balance between the two, this idea was introduced by Guru Hargobind and represented by two swords.
Misl
A f ighting unit of the Sikh armies of the eighteenth century.
Mukti
Spiritual liberation from the cycles of birth and death.
Mul Mantra
It is the opening lines of the Japji by Guru Nanak and the beginning of the Guru Granth Sahib. It is considered the cornerstone of Sikhism. "God is one. His name is True. He is the Creator. His is without fear. He is inimical to none. His existance is unlimited by time. He is beyond the cycles of birth and death, self existent and can be realized through the grace of the Guru."
Mundavani
The word means seal and refers to the concluding poem by Guru Arjun in the Guru Granth Sahib which describes the spiritual qualites of reading and following the Guru Granth Sahib.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NNN
Nagara
A kettledrum found in some gurdwaras and introduced by Guru Hargobind to be beaten when langer was ready. It is also a symbol of royal authority.
Nam
Name, name of God. Sikhism places emphasis on the rememberance of God through meditation on Gods name.
Nam Japna, Kirt Karna, Vand Chakna
Meditation on Gods name, honest work and giving to charity. Three fundamental requirements for Sikhs.
Nam Simran
The rememberance of God through meditation.
Nanak Panthi
A follower of Guru Nanak.
Nihang
An order of Sikhs who follow the soldier lifestyle of the time of Guru Gobind Singh. They wear blue robes and reject household comforts.
Nirankar
A name of God meaning the one who has no physical form.
Nirguna
Applied to God meaning one without form or material attributes. God is considered beyond human knowledge and comprehension.
Nitnem
The daily prayers that Sikhs are expected to read. Nitnem consists of reading Japji of Guru Nanak, Jap and Ten Swayyas of Guru Gobind Singh in the morning; Rahiras, a collection of nine hymns by Guru Nanak, Guru Amar Das and Guru Arjun at sunset and Kirtan Sohila, five hymns by the same three Gurus at bedtime.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
OOO
Onkar
God as the Primal Being. Also refers to a compositon of Guru Nanak which appears of page 929 of the Guru Granth Sahib.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PPP
Pada
Division of a hymn in the Guru Granth Sahib, it varies in length from one to four verses.
Palki
The wooden, golden or marble palaquin in which the Guru Granth Sahib is ceremonially installed.
Panj Kakke
The five physical symbols which must be worn at all times by Khalsa Sikhs; kachha (briefs), kangha (comb), kara (steel bracelet), kes (unshorn hair) and kirpan (ceremonial sword).
Panj Piaras
The five beloved ones, referring to the first five Sikhs initiated into the Khalsa order by Guru Gobind Singh. Five Khalsa Sikhs are required for initiation of a new member.
Panth
The entire Sikh community.
Parkarma
The walkway around the sarovar (pool) found at many gurdwaras.
Patit
A Khalsa Sikh who has failed to live upto the vows of the Khalsa order.
Prakash Karna
The early morning ceremony when the Guru Granth Sahib is formally opened and the days worship begins.
Path
A reading of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Paudi
A stanza of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Pauri
Verses in the Guru Granth Sahib, their length and metre are both variable.
Phera
Circling of the Guru Granth Sahib during the wedding ceremony.
Pothi
A book or volume of religious hymns.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
RRR
Rag
A tune or the series of five or more notes upon which it is based.
Rag Mala
The last composition in the Guru Granth Sahib. It is a listing of 84 rags used in Indian music in the early seventeenth century.
Ragi
A musician who sings the hymns of the Guru Granth Sahib in gurdwaras.
Rahiras
A collection of 9 hymns, 4 by Guru Nanak, 3 by Guru Ram Das and 2 by Guru Arjun which are read at sunset as part of Nitnem.
Rahit Maryada
The Sikh Code of Conduct concieved by the Shromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
Rahit Nama
A manual of conduct for Khalsa Sikhs. There are a number of them by various Sikhs dating back to the eighteenth century.
Raj Karega Khalsa
The battle cry of the Sikhs during the rule of Banda Singh Bahadur meaning "The Khalsa shall rule". It is the concluding line of the daily prayer Ardas.
Rumala
The cloth which is used ceremonially to cover the Guru Granth Sahib.
SSS
Sach Khand
The realm of truth, the final stage of spiritual ascent where the believer becomes one with God.
Sadh Sangat
The Sikh congregation or community.
Sahibzadas
The four sons of Guru Gobind Singh who all died as marytrs to the Sikh faith. Ajit Singh, Jujhar Singh, Zorawar Singh, Fateh Singh.
Sahaj
The state of spiritual peace resulting from the attainment of union with God.
Sahaj Path
A non continuos reading of the entire Guru Granth Sahib over any period of time.
Sahib
Term of respect used for the Sikh Holy Book as well as applied to historical gurdwaras.
Sakhi
Story about a Guru.
Sangat
Holy congregation.
Sangrand
The first day of the month according to the indian calander. The reading of the relevant portion of the composition Barhmaha by Guru Nanak or Guru Arjun Dev relating to each month is read out.
Sant
A holy person or saint.
Sarbat Khalsa
A representative meeting of all the Sikhs to consider important matters related to the panth.
Saropa
A gift of honour presented by the Sikh community. Usually a length of cloth for tying a turban or a scarf worn over the shoulders.
Sarovar
The pool for bathing found at many gurdwaras.
Sat Guru
The supreme Guru, God.
Sat Sri Akal
The Sikh greeting meaning "Immortal God is Truth".
Satyug
An era in which Truth prevails, the opposite of Kalyug.
Seli
A woolen cord worn by Guru Nanak around his turban. It was worn as a symbol of living in the world but not in worldly matters. It was passed on to each successive Guru upto Guru Hargobind who chose to wear the symbol of two swords of meri & peri instead.
Seva
Service to ones fellow beings, a cornerstone of Sikhism.
Seva Panthi
A Sikh whose life is devoted to the service of the Sikh community.
Shabad
The religious hymns contained in Sikh scriptures.
Shaheed
Title used before the name of someone who has died for the Sikh faith as a martyr.
Shlok
Couplet found in the Guru Granth Sahib.
Shromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (S.G.P.C.)
Committee which overseas the administration of many Gurdwaras in Punjab, Haryana & Himachal Pradesh as well as involved in publication and education related to Sikhism.
Sikhi
Sikh teachings.
Sikhia
Advice given to the couple during the Sikh marriage ceremony.
Singh
Lion, the common last or middle name of male Sikhs. It is a compulsory last name for male Khalsa Sikhs.
Sodar
A composition of Guru Nanaks which is read by Sikhs at sunset as part of Rahiras.
Sukh Asan
The ceremony that takes place at the end of the day when the Guru Granth Sahib is formally closed for the night.
Sukhmani Sahib
A major composition of Guru Arjun found on page 262 of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Swayya
A group of hymns composed by Guru Gobind Singh and found in the Dasam Granth.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TTT
Takht
A seat of Sikh authority, there are five gurdwaras which are designated as takhts.
Thambh Sahib
A pole or tower associated with a Guru.
Tankhaiya
A person who has committed a religious offence meriting punishment.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ZZZ
Zafarnama
The Letter of Victory written by Guru Gobind Singh
-
This'll make Sikhi so much better and easier to understand...
The Ride of Your Life
Why is it so important to remember God's Name (Nam Simran)? It
seems like a pretty strange thing to do - I mean Nam Japna means
saying the same Name over and over again, day and night , seven
days a week for all of your life? Perhaps this will make it
clearer:
The human body is like a wedding car. The mind is the chauffeur and
the soul is the bride sitting in the back seat. She sat in the car
thinking that she would be driven to the marriage ceremony at the
tenth door (dasam duar) where God Himself would be the Husband.
Then He'd take her away to Sach Khand (Realm of Truth : God's abode)
and they'd be living in wedded bliss happily ever after.
But soon after sitting down, she found the chauffeur was a very
cunning driver. He opened all the doors so that his 5 friends called
Anger, Greed, Lust, Attachment and Pride could have their wicked way
with her. She just couldn't get out and instead of driving the car
to Sach Khand, he pushed it around slowly and awkardly in any
direction he wanted depending on where his 5 friends wanted to go.
He just couldn't be bothered to get to the wedding at the dasam
duar, not that he even knew where it was - I don't think he even had
a map and none of his so-called friends knew where to go. The
strange thing is that everyone in this world is pushing their cars
with the bride trapped with the 5 strange thieves and no-one thinks
it's strange because it's what they are used to - I mean everyones
been doing it like that for thousands of years and they're all
lost. They're number plate reads : 'M A N M U K H'.
All of a sudden a car speeds by with a chauffeur sitting in the
driving seat driving normally. His number plate is 'G U R M U K
H'. ManMukh stops and talks to him, 'Excuse me, why do you drive
your car while others push them?'.
He replies, 'Well, I used to be a MAN-MUKH pusher like you, but I
met a very spiritually gifted holy man who told me that I was
driving my car all wrong. I used to love my car and I didn't like
it when he said that. My car was the best car in the world. It had
fluffy dice and go faster stripes. It had wheels that would bounce
the car up and down, I'd even fitted a £10,000 music centre into the
boot. My car was beautiful and everyone used to tell me how
beautiful it was. `
`The holy man then told me that if I wanted to know how to drive
fast then I'd have to go to a special place called a Gurdwara-Nam-
Petrol station where I'd meet the Supreme Being, called the Guru
Granth Sahib jee and that if I became a disciple and promised to
follow the Guru's instructions then I too could be whizzing around
to my true destination. `
`Of course, I didn't believe him at first and my pusher friends all
laughed at the absurdity of it whoever heard of someone driving
their car? They just wouldn't believe that I'd seen this 'G U R M U
K H'. Anyway, I met the 'G U R M U K H' again and I went to the
Gurdwara-Nam-petrol station and I saw lots of people driving really
fast just like him. I was so exited, I had a tingly feeling in my
stomach - I just couldn't wait to meet the Guru Granth Sahib jee.'
`Then I drank the amrit-nectar and became a disciple. I promised
I'd obey my Guru's instructionsand I wouldn't do all the silly
decorations that I'd done to my car. The first thing Guru jee told
me was that this hole in the top of the car, called the mouth was
for a special reason. He told me I'd been pouring the wrong kind of
fuel in it. I'd been saying so many useless words but they weren't
helping me at all. The real fuel to pour into the mouth was The
Name of God : Waheguru. If I kept pouring this Nam-petrol into my
car day and night then I'd have the power to reach God the Husband.'
My Guru jee also told me to sing my daily prayers so I'd I find the
directions and to serve the saints so I'd get the hints and tips of
their blessings. And look at me now, I'm wizzing around like
nobody's business. It was hard at first, but now I'm used to it and
I'll soon be at God's Door and this Divine marriage of Bliss can
take place. I tell you, I can't believe I'd been such a fool for so
many years. My friends still don't believe me, but I don't hang out
with them any more.'
`Plus my Guru jee gave me this new Number plate 'G U R M U K H' it
means the one who has got his face towards the Guru - I follow my
Guru now, before I used have my face towards my own minds desires
and cravings so I was a 'M A N M U K H'. So if you're interested in
learning how to drive your car then come and meet the Supreme
Being - Guru Granth Sahib jee. He'll help you just like he helped
me.
From Gupt Author
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
* WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru WaheGuru *
...just changed in one year...
Gurdwara : A Place to Recite and Discuss Gurbani
in Sikhi | Questions and Answers
Posted
Gurdwara : Guru Dwara
A Place to Recite and Discuss Gurbani
Prof. Devinder Singh Chahal, PhD
INTRODUCTION
One of the outstanding characteristics of the Sikhs is that wherever they settle in the world they build a Gurdwara. Because to build a gurdwara is considered by them as their biggest achievement in their settlements. Today we have gathered here for the clod-breaking ceremony for a new building of Gurdwara Sahib in Lasalle.
WHAT IS A GURDWARA?
The irony is that the term 'Gurdwara' is not understood properly by many Sikh scholars and Sikh theologians. Gurdwara is a shortened version of Guru Dwara used by Guru Nanak in his bani (words, verse). However, nowadays some Sikhs have replaced the word Guru Dwara with Guru Ghar without paying any attention to the differences in the meanings of these two words. Although both words have 'Guru' in common, replacement of 'Dwara' with 'Ghar' makes lots of differences in their meanings. When Guru Nanak used the word 'Guru Dwara' in his bani he referred 'Guru' to the Guru (the Almighty) and 'Dwara' to the gateway, thus, 'Guru Dwara' means the 'Gateway to the Guru (the Almighty)'. But when one uses Guru Ghar it means the House of the Almighty. In fact according to Gurbani, there is no gate or house wherefrom the Almighty controls the universe and the life in it:
So dar keha so gar keha jit beh sarb smalae (SGGS, Jap 27, P 6).
Thus, to call Guru Dwara or Gurdwara as Guru Ghar is not justified because one cannot confine the Almighty to one place (ghar/house). Because the Almighty pervades everywhere in the universe. Some Sikhs who have coined the word, Guru Ghar, might argue that Guru Ghar means where the Aad Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) resides. This argument is not valid because many Sikhs keep the SGGS in their homes and such homes cannot be called Guru Ghars under any circumstances. Nevertheless, I must add here that Bhai Kahn Singh (1) has used 'Guru Dwara' and 'Guru Ghar' as interchangeable terms. I do not agree to his interchangeable use because Guru Dwara cannot be Guru Ghar according to Gurbani.
Now let us look into the word 'Guru Dwara' used by Guru Nanak:
SGGS, M1, p 730.
Only that body (mind) is pure that is liked by the Almighty.
The body (mind) that is extremely polluted (with vices) cannot be cleansed just by washing.
It is only when one enters the Gateway to the Guru* (the Almighty), one can get wisdom.
It is this gateway where after entering one gets cleansed.
(When one enters this gateway) Then it will make the one aware to
distinguish between the polluted and the cleansed minds.
One must not understand that the verdict/judgement of deeds
is declared after going to the next world.
(It is here in this world) What one sows so shall one reap.
The elixir of the life is distributed by the Almighty.
Once one enters this gateway one will be honored everywhere .
Nanak says: you yourself will be contented and will make your filial generations contented.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* 'Guru Dwara' (Gateway to the Guru) is a metaphor of the 'Teachings of the Guru'. It has also been referred so at other places in Gurbani (AGGS, M 3, P 919 and 922).
The main theme conveyed in this verse by Guru Nanak is as follows:
The polluted body (mind) cannot be cleansed by washing the body. However, it can be cleansed when one follows the "Teachings of the Guru" through which one gets wisdom to cleanse one's mind.
Now the question is how does one gets the wisdom?
When one recites the Gurbani and discusses (vichar) it with the sangat (congregation) then one finds the wisdom to get one's mind cleansed. Guru Dawara, therefore, means entering the gateway of the Guru, i. e., the understanding of the "Teachings of the Guru". Therefore, the place, where one can recite and discuss Gurbani (Teachings of the Guru) with the sangat to find out the truth, contentment and realize the Almighty, is called Guru Dwara.
HOW IS THE GURBANI UNDERSTOOD?
A great importance of vichar (discussion/deliberation) has been given in the Gurbani at many places in the SGGS. For example:
Nanak sabd wichariae payiae guni nidhan. (SGGS, M1, P 59)
Nanak says: "By discussion/deliberation one gets the treasure of wisdom."
The vichar has been interpreted differently by different writers. At some places in Gurbani Vichar means the philosophy of the Gurus. In general the meanings of vichar in Punjabi and given by Bhai Kahn Singh (1) are: The method to find out the truth. The method to find out the truth is by discussing/deliberating the subject matters thoroughly in a group. The meanings of the word 'discuss' in English dictionaries are: To investigate by reasoning or argument; to discourse about something to arrive at the truth or to convince others of the validity of one's position (2). Thus, discussion/deliberation of Gurbani is the most important characteristic feature of Sikhism and of Gurbani. The Gurbani also advises that in case there are doubts that can be decided by discussion/deliberation while sitting together:
Hoae ikatar mil maerae bhai dubda dur karo liv lai. (SGGS, M 5, P 1185).
Get together, Oh my brothers, to remove the doubts while attuned to the Almighty.
Since so much importance is given on the vichar (discussion/deliberation) in the Gurbani then why it has not been adopted in the Gurdwara? It means the word, Gurdwara, was never understood properly before. It is never too late to amend and adopt the right path. Today, we should promise ourselves to use the Guru Dwara or Gurdwara as explained in the Gurbani. On entering the Gateway of the Guru it becomes imperative for every Sikh to vichar (discuss/deliberate) the Gurbani with the sangat to find out the truth and to achieve the contentment and ultimately to realize the Almighty.
REFERENCES
(Abbreviations: AGGS = Aad Guru Granth Sahib, M=Mahla, P = page)
Singh, (Bhai) Kahn. 1981. Mahan Kosh (Punjabi). Bhasha Vibagh, Punjab, Patiala.
Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary. 1991. Thomas Allen & Son Ltd., Markham, Onatario
OBSERVATIONS:
Presently the Gurdwaras are being used for reciting Akhand Paths, celebration of Gurpurbs, Barsis of different sants, sant samelans, birth days of some Bhagats, martyrdoms of Gurus and of some Sikhs mostly recent ones, solemnizing marriages, birthdays of children, and political conferences. Most recently celebration of New Year Eve has been included as one of their functions. Organization of Kabadi and other supports have been also introduced in some Gurdwaras as one of their important duties. But no gurdwara is known to me that arranges discussion of Gurbani with the Sangat (congregation) as recommended in Gurbani.