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Sikh Gatka Film from Guru Gobind Singh Foundation's (Rockville, MD)

Camp Gurmat

WJKK, WJKF!

Every summer, Guru Gobind Singh Foundation (located in Rockville,

MD) holds an annual Sikh Youth Camp entitled Camp Gurmat.

For the past three years, the biggest highlight of the camp, which

is enjoyed by the campers and the local Sikh community, is the

annual Gatka Show.

Gatka is a form of Sikh Martial Arts that Sikh Warriors used when

fighting the Mughal forces throughout the timeline of the Gurus and

the times of the Sikh Misls.

The art of Gatka is still practiced to this day and has been taught

at the camp for the previous three years. Countless volunteers from

the U.S. and Canada who are skilled in this art attend the Camp to

teach the Sikh youth of this art form and to teach the history and

discipline behind it.

A nine minute film has been placed online that summarizes last

year's Gatka Show. It shows the hard work of all individuals

involved and gives a retrospect as to what Gatka is and how it is

intertwined within the Sikh spirit. The film puts into perspective

that Gatka being practiced today should be held in great light as it

gives a gateway to Sikh history and endless Sikh pride.

The film can be viewed at the following location:

http://www.ignitedsolutions.com/~sartaj/

Several versions are available of the film - Windows Media Video

(.wmv), Real Media (.rm), and MPEG (.mpg).

The Real Media file is set up to stream for modem and broadband

users. Each file can also be downloaded as pleased, however it is

not meant to be downloaded from a modem connection.

Please circulate this email and link above to all you know.

A special thanks goes to Guru Gobind Singh Foundation for allowing

me to film, edit, and present this film to the community.

Also a special thanks goes to Mr. Guggan Datta of Ignited Solutions

(gdatta@ignitedsolutions.com) for allowing these video files to be

hosted for free.

Questions regarding the camp can be sent to ggsfcamp@yahoo.com.

I hope you all enjoy this film as much as I enjoyed creating it.

Fateh,

Sartaj S. Dhami

Sikhs Today and Academic Challenges of the 21st Century

(A Community Perspective)

by Dr. Jasbir Singh Mann, Anaheim, California, U.S.A.

Introduction

For any nation to survive, it must protect its scripture and identity. Sikhs moved to the west a century ago and their religion has been established as one of the World's major religions. In order to continue presenting the authenticity of Sikh religion, Sikh scholars must deal with the academic challenges of the 21st century. If they are not dealt with: 1) tremendous socio-psychological changes may occur in the understanding of Sikh religion by the future generations, especially those born outside of India; 2) the western World will have a lopsided view of Sikhism; 3) the doctrinal base of Sikhism as enshrined in Aad Sri Guru Granth Sahib will erode; 4) the economical and political problems with Sikhs in Punjab will be downplayed; 5) Sikh custodians and academicians will fail to fulfill their moral duties.

1.Sikh Identity

Essential doctrine of each religion determines its identity. Sikh identity can be found only through its primary source, Aad Sri Guru Granth Sahib and the history of Guru period (1469-1708). No identity of Sikh religion can be based on secondary sources. Sikh history entered political ups and downs after 1708 when attempts were made to diffuse the Sikh identity. But, as Aad Sri Guru Granth Sahib is the base of Sikhism, so during such confusion, revivalists restored the true identity. Phenomenal studies cannot determine the identity of the Sikh religion because it is Neumenous based. Until now, many politically oriented intentional writers are still attacking the independent Sikh identity. Sikh scholars of this century are challenged to propagate the Sikh religious identity in reference to spiritual experience of the prophets, their concept of one God, and their goal to achieve socio-political justice.1

II. Evidence of Recorded Revelation

The Sikh religion is the only major religion of the world which has its recorded revelation available in the form of Kartarpuri Bir. In Judaism, recorded revelation in the form of Arc of Covenent is missing. In Christianity, there is no recorded revelation and all the Bibles, in the form of Old and New Testaments are historically and culturally based. In Islam, the original recorded revelation papers of history is not available. Both the Bible and Quran have been written after the death of their prophets. Many missionaries are very envious of Sikh treasury and are making attempts to confuse it. Sikh scholars in the 21st century must continue their efforts to end any future controversies about Kartarpuri Bir.2

III. The Punjab Problem

There is enough evidence available that congress leaders, prior to 1947, promised the Sikhs that after the Britishers leave India, Sikhs would have freedom in Northern India. After 1947, all such commitments were violated. Their is enough evidence available that the Punjab problem is an economic and political problem, the truth of which is being suppressed. Rather, the Punjab problem is being dubbed as a problem of fundamentalism. Such scholars usually quote "Fundamentalism among the Sikhs today is apparently the basic cause of current political unrest in India ... It is primarily a movement of resistance and a universe characterized by incoherence and disorder." In actuality, there is no evidence to support this contention and the hard political and economic problems of the Punjab are not being presented in the proper perspective. This challenge for the Sikh scholars will continue into the next century. Sikh scholars must accept this challenge and highlight their economic and political problems in Punjab to the global community.3

IV. Textual Analysis

In recent years, attempts are being made to study Sikh scripture through Judeo-Christian approaches, which is inapplicable to Sikh Studies. Such attempts are being made to diffuse the originality of the revelatory nature of the Sikh scripture. By definition, textual analysis means "to find the original." However, Sikhs have the original Sikh scripture, so textual analysis need not apply to Sikh Studies. The system of textual or redaction analysis is also inapplicable to Sikh scripture as Guru Arjun compiled and authenticated Sikh scripture in order to avoid any confusion. He established the famous doctrine of Kachi versus Pakki, or Sachi Bani, thereby, completely making any manuscript of unacademic importance, whether it is written before or after 1604 A.D., for any comparative study. No manuscript can be accepted on face value until the source of its tradition and authenticity is established - Dr. Pashaura Singh and Dr. Gurinder Singh Marm have raised certain questions that have been answered appropriately by Dr. Pritam Singh and Dr. Balwant Singh Dhillon on this subject. Twenty-first century Sikh scholars are seriously challenged to explain and promote the Sikh doctrine of Kachi versus Sachi Bani.

V. Sikhism: A Religion of Numina (Naam) and not Phenomena Numinous experience is inherent in Fries's Ahndung (longing), Schleiermachar's Feeling, Kant's Things in Themselves (noumena) and Kapur Singh's antithesis of phenomena. Numinous experience stands for "the holy" disregarding its moral factor and without any rational aspect. It is irreducible to any other factor. Numinous consciousness involves shaking fear or repulsion to induce element of powerful fascination. It can only be understood by "ideograms" (i.e. not through logic, but only symbolically). The core of religious experience is inherent in the awareness of non-moral holiness as a category of value. This category of value is called numina. Numina means a spiritual experience of reality peculiar to religion. The numinous experience is the core and base of Sikh religion and its ingredients (i.e., a religiously sensitive mind in relation to his/her apprehension of himself/herself and the universe).

The ultimate reality is not comprehensible through the sensory motor perceptions and speculations. Sikhism is a religion of Naam (numin), which is asserted through 30,000 hymns of Sikh scripture through its revealed statements, literary similes, and allusions. Naam is God and God is Naam, and the practice of religion revolves around Naam. Sikh religious thought cannot be interpreted through any phenomenal process. Naam is timeless. Recently, attempts have been made to dub Guru Granth Sahib as a 16th-century philosophy and change it to fit the present post-technical and capitalistic society of the 20th century. One must understand that AGGS is Shabad Guru and a divine revelation, which cannot be changed. Humankind of technical and capitalistic era of the 20th century has the same wicked mind as of the 16th century human beings. Only the numinous nature of Sikh philosophy can change this human and not the egoistic man of phenomenal society. Such challenges on Sikh philosophy will continue in the 21st century and Sikh scholars must answer them appropriately.5

VI. Related Issues of Dasam Granth and Other Secondary Sources

The primary source for study of Sikh religion and its identity is the Aad Sri Guru Granth Saliib. Any study based on secondary sources, will not be appropriate and can create confusion. Sikhs must work very hard to authenticate the history, authorship, and internal consistency of such secondary sources into an appropriate perspective before they can be used for Sikh Studies. This issue is highly sensitive and needs meticulous handling.6&7

VII. Sikh Bhakti vs. Hindu Bhakti

The Miri Piri concept of Sikhism is unique. It w as started by Guru Nanak and took final shape through Guru Hargobind. Many scholars are creating confusion by interchanging the Sikh Bhakti with the Hindu Bhakti. Sikh Bhakti is an active Bhakti, while Hindu Bhakti is quiet and inactive. The concept of Shakti and Bhakti cannot be compared with the Miri Piri concept. Recently, scholars have differentiated the Bhakti religion in North India. Hindu religion as suguni current, is practiced by Bhramans. Sikhism founded by Guru Nanak and other saints, such as Kabir, Ravidas, Dadu and Shiv Deyal, is being qualified and lumped under the nirguni current. This exercise seems to be diffusing the independent identity of the Sikh religion. Sikh scholars in the 21st century should put Sikh Bhakti and Hindu Bhakti in their appropriate perspective.7&8

VIII. Sikh World View

Most of the higher religions have either become dichotomous or are withdrawing from the main fields of social responsibility, and human reason feels frustrated. Sikh gurus express a comprehensive world view of hope and eternal relevance. Sikhism is universal in its approach and always anxious and willing to cooperate with those who aim at harmony and the well being of human beings. Guru Nanak proclaimed that his mission was to steer humanity across the turbulent sea of life with the help of others. This sentiment is included in everyday prayer of the Sikhs, "May God Bless all Mankind." It is essential to continue to propagate vigorously this Sikh world view towards humanity.9

IX. Importance and Significance of Akal Takhat

Ideological challenge is a normal phenomenon not uncommon in the history of religious thought. In fact it may be desirable for better understanding of religious doctrines and gives the opportunity to affirm faith. But, no religion can run its affairs until there is strong central authority, who can render final decision firmly. Akal Takhat (worldwide) and SGPC (India) are the only custodians of Sikhism. There needs to be education among the Sikh masses about the importance and significance of Akal Takhat. There has been a lot of confusion created about the institution of Akal Takhat. It is the consensus of the Sikh community, especially those who have moved away from India, that in order to save Sikhism from undergoing division, like Christianity, there is an immediate need to set up an office of Akal Takhat in the west, so that the Sikh institutions in the west can harmonize with the Akal Takhat Sahib, Amritsar. There is a need to evolve a system/sectriate/senate under Sri Akal Takhat and form a think tank which can guide...custodians regarding religious, academic, social, and political affairs of the Sikhs in India and abroad. It is the need of the day that the Sikh perspective on different issues cannot be ignored. Sikh intellectuals and clergy must address these issues if Sikhism has to survive in the next century of this dynamic global community.10

X. Guru Granth Sahib as the Living Guru

Personal Guruship was ended by the Tenth Guru after finalizing the Sikh mission and sanctifying and passing succession to the Guru Granth Sahib as the future living Guru of the Sikhs. Guru Gobind Singh was very clear that no Sikhs should acknowledge a human Guru after 1708. Plenty of historical evidence endorses this significant Sikh doctrine. In spite of this, many Dehdhari Gurus and Sants are proliferating in India and abroad supported by political enemies of the Sikhs. Many present-day holders of Sikh chairs in Western Universities are trying to diffuse the significant Sikh doctrine of Guru Manyo Granth. Such attempts will inevitably continue in the next centuries. Sikhs are challenged to preserve such historically proven doctrines and curtail the flourishing of Sant Samaj and Dehdhari Gurus.12&13

XI. Research in Sikhism and its History

The experience of the last two decades have shown that so-called critical scholarship has used missionary paradigms, ideological blinkers, and inbreeding that have failed to follow the established guidelines for ethnic research. Under the name of research, certain hypotheses about Sikhism were floated and corroborated by the "flag carriers." 14 The sources used could not withstand any historical scrutiny. Rather than answering the issues that were raised, Sikh scholars have been labeled as traditionalists and fundamentalists. No one is objecting observations avoided; instead the only useful path is dialogue and discussion proceeded by a detailed study of Sikh scripture. This avenue is missing from their studies. No understanding of Sikhism and its history can be rational or authentic until the study includes the Guru Granth Sahib and the history of the Guru Period. Otherwise, unidimensional studies cannot obviously be objective and valid. The Sikh community welcomes all young scholars performing genuine research and will provide copious resources. We request young scholars to avoid any academic neurosis and use academic humility. Being open minded allows knowledge come from all directions, and any research under such thought will be welcomed in the new century.

XII. Sikhization of Knowledge

There is an urgent need for establishment of an academic council of Sikh scholars who should compile a detailed framework of Sikh ideology as enshrined in Aad Sri Guru Granth Sahib for the contemporary world. A serious and gigantic effort is necessary to educate scholars to rethink fundamental concepts of modern sciences within the framework of Sikhism. For Sikhs, this endeavor will enlighten the richness of their heritage. For outsiders, it will provide a better understanding and bridge all gaps.

In my opinion, the above topics are the major academic challenges that mainstream Sikh scholars must face. If these are not responded to in accordance to the doctrines as established in Aad Sri Guru Granth Sahib, they will effect the psyche of the 20 million Sikhs, who follow and pray before Aad Guru Granth Sahib in their homes and Gurdwaras daily. Sikhs living in India and Punjab may be in a better position to deal with these problems as they are living in the place where Sikhism was born. Sikhs who have migrated out of India will have very deleterious effects from inaccurate literature because the coming generation may not be able to visit Punjab. If Sikhs read inaccurate books, they may start doubting the authenticity and integrity of our living Guru (Guru Granth Sahib) and the great heritage given to us by the Gurus. The above issues are great challenges for the Sikh scholars to pursue. The hope is that Sikh scholars will face such challenges and give the Sikh religion the proper recognition it deserves among major world religions.

References

1.Daljeet Singh: Sikhism and its Identity; Abstracts of Sikh Studies, July 1992.

2.Bachitter S. Giani: Introduction: Planned Attack on AAD Sri Guru Granth Sahib, 1994.

3.Kharak Singh: Fundamental Issues in Sikh Studies 1992 and Abstracts of Sikh Studies, July 1992.

Ibid.

4.Rudolph Otto: In Idea of the Holy. Sirdar Kapur Singh in Sikhism and Oecumenical Religion, edited by Gurtej Singh, published by The Institute of Sikh Studies, 1993.

5.Jajgit Singh and Daljit Singh: Abstracts of Sikh Studies, July 1994.

6.Daljeet Singh: Essential of Sikhism published by Singh Brothers, 1994.

7.Bhakti Religion in North India: Edited by David N. Lorenzen. SUNY Press. Albany, NY, 1995.

8.Daljeet Singh: Sikh Word View: Abstracts of Sikh Studies, July 92.

9.Balkar Singh: Sri Akal Takht, published by SPGC, 1995.

10.Harbans Singh: The Heritage of the Sikhs and Perspective on Sikh Studies Deals with Sancification of Guru Granth by 10th Master in 1708.

11.Madanjit Kaur: Guru Granth Sahib Sanctified as Guru in Advanced Studies in Sikhism. published by Sikh Community of North America, 1989.

12.J. S. Mann, S. S. Sodhi, G. S. Gill (editors): Invasion of Religious Boundaries. Published by Canadian Sikh Study and 13.Teaching Society (Vancouver) through Institute of Sikh Studies, Chandigarh 1995.

14. Sikhism by Hew McLeod: Penguin Books, 1997. Dr. McLeod calls his students flag carriers

Apostle Projection: This meditation is said to link the essence of your purpose to the universal mind and soul of the cosmos :

Sit with a straight spine. Hold the hands at the level of the heart center. The right hand is on top of the left hand, both palms face down. The right thumb is bent and comes under the left hand and touches the palm. The left thumb is bent and also touches the left palm. The bent thumbs are pressed together so the thumbnails touch. Look at the tip of the nose. Chant:

Wahe Guru Wahe Guru Wahe Guru Wahe Jio.

Lift the navel and diaphragm in rhythm with each "Wa." Continue for 31 minutes.

Please let me know of other meditation techniques u guys/gals are aware of.

Guru Rakha

someone awesome expereince with vaheguroo's nature

Gurfateh!

Khalsa Jio just wanna share with you an experience that changed my life.

Eight and a half years ago I was totally unaware of Sikhi. I had cut hair and used to eat meat, it was the norm for me and my family as a whole. I knew we went to a place called a Gurdwara, and that there was something special about the Gurdwara, that separated it from my house or any other building. But I knew nothing about our Guru Sahibaans or of the rich history of Sikhi.

Then when I was about seven years old, I went along with my family to Panjaab because it was my Mama Ji's wedding. The wedding took place as normal, I carried on living life unsuspecting the big change that would take place within me in a few weeks time. Anyway a few weeks later it was New Years Eve, so my family decided to welcome in the New Year at Siri Harimandar Sahib.

So we arrived payed our respects and then night began to fall. We drove everywhere in Amritsar in the vain hope that we could find somewhere to stay the night. There were no vaccancies anywhere. So we decided to put down our blankets in the Parikarma of Siri Harimandar Sahib.

Everyone started getting ready for bed, and soon everyone was asleep, but not me. I was mesmerised by the beautiful Siri Harimandar Sahib. I saw at that moment, what Guru Arjan Sahib Ji meant when he wrote,

"I have seen all places, but none can compare to You. The Primal Lord, the Architect of Destiny, has established You; thus You are adorned and embellished. Ramdaspur is prosperous and thickly populated, and incomparably beautiful. O Lord! Bathing in the Sacred Pool of Raam Daas, the sins are washed away, O Nanak. "

I kept gazing longingly at Siri Harimandar Sahib, I couldn't turn away. My family kept telling me to go to sleep but all I could hear was the eternal Shabad "Waheguru, Waheguru," in my ears. It looked to me as if the sun and moon were moving round the Siri Harimandar Sahib, as if the whole world was doing a natural Aarti of Siri Harimandar Sahib. It was as Guru Nanak Sahib Ji wrote,

"Upon that cosmic plate of the sky, the sun and the moon are the lamps. The stars and their orbs are the studded pearls. The fragrance of sandalwood in the air is the temple incense, and the wind is the fan. All the plants of the world are the altar flowers in offering to You, O Luminous Lord. ||1|| What a beautiful Aartee, lamp-lit worship service this is! O Destroyer of Fear, this is Your Ceremony of Light. The Unstruck Sound-current of the Shabad is the vibration of the temple drums. ||1||Pause||"

I was intoxicated by the most beautiful and magnificent Darshan of Siri Harimandar Sahib, the more I looked the more my spiritual hunger increased. The whole night had passed by, but still I couldn't take my gaze away from Siri Harimandar Sahib. Then I heard the loud prayers of the Sevadaars getting ready for the Parkash of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, "Satnaam Waheguru!" My family started to wake up, they were astonished to see that I had remained awake for the whole night.

I could see a multitude of people gathering near where Guru Sahib had gone at the time of Sukh Aasan. Then I saw Guru Sahib ji being carried in the Magnificent Golden Paalki towards Siri Harimandar Sahib. My Nana Ji took me close to the Paalki and as i glimpsed Guru Sahib in all their splendour I was intoxicated with love for Guru Ji, and when I actually got a chance to touch the Paalki it was as if a bolt of lightening ran through my veins. All I could hear was the Guru's eternal Shabad "Waheguru!" It was as if Guru Ji had touched my heart and pierced it with an arrow of his love. As Guru Arjan Sahib Ji wrote,

"My mind is pierced through by the arrow of the Lord's Love. "

I kept going up to the Paalki again and again the more I connected with the Paalki the more of this new overwhelming energy started to flow through me. It was overwhelming to say the least. After that experience I collapsed and didn't come round for 10 to 20 minutes. Guru Ji had hit me with his arrow of love. At that moment there and then I vowed never to cut my hair or eat meat again. As we walked out of the holy complex of Siri Harimandar Sahib, I rushed over to the nearest book stall and bought 4 books about the Ten Guru's which I used to read everyday as if they were Paath themsleves.

Just over eight years have past between that experience and now. A lot of changes have taken place. I'm now nearly 16 and Amritdhari and have been so for about 7 and a half years. I can now do kirtan and read the Gurbani, but this is not due to myself, it is due to Guru Ji's guiding hand. Guru Ji has looked after me and helped me every step of the way. Guru Ji even took a Paapi like me into his protection, think what Guru Sahib can do for you. Just have faith and never forget that your father, Guru Gobind Singh, is always looking after you.

Gurfateh

Ballad of the Blissful Warrior

In my youthful wanderings, among the tropic isles, I met a man mysterious--a man with gentle eyes. It was in an open tavern, made up of leaves of palm, where people went to quench their thirst but drowned their dreams in every curse.

Suddenly entered this man free and wild--possessing an inner strength. He had one thing that tempted fate: a sword silvery and ornate. I was bewitched by its beauty until his thunderous "HAH!" shook me into awe.

Mysteriously alive he stood, centered in the tavern's abyss, as he began filling the void with his ballad of bliss:

"The time has come. The time for young and old to learn to turn all obstacles into gold." He leapt onto the table in one graceful stride. Only a distant gull could be heard.

"When I was young, I had a dream: to sail the seas and discover, to become the strongest, wealthiest of all. As a lad I studied the arts of war to gain my just reward. Then I sailed to Spain--to master the silvery sword.

"I heard of one great hero, the bravest of them all. They said he was unbeatable: 'an ally to the gods.' They said he had a sword that sang; his feet could float on air. His hands were fast as lightning; acrobat beyond compare. They said he'd slain a dragon and now lived in total peace. They said he'd died to mortal life--so lived free of mortal strife.

"Legends of his prowess followed me as a curse, for I knew I'd not be satisfied till I learned his song and verse. For seven years I searched, then finally broke down inside a mountaintop church.

"I confessed my sins to a gentle monk; told him of my fruitless quest. His reply to my agony was silence. Then he held up one hand--indicating for me to rest.

"He returned that eve concealing something beneath his cape, beholding me with mysterious compassion--as if he knew my fate. 'The answer is within,' three times the monk did say, then bequeathed to me a dazzling sword--silvery and ornate. I could not believe my eyes: this monk was the dragon slayer, the answer to my prayer.

"In his monastery I stayed for months and begged him to teach his warrior ways, but to me he would not even preach. The only words he spoke to me were those fateful four: 'The answer is within,' as he turned and walked out the door. So, tired of frustration, I let my dreams of youth be renewed and sailed off to lands fair and warm--wielding his sword through fate and storm.

"It was on board a pirate ship that I heard of a place I must go, a place which none could find: the golden land of El Dorado. I canoed up the mighty Amazon and explored its endless waters. I ascended the ancient Andes and rested in Machu Picchu. I headed north to venture more, still searching for the land of golden lore.

"In the densest jungle, I was weakened by a fever. I collapsed and lay to die--a soul lost forever. But I woke amidst some natives who took me in to heal. With them I stayed seven bliss-filled years, learning of things to me unreal.

They taught me how to laugh and sing.

They taught me how to dance.

They taught me how to hunt and sow.

They taught me how to love and grow.

"A shaman taught me his ancient art, then revealed to me his magic heart. He taught me how to heal, how to die and how to feel. He showed me all of nature's beauty. I thought I'd reached the end of my quest. Every morn I'd bathe in the waterfall. Every eve I'd return there to rest.

"I became at one with the jungle--my dreams of fame forgotten. But I couldn't forget the gentle monk and his silent, mysterious compassion. So I left my friends and sailed back to Spain--straightaway to visit the dragon slayer, hoping to find him in prayer.

"One monk said, 'He's disappeared--off to adventure; perhaps the rapture!' But he knew I would return, for he had left me a gift of passage: a simple scroll, tied with a simple bow. I trembled as I pulled the string: my heart about to open. I looked inside and started to weep, for there was written the story deep--his long-forgotten message: 'The answer is within.'

"So there I stayed seven years and contemplated inner beauty. I learned to tap my inner voice. It became my song and verse. I learned to laugh at all of life: the monks could not comprehend, yet tolerated my playfulness, for they had become my friends.

"Upon leaving I had the greatest laugh, realizing I had accomplished all--all that I had set out to do.

I was wealthy,

for the universe was mine.

My words of bliss created

heavens all around.

"The frightened said, 'Run when he is near. He'll spook you till insane. You'll never be the same.'

"So now I wonder worlds with my cryptic message: 'The answer is within.' I hope you heed its presage."

So spoke the blissful warrior, the soul with gentle eyes. After his song of wonder he drew his dazzling sword. Eyes moist in ascending emotion, he handed me this sword, speaking his words of devotion: "The answer is within."

Ok Sadh Sangat Jeo

mahraaj has blessed us with something that will change your life.

spare 13 minutes of your time and listen to the audio clip.

procede to http://www.sikhi.org.uk/?MidCell=CrapMusic

thank you so kindly for listening.

ummm neo - it says in there that the nihangs call themselves the 5th thakth

there are already 5 thakths - so wudnt they be the 6th?? :?

What is saying is that they consider one of the takhths as their place.. like for example..when you go to hazor sahib, nandhar and anandpur sahib ..you will find lot of nihangs there respecting the swords..learnin from the swords...

bare nihangs at hazor sahib mate...i heard niddar singh nihang who is current best nihang out of all ..he is from uk..spented 16 yrs in his life with em...

Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa,

Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh.

The Power of the Khalsa Woman

Men's stories are public. Women's stories are private. Men commit great feats in a burst of energy that are sung and talked about for hundreds of years. Women slowly and consistently nurture and build their children, their families, their communities, their visions. It is easy to point to a man's accomplishments. It is much more difficult to point to a woman's. Yet, the Gurus understood that men and women both participate equally in the play of Creation- that both are necessary.

In Sikh history, it is easy to identify the public, male stories that show the power of the Khalsa consciousness. Yet, with every male story there is a hidden side – the private world of the Khalsa woman.

The Chali Mukte: The 40 Liberated Ones. Forty of Guru Gobind Singh's men deserted him at Anandpur. They were afraid to die, afraid for their lives, desperate and starving. They were so concerned with their own survival, that they willing wrote and signed a letter denouncing their Guru. When they arrived home, rather than finding wives joyful for their return, happy that they were alive, what did they find? Wives who were appalled that they had deserted Guru Gobind Singh.

The male side of this story is that the men returned to fight for the Guru and died in the battle, liberating their souls in the process. But the hidden story is that the consciousness of their Khalsa wives is what inspired them to do it.

The Khalsa women consciously chose widowhood. They would have rather born the burden of seeing their husbands dead, of being left with the sorrow of being widowed, of raising their children alone, of having to find their economic security in the absence of a husband - they would have rather endured all this than to see their husbands walk away from their destinies and betray their Guru. These women knew - the duty and role of a Khalsa wife is to serve the soul of her husband and deliver him to his destiny and to God and Guru no matter what. Who liberated these men? Themselves? No - it was the grace, security, wisdom and blessing of their wives that allowed them to be liberated. It was the meditative discipline, the trust in the Divine, the attunement with God’s Will through the experience of their own Spirits that allowed these women to look their husbands in the eye and say - you are dead to us, no matter what. Go back and stand with your Guru or leave. Minus the spiritual understanding of the women, the 40 Liberated Ones would have never returned to their Guru and would have gone through lifetimes of karma to repay the mistake. These Khalsa women understood non-attachment, security in the Divine, living in the Will of God, loyalty to the Guru so well that they could fearlessly send their husbands to their death, knowing that it was better for their husbands to die in service of the Guru than to live any other way. And the pain of loosing their husbands was less to them than the pain of seeing their husbands loose their path to God. Publicly- the valor of the men prevailed. Privately- the wisdom of the women prevailed. And it was this joint consciousness, valor and wisdom, male and female, that displayed the true power of the Khalsa.

Mata Gujri ji: Wife of Guru Teg Bahadur, mother of Guru Gobind Singh. Guru Gobind Rai assumed the Guruship at the age of 9. During those early years of his life, his father, Guru Teg Bahadur, traveled and taught. The responsibility for training Gobind Rai was left in the hands of his mother, Mata Gujri Ji. What kind of woman must she have been to be chosen by God to teach and guide Gobind Rai so that he would be capable of assuming the Guruship? He was a human boy, but he had the most divine mother who instructed him in the ways of wisdom so thoroughly that he was ready to take on the responsibility for his destiny when he was nine years old. God works through a woman's touch. Man is what woman creates him to be. Gobind Rai was what he was, but the destiny of his soul was entrusted to Mata Gujri Ji's care it was the touch of his mother through which God could awaken him.

And didn't the Gurus teach us - those who are truly married are one soul in two bodies? If this is Divine Truth, can we possibly say that Mata Gujri Ji and Guru Teg Bahadur were one soul in two bodies? One mission with two faces - the public and the private, the male and the female, the conscious and the subconscious, the power and the wisdom? If marriage creates us as one soul in two bodies - then what is the difference between Guru Teg Bahadur and Mata Gujri Ji except that they had two different jobs to do, two different times and spaces, yet sharing one light between them?

She was the woman who created the man who created the Khalsa. And so powerful was her touch that Gobind Rai was ready to lead when he was a nine year old boy.

The Panj Piare: The names of the Panj Piare are inscribed in the heart of every Khalsa. Bhai Daya Singh, Bhai Dharam Singh, Bhai Mohkam Singh, Bhai Himmat Singh, and Bhai Sahib Singh. Their act of total surrender and devotion, of being willing to give their heads to the Guru, is celebrated every year at Baisakhi. It was through their selfless courage, absolute love, and total fearlessness that the Khalsa came to life. But do we know the names of their mothers and what their mothers did to raise them with such a consciousness? Everyone has the Light of the Divine within them. That is never the question. But to live that Light unto death - that is a matter of training and the mother is the first training ground of the soul. What values did their mothers instill in them? What discipline? What stories? How did their mothers teach them? What did they teach them? Wouldn't it be wonderful if we had a parenting book for Sikhs based on how these mothers raised these boys? The boys who became the Panj Piare and initiated the order of the Khalsa? Truly, they must have had Khalsa women as mothers, even though the Khalsa had not yet come to life.

So now we have this debate about women doing seva in the Golden Temple, and I think about the anguish of the Panth: where has our glory gone? Where are the great, selfless acts of valor and courage that show us the Khalsa spirit still lives? Perhaps the simple truth is the public acts of Khalsa men are missing because the importance of the private strength of the Khalsa woman has been forgotten. The stories of the Khalsa women are lost because they are quiet and patient stories, stories of endurance and duty, stories, ultimately, that are difficult to tell, difficult to point to - until a man created by the touch of a Khalsa woman delivers his Spirit in the face of death.

Those who deny women seva in the Guru's Court and the blessing of leading the sangat in devotional kirtan are creating an unfortunate future, not just for themselves, but for the entire Panth. Those who would keep women in spiritual darkness are the true enemies of the Panth, trying to preserve the reigns of power for their own egos. It was never Guru's will for the daughters of the Khalsa to be enslaved by tradition. Who has the right to tell a Khalsa woman what she can and cannot do for her Guru? Who can determine what spiritual acts will bring her to her full spiritual awakening? What person has the authority to deny her the blessing of seva, of the selfless service that will clear her karma, awaken her soul, and bring her to an understanding of her destiny?

When the day comes for the Khalsa nation to truly rise in its glory, greatness and spiritual sovereignty, it will be Khalsa women who lead the way. Women who have crowned themselves as Princesses of Guru Gobind Singh and live in the nobility, dignity and grace of the 10th Master. Women who, with their loving touch, transform their homes into the Ghrist Ashram where meditation and practice of the Guru's teachings are the center of family life. Where all who need solace, healing and comfort are welcomed with open arms, warm food and kindness. Women who can train their sons and daughters in meditation and Gurbani so that their children do not become confused by doubt and maya, but have such a clear, direct experience of the Divine that they can fearlessly live to the calling of their Spirit and Destiny, even unto death. For the Khalsa nation to come to life, those who have the destiny to give birth to it must realize their duty. And every Sikh has an obligation to do everything possible to give those Khalsa women a chance to wake up, own their power and change the world.

Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa,

Wahe Guru Ji Ki Fateh.

In service, love and devotion,

Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa

Espanola, New Mexico

{Note to Readers: Please do forward the naam of vaheguroo to your mates and family) through email if you like the aritcle. vaheguroo )

Awesome stuff veer keep it coming!!

Akalis/Nihangs

Doctrines

The Akalis (later known as Nihangs) believed in asceticism and celibacy. They also believed in the use of bhang (hashish) also called Sukha or Sukh Nidhan (treasure of bliss) for meditative purposes. They believe in three Granths: The Adi Granth (Primal/First Book), the Dasam Granth (Book of the Tenth Guru) and the Sarob Loh Granth (Book of the All-Steel). They believe that all have equal status and supplement each other; in the Akali/Nihang perspective it is not possible to fully comprehend the Adi Granth without the other two Granths. The Akalis also believe in the itinerant idea of chakravorty, that is to be always on the move. They believe that they are the fifth and only moving Takht (throne of authority) that keeps a check on the four stationary Takhts - which have become institutionalised. However this is not recognised by orthodox Sikhs. The Nihangs believe in the oral tradition of giving kathas (oral discourses on the scripture), and do not write down their history. Today not all Nihangs are celibate, some marry and some till the land. Nihangs believe that they are the real Khalsa who practice martial arts and live their lives as Guru Gobind Singh outlined. The Nihangs therefore strongly believe and rigidly adhere to the rahit (code of conduct).

History

The Akalis (Immortals, or Followers of the Timeless One), or as they are now known Nihangs (meaning 'free from worldly cares'), were at their most numerous and impressive in the 18th and early 19th centuries. At this time they were called Akalis and were known to be fearless, skilled and resolute warriors. They saw themselves as forming the elite corpus of the Khalsa. Their origins cannot be substantiated by written sources; however, from their oral tradition, they believe themselves to have originated from the times of Guru Gobind Singh. The Akalis earned a reputation for being valiant soldiers during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The Akalis, as armed groups on horseback, offered Sikhs protection from Muslim persecution in the 1750s to the late 1780s. These army groups had various divisions (called misls) which eventually gained control over areas of varying sizes. Initially these groups of horsemen were fighting the Mughals, then the Afghans and finally as the Muslim threats receded, started fighting amongst themselves for land. The eventual conqueror was Ranjit Singh who absorbed and united all the misl groups and ruled an undivided Panjab in the 1800s. One of Ranjit Singh's most renowned warrior was the celibate Akali Phula Singh (c. 1716-1823), who was the Nihangs greatest leader.

Symbols

The Nihangs dress is the most distinct and outstanding of all the Sikhs, for they are rigorous followers of the code set down in the rahit literature. They are all therefore Keshdhari (uncut hair), they wear weapons most notably the sword and the steel quoits around their blue turbans. Their overall dress colour is blue, with a long blue shirt (chola). The style of their turbans is also quite unique. It is very tall and probably three to four times the length of normal Khalsa Singh's turbans. The tall turban called a damala is surmounted by a cloth or a flag (pharhara). Around this turban are placed one or two steel or iron rings/quoits. The vertical position of where this ring is worn signifies the individuals spiritual attainment; the higher the ring the greater the spiritual development. There main diagrammatic symbol for explaining their idea of chakravorty is the swastika: which symbolises rotational movement through four static points around a centre. The four points represent the four established Takhts, and the rotation through them represent the moving fifth Takht of the Nihangs that is meant to keep the four stationary Takhts in check.

The Nihangs are divided into four Dals (armies): Tarna Dal, Bab Bidhi Chand Dal, Baba Bhindran Dal, and Baba Budha Dal, (which are named after Akali Leaders known as Jathedars). The supreme commander will nominate a successor, usually a celibate like himself.

Adherents

Numbers have considerably dropped after many battles. In the 1891 census 231 Hindus and 1,586 Sikhs returned themselves as 'Akalis'. (Census of India, 1891, Vol.XX and Vol.XXI, The Punjab and its Feudatories, by E.D. Maclagan, Part II and III, Calcutta, 1892, pp.826-9 and pp.572-3.) Today they represent a relatively small number of the overall Sikh population. However there are no official, contemporary numbers, (see also the note at the end of the Explanatory Introduction).

Headquarters

Main Centre

The Nihangs spend half their time moving around the Panjab on horseback and half settled cultivating the land. Whilst moving they set up camps (deras) at various locations. The Five Takhts are: Akal Takht in Amritsar is paramount; Keshgarh Sahib in Anandpur, Harimandir Sahib in Patna, Huzur Sahib in Nander, and Damdama Sahib in southern Panjab. These four are all located at sites historically linked with Guru Gobind Singh. Decisions are made (hukam-namas) by the Sarbat Khalsa ('all' the represented community) binding on all the Sikhs. These type of orders only issue from the Akal Takht in Amritsar, which conflicts with the present Nihangs and their ostracised position. Nihangs converge on various festivals, most notably at Anandpur for the Holla Mahalla festival, where they demonstrate their martial prowess and give discourses their scriptures.

Adi Guru Durbar/Granth – Is the fore most Sikh scripture which is said to enshrine the spirit of peace. Also refered to as 'Aad Guru Durbar', 'Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji', 'Guru Granth Sahib'

Abbeck – Ignorance. The dark side of the mind.

Akal – Immortal Nirankar God.

Akal Bunga/Takht – The highest seat of Sikh temporal authority declared so by the 6th Guru, Akali Guru Hargobind Sahib in 1609. Traditionally only the Budha Dal Jathedar (leader) was also leader of Akal Takht.

Akali – Worshiper of Akal. A high ranking Nihang. See Akali Nihang.

Akali Nihang – Traditional warrior guardians of Sanatan Sikhism.

Allah – Islamic name of the one true God.

Amrit (Amrit Sanchar) - Initiation ceremony new warriors have to undergo to enter the Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa.

Bbeck – Wisdom. The light side of man.

Bhagt/Bhagat – Devotee of Nirankar God.

Bhang – Cannabis. Employed by Akali Nihangs as a pain represent drug on the battle field.

Bhujangi - Nihang warrior.

Bir Ras - warrior essence

Brahm – Highest Nirankar God.

Brahmin – Member of highest Indian cast. Hindu priest. In Sanatan Sikh thinking irrespective of caste a person who knows of Brahm.

Budha Dal - The 5th Takht and the superior of the 2 orders of Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa. The Jathedar (head) of the Budha Dal is traditionally seen as the head of the entire Sikh Nation and commander-in-chief of the Sikh army.

Chatka/Jhatkha - "To kill with one blow". Traditional method employed by the Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa to kill enemies and also used to kill animals for food. Killing is done using a variety of methods, from guns to swords.

Dasam Guru Durbar/Granth – First of the martial texts of the tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh. Though it is respected by the none-martial Sanatan Sikh orders Udasis, Nirmala and Seva Panthis as scripture. It is only worshiped as equal to Adi Guru Granth by the Akali Nihangs.

Deg/Degh – The cauldron of Sukha. See Sukha.

Dharma/Dharam – Universal divine law. The true spiritual path.

Dumala - Conical turban worn by the Akali Nihangs and the Nihang Singhs. The Akali Nihang Singhs in addition possess a "Farla" (see below) at the top to distinguish them above the Nihang Singhs.

Ferengi/Farengi - "Foriegner". Traditionally referring to those of Europeans descent.

Har – Eternal God

Harimandir – The house of eternal God. The Golden temple in Amritsar the most sacred Sikh shrine.

Faquir – Muslim holy man.

Farla/Farra - A loose piece of turban cloth adorning the top of the Dumala (see above) worn by Akali Nihangs. The cloth is always 'neela' (dark blue) in colour.

Koran – Muslim holy text.

Kyshatriya - Warrior caste, also refers to a way of thinking, ie. "the way of the warrior".

Malesh - "Flithy", referring to foreign tyrannical powers.

Matt – Individual egoistic thinking that leads one to believe ones particular faith, philosophy is the only true one. Egoistic thinking which denies the universal Sikh Dharma.

Moghal – The Muslim rulers of India in time of Sikh Guru’s.

Mullah – Muslim clergy man.

Navatan - New/current

Nirankar – Formless God.

Nirmala – The pure one. The scholar order of Sanatan Sikhism.

Phoola Singh – The legendary sixth leader of Budha Dal Akali Nihangs and Akal Takht.

Prachin/Pracheen - Ancient/old

Puraan – Eighteen texts relating ancient Hindu myths and wisdom.

Ram/Raam – Hero of the Hindu epic Ramayana Rama. A designation for all pervasive Nirankar God.

Sach Khand – Eternal abode of Nirankar God.

Salotar - Club, used to grind cannabis or to fight enemies.

Salotari/Salotardhari - Weilder of a salotar.

Samparda - (traditional) order/school of thought or collection of individuals with a purpose to propagate Dharam.

Sanjam Kiriya - Warrior yoga designed to increase dynamism.

Sarbloh – All iron. Weapons of war. Martial designation for highest God Nirankar.

Sarbloh Guru Durbar/Granth – The second of the Sikh martial texts. Though it is respected by the none martial Sanatan Sikh orders Udasis, Nirmala and Seva Panthis as scripture. It is only worshiped as equal to Adi Guru Granth along side Dasam Guru Granth by the Akali Nihangs.

Seva Panthis – The philanthropist order of Sanatan Sikhs.

S.G.P.C. - Shromani Gurudwara Prabandak Committee. A product of late 19th Century British-Raj nurtured puritanical blend of Sikhism. Not recognised as having any authority by Sanatan Sikhs.

Shastarvidiya - the 'science of weapons'. This term refers to the ancient Indian battle artform of the Akali Nihang Singh Khalsa (once also practiced by other warrior tribes and Indian cultures, eg. Rajputs, etc.)

Shaheedi Degh - Drink to celebrate martyrs. A protein drink made with almonds, black pepper,sugar,water, cardamoms and cannabis (and sometimes rose petals) that is drunk to celebrate the deeds of past warriors. See Sukha.

Shant Ras - essence of peace

Shardaee - Non-intoxicating drink made with hemp, almonds, black pepper, sugar and water.

Shiva – Third of the Hindu demigods amongst the triad of chief demigods who over sees disillusion of creation. In Sanatan Sikhism the destructive aspect of Nirankar God.

Shudra/Sudra - Lowest of the 4 castes within the Hindu caste system.

Sanatan – Most ancient. Most ancient traditions. Eternal. Nirankar God. Alternative spellings: Snaatan, Sanatana, Snatan, Sanaatan

Sanatan Sikhs – Traditional Sikhs as opposed to British Raj institutions educated Sikhs the Tat Khalsa Singh Sabhias.

Sri Kesgarh Sahib - 3rd Takht, situated at Anandpur Sahib (Punjab, India) where the 10th SIkh Guru gave birth to the brotherhood of the Khalsa.

Sri Patna Sahib - 2nd Takht, situated in Patna (Bihar, India) the birthplace of the 10th Sikh Guru.

Sri Sach Khand Hazoor Sahib - 4th Takht, found at Nander (Maharastra, India) where the 10th Guru, Akali Nihang Guru Gobind Singh ji, ascended to heaven. Also it was here that the Adi Guru Durbar was declared to be the Guru of the Sikhs.

Sukha/Sukkha – The giver of comfort. Strong protein consecrated drink made with martial rituals, which has touch of cannabis. A favourite drink of Akali Nihangs.

Takht - Seat of authority. Traditonally there are 4. They are: Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Sri Patna Sahib, Sri Kesgarh Sahib, Sach Khand Hazoor Sahib and the Budha Dal. The Budha Dal is traditionally seen as the 5th.

Tarna Dal - In 1734, Akali Nihang Kapur Singh split the Akali Nihang Khalsa into the Budha Dal (superior and comprising of older, wiser and battle hardened warriors) and the Tarna Dal (comprising of younger warriors). The Tarna Dal was further split into 5 groups.

Tat Khalsa – The original name of the Akali Nihangs of the 18th century before they split into Budha and Tarna Dals. A name later adopted by the British Raj Victorian institutions educated Sikhs. Who sought to negate Sanatan Sikhism late 19th century and so as Sikhism would accommodate British Raj.

Turk – Moghal. Hostile Muslim rulers or invaders. NB the distinction between 'musalmaan' (none-tyrannical member of muslim faith) and a 'turk', who is seen as one who (wrongly) uses Islam as a tool for oppression.

Udasis – The oldest order of Sanatan Sikhs and traditionally seen as the "missionaries".

Vaar - Ballad. One of the most famous compositions are the Vaars attributed to Bhai Gurdas, scribe to Guru Arjan Dev Ji (5th Sikh Guru).

Va-eh Guru – Wonderous Nirankar God. The awe inspiring ineffable sublime truth and the Sanatan Sikh name for ultimate truth/reality. There are various English spellings that have/are being used in addition to the one used on this website such as: 'Waheguru', 'Vaaheguru', 'Vaaheguroo', 'Vahguru', 'Vaheguru'.

Viriyam - an exercise regime incorporating circuit training, weight training, stretching, etc. to aid increased strength, agility, tolerance to pain, and mental clarity.

Vedas – The most ancient of Hindu religious texts.

Vishnu – Second of the Hindi demigods amongst the triad of chief Hindu demigods who preserves creation. In Sanatan Sikhism, the preserving aspect of Nirankar God and one of their designations for Nirankar God.

Its a long read, but well worth reading.......

KES (THE SEAL OF GURU SAHIB)*

By: Bhai Madan Singh

Advancement of technology and science has made human beings more sceptics than before. Man has landed on moon, has discovered new planets and has made numerous inventions but, on the other hand, it has lost a lot of religious, mystic and spiritual wealth". The above statement by Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer (in his article "Religion and Modern Man") is the summing up of the crisis of each and every living religion. The well renowned author on the Sikh faith writes: "Though all the religions have been affected by scepticism, atheism, degradation of moral values but Sikhism, the religion of the future ages, has suffered the greatest blow, partly because of the loss of spiritual values and partly due to fashion and mob mentality. Weak and feeble minds easily fall prey to such effects." "To imitate others, especially the majority community or the ruling class is a part of petty human nature. Adopting new fashions is not a desire to show one's existence but it is a characteristic of an average weak person. Mob mentality leads an ordinary person to adopt a new fashion even without bothering for its merits and demerits or even its suitability for him/her".

The world today is passing through constant change in the world of fashion, dress, food and other aspects of life. Our food is not the same as it was a hundred years ago. We have adopted the dress of our former rulers. And now, cutting [disrespecting] of hair has become a craze equally among the men and women. It is amazing to note that a very large number of women have begun discarding their hair. Cutting hair is being considered as a part of so-called modern culture. This mob mentality has become the order of the day. This has affected the whole of the world.

Though keeping unshorn hair has been a part and parcel of each and every religion, only the Sikhs observe this religious discipline in a strict manner. The Christians, the Muslims and the Hindus have renounced hair. The mob mentality and so-called fashion has begun affecting the Sikhs also. It would have been catastrophic even for the Sikhs had not the Tenth Nanak (Guru Gobind Singh Sahib) ordered keeping unshorn hair as an obligation for a Sikh. It is a commandment of Guru Sahib: "Hair are the seal of Guru."

Let us have a glance at the importance of hair among different religions:

Christianity is still the most dominating religion on the Globe. Jesus Christ was the founder of Christian faith. The followers of the Christian faith consider him as 'son of God'. Jesus himself had long unshorn hair. According to a report sent by the Governor of the land to the emperor about Jesus, he (Jesus) was a pretty young person with fine brown hair. He had a fine beard that too was long like his hair. Another contemporary of Christ mentions him as a young person with long curly hair. All the companions of Jesus too had long hair like him. The Christians, though they assert themselves as believers in their "lord", but they have turned their backs to his teachings by renouncing their hair.

Moses, the founder of Judaism, was born the son of Imran, a descendant of Hazrat Nuh. According to Jewish faith, Adam was the first man on this earth. Christianity and Islam tool believe the same about Adam. But, all of them also believe that Adam was a man with unshorn hair. The power of hair has been explained in the legend of Samson the powerful, who was a very exceptionally strong and powerful person and the secret of his prowess was in his unshorn hair. This story too is believed by the above-mentioned three religions.

Mohammed [sahib] was the founder of Islam. Mohammed too had unshorn hair. The contemporaries as well as historians and biographers of Mohammed have confirmed this fact. Khwaja Hassan Nizami Dehalvi, in his book "Kabron ke Ghaibi Navishtey", mentions that Mohammed was a very tall man with long hair and turban on his head. He commanded his followers not to cut their hair. Even the 27th Ayat of Islamic faith forbids a Muslim to cut his hair/beard.

There is a sect in Mecca (the religious capital of Islam), known as Wahabis; Abdul Wahab who is known by his followers as ‘son of Mohammed’ founded this sect. The followers of this faith do not cut their hair from any part of their body. Bahaullah was the chief of a religious sect of Islam in Iran. He had instructed his followers not to cut their hair.

Hair is so sacred for a Muslim that a Muslim going to Mecca for Hajj (religious obligation for every Muslim), is strictly forbidden to cut even a single hair from any part of his/her body. Muslim Sufi poet

Sheikh Farid too mentions that a Muslim always keeps unshorn hair (Guru Granth sahib, p. 1380). Hair is so sacred in Islam that once Pir Buddhu Shah, who was an ardent admirer of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, once visited him (Guru Sahib). At that time Guru Sahib was combing his hair. Guru Sahib asked him, "What can I do for you?" The Pir asked Guru Sahib, Please give me the gift of your comb along with the hair in it" The descendants of Pir Buddhu Shah claim that they still have the same comb and Guru Sahib's hair with them.

Aurangzeb [one of the sons of Mughal Emperor Shahjahan] was a fundamentalist Sunni Muslim. He had forbidden the Hindus from keeping unshorn hair so that the Hindus should not look like the Muslims. Aurangzeb himself had a long beard and he never cut his beard throughout his life.

Vedas, Purans, Upanishadas, Samritits, Gita, Ramayana and Mahabharata are among the major books of the Hindus. There are several references in these books, which reveal that all the Hindu missionaries and the other prominent persons had unshorn hair, beards and moustaches. Some of these references are as follows:

1. Rigveda: All the Gandhrav people had unshorn hair. Hair is divine blessing.

2. The mythical gods of sun, water, medicine, vegetation etc have unshorn hair.

3. The mythical Hindu god Inder has unshorn hair and it is the hair that gives him real strength.

4. In the Rig-Veda, there is a prayer; made by the Brahmins that asks the people to seek from God the gift of long hair.

5. According to Yajur-Veda Chinese, Tehranis, Mangols never shaved their hair because the hair is the source of energy, brilliance, warmth and lustre.

6. According to the Balmiki Ramayna, Ravana had long hair. Ravana's companions were deeply pained when Jatau pulled Ravana's hair.

7. Muni Sukdev, who used to give sermons to the council of the kings, had unshorn hair.

8. Raja Virat had unshorn hair.

9. Durbhaga Rishi too had long unshorn hair and beard.

10. Budha, the founder of Buddhism, had unshorn hair.

11. The founder of Jainism [Digambe and Shawetamber] had unshorn hair.

12. According to the commandments of Brahmi Sahinta (Bhavikhat Puran) "only those who have unshorn hair have a right to be rulers of the land."

13. Dharam Shastra forbids the Sanyasis from cutting their hair.

14. According to Dharam Sahinta cohabiting partners should not touch the hair of each other while making love, in order to preserve the sanctity of their hair.

15. According to Ketya Samriti one should always cover one's hair while taking meals.

16. One must comb one's hair regularly and every day.

17. Combing hair makes eyesight sharper.

18. According to Shiv Puran, Shivji (the mythical Hindu godfather of the elephant headed Hindu god]), once, while addressing his wife Parvati, said, "Those who have a Guru or have Gurmantra (teaching from the Guru) should always have unshorn hair".

19. The Hindu sociologist Manu says that if a Brahmin commits an act of sin his hair should be shaved off. It is more than hanging him.

20. According to Manu it is a sin to touch the hair of an opponent even while fighting.

Kunal Kashmiri, in one of his famous articles, published in Partap newspaper, writes about the forms of punishment given to the sinners and the criminals in different societies. According to his research

there are certain punishments, which have been common among different societies e.g. shaving of head, cutting of beards or moustaches of the sinners/criminals. This pattern had been adopted by most of the societies of the medieval ages. Cutting [shaving off and/or trimming] of hair, beards or moustaches has been considered as a great insult in most of these societies and this belief has been the same in the east and the west. Among the Pathans it is still considered the greatest punishment for a religious or moral offender. There are numerous examples in the Hindu history and society mentioning that shaving head or cutting beard or moustache was the greatest punishment for a sinner.

In the western world too there have been instances when cutting or insulting the hair, beard or moustaches led to battles or other crises. In 1185, Emperor John insulted some Irish nobles by cutting their beards. This led to major revolt by the Irish people. A war between Spain and England was caused by the remarks of the [then] English king in which he had suggested that the beard of the ruler of Spain

should be trimmed."

According to Kunal Kashmiri, nowadays the people have begun shaving their beards and moustaches; hence they do not give the others a chance to punish them by ordering cutting of their beards and moustaches (meaning thereby that they themselves insult themselves by cutting their beards and moustaches). There are several references in the Sikh scriptures that refer to the sanctity of hair, moustaches and beards:

My Lord, I shall sacrifice myself to your saints I shall make a Chaur (fly flicker) of my hair (to clean their feet of such saintly persons) and mark my face with the dust of their feet (Guru Granth Sahib, p. 749).

I shall always concentrate upon the feet of my Satguru [the Almighty Lord] shall clean the dust from his feet with my hair [the Eter Guru (Holy Scripture of the Sikhs) Guru Granth Sahib, p. 387]

Only those beards are true (pious) which touch the feet of the Guru (Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1419)

I shall serve His servants shall (clean the dust from) his feet with my hair (Guru Granth Sahib, p. 810)

I shall clean the dust from his (real saints') feet this is the yearning of my life (p. 500)

In the Sikh scriptures, there are some such references also, which warn the people that if they commit some sin their beard shall be insulted upon:

Those who strike their beards on the poor, The Almighty shall burn them (in the fear of hell) (p. 199)

Guru Sahib gave strict command to the Sikhs not to cut their hair from any part of their bodies as the "Kesas are the seal of Guru". A Hukamnama issued to the Sikhs of Kabul (Afghanistan) in May 1699,

mentions this command in unequivocal words:

"All the Sikhs of Kabul! I am very pleased with you. You must get initiation [Amrit] of Khanda from the Five (Panj Piarey, or the five beloved ones). Always keep unshorn hair, it is my seal. Never part with Kachhehra and Kirpan. Always wear an iron Kara on your wrist. Comb your hair twice a day [using a Kangha]. The Sikhs should never eat the Muslim meat (Kuttha i.e. Halal). Never use tobacco. Never cut your hair. Do not have any relationship with those who kill their daughters [i.e, the female fetus]. Do not sit in the company of the Meenas, Masands, and Ramraiaya. Recite Gurbani. Meditate in the name of Waheguru [the Wonderful Lord]. Act upon the instructions of the Guru. I am pleased with all the Sangat". Issued on 26th of Jeth 1756 (corresponding to May 1699)

The Rahitnamas (the Sikh Code of Conduct) edited by different writers, too support this fact:

1. A Guru's Sikh shall never cut his hair (Bhai Chaupa Singh)

2. A Sikh must always have Kachhehra, Kes and fine turban on his person. (Sarb Loh Granth)

3. The Khalsa of Waheguru should always have unshorn hair, untied beard and a fine turban. (Gur Sobha)

There are several more references in the Rahitnamas and other books, which confirm that Guru Sahib, strictly rejected cutting of hair any form from the body of a Sikh. A Sikh shall prefer getting his scalp

chopped off instead of allowing cutting of his hair.

Not only religiously and spiritually, hair is of great importance from health and medicine point of view also:

1. An average man has 85000 to 125000 hairs on his head. After some period, the growth of hair stops automatically. Protein is very essential for the perseverance of heath. When one cuts one's hair time

and again a lot of protein is used in the growth of new hair, hence it leads to loss of protein in body, which becomes a cause of several diseases.

2. Vitamin D is very useful for proper functioning of the nervous system, teeth and other bones in human body. Long hair are a source of Vitamin D. Longer the hair larger the amount of Vitamin D in human body. Ignorant people are bent upon destroying Vitamin D by cutting their hair. To compensate this loss they have to eat pills of Vitamin D, which further lead to several side effects and other problems.

3. Hair help in protecting one from extreme heat as well as cold. Hair is a good conductor of the system of body temperature. A man with hair and turban has the benefit of balance of one's body temperature, whereas one who cuts his hair has to cover his head with one or another headgear. In spite of this he cannot get natural benefits of hair and turban.

4. Cutting hair leads to loss of several precious elements from one's body e.g. zinc, chromium, lead, selenium, etc. These elements are necessary for immunization of one' body from diseases. Men and

women who have long hair have usually better health. Long hair is especially beneficial to the women who are in family way or those who breast-feed their children. The above-mentioned elements are necessary for such women and by cutting their hair they suffer a lot.

5. The psychologists believe that hair create the feeling of noble-ness in a human being which prevents him/her from committing sins and crimes.

6. Cutting hair leads to tooth decay. People with long hair have better teeth.

7. Hair is also helpful in longevity of life span.

8. Scientists have proved that moustaches help human body form diseases of breath. The moustaches

play the role of a filter.

9. Psychologists like Freud, Angles, Karl Gustav etc., have presented a thesis that every woman likes to look like a man and every man desires to exhibit himself like a woman. It is this tendency, which leads a man to cut his beard and moustache. Those who wish to exhibit their masculine qualities do not cut their hair.

Although Sikhism is the youngest of all the living religions, it is perhaps the only religion, which can pass the scientific test. To quote Bernard Shaw, "Sikhism is the religion of the New Age " Guru Nanak Sahib gave the world the newest religion which has a message for each and every person on this earth. Guru Gobind Singh Sahib revealed Khalsa and gave it spiritual discipline. He gave spiritual status to hair

by calling it "Seal of Guru". Guru Sahib, in clear words, commanded that a Sikh is one who lives the life of a Sikh i.e. a truthful life (as explained by Guru Nanak Sahib in Japuji Sahib). Guru Gobind Singh Sahib said that he shall give all his power to that Khalsa who live Sikhi way of life. Guru Sahib [the 10th Master] before his departure from this ephemeral world announced that no Sikh would ever have a right to change even a single line of the Word of the Almighty (as contained in Guru Granth Sahib, the Guru-Eternal) nor the right to distort human body (by cutting hair from any part of his/her body). One who disobeys Guru Sahib's command cannot be called a Sikh at all.

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA

WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH!!!!!!!!

Sat Sri Akal:

Re-introduced to an old magazine article in the Sikh Virsa Magazine by a recent post, I felt compelled to transliterate and translate an article which listed 52 Hukams that Guru Gobind Singh issued (Forgive if I translate something wrong...I have not mastered Punjabi - areas where I was unsure have question marks after the translation - any edits would be appreciated). (Reference: Sikh Virsa, December 2000, Vol. 6, No. 61, Pg. 29).

1) Dharam di Kirat karni - Earn by honest means.

2) Daswand dena - Give one tenth of your salary.

3) Gurbani kantth karni - Memorize Gurbani.

4) Amrit Vaelae utthna - Wake up Amrit Vela (before dawn).

5) Sikh sewak di sewa ruchi naal karni - Serve a Sikh Servant with devotion.

6) Gurbani dae arth Sikh vidhvana tuo parrhnae- Learn the meanings of Gurbani from Sikh Scholars.

7) Punj Kakaar di Rehat drirh kar rukhni - Follow the discipline of the 5 K's strictly.

Shabad da abhihas karna - Practice Shabad Gurbani in life.

9) Sat-Saroop Satgur da dhian dharna - Concentrate on the True Guru (God).

10)Guru Granth Sahib Ji noo Guru mananaa - Accept the Guru Granth Sahib as Guru.

11)Kaarjaan dae arambh vich ardaas karni - At the beginning of a task, do ardaas.

12)Jaman, maran, ja viah mokae Jup da paatth kar tihaaval (Karaah Parsaad) kar anand sahib dia punj paurian, ardaas, pratham punj pyaariaan atae hazoori granthi noo vartaa kae oprunth sangat noo vartaaouna - At birth, death, or marriage ceremonies, do Japji Sahib, make Karaah Parshaad, do five stanzas of anand sahib, do ardaas, and then distribute Karaah Parshaad to the Panj Pyare, the Granthi, and then to the sangat.

13)Jad tak Karaah Parshaad Parshaad vartadaa rahae sadh sangat addol batthee rahae - Until Karaah Parshaad is completely distributed, the Sangat should remain sitting and unmoving.

14)Anand Viah bina grahist nahi karna - Do not start married life without Anand Karaj (Sikh ceremony of marriage).

15)Par-Istri, Ma-Bhain, Dhi-Bhain, kar jaanani. Par Istri da sang nahi karna - Recognize all other women other than your wife as mothers and sisters. Do not engage in marital behavior with them.

16)Istri da mooh nahi fitkaarnaa - Do not silence your wife?

17)Jagat-jootth tambaaku bikhiaa da tiaag karna - Abandon the worldly, false tobacco-poison.

18)Rehatvaan atae naam jupan vaalae gursikhaa di sangat karni - Keep the company of Sikhs who follow the Rehat and meditate on the Name (of God).

19)Kum karan vich daridar nahi karna - Dont't be lazy while doing work.

20)Gurbani di katha tae keertan roaz sunanaa atae karna - Listen and do kirtan and Gurbani discourses daily.

21)Kisae di ninda, chugali, atae eirkha nahi karni - Do not engage in slander, gossip or spite anyone.

22)Dhan, jawaani, tae kul-jaat da abhiman nahi karnaa (Nanak daadak tahe duae goath. Saak guru sikhan sang hoath) - Do not take pride in wealth, youth and caste. (Mother and Father's caste both castes. All Sikhs of the Guru are siblings)?

23)Mat uchi tae suchi rakhni - Keep the religious discipline high and pure.

24)Shubh karman tao kadae naa ttarnaa - Do not refrain from doing Righteous deeds.

25)Budh bal da daataa vaheguroo noo jaananaa - Recognize God as the giver of intellect and strength.

26)Sugandh (kasam sahu) dae kar itbaar janaaoun vaalae tae yakeen nahi karna - Do not believe a person who breaks promises?

27)Sutantar Vicharna. Raaj Kaaj dian kamaan tae doosrae mutaa dia purshaan noo huk nahi daenaa - Rule Independently? In the affaris of government, do not give people of other religions authority/power.

28)Raajniti parhni - Study politics.

29)Dushman naal saam, daam, bhaed, aadiak, upaa vartnae - Treat the opponent with respect (definitions of the individual words are unknown to me)?

30)Shaster vidyaa atae ghorhae di savaari da abhiaas karna - Practice the knowledge of weaponry and horse riding.

31)Doosrae mataa dae pustak, vidyaa parhni. Pur bhrosaa drirh Gurbani, Akal Purakh tae karnaa - Study the books and knowledge of other faiths. But keep trust in Gurbani and Akal Purukh.

32)Gurupdaesaa noo dhaaran karna - Follow the teachings of the Guru.

33)Raheraas da paath kar kharae ho kae ardaas karni - After Rehras Paatth, do Ardaas standing up.

34)Saun valae sohila atae 'paun guru pani pita...' salok parhna - Recite Sohila and 'paun guru pani pita...' stanza before going to sleep.

35)Dastaar bina nahi rehnaa - Wear a turban at all times.

36)Singha da adha naam nahi bulauna - Do not call a Singh by half of their name (nickname).

37)Sharaab nai saevani - Do not partake of alcoholic drinks.

38)Sir munae noo kanaiaa nahi daeni. Uos ghar daevni jithae Akal Purukh di sikhi ha, jo karzaai naa hovae, bhalae subhaa da hovae, bibaeki atae gyanvaan hovae - Do not given a daughter's hand to a clean shaven. Give her hand in a house where God's Sikhi exists, where the household is not in debt, is of a good nature, is disciplined and knowledgable.

39)Subh kaaraj Gurbani anusaar karnae - Do all work in accordance with Gurbani.

40)Chugali kar kisae da kam nahi vigaarnaa - Do not ruin someone's work by gossip.

41)Kaurha bachan nahi kahinaa - Do not utter bitter statements.

42)Darshan yaatraa gurdwaaraa di hi karni - Make pilgrimages to Gurudwaras only.

43)Bachan karkae paalnaa - Fulfill all promises that are made.

44)Pardaesi, lorvaan, dukhi, apung manukh di yataahshkat sewa karni - Do as much sewa as you can for foreigners, the needy and the troubled.

45)Putari da dhan bikh jananaa - Recognize the property of a daughter as poison?

46)Dikhaawae da Sikh nahi bananaa - Do not become an outward show-off Sikh.

47)Sikhi kesaa-suaasa sang nibhaaouni - Live as a Keshadhari Sikh.

48)Chori, yaari, tthugi, dhokaa, dagaa bahi karnaa - Do not engage in theft, gangs?, fraud, and falisity?

49)Sikh da itbaar karna - Believe a Sikh.

50)Jhutthi gavaahi nahi daeni - Do not give false testimony.

51)Dhroh nahi karnaa - Do not cheat.

52)Langar-Parshaad ik ras vartaaunaa - Distribute Langar and Karaah Parshaad with equality.

The Game Of Games…

Why is there so much Dukh in our lives? This is a question that many people

may ask. When we decide to become Sikhs, we say to ourselves that

'hopefully, now my Dukh will cease!' We turn to Guru Jee to take our Dukh

away. But if Guru Jee says Dukh Daaroo, Sukh Roarg Paiyaa - 'Pain is the

remedy, Happiness is the Disease' do we really want Guru Jee to take our

Dukh away? What Guru Jee means is that we remember God in hard times

but we forget Him when things are going well...so if being Dukhi serves as a

reminder of Guru Jee then this truly is the remedy!

We may say that 'Guru Jee! All I wanna do is LOVE you!' Our soul cries out

and says 'I want nothing else, but to LOVE YOU.' Then what does Guru Jee

say back to us? Guru Jee says:

JE THO PREM KELAN KAA CHAUO, SIR TAR THALEE GHALEE MOHE

AAUO

If You Want To Play This Game Of Love, Then Come Into My Court

With Your Head In Your Palm

If we TRULY want nothing else but to love Him, then we have to make the

sacrifice of our head first. We could then say 'Whoa! That's a pretty heavy

price to pay for the ability to love Him!' But we have to ask ourselves WHY

would Guru Jee say this?

Everyday we come across a challenge of some kind...things may seem so

hard, sometimes you are torn between right and wrong. We may be in a

situation where being Truthful may put our relationship with our loved ones in

jeopardy. This is when we may come out with 'Guru Jee! All I wanna do is

LOVE you, I can do without all these hassles!!' Then this is where the 'giving

of the head' concept hits home...it's like Guru Jee saying 'If you really want to

Love me, then you must live by the TRUTH and die by the TRUTH, for I am

TRUTH.' This is want loving Guru Jee is...He presents us with these 'tricky

situations' to bring us closer to Him...He helps us become detached from the

world and attached to Him.

He makes us say 'Guru Jee, I am just gonna be Truthful, I am gonna put it all

in your hands...I have faith enough to give my head.' This is where the phrase

'I'm putting my neck on the line for you' stems from...where you are prepared

to face the consequences for doing the right thing.

This is why Guru Jee wants us to give our head...it's not because He likes to

collect heads...it's because it helps us get closer to Him...giving our head to

Him isn't a favour/payment to Him...it is a favour to ourselves! Are we

prepared to put our 'necks on the line' for Guru Jee. Just like the countless

Singhs and Singhneea who really did just that...and what was their outcome?

In the eyes of the worldy person they were brutally murdered...but in the

spiritual realm they gained MUKHTEE (Freedom from this World). Which is

the REAL aim of ALL GURSIKHS.....

So if the consequence for being Truthful is seemingly negative in the

physical...it isn't that way in the spiritual! After we say 'EK ONKAAR (There is

One God)' we say SATNAAM - 'His Name Is TRUTH' Then if His Name is

TRUTH then we must try and be Truthful ourselves.

The Taking of Amrit is the first step in the 'Head Giving' journey. It is our

promise to Guru Jee, that from this day forward we will not use our own

heads, but HIS! After Amrit, we may think to ourselves 'that's it! I've given my

head to Guru Jee' but it doesn't end there...the process of giving our head is

one that lasts throughout our lifetime. It is falsehood to believe that once we

have taken Amrit we are now super-enlightened people. If we continue to let

our own MAT (thinking) to dominate our decisions then we haven't really given

our head...we must give our head to Guru Jee EVERYDAY. Because

everyday is a battle between Gurmat and Manmat....we have to sacrifice our

Manmat in order for our Gurmat to come through...

We continue to receive 'training' from Guru Jee in the form of Dukh and

Sukh...it is just that now we have been blessed by Gurmat, to pass the

training we must use this tool...and to use this tool all we gotta do is say 'Here

Guru Jee you deal with this, because I (Me/Mai/Houmai) am incapable.' This

is what it means to give our head.....

SAGAL DUAAR KO SHAD KE, GAYO TUHAARO DUAAR

I Have Abandoned All Doors, I Have Come To Your Door

BAAHE GAYE KEE LAAJYAS, GOBIND DAAS TUHAAR

Take Me By My Arm, For I Have Become Your Servant

Question 1: Why do we have to take off our shoes when we go into Baba ji’s room or Gurdwara when Christians don’t, even though they too have their holy Bible placed in their church?

For us, the Guru Granth Sahib is the living spirit of the Gurus, not just a compilation of religious discourses, as the Bible is. The Bible is handled like a book by the Christians, but we respect the Guru Granth Sahib as the living spiritual Guru. Hence we offer all our respect and regard by taking off our shoes and humbly sitting cross legged in a Gurdwara.In Eastern culture, taking off shoes and covering one’s head whenever you present yourself to some holy personality is considered a way of respecting the person. We greet our friends with folded hands and a slight bow to express our respect for a senior person.In the Middle East, the Muslims too take off their shoes and cover their heads when theygo to the mosque for their prayers. They do not walk with their shoes on even near graves to respect the people buried there.In the Gurdwara we take off our shoes, not only to show respect to the Guru, but also because we have to sit on the floor. We can sit more comfortably without shoes than with the shoes on. In that posture one can listen to the Kirtan attentively.

Question 2: Why do we keep a money box before the Guru Granth Sahib? Is God greedy? Where does that money go?

(a) Is God greedy?

A Sikh makes his offerings (money, groceries, etc.) before the Guru to express histhanks for His favors. We do not give donations or charity to God or the Guru. It is a way ofexpressing our love and regards for Him. One example will explain it.A professor takes great interest in his student. He loves him and helps him in his studies.The student obtains a degree and finds a good job. He brings a gift of sweets to his teacher tosay, My teacher, thank you for all you did to help me through my education. It has enabled me toget a nice job. The student is not giving a charity or a donation to his teacher by offering him thesweets but expressing his love and respect to him through it.In the same way, a Sikh goes to the Gurdwara for expressing his thanks to God and to the Guru for the favors he is enjoying as a human being. Sikhs consider this life as a gift of God for singing His praises. We are not born sinners as some Christians think it to be.Further, when we give money for social cause, it again is not a charity or donation according to Sikh philosophy. This is sharing of earnings with others. A father brings some candy bars and gives them to one of his children. The child shares these with all his brothers and sisters. He is not donating or giving charity to his sisters or brothers by sharing the gifts given by their father. Similarly God is our Father. All things have been created by Him for His children who are supposed to share His gifts among themselves. This act of sharing is our responsibility. By doing so we are not obliging anyone but doing our duty assigned to us by our Father, God.God is the creator of everything. He owns everything in this universe. God does not need “our” money. If a child offers a glass of juice to his father or mother, he is not giving it as a “charity” to them. Since everything in the house belongs to his parents, his act only shows his correct behavior. Actually, by this the parents educate their children to share the things in the house with their children to share the things in the house with their relatives and friends, as a matter of good conduct and responsible behavior. God being the Owner of everything in this world, and the Giver of everything in this world, and the Giver of everything to us, the question of His being greedy does not arise.

( Where does the money go?

Every religious organization/center is run by the contributions of the believers of thatfaith. Money is needed for maintenance of the buildings and for running the organization. Such expenses are met out of the offerings made by the visitors to the Gurdwara. Money is also spent for funding the projects to educate the members and their children about the faith.

Question 3: Why do men and women sit separately? Why is the stage always on the right side (the side of the men)? Why do we sit on the floor? It is hard for the people with back pains. In the Gurdwara,why is it bad for a person to sit against the wall? (a) Sitting Separately

(i) Good social behavior and manners demand that one should not be sitting very close or physically touching others’ spouses. It is very difficult for anyone to avoid rubbing his shoulders with a person sitting close to him/her in the Sangat. In case men and women sit together mixed up in Sangat, it becomes very difficult for them to concentrate on hymns. One has to be always cautious to avoid physical touch with a person of the other gender and hence cannot pay full attention to the Kirtan. Even in advertent touching or rubbing of shoulders can cause a case of mis demeanor and this can lead to serious trouble. It is, therefore, considered desirable for men and women to sit separately in one’s own group.

(ii) No side can be reserved for men or women. It all depends upon convenience andsituation. If the women are expected to be in large numbers, they sit on the side which canaccommodate more persons. If there is a spill over from one side, and there is a space on theother side, men/women shift to that side.In the Gurdwaras men and women usually sit on the side where they sat on the first dayjust as a matter of understanding. Even in the house, family members get used to their chairsaround the dining table. Though no chair is reserved for anyone, as a matter of daily routine,each member usually sits on his/her regular chair.

(iii) The stage has no fixed place either on the right or left side of the Guru Granth Sahib.It all depends on convenience for deciding the side for the Kirtan stage. Different Gurdwarashave their stages on different sides. The most common practice is that the Ragis sit on one sidewith the males sitting on the other side and the females sitting behind the Ragis on the sameside. Sometimes, the stage is arranged in the same line as the Guru Granth Sahib, so that thewhole Sangat faces the Ragis, men sitting on the side of the Ragis. The stage may or may not beraised above the floor. In case of big gatherings, the stage is usually raised so that the peoplesitting away from the stage can have a direct look on the Ragis doing the Kirtan.

( Sitting on the floor Sitting on the floor is an expression of humility before the Guru. Furthermore, it alsomakes people feel equal and allows each person to choose a place suitable for him/her. While sitting on the floor, one can enjoy Kirtan with greater concentration than while sitting in chairs oron benches. It needs only a little training to be able to sit comfortably on the floor without beingtired. A common problem with sitting on the floor is caused by skintight pants, which are notsupposed to be worn in a Gurdwara, anyway.If a person has a medical problem and cannot sit without support for his back, there is noobjection for his/her sitting by the wall of the Gurdwara. However, in practice it has been foundthat most of the people want to sit there for the sake of comfort and convenience, which needs tobe discouraged. It is, therefore, suggested, that the people having a medical problem may beprovided with a speaker in a separate room other than the Sangat hall. They may sit there withsome support to overcome their medical handicap. In the Gurdwara we are supposed to beattentive and responsive as a student is supposed to be in his classroom while his teacher isteaching.

Question 4: Why do we have to do Ardas? (At the end of the function, just read Gurbani in the holy book). Why do we stand up for performing Ardas?

(a) A formal Sikh function, whether at home or in a Gurdwara, is complete only when,after singing His virtues, we pray (do Ardas) to God to bless us with those virtues. Ardas makes our mind feel humble and become receptive. In that state of mind, we make a promise to followthe right path and give up our ego, lust, anger, etc. That is the way to achieve peace. Hence, theArdas is essential to serve the complete purpose of going to the Gurdwara.Ardas is followed by the reading of a passage from the Guru Granth Sahib which is regarded as the order of the day for the Sikhs. It is usually explained in simple words to the audience for their benefit.

( When any public service takes the oath of office he stands up and raises his righthand. Whenever we request something, we do so while standing before the authority. Hence, wesay Ardas while standing with folded hands.Informal Ardas can be said in any position, sitting, lying, driving, working, etc. When a Sikh opens the door of his car, he thinks of God and requests His blessings. The mere one word‘Waheguru’ uttered by him at that time is complete Ardas. A person may pray and seek Hisblessings as many times as he can during the day by thinking of the Almighty without standing orfolding his/her hands. On formal occasions and for congregational prayers,the Ardas is always said standing and with folded hands keeping the mind tuned to the blessing of God.

Question 5: Why isn't there a women Granthi?

A man or a woman can perform the services of a Granthi in a Gurdwara. There is nogender bar or any kind of discrimination against any person for becoming a Granthi. Sometimes,we do see a woman sitting in the service of the Holy Guru Granth Sahib during the Diwan time.Being a Granthi is a very hard and demanding job. It is very difficult for a woman,particularly if she has children, to serve a full time Granthi. This is a responsibility whichsometimes requires working during odd hours. During a function, at the house of a Sikh, aGranthi is required to go early in the morning to arrange for the function and travel alone back tothe Gurdwara. Because of the nature of the duty, it is performed jointly by the husband and thewife. They share this responsibility depending upon the nature and time of the duty.

Question 6: Why insist on suits for girls (no naked legs), when boys are allowed to wear shorts in the Gurdwara?

Good manners demand covering of legs by all people, men or women, boys or girls,Sikhs or non Sikhs visiting a Gurdwara. The reason for giving relaxation to the boys in some cases is again a question of culture. In the East (with particular reference to the Punjab) girls always wear Salwar (not even a skirt) when they reach their teens. Girls when in primary schools are permitted to wear skirts. However, with the passage of time, this is changing.Think of the veil. A Western girl is proud to wear it during her wedding. Why doesn't the male wear it at the time of his maffiage? These are only cultural differences. Incidentally, do younote that the youth, both boys and girls, go to a church for their wedding well dressed and with their legs covered? We Sikhs are expected to go to a Gurdwara always in a formal and respectful dress.Whatever the modern trend of wearing clothes, both boys and girls when in their teens,should attend Gurdwara or formal functions in formal clothes with their legs covered.This custom is not unique to Sikhs. In some ancient churches in Europe, such as St.Paul’s Cathedral, visitors (both male and female) are still required to cover their legs. If they have shorts, then they are made to purchase temporary “plastic” pants to wear for entering the churches.

Question 7: Why do we do matha tek (bow to touch the ground with our forehead) to the holy Guru Granth Sahib? Is it not idol worship?

Bowing before Guru Granth Sahib is not idol worship. The answer has been discussed earlier. It is to make us feel humble and reduce our ego, the cause of our all problems. Toexplain it further, culture plays a very important role in the rituals of a religion. We can find suchexamples all over the world. There are different methods of greeting your friend in different cultures.

i) Folding hands in front of your chest and bending head slightly

ii) Bending your body at the waist with your head bending downwards and hands goingbackwards, as with the Japanese

iii) Shaking right hands, the most common international custom

iv) Embracing each other, particularly Panjabi women.

v) Exchange of kisses, as among the people of the middle East. In India, bending down so as to touch the feet of an elderly holy person, is an age oldcustom to express respects to him/her. It is practiced even today as good manners. When thechildren in the Punjab go to or come from their school, they bend to touch the feet of theirparents, particularly their grandparents. In the same way children in the West wish good night totheir parents before going to bed. Respecting your parents by bending your parents by bending before them is not human worship.It is a ritual to pay respect. In the West, people take off their hats to respect a woman or a senior person. Similarly, Sikhs, instead of taking off their hat (with a turban they cannot do it, even if they wanted to do it just like their Western friends), do math tek before the Guru to pay their respect and regards. Bending before Guru Granth Sahib is to show one’s respect and regards for the Guru; it is not idol worship.Philosophically, this means that the person who bows before Guru Granth makes a promise to himself to follow the path suggested by the Gurbani. It is something similar to taking an oath to the constitution by raising a hand. In this case, we bow the head instead of raising the hand. The act of bowing reminds a person of his or her being a Sikh and a believer in the teachings of Gurbani. It strengthens the faith in Gurbani which is essential to help us to walk onthe path of the Guru.

Question 8: Why do we do Chaur on the Guru Granth Sahib? Why do we put the Granth Sahib on a bed? Why the Chanani or canopy?

This is to express our regards and our respect for the Holy Scripture, the True King. The king commanded the greatest power, hence also the maximum respect and honor, in the olden days. Guru Nanak said that the true kings are those who love God and help others to do that. They are the rulers of the hearts of the people. The political kings are temporary kings and their authority ends with their death. The Gurus are the true kings; they teach Truth and rule ourhearts. The Guru Granth Sahib is the embodiment of the spirit of all the Sikh Gurus and many other holy men whose hymns are included in it. We respect them as the true kings.The king sat on throne under a canopy. He used to have a fan like structure to be waved over his head as a symbol of his royalty. The Guru Granth Sahib, being the true emperor, is provided all these regal para phernalia in the Gurdwara. We install the scripture on a throne (called Manji Sahib) with pillows around for supporting it. A canopy (Chanani) is provided above the scripture in the same way as it was put over the head of a king while he attended his court. During the session (Diwan), a person, with Chaur in his hand, is always in attendance on the scripture installed respectfully in the hall. For maintaining due regards and respect, we carry this holy scripture to another room when the hall is to be cleaned or when the session is over for the day. Before we bring the Guru Granth Sahib in the hall, we set everything in the hall properly. This is the court of the Guru. You will understand the whole ceremony better if you bring into mind the scene of the courtroom where everything is set and made ready before a judge enters his court. The Guru Granth Sahib is the Emperor or Emperors, hence all these ceremonial decorations.

Question 9: What is the difference between getting a name picked by the Guru Granth Sahib and by your parents? Are there any advantages in either way?

The name is always picked by the parents whether in the Gurdwara or in the home. In the Gurdwara, when the function is over, a hymn is read from the Guru Granth Sahib. The first letter of the first word of the hymn is used as the first letter of the name to be chosen. The parents discuss it with their friends and the name they decide, is announced by the Granthi Sahib. This name is agreed to by the whole Sangat with a Bole So Nihal Jaikara.The real advantage is that it builds our faith in the Guru Granth Sahib. It is good to startand live our lives with that faith. The name giving ceremony in the Gurdwara also makes thename known to all the people in the community.

Question 10: why do we give out ‘Parshad’? I feel guilty when I don't take it, but I don't like itbecause of its sugar and oily content.

It is a custom all over the world to offer something good to a person who is dear to you.We visit the Gurdwara to pay respect to our Guru and listen to the praises of the Lord, God. TheGuru loves us and on his behalf we are given a gift, the Parshad. It is very tasty, easily eaten,without any need of any drink to swallow it. It is prepared with equal quantities of wheat flour,sugar, and ghee (butter). If carefully prepared, it has no problem in its distribution or eating. InIndia, it is considered the best food and its name is used as a proverb to describe something extremely tasty and very easy to be swallowed. One needs to develop a taste for it to like it and enjoy it. Many children in the west do enjoy it and want to get a second serving of the Parshad.Of course, one can request a smaller serving if he/she so wants.It is only when it is not well prepared that it gets sticky or is oily. Once in a while, omissions do take place in its preparation. We should value the spirit behind it and ignore the omissions. We do take bitter and distasteful medicine because we know it is good for our health. Similarly taking Parshad is a part of our faith. We do it to reinforce our faith in Gurmat.

Question 11: Why do we put kirpan in Karah Parshad?Why do we serve Parshad to Panj Pyaras first when all are equal? Why is a small pot of Parshad kept under the Guru Granth Sahib? Kirpan in Parshad

Putting a kirpan into Karah Parshad means that it has been accepted and sanctified by the Guru for distribution in the Sangat. During the Guru period, when offerings were presented to the Guru, he received them personally by touching them with his hand. During the later days, the Guru is said to have used a kirpan or an arrow to accept the offerings. The same practice was adopted by the Sikhs to accept and sanctify Karah Parshad.

Parshad distribution:

Parshad is distributed equally to all without discrimination. For distribution, one has to begin with someone sitting in the Sangat. All people cannot be given Parshad simultaneously. According to the protocol in the Gurdwara, the number one person is the Guru and the number two person is his minister, the Granthi Sahib who sits in the service of the Guru Granth Sahib during the function. Accordingly, the Panj Pyaras, who represent the Guru, are given Parshad first. Then it is given to the Granthi Sahib (Not to the Guru Granth Sahib). As he attends the Granth Sahib, he cannot take Parshad in this hands. It is placed near him in a bowl. Later on,Parshad is given to all the Sangat. ;

( LANGAR

Question 12: Does Langar always have to be Indian foods? No. All foods are acceptable. Chapati, bread, pizza, sandwiches, doughnuts, corn flakes, potato chips, vegetables, pulses, etc., can be served in Langar. However, no meat is allowed to be served in Langar.

Only vegetarian foods of any kind acceptable to the people can be served in the Langar.Use of meat is prohibited because every religion has its own method of sanctifying it or not eating it at all. Muslims prepare Halal meat; Jews prepare Kosher. Muslims don't eat pork at all and Hindus don't eat beef. Similarly, Christians and Jews are also prohibited from eating certain kinds of meat on certain days. Jews are forbidden to eat pork. Roman Catholics eat only fish on Fridays and during lent. Sikhs are not allowed to eat Halal. Some people do not eat meat at all. They are strict vegetarians all the time.Langar is meant for people of all religions and all beliefs. A particular kind of meat or a particular method of preparation will suit only a limited number of people and not all of the Sangat. Most of the people in the Sangat, therefore, will not be able to eat Langar if meat is served there. To welcome all people on all the days, only vegetarian Langar is permitted. Meat is totally prohibited from being cooked or served in the Langar. Eggs and fish are also considered a kind of meat and hence, are not allowed in Langar.There is one more condition for a Langar to be served to the Sangat. All people have tobe served without any discrimination and without any obligation to anyone. All are entitled to equal distribution. Special foods cannot be reserved for influential people in the Sangat or in the organization.

Question 13: Those who serve Langar bend constantly. It is hard to do that. They step on things, spilling food on the floor. Wouldn't it be easier to sit at tables?

Food can be served while sitting on the floor or at tables and chairs. There is no restriction how the Sangat sits to eat food. The principle involved is equality for all. If everyone cannot be provided with chairs and tables, let all enjoy together sitting on the ground. Traditionally, Sikhs have been sitting on the floor to eat Langar. This has been popular because it helps in serving a large number of people quickly and the people sitting feel humble before the Guru. The feeling of being higher than others is removed be this method. Hence, this method is prevalent even today in the West where Sikhs can provide chairs to all the people but still choose to sit on the floor.Serving Langar to the Pangat sitting on the floor looks hard only because we are not accustomed to doing that. If we go to Amritsar or Anandpur Sahib, we will see thousands of people being served Langar while sitting on the floor. We too have to learn the technique and get used to it. It gives a greater feeling of unity and equality while sitting together like that and eating Langar. In some Gurdwaras in the West, they have introduced chairs and tables for eating Langar. We cannot say that this is a wrong method. However, it is not a restaurant where eating food is the objective and chairs are needed to sit on. Partaking of Langer is a part of our religious practice of sharing food with the members. Sitting on the floor has its own charm and pleasure; it sends the proper message to visitors of being humble in the presence of the Guru.

Question 14: When Sikhs are allowed to eat meat, why is it not served in Langar? Is it because we “feed” Langar to the Guru Granth Sahib.Are Sikhs supposed to be vegetarian or not? Is it mentioned anywhere in the Guru Granth Sahib? Why do some Sikhs kill animals to eat them? Animals are things who deserve to live like us.

(i) The question has already been answered above. Books have been written on the controversy of whether Sikhs should eat meat or not. The following will help the reader to makehis choice.According to the Sikh Rehat, published by the Shiromani Committee, Amritsar, a Sikh is not allowed to eat Kutha (Halal meat prepared by Muslim religious rites). About other kinds of meat, the Rehat booklet is silent. The silence is taken to mean that eating meat other than Halal is not prohibited.Gurbani tells us that the claim of vegetarians to be superior or holier persons than non vegetarians does not stand the test of logic. A vegetarian eats grains and all grains have life. The grains grow to multiply their species like other living beings. We drink water which is the cause of all life on this earth and contains many living organisms. Drinking of water has to be given up by those who claims that they are perfect vegetarians. People consume milk which is not a vegetarian product; it comes from animals. Therefore, such persons cannot claim to be strictly vegetarian. The futility of arguing over this issue is mentioned in Gurbani in the following words: Only a fool argues whether to eat meat or not. Who can define what is meat and what is not meat? Who knows where the sin lies, being a vegetarian or a non vegetarian? ((Guru Granth Sahib) Page 1289)

(ii) Sikhs do not “feed” Langar to the Guru Granth Sahib as is assumed when Langar is brought in a plate and placed in front of the Guru Granth Sahib before Ardas. Bringing Langar in front of the Guru Granth Sahib and touching it with the kirpan is not approved by the Gurmat Rehat. Brahmans offer food to their gods before they eat it themselves. ‘Feeding’ Langar to the Guru Granth Sahib before distributing it to the Sangat is a copy of the Brahmanical ritual. it needs to be given up by those who happen to practice it out of ignorance.

source: sikhpoint.com

A Simple Guide for Sikhs to led a Gursikhi Lifestyle !

Do's

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Do keep your hair unshorn, untrimmed, and unshaven.

Do get up early in the morning and recite Gurmantar and Nitnaym

Do read and recite Gurbaanee carefully, attentively, devotionally, and with proper understanding.

Do handle Gutkaa and Gurbaanee pothee respectfully and carefully.

Do greet fellow Sikhs with the greetings " Waheguru jee kaa khalsa, Waheguru jee kee Fateh."

Do always wear the five kakaars.

Do take Amrit from the Panj Piyaaray and become a true Sikh.

Do suffix Singh or Kaur after your name, refraining from the use of you caste or subcaste name.

Do be simple in you dress and eating habits.

Do be selective in your entertainment; cultivate interest in healthy sports and games and Sikh way of life.

Do respect your elders and senior Gursikhs.

Do go to Gurudwaaraa.

Do very respectfully bow to Guru Granth Saaheb.

Do cover your hair up to the forehead at all times.

Do sit respectfully in Gurdwaaraa Saaheb and listen to Gurbaanee-Keertan/Discourse attentively.

Do ask for the logic and rational behind any religious practice before doing it.

Don'ts

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Don't ever shave, trim or remove your hair by any other method.

Don't ever consume tobacco, alcohol, drugs, or any other intoxicants.

Don't eat meat or eggs.

Don't ever indulge in lustful activities outside of wedded life.

Don't have any link or enter into relationships with renegade Sikhs like the Meenas (followers of Prithee Chand), Masands, Dhirmalias, Raam Raias, or anti-Panthic movements such as the Nirankaaris of Delhi, and other such movements which are break-away from the mainstream of the Khalsa Panth.

Do not dine in the same dish with a person who is not yet Ammritdhaari or is an apostate, if you have taken Ammrit yourself.

Do not break any vow taken at the Ammrit Ceremony.

Do not dye or pick out any hair, including white hairs.

Don't ever go out without your hair properly covered; it is a very sorry sight to see a Sikh, male or female, going out in the streets without covering his/her hair.

Do not take or expect money in return for you daughter's or son's hand in marriage.

Do not bow before any one as a spiritual guide except Sree Guru Granth Saaheb.

Do not worship idols, pictures, statues, stones, or graves.

Do not go to the Ganges or other rivers for taking holy baths; you may visit them as a matter of interest.

Do not keep fasts or even think of them as a matter of religious activity.

Do not enter into relationship with a Sikh who shaves, smokes, or commits infanticide.

Do not perform any ceremony which violates any of the Sikh principles.

Do not be superstitious; don't give any special sanctity to particular days on the month, like Sangraand, Pooran Maashi, Masiaa, Mondays or Wednesdays. According to the Sikh thought, all days are equally sacred.

Do not hold Sharaad, a superstitious Hindu belief that food given to pandits or Bhaa-ees will reach their dead ancestors in the other world.

Here are four lavas(Anand Karaj) verses from

http://www.sikhitothemax.com/PageASP.asp?P...=773&SourceID=G

(You might have to install gurumukhi fonts in order to view gurumukhi letters in that site) its from panna (773(Middle)-774))

also look at http://www.geocities.com/harmesh6725/ankaraj.html

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har pehilurree laav puraviruthee kurum dhrirraaeiaa bal raam jeeo ||

In the first round of the marriage ceremony, the Lord sets out His Instructions for performing the daily duties of married life.

baanee brehumaa vaedh dhhurum dhrirruhu paap thujaaeiaa bal raam jeeo ||

Instead of the hymns of the Vedas to Brahma, embrace the righteous conduct of Dharma, and renounce sinful actions.

dhhurum dhrirruhu har naam dhhiaavuhu simrith naam dhrirraaeiaa ||

Meditate on the Lord's Name; embrace and enshrine the contemplative remembrance of the Naam.

sathigur gur pooraa aaraadhhuhu sabh kilavikh paap guvaaeiaa ||

Worship and adore the Guru, the Perfect True Guru, and all your sins shall be dispelled.

sehuj anu(n)dh hoaa vuddubhaagee man har har meet(h)aa laaeiaa ||

By great good fortune, celestial bliss is attained, and the Lord, Har, Har, seems sweet to the mind.

jun kehai naanuk laav pehilee aaru(n)bh kaaj ruchaaeiaa ||1||

Servant Nanak proclaims that, in this, the first round of the marriage ceremony, the marriage ceremony has begun. ||1||

har dhoojurree laav sathigur purukh milaaeiaa bal raam jeeo ||

In the second round of the marriage ceremony, the Lord leads you to meet the True Guru, the Primal Being.

nirubho bhai mun hoe houmai mail guvaaeiaa bal raam jeeo ||

With the Fear of God, the Fearless Lord in the mind, the filth of egotism is eradicated.

nirumul bho paaeiaa har gun gaaeiaa har vaekhai raam hudhoorae ||

In the Fear of God, the Immaculate Lord, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, and behold the Lord's Presence before you.

har aathum raam pusaariaa suaamee surub rehiaa bhurupoorae ||

The Lord, the Supreme Soul, is the Lord and Master of the Universe; He is pervading and permeating everywhere, fully filling all spaces.

a(n)thar baahar har prubh eaeko mil har jun mu(n)gul gaaeae ||

Deep within, and outside as well, there is only the One Lord God. Meeting together, the humble servants of the Lord sing the songs of joy.

jun naanuk dhoojee laav chulaaee anehudh subudh vujaaeae ||2||

Servant Nanak proclaims that, in this, the second round of the marriage ceremony, the unstruck sound current of the Shabad resounds. ||2||

har theejurree laav man chaao bhaeiaa bairaageeaa bal raam jeeo ||

In the third round of the marriage ceremony, the mind is filled with Divine Love.

su(n)th junaa har mael har paaeiaa vuddubhaageeaa bal raam jeeo ||

Meeting with the humble Saints of the Lord, I have found the Lord, by great good fortune.

nirumul har paaeiaa har gun gaaeiaa mukh bolee har baanee ||

I have found the Immaculate Lord, and I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. I speak the Word of the Lord's Bani.

su(n)th junaa vuddubhaagee paaeiaa har kuthheeai akuthh kehaanee ||

By great good fortune, I have found the humble Saints, and I speak the Unspoken Speech of the Lord.

hirudhai har har har dhhun oupujee har jupeeai musuthak bhaag jeeo ||

The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, Har, vibrates and resounds within my heart; meditating on the Lord, I have realized the destiny inscribed upon my forehead.

jun naanuk bolae theejee laavai har oupujai man bairaag jeeo ||3||

Servant Nanak proclaims that, in this, the third round of the marriage ceremony, the mind is filled with Divine Love for the Lord. ||3||

har chouthhurree laav man sehuj bhaeiaa har paaeiaa bal raam jeeo ||

In the fourth round of the marriage ceremony, my mind has become peaceful; I have found the Lord.

gurumukh miliaa subhaae har man than meet(h)aa laaeiaa bal raam jeeo ||

As Gurmukh, I have met Him, with intuitive ease; the Lord seems so sweet to my mind and body.

har meet(h)aa laaeiaa maerae prubh bhaaeiaa anadhin har liv laaee ||

The Lord seems so sweet; I am pleasing to my God. Night and day, I lovingly focus my consciousness on the Lord.

mun chi(n)dhiaa ful paaeiaa suaamee har naam vujee vaadhhaaee ||

I have obtained my Lord and Master, the fruit of my mind's desires. The Lord's Name resounds and resonates.

har prabh t(h)aakur kaaj ruchaaeiaa dhhun hirudhai naam vigaasee ||

The Lord God, my Lord and Master, blends with His bride, and her heart blossoms forth in the Naam.

jun naanuk bolae chouthhee laavai har paaeiaa prubh avinaasee ||4||2||

Servant Nanak proclaims that, in this, the fourth round of the marriage ceremony, we have found the Eternal Lord God. ||4||2||

Sikhs primarily come from the Punjab, a province of Northern India. Sikhs are one of the most visible minorities. With his beard and turban, a Sikh can be identified in any crowd. Still they are perhaps the least understood as a people. Not many people know about the beliefs, practices and ethics of the Sikhs, and still fewer will understand their significance. Being a Sikh, it gives me a great pleasure to write about my people’s participation in the two World Wars. I have divided this paper into two parts, the first part contains a brief history of the Sikh people and the second contains their role in World Wars.

Right from the ancient period of the Indus Valley civilization (3000 BC), the Punjab has played a significant role in the history of India. Its geographic location makes it the gateway of India from the northwest. All through the ages, the fertility of its plains became the cause of its wealth as also the reason for many invasions. Hardened with the extremes of climate that exist in the region, it soon became the birthplace of a war-like people. The Sikh religion originated in India in the fifteenth century.

Guru Nanak, the founder of the religion, preached oneness of God and brotherhood of man. At that time Hinduism and Islam were the predominant religions in India; and relations between the two communities were not good. Guru Nanak preached dignity of man and tolerance for the viewpoint of others: "The World is burning, O Lord, Save it, O Save it, by whichever door it pleases thee."(Guru Granth: The holy book).

Guru Nanak was followed by nine successor gurus, when the Holy Book, popularly known as Guru Granth Sahib was ordained as the Guru of the Sikhs. The book Granth is not the guru. In Sikh thought, the Word is the Guru. During the eighteenth century, Sikhs suffered great persecution at the hands of the local rulers, but by the end of the eighteenth century they had established their rule in northwest India.

By the middle of the nineteenth century, the kingdom collapsed, and it was incorporated into British India. After some time the relations between the Sikhs and the British improved, and they joined the army in great numbers. The valor of Sikh soldiers during the two world wars was internationally recognized. Most people associate the Sikhs with the army and sometimes with violence. This is a very inaccurate picture and misleading.

As the allied nations stepped closer to the second global conflict, this time with the Imperial Japanese and the Germans, Sikh soldiers once again stepped forward and became the back bone of the British Indian Army. Despite the rising voice of independence from the British, in India during WWII, Sikhs still made the majority of the forces that India gave to the war effort. India entered the war when the then viceroy of India, Lord Linlithgow, without consulting Indian leaders, declared war against Germany on behalf of India. There was widespread violence in many cities all across India as British quelled demonstrations that would finally lead to end the British rule in India.

However, states like the Punjab from where the concentration of recruits into the British army came, looked curiously at the events. With only voluntary recruitment into the army, young Sikh men helped to swell the Indian army from 189,000 at the start of the war to over 2.5 million at the end of the war. Those Indians, who secretly supported the Germans, were shocked on 7 December 1941 to know that the Imperial Japanese Air Force had launched an attack on the American Navy at Pearl Harbor.

As Japan entered the war, it started to drive the colonial armies of the Dutch, French, and the English out of Hong Kong, French Indo-China, Philippines, Thailand, and Burma down to Singapore. The 11th Sikh regiment played a major part in the war to route Japan from its hold in South East Asia. Ironically it was the British led Sikh soldiers who had fought in the Anglo-Burmese war of 1882 and 1886 and had helped to annex Burma for the British Empire.

By the eve of the Second World War, Sikhs had fought on the mountains of Afghanistan, the deserts of Africa and the trenches of Flanders. By 1944, Sikh soldiers were well entrenched in the sweltering swamps of Burmese jungles. The Japanese, better suited and well motivated were strongly pushing westward to the plains of India. At the battle of Kohima, Burma, 15th Sikh regiment headed by Naik Gian Singh was facing defeat. As the merciless machine gun shots from the Japanese foxholes burst from the bush, Gian Singh pushed forward with his men behind him, he ordered his men to cover him as he single handedly cleared foxhole after foxhole. Despite being severely wounded, he continued to push through the intense fire and clearing a strategically vital road. The Japanese were forced to retreat.

Gian Singh received the Victoria Cross, the highest order of gallantry in the British Army, at the end of the war. Today in the Kohima cemetery, among the 1,378 grave markers, is the famous Kohima memorial with its historic inscription:

Sikh soldier of the 11th Sikh Regiment with a captured Nazi flag in Italy at the end of the Second World War.

Warrior Saints: Three Centuries of the Sikh Military Tradition

Over 138,000 Sikh soldiers fought in Belgium and France during World War I. More than a quarter of these soldiers became casualties. In the first battle of Ypres at Flanders in 1914 a platoon of Sikhs died fighting to the last man, who shot himself with his last cartridge rather that surrender.

After the bloody battle of Neuve Chapelle in 1915 the Sikh regiments had lost 80% of their men. The following is a letter sent home by a Sikh soldier:

Thousand and hundreds of thousands of soldiers have lost their lives. If you go on the field of battle you will see corpses piled upon corpses, so that there is no place put hand or foot.

Men have died from the stench. No one has any hope of survival, for back to Punjab will go only those who have lost a leg or an arm or an eye. The whole world has been brought to destruction. (Warrior Saints, Page 21)

When the first World War broke out in 1914, there were six battalions of the Sikh Regiment forming part of the British Army. They were named as 14th Ferozepur Sikhs, 15th Ludhiana Sikhs, 35th Sikhs, 36th Sikhs, 45th Sikhs and 47th Sikhs. Since Sikh soldiers were known for their bravery, the British employed all their battalions, except the 35th Sikhs, for fighting at such far-away places like Egypt, Palestine, Mesopotamia, Gallipoli and France.

In all the battles in which they fought, they had to suffer heavy causalities. However, there was no wavering among them and they always stood like rock. The battle of Gallipoli was fought to capture Constantinople so as to reach the Turkish land, who had entered the war scene on the side of Germany. The 2nd Royal Fusiliers were finding it difficult to fight the Turks so the regiment of Sikhs was sent for their help. Although the allies did not succeed, the bravery shown by the Sikhs during this operation became a glorious chapter in the history of warfare. The task given to the Sikhs was highly dangerous. They were to capture two Turkish Trench lines named as J-11 and J-13.

The brave soldiers of 14th regiment Sikhs were equally divided for the task on these two lines. The fierce battle took place on 3rd and 4th June, 1915, wherein the brave soldiers of 14th Sikhs lost 371 men . Gen. Sir Ian Hamilton was the General at that time. When Hamilton landed on April 25 at the Southern Tip of the Gallipoli Peninsula, he found that their strength as compared to that of the Turks was highly inferior. He also realized that the terrain greatly favored the Turks, who were well dug-in. He had made the 14th Sikhs of the Indian Brigade a part of his expeditionary force. Sir Hamilton wrote to the Commander-in-Chief in India:

In spite of the tremendous losses there was not a sign of wavering all day. Not an inch of ground was given up and not a single straggler came back. The ends of the enemy’s trenches were found to be blocked with the bodies of Sikhs and of the enemy who died fighting at close quarters, and the glacis slope was thickly dotted with the bodies of these fine soldiers all lying on their faces as they fell in their steady advance on the enemy.

The history of Sikhs affords many instances of their value as soldiers, but it may be safely asserted that nothing finer than the grim valor and steady discipline displayed by them on the 4th June has ever been done by soldiers of the Khalsa. (Martial India F. Yeats-Brown, 1945.)

The brave Sikhs, who earned a very high degree of appreciation included Sardar Udai Singh, who had saved the life of 2nd Lt R.A. Savory. The handsome Sikh was over 6 ft tall and had a fair beard and light green eyes. He was a wrestler from his very childhood and when in 1907 he went to take part in a wrestling match in a nearby village, he was selected by the British to join the 14th Sikhs. He was with the unit when Hamilton’s forces landed at the Gallipoli Peninsula. It is interesting to note that when after the war, he was offered a gallantry award, he pleaded that he should be allowed to go back to his village so that he could pursue his wrestling which was dear to his heart.

Another prominent Sikh soldier associated with this battle was Bhola Singh. When Lt. Gen. Sir Reginald Savory came to India in 1968 to attend the presentation of colors ceremony, Bhola Singh was also present on that occasion. Remembering the past, the General spoke about the close relationship between officers and his men. In his own words:

Only this morning (8th February 1968) Lance Naik Bhola Singh of the 14th Sikhs, who had been wounded in Gallipoli in 1915, took the trouble to come all the way from his home to call upon me, and after 52 years we saw each other again. I was deeply touched, not only at having the pleasure of seeing him again, but also at the thought of all the trouble he had taken to come and see me.

When he was wounded, he and I were both young men. Now he is a ‘chitti dari wala’ (white bearded man) and I am old and bald, but although we have both grown much older, yet our affection for each other and our mutual pride in our old Regiment stays as young as ever. Long may this continue. Wahe Guruji Ka Khalsa, Wahe Guruji Ki Fateh. (Martial India F. Yeats-Brown, 1945.)

Flt. Lt. M.S. Pujji and Hurricane IIB

"I was posted to No.253 Squadron RAF, flying Hurricane IIB fighters from RAF Kenley, which is a couple of miles south of Croydon.

We were a mixed bunch, with pilots also from Poland, America, Canada and Australia.

Equipped with twelve machine guns, our hurricanes were extensively flown day and night, to intercept German bombers and reconnaissance aircraft."

Nishaan

In August 1914, as the German Army advanced through France and Belgium, more Allied troops were desperately needed for the Western Front. The Indian Army, 161,000 strong, seemed one obvious source of trained men.

In October, shortly after they arrived, they were introduced into some of the fiercest fighting around Ypres. Losses were heavy. The average Sikh battalion had 764 men when it landed; by early November Sikhs had only 385 men fit for duty. The fighting came as a shock to soldiers who were more used to colonial warfare.

One man wrote home “this is not war; it is the ending of the world“. The troops were taken out of the line and rested in early 1915, but were soon back in the trenches, and involved in the heaviest fighting.

The Sikh Corps provided half the attacking force at the Battle of Neuve Chapelle. Morale seemed to pick up in the spring of 1915, only to decline towards the end of the summer, when it became clear that an end to the war was not in sight. The Sikhs again took heavy losses at the Battle of Loos in September. The two Indian infantry divisions were withdrawn from France in December 1915, and sent to Mesopotamia. They were moved because their morale was fragile, and it was thought unwise to expose them to another winter on the Western Front.

Europe as Viewed by Sikh Soldiers

When behind the lines, on leave, or recovering in hospital, the soldiers had plenty of opportunity to see France and England. Did they embrace European culture or were they alienated by it?

The wealth and beauty of European cities astonished the soldiers, and they admired Europeans for their honesty, generosity, and education. Some men wondered why India seemed so poor in comparison. The soldiers' attitudes to Europe were not, however, uniformly admiring. Several men commented that Europeans lacked spirituality, while one man suggested that India was more beautiful than Europe, because India's beauty was "clothed in modesty".

Several men praised the education of European women, and gave instructions for their own daughters to be taught to read. Others considered that European women were "shameless", because they mingled so freely with men. Some soldiers had love affairs with British and French women. In 1917, one Sikh trooper even married a French woman (the news dismayed his family, so he told them that he had married the woman only because the King had personally ordered him to do so).

The Sikh Army fought in every major operation during World War I. Letters home from soldiers on the Western Front offer extraordinary insight into their feelings about the conflict and impressions of European culture. In the last two world wars 83,005 Sikh soldiers were killed and 109,045 were wounded. They died or were wounded for the freedom of Britain and the world and during shell fire, with no other protection but his turban, a symbol of the Sikh faith.

Also sangat ji.. here is breif Layout and Arrangment of Guru Granth Sahib ji

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Sri Guru Granth Sahib

Arrangement & Layout

The majority of the language of the Guru Granth Sahib is the Punjabi dialect prevalent at that time, some hymns are also found in Persian, medieval Prakrit Hindi and Marathi, Sanskrit as well as Arabic. All of these hymns are written in the standard Punjabi script known as Gurmukhi, popularized by the Second Master; Guru Angad. The Guru Granth Sahib is exactly 1430 pages in length. Each page contains in bold print 18 or 19 lines dependent on the page size.

The hymns of the Guru Granth Sahib have been laid out in a very scientific and well planned manner devised by Guru Arjun Dev. The hymns have been arranged according to the melody (Raga) in which they are meant to be sung. Secondly they are arranged on the nature or the metre of the poems themselves. Next they are arranged by author and finally on the clef or key deemed appropriate to them.

Divided into 33 sections. The first section contains the epic Japji poem by Guru Nanak, which is not meant to be sung. The final section is a collection of assorted verses including the Slokas and the Swayyas of Bhatts (a group of musicians). The remaining 31 sections are the Ragas: (1) Sri Rag, (2) Majh, (3) Gauri, (4) Asa, (5) Gujari, (6) Devgandhari, (7) Bihagra, (8) Wadhans, (9) Sorath, (10) Dhanasari, (11) Jaitsari, (12) Todi, (13) Bairari, (14) Tilang, (15) Suhi, (16) Bilawal, (17) Gaund, (18) Ramkali, (19) Nat, (20) Maligaura, (21) Maru, (22) Tukhari, (23) Kedara, (24) Bhairo, (25) Basant, (26) Sarang, (27) Malar, (28) Kanara, (29) Kalian, (30) Prabhati and (31) Jaijawanti.

The Ragas are further divided into the nature of the metre: (1) Chaupadas: an average of four verses each, (2) Ashtpadis: an average of eight verses each, (3) Special long peoms, (4) Chhants: six line verses, (5) Special short peoms, (6) Vars: consisting of two or more paragraphs (Sloks) followed by a concluding stanza (Pauri) and (7) Poems of Bhagatas (various saints).

The Order of the Guru Granth Sahib:

Prayers:

Japji (Morning); Page 1 to 8

Sodar (Evening); Page 8 to 10

So Purkh (Evening); Page 10 to 12

Sohila (Bed Time); Page 12 to 13

Main Body:

Musical hymns; Page 14 to 1,353

Slokas Sahskriti; Page 1,353 to 1,360

Gatha; Page 1,360 to 1,361

Phanhas; Page 1,361 to 1,363

Chaubolas; Page 1,363 to 1,364

Concluding Portion:

Shlokas of Kabir; Page 1,364 to 1,377

Shlokas of Sheikh Farid; Page 1,377 to 1,384

Swayyas; Page 1,385 to 1,409

Shlokas of the Gurus; Page 1,410 to 1,426

Shlokas of Guru Tegh Bahadur; Page 1,426 to 1,429

Mundavani; Page 1,429

Rag Mala; Page 1,429 to 1,430

Lectures Of Sikhi-2nd Part

Akaal Moorat Ho Ke Raho

The creator, God has made you. Just live gracefully with that. If you want to beautify yourself, fashion yourself with the idea that you are going to please God. There is nothing wrong in fashion, but don't say, "I'll do this so John or Jane will look at me and I'll look pretty or handsome."

If you play this fishing game you are going to have a big net around your life. But if you just want to beautify yourself to please your One God, both of you will be very happy.

Live truthfully. This hanky-panky here and there will show up. Whatever you make happen your way, you will be responsible for and you will pay for it. Whatever you let happen in God's way, He will be responsible for and pay for it. Make your choice.

Commit yourself to God. Commitment will give you character. Character will give you divinity. Divinity will give you dignity. Dignity will give you grace. Grace will give you the power to sacrifice. When you sacrifice, you will feel happy. You can do it.

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Akal Thakat Akal Sahai

Understand. "Je sakatar sakatey kumarey." The Akal Takat was attacked by the army which was supposed to protect it. The army whose Akal Takat it was. And today we are very fortunate that we pray to that memory. The impact of the attack will be a long drawn situation.

It is a beginning of that great destruction. You might not understand in the capacity what shall tomorrow have for us. Just understand the burning of Rome, Christians being put on the stake, burnt alive. They were fed as a game to the lions. People were butchered so that Christ shall rule forever. For that bright future Christianity had held in its own seed.

Today we are sitting here before this Siri Guru Granth Sahib. Some of you may have seen the Akal Takat and maybe some who have never been to the Akal Takat but the hurt is there, the pain is there. Your psyche has been raped, the effect is there. Your security of the divinity of the spirit has been violated.

Guru Hargobind gave us the Akal Takat, the undying throne to the mortal. Yes. I am a subject belonging to the throne which never dies. Akal Moorat, Akal Takat, Akal Sahai, the seal of the Akal Takat is Akal Sahai. The undying spirit of the God shall serve. If you read the seal of the Akal Takat, it says Akal Sahai. If you understand the base of the Sikh it is Akal Moorat and it is what God in His creation has asked the man to be.

When a country can be ruled by that insanity, that unconsciousness so unworthy of, the seed of destruction have been sowed forever. It cannot be the worst. Therefore we, who are the subjects of that Akal Takat, do come here and pray on every 6th of every month. And today Hargobind, the Guru, the master of the world and the heavens, is there to bless.

We are paying the price now. "Raj Karega Khalsa akee rahe na koe..." this shall come true.

Alcoholics

How does addiction to liquor begins?

A man who does not drink comes under pressure and does know what to do. He goes to the house of a friend for consolation, for a man is a social animal, and by having someone to participate in his grief, he feels relieved.

The friend offers whiskey for a soothing effect and the man is persuaded to take a drink. The alcohol gets into the body and does a chemical action. It soothes the nerves and energizes the energy centres so that the man's attitude relaxes and becomes flexible. It is only temporary relief, but the memory of the first taste sticks in his mind.

He can never ever regain the smoothness of that first taste of liquor but for the lust of that taste and in order to recapture that experience, people become habitual drinkers - alcoholics. They believe that the best way to escape from the pressures of life is to continue drinking and thus drinking becomes a need of the body.

Similarly, whenever you involve yourself in any mode of life, you are going into a channel where you will go on and on and on, and you can never come back to the point from where you originally started. When we forget our original basis of action and become involved, we become a slave. We are 15 % slaves to a routine, to a habit.

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Ang Sang Waheguru

There was nothing which Guru Arjan couldn't do. When they put him on the hot plate and put hot sand on him, and Mianmir, the greatest saint who has oneness with God said, "Guru Arjan Partakh Har. You are personified God. What are you doing?"

Guru Arjan said, "Mianmir, you are a warrior, you are a man of God. Close your eyes. Close these earthly eyes and see with the real eyes."

He saw Guru Arjan is putting the fire under, Guru Arjan is putting the hot sand over, Guru Arjan is sitting on the hot plate. And he opened his eyes and he said, "I don't understand... but one other question I have got." He said, "Why you are doing this?"

Guru Arjan replied, "If there will be a tyranny of the rule of mankind I have to give an example for my Sikh children. I am the Guru."

You are Sikh children.

"Jab lag khalsa rahe niaaraa.

Tab lag tej dee-o meh saaraa.

Jab eh gahai bipran kee reet.

Meh naa karo in kee parteet."

I will give divine radiance to the Khalsa

who will live as distinct.

But if they adopt the common ways,

I will not satisfy them.

--Guru Gobind Singh, Sarab Loh Granth.

You are Sikh children. You have to believe. If you don't believe, you start doing it. "Ang Sang Wahe Guru." God is with you. So closing the door, and putting the curtains down and lying and manipulating and playing games and doing things... shame on you! It won't work. You have to believe in Ang Sang Wahe Guru. God is with you. You have thirty trillion parts dancing in you, you have ten trillion cells to be your body, and that's all God. And in 72 hours it all changes.

So please remember in your life that you are Sikh children. Guru is with you. God is everywhere. God knows everything. So those of you who have that foolishness that God is not seeing you, you are blind. You are not seeing God, but God is seeing you everywhere.

God is subtle. God is like fragrance in the flower. Nobody sees it, but that's all it is. Otherwise what is the use of flower? God is like butter in the milk. Just churn it little bit and it'll come out.

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Apply Truth and live by the rehit

What Guru Nanak said was very simple. He said know the Truth, find the Truth and apply the Truth. When he talked about Infinite Truth, then he decided to say everything is One. It comes from One, and it represents One. That you cannot accept because you want good. Good and bad are just one. There are two sides of the same coin.

You have a destiny. All the previous lives, "karmas" put together makes the samskaras. The basic problem which we as humans have is that, we have samskaras. That is why we are born in a longitude and a latitude in a certain town with certain parents, with certain wealth, with a certain understanding and certain attitude. It is given to us.

After seven years, our samskaras, because of our conscious experience, change and they become karma. And after eleven years, because of our intelligence watch on our karma, we have to decide if we are dharma or not. If we are not dharma, the life starting from that day onward is pain.

Guru Nanak said, "If you do not get up in the ambrosial hour, and you do meditate on Infinity, your day will be nothing but a mess". At two twilight zones, if you do not concentrate on Infinity, you have no chance to be happy. His knowledge was so simple.

You care for your environments, you care for your responsibilities, you care for your deadlines, you care for your relationship, you care for everything. You don't care for the One who cares for you. That's why Nanak said, "Knowing Truth is useless if it is not your applied Truth."

Let's go to the Tenth Guru's time, where He lays it down very firmly. He said:

Rehit piaaree mujk ko, sikh piaaraa naahe.

The discipline of the Sikh is more dear to me than the Sikh.

(As spoken to Bhai Desa by Guru Gobind Singh)

Rehit qualifies. Apply Truth and live by the rehit.

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Appreciation

When you don't need appreciation and you don't depreciate yourself to get appreciation, you are in the Kingdom of God. You are with friends and you are lonely. We waste our life on emotions, feelings, on fantasies, on imaginative beliefs, creating relationship, breaking relationship. You now how much panic energy is wasted?

Then you feel exhausted. You have no vibration in you. You are not jubilant. Your beautiful, bright face becomes a mud pie. If your face is not an index of soul, you have lost your soul, and you have lost the game of life.

Beauty of the soul, the power of the breath, vibration of the life, the sun, the moon, the stars, the winds, the water, the ocean, the rain, the mountains, the earth is for the excellence of mankind. We can only pray, Oh creator, God of Consciousness, Lord of creation, sustenance, to give us the power to realize Thy power is everywhere.

Understand to come here is karma to learn here is dharma. And when you go back, go back as learned. Take these words in your mind and heart, and take them as guidance. Do not waste your time on who you are, what you are, what you want, what can be.

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Ardas

'Ardas.' is a Persian word. It is the 'arz.' Arz means hands. Daas means servants. Ardas means folded hands. Supplication. Sublimation to a higher authority by its servants.

It means we subject ourselves to that namaskar, to that namastang, to that namo, to that namastai. Whatever you want to call it. When you fold your two hands like this, you come to your very neutral self. It takes you beyond you.

In case of need, ardas is very well understood. In case of difficulty when we are in the climax of sure difficulty, it is very well understood. In normal life we have no relationship with it and most of us do it as a formality.

Man's happiness is based on his religious strength, his reality. His strength is not what his strength is. Sometimes you do feel that monetary arrangements and political arrangements and social arrangements and physical arrangements are a source of happiness. No. That's not true. Real happiness is only based when you are you, and you are powerful within you. It is your power within you which is useful. In Ardas, you invoke this power to relate to the creator.

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Attitude

The first gift of higher consciousness is the state of equilibrium where neither praise inflates you nor slander depress you. In this state when somebody comes and tells you, you are great, you say that God is great and when somebody tells you, you are an idiot, you still say God is great.

You have one altar, which is Infinity and on it you lay everything.

That is the first state, the state of equilibrium.

You may like praise, you may even love it, but you offer it at the altar of your Creator; you may dislike slander, but you offer it at the altar of your Creator. This is a state of equilibrium.

When a person lives in a state of equilibrium he is super sensitive; therefore, he is grateful. This attitude of gratitude makes a person great. If you ever want to be great, this is the minimum requirement.

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Attitude of Gratitude - 1

Attitude of gratitude is God. The creation and the creator exist only in gratitude. When we say God is great, we experience the greatness.

The greatest act is in giving, not in taking. That's why, if you take a lesson and you won't give, you incur a karma. When someone share with you, you expected to share with others. The greatest charity a man can do is to share the knowledge. And the greatest gift you can give is to trust each other.

You know why we become mad at each other? Because we don't trust each other. Love is a separate issue altogether. If we trust each other, we can negotiate, we can talk, we can understand and we can communicate.

I want you to read Siri Guru Granth Sahib and understand it, not that I will get anything out of it. You will become better people because it is the language of those who were better people. It was their personal experience with God.

Every other scripture will say, when you get rid of ego, you will God. Ridiculous. Ego is what makes you find God. It is you ego which you put at stake to find God, otherwise you can't find a thing. When this ego becomes a universal ego, it becomes divine.

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Attitude Of Gratitude - 2

The first gift of higher consciousness is the state of equilibrium where neither praises inflates you nor slander depress you. This is the first gift. In this state, when somebody comes and tells you, you are great, you say that God is great and when somebody tells you, you are a idiot, you still say God is great. You have one altar, which is Infinity, and on it you lay everything.

You may like praise, you may even love it, but you offer it at the altar of your Creator; you may dislike slander, but you offer it at the altar of your Creator. This attitude of gratitude makes a person great. If you ever want to be great, this is the minimum requirement.

Lectures Of Sikhi

Habits

We are 15% slaves to a routine, to habit. There are two types of habits: Promoting Habits and Demoting habits. Demoting habits makes you unhappy physically, mentally and spiritually. If you have habits which are promoting habits, you will end up as a liberated, divine person.

When you are acting under demoting habit, you are totally in the negative personality. It is also a fact that if you get into any one negative habit, you will automatically attract its four sister or brother habits, for they love to stay together. These five demoting habits of behaviour and attitude are : greed, anger, lust, attachment and negative ego [kam, krodh, lobh, moh, angkar]. Each habit is supported on two tripods - 1) Physical, Mental and Spiritual; and 2) Past, Present and Future.

There are two guiding instinct in a human, either improving or blocking his future improvement. If you are conscious of this, and have a honest and sincere urge to improve your future, you will always have promoting habits.

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Hail And Heal The World

Sometimes we are so deep into the ego and the mess that our ugliness does not let us walk on the truthful path. We are betraying our own destiny day and night for emotions, feelings and ridiculous things which are absolutely not true. Guru's words remind us,

Palch palach sagalee muee jhuthey dhandeh moh.

In the mixture of this rap of racketeering the spirituality of the life, false things are beloved and the right things are ignored.

(Guru Arjan, pg 133)

Panth Khalsa has appeared. If you want to walk with it or not, is your option. Try talking your will and conflict's with God. You'll have a good time. I think sometimes misery loves people. People love misery. That relationship is everlasting.

We sit in the presence of the Guru and through the congregation, we try to elevate and educate ourselves. In this education lies the depth, the strength, the truth and Guru's blessing.

Jan Nanak dhoor mangay tis gursikh kee Jo aap japai avarah nam japaveh

Nanak begs for the dust of the feet of that Gursikh Who himself chants the Naam and inspires others to do so.

(Guru Ram Das pg 305)

In simple language, hail and heal the world. Guru Nanak wants the dust of the feet of that Gursikh.

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Happiness

People want to be happy. There is only one person who is happy, that is God. God's faculty is:

Dedda de laide thak paaeh

Jugaa jugantar khaahee khaaeh

Hukame hukam chalaae raahu

Nanak Vigasi veparvaahu

The Great Giver, untiring gives more and more and those who receive His gifts grow weary of receiving.

Through all the ages, God provides and man goes on consuming what He gives.

It is only by God's command that a man walks on His path.

O, Nanak, the Master is joyful and carefree.

(SGGS 2)

If you always remember this line you must understand what the source of happiness is. The source of happiness is in giving, not taking. Those who take shall never be happy. Those who give shall never be unhappy. If you having nothing else to give, give a smile. Just talk to somebody, just walk with them.

Paying attention is giving. Taking attention, drawing attention is taking. Learn to give.

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Have Control Of The Mind

Mind does 2 things whenever you try to meditate on Waheguru. They call it the monkey game. It makes you to open the eyes and it makes you itch your body. When mind plays monkey game, tell it to shut up and keep going.

Mind doesn't want to loose its sovereignty over you, its possession over you. Mind wants you to surrender to it, rather than surrendering to you. You can fight a decisive battle. The scene is yours.

If you can subject the mind, you can subject the entire creative force of God. Victory over mind is victory over the universe.

When the eye lids are opened, they see very limited horizons, but in the closed eyes are unlimited horizons. Keep the spine straight and your mind will have no choice but to remain concentrated because the mind cannot control the central nerve, shushmuna. It is the will.

It is so itchy and painful when you confront your mind, you can't even believe it. Which ever pore the mind chooses, in that pore it will hurt. But remember, it will leave you. The moment you control your mind, breath will be subtle and light. You will penetrate into unseen horizons. There are gems and jewels and there is word of God. Keep seeking beyond these horizons and you will find it.

Use your will with the grace of Guru. Penetrate through the unknown skies, unknown horizons. The moment the individual controls the mind, the unknown becomes known to be seen. When the mind is given to the Guru, and the Guru will guide you, then the journey becomes painless. It is the mystery to be unfolded.

Its very safe to do. It is the world of the rainbow. Words are colours and fogures and it is a granth. Granth, gra - knot, each body will become a blanket as it is a knotted blanket.

Start making the journey. We have taken many births and deaths, moved from place to place to experience this. Your tongue can praise the Lord when you are filled with the glory of God in consciousness and grace. Your ears are given to hear the crystal song. When you become still, the universe moves around you.

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"I" In The House Of Nanak

You may know it or not, but "I" is very important to you. What should be important to you is the One who gave you this "I".

You have two eyes. Do you know who gave them to you and with what purpose?

Eh netryo meryo tum meh jot dhare Har bin avar na dekhoo koee.

Oh, my eyes. See without God nothing else.

(Guru Amar Das, pg 922)

You have two ears.

Eh sravno meryo sachai sunnai no pathaaey.

Oh, my ears. You have been sent there to listen to nothing but truth.

(Guru Amar Das, pg 922)

"Pathaaey" means you have been commissioned.

Deh nimaani liveh baajo kiaa karey veychaareea.

This body, without soul. What is it worth?

(Guru Amar Das, pg 917)

Accept your master, the Creator. Have faith and trust. What happens to mankind? You worship man. Men worships men. You have turned God into statues. Your God is your spoken word, Shabad Guru. You are the disciple of the Shabad Guru.

For food, housing, for everything, you are just dancing to the tune of circumstances. How much can you insult your own soul? You measure yourself with dollars. You have money, you don't have money. You have clothes, you don't have clothes.

You need to have the relationship with the spirit. This purity, piety, grace, power of infinity, prosperity is in the humility of Nanak.

Jis no bakhse siphat salah, Nanak patshai patshah.

To whom You give the merits, Nanak, that is the King of the Kings.

(Guru Nanak pg 5)

Nanak's House is not a House of Beggars. It is a House of Givers. Learn to relate to your soul. Its all there.

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I Or Thou

Man is worse than an animal. The highest species lives as the lowest and the meanest as far as the self- culture is concerned. Their ego is how many houses I have got, how many cars I have got, how beautifully dressed my wife is, how my children are, how much money I am making. If you talk to them, they talk to you exactly as a bazaar which has a shopping centre. Everything is on sale. "I am this, I am that, I, I, I, I." Hardly you will hear a word about God, or Thou.

Somebody once asked me, "Where is the soul?" I said, "Under your foot there's a sole." And don't crush anybody. Don't crush anybody's sentiment. Don't hurt anybody. Don't walk over anybody. Just learn a simple lesson: Be kind and your kindness should be real. You are not doing it because of commotion.

The concept of the Sikh is one who has learned to belong to the Will of God. And you may ask, "Where is the Will of God?" Will of God is in the very simple fact when you spread your consciousness, whether it is I or Thou.

You will become limited, you will become angry, you will become nasty, you will become commoner when you perceive to move with the concept of "I." "I want it." When "I" has a force in it, "Thou" has no place in it. And everybody passes away with "I,I,I," and never reaches the "Thou" and that loss is not mourned. That loss is not understood. The stupid person doesn't understand that all the most beautiful gift of time and space is given to him to realise his own soul... own relationship.

Learn to talk that it is God which is true, it is His Name and Identity which is True. Guru Nanak said, "Aad sach, jugaad sach, heibhee sach, naanak hosee bhee sach."

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It's Now!

Bodies are temporary, days are temporary, life is a monopoly game but the soul is infinite. That is what we have come to Earth to communicate and that is what sainthood is. When people start serving the soul which is everywhere and nowhere, they start becoming the soul.

If the hand of God has guided you on this path, complete it. A seeker of the Truth is called a Sikh, a student of God. Sikhism is a way of life. If you cannot live as a Sikh, you can die as a Sikh. That will be a very exalted way to quit the planet Earth.

Please try to understand that there is no problem with you. There is a problem only with your own ego. Your ego is stuck with fear and insecurity. Find it out and then release. Attach you ego to your soul, you'll be a radiant saint. It's the simplest way.

And remember, you can expect all miracles in the world but the greatest miracle that will happen to you, will be when you are elevated to the consciousness of the God within you.

Jis neech ko ko-ee naa janai Naam japat oh chaho kunt maanai.

O that mean, mean man, who sins and sins again and again, when he takes the Name of God, the four corners of the earth shall bow to him. (Guru Nanak 386)

These are the words which are now and forever. So please understand. Give yourself a chance. Take advantage of this time and space; perhaps it will not come back again.

Extracted and adapted from lectures of Yogi Bhajan, July 18, 1982

Sri Guru Granth Sahib

Authors & Contributors

The writings of the Gurus appears chronologically. Each of the Gurus signed their hymns as Nanak. Their compositions are identified by the numerals at the beginning of each hymn, ie. Mahalla 1 is Guru Nanak, Mahalla 2 is Guru Angad and so on. These are then followed by those of other saints (Bhagtas) and other contributors. Their are 3,384 hymns found in the Guru Granth Sahib broken down by author are:

The Gurus

Guru Nanak Dev: 974 hymns including sloks and pauris

Guru Angad Dev: 62 sloks

Guru Amar Das: 907 hymns including sloks and pauris

Guru Ram Das: 679 hymns including sloks and pauris

Guru Arjan Dev: 2,218 hymns including sloks and pauris

Guru Tegh Bahadur: 59 hymns and 56 sloks

Guru Gobind Singh: 1 slok

The Bhagatas: Saints of various faiths

Kabir: 292 hymns Bhagat Kabir (1398 to 1495) was born to a Brahmin mother and raised by a muslim step mother. Bhagat Kabir was a proponent of the Bhakti movement. He lived as a householder, abhored the caste system and religious rituals. He was an saintly apostle of peace, love and unity and a great poet. Bhagat Kabir believed in inward purity, and was respected by both Hindus and Muslims.

Namdev: 60 hymns Bhagat Namdev (1270 to 1350) was a celebrated saint from Maharashtra who travelled extensively across the country. He lived in Punjab for a number of years.

Ravidas: 41 hymns A contemporary of Bhagat Kabir and a disciple of Bhagat Ramanand, Bhagat Ravidas represents the culmination of the Bhakti Movement. He came from a low caste cobbler family but had many desciples because of his spirituality. He stressed a life of simplicity and piety.

Sheikh Farid: 4 hymns and 130 sloks Sheikh Farid (1175 to 1265) was a muslim Sufi saint of great piety. He is considered the father of Punjabi poetry. He was greatly loved for his kindness and humanity. He stressed living a simple yet purposeful life concentrating on One God.

Trilochan: 4 hymns A contemporary of Bhagat Kabir and a celebrated sain of the Vaish caste. He believed in One God and condemned superficial rituals and stressed the holiness of the heart.

Dhanna: 4 hymns Bhagat Dhanna was a Jat from Rajasthan who was born in 1415. He lived most of his life as an idol worshipper but in later years became a worshipper of One God and renounced all superstitious practices.

Beni: 3 hymns Probobly a contemporary of Bhagat Namdev, not much is known about him. He was unperturbed by poverty and enjoyed a life of solitude enriched by his spiritual persuits. He was a great scholar as is evident from his writings.

Sheikh Bhikan: 2 hymns A muslim Sufi scholar saint Sheikh Bhikan died in the early part of Akbar's reign. He was one of the most learned men of his time. He believed that only God's name can heal a diseased mind and body.

Jaidev: 2 hymns Bhagat Jaidev was a renowned poet laureate in the royal court of king Lakshman Sen of Bengal. His famous work of peotry Gita Govinda is well known for its poetic beauty and musical richness.

Surdas: 1 hymn Bhagat Surdas was a Brahmin born in 1529. He was learned in Sanskrit and Persian and studied music and poetry. He was appointed a governor by emperor Akbar, but was later imprisoned for dereliction of duty. Towards the end of his life, he became a hermit and lived among holy men.

Parmanand: 1 hymn Born in Maharashtra, little is known about Bhagat Parmanand's life. It is believed that he lived in Maharashtra and was a devotee of Krishna. He later became a proponent of One God.

Pipa: 1 hymn Born in 1425, Bhagat Pipa was the king of the princely state of Gagaraungarh. He abducated his throne, travelled extensively and became a disciple of Bhagat Ramanand. He lived a life of extreme austerity and humility.

Ramanand: 1 hymn Bhagat Ramanand, a Brahmin was born in 1359 in Madras. He is regarded as the pioneer of the Bhakti movement in northern India. A Vaishnava in his early life, he became a worshipper of brahm and condemned the caste system. Bhagat Kabir was the most renowned amongst his disciples.

Sadhna: 1 hymn A butcher by profession, Bhagat Sadhana was born in Sind. His piety and meditation of God elevated him to saintly status. He was condemned by Brahmins and on a false charge was arrested and buried alive.

Sain: 1 hymn Bhagat Sain was a barber of the royal court of Raja Ram, king of Rewa. He was a follower of Bhagat Ramanand and Bhagat Kabir.

The Bhatts

The Bhatts were a group of musicians who lived in the sixteenth century. All of them were scholars, poets and singers.

Kal: 49 Swayyas

Kalsahar: 4 Swayyas

Tal: 1 Swayya

Jalap: 4 Swayyas

Jal: 1 Swayya

Kirat: 8 Swayyas

Sal: 3 Swayyas

Bhal: 1 Swayya

Nal: 6 Swayyas

Bhikha: 2 Swayyas

Jalan: 2 Swayyas

Das: 1 Swayya

Gayand: 5 Swayyas

Sewak: 7 Swayyas

Mathura: 10 Swayyas

Bal: 5 Swayyas

Harbans: 2 Swayyas

Sikhs

Mardana: 3 sloks Baba Mardana was a rabab (rebeck) player who spent most of his life as a disciple and musician of Guru Nanak. Born a Muslim, Baba Mardana was a childhood friend of Guru Nanak and accompanied him on all his great travels.

Satta and Balwand: 1 Var Satta was a rebeck player who served Guru Angad, Guru Amar Das, Gur Ram Das and Guru Arjun Dev. Along with his fellow musician Balwand they jointly composed a ballad which appears in the Guru Granth Sahib.

Sunder: 1 hymn Baba Sunder (1560-1610) was the great grandson of Guru Amar Das. His composition called Sadd (Calling) was written at the request of Guru Arjun Dev after the death of Guru Ram Das.