mehtab

Who can rescue you Gauree, Fifth Mehl: Those humble beings who are accustomed to the Lord's sublime essence, are pierced through with loving devotional worship of the Lord's Lotus Feet. ||1||Pause|| All other pleasures look like ashes; without the Naam, the Name of the Lord, the world is fruitless. ||1|| He Himself rescues us from the deep dark well. Wondrous and Glorious are the Praises of the Lord of the Universe. ||2|| In the woods and meadows, and throughout the three worlds, the Sustainer of the Universe is pervading. The Expansive Lord God is Merciful to all beings. ||3|| Says Nanak, that speech alone is excellent, which is approved by the Creator Lord. ||4||94||163|| Ashtapadee: Where there is no mother, father, children, friends or siblings O my mind, there, only the Naam, the Name of the Lord, shall be with you as your help and support. Where the great and terrible Messenger of Death shall try to crush you, there, only the Naam shall go along with you. Where the obstacles are so very heavy, the Name of the Lord shall rescue you in an instant. By performing countless religious rituals, you shall not be saved. The Name of the Lord washes off millions of sins. As Gurmukh, chant the Naam, O my mind. O Nanak, you shall obtain countless joys. ||1|| Second Mehl: This world is the room of the True Lord; within it is the dwelling of the True Lord. By His Command, some are merged into Him, and some, by His Command, are destroyed. Some, by the Pleasure of His Will, are lifted up out of Maya, while others are made to dwell within it. No one can say who will be rescued. O Nanak, he alone is known as Gurmukh, unto whom the Lord reveals Himself. ||3|| The benefactor Lord listened to the cries (of humanity) and sent Guru Nanak to this world. He washed His feet, eulogised God and got his Disciples drink the ambrosia of his feet. He preached in this darkage (kaliyug) that, saragun (Brahm) and nirgun (Parbrahm) are the same and identical. Dharma was now established on its four feet and all the four castes (through fraternal feeling) were converted into one caste (of humanity). Equating the poor with the prince, he spread the etiquette of humbly touching the feet. Inverse is the game of the beloved; he got the egotist high heads bowed to feet. Baba Nanak rescued this dark age (kaliyug) and recited ‘satinam’ mantr for one and all. Guru Nanak came to redeem the kaliyug.

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>God : Hello did you call me? > >Me: Called you? No.. who is this? > >God : This is GOD. I heard your prayers. So I thought I will chat. > >Me: I do pray. Just makes me feel good. I am actually busy >now. I am in the midst of something. Please call me later when I will be taking rest. > >God : What are you busy at? Ants are busy too. > >Me: Don't know. But I cant find free time. Life has become >hectic.It's rush hour all the time. (Of-foh I'm on net) > >God : Sure. Activity gets you busy. But productivity gets >you results. Activity consumes time. Productivity frees it. > >Me: I understand. But I still cant figure out. By the way, I >was not expecting YOU to buzz me on instant messaging chat. > >God : Well I wanted to resolve your fight for time, by >giving you some clarity. In this net era, I wanted to reach >you through the medium you are comfortable with. > >Me: Tell me, why has life become hectic & complicated now? No one has actually time to see each other and feel them in person!!!! > >God : Stop analyzing life. Just live it. Analysis is what makes it complicated. > >Me: why are we then constantly unhappy? >God : Your today is the tomorrow that you worried about >yesterday.You are worrying because you are analyzing. >Worrying has become your habit. That's why you are not >happy. > >Me: But how can we not worry when there is so much uncertainty in every aspect of life ? > >God : Uncertainty is inevitable, but worrying is optional. > >Me: But then, (you know na !!) there is so much pain due to uncertainty.. > >God : Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. > >Me: If suffering is optional, why do good people always suffer?Please tell me the difference between good and bad !!!! > >God : Diamond cannot be polished without friction. Gold >cannot be purified without fire. Good people go through >trials, but don't suffer. With that experience their life >become better not bitter. > >Me: You mean to say such experience is useful? Really..... >God : Yes. In every terms, Experience is a hard teacher. She >gives the test first and the lessons afterwards. > >Me: But still, why should we go through such tests? Why cant >we be free from problems? >God : Problems are Purposeful Roadblocks Offering Beneficial >Lessons (to) Enhance Mental Strength. Inner strength comes >from struggle and endurance, not when you are free from >problems. >Me: Frankly in the midst of so many problems, we don't know >where we are heading.. not only I but here, there ,everywhere in this country....... > >God : If you look outside you will not know where you are >heading.Look inside. Looking outside, you dream. Looking >inside, you awaken. Eyes provide sight. Heart provides >insight. >Me: Sometimes not succeeding fast seems to hurt more than >moving in the right direction. What should I do? I need guidance . >God : Success is a measure as decided by others. >Satisfaction is a measure as decided by you. Knowing the >road ahead is more satisfying than knowing you rode ahead. >You work with the compass. Let others work with the clock. > >Me: In tough times, how do you stay motivated? >God : Always look at how far you have come rather than how >far you have to go. Always count your blessing, not what >you are missing. > >Me: What surprises you about people? > >God : when they suffer they ask, "why me?" When they >prosper, they never ask "Why me" Everyone wishes to have >truth on their side, but few want to be on the side of >the truth. > >Me: Sometimes I ask, who am I, why am I here. I can't get the >answer. > >God : Seek not to find who you are, but to determine who you >want to be. Stop looking for a purpose as to why you are >here. Create it. Life is not a process of discovery but a >process of creation. > >Me: Atleast let me know how can I get the best out of life? >God : Face your past without regret. Handle your present >with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear. > >Me: One last question. Sometimes I feel my prayers are not >answered. >God : There are no unanswered prayers. At times the answer >is NO. >Me: Thank you for this wonderful chat. I am so happy to >start ahead with a new sense of inspiration. > >God : Well, keep the faith and drop the fear. Don't believe >your doubts and doubt your beliefs. Trust me. Life is beautiful and full of wonder if you know how to live , and if you know how to be grateful for all the simple yet priceless gifts that I give you through and in people and things. Well, live life beautifully, and you too shall become beautiful and so shall everything around you.Remember, I am always with you, though you may not be with Me.

Detached Siree Raag, Third Mehl: The self-willed manmukhs are engrossed in emotional attachment; they are not balanced or detached. They do not comprehend the Word of the Shabad. They suffer in pain forever, and lose their honor in the Court of the Lord. The Gurmukhs shed their ego; attuned to the Naam, they find peace. ||1|| O my mind, day and night, you are always full of wishful hopes. Serve the True Guru, and your emotional attachment shall be totally burnt away; remain detached within the home of your heart. ||1||Pause|| The Gurmukhs do good deeds and blossom forth; balanced and detached in the Lord, they are in ecstasy. Night and day, they perform devotional worship, day and night; subduing their ego, they are carefree. By great good fortune, I found the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation; I have found the Lord, with intuitive ease and ecstasy. ||2|| That person is a Holy Saadhu, and a renouncer of the world, whose heart is filled with the Naam. His inner being is not touched by anger or dark energies at all; he has lost his selfishness and conceit. The True Guru has revealed to him the Treasure of the Naam, the Name of the Lord; he drinks in the Sublime Essence of the Lord, and is satisfied. ||3|| Whoever has found it, has done so in the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. Through perfect good fortune, such balanced detachment is attained. The self-willed manmukhs wander around lost, but they do not know the True Guru. They are inwardly attached to egotism. O Nanak, those who are attuned to the Shabad are dyed in the Color of the Lord's Name. Without the Fear of God, how can they retain this Color? ||4||8||41|| Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl: As long as the soul-companion is with the body, it dwells in happiness. But when the companion arises and departs, then the body-bride mingles with dust. ||1|| My mind has become detached from the world; it longs to see the Vision of God's Darshan. Blessed is Your Place. ||1||Pause|| As long as the soul-husband dwells in the body-house, everyone greets you with respect. But when the soul-husband arises and departs, then no one cares for you at all. ||2|| In this world of your parents' home, serve your Husband Lord; in the world beyond, in your in-laws' home, you shall dwell in peace. Meeting with the Guru, be a sincere student of proper conduct, and suffering shall never touch you. ||3|| Everyone shall go to their Husband Lord. Everyone shall be given their ceremonial send-off after their marriage. O Nanak, blessed are the happy soul-brides, who are in love with their Husband Lord. ||4||23||93|| Pauree: Forever and ever, You are the only One; You set the play of duality in motion. You created egotism and arrogant pride, and You placed greed within our beings. Keep me as it pleases Your Will; everyone acts as You cause them to act. Some are forgiven, and merge with You; through the Guru's Teachings, we are joined to You. Some stand and serve You; without the Name, nothing else pleases them. Any other task would be worthless to them-You have enjoined them to Your True Service. In the midst of children, spouse and relations, some still remain detached; they are pleasing to Your Will. Inwardly and outwardly, they are pure, and they are absorbed in the True Name. ||3|| Gauree, Fifth Mehl: Those who implant the Word of the Guru's Shabad within their hearts cut their connections with the five passions. They keep the ten organs under their control; their souls are enlightened. ||1|| They alone acquire such stability, whom God blesses with His Mercy and Grace. ||1||Pause|| Friend and foe are one and the same to them. Whatever they speak is wisdom. Whatever they hear is the Naam, the Name of the Lord. Whatever they see is meditation. ||2|| They awaken in peace and poise; they sleep in peace and poise. That which is meant to be, automatically happens. In peace and poise, they remain detached; in peace and poise, they laugh. In peace and poise, they remain silent; in peace and poise, they chant. ||3|| In peace and poise they eat; in peace and poise they love. The illusion of duality is easily and totally removed. They naturally join the Saadh Sangat, the Society of the Holy. In peace and poise, they meet and merge with the Supreme Lord God. ||4|| They are at peace in their homes, and they are at peace while detached. In peace, their bodies' duality is eliminated. Bliss comes naturally to their minds. They meet the Lord, the Embodiment of Supreme Bliss. ||5|| In peaceful poise, they drink in the Ambrosial Nectar of the Naam, the Name of the Lord. In peace and poise, they give to the poor. Their souls naturally delight in the Lord's Sermon. The Imperishable Lord abides with them. ||6|| In peace and poise, they assume the unchanging position. In peace and poise, the unstruck vibration of the Shabad resounds. In peace and poise, the celestial bells resound. Within their homes, the Supreme Lord God is pervading. ||7|| With intuitive ease, they meet the Lord, according to their karma. With intuitive ease, they meet with the Guru, in the true Dharma. Those who know, attain the poise of intuitive peace. Slave Nanak is a sacrifice to them. ||8||3||

Human life is precious Aasaa: Says Shaykh Fareed, O my dear friend, attach yourself to the Lord. This body shall turn to dust, and its home shall be a neglected graveyard. ||1|| You can meet the Lord today, O Shaykh Fareed, if you restrain your bird-like desires which keep your mind in turmoil. ||1||Pause|| If I had known that I was to die, and not return again, I would not have ruined myself by clinging to the world of falsehood. ||2|| So speak the Truth, in righteousness, and do not speak falsehood. The disciple ought to travel the route, pointed out by the Guru. ||3|| Seeing the youths being carried across, the hearts of the beautiful young soul-brides are encouraged. Those who side with the glitter of gold, are cut down with a saw. ||4|| O Shaykh, no one's life is permanent in this world. That seat, upon which we now sit - many others sat on it and have since departed. ||5|| As the swallows appear in the month of Katik, forest fires in the month of Chayt, and lightning in Saawan, and as the bride's arms adorn her husband's neck in winter;||6|| Just so, the transitory human bodies pass away. Reflect upon this in your mind. It takes six months to form the body, but it breaks in an instant. ||7|| O Fareed, the earth asks the sky, ""Where have the boatmen gone?"" Some have been cremated, and some lie in their graves; their souls are suffering rebukes. ||8||2|| Fareed, when there was time for you to earn good karma, you were in love with the world instead. Now, death has a strong foothold; when the load is full, it is taken away. ||8|| Fareed, the hours of the day are lost wandering around, and the hours of the night are lost in sleep. God will call for your account, and ask you why you came into this world. ||38|| Fareed, where are your mother and father, who gave birth to you? They have left you, but even so, you are not convinced that you shall also have to go. ||73|| Fareed, the mansions are vacant; those who lived in them have gone to live underground. They remain there, in those unhonored graves. O Shaykh, dedicate yourself to God; you will have to depart, today or tomorrow. ||97|| The moment of death Shaloks Of Shaykh Fareed Jee: One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru: The day of the bride's wedding is pre-ordained. On that day, the Messenger of Death, of whom she had only heard, comes and shows its face. It breaks the bones of the body and pulls the helpless soul out. That pre-ordained time of marriage cannot be avoided. Explain this to your soul. The soul is the bride, and death is the groom. He will marry her and take her away. After the body sends her away with its own hands, whose neck will it embrace? The bridge to hell is narrower than a hair; haven't you heard of it with your ears? Fareed, the call has come; be careful now - don't let yourself be robbed. ||1|| Fareed, your beautiful body shall break apart, and the subtle thread of the breath shall be snapped. In which house will the Messenger of Death be a guest today? ||68|| Do not slander Fareed, if you have a keen understanding, then do not write black marks against anyone else. Look underneath your own collar instead. ||6|| Return hatred with love Fareed, do not turn around and strike those who strike you with their fists. Kiss their feet, and return to your own home. ||7|| The whole world burns in the fire of sorrow Fareed, I thought that I was in trouble; the whole world is in trouble! When I climbed the hill and looked around, I saw this fire in each and every home. ||81|| Accept God's Will Fifth Mehl: Fareed, look upon pleasure and pain as the same; eradicate corruption from your heart. Whatever pleases the Lord God is good; understand this, and you will reach His Court. ||109||

Profane music Raag Bilaaval, Fifth Mehl, Chau-Padas And Du-Padas, Sixth House: One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru: O my fascinating Lord, let me not listen to the faithless cynic, singing his songs and tunes, and chanting his useless words. ||1||Pause|| I serve, serve, serve, serve the Holy Saints; forever and ever, I do this. The Primal Lord, the Great Giver, has blessed me with the gift of fearlessness. Joining the Company of the Holy, I sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||1|| My tongue is imbued with the Praises of the inaccessible and unfathomable Lord, and my eyes are drenched with the Blessed Vision of His Darshan. Be Merciful to me, O Destroyer of the pains of the meek, that I may enshrine Your Lotus Feet within my heart. ||2|| Beneath all, and above all; this is the vision I saw. I have destroyed, destroyed, destroyed my pride, since the True Guru implanted His Mantra within me. ||3|| Immeasurable, immeasurable, immeasurable is the Merciful Lord; he cannot be weighed. He is the Lover of His devotees. Whoever enters the Sanctuary of Guru Nanak, is blessed with the gifts of fearlessness and peace. ||4||||1||81|| Singing and dancing Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl: Some sing on and on, but their minds do not find happiness. In egotism, they sing, but it is wasted uselessly. Those who love the Naam, sing the song. They contemplate the True Bani of the Word, and the Shabad. ||1|| They sing on and on, if it pleases the True Guru. Their minds and bodies are embellished and adorned, attuned to the Naam, the Name of the Lord. ||1||Pause|| Some sing, and some perform devotional worship. Without heart-felt love, the Naam is not obtained. True devotional worship consists of love for the Word of the Guru's Shabad. The devotee keeps his Beloved clasped tightly to his heart. ||2|| The fools perform devotional worship by showing off; they dance and dance and jump all around, but they only suffer in terrible pain. By dancing and jumping, devotional worship is not performed. But one who dies in the Word of the Shabad, obtains devotional worship. ||3|| The Lord is the Lover of His devotees; He inspires them to perform devotional worship. True devotional worship consists of eliminating selfishness and conceit from within. My True God knows all ways and means. O Nanak, He forgives those who recognize the Naam. ||4||4||24|| Foul language Shalok, First Mehl: O Nanak, speaking insipid words, the body and mind become insipid. He is called the most insipid of the insipid; the most insipid of the insipid is his reputation. The insipid person is discarded in the Court of the Lord, and the insipid one's face is spat upon. The insipid one is called a fool; he is beaten with shoes in punishment. ||1|| Agony of a soul One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru: Raag Soohee, The Word Of Shaykh Fareed Jee: Burning and burning, writhing in pain, I wring my hands. I have gone insane, seeking my Husband Lord. O my Husband Lord, You are angry with me in Your Mind. The fault is with me, and not with my Husband Lord. ||1|| O my Lord and Master, I do not know Your excellence and worth. Having wasted my youth, now I come to regret and repent. ||1||Pause|| O black bird, what qualities have made you black? "I have been burnt by separation from my Beloved." Without her Husband Lord, how can the soul-bride ever find peace? When He becomes merciful, then God unites us with Himself. ||2|| The lonely soul-bride suffers in the pit of the world. She has no companions, and no friends. In His Mercy, God has united me with the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy. And when I look again, then I find God as my Helper. ||3|| The path upon which I must walk is very depressing. It is sharper than a two-edged sword, and very narrow. That is where my path lies. O Shaykh Fareed, think of that path early on. ||4||1||

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa! Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!! For quite sometime I have been bookmarking some shabads after running a search on Sikhitothemax. Its amazing how Gurbani has ALL the answers to ALL your questions, pains and problems. I am going to paste some of those shabads here under the heading of what I think they deal with. A good Sikh Blessed is the glimpse and the company of the Guru because there only one visualizes God alone in all the six philosophies. Getting enlightened, one identifies the teachings of the Guru even in the secular affairs. Having one women as wife he (the Sikh) is a celebate and considers any other's wife his daughter or a sister. To covet another man's property is forbidden (to a Sikh) as the swine is to the Muslim and the cow to a Hindu. The Sikh being householder abnegates tonsure, the sacred thread (Janeu), etc. and forsakes them like abominable faeces. The Sikh of the Guru accepts transcendental Lord as the sole fount of higher knowledge and the meditation. In the congregation of such people any body could become authentic as well as respectable. A moment of pleasure and endless pain Aasaa, Fifth Mehl: For a moment of sexual pleasure, you shall suffer in pain for millions of days. For an instant, you may savor pleasure, but afterwards, you shall regret it, again and again. ||1|| O blind man, meditate on the Lord, the Lord, your King. Your day is drawing near. ||1||Pause|| You are deceived, beholding with your eyes, the bitter melon and swallow-wort. But, like the companionship of a poisonous snake, so is the desire for another's spouse. ||2|| For the sake of your enemy, you commit sins, while you neglect the reality of your faith. Your friendship is with those who abandon you, and you are angry with your friends. ||3|| The entire world is entangled in this way; he alone is saved, who has the Perfect Guru. Says Nanak, I have crossed over the terrifying world-ocean; my body has become sanctified. ||4||5||127|| Follow only the Guru and no one else Fourth Mehl: The self-willed manmukh is occupied with greed all day long, although he may claim otherwise. At night, he is overcome by fatigue, and all his nine holes are weakened. Over the head of the manmukh is the order of the woman; to her, he ever holds out his promises of goodness. Those men who act according to the orders of women are impure, filthy and foolish. Those impure men are engrossed in sexual desire; they consult their women and walk accordingly. One who walks as the True Guru tells him to, is the true man, the best of the best. He Himself created all women and men; the Lord Himself plays every play. You created the entire creation; O Nanak, it is the best of the best. ||2|| ( Note : Before anyone raises a cry, this is Gurbani. We all agree that Guruji is talking about evil people and not labelling any gender as bad. ) False worldly love Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree, Ninth Mehl: In this world, I have seen love to be false. Whether they are spouses or friends, all are concerned only with their own happiness. ||1||Pause|| All say, ""Mine, mine"", and attach their consciousness to you with love. But at the very last moment, none shall go along with you. How strange are the ways of the world! ||1|| The foolish mind has not yet reformed itself, although I have grown weary of continually instructing it. O Nanak, one crosses over the terrifying world-ocean, singing the Songs of God. ||2||3||6||38||47|| He takes care of all Raag Goojaree, Fifth Mehl: Why, O mind, do you plot and plan, when the Dear Lord Himself provides for your care? From rocks and stones He created living beings; He places their nourishment before them. ||1|| O my Dear Lord of souls, one who joins the Sat Sangat, the True Congregation, is saved. By Guru's Grace, the supreme status is obtained, and the dry wood blossoms forth again in lush greenery. ||1||Pause|| Mothers, fathers, friends, children and spouses-no one is the support of anyone else. For each and every person, our Lord and Master provides sustenance. Why are you so afraid, O mind? ||2|| The flamingoes fly hundreds of miles, leaving their young ones behind. Who feeds them, and who teaches them to feed themselves? Have you ever thought of this in your mind? ||3|| All the nine treasures, and the eighteen supernatural powers are held by our Lord and Master in the Palm of His Hand. Servant Nanak is devoted, dedicated, forever a sacrifice to You, Lord. Your Expanse has no limit, no boundary. ||4||5|| How to get peace Bhairao, Fifth Mehl: There is no peace in earning lots of money. There is no peace in watching dances and plays. There is no peace in conquering lots of countries. All peace comes from singing the Glorious Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1|| You shall obtain peace, poise and bliss, when you find the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, by great good fortune. As Gurmukh, utter the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||1||Pause|| Mother, father, children and spouse - all place the mortal in bondage. Religious rituals and actions done in ego place the mortal in bondage. If the Lord, the Shatterer of bonds, abides in the mind, then peace is obtained, dwelling in the home of the self deep within. ||2|| Everyone is a beggar; God is the Great Giver. The Treasure of Virtue is the Infinite, Endless Lord. That person, unto whom God grants His Mercy - that humble being chants the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. ||3|| I offer my prayer to my Guru. O Primal Lord God, Treasure of Virtue, please bless me with Your Grace. Says Nanak, I have come to Your Sanctuary. If it pleases You, please protect me, O Lord of the World. ||4||28||41|| No satisfaction Dhanaasaree, Fifth Mehl: The desires of the greatest of the great kings and landlords cannot be satisfied. They remain engrossed in Maya, intoxicated with the pleasures of their wealth; their eyes see nothing else at all. ||1|| No one has ever found satisfaction in sin and corruption. The flame is not satisfied by more fuel; how can one be satisfied without the Lord? ||Pause|| Day after day, he eats his meals with many different foods, but his hunger is not eradicated. He runs around like a dog, searching in the four directions. ||2|| The lustful, lecherous man desires many women, and he never stops peeking into the homes of others. Day after day, he commits adultery again and again, and then he regrets his actions; he wastes away in misery and greed. ||3|| The Name of the Lord, Har, Har, is incomparable and priceless; it is the treasure of Ambrosial Nectar. The Saints abide in peace, poise and bliss; O Nanak, through the Guru, this is known. ||4||6|| Raag Gauree, Fifth Mehl: One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru: The thirst of only a few is quenched. ||1||Pause|| People may accumulate hundreds of thousands, millions, tens of millions, and yet the mind is not restrained. They only yearn for more and more. ||1|| They may have all sorts of beautiful women, but still, they commit adultery in the homes of others. They do not distinguish between good and bad. ||2|| They wander around lost, trapped in the myriad bonds of Maya; they do not sing the Praises of the Treasure of Virtue. Their minds are engrossed in poison and corruption. ||3|| Those, unto whom the Lord shows His Mercy, remain dead while yet alive. In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, they cross over the ocean of Maya. O Nanak, those humble beings are honored in the Court of the Lord. ||4||1||154|| Easier said than done Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl, Seventh House: Relying on Your Mercy, Dear Lord, I have indulged in sensual pleasures. Like a foolish child, I have made mistakes. O Lord, You are my Father and Mother. ||1|| It is easy to speak and talk, but it is difficult to accept Your Will. ||1||Pause|| I stand tall; You are my Strength. I know that You are mine. Inside of all, and outside of all, You are our Self-sufficient Father. ||2|| O Father, I do not know-how can I know Your Way? He frees us from bondage, O Saints, and saves us from possessiveness. ||3|| Becoming Merciful, my Lord and Master has ended my comings and goings in reincarnation. Meeting with the Guru, Nanak has recognized the Supreme Lord God. ||4||27||97|| Worldly relations O man, you have not remembered the creator and have accepted the created as your creator. Getting engrossed in wife or husband you have further created relationships of son, grandson, father and grandfather. Daughters and sisters proudly become happy or annoyed and such is the case of all relatives. All other relation's such as the house of father-in-law, one's mother's house, the house of the maternal uncles and other relations of the family are disdainful. If conduct and thoughts are civilised, one gets honour before the high ups of the society. However, at the end, when caught up in the web of death, no companion takes notice of the person. Bereft of the grace of the perfect Guru, all persons become scared of death. One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru: Raag Saarang, Ninth Mehl: No one will be your help and support, except the Lord. Who has any mother, father, child or spouse? Who is anyone's brother or sister? ||1||Pause|| All the wealth, land and property which you consider your own - when you leave your body, none of it shall go along with you. Why do you cling to them? ||1|| God is Merciful to the meek, forever the Destroyer of fear, and yet you do not develop any loving relationship with Him. Says Nanak, the whole world is totally false; it is like a dream in the night. ||2||1|| Nothing belongs to you Todee, Fifth Mehl, Third House, Chau-Padas: One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru: Oh! Oh! You cling to Maya, you fool; this is not a trivial matter. That which you consider to be yours, is not yours. ||Pause|| You do not remember your Lord, even for an instant. That which belongs to others, you believe to be your own. ||1|| The Naam, the Name of the Lord, is always with you, but you do not enshrine it within your mind. You have attached your consciousness to that which you must eventually abandon. ||2|| You collect that which will bring you only hunger and thirst. You have not obtained the supplies of the Ambrosial Naam. ||3|| You have fallen into the pit of sexual desire, anger and emotional attachment. By Guru's Grace, O Nanak, a rare few are saved. ||4||1||16|| The only true relationship is with God Maaroo, First Mehl: Neither the sisters, nor the sisters-in-law, nor the mothers-in-law, shall remain. The true relationship with the Lord cannot be broken; it was established by the Lord, O sister soul-brides. ||1|| I am a sacrifice to my Guru; I am forever a sacrifice to Him. Wandering so far without the Guru, I grew weary; now, the Guru has united me in Union with my Husband Lord. ||1||Pause|| Aunts, uncles, grandparents and sisters-in-law - they all come and go; they cannot remain. They are like boatloads of passengers embarking. ||2|| Uncles, aunts, and cousins of all sorts, cannot remain. The caravans are full, and great crowds of them are loading up at the riverbank. ||3|| O sister-friends, my Husband Lord is dyed in the color of Truth. She who lovingly remembers her True Husband Lord is not separated from Him again. ||4|| All the seasons are good, in which the soul-bride falls in love with the True Lord. That soul-bride, who knows her Husband Lord, sleeps in peace, night and day. ||5|| At the ferry, the ferryman announces, ""O travellers, hurry up and cross over."" I have seen them crossing over there, on the boat of the True Guru. ||6|| Some are getting on board, and some have already set out; some are weighed down with their loads. Those who deal in Truth, remain with their True Lord God. ||7|| I am not called good, and I see none who are bad. O Nanak, one who conquers and subdues his ego, becomes just like the True Lord. ||8||2||10|| Wake up Bihaagraa, Fifth Mehl, Chhant: Why are you imbued with the love of another? That path is very dangerous. O sinner, no one is your friend. No one shall be your friend, and you shall forever regret your actions. You have not chanted with your tongue the Praises of the Sustainer of the World; when will these days come again? The leaf, separated from the branch, shall not be joined with it again; all alone, it falls on its way to death. Prays Nanak, without the Lord's Name, the soul wanders, forever suffering. ||1|| You are practicing deception secretly, but the Lord, the Knower, knows all. When the Righteous Judge of Dharma reads your account, you shall be squeezed like a sesame seed in the oil-press. For the actions you committed, you shall suffer the penalty; you shall be consigned to countless reincarnations. Imbued with the love of Maya, the great enticer, you shall lose the jewel of this human life. Except for the One Name of the Lord, you are clever in everything else. Prays Nanak, those who have such pre-ordained destiny are attracted to doubt and emotional attachment. ||2|| No one advocates for the ungrateful person, who is separated from the Lord. The hard-hearted Messenger of Death comes and seizes him. He seizes him, and leads him away, to pay for his evil deeds; he was imbued with Maya, the great enticer. He was not Gurmukh - he did not chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord of the Universe; and now, the hot irons are put to his chest. He is ruined by sexual desire, anger and egotism; deprived of spiritual wisdom, he comes to regret. Prays Nanak, by his cursed destiny he has gone astray; with his tongue, he does not chant the Name of the Lord. ||3|| Without You, God, no one is our savior. It is Your Nature, Lord, to save the sinners. O Savior of sinners, I have entered Your Sanctuary, O Lord and Master, Compassionate Ocean of Mercy. Please, rescue me from the deep, dark pit, O Creator, Cherisher of all hearts. I seek Your Sanctuary; please, cut away these heavy bonds, and give me the Support of the One Name. Prays Nanak, please, give me Your Hand and save me, O Lord of the Universe, Merciful to the meek. ||4|| That day is judged to be fruitful, when I merged with my Lord. Total happiness was revealed, and pain was taken far away. Peace, tranquility, joy and eternal happiness come from constantly singing the Glorious Praises of the Sustainer of the World. Joining the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, I lovingly remember the Lord; I shall not wander again in reincarnation. He has naturally hugged me close in His Loving Embrace, and the seed of my primal destiny has sprouted. Prays Nanak, He Himself has met me, and He shall never again leave me. ||5||4||7|| Siree Raag, Fifth Mehl: People eat what they believe to be sweet, but it turns out to be bitter in taste. They attach their affections to brothers and friends, uselessly engrossed in corruption. They vanish without a moment's delay; without God's Name, they are stunned and amazed. ||1|| O my mind, attach yourself to the service of the True Guru. Whatever is seen, shall pass away. Abandon the intellectualizations of your mind. ||1||Pause|| Like the mad dog running around in all directions, the greedy person, unaware, consumes everything, edible and non-edible alike. Engrossed in the intoxication of sexual desire and anger, people wander through reincarnation over and over again. ||2|| Maya has spread out her net, and in it, she has placed the bait. The bird of desire is caught, and cannot find any escape, O my mother. One who does not know the Lord who created him, comes and goes in reincarnation over and over again. ||3|| By various devices, and in so many ways, this world is enticed. They alone are saved, whom the All-powerful, Infinite Lord protects. The servants of the Lord are saved by the Love of the Lord. O Nanak, I am forever a sacrifice to them. ||4||21||91|| Stay in chardi kala everyone!

http://allaboutsikhs.com/articles/why_am_i_a_sikh.htm Why am I a Sikh Late S. Narain Singh M.A. Ex. Manager Nankana Sahib, Secretary Guru Nanak Dev Mission Because I have not to worship and appease many a God and a goddess and seek the help of so many of them to meet my needs. Rather I depend upon one God who is Omnipresent and is with me where-so-ever I be. My God has no equal and has none to fear from. By praying to Him I seek the protection of One who is Himself fearless and makes me lose all my fears. My God is kind and merciful and does forgive my sins if I sincerely pray for that. My God is all powerful and because He is always at my beck and call, my enemies dare not touch me. I have no rituals to perform to seek his help. I simply meditate on certain of His qualities and He stands by me in the particular form and shape of that quality. I can meditate on His qualities any where, any time and on every occasion and my seeking His help is so simple and easy that it tempts me to be a Sikh. Because I need not go from door to door to seek guidance and advice. I have all guidance and advice incorporated in one and only one Holy Granth. It is the fountain head from where all knowledge springs. Through it I see my God visualised. It gives me a clear and true perspective of this world and the world to come. It has in it the axioms of a happy life, a life of beauty and joy for ever and ever. It makes me slight the most fearful - the very death itself that emanates all fears. It brings home to me all the different values of life-personal and impersonal, social and individual, worldly and heavenly, pertaining to my soul and my God. With it I soar to immeasurable heights and go fathoms deep in successful search of invaluable rubies and diamonds and with it I stand exalted high as Heavens. It puts into motion the inner-most strings of my life. It carries me there where human intellect fails. It distinguishes right from wrong and puts me on the right track. It is a guide that never deserts. It has a transcendant beauty, an execellent music and an ambrosial food for my yearning soul and through it I feel one with humanity, one with universe, nay, one with God Himself. Its constant enlightenment lets me not waver form Sikhism. Because I am never alone. My Guru though invisible to human eye, is always with me. He is a great warrior unsurpassed in valour a knight among heroes, saviour of the innocent, kind and merciful and noblest of the noble souls and comes to help his Sikhs wherever and whenever they meditate and call on Him for help. When I am upset and feel lonely, when I am faced with insurmountable difficulties and dangers, when my enemies seem to overpower me, I concentrate on His dynamical personality and He is there by my side. Isn't it then worth while to be a Sikh? Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Master, has put on me three commands - Service, Simran and Sacrifice—Service of the humble and the poor, Simran of his Master's great qualities and Sacrifice of self to uphold the right and the just. These are the picks of human excellence. In my endeavours to inculcate these qualities in me I hold on as a Sikh. Because Sikhs are a martial community, they always prefer to die a heroic death to an ignominious life. They rejoice over death for a noble cause. They take it as the sweet will of God and grumble not when faced with death. Their take it as the sweet will of God and grumble not when faced with death. Their past history abounds with such deaths and they recollect their innumerable martyrs in their regular prayers every morning and evening to imbibe their spirit of sacrifice. It enlivens their souls and reminds them of Guru Gobind Singh's commands. To die a coward is the greatest sin with them. A death in the battle field is what they covet most. They would not turn their back on the enemy. It is their martial spirit that has given them a place and name in the world. It is this incentive to martialism of theirs that keeps me a Sikh. Because of the heavenly nectar —Amrit that Guru gave me that I am Sikh. It gives me the supremacy of Nam, hardness of steel, coolness of water and sweetness of honey. With it I feel transformed to super-humanity. I imbibe the spirit of Guru Gobind Singh and present a look of the very Guru himself. With my long hair and comely beard I vie in appearance with Christ and Mohammed, with Ram and Krishna, with Balmik and all Rishis of the Bharat. I feel a Shiva in me with a sword in hand to safeguard the interests of the weak and defend my land against aggression. What a wonderful transformation by this Amrit that makes me a Sikh! Because practising Sikhism is so simple - no complexities of rituals and ceremonies, fasts and austerities, renunciations and reclusions or heavens and hells. I have no conch-shells to blow, no bells to ring, no deities to appease, no pilgrimages to undertake. I preserve my long hair and beard as nature gives them to me and keep a comb to cleanse them every day. To look decent and civilized. I keep my loins covered with a 'Kachhehra', an underwear. I wear a sword to meet unforeseen enemies, an iron bracelet an emblem to remind me that I am day and night in my Guru's bondage. I eat when hungry, drink when thirsty, wear when naked and enjoy as I will, provided those do not pollute my mind nor harm my body. The only criterian with me is the preservation of a clear conscience in a sound body. This simplicity of faith and freedom of joy are the greatest inducements for me to be a Sikh. Because it is not a faith to be practised in the tempies and lived in seclusions. I have to practise it in daily life, behind the plough, on the roadside in the workshop and on the table. I have to be a Sikh at home, a Sikh abroad, a Sikh in society and a Sikh in battle field. I have to be a Sikh in thought, word and deed, a Sikh in my dealings with the world at large and a Sikh-like in all stations of life. It is a life to be lived and not a tenet or a philosophy to be preached. No recitations, no formalities, no celebrations are of any avail unless I live upto these. It is the action that counts with me. I must not say but do and I must appear as I am and not what I am not. No show, no deceitful presentation of myself is my creed. It is, therefore that I am a Sikh. Because I need no priestly order to redeem my sins. I am priest to myself. I can stand alone and pray to God for my redemption. He listens to my prayers. I have also full faith in a congregation of my people-devotees of my Guru. We sit together in the presence of our Guru-Holy Granth, sing in chorus hymns from the Granth till we are all one and in harmony with the Guru. We stand up then and pray with folded hands for redemption of our sins, for proper guidance in life and for His blessings for the entire mankind and the Universe. There I feel one with universe, a member of the human brother-hood and lie prostrate at His feet with all humbleness praying for the common good of all friends or foes. What a wonderful prayer! Hence I am a Sikh. Because Sikhism recognises no caste or creed as high or low nor is there any colour, country or race bar. Its doors are open to the black and the white, to the western and the eastern and to the Negro and the American alike. There are no untouchables with the Sikhs. They run free community kitchens and call them Guru-Ka-Langar. Whosoever may contribute, the ration cooked in the Langar is considered to be that of the Guru. Theirs is only the service that they do in person. It is therefore that even the wealthiest among them and the persons commanding greatest respect male or female are seen cooking meals and cleaning utensils in the Guru-Ka-Langar, here all dine sitting in one and the same row (pangat) and partake of one and the same food regardless of the fact of one's descending from a royal lineage or having in hand a beggar's bowl or of being a Brahman or a Shudra, a Muslim, a Hindu, a Jew or a Christian. Again they have common bathing tanks at Amritsar, Tarn Taran and a Baoli at Goindwal, constructed by the Gurus themselves where all are welcome to have a dip without the least distinction of caste or creed. When they join hands in congregational prayers, they place no bar on anybody may be of any nationality or profess any religion. Their common mess, common bath and common prayer with a common Holy Granth to revere and one Common God of all to pay their homage to, are the grand insignia to their deeprooted faith in one common brotherhood of man. They stand for equality and fraternity and their congregations (Sangat) and their mass dinners (pangat) are wonderful spectacles to look at. It is this spirit of universal brotherhood, a commonwealth of man in Sikhism that appeals to me to be a Sikh. Because it is a faith based on Unity of God and brotherhood of man. Love of God and service of humanity are the main themes with it. Human soul enchained in human body feels separated from God and it has to be reunited with Him. Love is the only uniting force. Service humanises and makes one tender hearted - receptive - qualities essential for a loving heart. Love and service are hence enjoined upon every Sikh. He quits his bed early before dawn therefore, to get himself immersed in the love of his great Master and with sunrise he devotes himself to the service of humanity performing all the time his routine duties with all sincerity and integrity - noble ideals for a man. To own these I earnesty aspire to be a Sikh of the Guru.

from what i know ( thanks to my limited knowledge ), Sant Baba Jarnail Singh Jee Khalsa Bhindranwale wanted Amritsar free from drugs, cigarettes, alcohol and all other bs, and so wanted Amritsar to be given status of holy city so that all these things are automatically prohibitted there. Sangat jee plz enlighten me of other info.

if this happened in india then who knows they might have fooled u...if a bus driver knew astrology howcome he is driving a bus and didn't start his own dera? ;)

my dad's chacha (grandpa's younger bro) is a famous astrologer in Punjab...i laugh at what he says...do the same and u'll be happy

i haven't met dharamraaj personally yet and don't hope to meet any time soon, but i don't think he'd feel very nice if one went upto him and said i belong to such and such religion...u see, he doesn't care :wink:

http://www.sikhs.org/art5.htm What is a Head Worth? by Dr. I.J. Singh History tells us that in the sixteenth century Ignatius Loyola decreed that henceforth all priests of the Jesuit order must wear a collar. He also promulgated a special code of conduct for the clergy. Why? Apparently, Ignatius wanted to organize a special cadre of people devoted solely to serve the church and its flock. He called it the "army of Christ". This army of shepherds was to guide and lead the flock of believers. The uniform and the code defined the army. Those who joined this army pursued a higher calling than the laity. What was India like around that time? A predominantly Hindu county, it was ruled by Muslims. Hindu society had always been cast-ridden in which over half the people were denied their humanity. For instance, the women and lower castes could not read the holy scriptures and were denied access to most professions and trades etc. In that society, food was deemed defiled if the shadow of a lower caste person fell on it, and molten lead could be poured into the ears of such a person should he hear the sacred scriptures. Female infanticide was common and widows were routinely burnt at the pyres of the dead husbands in a rite called suttee. The upper castes were corrupt, the priests sold religious indulgences; the Brahmins were little better than charlatans, the ticket sellers for a dubious passage to heaven, but above all, the guardians of their own privileged lifestyles. The people were powerless, under the heel either to their own corrupt upper cast Brahmins or the ruling Muslims. The Muslims were intolerant of other religions, and by special taxation and other humiliations, waged a full scale effort to islamize India. For instance a non-Muslim could not bear arms or ride a horse except by special permission and paid special taxes for weddings and funerals. History also tells us that on Baisakhi (around mid-April) 1699 the tenth Guru, Gobind, appeared before a congregation of 80,000 at Anandpur in Punjab. He flashed a naked sword and demanded a head. Some followers slipped away, many looked away. What kind of a Guru asks his followers for such a sacrifice? This Guru did, not once but five times. Each time, one Sikh stepped forward. History also records that from this modest beginning, Guru Gobind Singh created the mighty Khalsa nation. He dubbed them "lions", each equivalent to 125,000 ordinary men; each a king among men or a princess. His Sikhs were to have the valor of a lion and the grace of a princess. After he created his new order, the Guru knelt and his first five converts in turn converted him from Gobind Rai to Gobind Singh. By this act, he set himself, not as a ruler of a nation or a General of an army, but another soldier of the Khalsa. In this unique gesture, the leader acknowledged his debt to his own people - every leader is so indebted but few remember. This incident deserves a special place in the annals of human history, management of large organizations, corporate hierarchy and leadership training. It was a rare process and technique to teach a downtrodden and powerless people the idiom of empowerment and it turned India's feudal society on its head. The lesson was not lost either on his Sikhs who cheerfully followed Guru Gobind Singh through the hell of pain, suffering and war, nor was it lost on the Hindu and Muslim elite of the society whose comfortable thrones were rocked by the Sikhs and who declared perpetual war on the Sikhs. I call this a perpetual war because even now three hundred years later in the twentieth century, India's feudal, Brahminical ruling classes resent the assertive sense of self and of power that the Guru bestowed upon his Sikhs. And therein lie the roots of the Sikh struggle for autonomy in India today. History also tells us that where his followers had offered their heads, Guru Gobind Singh did not lag behind. He led his soldiers like a good General, not from a comfortable bunker but by being alongside them. He laid on the line not only all of his worldly possessions but also his family including minor children and ultimately his own life as well. He looked at the miracle of his creation of the Khalsa and attributed it to the Khalsa, without pride or conceit. God's work was done, he said. He gave his Khalsa a special code of conduct, a specific uniform, and distinctive symbols. Khalsa was destined to be an army of winners, fearless and pure, in service to God and Man, in pursuit of righteousness. Unlike Ignatious Loyola's army, this "pride of lions" of Sikhs was to have no professional clergy, nor were there to be any sheep or shepherds. In this nation of soldiers of God, there were to be none who were more equal than others. Henceforth, every Sikh who was a Singh or Kaur was to be in uniform as a soldier. There were to be no higher calling for some and not for others, as Loyola had envisioned. The code of conduct applied equally to all, including the Guru and he himself remained answerable to the directives of his Khalsa. Guru Gobind Singh created the Khalsa but the foundation stone had been laid by the iconoclast Nanak who challenged authority most-boldly and by his followers who were martyred for the right to live with dignity. Guru Nanak found a demoralized nation of jackasses but by his teaching and by the examples of his followers, the spark of self-respect was lit; the process of transformation of a jackass into a lion had begun. Two hundred years later, by the time of Guru Gobind Singh, it was time to awaken the sleeping lion; the jackass had been metamorphosed. Only then did Guru Gobind Singh give the lion a new uniform and a code of conduct. Guru Gobind Singh created an egalitarian order but for the ordinary follower he did not make the job any easier. If there is no clergy with binding ecclesiastical authority, then each Sikh has to cultivate and heed his own conscience. Each Sikh must hone his own intellect and plumb the depths of his own faith. Guru Gobind Singh recognized that each one of us has a constant battle to fight and the enemies are not necessarily out there. In all the battles of life that must be fought, no battlefield is more important than that of the mind. On that Baisakhi day three hundred years ago, Guru Gobind Singh staged the lesson of life: In everything you do and in each moment of your life, live honestly and so that you can put your head on the line. In whatever you do, do it so that you can live and die with dignity. Now three hundred years after Guru Gobind Singh, is there anyone asking for a head? When a business associate suggests that a little greasing of the palm could smooth the way for your project or when a prospective employer hints that a job or a promotion could be yours if you appear without your Sikh uniform, why should you resist? If the road you take is less than straight and narrow, why does it matter? If social life could be easier without the long hair or the Sikh uniform, why not take the easy road? Why look to the road less traveled by? Haven't times changed? Guru Gobind Singh is not asking for heads now, or is he? Yes, three hundred years have passed. Guru Gobind Singh no longer appears in person at the job interview, flashing a naked sword and asking for your head. Mysterious are the ways of the Guru and many are the people that he uses as his instruments. Now the question is framed differently, the flashing sword is replaced by the prospect of social isolation, economic disaster or harassment at the job or in the neighborhood. The instrument of the Guru is the affable man or woman behind the desk asking all these awkward questions. The instrument of the Guru may be the nice person having a cup of coffee or pleasant conversation with you. The intent of the questions is the same, only the form is different. The question is asked a hundred times a day and in a myriad ways. Three hundred years later, once again the Guru wants your head. Many will slip away, just as they did three hundred years ago. Many more will look away, just as they did then. The question is: How are you going to answer the call?

waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh alright here is some more, taken from http://bhindranwale.tripod.com/fateh/id10.html ( please go to this link for the full article ) please notice it says : Information Courtesy of DAMDAMI TAKSAL In case u think that the army attacked suddenly, here is what it says : dear veers, such a preparation cannot be done to launch a sudden/surprise attack. i am not defending or attacking anyone here as i do not have enough knowledge about the different people being discussed here. The simple point i want to put through is that the attack was pre-planned. Thanks for reading and sorry for taking your time. waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh ~das Rochak

according to shia islam, 786 represents imam ali ( not 100% sure ), i believe the digits 7, 8, 6 turn out to represent the letters A, L, I (please correct me again )...also, the arabic digits 7, 8, 6 if places in a typical fashion look like the hindu symbol OM some fairy tales i've come across...once again, this is what i have come across...it is very well subject to error

Rupy Posted sooraj poorb di bajaaye pashchim ton nikkal aawe, bakri kutte nu paida karay, majj dudd di bajaaye daaru deni shuru kar dewe, iljaam Rochak te hi auna , Rochak na ho gaya osama bin laden ho gaya ...never mind this post, and dont worry about the Punjabi :cry:

Baba Manochal Posted i am not sure but i think it was something like If i had just 3 of these Singhs i would be able to take on the entire pakistani army.

http://www.tribuneindia.com/2004/20040425/spectrum/book4.htm Holistic vision of Guru Granth Sahib Darshan Singh Maini A landmark in the history of Sikhism, the 400th centenary of the Granth Sahib is a moment of moments for the community, and is, accordingly, being celebrated the world over with great fervour. Already several measures — seminars, kirtan darbars,etc. — are afoot to mark this historic occasion. When completed in 1604, the Guru Granth ushered in a renaissance in Sikh life which was to be made absolute when, later, Guru Gobind Singh gave form, shape and identity to the Khalsa. Few other world scriptures are so encyclopaedic in their range and spread in their catholicity and modernity. And now to the moment when Guru Arjan Dev thought of undertaking this massive project, almost single-handedly. In this arduous and daunting enterprise, he had, however, the help of Bhai Gurdas, a Sikh savant well-versed in all the languages to be found in the scripture. The Guru Granth was composed in a highly "scientific manner" so that there was no room later for any distortions, deletions or interpolations. The Guru Granth has 1,430 pages in all, and carries the gathered material in a well-pondered manner. Its hymns from different sources amount to 5,894. The bulk of hymns come from Guru Arjan’s own pen. The three Gurus — Hargobind, Har Rai and Harkrishan — for some reasons didn’t write hymns but the ninth Guru, Teg Bahadur, resumed the writing of hymns. It was the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, who collected his father’s hymns known as Navan Mohalla— written in incarceration before his martyrdom on the orders of the Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb. The tenth Guru did not include his own massive work which appeared separately in Jap Sahib and other compositions. Thus, he gave Guru Granth the status of the Guru, and himself bowed before the volume to make it the last Guru of the Sikhs. Thus, living Gurudom was abolished for ever. All future generations were to pay respects to the sacred scripture, and treat it as the voice of their Gurus. It’s again important to know how this huge material came into Guru Arjan Dev’s hands. The two pothiscarrying the compositions of the first four Gurus known as Goindwal pothis were, then, in the custody of Baba Mohan, maternal uncle of Guru Arjan Dev, a recluse and a mystic. However, all efforts to secure the pothisfrom him proved futile till Guru Arjan Dev composed a couple of beautiful hymns addressed to Mohan (one of the several names of the beloved Lord), and himself recited those soulful hymns below the window of the room where Baba Mohan lived. This proved effective, for Baba Mohan was touched, and read the message contained obliquely in the hymns. These pothis, were then given shape and form by the fifth Guru. Again, the uniqueness of this scripture can be measured from the fact that it carried the work of not only the Sikh Gurus, but also of both Bhaktas and Sufi poets. Guru Arjan Dev saw that Sanskrit which was virtually a dead language would not serve his purpose. Instead, he made use of Hindi in the forms in which it was being used at that time. These forms included Avadi and other dialects used by the bards and Bhaktas of the period. Arabic and Persian had been used by several poets with the advent of Islam and its culture in India, but no compositions in these languages are to be found in the Guru Granth. The Guru Granth begins with Guru Nanak’s compositions. His most revered and recited bani, Jap Ji, now forms the staple of a Sikh’s morning prayers. The opening word "Ek-Onkar" — "The One All-Pervading Being" — precedes the word Jap and then the poem goes on to 38 pauris or stanzas in a splendid, epiphanic manner. A transcendant vision emerges when in the final pauris,Guru Nanak reaches the heights of his powers. The Janam Sakhis say that when Guru Nanak had just commenced his divine journey to discover the Lord, he once disappeared for three days in a stream called Bein, and when he emerged, he knew his journey had started. He had seen in that vision in the water the Lord Himself, and received the amrit of naam. The songs uttered after that experience ultimately took him to the heights of his poetic splendour in the Japjiwhich was written later, in his mature years. The hymns written or uttered by Guru Nanak and later Sikh Gurus described the wonders of the created world, bridging the gulf between this world and the next. The Guru Granth composed 400 years ago has now become a Sikh’s nourishment, for it has irradiated his soul, and saturated his sensibility. This divine verse gives him a feeling of Sada Vigasor "life of perennial hope and rising spirits". This, I trust, is the Guru Granth’s final message. It serves to keep the Sikh in an upbeat mood, both in times of sorrow and in those of joys.

Gurdwara Tapoban Sahib www.tapoban.org By Jathedar Raam Singh (Soora, Mar, 87) Translated by www.tapoban.org Admin This is an incident from the 1972 Agra Keertan Smaagam. It is for me an unforgettable memory, which causes me to feel bairaag, and teaches about divinely ordained fate and the Guru’s grace. It was the ran sabaaee for the smaagam and after the selection of the Punj Pyaaray, the Jathedar Sahib of the Punj Pyaaray told me to go outsie and see how many aspirants for Amrit were present. I took permission of the Jatehdar and went outside to see. After asking around I found out that about five or six individuals had come for this priceless gift of Amrit. Sitting a little farther back than the rest of the aspirants, all alone was an Eastern-Indian, Hindu Bhaiyaa family (husband, wife, and three children). From their clothes I could tell they were extremely poor. My conversation with them was as such: I: What have you come here for? The Couple: Baboo jee, to take amrit. I: (with surprise) What did you say? Couple: Baboo jee, for amrit. We have taken a bath before coming. All of us, even the children. I: Are you wearing a Kacherra? Couple: No Baboo jee. I: Kirpaan, Kangha, KaRa…do you have any of these? Couple: No Baboo jee. I could see myself that they were not wearing keskees. I told them about the restrictions on the use of meat, alchol and tobacco. They were completely ready to meet any condtions to receive amrit. I went back inside and told Jathedar Sahib everything. Jathear Sahib began to laugh and was very happy. He gave permission for the Hindu family to be dressed in the five kakaars and be presented before the Punj Pyaaray. I requested a Singh who lived in Agra to arrange for kakaars for the family and also suitable clothes (salvaar kameez, dupatta) for the wife. The wife was wearing a dhotee at the time. The Agra Singh quickly arranged for all the required things. The peshees began. The Punj Pyaaray gave this family approval as candidates for amrit. After the peshees, all the amrit candidates were called inside. The Bata was prepared. The candidates kept receiving amrit and beginning their spiritual lives as the Amrit hall began to echo with naam. At the very end came the turn of this family. First the Singh came. The candidate assumed the beer aasun. His conversation with Punj was like this: Panch: (After giving Amrit choola) Bol, Vaahiguru Jee kaa khaalsaaa Vaahiguru jee kee fateh! Abhilakhee: Silent. Panch: Bol Vaahiguru jee kaa khaalsaa vaahiguru jee kee fateh! Ab: Silent. Panch: (understanding he had not ever heard the Fateh before), How we say it, you too should repeat like us. Ab: Yes sir. Panch: Bolo Vahiguru Ab: Vaahiguru Panch: Jee kaa Ab: Jee kaa Panch: Khalsa Ab: Khansa Panch: Not Khansa, KHALSA Ab: Falsa Panch: not Falsa, say KHA Ab: KHA Panch: L Ab: L Panch: Sa Ab: Sa Panch: Vahiguru Ab: Vahiguru Panch: Jee kee Ab: Jee kee Panch: Fateh! Ab: Fateh! And like this, this candidate was blessed with Amrit. It took him a long time to learn how to recite naam as well. The came the turn of his older son who was about ten years old. He had the same experience as his father. Then came the wife’s turn. The word Khalsa had to be split apart for her as well for her to repeat it. When the bibi had received amrit, the Panch, (through the Jathedar Sahib) told the Bibi, “You have taken Amrit. Now the Punj Pyaaray will give you naam. You will accompany us as we now meditate on it†After saying this, the Panch put their hands on her head and released the first furaataa of svaas giraasee naam abhyaas. With the second furaataa, this Bibi (who had never ever heard even the Fateh or naam before) began to do abhyaas like she had been doing so for many years. She would recite naam so clearly and easily and louder than anyone else. All the observers began to smile and watch this Bibi. The Bibi’s body became solid and she fell into the dandaut position. The power of naam abhyaas was moving her body so much that the Panch had to hold her head with great struggle so it wouldn’t hit the ground. It was getting hard to manage the Bibi. Jathedar Sahib motioned to the other Bibis sitting close by to take care of the Bibi and turned her over to them. For a long time she stayed in this state. When she regained consciousness (even though her naam khanda was still going) she had a Guru given glow on her face, which causes vairaag in the observer. She sat down and was fully immersed in naam meditation. The youngest daughter who was about two years old also had abhyaas just like her mother’s. After the amrit sinchaar, the couple was re-married according to the Anand Kaaraj ceremony and was given names according to Gurmat. Because of some old karmas, this family must have been born in the East and worked hard labour and lived in abject poverty. When the architect of destiny willed, this family must have been sitting and eating in the Langar when they heard they could also receive Amrit. The bathed and arrived. Their destiny was to awaken, so Guru Sahib created a path for them. With innocence, they arrived and sat a bit apart from the rest of the candidates. In their minds they had the wish, “we too will take amritâ€. What did they know what amrit was or how it was received? They must have thought amrit was given like langar. The great puppeteer was in their hearts and making all this possible. The Lord created such a play and made these candidates speak such words that in their innocence, they were accepted at the door of the Guru. After receiving the gift of amrit and naam, such grace fell upon this family that is seen of very few others. Their soul, thirsting for naam, upon receiving just a droplet of it, completely immersed itself. This was all a play of old Karmas.

http://www.srigurunanaksahib.org/love-is-guru-nanak.htm Guru Nanak is Love and Love is Guru Nanak Parbrahm Liv Ekang ~Sri Guru Granth Sahib (360) God is the only Love God is love and love is God. As God cannot be confined, restricted or limited to any particular creed, cult, race, similarly Religion of love cannot be restricted or confined in geographical limits and boundaries. Sri Guru Nanak Sahib's Religion of Love is cosmic and universal in its appeal, holy folds and dimensions. It is a Religion of perfect and universal Love totally free from man-made barriers of colour, caste, creed and status. It is a Religion which radiates with a deep thirst for the Divine and with the highest gospel of purity of heart, mind, body, speech and deeds. It is a Religion which establishes brotherhood of the whole global community irrespective of colour, caste, creed, race and -nationality purely on the basis and foundation of love and equality, all being the children of the same lovable God. Great Gurus prayed for the whole global community; they preached universal love. They belong to the whole mankind and cannot be tied to a particular sect, race, place or country. They bestowed total freedom from all types of man-made social, racial, sectarian, caste and religious prejudices and ushered in an era of a momentous and marvellous human, linguistic, religious and spiritual unity and integration. For Sri Guru Angad Sahib, the Beauty of the whole world had paled into insignificance when compared with the Divine Beauty of Lord Guru Nanak. For Sri Guru Amar Das Sahib the Charm of the whole world had become trivial and meaningless in comparison with the Divine Beauty of Sri Guru Angad Sahib-Nanak the second. Such is the Majestic Beauty - the Eternal Glory of Guru Nanak Sahib who is Pure image of Bliss, a Mass of Divine Beauty, Repository of all Divine Virtues and excellences. Only Satguru can grace and bless a devoted sikh, a true disciple with this rarest of the rare blissful state and experience of Divine Love. Aapey Laayo Apna Pyar Sada Sada Tis Gur Ko Kari Namaskar ~Sri Guru Granth Sahib (240) True love is the very Bliss, the very charm, the very soul of Life-Divine. Love exclusively directed to the Beloved Lord, Beloved Satguru is called True Love-Divine Love, True Prema-True Bhagti. Devotional Love is a special, a most precious, a rare gift and boon from the Satguru. Love smitten devotee transcends all the regions of worldliness, the region of Maya, the region of desires. A love smitten sikh is all the time absorbed and immersed in deep contemplation and meditation of his beloved Satguru. He is all the time intoxicated with the Nectar of Guru Consciousness. Lover and love get totally dissolved in the Beloved Separate individualities and personalities cease to exist. Lover and the Beloved become one. God thirsts and hungers for this Prema-True Love much more than the devotee and rushes forth to the yearning call of Love. ~Baba Narinder Singh Ji True Love is the Highest Stage of Spiritual perfection ~Baba Narinder Singh Ji Ik Baba Akal Roop - Satguru is a visible manifestation of Akal Purkh, Nirankar (Formless God). Love with Satguru is the same as with formless God. It is out of Mercy and Compassion for His creation that the Lord embodies forth in the Luminous form of Satguru. Sri Guru Nanak Sahib is the Holy Image of God. A saint whose mind and physical eyes have been spiritualized, have been divinized by constantly drinking the Nectar of beholding this Holy Image cannot live without this life-breath even for few moments. The blessed one who has realized and tasted the Bliss of the Divine Glory of the Holiest of the Holy Image of Sri Guru Nanak Sahib cannot live without drinking this Nectar through his blessed eyes deep into his heart. Consequently his eyes sparkle and shine in this Divine Splendour, in the glory of Marvelleous Paramjot.

http://www.babanandsinghsahib.org/virtues/...perreligion.htm Nam as per Religion of the Seeker People of all religions came to Babaji and amazingly Babaji advised them to practice Nam Simran applicable to their own Religion- Ram to Hindus and Kalma to Muslims. Paths (complete recitation) of Mother Bhagwat Gita and Holy Quran were distributed as prashad along with paths of Sri Guru Granth Sahib with equal veneration to the congregation on puranmashi. What a uniquely harmonious and integrative approach. Adherents of all religions and faiths derived equal solace and enlightenment from Him. Babaji was a model of perfection and excellence, harmony of all religious faiths and ideals and preached the unity of Godhood and of mankind. Babaji never disturbed, shook or unsettled the existing faith of anyone who came to Him. He stirred and lifted the hearts of all in their own respective religious faiths. He always reinforced their faith on the paths they were already following.

http://www.babanandsinghsahib.org/virtues/nevercursed.htm Never cursed Babaji never cursed anybody in His whole life. Never did a word of ill will or of condemnation of anyone pass through His holy lips. Brahm Giani Ki Sab Ooper Maiya Brahm Giani Te Kuchh Bura Na Bhaiya ~Sri Guru Granth Sahib (272) From a true Brahm Giani, Mercy (compassion) flows to all alike. No harm whatsoever can come from a Brahm Giani. On the contrary, He even blessed those who talked ill of Him. He even once said, "If by going to a Saint or a Maha Purush, one is only to be cursed, then what is the difference between a Saint and a butcher." Once Baba Rattan Singh Ji happened to mention to Baba Ji about a person who was in the perpetual habit to talking ill of Babaji. Baba Ji smiled and replied that the person concerned would be liberated earlier than Rattan Singh because he remembered, contemplated and concentrated on Him much more intensely compared to Rattan Singh. Aap Mukt Mukt Kare Sansar Nanak Tis Jan Ko Sada Namaskar ~Sri Guru Granth Sahib (295) Being eternally free himself, he redeems the whole world. Perpetual homage to such a saint. Such rare Divines appear once in ages. In singing the glories of the Lord in their holy congregations, the human beings easily cross over this Ocean of terrible existence. He blessed even those who were hostile and inimical towards Him. No dispensation of His was devoid of compassion and mercy. Compassion and Mercy flows to all alike from a Brahm Giani. No harm can ever come from such an illumined soul. Countless millions of creatures were redeemed and saved by His unbounded and infinite mercy and compassion. He not only saved devotees but also redeemed the ignorant and his enemies.

challenge_everything Posted: Tue Apr 27, 2004 veerjee, i think Sant Baba Jarnail Singh Jee Khalsa Bhindranwale resided at Nanak Niwas. veerjee, there were 42 other Gurdwaras that were attacked , so that means no matter what, the forces were gonna go on an all out mission and destroy every Gurdwara anyways.

Excerpts taken from http://www.sikhreview.org/june2000/chronicle.htm ( for full article, please visit this link ) It was a pre-planned attack, therefore it was nothing wrong if the Singhs had weapons to be prepared for any eventuality.

Taken from http://www.gurbani.org/webart34.htm ( For the complete article, please go to this link ) Asankh jap asankh bhaayu. Asankh pooja asankh tap taayu. Asankh granth mukhi ved paath. Asankh Yog manni rahahi udaas: Countless are meditations, countless are loves. Countless are worship services, countless are austere disciplines. Countless are scriptures and recitations of the Vedas. Countless are Yogis, whose minds remain detached from the world (sggs 3). Mohe laagtee taalaabeli....: I am restless and unhappy (without the Lord's Naam). (Just as) without her calf, the cow is lonely; without water, the fish writhes in pain. So is poor Naam Dev without the Lord's Name (sggs 874). Jin aatam tat na cheeniyaa; Sabh fokat dharma abeeniyaa: Whoever does not gain the knowledge of the Self, all his religious acts are vain and blind (sggs 1351). Kabira jahaa gian tah dharam hai jhaa jhooth tah paap; Jahaa lobh tah kaal hai jhaa khimaa tah aap: Says Kabir: where there is Knowledge, there is Dharma, and where there is falsehood, there is sin; where there is greed, there is death and where there is forgiveness, there is God Himself (sggs 1372). Man tu jot sroop hai apnaa mool pashaan: O my Soul, you are the Image of Divine Light, so know your Reality (sggs 441). Aatam mahi Ram ram mahi aatam cheenas Gur beechaaraa: God is in the Soul, and the Soul is in God. This is realized through the Guru’s Teachings (1153). Nangaa giaan nahee mukh baatayu. anik jugat sastar kari bhaatayu. giaanee soyi jaakai drir soyoo. kahat sunat kashoo yog na hoyoo: Spiritual wisdom is not obtained by mere words of mouth. It is not obtained through the various debates of the Shaastras and scriptures. They alone are spiritually wise, whose minds are firmly fixed on God, the Self. By just hearing and telling stories, no one attains Yoga (sggs 251). Giaan dhyaan Gurshabad hai meethaa: Spiritual Wisdom and meditation come to those unto whom the Shabad is sweet (sggs 162). Bandhan karam dharma hayu keeyaa: A false pride of being Dhaarmic will bind or entangle one to this material body (sggs 416). Karam dharam sabh bandhanaa paap pun sanbandh: The religious rituals are all entanglements; the bad and the good are all bound up with them (sggs 551). Kahoo jugati kitai na paaeeai Dharma: Naam cannot be obtained by any religious rituals (sggs 274). Sarab dharam mahi sarest dharam; hari ko naam jap nirmal karam: Of all the religions, the Best Religion is meditation (Japa or Naam-Simran); this is the pure conduct (sggs 266). Sagal dharam mahi ootam dharam. Karam kartooti kai oopari karam: Among all religions, the best religion is meditation (Naam-Simran). Among all rituals and conducts, this is above all (sggs 1182). Taji sabh bharam bhajio paarbrahm. Kahu Nanak atal ih Dharma: Renounce all your doubts, and ponder upon the Supreme Lord. Says Nanak, this is the Eternal Religion (sggs 196). Baliyo chiraag andhaar mahi sabh kali udhree ik naam dharam: The Name's lamp is lit in the midst of spiritual darkness; all are saved in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga through the One Name or Dharma (sggs 1387). Nanak hari kirtan kar attal ih dharma: O Nanak, engage in Hari Kirtan, this alone is the Attal Religion (sggs 299). Baisno so jis ooper su parsann...: The true Vaishnaav, the devotee, is the one with whom God is thoroughly pleased. He dwells apart from Maya. Performing good deeds, he does not seek rewards. Spotlessly Pure Religion of such a Vaishnaav; he has no desire for the fruits of his labors. He is absorbed in devotion and Kirtan. Within his mind and body, he meditates in remembrance on God. He is kind to all creatures. He holds fast to the Naam, and inspires others to chant it. O Nanak, such a Vaishnaav obtains the Supreme Status. The true Bhagaautee, the devotee, loves God's devotion. He forsakes the company of all wicked people. All doubts are removed from his mind. He performs devotion to the Supreme God in all. Associating with Truth, the filth of sin is washed away. The wisdom of such a Bhagaautee becomes supreme. He constantly performs the service of the Supreme God. He dedicates his mind and body to the Love of God. God's Lotus Feet (God-consciousness) abide in his heart. O Nanak, such a Bhagaautee attains God (sggs 274). Sagal mataant keval hari Naam. Gobind bhagat kai man bisraam: The Essence of all Religion is the Lord's Name alone; and it abides in the minds of devotees of God (sggs 296). Hoye nimaanee dhahi payee miliaa sahij subhayi: In humility, internally surrender to Him, and He naturally met me (sggs 761). The Lord says, "Abandon all varieties of religion and just surrender unto Me. I will deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not fear" (Gita 18-66). Kahoo jugati kitai na paaeeai Dharma: Naam (or Dharma) cannot be obtained by any rituals (sggs 274). Bhekh anek agan nahee boojhai. Koti upaav dargah nahee sijhai: Wearing various religious robes, the fire (of desire) is not extinguished; even making millions of efforts, one will not realize God (sggs 266). Bhekh bhavnee hathh na jaanaa Nanaka sach gahi rahe: I know of no religious dress or garbs, pilgrimages, or stubborn fanaticism; O Nanak, I only holdfast to the Truth (sggs 843). Visariyaa jin Naam te bhuyi bhaar theeyai: Those who have forsaken God's Name are burden on this earth (sggs 488). Jinee aisaa Har Naam na chetio se kaahe jag aae Ram Raaje: They, who did not contemplate on such a Name of God, why did they come in this world? (sggs 450). Jini Har Har Naam na chetio su ayugan aavai jaai: Those who have not contemplated God's Name are unworthy; they come and go in reincarnation (sggs 22). Eko Shabad saachaa neesaan. Poore Gur te jaanai jaan. Eko Dharam drirai sach koee: The Shabad or Naam is the Insignia of the One God. Through (this) Perfect Guru, the All-Knowing God is known. If someone grasp this thing, there is only One Religion of Truth (sggs 1188). Hari kirtan rahraas hamaaree Gurmukh panth ateetam: The God' Kirtan is my occupation; and to live as Gurmukh is my Pure Religion (sggs 360). Khuraasaan khasmaanaa keeya hidustaan daaraayaa. Aapai dos na deyee kartaa jam kari mugul charhaaiaa: Having attacked Khuraasaan, Baabar terrified Hindustan. God is not to be blamed for it; the Mugal as the messenger of death was the invader (sggs 360). Manni hirdai krodh mahaa bislodh nirap dhaavahi larhi dukh paya....: Hearts and minds filled with the horribly poisonous essence of anger, the kings fought their wars and obtained only pain. Their minds were afflicted with the illness of egotism, and their self-conceit and arrogance increased (sggs 445). Hukam na jaanahi bapure bhoolahi phirahi gavaar....: The wretched fools do not know God’s Will; they wander around making mistakes. They go about their business stubborn-mindedly; they are disgraced forever and ever. Inner peace does not come to them; they do not embrace Divine Love (sggs 66). Jat sat sanjam Naam hai vin naavai nirmal na hoi: The Name of God is abstinence, truthfulness, and self-restraint. Without the Name, no one becomes pure (sggs 33).