das

Last week on this forum I read about Mudras, and then searched for them. I've compiled a short document regarding the following topics: Mudras for physical health and spiritual progress Chanting of beads topics. It is a PDF file. Thanks! Mudra.pdf

Hi there, This is another fool. So, let me start......... I don't know why we always start arguing over meat and non-meat. I really find it strange that some learned scholars who are vegetarians themselves, but agree that Sikhs can eat meat. Let try to simple down the things: Question: Why we are in this world? Answer: Given a chance to reach/meet/merge Waheguru/GOD through the use of physical body. We are NOT born to fight. But while walking on the path of GOD one needs to be a warrior against injustice. And not that we have to leave the pursit of Waheguru and be only warrior. We are NOT Karaks or Avatars who are here for a specific purpose to kill the evil or to preach others. Question: Why we eat anything? Answer: To retain the physical body. One needs to maintain his/her body in order to do bhagti/naam simran. Question: If other products are available for consumption, then why somebody eats meat? Answer: Because his/her tongue likes it. Period. In other terms, it's Free Will wants it. At the same time Free Will is restricted by his/her own karmas. Question: Common quote is that history proves that warrior needs meat. Is that correct? Answer: Decide yourself. If you say yes, then it means that all Guru Gobind Singh Ji's army does consume meat all the time because they were all the time in wars. If they eat meat all the time, then all the Gurdwaras since that time should distribute meat in langar but that is NOT the case. So, decide yourself. Question: Another common quote is that warriors and family man needs tamo-guna diet because of their respective duties. Is that correct? Answer: Decide yourself. From nutrients point of view, soya has more proteins as compated to any meat. From Tamo-Gun point of view, why alchohol and tobacco are not allowed...they also have high tamo-gun factor? Also, tamo gun could be taken from Onion and Garlic without the need of meat. What my personal thinking is that GOD has created everything in HIS creation: All kinds of food: Sato, Rajo, and Tamo.......then why we ignore the high tamo foods like Onion, Garlic etc. and always look for meat as tamo gun food?? Question: What is the defination of warrior? Answer: Who fights against the injustice towards any person/country and NOT those who are born in warrior class (Nihang or Rajput etc.). If this is the case, how could a warrior fight for injustice with impure mind?? Decide yourself. Question: Is it ok to have meat under any condition? Answer: I think it might be ok if there is such situation. But I personally been never in such a situation till now. Question: Has the green signal giver of meat tried it practically? Answer: Probably not. Let's try: Have meat for one full month and also do the Naam Simran after consuming meat. Then another month have vegatebles and juice and also do the Naam Simran after consuming vegetables. You should feel the difference because Pure food leads to pure mind. Now, the warrior class also needs concentration while in the battle-field because without concentration warriors cannot win battles. Concentration reduces with Meat. Question: Is it possible that any 10 Sikh Gurus eat meat at any point of time? Answer: May or may not possible. The bottom line is: They were Karaks and therefore did NOT have any good/bad karmas associated with any of their deed/karma. But I knew one thing for sure that: All the Guru does have the capacity to give life to dead. Many Sakhis are available proving that They did bring back the dead animals. If we (non-vegetarians) say that Guru Ji also eat meat or did hunting, then why we never tried to bring back the dead animal?? If we have the power to bring back the dead animal to life then yes we can kill and eat meat. Never try to mirror the Guru. Question: Has anyone heard from Puran Sant/Mahapurash that a Amritdhari Singh (either a Bhagat or Warrior) has eatten meat? Answer: At least I have NOT heard from: Sant Baba Karam Singh Ji Hotimardan Wale, Sant Baba Attar Singh Ji Reru Sahib Wale, Sant Baba Isher Singh Ji Rara Sahib wale. In-fact I have read that eating meat is prohibited by Panj Payars during Amrit Sanchar since yesteryears. Question: Is it ok to always quarrel about meat and be vegetarian? Answer: NO. Arguing over meat and don't doing Naam Simran and achieving Brahmgyan is hopocrisy. Gurbani states that arguing is nothing. We should NOT spend our life in deciding whether meat is allowed or not.....or in history who consumed etc..... after-all the real thing does NOT lie in technicality.

To add to this topic regarding the Om and Onkar: As per "Anurag Sagar" granth by Bhagat Kabir: Hindus prononce Om because their old rishi/muni heard this sound after they reached some stage, but that sound is coming from Kaal's area. The actual sound is Onkar. Once someone actually reach GOD, there is NO sound there. EDIT: As corrected by Valli Singh, the Granth name is Anurag Sagar. Thanks Valli Singh for pointing this out.

Another thing to my mind and just want to share: When Neo bhaji says that "Things we did in our mind does NOT get bad karma, but seeds gets sowed........" Isn't the seed also a form of fruit (good or bad) because the seeds will force us to do either Good or Bad........e.g If we think about bad for someone, then we create a seed in our subconscious mind which in turn will compel us to do something wrong......same way, if we think of good for someone, then we create a good seed in our subconscious mind which in turn will compel us to do something good.............in other terms our "Free Will" will be effected because of our mind thoughts..........and if this is the case, then surely mind thoughts does carry fruit (either good or bad). Another thing is that doing the karmas by mind may also land us into mind problems in the coming years or janams.......e.g some persons are always in tension, worry, negative thoughts, negative attitude, no peaceful mind etc........All these problems are due to the previous bad Mind thoughts............To some extend we can say that karma done physically has different level of punishment or rewards vs the karmas done through the mind......but anything that our Mind thinks does carry punishment or reward.......it could be in the form of peaceful mind (reward for good mind thoughts), or tension (punishment for bad mind thoughts), or good/bad seeds our subconscious mind etc. etc. Good karma and Bad Karma are NOT something like good and bad based upon the physical aspect.......Good karma are those which help us to leave ego and get merge with GOD......and Bad karma are those who keeps us away from the GOD.

I won't jump into "whether Sikhs should or should not eat meat".......but let's discuss the things from the core: For a normal common man: - Eating any kind of meat/flesh (jhatka or any different method) is effecting one's spiritual practice in negative sense. - Ghosts and other negative energies are attracted more to the persons who drink intoxicants and eat meat because having food through them is easy for a Ghost. - We're on this earth to advance spiritually so that we can merge with HIM. So, therefore anything that hinders the spiritual growth is not good. But at the same time, the persons who don't do anything spirtually but just gets into "meat is good or meat is sin" for debate purposes does not land anywhere because we tend to discuss and debate but never follow our Guru's advice: Naam, Dhan, Ishnan.

I'm NOT posting against what Mahapurakh have written in His book. I can't think about it. I'm just trying to understand better as I was thinking otherwise. If we cannot get paap/pun (fruit) of the thinking (something which we did ONLY in our mind and NOT in action), then why do we go into various joonis if while dying we think about: Thinking about husband/wife will result in next birth as prostitute; Thinking about children will result in next birth as pig; Thinking about house will result in next birth as ghost etc. etc. If I am not wrong, then Antekaran goes to Dharamraja when we leave our physical body........in other terms Maan, Chit, Bhud, Ankhar (which are parts of Antekaran) goes to Dharamraja.........and then why won't we have to bear the fruit for what we did with our Maan??

I'm NOT posting against what Mahapurakh have written in His book. I can't think about it. I'm just trying to understand better as I was thinking otherwise. If we cannot get paap/pun (fruit) of the thinking (something which we did ONLY in our mind and NOT in action), then why do we go into various joonis if while dying we think about: Thinking about husband/wife will result in next birth as prostitute; Thinking about children will result in next birth as pig; Thinking about house will result in next birth as ghost etc. etc. If I am not wrong, then Antekaran goes to Dharamraja when we leave our physical body........in other terms Maan, Chit, Bhud, Ankhar (which are parts of Antekaran) goes to Dharamraja.........and then why won't we have to bear the fruit for what we did with our Maan??

Neo, could you upload the file's please......actually, I got it deleted from my system and want to get it from sikhawareness.

one NEEDS to pay for the sins done through our mind/thoughts(forna).......it is the same way that if a person while dying thinks of something, then he/she will get in that joone....e.g "if one thinks of husband/wife in mind, then he/she will become prostitute in the next birth"......there are other examples too that whatever we think (in mind) during dying time, one gets into that birth. So, defintely whatever we think in mind, we've to bear the fruit of that......be it either good or bad.....to confirm please refer to Guru Granth Sahib Ji and also to various Sant's deewan.

Paap Introduction: A bad karma is called paap. The residue of sin is called paap. It could be defined a wrongful act. One of the biggest Sin is to forget GOD. One of biggest pun is to remember GOD. How Bad Karma or Paap could be done? Bad Karma could be done by 3 different ways: Body/Physical; Mind/Thoughts; Speech/Words/Tongue. Categories of Paap: The paaps are categorized into various types depending upon their punishment levels: 1. Sins done through Physical Body: They are of 4 kinds: a. Taking somebody's thing without his giving b. Killing somebody c. Illicit relations with other woman 2. Sins done through Speech/Word: They are of 4 kinds: a. Lying or backbiting or Nindea b. Illogical talk c. Harsh speech d. False witness 3. Sins done through Mind/Thoughts: They are of 3 kinds: a. Coveting the property of others. b. Thinking to harm others, c. Thinking in one's heart of what is undesirable.

These days on JAS TV, there is a program from Mon-Fri @ 10:30AM to 11:00AM where everyday they tell the sangat about one Sikh women from the history......it is very very good......... infact, let me say that "Jas TV" is extremely great.... no 3rd class videos, no gand, absolutly punjabi oriented along with issues that people face in North America and India.....and the latest issues in Sikh panth, Lots of Gurbani, Kirtan, Sant Deewans etc...... It's worth........... if you've Apha ETC punjabi for $14.99, then you can get a punjabi pack (Jas TV, Alpha ETC, ETC) for just $19.99. It's from Dish Network and the channel is being run by punjabi in New York and is available in North America.

Firstly, Sant Baba Harman Singh Ji had NOT met Puran Brahmgyani when He was searching for Puran Sant. And this is the example in front of us that IF Guru Gobind Singh Ji has not given us the eternal Guru Guru Granth Sahib Ji, then we all would have been searching for the Brahmgyani which is NOT a easy task. let it put this way: Naam Jugti has to be provided by your Guru/Teacher......in Sant Baba Harman Singh Ji's case: He totally depended on Guru Granth Sahib Ji and then Guru Granth Sahib initiates Naam within Him (2nd class). By 2nd class it is NOT meant that one will hear the technique physically from his Guru, it is possible that your Guru (not in physical form) will guide you in dreams and/or in your mind. Sant Baba Harman Singh Ji did understand Guru Granth Sahib very well.......all the decision he takes, he always depends on GuruJi. If we depends upon Guru Granth Sahib Ji then HE will also help us but unfortunately he did NOT have a capability to understand Guru Granth Sahib to its core....we're taking everything written in GuruJi as black and white........so, let's say that in order to let us understand Guru Granth Sahib and it's treasure it is good to have Puran Sant as your torch bearer on the route that we picked as per our Guru Guru Granth Sahib Ji....................in-fact our Guru (Guru Granth Sahib Ji) is helping us if we're met with Puran Sant Baba Harman Singh Ji had such a viavas on Guru Ji that if he needs some money for Gurdwara building then he knows that Guru Granth Sahib Ji will give him that money out of nothing......do we have that visvas?? can we leave our jobs or can we denote all our belongings to poor knowing that Guru Granth Sahib Ji will take care of us??? can we dive in river to offer our body to the water creatures?? can we jump from mountain thinking that 100% our Guru will catch us?? If the answer is yes, then you are fortunate enough that you can go without Puran Sant....Otherwise we need inspirition......in-fact all Sants asks us to take Amrit because they know that Guru Granth Sahib is eternal............Sant Baba Harman Singh Ji did not take Naam de jugti from a physicall person, but still we take guidance from the life of Babaji....BabaJi used to guide everybody whosoever comes to Him.....he never said that I won't help you......HELP is the other name of Sant. In other terms, Puran Sant is NOT the bottleneck in one's spiritual growth..........Puran Sant is helpful if one does NOT have good karmas to understand the Guru Granth Sahib Ji's bani to the core.......Spiritual Growth is totally dependent on your GURU and how you take your Guru. I have NOT put the word Guru in the original post that: "Naam Jugti has to be provided by your Guru" because many times people instead of understand the core will start commenting on the Human Guru which was not my intention. - In Sikhism as Guru Gobind Singh Ji ordered us that our Guru is Guru Granth Sahib Ji and have to take Khande da Amrit. Here Sants (Puran Sants) help us to understand the Guru because they are already one with Guru Granth Sahib Ji and Waheguru. - In other religions, a Puran Sant/Mahapurash (who has already merged with GOD) could be a Guru. On whole Universe and NOT just related to Sikhism My thinking is that: - Guru is must for everyone. The only requirement of Guru is that HE must be one who has already merged with GOD. - Now, anyone can be one with God: it could be a person (Puran Brahmgyani) and also a eternal Guru Granth Sahib Ji (as in Sikhism). - In all religions it is hard to find Guru because it is kalyug. But in Sikhism, Guru Gobind Singh Ji blesses us with eternal Guru Guru Granth Sahib Ji and Khande da Amrit so that Brahmgyani is NOT the bottleneck in our spiritual progress. Moreover, a Brahmgyani will also leave his/her physical body one day and then again his/her followers will start looking for another Brahmgyani; even tough the Brahmgyani never dies it's just the followers to seek to have its Brahmgyani in physical form always. Guru Gobind Singh Ji knew that we/sangat will start looking for Guru after He leaves the physicall form even tough He is always present, but we so called humans belive on something which our eyes can verify......secondly, all Brahmgyanis has to leave their physical body, therefore GuruJi created Khanda da Amrit to initiate us into Guru Granth Sahib Ji. "Khande da Amrit" was created as per GOD's order. This is the reason why all Brahmgyanis (Puran Sant) always stress on Khanda da Amrit even tough they do have the capacity to leed his followers to merge with GOD........and they do NOT call themselves Guru/Teachers because they know that they will also leave their physical form and then their innocent followers will start the next search. So, They always offer us to Guru Granth Sahib Ji. This is the also the reason that: Suleman in his tape said that in Sikhism it is easier to reach GOD because you can have Guru whereas other religions makes it harder. Suleman was asked a question that which religion is better. But in any case, it does NOT prove that Brahmgyani is NOT required in Sikhism. ਕਬੀਰ ਸੇਵਾ ਕਉ ਦੁਇ ਭਲੇ ਏਕੁ ਸੰਤੁ ਇਕੁ ਰਾਮੁ ॥ ਰਾਮੁ ਜੁ ਦਾਤਾ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਕੋ ਸੰਤੁ ਜਪਾਵੈ ਨਾਮੁ ॥੧੬੪॥

It is because we think of ourselves as a body. e.g If a man living in a house says that I am a house, he would be wrong. e.g Suppose a person says that cycle cannot drive truck..........he is wrong in understanding the basic thing that it is NOT the cycle who will drive the truck, in-fact it is the man who is driving the cycle and can also drive a truck. Same way, we are NOT man, we're Atam Sehzade, we are spirits and a spirit can travel from man's body to animal body in next birth as per his/her karma. I feel that in Sikhism in order to accept Guru Granth Sahib Ji as Guru, we need to take Khande da Amrit. What is Amrit? There is only one definition of Amrit: It breaks away the cycle of birth and death. There are different layers/types of Amrit that needs to be obtained in order to fulfill the life’s aim (to merge with GOD). Why Amrit is required? In order to understand the need to Amrit, let’s go through the following points: 1. The aim of this life is to merge with GOD. 2. In order to merge with GOD; 3 things are required o Simran/Reciting God’s name o Dhayan/Concentration o Gyan/Knowledge 3. The sequence from top is o Gyan is required in order to merge with God. (Gyan Amrit or Atam Ras) o Naam is required to have Gyan. (Naam Amrit) o Guru is required in order to learn the Naam simran techniques. (Sanskar Amrit) Types/Layers of Amrit: 1. Sanskar Amrit: It is the first step/stage towards merging with GOD. In every religion it is must to have Guru. In Sikhism our Guru is Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and we have to accept Guru Granth Sahib Ji as Guru by initiating into Khande da Amrit. So, in Sikhism it is the ceremony where a person accepts Guru Granth Sahib Ji as his/her Guru by initiating into Khande da Amrit. Till 9th Guru, the Sanskar Amrit was Charan Amrit. Guru Gobind Singh Ji started Khande da Amrit. There are 5 Ks which are basically the rules that one needs to follow while studying in a Sikhi school. Sanskar Amrit is NOT something that which if you follow will attain mukti by itself. It is just the start of the journey. This stage is also called "Manjle Shariat". 2. Naam Amrit: It is the second step towards merging with GOD. Naam is given to its disciple and various techniques are taught for Naam simran. It should be obtained from Puran Sant. This stage is also called "Manjle Trikat". 3. Gyan Amrit or Atam Ras: It is the third step towards merging with GOD. This is the Amrit which is achieved when the person gets the Gyan/knowledge after following the techniques as told by the Puran Sant. It is also called Atam Ras. This stage is also called "Manjle Marfat". We all are lost in Sankar Amrit. People say that take Amrit and be mukt. The reality is: Take Amrit and be Guru wale, avoid being Nigura, and start your journey towards GOD. Keep in mind that it is NOT necessary for the entire world to get converted into Sikhism in order to have Guru. It is NOT something where we say that Sikhism is the only way to reach GOD. Any Puran Brahmgyani from any caste/creed/religion can be a Guru/teacher. All religions are religious schools and each has 4 stages/classes: 1. 1st class (Manjle Shariat) - Sanskar Amrit and do 5 bania da path (Japji Sahib, Jap Sahib, Savae, Rehras Sahib, Kirtan SOhela). This is primary class. In Muslims, there are 5 namaj. In Hindus, there are 3 sandea. 2. 2nd class (Manjle Trikat) - Do Naam Abyaas through Brahmgyani. 3. 3rd class (Manjle Marfat) - Atam Gyan. The understanding of Nirgun comes. The eye to see the GOD opens. 4. 4rd class (Manjle Hakikat) - Jev merges with GOD. What Guru Gobind Singh said When Guru Gobind Singh has given Amrit to Panj Payaras, then they were given ALL the three Amrits at the same time. When Guru Gobind Singh Ji said: Khalsa is my special form I reside within the Khalsa. HE means to the one who attains the Atam Rass and NOT just the Sanskar Amrit. The defination of Khalsa as per Guru Gobind Singh Ji is: Atam Ras Jeh Janye So Hi Khals Dev Prabh Meh Moh Meh Taas Meh Ranchak Nahin Bhed. A Khalsa is the one who enjoys the Atam Ras (Gyan Amrit) – spiritual bliss – and who has been elevated to such a level that there is no difference between him, the SatGuru and Akal Purakh.

Thanks for the information!!

Neo bhaji has already written the answers. Let me throw my 1 cent also: "Why is it a must to have a Guru?" - It is because it is GOD's rule. When I say, Guru is must...........it means GURU who is already one with GOD and know the route to reach GOD. In Sikhism, till 9th Guru there was a ceremony called Charan Pahoul/Amrit where a person formally have a Guru. But starting with 10th GuruJi, HE started Khande da Amrit which is Sanskar Amrit and it is the time when we say that we have a GURU. But it does NOT mean that all the world should convert to Sikhism if they want to have GURU. Anyone can have a human teacher who is TOTALLY one with GOD, a Puran Brahmgyani. Having Guru is the first step on the route to the GOD. After that Sankar Amrit, one needs to have Naam Amrit and Gyan Amrit as the next steps in order to reach Waheguru. In Bhai Gurdas Diyan Vars, please have a look on the following: ਗੁਰ ਪੂਰੇ ਬਿਨੁ ਅੰਤਿ ਖੁਆਰੀ ॥੧੫॥ ਗੁਰ ਪੂਰੇ ਵਿਣੁ ਜੂਨਿ ਭਵੰਦਾ ॥੪॥ ਵਿਣੁ ਗੁਰ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਜਿਉਂ ਘਰੁ ਵਿਣੁ ਬੂਹੇ ॥੧੩॥ ਵਿਣੁ ਗੁਰ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਵਣੀ ਗੁਰ ਮਿਲੈ ਖਲਾਸੀ ॥੧੪॥ ਵਿਣੁ ਗੁਰ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਫਿਰਿ ਆਈਐ ਜਾਈਐ ॥੧੬॥ ਨਿਗੁਰੇ ਲਖਨ ਤੁਲ ਤਿਸ ਨਿਗੁਰੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਸਰਿਣ ਨ ਆਏ । "Can you not do bhagti without following a religion?" - One can do bhagati and other good karma without following a religion or say without having a GURU, but that would NOT help him to achieve mukti. Good karma (including doing bhagti) without Guru will help him/her to have some comforts when he/she goes to other 8.4 million species but in any case cannot help him/her to achieve another human birth what to say about the mukti. Even in this world one cannot get Masters or Phd degree without enrolling in a school. "Also you said killing someone is bad karma. Is it still bad karma when you kill an enemy? e.g when Sikhs killed Mughals in battles?" As per my limited bhud......my take is: If GuruJi killed any enemy in war, then naturally that killed person becomes mukt and also it is NOT bad karma for GuruJi because Guru are above karma in that sense. And if a ordinary person kills a enemy in war then I do NOT have a clear answer......may be depends upon who instructs them to be at war and for what reason they are fighting....and may be the killing person is just doing his karma because in previous birth the other person could have killed the now killing person. e.g we are doing lot of bad karma every day unintensionally by killing the germs that we intake while breathing etc.

Does anybody have any ideas regarding the following websites: http://www.satnaam.info/index.php?option=c...aram=1239727527 http://www.sarbloh.info I remember something back on this forum that http://www.sarbloh.info is against Sikhism.....I do NOT remember when and where. The articles on http://www.satnaam.info are interesting........if somebody has any information on these websites or the person(s) running this website, then I'll really appreciate. Thanks!

Naturally Sant Ji is right.......Prarabdha Karma canNOT be erased in any case OR say canNOT be erased until one dies...or say gets rid of the physical body because physical body is made from the Prarabdha Karma. We can destroy the arrow once it hit the target but we have no control once arrow is in air. I am in the boat as you as I do NOT how this works: for Guru Avatars and Karak Brahmgyanis etc......read the following: As per Sant Baba Isher Singh Ji (Rara Sahib) wale, "even Avatars has to bear the fruits of their Karmas." It's NOT something that they cannot do, it's just that everyone has to follow rules. e.g The person who fired arrow on KrishanJi and thus Krishan Ji left His physical body. When the person saw that it was Krishan Ji, then he repented that he has not fired the arrow at Him, actually he fired the arrow at Mirg....then Krishan Ji told him not to worry because He (KrishanJi) also killed that person in His previous birth as Balli. I do NOT know about Guru Avatar's Karma.......I personally take it as: Karma does NOT apply to Karak and Guru Avatars................The Guru Avatars were NOT physically present and therefore did NOT have any Karma associated with it........I remember one sakhi where one sewadar tried to hold Guru Gobind Singh Ji's feet, but could not because GuruJi let it maya off and then there was no physical body associated with it......in another sakhi, after Guru Nanak Dev Ji's jote-jot hindus and muslims quarrel regarding who will take the possession of the GuruJi's body so that they can do their rituals.....but when they removed the cloth from the Guru Ji's body, then there was NO body.......the reason being Maya.......Guru Ji used HIS own power called Maya to identify HIMSELF as human being in this world......in reality THEY were NOT made of 5 elements........and this is my take, and everyone has its own thinking. Now, against my thiking: There is another sakhi where a bhagat of Guru Ram Das Ji named as "Bhai Aadam" requested one son from HIM. Guru Ji said that you do NOT have any son in your karma but I have 4 sons in mine, so I will give you one of my supposed to be son. Here it seems like it is contraditing to my Guru Avatar's and Karak's view.......but I treat it as: - Both the versions are 101% correct. - Sometimes Sants say a thing in a different way but we cannot comprehend it completly because of our limited bhud. - Till now, Both the things are 100% true but I do NOT have the capacity to understand this....may be one day with GOD's grace I might understand this, but BOTH the things are 100% correct. I'll also try to get the answer regarding the Guru Avatar Karma vs Krishan Ji's karma etc.

What is Re-incarnation? There are many persons in this world who do NOT or do NOT want to believe in reincarnation. If anyone does NOT believe, then please read this article with open mind. • Why every born child has certain distinctive character traits? From where our basic character comes from? • Why there are some people with born disabilities? • Why there are some infants who are dead within few hours of their birth? • Why some good people do all things right, but still a lot of bad things happens to them and vice-versa? There are 3 possible answers to the above questions: • A first possibility, is Materialists would say that our basic character is determined by the genes we inherit from our parents, and by which of these genes are activated in our bodies. If asked why we have the parents we do have, and what determines which genes are active and which are recessive, they would answer in a single word: chance. But invoking chance explains nothing; it implies in fact that there is no explanation: things just happen to be the way they are. Materialists would also say that the person with born disabilities have certain wrong genes or had abnormal growth; But why that particular gene went wrong? Efforts to reduce the wonders of life and mind to random physico-chemical interactions are grossly inadequate and unsatisfactory. • A second possibility is that there is a God, a divine being, who creates a new human soul for each newborn child. If God gives us our character and decides the circumstances of our birth, HE would also bear a major responsibility for all the subsequent events of our lives. It would mean that people suffer because it's God's will that they should suffer. A being capable of such cruelty and injustice would surely be a senseless being rather than a "God." • A third possibility, and the most reasonable, is reincarnation due to our own Karma. According to this view, our souls are reborn again and again until it merges with GOD after nullifying all its karmas. We sow seeds that we shall harvest in future lives. There is no such thing as chance, but rather a network of karma, whereby the consequences of all our thoughts and deeds ultimately rebound upon us, either in this life or in a future life. When a soul returns to incarnation, it is drawn by affinity to the parents who can provide it with the body and environment best fitted to the tendencies it already possesses. So rather than inheriting our characteristics from our parents, we actually inherit them through our parents from ourselves -- from our own past. Some people say that "How a man could become an animal"? The answer is why it is not possible? e.g a driver driving a car can also drive a cycle/truck/airplane etc.. We are NOT our body. We are the Soul and NOT the body; the soul is the driver of our physical body. Soul can be placed in any of the 8.4 million species to reap the fruits of our karmas that a soul sow while in the human body. Now, that we've seen that the result of karmas is re-incarnation; but exactly are the details about Karma philosophy? What is Karma? Karma is action whether involuntary or voluntary taken in the human life. Every action creates an effect or fruit. The fruit has to be experienced. Good karma creates Sukh (peace, health, happiness etc.); bad karma produces Dukh (sickness, pain, suffering etc.). The fruit comes to us either • Immediately • Delayed • Carried over to next birth • Or stored, to be carried over to the life beyond the next Due to our karmas we're wandering in 8.4 million species. We sow in human birth and then reap in next births (which could be any of the 8.4 million species including human birth). Whatever is coming to us is on account of the actions that we have performed before. Every action creates a seed (good or bad) or ‘samskara’ or in scientific terms an ‘impression’. This seed creates in the mind a strong urge to repeat the action. Repeated actions create habit patterns. These habit patterns create our inner nature, our likes/dislikes, our capacities and limitations, our biases and prejudices etc. We all are born with a certain personality trait because of these mind impressions. This is an old saying: An act becomes a habit; habit makes a character; and the character makes destiny. In order to better understand the Karma philosophy, one first needs to understand the reincarnation philosophy. Actually re-incarnation and karma goes side-by-side. Reincarnation is the result of karmas. How Karma could be done? Karma could be done by 3 different ways: All the following types of karmas DO have their corresponding reward/punishment based upon good/bad karmas. • Body/Physical: Karmas done through body. e.g Doing sewa/service of Sad-Sangat which is a good karma; Killing somebody which is a bad karma. • Mind/Thoughts: Karmas that are done with the thoughts only. e.g Thinking of going to Gurdwara place but was not able to go. This is good karma.; Making plans to harm somebody in mind. • Speech/Words/Tongue: Karmas done are done with the tongue. e.g Thinking of another woman in mind; Doing path with tongue is good karma; Calling names or saying bad about somebody is bad karma. Types of Karma: • Sanchita Karma: The total sum of past karmas (good + bad) yet to be resolved. In other words: The accumulation of past good and bad actions. - Think of them as the “Arrows in the Quiver”. - Cancelling? Bad Sanchita Karma can be erased through the spiritual practice or with Guru’s grace. • Prarabdha Karma: That portion of sanchita karma that is to be experienced in this life. In other words these are the portion of sanchita karmas used up to create the present physical body, relatives, and the experiences we are to encounter in this life. - Think of them as the “Arrows in Flight”. - e.g Prarabdha karma will awake you early morning to do Path, but one needs to do udham/take action to wake up. - e.g As per our Prarabdha karma: GOD has given us human birth; then Sat-Sangat; then Guru de sharan. Now, we should work hard and reach GOD by walking on the path as told by our Gurus. - Cancelling? Prarabdha Karmas which are already in process of yielding the result can not be erased in any case. But the way/timing/effect can be manipulated e.g let’s say something bad was going to happen you, but because of your Spiritual practice that bad thing happens in dream only. • Kriyamana/Udham Karma OR Free Will: The karma that humans are currently creating and will bear fruit in the future. These are the actions that are done out of total free choice and NOT compelled by the forces of past karma. These actions help in the release of the soul from bondage to matter. - Think of them as “Arrows in Hand”. - All the scriptures are based on this fact and they advise directing the "Free Will" in the right channel. Do we really have a "Free Will" or Kriyamana/Udham Karma? There are three basic positions we can adopt on the question of "Free Will": • Either we have absolute free will, or • We have no free will at all, or • We have a certain measure of free will. Our "Free Will" is like the very limited freedom of a dog on a leash/chain. In other words, there is "Free Will", although its range is somewhat dictated by the past. It is because the environments around us, the relatives around us, and the situation in which we are at the moment are controlled by our past karmas. GOD created such atmosphere (based upon our karmas) and then gave us the choice: sometimes easy enough to decide and sometimes hard to decide. Our whole thinking process, habits etc. are made up from the subconscious mind and which in turns is based upon the impressions from the past karmas. In other words, the choices and decisions we make are greatly influenced by the habitual patterns of thought, feeling, and behavior arising from our past. Actually "Free Will" is a delusion as long as one is a slave to the ego's fears and desires. As long as individuality/ego lasts there is "Free Will". "Free Will" can be exercised only when one is aware and unattached to desires, and the dualities of life, and has no ego. By cultivating vairagya (detachment) one sees beyond liking and disliking, success and failure, loss and gain, pleasure and pain, to the Truth of things. Abiding in the awareness of the Truth, one can act "freely," no longer a slave to fear or desire. Otherwise, "Free Will" is a delusion, merely a servant of egoistic desires and preferences. If karmas ("Free Will") are done without the ego, then this "Free Will" is actually the GOD's will and therefore we do NOT have to bear the results of that “Free Will”. Any change in karma will have an influence on the ego, since what the ego can or cannot do has changed. Any change in the ego will thereby influence karma, since how such limitations are handled has changed; this effect emphasizes the idea of free will. The existence of "Free Will" is only in relationship with ego. The more egotistic a person, the more he asserts the existence of "Free Will". At the other extreme, God realized persons are the ones who have totally surrendered their ego to God and they assert there is nothing like "Free Will" and whatever exists is God's will. God reciprocates with everyone according to their desires (good or bad) and allows them to fulfill desires generated by "Free Will". Lord uses His illusory kinetic energy called Maya to engage the living entities in good and bad acts according to their desires and their previously accumulated good and bad Karma. For example: The following example raises the question of “Free Will” Gerard Croiset was a remarkable Dutch psychic. He repeated an experiment for 25 years with known as "chair test," in which he describes in advance the person who would sit in a randomly chosen chair. In one experiment he said that the person who would sit in the chair selected would be a man 5’9’’ tall, who brushed his black hair straight back, had a gold tooth in his lower jaw, etc. etc. Two weeks later the meeting took place, and the person who sat down in the chair concerned was a man who fitted his description. Plan to get rid of Karmas and get merged with GOD: • Have a GURU. This is must because GOD has setup a rule that GURU is must before we get Mukti. • Do religious prayer/simran/paath etc. as per your Guru to cancel the bad Sanchita karma, and to make bad Prarabdha karma less effective. • Awareness regarding the Kriyamana karma so that we can avoid doing more bad karmas and leave Ego. Actually if we do everything WITHOUT ego then all of the Kriyamana karma are of GOD and GOD always do good. One of the Maha-purash said: • Do Satsang of Puran Sadhus/Sant/Mahapurash. • If you cannot that that, then: Do Nitnem, Isnan, and Dhan. • If you even cannot do that, then: At least stay away from the paaps/bad karma. • If you even cannot do that, then: It is better to die. "Those who act in ego do not go beyond karma. It is only by Guru's Grace that one is rid of ego." Sri Guru Granth Sahib

It's really good to know that Sikhawareness is back after such a long time. May GOD bless those who are running this website.

I would like to suggest to those UK Sikh organizations that: instead of saying "please spare Punjab".....lets say (if they have to because these things are pre-planned by GOD) to international community and to India/Pakistan that there should be NO WAR....so that lot many human lives can be saved. I think that jattboot and shaheediyan in their last comments have expressed exactly in short what I was trying to say. Think about human life and NOT only about Sikh lifes. And for your information: All my relatives are in Punjab.

It's my point of view and does NOT necessarily mean you should agree with it. But I see this "request to spare Punjab" thing a strain to ages long Sikh image. It seemed a bit odd that a Sikh has started to think about himself first and that's when there is a cloud of war.... and also we're raising questions against those who laid their lifes for others (starting from Guru Jis time) Moreover, regarding your question: "Also, please anwswer me this, would the Mahapursh you mentioned have supported the Indian state during 1984? Or would they supported another mahapursh by the name of Sant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawala in 1984?" All the Mahapurashs that I mentioned were pre-1974 period.....and I cannot answer your question as I do NOT think that I can think the way they could have thought for 1984. Thanks

I find it ridiculous that some Sikh organizations are requesting India and Pakistan to spare Punjab in case of war. Someone wrote that it is a fight between Hindus and Muslims.....it is just non-responsible comment. Think about the following: - Sikhs are treated as hard-core fighters in Indian Army and are also famous with enemies who till now have fought with Sikh soldiers. - In any case, Punjab is still part of India and all the persons living inside Punjab are eating salt of India and therefore have to pay it back. - What if areas with high population of Muslims declare to Pakistan that do not attack their area because they are Muslims? - What if Indian Sikh soldier say we are Sikhs and therefore we are NOT going to flight with Pakistan because Sikhs have nothing to do with it? Isn't it put a questionmark on Sikh community who always feel pride in helping others and also isn't put a questionmark on Sikh solider's bravery? - What if every soldier (even Hindu) say that he has nothing to do with the war in Pakistan and therefore will NOT fight? Noone will be ready to fight? - Many of great Saints: Sant Karam Singh Ji (Hoti Mardan Wale), Sant Attar Singh Ji (Reru Sahib wale), Sant Baba Isher Singh Ji (Rara Sahib Wale) were in British army because they thought that it is "Hak de kamai". They never said that they won't fight because the other enemy was Indian. - Everyone remembers battle of Saragari: What if those 21 soldiers have said they have nothing to do with the fight between British and Muslims? - Our Gurus always fought for the weak (be it Hindu or Muslim). How could we say that Sikhs have nothing to do with it and request other authorities to spare Sikhhomeland. So, stop saying that Sikhs are nothing to do with the war. In fact, a common man (from any religion) NEVER wants war but if war breaks out then it is between countries, even though by seeing the majority we can say that Muslims vs Hindus but categoring this way does NOT mean that Sikhs can just walk away from that. I think that asking India and Pakistan to spare Punjab is nothing more than just a international propaganda to gain the international sympathy towards the Sikhs and then push the hidden idea of seperate state for Sikhs. I am NOT saying that this is incorrect, I am saying that the way it is being pushed is incorrect. das

Thanks for all of your suggestions. But basically, I am interested in only the authors whose works are based on ONLY original Sau Sakhi....... or if possible I would like to have the original copy of Sau Sakhi if available. If possible please try to paste the author's background also while suggesting the author. Thanks das

As the books written by these 2 are suggested: Pyara Singh Padam and Partap Singh Mehta. Could someone please let me know about these authors: about their background, how they got the chance to read the original sau sakhi and bhai bale wale janam sakhi, etc......sorry, for not knowing these authors. das

anybody??