Kaljug

Pork is too fatty. Anyway, why should we allow other religions to dictate what we can and cannot eat? K.

This isn't the point, Singha. The point is being able for all Sikhs, including ones who are not vegetarian and even those horrible, evil people who eat meat from shops and restaurants, to live in an environment where one particular religion's adherents do not have the right to dictate what other pople can and cannot eat. If you accept this intrusion of Islamic sharia into our society because it does not affect you, pretty soon they will want to force you to limit your choices in some other way that does affect you. One thing that I really dislike about some Sikhs is that they are more than willing to see other Sikhs lose some of their freedoms - particularly where those freedoms are looked down upon in their own jatha - and then they turn around and whine that the rest of the Sikh Panth does not stand with them when their own freedoms are taken away by others. K.

LOL, I knew this was coming next. Basically, then, you are saying that jhatka as performed by Nihangs today is wrong as they are not all off fighting wars NOW to make you feel safe and for the betterment of the stay-at-home Singhs who are too busy stuffing their faces with patooray to learn to defend themselves. If that was the case, then why didn't you say that? Instead what you did was pretend to understand and respect jhatka then say "How many goats do you need to kill to awaken a warrior spirit?", and then give the example of Sant Ji as evidence for your beliefs that jhatka has nothing to do with obtaining a warrior spirit. Anyway, I am done debating you. Come back and play when you can actually be honest about your intentions and speak without dissembling. Or better yet, just do as I said and keep your face out of other people's batay, because nothing you type here will ever stop the traditions of jhatka in Nihang chawnis. K.

http://www.sridasam.org/dasam?Action=Page&p=33 is in Gurmukhi and Devanagri script. K.

So far, I am learning humility since it seems that, no matter how tough you think you are, a bout of man flu is still going to put you on your ass. :-D Any updates from any veers or bhainjis? K.

The condition also works the other way round, Singh, in that if you have taken amrit and joined the Khalsa Fauj, you are expected to go hunting and perform jhatka. There is no opt out clause that you get to sign to be a stay-at-home amritdhari Singh and get fat on rasmalai and samosay. Where does Guru Ji distinguish between a "regular" Sikh and an "irregular" Sikh in the above quote, both of whom have taken amrit? All amritdhari Sikhs are commanded to be shastardhari Sant-Sipahis, not just the "irregular" ones. ;-) It's this simple: if a Sikh wants to eat meat for whatever purpose, then he can, as long it as jhatka and not-halal. That is Guru given commandment and Akal Takht Maryada accepted by the entirety of the Sikh Panth. Whatever your personal feeling - or the teaching of your jatha - regarding the consumption of meat is completely irrelevant. It's not bias, and it is not because meat tastes so good that it makes non-vegetarians into some brainwashed zombies who crave meat at every opportunity, it's just simple fact. That's pretty funny, Singh, since it seems you are the only one here attempting clever tricks to ban any meat for any Sikh unless he personally beheads the animal himself (which is reasonably difficult for anyone living in the West who does not own a farm). For the record, everyone in a Nihang chawni partakes of the goat that is jhatkaed by the chosen Singh. You do not have to jhatka your own animal each and every time. Pot calling the kettle black, since that is what you are doing here. Seriously, how hard is this to understand: if you don't want to eat jhatka meat, don't eat it. If someone else wants to eat jhatka meat, get your face out of their bata and mind your own business. Edit: By the way, just saw this post of yours: For all your talk of understanding and respecting the real reason for jhatka, it is pretty clear from the above that you do not really believe in its purpose and that your real reason for participation in this thread is to forward your own vegetarian version of Sikhi. K.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! I would encourage Sikhs to send letters of complaint to all of the companies listed in the article below advising them that they are discriminating against Sikhs who are forbidden to eat halal meat and are breaking EU law. By the way, I would encourage you to do this even if you do not eat meat from any of these places (I don't either), simply because it is discriminatory towards non-muslims and offensive to those who are forbidden to eat particular kinds of meat. K. http://www.bva.co.uk/2168.aspx Vets ask companies to rethink menus that are all halal 22 September 2010 Following the Mail on Sunday investigation into the widespread use of meat and meat products from animals not stunned before slaughter, the British Veterinary Association (BVA) is writing to the companies involved to express its concern that the use of this meat in the wider food chain will lead to an increase in the number of animals slaughtered without stunning and an increase in unnecessary suffering. The BVA has also renewed its call for clearer food labelling so that consumers are aware when they buy meat or meat products whether or not the animals were slaughtered as humanely as possible. The Mail on Sunday found that meat slaughtered under certain religious rules without pre-stunning (including kosher and some halal meat), is entering the mainstream food chain without being labelled as such. The investigation found that the meat is being used in schools, hospitals, pub chains and certain sporting venues. The investigation follows news reports that GateGourmet, one of the largest airline caterers, is considering making the majority of its meals halal. The BVA is concerned that consumers are confused by existing food labels and supports moves by the European Parliament to introduce mandatory labelling of meat from non-stunned animals, including use of the meat in other products. The BVA also supports the concept of one clear EU-wide label that would indicate higher welfare throughout the food chain. Commenting, Professor Bill Reilly, President of the British Veterinary Association, said: "Whilst we understand the need to respect religious freedoms the BVA believes that all animals should be stunned before slaughter to ensure the highest possible welfare for the animals. “The exemption for religious slaughter should therefore be kept to a minimum. Meat from animals slaughtered according to these religious rules should not be used in the mainstream market, particularly if it is not labelled as such. “Earlier this year the European Parliament voted in favour of the compulsory labelling of meat from non-stunned animals and the British Veterinary Association strongly welcomed this move. “We believe that consumers do want to make choices based on higher animal welfare and not cause unnecessary suffering. They should have the right information to make those pro-welfare choices.”

Can be found here: http://www.nihangsingh.org/website/mm-mehtabs.html K.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh, veer ji! I woke up with the beginnings of a nasty cold and struggled to get the minimum I'd set myself (see my first post) as a target done. I blame kaljug (the other one). Also did Bhagauti Astotar as I'd written it in my Tarna Dal Gutka from a Das Granthi, and shastar nam mala along with the usual. Going to leave Ram Avatar and Sarbloh Granth for tomorrow and am spending the rest of today in bed. Luckily for the buffalo, I didn't have the strenth to pull it up the stairs then jhatka it in my bedroom. ;-) K.

It's fine. Usual Nihang nitnem includes Ugardanti, 32 x Braham Kavach, Chandi di Var, Chandi Charitars, Akal Ustat and a lot more in addition to the usual 5 nitnem bania. Btes thing is to keep Anand Sahib right till the end. K.

Makes sense. I may give my shastar some time off and just generally care for them. My goal was to up the ante - so to speak - and do a little more than I usually do, not recite Dasam bani and twirl my Kali sticks once a year for ten days (though to be honest, I spend too little time with shastar I cannot carry everywhere and more on those that are with me always - e.g.m my fists). Thanks, Singha. ;-) K.

To those who asked: There is info on Navratri and Dusshera in the link I provided from Jvala Singh's blog: http://www.manglacharan.com/2010/10/nine-nights-of-nauratey-and-tenth-of.html Chandi di Var maryada as revealed to Sant Baba Harnam Singh (recorded in his biography Se Kinehya) is that it should be recited in the morning with Anand Sahib afterwards, and, if it is recited in the evening, recitation should continue until sunrise next day. K.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Veer Jvala Singh Ji on Dusshera. I was planning on reading a number of Chandi bania from Sri Dasam Granth Ji an Sri Sarbloh Granth while doing puja of my shastar after cleaning, polishing, sharpening, and general maintenance. I would like to recite all of Ram Avatar but don't have a Dasam Granth Pothi. I may print out Ram Avatar from on the web if it is acceptable or just recite from my laptop. I'll then attempt to do dedicate some time to some Kali drills daily (since I don't have a willing partner with whom to spar) to keep it from being some empty ritual. What follows depends on whether I can figure out how to get a buffalo up 8 flights of stairs without any one noticing. :-D What have you all got planned for Navratri and Dusshera? K.

Yes they can. In most slaughterhouses in the UK the animals are slaughtered in a different place to where the others are kept. It would have been more compassionate to jhatka them away from each other. K.

I guess you must only eat stuff that tastes like crap then to prevent you from committing the kurehit of eating something tasty? K.

Islam. K.

If you look at the life history of various Sants, their parents were known to do immense bhagti, so I would say that your thoughts during the act of procreation (and what you do during pregnancy) will affect the avastha of your child. Ideally husband and wife should do bhagti together and do an ardas for a child with high avastha before they try to make a child. This bhagti should continue all the way through to the child being born, and the first sounds that a child should hear should be the sound of Gurbani. Sexual activity within marriage is self-limiting. If you start to impose completely arbitrary limits on the number of times you have sex per month, then you are wasting time thinking of sex when you could be doing bhagti. You should have your kakaars on you at all times. You should bathe after sex because it is hygienic, not because sex is bad and that water will magically cleanse you of sin. As an aside, the reason that meat is proscribed for behangam sadhs is because it will increase testosterone (and it is why it is useful for a warrior): http://www.fitnessforoneandall.com/nutrition/article/hormones/part_two.htm K.

Why would the Gurus suggest marriage if they believed that only behangam saadhs get mukti? If we were all behangams, there would be no Sikhi after very long. The purpose of marriage is to satisfy your carnal desires without repressing them and to enlarge the Khalsa fauj. If Akal Purakh despised sex so much, he would have just created us to reproduce asexually like flowers. I believe people who believe sex to be sinful have no love for the creation of Karta Purakh. Guru Ji has already told us that we go to hell if he commit adultery, not if we fulfil the duties of marriage. As to your question about dying while having sex, you will likely end up reincarnated, unless you have the ability to practice rom rom simran even while you are having sex. However, you are just as likely to end up reincarnated whatever you do until your thoughts are directed towards God at all times. Man, I must have led a sheltered life. I have never heard of any of these terms. LOL @ moot mar. Is that the Punjabi equivalent of the "knuckle shuffle"? Regards, K.

I really don't understand this need for people to complicate matters so much when it comes to a simple physical thing like sex. If you are thinking about sex all the time, then get married so that your procreative instinct is satisfied. Have a normal sexual life and do your bhagti. Similarly, if you have an itch that is ruining your concentration, scratch it and continue with your meditation. Behangam lifestyle is for some people who have natural monastic tendencies and bhagti from former lives. It's probably easier to achieve mukti this way because you have access to that reservoir of sexual energy that can be transformed to prem (and because life is usually less complicated without the trouble and strife, as the Cockneys say). However, if you enter the behangam lifestyle before you have some degree of control over your desire (gained through bhagti), there is a possibility that you will end up as some sex-obsessed freak or a Catholic priest. K.

Suddenly I feel like steak for dinner. K.

Not sure if this is what you are looking for, but Arthur Avalon's (Sir John Woodroffe) book The Serpent Power is about kundalini/laya yoga and has an indepth description of the chakras translated from Sanskrit sources (primarily Satt Chakra Nirupana). It is, however, not a practical book nor does it relate the spiritual experiences of practitioners who have experienced the blossoming of the various chakras. Gopi Krishna's book Kundalini: Evolutionary Energy in Man is a book about someone who was completely unprepared for his experience of raising of kundalini, but the author does not talk specifically about anahata chakra. Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa's book Kundalini Rising has a more 3HO slant on chakras. It has lots of interesting first hand accounts of people experiencing various chakras opening and kundalini awakenings, but I found it a bit newagey for my tastes. There's some interesting philosophical tidbits in it though from Ken Wilber. Hopefully someone will share Gurmukhi books or kathas about atamgian and how it relates to anahata in this thread. K.

It's islam that is responsible for their barbarism not their genes. The same increase in violence during ramadan happens in most islamic countries. Here's an article about this phenomenon: http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/1030/p01s01-wome.html Another study measured the increase in violence during ramadan in Algeria: http://www.afrik-news.com/article18175.html Ramadan also doesn't stop muslims vfrom kidnapping underage girls and forcibly converting them to islam either: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Dalit-girl-forced-to-convert-to-Islam-in-Pakistan-Report/articleshow/6536246.cms I don't know what could be greater proof of the inherent barbarity of islam than this measurable increase in violence and hatred during islam's so-called "holiest" month. K.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Anyone know if there are karmic consequences for the one doing the paath if one does them for someone else? I know that things like sharda pooran sadhanas can sometimes bring out karmas to burn them out if they are done for oneself, but would the same thing happen if they were done for someone else? Would the other person experience some sort of karmic consequence? Ta, K.

I'm guessing it was the obviously Muslim author who wrote the article that did that. However, the British media is in the habit of writing "Asians" when they clearly mean Muslims. I imagine they consider it more politically correct to smear the whole Asian community for the crimes and failings of Muslims and Islamic culture in the West. K.

If they want to win the war, they will have to commit to a war to win. In doing so, the US will have to come face-to-face with the fact that they are not the world's moral police - that they are not the "good guys" and never have been. They lose their naivete, and the taliban lose their lives. Sounds like a win-win situation for us to me. K.