SATNAM WAHEGURU JI

AIEEE 2010 Solutions, Answer Key, Cutoff and Results

2010-04-24T23:33:00.000+05:30

AIEEE 2010

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The eighth All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) was held on 26th April' 2009. 9,62,119 candidates appeared, out of 10,10,061 candidates registered, for the examination at 1,460 centres located in 85 cities.

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What Does "Satnaam" Mean?

2008-09-14T11:49:00.001+05:30

In this article with Guru's kindness, I will try and tell you "The Truth, The whole Truth and nothing but the TRUTH, so help me God!"

On Guru Nanak Ji's travels he met a group of holy men high up in the mountains. Through years of meditation and yogic practices they had mastered many supernatural powers. When Guru Nanak ji came to them they tried to impress him with their powers. To show how great they were. Once they had finished their display, they challenged Guru Nanak to show off his powers. The great Guru said the following in the words of Bhai Gurdas Ji the Sikh scholar of the time of the Gurus.

Baba Nanak said, O respected Holy Man! Please listen to the Truth that I utter.
Without SATNAAM (The Name "Truth") I have no other miracle.
I may wear the clothes of fire and build my house in the Himalayas.
I may eat the iron and make earth move to my orders.
I may expand myself so much that I could push the earth.
I may weigh the earth and the sky against few grams of weight.
I may have so much power that I push aside anybody just by saying.
But without SATNAAM (The Name "Truth"),
all these powers are momentary like the shadow of the clouds.

Bhai Gurdas Var 1

A blessed Gursikh Bibi ji told us that she was blessed with divine vision of Dhan Dhan Guru Gobind Singh ji a few weeks ago (Jun 04). She said that she could hear the Khalsa all chanting 'SAT SAT SAT SAT...'. Why was it that Guru Gobind Singh Ji wanted her to know that "SAT SAT SAT" was being chanted in the realm of Truth SACH KHAND where his divine vision came from?

It is interesting that 300 years into Sikhism that the majority of Sikhs associate only chanting of "WAHEGURU WAHEGURU" with Guru Gobind Singh ji and not "SAT SAT SAT". Only a handful of holy people that I am aware of including Harbhajan Singh Yogi USA, Dya Singh Australian Muscian, Sant Sheesha Singh India still promote SATNAAM.

Otherwise, the word "SATNAAM" seems to have been buried under centuries of different traditions within Sikhism introduced by countless religious leaders. Nowadays it gets translated as the TRUE NAME. And often WAHEGURU is added afterwards, so "SATNAAM WAHEGURU" gets translated as the TRUE NAME IS "WAHEGURU".

However the phrase SATNAAM WAHEGURU does not appear in Guru Granth Sahib Ji. To get to the real meaning of SATNAAM we have to dig deeper. The following verse by Guru Gobind Singh Ji confirms what Bibi ji experienced:

Guru Gobind Singh Ji writes the following Dohira that is sung at the end of the "Sikh Artee".

"Aisay chand partaap tay
dayvan badhi-o partaap
teen lok jai jai karai
rarai NAAM SAT jaap"

After exalting Ad Shakti (God the Primal Power)
All divine beings were exalted.
The three worlds resounded with 'Hail ! Hail !'
and the name (NAAM) of Truth (SAT) was repeated (JAAP).

When you rip away all the outer layers of Sikhism, underneath the uniform, the image, the history, the strange language and ceremonies you are left with a simple seed that it all started from. That seed is called "Sat Naam". Two words SAT and NAAM

NAAM:
======

God's presence is everywhere, supporting all things at all times - in todays language we could say the energy structure of the whole Universe. That presence of God, of Supreme Light Energy Being is called the NAAM by the Indian mystics and Sikh Gurus.

Other people call it by different names and dont always associate it with God. New age people and Reiki practioners call it "Life Force", Indian Yogis call it the "Prana" , Chinese martial artists and monks call it "Chee", Christians call it "The Holy Spirit". Essentially it is the presence of God inside us and supporting absolutely everything.

SAT:
====

Means TRUTH. Meaning all we see around us is temporary, even we are just here like a spark emerging from a fire and disappearing after a second. The only permanent thing is God's presence. So God's original primal name that He chose for Himself was "TRUTH" or SAT.

The concept of Naam had been around well before Guru Nanak Ji's time. But that "life force" or "energy" was not always associated with God. What Guru Nanak ji did was put SAT infront of Naam. He emphasised that this Naam was not just an energy or life force, but actually the prescence of God, of TRUTH, of SAT.

KIRTAM NAAM KATHA TERE JIHBA, SAT NAAM TERA PURA POORBLA
The tongue describes You using (various) praise names (eg HAR, WAHEGURU, RAM etc),
but the name "Truth" (SAT NAAM) is YOUR OWN original primal name.

Guru Ram Das. SGGS Ji 1083

Guru Nanak Ji teaches that God was in deep meditatation for an incredible amount of time (36 AGES). And He broke this deep meditation by uttering a word – a vibration – what nowadays we might think of as the BIG BANG. When God gave the first vibration to start the Creative process He effectively said "I am God, I am SAT (Truth)". Guru Nanak Ji wrote this down as "Ik Oankar Sat Naam" meaning "One God Named "Truth".

GURPRASAD
===========

What God wants us to do is to go into deep meditation (smadhi) inside ourselves and join HIM in HIS deep meditation. When Guru Nanak entered the state of deep meditation (smadhi), he was blessed by God directly. God gave Guru Nanak Ji two things to give suffering humanity:

a) the SAT NAAM mantra blessed by God (called the "Gur Prasadi Naam") and

b) humility.

And like one candle lights another, Guru Nanak Ji would bless people with these two things.

Although the popular chant of "SATNAAM WAHEGURU" does not appear in Gurbani, the following verse does appear twice. And describes perfectly what Guru Nanak Ji was doing – giving the NAAM of SAT with GUR PRASAD – God's blessing that was coming through him.

"IK OANKAR SAT NAAM GURPRASAD||"
One God Named "Truth" by God's Grace.

With God's grace (Gur Prasad) the Sikh would meditate on the mantra SATNAAM in utmost humility.

NAMASKAAR GURDEV KO SATNAAM JIS MANTER SUNAYEA
I bow to Guru (Nanak) who announced the mantra of "SAT NAAM".

Bhai Gurdas Ji. Line 1 var 1.

The major objection I have heard as to meditating on SATNAAM is that Bhai Gurdas also writes at the end of the first var, that WAHEGURU is the GUR MANTR, by repeating which ego is erased.

Yes , no doubts that Sikhs at the Guru's times did repeat "WAHEGURU WAHEGURU" as well. It was the Gur Mantr, it was important for erasing the ego. But it is not the NAAM. Bhai Gurdas ji does not write that WAHEGURU was the NAAM. WAHEGURU was not the GUR PRASADI NAAM that Siri Guru Granth Sahib Ji refers to.

"IK OANKAR SAT NAAM GURPRASAD||"
One God Named "Truth" by God's Grace.

Repeating the Gur Mantr of "WAHEGURU WAHEGURU" will if done correctly help to erase ego. But at some point after that a person needs to be blessed with God's Graceful Name of Truth – Gurprasadi Naam.

And that blessing comes through the holy ones. The whole of Siri Guru Granth Sahib ji praises the holy ones again and again. SACH KHAND is run by the holy ones. And you only enter SACH KHAND with the blessings of the holy ones.

Look at Baba Nand Singh Ji he meditated by himself for many years as a child. Then Guru Gobind Singh Ji came to him in a vision and told him to go and learn from Baba Harnaam Singh Ji. Even Guru Gobind Singh Ji being Guru, told Baba Nand Singh ji to go and serve the holy one and to learn Siri Guru Granth Sahjib ji from him.

And thats what he did, and that's where he got GUR PRASADI NAAM from. The first thing Sant Harnam Singh ji made Baba Nand Singh ji do was 150,000 repititions on Mool Mantar – whci is effectively the longer version of Ik Oankar Satnaam.

This is how God's Gurprasadi Game works.

Even in my own experience, for the first 6 years of my religious life after taking khanda-batta-da-pahul (Sikh Initiition) I did everything by the book. I was not destined to have the the company of holy people at that time.

Everything I knew about Sikhism was from parents and history books and translations of Guru Granth Sahib Ji. I was trying really hard to do everything I was reading. Practising things I picked up from Bhai Randheer Singh Ji's autobiography, as well as books about Baba Nand Singh ji and Sant Attar Singh Ji. I attended Sikh Youth camps for 5 or 6 years, and was taught that there is no need for holy people, only Guru Granth Sahib ji.

I was totaly dedicated to this path and wore the blue bana, did all the nitnem and much more like Sukhmani Sahibs and strict code of conduct. But inside I was still crying for God unable to understand why I had had no spiritual progress. Although by now I was well respected due to my Sikh uniform and attendance at camps at Gurdwaras.

I started going to Gurdwara twice a day, doing as much seva as possible and standing in ardas with hands pressed together infront of Guru Granth Sahib Ji begging for God to meet me. And one day God showed me a divine aura of white light around an elderly Singh in the sangat (Uncle jee). WOW! I was gobsmacked, but forgot about it for a few months.

Then when I got desparate again I read Bhai Gurdas Ji's var which said that a Sikh is the one who serves others and then eats. So I used to rush to the Gurdwara in the morning to do langar seva. And who would come to eat – but Uncle jee. Everyday he would tell me something divine.

First day he said "Just by looking like a good Sikh doesnt mean you are close to God on the inside". I was going to argue with him about the importance of wearing the bana, but then another thought came into my mind saying "God showed you HIS divine light on this person, so listen and learn."

So over the next 6 months of his holy sangat, and respecting him as how Sukhmani Sahib says to respect a saint, my spiritual dreams were fulfilled. God blessed this fool with a view of Himself.

Uncle ji did not say he was anything other than an ant at the Guru's feet. But as Sukhmani Sahib says the one who become the lowest in this world, becomes the highest in SACH KHAND Gods realm of Truth.

And I learnt a very big lesson from that. We pray infront of Guru Granth Sahib Ji. We read Sukhmani Sahib countless times and chant the Gur mantr "WAHEGURU WAHEGURU". But until we do what Guru Granth Sahib ji and Sukhmani Sahib says and go and serve the holy ones, we will have no spiritual progress. This path to God is a GUR PRASADI GAME. And the GurPrasad – God's grace - is bestowed upon an individual by through a holy person.

By someone who has already pleased God and who resides in SACH KHAND. This does not undermine the importance of Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Guru Granth Sahib ji is telling us to do this. By doing this we are actually respecting Guru Granth Sahib Ji fully, instead of just paying lip service and bowing with empty hearts.

Also this does not undermine the importance of the Punj Piaray. The original Punj Piaray were each supremely blessed holy souls – pooran brahmgianis, pooran Khalsa ..."khalsa mera satguru poora". They were authorised by God to give Gurprasadi Naam. And prior to the Guru's, the bhagats received Gurprasadi Naam through their own Guru.

For example just like Guru Gobind Singh Ji, Bhagat Ramanand Ji created five more blessed souls like himself including Bhagat Kabir ji. All 6 of these great souls have had their bani included in Guru Granth Sahib Ji. So it may be that God has it destined for you to get GURPRASADI NAAM at the Sikh Initiation ceremony via the blessed holy ones who should be of the same standard as the original panj piaray – pooran khalsa – to be effective. Or it may be you get Gurprasadi Naam from a Bhagat, like Uncle Ji God put me in touch with.

By meditating on the NAAM TRUTH, SATNAAM, with the blessings of God from a holy person we start our journey on the GURPRASADI GAME. And by living a TRUTHFUL life we enter deep meditation and experience the same divine union with God as Guru Nanak Ji did.

But dont take my word for it, try it for yourself. Here's a simple way to get started with meditation for a complete beginner. Even if you do not yet have the company of the holy persons, start meditating on god and start begging for GUR PRASADI NAAM. And God will take care of the the time and place when you meet the holy person who will help you.

Sit down for 20 minutes every morning in a quiet place on a chair or on the floor whatever is comfortable.

Close your eyes.

Press your palms together and do ardas asking the Guru "Please bless me your gurprasadi naam (graceful name) so I may meditate."

Slowly repeat "SATNAAM SATNAAM", or "TRUTH TRUTH" or whatever TRUTH translates to in your own language. (Even in gurbani SAT is also written as SACH which is just a translation).

Say it with your tongue and just practise listening with your ears. Just listen to each syllable coming out of your mouth. Over time other thoughts will stop distracting you and you will be able to concentrate for longer.

For the last 5 minutes stop chanting, carry on sitting quietly without moving your tongue or opening your eyes.

Now just listen to the echoes of what you have been chanting in your own mind.

With practise and Guru's grace your need to chant loudly with the tongue (JAAP) will decrease and your time listening within your mind (SIMRAN) will increase. Also God inside you as your inner Guru will start getting you up earlier and earlier to meditate for longer and longer.

"Truth" or "SatNaam" will go deeper and deeper into you. You will experience the lifeforce the NAAM inside you. The Truth of your existence. And with the Guru's grace you will meet the holy ones who will bless you even more along your jouney.

The whole of the Sikh Scriptures are in praise of one seed - SATNAAM. God's Grace – the GUR PRASAD is needed to plant that seed in your own mind. The GUR PRASAD is received by pleasing the holy ones within whom the Supreme Light of The Lord shines fully bright.

God's blessed seed of SAT NAAM inside you will grow into a beautful flower. And the fruit of your spiritual labouring will be living in the divine light, supreme love and pure bliss inside your innermost self.

For 90% of Sikhs, the above practise is a lost art. Being so caught up with the externals of the religion and in the pursuit of fulfilling their worldy desires most have forgotten that Guru Nanak's message was actually very simple:

1. Solve the riddle of how to be TRUTHFUL.

KIV SACHYARA HOOIAA, KIV KURAAY TUTAY PAAL
How does one become Truthful? How is the veil of falseness torn down?

Guru Nanak, SGGS Ji 1

2. God is TRUTH.

IK OANKAR SAT NAAM GURPRASAD||
One God Named "Truth" by God's Grace.
Guru Ram Das Ji, SGGS Ji 81

3. Meditate on TRUTH

JAP MAN SATNAAM SADA SATNAAM
O My mind meditate on the name "Truth", always and forever on the name of "Truth".
Guru Ram Das, SGGS Ji 670

4. TRUTH will come to reside in your spiritual heart centre.
Guru Ram Das Ji had SATNAAM inside him:

SHREE SATNAAM KARTA PURAKH Guru RAM DASS CHITHI VASSEH
Sat Naam, the Great and Supreme True Name of God, the Personification of Creativity, dwells in the Consciousness of Guru Raam Daas. ||1||

SGGS Ji 1404

By meditating on SATNAAM, inside yourself your soul will come to find eternal peace in the Realm Of Truth where God resides: Sach Khand.

SACH KHAND VASAY NIRANKAR
In the Realm Of Truth the Formless Lord resides.
Guru Nanak, SGGS Ji 1

Let me know if you do meditate and your experiences - your life will totally change for the better in unexpected ways. Also please email me if you want to know more about GurPrasadi Naam.
In a sentence, what is SATNAAM? SATNAAM is food for your starving soul, fed to you by the holy person. And finally, if you still are not convinced, then Guru Arjun Dev ji makes it even clearer in Sukhmani Sahib Notice "His Naam is "SAT", the meditator becomes "SAT".
asattapadhee ||
Ashtapadee:
charan sath sath parasanehaar ||
His Lotus Feet are "SAT" , the toucher becomes "SAT".
poojaa sath sath saevadhaar ||
His devotional worship is "SAT", the worshipper becomes "SAT".
dharasan sath sath paekhanehaar ||
His Vision is "SAT", the beholder becomes "SAT".
naam sath sath dhhiaavanehaar ||
His Naam is "SAT", the meditator becomes "SAT".
aap sath sath sabh dhhaaree ||
He is "SAT", "SAT" sustains all.
aapae gun aapae gunakaaree ||
He Himself is virtuous goodness,and He Himself is the Bestower of virtue.
sabadh sath sath prabh bakathaa ||
The Shabad is "SAT", the speaker of God becomes "SAT".
surath sath sath jas sunathaa ||
Make your mind "SAT", the listener to the Praises becomes "SAT".
bujhanehaar ko sath sabh hoe ||
The one who understands this, realises all is "SAT".
naanak sath sath prabh soe ||1||
Nanak: The Lord God is "SAT SAT" ||1||

dust of your feet

sant ka marag dharam ki paudi ko vadhbhagi pai

What is the meaning of Satnam?

2008-09-14T11:47:00.000+05:30

How Do ''panch Shabad'', Anhad Bani And Sahaj Dhun(various Names
Given To Primal Sound Current) Manifest In Our Body? How Do We
Recognize Their Melodies?

God In His Grace And Mercey Reveals His Secret Shabad- The Insignia
Of His Existence To Some Blessed Soul. The Guru Gives His Gurumantra
And Through Gurumantra The Secret Anhad Shabad Is Revealed To The
Seeker.
The Sukhmana Naadi Located In The Center Of The Spine Travels Upward
Making Six Circles(chakras).these Six Chakras Are Called Khat Chakras
Or Chhe Ghar (six Plexus Or Centers). Sound Current Of The Vital Air
Reverberating Through Them Produces Different Sounds.

Kar Kar Taal Pakhaavaj Nainah Maathai Wajha Rabaabaa
Karnah Madhu Baasuree Baajai Jihvaa Dhun Aagaajaa
Nirat Kare Kar Manooaa Naachai Aane Ghooghar Saajaa
Pekhai Pekhanhaar Da-i-aala Jetaa Saaj Seegaaree (page 884)

These Sounds Resemble The Tone And Tunes Of A Flute,gong, Conch
Shell,horn,tinkling Bells,trumpet,rebeck,singing Cicadas In The
Silance Of The Night, And A Falling Bronze Vessel.other Than These
Five,many More Melodies Manifest.on The Opening Of The Sixth Chakra,
The Shabad Enters The Gagan(the Tenth Sky)this Continuously
Reverberating Melody At The Tenth Sky Is Called Sahaj Dhun Or Anhad
Shabad The Combined Symphony Of These Sounds Is Called Anhad
Bani.when These Melodies Are Very Loud And Fast They Are Called Taar
Ghor Bajantar(the Grand Orchestra Of Divine Music).all These Melodies
Reverberate At The Tenth Door Above The Sukhmana And Are Called The
Divine Music In The House Of Sukhmana

Ghar Mah Ghar Dekhaa-e -de-e So Satguru Purkh Sujaan
Panch Shabad Dhunikaar Dhun Tah Baajai Shabad Neesaan
Deep Lo-a Paatal Tah Khand Mandal Hairan
Taar Ghor Baajintar Tah Saach Takhat Sultaan
Sukhman Kai Ghar Raag Sun, Sunn Mandal Liv Laa-e
Akath Kathaa Beechaareeai Mansaa Manah Samaae
Ulat Kamal Amrit Bhariaa Ih Man Katah Na Jaa-e
Ajapaa Jaap Na Weesarai Aad Jugaad Samaa-e
Sabh Sakheeaa Panche Mile Gurmukhe Nij Ghar Waas
Shabad Khoj Ih Ghar Lahai Naanak Taa Kaa Daas

This Anhad Shabad Is The Sat Nam!

Where Is God When We Suffer?

2008-07-28T23:46:00.002+05:30

To what degree can we rely on God to be with us? Is He really someone we can turn to at all...in times of crisis as well as times of calm?

Tragedy, Disaster, Sadness: Where is God?

God is the Creator of the universe who yearns for us to know Him. That is why we are all here. It is His desire that we rely on and experience His strength, love, justice, holiness and compassion. So He says to all who are willing, "Come to Me."

Unlike us, God knows what will happen tomorrow, next week, next year, the next decade. He says, "I am God, and there is no one like me, declaring the end from the beginning."¹ He knows what will happen in the world. More importantly, He knows what will occur in your life and can be there for you, if you've chosen to include Him in your life. He tells us that He can be "our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in times of trouble."² But we must make a sincere effort to seek Him. He says, "you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."³

That doesn't mean that those who know God will escape difficult times. They won't. When a terrorist attack causes suffering and death, those who know God will be involved in that suffering also. But there is a peace and a strength that God's presence gives. One follower of Jesus Christ put it this way: "We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed."⁴ Reality tells us that we will experience problems in life. However, if we go through them while knowing God, we can react to them with a different perspective and with a strength that is not our own. No problem has the capacity to be insurmountable to God. He is bigger than all the problems that can hit us, and we are not left alone to deal with them.

God's Word tells us, "The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him."⁵ And, "The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them."⁶

Jesus Christ told His followers these comforting words: "Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Therefore do not fear; you are of more value than many sparrows."⁷ If you truly turn to God, He will care for you as no one else does, and in a way that no one else can.

Tragedy, Disaster, Sadness: Our Free Will

God has created humanity with the ability to choose. This means that we are not forced into a relationship with Him. He allows us to reject Him and to commit other evil acts as well. He could force us to be loving. He could force us to be good. But then what kind of relationship would we have with Him? It would not be a relationship at all, but a forced, absolutely controlled obedience. Instead He gave us the human dignity of free will.

Naturally, we cry from the depths of our souls..."But God, how could You let something of this magnitude happen?"

How would we want God to act? Do we want Him to control the actions of people? In the case of dealing with a terrorist attack, what could possibly be an acceptable number of deaths for God to allow?! Would we feel better if God allowed only the murder of hundreds? Would we rather God allowed only the death of one person? Yet if God would prevent the murder of even one person, there is no longer freedom to choose. People choose to ignore God, to defy God, to go their own way and commit horrible acts against others.

Tragedy, Disaster, Sadness: Our World

This planet is not a safe place. Someone might shoot us. Or we might be hit by a car. Or we might have to jump from a building attacked by terrorists. Or any number of things that might happen to us in this harsh environment called Earth, the place where God's will is not always followed.

Yet, God is not at the mercy of people, but the other way around. We are at His mercy, fortunately. This is God who created the universe with its uncountable stars, simply by speaking the words, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the sky."⁸ This is God who says He "reigns over the nations."⁹ He is unlimited in power and wisdom. Though problems seem insurmountable to us, we have an incredibly capable God who reminds us, "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh; is anything too hard for Me?"¹⁰ Somehow He is able to maintain the freedom of sinful humans, yet still bring about His will. God clearly says, "My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all My purpose."¹¹ And we can draw comfort from that if our lives are submitted to Him. "For God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble."¹²

Fears, Tragedy, Disaster: Where Is God Now?

Many of us -- no, all of us -- choose at times to stiff-arm God and His ways. Compared to others, certainly compared to a terrorist, we might consider ourselves to be respectable, loving people. But in the raw honesty of our own hearts, if we were to face God, it would be with the knowledge of our sin. As we begin to address God in prayer, are we not caught short, paused by the sense that God is well aware of our thoughts, actions and self-centeredness? We have...by our lives and actions...distanced ourselves from God. We have often lived like we could run our lives just fine without Him. The Bible says that "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way."¹³

The consequences? Our sin has separated us from God, and it affects more than this life. The penalty for our sin is death, or eternal separation from God. However, God has provided a way for us to be forgiven and know Him.

Inner Strength Through God's Love

God came to earth to rescue us. "For God so loved the world, that he sent his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent the Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him."¹⁴

God knows the pain and suffering we encounter in this world. Jesus left the safety and security of His home, and entered the hard environment we live in. Jesus got tired, knew hunger and thirst, battled accusations from others and was ostracized by family and friends. But Jesus experienced far more than daily hardships. Jesus, the Son of God in human form, willingly took all of our sin on Himself and paid our penalty of death. "In this is love, that he laid down his life for us."¹⁵ He went through torture, dying a slow, humiliating death of suffocation on a cross, so that we could be forgiven.

Jesus told others ahead of time that He would be crucified. He said that three days after His death He would come back to life, proving that He is God. He didn't say He would reincarnate someday. (Who would know if He actually did it?) He said three days after being buried He would show Himself physically alive to those who saw His crucifixion. On that third day, Jesus' tomb was found empty and many people testified to seeing Him alive.

He now offers us eternal life. We don't earn this. It is a gift from God offered to us, which we receive when we ask Him to enter our lives. "The gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus."¹⁶ If we repent of our sin and turn back to God, we can have the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. It's pretty simple. "God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."¹⁷ He wants to enter our lives.

Inner Strength Through God's Plan

What about heaven? The Bible says that God has "set eternity in the hearts of men."¹⁸ Maybe that means we know, in our hearts, what a better world would look like. The death of people we love convinces us that there's something very wrong with this life and this world. Somewhere deep down in our souls, we know that there must be a much better place to live, free from heart-wrenching difficulties and pain. To be sure, God does have a better place He offers us. It will be a completely different system in which His will is done all the time. In this world, God will wipe every tear from people's eyes. There will be no more mourning, crying, death or pain.¹⁹ And God, by His Spirit, will dwell in people in such a way that they will never sin again.²⁰

The events of a terrorist attack are horrific enough. Refusing an eternal relationship with God, which Jesus offers you, would be worse. Not just in light of eternal life, but there is no relationship which compares to knowing God in this life. He is our purpose in life, our source of comfort, our wisdom in confusing times, our strength and hope. "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him."²¹

It has been said by some that God is just a crutch. But it is likely that He is the only reliable one.

Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."²² For those who will rely on Jesus during their lives, He says it is like building your life on a Rock. Whatever crises attack you in this life, He can keep you strong.

Inner Strength Through God's Son

You can receive Jesus into your life right now. "To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God."²³ It is through Jesus Christ that we can come back to God. Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me."²⁴ Jesus offered, "Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him."²⁵

Right now you can ask God to enter your life. You can do this through prayer. Prayer means talking honestly with God. At this moment you can call out to God by telling Him something like this in sincerity:

"God, I have turned away from You in my heart, but I want to change that. I want to know You. I want to receive Jesus Christ and His forgiveness into my life. I don't want to be separated from You anymore. Be the God of my life from this day onward. Thank you God."

Have you just now sincerely asked God into your life? If you have, you have a lot to look forward to. God promises to make your present life one of greater satisfaction through knowing Him.²⁶ Where is God? He promises to make His home in you.²⁷ And He gives you eternal life.²⁸

No matter what happens in the world around you, God can be there for you. Though people do not follow God's ways, God is able to take horrible circumstances and bring about His plan anyway. God is ultimately in control over world events. If you are God's, then you can rest on the promise that, "All things work together for good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose."²⁹

Jesus Christ said, "My peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."³⁰ He promises never to fail us or forsake us.³¹

To grow in your knowledge of God and His will for your life, read the sections Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John in the Bible.

Dedication

2008-07-20T13:26:00.000+05:30

There were once two boys who both used to visit a statue of Shiv Ji which was near their village. The first boy used to visit Shiv Ji’s statue to pray and seek their blessings whereas the second boy would visit Shiv Ji’s statue to hurl stones at it. Although the first boy used to come earlier in the day the second boy used to spend just as much time with Shiv Ji’s statue. Unlike the first boy the second boy had to come under the cover of darkness as to throw stones at Shiv Ji’s statue was a great sin which would be severely punished if anyone caught the boy in the act.

One day as the first boy was about to set off to visit the statue it started to rain very heavily. The boy looked outside his window and decided to wait until the rain had stopped. As soon as the rain eased up the boy set foot outside but was called back by his mother who told him that diner was ready. The boy thought for a while and then decided that he would go and visit the statue after he had finished eating. When the boy finished eating, he quickly got up and went outside. As he was walking towards the statue his father who was coming back from work caught hold of him and told him to go back to the house as it was now very dark. The boy protested but in the end did what his father asked him to do.

As all this was happening the clouds opened up again and rain began to fall to the earth once more. The second boy who was at home picked up some stones and headed towards the statue. Although the boy could hear his mother he ignored her as he thought that he could eat his food after he had thrown the stones at Shiv Ji’s statue. On the way to the statue the boy met many people who told him to come into their homes so that he wouldn’t get wet and catch a cold. Despite their pleas the boy ignored them and continued on his way.

When he reached Shiv Ji’s statue he started throwing stones in the usual way. The second boy was the only person who visited Shiv Ji’s statue that day.

Shiv Ji pleased with the dedication of the boy took the form of an old man and appeared before him. The old man said, “What do you want from this world son? Is there anything that I can give you?”

The boy looked at the old man and started laughing. He then said, “Can you really give me anything?”

The old man nodded his head. The boy still laughing said, “Ok, give me big horns.”

As soon as the boy said this horns began to grow from his head. When he returned to the village people began to hurl stones at him and eventually after being hit many times he died.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

The true cure

2008-07-20T13:24:00.000+05:30

Once a beggar, who was inflicted with leprosy heard about the greatness of Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj and his beloved Sikh, Sant Baba Harnaam Singh Ji. The beggar slowly made his way to where Sant Ji was staying and asked Sant Ji’s students if he could meet Sant Ji. The students took the beggar to Sant Ji. After bowing before the King of this world and the next, Dhan Dhan Satguru Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj the beggar exchanged greetings with Sant Ji. He then said, “Oh Saint of saints, beloved of Guru Nanak, light of Akaal Purakh I have heard of thousands of people being healed by your holy sight. Please be merciful and shower this cripple with your grace.”

Sant Ji looked at the beggar and said, “You are wrong. I am a mere mortal who has no such powers. If you want to be healed then Gurbani and only Gurbani can do this such is the power of the house of Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj.”

Sant Ji then told his students to take the beggar to the sarovaar and help him take a bath. He then requested them to wrap the beggar in a white sheet and to bring him into Darbar Sahib.

When the beggar was brought back Sant Ji and his students did an ardas before reciting Sri Sukhmani Sahib Ji thirteen times. It took almost 15 hours to complete the thirteen recitations. After the recital was complete Sant Ji did another ardas in front of Dhan Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj. At the conclusion of this ardas Sant Ji himself removed the white sheet, which the beggar was covered in to reveal a completed cured individual.

Sant Ji then said, “Dhan Dhan Satguru Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj’s holy feet have cured you through his bani, Sri Sukhmani Sahib Ji. Contemplate on the name of Akaal Purakh and live a honest and truthful life.”

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Ghost requests Akhand Paath

2008-07-20T13:22:00.002+05:30

The following story is from Katha by Giani Avtar Singh Ji - Badni Kalan Wale. Giani Avtar Singh Ji is the grandson of Sant Giani Gurbachan Singh Ji Khalsa Bhindranwale. The katha is entitled "Sikhi di Rehit," it can be found on gurmatveechar.com

About 20 years ago, a family in India was blessed to have a Sri Akhand Paath Sahib of Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj at their house. Giani Avtar Singh Ji attended the Sri Akhand Paath Sahib. The Paathi Singhs recited the Paath with complete Maryada.

The reason for the Akhand Paath was that a young man (youth) in the family had recently died. After his death, the soul of the young man was wandering and eventually the soul possessed his brother. After entering into his brother's body, the soul spoke and requested that the family should do a Sri Akhad Paath Sahib for him.

Giani Ji in his katha says that through this sakhi, we will understand the importance of Gurbani and also the importance, need and greatness of the Sikh identity given to us by Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj.

After the soul requested that an Akhand Paath be done for him, the family members went to a few places to seek help in performing the Sri Akhand Paath Sahib. Eventually, the family came to Giani Avtar Singh Ji and asked him for help. They requested full tyaar par tyaar Singhs (always ready, spiritually elevated Khalsa Singhs) to do the seva of the Akhand Paath Sahib.

Giani Avtar Singh Ji discussed this with some Gurmukh Singhs and they agreed, then they began the Akhand Paath seva. Giani Avtar Singh Ji mentions that he was present at the Bhog (completion) of the Sri Akhand Paath Sahib. That day, the brother of the dead young man was present there too. It is assumed in the Katha, that the soul of the dead young man would enter and leave the body of his brother from time to time.

The family then prepared some food for Giani Avtar Singh Ji and the Singhs. The brother of the dead man was sitting there too. Other family members were present. Then suddenly, the brother began to feel dizzy and was unaware of his surroundings, he then closed his eyes. The family knew exactly what was going on. The family told Giani Avtar Singh Ji that the soul of the dead man is entering into his brother's body now.

Giani Ji says that after hearing this, he was carefully paying attention to see if they were just pretending or not. Then, while speaking to the brother who was possessed, Giani Ji asked, "What is your name?"

Then Giani Ji asked, "What was the purpose of you coming back if you had already died?"

Then the soul spoke and said "I wasn't supposed to die yet, I still had some years left in my life. What happened was, I became unconscious after being electrocuted. Then my family members put milk into my mouth (thinking it might help). I had no idea what was going on. Due to my family pouring milk into my body, I died, because after a person is electrocuted, water/liquid should not be given to that person."

Giani Ji continued speaking with the soul, and then an important question was asked, "After dying, where did you go?"

Giani then pauses the story for a moment, mentioning that only the souls who have died can tell us these things (about the after life). People like us who are still living don't have the knowledge on these matters.

Continuing on, Giani Ji mentions that the soul replied, "I was taken to a very bad place, hell."

"They took me there (Jamdoots - Angels of Death) and I was very miserable and grieving in pain, just by being there."

Giani Ji then asks, "How did you get released from there?"

Soul replied, "One day, the head person (Dharam Raja) came there to inspect and see what was going on." Giani Ji then explains, that whatever body the soul was in before death, those same qualities are then carried on to the after life. The soul mentioned, that he was kesdhari (kept uncut hair) before his death.

Soul continues saying, "When the head person saw that I was kesdhari, he ordered that I be taken out of hell. Then the head person asked me if I have ever done Paath (Sikh prayers). I replied that I only used to do Paath of Jap Ji Sahib before my death, but not other Gurbani prayers and I have never let scissors touch my hair. Then the head person told me that because of these 2 things: not cutting your hair and doing Jap Ji Sahib Paath, you will be released from hell. If you hadn't done these good deeds, you would've been in hell for ages, who knows how long!"

The soul continues on saying, "I then remembered the sakhi when Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj was explaining to a Sikh named Bhai Dhana Ji, that if a Sikh who has never cut his hair enters into hell, I will pull him out of hell by the hair on his head."

Giani Ji explains that the soul was freed from hell because he had never cut his hair and also he had done Paath of Sri Jap Ji Sahib. This is what caused the soul to enter his brother's body, in order to relay the message to his family, to request that an Akhand Paath Sahib be done for him.

Gurbani's power is limitless. It helps us here and in the after life. Even souls that have already died are thirsting for Gurbani and its power.

Dhan Dhan SatGuru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Sant Kartar Singh Ji in the same light as Christ

2008-07-20T13:22:00.001+05:30

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Sant Baba Kartar Singh Ji Bhindranwale the 13th Jathedhar of Guru Ji’s Taksal was a puran Brahmgyani. When they were returning home the car Sant Ji was travelling in was involved in an accident. When Mahapursh was found he was very badly hurt. But this saint of Akaal Purakh didn’t cry out in pain or worry about his own body the only thing he was concerned about was his kakkars. That was the only thing Mahapursh kept asking about.

Due to his injuries Sant Ji was taken to the Christian Medical College in Ludhiana. This hospital is run by Christians and most of the doctors who work there are from outside Punjab.

Anyways when Mahapursh was brought into the hospital George, one of the workers I spoke to said everyone could tell that a saint had come. Mahapursh was on everyone’s mind and all the staff would talk amongst themselves about Sant Ji. With Mahapursh there were about 30-40 singhs, Sant Jarnail Singh Ji was one of those Singhs. Sant Jarnail Singh Ji used to do a lot of seva for Mahapursh and George remembers Sant Ji, Mahapursh and the rest of the Singhs with great love.

Many patients who were in the hospital were Sikhs and when they found out that Sant Kartar Singh Ji was in the hospital they went to go and see him. Being blessed with the darshan of Mahapursh was enough to cure some of these patients as in Mahapursh’s room Gurbani was being recited 24 hours a day.

One of the senior surgeons in the hospital was in charge of Sant Ji’s care. When he examined Mahapursh he could feel an intense energy, which was very difficult to put into words. This surgeon began to think of Jesus Christ and began to see Sant Kartar Singh Ji in the same light as Christ.

The surgeon told Mahapursh that he was very badly hurt and that they would have to perform a very big operation which would involve shaving his kesh to save his life. Mahapursh looked at the surgeon and said, “Cut my head off but never even think about cutting this Kesh which Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj has blessed me with.” The surgeon was not surprised by Sant Ji response as he knew that Mahapursh was a man of God who didn’t fear death but feared disappointed his father Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj.

The surgeon then promised to do whatever he could to keep Sant Ji comfortable. To which Mahapursh replied, “In this room the bani of Akaal Purakh is resounding. This is all I need.”

To be continued.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Ik aunkar satnam karta purakh nirbhau nirwair akal murat ajuni saibhang gur prasad.

2008-06-21T00:19:00.000+05:30

After this, one from amongst the five beloved ones should explain to the initiates the discipline of the order :

* Today you are reborn in the true Guru's household, ending the cycle of migration, and joined the Khalsa Panth (order).

* Your spiritual father is now Guru Gobind Singh Sahib and the spiritual mother, Mata Sahib Kaur ji.

* Your place of birth is Kesgarh Sahib and your native place is Anandpur Sahib.

* You, being the sons of one father, are, inter-se yourselves and other Amritdhari Sikhs, spiritual brothers.

* You have become the pure Khalsa, having renounced your previous lineage, professional background, calling (occupation), beliefs, that is, having given up all connections with your caste, descent, birth, country, religion, etc..

* You are to worship none except the One Timeless Being (Waheguru) no god, goddess, incarnation or prophet.

* You are not to think of anyone except the Ten Gurus and anything except their gospel as your saviour.

* You are supposed to know Gurmukhi (Punjabi alphabet). (If you do not, you must learn it).

* And recite, or listen in to the recitation of, the under mentioned scriptural compositions, the daily repetition of which is ordained, every day : (1) The Japuji Sahib, (2) The Jaap Sahib, (3) The Ten Sawayyas (Quartrains), beginning "sarawag sudh", (4) The Sodar Rahiras and the Sohila. Besides, you should read from or listen in to the recitation from the Guru Granth Sahib .

Have, on your person, all the time, the five K's :

I. The Keshas (unshorn hair),
II. The Kirpan {sheathed sword} (The length of the sword to be worn is not prescribed.,
III. The Kachhehra (The Kachhehra (drawers like garment) may be made from any cloth, but its legs should not reach down to below the shins.),
IV. The Kanga (comb),
V. The Karha {steel bracelet} (The Karha should be of pure steel.)

The undermentioned four transgressions (tabooed practices) must be avoided

1. Dishonouring the hair;
2. Eating the meat of an animal slaughtered the Muslim way;
3. Cohabiting with a person other than one's spouse;
4. Using tobacco.

In the event of the commission of any of these transgressions, the transgressor must get Amrit again. If a transgression is committed unintentionally and unknowingly, the transgressor shall not be liable to punishment. You must not associate with a Sikh who had uncut hair earlier and has cut it or a Sikh who smokes. You must ever be ready for the service of the Panth and of the Gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship). You must tender one tenth (Daswand) of your earnings to the Guru. In short, you must act the Guru's way in all spheres of activity.You must remain fully aligned to the Khalsa brotherhood in accordance with the principles of the Khalsa faith. If you commit transgression of the Khalsa discipline, you must present yourself before the congregation and beg pardon, accepting whatever punishment is awarded. You must also resolve to remain watchful against defaults in the future.

q The following individuals shall be liable to chastisement involving automatic boycott:

1. Anyone maintaining relations or communion with elements antagonistic to the Panth including the minas (reprobates), the masands (agents once accredited to local Sikh communities as Guru's representatives, since discredited for their faults and aberrations), followers of Dhirmal or Ram Rai, et. al., or users of tobacco or killers of female infants

2. One who eats/drinks Left-overs of the non-Amritdhari or the fallen Sikhs;

3. One who dyes his beard;

4. One who gives off son or daughter in matrimony for a price or reward;
5. Users of intoxicants (hemp, opium, liquor, narcotics, cocaine, etc.);
6. One holding, or being a party to, ceremonies or practices contrary to the Guru's way;
7. One who defaults in the maintenance of Sikh discipline.
r. After this sermon, one from among the five beloved ones should perform the Ardas.
s. Thereafter, the Sikh sitting in attendance of the Guru Granth Sahib should take the Hukam. If anyone from amongst those who have received the Khande di Pahul had not earlier been named in accordance with the Sikh Naming Ceremony, he should renounce his previous name and be given a new name beginning with first letter of the Hukam now taken.
t. And finally, the Karhah Prashad should be distributed. All the newly launched Sikh men and women should eat the Karhah Prashad together off the same bowl.

Where is God? What Next?

2008-06-21T00:18:00.001+05:30

Where is God? In today's world, it's easy for us to think that we suffer alone. But if you have wondered where God is, so has someone else. Now that you know who He is and where He is, you can help someone else know where God is, too.

Near the end of the Gospel of John, just before He was crucified, Jesus told His disciples about a comforter He would send, to remind them of all the things He had taught. That comforter, the Holy Spirit of God, came at Pentecost, just a short time after Jesus ascended into heaven. In the first chapter of Acts we read about that event as His disciples were filled with His Spirit and began declaring the Gospel message.

What this means for you and me is that once we confess our sins, receive God's forgiveness and accept the gift of salvation through Christ, we can know the presence of that Comforter, too. With His Holy Spirit living in us, His nature gradually overtakes our own. As that happens, others will begin to discover where God is by knowing you.

Where is God? How Can I Relate to Him?

2008-06-21T00:17:00.002+05:30

Where is God? There's a popular song that says God is watching from a distance. Or you may have heard Him referred to as a higher power, the man upstairs or a divine imminence. But the Bible tells us He is a person, and that He is near. James, a man history records as the brother of Jesus, tells us that if we draw near to God, He draws near to us (James 4:8). What more could we ask? Does that give you a picture of being cuddled? It should - God longs to cuddle you in His arms.

Have you believed God is waiting to judge you? The Bible says He longs to forgive you. Over and over throughout the pages of Scripture, we read of His longsuffering nature. From Genesis through Revelation, we see a consistent picture of a God who continues to offer forgiveness, up to the very end of time. He is not willing that any should perish, the Bible says, but that all should be saved. The reason He sent Jesus into the world is so that we could all be saved! (John 3:17). Religions teach us we need to earn God's favor. The Bible tells us God's favor is a gift. All He is waiting for is for us to admit our need. Once we confess our sin, His forgiveness is ours. (1 John 1:9)

Where is God? How Can I Know He Exists?

2008-06-21T00:17:00.001+05:30

Where is God? If this question still needs to be settled in your mind, consider the evidence for God in His creation. Genesis 1:1 says, In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Do you believe it? Look around at the evidence. Psalm 19:1-2 tells us: The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. God wants us to know He exists. Where is God? We see Him in what He has created.

Do you believe that God wants you to see Him? The Bible says He does. He reveals Himself to us. Psalm 98:2 says, The Lord has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.

God reveals Himself to us through His creation (see Romans 1:20) and through His Word: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

Finally, God desires us to know Him so much that He took on the form of a man, in the person of His Son Jesus Christ. Consider these words from Paul in Philippians 2:6-8: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

John, another apostle, helps us understand that Jesus is the same God who created the universe when he says In John 1: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men… And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

We can see God in what He has created; we can see Him when we read His Word; we can see Him in the person and character of Jesus Christ. Jesus came to help us understand God, and to assure us that God understands us. John goes on to say: No man hath seen God at any time, the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him. (John 1:18). Jesus declares His existence and further reveals the truth about God.

Where is God? The Ultimate Question

2008-06-21T00:14:00.000+05:30

Where is God? Have you ever asked that question? Most of us have at one time or another. Its answer has more to do with His presence in our lives than with belief in His existence. We want to know -- where is God when I hurt, or where is God when something goes desperately wrong in my life? Our conclusions depend on what we rely on as a benchmark for truth in our lives.

Do you believe the Bible is true, and that it is what it claims to be? If you do, then you recognize that it is the very Word of God. What a great place to begin looking for His presence.

THE MISSION OF GURU NANAK

2008-05-31T08:51:00.000+05:30

Guru Nanak had given all his Spiritual, Religious, Scientific, Political and Philosophical sermons to people professing different faiths and segments of society and those following various religious orders in his 965 Gurbani Shabads or compositions. In addition he had collected 784 compositions of 15 Bhagats and Saints from all over the country and had given this treasure of his revealed Gurbani collection to Guru Angad Dev Ji when he installed him as the second Nanak. Bhai Gurdas in his Vaars as well as Satta and Balwand in their Vaar, which is included in the Guru Granth Sahib, proclaimed that Guru Nanak just changed his body. Guru Nanak could have compiled the Gurbani Treasure in the form of a "Granth" or "Pothi" if his intention had been only to give a new method of "Bhakti" or constant remembrance of the Lord leading to personal salvation. Neither Guru Angad Dev Ji nor any of the other 8 Nanaks gave any fresh or new idea in their Bani or proclamation. They just further repeated the same thoughts in different phraseology because in fact they were all Nanaks. Guru Nanak had the distinction that he was recording himself all the thoughts that were being revealed to him. No other Saint or Bhagat had done so. Their followers had recorded their sermons in more than one version and sometimes they recorded the same after the demise of the savant. When we draw our attention to the ages when the various other Nanaks occupied the spiritual cum temporal throne then we notice that Guru Arjan Dev was installed Guru by his predecessor at the age of 18, Guru Hargobind was installed at the age of 11, Hari Rai at the age of 14 years, Guru Harikrishan Ji at the age of 5 years and Guru Gobind Singh at the age of 9 years. We can easily conclude that "The Light of the Lord Himself" which entered Guru Nanak was passed on to the young Gurus who could act like Guru Nanak and thus it was the Light, which was acting in all. Bhai Gurdas is very clear:

Vaar 1, Pauri 45 (6, 7, 8)

Joti jot milaikai satigur Nanak roop vatiaia. Lakhi na koi sakai aacharjai aacharaj dikhaia. Kaia palatt saroop banaia.

Guru Nanak transformed himself and thus changed into a different personality. This mystery is incomprehensible for any body and awe-inspiring (Nanak) accomplished a wonderful task. He (Nanak) converted his body into a new form.

Vaar 24 Pauri 25 (1, 2, 3)

Nirankaru Nanak Deu Nirankari aakar banaia guru Angadu gur ang te gangahu jaanh tarang uthaia Amar Das guru Angdahu joli saroop chalat vartaia.

The formless Lord who is beyond all forms assumed the form of Guru Nanak Dev (in a metaphoric sense). In turn, he (Guru Nanak) created Angad "from his limbs" as the waves are created in the river Ganga. From Guru Angad came Guru Amar Das and all saw the miracle of transference of the Light.

We can easily conclude that Guru Nanak assumed nine other forms to complete the special task assigned to him.

THREE PHASES OF THE KHALSA

1. Formation of a Unitary Panth 1469-1708 (239 years) To organise a Unique Panth or Army of Akal Purukh seems to have been the mandate of Nanak. Sikhi is not just another religion with its special rituals being: - Kirtan, Kirtan Darbars, reading of Guru Granth Sahib on 7 days or rapid continuous reading over 48 hours (Akhandpath), Katha or discourse on Gurbani and Langars being the other prominent attributes. We become thoughtful and are in a contemplative mood when the Raagis sing: "Meri Meri Kartey Janam Gaio" meaning that Man! You have wasted your life muttering Mine, Mine. This Shabad is usually sung at the Bhog Ceremony of a dear departed soul. The meanings do not touch us because we all have become totally self-centered, always counting our wealth and remaining in quest for more acquisitions. We, the Sikhs have totally forgotten and have ignored completely the objective of Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak was aiming in bringing the whole humanity on the righteous path. Guru Nanak had commenced his task by singing his thoughts and addressing the people of South and South West Asia. He had initiated a movement to establish a gentle rule, which would uplift the downtrodden and poor of the land. The Tenth Nanak passed on this mandate to us.

We did not pay much attention to the two important edicts and traditions given to us by the Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Guru Sahib in 1699, at the time of commencing the Institution of distinctive Khalsa, had declared that the Sanstha (institution) of Masands is hereby abolished for all time to come. Guru Sahib had stated that these Masands had become totally corrupt even in the Guru period. Not only they misappropriated funds meant for the Guru, they browbeat the Sikhs. In addition to Masands Guru Gobind Singh Ji, turned out from the Panth Minas, Ram Raiyas, and Dhirmalias, all those who had been trying to set up Sikhi of their own. Thus Guru Gobind Singh consolidated one Central mainstream or Panth of the Khalsa and stated that henceforth the Daswandh or tithe be handed over directly to the Guru. It clearly meant that after him, the Daswandh, the compulsory levy instituted by Guru Arjan Dev Ji, was to be deposited in the Central Treasury of the Panth. The intellectuals did not apply their mind to this edict and this has been the sole cause of the chaotic condition of the Panth now. Literally thousands of Masands in the form of Babas and others are collecting funds for their personal benefit.

Secondly, in 1708, he had clearly shown to us the model of future Panthic Leadership when he had appointed Banda Singh Bahadar as the Commander of the Khalsa and provided him with five chosen Gursikhs to guide him throughout on the Path of Gurmat. This model of collective Panthic leadership has yet to be instituted.

2. Second Phase of Khalsa 1708-1947 (239 years) Sustenance of the Khalsa Upto the time of Nawab Kapur Singh Panth had a single central treasury and one polity. After the demise of Kapur Singh and Ahmed Shah Abdali, the Misl Sardars commenced fighting amongst themselves. During these 239 years Panth had two golden periods:

1799-1839: These 40 years of Sarkar Khalsa was a unique peaceful Kingdom of its times in the whole world. There were no rebellions and no body was given death sentence when even in England death sentence was awarded for minor crimes. Our Gurus indicated forcefully to us that every Raj within boundaries becomes corrupt and showed it to us that such a remarkable Raj came to an inglorious end within 10 years.

1920-1925: During these 5 years Panth acted as one unit and hundreds sacrificed themselves for freeing the Gurdwaras from the control of Mahants. Panjabi Muslims and Govt. of India were alarmed that if they do not check this movement, it would lead to Khalsa Raj. Govt of India brought out a well thought out Gurdwara Act for handing over of important historical Gurdwaras of Punjab to an elected body of Sikhs for which the Government of Punjab would incur all expenses for all times. During 1920, the Panth had shown exemplary unity when they had nominated by unanimous consent 170 members to constitute the Shrimoni Gurdwara Prabhandhak Committee. As soon as the Gurdwara Act was passed, Sikhs got divided into 3 factions and in the very first election to SGPC in 1926, Sikhs used every possible corrupt practise to gain control of SGPC. The intellectuals did not give any lead to the Panth at this critical movement but instead also got themselves attached to various factions of religious and political leaders.

End of Panthic Ideology:

Our Gurus had created a single Panth but after 1925 the Sikhs joined other political parties for personal promotion. In 1946 Sikhs joined Congress in large numbers and fought elections on its ticket. The lure of travelling in the Ministerial car with National Flag on it (Jhandi wali car) had a great attraction for the Sikh politicians. Several of them joined the Congress to get a march above their rivals in the Akali Dal. This was also a quick way to amass money. Sikh intellectuals were not only mute spectators but were running after the various factions of Sikh politicians and forgot the entity of Guru Panth. The degradation of the Panth was demonstrated at the recently held 4 political conferences at the Chhapar Mela on 2-9-2001. The Sikhs vied with one another to show the political strength of their faction and brought their followers from all over Panjab to downgrade their rivals. These conferences were held at the "Gugga Marhi Mandir". Only Sikhs spoke from the stages of Akali Dal, Congress, Panthic Morcha and Lok Bhalai Party. Regression of Sikh Ideology was further demonstrated when the Sikhs organized the annual Urs of Pir Manawala and Baba Miran Shah on 7th September 2001. Panjabi Tribune of 8th September 2001 published photographs and mentioned 26 Sikh names among the organizers who had offered ceremonial Chadars over the graves and distributed special Choorma. The paper also published the lines of the degrading songs sung by Sikh boys and girls on this occasion. No group or body of intellectuals or even Akal Takhat criticized these unsikh practices on both these occasions. This is height of Panthic decadence.

3. Third Phase of Khalsa: Khalsa to rescue the world (1947 onwards):

We must accept that the "Embodiment of the Spirit of the Lord Himself was called Guru Nanak – Jot Roop Her Aaap Guru Nanak Kahaiyo" and this Light of the Lord had come here for a purpose. Khalsa had been formed at the behest of the Akal Purukh to save the world from annihilation. It was for this purpose that Akal Purukh did not desire us to be confined to a small state and hence no Sikh State was created in 1947. Subsequently the Sikhs started moving out of Punjab in large numbers and events of 1984 lead to world vide Diaspora of Sikhs. Guru Nanak had commenced his journey to bring the humanity on the path of righteousness "Charhiya Sodhan Dharat Lukai". It is for furtherance of this task that the Khalsa has spread to all over the world. Only the ideology of Guru Granth Sahib can control the Explosive situation and impending anarchy which has become manifest after Sept. 11, 2001.

Let the Khalsa put its own house in order to face this task. Three steps are urgently required and all well meaning Sikh intellectuals should commence a movement from every forum:

Organisation of a Central Treasury of the Panth.

Organisation of Central Leadership of the Panth, which is acceptable to all 20 million Sikhs.

Organisation of a single Khalsa Polity in all countries of the world to project the ideology of Guru Granth Sahib.

Once we achieve the 3 objectives outlined above then we would be able to spearhead the movement of sanity in the world. We have to end all ethnic differences and uplift the downtrodden masses in all countries. We have to forcefully project the ideology of "Koi Boley Ram Ram Koi Khudaiye". Let us dispense with mery mery (mine, mine) give up personal self-promotion all the time. Part with Bank balances for the Guru's task.

Propagate the ideology of Guru Granth Sahib by publishing Gurbani in different languages and scripts of the world. We have to commence a worldwide movement for distribution of Gurbani Booklets amongst the intellectuals in all countries.

Video Bhajans - Satnam Waheguru ji

2008-05-31T08:22:00.003+05:30

Audio Keertans in MP3 - Satnam waheguru ji

2008-05-31T07:01:00.005+05:30

01 Meethey tere bol - Bhai Gurmeet Singh Shaant.mp3

02 Saajna sant aao mere - Bhai Gurmeet Singh Shaant.mp3

03 Maai moro pritam - Bhai Gurmeet Singh Shaant.mp3

04 Jo jan leh khasam ka naao - Bhai Gurmeet Singh Shaant.mp3

05 Thaakur tujh bin - Bhai Gurmeet Singh Shaant.mp3

06 Jap man satnam sada satnam - Bhai Gurmeet Singh Shaant.mp3

Simran - Bhai_TejinderPal_Toronto.mp3

Simran - Bhai Harjinder ji and Bhai Anoop Singh .mp3

Simran - Bhai Apardeep Singh 3.mp3

Simran - Bhai Jasbir Singh Ji NEW.mp3

Simran - Bhai Ravinder Singh (Delhi).mp3

Simran - Bhai Satvinder Singh.mp3

Simran - Crazy!.mp3

Simran - GRRRRRRRU extended version.mp3

Simran - GRRUUUU extended version.mp3

Simran - Guitar-BibiDeepKaurJi.mp3

Simran - Ik Oang Kaar.mp3

Simran - Satnam Siri Vaheguru.mp3

Simran - Slow with tune.mp3

Simran - seal simran.mp3

Simran HC - Binderpal Kaur Simran.mp3

simran manpreetsingh manchester.mp3

IMPACT OF SIKH GURU'S ON SOCIETY

2008-05-30T23:34:00.000+05:30

The Sikh Gurus had an extraordinary influence on the various strata of society. They provided vital leadership to the down-trodden and suppressed people. Their contribution in spiritual, moral, social, economic, cultural and political fields was striking and remarkable. They placed simple but high ideals before the people at a time when superstition, fanaticism and despair reigned supreme everywhere. They removed false beliefs and fear from the minds of men and women and held out before them the prospects of hope, confidence, peace and salvation.

During the Guru period there were only two religions in the PanjabHinduism and Islam. Buddhism had disappeared long ago. Only a few followers of Jainism could be seen in Haryana. The rulers of the country were Muslims and Hindus were the subject people. Deep hatred and bitter antagonism existed between the two religions. The Hindus suffered from triple oppression-by foreign rulers, by invaders, and by alien settlers. The Hindus and Muslims were completely separated from each other-religiously, socially, economically, culturally and politically.

1. IMPACT ON RELIGIOUS THOUGHT

(a) Reformation of Hindu society

Nanak's religion was for all. He wanted to root out the hatred existing between the rulers and the ruled. As the Muslims persecuted Hindus on account of idolatry and caste system, Nanak preached against both these institutions. He declared there was only one God, and all human beings were His children. Thus he preached the principle of fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man. The Gurus addressed their followers as Bhai, Bhai Mardana, Bhai-Bala, Bhai Budha, Bhai Lahna. Guru Tegh Bahadur, while writing to a sangat, mentioned every member by name even when the number was 50, 60 or 70, calling every male member Bhai and every woman as Bebe.

The Gurus asserted it did not matter if God was called Allah or Khuda by Muslims, and Ram or Parmeshwar by Hindus. Father, daddy and papa meant the same person. The real test lay not in belief but in action. Both Quran and Puran taught love of humanity. He emphasized that in the eyes of God there was no person high or low superior or inferior, big or small, rich or poor. Nanak admitted lower caste Hindus along with men of upper classes in his congregations. He preached in Panjabi, the language of the common people, in witty prose and pithy poetry. He insisted on singing sacred songs or hymns in the sincerest devotion and love for God. The spirit of self-surrender to the Lord and exercising no will of one's own was prescribed for all seekers of peace of mind. All useless formalities and rituals were completely discarded. He roamed all over the country preaching to the people at village well, under a shady tree where people rested in the afternoon, at fairs and festivals, at places of pilgrimage, and on occasions of marriages and mournings.

Nanak stimulated the people to get rid of priesthood, polytheism and caste system. He offered consolation by preaching that their misfortunes were due to their misdeeds in the past life, and assured them that a good life would bring them salvation hereafter.

(b) Fraternity with Muslims

The Sikh Gurus attempted to remove bitterness prevailing between Hinduism and Islam both by precept and practice. Guru Nanak's life-companion was Mardana. He died at Baghdad and the Guru performed his obsequies with his own hands, and erected a memorial over his grave. Then Mardana's son Shahzada was employed to sing holy songs. Guru Angad recruited Satta and Balwand, two Muslim minstrels, to sing sacred hymns at the time of worship. Guru Arjan got the foundation-stone of Hari Mandar laid at Amritsar by the celebrated Muslim saint, Mian Mir of Lahore. He included in the Adi Granth, the holy scripture of Sikhism, hymns of Muslim saints and minstrels as follows:

Kabir 541, Farid 134, Mardana 3, Satta and Balwand who sang jointly 3.

Guru Hargobind employed in his service a large number of Pathans under command of Paindab Khan. Pir Budhu Shah of Sadhaura gave to Guru Gobind Singh 700 of his disciples in command of his four sons, two of whom were killed in the battle of Bhangani in 1688. In the battle of Anandpur in 1702 Mir Beg and Mamun Khan commanded Guru's forces. Again at the same place in 1704 General Sayyid Beg did not like to fight an unholy war against the Guru and went over to his side. Nabi Khan and Ghani Khan of Machhiwara helped Guru Gobind Singh in escaping towards Malwa desert. Qazi Pir Muhammad saved Guru's life by falsely declaring that he was a Muslim saint known to him. Rae Kalha, a Muslim chief of Raekot entertained him generously during the flight. Thus it is clear Gurus reduced communal tension in thePanjab.

(c) Salvation through repetition of God's Name

God of the Sikh Gurus is nirgun or absolute as well as sagun or personal.

As absolute, He is present in everything and everywhere. As personal, He listens to one's grievances and helps him:

"He lives in everything. He dwells in every heart. Yet he is no blended with anything. He is separate."¹

Salvation could be obtained by one and all by constantly and attentively repeating the Name of God. Guru Ram Das said:

"Let anybody repeat Han Mantra worthy to be repeated, be he a Kshatriya, a Brahman, a Shudra or a Vaish."

Guru Arjan declared: "Through one Name all will be saved-the Kshatriya, the Brahman, the Shudra and the Vaish."³

The mode of the worship of the Sikhs consists in singing hymns from the Adi Granth to the accompaniment of musical instruments. This manner of worship has remained unchanged through centuries. Sujan Rae Bhandari of Batala, a contemporary of Guru Gobind Singh, wrote in 1697:

"The mode of,worship of this sect is to recite hymns composed by their Gurus and sing them softly and sweetly in a fascinating manner."⁴

(d) congregations

Hinduism was based on individualism. It did not develop spirit of unity. It was for this reason that Muslim invaders easily overpowered 14indu armies, which had no unified command. The Bhakti leaders insisted on congregational system. The Sikh Gurus adopted the same practice.

Sangats or congregations were religious assemblies. Every Sjkhman, woman and child was a member of one sangat or the other. The sangats served as a link between the common people and the Gurus. Guru Nanak established a dharamsal or a Sikh place of worship wherever he went.'

Guru Angad maintained the purity of the sangat by declining to associate Udasis with the Sikhs. Guru Amar Das organised them into twenty~two dioceses under Sangatias. Their status was raised by Guru Arjan to that of Masands. In the Sangat all the four castes were blended like the betel leaf, Bhai Gurdas said:

Char varan satsang Gurmukh melya

Jdn tambol rang Gurmukh chelya.²

Guru Hargobind introduced congregational prayers. Mohsin Fani says when a Sikh desired for something, he would request the sangat to pray for him. Even the Guru himself asked the Sikh congregation (Sangat or Anjuman-e-Sikhan) to pray for him.³

2. IMPACT ON SOCIAL LIFE

(a) Caste system

The Hindu society was based on caste and was divided into countless water tight compartments. Hinduism consisted of four castes. About one-third of the total number included Shudras. The three-upper classes considered Shudras inferior. They were required to perform menial jobs for them. Men were considered high and low on account of their birth and not according to their deeds. Equality of human beings was a dream. The Gurus preached that a man's love of God should be the criterion to judge whether be was good or bad, high or low. As the caste system was not based on divine love, they condemned it. They aimed at creating a casteless and classless society. Guru Ram Das stated:

"There are four castes-Brahmans, Kshatriyas, Shudras and Vaishasand there are four Ashrams. Of all these the foremost is one which meditates on the Lord. As a castor tree growing near a sandalwood tree absorbs its perfume, so does a degraded person become acceptable by attending religious congregations. The highest and purest of all is he whose mind dwells in the Lord. Nanak! I wash the feet of that devotee of God who serves the low castes."

Guru Arjan gave four gates to Han Mandar at Amritsar indicating that the Sikh temples were open to all the four castes.

Bhai Gurdas, the scribe of the Adi Granth, testifies to the effect produced by the Guru's teachings on caste system:

Char varan ik varan hoe, Gur Sikh waryan Gurmukh gote.

[All four castes have become one. All disciples of the Guru belong to the Gurmukh caste.']

(b) The Langar

The Sikh Gurus denounced the practice of dining within a square (chauka) in the kitchen by the three upper castes. It developed spirit of exclusiveness and isolation which could not make the people a nation. Guru Nanak started the langar system which was rigidly enforced by his successors. All the visitors belonging to any caste had to dine in the community mess or langar. There a Brabman sat by the side of a barber or washerman, and ate the same food prepared and served even by Shudras. This led to the amalgamation of all the castes into one class.

(c) The sacred thread

The sacred thread created superior and inferior classes as Shudras were debarred from itS use. Guru Nanak opposed it vehemently. The Gurus and their Sikhs discarded it.

(d) Spirit of fellow-feeling

Guru Amar Das invited all his followers with their families to gather in a general body twice a year on the days of Baisakhi and Diwali in March-April and October-November. It enabled them to fraternise with one another, and greatly developed the spirit of fellowfeeling. This practice was continued under the later Gurus. It is still followed with the same enthusiasm.

(e) Spirit of service

The Gurus placed before their Sikhs the ideal of service and sacrifice. Guru Nanak in Sri Rag says: "The service of mankind is a warrant to heaven." The Gurus developed spirit of service among the Sikhs who rendered free labour in digging wells and tanks and contributed money and material. Guru Amar Das constructed at Goindwal a well (baoli) in which water was approached by 84 steps. Guru Ram Das dug a tank called Amritsar. He started construction of another tank known as Santokhsar. Guru Arjan completed it in 1588. In 1590 he laid out another big tank., 24 kms south of Amritsar, and named it Taran Taran. Sixty-six kms to the east of Amritsar he dug another tank called Gangasar, where a new township called Kartarpur developed. He built a (baoli) at Lahore. At Wadali, 7 kms from Amritsar the Guru dug a big well which was worked by six Persian wheels. The place came to be known as Chheharta.

(f) The dignity of manual labour

The dignity of manual labour was raised to a high pedestal. Nanak worked as a cultivator at Kartarpur. Angad carried heavy loads of grass on his head while in attendance upon Guru Nanak. Amar Das at Khadur daily brought a pitch~r of water from river Beas, 5 kms distant, for Guru Angad's bath. Ram Das carried baskets of earth on his head when the (baoli) at Goindwal was under construction. Guru Arjan's Sikhs gave free labour in digging various tanks. The Sikhs worked gratis in the langar in fetching fuelwood and water, cooking, cleansing utensils, sweeping floor and in serving food.¹

Giving away something in the service of others was a necessary part of a Sikh's life. He was expected to make offerings to the local langar, Guru-ka-langar at the headquarters, for construction of a gurdwara or a tank and to help the needy. The Gurus insisted that one should earn one's living by the sweat of one's brow. Guru Ram Das, the fourth Guru, instructed the Sikhs to serve other Sikhs wherever p05sible with money and material. He specially asked them to serve travellers with food and drink.²The fifth Guru, Arjan, made it a rule that every Sikh must contribute one-tenth of his earnings in the service of the community. This practice continued under the later Gurus. It still exists to a certain extent purely on a voluntary basis

(h) Women

During the Muslim rule Hindu women suffered the most. Beautiful girls were not safe from the lust of the rulers and their officials. The' Hindus resorted to infanticide, child marriage, purdah and sati. Girls were denied good living conditions so that they should not develop youthfulness and beauty. They occupied almost a degraded position in the home. The birth of a girl was considered a misfortune.

The Sikh Gurus tried to uplift them to a status even higher than in Christianity and Islam. In Christianity a woman could not be a preacher from the pulpit. In Islam a woman could not invite the faithful to prayers in a mosque by Ba~ng or AzAn, nor could she lead a congregation in 'prayer, Guru Nanak allowed them to attend sermons along with men. As they kept their heads covered with a piece of cloth, it was made obligatory for men also to attend a congreation with covered heads. They could sing the hymns along with men and were to sit with faces uncovered like men. The third Guru, Amar' Das, appointed women in charge of manjis and pirhis or heads of sangats, big or small. He condemned the practice of Sati or self immolation of widows on the funeral pyres of their dead husbands. He declared : She is the true sati whom grief, not fire consumes. He also denounced purdah or covering their faces in the presence of older members of the family. The sixth Guru, Hargobind, declared that the' woman was the conscience of man. Women cooked food in the langar, and served meals with men to the pangat.

They received baptism in the same way as men and enjoyed equal rights. Mai Bhago, a brave Sikh woman, raised a body of men, including the forty deserters from Anandpur, and fought bravely in the battle of Khidrana (Muktsar) on the side of Guru Gobind Singh.

3. IMPACT ON ECONOMIC LIFE

Before Guru Arjan, the Sikhs chiefly consisted of poor agriculturists, artisans, and petty village shopkeepers. Guru Arjan realised that his disciples should not be an unthinking and unadventurous class of people. He encouraged them to take to trade, particularly in horses, in addition to agriculture.

Guru Nanak had defied the traditional restriction of not crossing river Indus and stopping at Attock to save the purity of caste and creed from pollution, by travelling in Muslim countries. He journeyed in Arabia, Iraq, Khorasan, Iran and Afghanistan. Guru Arjan advised his Sikhs to imbibe the spirit of adventure by travelling abroad in Central Asia and West Asia, and bring horses of the finest breed for sale in India. This made the Sikhs enterprising, fearless, free from caste prejudices and rich. They became good horsemen and formed the nucleus of the Guru's military power. The contemporary author of the Dabistan-e-Mazahib writes

"Some of the Sikh Gurus take to agriculture and others to trade."¹ There were numerous obstacles in the way of commerce during the Mughal period which coincided with the age of Sikh Gurus. The roads were very unsafe, and thieves and robbers infested them. William Finch, an English traveller during the time of Guru Arjan, described the road from Delhi to Karnal as "thievish". The Dutch traveller De Laet wrote in 1631, the time of the sixth Guru, Har Gobind, that the road from Lahore to Kabul was infested by Pathan brigands and the travellers were frequently robbed by them.²Hawkins wrote in Jahangir's time or the period of the sixth Guru : "The country is so full of thieves and outlaws that almost a man cannot stir out of doors."³

4. IMPACT ON POLITICAL CONSCIOUSNESS

For about five hundred years upto the advent of Guru Nanak, successive hordes of invaders frotu across the north-west frontier had poured into India. About sixty foreign invasions had taken place till then. Besides, a continuous stream of Turks and Afghans came throughout the year in tens and twenties. They came here in search of bread and settled down as permanent inhabitants in the rich and fertile parts of this country by ousting the original owners. There was no check at the ingress on the frontier. The rulers governed mercilessly through fear and force alone.

The Sikh Gurus provided leadership to the down-trodden Hindus of Panjab. They offered physical resistance to injustice and tyranny. Guru Nanak cried out against their oppression. Guru Hargobind was involved in a number of engagements with the imperial troops. He

tried to change the old mentality of Hindus of offering only passive resistance to the oppressor. After six hundred years of slavery he attempted to awaken his fellow-countrymen to the realisation that irrespective of consequences, the people should rise against a cruel government to get their wrongs redressed.

Aurangzeb had resolved to establish a purely Islamic state in india and to eliminate Hinduism altogether. Guru Tegh Bahadur was at this time in Assam. On hearing this news he immediately rushed to Panjab. In order to hearten Hindus and his disciples he undertook a couple of tours of East Panjab telling them to keep up their spirits.

Guru Gobind Singh declared that the emperor who endeavoured to control the mind of the people was a tyrant, and who tamely submitted were slaves. In 1699 the Guru created Khalsa, the unpaid national army consisting of his devoted followers. It marked the beginning of a new class of fighters for free lom. Under the guidance of the Guru the Khalsa took up the profession of arms and the results were surprising. These people, the lowliest of the low, who had lived for centuries under complete servility, now turned into valiant warriors, reckless of danger.

The Guru taught the people to look upon misfortunes as a part of the game and laugh at threat, danger, defeat and adversity. In consequence his followers maintained a fine spirit of hurnour and optimism in times of trials and tribulations. For example, death was termed an expedition to the next world. An iron vessel was called the golden cup. To be punished at Akal Takht was named as getting one's reward and salary. A blind man was an argus-eyed hero. A deaf person was a resident of the upper storey. A hungry man was mad with prosperity. Parched grams were almonds, and onions were silver pieces. A rupee was damra or a piece of copper or a paisa. One person declared himself a host of one lakh and a quarter. A sword was the goddess of wisdom and heroism. A thick stick was a lawyer.

The Sikh Gurus tried to create national unity. They rejected caste system which was a great obstacle in the way of making Hindus a united people. They awakened womanhood and encouraged them to work side by side with men. It not only doubled the strength of the nation but also added sweetness and colour to the life of both men and women. Guru Gobind Siugh created national literature. Most of his characters in literature appeared before readers as soldiers and generals. The battles exhibited nothing but bravery and glory of the virtuous fighters. In the national wars women and children fought spin

tedly side by side with men. People of all castes and classes participated in the struggle. The spirit of self~sacrifice and single-minded devotion pervaded the whole literature. Guru Gobind Singh was the real originator of nationalism in the Land of Five Rivers.

5. IMPACT ON INDIVIDUAL CHARACTER

(a) Four fold process

The Sikh Gurus taught that the individual progress was a four fold.process: by developing body, mind, social consciousness and spirituality. (i) The body must be kept in good health. Guru Amar Das laid great emphasis on physical fitness of his disciples. He declared that human beings were created in the image of God. The human body was Lord's temple. It was the duty of his Sikhs to keep body quite fit to the last. It was a precious gift of God and must not be spoilt by bad habits. He condemned torturing of the body. (ii) Mind was to be kept healthy by banishing selfish thoughts, feelings ofjealousy and vindictiveness, and by cherishing ideas of hope, confidence, faith, happiness and service of others.

In Sri Rag Guru Nanak says:

Nanak! life becomes most useful when we are in the company of great men who behave with humility and gentleness.

(iii) The Sikhs called one another bhai or brother, and tried their level best to be useful to others. This is how social consciousness was developed. (iv) Spiritual development implied unison with the Divine. Meet the Master Architect within, and get hold of unlimited treasures for a better, higher and nobler living.

(b) Mastery overseif

Another lesson imparted by Gurus was that the real triumph lay in man's mastery over self. We must know that we have a certain purpose in life, and it must be fulfilled. This belief in purpose and action would work miracles. Our faith would hammer out our destiny on the anvil of courage and persistence, and the will to plan and to do. There was no limit to our progress. The limitation lay in our mind alone. Guru Tegh Bahadur said.

Man ke hdre har hai Ba~ba~

Man ke jite jit.

(It is the mind alone which brings about victory or defeat).

The Gurus declared that human failure resulted not from material

disadvantages, but from the defects of character. It was explained that fate and destiny were in our own hands. We could transform our lives by our own efforts.

(c) Creative dreaming

The first five Gurus laid stress on obtaining spiritual liberty. The following five Gurus held that spiritual freedom was not possible without political liberty. Their creative dreaming broke the bondage of tyranny and led men from autocracy to democracy. It was pointed out that creative dreaming was a divine force, and was responsible for all human progress and evolution. Dig through the stony rock of despair, disaster and defeat, and you would find the gold of gladness lying underneath. God would judge us not by our riches, rank or renown, but by our scars sustained in the struggle for securing happiness for ourselves as well as of others.

Why Jats became followers of Khatri Gurus

Several factors were responsible for making Hindu Jats embrace Sikhism.

1. Petty traders in Cis-Satluj region were Agitrwals, in Shivalik Hills Mahajans, in southern Panjab Aroras, and in Central and West Panjab Khatris. Sir George Campbell who served as a deputy commissioner in the Panjab in forties of the nineteenth century calls Khatris "a very superior people." They were fair in dealings and sympathetic to their customers. The Jats of Majha liked them.

2. The Khatris were the roving teachers going from village to village and teaching in a village for sometime free of charge only for free board and lodging. Jat boys were their pupils.

3. The first five Gurus concentrated on Majha, the real homeland of Jats. Nanak lived at Kartarpur, Angad at Khadur, Amar Das at Goindwal, Ram Das at Amritsar, Arjan at Amritsar and Taran Ta ran; while Hargobind lived in Majha and Malwa both. The last four Gurus focussed their attention on Malwa, another native land of Jats. They won the hearts of Majhail and Malwai Jat peasantry.

4. The Gurus emphasized equality for all. The equality of Jats, the lower class Vaish, with the two upper classes of Khatris and Brahmans, considerably raised their social status. Mobsin Fani says that Brabmans and Khatris served under Jats as the senior masands of Gurus were Jats. Therefore the Jats of Majha and Malwa joined Sikhism.

5. The building of tanks and wells in places where scarcity ~f water prevailed made the Gurus popular with peasantry most of whom were Jats. Guru Tegh Bahadur supplied much cattle to the poor and needy cultivators.

6. Emperor Akbar's policy of religious toleration and liberalism was one of the main causes of conversion of Jats to Sikhism. Akbar visited Guru Amar Das at Goindwal, dined in the langar, listened to the Guru's sermon and granted land where now stands Amritsar. This led to the popularity of Sikh religion.

Emperor Akbar visited Goindwal a second time to meet Guru Arjan. At Guru's request he remitted land revenue for a year fro~. Majha zamindars. As Jats were the small landholders in Majha, they joined Sikhism in large numbers.

7. Guru Hargobind's supervisory powers in Majha and Malwa, granted by Jahangir, raised the prestige of Sikh Gurus greatly. The Guru's formation of a small Sikh army and his battles against the Mughals filled the Jats of Majha and Malwa~with warlike enthusiasm and they joined its ranks with great joy and cheer.

8. Their simple philosophy of repetition of God's Name for the solution of the people's daily problems and salvation after death had a great appeal to the plain, homely Jats.

9. According to the contemporary Mobsin Fani, the majority of Guru Arjan's masands were Jats. Their office became hereditary. The Jat peasantry took to Sikhism under their influence and persuasion.

10. It is a well-known fact that the virile Jats had a larger number

of boys than girls. So a fairly large number of Jat young men remain

ed without a wife. The Sikh Gurus abolished caste system and per

mitted their followers to marry a girl or a widow of any caste or class.

This offered a great temptation to the Jats, mainly of poor families.

Having married a low caste woman, may be a cobbler or a sweeper

or of a wandering tribe, they retained their social status in the Sikh I

religion. Marrying a brother's widow became an established custom

with them, which the higher classes of Hinduism did not permit.

11. By nature and temperament a Jat is aggressive. The reason is

F that be earned his living by forcing soil to yield through aggression.

This factor was fully realised by Guru Gobind Siagh. He directed

their energy into military field. There the Jats sli one at their best. As

soldiers they were as happy as a fish in water. In this new profession

they gave up the role of a Bhai and assumed the title of a Sardar

This dignified status mightily drew them towards Sikh religion.

12. During their war of independence, first under Banda Bahadur and later under the misls, the Sikhs displayed great stamina and perseverance. Their spirit of adventure and bravery won them p~f and power in abundance. This inspired the Village Hindu young men to follow their example. They could join the misls after getting baptism. Hence every village in Majha, Doaba and Maiwa made its contribution to the Sikh ranks as best as it could.

GURU NANAK: HIS ART AND THOUGHT

2008-05-30T23:15:00.004+05:30

NANAK AND HIS POETRY

Guru Nanak is the World-Teacher. He is also the teacher of one single, poor man unknown to name or fame. With him thought begins anew. One with Truth, Nanak stands supreme, towering heaven high above his surroundings, centuries ahead of his age, and looking at regions of mind and soul beyond this planet. He stands in supreme solitude of thought and power. Before his presence, before his mind, all bow down their heads. He is the creator. "Whoso can come and sit before me on a carpet and say ‘I’ is my disciple !"

He allowed no traffic with falsehood or half-truth, or with any kind of superstition, or with hypocrisy. He spoke with the voice of the deliverer to the oppressors of the people, whether Hindu or Mussalman, whether prince or priest. He condemned the imposition on the people of Brahninical hypocrisy and priest-craft. He would not submit to a wrong system of education. He found both the Hindu and the Mohammedan faithless, misreading everything to suit their evil selves; and the teachers and preachers of the land deceiving and cheating the people.

He found the Krishna-worshippers dancing in open air theatres in wild and sensual frenzy. "They dance, and as they kick, the dirt, the dust of the streets settle on their heads. Ah, this singing and dancing is illusion."
He saw the doings of the Jam with utter disgust; to him it was a limit of the degradation of the human mind in the name of the religion of non injury. The whole people were steeped in darkness. The soul of the people was dead. The immorality of the highest class was appalling; both the religion and the politics of the land were adapted to wolves, not men and women. Guru Nanak stood as one man against the hosts of darkness, unafraid of aught, blowing his horn of freedom, shaking all the old foundations of society. A new creation, a New Life! Except one, there is no parallel in the Indian history to the awakening that took its birth in the mind of Guru Nanak.

The following passages, taken from the writings of Guru Nanak, tell of the demoralization he found in the society of his time:

"They devour men alive, and yet they go and bow down to God in Namaz!
They wear the sacred thread who kill animals with the butcher’s knife.
And the Brahmans come to the houses of the slayers of beasts and blow their conches and beg bread!
And they, too, relish the butchery!
There is no Dharma in the country, there is no honour of blood or name.
They have the Tilak on their forehead, they wear an ochre coloured Dhoti; but the knife is hidden in their sleeves, and they let the blood of the people.
The Qazis wear blue robes of holiness, and receive the offerings of the people.
The Hindus share the loot, and worship their deities with the loot they have gotten.
They kill the innocent; they share the blood of the people they have half-killed.
And then they say, ‘Do not touch us, we shall be deified!’ They sit in a sacred square made of prescribed lines drawn by themselves, and say, ‘None is allowed to touch us, for our food would be soiled.’
They sit there, in their sanctified squares and forbid the touch of another’s hand, when what they drink is the people’s blood!
They levy taxes on the sacred cow and the holy Brahman without a thought; and think of crossing the sea of sin by being kind to the cowdung!
They have sandal-paste tilaks on their foreheads, and have Dhotis for covering their legs with piety, and in their hands they carry the rosaries, 0 God!
But they eat the crumbs of the Malechhas, and in privacy read the Quran to please their Masters !"

A devout Sikh told me, "Had I not found Guru Nanak, I would have sought the refuge of Buddha." Another man told me, "Guru Nanak was a born Buddha." In fact, there is a profound resemblance between the two. "Om! I take refuge in Buddha, I take refuge in Sangat, I take refuge in Truth." That is Budaha’s Mantram. "Om! I take refuge in the Guru. I take refuge in Truth;" is the Mantram of Guru Nanak. Buddha proclaimed a new civilization that took its birth in his mind. Guru Nanak too, bases his authority on none but himself. "So says Nanak, so says Nanak !" is the burden of his songs.

One day, they say, a huge and very hungry crowd gathered at Kartarpur. Guru Nanak asked Lehna to climb a thorny acacia and shake its branches. Lehna climbed the tree and the crowds stood below, and he shook the tree with joy as the Master had ordered. The sacred music of Nanak the Master, flowed in streams of song from the swaying branches of the Kikar, and all who heard were filled with the harmony. This Music of the Master, is it not written in our very souls!

Once, we are told, when Lehna and Nanak were alone, Lehna saw that the feet of the Master as he lay asleep were being pricked as if by thorns. Lehna was astonished; because the Master was apparently fast asleep, and Lehna was sitting by his side. But a shepherd who was a disciple, was passing through thorn bushes with his sheep, and was in deep communion with Nanak, so that the shepherd’s wounds from the thorns appeared on the feet of the Master. This too, is one of the parables that we treasure in our hearts.

Wherever he went, the hearts of the people were gladdened, and they began singing his Song of Silence, which is not written on paper, but on the hearts of his disciples; and there it still sings as of old.

Every disciple whom he chiselled in the image figure of "Dhyani Nanak" was a poem of his. The whole of his poetry, written in the soul to the longings of the people for freedom, for peace, was too deeply personal to be recorded on any printed page. Minds like Guru Nanak’s are lost in the beauty of Thought, Vision and Prophecy. Their very looks write letters on the dust of the earth, their silence singing, enters the hearts of the people and searches the inmost soul. Some write poems, some sing poems, but Guru Nanak made poets by his touch. When he touched the forehead of a disciple and gave him peace, he threw the creative spark which sets fire to the heart and the singing flame of beauty sprang into the void.

Many of my Sikh sisters, who lost their husbands in the prime of life, have told me that they have found in Nanak’s songs, more than all the world could give them. And I have sat at their feet and seen that the touch of their holy feet gave me peace of soul that I, poor gambler that I am, had lost for days. Whenever God grows less in me, I go and see them and find that they fill me with music.

In all lyric poetry there is a spirit of desire, and a secret thirst. The highest song is full of the thirst for the divine. It is all a longing and a desire. But there is no pain in the songs of Nanak. It is sung to fill his disciples with the peace of God, when they are faint and exhausted. It is the living fountain where hundreds quench their thirst. Nanak pours the infinite of his soul into his song; which is thence poured into the hearts of his disciples, which shares in the infinite.
The elements danced before Nanak and million-throated nature took up his hymns. The five rivers of the Punjab still sing his songs. The sky was his salver; the stars burnt as little lamps in his Temple.

There is a fragrance of roses as we name Nanak. While writing about him I have felt the shower of rose petals on these pages and the perfume of the Golden Temple all about me. When I was sitting in my room, miles away from the country of roses, and when the season of flowers passed, their fragrance was still there. Name "Nanak" and the Mystics Rose returns.

JAPJI

The hymn Japji is the burden of the whole Guru Granth.

The day of the disciples begins with Japji. The melody breaks forth in our inner ears with the strain of the "First dawn of Creation." Our eyes close, and as if in a dream, we stand listening to the music that rings through eternity.
We are the children of Japji. Its music is our motherland. It comes to us with an intimacy as close as if it were born of the hidden seat within our soul.

The maker of this hymn is so filled with its beauty, that he himself, the Master of its Music, is entranced with it.
Ever since its birth, every morning, in its chant we have the mingling of a myriad holy voices, the voices of the Disciples.
I feel at times that with Japji I am as one transported to the Land of Immortals. I am as one apart from the body, listening in wonder to a Voice reciting Japji.

In my reverie, I feel the singer has hands that touch my soul. Then I realize that Japji is the Word. With such visions, I do not feel lonely.

As we rise on the rhythm of Japji, where is distress or dust? We transcend the tiny speck of the visible present. We are more than men we ever were. The sacred rivers roll down through the soul of man in the music of Guru Nanak’s Dream. The trees arise as in prayer. The stars beam on the Dome of Japji, at another time they bejewel the minaret on the Palace of the King. The Sun and the Moon revolve around that Dome; Every speck of dust flies as a particle of gold, to write the Master’s Name in Japji. At its sound, we hear the dance of feet on the grassy meadows around us; and in our reverie we see no flowers in the fields but have dropped from the breeze-blown, flying shawls of the mystic dancers.

The wheel of Karma rolls on, and man unaided cannot gain his freedom. But we rejoice when Japji tell us:
"The Heaven shall cover our shame with honour. By our own deeds, we have made this tabernacle, And by the light of His Glance we shall attain our Eternity."

Beyond Nirvana, Japji lights up for us the still Higher Realm of Mercy (Fazal) as the highest and the truest hope for man. It is beyond the physical, the Karam Khetra or the Realm of Action. It is beyond the Realm of Knowledge. It is deeper that the Realm of Ecstasy. Deeper than Ecstasy is His Grace and deeper still than the Realm of His Grace is the Abode of God in us. The Master’s Song goes from the old to the new. It rises higher and higher; till the soul passes into the heavenly region where there is no speech or knowledge but the Infinite reposes in the Infinite.

"Endless is thy Creation, We see nor Thy Near nor Thy far, Thou hast nor this nor that shore, We cannot touch Thy limits at any point." "Salute the Beginning-less Beginning, The colourless Purity, The Deathless Verity, The changing Permanence that changeth not through ages and ages."

"They say this Earth is borne on the Horns of the Bull. But there is Earth beyond earth, there are planets and planets beyond;

‘Heavy indeed,’ it is said, ‘is the load on the Horns of the Bull!’

But it is not the Bull—it is Dharma, born of the Heavenly Love that bears the weight of Worlds."
When the world beats us and breaks us by the weight of its matter, we go to Japji. The sore melancholy of our heart and mind is made i~hole by Japji. The soot on our faces burns up, and they begin to glow like the burning roses.
In Guru Nanak’s poetry is a marvellous devotion to "the Infinite Being from which all comes, to which all goes." His poetry affirms nothing as to the mere idea of this Being, but is absolute in personal devotion to "The Beloved," and full of the perpetual music of His Praise. "As the fish knows not the nature of ocean, how wide and how vast, I know Thee not; but I touch Thee, I live in Thee, and I die if I am taken out of Thee."

To make the Universal will as our personal will, with all the joys and delicious pain of human love is his intense passion.
His one song Japji marks him a Creator whose genius puts its seal on the ages. The simple architecture of the song is like that of the rock-hewn temples. They are the final forms of his ideas in the language he has chosen to speak. And he has rightly chosen to speak in his own mother tongue. Every particle of its marble-cut Word-Temple contains the design of the whole.

The language of Japji, though the common dialect of the people, has been raised by the Master to a new power, charged with the meanings he gave to it.

A HYMN OF NANAK

Thought is a miracle, what we see and hear is a miracle,
And love of knowledge, and peace of mind!
It is a miracle ~that we love one another,
Wind and water, fire and dust, are a miracle.
O Mother ! The arrow of His Kind Glance has wounded me!
But none sees my pain
Nor do I know more than my own pain.
My mind is a Temple of love,
My body a robe divine,
The sacred Nectar flows in the Temple.
The Word is my breath, and the Song is my blood!
Beloved, think of me!
0! The Unsensed, the Unknown that is visible and invisible!
Thou that art everywhere in every throb of life!
All temples of flesh are thine and under Thy shade,
Thou informest and inspirest and teachest,
I know no other but Thee,
I sing of Thee, as in me Thou sittest and singest.
O Love ! Thy seat is Eternity and great is Thy Name and Thy Glory.
Thou art Truth and Thou art Justice!
Thou art the Temple and the Deity of the Temple;
And thou art the worshipper!
The Beloved likes not the ventures of vanity,
And the Beloved cometh not home.
I fain would die a sacrifice at the feet of them that are informed of His Love!
I fain would be a slave of them that live inwardly in His hymn of Praise!
He loves the vestures dyed in Nam, in the madder dye of His Love,
When the dyer of Nam dyes the flesh-vestures of man, the colour is rich and pure,
The Brides whose garments are dyed gay rose of spiritual youth dwell in Him and He dwelleth in them!
I pray for the dust of the feet of the Brides! He maketh, He decorateth and He dyeth The Bride with the colour of soul, Himself!
He cometh to love and taketh the Bride to His Bosom! O Fond Bride ! Why art Thou seeking Him everywhere outside, when thy own heart is His Throne?
In thy own heart, He waits for thee!

GURU NANAK: HIS ART AND THOUGHT

O Vain Girl-Bride!
Thy quivering limbs, thy restless feet cannot speed thee to Him!
They that have entered the God-lock Union say, that the way is through loving Him and not loving ourselves, to think as
He thinketh, to will as He willeth, to do what He willeth!
If the Bride loves and foregoes self,
If the Bride thinks of His lotus feet who bestoweth lOve!
If the Bride gives away all her mind and soul in love,
And counts no other day but that one day when He looks at her with His beaming smile,
And the Bride, dyed in bliss of love, stands straight, proud, unafraid, undisturbed, unmoved, preoccupied day and night as His wedded one,
And she lives in deep simplicity of her new home, Himself; no more restless, no more seeking rest,
Then and there is attained the perfection of beauty, wisdom, and love; she needs nothing else!
I sicken at pleasure, the pain heals me,
I may not forget Thee!
Thou the Creator of me ! What Thou doest is done, what I do is all an undoing!
Thou art the dweller in Thy Creation, further than furthest is Thy limit, and~a still more art Thou!
Thou the magician livest in Thine own miracle; The life burns in Thee, and Thou burnest in the flame of life,
And the living and the non-living art Thou; None can breathe where Thou breathest and none know Thy thought.
All goes Thou makest it to go!
If palaces made of pearls, bedecked with rubies, stand before Thee;
If the walls and the floors are plastered with sandal, musk and agar
Take not Thine eyes from the Vision of Reality!
Forget not, 0 Disciple, the Name of thy Beloved!
When taken away from my Beloved,
My soul takes fire and is burnt down!
If Thy whole estate be made of jewels and gems,
And thy halls are full of all means of pleasure,
And there wait upon thee silver-limbed damsels with their ruby lips whispering words of love to thee,
Take not thine eyes off the Vision of Reality!
Forget not, 0 Disciple, the Name of thy Beloved!
If all magical powers are thine,
And thou canst become invisible and visible at thy will,
And crowds worship thee,
Take not thine eyes off the Vision of Reality!
Forget not, 0 Disciple, the Name of thy Beloved!
Even if thou art a Sultan,
And thy cohorts await thy command,
It is all vanity
Take not thy eyes off the Vision of Reality!
Forget not, 0 Disciple, the Name of thy Beloved!
O Jewel of my Heart!
I know no jeweller who could value Thee,
None who could teach me Thy worth!
Now Thou art mine!
All creations are in Thee!
And Thou art all creations’ Self!
Enough, I see Thee a hundred times a day shining so rare in me!
Thou art the Seer of Thyself, Thine own Price, Thine own Seller and Purchaser.
Yoked with this mind of mine, a wanderer and with this blood of ignorance so dense;
With these companions of mine, so blind and restless
—how can I attain Thy goodness!
0 Jewel of my heart! Teach me Thine own rarity.
And let me touch my mind and heart with Thy gleams!
For I touch Thee, and I live;
I touch Thee again, and I live more.
They have read and read, and they have loaded the bullockcarts of knowledge— They have loaded their camels and freighted their ships;
But where do they go?
Only one thing counts, all else is froth and foam of an emptied self!
What is the meaning of being His servant if still the fear of Him remains?
He is His servant who is not distinct from Him!

LOVE

I know not what they call Love, when they still can think of another and search for him!
They love who having seen Him see none else,
Who do not complain nor think of complaining.
The good, and bad, is merely how we take it;
They love not, who live in counting the favours and frowns of love.
(GuruAngad)

ALL IS WELL, IF I AM WITH HIM

He sows and He reaps, He makes and He keeps,
He sees His own glory; the raw and the ripe, all are His!
He who has come must also go.
Leave all things of man and nature and destiny alone!
Why should I forget my Beloved?
I must make or mar myself with my own hands;
All is welljf I am with Him!
If they bathe in a hundred waters, the dirt of sinconsciousness cannot be washed away thus: it remains;
But they have cast their dirt outside of themselves, who touch the silk of His Love within themselves!
They have realized the pure thought;
It is in the realization of their love that they laugh and weep;
They speak to us, or turn their backs, refusing to speak, as it pleaseth them
They reck of none and they heed nothing, The rich majestic minds that think of Reality!

KARMA

All counting is for those who themselves count "me, thee—mine, thine"; and they must give full account of their own too.
His mill of judgement must roll and press oil as out of the oil-seeds!

WOMAN

Born of woman, nourished by woman, wedded to woman, why do they revile woman?
Love is born in the heart of woman,
And the woman starts life agoing, and the race!
Why revile her that gives birth to kings amongst men,
The beauty is born of woman, there is no beauty without woman!
None can be without a woman! Only that One alone is beyond sex, Those lips are the Ruby of Fortune that open to name That Great One!
Afraid of Him the winds blow, blow, blow,
Afraid of Him the rivers flow, flow, flow!
The fire burns, and the earth lies firm and low!
Afraid of Him, the Indra, the king of nature, ordains,
Afraid of Him is the law of Justice.
Afraid of Him the suns and the moons run and run!
On the path of millioft miles unending, the orbs go, go, go!
In His awe the Heavens arch;
And all gods, all Buddhas and adepts speak and think!
The millions of creatures are running to and fro:
On the forehead of all is written their destined course!
Above all laws, above all destiny is He:
The Subject, the Absolute!

THE TEMPLE OF BREAD: LANGAR

What is a home, but a hospitable feasting of children with bread and love and faith ? What is spiritual life in the temple~ of flesh, without a full meal first? The very first Temple made by Guru Nanak, therefore, was the temple of Bread, or Guru’s Langar. In one common Temple of Bread, the Bread of God was made free to the children of man. Let none be hungry where the spirit of God prevails. The Guru’s people and the Guru were one home and one family; but it was no Utopian idea, as of the democracy of labour; it was the democracy of Soul, so gloriously invoked in the temple of the human heart by the genius of the Guru. The sacrifice of selfishness was made for the gladness of soul that the act gave to the people who came round Guru Nanak. The soul of the people was so fully nourished and satisfied that they could not entertain feelings of difference and duality. We are not selfish when we are in the deep repose of a dewy slumber. We are never selfish when we are in love. The people came and laid their selfishness at his feet, arid begged a little of it for his service. To serve the devotees was serving the Master. This union was so spiritually cooperative that none knew if his own hands were his own or of the devotees of the Guru. The bodies and hearts and minds were mingling with each other and with those of the Master, by the magic of His presence amongst them. Here was a religion that made love and labour the common property of man.

Today no Sikh with a grain of that faith in him can possibly think that he owns the Bread. "Bread and water belong to the Guru." No man who is initiated into the Path of the Guru can own a home without being ready to share it with the Guru’s people.

The fruits of his labour belong also to them. Such was the Master’s foreshadowing of the future; and in this lay all the difference between him and the centuries of the purely Brahminical culture before him. "The people are more than myself," says the Guru. "Religion is inspiration of love. The Beloved is in His people and the service of God. And it is through service that love is realised. The spark of love is found by chance by some fortunate one in the company of His Saints and it is the reward of those who have surrendered themselves, head and heart, to the Divine."
The Master chose out his family of God’s disciples; they served him and he served them. Real service of people is serving them with life, and the one who is alive can give life to others. So the Master says that the opportunity to serve God in humanity is His gift. They alone serve whom He gives the authority to do so.

Guru Nanak’s passion for farming is a true index of his creative mind. We must labour to create the grain to feed people with. All other needs that we have are secondary; there is only one physical distress, and that is hunger. We all must labour on the land and sweat for our bread. Guru Nanak chose finally the life of a farmer for himself. The gardening and farming are outward symbols of the genius of art. We see in his disciples a rare combination of labour and spiritual vision of a home-life and a cave-life; not in a spirit of compromise, but in the spirit of that sweet reconciliation with which the flying bird flaps both his wings for his balance in the blue sky. Guru Nanak poured song into the heart of labour; and his greatest men were farmers, or the help mates of the farmers—such as masons who made huts, carpenters who made ploughs, smiths who made tools, and weavers who made garments for the saints. The entrance to this spiritual humanity lay through a small lowly door where selfishness could not pass. If the people could not drop their selfishness of their own accord, then the Guru’s personality softly stole into theirs and helped them from within to drop it, without their knowledge.

Here do we find the Guru’s inspiration of love achieving all that we still dream of but cannot accomplish. Our disease is not wars and crimes, and sins; but the selfishness of man, a disease more of the soul than of the flesh. Its cure lies in the direction in which worked Nanak, and not in any material readjustment. We need more men with their sensual nature cast out by the Grace of God, through His Favour.

It is remarkable that all the Nine Followers of Nanak kept his central idea of spiritual humanity—its formation, its love, and its service as the chief passion of their daily life, till this idea of his is seen emerging in perfect clearness in the time of Guru Gobind Singh, as Khalsa.

NANAK GIVES NEW MEANINGS TO OLD WORDS, AS DID BUDDHA

Lest his words "Guru", "Sant", "Dhyanam". etc., should be misunderstood in their old sense, he sings his now world-famous Arti to dispel all doubt as to his meaning. He sings of Him round whose Throne "wait a million prophets", "in the interval of Whose one eyewink there are a million creations that come and go !" Nanak’s word, "Guru" does not mean a m~n; "Burnt be the tongue that calls him a man," says Arjun. "Hell is for those who call me God; I am His Slave !" says Gobind Singh. In vain is all imaging of man. "I do not know how to name Him. I only say ‘Master, Guru, Han Han!’ He is immeasureable, how can I measure Him." And no one else but Nanak is the Master, and he is the man.
"Guru Nanak" is a ten-fold, ten-figured personality, and the whole Sikh life as created and nurtured by the Ten Masters is the only key we have to the understanding of this word. Gobind Singh bluntly lays it down that the language of Guru Granth is to have no interpretation other than the life and art of Nanak himself. The interpreters of these teachings do not bridge the gulf that seems to lie between the language of Nanak and that of Gobind Singh; because they commit the mistake of not putting the Word of the Guru, or the Master, in its proper setting of Sikh life as manifested in His history, its birth and growth. The majesty of Guru Nanak’s diction, the crystal clearness, the self-restraint, the composure, even in the flood of ecstasy, show the difference between him and the Bhaktas of mediaeval India with their confused clamour of Prakrit and Urdu.

We see Nanak’s master-mind again when we find that he never preached, but only planted with his own hand the seedling of spiritual life in the soul of the disciple and watched it grow as a gardener watched plants. "The Guru put his hand on my forehead and made me an angel by his touch; all sin-consciousness was washed out of me and I now live in the beatific vision of the reality." The Guru sat in the heart of the disciple, consuming all sensual desire and leading the disciple, into perfect godhead. And when the disciple heard the voice of the Guru within himself, he caught it and went on, merely echoing and re-echoing the music of the Master’s Nam.

The Hari Mandir itself is a glimpse into Sikh history. The Temple is a centre of perpetual worship, as a human heart, bathed in waters of peace, eternally isolated from the fires of desire that burn outside. The Sikh life must through luminous self-renunciation first bathe in the nectar and then enter within. After this glorious entrance, it is a life of continuous inspiration. In Sikh history, whenever the flames of outer fire leapt towards the Sikh, his Master quenched it in the surrounding nectar, and plunged the Sikh again into deep peace of the inner life.

GURU NANAK: HIS ART AND THOUGHT

2008-05-30T23:15:00.000+05:30

NANAK AND HIS POETRY

The following passages, taken from the writings of Guru Nanak, tell of the demoralization he found in the society of his time:

"They devour men alive, and yet they go and bow down to God in Namaz!
They wear the sacred thread who kill animals with the butcher’s knife.
And the Brahmans come to the houses of the slayers of beasts and blow their conches and beg bread!
And they, too, relish the butchery!
There is no Dharma in the country, there is no honour of blood or name.
They have the Tilak on their forehead, they wear an ochre coloured Dhoti; but the knife is hidden in their sleeves, and they let the blood of the people.
The Qazis wear blue robes of holiness, and receive the offerings of the people.
The Hindus share the loot, and worship their deities with the loot they have gotten.
They kill the innocent; they share the blood of the people they have half-killed.
And then they say, ‘Do not touch us, we shall be deified!’ They sit in a sacred square made of prescribed lines drawn by themselves, and say, ‘None is allowed to touch us, for our food would be soiled.’
They sit there, in their sanctified squares and forbid the touch of another’s hand, when what they drink is the people’s blood!
They levy taxes on the sacred cow and the holy Brahman without a thought; and think of crossing the sea of sin by being kind to the cowdung!
They have sandal-paste tilaks on their foreheads, and have Dhotis for covering their legs with piety, and in their hands they carry the rosaries, 0 God!
But they eat the crumbs of the Malechhas, and in privacy read the Quran to please their Masters !"

JAPJI

The hymn Japji is the burden of the whole Guru Granth.

In my reverie, I feel the singer has hands that touch my soul. Then I realize that Japji is the Word. With such visions, I do not feel lonely.

"They say this Earth is borne on the Horns of the Bull. But there is Earth beyond earth, there are planets and planets beyond;

‘Heavy indeed,’ it is said, ‘is the load on the Horns of the Bull!’

The language of Japji, though the common dialect of the people, has been raised by the Master to a new power, charged with the meanings he gave to it.

A HYMN OF NANAK

Thought is a miracle, what we see and hear is a miracle,
And love of knowledge, and peace of mind!
It is a miracle ~that we love one another,
Wind and water, fire and dust, are a miracle.
O Mother ! The arrow of His Kind Glance has wounded me!
But none sees my pain
Nor do I know more than my own pain.
My mind is a Temple of love,
My body a robe divine,
The sacred Nectar flows in the Temple.
The Word is my breath, and the Song is my blood!
Beloved, think of me!
0! The Unsensed, the Unknown that is visible and invisible!
Thou that art everywhere in every throb of life!
All temples of flesh are thine and under Thy shade,
Thou informest and inspirest and teachest,
I know no other but Thee,
I sing of Thee, as in me Thou sittest and singest.
O Love ! Thy seat is Eternity and great is Thy Name and Thy Glory.
Thou art Truth and Thou art Justice!
Thou art the Temple and the Deity of the Temple;
And thou art the worshipper!
The Beloved likes not the ventures of vanity,
And the Beloved cometh not home.
I fain would die a sacrifice at the feet of them that are informed of His Love!
I fain would be a slave of them that live inwardly in His hymn of Praise!
He loves the vestures dyed in Nam, in the madder dye of His Love,
When the dyer of Nam dyes the flesh-vestures of man, the colour is rich and pure,
The Brides whose garments are dyed gay rose of spiritual youth dwell in Him and He dwelleth in them!
I pray for the dust of the feet of the Brides! He maketh, He decorateth and He dyeth The Bride with the colour of soul, Himself!
He cometh to love and taketh the Bride to His Bosom! O Fond Bride ! Why art Thou seeking Him everywhere outside, when thy own heart is His Throne?
In thy own heart, He waits for thee!

GURU NANAK: HIS ART AND THOUGHT

O Vain Girl-Bride!
Thy quivering limbs, thy restless feet cannot speed thee to Him!
They that have entered the God-lock Union say, that the way is through loving Him and not loving ourselves, to think as
He thinketh, to will as He willeth, to do what He willeth!
If the Bride loves and foregoes self,
If the Bride thinks of His lotus feet who bestoweth lOve!
If the Bride gives away all her mind and soul in love,
And counts no other day but that one day when He looks at her with His beaming smile,
And the Bride, dyed in bliss of love, stands straight, proud, unafraid, undisturbed, unmoved, preoccupied day and night as His wedded one,
And she lives in deep simplicity of her new home, Himself; no more restless, no more seeking rest,
Then and there is attained the perfection of beauty, wisdom, and love; she needs nothing else!
I sicken at pleasure, the pain heals me,
I may not forget Thee!
Thou the Creator of me ! What Thou doest is done, what I do is all an undoing!
Thou art the dweller in Thy Creation, further than furthest is Thy limit, and~a still more art Thou!
Thou the magician livest in Thine own miracle; The life burns in Thee, and Thou burnest in the flame of life,
And the living and the non-living art Thou; None can breathe where Thou breathest and none know Thy thought.
All goes Thou makest it to go!
If palaces made of pearls, bedecked with rubies, stand before Thee;
If the walls and the floors are plastered with sandal, musk and agar
Take not Thine eyes from the Vision of Reality!
Forget not, 0 Disciple, the Name of thy Beloved!
When taken away from my Beloved,
My soul takes fire and is burnt down!
If Thy whole estate be made of jewels and gems,
And thy halls are full of all means of pleasure,
And there wait upon thee silver-limbed damsels with their ruby lips whispering words of love to thee,
Take not thine eyes off the Vision of Reality!
Forget not, 0 Disciple, the Name of thy Beloved!
If all magical powers are thine,
And thou canst become invisible and visible at thy will,
And crowds worship thee,
Take not thine eyes off the Vision of Reality!
Forget not, 0 Disciple, the Name of thy Beloved!
Even if thou art a Sultan,
And thy cohorts await thy command,
It is all vanity
Take not thy eyes off the Vision of Reality!
Forget not, 0 Disciple, the Name of thy Beloved!
O Jewel of my Heart!
I know no jeweller who could value Thee,
None who could teach me Thy worth!
Now Thou art mine!
All creations are in Thee!
And Thou art all creations’ Self!
Enough, I see Thee a hundred times a day shining so rare in me!
Thou art the Seer of Thyself, Thine own Price, Thine own Seller and Purchaser.
Yoked with this mind of mine, a wanderer and with this blood of ignorance so dense;
With these companions of mine, so blind and restless
—how can I attain Thy goodness!
0 Jewel of my heart! Teach me Thine own rarity.
And let me touch my mind and heart with Thy gleams!
For I touch Thee, and I live;
I touch Thee again, and I live more.
They have read and read, and they have loaded the bullockcarts of knowledge— They have loaded their camels and freighted their ships;
But where do they go?
Only one thing counts, all else is froth and foam of an emptied self!
What is the meaning of being His servant if still the fear of Him remains?
He is His servant who is not distinct from Him!

LOVE

I know not what they call Love, when they still can think of another and search for him!
They love who having seen Him see none else,
Who do not complain nor think of complaining.
The good, and bad, is merely how we take it;
They love not, who live in counting the favours and frowns of love.
(GuruAngad)

ALL IS WELL, IF I AM WITH HIM

He sows and He reaps, He makes and He keeps,
He sees His own glory; the raw and the ripe, all are His!
He who has come must also go.
Leave all things of man and nature and destiny alone!
Why should I forget my Beloved?
I must make or mar myself with my own hands;
All is welljf I am with Him!
If they bathe in a hundred waters, the dirt of sinconsciousness cannot be washed away thus: it remains;
But they have cast their dirt outside of themselves, who touch the silk of His Love within themselves!
They have realized the pure thought;
It is in the realization of their love that they laugh and weep;
They speak to us, or turn their backs, refusing to speak, as it pleaseth them
They reck of none and they heed nothing, The rich majestic minds that think of Reality!

KARMA

All counting is for those who themselves count "me, thee—mine, thine"; and they must give full account of their own too.
His mill of judgement must roll and press oil as out of the oil-seeds!

WOMAN

Born of woman, nourished by woman, wedded to woman, why do they revile woman?
Love is born in the heart of woman,
And the woman starts life agoing, and the race!
Why revile her that gives birth to kings amongst men,
The beauty is born of woman, there is no beauty without woman!
None can be without a woman! Only that One alone is beyond sex, Those lips are the Ruby of Fortune that open to name That Great One!
Afraid of Him the winds blow, blow, blow,
Afraid of Him the rivers flow, flow, flow!
The fire burns, and the earth lies firm and low!
Afraid of Him, the Indra, the king of nature, ordains,
Afraid of Him is the law of Justice.
Afraid of Him the suns and the moons run and run!
On the path of millioft miles unending, the orbs go, go, go!
In His awe the Heavens arch;
And all gods, all Buddhas and adepts speak and think!
The millions of creatures are running to and fro:
On the forehead of all is written their destined course!
Above all laws, above all destiny is He:
The Subject, the Absolute!

THE TEMPLE OF BREAD: LANGAR

NANAK GIVES NEW MEANINGS TO OLD WORDS, AS DID BUDDHA

Naam Simran Made Easy - Satnam Shri Waheguru : waheguru ji da khalsa waheguru ji di fateh

2008-05-30T22:45:00.001+05:30

Simran in Sikhism signifies meditation. The prime purpose of meditation is to improve the quality of living. This is possible if we regularly become one with our inner spirit/self (Atma) which leads to union with the 'Creator', the 'Source of Being', the 'Source of Existence', more commonly known as Waheguru Parmatma (God). Our Atma (soul) is the seed of Parmatma. Our Atma is like the wave which originates from the ocean, our God. It is the flame which originates from creator, momentarily takes shape and then recedes back into its source.

To most of us quality of life is primarily what we desire most in this human form. Basically these desires culminate into the following tangible/objective categories: health, wealth and success.

We collectively have one desire which is intangible and subjective...HAPPINESS!

The first three are the sum total of all our materialistic desires. Human life, the Sikh way, as a grahasti (householder/worldly person) requires such aspirations - they are essential ingredients of human life. Sikhism does no advocate renunciation or becoming an ascetic. Sikhs must study/work hard, earn an honest living, be successful, share our earnings with those in need and, at the same time, seek spiritual enlightenment. Sikhs contribute positively to society, and do not become a burden on it.

Happiness, on the other hand, is a very elusive pursuit. My life experience to date is that true happiness only comes if we develop a degree of contentment (santokh).Which comes with spiritual enrichment and the awareness that materialistic achievements are only illusory. We need to develop the ability to achieve worldly success, yet being able to detach ourselves from the end results - this is the key to 'santokh'. We have been given the gift of human form and we are advised by Guru Ji that this form has been granted to us so that we make an effort of meeting our 'Karta Purakh', the creator. (Bhayi prapat manukh dehoria, Gobind Milan ki eh tere beria.)

Therefore, though the basic necessities of living - health, wealth and success are very important,we must place meeting Waheguru as our prime motive in human life. Our efforts in getting closer to the ultimate aim of meeting Waheguru bring us health, wealth, success and, most importantly, happiness. Happiness can only come with Naam Simran. I know a great number of successful people who are extremely unhappy because they lack spiritual nourishment, and suddenly find an emptiness which just cannot be filled. This emptiness is spiritual thirst. We must do something about this spiritual thirst from the earliest possible moment like right now, if we are already doing something about it.

I believe all Sikhs should be encouraged to do Simran in a systematic manner as a personal effort besides listening to tapes of mool mantar, and reciting it in Sangat.

The Sikh method of Meditation/Simran is called "Naam Japna" - recitation of the name of Waheguru. It is to remember at all times that he is everything to us. Therefore regularly invoking his name and finally becoming one with him. That is ultimate peace. Doing our Nitnem (five daily banis); reading, singing, understanding and absorbing 'Gurbani'; attending and participating in Gurdwara activities as part of the Sadh Sangat and doing seva (community service) are all methods of nurturing love for Waheguru. Naam Simran is the activity to draw closer to Him and becoming one with Him. Make Naam Simran your prime activity in this lifetime.

Naam Japna is as simple as taking time our regularly to sit down and to recite: 'Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru...' or 'Stanaam, Satnaam, Satnaam...'. But as human beings we normally look for some sort of procedure, which is not clearly spelt out in Gurbani, but there are indications. I have followed the method prescribed to me, since the mid-seventies and have greatly benefited from it. I have attained what I desired in this lifetime and have had certain realizations and revelations because of Waheguru's grace through Naam Simran.

We should, initially, set aside one or two (say fifteen minutes to a half-hour) periods within a.twenty-four hour period strictly to do Naam Simran. Naam Simran, of course, can be combined with Nitnem. For example, Japuji Sahib followed by Naam Simran. Do Naam Simran regularly and give it prominence in your daily living. Throughout Sri Guru Granth Sahib we are urged again and again to do Naam Simran as an ongoing part of this lifetime. Get yourself into a routine. It will be difficult in the beginning, but once you establish a pattern you will find great joy in it. The period between midnight and 4 a.m. is called the 'ambrosial' period (amrit-vela) - the best period for Naam Simran. In a busy life in which time - management is very important, my personal recommendation is as follows: Retire for the day by 10 p.m., latest by 10:30 p.m. Set the alarm for either 2 a.m. or 3 a.m.. Go through the Naam Simran routine set down below within one hour at that time and go back to sleep, to get up at the usual time that you wake up to face the world for the day! The sleep that one has after doing Naam Simran is the most blissful and restful. If you suffer from insomnia, I guarantee that this procedure will cure you of it.

If the above recommendation is not practical due to your circumstances (other than the fact that good t.v. programs only come at 10 p.m.!) then be practical - as long as you do develop a daily routine. Some precautions: Many 'Sants' and 'Sant Deras' advocate various methods of Naam Simran. All of them expect you to become their disciples, contribute towards their well being or become subservient to them in return for being 'given' Naam. Some will prescribe special postures, penances, dressing, clothing, colours, etc. Generally, all will tell you how hard Naam Simran is and that theirs is the only true method.

Some will whisper special 'mantra' into your ears all being very secretive, as being your special Naam'. There is nothing secretive about Naam Simran. It is the birthright of everyone of us subject ONLY to the Grace of Waheguru. Unfortunately, our "Rehat Maryada" does not spell out the methodology for Naam Simran, giving these purveyors of supposedly Sikh spirituality a free for all in advocating whatever they please. There are, of course, genuine spiritually-elevated souls whose company is imperative to following the true path. Such genuine mahatmas do not normally advertise themselves or come in elaborate clothing/dress. They are normally very simple, humble, pleasant, unassuming and undemanding. 'Frauds' will also quote passages from Gurbani and translations to suggest that we need the service of an elevated human being (Sant or Guru) to put us on the right path or grant us Naam Simran. Our only Guru is Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

Firstly, remember that our 'ultimate guide' is Waheguru. Take one step towards Him and He will take a thousand steps towards you! (Charan Sharan guru ek painda jai chal, Satgur kot painda agey hoe lait hai.) Adopt this method as the starting point - your introduction, to Naam Simran - Waheguru will guide you, or send the right person, or even direct you to the right book to answer any question or doubt you might have, or develop as you start doing Naam Simran regularly.

Remember that He gave you human form for you to get closer to Him, so it is logical to assume that He will guide us and protect us - and, believe me, He does. All we have to do is to make a sincere effort to get closer to him as a regular daily routine. Though Naam Simran is serious business, remember it is fun. It is a very joyful experience - give yourself a chance to experience this joy! Secondly, remember that we have to still (or focus) our mind on the attribute/virtues/greatness of Waheguru when we do Naam Simran. The purpose of Naam Simran is lost if our mouth recites Naam but our mind is involved in our mundane, daily problems.

Thirdly - learn the first paudi, second stanza and the 'ending' of our Ardas is the best prayer for us as Sikhs to, firstly, invoke the names of all our Gurus, and then to request Waheguru to shower His Grace upon us. The first paudi of our Ardas is the first paudi of a 'bani' of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji called 'Chandi ki var' which, as a whole as yet has not gained much prominence within Sikhism though research is ongoing on as to its attributes.

Nevertheless, in so far as it invokes the names

of all our Gur us, we should accept it in great reverence in our daily life. If you do not know.the mini - Ardas by heart initially, replace it by your own prayer asking Waheguru to bless you, His humble servant, with His gift of Naam Simran, and ask for the well-being of all mankind. This does not detract from the fact that, as Sikhs, all of us should know the full Ardas as prescribed by the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC) by heart.

Basic Preparations:

It is preferable that you take a bath/shower before doing Naam Simran. One should at least do a 'Panj Ishnana' i.e. washing your face, your arms and your feet. Use cold water because that wakes you up. Massaging your scalp with your fingers perhaps using a little hair oil helps you to relax and it is good for your hair and scalp! For health purposes, a glass of warm water, with either lemon or lime juice, preferably freshly squeezed, with a spoonful of honey is recommended. While you are doing your basic preparation, it is a good idea to recite Japuji Sahib, or at least as much of it as you know. Start learning it by heart, it is very easy! This puts you in the right frame of mind to do Naam Simran.

Environment

Use a secluded spot and do Naam Simran alone. It is also a good idea to get together some like-minded friends and do a sadh - sangat Naam Simran once in a while (say, weekly) and also talk about it and encourage each other. A good environment is one with very dim light. Preferable atmosphere is a quiet one. If environment is noisy, by all means put

on a tape of Naam Simran, Kirtan or sounds of nature, like waves on a seashore; birds chirping softly; sound of the wild - but very softly. There is no harm in using a mild incense, as fragrance is conducive to helping you to focus. In short, create an atmosphere which is conductive to meditating. Sit cross-legged with your back straight. Place a cushion/folded blanket or pillow under your bottom - this helps one to sit up straight. If you have difficulty, then sit in any form or on a straight-backed chair, as long as your back is straight. Sit against a wall or chair if that makes you comfortable. Do not lie down because that will only put you to sleep again. So, no cheating!

Focus:

Note that for your basic Naam Simran you can use either 'Satnam', 'Waheguru' or the full Gurumanter 'Satnam Sri Waheguru'. You decide on your variation. Personally, I find that when I want to say 'Naam' inwardly (without being hearted) I have a tendency of using 'Satnam' (breath in 'Sat', and breath out 'Naam'). And when I want to say it aloud I tend to say either 'Satnam Sri Waheguru', or just 'Waheguru'. Initially, when you close your eyes you will be starting into the back of your eyelids. When you are focused try to centre your mind between your eyes drawing yourself backwards just behind your forehead. This region is referred to as the 'Dasam Dwar' (the Tenth Door), by Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. It is called the Tenth Door simply because it is the tenth aperture (opening) in your body - the spiritual opening. The other nine being two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, one mouth, one urinary/reproductory passage and the anus. The Dasam Dwar is also referred to, on other Eastern religions, as the 'Third Eye' - the spiritual eye between the other two eyes. Initially when you try to centre your focus to this spot, it is an overwhelming sensation, you get a headache for trying too hard, it will be scary and upsetting but, with practice, there is a great sense of joy and exhilaration when you reach his important region which is the 'Simran Doorway'

(a) Sit down as prescribed. Start breathing slowly taking deep breaths. Breathe in deeply and as you breath out say aloud 'SATNAM SRI WAHEGURU'. Keep repeating until you are settled down and find your whole body relaxing and your voice becoming quieter.

(b) Slowly, keeping your focus on your breathing, replace saying 'Satnam Sri Waheguru' with an inner 'SATNAM' 'Sat' as you breath in and 'Naam' as you breath out. Say this inside your mind, not out loud. (This is often referred to as 'saas-giras' which means that even while breathing and eating, to invoke His name.) And the ideal state is, of course, when we are able to recite. Waheguru Satnam with every breath that we take. This stage you should already be in a state of.'Samadhi' - with your mind focused on the attributes of Waheguru. Remember your mind at this stage should be fully focused on the virtues of our Creator, Waheguru who is our father, our mother, our kinsman, our brother. He is our protector everywhere: Tu mera pita, tu hai mera mata, tu mera bandhap, tu mera bhrata. Tu mera rakha sabhni Thhayin, ta bhau keha kada jio.

The Joyous Journey of Naam Simran:

In this stage, remember: Your breathing may have slowed down, and as you breath you are saying either Satnaam or Waheguru internally, with each breath. Keep yourself RELAXED and upright. If you concentrate too hard you will develop a headache in the early stages. You have surrendered your mind to Waheguru Permatma to do as He pleases. ENJOY THIS STAGE IN BLISS. Various experiences will manifest. A sense of warmth and well-being; exhilaration, a sense of liberation, freedom and joy. Some will experience 'going in a spin'. You will feel as if the whole room you are sitting in has gone into a wild spin. Hang on and enjoy the rollercoaster experience! From that point on, with time, other various experiences will occur. Once again, if at any point you experience anything frightening - remember that Waheguru is your Protector, ask for His protection. (Tati vao na laagayi, Parbrahm Sharanayi...). There are adverse forces which will try everything negative to stop you from Naam Simran - that is their job in the "Order of Things". Do not allow these dark forces to stop you from your 'purpose of this human life' which is ultimately to meet your Creator, 'Waheguru'. I sometimes find my mind wandering off on a pilgrimage/yatra of some of our Sikh shrines in Pakistan/India some of which I have not yet physically visited! I find this most enjoyable and refreshing. When you feel that you have had enough, or as stipulated by your circumstances, and you want to end your Naam Simran, you must come out of it slowly. DO NOT END IT ABRUPTLY. Let the joy and ecstasy linger on for the rest of the day. Open your eyes slowly, bow your head as you would before Sri Guru Granth Sahib and finish with 'Waheguruji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh'.

CAUTION: If you experience a headache initially, all that is happening is that you are trying too hard, RELAX! Remember, Naam Simran is JOY, not a job, and definitely not hard work. You are concentrating too hard. This is natural. Just like learning how to ride a bicycle. Because you are tensed and trying too hard, you keep falling off the bike but, with time, as you relax and become flexible, you will ride the bicycle with ease. Similarly, relax and the headache will be gone.

CONCLUSION:

Each of us is a special being. We are spiritual beings on a human journey. Our earthly father is Sri Guru Gobind Singh in whose image and example we should live this human life. The method given above is a starting point of 'Naam Simran'. It is the start of your journey. As time goes on, through the grace of Waheguru, you will modify the method of Naam Simran as suits you best. MAKE THE START TODAY and enjoy the gift Naam Simran for the rest of your life. The benefits of Naam Simran are:

1. You are fulfilling the true purpose of this life in human form.

2. It helps remove all physical ailments, sicknesses and tensions. it is therapy, and Waheguru's our doctor.

3. It makes you sharper and more focused. It strengthens your mind.

4. In today's fast crazy world it relieves stress.

5. It enhances your life generally and it is the key to our salvation.

6. It draws 'good elements' towards you and wards off the evil.

7. It raises your self esteem, puts you in a state of 'Chardi Kala' which brings you success in life.

We, as Sikhs, do not subscribe to idol worship. Though some Naam Simran sevaks might recommend that, in the initial stage, one can perhaps put a picture/painting of one of our Gurus, or a candle, as a focus point. I believe that we should not subscribe to this method. These are not Sikh methods. Focusing on a 'picture' of one of our Gurus or staring at a lighted candle can become a serious limiting factor towards ultimate realization of Waheguru. Why not start off on the right foot from the very.beginning? Focusing on our breathing is just as easy and once we can extend the limitations of our mind to grapple with the infinite virtues of Waheguru, focusing is no longer a problem! Naam Simran acts as a 'protective clock' against adverse elements, negative vibes, depression, lack of confidence, other physical and mental ailments - a protection against evil. It nurtures 'Chardi Kala', confidence, self esteem and everything positive and good. One feels fully protected when one does Naam Simran regularly. Naam Simran helps you to realize your full potential and helps you reach your aspirations in this life.

Satnam Waheguru Ji

2008-05-07T21:26:00.001+05:30

Geneology of the Sikh Gurus

1st King

Satguru Nanak Dev Jee 'Bedi' lineage
29th November, 1469 AD- 10th October, 1539 AD
More....

6th King
Satguru Hargobind Sahib Jee (Sodh lineage)
6th June, 1596 AD- 28th March, 1638 AD
More.....

2nd King
Satguru Angad Dev Jee 'Thehan'
23rd April, 1504 AD- 27th March 1552 AD
More.....

7th King
Satgur Har Rai Sahib Jee (Sodh lineage)
5th February, 1630 AD- 8th November, 1661 AD
More.....

3rd King
Satguru Amar Das Jee 'Bhale'
Friday 5th May, 1469 AD- 1st October, 1574 AD
More.....

8th King
Satguru Guru Har Krishan Sahib Jee (Sodh lineage)
14th July, 1656 AD- 6th April, 1664 AD
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4th King
Satguru Ram Das Jee (Sodh lineage)
2nd November, 1534 AD- 19th September 1581 AD
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9th King
Satguru Tegh Bahadur Sahib Jee (Sodh lineage)
Tuesday 12th April, 1621 AD- 19th December, 1675 AD
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5th King
Satguru Arjan Dev Jee (Sodh lineage)
14th April, 1563 AD- 25th May, 1605 AD
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10th King
Satguru Gobind Singh Jee (Sodh lineage)
1st January 1666 AD- 19th November, 1708 AD
More.....

Eternal King
Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee
1708 AD- Present
More.....

GOD

" There exist only One God.

His Name is the only Truth.

He is the Creator.

He is Fearless.

He is without Enemy.

He is undying.

He is unborn.

He is Self illuminated.

He is realized by the Grace of the Guru.

Recite His Name.

He existed in the beginning.

He existed before the beginning.

He exists now.

Guru Nanak says He (GOD) shall exist forever. "

- 1st Guru

ARDAS-Sacred Prayer Request to GOD

2008-05-07T21:05:00.001+05:30

Ardas

(also know as a Sacred Prayer Request to GOD)

ARDAS has been said to be like "Making a Very Very Important Phone Call to GOD". Ardas is a Sacred Prayer Request to GOD, that invokes those Gurumukh (True follower of the Guru) souls of the past that have Served & Sacrificed for the LORD.

At the same time it is a capsule in which Sikh history & traditions have been enshrined.

<>vwihgurU jI kI &qih]

There exist only One GOD,
Victory be to GOD

sRI BgOqI jI shwie] vwr sRI BgOqI jI kI pwqSwhI 10]

May the Almighty GOD protect us. Song of praises of the Almighty God, composed by the Tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh Ji

ipRQm BgOqI ismir kY gur nwnk leIN iDAwie]

After first remembering the Almighty GOD, contemplate on (the teachings of) Guru Nanak ji.

iPr AMgd gur qy Amrdwsu rwmdwsY hoeIN shwie]

Then (pray that) Guru Angad Dev ji, Guru Amardas ji, & Guru Ram Das ji be our rescuers.

Arjn hrgoibMd no ismrO sRI hirrwie]

Call upon Guru Arjan Dev ji, Guru Hargobind ji, & Guru Har Rai ji.

sRI hirikRSn iDAwieAY ijs ifTY siB duK jwie]

Invoke the blessed Sri Guru Harkrishan ji, by whose vision heals all pains.

qyg bhwdr ismirAY Gr nau iniD AwvY Dwie] sB QweIN hoie shwie]

Call upon Guru Tegh Badhur ji, by remembering whom (following his teachings) all desires are fulfilled. May (the Gurus) help us everywhere.

dsvW pwqSwh sRI gurU goibMd isMG swihb jI! sB QweIN hoie shwie]

The Tenth King, Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji, help us everywhere.

dsW pwqSwhIAW dI joq sRI gurU gRMQ swihb jI dy pwT dIdwr dw iDAwn Dr ky bolo jI vwihgurU!

Contemplate on (the teachings of) Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji, who is the visible embodiment of the ten Gurus, and WAHEGURU.

pMjW ipAwirAW,cOhW swihbzwidAW,

The Five Beloved Ones, four Princes (Sons of the Tenth Guru).

cwlIHAW mukiqAW,

The fourty redeemed ones.

hTIAW, jpIAW, qpIAW, ijhnW nwm jipAw, vMf CikAw,

Those remained steadfast; Those who remembered GOD with love & devotion; Those who meditated on GOD's NAME in strict discipline, holy men.
Shared with others.

dyg clweI, qyg vwhI, dyK ky Axif`T kIqw,

Those who renounced the sense pleasures & lived constantly in the Divine presence. Shared earnings, expressed magnanimity, persevered in their fight for justice, turned a blind eye to the faults & failings of othes & did not falter.

iqnHW ipAwirAW, sicAwirAW dI kmweI dw iDAwn Dr ky, Kwlsw jI ! bolo jI vwihgurU!

Remember the selfless & heroic deeds of those beloved truthful Sikhs & say "WAHEGURU"

ijnHW isMGW isMGxIAW ny Drm hyq sIs id`qy, bMd bMd ktwey,

The Singhs of both sexes who gave their lives for their faith and underwent unspeakable sufferings of being dismembered alive.

KoprIAW luhweIAW, crKIAW 'qy cVyH,

Scalped alive, broken on the wheels.

AwirAW nwl icrwey gey, gurduAwirAW dI syvw leI kurbwnIAW kIqIAW,

Sawed alive, torn apart, boiled alive, made sacrifices

Drm nhIN hwirAw, is`KI kysW suAwsW nwl inbwhI, iqnHW dI kmweI dw iDAwn Dr ky Kwlsw jI! bolo jI vwihgurU!

But never wavered in their faith and remained committed to Sikh principles with unshorn hair to their last breath. Remember the selfless and heroic deeds of those beloved truthful Sikhs and say "WAHEGURU".

pMjW q^qW, srb`q gurduAwirAW dw iDAwn Dr ky bolo jI vwihgurU!

THINK OF THE FIVE SEATS OF AUTHORITY, THE THRONES OF THE RELIGION AND ALL GURDWARAS AND SAY WAHEGURU! WAHEGURU!

ipRQmy srb`q Kwlsw jI kI Ardws hY jI, srb`q Kwlsw jI ko vwihgurU, vwihgurU, vwihgurU ic`q Awvy,

FIRST THE PRAYER OF THE WHOLE KHALSA IS MAY THE PRESENCE OF WAHEGURU BE PROGRESSIVELY FELT IN THE HEARTS OF ALL THE KHALSA

ic`q Awvn kw sdkw srb suK hovy[ jhW jhW Kwlsw jI swihb, qhW qhW riCAw irAwieq,

AND MAY THE WHOLE CREATION BECOME HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS THEREBY
MAY THE SUPPLIES OF THE KHALSA EVER REMAIN REPLENISHED, MAY THE SWORD OF THE KHALSA BE EVER VICTORIOUS, MAY THE ROYAL TITLE OF THE KHALSA BE UNIVERSALLY RECOGNISED AND HONOURED, MAY VICTORY ATTEND UPON ALL JUST ENDEAVOURS OF THE PANTH
THE KHALSA COMMONWEALTH, MAY WAHEGURU'S MIGHT (SRI SAHIB) BE OUR CONSTANTLY, MAY THE ORDER OF THE KHALSA ACHIEVE EVER-EXPANDING PROGRESS AND SUPERMACY, SAY WAHEGURU! WAHEGURU!
GRANT TO SIKHS: THE GIFT OF FAITH, THE GIFT OF UNCUT HAIR, THE GIFT OF DISCIPLINE, GIFT OF THE KNOWLEDGE, THE GIFT OF MUTUAL TRUST, THE GIFT OF SELF CONFIDENCE AND THE SUPREME GIFT OF ALL GIFTS, THE GIFT OF COMMUNION WITH WAHEGURU.

dyg qyg &qh, ibrd kI pYj, pMQ kI jIq, sRI swihb jI shwie, Kwlsy jI ky bol bwly, bolo jI vwihgurU!

is`KW nUM is`KI dwn, kys dwn, rihq dwn, ibbyk dwn, ivswh dwn, Brosw dwn, dwnW isr dwn nwm dwn,

sRI AMimRqsr jI dy ieSnwn,

MAY SIKHS FREELY CENTRE AROUND AND DIP IN THE HOLY LAKE OF AMRITSAR

cONkIAW, JMfy, buMgy, jugo jug At`l,

SIKH CONCERTS, THE BANNERS, DWELLING HOUSES EVER REMAIN INVIOLATE

Drm kw jYkwr, bolo jI vwihgurU!!!

MAY THE CAUSE OF TRUTH AND JUSTICE PREVAIL EVERY WHERE AND AT ALL TIMES. SIRES, UTTER WAHEGURU

is`KW dw mn nIvW, mq au~cI, mq dw rwKw Awip vwihgurU[

MAY THE PASSIONS IN THE MINDS OF THE SIKHS REMAIN CALM AND THE REASON FLOW CLEAR AND MAY THE REASON ALWAYS BE GUIDED BY THE LIGHT OF WAHEGURU

hy Akwl purK Awpxy pMQ dy sdw shweI dwqwr jIE! sRI nnkwxw swihb qy hor gurduAwirAW gurDwmW dy, ijnHW qoN pMQ nUM ivCoiVAw igAw hY, KulHy drSn dIdwr qy syvw sMBwl dw dwn ^wlsw jI nUM bKSo[

O, ALMIGHTY, PROTECTOR AND HELPER EVER OF THE PANTH, RESTORE TO US THE RIGHT AND PRIVILEGE OF UNHINDERED MANAGEMENT AND FREE SERVICE OF ANACCESS TO NANKANA SAHIB AND OTHER CENTRES OF THE SIKH RELIGION, THE GURDWARAS, OUT OF WHICH WE HAVE BEEN FORCIBLY EVICTED

hy inmwixAW dy mwx, inqwixAW dy qwx, inEitAW dI Et, s`cy ipqw, vwihgurU! Awp dy hzUr.....dI Ardws hY jI[

O' TRUE FATHER OF ALL, WAHEGURU, HERE IS A PRAYER

A`Kr vwDw Gwtw Bu`l cu`k mwP krnI[ srb`q dy kwrj rws krny[

GRANT US THE COMPANY OF THOSE WHO MAY HELP KEEP THY NAME FRESH IN OUR HEARTS

syeI ipAwry myl, ijnHW imilAW qyrw nwm icq Awvy[

FORGIVE US OUR REMISSNESSES, EXTEND THY HELPING HAND TO ALL AND EVERY ONE

nwnk nwm cVHdI klw, qyry Bwxy srb`q dw Blw[

MAY THE NAME, & TEACHINGS PREACHED BY NANAK Dev Ji PREVAIL AND PROSPER, FOR EVER AND FOR EVER, MAY THY WILL BE DONE WHEREIN LIES THE GOOD OF ALL. THE KHALSA IS OF WAHEGURU AND TO WAHEGURU THE VICTORY

AwigAw BeI Akwl kI, qbY clwXo pMQ[ sB is`Kn kau hukm hY, gurU mwinE gRMQ[ gurU gRMQ jI mwinE, pRgt gurW kI dyh[ jo pRB ko imlbo chY, Koj sbid mih lyh[ rwj krygw Kwlsw, AwkI rhy n koie[ Kvwr hoey sB imlyNgy, bcy Srn jo hoey]

THE WILL OF GOD HATH ORDANINED THE ORDER OF KHALSA THIS IS THE FINAL COMMANDMENT TO ALL THE SIKHS: ACCEPT GRANTH AS THE GURU DEEM THE REVERRED GURU GRANTH AS THE VISIBLE BODY OF ALL THE GURUS. WHOSOEVER DESIRE TO FEEL HIS PRESENCE SEARCH AND MERGE IN THE REVELATION ITSELF THE KHALSA SHALL RULE AND NONE SHALL SUCCESSFULLY DEFY THEM. ALL SHALL SURRENDER AFTER BITTER FRUSTRATION
FOR THE WORLD SHALL EVENTUALLY BE REDEEMED THROUGH THE PROTECTION THAT THE ORDER OF THE KHALSA ALONE AFFORDS.

boly so inhwl, siq sRI Akwl[

"BOLE SO NIHAL, SAT SRI AKAL" WHOSOEVER UTTERs this will be BLESSED THE ETERNAL GOD IS ONE ONLY REALITY

Ik ONKAR Satnam

2008-05-07T21:04:00.004+05:30

Ik Onkar

Ik Onkar (God is One)
Sat Nam ( His name is True)
Kartaa Purakh (He is the Creator)
Nirbhau (He is without fear)
Nirvair (He is inimical to none)
Akal-murat (He never dies)
Ajooni (He is beyond births and deaths)
Saibhang ( He is self illuminated)
Gurprasaad (He is realized by the kindness of the True Guru)
Jap (Repeat His Name)

Aad sach (He is True in the beginning, (before the anything (universe) existed)
Jugaad sach (He was True when the ages commenced and has ever been True)
Hai bhi sach (He is also True now)
Nanak hosi bhi sach. (Satguru) Nanak (says that) he will be certainly True in the future.)

Bangla Sahib Gurudwara

2008-05-07T21:04:00.003+05:30

I can say for a fact that a sizable number of them come from a wide cross - section of religions. I have never ceased to wonder as to could there be any other place to demonstrate the oneness of God or secularism for that matter. The solemnity and devotion on their faces and in their actions is to be seen to be believed.

An interesting anecdote about the holy water here goes like, there was a smallpox and cholera epidemic in the city and Guru Har Krishan started giving fresh water from the well in this house to those who were suffering. Since then, Bangla Sahib’s water is revered for its healing properties by Sikhs across the globe.

One enters the gurudwara bare feet with your head covered, bow down to the Granth Sahib resting in a gold palki and soak in the lilting sounds of Shabad Gurbani. To wrap up this beautiful experience, you gorge on a generous handful of karah parshad on your way to the sarovar (a large pond). The whiff of desi ghee originating from the gurdwara kitchen whips up the gastronomic urges of at least 8,000 people daily. From dal - chawal to sabzi-roti and kheer, the langar hall is teeming with activity throughout the day. The offerings from devotees often amount to Rs 1 crore (10 Million) per month.

A gateway to divinity in the heart of the city, Bangla Sahib is the epitome of Sikh spirit. Be it young, old or middle-aged, people across the spectrum come here to do sewa: from mopping the floors to shoe-minding, they do it all in the name of Ek Omkar Jo Bole So Nihal, Sat Sri Akal.