Yo yo girlfriend! Me no complain no more!

It’s amazing how the Guru speaks to us. Sometimes we are his children (puta), sometimes his brothers (bhai), sometimes his girlfriends (saheli), sometimes a spiritual companion (sant jano).

I thought of this when I heard this sabad sung in rag asa. It is part of the Sikh Heritage recordings on www.gurmatsangeetproject.com. Sarbpreet Singh is busy loading up all the recordings he did while Gyani Dyal Singh and Bhai Kanwarpal Singh were in town. Now that I am back in the Boston area, I hope to get a chance to listen live to the traditionalist kirtania that will hopefully keep visiting us in the future.

So, the sabad is on page 384 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. You should also check out the sabads before and after this one. It is in the section of Asa Mahala 5, Ghar 7, it is the 2^nd sabad in that section and is the 53^rd sabad by Guru Arjan Sahib in Rag Asa. The metaphors relate to “girlfriend”, “husband”, “virtuous bride”, "immaculate marriage". These are metaphors for us now, but back in the day, this is how people spoke, and people understood when it was spoken. Based on that I always think, hypothetically, if Guru Sahib was around today and wanted to speak to the youth, he would use the kind of language that the youth are used to. Something like a mild form of ghetto talk that I get a big dose of while I am at Sikh youth camps. You know what I’m talking about! Anyway, the Guru does indeed visit us at the camps in the form of the sabad – the infinite wisdom. And it is up to us to interpret the wisdom in the current generation vernacular.

So, the first sentence of the rahao di tuk is: ਚੁਕਾ ਨਿਹੋਰਾ ਸਖੀ ਸਹੇਰੀ ॥ A formal (read bland) translation/transcreation would be something like: “My complaining and frustrations (of materialistic life) has seized, oh my truthful female companions”. Now if I share that with teenagers they will 1) insist on calling me Uncle ji, 2) have no interest and not understand how it applies to their life. However, if we explained it to them something like this: “Yo yo, girlfriends, check it out! I no complain no more! The main man - my Guru - has ….”. I don’t know good ghetto talk so I can’t think of how to complete the sentence. But you get my point. If I said it that way, then the kids would atleast laugh at me trying to be like them, and at least listen, if not get the point.

Anyway, below I present my flowery, partial uncle ji partial ghetto style transcreation of the sabad:

Yo, yo girlfriends! I don’t need to complain no more! Through the Guru, I have no more confusions and frustrations, and as a result I have merged with my spouse - Vahiguru! (Reflect and ponder this thought).

Yo, yo girlfriends! I was really down and unhappy because I felt far away from Reality, kinda in a zone of my own. But now, I think I understand the teachings of the Guru, and I feel I am always within Divine presence.

Yo, yo girlfriends! Thanks to the Guru, I am now in the safety of the protection (bed) of the Universal Spouse. I am no longer dependent and oppressed and stand confident as an independent sovereign.

Yo, yo girlfriends! The infinite wisdom (Sabad) has enlightened my heart and thus, my way of life! It’s all good! It’s all bliss with me and my Universal Spouse!

Yo, yo girlfriends! Nanak says: Check it out! Ain’t it cool that because of grace and positive fortune, my Infinite Spouse is like in my heart! It’s like the coolest Divine Marriage and I am simply a happy bride!

(originally revealed by Nanak V in Raga Asa)

--------

ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ 5 ॥
ਦੂਖੁ ਘਨੋ ਜਬ ਹੋਤੇ ਦੂਰਿ ॥
ਅਬ ਮਸਲਤਿ ਮੋਹਿ ਮਿਲੀ ਹਦੂਰਿ ॥1॥
ਚੁਕਾ ਨਿਹੋਰਾ ਸਖੀ ਸਹੇਰੀ ॥
ਭਰਮੁ ਗਇਆ ਗੁਰਿ ਪਿਰ ਸੰਗਿ ਮੇਰੀ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਨਿਕਟਿ ਆਨਿ ਪ੍ਰਿਅ ਸੇਜ ਧਰੀ ॥
ਕਾਣਿ ਕਢਨ ਤੇ ਛੂਟਿ ਪਰੀ ॥2॥
ਮੰਦਰਿ ਮੇਰੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਉਜਾਰਾ ॥
ਅਨਦ ਬਿਨੋਦੀ ਖਸਮੁ ਹਮਾਰਾ ॥3॥
ਮਸਤਕਿ ਭਾਗੁ ਮੈ ਪਿਰੁ ਘਰਿ ਆਇਆ ॥
ਥਿਰੁ ਸੋਹਾਗੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥4॥2॥53॥

Sikh Revolution

A must read for all Sikhs and non-Sikhs to understand the integrated unifying life approach of Guru Nanak, and to glimpse into the revolutionary nation building of the Sikhs is a book by Jagjit Singh – The Sikh Revolution. In it he sums up the importance of the multi-dimensional aspects of the Sikh ideology:

“According to the Sikh Gurus, religious, moral and spiritual activity covers the totality of life of the individual as well as of the society. For, life is one whole and cannot be arbitrarily split up into separate religious, social and political spheres. Nor can it be ignored of left to take care of itself. For them, religion has to meet all the problems and challenges thrown up by life. Each and every activity of man is either God-oriented or self-oriented – viz. it is either for the uplift of man and his society or it is destructive. There cannot be a neutral position. Inaction and sloth are sins”

Recently, the Nanakshahi Trust (www.nanakshahi.org) has published "Percussions of History" a twosome of Sardar Jagjit Singh's The Sikh Revolution and In The Caravan of Revolutions. My appeal to all: Go get it!

Also see: http://www.tribuneindia.com/2006/20061015/spectrum/book4.htm

How to love

The question was “How can one love creation and/or the Creator”. This was not a question for me to answer. It is a question that the mind (the entity that thinks) is asking itself. In the Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Nanak has addressed the mind and given example after example, and showered it with wise experience filled advice and observations. This poignant question and a hint at the answer is made clear by examples that only our great Master Nanak can be so thoughtful to, first of all, discern and then so eloquently explain.

I need not say more. I have done a meager job at transcreating this sabad. I hope I have kept to the original meaning and message. The only caution is the interchanging of the words “mind” and “heart”.

-------

How can the mind break away from the entanglements of non-Truth without the feeling and action of love? As a matter of fact, the hearts of those individuals whose minds are Guru-focused are filled with love in the form of total surrender to Vahiguru, and as a result, they are blessed with the virtues and attributes of Vahiguru. (Central idea – a question worth pondering!).

Oh mind, learn to love just like the lotus flower loves the water. Despite the tossing and tipping as a result of the turbulence of the waves in the pond, the lotus flower is full of grace and continues to share its beauty. If it wasn’t for the life giving water, the lotus would die and wither away. Such is the intense relationship of love that Vahguru has blessed the lotus and water

Oh mind, learn to love just like the fish loves water. The contentment of the fish is as full as the vastness of the body of water. That is, the more the water, the more the fish is content and alive. What fascinating relationship the fish has with water. Only Vahiguru knows the real depth of this relationship.

Oh mind, learn to love just like the catrik loves the rain. There may be oceans filled with water at the catrik’s disposal and the whole world is blossomed green as a result of the bodies of water, but until and unless the drops of water straight from the clouds up above don’t quench the thirst of the bird, it has no use of the other water. But alas, it is only through Grace that one can realize the intensity of the relationship we are to have with Vahiguru. Otherwise, we sow what we reap and our life continues on.

Oh mind, learn to love just like water loves pure milk. Water ends up mixing into the pure milk and the milk transforms the water into its own form. When a pot of the milk-water mix is put to boil, the water takes all the heat. It doesn’t let the milk burn of heat. Similar is the relationship of creations with the Creator. Vahguru provides a union to the wandering mind and blesses the realization of Truth.

Oh mind, learn to love just like the cakvī loves the sun. After the sun sets at night, it does not sleep even for an instant and considers the sun to be close at hand. The experience of this feeling does not arise within those people that are individually focused, whereas the Guru-inspired person always feels the omnipresence of Vahiguru.

Oh mind, think about this: The individually focused person focuses on praising oneself for accomplishments, but the Creator is responsible for what goes on. No matter how hard one tries, one cannot completely fathom the vastness of the Creator. This vastness is understood and satisfaction is gained only by submitting to the wisdom of the Guru.

Oh mind, think about this: The bond of action-filled love for truth is only sustained by the Satiguru. Through the grace of the Satiguru one develops a deep relationship with Nam-Vahiguru who is the sustainer of the complete universe. If one becomes a customer of the virtues of Vahiguru, then the pure Nam relationship is further developed.

Oh mind, imagine the people of the world to be birds. They fly into this world, feed on their grain and seeds, and then depart from this world. It is like a game and all that arrive into the play field must eventually depart within a short period of time. Understand that the success factor of time spent on life is a matter of Grace. Focus on making the most of your time in the play field.

Oh mind, understand that without the Guru love does not manifest because individualistic effort inspired by haumai is impossible to conquer on your own. When the intuitive understanding is formed as a result of imbibing the meaning of the sabad (Infinite Wisdom), then one realizes that the self and Vahiguru are a merged entity. Only the Guru-inspired individuals can introspect and realize the self. The individualistic inspired individuals can try all they want, they will never succeed in self-realization.

Oh mind, those that have created a strong relationship with the sabad (Infinite Wisdom), they never have to suffer the frustration of separation. Those that follow an individualistic mindset are doomed to suffer separation because they have not understood the Guru-inspired concept of love. Nanak emphasizes the fact that once inspired by the Guru, the individual feels, sees and experiences no difference between the self and Vahiguru.

Revealed by Guru Baba Nanak in Siri Rag, Page 60 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib
-------

ਸਿਰੀ ਰਾਗੁ ਮਹਲਾ 1 ॥
ਰੇ ਮਨ, ਐਸੀ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਕਰਿ, ਜੈਸੀ ਜਲ ਕਮਲੇਹਿ ॥
ਲਹਰੀ ਨਾਲਿ ਪਛਾੜੀਐ ਭੀ ਵਿਗਸੈ ਅਸਨੇਹਿ ॥
ਜਲਿ ਮਹਿ ਜੀਅ ਉਪਾਇ ਕੈ ਬਿਨੁ ਜਲ ਮਰਣੁ ਤਿਨੇਹਿ ॥1॥
ਮਨ ਰੇ, ਕਿਉ ਛੂਟਹਿ ਬਿਨੁ ਪਿਆਰ ॥ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਰਵਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਬਖਸੇ ਭਗਤਿ ਭੰਡਾਰ ॥1॥ਰਹਾਉ॥
ਰੇ ਮਨ, ਐਸੀ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਕਰਿ, ਜੈਸੀ ਮਛੁਲੀ ਨੀਰ ॥
ਜਿਉ ਅਧਿਕਉ ਤਿਉ ਸੁਖੁ ਘਣੋ ਮਨਿ ਤਨਿ ਸਾਂਤਿ ਸਰੀਰ ॥
ਬਿਨੁ ਜਲ ਘੜੀ ਨ ਜੀਵਈ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਜਾਣੈ ਅਭ ਪੀਰ ॥2॥
ਰੇ ਮਨ, ਐਸੀ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਕਰਿ, ਜੈਸੀ ਚਾਤ੍ਰਿਕ ਮੇਹ ॥
ਸਰ ਭਰਿ ਥਲ ਹਰੀਆਵਲੇ ਇਕ ਬੂੰਦ ਨ ਪਵਈ ਕੇਹ ॥
ਕਰਮਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਸੋ ਪਾਈਐ ਕਿਰਤੁ ਪਇਆ ਸਿਰਿ ਦੇਹ ॥3॥
ਰੇ ਮਨ, ਐਸੀ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਕਰਿ, ਜੈਸੀ ਜਲ ਦੁਧ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਆਵਟਣੁ ਆਪੇ ਖਵੈ ਦੁਧ ਕਉ ਖਪਣਿ ਨ ਦੇਇ ॥
ਆਪੇ ਮੇਲਿ ਵਿਛੁੰਨਿਆ ਸਚਿ ਵਡਿਆਈ ਦੇਇ ॥4॥
ਰੇ ਮਨ, ਐਸੀ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਕਰਿ, ਜੈਸੀ ਚਕਵੀ ਸੂਰ ॥
ਖਿਨੁ ਪਲੁ ਨੀਦ ਨ ਸੋਵਈ ਜਾਣੈ ਦੂਰਿ ਹਜੂਰਿ ॥
ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਸੋਝੀ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸਦਾ ਹਜੂਰਿ ॥5॥
ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਗਣਤ ਗਣਾਵਣੀ ਕਰਤਾ ਕਰੇ ਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਤਾ ਕੀ ਕੀਮਤਿ ਨ ਪਵੈ ਜੇ ਲੋਚੈ ਸਭੁ ਕੋਇ ॥
ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਹੋਇ ਤ ਪਾਈਐ ਸਚਿ ਮਿਲੈ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇ ॥6॥
ਸਚਾ ਨੇਹੁ ਨ ਤੁਟਈ ਜੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਭੇਟੇ ਸੋਇ ॥
ਗਿਆਨ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣ ਸੋਝੀ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਨ ਵੀਸਰੈ ਜੇ ਗੁਣ ਕਾ ਗਾਹਕੁ ਹੋਇ ॥7॥
ਖੇਲਿ ਗਏ ਸੇ ਪੰਖਣੂੰ ਜੋ ਚੁਗਦੇ ਸਰ ਤਲਿ ॥
ਘੜੀ ਕਿ ਮੁਹਤਿ ਕਿ ਚਲਣਾ ਖੇਲਣੁ ਅਜੁ ਕਿ ਕਲਿ ॥
ਜਿਸੁ ਤੂੰ ਮੇਲਹਿ ਸੋ ਮਿਲੈ ਜਾਇ ਸਚਾ ਪਿੜੁ ਮਲਿ ॥8॥
ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਰ, ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਨ ਉਪਜੈ ਹਉਮੈ ਮੈਲੁ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਸੋਹੰ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੀਐ ਸਬਦਿ ਭੇਦਿ ਪਤੀਆਇ ॥
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਆਪੁ ਪਛਾਣੀਐ ਅਵਰ ਕਿ ਕਰੇ ਕਰਾਇ ॥9॥
ਮਿਲਿਆ ਕਾ ਕਿਆ ਮੇਲੀਐ ਸਬਦਿ ਮਿਲੇ ਪਤੀਆਇ ॥
ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਸੋਝੀ ਨਾ ਪਵੈ ਵੀਛੁੜਿ ਚੋਟਾ ਖਾਇ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਦਰੁ ਘਰੁ ਏਕੁ ਹੈ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜੀ ਜਾਇ ॥10॥11॥

Reason and Faith - Nām Sevā (no "and"!)

One of the motivations for the Pope's speech at the university in Regensburg, Germany was the apparent decline of faith among Catholics. The Pope and the Catholic clergy are worried that reason or science is overtaking the element of Faith. Some of you may have read Angels and Demons by Dan Brown of the Da Vinci Code fame. This topic was precisely the intertwined theme of that novel in addition to Brown's infatuation with anti-authority - the theme revolved around the fear of a fictitious pope who believed that science was going to disprove faith and cause its eventual futility. It was a theme created in a novel by Dan Brown, is it a real issue for them?. Obviously the Pope in Regensburg thought so and that was really the topic of his talk. It is unfortunate that as a result of bad judgement (IMHO) he quoted an obscure text (not endorsed the text, just "quoted") in which the Prophet Mohammed and the Islamic faith was portrayed in a negative light.

But on the topic of Reason and Faith the Economist reported an interesting development in an article titled Islam and the Vatican in their Oct. 19th issue. Islamic scholars have asked that the tiff between Catholics and Muslims be taken off the streets and into the debating chamber. I quote:

Vatican officials have cautiously welcomed the scholars' letter, saying they too see prospects for a tough, meaningful conversation. After all, they point out, the pope has often said that the two faiths have different, but related problems: for the Christian, today's adversary is “reason without faith” or cold secularism. For moderate Muslims, it is “faith without reason” or violent fundamentalism.

This is indeed an issue that is simmering and will soon reach boiling point. My 9 months in Europe gives me this inherent sense.

However, for me personally I have reflected on the state of the Panth at the moment. The recent Inder Singh Ghagga incident made me think about the clash of Reason and Faith in our own belief system. (I may be getting in trouble here because ppl will think I am taking sides, but bear with me I consider myself one of the "neutral Singhs" too, just like the ones that hosted the debate in their basement!!). So, while not getting into the details about the controversy (just read it and hear it on www.panthic.org), I would like to submit that it is within our Panth where we have an emergence of two different schools of thought or practitioners. One group relies heavily on "faith without reason" and another group relies heavily on "reason without faith". Is this a new trend? Is this something that will lead to the demise of the Panth as we know it and cause even further disintegration?

Well, I remembered a paragraph from an essay by Principal Teja Singh (yes...you guessed it, who else but him, he is my favorite author along with Prof. Puran Singh). The point of that paragraph is to show that there has existed this dichotomy of groups within our Panth from a very long time. This is nothing new. It is unfortunate that all the debaters are excellent Gursikhs and are very adept at Gurmat (bānī, rehat and tvārikh) but didn't look at the historical context of the clash of reason and faith within Sikhī. Knowing the historical precedence of this debate could have added better or more information to deal with this controversy. Here are the couple of paragraphs. Taken from Essays in Sikhism, by Principal Teja Singh in the essay "The Singh Sabha Movement".

At present there are mainly two schools of thought: one dominated by the Chief Khalsa Diwan, which, continuing the old tradition of the Amritsar Diwan, is more conservative; and the other by the S.G.P.C, which, inheriting the extreme tendencies of the Lahore Diwan, is more critical. The former, inspired by Bhai Vir Singh and his paper, the Khalsa Samachar, emphasises the divinity of the Gurus who are identified with God, while the latter believes in the humanity of the Gurus and is less mystical. The one stresses the worship of saints, and comes out now and then with biographies of holy men, who preached asceticism and self-renunciation; while the other party holds this kind of thing as a mere man-worship and does not encourage too much kowtowing before human beings. They also do not favour the use of a rosary in worship, the whispering of Mantras in private into ears of disciples, the letting or sub-letting of recitations and other mysteries which are indulged in by the saints of these latter days.

In my view, there are two great elements of Sikhism: One is Nām (or the Name) and the other is Sevā (or Service). The Chief Khalsa Diwan has come to emphasise the practice of Nām, and does not see much opportunity for Sevā, while the other party has come to monopolise Sevā, without seeing much use in the practice of Nām. The desireable thing would be to combine the two. When that is done, the Khalsa will be one and supreme.

Okay, I would like to caution that I am not making direct comparisons between the Chief Khalsa Divan and theAKJ, Taksal, Tapoban group on one hand and the SGPC and Inder Ghagga group on the other hand ( btw I will not associate Ghagga and group with Sikh Missionary College - but that's another topic).

But understand the point of Teja Singh's words and its relevance today. Sikhī is all about balance. That is why the path of Sikhī is "sharper than the edge of a sword and thinner than a strand of hair" (khaneo thikī vālo nikkī...). It is not easy to balance Reason and Faith, but nevertheless, both do exist and can exist in perfect harmony.

I completely disagree with those that say that the whole point of Sikhī is only Nām japnā. I content that the whole point of Sikhī is only Nām japnā, kirt karnī and vand chaknā. I think Principal Teja Singh would agree. The crux of the matter is that now a days all the well meaning Gursikhs are lacking in a proper articulation of a balanced Sikhī.

Remember, there is no "and" in the following Sikh vocabulary phrases:

sevā simran
sant sipāhī
degh tegh
sangat pangat
grihast udāsi
mīrī pīrī
etc.

Each phrase is a unique singhle thought merely utilizing two words. When talking about it you simply cannot put the word "and" between them. Therefore, it is all about balance between two complementary ideas. Think about it! Am I off track?

Carhdī Kalā!