The comforting shawl of faith

Is it not an amazing fact that in the first embodiment the Great Guru discards the Hindu’s sacred thread (janeu) and literally reprimands the ritualistic Brahmin. Then in the ninth embodiment the Great Guru gives up his earthly life to protect the right to freedom of faith and religion. It so happened that the religion he was protecting was that of the Kashmiri Brahmins. Had it been Buddhists, Christians, Muslims, Bahais or any other faith, rest assured Guru Teghbahadur would have done exactly the same thing. He would have similarly challenged the ruling elite – “Try me! If you can force me to convert, then you have won and can go ahead and convert the others”.

The Guru’s purpose was to uphold Truth. Just like his grandfather, Nanak V, Guru Teghbahadur felt it more important to stand up and challenge oppression rather than seek favor and save his own skin. Another phenomenal fact was that the Guru’s inspired their disciples to do the same. Bhai Mati Das, Bhai Sati Das and Bhai Dayala also chose to challenge the oppressor rather than save their own skin. They did that because for the Sikh earthly life and death are inconsequential. Living life as one of the Spirit Born and laughing at physical death is only possible in the sanctuary of the Guru. Living and continuously feeling the Divine is not an easy endeavor unless we hold the Guru’s robe and let the Master lead the way. Most of us fail at it because of this feeling that it is purely our “own endeavor”. Far from it. The effort required in the process of Spirit Born life is our own. Success at it is by Grace alone.

Today we commemorate the calling of the one we know as dharam di cadar - the Comforting Shawl of Faith - Guru Teghbahadur. In very simple language he calls upon us as well to follow him in the fight against oppression and the strength to fight for freedom of religion and faith – by being Guru-inspired. The question is, shall we listen and follow?

rwgu gauVI mhlw 9 ]

swDo mn kw mwnu iqAwgau ]
kwmu k®oDu sMgiq durjn kI qw qy Aihinis Bwgau ]1] rhwau ]
suKu duKu dono sm kir jwnY Aauru mwnu Apmwnw ]
hrK sog qy rhY AqIqw iqin jig qqu pCwnw ]1]
ausqiq inMdw doaU iqAwgY KojY pdu inrbwnw ]
jn nwnk iehu Kylu kTnu hY iknhUM gurmuiK jwnw ]2]1]

In Rag Gauri by Nanak IX

Oh my dear saintly people, do away with your selfish pride.
Make sure you never go near and always run away from the frustrations of uncontrollable lust, anger, and companionship with evil minded people.

Consider both happiness or sorrow, and honorable appellations or slanderous banter to be one and the same – that is, don’t be effected by them. It is the one who remains unaffected during times of joy as well as suffering that knows the essence of how to live in the world.

Forsake the need of being showered with praise as well as the urge to slander others. Instead pursue a life which ensures that you are in a state of being spirit born.
Serf Nanak proclaims, this is a difficult game. There are only a few who know this path because they dedicate their lives by being Guru-inspired.

The coming of Nanak

The Panth has not been able to agree on a fixed date for the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Sahib. A section of the community insists that it be celebrated on the full moon day (puranmashi) of the month of Katak – but according to the Bikrami calendar. So, this year it actually falls on the 11^th of Maghar according to the Nanakshahi calendar or 24^th of November according to the Common Era calendar. By the way, 11^th of Maghar is also the “fixed” date for the Shahidi gurpurab of our Beloved Nanak IX and his three jivan-mukt disciples (I will write more about that later).

On the topic of Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary I thought I would share with you the words of a great scholar, commentator, philosopher, poet, administrator (he was the first jathedar of the Akal Takhat) and, in general, thought leader of the Sikhs. This is what Bhai Gurdas ji wrote about the coming of Guru Nanak many many years ago.

Imagine, if you will, walking in an area where one cannot see anything because of mist, dust, and darkness. Then suddenly the mist and dust clears and resplendent light shines bright. Imagine, if you will, a dark night with only the occasional twinkle of stars in the sky that may seem beautiful but really don't give aid to the direction of our walking path. Then suddenly the sun rises, the skies are bright and the sparkling stars are over taken by the bright shining light of the sun - now one can see where they are walking. Imagine, if you will, a jungle with quiet and calm deer munching along in the brushes and grass and suddenly the sovereign lion comes out of the trees and roars loudly communicating its presence. The deer scatter away in fear as the king of the jungle has come to establish its empire. That was the feeling when Guru Nanak came to this earth. Wherever the great Baba went, there was established a place of learning. All the hearts he touched became active with remembrance of the Divine and all the homes he visited became active with societal and community service. The pursuit of Truth became the passion for everyone and this revolution hit everywhere.

Such was the coming of Guru Nanak, the First Prophet of the Sikh Nation...

In this var Bhai Gurdas ji has established the uniqueness and the strength of the first Master of our Nation. The coming of Guru Nanak is best celebrated by understanding our place in world society. By understanding our scripture, practicing our way of life and living - not resting - on the laurels of our history.

Congratulations on the celebrations of the birth anniversary of Guru Nanak - the First Prophet of the Sikhs.

Var 1, Pauri 27 - Varan Bhai Gurdas

siqgur nwnk pRgitAw imtI DuMD jg cwnx hoAw]
ijauN kr sUrj inkilAw qwry Cpy AMDyr ploAw]
isMG buky imrgwvlI BMnI jwey n DIr DroAw]
ijQY bwbw pYr DrY pUjw Awsx Qwpx soAw]
isD Awsx sB jgq dy nwnk Awd mqy jy koAw]
Gr Gr AMdr Drmswl hovY kIrqn sdw ivsoAw]
bwby qwry cwr ck nO KMf ipRQmI scw FoAw]
gurmuK kil ivc prgt hoAw ]

With the emergence of the true prophet Guru Nanak,

the mist cleared and the light scattered all around.
As if at the sun rise the stars disappeared and the darkness dispelled.
With the roar of the lion in the forest the flocks of escaping deer now cannot have endurance.
Wherever Baba Nanak put his feet, a religious place was erected and established.
All the sidh-places now have been renamed on the name of Nanak.
Every home has become a place of dharma where singing of hymns has become a daily liturgy.
Baba Nanak gave deliverance to all within the four directions and nine divisions of earth.
Gurmukh (Guru Nanak) has emerged in this kaliyug, the dark age.

Carhdi Kala

P.S. - Translation based on "Varan Bhai Gurdas - Text Transliteration and Translation - Dr. Jodh Singh"

Sikhs are HOT

Economist Article - Sikhs and Dera

I don't know if this is accessible to non-members. Economist a few weeks ago also covered the Dera Sacha Sauda issue. Pretty interesting I would say for a magazine of that caliber to go into the nitty gritty issues of the Sikh Nation. Here is the link.

http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=9444533

Sikh Research Institute wrote a brief missive on the article. Here is the link.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/theinbox/2007/07/heresy_and_history_july_7th.cfm

Be-adbi

There has been a lot of carca (discussion and incidents) on the be-adbi of Guru Granth Sahib. I have been thinking about this quite a bit, especially in light of the pakhandi Gurmeet Ram Rahim episode. What really is the disrespect of Guru Granth Sahib? I recall a speech of Baba Jarnail Singh which he says something like: Respect all your daughters and sisters, older generations and all people from different religions. Don't lay a hand on innocents. However, don't leave alone the "disrespectors" of the Guru Granth Sahib.

I agree with that...but we must all be careful and require the blessing of discerning intellect before acting (bibek dan).

Recently, we held a Nagar Kirtan from Milford Gurduara to Millis Gurduara here in Massachusetts. Someone came to me and mentioned that he cannot believe that we are doing parkash of Guru Granth Sahib on the lead truck and taking it in the Nagar Kirtan. Where he grew up, they always took Guru Granth Sahib in sukhasan form. Why - so as to avoid be-adbi along the way. Hmm...in sukhasan, no disrespect...when parkash...disrespect?

The key is to discern the difference between idolatry and worship of the word.

Respect Paid to the Holy Granth

Great respect is shown to the Book when opening, reading, or closing it. It is kept in clean clothes, is opened under a canopy and a flyflicker (chaur) is always kept at hand to wave over it. When it is brought in, all those present stand up with bowed heads.

These signs of royalty and the marked attention paid by Sikhs to the Holy Book - especially when it is exaggerated by ignorant people - give an impression to others that Sikhs worship their Book. This is wrong. Sikhs are enjoined to worship nothing by the Name (see Guru Nanak's Sri Rag, viii. 3) They can offer respect to any person or thing worthy of praise, but worship is due to God alone. Perhaps the bowing of Sikhs before the Book is misunderstood by Westerners whose way of salutation is different. They kiss their book as Sikhs bow before theirs, both conforming to the local custom of paying respect. Both ways of salutation are highly personal, but they cannot be called idolatry, as long as the Book is not given the place of God. In Sikhism the highest respect is paid to the Word, as in a modern state the greatest homage is paid to the Law, which stands even above the king. This sovereignty of the Shabd or the Word was acknowledged even by the Gurus who bowed before it in reverence.

Taken from "The Holy Granth Sri Rag to Majh" by Professor Teja Singh

The 99 connection and Carhdi Kala!

I think I'm back...slowly yet surely.

1499 - the Revolution begins
1599 - the Granth begins to emerge
1699 - the Panth is inaugurated
1799 - the Sikh Raj is established (for the 2nd time!)
1899 - the Revival was triggered - reason was 4 Sikh boys chopped their hair in public! Just 4!!
1999 - huh? What happened? 8 years later - 80% of Sikhs in Panjab have shed the Guru's insignia.

And we thought we were the Spirit Born People!

No, don't worry - I am not in dhaindi kala...the essential ingredient of carhdi kala is to look forward, have a refreshing outlook and a positive mindset. It reminds me of the words of the great Giani Dit Singh. His words were a call to arms even though they sound like the sounding of a catastrophe. What do you think?

“An English newspaper writes that the Christian faith is making rapid progress and makes the prophesy, that within the next twenty five years, one third of the Majha area would be Christian. The Malwa will follow suit. Just as we do not see any Buddhists in the country except in images, in the same fashion the Sikhs, who are now, here and there, visible in their turbans and their other religious forms like wrist-bangles and swords, will be seen only in pictures in museums. Their own sons and grandsons turning Christians and clad in coat and trousers and sporting mushroom-like caps will go to see them in the museums and say in their pidgin Punjabi: Look, that is the picture of a Sikh - the tribe that inhabited this country once upon a time. Efforts of those who wish to resist the onslaught of Christianity are feeble and will prove abortive like a leper without hands and feet trying to save a boy falling of a rooftop” - Khalsa Akhbar of Lahore, May 25, 1894, from the pen of its editor Giani Dit Singh."

Ardas

I was at the Surat Conference a couple of weeks ago. My topic/lecture was on Ardas in the context of Sohila sahib di bani and relationship with Hukam. An aspect of the talk was to review the Sangati or Panthak Ardas.

Here is a translation/transcreation that was shared at the first Candlelight Vigil in Toronto in 2004 (november). I have used Sirdar Kapur Singh's translation, a little bit of Principal Teja Singh's translation and then Harpreet Singh (Harvard University) and I modified it a little. Reading through it really gives a sense of the original that our ancestors wrote...but there is really no comparison to the original. Our ancestor Gursikhs not only lived Guru-inspired cultural lives, they were so eloquent at describing it....

Would be delighted to hear suggestions for improvement to this....

Carhdi kala!

-------

Ardas

One Formless-form, To Vahiguru, the abiding Victory.
Var Sri Bhaguti composition of the 10th.

To begin with, we invoke the Divine Spirit of Vahiguru and we remember Guru Nanak (This Spirit) which then inspired Guru Angad, Amardas, and Ramdas.
We call upon the Gurus, Arjun, Hargobind, and Harirai. Let us invoke the blessed Harikrishan whose vision heals all pains.
Let us call upon Guru Tegbahadur so that the nine spiritual treasures may abide in our hearts.
May they help us everywhere. Tenth Master, Guru Gobind Singh, may he help us everywhere.
The Spirit of the Ten Masters enshrined in the sabad (word) of the Guru Granth Sahib, concentrate on that and say, revered Khalsa, Vahiguru!

Five Beloved Ones, Four Princes, Forty Redeemed Ones, those who have kept constant remembrance of Vahiguru, those who have constantly lived in the Divine Presence, those who have loved their neighbors by sharing their possessions with them, those who have turned a blind eye to the faults and failings of others, those who have assuaged the hunger and want of the hungry and the needy, those who have persevered in their fight in the cause of Justice, concentrate your mind on the struggles and achievements of those, O, revered members of the Order of the Khalsa, and say, Vahiguru!

The Singhs and Singhnis who courted martyrdom in the cause of Religion and underwent unspeakable sufferings of being dismembered alive, scalped alive, broken on wheels, sawed alive and boiled alive and those who made sacrifice in the service of the centers of the Sikh religion, the Gurduaras, but never wavered in their faith and remained steadfast in the cause of Sikhi to the last hair of their body and to their last breath, O, revered members of the Order of the Khalsa, concentrate your minds on the glorious deeds of those, and utter, Vahiguru!

Think of the Five High Seats of Sikh Authority, the Thrones of Religion, and all the centers from where the good Religion is preached, and say, Vahiguru!

First, we pray on behalf of all the creatures of Vahiguru.
May the Presence of Vahiguru be progressively felt in the hearts of all the sentient creatures, and may the whole Creation become happy and prosperous thereby. (Then) may Vahiguru shower blessings upon and grant protection to each and every member of the Order of the Khalsa, wherever he, she or they are.

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 recognized and honored.
May victory attend upon all just endeavors of the Panth, the Khalsa Commonwealth. May the arms and armaments be our constant ally. May the Order of the Khalsa achieve ever-expanding progress and supremacy. Revered Khalsa, say, Vahiguru!

May Vahiguru grant to the Sikhs, the gift of Faith, the gift of uncut Hair, the gift of Discriminatory Intellect, the gift of Mutual Trust, the gift of Self-confidence and the Supreme Gift of all gifts, the gift of communion with Vahiguru, the Name, and may Sikhs freely center around and dip in the holy Amritsar.
May the government-centers, the banners, the cantonments of the Khalsa ever remain inviolate.
May the Cause of Truth and Justice prevail everywhere and at all times.
Revered Khalsa, say, Vahiguru!

May the passions in the heart of the Sikhs remain calm and their reason flow clear, and may the reason always be guided by the Light of Vahiguru.
Vahiguru Almighty, our protector and Helper ever, restore to us the right and privilege of unhindered management and free service of and access to all centers of the Sikh Religion, the gurduaras, out of which we have been forcibly evicted.

(Here, the specific purpose and occasion of the prayer is stated by the officiant – adasia - in suitable terms and the blessings and aid of Vahiguru are beseeched.)

Vahiguru, forgive us our remisses. Extend Your Helping Hand to all and everyone.
Grant us the company of those who may help keep Your Nam fresh in our hearts.
May Your Nam, the path preached by Nanak, prevail and prosper forever and forever.
May Your Will be done wherein lies the good of all mankind.
The Khalsa is of Vahiguru, and to Vahiguru the Victory.

Amazing Photos - Being Sikh

Just got information about this photographer and his current work in the Panjab.

Goto: http://www.charlesmeacham.com/ and click on "Being Sikh".

I am quite impressed with some (not all) of the text/captions that he has written too!

Carhdi Kala!