Swimming Lessons
The sun was out, my mind was
Dark, the heat was getting strong
Dazed and confused, I sat outside,
Knowing something was wrong
I was sitting outside of the pool, never
Aware that it was there.
Then I saw it, and I jumped in; without a
Thought – without a care.
Suddenly I began to drown, and upon my
Wrist I felt a hand.
It was the Guru guiding me, and from
Then on I swam.
At this point I was just learning, not nearly
Able to swim
But as the Guru swam alongside, I found
Support within
Suddenly Maya came along, and took over
My mind
As Maya pulled, I began to cry, and somehow got left behind
At once, the Grace of Waheguru
Came, and shined within my soul
Finally Maya let me go, and finally I felt whole.
O Sikhs of the Guru, Now is the
Time, to cross the world ocean’s tide
Use sat-Naam as your vessel and
Sat-Guru as your guide.
Submitted by: Anonymous Author
From: www.kaursunited.org
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Friday, July 10, 2009
The Importance of Kesh (Hair)
Kesh (hair):
The keeping of uncut hair is given a great deal of importance in Sikhism. But what is so special about hair?
Historical significance: Well the history of hair goes back to the Bible. The Bible talks of a man called Sampson who obtained supernatural powers through his long hair. His hair was later cut and consequently he lost his powers. It is also a fact that most of the world's prophets and saints including Jesus, the Sikh Gurus and Hindu prophets kept uncut hair.
Meaning: G. A. Gaskell writes, 'Hair of the head is a symbol of faith, intuition of truth, or the highest qualities of the mind.' - Dictionary of all Scriptures Sikhs believe God to be a perfect creator. It therefore follows that whatever He creates is perfect. The keeping of uncut hair is therefore, recognition of God's perfection and the submission of a Sikh to the Will of God.
Function: Most Sikhs regard hair as a gift fromGod. But what does this gift actually do for us? Wellthe functions of hair can be divided into 5 sub categories. These include an ornamental function,physical function, psychological function, Sikhspecific function and a spiritual function. Ornamental function: Nature has decorated aman with a beard and a moustache to differentiate between a male and a female. A good example from the animal kingdom is a lion with its majestic mane.
Physical function: Just like the skin, the hair helpsto synthesize vitamin D from sunlight. It also helpsto supply the piturary gland (located in the head)
with phosphorous. Phosphorous is an elementwhich is used in meditation by the aforesaid gland. The hair on our body regulates body temperatureand our eye lashes, nostril hairs and ear hairs help to keep out dust particles.
Psychological function: This is by far, one of themost important functions of hair. People cut their hair to look good for other people, and although everyone wants to look sexy and cool, a Sikh is encouraged to impress God and not bother so much
about the opinions of everyone else. Keeping hair therefore encourages us to become less vain and more God orientated.
Sikh specific function: Uncut hair is a mark of Sikh identity. The 10th Sikh Guru instructed all his Sikhs to come before him with long hair and weapons. Long hair also represents sacrifice, because there have been many Sikhs like Bhai Taru Singh, who preferred to have their scalp removed instead of their hair cut.
Spiritual function: Hair enhances the ability of a human being to experience God. This can be explained by understanding the workings of electromagnets. An electromagnet consists of an iron rod with a coil of wire wrapped around it. The strength of an electromagnet can be increased by increasing the number of coils. Now in a human being, there are nine visible inlets/outlets (2 nostrils, 2 ear holes, 1 mouth, 2 eyes, 2 below the waistline). And the 10th inlet is located in the head and is invisible. It is called the Dasam Dawar. This is where we experience the
reality of God and we can consider this to be the iron rod. Hairs are like coils of wire which amplify spiritual energy at the 10th inlet. A greater quantity of head
hair will lead to more coils in the (Joora) knot and therefore a higher concentration of spiritual energy. Of course, it is possible to experience God without any head hair like Buddhists. However anything that helps us to experience God more easily should be welcomed. Hair is essentially a spiritual technology that makes it easier to connect with God.
Conclusion:
Wearing 5K's does not automatically make a good Sikh and in addition to this, wearing the 5 K's without understanding their purpose is silly. The 5 K's are not
meaningless symbols, but instead are items which aid us in living a life revolving around God and submission to His Will.
The keeping of uncut hair is given a great deal of importance in Sikhism. But what is so special about hair?
Historical significance: Well the history of hair goes back to the Bible. The Bible talks of a man called Sampson who obtained supernatural powers through his long hair. His hair was later cut and consequently he lost his powers. It is also a fact that most of the world's prophets and saints including Jesus, the Sikh Gurus and Hindu prophets kept uncut hair.
Meaning: G. A. Gaskell writes, 'Hair of the head is a symbol of faith, intuition of truth, or the highest qualities of the mind.' - Dictionary of all Scriptures Sikhs believe God to be a perfect creator. It therefore follows that whatever He creates is perfect. The keeping of uncut hair is therefore, recognition of God's perfection and the submission of a Sikh to the Will of God.
Function: Most Sikhs regard hair as a gift fromGod. But what does this gift actually do for us? Wellthe functions of hair can be divided into 5 sub categories. These include an ornamental function,physical function, psychological function, Sikhspecific function and a spiritual function. Ornamental function: Nature has decorated aman with a beard and a moustache to differentiate between a male and a female. A good example from the animal kingdom is a lion with its majestic mane.
Physical function: Just like the skin, the hair helpsto synthesize vitamin D from sunlight. It also helpsto supply the piturary gland (located in the head)
with phosphorous. Phosphorous is an elementwhich is used in meditation by the aforesaid gland. The hair on our body regulates body temperatureand our eye lashes, nostril hairs and ear hairs help to keep out dust particles.
Psychological function: This is by far, one of themost important functions of hair. People cut their hair to look good for other people, and although everyone wants to look sexy and cool, a Sikh is encouraged to impress God and not bother so much
about the opinions of everyone else. Keeping hair therefore encourages us to become less vain and more God orientated.
Sikh specific function: Uncut hair is a mark of Sikh identity. The 10th Sikh Guru instructed all his Sikhs to come before him with long hair and weapons. Long hair also represents sacrifice, because there have been many Sikhs like Bhai Taru Singh, who preferred to have their scalp removed instead of their hair cut.
Spiritual function: Hair enhances the ability of a human being to experience God. This can be explained by understanding the workings of electromagnets. An electromagnet consists of an iron rod with a coil of wire wrapped around it. The strength of an electromagnet can be increased by increasing the number of coils. Now in a human being, there are nine visible inlets/outlets (2 nostrils, 2 ear holes, 1 mouth, 2 eyes, 2 below the waistline). And the 10th inlet is located in the head and is invisible. It is called the Dasam Dawar. This is where we experience the
reality of God and we can consider this to be the iron rod. Hairs are like coils of wire which amplify spiritual energy at the 10th inlet. A greater quantity of head
hair will lead to more coils in the (Joora) knot and therefore a higher concentration of spiritual energy. Of course, it is possible to experience God without any head hair like Buddhists. However anything that helps us to experience God more easily should be welcomed. Hair is essentially a spiritual technology that makes it easier to connect with God.
Conclusion:
Wearing 5K's does not automatically make a good Sikh and in addition to this, wearing the 5 K's without understanding their purpose is silly. The 5 K's are not
meaningless symbols, but instead are items which aid us in living a life revolving around God and submission to His Will.
Monday, July 6, 2009
TO Sanjha Smagam 2009: July 16-18
TO Sanjha Smagam 2009
Thursday, July 16 - Saturday, July 18
Old Rexdale Gurughar
47 Baywood Rd., Rexdale, ON
For more information visit:
http://TOSanjhaSmagam.blogspot.com
Email: TO.Sanjha@gmail.com
LIVE BROADCAST DETAILS COMING SOON!!
Thursday, July 16 - Saturday, July 18
Old Rexdale Gurughar
47 Baywood Rd., Rexdale, ON
For more information visit:
http://TOSanjhaSmagam.blogspot.com
Email: TO.Sanjha@gmail.com
LIVE BROADCAST DETAILS COMING SOON!!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
The effects of the Pauris of Jap Ji Sahib...
Reciting the entire Japji daily will balance all aspects of your self, and activate your soul. Or, you may choose one pauri to work on a particular facet. In that case, recite it 11 times a day.
The MUL MANTRA removes the fate and changes the destiny to prosperity.
The FIRST PAURI contains the total knowledge and ecstasy of God. The second half is an antidote to depression. It will lift you from depression, insecurity, nightmares, and loss.
The SECOND PAURI imparts patience and stability.
The THIRD PAURI transforms insufficiency into sufficiency, turns depression into elevation, and transforms low self-esteem into complete self-confidence.
The FOURTH PAURI blesses those trapped in feelings of poverty and lack of means. It blasts through the trap of these feelings like a thunderbolt.
The FIFTH PAURI must be recited when you feel a sense of failure within yourself. When you feel that you are not up to the job this pauri will grant you all success.
The SIXTH PAURI dispels limitation. Recite it when you feel limited, cornered, trapped, or coerced. When you suffer from greed, madness for power, overbearing expansion and the need to control or when you become trapped in your territoriality.
The SEVENTH PAURI will heal you.
The EIGHTH PAURI gives the power to be a perfect sage.
The NINTH PAURI gives expansion.
The TENTH PAURI grants grace.
The ELEVENTH PAURI gives virtuousness.
The TWELFTH PAURI gives your solidarity of self, self-impressiveness, and self-respect, when you feel small.
The THIRTEENTH PAURI gives you the occult knowledge of infinity. It brings deep intuition.
The FOURTEENTH PAURI will show you the way, when you cannot find your path in life, when you cannot see the direction to your destiny, and when you cannot achieve fulfillment.
The FIFTEENTH PAURI brings liberation.
The SIXTEENTH PAURI gives knowledge of the structure of universe.
The SEVENTEENTH PAURI brings freedom and resurrection.
The EIGHTEENTH PAURI fights madness, deep feelings of inferiority, and self-destructive behavior.
The NINETEENTH PAURI brings universal knowledge, inspiration, and revelation.
The TWENTIETH PAURI wipes away all your misdeeds when the monsters are nipping at your heels.
The TWENTY-FIRST PAURI will maintain your status, grace and position
The TWENTY-SECOND PAURI brings victory in legal battles. It gives you’re the strategy.
The TWENTY-THIRD PAURI dispels darkness and elevates the self.
The TWENTY-FOURTH PAURI breaks through all limitations with the force of a thunderbolt, so powerfully that it affects generations; it has the power to kill misfortune.
The TWENTY-FIFTH PAURI pre-fulfills all your needs. Prosperity, virtue, estate, and wealth are yours without asking.
The TWENTY-SIXTH PAURI transforms nothing into everything. In your business it banishes losses, misfortunes, and miseries.
The TWENTY-SEVENTH PAURI shows you the way when you are stuck and you cannot see the window of opportunity before you. It removes obstacles so you can leap over hurdles.
The TWENTY-EIGHTH PAURI is the strongest permutation and combination of words in the world. It unites you with God.
The TWENTH-NINTH PAURI is a shield of protection from enemies. It vaporizes animosity towards you.
The THIRTIETH PAURI places you upon the throne of divinity. It makes you into a sage and a saint.
The THIRTY-FIRST PAURI pulls all virtues from the heavens.
The THIRTY-SECOND PAURI pays your debts and completes your karma.
The THIRTY-THIRD PAURI destroys your ego and brings forth your divinity. It removes negativity, neutralizes your destructive nature, and prevents harm to others by your hand.
The THIRTY-FOURTH PAURI brings stability.
The THIRTY-FIFTH PAURI gives you’re the capacity to do your duty and fulfill your responsibility.
The THIRTY-SIXTH PAURI brings divine realization. It grants complete understanding of the Heavens and the Earth.
The THIRTY-SEVENTH PAURI cuts the karma. It eliminates the impact of all bad karmas.
The THIRTY-EIGHTH PAURI gives you the power to rewrite your own destiny.
The SHALOK brings self-satisfaction, elevation, acknowledgement, and respect.
Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh
The MUL MANTRA removes the fate and changes the destiny to prosperity.
The FIRST PAURI contains the total knowledge and ecstasy of God. The second half is an antidote to depression. It will lift you from depression, insecurity, nightmares, and loss.
The SECOND PAURI imparts patience and stability.
The THIRD PAURI transforms insufficiency into sufficiency, turns depression into elevation, and transforms low self-esteem into complete self-confidence.
The FOURTH PAURI blesses those trapped in feelings of poverty and lack of means. It blasts through the trap of these feelings like a thunderbolt.
The FIFTH PAURI must be recited when you feel a sense of failure within yourself. When you feel that you are not up to the job this pauri will grant you all success.
The SIXTH PAURI dispels limitation. Recite it when you feel limited, cornered, trapped, or coerced. When you suffer from greed, madness for power, overbearing expansion and the need to control or when you become trapped in your territoriality.
The SEVENTH PAURI will heal you.
The EIGHTH PAURI gives the power to be a perfect sage.
The NINTH PAURI gives expansion.
The TENTH PAURI grants grace.
The ELEVENTH PAURI gives virtuousness.
The TWELFTH PAURI gives your solidarity of self, self-impressiveness, and self-respect, when you feel small.
The THIRTEENTH PAURI gives you the occult knowledge of infinity. It brings deep intuition.
The FOURTEENTH PAURI will show you the way, when you cannot find your path in life, when you cannot see the direction to your destiny, and when you cannot achieve fulfillment.
The FIFTEENTH PAURI brings liberation.
The SIXTEENTH PAURI gives knowledge of the structure of universe.
The SEVENTEENTH PAURI brings freedom and resurrection.
The EIGHTEENTH PAURI fights madness, deep feelings of inferiority, and self-destructive behavior.
The NINETEENTH PAURI brings universal knowledge, inspiration, and revelation.
The TWENTIETH PAURI wipes away all your misdeeds when the monsters are nipping at your heels.
The TWENTY-FIRST PAURI will maintain your status, grace and position
The TWENTY-SECOND PAURI brings victory in legal battles. It gives you’re the strategy.
The TWENTY-THIRD PAURI dispels darkness and elevates the self.
The TWENTY-FOURTH PAURI breaks through all limitations with the force of a thunderbolt, so powerfully that it affects generations; it has the power to kill misfortune.
The TWENTY-FIFTH PAURI pre-fulfills all your needs. Prosperity, virtue, estate, and wealth are yours without asking.
The TWENTY-SIXTH PAURI transforms nothing into everything. In your business it banishes losses, misfortunes, and miseries.
The TWENTY-SEVENTH PAURI shows you the way when you are stuck and you cannot see the window of opportunity before you. It removes obstacles so you can leap over hurdles.
The TWENTY-EIGHTH PAURI is the strongest permutation and combination of words in the world. It unites you with God.
The TWENTH-NINTH PAURI is a shield of protection from enemies. It vaporizes animosity towards you.
The THIRTIETH PAURI places you upon the throne of divinity. It makes you into a sage and a saint.
The THIRTY-FIRST PAURI pulls all virtues from the heavens.
The THIRTY-SECOND PAURI pays your debts and completes your karma.
The THIRTY-THIRD PAURI destroys your ego and brings forth your divinity. It removes negativity, neutralizes your destructive nature, and prevents harm to others by your hand.
The THIRTY-FOURTH PAURI brings stability.
The THIRTY-FIFTH PAURI gives you’re the capacity to do your duty and fulfill your responsibility.
The THIRTY-SIXTH PAURI brings divine realization. It grants complete understanding of the Heavens and the Earth.
The THIRTY-SEVENTH PAURI cuts the karma. It eliminates the impact of all bad karmas.
The THIRTY-EIGHTH PAURI gives you the power to rewrite your own destiny.
The SHALOK brings self-satisfaction, elevation, acknowledgement, and respect.
Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Conversation with Sahib Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj on Meat Eating
Question: Guru Jee please tell me can Sikhs eat meat?
Answer:
ਕਬੀਰ ਜੋਰੀ ਕੀਏ ਜੁਲਮੁ ਹੈ ਕਹਤਾ ਨਾਉ ਹਲਾਲੁ ॥
ਦਫਤਰਿ ਲੇਖਾ ਮਾਂਗੀਐ ਤਬ ਹੋਇਗੋ ਕਉਨੁ ਹਵਾਲੁ ॥੧੮੭॥
"O Kabeer! Those that use force and kill and call it lawful, after going to the Court of God, what will be their state? 187"
(SGGS - Ang 1374)
Question: But my friends told me that I should eat meat because it is good for me and will make me strong. Is it that bad if I have meat now and again?
Answer:
ਕਬੀਰ ਖੂਬੁ ਖਾਨਾ ਖੀਚਰੀ ਜਾ ਮਹਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਲੋਨੁ ॥
ਹੇਰਾ ਰੋਟੀ ਕਾਰਨੇ ਗਲਾ ਕਟਾਵੈ ਕਉਨੁ ॥੧੮੮॥
"O Kabeer! The dinner of beans and rice is excellent, if it is (just) flavoured with salt. I am not ready to have my own throat cut to have meat with my bread? 188"
(SGGS - Ang 1374)
Question: But Guru Jee, why can't Sikhs eat meat?
Answer:
ਦੂਖੁ ਨ ਦੇਈ ਕਿਸੈ ਜੀਅ ਪਤਿ ਸਿਉ ਘਰਿ ਜਾਵਉ ॥
"Do not cause any being to suffer, and you shall go to your true home with honor."
(SGGS - Ang 322)
Question: That's all good, but I have seen Nihang Singhs do Jhatka and they say that its on going tradition to slaughter goats and eat its meat. So is it okay for the Nihang Singhs to do Jhatka?
Answer:
ਜੀਅ ਬਧਹੁ ਸੁ ਧਰਮੁ ਕਰਿ ਥਾਪਹੁ ਅਧਰਮੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਤ ਭਾਈ ॥
ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਮੁਨਿਵਰ ਕਰਿ ਥਾਪਹੁ ਕਾ ਕਉ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਸਾਈ ॥2॥
"You kill living beings, and call it a righteous action. Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action? If you religious people are doing "religious" killing for meat, then what is A-dharam (atheism)? If you are a religious person then whom will we call a butcher? 2"
(SGGS - Ang 1103)
Question: Okay. What about eating fish? I suppose that isn't really meat?
Answer:
ਕਬੀਰ ਭਾਂਗ ਮਾਛੁਲੀ ਸੁਰਾ ਪਾਨਿ ਜੋ ਜੋ ਪ੍ਰਾਨੀ ਖਾਂਹਿ ॥
ਤੀਰਥ ਬਰਤ ਨੇਮ ਕੀਏ ਤੇ ਸਭੈ ਰਸਾਤਲਿ ਜਾਂਹਿ ॥੨੩੩॥
"O Kabeer! Those mortals who consume marijuana, fish and wine - no matter what pilgrimages, fasts and rituals they follow, they will all go to hell. 233"
(SGGS - Ang 1377)
Question: Guru Jee, can you eat meat and still do Bhagti (devotional worship)?
Answer:
ਜਉ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਏਕੁ ਖੁਦਾਇ ਕਹਤ ਹਉ ਤਉ ਕਿਉ ਮੁਰਗੀ ਮਾਰੈ ॥੧॥
"If in all is the one God, then why kill a chicken?"
(SGGS - Ang 1350)
Question: Does it affect our spirituality if we eat meat?
Answer:
ਜੇ ਰਤੁ ਲਗੈ ਕਪੜੈ ਜਾਮਾ ਹੋਇ ਪਲੀਤੁ ॥
ਜੋ ਰਤੁ ਪੀਵਹਿ ਮਾਣਸਾ ਤਿਨ ਕਿਉ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਚੀਤੁ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਉ ਖੁਦਾਇ ਕਾ ਦਿਲਿ ਹਛੈ ਮੁਖਿ ਲੇਹੁ ॥
ਅਵਰਿ ਦਿਵਾਜੇ ਦੁਨੀ ਕੇ ਝੂਠੇ ਅਮਲ ਕਰੇਹੁ ॥੧॥
"If one's clothes are stained with blood, the garment becomes polluted. Those who drink the blood of others - how can those people's consciousness be pure?"
(SGGS - Ang 140)
Question: Guru Jee does becoming a vegetarian make me religious? If I just give eating meat, does that please you?
Answer:
ਮਾਸੁ ਮਾਸੁ ਕਰਿ ਮੂਰਖੁ ਝਗੜੇ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਨਹੀ ਜਾਣੈ ॥
ਕਉਣੁ ਮਾਸੁ ਕਉਣੁ ਸਾਗੁ ਕਹਾਵੈ ਕਿਸੁ ਮਹਿ ਪਾਪ ਸਮਾਣੇ ॥
"Only the fool quarrels over the question of eating or not eating of the meat; that person does not have the True Wisdom. (Without True Wisdom or Meditation), the person harps on which is flesh and which is not flesh and which food is sinful and which is not."
(SGGS - Ang 1289-1290)
Question: So a Sikh doesn't eat meat because a Sikh should have compassion and kindness for living life, but what thing makes a person religious if just becoming a vegetarian doesn't make a person religious?
Answer:
ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਕਰਤ ਮਿਟੇ ਸਭਿ ਭਰਮਾ ॥
ਹਰਿ ਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਲੈ ਊਤਮ ਧਰਮਾ ॥
"Chanting the Name of the Lord all doubts are dispelled. Naam, the Name of the Lord is the highest religion."
(SGGS – Ang 874)
Question: Guru Jee thanks for clearing up things. But why is the Panth in doubt over what "Kuttha" means and whether it means Halal meat or all meat?
Answer:
ਕਬੀਰ ਸਾਚਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਕਿਆ ਕਰੈ ਜਉ ਸਿਖਾ ਮਹਿ ਚੂਕ ॥
ਅੰਧੇ ਏਕ ਨ ਲਾਗਈ ਜਿਉ ਬਾਂਸੁ ਬਜਾਈਐ ਫੂਕ ॥੧੫੮॥
"O Kabeer! What can the True Guru do, when His Sikhs are at fault? The blind do not take in any of His Teachings; it is as useless as blowing into bamboo. 158"
(SGGS – Ang 1372)
compiled by Bhai Manvir Singh ji (UK)
Answer:
ਕਬੀਰ ਜੋਰੀ ਕੀਏ ਜੁਲਮੁ ਹੈ ਕਹਤਾ ਨਾਉ ਹਲਾਲੁ ॥
ਦਫਤਰਿ ਲੇਖਾ ਮਾਂਗੀਐ ਤਬ ਹੋਇਗੋ ਕਉਨੁ ਹਵਾਲੁ ॥੧੮੭॥
"O Kabeer! Those that use force and kill and call it lawful, after going to the Court of God, what will be their state? 187"
(SGGS - Ang 1374)
Question: But my friends told me that I should eat meat because it is good for me and will make me strong. Is it that bad if I have meat now and again?
Answer:
ਕਬੀਰ ਖੂਬੁ ਖਾਨਾ ਖੀਚਰੀ ਜਾ ਮਹਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਲੋਨੁ ॥
ਹੇਰਾ ਰੋਟੀ ਕਾਰਨੇ ਗਲਾ ਕਟਾਵੈ ਕਉਨੁ ॥੧੮੮॥
"O Kabeer! The dinner of beans and rice is excellent, if it is (just) flavoured with salt. I am not ready to have my own throat cut to have meat with my bread? 188"
(SGGS - Ang 1374)
Question: But Guru Jee, why can't Sikhs eat meat?
Answer:
ਦੂਖੁ ਨ ਦੇਈ ਕਿਸੈ ਜੀਅ ਪਤਿ ਸਿਉ ਘਰਿ ਜਾਵਉ ॥
"Do not cause any being to suffer, and you shall go to your true home with honor."
(SGGS - Ang 322)
Question: That's all good, but I have seen Nihang Singhs do Jhatka and they say that its on going tradition to slaughter goats and eat its meat. So is it okay for the Nihang Singhs to do Jhatka?
Answer:
ਜੀਅ ਬਧਹੁ ਸੁ ਧਰਮੁ ਕਰਿ ਥਾਪਹੁ ਅਧਰਮੁ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਤ ਭਾਈ ॥
ਆਪਸ ਕਉ ਮੁਨਿਵਰ ਕਰਿ ਥਾਪਹੁ ਕਾ ਕਉ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਸਾਈ ॥2॥
"You kill living beings, and call it a righteous action. Tell me, brother, what would you call an unrighteous action? If you religious people are doing "religious" killing for meat, then what is A-dharam (atheism)? If you are a religious person then whom will we call a butcher? 2"
(SGGS - Ang 1103)
Question: Okay. What about eating fish? I suppose that isn't really meat?
Answer:
ਕਬੀਰ ਭਾਂਗ ਮਾਛੁਲੀ ਸੁਰਾ ਪਾਨਿ ਜੋ ਜੋ ਪ੍ਰਾਨੀ ਖਾਂਹਿ ॥
ਤੀਰਥ ਬਰਤ ਨੇਮ ਕੀਏ ਤੇ ਸਭੈ ਰਸਾਤਲਿ ਜਾਂਹਿ ॥੨੩੩॥
"O Kabeer! Those mortals who consume marijuana, fish and wine - no matter what pilgrimages, fasts and rituals they follow, they will all go to hell. 233"
(SGGS - Ang 1377)
Question: Guru Jee, can you eat meat and still do Bhagti (devotional worship)?
Answer:
ਜਉ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਏਕੁ ਖੁਦਾਇ ਕਹਤ ਹਉ ਤਉ ਕਿਉ ਮੁਰਗੀ ਮਾਰੈ ॥੧॥
"If in all is the one God, then why kill a chicken?"
(SGGS - Ang 1350)
Question: Does it affect our spirituality if we eat meat?
Answer:
ਜੇ ਰਤੁ ਲਗੈ ਕਪੜੈ ਜਾਮਾ ਹੋਇ ਪਲੀਤੁ ॥
ਜੋ ਰਤੁ ਪੀਵਹਿ ਮਾਣਸਾ ਤਿਨ ਕਿਉ ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਚੀਤੁ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਾਉ ਖੁਦਾਇ ਕਾ ਦਿਲਿ ਹਛੈ ਮੁਖਿ ਲੇਹੁ ॥
ਅਵਰਿ ਦਿਵਾਜੇ ਦੁਨੀ ਕੇ ਝੂਠੇ ਅਮਲ ਕਰੇਹੁ ॥੧॥
"If one's clothes are stained with blood, the garment becomes polluted. Those who drink the blood of others - how can those people's consciousness be pure?"
(SGGS - Ang 140)
Question: Guru Jee does becoming a vegetarian make me religious? If I just give eating meat, does that please you?
Answer:
ਮਾਸੁ ਮਾਸੁ ਕਰਿ ਮੂਰਖੁ ਝਗੜੇ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਨਹੀ ਜਾਣੈ ॥
ਕਉਣੁ ਮਾਸੁ ਕਉਣੁ ਸਾਗੁ ਕਹਾਵੈ ਕਿਸੁ ਮਹਿ ਪਾਪ ਸਮਾਣੇ ॥
"Only the fool quarrels over the question of eating or not eating of the meat; that person does not have the True Wisdom. (Without True Wisdom or Meditation), the person harps on which is flesh and which is not flesh and which food is sinful and which is not."
(SGGS - Ang 1289-1290)
Question: So a Sikh doesn't eat meat because a Sikh should have compassion and kindness for living life, but what thing makes a person religious if just becoming a vegetarian doesn't make a person religious?
Answer:
ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਕਰਤ ਮਿਟੇ ਸਭਿ ਭਰਮਾ ॥
ਹਰਿ ਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਲੈ ਊਤਮ ਧਰਮਾ ॥
"Chanting the Name of the Lord all doubts are dispelled. Naam, the Name of the Lord is the highest religion."
(SGGS – Ang 874)
Question: Guru Jee thanks for clearing up things. But why is the Panth in doubt over what "Kuttha" means and whether it means Halal meat or all meat?
Answer:
ਕਬੀਰ ਸਾਚਾ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਕਿਆ ਕਰੈ ਜਉ ਸਿਖਾ ਮਹਿ ਚੂਕ ॥
ਅੰਧੇ ਏਕ ਨ ਲਾਗਈ ਜਿਉ ਬਾਂਸੁ ਬਜਾਈਐ ਫੂਕ ॥੧੫੮॥
"O Kabeer! What can the True Guru do, when His Sikhs are at fault? The blind do not take in any of His Teachings; it is as useless as blowing into bamboo. 158"
(SGGS – Ang 1372)
compiled by Bhai Manvir Singh ji (UK)
Monday, June 15, 2009
My Jatha Is The Best :), I love my jatha
My Jatha Is The Best :), I love my Jatha
By: TejiKaur
I wanted to belong to one who I loved only then could I ever be whole
I wanted The one whose compassion instantly broke my anger to pieces
the one who melted my heart and made it smile over and over when Kaljug took its toll
whenever I was broken he was alway there to heal me as I went over lifes confusing bumps and creases
I longed to be his and dreamed of being his wife
I dreamed of hearing the unspoken speach of love and affection
I dreamed of making his tender sweetness my comfort in trouble and strife
I wanted to build my home in his perfect perfection day and night I would cherish the connection
finnaly the day came when I would join him in his permanant palace
I was to recieve the Amrit the necter of life and join my Lord
I was to be liberated from my bodys flaws no more anger, greed or ego-filled malice
And so my soul became elavated and ecstatic as I embraced the exilir of the double eged sword
For so long my heart was always his but now its official I thought
meanwhile day and night I enjoyed belonging to my wonderous husband
My heart was never lonely nor did my mind ever become distraught
How could ones spirit ever hurt when they have the power of Gods hand
But then would day I met someone who said my life was totally wrong
This was not the way to worship God he said that not how it goes
than he asked me how I do simran and said it was incorecct all along
and to follow his jatha cause only his jatha knows
So I listened about his jatha and my heart filled up with wonder and prem
I loved every bit of Bhai Randhir Singh jis messege and doctrine of jeeven
I followed the akj rehit in hapiness my burning soul peaceful and tame till another messenger came
and I allowed myself to get brainwashed again thinking my bumpy soul would leven
The Sikh He said give up Akj become a nihung
Akj is all about looking good they are pakhand not panthic at all
come on look at their Simran look how its sung
dont you wanna join the army of those strong as a mountain twice as tall
I listened to the teachings and they Vibrated inside
My heart longed to be a nihung but I still loved Akj
Regardless from that day onwards it was with the Gurus Laadli fauj I would abide
or so I thought Till once again a Sikh cane to show me the way once more my soul was to sway
I head the amazing love filled voice of the angels and listed to his Sakhis in awe
I saw God in the face of The Saint in all his glory and extol
Nanaksar Sahib made its place in my heart it was the only way I saw
But still I could not forget the way of life of the Nihungs or Akj from my soul
Than one day a Singh came from Damdami Taksal
He was so brave and so paka in rehit
I thought I would love to join Sant Jis Jatha this is my true call
I would be Taksali and that was that
Untill I heard the Chardi Kala Jatha play
And saw the faces of 3h0
Bibi Snatam Kaur just made my day
3ho was the way to go
I lived in Peace one day I woke to do my nitnem
My heart was wavering confused
I had forgotten the meaning of life and who I am
My soul was broken and confused
I loved the nihungs but akj too
3h0 had a place within me
I was bound to Nanaksar Sahib through and though
The Taksal experience could last eternity
So who do I follow where do I go
All of the Bhramgianis were right
So which jatha to join I don’t know
Their were so many differences but each Unparelled inspite
Do I eat meat or not
What color and style should I tie my dastaar
Such trivial matters but my mind still faught
From the truth I wandered far and far
I missed those days when it was me and my Guru
and I was just his period
The days where I would do Simran in the language of love and dwell on the One whose True
The days where I was free to dance how God moved me and be happy whatever he did
Suddenly it seemed so excruciatinly confusing
Nothing was right nor was it wrong
Hanging on by hopes famous last sting
I wondered where is it that I belong
Than I looked to the sky and remembered the day, the feeling, the monment the true belief
The reason I live, the inspirer of rehit, my Satguru my jaan and support
I remembered the one to who I belonged and who was their to share my trouble and grief
as I gave up all other colors My hear intuitively led my feet to his court
After roaming around I was home to my maharaj
And I asked Guru Ji for the answer
I folderd my hands and offered my body soul and laaj
And placed my faith in one who no obstacle could deter
As I prayed I felt it all it was all right their ahead
The source of all the necter, bliss, and power
The Guru to whom all great Saints bowed their head
The one who mended the broken and loved the meek and at the same time made the 5 sinners cower
Sitting there in Guru Jis Hazoori I found the one who filled the heart of Baba Nand Singh Ji
The one whose love inspires the Nihungs to fight save lakh se ik
The one whose bani enticed the mind of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji
The one who Bhai Randhir Singh ji called his sacha tek
The one who pulled 3ho on the path by sending wandering hearts his call
The source of all this greatness Amazingly Was always there sitting right in front of me
He was the ocean and the source of it all
All the saints came from Guru Granth Sahib Ji
The love was with all there in the bani of all the Gurus and so was the strength
Even though my dastar is not always gol I could still stand for justice like taksal
I could still do simran with each breath like Akj and wear a keski of any length
I could wear a chola like 3ho and fight to defend my kaum with the dal
I relized that this was the truth the teachings of the saints
They wanted Guru jis love thats it !They did not want a wakhree kaum
It doesn’t matter what one calls themself nor does dressing in various turban colors styles and taints
What is the use if you still havent found your home
The Saints are all one with the shabad all perfect and unflawed
And they all want us to follow that way as well
For it is love and compassion that lead to God
And pakhandi rituals pave the way to hell
So with the grace of the saints lets unite in the shelter of our true jatha
The Khalsa panth jathedhar Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharajjjjj
Lets give him our hearts our souls and let him give us the naam with his hand upon our matha
We are his He is ours and that’s the truth of the Khalsa Fauj
By: TejiKaur
I wanted to belong to one who I loved only then could I ever be whole
I wanted The one whose compassion instantly broke my anger to pieces
the one who melted my heart and made it smile over and over when Kaljug took its toll
whenever I was broken he was alway there to heal me as I went over lifes confusing bumps and creases
I longed to be his and dreamed of being his wife
I dreamed of hearing the unspoken speach of love and affection
I dreamed of making his tender sweetness my comfort in trouble and strife
I wanted to build my home in his perfect perfection day and night I would cherish the connection
finnaly the day came when I would join him in his permanant palace
I was to recieve the Amrit the necter of life and join my Lord
I was to be liberated from my bodys flaws no more anger, greed or ego-filled malice
And so my soul became elavated and ecstatic as I embraced the exilir of the double eged sword
For so long my heart was always his but now its official I thought
meanwhile day and night I enjoyed belonging to my wonderous husband
My heart was never lonely nor did my mind ever become distraught
How could ones spirit ever hurt when they have the power of Gods hand
But then would day I met someone who said my life was totally wrong
This was not the way to worship God he said that not how it goes
than he asked me how I do simran and said it was incorecct all along
and to follow his jatha cause only his jatha knows
So I listened about his jatha and my heart filled up with wonder and prem
I loved every bit of Bhai Randhir Singh jis messege and doctrine of jeeven
I followed the akj rehit in hapiness my burning soul peaceful and tame till another messenger came
and I allowed myself to get brainwashed again thinking my bumpy soul would leven
The Sikh He said give up Akj become a nihung
Akj is all about looking good they are pakhand not panthic at all
come on look at their Simran look how its sung
dont you wanna join the army of those strong as a mountain twice as tall
I listened to the teachings and they Vibrated inside
My heart longed to be a nihung but I still loved Akj
Regardless from that day onwards it was with the Gurus Laadli fauj I would abide
or so I thought Till once again a Sikh cane to show me the way once more my soul was to sway
I head the amazing love filled voice of the angels and listed to his Sakhis in awe
I saw God in the face of The Saint in all his glory and extol
Nanaksar Sahib made its place in my heart it was the only way I saw
But still I could not forget the way of life of the Nihungs or Akj from my soul
Than one day a Singh came from Damdami Taksal
He was so brave and so paka in rehit
I thought I would love to join Sant Jis Jatha this is my true call
I would be Taksali and that was that
Untill I heard the Chardi Kala Jatha play
And saw the faces of 3h0
Bibi Snatam Kaur just made my day
3ho was the way to go
I lived in Peace one day I woke to do my nitnem
My heart was wavering confused
I had forgotten the meaning of life and who I am
My soul was broken and confused
I loved the nihungs but akj too
3h0 had a place within me
I was bound to Nanaksar Sahib through and though
The Taksal experience could last eternity
So who do I follow where do I go
All of the Bhramgianis were right
So which jatha to join I don’t know
Their were so many differences but each Unparelled inspite
Do I eat meat or not
What color and style should I tie my dastaar
Such trivial matters but my mind still faught
From the truth I wandered far and far
I missed those days when it was me and my Guru
and I was just his period
The days where I would do Simran in the language of love and dwell on the One whose True
The days where I was free to dance how God moved me and be happy whatever he did
Suddenly it seemed so excruciatinly confusing
Nothing was right nor was it wrong
Hanging on by hopes famous last sting
I wondered where is it that I belong
Than I looked to the sky and remembered the day, the feeling, the monment the true belief
The reason I live, the inspirer of rehit, my Satguru my jaan and support
I remembered the one to who I belonged and who was their to share my trouble and grief
as I gave up all other colors My hear intuitively led my feet to his court
After roaming around I was home to my maharaj
And I asked Guru Ji for the answer
I folderd my hands and offered my body soul and laaj
And placed my faith in one who no obstacle could deter
As I prayed I felt it all it was all right their ahead
The source of all the necter, bliss, and power
The Guru to whom all great Saints bowed their head
The one who mended the broken and loved the meek and at the same time made the 5 sinners cower
Sitting there in Guru Jis Hazoori I found the one who filled the heart of Baba Nand Singh Ji
The one whose love inspires the Nihungs to fight save lakh se ik
The one whose bani enticed the mind of Sant Jarnail Singh Ji
The one who Bhai Randhir Singh ji called his sacha tek
The one who pulled 3ho on the path by sending wandering hearts his call
The source of all this greatness Amazingly Was always there sitting right in front of me
He was the ocean and the source of it all
All the saints came from Guru Granth Sahib Ji
The love was with all there in the bani of all the Gurus and so was the strength
Even though my dastar is not always gol I could still stand for justice like taksal
I could still do simran with each breath like Akj and wear a keski of any length
I could wear a chola like 3ho and fight to defend my kaum with the dal
I relized that this was the truth the teachings of the saints
They wanted Guru jis love thats it !They did not want a wakhree kaum
It doesn’t matter what one calls themself nor does dressing in various turban colors styles and taints
What is the use if you still havent found your home
The Saints are all one with the shabad all perfect and unflawed
And they all want us to follow that way as well
For it is love and compassion that lead to God
And pakhandi rituals pave the way to hell
So with the grace of the saints lets unite in the shelter of our true jatha
The Khalsa panth jathedhar Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharajjjjj
Lets give him our hearts our souls and let him give us the naam with his hand upon our matha
We are his He is ours and that’s the truth of the Khalsa Fauj
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Canadian eyewitness recalls bodies 'everywhere, everywhere, everywhere'
Canadian eyewitness recalls bodies 'everywhere, everywhere, everywhere'
Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canadian-eyewitness-recalls-bodies-everywhere-everywhere-everywhere/article1172044/
It has been 25 years, but Inderjit Singh Jagraon talks about his experiences inside the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, as if he just walked out of the complex
ROBERT MATAS
From Saturday's Globe and Mail, Saturday, Jun. 06, 2009 09:02AM EDT
It's been 25 years, but Inderjit Singh Jagraon talks about his experiences in early June, 1984, inside the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, as if he just walked out of the complex. His voice quivers as he recounts the horrific scene: dead bodies everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, he repeats. Men with open bullet wounds and limbs missing; floors awash in blood and water.
Mr. Jagraon recalls running from gunfire. The man next to him was shot and fell forward on his head. "He died in my hands," Mr. Jagraon said in an interview this week. "He did not move. I left him where he was. I ran away." Everyone was trying to find a place to hide, like mice. "We ran from room to room," he said.
Mr. Jagraon, who is now married, the father of three daughters and living in Toronto, was a 19-year-old student in 1984, in his second year of studies in civil engineering in his hometown of Jagraon, about two hours away from the holiest shrine in the Sikh religion.
He was active in the Sikh Student Federation, a group considered to be a terrorist organization by the government of India. The group was involved mostly in educating people about the Sikh religion, Mr. Jagraon said. But they did more than that and some members paid a price. "Anyone asking for their rights and justice [at that time] was beaten up or killed, and their voice ... quieted," he said without elaborating.
On June 1, 1984, he heard that government forces had killed a number of people at the temple. He went with a friend to find out what was happening. No one stopped them from going in, but once inside the temple complex, he was unable to leave.
The Golden Temple is actually a collection of religious halls, offices and dormitories. Armed terrorists were in the central temple building. Mr. Jagraon stayed in a dormitory called Guru Ram Das Sarai. He says he was not involved in the fighting. "I was a student, a young kid; I was not trained to do all those things," he said.
The shooting and explosions began around 4:30 a.m. on June 4, his second night at the temple, and continued into the next day. He recalled a voice on a loudspeaker around 5 p.m. on June 5, saying whoever wants to come out would be allowed to leave. He stayed but others went. He saw them being beaten with steel rods as they stepped out.
The exchange of fire ended on June 6. Mr. Jagraon was taken into custody that night. He had fallen asleep and was awaken by a soldier pointing a gun at his chest. Soldiers lined up hundreds of people. He was left sitting for hours with dead bodies on the floor nearby. He recalled seeing people die from their wounds, after asking soldiers for water.
He was eventually put on a bus and taken to a camp in an isolated location. He remembers the intense heat. People went crazy for water, he said. He saw an army tank point its barrel and shoot some of those people. He estimated around 60 people were killed.
He was held in a high-security prison until March, 1989, convicted of fighting against the Indian army. Mr. Jagraon came to Canada via Kenya in August, 1991.
"Now everything is okay," said Mr. Jagraon, who works as a realtor. He continues to support the goals of the student federation that led to his troubles. "I am a well-wisher of all those organizations who seek Sikh rights," he said, "but I'm not really involved in any [of them]."
"When you look at Rwanda, the whole world knew what was happening and was shaken right to the core," Kirpa Kaur, a member of a group called B.C. Sikh Youth, said earlier this week. "So few people know about [the attacks of 1984] and they perceive it as a story brought up needlessly."
She believes human-rights violations that occurred 25 years ago continue to sting because those responsible for the actions were never punished. "As Canadians who have deeply emotional and social connections to the injustices that happened in Punjab, we would hope that the Canadian government would support us in fighting injustices, in helping us indict those who clearly have been found guilty... [by non-governmental organizations]," she said.
The government of India sent the army into the Golden Temple compound in the first week of June, 1984, after years of deadly skirmishes with militant Sikh leaders fighting for Sikh rights and Khalistan. Government officials said their goal was to dislodge terrorists who had turned the religious hall and adjacent buildings into an armed fortress.
The assault coincided with a religious pilgrimage that had drawn thousands of Sikhs to the site on June 3 to pay homage on the martyrdom day of the fifth guru, Arjan Dev. Most were trapped in the compound after Indian forces launched continuous artillery bombardments and mortar fire. Unable to flush the terrorists out, the army stepped up its attack on June 4, sending infantry into the compound.
The deadly exchange of fire with Sikhs armed with machine guns, rifles and pistols ended on June 6. A government white paper says 493 people, including religious leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, were killed. Non-governmental groups say as many as 10,000 people, mostly innocent pilgrims, were killed and priceless historic artifacts, including religious books and historical documents in the library, were destroyed. Bodies were cremated without notifying relatives and without autopsies. No official records of cremations were kept. Many Sikhs perceived the attacks as calculated assaults on their faith, culture and identity.
The events fuelled the secessionist insurgency. Radical fringe groups championing the Khalistani cause found themselves suddenly in the mainstream. In Canada, less than a week after the assault, thousands of angry people marched in protest in Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver, vowing to avenge the attack on the Golden Temple. Effigies of Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi were stabbed and burned. Some carried placards with slogans such as "Death to butcher Indira" and "Indira Gandhi dead old meat." An Indian flag was set on fire on the steps of the Manitoba Legislature.
Ms. Gandhi was assassinated four months later. In June, 1985, Sikh radicals had explosives checked onto two flights from Vancouver. The explosions on opposite sides of the world caused 331 deaths.
This year in Canada, events are considerably quieter. The World Sikh Organization held a dinner in Ottawa on Thursday for parliamentarians, community leaders and members of the Sikh community. Public forums are being held throughout June in several cities on how the events of June, 1984, shaped the Sikh community.
In downtown Vancouver, a group of Canadian-born, religious youth are holding a vigil today. Earlier this week, members of the organizing group spoke to The Globe and Mail about the changes within their community since 1984. Following Sikh tradition, the women in the group wished to be identified by the family name Kaur and most of the men identified themselves only as Singh.
Some said they believe many of their generation are unaware of what happened in 1984. "The only reason my history-12 class knew anything about it was because my teacher asked me about it," said Paneet Singh, who was born six years after the assault on the temple. His Grade 12 history textbook had only two paragraphs on the events and his teachers did not elaborate. "It is not as though it is going to be on a final exam," he said.
Their parents' generation was hesitant to talk about 1984 after the Air India bombing. Those who spoke up were tagged as extremists or terrorists. Many remained silent and over the years became apathetic, the members of B.C. Sikh Youth said.
However, the youth are indifferent to the charge of promoting Khalistan. They say the accusation is a myth intended to divert attention from the injustices. "Our main concern at these events is strictly human rights," said Jagjit Singh, the main spokesman for the youth group. Kirpa Kaur, a recent graduate in psychology and social equity, said some of the youth may be supporters of Khalistan. "But these events are about fighting injustice and [the secessionist movement is] absolutely irrelevant to what we are doing."
Prabhroop Kaur, 21, has been going to annual vigils for events in 1984 "ever since I can remember," she said. Her parents instilled in her a strong commitment to justice. "They sat me down and told me what happened. We were supposed to fight injustice everywhere.... We grew up with that. We see clearly injustice and we have to do something about it."
Gurdit Singh, 25, a college student in human-resource management, identified "an education gap" between his parents and himself. His father was a farmer in Punjab and his mother was a high-school teacher. "They talk about it, but they had more raw emotions, more anger built up inside them. They did not know how to proceed, what to do next."
Some parents accepted what the Indian government told them. Paneet Singh said his mother left India in 1986 believing that Sikhs brought the assault upon themselves, as the government of India says. His mother told him the extremists had to be flushed out of the temple and the government had to restore order.
But the younger generation has more tools than their parents to find out what went on in 1984. "The ease with which we can go and find records, find third-party accounts, is exponentially bigger than what our parents would have been able to do, if they had the knowledge base and skills to do it," said Perpinder Singh Patrola, a 31-year-old lawyer. "We have resources that did not exist 15, 20 years ago. We may feel emotions, but we can move beyond raw emotion and look at actual facts and figures, and present it - without reducing it to something that is purely emotional."
Research has shown that stories they were told about their history were often not true, Kirpa Kaur said. "We have to do a lot of work ourselves to figure out the true story."
Shining a global spotlight on what actually happened is a step toward having justice done, she added. "Living in a country as Canada, which claims to support so many human rights-type initiatives, we say it is time to support us in fighting against injustice."
*****
Q&A
What happened?
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sent the Indian army into the Golden Temple in Amritsar in the first week of June, 1984, to flush out militant Sikh leaders who were using the religious compound as their headquarters in a campaign of violence against their critics, the police and state institutions.
Why did the government send in troops at that time?
The Indian government moved to restore law and order after a lengthy string of killings, arsons and lootings that it said threatened the stability of the state. Violence had claimed the lives of 410 people and injured more than 1,180 in the two years before the attack, according to a white paper on the Punjab agitation dated July 10, 1984. More than 775 violent incidents were recorded in the five months prior to the attack.
Who were the religious
militants?
The political leadership in Punjab province had a lengthy list of grievances with the central government built up over several years, ranging from disputes over surplus water rights to concerns over issues related to the Sikh religion. Sectarian violence erupted in 1978, with fundamentalist Sikhs embracing secession as the most effective way to protect their religion. The troubles escalated in 1981, following several killings, the hijacking of an Indian plane by Sikh extremists, and rallies by the All India Sikh Students Federation calling for the creation of Khalistan. After the head of the student group was arrested in July, 1982, fundamentalist leaders moved into the Golden Temple complex and turned it into a fortified encampment.
Were only religious militants killed in the assault?
The military assault coincided with a religious pilgrimage that had drawn thousands of Sikhs to the site. The militants were in dormitories on the compound as well as in the religious halls. Hundreds if not thousands of pilgrims were caught in the crossfire. Shekhar Gupta, a correspondent with India Today, wrote in a report published Aug 15, 1984: "As the army got sniped at from a number of rooms in the parikrama [a walkway around the pool that surrounded the temple] and the sarais [dormitories ], the troops just threw grenades into the rooms. 'People were dying on both sides,' recalls an officer, adding, 'and there was no time to find out who was inside a room.' Some of the pilgrims also died of thirst. Many died of the fires which broke out."
Source: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canadian-eyewitness-recalls-bodies-everywhere-everywhere-everywhere/article1172044/
It has been 25 years, but Inderjit Singh Jagraon talks about his experiences inside the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, as if he just walked out of the complex
ROBERT MATAS
From Saturday's Globe and Mail, Saturday, Jun. 06, 2009 09:02AM EDT
It's been 25 years, but Inderjit Singh Jagraon talks about his experiences in early June, 1984, inside the Golden Temple in Amritsar, India, as if he just walked out of the complex. His voice quivers as he recounts the horrific scene: dead bodies everywhere, everywhere, everywhere, he repeats. Men with open bullet wounds and limbs missing; floors awash in blood and water.
Mr. Jagraon recalls running from gunfire. The man next to him was shot and fell forward on his head. "He died in my hands," Mr. Jagraon said in an interview this week. "He did not move. I left him where he was. I ran away." Everyone was trying to find a place to hide, like mice. "We ran from room to room," he said.
Mr. Jagraon, who is now married, the father of three daughters and living in Toronto, was a 19-year-old student in 1984, in his second year of studies in civil engineering in his hometown of Jagraon, about two hours away from the holiest shrine in the Sikh religion.
He was active in the Sikh Student Federation, a group considered to be a terrorist organization by the government of India. The group was involved mostly in educating people about the Sikh religion, Mr. Jagraon said. But they did more than that and some members paid a price. "Anyone asking for their rights and justice [at that time] was beaten up or killed, and their voice ... quieted," he said without elaborating.
On June 1, 1984, he heard that government forces had killed a number of people at the temple. He went with a friend to find out what was happening. No one stopped them from going in, but once inside the temple complex, he was unable to leave.
The Golden Temple is actually a collection of religious halls, offices and dormitories. Armed terrorists were in the central temple building. Mr. Jagraon stayed in a dormitory called Guru Ram Das Sarai. He says he was not involved in the fighting. "I was a student, a young kid; I was not trained to do all those things," he said.
The shooting and explosions began around 4:30 a.m. on June 4, his second night at the temple, and continued into the next day. He recalled a voice on a loudspeaker around 5 p.m. on June 5, saying whoever wants to come out would be allowed to leave. He stayed but others went. He saw them being beaten with steel rods as they stepped out.
The exchange of fire ended on June 6. Mr. Jagraon was taken into custody that night. He had fallen asleep and was awaken by a soldier pointing a gun at his chest. Soldiers lined up hundreds of people. He was left sitting for hours with dead bodies on the floor nearby. He recalled seeing people die from their wounds, after asking soldiers for water.
He was eventually put on a bus and taken to a camp in an isolated location. He remembers the intense heat. People went crazy for water, he said. He saw an army tank point its barrel and shoot some of those people. He estimated around 60 people were killed.
He was held in a high-security prison until March, 1989, convicted of fighting against the Indian army. Mr. Jagraon came to Canada via Kenya in August, 1991.
"Now everything is okay," said Mr. Jagraon, who works as a realtor. He continues to support the goals of the student federation that led to his troubles. "I am a well-wisher of all those organizations who seek Sikh rights," he said, "but I'm not really involved in any [of them]."
"When you look at Rwanda, the whole world knew what was happening and was shaken right to the core," Kirpa Kaur, a member of a group called B.C. Sikh Youth, said earlier this week. "So few people know about [the attacks of 1984] and they perceive it as a story brought up needlessly."
She believes human-rights violations that occurred 25 years ago continue to sting because those responsible for the actions were never punished. "As Canadians who have deeply emotional and social connections to the injustices that happened in Punjab, we would hope that the Canadian government would support us in fighting injustices, in helping us indict those who clearly have been found guilty... [by non-governmental organizations]," she said.
The government of India sent the army into the Golden Temple compound in the first week of June, 1984, after years of deadly skirmishes with militant Sikh leaders fighting for Sikh rights and Khalistan. Government officials said their goal was to dislodge terrorists who had turned the religious hall and adjacent buildings into an armed fortress.
The assault coincided with a religious pilgrimage that had drawn thousands of Sikhs to the site on June 3 to pay homage on the martyrdom day of the fifth guru, Arjan Dev. Most were trapped in the compound after Indian forces launched continuous artillery bombardments and mortar fire. Unable to flush the terrorists out, the army stepped up its attack on June 4, sending infantry into the compound.
The deadly exchange of fire with Sikhs armed with machine guns, rifles and pistols ended on June 6. A government white paper says 493 people, including religious leader Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, were killed. Non-governmental groups say as many as 10,000 people, mostly innocent pilgrims, were killed and priceless historic artifacts, including religious books and historical documents in the library, were destroyed. Bodies were cremated without notifying relatives and without autopsies. No official records of cremations were kept. Many Sikhs perceived the attacks as calculated assaults on their faith, culture and identity.
The events fuelled the secessionist insurgency. Radical fringe groups championing the Khalistani cause found themselves suddenly in the mainstream. In Canada, less than a week after the assault, thousands of angry people marched in protest in Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver, vowing to avenge the attack on the Golden Temple. Effigies of Indian prime minister Indira Gandhi were stabbed and burned. Some carried placards with slogans such as "Death to butcher Indira" and "Indira Gandhi dead old meat." An Indian flag was set on fire on the steps of the Manitoba Legislature.
Ms. Gandhi was assassinated four months later. In June, 1985, Sikh radicals had explosives checked onto two flights from Vancouver. The explosions on opposite sides of the world caused 331 deaths.
This year in Canada, events are considerably quieter. The World Sikh Organization held a dinner in Ottawa on Thursday for parliamentarians, community leaders and members of the Sikh community. Public forums are being held throughout June in several cities on how the events of June, 1984, shaped the Sikh community.
In downtown Vancouver, a group of Canadian-born, religious youth are holding a vigil today. Earlier this week, members of the organizing group spoke to The Globe and Mail about the changes within their community since 1984. Following Sikh tradition, the women in the group wished to be identified by the family name Kaur and most of the men identified themselves only as Singh.
Some said they believe many of their generation are unaware of what happened in 1984. "The only reason my history-12 class knew anything about it was because my teacher asked me about it," said Paneet Singh, who was born six years after the assault on the temple. His Grade 12 history textbook had only two paragraphs on the events and his teachers did not elaborate. "It is not as though it is going to be on a final exam," he said.
Their parents' generation was hesitant to talk about 1984 after the Air India bombing. Those who spoke up were tagged as extremists or terrorists. Many remained silent and over the years became apathetic, the members of B.C. Sikh Youth said.
However, the youth are indifferent to the charge of promoting Khalistan. They say the accusation is a myth intended to divert attention from the injustices. "Our main concern at these events is strictly human rights," said Jagjit Singh, the main spokesman for the youth group. Kirpa Kaur, a recent graduate in psychology and social equity, said some of the youth may be supporters of Khalistan. "But these events are about fighting injustice and [the secessionist movement is] absolutely irrelevant to what we are doing."
Prabhroop Kaur, 21, has been going to annual vigils for events in 1984 "ever since I can remember," she said. Her parents instilled in her a strong commitment to justice. "They sat me down and told me what happened. We were supposed to fight injustice everywhere.... We grew up with that. We see clearly injustice and we have to do something about it."
Gurdit Singh, 25, a college student in human-resource management, identified "an education gap" between his parents and himself. His father was a farmer in Punjab and his mother was a high-school teacher. "They talk about it, but they had more raw emotions, more anger built up inside them. They did not know how to proceed, what to do next."
Some parents accepted what the Indian government told them. Paneet Singh said his mother left India in 1986 believing that Sikhs brought the assault upon themselves, as the government of India says. His mother told him the extremists had to be flushed out of the temple and the government had to restore order.
But the younger generation has more tools than their parents to find out what went on in 1984. "The ease with which we can go and find records, find third-party accounts, is exponentially bigger than what our parents would have been able to do, if they had the knowledge base and skills to do it," said Perpinder Singh Patrola, a 31-year-old lawyer. "We have resources that did not exist 15, 20 years ago. We may feel emotions, but we can move beyond raw emotion and look at actual facts and figures, and present it - without reducing it to something that is purely emotional."
Research has shown that stories they were told about their history were often not true, Kirpa Kaur said. "We have to do a lot of work ourselves to figure out the true story."
Shining a global spotlight on what actually happened is a step toward having justice done, she added. "Living in a country as Canada, which claims to support so many human rights-type initiatives, we say it is time to support us in fighting against injustice."
*****
Q&A
What happened?
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi sent the Indian army into the Golden Temple in Amritsar in the first week of June, 1984, to flush out militant Sikh leaders who were using the religious compound as their headquarters in a campaign of violence against their critics, the police and state institutions.
Why did the government send in troops at that time?
The Indian government moved to restore law and order after a lengthy string of killings, arsons and lootings that it said threatened the stability of the state. Violence had claimed the lives of 410 people and injured more than 1,180 in the two years before the attack, according to a white paper on the Punjab agitation dated July 10, 1984. More than 775 violent incidents were recorded in the five months prior to the attack.
Who were the religious
militants?
The political leadership in Punjab province had a lengthy list of grievances with the central government built up over several years, ranging from disputes over surplus water rights to concerns over issues related to the Sikh religion. Sectarian violence erupted in 1978, with fundamentalist Sikhs embracing secession as the most effective way to protect their religion. The troubles escalated in 1981, following several killings, the hijacking of an Indian plane by Sikh extremists, and rallies by the All India Sikh Students Federation calling for the creation of Khalistan. After the head of the student group was arrested in July, 1982, fundamentalist leaders moved into the Golden Temple complex and turned it into a fortified encampment.
Were only religious militants killed in the assault?
The military assault coincided with a religious pilgrimage that had drawn thousands of Sikhs to the site. The militants were in dormitories on the compound as well as in the religious halls. Hundreds if not thousands of pilgrims were caught in the crossfire. Shekhar Gupta, a correspondent with India Today, wrote in a report published Aug 15, 1984: "As the army got sniped at from a number of rooms in the parikrama [a walkway around the pool that surrounded the temple] and the sarais [dormitories ], the troops just threw grenades into the rooms. 'People were dying on both sides,' recalls an officer, adding, 'and there was no time to find out who was inside a room.' Some of the pilgrims also died of thirst. Many died of the fires which broke out."
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Never Forget 1984!
"The first step in liquidating people is to erase its memory. Destory its books, its culture, its history. Then have somebody write new books, manufacture a new culture, invent a new history. Before long that nation will begin to forget what it is and what it was...The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting." --Milan Kundera
Never Forget 1984 !
25 Years and Justice has yet to be served!
For more information please visit the following links:
www.NeverForget84.com
www.sikhgenocide.org
Never Forget 1984 !
25 Years and Justice has yet to be served!
For more information please visit the following links:
www.NeverForget84.com
www.sikhgenocide.org
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Do you love me?
One day, I woke early in the morning to watch the sunrise. Ah... the beauty of Waheguru's creation is beyond description. As I watched, I praised Waheguru for His beautiful work. As I sat there, I felt the Lord's presence with me.
He asked me, "Do you love me?"
I answered, "Of course, Waheguru! You are my Lord and Support!"
Then He asked, "If you were physically handicapped, would you still love me?"
I was perplexed. I looked down upon my arms, legs and the rest of my body and wondered how many things I wouldn't be able to do and thought about the things that I take for granted. I answered, "It would be tough Waheguru, but I would still love You."
Then Waheguru said, "If you were blind, would you still love my creation?"
How could I love something without being able to see it? Then I thought of all the blind people in the world and how many of them still loved Waheguru and His creation. So I answered, "It's hard to think of it, but I would still love you."
The Waheguru then asked me, "If you were deaf, would you still listen to my word?"
How could I listen to anything being deaf? Then I understood. Listening to Waheguru's Word is not merely using our ears, but our hearts. I answered, "It would be tough, but I would still listen to Your word."
Waheguru then asked, "If you were mute, would you still praise My Name?"
How could I praise without a voice? Then it occurred to me, Waheguru wants us to sing from our very hearts and souls. It never matters what we sound like. And praising Waheguru is not always with a song, but when we are persecuted, we give Waheguru praise with our words of thanks. So I answered, "Though I could not physically sing, I would still praise Your Name."
And Waheguru asked, "Do you really love Me?"
With courage and a strong conviction, I answered boldly, "Yes Waheguru! I love You because You are the one and true God!"
I thought I had answered well, but Waheguru asked, "Then why do you sin?"
I answered, "Because I am only human. I am not perfect."
"Then why in times of peace do you stray the furthest? Why only in times of trouble do you pray the earnest?"
I had no answers, only tears.
Waheguru continued. "Why seek Me only in times of worship? Why ask things so selfishly? Why ask things so unfaithfully?" The tears continued to roll down my cheeks. "Why are you ashamed of Me? Why are you not spreading the good news? Why in times of persecution, you cry to others when I offer My shoulder to cry on? Why make excuses when I give you opportunities to serve in My Name?"
"You are blessed with life. I made you not to throw this gift away. I have blessed you with talents to serve Me, but you continue to turn away. I have revealed My Word to you, but you do not gain in knowledge. I have spoken to you but your ears were closed. I have shown My blessings to you, but your eyes were turned away. I have sent you servants, but you sat idly by as they were pushed away. I have heard your prayers and I have answered them all. Do you truly love me?
I could not answer. How could I? I was embarrassed beyond belief. I had no excuse. What could I say to this? When my heart had cried out and the tears had flowed, I said, "Please forgive me Lord. I am unworthy to be Your child."
The Lord answered, "That is My nature, My child."
I asked, "Then why do you continue to forgive me? Why do You love me so?"
The Lord answered, " Because you are My creation. You are my child. I will never abandon you. When you cry, I will have compassion and cry with you. When you shout with joy, I will laugh with you. When you are down, I will encourage you. When you fall, I will raise you up. When you are tired, I will carry you. I will be with you until the end of days, and I will love you forever."
Never had I cried so hard before. How could I have been so cold? How could I have hurt God as I had done?
I looked up at my Lord, and asked him "how much do you love me, Waheguru?"
Our father Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji gave up his whole family and everything he ever had for us! This is how much Waheguru loves us.
He asked me, "Do you love me?"
I answered, "Of course, Waheguru! You are my Lord and Support!"
Then He asked, "If you were physically handicapped, would you still love me?"
I was perplexed. I looked down upon my arms, legs and the rest of my body and wondered how many things I wouldn't be able to do and thought about the things that I take for granted. I answered, "It would be tough Waheguru, but I would still love You."
Then Waheguru said, "If you were blind, would you still love my creation?"
How could I love something without being able to see it? Then I thought of all the blind people in the world and how many of them still loved Waheguru and His creation. So I answered, "It's hard to think of it, but I would still love you."
The Waheguru then asked me, "If you were deaf, would you still listen to my word?"
How could I listen to anything being deaf? Then I understood. Listening to Waheguru's Word is not merely using our ears, but our hearts. I answered, "It would be tough, but I would still listen to Your word."
Waheguru then asked, "If you were mute, would you still praise My Name?"
How could I praise without a voice? Then it occurred to me, Waheguru wants us to sing from our very hearts and souls. It never matters what we sound like. And praising Waheguru is not always with a song, but when we are persecuted, we give Waheguru praise with our words of thanks. So I answered, "Though I could not physically sing, I would still praise Your Name."
And Waheguru asked, "Do you really love Me?"
With courage and a strong conviction, I answered boldly, "Yes Waheguru! I love You because You are the one and true God!"
I thought I had answered well, but Waheguru asked, "Then why do you sin?"
I answered, "Because I am only human. I am not perfect."
"Then why in times of peace do you stray the furthest? Why only in times of trouble do you pray the earnest?"
I had no answers, only tears.
Waheguru continued. "Why seek Me only in times of worship? Why ask things so selfishly? Why ask things so unfaithfully?" The tears continued to roll down my cheeks. "Why are you ashamed of Me? Why are you not spreading the good news? Why in times of persecution, you cry to others when I offer My shoulder to cry on? Why make excuses when I give you opportunities to serve in My Name?"
"You are blessed with life. I made you not to throw this gift away. I have blessed you with talents to serve Me, but you continue to turn away. I have revealed My Word to you, but you do not gain in knowledge. I have spoken to you but your ears were closed. I have shown My blessings to you, but your eyes were turned away. I have sent you servants, but you sat idly by as they were pushed away. I have heard your prayers and I have answered them all. Do you truly love me?
I could not answer. How could I? I was embarrassed beyond belief. I had no excuse. What could I say to this? When my heart had cried out and the tears had flowed, I said, "Please forgive me Lord. I am unworthy to be Your child."
The Lord answered, "That is My nature, My child."
I asked, "Then why do you continue to forgive me? Why do You love me so?"
The Lord answered, " Because you are My creation. You are my child. I will never abandon you. When you cry, I will have compassion and cry with you. When you shout with joy, I will laugh with you. When you are down, I will encourage you. When you fall, I will raise you up. When you are tired, I will carry you. I will be with you until the end of days, and I will love you forever."
Never had I cried so hard before. How could I have been so cold? How could I have hurt God as I had done?
I looked up at my Lord, and asked him "how much do you love me, Waheguru?"
Our father Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji gave up his whole family and everything he ever had for us! This is how much Waheguru loves us.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Old Kirtan going back up!
Vaheguruu ji ka khalsa, Vaheguruu ji ki fateh
We are recently being putting up old Youth Kirtan Darbars, Akhand Kirtan Jatha Smagams, Rare Kirtanee Files, and will soon be putting other old files that use to be up on other sites. A lot of sangat have been waiting for these files to be up again, we hope everyone takes max laha from these recordings. We may not be able to recover all files so, if you have some files you would like to contribute, please get in touch with us at sikhvibes@gmail.com
We will be uploading new kirtan files MANY times a week, please keep checking back.
Vaheguruu ji ka khalsa, Vaheguruu ji ki fateh
We are recently being putting up old Youth Kirtan Darbars, Akhand Kirtan Jatha Smagams, Rare Kirtanee Files, and will soon be putting other old files that use to be up on other sites. A lot of sangat have been waiting for these files to be up again, we hope everyone takes max laha from these recordings. We may not be able to recover all files so, if you have some files you would like to contribute, please get in touch with us at sikhvibes@gmail.com
We will be uploading new kirtan files MANY times a week, please keep checking back.
Vaheguruu ji ka khalsa, Vaheguruu ji ki fateh
Monday, May 11, 2009
4th Annual Waterloo Sikh Youth Camp 2009
Vaheguruu ji ka khalsa, Vaheguruu ji ki fateh !
This years 4th annual
Waterloo Sikh Youth Camp 2009
will be from
will be from
Friday, June 26th - Monday, June 29th
Kitchener Gurughar Saahib
2070 Snyders Rd. East
Petersburg, Ontario
(519) 634-5681
This Sikh Youth Camp has been designed to bring all the Youth together to share knowledge of Sikhi and to promote Sikhi to our young future! Camp will be run by YOUTH from all over. Working together we shall achieve an important element in Sikhi, which is Sangat. Including in Sangat, the youth will have inspiring role models who are enthusiastic about instilling the Sikhi spirit within these young minds.
For More Information, please visit our BLOG:
http://waterloosikhyouthcamp.blogspot.com
http://waterloosikhyouthcamp.blogspot.com
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
The Importance of Kaur
The Importance of Kaur
Jayati Chakraborty, 01 March 2008, Saturday
Have you ever thought why Guru Ji, Guru Gobind Singh, gave the Kaur surname to Sikh women? Why did he not accept the status quo and keep the tradition of the woman's surname being determined by her family's name?
WHAT WAS Guru Ji trying to achieve by calling the Sikh woman 'a princess' (literal meaning of Kaur)?
To try to understand the possible reasons behind Guru Ji's decision, we need to look at the situation at the time in different cultures. In Indian society, the brides first and last name was often changed after her marriage. This still happens today. However, this tradition of name changing does not occur just in India. It is a phenomenon, which occurs across the whole world today. Why are women's surnames changed? The reason is family linkage. Surnames allow others to identify you and your family. In some cases the surname can tell others much more about you, such as your caste.
For women the linkage to family is different in comparison to men. Their identity changes with marriage. They are no longer associated with their parents, but with their husband's family. Unsurprisingly, the man's name never changes. Some cultures go as far as considering the woman to be the property of others. This was so for the Hindu Law giver, Manu, who claimed that no woman should ever be independent. Christianity considered woman to be a product of man as Eve had come from 'the rib' of Adam.
Psychologically, women have accepted these unjust rules. They are resigned to male dominance and allowed themselves to become second-class citizens. Guru ji changed all this with the revelation of the Khalsa. He gave women the opportunity to live life free of the chains of a dogmatic society. It was God's Hukam (will).
Once initiated into the Khalsa, Sikh women obtain the surname Kaur. The surname Singh (Lion) is given to men, but Kaur (princess) is reserved solely for women. This difference in names is not about inequality. Rather, Guru ji recognises the difference between men and women. As individuals we are all different from each other, but this difference does not imply inequality.
Women and men are different but remain equals. Guru ji considered women and men to be unique. He respected the sexes and, therefore, made the distinction in surnames.
When you take 'amrit' you are told to consider Guru Gobind Singh as your father and Mata Sahib Kaur as your mother. By joining the Khalsa you abandon all previous chains of linkage. You become the direct descendants of Guru Gobind Singh and Mata Sahib Kaur. You become their sons and daughters. The Khalsa becomes your family. Thus, from the day you are born to the day you die your name remains the same. You do not have to change it due to marriage.
Unfortunately, the tradition of using the 'Kaur' surname has all but disappeared amongst Sikh women. It is either dropped, in favour of caste surnames, or misused as a middle name. Guru Ji never designed it as such. Have we not belittled his concepts? Have we lost so much self-esteem that we must copy the bigoted traditions of others?
Sikh women are today demanding equal rights. Rightly so. However, they fail to realise that they themselves create inequality by not considering themselves princesses. They no longer consider themselves as daughters of the Khalsa. Why should Sikh women feel that they must change their names after marriage?
By keeping your unique and beautiful Sikh identity you are maintaining the freedom given to you by Guru ji. Ultimately, only those who keep the 'Kaur' surname can truly understand its importance. Others will make excuses about the difficulty of having such a common surname It makes paper work and identification difficult! Why make such excuses? We do not hear Patels or Smiths complaining. Mere excuses.
The importance of 'Kaur' is truly inexpressible. It is something very unique in the history of the world. Of late more and more Sikhs are dropping Singh and Kaur from their names. They probably are not aware of the Blessings of Guru Gobind Singh Ji who gifted these decorations to them.
Removing or abbreviating the decorations with S and K is to ape the western culture. In India surnames were initially introduced by the Brahmins to distinguish people of four varna as per their belief. Subsequently the British introduced the system for all those enrolled in government services.
Today, abbreviating the middle name or totally eliminating it has become a fashion. People who are settled abroad have degraded their self-respect to such levels that they feel elated to be called Garry for Gurpreet, Harry for Harpreet, Harmeet, Harbhajan, etc.
Common reason given for such an attitude is that the Westerners cannot understand, pronounce or remember the difficult Indian names. My suggestion to all such Sikhs is to introduce themselves merely as Singh and Kaur, which are very simple and short names. Even in India Sikhs are generally called by a single name of Sardar Ji. Why can't a similar procedure be adopted universally?
Source: http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=130679
Jayati Chakraborty, 01 March 2008, Saturday
Have you ever thought why Guru Ji, Guru Gobind Singh, gave the Kaur surname to Sikh women? Why did he not accept the status quo and keep the tradition of the woman's surname being determined by her family's name?
WHAT WAS Guru Ji trying to achieve by calling the Sikh woman 'a princess' (literal meaning of Kaur)?
To try to understand the possible reasons behind Guru Ji's decision, we need to look at the situation at the time in different cultures. In Indian society, the brides first and last name was often changed after her marriage. This still happens today. However, this tradition of name changing does not occur just in India. It is a phenomenon, which occurs across the whole world today. Why are women's surnames changed? The reason is family linkage. Surnames allow others to identify you and your family. In some cases the surname can tell others much more about you, such as your caste.
For women the linkage to family is different in comparison to men. Their identity changes with marriage. They are no longer associated with their parents, but with their husband's family. Unsurprisingly, the man's name never changes. Some cultures go as far as considering the woman to be the property of others. This was so for the Hindu Law giver, Manu, who claimed that no woman should ever be independent. Christianity considered woman to be a product of man as Eve had come from 'the rib' of Adam.
Psychologically, women have accepted these unjust rules. They are resigned to male dominance and allowed themselves to become second-class citizens. Guru ji changed all this with the revelation of the Khalsa. He gave women the opportunity to live life free of the chains of a dogmatic society. It was God's Hukam (will).
Once initiated into the Khalsa, Sikh women obtain the surname Kaur. The surname Singh (Lion) is given to men, but Kaur (princess) is reserved solely for women. This difference in names is not about inequality. Rather, Guru ji recognises the difference between men and women. As individuals we are all different from each other, but this difference does not imply inequality.
Women and men are different but remain equals. Guru ji considered women and men to be unique. He respected the sexes and, therefore, made the distinction in surnames.
When you take 'amrit' you are told to consider Guru Gobind Singh as your father and Mata Sahib Kaur as your mother. By joining the Khalsa you abandon all previous chains of linkage. You become the direct descendants of Guru Gobind Singh and Mata Sahib Kaur. You become their sons and daughters. The Khalsa becomes your family. Thus, from the day you are born to the day you die your name remains the same. You do not have to change it due to marriage.
Unfortunately, the tradition of using the 'Kaur' surname has all but disappeared amongst Sikh women. It is either dropped, in favour of caste surnames, or misused as a middle name. Guru Ji never designed it as such. Have we not belittled his concepts? Have we lost so much self-esteem that we must copy the bigoted traditions of others?
Sikh women are today demanding equal rights. Rightly so. However, they fail to realise that they themselves create inequality by not considering themselves princesses. They no longer consider themselves as daughters of the Khalsa. Why should Sikh women feel that they must change their names after marriage?
By keeping your unique and beautiful Sikh identity you are maintaining the freedom given to you by Guru ji. Ultimately, only those who keep the 'Kaur' surname can truly understand its importance. Others will make excuses about the difficulty of having such a common surname It makes paper work and identification difficult! Why make such excuses? We do not hear Patels or Smiths complaining. Mere excuses.
The importance of 'Kaur' is truly inexpressible. It is something very unique in the history of the world. Of late more and more Sikhs are dropping Singh and Kaur from their names. They probably are not aware of the Blessings of Guru Gobind Singh Ji who gifted these decorations to them.
Removing or abbreviating the decorations with S and K is to ape the western culture. In India surnames were initially introduced by the Brahmins to distinguish people of four varna as per their belief. Subsequently the British introduced the system for all those enrolled in government services.
Today, abbreviating the middle name or totally eliminating it has become a fashion. People who are settled abroad have degraded their self-respect to such levels that they feel elated to be called Garry for Gurpreet, Harry for Harpreet, Harmeet, Harbhajan, etc.
Common reason given for such an attitude is that the Westerners cannot understand, pronounce or remember the difficult Indian names. My suggestion to all such Sikhs is to introduce themselves merely as Singh and Kaur, which are very simple and short names. Even in India Sikhs are generally called by a single name of Sardar Ji. Why can't a similar procedure be adopted universally?
Source: http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=130679
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
raakh laehu....save me..
iblwvlu ]
rwiK lyhu hm qy ibgrI ]
sIlu Drmu jpu Bgiq n kInI hau AiBmwn tyF pgrI ]1] rhwau ]
Amr jwin sMcI ieh kwieAw ieh imiQAw kwcI ggrI ]
ijnih invwij swij hm kIey iqsih ibswir Avr lgrI ]1]
sMiDk qoih swD nhI khIAau srin pry qumrI pgrI ]
kih kbIr ieh ibnqI sunIAhu mq Gwlhu jm kI KbrI ]2]6]
bilaaval
raakh laehu ham thae bigaree
seel dharam jap bhagath n keenee ho abhimaan ttaet pagaree 1 rehaao
amar jaan sanchee eih kaaeiaa eih mithiaa kaachee gagaree
jinehi nivaaj saaj ham keeeae thisehi bisaar avar lagaree 1
sandhik thohi saadh nehee keheeao saran parae thumaree pagaree
kehi kabeer eih binathee suneeahu math ghaalahu jam kee khabaree 26
Bilaaval:
Save me! I have disobeyed You.
I have not practiced humility, righteousness or devotional worship;
I am proud and egotistical, and I have taken a crooked path. 1Pause
Believing this body to be immortal, I pampered it, but it is a fragile and perishable vessel.
Forgetting the Lord who formed, fashioned and embellished me,
I have become attached to another. 1
I am Your thief; I cannot be called holy. I have fallen at Your feet, seeking Your Sanctuary.
Says Kabeer, please listen to this prayer of mine,
O Lord; please do not send me sommons of the Messenger of Death. 26
rwiK lyhu hm qy ibgrI ]
sIlu Drmu jpu Bgiq n kInI hau AiBmwn tyF pgrI ]1] rhwau ]
Amr jwin sMcI ieh kwieAw ieh imiQAw kwcI ggrI ]
ijnih invwij swij hm kIey iqsih ibswir Avr lgrI ]1]
sMiDk qoih swD nhI khIAau srin pry qumrI pgrI ]
kih kbIr ieh ibnqI sunIAhu mq Gwlhu jm kI KbrI ]2]6]
bilaaval
raakh laehu ham thae bigaree
seel dharam jap bhagath n keenee ho abhimaan ttaet pagaree 1 rehaao
amar jaan sanchee eih kaaeiaa eih mithiaa kaachee gagaree
jinehi nivaaj saaj ham keeeae thisehi bisaar avar lagaree 1
sandhik thohi saadh nehee keheeao saran parae thumaree pagaree
kehi kabeer eih binathee suneeahu math ghaalahu jam kee khabaree 26
Bilaaval:
Save me! I have disobeyed You.
I have not practiced humility, righteousness or devotional worship;
I am proud and egotistical, and I have taken a crooked path. 1Pause
Believing this body to be immortal, I pampered it, but it is a fragile and perishable vessel.
Forgetting the Lord who formed, fashioned and embellished me,
I have become attached to another. 1
I am Your thief; I cannot be called holy. I have fallen at Your feet, seeking Your Sanctuary.
Says Kabeer, please listen to this prayer of mine,
O Lord; please do not send me sommons of the Messenger of Death. 26
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Bibi Gurleen Kaur Ji (Mohali)
Gurleen Kaur expresses herself through the spiritual music of Gurbani Kirtan. She is a trained singer in Indian Classical Music and Gurbani Kirtan. Spiritual music, the Gurbani Kirtan is her forte. Gurleen is an accomplished singer of Gurbani and Gurbani Kirtan who sings in great depth in both Indian Classical Music and the popular Sangati Style Gurbani Kirtan in which all can sing along and experience it. Spiritual Singing of Gurbani Kirtan is the ultimate spiritual experience and spiritual expression for her.
She has performed Gurbani Kirtan for various voluntary organizations like Sikh Missionary College, Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle etc. She has been teaching Gurbani Kirtan as a Seva to a large number of students for last more than ten years. She also performs seva as an occasional teacher and examiner in the institutions run by a voluntary organization, Sikh Missionary College.
-----
Live Kirtan recordings of bibi jee have been added to kirtan section here:
KIRTAN RECORDINGS
You can also visit her personal site at: http://www.gurleenkaur.com
She has performed Gurbani Kirtan for various voluntary organizations like Sikh Missionary College, Akhand Kirtani Jatha, Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle etc. She has been teaching Gurbani Kirtan as a Seva to a large number of students for last more than ten years. She also performs seva as an occasional teacher and examiner in the institutions run by a voluntary organization, Sikh Missionary College.
-----
Live Kirtan recordings of bibi jee have been added to kirtan section here:
KIRTAN RECORDINGS
You can also visit her personal site at: http://www.gurleenkaur.com
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Inspirational Thoughts: Tune your Soul and Mind
As fragrance abides in the flower,
As the reflection is within the mirror,
So doth thy Lord abide within thee,
Why search Him without? (Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji)
The subject on which I meditate is truth.
The practice to which I devote myself is the truth.
The topic of my conversation is truth.
My thoughts are always in truth.
For lo! my self has become the truth (Lord Buddha)
Being asked by the Pharisees when the
kingdom of God was coming, he answered them,
"The kingdom of God is not coming with signs
to be observed; nor will they say, 'Lo, here it is!' or
'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is within you." (Jesus Christ)
He who knows his own self, knows God. (Prophet Mohammed)
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed. (Albert Einstein)
A remarkable people the Sikhs, with their Ten Prophets, five distinguishing marks and their traditional rite of water stirred with steel: a people who have made history and will make it again. (F Yeats-Brown 1945)
Win as if you were used to it, lose as if you enjoyed it for a change.
"The effects of kindness are not always seen immediately. Sometimes it
takes years until your kindness will pay off. Sometimes you never see
the fruits of your labors, but they are there, deep inside of the soul
of the one you touched." (Dan Kelly)
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it. Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it. (Mother Teresa)
To begin again means that you won't give up.
To begin again means you're trying.
You can either start over and live your life
Or spend the rest of your life slowly dying.
It is never the falling that makes us fail.
It is never the pain or the crying.
You can never fail in life, my friend,
Unless you give up trying. (Bob Perks)
Source: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=43363
As the reflection is within the mirror,
So doth thy Lord abide within thee,
Why search Him without? (Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji)
The subject on which I meditate is truth.
The practice to which I devote myself is the truth.
The topic of my conversation is truth.
My thoughts are always in truth.
For lo! my self has become the truth (Lord Buddha)
Being asked by the Pharisees when the
kingdom of God was coming, he answered them,
"The kingdom of God is not coming with signs
to be observed; nor will they say, 'Lo, here it is!' or
'There!' for behold, the kingdom of God is within you." (Jesus Christ)
He who knows his own self, knows God. (Prophet Mohammed)
The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed. (Albert Einstein)
A remarkable people the Sikhs, with their Ten Prophets, five distinguishing marks and their traditional rite of water stirred with steel: a people who have made history and will make it again. (F Yeats-Brown 1945)
Win as if you were used to it, lose as if you enjoyed it for a change.
"The effects of kindness are not always seen immediately. Sometimes it
takes years until your kindness will pay off. Sometimes you never see
the fruits of your labors, but they are there, deep inside of the soul
of the one you touched." (Dan Kelly)
Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it. Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it. Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it. Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it. Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it. Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it. Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it. Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it. (Mother Teresa)
To begin again means that you won't give up.
To begin again means you're trying.
You can either start over and live your life
Or spend the rest of your life slowly dying.
It is never the falling that makes us fail.
It is never the pain or the crying.
You can never fail in life, my friend,
Unless you give up trying. (Bob Perks)
Source: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=43363
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Vaheguru tera shukar hai
mai niraguniaarae ko gun naahee aapae tharas paeiouee
I am unworthy - I have no worth or virtues at all. You have taken pity on me.
What a beautiful tuk this is! This tuk is filled with the feeling of ultimate egolessness, ultimate thankfulness and gratitude, and ultimate surrender. I am nothing by myself, You Yourself took pity on me and saved me. You Yourself chose me and made me what I am. You Yourself put me on this path that I am on, I have no credibility by myself. And why did You do that? That only You know, I don’t. So what do I say now? What else can I say except Vaheguru tera shukar hai.
kabeer maeraa mujh mehi kishh nehee jo kishh hai so thaeraa
Kabeer, nothing is mine within myself. Whatever there is, is Yours, O Lord.
thaeraa thujh ko soupathae kiaa laagai maeraa 203
If I surrender to You what is already Yours, what does it cost me? 203
Another beautiful tuk that has the divine fragrance of total surrender. On several instances in life, we lose a lot. One loses material possessions, one loses people (friends, relatives, loved ones), one may even lose honor and social status. The pain that is experienced is because we were under the impression that we had achieved it all, and thus get attached to all of these mentioned gifts of Vaheguru. If one has the avastha of what this tuk teaches us, we would never lose anything, or anyone! Because then we would know that whatever I had/got, whoever I had/got, was gifted to me by Vaheguru. Now He has taken it/them back. Sahib-E-Kamaal Dhann Dhann Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj Sachay Patshah thanked Vaheguru even after the shaheedi of all 4 of His Sahibzaade. If we could have even a speck of that avastha, our janam would be fulfilled. Then we would always be saying Vaheguru tera shukar hai.
kaethiaa dhookh bhookh sadh maar
So many endure distress, deprivation and constant abuse.
eaehi bh dhaath thaeree dhaathaar
Even these are Your Gifts, O Great Giver!
This is the height of accepting Vaheguru’s Hukam. What kind of avastha would this be when even pain seems sweet? This is what Sahib Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj Sachay Patshah meant when He said
thaeraa keeaa meet(h)aa laagai
Your actions seem so sweet to me
This is the avastha of all those Shaheed Singhs and Singhnees who faced the most brutal tortures. They accepted even pain and death as His gifts, and what is even more amazing is that they thanked Him. All they had in their minds was Vaheguru tera shukar hai.
I feel like a hypocrite writing all this, as I am myself unable to live this way. It’s very easy to write things, but becoming a living example is the real challenge. And that is where I fail.
But its ok. I still say Vaheguru tera shukar hai :)
~ Mehtab Singh
I am unworthy - I have no worth or virtues at all. You have taken pity on me.
What a beautiful tuk this is! This tuk is filled with the feeling of ultimate egolessness, ultimate thankfulness and gratitude, and ultimate surrender. I am nothing by myself, You Yourself took pity on me and saved me. You Yourself chose me and made me what I am. You Yourself put me on this path that I am on, I have no credibility by myself. And why did You do that? That only You know, I don’t. So what do I say now? What else can I say except Vaheguru tera shukar hai.
kabeer maeraa mujh mehi kishh nehee jo kishh hai so thaeraa
Kabeer, nothing is mine within myself. Whatever there is, is Yours, O Lord.
thaeraa thujh ko soupathae kiaa laagai maeraa 203
If I surrender to You what is already Yours, what does it cost me? 203
Another beautiful tuk that has the divine fragrance of total surrender. On several instances in life, we lose a lot. One loses material possessions, one loses people (friends, relatives, loved ones), one may even lose honor and social status. The pain that is experienced is because we were under the impression that we had achieved it all, and thus get attached to all of these mentioned gifts of Vaheguru. If one has the avastha of what this tuk teaches us, we would never lose anything, or anyone! Because then we would know that whatever I had/got, whoever I had/got, was gifted to me by Vaheguru. Now He has taken it/them back. Sahib-E-Kamaal Dhann Dhann Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj Sachay Patshah thanked Vaheguru even after the shaheedi of all 4 of His Sahibzaade. If we could have even a speck of that avastha, our janam would be fulfilled. Then we would always be saying Vaheguru tera shukar hai.
kaethiaa dhookh bhookh sadh maar
So many endure distress, deprivation and constant abuse.
eaehi bh dhaath thaeree dhaathaar
Even these are Your Gifts, O Great Giver!
This is the height of accepting Vaheguru’s Hukam. What kind of avastha would this be when even pain seems sweet? This is what Sahib Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji Maharaj Sachay Patshah meant when He said
thaeraa keeaa meet(h)aa laagai
Your actions seem so sweet to me
This is the avastha of all those Shaheed Singhs and Singhnees who faced the most brutal tortures. They accepted even pain and death as His gifts, and what is even more amazing is that they thanked Him. All they had in their minds was Vaheguru tera shukar hai.
I feel like a hypocrite writing all this, as I am myself unable to live this way. It’s very easy to write things, but becoming a living example is the real challenge. And that is where I fail.
But its ok. I still say Vaheguru tera shukar hai :)
~ Mehtab Singh
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
A Love Letter From The Womb
Dear Mom, Dear Dad:
We will meet soon. The past nine months have been transformative. I appreciate the hushed conversations we are having amongst our souls.
With my arrival, know our time together is no random act, a haphazard collision of lives. It wasn't written on a fortune cookie message or wished upon when the sky was full of stars.
This is destiny.
You are meant to be my parents and I'm meant to be your child.
It was established centuries ago when we all existed in the same womb where the sky touches the cosmos. We gathered together as stars forming constellations that nomads used in the desert to find their way back home.
We simply fit with each other.
All it took was a fleeting yet joyful thought in your mind, a nice daydream to lean on while sipping a cup of tea, and that was it, I came to be.
To meet you, I will walk forward in time from a glorious past where we gathered in courtyards wearing jamawari in pomegranate red and pashmina in clear water blues.
We savored papayas and custard apples, almonds and cashews. Listening to the smallest sparrows sing God's greatest songs.
And when we were summoned to ride stallions with pounding hooves, we knew it was our greatest glory to serve and protect the creed established by the Ten Kings illuminated by One Light. It was an honour to serve men who wore cotton and ate rationed rice and daal, for their lives held their weight in gold equally.
Please know the day I arrive, within that hour, that exact moment I come to you, I will be shivering, squinting, naked and wet. As you wrap me into your arms and swaddle me with your skin, know I also come to you in complete and utter perfection.
You are my flesh and blood parents and I'm deeply thankful for that, but please keep me close to the mother, the father who has brightly lit my soul.
Yes. There is a lantern in me that has a wick that will be lit the day I am born. The light will shine through my eyes and as you look at me, really look at me - you will see how much I will want to love this life I will live.
I will rely on you to keep this wick burning in me by seeing me for who I authentically am, and by showing me that there is a lantern brightly lit in every being I encounter, and it is just a matter of looking into their eyes and seeing them, really seeing them.
I will rely on you to help me create a quiet and open field in my mind, where we are still, where cherry and almond trees grow, where the air is pure and the water is clean, where I can sit under a tree with myself and seek guidance and wisdom and know everything and anything is possible.
Please keep me linked to my history and my faith and when you tell me stories about the dynasty of the Ten Kings illuminated by One Light and how they believed that life is sacred, life is a perpetual celebration, life is the truest gift, and that we must do everything we can to make each second count.
I will want to know that I am strong enough and brave enough to serve these Ten Glorious Kings and ride with our history's freedom fighters on stallions with pounding hooves, protecting the light in each and every soul.
And when we have to leave that glorious battle ground in our imaginations and set foot into the real world, I will ask you to listen for those riders on stallions with pounding hooves and prepare me to ride with them by sharpening the sword in my mind and expanding the shield in my heart to take on any thought, idea, or action that extinguishes the wick of a brightly lit soul.
Please know your dreams for me are only the beginning of what I am capable of and when I reach the heights of my potential, my capacity - please remind me I come from the minerals and water of the land of the Five Rivers and keep me grounded near the earth, close to the soil.
When I am prepared to leave home to follow my own light, know that I will take with me a love that YOU have given me that is so complete, so full, given in such absolute faith that my heart will spill over with the sunsets we share, it will run over with the waterfalls we stand under, it will gush with each and every desire you fulfill, it will flood in such excess, I will be able to enter the world, serve it with honour, and be that part of the earth people walk on when they are free.
Source: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=43190
We will meet soon. The past nine months have been transformative. I appreciate the hushed conversations we are having amongst our souls.
With my arrival, know our time together is no random act, a haphazard collision of lives. It wasn't written on a fortune cookie message or wished upon when the sky was full of stars.
This is destiny.
You are meant to be my parents and I'm meant to be your child.
It was established centuries ago when we all existed in the same womb where the sky touches the cosmos. We gathered together as stars forming constellations that nomads used in the desert to find their way back home.
We simply fit with each other.
All it took was a fleeting yet joyful thought in your mind, a nice daydream to lean on while sipping a cup of tea, and that was it, I came to be.
To meet you, I will walk forward in time from a glorious past where we gathered in courtyards wearing jamawari in pomegranate red and pashmina in clear water blues.
We savored papayas and custard apples, almonds and cashews. Listening to the smallest sparrows sing God's greatest songs.
And when we were summoned to ride stallions with pounding hooves, we knew it was our greatest glory to serve and protect the creed established by the Ten Kings illuminated by One Light. It was an honour to serve men who wore cotton and ate rationed rice and daal, for their lives held their weight in gold equally.
Please know the day I arrive, within that hour, that exact moment I come to you, I will be shivering, squinting, naked and wet. As you wrap me into your arms and swaddle me with your skin, know I also come to you in complete and utter perfection.
You are my flesh and blood parents and I'm deeply thankful for that, but please keep me close to the mother, the father who has brightly lit my soul.
Yes. There is a lantern in me that has a wick that will be lit the day I am born. The light will shine through my eyes and as you look at me, really look at me - you will see how much I will want to love this life I will live.
I will rely on you to keep this wick burning in me by seeing me for who I authentically am, and by showing me that there is a lantern brightly lit in every being I encounter, and it is just a matter of looking into their eyes and seeing them, really seeing them.
I will rely on you to help me create a quiet and open field in my mind, where we are still, where cherry and almond trees grow, where the air is pure and the water is clean, where I can sit under a tree with myself and seek guidance and wisdom and know everything and anything is possible.
Please keep me linked to my history and my faith and when you tell me stories about the dynasty of the Ten Kings illuminated by One Light and how they believed that life is sacred, life is a perpetual celebration, life is the truest gift, and that we must do everything we can to make each second count.
I will want to know that I am strong enough and brave enough to serve these Ten Glorious Kings and ride with our history's freedom fighters on stallions with pounding hooves, protecting the light in each and every soul.
And when we have to leave that glorious battle ground in our imaginations and set foot into the real world, I will ask you to listen for those riders on stallions with pounding hooves and prepare me to ride with them by sharpening the sword in my mind and expanding the shield in my heart to take on any thought, idea, or action that extinguishes the wick of a brightly lit soul.
Please know your dreams for me are only the beginning of what I am capable of and when I reach the heights of my potential, my capacity - please remind me I come from the minerals and water of the land of the Five Rivers and keep me grounded near the earth, close to the soil.
When I am prepared to leave home to follow my own light, know that I will take with me a love that YOU have given me that is so complete, so full, given in such absolute faith that my heart will spill over with the sunsets we share, it will run over with the waterfalls we stand under, it will gush with each and every desire you fulfill, it will flood in such excess, I will be able to enter the world, serve it with honour, and be that part of the earth people walk on when they are free.
Source: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=43190
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Sunrise
Sunrise
With sunrise I awoke in this world. The sky was red and the air was sweet and warm. The flowers danced with the wind, and the birds sang in tune that day I was born.
My face was fresh and my soul was pure. I remembered heaven and my thousands of lives before. I smiled with joy for my chance of salvation had finally been procured.
I promised my lord I would remember him, I would serve him and teach them all. In ego I thought this lowly servant could save this world.
Slowly the sun rose, minutes became hours, hours turned to days. The flowers all blossoming and showering me with their sweet scent of primrose. In love for this world, I slowly forgot my lord.
At midday, you were watching over me from high in the sky. Your rays of truth shone bright, but I chose to hide in the shade. I sought the darkness, I never cared for your tears of rain. I didn’t need you anymore.
I found happiness in all of the rare diamonds and jewels in this earth. Yet I was never content and my body always hungered for more. Evening approached and I was now missing those youthful days.
The sun now faded, and it was night. The moon shone so bright. I stared at the stars contemplating all I had achieved in this life. I remembered that distant star that once was my guiding light. As the clock struck 12, I breathed my last and then I realised I had failed you my lord.
Vaheguru ji ka khalsa, Vaheguru ji ke fateh
-----
By: malkeet (sikhsangat.com user)
Source: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=22605&st=108
With sunrise I awoke in this world. The sky was red and the air was sweet and warm. The flowers danced with the wind, and the birds sang in tune that day I was born.
My face was fresh and my soul was pure. I remembered heaven and my thousands of lives before. I smiled with joy for my chance of salvation had finally been procured.
I promised my lord I would remember him, I would serve him and teach them all. In ego I thought this lowly servant could save this world.
Slowly the sun rose, minutes became hours, hours turned to days. The flowers all blossoming and showering me with their sweet scent of primrose. In love for this world, I slowly forgot my lord.
At midday, you were watching over me from high in the sky. Your rays of truth shone bright, but I chose to hide in the shade. I sought the darkness, I never cared for your tears of rain. I didn’t need you anymore.
I found happiness in all of the rare diamonds and jewels in this earth. Yet I was never content and my body always hungered for more. Evening approached and I was now missing those youthful days.
The sun now faded, and it was night. The moon shone so bright. I stared at the stars contemplating all I had achieved in this life. I remembered that distant star that once was my guiding light. As the clock struck 12, I breathed my last and then I realised I had failed you my lord.
Vaheguru ji ka khalsa, Vaheguru ji ke fateh
-----
By: malkeet (sikhsangat.com user)
Source: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=22605&st=108
Thursday, March 5, 2009
--Updates-- March2009
**NEW UPDATES (March2009)**
Kirtan Section Updates !
Kirtan Section Updates !
http://www.sikhvibes.com/kirtan/
- Waterloo Youth Kirtan Darbar - February
- Patiala AKJ Smaagam - February
- Bhai Paramjit Singh Jis Katha
- Local TO House Kirtan - January
- York-UTM Youth Keertan Darbar - January
- Ludhiana annual AKJ Smaagam - January
- Brampton Weekly Simran Programs
- NEW Katha Files
- NEW Rare Kirtan Recordings
- NEW simran files added
- NEW Weekend Sangat Files
- and MANY more added every week !!
----------
Gallery Section Updates !
- Waterloo Youth Kirtan Darbar - February
- Patiala AKJ Smaagam - February
- Bhai Paramjit Singh Jis Katha
- Local TO House Kirtan - January
- York-UTM Youth Keertan Darbar - January
- Ludhiana annual AKJ Smaagam - January
- Brampton Weekly Simran Programs
- NEW Katha Files
- NEW Rare Kirtan Recordings
- NEW simran files added
- NEW Weekend Sangat Files
- and MANY more added every week !!
----------
Gallery Section Updates !
http://www.sikhvibes.com/gallery/
- Waterloo Youth Kirtan Darbar - February
- York-UTM Youth Keertan Darbar - January
- TO Annual AKJ Smaagam - December
- and MANY more !
----------
Video Section Updates !
- Waterloo Youth Kirtan Darbar - February
- York-UTM Youth Keertan Darbar - January
- TO Annual AKJ Smaagam - December
- and MANY more !
----------
Video Section Updates !
http://www.sikhvibes.com/videos/
- Bhog Videos in memory of Bhai Sahib Surat Singh jee (Puran Ji)
- Mohali Raensabayee - 2007
- Delhi AKJ Smaagam - October
- Local Weekend Sangat Program - August
- Dashmesh AKJ Raensabayee - July
- TO AKJ annual Smaagam - July
- ATL AKJ Smaagam - June
- Various Gatka Clips
- and more !
- Bhog Videos in memory of Bhai Sahib Surat Singh jee (Puran Ji)
- Mohali Raensabayee - 2007
- Delhi AKJ Smaagam - October
- Local Weekend Sangat Program - August
- Dashmesh AKJ Raensabayee - July
- TO AKJ annual Smaagam - July
- ATL AKJ Smaagam - June
- Various Gatka Clips
- and more !
Vaheguruu ji ka khalsa, Vaheguruu ji ki fateh
Saturday, February 21, 2009
PORTRAIT OF A SIKH
PORTRAIT OF A SIKH
A true Sikh is a disciple of his Guru
With crown of turban on his head,
With sober face and shining eyes,
He is always calm and never red,
Among billions of men he stands aloof,
To homeless people, he provides roof.
He is an image of harmony and peace,
A hater of vice, evil and war,
A protector of the weak and needy,
His fame has spread near and far,
Terror of the tyrants, a support of the meek,
In his noble praise, we find no words to speak.
Against injustice he raises his voice,
For honour he is prepared to die,
Truth and courage are his weapons,
For selfish gain, he would not lie,
He is an enviable image of grace,
He upholds the dignity of his race.
He is a soldier, he is a saint,
Pure and spotless is his life,
He frightens none, and fears from none,
He is a lover of struggle and strife,
For meditation, he reserves his breath,
He is immune to life and death.
He is a defender of his Faith,
He cares a fig for worldly wealth,
He is an achiever par excellence,
A model of indefineable health,
He treats alike his friends and foes,
He stands like a rock in weal and woes.
If all the Sikhs emulate his role,
And evince their readiness for sacrifice,
They would restore their past glory,
When they cultivate virtue and shun vice,
Sikhism would then scale new height,
Darkness would vanish to pave way for Light.
(By Principal S.S. Prince)
A true Sikh is a disciple of his Guru
With crown of turban on his head,
With sober face and shining eyes,
He is always calm and never red,
Among billions of men he stands aloof,
To homeless people, he provides roof.
He is an image of harmony and peace,
A hater of vice, evil and war,
A protector of the weak and needy,
His fame has spread near and far,
Terror of the tyrants, a support of the meek,
In his noble praise, we find no words to speak.
Against injustice he raises his voice,
For honour he is prepared to die,
Truth and courage are his weapons,
For selfish gain, he would not lie,
He is an enviable image of grace,
He upholds the dignity of his race.
He is a soldier, he is a saint,
Pure and spotless is his life,
He frightens none, and fears from none,
He is a lover of struggle and strife,
For meditation, he reserves his breath,
He is immune to life and death.
He is a defender of his Faith,
He cares a fig for worldly wealth,
He is an achiever par excellence,
A model of indefineable health,
He treats alike his friends and foes,
He stands like a rock in weal and woes.
If all the Sikhs emulate his role,
And evince their readiness for sacrifice,
They would restore their past glory,
When they cultivate virtue and shun vice,
Sikhism would then scale new height,
Darkness would vanish to pave way for Light.
(By Principal S.S. Prince)
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Sikhi Valentines Day
Valentines day is here, true love is in the air and my beloved is somewhere near. The colour of love, hearts of red, aroma of roses, sweet smiles and sweet nothings abound. This is picture perfect – will you experience this true love?
How many of us really experience this true love, which is so fabulously portrayed in Bollywood – with actors singing in the rain, snow and lush scenery. Our hearts, dreams and emotions yearn for this love of two souls becoming one.
The true sadness is many of us will die yearning and die trying, to find/realise this true love, or the ecstasy of true love. But if love is true – does it have a sell by date? Does it have a till death do us part? The simple answer is NO.
True love carries through this life and next – this is both in a spiritual and material sense. But the Guru & the spiritually gifted tell us to yearn for a love which is not transitory, in that we go after the Creator and not his Creation. Some of us may be happy to get engrossed in the creation whereas others would prefer to yearn for a love which is both fulfilling and saves us from the pain of transmigration. The choice is yours – we make our tomorrow.
But what are the traits of lovers? What are the limits of true love?
Love has its ups and downs, it tears and tantrums, but the pangs of separation of a lover and its tears can be life-changing and rejuvenating. Traits of a true lover are to be attentive to the needs of their lover – by being humble, forgiving/accepting and speaking sweet words to their beloved (Bhagat Fareed Jee, 1384 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee).
Jealousy – is a characteristic that is both frowned upon and cherished by lovers, depending on the love and tendencies to control. The lover I have found though, is the most jealous lover and his love is both painful, tearful and challenging. My lover – the Creator of the Universe, my wonderful enlightener, Allah, Vaheguru, Hari – GOD, is the most jealous lover in the world. He wants me to break all my affections and attachments, all that is illusory and then I may one day realise the ocean of his love.
I walk this lonely path towards him – whilst knowing He is near, yet far, He can hear but I cannot see, but I enjoy the hide and seek. As I will keep seeking him and one day I shall find, then there will be no pangs of separation. Great souls before me, walked this earth and enjoyed and cherished him, the same beloved that I yearn – souls like Mata Kaula Jee (Kaulsar Sarovar in Golden Temple precinct) who left her hearth and home for the 6th Guru and died after being separated from Guru Jee at Kartarpur Sahib (near Jalandhar). Like Bhagat Fareed Jee who begged the crow not to poke his eyes out as he yearned to see the beloved Lord, after strict meditations his body had become like a skeleton and he was afraid the crow thought he was dead (see 1382 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee).
I know who my true love is, my searching has ended and I hope that all that read this and celebrate Valentines also find true love. I celebrate valentines daily when I sing his praises.
by AkaalPublishers.com
(Please take time to visit the website of the author above and continue to support such inspirational and spiritual writings!)
How many of us really experience this true love, which is so fabulously portrayed in Bollywood – with actors singing in the rain, snow and lush scenery. Our hearts, dreams and emotions yearn for this love of two souls becoming one.
The true sadness is many of us will die yearning and die trying, to find/realise this true love, or the ecstasy of true love. But if love is true – does it have a sell by date? Does it have a till death do us part? The simple answer is NO.
True love carries through this life and next – this is both in a spiritual and material sense. But the Guru & the spiritually gifted tell us to yearn for a love which is not transitory, in that we go after the Creator and not his Creation. Some of us may be happy to get engrossed in the creation whereas others would prefer to yearn for a love which is both fulfilling and saves us from the pain of transmigration. The choice is yours – we make our tomorrow.
But what are the traits of lovers? What are the limits of true love?
Love has its ups and downs, it tears and tantrums, but the pangs of separation of a lover and its tears can be life-changing and rejuvenating. Traits of a true lover are to be attentive to the needs of their lover – by being humble, forgiving/accepting and speaking sweet words to their beloved (Bhagat Fareed Jee, 1384 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee).
Jealousy – is a characteristic that is both frowned upon and cherished by lovers, depending on the love and tendencies to control. The lover I have found though, is the most jealous lover and his love is both painful, tearful and challenging. My lover – the Creator of the Universe, my wonderful enlightener, Allah, Vaheguru, Hari – GOD, is the most jealous lover in the world. He wants me to break all my affections and attachments, all that is illusory and then I may one day realise the ocean of his love.
I walk this lonely path towards him – whilst knowing He is near, yet far, He can hear but I cannot see, but I enjoy the hide and seek. As I will keep seeking him and one day I shall find, then there will be no pangs of separation. Great souls before me, walked this earth and enjoyed and cherished him, the same beloved that I yearn – souls like Mata Kaula Jee (Kaulsar Sarovar in Golden Temple precinct) who left her hearth and home for the 6th Guru and died after being separated from Guru Jee at Kartarpur Sahib (near Jalandhar). Like Bhagat Fareed Jee who begged the crow not to poke his eyes out as he yearned to see the beloved Lord, after strict meditations his body had become like a skeleton and he was afraid the crow thought he was dead (see 1382 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee).
I know who my true love is, my searching has ended and I hope that all that read this and celebrate Valentines also find true love. I celebrate valentines daily when I sing his praises.
by AkaalPublishers.com
(Please take time to visit the website of the author above and continue to support such inspirational and spiritual writings!)
Friday, February 6, 2009
Don’t Feel Sorry For Me, I Am The Daughter Of A Shaheed
Don’t Feel Sorry For Me, I Am The Daughter Of A Shaheed
I am the daughter of a Shaheed
My dad was a proud Singh
One dark unfortunate night there was a knock on our door
It was a mob of angry people
They all attacked my daddy with sharp weapons
They set him on fire in front of my eyes
My dad is gone, he is a Shaheed
But not to worry, Guru Gobind Singh ji is my father
Don’t feel sorry for me, I am the daughter of a Shaheed
My mum was a proud Singhnee, she taught me sikhi
In broad daylight, she was abducted by the police
The same police that was created to protect us, took away my mummy
That was the last time saw her, no one knows where she is
Will she ever come back?
By not to worry, Mata sahib Kaur ji is my mother
Don’t feel sorry for me, I am the daughter of a Shaheed
My elder brother was a proud Singh
He was also kidnapped by the police, for being a Sikh
But my brother came back
In form of a Shaheed
His body was dumped in a ditch
His beautiful Dastaar and Bana were full of blood
I wiped blood from his face with my chuni
No one knows what they did to him
But not to worry, Singhs in the Khalsa Panth are my brothers
Don’t feel sorry for me, I am the daughter of a Shaheed
Those are my childhood memories, I have grown up now
I am a proud Sikh, just like my mum, dad and brother
I live in this place where they look after children of Shaheeds
I have been to school but cannot study further because it costs too much
I am at a marriageable age but which respectable amritdhari family will have me?
Will I ever have a family of my own where I can live happily ever after?
But not to worry, Guru Khalsa Panth is my family
Don’t feel sorry for me, I am the daughter of a Shaheed
Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh
Play your Part, Pray for the Panth http://www.chaupaisahib.org
Friday, January 30, 2009
Hearing problem... a short story
A man feared his wife wasn't hearing as well as she used to and he
thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quite sure how to approach
her, he called the family Doctor to discuss the problem. The Doctor
told him there is a simple informal test the husband could perform
to give the Doctor a better idea about her hearing loss.
Here's what you do," said the Doctor, "stand about 40 feet away from
her, and in a normal conversational speaking tone see if she hears
you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and s o on until you get a
response.
"That evening, the wife is in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he was
in the den. He says to himself, "I'm about 40 feet away, let's see
what happens." then in a normal tone he asks, 'Honey, what's for
dinner?" No response. So the husband moves to closer to the kitchen,
about 30 feet from his wife and repeats, "Honey, what's for dinner?"
Still no response. Next he moves into the dining room where he is
about 20 feet from his wife and asks, Honey, what's for dinner?"
Again he gets no response so; He walks up to the kitchen door, about
10 feet away. "Honey, what's for dinner?" Again there is no
response. So he walks right up behind her.
"Honey, what's for dinner?" ;;;;"James, for the FIFTH time I've
said, LASAGNIA!"
Moral of the story:
The problem may not be with the other one as we always think, could
be very much within us..!
thought she might need a hearing aid. Not quite sure how to approach
her, he called the family Doctor to discuss the problem. The Doctor
told him there is a simple informal test the husband could perform
to give the Doctor a better idea about her hearing loss.
Here's what you do," said the Doctor, "stand about 40 feet away from
her, and in a normal conversational speaking tone see if she hears
you. If not, go to 30 feet, then 20 feet, and s o on until you get a
response.
"That evening, the wife is in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he was
in the den. He says to himself, "I'm about 40 feet away, let's see
what happens." then in a normal tone he asks, 'Honey, what's for
dinner?" No response. So the husband moves to closer to the kitchen,
about 30 feet from his wife and repeats, "Honey, what's for dinner?"
Still no response. Next he moves into the dining room where he is
about 20 feet from his wife and asks, Honey, what's for dinner?"
Again he gets no response so; He walks up to the kitchen door, about
10 feet away. "Honey, what's for dinner?" Again there is no
response. So he walks right up behind her.
"Honey, what's for dinner?" ;;;;"James, for the FIFTH time I've
said, LASAGNIA!"
Moral of the story:
The problem may not be with the other one as we always think, could
be very much within us..!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
THE POWER OF POSITIVE SIKHI
THE POWER OF POSITIVE SIKHI
By Harjit Singh Lakhan
Source: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=40985
So you want to be a Sant-Sipahi (Saint-Warrior) , the perfect human being as created by Guru Gobind Singh Ji? You want to be a pure saint with light of WaheguruJi radiating from you day and night and you want to be a healthy, wealthy fighting fit warrior riding into all the battles of life with the sword of WaheguruJi's power held high and coming out victorious?
EXPECT THE BEST
ARE YOU: Optimistic, enthusiastic and hopeful?
OR : Pessimistic, cynical and despairing?
The most obvious quality of a Sant-Sipahi is an attitude of optimism and enthusiasm. Sant-Sipahi understand the link between the mind and body.
The body and soul becomes what the mind thinks. Sant-Sipahi read the Guru's words and apply them to their life. Guru's words prophesise that we will become one with the Supreme Being, the Sant-Sipahi believes the True Guru and day by day the prophecy gets closer and closer to being fulfilled. They see themselves as a river that is winding its way towards the Ocean of Supreme Light and Bliss.
The person that doesn't believe in the Guru's words with all their heart and mind, normally has negative thoughts inside them. They expect something bad to happen, they suffer from fears and worries which turn into anxiety. Being distressed their body's hormones and antibodies change, the person becomes more prone to disease and accidents. It has been shown that stressful thinking can cause many minor ailments such as headaches, low back pain, ulcers and certain allergies.
The Saint-Soldier expects to be healthy and happy because they have the Guru's grace upon them.
Their feeling of well-being and energy is radiated by their body. They bloom like flowers for all to see. In their mind they are singing the songs of joy, the words of the Guru, they are praising all of Creation and repeat Waheguru ! Waheguru! They've learnt this from Guru Nanak Dev Ji. On his travels he came close to the abode of a sect of Hindu Saints. They felt threatened by yet another saint entering their town, so they sent Guru Nanak Ji a bowl full to the brim with milk. It symbolised the town was full of saints and there was no room for Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak was forever optimistic and placed a small yellow Jasmin flower to float on the milk. He sent this back to the saints - they understood Guru Nanak's message and that he wasn't there to displace them but to spread the divine fragrance amongst them.
Saint-Soldiers expect the best because they know GuruJi's grace is upon them. They have given mind, body and soul to the service of GuruJi and GuruJi will give them everything in return. This was taught to us by Guru Angad Dev Ji, he followed Guru Nanak Ji's love-filled words precisely and battled with his own thoughts, day by day he changed and grew spiritually until ultimately Guru Nanak Dev Ji joined his soul into the Supreme Soul from where we came.
Saint-Soldiers say: 'By the Guru's grace I was good today, and I'll be even better tomorrow'.
Ones lacking faith say: 'With my luck I was bound to fail'
SELF-TEST
? Am I optimistic about my life?
? Do I expect to be blessed with becoming one with WaheguruJi?
? Do I expect to be really healthy?
? When I have a setback do I take self-pity?
? Do I praise or criticise more often?
POSITIVE ACTIONS
1. Wake up happy. Wake up early. Sing Waheguru! Wonderful God! Sing your favourite shabad in the shower. Sing your prayers in a happy way. In Ardas ask for GuruJi's blessings and the gift of singing God's praises in a positive way all day. Thank GuruJi because you know he is taking care of all your activities and removing all worldly and spiritual obstacles from your path. Look at yourself in the mirror and thank Guru Gobind Singh Ji for giving you the form of a complete human being with long uncut hair. Feel the Guru's divine hand over your forehead protecting you all day like an umbrella blocking the stormy rain.
2. Think positive thoughts during the day like, 'By Guru's Kirpa, Next time I'll do better', 'By Guru's Kirpa everything is going to work out just fine', 'I'm so blessed to have Guru Gobind Singh Ji as my father and the whole of the Khalsa as my family'.
3. Look for something good in all your personal relationships even in the most trying circumstances. See WaheguruJi inside everyone you deal with, so no matter how irritating they may be remember it is ultimately WaheguruJi that is inside them. So smile and think Wonderful WaheguruJi.
4. Look at problems as opportunities that are going to get you closer to GuruJi. To overcome the problem you're going to pray more sincerely and lean on GurujI for more support and not blame him for it.
5. Learn to stay relaxed and friendly no matter how stressed you are. Accept whatever God does is for your benefit and there's no point upsetting everyone around you. Look for something to praise. Be constructively helpful rather than critical. Lower your voice, breathe slowly and deeply, relax your muscles and respond calmly in the GurSikh way like Guru Amar Das Ji did when he was kicked by the jealous Datu. GuruJi massaged his foot and said, 'My hard bones must have hurt you'. Datu's anger was appeased. Return kindness for evil, not a tooth for a tooth.
6. Look after your health. Cure the curable, expect to get better you've got GuruJi on your side. Prevent what's preventable. Eat healthy and nutritional food, your body and mind are the Temple of WaheguruJi. One day Guru Nanak Dev Ji is going to place his divine light inside your temple so make sure it has strong and pure foundations. Make sure it has no junk food lying in the corners and no negative or dirty thoughts lingering in the shadows. That is why Guru Gobind Singh jee has taught us drinking, smoking, drugs are totally wrong for the Sant-Sipahi.
7. When talking about your health talk optimistically, when asked "how are you?" reply positively -'I'm feeling good, great', don't say 'not bad'. Guru Gobind Singh Ji said that when one Sikh is brave enough to fight against 125,000 then and only then can he justify being called Guru Gobind Singh. Be optimistic - be brave feel like you are healthy enough to battle against the whole of the crowd at the football stadium if need be.
8. Expect the best of others. Encourage them and praise them daily. Tell them your optimistic hopes for them. Guru Gobind Singh Ji expected the best from us that's why he named us Singh (Lion) and Kaur (Princess). So whenever we said our name we'd remember we are great people destined for great things. We are not dirty rats but mighty lions and we are not slave girls but royal princesses with honour and glory.
9. To stay optimistic associate with optimistic people. Meet with Sant-Sipahis and positive people from all walks of life.
By Harjit Singh Lakhan
Source: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=40985
So you want to be a Sant-Sipahi (Saint-Warrior) , the perfect human being as created by Guru Gobind Singh Ji? You want to be a pure saint with light of WaheguruJi radiating from you day and night and you want to be a healthy, wealthy fighting fit warrior riding into all the battles of life with the sword of WaheguruJi's power held high and coming out victorious?
EXPECT THE BEST
ARE YOU: Optimistic, enthusiastic and hopeful?
OR : Pessimistic, cynical and despairing?
The most obvious quality of a Sant-Sipahi is an attitude of optimism and enthusiasm. Sant-Sipahi understand the link between the mind and body.
The body and soul becomes what the mind thinks. Sant-Sipahi read the Guru's words and apply them to their life. Guru's words prophesise that we will become one with the Supreme Being, the Sant-Sipahi believes the True Guru and day by day the prophecy gets closer and closer to being fulfilled. They see themselves as a river that is winding its way towards the Ocean of Supreme Light and Bliss.
The person that doesn't believe in the Guru's words with all their heart and mind, normally has negative thoughts inside them. They expect something bad to happen, they suffer from fears and worries which turn into anxiety. Being distressed their body's hormones and antibodies change, the person becomes more prone to disease and accidents. It has been shown that stressful thinking can cause many minor ailments such as headaches, low back pain, ulcers and certain allergies.
The Saint-Soldier expects to be healthy and happy because they have the Guru's grace upon them.
Their feeling of well-being and energy is radiated by their body. They bloom like flowers for all to see. In their mind they are singing the songs of joy, the words of the Guru, they are praising all of Creation and repeat Waheguru ! Waheguru! They've learnt this from Guru Nanak Dev Ji. On his travels he came close to the abode of a sect of Hindu Saints. They felt threatened by yet another saint entering their town, so they sent Guru Nanak Ji a bowl full to the brim with milk. It symbolised the town was full of saints and there was no room for Guru Nanak. Guru Nanak was forever optimistic and placed a small yellow Jasmin flower to float on the milk. He sent this back to the saints - they understood Guru Nanak's message and that he wasn't there to displace them but to spread the divine fragrance amongst them.
Saint-Soldiers expect the best because they know GuruJi's grace is upon them. They have given mind, body and soul to the service of GuruJi and GuruJi will give them everything in return. This was taught to us by Guru Angad Dev Ji, he followed Guru Nanak Ji's love-filled words precisely and battled with his own thoughts, day by day he changed and grew spiritually until ultimately Guru Nanak Dev Ji joined his soul into the Supreme Soul from where we came.
Saint-Soldiers say: 'By the Guru's grace I was good today, and I'll be even better tomorrow'.
Ones lacking faith say: 'With my luck I was bound to fail'
SELF-TEST
? Am I optimistic about my life?
? Do I expect to be blessed with becoming one with WaheguruJi?
? Do I expect to be really healthy?
? When I have a setback do I take self-pity?
? Do I praise or criticise more often?
POSITIVE ACTIONS
1. Wake up happy. Wake up early. Sing Waheguru! Wonderful God! Sing your favourite shabad in the shower. Sing your prayers in a happy way. In Ardas ask for GuruJi's blessings and the gift of singing God's praises in a positive way all day. Thank GuruJi because you know he is taking care of all your activities and removing all worldly and spiritual obstacles from your path. Look at yourself in the mirror and thank Guru Gobind Singh Ji for giving you the form of a complete human being with long uncut hair. Feel the Guru's divine hand over your forehead protecting you all day like an umbrella blocking the stormy rain.
2. Think positive thoughts during the day like, 'By Guru's Kirpa, Next time I'll do better', 'By Guru's Kirpa everything is going to work out just fine', 'I'm so blessed to have Guru Gobind Singh Ji as my father and the whole of the Khalsa as my family'.
3. Look for something good in all your personal relationships even in the most trying circumstances. See WaheguruJi inside everyone you deal with, so no matter how irritating they may be remember it is ultimately WaheguruJi that is inside them. So smile and think Wonderful WaheguruJi.
4. Look at problems as opportunities that are going to get you closer to GuruJi. To overcome the problem you're going to pray more sincerely and lean on GurujI for more support and not blame him for it.
5. Learn to stay relaxed and friendly no matter how stressed you are. Accept whatever God does is for your benefit and there's no point upsetting everyone around you. Look for something to praise. Be constructively helpful rather than critical. Lower your voice, breathe slowly and deeply, relax your muscles and respond calmly in the GurSikh way like Guru Amar Das Ji did when he was kicked by the jealous Datu. GuruJi massaged his foot and said, 'My hard bones must have hurt you'. Datu's anger was appeased. Return kindness for evil, not a tooth for a tooth.
6. Look after your health. Cure the curable, expect to get better you've got GuruJi on your side. Prevent what's preventable. Eat healthy and nutritional food, your body and mind are the Temple of WaheguruJi. One day Guru Nanak Dev Ji is going to place his divine light inside your temple so make sure it has strong and pure foundations. Make sure it has no junk food lying in the corners and no negative or dirty thoughts lingering in the shadows. That is why Guru Gobind Singh jee has taught us drinking, smoking, drugs are totally wrong for the Sant-Sipahi.
7. When talking about your health talk optimistically, when asked "how are you?" reply positively -'I'm feeling good, great', don't say 'not bad'. Guru Gobind Singh Ji said that when one Sikh is brave enough to fight against 125,000 then and only then can he justify being called Guru Gobind Singh. Be optimistic - be brave feel like you are healthy enough to battle against the whole of the crowd at the football stadium if need be.
8. Expect the best of others. Encourage them and praise them daily. Tell them your optimistic hopes for them. Guru Gobind Singh Ji expected the best from us that's why he named us Singh (Lion) and Kaur (Princess). So whenever we said our name we'd remember we are great people destined for great things. We are not dirty rats but mighty lions and we are not slave girls but royal princesses with honour and glory.
9. To stay optimistic associate with optimistic people. Meet with Sant-Sipahis and positive people from all walks of life.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Bravery & the Sikh Spirit
Bravery & the Sikh Spirit
The following are excerpts from the book 'Crisis of Leadership' by Maj. General M. Khan of Pakistan about the bravery of the Sikh soldiers during the Indo-Pak war.
"...the main reason of our defeat was Sikhs fighting facing us. We were helpless to do anything in front of them. Sikhs are very brave and they have a great craving for martyrdom. They fight so fiercely that they are capable of defeating an army many times bigger than theirs.
....On 3rd December 1971, we fiercely and vigorously attacked the Indian army with our infantry brigade near Hussainiwala border. This brigade included Pakistan army's fighter Punjabi regiment together with the Baloch regiment. Within minutes we pushed the Indian army quite far back. Their defence posts fell under our control. The Indian army was retreating back very fast and the Pakistani army was going forward with a great speed. Our army reached near the Kausre-Hind post. There was a small segment of the Indian army appointed to defend that post and their soldiers belonged to the Sikh Regiment. A few number of the Sikh Regiment stopped our way forward like an iron wall. They loudly greeted us with the ovation of 'Bole-so-Nihal' and attacked us like blood thirsty hungry lions and hawks. All these soldiers were Sikhs. There was even a dreadful hand-to-hand battle. The sky filled with roars of 'Yaa Ali' and 'Sat-Siri-Akal'. Even in this hand-to-hand fighting the Sikhs fought so bravely t
hat all our desires, aspirations and dreams were shattered.
.....In this war Lt. Col Gulab Hussain of Baloch Regiment got killed. With him Major Mohammed Zaeef and Captain Arif Alim also died. It was difficult to count the number of soldiers who got killed. We were astonished to see the courage of those handful of Sikh soldiers. When we seized the possession of the three-storey defence post of concrete, the Sikh soldiers went onto the roof and kept on persistently opposing us. The whole night they kept on showering fires on us and continued shouting the loud ovation of 'Sat-Siri-Akal'. These Sikh soldiers kept on the encounter till the next day. Next d ay the Pakistani tanks surrounded this post and bombed it with guns. Those handful of Sikhs got martyred in this encounter while resisting us, but other Sikh soldiers then destroyed our tanks with the help of their artillery. Fighting with great bravery they kept on marching forward and thus our army lost its foothold.
....Alas, a handful of Sikhs converted our great victory into a big defeat and shattered our confidence and courage. ....The same thing happened with us in Dhaka (Bangladesh). In the battle of Jaissur, the Singhs opposed the Pakistani army so fiercely that our backbone and our foothold was lost. This became the main and important reason of our defeat and the Sikhs' fancy for martyrdom and mockery with death for the sake of safety and honour of the country, became the sole cause of their victory.
The bravery and spirit of sacrifice of Sikhs were respected and honoured by one and all."
The following are excerpts from the book 'Crisis of Leadership' by Maj. General M. Khan of Pakistan about the bravery of the Sikh soldiers during the Indo-Pak war.
"...the main reason of our defeat was Sikhs fighting facing us. We were helpless to do anything in front of them. Sikhs are very brave and they have a great craving for martyrdom. They fight so fiercely that they are capable of defeating an army many times bigger than theirs.
....On 3rd December 1971, we fiercely and vigorously attacked the Indian army with our infantry brigade near Hussainiwala border. This brigade included Pakistan army's fighter Punjabi regiment together with the Baloch regiment. Within minutes we pushed the Indian army quite far back. Their defence posts fell under our control. The Indian army was retreating back very fast and the Pakistani army was going forward with a great speed. Our army reached near the Kausre-Hind post. There was a small segment of the Indian army appointed to defend that post and their soldiers belonged to the Sikh Regiment. A few number of the Sikh Regiment stopped our way forward like an iron wall. They loudly greeted us with the ovation of 'Bole-so-Nihal' and attacked us like blood thirsty hungry lions and hawks. All these soldiers were Sikhs. There was even a dreadful hand-to-hand battle. The sky filled with roars of 'Yaa Ali' and 'Sat-Siri-Akal'. Even in this hand-to-hand fighting the Sikhs fought so bravely t
hat all our desires, aspirations and dreams were shattered.
.....In this war Lt. Col Gulab Hussain of Baloch Regiment got killed. With him Major Mohammed Zaeef and Captain Arif Alim also died. It was difficult to count the number of soldiers who got killed. We were astonished to see the courage of those handful of Sikh soldiers. When we seized the possession of the three-storey defence post of concrete, the Sikh soldiers went onto the roof and kept on persistently opposing us. The whole night they kept on showering fires on us and continued shouting the loud ovation of 'Sat-Siri-Akal'. These Sikh soldiers kept on the encounter till the next day. Next d ay the Pakistani tanks surrounded this post and bombed it with guns. Those handful of Sikhs got martyred in this encounter while resisting us, but other Sikh soldiers then destroyed our tanks with the help of their artillery. Fighting with great bravery they kept on marching forward and thus our army lost its foothold.
....Alas, a handful of Sikhs converted our great victory into a big defeat and shattered our confidence and courage. ....The same thing happened with us in Dhaka (Bangladesh). In the battle of Jaissur, the Singhs opposed the Pakistani army so fiercely that our backbone and our foothold was lost. This became the main and important reason of our defeat and the Sikhs' fancy for martyrdom and mockery with death for the sake of safety and honour of the country, became the sole cause of their victory.
The bravery and spirit of sacrifice of Sikhs were respected and honoured by one and all."
Thursday, January 1, 2009
2009 -- Happy New Year !!
Vaheguruuu ji ka khalsa, Vaheguruu ji ki fatehh
On behalf of the whole SikhVibes.com team, we wish everyone a
On behalf of the whole SikhVibes.com team, we wish everyone a
HAPPY NEW YEAR !!
May everyone stay in chardee kala, and may guru saahib bless everyone with a gursikhi vala jeevan with lots of a love, prachaar, and seva.
It has been exactly one full year since we launched SikhVibes.com, with guru saahibs kirpa. May he give us more oppurtunity to give the sangat priceless rare recordings from local programs, smaagams, raensbayees and other events from around the world!
We will continue to update our kirtan sections with A LOT of stuff still to go up. Please be patient, we all know you are all waiting for the AKJ TO Smaagam and other programs :D .. they all will be up soon !
Please give us your feedback for the year at sikhvibes@gmail.com
Also our blog is updated every week -- http://sikhvibes.blogspot.com
Vaheguruuu ji ka khalsa, Vaheguruu ji ki fateh !!
It has been exactly one full year since we launched SikhVibes.com, with guru saahibs kirpa. May he give us more oppurtunity to give the sangat priceless rare recordings from local programs, smaagams, raensbayees and other events from around the world!
We will continue to update our kirtan sections with A LOT of stuff still to go up. Please be patient, we all know you are all waiting for the AKJ TO Smaagam and other programs :D .. they all will be up soon !
Please give us your feedback for the year at sikhvibes@gmail.com
Also our blog is updated every week -- http://sikhvibes.blogspot.com
Vaheguruuu ji ka khalsa, Vaheguruu ji ki fateh !!
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