Saturday, July 25, 2009

Sakhi Series :- 134 ( Even Pain And Hunger Are Your Gifts )

Even Pain And Hunger Are Your Gifts

"How did you get that black eye?" asked Guru-Father, GurDev-Pita Gobind Singh Jee. The teenager dressed in a long blue gown, wearing a sword looked at his Master's feet and responded with silence.

The King of this World and the next, radiated glory in all directions and the lovelight washed over the quiet young man, "Dear child of mine, your turban has been knocked, your nose is bleeding and you have a black eye. Now you don't get that from just cleaning the stables. So I order you to tell me who did this to you?"

The slender young warrior continued looking lovingly at the Master's feet and humbly replied, 'I was feeding the horses Guru jee when you suddenly slapped me.'

The Khalsa warrior who had brought the young Singh in to Guru Jee's royal court quickly interrupted, 'O Guru with the Royal Plume Kalgee-Dhar Patshah, True King and Cherisher of the Poor, Gareeb Nivaaj, this saintly boy will not tell you, but I saw that mighty Singh over there just walk across to the boy and without even uttering a word he swung his arm with full force landing his palm on the boy's right cheek. Guru Maharaj forgive my younger brother for his answer , he is not lying for he sees your face in everyface, everywhere and all the time. He speaks little and is always engrossed in service and meditation, seva and simran. He was attacked for no reason, that is why I dragged him here to get some justice. He did not want to complain.'

Some warrior Nihangs dressed in blue battle clothes, grabbed the Singh accused of the attack and escorted him into Guru King Guru Gobind Singh Jee's divine prescence.

'Explain your actions.' ordered the Helper from Waheguru, Nasaro Mansoor Guru Gobind Singh Jee.

The Singh was built like a mountain with an ego to match he replied in rough voice 'Guru Jee, this boy is half my age, everyday he does seva and simran, he speaks little and when he does its full of love and humility. I can't stand him. Everyday I do seva along side him, I see how much you love him and bless him, wereas I get no look of grace. He was getting too close to you and I hate him. I had to teach him a lesson!'

Guru Gobind Singh Jee reprimanded the Singh and gave him some community service to do, then he got up and hugged the young Singh who was still looking at the Master's feet, 'Dhan GurSikh, Great is the GurSikh who even in suffering accepts it as a divine gift.'

Ketia Dukh Bukh saad mar.
Eh Bhee Daat Teree Datar.
Countless many continously suffer pain and hunger.
O Giver, Even these are Your Gifts'
(Guru Nanak Dev Jee in Jap Jee Sahib)..

Saturday, July 18, 2009

Sakhi Series :- 133 ( 1984 : The Power of Five )

The Power of Five
( Source : http://www.gurmatps.org/index.html?other_books/naamnet/12_05_the_power_of_five )

(As told by a sevadar from Gurdrawa Nanaksar)

It was during the anti-sikh riots. I was at that time living in Gurudrawa Nanaksar in Haryana. There were 7 other sewadars in the gurudrawa. Trouble started brewing early in the morning. We noticed about 50 young men gathering outside a few hundred metres away from the gurudrawa sahib. We didn't really pay too much attention to them.
By noon, the group had turned into a rowdy crowd of about 300. We became quite concerned at that point. Our telephone wires had been cut, so there really was not much we could do. But we were still in chardi kala.

At about 3 pm, a truck driven by a Singh was driving by the crowd when the crowd attacked it. The Singh gave up the truck and ran to the gurudrawa. Some gundas overtook him and injured him but he, being a strong man, managed to escape. Still, he was quite bloody/injured when he came in. That increased our number to 9. The number outside had increased to about 500 by evening. They were very loud and obnoxious by now.

We tried to ignore them and began our evening diwan at 6 pm. But as the darkness approached, the rabble become more and more bold. In fact, soon they started stoning the gurdrawa. We stopped the evening programme and placed all the Guru Granth Sahib jees in the safest place possible.

At 7.30 pm it was very dark and the rabble became so bold that they put fire to the gurdrawa's gate. It hit us then how serious the situation was. We soon would be killed!
Our jathedar gathered us and said, "Khalsa jee, the Khalsa has faced worse situations then this. The Khalsa has gone through two holocasts but the Khalsa lives and will live in freedom forever! Khalsa jee, the Khalsa has never given up and will never give up. The enemy stands outside. There are 500 hundred, we are 9 but remember Guru Gobind Singh jee has made each of us equivalent to sava-lakh (125,000)! Khalsa jee, get prepared to fight!"


He said this with so much josh and bir ras that our body hair stood on their ends. Even though I had been seriously ill for the past 3 months, I too was ready to fight. The jathedar then told us that we must make two groups. The first group of five will go out first and fight the enemy. The the rest (4) can go later. Everybody agreed. Jathedar Sahib then chose 4 other pyares. I was not chosen, most probably due to my illness.

The five put on the uniform of the Khalsa. Then the jathedar sahib did ardas to Guru Gobind Singh jee saying, "Pita jee, dear father,, we are coming to your land. Please prepare for us!"
Then five of them took out their kirpans and with BOLE SO NEHAAL! SAT SRI AKAL! BOLE SO NEHAAL! SAT SRI AKAL! filling the air, came out the face the enemy. You will not believe what happened then. Seeing 5 Khalsa in the uniform of Guru Gobind Singh jee, the rabble of 500 ran away It was as if 5 lions were chasing 500 hyenas away!

One of the Singhs managed to cut off a running man's ear. The Khalsa's victory was sweet."
waheguru waheguru waheguru waheguru...

Just as an epilogue, some police officers had the gall to come a few days later to investigate the ear injury!!!! But this was so ridiculous and the Singhs were in such high spirits that the police had to leave without even a bribe.



Friday, July 10, 2009

Sakhi Series :- 132 ( King and his four wives....)

King and his four wives.....


Once upon a time there was a King who had four wives. He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another.

He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confident and was always kind,considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her, and she would help him get through the difficult times.

The King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife. Although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her!

One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short. He thought of his luxurious life and wondered, "I now have four wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone."

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word. Her answer cut like a sharpknife right into his heart.

The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you all my life. Nowthat I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?" "No!", replied the 3rd wife. "Life is too good! When you die, I'm going to remarry!" Hisheart sank and turned cold.

He then asked the 2nd wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me and keep me company?" "I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!", replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only walk with you to your grave." Her answer struck him like a bolt of lightning, and the King was devastated.

Then a voice called out: "I'll go with you. I'll follow you no matter where you go." The King looked up, and there was his first wife. She was very skinny as she suffered from malnutrition and neglect. Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!"

In truth, we all have the 4 wives in our lives:

Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish inmaking it look good, it will leave us when we die.

Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth. When we die, it will all go to others.

Our 2nd wife is our family and friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

And our 1st wife is our Soul, often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the world. However, our Soul is the only thing that will follow us wherever we go.Cultivate, strengthen and cherish it now, for it is the only part of us that will follow us to the throne of God and continue with us throughout Eternity.

Remember, when the world pushes you to your knees, you're in the perfect position to pray.

Sunday, July 05, 2009

Sakhi Series :- 131 ( Guru Hargobind Sahib JI : batan faquiri, zahir amiri)

Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji :

Guru Hargobind was not just a soldier but was primarily a saint, a Guru, the sixth in direct spiritual inheritance from Guru Nanak Sahib Ji. Guruji had taken to martial ways with a view to creating among his people a will to resistance and preparing them to stand up to the tyranny and oppression of the ruling race.

Once a Maratha saint, Samarth Ramdas During his rambles in Northern India, Samarth Ramdas met Guru Hargobind at Srinagar in about 1634. Fully armed and riding a horse, the Guru had just returned from an excursion.

"I had heard that you occupied the Gaddi of Guru Nanak", said Swami Ramdas.

"Guru Nanak was a Tyagi sadhu - a saint who had renounced the world. You are wearing arms and keeping an army and horses. You allow yourself to be addressed as Sacha Patshah, the True King. What sort of a sadhu are you?" asked the Maratha saint.

Guru Hargobind replied, "Internally a hermit, and externally a prince. Arms mean protection to the poor and destruction of the tyrant. Baba Nanak had not renounced the world but had renounced Maya, i.e. self and ego:

"batan faquiri, zahir amiri

shastar garib ki rakhya, jarwan ki bhakhiya

Baba Nanak sansar nahi tyagya, Maya tyagi thi."

These words of Guru Hargobind found a ready response in the heart of Samartha Swami Ramdas who, as quoted in Pothi Panjak Sakhian, spontaneously said, "this appealeth to my mind - Yeh hamare man bhavti hai".

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Guru Hargobind Sahib ji de prakash gurpurab di aap ji nu waddaaiyan ...

Below is the blessing which Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji received from mother Mata Ganga Ji, and father Guru Arjan Sahib ji,

"poota maata ki aasees. nimak naa bisrau tum kau har har; sadhaa bhajho jagdeesh… "

O son, this is your mothers hope and prayer, that you may never forget the Lord, Har, Har, even for an instant. May you ever vibrate upon the Lord of the Universe" (Ang 469, SGGS)

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