TuhiTu - Sikh Sakhis

Bhai Bahlo Sabh Taun Pehlo

2012-01-19T11:00:00.001+01:00

Bhai Bahlo's Sewa

He started working in the potter's kiln (oven) where bricks are baked. He worked there as hard as he could and for as long as his body would let him. At Amritvela and evening time he attended Sangat to listen to Kirtan and Katha. All day he spent his time in doing Sewa and chanting Naam. This had a profound impact on his mind. His mind was purified and soon the glow of Gurbani was glowing in his mind.

Bhai Bahlo noticed that Guru Sahib only accepted such bricks in sewa that were fully hardened and red in colour. Someone told Bhai Bahlo that if human excreta and cow dung was used along with other fuel, it helped in getting the bricks to fully harden. Bhai Bahlo got an army of sewadaars and acted on this advice. The work was very dirty and not many people were willing to undertake this work but Bhai Bahlo, whose only aim was to please Guru Sahib had no qualms over doing this sewa. While doing this sewa, his clothes became very filthy and he smelled really bad but he continued with the sewa. When all the kilns were opened, it was found that Bhai Bahlo's bricks were the best. Guru Sahib was very pleased with Bhai Bahlo's work but kept quiet at that time.

Once, there was a shortage of langar supplies. Bhai Bahlo who used to get paid for doing sewa, had saved all his funds. He presented his savings and with that the langar supplies for that time were supplied.

Bhai Bahlo's sewa Accepted

Bhai Bahlo's condition had become such that he had only one aim of doing sewa. He hardly spoke to anyone and because of working with excreta and cow dung, his clothes were very filthy during the day. Many people avoided him and some even made fun of him. Some even thought that he had gone crazy.

When he was not working on the kiln, he used to work on digging out soil from the Sarovar. Some sewadaars used to fill his bucket so heavily that it would be very hard for one person to lift but Bhai Bahlo never complained. He always stayed focus on Naam and Sewa. People mocked him but his mind had been imbued with Naam so deeply, that he never got angry, upset, or ashamed, because of the mocking. His heart was contented with Naam.

Whenever he used to see Guru Sahib, he could not keep his eyes away from Guru Sahib. His eyes were full of love for Guru Sahib. Then he used to forget all his tiredness and fatigue. He had so much love that it seemed as if his heart was beating only for Guru Sahib.

Guru Sahib was not unknown to the love of Bhai Bahlo but wanted him to get more purified. But one day, Guru Sahib could no longer restrain Himself. Bhai Bahlo had been dealing with excreta and his clothes were very dirty. The bad-smell coming from him was unbearable. He saw Guru Sahib along with some Gursikhs coming towards him. He could not think of appearing before Guru Sahib in such condition. He tried to hide behind other sewadaars but then noticed that Guru coming right towards him. When Guru Sahib came close to him, he moved backwards. Guru Sahib moved forward and he moved backwards. Then the thought came to his mind that moving backwards would amount to disrespecting Guru Sahib but to appear before Guru Sahib in such filthy condition too was disrespectful.

As he was engaged in such thoughts, he inadvertently fell at the Charan Kamal of Guru Sahib. Guru Sahib lifted him up and tightly embraced him. All curtains blocking the spiritual treasure within, were lifted in that instant. Bhai Bahlo accomplished Jyot-Vigaas there and then. Guru Sahib had done his kirpa.

More Blessings from Guru Sahib

After the completion of the Sarovar and Siri Harmandir Sahib, a samagam was held to thank Vaheguru. Baba Buddha jee was the first one to receive siropa and honour from Guru Sahib. The second one after Baba jee to receive the Siropa was Bhai Bhagtu jee. He was blessed with many boons and the responsibility to do Parchaar of Sikhi in the area of Brars. Then came the turn of Bhai Bahlo jee. Guru Sahib first all blessed him with the title of "Bhai" and called him Bhai Bahlo. Bhai Bahlo jee's original name was Bahlol but Guru Sahib changed it to Bahlo and also blessed him with the title of "Bhai".

Guru Sahib was still not satisfied with his blessings. Guru Sahib gave him the boon of "Bhai Bahlo, Sabh taun Pehlo" meaning Bhai Bahlo is number one out of Sewadaars. Guru Sahib was still not satisfied and then lovingly asked him to ask for more. Bhai Bahlo's eyes were filled with divine tears and with trembling body, he asked for nothing but Naam and Sikhi for eternity. Guru Sahib was filled with love. Guru Sahib got up from His throne and embraced Bhai Bahlo very tightly and declared him the leader of Sikhs in Malwa zone. Then Guru Sahib through another blessing gave him access to all Akali Shaktis (positive extra-sensory spiritual powers, Ridhi Sidhi). Anything that Bhai Bahlo would say and do would come true.

Hukam to go back Home

Thereafter Guru Sahib gave Bhai Bahlo the Hukam to go to his home and do Parchaar of Sikhi in Malwa zone of Punjab. Bhai Sahib arrived at his home and the whole village and friends were surprised to see him in Sikhi baana. He no longer was carrying the Aasa (long stick of Sakhi Sarvars), or wearing Sultani clothes. His shining face was showing the inner Avastha of a Brahmgyani.

The Sakhi Sarvars were furious. They first cajoled him to come back to his old faith and then threatened him but Bhai Sahib remained unmoved. Soon he started doing parchaar of Sikhi and in a matter of short time, Sikhi started spreading very rapidly in that area. Twice a year, at Vasaakhi and Diwali, he used to go to Siri Harmandir Sahib with thousands of Sikhs.

Bhai Sahib continued doing sewa and Parchaar of Sikhi in Malwa. Bhai Sahib was one of the greatest Sikhs of that time along with Bhai Manjh jee, Bhai Bhagtu jee, and Bhai Langah jee. May Guru Sahib bless us with such Sikhi as these great Gurmukhs had.

Dhan Guru Gobind Singh Ji Mahararaj

2012-01-06T19:01:00.001+01:00

GURU GOBIND SINGH Ji

PERSONALITY : A visionary of the highest order and a born leader - an excellent planner and superb strategist. Apart from educating his followers in the art of war, guruji also introduced them to literature. The Guru had a natural genius for poetic composition and knew not only Punjabi but also Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic. (among other languages)

TEACHINGS :

Manas Ki Jaat Sabhey Aikey Pechhanbo. - Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib

Behold All Human Race as ONE.

1. Have a mission and continuously work for its success. Let no grief, no hardship, no adversity, in short nothing deviate you from the goal. ,

2. The weak are to be defended against injustice, oppression and tyranny but without entertaining any malice.

3. Evil is to be resisted and uprooted, but the sword is never to be struck in hatred or in anger or in spirit of revenge.

4. Power is never to be used for material gains at the cost of suffering of others.

5. At times it might be possible to reform an evil doer by love and non violence. The silent resistance and suffering for a righteous cause might enable the evil doers to see the truth and he may be reformed, but no amount of non-violence can succeed against a tyrant who is hardened and steeped in criminal oppressive ways and pays no heed to basic values of moral and civilized conduct.

6. One must not be attached to anything as all that is visible has to vanish.

7. Wealth is never to be loved. One may attain wealth but one should always be prepared to part with it.

8. Power (Physical and intellectual) helps one gain dominance in any sphere. The powerless are pushed to wall, humbled and humiliated.

9. Wahe-Guru is symbolic of the Formless Eternal Lord, who is True Guru (Enlightener) of all and the Creator of the Universe.

CONTRIBUTIONS : The contributions made by Guru Gobind Singh ji to the society are far reaching and immense and bear the stamp of his personality. Infact, his contributions are a living embodiment of his "life in action and thought".

Guruji's organizational skills were an immaculate blend of political pragmatics and spiritual ethics and manifested itself in his creation of the Khalsa- a movement for the establishment of an egalitarian society and just social order that was initiated by Guru Nanak Dev ji and reached its finale during the times of Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

The KHALSA Pure was created ostensibly to awaken fragmented society and get rid of ritualistic superstitions that were prevalent in the name of religions. Khalsa, as a new order of the saint-soldier, was to uphold Truth and achieve not only self conquest but also control physical evil.

Guru Gobind Singh ji conceived the KHALSA as a common brotherhood composed of persons who were pure at heart and in mind and soul. These persons would join each other as equals in community kitchen and in all other activities- spiritual binding force being the presence of God with them at all hours.

Underlining the significance of this act, Sri Aurobindo in his book, Foundation of Indian Culture, writes that "The Khalsa was an astonishingly original and novel creation and its face was turned not to the past but to the future."

In equally glowing terms Swami Vivekananda writes "Guru Gobind Singh by a flash of his sword filled the dying soul of India with the life- giving light of Truth and Lo! It shone in all its glory again in the life of the new born Khalsa.

Arnold Toyanbee attributed the conceptualization of this egalitarian community with just social order to Guru Gobind Singh when he wrote in Study of World History that "The Khalsa Panth of Guru Gobind Singh, established in 1699, was the fore runner of Lenin's communist party and refuted the claims of Lenin that his party, set up in 1917, was the first to establish a classless and socialist society."

Verses from Sikh Scriptures

1) Sab Main Jot Jot Hai Soi -Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, ang 663

=> God is in everyone and everywhere

2) Satguru Daya Nidh Mehma Agadh Bodh Namo Namo Namo Namo Net Net Net Hai - Bhai Gurdas Ji

"Satguru is an Ocean of Mercy, Daya, Compassion. It means Daya on all alike. This covers the whole humanity."

3) Sarb Dharam Mein Shreisht Dharam Har Ko Nam Jap Nirmal Karam - Sri Guru Granth SahibJi, ang 266

"Best of all religions is the thirst for the Divine and pure deeds, says Sri Guru Arjan Sahib."

4) Saach Kahou Sun Laih Sabhai Jin Prem Kio Tin Hi Prabh Paio - Guru Gobind Singh ji

'Let the Eternal Truth be known by all, Only those who thirst for the Divine attain Him'

Bhai Gurbaksh Singh ji - Shahid Ganj

2011-12-07T11:13:00.001+01:00

Bhai Gurbaksh Singh ji (1688-1764)

Baba Deep Singh ji Shaheed martyrdom in 1757 at Amritsar Sahib was not the last one, in fact it inspired thousands more. In 1757, Baba Deep Singh ji took a vow to evacuate Amritsar Sahib which was in control of Afghani Durrani (Abdali) forces and started his march along with about 500 or so disciples and fulfilled his vow by breathing last at Parikarma periphery of Darbar Sahib Amritsar Sahib. His martyrdom inspired countless others; one of them was Bhai Gurbaksh Singh.
Gurbaksh Singh (1688-1764), also known as Gurbaksh Singh Nihang or Shaheed, hailed from the village of Lil, in Amritsar District. According to an old manuscript which was preserved in the Sikh reference library, Amritsar, until it perished in the Government of India's Army action in 1984, and which is quoted by Singh Sahib Giani Kirpal Singh, he was born on Baisakh Vadi 5, 1745 Bk i.e. 10th April 1688 (father Dasaundha Singh, Mother Mai Lachchami). In 1698, the family shifted to Anandpur where Gurbaksh Singh took pahul of the Khalsa on the historic Baisakhi day of 1699. He completed his religious education under Bhai Mani Singh. He later joined the Shahid Misl under Baba Deep Singh and after the latter's martyrdom in 1757 at Amritsar, organized his own Jatha or fighting band. In battles against Durranis (Afghanis) and Mughals his dera usually formed the vanguard carrying the banner, and won renown of its acts of gallantry.

In November 1764, Ahmad Shah Abdali at the head of 30,000 afghanis invaded India for 7th time, Bhai Gurbaksh Singh happened to be stationed at holy Shrine at Amritsar. The Durrani (Abdali) advanced up to the town virtually unopposed and entered the partially reconstructed Harmandar Sahib, which he had demolished two years earlier. Bhai Gurbaksh Singh, who had already evacuated from the precints women, children, and the aged, had with him only thirty men. According to Ratan Singh Bhangu, prachin Panth Prakash "Bhai Gurbaksh Singh with garlands around his neck and sword on his shoulder, dressed himself as a bridegroom, his men forming the marriage party, waiting eagerly to court the bride-death." As soon as they saw the Afghan king and his hordes, they swooped down upon them.

This was an unequal fight - thirty pitted against thirty thousand. All thirty Sikhs were killed before Gurbaksh Singh, though throughout in the forefront, also fell. Giving an eyewitness account of the action, Qazi Nur Muhammad, the chronicler who was in the train of the invader, writes in his jangnamah when the king and his army reached the chakk (Amritsar Sahib), they did not see any infidel kafir there. But a few men stayed in a fortress were bent upon spilling their blood and they sacrificed themselves for their Guru. They were only thirty in number. They did not have the least fear of death. They engaged the Ghazis (i.e. in Islamic terminology, a Ghazi is a Muslim person who had killed an Infidel or a kafir) and spilled their blood in the process. Thus all of them were slaughtered and consigned to the seventh [hell].

This happened on 1 December 1764. Bhai Gurbaksh Singh was cremated behind Takht Akal bunga, later a tomb was built on the site which is now known as Shahid Ganj.

Salute to Great Sikh Warrior Bhai Gurbax Singh ji

The Gold Watch and a Gursikh's Amritvela

2011-12-01T10:41:00.001+01:00

The Gold Watch and a Gursikh's Amritvela

( Source : http://www.gurmatbibek.com/contents.php?id=59 )

This incident is from 1950s. There was once a gursikh who decided to go out for darshan of Siri Anandpur Sahib and celebrate Holla Mahalla there. After getting darshan, as he was travelling back, he decided to rest for night at Siri Kiratpur Sahib. He found a good spot near a creek and parked his chariot there.

This person was a good gursikh, who used to do regular Naam simran. One's who do Naam simran know that most of the time, worldly thoughts become a big hindrance to concentration on Naam. Only fortunate ones are able to break the bonds of maaiya and other thoughts of this world and concentrate on Naam. Normally, we feel lucky if we can concentrate even for few moments.

As he was about to rest, he was accosted by a simple looking gursikh who seemed uneducated. This gursikh had a cow with him and requested the Gursikh with chariot to allow him to tie his cow to his chariot. The gursikh with cow did not want to sleep alone and was looking for company in this isolated area. The Gursikh with chariot too was happy to get company.

Pretty soon, the second gursikh tied his cow there and few meters away from the chariot lied down on floor. He was asleep in no time. The first Gursikh on the other hand suddenly got a weird thought that perhaps this second gursikh had come to him to steal his gold watch. As soon as this thought came to his mind, all his sleepiness went away. He started thinking that the second gursikh was going to steal his gold watch as soon as he went to sleep.

With such intense and stressful thoughts, the first gursikh could not sleep and now had a severe headache. All night he could not sleep and kept waking up to see if his watch was safe.

In the morning, at amritvela, the second gursikh got up, did ishnaan (take shower) and did his paath / simran. . The first gursikh who could not sleep all night had just slept for few moments when he was woken up by the second gursikh. The second gursikh offered him a glass of fresh milk from his cow and thanked him for letting him sleep near him.

As the second gursikh spoke to him, he (first gursikh) realised how big of a mistake he had committed by suspecting such a gursikh person to be a thief. He now looked at his face and saw how pious he looked. The first gursikh felt very ashamed of his behaviour.

In the meantime, the second gursikh left for his destination. The first gursikh was overwhelmed with feelings of guilt and shame. He thought to himself that he had come to Siri Anandpur Sahib to get laaha and sangat but instead had suspected such a good gursikh. To make matters worse, he lost his amritvela and an opportunity to concentrate on Naam and Baani.

What worse could have happened if he had taken his watch? He should have trusted the gursikh. As he was thinking along these lines and was on his way to his village, he approached the bridge for river Sutlej.

As he was in halfway through on the bridge, he took out his gold watch and threw it in the river.

As he did this, his mann (mind) said to him, "What did you do, you fool? You threw away such a good and expensive watch in the river. You are such a fool."

"I will not give you a reason to hinder my simran and Amritvela in the future. O my Mind, you stayed entangled in the thoughts of this gold watch all night. If you had concentrated in simran, you could have earned million such watches."

The Gursikh felt much better after this

Love, Wealth and Success

2011-11-30T12:16:00.001+01:00

Love, Wealth and Success

A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them.

She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?", they asked.
"No", she said. "He's out.
"Then we cannot come in", they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.

"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"
The woman went out and invited the men in.

"We do not go into a House together," they replied.

"Why is that?" she wanted to know.

One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"

His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?" Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house.

She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"

"Let us heed our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife. "Go out and invite Love to be our guest."

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."

Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?"

The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!"

Manmukh and Gurmukh

2011-11-22T16:01:00.001+01:00

Manmukh and Gurmukh

Once there were two friends, one was a Gurmukh and the other was a Manmukh. Their friendship was deep but Gurmukh
believed in God while Manmukh did not. Gurmukh would wake up early in the morning, take a bath and recite the holy
hymns while Manmukh would still be in bed sound asleep.

Once they were traveling through a forest. As they were passing through the forest, Manmukh found a bag of coal.
He was very happy because he could sell it and make some money. As they further walked while talking about how lucky
Manmukh was to find the bag of coal, Gurmukh screamed with pain. It appeared that a splinter went in Gurmukh's foot.
While Gurmukh was in pain, Manmukh started laughing. Gurmukh was surprised and asked him why was he laughing?
Manmukh said, "You have been worshipping God everyday and what you got as a result is a splinter in your foot.
I have never worshipped God and I still got a bag full of coal."

An old wise man happened to be passing by when he heard Manmukh's comments. The old man had a big ironic smile on his face.
Manmukh was astonished when he saw the old man smile. Manmukh asked the old man about the reason for his smile.
The old man replied, "You are naïve. You do not worship God. You were destined to find a bag of diamonds today if you
have been worshipping God. And Gurmukh, you were destined to die at the moment you got the splinter in your foot.
Because you have been worshipping God, the pain of death simply turned into a splinter." whereas Manmukh's bag of
gold/diamond turned into coal !!

Dhan Dhan Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj

2011-11-10T14:31:00.001+01:00

Dhan Dhan Guru Nanak Sahib Ji

( Soruce : Sri Nanak Parkash - Bhai Santokh Singh ji http://sikhscriptures2english.blogspot.com/ )

Couplet – The earth had become over burdened with the sin of these individuals and the spirit of
righteousness had vanquished. The loving devotion of God had disappeared from the world and
the people began to live in fear. 15.
Quatrain – In the end the earth remembered the name of God she requested shelter and support
from the Lord. She said, "O Lord you are the greatest of all and have no beginning. O God you are
the supreme deity and leader of the demi gods who forever remains the same." 16.
O God you are the protector and helper of the meek and poor. O Lord you are the master of the
meek who cares for them whilst invisible to the human eye. You are exempt from old age,
immortal, who cannot be eulogised and does not adopt guises or forms. You are exempt from fear,
away from the effects of Maya, unaccountable and unknowable. 17
During the age of Kaljug the amount of sin has increased and due to this I am overburdened by its
weight. The present time is very painful and hurtful. Without your assistance O Lord I am unable
to survive. 18.
Couplet – In the age of Satjug righteousness had four feet (Sat, Soch, Tap and Daan) whilst in
Treta there was only three. In the age of Dwapur two feet remained whilst the age of Kaljug was
left with one. 19.
Quatrain – The dark age of sin known as Kaljug has started and for this reason I am over
burdened by this weight. With righteousness standing on its last foot (Daan) the world cannot be
sustained and without your assistance the world can not survive. 20
O the great Lord please listen to my supplication, please assist me in such a way that I will be able
to settle. After listening to the supplication of the earth who was in considerable distress then the
Lord responded. 21.
"For this specific reason I have sent many people to the earth who have started their various
faiths. The reason for which I had sent them was not carried out instead they started their various
orders. 22.
"They did not tell the earth about the glory of my name and did not teach people about loving
devotion to me. Through the name of God the earth can gain support and shelter." These are the
words said by the Lord. 23
"When the name of God and its keertan is done in the world then you will be sheltered. For this
reason I personally will adopt a transcendent form and manifest on the earth as no one else will be
able to perform this task." 24.
In this way God's words gave a refuge to the lamenting earth. By adopting this faith all the burden
of the earth will be decimated. In this way the words of the Lord resonated from the sky causing
great happiness in the heart and in the mind of the earth. 25
The progeny of Sri Ram Chandar was still in existence and had no blemishes and for this reason
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji manifest into the clan of the Bedi's who like a night lotus bloomed with the
arrival of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji who was like the soothing moon. The non transcendent Lord
adopted a transcendent form and manifest on the earth and was known in the form of the
Satguru. 26.
Couplet – The bad deeds are like the night and the age of Kaljug is wrought with fear. The false
hood spread in the world was like the array of stars in the night sky. In the way that many
nocturnal flowers bloom in the night so had many faiths and beliefs bloomed. At that time the
majority rule was by the Islamic faiths. 27.
Quatrain – In order to dispel the darkness Guru Nanak Dev Ji manifest as if he was the rising sun.
In this way Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji illuminated the world. The Guru was like the sun whilst his
discourses were like the rays of the sun. The saints on seeing the sun like Guru had their lotus like
hearts in full bloom. 28.
Those living in falsehood and atheists all felt the pain of the sun like Guru as the owls do when the
sun rises. Those who believed in the Guru were in bliss as the Chaki is when it sees the sun rise.
The radiance of meditation was illuminated throughout the world. The ignorance within the
devotees was dispelled by the Guru. 29.
Those great beings were awoken once they gained wisdom and knowledge. In the way a person
leaves a dream and awakens the devotees left their sinful past gaining knowledge and devotion. In
order to sustain the wisdom of the great beings Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji manifest into the clan of the
Bedi's. 30.

Prayer of a Sikh

2011-11-02T09:24:00.001+01:00

Prayer of a Sikh

( Source : Book - The spirit born People by Puran Singh)

A poor Sikh retailer was once arrested in that wild savage Kabul, in those old days of Guru Har Rai ji, the Master of Amritsar. The charge against him, the shopkeeper, was that he weighed less. His particular weight was not up to the right legal standard. The law makers of Kabul were bent upon throwing the Sikh, the disciple of the Master, into the burning oven, for he was weighing less than the material needed for making bread. The law of Kabul had neither pity nor sympathy for him. But whatever his fault, his wife and daughter and children were all dependent upon him and they cried. He, if alone, could have endured any punishment, but seeing the piteous condition of his family, he too cried out to the Master. With all his faults, he had the unique distinction of being His disciple. The cry reaches the throne of Amritsar, for the Master is so close to his disciples. He hears the soft moaning of his children that went crying to sleep in the street dust of Kabul. He hears the soft sobs of a wife that lay fainting on the floor of her house at Kabul, crying to the Master, "Save him, pray, save him!" and so intensely that her cry stabbed her dead on the floor.

The Master sat at Amritsar. It is written that a devotee had just then come and offered five copper pice to Him. The Master did not notice the corner, but took his five pice and began, in a meaningless way, putting them now in his right, then in his left hand and went on doing this wayward act for a couple of hours or so. As he threw the pice down he said, "Thank God, My Sikh is saved."

And there in Kabul, at that very time, the balance was trembling in favour of the disciple. His weight was being tested, now on the right pan, then on the left. They found at last that the weight was quite accurate. It was certainly immaterial whether the man or his family was destroyed or not, but when the Man of Prayer chose to throw the weight of his faith into the balance for being weighed along with the disciple as a reality of the soul, and not as a mere illusion, like many things of the earth earthly, he was saved. The Response of the Guru is varied and, at all times, living. The mother covers all the faults of her child. As justice is tempered with mercy, so it is with the Guru, the Personal God of men. A thief no more remains a thief after having obtained faith and a thief, too, is bound to be saved when he, in some unknown strange kind of distress, calls upon Him for His Mercy in such an undetermined way that he himself does not know to repeat it in that way at another time. Prayers like this, too, are forms of inspiration.

Truth about Punjab - SGPC White Paper

2011-10-27T13:47:00.001+02:00

Truth about Punjab - SGPC White Paper

"Thou shoudst not decide, until thouhast heard what both have to say" - Aristophanes

Url: http://www.globalsikhstudies.net/pdf/white%20paper.pdf

Bandi-Chhor Divas (Diwali)

2011-10-25T13:17:00.001+02:00

Bandi-Chhor Divas (Diwali)

(Source: Varinderpal Singh)

The Sikhs celebrate Diwali in memory of the return of the sixth Nanak (Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji) from detention in the Gwalior Fort.

When Murtaja Khan, Nawab of Lahore, noticed that Guru Ji had constructed Sri Akaal Takht Sahib, 'The Throne of the Almighty', at Amritsar, and was also strengthening his army, he informed about it to the Mughal Emperor Jahangeer. He emphasized that he is making preparations to take revenge for his father's torture and martyrdom. Jahangeer at once sent Wazir Khan and Guncha Beg to Amritsar to arrest Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji..

But Wazir Khan who was a devotee of the Sikh Guru's requested the Guru to accompany them to Delhi as Emperor Jahangeer wanted to meet him. Guru Sahib accepted the invitation and reached Delhi.

On their first meeting when Jahangeer saw the Guru, he was completely won over by his youthful charm and holiness. The Emperor gave a royal welcome to the Guru. But Chandu Shah could not bear it. His daughter was still unmarried and thus the rotten sore was still bleeding (that Guru Arjan Dev Ji and the Sikh Sangat had refused the offer to marry his daughter with his son Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji). At Agra, the Emperor fell seriously ill. The physicians tried their best but they failed to care him. Then Chandu Shah conspired with the astrologers, who were asked to tell the Emperor that his sickness was due to wrong track of stars and it could, be cared only if some holy man goes to Gwallior Fort to offer prayers to the deity. He also pointed out that Guru Hargobind Ji was such a holy man and he should be asked go to Gwallior Fort. At the Emperor's request Guru Ji agreed and left for the Gawalior Fort.

In the fort Guru Ji met many princes who were detained there due to political reasons. They were leading a very deplorable life. With the help of Hari Dass (the governor of fort) Guru Ji improved their condition. Hari Daas was a Sikh of Guru Nanak and he become ardent devotee of Guru Hargobind. Once when Chandu wrote to Hari Daas to poison Guru Sahib, he at once placed that letter before Guru Ji.

When several months passed and Guru Ji was not released then Baba Buddha Ji and other devotees sikhs met the Guru. They informed him about the despicable condition of the Sikhs, who were waiting for him with great eagerness. The Guru assured them that they should not worry, he would join them soon. In the meantime Sai Mian Meer Ji met Jahangeer and asked him to release the Guru. Jahangeer, who had fully recovered ordered Wazir Khan to release Guru Sahib. But Guru Ji declined to leave the fort unless the princes confined in the fort were also released.

When Wazir Khan informed the Emperor about the desire of the Guru Ji, the Emperor was forced to agree, though he didn't want to free the prisoners. But the Emperor put down the condition that "whoever can hold on to the Guru's cloak can be released." Having compassion for others, Guru Sahib was determined to get the fifty–two Hindhu princes prisoners freed. He had a cloak made with 52 corners, for each King to hold on to and Guru Ji finally left the fort with all fifty-two princes. As the Guru liberated all the prisioners he is known as Bandi-Chhor (Liberator). Jahangeer was very much pleased with his Goodness. He ordered Wazir Khan to bring Guru Hargobind Sahib in his court at Delhi with great honour. Jahangeer had realised that he was wrong for torturing and killing His father (Guru Arjan Dev Ji), who had not committed any crime or offense. He exonerate himself by indicting the crime on Chandu Shah and other officers.

A Gurudwara known as Bandi-Chhor is built at the place where Guru Ji stayed during his detention. The Sikhs celebrate this day as Bandi Chhorr Divas i.e., "the day of release of detainees" and illuminations are made in the Gurdwaras and in homes.

What do we learn from Bandi-Chhor Diwas?

52 Hindu Kings were freed with Guru Sahib. Guru Sahib could have left the Fort alone, however, Guru Ji thought of others before himself. For him the ohers freedom and rights were more important than his own. Guru Ji never thought only of his emancipation but was concerned about everyone's emancipation (SARBAT DA BHALLA). This is the attitude and virtue which Guru Ji wanted to fill within his Sikhs. We should pray for His mercy. May WAHEGURU emancipate our soul from five dreaded vices and help us to enjoy real essence of light within.

MAY THE LIGHT THAT WE CELEBRATE AT DIWALI SHOW US THE WAY AND LEAD US TOGETHER ON THE PATH OF PEACE AND SOCIAL HARMONY.

Sheshnag covered Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji's face from the sun

2011-10-06T16:37:00.001+02:00

Sheshnag covered Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji's face from the sun

( Source: Sri nanak Prakash - http://sikhscriptures2english.blogspot.com)

Couplet - The beautiful life story of the Lord manifest as Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is being beautifully expounded while he grows like a blossoming flower showing its glory during the rainy season. 2.

Quatrain - The beautiful soft leaved trees are showing their glory and the multi coloured plants continued to show their beauty. In this season the victorious Basant king returns with his army and the females prepare for the arrival of their partners by decorating themselves with make up longing to eradicate the strain of separation. 3.

The leaves from the forest trees fall off and the red flowers are blooming everywhere. The warriors wearing red coloured clothing are ready to go into battle. 4.

Seeing the mango's growing in the groves the king is becoming pleased so that the nightingale chirps with its beautiful voice. The mind is crying out the details of the Basant (rainy season) king. The females seeing the anger that the males have in them are kicking them out of their land. 5.

Seeing the colour of the flowers the bees collect their sustenance from them. It seemed as if there was an orchestra and singers in front of the metaphorical king Basant. 6.

The birds are singing beautifully as if they were bards singing the praise of the metaphorical king Basant. The air blows the fragrance on the females to the men to assist in ending their separation. 7.

New flowers coloured white, black, red and yellow are standing and are blooming giving great glory. Small branches are sprouting on the trees as if they are the aigrette on the crown of the King of Basant. 8.

In this way the jungle looks beautiful and is where Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji walks through daily. The residence of virtues Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji in the month of Vaisakh is grazing his cattle there. 9.

By seeing the new green grass Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji grazes the cattle there. When the day had come to midday and the sun was shining very bright. 10.

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was tired and whilst grazing the cattel found a place to rest. Seeing such a lovely tree and its shade Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji decided to rest. 11.

A cool fragrant breeze was blowing and Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji collected some soft leaves and spread a white sheet over them. On top of this Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji the granter of mercy lay to rest. 12.

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji closed his eyes and went to sleep. Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the eradicator of conscious problems and had fallen asleep at this location. When six gharis had passed through sleep the shade of the tree moved. 13.

The Sun had gone in a western direction and the sun was shining on the face of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The sharp sun rays were going on the face of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji causing sweat which shined like the water on the flowering lotus blossom. 14.

It was like the moon was the face of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji out of which drops of ambrosial nectar where dripping. It was as if Sheshnag had realised in his heart that he should shield the sun from the Guru. 15.

Sheshnag is white like the milk of a cow and adopted the form of a snake to come to the location. Seeing the blissful face of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji he prostrated with love. 16.

He then circumbulated Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji three times (this was done to give his mind body and soul to the Guru). He stood close to the face of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and spread his hood which looked like a stream from the Ganges river. 17.

In this way the white hood of Sheshnag was getting great glory as if it was like the ocean. The shadow of the hood covers the face of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and he does not move as if he was insentient. 18.

In this way some time elapsed and h gave shade to Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji with great pleasure. At this time Rai Bular was returning with soldiers to Talwandi. 19.

He arrived close to the location where Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji was asleep, here his fortune blossomed as well as the return of his great deeds. He was escorted by an army on beautiful horses and had great desire to return home. 20.

When he saw this snake he assumed that someone was using a sheet to cover themselves from the sun. He wondered why they had given up the shade of the tree for the shade of the sheet? 21.

He continued to think in this manner until he got closer to Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji he heard the hissing of the Snake and realised it wasn't a sheet but a snake. He Saw that it was a snake with a big hood which was spread very wide. 22.

Thinking about what to do the mind of Rai Bular became encompassed with mercy. he thought 'If this child is to die the snake will eat it. If this person is to live then he is a divine manifestation and the white snake is serving them.' 23.

He sent his servant to go and inspect further, when he did this the snake slid away into a hole in the ground. Rai Bular stopped his horse and got off to see further, what amazing feat he has just witnessed. 24.

When he went close he heard the noise of the horses which woke Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. The eyes of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji opened as if they were the blooming of two lotus blossoms. The eyes are like the bee which stays close to the blossom. 25.

When Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji realised that Rai Balar was on horseback close to him. He was closely followed by his army. Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji got up and bowed his head to Rai Bular due to him being his elder. Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji is the being who destroys the sins in the age of Kaljug. 26.

Rai Bular who was the carer of the village got off his horseback and hugged Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. With great love he embraced Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and kissed his forehead. 27.

In his mind was great love for Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and realised that he was some divine manifestation. After this day he kept firm faith in this conviction and never wavered. 28.

He understood that Guru Nanak Dev Ji was God and with his mind bowed to the feet of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He became so imbued with love in that moment that he was unable to speak. He realised that the Guru was the divine liberator. 29.

Rai Bular got on his horse and left but found all his hair was standing on end. He went back to his house very pleased and sat down. In his mind he is deliberating that this child (Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji) will be able to cut the cycle of transmigration for everyone. 30.

Distance

2011-09-21T15:25:00.001+02:00

Distance

Source : http://sikhithoughts.blogspot.com/

A saint asked his disciples, 'Why do we shout in anger? Why do people shout at each other when they are upset?'

Disciples thought for a while. One of them said, 'Because we lose our calm, we shout for that.' 'But, why to shout when the other person is just next to you?' asked the saint. 'Isn't it possible to speak to him or her with a soft voice? Why do you shout at a person when you're angry?' Disciples gave some other answers but none satisfied the saint.

Finally he explained, 'When two people are angry at each other, their hearts distance a lot. To cover that distance they must shout to be able to hear each other. The angrier they are, the stronger they will have to shout to hear each other through that great distance.' Then the saint asked, 'What happens when two people fall in love? They don't shout at each other but talk softly, why? Because their hearts are very close. The distance between them is very small...' The saint continued, 'When they love each other even more, what happens? They do not speak, only whisper and they get even closer to each other in their love. Finally they even need not whisper, they only look at each other and that's all.

That is how close two people are when they love each other.'

So when you argue don't let your hearts get distanced... don't say words that distance each other more, else there will come a day when the distance is so great that you will not find the path to return.

Guru Gobind Singh ji and Naina Devi Yagna ?

2011-09-16T14:04:00.001+02:00

Guru Gobind Singh ji and Naina Devi Yagna ?

After the battle of Bhangani where Guru Ji defeated the forces of the hill rajas under the command of Raja Bhim Chand, Guru ji returned to Anandpur Sahib. Due to the threat of the hill chieftains martial preparations began in earnest - recruitment and training of Sikh solders, building of forts, collection of arms and materials.

Some devious brahmins thought of blackmailing Guru Ji by suggesting that he should go for worship of the goddess Durga in order to invoke her blessings for future battles. After hearing them patiently, Guru Ji told them that he relied for his protection only on Akal Purkh, the Great Time spirit and Primeval Energy which he also called 'Maha Kal', 'Pritham Bhagauti' and 'Kalka-Chandika' in his writings, but very much in line with Guru Nanak Dev ji's method of exposing myths, rituals and hypocrisy, the Guru allowed the Pandits to conduct a ceremony on the near by hill top of Naina Devi and said if they could produce that Primeval Energy in any other visible form, then he would consider their request. Guru Ji offered to provide them with the necessary materials and also pay them the money, for which they were actually making the proposal. Their leader, Kashav Das, promised that he would reveal the goddess by reciting the 'Chandi mantra' one lakh times. It is recorded that Pandit Kashev Das experimented with the sacrificial fire for many days/weeks on top of the Naina Devi hill near Anandpur Sahib. Guru Ji would occasionally climb the hill to watch what was going on.

One day Guru Ji went to see the Pandit and asked him why the goddess had not appeared. Pandit Kashav replied that the time was fast approaching but what was needed was a celebatarian of high caste to be offered as a sacrifice. Guru Ji was amused by this request and promptly told the Pandit that since he had observed celibacy during this period there would be no better person then him for the sacrifice. Sensing danger he had unwittingly invited, he made his escape in the early hours of the morning. Guru Ji anticipated the result of Kashev Das' experiment, he thought it futile to be associated with it any longer and dumped the remaining material into the fire and hastened down the hill with a glistening sword in hand and resplendent glory on his face. When in the early hours of the morning the people saw the flames going up in the sky some thought that the goddess had appeared. At this point Guru ji came forward drawing his sword which flashed in the light of the roaring flames and declared: 'This is the real Durga, the destroyer of evil! This is the true Goddess of power today which will raise the suffering humanity from its degrading condition.' He also called it by another name BHAGAUTI.

Guru Ji associated himself with the ceremony only for the sake of exposing the brahminical faith is such ceremonies and confirming the conviction of the Sikhs to worship the one Timeless Lord .

Max Arthur Macauliffe - The Sikh Religion in 6 volumes

2011-09-13T17:25:00.001+02:00

Max Arthur Macauliffe - The Sikh Religion in 6 volumes

This probably the most comprehensive set on Sikhism compiled in the early 20th century. The author was
mesmerized by a Sikh celebration. The man began to do a lot of research and found out that there was not much information on the Sikh religion. In cooperation with the Great Sikh Scholar Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha and through rigorous labor they produced this book set on Sikhism. The mans British superioirs criticized him for turning a Sikh. In his servants memoirs it is recorded that about 30 minutes before he passed away he was reciting the Japji Sahib. This man dedicated his life to this. The book set has gone into public domain and is available. It is an insult to this mans life if we do not learn from this monumental work. THis work CONTAINS EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING you can imagine on Sikhi.!!!!!!!!

Note: These pdf files range from 25-50mgs and to save them right click and save target as.

Enjoy!!!!!!

Volume One
http://www.archive.org/download/thesikhreligion01macauoft/thesikhreligion01macauoft.pdf

Volume Two
http://www.archive.org/download/thesikhreligioni02macauoft/thesikhreligioni02macauoft.pdf

Volume Three
http://www.archive.org/download/thesikhreligio203macauoft/thesikhreligio203macauoft.pdf

Volume Four
http://www.archive.org/download/thesikhreligioni03macauoft/thesikhreligioni03macauoft.pdf

Volume Five
http://www.archive.org/download/thesikhreligioni05macauoft/thesikhreligioni05macauoft.pdf

Volume Six
http://www.archive.org/download/thesikhreligioni06macauoft/thesikhreligioni06macauoft.pdf

Baba terian tu he jane !

2011-08-12T10:32:00.000+02:00

Baba terian tu he jane !

Bhai Mardana ji was amongst first Sikhs of Guru Nanak . He travelled far and wide with Baba ji and on Babaji's order would start playing his Rabab . He played and Baba ji prayed .

In the deep forests , on the high mountains , crossing deserts , crossing pleatues , Baba ji walked and like his shadow Mardana ji walked , quietly following the footsteps of Baba ji . Dhur ki bani came to pious ' rasna ' of Baba ji, who sang in melodious voice of undescribable depth ,sweet , deep , intense resonating with the tone tunkar of Rabab . They walked while Baba ji delivered message of Sachkhand to mankind . Many a times Mardana ji would ask many questions which were later compiled and formed the core of Sikh thesis .

Mardana ji who inspite of, being 9 years older in age than Satguru ji called Satguru , Baba ji whom he considered older than him , for Spiritual wisdom of Satguru ji and said , " Baba ji we travel far and wide and whereever we go you ask people to do Simran , listen , learn hear / do keertan and you tell Simran is the most important thing in life but Baba ji , people seem to forget what you teach and do not obey, and do not do keertan or simran except very few Why is it so ?".

Guru Baba ji replied , " Aho Mardania , you are right but look around you , there are people who are land owners , who deal with buisness of land . Ask them anything about owning houses , buying land for farming , selling it , in a minute you will get an answer like how much is this land worth of , that land worth of , when is it a good time to buy a home or homes and when is it time to sell they will tell you in very short time .
That then becomes the main focus of their minds and every moment they live into it .

Then there are people who make profits out of selling and buying groceries , Ask them a question and quickly one will get an answer whether profit can be made out of buisness of oil or flour or pulses or sugar .
That then becomes the main focus of their minds and every moment they live into it .

This is the way creator Waheguru ji created his creation .Every human being is involved in weaving his thoughts and mind controls them . These are the laws of nature , rules of cosmos , the way human behaviour comes forth in life

But land buisness dealers know nothing of pulses, oils or grocery buisness and groceries donot sell property in their shelves .

Similarly out of thousands few have realized folly and uselessness of wealth , diamonds , gold , houses , luxurious lifestyles and they realize that goal of life is beyond wealth and material and that only one breath seprates them and everything they have from death , They then become ateet , udasi , bairagi (detached ) and run to come and listen to dhur ki bani and earn the profit of life .So Gurbani becomes the main focus of their mind.These human beings are called Gurmukhs and my keertan is meant for them and they are very few . My work is to find them and give this precious jewel of Nam Keertan .

Once they realize that this was their goal ,they then donot live a moment without Nam Keertan .

Others know nothing about it.

Mardana ji said , " Baba terian tu he jane "

Truth and Falsehood

2011-06-22T11:04:00.001+02:00

Truth and Falsehood

Life is merely a temporary charm.
Be good to all and do no harm.

Guru Nanak Dev ji reached Sialkot, now in Pakistan, on one of the Udasis (preaching missions). The people, who came to see him, told him that they were greatly worried about themselves and their city. Guru ji asked the reason for that. They said that a Muslim mystic named Hamza Gaus had gone on a 40 days meditation to destroy the city and its residents. This was because he was angry at the behaviour of one person. He made a decision to use his powers to make the whole city sink into the earth and make it vanish forever. Guru Nanak Dev assured them that no harm would come to them. They should go and get busy with their jobs and always keep God in their mind.

The Guru went to the place where the Pir had locked himself in a chamber in which he sat meditating to destroy the city. Bhai Mardana was asked to play on the rebeck while the Guru started singing a shabad. The Pir heard the music and virtues of God sung outside his chamber. He was so tempted by the celestial music/shabads that he broke his 40 day continuous meditation, opened the door and came out. He was surprised to see the Guru and his associates. He asked them, "Who are you"? Why have you come here and interrupted my meditation?"

The Guru told him to calm down and reminded him that holy men are expected to serve and help the people with the power and virtues God bestows on them. It is sin to use the holy powers to harm people. Pir insisted that all the people of the city were evil. None possessed any goodness. They all deserved to be destroyed. The Guru decided to reveal the truth to him. He gave some money to his associate and sent him to the city to purchase a packet each of "truth" and "falsehood."

The person went to the city and moved from shop to shop in search of truth and falsehood. He always got a negative answer to his query. Finally, he contacted Bhai Moola. He took the money and wrote on a piece of paper, Marna Sach, Jeona Jhuth. "Death is a truth and life is a falsehood."

The Guru showed this to the Pir and warned him that he was totally wrong to think of doing any harm to such people. There were people who knew and understood that life is temporary, hence, a falsehood. Death is sure to come to everyone. While after death, our soul lives forever hence, death is a truth.

Pir confessed that he was wrong to believe that everybody was bad and needed to be destroyed. He decided to serve the people and not harm them with the knowledge and virtues that God had given him.

Powers given by God should be used to help people and not harm them. Life is a temporary phase, death is inevitable.

Guru Nanak Dev ji and Mardana ji

2011-06-16T09:52:00.001+02:00

Healthy Living

From Delhi Guru Nanak and Mardana started travelling towards the East. After walking for a few days they broke their journey in a grove of trees. Next day at noon they saw a planquin. It was being carried by six persons. They stopped and put the planquin under a tree. A Pir alighted from it. His attendants spread a sheet over the grass. The Pir lay down. All of them started pressing his arms and legs to remove his tiredness.

Mardana was surprised. He said to the Guru, "What is all this? The one who had been sitting in the planquin is tired and the men who carried the planqin are not tired. They are pressing the Pir's body to take away the tiredness".

Guru Nanak smiled and said, "Those who remain active have good appetite. They are able to digest what they eat. They have strong and healthy bodies. Those who do not work and just keep on sitting lose their appetite. If they over eat they are not able to digest. They get tired soon".

Mardana could not understand what the Guru had said. He said again, "The Pir does not appear to be sick. He has not even walked. I cannot understand why does he feel tired?" The Guru laughed and said, "The Pir is tired for two reasons. In his previous life he has been practising penace and austerities to get the power to perform miracles. Owing to the good deeds of his previous life he has become a Pir during this life. People know him as a Pir. He has become lazy and does nothing. He does not even walk. As he had given up work, his body has become feeble. He gets tired even while sitting in the planquin.

This is the plight of a man who has gone astray. If he loves God and works for the welfare of the people both his body and mind will remain healthy. He will be successful in his life and after his death go to the land of Bliss"

This Fauji is ready now

2011-06-09T12:33:00.001+02:00

Nihang Singh ji
(source: www.sikhroots.com)

Gyani Udham Singh Ji wrote a book many years ago about Ikonkaar and the power of Satguru Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj's bani. Within this book Gyani Ji wrote the following sakhi which he experienced with his own eyes:

One time there was a Nihang Singh who used to live at a Gurudwara Sahib in a village in India. Gyani Udham Singh Ji visited this Gurudwara Sahib and saw the Nihang Singh Ji rush outside through the doors of the Gurudwara Sahib as if his very life depended on it.

After a while the Nihang Singh would return to the darbar of Dhan Dhan Dhan Dhan Dhan Satguru Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj and take his place within the sangat. After a certain time had elapsed the Nihang Singh Ji would rush outside once again.

Gyani Udham Singh Ji began to wonder what the Nihang Singh Ji was doing and decided to follow him outside the next time he rushed out. When the Nihang Singh Ji did so Gyani Udham Singh Ji saw him run into a field behind the Gurudwara Sahib (facing Guru Granth Sahib Ji) and stand with his hands together before matha teking. After remaining like this for a while the Nihang Singh Ji would then get up and walk back towards the Gurudwara Sahib.

When Gyani Udham Singh Ji saw this he thought in his mind that the Nihang Singh has probably taken some bhang and does not know what he is doing. But then he thought that he should ask the Nihang Singh Ji why he does what he does.

The next time the Nihang Singh Ji rushed out Gyani Udham Singh Ji quickly stopped him and said, "Where are you going?" The Nihang Singh Ji quickly replied, "Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj and the fauj are waiting, I have to get ready!"

Gyani Udham Singh Ji still thought that the Nihang Singh Ji was under the influence of nasha. However when he sat near to the Nihang Singh Ji in the darbar of Guru Sahib all he could hear vibrating from the Nihang Singh was, "Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru, Dhan Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj, Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru, Waheguru, Dhan Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj".

As Gyani Udham Singh Ji heard this he saw the Nihang Singh Ji bow before Maharaj and say, "This Fauji is ready now" as he ran through the Gurudwara Sahib doors and into the field where he placed his head. Only this time the Nihang Singh Ji didn't get up.

When the Sangat saw this they gathered around and were left in a state of shock. One of the old sevadaars of the Gurudwara Sahib stepped outside of the crowd and said that this Nihang Singh Ji was no ordinary Singh but a Bandagiwala Mahapursh who choose to remain Gupt.

The sevadaar said that he used to see the Nihang Singh Ji daily but the Singh would remain absorbed in Sri Mool Mantar Sahib Ji, Sri Gurmantar Sahib Ji and Seva.

Dhan Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj.

1984: Guru Ji Protects His Children…

2011-06-05T10:45:00.001+02:00

1984: Guru Ji Protects His Children…

http://tuhitu.blogspot.com/2009/06/sakhi-series-128-1984-guru-ji-protects.html

Tarlochan Singh on culprits of 1984

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpZAf5Dl850&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Solar Eclipse at Kurukshetra

2011-06-03T09:41:00.001+02:00

Solar Eclipse at Kurukshetra
 (Source : Kanwaljit Singh)

After leaving Hardwar Guru Nanak Dev ji went to Kurukshetra. It was the day of solar eclipse. People in large numbers had gathered there. In those days people had wrong ideas about Solar and Lunar eclipse. They believed that on such occasions Moon and Sun are attacked by demons and this attack can be averted if people take bath in the holy rivers and give money in charity. In order to enlighten the people that these ideas are not true, the Guru went to Kurukshetra when a fair on the day of Solar eclipse was being held there. The Guru set up a camp at an open space outside the city and started singing hymns (Kirtan). Mardana played at the rebeck (rubab) and  accompanied the Guru in singing.

It so happened that the Ruler of Hansi and his queen passed that way. He had been driven out of his kingdom by his opponents. He had come to Kurukshetra to get the blessings of some holy man. He sat near the guru and listened to the kirtan. As he sat there and looked at the divine face of Guru and listened to to the kirtan he was convinced that the Guru was a holy man with great spiritual power. On his way to Kurukshetra, the ruler had hunted a dear and asked his attendants to cook its meat.

People consider it a sin to cook on day of eclipse and cooking meat at pilgrim centres was considered to be an unpardonable sin. When the priests saw the smoke rising from the cooking fire they raised a hue and cry and on when they learnt that meat was being cooked they were even more angry. They gathered large number of people and led them to attack and kill such a sinner. As the cooking was being done near the place where the Guru was singing they thought that he was the culprit. They abused the Guru and threatened to kill him. The Guru spoke to them gently and said, "If it is a sin to cook the flesh of a dear during Solar eclipse how can killing a man be an act of piety? If killing an animal is a sin, killing a man cannot be a virtue". Guru's answer silenced them.

The Guru said, "If you want to discuss the issue, ask Pandits, Scholars and Sanyasis to come here". Many Pandits were called. One of them was pandit Nanoo. He called himself Nanak. The debate of eating non-vegetarian food started. Large number of people stood there, listening to the debate. It was argued that the scriptures forbade meat eating. Our ancestors took only vegetarian food.

The Guru said, "Your holy books say the animals were killed and their flesh offered as sacrifice to fire. Aryans ate flesh. When marriage feasts are held at Kshatri houses, goats are slaughtered and non-vegetarian food is served. Why do you accept charity from those who are meat eaters?" 

The Guru did not say whether one should eat non-vegetarian food. He simply opposed hypocrisy. We should not do one thing and say the other. There should be no difference between our words and deeds. The guru made his point of view very clear. He said, "We should not eat the food which harms the body, makes it sick and leads mind astray. Only that food is good which keeps the body healthy and the mind pure".

The principle laid down by the Guru in this respect is such as can be adopted by people in any country. By following this principle all can lead a happy life.

A Muslim Pir Redeemed

2011-05-30T10:40:00.001+02:00

A Muslim Pir Redeemed

After turning Sajjan the deceiver into a devotee of the Lord, Guru Nanak Dev Ji set on his journey once again. Guru ji travelled for three days and reached a village. A Pir (Muslim holy man) was harassing the people of that village. He did not allow them to build rooms on their first floors. The Guru camped under a tree outside the village. When the Guru sang hymns the people of the village were fascinated and came to listen to the divine music. They felt that they had been blessed. The presence of Guru ji in the village irritated the Pir. His sense of pride was injured. He came to the Guru and said, "The wind blows from one direction and moves to the other. God has ordained that I should roam like the wind". The Pir again said, " I hear, you intend to build a room on the first floor? Do you?" "A wandering hermit" the Guru said, "Lives in the mansion of God. I do not know whether I shall build a room or demolish one". The Guru told the Pir, "Man is made of clay. Therefore he loves it. Soul resides in human body. This is why our body has some worth. But we neither love our soul nor value it. We love that which does not last".

Guru ji continued, "Why are you proud of your attic? When you breathe your last and the soul leaves your body and none shall allow you to reside in it. They won't even allow you to live on the earth. A deep grave shall be dug to bury your dead body. You have never tried to know how shall your soul enter the presence of God ? Of what value shall your pride be to you after your death ? Those who love clay are claimed by it".

Guru Nanak Dev ji's words were full of love, wisdom and truth. The Pir felt enlightened. He felt that the light of true knowledge had illumined his mind. He realised that he had been following a wrong path. He requested the Guru to stay in the village for a few days. In fact he had come to turn the Guru out of the village. But he became his devotee. Guru Nanak stayed there for some more days. The Pir was a haughty man. By the grace of Guru Nanak he gave up his pride. He understood the real meanings of life. In the company of the Guru he realised, "All men are created by God. All human beings are His children. He who loves God can never trouble his fellow men. God can never be happy with those who make human beings unhappy".

Just as Sajjan Thug (the deceiver), had become a true devotee of God and a servant of mankind, this Pir who used to frighten and harass other people, became a true Pir.

Preserving Guru’s relics at Bhai Roopa

2011-05-05T10:53:00.002+02:00

Bathinda, Punjab: Bhai Roopa—a village in Rampura Phul sub-division of Bathinda district — has the rare honour of possessing a bundle of holy relics related to Sikh Gurus, which they handed over to the family of Bhai Roop Chand — after whom the village is named — acknowledging it as their own family.

As per the information gathered, the sixth Sikh Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji laid the foundation of village Bhai Roopa in 1687 Bikrami (1630 AD) in the name of his devotee Bhai Roop Chand.

Later, Guru Hargobind Ji, recognising the devotion of Roop Chand and his family, honoured him with the title of 'Bhai' (own brother) and put him in charge of the spiritual welfare of the new region of Malwa.

Bhai Roop Chand and his family also served ninth Sikh master Guru Teg Bahadur Ji and 10th Sikh master Guru Gobind Singh Ji. Bhai Roop Chand and his seven sons had received 'Amrit' from the sacred hands of tenth Sikh Guru Gobind Singh Ji and enlisted themselves in his 'Army of Lions'.

Showing the relics, Bhai Gurchet Singh, 12th successor of Bhai Roop Chand Ji, informed that due to the service to the Guru families, they possessed a bundle of Hukumnamas— royal warrants from the Gurus—in which, besides asking for men, money and war materials, the Guru acknowledged Bhai Roop's family as his own family.

The family possesses a Rabab, wooden shoes of Guru Arjan Dev Ji, one Khadawan of Mata Ganga Ji (wife of Guru Arjan Dev Ji), some paintings of Guru Sahib's era including one of Guru Gobind Singh ji's childhood. They have preserved Mohrhi Sahib, the foundation of the village.

Old chulhas (burner), which were used for langar, bairagans, various utensils, many hand written literature, including one personally signed by Guru Gobind Singh Ji, a sword, rumal (handkerchief), an old chowki and various other historical and religious articles are lying with the family.

Besides, the family has a chariot (rath). The house, where it is placed, is now called as the Rath Sahib Gurudwara. To pay obeisance here, people come from all across the country.

Recalling the history of the chariot, Bhai Gurchet Singh said, "Khuda Bakhsh, a Kashmiri carpenter, to get his wish for a son granted, worked extensively to make the promised chariot for the fourth Sikh master Guru Ramdas Ji.

Later, Guru Arjun Dev Ji took possession of it and on the same chariot, Mata Ganga Ji went to Baba Budda Ji to seek blessings for a son. The same chariot was used by Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji and then also by the seventh Sikh master Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji.

When after committing the mistake of changing sloka on his own, Ram Rai, the son of Guru Har Rai Ji, was debarred from Guruship, he had settled at Dehradun and used this chariot to travel to far off places. It was said that it became famous as the 'flying chariot' because Ram Rai used to fly it using his supernatural powers.

On request from Mata Punjab Kaur, wife of Ram Rai Ji, this chariot was brought by Bhai Gian Chand, grandson of Bhai Roop Chand Ji, from Dehradun for safe keeping. Till this time, it stands at his successors' place in Bhai Roopa village. People come and offer a colourful top cloth over it, when their wishes are granted.

The family exhibits various holy articles at heritage fairs, organised from time to time at different places.

Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sikh-sangat/show/

Bhagat Dhanna Ji

2011-04-27T17:14:00.001+02:00

Bhagat Dhanna Ji was a Sikh Bhagat born in Dhuan village in Tantr state, Rajasthan, present day North West India in about 1415. He was a simple Indian farmer. He worked hard on his farm all day tending his crops. He used to go past the house of this Clever Pundit everyday on the way to his work on the farm. Dhanna Ji used to listen to the Pundit singing religions verses and carry out various ritualistic acts, which were beyond the understanding of this simple Jatt (farmer). He found these acts intriguing but never asked the religious man about any of the things that he had observed in the many years that he had gone past the Pundit's house.

One day, Bhai Dhanna ji was passing the pundit's house and noticed that the religious man was feeding his Thakur - a stone idol. Bhai Dhanna ji was quite puzzled by what he was observing. On this occasion as he had some free time, he went and asked the Pundit. Dhanna Ji asked "Pundit Ji, What are you doing?"

The Pundit was very hungry and wanted to get this feeding over as soon as possible and really wasn't in a mood for Bhai Dhanna ji's simple inquiries. He replied, "Oh, nothing, I just feeding my Thakur. Now if you will excuse me..."

Bhai Dhanna ji found that incredibly funny, "What is the use of feeding a stone?"

Pundit, "That is not a stone, it is God. It's Thakur!"

Dhanna, "Really? What happens if you feed the Stone.... I mean, what happens when you feed the Thakur?"

Pundit: "The Thakur gives you everything!! If you can please God, you will get everything. Now, I really must ask you to leave...I have a lot to do"

Bhai Dhanna ji liked this idea of giving a little food to this small God and getting back everything. So Bhai Dhanna ji asked the pundit if he could also have a Thakur.

At this time, the pundit's stomach was audibly complaining about lack of food. So he hastily picked up the nearest stone off the ground and said, "Here. First feed Thakur, then you eat. Understood! Goodbye." Saying that the pundit dived into the food left over by Thakur. "Lovely I really could not have waited any longer!"

Bhai Dhanna ji held the stone closely to his chest and hurried home. As soon as Bhai Dhanna ji got home, he first carefully and loving washed the stone. Having bathe the Thakur, Dhanna then cooked the best meal he knew for dinner. He placed it in front of Thakur and said, "Here Thakur ji, please eat this food, I have made it lovingly for you. Afterwards, I want to discuss many things with you. I need a new cow for example, and a few other simple request - but for now, please eat."

Saying that Bhai Dhanna ji sat in front of Thakur and waited. And waited. And waited. After a while, Bhai Dhanna ji said, "Look Thakur, I really have no time for your play. Come and eat at once! I have many things to do."

After several hours, Bhai Dhanna ji thought perhaps Thakur ji was annoyed at him – May be he has done something wrong. So Bhai Dhanna ji tried to persuade Thakur ji to forgive him: "Look here Thakur, I haven't eaten in a while. Now it is entirely possible that I have done something to annoy you but believe you me, we can discuss this much better after this Roti is in our stomachs." Still nothing happened. Slowly the night deepened. It was now pitch dark outside and the Thakur was showing no signs of eating the delicious food.

Bhai Dhanna ji was now getting angry and said, "Look Thakur, I have one nerve left and you are dancing on it. Either eat your food or I will....", Bhai Dhanna ji couldn't really think of anything else to say so he bust out in anger. Still nothing happened! The angry outburst had no effect on the Thakur.

Pretty soon, Danna ji could see light skies in the East and soon it was going to became daylight. Bhai Dhanna ji felt quite disoriented and confused. Sometimes Bhai Dhanna ji would curse the Thakur, sometimes Bhai Dhanna ji would hug the Thakur and sometimes Bhai Dhanna ji would start crying.

Two long and hungry nights and days passed in this manner. Dhanna ji tried every way to convince the Thakur to take the food. He tried with all the tricks that he knew, with all the love that he could muster, with all the pleadings that he knew, with all the anger – But nothing appeared to work. Dhanna Ji was a stubborn farmer but he was failing miserably here. However, his conviction had not faltered. He kept working on his begging and pleadings.

Then at amrit vela (early dawn) on the third day, when Dhanna ji was too weak to curse any more, Waheguru decided to intervene. To stop Dhanna from going mad, Waheguru gave Bhai Danna a vision in form of a young man. It was the most beautiful body of a young man. Dhanna ji lost all his anger and just stared at the young man.

Speaking through the young man Waheguru said, "Dhanna ji, Sorry, I am late…" Dhanna ji interrupted and said, "I will warm up the food. Thakur Ji you must eat the food – You must also be very hungry" Dhanna Ji feed the young man and eats food himself after staying hungry for over 2 days.

After, eating the food, Dhanna Ji say to Waheguru, "As I said to you two days ago, I have a few things to discuss with you. First there is the work on the farm and then…."

Bhai Dhanna ji fell head over heels in love with the young man (through whom God spoke to him). He couldn't resist being with the young man. They spent the next few days literally arm in arm. Even at night, Bhai Dhanna ji would listen to Waheguru songs - Waheguru sang a lot - and would drift off to sleep. A week later, the Pundit was passing Bhai Dhanna ji's hut. Bhai Dhanna ji saw him and ran to him and said, "Oh, Pundit ji, you are the most wonderful man. I can never thank you enough for giving me that marvellous Thakur..."

Pundit, "What you on about??? OK, Oh, yeah, sure, anytime. Look, I am in a hurry. I am going to the big Pundit gathering..."

Bhai Dhanna ji: "But please come and drink some lassi (Milk Shake). Thakur ji makes the best lassi."

Pundit: "What now? What are you saying? Thakur makes something?"

Bhai Dhanna ji: "Oh yes! It's the best in the world. Just look at him, how handsome he is!"

Pundit ji looked and indeed he could see that someone was pushing the cows on the farm. And yet there was nobody to be seen.

Pundit ji: "Who is controlling the cows. Who is that?"

Bhai Dhanna ji: "Why, that is Thakur ji, of course. Can't you recognise him. Oh, you should hear him sing...It's out of this world!"

Pundit ji was quite intrigued by now. And kept repeatedly asking Bhai Dhanna ji about Thakur. After a while Bhai Dhanna ji realized that Pundit could not see Thakur ji. Dhanna ji promised that he would talk to Thakur about this.

The Pundit left. Bhai Dhanna ji went to Waheguru and said, "Thakur ji, how come Pundit ji can't see you?"

Waheguru: "The Pundit really doesn't want to see me. He is more interested in my maid – Maya and he is captivated in it entanglement. He has no real interest in me only in my creation"

Dhanna ji: "But I don't understand. Why can I see you and others cannot? How can one begin to see you?"

Waheguru: "One has to become pure. And in this age, Dhanna ji, the only way to become pure is by reciting Naam."

Dhanna ji: "Naam?"

Waheguru: "Naam is the magic of this age. Even a few minutes of Naam Simran will bring the magic that is needed to see me."

Dhanna ji: "But, I haven't recited Naam. How come I can see you?"

The young man, touched Bhai Dhanna ji 's forehead. Bhai Dhanna ji's surat went inside. Inside he saw that he, Bhai Dhanna ji, had done heavy tapasaya for over many lifetimes. He had stood in water all night and in the hot sun all day. He had hung upside down for several lifetimes. He had been a celibate in one lifetime and a moni (ones who don't talk) in another. But he had progressed spiritually very little.

Then in his previous life, he had met the holy saints (sangat) who had given him Naam. And by doing Naam Simran for just one lifetime, Bhai Dhanna ji had become pure. Seeing Waheguru ji was the reward for his Naam from previous life.

Bhai Dhanna ji fell at the young man's feet and cried. Saying, "Please forgive this fool, I treated you as an equal..."

The young man ji picked him and held him close, singing songs of comfort, "Bhai Dhanna ji, now the time is right to leave. The way you see me now is the superficial way of meeting me. The real way is inside. Now you must start Naam Simran again and then I will meet you inside."

Saying that the young man vanished into thin air. Bhai Dhanna ji was enlightened now. He restarted his Naam Simran with each breath. Within days, Bhai Dhanna ji had parkash (sighting) of Waheguru ji within his mind and through this enlightenment; we today have the benefit of Dhanna Bani in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib.

When we bow to Sri Guru Granth Sahib, we are not just acknowledging the advice and lives of our ten Gurus but also the lives and Bani of 15 Sikh Bhagats.

God is within us all and pervades throughout his creation (there is universe beyond universe...Japji Sahib). So if we want vision of God then we need to meditate on his name (he has innumerable names, as told to us by Guru Gobind Singh Ji). It is important to note that God DOES NOT take any form, but for our purpose he can give us a vision in any form. For example, Waheguru was inside the young man as much as he was inside bhai Dhanna but for Bhai Dhanna's experience, God spoke through the young man. Guru Granth Sahib tells us that in Sach Khand, where the light of God dwells, blessed saints merge with God (as Guru Gobind Singh Ji did in his previous incarnation). Therefore when a christian wants to "see God" he may get vision of Jesus, a Muslim that of Mohammed and so on. If you vision God as a radiant light which pervades throughout the universe, then if you are blessed this may be the vision you will see. An important concept in Sikhism is that God does not take form (Guru Grnath Sahib and Dasam Granth), he is formless and pervades throught his creation.

BLOODY MASSACRE AT AMRITSAR, VAISAKHI 1978

2011-04-26T17:09:00.001+02:00

Visit: BLOODY MASSACRE AT AMRITSAR, VAISAKHI 1978

DO GOOD

2011-03-31T14:48:00.001+02:00

Do Good

A woman baked chapati for members of her family and an extra one for a hungry passerby. She kept the extra chapati on the Window-sill, for whosoever would take it away. Everyday, a hunchback came and took away the chapati. Instead of expressing gratitude, he muttered the following words as he went his way: "The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" This went on, day after day. Everyday, the hunch-back came, picked up the chapati and uttered the words: "The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" The woman felt irritated. "Not a word of gratitude," she said to herself...

"Everyday this hunchback utters this jingle! What does he mean? "One day, exasperated, she decided to do away with him. "I shall get rid of this hunchback," she said. And what did she do? She added poison to the Chapatti she prepared for him! As she was about to keep it on the window sill, her hands trembled. "What is this I am doing?" she said Immediately, she threw the chapati into the fire, prepared another one and kept it on the window- sill. As usual, the hunchback came, picked up the chapati and muttered the words: "The evil you do, remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!" The hunchback proceeded on his way, blissfully unaware of the war raging in the mind of the woman.

Everyday, as the woman placed the chapati on the window-sill, she offered a prayer for her son who had gone to a distant place to seek his fortune. For many months, she had no news of him.. She prayed for his safe return. That evening, there was a knock on the door. As she opened it, she was surprised to find her son standing in the doorway.. He had grown thin and lean. His garments were tattered and torn. He was hungry, starved and weak. As he saw his mother, he said, "Mom, it's a miracle I'm here. While I was but a mile away, I was so famished that I collapsed. I would have died, but just then an old hunchback passed by. I begged of him for a morsel of food, and he was kind enough to give me a whole chapati."As he gave it to me, he said, "This is what I eat everyday: today, I shall give it to you, for your need is greater than mine!" " As the mother heard those words, her face turned pale.

She leaned against the door for support. She remembered the poisoned chapati that she had made that morning. Had she not burnt it in the fire, it would have been eaten by her own son, and he would have lost his life! It was then that she realized the significance of the words:"The evil you do remains with you: The good you do, comes back to you!

"Do good and;

Don't ever stop doing good, even if it's not appreciated at that time!

Mere Rituals are of No Avail

2011-02-22T14:40:00.001+01:00

Sakhi : Mere Rituals are of No Avail

(Source: Inderpreet Singh)

Once Guru Nanak happened to visit Hardwar town.
There he saw some people throwing handfuls of water from river Ganges, towards
the sun in the east. They believed that by this ritual they could offer water to their
dead elders in the next world.

Guru Nanak went into the river and started throwing water towards the west.
As those people saw the Guru acting strange, they forgot their ritual.
They flocked to the Guru and laughed at his funny action. They asked him,
"Why are you throwing the holy water to the wrong side?"
The Guru calmly replied, "I am watering my withering crops in Punjab."

"Are you crazy? How can your water reach hundreds of miles away from here?"
asked the curious spectators.
"The very same way as yours reaches your ancestors in the other world. In fact,
my farm is quite closer on this very earth." Nanak replied.

This made those people think about the uselessness of their ritual.
How effective and rational a way to get people's attention and remove their ignorance!

The Sakhi of Bhagat Prahlaad Ji

2011-02-16T10:13:00.001+01:00

Sakhi of Bhagat Prahlaad Ji
(Source : http://www.sikhsangat.com )

Bhagat Prahlaad Ji was the son of a egoistic king, Hiranyakashipu (Harnaakash). Harnaakash, through performing severe penances and meditation had been granted a boon that he neither be killed by man or beast, with a weapon or without a weapon, during day or night, indoors or outdoors, on earth or in the sky. It is through this boon that he sought undisputed lordship over the material world. He declared "There is non stronger than I. I am the lord of the three worlds. I shall be worshipped as such".

It is believed that while he was meditating, his wife, who was expecting a child was sent to Sage Narada's hermitage. She lived in the Ashram of the great sage and learned about religion and the glory of God from him. The child within her, Prahlad, too, absorbed all this knowledge.

Harnaakash brought his wife back to his city where Prahlad was born.

Prahlad in the meanwhile was growing up and was Harnaakhash's delight. He asked Prahlad: "Son, tell me what do you think is the best thing in life"?

Prahlad replied: "To renounce the world and seek refuge in God".

Harnaakhash laughed. Then he called his Son's teacher to him, saying: "Guard him closely. Don't let him out of your sight!

After many months, his teacher said: "Prahlad, I think you are now ready to meet your father."

His father asked him: "You have been with your Guru a long time! What have you learnt?

Prahlad said: "I have leant that the most worthwhile occupation for anyone is the worship of the Lord".

Harnaakhash was very angry: "O cursed child! Who taught you such perverse things?"

Prahlad remained calm and said: "He reveals himself to all who are devoted to Him."

Harnaakhash shouted angrily: "This boy must not live! Take him away and kill him!"

The soldiers started attacking Prahlad when Prahlad was meditating, but their weapons could not touch Prahlad. Most deadly snakes were let loose on Prahlad, but their fangs turned impotent. Mighty elephants could not trample him. He was pushed off a cliff but Prahlad was unharmed. The wicked aunt of Prahlad Holika who had a boon to brave fire without hurt, sat with Prahlad in fire but Prahlad was unharmed. In desperation, Harnaakhash had him fed with deadly poison but it turned into nectar.

Prahlad was sent to his teacher to try again. This time the teacher tried to get Prahlad interested in means for acquiring wealth and physical pleasures. But Prahlad thought to himself: "How can the pursuit of physical pleasures and wealth bring happiness? It will only lead to envy and anger."

The teacher eventually gave up, when Prahlad told his father that God is the soul of all created beings and is present everywhere. Harnaakhash roared: "Where is He? If He is everywhere why is He not in this Pillar? If He is not there then I shall cut off your head with my sword. Let your Lord protect you."

As Harnaakhash was striking the pillar with his sword, a Nara-simha (man lion) emerged from the Pillar. His look was neither beast nor man. Narsimha caught Harnaakhash and it was the twilight hour, carried him to the threshold of the court- room which was neither indoors nor outdoors and while holding him on his lap, tore him apart with his nails.

Apnay Sevak Kaa Sadaa Rakhvaalaa.
"He is forever the Saviour of His slaves."

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Duni Chand

2011-01-19T09:46:00.001+01:00

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Duni Chand

( Source: kanwaljit singh )

Guru Nanak was the first Guru of the Sikhs. He was also the founder of the Sikh religion. He travelled far and wide. Once he visited Lahore.Lahore is a big town in Pakistan. A very rich man named Duni Chand lived there. He was so rich that he had seven million rupees. To show his riches, he had put seven flags on his house. On the day when the Guru arrived, he was giving a sharadh. A sharadh is a big feast which the Hindus offer to the Brahmans.

They think that whatever they give to the Brahmans after the feast, reaches their dead forefathers in the next world. They prepare the best food and give away fine clothes and money to the Brahmans on this day. They call it Dakshana. Duni Chand had invited many Brahmans and saints on the Sharadh of his father. He invited Guru Nanak too.

Guru Nanak sat down on one side. He told Duni Chand that he would like to wait till the Brahmans had eaten their food. Duni Chand agreed to this and gave a very fine feast, offering money and clothes to the Brahmans as Dakshana. He believed that all this would reach his dead father. When the Brahmans had gone, Duni Chand asked the Guru to have some food. The Gum gave a smile.

"Duni Chand," he said, "Do you think that your father is no longer hungry? Have your gifts reached him?"

"Yes, sir," said Duni Chand. "The Brahmans have eaten so much that my father needs no more food for at least a year He also has enough money and clothes to last for one year."

"Duni Chand," said the Guru laughing, "The Brahmans ate food; they will sell the clothes and spend all the money. I cannot understand how it can reach your dead father."

"You are right, sir," said Duni Chand, "You cannot understand it, neither can I. But it's God's will. The Brahman tells us so and we all believe it. I thought you were a Brahman and knew about it, but I am glad I didnt, waste my food on you."

You did the right thing, Duni Chand said the Guru, "I not carry your food to your father and that's why I did like to let your food go to waste. You may feast the Brahmans in any way you like. I myself don't need any food I would be pleased if you would do me another favour instead."

"Yes, gladly," replied Duni Chand.

"Here is a sewing needle," said the Guru. "Keep it with you- use it if you like. I would like you to give my needle back to me in the next world when we meet after death."

Duni Chand did not quite understand the Guru and said, "How can I carry this needle with me when I die?"

"If an old Brahman can carry enough clothes, food and money to last for a whole year, not only for your father but also for many others," said the Guru, "I wonder why this small needle should seem too heavy for you to carry! If the Brahmans refuse to do this work, how will you take all your money, horses, gold and other costly things into the next world?"

The idea went home to Duni Chand. He asked for the Guru's advice. "Duni Chand," said the Guru, "Work hard, share your earnings with the needy and remember God. Don t worry about your dead forefathers."

"That's what I already do Sir" , said Duni Chand. "I have hundreds of servants who work for me. I give alot of money and clothes to Brahmans and holy men who come and sing hymns in my house".

"This is not the way to do it, Duni Chand" said the Guru.

"Give away all your money to the poor and the needy. You haven't earned it by honest labour. Start going to your farm. Work hard among your servants. Whatever you eam in this way, share equally among all the workers. Then from your own share give away as much as you can in charity. Look upon your servants as brothers and love everybody. Sit among them when you find time and sing God's praises. This is the true way. Duni Chand. One can expect to receive in the next world only that, which one earns by honest labour and gives away in charity to the needy in this world."

Duni Chand understood the Guru's advice. He gave up his princely life and started working with his own hands. His wife also did the same. Duni Chand's house became a temple where rich and poor, black and white, high and low, all sang songs of God. Duni Chand and his wife became the Guru's followers and helped many others to follow the Guru's Way.

"Work hard and share your earnings with the needy Nanak; thus shall you find the way to God's grace."
(Satguru Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the king of kings and the saint of saints)

Bhai Gurbaksh Singh ji

2010-12-01T10:44:00.001+01:00

Baba Deep Singh ji Shaheed martyrdom in 1757 at Amritsar Sahib was not the last one, in fact it inspired thousands more. In 1757, Baba Dip Singh ji took a vow to evacuate Amritsar Sahib which was in control of Afghani Durrani (abdali) forces and started his march along with about 500 or so disciples an fulfilled his vow by breathing last at Parikarma periphery of Golden Temple. His martyrdom inspired countless others; one of them was Bhai Gurbax Singh.

Gurbaksh Singh (1688-1764), also known as Gurbaksh Singh Nihang or Shaheed, hailed from the village of Lil, in Amritsar District. According to an old manuscript which was preserved in the Sikh reference library, Amritsar, until it perished in the Government of India's Army action in 1984, and which is quoted by Singh Sahib Giani Kirpal Singh, he was born on Baisakh Vadi 5, 1745 Bk i.e. 10th April 1688 (father Dasaundha Singh, Mother Mai Lachchami). In 1698, the family shifted to Anandpur where Gurbaksh Singh took pahul of the Khalsa on the historic Baisakhi day of 1699. He completed his religious education under Bhai Mani Singh. He later joined the Shahid Misl under Baba Deep Singh and after the latter's martyrdom in 1757 at Amritsar, organized his own Jatha or fighting band. In battles against Durranis (Afghanis) and Mughals his dera usually formed the vanguard carrying the banner, and won renown of its acts of gallantry.

In November 1764, Ahmad Shah Abdali at the head of 30,000 afghanis invaded India for 7th time, Bhai Gurbaksh Singh happened to be stationed at holy Shrine at Amritsar. The Durrani (abdali) advanced up to the town virtually unopposed and entered the partially reconstructed Harmandar Sahib, which he had demolished two years earlier. Bhai Gurbaksh Singh, who had already evacuated from the precints women, children, and the aged, had with him only thirty men. According to Ratan Singh Bhangu, prachin Panth Prakash "Bhai Gurbaksh Singh with garlands around his neck and sword on his shoulder, dressed himself as a bridegroom, his men forming the marriage party, waiting eagerly to court the bride-death." As soon as they saw the Afghan king and his hordes, they swooped down upon them. This was an unequal fight - thirty pitted against thirty thousand. All thirty Sikhs were killed before Gurbaksh Singh, though throughout in the forefront, also fell. Giving an eyewitness account of the action, Qazi Nur Muhammad, the chronicler who was in the train of the invader, writes in his jangnamah when the king and his army reached the chakk (Amritsar Sahib), they did not see any infidel kafir there. But a few men stayed in a fortress were bent upon spilling their blood and they sacrificed themselves for their Guru. They were only thirty in number.

They did not have the least fear of death. They engaged the Ghazis (i.e. in Islamic terminology, a Ghazi is a Muslim person who had killed an Infidel or a kafir) and spilled their blood in the process. Thus all of them were slaughtered and consigned to the seventh [hell]. This happened on 1 December 1764. Bhai Gurbaksh Singh was cremated behind Takht Akal bunga . The place is today known as Shahid Ganj.

Shaheedi day Siri Guru Trg Bahadur sahib - 24nov.

2010-11-25T09:45:00.001+01:00

SHAHEEDI SAKAS OF GURU TEG BAHADUR SAHIB, BHAI MATI DAAS, BHAI SATI DAAS, AND BHAI DYALA JI

BACKGROUND AND ATROCITIES OF AURANGZEB

When the Mugal emperor, Aurangzeb occupied the throne in 1659, he began to order the demolition of all the Hindu temples, and ordered that, Hindu scholars should study in Islamic schools and mosques. A special department was formed for the massive conversion of Hindus into Islam. Auragzeb was so intolerant that apart from Hindus and Sikhs, he could not tolerate even those sects of Islams like Shia and Sufi etc. who had different opinions. He began to oppress them as well. Aurangzeb feared that all the non-Islamic provinces of India would continue to pose a threat to the Moghul Empire. So he wanted to convert them also into Islamic provinces. By that time, only the regions of Assam, Bengal, Maharashtra and Rajasthan were in the Aurangzeb's empire. But he wished to convert the whole of Kashmir into Islamic state first. Then, he started eyeing Punjab.

Thus, by the order of Aurangzeb, and by the power of sword, Sher Afghan Khan began to terrorize Kashmiri Pundits in order to convert them into Mohammedans. Kashmiri Pundits reached Anandpur Sahib and appealed Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib to protect them. Guru assured them that they had come in the Nanak's court. Hence, he would definitely save their religion and protect their life. When Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib's son Gobind Rai Ji came to know these things, he said to his father: "Father, it is our duty to help them." Gobind Rai Ji's words motivated Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib to go to Delhi at once and give supreme sacrifice.

Thus, travelling via Kiratpur, Rohtak etc. and preaching the people neither be afraid nor terrorize others, Guru reached Agra, the seat of Moghul empire. Five Sikhs accompanied him: Bhai Matidas, Bhai Dayala, Bhai Gurditta, Bhai Uda and Bhai Jaita.

Guru's preaching brought a new awakening in the masses. A new enthusiasm appeared in the people to fight against oppression. Aurangzeb was in Hasan Abdal then. As soon the matter was reported to him, He could not tolerate ond ordered for the Guru's immediate arrest. Subsequently, Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib was arrested in Agra and brought to Delhi. There the Guru parted with the three accompanying Sikhs Bhai Jaita Ji, Bhai Guruditta Ji and Bhai Dayala Ji, so that they could keep informing Gobind Rai of the events taking place in the town. After his arrest Guru, Teg Bahadur suggested Kashmiri Pundits to inform Aurangzeb that if the Guru accepted Islam, all the Hindus of India would accept Islam without any condition.

Then Kazis began to lure and tempt Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib so that he could accept Islam. But he replied: "My thoughts are far above than honour, respect, wealth, property etc. I have no greed for wealth, there is sufficient for me in the Guru Ghar.

MARTYRDOM OF GURU TEG BAHADUR SAHIB

When all the temptations to impress the Guru failed, the Kazis said that either Guru should accept Islam or perform a miracle. If he could not do either of these two things, said the Kazis, then the Guru should be ready to face death.

Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib plainly refused to give up his religion and showing miracles was unbecoming of a Sikh Guru. Akal Purakh has empowered Guru for the help of poors and needy, and not for showing miracles, Servants of God do not look good when they show miracles. It is a violation of God's dictat. "We are ready to give our heads, because we have arrived here to give up our heads," asserted the Guru.

BHAI MATI DASS

With an intention of terrorizing Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib and loosen his firm determination, Moghuls decided to kill Bhai Matidas first. Hearing the order of the qazis, Bhai Mati Dass prayed to the Guru, "O True King ! bless me so that I may do my duty by sacfiflcing myself for the glory of the faith." After the Guru had blessed him, the qazis asked Bhai Mati Dass, "Brother, embrace Islam and enjoy the pleasures provided by the goveInment. Moreover when you die as a Muslim, you will go to heaven where there will be streams of milk, many kinds of wine to drink and beautiful women to enjoy. If you do not embrace Islam, your body will be sawn into two." Bhai Mati Dass replied, "I can sacrifice hundreds of such heavens for my faith. I don't need women nor wine. I see all the happiness in the path of my faith." After his refusal, the qazis asked him his last wish, to which he replied, 'When I am being cut with the saw, let my face be towards my mentor so that I may behold my Guru till my last breath and he may keep on seeing me so that he may be convinced how happily I reach my last destination." By the order of the qazis, the executioners sawed Bhai Mati Dass in two on the 8th November, 1675 A.D., in Chandani Chowk, Delhi.

BHAI DAYAL DASS

On the 9th November, 1675 A.D., the qazis ordered that Bhai Dayal Dass be seated in a cauldron of boiling water. On hearing the ruling, Bhai Dayal Dass asked leave of the Guru. The Guru said, "Brother, your service has borne fruit due to which your turn has come before mine. Great are you and blessed is your devotion. What pleasure can be greater for me than to see my lifelong devotees sacrificing their lives for the protection of human rights even ahead of me. May God bless you with success."

Before putting Bhai Dayal Dass in the cauldron of boiling water, the qazis said, "There is still time. Embrace Islam and save yourself from pains otherwise you will face greater agony than your companion. You have seen how cruelly he was sawn." Bhai Dayal Dass replied, "You could not harass my companion. Did you notice, how calmly he was meditating on the word of his Guru when he was being sawn. Having made mockery of bodily pains, he had diffused into the Supreme Being. Hurry up and let my soul attain unity with the Lord." On his reply in the negative, the executioners sat him in the cauldron of boiling water. He stayed on sitting in the water with an unwavering mind. His flesh separated from his bones and his soul merged into the Supreme Being.

BHAI SATI DASS

On the 10th November, 1675 A.D., the qazis ordered Bhai Sati Dass to be wrapped in cotton and burnt. Before being wrapped in cotton, the qazis asked Bhai Sati Dass, "Save your life by embracing Islam and live in pleasure." Bhai Sati Dass replied, 'You cannot understand that my pleasure and happiness lie only in obeying the command of my Guru. It does not lie in saving this life which must end one day." At this reply, the executioners wrapped Bhai Sati Dass in cotton, poured oil over it and set fire to it. Bhai Sati Dass remained calm while burning till his last breath and remained true to his resolve.

HEAD AND TORSO OF GURU TEG BAHADUR SAHIB

There was panic all around after Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib's death. With the suggestion of a Banjara Bhai Lakhi Shah and Bhai Jaita arranged to take the head and the torso of Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib in their custody. Bhai Lakkhi Shah reached Chandni Chowk and carried Guru's torso in a bullock cart to his home three miles away. There, setting his house on fire, he performed last rites of the Guru. There exists a Gurdwara Rakabganj in New Delhi at the site of cremation.

On the other hand, Bhai Jaita found the head of Guru. he took the head and reached to Guru Gobind Singh at Anandpur Sahib. Guru Gobind Singh embraced him and said: 'Rang Rete Guru Ke Bete' (the true sepoys are the sons of Guru). At the place where Guru Teg Bahadur Sahib's head was cremated in Chandni Chowk, there exists Gurudwara Seesganj Sahib now.

Sakhi Series :- 160 ( Cash and Trash )

2010-10-07T11:12:00.001+02:00

Cash and Trash

(Source: www.sikhiwiki.com )

An Incident narrated to a close friend but a Professor at a Ludhiana university.

Professor: "You know, I contribute regularly for gurdwara (Sikh temple) functions. One year, special Gurpurb celebrations were arranged by the campus residents of the Panjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana.

The organisers as usual visited me for my contribution. I usually gave 25 rupees every time they came for collection. They told me, "This will be a special function, we want a bigger contributions from you this time, Professor. Mr. ABC (a clerk) paid 20 rupees."

I took this as a signal for me to double my contribution. However, keeping my recent promotion and position at the University in mind, I contributed one hundred rupees. The members were very pleased since they expected only 50 rupees.

When the organisers left, my ego overtook me, "Look! I am a great Sikh. This contribution will draw God's attention and He will give me special rewards for this donation."

On the day of the special Gurpurb, I regret and am embarrassed to tell you (I know you won't reveal my name to others) what went into my mind. When I went through the aisle to pay my respect to Guru Granth Sahib, I could not help looking at the Sangat already sitting there.

Drenched in my ego, I said to myself, "This person would have paid only five rupees; this teacher might have given ten rupees; this worker would not have paid anything, he has come only for langar (free food served at Sikh temples). Look! I paid one hundred rupees. I am really a great devotee. I was feeling very proud and inflated"

This thinking continued in my mind even after the function was over and I had returned to my house. At night I had a dream in which I telephoned God. The dialogue, which I had with His office, was like this:

God's office: "This is God's office. What can we do for you?"

Professor: "Do you know that I gave one hundred rupees for the Gurpurb? Did you credit this big money to my account? "

Response: "Please wait - let me look". The operator goes through her screen and then say, "No. We received no money from you. "

I was startled; how can they not have received my large amount of cash, I thought.

Professor: "How could you miss this big sum of money? I might be the only devotee to give such a big amount for the Gurpurb."

Response: "Oh! Yes, now I remember. We did receive the cash but threw it in the trash; where it belonged and should have gone in the first place."

I was puzzled and for a moment thought may they have a wrong connection, but the office staff continued..

Response: "You only gave the money to build your ego and not with love for God. There is no place for ego here. So far as your account with us is concerned, it is totally blank."

I was really disappointed to hear that. I could not help crying like a child (in my dream). The office secretary at God's Office became concerned with my weeping. To console me she said, "Let me check with the other secretary, she maintains another kind of account. I am going to connect you with that desk, please continue to hold."

I could not believe my ears when the second secretary told me that I have a huge balance in my favour and that I should never feel any embarrassment or guilt for anything, anywhere. I was so very happy to hear this.

Although I was elated to hear about the huge balance in credit on my account but I was also a little apprehensive and puzzled. I asked her, "When did I deposited that money with you? I heard the secretary speaking to someone and then..

God's office: "A couple of months back in the month of November, you had an argument with your wife. She was proud of your promotion at becoming the head of the faculty, and therefore had purchased new shoes for your son. You didn't approve of the purchase because you thought that the old shoes were in good shape. When you questioned her she replied that she didn't want her son to get sick in the cold wearing old worn-out shoes. You were disgusted and upset and left the house for your office."

God's office continued: "When you got out of the house, you saw some poor students going to their primary school. One of them was without shoes. Your heart was moved with sympathy for the boy going to school barefoot. You told the boy to wait there. You went inside, picked up those old shoes and gave them to the boy. The boy put on the shoes, smiled a little and without saying anything walked away to his school. The sympathy for the poor has turned the old shoes into an unlimited amount of cash and you will never be short of anything. Do you remember this?"

She hung up even before I could say, "thank you."

Dear friend, I know you practice a religious life and that is why I have shared my dream with you. It has given me a great lesson, "Ego turns our cash into trash. Sympathetic feeling for the poor turns trash into cash. This episode I have remembered many times and I felt pressured inside to share it with somebody. I chose you. You give lectures to the youth and talk to the Sangat in the gurdwaras. Maybe you can share this lesson with them, of course, without revealing my identity."

- http://tuhitu.blogspot.com/

"You Cannot Judge A Book By Lookin At The Cover"

2010-10-01T10:11:00.001+02:00

"You Cannot Judge A Book By Lookin At The Cover"

http://vimeo.com/15161695

check it out
regards

Sakhi Series :- 159 ( FILL IT AND FEEL THE DIFFERENCE )

2010-09-23T11:41:00.001+02:00

Why Should We Read Guru Granth Sahib, Even if We Can't Understand A
Single Word.

An old American Sikh lived on a farm in the mountains of Eastern
Kentucky with his Young Grandson.

Each morning Grandpa was up early, sitting at the kitchen table,reading his Guru
Granth Sahib.

His grandson wanted to be Just like him and tried to imitate him in
every way he could.
One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! I try to read The Guru Granth
Sahib just like you: but I don't understand it, and what
I dounderstand, I forget as soon as I close The Granth Sahib.

What good does reading the Granth Sahib do?"

The grandfather quietly turned from putting coal in the stove and replied,

"Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket
of water."

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he
got back to the house.

The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little
faster next time,"

And sent him back to the river with the basket to try again

This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before
he returned home.

Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry
water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.

The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water.

You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out the door to watch
the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to
show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the
water would leak out before he got back to the house.

The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he
reached his grandfather, the basket was again empty.

Out of breath, he said, " See Grandpa, it's Useless!"

"So you Think it is Useless?" The old man said, "Look at the Basket."

"The boy looked at the BASKET and for the first time realized that the
BASKET was different.

It had been transformed from a Dirty Old Coal Basket and was now clean,
inside and out.

"Son, that's what happens when you read Guru Granth Sahib.

You Might Not Understand or Remember Everything, But When You Read
it, you Will Be Changed, inside and out.

"That is the work of Waheguru in our lives"

Tarlochan Singh on culprits of 1984

2010-09-02T18:24:00.001+02:00

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VpZAf5Dl850&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Sakhi Series :- 158 ( True Living )

2010-05-16T15:48:00.001+02:00

True Living

( Source : http://sikhyouth.com )

Setha, Gobinda and Bhaga were three rich merchants. They lived at Chaniot - a small town in Pakistan. All the three brothers were Hindus and the offered Sharadhs every year. They gave corn, clothes and coins to the Brahmans as Dakshana (offering). Sometimes they wondered if all these things were really reached their forefathers in the next world. One day they came to Guru Arjan to find out his views about the Sharadhs and Dakshana.

"O Guru," said Gobinda "We give Dakshana to the Brahmans in the name of our dear forefathers every year. Tell us whether all this reaches our forefathers or not?" "No man can tell whether your forefathers are in heaven or hell." said the Guru smilingly. "No one can tell which Brahman will go to heaven and which to hell? Stop thinking about such things and stop offering Sharadhs. Work hard, tell the truth, help others and remember God."

The three brothers agreed to act upon the Guru's advice and were satisfied, but there was another man, named Chuhar, who couldn't understand the Guru's advice. He said "Sir, how can a merchant like myself and people like Gobinda always speak the truth? Merchants have to tell many lies between sunrise and sunset every day."

"Go back to your village, Chuhar," said the Guru. "Do your trading and try to act upon my advice. Everyday count your lies and good deeds, write them down on a piece of paper and show me that paper at the end of every month." Chuhar agreed to act upon the Guru's advice and went away.

From that day onwards. Chuhar counted and wrote down his lies and good deeds on a piece of paper. At the end of a month he came with it and showed it to the Guru The Guru asked him to read it out to the Sikhs and Chuhar did so. He had done no good deeds and had told a number of lies. He felt small and thought that he should have done better. The Guru however smiled and said, "Chuhar, leave your paper here and keep on trying."

At the end of the second month, Chuhar had really done some good deeds and had told fewer lies. And so it went on. At the end of the eighth month, Chuhar's lies and good deeds were added up. This showed that although he had done only a few good deeds, he had told no lies. Everybody was surprised. Guru Arjan said, "All advice falls flat on those who never think of acting upon it. People have been listening to good advice for thousands of years. The important thing is to act upon it. Cart-loads of books and all the learning in the world are of no use if we do not care to follow them."

All the Sikhs understood the Guru's advice and promised to act upon it.

"As a child is satisfied by drinking milk;
As a poor man is happy on finding wealth;
As a thirsty man is refreshed by drinking water;
So is my soul happy with God." (Guru Arjan)

"To forget God is death;
To meditate on His Name is life.
Nanak, God is found in the company of the saints."(Guru Arjan)

Awakening to Leadership - by Yogi Harbhajan Singh Ji

2010-05-07T10:15:00.001+02:00

Awakening to Leadership

By Yogi Harbhajan Singh Ji

Below are the noteworthy statements. However it is good that you watch this entire video.

If you would like to know more about the Singh Sabha Movement please read a good article here

4.00	I am grateful that you are sikh.
8.05	Concept of Being a Sikh ! Ok, my boy is having a beard, has a turban, reads his Bani. All these are ordinary things. It doesn't make you a Sikh! If your presence does not work, you are not a sikh. If your conception does not work, you are not a sikh. If you cannot solidify you're a position before a person, you are not a sikh. When you stand your presence must speak . You must be ahead of an ordinary well versed person. You can't be a yo-yo. You can't be a may-be / shall-be. These words are not your vocabulary. What you say must be exact. It must go to heart. Head must bow before you, then you are a sikh.
11.30	The way is Sit down together, Sit down and hold each other's hands. Forget all relations. Just say you are my brother, I am your brother. That is the only way we survived.
12.30	We need to ask questions – Why we are Sikhs, why we have to have a beard, why, why.... We started asking each other. We tie in so strongly that we became a fist.
13.30	Consciousness of the brother hood of the Khalsa. You are the leader of tomorrow. Take responsibility.
15.00	We were as one. All bodies, but one Soul. We trust teach other. Knowing all the weakness, we supported each other. That's the only way you can do. You have to cover each other, you have to love each other. You have to trust each other. There are going to be odds.
19.15	We discuss, We understand, We act, We support
20.15	All have to put your own 1/10nth together. You all have to dress up yourself, You all have to speak truthfully to each other so that they build trust in you
27.20	One concept you have to believe that Guru is in You, feel you are his son, then take a decision.



Please spread the word about Young Sikh Leaders and urge your friends to join.

http://www.youngsikhleaders.org/index.php

Sakhi Series :- 157 (Better To Die Than To Live Alone )

2010-05-02T14:57:00.001+02:00

Better To Die Than To Live Alone

(Source: Book - FROM THE HEART )

Tulsee Das was a Hindu Saint and was blessed to write the Ramayan scriptures. When he was young he was devoted to reaching God and he struggled slowly on this path. When he got married he was head over heels in love with his beautiful wife, she became the sole reason for his living, everything he did was to please her. One day he surprised her with a gift - she was overwhelmed by his love and said, 'If you were devoted to God half as much as you are to me, I'm sure you would have reached God by now.'

The words struck Tulsee Das to the core and his earlier life of devotion came flooding back to his mind, from that day on God became his sole focus once again.

Many years later when Tulsee Das was old and wise and respected by all in the village as a saint, a Brahmin pirest came to him. He said to Tulsee Das, 'All my life I've preached and read the scriptures, but I haven't met my Beloved Ram. Tell me what I should do?'. Tulsee Das said, 'It's very simple, all you have to do is climb that tall tree and jump off the branch with full faith that Ram will catch you.'

The Brahmin was inspired and climbed the tree, he sat on the branch and looked down at the hard ground below. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't make the leap. Many hours passed and the Village HeadMan (SarPanch) walked by with a bag of money. Noticing the Brahmin he enquired as to what he was doing. The Brahmin explained that Tulsee Das had said that by jumping off the tree Ram would catch him. The SarPanch who was not so religious but had faith quickly said, 'O Brahmin, if you like you may have this bag of money, but give me Tulsee Das's blessing in exchange.'

The Brahmin didn't take too long to think about the offer and was soon off on his way with the bag of money. The SarPanch climbed the tree went across the branch and with full faith in Ram he jumped off. Ram caught him like a baby in its mother's arms.

Sounds too unbelievable to be true? But look for the deeper meaning, there's a very, very important spiritual point to this story. I am like the Brahmin, I do my nitnem prayers and preach to people. I do Waheguru Waheguru meditation and I follow the bits of the Guru's Shabad that I like and ignore the bits that are difficult to apply. I follow half of the Hukam, God's Order, and my life trickles away like this then I wonder why I haven't met Waheguru ji. When my brother comes to me with a great business opportunity my focus becomes how I can make lots and lots of money and in the background I rush my nitnem and Waheguru Waheguru meditation. My life trickles away like this and I wonder why I haven't met Waheguru ji.

But one day with Guru Ji's great kirpa, I hear the story of Tulsee Das. Now I realise I am like the Brahmin, I have lots of things to live for and I am scared of dying. Guru Nanak Ji says 'I have no anxiety about dying, and no hope of living.' (Ang20). Why is Guru Nanak Ji so brave? Because he has full faith that Waheguru ji is looking after him 'SIREE RAAG, FIRST MEHL: I have no anxiety about dying, and no hope of living. You are the Cherisher of all beings; You keep the account of our breaths and morsels of food. You abide within the Gurmukh. As it pleases You, You decide our allotment. || 1 ||'

So in my ardas, 'Guru Granth Sahib Jee you have given your blessing like Tulsee Das gave to the Brahmin. Give me full faith in your Gurbanee Words like the SarPanch had full faith in what Tulsee Das said. Baba Ji may I follow your words 100% and if it kills me then I have faith Waheguru ji You yourself will catch me.'

=> www.tuhitu.blogspot.com

Sakhis Series :- 156 ( Guru Nanak Sahib ji and Bhai Mardana ji)

2010-04-05T12:37:00.001+02:00

Bhai Mardana Ji and the Rebabi Tradition
( Source : SikhHeritage.co.uk / tape)

The founder Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539) established the 'Rebabi' tradition in Sikhism. Bhai Mardana, the life long companion of the Guru belonged to a cline of BARDS known in those days as MIRASIS. They commanded a very high respect in all communities throughout the Northern India. A 'Mirasi' was supposed to be the custodian of 'MIRAS' i.e. The Heritage. They would orally recite long poems about the ancestral heritage of a particular family at the time of birth, marriage and death and indeed on all occasions of celebrations both locally and widespread. However the cultural degeneration of Indians, especially Punjabi heritage defamed the title 'Mirasi' and reduced its connotation to a beggar poet till Guru Nanak Sahib ji chose Mardana ji as his companion.

Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha, writes in his 'Mahan Kosh', that the Rebab was previously known as "Narad Veena" or "Ravan Veena". It is the favourite instrument of the sage Narad and Goddess Saraswati. Although this instrument may have divine background, it was Guru Nanak Dev ji and the Sufi Fakirs who have brought this instrument down to the level of the general public. For Guru Nanak Ji the divine singer with this divine instrument was Bhai Mardana. Bhai Mardana was the first person from his childhood who started playing the divine gurbani music with the Rebab, and accompanied Guru Nanak on all his travels with earnest devotion.

Mardana ji was born in 1459 at the village of Rai Bhoi di Talwandi, district Shekhupura (Pakistan). This makes him ten years older than Guru Nanak His father's name was 'Badra' and mother's name was 'Lakho'. It is said that Lakho had six (or some say five) children who had died during birth, and thus she named this seventh child as 'Marjana'( the one who dies), but Guru Nanak started calling him 'Mardana', meaning 'Marda - Na'(the one who wouldn't die).

It is said that one day when Guru ji was passing by he heard the sound of a women in a typical Punjabi slang
" Ve Marjania ve koi kum kar lae , sara din Allah Allah gavnda rahenga , Ve tenu koi kum Allah Allah nal nahi milna , teri kise nu lor nahin "
- O Marjania Go find some work , singing Allah Allah will get you nothing , No one needs you for any job , Now stop this noise and atleast stay quiet ",

On hearing this Satguru ji knocked the door and said , " Bibi , I need people who sing Allah, who can play, praise and stay with Allah" , Thereupon Mardana ji became Satguru ji best friend , life long companion whose duty was to stay with Baba ji , play with Baba ji and pray with Baba ji. Sharing the prayer was their goal.

Today we must learn from our teacher, our Guru ji. When Baba Nanak ji decided to travel there was only one follower. There was no Gurdwara, no Sikh Society, no Sikh king, no Sikh literature. There were no cars, no buses, no luggage, no motels, no restuarants. Only two pious souls walking slowly and slowly, day and night to share Dhur ki Bani. Let us continue the mission. Work goes on and on. Sikhi is not limited or made for Punjab. Gursikhi is an element, a diamond hidden in every human being. Let us break the barriers and identify the hidden Gursikhs around us. We may be surprised by our finds.

"kaljug meh keertan parDhaanaa" - SGGS ji ang 1075
In this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises are most sublime and exalted

Sakhi Series :- 155 ( Air Marshal Shivdev Singh )

2010-03-28T13:50:00.001+02:00

Air Marshal Shivdev Singh
( Source : www.sikhreview.org/)

Air Marshal Shivdev Singh, who died in January, 1994, was the last of the survivors of the batch of 24 Indian Air Force fighter pilots who were seconded to the Royal Air Force, as part of the reinforcement the British desparately needed in 1940 to fight the "Battle of Britain". Flying Sterlings over occupied France and Germany, he was decorated for gallantry in a campaign that had many casualties. He was rushed back home when the Japanese besieged the South-East Asian region and flew the Hurricanes in the Arakans within Burma.

One of the pioneers of the IAF, Shivdev Singh, was responsible for the evacuation of his squadron from Kohat to Chaklala at the time of Partition in 1947. He later moved to Agra to found the transport squadron. Besides flying the political leaders of the day, like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Shivdev and his men organised the massive airlift to Srinagar in time to save the Kashmir Valley from Pakistani raiders.

What makes his contribution to the IAF unique is that he was perhaps the most operationally experienced commander. He was in-charge of the IAF's role in "Operation Vijay" in the liberation of Goa. The IAF fighter pilots played no major role in 1962 Sino-Indian conflict. But the subsequent training for air defence operations named "Operation Shiksha", again had Shivdev Singh in command.

The crowning glory was his role as the Vice-Chief, when he master-minded the entire air operations in the 1971 war. Although, the Chief, P.C. Lal got the well-deserved credit, the man at the head of the operation table was Shivdev Singh.

The story going in the IAF circles is that Shivdev Singh almost made it to the top job as Lal's successor. The then Defence Minister, Babu Jagjivan Ram was even supposed to have telephoned him saying, "Let me be the first to congratulate you" - after the appointment had been cleared at the highest level.

But things changed overnight for reasons well beyond the reach of the high-flying IAF brass. Shivdev Singh retired - without any rancour - to his home in Chandigarh, contributing gracefully to public service in resurgent Punjab.

Sikh Sakhis :- 154 ( PAINDA-KHAN : THE PATTHAN OF THE GURU)

2010-03-21T00:16:00.001+01:00

PAINDA-KHAN : THE PATTHAN OF THE GURU
(Source : http://www.panthic.org )

Painda Khan, was the son of Fateh Khan, an Afghan resident of the village of Alimpur, 7 km northeast of Kartarpur in the present Jalandhar district of the Punjab. His parents died while he was still very young, and he was brought up by his maternal uncle, Isma'ill Khan, of Vadda Mir, near Kartarpur.

According to Gurbilas Chhevin Patshahi, Isma'il Khan, along with his 16-year old nephew and some other Pathans of his village, once accompanied a Sikh sangat proceeding to Amritsar on the occasion of Divali to see Guru Hargobind. The Guru, pleased with the manly demeanour of Painda Khan, engaged him to be trained as a soldier.

Painda Khan grew up into a brave, hefty warrior and showed his mettle fighting against the imperial troops at Amritsar (1629). Guru Hargobind ji always treated him with special consideration. While at Kartarpur, he had Painda Khan married to an Afghan girl from Chhota Mir, and asked him to stay there with his bride. During his visits to Kartarpur, the Guru would take him out for the chase, and shower him with praise and gifts. Painda Khan was in Guru Hargobind ji's train during his visit to darauli Bhai in 1631.

After the death of Mata Damodari there in November that year, he was told to escort the family back to Kartarpur, while the Guru himself set out on a journey across the Malva tract to meet the sangats. As the Guru arrived at Kartarpur after the battle of Mehraj in December 1634, Painda Khan presented himself and, to quote Bhai Santokh Singh, Sri Gur Pratap Suraj Granth, spoke boastfully: "Had I been there I would not have let the Guru go forward and expose himself to danger, nor would have Bhai Jetha died." About this time Painda Khan married his daughter to asman Khan, an Afghan youth of the village of Chhota Mir itself.

On the occasion of the next Baisakhi, 29 March 1635, Sikhs from far and near came with presents to pay homage to the Guru. Chitra Sain, a rich merchant, presented a beautiful horse, a white hawk, a costly dress and a khande or dual-edged sword. Guru Hargobind gave the hawk to Baba Gurditta, his eldest son, and bestowed the horse, the dress and the sword upon Painda Khan. As the latter went home, elated at having been so honoured by the Guru, his son-in-law, asman Khan, claimed the gifts which Painda Khan reluctantly passed on to him. Asman Khan, donning the dress and sword, went out hunting the following day riding the horse. Baba Gurditta, with his newly acquired white hawk, also happened to be sporting in the same area. The hawk fell into the hands of Asman Khan, who took it home.

Painda Khan who turned up without wearing the dress gifted to him, denied before the Guru that the gifts had changed hands or that the hawk was in the possession of his son-in-law. Guru Hargobind ji sent a Sikh, Bhai Bidhi Chand, to Chhota Mir, and the gifts along with the hawk were recovered from asman Khan. Annoyed at the exposure of his perjury, Painda Khan openly turned against his patron. With the help of the faujdar of Jalandhar, he attacked the Guru but was defeated in the battle which, according to Bhatt Vahi Multani Sindhi, raged for three days, from 26 to 28 April 1635.

Painda Khan fell to Guru Hargobind's sword on the final day. The Gurbilas Chhevin Patshahi records that, as Painda lay dying, the Guru told him to remember Allah(God), shading with his shield his face from the scorching sun.

See Also: http://tuhitu.blogspot.com/search?q=guru+hargobind

Sakhi Series : 153 (Bhai Bharu and Guru Har Gobind Sahib ji)

2010-03-13T11:46:00.001+01:00

Bhai Bharu and Guru Har Gobind Sahib ji

In the beautiful hills of the Punjab there was a fine temple of the goddess of power. In it stood a statue of the goddess. Every year thousands of people visited this temple and worshipped her. A fair was held every year to pay homage to the goddess. People from all over India came to this temple to worship during the fair. Even some Rajahs (Rulers) from the Hills attended the fair. The Rajahs usually brought money and rich offerings for the goddess. These offerings were collected by cunning priests who spent them lavishly for their personal enjoyment and not for the common good.

Sri Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji Maharaj and his Sikhs went to one such fair to preach the Guru's way. The fair was in full swing. The Guru's Darbar (Holy Congregation) was on one side of the fair in an open space. The musicians were singing hymns in praise of God. They sang Shabads (Holy verses) from the Holy Granth. The soul-stirring hymns touched everybody's heart. People were attracted to the Guru's camp in such great numbers that only a few were left in the temple. Even the Rajahs came down to listen to the Guru's teachings.

Finding only a few people in the temple, a man named Bharu entered and pushed his way towards the idol. He struck the idol's nose with something hard and broke it off. Before the priests could catch him, the man ran out of the temple towards the Guru's Darbar. There was a sudden noise and people were running towards the Darbar after Bharu. A strong man from the Guru's Darbar stood up and caught him. People thought that he was a thief. In a few minutes, the priests also arrived and Bharu was presented to a Rajah sitting there in the Guru's court. The priest told the whole story to the Guru, the Rajah, and all the people who had gathered there. On hearing about the damage to the idol, the Rajah was so furious that he did not even listen to Bharu's side of the story and he ordered him to be stoned to death. The people took hold of the culprit and tried to drag him away but the Guru intervened and said, "It is better that we should listen to both sides of the story and then see if the man really deserves this punishment." The Guru thereupon asked both men to tell the truth. The priest spoke first :

Priest: This man is a great sinner; he has broken the nose of the goddess and he really deserves to be stoned to death.

Bhai Bharu: This is wrong. I haven't committed any Crime.

Priest: It is a crime to break the idol, isn't it?

Bhai Bharu: I don't know who you are and I haven't done any wrong to you. If I smashed the idol it is an affair between me and the idol. Let the idol say what it likes.

Priest: The idol is made of stone, how can it speak? If it were alive it would have caught and punished you there and then.

Bhai Bharu: If it cannot speak or defend itself, how can it speak to you and save the people or give them what they want? My sin is no worse than breaking the handle of a tea cup.

At this the priest could not say anything. Bhai Bharu's words made the people laugh and they really understood the idea behind what he said. Sri Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji Maharaj, however, did not like all this and spoke out kindly, "Listen my friends," he said, "It is really no good worshipping idols. Man should worship God who has made living idols like us all. But breaking an idol is not good. We must have respect and regard for other people's religion and way of worship. Breaking an idol with hatred is like breaking a heart, and the heart is the house of God. So by smashing the idol Bharu has commited a mistake. He must apologise for what he has done and repair the idol."

Bhai Bharu was convinced of the Guru's point of view and asked to be pardoned. The people agreed to forgive him on condition that he never broke an idol again. Bhai Bharu gave his word and also repaired the broken idol. Very soon afterwards he became the Sikh of Sri Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji Maharaj.

More Sakhis : http://tuhitu.blogspot.com/

Sakhi series 152 :- ( Bhai Suthraa Ji )

2010-03-07T14:39:00.000+01:00

Bhai Suthraa Ji

One day Miri Piri De Malk Maharaj Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji was walking with some sevadars, and heard a crying baby. Maharaj asked a sevadar to find where the crying was coming from. The sevadar came back, saying it was a baby crying, so maharaj told the sikh to bring the baby.
When they brought the baby, the sikhs said "maharaj, this baby is kuthraa (ugly)" for he was disformed. Maharaj took the baby in his lap, and said,
"No, he's not kuthraa, but Suthraa (handsome/beautiful)", and instantaneously, the child became quite a beautiful baby.

Bhai Suthraa served the gurus from Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji up to Sri Guru Gobind Singh ji, and was renowned for his wise humor.

During divaan one day, kathaa was going on. Bhai Suthraa was also seated there, and began cussing at the sangat in a loud voices, so some Sikhs went to complain to guruji.
"Maharaj, Bhai Suthraa is being disruptive and cursing vulgarly"
"What did he say?"
So the Sikhs listed all the ways in which Suthraa was being disruptive, listing all the names he called them.
"hmm. Go call bhai Suthraa then,"
So Bhai Suthraa was brought in Maharaj's hajoori.
"Suthriaa! These Sikhs of mine have complaining about you"
"Maharaj, they are not your Sikhs, but mine"
"ROFL! What?!"
"They are my Sikhs, maharaj. Anyhow, ask them what i said to them"
"...oohh kiieee... So. Sikho, what exactly did Bhai Suthraa say to you?"
And the Sikhs once again listed all the insults they received from Bhai Suthraa.
"Now ask them, at the time that I was cursing them, what vichar was going on?"
"You heard him Sikho. What was being discussed during the divaan?"
The Sikhs had no clue
"Guru ji, we dont really recall..."

"Therefore maharaj, with all due respect, these people are my Sikhs, for during divaan they only remembered what i told them, and not what you were teaching"

The Sikhs relaised what Bhai Suthraa wanted to say.

Sakhi Series :- 151 ( King Ambaris and Durvasa)

2010-02-20T18:11:00.001+01:00

King Ambaris and Durvasa

The Sakhi about King Ambaris and Durvasa is recorded by Bhai Gurdas Ji in his Waars:

This Shabad is by Bhai Gurdaas Ji in Vaars Bhai Gurdaas on Pannaa 10

a(n)bareek muhi varath hai raath pee dhurabaasaa aaeiaa||

One evening while King Ambaris was fasting he was visited by sage Durvasa.

bheerraa ous oupaaranaa ouahu out(h) nhaavan nadhee sidhhaaeiaa||

The King was to break his fast while serving Durvasa but the rishi went to the riverbank to take a bath.

charanodhak lai pokhiaa ouhu saraap dhaen no dhhaaeiaa||

Fearing the change of date (which would deem his fast fruitless), the King broke his fast by drinking the water which he had poured on the feet of the rishi. When the rishi realised that the King had not served him first, he ran to curse the King.

chakr sudharasan kaal roop hoe bheehaaval garab gavaaeiaa||

On this, Vishnu ordered his death like disc to move towards Durvasa and thus the ego of Durvasa was removed.

braamhan bha(n)naa jeeo lai rakh n ha(n)ghan dhaev sabaaeiaa||

Now Brahmin Durvasa ran for his life. Even the Gods and deities could not afford him shelter.

ei(n)dhr lok siv lok thaj breham lok baiku(n)t(h) thajaaeiaa||

He was avoided in the abodes of Indra, Siva, Brahma and the heavens.

dhaevathiaaa(n) bhagavaan san sikh dhaee sabhanaa(n) samajhaaeiaa||

Gods and God made him understand (that none except Ambaris could save him).

aae paeiaa saranaagathee maareedhaa a(n)bareek shhaddaaeiaa||

Then he surrendered before Ambaris and Ambaris saved the dying sage.

bhagath vashhal jag biradh sadhaaeiaa ||4||

The Lord God came to be known in the world as benevolent to devotees.(4)

King Ambarish was an atmanivedi - a humble servant of the Lord. Both he and his queen were performing great austerities. For twelve months they had fasted on every ekadashi, not even drinking water. Their fast would end on Kartik sud 12. On the morning of the twelfth, Sage Durvasa and one hundred of his disciples arrived at King Ambarish's palace. Ambarish was overjoyed. He fell at their feet and welcomed them. He said, ''Today my ekadashi fast ends, and on this day you have also graced my palace. Indeed, I am very fortunate! Please dine here today.'' Durvasa replied, ''We'll first go to the river for a bath and then return.''

Durvasa and his disciples went to the river. Durvasa and his disciples bathed for a long time. But the sacred time for ending the fast was near. The king's Brahmins advised him, ''The muhurt is passing. It is best you eat and so end the fast.'' Ambarish said, ''I shall eat when Durvasa returns.'' The Brahmins replied, ''But it is getting late. Only a few moments are left now. If you eat afterwards you will not receive the fruits of your fast.'' Ambarish was troubled. But Brahmins are very clever.

They found an easy answer. They said, ''Eat a sanctified tulsi leaf. In this way it can be said you have ended your fast, and yet it can also be said that you haven't eaten a meal!'' On the Brahmins' advice Ambarish placed a tulsi leaf in his mouth. Just then Durvasa and his disciples arrived. They discovered that Ambarish had completed his fast in their absence. Durvasa never needs to search for anger.

It's always with him as his constant companion. He shouted. ''Ambarish, you are known as a great devotee, yet you have no idea of how to treat your guests! Why did you eat alone without us!'' Ambarish touched Durvasa's feet in apology. He said, ''Only to safeguard the muhurt have I placed a leaf of tulsi in my mouth. The banquet is ready. Come, let us dine together.''

But would Durvasa listen? No! He was the very incarnation of anger. Cursing Ambarish he cried, ''You shall have to suffer the fruits of insulting me.'' Saying this he plucked a hair from his head and transformed it into a demonness. He commanded her to beat Ambarish.

Now, Ambarish was truly a great devotee of the Lord. He stood with hands joined in humility. The Lord placed his special weapon the Sudarshan Chakra - in Ambarish's protection. The Sudarshan Chakra began to spin. Its bright light burnt the demonness to ashes. It then moved towards Durvasa to burn him as well. Durvasa saw this. He became frightened and clenched his fists and began to run for his dear life. The Chakra chased him everywhere.

Screaming Durvasa went to Lord Shiva and asked that he be saved from the Sudarshan Chakra. Shiva replied, ''I cannot turn the Chakra back. It belongs to Lord Vishnu. Go to him.'' For a whole year Durvasa ran. He finally went to Lord Vishnu crying. "Save me! Save me!'' He begged, ''Lord, I cannot suffer the light from your Sudarshan Chakra anymore. I'm burning. Please call the Chakra off.'' God said, ''Durvasa, once my Chakra has been thrown at a person it never returns without killing him. I have no solution.'' Durvasa began to weep.

God said to him, ''No good will be done by weeping. But yes, there is one way of saving yourself.''

''Lord! Quick tell me.''

''But will you be able to do it?''

''Lord, if my life can be saved anything and everything will be done!'' said Durvasa, in a humble voice.

God explained to Durvasa, ''You have insulted my devotee, Ambarish. Humbly go to him and fall at his feet. If he forgives you then the Chakra will return to Me.''

To live, Durvasa had no other option. And so after a year of battering, Durvasa went to Ambarish. From the moment Durvasa had run away, with the Chakra chasing him King Ambarish had remained standing at the place he had been insulted. He had not eaten or drunk anything.

He fell at King Ambarish's feet. Ambarish pulled his feet away and raised Durvasa. He said, ''King of Sages, your falling at my feet is not right.''

Durvasa replied, ''Ambarish, you are a true devotee of the Lord. I have insulted you. Please forgive me. Save me from the Sudarshan Chakra.''

King Ambarish prayed to the Sudarshan Chakra and said, ''If the love and respect I have for Durvasa at this moment are the same as they were when he first came to my palace, then, Oh Sudarshan Chakra! Please return to the Lord.'' The Sudarshan Chakra returned to Lord Vishnu at once.

Durvasa was tremendously relieved. Then both he and Ambarish together went to the banquet hall.

The Lord cannot tolerate an insult thrown upon a great devotee of His. So never take fault with any devotee. Being humble before such a devotee pleases the Lord.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

-> http://tuhitu.blogspot.com/

Sakhi Series :- 150 ( Stone, Nitnem and world ocean )

2010-02-13T10:36:00.000+01:00

Guru Gobind Singh ji Maharaj, Stone, Nitnem and world ocean

Guru Gobind Singh Jee was sitting in the congregation with Sangat. He had with him a stone and a bucket full of water. He threw the stone into the bucket and the stone sunk to the bottom. He then asked the Sangat why the stone sunk?

One person said that it sunk because it was a stone … a stone always sinks. But Guru Jee asked why is it that the stone sunk? Another Sangatee responded that it was going to sink because it is heavy … a heavy object will always sink in water. Guru Sahib Jee responded that this was not the right answer. He asked people to give the right answer. No-one had a clue - they could not overcome their scientific way of thinking.

Finally, Guru Gobind Singh Jee turned to Bhai Nand Lal Jee. Bhai Nand Lal Jee was sitting at the bottom of Guru Jee's Takhat, and as soon as Guru Jee asked him, Bhai Nand Lal Jee started crying. Guru Jee said "Nand Lal, why are you crying? Give an answer to my question."

Bhai Nand Lal Jee responded, "when the stone was with you, it was afloat in this world. When the stone left you, it sunk." Guru Gobind Singh Jee was very happy with Bhai Nand Lal Jee and gave him a tight embrace.

Guru Jee gave this as an example of what happens to us when we leave the Guru. When we leave the True Guru, we all sink. When we stay with the Guru, Guru Sahib carries us across the Ocean to Waheguroo.

How can we stay with Guru Sahib so that we too are carried across the Ocean? We must submit ourselves to him by taking Khande-Battae-Da-Amrit. We must try and follow the Rehits provided to us by Guru Sahib … each and everyone is designed to be carried across.

We must follow the Nitnem routine provided to us by Guru Jee. Baba Nand Singh Jee used to say that when we do Nitnem, we offer our arm out to Guru Jee to carry us across. By doing Nitnem, Guru Nanak Dev Jee will never let go of our arm. But when we fail in our Nitnem, we take away our offering arm. How can Guru Jee carry us across then?

When we immerse ourselves in the Shabad, there is nothing that can cause us to sink, since the Shabad forms a protection barrier all around us to carry us across.

gur kaa sabadh rakhavaarae ||
The Word of the Guru's Shabad is my Saving Grace.

choukee chougiradh hamaarae ||
It is a guardian posted on all four sides around me.

Sakhi Series :- 149 ( Ganika Paapan Swam Across the Worldly Ocean)

2010-02-07T09:53:00.001+01:00

Ganika Paapan Swam Across the Worldly Ocean

(Source :Panthic Weekly )

ਗਨਕਾ ਪਾਪਨ ਹੋਇਕੈ ਪਾਪਾਂ ਦਾ ਗਲ ਹਾਰ ਪਰੋਤਾ॥

gankaa paa pan hoek ai paa paa(n) d aa gal haa r parot aa||

Gankaa was a sinful prostitute who wore the necklace of misdeeds around her neck.

(Vaaran Bhai Gurdaas Ji, page 10)

Ganika 'Paapan' (female gender for sinner) was a prostitute who indulged in worldly pleasure. Her whole life was spent doing many unsavory deeds. She never recited God's Name. She was a prostitute by profession but not necessarily because she needed the money to survive but did it out of pleasure and enjoyment.

ਮਹਾਂ ਪੁਰਖ ਅਚਾਣਚਕ ਗਣਕਾ ਵਾੜੇ ਆਇ ਖਲੋਤਾ॥

Mahaa(n) pu rakh achaanachak gank aa vaa rrae aae kalo taa||

Once a great man was passing by who halted in her courtyard.

One day as it was raining heavily, a 'Saadhoo' (pious person seeking God) happened by chance to come by her house. He did not know who lived there. Ganika answered and saw that a Saadhoo had come to her doorstep. She danced to the kitchen and all the way back to the Saadhoo with a glass of milk in hand . From previous lives she had accumulated good Karma the fruits of which she would now receive. She would be blessed with an opportunity for salvation.

The Saadhoo asked Ganika, "O daughter, what do you do for a living?" Ganika became embarrassed and said, "Forgive me, my karma is low. I am unfortunate as I am a prostitute."

The Saadhoo refused to drink the milk. "I cannot drink milk given by someone who earns their livelihood through corrupt, immoral means."

Ganika was moved and saddened that the Saadhoo refused to drink the milk. She pleaded with the Saadhoo, "Please drink the glass of milk. I will feel bad if you won't drink it. What must I do for you to agree to drink it?"

ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਦੇਖ ਦਇਆਲ ਹੋਇ ਹਥਹੁੰ ਉਸਨੋਂ ਦਿਤੋਸੁ ਤੋਤਾ॥

du rmat de kh dayiaal h oe, hath-hahu (n) usn o(n) di- tos t otaa ||

Seeing her bad plight he became compassionate and offered her a special parrot.

ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਉਪਦੇਸ ਕਰ ਖੇਲ ਗਿਆ ਦੇ ਵਣਜ ਸਉਤਾ॥

r aam naa m upd es kar, khe l giaa d e vanaj sou taa||

He told her to teach the parrot to repeat the name of Ram. Having made her understand this fruitful trade he then went away.

The The Saadhoo said, "I will drink the milk, if you make one promise."

"Which is?" asked Ganika.

The Saadhoo answered, "I will give you my parrot. I want you to promise to teach the parrot how to repeat 'Raam' (He who pervades everything) " And with that, the Saadhoo departed from her house.

ਲਿਵ ਲਾਗੀ ਤਿਸ ਤੋਤਿਅਹੁੰ ਨਿਤ ਪੜ੍ਹਾਏ ਕਰੈ ਅਸੋਤਾ॥

li v laa gee

thi s tho thiah u(n) ni th parrhaae ae karai asoth aa||

Each and every day, with full concentration, she would teach the parrot to say Ram.

Ganika began teaching the parrot as per the Saadhoo's instruction. The parrot was a slow learner. It required intense effort of repetition of 'Ram' for the parrot to learn. Day and night she persevered.

ਪਤਿਤ ਉਧਾਰਣ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਪਾਪ ਕਲੇਵਰ ਧੋਤਾ॥

pat it u dhaaran r aam naa m, durmat p aap kalevar dh otaa ||

The name of Lord is the liberator of the fallen ones. It washed away her evil wisdom and deeds.

Repeating 'Raam' had a wonderful positive effect on Ganika. As she taught the parrot then also her spirits were uplifted . In time, the parrot learned to say Raam perfectly. By then it had also become an ingrained practice for her to repeat 'Ram' and she did so all day.

ਅੰਤਕਾਲ ਜਮ ਜਾਲ ਤੋੜ ਨਰਕੈ ਵਿਚ ਨ ਖਾਧੁਸ ਗੋਤਾ॥

antkaa l jam jaa l torr, narak ai vi ch na kaadh us go taa||

At the time of death, it cut away the noose of Yama - the messenger of death she did not have to drown in the ocean of hell.

ਗਈ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਬਿਬਾਣ ਚੜ੍ਹ ਨਾਉ ਨਾਰਾਇਣ ਛੋਤ ਅਛੋਤਾ॥

ge-ee bai kunt b ibaa n charrh naao n aaraai n chhot achh otaa ||

Due to the elixir of name (of the Lord) she became totally devoid of sins and was lifted to the heavens.

ਥਾਉਂ ਨਿਥਾਵੇਂ ਮਾਣ ਮਣੋਤਾ ॥

thhaa ou (n) nithh aavae (n) maan man othaa ||

The name (of the Lord) is the last refuge of the shelterless ones.

Repeating "Raam Raam Raam Raam Raam....",Ganika's mind was purified and her past misdeeds were washed away. Her karmic account had cleared by the time of her death and thus she was freed from the cycle of reincarnation.

ਜਿਹ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਗਨਕਾ ਸੀ ਉਧਰੀ ਤਾ ਕੋ ਜਸੁ ਉਰ ਧਾਰੋ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
jih simrat gankaa see udhree taa ko jas ur dhaaro ||1|| rehaao ||
Meditating on Him in remembrance, Ganika the prostitute was saved; enshrine His Praises within your heart. ||1||Pause||

(Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, ang 632)

Her dedicated repitition of 'Ram' became a deep meditation of God through which she attained her salvation despite her occupation and how she had spent her life. As she was cleansed then saved, enshrining His praises, so can anyone else be also blessed with salvation.

- http://tuhitu.blogspot.com/

Sakhi Series :- 148 ( Bhagat Ravidas ji in Chitaur )

2010-01-30T20:59:00.001+01:00

Bhagat Ravidas ji in Chitaur

An important aspect of the universality of Guru Granth Sahib is its inclusion of verses of fifteen Bhagats, or mystics, belonging to different traditions, times and territories. The only yardstick for selection was their belief and practice based on the oneness of God and equality of humanity. Their philosophy of rejecting futile rituals and relying solely on devotional love, or Nam Simran, to merge with the formless, uncreated Creator was similar to that of the Gurus.

One of these Bhagats is Bhagat Ravidas ji,

Ravidas ji's selfless devotion and casteless love for humanity spread far and wide. In the course of his spiritual quest, he reached a stage when he discarded images and idols and turned to the worship of the one supreme being.

rivdwsu cmwru ausiqq kry hir kIriq inmK iek gwie ] (733-9, sUhI, mhlw 4)
Ravi Das, the leather-worker, praised the Lord, and sang the Kirtan of His Praises each and every instant.

piqq jwiq auqmu BieAw cwir vrn pey pig Awie ]2] (733-9, sUhI, mhlw 4)
Although he was of low social status, he was exalted and elevated, and people of all four castes came and bowed at his feet. ||2||

Maharani Jhally of Chitaur was a noble woman of benevolence and piety. Her ardency brought her to Benares on a pilgrimage. In spite of the disapproval of the Brahmin priests, she straight-away went to the Bhagat Ravidas ji. Ravidas ji was in his ecclesiastic benediction at the time, and was reciting hymns (Rag Sorath ( Ang.658-59).

Maharani was captivated. Eventually she became his disciple and abandoned all her luxurious set up. Her husband, the Maharana, had been instigated against her adopting a cobble as her Guru. He was full of rage when she returned. He was pacified by listening to some of the hymns of Bhagat Ravidas ji but still wanted to put the Bhagat ji through a test to invalidate the allegations of the Brahmins. The Bhagat was invited to Chitaur and requested to participate in an oblation(an offering). The Brahmin priests refused to eat while a cobbler (person form lower caste) was seated in the same column of rows.

Bhagat Ravidas ji voluntarily moved away. But, miraculously every person distributing food looked like Bhagat Ravidas ji to the Brahmins (Another account states when the Brahmins sat down to eat, they saw Ravidas ji seated between every two of them). They complained to Maharaja. Maharaja comprehended the hidden meaning of this marvel, and himself became an ardent devotee.

"The milk has been contaminated by the suckling calf

The flower has been defiled by the bumblebee,

The fish have polluted the water

O mother, from where should I get clean offerings to worship God?"

"Let me offer my body and mind in worship

By the grace of Guru shall I attain immaculate God." (GGS ji, Ang.525)

=> More Sakhis : www.tuhitu.blogspot.com

Sakhi Series :- 147 ( Hamri Karo Hath Dai Rachha )

2010-01-22T23:02:00.000+01:00

Hamri Karo Hath Dai Rachha

( Source: http://www.sikhsangat.com - Taken from One of Bhai Balwinder Singh Ji's tapes)

One time an old Gursikh and his granddaughter were travelling to Sachkhand Sri Anandpur Sahib to be blessed with the holy darshan of Dhan Dhan Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj.

As they made their way through the jungles which surrounded Sachkhand Sri Anandpur Sahib they got lost in the darkness. They then began to look for some place to take shelter as it had also begun to rain. They walked for a while and noticed a fire burning in the distance. They decided to walk towards the fire and ask someone for directions and for shelter from the rain.

As they approached the fire they saw a pathan standing there. They greeted the pathan who stared at them. He looked at the granddaughter and bad thoughts began to go through his mind. Without a second thought he took out his sword out of its scabbard and began to wave it towards the old Gursikh.

The granddaughter who noticed this began to recite, "Hamri karo hath dai rachha."

As she uttered this thuk a bow was plucked and a golden tipped arrow began to cut through the jungle and the sky before piercing the neck of the pathan.

A few moments later the thud of horses galloping was heard. Soon an army clad in blue robes and iron weapons began to manifest with Satguru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj at the front. As soon as the old Gursikh and his granddaughter caught a glimpse of Guru Sahib and his ladlee fauj they fell to the floor with tears of happiness in their eyes. Maharaj smiled, dismounted from his horse and held his two beloved Sikhs as he took them back home to Sachkhand Sri Anandpur Sahib with him.

- http://tuhitu.blogspot.com/

Sakhi Series :- 146 ( Ham Paapee Paathhar Neer Dubath Kar Kirapaa Paakhan Ham Thaaree)

2010-01-16T11:40:00.000+01:00

Ham Paapee Paathhar Neer Dubath Kar Kirapaa Paakhan Ham Thaaree

(Source : http://www.sikhsangat.com - Very loose translation from Giani Pritam Singh Ji's book Gian Kirnan)

gurasikhaa kae muh oujalae karae har piaaraa gur kaa jaikaar sa(n)saar sabhath karaaeae ||
The Beloved Lord makes the faces of His GurSikhs radiant; He makes the whole world applaud and acclaim the Guru.

jan naanak har kaa dhaas hai har dhaasan kee har paij rakhaaeae ||2||
Servant Nanak is the slave of the Lord; the Lord Himself preserves the honor of His slave. ||2|| (Ang 308)

In Ludhiana there is a village called Pakhowal. In this village there is a Gurudwara Sahib that is situated towards the place where the sun sets. Behind the Prakash Asthan of Satguru Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj there was a wall which had neither a door nor a window. As a consequence of this no air or sunlight would come into the Gurudwara Sahib from this direction.

When Sant Gurbachan Singh Ji Khalsa saw this he immediately told the Singhs of the village that due to this wall the Prakash Asthan of Guru Sahib did not receive any wind. He then went on to request the Singhs to donate the land behind this wall to the Gurudwara Sahib so that a door could be built to allow air to come in towards the Prakash Asthan.

The Singh who owned this land listened to Sant Ji and immediately after doing an ardas to Guru Sahib donated the land. In this way the Singhs managed to build some windows and a door in this wall which allowed cool air to come in towards Guru Ji's Prakash Asthan. When Sant Ji saw this seva was completed he was very happy and said, "Brothers in the same way that you have opened Guru Sahib's door he will also open your doors".

In the house of the Singh who had donated the land to the Gurudwara Sahib there were no children. Sometime after he had done this seva the Singh and his wife were blessed by Satguru Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj with a baby boy.

May Dhan Dhan Dhan Dhan Dhan Dhan Satguru Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji bless us with seva as well and open our doors.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Sakhi Series :- 145 ( Bhai Abdullah and Bhai Natha)

2010-01-03T21:08:00.001+01:00

Bhai Abdullah and Bhai Natha

Bhai Abdullah and Bhai Natha were the famous dhadhis employed by Guru Hargobind to sing vars (heroic ballads) at the Akal Takht Sahib. Bhai Abdulla's full name was Mir Abdullah. He belonged to the village of Sursing, District Amritsar and was an expert rabab-player. His companion, Bhai Natha belonged to Sultanwind, District Amritsar. He played on the dhad. Bhai Abdullah and Bhai Natha were very popular in their time. They, it is said composed many heroic ballads.

Guru Arjan Dev hi had been brutally tortured and embraced martyrdom, becoming an example for the Panth. The Sikhs were grief-struck and felt a sense of despair. The small Panth of Guru Nanak had been targeted by the mighty power of the Mughals.

Guru Hargobind Sahib ji, became the next Guru. In front of all the gathered Sikhs, Baba Buddha jee put the two swords of meeri and peeri on Guru Hargobind Sahib ji. Guru Sahib was dressed like an emperor and there was a kalgi (aigrette) on his dastaar.

The Dhadis, Bhai Abdullah and Bhai Nath Mal, at the hukam of Guru Hargobind Sahib ji sang a vaar filled with bir ras.

Then, Guru Hargobind Sahib rose and gave his first sermon to the Sikhs:

Today the offerings that are beloved to me are good weapons and good youth. If you want my happiness, then exercise your bodies, wrestle, play gatka, learn to ride horses. Weakness is now a crime to the Nation that cannot be forgiven for anyone. You will take up the sword and I now wear the sword so that the swords of tyranny and oppression will stop forever.

You have all come from far and wide today. The cool tranquility has been stolen from not just your heart and my heart, but from the entire world. Our swords will not rest until we bring this oppression to an end.

Make day and night one. Go into the villages and light the inferno of revolution. Tell the people that we need their youth. Only that is a good youth that sacrifices itself for the cause of the Nation. We need sacred hearts and pure minds. We need Saint Soldiers. Enshrine waheguru in your hearts. We fear death because we have not experienced true life. We feel worry because we have not enjoyed a taste of life. We feel fear because our destination and goal seems so far off. But if you challenge death, death will flee from you. If you learn to walk with your heads held high then worry will depart. If you are determined to walk, the destination will not be so far away. Have faith in Waheguru and all fears will vanish. If fear has left you then even death will seem like bliss.

Guru jee continued,

Do not think that you are too few. You are all like springs. Oceans flow out of these very springs. There are hundreds of thousands of springs like you in our Nation. When you come together and flow forward, you will create a flood.

A small and insignificant piece of wood, when made into a match, can light the entire jungle on fire. But you are humans! And furthermore, those humans whose heart has just now been scorched on hot iron plates [reference to shahidi of Guru Arjan Dev jee].

Addressing the poets in the Sangat, Guru Sahib said,

See, God has given you the gift of poetry. When nations are built, you are the foundations. Stop all these other untimely songs and work to bring the Nation out of this deep dark pit. Tell those stories which will make the people willing to lose their skin like they would be willing to change their clothes. Fill the people of our Nation with the spirit and fervor to be like moths so they will sacrifice themselves in the flames of true cause.

Our blood has become cold. Tell us stories of Shahidi and become the furnaces that will boil our blood. Give us the passion to make the trampled Punjab and our crushed Nation rise to its feet once again.

Speaking to the Dhadis, Guru Sahib said,

Now is the time that your instruments should call out a challenge. Your notes should stir the Nation. The beat of your dhads should awaken the people and the bells on your bows should make hearts fill with the zeal of sacrifice.

- http://tuhitu.blogspot.com/

Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji

2009-11-02T09:08:00.001+01:00

Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji

(source: http://dedicatedkaurs.blogspot.com)
To Read more on Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Click on the following Links:

Early Childhood:

"He will be a great man and our village Talwandi will become famous in the world."

The Day –Dreamer
The Questioning Years
The Sacred Thread

Youth Years:

"Guru Nanak Dev Ji put all his ideas about God into poetry, so that people could memorize them. Then he, Bala and Mardana sang them together. Soon all over the Punjab, people were singing Nanak's hymns about the One God, who is greater than anyone else, who is good and loves his creatures."

Guru Nanak Dev Ji Gets Married
The Boy who Traded Money for a Blessing
All Men are Brothers
The Man who was Re-born

The Journey of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji:

"Nor did his love for the people lessen with the years. He was never too tired to listen to their problems and was always ready to offer words of comfort and advice. The circle of peole who respect him and followed his guidance increased daily…"

Guru Nanak Dev ji on the "Holy" Ganga
Life by Good Deeds
Gold cannot be Taken to Heaven
A King Pays Homage to Guru Nanak Dev Ji
The Rich Man and the Poor Carpenter

Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Teachings:

"There is always room for holiness and goodness," Guru Nanak Dev Ji answers. "Just as one jasmine petal can perfume a whole bowlful of milk so can one man re-fill the world with the fragrance of faith in God and in good deeds!"

There is Only one God
Sajjan the Robber
God is Everywhere
God Made all Men Equal
Guru Nanak Dev Ji chooses a Successor
There is Never Enough of Goodness

Sakhi Series :- 144 ( BLESSING OF SANGAT )

2009-10-25T10:09:00.001+01:00

BLESSING OF SANGAT

Once the State Governor (subedar) carne to see the Guru with the question "O Guru,
when you are pleased with a Sikh, what do you give him?"
"When I am pleased with a Sikh, I send to his house one who is dear to me", replied the Guru.

"Guruji, if you are very pleased with a Sikh, then what do you give him'!,'
"When I am more pleased with a Sikh, I send to his house, two of my dear ones."
"And if, Guruji, you are still more pleased, what would you give him?"
"In that case I would send three of my dear ones to his house."
The subedar continued to repeat his question, until the Guru had raised the number of
dear ones to ten.

"When you send ten dear ones to a Sikh, what does the Sikh gain out of it?"
"The more the dear ones that visit a Sikh, the more is the praise and discussion of the Lord. In the company of saints, spiritual discussion automatically takes place. Whatever the Sikh hears will stay in his mind, and ultimately liberate him from the cycle of birth and death. At the same time his livelihood will flourish, and his family will also follow his example in serving the saintly persons, to become pure like him. Such are the benefits of a saint's visit." The reply pleased the subedur.

saadhhoo dhhoor karo nith majan sabh kilabikh paap gavaaein ||
I take my daily cleansing bath in the dust of the feet of the Holy, and I am rid of all my sins.

Delight Your Children!

2009-10-23T10:28:00.001+02:00

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New Sikh Audio Story CDs & Book

Storytelling is a long standing Sikh tradition and a child's imagination contains the most wonderful graphics of all!

Now SikhNet is making available our very first set of kid-friendly products. We understand that most kids are not particularly interested in "educational" content and that they need to be engaged interactively and creatively by inspiring pride and joy in Sikh identity and instilling Sikh values without being "teachy" or "preachy."

So we have created two forms of Children's Stories for you and your children to share: Four audio CD's of recorded stories most of which are brought to life with wonderful voice acting, music and sound effects and a companion storybook with illustrations which can be colored in by children.

These exciting and fun stories make perfect gifts for the children in your life. They are filled with tales of seva, simran, bani, bana, love, courage, history and the joy of giving and sharing.

All proceeds from the sales of SikhNet Stories for Children products will be used to expand our special services for children at SikhNet.com

I invite you to come take a look at our new SikhNet products for Children.

Sakhi Series :- 143 ( Destiny Achieved Through Prayer )

2009-10-11T10:03:00.000+02:00

DESTINY ACHIEVED THROUGH PRAYER

(Source : http://trilochankaur.blogspot.com )

One summer when the Guru was travelling, he reached a garden where he camped for the day. It so happened that the king's pir (spiritual advisor), was also camping at the same place. Thus the Pir had a chance to meet Guru Baba. The pir called on the Guru, who seated him with due courtesy by his side. There was a town nearby where a number of Sikhs of the Guru lived. When they heard of the Guru's arrival at the garden, they all flocked to see the Guru with offerings of clothes, arms and money, besides food. The offerings were formally dedicated to the Guru and prayed for blessings, success in temporal pursuits, protection from evil, and the boon of Naam.

The Pir watched the proceedings for the whole day, and then put this question the Guru, "In our scriptures it is said that whatever is destined, is bound to happen. Something else can happen, only if what has been done previously is wrong. Since what has been done, cannot be wrong, there is no scope for anything else happening. So, when the Sikhs pray before you for success in their endeavours, what do they pray for, since nothing else can happen except what is destined?" After hearing the pir's question the Guru took out his seal. He applied ink to the seal and stamped it on a piece of paper.

"Pir ji, this is the answer to your question," replied the Guru. "Kindly explain this to me," said the pir. "The letters on the seal were already there. These have not been written now. But the writer knew that when the seal bows its head to touch the paper, the reverse letters will become straight and get stamped on it. Similarly, the Creator has made this provision in one's destiny, so that when one appear before the Guru / Sangat in humility and performs service / sewa, his adverse destiny is corrected. All his problems are solved. This reversal is as per destiny, and not otherwise. Thus, whatever has been said in your scriptures is correct. Nothing less and nothing more." At this answer the pir was very happy.

Sakhi Series :- 142 ( The Guru Teaches Etiquette )

2009-10-03T09:50:00.000+02:00

THE GURU TEACHES ETIQUETTE
(Source : http://trilochankaur.blogspot.com)

Once a diwan of the emperor came to meet Guru Har Gobind Sahib Ji. He was a Turk, arrogant because of his position. The Guru was absorbed in some thing, and so did not take notice of him. This indifference enraged the diwan. The idea crossed his mind that he should strike the Guru with his sword and sever his head from the body. The Guru who was all knowing, saw what was going on in the diwan's mind.

The emperor had commissioned him for a particular expedition, in which he had been defeated and forced to flee. As he thought of using the sword, the Guru looked towards him, and said, "You did not strike when you should have done it. But at a saint's place, where you are supposed to pay obeisance, you want to use your sword. Whence did you buy this advice? Go and return it to whoever sold it to you. This is useless." At this the diwan fell at the Guru's feet and said, "0 Guru, I made a grievous error. Forgive me for the ignoble thought. You are in reality, the "Sache Pathshah" (True Emperor). Nothing is hidden from you. You are rightly known as the True emperor. There is no exaggeration in this. I crave your forgiveness."

Guru ji remarked, "Listen, diwan, when you goto a saint, regard him as the image of the Creator. Do not take him to be a mere human being. If you approach him with wicked thoughts, your sword will clash with his far more powerful one, which will strike you dead, while your sword is in your hand. Such are the powers of the saints. They are not powerless. I forgive you. But do not forget the etiquette to be observed in the presence of masters. The more you respect them, the better it will be for you. The rest is up to you."

Waheguru ....