Why should we read Guru Granth Sahib, when we cannot understand a single word?

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.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/inspirational-stories/32363-why-should-we-read-guru-granth.html

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.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=32363

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"

http://tuhitu.blogspot.com/2010/09/s...-and-feel.html

 
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May be you could explain what's the point of having a clean bucket which can't quench thrust. If cleaning the bucket was the object the kid was quite capable of cleaning the bucket.

Whats the use of a mind when its not capable of retaining water?
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=32363

It is the retention that effects

Eropa234ji,

Guru Fateh.

Before I can comment on your post, I would like to ask you a couple of questions so, I can understand where you are coming from.

1. Do you or have you read Gurbani?
2. If you have, are you/were you able to understand it in one go?
We know it is all poetry, so it is not easy to put into prose.
3.You commented on Kanwardeep ji's post:
"Even though Hinduism is not part of my religion it is still part of my culture I still take pride in the history of my people that goes back ten thousand years in recorded history." What is your religion/faith now?

Thanks & regards

Tejwant Singh

Just as an aside, I am fairly certain that the story posted as the thread starter will annoy some people. It was not posted to annoy, but to consider the story premise. Valid or not? Every now and then the question does cross my mind.

Even Guru Arjan Dev ji admitted to lack of understanding of the shabad, at one time in his life, in of course another sense. The problem of ignorance takes on more than one form. But the saving grace seems to be the same.

ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ ੫ ॥
dhaevagandhhaaree 5 ||
Dayv-Gandhaaree, Fifth Mehl:
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=32363


ਮਨ ਕਹ ਅਹੰਕਾਰਿ ਅਫਾਰਾ ॥
man keh ahankaar afaaraa ||
O mind, why are you so puffed up with egotism?


ਦੁਰਗੰਧ ਅਪਵਿਤ੍ਰ ਅਪਾਵਨ ਭੀਤਰਿ ਜੋ ਦੀਸੈ ਸੋ ਛਾਰਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
dhuragandhh apavithr apaavan bheethar jo dheesai so shhaaraa ||1|| rehaao ||
Whatever is seen in this foul, impure and filthy world, is only ashes. ||1||Pause||


ਜਿਨਿ ਕੀਆ ਤਿਸੁ ਸਿਮਰਿ ਪਰਾਨੀ ਜੀਉ ਪ੍ਰਾਨ ਜਿਨਿ ਧਾਰਾ ॥
jin keeaa this simar paraanee jeeo praan jin dhhaaraa ||
Remember the One who created you, O mortal; He is the Support of your soul, and the breath of life.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=32363



ਤਿਸਹਿ ਤਿਆਗਿ ਅਵਰ ਲਪਟਾਵਹਿ ਮਰਿ ਜਨਮਹਿ ਮੁਗਧ ਗਵਾਰਾ ॥੧॥
thisehi thiaag avar lapattaavehi mar janamehi mugadhh gavaaraa ||1||
One who forsakes Him, and attaches himself to another, dies to be reborn; he is such an ignorant fool! ||1||


ਅੰਧ ਗੁੰਗ ਪਿੰਗੁਲ ਮਤਿ ਹੀਨਾ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਰਾਖਹੁ ਰਾਖਨਹਾਰਾ ॥
andhh gung pingul math heenaa prabh raakhahu raakhanehaaraa ||
I am blind, mute, crippled and totally lacking in understanding; O God, Preserver of all, please preserve me!



ਕਰਨ ਕਰਾਵਨਹਾਰ ਸਮਰਥਾ ਕਿਆ ਨਾਨਕ ਜੰਤ ਬਿਚਾਰਾ ॥੨॥੧੧॥
karan karaavanehaar samarathhaa kiaa naanak janth bichaaraa ||2||11||
The Creator, the Cause of causes is all-powerful; O Nanak, how helpless are His beings! ||2||11||

Buckets have many uses, clean buckets especially. Now he has a perfectly useful clean bucket for carrying mangoes - or whatever. Gurbani is like that. Often what you get out of it has nothing to do with what you expected.

or a perfectly clean basket to carry fragant flowers

I fully agree with your statement. The story above is in relation to a Basket, that has residue of coal in it, has a hole in it and the object is to fetch water with it. I am sure that basket had been used at least once to fetch coal despite the hole in it. If the kid had brought mangoes in it I would not have commented, but then the story would not make sense.Absence of coal residue was the unintended consequence.

In essence what i am trying to say from my perspective when I read Guru Bani I have an object which include understanding, I may not understand what I am reading at the time I skip to next lines and so on. With each sitting I am able to accomplish my object it may be in form a tiny spec of understanding that will increases my comprehension and capability and eventually with patience I will be able to understand what I had skipped.I have never experienced unintended consequences if I have than at least I am not aware of them.

An expanded mind helps in all aspects of life including relations with in the family, society and employment.

Even as a kid if I was told to fetch water with a basket which has hole in it I will not leave unless my dad teaches me or explains to me as to how I could fetch water and bring it to him with such a basket. If my dad had asked me to clean the bucket I would have accomplished that objective.

EROPA 234 ji,

From experience, I can write about the usefulness of hearing Gurbani even if you don't understand the words. In a stroke in 2006, I completely lost my Punjabi, which - along with English and French - was a language I learned from birth. At first it was pure gibberish to me. Still it did have a very advantageous effect on me. I have continued listening, sometimes with transliteration/translation, sometimes without. I have begun to understand some.

What more can I say? Listening without understanding is leading to understanding.

Analogies can go only so far; I think I am done with that bucket. Please don't refer to the hole in my head!

I read almost every day for the past 15 years and realy enjoy reading

Thank you Tejwant Singh Ji.