Need or Greed?

Need Or Greed ?


ਜੋ ਮਾਗਹਿ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਅਪੁਨੇ ਤੇ ਸੋਈ ਸੋਈ ਦੇਵੈ ॥
जो मागहि ठाकुर अपुने ते सोई सोई देवै ॥
Jo māgeh ṯẖākur apunė ṯė so­ī so­ī ḏėvai.
Whatever I ask for from my Lord and Master, he gives that to me.

ਨਾਨਕ ਦਾਸੁ ਮੁਖ ਤੇ ਜੋ ਬੋਲੈ ਈਹਾ ਊਹਾ ਸਚੁ ਹੋਵੈ ॥੨॥੧੪॥੪੫॥
नानक दासु मुख ते जो बोलै ईहा ऊहा सचु होवै ॥२॥१४॥४५॥
Nānak ḏās mukẖ ṯė jo bolai īhā ūhā sacẖ hovai. ||2||14||45||
Whatever the Lord's slave Nanak utters with his mouth, proves to be true, here and hereafter. ||2||14||45||



In Hibernia Road Gurudwara they have this in big letters across the entrance to the Darbar.

I used to think this meant whatever you asked for in Ardas is what you'll get, but all ardas's don't come true do they? So what does it mean? The answer clicked when my dad was watching a nature program, some creatures have evolved to leave in extreme heat or extreme cold etc, and my dad said 'Jo mangeh Thakur apaney tey soee soee devay'. Even the animals have an ardas inside to survive wherever they are and over time their ardas comes true. Even plants have a ardas to have the sun on their leaves, so plants on my window sill start leaning towards the window.

Thakur answers all true internal ardas of all His creatures and plants. So people may ask why didn't my Thakur answer my ardas? I was standing up with palms pressed together at the Gurdwara after having done Akhand Paath seva and donating lots of money?? That ardas was lip service - it was ardas for greed not need.

Like when people do nitnem, but they don't understand and inside they really want to be out and about perhaps boyfriend and girlfriends. Then their internal ardas is heard not their lip service. Good or bad, whatever your real daily internal ardas is, will be heard and answered over time.

When someone does paath with concentration and love and their internal ardas is the same as Guru jees words, then the supreme gifts will be delivered over time. And God keeps giving us gifts all the time.


ਦੇਦਾ ਦੇ ਲੈਦੇ ਥਕਿ ਪਾਹਿ ॥
देदा दे लैदे थकि पाहि ॥
Ḏėḏā ḏė laiḏė thak pāhi.
The Great Giver keeps on giving, while those who receive grow weary of receiving.

God provides without ever getting tired but we the askers get tired of asking!

The provider provides all the wishes .... the requester asks for all.

There is nothing wrong with asking for things because we always need things but unfortuantely we are greedy, so we need to become content.


ਪਿਛਲੇ ਅਉਗੁਣ ਬਖਸਿ ਲਏ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਆਗੈ ਮਾਰਗਿ ਪਾਵੈ ॥੨॥
पिछले अउगुण बखसि लए प्रभु आगै मारगि पावै ॥२॥
Picẖẖlė a­oguṇ bakẖas la­ė parabẖ āgai mārag pāvai. ||2||
Please forgive my past actions, God, and place me on Your path for the future. ||2||

In Ardas thank God, beg forgiveness and ask for Almighty's guidance for future path.

ਕਰਿ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਵਸਹੁ ਮੇਰੈ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਹੋਇ ਸਹਾਈ ਆਪਿ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
करि किरपा वसहु मेरै हिरदै होइ सहाई आपि ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Kar kirpā vashu mėrai hirḏai ho­ė sahā­ī āp. ||1|| rahā­o.
Bestow Your Mercy, and dwell within my heart; please, become my Helper. ||1||Pause||

Also one should ask for God's grace so that we obtain Naam Simran, which is the answer to all our problems.

But God's Name and Praises can only be done if the basic needs are satisfied. Most of the Bhagats were so poor that Bhagat Kabeer jee said to Waheguru ji, without food and shelter I can't sing your praises

ਰਾਗੁ ਸੋਰਠਿ ॥
रागु सोरठि ॥
Rāg soraṯẖ.
Raag Sorat'h:

ਭੂਖੇ ਭਗਤਿ ਨ ਕੀਜੈ ॥
भूखे भगति न कीजै ॥
Bẖūkẖė bẖagaṯ na kījai.
I am so hungry, I cannot perform devotional worship service.

ਯਹ ਮਾਲਾ ਅਪਨੀ ਲੀਜੈ ॥
यह माला अपनी लीजै ॥
Yeh mālā apnī lījai.
Here, Lord, take back Your mala.

ਹਉ ਮਾਂਗਉ ਸੰਤਨ ਰੇਨਾ ॥
हउ मांगउ संतन रेना ॥
Ha­o māʼnga­o sanṯan rėnā.
I beg for the dust of the feet of the Saints.

ਮੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕਿਸੀ ਕਾ ਦੇਨਾ ॥੧॥
मै नाही किसी का देना ॥१॥
Mai nāhī kisī kā ḏėnā. ||1||
I do not owe anyone anything. ||1||

ਮਾਧੋ ਕੈਸੀ ਬਨੈ ਤੁਮ ਸੰਗੇ ॥
माधो कैसी बनै तुम संगे ॥
Māḏẖo kaisī banai ṯum sangė.
O Lord, how can I be with You?

ਆਪਿ ਨ ਦੇਹੁ ਤ ਲੇਵਉ ਮੰਗੇ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
आपि न देहु त लेवउ मंगे ॥ रहाउ ॥
Āp na ḏėh ṯa lėva­o mangė. Rahā­o.
If You do not give me Yourself, then I shall beg until I get You. ||Pause||

ਦੁਇ ਸੇਰ ਮਾਂਗਉ ਚੂਨਾ ॥
दुइ सेर मांगउ चूना ॥
Ḏu­ė sėr māʼnga­o cẖūnā.
I ask for two kilos of flour,

ਪਾਉ ਘੀਉ ਸੰਗਿ ਲੂਨਾ ॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/20174-need-or-greed.html
पाउ घीउ संगि लूना ॥
Pā­o gẖī­o sang lūnā.
and half a pound of ghee, and salt.

ਅਧ ਸੇਰੁ ਮਾਂਗਉ ਦਾਲੇ ॥
अध सेरु मांगउ दाले ॥
Aḏẖ sėr māʼnga­o ḏālė.
I ask for a pound of beans,

ਮੋ ਕਉ ਦੋਨਉ ਵਖਤ ਜਿਵਾਲੇ ॥੨॥
मो कउ दोनउ वखत जिवाले ॥२॥
Mo ka­o don­o vakẖaṯ jivālė. ||2||
which I shall eat twice a day. ||2||

ਖਾਟ ਮਾਂਗਉ ਚਉਪਾਈ ॥
खाट मांगउ चउपाई ॥
Kẖāt māʼnga­o cẖa­upā­ī.
I ask for a cot, with four legs,

ਸਿਰਹਾਨਾ ਅਵਰ ਤੁਲਾਈ ॥
सिरहाना अवर तुलाई ॥
Sirhānā avar ṯulā­ī.
and a pillow and mattress.

ਊਪਰ ਕਉ ਮਾਂਗਉ ਖੀਂਧਾ ॥
ऊपर कउ मांगउ खींधा ॥
Ūpar ka­o māʼnga­o kẖīʼnḏẖā.
I ask for a quit to cover myself.

ਤੇਰੀ ਭਗਤਿ ਕਰੈ ਜਨੁ ਥੀਧਾ ॥੩॥
तेरी भगति करै जनु थींधा ॥३॥
Ŧėrī bẖagaṯ karai jan thīʼnḏẖā. ||3||
Your humble servant shall perform Your devotional worship service with love. ||3||

ਮੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੀਤਾ ਲਬੋ ॥
मै नाही कीता लबो ॥
Mai nāhī kīṯā labo.
I have no greed;

ਇਕੁ ਨਾਉ ਤੇਰਾ ਮੈ ਫਬੋ ॥
इकु नाउ तेरा मै फबो ॥
Ik nā­o ṯėrā mai fabo.
Your Name is the only ornament I wish for.

ਕਹਿ ਕਬੀਰ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ॥
कहि कबीर मनु मानिआ ॥
Kahi Kabīr man māni­ā.
Says Kabeer, my mind is pleased and appeased;

ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨਿਆ ਤਉ ਹਰਿ ਜਾਨਿਆ ॥੪॥੧੧॥
मनु मानिआ तउ हरि जानिआ ॥४॥११॥
Man māni­ā ṯa­o har jāni­ā. ||4||11||
now that my mind is pleased and appeased, I have come to know the Lord. ||4||11||


Asking for house or car or a wife etc is not wrong, but why do people ask? What is the motive? Is it going to get them closer to God ?

Bhagat Kabeer jee asked for these things so he'd get closer to God, most people ask for these things because of selfish motives (status, to fulfill one of the 5 thieving desires). But then again Guru Arjun Dev jee has said use Waheguru jee for your own advantage.

ਸਾਜਨੋ ਤੂ ਮੀਤੁ ਮੇਰਾ ਗ੍ਰਿਹਿ ਤੇਰੈ ਸਭੁ ਕੇਹੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
साजनो तू मीतु मेरा ग्रिहि तेरै सभु केहु ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Sājno ṯū mīṯ mėrā garihi ṯėrai sabẖ kėhu. ||1|| rahā­o.
You are my Friend, my very best Friend; everything is in Your Home. ||1||Pause||

ਮਾਨੁ ਮਾਂਗਉ ਤਾਨੁ ਮਾਂਗਉ ਧਨੁ ਲਖਮੀ ਸੁਤ ਦੇਹ ॥੧॥
मानु मांगउ तानु मांगउ धनु लखमी सुत देह ॥१॥
Mān māʼnga­o ṯān māʼnga­o ḏẖan lakẖmī suṯ ḏėh. ||1||
I beg for honor, I beg for strength; please bless me with wealth, wife and children. ||1||

It's good people do paath, ardas, seva for their own advantage because bit by bit they might get to the state where they start asking for the gift of Naam and God's praises and that will truly give them the Supreme advantage.

ਮਾਂਗਉ ਰਾਮ ਤੇ ਸਭਿ ਥੋਕ ॥
मांगउ राम ते सभि थोक ॥
Māʼnga­o rām ṯė sabẖ thok.
I beg only from the Lord for all things.

ਮਾਨੁਖ ਕਉ ਜਾਚਤ ਸ੍ਰਮੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੈ ਸਿਮਰਨਿ ਮੋਖ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
मानुख कउ जाचत स्रमु पाईऐ प्रभ कै सिमरनि मोख ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Mānukẖ ka­o jācẖaṯ saram pā­ī­ai parabẖ kai simran mokẖ. ||1|| rahā­o.
I would hesitate to beg from other people. Remembering God in meditation, liberation is obtained. ||1||Pause||

Waheguru jeeo provides everything

ਮਾਂਗਉ ਰਾਮ ਤੇ ਇਕੁ ਦਾਨੁ ॥
मांगउ राम ते इकु दानु ॥
Māʼnga­o rām ṯė ik ḏān.
I beg for one gift only from the Lord.

ਸਗਲ ਮਨੋਰਥ ਪੂਰਨ ਹੋਵਹਿ ਸਿਮਰਉ ਤੁਮਰਾ ਨਾਮੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20174
सगल मनोरथ पूरन होवहि सिमरउ तुमरा नामु ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Sagal manorath pūran hoveh simra­o ṯumrā nām. ||1|| rahā­o.
May all my desires be fulfilled, meditating on, and remembering Your Name, O Lord. ||1||Pause||

Source: Abstract taken from "FROM THE HEART" by humble Khalsa of NaamNet [ Download Section ]

 
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We should remember

ਗਜ ਕੋ ਤ੍ਰਾਸੁ ਮਿਟਿਓ ਜਿਹ ਸਿਮਰਤ ਤੁਮ ਕਾਹੇ ਬਿਸਰਾਵਉ ॥੧॥

gaj ko thraas mittiou jih simarath thum kaahae bisaraavo ||1||
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20174

Remembering Him, the elephant's fear was removed; so why do you forget Him? ||1||

i was talking to a friend about just this recently, and his feeling was that if we truly and honestly believe that our Ardas will be answered then it will be answered (though not always in the way we expect).
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=20174

if our faith is weak, if we pray thinking "i know i won't get this but i'll try anyway", then it surely won't happen.