Waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh.
I came across this fantastic article on another Forum. It is by manveer Singh and is a good read. jarnail singh.
A Short Interview with Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
Sunday 22nd May, 2005
Manvir Singh Khalsa - Guest Columnist
(KP)
Are Sikhs idol worshippers? ਮਹਲਾ 5 ॥ ਜੋ ਪਾਥਰ ਕਉ ਕਹਤੇ ਦੇਵ, ਤਾ ਕੀ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਹੋਵੈ ਸੇਵ | ਜੋ ਪਾਥਰ ਕੀ ਪਾਂਈ ਪਾਇ,ਤਿਸ ਕੀ ਘਾਲ ਅਜਾਂਈ ਜਾਇ |1| ਠਾਕੁਰੁ ਹਮਰਾ ਸਦ ਬੋਲੰਤਾ, ਸਰਬ ਜੀਆ ਕਉ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਦਾਨੁ ਦੇਤਾ |1| ਰਹਾਉ | ਅੰਤਰਿ ਦੇਉ ਨ ਜਾਨੈ ਅੰਧੁ, ਭ੍ਰਮ ਕਾ ਮੋਹਿਆ ਪਾਵੈ ਫੰਧੁ | ਨ ਪਾਥਰੁ ਬੋਲੈ ਨਾ ਕਿਛੁ ਦੇਇ, ਫੋਕਟ ਕਰਮ ਨਿਹਫਲ ਹੈ ਸੇਵ |2| ਜੇ ਮਿਰਤਕ ਕਉ ਚੰਦਨੁ ਚੜਾਵੈ, ਉਸ ਤੇ ਕਹਹੁ ਕਵਨ ਫਲ ਪਾਵੈ| ਜੇ ਮਿਰਤਕ ਕਉ ਬਿਸਟਾ ਮਾਹਿ ਰੁਲਾਈ, ਤਾਂ ਮਿਰਤਕ ਕਾ ਕਿਆ ਘਟਿ ਜਾਈ |3| ਕਹਤ ਕਬੀਰ ਹਉ ਕਹਉ ਪੁਕਾਰਿ , ਸਮਝਿ ਦੇਖੁ ਸਾਕਤ ਗਾਵਾਰ | ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਘਰ ਗਾਲੇ, ਰਾਮ ਭਗਤ ਹੈ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖਾਲੇ |4|4|12|
Fifth Mehl:
Those who call a stone (idol) their god their seva, service, is useless. Those who fall at the feet of a stone (idol) – their work is wasted in vain. (1)
My Lord and Master speaks forever. God gives His gifts to all living beings. (1) (Pause)
The spiritually blind one does not recognize that the Divine Lord is within us. Deluded by doubt, he is more and more caught up in the noose. The stone does not speak; it does not give anything to anyone. (Bathing the stone and asking it to eat food etc) – Such religious rituals are useless; such service is fruitless, (no reward is found in this service). (2)
If a corpse is anointed with sandalwood oil, what good does it do for the dead corpse? If a corpse is rolled in manure, what does the dead corpse lose from this? (3)
Says Kabeer, I proclaim this out loud behold, and understand, ‘O ignorant and stupid people who are separated from the Lord! Understand and see, leaving the Lord and placing love in other things (i.e. the love of duality) has ruined countless homes. Only those are forever in bliss who are the Lord's devotees. (4.4.12)
(P. 1160, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji)
Does Sikhism believe in praying to the Guru Nanak’s images and pictures?
ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਮਨ ਮਹਿ ਧਿਆਨੁ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਮੰਤ੍ਰੁ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਕੇ ਚਰਨ ਰਿਦੈ ਲੈ ਧਾਰਉ ॥ ਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਸਦਾ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥1॥
ਮਤ ਕੋ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲੈ ਸੰਸਾਰਿ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਉਤਰਸਿ ਪਾਰਿ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Meditate on the image (i.e. enshrine the feet) of the Guru within your mind. Let your mind accept the Word of the Guru's Shabad, and His Mantra (as the highest and pure Mantras). (The Guru’s Shabad is the Guru’s image), enshrine (this) image of the Guru's feet within your heart. (Recognizing the Guru as Vaheguru’s roop, image) bow in humility forever before the Guru, the Supreme Lord God. (1) Let no one wander in doubt in the world. Without the Guru, no one can cross over. (1) (Pause) (P. 864, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji)
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-youth/4177-an-interview-guru-granth-sahib-jee.html
Note:
You can either place a bowl of plastic fruit in your living room and stare at it, or you can eat fruit and taste the real sweetness. Which one would you choose?
Similarly we can either stare at pictures of Guru Nanak Ji (which are merely the artists impression of what Guru Nanak Ji would like) or we can feel Guru, and become the living images of Guru Nanak Ji through Gurbani.
Hindus say that Guru Nanak was a Hindu and Muslims say Guru Nanak was a Muslim. Which is true?
ਭੈਰਉ ਮਹਲਾ 5 ॥
ਵਰਤ ਨ ਰਹਉ ਨ ਮਹ ਰਮਦਾਨਾ ॥ ਤਿਸੁ ਸੇਵੀ ਜੋ ਰਖੈ ਨਿਦਾਨਾ ॥1॥
ਏਕੁ ਗੁਸਾਈ ਅਲਹੁ ਮੇਰਾ ॥ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਤੁਰਕ ਦੁਹਾਂ ਨੇਬੇਰਾ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਹਜ ਕਾਬੈ ਜਾਉ ਨ ਤੀਰਥ ਪੂਜਾ ॥ ਏਕੋ ਸੇਵੀ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਦੂਜਾ ॥2॥
ਪੂਜਾ ਕਰਉ ਨ ਨਿਵਾਜ ਗੁਜਾਰਉ ॥ ਏਕ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਲੇ ਰਿਦੈ ਨਮਸਕਾਰਉ ॥3॥
ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥ ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥4॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥5॥3॥
Bhairao, Fifth Mehl:
I do not keep (the Hindu’s) fasts, nor do I observe the (fast’s kept in the Muslim’s) month of Ramadaan. I serve only the One Lord, who will protect me (and everyone) in the end. (1)
The One Lord, (who the Hindus call) Gusaaee, the Lord of the World, (and who Muslims call) Allah, is my God. He adminsters justice to both Hindus and Muslims. (1.Pause.)
I do not make pilgrimages to Kaaba (in Mecca, like the Muslims do), nor do I worship (like at Hindus) at sacred shrines. I serve and meditate on the One Lord, and not any other. (2)
I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers. I have taken the One Formless Lord into my heart; I humbly worship Him there. (3)
I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim. My body and breath of life belong to (that God who Muslims call) Allah, (and who Hindus call) Raam. (4)
Says Kabeer, this is what I say: meeting with the Guru, my Spiritual Teacher, I realize God, my Lord and Master. (5.3)
(P. 1136, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji)
What is Sikhism’s standing on drinking alcohol? Is there anything written in Guru Granth Sahib Ji?
ਸਲੋਕ ਮ: 3 ॥
ਮਾਣਸੁ ਭਰਿਆ ਆਣਿਆ ਮਾਣਸੁ ਭਰਿਆ ਆਇ ॥
ਜਿਤੁ ਪੀਤੈ ਮਤਿ ਦੂਰਿ ਹੋਇ ਬਰਲੁ ਪਵੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਆਇ ॥
ਆਪਣਾ ਪਰਾਇਆ ਨ ਪਛਾਣਈ ਖਸਮਹੁ ਧਕੇ ਖਾਇ ॥
ਜਿਤੁ ਪੀਤੈ ਖਸਮੁ ਵਿਸਰੈ ਦਰਗਹ ਮਿਲੈ ਸਜਾਇ ॥
ਝੂਠਾ ਮਦੁ ਮੂਲਿ ਨ ਪੀਚਈ ਜੇ ਕਾ ਪਾਰਿ ਵਸਾਇ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਨਦਰੀ ਸਚੁ ਮਦੁ ਪਾਈਐ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਮਿਲੈ ਜਿਸੁ ਆਇ ॥
ਸਦਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਕੈ ਰੰਗਿ ਰਹੈ ਮਹਲੀ ਪਾਵੈ ਥਾਉ ॥1॥
Salokh, Mehlaa 3:
One person brings a full bottle, and another fills his cup.
Drinking the sharaab, alcohol, his intelligence departs, and madness enters his mind; he cannot distinguish between his own and others, and he is struck down by his Lord and Master.
Drinking it, he forgets his Lord and Master, and he is punished in the Court of the Lord. Do not drink the false wine at all, if it is in your power.
O Nanak, the True Guru comes and meets the mortal; by His Grace, one obtains the True Wine (of Naam). He shall dwell forever in the Love of the Lord Master, and obtain a seat (i.e. respect) in the Mansion of His Presence. (1)(P. 554, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji
Note:
Sikhism and Panjabi culture are two different things. Unfortunately, ignorance and lack of knowledge on Gurbani has resulted in some people mistakenly interpreting that drinking alcohol is acceptable in the Sikh religion. This is totally false.
I was told that Islam is the only true religion and all others beliefs are false.
ਆਸਾ ॥
ਹਿੰਦੂ ਤੁਰਕ ਕਹਾ ਤੇ ਆਏ ਕਿਨਿ ਏਹ ਰਾਹ ਚਲਾਈ ॥ ਦਿਲ ਮਹਿ ਸੋਚਿ ਬਿਚਾਰਿ ਕਵਾਦੇ ਭਿਸਤ ਦੋਜਕ ਕਿਨਿ ਪਾਈ ॥1॥
ਕਾਜੀ ਤੈ ਕਵਨ ਕਤੇਬ ਬਖਾਨੀ ॥ ਪੜ੍ਹਤ ਗੁਨਤ ਐਸੇ ਸਭ ਮਾਰੇ ਕਿਨਹੂੰ ਖਬਰਿ ਨ ਜਾਨੀ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਸਕਤਿ ਸਨੇਹੁ ਕਰਿ ਸੁੰਨਤਿ ਕਰੀਐ ਮੈ ਨ ਬਦਉਗਾ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਜਉ ਰੇ ਖੁਦਾਇ ਮੋਹਿ ਤੁਰਕੁ ਕਰੈਗਾ ਆਪਨ ਹੀ ਕਟਿ ਜਾਈ ॥2॥
ਸੁੰਨਤਿ ਕੀਏ ਤੁਰਕੁ ਜੇ ਹੋਇਗਾ ਅਉਰਤ ਕਾ ਕਿਆ ਕਰੀਐ ॥ ਅਰਧ ਸਰੀਰੀ ਨਾਰਿ ਨ ਛੋਡੈ ਤਾ ਤੇ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਹੀ ਰਹੀਐ ॥3॥
ਛਾਡਿ ਕਤੇਬ ਰਾਮੁ ਭਜੁ ਬਉਰੇ ਜੁਲਮ ਕਰਤ ਹੈ ਭਾਰੀ ॥ ਕਬੀਰੈ ਪਕਰੀ ਟੇਕ ਰਾਮ ਕੀ ਤੁਰਕ ਰਹੇ ਪਚਿਹਾਰੀ ॥4॥8॥
Aasa.
Where have the Hindus and Muslims come from? Who put them on their different paths? Think of this, and contemplate it within your mind, O men of evil intentions. Who will go to heaven and hell? (1)
O Qazi, which book have you read? Such scholars and students have all died, and none of them have discovered the inner meaning. (1.Pause.)
Because of the love of woman, circumcision is done; I don't believe in it, O Siblings of Destiny. If God wished me to be a Muslim, it would be cut off by itself. (2)
If circumcision makes one a Muslim, then what about a woman? She is the other half of a man's body, and she does not leave him, so he remains a Hindu. (3)
Give up your holy books, and remember the Lord you fool, and stop oppressing others so badly. Kabeer has grasped hold of the Lord's Support, and the Muslims have utterly failed. (4.8)
(P. 477, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji)
Note:
If a group of people are going somewhere but they decide to travel differently and take different routes. Now if one of them turns around and argues that all of the others are taking the wrong route to get to the destination, then what will happen? Despite the person may be traveling the right path, but because he is so involved in looking behind and telling the others that they are wrong, the person loses track of his path in front, and so he gets lost. Similarly, fundamentalists belonging to any religion or belief, which stress on others being wrong and misled and their way being the only way, are lost and confused because instead of looking and walking forward they keep looking back.
It is alleged that God revealed the Qur’an to Muhammad so it is the truth. Is the Guru Granth Sahib Ji just random writings of human beings put together?
ਜੈਸੀ ਮੈ ਆਵੈ ਖਸਮ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਤੈਸੜਾ ਕਰੀ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਵੇ ਲਾਲੋ ॥
As the Word of the Forgiving Lord comes to me, so do I express it, O Lalo.
(P. 722, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji)
ਵਾਹੁ ਵਾਹੁ ਬਾਣੀ ਨਿਰੰਕਾਰ ਹੈ ਤਿਸੁ ਜੇਵਡੁ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥
Wonderful! Wonderful! is the Bani, the Divine Word, the embodiment of the Formless Lord. There is no other as great as He is.
(P. 515, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji)
ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਸਤਿ ਸਰੂਪੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਬਾਣੀ ਬਣੀਐ ॥
The Word of the True Guru's Bani is the embodiment of Truth; through Gurbani, one becomes perfect.
(P. 304, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji)
Note:
When a person becomes one with the Supreme Truth, God, then he becomes the embodiment of the Truth. God speaks through the mouths of those devotees. Such devotees whose hymns were inline with the Sikhism were included in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib contains the hymns of the first five Gurus, and the ninth Guru. It also contains 937 hymns of fifteen other saints and eleven poets of the Guru’s court whose compositions tallied with the gospel of the Sikh faith. Here, Godly souls who were socially labelled as Hindu, Muslim, Brahmin, or untouchable all met in the same congregation of holy souls to contribute the Truth which was revealed through those spiritual people who rose above caste, religion and materialism and had become One with the Supreme One. They had become the living images of God. They were the embodiment of the Divine Light and the Divine Truth. All the saints and poets whose writings are in the Guru Granth Sahib Ji were all Gurmukhs, who shared the same religion of doing good deeds and remembering and praising the Almighty Lord.
Do Sikhs believe in Heaven and Hell?
ਗਉੜੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀ ॥
ਜੋ ਜਨ ਪਰਮਿਤਿ ਪਰਮਨੁ ਜਾਨਾ ॥ ਬਾਤਨ ਹੀ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਸਮਾਨਾ ॥1॥
ਨਾ ਜਾਨਾ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕਹਾ ਹੀ ॥ ਜਾਨੁ ਜਾਨੁ ਸਭਿ ਕਹਹਿ ਤਹਾ ਹੀ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=4177
ਕਹਨ ਕਹਾਵਨ ਨਹ ਪਤੀਅਈ ਹੈ ॥ ਤਉ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਨੈ ਜਾ ਤੇ ਹਉਮੈ ਜਈ ਹੈ ॥2॥
ਜਬ ਲਗੁ ਮਨਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੀ ਆਸ ॥ ਤਬ ਲਗੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਹੀ ਚਰਨ ਨਿਵਾਸੁ ॥3॥
ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹ ਕਹੀਐ ਕਾਹਿ ॥ ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਬੈਕੁੰਠੈ ਆਹਿ ॥4॥10॥
Gauree, Kabeer Jee:
That person (simply) claims that they know the Lord, who is beyond measure and beyond thought; that person with mere words enters heaven (i.e. it is only mere talk, they are not in reality residing in heaven). (1)
I do not know where heaven is. Everyone claims that he plans to go there. (1. Pause)
By mere talk and listening (to that ‘we are going to heaven), the mind is not appeased. The mind is only appeased, when egotism is conquered. (2)
(Another thing to keep in mind is that) as long as the mind is filled with the desire for heaven, he does not dwell at the Lord's Feet. (3)
Says Kabeer, unto whom should I tell this (i.e. this is visible and clear)? The Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, is (the real) heaven. (4.10)
(P. 325, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji)
Note:
Hell and Heaven are two states of mind. A spiritual and godly person, who remembers God and lives a righteous and spiritual life, dwells in Heaven. A person who forgets God and wanders away from the Truth is dwelling in Hell. Hell and Heaven are not physical places as described in Islam and Christianity. A Sikh strives to be a jeevan-mukt, liberated while alive.
How can we attain God?
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ ਮਹਲਾ 5 ਘਰੁ 4 ਦੁਪਦੇ
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਕਵਨ ਸੰਜੋਗ ਮਿਲਉ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਅਪਨੇ ॥ ਪਲੁ ਪਲੁ ਨਿਮਖ ਸਦਾ ਹਰਿ ਜਪਨੇ ॥1॥
ਚਰਨ ਕਮਲ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕੇ ਨਿਤ ਧਿਆਵਉ ॥ ਕਵਨ ਸੁ ਮਤਿ ਜਿਤੁ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਮੁ ਪਾਵਉ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਐਸੀ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰਹੁ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਮੇਰੇ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਬਿਸਰੁ ਨ ਕਾਹੂ ਬੇਰੇ ॥2॥1॥19॥
Raag Bilaaval Mehlaa 5 Ghar 4 Dupadas
There is One Universal Creator, who is realised through the Guru’s grace.
What blessed destiny will lead me to meet my God? Each and every moment, and even every instant, by continually meditating on God, you can meet Him. (1)
Meditate continually on the Lotus Feet (the Name) of God. What wisdom will lead me to attain my Beloved Lord? (1. Pause)
(I pray) that You bless me with such mercy, O my God; That I, Nanak, never forget your Name. (2.1.19)
(P. 806, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji)
Note:
The question proposed by Guru Ji is how do we meet God? How do we attain God?
The answer is by continually remembering and meditating on God, by doing Naam Simran. God’s presence is everywhere, supporting all things at all times – in today’s language we could say the energy structure of the whole Universe. The Indian mystics and Sikh Gurus call that presence of God, the Supreme Light Energy Being, the ‘Naam.’
If we become one with Naam, if we meditate on Naam then we essentially become one with God. We cannot see God, because we are already within God. We can only seek to experience God. Just as a fish in water cannot see water but can only experience water. Remembering that God resides everywhere, in everything and within us, we realise we are part of the Supreme Lord, which results in the removal of the veil of illusion which has prevented us from being one with God.
Manvir Singh Khalsa can be reached at
manvir_singh_khalsa@yahoo.co.uk
Please enjoy and pass to friends. Jarnail Singh Gyani Arshi
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