Sikh Giani/Gyani/Brahmgiani?

[Gyani Jarnail Singh]

WAHEGURU JI KA KHALSA WAHEGURU JI KI FATEH.

Some information ( a little may be tongue-in-cheek) about this word...
like the word SANT/BRAHGIANI this word "GYANI" is much MISUSED.

In GURBANI the GIANNI is a person who "knows" and is in "touch" with Waheguru...and elevated soul...
Gurbani says; The Hindu is Annah ( blind) because he is into idols...the Muslim is KANNA ( one eyed) because although he beleives in Allah as Supreme, he has many rituals as well...but the GIANNI is the SIANNA (wisest) because He beleives in the One SUPREME ONLY and has no rituals etc to tie him down..

IN "common" parlance every "man who is connected with anything to do with a Gurdwara/kirtan/degh preparation/Katha/Tabla player/ etc etc" is a GIANI JI... a "honoriifc term" used by people to describe these people..

In history there is a tradition of the GIANNI SAMPARDAA - whereby great academicians, writers, elevated souls like Bhai Veer Singh, for example were referrred to as GIANNIS.... the KNOWLEDGEABLE, the VENERABLES...The RESPECTED LUMINARIES...etc

The Last case is that this "word" is also used by the PUNJAB UNIVERSITIES - the earliest.... Punjab University Lahore...to the latest Guru nanak university Amrtisar, Punjabi University etc etc AWARD a "GYANI DEGREE" ( Academic Degree equivalent to B.A HONS - in PUNJABI). This last case scenario is applicable to myself as well. I went through teh Three Year Budhimani course/GYani Course of Punjab University Chandigarh ( from lahore- Simla- Chandigarh..as Punjab changed its status..)..and passed and got this "Gyani" title after my name !!... The earlier generation of GYANI JI's in MALAYSIA all sat for and passed this Degree Examination...now a days many ex- tabla players who graduate to "Giani Ji" ( after becoming paid Granthis in Gurdwaras) cant even write simple Punjabi.. but since thse youngsters come from Punjab and ahve gone through a rudimentary PUNJABI education, they know more Punjabi than the locals...so clealry a case of "Among the Blind, the One eyed is KING comes into play....so to a local who cant differentiate his "oora" from his "eerrie" ( a - e ) this young "GIANI JI" from Punjab who can "read" Gurbani paath so well...( who knows what is being read and who cares anyway as long as it "sounds right"..) is a god send to do the Gurdwara ardass/paath....and whatever the Giani Ji says is MARYADA...

It is a sad commentary on our Religious upbringing.... that while our GURU JI's wanted each SIKH to be self sufficient in doing his own Ardass/Paath, and that each Sikh should be his own "granthi" ( Sikhism actually HAS NO PRIESTLY CLASS/CLERGY)..we have let this slide..and now when ever someone suddenly passes away...there is a PANIC situation looking for a GRANTHI/GIANI JI to say the ardass..etc...do Kirtan....do paath..we are all so "helpless" without such a "giani ji"..so much so that now these GIANI JI's want to control our lives by passing Hukmnamas and ordering us around...

The SANT/BRAHMGIANI is another category all together...everyone is all to familiar with this category....way above an ordinary "granthi? giani ji.... these are the Super Giani Ji's... ( I am a firm beleiver in the idea that the BRAHMGIANI/SANT mentioned in GURBANI is the GURU/WAHEGURU only and NO Human can attain this position - proof that NO SUCH human existed in Siklh History prior to 1930....After 1940...they sprouted like mushrooms after a storm..and now we have more sants than we have sikhs.)

Jarnail Singh

 

[Arvind]

Re: Giani/gyani/brahmgiani ??

Gyani ji,

I understand what message you conveyed in this post.

As we know, Giani/gyani doesnt make any difference in Punjabi, although you used English to differentiate between the two kinds of meanings those titles convey. Giani/Gyani/Granthi ji - terms are used inter-changeably.

However, one important point here I see is to be able to do Ardaas, may be Kirtan too, read Hukamnamas in important situations to keep control of own life, instead of creating any clergy class, which anyway is not asked for.

'Nanak Brahmgiani aap Nirankaar' and 'Brahmgiani ki gat Brahmgiani Janey' seem to describe that Sargun roop of Nirankar goes through life-cycle in human body. I firmly believe that, Sikhi principles are so strong, in fact on top of that - those of a Singh. When one becomes a Singh and practises the Rehat principles (from outside and inside) and follows Hukam of Gurubani, IMHO that kind of enlightened soul is as good as Guru Gobind Singh ji's roop to me.

O yea, current innovations and technological advancements in agriculture might be doing good for mushrooms too, thats why

Bhull Chukk Maaf ji

 

[Bmandur]

Re: Giani/gyani/brahmgiani ??

Waheguru ji Ka khalsa, Waheguru ji Ki fateh
Gyani:

Is someone learned in the Sikh religion and who often leads the congregation in prayers, such as Ardas, or in singing (kirtan). The word "Ghian" in Punjabi means knowledge. So a "gyani" is someone who has spiritual and religious knowledge and can help the congregation, called the Sadh Sangat, in understanding the Sacred Texts and the history of the religion.

A gyani can be a male or a female, as the Sikh religion gives equal rights to both sexes. He or she will have undergone an intensive course of study and evaluation at an academic or religious institute, will have a thorough knowledge of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Holy Granth (or Book), and will have the ability to translate the words of sacred text into simple everyday language. Gyanis can also communicate in English, a major bonus to western children who are not fluent in Punjabi or Gurmukhi, the language of the holy scriptures.

Spiritually, a true gyani is called a Brahm gyani. This is what the Guru Granth Sahib says about such a person

ਮਨਿਸਾਚਾਮੁਖਿਸਾਚਾਸੋਇ॥ The True One is on his mind, and the True One is upon his lips
ਅਵਰੁਨਪੇਖੈਏਕਸੁਬਿਨੁਕੋਇ॥He sees only the One
ਨਾਨਕਇਹਲਛਣਬ੍ਰਹਮਗਿਆਨੀਹੋਇ॥੧॥
O Nanak, these are the qualities of the God-conscious being
ਬ੍ਰਹਮਗਿਆਨੀਸਦਾਨਿਰਲੇਪ॥(The God-conscious being is always unattached)
ਜੈਸੇਜਲਮਹਿਕਮਲਅਲੇਪ॥as the lotus in the water remains detached
ਬ੍ਰਹਮਗਿਆਨੀਸਦਾਨਿਰਦੋਖ॥The God-conscious being is always unstained
ਬ੍ਰਹਮਗਿਆਨੀਕੈਨਾਹੀਅਭਿਮਾਨ॥
ਬ੍ਰਹਮਗਿਆਨੀਊਚਤੇਊਚਾ॥
ਮਨਿਅਪਨੈਹੈਸਭਤੇਨੀਚਾ॥

Bhul Chuk Maaf