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Question About Gurus

jsingh03

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Mar 5, 2011
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Santa Barbara
Okay so this might be a really weird question but I am new to Sikhism, I was trying to explain Sikhism to my Muslim friend, she asked me how is it possible for the guru to be a guru when two are alive at the same time? if their lives overlapped how does that work, were their two gurus at one time or what? If that makes any sense to you, please help me out, because I wasn't able to answer that, I didn't even want to try since I don't understand Sikhism that well either.
 

Kanwaljit.Singh

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Jan 29, 2011
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Guru is like Fruit of Knowledge. A mango tree has fruits in summer, which fall to ground and give rise to a new tree. The young tree can be there while the old tree is still alive. In the end both trees have to go, but there will be many more to bear the Fruit. In our case, that Fruit can be tasted through Guru Granth Sahib and sangat of Gursikhs.

And in any case, the seat of the Guru was passed only when the current Guru left this world. Till then the next appointed Guru was not active in his role as Guru and served the current Guru who held the seat. Yet, if new Guru has been appointed (but not took the seat) it meant that he had the Tree of Wisdom in Him which was bearing Fruit of Knowledge. Hehe too philosophical eh?
 

Gyani Jarnail Singh

Sawa lakh se EK larraoan
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Jul 4, 2004
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KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA
The GURU becomes the GURU when the previous Guru decides who is next in line and best qualified.
Guru Nanak ji is AAD GURU..that is He came as Born Guru from Nirankaar (the Creator)
Guru Nanak ji chose Bhai lehnna Ji to be the next GURU.....and Bhai lehnna Ji became GURU ANGAD JI when Guru Nanak ji bowed before him and seated him on his gadee (throne).
Guur Angad Ji then chose Bhai Amardass Ji to be GURU AMARDASS JI...and so on till 1708 when Guur Gobind Singh ji decided to END the Human Line of Gurus and passed Gadee to GURU GRANTH SAHIB JI as the MESSAGE and the KHALSA PANTH (PANJ PIYARE) as PHYSICAL BODY.

Guru Amardass Ji became Guru at advanced age of 70+ and Youngest was Guru harkishan Ji at age 5....Guru hargobind Ji at age 10 and Guru Gobind Singh ji at age 9.

The PRESENT GURU..SGGS has writings of many Hidnu Bhagts, Muslim Pirs and Sheikhs and saints besides the six sikh gurus.
 

Adi Nanaki

SPNer
Apr 17, 2008
32
43
New Mexico
Okay so this might be a really weird question but I am new to Sikhism, I was trying to explain Sikhism to my Muslim friend, she asked me how is it possible for the guru to be a guru when two are alive at the same time? if their lives overlapped how does that work, were their two gurus at one time or what? If that makes any sense to you, please help me out, because I wasn't able to answer that, I didn't even want to try since I don't understand Sikhism that well either.
At one point there was a Guru, plus four Gurus-to-be alive. Only one carried the light of Guru Nanak at any one time, and it was conferred consciously by the previous Guru rather than being automatic. The Gurus did not reveal who would succeed them until they were ready, and some continued living awhile afterwards, as did Guru Nanak, who returned to farming his land.
 
Aug 28, 2010
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From SGGS we can know that it is GURU-GUR Joti always transfeered from one body to another body.The exact mechanism of this tranfer is a unique phenomena in Sikh Philosophy where at a time two personalitis were involved .
We should get the reference meaning of the word "GURU" from SGGS then we come to know GURU is only ONE and that is refered as SABADu.Another reference of the word GURU is for GURU JOTi as GURU-GUR where GURU is the BODY for its GUR.
In the above context we can understand the significance of the word GURU applicable as Human Body or as GURU-GUR Joti.

Prakash.S.Bagga

Prakash.s.Bagga
 

spnadmin

1947-2014 (Archived)
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Jun 17, 2004
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Prakash ji

I think you have finally provided the insight many of us have been asking of you for several weeks, regarding Guru/Gur --- that is, we want to know how you define the important difference between these two words. Thanks for taking that step.

In the above context we can understand the significance of the word GURU applicable as Human Body or as GURU-GUR Joti
 

Adi Nanaki

SPNer
Apr 17, 2008
32
43
New Mexico
Guru is the Guru, Gur is the technology. There is only one God, although his forms are many. There is only one true Guru, yet the ten Sikh Gurus prevail through everyone's ten bodies to bring in new age awareness. The technology: soul-Guru Nanak, negative mind-Guru Angad, positive mind-Guru Amar Das, neutral mind-Guru Ram Das, physical body-Guru Arjan, halo-Guru Hargobind, aura-Guru Har Rai, pranic body-Guru Har Krishan, subtle body-Guru Teg Bahadur and radiant body-Guru Gobind Singh.
 
Aug 28, 2010
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SPNADMIN Ji,
I appreciate you view in relation to the concept of GURU -GUR JOTi.
Any further explanation of this concept invoves a lot of gramatical understanding and interpretations accordingly.So you will agree this may not be worthwhile to make any referenes of grammer .

Prakash.S.Bagga
 

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