- May 9, 2006
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Sat Sri Akal
I would like to know the sangat's opinion on the level of respect to accord to gurbani in various written forms.
Do you feel translations should be shown the level of respect as gurmukhi? Would you cover your head if reading, for example, an article at www.gurbani.org, as opposed to sitting quietly reading from your gurmukhi/english nitnem gutka?
Would you be offended if the mool mantar or japji sahib was presented in english as a devotional introduction to Sikhi, to be read by people who don't necessarily know much (if anything) about Sikhi, in an attempt to show them the beauty in a way they can relate to?
Would you be more offended if the book contained gurmukhi script with the english translation and transliteration, or conversly less offended or not at all offended if it contained no gurmukhi script at all (not even 'ik onkar')?
If it means educating and even inspiring english/german/swedish/chinese/whatever people to investigate Sikhi further, would that be acceptable to you personally?
I know when I first came across Sikhi, I was ignorant about head covering and read from a digital english Sri Guru Granth Sahib .pdf feeling nothing but awe, amazement and rapture. Then I learned about head covering and now I a) feel guilty if I read without my head covered or b) feel self-conscious if I read with my head covered unless I'm home alone. I wish I was still innocent to the head-covering aspect! (Especially since I haven't come across any head-covering references in Guru Granth Sahib ji, get the impression from Guru Granth Sahib that it would be a useless ritual anyway - it's my frame of mind that really matters, and I figure that if the Divine Energy intended for me to cover my head to worship and reflect upon It then I would have been born with a piece of cloth over my noggin...)
Most of the time I feel that the script itself is of no consequence, it's the attitude of the person reading. If I'm reading to learn the nuts-and-bolts, I won't cover my head, I don't feel the need to. If I'm meditating or consciously praying, I will cover my head. I'm interested to find out if others do the same!
Your thoughts are most appreciated.
Ishna
Note 1: I also mean no disrespect to the tradition of head covering as a sign of respect as used in Indian culture for a very, very long time. I'm viewing this topic from a Western outsiders point-of-view.
I would like to know the sangat's opinion on the level of respect to accord to gurbani in various written forms.
Do you feel translations should be shown the level of respect as gurmukhi? Would you cover your head if reading, for example, an article at www.gurbani.org, as opposed to sitting quietly reading from your gurmukhi/english nitnem gutka?
Would you be offended if the mool mantar or japji sahib was presented in english as a devotional introduction to Sikhi, to be read by people who don't necessarily know much (if anything) about Sikhi, in an attempt to show them the beauty in a way they can relate to?
Would you be more offended if the book contained gurmukhi script with the english translation and transliteration, or conversly less offended or not at all offended if it contained no gurmukhi script at all (not even 'ik onkar')?
If it means educating and even inspiring english/german/swedish/chinese/whatever people to investigate Sikhi further, would that be acceptable to you personally?
I know when I first came across Sikhi, I was ignorant about head covering and read from a digital english Sri Guru Granth Sahib .pdf feeling nothing but awe, amazement and rapture. Then I learned about head covering and now I a) feel guilty if I read without my head covered or b) feel self-conscious if I read with my head covered unless I'm home alone. I wish I was still innocent to the head-covering aspect! (Especially since I haven't come across any head-covering references in Guru Granth Sahib ji, get the impression from Guru Granth Sahib that it would be a useless ritual anyway - it's my frame of mind that really matters, and I figure that if the Divine Energy intended for me to cover my head to worship and reflect upon It then I would have been born with a piece of cloth over my noggin...)
Most of the time I feel that the script itself is of no consequence, it's the attitude of the person reading. If I'm reading to learn the nuts-and-bolts, I won't cover my head, I don't feel the need to. If I'm meditating or consciously praying, I will cover my head. I'm interested to find out if others do the same!
Your thoughts are most appreciated.
Ishna
Note 1: I also mean no disrespect to the tradition of head covering as a sign of respect as used in Indian culture for a very, very long time. I'm viewing this topic from a Western outsiders point-of-view.
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