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Sidh-Gosht : A Projection Of Sahaj-Yoga By Professor Hardev Singh Virk

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SIDDHA-GOSHTI : A PROJECTION OF SAHAJ-YOGA PHILOSOPHY OF SIKHISM
Professor Hardev Singh Virk
Department of Physics, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar-143005, India.
ABSTRACT
The Siddha-Goshti is an inter-religious debate between Siddh-Nath-Yogis and Guru Nanak. Nath-Yogis and Siddhas belonged to Sahajayani sect of Buddhism and held their sway in Punjab. The concepts of Sabad, Nam, Guru, Mind, Sunya and Gurmukh are explained to Siddhas from Sikh view-point. Ultimately, the Guru prevails upon Siddhas explaining them the efficacy of Sahaj-Yoga philosophy of Sikhism.


INTRODUCTION
Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikhism, appears on the Indian scene at a crucial juncture when Hinduism and Islam were confronting each other with Hinduism gasping for breath. The decay of Hindu culture is represented in Asa di var by Guru Nanak [1]. Various other sects who lived and preached in Punjab are also mentioned by Guru Nanak in his bani. Siddhas, Naths and Yogis held their sway in Punjab before the advent of Sikhism. They all belong to the Sahajayani sect of Buddhism or its *******ed forms after assimilation into Hindu fold. According to Mahan Kosh [2], there were twelve panths of Nath-cult in Punjab and eightyfour Siddhas, with Guru Gorakh Nath as a leading figure among the Siddhas of Punjab. Siddhas, Naths and Yogis practised various types of asanas (bodily postures), pranayam (breath-control), dharana (concentration), dhyan (meditation) and samadhi (estasis) to gain long life, miraculous powers (siddhis) and liberation (mukti).
Patanjali’s Yoga-darshan is one of six schools of Indian philosophy. It was held in great esteem both in the orient and occident. Even today, the western youth has a strong affinity for Indian yoga philosophy and its techniques. Yogi Bhajan initially achieved a great success in preaching Sikhism in the western hemisphere by employing yoga techniques. In the dialogue between Guru Nanak and Siddhas, yogic terminology has been used in full measure. The reader may refer to some standard text on Indian yogic philosophy/techniques to understand the import of yogic terminology, e.g., ida, pingala, sukhmana, sunya, surti and anhad nad, etc.
During his itineraries, Guru Nanak visited holy places of both Hinduism and Islam. He preached his mission in a simple but forceful manner. In his encounter with Siddhas, Guru Nanak shows his mastery over the art and craft of religious debate. Siddhas posed very philosophical and abstract questions in a quick succession to embarass Guru Nanak, considering him a novice. The Guru’s replies were equally pertinent and incisive and ultimately Siddhas felt defeated and dethroned. Guru Nanak used even derogatory language, as quoted by Bhai Gurdas [3], against the leader of Siddhas. The Guru decried the Yogi’s cult of first renouncing the world and then cringing before the same house-holders whom they had forsaken, for mere crumbs.
There is no consensus of opinion among the scholars regarding the venue of Siddha Goshti because there is no indication given by Guru Nanak in his bani. However, Bhai Gurdas, the great Sikh chronicler, had given account of two encounters of Guru Nanak with Siddhas, the first one at Sumeru mountain in the Himalayas [4] and the second one at Achal Batala[5] near Batala town of Punjab. The great debate referred to in Siddha-Goshti took place at Achal Batala after Guru Nanak settled down as a house holder in Kartarpur on the banks of river Ravi. It is obvious from Bhai Gurdas’s diction that he had used the Siddhas, Yogis and Naths interchangably for the same group of ascetics who confronted Guru Nanak about his mission. Bhai Gurdas declares emphatically that Baba Nanak won over the Siddhas during these two encounters with the power of Sabda.


SAHAJ-YOGA VERSUS HATHA-YOGA
All the religions of the world present a model to the civilised man to liberate himself from his conditioned life. To obtain mukti (liberation) from the bonds of worldly life, various disciplines and practices have been prescribed. Hindu religion lays emphasis on Gyan, Karma and Bhakti-yoga. Siddhas relied on Hatha-yoga technique. It is based on the principle of controlling and channelising of prana, man’s vital life force, for awakening his latent energy, called Kundalini. Hath-yoga has for its tools, asanas, pranayam, mudras and samadhi. Asanas are such postures of body as help a yogi attain longevity and concentration of mind. Pranayam and samadhi have the potential to throw open gates of vast occult powers known as siddhis. Pranayam refers to breath-control which is practised to awaken Kundalini, which is believed to lie at the lower end of the spinal chord. The major concern of a Hatha-yogi is to awaken the Kundalini or Serpent energy. Hatha-yoga Pradipika elaborates the techniques to be followed by a Hatha-yogi to attain liberation from the cycle of life and death. This is such a complicated and complex system that man is advised to renounce the worldly life and to remain cut off from his social moorings to attain liberation.
Guru Nanak rejected the Hatha-yoga cult of Siddhas and condemned the path of renunciation followed by them. He advocated adoption of house - holder’s life of struggle in this world and preached Sahaj-yoga or Nam-yoga. Guru Nanak elaborates the concepts of sabda, nam, guru, sunya, gurmukh etc. to establish the hypothesis of Sahaj-yoga, the Sikh way of life. To a pertinent question of yogi Charpat Nath, Guru Nanak sums up his ideas of worldly life beautifully as follows[6]:


Q. The World is but an unfordable ocean; (Stanza 4)
How may then one get across it?
A. Lead ye a life detached as does the acquatic fowl on the lake;
Or, much as the lotus flower, which stays free of grime, wherefrom it has sprung. (St.5)
Siddha-Goshti is a remarkable debate on the beliefs, practices and doctorines of the two systems or philosophies; one propounded by the Siddhas and the other by Guru Nanak, the founder of Sikh faith. Philosophical questions concerning the origin of cosmos, life and mind; potency of sabda, need for the guru, nature of Supreme Reality and the predicament of human soul for liberation are answered by Guru Nanak from the Sikh view-point. The concept of Ideal Man (Gurmukh) is propounded by Guru Nanak and almost half of the text is deveted to explain the characteristics of Gurmukh. The queries of Siddhas are answered by Guru Nanak in his own characteristic style demolishing the castle of Siddh-Nath-Yogi cult in Punjab. To cut the story short, we may refer to a few selected queries of Siddhas and replies offered by Guru Nanak during this debate, as follows [7]:


Some typical Questions & Answers
Q.1. Who it is that is unmanifest?
And, who that is redeemed? (Stanza 12)
A.1. The unmanifest one permeates each heart;
The God-conscious one alone is emancipated. (St. 13)
Q.2. Why have you renounced your home and turned a recluse?
Why have you donned this garb of a mendicant? (St. 17)
A.2. I have turned a recluse in search of a God-conscious person;
I have donned this garb to have a vision of the Lord Divine. (St. 18)
Q.3. What about the pre-cosmos state ?
Prior to it where the Lord of void abide? (St. 21)
A.3. The very thought of the pre-cosmos state lands one in a state of wonderment.
In the profound stillness of the Sunya, the Formless one pervaded in continuum
then. (St. 23)
Q.4.What lies at the root of life?
And what is the prime creed of the age?
Of which Guru are you a disciple? (St. 43)
A.4.Pray Sir, air it is that supports all life.
And, the True Guru’s message is the creed of the day.
The World is verily the Light of the Lord.
And, mind attuned to it is the recipient thereof. (St.44)
Q.5.Where does the way-ward mind abide?
And, where does the breath-sustaining air reside? (St. 64)
A.5.When the mind attains lasting peace with one’s innerself,
The God-conscious one apprehends the Essence of the Primal Being. (St. 65)
Q.6.When the body and the mind were not there where did the soul abide? (St. 66)
A.6.Know ye, O recluse, that when the body and the mind were not there,
The Soul abided detached in its Primal home. (St. 67)


REFERENCES
1. AGGS, M1, P. 463-475.
2. Nabha, Bhai Sahib Bhai Kahn Singh, 1960 (2nd ed.) Gursabad-Ratnakar
(Mahan Kosh), P. 640
3. Bhai Gurdas, Var I, Pauri 28.
4. Bhai Gurdas, Var I, Pauri 40.
5. Bhai Gurdas, Var I, Pauri 36.
6. AGGS, M1, P, 938.
7. Guru Nanak’s Siddha-Goshti, Translated by Piar Singh, G.N.D. University,
Amritsar, 1996(AGGS pp.938-946).
 

spnadmin

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Jun 17, 2004
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Re: Siddha-Goshti : A Projection of Sahaj-Yoga by Professor Hardev Singh Virk

Aman ji

Another remarkable find. Thanks for posting this essay. It is going to be bookmarked for future reference. There are so many ideas here that are helpful for discussions occurring on other parts of the forum.:)
 

simpy

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Mar 28, 2006
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Re: Siddha-Goshti : A Projection of Sahaj-Yoga by Professor Hardev Singh Virk

GOOD ONE, thanks a lot Aman VeerJi
 
Nov 19, 2006
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0
Re: Siddha-Goshti : A Projection of Sahaj-Yoga by Professor Hardev Singh Virk

Mr. Virk should stick to the Physics Dept. at Amritsar Univ. Sikh Studies should not be open to anyone with the last name Singh, and some extra time on their hands. This article is equally dellusional about yoga and Sikhi.
There is no such thing as Sahaj YOGA.
Yoga has roots in Patanjali's/samkhya's ontologic dualism of Purusha and Prakirti. Yoga is the purification of this Duality: "Yogas - citta -vritti- nirodha" Yoga Sutra (verse 1.2), to achieve the highest Samadhi avestha of Kaivaliya (pure aloneness).

You cannot call anything YOGA. Its ontological and epistemological connotations come dont go away because you added "Sahaj" in front of it. The degradation of the body, the hatred of prakirti/kudrat, and the social/domestic order is not going to evaporate all of a sudden.

You cannot translate "yoga" as Path/tao etc.
 

pk70

Writer
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Feb 25, 2008
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Re: Siddha-Goshti : A Projection of Sahaj-Yoga by Professor Hardev Singh Virk

.
Yoga has roots in Patanjali's/samkhya's ontologic dualism of Purusha and Prakirti. Yoga is the purification of this Duality: "Yogas - citta -vritti- nirodha" Yoga Sutra (verse 1.2), to achieve the highest Samadhi avestha of Kaivaliya (pure aloneness).

You cannot call anything YOGA. Its ontological and epistemological connotations come dont go away because you added "Sahaj" in front of it. The degradation of the body, the hatred of prakirti/kudrat, and the social/domestic order is not going to evaporate all of a sudden.

You cannot translate "yoga" as Path/tao etc.

Amandeep Ji
If that only is understood by Sikhs, instead of wandering from one point to another, they can devote themselves to real message. iIapplaud you to say something on persons who just claim they can prove Yoga well known is advocated by Gurbani.:)
 
Feb 14, 2006
512
31
Re: Siddha-Goshti : A Projection of Sahaj-Yoga by Professor Hardev Singh Virk

This article is equally dellusional about yoga and Sikhi.
There is no such thing as Sahaj YOGA.
Please read Gurbani.
ਜੋ ਕਿਛੁ ਕਰੈ ਭਲਾ ਕਰਿ ਮਾਨਉ ਸਹਜ ਜੋਗ ਨਿਧਿ ਪਾਵਉ ॥੧॥
jo kishh karai bhalaa kar maano sehaj jog nidhh paavo ||1||
Whatever the Lord does, look upon that as good; thus you shall obtain the treasure of Sehj Yoga. ||1||
~SGGS Ji p. 359


ਅਹਿਨਿਸਿ ਰਾਵੇ ਭਗਤਿ ਜੋਗੁ ॥
ahinis raavae bhagath jog ||
Day and night, he savors the Yoga of devotional worship.
ਗੁਰ ਸੰਤ ਸਭਾ ਦੁਖੁ ਮਿਟੈ ਰੋਗੁ ॥
gur santh sabhaa dhukh mittai rog ||
Associating with the Saint Guru, suffering and sickness are ended.
ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਵਰੁ ਸਹਜ ਜੋਗੁ ॥੪॥੬॥
jan naanak har var
sehaj jog ||4||6||
Servant Nanak merges with his Husband Lord, in the Yoga of intuitive ease. ||4||6||
~SGGS Ji p. 1170


ਜਪੁ ਕਲ ਸੁਜਸੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰ ਸਹਜੁ ਜੋਗੁ ਜਿਨਿ ਮਾਣਿਓ ॥੯॥
jap kal sujas naanak gur sehaj jog jin maaniou ||9||
KAL chants the Sublime Praises of Guru Nanak, who enjoys mastery of Yoga. ||9||
16 Sava-yay (praise of Guru Nanak Kal
ਗੁਣ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਨਵ ਨਾਥ ਧੰਨਿ ਗੁਰੁ ਸਾਚਿ ਸਮਾਇਓ ॥
gun gaavehi nav naathh dhhann gur saach samaaeiou ||
The nine masters of Yoga sing His Praises; blessed is the Guru, who is merged into the True Lord.
~SGGS Ji p. 1390


ਗੁਰ ਗਮ ਪ੍ਰਮਾਣਿ ਅਜਰੁ ਜਰਿਓ ਸਰਿ ਸੰਤੋਖ ਸਮਾਇਯਉ ॥
gur gam pramaan ajar jariou sar santhokh samaaeiyo ||
Reaching up to the certified Guru, You endure the unendurable; You are immersed in the pool of contentment.
3 Sava-yay (praise of Guru Arjan Dev Kal
ਗੁਰ ਅਰਜੁਨ ਕਲ੍ਯ੍ਯੁਚਰੈ ਤੈ ਸਹਜਿ ਜੋਗੁ ਨਿਜੁ ਪਾਇਯਉ ॥੮॥
gur arajun kalyaacharai thai sehaj jog nij paaeiyo ||8||
So speaks KALL: O Guru Arjun, You have intuitively attained the state of Yoga within Yourself. ||8||
~SGGS Ji p. 1408


 

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