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Guru Granth Sahib
Composition, Arrangement & Layout
ਜਪੁ | Jup
ਸੋ ਦਰੁ | So Dar
ਸੋਹਿਲਾ | Sohilaa
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਿਰੀਰਾਗੁ | Raag Siree-Raag
Gurbani (14-53)
Ashtpadiyan (53-71)
Gurbani (71-74)
Pahre (74-78)
Chhant (78-81)
Vanjara (81-82)
Vaar Siri Raag (83-91)
Bhagat Bani (91-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਝ | Raag Maajh
Gurbani (94-109)
Ashtpadi (109)
Ashtpadiyan (110-129)
Ashtpadi (129-130)
Ashtpadiyan (130-133)
Bara Maha (133-136)
Din Raen (136-137)
Vaar Maajh Ki (137-150)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗਉੜੀ | Raag Gauree
Gurbani (151-185)
Quartets/Couplets (185-220)
Ashtpadiyan (220-234)
Karhalei (234-235)
Ashtpadiyan (235-242)
Chhant (242-249)
Baavan Akhari (250-262)
Sukhmani (262-296)
Thittee (296-300)
Gauree kii Vaar (300-323)
Gurbani (323-330)
Ashtpadiyan (330-340)
Baavan Akhari (340-343)
Thintteen (343-344)
Vaar Kabir (344-345)
Bhagat Bani (345-346)
ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ | Raag Aasaa
Gurbani (347-348)
Chaupaday (348-364)
Panchpadde (364-365)
Kaafee (365-409)
Aasaavaree (409-411)
Ashtpadiyan (411-432)
Patee (432-435)
Chhant (435-462)
Vaar Aasaa (462-475)
Bhagat Bani (475-488)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੂਜਰੀ | Raag Goojaree
Gurbani (489-503)
Ashtpadiyan (503-508)
Vaar Gujari (508-517)
Vaar Gujari (517-526)
ਰਾਗੁ ਦੇਵਗੰਧਾਰੀ | Raag Dayv-Gandhaaree
Gurbani (527-536)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਹਾਗੜਾ | Raag Bihaagraa
Gurbani (537-556)
Chhant (538-548)
Vaar Bihaagraa (548-556)
ਰਾਗੁ ਵਡਹੰਸ | Raag Wadhans
Gurbani (557-564)
Ashtpadiyan (564-565)
Chhant (565-575)
Ghoriaan (575-578)
Alaahaniiaa (578-582)
Vaar Wadhans (582-594)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੋਰਠਿ | Raag Sorath
Gurbani (595-634)
Asatpadhiya (634-642)
Vaar Sorath (642-659)
ਰਾਗੁ ਧਨਾਸਰੀ | Raag Dhanasaree
Gurbani (660-685)
Astpadhiya (685-687)
Chhant (687-691)
Bhagat Bani (691-695)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਤਸਰੀ | Raag Jaitsree
Gurbani (696-703)
Chhant (703-705)
Vaar Jaitsaree (705-710)
Bhagat Bani (710)
ਰਾਗੁ ਟੋਡੀ | Raag Todee
ਰਾਗੁ ਬੈਰਾੜੀ | Raag Bairaaree
ਰਾਗੁ ਤਿਲੰਗ | Raag Tilang
Gurbani (721-727)
Bhagat Bani (727)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ | Raag Suhi
Gurbani (728-750)
Ashtpadiyan (750-761)
Kaafee (761-762)
Suchajee (762)
Gunvantee (763)
Chhant (763-785)
Vaar Soohee (785-792)
Bhagat Bani (792-794)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਿਲਾਵਲੁ | Raag Bilaaval
Gurbani (795-831)
Ashtpadiyan (831-838)
Thitteen (838-840)
Vaar Sat (841-843)
Chhant (843-848)
Vaar Bilaaval (849-855)
Bhagat Bani (855-858)
ਰਾਗੁ ਗੋਂਡ | Raag Gond
Gurbani (859-869)
Ashtpadiyan (869)
Bhagat Bani (870-875)
ਰਾਗੁ ਰਾਮਕਲੀ | Raag Ramkalee
Ashtpadiyan (902-916)
Gurbani (876-902)
Anand (917-922)
Sadd (923-924)
Chhant (924-929)
Dakhnee (929-938)
Sidh Gosat (938-946)
Vaar Ramkalee (947-968)
ਰਾਗੁ ਨਟ ਨਾਰਾਇਨ | Raag Nat Narayan
Gurbani (975-980)
Ashtpadiyan (980-983)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਲੀ ਗਉੜਾ | Raag Maalee Gauraa
Gurbani (984-988)
Bhagat Bani (988)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਾਰੂ | Raag Maaroo
Gurbani (889-1008)
Ashtpadiyan (1008-1014)
Kaafee (1014-1016)
Ashtpadiyan (1016-1019)
Anjulian (1019-1020)
Solhe (1020-1033)
Dakhni (1033-1043)
ਰਾਗੁ ਤੁਖਾਰੀ | Raag Tukhaari
Bara Maha (1107-1110)
Chhant (1110-1117)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕੇਦਾਰਾ | Raag Kedara
Gurbani (1118-1123)
Bhagat Bani (1123-1124)
ਰਾਗੁ ਭੈਰਉ | Raag Bhairo
Gurbani (1125-1152)
Partaal (1153)
Ashtpadiyan (1153-1167)
ਰਾਗੁ ਬਸੰਤੁ | Raag Basant
Gurbani (1168-1187)
Ashtpadiyan (1187-1193)
Vaar Basant (1193-1196)
ਰਾਗੁ ਸਾਰਗ | Raag Saarag
Gurbani (1197-1200)
Partaal (1200-1231)
Ashtpadiyan (1232-1236)
Chhant (1236-1237)
Vaar Saarang (1237-1253)
ਰਾਗੁ ਮਲਾਰ | Raag Malaar
Gurbani (1254-1293)
Partaal (1265-1273)
Ashtpadiyan (1273-1278)
Chhant (1278)
Vaar Malaar (1278-91)
Bhagat Bani (1292-93)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਾਨੜਾ | Raag Kaanraa
Gurbani (1294-96)
Partaal (1296-1318)
Ashtpadiyan (1308-1312)
Chhant (1312)
Vaar Kaanraa
Bhagat Bani (1318)
ਰਾਗੁ ਕਲਿਆਨ | Raag Kalyaan
Gurbani (1319-23)
Ashtpadiyan (1323-26)
ਰਾਗੁ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਤੀ | Raag Prabhaatee
Gurbani (1327-1341)
Ashtpadiyan (1342-51)
ਰਾਗੁ ਜੈਜਾਵੰਤੀ | Raag Jaijaiwanti
Gurbani (1352-53)
Salok | Gatha | Phunahe | Chaubole | Swayiye
Sehskritee Mahala 1
Sehskritee Mahala 5
Gaathaa Mahala 5
Phunhay Mahala 5
Chaubolae Mahala 5
Shaloks Bhagat Kabir
Shaloks Sheikh Farid
Swaiyyae Mahala 5
Swaiyyae in Praise of Gurus
Shaloks in Addition To Vaars
Shalok Ninth Mehl
Mundavanee Mehl 5
ਰਾਗ ਮਾਲਾ, Raag Maalaa
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Hard Talk
The Narcissism Of Small Differences
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<blockquote data-quote="IJSingh" data-source="post: 219036" data-attributes="member: 403"><p>While waiting in the anteroom of my Retirement Investment Advisor, I caught the headline of an editorial in The Wall Street Journal. It was as many OP-EDs are these days – mostly lamenting or celebrating President Donald Trump. His relationship with truth remains problematic but there is never a dull moment with Trump and his tweets.</p><p></p><p>The title fascinated me and I am plagiarizing it today, but I’ll recreate a new narrative around it about Sikhs and Sikhi. The fragmented reality of our Sikh community in North America is not as complex as it is maddeningly complicated. The body politic of Sikhi in India largely, and to a slightly lesser extent in the diaspora, is shredded, troublesome and mind boggling. Every Sikh organization, no matter how minuscule, touts an endless list of enemies that they detest and will not deal with. (I, too, have a place on some such lists, but I carry it as a badge of honor.) It is as if each Sikh outfit has its own easily transmissible highly contagious viral infection. </p><p></p><p>[ATTACH=full]20517[/ATTACH]Should each <em>minisect</em> be isolated in solitary confinement? For fund-raising each organization comes to us as if it is unmatched in dedication and service – with an aura of the super-pure. Each flaunts its own purity of purpose. I wonder if a pea{censored} would be quite that vain and arrogant.</p><p></p><p>I have lost count, but with so many organizations (tribal clans!) it is difficult, if not impossible, to identify the singular agenda of each. Their borders defy clear and unique domains. Their activities overlap, as does their clientele.</p><p></p><p>But listen to their shtick. Humility never touched them. They cut each other down like crabs preventing other crabs from climbing any higher. They swell but they do not grow. Their prominent activities reinforce a newly minted adage: <em>“Most people talk of people; some talk of things; a precious few talks of ideas.”</em> They want to save the world for Sikhi but I wonder how – by destroying each other?</p><p></p><p>Some want to ban the English language within gurduara premises; such edicts are increasingly raising their ugly heads in the diaspora. Others sell bottled water that they claim to have brought from India from some holy(?) river or well. Some also sell packets of dust from a historical gurduara site for distribution! And there is a growing market in manufactured “dry” <em>parshaad</em> to transport across the world! Isn’t that lovely? And we preach that this is holier than what you can make in your own kitchen.</p><p></p><p>My simple mind is baffled! Why and how does the dust (dirt) and water from 10,000 miles away become holier than that from my local backyard and tap here in New York? And then, we ban chairs within the gurduara hall, lest the old and handicapped find some comfort. Didn’t the Gurus reject such pointless ritualism? Among such newly acquired habits to showcase our dedication are many that blow my mind.</p><p></p><p>We often shun real interfaith understanding and communication when the Guru Granth could well be the textbook for such initiatives for the world around us. Some newly invented behavioral models rate a critical look! Booing & heckling within the gurduara during the service, disorderly meetings, if any. Voting by blocks based on origin -- village, caste, Jat or non-Jat, Ramgarhia, Sodhi, Bhalla, Lubhana, and God alone knows how many more criteria. Or banning elections in gurduaras. Worse yet, when an election term is over to refuse to allow new elections and passing the baton to new, freely chosen/elected officers. And forget not the physical fights within the gurduaras.</p><p></p><p><em>Is this not best labeled as “Tribalism?”</em></p><p></p><p>Women remain unequal, despite our teachings that we proudly repeat in most gurduaras every day. About 40 years ago, in New York, I remember being publicly excoriated because I asked a woman to lead the Ardaas. Why a woman? I was asked by the management. Female infanticide and dowry are never talked about within gurduara premises.</p><p></p><p>I recall a Sikh leader recently addressing the <em>sangat; </em>he emphasized that the first rule of Sikhi is to obey your parents. I had to wonder if Guru Nanak himself would be disqualified by this criterion.</p><p></p><p>Our first principle seems to have morphed into vilification and dehumanizing of others with whom we do not agree.</p><p></p><p><strong>Many are the things we fight about that make an endlessly fascinating list of trivia, don’t they? Too many chiefs hardly any Indians, as an American saying goes, tongue in cheek. Or, is this denial of others ego run amok? Is this narcissism a level above and beyond simple ego? Aren’t they really small issues in the larger context?</strong></p><p></p><p>A couple of more revealing habits: We often recruit volunteers for an endless recitation of specific hymns or passages of gurbani – a thousand times or an unbroken chain of perhaps a million recitations worldwide. Forget not some who come to the gurduara but instead of attending the program – keertan or kathaa -- they open a gutka (<em>breviary</em>) to continue their reading of something else – something they could have done at home. Then there is a group of young and not so young Sikh women. They religiously awaken at 3 AM – Amrit vela, you know – get on a group telephone call and repeat just one word – <em>Vaheguru</em> – for the next two hours. Then, satisfied with the demonstration of their devotion, they go back to sleep. </p><p></p><p>Their reward? World peace or a place in heaven and enlightenment? I don’t really know.</p><p></p><p>We seem to look at a position in gurduara management as a birth right, not an opportunity for <em>seva</em>. To be looking for a position of pride and never letting go.</p><p></p><p>The attitude shouts: “Surely, I should be the leader of the gurduara. See how marvelous is my car, or how expensive my house – like a castle. And the price of my jewelry. Surely, I deserve the honor. Look at me. Ain’t I great?”</p><p></p><p><em>Look at me</em> is the never-ending refrain. There is an intensity and passion to our debates, but not much purpose on the Internet by these guardians of our faith. You would call it ego, I would dub it narcissism resting atop a pile of trivia.</p><p></p><p>If my column today reads like a rant or <em>controversy on steroids</em> so be it. Perhaps I should have labeled it: <em>The Tyranny of Small Differences? Or Pulverized by Trivia.</em></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="IJSingh, post: 219036, member: 403"] While waiting in the anteroom of my Retirement Investment Advisor, I caught the headline of an editorial in The Wall Street Journal. It was as many OP-EDs are these days – mostly lamenting or celebrating President Donald Trump. His relationship with truth remains problematic but there is never a dull moment with Trump and his tweets. The title fascinated me and I am plagiarizing it today, but I’ll recreate a new narrative around it about Sikhs and Sikhi. The fragmented reality of our Sikh community in North America is not as complex as it is maddeningly complicated. The body politic of Sikhi in India largely, and to a slightly lesser extent in the diaspora, is shredded, troublesome and mind boggling. Every Sikh organization, no matter how minuscule, touts an endless list of enemies that they detest and will not deal with. (I, too, have a place on some such lists, but I carry it as a badge of honor.) It is as if each Sikh outfit has its own easily transmissible highly contagious viral infection. [ATTACH type="full" align="right" width="527px" alt="20517"]20517[/ATTACH]Should each [I]minisect[/I] be isolated in solitary confinement? For fund-raising each organization comes to us as if it is unmatched in dedication and service – with an aura of the super-pure. Each flaunts its own purity of purpose. I wonder if a pea{censored} would be quite that vain and arrogant. I have lost count, but with so many organizations (tribal clans!) it is difficult, if not impossible, to identify the singular agenda of each. Their borders defy clear and unique domains. Their activities overlap, as does their clientele. But listen to their shtick. Humility never touched them. They cut each other down like crabs preventing other crabs from climbing any higher. They swell but they do not grow. Their prominent activities reinforce a newly minted adage: [I]“Most people talk of people; some talk of things; a precious few talks of ideas.”[/I] They want to save the world for Sikhi but I wonder how – by destroying each other? Some want to ban the English language within gurduara premises; such edicts are increasingly raising their ugly heads in the diaspora. Others sell bottled water that they claim to have brought from India from some holy(?) river or well. Some also sell packets of dust from a historical gurduara site for distribution! And there is a growing market in manufactured “dry” [I]parshaad[/I] to transport across the world! Isn’t that lovely? And we preach that this is holier than what you can make in your own kitchen. My simple mind is baffled! Why and how does the dust (dirt) and water from 10,000 miles away become holier than that from my local backyard and tap here in New York? And then, we ban chairs within the gurduara hall, lest the old and handicapped find some comfort. Didn’t the Gurus reject such pointless ritualism? Among such newly acquired habits to showcase our dedication are many that blow my mind. We often shun real interfaith understanding and communication when the Guru Granth could well be the textbook for such initiatives for the world around us. Some newly invented behavioral models rate a critical look! Booing & heckling within the gurduara during the service, disorderly meetings, if any. Voting by blocks based on origin -- village, caste, Jat or non-Jat, Ramgarhia, Sodhi, Bhalla, Lubhana, and God alone knows how many more criteria. Or banning elections in gurduaras. Worse yet, when an election term is over to refuse to allow new elections and passing the baton to new, freely chosen/elected officers. And forget not the physical fights within the gurduaras. [I]Is this not best labeled as “Tribalism?”[/I] Women remain unequal, despite our teachings that we proudly repeat in most gurduaras every day. About 40 years ago, in New York, I remember being publicly excoriated because I asked a woman to lead the Ardaas. Why a woman? I was asked by the management. Female infanticide and dowry are never talked about within gurduara premises. I recall a Sikh leader recently addressing the [I]sangat; [/I]he emphasized that the first rule of Sikhi is to obey your parents. I had to wonder if Guru Nanak himself would be disqualified by this criterion. Our first principle seems to have morphed into vilification and dehumanizing of others with whom we do not agree. [B]Many are the things we fight about that make an endlessly fascinating list of trivia, don’t they? Too many chiefs hardly any Indians, as an American saying goes, tongue in cheek. Or, is this denial of others ego run amok? Is this narcissism a level above and beyond simple ego? Aren’t they really small issues in the larger context?[/B] A couple of more revealing habits: We often recruit volunteers for an endless recitation of specific hymns or passages of gurbani – a thousand times or an unbroken chain of perhaps a million recitations worldwide. Forget not some who come to the gurduara but instead of attending the program – keertan or kathaa -- they open a gutka ([I]breviary[/I]) to continue their reading of something else – something they could have done at home. Then there is a group of young and not so young Sikh women. They religiously awaken at 3 AM – Amrit vela, you know – get on a group telephone call and repeat just one word – [I]Vaheguru[/I] – for the next two hours. Then, satisfied with the demonstration of their devotion, they go back to sleep. Their reward? World peace or a place in heaven and enlightenment? I don’t really know. We seem to look at a position in gurduara management as a birth right, not an opportunity for [I]seva[/I]. To be looking for a position of pride and never letting go. The attitude shouts: “Surely, I should be the leader of the gurduara. See how marvelous is my car, or how expensive my house – like a castle. And the price of my jewelry. Surely, I deserve the honor. Look at me. Ain’t I great?” [I]Look at me[/I] is the never-ending refrain. There is an intensity and passion to our debates, but not much purpose on the Internet by these guardians of our faith. You would call it ego, I would dub it narcissism resting atop a pile of trivia. If my column today reads like a rant or [I]controversy on steroids[/I] so be it. Perhaps I should have labeled it: [I]The Tyranny of Small Differences? Or Pulverized by Trivia.[/I] [/QUOTE]
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