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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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<blockquote data-quote="spnadmin" data-source="post: 88698" data-attributes="member: 35"><p><strong><u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">BHAI SEHNA </span></u><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">by Durlabh Singh ji</span></strong></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">It was a hot, sweaty and suffocating afternoon. Not a bird in sky, only the sound of some dogs barking at the sun perhaps showing their anger at the injustice in creating such an unpleasant weather for them to bear.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">Water was evaporating fast from every pour of your body, you try to replenish it by filling your stomach up to the bottom your throat but still felt thirsty until it was rippling inside your tummy. You line your courtyard with big earthen pots and then fill these with fresh water and after that the scientific principle came into force. Water seeps through all those pours and wants to escape into space and it had to borrow the heat from the pot in order to evaporate itself and thus cool it down. As the pot became cool so did the water inside the pot.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">And what do you expect in the month of Jeth, hotter among the hottest months of the year. Sehna dragged his cot to the verandah where it was less oppressive. The heat induced in him a sleepy state and he started musing about things and his life.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">He remembered his childhood. His parents were of farming stock and owned a small plot of land, which provided them with wheat, vegetables and other things. When they sold any surplus, they managed to save some money for other things to buy. It was not a luxury living but at least they were not starving .He loved his land and the green fields, different season and different rotation of crops. He particularly loved the oncoming of spring when the whole earth turned to yellow as the sown mustard flowered. The intense blue skies and tarnished gold of crops induced in him a sort of poetical reverie. </span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">He remembered fondly the festival of Basant Panchmi. He liked the preparation before its advent and then long wait for the day of festival. His parents dyed the family’s clothes in yellow. His father prepared a yellow langa and a turban for himself while his mother donned a yellow salawar kamiz with a dopatta to match it. Not to be left behind he had a small turban dyed in yellow too. His father taught him how to tie it himself.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The open-air day brought in a new mood; frolicking through the passages among the fields, it became a new world for discovery, for him to explore. So many variety of the trees to observe, touch and hug; so many birds to watch, cooing, fluttering with their multi coloured plumage. It seemed an image of heaven</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">He was so proud of his yellow turban, his manly walk imitating his father. Holding on to his parent’s hands he felt sound and secure. He watched the water pouring out of small tin pots of the water wheels as it prepared to irrigate the fields. He liked the fresh morning air, the smell of wet grass and the gentle touch of brown earth beneath his feet.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">How distant all that seems to be!</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">But now all that is gone.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">And then the things changed. A dark cloud came and covered the land, things began to fall apart. His land was invaded by foreign forces and that pleasant land became a battlefield with cruel, callous and inhuman activities. The natives fought but had to pay a heavy price for their freedom. His father lost his life in a malaise and soon his beloved mother died too, heart broken with the loss of her husband. He was taken in by a distant relative for upbringing.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">His life changed completely. He felt alone without any warmth or love. His inner coldness soon poured over the land and all became shrouded. He did not take any more pleasure in the fields around him and he felt like an alien in a strange land. He grew up to be man but his inner and outer being became desolate and vacant.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">He drifted from job to job, working for others – a laborer, a tiller or a coolie.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">The news was running around that a great <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a> has come to the town and was organizing a campaign against the invaders. He was recruiting people for the army, organizing networks for the common folks as how to defend themselves and thus to organize the resistant.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a> for the sake of his people and country had left his secluded spot of scholarship and learning and had taken up the sword as a hedge against looting, killing, rapes and other such disasters. With his unique brand of personality he infused great courage and love of justice among his people that they turned themselves into full of valour. His attention was to make a hundred of his followers take on at least a thousand of the enemies and thus beat them at their own game.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">It was better to die fighting for one’s dignity, country, family and home then to yield to cowardly whims of marauders.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">On one afternoon, Sehna went to the durbar of the <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a> and sat timidly in a corner to await arrival of <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a>. When he saw the <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a>, he was greatly impressed with his personality, which was soothing but overpowering.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">The <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a> carried out various urgent tasks like recruiting people for his army, appointing military instructors, generals and other organizers. Further he gave the outline of his plan for the civilians to organize themselves behind the scene and thus to help each other in a co-operative strategy.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">Lastly he asked for volunteers willing to do difficult task of caring for the dying and the wounded in the battlefield. Timidly Sehna stood and presented himself for such a task and was glad that the <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a> had accepted him. He was provided with all the first aid boxes and sundries.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">The great battle had begun. You could hear the roar and den of it miles away. It was frightening and intimidating and imagining that men could kill each other in such a horrible way.</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">Could you imagine one’s head being chopped off by the sword of another and not feel sick at the sight of a torso gushing out fountains of blood? It would be hard enough to force oneself not to scream and shudder in total horror.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">The invaders had come to trample over this pleasant land, intend upon a killing spree, with no pity in their heart and no soul within their body. He shuddered again at the very thought. How could they do it? He could not even kill a fly. It was not given to us to deprive a human being off his life. Once you have taken away that last possession of a human being, what is there left to be proud of?</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">But that was that. Someone had to confront those marauding invading hordes and only the <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a> had the guts to stand against those killers. His small army was fighting like tigers against overwhelming numbers of those outlaws. They showed an exemplary valour to defend their homeland.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">What a tragedy it was for the <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a> to take up arms! A <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a> with tenderness in his heart and pity for the sufferings of others. He admired the <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a> greatly for his courage and fortitude. He infused such a spirit in his army that it fought like heroes forgetting even the fear of their own death.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">************</span></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">He was in the battlefield, caring for the wounded and the dying. He had his medicine box and jars of water with him.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">In that aftermath, the battlefield was littered with the fallen; strewn bags of</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">the bodies, either the corpses or the wounded. It was his first time and an overwhelming sight clutched his being. His eyes began to get misted and his hands had a tremor caused by seeing all the grief .He pulled himself up remembering the <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a>’s command; of caring for the wounded. He began to set himself to work. He attended to the ghostly forms smeared with blood and dirt. Tenderly he cleaned their wounds, applied the precious ointments, bandaged and propped them up giving them sips of the water. Hours passed and he forgot himself completely. Gone was his fear of seeing the dying and he found a small satisfaction in carrying out his duty to full. When he reached the end of his lines, he wanted to take a respite from the exhausting work but he heard moans and cries from the other side of enemy’s lines. They had no one to care for them and they were calling upon Bhai Sehna for help. What could he do? Become a traitor to his own side by helping his enemies?</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">He tried to cover his ears as not to hear those ghastly cries but could not help hearing them. He knew he was provided with the costly and precious ointment which was not to be wasted on enemies but the sight of those wretched creature awakened his consciousness and pity. He went forth to enemy’s lines and started attending to the dying and wounded enemies. The pity and tenderness of his heart drove him to go against his own reason.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">His reputation has suffered. Some people were saying behind hid back that he was helping his enemies while the other termed him a traitor, which was extremely painful to him.</span></span></p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">One day someone came to see him from the committee managing <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a>’s affair. He was called upon to present himself in the durbar to answer various allegations brought against him and against his conduct on the battlefield.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">For days he could not sleep properly and was worried as to what would happen to him at the hearing. On the appointed day he went early and sat in a corner in a timid gesture avoiding people’s eyes.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">It was a busy day and the <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a> eventually came and sat in his usual seat on the dais. He consulted various people about the coming battle plans, listened to the please of the poor and the dispossessed. Other people brought him gifts, money for the battle expenditure, provisions for the langar, the common kitchen.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'">At last his name was called and he got up to face the <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a> with trembling heart, presented himself in dignified manner and made a courteous bow and felt a bit at ease as he observed <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a>’s reassuring demeanor .A senior member of the committee read the people’s charges against him. He pleaded as not guilty to all those charges.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px"><a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a> asked him – ‘ Bhai Sehna, what did I employ you for?’</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">‘To care for the wounded and dying on the battle field ‘</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">‘ Did you truthfully performed your duty?’</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">‘ Yes sir, I did. I did care for the wounded and the dying ‘</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">‘Did it include the enemies in your course of duty? ‘</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">‘ No I did not thought so first t but then things changed. As you commanded me to help the wounded and dying. I did, as I could not see any difference between one human being and the other, all were wounded and dying on the field. So I provided the aid to all ‘</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">Every body in the congregation was eager to listen to the <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a> for his command of punishment to a traitor who has collaborated with the enemy.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">‘Bhai Sehna ! Shabash , you have truly carried out my instructions. I am proud of you ‘</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">That was a thunder bolt out of blue to the congregation and they held their breath</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">A hush fell on the congregation with few whispers of dissent and anger.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">Sehna felt his heart fluttering within his expanded chest. With pride he stood upright and felt like ten feet tall. He took his handkerchief to wipe away the rush of tears pouring down his face. He forgot himself and felt even greater pride for his leader who could see directly into human heart and its motivation. <a href="http://www.sikhism.us/" target="_blank">Guru</a> was a dignified figure who distributed proper justice. His whole being melted. He wished he could do more for his beloved leader. If asked he could even offer his life. More tears of love flowed from his dim eyes.</span></span></p><p> </p><p> </p><p> <span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><span style="font-size: 12px">©2006- Durlabh Singh.</span></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="spnadmin, post: 88698, member: 35"] [B][U][FONT=Times New Roman]BHAI SEHNA [/FONT][/U][FONT=Times New Roman]by Durlabh Singh ji[/FONT][/B] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]It was a hot, sweaty and suffocating afternoon. Not a bird in sky, only the sound of some dogs barking at the sun perhaps showing their anger at the injustice in creating such an unpleasant weather for them to bear.[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]Water was evaporating fast from every pour of your body, you try to replenish it by filling your stomach up to the bottom your throat but still felt thirsty until it was rippling inside your tummy. You line your courtyard with big earthen pots and then fill these with fresh water and after that the scientific principle came into force. Water seeps through all those pours and wants to escape into space and it had to borrow the heat from the pot in order to evaporate itself and thus cool it down. As the pot became cool so did the water inside the pot.[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]And what do you expect in the month of Jeth, hotter among the hottest months of the year. Sehna dragged his cot to the verandah where it was less oppressive. The heat induced in him a sleepy state and he started musing about things and his life.[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]He remembered his childhood. His parents were of farming stock and owned a small plot of land, which provided them with wheat, vegetables and other things. When they sold any surplus, they managed to save some money for other things to buy. It was not a luxury living but at least they were not starving .He loved his land and the green fields, different season and different rotation of crops. He particularly loved the oncoming of spring when the whole earth turned to yellow as the sown mustard flowered. The intense blue skies and tarnished gold of crops induced in him a sort of poetical reverie. [/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]He remembered fondly the festival of Basant Panchmi. He liked the preparation before its advent and then long wait for the day of festival. His parents dyed the family’s clothes in yellow. His father prepared a yellow langa and a turban for himself while his mother donned a yellow salawar kamiz with a dopatta to match it. Not to be left behind he had a small turban dyed in yellow too. His father taught him how to tie it himself.[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]The open-air day brought in a new mood; frolicking through the passages among the fields, it became a new world for discovery, for him to explore. So many variety of the trees to observe, touch and hug; so many birds to watch, cooing, fluttering with their multi coloured plumage. It seemed an image of heaven[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]He was so proud of his yellow turban, his manly walk imitating his father. Holding on to his parent’s hands he felt sound and secure. He watched the water pouring out of small tin pots of the water wheels as it prepared to irrigate the fields. He liked the fresh morning air, the smell of wet grass and the gentle touch of brown earth beneath his feet.[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]How distant all that seems to be![/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]But now all that is gone.[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]And then the things changed. A dark cloud came and covered the land, things began to fall apart. His land was invaded by foreign forces and that pleasant land became a battlefield with cruel, callous and inhuman activities. The natives fought but had to pay a heavy price for their freedom. His father lost his life in a malaise and soon his beloved mother died too, heart broken with the loss of her husband. He was taken in by a distant relative for upbringing.[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]His life changed completely. He felt alone without any warmth or love. His inner coldness soon poured over the land and all became shrouded. He did not take any more pleasure in the fields around him and he felt like an alien in a strange land. He grew up to be man but his inner and outer being became desolate and vacant.[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]He drifted from job to job, working for others – a laborer, a tiller or a coolie.[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]The news was running around that a great [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL] has come to the town and was organizing a campaign against the invaders. He was recruiting people for the army, organizing networks for the common folks as how to defend themselves and thus to organize the resistant.[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]The [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL] for the sake of his people and country had left his secluded spot of scholarship and learning and had taken up the sword as a hedge against looting, killing, rapes and other such disasters. With his unique brand of personality he infused great courage and love of justice among his people that they turned themselves into full of valour. His attention was to make a hundred of his followers take on at least a thousand of the enemies and thus beat them at their own game.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]It was better to die fighting for one’s dignity, country, family and home then to yield to cowardly whims of marauders.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]On one afternoon, Sehna went to the durbar of the [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL] and sat timidly in a corner to await arrival of [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL]. When he saw the [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL], he was greatly impressed with his personality, which was soothing but overpowering.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]The [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL] carried out various urgent tasks like recruiting people for his army, appointing military instructors, generals and other organizers. Further he gave the outline of his plan for the civilians to organize themselves behind the scene and thus to help each other in a co-operative strategy.[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Lastly he asked for volunteers willing to do difficult task of caring for the dying and the wounded in the battlefield. Timidly Sehna stood and presented himself for such a task and was glad that the [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL] had accepted him. He was provided with all the first aid boxes and sundries.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]The great battle had begun. You could hear the roar and den of it miles away. It was frightening and intimidating and imagining that men could kill each other in such a horrible way.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Could you imagine one’s head being chopped off by the sword of another and not feel sick at the sight of a torso gushing out fountains of blood? It would be hard enough to force oneself not to scream and shudder in total horror.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]The invaders had come to trample over this pleasant land, intend upon a killing spree, with no pity in their heart and no soul within their body. He shuddered again at the very thought. How could they do it? He could not even kill a fly. It was not given to us to deprive a human being off his life. Once you have taken away that last possession of a human being, what is there left to be proud of?[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]But that was that. Someone had to confront those marauding invading hordes and only the [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL] had the guts to stand against those killers. His small army was fighting like tigers against overwhelming numbers of those outlaws. They showed an exemplary valour to defend their homeland.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]What a tragedy it was for the [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL] to take up arms! A [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL] with tenderness in his heart and pity for the sufferings of others. He admired the [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL] greatly for his courage and fortitude. He infused such a spirit in his army that it fought like heroes forgetting even the fear of their own death.[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]************[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]He was in the battlefield, caring for the wounded and the dying. He had his medicine box and jars of water with him.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]In that aftermath, the battlefield was littered with the fallen; strewn bags of[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]the bodies, either the corpses or the wounded. It was his first time and an overwhelming sight clutched his being. His eyes began to get misted and his hands had a tremor caused by seeing all the grief .He pulled himself up remembering the [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL]’s command; of caring for the wounded. He began to set himself to work. He attended to the ghostly forms smeared with blood and dirt. Tenderly he cleaned their wounds, applied the precious ointments, bandaged and propped them up giving them sips of the water. Hours passed and he forgot himself completely. Gone was his fear of seeing the dying and he found a small satisfaction in carrying out his duty to full. When he reached the end of his lines, he wanted to take a respite from the exhausting work but he heard moans and cries from the other side of enemy’s lines. They had no one to care for them and they were calling upon Bhai Sehna for help. What could he do? Become a traitor to his own side by helping his enemies?[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]He tried to cover his ears as not to hear those ghastly cries but could not help hearing them. He knew he was provided with the costly and precious ointment which was not to be wasted on enemies but the sight of those wretched creature awakened his consciousness and pity. He went forth to enemy’s lines and started attending to the dying and wounded enemies. The pity and tenderness of his heart drove him to go against his own reason.[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]His reputation has suffered. Some people were saying behind hid back that he was helping his enemies while the other termed him a traitor, which was extremely painful to him.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]One day someone came to see him from the committee managing [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL]’s affair. He was called upon to present himself in the durbar to answer various allegations brought against him and against his conduct on the battlefield.[/SIZE][/FONT] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]For days he could not sleep properly and was worried as to what would happen to him at the hearing. On the appointed day he went early and sat in a corner in a timid gesture avoiding people’s eyes.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]It was a busy day and the [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL] eventually came and sat in his usual seat on the dais. He consulted various people about the coming battle plans, listened to the please of the poor and the dispossessed. Other people brought him gifts, money for the battle expenditure, provisions for the langar, the common kitchen.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=Times New Roman]At last his name was called and he got up to face the [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL] with trembling heart, presented himself in dignified manner and made a courteous bow and felt a bit at ease as he observed [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL]’s reassuring demeanor .A senior member of the committee read the people’s charges against him. He pleaded as not guilty to all those charges.[/FONT][/SIZE] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3][URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL] asked him – ‘ Bhai Sehna, what did I employ you for?’[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]‘To care for the wounded and dying on the battle field ‘[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]‘ Did you truthfully performed your duty?’[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]‘ Yes sir, I did. I did care for the wounded and the dying ‘[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]‘Did it include the enemies in your course of duty? ‘[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]‘ No I did not thought so first t but then things changed. As you commanded me to help the wounded and dying. I did, as I could not see any difference between one human being and the other, all were wounded and dying on the field. So I provided the aid to all ‘[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Every body in the congregation was eager to listen to the [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL] for his command of punishment to a traitor who has collaborated with the enemy.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]‘Bhai Sehna ! Shabash , you have truly carried out my instructions. I am proud of you ‘[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]That was a thunder bolt out of blue to the congregation and they held their breath[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]A hush fell on the congregation with few whispers of dissent and anger.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]Sehna felt his heart fluttering within his expanded chest. With pride he stood upright and felt like ten feet tall. He took his handkerchief to wipe away the rush of tears pouring down his face. He forgot himself and felt even greater pride for his leader who could see directly into human heart and its motivation. [URL="http://www.sikhism.us/"]Guru[/URL] was a dignified figure who distributed proper justice. His whole being melted. He wished he could do more for his beloved leader. If asked he could even offer his life. More tears of love flowed from his dim eyes.[/SIZE][/FONT] [FONT=Times New Roman][SIZE=3]©2006- Durlabh Singh.[/SIZE][/FONT] [/QUOTE]
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