Bani Birlo Bicha{censored}e, Jay Ko Gurmukh Hoey.
Eh Bani Maha Purakh Ki, Nij Ghar Vasa Hoey.
Rare are those who learn from the Guru and contemplate
the Words of Bani. They are Gurmukhs, the Guru-oriented.
This is the Bani of the Supreme Being, The Lord;
By means of the Bani, one finds the Abode of the Lord, within.
(Aad Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 935)
The phrase ‘Maha Purakh’ means ‘Supreme Being’, which means ‘God’. The word ‘Purakh’ also appears in the Mool Mantar as ‘Karta Purakh’, which means ‘The All-pervading Creator’ - referring to God. To refer to individuals as ‘Maha Purakh’ or ‘Maha Purash’ is a gross error in the use of the phrase.
Similarly, the words ‘Sant’, ‘Saadh’, ‘Saadhu’ which are common place in Gurbani, are meant for the ‘Guru’ or ‘Sanggat’ or ‘Any One in the Saadh Sanggat’, depending on the context in which it is used. It was never meant to be a ‘title’ for individuals.
The word ‘Baba’ was used to refer to Baba Nanak. None other. Bhai Gurdas used this word only for Guru Nanak: “Fir Baba Geyaa Baghdad Nu”, meaning: Then Baba Went To Baghdad; “Zahar Pir Jagat Gur Baba”, meaning: Baba (Nanak) came to be universally recognized as the Guru of the whole world; “Babey Kiti Sidh Ghost”, meaning: Baba (Nanak) had discourses with the Siddha, etc.
Guru Har Krishan Ji, at the time of leaving his physical body, also referred to the Jyot (Spirit) of Baba Nanak when he said, “Baba Bekaalay”, meaning: Baba is in Bakaala. He meant, “The Jyot of Baba Nanak is now in (Guru) Teg Bahadur, who resides in the town, Bakaala”.
In Sikhi, there is no hierarchy. There is the ‘GURU’ and then, there is the ‘SIKH’. No in-betweens. The Guru deliberately removed the positions of ‘Manji’ and ‘Masand’ from among His Sikhs, and collectively named the entire Sanggat ‘Khalsa’, meaning, having ‘direct link’ with the Guru.
‘Khalsa’ is not a surname, penname, title or last name. It is a collective noun for the ‘Sanggat - directly linked to the Guru ’. Bhai Gurdas II said in his verse: “Gur Sanggat Kini Khalsa”, meaning, The Guru’s Sanggat was made The Khalsa.
No matter how spiritually enlightened a Sikh becomes, the Guru’s Sikh will always be a ‘Sikh’. The ‘title’ used to address even the most exalted souls has been the adorable word, ‘BHAI’. (Not even ‘Bhai Sahib’) In Gurbani and the Bani of Bhai Gurdas, the word ‘Sikh’ also takes many forms, like, ‘Chela’, ‘Gurmukh’, ‘Bhai/Bhain’, ‘Bhagat’, etc.
Saadh Sanggat Ji, when we encounter the terms ‘Sant’, Saadh’, ‘Saadhu’ in Gurbani, let us think of The Guru, not an individual. Let’s not call individuals ‘mahapurakh’, ‘mahapurash’, ‘maharaj’, ‘sant’, ‘baba’, ‘sant baba’, ‘sahib’ or ‘khalsa’. Instead let’s use the word ‘Bhai’ for all males and ‘Bhain’ for all females, in relation to Sikhi. We are a Sister/Brotherhood! Let’s not forget this! The Guru stresses on vichaar, ie, discussion and contemplation, so as to understand and practise the Guru’s Word - the Guru’s Shabad.
“Sikhi Sikhia Gur Vichaar” - To be a Sikh involves contemplating the Guru’s Word with a view to Learning from It.
Jarnail Singh
Eh Bani Maha Purakh Ki, Nij Ghar Vasa Hoey.
Rare are those who learn from the Guru and contemplate
the Words of Bani. They are Gurmukhs, the Guru-oriented.
This is the Bani of the Supreme Being, The Lord;
By means of the Bani, one finds the Abode of the Lord, within.
(Aad Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Page 935)
The phrase ‘Maha Purakh’ means ‘Supreme Being’, which means ‘God’. The word ‘Purakh’ also appears in the Mool Mantar as ‘Karta Purakh’, which means ‘The All-pervading Creator’ - referring to God. To refer to individuals as ‘Maha Purakh’ or ‘Maha Purash’ is a gross error in the use of the phrase.
Similarly, the words ‘Sant’, ‘Saadh’, ‘Saadhu’ which are common place in Gurbani, are meant for the ‘Guru’ or ‘Sanggat’ or ‘Any One in the Saadh Sanggat’, depending on the context in which it is used. It was never meant to be a ‘title’ for individuals.
The word ‘Baba’ was used to refer to Baba Nanak. None other. Bhai Gurdas used this word only for Guru Nanak: “Fir Baba Geyaa Baghdad Nu”, meaning: Then Baba Went To Baghdad; “Zahar Pir Jagat Gur Baba”, meaning: Baba (Nanak) came to be universally recognized as the Guru of the whole world; “Babey Kiti Sidh Ghost”, meaning: Baba (Nanak) had discourses with the Siddha, etc.
Guru Har Krishan Ji, at the time of leaving his physical body, also referred to the Jyot (Spirit) of Baba Nanak when he said, “Baba Bekaalay”, meaning: Baba is in Bakaala. He meant, “The Jyot of Baba Nanak is now in (Guru) Teg Bahadur, who resides in the town, Bakaala”.
In Sikhi, there is no hierarchy. There is the ‘GURU’ and then, there is the ‘SIKH’. No in-betweens. The Guru deliberately removed the positions of ‘Manji’ and ‘Masand’ from among His Sikhs, and collectively named the entire Sanggat ‘Khalsa’, meaning, having ‘direct link’ with the Guru.
‘Khalsa’ is not a surname, penname, title or last name. It is a collective noun for the ‘Sanggat - directly linked to the Guru ’. Bhai Gurdas II said in his verse: “Gur Sanggat Kini Khalsa”, meaning, The Guru’s Sanggat was made The Khalsa.
No matter how spiritually enlightened a Sikh becomes, the Guru’s Sikh will always be a ‘Sikh’. The ‘title’ used to address even the most exalted souls has been the adorable word, ‘BHAI’. (Not even ‘Bhai Sahib’) In Gurbani and the Bani of Bhai Gurdas, the word ‘Sikh’ also takes many forms, like, ‘Chela’, ‘Gurmukh’, ‘Bhai/Bhain’, ‘Bhagat’, etc.
Saadh Sanggat Ji, when we encounter the terms ‘Sant’, Saadh’, ‘Saadhu’ in Gurbani, let us think of The Guru, not an individual. Let’s not call individuals ‘mahapurakh’, ‘mahapurash’, ‘maharaj’, ‘sant’, ‘baba’, ‘sant baba’, ‘sahib’ or ‘khalsa’. Instead let’s use the word ‘Bhai’ for all males and ‘Bhain’ for all females, in relation to Sikhi. We are a Sister/Brotherhood! Let’s not forget this! The Guru stresses on vichaar, ie, discussion and contemplation, so as to understand and practise the Guru’s Word - the Guru’s Shabad.
“Sikhi Sikhia Gur Vichaar” - To be a Sikh involves contemplating the Guru’s Word with a view to Learning from It.
Jarnail Singh
