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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Harjas Kaur Khalsa" data-source="post: 83492" data-attributes="member: 2125">This story reminds me of something I heard about.  There was a female diksha swami who gave shaktipat initiations who was being greeted by lines of devotees at a particular ashram.  One lady in the line was showing clear signs of imbalance, possibly mental illness, possibly kundalini kriyas.  But anyway, she was acting weird and saying weird things.  When she got up to this lady guru, with a serene smile on her face, the swami suddenly slapped the woman.  Keeping the smile and serene look, several times the swami slapped the imbalanced lady.  I know this story second-hand, and the person who told it to me had seen this lady at temple a lot.  She said afterwards the lady got better and better and seems completely normal now.  Sometimes a guru, or even our Satguruji Maharaj will act in ways that don't seem to make sense, but the needed lesson or adjustment will take place.  The answer would be in the reaction and/or change in Ashok whether it was krodh on part of your friend, or actually Divine guidance for his spiritual development and breaking through blocks.  Either could be the case. Well, the truth is, I have come on a long journey with these kinds of questions.  To make the story short (honest), institutionalized groups are like the Christians say, "a den of vipers."  I don't even mean bad.  I mean really bad.  So if we know we have a structured set of rules, a delineated authority, positions of power, that such things are going to be abused.  It's human nature and it's an evil era when righteousness is falling down.But if we stray completely from agreed upon definitions and standards, what are we then?I will honestly say, and have felt for a long time but tried to just be quiet and conform, that I don't agree with a lot of definitions in the Sikh rehit maryada.  Just like any individual Jatha does, most keep the basics and then change or add somethings, such as keski rehit, sarbloh bibek, raagmala, Naam abhiyaas, sarbloh kara/kirpan.I don't see these things as rituals so much as elective practices for a stricter sadhana.  Will such a strict sadhana make a person holy?  Not necessarily.  But just focusing on working on your inner nature and disciplining the 5 thieves is some kind of progress.  It's not for everyone.  Some don't need.  Some don't want.  And some would be spiritually detrimental for.  I don't believe that spiritual practice is a cookie cutter mold that you stamp indescriminately onto everyone like one-size fits all.And far too often that's how we define spirituality, by trying to herd together everyone with like mind, and exclude every little difference.  And the honest truth is, I have been around truly strict and even over-disciplined people.  And everybody already knows about it, they aren't "nice."  Let me share a story:I have an amritdhari friend whose oldest son cut his hair and took off kara to fit in and go to dental school.  He was never amritdhari.  Well being his mother, she stayed supportive of him, and loves him very much.  But she really didn't go for the shave and haircut.  She tried getting some amritdhari young people from Jatha x to come to her house for kirtan programs, encouraging them to "talk to my son."  "Can you call my son and just try to be a good influence on him?"  I heard many of these conversations for a couple of years.No one ever called.  And apart from special kirtan programs, and despite being very close by, no one ever came over.  All the people she asked, and no one bothered to talk to her son.  After awhile, this same group of people just stopped saying fateh to us, my friend and I, and one day we'd had it.  So we decided never to do anything associated with that particular bunch.  Meanwhile, my friend started going to a gurdwara from Jatha z.  And Jatha z is a pretty relaxed bunch.  Nearly everyone there is a cutter, trimmer, dyer.  I mean just no visible strictness in keeping rehit AT ALL!And something happened that really made an impression on all of us.  After a few years of dealing with Jatha x and Jatha y and ridiculously poor behavior which cannot even be mentioned, Jatha z, the relaxed bunch, did something completely unexpected.  No non-amritdhari person, let alone with cut and shaved kes would ever be allowed to do kirtan for the sangat.  But the bhai sahib from this Gurdwara, seeing her son looking completely estranged from the sangat started talking to him, calling him on the phone, and *shock* inviting him to play kirtan for the sangat.  And something I did not know, he could play beautifully with such longing and such piare.Who is on the holy path?  Is it the people with strict rehit, harsh judgement, self-promotion, and indifference to others?  Is it the ones who do everything wrong by rehit, but do everything right by heart?It has to be asked, because these definitions change everything.  It goes directly to the question "who is a Sikh?"  I think the shabad from Shri Sarbloh Granth which Namjap ji posted on another thread said everything.  "Khalsa is my True Form; In the Khalsa do I reside; Khalsa is my True Companion; Khalsa is my Perfect Master" A sikh is just someone who wants to belong to Guruji.  Anyone who bows his head and believes in Guru is a sikh.  But to become a Khalsa, I'm not even sure khande ki pahul is the path.  Thats the accepted answer.  I do believe in shaktipat deekhya because I've experienced it.  But it didn't make me a Khalsa.  It just gave me an experience.  The only power in having an experience is if it changes you for the better over time.  Anything less than that is just another sensuality.  And I know some people don't get any perceptible experience getting amritchukk.  It is making a commitment to live a dharmic life by certain standards.But even in Gurbani, amrit isn't deekhya initiation, charan pahul or khande ki pahul.ਖੋਟੇ ਖਰੇ ਤੁਧੁ ਆਪਿ ਉਪਾਏ ॥ khottae kharae thudhh aap oupaaeae || You Yourself created the counterfeit and the genuine.  ਤੁਧੁ ਆਪੇ ਪਰਖੇ ਲੋਕ ਸਬਾਏ ॥ thudhh aapae parakhae lok sabaaeae || You Yourself appraise all people. ਖਰੇ ਪਰਖਿ ਖਜਾਨੈ ਪਾਇਹਿ ਖੋਟੇ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਵਣਿਆ ॥੬॥ kharae parakh khajaanai paaeihi khottae bharam bhulaavaniaa ||6|| You appraise the true, and place them in Your Treasury; You consign the false to wander in delusion. ||6|| ਕਿਉ ਕਰਿ ਵੇਖਾ ਕਿਉ ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ॥ kio kar vaekhaa kio saalaahee || How can I behold You? How can I praise You? ਗੁਰ ਪਰਸਾਦੀ ਸਬਦਿ ਸਲਾਹੀ ॥ gur parasaadhee sabadh salaahee || By Guru's Grace, I praise You through the Word of the Shabad. ਤੇਰੇ ਭਾਣੇ ਵਿਚਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਵਸੈ ਤੂੰ ਭਾਣੈ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਪੀਆਵਣਿਆ ॥੭॥ thaerae bhaanae vich anmrith vasai thoon bhaanai anmrith peeaavaniaa ||7|| In Your Sweet Will, the Amrit is found; by Your Will, You inspire us to drink in this Amrit. ||7 ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਸਬਦੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਹਰਿ ਬਾਣੀ ॥ anmrith sabadh anmrith har baanee || The Shabad is Amrit; the Lord's Bani is Amrit. ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਸੇਵਿਐ ਰਿਦੈ ਸਮਾਣੀ ॥ sathigur saeviai ridhai samaanee || Serving the True Guru, it permeates the heart. ~SGGS Ji p. 119ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਬਚਨ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਜੋ ਬੋਲੈ ਸੋ ਮੁਖਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਪਾਵੈ ॥੨॥ anmrith bachan sathigur kee baanee jo bolai so mukh anmrith paavai ||2|| The Words of the True Guru's Teachings are Ambrosial Nectar; this Amrit trickles into the mouth of the one who chants them. ||2|| ਨਿਰਮਲੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਿਤੁ ਮੈਲੁ ਨ ਲਾਗੈ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪੈ ਲਿਵ ਲਾਵੈ ॥ niramal naam jith mail n laagai guramath naam japai liv laavai || Immaculate is the Naam, which cannot be stained by filth. Through the Guru's Teachings, chant the Naam with love. ~SGGS Ji p. 494ਜਤੁ ਪਾਹਾਰਾ ਧੀਰਜੁ ਸੁਨਿਆਰੁ ॥ jath paahaaraa dhheeraj suniaar || Let self-control be the furnace, and patience the goldsmith. ਅਹਰਣਿ ਮਤਿ ਵੇਦੁ ਹਥੀਆਰੁ ॥ aharan math vaedh hathheeaar || Let understanding be the anvil, and spiritual wisdom the tools.  ਭਉ ਖਲਾ ਅਗਨਿ ਤਪ ਤਾਉ ॥ bho khalaa agan thap thaao || With the Fear of God as the bellows, fan the flames of tapa, the body's inner heat. ਭਾਂਡਾ ਭਾਉ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਤਿਤੁ ਢਾਲਿ ॥ bhaanddaa bhaao anmrith thith dtaal || In the crucible of love, melt the Nectar of the Name, ਘੜੀਐ ਸਬਦੁ ਸਚੀ ਟਕਸਾਲ ॥ gharreeai sabadh sachee ttakasaal || and mint the True Coin of the Shabad, the Word of God. ~SGGS Ji p. 8 ਉਲਟਿਓ ਕਮਲੁ ਬ੍ਰਹਮੁ ਬੀਚਾਰਿ ॥ oulattiou kamal breham beechaar || The inverted heart-lotus has been turned upright, through reflective meditation on God.  ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਧਾਰ ਗਗਨਿ ਦਸ ਦੁਆਰਿ ॥ anmrith dhhaar gagan dhas dhuaar || From the Sky of the Tenth Gate, the Ambrosial Nectar trickles down. ~SGGS Ji p. 153What if that "One immortal being" is itself an incomplete concept as it stands defined by SGPC.  And what if it alludes to a deeper meaning of the Supreme incomprehensible nirgun behind all forms, who pervades all forms, including devtas?  What if it means that the true nature of the creation, of our atma is the Paramatman?  If the sansaaric world is illusion of duality and three gunas and Maya, and every one of the created beings is an illusion like a shadow obstructing the light, and once the light shines, the shadows fade?  What if the Immortal One is something we all merge and become One with, the true Inner Self, Parabraahma.  Would it hurt anything to clarify the definition which causes people to think there is a monotheistic God existing in isolation rather than a Oneness which includes everything that is?  What does it say about authoritative definitions that might actually be in conflict with someone's interpretation of Gurbani?  ਸਹਸ ਤਵ ਨੈਨ ਨਨ ਨੈਨ ਹਹਿ ਤੋਹਿ ਕਉ ਸਹਸ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਨਨਾ ਏਕ ਤ+ਹੀ ॥ sehas thav nain nan nain hehi thohi ko sehas moorath nanaa eaek thuohee || You have thousands of eyes, and yet You have no eyes. You have thousands of forms, and yet You do not have even one. ਸਹਸ ਪਦ ਬਿਮਲ ਨਨ ਏਕ ਪਦ ਗੰਧ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਹਸ ਤਵ ਗੰਧ ਇਵ ਚਲਤ ਮੋਹੀ ॥੨॥ sehas padh bimal nan eaek padh gandhh bin sehas thav gandhh eiv chalath mohee ||2|| You have thousands of Lotus Feet, and yet You do not have even one foot. You have no nose, but you have thousands of noses. This Play of Yours entrances me. ||2|| ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਹੈ ਸੋਇ ॥ sabh mehi joth joth hai soe || Amongst all is the Light-You are that Light. ਤਿਸ ਦੈ ਚਾਨਣਿ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਚਾਨਣੁ ਹੋਇ ॥ this dhai chaanan sabh mehi chaanan hoe || By this Illumination, that Light is radiant within all. ~SGGS Ji p. 13 ਆਦਿ ਅਨੀਲੁ ਅਨਾਦਿ ਅਨਾਹਤਿ ਜੁਗੁ ਜੁਗੁ ਏਕੋ ਵੇਸੁ ॥੨੯॥ aadh aneel anaadh anaahath jug jug eaeko vaes ||29|| The Primal One, the Pure Light, without beginning, without end. Throughout all the ages, He is One and the Same. ||29|| ਏਕਾ ਮਾਈ ਜੁਗਤਿ ਵਿਆਈ ਤਿਨਿ ਚੇਲੇ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥ eaekaa maaee jugath viaaee thin chaelae paravaan || The One Divine Mother conceived and gave birth to the three deities. ਇਕੁ ਸੰਸਾਰੀ ਇਕੁ ਭੰਡਾਰੀ ਇਕੁ ਲਾਏ ਦੀਬਾਣੁ ॥ eik sansaaree eik bhanddaaree eik laaeae dheebaan || One, the Creator of the World; One, the Sustainer; and One, the Destroyer. ਜਿਵ ਤਿਸੁ ਭਾਵੈ ਤਿਵੈ ਚਲਾਵੈ ਜਿਵ ਹੋਵੈ ਫੁਰਮਾਣੁ ॥ jiv this bhaavai thivai chalaavai jiv hovai furamaan || He makes things happen according to the Pleasure of His Will. Such is His Celestial Order. ~SGGS Ji p. 7ਛਿਅ ਘਰ ਛਿਅ ਗੁਰ ਛਿਅ ਉਪਦੇਸ ॥ shhia ghar shhia gur shhia oupadhaes || There are six schools of philosophy, six teachers, and six sets of teachings. ਗੁਰੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਏਕੋ ਵੇਸ ਅਨੇਕ ॥੧॥ gur gur eaeko vaes anaek ||1|| But the Teacher of teachers is the One, who appears in so many forms. ||1|| ~SGGS Ji p. 12ਮ੍ਰਿਗ ਤ੍ਰਿਸਨਾ ਜਿਉ ਜਗ ਰਚਨਾ ਯਹ ਦੇਖਹੁ ਰਿਦੈ ਬਿਚਾਰਿ ॥ mrig thrisanaa jio jag rachanaa yeh dhaekhahu ridhai bichaar ||The created world is like an illusion, a mirage - see this, and reflect upon it in your mind.ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਭਜੁ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਨਿਤ ਜਾ ਤੇ ਹੋਤ ਉਧਾਰ ॥੨॥੨॥ kahu naanak bhaj raam naam nith jaa thae hoth oudhhaar ||2||2||Says Nanak, vibrate forever the Name of the Lord, which shall deliver you. ||2||2||~SGGS Ji p. 536So close examination of the SGPC rehit maryada and you can see it's intended to isolate the amritdharis from everyone else.  I can understand it's purpose.  But I don't think in every circumstance, that's the best choice.  Sometimes people need your friendliness, your welcome, your example.  So how would someone reconcile the correctness of religious authority and institutions which promote their own interpretations of Gurbani, but that you personal feel are in conflict with it?  I don't advocate worship of the avtaars, but we are using their Naams to sing Kirtan of the Lords's praise, because Gurbani shows they are sargun avtaara of the nirgun Lord.  So wouldn't this directly conflict with SGPC Rehit Maryada?ਗਾਵਹਿ ਕਪਿਲਾਦਿ ਆਦਿ ਜੋਗੇਸੁਰ ਅਪਰੰਪਰ ਅਵਤਾਰ ਵਰੋ ॥ gaavehi kapilaadh aadh jogaesur aparanpar avathaar varo || Kapila and the other Yogis sing of Guru Nanak. He is the Avataar, the Incarnation of the Infinite Lord. ~SGGS Ji . 1359ਰਾਮ ਰਵਣ ਦੁਰਤ ਦਵਣ ਸਕਲ ਭਵਣ ਕੁਸਲ ਕਰਣ ਸਰਬ ਭੂਤ ਆਪਿ ਹੀ ਦੇਵਾਧਿ ਦੇਵ ਸਹਸ ਮੁਖ ਫਨਿੰਦ ਜੀਉ ॥ raam ravan dhurath dhavan sakal bhavan kusal karan sarab bhooth aap hee dhaevaadhh dhaev sehas mukh fanindh jeeo || The Lord of contemplation, Destroyer of sin, who brings pleasure to the beings of all realms, He Himself is the God of gods, Divinity of the divine, the thousand-headed king cobra. ਜਰਮ ਕਰਮ ਮਛ ਕਛ ਹੁਅ ਬਰਾਹ ਜਮੁਨਾ ਕੈ ਕੂਲਿ ਖੇਲੁ ਖੇਲਿਓ ਜਿਨਿ ਗਿੰਦ ਜੀਉ ॥ jaram karam mashh kashh hua baraah jamunaa kai kool khael khaeliou jin gindh jeeo || He took birth in the Incarnations of the Fish, Tortoise and Wild Boar, and played His part. He played games on the banks of the Jamunaa River. ~SGGS Ji p. 1403ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨੁ ਮਹੇਸੁ ਦੇਵ ਉਪਾਇਆ ॥ brehamaa bisan mehaes dhaev oupaaeiaa ||Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva and the deities were created.ਬ੍ਰਹਮੇ ਦਿਤੇ ਬੇਦ ਪੂਜਾ ਲਾਇਆ ॥ brehamae dhithae baedh poojaa laaeiaa ||Brahma was given the Vedas, and enjoined to worship God.ਦਸ ਅਵਤਾਰੀ ਰਾਮੁ ਰਾਜਾ ਆਇਆ ॥ dhas avathaaree raam raajaa aaeiaa ||The ten incarnations, and Rama the king, came into being.~SGGS Ji p. 1279ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਧਿਆਵਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਗਲਿ ਮਿਲਿ ਮੇਲਿ ਮਿਲਾਵੈਗੋ ॥੫॥ guramath guramath guramath dhhiaavehi har gal mil mael milaavaigo ||5|| Those who meditate on the Guru's Teachings, the Guru's Instructions, the Guru's Wisdom, are united in the Lord's Union; He hugs them close in His Embrace. ||5|| ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਦੁ ਬੇਦੁ ਹੈ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਗੁਰ ਪਰਚੈ ਨਾਮੁ ਧਿਆਵੈਗੋ ॥ guramukh naadh baedh hai guramukh gur parachai naam dhhiaavaigo || The Guru's Word is the Sound-current of the Naad, The Guru's Word is the wisdom of the Vedas; coming in contact with the Guru, meditate on the Naam. ~SGGS Ji p. 1311ਗੁਨ ਨਾਦ ਧੁਨਿ ਅਨੰਦ ਬੇਦ ॥ gun naadh dhhun anandh baedh || The Glory of God is the Sound-current of the Naad, the Celestial Music of Bliss, and the Wisdom of the Vedas. ਕਥਤ ਸੁਨਤ ਮੁਨਿ ਜਨਾ ਮਿਲਿ ਸੰਤ ਮੰਡਲੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ kathhath sunath mun janaa mil santh manddalee ||1|| rehaao || Speaking and listening, the silent sages and humble beings join together, in the Realm of the Saints. ||1||Pause|| ~SGGS Ji p. 1322ਬਾਜੰਤ ਨਾਨਕ ਸਬਦ ਬੀਣਾਂ ॥੧੩॥ baajanth naanak sabadh beenaan ||13|| O Nanak, the musical instrument of the Word of the Shabad vibrates and resounds within. ||13||  ਕਹੰਤ ਬੇਦਾ ਗੁਣੰਤ ਗੁਨੀਆ ਸੁਣੰਤ ਬਾਲਾ ਬਹੁ ਬਿਧਿ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਰਾ ॥ kehanth baedhaa gunanth guneeaa sunanth baalaa bahu bidhh prakaaraa || The Vedas preach and recount God's Glories; people hear them by various ways and means. ਦ੍ਰਿੜੰਤ ਸੁਬਿਦਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾਲਾ ॥ dhrirranth subidhiaa har har kirapaalaa || The Merciful Lord, Har, Har, implants spiritual wisdom within. ~SGGS Ji p. 1355ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬ ਕਹਹੁ ਮਤ ਝੂਠੇ ਝੂਠਾ ਜੋ ਨ ਬਿਚਾਰੈ ॥ baedh kathaeb kehahu math jhoothae jhoothaa jo n bichaarai || Do not say that the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran are false. Those who do not contemplate them are false. ~SGGS Ji p. 1350If you look closely at the timeline, right after the collapse of Maharaja Ranjit Singh's Kingdom, the Sanatan Nihang Jatha, which had been the leading Sikh Misls and one of the Panj Takhts became marginalized in an obvious power struggle, Mahants and Udasis were thrown own of Gurdwaras, and the Tat Khalsa Singh Sabha reform defined modern Sikhism according to it's best scholars, and in line with their viewpoints.~Bhul chak maaf</blockquote>

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