rrss

Valid points veerji. What's the harm in doing parchar? Especially in big cities, there is very little faith amongst the youth, they're all into sex and drugs and manmat things like any faithless society. A modern faith can be a big appeal to youth who are not interested in islam clearly.

Here's an idea, immigrate to Pakistan and take charge of a gurdwara! There are hundreds of gurdwaras maintained by single singhs with very limited resources. This guy does it in chail: en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chail_Gurudwara

What exactly are you trying to achieve by trying to 'please' a saint? Love God. Love humanity as one. Sing God's praises and try to become pleasing to Him and Him alone.

What's your source for this?

It goes deeper than this. Sant mat/RS philosophy dictates that all religions are basically sant mat and have become 'corrupted', and the sant mat "guru" has the same light as all the major prophets/satgurus/saints including Jesus ji and Guru Nanak ji and Bhagat Kabeer ji ("perfect saints" in sant mat lingo). Indeed RS gurus, new and old are revered as God in Human Form (GIHF). So RS Gurus see no difference between themselves and the likes of Jesus ji and Guru Nanak ji, they consider themselves to have the 'same' light. Sant Mat and RS Publication older to the 40s and 50s clearly states that Sant Mat is the 'correct' version of any and all religions, so the old RS gurus 'apologising' would just have been political correctness at the time, plus they would have only said it in the first place for the sake of bravado- as declaring themselves gurugaddi of Sikhi would have been severe deviance from the official sant mat line i.e. sant mat "gurus" are meant to have originated from "sant mat" which is believed to be the "correct version of all religions", so they don't see themselves as particularly being attached to any specific religion and got the present Gurugaddi (like the Namdharis) thus officially validating the religious practices (Kesh, Kirtan, Gurdwara etc) that they don't preach- they believe to be the " ", indeed later Gurus esp. Baba Charan Singh (previous "guru") onwards has very much preached the official sant mat line, and has remarked in person in his satsangs and in his book 'the master answers' that "sant mat and sikhism is the same", "sant mat brings back the true teachings", there is even a chapter dedicated to our Guru pointing out how SGGS ji can't be a true Guru. It is only in the 60s onwards that they have got the global presence that they now enjoy (albeit somewhat fizzling out in popularity, with the likes of Brian Hines, former RS cult member speaking out against his 'brainwashing'). The present RS "guru", apart from possessing the high level of charisma of his predecessors, has been found wanting in the more orthodox RS circles for claiming to be a 'seeker himself' and 'Not being there at the point of death' as promised by previous "gurus". Nevertheless it has been business as usual for the most part. His statement is very carefully worded with diplomacy, the careful and aware reader would note his choice of words- he declares "baba" Nanak as supreme ["Because I am Nanak and Jesus and God Himself"- official RS line] (+ notice choice of word "baba" which he uses for himself as well) and that they are no different from Sikhs ["All religions are Sant Mat including Sikhism, there is no difference between RS and any indeed religion"- official RS line].We must learn from RS as how not to do things. Their teachings are pushed worldwide in a very cultish way. Sikhi is for all of humanity. If we don't like the way RS declares all religions to be null and void with the level of arrogance that they show, we must be careful in how we present the true message of Guru ji so that it does not appear like this to others), and indeed use Guru ji's approach to correct people who have been mislead by false "gurus"- by spreading the Word of God, increasing spirituality practice of sikhs so that one and all sikhs become crucible of truth for humanity to learn from and doing greater official parchar of Gurbani worldwide.

waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh It is indeed important to contemplate on shabad, as one progresses, deeper meanings become visible. Where the a study vs contemplate debate is concerned, whilst deeper meanings will become visible with God's grace, understanding the general (simple) meaning of the shabad is nevertheless essential. Gurbani is not always complicated word-play like some people suggest (trying to extract specific meanings to support their view by focussing on specific letter combinations, generally insisting that Guru ji deliberately used that particular combination of words or that spelling for a specific reason etc); it is said often that the most simple and direct meaning is the correct one (metaphors and specific context of historical incidents notwithstanding), and deeper meanings can then be found by contemplation of the simple meaning. Although sometimes there may indeed be some cleverness in the words also- Gurbani is a treasure trove and unlimited in what it has to offer. I would not be surprised if there were hidden messages built into Gurbani that could be decryped using mathematical techniques, especially given the precise numbering and ordering system (acting as additional checks and balances perhaps, rather than anything occult). PS. Teekas can be helpful sometimes for at least understanding the basic meaning. Is there an english translation available of prof sahib singh/ fareed kot wala teeka?

It is not easy on the eyes. Could you please at least add some lighter colours (light grey/pale white etc), black on black, black on dark blue etc is harsh on the eyes.

Baba Dhillon and his followers believe that he is God in human form and is supreme, not Guru Nanak ji/Guru Granth Sahib ji. Guru ji is regarded by them as an "important saint", nothing more.

They are rare but exist. Where do you live? PM me.

The point is for YOU to sing His praises my sibling!

O Sikh Sangat forum, be kind and share; Shamelessly court your husband-Lord, sing for all to hear!

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki Fateh Title self-explanatory. Post your Prabh ki keerat here. Let us praise God who is omnipresent, in the very fibre of our being! It is true it is true o spiritual seeker, o man of God; great is his glory and great is his benevolance, I have not words that will be sufficient praise for his greatness. He resides not at any holy place or heaven nor can he be simply found within. His presence is in one and all; when I see another, I see Him, wherever I look, inside or out, I see Him, such is His magnificence, he permeates everywhere but remains hidden. O blessed ones! Listen to the Guru's Shabad and enshrine it in your mind, sing the praises of the Lord and your destiny shall be fulfilled. It is true; I feel the support of his hands but hands he has none, I feel the inner intuitive energy in his Hukam and yet he is elementless, such is his greatness such is his glory, o sikh sangat forum sing his praises and enjoy the sweet nectar of his name. Waheguru Waheguru Waheguru ji Waheguru! Satnaam Waheguru! Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki Fateh

Tthe old one was 'cleaner' and things were more visible.

Keeping unshorn hair is natural when following Hukam, this has been the case since the origin of humans. The remaining four kakkars are spiritual tools given by the Guru ji. They may have been around in some shape or form in the past, that is irrelevant, nobody has a franchise or copyright on the kacchera. The desperate person or one with an agenda will try to link it with this or that in history. The history prior to Guru ji formalising their status for his disciple, is irrelevant. Kakkars act as practical spiritual tools, that is all one needs to know. Indeed if you don't know why your are wearing your kakkars, that is a cause for concern ( hopefully none of us are wearing them blindly, they become rituals in that case).

Yes it is logical that he would have gone there being a major religion centre, but until today the theory has been dismissed due to lack of the kind of evidence we have for his visit to Mecca (diaries of his travel group members and locals, physical structures and monuments with inscriptions on them etc). This chap has been trying to figure out Guru jis itinerary for a a number of years, and any level of admission from the catholic church is a significant discovery. Anyways beyond itinerary, we need to pass on the wealth of Guru jis message to one and all.

Before 1699 it was normal for people to retain their birth names and Sikhs did not have any special names, it was predominantly chosen on basis of local customs or culture. Guru Nanak ji's descendants through to the early 1700s used the suffix Chand. Indeed they could have been a sikh of the guru but still retained hindu customs for cultural sake, one cannot tell from a name. Even today many with surname Singhs are not actually Sikhs so one cannot determine much from a name. Anyways, it should not matter to your friend what faith their ancestor was. There's a parable about a rich man who when investigating a family heirloom, found it to have had royal heritage, ego inflated and to cut the story short, it was discovered that a past ancestor had stolen it from the king whilst working as a servant, so in an instant his ego was deflated and his image of his so called "family heritage" was ruined. History is history who knows what lies under the sheets. Live to your potential today and become a Gurmukh and enjoy the glory beyond glory, the royal house of Guru is of the highest order indeed, where else can you have an opportunity to meet God. Sultants and Khans will perish. The Gurmukh will be saved.

Thanks for linking to the author's previous work veerji. His latest Rome research, if proven to be credible would be of significant value. Sikh researchers need to take this up with the catholic church, who are known to be unwilling to release historic papal records. Guru ji spread the truth of God far and wide, for all of humanity to benefit from. Rome was a power centre at the time and the church had significant influence. He is proven to have visited mecca and interacted with the muslims. However beyond just proving Guru ji's travel itinerary, we need to spread the truth of God far and wide, humanity is crying out for it and todays sikhs are sitting (kabza) on true wealth to end all suffering. It is a sikhs duty to dedicate some months or years of our lives to this sewa.

It has been debated for a while whether Guru Nanak ji visited Rome. New evidence suggests that he did and indeed met Pope Leo X and a cardinal who would later become Pope Clement VII. Guru ji passed on the truth of God and God realisation and influenced by Guru ji, the Pope Clement VII and clergy later on would later speak against slavery (Africans being taken to the new worlds- americas etc) which would eventually lead to it's decline. Apparently Papal documents refer to Nanacus but other documents which document key messages of Guru ji, Guru ji and entourage are referred to as 'Priests' as the Church could not afford to have it's name spoiled in the world (they were powerful at the time). Older article with background (2010): http://satguru.weebly.com/satguru-nanak-sahib-went-to-greece-rome-etc-according-to-forcible-entries-of-roman-empire1609.html New evidence (March 2013) http://satguru.weebly.com/

You must have misunderstood me because I have not said this. My point is that people from other religions don't need to convert to the sikh religion to benefit from his message as his messsage is dur ki bani and is for all of humanity, but if they want to become sikh, they should not follow blindly because many rituals have crept into how the religion is practiced, people should connect with shabad guru ji and follow his advice. My point is also that religions are a means to an end- to realise God. Guru ji has tried to explain that it is not about following this series of steps or that set of rituals, it is much bigger than that. Sikhi is both a religion as well as above a religion. I would request you to read carefully and if unsure please do ask for clarification before passing such judgement of a gursikh walking his own path. A lot of bullying on this forum I must say. Bhul chuk maaf karna.

Very strong views in what respect, please elaborate. You have no idea about my journey and my approach to Sikhi and are in no place to Judge me. I find your statement very strange. In what respects am I already a full glass? Talk of the pot calling the kettle black "One should never follow a religion influenced by their pre conceived ideas because then you end up distorting the message and misguiding others in the process." Most people born into a religion already have pre-conceived ideas and when challenged with it difficult to understand what is wrong with their understanding or that they may actually be missing some important things. Being born to parents of a particular does not make you of that religion. God alone is the one who puts us on His path. The process of self discovery is critical, God himself has told me this and is of course discussed by Guru ji in terms of stages of spiritual discovery, both in terms of khands and laavan. Also avoid the use of the word 'canonical' with respect to Gurbani and related scriptures. I suggest you refer to Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji and ask Guru sahib for guidance before criticising his sewak. I would suggest having a discussion through through PM as there is no need to unnecessarily wash dirty linen in public. I am happy to answer all your questions.

Let us be clear, Gurbani has no faults. The way we moorakhs practice sikhi as a religion introduces faults. Stop being so proud of your religion and go back to basics you will understand what I mean straight away. I discuss this issue with older Gursikhs and they understand after contemplation. Also re-read my post re how Sikhi is above a religion, it is not just an instruction manual, it is the truth about our glorious God.

At the core of it, the panj should not make any significant difference. Amrit is delivered by God through the Guru. The panj are just acting as the Guru's arms and legs. However there is one aspect where the spiritual level of the panj would make a difference and this is why a good selection criteria should be in place: The panj piare should have such high levels of spirituality that they can determine whether it is the right time for an abhilakhee to take amrit and/or whether they have come for wrong reasons (pressure of parents or marriage/fame in society etc) and refuse to give amrit to such people. This would eliminate problems of manmukh 'amritdharis' or those complaining about lack of amrit ras decades after taking amrit. This is the view of several people including Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh ji (explained in amrit ki hai). Bhai Sahib also explains that one need not worry about where to take amrit from (i.e. the 'kamaiee' of the panj), as one will get the spiritual realisation which has been ordained by God, regardless of the our feeble attempts to find short cuts. Apart from the panj, issues of differing rehat and method of explaining simran etc are separate issues. So where the selection of the panj is an potential issue, if you are asking for amrit purely for spiritual reasons and if you have undergone a sufficient period of sadhana keeping rehat and doing amrit vela meditation, you should be okay. Have faith in God. Good luck.

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki Fateh No doubt if you post a message on a sikh forum, people are going to try and convince you that other religions are useless, sikhi is best etc. However here's an impartial view: Follow God. Religion is immaterial. God is above any and all religions, he is not attached to any scriptures, sects, groups etc. I will make a longer post soon explaining how Sikhi at it's core is not a religion, it's above religion. Nowhere do Gurus say that sikhi is a new religion and it is the best one/ others are rubbish, like it says in islam, they have just provided the truth about God-realisation and indeed provided it from the perspectives of different religions also so that a Christian, muslim, buddhist, jain, hindu etc can understand and get onto the right path. Guru Nanak spread God's message around the whole world, many muslims also took amrit from him whilst still considering themselves to be 'good' muslims (whilst being disciples of the true satguru). So the Gurus brought dur ki bani to take us out of this age of Kal Yuga. They have explained the flaws in religions (mostly in terms of necessary empty rituals and forgetting to live within hukam and the forgotten truth about God-realisation). As someone who has come to the path of God from being an atheist, I can advise you that it is just best to follow God and everything else will follow nicely soon after. You don't even need a religion if you don't want one, unfortunately today "Sikhi" has become just another religion rather than the truth from God/being above religion and to fully benefit, you need amrit which is only given to those who follow sikhi as a religion. Now whilst that's perfectly fine to do, Guru sahib has himself established a path to serve a specific purpose in this dark age (I fail to see proof of Guru ji excluding others as proved by Guru Nanak giving amrit to Muslims in authentic manuscrips written by muslim writers in mecca), it excludes billions of people from a true path of God-realisation simply because they won't given people amrit and let them follow Guru Granth Sahib ji to the letter, which is what they have done for hundreds of years. Now that said, I have reviewed all "religions". Anyone from any "religion" can reach God, reaching him is not in our hands it's in His hands. I have met scores of people from other religions who are absolutely dripping with spirituality, one knows immediately that they have reached high states of God realisation. I also reviewed buddhism which I found very attractive from the start because it is a very pseudo-scientific spiritual path which appealed to my aetheist and science leaning views at the time (God is effectively irrelevant in Buddhism). However I felt uncomfortable with the swathes of rituals that they practice. There are many revival Christian groups who have done away with false rituals and gone back to the spiritual essence of the bible, but unfortunately whilst trying to ignore the 'false ritual' elements of the bible, some have lost some important things such as believing that Jesus sahib is God himself/a critical component of God, which is akin to saying that Guru sahib is nirankar. There are other faiths, newer than Sikhi, such as Bah'ai which you may want to explore. Islam I would only recommend to someone as a last resort. This is only because from what I have realised, the koran has been both corrupted as well as misunderstood/poorly translated over time and so the way it is currently practiced by the orthodox is unfortunately not fully in keeping with God-realisation. Whilst some ardent muslims may still realise God because for whatever reason God decides that it should happen, it's not full of love and peace as it is intended to be. Sikhi as a "religion" has its problems too. The way the "religion" version of Sikhi is pushed out by the orthodox is replete with rituals and anti Gurmat customs and false pride that really distract one from God-realisation, but the best thing about this path is that Gurbani speaks the truth and the shabad Guru can give you so much that it is beyond one's wildest expectations. The truth of God as given in Gurbani is unparalleled. So for this reason and this reason alone I would say Sikhi is the only path which is optimal in this age of Kaliyug, so as long as you contemplate on Gurbani and practice only that which is in line with it. Otherwise I wish you all the best on your journey. I apologize on behalf of the "sikhs" on this forum who may bully you into forgetting about what I believe is a critical aspect in all seekers' lives- the individual journey of truth (God) relisation. Pursue what you believe is natural and in keeping with Gurbani (whatever "religion" you choose) and you'll do all right. It is God himself who inspires one with spirituality. I would recommend some quiet meditation and contemplation of "big questions" such as the meaning of life, origin of the universe etc. It will help you find answers from within and will help you in your journey. PM me for meditation advice.

It relates to the Hoondh Chillar massacre. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hondh-Chillar_massacre

They're connecting with God. What's your problem? Go do simran (in your own preferred way) rather than criticising these people.