lowest of the low singhni

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

if its a java issue you must have this installed......go to Control Panel and Add and Remove Programs and if JAva isnt in the list of applications you have installed then try going to the sun microsystems website and download Java player to your computer....

It says we have Java 2 Runtime Environment on it. Is that what we need?

I'll try the windows media update thing, but we have quite a new version and last time i tried i don't think that worked either.

lol forget IE man, just use firefox :umm:

here's the link

http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/

I already tried, but it still doesn't work with your beloved firefox.

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

yeh...the flash site said that it could be something to do with javascript being turned off. does anyone know how we can put it on?

- or any other advice would be helpful too.

as you can see, we are quite the experts in this field .

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

again, literal translation is very very wrong in this case.

Could you please tell us what it really means?

:kid:

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

I can't believe this topic is 283 pages long. :mellow:

and now that I've said that, I suppose I better play with the rules:

I don't know anything about the above user. But I hope you have a nice day, sher-e-moreau.

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

Writing A Thesis Statement - This might be of use.

Your conclusion should relate back to the thesis statement or the main purpose of the assignment. It should summarise the key points from the entire essay about Abraham Lincoln; strong points of his character, his impact as a leader or his ideas of freedom - things like that.

Hope I helped a little bit.

Or did you actually want us to do it for you?

lol - good luck!

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

I was thinking about this in relation to the France situation. Hopefully the UK won't go so far as to ban turbans. There would be an uproar if the government tried, highlighting how impractical the idea is.

I noticed this phrase:

"We also feel the young people in our school should be educated on an equal basis and be prepared for their role as adults in a modern society in which we expect there to be equality between men and women."

For Sikhs, both men and women are encouraged to wear Dastaars etc, whereas in Islam there's no such equality. Our Guru Sahebaan didn't encourage the wearing of veils.

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

name it Chips.

http://www.tapoban.org/phorum/read.php?f=1...46&t=114846

“True Emperor”

Guru Hargobind Sahib was in Delhi meeting with the Mughal Emperor Jahangir. A poor peasant who cut grass to feed horses heard about this and worked all day to earn a single coin. The peasant had heard about the Guru and his greatness and now when he heard that the Guru was in the city he became excited that he too might meet him and become a Sikh. During the day, the peasant also gathered the best grass he could find and cleaned it blade by blade so he could offer it to Guru Sahib’s horses.

At the end of the day, the poor grass-cutter approached the place where Guru Sahib and the Emperor were meeting. There were two tents and he accidentally entered the one in which Jahangir was sitting. The guard initially stopped the peasant but thinking that perhaps he had some request to make of the Emperor, he let him in.

Upon entering, the grass-cutter placed the single coin he had earned in front of the Emperor and bowed. He asked that his offering of grass also be accepted. He begged, “ True Emperor (Sachay Patshah) please help me both here and in the hereafter.” Jahangir was taken aback and replied that he could give the grass-cutter an award of land ( a Jagir). The poor man’s eyes opened wide and he realized he was in the wrong place. Jahangir then said, “I am the Emperor of Hindustan. Your “Sachay Patshah” is in the other tent.” The poor man picked up his coin and his bundle of grass and ran to the other tent in which Guru Sahib was sitting.

Upon seeing the Guru, he grabbed his feet and began to weep and beg for forgiveness. He said, “Sachay Patshah I went to the wrong door.” He repeated his earlier request and begged to become a Sikh and the Guru blessed him with naam.

It was after this incident that Jahangir realized how much love Sikhs had for their Guru.

Bhai Javanda & the Gate

One day Guru Hargobind Sahib was going hunting and as he was leaving the city gates of Kartarpur, he asked Bhai Javanda to stand by the gate and wait for his return. Satguru jee returned from hunting but entered the city from another gate and went back to his place of residence. Three days and three nights passed but Bhai Javanda did not move from the place Guru Sahib told him to wait. When Guru Sahib found out about this, he himself went to Bhai Javanda, still waiting by the gate and embraced him and showered his blessings.

“Tell the Sikhs”

Bhai Choohar was a Jathedar in Guru Hargobind Sahib’s army and had 100 horsemen in his command. Guru Hargobind Sahib summoned Bhai Choohar and said, “Tell the Sikhs to drag some big stones and make walls for the langar.

Bhai Choohar didn’t want to impose on any other Sikh and so he began to drag the large stones himself. He worked so hard that his hands and feet began to bleed but even then he would not stop or slow down. When the Guru went to see the work being done, he saw Bhai Choohar working alone, his hands, feet and clothes covered in blood. Guru Sahib said, “Bhai Choohar, I told you to get the Sikhs to do this seva…”

Bhai Choohar put his hands together and replied, “Maharaj, you ordered the Sikhs to do it and so I thought what greater honour could I achieve than to do this seva myself and count myself as your Sikh…”

Mata Sulakhani

Guru Hargobind Sahib was traveling in the villages of Majha and came to village Chabba. In that village lived a woman named Sulakhani. Sulakhani had been married for many years but was yet without any child. She asked many learned people how she might have a child and they all replied, “there has been no child written in your destiny.”

Mata Sulakhani heard about the greatness of Guru Hargobind and was convinced he would help her. Guru Hargobind was passing near her village and Mata Sulakhani went to wait for him on the path holding a pen and ink. When Guru Sahib approached, she called out in a rhyme which translated is, “Oh one with a beautiful beard and white dastaar, I make a request before Guru Hargobind! My name is Sulakhani and my village is Chabba, I am without any offspring and want to bear children.”

Guru Hargobind Sahib smiled and said, “Maiee, it is not written in your destiny.” With great faith, Mata Sulakhani replied, “You are the one who is the writer here and you were the writer before, so if you have not written already, then write it now!”

Guru Sahib took the pen and while still on his horse began to write a 1 (੧). Guru Sahib’s horse kicked his hoof and the 1 became a 7 (੭).

Mata Sulakhani did indeed go one to become the mother of 7 sons and they became Sikhs and fought in Guru Sahib’s battles.

http://www.tapoban.org/phorum/read.php?f=1...90&t=114690

Bhai Bagga Singh was riding on his horse one day when he say that on the road was a man walking very slowly, holding his back with both his hands. The man called out to Bhai Bagga Singh, “Brother! I’m very sick and cannot walk. If you would let me ride the horse for a couple of miles, I will be able to go home to my village and you can drop me off there. May God bless you if you help me!”

Bhai Bagga Singh felt compassion for the man and got off his horse. He helped the sick man onto the saddle and took the reins in his hands and began to walk along side the horse, leading it forward on the road.

The man who had asked for the ride sat on the horse for some time, lightly grasping the reins as well. As time passed, sometimes he began to occasionally tightly grasp them and then let them go again. After some distance, the rider sharply pulled the reins out of Bhai jee's hands, turned the horse around and began to speed away. Bhai Bagga Singh called behind him, “Brother! Please listen to what I have to say, even it is from at a distance! If you want to take the horse, it is your decision, but listen to what I have to say!”

The thief was quite surprised but curious. He stopped the horse at quite a distance and said, “Speak!”

Bhai jee began, “Don’t ever tell anyone that you stole this horse by feigning sickness and getting a ride from me and then pulling the reins away from my hand.”

The thief asked in bewilderment, “Why??” The Sikh replied, “If you do this, you will be harming countless truly ill people who will need help during a journey. If they ask for assistance, people will think they are thieves like you who will take away their horse like that thief once took away Bagga Singh’s (my) horse. You will die one day yet there will always be people who become ill and people who can help them but the story of your actions today will forever create distrust between them.”

Bagga Singh then said no more and slowly began to walk away. The thief rode off in the opposite direction.

Bagga Singh reached home, bathed, recited Rehraas Sahib, ate and then fell asleep. Early the next morning, Bagga Singh came out into his courtyard out of habit to give hay to his horse. The horse too would recognize Bagga Singh’s foot steps and would neigh to greet him. Today as usual he heard the neigh of his horse and memory returned to him that his horse had been stolen yesterday and so where was this neighing coming from? As these thoughts went through his mind, he heard the neighing once again.

Bagga Singh walked forward in amazement and saw that his horse was tied to the gate of his home. He patted the horse on the back and looked out and saw that yesterday’s thief was standing outside, looking down in embarrassment.

Bagga Singh asked: “Well my sick friend, are you feeling better today?” The thief replied, “Bagga Singh, I was truly sick yesterday but you are the doctor who has brought me back to my senses. Take your horse back brother. Now there will be no story of treachery and no harm will come to anyone who becomes ill on a journey. In the future I too will try to become like Bagga Singh and have mercy on those in need. Give me your blessings.”

This story is a good example of how we can practically bring Sikhi into our lives. There is an increase in fraud and cheating but we should always try to increase the good in the world even at a cost to ourselves. We should never as Sikhs set a bad example because we will not only disgrace ourselves but because of our identity, we will have an impact on all other Sikhs as well.

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

ਕਬੀਰ ਗੰਗਾ ਤੀਰ ਜੁ ਘਰੁ ਕਰਹਿ ਪੀਵਹਿ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਨੀਰੁ ॥

kabeer gangaa teer jo ghar karahi peeveh nirmal neer

Kabeer, some make their homes on the banks of the Ganges, and drink pure water.

ਬਿਨੁ ਹਰਿ ਭਗਤਿ ਨ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਹੋਇ ਇਉ ਕਹਿ ਰਮੇ ਕਬੀਰ ॥੫੪॥

bin har bhagat na mukat ho-ay i-o kahi ramay kabeer

Without devotional worship of the Lord, they are not liberated. Kabeer proclaims this.

ਗੰਗਾ = Ganges; ਤੀਰ = arrow; ਘਰੁ = house; ਪੀਵਹਿ = drink; ਨਿਰਮਲ = pure; ਨੀਰੁ = water; ਬਿਨੁ = without; ਹਰਿ = Lord; ਭਗਤਿ = worship; ਮੁਕਤਿ = liberation; ਇਉ = this; ਕਹਿ = says.

Bhagat Kabeer Ji highlights the hypocrisy which unfortunately still exists in society today. For the Hindus, the Ganges River is one of the holiest places in the world. Most believe that by drinking from it and bathing in it, their sins will be erased and salvation attained. The water of the river is now so dirty that officials have said it’s a health hazard to drink it. Many Muslims believe that by praying five times a day, calling oneself a Muslim or even by converting others to Islam, one will enter Paradise.

Many of us laugh at this type of thinking, but don’t realise that sometimes we succumb to it as well. The generation above us has been brainwashed by ritualistic and superstitious thinking, but as a result, we’re being exposed to it too. Maybe this is to help us question and think for ourselves, but unless we know what Gursikhi is really about, we’ll never get anywhere. We can blame older generations, or blame other groups of people like the Hindus, but at the end of day, Maharaj never told us to spend our time blaming others. We’ve been given some knowledge from our King, and we should treat it as a pool of divine wealth.

Many of us call ourselves or others Gursikhs, but do we really know what this term means? Humans have always looked for something to quench their thirsty souls, even when they don’t know what true Water is. We deceive ourselves into thinking that by living a reasonably good life, we’ll be sorted for whatever is beyond life here on Earth. We forget what Guru Ji has explicitly told us – only by remembering Akaal Purakh with every drop of energy and time we have, will we ever attain anything near to salvation. It’s not meant to be easy. For anything worth having, we have to work hard. But we can make it easy if we take a few steps in the right direction. The problem is that many of us decide it’s too hard and give up before even trying properly. Some try and get impatient because we can’t see any rewards for ourselves. No-one said humans know it all, but truly believing this and placing faith in something bigger is crucial in fulfilling the point of our existence.

Every religious path, if followed properly, will lead the disciple to the place it promises – heaven, paradise etc. Our job isn’t to diss other people’s faith. Sikhi isn’t for everyone, it’s a simple path which requires a lot of devotion. It’s a direct pathway to the source inside each and every one of us. We’re lucky enough to already have been placed on this path – a large proportion of the world is miles away. This isn’t something which we should abandon easily.

:

p.s. sorry for all the huge pictures. google wasn't being co-operative.

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

*remains bitter about it*

why are you bitter?

because sometimes when Guru Ji gives us medicine which we don't like, we only take it half-heartedly. we tend to wallow in the emotions and feelings it left behind, instead of looking ahead, improving and patching things up where it matters.

but back to the topic .

~l~

TeraRoopie :kid: .

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

ah ok. i'm too immature to answer that.

personally, i woudln't base it on either of those. feelings have played with me too much i dont trust them anymore and material things aren't important in life.

I'm in the same boat as Papi. Sometimes we need to be slapped many times, and hard, for us to understand things even a little bit. We can either remain bitter about it or thank Guru Ji for the valuable, personalised lessons we could learn and situations we could learn from.

Maybe we are too immature to answer questions on marriage. We're all kids in the bigger picture.

We can continue saying "Guru Ji will hook us up with the person we're destined to be with" but it'll only ever be that simple if we truly believe it and place our full trust in Him. Otherwise the worries will continue.

We might tell ourselves that we're only human, and that humans follow their feelings in order to go through life. But Guru Ji never told us to place faith in our own minds. Maybe saying that "we're only human" is a wall we build for ourselves to hide behind because we're afraid to face/fight our weaknesses and insecurities.

As for two people being happy together - that depends on what we think 'happiness' is. For a Gurmukh there's only one type of happiness.

and the Random Ramblings are now going to Stop.

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

ਕਬੀਰ ਹਰਨਾ ਦੂਬਲਾ ਇਹੁ ਹਰੀਆਰਾ ਤਾਲੁ ॥

kabeer harnaa dooblaa ih haree-aaraa taal.

Kabeer, the deer is weak, and the pool is lush with green vegetation.

ਲਾਖ ਅਹੇਰੀ ਏਕੁ ਜੀਉ ਕੇਤਾ ਬੰਚਉ ਕਾਲੁ ॥੫੩॥

laakh ahayree ayk jee-o kaytaa bancha-o kaal.

Thousands of hunters are chasing after the soul; how long can it escape death?

ਹਰਨਾ = deer; ਦੂਬਲਾ = corrupted, weak; ਹਰੀਆਰਾ = green grass; ਤਾਲੁ = pool of water; ਲਾਖ = hundreds of thousands; ਅਹੇਰੀ = hunter; ਜੀਉ = soul; ਕੇਤਾ = how long; ਬੰਚਉ = escape; ਕਾਲੁ = death.

Bhagat Kabeer is telling us to recognise Akaal Purakh’s eternal power, placing all our faith in Him. Bhagat Ji compares us to a deer which is constantly moving around from place to place avoiding any predators. As soon as it hears any sudden movement or sound it gets distracted. It wanders and grazes wherever the vegetation is most ripe, all the time looking for better places to go. Its mind is constantly busy 'thinking' about food, hunters, predators and its offspring.

We are spiritually ignorant and weak in our minds. Maya is always surrounding us and distracting us in so many ways, just as the hunter will continually hunt in order to shoot and trap the weak deer. Predators will often chose to chase the weakest deer in the herd. If our minds are weak, we’re going to be sucked into the whirlwind of illusions which Maya creates – we need to learn to control our impulses and desires. It doesn’t matter if the rest of the population thinks it sounds harsh or crazy or impossible. At the end of the day, the Truth is the Truth, and anything is possible with the Grace of Maharaj.

There’s no point in even imagining that we could get anywhere or do anything without recognising that ultimately Maharaj has given us. Imagine how many people go through life denying the existence of something greater than themselves. Without Sikhi we have no point to our lives. And considering our lives could end at any point, why is there such a delay in us recognising how important it is? We assume that we’ll have tomorrow to improve our spirituality. We should really stop assuming these things. Live every moment as if it were our last. Even if it isn’t our last, it’ll make lives more worthwhile.

:

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

this doesn't seem to be a vaar, i think this is the 220th Kabit of Bhai Gurdas Ji.

it's amazing how much we rely on translations, perhaps we could have a go at figuring it out?

thank God for Mahan Kosh .

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

This subforum has been very quiet recently. Interesting. I felt 'obliged'.

ਕਬੀਰ ਬੈਸਨਉ ਕੀ ਕੂਕਰਿ ਭਲੀ ਸਾਕਤ ਕੀ ਬੁਰੀ ਮਾਇ ॥

kabeer baisna-o kee kookar bhalee saakat kee buree maa-ay.

Kabeer, even the dog of a devotee is good, while the mother of the faithless cynic is bad.

ਓਹ ਨਿਤ ਸੁਨੈ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮ ਜਸੁ ਉਹ ਪਾਪ ਬਿਸਾਹਨ ਜਾਇ ॥੫੨॥

oh nit sunai har naam jas uh paap bisaahan jaa-ay.

The dog hears the Praises of the Lord's Name, while the other is engaged in sin.

ਬੈਸਨਉ = devotee; ਭਲੀ = good; ਸਾਕਤ = cynic; ਬੁਰੀ = bad; ਨਿਤ = continually; ਜਸੁ = praise; ਪਾਪ = sins; ਬਿਸਾਹਨ = to be engaged in

Bhagat Kabeer Ji says that even a dog who hears the praises of Maharaj is blessed in this world. The power of Akaal Purakh is so great that even just mentioning or hearing of His Glories has so much worth. We take being Sikh for granted, we don't fully appreciate the gift we've been given, the knowledge through Gurbani. We consider our time to be well spent arguing fruitlessly over the past or each other's mistakes, but when will we realise that time is too precious to use in this way?

Gurbani can guide us in every pathway of our life. When we stray from the path, it can bring us back to safer ground. But this will only happen if we open our minds and accept that Gurbani has this power. Instead we think we know it all, that we don't need anything greater than ourselves to live life, because deep down we think nothing is greater than ourselves. Maharaj doesn't need us, He's beyond 'need' as we know it. He doesn't need us to praise Him, He knows how great He is. But it's for our own good - we need Him - and until we swallow our pride and realise it, we'll continue wandering around, blindly thinking that we're doing fine.

Not only do we have the responsibilty to follow the right path ourselves, but we should encourage others onto it as well. Of course, nothing is possible without the Mercy of Akaal Purakh, but seeing as we do have things like Gurbani to help us along in life, we should use these gifts to help others too. Sharing is caring. If we have children, bring them up to appreciate the life they've been given, no matter how rotten it seems to our minds. There's always something bigger out there, something more positive. How can we call ourselves Sikhs when we don't jump at the chance to help those who need it most? Even if it's something small, like giving a smile or blanket to someone sleeping in the street, or helping a mouse escape from a the clutches of a mischevious/barbaric cat.

:

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

Tired

Tired of thinking about things of no use

Tired of being too blind to understand the Truth

Tired of the tears and bottling them all in

Tired of the artificiality outside and within

Tired of being far too proud to be honest

Tired of disappointments, the hurt and mistrust

Tired from obession of this body of dust

Tired from fear of asking for help

Nothing to do apart from write these words

Too tired to fight, too tired to search

Too tired to knock on the temporary doors

Too tired to dream, too tired to scream.

We think the world revolves around us

But for us it does, because that's our world.

- By Someone Tired.

humm so basically wot people are saying is ... who cares what guru jis hukam is.. go treat it neway !!! .... hmmm LIVE WITH IT:) cud die 2morrow ....

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

that could be applied to all medicines. we say hair is just another part of our body, we wouldn't cut our arms off, so don't cut hair either.

say you have a problem with your arm, and you need medicine. would you say "live with it, you could die tomorrow"? what if the arm needs to be amputated?

Guru Harkrishan Sahib Ji treated sick and ill people all the time. he didn't tell those people to live with their diseases because it was Guru Ji's Hukam and that they could die tomorrow.

no-one has undermined Guru Ji's Hukam in this thread, please don't make unnecessary assumptions. many of us do "live with it" but whilst living with PCOS we can be treated for it too. that doesn't involve cutting or removing our kes in any way.

PCOS causes a lot of problems including decreased chances of pregnancy. it should be treated just as same we would want any other syndrome to be treated.

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

nice post.

To avoid being judgemental, we should look at and correct our own mistakes, not watch or discuss the behaviours of others. We are fond of praise, loathe criticism, delight in exposing other people's mistakes while not realising that we ourselves have many more failings and are nothing to be proud of! For this reason, we should observe and correct ourselves, not watch or discuss other people's actions. Examining and correcting our own mistakes will develop our wisdom, while watching and discussing the failings of others will only create bias and prejudice.

this is definately a way to avoid being judgemental, but is it sometimes our duty to correct other people's mistakes? maybe there has to be a balance between self-improvement and helping others. :lol:

also, people often complain about a lack of parcharaks for the youth... is this because the 'Gurmukhs' who have the ability to do parchaar don't want their ego to increase/jeevan to get messed up and so remain 'Gupt'? where's the line between helping or teaching others (preferably in a constructive manner) and concentrating on our own life?

:lol::

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

our cat brings in mice whenever she is in a good mood. there's no need to kill the mouse, you just have to try and corner it in such a way that you can pick it up and take it out the house. alternatively you can run around trying to chase it out the door.

good luck.

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

i'll send it to you, someone sang this shabad on friday night at the north smagam 2004.

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਗੁਸਾਂਏਂ ਬਹਿ ਗਏ ਥਾਂਘੀ ਨਾਹੀ ਕੋਇ ॥

kabeer nigusaaN-ayN bahi ga-ay thaaNghee naahee ko-ay.

Kabeer, those who have no guru are washed away. No one can help them.

ਦੀਨ ਗਰੀਬੀ ਆਪੁਨੀ ਕਰਤੇ ਹੋਇ ਸੁ ਹੋਇ ॥੫੧॥

deen gareebee aapunee kartay ho-ay so ho-ay.

Be meek and humble; whatever happens is what the Creator Lord does.

From what I can tell (not entirely sure):

ਨਿਗੁਸਾਂਏਂ = one without guru; ਬਹਿ ਗਏ = washed, blown away; ਥਾਂਘੀ = sailor, saviour

ਦੀਨ = meek; ਗਰੀਬੀ = humble; ਆਪੁਨੀ = own; ਕਰਤੇ = to do; ਹੋਇ = happen

Please correct me if necessary .

Bhagat Kabeer Ji has previously described our body as a boat with many cracks. As we get more and more attached to various different materialistic things, our mind and body become weaker and weaker. This boat is supposed to cross over the vast ocean of the world (this life) but it's impossible to do so when our vessel is continually being weakened.

There are so many people in this world who deny the existence of God or who don't know the purpose of life etc. Bhagat Kabeer Ji says that those souls who don't let the Guru help them as their Captain or Sailor are obviously going to drown. Without the Guru to guide their boats they will continuously have trouble in the ocean and will eventually sink into its depths.

Bhagat Kabeer Ji says that those who recognise Akaal Purakh's Hukam take refuge in it, always accepting His will even when times seem bleak. They place their trust entirely in their King, and their boats will always be guided and safe from the ocean's dangerous waters. Bhagat Ji is telling us that the way to realise Maharaj's Hukam is to try and lower our ego. This is much easier said that done, but maybe it starts with recognising that not everything in life revolves around us. There are billions of people in the world, but essentially they all have Akaal Purakh's light in them. He resides in everything and everyone, and has created everything and everyone. Whatever He wills will come to pass, no-one has any power to stop Him. Famous scientists like Stephen Hawking have said that there aim in life is to 'know the mind of God', but how is this possible unless He Himself blesses them with that divine knowledge?

At the end of the day we can remain as proud as we want, but the Truth will remain the same for eternity.

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

ਕਬੀਰ ਸਮੁੰਦੁ ਨ ਛੋਡੀਐ ਜਉ ਅਤਿ ਖਾਰੋ ਹੋਇ ॥

kabeer samund na chhodee-ai ja-o at khaaro ho-ay.

Kabeer, do not leave the ocean, even if it is very salty.

ਪੋਖਰਿ ਪੋਖਰਿ ਢੂਢਤੇ ਭਲੋ ਨ ਕਹਿਹੈ ਕੋਇ ॥੫੦॥

pokhar pokhar dhoodh-tay bhalo na kahihai ko-ay.

If you poke around searching from puddle to puddle, no one will call you smart.

ਸਮੁੰਦੁ = ocean; ਨ ਛੋਡੀਐ = do not leave; ਖਾਰੋ = salty; ਪੋਖਰਿ = puddle/pond; ਢੂਢਤੇ = searching (or is this poking?) ਭਲੋ = great, smart; ਕਹਿਹੈ = say,

Bhagat Kabeer Ji is continuing with the metaphor of the fish being caught by a fisherman. Bhagat Ji is saying that it is stupid for the fish to jump from puddle to puddle in an effort to escape the fisherman's net. It will eventually be caught if there isn't enough space or time for the fish to swim away quickly. The fish would be safer in the vast ocean or sea, even if there is a salty taste to the water.

Bhagat Kabeer Ji is talking about us as the fish, always searching around for temporary happiness. We go from person to person seeking comfort and support, or we go from place to place enjoying various distractions. In the end we will always get bored with the materialistic things we go after. We get tired of continuously leaning on people and expecting them to help or lift our burdens away - but still we don't give up. We have so much faith in Maya, even when it constantly lets us down. But we doubt Maharaj, not even setting aside our pride a little in an effort to ask for help with full faith that He *will* help.

Is true greatness becoming a millionaire through business investments? Being a 'good person'? Or maybe wearing a Baana and decorating our Dastaaran with Shastar and calling ourselves Daas? We have to realise that it's more than this. Plenty of people think it's okay to live a decent life being a generally good person, but is that really all we're here for? In Akaal Purakh's Darbar we won't be praised for making money or anything else. We chase after materialistic things for self-satisfaction - a mother is attached to her family, proud of her sons. A shopkeeper aims to make a fat profit. But we have to recognise our place in the bigger picture, where ultimately there is only Maharaj.

:

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

ਕਬੀਰ ਥੋਰੈ ਜਲਿ ਮਾਛੁਲੀ ਝੀਵਰਿ ਮੇਲਿਓ ਜਾਲੁ ॥

kabeer thorai jal maachhulee jheevar mayli-o jaal.

Kabeer, the fish is in the shallow water; the fisherman has cast his net.

ਇਹ ਟੋਘਨੈ ਨ ਛੂਟਸਹਿ ਫਿਰਿ ਕਰਿ ਸਮੁੰਦੁ ਸਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਾਲਿ ॥੪੯॥

ih toghnai na chhootsahi fir kar samund samHaal.

You shall not escape this little pool; think about returning to the ocean.

ਥੋਰੈ ਜਲਿ = shallow water; ਮਾਛੁਲੀ = fish; ਝੀਵਰਿ = fisherman; ਜਾਲੁ = net; ਟੋਘਨੈ = pond; ਨ ਛੂਟਸਹਿ = save, escape; ਸਮੁੰਦੁ = ocean; ਸਮ੍ਹ੍ਹਾਲਿ = deliberate, think.

In this Salok Bhagat Kabeer Ji is using the image of fisherman to help us understand how to escape the clutches of Maya. The fisherman can easily catch a fish if it is in shallow water - it has nowhere to swim, and is more likely to be trapped. But if the fish seeks refuge in the vast ocean, it is much harder to find and has a much higher chance of survival.

In the same way we have forgotten our source - Akaal Purakh - and have come to wander in a danger-zone of being carried away by various enjoyments, pleasures and distractions. We don't realise the danger that we're in, until our time is up and we get caught with no way of escape. It's such a struggle for people to find the path to God after they're born. When we're young we're ractically told that maya and other distractions are good - things like toys and nice clothes keep us 'happy' and amused throughout childhood. But when we get older we start to question the life that we're living and feel that something deep is missing.

We have to recognise that Maharaj is always with us, watching over our every step and action. We're safest when we have full faith in Him, the Ocean. Until we truly believe in this, our minds and bodies continue wavering and flailing in Maya's hold. Eventually the hold will tighten around us so much that we won't be able to think of escaping. We're so lucky to have been told about the path of Gursikhi - so many others seem to have no hope, they know that they're searching for something but they don't know what it is, nor how to find it. It's about time we started recognising our gifts and using them before time runs out.

:

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

ਕਬੀਰ ਖਿੰਥਾ ਜਲਿ ਕੋਇਲਾ ਭਈ ਖਾਪਰੁ ਫੂਟ ਮਫੂਟ ॥

kabeer khinthaa jal ko-ilaa bha-ee khaapar foot mafoot.

Kabeer, the cloth has been burnt and reduced to charcoal, and the begging bowl is shattered into pieces.

ਜੋਗੀ ਬਪੁੜਾ ਖੇਲਿਓ ਆਸਨਿ ਰਹੀ ਬਿਭੂਤਿ ॥੪੮॥

jogee bapurhaa khayli-o aasan rahee bibhoot.

The poor Yogi has played out his game; only ashes remain on his seat.

ਖਿੰਥਾ = blanket, cloth; ਜਲਿ = burnt; ਕੋਇਲਾ = charcoal; ਖਾਪਰੁ = begging bowl; ਫੂਟ break; ਮਫੂਟ = pieces; ਖੇਲਿਓ ਆਸਨਿ = seat; ਰਹੀ = remain; ਬਿਭੂਤਿ = ashes.

I couldn't think of much to say for this Salok. It continues from the previous one, in which Bhagat Ji described a Yogi visiting a village and being burnt by the fire of Maya. The Yogi has lost the game of his visit - he has become distracted and his attention has wandered from his purpose. His mind is rubble and his possessions and body are charred and dirty. After his death he has left nothing in the world except ashes.

In the same way we have forgotten our purpose here in this life. We think it more important to establish a comfortable living environment, always putting off "doing simran" for another time later on in life. The key is to integrate thinking about Akaal Purakh in every action we do, and try to remember that he is inside every person we see or meet.

This reminds me of something I read a long time ago on www.guptpaapi.blogspot.com , so I'll put it here instead of rambling. Feel free to post your thoughts.

:

~l~

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

Is Naam Japping the way to go?

“What? A post after so long and that too going against the basic tenants of Sikhi?!”

Well, not quite.. Before I go onto the main shabad, I want to explain this topic.

In Sikhi, the 3 most basic rules are:

- Kirat Karni – Earn an honest living

- Vandh Shakna – Sharing with others

- Naam Japna – Repeat Naam.

On the topic of “repeating Naam”.. Guru Gobind Singh Ji says:

ਜਾਪ ਕੇ ਕੀਏ ਤੇ ਜੋ ਪੈ ਪਾਯਤ ਅਜਾਪ ਦੇਵ ਪੂਦਨਾ ਸਦੀਵ ਤੁਹੀਂ ਤੁਹੀਂ ਉਚਰਤ ਹੈਂ ॥

If the unmutterable Lord can be realised by the repetition of His Name, then a small bird called pudana repeats “Tuhi, Tuhi” (Thou art everything) all the time.

(Click here for full Shabad)

Guru Ji is saying, that the Lord cannot be reached by merely repeating His Name. If so, then all “Pudanas” would be liberated, because they naturally repeat “Tuhi Tuhi”.

Guru Ji tries to show us that the bird is not intentionally saying His Name, it is just a natural phenomenon, so it can’t be fair if they reach salvation just on the basis of repetition of The Name. This can be compared to people who just repeat the Name without actually contemplating on it.

This is not contradicted in Guru Granth Sahib Ji, rather it is supported:

ਸਲੋਕ ਮ: 3 ॥

ਰਾਮੁ ਰਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਸਭੁ ਜਗੁ ਫਿਰੈ ਰਾਮੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਅਗਮੁ ਅਗੋਚਰੁ ਅਤਿ ਵਡਾ ਅਤੁਲੁ ਨ ਤੁਲਿਆ ਜਾਇ ॥

The entire world roams around, chanting, "Raam, Raam, Lord, Lord", but the Lord cannot be obtained like this. He is inaccessible, unfathomable and so very great; He is unweighable, and cannot be weighed.

Here, Guru Arjan Dev Ji clearly tells us that merely chanting the name of Akaal Purakh won’t result in ultimately blending into Him.

So what should we do? Guru Ji replies to us if we read on..

ਕੀਮਤਿ ਕਿਨੈ ਨ ਪਾਈਆ ਕਿਤੈ ਨ ਲਇਆ ਜਾਇ ॥ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਭੇਦਿਆ ਇਨ ਬਿਧਿ ਵਸਿਆ ਮਨਿ ਆਇ ॥

No one can evaluate Him; He cannot be purchased at any price.

Through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, His mystery is known; in this way, He comes to dwell in the mind.

So, we have to find our answer in Shabad Guru. However, if we look at Bhai Gurdas Ji’s words:

ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਗੁਰੂ ਮੰਤ੍ਰ ਹੈ ਜਪ ਹਉਮੈਂ ਖੋਈ॥

His Guru-manta is Vahiguru, whose recitation erases egotism.

So by japping ”Waheguru”, the Gurmantar, the cloud of pride withers away, giving us a clear path to our ultimate destination, Waheguru Himself.

“But isn’t that what you said was wrong just 2 paragraphs ago?”

Naam Jap and Naam Simran are different things. Simran means remembering, whereas Jap means to repeat. Naam Jap is useless without Naam Simran. In other words, it is useless if you just repeat Naam without putting your mind to it (what Guru Ji said above).

Simran can be done without repeating their name. When we talk about someone, we are thinking about them, that is Simran. If I talk about my friend, I am doing my friend’s simran. The same can be applied to Waheguru. Talking about Him, and praising Him, is Naam Simran.

Sukhmani Sahib, also by Guru Arjan Dev Ji, is based on the lesson that there is nothing compared to the Simran of Akaal Purakh.

ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਾ ਸਿਮਰਨੁ ਸਭ ਤੇ ਊਚਾ ॥

The remembrance of God is the highest and most exalted of all.

- ang 263

There are so many Gurbani tuks on praising Akaal Purakh, but I chose one which was interestingly also by Guru Arjan Dev ji:

ਭਲੋ ਭਲੋ ਰੇ ਕੀਰਤਨੀਆ ॥

ਰਾਮ ਰਮਾ ਰਾਮਾ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਉ ॥

ਛੋਡਿ ਮਾਇਆ ਕੇ ਧੰਧ ਸੁਆਉ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

Blessed and good is such a kirtanee, who sings such Praises.

He sings the Glorious Praises of the Lord,

and renounces the entanglements and pursuits of Maya. ||1||Pause||

-ang 885

Dhan Guru Arjan Dev Ji..

We are instructed to sing praises of Akaal purakh; How amazing the creator and the creation is. So amazing we have no words to describe him. The only thing we can do is WOW at it all.

And this is the basis of the word “Wahguru” – Wah means wow, you are Wow-ing at Him because you have no words to praise him. Guru means enlightener, after all Only with His enlightenment you can blend into him.. So basically you are saying Wow to the ultimate enlightener.. Which brings us to the last bit of our shabad..

ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਿ ਅਮੇਉ ਹੈ ਗੁਰ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਤੇ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਇ ॥ਆਪੇ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਮਿਲਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਆਪੇ ਮਿਲਿਆ ਆਇ ॥1॥

O Nanak, He Himself is infinite; by Guru's Grace, He is known to be permeating and pervading everywhere.

He Himself comes to blend, and having blended, remains blended. ||1||

End of day, it is up to Him, if we are to blend with Him or not. This shows us that without Akaal Purakh ji’s Hukam, nothing can happen.

Now back to the original point:

Naam Japna is the basis of Sikhi, but it doesn’t mean we should just repeat Naam and expect Mukti (liberation). We should remember Him at all times and Naam Japna can be seen as a “side-effect” of this.