lowest of the low singhni

Gurbani can do anything.

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh ਕਬੀਰ ਐਸਾ ਕੋ ਨਹੀ ਮੰਦਰੁ ਦੇਇ ਜਰਾਇ ॥ Kabīr aisā ko nahī manḏar ḏė­ė jarā­ė. Kabeer, will anyone set fire to his home ਪਾਂਚਉ ਲਰਿਕੇ ਮਾਰਿ ਕੈ ਰਹੈ ਰਾਮ ਲਿਉ ਲਾਇ ॥੮੩॥ Pāʼncẖa­o larikė mār kai rahai rām li­o lā­ė. and kill his five sons (the five thieves) to remain lovingly attached to the Lord? ਕਬੀਰ ਐਸਾ ਕੋ ਨਹੀ ਇਹੁ ਤਨੁ ਦੇਵੈ ਫੂਕਿ* ॥ Kabīr aisā ko nahī ih ṯan ḏėvai fūk. Kabeer, will anyone burn his own body? ਅੰਧਾ ਲੋਗੁ ਨ ਜਾਨਈ ਰਹਿਓ ਕਬੀਰਾ ਕੂਕਿ* ॥੮੪॥ Anḏẖā log na jān­ī rahi­o kabīrā kūk. The people are blind - they do not know, although Kabeer continues to shout at them. ਮੰਦਰੁ = home, temple; ਜਰਾਇ = burn; ਪਾਂਚਉ = five; ਲਰਿਕੇ = boys; ਮਾਰਿ = kill; ਰਹੈ = remain; ਰਾਮ = God; ਤਨੁ = body; ਫੂਕਿ = burn; ਅੰਧਾ = blind; ਲੋਗੁ = people; ਜਾਨਈ = know; ਰਹਿਓ = to continue; ਕੂਕਿ = shout. *Both these angs should have dulainkar instead of just an aunkar but for some reason it isn't showing up here. In this first Salok Bhagat Kabeer Ji asks, would anyone willingly give up everything he possessed in order to become one with Akaal Purakh. On Sikhitothemax the translation has "five thieves" in brackets after the words "five sons". The panj chor which make up our body - lust, anger, greed, pride and attachment. We're so attached to these five emotions which keep drawing out our life force and feeding on our weakness. It's so difficult to even imagine a life without being possessed by them, but while they survive we will always be distanced from Guru Saheb. The question is do we have the determination, humility, discipline and love to even begin trying to tie these five in chains, just like they have us in chains right now. Will the tables turn : ) will the messers become the messees. The Salok is probably referring to our minds and the panj chor that plague us, but even just reading this Salok without looking for a deeper meaning paints a picture of the sacrifice we should be making for Guru Ji. I read a story today about something similar. If we asked Guru Ji for one thing, and that thing was to become one of his true disciples, would we really be willing to do anything for it? Many have already made this promise when taking Amrit. If Guru Saheb told us to burn ourselves or to kill our children, would we have enough faith to place all our trust in him and do as he asked? Guru Raam Das Ji Maharaj was at Sachkhand Siri Harmandar Sahib in Amritsar, doing kar-seva. Everyone was very busy doing all different types of seva – digging, cleaning, serving the sangat etc. At that place there was a soul named Bhai Soma Ji who made his living by selling little snacks to the residents of Amritsar. He had a lot of love and humility and would also take part in the seva. One evening Guru Ji saw Bhai Soma Ji and asked him how much money he had earned that day. Bhai Soma Ji immediately went to Guru Ji and bowed down before answering. Guru Saheb then asked Bhai Soma Ji to hand over all his earnings, which Bhai Sahib did without any hesitation. He placed everything he had at the feet of Satguru Ji. Bhai Soma Ji wasn’t a very rich person at all. He only just managed to scrape by thanks to the money he earned when selling the snacks. On the second evening however, the same thing happened. Guru Raam Das Ji approached Bhai Soma Ji and told him to hand over the day’s earnings. Once again, Bhai Soma Ji placed his faith in Guru Ji and immediately did it. After all, Guru Ji always knows best. This continued for 5 days. On the sixth day, Bhai Soma Ji saw Guru Saheb at Sachkhand Siri Harimandar Sahib doing seva with the other sangat. He went towards Guru Ji in order to see the light of the world which he loved so much. He didn’t even wait for Guru Saheb to ask for his earnings but instead bowed down and placed them at Guru Ji’s charan. Guru Raam Daas Ji was only testing Bhai Soma Ji’s devotion and love, but seeing this He was overjoyed. He said, ‘Today I’m not going to take anything from you. Instead I’m going to give to you. From now on your name will be Soma Shah’. (Shah was the name given for those who are rich.) In this way Bhai Soma Ji became wealthy not only in worldly trade but in Naam also. Bhai Soma Ji gave up everything for Guru Saheb, and there are many more stories and Sikhs who did and would still do the same. In the second Salok Bhagat Kabeer Ji laments that the world’s people have gone blind. Nobody realises the truth, even when it’s staring them straight in the face or being shouted into their ears. Bhagat Ji knows the value of life, and of the wealth of Guru Saheb’s service, but still people think of him as a madman instead of listening to the truth behind his words. This is true even of us. We can hear Guru Ji talking, we hear his Gurbani and we know we should listen but our minds tell us to delay or tell us that it’s too difficult and too crazy. Guru Ji asked for a head, and people thought he had gone nuts. Guru Ji started beating everyone with a stick and people ran in fear. There was once a Sikh named Bhai Mona Ji who did seva in the kitchens of Guru Angad Dev Ji’s darbar. Bhai Mona Ji had a very arrogant and greedy attitude, and nobody really liked him. Some of the sangat complained to Guru Saheb about Bhai Mona’s disrespectful behaviour. When asked for an explanation, Bhai Mona Ji said that he would serve Guru Ji and only Guru Ji – he was not the servant of other people. The Guru then asked him to go to a nearby forest, chop some wood, create a funeral pyre and cremate himself. Bhai Mona Ji did as he was told. But when it came for the time to jump into the burning logs he got scared and couldn’t bring himself to jump in. A thief, who was a decent person deep at heart, was passing the scene. He asked Bhai Mona what was going on, and Bhai Mona Ji explained the hopeless situation. When the thief heard about Guru Ji’s order, he immediately thought of the fire as an opportunity to wipe his past sins and attain salvation. He made an agreement with Bhai Mona that if he was allowed to burn himself in the fire, he would give Bhai Mona a great big bag of jewels. Bhai Mona agreed. The thief was spared by Guru Angad Dev Ji Maharaj, the knower of every person’s heart, as he was about to burn himself. Bhai Mona on the other hand was arrested for being in possession of the bag of stolen jewels. When the sangat heard this story, Guru Saheb told them that just by following Akaal Purakh, even though the thief had committed countless sins, one could attain salvation. But the vices such as pride, greed and anger will always be a hindrance to us. (Another moral of this story is the fact that sometimes we find it easy to say that we will bow down to Guru Ji and nobody else, just as Bhai Mona Ji did. However if we can’t see Guru Ji in everyone and instead proceed to treat them like youknowwhat, then how can we even face our Guru? This can apply to so many situations including dealings with parents, elders, siblings, and even incredibly irritating bus drivers who yell at you for no reason whatsoever. There is another little story about Bhagat Naamdev Ji and a dog and seeing Guru Saheb in everyone/everything but I seem to have gotten too carried away today and I shall now abruptly depart. It’s probably already in the Sakhi section anyway.) vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vahegurujikakhalsavahegurujikifateh I attended one of Harinder Singh's sessions about a year ago. From what I remember, there were good bits and strange bits. He seemed very keen to talk to the kids as a group without any adults present (which involved preventing any adults from talking even when the adults were explaining things to him/the children with Gurbani). For the most part the session was reasonably educational and inspirational, interspersed with activities/teamworking tasks. But personally I am a little wary of the institute and its teachings. Gurbani hits everyone in different ways but it's important to let the youth experience Gurbani and Sikhi for themselves without brainwashing them into believing someone else's beliefs. Perhaps I'm too cautious or perhaps it's an uneasy feeling at the back of my mind, but personally I wouldn't be enthusiastic about attending another session with them. vahegurujikakhalsavahegurujikifateh

vahegurujikakhalsavahegurujikifateh IMHO it could mean any type of death. We know that Guru Saheb has already written when each of us is to leave this world. If we are close to dying before our time has come, Guru Ji will save us from it. Baba Deep Singh Ji. In a spiritual sense, someone who has taken refuge in Akaal Purakh's charan can never really be touched by anyone or anything. The perpetrator may think that they are torturing such a Sikh, or that the Sikh has been killed but once a person is at such a high stage they have already merged into Guru Ji's light and it no longer matters how their physical being dies. The main point is that Maharaj can give the highest type of protection anyone can imagine, even if that protection bypasses the common laws of logic or physics. vahegurujikakhalsavahegurujikifateh

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh ਕਬੀਰ ਜਾਤਿ ਜੁਲਾਹਾ ਕਿਆ ਕਰੈ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਬਸੇ ਗੁਪਾਲ ॥ Kabīr jāṯ julāhā ki­ā karai hirḏai basė gupāl. Kabeer, what can my lowly status as a weaver do to me? The Lord dwells in my heart. ਕਬੀਰ ਰਮਈਆ ਕੰਠਿ ਮਿਲੁ ਚੂਕਹਿ ਸਰਬ ਜੰਜਾਲ ॥੮੨॥ Kabīr rama­ī­ā kanṯẖ mil cẖūkeh sarab janjāl. Kabeer, the Lord hugs me close in His Embrace; I have forsaken all my entanglements. ਜਾਤਿ = caste, status; ਜੁਲਾਹਾ = weaver; ਹਿਰਦੈ = heart; ਬਸੇ = reside; ਗੁਪਾਲ = God; ਰਮਈਆ = God; ਕੰਠਿ = close to; ਚੂਕਹਿ = forsaken, stopped; ਸਰਬ = all; ਜੰਜਾਲ = entanglements, distractions. Bhagat Kabeer Ji explains that he lived as a weaver in what was seen as one of the lowest castes of society. Regardless of this, Bhagat Ji had achieved the greatest possible wealth and honour in this world and the next from Guru Saheb Himself. Even when surrounded by those who would scorn or look down upon him, Bhagat Ji could remain happy, peaceful and content, in a way which very few are lucky enough to understand. We might think that the issue of caste-related status is gradually fading, (although it usually manages to rear it's ugly head from time to time). We're still plagued by issues regarding social status in the modern, everyday world. Taking an airport as an example, there can be a distinct difference in the way people interact with/treat a toilet cleaner in comparison to the respect which is given to a pilot. In hospitals the nurses are often overlooked whereas doctors are automatically highly valued. We make judgements on people's career-choices and on the way they live their lives. Education is important for anyone but at the end of the day is an arrogant chief executive really better than a rubbish collector/bin-man who remembers Akaal Purakh with every breath? And since when did we have the right to pass judgement on the way other people appear to live their lives? The incredible thing is that although only a few ever make it to the stage which Bhagat Ji describes, the formula for getting there is so beautiful and simple. Bhagat Ji tells us ਹਿਰਦੈ ਬਸੇ ਗੁਪਾਲ - Akaal Purakh resides within all our hearts. When we realise that we are all one and the same, when we never forget our ultimate source and can willingly place our heads in Guru Saheb's hands - then there's a chance that all distractions will cease to bother us. As long as we keep forgetting that Guru Ji is in everyone including ourselves, we will get bogged down in the entanglements of the world. If we could just open our ears/eyes to the truth that Satguru Siri Guru Nanak Dev Ji Maharaj brought to the world, our minds could stop dancing around to the tune which Maya is so good at playing for us. Even small steps of compassion and love can make a big difference. ~l~ vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vahegurujikakhalsavahegurujikifateh That would be ideal. But why are we treating this any different to Gurbani being translated into English? Sikhitothemax is a resource many of use on a day-to-day basis. Those are still translations. On one hand having translations of Gurbani in other languages might help to spread Sikhi to many more people. But on the other hand as more translations keep appearing people like me become more and more reliant on them and soon there will be no motivation to learn Gurmukhi properly. Also translations will never really show the true essence of Gurbani. vahegurujikakhalsavahegurujikifateh

It's easy to look outwards when accusing people of wasting time.

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh Thank you AK-47. I too have heard this Sakhi but my ignorant mind thinks it's strange behaviour of a Bhagat to get annoyed with his wife. The ang 'loi' has been used by Bhagat Kabeer Ji in many places. The gender in the above Shabad is masculine as told by the ang 'Rey' before it. If it was feminine it would be 'Ree'. In other places Guru Sahib has used the ang 'Loi' to describe the 'world'. So it is possible that is has the same meaning here: Bhagat Kabeer Ji could be renouncing any reliance on the world. Thanks for posting : ) vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh These are a few ideas (take them with a pinch of salt): "Analyse your own spiritual life, realise what you are doing, before trying to run away from yourself." "Realise the truth about your mind; realise that maya seems sweet to you and the Truth doesn't. Realise that your mind is playing games and is making you believe that worldliness is good. As a result we think we should live our lives chasing after maya. But our true purpose is much different. Know this about yourself and see yourself for what you really are, instead of being puffed up with pride." I hope this helps a little bit. vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

Gurdwara Khalsa Mero Roop Hai Khaas, Southshields, UK.

^ I think those pictures are from Sikhtoons (correct me if I'm wrong) and nearly everything on that site portrays/makes fun of those who disrespect Guru Sahib's crown. I think the pictures are to raise awareness and shed light on the silliness of so-called Sikhs and rituals which are today infecting the panth.

vahegurujikakhalsavahegurujikifateh But Gurbani is helping you to get the most out of life and everything beyond this life. The mind is upside down; what it thinks is happiness is actually false, and what it thinks is sad is in fact the truth. vahegurujikakhalsavahegurujikifateh

vahegurujikakhalsavahegurujikifateh We might think some of the things mentioned in the original post are harsh or unrealistic but doesn't Gurbani say very similar things? There are many examples where Guru Sahib tells us not to associate with those who are 'Saakat'. I'm not sure what the literal meaning of Saakat is but I think it is close to one who is an apostate, immoral, unholy, faithless etc. ਸਾਕਤ ਸੰਗੁ ਨ ਕੀਜੀਐ ਜਾ ਤੇ ਹੋਇ ਬਿਨਾਹੁ ॥੯੩॥ (Ang 1369) ਕਬੀਰ ਸਾਕਤ ਸੰਗੁ ਨ ਕੀਜੀਐ ਦੂਰਹਿ ਜਾਈਐ ਭਾਗਿ ॥ ਬਾਸਨੁ ਕਾਰੋ ਪਰਸੀਐ ਤਉ ਕਛੁ ਲਾਗੈ ਦਾਗੁ ॥੧੩੧॥ (Ang 1371) - which basically means run far away from the Saakat-type people, do not associate with them, and then uses the analogy of touching a vessel which is stained with dark soot. It is very very difficult for a clean person to remain clean when surrounded by soot. It is much easier to get dirty. In the same way when one person stands on a chair and another person stands on the ground, it is much easier for the Chair One to be pulled down by the Ground One, as opposed to the Chair One being able to lift the Ground One up and place him on the chair as well. It is possible, but unlikely. ਸਾਕਤ ਸੰਗੁ ਨ ਕੀਜਈ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਜੇ ਕਾ ਪਾਰਿ ਵਸਾਇ ॥ (Ang 641) In this Shabad Guru Arjan Dev Ji says that we should try to avoid the company of those people who are Saakat because (in the next line) in their company it is likely that Akaal Purakh will be forgotten. Gurbani tells us that we should avoid anything which makes us forget Guru Ji, not only certain people. So if being on a website, or talking to our friends too much or buying unnecessarily expensive shoes or playing computer games all day long makes us forget Guru Ji, then we should avoid those activities too. Unless we have reached a stage where we can meditate on our Guru and do the other things at the same time. But very few people can really do that. We need to draw the line for ourselves because everyone is different and everyone's minds work in a slightly different way. Anyway when Gurbani tells us that some people in this world are Saakat, is it those who have no faith in God? Or is it those people who do bad deeds? Or those people who have turned their backs on Guru Sahib? Whatever the answer is, are we really any better than them? The issue is how our own spirituality is affected by those people or activities. To conclude this ramble, taking into account what Gurbani says, decide for yourself where you time is most usefully spent and with whom your soul is fed the most. vahegurujikakhalsavahegurujikifateh

vahegurujikakhalsavahegurujikifateh "Baba Tota Singh Ji was Bhai Maharaj Singh's teacher, then Bhai Samund Singh and finally Bhai Bir Singh Ji from Narangabad. Initially he was known as Nihal Singh. He was so humble he called everyone Maharaj out of respect. Eventually people used to refer to him as Maharaj Singh and finally his real name was forgotten. Then he became known as Bhai Maharaj Singh of Narangabad." vahegurujikakhalsavahegurujikifateh

But Guru Ji chose to eat from Bhai Lalo Ji who worked honestly and not Malik Bhago whose deeds had, in essence, tainted the food he was offering. Edit: Just to add, I think Gurbani, truth and honestly has a profound effect on food and other people/things. There was a thread a while ago about a study done on how water reacts to its surroundings e.g. if praises of God are being sung or if there is anger/loud noise nearby etc. We might not understand the reason or the power behind Gurbani but I'm convinced it is there nevertheless. There's a reason we recite Japji Sahib with full devotion when making Karah Prashad.

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh Would you be kind enough to explain, from the knowledge you have gained after reading all the above Teekas, the answer to our very easy question? Thank you. vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh A friend has come forward with a question which they'd like answered by Baba Jagjit Singh Ji. "There's a tuk from japji sahib in which Guru Ji asks a question: kiv sachiaaraa hoeeai kiv koorrai thuttai paal || Then Guru Ji gives the answer right away: hukam rajaaee chalanaa naanak likhiaa naal ||1|| But i don't understand the answer If the thread starter could ask baba jagjit singh jee to explain/expand on it and record, I would be very grateful." vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh

It looks like that guy from The Matrix, edited. Or am I just imagining things? Good picture, apart from what I just mentioned (if it's true).

But we don't have any real democracy. Resolving everything peacefully would be ideal, but it hardly ever happens. Tyranny and greed exist. If there was no need for guns then next time they'll be saying there is no need for a Kirpan either. These people need the bubbles that they're living in popped with Guru Saheb's own pin of reality.

No, it usually means the post has been edited by the member. Talking of Amazing Grace - the film is very good.

Tarrandeeeeeeep bhenji. Clearly the original poster's mind does not work in the same way as yours does. We're different. One person thinks it's an innocent question and wants to learn whereas for another the answer might seem obvious and the question silly. But that's no reason to put them down. At least they want to learn and want to do what's right. If we push them away and then hear that they've done something which we consider to be immoral, we are also partly to blame because we had the chance to help them. These chances don't come every minute of every day and whenever they do it's an opportunity which Guru Ji gives us to share the little we know with other Sikhs. We need to make the most of the little tests. I'd emphasise the point that S1ngh made.. I know people who have gotten married to extremely distant cousins, several times removed and not direct relations. In that case it might be that you don't know the person at all, have never met, and do not really consider them as your family. Would that be so wrong? Is that what the OP is referring to? Or does he/she mean like brother/sister/first cousin?

Thanks for replying Philip, I'm sure Admin won't mind you quoting the passage of Jesus as a 12 year old, but can you give me the reference? I'll look it up.

Is she an actress/model dressed up for the photograph? Or maybe she actually is a Kaur :umm: I guess everyone has different ideal images of what a true Kaur should look like. Mine is something like the painting you have in the top right hand corner of the poster : ) (I suppose a true Kaur is one who lives and breathes Sikhi with every action and thought.)

vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh Peacemaker I'm sorry you feel that way about my response, but I was not wanting to attack anyone when I was typing it. You haven't liked many of my responses of late but it's good to see you posting again. However I could say the same thing you said to me about anyone who comes here wanting to know more about Sikhism and then declares we're all going to hell anyway. Then you accused me of making Philip feel like he is following the wrong path. Why the double standards? I wasn't forcing my religion on anyone else, that would make me similar to the moghuls. And I did not say I wasn't interested in knowing more. I am very interested in knowing many things, which is why I even went out and bought a copy of the bible. What I meant was that for a Sikh, our destination isn't heaven or hell. It's something higher. My question about Jesus' childhood hasn't been answered. I couldn't find the answer in the bible. vaheguru ji ka khalsa vaheguru ji ki fateh