How Did U Find Him?

[Manleen Kaur]

yeh... we don't know HOW lucky we are... many of us take things for granted (myself included)... unfortunately, we don't thank Vaheguru enuff for all that has been done...

we all know without HIM there would be nothing...

Vaheguru.....

Shukar Hai...

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waheguru ji ka khalsa, waheguru ji ki fateh!

waheugroooo well said heera veerji....

Guruji gives us so much.

He has given us a home, love, caring, and support in every way.

What more could we ask for from a soul?

We should always take a minute or whatever time you have to stop and say thank you to wahegurooo ji, for what we have been given.

[Mehtab Singh]

Vaaheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa Vaaheguroo Jee Kee Fateh

I don’t know how much this story is going to inspire anyone. There is not much to say, nothing too great as compared to the other stories here, so just gonna give it a try. I wish I could name the people who helped me a great deal in becoming what I am, but since they may not appreciate it, I am gonna refrain from naming them. But you know who you are, and I will always be the dust of your feet!!

Becoming a Sikh is a developmental process. If one was to convert to Christianity or Islam, you wouldn’t know the difference by merely looking at them. But in Sikhi, one has to change both internally (by reciting Bani, doing Naam Simran and controlling the 5 vices) and externally (by growing kes and beard). Thus the keyword is “to grow”. One grows as a Sikh. “Conversion” as a word may have a negative connotation for some. Therefore I always prefer to think that I grew as a Sikh. Another belief held is that a person is born a Sikh. Only after “mundan” (ceremonial shaving of the head of an infant) is one a Hindu and only after “sunnat” or “khitna” (both meaning circumcision) is one a Muslim. Thus a natural born baby whose body has not been tampered in anyway is a Sikh. It is only by Gurujee’s blessings that someone can actually embark upon this path.

I was born in a non-Sikh family. Since an early age I was searching for one true way to God. I worshipped a series of various Hindu deities, and kept switching from one to another. My all time favorite was Bhagwan Shri Krishna, and I have visited his place of birth and other places attributed to him, all in U.P, quiet a few times. My father’s family follows a modern version of Hindusim, very similar to Sikhi, with emphasis on naam simran, no idol worship, no superstitions etc. However my mother’s side are staunch Brahmins and ardent devotees of Baba Balak Nath, and I have visited his temple a number of times in Himachal Pradesh as well. Until a few years ago, I used to wear a ceremonial necklace called “singee” in my neck, which was put on me when I was 3 months old and suffering from pneumonia, and sure to die. I survived and the belief that Baba Balak Nath saved me came into being.

Till I was nearly 19, I grew up in an Islamic country. My entire schooling, including my first year in college was done there. When I was in my ninth grade, I befriended a Sikh, who was very religious and had a lasting impact on me. He became my best friend for the next 4 years, which was when high school ended. We were spiritual buddies and would discuss religion and spirituality and learn from each other. In my tenth grade, I became friends with a Pakistani Shia Muslim, and was heavily influenced by Islam. So much so, that I made up my mind to convert and become a Muslim. It was during this period that I read a book by Osho called “The True Name”, parts 1 and 2. This book set the foundation of my Sikhi. I still have these books, and in them Osho explains the Japuji Sahib with such extraordinary details that one can’t help acknowledging Guru Nanak’s teachings to be the best God ever blessed mankind with. Perhaps it was the enchanting message contained in Japuji Sahib that resisted my conversion to Islam.

A few years later I joined college after passing out of high school. I saw the Hindi movie Maachis on T.V. This movie did the job of providing air to a hidden spark. The various scenes of Gurdwaras, the sound of Gurbani being sung gave me immense inner delight. Towards the end of 1997, when I was only 18 years and a few months, I sensed that some massive change was about to come in my life.

It was sometime in the middle of January 1998. I got hold of 2 Gurbani audio cassettes. One had “swansaan di mala” by Bhai Harbans Singh Jagadhre waale on side A, and side B was “nindo nindo moko log nindo” by Bhai Chaman Lal ji (later Bhai Chamanjeet Singh ji). As a mark of respect, I covered my head and listened to this cassette. Since I was unaware of the differences in Bani and other dharmik sangeet, I used to call all Sikh religious songs as shabads. It was now clear that I was heading towards my spiritual goal. I did some research on Sikhism on the internet which I had started using only after I was 18 and half years old. To my utter shock, I found the answers to all my lifelong spiritual queries which were left unanswered by every other religion. I fell in love with Guru Nanak!! Soon after I started doing path of Sri Sukhmani Sahib and fell in love with this Bani as well.

My mom’s parents who visited us in May 1998 were against me following Sikh ways. I don’t blame them for it. During the November 1984 Sikh genocide, they sheltered a Sikh family from the killer mobs, inspite of the threat that their house would be burnt down. But in the years that followed, a number of their relatives in Punjab, all Hindus, were killed by militants who posed as Sikhs. Therefore I didn’t feel offended by their attitude.

I came to USA in August 1998, in the white majority and known to be racist part of the US. Thanks to the internet, I drowned myself into knowledge about Sikhi, Sikh history and everything else related to Sikhi. I would listen to Gurbani and kathas on the internet. I made few online Sikh friends also, but most others who would pose as cyber kharkoos always degraded and insulted me due to my ethnicity. Sometime in the summer of June 2002, I listened to a dharmik sangeet by Bhai Gurcharan Singh Rasi entitled “Sikha dastar saja lai”. It was Gurujee’s first and direct message to me to take Amrit. I kept beard for 26 days, but because I lacked sangat, lacked motivation, I shaved it off. I must say, that when I shaved it off after 26 days, and saw myself in the mirror, I got horrified! I felt I was looking at the devil himself, at some jamdoot! It was during these days that I met some Amritdhari Sikhs online. They showered me with so much love that I can’t describe.

An year later in the summer of 2003 I joined a number of online Sikh forums. Now my Sikhi went on a rampage. I fell deeper and deeper into it. I met new Singhs on the net, talked to some over the telephone. I was sent “In Search of the True Guru”, the autobiography of Bhai Rama Singh ji by an amazing Singh from California. I never liked AKJ style keertan, but after I saw the live telecast of the November 2003 L.A. Samagam, I got addicted to it. In December 2003 I read Bhai Rama Singh ji’s autobiography, and only after reading half of the book i decided to quit shaving and cutting my hair. One veerjee from New Delhi urged me a lot to maintain strict Amritvela, and that was the reason I was able to stay strong. As my beard and hair grew, I cut myself off from everyone totally. People would ask my sister, who stayed with me, as to what was going wrong with me. Some Sikhs in my university who used to trim their beards were told by her “You sardars started cutting your beard, and my brother has started growing it”. I received absolutely no motivation from my family, or even the few Sikh acquaintances that I knew in my university. As surprising as you may find, the ones to congratulate me on my transformation were the Hindus and Muslims I knew.

June 2004 was the twentieth anniversary of Operation Bluestar, the attack on Darbar Sahib. One Singh from California (you know who you are veerjee, and I love you so much) was kind enough to take me with him to Chicago where a Shaheedi Samagam was held. Here, for the first time in my life, I saw and met so many Amritdharis. I stayed with them for almost a week, and never for a moment did I feel that they were people other than my family. This was when I got my name changed as well. We visited a Singh, who was one of my panj pyaare in the very near future. He gifted me with 2 kirpans, 1 small and 1 huge. I put it on here itself. This Singh was breathtakingly chardi kala!!

Finally the night came. The night of Saturday, August 21, 2004. Location: El Sobrante Gurdwara in California. Daas was blessed with Amrit. I felt that sense of belonging, that feeling of having a master. This was the day my search was over.

To all those who are born in Sikh families and have not taken Amrit yet, take it from me, it tastes better than any other taste ever created. I was born in a Hindu family, raised in an Islamic country, and studied in the Bible belt region of the U.S. It was Gurujee Himself who held my hand and never let me go astray.

A lot happened after I took Amrit. Life is never a bed of roses. I am a kaljugi moorakh and can slip. But my master was always there to remind me that He is there for me even if I don’t know about it. My sincere request to you is give yourself upto such a Guru. I don’t know what is in store for me tomorrow. But I hope I die a Sikh. May Gurujee save me and all of us from all kurehits, and even more from bajjar kurehits.

Sometimes people, out of love, call their beloveds “meri jaan”, meaning “my life”. It is the highest honor you can give someone you love. You address them as your own life. But just imagine the love Guru Gobind Singh Jee has for His Khalsa, when He says “Khalsa meri jaan ki jaan”. He loves us much much more than His life!! No one can love anyone as much as Gurujee loves His Sikhs. So why run after this fake world and its glory and riches when we have the lord of the universe as our true lover, true father, true mother, true friend!!

Everytime I make a post that the sangat likes, I am showered with appreciation and my ego gets boosted. So I request the readers to please not appreciate me as anything mentioned above didn't happen because of me, it happened only by Gurujee's unending kirpa.

Vaaheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa Vaaheguroo Jee Kee Fateh

ps: i suck bigtime when it comes to keeping rehits and amritvela...so i need more inspiration than any1 else here...don't be misled by the fact that im some1 chardi kala...i dunno what makes ppl think im ask those who've met me and they'll laugh it off...

[GuruManeyoGranth]

Waheguroo Jee Ka Khalsa!

Waheguroo Jee Kee Fateh!!

Veer Jee ... that story of finding Guru Jee was amazing.

So was Princess' and Manleen Kaur's ... may Guru Jee bless you with the Daat of Amrit soon and make you Guru-wala.

Waheguroo

[Dhan Teri Sikhi]

Mehtab Singh - thanks for posting your story as to you how you found Guru Jee.

I find it so inspiring when I read or hear about how someone discovered Guru Jee when they were brought up in a non-sikhi environment.

:doh:

Dhan Waheguru

[Dhan Teri Sikhi]

This is such an inspiring post as to how people on this forum found Waheguru Jee. Its amazing and the best thread on the forum at the moment. :TH:

I have been thinking a lot over the last few days as to how I found Waheguru Jee but did not know where to start or what to write because I did not find him but he found me and blessed me with his pyaar for Sikhi. Im so grateful to Waheguru for doing his apaar bakshish on me and blessing me with Sangat of so many Gursikhs throughout my life and making me his own and being there for me whenever I have needed him.

I just did a random shabad on Sikhitothemax whilst I was thinking about how did I find Waheguru Jee and this is the shabad that Guru Jee blessed me with which I wanted to share with the Sangat:

kwnVw mhlw 5 Gru 11

kaanarraa mehalaa 5 ghar 11

Kaanraa, Fifth Mehl, Eleventh House:

<> siqgur pRswid ]

ik oa(n)kaar sathigur prasaadh ||

One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

shj suBwey Awpn Awey ]

sehaj subhaaeae aapan aaeae ||

He Himself has come to me, in His Natural Way.

kCU n jwnO kCU idKwey ]

kashhoo n jaana kashhoo dhikhaaeae ||

I know nothing, and I show nothing.

pRBu imilE suK bwly Boly ]1] rhwau ]

prabh miliou sukh baalae bholae ||1|| rehaao ||

I have met God through innocent faith, and He has blessed me with peace. ||1||Pause||

sMjoig imlwey swD sMgwey ]

sa(n)jog milaaeae saadhh sa(n)gaaeae ||

By the good fortune of my destiny, I have joined the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy.

kqhU n jwey Grih bswey ]

kathehoo n jaaeae gharehi basaaeae ||

I do not go out anywhere; I dwell in my own home.

gun inDwnu pRgitE ieh colY ]1]

gun nidhhaan pragattiou eih cholai ||1||

God, the Treasure of Virtue, has been revealed in this body-robe. ||1||

crn luBwey Awn qjwey ]

charan lubhaaeae aan thajaaeae ||

I have fallen in love with His Feet; I have abandoned everything else.

Qwn Qnwey srb smwey ]

thhaan thhanaaeae sarab samaaeae ||

In the places and interspaces, He is All-pervading.

rsik rsik nwnku gun bolY ]2]1]46]

rasak rasak naanak gun bolai ||2||1||46||

With loving joy and excitement, Nanak speaks His Praises. ||2||1||46||

Bani is so great, it has an answer for every question that someone has..

:doh: :doh:

Waho Waho Bani Nirankar Hai Tis Javad Avar Na Koi

Dhan Waheguru Waheguru Waheguru

[anjaan]

how did i find Him?

He was never lost........ i was too blind and ignorant to see/realise Him

[japmans]

wow!

this thread ROCKS

[S.S.F]

Metabh Singh jee that was a great story :doh:

[Mehtab Singh]

plzz re-read the last paragraph once more, the most important part of my post

ps: i suck bigtime when it comes to keeping rehits and amritvela...so i need more inspiration than any1 else here...don't be misled by the fact that im some1 chardi kala...i dunno what makes ppl think im  ask those who've met me and they'll laugh it off...

[anjaan]

plzz re-read the last paragraph once more, the most important part of my post

ps: i suck bigtime when it comes to keeping rehits and amritvela...so i need more inspiration than any1 else here...don't be misled by the fact that im some1 chardi kala...i dunno what makes ppl think im  ask those who've met me and they'll laugh it off...

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Mehtab Singh - after sharing what you did with me a few weeks ago - gosh i can't stop crying

sorry

but seriously i'm too lost for words....