Pictures Of Gurus

[sikh_youth_uk]

Are the pictures of Guru a true image of what they really looked?

I feel they can lead to idol worship, ritualism and bad practice.

For example we see images of Guru Sahibs on calendars, (if they’re a true impression of them we don’t know) With calendars they are only of use for 1year, I no people who are scared to throw them away due to the picture on the calendar as they feel it will bring bad luck. Luck and superstition we no are against Sikh Ideology.

Also some images of for example Guru Gobind Singh, are different and vary from one picture to another. So the vadilty of the images are in question.

Another point I have sceen one picture of all ten Gurus on the painting and two Gurus look exactly the same.

Did the Gurus have the time to sit for portraits??

They wouldn’t want us to idolize the pictures, as can lead to anti Sikh Practice.

[navjit6]

yeh i have heard that it is wrong to idolize their pictures.

Also are pics of the guru's allowed in the gurdwara? coz many gurdwara have the pics. I heard it shouldnt be allowed?? anyone know???

[mann_kaum_layee_qurbaan]

please search the forum. we have went over this many many times.

peace.

[navjit6]

i cant be bothered searching, just like you cant be bothered writing a few lines and being helpful. :D

[Fauja]

ok basically the pictures aren't wrong.. they represent our gurus.. not saying they are our gurus but they represent them in terms of its a way of parchaar..

say im walking down the gurdwara and i see a pic of a shaheed or a guru or something then i'll ask my dad who that is n he can tell me.. if the pic wasn't there i prolly wouldn't have asked in the first place..

our gurus could have taken any body so their particular body didn't really matter but paintings and pics are to represent certain acts they did such as like the pic of Guru Nanak doing Sacha Sauda.. we see it n we get an idea of history.. like what happened, n how it happened.. once again if we find it interesting we ask someone whats going on.. if it wasn't there we prolly wouldn't have asked

as well.. its easier to memorize or "love" something when u can physically see it.. which is why its so easy to love our son/daughters/wives/husbands/families/friends .. yet its so hard to love vaheguru because "we can't see him" .. he's everywhere yet we're so ignorant that we CHOOSE not to see him.. so the pics just kinda give us an idea of ok our gurus were this mehamaan u know..

plus (i know i've sed this before but still) a love loves every aspect of his guru, mental, physical, soul, everything.. a lover aint gonna say oh i love this part about u but i dont care about the rest.. a true lover loves the guru in whole, from head to toe including the inside.

as far as respecting the pics, yes i do it.. it reminds me and gets me thinking of my guru again, so i respect anything that does that, even a person.. dont preform rituals on the pics such as aarti n stuff, just respect the pics n use it as a reminder of ur guru is always with u and watching u.. n as far as the caldendars go.. i say its a good thing that people dont throw the pics in the garbage.. i mean i doubt they're doing it cuz their afraid of rituals or bad luck.. its just satkaar.. its something that helps u in sikhi, have some respect.. burn it or something.. do proper satkaar.. its is wat "we deem to be" our guru's body

[navjit6]

thanks for that

ok basically the pictures aren't wrong.. they represent our gurus.. not saying they are our gurus but they represent them in terms of its a way of parchaar..

say im walking down the gurdwara and i see a pic of a shaheed or a guru or something then i'll ask my dad who that is n he can tell me.. if the pic wasn't there i prolly wouldn't have asked in the first place..

our gurus could have taken any body so their particular body didn't really matter but paintings and pics are to represent certain acts they did such as like the pic of Guru Nanak doing Sacha Sauda.. we see it n we get an idea of history.. like what happened, n how it happened.. once again if we find it interesting we ask someone whats going on.. if it wasn't there we prolly wouldn't have asked

as well.. its easier to memorize or "love" something when u can physically see it.. which is why its so easy to love our son/daughters/wives/husbands/families/friends .. yet its so hard to love vaheguru because "we can't see him" .. he's everywhere yet we're so ignorant that we CHOOSE not to see him.. so the pics just kinda give us an idea of ok our gurus were this mehamaan u know..

plus (i know i've sed this before but still) a love loves every aspect of his guru, mental, physical, soul, everything.. a lover aint gonna say oh i love this part about u but i dont care about the rest.. a true lover loves the guru in whole, from head to toe including the inside.

as far as respecting the pics, yes i do it.. it reminds me and gets me thinking of my guru again, so i respect anything that does that, even a person.. dont preform rituals on the pics such as aarti n stuff, just respect the pics n use it as a reminder of ur guru is always with u and watching u.. n as far as the caldendars go.. i say its a good thing that people dont throw the pics in the garbage.. i mean i doubt they're doing it cuz their afraid of rituals or bad luck.. its just satkaar.. its something that helps u in sikhi, have some respect.. burn it or something.. do proper satkaar.. its is wat "we deem to be" our guru's body

[Shaheed_Fauja]

good post but.. you spoilt it with one line

its is wat "we deem to be" our guru's body

but also.. from reading your post again.. it sounded quite a lot like A pro-idol argument made by Hindus (4th Para)

[Fauja]

think what u want b.. think im rss? cool.. think im a hindu? cool..think i have an agenda? cool think what u want .. all i know is i aint any better than them.. n that post is just my opinion, not the truth

"what we deem to be" our guru's body .. well maybe u didn't understand what i was trying to say.. i was just saying that the pics represent our gurus so when i look at the pic i can get reminded of my guru.. like how royal, humble, amazing, pure, beautiful.. w.e u wanna say .. the only way to actually see ur guru's face is to get rid of all other wants, other than bathing in the dust of ur guru's feet.. only when that is the last thought in ur mind, ur last want.. only then will guru sahib come and give u his darshan, cuz he will see how much u love him.. until then just keep remembering guru sahib as often as possible.. pics help remind u to remember them

oh n yea ur right the 4th para does sound like a pro argument for hindus.. but the difference is that im trying to state a fact that yea IT IS EASIER to love someone when u can see them, which is why not many people are on the path of sikhi, despite being born in a sikh family.. the pics just HELP with the feeling that ok look my guru actually was on this earth. like going to Sri Harimander Sahib .. at the baba deep singh thing in the parkarma there is a pic of him.. to show that yo he ACTUALLY STOOD HERE.. like it would be hard to imagine it.. so they made the pic to represent the the fact that he did stand there..

just to be clear tho.. I AM 100% AGAINST IDOLISING ANYTHING BUT AKAAL PURAKH, AND AM 100% AGAINST AARTI OR ANY TYPE OF IDOLISING TO PICS..

sry for the confusion, hope i sound less like a missionary or w.w now lol

[sikh_youth_uk]

From the moment we start seeing pictures of Guru Nanak and start thinking of him we are going against Sikhi.

Theres nothing like or none Guru Nanak, nothing or no-one like, Akal Purakh.

They are cerntaly not in a picture.

If you want to know Guru Nanak or God Refer to Shri Guru Granth Sahib.

[sikh_youth_uk]

From the moment we start seeing pictures of Guru Nanak and start thinking of him we are going against Sikhi.

Theres nothing like or none Guru Nanak, nothing or no-one like, Akal Purakh.

They are cerntaly not in a picture.

If you want to know Guru Nanak or God Refer to Shri Guru Granth Sahib.