Visiting Gurdwara

[Mehtab Singh]

why should a non-sikh bow to Guru Granth Sahib? Bowing/kneeling is an act of submission, and if a non-sikh does not submit to Guru Maharaj, then there is no point in kneeling.. it will just become an empty ritual

I don't think Gurujee is under any obligation to take permission from ordinary mortals as to how He should pull blessed ones towards His Divine feet. Its is upto Him how He wishes to. Who is anyone to decide? What authority does anyone have to question someone's shardha? Maybe you don't know, but several non-Sikhs have a lot of respect for our Gurus than some so-called Sikhs do. I have personally seen a non-Punjabi Hindu (not too sure but thats what he looked like) and his little son cleaning toilets at the El Sobrante Gurdwara when I was there for my Amrit Sanchar. Put me to shame!

Read this sakhi for more such examples: http://www.sikhsangat.com/index.php?showtopic=3516&hl= .

Bhai Jodh Jee was a Brahman by caste. He was intellectual and held knowledge. He came to visit Guru Angad Jee's darbaar (court). He experienced happiness, which he never felt before. Everyday Bhai Jodh would listen to Guru's Keertan and sermon and then go to the Langar Hall, where he would wash all the jhoote bhaandey (dirty dishes) of the Sangat.

The GurSikhs saw that Bhai Jodh does a lot of Sewa but he does not sit in Pangat (with the congregation) to eat Langar. It must be because he is a Brahman and thinks he is higher than us that he doesn't eat with rest of Guru's Sangat. The GurSikhs reported this to Guru Angad. "Guru Angad Jee, Bhai Jodh does a lot of Sewa but he does not eat Langar in Pangat". Guru Angad Jee called Bhai Jodh to see him. Bhai Jodh arrived in the presence of the Guru.

Guru Angad Jee asked him, 'Bhai Jodh is it true that you do not eat in the Pangat like the rest of the Sangat?' 'No Maharaj! I do eat in the Sangat,' replied Bhai Jodh. The GurSikhs said, 'see, now he is a liar as well!" The Guru told Bhai Jodh, "you are holding something from me. When do you eat your Langar? Tell me."

Bhai Jodh, now had tears in his eyes and he told the Guru infront of the GurSikhs, 'Maharaj, when I clean the dirty dishes of the Sangat, sometimes people leave jhoot (left overs). I collect the jhoot of the Sangat in a small bowl. When all the Sangat leave, I then eat the left over jhoot.'

The listeners by where shocked to hear this, they thought Bhai Jodh didn't eat the rest becaus

e of his pride and ego. But they were wrong, how could a person be so humble and consider themselves so low. Guru Jee asked Bhai Jodh, 'O Sikh, why do eat the left overs of the Sangat. What makes you eat Jhoot?"

Bhai Jodh replied, "Maharaj, when I came to see you for the first time, I had a ego and pride that I was an educated Brahman. But I heard from you Guru Jee, that when we have hankaar (ego) we cannot obtain the happiness. Maharaj I hear from you that you don't like maan (pride) and hankaar (ego)." "I put jhoot in the mouth of hankaar, in the mouth of my Ego, the thing that doesn't let me get happiness", said Bhai Jodh.

"Don't say that Bhai Jodh!" replied the Guru. "Your sins have been washed, the Guru now dwells within you".

Taken from http://www.gurmat.info/sms/smspublications...ldier/chapter1/

Sometimes for fun and sport Gobind Rai would take his gang of friends to the riverside where they would play tricks on the greedy and false prophets. They would throw cold water at them and drench their clothes. They took away their begging bowls when they sat with their eyes closed like cranes. The complaints against Gobind Rai multiplied.

Once, the boys gathered rotund a saint named Shiv Dutt to try their tricks on him. Shiv Dutt was in deep meditation, so Gobind Rai stopped them from making fun of him. They were going to disobey him when he said "Come along friends, there is more here than meets the eye. Follow me and keep quiet." Young Gobind Rai drew near to Shiv Dutt and said "Good sir, open your eyes." As Shiv Dutt looked at young Gobind Rai, tears rolled down his cheeks and without a word he touched Gobind Rai's feet. Gobind Rai told Shiv Dutt to sit again and apologized for disturbing him. Then he said, "Dear friends, where God's glory is seen, it should be a pleasing sight. Train your sight so that you may be able to see God's Light where it is reflected." From then on the boys ceased to molest Shiv Dutt who proclaimed that Gobind Rai was not an ordinary child but an enlightened one. Shiv Dutt began to sing the praises of Gobind Rai, loved him dearly, and met him frequently.

And from what I remember from Gyani Pinderpal Singh ji's katha, Gurujee in His childhood would come from behind and shut Pandit Shiv Dutt's eyes and say "Pandit jee jhaat" (Pandit Jee look who is here), and the Pandit would reply "mera Bala Preetam". After Gurujee became the tenth Guru at Anandpur Sahib, and was known as Kalgiya wala, Pandit Shiv Dutt came to see Gurujee. Once again Gurujee came from back and closed his eyes from behind and said "Pandit jee jhaat", and the Pandit replied "mera Kalgiya wala", but Gurujee hugged him and replied "For you I am still your Bala Preetam".

being a Hindu I obviously don't see the Guru Granth Sahib as being infallible

First of all, that does not make any sense. Just because you are Hindu doesn't mean you would see Sahib Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee Maharaj as NOT fallible. There are enough Punjabi Hindus, Sindhi Hindus, who in fact are followers of Sikhism more than Hinduism, and are also referred to as Nanak Panthis. They see no authority higher than Sahib Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee Maharaj. Secondly, your NOT seeing Sahib Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee Maharaj as infallible makes no difference to Sikhs or to Gurujee :D . You came asking a simple and decent question, but now you make me wonder, why would you, or anyone else bow before an authority you don't see as infallible. We Sikhs bow because we don't see anyone higher, so do loads of non-Sikhs as well, but why would you? I am not discouraging you by any means, just makes me wonder. I understand that you are a Maharashtrian Hindu, one of the few brave communities among Hindus, right? I have been asked why don't Sikhs bow before Hindu deities when Hindus have no problems bowing to Sahib Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee Maharaj. The answer is simple. Sikhs are more sure about the infallibility of Sahib Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee Maharaj than Hindus are about their deities . Or lets put it this way, Hindus would bow anywhere they believed God is (which is amazing), whether it is an idol or a dargah, but Sikhs bow only and only to their Guru.

No offense, but I would really like to know why would you bow before an authority you don't see as infallible. Respect is alright and good, but bowing is something that you don't do unless you are sure about perfection.

Bhul chukk maaf

[lowest of the low singhni]

Respect is alright and good, but bowing is something that you don't do unless you are sure about perfection.

If only people like me could remember that when they do matha tek. So often I forget about why I'm doing or what it means, I forget that it's not something done at only a certain moment at the Gurdwara Sahib but that it should carry weight and meaning every moment after I've done it - so that we can implement Guru Saheb's teachings in our lives from that moment onwards.

[Shivaji]

You came asking a simple and decent question, but now you make me wonder, why would you, or anyone else bow before an authority you don't see as infallible.

Well, first and foremost I want to share with you some of my favorite verses from the Guru Granth Sahib

Having created the creation, He watches over it. By His Glance of Grace, He bestows happiness.

There are planets, solar systems and galaxies.

If one speaks of them, there is no limit, no end.

There are worlds upon worlds of His Creation.

As He commands, so they exist.

He watches over all, and contemplating the creation, He rejoices.

When I first read these verses they really hit me hard. Science tells us how vast and grand this universe is, but I never really contemplated upon this fact before. These verses just really made me contemplate on this vast, beautiful universe we have and how if we can't even begin to describe this universe, how indescribably beautiful and powerful the being behind this all must be. Then, to realize just by the simple command of this being these complex univereses come into being, it just mystifies me.

For the Granth Sahib to be able to convey this powerful message in only six verses, would be enough to make me bow to it, but the inspiration this book has given me does not stop there. This God, is so very great that even all of the various material pleasures and joys in these worlds he has created are not comparable to having a love for him, and experiencing his divine love for you-

If all the gold of the seven continents and the oceans was taken out and placed before them,

the humble servants of my Lord and Master would not even want it. They beg for the Lord to bless them with the Lord's Sublime Essence.

To be able to convey this truth in only two verses is simply amazing on its own, but when I hear Guru Arjan Dev, went through immense torture and pain at the hands of religious bigots, due to his own love for this God, and his refusal to renounce this love, I can't even express the mix of sorrow, respect and inspiration this gives me.

Even all this I've mentioned is but a small fraction of the greatness I find in the Granth Sahib. So, when I bowed down before the Granth Sahib I was bowing down to these teachings that inspired me in such a profound way, I was bowing down to the men who taught this, the men who (unfortunately in some cases) died for this, and the God they believed in.

I know this might have sound corny, but I feel this is the best way of telling you why I bowed down to the Guru Granth Sahib.

[singh-khalsa]

why should a non-sikh bow to Guru Granth Sahib? Bowing/kneeling is an act of submission, and if a non-sikh does not submit to Guru Maharaj, then there is no point in kneeling.. it will just become an empty ritual

veerji i dont know u a sikh or non-sikh. veerji u bow someone if u have respect. if u don't have respect than why you go to relegious paces... no matter hindu's mandir or sikh gurdwara. veerji dont mean to be rude but according to my point of view if u dont have respect for someone than dont go to him..

gurdwaras are not a dollar buffet where u go and give a dollar and eat as much as u want, if u dont respect the person who is giving u all that ( which is guru maharaj ).

sorry if i take u wrong cauz of my poor english

wjkk wjkf

[SonyNeech]

Namaste all.

I've been invited by Punjabi friends of mine to visit a Gurdwara later this week sometime. I really don't know all that much about Sikhism, and I certainly don't know a lot about visiting a Gurdwara, so I was wondering if anyone could tell me how a typical service in a Gurdwara goes, and if there's anything non-Sikhs should do (or can't do) while visiting a Gurdwara?

namaste veer ji

Sat Sri akal veer ji

Hello veer ji

[Guest Chris_Latta]

I'd like to visit your place of worship. Are there any in Dallas, Texas?

[kh@ls@]

these are some of the Gurudwaras in texas

http://www.gurudwara.net/GurudwaraNET/Guru....aspx?SubID=280

There maybe some that aren't on the list

[Guest G.Kaur]

Gurdware in Texas

http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/gurudwaras/gu...-america-7.html

http://www.boss-uk.org/index.php?option=co...Itemid=55#texas