How Poor Are We?

[Azaad]

One day, the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, 'How was the

trip?'

'It was great, Dad.'

'Did you see how poor people live?' the father asked.

'Oh yeah,' said the son.

'So, tell me, what did you learn from the trip?' asked the father

The son answered:

'I saw that we have one dog and they had four.

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.

We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs.

We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.'

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, 'Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are.'

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing?

Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.

[AmarjitKaur]

Poor are the ones who need most

rich are the ones who need least.

But yet we don't stop from demanding new things, toys etc. etc. everyday.

[gurmzz]

wow! this was something I was thinkin abt for the past few days!!

thx for the post bro!

and I agree with AmarjitKaur

WJKK WJKF

[BhForce]

Great post! We should always give thanks to God for whatever he chooses to give us.

"Jithai tu rakhe bakhunt tithai"

Whereever you keep me, that is heaven for me.

[Papi]

kbIr kaufI kaufI joir kY jory lwK kroir ]

kabeer kouddee kouddee jor kai jorae laakh karor ||

Kabeer, the mortal gathers wealth, shell by shell, accumulating thousands and millions.

clqI bwr n kCu imilE leI lµgotI qoir ]144]

chalathee baar n kashh miliou lee la(n)gottee thor ||144||

But when the time of his departure comes, he takes nothing at all with him. He is even stripped of his loin-cloth. ||144||

Prof Sahib Singh Jee has given a slight different interpretation of in lµgotI qoir his teeka. He says that when a person dies, normally his body is cremated with clothes, the body is not naked when it's disposed off. So simply saying that lµgotI is stripped off does not make sense. He explains that In old times, people use to have a very thin long bag, which could only fit coins. This bag was kept hung from the lµgotI, so that it would be hard to steal. But when a person died, his own relatives would take the bag of money, leaving him with absolutely nothing.

==================================

qum@ dyvhu sBu ikCu dieAw Dwir hm AikrqGnwry ]

thumh dhaevahu sabh kishh dhaeiaa dhhaar ham akirathaghanaarae ||

You bless me with everything, showering me with Mercy; And I am such an ungrateful wretch!

lwig pry qyry dwn isau nh iciq Ksmwry ]3]

laag parae thaerae dhaan sio neh chith khasamaarae ||3||

I am attached to Your gifts, but I do not even think of You, O my Lord and Master. ||3||

[K. SINGH DEEP]

ਰੁਖੀ ਸੁਖੀ ਖਾਇ ਕੈ ਠੰਢਾ ਪਾਣੀ ਪੀਉ ॥

rukhee sukhee khaae kai thandtaa paanee peeo |

|Eat dry bread, and drink cold water.

ਫਰੀਦਾ ਦੇਖਿ ਪਰਾਈ ਚੋਪੜੀ ਨਾ ਤਰਸਾਏ ਜੀਉ ॥੨੯॥

fareedhaa dhaekh paraaee choparree naa tharasaaeae jeeo ||29||

Fareed, if you see someone else's buttered bread, do not envy him for it. ||29||

ਕਵਣੁ ਸੁ ਅਖਰੁ ਕਵਣੁ ਗੁਣੁ ਕਵਣੁ ਸੁ ਮਣੀਆ ਮੰਤੁ ॥

kavan s akhar kavan gun kavan s maneeaa manth ||

What is that word, what is that virtue, and what is that magic mantra?

ਕਵਣੁ ਸੁ ਵੇਸੋ ਹਉ ਕਰੀ ਜਿਤੁ ਵਸਿ ਆਵੈ ਕੰਤੁ ॥੧੨੬॥

kavan s vaeso ho karee jith vas aavai kanth ||126||

What are those clothes, which I can wear to captivate my Husband Lord? ||126||

ਨਿਵਣੁ ਸੁ ਅਖਰੁ ਖਵਣੁ ਗੁਣੁ ਜਿਹਬਾ ਮਣੀਆ ਮੰਤੁ ॥

nivan s akhar khavan gun jihabaa maneeaa manth ||

Humility is the word, forgiveness is the virtue, and sweet speech is the magic mantra.

ਏ ਤ੍ਰੈ ਭੈਣੇ ਵੇਸ ਕਰਿ ਤਾਂ ਵਸਿ ਆਵੀ ਕੰਤੁ ॥੧੨੭॥

eae thrai bhainae vaes kar thaan vas aavee kanth ||127||

Wear these three robes, O sister, and you will captivate your Husband Lord. ||127||

( Salok  Shaikh Farid ji )

Vaar 12 Pauri 4 Bhai Gurdas ji (Gurmukh is a detached one)

ਹਉ ਤਿਸੁ ਘੋਲਿ ਘੁਮਾਇਆ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਰਿਦੈ ਗਰੀਬੀ ਆਵੈ ।

hau tisu gholi ghumaaiaa guramati ridai gareebee aavai|

I love him deeply who cultivates humility through Gurmat, the wisdom of Guru.

 ਹਉ ਤਿਸੁ ਘੋਲਿ ਘੁਮਾਇਆ ਪਰ ਨਾਰੀ ਦੇ ਨੇੜਿ ਨ ਜਾਵੈ ।

hau tisu gholi ghumaaiaa par naaree day nayrhi n jaavai|

I love him deeply who does not go near another's wife.

  ਹਉ ਤਿਸੁ ਘੋਲਿ ਘੁਮਾਇਆ ਪਰ ਦਰਬੈ ਨੋ ਹਥੁ ਨ ਲਾਵੈ ।

hau tisu gholi ghumaaiaa par darabai no hadu n|aavai|

I love him deeply who touches not the other's wealth.

  ਹਉ ਤਿਸੁ ਘੋਲਿ ਘੁਮਾਇਆ ਪਰ ਨਿਦਾ ਸੁਣਿ ਆਪੁ ਹਟਾਵੈ ।

hau tisu gholi ghumaaiaa par nidaa suni aapu hataavai|

I love him deeply who becoming indifferent to the backbiting of

others detatches himself.

  ਹਉ ਤਿਸੁ ਘੋਲਿ ਘੁਮਾਇਆ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਦਾ ਉਪਦੇਸੁ ਕਮਾਵੈ ।

hau tisu gholi ghumaaiaa satigur daa upadaysu kamaavai|

I love him deeply who listening to the teaching of the true

Guru practices it in actual life.

  ਹਉ ਤਿਸੁ ਘੋਲਿ ਘੁਮਾਇਆ ਥੋੜਾ ਸਵੈ ਥੋੜੇ ਹੀ ਖਾਵੈ ।

hau tisu gholi ghumaaiaa dorhaa savai dorhay hee khaavai|

I love him deeply who sleeps little and eats little.

  ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸੋਈ ਸਹਜਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥੪॥

guramukhi soee sahaji samaavai ॥4॥

Such a gurmukh absorbs himself in the equipoise.

Vaar 29 Pauri 13  (Accept the will of the Lord in the holy congregation)

ਹਉਮੈ ਗਰਬੁ ਨਿਵਾਰੀਐ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਰਿਦੈ ਗਰੀਬੀ ਆਵੈ ।

haumai garabu nivaareeai guramukhi ridai gareebee aavai|

Repudiating pride and ego a gurmukh should be humble. 

 ਗਿਆਨ ਮਤੀ ਘਟਿ ਚਾਨਣਾ ਭਰਮ ਅਗਿਆਨੁ ਅੰਧੇਰੁ ਮਿਟਾਵੈ ।

giaan matee ghati chaananaa bharam agiaanu andhayru mitaavai|

With the light of knowledge in his mind he should dispel darkness

of ignorance and delusions. 

 ਹੋਇ ਨਿਮਾਣਾ ਢਹਿ ਪਵੈ ਦਰਗਹ ਮਾਣੁ ਨਿਮਾਣਾ ਪਾਵੈ ।

hoi nimaanaa ddhahi pavai daragah maanu nimaanaa paavai|

He should fall on the feet (of Lord) in humility because only the

humble are honoured in the court of the Lord. 

 ਖਸਮੈ ਸੋਈ ਭਾਂਵਦਾ ਖਸਮੈ ਦਾ ਜਿਸੁ ਭਾਣਾ ਭਾਵੈ ।

khasamai soee bhaanvadaa khasamai daa jisu bhaanaa bhaavai|

Master also loves that man who loves the will of the master. 

 ਭਾਣਾ ਮੰਨੈ ਮੰਨੀਐ ਆਪਣਾ ਭਾਣਾ ਆਪਿ ਮਨਾਵੈ ।

bhaanaa mannai manneeai aapanaa bhaanaa aapi manaavai|

One who accepts the will of God is accepted by one understands

that he is a guest in this world;

  ਦੁਨੀਆ ਵਿਚਿ ਪਰਾਹੁਣਾ ਦਾਵਾ ਛਡਿ ਰਹੈ ਲਾ ਦਾਵੈ ।

duneeaa vichi paraahunaa daavaa chhadi rahai|aa daavai|

that is why foregoing all claims, he lives without making

any claim for himself.

ਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿ ਮਿਲਿ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਕਮਾਵੈ ॥੧੩॥

saadhasangati mili hukami kamaavai ॥13॥

Being in the holy congregation, he acts in consonance with the commands of the Lord

Wahegru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh

[bazgrewal]

That is a very good way to look at things, If people all were more positive, the world would be a better place.

[K. SINGH DEEP]

Vaar 1 Pauri 24 BHAI Gurdas ji (First episode of Guru Nanak Dev ji)

ਪਹਿਲਾ ਬਾਬੇ ਪਾਯਾ ਬਖਸੁ ਦਰਿ ਪਿਛੋਦੇ ਫਿਰਿ ਘਾਲਿ ਕਮਾਈ ।

Pahilaa baabay paayaa bakhasu dari pichhoday dhiri ghaali kamaaee|

First of all Baba Nanak obtained the gate of the grace (of Lord)

and then He underwent and earned the rigorous discipline( of heart and mind).

ਰੇਤੁ ਅੱਕੁ ਆਹਾਰੁ ਕਰਿ ਰੋੜਾ ਕੀ ਗੁਰ ਕੀਅ ਵਿਛਾਈ ।

Raitu aku aahaaru kari rorhaa kee gur keea vichhaaee|

He fed himself with sand and swallow-wort and made stones his bedding

i.e. he enjoyed poverty too.

ਭਾਰੀ ਕਰੀ ਤਪਸਿਆ ਵਡੇ ਭਾਗਿ ਹਰਿ ਸਿਉ ਬਣਿ ਆਈ ।

Bhaaree karee tapasiaa vaday bhaagi hari siu bani aaee|

He offered hid full devotion and then he was fortunate to have proximity with God.

ਬਾਬਾ ਪੈਧਾ ਸਚਿ ਖੰਡਿ ਨਉ ਨਿਧਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਗਰੀਬੀ ਪਾਈ ।

Babaa paidhaa sachi khandi nau nidhi naamu gareebee paaee|

Baba reached the region of truth wherefrom he received Nam,

the storehouse of nine treasures and humility.

ਬਾਬਾ ਦੇਖੈ ਧਿਆਨੁ ਧਰਿ ਜਲਤੀ ਸਭਿ ਪ੍ਰਿਥਵੀ ਦਿਸਿ ਆਈ ।

Baabaa daykhai dhiaanu dhari jalatee sabhi pridavee disi aaee|

In his meditation, Baba found the whole earth burning (with the fire

of lust and anger).

ਬਾਝੁ ਗੁਰੂ ਗੁਬਾਰੁ ਹੈ ਹੈ ਹੈ ਕਰਦੀ ਸੁਣੀ ਲੁਕਾਈ ।

Baajhu guroo gubaaru hai hai hai karadee sunee|ukaaee|

Without Guru there is utter darkness and he heard the cries of the common men.

ਬਾਬੇ ਭੇਖ ਬਣਾਇਆ ਉਦਾਸੀ ਕੀ ਰੀਤਿ ਚਲਾਈ ।

Baabay bhaykh banaaiaa udaasee kee reeti chalaaee|

To further understand the people, Guru Nanak donned robes in their manner

and preached them to be detached (from the pleasure and pain).

ਚੜ੍ਹਿਆ ਸੋਧਣਿ ਧਰਤਿ ਲੁਕਾਈ ॥੨੪॥

CharhhiYa sodhani dharati|ukaaee ॥24॥

Thus he went out to depurate humanity on earth.

[Azaad]

Waheguru....