Panthic Ekta

[singhgsingh]

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥

Ekta-Unity in the Panth

http://gurmatbodh.bl...12/01/ekta.html

One thing that is lacking in the Panth today is Ekta, or unity amongst Gursikhs. In my opinion Ekta is when you accept another Gursikh’s opinions on certain controversial issues and don’t let it get between your Gursikhi Prem. There are many stories that I have heard of Gursikhs from the Damdami Taksal and Akhand Keertani Jatha, and how much prem they had for each other. Over the past 30-40 years these two Jathebandis have given the most for the Panth. On Vasakhi 1978 it was these two Jathebandis that spoke out against the Nakli Nirankaris, who were disrespecting the Sikh Gurus. Sant Kartar Singh in the early 70’s held protests and nagar keertans against the Nirankaris. Then in 1978 under Sant Jarnail Singh the Taksal and the AKJ under Bhai Fauja Singh peacefully protested against them. Everyone knows the story of what happened next and the 13 Singhs that gave their life protecting the honour of their Guru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee. More can be read here: Vaisakhi 1978 and here: Vaisakhi 1978These two jathebandis stood shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand against Beadbi of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee.

One of the first stories I heard was the amount of love Sant Gurbachan Singh Jee and Bhai Sahib Bhai Randhir Singh Jee had for each other. These two Brahmgiani Gursikhs who had a few different opinions on some issues, yet there Rehat and Maryada was virtually the same. Sant Gurbachan Singh’s love and respect for Bhai Sahib is clear in a poem they wrote about Bhai Sahib:

ਦਿੱਹਲੀ ਮੇ ਰਕਾਬ ਗੰਜ ਕੰਧ ਢਾਹੀ ਫਿਰੰਗੀ, ਸਿੰਘ ਸਾਵਧਾਨ ਜਾਗੇ ਸੀਸਾਂ ਤਾਈਂ ਲਾਵਨੇ ।

ਭਾਈ ਰਣਧੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਸੀਸ ਦੇਣ ਆਪ ਗਏ, ਕੰਧ ਉਸਰਾਲੀ ਫੇਰ ਮੋਨੀ ਘਬਰਾਵਨੇ ।

ਸੰਤ ਰਣਧੀਰ ਸਿੰਘ ਨਾਮੁ ਲਿਵਲਾਈ ਜਿਨਾਂ, ਕੀਰਤਨ ਅਖੰਡ ਕਰੈ ਮਨ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਾਵਨੇ ।

ਸਤਰਾਂ ਸਾਲ ਜੇਲ ਕਟੀ ਸਰਬ ਲੋਹ ਬੀਚ ਛਕੈ, ਧੰਨ ਗੁਰੂ ਪਿਆਰੇ ਮਨ ਤਨ ਰੰਗ ਗਾਵਨੇ ।।੭੭ ।।

The amount of respect and love Sant Jee had for Bhai Sahib is clear in this poem. Calling Bhai Sahib a Sant, writing about the sacrifices Bhai Sahib made and still kept Sarbloh Bibek. Dhan Guroo Ke Pyare.

Another time, Bhai Joginder Singh Jee (Talwara) invited Sant Gurbachan Singh Jee to their house for an Akhaand Paat Sahib, Talwara Jee told Sant Jee the Bhog would be after Mundavnee and Raagmala would not be read. Still Sant Gurbachan Singh Jee came and did Katha after the Bhog. Gursikhs like Sant Gurbachan Singh didn`t care when Bhog was, as long as it was one with piaar. They knew that those that do not believe in Raag mala only do not believe in it because of their piaar for Guru Jee. Today we see Sikhs getting into physical fights over these issues.

Another story that comes to mind is the amount of Love Sant Kartar Singh had for Bhai Jeevan Singh and the other Jatha Singhs at the time. Whenever Bhai Jeevan Singh Jee came to Mehta for Rainsbhai Keertans Sant Kartar Singh would spread his Hazooria on the ground and get Bhai Sahib to sit on it and then would serve Bhai Sahib langar.

Master Niranjan Singh a Keertani from the Akhand Keertani Jatha says in a video recording that every year the Jatha used to go to Mehta, the headquarters of the Damdami Taksal to the Barsi Smagam of Sant Gurbachan Singh Jee, they would do Keertan and other seva. The Taksali Singhs would show a lot of love and one could not differentiate between who was a Taksali Singh and who was a Jatha Singh. The Taksali Singhs never once brought up the issue of Raagmala. Sant Kartar Singh used to organize Nagar Keertans and the Jatha used to go to them to do Keertan. The Taksal owned a car, and Sant Kartar Singh used to make the Jatha Singhs sit on top of the car, rather than walk. So much love between these Gursikhs.

During the 1980s when Sant Jarnail Singh was the Head of the Taksal, the Taksal was invited by the Jatha to an Akhaand Paat Sahib, so Sant Jarnail Singh and some of the Taksali singhs went to the Bhog. When the Bhog was done at Mundavnee one of the Taksali Singhs shouted out,”Oh aren’t you going to read Raag Mala?” Sant Jarnail Singh took this Singh outside and slapped him, and told him “Everything was going so peacefully, so much Anand, why did you ruin that Anand by shouting that out!”

This was the love Gursikhs had for each other. We should all aspire to create this ekta in the Panth!

[garch]

If any thread deserves pinning its this one

[KARKOOSINGH23]

khalsa ji , do u no any more gursikhs like Bhai Anmokh Singh Babbar and Bhai Fauja Singh Ji , like how Bhai Anmokh Singh Ji got tortured and was reciting Rehraas Sahibin after or like Bhai Fauja Singh Ji , how he got pierced with many bullets and was still chanting WAHEGURU . thank you

[UKLondonSikh]

Paji the way for us youth to practically achieve Panthic Ekta ... is by focussing on those issues upon which there is unanimous agreement (rather than expending too much negative energy on those issues which we as brothers+sisters within ik Panth might disagree a bit on) ... a few that readily that spring to mind are:

Gareeb'ah di Seva (regardless of their religion)

Ensuring Education for all + at least basic knowledge of the spiritual precepts of Sikhi

Tackling the drugs(+alcohol) menace in Punjab (note outside of Punjab this would come under gareeba di seva)

Tackling Female Infanticide if we want to even call ourselves Sikh (let alone GurSikh)

Eradicating Jaath-Paath-Biraderi etc as Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaj wanted us to in 1699

If there's anybody who disagrees even with the above minimalistic Ekta platform then it would be interesting to know what they would delete from the above agenda and why (and how they would justify that according to what Maharaj teaches).