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Gurbani Tika/katha


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I have recently had my understanding of a section of Gurbani changed as a result of listening to the context in Katha. Context makes a big difference.

My question is- what is the definite literary source of Tika's and Katha's and contexts behind Gurbani. Unlike other religions, Sikhism doesn't really have churches or monestaries where the sole purpose of people is to become experts and pass on this priestly knowledge from one to another; Granthis and jathedars are not pandits, archbishops or monks (who have to undertake years of religious study and training).

Is it purely based on third-party (Not by Gurus) writings and scholarly research that people have done mostly after the Gurus time? If so how can one be certain of the stories they tell about contexts or rely on the conclusions they have reached?

If it is based on word of mouth, what would happen after thousands of years, as has happend with Christianity where there are different stories in different Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John etc, some differing greatly).

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Point taken about schools (although I still stand by the point that a granthi is not commonly a religious scholar), but what about the contexts. I'm not aware of Guruji or Akal Takht approving of any specific piece of literature or source being the comprehensive and undistorted Gurbani Tika guide.

Sikhism today already has schools of thought. There are disagreements on meanings. There are conflicting stories and contexts.

This surely is a fundamentally important aspect of Sikhi- if so much of the understanding depends on varying viewpoints, which can change as and when society changes and things get distorted, then the message of Guruji will get lost.

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A reliable source of understanding gurbani is by listening to a mahapurakh brahmgiani's katha :biggrin2:

If it is based on word of mouth, what would happen after thousands of years, as has happend with Christianity where there are different stories in different Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John etc, some differing greatly).

Brahmgianis and mahapurakhs will always be on earth

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A reliable source of understanding gurbani is by listening to a mahapurakh brahmgiani's katha :biggrin2:

Brahmgianis and mahapurakhs will always be on earth

Thanks for the suggestion HKaur ji. How reliable is the katha, what is the literary basis of it? Has he any studied reference material of Guruji's personal diaries or has he studied himself and reached a conclusion?

Admittedly there will always be enlightened individuals including (self-proclaimed) 'Sat' Gurus who make use of Gurbani, but they may not express their understanding quite like Nanak ji did or intended. I shudder at the idea that future generations may have to sit in Deras for satsangs because of lack of a rigid scholarly body in Sikhi.....

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Thanks for the suggestion HKaur ji. How reliable is the katha, what is the literary basis of it? Has he any studied reference material of Guruji's personal diaries or has he studied himself and reached a conclusion?

Admittedly there will always be enlightened individuals including (self-proclaimed) 'Sat' Gurus who make use of Gurbani, but they may not express their understanding quite like Nanak ji did or intended. I shudder at the idea that future generations may have to sit in Deras for satsangs because of lack of a rigid scholarly body in Sikhi.....

Dalsingh101 ji has described this in a very well manner.

I am not very experienced to answer in depth. But it all depends on sharada. None of the spiritually enlightened Mahapurkhs will claim to be "Sat" Gurus.

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There are lines of enlightened teachers that come from the time of the Gurus. These lines are called sampradas and knowledge of Sikh dharm has been passed along orally in these unbroken chains up to the present day. I have read that there was very little variation in the amrit sanchar between groups, this shows the value of orally transmitted knowledge. In fact, orally transmitted knowledge has sufficient reliability that native groups in canada are able to use it in courts to establish land claims! There are also written sources of knowledge. For example, the damdami taksal claims to have access to a handwritten gutka sahib, written by shaheed bhai mani singh ji, as well as his handwritten pothi on rahit maryada. For the sake of preservation they don't disclose the location, but I am aware that sants of other sampradas (Sant Jagjit Singh Harkhowal) know about these and am hopeful that one day they will be disclosed to the panth.

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For arths (meanings) of Gurbani daas would highly recommend Prof Sahib Singh ji's steek which is available on srigranth.org and http://www.gurugranthdarpan.com/

No one can claim to do perfect arth's of Gurbani. Also as we progress in spirituality we will understand Gurbani more. As well as reading arths from various scholars it also important to increase our avastha (spiritual state) by engaging in Paath, Naam Simran and keeping Rehit, Amritvela.

As we go further in spirituality we get more anand and rass from Gurbani and a better understanding.

Another teeka which is good but not readily available is by Giani Harbans Singh ji Nirnaikaar, however this not yet available on-line. Also one can listen to Giani's from Sampradayak background on Gurmatveechar such as Giani Gurbachan Singh ji Bhindranwale.

Rabb Rakhe

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Agami Gurbani speaks to every human consciousness at different stage or avastha. Hence rightly so, no sampardaie teekakar claim that their arths of gurbani are sampooran(complete). Claiming to have full interpretation of agami gurbani is like individual claiming that they have found end of nirgun chaitan bhram Vahiguroo..!!..All though bhramgyani interpretation of gurbani is pretty much gives you tat gyan of gurbani but they themselves don't claim- this is it as their own consciousness is experiencing Agami Gurbani in its own unique and diverse way as there are many endless aspects (eg-sargun nirgun) of Vahiguroo.!!

It's usually bhramgyani over zealous chelas who misses the big picture or plot and confine themselves to their mahapursh or bhramgyani interpretation of gurbani which is also somewhat an road block in one's spiritual growth, the real message of bhramgyani to an student is to focus on message or work towards your own spirituality to actually experience gurbani yourself rather than typically imitating the teacher. No bhramgyani or sampardaaie teekakar will claim, follow my teeka. They have made attempts to present agami gurbani in most profound manner but at the end, all their work- teeka, interpretation etc along with themselves looses themselves in Agami Gurbani..!!

There is nothing wrong with using teekas to help us understand gurbani but the real profound experience of gurbani comes from nirgun paratma via one own's spiritual growth in stages...defining agami gurbani exactly in its pure original total form is like defining Nirgun all prevading Vahiguroo which our own guru sahiban didn't put any defining limit or end to it !!..

At the end, one must come to terms and all bhramgyanis naturally have that its not about defining gurbani so much so in teeka or steek form but rather loosing your self in agami Gurbani and becoming part of ~~ IK ONGKAR ~~..!!!!!!!!!

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