A Matter Of Interpretation

[Guest Anand]

Quote from a poster on here replying about somebody keeping their Kesh :

Quote

"Once a Singh with possibly the longest beard ever at Guru Gobind Singh Ji's darbar Sahib was called over by Guru Ji. The Singh walked towards Guru Ji and Guru Ji hugged the Singh Sahib and put him to his chest and sat him on his lap. So much satkaar for the Kes! The next day, the same Singh came to Darbar Sahib and Guru Ji told all his Singhs to beat up that Singh. They beat up the Singh badly until Guru Ji commanded stop. Then that Singh came to Guru Gobind Singh Ji and said I do not understand, one day you hug me and make me sit in your lap and the other day ou get everyone to beat me up. What happened was, the night before, the Singh went home and looked at his beautiful beard Sahib, he saw one grey hair and pulled it out. For that reason he was given such a thrashing the next day. Daas believes there is no need to explain further as anybody can understand the meaning of this occurance."

Unquote

This troubles me. I see the harsh moral of the story.........but the poster's description of Guru Ji's actions seem very Un-Guru like to me.

Having recently watched 'Chaar Sahibzade' with my family I cannot understand why Guru Ji would do this. The Sikh in the story with the long beard may have been ignorant or vain, but to put his point across the Guru actions a beating?

No.

If I had done something wrong and stood before the Guru, his admonishing words alone would make me fall to my knees and beg forgiveness and I would never forget the lesson that -

a) I had done something wrong

b) I had displeased my Guru - which above all would be heavy on my heart.

I perceive our Guru Ji's to be loving, wise, powerful and selfless. This story began long ago, it may be over time that its changed or has been interpreted differently.

[jkvlondon]

Quote from a poster on here replying about somebody keeping their Kesh :

Quote

"Once a Singh with possibly the longest beard ever at Guru Gobind Singh Ji's darbar Sahib was called over by Guru Ji. The Singh walked towards Guru Ji and Guru Ji hugged the Singh Sahib and put him to his chest and sat him on his lap. So much satkaar for the Kes! The next day, the same Singh came to Darbar Sahib and Guru Ji told all his Singhs to beat up that Singh. They beat up the Singh badly until Guru Ji commanded stop. Then that Singh came to Guru Gobind Singh Ji and said I do not understand, one day you hug me and make me sit in your lap and the other day ou get everyone to beat me up. What happened was, the night before, the Singh went home and looked at his beautiful beard Sahib, he saw one grey hair and pulled it out. For that reason he was given such a thrashing the next day. Daas believes there is no need to explain further as anybody can understand the meaning of this occurance."

Unquote

This troubles me. I see the harsh moral of the story.........but the poster's description of Guru Ji's actions seem very Un-Guru like to me.

Having recently watched 'Chaar Sahibzade' with my family I cannot understand why Guru Ji would do this. The Sikh in the story with the long beard may have been ignorant or vain, but to put his point across the Guru actions a beating?

No.

If I had done something wrong and stood before the Guru, his admonishing words alone would make me fall to my knees and beg forgiveness and I would never forget the lesson that -

a) I had done something wrong

b) I had displeased my Guru - which above all would be heavy on my heart.

I perceive our Guru Ji's to be loving, wise, powerful and selfless. This story began long ago, it may be over time that its changed or has been interpreted differently.

veer ji,

I would never believe that Guru ji would kill the masands by the method he used, because my eyes sees his sant roop, but the heart knows that his Sipahi roop would give no quarter to those who steals from garib di mu -golak i.e. oppressors and adharmi lok . This SIngh stopped being Guru's sikh by removing his hair even just one i.e. bujjhar kurehit hogea . "Rehit piare mujh ko, Sikh piara nahin."... khalsa is the highest standard for a sikh for a reason so you never become bemukh.

[Guest Anand]

Hanji.

On reflection, perhaps I need to look at it from a different perspective.

Guru Ji introduced the highest standard to his Sikhs. One of them being keeping your hair. An absolute. Therefore by removing just a single hair - he broke the discipline. Did the Singhs in the company beat this man on the Gurus orders - absolutely and without question because what the Guru says is absolute.

Still it's harsh treatment, knowing that if you break a discipline you will get a beating - bit like a parent to a child.

I'd prefer to believe that the Guru's words were more harsher than any physical pain this man would have endured.

To not to do something out of knowing it's the correct thing to do (via the Lord's teaching through our Gurus)

VS

To not to do something out of fear of punishment.

I need to read up some more. I've got this idea of our Gurus in my mind - words like love, wisdom, sacrifice, truth, fearless represent them. Administering a beating for ignorance or stupidity makes me feel uneasy.

[Not2Cool2Argue]

The version of story I heard was that Guru Ji on the first day stood up and said fateh to him ( Singh with beard). And made him sit next to Guruji. And Sikh got ahankari and thought out of all Sikhs Guruji stood up for me. And again he will make me sit next to him in front of all. So he preened himself in front of a mirror and noticing a white hair pulled it out. Thinking I must look my best. Next day in darbar, He said Fateh Guruji ignored him. And when he went to meet guruji afterwards, Guruji turned their back. He asked bewildered Guruji why am I being treated this way? Guruji with tears applied you have destroyed my heera ( diamond) and r nor my Sikh. He said no please I don't understand. U give me no heera. Then guru Ji said think yesterday, when u pulled out the white hair. Did u not feel my pain. The Sikh was ashamed and repentful. Guruji forgave him and gave updesh about importance of all hair to the Guru.