Santhya coarse!

[Deep Singh]

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa Waheguru ji ki Fateh!

SANTHYA COURSE

Cyber Sangat Jio,

I was just wondering if anyone here has taken Santhya, from Taksal or any other group?

Could you please share you experiences, and tell us what you learnt there.

From what i have heard Santhya is basic Giani course where the Vidyarthi are thaught how to read proper Gurbani ('Shudh Ucharan'). Some basic grammar of Gurbani ('Vyakaran') and also meanings of Bani, such as Japji Sahib and Nitneem Banian are also given.

I haven't taken Santhya, so that is why i am asking...

So please tell me what specific subjects/areas you were taught. Do you feel that after taking Santhya you are able to understand Gurbani properly, and can you pronounce Gurbani correctly?

Thanks a lot people!

:wub:

[ms514]

Sat Sri Akal:

I don't know nuttin...but I have been told that in the Damdami Taksal, before studying the Guru Granth Sahib Ji, the Vaaran Bhai Gurdas Sahib are taught.

Someone want to confirm/deny?

[Gupat Singhni]

That may be true because Bhai gurdas Ji's vaar's are known as the key to gurbani..

[Son of Guru Gobind Singh Ji]

Bhai Gurdas Ji's vaars are one of the many religious/historical texts that you have to read before taking santhea of Guru Granth Sahib Ji at Mehta. There are others like bai vaara, Punj Granthi, Das Granthi, Bhagat Bani that you are required to understand properly before u can move on and you also have to read historical hindu scriptures like Hanumaal 'Chalisa'(?) for better understanding of Sanskrit and other ancient languages.

[AK-47]

Taking santia is truelly amazing, when we normally go gurdwara sahib and listen to the gurbani its usually read quite fast and we cant usually make out every shabad. Same can also often apply whilst doing our personal nitnem.

But during santia you obviously have to read the gurbani very slowly and correctly, and the anand from this is beyond words!! Suddenly it just seems like the shabads become more easier to understand, and much more like a conversation with your guru as oppossed to just rushing through the path.

The more you do the easier it gets, also the more you understand, our teacher would also explain a lot of the shabads i.e. what they mean what context etc.

But BEWARE its shocking just had badly some of us read our gurbani!! I was amazed at how many mistakes i was making!! Example is the 'h' when its at the end of a word it still needs to be said and empahasised, when i started the 'h' was largely non-existant! And sometimes you feel like a right <banned word filter activated> when you just cant prounounce the shabad, ur saying it in your head, but seems like tongue just cant twist around it! but try try and try again!!

[Deep Singh]

wow! thanks for the reply AK-47 ji and SoGGSj :wub:

So SoGGSj Ji, before Santhya we need to fully understand:

- Bhai Gurdas Ji's Varaan

- 22 Varan from Sri Guru Granth Sahib

- Bhagat Bani

- Gutkas such as, with various Banis: Panj Granthi, Das Granthi etc

and for Sanskrit one has to read 'Sri Hanuman Chalisa'. Its translation is available here: http://www.hanuman.com/cha.html

I just found out that Sri Hanuman Chalisa is in Brij Bhasha. I read parts of it and it sounds like the langauge Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji used. The langauge is partly understandable if someone knows Hindi.

- Bhajis, also are there any limits for how long a Santhya course should be, or does it vary according to local Gurdwara practices?

- If someone wants to understand Gurbani, how long time will it take? Ofcourse it depends upon the willingness to learn and devotion etc, but still is there any "course" the way they have @ colleges, like 1 year/3 year courses. now i am feeling this is a stupid question... :D

Again, thanks guys. wonderful...

Dhan Dhan Sangat!

[gyani]

vwihgurU jI kw Kwlsw!

vwihgurU jI kI &iqh!!

Gurbani is the single MOST important thing in a Sikh's life...yet most of us take it easy. We often spend years and years at studying for our profession/university etc but "dont have time" for Gurbani - the one thing that is going to serve us here and take us by the finger through the other.

Gurbani through Santhiya just means that some one more knowledgeable takes you through its meanings, pronounciations, nuances, proper stops called bisrams, its unique grammar, spellings etc. The teacher will have to be very widely read in so many subjects covered in Gurbani.

The Bai Vaaran, Punj Granthi, mentioned by one reader above are the 22 varaan in Guuru Granth Sahib Jee collected into one book, the Punj Granthi is a collection of a few Special Banis that set us off on course. Bhai gurdass varaan and swaiyas are important because Bhai Gurdass uses words spelled according to PUNJABI LITERATURE ( with bindis, adhak etc )...and the SAME WORDS are used in Gurbani according to GURBANI GRAMMAR ( without bindis, adhak etc). Guuru Ji wrote GURBANI according to the Grammar of GURU GRANTH JI precisely to keep GURBANI "unique"...otherwise what is there to keep Gurbani separate from ordinary Punjabi literature ?? Already I hear many saying: What is so difficult about Guur Granth sahib Da Paath.... the SAME oora airra are used in Guru Granth Ji and the same oora airra i studied in Standard One Punjabi School...so whats so "difficult". And in their gross ignorance they go on and start joining

the letters and they think gurbani paath is done.

Thus that is why the Bhai gurdass Varaan are said to be KUNJI - the key that opens the lock. The KUNJI tells you how a certain word needs to be Pronounced, when you come across the same word in Gurbani.

A Shudh Gurbani Paath should always be learnt on a LARIDAAR SROOP - where the words are in one continuous loop. THAT will certainly keep you on your toes.....and the proper bisraams will stick in your brain. The Pad chhed bir makes things a bit too easy and then people also take it easy...and easy people make for lazy people...and we all know alzy student is not the best student or best sikh.

Jarnail Singh :e:

[Deep Singh]

Welcome to the board Gyani Jarnail Singh Ji!

thanks for your words.

[AK-47]

I believe to understand and remember each ang of maharajh it is advised that it is read 10 times, so for example in ur santia class you might read 10 ang's.... then when you go home you re-read the same 10 ang's 10 times each in order to 'pakah' strengthen your memory regarding where the visrams etc go.

Then the next day you learn 10 more.. then re-read them again 10 times each!

Thats what i believe the ideal method is... obviously you can imagine the spiritual benefit this would lead to!! Reading 100 ang of gurbani every day!!!

For the gurmukhs who are able to do that, there really are few words that can praise their dedication.

This might take a year to complete in this way.. approx

But then most people will get santia done again maybe 3 or 4 times even just in order to make sure that they are not making any mistakes... some people keep taking santia as it allows them to read more gurbani slowly and at peace! I know bibian and singhs at local gurdwara sahib do this.. just keep reading and reading!

True what singh said about learning how to read larivar gurbani too, but for many of us reading gurbani is hard enough as it is, but with guru ji's kirpa one day one hopes that we will get the chance to read larivar gurbani too!

Ooo and then dasam granth di bani as well, that is also meant to be very 'menghi' to learn!

[rKr]

Veer AK-47 ji,

just touching up on what you said, about reciting the same ang 10 times..

I was told that Sant Jarnail Singh ji Khalsa bhindranwale used to recite the same one ang of Maharaj all day, just the one ang for the entire day. And every time they would recite the same ang, the conversation they had with Guru Sahib was different. So amazed was I at the power of this...

Such gurmuks in this world...