Humility And Standing Up For Oppression/hurtful Behavior

[Guest Confused]

I am confused regarding the concepts of humility and standing up for injustice/oppression.

Guru Arjan Dev Ji states, "Know that God dwells in all souls, And so become as the dust of the feet of all."

Does it mean that we should be the dust of even those who hurt/oppress us? Because even those have God in their souls.

But then Guru Gobind Singh Ji taught us to fight/standup against those individuals, who hurt/oppress us.

I've been having a tough time with a family member(in law), who's been very hurtful/rude toward me. My approach has been to take distance from that person, as talking/communicating regarding their behavior has been in vain. Taking a distance is sort of my self-defense against their behavior. But then another family member (spouse) continues to pressure me to just tolerate the rude behavior and even to live in the same household with in law. Of course, it's creating a conflict in the marriage. Trying to remain humble, read Gurbaani/naam and seeing God in souls, who even harm us. But it's creating conflict in my mind that I am not following our 10th Guru's hukam if I continue to expose my soul to this undue hurtful/rude/oppressive behavior.

I am just confused. Please guide.

[N30S1NGH]

Only way to reconcile those statements of gurbani together is to contemplate on them in quiet meditation and look at them cognitively -away from conditioned mind. Gurbani is giving tat(essence) updesh of ( "Know that God dwells in all souls, And so become as the dust of the feet of all.") to us.

That has to be realized which is exist in all or atleast felt first which is totally unconditioned/unmanifested potential - jot (aware non dual being) in all because when that is realized and felt - life becomes effortless, all the spontaneous right action (pure righteous action against injustice -dya/dharam/ himmat/mokham/sahib, sat, santokh, bir ras without personality/self ego) flows directly from the source without ego trying to figure out how to respond to fight/stand up against individuals / oppression or ego try to assert itself when responding- diluted with its own vested interest.

I see absolutely no conflicts in above gurbani statements. Connect to the source one soul in all once ego is removed even temporary phases out witness it simply out - how spontaneous right actions - pure jot(awake awareness) functions operates right from your center or core being- there wont be interpretations of that state i can give you- just pure action flowing lucid spontaneous effortlessly flow- whole infinite ocean will flow from for at any required time or circumstances..!!!..All you have to be be aware of aware being -abide in your true being to connect to shabad life force current that sustaining, creating, changing world.

[harsharan000]

I am confused regarding the concepts of humility and standing up for injustice/oppression.

Guru Arjan Dev Ji states, "Know that God dwells in all souls, And so become as the dust of the feet of all."

Does it mean that we should be the dust of even those who hurt/oppress us? Because even those have God in their souls.

But then Guru Gobind Singh Ji taught us to fight/standup against those individuals, who hurt/oppress us.

Confused jee,

we have to be humble in the sense, that with fat ego in our minds we can never ever enter His darbar.

We should never ever feel we are higher or superior to anybody. Because the moment ego, haume, ahankar, firmly places itself in us, we are prone to the adverse effects of all the vikars.

Then too, if we are not humble, we can never ever do His bhakti. For, the purpose of doing His Bhakti, and the aim of our lives, is to dissolve our haume, become mindless, and then only, become one with Him.

But being humble, does not mean to be dumb. If we see unjustice, we have to fight it in which ever way we think it fit, with a sound mind.

For example, the hindu avtars, all came to settle dharam on earth, and wipe away the evil ones, like Ravan, Kansa, Harnakash ...etc.

So you see, we are not Gandhis´, who if slapped put his other cheek.

If anybody slaps us, in return we should slap him as many times as needed, to make that person understand, that one can not go in the world just like that, abusing all left and right ....

I am not promoting violence, but, self defense can not be ignored in any cases. This is comon sense, and it has nothing against being humble

We have to live with dignity, and be able to look into our own eyes face to face, with a feeling of satisfaction and serenity ....

Sat Sree akal.

[Guest Jacfsing2]

I am confused regarding the concepts of humility and standing up for injustice/oppression.

Guru Arjan Dev Ji states, "Know that God dwells in all souls, And so become as the dust of the feet of all."

Does it mean that we should be the dust of even those who hurt/oppress us? Because even those have God in their souls.

But then Guru Gobind Singh Ji taught us to fight/standup against those individuals, who hurt/oppress us.

I've been having a tough time with a family member(in law), who's been very hurtful/rude toward me. My approach has been to take distance from that person, as talking/communicating regarding their behavior has been in vain. Taking a distance is sort of my self-defense against their behavior. But then another family member (spouse) continues to pressure me to just tolerate the rude behavior and even to live in the same household with in law. Of course, it's creating a conflict in the marriage. Trying to remain humble, read Gurbaani/naam and seeing God in souls, who even harm us. But it's creating conflict in my mind that I am not following our 10th Guru's hukam if I continue to expose my soul to this undue hurtful/rude/oppressive behavior.

I am just confused. Please guide.

Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh! There is a difference between fighting for tyranny and fighting against tyranny, fighting for righteousness and fighting to cause pain, and fighting for the Guru and fighting against the Guru. Both ideas are not contradictory statements, but rather 2 separate concepts. One is saying Vaheguru is omnipresent and the other is saying stand-up for what is right. Don't cause the fight, but don't be cowardly not to fight back if need be, (personally I don't know if you even bothered a peaceful situation, as Guru Sahib said fighting was the LAST RESORT) Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

[sikhni777]

The lines below from sukhmani sahib SGGS Ang 282 have a message which might answer your question.

ਮਨ ਮੂਰਖ ਕਾਹੇ ਬਿਲਲਾਈਐ ॥

मन मूरख काहे बिललाईऐ ॥

Man mūrakẖ kāhe billā▫ī▫ai.

O foolish mind, why do you cry and bewail?

ਪੁਰਬ ਲਿਖੇ ਕਾ ਲਿਖਿਆ ਪਾਈਐ ॥

पुरब लिखे का लिखिआ पाईऐ ॥

Purab likẖe kā likẖi▫ā pā▫ī▫ai.

You shall obtain your pre-ordained destiny.

ਦੂਖ ਸੂਖ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਦੇਵਨਹਾਰੁ ॥

दूख सूख प्रभ देवनहारु ॥

Ḏūkẖ sūkẖ parabẖ ḏevanhār.

God is the Giver of pain and pleasure.

ਅਵਰ ਤਿਆਗਿ ਤੂ ਤਿਸਹਿ ਚਿਤਾਰੁ ॥

अवर तिआगि तू तिसहि चितारु ॥

Avar ṯi▫āg ṯū ṯisėh cẖiṯār.

Abandon others, and think of Him alone.

ਜੋ ਕਛੁ ਕਰੈ ਸੋਈ ਸੁਖੁ ਮਾਨੁ ॥

जो कछु करै सोई सुखु मानु ॥

Jo kacẖẖ karai so▫ī sukẖ mān.

Whatever He does - take comfort in that.

ਭੂਲਾ ਕਾਹੇ ਫਿਰਹਿ ਅਜਾਨ ॥

भूला काहे फिरहि अजान ॥

Bẖūlā kāhe firėh ajān.

Why do you wander around, you ignorant fool?

ਕਉਨ ਬਸਤੁ ਆਈ ਤੇਰੈ ਸੰਗ ॥

कउन बसतु आई तेरै संग ॥

Ka▫un basaṯ ā▫ī ṯerai sang.

What things did you bring with you?

ਲਪਟਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਰਸਿ ਲੋਭੀ ਪਤੰਗ ॥

लपटि रहिओ रसि लोभी पतंग ॥

Lapat rahi▫o ras lobẖī paṯang.

You cling to worldly pleasures like a greedy moth.

ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਜਪਿ ਹਿਰਦੇ ਮਾਹਿ ॥

राम नाम जपि हिरदे माहि ॥

Rām nām jap hirḏe māhi.

Dwell upon the Lord's Name in your heart.

ਨਾਨਕ ਪਤਿ ਸੇਤੀ ਘਰਿ ਜਾਹਿ ॥੪॥

नानक पति सेती घरि जाहि ॥४॥

Nānak paṯ seṯī gẖar jāhi. ||4||

O Nanak, thus you shall return to your home with honor. ||4||

[sikhni777]

The best way to understand evil, is by taking an example of the Bible explanations.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+13&version=ERV

These simply explain the difference between evil and good. The outcome of being good, doing good and thinking good is peace and heavenly reward. The evil begets punishment. When you join hands with evil then you get classified as evil. You can beat evil by forgiveness. Evil is punished by God.

However when the evil does come in way of preventing you from performing your religious duties and gets out of hand, then you may draw your sword as the puratan Sikhs did and saved their honour and their younger generations too from the tyranny of muslim rule. (This rule was full of evil)

In order to fight this sort of evil you need greater power which comes in the form of amrit from God.

Evil in our homes however falls into a lesser category of evil which is not exactly evil at time but is just misunderstandings and conflicts. Members of families fall out at times and then after some years they make up and become best of buddies. Finding a viable way to communicate to the family member might be useful. However when tempers fly and negative feelings take over, then there is no harm in leaving the matter aside until a time when you feel you can handle it better.

Guru Arjun Dev Ji had a time when he was being oppressed by one of his own family members who were taking all the rations supplied by the sangat. Guru Ji never complained but ate whatever was available. Developing the virtues of patience and humility takes courage and effort too. If in our minds we focus too much on the wrongs which others have committed against us, there would be no end.

We are not forgiven either for our wrongs - which are not being able to perform Naam jap nearly all the time. This is why we suffer from tati vao when we are not engaged in simran.

There were times when the sword was drawn by Guru Gobind Singh Ji and Guru Har Gobind Singh Ji but there was also great suffering born by both Guru Arjun Dev Ji on the tati tavi. Gods hukam here was supreme as well as the choice and decision of when to use peace and when to suffer. Naam provides great comfort to help us deal with the hardest situations in life.

All tyrants were paid back in full for all their bad deeds. Therefore the choice is up to us as to which seed we wish to plant at this time. We will have to eat the harvest later ourselves. Ape beej aape ji khao.

Farida bure dha bhala kar. Gusa mun na handaye.

Even before the Gurus gave us their teachings and examples, Baba Fareed Ji told us - do good to those who do you bad. Therefore it is up to us to digest this information and put it to practice.

ਗਉੜੀ ਗੁਆਰੇਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੩ ॥

गउड़ी गुआरेरी महला ३ ॥

Ga▫oṛī gu▫ārerī mėhlā 3.

Gauree Gwaarayree, Third Mehl:

ਹਉਮੈ ਵਿਚਿ ਸਭੁ ਜਗੁ ਬਉਰਾਨਾ ॥

हउमै विचि सभु जगु बउराना ॥

Ha▫umai vicẖ sabẖ jag ba▫urānā.

The entire world has gone insane in egotism.

ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ਭਰਮਿ ਭੁਲਾਨਾ ॥

दूजै भाइ भरमि भुलाना ॥

Ḏūjai bẖā▫e bẖaram bẖulānā.

In the love of duality, it wanders deluded by doubt.

ਬਹੁ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਚਿਤਵੈ ਆਪੁ ਨ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥

बहु चिंता चितवै आपु न पछाना ॥

Baho cẖinṯā cẖiṯvai āp na pacẖẖānā.

The mind is distracted by great anxiety; no one recognizes one's own self.

ਧੰਧਾ ਕਰਤਿਆ ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਵਿਹਾਨਾ ॥੧॥

धंधा करतिआ अनदिनु विहाना ॥१॥

Ḏẖanḏẖā karṯi▫ā an▫ḏin vihānā. ||1||

Occupied with their own affairs, their nights and days are passing away. ||1||

ਹਿਰਦੈ ਰਾਮੁ ਰਮਹੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਭਾਈ ॥

हिरदै रामु रमहु मेरे भाई ॥

Hirḏai rām ramhu mere bẖā▫ī.

Meditate on the Lord in your hearts, O my Siblings of Destiny.

ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਰਸਨਾ ਹਰਿ ਰਸਨ ਰਸਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

गुरमुखि रसना हरि रसन रसाई ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥

Gurmukẖ rasnā har rasan rasā▫ī. ||1|| rahā▫o.

The Gurmukh's tongue savors the sublime essence of the Lord. ||1||Pause||

[scali]

Love and respect all. Just don't exclude yourself. Standing up or not for what you believe in is your choice. What you choose you experience.

Nothing has any meaning you give it meaning.