The Difficult Terrain of Sikhi -1

Once I was talking to Sant Hardev Singh ji about the present situation of Khalsa Panth, about why are we so divided, so confused, so broken? Why is there no one who can lead us and guide us through these hard times? Why isn’t Guru Gobind Singh ji Maharaj being merciful on us, seeing Panth in such a pitiful situation?
And He told me a Sakhi.
         In 1960’s Babaji went on yatra to Hazoor sahib. Near Gurudwara Langar Sahib, there used to be Kutiya of a Gurmukh Piare Mahapurakh. He was very Naam rasiya Abhyaasi gurmukh, who did intense Jap-Tap and there was a deeply peaceful glow on his face all the time. When you see a Mahapurakh, the compassion in his eyes, the innocence in his smile, the humility in his words and deeds, and the glow on his forehead is enough to recognize a True Saint. Babaji said as I went to have his darshan, I said Fateh and touched his feet; he smiled at me and asked about my well being. As both Gurmukhs started talking, some more Sangat entered the room as they had seen Babaji entering the room. In that Sangat was a person who was Patit (the one who cuts his hair).He came and touched feet of that Mahapurakh and placed some money at his feet. Mahapurakhs looked at his face for some time, then picked up that money and handed it back to that person. He said Babaji why don’t you keep this money? Please keep it for your daily use or if you say I’ll go and bring you some clothes or something useful with it. Mahapurakhs smiled and said, Son, if you wish to do sewa, the do it after you keep your kesh. He said Babaji, why can’t I do sewa now?  Babaji said Son, I can keep your money, use it, do whatever with it, I don’t mind, only thing which stops me is my Guru’s Hukam. If I take money from you, tomorrow morning when I go to Sachkhand, Guru Gobind Singh ji is going to ask me, why you took money from a Patit? What will I answer? What will I reply to Maharaj? I already fear that what is Maharaj going to say to me for ‘sitting’ in company of a Patit? Guru Gobind Singh ji wants his Sikh to stay away from those who are Manmukh, those who value their Man-Matt more that Guru-mat, those who go against Guru’s Pargat Hukam and still claim to believe in Guru. How can a person who’s disobeying Guru’s Pargat Hukam claim to be following Guru from all his mind and soul?
       Baba Hardev Singh ji told I was in tears hearing this. How much Love for Guru Gobind Singh ji’s Hukam, Baani and Baana this mahapurush had. Hearing bachans of Mahapurakhs, tears started flowing from that person’s eyes. He promised to Mahapurakhs that next time when he visits them, he’ll be in Saabat soorat and then Mahapurakhs will have to accept his Sewa. Sangat left after some time and Baba Hardev Singh ji also said Fateh to mahapurakhs and left his kutiya
       Vichars continued and then the internal contemplation of those words started. There was a churning process inside, which was surely going to lead to some type of Jewel coming out. I was thinking do we have such Mahapurakhs today in our Panth? Are there Jeevan wale Gursikhs in our Panth who give pehra on Guruji’s bachans like this? We also go to Gurudwara sahib everyday, have we ever felt the fear in our hearts when we go to Gurughar after committing some type of sin or Ku-rehit? Do we fear Guru Sahib that what will Guruji say to me if I did so and so bad thing? NO.
       We fear where we have some type of attachment, some type of bond. We don’t fear Guru today because we don’t see him as Haazar Naazar, we don’t fear lying in his presence, fighting and removing turbans of other Sikhs, slandering his beloved Gursikhs, speaking against his Baani and Maryada, because we don’t fear Him anymore  We don’t Love Guru anymore. If we loved him, only then would we think, I should not do such bad things, such kurehits, such things against his Hukam which he doesn’t like. If we loved him, we would have feared that what if he got angry on me?
   That was Mahapurakh who didn’t take money from a person who was Patit, and today we have ‘Mahapurakhs’ who go to each and everyone’s house, have parshada, take money from people who are Patit. We have Sikhs whose ‘very best friends’ are Patits (manmukh). We’d say it’s very hard to live such a strict rehat, but isn’t that what Baani of Guru Granth Sahib ji says us to do?

ਨਾਨਕ ਮਨਮੁਖਾ ਨਾਲੋ ਤੁਟੀ ਭਲੀ ਜਿਨ ਮਾਇਆ ਮੋਹ
ਪਿਆਰੁ ॥1॥

O Nanak, it is good to break away from the self-willed manmukhs, who have love and attachment to Maya. ||1||

Our Guru wants us to stay away from those who are self-willed, against Guru;s Hukam, then why we keep deep bonds and friendships with such people? I’m not just talking about Patit Sikhs, its true for everyone else who is not in Guru’s Hukam, even for people from other communities or faiths. Where there is a chance of getting corrupt, a chance of going away from Guru’s ideals and Hukam, a Sikh should distance himself/herself from such people, what if they are best friends. Today Amritdhari Singhs/singhaniya consider it a ‘cool thing’ to hang out with manmukh friends (from sikh and non-sikh families), who drink and smoke and do all sort of Anti-Sikhi things. Is it right for a Sikh to enter in such a ‘Dosti’ (friendship)? Do our Sikh youth (boys and girls) see before entering into friendships with manmukhs whether that friendship is good for their Jeevan or not? Would Guru Gobind Singh ji condone such a thing? For a Sikh, Guru and Gursikhs are best friends, none else. Staying in Sangat of Gursikhs helps us elevate our consciousness, our spiritual Jeevan, our firmness in Baana and Baani, whereas Sangat of Manmukhs is sure to take us away from Guru, someday! See what Guru Arjan Dev ji says about friendship with a Manmukh

ਮਃ 5 ॥

ਮਨਮੁਖਾ ਕੇਰੀ ਦੋਸਤੀ ਮਾਇਆ
ਕਾ ਸਨਬੰਧੁ ॥

ਵੇਖਦਿਆ ਹੀ ਭਜਿ ਜਾਨਿ
ਕਦੇ ਨ ਪਾਇਨਿ ਬੰਧੁ ॥

ਜਿਚਰੁ ਪੈਨਨਿ ਖਾਵਨੇ ਤਿਚਰੁ
ਰਖਨਿ ਗੰਢੁ ॥

ਜਿਤੁ ਦਿਨਿ ਕਿਛੁ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ
ਤਿਤੁ ਦਿਨਿ ਬੋਲਨਿ ਗੰਧੁ ॥

ਜੀਅ ਕੀ ਸਾਰ ਨ ਜਾਣਨੀ
ਮਨਮੁਖ ਅਗਿਆਨੀ ਅੰਧੁ ॥

ਕੂੜਾ ਗੰਢੁ ਨ ਚਲਈ ਚਿਕੜਿ
ਪਥਰ ਬੰਧੁ ॥

ਅੰਧੇ ਆਪੁ ਨ ਜਾਣਨੀ ਫਕੜੁ
ਪਿਟਨਿ ਧੰਧੁ ॥

ਝੂਠੈ ਮੋਹਿ ਲਪਟਾਇਆ ਹਉ
ਹਉ ਕਰਤ ਬਿਹੰਧੁ ॥

ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਕਰੇ ਜਿਸੁ ਆਪਣੀ
ਧੁਰਿ ਪੂਰਾ ਕਰਮੁ ਕਰੇਇ ॥

ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਸੇ ਜਨ ਉਬਰੇ
ਜੋ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਸਰਣਿ ਪਰੇ ॥2॥

Fifth Mehl:
Friendship with the self-willed manmukhs is an alliance with Maya.
As we watch, they run away; they never stand firm.
As long as they get food and clothing, they stick around.
But on that day when they receive nothing, then they start to curse.
The self-willed manmukhs are ignorant and blind; they do not know the secrets of the soul.
The false bond does not last; it is like stones joined with mud.
The blind do not understand themselves; they are engrossed in false worldly entanglements.
Entangled in false attachments, they pass their lives in egotism and self-conceit.
But that being, whom the Lord has blessed with His Mercy from the very beginning, does perfect deeds, and accumulates good karma.
O servant Nanak, those humble beings alone are saved, who enter the Sanctuary of the True Guru. ||2||

      Where are those Sants who followed Guru’s Hukam to the soul? Guru Gobind Singh ji clearly stated in his Hukamnaama that ‘my sikh should stay away from ‘Bhaadni’ (one who cuts his Kesh) and ‘kannya maaran wala’ (one who kills daughter or girl child)’. Do we believe in this direct Hukam of Dasmesh Pita? Do modern day Sants or Jathedars or Parcharaks of today ask the people they stay with or go to for having Parshada that ‘whether they have killed a Kannya’? If the next person lies, it’s his Paap, but atleast these people, Mahapurakhs and scholars should follow the rule, set an example and carry out awareness in society about importance of believing in Guru’s bachans from heart. Before accepting large cash amounts from people, do the Sants and parcharaks make sure the person is not Patit?   Will Guru Gobind Singh ji today accept any type of Maaya from Patit and Kurehtiyas? Will Guruji accept any sewa from those who kill daughters? Will Guruji accept sewa of those who refuse to accept even a basic Hukam of Guru, not to cut Kesh, (all other Hukams are much more difficult to obey, and this is the easiest one). No. Then how can we hope Guru to be merciful on us? How can we hope Guru to be compassionate on us and bless us?
        All the above vichar is not about being ‘Fanatic’ or ‘orthodox’. This is about being firm in your faith, in believing Hukam of your Guru from heart, from mind and soul. This is about living in fear of Guru, fear that my Guru might stop loving me, fear that I might go far from my Guru one day, fear that I might lose my Sikhi one day. The Sikh who believes in Guru’s Hukam from all his Soul will never go far from Guru, he cannot go far from Guru as Guru will himself take care of this bond of Love. Only thing which Guru looks for in his Sikh is true Love, Firm faith and dedication to Guru. Any reason, any explanation which is given against Guru’s Baani and Hukam comes not out of Guru’s Love, but out of Manmatt, it comes out from ego, worldly attachments, from filth of Mind. A Sikh can leave entire world, fake friendships, even his body, for Guru. 
       But as time went by, dedication towards Guru, towards following his bachans, his rehat decreased. Today we don’t see Gurmukh piare mahapurakhs who can live in Kutiya but refuse money from a Patit, today we see traders and businessman in garb of Sants and Sadhus whose only wish is collect as much money as possible, build big Gurudwaras in their names, open schools and colleges in their names (to create permanent sources of income if other things fail). There was a time no one with cut Kesh used to be part of Panth (and traditions still continues in Kashmir, Assam, Nanded and some parts of NWFP, Pakistan) but as the principles weakened, manmatt took over. This was the Panth which ex-communicated people like Bhai Sukha Singh and Bhai Jassa Singh on the ‘suspicion’ of killing female child, and today we have people who claim to be Amritdhari, but have killed female children, either in womb through abortion or after Birth. When 80% so called Sikhs have blood of their daughters on their own hands, which Guru’s kirpa are we looking for? When 100% Sants and Missionaries alike consider such people ‘good Sikhs’ where do we hope Guru’s kirpa to shine?
     It’s the time we Sikhs get our act together and sort out things. It’s the time to set out the priorities, whether it’s Guru and His Hukam which matters or our worldly relations?  We have to chose between Gurumat and Manmatt. Gurumatt is what is there in Baani of Guru Granth Sahib ji, Manmatt is what we create through our mind’s perception. We can consider such people Sikh, for sake of numbers, for sake of votes, but don’t hope Guru to accept such people as Sikhs until they confess to their crime in front of Guru and undergo atonement. Guru is bakshan-haar, but only for those who accept their crime and beg for mercy, not for those who carry on doing kurehits, paap, crimes and still believe themselves to be best of human beings.
We Sikhs are the one who can ‘gain’ Guru’s kirpa in our lives, it’s just that we need to look at our deeds, are they worthy of making us able for such a precious thing such as Guru’s kirpa?
I personally don’t believe or see any person who has relations with a ‘Patit’ (person with shorn hair),’Kurimaar’(killer of girl child) , ‘Narimaar’(smoker) as a Sikh. Rehat Maryada and updesh of panj piare is not just for Amrit Sachar day, its for whole life, it’s a guiding principle in our life, and a Sikh has to live his life according to those principles. If we cannot live according to them, that’s our weakness, not Guru’s fault.
        Today what we Sikhs need is Guru Gobind Singh ji’s ‘TEZ’ (power). Khalsa Panth cannot survive without Guru’s Power, and if we are helpless, weak and broken today, there’s every possibility that we have lost our connection to source of our Energy, Our Power, Guru Gobind Singh ji.
Everyday Guru Gobind Singh ji waits for such Sikhs who follow his Baani, His Hukam, and baana with dedication, Love and purity, so that he can bless such souls with power to serve Panth, rejuvenate Khalsa, infuse the spirit of Courage, Shaheediya and Charhdi Kala, but where are those Sikhs?
 Rehat maryada is not just about following certain points we feel easy to follow, its to be followed in its entirety and those who have followed it by every word have been blessed by Guru to change the time. What Baba Attar Singh ji or Baba Gurbachan Singh ji or Sant Jarnail Singh ji did in last century could not have been done by most of the present day Sants and Sadhus and Missionaries and today if most of them lack the ability to change things, to take Panth out of deep pit , its because they lack the Jeevan which is necessary for  having such great power.
Remember, A Sikh is not fanatic, a sikh is not terrorist, a Sikh is not hindu,muslim, Christian or anything else, a Sikh is not Jatt or khatri or lubana or Saini, a Sikh is not so called fake secularist or communist or orthodox or Sanatan or whatever…..a Sikh is a Sikh. The day we become Sikh and start living as per our Guru wants us to live, Guru Gobind Singh ji will infuse the Power, the Shakti this Panth needs today.
  Baba Hardev Singh ji said, these types of views will be tagged as ‘Fanatic’, so are there any takers of this Fanatic Sikhi?  Rememeber one thing, maybe you lose your relatives, your friends at school college or work, maybe you lose your social life, one thing which this ‘fanatic sikhi’ gurantees is Purity of Life and Character, which in turn gurantees Guru Gobind Singh ji’s Love and Mercy. Any takers of this Kirpa?
I’ll leave you with this beautiful Shabad from Guru Ramdas ji Maharaj.

ਧਨਾਸਰੀ ਮਹਲਾ 4 ॥

ਸੇਵਕ ਸਿਖ ਪੂਜਣ ਸਭਿ
ਆਵਹਿ ਸਭਿ ਗਾਵਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਊਤਮ ਬਾਨੀ ॥

ਗਾਵਿਆ ਸੁਣਿਆ ਤਿਨ ਕਾ
ਹਰਿ ਥਾਇ ਪਾਵੈ ਜਿਨ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਆਗਿਆ ਸਤਿ ਸਤਿ ਕਰਿ ਮਾਨੀ ॥1॥

ਬੋਲਹੁ ਭਾਈ ਹਰਿ
ਕੀਰਤਿ ਹਰਿ ਭਵਜਲ ਤੀਰਥਿ ॥

ਹਰਿ ਦਰਿ ਤਿਨ ਕੀ ਊਤਮ
ਬਾਤ ਹੈ ਸੰਤਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਕਥਾ ਜਿਨ ਜਨਹੁ ਜਾਨੀ ॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥

ਆਪੇ ਗੁਰੁ ਚੇਲਾ ਹੈ
ਆਪੇ ਆਪੇ ਹਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਚੋਜ ਵਿਡਾਨੀ ॥

ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਆਪਿ ਮਿਲਾਏ
ਸੋਈ ਹਰਿ ਮਿਲਸੀ ਅਵਰ ਸਭ ਤਿਆਗਿ ਓਹਾ ਹਰਿ ਭਾਨੀ ॥2॥5॥11॥

 
Dhanaasaree, Fourth Mehl:
All the Sikhs and servants come to worship and adore You; they sing the sublime Bani of the Lord, Hari, Hari.
Only their singing and listening is approved by the Lord, who accept the Order of the True Guru as True, totally True. ||1||
Chant the Lord's Praises, O Siblings of Destiny; the Lord is the sacred shrine of pilgrimage in the terrifying world-ocean.
They alone are praised in the Court of the Lord, O Saints, who know and understand the Lord's sermon. ||Pause||
He Himself is the Guru, and He Himself is the disciple; the Lord God Himself plays His wondrous games.
O servant Nanak, he alone merges with the Lord, whom the Lord Himself merges; all the others are forsaken, but the Lord loves him. ||2||5||11||