| Home Page
About Sikhism Page
Photo Page
What's New With Sikhi Page
Guest Book Page
Your Comments Page
Contact Page
Favorite Links
|
|
A Brief History
WHAT WAS THE MISSION OF GURU NANAK?
Guru Nanak was born in Talwandi, a village in Punjab, in 1469 at a critical period of Indian history. The Lodi rulers wallowed in luxury and did not care for the affairs of State and welfare of their subjects. Their weakness and sloth brought Babar on to the Indian scene. Guru Nanak protested against the foreign domination and warned the rulers that if they did not look into the grievances of the people, they would meet the punishment they deserved.
Guru Nanak challenged the fanaticism and intolerance of the Muslims, of his time. During his visit to Mecca, he made the Kazis realize that God's house is everywhere and not only in the direction of the Kaaba. Similarly, Guru Nanak also exposed the meaningless ritual and caste prejudices prevalent among the Hindus. He demonstrated to them the fallacy of feeding Brahmins at the time of the performance of the Sharaadha. At Hardwar, in a very amusing way, he exposed the folly of offering water to the manes of ancestors.
Guru Nanak's life may be divided into three parts. The first period of 30 years was spent at Talwandi and Sultanpur as a householder. The second period of 22 years was spent in missionary travels far and wide and for the third and the last period of 18 years he stayed at Kartarpur for the benefit of his followers. He established places of worship called Dharamsalas. Wherever he went, he urged people to perform acts of charity and render services to the poor and the needy.
Guru Nanak propagated the equality of man. He treated Hindus and Muslims alike. He went to their important shrines and explained to them the true way of spiritual life. He opposed the distinctions of caste. He called himself a member of the lowest caste.
Guru Nanak insisted on Grahstha - living a house-holder's life. The path of renunciation or Sanyas is the way of escapism and defeat. Man must do his worldly duties and at the same time keep his spirit detached from worldly things.
Finding that his end was approaching, Guru Nanak tested his disciples and passed Gurudom onto the most worthy of them, Guru Angad, in 1539.
THE KHALSA
It is the immortality of sacred identification with Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, the immortality of a mystical union with Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, and the immortality of total reliance in the Divine Name that distinguishes and marks the Khalsa from others.
Khalsa is the product of the Creative Impulse of God. Khalsa is born directly out of the purest Creative Vision of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. It is a Holy Army of the Deathless (Akal), at once pure and perfect, baptized and sculptured in purity of love and total sacrifice. It sustains itself purely on the Divine Name. Khalsa remains untouched by the world of sin, impurity and evil.
Khalsa is the holy child of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. Being the holy child of a Divine Parent, Khalsa can never become orphan and will perpetually shine in the Eternal Glory of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. These Divine Children of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib live their holy life in Divine Presence and Abode, in utter humility and devotion, spiritually far above this mortal plane of existence. They are the holy instruments in the hands of the Divine, holding aloft the Banner of Truth, Purity, Love and Bliss. Khalsa is the repository of all virtues. He is the true embodiment of all the excellences of the Great Religion of Love established by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib.
Khalsa by virtue of his divine nature is a Benefactor and Redeemer of mankind. Blessed is the Khalsa as he was baptized and initiated personally and directly by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Himself.
Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib had eventualized the Will of God in creating the Khalsa and He Himself is the Divine Guide of their destinies.
Baba Narinder Singh Ji
It is a blessed Army of the Akal (Timeless). Khalsa is a Soldier of God designed for the performance of Divine Mission assigned to him by his Beloved Satguru.
Khalsa is born for Universal Welfare and Redemption. In his redemptive life, his concern is not limited to his own salvation but it embraces the whole humanity in which he clearly beholds his own All Pervading Beloved Satguru.
Salvation is a very small achievement in search of Truth.
Baba Narinder Singh Ji
Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib is the Beloved of the Khalsa and the Khalsa is the Beloved of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib. Both are the Lovers and the Beloveds at the same time.
Khalsa lives a life-pure, a life-divine. He lives a life of Divine Sample, a life of an Holy Instrument in the Hands of the Divine. Khalsa lives in the Divine and Khalsa dies for the Divine.
In the Context of Time Frame, The life of the Khalsa is an Holy extension of the Divine personality of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib.
It is the immortality of sacred identification with Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib, the immortality of a mystical union with Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib and the immortality of total reliance in the Divine Name that distinguishes and marks the Khalsa from others.
HISTORIC DAY OF B A I S A K H I
This holy concept of whole-sale surrender at the sacred feet of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib at the time of Amrit Ceremony retains permanent validity and deep significance. Such a surrender literally determines the true eligibility of the aspirant for the Amrit of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib.
The devout had most enthusiastically responded, gathered and flocked to the Satguru in thousands from all over. They were anxiously waiting for the divine message and the divine call of their Great and young Satguru . It was a holy setting and there were holy expectations. The Guru unfolded his divine plan in a unique manner the like of which had never occurred earlier in human and spiritual history. He wanted a practical translation and demonstration of the holy utterance of Sri Guru Nanak Sahib.
Jo To Prem Khelan Ka Chaao
Sir Dhar Tali Gali Meri Aao
It Maarag Pair Dharrejay
Sir Deejay Kaan Na Keejay
Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Page 1412
Sri Guru Nanak Sahib Says:
If you yearn to sport love-divine , you can gain entrance to the arena of love with your head on your palm. And once you have set out on this path of love, offer and laydown your head with least concern for anything else.
If you yearn and thirst for the divine, then seek death and not life. Love of sacrifice and intoxication of sufferings is a pre-condition for Bliss and Vision Eternal.
Unique and distinct was the way and the revelation of Eternal Truths by Sri Guru Nanak Sahib. Our glorious heritage Sri Guru Granth Sahib is an ocean of the revealed Truths. On this auspicious day of Vaisakhi the Great Prophet set out to fill and infuse the devout with unlimited spiritual power and spiritual vitality.
Pehlan Maran Kabul Jivan Ki Chhad Aas
Hohu Sabhna Ki Reinka To Aao Hamaare Paas
Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Page 1102
First accept death and discard the hope of life. And become the dust of the feet of all, then only you come to me, says Nanak the Fifth.
Entrance to the holy mansion of the beloved Lord Guru Nanak is only open to those who love death and who pride in turning as the dust of everybody's feet. In such a wonderful state of sacrifice and surrender and in such a true spirit of utter humility, a true sikh steps out towards the most beloved Guru and is accepted in the holy folds of Guru Nanak. Such is the wonderful 'Call Divine' of our beloved Lord. It is an invitation Divine to His Abode Divine. This is the practical Sikhway of life.
The five beloved ones rose one after the other and in total submission surrendered and offered their heads as demanded by the Great Guru.What a unique and wonderful death experience in being beheaded by the holy hands of the beloved Guru Himself. The Great Guru compassionately accepts the humble offer of the heads and total surrender by these true Sikhs. What a grand death experience which grants immortality in lieu. For these unmatched divine lovers, Guru Gobind Singh ji was their all in all, the sole Beloved. This death experience elevated them to be the Five Beloved Ones of Guru Gobind Singh ji. If Guru Gobind singh was their beloved ideal, they became the beloved ideal of Guru Gobind Singh ji. Lovers, Love and the Beloved, all had merged into one grand living reality. Beloved Guru bestowed Amrit, the Nectar of Immortally, to these five beloved ones. Such was the unique holy magic in the annals of spiritual history on this auspicious day of Vaisakhi. In this unparalleled death experience, they attained the love of their beloved Satguru and life eternal as reward. First the Great Guru picked up five flowers from the auspicious congregation. They had offered their heads at the altar of the beloved Guru . These fragrant flowers hailed from different parts of this great country and belonged to different castes. In return of the humble offer of their heads the Guru blesses and rewards them with the most precious boon of divine love and elevates them to the lofty spiritual ideals of His own Five Beloved Ones,
Satguru Daya Nidh Mehma Agadh Bodh
Namo Namo Namo Namo Net Net Net Hai
Bhai Gurdas Ji
Satguru is an Ocean of Mercy, Daya, Compassion. It means Daya on all alike. This covers the whole humanity.
Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib moulded and cast the Khalsa in His own image. By virtue of this mould and indentification if there is anything nearest and dearest to the Khalsa it is his most beloved ideal Guru Gobind Singh. Unless the sentiment of Prema, true devotion,purity and spirit of sacrifice beams and radiates out from the person of Khalsa he is cetainly distant away from his beloved and cherished ideal Guru Gobind Singh.
A true sikh is always floating in the Ocean of Prema Bhagti. He is totally possessed by Guru Bhagti, by all enveloping Prema of his beloved Guru. He is immersed in drinking the Nectar of this rare Prema by reciting and worshipping the Divine Name of his beloved Guru by tongue. He keeps on drinking this Nectar of Prema through his blessed eyes also by continuously envisioning the luminous form of his beloved Satguru. What he hears is also this Prem of the Guru, his melodious Nam. His heart is totally devoted to perpetual contemplation and meditation on Guru. Thus, totally merged in Guru's devotion, he envisions Guru only and nothing else. He envisions Guru in the whole creation. That is how Bhagat Namdev envisions his Gobind in the whole creation and Bhai Kanhayia and Bhai Nand Lal envision Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib in all alike.
It was on this momentous day of Vaisakhi that the Great Guru launched the Khalsa onto a unique spiritual crusade, a holy crusade of total self-transformation in pristine purity, purity of character, immaculate external and internal purity, purity of thoughts, speech and deeds. With this death experience and love of Satguru deeply rooted in their hearts, started a total divinisation process. This was the deepest and the most profound spiritual experience of the five beloved ones.
Love of death was an essential pre-requisite for the Love of God.
This divine call of the Great Guru awakened and opened up amazingly new folds, horizons and dimensions of divine love.
On this auspicious occasion after the five beloved ones, successive human waves of the lovers of God in thousands, drank the Nectar of Immortality and they all stood transformed as Victors of Death. It was on this historic day of Vaisakhi that this Greatest of the Nation Builders had transformed a whole nation into lovers of death en masse. From this day onwards the vision of the whole nation started glowing with the Light of Immortality. Death from now onwards became a lovable and spiritual companion for the Sikhs of Guru Gobind Singh.
A worldly person fears death
A Seeker of Truth is hopeful of conquering death
A lover-divine loves death
Baba Narinder Singh Ji
Sri Guru Arjan Sahib says:
Satguru is an Ocean of Mercy, Daya, Compassion. It means Daya on all alike. This covers the whole humanity.
For its very survival the nation very much needed the infusion of practical
spirituality and the Lord of Love, Guru Gobind Singh Ji, blessed them all with this boon on this auspicious day of Vaisakhi.
Guru Gobind Singh, a spiritual regenerator, generated a spiritual upheavel and a spiritual renaissance on this unique day. He was a great nation builder and epoch maker, and carved a new Glorious Order of the Khalsa.
HARMINDER SAHIB
This unique temple of God has been built at the lowest level because it represents the humility of Guru Nanak. Humility Incarnate Guru Arjan selected the lowest level because this was to be the eternal seat of the Prophet of Humility, Sri Guru Nanak Sahib (manifest Sri Guru Granth Sahib).
Sri Guru Arjan Sahib got Sri Harimandir Sahib built in the midst of the sarovar (tank) at the lowest level. Unlike other temples where the devotees have to climb up to offer their obeisance, here the devotees have to step down to offer their homage. This unique temple of God has been built at the lowest level because it represents the humility of Guru Nanak. Humility Incarnate Guru Arjan selected the lowest level because this was to be the eternal seat of the Prophet of Humility, Sri Guru Nanak Sahib (manifest Sri Guru Granth Sahib).
The Sikhs were anxious to raise the plinth of Sri Harimandir Sahib higher than all the surrounding buildings and had strongly pleaded with the Guru for doing so but wonderful were divine outpourings of the Humility Personified Guru Arjan. Some extracts:
Garibi Gada Hamari, Khana Sagal Rein Chhari
Is Aage Ko Na Tikai Vekari
Sri Guru Granth Sahib (628)
Humility is my mace; becoming the dust of everybodys feet is my sword. No evil doer can dare withstand these weapons.
For a sikh, the Guru is the soul of his own soul.
Dasan Das Rein Dasan Ki, Jan Ki Tehal Kamawon,
Sarab Sookh Badyai Nanak Jiwon Mukhon Blawo
Sri Guru Granth Sahib (529)
I have become dust of the feet of the slaves of His slaves and I serve His servants. Thus, I have achieved true joy and honour, I live by uttering His Holy Name.
In this Great Temple, the four doors in all the four directions were thrown open to all the religions, to rich and poor, to high and low, and to the out-castes. All were welcome in this House of God. The poor, the low, the meak, the oppressed and the humble felt the presence of God face to face.
All religions have produced true lovers of God. A muslim mystic, a true lover of God, Hazrat Mian Mir, who had become a legend in his very life-time, was invited to lay the foundation stone of this Universal Temple of God, further signifying that this Temple of God belonged to all. On Dharma, religion, Sri Guru Arjan Sahib clarifies :
Sarb Dharam Mehn Sreisht Dharam
Har Ko Nam Jap Nirmal Karam
Sri Guru Granth Sahib (266)
The best of all Religions is the yearning for the Divine and purity of deeds.
|
| |
