THE SIKH REVIEW

A theological, educational and socio-cultural Monthly founded in 1953

Vol. 61:7 JULY 2013 No. : 715

CONTENTS

MEDITATION God Alone is the Source of All Inspiration Shabad Gurbani 5

EDITORIAL Harbans Lal: A Dedicated Life I.J. Singh (USA) 6
OVERVIEW Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal:
A Portrait of Scholarship and Faith Harpal Singh Buttar, Ph.D. 10
DEDICATION The Blessed Jewel Saran Singh 13
THEOLOGY Waheguru: The Ineffable Divine Light Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal 14
How to Re-kindle the Divine Spirit Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal 17
Scriptural Sanctity of Naam, Daan, Isnaan Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal 22
PHILOSOPHY The Unity of Mankind: The Universal Principle Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal 27
SCRIPTURE Inspirational Reading of Guru Granth Sahib Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal 35
MORAL TRADITION Prayer for a Child: An Inspiring Sikh Tradition Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal 45
Outwitting the Stars: A Testament of Faith Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal 51
The Sikh as a Sikh: Adjective as Noun Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal 57
PANORAMA Sikhism Today: The Changing Global Landscape Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal 67
PERSPECTIVES The Guru Panth: Time to Reaffirm Basic Values Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal 69
POETS CORNER Beware of the Wolf! Khushaal Singh 73
READERS FORUM Letters to the Editor 75
DIARY Synopsis of Notable Events 77
BOOKS Womens Liberation through the Prism of Sikh Faith Reviewed by
By Prabhjot Kaur Dr. Acchru Singh 81

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July 2013 > MEDITATION

God Alone is the Source

of all Inspiration

s]riO mhla 4 .
Aap[ s[va laiewa ipAara Aap[ Bgit xumaha . Aap[ guN gavaiewa ipAara Aap[ sbiw smaha . Aap[
l[KiN Aaip ilKarI Aap[ l[Ku ilKaha .1. m[r[ mn jip ram namu Xmaha . Aniwnu Anwu
h]v{ vdBagI l{ guir pUr{ hir laha . rhaxu .
Aap[ g]pI kanu h{ ipAara bin Aap[ gxU craha . Aap[ savl suw; ra ipAara Aap[ v;su vjaha
. kuvlIAa pIzu Aaip mraiewa ipAara kir balk rUp pcaha .2. Aaip AKaza paiewa
ipAara kir v[K{ Aaip c]jaha . kir balk rUip xupaiewa ipAara c;dUru k;su k[su maraha .
Aap[ hI blu Aaip h{ ipAara blu B;n{ mUrK mugWaha .3. sBu Aap[ jgtu xupaiewa ipAara
vis Aap[ jugit hTaha . gil j[vzI Aap[ paiewa ipAara ijxu pRBu iK;c{ itxu jaha . j]
grb{ s] pcsI ipAar[ jip nank Bgit smaha .4.6. [SGGS: 606-607]

Translation (of stanza 1 only)

Beloved Lord Himself inspires all Creation to do His bidding. He creates the passion
for devotion in all human beings. The Lord Himself inspires His own devotion, and
pervades in the holy Word.

God Himself is the Inspiration in the Writ, as also the Scribe; He Himself inspires the Holy
Scripture. (1)
O my mind! do repeat the Lords Name fervently, so that it becomes ever joyful, and
brings you good fortune. From the True Benevolent Master, receive every single day -
the blessing of devotion to the Lord God. (Pause).
* Translation by Pr. Gurbachan Singh Talib.
Note: Since the full text of this Shabad is long and its translation exceeds the normal Meditation
page, we are obliged to stop short at RAHAU. - Editor

5
> EDITORIAL
Harbans Lal: A Dedicated Life
I.J. SINGH (USA)*
When I look back memory plays tricks;
remembrance of things past is leavened
with sugar and spice of experience. I must
have met Harbans Lal over 40 years ago
when he was a Professor of
Pharmacology in Rhode Island. I had just
returned to New York after eight years in
Oregon.
There were few Sikhs in the country
then particularly in New York or Rhode
Island, and fewer yet who wore turbans
and had long unshorn hair kesh the
markers of Sikh of faith. That wasnt re-
ally surprising at all. What claimed my
attention was that here was a man, best
described as sehajdhari, whose attach-
ment to Sikhi glowed and whose erudi-
tion in Sikhi was never in doubt. Age has
not withered his dedication to Sikhi and
its pursuit.
How, then, do I reconcile his lifelong
dedication to Sikhi to the fact that he never
walked the extra mile to become a Khalsa
perhaps as Harbans Singh Lal?
I remember that, at one symposium
where both of us were panelists, some-
one threw the question at Harbans. It si-
lenced the normally loquacious Harbans
and then he finally turned to me and asked
if I would respond even though the mat-
ter was personally directed at him.
*Email: ijsingh99@gmail.com
6
The Sikh Review
This is how I navigated those tricky
waters. My response was in three
interlinked parts:
I reminded my listeners that, accord-
ing to Sikh tradition, around 80,000 Sikhs
attended Guru Gobind Singhs call at
Anandpur on Vaisakhi 1699, and about
20,000 became amritdhari in those few
days.
There is absolutely no evidence not
even the semblance of a suggestion that
the Guru dismissed the remaining 60,000
by ordering that they get out of his face
since they were not dedicated enough to
be his Sikhs; keep in mind that this large
group included men like Bhai Nand Lal.
Guru Gobind Singh fought a few battles
after 1699 and all kinds of Sikhs,
amritdhari or not, (even some non-Sikhs)
sided with him. True that many embraced
the rite of Amrit at a later time but the
Guru never scolded them or threw them
out of the community when they didnt.
At a different level of reasoning, I ask
that we look at a Marathon race. All kinds
of people enter. At the starting line there
are thousands of hopefuls of which a very
few would end the race in record time,
then there are many who finish, but hours
or even a day behind, and then there are
those who come back year after year and
July 2013
never complete the race. But they are all
(thousands of them) on the same path at
the same time, even though they are
never at the same place on the path at
any given time.
What matters is the journey the di-
rection and the path it is on.
Similarly, in the march of Sikhi I see a
procession akin to the zillion marathoners.
In a rating from one to ten there will be a
few who are closer to ten, others nearer
the beginning - of one. Sikhi remains a
path where the journey is the destina-
tion. A Sikhs lot, like that of a student is
never done and the onus on us, then, is
to remain less judgmental. Sikhs remain
students of the Sikh way of life. So we
need to remain just as open to all kinds
of fellow travelers.
As I say this I fully realize the signifi-
cance of the external markers of Sikhi
that define us. They have been crucial to
our survival as an independent way of life.
Also, in any society, anywhere, political
rights and obligations, including a place
in society from the smallest minority to
the dominant majority naturally flow from
an awareness and acknowledgment of
how many of us are there.
There is no question that Sikhs world-
wide show many opinions and views
about Sikhi. There is no unanimity of opin-
Nanak, the persons, who remember the Name
Look beauteous and obtain honour in True Court.
ion or homogeneity of thought among Sikhs
and thats as it should be in a vibrant people
full of life, even though we sometimes de-
spair of the divisions, spats and confronta-
tions that seem to be all around us
I wish we could continue to disagree
without becoming disagreeable.
In this matter I have to salute Harbans
Lal. He has managed to nurture very
good connections and working relation-
ships with diametrically opposed factions
in our community from the Amritdhari
and Sehajdhari to those who are seen as
Patit or apostate. And his reach extends
all over the world, from the troubled lands
of Punjab and India to the diaspora, from
the deeply religious of our community to
the diehard politicians who seem to have
not an honest bone in them, and from
those deeply steeped in intellectual pro-
cess to those who swear by unquestion-
ing obedience to tradition.
He shows an enviable record of long-
standing interfaith activity where he con-
tinues to present Sikh traditions, includ-
ing its defining markers of faith, with
aplomb, even though he himself does not
wear them.
This issue of The Sikh Review is
largely a celebration of Harbans Lals
vision and community service.
[Guru Granth Sahib, P. 602]
9
 > OVERVIEW The Sikh Review

Dr. Bhai Harbans Lal

A Portrait of Scholarship and Faith
HARPAL SINGH BUTTAR, PH.D.*

DR. BHAI HARBANS LAL, Ph.D, D.Litt
(Hons), is known, and admired by
scientists, interfaith organizations, and his
Sikh community around the world.
As an academician, Dr. Lal retired in
the year 2000 as Professor and Chair-
man, Department of Pharmacology and
Neuroscience, University of North Texas
Health Science Center. In academic
circles, he is known for his research in
the areas of Behavioral Medicine, Sub-
stance Abuse, and on Prolongation of
Healthy Life Span through Nutritional In-
terventions. He has served on many US
and international science advisory
boards, including study sections of Na-
tional Institutes of Health, National Sci-
ence Foundation, and the US Food &
Drug Administration. For 14 years he
served as the Editor-in-Chief of a monthly
journal, Drug Development Research.
In 2005, a two hour television interview
with Dr. Lal on his discoveries in medical
sciences was featured in the Archives of
the American College of
Neuropsychopharmacology.
During his academic career, Dr. Lal
trained 55 doctoral and pre-doctoral train-
* Dr Harpal Singh Buttar is Adjunct Professor in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory
Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Email: hsbuttar@bell.net
ees, published over 319 research papers
and 289 research presentations, 19
books, several research reviews and 56
chapters in technical books. University of
North Texas Health Science Center es-
tablished a pre-doctoral fellowship award
in his name. The Society of Neuro-
science recognized him at the Inter-
national Symposium held in his honor
in 1999. The Scientists of Indian Origin
acknowledged his leadership by electing
him their President and recognized his
academic accomplishments with Award
of Outstanding Senior Neuroscientist. He
was among the top 10 Behavioral Neu-
roscientists in a survey conducted for a
doctoral thesis research.
Affectionately known as Bhai
Sahib, Dr. Harbans Lal holds many dis-
tinguished positions in Sikh institutions
and Sikh organizations. Major Sikh orga-
nizations honored him with Bhai Sahib
title in recognition of his Sehaj-dhari af-
filiation and scholarly accomplishments.
The title was formerly awarded by the All
India Sikh Students Federation in 1947
and, later on, by Shiromani Gurdwara
Prabhandhak Committee, in 1963 and
1974.

10
July 2013
Since his school days, Bhai Harbans
Lal has been active in promotion of Sikh
interests. In 1946, he was appointed as a
Circle Organizer, and then inducted in the
Executive Committee of the All India Sikh
Students Federation, the organization that
elected him as its national President in
1954. He was the Founder President of
the All India Sehaj-dhari Sikh Organiza-
tion inaugurated in 1952 by Indian Parlia-
ment Speaker Sardar Hukam Singh. The
same year Master Tara Singh honored
him with presentation of a ceremonial
sword and asked him to serve as an
advisor to Shiromani Akali Dal.
Bhai Harbans Lal was recognized
with robes of honor (siropa) by the
Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandhak Com-
mittee, the Akal Takht, Takht Sri Hazur
Sahib at Patna, Delhi Gurdwara Manage-
ment Committee, the Chief Khalsa Diwan,
the Sikh Educational Conference, Sikh
Dharma International, Pakistan Sikh
Gurdwara Parbadhaik Committee and the
Sikh Social and Educational Society of
Canada. In 1995, Guru Nanak Dev Uni-
versity, Amritsar, awarded him the De-
gree of Doctor of Literature (honoris
causa) in recognition of his scholarly
contributions in Sikh Studies. On April
14, 1999, the Anandpur Sahib Founda-
tion awarded him the Order of Nishan-e-
Khalsa for .. his superb accomplishments
in promoting the glory and pride of the
Khalsa Panth.
Presently, Dr. Lals interests lie in pro-
moting Sikh Studies and Sikh interests in
North America. His writings on Sikh sub-
jects have appeared in many books and
in journals, such as Sikh Sansar, The Sikh
Review, Sikh Courier International,
Spokesman, Sikh Marg, Studies in
Sikhism and Comparative Religion, From
Both Sides of the Ocean, Miri Piri,
Gurbani Is Jag Meh Chanan, Sach Khand
Patraka, Sikh Virsa, Atam Science, Un-
derstanding Sikhism: the Research Jour-
nal, The Global Sikh Daily, International
Journal of Sikh Spiritualism, Amrit Kirtan,
SAABT, Sikh Spectrum, EMGONLINE,
Abstract of Sikh Studies, Sikh News Net-
work, Sikhchick.com, Sikh & Punjabi Lan-
guage Studies Sikh Foundation, the Tri-
bune, Times of India, and Dallas Morning
News. He contributes columns in the reli-
gious section of the Dallas Morning News
and serves on the editorial boards of the
Sikh Review, International Journal of Sikh
Spiritualism, Studies in Sikhism and Com-
parative Religion, and Understanding
Sikhism: the Research Journal.
Dr. Lal represented Sikh spiritual
thoughts at the Parliament of the Worlds
Religions, the United Nations Summit of
the World Religious Leaders, and National
Network of Interfaith Organizations. Is-
lamic Association of North Texas recog-
nized him as Distinguished Friend of
Faiths, and the Inter-religious & Interna-
tional Federation for World Peace recog-
nized him as Ambassador of Peace.
Masjid Imam W. Deen Muhammad
awarded him The Ummah Award in rec-
ognition of lifelong contributions to foster
11

interfaith understanding, and by Unity
Day, USA, rrepresenting 14 faiths, recog-
nized him with Life Acheivement Award for
promoting unity among faiths in America.
Currently, Dr. Lal serves on many reli-
gious and humanitarian organizations. He
has been serving as the Ambassador of the
Parliament of World Religion since 2009 and
as a member of the Interfaith Council of the
Center for World Thanksgiving since 1983.
In addition, he was advisor to the American
Project on Religion and the News Media,
advisors-at-large to THE SIKH TIMES, and
to the Sikh Foundation. He is a founding
trustee of Bhai Nand Lal Foundation and
Founder Executive Vice-President of the
Sri Nanakana Sahib Foundation. Dr. Lal also
serves as the Founder President of the
Academy of Guru Granth Studies estab-
lished for the promotion of scholarly works
on Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
As Founder President of the Academy
of Guru Granth Studies, Bhai Sahib has
brought worldwide attention to the Quad-
Centennial Celebration of the First Compi-
lation of Adi Granth and the Tercentennial
Celebration of its Ordination as the Eternal
Guru of the Sikhs. In the centennial celebra-
tions, he saw opportunity to disseminate the
universal teachings of Sri Guru Granth
Sahib. He wrote numerous articles and pro-
moted Guru Granth teachings throughout
None is our foe nor any one is a stranger: With all are we in accord.
12
The Sikh Review
the world by giving talks at seminars and
conferences. By his relentless efforts, he
brought Guru Granths message to the
attention of inter-faith and multi-faith or-
ganizations all over the world.
Harbans Lal was born in Haripur,
(NWFP) of Pakistan, on January 8, 1931
to his mother Ramkali Devi and father Dr.
Beli Ram. He ascribes his birth to the
prayers of his parents at the historic Sikh
shrine of Sri Panja Sahib in Pakistan. He
was given religious education by two
women clergy at his home town
Gurdwara.
Dr. Harbans Lal did matriculation from
Lakshami Dass Khalsa High School in
Haripur getting second position in his
class. He was the first student admitted
in the intermediate class at the newly es-
tablished Gandhi Memorial National Col-
lege in Ambala, and subsequently gradu-
ated in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the
Punjab University. He received a Masters
degree from the University of Kansas in
1958 and a Doctoral degree in Pharma-
cology from the University of Chicago in
1962.
Dr. Harbans Lal migrated from his
birth place to India in 1946, and then to
USA in 1956. He presently resides at 6415
Amicable Drive, Arlington, TX 76016.
Email: japji08@yahoo.com
SGGS: 1299
July 2013
The Blessed Jewel
SARAN SINGH
nank ta kxu iml{ vdaeI ijsu Go BItir sbw rv{ .
IN POETRY OF DEEP DEVOTION,
Gurbani reveals Gods purpose in
creating life on the planet earth.
We are told that Harbans Lal was born
in Haripur (NWFP) in answer to his pi-
ous parents prayers at Panja Sahib. The
shrine connected with the glorious Guru
Nanak now falls in Pakistan because of
the blood-stained Partition of Punjab prov-
ince precipitated by the 1947 decision of
the British to quit India. Sikhs lost Nankana
Sahib and Panja Sahib, while the British
their jewel in the crown! Haripur (Hazara),
named after the illustrious Nalwa, was torn
asunder from Indian mainland.
After schooling, the youthful Harbans
Lal left for USA for higher studies. He was,
however, destined to make N. America
his home, serving the academia and earn-
ing a Ph.D. and a D.Litt. Luckily, his love
for Gurbani, - and the Sikh faith pro-
vided him with a life-long passion for
a deeper spiritual yearning.
In time, he became more interested
in the Sikh ethos and the Gurmat philoso-
phy. He guided the Sikh Students Fed-
eration by pioneering the summer
camps in USA. These camps brought to-
gether some of the most brilliant schol-
ars and divines, to share their treasure of
Gursikhi with the younger generation. As
could be expected, the youthful inquisi-
> DEDICATION
[SGGS:952]
tiveness and exuberance brought a posi-
tive response from the camp organizers
and scholars alike. Bhai Harbans Lal
found himself at home: he would narrate
the stories from lives of our illustrious
Gurus, laced with Gurbani, keeping the
audience spell-bound. Panja Sahib, now
in Pakistan, became a byword.
Now that he has the Emeritus status,
he writes regularly some times for this
journal. His indepth writings gently guide
the reader towards the true joy that awaits
a keen student:
sitgur n] sBu k] v[Kwa j[ta jgtu s;saru .
idO{ mukit n h]veI ijcru sbiw n kr[ vIcaru .
[SGGS:954]
gur prsawI iviwAa vIcar{ piz piz pav{
manu . Aapa mW[ Aapu prgaisAa paieAa
A;imRtu namu . [SGGS:1329]
That devotion is reason enough to as-
sign this issue to Dr Harbans Lal. The de-
votion and erudition of the Sahajdhari Sikhs
has long been appreciated in the annals of
Sikh religion. The Sikh Review has, in the
past, benefited from the writings of the Late
Dr. Hira Lal Chopra, Prof. Raina, R.C.
Mojumdar, and our much esteemed Dr.
Himadri Banerjee, Professor Emeritus,
Jadavpur University. May Gursikhi flourish!
13
> THEOLOGY
Waheguru: The ineffable Divine Light
DR. (BHAI) HARBANS LAL*
Overview:
In the Sikh tradition, Waheguru is a
focal word around which every activity of
a Sikh revolves. Waheguru Simran (medi-
tation) serves as a constant expression
of an internal awareness of the Divine,
and the term Waheguru is included in
daily vocabulary as a social expression
of Divine consciousness. Thus, in the life
of a Sikh, continuous chanting of
Waheguru becomes 1) state of mind, 2)
a conceptual formulation of theology, 3)
an observance of ritual, and 4) a mode of
communication among fellow beings.
When a Sikh meditates, he/she adores
the Creator as Waheguru When a Sikh
sings in his solitude, he/she sings
Waheguru as the presence of the inef-
fable Divine light as well as an act of
thanksgiving to God. Here, thanksgiving
is to express gratitude for numerous gifts
received in life. When Sikhs join in com-
munity prayer, they glorify their heroes
and their history by loudly chanting
Waheguru.
Term Waheguru translated:
Waheguru is made up of two words,
Waha and Guru; the word Guru is further
made of gu and ru. Waha is a form of
addressing the greatness of God as mar-
velous, wonderful, ineffable, unspeak- mantar was meant to bring to mind the
able or simply as an expression of feel-
14
The Sikh Review
ing blissful; the word guru personifies God
into the illuminating energy which re-
moves the darkness of illusion. In Sikh
tradition it is the object of deity for wor-
ship The most accepted translation today
was given by eminent Sikh historian, Bhai
Santokh Singh, in his classic, Nanak
Prakash (1.1.62-63).
The Gurmukhi verse was translated
by Sikh theologian, Sirdar Kapur Singh
as below: Wahe means wondrous, that
which cannot be described by means of
a proposition or syllogism, Gu, means,
inertia, matters, nascence, transience,
and Ru, means, the destroyer of them,
the light that animates, and sustain pure
consciousness.
The term Waheguru was introduced
in Gurmat by Guru Nanak who is said to
have ordained recitation of Waheguru as
key (Mantar) of meditation or simran.
There is a story about Guru Nanak, in
Janam Sakhi which narrates that Guru
Nanak had asked his companion, Bhai
Mardana, that he should continuously
chant Waheguru as they wished to cross
the river by doing so. Perhaps there was
a hint to cross the ocean of life on the
strength of Waheguru recitation.
The practice of simran by recitation of
object of worship with singular attention.
July 2013
Thus, Waheguru is meant to serve
both as the key and the object in the Sikh
practice of simran.
The poet laureates of Gurus court,
Bhats, witnessed Guru Amar Das medi-
tating on Waheguru. Their testimony is
referred in Sri Guru Granth Sahib as:
Guru Amar Das meditates by chant-
ing Waheguru and thus he lives in bond-
age with the Creator.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji included recita-
tion of Waheguru in the holy ritual of bap-
tism and ordained his followers to employ
Waheguru as Guru-mantar. Since then,
the recitation at Waheguru has been con-
tinuously emphasized in the Sikh injunc-
tions.
In Sri Guru Granth Sahib, there are
several references to the rehat of reciting
Waheguru. For example, it is said that
those who look up to the Guru for their
guidance always recite Waheguru, to the
contrary of those who rather listen to their
own intuition and poison themselves to
spiritual death.
You are ordained to always recite
Waheguru, since the Waheguru recitation
pleases the Guru.
The followers of Guru recite
Waheguru always, even in their sleep, as
well as when awake. Says Nanak, they
who contemplate all the time are
cleansed.
Also those who recite Waheguru from
the depth of their hearts will achieve sal-
vation and will not be answerable to the
Angles of Judgment.
It is thus clear, that Waheguru has been
made a central vocabulary in Sikh tradi-
tions since the times of the Gurus, even
though, according to Sardar Kapoor Singh,
this term is also found in the annals of other
religious traditions, such as Buddhism,
Vedanta, etc. According to him, the Chi-
nese pilgrims who visited India in the sev-
enth century, testify that in the Buddhist
congregations when any exposition was
made of some profound or basic meta-
physical doctrine. It was customary for the
members of the congregation to recite, in
appreciation, Wahu, wahu.
Approbatory reference to this practice
exists in the Guru Granth Sahib itself:
Wondrous, wondrous is truly expressive
of waking reaction of a religious man. Fur-
ther, according to Kapur Singh, in the oc-
cult Tibet, the expression, samyagya, is
uttered, or written, before all sacred knowl-
edge indicating that the teachings are too
profound and esoteric to be taught to, or
comphrended by, any, save the purified
and the disciplined.
The formula is itself regarded as a seal
of secrecy on the esoteric teachings.
Samyagya is the exact equivalent of the
Sikh esoteric formula Waheguru Samya,
means infallible knowledge, which is com-
plete realization of the self, and gya word
of the Tibetan language is originally a San-
skrit word, which means wondrous,
Wahu.
15

Waheguru as expression of the Creator:
The word Waheguru adorns in the Di-
vine as the one equal to whom is none other.
Thus it is said in Sri Guru Granth Sahib:
Waha Waha bani
Nirankar hai
The term Waha or Waheguru de-
notes the Formless Who is Matchless.
The term Waha (or Waheguru) denotes
praise of the Lord as it is realized by those
who are seeking guidance from Guru.
The term Wahe (or Waheguru) de-
note the transcendental Truth through
which the seekers may reach the Lord.
Waheguru as expression of gratitude
fo the gift of life:
The Guru ordains recitation of
Waheguru as an act of thanksgiving to
God. Thanksgiving is an expression of
gratitude for numerous gifts received.
Through chanting of Waheguru, a Sikh
transforms the whole of creation as an
occasion to experience the Divine and to
live in the gratitude of God for the gift of
life and numerous other bounties.
Waheguru as a means of purification:
In the Sikh tradition, cleansing deeds
are especially stressed. They are ex-
pressed as isnan which is one leg of Sikh
tripod. The corporal personality of a Sikh
stands on three legs namely (1) Naam
worship of Supreme Being, (2) Daan
charity (sharing of intellect, wealth and
bodily skills with others), and (3) isnan,
the cleansing acts (noble deeds). Isnan
16
The Sikh Review
consists of truthful living, practice of hon-
esty in trade and profession, and in deal-
ings with others. Further, Isnaan ordains
seeking of constant company of other
seekers and men of God to facilitate the
path of salvation. Expression of gratitude
by singing Waheguru is also said to be a
cleansing deed or isnaan. For example,
as illustrated below through a verse from
Siri Guru Granth Sahib, the virtue of ex-
pressing gratitude through recitation of
Waheguru is to purify your mind, body and
thought processes. Such a deed scrubs
of the black stains of ego from ones con-
sciousness. This effort of purification is a
necessary step towards acquisition of the
divine consciousness and towards devel-
oping a link with the Ultimate Truth.
Recitation of Waheguru as expression
of gratitude cleanses your mind and sal-
vages your consciousness from the per-
version of illusionary ego.
Waheguru as key to Salvation:
Meditation of Waheguru was ordained
by the Guru as mean of pleasing the de-
ity and of achieving salvation.
nank vahu vahu kritAa pRBu paieAa krim
prapit h]ie . [SGGS:514]
Says Nanak, by meditating on
Waheguru one achieves the Lord and re-
ceives His Grace.
Says Nanak, those who recite
Waheguru from the depth of their heart, will
achieve salvation and will not be answer-
able to the Angles of Judgment.
July 2013
How to Rekindle the Divine Spirit
DR. BHAI HARBANS LAL
SUCCESS IN ANY ATTEMPT TO create
the new world of sarbat ka bhala will
require a comprehensive approach, as
shown by our Gurus. Sadly, the
materialistic ideologies have succeeded
in conditioning this world to seeking only
materialist solutions. The political leaders
daily propound that relationships be built
on materialistic considerations. They
preach that a weaponly-based world
policing will provide the security to our
society. Although their doctrines are
attractive, their long term success is
doubtful.
What is wrong is not the power and
potency of any particular weapon, or any
human attitude, but the underlying intel-
lectual practice - and malpractice - among
the earths inhabitants. For a rectifica-
tion, what is needed is to rekindle the
Divine spirit in the human heart before
the materialist solutions are negoti-
ated for resolving human conflicts.
The seeking of human good accord-
ing to the principle of sarbat ka bhalla
is far beyond the potency of the mate-
rialistic paths. It consists of promoting
spirituality and humanity as the underly-
ing principles for world peace.
The human unity toward the good of
every one cannot be achieved by mere
slogans and partisan bargaining unless
the human heart is rekindled, for univer-
> THEOLOGY
sal good. For example, Guru Arjun related
to many of these situations and finally
chose to contemplate the Creator towards
resolving a difficult situation. He says:
pRTm[ mta ij ptRI clavxu .
(SGGS: 371)
First, I was advised to send a letter
proposing peace. Second, they advised
me to send a delegation of wise men to
negotiate. Third advise was to undertake
other efforts of war and do something re-
garding our defenses But I resolved to
discard every such advice Instead I con-
templated upon Thou only, O God.
The spirit of seeking good of all hu-
mankind is severely handicapped by the
culure of competition, conflict, protest, and
violence that are he features of contem-
porary society. Debate, propaganda, the
adversarial philosophy of life, and the
entire apparatus of partisanship are fun-
damentally hurtful to achieving any
change of heart. They may permit reach-
ing a consensus about a given situation
but will not be a solution for reaching any
long lasting understanding. Rather, they
may shove the problem under the rug,
and unwittingly, promote its fomentation
at a later day, resulting in further unrest.
Bosnia is a clear example. The apparent
peace was achieved in that nation many
time by negotiation and compromises
17

throughout the past century. But the pro-
cesses alone could not prevent foment-
ing of recent conflict that reached the
magnitude of ethnic cleansing through
genocide.
To bring peace, what is called for is a
reconciliatory process, under the Divine
guidance, in which the individuals, when
in argument, strive to transcend their re-
spective points of view and behave as
members of one family subscribing to Di-
vine mission and goals. With Divine spirit
kindled in the heart, the atmosphere will
have to be characterized by both candor
and courtesy, ideas will be sought in a
group, as a whole, that is inspired by Di-
vine will. Once the collective decision is
reached and the blessing of Almighty God
is sought, it is supported regardless of the
individual opinions Such a societal sys-
tem can be accomplished only when ev-
eryone in the society visualizes a greater
Divine purpose of his life rather than his
own person under the influence of ego
and false identities.
In order to bring about major social
changes, a major goal ought to be to pro-
mote spirituality and humanity. As Guru
Gobind Singh said on the mission of his life:
jhW qhW qY Drm clwey, kbuD krn qy lok
htwey
(bicqR nwtk)
The mission of life given to me was to
avert people from unwise behaviors and
to include the movements for Divine per-
suasion (spirituality) everywhere.
18
The Sikh Review
Once the life mission is determined, it
follows than to develop principles of higher
value systems and social justice. This is
the dream of sarbat ka bhalla which can
be begun and achieved by rekindling of
the Divine spirit in human heart. Such a
goal can neither be a rhetoric or resolu-
tion, nor can it be a set of treaties and
declarations. They were the means of the
past. Those approaches were found in-
sufficient in the past and will be found
counter-productive in future, in bringing
about the age of sarbat ka bhalla. Fur-
ther, material progress alone will not suf-
fice as is evident from history of the past
century. What will be needed is a broad
consensus of understanding about hu-
man nature and a rekindling of heart
through inculcation of Divine spirit in
everyones life. Invocation of Divine
guidance in the spirit of a prayer will
be the modum operandum in such a
society.
As Guru Arjun asked us, we must con-
sider the Lord as the source of all well-
being and protection. It is in this spirit that
the Lord is addressed in Sikh congrega-
tions on behalf of each one of us and of
all the human race. The Guru prayed as:
hir jIxu tU suK s;pit rais .
raiK l{hu BaeI m[r[ kxu pRB Aag{ Arwais .
(SGGS: 619)
Oh God, Thou art my source of blisss
and welfare. I pray to Thee: Save me and
all my brethren.
July 2013
raiK l[hu was Apun[ kxu swa swa ikrpal .
(SGGS: 1222)
Oh God, Thou art ever gracious mas-
ter, protect me, your attendant.
We must realize that, unless the de-
velopment of society finds a purpose be-
yond the mere amelioration of material
conditions, it will fail to attain the state of
sarbar ka bhalla. That purpose must be
sought in spiritual dimensions of life
and motivation that transcend a con-
stantly changing economic landscape
and an artificially imposed division of
human societies into technologically
primitive and advanced, developed
and developing, or believers and non-
believers. Such an attitude misses the sig-
nificance of what is likely to be the most
important social phenomenon of next cen-
tury. The thinkers behind power of the
world will be striving to construct a new
global order and the people of the world
will be galvanized by a vision of higher
nature of humankind. They will be exalted
to as children of God and will affirm their
belief in what Guru said four centuries
ago.
jgtu jl;wa riK l{ AapNI ikrpa Wair .
(SGGS: 853)
The world is aflame, Oh Lord, save it
Thou in Thy mercy, through whichever
door it comes to you, save it neverthe-
less.
The rekindling of spiritual conscious-
ness will be achieved when we really be-
gin to believe in karta purakh, the Cre-
ative Soul. When we rise in spiritual vi-
sion to the apprehension of the one truth
that the Creator and sustainer is infinite
and omnipotent and therefore nothing
else or nobody else is a power that will
count.
ctur iwsa kIn] blu Apna
isr xUpir kru WairX .
(SGGS: 681)
The Lord has manifested His sover-
eignty over all the worlds and casting His
hands of compassion on us will dispel all
pains.
Right now there are great powers and
little powers who scare people into sub-
jugation. However, no one will be able to
enslave people when they are anchored
in spiritual consciousness.
ijs k[ isr xUpir tU; suAamI s] wuKu k{sa pav{ .
(SGGS: 749)
How can one suffer any pain when one
is under the protectorate of the Lord.
As the Guru becomes Protector of the
Realized Ones, they begin to live free of
all sorrows and pleasures.
If we continue to look at this life
through our human eye, we are subject
to every manner of fears, conflicts, geno-
cides, diseases, viruses, bullets, bombs,
and so many other things. Even an auto-
mobile on the road will be conceived as a
fearsome killer, and, above all, the cal-
endar can become so deadly that all we
19

have to do is to keep looking at it and
then any day we are due for extinction.
But the deadliest weapon of all is the
mind of man that lives in duality and
discriminates among Gods children.
Neither bullet-proof vests nor bomb-
ing-proof shelters can save us from that
weapon. Only in the understanding that
we are eternal, that God is our life, that
we are immortal and spiritual, and that
the entire kingdom of God is in our ser-
vice, that we can achieve peace.
With Divine knowledge and medita-
tion, we shall come to see that it is liter-
ally true that there is no enemy and life is
immortal and it is the Divine truth which
we already have in our hearts that gov-
erns everything.
tU; sBna k[ naT t[rI isRsio sB .1. rhaxu .
(SGGS: 397)
You are the master of all and this uni-
verse is yours alone.
The sarbat ka bhalla must become a
part of our realized consciousness. We
must accept the principles underlying this
concept that no more are we separate and
apart from each other or from the Cre-
ator, that every human being has access
to all the heavenly riches and to all of the
creative principles. It is time that we realize
that Gods total creation is at our disposal
and it is created as assistance to us in or-
der to make our eternal journey pleasant.
iesu WrtI mih t[rI iskwarI .
(SGGS: 374)
20
The Sikh Review
You, O man, are the overlord on this
earth. All other forms of existence are in
your care. You have gold, silver and other
wealth. However, your Godless culture
has ruined the life for you.
Every one can look into infinity, claim
it all, and enjoy as much of it as one
needs. Nothing can establish permanent
peace in the heart of an individual except
the entrance into the heart of the Divine
Spirit, the Spirit of God. As peace is es-
tablished in the heart of the individual,
ultimately it will be established in the world
outside, a peace that comes, not by the
material advancement, nor by individual
wisdom or power, but by the Spirit of God
functioning as the consciousness of hu-
man beings. This Spirit which God has
planted in the midst of each of us can be
found missing because of our ignorance
of its presence. But when we become
aware of this invisible, transcendental
presence as our true self, in that moment
does it begin to function in our life experi-
ences. We then become something more
than the mere creatures sentenced to
earn our living by the sweat of our brow,
or to bring forth children in pain and suf-
fering. Those who experience the limit-
lessness and boundlessness of the soul
within go far beyond the technological
achievements into still another dimension
of life unbelievably higher and wider.
Just as men were limited in the early
days by the existing means of transpor-
tation, so are we earthbound by the be-
lief in a limited being, a limited life, and a
July 2013

limited mind. The process of discarding
this belief should be analogous to the pro-
cess of dropping our sense of limitation
in regard to darkness through turning on
an electric bulb and removing the sense
of cold through the central heating. It re-
quires rising to a higher altitude of under-
standing, recognizing the Soul within, and
letting the sense of human limitations drop
away. Let us put to heart what the Guru
spoke centuries ago:
inrBxu swa wieAalu h{ sBna krwa sar .
(SGGS: 27)
God, the Holy Father beyond fear is
ever compassionate, caring for all
creatures.

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21
> THEOLOGY
Scriptural Sanctity of Naam Daan Isnaan
Meditation with a Pure Heart
DR. BHAI HARBANS LAL
A CURSORY VIEW OF THE PRESENT
TREND in Sikh publications, youth
programs and other ceremonies reveals
that the essence of certain scriptural
canons of Sikh principles may be
gradually changing without any ones
notice. The Gurus canons of naam daan
isnaan1 is being translated into various
terms to suit the convenience and
circumstances. Whereas the motives of
the writers and speakers may be genuine,
there is a risk of tinting with adulteration
the basic canons of Sikhism with passage
of time.
Principles of the Sikh rehat first origi-
nated in the Guru Nanaks teachings. The
Guru spread the divine message to all
those coming to him and laid the ground
work for a universal Code of Connduct
(Rehat Maryada). This code was meant
to be timeless and meant for every one
without any prejudice of race, religion,
gender or nationality. It is the one code
applicable to every member of human
race. Traditionally it was summed up by
the Guru in three scriptural terms, naam,
daan, isnaan.
On every opportunity of transmitting
his ministry, the Guru emphasized a life
style based upon a troika of those three
precepts. For example, such was the first
pronouncement of his ministry. The en-
22
The Sikh Review
try into venee nadi is considered the most
significant event in the life of the founder
of Sikh religion2 The historians describe
this event as the occasion when Guru
Nanak inaugurated his ministry by pro-
nouncing that he was ordained by God
with a message for all humanity. Refer-
ring to this message, the writers of the
oldest available Sikh history, ancient
Meherban vaalee janam sakhi, described
the Divine instructions to the Guru, as
saying.
O Nanak, those you accept, will be
given salvation in the court of God you
are ordained to undertake the mission of
both articulating and inculcating the prac-
tice of Naam Daan Isnaan in the Millen-
nium of Kaliyug3
In recorded Sikh history, it is from this
event and time that the naam daan isnaan
terms were rightly regarded as a repre-
senting the basic doctrines of Sikhism.
The same doctrines are routinely
preached in the Sikh congregations and
a lot has been written on their meanings
and implications in life.
Following this event of venee nadi the
scriptural terms, Naam daan isnaan were
made a part of gurmat philosophy and
were popularized as such. Although these
terms and the concepts they represented
July 2013
continued to be recognized as the funda-
mentals of Sikhism, they were variously
translated with changing times according
to the dictation of local languages and
customs. This is not unusual. With chang-
ing socio-political milieu, and cultural as
well as linguistic needs through the ages,
it is expected that more contemporary
terms would be employed to express the
essence of the original dictions and ba-
sic concepts contained in them. Although
the evolution of terminology is expected,
a great caution must be exercised to pre-
serve the original terms and their mean-
ing. Often, over time when the newer
terms are introduced, they may subtly
begin to taint the original meaning of the
canons to accommodate expression of
many cultural and geographical influ-
ences. Once accepted, the subtle
changes have a tendency to lead to dis-
tortion of the original meaning. To guard
against any long-lasting variation in the
essence of terms, it must be emphasized
periodically that the basic principles must
be referred to by the original terms coined
by the Founders themselves, or those
subsequently authenticated by the Gurus
themselves and their contemporary theo-
logians.
Other terms which are most popular
in the Punjab region of the Indian sub-
continent to describe the Gurus three
precepts are Naam Japo, Vand Chhako,
Kirat Karo. These are newer terms and
were coined during the post-Guru period.
Time of their exact origin is not known.
Terms very different but considered to
represent the same ideas were mentioned
by Bhai Mani Singh although he used
each of them separately. It is a common
belief that Bhai Vir Singh allowed the use
of these terms to blunt the Communist
influence on Sikh youth. The motivation
was to stress that Sikhism had already
imbibed two major slogans of the Com-
munist movement, and it goes further by
stressing a belief in God to which Com-
munism was opposed. I clearly recall this
point being emphasized in the Sikh youth
gatherings by the All India Sikh Students
Federation, and other Sikh activist move-
ments. Although the intention at that time
was laudable yet wide popularity of new
terms gradually began to replace the origi-
nals altogether. The newer terms, that
were originally meant to describe naam
daan isnaan, instead began to corrupt the
original intention with time. A number of
authors even unwittingly began to go
astray in their exposition while explaining
the terms in the context of their own un-
derstanding. In order to halt this erosion
of the real intention of the Guru, it is pre-
ferred to adopt reference to the Gurus
edicts in the words chosen by the great
sages themselves. It is for this reason that
this author elected to cite below the origi-
nal testimony of the scripture in support
of the correct representation of these
terms.
Testimony of Bhai Gurdas The
Scholars Scholar:
Bhai Gurdas was Guru Arjund scribe
who co-compiled the first recension of the
23

Guru Granth. Bhai Gurdas was the sone
of Datar Chand Bhalla, a first cousin of
Guru Amar Das: his cousin sister, Bibi
Bhani, was married to Guru Ram Das and
was mother of Guu Arjun which made
Bhai Gurdas as maternal uncle to Guru
Arjun. Thus, Bhai Gurdas may be con-
sidered as the Sikh best connected to the
Gurus family and, therefore, Gurus mis-
sion. In addition, he had a singular privi-
lege of living through the time of first six
Gurus and is considered as the first Sikh
missionary of the Sikh philosophy and
mysticism. He wrote extensively on the
Gurmat philosophy and the Sikh way of
life. Guru Arjun designated Bhai Gurdass
writings as the key to the Guru Granth
Sahib. In this capacity, Bhai Gurdas was
the first to outline Gurus own instructions
on the theology and morality of the Sikh
community in the Gurus time and for the
times to come.
Bhai Gurdas the scholars scholar
elected to include his testimony on the
injunctions of Naam daan isnaan in his
very first pauri. This pauri was used as
homage to the founder of the religion and
as an overview of his composition. It goes
as follows:
BwE Bgqu gurpurb kr, nwm dwn iesnwn
idRVwieAw ] (BweI gurdws jI)
I bow to Guru Nanak who transformed
people into those who continuously re-
dedicate themselves to the Gurus prin-
ciples through celebration of the Sikh fes-
tivals and emphasize on others the path
of Naam daan isnaan.
24
The Sikh Review
Similarly when Bhai Gurdas narrated
the foundation of the Panth, he included
the injunctions of Naam daan isnaan as
an important component:
gurmuK pMQ clwieE, nwm dwn iesnwn
idRVwieAw ] (BweI gurdws jI)
The Guru runs the path of Guru ori-
entation by emphasizing Naam, daan,
isnaan.
Further, when Bhai Gurdas described
the teachings that Guru asked his follow-
ers to abide by, it contained Naam daan
isnaan as an important part.
pr qn pr Dn pr inMd myt, nwm dwn
iesnwn idRVwieAw ] (BweI gurdws jI)
Among the virtues that the Guru had
emphasized included; to be truthful, con-
tent, merciful, religious and the practitio-
ner of naam, daan and isnaan.
siq sMqoK dXw Drm, nwm dwn iesnwn
idRVwieAw ] (BweI gurdws jI)
For inculcating the Truth, fulfillment,
mercy and divinity the Guru emphasized
Naam daan isnaan.
Bhai Gurdas considered the practice
of Naam daan isnaan as a fulfillment of
the Gurus teachings.
To a Guru oriented individual, the
practice of naam, daan and isnaan con-
stitute the fulfillment of Gurus teachings.
Testimony of Bhai Nand Lal:
Bhai Nand Lal was the Poet Laureate
of Gurus court and the most dearly be-
loved disciple of Guru Gobind Singh. He
July 2013
wrote two rehatnamas, one written in
1695, i.e. four years before the Vaisakhi
of 1699 known as Rehatnama, and the
other in 1699 known as Tankhahnama.
Nand Lal was asked by the Guru to com-
pile Gurus injunctions for the guidance
of the Sikh community after the Guru left
his human body for the heavenly abode.
Both of those were written under the per-
sonal guidance of Guru Gobind Singh and
were often composed in the form of con-
versation between the Guru and Bhai
Nand Lal. In these compositions, Guru
Gobind Singh asked Nand Lal to convey
to the Sikhs the following message for
inclusion in their daily code of conduct:
suxo BweI nMdlwl jI, is`K krm hY ieho ]nwm
dwn iesnwn ibn kry nw Awn isE nyho ]8
Listen, O, my dear Bhai Nand Lal, the
religious deeds of the Sikh are defined
as follows but for naam (meditation),
daan (sharing and charity), and isnaan
(acts of cleansing), a Sikh should not form
an association with anything else.
The Gurus Sermons on the Holy
Troika:
Above all, the Gurus themselves fre-
quently emphasized the rehat of naam,
daan and isnaan. For instance, Guru says
gurmuK nwm dwn iesnwn, gurmuK lwgY sihj
iDAwn ] (BweI gurdws jI)9
The God-oriented people live the life
of naam, daan, isnaan and they remain
attuned to the blissful state.
Naam daan isnaan drirh har bhagat(i)
sujag.10
The devout is awake to the Worship
of the Lord with firm faith in the life style
of naam daan isnaan.
Drirh naam daan isnaan suchari.11
naam daan and isnaan are the acts of
piousness.
When the Guru found an occasion to
deliver his sermon to gatherings on festi-
vals of every kind, he used those oppor-
tunities to stress his mission by empha-
sizing the principle of his new religion ir-
respective of the professed faith of the
audience, for example, on two premier
holy festivals of Hindus, both Guru Nanak
and Guru Arjun preached as follows:
wsmI namu wanu iesnanu .
Aniwnu mjnu sca guN igAanu .
[SGGS:840]
On the day of Dasami, dedicate your-
self to naam daan and isnaan
On the day of Duadsi, dedicate your-
self to the practice of naam daan and
Isnaan.13
As far as we know Guru Gobind Singh
continued the tradition of using ndi term.
For example, the Guru is quoted as say-
ing:
The gift of naam daan and isnaan is
not obtained without being a fortunate.14
It is thus clear that the terms used to
describe three pillars of the Sikh way of
25
 The Sikh Review

life were never allowed to change in over striction however on translating them in
two centuries of the Gurus life. It is not contemporary idiom when necessary as
wise, therefore to permit any change now. long as the original terms are not allowed
This certainly does not preclude any re- to be forgotten.

References
1. For detailed discussion on the meanings of these terms see, Harbans Lal, Three Pillars of
Spiritual Living. From Both sides of the Ocean. January-February issue, 16-19, 1996.
2. Singh, O.: Jot Prakash Dus Guru Saheban, Vismaad Naad 1 (1) 193, 1994.
3. as cited by Onkar Singh, In: Jot Prakash Dus Guru Saheban, Vismaad Naad. 1 (1) 196, 1994.
4. Gurdas Bhai, In Varan Bhai Gurdas, Var I, Pauri 1 Sixth Edition reprinted Bhai Vir Singh Sahit
Sadan, New Delhi. 1992.
5. Gurdas Bhai, in Varan Bhai Gurdas, Var 23, Pauri 1, Sixth Edition reprinted Bhai Vir Singh
Sahit Sadan, New Delhi. 1992.
6. Gurdas Bhai, in Varan Bhai Gurdas, Var 29, Pauri 2. Sixth Edition reprinted Bhai Vir Singh
Sahit Sadan, New Delhi. 1992.
7. Gurdas Bhai, in Varan Bhai Gurdas, Var 30, Pauri 15, Sixth Edition reprinted Bhai Vir Singh
Sahit Sadan, New Delhi. 1992.
8. Rehatnama Bhai Nand Lal, 1. 17. (Also it appears in Trnkhahnama by Bhai Nand Lal)
9. Guru Nanak In: Sri Guru Granth Sahib (1604) p. 942.1.4.
10. Guru Nanak In: Sri Guru Granth Sahib (1604) p. 419.1.5
11. Guru Nanak In: Sri Guru Granth Sahib (1604) p. 740. 1.18
12. Guru Nanak In: Sri Guru Granth Sahib (1604) p. 780, 1.2
13. Guru Arjun In: Sri Guru Granth Sahib (1604) p. 2999. 1.7
14. Singh, Guru Gobind. In: Sukhmmanha, Chant 7, i1.1. as referenced by Bhagwant Singh Harji,
Dasam Granth Tut Tatkara, Punjabi University, Patiala. P. 1083.

CORREGENDUM
Akali Baba Phula Singhjis life-span (given on p.
37 of the May 2013 issue) should read 1761-
1823 and not as printed. - Publisher, SR

26
July 2013
Unity of mankind: The Universal Principle
As enunciated by Guru Gobind Singh Ji
DR. BHAI HARBANS LAL
THE HUMAN RACE IS FACING MANY
crises now, and will face many more in
the decades ahead. But the human race
also inherits the capacity to develop
technology and resources so that crises
could be prevented. We have the means
to get rid of poverty and hunger, protect
environment, modulate population to an
optimum, and eliminate war and disease.
Yet, there are indications that there may
be little progress towards solving any
problem. Rather, our problems may reach
a state of fatal insolubility if we are unable
to change our value system; values in
self-definition or in our world-view. Our
achievements in technology may become
an incentive for destruction of the race in
the next century unless each one of us is
able to establish a practical and creative
identity in relationship to each other, and
to the nature that surrounds us. This
identity must start with a proactive
recognition of the oneness of
humankind in every life behaviour and
creativity, implicit or explicit. Such an
identity is the foremost pre-requisite
for the establishment of a new society
for the twentyfirst century.
Currently, we recognize people as
tribes, cultures, castes, religions, images,
economic or social classes, genders,
ages, politico-territorial nations, ethnic
> PHILOSOPHY
groups or family lineage. With the physi-
cal unification of the Planet Earth, a real-
ization is fast coming home that all who
live on this planet are interrelated and in-
terdependent. They are related to each
other because they inherit a common
thread of the Divine within. Therefore, we
must begin the making of a new history
of humankind under Divine guidance with-
out any distinction. The year of 2014 is
the most appropriate opportunity to
launch the making of such an history. It
will be an opportunity for the Sikhs to ful-
fil their Gurus prophesy when they un-
dertake this cause. Their launch will be
totally under the inspiration from our Guru.
Future:
The new history should be based on
recognizing human kind as one people
under the principle of compassion - as one
human race under God. An important
commandment from Guru Gobind Singh,
(and similar commandments from proph-
ets of all other religions) will provide
strength in such an undertaking. In addi-
tion, we are urged to proceed towards this
goal by wisdom we have derived from the
wealth of all the genetic and cultural di-
versity that has evolved through past
ages. We are now ready be to challenged
as the earths inhabitants to draw on our
27

collective inheritance to take up the re-
sponsibility for the design of our future as
one race and one nation under God.
Gurmat endorses forcefully the establish-
ment of the New Order under the prin-
ciples of unity of humankind for promot-
ing Sarbat da bhalla. The Guru told us
this directly that all human beings are il-
luminated by Divine light which runs
through every one as a single thread:
sB mih j]it j]it h{ s]ie .
its k{ caniN sB mih canNu h]ie .
[Guru Nanak Devji, SGGS: 663]
Every heart contains the Divine Light
and it is the same Light. It is the Light of
the Lord that brightens all hearts.
Guru Gobind Singh echoed this voice:
jYsy eyk Awg qy qYsy ibsvw rUp ]
(Akwl ausqiq)
As out of a single fire arise millions of
spark; but all of them merge back into the
same fire. As out of the same dust arise
millions of dust particles; but all of them
merge back into the same dust. As out of
a single ocean arise millions of waves;
but all of them merge into the water. So
from Gods form, emerge all creation,
animate and inanimate; and all of them
are in equilibrium with the Creator.
Sectoral Division:
In the materialistic world of today we
have been encouraged, through the past
century, to be proud of being American,
Canadian, English, German, Punjabi, In-
28
The Sikh Review
dians, or whatever our geopolitical nation-
ality may Be. But when we discover that
we are citizen of the Divine Kingdom, as
brothers and sisters, we must realize that
the world citizenship has been bestowed
upon us regardless of the flag that flies
over us, the colour of our skin, or the
church to which we belong. We are urged
that sarbat ka bhala is the fundamental
principle to live by. In the world under this
principle no one can be limited to a conti-
nent, country, to a nation, or to a state.
Everyone is and will be living in the king-
dom of God, and in that Kingdom every
one is the household of God, an heir of
God, and a joint heir with every other spiri-
tual being in this wide world of ours, of
one great family, and of one great spiri-
tual brotherhood.
Guru Nanak described, four centuries
ago, this world as one which was for ev-
eryone and where everyone was well
taken care of:
s] wru k[ha s] Gru k[ha ijtu bih srb smal[ .
[SGGS: 6]
I describe to you that kingdom and that
house where all are taken well care of.
Guru Arjun further described the one
Lord of this kingdom as:
tU; saJa saihbu bapu hmara .
nxu iniW t[r{ AKuo B;dara .
ijsu tU; w[ih su itRpit AGav{ s]eI Bgtu
tumara jIxu .2.
[Guru Arjun Dev, SGGS:97]
July 2013
Thou are the Father of us all and
our common Master. All treasures of
your kingdom are inexhaustible.
Whomsoever you give is for ever sated
and becomes the devotee to thee. All
live in thy hope. On all hearts shower
Thy pleasure. All are known as parners
and you are alien to none.
We are one people under God. Guru
Gobind Singh made this as a proclama-
tion when he called humankind as a one
living body. Its parts may look different
and move indifferent directions. But all of
them serve the same body. Only a blind
person will describe it differently. People
who divide people are like the legendary
blind men who could touch only parts of
an elephant and thus described the best
through its disconnected body parts. Only
when their sight was restored that they
realized their deception.
To rise above the limitations of per-
sonal sense does not make us any less
of a good Sikh, Hindu, Jew or a Christian
or that matter, less of a citizen. In fact, it
makes us better adherents to our faith
and better citizens - because we respect
the faith and citizenship of other person.
Real citizenship is to live in fellowship, but
this cannot be experienced until the na-
ture of our true identity is understood; and
then we are all of one spiritual house-hold.
The apparent differences are found only
skin deep. Guru Gobind Singh rightfully
pointed out to the numerous cultural in-
fluences that distract human beings from
their Divine unity and which mould the
human behaviour into a variety of appar-
ent differences:
mwns sBY eyk pY Anyk ko BrmwE hY
(Akwl ausqiq)
All human beings are one and the
same although there is a deception
of difference due to multitude of envi-
ronments and societies.
Guru Gobind Singh said that the reli-
gious and cultural diverstieis that are ob-
served are only imprints of geographical
diversities:
dyvqw Adyv j`c gMDrb qurk ihMdU ]
inAwry inAwry dysn ky Bys ko BrmwE hY ]
(Akwl ausqiq)
Many are gods, or other demons.
There are heavenly tribes and learned
people, or angels. They may be seen
as Muslims (citizens of Islamic na-
tions) or Hindus (natives of Indian
subcontinent). They may look and act
differently, but their differences are
made up of influences from their
countries, cultures or the clothes that
cover that bodies.
w[s v[s suvrn rUpa sgl xUN[ kama .
[Guru Arjun Dev, SGGS:547]
Country, clothes, gold and silver
all of these are of little consequence.
The Human Race:
People who describe each other as a
race, such as Aryan, Greek, Jew or Cau-
casian, are grossly mistaken. They are
29

children of one God. They live in one
world. Through the proclamation of the
oath that we take on our initiation, or oth-
ers who do so for their faith, we acknowl-
edge our Divine kinship. No mater what
appearance we carry, what or other ge-
netic variations we are endowed with, we
must surmount all those by firming our
belief in the parenthood of God. The Gu-
rus said that this world is a house of God
where all His children live as one family.
e[ku ipta e[ks k[ hm bairk tU m[ra gur haeI .
[Guru Arjun Dev, SGGS: 611]
Thou are our only Father and we only
Thy children, O Lord. Thou are our
only mentor.
If we were born in separate families,
that was also the global planning of the
Creator. The Creator only gave us our
earthly parents to run this system, but
never to indicate any division in our hu-
man race.
maeI bap putR siB hir k[ kIe[ .
sBna kxu snb;Wu hir kir wIe[ .1.
[Guru Amar Das, SGGS: 494]
Mothers, fathers and children are
creation of God. Only God created
all relationship among them.
Guru Arjun described all people of the
world as Gods dependents, the Lord lives
in every one and they are all one asso-
ciation. He did not see any one outside.
God was described as the creator and
sustainer of all. All of us are dependent
30
The Sikh Review
of one giver. Thus we are all the same
and none should be taken as a stranger.
sBna ka ma ipxu Aaip h{ Aap[ sar kr[ie .
[Guru Amar Das, SGGS: 653]
He Himself is the Father and Mother
of all and He Himself takes care of
all.
sBna xupir nwir pRB t[rI .
iks{ T]zI iks{ h{ GN[rI .
[Guru Amar Das, SGGS: 119]
Some have limited bounty and oth-
ers possess abundance. But Thou be-
stow Thy kind eye on every one.
Guru Gobind Singh fortified the previ-
ous proclamations by describing the hu-
man as one race. While implementing his
Divine mission on this earth the Guru
asked his followers to consider human-
kind as one race.
mwns kI jwq sBY eykY pihcwnbo ]
(Akwl ausqiq)
Recognize all humans as one and
the same race
Inspite of all those pronouncements
and claims by our mentors, we are still
rigid on the definitions of human beings
based on those promoted by ancient tra-
ditions of ritualism and sectarianism dis-
seminated by ethnic religions. Prevailing
religious thought are still partisan. They
seem incapable of translating our ex-
pressed faith in the spiritual dimension of
human nature into a recognition of the
July 2013
oneness of humankind. This is the one
reason for losing our confidence in
humanitys collective capacity to tran-
scend material conditions. Guru Gobind
Singh warns us against those divisions
and urges us to seek protection of one
creator for whole human race:
koaU BXo muMfIAw sMinAwsI .
eyk hI kI syv, sB hI ko gurdyv eyk, eyk
hI srUp sBY eykY joiq jwnbo ]
(Akwl ausqiq)
Many believe that they become su-
perior by accepting celibacy or un-
dertaking meditation, by giving up
material comforts, by making them-
selves look different, or by wear-
ing long and matted hair, or no hair.
Others feel higher by joining a par-
ticular sect of Islam as, Shia, Sunni,
etc. But no one should overlook the
basic fact that followers of all reli-
gions are the same human beings.
The Creator of all provides for the
needs of all humans. There is one
Lord of all and that Lord alone
should be worshipped. Do not re-
main ignorant and believe in any-
one else except the one Lord. All
humanity is equal, each one of us
carries the reflection of the Creator
in us, and we are all manifestations
of one Creator.
The concept that humanity consti-
tutes a single people is deceptively
simple in a popular dialogue. However,
in reality, it presents a fundamental
challenge to the way that most of the
institutions of contemporary society
carry out their day-to-day business.
These ways are shamelessly manifested
in many forms. There are abundance of
the adversarial relationship among world
religions. Those advocating supremacy of
one religion over others are fanatically
glorified. Glorification is bestowed on any
struggle between social classes and other
groups. Selfish motives can be found un-
derlying most of political movements. The
competitive spirit dominates so much of
modern life. Conflict is advocated as the
mainspring of human interaction. There
are numerous other expressions of divi-
siveness in cultural and religious organi-
zations that have been progressively con-
solidated in human life over the past two
centuries. Laying the groundwork for glo-
bal civilization according to sarbat ka
bhala principle calls for the destruction of
those divisive boundaries. It calls for cre-
ation of faiths, cultures, rituals, codes and
institutions that are universal in scope;
character and authority. To assist in our
understanding of what is required, let us
take an example from Sikh history.
Banda Singh Bahadur, designated by
Guru Gobind Singh as the leader of the
Khalsa after the Guru left for heavenly
abode, established the first Sikh Kingdom
with a capital at Lohgarh, in present
Ambala district of the state of Haryana,
in India. On this occasion, he issued the
Sikh Seal that was imprinted on the coin
of the Sikh government. The seal was
designed in the language of the people
and the land of that time. The original seal
31

imprinted in Persian language and Per-
sian script, reads as below:
is`kw jd br hr do Awlm
qyg-ey-nwnk swihb Asq
Pqih-ey- goibMd isMG Swh-ey-Swhwn
Pzl-ey-scw swihb Asq
[Kapoor Singh, Sikhism for Modern
Man, Guru Nanak Dev University Press,
Amritsar]
We hereby proclaim our sovereignty
over both the worlds, the seen and
unseen. The sword of the central doc-
trine of Nanak destroys the evils of
both the worlds, the poverty and sla-
very on this earth, and the sickness
of the soul hereafter. The final victory
in our struggle has been vouchsafed
by Guru Gobind Singh, the Harbin-
ger (messenger) of the good tidings
of he ever present Grace of God.
It is clear that the Sikh political power was
aimed at creating a world of miri piri, the Di-
vine Kingdom encompassing both the worlds.
Promotion of responsibility for the
good of humankind must be distributed
among all, for maximum effectiveness.
This is a paramount consideration for its
success. The bedrock of a strategy that
can engage the worlds population in as-
suming responsibility for its collective des-
tiny must be based on promotion of the
consciousness of the oneness of human
kind. As the Guru said:
j[t[ jIA t[t[ siB t[r[ .
tumrI ikRpa t[ sUK Gn[r[ . [SGGS:193]
32
The Sikh Review
As many are the living creatures,
they are all Thine, O Lord.
The above doctrine establishes both
a spiritual and a corporal relationship with
God, a human becomes one with the Cre-
ator.
Conclusion:
In 21st century, we must repent our
denial of our Divine Parents house and,
instead, claiming a human pedigree, for
ourselves, which is presently determin-
ing our place in the universe. That be-
lief has been a cause of many a heart-
burn. Now is the opportunity to discard
such beliefs. Instead, we should fully
realize that we are one with every one
and with the all, and that every one is
one with us, everything in our own in-
dividual life and in our environment
should attain a reverent peace. Divine
gifts of love, grace, creativity, peace
and happiness will be revealed from
our own selves, and stay with us for a
long time. Once these gifts are recog-
nized to nourish our existence they will
permeate our worship, our prayers, our
work, our creativity, our relationships,
and our political processes. The expe-
rience of oneness will become the in-
visible thread of life with which we will
be united between ourselves and with
the Divine.
ipta hmar[ pRgo[ maJ .
ipta pUt ril kInI sa:J .
[SGGS:1141]
July 2013

My father has revealed Himself Let there be a dawn of consciousness

within me. The Father and son have
joined together in partnership.
The Guru gave us the doctrine to
guide us in building a new future. In such
a future the responsibility to lead should
be given in the hands of those people who
have come to believe in the oneness of
humankind under the Divine guidance.
Let us embrace the concept of the one-
ness of humanity wholeheartedly and
practice it in every behaviour and creativ-
ity, and not just as part of their daily
prayer. Let people reorient themselves
away from the age-old demons of ethnic
and religious strife. The people must first
identify the patterns of conflict that have
dominated social, religious and political
life in the past, and then run away from
all of them.
that people inhabiting the planet consti-
tute a single people. Let people begin to
learn the ways of conciliation, acceptance
and collaboration. Let the leaders propagate
sarbat ka bhala principles through their rheto-
ric, actions, educational systems and the
media of mass communication.
Once the threshold of belief and ac-
tion is crossed, a permanent process will
have been set in motion through which
the peoples of the world can be drawn
into the task of formulating common goals
of sarbat ka bhala and commit themselves
to their attainment. It is a great opportu-
nity for the followers of the Divine mis-
sion to give a lead.

STUDY ABROAD
SKILL MIGRATION
GLOBAL IC
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33
July 2013 > SCRIPTURE

Inspirational Reading of Guru Granth Sahib

DR. BHAI HARBANS LAL

Abstract
The objective of this Paper is to describe the actual meaning of the paath in
Sikh tradition. For this paper Sri Guru Granth (SGGS)1 is considered con-
sisting of Sabad-Parmaan, which means a written testimony from the Guru
used as a means of valid knowledge congnate. It is complementary with
reason and perception but has a scope that transcends both on account of
the sanctity of its subject matter. Paath of Guru Granth is not a ritual but,
rather, a process of recitation to seek wisdom and enlightenment. Intellec-
tual deliberation is required to seek wisdom, while keeping faith in the pro-
cess. Whereas considering the knowledge contained in the Sabad-Parmaan
as dogmas will be erroneous, skepticism will be a mental affliction. The seeker
of the Sabad-Parmaan would do well in pursuing a middle way; to place
ones faith and trust in the divinity and propheticity of the Guru, and yet to
continue to question ones own understanding of the Gurus teachings in
order to take full benefit of the process.

THE READING OF THE GURU GRANTH
is not like a reading of any book or even
a scripture. Traditionally the term Paath
is used to distinguish this reading, which
is somewhat akin to another term
recitation. The latter term still does not
describe the real process of paath, but
for lack of a more suitable alternate in
English language we will continue to use
the term Guru Granth reading to describe
the spiritual Sikh practice of the Guru
Granth recitation. Actually, the reading is
more of a personal experience with the
Guru in the form of Gurubani verses.
Guru Granth reading requires an ap-
propriate motivation and a proper skill to
be Guru-oriented. Both of these are be-
yond a mechanical reading, or doing ritu-
alist paath. To receive any benefit one has
to know why to read and how to read.
The Guru censures those as ego-oriented
who read without knowing the skill of read-
ing:
pVih mnmuK pru ibiD nhI jwnw
]
(SGGS: 1032)1
i.e. the ego-oriented people recite the
scriptures, but they do not have the
proper skill to do so.
Paath As Communion with Guru:
Traditionally, every Sikh or seeker is
urged to personally engage in formal
reading of the Guru Granth at least once

35

a day as a pre-breakfast routine. It is so
documented by Sikh theologian, Bhai
Gurdas, and so formalized in the Sikh
Code of Conduct that was accepted by
the Sikhs premier organization, the
Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Com-
mittee. Bhai Gurdas said:
gurisK Blky auT kir AimRq vyly sru nHwvMdw ]
guru kY bcn aucwir kY Drmswl dI suriq
krMdw ]
(Bhai Gurdas, Vaar 40 , Pauri 11)3
Bhai Gurdas reported that the Sikhs
of the Guru woke up early in the morn-
ing, took bath and read the verses of
the Guru before proceeding towards
the house of congregation.
Similarly, it is suggested in the Sikh
Code of Conduct that -
hr iek isK AMimRq vyly pRSwid Ckx qoN
pihlW sRI gurU gRMQ swihb jI dw hukm lvy [
jy ies vyly aukwrI ho jwvy qW idn ivc iksy
n iksy vyly pwT kry jW suxy [
Every Sikh should read a passage
from Sri Guru Granth Sahib daily be-
fore breakfast. Should this be missed
on any day, the sacred reading or lis-
tening to a passage from the Granth
may be done any other time of the
day.
There should be hardly any one who
is serious about Gurmat, or the Gurus
path, and find this routine difficult to fol-
low. Everybody goes to bed at night and
everybody gets up in the morning. So, ev-
erybody can spare a few extra minutes
36
The Sikh Review
for the Guru Granth reading in the morn-
ing and, then, possibly at night, from the
twenty-four hours we are given every day.
For more serious seekers, there will al-
ways be another interval sometime dur-
ing the day to seek the Gurus vision
through reciting from the Guru Granth.
Once we begin on this path, gradually,
the reading periods begin to become a
regular feature of our existence, and, if
we are fortunate, we are silently contem-
plating on the Gurus verses at any or
every hour of the day. This way we learn
to open consciousness, if it is but for a
moment, and find ourselves in a state of
receptivity to the Gurus vision. This state
is considered worthy of praise:
kurbwxI iqnW gurisKW gurbwxI inq gwie
suxMdy]
(Bhai Gurdas, Vaar 12, Pauri 2)3
Bhai Gurdas says that he is sacri-
fice to those seekers who engage in
singing and listening to the Gurus
verses at all the time.
According to Bhai Gurdas, besides the
Sikhs, the recitation of the Guru Granth
was also employed to propagate the
Gurus views to all others in the world:
kir pwT gRMQ jgq sB qirau ]
(Bhai Gurdas, Vaar 41, Pauri 21)3
The whole world may undertake the
sacred reading of the Guru Granth to
sail through the sea of temptations in
the human existence.
Formally, the Gurbani reading is done
July 2013
privately as well as in an environment of
a congregation, or any other public or pri-
vate place especially furnished for this
purpose. We will limit ourselves to dis-
cussion of a situation in which an indi-
vidual seeker wishes to engage in one to
one conversations with the Guru Granth
Sahib.
Not a Ritual:
Ritual of reading is considered fruit-
less in the Sikh tradition. Rather, the Guru
Granth reading is a discourse with con-
sciousness (surati) where concentration
of mind and intellect are used in the spiri-
tual understanding. Through this reading,
the theology and its life applications are
understood in the light of the Gurus
teaching. This is illustrated in the follow-
ing description of ritualistic or scholastic
reading by Bhai Gurdas.
byd pwT kir bRhmwidk n jwny hY ]
(Bhai Gurdas, Vaar 21, Pauri 21[3])
By mere reading of the scriptures,
scholars have not been able to com-
prehend the Divine.
Further, Bhai Gurdas says:
byd pwT piV piV pMfq prboDY jgu [ sky
n smoD mn iqRsnw n hwrI hY [
pUrn bRhm gurdyv syv swDsMg [ sbd
suriq ilv bRhm bIcwrI hY [
(Bhai Gurdas, Kabit 457)2
By repeated reading of the scripture
scholars win others, but they neither
can bring their mind to any control nor
can they satisfy their greed. Only
through serving the Guru (following
the Gurus teachings) in the company
of holy men, one may bring the Word
of the Guru in the consciousness and
contemplate on the Timeless.
One may mention here that to expe-
rience the verses is different from a com-
prehension of the philosophy imbibed in
the verses. This difference forms the real
backbone of the seekers religious prac-
tices. In the seekers case, as opposed
to a scholar or a philosopher, the experi-
ences influence philosophical and reli-
gious theories.It is also true that, philo-
sophical beliefs shape our religious
modus operandi, provide specific expec-
tations, and thus have a formative influ-
ence on the kinds of experience that are
actually produced.
Reading as Spiritual testimony:
Through this practice, a stage of men-
tal concentration must be reached when
one is able to witness the Guru in the con-
sciousness. This stage is beyond the
realm of intellectual understanding. As
Guru Says:
buiD pwiT n pweIAY bhu cqurweIAY Bwie imlY
min Bwxy ]
(SGGS: 436)
One does not obtain the essence
through intellectual recitation or im-
mense shrewdness; the essence is
obtained through faith and adoration.
Before this stage is reached, one has
37

to be intellectually convinced, earlier in
the process, that there is a theoretical
character of the experience as a step in
the direction of evoking the Guru within
oneself. Intellectual acceptance is neces-
sary - and an inescapable prerequisite -
for this experience as is the faith in the
person of the Guru. Then the testimony
of the shabad parman leads to an affir-
mation of an otherwise un-affirmable re-
lationship between ones consciousness
and the Word of the Guru.
This state may be termed as the wit-
ness consciousness. At this stage, one
witnesses the Guru reflected in the con-
sciousness in stages, like the reflection
of moon in the lake water; first on a wave,
then on ripples, and finally on a quiet and
unruffled expanse of water. For example,
Guru Ram Das says,
AMimRq bwxI gur kI mITI ]
gurmuiK ivrlY iknY ciK fITI ]
AMqir prgwsu mhw rsu pIvY dir scY sbdu
vjwvixAw ]
(SGGS:113)
The life-giving word of the Guru is
very sweet. Rarely some Guru-ori-
ented seekers may witness and taste
it. If they do, then the Divine Nectar
would shine within their heart and they
will drink the supreme essence. Then
they are at the Gate of the Truth,
which vibrates to them like a musical
instrument:
hir gux gwvY sdw idnu rwqI mY hir jsu
khqy AMqu n lhIAw ]
38
The Sikh Review
gurmuiK mnUAw iekqu Gir AwvY imlau guopwl
nIswnu bjeIAw ]
nYnI dyiK drsu mnu iqRpqY sRvx bwxI gur
sbdu suxeIAw ]
suin suin Awqm dyv hY BIny ris ris rwm
gopwl rveIAw ]
qRY gux mwieAw moih ivAwpy qurIAw gux hY
gurmuiK lhIAw ]
eyk idRsit sB sm kir jwxY ndrI AwvY sBu
bRhmu psreIAw ]
(SGGS: 833)
I continuously sing the Glorious
Praises of the Lord, day and night;
singing the Lords Praises, I cannot
find the limits. The mind of the Guru-
oriented returns to its own home; it
meets the Lord of the Universe, to the
beat of the celestial drum. I see the
Divine with my eyes, then my mind is
satisfied; with my ears. I listen to the
Gurus Bani, and the Word of His
Sabad, By listening, my soul is soft-
ened, delighted by the realization of
subtle essence, charting the Name of
the Lord of the Universe. In the grip
of the three qualities, they are en-
grossed in love and attachment to
Maya; only as Guru - oriented do they
find the absolute quality, absorption
in bliss. With a single, impartial eye,
look upon all alike, and witness God
pervading all.
This stage is essential to derive full
benefit of the reading practice. It is to ac-
tually witness the truths of the Gurus
teachings within the consciousness. To
repeat, what it means is that during the
July 2013
practice of the Gurbani reading when one
achieves the mindfulness with the truths
of spirituality, one is able to readily em-
ploy a deep introspection to experience
the divinity. Then the darkness of igno-
rance disappears:
dIvw blY AMDyrw jwie ] byd pwT miq pwpw
Kwie ]
augvY sUru n jwpY cMd ] jh igAwn pRgwsu
AigAwn imtMqu ]
(SGGS:791)
When the lamp is lit, the darkness is
dispelled; through reading the scrip-
tures, sinful intellect is destroyed. It
is like when the sun rises, the moon
is not visible. Wherever spiritual wis-
dom appears, ignorance is dispelled.
Within the context of witnessing the
verses of the sacred writings, you must
be able to bring into mind a clear image
of the sacred verses. Until one learns the
real sense of the achievement of visual-
izing this imagery many methods must be
employed to acquire the skill of promot-
ing such achievement. Although it is diffi-
cult to describe something which is a pre-
rogative of the practitioners only, it is suf-
ficient to say that the skill comes from the
company of the enlightened co-seekers
or the enlightened clergy. The main diffi-
culty in the way of achieving this state is
mental obscurantism, lack of faith and
motivation.
Through practice, one learns that
ones own mind is in reality none other
than the embodiment of the message. To
cut through the ordinary and decep-
tive appearances stemming from igno-
rance, one practices a mental merger
in the verse. One assumes the divine
role of being a doer and the witness,
and regards all visions as pure expres-
sions of the Gurus teachings. This in-
cludes imagining ones own body in
an idealized enlightened form, the
embodiment of enlightened wisdom,
or compassion. Before one is able to
employ such extensive spiritual imagina-
tion, it is essential that one recognizes the
conceptually contrived nature of ones ex-
perience of reality. One will learn to ex-
perience this identification through ones
body, mind, and the environment. Bhagat
Kabir expresses the witness experience
as:
Apuny hir pRB kI hau golI ]
jb hm hir syqI mnu mwinAw kir dIno jgqu
sBu gol AmolI ] rhwau]
krhu ibbyku sMq jn BweI Koij ihrdY dyiK
FMFolI ]
hir hir rUp sBu joiq sbweI hir
inkit vsY hir kolI ]
(SGGS: 168)
I am the maid-servant of my Lord
God. When my mind was convinced
and submitted to the Lord, it brought
everything in my control. Be wise and
consider this well, O Saints, O Sib-
lings of Destiny search your own
hearts, seek and find. The Beauty and
the Light of the Lord is present in all.
In all places, the Lord dwells nearby,
close at hand.
39

Discursive Reading:
Many seekers of spirituality when be-
gin to read the Guru Granth may often
find themselves in a situation where they
are incapable of resuming (or ever adopt-
ing) a critical outlook on some verses.
Therefore, they feel incapable of obtain-
ing understanding and making it available
to others. This is often not a question of
ignorance of Gurbani grammar, or other-
wise its transliterate meaning. But, rather,
it confronts an aspect of theology, which,
if accepted, would unsettle the inherited
thoughts of the reader. The scholarship
is irrelevant here. One would learn, later
on, the path of the Guru that the doubts
that we entertain with respect to very un-
familiar theology are largely the outcome
of prejudices shaped by our experiences
with more familiar theology. Although one
will be forced not to be objective here,
one must realize that it is always due to
our dogmatic biases on the relevance of
religion, philosophy, and ethics to the
mystical experiences. The Guru says.
pMifq pVih swdu n pwvih ] dUjY Bwie
mwieAw mnu Brmwvih ]
mwieAw moih sB suiD gvweI kir Avgx
pCoqwvixAw ] (SGGS: 116)
The Pandits, the religious scholars,
read but they cannot taste the es-
sence. They are attracted by the the-
ology of duality and Maya, their minds
are unfocused and wander in doubts.
The attachment of Maya has dis-
placed all their understanding; mak-
ing mistakes, they live in regret.
40
The Sikh Review
In such a case, these seekers may
often continue to proceed with their read-
ing to seek spirituality from the Guru by
initially accepting the sabad parmaan con-
tained in the verses uncritically. They
should be aware that there is a strong
tendency not to wait and make a big is-
sue of what - transiently - does not con-
form to human reasoning. These tenden-
cies push you to act on the most prob-
able hypothesis in order to explain situa-
tions that we do not comprehend. We, in-
advertently, trust that our animal intellect
would prove us wise! The fact is that only
a faith on our Guru will satisfy the heart
in our quest for salvation or enlighten-
ment. We should not let the faith weaken
because faith is considered a wellspring
of insight into the Divine mysteries. Guru
Arjun states it this way:
bIs ibsvY gur kw mnu mwnY]
so syvku prmysur kI giq jwnY]
(SGGS: 287)
One who obeys the Gurus Teach-
ings one hundred percent that self-
less servant comes to comprehend
the nature of the Transcendent Lord.
Too much doubt at the outset will
hold us back and prevent us from en-
tering the spiritual domain. It is the
task of the Guru-oriented seeker to
distinguish between valid instructions
and put them into a practice. The mys-
tical and spiritual knowledge can
hardly be learned in any other way. The
religious or philosophical superstructure,
which is often added on the transcendent
July 2013
knowledge, sometime is not equally
meaningful to a seeker. They are just re-
ligious and moral paraphernalia, which
are more important only to a scholar or a
fundamentalist, rather than to a seeker.
On account of these, and other con-
sideration, it is best to suspend doubt
for the time being if we wish to con-
tinue learning from the Guru. At this
stage one must be conscious of the fact
that such an early stage will not last for-
ever if we persevere in our search. At a
later, and more advanced stage, we will
be able to resort to analysis and critical
evaluation, and not stray into the domain
of sleepwalk without gaining any signifi-
cant knowledge or understanding:
guru bwxI khY syvku jn mwnY prqiK gurU
insqwry ]
(SGGS: 982)
When the humble servant accepts
and acts according to the Word of the
Guru, then the Guru emancipates him
in person.
Another phase of this training in dis-
cursive reading is designed to cast light
on the unsatisfactory nature of any state
of existence. Regardless of the nature
of ones existence, as long as it is con-
ditioned by ones mental afflictions,
one remains vulnerable to all manner
of pain and grief. By focusing on the
pervasiveness of suffering on account
of separation from the Creator, ones
disillusionment becomes complete,
leaving only one priority: to attain nir-
vana, in which there is a total and irre-
versible freedom from all suffering:
gwvIAY suxIAY min rKIAY Bwau ]
duKu prhir suKu Gir lY jwie ]
(SGGS: 2)
Recite and listen, with loving faith in
your mind. Your afflictions shall be
dispelled and peace shall come
home.
The shift in understanding occurs di-
rectly as a result of ones sustained ex-
perience with apparently contradictory
understanding of the sabad parmaan and
the benefits of attaining enlightenment.
Each of us gains by diverse ways of at-
tending to things on account of the sort
of a universe we believe to inhabit. With
our emphasis on the vanity of mundane
things, a sense of sin, or a fear of being
inept, as beginners in seeking, we seem
to be aiming at inducing the state of the
sick soul eloquently discussed in Will-
iam Jamess (1902-1982), The Varieties
of Religious Experience. Far from con-
demning the confused soul, James claims
that this mind-state images over a wider
scale of experience than that of those who
avert their attention from confusion, or
evil, and live simply in the light of good.
The healthy-minded attitude of the lat-
ter, he says, is splendid as long as it will
work; but it breaks down impotently as
soon as frustration and melancholy arise.
Moreover, the evil facts that the healthy-
minded individual refuses to acknowl-
edge are a genuine part of reality, which,
he suggests, may after all be the best key
41

to lifes significance, and possibly the only
openers of our eyes to the deepest lev-
els of truth.
Paath is Conceptual Analysis:
There is a difference between a read-
ing of the verses as a traditional medita-
tion and a study of the verses to learn
spiritual concepts. Todays seeker would
know the degree of difference that sepa-
rates meditation from concept analysis,
just as the religion differs from the scien-
tific mentality. Sikh theologian, Bhai
Gurdas describes the encounter between
a Sikh and the Guru as:
sRIgur drs iDAwn sRIgur sbd igAwn [
ssqR snwh pMc dUq bis Awey hY [
(Bhai Gurdas, Kabit 135)2
To focus on the Gurus portrayal is
to dwell on the comprehension of
Gurus sabad. This comprehension of
the knowledge becomes a weapon to
conquer the five evils.
Further, Bhai Gurdas accepts only that
person as worthy of the Gurus religion
that is Guru-oriented and who obeys the
Gurus will in accordance with the deep
deliberation of the Gurus verses:
gurmuK mwrg AwKIAY gurmiq ihqkwrI ]
hukm rjweI clxw gur Sbd vIcwrI]
(Bhai Gurdas, Vaar 9, Pauri 2)3
The Way of Guru-oriented is defined
as adoption to the wisdom of the
Guru; also to live in the Will of the
Lord and to contemplate upon the
Word of the Guru.
42
The Sikh Review
Formation of conceptual con-
structs must be an aim of reading of
the verses from the Guru Granth. It
corresponds roughly to the modern philo-
sophical notion of conceptual construct.
Such conceptual identification often, but
not invariably, entails a reification of the
spiritual entity, such that it is apprehended
as existing independently of the concep-
tual designation of it to form a belief.
Although a conceptual analysis of be-
lief is far too vast a topic to treat ad-
equately in the present context, it may be
worthwhile to note Jamess perspective
on this matter. In his essay entitled Faith,
and the Right to Believe, William James4
identifies two kinds of intellectuals. Ra-
tional intellectuals lay stress on deduc-
tive and dialectic arguments, making
large use of abstract concepts and pure
logic.
Empiricist intellectuals are more
scientific, and think that the order must
be sought in our sensible experiences
which are found in hypotheses based ex-
clusively thereon. In this light, a seeker
more inclined to mysticism would seem
to bear the earmarks of an empiricist in-
tellectual, while a more traditional seeker
would appear to be a rational intellectual.
Both are accepted in the Sikh tra-
dition. Intellectualism alone is inad-
equate when it thinks that one can gain
knowledge best only by a mind be-
coming receptive passively. The faith-
ful admirer seeks qualities of the ob-
jective of the faith with a sense of ap-
July 2013

preciation or even adoration. For a There is a middle way that is advo-

seeker, such a faith is especially fo-
cused on the qualities of enlighten-
ment, and adoration is felt towards the
Guru who embodies the enlighten-
ment.
Further, the faith of yearning entails a
conviction that it is possible to realize in
oneself the Divine qualities that one ad-
mires, and with such faith one aspires to
do so. As some one put it, Uncritical
grasping of dogmas is dupe, while ex-
treme skepticism is simply a mental af-
fliction.
cated for a reader of the Guru Granth.
It is to place ones faith and trust in the
enlightenment of the Guru, and yet to
continue to question ones own under-
standing of the Gurus teachings. With-
out faith, there would be no inspiration
to enter the path to enlightenment, but
without using ones critical faculties it
would be impossible to progress along
that path. One must keep in mind that,
while the enlightenment from the histori-
cal Guru took place in the past, ones own
enlightenment lies in the future.

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43
July 2013
Prayer for a Child: An Inspiring Sikh Tradition
DR. BHAI HARBANS LAL
TO PRAY FOR A CHILD IS FOLKLORE
in many cultures. In Northern India; this
had been a customary tradition for many
centuries. It is very visible even today
though not so universal among Hindu
families. What is a striking feature of this
custom is that it served as the first right
of initiating the child into a religion usually
that of child bearing parents. What was
praise worthy among the populations
harboring high admiration for Sikhee was
that child wished for was to be a Sikh
irrespective of whether the parents were
practicing Sikhs, Hindus or Muslims.
Let me illustrate this endangered tradi-
tion with selected instances, including my own.
The Legendary Bhai Hira Singh Ragi:
The famous singer, Bhai Bhag Singh
Ragi told a heart-rending story to Bhai Vir
Singh who wrote and published this story
in one of his books (1978). I wish to sketch
this below.
Once, a prominent Sehajdhari1 Sikh
saint, Bhai Ram Kishan visited the village
of Phirooka in the District of Shahpur (W.
Punjab). As usual Bhai Kishan ji lodged
at the local Dharamsala - as the local
gurdwaras used to be called then.
The following morning, on hearing the
news of the visit of this saintly personal-
ity, a local Sikh family, Ragi Bhag Singh
and his wife, made it a point to attend the
> MORAL TRADITION
satsang (the Sikh congregation as it was
known that time) to listen to the visiting
speaker. The purpose was to avail the
opportunity of meeting a spiritually
evolved guest. The Dharamsala head was
another Sehajdhari Sikh, Bhai Baba
Karam Das. Baba ji welcomed the visit-
ing saint and requested Bhai Bhag Singh
to sing the Asa-di-Var for benefit of the
visiting guests.
As usual, the kirtan was sung, followed
by the community prayer, to conclude the
morning congregation. Usually, the per-
formers and the sangat would go home
to attend their daily chores. But, on that
day, Bhai Bhag Singh Ragi stayed behind
and remained seated along with his wife
in the dharamsala.
The Head of the congregation, Bhai
Ram Kishan, sensed that the couple had
something weighing on their minds. He
asked if the raagi was not feeling well.
Bhag Singh bowed his head without any
verbal response. Baba Karam Das, the
Dharamsal Head interjected, explaining
that the couple was childless after 18
years of marriage and sought Bhai Ram
Kishans blessings.
Bhai Ram Kishan smiled, and said, If
the Gurus kirtanias fail to have an issue,
how will the gift of kirtan from Guru Nanak
continue to benefit humanity? Guru
Nanak would never let this happen. He
45

advised Bhag Singh and his wife to start
daily recitation of Sukhmani Sahib in ad-
dition to their Nit Nem, the daily Sikh rou-
tine of reciting prescribed scripture. For
his part, Bhai Ram Krishan assured them
that he would pray for the blessing of a
son for the couple.
Ragi Bhag Singh then explained how
his wife had given birth to a son eleven
months after Bhai Ram Krishans ardas.
Bhag Singh was thrilled and happy with
the gift of a son. As soon as he could, he
took the child back to the same
Dharmsala where Bhai Ram Krishan had
offered a prayer for them.
Bhai Karam Chand, the Dharamsal
head, placed the child at the feet of the
Guru Granth Sahib and named him Hira,
or diamond, signifying how precious the
child would be. The child was to be the
future Bhai Hira Singh Raagi, the legend-
ary Sikh Kirtaniya (Sikh cantor).
Who has not heard of the famous Bhai
Hira Singh raagi and his life time contri-
bution in disseminating Gurmat through
kirtan in Northern India?
Bhagat Puran Singh:
Bhagat Puran Singh is a revered fig-
ure amongst Sikhs, often called the
Mother Teresa of Punjab for his unstint-
ing work for the up-lifting of the sick, the
old and the orphaned. (see Lal, 2008).
He left behind his ancestral religious af-
filiation to adopt, first, a Sehajdhari Sikh
identity, and then to initiate into the iden-
tity of a khande-de-pahul dhari Sikh. He
46
The Sikh Review
led his life as an exemplary Sikh who
would inspire many others about his faith.
To date, real Sikhee became known
to many, only through the life and mis-
sion of Bhagat Puran Singh and his alike.
He nourished the roots of Sikhee through
living a true Sikh life that was spent in
serving others.
Bhagat ji had a Hindu father, named
Chaudhari Chibu Mal, who introduced
Bhagat ji to the routine of Hindu worship
in a local temple. Bhagat ji, in his child-
hood, fasted for 3 days in a week, wor-
shiped Hanuman, Shiva, and Vishnu and
other deities in the local Hindu temple.
His father, who was a known trader in his
town, was active in many altruistic en-
deavors. He served the poor, made peri-
odic visits to pilgrimages, and undertook
construction of water- wells for the poor.
He was well respected for his charity and
God fearing personality.
Bhagat jis father had never gone to a
Gurdwara until the time when he was led
to the gurdwara to pray for a son that he
impatiently wanted.
Bhagat jis mother, Mehtab Kaur,
came from a Sikh family. She was a reli-
gious woman. She recited daily Sikh
prayers at home and was a frequent visi-
tor of the local Gurdwara.
When the couple was unable to con-
ceive a child, as the tradition would dic-
tate, Mehtab Kaur took her husband to
Amritsar where, both of them prayed for
a child. This was their first visit, and thus,
July 2013
the first introduction of Bhagat jis father
to a place of Sikh pilgrimage.
Bhagat ji was born a few months later
and named as Ramji Das. He learned the
teachings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib from
his mother and altruism from his father.
As destiny would dictate, Ramji Dass
was once turned off from a village Hindu
temple because it failed to provide food
to the hungry, whereas the granthi of his
local Gurdwara served the hungry on a
daily basis. Thus Bhagat ji was challenged
with opportunity to convert to Sikhism and
practice altruism.
Once Bhagat ji was given the first op-
portunity of serving in the langar (com-
munity kitchen providing meals at no cost
and with no discrimination) in the
Gurdwara, he used that opportunity to
visit the Gurdwara daily and to provide
service to the visitors as his daily routine.
From there onward, his adopting the
Khalsa Rehat was easier and the story is
well known. After living a life of a
Sehajdhari Sikh for many years, Ramji Das
was initiated into the rank of khande-da-
pahul dhari Sikh, now described as a
Khalsa Sikh. Thereafter he adopted his
new Khalsa name, Puran Singh.
Professor Amrit Kaur:
A famous Sehajdhari Sikh, Late Pro-
fessor Harnam Das of Ambala, told me a
similar tale of his own family. Being a
Sehajdhari Sikh, he took his wife to Sri
Panja Sahib for a prayer for the gift of a
child. Thereafter the conception took
place; the newly born daughter was
named Amrit Kaur in the Sikh naming
ceremony held at the same gurdwara.
A few years ago, Amrit retired from a
position of the Principal of S.D. College,
and is currently publishing books and
papers on the youth education based
upon doctrines of Sri Guru Granth Sahib.
Her recent book, The Educational Phi-
losophy of Sri Guru Granth Sahib, is
a classic.
Bhai Harnam Dass continued to live
as Sehajdhari Sikh and authored several
articles and books on Sikhism. Many of
his articles were published in The Sikh
Review. He was an ardent supporter of
the Akali Dal programs and frequently vis-
ited Master Tara Singh in the days of the
Sikh struggle for Punjabi Suba.
My Parents at Panja Sahib:
Prayers of my parents at Gurdwara
Sri Panja Sahib for my own birth was my
first introduction to the House of Guru
Nanak. My parents felt the frustration of
not having an off-spring. My mother had
failed to conceive in nine years of mar-
riage. My father, a physician himself,
sought other medical advice and help.
Together, my parents also sought guid-
ance from local and visiting holy men of
various religious persuasions.
In their urge to seek any and every
help to conceive a child, they were led
to the woman Granthi of the local
Gurdwara in the town of Haripur
Hazara. Until the time of partition of
47

India, this Gurdwara, located in the
North West Frontier Province, a few
miles from Islamabad and Gurdwara
Sri Panja Sahib, was a vibrant place
of Sikh services, managed only by
Sikh women.
Istari Sat Sang Sabha, as the
Gurdwara in Haripur was named, was
where my mother, Ramkali Devi, paid
daily visits to learn and practice Gurmat
or Sikhee. All efforts at conceiving hav-
ing failed, my mother turned in despera-
tion to Bhen (Sister) Narain Ji and Bhen
Dhanwanti Ji, the granthis (caretakers) at
the Gurdwara.
My parents were told by these two
women angels that they seemed to not
have any child in their karma as all ef-
forts were visibly failing. In their wisdom,
they came up with an unusual proposal:
adopt a child from the family of Guru
Nanak!
The woman granthis told my parents
that, as an alternate to seeking their own
child, they could seek to borrow a child
from the family of Guru Nanak, as a gift
assigned to them for care and associated
enjoyment. It was like an adoption pro-
posal. The granthis told my parents that
Guru Nanak had a large family at his dis-
cretion to employ in his mission by gifting
them to others, but in fact to serve his
purpose and mission on this earth.
On the surface, the advice may sound
a fairy tale, but then it was quite a com-
monly held belief. My parents accepted
48
The Sikh Review
the proposal which thrilled them with re-
newed hope. They decided to immedi-
ately proceed to follow the guidance of
the granthis.
The clearly emphasized advice of the
lady-granthi took my parents to the fa-
mous place of pilgrimage, Sri Panja
Sahib, now in the Western hills of Paki-
stan. It was the beginning of their monthly
travels to the shrine for their obeisance
and to pray for a child who would advance
Gurus mission in his mortal life. The
prayers were offered in the gurdwara
along with donations for sacred puddings,
Karah Parshad and sacred community
kitchen, langar. Mind you, my father had
never gone to a gurdwara before then!
My parents prayers came to fruition.
Their wish was granted. A year later, I
was born in the town of Haripur Hazara
on January 8, 1931. Thereafter, my
mother took me to Panja Sahib gurdwara,
every month, and to the local gurdwara
on a daily basis, beginning from the day
when I was conceived.
In conclusion, Stories of Ragi Hira
Singh, Bhagat Puran Singh, Amrit Kaur,
or mine, are not isolated stories; there are
many more. They are common tales of
many families who were in the beginning
without a child. These families among Hin-
dus invariably became Sehajdhari Sikhs
when they visited a Gurdwara, either in
their desperation or as guided by a local
granthi, or a visiting saint. Most of time,
the first son in all those families grew up
to be a Sikh. Often he was initiated to be
July 2013

a Khande-da-Pahuldhari Sikh. I was left will elaborate more on this aspect in the
alone to grow up as a Sehajdhari Sikh. I near future.

References
z Bhai Vir Singh, Sant Gatha, Part 1. Khalsa Samachar, 1978.
z (Bhai) Harbans Lal. Bhagat Puran Singh: A Bright Luminary of the Sikh Identity, Studies in
Sikhism and Comparative Religion, 27 (1): 75-95, 2008.
z Lal, (Bhai) Harbans. Educational Philosophy of Guru Granth: Samuhik Sikhiya Sanchar Da
Sadhan (Dr Amrit Kaur Raina), Abstracts of Sikh Studies, 12: (1), pp. 2010. http://
sikhinstitute.org/jan_2009/3-harlal.htm.

The Seekers Path: An Interpretation of

Guru Nanaks Japji, by Sohan Singh

Sacred Writings of the Sikhs (UNESCO)

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49
July 2013
Outwitting the Stars:
A Testament of Faith
DR. BHAI HARBANS LAL
NAME OF A PERSON IS INTEGRAL AS
well as elemental beginning for any
human being in a civil society. In religious
communities, it is the first social
recognition of the childs commitment to
a path towards spiritual identity. Besides,
through a childs name,parents assign
their child an ethnic identity.
Among the Sikhs,naming a child is the
first confirmation of the childs religious
individuality. It is determined under the
guidance of either a local granthi or an
elder of gurdwara congregation.
This is in contrast to the Khalsa Initia-
tion Ceremony that is performed only af-
ter the child reaches adulthood, and ex-
plicitly makes an informed determination.
Naming a baby is considered sacred
among most people of the Indian subcon-
tinent. Therefore, on this occasion, the
family, usually led by grandparents, in-
vites relatives and friends in the presence
of a religious congregation. The naming
ritual or ceremony itself differs from one
religion to another.
Who was Mohan Lal?
My parents originally gave me a Hindu
name as per the advice from the city
Purohit, the family priest among a Hin-
dus. Purohit is synonymous with pandit,
> MORAL TRADITION
to mean a religiously learned man.
The Hindu naming ceremony is usu-
ally held after the first 10 days of a babys
delivery. These 10 post-natal days are
considered to be inauspicious as the
mother and child are supposed to be
tainted, or impure, on account of the
delivery process! After those 10 days, the
house is cleansed and sanctified for the
ceremony.
The mother and child are bathed and
are prepared for the ceremony. The child
is dressed in new clothes and the mother
anoints the head of the baby with a hand-
ful of water as a symbol of purifying the
infant, who is then handed over to the
paternal grandmother (or the father) who
sits near the priest during the ritual. The
sacred fire is lit and the priest chants
hymns to invoke the gods in the heaven
to bless the child.
Names may be chosen from a Hindu
sacred book, or after a search of the
childs horoscope, according to the date
and time of birth of the child.I was not told
as to what was the source of my name
chosen according to the Hindu ceremony.
However, the Hindu ceremony was per-
formed and I was named Mohan Lal.
After the name is assigned to the child,
and accepted by the parents, it is written
51

in Sanskrit fonts in a tray of uncooked rice,
with bright red colorings. Thus my name
was colorfully inscribed in the center of a
tray decorated artistically.
Heavens Not Pleased:
Not even a day had passed after the
Hindu ritual of naming me, when the fes-
tivities began to turn sour. After the guest
had left, and the Purohit departed with the
fee and gifts, I was seized with fever. At
the first sight, the family took it as an or-
dinary stress caused by elaborate cel-
ebrations and began to apply their home
remedies.
In my family, the popular treatment for
fever was a tummy rub with wet towel
given by my grandfather who recited se-
lected verses from Gurubani. A couple of
days of this treatment were usually suffi-
cient. However, this was not going to be
so easy this time; the fever persisted. The
town doctor was called and all other fran-
tic measures taken to rid me of the fever.
When several days went by without
any sign of the fever going down, the town
doctor was pressed for answer. He finally
alerted my parents that the child might
not survive!
The news of my probable death could
not be taken lightly by my parents who
had gone through so much agony to have
a child.
They consulted other doctors in the area.
They also called the Purohit who chanted
more mantras. None was of any avail.
52
The Sikh Review
From Desperation A New Clue!
In my previous paper published in The
Sikh Review (H. Lal, June 2011), men-
tioned in some detail, the story of my life.
Briefly, my parents, being frustrated
over failure to have a child, were led to
two woman Granthis, Behen (Sister)
Naraini Ji and Behen Dhanwanti Ji, at
Istree Satsang Sabha, a Gurdwara for
women in Haripur (Hazara) NWFP.
There, they were told that, since all ef-
forts had visibly failed, they should accept
the Divine destiny of childlessness writ-
ten in their karma.
The woman Granthis then suggested
that my parents consider an alternate to
seeking their own child, they could strive
for borrowing a child from the family of
Guru Nanak. It would be a gift assigned
to them for care and the associated
enjoyment. It was like an adoption pro-
posal, with conditions of custody, without
any ownership claim.
On the surface, the advice sounded a
fairy tale, but my parents not only ac-
cepted the proposal but also followed the
advice verbatim. I was born after they
pledged the above in humility and prayer
at Gurdwara Panja Sahib (now in Paki-
stan, a couple of hours drive from
Islamabad.)
I was a healthy child until the first
naming ceremony when I contracted what
seemed to be a fatal disease!
July 2013
Exhausting all other means to control
my illness, it suddenly dawned on my
parents that they might have committed
a sin of Cosmic proportions in my nam-
ing ritual, which had angered the heav-
ens and must require guidance from spiri-
tually enlightened persons.
Prayer of Repentance and Restitution:
They immediately rushed to the same
local Gurdwara, with folded hands, and
asked the same lady granthi to pray for
my recovery. A congregation for ardas
was held; Behen Narain ji lead the prayers
in front of Sri Guru Granth Sahib. Then, a
hymn from a randomly opened page was
recited.
The pious Granthis listened to the
hymn carefully, and were inspired to this
conclusion: An apology was due to the
Guru who had entrusted the child to my
parents for safe keeping and to love. The
sole understanding entailed that the child
was a gift from the House of Nanak, on
loan, to be nourished and cuddled, but
certainly not for claiming ownership.
According to the Granthi, my parents
had failed to keep their promise when
they had invoked the Hindu deities to
name me! This way they treated me as
their own child, which contradicted their
prayers at Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib.
My parents are said to have submit-
ted instantly, and asked for forgiveness.
They were advised to forthwith travel to
the House of Nanak, at the Gurdwara
Panja Sahib, for repentance, and to take
another pledge never to displease God.
My parents accepted the advice with
folded hands and proceeded on to Sri
Panja Sahib.
At Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib, they
requested the Granthi to hold a prayer
ceremony, in the morning congregation,
in which he would represent my parents
in a plea for forgiveness. He would also
seek wisdom in the future, that the Gurus
dictate would be never questioned or vio-
lated. Henceforth, they would commit to
never claim the child as their own prog-
eny. Instead, the child would be a gift from
God for the mission that the Guru might
have in mind for him.
Real Name and Identity:
At Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib, I was
given my real name, Harbans Lal. The
earlier name, Mohan Lal was erased from
all memories. To accomplish this, the lady
Granthis, my parents, grandparents, rela-
tives, and friends, all gathered at
Gurdwara Sri Panja Sahib, where nam-
ing of a child was a daily routine. Fami-
lies from far and near would always reach
there to seek names for their children.
There was always more than one family
who sought to name his/her child.
There is normally a system of the 48
hours continuous reading of the Holy
Guru Granth Sahib, from A to Z. This is
followed by sacred kirtan and katha, - the
exegesis. The families offer donations,
Karah Parsad and a Rumala (which con-
sisted of four pieces of cloth of measured
53

lengths) used for covering the Guru
Granth Sahib. Prayers are offered ask-
ing for a special blessing of good health,
good education, long life, and the strength
to walk the Sikh way of life, - Gursikhi -
for the child.
After reciting Ardas, Guru Granth
Sahib is opened at random and a hymn
is recited. The first letter of the first word
of the hymn on the page is announced
as the first letter of the childs name.
The given name is common for either
gender. When there is more than one
child to be named, second letter, and sub-
sequent letters, from the beginning of the
hymn might be used. Parents of the chil-
dren are also given a choice of choosing
the first letter of the second and third and
subsequent words of the hymn of the day.
The hymn that bestowed my name
upon me that day was as below. The ran-
domly opened page turned out to be page
629. The hymn was composed by the
Fifth Nanak, Guru Arjun as below.
hir min tin visAa s]eI .
j{ j{ karu kr[ sBu k]eI .
gur pUr[ kI vidAaeI .
ta kI kImit khI n jaeI .1.
hxu kurbanu jaeI t[r[ nav{ . ijs n] bKis
l{ih m[r[ ipAar[ s] jsu t[ra gav{ .1. rhaxu .
tU; Bar] suAamI m[ra . s;ta: Brvasa t[ra .
nank pRB srNaeI . muiK in;wk k{ CaeI .
(SGGS: 629)
54
The Sikh Review
The Creator would abide in my mind
and body. Everyone congratulates me on
my triumph. Such is the glorious great-
ness of the Perfect Guru; its worth is be-
yond description. ||1|| I am a sacrifice to
your Name; only those who are bestowed
upon the comprehension of your great-
ness under your vision may be grateful
to you; you are the greatest and my prin-
cipal. You are the support of the Saints
and holy souls. Nanak has entered Gods
Sanctuary. The faces of the slanderers
are blackened with ashes(the slanderers
were put to shame).
The first letter of the first word in the
hymn was H and the second word in
the hymn was M. My father could have
the choice of selecting Mm for my first
name, and name me again as Mohan Lal,
the name earlier given by Purohit. Provi-
dentially they selected H for my name.
Apparently, that was an unusual day
as I was the only child to be named. Sec-
ondly, they were visibly alarmed that they
might not be caught with another sin of
going back from their sacred oath if they
chose m for my name. So they consulted
the woman granthi and relayed their de-
cision to the granthi of the day at Sri Panja
Sahib to announce Harbans Lal as my
name.
Sikhs at the time lived mostly in North-
ern areas of the Indian sub-continent.
Thus the names came from the local lin-
guistic vocabulary of the area. Often they
had a deep spiritual meaning.
July 2013

Behen Naraini ji determined that I was
from the Divine kinfolk of Guru Nanak.
Similar was the sentiment of my parents
and the accompanying community. Thus
a name which reflected that understand-
ing In Punjabi lexis was chosen to be the
most suitable name; HARBANS means
from the Divine Progeny, and Lal
means a jewel.
When the name was selected by the
family and announced by the Granthi, the
congregation gave approval by a
collectiveJaikara (or cheers): Jo Bolay So
Nihal ! Sat Sri Akal !
The ceremony ended with the distri-
bution of Karah Prasad, and the placing
of Rumala over Guru Granth Sahib. Karah
Prasad and sweets were distributed fol-
lowed by Langar from the Gurus kitchen
served to all.
It needs to be explained that Lal was
not the last name of my father, nor is it
used by my siblings. Harbans Lal indeed
expressed the sentiments of the Granthis
who reflected upon the child coming from
the family of Guru Nanak.
In my heart, I dream of Panja Sahib
Gudwara as my birth place, and my name
given by the Guru never to be changed
again!

References
Lal, (Bhai) Harbans. Prayer for a Child: Inspiring Sikh Tradition, Sikh Review, 59: (5), 37-41, 2011.

Sri Guru Granth Sahib -

Message and Relevancy Around the World Today
Second Annual Conference celebrating Prakash Utsav of Sri Guru Granth Sahib
Sponsored by Sikh Gurdwara San Jose and Chardi Kalaa Foundation
September 14, 2013, 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.
At the Sikh Gurdwara San Jose Library, San Jose, California, USA
Program details will be posted at www.chardikalaa.com

55
July 2013
The Sikh as a Sikh:
Adjective qualifies the Noun!
DR. BHAI HARBANS LAL
Questions Others Ask:
I cannot recall any one asking this ques-
tion: was I a Sikh, either during my child-
hood in Pakistan, or in India after Partition
of 1947. There were two exception; at the
time of census, and at the time of school
registration. It never worried me either, as
more than once, I was honored by the ma-
jor Sikh institutions and elected to serve as
a leader of Sikh organizations and Sikh in-
stitutions.
If someone did ask me if I was a Sikh, I
found no hesitation in answering yes, in a
persuasive tone. The question was unde-
manding, the answer was easy. And the
matter was swiftly concluded!
After I migrated to North America, the
situation began to change. The frequency
of grilling questions on the religious iden-
tification has increased in the past few
years. The questions are evolving into
rhetorical-debates. When the question is
rhetoric, lengthy answers are expected.
Here is a trap; emphatic answers are
taken as pretentious, even as down-
to-earth answers are not considered
adequate. Anything in-between carries
the failings of both of these.
Such questions are no surprise to me. I
am a stranger to many and not visibly recog-
nizable as a Sikh. But it is still not a big deal.
> MORAL TRADITION
To a simple question: I politely answer
in the affirmative that I am a Sikh. If some
one persists with additional questions, I
further qualify myself as a Sehajdhari
Sikh. The matter usually ends; except
sometime I may have to explain politely
what a Sehajdhari Sikh is.
Sehajdhari Sikhs are those who
adapted Sikh religion: Sikhee, by choice,
often without being born in a Sikh family.
For all purposes they are devout Sikhs
professing Sikh religion, observing Sikh
ceremonies and considering themselves
as an integral part of the Sikh society.
They may not conform to five Ks but must
believe in all institutions of Sikhism includ-
ing Khande di Pahul. They have long his-
tory of serving the Sikhs and Sikh institu-
tions since the time of the Gurus. Quite a
large number of the Sikhs who live out-
side Punjab (including outside) India be-
long to this category or denomination.
The Question I Ask:
Situation changes completely, when I
ask myself this question, How much of a
Sikh am I? and when the term Sikh is
not a noun but an adjective. Then a prob-
ing of my own consciousness begins. It is
accompanied by a stomach-churning ex-
perience. Must it not be a lifelong probe
and continuous prayer in humility? I ask
57

myself. The question then become not so
easy to answer; nor is the answer that
straightforward.
Sikh: A Noun, an Adjective, or a
Verb?
To avoid controversy, clever linguists
use plural for adjectives, as well as nouns,
so that the distinction that I wish to make
here is left to the subtlety and appreciation
of the listener. This way the translator is
unrestricted to choose from the imagina-
tions.
But really there is a difference. The noun
in Sikhee is static, the adjective dynamic.
The noun is comforting, the adjective de-
manding. The noun asserts, the adjective
pleads. The noun is worldly, the adjective
spiritual. That is why I make fuss between
Sikh and a Sikh. Certainly it becomes seeking, learning and endeavoring. Those
not a yes-or-no matter; the question be-
comes rather, How much of a Sikh am I?
I cannot be confident in laying claim to
any large or small share of Sikh-ness and
say, Oh, I am very Sikh indeed. That an-
swer will be both arrogant, and untrue. How-
ever, can I absolve myself by admitting that,
alas, I am hardly Sikh at all?
This will be cowardly and considered ir-
responsible, even though it may make me
aware of how little Sikh I really am. Al-
though discouraging, it will give me a pow-
erful drive to strive that I ought to be more
Sikh than I am.
58
The Sikh Review
Definition:
To me the most important Sikh belief or
Sikh commitment that I am asked to carry
is to live according to the teachings of the
Sikh scripture Sri Guru Granth Sahib. By
the same belief all other requirements to be
Sikh become derivatives. They may be
more important when term Sikh is used as
a noun.
Millions of Sikhs are endeavoring to fol-
low the manifold teachings of our Eternal
Guru. It will be a rude assumption to pick
on one or the other teaching to define some-
one whether one is a practicing Sikh or not.
That will only cause confusion and unpleas-
antness.
If practicing all what our Eternal Guru is
asking of us defines a Sikh, then I am still
who can practice all of the teachings are
really blessed and I must look up to them
as soon as I can spot them. Only with their
support and at the feet of the SHABD Guru
that I become aware of how little Sikh I re-
ally am!
This gives me a haunting but powerful
sense that I ought to be more Sikh than I
am.
Dynamism:
As you can see, the answer to the ques-
tion acquires a dynamic quality because the
response varies from day to day and
Sikhee is perpetual learning.
The first of my two questions am I a
Sikh need to be answered usually once; a
July 2013
tick in the appropriate column of the Cen-
sus report or the membership application
of a local Gurdwara, will carry over from
one year to the next. Most of my friends do
not change their formal religion, and nei-
ther do I. If some one asked me, Are you
a Sikh? a decade ago, I should not expect
him or her to repeat the question this year,
unless my response was forgotten.
When the term Sikh is used as an ad-
jective, Am I Sikh? becomes as a lifelong
and life style issue.
Perhaps yesterday morning, for a brief
spell, I was indeed fairly Sikh in my start-
ing of the day with a deep sense of grati-
tude and thoughtful readings from Sri
Guru Granth Sahib. I followed it by treat-
ing my fellow drivers humanely as I
zoomed to my work. At work I was dili-
gent and honest.
But I was perhaps poorly Sikh in the
evening when I yelled at the cleaning lady
at the office and overlooked any courtesy
to other drivers at rush hour!
How much Sikh was I yesterday when
I saw a hungry homeless person, stand-
ing in the heat of Arizona sun, and drove
away in my air-conditioned car? How Sikh
was I last year when I voted in the Ameri-
can elections, on the issue of food stamps
for the poor, rights of women, or banning
the human field mines?
Do you find that there are certain is-
sues when you feel usually less Sikh in
your dealings with other fellow humans?
The issues are not only ethical: but in the
deep, they are questions how Sikh am I
doctrine wise.
Was I truly Sikh as I spoke to the con-
gregation last Sunday? Was the congre-
gation truly Sikh when it formulated
the election bye-laws to exclude oth-
ers? How Sikh are we as we hammer out
a hateful liturgy on comparative religion,
or the religion of our neighbors?
For Sikhs Only:
A few years ago I was reading an ar-
ticle on a Sikh Gurdwara. I came across
a sentence saying that the Gurdwara was
a house of worship for the Sikhs. We read
such assertions every day.
Does that mean that others aught not
to worship or share langar there? Should
we not recite in our Gurdwara the follow-
ing Guru Granth Verse addressed to a
Muslim?
auTu PrIdw aujU swij subh invwj gujwir ]
[Fareed, Sri Guru Granth Sahib: 1381]
Rise up, Fareed, and cleanse your-
self; chant your morning (Muslim
prayer)
Are we not shocked first at the ar-
rogance of our co-religionists, and the
more profoundly at the self-righteous-
ness of our excuses?
That sin of labeling a place of worship
for a Sikh only is threatening to the faith
itself. Although at the level of being a Sikh,
one may not think of it as unsettling, the il-
lustration is pertinent to the present topic
59

under discussion. Theologically, no sensi-
tive or decent Sikh could patronize that ten-
der but it is done routinely by those count-
ing themselves as Sikhs.
A Gurdwara that excludes those who
are not Sikhs, by the same act, excludes
those who are Sikh. Noun and adjective
are here torn shredding apart. Guru
Nanak said AweI pMQI mgl jmwqI: meaning
the best religious path is the one that in-
cludes all voyagers.
Origin of Sikh Terms:
Who were those who were first to be
called Sikhs and when did these terms
come into literature? When the noun and
adjective terms, as we used them today,
came into existence? I have not searched
much. Some one could make a thesis re-
search project to investigate this particular
point more thoroughly. However, one may
cite the following:
Bhai Gurdas wrote extensively in his
Sixteenth century compositions on who is
Sikh; let me quote only one verse as:
gur isKI bwrIk hY KMfy Dwr glI Aiq BIVI]
[Bhai Gurdas, Vaar 11, Pauri 5]
To be Sikh is walking on a very sharp
path. It is like walking on the blade of a sharp
sword and walking through a tightly narrow
alley.
In modern times, the sensitivity perhaps
arose only a century ago. Colonial powers
wanted to count communities for electoral
powers through head counts.
60
The Sikh Review
The Sikh matter was spearheaded by
the premier Sikh organization, Shromani
Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
(SGPC). SGPC undertook to define a
Sikh for the purpose of census and for
the purpose of a manual being prepared
for those taking initiation of khande di
pahul. The terms as we use them today
were mostly developed there.
This was no different for Sikhs. It was
becoming a fashion with all Indian com-
munities who came under pressure to
define their constituents.
SGPC invited representatives of all
shades and opinions for long delibera-
tions. Like with all other religions, particu-
larly the minority religions, Sikh clerics and
politicians introduced Sikh definitions. The
first draft was then debated by sub-com-
mittees and the community for next fif-
teen years or so. I was included in the
deliberations through my colleagues in the
All India Sikh Students Federation at the
time when the consensus was eventually
solidified into a published text. The text
was certainly not without a touch of self-
centeredness and some missionary zeal
but, with only few exceptions, everyone
was on the same page and content. There
was a genuine effort to preserve both the
noun Sikh and the adjective Sikh. With
very few exceptions, the effort was wel-
come by all Sikhs of that age and time.
Two Tier Definition:
SGPC succeeded in providing the
best yet definition, a part of which de-
July 2013
fined a Sikh and remaining defined
Sikh. A Sikh was one who committed
to be a Sikh and did not claim affiliation
to any other religion. In contrast, Sikh
was defined in term of faith to live by
such sacred beliefs that were incorpo-
rated in the Guru Granth Sahib.
Like in the times of the Gurus, the Sikh
leadership and the Sikh organizations
then began to court all those who defined
themselves Sikh. Those were the popu-
lations who would help swell the Sikh
ranks and fill the voter banks. They would
donate resources for the growth of the
Sikh communities. They filled the popula-
tion ranks of Northern India and were
spreading out around the world. Poets
and writers alike were describing both
East and West Punjab to be the land of
the Gurus meaning the over-whelming
populations followed Guru Nanak for the
health of their body and soul.
Most often quoted is the description
by a famous Sikh thinker who himself was
attracted to Sikhi after fluting with Bud-
dhism for a while. Professor Puran Singh
used to say,Panjab na Hindu na
Musalmaan, Panjab jeenda Gura(n) dey
naam te. It meant: Punjab is neither Hindu
nor Musalmaan; Punjab lives in the name
of the Gurus, His time of Punjab is cur-
rently populated by over 300 million
people.
But within three to four decades all
began to change. India was partitioned
and the Sikhs were driven out of Pakistan
to settle in India and abroad. India chose to
be a secular country and it abolished elec-
toral representation based on religion. Only
place where the Sikhs were to play the vot-
ing game was to manage properties and
wealth associated with the Sikh gurdwaras.
The politicians would now divide the
Sikh communities into the voting banks
for the control of Gurdwara properties.
They would use the weapon of definitions
to eliminate those who might differ with
them. They would even ask the countys
court system to disqualify segments of the
Sikhs that they wanted to disfranchise.
Thus, we dismembered the two tier
definition of Sikh. We have gotten used
to the term over a few decades. We are
becoming accustomed to employing it so
haphazardly and irreverently to suite our
selfish intentions. During the process, we
have lost any clear grasp of why I should
be hesitant in responding to the question,
Are you a Sikh?
Sikhee worth the Head:
Bhai Mani Singh, accepted martyrdom
to help us remember our commitment. He
was the high cleric of Sri Harmandir Sahib
and Akal Takht, and was martyred in pro-
tecting our sacred institutions three centu-
ries ago.
A Sikh youth, Bhai Hakikat Rai, simi-
larly followed Bhai Mani Singhs footsteps.
And, there were many more.
In those days, history reminds us, the
term Sikh designated not those who had
61

privileged entry to exclusive organizations
or clubs, or just to exclude others from shar-
ing any power, but those whom the rulers
of the land had marked out for scalping their
skulls. Yet we are not worthy of Sikhee,
responded those to whom the term applied.
Every Sikh responded to the execu-
tor. I must accept the Sikh identity; not
as something of which I am worthy, but
as something to which I aspire in the
presence of my Guru. You put me to
death because I say I am Sikh. I hope that
you find me worthy - not that much in
name, but in my capacity to stand by my
beliefs.
Bhai Mani Singh and thousands of oth-
ers who gave their life for their belief were
actually following the footsteps of their men-
tors like Guru Arjun and Guru Teg Bahadur.
They who endured extreme sufferings to
protect their belief in universal religious free-
dom and human rights.
The Sikh scripture supports this alle-
giance as:
jau qnu cIrih AMgu n morau ]
ipMfu prY qau pRIiq n qorau ]
[Kabir, Sri Guru Granth Sahib: 484]
Even if you cut my body apart, I shall
not pull my limbs away. Even if my body
falls, I shall not break my bonds of love
with YOU.
If today we recaptured the martyrs be-
lief it would add quite a new quality to our
thinking of our belief and brags, and perhaps
to our mode of living. It may reshape a little
62
The Sikh Review
more than the otherwise undeserved appli-
cation to us of the term Sikh, which to the
martyrs and protectors of human rights evi-
dently meant much more.
Evolution of the Term:
I attempted to investigated certain fac-
ets of the evolving history to understand the
use of the adjective Sikh; and have dis-
covered some quite startling examples. To
cite one is an instance from the life of Guru
Arjun.
The fifth Guru once wished to award a
coin to a performing bard in his congrega-
tion on behalf of each Sikh. He offered four
and half coins, and announced that the half
coin was on his own behalf. He further
elaborated that he was counting each of his
predecessor Guru as full Sikh and himself
an half Sikh because he had not reached
the level of spiritual evolution and practices
required of full Sikhs.
To help you appreciate the event de-
scribed let me remind you that Guru Arjun
compiled most of the Scripture that we es-
teem today as our eternal SABD (Word)
Guru. Thus, he set in stone the theology
that we live by. His labeling of himself as
half Sikh, although an instance of ex-
treme humility was nevertheless an ex-
ample of a deep meaning and future
guidance. He was constructing a scale
with which to measure ones Sikhee.
Scriptural Support:
We can also go to our scripture to seek
guidance in this matter. Guru Gobind Singh
July 2013
asked us in no uncertain terms in his last
sermon on October 20, 1708, that we ought
to surrender to Sri Guru Granth Sahib for
an answer when in doubt.
But I am petrified regarding what my eter-
nal mentor might tell me on being Sikh if I
asked the scripture to give a definition of
Sikh. As a way around my timidity, let me
ask instead what my Guru would say in
another but a similar situation.
There were many Muslims who regu-
larly came to the Gurus presence to seek
guidance. If any one of them wanted to
claim himself as Muslim, the Guru would
humble him or her by saying the following
(see page 141 in Sri Guru Granth Sahib).
muslmwxu khwvxu musklu jw hoie qw muslmwxu
khwvY ] Avil Aauil dInu kir imTw mskl
mwnw mwlu muswvY ] hoie musilmu dIn muhwxY
mrx jIvx kw Brmu cukwvY ] rb kI rjwie
mMny isr aupir krqw mMny Awpu gvwvY ] qau
nwnk srb jIAw imhrmiq hoie q muslmwxu
khwvY ]
It is tough to be called Muslim; if one
is truly Muslim, then he/she may be called
one. First, let one savor the religion of
the Prophet as sweet; then, let his pride
of his possessions be scraped away.
Becoming a true Muslim, a disciple of the
faith of Mohammed, let him put aside the
delusion of death and life. As he submits
to Gods Will, and surrenders to the Cre-
ator, he is rid of selfishness and conceit.
And when, says Nanak, he is merciful to all
beings, only then shall he be called a Mus-
lim.
Our founder, Guru Nanak went into a
great deal of theology to counsel his Mus-
lim followers.
imhr msIiq isdku muslw hku hlwlu kurwxu
] srm sun M iq sIlu rojw hohu muslmwxu ] krxI
kwbw scu pIru klmw krm invwj ] qsbI sw
iqsu BwvsI nwnk rKY lwj ] 1 ] m 1 ]
hku prwieAw nwnkw ausu sUAr ausu gwie ]
guru pIru hwmw qw Bry jw murdwru n Kwie ]
glI iBsiq n jweIAY CutY scu kmwie ] mwrx
pwih hrwm mih hoie hlwlu n jwie ] nwnk
glI kUVIeI kUVo plY pwie ] 2 ] m 1 ] pMij
invwjw vKq pMij pMjw pMjy nwau ] pihlw
scu hlwl duie qIjw KYr Kudwie ] cauQI
nIAiq rwis mnu pMjvI isPiq snwie ]
krxI klmw AwiK kY qw muslmwxu sdwie ]
nwnk jyqy kUiVAwr kUVY kUVI pwie ]
That is: Let mercy be your mosque,
faith your prayer-mat and honest living
your holy book. Make modesty your cir-
cumcision, and good conduct your fast-
ing. In this way, you shall be a True Mus-
lim. Let good conduct be your holy place,
Kaabaa, Truth your spiritual guide, and
good deeds your kalima prayer and chant.
Let that be your rosary, which is pleasing
to Gods Will. O Nanak, then God shall
preserve your honor.
To take away what rightfully belongs
to another is like a Muslim eating the for-
bidden pork, or a Hindu eating forbidden
beef. Our Guru, our Spiritual Guide, stands
by us only if we do not commit bad deeds
(eat those carcasses). By mere talking,
people do not earn passage to the Heaven.
Salvation comes only from the practice of
63

Truth. By adding spices to forbidden foods,
they are not made the sanctioned ones.
Says Nanak, from false speech, only false-
hood is obtained.
There are five prayers and five prayer
times of day; they have five names. Let
the first be truthfulness, the second hon-
est living and the third charity in the Name
of God. Let the fourth be good will to all,
and the fifth the praise of God. Repeat
the prayer of good deeds, and then, you
may call yourself a Muslim. Says Nanak,
the false ones obtain falsehood and only
falsehood.
The example of Muslims in this paper
brings to our attention certain parallels to
our situation from another community.
There are similarities that originate cross-
culturally. They both elaborate and enrich
our understanding of who is Sikh. Let me
explain.
An ambiguity detected in the Islamic
tradition is similar to ours. There, as with
us, the word Muslim is used both as a
noun and as an adjective: the noun for-
mal, mundane, designating membership
in an historical community as a superfi-
cial fact, while the adjective refers to
content designating an internal atti-
tude and orientation.
Ask a member of the Islamic commu-
nity if one is a Muslim, and the answer is
yes forthrightly, sensing no problem and
registering no prior or subsequent thought.
Ask him, however, if he is Muslim, and
he shows great sensitivity and responsibil-
64
The Sikh Review
ity if he can answer convincingly and with-
out a reverent consternation.
Muslim in Arabic means submit-
ter or self-committing, so that to af-
firm that a person is Muslim is to
speak of ones quality of heart, ones
commitment to God, and ones readi-
ness to obey whatever injunctions the
sacred book may make incumbent on
that person.
Two persons may both be Muslims, but
one of them may be more Muslim than
the other; the same person may be more
Muslim in one situation than in another,
more Muslim one morning than in the
same afternoon.
Universality in Sikh Conducts:
Further perusal of the Guru guided
foundations of Sikh traditions we are
startled with the universality of Sikh reli-
gion and thereby its followers who may
define themselves as Sikhs.
To take the Sikh scriptural figure of
Sheikh Farid, might one say that he was
not a Sikh as he was a Muslim. True, but
he was Sikh on account of his beliefs,
teachings and high living. His verses
were included in our sacred scripture
even though he claimed himself to be
a Muslim. He freely used Muslim idioms
and metaphors in his verses.
Same can be said of Bhagat Kabir and
other non-Guru Authors of the Sikh scrip-
ture, the Guru Granth. All of them are fully
accepted as channels of revelation that
July 2013
formed the Sikh scripture.
In the Sikh history, Bhai Mian Mir can
be taken as another figure that may be
controversial for our discussion. Guru
Arjun recognized him out of all his
contemporaries, Sikhs and others, to
lay the foundation stone of Darbar
Sahib, Golden Temple that the Guru
was constructing to house the Sacred
Sikh Scripture.
Since that time, Sikhs treated Mian
with their highest regard in spite that he
was a Muslim. In quality he was Sikh to
be given this unique honor. Until only a
few years ago, Sikhs followed the guid-
ance of their Guru and appointed Muslim
musicians for singing Gurus hymns in the
innermost sanctuary of the Golden
Temple.
I realize that considerations such as
these will arouse cross-cultural implica-
tions that may even complicate the issue.
However, their discussion is necessary as
it enriches our traditions.
Only a Sikh:
Personally, I am not a Muslim, nor a
Jew nor Hindu, nor a Christian, but I am
a Sikh. Again, my answer to a question
on this point can be quick, clear, and defi-
nite. Yet, if the question is raised, am I Sikh,
Muslim or Hindu, the answer is not quick
and clear, nor definite.
I do not speak Arabic or Sanskrit, nor
do I observe Hindu or Muslim rituals nor-
mally. Instead I was named in the historic
Gurdwara Panja Sahib and married accord-
ing to the Sikh tradition of Anand Karaj. Here
the adjective is in the form of a question;
does it apply to me, or can I apply it to my-
self.
The only possible answer that I can give
to this question is that I hope to be Muslim
in the sense described above in my Gurus
hymns as much as I long to be Sikh as my
Guru ordained in the same scripture. Any
other answer would be blasphemous and
arrogant.
I can also be a Muslim in the sense that
the Guru practiced Islam on occasions him-
self. Guru Nanak even wore Muslim cloth-
ing and carried the Quran to Makkah with
the intension of participating in the Hajj. He
spent around two years in Makkah, Medina,
and Baghdad among Muslim Mullah and
Ullmans. I should be obedient to Gods Will
and be charitable to Gods creation; as
readily as God gives me courage and abil-
ity.
I am not, alas, in the practice of my life,
as Muslim as a good Sikh could be. But
certainly I could aspire to be.
One cannot be both a Sikh and a Mus-
lim or a Hindu or a Christian at the same
time. Nouns are there to keep us sepa-
rately identifiable. On the other hand, it is
not, I suggest, as ridiculous or fanciful as it
might sound, to ask whether in the realm of
adjectives it might not be possible for a per-
son to be both Sikh and Muslim some times.
I for one can understand and consent to the
meanings for the terms in which this is pos-
sible. I could even say that to be truly Sikh
65
 The Sikh Review

is ipso facto to be truly Muslim, Buddhist,
Hindu, Jew, or Christian some times.
Those of you whose hearts God has
opened to surrender and who are fortu-
nate to be blessed by the Gurus com-
mandments would not think in terms of
such particularities of adjectives to char-
acterize the quality of their orientation.
Whether you know it or not, these adjec-
tives are there in Sikhee to actually de-
scribe the mind-set to which one hopes
to rise in ones best moments.
Conclusion:
It is a highly rewarding exercise to in-
quire more discerningly what our founders
and the enlightened souls have meant
when they understood Sikh as a noun
or an adjective, or even a verb. It is equally
rewarding to ask oneself what one means,
or proposes to mean, by this term of our
faith, not merely when one is about to use
it in a speech or in writing, but also when
one is in ones trying moments.
In conclusion, let us make life simpler
and enjoyable by claiming only one faith,
the noun Sikh and the adjective Sikh. Then
in the silence of our room, in the hub-bubs
of the daily scuffle, in the busy current of
our routines, or in our crises and predica-
ments, look for opportunities to value our
faith in reflecting on what Sikh might mean
right then and there.
Each morning, as you arise; you might
well ask yourself what you intend to make
the word Sikh mean for yourself this day.
(Expanded from previous writings in
The Sikh Review and Global Sikhs)

Most of the people are paying heed only to the bugle

of karam kaand sounded by recitations from many
religious scriptures. Says Nanak, you should accept the
path of Naam and do not sow the seeds of profiling
people and the creation.
- Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1091

66
July 2013
Sikhism Today:
The Changing Global Landscape
DR. BHAI HARBANS LAL
THE WELL KNOWN SCHOLAR, Dr IJ
Singh once wrote: My larger purpose is
to connect Sikh teaching and practice to
our lives today. If we cannot, if Sikhee
does not speak to me today as it did to
countless others over time then it is a
fossilized tradition and needs to be
discarded or modified
Dr Singh is right. Many of us are,
though mostly inadvertently, moving to-
wards fossilizing Sikhee for the world ar-
chives and museums. Let me declare in
the beginning that such was neither the
intention of our founders nor deserved on
its merits.
I am often invited to churches, syna-
gogues, and masjids to speak, besides
my frequent addresses at gurudwaras,
about my faith and the faith in general to-
day. When I am there, I most often take a
tour of the facility and keenly observe how
they manage to evolve in the modern cen-
tury to be relevant and effective in con-
veying their message to their generations
and to the outside world. Then my sub-
conscious mind compares it with my own
Sikhee institutions and I see an appalling
difference.
While others uphold few of the tradi-
tions from centuries ago, they have vis-
ibly changed their institutions to conform
> PANORAMA
to the demands of the modern techno-
logical and cultural realities. They are in-
corporating what is good for their congre-
gations, and they are always on their toes
to respond to new demands. They sup-
port studies like PEW commissions and
others to tell them how they are doing in
their endeavors.
The Pew Forum on Religion and Pub-
lic Life researches on religion and its
changing landscape in USA. It is a major
non-advocacy organization; the forum
does not take positions on issues. It is a
project of the Pew Research Center, a
Pew subsidiary and a nonpartisan fact
tank based in Washington, D.C. It pro-
vides information on the issues, attitudes
and trends shaping America and the
world. For more information, visit the Pew
Forum on Religion and Public Life Web
site. They are the major example but there
are many other such research organiza-
tion fact tanks. By the way, last time I vis-
ited one of their research contracting in-
stitution to ask them why they did not ever
include Sikhism in their studies, the re-
sponse was that there was not enough
interest or resources available.
We, on the other hand, do not worry if
we continue to move on blind paths that
are effective or not. It is little concern of
67

ours if we lose membership of our congre-
gations or not, if our congregations connect
to the world outside or not, if our genera-
tions are with us or not, if we are discon-
nected from the calls of the future, if we do
not know what is happening to our genera-
tion and population in the new world village.
We tend to be schizophrenic in our
outpouring of the terminology and
phrases to describe our practices even
when they are completely disconnected
with our daily life and behavior. We con-
tinue to be devoid of any concern if the
outside world begins to ignore us com-
pletely or if our medicine cures any dis-
ease or not. We are content in our rou-
tine and in our urge to continue our
ethnicity in the world of universalism. It is
of little concern to us if our language of
the congregational discourses sounds
gibberish to the outside world and if our
practices there seem mostly outmoded to
our youth and their friends.
If we continue to live within the out-
moded tradition traps whether in the ar-
chitecture of our new gurdwaras, or lan-
guage we employ to communicate our
faith, or the complete lack of any educa-
tion in our clergy class, then we are ac-
cepting the fate of our religion to be that
of many others who followed similar
paths. Museums are full of their archives.
I for one do not think that we will be-
come a fixture in the world museum be-
cause our Guru Granth Sahib has immor-
talized a path, a philosophy, a doctrine
68
The Sikh Review
and a way of life that is inevitable in the
future of humanity. Only what I am not
sure who will take it to the future world to
benefit the global village. I believe that
someone will discover it as it was the vi-
sion of its great visionary authors. I must
acknowledge that there are some voices
of concern like mine, here and there
amongst us, but they are not heard by
the makers and shakers of our communi-
ties. They are presently too feeble to
make any dent.
It need not be U.S. alone that takes
the Sikhee of the Guru Granth to the fu-
ture as we ourselves are increasingly dis-
covering and being distracted by periph-
eral and unconfirmed adages of the Gu-
rus; many documents outside Gurbani
are being accorded status to guide our
Sikhee today. Most of these documents,
outside the Guru Granth, have question-
able authenticity, and many were inter-
jected by the rivals of the Guru. They were
certainly not meant to replace the Guru
Granth to guide the future humanity.
As we celebrate the fourth century of
the last Sermon* of Guru Gobind Singh
Ji, we must pay heed to his sermon. This
last sermon, delivered on October 20,
1708, immortalized the hymns in the
Sri Guru Granth Sahib as our only eter-
nal Guru; all other documents would
be considered kach meaning unreli-
able and lacking.
*[This article was written in 2008]
July 2013
The Guru Panth:
Time to Reaffirm Basic Values
ADDRESS BY DR. BHAI HARBANS LAL AT INAUGURATION OF GOBIND SADAN
I CANNOT ADEQUATELY DESCRIBE
what a great honor it is to speak at this
institution which is founded to promote
Gurmat through interfaith understanding.
Its location is selected to take the
message to the widely extended
boundaries outside our ethnic walls.
Jathedar Sahib, although our words
to welcome you are simple and humble,
it is not really so, in view of the spirit in
which you are being welcomed.
Today, I want to pick up on the his-
tory that makes this occasion very spe-
cial and thereby alert you on the state of
our affairs and the need to re-affirm the
traditions that our great Gurus empha-
sized.
Being the Head of Takht Sri Patna
Sahib, you are bringing the blessings of
a unique prophet Guru Gobind Singh, a
Prophet who made his first sermon that
is guiding the missions undertaken today.
Let me highlight on the Gurus sermon
for which, three centuries ago, he chose
a mixed audience of Hindus and Muslims,
two major religions of the world.
Guru Gobind Singh was born in the
city of Patna in Eastern India and spent
the first six years of his childhood there.
According to our history books, his divin-
> PERSPECTIVES
ity was first acknowledged by, not some-
one of his faith or his family but, by a Mus-
lim holyman Pir Bhikhan Shah.
The story goes as follows:
One day, Bhikhan Shah was observed
to bow towards the East during his
prayers. Certainly it was contrary to the
established Islamic practice of bowing in
the direction of Kaaba. When his follow-
ers looked astonished, the Pir explained
his unusual act. He said that a special
child, the Savior chosen by God, was
taking birth in Patna, which lies to the
East, that he faced to say his prayer.
The Pir then gathered his followers
and led them to a pilgrimage of Patna in
order to see the newborn. Although un-
usual for the mother to do so, she brought
out the child for public viewing.
The Pir again prearranged a riddle. He
placed two bowls of sweets before the
child; one bowl was purchased from a
Hindus shop, and the second from a
Muslims shop, thus signifying the two
major contemporary religions in India.
The riddle sought answer to an un-
spoken question which was meant to find
out as to which religion this divine prophet
would favour. To everyones admiration
and deep satisfaction, the baby placed
69

his hands atop both bowls, thus indi-
cating that he would not profile people
among religious divides, signifying
that all religions would be dear to him.
This was Guru Gobind Singhs first
public sermon told through a profound
public demonstration. But it was not the
first time in the Sikh tradition that such a
sermon was broadcast.
This was also the first sermon of Guru
Nanak. When Guru Nanak made his first
debut after receiving the Divine ordina-
tion he gave a sermon to those who gath-
ered to welcome him as the Prophet. The
sermon included the following:
Do not profile me or anyone else
as a Hindu or a Muslim; we are all chil-
dren of the same Divine Father. Our
deeds alone will determine our place
in the court of Almighty.
I am relating this story to todays con-
gregation only to emphasize that our
Jathedar Sahib is a custodian of that holy
shrine where the Sermon of Guru Gobind
Singh was given. Secondly, to remind
that, based on that very sermon and to
uphold the same philosophy, Baba Virsa
Singh founded a series of institutions
under the name of Gobind Sadan - one
of which is being celebrated today.
Before I finish, let me tell you about
my own debt to Jathedar Sahib. I feel very
humble in describing it.
Some years ago, the Jathedar Sahib
of Takht Patna Sahib invited me, through
70
The Sikh Review
Sardar SS Ahluwalia, for a visit. He had
arranged to bestow upon me the Robe of
Honor for my humble services to the
Panth. Even though I did not consider
myself worthy I bought the airline ticket
to Patna and proceeded to board the air-
plane.
To my disappointment the flight was
cancelled due to bad weather and the next
flight was not scheduled for several days
when the occasion would have been over.
I was thus stranded in New Delhi. I con-
soled myself with the thought that per-
haps I had not deserved such an honor.
But the considerate Jathedar did not
take a dictate from the weather. To my
utter humility and joy I received a call from
Sardar Ahluwalia who brought the Robe
of Honor with the sacred prasad from the
Takht. I went to a local gurdwara to re-
ceive it, which I gladly did.
When receiving the honor I remem-
bered a verse of Bhai Gurdas, the Sikh
theologian of the highest order. He wrote:
crn srin gur eyk pYfw jwie cl ]
siq gur koit pYfw Awgy hoie lyq hY
The Guru travels a thousand steps
to accept, should we take one step
toward the Guru.
Through the event just described, I
personally experienced the Gurus gener-
osity of travelling thousands of steps to
receive his humble Sikh, and I am very
grateful. However, it is painful to notice
that this tradition of our great nation is
July 2013

on a decline. How many institutions of
ours today welcome those who take the
first step?
Let us examine.
Guru Gobind Singh left us with wide
spread communities of believers in his
teachings. According to some European
travelers, 25% of Indian sub continent was
impacted spiritually by the Gurus mes-
sage at the time of Guru Gobind Singh.
The Indian sub continent then extended
from Afghanistan to Burma, and from Sri
Lanka to Tibet, with nearly 2 billion popu-
lation in todays terms. Today hardly one
percent of that population claims to
be Sikh and still less that is acknowl-
edged Sikh by some of our elite insti-
tutions.
Who is responsible for this serious
degradation? Why are a vast numbers of
people leaving the Sikh congregations?
The Sikh principles did not decline in
their relevance, neither did the need for
them; civil society is seeking a faith like
Sikhee or Gurmat. What is stifling the
dissemination and acceptance is our
attitude towards those who just take
the first step? A step forward is not wel-
come and any step backward is a cause
of severe discard. There is a hesitation in
any likelihood of swelling the number of
the faithful; reduction in number is con-
sidered politically advantageous!
I am glad that our Jathedar is taking a
stand and Gobind Sadan is doing some-
thing to halt this trend. I will request the
Jathedar to also prevail over those who
are doing harm to the Faith for a few po-
litical benefits!
There is much to be done by our reli-
gious leadership to restore the glory that
was the Panth of Guru Gobind Singh. The
resilience that you have demonstrated by
your efforts to restore our relationship with
our neighbors far and wide cannot fail to
give us confidence that our Panth has a
great future.

gurmit namu m[ra pRan sKaeI

hir kIrit hmrI rihrais .
The Lords Name be my life-long companion,
laudation of the Lord be my life-long practice.
SGGS: 10

71
July 2013 > POETS CORNER

Beware of the Wolf!

KHUSHHAL SINGH*

Wolf-like, it stalks victims all over the world

All beings that tread, swim, or fly up the sky,
Dreading its sudden painful panther-like kill.
Pounces it over like a wily wild hyena,

Or like an unmissing enemy bullet.

We know not the minute of day or night,
Or the direction of its pouncing paw.
We know not, but the hour was fixed at birth

Or even before it - for merging with Him

That the Lord had communicated to us;
Ignorant, we know not His warrants language,
And death, a mere servant, has option none.
For His saints, though, come comfortable palanquins.

* 82, Abitibi Lake Drive, Brampton, ON L6ROV6. Canada. Email: khushhal@gmail.com

73
July 2013
Islamic Studies at Deoband (UP)
I have attached this book I found on
the Internet it says that the Islamia Col-
lege in Deoband (UP) started in 1867 and
you can make your own decision. About
thirteen years ago I found a report on the
Asian American Association, the first
Asian to the US Congress was Dalip
Singh Saund. I was astonished to know
that because I came to this country in
1978, and couple of years later, I asked
my uncle who brought us here, that what
about the politics in this country, and, he
said, no chance and was quite for a while,
then 1984 hit and the day Indira Gandhi
was shot dead, same day my wife and
her brother landed in Delhi and they were
lucky someone told them to take a bus to
go directly to Punjab and do not go to
Delhi they were lucky to make it lot of
people failed did not reach there destina-
tion. When I found the name and started
to look for more and it said he wrote two
books, one was My Mother India, in
1930, authorised by Pacific Coast
Khalsa Dewan Society, Stockton and
the second, First Congressman from
India, in 1960 his autobiography.
Both these books I got on the internet
one I got in Union City and the other one
came from Nevada, both cost about one
hundred sixty dollars! I read both of them
right away and made copies of one and
the other got one thousand printed from
Singh Brothers and I have some copies
still left.
> READERS FORUM
Dalip Singh Saund was a very well
educated person and a philospher and
should be read by every Sikh and Indian.
The second is Sadhu Singh Dhami who
wrote Maluka. He came to Canada, in
1922 and did his education and PhD on
the Philosophy of John Dewey, and its
bearing on India, in 1937, from the Uni-
versity of Toronto, and I went there to get
a physical copy and going to read it and
probably get it printed it soon. He joined
the UN as a commissioner ILO and his
efforts got the grant for technical colleges
in India he is from my village Piplanwala
and the other interesting thing Dalip Singh
Saunds brother Karnail Singh, CEO in
the Railways married in village
Piplanwala!
I read the book Two Years, in upper In-
dia, and before that I read Hari Singh Nalwa
by Baba Prem Singh Hotimardan who men-
tioned about the In The Shadows of the
Himalayas in that it was written about the
English School in Ludhiana by John
Cameron LOwrie and that is how I got that
book. It is avialble on the Nook ebooks.
Then I got a book Bhagat Lakshamn
Singh, by your society, it should be re-
printed or seraliezed in your magazine.
AVTAR SINGH DHAMI
3336 Bridge Road
Hayward CA, 94545. USA
Dear Sr. Avtar Singh Ji,
Guru Fateh!
Many thanks for your email dtd. June 09,
2013. I share your sentiments whole-heartedly.
75

Deoband (UP) Islamic centre is a well-
known institution of studies in Islam,
though some in India regard it as funda-
mentalist!
The Sikh Missionary College,
Amritsar, is equally relevant, if not more!
I am glad you discovered Rep. Dalip
Singh Saund (of California) as the first
Sikh (not Kesh-dhari) in US House. He
was elder brother of Late Sr. Karnail
Singhji, Chairman, Indian Rly Board
whom I knew personally and admired
greatly.
As a school-boy in NWFP, I knew
Baba Prem Singh (of Hoti-Mardan) who
wrote a classical biography of Maharaja
Ranjit Singh (in Punjabi), and earned
enormous respect of the Sikh Panth.
I greatly admire your zeal & faith in
re-discovering the Sikh Heritage!
Sincerely yours,
Saran Singh
*******
FOR BASIC KNOWLEDGE, BOLD COMMENT
READ
THE SIKH REVIEW
76
The Sikh Review
Creation of Khalsa Vaisakhi: 1699
Article by S. Paropkar Singh
Puri
I agree with S. Swaran Singh (SR: May
2013) any dubious statement about Guru
Ji would be damaging (Dubeda: Doubt, is
worst) (sitgurkI baNI sit sit kir jaNhu gurisKhu
hir krta Aaip muhhu kDae[ .) [SGGS:308]
Do we realize that , in some way, we
are accusing Dasam Patshah of trickery
, just because our intellect is so limited.
The Guru is Sarab Smarth (Aap Mar
Jeevalda - SGGS - though generally in-
terpreted as Spiritual Rebirth - Physical
corollary is simple as Mind over Matter
is now advancing fast.
Keen students of Sikhism are advised
to go thru: Khalsa - A Real Miracle for
Mankind, the Abstracts of Sikh Studies,
Vol. XIII issue 2 - April-June 2011 / NS
543. Your readers may benefit to know
about the latest baby steps in scientific
research in current times.
JASBIR SINGH SETHI
Houston, (Texas), USA.
Email: jssethi03@yahoo.com
July 2013 > DIARY

Pak declares corneal transplant surgeries safer and

technically simpler.
Panja Sahib holy city
The new corneal layer, found by
In a goodwill gesture, the Pakistan
Harminder Singh Dua, professor of oph-
government has decided to declare Panja
thalmology at Nottingham University, is a
Sahib, in Rawalpindi, a holy city.
transparent sheet of collagen, the fibrous
This was disclosed by the president matrix that also makes up ligaments and
of the Pak-Indo Friendship Association tendons. The findings has been published
and legal consulate, ministry of the inte- in the UK research journal Opthalmology.
rior, government of Pakistan, Mr Arif
T h e knowledge
Chaudhry, who called on Punjab chief
of this new layer will al-
minister Parkash Singh Badal at his resi-
low sur- geons to
dence.
understand the (corneal
Mr Arif said a function would be orga- transplant) operation
nized by the Pak-Indo Friendship Asso- better and make it
ciation to mark this historic occasion. safer, Dua, who had
He invited the CM to Pakistan to grace studied medicine at
the occasion for which schedule would be the Nagpur Medical
finalized as per the convenience of Mr College before moving to the UK, told The
Badal. Telegraph, Calcutta.

Panja Sahib is one of the most holy
places of Sikhism because of the pres-
ence of a rock believed to have the hand
print of Guru Nanak imprinted on it. Sikhs
from all over the world visit the Gurdwara
Panjab Sahib, situated at Hasan Abdal
about 45 kilometres from Rawalpindi,
twice a year.
*******
Sikh surgeon finds
new layer in cornea
A Jalandhar-born eye surgeon in En-
gland has discovered a previously un-
known sheet of tissue in the multi-layered
cornea, a finding that he says will make
Scientists had until now believed that
the cornea, the transparent window at the
front of the eye, had five layers from
front to back, the corneal epithelium,
Bowmans layer, corneal stroma,
Descements membrance (DM) and the
corneal endothelium.
Dr Dua has now identified a sixth layer
at the back of the cornea, lying between
the stroma and the DM. Duas layer is thin
only o.015 mm of the 0.5 mm thickness
of the cornea but incredibly tough,
Nottingham University said in a media re-
lease.
This layer can also be used to sup-
port the endothelium in transplant proce-

77
 The Sikh Review

dures called endothelial keratoplasty, He told Asian News International (ANI)

making the handling of DM transplant that he was happy to be nominated to the
safer and technically simpler, said Dua, assembly and it would help him to raise
who was born in Jalandhar, Punjab, the the minority issues in the right platform.
son of an Indian Air Force officer. It is an honour that I accept with hu-
The discovery could also have an im- mility. There are so many minority com-
pact on understanding certain corneal dis- munity related issues which would be my
eases. Scientists believe that a condition priority, he said.
called corneal hydrops, a bulging of the
cornea caused by fluid accumulation, is *******
caused by a tear in the Dua layer, the Sikh driver fights for turban right
university said.
London: A Sikh bus driver in Finland
[Courtesy: The Telegraph]
is fighting for his right to wear a turban
******* while at work.
Sukhdarshan Singh Gill, who works
First Sikh nominated to at the Veolia bus company in Vantaa,
Provincial Assembly in Pakistan near the Finnish capital of Helsinki, is try-
Nawaz Sharif keen on Minorities Pres- ing to set a precedent by making the au-
ence thorities allow him to wear a turban at
work, Yle, the Finnish public broadcast-
Amritsar: In a major initiative, the Pa- ing company reported.
kistan Mus- l i m
League (N) which has I have a right to my turban, as I am a
registered a landslide Sikh, the report quoted Singh as saying.
victory in Pakistan I believe it is no problem for any other
elections, n o m i - religion, we do not disturb any other reli-
nated the first Sikh gion, we only believe in our own religion.
member, S r .
Ramesh S i n g h Singh is among the first Sikhs to move
Arora to the Provincial Assembly. to that Nordic country in the 1980s.

This move is being seen as a step After a visit to the Indian state of
ahead to address various issues confront- Punjab in December, last year, he de-
ing the Sikh community in Pakistan. cided to wear a turban while at work.

Arora is already member of Pakistans Nobody raised any objection for two
National Minority Commission and runs an months but, then, the authorities con-
NGO successfully for the rights of the citizens. cerned told him to remove it to comply

78
July 2013
with company uniform rules.
Singhs son Sukhnavdeep Singh Gill
also wears a turban and says he would
like to complete his military service in Fin-
land wearing it.
Everybody has to, and I want also to
be one of them (military service),
Sukhnavdeep said.
It is my right to work, and my religion
shouldnt be a problem. I dont want to be
treated differently.
Finlands neighbors, Norway and
Sweden, both allow Sikhs in the mili-
tary to wear the turban.
[Courtesy: hiIndia]
*******
Sr. Prabhjot Singh Dhillon
elected Mayor
of Warwick (UK)
London: Sr. Prabhjit Singh Dhillon
has been elected Mayor of the British
city of Warwick The county town o
Warwickshire, in the Midlands.
Sr. Dhillon, was sworn as the 280th
Mayor of the city, said, I am truly
honoured and humbled to be
elected by my fellow Councillors to be
Mayor for 2013-2014.
I have become the 280th Mayor a
privilege for a local Warwick boy and
first Sikh since that time. My Mayoral year
is a mere blip in the last 1100 years of
this historic town.
I liken my year to the Olympic torch
bearers of last year, in that I am picking
up the torch of history from the outgoing
Mayor and carrying it forward, passing
it on to the next Mayor in a years time.
This years theme is about celebrating
our towns rich trea-
sure trove and building
a greater sense of
commu-
nity.
After his swearing-
in, Sr. Dhillon and
his Council colleagues
observed a minutes si-
lence to honour the memory of the slain
British soldier, Lee Rigby, who was killed
by two Islamic fanatics in London last
May. Touting what he called
Warwickness, the new Mayor said he
would have an all-inclusive approach to
his mayority.
Warwickness, to me, stands for, in
broad terms, equality, peace, simplicity,
truth and integrity. Focusing on equality,
it is about respecting different people and
different ideas, honouring all faiths, cel-
ebrating a rich community made up of
many cultures, reflecting a broad inclu-
sive spectrum of a the global family,
Dhillon said.
He added, As part of this I am going
to include the Sikh philosophy, which has
many similarities with Christian teach-
ings.
79
June 2013 > BOOK SECTION

Womens Liberation through the Prism of Sikh Faith

By Prabhjot Kaur
Published by G S Distribution, Inc., G S Estatem G.T. Road, Ludhiana. 141003.
Pages: 299, Price: Rs. 395

A Review by Dr. Acchru Singh

Societies the world over have re-
mained male dominated since times im-
memorial. Religion too has played no
small part in the subjugation of women.
The much hyped Women Liberation
Movement that originated in the West too
could not liberate women in the true sense
of the word. However, the Sikh Gurus
ensured their rightful place in society and
provided viable solutions to all the gen-
der issues. This is the crux of Principal
Prabhjot Kaurs intellectually rich, well
researched and lucidly written book:
Women Liberation through the Prism
of Sikh Faith.
The book has been divided into three
sections. The first comprising of four
chapters deals with the position of women
in Sikh thought, devoting one chapter
each to Women in Sikh Religion, Femi-
nine Perspective in Sri Guru Granth
Sahib, Women in Sikh Culture and
Women in Sikh History . The author has
taken pains to study all the available clas-
sics and has come out with a well docu-
mented book, citing different sources, in
order to validate her point of view. She
has based her study on the thought con-
tained in Sri Guru Granth Sahib and has
extensively quoted from the Sikh Scrip-
ture, describing how the Sikh Gurus
consistently worked to bring about a
silent revolution among the people by
changing their mindset with regard to
their treatment of women who, till then,
had been treated like slaves or a prop-
erty owned by men. It was like over-
hauling the psyche of the general popu-
lace and giving them a new set of moral,
social and cultural values. Thus empow-
ered by the Gurus, the Sikh women re-

81

gained a new confidence and contributed
in a huge way in the making of a new so-
cial order.
The second section of the book
traces the position of women since pre-
history to the modern times, recording
their contribution in the economic and
cultural advancement made in the early
society when both man and woman lived
in harmony with each other and there was
no question of subjugation of either the
man or the woman. But, somewhere
along the way, woman was subjugated
and to regain her freedom had to launch
a movement for her liberation. After trac-
ing the history of womens movement, and
discussing the issues taken up by the
women leaders of the time, the author
critically takes up those issues to discuss
their impact on society. He discusses
how, because of the contradictions within
the movement, women leaders had to re-
trace their steps on most of the issues.
She has discussed how, in their zeal for
equality, women denied the most natural
roles assigned to them by nature and thus
put themselves to the risk of losing their
essential feminine self. Prabhjot Kaur has
quoted the women leaders at length to
substantiate her point of view.
The third section: Feminine Perspec-
tive in Sikhism vis--vis Women Libera-
tion Movement, deals with the core is-
sues regarding man-woman relationship
82
The Sikh Review
and how the Sikh scripture and Sikh ethos
offer solutions to the problems that
womens liberation movement had failed
to solve. What the supporters of women
liberation were clamoring for, or were try-
ing to achieve, is already granted in
the Sikh scripture which not only en-
sures gender equality but also makes
woman the most respected being by
representing the whole humanity in
the feminine gender.
Principal Prabhjot Kaur has dealt with
all the gender related problems in a me-
ticulous way and also provided solutions
in the light of the Sikh faith. She main-
tains that most of the problems faced by
the society today, have been handled in
Sikh ideology in a positive way, and
woman has been accorded the status of
an authentic person, and not of a puppet.
The book is not just another work on
women, but a unique document of his-
torical, religious, social and literary impor-
tance; supported and authenticated by
references from history, mythology, reli-
gion and literature, and is a valuable ad-
dition to the field of Women Studies.
Highly informative, educative and enlight-
ening, having the magical power to grip
and sustain the interest of the readers
from the beginning to the end; it speaks
volumes about the insight of Principal
Prabhjot Kaur, and is a must read for any-
one interested in Sikh Sociology.
Dear Friends and Colleagues,

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