Sikhi is not to condemn other religions; instead it stresses that only through the Guru’s shown path can be helpful in attaining the ever-lasting bliss. It is through this path that the Sikhs become free from tightly knitted net of rituals and uncalled for offerings in the name of this one or that one. In whatever other faith people believe is not a problem for the Sikhs; however, they don’t seek help from others but the Guru. Today, the Sikhs’ Guru is Sri Guru Granth Sahib: the Shabd Guru; therefore, their path starts and ends at the door of Sri Guru Granth Sahib; instead of treating Sri Guru Granth Sahib as an Idol, the true Sikhs seek advice from it by reading and contemplating its bani through displaying perfect respect. The Sikhs don’t doubt the Guru ever. If reading the Gurbani becomes a conditional act, nothing will happen. To achieve the goal set up for the Sikhs by their Guru, sincere contemplation of the Gurbani is very important. Let us reflect on the follow shabda of Third Nanak on 360 to 361, SGGS, in this regard:
ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ ਘਰੁ ੨ ਮਹਲਾ ੩
Rāg āsā gẖar 2 mėhlā 3
Raag Asa, the bani of Third Nanak; house second.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Ik oaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ.
There is only one All Pervading Akalpurakh, who is known with the blessings of the Satiguru.
ਹਰਿ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਪਾਵੈ ਵਡਭਾਗਿ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਸਚੈ ਬੈਰਾਗਿ ॥
ਖਟੁ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਵਰਤੈ ਵਰਤਾਰਾ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਅਗਮ ਅਪਾਰਾ ॥੧॥
Har ḏarsan pāvai vadbẖāg.
Gur kai sabaḏ sacẖai bairāg.
Kẖat ḏarsan varṯai varṯārā.
Gur kā ḏarsan agam apārā. ||1||
In essence: Har is envisioned with great luck; through the Guru’s shabda, one truly becomes detached for Har’s love. The six Shastras are currently prevailing, but the Guru’s ideology is profound and unequaled (in context of envisioning Har, better is ਗੁਰ ਕਾ ਦਰਸਨੁ).
In the above verses, very clearly, the Guru’s ideology is deemed as the best one compared to other prevailed six Shastras; the interpreters of Teeka Freedkoti wale should have not ignored this very advice of the Guru while referring to the Vedas unnecessarily. All faiths and beliefs are there according to the will of the Creator. Believing in them is not the Sikhs’ obligation or duty, because they believe only what the Guru says, and the Guru doesn’t want the Sikhs to believe in anyone but the all-pervading Creator, who Himself becomes truly helpful in realizing Him (1267, SGGS). Let others beat their drums in favor of their faiths; the Sikhs should not indulge in criticizing them; if they find peace in that way let it be so. The Guru asks them to ask everything from none other than the Creator:
ਪਉੜੀ ॥
ਕੀਤਾ ਲੋੜੀਐ ਕੰਮੁ ਸੁ ਹਰਿ ਪਹਿ ਆਖੀਐ ॥
ਕਾਰਜੁ ਦੇਇ ਸਵਾਰਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਸਚੁ ਸਾਖੀਐ ॥
ਸੰਤਾ ਸੰਗਿ ਨਿਧਾਨੁ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਚਾਖੀਐ ॥
ਭੈ ਭੰਜਨ ਮਿਹਰਵਾਨ ਦਾਸ ਕੀ ਰਾਖੀਐ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਇ ਅਲਖੁ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਲਾਖੀਐ ॥੨੦॥
(91, SGGS)
Pa-orhee.
Keetaa lorhee-ai kamm so har peh aakhee-ai.
Kaaraj day-ay savaar satgur sach saakhee-ai.
Santaa sang nidhaan amrit chaakhee-ai.
Bhai bhanjan miharvaan daas kee raakhee-ai.
Naanak har gun gaa-ay alakh parabh laakhee-ai. ||20||
Stanza.
In essence: To accomplish one’s affair, one should pray to Har; the Satiguru testifies that Har will accomplish one’s affair. (Therefore) In the company of Har’s sants, the treasure of Har’s name-nectar should be tasted. Har, the merciful and the destroyer of fear, preserves the honor of His servant. Oh Nanak! By singing Har’s virtues, one can see Har, who is invisible.
The Sikhs don’t need to beg at the doors of other entities; their protectors are the Creator and the Guru. It is the Guru, who has attached them to the Creator.
The shabda continues:
ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਦਰਸਨਿ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਗਤਿ ਹੋਇ ॥
ਸਾਚਾ ਆਪਿ ਵਸੈ ਮਨਿ ਸੋਇ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Gur kai ḏarsan mukaṯ gaṯ ho-e.
Sācẖā āp vasai man so-e. ||1|| rahā-o.
By the Guru’s ideology, salvation is obtained and Akalpurakh abides in the heart. Pause.
The Sikhs’ Guru has guided them in such a way that they don’t need to get frustrated by going through rituals, special pilgrimaging, fasts and other rites. Slowly and steadily, they walk on the Guru’s path to become detached while living a household-life to attain the ultimate freedom.
ਗੁਰ ਦਰਸਨਿ ਉਧਰੈ ਸੰਸਾਰਾ ॥
ਜੇ ਕੋ ਲਾਏ ਭਾਉ ਪਿਆਰਾ ॥
ਭਾਉ ਪਿਆਰਾ ਲਾਏ ਵਿਰਲਾ ਕੋਇ ॥
ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਦਰਸਨਿ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਹੋਇ ॥੨॥
Gur ḏarsan uḏẖrai sansārā.
Je ko lā-e bẖā-o pi-ārā.
Bẖā-o pi-ārā lā-e virlā ko-e.
Gur kai ḏarsan saḏā sukẖ ho-e. ||2||
Through the Guru’s ideology, the world is saved if it is embraced in love; however, a rare person embraces it with love. Through the Guru’s ideology, one always gets peace.
The Guru’s path certainly saves the world from drowning in the deep and dark ocean of Maya attachment. The Guru helps his Sikhs to become hard workers to make a living without falling into a trap of greed, anger, greed and other negative flaws.
ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਦਰਸਨਿ ਮੋਖ ਦੁਆਰੁ ॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਸੇਵੈ ਪਰਵਾਰ ਸਾਧਾਰੁ ॥
ਨਿਗੁਰੇ ਕਉ ਗਤਿ ਕਾਈ ਨਾਹੀ ॥
ਅਵਗਣਿ ਮੁਠੇ ਚੋਟਾ ਖਾਹੀ ॥੩॥
Gur kai ḏarsan mokẖ ḏu-ār.
Saṯgur sevai parvār sāḏẖār.
Nigure ka-o gaṯ kā-ī nāhī.
Avgaṇ muṯẖe cẖotā kẖāhī. ||3||
Salvation is in the Guru’s ideology. By serving the Satiguru, one’s family is saved. Those who are without the Guru are not saved, because they are deluded by their demerits, and they suffer.
Why those who don’t follow the Guru fall down into the deep ocean of Maya entanglements? Answer lies in the shops of exploitation opened in the name of the Creator. Such shopkeepers not only gather wealth and property for themselves but they also succeed in misleading the frustrated people. One becomes week, when one doesn’t trust in the Creator fully. Trusting fully in the Creator means one accepts His ordinance positively even when bad things come in one’s way. While working hard, one doesn’t rush to door-to-door hoping some miracles will occur. It is one’s weakness that one falls for idols, or thieves in the garbs of fake spiritual guides.
ਗੁਰ ਕੈ ਸਬਦਿ ਸੁਖੁ ਸਾਂਤਿ ਸਰੀਰ ॥
ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਤਾ ਕਉ ਲਗੈ ਨ ਪੀਰ ॥
ਜਮਕਾਲੁ ਤਿਸੁ ਨੇੜਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥
ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸਾਚਿ ਸਮਾਵੈ ॥੪॥੧॥੪੦॥
Gur kai sabaḏ sukẖ sāʼnṯ sarīr.
Gurmukẖ ṯā ka-o lagai na pīr.
Jamkāl ṯis neṛ na āvai.
Nānak gurmukẖ sācẖ samāvai. ||4||1||40||
Through the Guru’s shabda, peace and tranquility come in the body. A person who is a true Guru’s follower doesn’t suffer from any pain and fear of death. The Satiguru’s follower gets absorbed in Ekankar.
Following a frustrated crowd leads to desperation; the more one indulges into rituals and rites to please the entities other than the Creator, the more one becomes weak; thus eventually one gets downed in the deep well of anxiety, and one remains burning in one’s anxiety and worry. On the contrary, walking on the Guru path fills one with contentment, happiness and freedom. The Sikhs seek nothing from the Creator in return of any service done for the people, who are needy. They become so content that nothing can make them worry. Wherever duty is assigned to them is done honestly. For a Sikh all people with various faiths or the atheists appear to be the Creator’s created diversity.
The Sikhs live in the Guru’s shabda, breathe in it and survive the calamities of negativity. For them, there is no alternative but following the Guru, because they don’t ever need any help from outside but the Guru. As the Guru is one with the Creator, so do the Sikhs. The Commotion of a fake show off dies for the Sikhs once for all and peace envelops them forever. Why do the Sikhs need outsiders when the Guru is always there to guide them?
Humbly
Gurdeep Singh
