Monday, 19 January 2009

The Importance Of Rehit


Gurbani is our guidance (supreme teacher) that will guide us to achieve our salvation. The teachings of Guru Ji are also known as Gurmat. The person that follows every teaching of the Guru is known as a Gurmukh. When Guru Gobind Singh Ji created the Khalsa Army he also got some of his Sikhs to write down the Rehat Marayada (Sikh code of conduct). For a Sikh it is very important to live according to the discipline set out in the Sikh code of conduct. The Sikh who lives by the code of conduct and reads a lot of Gurbani is sure to get the Gurus blessings and achieve their salvation.

Shabad by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji (Sarbloh Granth)

Rehani rehai soiee Sikh Mera, Ohu Sahib Mai Uska Chera

They are a true Sikh who follows the discipline/teachings. They are my master and I their slave.

Bina Rehat Ne Sikh Kahavai, Rehat Bina Dar Chota Kavai

Without the Sikh discipline (rehat), call not yourself a Sikh, without Sikh rehat at the court of God you shall receive punishment.

Pritham Rehat Yahe Jan, Khande Ki Pahul Shhekeh.

The First/supreme discipline is to drink the nectar of the double edged sword (Amrit)

I have not love for appearances or for high castes. It is discipline that I love. - (Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji)
Rehatnama Bhai Sahib Singh Jee

Those who turn away from their responsibility to accept the Guru's orders will receive punishment in God's Court.
Thankhaanama Bhai Nand Laal Jee

Those who turn their faces away from the True Guru shall have their faces blackened. Night and day, they suffer in pain; they see the noose of Death always hovering above them.
Ang 29 Guru Amar Daas Jee Raag Sri Raag

Without discipline the whole world remains deluded. Without discipline they will go to hell.
Rehatnama Bhai Desa Singh

The Sikh of the Guru should study Rehat and discipline and they should adopt those principles that please the Guru.
Rehatnama Bhai Chaupaa Singh Jee

The most important principle is to forever remember the Rehat given by the Singhs at the initiation ceremony.
Rehatnama Bhai Desa Singh

The Sikh never abandons the code of conduct.
Rehatnama Bhai Desa Singh

Instability of the World


Instability of the World


We are currently living in Kuljug (Dark Age), this is the time were evil pervades the world.

  • People have lost faith in God (atheist).
  • People commit all these weird rituals which bring nothing in return.
  • People perform ruthless deeds for example the genocide of people and the killing of animals.
  • People have lost their consciousness – have no fear of karma (what goes around come around) or God.
  • All morals, dignity and self respect have been lost.
  • People oppose Gods natural laws. For example homosexuality
  • People are stuck in greed and materialism

People that practice truth are very rare, and the people that practice the truth are opposed by the wicked beings. The truthful person is seen as being weird in this Dark Age by the public. The truthful have to undergo hardships and struggle to protect their righteous beliefs as most of the world is intoxicated by corruption.

Ang 445 Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Aasaa, Fourth Mehla:


In the Golden Age of Sat Yuga, everyone embodied contentment and meditation; religion stood upon four feet. With mind and body, they sang of the Lord, and attained supreme peace. In their hearts was the spiritual wisdom of the Lord's Glorious Virtues.
Their wealth was the spiritual wisdom of the Lord's Glorious Virtues; the Lord was their success, and to live as Gurmukh was their glory. Inwardly and outwardly, they saw only the One Lord God; for them there was no other second. They centered their consciousness lovingly on the Lord, Har, Har. The Lord's Name was their companion, and in the Court of the Lord, they obtained honor. In the Golden Age of Sat Yuga, everyone embodied contentment and meditation; religion stood upon four feet. ||1||

Then came the Silver Age of Trayta Yuga; men's minds were ruled by power, and they practiced celibacy and self-discipline.
The fourth foot of religion dropped off, and three remained. Their hearts and minds were inflamed with anger. Their hearts and minds were filled with the horribly poisonous essence of anger. The kings fought their wars and obtained only pain. Their minds were afflicted with the illness of egotism, and their self-conceit and arrogance increased. If my Lord, Har, Har, shows His Mercy, my Lord and Master eradicates the poison by the Guru's Teachings and the Lord's Name. Then came the Silver Age of Trayta Yuga; men's minds were ruled by power, and they practiced celibacy and self-discipline. ||2||

The Brass Age of Dwaapar Yuga came, and people wandered in doubt. The Lord created the Gopis and Krishna. The penitents practiced penance, they offered sacred feasts and charity, and performed many rituals and religious rites. They performed many rituals and religious rites; two legs of religion dropped away, and only two legs remained. So many heroes waged great wars; in their egos they were ruined, and they ruined others as well. The Lord, Compassionate to the poor, led them to meet the Holy Guru. Meeting the True Guru, their filth is washed away. The Brass Age of Dwaapar Yuga came, and the people wandered in doubt. The Lord created the Gopis and Krishna. ||3||

The Lord ushered in the Dark Age, the Iron Age of Kali Yuga; three legs of religion were lost, and only the fourth leg remained intact. Acting in accordance with the Word of the Guru's Shabad, the medicine of the Lord's Name is obtained. Singing the Kirtan of the Lord's Praises, divine peace is obtained. The season of singing the Lord's Praise has arrived; the Lord's Name is glorified, and the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, grows in the field of the body. In the Dark Age of Kali Yuga, if one plants any other seed than the Name, all profit and capital is lost. Servant Nanak has found the Perfect Guru, who has revealed to him the Naam within his heart and mind. The Lord ushered in the Dark Age, the Iron Age of Kali Yuga; three legs of religion were lost, and only the fourth leg remained intact. ||4||4||11||

Passing On Of The Guruship





Passing of Gurship from one Guru Sahib to another Guru Sahib


nwnik rwju clwieAw scu kotu sqwxI nIv dY ] (966-16, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
naanak raaj chalaa-i-aa sach kot sataanee neev dai.
Nanak established the kingdom; He built the true fortress on the strongest foundations.

lhxy DirEnu Cqu isir kir isPqI AMimRqu pIvdY ] (966-16, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
lahnay Dhari-on chhat sir kar siftee amrit peevdai.
He installed the royal canopy over Lehna's head; chanting the Lord's Praises, He drank in the Ambrosial Nectar.

miq gur Awqm dyv dI KVig joir prwkuie jIA dY ] (966-17, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
mat gur aatam dayv dee kharhag jor puraaku-ay jee-a dai.
The Guru implanted the almighty sword of the Teachings to illuminate his soul.

guir cyly rhrwis kIeI nwnik slwmiq QIvdY ] (966-17, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
gur chaylay rahraas kee-ee naanak salaamat theevdai.
The Guru bowed down to His disciple, while Nanak was still alive.

sih itkw idqosu jIvdY ]1] (966-18, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
seh tikaa ditos jeevdai. ||1||
The King, while still alive, applied the ceremonial mark to his forehead. ||1||

lhxy dI PyrweIAY nwnkw dohI KtIAY ] (966-18, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
lahnay dee fayraa-ee-ai naankaa dohee khatee-ai.
Nanak proclaimed Lehna's succession - he earned it.

joiq Ehw jugiq swie sih kwieAw Pyir pltIAY ] (966-18, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
jot ohaa jugat saa-ay seh kaa-i-aa fayr paltee-ai.
They shared the One Light and the same way; the King just changed His body.

JulY su Cqu inrMjnI mil qKqu bYTw gur htIAY ] (966-19, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
jhulai so chhat niranjanee mal takhat baithaa gur hatee-ai.
The immaculate canopy waves over Him, and He sits on the throne in the Guru's shop.

lµgru clY gur sbid hir qoit n AwvI KtIAY ] (967-1, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
langar chalai gur sabad har tot na aavee khatee-ai.
The Langar - the Kitchen of the Guru's Shabad has been opened, and its supplies never run short.

Krcy idiq KsMm dI Awp KhdI KYir dbtIAY ] (967-2, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
kharchay dit khasamm dee aap khahdee khair dabtee-ai.
Whatever His Master gave, He spent; He distributed it all to be eaten.

hovY isPiq KsMm dI nUru Arshu kurshu JtIAY ] (967-2, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
hovai sifat khasamm dee noor arsahu kursahu jhatee-ai.
The Praises of the Master were sung, and the Divine Light descended from the heavens to the earth.

quDu ifTy scy pwiqswh mlu jnm jnm dI ktIAY ] (967-3, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
tuDh dithay sachay paatisaah mal janam janam dee katee-ai.
Gazing upon You, O True King, the filth of countless past lives is washed away.

scu ij guir PurmwieAw ikau eydU bolhu htIAY ] (967-3, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
sach je gur furmaa-i-aa ki-o aydoo bolhu hatee-ai.
The Guru gave the True Command; why should we hesitate to proclaim this?

puqRI kaulu n pwilE kir pIrhu kMn@ murtIAY ] (967-4, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
putree ka-ul na paali-o kar peerahu kanH murtee-ai.
His sons did not obey His Word; they turned their backs on Him as Guru.

idil KotY AwkI iPrin@ bMin@ Bwru aucwiein@ CtIAY ] (967-4, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
dil khotai aakee firniH baneh bhaar uchaa-iniH chhatee-ai.
These evil-hearted ones became rebellious; they carry loads of sin on their backs.

ijin AwKI soeI kry ijin kIqI iqnY QtIAY ] (967-5, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
jin aakhee so-ee karay jin keetee tinai thatee-ai.
Whatever the Guru said, Lehna did, and so he was installed on the throne.

gur AMgd dI dohI iPrI scu krqY bMiD bhwlI ] (967-7, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
gur angad dee dohee firee sach kartai banDh bahaalee.
Guru Angad was proclaimed, and the True Creator confirmed it.

nwnku kwieAw pltu kir mil qKqu bYTw sY fwlI ] (967-7, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
naanak kaa-i-aa palat kar mal takhat baithaa sai daalee.
Nanak merely changed his body; He still sits on the throne, with hundreds of branches reaching out.

dru syvy aumiq KVI msklY hoie jMgwlI ] (967-8, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
dar sayvay umat kharhee maskalai ho-ay jangaalee.
Standing at His door, His followers serve Him; by this service, their rust is scraped off.

dir drvysu KsMm dY nwie scY bwxI lwlI ] (967-8, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
dar darvays khasamm dai naa-ay sachai banee laalee.
He is the Dervish - the Saint, at the door of His Lord and Master; He loves the True Name, and the Bani of the Guru's Word.

blvMf KIvI nyk jn ijsu bhuqI Cwau pqRwlI ] (967-9, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
balvand kheevee nayk jan jis bahutee chhaa-o patraalee.
Balwand says that Khivi, the Guru's wife, is a noble woman, who gives soothing, leafy shade to all.

lµgir dauliq vMfIAY rsu AMimRqu KIir iGAwlI ] (967-9, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
langar da-ulat vandee-ai ras amrit kheer ghi-aalee.
She distributes the bounty of the Guru's Langar; the kheer - the rice pudding and ghee, is like sweet ambrosia.

gurisKw ky muK aujly mnmuK QIey prwlI ] (967-10, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
gursikhaa kay mukh ujlay manmukh thee-ay paraalee.
The faces of the Guru's Sikhs are radiant and bright; the self-willed manmukhs are pale, like straw.

isKW puqRW GoiK kY sB aumiq vyKhu ij ikEnu ] (967-15, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
sikhaaN putraaN ghokh kai sabh umat vaykhhu je ki-on.
Guru Nanak tested His Sikhs and His sons, and everyone saw what happened.

jW suDosu qW lhxw itikEnu ]4] (967-16, rwmklI, blvMif qy sqw)
jaaN suDhos taaN lahnaa tiki-on. ||4||
When Lehna alone was found to be pure, then He was set on the throne. ||4||




Monday, 15 December 2008

Sundri - The Brave Kaur (Animation Movie)

Based on a popular folk song and set in the historical period of Mir Manu that is notorious for large scale massacre of the Sikhs, Sundri is a symbolic representative of that milieu. Nawabs and courtiers were bent upon annihilating the Sikhs. The rulers were lustful and tyrannical. Hindus as a class failed to meet the challenge. At the best they could offer compensation to get back the captured girls.

The story depicts incidents and events which inculcate universal brotherhood and love for humanity. A Sikh girl treats an injured Moghul sepoy but on learning that she is a Sikh woman he attacks with his dagger. Surasti, the earlier name of Sundri, was forcibly taken away by the Moghul official and left to the destiny by her own husband and father.

Sundri depicts the story of the Sikh women during those hard times, where they remained steadfast and composed, facing ordeals and hardships but still smiling in the name of the Guru.


SCREENING AT CROYDON GURUDWARA SOON!!!




MORE GREAT SIKHI ANIMATION MOVIES!
















To buy these DVD's go to the link below:
http://www.sikhdvd.com/ListDVD.aspx

Sikh Warriors

It was a documented fact that Sikh warriors were the most feared and fearless warriors on the battle field, the Mughals, the Persians & even the British documented this in their diarys and reports to their superiors and officers...

They did not get this reputation by just eating Alu Pratha... They trained to the max! Not just physically but spiritually as well! Each soldier was trained to kill anything that moved within a 30 yard radius and they were so good that it is said that each man was equivalent to fifty of any other army’s of that time. Each Sikh warrior was called Fauj which literally means a battalion.

Didn't get his reputation merely by eating Alu Paratha

They achieved this reputation by training in armed, unarmed combat & meditating countless numbers of hours. The martial art they trained in was Shastar Vidya, literally meaning Science of weapons but i interpret it as the science of making your body a weapon.

I leave you with this quotation written in the Jang Namah (battle chronicles) by Quzi Nur Mohammed in 1765, He was a staunch enemy of the Sikhs but he goes into a rosary of praise when he goes into defining qualities of Sikh Warriors.

” … If you cherish the desire of learning the art of war, face them on the battle field. When they hold their mighty sword, they gallop from Hind to Sind. Nobody however strong and wealthy dare oppose them. If their sword struck a coat of mail, the coat itself becomes the enemy’s shroud. Each and every one of them look like massive boulders of rock. In a grandeur, each one of them excels fifty men…

Spoken Words - Time 2 Act

Take a seat sit down and relax, im just gona point out a few facts
so listen up carefully cos it’s the time to act
Through out our history we've been sacrificing
We’ve been boiled alive, hacked to pieces and yet still surviving
We need to learn and educate our selves
Through this time of kaljug we gotta learn to survive
Remembering the lord all through the day and night
And learning the difference between wrong and right
Singh is known to be a king
Only when he follows Guru’s hukam
He meditates on the words of God
Frees himself from kaam krodh lobh moh hankaar
And in front of guru granth sahib ji he becomes the shining star
Mighty warriors such as Baba Deep Dingh Ji and Banda Singh Bahadur,
the Khalsa stands up for human rights inspired by Guru Tegh Bahadur,
our history is full of so many martys
we keep the legacies alive inspired by our forefathers
so here’s a small benti to all you out there
It’s nearly the end of year 2008
Let’s not hold anymore debates
Stand as the Khalsa strong and straight
Lets get our act together, before its too late..

By Anonymous Singh & Kaur