Introduction
Whenever we go to the Gurdwara and stand in the Ardaas, at the end of the Ardaas we recite the following words...
“Guru Granth Jee Maaneo, Pargat Guraa Ki Deh|
Realise that Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is the embodiment of all the Gurus.
Jo Prabh Ko Milbo Chahe, Khoj Shabad Meh Leh|
Those who seek union with God should search through the divine wisdom of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.”
These words contain the essence of Sikhi. To a non-Sikh Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji may seem just a book, a piece of well constructed literature from the 15th century; but Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is much more than that. Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is the living, talking, eternal Guru Sahib Ji, the Guru who is beyond time and death, the Guru who embodies that divine light which passed from Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji all the way to Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Guru to whom even the Tenth Master Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji bowed Their head, and the Guru who has lead the Khalsa Panth for the last 300 years.
The Tragedy
It is with a heavy heart that we must relate the events at Gurdwara Sikh Sangat, Harley Grove in Bow (
The most painful news for the whole Panth is that 11 blessed Saroops of our beloved Satguru, the light of the Ten Guru Sahibaans, the Jugo-Jug Atal Eternal Satguru, Sahib Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji were burnt due to the fire. 8 Saroops of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji were recovered on Tuesday the 17th; the police discovered 3 more Saroops and many more Gutkaa and Pothee Sahibs on Friday the 20th. With heavy hearts Sevadars from across the country gathered together at
Under the guidance of Sri Akaal Takhat Sahib an Akhand Paath Sahib was carried out at
Who is Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji?
It was only a few months ago that we celebrated the 300th anniversary of the Gurta Gur-Gaddee Divas (Guru-ship ceremony) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, last year we also remembered the 30th anniversary of the massacre in Amritsar by the fake Nirankaris of 13 innocent Singhs, and this year we are commemorating 25 years since Sri Akaal Takhat Sahib was attacked by the Indian Army in Operation Blue Star.
Yet time and time again we fail to realize that Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is the Eternal Embodiment of all Ten Gurus Sahibaans. It is no use to simply chant the words of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji Maharaaj proclaiming that Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is and forever will be, ‘Pargat Guraa Kee Deh’ – ‘The Divine Embodiment of all Ten Guru Sahibaans’. It is time to bring those words uttered by the 10th Master 300 years ago into action in our Gurdwaras, communities and everyday lives. It is only 300 years since Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji commanded all Sikhs to accept Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji as the Eternally Living Embodiment of all Ten Guru Sahibaans, it is only 30 years since 13 blessed Singhs laid their lives defending the respect of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, and it is only 25 years since Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji endured the bullets of the Indian Army all for our sake... Yet we forget their sacrifices every moment of every day!
Saadh Sangat Ji we must remember that it is the first time in history that such a devastating attack has been carried out on a Gurdwara Sahib outside of India. An attack on Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is an attack on the very foundations of Sikhi, it is an attack on the whole Sikh Panth; an attack on the Gurus house is an attack on our house. The fateful day of March 16th 2009 should be remembered by all Sikhs, and by the world, as the day when Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaaj sacrificed Themselves in order to wake up the Sikh Panth.
We must believe and accept that Sri Guru Granth Sahib are the ‘Jaagdee Jot’ – ‘The Forever Awakened Eternal Light’ of all Ten Guru Sahibaans. An attack on Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is an attack on the beauteous wisdom of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, it’s an attack on the never-ending humility of Sri Guru Amardaas Ji, and it’s an attack on the Tenth Master Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji who sacrificed his four sons for the Khalsa Panth.
Just as Sri Guru Arjan Sahib Ji sacrificed their physical form by burning in boiling cauldrons, standing on the burning hot plates of the prisons of Lahore whilst red hot sand run down their divine body and eventually passing into the icy cold waters of the river Ravi; just as Sri Guru Teghbahadur Sahib Ji marched to Delhi in order to sacrifice their physical form to protect righteousness and truth, just as Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji sacrificed their entire family for the cause of justice, in the same way Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaaj has sacrificed themselves 11 times in order to awaken the Sikh Panth from its slumber which has lasted many years. ALL Ten Guru Sahibaans have sacrificed themselves through smoldering fire and icy cold water 11 times in order to awaken us – if we refuse to awaken now how can we call ourselves Sikhs of the Guru?
What to do now?
Our beloved Satguru, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji has given Shaheedi (martyrdom) 11 times... Important questions remain unanswered Saadh Sangat Ji...
Where do we go from here Saadh Sangat Ji?
Do we fall back into a state of unawareness and carry on letting Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji’s respect and authority be questioned and undermined again and again?
Are we going to wake up? Or will we simply ignore the fact that ALL ten Guru Sahibaans have sacrificed themselves through smoldering fire and icy cold water 11 times in order to awaken us?
If there is one lesson we learn from looking at Sikh history it is that sacrifice is always followed by revolution; the martyrdom of Sri Guru Arjan Sahib Ji was followed by the establishment of Sri Akaal Takhat Sahib by Sri Guru Hargobind Sahib Ji and the sacrifice by Sri Guru Teghbahadur Sahib Ji was followed by the establishment of the Khalsa brotherhood in order to tackle injustice by Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji. We must contemplate that if Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji has sacrificed themselves 11 times there must be a reason; it must be a wakeup call to the Sikh nation to make us realize our mistakes.
As stated many times before we need to accept and believe that Sri Guru Granth Sahib is our Eternal Living Guru. Treating Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji with complete love and utmost reverence has been part of the Sikh religion since the 5th Master Sri Guru Arjan Sahib Ji first compiled Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in 1604. From the day the compilation of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji was complete Sri Guru Arjan Sahib never sat on their throne or slept on their bed again, rather they gave up these comforts and instead enthroned Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji upon their Throne and Bed; for the rest of their life Sri Guru Arjan Sahib Ji sat upon the ground and slept upon a single white sheet. We should learn from the example and Sri Guru Arjan Sahib Ji and we should endeavor to stop Beadbi (disrespect) of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and divine Gurbani wherever it is taking place, whether in our Gurdwaras, homes or in our libraries. We must forever remember the immortal words of the 7th Master Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib Ji,
“Jin Bhae Adab Naa Baanee Dharaa | Jaanoh(u) So Sikh Nahee(n) Hamaaraa |
He who has no fear or respect of Gurbani. Know that he is not my Sikh.”
This means going into our local Gurdwaras ensuring that the respect and sanctity of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is maintained on a day to day basis. Is Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji accompanied by at least 5 Singhs when going from one location to the next? Is the Sachkhand room of Sri Guru Granth Sahib big enough to accommodate all of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji’s Saroops?
The fact of simply how long it is taking for the Police to deal with the case of the fire and also the fact that the fire is being treated as a simple case of criminal damage to property is a testament in itself to how we have failed to make the world aware that Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji is not a book, or a piece of sacred literature, rather Sri Guru Granth Sahib is our beloved Living Guru. We must keep pressure upon the Police to resolve this issue as quickly as possible, we have to stress that this matter will not be allowed to be ignored or brushed under the carpet. We need to make it as clear as day to the world that any attack on Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji will never be tolerated at any cost by the Sikh Panth in order to help prevent such vicious and hateful attacks in the future. We will not let the perpetrator of this evil act to get away.
Guru Sahib is urging us to cast off the divisions of Jathebandi, caste and discrimination and to unite as One Panth. We must all unite to fight any forms of corruption which have crept into our Guru’s house, and we must all endeavor to increase our individual Rehat and our love for Guru Sahib Ji’s Baani. We should do this by joining in the 1 million Chaupai Sahib Jaap (www.chaupaisahib.org) and pray for the Chardi Kala of the Panth.
We must all take the pain of this episode in our history into our hearts, into the very core of our being as a Panth. We must all give up drugs, castes, and material attachment to the world and join together as brothers and sisters in the Khalsa. We must not be scared to wear the beloved uniform of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji which is drenched in the blood of countless Shaheed Singhs, read the Baani which once flowed from the divine tongue of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and take pride that our father is Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji and our mother is Mata Sahib Kaur Ji. Each of us must promise ourselves that we will not rest till the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice, in the divine words of Satguru Nanak Dev Sahib Ji...
“Kookar Koorr(u) Kamaaeeai Gur Nindaa Pachai Pachaan(u) ||
Those who practice falsehood are dogs; those who slander the Guru shall burn in their own fire.” Ang 21 SGGSJ
Forgetting Caste, race, Jatha and other partitions! Let’s come together under the Nishan sahib and may we all have the one nishan of bringing and achieving Glory for the Khalsa Panth with Guru Ji's Kirpa.
Please Put the www.neverforgetbow09.blogspot.com on your msn personal message for atleast five days pass that message on. The whole Sikh Community needs to see this!!
