One day, Raja Shivram went to Guru Nanak Dev Ji. He offered Guru Ji big piles of Golden coins and expensive gifts. Doing this, he said "I am a king, this is my donation. My donation is unique to this world - No-one can equate to my offerings! This is the proof"

Guru Nanak Dev Ji looked at him and requested, "Offer me something that belongs to you"
The King, surprised, replied "This is mine! I am King"

ਖਾਰ ਸਮੁਦ੍ਰੁ ਢੰਢੋਲੀਐ ਇਕੁ ਮਣੀਆ ਪਾਵੈ ॥
Searching the salty sea, one finds the pearl.

ਦੁਇ ਦਿਨ ਚਾਰਿ ਸੁਹਾਵਣਾ ਮਾਟੀ ਤਿਸੁ ਖਾਵੈ ॥
It looks beautiful for a few days, but in the end, it is eaten away by dust.

ਗੁਰੁ ਸਾਗਰੁ ਸਤਿ ਸੇਵੀਐ ਦੇ ਤੋਟਿ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥6॥
If one serves the Guru, the ocean of Truth, the gifts one receives never run short. 6

Guru Ji makes it clear here, in Gurbani, that just like real pearls (not the common plastic ones) are very fragile and can only last for couple of days, wealth only lasts for a period of time.

When Shah Jahan met Maharaja Ranjit Singh, he offered the biggest diamond in the world; The Kohinoor. The Maharaja looked at this offer and asked for its price. Shah Jahan said "I don't know its value, maybe it's too much for money to buy. But all I know is my father beat the previous King and got this off them. And I know you will also beat me, and take this off me.. So I gave it now anyway!"

ਸਰਮੁ ਧਰਮੁ ਦੁਇ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਜੇ ਧਨੁ ਪਲੈ ਪਾਇ ॥
Modesty and righteousness both, O Nanak, are qualities of those who are blessed with true wealth.

ਸੋ ਧਨੁ ਮਿਤ੍ਰੁ ਨ ਕਾਂਢੀਐ ਜਿਤੁ ਸਿਰਿ ਚੋਟਾਂ ਖਾਇ ॥
Do not refer to that wealth as your friend, which leads you to get your head beaten.

Why do we seem to be proud of that wealth, which causes break in family relations?! In the news, there are stories of Sons killing their Mothers; Daughters killing their fathers. For what? Money?! How can we have pride for such wealth??

Coming back to the meeting of Guru Nanak Dev Ji and Raja Shivram..

Guru Ji: "Who had this maya before you?"
Raja: "My father"
Guru Ji: "What about after you die?"
Raja: "My son"
Guru Ji: "So then, how can this be yours? Before you it belonged to someone else, and after you it will belong to someone else! So why be proud of this?"

...If we look more deeply, even this body doesn't belong to us...

Sikhi has always favoured Dharam - moral duties - and so Hypocrisy is naturally seen under the bad light.
First, let us define Hypocrisy:

"The practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness." - www.dictionary.com

Basically, it is the act of saying something, but not doing it yourself.

In Sukhmani Sahib, Guru Ji said,

ਰਹਤ ਅਵਰ ਕਛੁ ਅਵਰ ਕਮਾਵਤ ॥
He says one thing, and does something else.
ਮਨਿ ਨਹੀ ਪ੍ਰੀਤਿ ਮੁਖਹੁ ਗੰਢ ਲਾਵਤ ॥
There is no love in his heart, and yet with his mouth he talks tall.

Guru Ji has just defined what a typical hypocrit does. He has no love with God, yet he's clever with his talk.

ਜਾਨਨਹਾਰ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਪਰਬੀਨ ॥
The Omniscient Lord God is the Knower of all.
ਬਾਹਰਿ ਭੇਖ ਨ ਕਾਹੂ ਭੀਨ ॥
He is not impressed by outward display.

No matter how much he pretends to be a good person, The Lord knows everything and will not fall for the tricks.

Guru Gobind Singh Ji said in Chaupai Sahib:
ਏਕ ਏਕ ਕੀ ਪੀਰ ਪਛਾਨੈਂ ॥ ਘਟ ਘਟ ਕੇ ਪਟ ਪਟ ਕੀ ਜਾਨੈਂ ॥12॥
He (God) knows the agony of everyone. He knows the innermost secrets of every heart. (12)

Anyways, moving back onto the topic, Guru Ji on the next Tuk explains what happens to those hypocrits..

ਅਵਰ ਉਪਦੇਸੈ ਆਪਿ ਨ ਕਰੈ ॥
One who does not practice what he preaches to others,
ਆਵਤ ਜਾਵਤ ਜਨਮੈ ਮਰੈ ॥
shall come and go in reincarnation, through birth and death.

The cycle of Birth and Death is seen as a painful journey in Gurbani - Since everyone has to go through the pain of being born and dying in 8.4 million lifetimes. This human life is seen as a blessing because it is only in this lifetime that it is possible to recite Naam and be able to reach Akaal Purakh Waheguru.

ਜਨਮ ਜਨਮ ਕੇ ਦੂਖ ਨਿਵਾਰੈ ਸੂਕਾ ਮਨੁ ਸਾਧਾਰੈ ॥ ਦਰਸਨੁ ਭੇਟਤ ਹੋਤ ਨਿਹਾਲਾ ਹਰਿ ਕਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੈ ॥1॥
He dispels the pains of countless incarnations, and lends support to the dry and shrivelled mind.
Beholding the Blessed Vision of His Darshan, one is enraptured, contemplating the Name of the Lord. 1

The subject of hypocrisy is also mentioned as a way to describe Manmukhs.

ਮਨਮੁਖਿ ਡੰਫੁ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਚਤੁਰਾਈ ॥ ਜੋ ਕਿਛੁ ਕਮਾਵੈ ਸੁ ਥਾਇ ਨ ਪਾਈ ॥ ਆਵੈ ਜਾਵੈ ਠਉਰ ਨ ਕਾਈ ॥5॥
The self-willed manmukhs are such clever hypocrites.
No matter what they do, it is not acceptable.
They come and go in reincarnation, and find no place of rest. 5

Hypocrisy has been mentioned quite a lot in Guru Granth Sahib Ji, I have only pointed out a few.

Guru Sahib Ji are so strongly against hypocrits, but it's a shame that many "Sikhs" have decided to go down this path of Manmukh-hood.. eg: Keeping Kesh yet still indulging in AntiSikh activities. The biggest example is most Gurudwara's Parbandakh Committees. Instead of helping to promote Sikhi to youngsters, they are more interested in thier positions.

I hope Guru ji does kirpa on all of us Manmukhs and knock some sense into us!

Bhul Chuk Maaf,

WaheguruJiKaKhalsa
WaheguruJiKiFateh

Just had Akhand Paath to celebrate my 18th Birthday. It was awesome! No, not just the bhog which had Jagowalle (WOW!).. but everything.

A Khalsa Ji came to the Akhand Path..wow he was so humble! His humility had amazed me. When he told me of his past, it made me realise; Most of the Khalsa Jis I've met have had a bad past. It was THESE experiences of life that caused them to suddenly turn around - Guru Ji does kirpa even on paapis like me..

ਪਤਿਤ ਉਧਾਰਣ ਹਰਿ ਬਿਰਦੁ ਤੁਮਾਰਾ ਰਾਮ ॥
It is Your Nature, Lord, to save the sinners.

..We are nothing..

Anyways, moving back onto the Akhand Paath. It was an unforgettable experience. Staying there for 2 days and a night made me feel Gurdwara as a home rather than an "outside" place. I was free to do whatever I liked; Listen to Baani, Do seva, or even Practice Gatka.

Me and Singh Ji had our laughs, and many Sikhi-related discussions. His humility both inspired me and ashamed me; At How hankari I really am. We went to sleep next to the Gatka teachers; After talking about Nihangs til 12.. And their room felt like Punjab! It was awesome.. the way they managed to bring Punjab with them instead off leaving it behind.

In the morning, with parji, we did Nitnem at Sachkhand. The experience was undescribale (is that a word?!) - As the sunlight peirced through the large windows onto us, as we faced Guru Granth Sahib Ji and did Nitnem. When I look back, I dont wonder why I never got this chance before.. I still wonder how can Guru Ji do So much Kirpa on us to HAVE this chance in the first place!!

On the second day veerji had to leave.. He did amazing Seva. By the end of the second day, I was both physically and mentally tired; Especially after a gatka lesson. So i decided to sleep at home for the second night.

Since relatives came round to stay on the second night, sleeping arrangements were quite difficult, and so there wasn't much space to do my nitnem. So in early morning I thought - Why not do it at GuruGhar again! Even the walk to GuruGhar was nice and cool - Early morning breeze, awaiting for yet another hot,humid day.

I never noticed how early I really was there. It was 7am and I felt as if it was noon because of the bright sunshine outside. There were onlyy bibya there doing Langar dee seva adn some Singhs who are the dedicated regular comers. Being in Guru Ji's darbar felt as if time became unimportant. I was no longer worried about time, nor did I take any account of it. As the Bhog ceremony commenced Sangat started to build up, until the hall was packed by the time it was completed.

The kathakaar strongly and bluntly reminded us, of how Guru Arjun Dev Ji sat on Hot Plate for us. Hot Sand was poured onto him - Actually the sand wasn't just hot, it was MELTING. As it BURNED Guru Ji's skin, Guru Ji didn't even give a sigh. Dhan Guru Arjun Dev ji.. We as Sikhs should do the same. We should give shaheedi too. Shaheedi of our minds - to sacrifice the thinking of bad about others. Shaheedi of our body - to comforts to serve humanity. Shaheedi of our Eyes - to sacrifice the way we jelously look at others.

Then came Jagowalle Jatha. WAHEGURU!! The way they praised Guru Ji! It was enough to create a feeling of rushing energy inside everyone of us in the Sangat. They kept singing and explained a Sakhi of Guru Gobind Singh Ji (will be revealed in next post) before refering to 1984 in the last few minutes and singing couple of lines about it before finishing the Diwaan. The poor sound system kept giving up on us and kept overloading; The Jagowalle's voice were too loud for them! lol

Guru Ji has helped us, and the Akhand Paath turned out to be so.. wow!
Luckily, we were protected from most of the heat the weekend sent us, being in the Gurdwara all day, but even then we were all knackered and sweaty.

Screams fill the air,
The sound of thunder shook the ground,
Sky was filled with dust
On the Battlefield, we fight

Left, Right, all around
The sinister enemies surround us
We strike
They fall.

Multiple sounds
Pollute the naive World
As the battle goes on
Never ending.


The shine of my sword
So bright
Reflecting the light of the Sun
Dripping with blood.

Death on both sides
Anger reigning the scene
Red eyes filled with tears
The instinct to Kill in our minds

Battling on
Never giving up
Vowed to return victorious
Or to die fighting

Our hearts in love with the war
Our concious forever full of strength
We are married to death
Never, will we give up fighting.

Waheguru Ji ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!

Hm, first post and I dont know what to say..
Finally, a proper blog!!!

This blog was made to inspire others as well as myself. Hopefully, this will be as Sikhi-based as I want it to be. If I post anything that offends anyone, please forgive me; I am still a learner like all of you...

A gupt paapi

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!