Dear Editor.
The recent debate between Dr. Chahal and others about Gurbani and Bhagat Bani has prompted me to express my views on this topic. I think a rational discussion about Gurbani, Sikh history, and a Sikh institution is a healthy thing.
Al the outset T want to state that the message of Gurbani and Bhagat Bani is the same otherwise Guru Arjan Dey Ji would not have included Bhagat Bani in the Adi Granth. It is well known that Guru Arjan Dev Ji declined to include the compositions of Shah Hussain, Kahna, Mira Bai, Bhai Gurdas and others because their contents were not consistent with Gurbani.
The main problem in the correct interpretation of Gurbani is due to our lock of understanding of the fundamentals of Sikh Philosophy. There is a historical reason for it during the rule of Ranjit Singh and other Sikh kings, the Sikhs in general started believing that they were a part of the Hindu community and Sikhism was one of the sects of Hinduism. Even up to the end of the nineteenth century a significant number of Sikh thought that way. For example, when the erudite scholar Bhai Kahn Sigh published his monumental treatise “Ham Hindu Nahin” in 1899, it was contradicted by Narain Sigh in a rejoinder ‘Ham Hindu Hain”. Most of the early Sikh scholars and theologian’s had views similar to those of Narain Sigh. That is why they tried to find the basis of Sikh religion in Hindu scriptures. This led to the distortion of the fundamental principles of Sikh religion and wrong interpretation of Gurbani. This problem was further complicated by the ~called Gianies and Sants who indulged in multi interpretations of Gurbani. They often boasted about this nefarious deed and the ignorant and gullible Sikh masses believed that the intellect of these preachers ‘was pro personal lo the number of interpretations they gave for the same line of Gurbani. The Sikh community is still in the grip these charlatans, the present day Sant Smaj and Nihags the so called ladli fauj are parasites who should be discarded by the Sikh community.
Professor Sahib Sigh devoted most of his life to the systematic study of Guru Granth Sahib an (the gave us the grammar ‘of Gurbani. His translation of Guru Grant Sahib based on this grammar is a monumental exposition of Gurbani. Those who have studied this translation will agree ‘with me that there is only one interpretation of Gurbani which is consistent with the fundamental principles of Sikhism. Brother Manjit Sigh is correct that sometimes in order to understand the correct meaning of a line in a hymn it is essential to have the correct interpretation of the whole hymn. But the examples he has cited do not require the interpretation of the whole hymn. Why four Khanhies in Pauri 27 and innumerable Khanhies in Pauri 35? There is no contradiction or confusion here if we pay close attention to the significance of four and innumerable, ‘The four Khanhies mean the four groups into which the living organisms are classified on the basis of their mode of reproduction and the innumerable Khanhies ‘mean the innumerable species of living organisms, firmly believe that Sikhism is a religion for the rational and enlightened human beings. However, most Sikhs including me suffer from the evil Brahmanical influence and attitudes, even those, who are toying extricate us from this Brahmanical baggage, sometimes create their own in the process. We will continue to interpret and understand Gurbani and Sikh history in wrong way as long as we carry this baggage. Baldev Singh, Collegeville, PA.
Article extracted from this publication >> April 17, 1996
