- Name: Much of Shri Ram Swarup’s emphasis is on the fact that the names of Hindu deities like Rama Krishna Hari etc are used in Adi Granth repeatedly. This is partly true. But he has forgotten one thing that Guru Granth Sahib contains the Muslim names of God in almost equal number. For example Allah Moulla Khuda Rab etc does it point to Muslim roots of Sikhism? Secondly Guru Sahib is clearly saying that all these names of God of Hindu and Muslim origin are only created names. They are created by the human tongue. None of these names is competent enough to reveal what actually God is. (Maru.m.5G.G.S.P.1083). That means that the given names are not His real names. By this logic how Sikh Gurus can believe that these names are the names of God. In fact these are the product of human attempt to comprehend the reality up to the extent of one’s desire and capacity. Thirdly these names in Guru Granth Sahib do not refer to the Rama son of king Dashratha and Krishna son of Vasudeva and their worship by Sikhs. Since they are the product of human attempt therefore they refer to the symbolic expression of God the Supreme Formless reality. We have seen that Guru Granth Sahib does not believe in the theory of Avtar. Therefore in this context if they are not Avtars then they are human beings (of course superior kind of human stuff) sons and fathers of someone. Therefore they cannot be God-descended on earth in the human form. Fourthly let us see Guru Granth Sahib’s attitude particularly towards Rama and Krishna (Avtar of the Hindus);
Saith Nanak: only Formless is beyond fear
Many other poor Ramas are there
-Many are the stories of Khan (Krishna)
-Many are the discourses of Vedas
-Many beggars are dancing to the tune repeatedly.
Guisers display their feats in bazar
-And sing of the kings and queens (Hindu gods and goddesses) tunelessly.
(As a M.I p.464).
-In Juj is Jadam Krishan.
Who took away Chandrawal by force.
-He brought elysian tree for this damsel
-And enjoyed her in Bindraban.
(As a m.I p.470)
Therefore if various names of Hindu origin and Muslim origin are used by Sikh Gurus this never means that they worship them; especially in the mortal frame. For them their names are the symbolic expression of the multi-dimensional personality of God the Formless and One.
- Doctrines : (a) God: Sikhs believe in One Formless and Creator God. Whereas every sect of Hindus has a separate god elevating Him to the position of God. Thus each sect has a god and a God at the same time.
(B) Mukti (Salvation); Hindus meditate or worship for personal salvation It is to save oneself from the hell to find place in paradise or to achieve complete identification with his deity. The religion of Sikhs is a commune religion. Therefore they work for the liberation of all and that too the liberation from the internal and external slavery They do not yearn for an individual’s place in hell or heaven or in the lap of God. It is a congressional Religion. It is here that the very attitude of the Hindus and of the Sikhs differ towards salvation and hence religion. Hindus believe the Religion is personal because it is conceived to meet the personal ends whereas in Sikhs religion is a common Religion where an attempt is made to liberate everyone. A Sikh of the Guru liberates himself a long with other Sikhs (apu ji Sahib).
(c)Method: Every sect of Hindus accepts one or more than one of the four permanently expounded methods for salvation or any other objective conceived by it. These four methods are; Yoga Karma Gian and Bhagti. Sikh Gurus redefined all the four methods. They found redefined methods as useful up to a certain extent and then rejected them as perfect method for the final aim. The only the sure the most perfect and successful method is the grace (Nadir) of the Master or of the Guru. Thus for gaining the grace of the Master their preference is for Bhagti only Bhav Bhagti. This also Guru Nanak denies in his own way the way which is unknown to the Hindu traditions. He says:
If you want to play the game of love (Bhagu)
Enter into my way (of love) with your head on your palm
The condition of entering into this way is
That you will give your head and ask for no reward.
(G.G.S.P.1412).
Guru Amar Dass in Anand Sahib calls it A way which is thinner than a hair and sharper than a Khanda (double edged sword).(G.GS.P.918). It is this call that calls for the combination of Degh and Tegh Shastar and Shaastar Bhagti and Shakti and the qualities of a saint and a Soldier in one person and at the same time. Thus it is first time in the History that Bhagti (spirituality) is being used as an instrument for the socio/political change. This decision of living with dignity was responded to by the role which Sikhs played in the history of man-kind. The traditional Bhagti which was considered to be the easiest method and equally adoptable by the ignorance and learned both could not play this role.
(d) Maya: Concept of Maya is also an upnishdic product but later on it was formulated and propagated more precisely and vigorously by Shankaracharya. He holds that existence of anything other than Braham is unthinkable. What we perceive as a reality is in fact illusion (Maya) a product of ignorance and therefore false and nonexistent. Sikh Gurus explain it in a different way. They believe that the created universe is true because it is created by true and is the abode of the true. By Maya they mean transistorizes of everything other than God. Therefore His creation is Maya; It is not false but it is true in substance permanent in character and transitory in attributes that is in appearance. Sikh Gurus have used it for material accumulation of an individual also. Guru Nanak’s concept of Maya is totally unrelated to the earlier concept of Maya except that the word use is same.
(e) Karma: In Hinduism Karma is an independent method of salvation. It is competent to bring desired fruits. In Budhism it must bring fruits. In Srimad Bhagwat Gita an individual has to act a duty classified according to his Varna (color class and caste) and it is desirable that action should be motiveless It means the fruits of the action should be submitted to God. Firstly Guru Nanak does not believe in dividing the society into class caste color sex and therefore there is no action as a reserve of a particular class or caste. Secondly he does not believe than an action is self-sufficient in generating the corresponding results. Thirdly at all if an action can help it can help in determining the next birth (a Buddhist point of view) and not the final liberation. The final decision in every case is in the hands of God Even the choice of action is not in hands of a mortal being. (Japuji Sahib Pauri-33). His generosity His grace (Nadir) His kindness is the ultimate deciding factor The action is an indispensable part of human existence. It is in every Religion. But how it is comprehended and viewed is a different matter. A Sikh is required to act because it is part of his given role. Therefore neither he can choose an action nor believe that the done action will bring the corresponding fruits invariably and automatically
There are three aspects of a Religion:
1.Doctrine
2.Rituals/Practice/Customs.
3Ethics The third aspect that is ethical part of a Religion is common to all other Religions. To speak the truth to love to be respectful to others and the spirit of tolerance contentedness cooperation mutual respect etc. is part of every Religion. It is on this ground that the idea of every Religion being equal or same has taken currency. Otherwise every Religion is the product of a given historical situation and it was brought forth to respond to the contemporary reality through the suitable instruments Therefore every Religion had a separate and contextual role Because of this reason every Religion developed its own structure comprising its doctrines and the ritualistic patterns based upon its doctrines. From the ethical point of view it is not only the Hinduism and Sikhism that they are same. Almost all the Religions of the World are same. Most of the persons or nations who want to exploit the diversity in a particular manner and for a particular purpose give such slogans that all Religions are same. Shri Ram Swar up probably is also victim of this type of ignorance or he is cleverly manipulating the situation to suit his objectives
Secondly even in the context of doctrinal aspect the items on agenda are same. For example every Religion has belief in God belief in the capacity of God to create and also to emancipate any individual. Every Religion has its views about issue of cosmic set-up transmigration life after death the role and choice of the human action and ultimate goal of the soul. But even all the items being same the conceptual aspect of every Religion about them differs and their objectives also differ. Every Religion has its own attitude towards the ritualistic aspect of the Religion also Therefore it is a misleading phrase that all Religions are same. Every Religion has its own Origin its own conceptual frame-work, its own altitude, its own role and its own Objectives be achieved. Sikhism as we have seen above A On its conceptual frame-work in the above said doctrines similarly it differs on its attitude towards the ritual aspect also. Guru Nanak was ism in almost all its sects. Guru Nanak took epee care to simplify this aspect of his Religion. He did not prescribe a particular type of Yag a particular type of Mantra a particular type of posture for the completion of a particular ritual. He wanted that Religion should play its role in day-to-day rather moment to moment in the life of an individual/society. Therefore the Religious code which he evolved was to be made part of routine human activity and he made it so. He banned all the rituals from the code of his Religion.
Similarly though ethical part of every religion is same still on this aspect also Guru Nanak made a significant departure from Hinduism. Firstly in fact he made the ethics his Religion. He defined Religion as a son of mercy and contentedness a bond which keeps the World intact (J apuJi Pauri 6). Secondly he places ethical part i.e. practical life above the doctrinal or ritualistic part of a religion. Therefore he goes up to the extent of saying that Truth is higher but still higher is the truthful living (G.G.S.p.62). Again he says that Nam (Simran) of the truthful is higher than being truthful itself. (Japuji pauri-24). This is a way to emphasize that spirituality in action is more important than the spirituality in scriptures or in philosophical speculations. Thus he sanctified the human action and made spirituality a supporting force. By making truthful living higher than the truth itself Guru Nanak extended its role both horizantically and vertically: On this basis he conceived a few institutions. Most important of these institutions is the institution of service which further strengthened his initiative to bring about radical changes in the given structure. He conceived of a new bond in terms of political social and Religious relations Through this institution he put his concept of equality into practice through this institution he/created the sense of social responsibility in his followers by rejecting the idea of renunciation a life negating principle Through this institution he raised an army of faith full who stood against the oppression of all kinds. They stood against the oppression of the mightiest political forces the mightiest churches of this time which were deterring the healthy growth of human society. In this way Guru Nanak brought about a complete change through his Religious perceptions.
Shri Ram Sarup is misled probably because of the compelling nature of the medium of communication. Guru Nanak wanted to achieve a perfect communication with those who were attending to Him.
Thus for the proper understanding of his issues he had to use the idiom which was easily understood by the masses directly without the help of a priest. Therefore he wrote Sang and spoke in their language. He used all those symbols and metaphors which were already familiar to the masses. Thus he draws his vocabulary from both the sources that is Islam and prominent
Sects of Hinduism. For example in his Japuji Sahib Guru Nanak draws his vocabulary from Budhism Jainism Vaishnavism Nathism and Islam. But interestingly he does not use a single word in the sense or meaning for which it is used in its source language. He has accepted the words and metaphors but has completely changed their meaning.
Article extracted from this publication >> August 2, 1991
