Nobody can deny that religious veal has frequently been channeled into violent conflicts and unleashing barbaric cruelty since the dawn of the religions. Even in this so-called enlightened age, religious hatred and conflict fester all over the world. It is ironical that although most religions extol the virtues of love, peace, and humility, it is too often I hatred, war, and arrogance that characterize the history of the works great religious organizations (5), Even now various parts of the world including India, are “found littered with corpses of the “minority because of their different doctrine than that of the majority. But it is an entirely different pic true with Sikhism, The Sikhism teaches love for the people and for the Almighty and leads the man towards the path of becoming a noble citizen, Sikhism doesn’t profess any type of hatred towards any person whatsoever is his race, creed color, or religion, Although the Sikhs suffered reign of terror during their history of about five _ centuries, not even a single example “of persecution of non-Sikh could be quoted during their sovereignty of a “Tittle over half a century (later part “of 1 9th and first half of 20th century) in the North-Western part of the Indian subcontinent. However, “they did battle against the persecution of humanity in general and of Sikhs in particular throughout their “entire history. This is due to the reflection of the lofty philosophy of “the Sikh Gurus incorporated into the Aad Guru Granth Sahib (AGGS), that is followed by the ‘Sikhs in its true spirit. Therefore, ‘this is the philosophy that could ‘bring harmony amongst the various peoples to create the perfect world order.
It is in this context Professor, Madanjit Kaur tried to portray the Sikh scriptures for the development of communal harmony and “national integration by quoting the following verse from the AGGS in her article entitled Sari Guru Granth “Sahib: Repository of True Faith”, “in the Sikh Review of March, 1994;
“Rah dovein ik jane soyi sijhasi Kufrgo kufrane patya dajhasi.
“AGGS. MLp 142.(1).
I appreciate her efforts for explaining the AGGS as the “Repository of True Faith” in her article. But unfortunately she has picked up the above verse of Guru Nanak which is not at all related to the unity of “Hinduism and Islam or to the national integration. Because her interpretation of the above verse, “given as follows, is absolutely wrong:
“One who considers both ways.
(Hinduism and Islam) to be equally valid will be able to solve many of his problems, but he who considers the other religions to be irreligious will have himself badly burnt in the fire of hatred.”
In fact the above verse quoted by Professor Kaur is only a part of the following pauri of
Guru Nanak:
The main theme of the above pauri is that there are two ways of life and adoption of one of them is the right way to mold oneself into a noble citizen. The first two verses of this pauri describes two ways (atheism “and theism) of life as follows: “Those who commit misdeeds undercover and don’t realize (recognize) the Almighty and don’t understand even themselves, arc called mad/ insane (i.e., atheism) Conflicts in the world are an evil. And one is ruined in conflict. But without realizing the Nam (Almighty) (i.e. theism), one remains confined to misdeeds.” AGGS, MI, p 142.
After distinguishing the above two different ways of life, e.g., atheism and theism, Guru Nanak further emphasizes the following in the same pauri;
“Those who adopt one
(Of the above ways) are blessed.
(Which one?)
Because the atheist (kufrgo”) is always busy in deceiving (kufrane*), and is burned in the fire (of his misdeeds). The whole world is beautiful, where the Almighty (such) prevails. By giving up egotism and realizing the Almighty, one can get the blessing of His “Court, 9. (i.e., the right way –the-ism).”
“AGGS.MLp.142.
(* See references #9 & 10)
Careful examination of the above pauri reveals that Guru Nanak is discussing atheism and theism as the two ways of life and one has the option for select any one, but Guru Nanak is persuading the peoples to select the way of theism, the right way.
Guru Nanak, in his fifth form (Mahia S) depicts the views, which go against the interpretation of Professor Kaur, in the following verse: “
I don’t believe in fasts (of Hindus) or
of month of Ramadan (Islam), Realize the Ono who takes care of all.
AGGS.M5, p.1136 .
Then Guru Nanak (Mahia 5) clearly rejects to be a Hindu or a Muslim and explains that he belongs to the Almighty. i.e.. Theism, as follows:
“I am neither Hindu nor Muslim, My body and soul belong to the One, to whom people call as Allah and Ram 4.
AGGS.M5, p.1136.
According to Sahib Singh (10) the above verses written by Guru Arjan
and is addressed to Bhagat Kabirin reennnce to hic following verse:
“I have rejected (the ways of life of) of Pundit and of Mullah,
Thus I have no conflict with them.”
1, Pause.
AGGS, Kabir, p 1159.
(Note; It means the philosophy of Bhagat Kabir is approved by Guru Nanak (Mahila 5))
Now let us go back to the interpretation of Professor Kaur again for critical analysis. Dr. Gopal Singh (8) and Dr. Gurbachan Singh Talib (11) have also interpreted “Radovein ik jane” as “consider Hinduism and Islam as one”, When it is interpreted as. “One who considers both ways (Hinduism and Islam) to be equally valid” then the whole Sikh philosophy of universal brotherhood is shattered because in the above interpretation the other religions, e.g., Budhism, Jainism, Judaism, Christianity, Taoism and many more are not included. Thus just considering Hinduism and Islam as equally valid religions will not solve any problem rather it would create many more, because other peoples belonging to other religions have been ignored. Therefore, the interpretation of the said verse by Professor Kaur (6) and other (8 & 11) doesn’t portray the role of the AG{~S for the development of national integration, I However, there are many other verses in Gurbani that are directly. concerned with the development of global brotherhood, national integration, mulliculturism and establishment of a perfect world order. [* The word Gurbani used here means the sacred verse (bani) of Sikh Gurus incorporated into the AGGS by Guru Arjan and Guru Gobind Singh,}, I would be submitting another article on this tope in the near future for the benefit of the Sikh Review readers, That article is based on my talk, presented at the Interfaith Symposium on the World Peace held at Montreal on May 29, 1992.
In the above discussion it is crystal clear that Guru Nanak (Malla 5) condemns the deceitful life and per suades the people to adopt the real path, theism However, Dr Oberoi (7) refuted the establishment of the real path mentioned in the above verse of Guru Nanak (Malila 5) that:
“It is over simplistic to suggest that they are discounting one set of categories to embrace new set of labels (page 58).”
No such new set of labels (i.e.,taboos and rituals), mentioned by The Akhara are recommended in the Gurbani to adopt the real way of life. However, it may be admitted that some taboos and rituals have been introduced into Sikhism by the self-styled custodians of Sikhism because of their incomplete understanding of the Gurbani.
There is no doubt that subsequently such taboos and rituals are to be eliminated to portray the Sikhism as it is described in the Gurbani. There are a few more remarks about Gurbani in the AGGS by Dr. Oberoi (7) that also need consideration:
“Religious text like the Adi Granth are so amorphous that those in favor OF Ube Status quo, reformist’s, and insurrectionists, could all with case quote chapter and verse in favor of their cause, This often happened during the colonial period, when one social group wanting to collaborate with the empire would read the scriptures in one way; their opponents would interpret the same verse in another mode, We need to know the reasons and mechanisms, through which widely divergent religious views and identities can be supported by the same religious sources. A consideration of these issues is germane for our understanding of universal religious communities (page 22).”
First of all, I must admit that the above observation of Dr. Oberoi is absolutely correct in respect of different interpretation of Gurbani from the AGGS, to serve the specific motives of the interpreters. This has been going on since the time of Sikh Gurus that is why Guru Nanak in his third form (Mahla 3) explains in the following verse that it is so due to the limited knowledge of the interpreter about Gurbani:
“The word (sabd) is true.
The verse (bant) is true.
The rare follower (Gurmukh) could recognize it.
The one who integrates oneself with the true word (sabd) gets salvation11.,
AGGS, M 3, p 1044.
(* Salvation = Liberation from IGNORANCE or illusion)
The above verse was correct then and is still correct now that there are very few followers of Sikhism who should interpret the Gurbani and the Sikh philosophy correctly; here are many Sikh-and non-Sikh-scholars that are busy in interpreting the Gurbani and Sikh philosophy as they wish. When you carefully examine remarks of Dr. Oberoi and the interpretation given by Professor Kaur, one starts to wonder what for the Sikh scholars (including non-Sikh-scholars) are perverting the Gurbani, Are they doing unintentionally because of lack of proper knowledge Gurbani as mentioned by Guru Nanak (Mahila 3) in the above verse or doing it intentionally to achieve certain motives?
Now I would like (o comment on the following remarks of Dr. Oberoi: “Religious texts like the Adi Granth are so amorphous…We need to know the reasons and mechanism, through which widely divergent religious views and identities can be supported by the same religious sources.” My study of AGGS reveals to me that the philosophy of Guru Nanak embodied in the AGGS is the most scientific and logical ever recorded in any religious texts, I have tried to explain this briefly in some of my articles (2,3,4) and will continue to do so in the future, My study also indicates that the Gurbani of the Sikhs Gums in the AGGS is in the most crystalline from rather than in an amorphous form as remarked by Dr. Oberoi, and there is one and only One real interpretation of each and every verse of Gurbani and is consistent with the whole philosophy of Sikhism incorporated into the AGGS, There cannot be more than one interpretation whatsoever the circumstances may be if the interpreter keeps in his mind the scientific information about the origin of universe; origin of life; origin of man; and modern sciences while inter prating Gurbani, Thus the Gurbani embodied in the AGGS does not give any divergent views and identities, It is only the intentional pets version of the Gurbani by certain persons by particular organizations or by particular schools of thought to give the divergent views and identities to serve their own motives.
Finally I would like to request the scholars of Sikh studies to interpret Gurbani in its true perspective to portray me real Sikhism to the word.
References
- AGGS = Aad Guru Granth Sahib,
MI = Mahla,1.c.. succession# of from of Guru
Nanak, 1 means Guru-
Nanak, 2 means Guru
Angad and so on, pal
Page of AGGS published
by Shiromani Gurdwara
Parbandhak Committee,
Amritsar.
- Chahal, D. S. 1992. Scientific interpretation of the Sikh Scripture. The Sikh Review, Calcutta, 40 (7): 5-20.
- Chahal, D.S, 1994. Debate: Scientific interpretation of Gurbani, The Sikh Review, Calcutta. 4192); 23-35.
- Chahal, D. S. 1994. Scientific interpretation of Gurbani. In Proceedings of the Second Sikh Educational Conference, held at Toronto, July 24-25, 1993 (in press).
- Davies, Paul, 1987. God and the New Physics. Penguin Books Canada Lid, Markham, Ontario. (p 4).
- Kaur, Madanjit, 1994. Sa Guru Granth Sahib: Repository of True Faith. Sikh Review, Calcutta, Vol. 42.3): p 5-7.
- Oberoi, Harjot, 1994. The Construction of Religious Boundaries:
Culture, Meaty, identity Diversity in the Sikh Tradition. Oxford university press Delhi.
- Singh Gopal 1978,sri Guru Granth Sahib (English version). 4 vols. World Sikh University Press, Chandigarh.
- Singh, (Bhai) Kahin. 1981 (edition). Mahan Kosh (Punjabi). Bhasha Vibagh, Patiala,
- Singh, Sahib, 1972. Sa Guna Granth Darpan (Punjabi). 10 vols. Raj Publishers, Jalandhar.
- Talib, Gurbachan Singh. 1988.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib (English version). 4 vols.
Publication Bureau, Punjabi University, Patiala. (Courtesy; The Sikh Review, August 1994)
Article extracted from this publication >> August 19, 1994
