Dr. Devinder Singh Chahal
- LIBERATION OF SIKHISM FROM COCOON OF MYTHS
Many myths and fake stories have been woven like a cocoon around Sikhism by too zealous Sikhs or by those Sikhs in whose minds ancient philosophy and’ mythology have been imprinted permanently. The result is that it is now very difficult for a common Sikh to find out Sikhism in its real perspective. A few of these myths, and fake. Unscientific and illogical’ stories mentioned in some of the very commonly quoted sources. Have been discussed in the following section. Then I have tried to cut the mythic silken threads of the cocoon with the help of the chisel of science and logic and the hammer of Gurbani to liberate Sikhism. 3.1. Janam Sakhis (Biographies) There are many Janam Sakh is about Guru Nanak and other Sikh Gurus. The most ancient and popular are: 1, Bhai Bale Wali Janam Sakhi, 2. Puratan Janam Sakhi, 3, Bhai Mani Singh Wali Janam Sakhi 4, Swarup Das Bhalle Wali Janam. Sakhi, 5. Walait Wali Janam Sakhi 6. Hafzabad Wali Janam Sakhi, and many more. Sakhis of other Gurus are: 1. Sakhi Guru Amardas 2. Sakhis Mahla 5. ‘The other books on’ Guru Nanak and other Sikh Gurus are: 1. Sri Guru Nanak: Nirankari
Chamatkar, 2, Sri Sodhi Chamatkars, 3. Sri Dasam Guru Chamatkars, and many more. The above three chamatkar (chatisma) books are based on the Gurpartap Surya (Suraj Parkash) by Bhai Santokh Singh and Twarikh Guru Khalsa by Giani Gian Singh, which were published by Bhai Chattar Singh and Jiwan Singh, Amritsar.
All these Janam Sakhis and Chamatkar books are full of stories and events that are unscientific, illogical and contrary to Gurbani these are the books commonly used by the Kirtanwalas and Kathakars and by some scholars. The propaganda of these stories and events in these Janam Sakh is was so strong in early days of Sikhism that they have been imprinted permanently in the minds of the Sikhs, The Sikhs remained unconcerned about the ‘wrong propaganda and even in the: Science Age they are not ready to listen anything against their beliefs.
About a century ago, it was Karam Singh, a Sikh historian, who took a courage to analyze one of these Janam Sikhis which was so commonly used for preaching in the Gurdwaras. The Sikhs have so strong faith in Janam Sakhis that they consider whatever is writ ten in them is the final truth. It is said about one Janam Sakhi that Guru Angad asked Bhai Bala to narrate the stories of Gum Nanak to soothe his mood because he used to remain grieved too much after parting of Guru Nanak. Thus, Bhai Bala was telling the stories and Paire Mokhe was writing along with the narration while Guru Angad was listening. This Janam Sakhi became popular as Bhai Bale Wali Janam Sakhi.
All the stories and events in this Janam Sakhi have been analyzed from the following points of views by Karam Singh in his book en titled, “Katik ke Vaisakh” (27): 1. Impossible events, 2. Impractical events, 3. Against the philosophy of Gurbani, 4, Poor knowledge of words, 5. Poor knowledge of sabds, 6. Mathematical errors, 7. Wrong geographical commentaries, 8. Astrological errors, 9. Gurdwara involvements, and 10. Errors from historical point of views. Almost all the stories and events in this Janam Sakhi have been declared contrary to Gurbani, science and logic by Katami Singh. He said that these were fabricated to meet certain objectives by a group of people, opposing the dissemination of Sikhism in its real perspective. I would like to ex plain a few to the readers to make them aware of the fact that why such stories were fabricated and what purpose was to be served by them.
- About the visit of Guru Nanak to Bhai Laloo at Abmanabad: “Bhai Laloo is busy in sharpening wooden pegs. When he looked up he saw a person like a tapa (mediator) having a Janeu (sacred thread for Hindus) in his neck…“ this story has been introduced to show that Guru Nanak was wearing janeu to indicate that he was a Hindu. How on the earth it could be possible that Guru Nanak would be wearing janeu when his bani criticizes wearing of Janeu.
- In a story of Brahm Das of Kashmir,”…Guru Nanak washed his feet in water and gave this water (chamamrit) to Brahm Das to initiate him his Sikh…” Chamamrit is administered by sadhus and saints to initiate their followers. This story has been fabricated to popularize that charanamrit was used by Guru ‘Nanak to initiate his Sikhs. However, the Gurbani does not support any such practice to initiate a Sikh. It is the sabd (word), that was given to an to become Gurus’ Sikhs.
- In some stories Guru Nanak has been portrayed as of lower level in spirituality than Bhagat Kabir and Hundal (a person who was posing himself as Guru).
- In another story Guru Nanak was shown as a servant of Raja Janak and used to lie and worship idols but Hundal was son of Raja Udhey Singh and son-in-law of Raja Janak in Trete Yug. 5, still in another story Guru Nanak ‘was shown to be born in a family of teli (oil extractor) while Hundal was born in the family of a Brah man during Duapar Yug.
- Guru Nanak reached Such Khand (the Ultimate Destination) step by step while Hundal reached there in a moment,
All the above stories were fabricated by the followers of Hundal to show Guru Nanak of low level of spirituality. The irony of the whole Janam Sakhi is that one of the main characters, Bhai Bala, did not exist in the history of the Sikhs according to the findings of Karam Singh (27). Even if Bhai Bala existed, how on the earth it could be possible that Guru Angad kept listening to such nonsense stories from Bhai Bala and allowed him to compile them into a biography (Janam Sakhi)?
Bhai Bala was always shown with Bhai Mardana in ancient pictures of Guru Nanak when Bhai Bale Wali Jan Sakhi was regularly narrated in Gurdwaras. Then the presence of Bhai Bala started to disap pear from the pictures of Gum Nanak during the time of Singh ‘Sabha’s preaching of Gurbani and Sikhism: Guru Nanak was painted either alone or only with Bhai Mardana. Recently I have noticed a picture of Guru Nanak with Bhai Mardana and Bhai Bala printed in a Punjabi weekly Hamdard, Toronto (1). In this picture Bhai Bala has been painted very much resembling to Guru Nanak and it is difficult to distinguish Guru Nanak from Bhai Bala. I do not understand when existence of Bhai Bala is doubtful and the Janam Sakhi written by him is so damaging to the divine personality of Guru Nanak and the character is tics of Sikhism, why people are: portraying Bhai Bala with Guru Nanak.
Article extracted from this publication >> September 25, 1996
