Monday, January 15, 2007

Panthic Ekta (Unity)

True Panthik Ekta & Naam
An excert from an article by Bhai Jagjit Singh jee posted on the Tapoban Forum


We often talk about Panthik Ekta. It is something we all long for, if we have “Khalsa Spirit” or “Panthik dard”. However sometimes we all work together and achieve a lot and others we have things like above. It is a shame, but these things happen.

I have come to the conclusion, where there is Naam you will always find Panthik Ekta. You see the thing about Ekta is that it is unnatural for human beings. Lust, anger, greed, attachment and especially ego get in its way. Naam is the only cure.

To achieve Ekta on any level, we must first find Ekta in ourselves. If our mind wanders in keertan or paath, then we have not yet found Ekta in ourselves. If our conscious speaks to us, then our minds are still not living the truth. Only when our conscious is made redundant have we found balance. When we have found our Guru inside, only then we have done Ekta with him. So first we must do Ekta with ourselves and our Guru. If we cannot do that, then how can we honestly expect Ekta with others? A person who cannot do Ekta with his Guru, will always let down his Gursikhs.

We as youth are fortunate that we were not born a generation before, and live in the West. Otherwise we may well have lived at the times of genocide of Panjab in its killing fields. To hear and witness the deeds of Gursikhs of that time, it makes us realise how far we are. If we were tortured like Bhai Anokh Singh, would we be able to handle it? Very few would, and most of us would fail. In these circumstances, upholding Truth, Guru, Panth is very hard. Without Naam, we would all fail. It is them who attained Shaheedi in such a manner who really understand the true meaning of Truth, Guru and Panth.

True Panthik Ekta will come, but it will only come with Naam. Youth should disregard anyones comments that attempt to mock or discourage Naam. Naam is the most essential ingredient of a Gursikh. Guru ji states “saaDh sangat kaisee janiea, jithe eiko naam vakaaNeeai” ("How do you recognise the correct Sangat? Is is where you witness Naam"). Many people will come and go, but only those who Jaap Naam will fulfil their destiny as Abyaasee Gursikhs.

Read any shabad in Gurbani and its mentions Naam. In life, whatever you do as youth, Never Compromise with Naam. That is the only wealth of any value. We should spend these precious days of our lives collecting this wealth and not allowing others to distract us from this path. Let those who think they are funny, be funny to themselves. You collect Naam, and in yourself be Pure and Truthful to the Khalsa Panth.

Others will do according to their karams that is not in our hands. But we should do everything that we can for the Panth, regardless of others. We should not decide how Panthik we are according to the actions of others towards us. We should be dedicated to the Panth regardless of others, and that dedication should be just as complete as our dedication is to Gurbani. This is because this Panth belongs to the Guru, and that is what counts.

One God: Waheguru
One Guru : Sahib Siri Guru Granth sahib Ji.
One Group : Guru Khalsa Panth!

This should be the Motto of Our Generation

5 comments:

Sifar said...

Could not have been said any better.

Anonymous said...

nice article parji. lot of ppl claim to panthik but they make thier own maryadas and follow wot their baba says over the panth. isn't this sad???

wot exactly does panthik mean because nowadays even sant babas claim to be panthik!???

Manvir Singh (UK) said...

Anonymous Jee - To be "Panthik" means that one's sole allegiance is to Sri Guru Granth Sahib jee and Sri Akaal Takht Sahib jee. The Sri Akaal Takht Sahib jee is the representative of the Sikh nation, a tradition started by the Sixth Guru.

In regards to Maryadas - there is only on approved Maryada by the Panth, which has been published by the SGPC. The SRM or Sikh Rehit Maryada is the minimum common rehit maryada that all Sikhs should support. It does not stop you from following more Rehit. Bhai Kulbir Singh jee from Tapoban.org summarises this point, which can be read here

I was reading something written by Dr. Jodh Singh. He shared that Singhs asked Sant Jarnail Singh Ji Bhindranwale to change the Maryada at Sri Akal Takht Sahib. However Baba jee replied that personal Maryada of their School should not be imposed to the Takht Sahib and other Gurdwaras. Baba jee is a good role model of Panthic thought and if we all had this appreciation of Sri Akaal Takht Sahib and the Panth there would be less infighting and a common ground for public unity and uniformity.

Bhul chuk maaf.

Unknown said...

ੴ Ikk oankaar ¶

Unknown said...

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