Wednesday, April 01, 2015

The Panth and Me...

 

 What are our duties and responsibilities towards Panth?
Author: Bhai Kulbir Singh Ji (Toronto)

The most important duty and responsibility that we have towards Panth is to follow Gurmat. What good can we do to others, if we can't do the ultimate goodness of following Gurmat for our own self?

Guru Sahib blessed us with His Gurmat which includes firstly Naam, Gurbani and then Rehit and Seva. Sikhi is about obeying Guru Sahib's Hukams that include Naam Simran, Gurbani Sevan, keeping Rehit and doing Seva. If we don't do Naam Abhyaas, Gurbani Paath, Amritvela, and keep Rehit, what Panthik duty can we fulfill? Without fulfilling the Shakhsee Rehnee (individual Rehit), Panthi Rehnee cannot be kept.

Guru Sahib made us Bhagats but today we have started following the ways of the Mayadhaari worldly people. We sleep late at night and don't get up at Amritvela. We spend money on many useless things but hesitate taking out full 10% of our earnings as Dasvandh. We wear Patloon-Kameez (Western dress) with great pride (and shauq) but when it comes to wearing Baana, we make the excuse that it will cause Haumai or that we are not worthy of it. We eat from hands of smokers (narreemaar) and Nigure (ones who don't have Guru Nanak Sahib as their Guru i.e. are not Amritdhari) without thinking twice.

Keeping Sarbloh Bibek, which is one of the most important Rehit that makes Khalsa Niyaara and without which Khalsa can never be in Chardi Kala (in the words of Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee), is one thing but today most of the Panth and even some of our brothers sisters within the Jatha, openly slander this Rehit and even claim that it's not even a Rehit of Guru Sahib. Never mind keeping this Rehit if you have an majboori (problem, inability) but at least don't slander it.

If we don't keep Rehit including Amritvela Naam Abhyaas Kamaaee which is preceded by Keshi Ishnaan (full bath including the hair), keeping Kakaars (including Keski), staying away from Bajjar Kurehits (cardinal prohibitions), giving out Daswand (one tenth of one's income), and keeping Sarbloh Bibek, then are Hindus and Muslims going to obey these Hukams?

The Seva of Panth starts from us. We must first become Tyaar-bar-Tyaar Gursikhs by keeping Guru Sahib's basic Rehit and then go about executing other duties of Panth. Secondly, if we have a problem or inability to keep a certain Rehit of Guru Sahib, then the second most important Seva we can do is to not slander this Rehit. If not promote it, then at least not oppose it so that others may not get discouraged from keeping this Rehit. Thirdly, we ourselves should not do Be-adbi (disrespect) of Guru Sahib by promoting padd-chhed of Guru Sahib's Birs and also strive to do Smaagams only in the Hazoori of Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee (which is Lareedaar Saroop).

There are many others ways to fulfill our duties towards Guru Panth but without the basic duty of following basic Gurmat, we can't execute any other duty diligently.

Bhul Chuk dee Muaafee jee.

Kulbir Singh

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3 comments:

P Kaur said...

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh.

Bhai ji, I was wondering if you could post the rehatname that the author has mentioned with regards to keeping sarbloh bibek and/or dietary bibek please. It would be much appreciated.

Thank you.

Manvir Singh (UK) said...

Bhenji please see below web links...

http://www.sikhanswers.com/rehat-maryada-code-of-conduct/why-are-some-sikhs-strict-about-who-prepares-the-food-they-eat/


http://www.sikhanswers.com/rehat-maryada-code-of-conduct/why-do-some-sikhs-insist-on-cooking-and-eat-of-sarbloh-iron-utensils/

P Kaur said...

Thanks for the links bhai ji- they have been most helpful.

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa Vaheguru ji ki fateh.