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Sikh ideology: What it stands for?
Raghbir Singh Dhillon
 This article is
largely meant for foreigners, children of Indian parentage born in
foreign lands and parents who want to help their children grow up in
Sikh traditions for living a truthful and successful life. Although
comparisons are odious it is also like keeping the truth away from
the gaze of the world by if it is not brought to the notice of other
communities without meaning any disrespect to them that no other
religious outfit in the world has ever accomplished such a social
and political revolution in a short period of just 239 years as Sikh
ideology did. Detailed study of this movement is recommended for
more knowledge of it.
Guru Nanak
(1469-1539) put forth the Sikh Ideology for social and political
reformation before the afflicted humanity divided on various
considerations of caste, creed, race, colour, land boundaries,
wealth and form of government etc. Its main plank is to create
universal brotherhood of mutual love enjoying equality, liberty
without any kind of hate and consideration of land boundaries. Guru
Nanak’s teachings were carried on by his successor nine Gurus till
the demise in 1708 of the tenth Guru Gobind Singh. The fifth Guru
Arjan Dev compiled in 1604 the teachings recorded by the preceding
four Gurus themselves adding his own as well. Guru Gobind Singh
further added the teachings of Ninth Guru Tegh Bahadur and ended the
chain of living Gurus by declaring that the compilation, Guru Granth
Sahib, would be the eternal Guru of Sikhs in future and in case of
any doubt about its interpretation the opinion of the Panth Guru
would be final thereby introducing the concept of Panchayati Raj
leading to the establishment of hlymI rwj. The history of the lives
of Gurus spent in accordance with their own teachings, usually
uncommon in history, presents a model for the human beings to adopt.
Study of Guru Granth Sahib with understanding (not simply bowing
before it) and history of Sikh Gurus create confidence in the
individual and build up his character which has been badly debased
by the Hindu caste system, long communal Muslim rule in
India followed
by pseudo-secular Government of majority community highly charged
with Hindu caste system. Impact of Sikh Revolution, both social and
political, was felt all around up to 1716 the year of merciless
execution of Banda Singh Bahadur. It has become part of the Sikh
life although in much diluted form because of improper dissemination
of Gurbani by the preachers due to malafide intentions of the Sikh
leaders in power who are in league with the inimical Government. All
the quotations given below are from Guru Granth Sahib with pages in
parenthesis. Other quotations are of Guru Gobind Singh.
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The history of the lives of Gurus spent in accordance with their
own teachings, usually uncommon in history, presents a model for
the human beings to adopt. Study of Guru Granth Sahib and
history of Sikh Gurus creates confidence in the individual and
builds up his character. Impact of Sikh Revolution, both social
and political, was felt all around till the execution of Banda
Singh Bahadur. It has become part of the Sikh life although in
much diluted form because of improper dissemination of Gurbani
by the preachers |
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With a view to
forge universal brotherhood and mutual love in the humanity
engrossed in various types of discriminations Guru Nanak described
God as “<>”,all- pervading, omnipresent, omniscient and creator of
all with indescribable epithets, “
byAMqw byAMq gux qyry,kyqk gwvw rwm[”(453).
Humans being part of Him -
mn qU joiq srUp hY-(441)
their qualities too cannot be limited. When a person acquires
maximum good qualities he is called
bRHhm igAwnI because bRhm igAwnI kY
bsY pRB sMg
(273). Crux of
Sikh thought is
swcu khNo sun lyhuu sBY ijn pRym kIE
iqn hI pRB pwieE]”
Truth is that only those who love His creatures can become God like.
Sikhs believe that a person is enjoined to follow Law of Nature to
avoid worries and lead peaceful life.
“hukm rjweI
clxw nwnk iliKAw nwl[“(jpu jI)
Sermons like <>,
“Avil Alh nUru aupwieAw, kudriq ky
sB bMdy]eyk nUr qy sBu jgu aupijAw, kaun Bly ko mMdy]”(1349) “nw ko
bYrI nhI ibgwnw sgl sMig hm kau bn AweI]”(1299), “sBy sWJIvwl
sdwiein qUM iksy n idsih bwhrw ijau]”(97) “sBu ko mIqu hm Awpn kInw
hm sBnw ky swjn](671)
create sense of brotherhood in human race and inject desire for
mutual love, friendship and peace. Guru Nanak laid stress on labour,
sharing enjoyments with others and living always as per God’s will.
“audm kryidAw jIau qUM kmwvMidAw suK BuMc]iDAwieidAw qUM pRB imlu
nwnk auqrI icMq]”(522).
It was this aspect of Sikh Ideology of labour and sharing its fruits
which the Communists picked up in 1917 for experiment in
Russia
but soon failed as they eliminated its religious part from the lives
of people which was necessary for them to feel satisfied with their
possessions. Another very important issue which Guru Nanak espoused
vehemently was of human rights which UNO also adopted through
Declarattion of Universal Human Rights in 1948. When Babur was
trampling the people’s right to life Guru Nanak challenged him,”jy
skqw skqy kau mwry qw min ros n hoeI]—skqw sIhu mwry pY vgY KsmY sw
pursweI]”(360)
The Gurbani
covers the whole gamut of human life right from the foetus in the
womb till not only death but thereafter too.
“Drm rwie
jb lyKw mwgy ikAw muK lY ky jwiegw”.(1106).
It is not possible to refer in few pages to all the aspects of life
covered in Gurbani. In brief it is as under.
Human life
starts in foetus and after birth it develops into
infancy/childhood/adolescent age, youth, old age and death and again
life in foetus begins after the end of first life. Guru Nanak says
that with God’s will human embryo gets planted in mother’s womb
where it remains engrossed in seeking His blessings till birth.
“pihlY pihrY rYix kY,vxjwirAw imqRw, hukim pwieAw grBwis]aurD qpu
AMqir kry vxjwirAw imqRw Ksm syqI Ardwis]”(74)
When born, the infant forgets God and as a child he is taken care of
by parents and is oblivious of any good or bad thing.
“--ivsir
gieAw iDAwnu]hQo hiQ ncweIAY--”(75)
“—bwlk buiD Acyq]KIru pIAY KylwieAY,vxjwirAw imqRw, mwq ipqw suqu
hyqu”(75).
In adolescence the growing child loves his parents more than any one
else because they meet his needs. It is this period of age where the
child follows the advice of parents who should guide them properly
for his good successful life. Thosee children who do not get this
advice usually suffer in life.When child enters youth and starts
feeling independent of his parents he becomes
“--Dn isau
rqw,jobin mqw--]”(75).
In this age he is most susceptible to falling prey to highly
condemned pitfalls of sex, anger, greed, too much attachment with
worldly things and ego. Gurbani contains hoard of directions for
avoiding these pitfalls during the life after adolescence. Some of
these are briefly discussed below.
Sex
revolves around
woman, an integral part of human life. But she was never treated
equal to man anywhere in the world. Hindu Dharam condemned her
despicably and declared her unfit to be admitted to Heaven. She was
taken as a commodity worse than even the worn out shoe. She was
ordained to burn her self on the pyre of her husband. Guru Nanak was
the first religious leader who pleaded for respectful status to her
in society saying,
“BMif jMmIAY,BMif inMmIAY, BMif
mMgxu vIAwhu]BMfhu hovY dosqI BMfhu clY rwhu]BMfu mUAw BMf BwlIAY
BMif hovy BMDwnu]so ikauN mMdw AwKIAY ijs jmy rwjwn]”(145).
Here he eulogizes her services who gives birth to humans to continue
the race. On her death man yearns for another. Why condemn her who
gives birth to kings. As wife she is the most important factor for
raising family of good children. For selection of partner in life
the guidance is
“Dn ipru eyih n AwiKAin bhin iekTy
hoie] eyk joqu doie mUrqI Dn ipr khIAY soie]”
(788). It interprets as one soul in two bodies-mutual understanding,
a sign of ideal marriage. It is not like Western world where
friendship for some period leads to marriage which very often ends
in divorce. As about extra marital relations which usually
become the cause of AID and other venereal diseases Gurbani says
that those who create relation with other woman eat poison and
suffer,
“Gr kI nwir iqAwgy AMDw]pr nwrI isau
GwlY DMDw]--- pwpI kw Gru Agny mwih]jlq rhY imtvY kb nwih]”(1164),“pr
Dn pr nwrI rqu inMdw ibKu KweI duK pwieAw]”(1254).
Wife’s burning on her husband’s pyre is condemned as,
“sqIAw eyih
n AwKIAin jo miVAw lig jlMin]—nwnk kMq n jwxnI sy ikau Aig
jlwih]BwvY jIvau kY mirau dUrhu hI Bij jwih]”(787)
meaning when pious relation of marriage is not maintained and the
partners do not treat each other properly and leave without any
remorse, of what use this burning?
3 September 2008
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