The Holy Scripture: Message Of Peace

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The Holy Sikh Scripture:
The Core Message of Peace
Sukhchain Singh*
* Dean Sikh Religious Society, 1280 Winnetka Street, Palatine, IL60067.USA.
2004 marks the 400th Installation Anniversary of the “First Prakash” of Sri Guru Granth Sahib by revered Fifth Guru Arjun Dev Ji, in August 1604 at Harmandir Sahib (GoldenTemple), situated in the Holy City of Amritsar in Punjab, India.
GURU GRANTH, is the holy Sikh Scripture, first compiled by the Guru Arjun Dev Jee and subsequently expanded and anointed by the Tenth Guru, Sree Guru Gobind Singh Jee, in 1708 A.D. by including the Holy Hymns of his revered father, Sree Guru Teg Bahadur Jee, who was the Ninth Sikh Guru. The Tenth Guru passed on the Spiritual Guruship finally, and irrevocably to Sree Guru Granth Sahib, the Holy Scripture, just before his death in 1708 A.D. It is written in the traditional Punjabi, in Gurmukhee Script. It has 1430 large-sized pages and its entire composition is in verse, its poetic pattern in 31 poised Symphonies, called Raag, in which all the 5868 Hymns (Shabads) and Couplets (Shaloks) can be sung to rhythmic and classical Keertan, the traditional Sikh way of religious singing.

Whereas the Adhiaatam Guruta (Spiritual Guruship) vests only and exclusively with Sree Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh-Way of life guiding Vivhaaric Guruta (Worldly- Affairs-Regulatory Guruship) had been vested with the ‘Guru Panth’ by the Tenth Guru, Sree Guru Gobind Singh Jee.

‘Guru Panth’ is the Sikh-Thought-Collectivism represented by the Five Beloved Sikhs (Panj Piaaray) as per the Guru-given concept of ‘Gurmata’; meaning a collective, widely acceptable and unanimous decision taken after proper deliberation on a point at issue requiring a consensus strictly in the context of the teaching of SGGS, the Holy Sikh Scripture. The ‘Panj Piaaray’ were first created by the Tenth Guru on the Vaisaakhee of 1699 at Sree Anandpur Sahib through the ceremony of AMRIT, the Holy Nectar of Eternity, and thereafter the concept of the ‘Five Beloved Ones’ is an ongoing holy process in the Sikh-Way Baptism: ‘Khalsa’ Tradition of Sikhism. The perspective of ‘Guru Panth’ Guruship includes interpretational and implementing aspects with relation to the paramount Spiritual Guruship of SGGS. This is because Sikhism is a practical ‘Way of Life’ related to teachings of SGGS that must be fully understood and implemented in all practical life situations.

There are 36 Contributors to the verses of SGGS. They are: 6 out of the 10 Sikh Gurus, 15 celebrated Saints from different religious traditions and various parts of India, 11 Bhatts {The acknowledged Adoration Singers from the Darbar (Religious Courts) of the first 5 Gurus} and 4 Sikhs, the devout Followers of Sikhism who were the contemporaries of the first 5 Gurus.

SGGS has the uniqueness of authenticity as the Religious Scripture having been written and composed in the life times of the Sikh Gurus, the Founding Fathers of Sikhism.

SGGS begins with an exquisite adoring narration of the Attributes of GOD by Sree Guru Nanak Dev Jee, the Founder of Sikhism, by way of the opening Fundamental Chant (Mool Mantar). The very apt, remarkable and unique description of the Attributes of God clearly conveys to the seeker as to what is going to follow in the versified elucidation of the basic concepts in the subsequent exquisitely arranged Holy Hymns of the Scripture.

God is described as: The Only One Ever-living Supreme Being (Ik Oankaar), Never changing TRUTH revealed through His First-ever Symphonic Holy Word called ‘Naam’ (Sat Naam), Primal Pervading Permeating Creator (Karta Purakh), Ever Undaunted: There not being any superior authority or co-equal to fear (Nirbhau), Rancor-free and Ever-loving: being the Creator of all, as a Creator always loves all his creations (Nirvair); The only Timeless- Deathless- Ageless-Everlasting :: Eternal Perceivable Entity (Akaal Moorat); Ever Un-incarnate (Ajoonee); Uniquely Self Created: Self-Originated: Self-Illuminated (Sai_Bhang);

The Greatest Benevolent, realizable through the Benign Grace of the intermediating GURU: True Spiritual Enlightener (Gur Prasaad).

THE CORE MESSAGE: The core message relates to the pre-ordained relationship between GOD as the PRIME TRUTH and Human Soul as a separated ‘Sub-Truth’ wrapped in human body on this Earth. The real purpose of human life (DHARMA) is to seek re-union with Prime Truth. However, in between human soul and Prime Truth, GOD, there is a Wall of Illusion which is ‘Untruth’. The re-union between the two Truths cannot be possible until the ‘Wall of Untruth’ (Koorh Dee Paal) is demolished. This clearance of untruth from the human mind is not an external process. God realization is an internalized spiritual process. Therefore, external methods, like pilgrimages, bathing at the deemed holy rivers, renunciation practices of Sanyaas like observance of Long Silence, Abstinence like Fasting, Indulgences (Vaam-Panthee Maarag), Bodily Penance (Hatth Yoga) and even illusive exercises of Human Wisdom (Siaanap Maarg) cannot give any viable results.

The one Golden Method of God Realization is to understand and obey the Supreme Ordinance (Hukam) of the ‘Lord’s Will’. This method of God-Realization can be made understandable to human beings by the perfect GURU, ‘Darkness-Dispeller’; Holy Enlightener, who must be a True because he is to ensure joining of the ‘Sub-Truth’ of Human Soul with the Prime Truth: God. In this context, Prime Guru is SHABAD, the Creative Holy Word of God, through which He first imparted the primary knowledge of His Existence and Divine Attributes to the World. As the Holy Word of God cannot be directly heard by the humans and they cannot acquire knowledge without listening, God sends His Messengers, Chosen Ones, Messiahs, Paigambars and Gurus in human body to this World, after blessing them directly by the knowledge of His Divinity and Attributes for onward audible preaching to other human beings desiring to be Seekers of Truth for their Spiritual well-being and Emancipation.

All the 10 Sikh Gurus were sent to this world in this context and they practically lived and demonstrated the Divine Tenets of Sikhism while preaching the spiritual message of God in a span of 239 years from the advent of Guru Nanak, Founder of Sikhism, in 1469 A.D. until the mortal departure of the Tenth Guru Gobind Singh in 1708 A.D. As the PRIMAL GURU of Guru Nanak was the SHABAD of God, the Tenth Guru ordained that after him there shall not be any corporal Guru and that the GURU GRANTH be deemed as the Last and Eternal ‘SHABAD GURU’, because SHABAD of God is always Eternal Symphonic Truth. That is why GURU GRANTH is called the SHABAD GURU.

THE KEY TEACHINGS OF SGGS:
· To believe in and worship One God only (Monotheism).
· To recognize ‘Human Life’ as the rarest of the rare opportunity for seeking ‘Re-union with God’, the Prime Truth, the Prime Source of all life.
· To recognize the Divine Essence of God pervading all the Creation and to treat the entire Humanity as the Progeny of the same One God; without any bias or discrimination on the basis of birth, ethnicity, caste, colour, creed, sex, economic status or religious belief.
· To ensure equality of Womanhood by ever treating it AT par with Manhood.
· To treat this World merely as a ‘Temporary Abode’ for the Human Soul, just as a Preparatory Ground (Karam Bhoomee) for doing good deeds here, so that after departing from the World, God honourably receives us to His Divine abode, the Realm of Truth (Sach Khand) which is our Permanent Home.
· To understand and firmly believe that as humans are blessed with the superb mental faculties to differentiate between right or wrong, good or bad, good deeds or sins; all our actions in this world are to be appraised by God’s perfect ‘Judicial System’ hereafter. There are to be rewards for goodness and punishments for the un-atoned sins for which we failed to seek pardon by way of Prayer (Ardaas). Prayer ought to be made with a complete sense of surrender to the Divine Will, firmly believing in God as the Greatest Source of Love and Graciousness who always forgives the pardon-seekers.
· Not to renounce the World, live a balanced Family Life (Grihtsa Maarag) with an inculcated sense of poise and detachment, imbibing the cherished principles of neither Complete Abstinence, nor Complete Indulgence: (Treading the Middle Path: The Golden Mean).
· To work honestly and diligently for earning a good livelihood essential for comfortable living and then to share some of the earnings for common causes and philanthropic purposes in the context of ‘Tithe’ (Daswandh).
· To meditate upon the Holy Word (NAAM) of God and always to remain in His remembrance while doing the necessary worldly deeds.
· To get rid of the Five tormenting Enemies: Kaam (Lust), Krodh (Anger), Lobh (Greed), Moh (Attachment) and Ahankaar (Ego) through meditation.
· To befriend Five soothing Goodness Traits: Sat (Truth), Santokh (Poise), Dayyiaa (Compassion), Dharam (Ethical Order) and Such (Piety).
· To overcome skepticism, duality, incertitude, jealousy, acrimony, rancor, slander and back-biting, by sublimating all evil thoughts linked to such negative traits.
· To resolve the tormenting conflicts of mind through poised meditation and to work for and facilitate Conflict-Resolution in the Society around for ensuring World Peace.
· To clear the mind of all dismal and evil thoughts creating mental pollution so as to ensure internal purification as well as cleanliness in the human surroundings and to create an Environment of Amity, Congeniality and Understanding.
· To strive to be ‘Living-Liberated’ by ensuring ‘Mind Management’, resulting in regulating the wild desires and runaway expectations. Inculcation of ‘Humility’, a state of death of Ego, while yet physically living the human life, is the key to being ‘Living-Liberated’. Liberation after the mortal death of human body is a myth.
· To devoutly do Simran (Contemplational Remembrance of God) and to render self-less Sewa (Service to Humanity) so as to reach the cherished Spiritual Goal of Life: SEHAJ (Sublime Poise).
· To be a ‘Saint Soldier’ for protecting and promoting Righteousness and for stopping tyranny and injustice everywhere.
· Being a SIKH, the ‘Life-Long Learner of Spirituality’ and a dedicated ‘Disciple of the Satguru’ (True- Enlightener); to strive for the high ideal of living as a KHALSA, the ‘Pure One of God’ imbuing with the spirit of deep Love for God and entire Humanity, always seeking Divine Love and Grace.
· Always to wish and pray for the well-being of entire Humanity by ever being in ‘Ever-Exalted Spirits’ (Charhdi-Kala).
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