Asa ki Vaar and Chhants Mehla 4th

So one fine day, I was listening to a collection of Guru's teachings called, Asa Ki Vaar. It portrays a very strong message on the lifestyles we humans live normally and does a strong criticism on the illusions we live in, such as rituals, birth-death, cleanliness etc.

The message really striked to me and my life, but while listening to the Vaar, I realized that before every Shalok and Pauree, the Raagis read "Chhant Mhela 4th", and I could not relate the Chhant's theme with the Vaar.

To dwell more on this, I opened Prof. Sahib Singh's translation on Guru Granth sahib, which is available online at http://www.gurugranthdarpan.com/darpan2/0462.html

To enable some basic understanding, Vaar is a kind of collection which is sung in a folktune associated with some historical figure, and overall, the message and language is quite aggressive in nature. It only contains Shaloks and Paurees. The essence of the Pauree lies at its end and it doesn't have a Rahao, though Shaloks can have Rahao.

Paurees are always supported by Shaloks normally, though some collections like Japjee Sahib, Anand Sahib have only Paurees.

Chhants are another type of poetry which is entirely different from Paurees. Chhants are normally in a collection of 2-4-6.

As per Guru Granth Sahib's structure, the Chhants appear before Vaars, which means, the section of Chhants would appear before the beginning of the Vaar, and when Vaar begins, it would only contain Shaloks and Paurees.

So, the basic question is "Why do Raagis sing Asa ki Vaar which also contains Chhants written by 4th Nanak?"

If 5th Nanak, Guru Arjan Sahib compiled Guru Granth Sahib which separated Chhant from Asa Ki Vaar, who combined it together?

If we read the theme of the Chhants recited along with the Vaar (there are actually 4 chhants each with 6 stanzas, so 4 chhants times 6 stanzas = 24 stanzas, which are an exact fit for the 24 Paurees with Asa ki Vaar???). On a closer look, the chhant portrays a different message than the Asa ki Vaar itself!

I asked many Raagis and musicians, they all say that this is the way it is written (where??) and this is the way it has been happening since Guru's times. I am not able to understand if Guru ji wanted the Sikh to read Vaar like this, why would he write the Chhants separate, around 15 pages before?

The aggression created by the Shaloks and Paurees gets diminished by the message portrayed by the Chhants (because Chhant's theme is different). Just like, if we add "My heart is pierced with Guru's Love" infront of "The liers don't find the place to rest and are expelled to Hell!"
Both lines make true sense, but their message are unrelated to each other. Oranges are oranges and Apples are apples. Both will give different taste, even though both are fruits.

So, I tried singing Asa ki Vaar just like our Guru ji wanted us to read, and I was astonished with the result and the aura that was filled around was unexplainable. Even though I did not sing in Tunde Asraaje ki Dhuni, but the message from the Vaar was oozing out with each Pauree...

.... waheguru....

few nice ones...

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
34. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
35. Your children get only one childhood.
36. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
37. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
38. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
39. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
40. The best is yet to come.
41. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
42. Yield.
43. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift.

Anand Sahib

After almost 1 year, I am writing something on my blog. Hopefully, I will continue...

I was reading Anand Sahib, and the following thoughts came to mind (the structure below is not relevant to structure of 40 paurees)>>

1. Maya is nothing but a hypothetical shell - blockage from the "real world".

2. Just like an incubator, the Maya is needed for growth

3. One has to grow inside Maya in order to come out. Those who don't want to come out, die inside.

4. This whole system is for everybody, and it is impartial.

5. when it is said that it is guru's "wish" that under his hukam some people are bound to perish and some to grow, I think that is a misinterpretation of guru’s message.

6. Everybody has opportunity to grow, and everybody is born within the shell of Maya. Akal purakh is impartial - nirvaer.

7. If Maya’s heat is less, one wouldn't grow (over small things)

8. If Maya’s heat is more, one would burn himself out, or become so hard (boiled) that one cannot grow anymore, it is already dead despite grown inside.

9. One comes out from the shell of Maya only when one breaks the shell from "inside", like a chicken.

10. Breaking from outside is impossible for somebody inside.

11. The one who can break from outside is the one who is outside the shell - niranjan - free from Maya. So, only guru can break the shell from outside as he placed us in the shell in the beginning.

12. The shell cannot be broken simply by chattering/reading teachings and not implementing/cleverness/shrewdness

13. Guru is also the shell and within the shell

14. guru will help breaking the shell when one is trying and putting efforts to walk on the way of the guru, but if the efforts to break from inside is not there, one may collapse.

15. Everybody walks as per the path laid to walk; some reach, some collapse, some just ignore and die.

16. Most of us boast and talk a lot, but have no virtue. The one that is embedded within, if not seen, those talks are a waste and foolish.

17. Through guru's wisdom, one start becoming pure by dissolving inside and slowly becomes ONE with the destruction of outer shell.

18. Just by chanting some word, through senses, one cannot achieve "the one who is free from senses". The fearlessness emerges out only from inside. in other words, mind drenched in desires creates fear. The cure to fear is complete bliss, and that is obtained through guru's wisdom.

19. Appearing good, religious and nicely dressed people are not necessarily the good ones, most of them are not. They are the most dangerous ones who quote religious code of conducts; scriptures while speaking and have no idea what they are talking about. Without love and remembrance with the truth, they are just ruining the environment around.

20. The ones who are really imbued with remembrance of truth and love (very rare, but I have seen a few here in palatine, and they don’t appear "Sikh") don't have to tell anything to anybody. They still can be recognized as pure ones even in a large bunch of hypocrites (seen at large number usually).

21. singing (keertan, gaana) doesn't really mean to sing something. Being a part of a melody of the truth happening around is singing too.

22. Pauree 24 is about the state when one just chants "har har", "ram ram" or "waheguru". Also talks about the language which is not satgur, or the anti-way of guru. The people who sings, reads and discuss non-satgur language, becomes weak even though they chant "waheguru" everyday.

23. through guru's wisdom, anybody and everybody has opportunity to break the falsehood around and to acknowledge "the state of being merged already"...

24. That state of acknowledging and being part of the system, leaving aside "me-my" is merging with Waheguru, and that state is "Anand".

Forgive me for any misinterpretation of Guru's message. I just wanted to share my understanding of this baani with you guys, so that we all can discuss individual understandings and ponder over it collectively.

Amrit Vela on moon? Only once a month?

Last friday 27th June 2008, we discussed 6th Pauree of Maajh ki Vaar, in which there was a mention of special techniques, auspicious Dates and times to do special tasks/ prayers etc people do to recite LORD's name. As usual, I raised a query that the usual conception of "Meditating and sitting before dawn and chanting GOD's physical(?) name" would also be called under the same technique, and doing special task at special time??

You would have got the word by now "Amrit Vela"

We were a group of 6-7, and later discussed this at Dunkin Donuts, our usual hangout place after Friday Youth Deewan, and these words came out through a friend inadvertently, and emphasized on its importance.
Now, the thing is like everybody has a different perspective of a word, and we cannot impose our opinion to others, but still we can learn better in a group.

For a different perspective, let us see that generally for everybody 10 + 10 = 20, but if somebody, say person "X" starts saying 10 + 10 = 100, we would say either "X" doesn't know math or is an idiot... But... what if "X" knows a different Math called Binary calculations, in which 10 means 2, and 100 means 4!! So, as per general Math, 2+2=4, which is true! For my personal preference, I like Binary, as it doesn't have gray areas, and only has YES (1) or NO (0)!
Guru Sahib taught us to be aware everytime, and try to see what other is saying. This could be a possibility that whatever is prevailing could be another illusion?

Ok, let us come to the topic again...

I went through Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha's mahankosh (punjabi dictionary) and Prof. Sahib Singh's writings, and they too mentions that Amrit Vela means

1. The time of the clock before sunrise
2. The time of freedom

Now, I personally like the latter, but the prevailing meaning is the prior one...

I searched for "Amrit Vela" in Guru Granth Sahib, and found only 3 shabads (please correct if I am wrong):

1. Amrit Vela, Sach Naao, Vadeyai Veechar (Pg.2) <http://www.gurugranthdarpan.com/darpan2/0002.html> Here it means the time of full blossom, the time of enlightenment

2. Amrit Velae Vatay Har Bhagti, Har Liv Laayi (Pg 734) <http://www.gurugranthdarpan.com/darpan2/0734.html> Here, in the meanings, he meant "the ealry time of spiritual life"

3. Babiha Amrit Velae boleya <http://www.gurugranthdarpan.com/darpan2/1285.html> Here Prof Sahib means the dawn, but I know that BrainFever bird or Babiha, shrieks all day and night before monsoon.

More, by Shaikh Fareed ji "http://www.gurugranthdarpan.com/darpan2/1383.html"Fareeda, pichhal raat na jaageyoh, jeevadro muyeoh"
Could this mean the dawn of the life, instead of usual day's dawn??

Since, I am trying to look at every angle and then finding the Truth, so that it cannot be shaken from any angle, let us go in Science now...

Usual meaning of Amrit Vela is dependent on Sun, and earth's rotation around sun, so that wherever sun-rises, the usual day-timers can do their tasks. This theory doesn't satisfy Night-time workers, say 8pm-6am workers. A truck driver cannot stop his truck on highway to do NAAM SIMRAN for 45mins at 2:45am, because 4am the sun will rise??This theory also doesn't satisfy the Astronauts! They would be looking at sun all the time for few days!!

The moon's rotation is such that it doesn't look like rotating at all, as we always see same side of moon towards earth. This is because the speed of moon's orbit and revolution is same! Now, when the astronauts (or future earthlings) settle down on moon, which time would they follow? Earth's or Moon's?? If they follow Moon's, the amrit vela will come once a Lunar month.
What will you do??

This theory is breaking up at Science, social living, spiritual love etc...

TRUTH never breaks...

I never say that I know what is Amrit Vela, but I am definitely convinced that prevailing meaning of Amrit Vela is not what it means!!

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh!

Guru value just in Granth or in Laptop too?

I was reading a forum and there, an innocent learner, I will call her X, had put a query:

"dear sangat ji IS THIS POSSIBLE FOR SIKH TO FOLLOW ANY OTHER RELIGION?
specially for baptized person because when we take amrit and become baptized
then our 5 parents means 5 pyarey says you will have to bow your head in
front of guru granth sahib whatever problems come in front of you like we read
in shri sukhmani sahib ji AAP ADOL NA KABH HU DOLAI [ HE IS STEADY
AND NEVER WAVERS]but sometimes we are in a dillemma that what to do or not means
if we follow other religion that means we are not sikh because sikh should
always believe in MOOL MANTAR we cant do other puja like stuff but our guru
nanak dev ji was also hindu can anyone tell me who was guru nanak dev ji's guru?
guru nanak dev ji worshipped to whom? if he was also hindu then why sikh cant do
puja and mantar like shivji , kali "

Such an innocent query, as what to do when we don't feel confident enough about our worship... :)

X asked who was Guru Nanak ji's Guru. Well, if we go back, it says that 1st Guru was born in a Hindu Family, rather a Khatri Family who had a very good standard of living, but had lower status than Brahmans. He also used to think and question his elders as why this status issue is there when everybody seem equal? Nobody could give proper answer! He questioned with Pandits and Maulavis (Muslim Teachers). They all said, it is written in the books, such as Vedas, Simritees, Quran etc.
But, as a child genius, Guru ji was never satisfied with these answers as those were all theoretical answers, and none had actually experienced GOD and HIS system!
After further experiences, he realized that all the system in this Universe is under some spell, some system, some mechanism... If we imagine ants and their colony, just think when we just put a bucket of water over them, they all die, their colony gets damaged and nothing remains! Now, imagine this scene with Tsunami! :)
The magnitude gets larger or smaller for us, but for the Architect who created this system, Karta Purakh, it is same!
Regarding Guru of Guru Nanak Sahib, Shabad or Gyan or Knowledge of Truth is the actual Teacher or Guru, the knowledge which cleanses the thoughts... The disciple or sikh or chela is our intellect or conscience! That is why we call Guru Granth Sahib as Guru, as after reading and understanding, the thoughts gets cleared and we actually see the filth of our mind!
Guru Sahib rejected the Idol worship, as it was kind of disgrace to the magnonimity of Akal Purakh!
Unknowingly, we all are still doing the same. Instead of finding Shabad Guru inside Guru Granth Sahib, we all are worshipping Guru Granth Sahib as a body, while it is the composition of the Shabad which is the actual Guru, as it shows that we are in darkness and the light is somewhere else. When we don't see light, we cannot walk towards the light, that means, when we couldn't recognize the Guru, we cannot become Gurmukh, or have face towards Guru, or ultimately the face of the Guru!
At times, we forget that SGGS in a PDF version has same Guru value as the one binded in paper. We take utmost care and respect of Guru Granth Sahib ji, cover with expensive rumalas, chaur etc, but the same Guru resides in our Laptops and we don't care if we are touching the Laptop with unwashed hands!
The point here is not to start washing hands before using Laptop just because it has SGGS's version in it, but to understand the concept of Shabad Guru or the Guru who is without any form or without any limitations of mediums!
The problem is, we need a short-cut, everywhere, anywhere! So we think that worshipping the Guru (GRANTH) will make us realize the TRUTH, while when we realize the Truth, we would not worship, we would sacrifice ourselves to the GURU automatically...

"Guru Poora Melaave mera Preetam, Hau Vaar Vaar aapne Guru kau Jaasa"

Jagjinder Singh

Sikhs and Meat

Those who would read this, please read this as without any bias towards anything. This is not to tell or force anybody to eat what and what not.

Gurbani rejects suppression, be of any kind!

I am a Vegetarian, by choice.

I have never eaten meat etc, so I don't know its taste and hence no craving as well. What I eat is purely my choice and others should not have any objection or amusing feeling about one's taste. I don't like onion in Daal, but like it raw on Chhole Bhatoore. It is a question of personal choice.

Those who eat meat, endorse from Gurbani, say that there is nothing wrong in eating meat. I agree with those who say that for survival, one can eat whatever the body needs, but if this is just to negate those who say that meat-eating is bad, and then they ask others to eat meat, I would not tolerate them!

Some say, "Show me where it is written in SGGS that one should not eat meat?", can anybody tell them that SGGS also doesn't say about keeping the Hair.

SGGS is GURU, not a to-do and don't-do book!

Those who tell people different stories that Gurus ate meat etc etc, are also too much engaged in discussing the topic. If they are justifying themselves, then they are not correct. But if they say that Gurbani doesn't care, then I would support them!

The most amusing ones are those who eat mutton and chicken but doesn't eat beef, as they believe that the cow is a holy animal! I just laugh! If you are killing an animal, why are you differentiating whether it is a holy or not?

Why a Cow is holy? Because it gives milk? So does Goat, and a camel, and nearly every mammal!!

But...

I have found that those who do not eat meat, tend to think that they are better than those who eat meat, and claim to have it endorsed by Gurbani. They give numerous examples from Kabir ji, but just take one line and doesn't take the MORAL from the SALOK or Sabad.

And those who say that eating meat is bad, but drinking milk is okay, I laugh! Milk contains far more living cells than an egg, and milk is a direct skin protein that comes from the udder, while egg has its layer on, and not a direct protein to be consumed. It has to be broken and then only it can be consumed.

We are eating eggs all the time! Be it hen's, duck's, fly's, mosquitos', or just plain dead larvae in rice!!

Guru Nanak Sahib says, the one who is fighting about the meat is a fool as he is too much indulged in shunning away those who just consider it a food! Guru ji says, the fool does not have any knowledge and he just cannot differentiate what is meat and what is not!!

Guru says, that the main source of living is water, and through water, every kind of living beings are born, hence one should not drink water as well???

It is the water which has so many micro organisms and the first form of life was blue-green algae, a bacteria.

From blue-green algae, and decaying vegetation, amoeba formed, and it still forms! Slowly life formed in water, and it was a long time later that life came on earth when fish developed foot and had lungs instead of gills!

The evolution occured, and it is still occuring! The AKAL PURAKH is always happening, always changing and still constant!!

In the end, I found out that those who eat meat and are very nice human beings, are a lot better than those who don't eat meat but always ready to quarrel!

What is the conclusion?

We have to identify the SIN, the Paap... and the wisdom that comes from Guru's intellect will cleanse the thoughts!!

My first Ski

Man!! This was awesome experience!! It was so much fun! Ofcourse, falling a zillion times!!



Here is one of my and my friends' ski stunts!! LOL!!