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BY ATMA SINGH :
MR SINGH is a contender for the Mayor of London 2012
Policy Adviser to the Mayor of London on Asian Affairs at Greater London Authority
National Training Officer at Sia national development agency
Senior Human Resource Development Consultant at London Borough of Hackney
Lecturer II at West Yorkshire Language Link .
Expertise in government relations and public policy with focus on progressive governance and strategic positioning in Asian Affairs
Guru Gobind Singh's verse on nationalism and religion.
Today religions have become associated with nationalistic enmity. I wanted to post this Verse for Vaisakhi (Sikh religious festival as well as an Indian religious festival) as a reminder against narrow religious nationalism.
My view on Guru Gobind Singh's philosophy is its universalism is its essence. All human beings with their rich differences are part of the one human race.
I have instinctively believed this all my life thanks to Guru Gobind Singh instilling this philosophy in me through his verses and those in the Guru Granth Sahib. I wanted to post this verse below, which backs up my belief with the true Guru's clarity,music and poetry.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji was the tenth Guru of the Sikh. His philosophical essence did not differ from Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism.
His famous statement on "the oneness of humanity" has to be interpreted in a non-sectarian way.
He was no Punjabi nationalist ( Khuswant Singh's view in A History of the Sikhs) or Indian nationalist (Daulat Rai's view in 'Sahibe Kamal: Guru Gobind Singh and even Mahatma Gandhi's when he called Guru Gobind Singh and others "misguided patriots").
He was logically an internationalist (universalist is a slightly better term). Religious or other forms of sectarianism (such as nationalism, regionalism, continentalism, race, language, ethnic xenophobia) is contrary to God, according to the logic of the Guru.
All religions are pathways to the same God. (e.g. Gur Gur Eko Ves Anek - God is same One, but has different forms). All human religious experience is part of the yearning to conquer life on a spiritual plane to satisfy our One God.
So a very happy Easter, a very Happy Passover and a very Happy St Georges Day. May humanity and kindness mark all these festivals.
Here is the part, which shows that Guru Gobind Singh did not believe in any form of nationalism or even anti-Eastern or anti-Western views (The translation is not mine, but of the website authors - first in Hindi and then in English from its Punjabi script - from which it has been taken, but it does capture the essence of Guru Gobind Singh's message):
"ਪੂਰਬੀ ਨ ਪਾਰ ਪਾਵੈਂ ਹਿੰਗੁਲਾ ਹਿਮਾਲੈ ਧਿਆਵੈਂ ਗੋਰਿ ਗਰਦੇਜੀ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਵੈਂ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਹੈਂ ॥
पूरबी न पार पावैं हिंगुला हिमालै धिआवैं गोरि गरदेजी गुन गावैं तेरे नाम हैं ॥
The inhabitants of the east could not know Thy end, the people of Hingala and Himalaya mountains remember Thee, residents of Gor and Gardez sing he Praises of Thy Name.
ਜੋਗੀ ਜੋਗ ਸਾਧੈ ਪਉਨ ਸਾਧਨਾ ਕਿਤੇਕ ਬਾਧੈ ਆਰਬ ਕੇ ਆਰਬੀ ਅਰਾਧੈਂ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਹੈਂ ॥
जोगी जोग साधै पउन साधना कितेक बाधै आरब के आरबी अराधैं तेरे नाम हैं ॥
The Yogis perform Yoga, many are absorbed in doing Pranayama and residents of Arabia remember Thy Name.
ਫਰਾ ਕੇ ਫਿਰੰਗੀ ਮਾਨੈਂ ਕੰਧਾਰੀ ਕੁਰੈਸੀ ਜਾਨੈਂ ਪਛਮ ਕੇ ਪੱਛਮੀ ਪਛਾਨੈਂ ਨਿਜ ਕਾਮ ਹੈਂ ॥
फरा के फिरंगी मानैं कंधारी कुरैसी जानैं पछम के प्छमी पछानैं निज काम हैं ॥
The people of France and England revere Thee, the inhabitants of Kandhaar and Quraishis know Thee; the people of western side recognize their duty towards Thee.
ਮਰਹਟਾ ਮਘੇਲੇ ਤੇਰੀ ਮਨ ਸੋਂ ਤਪਸਿਆ ਕਰੈ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਵੈ ਤਿਲੰਗੀ ਪਹਚਾਨੈ ਧਰਮ ਧਾਮ ਹੈਂ ॥੨॥੨੫੪॥
मरहटा मघेले तेरी मन सों तपसिआ करै द्रिड़वै तिलंगी पहचानै धरम धाम हैं ॥२॥२५४॥
The inhabitants of Maharashtra and Magadha perform austerities with profound affection; the residents of Drawar and Tilang countries recognise Thee as the Abode of Dharma.2.254
ਬੰਗ ਕੇ ਬੰਗਾਲੀ ਫਿਰਹੰਗ ਕੇ ਫਿਰੰਗਾਵਾਲੀ ਦਿਲੀ ਕੇ ਦਿਲਵਾਲੀ ਤੇਰੀ ਆਗਿਆ ਮੈ ਚਲਤ ਹੈਂ ॥
बंग के बंगाली फिरहंग के फिरंगावाली दिली के दिलवाली तेरी आगिआ मै चलत हैं ॥
The Bengalis of Bengal, the Phirangis of Phirangistan and Dilwalis of Delhi are the followers of Thy Command.
ਰੋਹ ਕੇ ਰੁਹੇਲੇ ਮਾਘ ਦੇਸ ਕੇ ਮਘੇਲੇ ਬੀਰ ਬੰਗ ਸੀ ਬੁੰਦੇਲੇ ਪਾਪ ਪੁੰਜ ਕੋ ਮਲਤ ਹੈਂ ॥
रोह के रुहेले माघ देस के मघेले बीर बंग सी बुंदेले पाप पुंज को मलत हैं ॥
The Rohelas of Rohu mountain, the Maghelas of Magadha, the heroic Bangasis of Bangas and the Bundhelas of Bundhelkhand destroy their sins in Thy devotion.
ਗੋਖਾ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਵੈ ਚੀਨ ਮਚੀਨ ਕੇ ਸੀਸ ਨਯਾਵੈ ਤਿੱਬਤੀ ਧਿਆਇ ਦੋਖ ਦੇਹ ਕੋ ਦਲਤ ਹੈਂ ॥ गोखा गुन गावै चीन मचीन के सीस नयावै ति्बती धिआइ दोख देह को दलत हैं ॥ Gurkhas sing The Praises, the residents of China and Manchuria bow their heads before Thee and the Tibetans destroy the sufferings of their bodies by remembering Thee"
http://www.sridasam.org/dasam?Action=Page&p=89&english=t&id=66502
above are the translations of the paragraphs written in punjabi.
MR ATMA SINGH has promised to share his work with DFI and also write something special for us. we are very thankful for this kind gesture of his.
MR SINGH is a contender for the Mayor of London 2012
Policy Adviser to the Mayor of London on Asian Affairs at Greater London Authority
National Training Officer at Sia national development agency
Senior Human Resource Development Consultant at London Borough of Hackney
Lecturer II at West Yorkshire Language Link .
Expertise in government relations and public policy with focus on progressive governance and strategic positioning in Asian Affairs
Guru Gobind Singh's verse on nationalism and religion.
Today religions have become associated with nationalistic enmity. I wanted to post this Verse for Vaisakhi (Sikh religious festival as well as an Indian religious festival) as a reminder against narrow religious nationalism.
My view on Guru Gobind Singh's philosophy is its universalism is its essence. All human beings with their rich differences are part of the one human race.
I have instinctively believed this all my life thanks to Guru Gobind Singh instilling this philosophy in me through his verses and those in the Guru Granth Sahib. I wanted to post this verse below, which backs up my belief with the true Guru's clarity,music and poetry.
Guru Gobind Singh Ji was the tenth Guru of the Sikh. His philosophical essence did not differ from Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the founder of Sikhism.
His famous statement on "the oneness of humanity" has to be interpreted in a non-sectarian way.
He was no Punjabi nationalist ( Khuswant Singh's view in A History of the Sikhs) or Indian nationalist (Daulat Rai's view in 'Sahibe Kamal: Guru Gobind Singh and even Mahatma Gandhi's when he called Guru Gobind Singh and others "misguided patriots").
He was logically an internationalist (universalist is a slightly better term). Religious or other forms of sectarianism (such as nationalism, regionalism, continentalism, race, language, ethnic xenophobia) is contrary to God, according to the logic of the Guru.
All religions are pathways to the same God. (e.g. Gur Gur Eko Ves Anek - God is same One, but has different forms). All human religious experience is part of the yearning to conquer life on a spiritual plane to satisfy our One God.
So a very happy Easter, a very Happy Passover and a very Happy St Georges Day. May humanity and kindness mark all these festivals.
Here is the part, which shows that Guru Gobind Singh did not believe in any form of nationalism or even anti-Eastern or anti-Western views (The translation is not mine, but of the website authors - first in Hindi and then in English from its Punjabi script - from which it has been taken, but it does capture the essence of Guru Gobind Singh's message):
"ਪੂਰਬੀ ਨ ਪਾਰ ਪਾਵੈਂ ਹਿੰਗੁਲਾ ਹਿਮਾਲੈ ਧਿਆਵੈਂ ਗੋਰਿ ਗਰਦੇਜੀ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਵੈਂ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਹੈਂ ॥
पूरबी न पार पावैं हिंगुला हिमालै धिआवैं गोरि गरदेजी गुन गावैं तेरे नाम हैं ॥
The inhabitants of the east could not know Thy end, the people of Hingala and Himalaya mountains remember Thee, residents of Gor and Gardez sing he Praises of Thy Name.
ਜੋਗੀ ਜੋਗ ਸਾਧੈ ਪਉਨ ਸਾਧਨਾ ਕਿਤੇਕ ਬਾਧੈ ਆਰਬ ਕੇ ਆਰਬੀ ਅਰਾਧੈਂ ਤੇਰੇ ਨਾਮ ਹੈਂ ॥
जोगी जोग साधै पउन साधना कितेक बाधै आरब के आरबी अराधैं तेरे नाम हैं ॥
The Yogis perform Yoga, many are absorbed in doing Pranayama and residents of Arabia remember Thy Name.
ਫਰਾ ਕੇ ਫਿਰੰਗੀ ਮਾਨੈਂ ਕੰਧਾਰੀ ਕੁਰੈਸੀ ਜਾਨੈਂ ਪਛਮ ਕੇ ਪੱਛਮੀ ਪਛਾਨੈਂ ਨਿਜ ਕਾਮ ਹੈਂ ॥
फरा के फिरंगी मानैं कंधारी कुरैसी जानैं पछम के प्छमी पछानैं निज काम हैं ॥
The people of France and England revere Thee, the inhabitants of Kandhaar and Quraishis know Thee; the people of western side recognize their duty towards Thee.
ਮਰਹਟਾ ਮਘੇਲੇ ਤੇਰੀ ਮਨ ਸੋਂ ਤਪਸਿਆ ਕਰੈ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਵੈ ਤਿਲੰਗੀ ਪਹਚਾਨੈ ਧਰਮ ਧਾਮ ਹੈਂ ॥੨॥੨੫੪॥
मरहटा मघेले तेरी मन सों तपसिआ करै द्रिड़वै तिलंगी पहचानै धरम धाम हैं ॥२॥२५४॥
The inhabitants of Maharashtra and Magadha perform austerities with profound affection; the residents of Drawar and Tilang countries recognise Thee as the Abode of Dharma.2.254
ਬੰਗ ਕੇ ਬੰਗਾਲੀ ਫਿਰਹੰਗ ਕੇ ਫਿਰੰਗਾਵਾਲੀ ਦਿਲੀ ਕੇ ਦਿਲਵਾਲੀ ਤੇਰੀ ਆਗਿਆ ਮੈ ਚਲਤ ਹੈਂ ॥
बंग के बंगाली फिरहंग के फिरंगावाली दिली के दिलवाली तेरी आगिआ मै चलत हैं ॥
The Bengalis of Bengal, the Phirangis of Phirangistan and Dilwalis of Delhi are the followers of Thy Command.
ਰੋਹ ਕੇ ਰੁਹੇਲੇ ਮਾਘ ਦੇਸ ਕੇ ਮਘੇਲੇ ਬੀਰ ਬੰਗ ਸੀ ਬੁੰਦੇਲੇ ਪਾਪ ਪੁੰਜ ਕੋ ਮਲਤ ਹੈਂ ॥
रोह के रुहेले माघ देस के मघेले बीर बंग सी बुंदेले पाप पुंज को मलत हैं ॥
The Rohelas of Rohu mountain, the Maghelas of Magadha, the heroic Bangasis of Bangas and the Bundhelas of Bundhelkhand destroy their sins in Thy devotion.
ਗੋਖਾ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਵੈ ਚੀਨ ਮਚੀਨ ਕੇ ਸੀਸ ਨਯਾਵੈ ਤਿੱਬਤੀ ਧਿਆਇ ਦੋਖ ਦੇਹ ਕੋ ਦਲਤ ਹੈਂ ॥ गोखा गुन गावै चीन मचीन के सीस नयावै ति्बती धिआइ दोख देह को दलत हैं ॥ Gurkhas sing The Praises, the residents of China and Manchuria bow their heads before Thee and the Tibetans destroy the sufferings of their bodies by remembering Thee"
http://www.sridasam.org/dasam?Action=Page&p=89&english=t&id=66502
above are the translations of the paragraphs written in punjabi.
MR ATMA SINGH has promised to share his work with DFI and also write something special for us. we are very thankful for this kind gesture of his.
