Kids' Corner
Sajjan The Robber:
Living Sikhi, Lesson Twenty-One
by VERONICA SIDHU
SAJJAN THE ROBBER
Lesson Objectives:
1 To understand the power of transformation that Guru Nanak brought from Sach Khand, the Realm of Truth.
2 To understand the transforming power of shabad energy and the Sadh Sangat.
Teachers, ask the students to say the Sikh greeting with you; then fold hands and do simran with the students.
Homework Review: Ask the students to share what message of Guru Nanak they decided to practice. How did it go? Did you find it easy, difficult? Ask the students if they have some ideas they could do together as a group.
Guru Nanak risked having religious leaders and important men angry with him. You will see that he actually risked his life many times. Do you remember why he had such courage? (Pause for answers.)
Read pages 64-68. (Reminder, we are using the series of books, Stories from Sikh History, by Singh & Dhillon, Hemkunt Press.)
Sajjan was not only a robber, he was a murderer. He knew what was good, however, didn't he? How do we know that? (Pause for answers) Right! He was pretending to be good and doing a very good job at it. How did he do that? Right! He had places for Hindus and Muslims to worship, so he must have known about respect for all, no matter what religion. He also must have known that remembering God was important.
He gave travelers a free meal and a place to sleep, so he must have known that sharing with others was good. What was wrong with him? Right! He was greedy. He also had the false idea that taking the travelers' gold was good for him. He thought he deserved it more than they did because he was so clever. He thought gold would make him happy and content.
When Guru Nanak went to visit to Sajjan, Mardana accompanied him. Mardana played the rebab, a stringed musical instrument. Both Guru Nanak and Mardana sat in simran and sang shabads. They did not speak at first. Their minds were focused on God and the Realm of Truth. Can you imagine how powerful the atmosphere became? Sajjan probably began to sing with them, mainly because he could pretend so well to be good. But look what happened!
Because of the powerful energy Guru Nanak and Mardana brought from the Realm of Truth to earth, Sajjan was changing; he was not just pretending to be good, he was becoming really good. He was transformed. The beautiful, peaceful oneness that Guru Nanak and Mardana felt was absorbed effortlessly by Sajjan. In that marvelous state, Sajjan was no longer attached to his greed for gold and his false ideas. He was liberated from all his worldly attachments and was totally free to enter the higher dimensions. In this state he was totally open to God's grace. He was totally happy and content.
This is the reason that we sing shabads together with our minds and hearts focused on God. It is not magic that will liberate us, it is true spiritual science. The shabad energy of the higher dimensions Guru Nanak tells us about in Japji Sahib comes into the earthly dimension and transforms it and us. Those who sing with their minds and hearts focused on God are like radios tuned into the God station. They bring this great, good energy to earth. They are called the Sadh Sangat.
Homework: Join in the Sadh Sangat with all your heart and sing shabads together. Think of the God energy pouring into your body and out through your loving heart, throughout the sangat and out to every heart on the planet.
Shabad: Thaakar Tum Sarnaai Aaya
September 20, 2010