Above: detail from painting of Baba Deep Singh by Kirpal Singh [1923 - 90].
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Kitthey Likhia?
Where Is It Written?
BALDEV SINGH DHALIWAL
Kithhey Likhia? Show me where it is written so!
The question is often asked, referring to Guru Granth Sahib regarding many, often controversial, issues. This question is oft asked by even those who are well versed in gurbani.
And, of course, by many of my very good friends of whom the closest they have come to ‘know’ Guru Granth is when they “mattha tek” in the gurdwara. Even they, when they get excited over an issue, will pose that same question, “Kithhey Likhia?” and, as if to emphasize, repeat it in English: “Where is it written?”
It is as if now that we have access to the supreme guidance of Guru Granth Sahib, all else is to be discarded. No more brain, no more thinking, no more common sense …?
Excuse me for saying so, but I get the impression that Guru Granth is considered by some as a reference book to be used only when you have a question. If you have a query, then dive into Guru Granth for the answer. Or, some say in the same vein, ask Guru Sahib!
Gianis and parcharaks, to authenticate their lectures, will emphasize, “Look, I am saying nothing from myself, everything I say is but from Guru Granth Sahib.”
Others have gurbani quotations handy to prove their point. If one cannot find it in the Guru Granth, it is often claimed, then it is automatically flawed. And the reverse: if one can quote from gurbani, then their point-of-view is automatically authenticated.
They would turn us into the Bible-thumpers who plague the world today. All technology, all human progress, would be declared ‘kuttha’ - unclean.
By implication, therefore, there is no place for any thought based on terminology which is not in Guru Granth, or has no express, explicit mention in it. If that was true, many of the present-day issues of the world would fall in that category. Divorce, Abortion, Homosexuality, Artificial Intelligence …
It would seem that for many life would have been much easier (whether they admit it or not) if the Gurus -- preferably Guru Nanak himself, right at the outset, and in a finality, leaving nothing for the Gurus that followed -- had compiled Guru Granth in the form of 1001 questions … and short, instant, ready-made, spoon-fed answers.
It causes them endless distress to have to look at what the nine Gurus after Nanak, including Guru Gobind Singh, have added to elucidate, elaborate and illustrate the seeds sown by the First Master. The need to think for oneself puts the spanner in the works for those who seek only pablum as nourishment.
Thus, the universality of Sikhi, underlined by the creation of the Khalsa fraternity and its disciplines, needs dots connected to the teachings of the preceding two centuries.
In the same vein, Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s command of “Guru Maanyo Granth” is accepted most readily as a command from the Tenth Master, but any other commands which require vichaar and action, discipline and commitment, dedication and steadfastness, ostensibly prove unfathomable or complicated. Sometimes, it is argued in ignorant desperation, even divergent.
The Sixth Master Guru Hargobind Sahib donned two swords, one of Miri (temporal authority) and the other of Piri (spiritual authority).
Even though Harmandar Sahib was already in existence with Pothi Sahib (the incomplete manuscript which later became Guru Granth) installed in it, he found it necessary to build the Akal Takht. He lived in princely style, held darbar in all its splendour and was called Saccha Paatshah (True Emperor) … to challenge the diktat and tyranny of the oppressing monarch of the day. He wore the kalgi and established a throne (known as The Throne of The Timeless One). He encouraged Sikhs to bear arms and train in martial arts. He regally went hunting with his Sikhs.
All consistent with Guru Nanak’s message of equality, fearlessness, high self-confidence and self-esteem, and of giving no truck to the oppressor.
Later, the Tenth Master Guru Gobind Singh brought the creation of Sikhi’s Renaissance Man to a climax on the Vaisakhi Day of 1699.
Again, in the letter and spirit of Guru Nanak and the Nanaks that followed.
Dr J S Grewal in his book ‘The Sikhs of Punjab‘ writes: “A rigorous analysis of the compositions of Guru Nanak reveals that there was hardly anything in contemporary politics, society or religion that he found commendable”.
Ergo: “A new religious ideology was needed to become the basis of a new social order.”
Above all, the Gurus gave us not only a new social order by rejecting the superstitions and rituals that had brought the subcontinent down on its knees, but gave their Sikhs the gift of language and poetry, of music and mysticism, of strength and compassion, of vichaar and the ability to think for ourselves -- not as a blind, unthinking monolith but as individuals who strived for ’munn neevan, mat ucchi’.
The Gurus have given us the supreme gift of the Living Teacher in Guru Granth Sahib, but have then freed us from the age-old shackles plied by priests, godmen and brokers, and given each one of us the tools of the scholar and the priest, poet and warrior, toiler and nation builder.
The rest is what we make of our inheritance.
September 24, 2016
Conversation about this article
1: Karamjit Kaur (USA), September 25, 2016, 10:19 AM.
"The rest is what we make of our inheritance." Lately most of what I've been reading seems pretentious (yes I know it's judgmental) but while reading this article something resonated. It is not just the preachers and those who utilize gurbani for their own means that need the community's attention but also the organizations that we have that are supposedly serving our interests. Basically deciding what would be good for us and we happily nod our heads, oblige and provide funding because we are satisfied, "whew!" at least something is happening. But we are not considering the waste of resources and assessing as a community how these organizations are in fact serving or not serving the needs and whether they are in alignment with the fundamental principles of Sikhi. For instance, why do we need three organizations doing the same thing namely: Sikh Coalition, Saldef and now National Sikh Campaign. Not sure if there are others. Lately the push has been: "Please accept us, we are just like you, we just look a little different". Do we not need to devote our attention to what's happening at home and within our communities especially Gurudwaras? All I see are the young educated Sikhs looking down their noses at the Gurudwaras and their managements or if they try to make a change and it doesn't quite go as they would like, give up easily because it's frustrating. Solution, just go form another organization, is it really?
2: Ajit Singh Batra (Pennsville, New Jersey, USA), September 26, 2016, 10:34 AM.
Guru Nanak Sahib and succeeding Nine Gurus produced fundamentals of a system of values which leads us to true spirituality and human conduct. It is human conduct that the author is referring to. The right code of human conduct should be how a person behaves towards fellow beings and society. There are times when we have to give up our controlling nature to work towards the greater good.
3: R Singh (Surrey, British Columbia, Canada), September 27, 2016, 4:58 PM.
Where is it written that Sikhs can or cannot eat meat? Guru Granth Sahib, however, does say that only "fools argue over meat ... "
4: Rup Singh (Canada), September 27, 2016, 6:37 PM.
Jo likhia ohi munn lavo.
5: Bhai Harbans Lal (Dallas, Texas, USA), September 28, 2016, 12:54 AM.
“Kitthey Likhia? Show me where it is written so!” is a very powerful tool for the Sikhs to use and then stay united and in chardi kalaa, marching on the path that our Gurus have paved for us. We are fortunate that our founders left their written and signed treasure of eternal truths that do not change with time or with the changing interests of the worldly powers in human history. Gurus wrote the verses in poetry and in metaphors for us to translate in the natural language of every age and in every culture. History, on the other hand, is written usually by the interested parties and by the winners of the day, not necessarily by those who are right-minded or impartial. Developing theology out of history is destructive and may not be consistent with Shabd -- The Word -- being our Guru. The learned author has given many examples where historically derived but unconfirmed events have begun to shape us and our institutions. Saakhis are not histiographies. Institutions based upon saakhis are already succeeding inthe fragmentation of the Panth. If this path is continued to be followed, it will weaken us continuously. I agree with the author that now that we have access to the supreme guidance of Guru Granth Sahib, all else can be ignored or discarded if not consistent with the Guru. No more human brain with baggage of the polluted “munn” (mind), no more thinking with a brain full of animal instincts and under the control of the five 'evils', no more common sense that grew out of millions of bad vibrations. Let us depend on the infallibility of the Guru’s teachings permanently inscribed in the Guru Granth and discourage those who wish us to deviate from the Guru. Let us encourage our youth to ask our granthis and ill prepared parchaaraks, “Kitthey Likhia?"
6: Harpreet Singh (Scotland), October 10, 2016, 10:25 AM.
Quoting Rup Singh: "jo likhia ohi munn lavo!"