Rawel Singh

Rawel Singh I am a Sikh writer currently based in the United States. My interests include the exegesis of the Guru Granth Sahib, along with the comparative study of the Qur'an, Hebrew Bible, New Testament and Hindu texts. This blog is intended to engage in a dialogue with wider audience mostly on theological issues.

Congregation

"Sādh Saṅgat" in the Sikh parlance refers to the congregational body of committed human beings who aspire toward the attainment of self-realization while alive through the dual-act of active engagement with the Divine Word (gur śabad) and loving adherence to the long-established traditions (rahat maryādā) of the Panth.

SGGS pp 487-488, Aasa Dhanaa Ji and Farid Ji.   ਆਸਾ ਬਾਣੀ ਭਗਤ ਧੰਨੇ ਜੀ ਕੀ  ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ Āsā baṇī bẖagaṯ ḏẖanne jī kī  Ik▫oaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ    (Aasa) compositions of (Ji) revered Bhagat Dhanna in Raag Aasa. Invoking the One all-pervasive Creator who may be known with the true guru’s grace.   Note: The Shabad […]

SGGS pp 485-487, Aasa Namdev Ji and Ravidas Ji.   ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ ਆਸਾ ਬਾਣੀ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਜੀ ਕੀ Ikoaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ.  Āsā baṇī sarī nāmḏeo jī kī   Invoking the One all-pervasive Creator who may be known with the true guru’s grace. Compositions of (sri ji) the revered Bhagat Namdev in Raag Aasa.   Note: This Shabad teaches that […]

SGGS pp 483-484, Aasa Kabir Ji, Shabads 28-37.   Note: The Shabad below describes the transformation that is brought about by remembrance of the Almighty.   ਆਸਾ ॥ ਜਉ ਮੈ ਰੂਪ ਕੀਏ ਬਹੁਤੇਰੇ ਅਬ ਫੁਨਿ ਰੂਪੁ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਤਾਗਾ ਤੰਤੁ ਸਾਜੁ ਸਭੁ ਥਾਕਾ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਬਸਿ ਹੋਈ ॥੧॥ Āsā.  Ja▫o mai rūp kī▫e bahuṯere ab […]

  SGGS pp 483-484, Aasa Kabir Ji, Shabads 28-37.   Note: The Shabad below describes the transformation that is brought about by remembrance of the Almighty.   ਆਸਾ ॥ ਜਉ ਮੈ ਰੂਪ ਕੀਏ ਬਹੁਤੇਰੇ ਅਬ ਫੁਨਿ ਰੂਪੁ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥ ਤਾਗਾ ਤੰਤੁ ਸਾਜੁ ਸਭੁ ਥਾਕਾ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਬਸਿ ਹੋਈ ॥੧॥ Āsā.  Ja▫o mai rūp kī▫e bahuṯere […]

SGGS pp 481-482, Aasa Kabir Ji Shabads 20-27.   Note: The message from the Shabad below is that while it is hard to change anyone’s nature. However, one can be transformed by participation in the holy congregation/guru’s company.   ਆਸਾ ॥ ਕਹਾ ਸੁਆਨ ਕਉ ਸਿਮ੍ਰਿਤਿ ਸੁਨਾਏ ॥ ਕਹਾ ਸਾਕਤ ਪਹਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਏ ॥੧॥ Āsā.  Kahā […]

    SGGS pp 479-481, Aasa Kabir Ji, Shabads 14-19.   ਆਸਾ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀਉ ਕੇ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ ੯ ਦੁਤੁਕੇ ੫ Āsā sarī Kabīr jī▫o ke pancẖpaḏe 9 ḏuṯuke 5   Baani of (sri jio) revered Bhagat Kabir in Raga Aasa; 9 compositions (panch-padey) of five stanzas each and 5 (dutukey) stanzas of two verses each.   ੴ […]

SGGS pp 477-479, Aasa Kabir Ji, Shabads 7-13.   Note: Yoga means union. The Yogis try to show connection with the Almighty by physical symbolism. The Shabad below describes how union with the Master may actually be attained.   ਆਸਾ ॥ ਬਟੂਆ ਏਕੁ ਬਹਤਰਿ ਆਧਾਰੀ ਏਕੋ ਜਿਸਹਿ ਦੁਆਰਾ ॥ ਨਵੈ ਖੰਡ ਕੀ ਪ੍ਰਿਥਮੀ ਮਾਗੈ ਸੋ […]

SGGS pp 475-477, Aasa Kabir Ji, Shabads 1-6   ੴ ਸਤਿਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ Ikoaʼnkār saṯnām karṯā purakẖ nirbẖao nirvair akāl mūraṯ ajūnī saibẖaʼn gurparsāḏ.   Invoking the ONE Almighty, (sat-i) with eternal (naam-u) commands/writ; (karta purakh-u) Creator of all universe. (Nirbhau = beyond fear, is not answerable to anyone) being the highest […]

  SGGS pp 474-474, Aas Di Vaar Pauris 22-24 Note: In this twenty second Paurri of Asa Di Vaar, the set of five Sloks or prologues below are on the subject of management. The first teaches how to maintain an amicable employer-employee relationship. This is used as the metaphor for the relationship between the Almighty […]

SGGS pp 473-474, Aasa Di Vaar Pauris 19-21.   ਸਲੋਕੁ ਮ: ੧ ॥ ਪਹਿਲਾ ਸੁਚਾ ਆਪਿ ਹੋਇ ਸੁਚੈ ਬੈਠਾ ਆਇ ॥ ਸੁਚੇ ਅਗੈ ਰਖਿਓਨੁ ਕੋਇ ਨ ਭਿਟਿਓ ਜਾਇ ॥ Salok mėhlā 1 Pahilā sucẖā āp ho▫e sucẖai baiṯẖā ā▫e Sucẖe agai rakẖi▫on ko▫e na bẖiti▫o jā▫e   (Slok M: 1) prologue by the first Guru (Pahila) first the Brahmin (sucha hoey) having purified (aap-i) himself (aaey) comes and (baittha) sits (suchai) at a clean place. The food (na […]

SGGS 471-473, Aasa Di Vaar Pauris 16-18.   Note: The Slok below is about how the Hindus, for fear of the Muslim rulers in India, started following Muslim customs in order to be accepted by them.   ਸਲੋਕ ਮ: ੧ ॥ ਗਊ ਬਿਰਾਹਮਣ ਕਉ ਕਰੁ ਲਾਵਹੁ ਗੋਬਰਿ ਤਰਣੁ ਨ ਜਾਈ ॥ ਧੋਤੀ ਟਿਕਾ ਤੈ ਜਪਮਾਲੀ […]

SGGS pp 470-471, Aasa Di Vaar, Pauris 13-15.   Note: The first line in the Slok below refers to ਮੇਰੁ (meyr-u). The top bead in a rosary is given this name. Different rosaries have different number of beads strung on a thread or cord. However in all of them, both ends of the thread pass through […]

SGGS pp 460-462, Aasa M: 5, Chhants 12-14.    ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥ Āsā mėhlā 5.   Composition of the fifth Guru in Raga Aasa.   ਵੰਞੁ ਮੇਰੇ ਆਲਸਾ ਹਰਿ ਪਾਸਿ ਬੇਨੰਤੀ  ॥  ਰਾਵਉ ਸਹੁ ਆਪਨੜਾ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸੰਗਿ ਸੋਹੰਤੀ ॥ vañ mere ālsā har pās benanṯī.  Rāvao saho āpnaṛā parabẖ sang sohanṯī. behove glory   (Vanjn-u = go) leave, (meyrey) my (aalsa = laziness) indifference, I must (beynanti) make supplication (paas-i = with) […]

SGGS pp 468-470, Aasa Di Vaar Pauris 10-12.   Note: In the first Slok below Guru Nanak talks of relationships in the world-play calling them (koorr = false) transitory – which may break during one’s life-time and certainly on death. Such relationships are real but transitory, so one should maintain, but not get attached, to […]

SGGS pp 466-468, Aasa Di Vaar, Pauris 7-9.   Note: Ego is mostly given a negative connotation of being self-centered and is so also in Gurbani. However ego also has a positive role – that of being creative. So whereas the tendency to be self-centered has to be avoided, ego for development without attachment is […]

SGGS pp 464-466, Aasa Di Vaar Pauris 4-6.   Note: This fourth Paurri of Aasa Di Vaar M: 1 has two Sloks or prologues preceding it. The Sloks state that everything in nature functions, or concepts like Dharam Rai, are according to Divine commands or the cosmic laws. It ends by saying that the Almighty […]

SGGS pp 462-464, Aasa Di Vaar Paurris 1-3   ੴ ਸਤਿਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ Ik▫oaʼnkār saṯnām karṯā purakẖ nirbẖa▫o nirvair akāl mūraṯ ajūnī saibẖaʼn gur parsāḏ. Invoking the ONE Almighty (karta) Creator of all universes, (purakh-u) all-pervasive, (sat-i) with eternal (naam-u) commands/laws; (nirbhau = beyond fear, is not answerable to anyone) being the highest authority does not fear or […]

SGGS pp 458-460   ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ॥ Āsā mėhlā 5.   Composition of the fifth Guru in Raga Aasa.   ਪੁਰਖ ਪਤੇ ਭਗਵਾਨ ਤਾ ਕੀ ਸਰਣਿ ਗਹੀ ॥ਨਿਰਭਉ ਭਏ ਪਰਾਨ ਚਿੰਤਾ ਸਗਲ ਲਹੀ ॥ Purakẖ paṯe bẖagvān ṯā kī saraṇ gahī. Nirbẖa▫o bẖa▫e parān cẖinṯā sagal lahī.   (Purakh) the all-pervasive (bhagvaan) Almighty is (patey/pati) the Master of all; one who (gahi) takes, (saran-i = sanctuary) refuge (ta ki) of […]

SGGS pp 456-458, Aasa M: 5, Chhants 6-8.     In this Shabad, the fifth Guru says it is with good fortune that one makes efforts to remember and obey the Almighty Master. This obviates suffering and brings comfort. One should not neglect this. He motivates people to follow the guru for this.   ਆਸਾ […]

SGGS pp 454-456, Aasa M; 5, Chhants 4 – 5.   ਆਸਾ ਮਹਲਾ ੫ ਛੰਤ ਘਰੁ ੬ Āsā mėhlā 5 cẖẖanṯ gẖar 6 Composition of the fifth Guru in Raga Aasa, (Chhant) song of praise the Almighty, (ghar- 6) to be sung to the sixth beat.   ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ Ik▫oaʼnkār saṯgur parsāḏ.   […]


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