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 311-313, Gauri Ki Vaar M: 4, Pauris 20 -23.   Note: Most of the Baani (compositions) in Sri Guru Granth Sahib is in 31 Ragas or Indian musical meters. However, in the Indian system, there are offshoots of each Raga which are called their Raaginis or wives and Putr or sons. In Sri […]

Ardas means a formal prayer, supplication or humble request. It is derived from the Persian word ‘Arzdaasht’ meaning a petition. It is human nature to pray when one needs help say for wealth, children, personal affairs, health for peace and so on. How nice would it be if things get done on their own and […]

SGGS 309-311, Gauri Ki Vaar M: 4, Paurris 16-19.   ਸਲੋਕ ਮ: ੪ ॥   ਜੋ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਕਰੇ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪੂਰੇ ਕੀ ਸੁ ਅਉਖਾ ਜਗ ਮਹਿ ਹੋਇਆ ॥  ਨਰਕ ਘੋਰੁ ਦੁਖ ਖੂਹੁ ਹੈ ਓਥੈ ਪਕੜਿ ਓਹੁ ਢੋਇਆ ॥ Salok mėhlā 4.   Jo ninḏā kare saṯgur pūre kī so a▫ukẖā jag mėh ho▫i▫ā.  Narak gẖor ḏukẖ kẖūhu hai othai pakaṛ oh dẖo▫i▫ā.   Slok of the fourth Guru. (Jo) one who (ninda karey) slanders (poorey) the perfect guru, (s-u) that person (hoia = happens) faces (aukha = difficult) hard times (mah-i) […]

SGGS pp 306-309   ਸਲੋਕ ਮ: ੪ ॥ ਅੰਤਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਰੂ ਧਿਆਇਦਾ ਵਡੀ ਵਡਿਆਈ ॥ Salok mėhlā 4. Anṯar har gurū ḏẖi▫ā▫iḏā vadī vadi▫ā▫ī.   Prologue of the fourth Guru. (Vaddi) the great (vadiaa-i) virtue and glory of the third Guru, Amar Das, is because that he (dhiaaida) remembers (har-i) the Almighty (antar) within and  obeys.   Page 307   ਤੁਸਿ ਦਿਤੀ ਪੂਰੈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੂ ਘਟੈ ਨਾਹੀ ਇਕੁ ਤਿਲੁ ਕਿਸੈ ਦੀ ਘਟਾਈ ॥ Ŧus ḏiṯī pūrai saṯgurū gẖatai nāhī ik ṯil kisai ḏī gẖatā▫ī. The Almighty […]

SGGS pp 304-306, Gaurri Ki Vaar M: 4, Paurris 10-12.   ਸਲੋਕ ਮ: ੪ ॥   ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਨਿਰਮਲੀ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਜਨੁ ਹੋਇ ਸੁ ਸੇਵਾ ਘਾਲੇ ॥  ਜਿਨ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਕਪਟੁ ਵਿਕਾਰੁ ਝੂਠੁ ਓਇ ਆਪੇ ਸਚੈ ਵਖਿ ਕਢੇ ਜਜਮਾਲੇ ॥ Salok mėhlā 4.   Saṯgur kī sevā nirmalī nirmal jan ho▫e so sevā gẖāle.  Jin anḏar kapat vikār jẖūṯẖ o▫e āpe sacẖai vakẖ kadẖe jajmāle.   Slok of the fourth Guru. (Seyva) service/obedience (ki) of the guru is (nirmali = pure) virtuous; only (jan-u) a person who (hoey) is (nirmal) clean/truthful […]

SGGS pp 302-304, Gauri Ki Vaar, M: 4, Paurris 7-9.   ਸਲੋਕ ਮ: ੪ ॥   ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਧਰਤੀ ਧਰਮ ਹੈ ਤਿਸੁ ਵਿਚਿ ਜੇਹਾ ਕੋ ਬੀਜੇ ਤੇਹਾ ਫਲੁ ਪਾਏ ॥ Salok mėhlā 4   Saṯgur ḏẖarṯī ḏẖaram hai ṯis vicẖ jehā ko bīje ṯehā fal pā▫e   (Slok) prologue of the fourth Guru (Sat guru) the true guru is (dharti) the soil of (dharam) natural law in which (jeyha) whatever (ko) someone (beejey) sows (teyha) so (paaey = receives,  phal = fruit) […]

JAPJI– A JOURNEY TO DIVINE GRACE Japji is the first composition in the Sikh Holy Scripture, Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS) whose contents are referred to as Gurbani meaning the Guru’s word. The Sikh s treat this scripture as the eternal living guru. One theme that runs throughout is Divine grace. Japji is a composition […]

SGGS pp 300-302, Gauri Ki Vaar, M: 4, Paurris 1-6.   ਗਉੜੀ ਕੀ ਵਾਰ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ॥ Ga▫oṛī kī vār mėhlā 4.   (Vaar) composition of (pauris) stanzas by the fourth Guru in Raga Gauri.   Note: The following composition is called ਵਾਰ (Vaar). A Vaar is a ballad composed in praise of someone like a warrior. Gurbani uses such compositions to praise […]

SGGS pp 298-300, Gaurri Thiti M: 5, Paurris 10-17.     ਸਲੋਕੁ ॥ ਦਸ ਦਿਸ ਖੋਜਤ ਮੈ ਫਿਰਿਓ ਜਤ ਦੇਖਉ ਤਤ ਸੋਇ ॥ ਮਨੁ ਬਸਿ ਆਵੈ ਨਾਨਕਾ ਜੇ ਪੂਰਨ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਹੋਇ ॥੧੦॥ Salok. Ḏas ḏis kẖojaṯ mai firi▫o jaṯ ḏekẖ▫a▫u ṯaṯ so▫e. Man bas āvai nānkā je pūran kirpā ho▫e. ||10||   (Slok) prologue. (Mai) I (phirio) wandered in (dah) ten (dis) directions – four sides, four corners, above and below – i.e. all over looking for God, and found (jat) wherever (deykhau) I […]

SGGS pp 296-298, Thiti Gaurri M: 5, Paurris 1-9.   Note: The expression Thiti refers to days of the lunar cycle. There are two phases of the moon – waxing/increasing and waning/decreasing of illumination of the moon – each of fourteen days starting with Ekam or first. Distinction between the two is made by the […]

SGGS pp 295-296, Gaurri Sukhmani Asttpadee 24   ਸਲੋਕੁ ॥ ਪੂਰਾ ਪ੍ਰਭੁ ਆਰਾਧਿਆ ਪੂਰਾ ਜਾ ਕਾ ਨਾਉ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਪੂਰਾ ਪਾਇਆ ਪੂਰੇ ਕੇ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਉ ॥੧॥ Salok Pūrā parabẖ ārāḏẖi▫ā pūrā jā kā nā▫o Nānak pūrā pā▫i▫ā pūre ke gun gā▫o ||1||   (Slok) prologue One who (aaraadhia) invokes (poora) the perfect (prabh-u) Almighty (ja ka) whose (naau) Naam/commands are (poora = perfect) inviolable.   (= omnipotent Master) the Almighty, (ja ka) whose (naau, naam) virtues are (poora) complete […]

Maaia is an all encompassing phenomenon in the mortal world. The third Guru defines Maaia thus: ਮਾਇਆ ਕਿਸ ਨੋ ਆਖੀਐ ਕਿਆ ਮਾਇਆ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਇ ॥ ਦੁਖਿ ਸੁਖਿ ਏਹੁ ਜੀਉ ਬਧੁ ਹੈ ਹਉਮੈ ਕਰਮ ਕਮਾਇ ॥ ਬਿਨੁ ਸਬਦੈ ਭਰਮੁ ਨ ਚੂਕਈ ਨਾ ਵਿਚਹੁ ਹਉਮੈ ਜਾਇ ॥੬॥ What is Maya and how do we act under its […]

Naam is fundamental to the Sikh faith. It has been used in Sri Guru Granth Sahib or Gurbani innumerable times The scripture uses it in the beginning of Mool Mantar as Sat Naam and in the last Tuk “Nanak naam mile ta jiva tann mann theevai haria” before Ragmala. So SGGS starts and ends with […]

SGGS pp 293-295, Gaurri Sukhmani Asttpadee 23   Note: One of the themes in Gurbani is enlightenment of the mind or inner-self. The Creator is present but one cannot find it within because of what has been called “koorrai paal” or wall of false-hoods in Pauri 1 of Japji Sahib. Elsewhere this has been explained […]

SGGS pp 292-293, Gaurri Sukhmani Asttpadee 22.   Note: This twenty second Asttpadi and its preceding Slok emphasize the Omnipresent and Omnipotent virtues of the Creator who is the protector of all.   ਸਲੋਕੁ ॥ ਜੀਅ ਜੰਤ ਕੇ ਠਾਕੁਰਾ ਆਪੇ ਵਰਤਣਹਾਰ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਏਕੋ ਪਸਰਿਆ ਦੂਜਾ ਕਹ ਦ੍ਰਿਸਟਾਰ ॥੧॥ Salok Jī▫a janṯ ke ṯẖākurā āpe varṯanhār Nānak eko pasri▫ā ḏūjā kah ḏaristār ||1||   (Slok) prologue. O (thaakura) Master of (jeea) the creatures, (jant) Your instruments […]

SGGS pp 290-292, Gaurri Sukhmani M: 5, Asttpadee 21.   Note: This Asttpadee seems to describe the process of creation. It is based on the understanding that it first takes the subtle/attribute-less form of God before creating the universe, and taking the latter as the gross form, of the Formless Creator. However, an analytical study […]

SGGS pp 289-290, Gaurri Sukhmani Asttpadee 20   Note: This twentieth Astttpadi of Sukhmani Sahib together with its preceding Slok describes the state of satisfaction of a person. S/he having searched for means of happiness realizes that real and lasting happiness lies in being able to live free of wrongdoings, and thus have no apprehensions. […]

SGGS pp 288-289, Gaurri Sukhmani Asttpadee 19.   ਸਲੋਕੁ ॥ ਸਾਥਿ ਨ ਚਾਲੈ ਬਿਨੁ ਭਜਨ ਬਿਖਿਆ ਸਗਲੀ ਛਾਰੁ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਮਾਵਨਾ ਨਾਨਕ ਇਹੁ ਧਨੁ ਸਾਰੁ ॥੧॥ Salok. Sāth na cẖālai bin bẖajan bikẖi▫ā saglī cẖẖār. Har har nām kamāvanā Nānak ih ḏẖan sār. ||1||   (Slok) prologue. Nothing (bin-u) except (bhajan) remembering/conforming to Divine virtues (chaalai) go (saath-i) with the soul on death, i.e. to be of help in the hereafter; (bikhia = poison) wealth and […]

  Advancement of science and education in the last five or six centuries threw up many scientific theories which could be verified but the Church would have none of those as they are not verifiable from Biblical texts. A striking example of this was Copernicus (1473 -1543) formulating the theory that the sun and not […]

Gurbani and Nature   Gurbani, the guru’s word as contained in Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy scripture is meant for the learned and the common folks alike. Keeping in view the latter it makes extensive use of allegories and metaphors to convey the spiritual message. They are in the form of using physical/natural […]


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