by Harnaak Singh       20-Dec-2016

Gur Sikh Jio. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

Abstract

In this article we investigate the EK-panth concept and show that it is a threat to our scriptures and diversity.

There are different levels of the word “panth”.  The highest is that preached in our Gurus teachings.  The next level, is the sub-panths of the Sikh Panth, which have been co-existing productively and proactively in Sikh society for hundreds of years.

This unity in diversity, is being threatened, by the emergence of a single system ideology from North America, which not only threatens this diversity, but our very scriptures including the Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji.

What is a panth?

The word “PANTH” generally means a way, a religious order, essentially a path one follows.  Broadly “panth” in SGGS Ji means those who abide by the teachings of Guru, which are essentially words from God.  The key in these is to overcome the 5 evils or vices and the remembrance of God as well as the acceptance of a unitary God, the creator of the whole creation with the collective power of creating, preserving and destroying.  Similarly in the Dasam Granth (DG), e.g. DG Pana 136 Stanza 29 (searchgurbani.com) the role is to induct people to the righteous path and stop them from evil actions (again the 5 evils refer here). This is the panth of all mankind that follows the righteous path.  In our scriptures the members of this panth, commonly termed Gurmukh in the SGGS Ji, are those who have sanctioned the 5 virtures (i.e. rid themselves of the 5 evils).  In the DG the five evils are well expounded for example in Tav Prasad Sawaeeyay these are explained with examples, while Chaupee is the supplication to God to protect one from the 5 evils.

Now let’s look at the next level of panth.  Within the Sikh Panth there are a number of paths (sort of sub-panths).  For example there are Taksali Sikhs, Nihang Sikhs, Sikhs who follow the Akhand Kirtanias, Sikhs who follow the Sant Deras. They can be seen as sort of “a panth” since there are slight variations in their paths though, by and large they follow the teachings of the SGGS Ji. They have co-existed in this diverse from for hundreds of years while following their slightly different Maryadas productively.  In fact Roger Ballard in the article “The Oxford Handbook of Sikh Studies: Reflections on the current State of Play in an Emergent Discipline” (Center for Applied South Asian Studies online article see LINK http://www.casas.org.uk/papers/religion.html) highlights this diversity. He further points out that, this is, in essence, preached in SGGS Ji by Guru Amar Das (SGGS 442 M:4 Asa Chant Stanza 4). We quote Roger Ballard

QUOTE

“The vast ocean is filled with treasuries of jewels and pearls. This is attainable by those who are devoted to Gurbani.”

The metaphor here is well understood:  the Ocean in question is nothing less than the created Universe, of which we are all integral components, regardless of our interests and orientations. As they go on to observe

Those individuals, who dive deeply into that ocean, through reflection and meditation, find within themselves, and see within others, a treasure trove of gems and realize gain and true spiritual insight.

Others who remain on the surface level of that ocean may be dealing with the literal sense of the sacred utterance, without having any deeper understanding of its meaning.

Hence as Bhai Gurdas puts it “In the same way (that the ocean is filled with riches), all treasures are contained in Gurbani. Whatever one seeks from it, the same will one attain.”

UNQUOTE 

This is unity in diversity.

Threat to Diversity and Philosophy

Roger Ballard goes on to state that this unity was disrupted by the Indian Army assault on the Akal Takht.  This resulted in the rise of Sikh Studies in North America, with the majority of those being from the academic field.  Accentuating this was the arrival of Sikhs from India, students who sought refuge in North America.  They became strong Sikh Nationalists.  This resulted in a largely POLITICAL AGENDA DRIVEN MOTIVE, in association with some of the scholars.  This is leading towards an “ideological rejection of the empirical existence of plurality” within the Sikh Panth i.e. a single panth thinking, the EK-Panth concept.  THIS POLITICALLY MOTIVATED DIRECTION “THREATENS TO OVERWHELM THE CONCEPTUAL AND METAPHYSICAL FOUNDATION OF THE PANTH”.  There appears to be efforts to demonstrate “Sikh Philosophy as a unique feature of the Qaum”.

This leads to the EK-Granth concept.  It becomes clear from this paper that this lead to the emergence of e.g. THE “NANAKIAN PHILOSOPHY”, AN EXTREME INTERPRETATION of the SRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB in such as manner AS TO TOTALLY ABSOLVE it of any VEDIC INFLUENCE.  In doing so there is a need to firstly REMOVE ANY HURDLES in the way.  Hence the need to project only the EK GRANTH concept whence all other spiritual parmanic texts, the Dasam Granth, Vaaran Bhai Gurdas, compilations by Bhai Nand Lal plus other supporting literature that are used as reference to understand Gurbani, NEED TO BE SIDELINED.  It is claimed that the writers of these literature were influenced by Vedic Philosophy and hence the literature has to be DISCARDED.  It is also our belief that once this, i.e. the removal of spiritual texts and reference literature, is achieved the SGGS Ji will be reinterpreted to absolve it of all reference to Vedic Philosophy.  How this will be achieved is still unknown but one possibility is the removal of these references from the SGGS Ji.  EK-Maryada will then eventuate.

A scenario is posted in the picture attached with this article. 

Imported Ek-Ek-Ek Divisive Ideology

It is sad that this, largely NORTH AMERICAN MOTIVATION, is being PROPAGATED IN MALAYSIA by some RECALCITRANT and IRRESPONSIBLE elements, resulting in the DIVISION OF THE SIKH PANTH because of THE IDEOLOGY to have ONLY ONE SYSTEM (THE EK GRANTH – EK PANTH – EK MARYADA ideology).

BEWARE OF THESE DANGEROUS ELEMENTS.

Thank You for listening/ reading.  ਗਲਤੀਆਂ ਦੀ ਖਿਮਾ.

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh.

Please click to download PDF

161219-ek-ek-ek-new-findings-north-america1