Shabad “Jai Tegang” by Chardi Kala Jatha

by Harnaak Singh

Up to this point we have reviewed the track record of Karminder’s writings in Part 1.  Then, in Part 2 we studied the types of compositions by Guru Gobind Singh Ji in Dasam Granth and also considered the question of Devi-Devtaas and demons in the Sikh philosophy as taught by our Gurus.  We will summarise these in the following dot points.

• Karminder’s track record does not appear to be very convincing for anyone to trust his misconstrued, ludicrous, misleading un-Gurmat and un-Sikhi claims. 
• There are two types of compositions in Dasam Granth, those 

• with “Mukhvaak Patshahi 10” are compositions by Guru Gobind Singh Ji and those
• translated from some sources with only “Patshahi 10” at the heading.

• Devi-Devtaas and demons are ACTUALLY CERTAIN TRAITS OR QUALITIES OF HUMAN BEINGS and are used metaphorically in our scriptures.

We will now continue our analysis.

Let us begin with a simple example.  Consider one who is a lifeguard at a beach and another who is a fireman.

The lifeguard will have to learn about being a lifeguard and will use the lifeguard equipment to do the duties.  Likewise the fireman will be taught the knowledge for a fireman and will be using the equipment suitable for taking care of fires.  If you want to be a fireman the teaching and equipment for the lifeguard will be of no use and vice versa for the lifeguard.

So you see it is important for us to acquire the appropriate knowledge and tools for a particular need.

Now we come to our spiritual self.  First let us consider a comparison, philosophically, between the writings in SGGS Ji and the Dasam Granth.  The writings in the SGGS Ji are as Dr Trilochan Singh (Ref: Sikhiwiki.org – The History and Compilation of the Dasam Granth – Dr Trilochan Singh published Sikh Review 1955) 

1. subjective in nature and synthetic in composition 

while that by Guru Gobind Singh in Dasam Granth are 

2. objective in nature and analytical in composition.

In the SGGS Ji the 

• “subjective in nature” means an action performed solely in the mind i.e. it is abstract and non tangible (almost universally related to NAAM) and 
• “synthetic in composition” means many separate elements (thought processes) are used to form a coherent message in a verse.

In the Dasam Granth

• “objective in nature” means that an action performed can be realised i.e. can be done practically and 
• “analytical in composition” means that the core message is based on separate elements (thought processes) to give a single idea in a verse.

Let us look at this with an example.

SGGS 269 Line 13 Slok Gaurdi M:5

ਕਾਮ ਕ੍ਰੋਧ ਅਰੁ ਲੋਭ ਮੋਹ ਬਿਨਸਿ ਜਾਇ ਅਹੰਮੇਵ ॥ ਨਾਨਕ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਰਣਾਗਤੀ ਕਰਿ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦੁ ਗੁਰਦੇਵ ॥੧॥

Sexual desire, anger, greed and emotional attachment – may these be gone, and egotism as well. Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of God; please bless me with Your Grace, O Divine Guru. 

Dasam Granth 1344 Line 7 Shabad (srigranth.org)

ਕਾਮ ਕ੍ਰੋਧ ਹੰਕਾਰ ਲੋਭ ਹਠ ਮੋਹ ਨ ਮਨ ਸੋ ਲਯਾਵੈ ॥ ਤਬ ਹੀ ਆਤਮ ਤਤ ਕੋ ਦਰਸੇ ਪਰਮ ਪੁਰਖ ਕਹ ਪਾਵੈ ॥੩॥੧॥ 

Keep your mind unattached from lust, anger, greed, insistence and infatuation.  Then you will visualize the supreme essence and realise the supreme Purusha.

Comparing the two verses we see the essence is the same.  We need to get rid of the evils.  

Guru Arjan Dave Ji in SGGS Ji is very subjective identifying the evils that must be gone (from me) and we must seek the sanctuary of grace of God.  Here we know that the evils must be rid of and we must seek the grace and sanctuary of God but we are not told how.

Guru Gobind Singh in Dasam Granth on the other hand has objectively pointed out that we must remove the evils from our mind and then we will have God realisation.  The steps, removing the evils from our mind, to God realisation are physically identified, that means you can take these steps.

Note that though the difference is subtle, it is there.

We see that the writings in SGGS Ji and Dasam Granth have a different basis.  Let us consider another example.

SGGS 235 Line 4 Gaurdi Poorbee M:4

ਮਨ ਕਰਹਲਾ ਵਡਭਾਗੀਆ ਤੂੰ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਰਤਨੁ ਸਮਾਲਿ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਖੜਗੁ ਹਥਿ ਧਾਰਿਆ ਜਮੁ ਮਾਰਿਅੜਾ ਜਮਕਾਲਿ ॥੭॥

O camel-like mind, you are so very fortunate; dwell upon the jewel of spiritual wisdom.  You hold in your hands the sword of the Guru’s spiritual wisdom; with this destroyer of death, kill the Messenger of Death. ||7||

Dasam Granth 94 Line 17 Bachitar Natak (srigranth.org)

ਖਗ ਖੰਡ ਬਿਹੰਡੰ ਖਲ ਦਲ ਖੰਡੰ ਅਤਿ ਰਣ ਮੰਡੰ ਬਰ ਬੰਡੰ ॥ ਭੁਜ ਦੰਡ ਅਖੰਡੰ ਤੇਜ ਪ੍ਰਚੰਡੰ ਜੋਤਿ ਅਮੰਡੰ ਭਾਨ ਪ੍ਰਭੰ ॥ ਸੁਖ ਸੰਤਾ ਕਰਣੰ ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਦਰਣੰ ਕਿਲਬਿਖ ਹਰਣੰ ਅਸਿ ਸਰਣੰ ॥  ਜੈ ਜੈ ਜਗ ਕਾਰਣ ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਉਬਾਰਣ ਮਮ ਪ੍ਰਤਿਪਾਰਣ ਜੈ ਤੇਗੰ ॥੨॥

The sword chops well, chops the forces of fools and this mighty one bedecks and glorifies the battlefield. It is the unbreakable staff of the arm, it has the powerful luster and its light even bedims the radiance of the sum.  It brings happiness to the saints, mashing the vicious ones, it is the destroyer of sins and I and under its refuge.  Hail, hail to the cause of the world, saviour of the universe, it is my preserver, I hail its victory.

In the SGGS Ji verse, the concepts to understand is the characteristics of a camel (wondering around implies the mind wondering around), spiritual wisdom, the sword of spiritual wisdom, destroying death.  Note that there are a number of concepts to understand.  Essentially the verse tells us by immersing NAAM in our inner self we will attain salvation (Mukti).  Here basically the concepts are of Nirgun nature.  The mood of the verse is more saintly which is very apparent in the SGGS Ji.  This is synonymous with PIRI.

In the Dasam Granth verse on the other hand, the concept we have to know is of the sword.  We know the sword will kill (the enemy) and will thus preserve.  The sword is also used as the metaphor and is the Sargun quality of God.  Here the mood of the verse is martial which is generally the case throughout the Dasam Granth.  This is synonymous with MIRI.

We can see that the SGGS Ji biased towards saintliness is the PIRI and the Dasam Granth is more martial and is the MIRI.  These make up the MIRI-PIRI or SOLDIER/SAINT concept started by Guru  Hargobind Ji (after the martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Ji).  Guru Gobind Singh Ji penned the concept of MIRI in the Dasam Granth poetically to arouse the soldier spirit in the Khalsa.  

The SGGS Ji and Dasam Granth are inherently different and cater for different scenarios or needs.  Hence they were kept separate by Guru Gobind Singh Ji.

Recalling the example of the fireman and the lifeguard, we can now understand the need for them to be separate.  We, being by design of our Gurus, are to be MIRI-PIRI oriented, then the need to have both SGGS Ji and the Dasam Granth cannot be overemphasised.

Therefore anyone who denigrates the Dasam Granth or is trying to remove the Dasam Granth from the psyche of Sikhi is trying to weaken and destroy the MIRI spirit in us.  

This is exactly what Karminder is trying to do.  BEWARE. Do not support such preaching.

Having learnt another important aspect we will stop here.

… to be continued.