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THIS IS A REVOLUTIONARY CLAIM by Baljeet Rajpura since the general understanding is that Gurbani espouses the concept of Rebirth/Reincarnation.

It is therefore expected that Baljeet will provide concrete evidence from Gurbani as to his claim.  

He states the following verse to support his claim.  This verse is from a Shabad “ek pita ekas kay ham barak ਏਕ ਪਿਤਾ ਏਕਸ ਕੇ ਹਮ ਬਾਰਿਕ by Guru Arjan in Soorath Raag (SGGS 611 Line 18). 

A study of this Shabad shows that the essence of Shabad is as follows:

Guru Ji starts with the key or Rahao verse and states that God is father and teacher-friend (ਗੁਰ ਹਾਈ) and longs for God’s darshan.  This is the core message in the Shabad.  

Guru Ji then goes on to relate the relationship with God 

metaphorically washing, massaging and cleaning Gods feet to imply devotion,

being humble, and accepting the will of God with complete and utter (mind and body) devotion to get darshan, 

Then Guru Ji describes the result

God becomes merciful, by the grace of gur (the teaching of teacher-friend – see Rahao verse) and the grace of sant, become  immersed in Naam and God, who is without caste and independent of maya, is perceived everywhere. 

Eh man tera bhai (SGGS 612 Line 1 Soorath M: 5) 

The talk is about mann mind with the Santan ਸੰਤਾਂ.  What has the mann mind done?  Done kamaee.  If the mind earns subh gunn good deeds, then there is sanj association with gunn deeds.  If mann mind does not do good deeds then it will be dukhi suffering.  

Nowhere in the Shabad referred to, is the question of rebirth/reincarnation raised by Guru Arjan Dev Ji.

How is Baljeet able to say these verses show that Gurbani rejects rebirth is anybody’s guess?  It is a mystery and hence can be CLASSED AS A MIRACLE because it is inexplicable.  

NOTE: Though they claim to be rejecting MIRACLES but actually seem to be performing MIRACLES when they are preaching.  

There you go! How can they say MIRACLES don’t happen?

Guru Arjan Sahib Ji Maharaj in Sukhmani Sahib says 

mann moorakh kaahay bilalaeeay  

poorabh likhay ka likheeaa payeeay (SGGS 282 Line 19 Sukhmani M: 5)

Hey my moorakh mann foolish mind why are you dukhi suffering now why are you taking harday ਹਾੜੇ cringing.  

Well in this Shabad there is reference to poorabh which simply means prior (previous). There is no reference to birth or death.  ‘Prior’ can be one sec, one month, one year, thousands of years, or billions of years (remember our Universe is about 13 billion years old).  

Further Baljeet Rajpura has not shown that there was no “previous life” or “life after death” in his discussion.  He only MADE THE STATEMENT and that’s all.  

GURBANI IS ETERNAL, AND APPLIES THROUGHOUT TIME.  

HOW CAN ANYONE SAY THAT GURBANI’s FOCUS IS ONLY ONE LIFETIME.

We must understand from Gurbani what is poorbla karam?  

Bhagat Kabir has used a monkey as illustration and explained to semuchi maanavta everybody.

markat mushti anaaj ki mann bhauraaray linee hath pasaar.  

chootan ko shansaa parayaa mann bhauraa ray nacheoo ghar ghar baarr.  

(SGGS 336 Line 2 Gaurdee Kabir)

Bhagat Kabir says the monkey at the instruction of the madari juggler is dancing house to house.  The monkey acts according to the jugglers orders, doing whatever the juggler wants.   The monkey is a slave to the juggler and why is the monkey in this state?  Was it a slave from brith?  No.  

Bhagat Kabir is giving an example that one day in the monkey’s mind greed and vashna lust and trishna arose.  The juggler put some cholay in a small mouth kuja and put chanay and buried it in the ground.  The monkey saw this and from inside arose his vaashna (generally means ‘sensual desire’ or lust) and wanted all the chanay.  He put his hand into the kuja to take the cholay and chanay could not remove his hand and was caught by the juggler, as it was holding the chanay.  He wanted all the chanay but his hand could not come out because his muthi was bigger than the muh hole in the kuja. While the monkey is still deciding the juggler comes along and captures the monkey.  Having caught the monkey the juggler makes the monkey do what he wants.  When the juggler wishes he gives the monkey food.  When the juggler feels like he releases the monkey from its chain.  When the juggler wishes he puts the monkey in the cage or ties it up with a rope.  The monkey is undergoing this suffering.  It is undergoing this because of its poorablay karam.   

What is its poorabla karam.  

Its poorabla karam is when the juggler laid the trap with the kuji and chanay and when the trishna arose and internal phurna arose in the mind of the monkey to take all the chanay.  This is termed poorabla karam.  Say Satnam Sri Vahguru.  That is what poorabla karam is.  It is poorabla karam that the monkey is dancing from house to house.  

So far he has only been explaining about the MONKEY’S KARAM and implies that the JUGGLER controls the monkey’s karam.  

Does he mean that GOD has no control? 

He speaks as if the monkey, which acts on instincts, has the faculties of a human being!!

This is the problem.  HE, Baljeet, steps into the monkey’s SHOES and likewise steps into our GURU’s  SHOES to make his deduction based on HIS THINKING and CALIBRE.  This is NOT appropriate because HE IS neither a GURU NOR a MONKEY.  And hence the result is his wrong deduction and misleading preaching.

In Gurbani the reference to animals is based on observed characterises of the animal.  For the monkey the observation is linked to lobh GREED NOT vaashna LUST or SENSUAL DESIRE. 

Anyway what has sensual desire to do with CHANAY?   

Let us understand from this Guru Arjan Sahib Ji Maharaj verse 

mann moorakh kaahay bilalaeeay 

poorabh likhay ka likheeaa payeeay (SGGS 282 Line 19 Sukhmani M: 5)

Whatever happiness and suffering comes in one’s life is due to the karam one has done.   

Again nothing about REBIRTH/REINCARNATION but about KARAM.

daday dosh na deon kisay (SGGS 433 Line 13 Asa M: 1)

I do not blame anybody, Satguru’s banee, because I know 

dosh karama apaneaa (SGGS 433 Line 14 Asa M: 1)

“I will reap what I sow” no one else is to blame. 

dosh na deejay avar janaa (SGGS 433 Line 14 Asa M: 1)

Don’t blame God and don’t blame others.

So it is understood that the Hukam of God is in action.  According to His Hukam we undergo suffering and happiness, based on our good and bad matt judgement.  

This means God does not give anybody suffering and God does not give anybody happiness.  

Here again he explains KARAM and that we are responsible for what happens to us i.e. our KARAM. 

I am still waiting for him to start on the topic he is supposed to discuss “Satgur’s banee rejects past life.  It also rejects the next life after death”.

anand bhaeaa meyree mayaee Satgur maye paiyaa (SGGS 917 Line 2 Ramkali Anand M: 3)

And on the other hand if one leaves the Guru teaching, i.e. one who rejects or does not acquire gian, who moves away from imandari honesty.  Satgur says 

bin navaee jag kamlaa pheray gurmukh nadari aaiyaa (SGGS 644 Line 19 Soorath M: 3)

If we are sanmukh (in the presence of) with the guru then we understand.  

Here he talks about HUKAM and how we should follow Hukam BUT still nothing on “Satgur’s banee rejects past life.  It also rejects the next life after death”

ham santan seon bann aayee poorabh likheeaa payee  (SGGS 614 Line 3 Soorath M: 5)

If today we are in this state that means we have sanj associated with gunn.  

The words in relation to Bhagat Dhana where he realised God from a stone comes to mind.  

Guru piarwaleo Guru Arjan Sahib Ji Maharaj give gawahi testimony that they (Bhagat Dhana) associate with the sants and attained God.  Did the actions of a sant meaning made their life like that of the sant.  And he attained God.  

Still about HUKAM and abiding by it, and what about the STONE? Nothing mentioned.

BUT nothing on “Satgur’s banee rejects past life.  It also rejects the next life after death”

If we compare the sant of those times and the sant of today they are very different.  

sant of those days had in suee needle and thread in their hand and made clothes.  They had shoe making equipment in their hand.  

What were they doing?  Doing kirt earn honest living.  

Bhagat Namdev Ji was making clothes. 

Guru Arjan Ji Maharaj call them sant.  

Bhagat Dhana Ji associated with such sant and what happened?  He attained God.  

Now he goes on to explain SANT, 

BUT still nothing on “Satgur’s banee rejects past life.  It also rejects the next life after death”

Previously the sant was holding items to kirt karni,  what are todays sants holding maalla (rosary).  Today sants are pherrahay (spinning?) the maalla.

Those days the sants were khet vish kahee chalaa rahey nay working in the fields.  What else were they doing?  Making clothes for people, making shoes for people, preparing home for people.  

BUT todays sants what are they doing? Setting up their own deray.  Say Satnam Sri Vaheguru.  Setting up their own deray.  Setting up their cars.  They have their own gunmen around.  Today’s sants are preparing z-security.  

Now he goes on to DEMEAN the present day sants, 

BUT still nothing on “Satgur’s banee rejects past life.  It also rejects the next life after death”

Satgur had put lahnt ਲਾਹਨਤ curse on such sant; put curse and said 

ooay har kayee sant na akhaeeaa banares kaye thag  (SGGS 476 Line 2 Asa Kabir)

He called them banares kay thag ਠਗ thieves.  They are not the Bhagats of God.  

Who are the sants of God?  The sants of God are those who 

jina saas giraas naa viseray har naamaa mann mant

dhan say saayee nanaka pooran soeee sant.  (SGGS 319 Line 18 Garudi Ki Vaar M:5)

That is those who have God’s mantar,  God’s mantar meaning gian knowledge.  

Those who have 

har naamaa mann mant dhan say saayee nanaka pooran soeee sant. (SGGS 319 Line 18 Garudi Ki Vaar M:5)

He is continuing about sants, 

BUT still nothing on “Satgur’s banee rejects past life.  It also rejects the next life after death”

hum santan seon bann aayee poorabh likhiya payee  (SGGS 614 Line 2 Soorath M: 5)  

If one becomes a dentist then it is his pichaley kamaee  i.e. ‘4 to 5 years’ study and become dentist.  If somebody becomes a lawyer then it is his past effort.  Previous effort does not mean past life effort, it means ‘5 to 7’ years study to become a doctor.  

So far all his stories about monkey, dentist, lawyer makes no contribution to his claim.  He only outlines previous events and the corresponding result which is what KARAM simply means AND HUKAM and how we should follow it and what happens, 

He is REFERENCING plenty of SINGLE VERSES from GURBANI,

BUT the topic he is supposed to discuss and show is that “Satgur’s banee rejects past life.  It also rejects the next life after death”.  

REMEMBER SINGLE VERSES FROM GURBANI MAY NOT IMPART THE TRUE MESSAGE IF NOT TAKEN IN CONTEXT OF THE WHOLE SHABAD.  THIS CAN EASILY GIVE MISLEADING INFORMATION.

hum santan seon bann aayee (SGGS 614 Line 3 Soorath M: 5)

We have become satsangee now.  We have become the praymee beloved of God.  We have become beloved not because of previous life earning.  In this life take the matt of guru and become the beloved of God.  

Hum santan seon bann aayee poorabh likheeyaa payee   (SGGS 614 Line 3 Soorath M: 5)

Baljeet Rajpura again makes a statement using the verse above to conclude that we have become praymee not because of previous life earning.  This verse is from a Shabad “ham santan kee rain piaray …  ਹਮ ਸੰਤਨ ਕੀ ਰੇਨੁ ਪਿਆਰੇ ...” by Guru Arjan in Soorath Raag (SGGS 614 Line 2).  Let us see if there is any reference to REBIRTH/REINCARNATION in this shabad.  The essence of the shabad is outlined below.

The Rahao verse gives the key to the shabad.  Preodainded destiny resulted in my association with the sants, and I have realised that my mind is God’s meaning that I have immersed my mind with the love of God.   

Well, not surprisingly, there is no reference to REBIRTH. Only to previous destiny.  Previous destiny is not a definition of REBIRTH.  So the word poorabh cannot be used to deduce there is NO PREVIOUS BIRTH.

ham santan kee rain piarayee ham santan kee sharnaa  (SGGS 614 Line 2 Soorath M: 5) 

To those with such gunn Guru Arjan says rain dust of feet and sharan protection.  I am the dust of their feet and my heart says that I lay in their sharan protection.  

The meaning of ‘dust of their feet’ is 

• • all the time in the presence of them (oonah dhey ekath vichon) the teaching of gian is acquired, 
• • that I keep in the sharan protection of these teaching.  

Meaning acquire imandhari  honesty, pyar  belovedness, bhaicharak sanj brotherhood,  sanjamta discipline,  soorbeertha courage and shub gunn good deeds.  This means one is in sharan (sharan vich paye jana).  

Generally when we say ‘dust of feet’ implies HUMILITY.  Like Buddha says “empty your cup before you can fill it with something new”, so we have to let go about the ego of our knowledge.  How do we do it? With humility.  Only then can one get the sharna protection (come under the wing – i.e. will be guided in the path of spirituality) from the sant.

Therefore the meaning of ‘dust of the feet’ is not what he explains BUT what he explains is WHAT FOLLOWS after applying the quality defined by ‘dust of the feet’. 

He is just playing around with words confusing and misleading the Sangat.  

sant hamaree ooth sathaney. (SGGS 614 Line 3 Soorath M: 5)   

Who is sant ਸੰਤ? 

here there is not tatta aunkard “ਤੁ”  then the meaning is bhau vachan (plural) many sant.  

subh good gunn and parphoor (full of) of such gunn.  

And what they say?  These good manukh people?  

What about them? ooth sathaney.  Means I have their ooth support.  The meaning of oonah di ooth is I have support of their goodness, of their good deeds.  I have the support of these.  

sacha naam mera adharo God naam. 

God’s gunn are the support of my zindagee life. 

Now he explains what sant means and one’s relationship with them.  sants are full of good qualities and they are good people and one has support of their goodness and good deeds. 

Then introduces another verse moving from sant to God. And now says God’s gunn are the support.  

What happened to the support of the sant?  No mention of it.

If this is not causing confusion I do not know what is?  Does this display appropriate Gurbani knowledge?

If some person wants to look good (this is the psyche of our mann mind that we have acceptance from someone) and to look beautiful (sohna) and to have acceptance in other people’s view, what do we do?  Wear jewellery.  Jewellery!  Wear gold bangles.  

Here he looks at the word gehna and explains what it means from the material prespective.

Guru nanak say wear jewellery (kangan).  Which? 

kar kar karta kangan pehray; 

kar kar karta kangan pehray en bidh chith therayhee  (SGGS 359 Line 9 Asa M: 1)

Bhai, it is a good thing to wear jewellery, but which jewellery should one wear?   It is to use your hands to earn honest living.  Do good with your hands.  

He quotes another verse and uses it to explain that gehnay means to kirt karni earn an honest living and doing good.  He uses the kangan in this verse and links it gehnay in the previous verse to support his explanation of “kirt karni”.

Is this correct? 

Let’s look at the meaning of this verse.  This verse is last part of the third (note second verse is the Rahao verse) verse in the Shabad mann moti jay gehna howai … (SGGS 359 L8 Asa M:1).   The complete verse is

har har haar kanth lay pehray damodar dant layee

kar kar karta kangan pehray en bidh chith therayee

The meaning using credible sources is

Wear (pehray ਪਹਿਰੈ) the garland (haar ਹਾਰੁ) of God (har har ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ), make God (damodar= krishna ਦਾਮੋਦਰ) the teeth cleaning stick (dant ਦੰਤ), make (kar ਕਰਿ) God (karta ਕਰਤਾ) the bangle (kangan ਕੰਗਨ) and wear (pehray ਪਹਿਰੈ) over your hands (ਕਰ), in this manner (en bidh ਇਨ ਬਿਧਿ ) you bring your mind into concentration or focus (chith therayee ਚਿਤੁ ਧਰੇਈ).  

In this shabad, Guru Ji uses a husband-wife relationship, how the wife is totally engrossed in dressing up and cleaning herself to meet with the husband, metaphorically, to illustrate the relationship that we should have with God.  The characteristic being discussed by Guru Ji is the characteristic of KAAM sensual relationship between WIFE and HUSBAND.

In this verse, the garland, the teeth cleaning stick and the bangle is used to illustrate how to focus or keep your concentration on GOD.

The verse is essentially teaching us the manner in which we should concentrate on God.

Where is the kirt karni? Does he know what he is talking about?

So you see clearly the use of single verses in this case proved useless.  The root of the shabad is not understood by Baljeet Rajpura. 

Let alone explaining his claim (NO REBIRTH), he does not even understand the verse he is using to illustrate his point.  How can he teach anyone anything useful but MISLEAD the Sangat in their learning and understanding Gurbani?

You see, those who are kirtee, that is they are following Baba Nanak’s teachings, are doing bhagti, bhajan, naam, simran.  

The verse is talking of “kirt karni”.  

This are the last two verses in slok 1 Chakka 22  Saarang Ki Var (SGGS 1237 Line 10).  The slok has 8 verses, the first 6 verses describe those who preach what they really do not understand and know, e.g. religious people who lack the appropriate knowledge, yogis who are lazy, sanyasis who begs, merely to earn a living.  The last two verses state that it is the one who earns an honest living and shares his earnings knows the true path.

Now where is the story about bhagti, bhajan, namm, simran coming from.

Of course these activities are important and Gurbani teaches us these BUT if one  uses a verse then the TRUE MEANING should be imparted.

Here again we find Baljeet Rajpura exhibiting lack of appropriate knowledge.

Satgur is saying if you want to wear jewellery that is what one should do.   

Now he comes back to the verse of the shabad stated above mann moti jay gehna howai … (SGGS 359 L8 Asa M:1) but does not state the full verse. We have already analysed the last verse of this shabad and know that the shabad refers to the KAAM sensual relationship between husband and wife, where the wife is preparing to meet her husband.

If mann moti was jewellery.  How good would it be?

paun howay sooth thareay 

Make the breath you are taking the thread.  Thread!

But they say make a malla and put over the neck as a garland.  That is just for show.  But don’t make the show? 

Make thread your breath, put your mann into it as if it is moti pearls.  

Why moti?  Because moti are pure.  

Then make your jeevan life pure.  Say Satnam Sri Vaheguru.  Make your mann pure means make it  pavitar sacred, holy, make your kirdar conduct good – like Hari Singh Naluwa, Baba Nanak Ji and many other Sikhs.  

Quoting parts of a verse, again he misses the point because he has not understood the shabad.  The verse is explained in a manner where one has to make the jeevan pure but the shabad means something else. I repeat the essense of the shabad

In this shabad, Guru Ji uses a husband-wife relationship, how the wife is totally engrossed in dressing up and cleaning herself to meet with the husband, metaphorically, to illustrate the relationship that we should have with God.  The characteristic being discussed by Guru Ji is the characteristic of KAAM sensual relationship between WIFE and HUSBAND.

The related first verse, which hints at the content of the shabad describes the state of the mind of a wife who is waiting for the husband to come and enjoy the lovely wife.  

Note:  My analysis of the two verses does not do proper justice to the shabad but merely gives us a gist of the content in the shabad.

Again the intent of the shabad is misconstrued and the verse used to show a different characteristic.  

The shabad and hence the verse is therefore NOT RELATED to good conduct like that of Hari Singh Nalwa, Baba Nanak etc as Baljeet Rajpura explains.

Tools in the hands of inexperienced can lead to MISLEADING information and MISGUIDE the Sangat.