Shabad Kirtan:  Diwali Di Raat by Bhai Anoop Singh Ji.  Thank You Ji for the beautiful kirtan.  (Source: Youtube – Deep Gabru)

by Dr Harnaak Singh

Someone sent me an article on Divali by Karminder titled “Divali and Sikhi” (available at LINK).  This Fake Guru never fails to amaze me with his ANTI-SIKHI ANTI-GURMAT antics to confuse the Sangat.  Karminder’s article is analysed in the ensuing.  

INTRODUCTION

Karminder says he attempts to answer the question “Is Divali a Sikh Celebration”.

The answer to this from an historian Anurag Singh is shown in Figure 1.

Divali is a National Cultural Day from the time of Guru Hargobind.  Later in early 20^th century Bandi Chor Divas was also celebrated in conjunction with the National Cultural Day.

Figure 1: Divali and Sikhi (extract from Anurag’s post dd 30-Oct-2016 on his FB)

So the conclusion of our Fake Guru 

attempts to provide Sikh philosophical and historical basis to Diwali (and any other non-Sikh celebrations) and endeavours to bring these functions into Gurdwaras are grossly misguided. Such endeavours necessitate the distortion and manipulative interpretation of gurbanee to provide basis where none exists

is ABSOLUTELY FALSE.  

Not surprising, isn’t it!?

By the way Divali was and is celebrated by Sikhs all over the world.  

Some events that occurred on Divali:

• The foundation stone of Harmandir Sahib was laid on Divali 1577 (source: LINK).
• Bhai Mani Singh was martyred on Divali 1737 (source: LINK).

We will now analyse Karminder’s distorted view which resulted in his FALSE conclusion misleading the Sangat.

DIVALI AND GURBANI

Figure 2: Divali at Harmandir Sahib

Karminder uses (or rather misuses) Bhai Gurdas’s Var 19 Paurdi 6 to justify his position and plays around with the word “ਬਾਲੀਅਨਿ”.  He says this word means to burn out implying extinguished.  Another similar word is “ਜਾਗੀਅਨ” which we will address below.

First we look at Karminder’s ludicrous claims in his article.

Keen readers of Gurbanee know that the main message of a shabad is encapsulated in the Rahao line. This is the generic rule of the five thousand plus shabads that are written by the Gurus and Bhagats in the Guru Granth Sahib (GGS).

This is a FALSE claim because there are only 2686 NOT more than 5000 as this bull*** artist claims.  Please see LINK which discusses this.  

Now we disucuss the word ਬਾਲੀਅਨਿ.  The root word of ਬਾਲੀਅਨਿ is ਬਾਲਨਾ.    

Let us see what the dictionary has to say.  From Punjabi Uni Patiala dictionary we get

ਬਾਲਨਾ – to burn, kindle, ignite, set on fire; to light (lamp or candle), to switch on (light)

ਜਗਾਉਣਾ – to wake, awake, awaken, rouse from sleep; to light, illumine, illuminate (lamp, candle), to switch on (lamp or light)  

Both of these words do not imply being extinguished.  So it is wrong to say that the word as used by Bhai Gurdas implies being extinguished.   If Bhai Gurdas wanted to use extinguished he would have used the word “ਬੁਝਾਲੀਅਨ” extinguish BUT he did not.

So Karminder’s translation “The lamps of the night of Diwali eventually burn out.” is WRONG.

The translation by Dr Jodh Singh is more appropriate.  See below.

ਦੀਵਾਲੀ ਦੀ ਰਾਤਿ ਦੀਵੇ ਬਾਲੀਅਨਿ।

Lamps are lighted in the night of divali festival;

The important hint as to what Bhai Gurdas implies in this Paurdi, is in the title of the Paurdi.

੬ : ਚੱਲਣ ਜੁਗਤ which means 

The method (ਜੁਗਤ) of living (ਚੱਲਣ).  

This tells us the way of life of a Gurmukh.  In fact the whole Vaar is related to the theme “The way of Gurmukh in the world”.  This vaar outlines how a Gurmukh interacts with society.  This has been discussed in Gurvichar posting LINK.  The meaning of the Vaar and Paurdi is reproduced below.  

Understanding Vaar 19

Vaar 19 is generally outlining the interaction of the Gurmukh in Society.  It starts by stating that humans are a part of the 84 lakhs of species (Paurdi 2) and that the Gurmukh is a guest in the world and briefs on the need for sustenance as well as maintaining humility while not getting attached to the world (Paurdi 3).  

While enjoying the provision by the providence (wealth, sport, music, festivities etc – essentially maya) the Gurmukh, contemplating truth follows the spiritual path instilling in oneself the five virtues and sheds the five evils by controlling his mind (Paurdi 4-6).  

The Gurmukh lives the life as a householder in society, working hard, experiencing happiness and suffering alike and accepting destiny but remains virtuous and achieves God realisation (Paurdi 7-10). 

The Gurmukh values the human life, cultivates God consciousness, shares one’s knowledge sincerely with love, not expecting returns, helps society with God realisation and always maintaining humility (Paurdi 11-14).  

The Gurmukh attains material and spiritual wisdom, always immersed in Naam and is a “source of light” for everyone (Paurdi 15-18). Always praising God the Gurmukh knows the truth, becomes perfect, wise and virtuous; is carefree of maya but enjoys the fruits of maya and becomes steadfast in God realisation (Paurdi 19-21).

Summary of Vaar 19 – The Gurmukh lives a “complete” life in society, always acting to the betterment of society, enjoying but being detached from maya, sheds the five evils and acquires the five virtues, accepts destiny, is always immersed in Naam, acquires wisdom and God realisation.  This essentially outlines the three pillars of Sikhism 

• immersion in Naam, 
• earn a true and honest living and 
• share the proceeds of one’s labour (both material and spiritual). 

Note: It is important to have a gist of the whole Vaar.  This will reveal the theme of the Vaar.  Only then the message in a Paurdi will become clear.  Merely looking at a Paurdi to decipher it is not a proper way to explain or understand the message.

Karminder and the Kala Afghana Brigade do not believe in reincarnation and hence 84 lakhs of species.  Is this the reason why he does not explain the whole Vaar?  Thus he has to distort the meaning of the verses to meet with his distorted views.

Understanding the Paurdi

Now to Paurdi 6.  The Gurmukh partakes and rejoices in the festivities that are a part of society but at all times is aware that these are maya and temporary and that God realisation is supreme.  Examples of festivities mentioned are Divali (ਦੀਵਾਲੀ) and pilgrimages and associated activities of lights, flowers etc.

IT IS WITHOUT DOUBT THAT OUR GURUS TEACH US TO BE INVOLVED AND ENJOY THE ACTIVITIES IN OUR SOCIETY (CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS) BUT ALWAYS BE AWARE THAT THESE ARE TEMPORARY AND OUR TRUE MISSION IS GOD REALISATION.

DIVALI AND HISTORY

The long winded verbose explanation by Karminder using flowery adjectives and single verses from Gurbani to justify his stand, using reason, logic and critical thinking, confused the hell out of me.  

This is a good sign of someone trying to FALSIFY THE TRUTH – confuse the hell out of the listener.  A typical Kala Afghana style of distorting history see LINK under “the question of amrit vela” on how these people distort.

Figure 3: Guru Hargobind released with the 52 kings

My, what a confused mind he has.  To me the explanation is simply as outlined in Figure 1 above.  I would rather TRUST an Historian Anurag Singh than the Fake Guru Karminder.

Divali is 

a National Cultural Day from the time of Guru Hargobind.  Later in early 20^th century Bandi Chor Divas was also celebrated in conjunction with the National Cultural Day.

DIVALI AND DARBAR SAHIB

Here Karminder gives his personal opinion about Divali.  Well if he does not want to celebrate don’t do so.  BUT don’t present DIVALI in a NEGATIVE light to others.

Divali was celebrated from the time of Guru Hargobind as a cultural gathering and there are Hukumnamas which stipulate this.

Today these CLOWNS say don’t spend money.  Tomorrow they will say remove the gold from the Harmandir Sahib, since it is also a waste of funds and SGGS Ji does not state that there should be gold there.  

Where does it all stop?  

CONCLUSION

Anyone who says that enjoying the Divali is not Sikhi has not realised the true teaching of our Gurus and knowledge of our Sikh history.  Not realising the true meaning, it is easy to denigrate such activities. 

Such endeavours, guided by the Kala Afghana ideology, necessitate the distortion and manipulative interpretation of Gurbani, confuse the Sangat, to provide basis where none exists.  They make a mockery of the rich Sikh tradition by denigrating long practiced Sikh celebrations. Such attempts falsify Sikh history and rob our younger generations of the chance to appreciate the rich diversity in Sikhi.

They do not look themselves in the mirror and do not realise, using a translated proverb, the elephant sitting on their eyelid BUT being able to see the germ on the bank across the river. 

These are a bunch of MOORAKHS out to create confusion and DIVIDE the Sangat.  

DON’T PAY ATTENTION TO THESE MOORAKHS.

Lest we end up with a boring life; CAN’T DO THIS CANT DO THAT … BLAH… BLAH…

Enjoy DIVALI, at the same time being detached, while always remembering the CREATOR within our inner-self.

Thank you for reading.  ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕਾ ਖਾਲਸਾ  ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਫਤਹਿ.

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