Sanatan Hindu Gurus of Sikhism

      Guru Nanak Devji - His Life in Brief


Guru Nanakji sporting a Chandan Tilak -Circa 1800



ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਨਾਦੰ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਵੇਦੰ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਈ ॥ गुरमुखि नादं गुरमुखि वेदं गुरमुखि रहिआ समाई ॥ Gurmukh nāḏaʼn gurmukh veḏaʼn gurmukh rahi▫ā samā▫ī. The Guru's Word is the Sound-current of the Naad; the Guru's Word is the Wisdom of the Vedas; the Guru's Word is all-pervading.

 ਗੁਰੁ ਈਸਰੁ ਗੁਰੁ ਗੋਰਖੁ ਬਰਮਾ ਗੁਰੁ ਪਾਰਬਤੀ ਮਾਈ ॥
गुरु ईसरु गुरु गोरखु बरमा गुरु पारबती माई ॥
Gur īsar gur gorakẖ barmā gur pārbaṯī mā▫ī.
The Guru is Shiva, the Guru is Vishnu and Brahma; the Guru is Paarvati and Lakhshmi.

Historic portrait of Guru Nanak Devji with red tilak, with Brahmin yogis
Circa:1600



The first Guru Shri Guru Nanak Devji was born in April 1469 in Rae Bhoi di Talwandi, now known as Nankana Sahib in Pakistan, during the time of the Lodi Empire. His parents were Kalyan Das Mehta & Mata Tripta Deviji, who were Hindus belonging to the Vedic Brahmin varna [caste]. Guruji also had an elder sister Devi Nanaki, who was 5 years older than Guruji. Nanak Devji mastered the Vedas and the sacred language of Sanskrit under prominent Brahmin teachers of the time. He even studied Persian under Kashmiri Pandit teachers later on during his lifetime.





                                                                                                                  Janam Sakhis & Myths
                                                        
                                                                                        


Nanak Devji & Brahmin priests

 Now a lot has been misinterpreted about Guru Nanak Devji's earlier life which has been written in the form of a collection of books known as Janam Sakhis which are short narratives of his birth & life. Janam Sakhis meaning 'Birth evidence/ stories'.The first set of Janam Sakhis was put into written form a hundred years after Guru Nanakji's death & cannot be considered as totally accurate since they were re-edited shamelessly by the Tat Khalsa to take out that which they disagreed with & whatever pleased them was re-written.The Sakhi tradition had existed & based an oral traditions which may have started during Nanakji's lifetime. These have changed over time as they passed from one person to another. Most of its content was put into written form during the 17th century upto the end of the 18th century, one transformed into the Puraatan Janam Sakhis (orthodox) while the other heterodox Janam Sakhis came into view upto the early 19th century. Many are full of mythological stories of miracles performed by Nanak Devji, such as the one found in Mirharban Janam Sakhi, of his travel to Mecca where he moves the mirhab or stone with his feet, which hardly lets one understand as to when he went to Mecca & for how long.

                                                  Guru Nanak Devji born a Brahmin

While some authors/ scholars of the Singh Sabha have mentioned his father's name as Kalu Mehta Bedi, others have mentioned his name as Mehta Kalu Sodhi, exposing the amount of inconsistencies to distort the truth about the fact that Guru Nanak Devji was indeed born a Brahmin. The controversy about Nanak Devji's rejection of the Janeu or sacred thread of Brahmins, again there are discrepancies & plenty of inconsistencies. One story mentions how the Guru's father had arranged for the family priest Haridayal Purohit to initiate a 9 yr old Nanak Devji into wearing the sacred thread when the latter rejected the thread by throwing it at the priest, therefore causing great anger to the priest, while W.H. McLeod claims :

  

Later, when Babaji turned seven, all preparations had been made by his father & Sloka :
 

(From the) cotton (of) compassion (spin the) thread (of) tranquillity, knotting (it with) continence (and) twisting (it with) truth.

Babaji was bathed and robed, and (then the priest) invested (him) with the sacred thread. (As he did so) Babaji said (to him), "O Brahman, give me that indestructible sacred thread which never breaks and which retains its purity both in this world and the next." Then Babaji recited a Sloka:

If this is the thread which you have, O pandit, then bestow it (upon me).

(Such a thread) neither breaks nor becomes soiled ; neither burns nor goes astray.

Blessed is the man, O Nanak, upon whose neck (this spiritual thread) is laid.

The priest was speechless with delight. "Kalu," he cried, "your son is a mighty ascetic, the solace of the afflicted!



Historic portrait of Nanak Dev receiving Janeu -Circa :1600

Now all this seems absolutely confusing since different versions of the Janamsakhis narated by different authors, contain various accounts of this controversy. But the so called 'rejection' of the sacred thread by a 7yr old or 9 yr old Nanak Devji belonging to a Khatri or Jatt family has actually been used throughout as a stick for Hindu bashing of the highest level in the history of India. One minute the family priest is angry at Nanakji & the next he is delighted & speechless. So why so many contradictions to something that Nanakji may have or may NOT have said?

Looking closely at the Sloka sung by Guruji, it has a great philosophical meaning which has been mostly manipulated to make it appear as a rejection rather than an acception of the spiritual kind. Nowhere in the Sloka does Nanakji mention to the family priest to stop with the ceremony but instead Guruji is requesting the Purohit gives him a sacred thread in the form of deep spiritual enlightenment that can never be broken nor tarnished - one that will remain forever in life as well as in the world after i.e. spiritual enlightenment that will transpass the material worlds of life & death. In an atmosphere when Brahmins were highly persecuted by the Muslim rulers, their sacred threads burnt by them, it would seem more sensible to assume that what Nanakji actually could have been referring to here is that a Janeu which can never be destroyed by the Maleshas [filthy barbarians] and one that would stay with him in this life as well as the next. So it is possible that NanakDevji indeed wore the Janeu. It also appears that this particular episode has been added in to further the anti Brahmin stance of neo Sikhs & a way forward to ridicule all Hindu practices which are millions of years older than even Guru Nanakji himself. So as a matter of arguement, Nanakji at the age of 7yrs would be ignorant of the ancient ways of Dharma & how on Earth can anyone believe how a 7yr old child would be in a position to ridicule this ancient sacred philosophy is truly beyond me. But to the more grown up neo Sikhs it is acceptable just because it represents their anti Hindu cause which I believe actually exposes them & their discrepancies in re-writing history by suppressing facts at the same time.

                                                  
                                             Twisting of facts by Neo Sikhs

Neo Sikhs led by Kahn Singh Nabha & Macauliffe, have used this particular Sloka of Guruji & turned it into some type of anti Brahmin statement & given a handy tool to the Sikhs to outwardly reject Hindu spiritual concepts just because according to them 'Nanakji rejected everything that was sacred to the Hindus'. Again they forgot that while twisting the facts of Nanak Devji who was a Brahmin boy at the time, they have painted a very arrogant child who takes great joy in insulting the family purohit who is many years wiser than him & his elder. In those days it was unheard of to insult one's parents & elders. This episode makes it difficult for one to understand how a 'great soul & saint' like Nanak Devji was indeed an arrogant & ill mannered 7yr/ 9 yr old child who lacked respect for his teachers & gurus. After all he required the help of these very Brahmin gurus to teach him the spiritual Dharmic values which he later on would promote in his life as well as his Banis.


                     'I am Not a Hindu - Not a Muslim' but did Nanakji say ' I am a Sikh'?

This is usually pushed in front of most of us who believe that we belong to our original Sanatan Hindu Sikh heritage when confronting the Talibani neo Sikhs. They love this particular incident in Guruji's life, which is

A disciple of Guru Nanak Dev : 1800

an episode of a Janam Sakhi & one I want to refer to is well known to all of us. The editor of Puraatan Janam Sakhi has named this incident Vehin Parves. According to this Sakhi, after his spiritual experience for some days Guru Nanakji had disappeared into a lake while bathing & doing his prayers, similar to the Brahmin yogis,but then finally on one day, he emerged & declared the essence of his new experiences in these words:
Jo Na Koi hindu hai, Na Koi Mussalman,
verily meaning: 'There is no Hindu nor Muslim'.  What he actually meant was :
Do not compare/label your material body with your religion, You are the Self & Soul only which is not affected by the colours of race nor creed.

It is in confines of the Vedic philosophy of Bhagavad Gita where Krishna says to Arjuna not to grieve nor identify with the material body but it is the soul which is free from all such bondages of 'Aham' or ego.This simple phrase which is at the same time highly spiritual has become twisted around to be magnified by neo-Sikhs in an attempt to declare the Guru as having said
' I am not a Hindu, nor a Musim' - giving a colour of rejection for Sanatan Hindu Sikh Dharma in order to support their separatist agendas. Had that been the case, then Guru Nanakji would have added : But I am a Sikh only! If he did say that, then it is certainly not found within any of his writings.Neo Sikhs always use this incident as an arguement when portraying a different image of our Gurus & Sikhism through twisting words & Banis of the Gurus. They have succeeded in conspiring & twisting the fact that the whole identity business of dividing mankind into Hindus/Muslims is actually a spiritual message of the Upanishads where the trap of human identity is rejected & is originally a Hindu one in the first place, which can be found severally in various Sanatan Dharmic scriptures.

                          Guru Nanak's message & Vedic philosophy

'I will not pray to Idols & will not say the Muslim prayer' is another favourite of Talibani Sikhs of today when quoting the Gurus. Well let us go deeper into this : For Hindus there are 2 forms of Vedic philosophies where one suggests it is NOT important & a must to worship idols; in other words the Nirguna Nirankar form of Paramatma is worshipped while the other Vedantic thought allows idol worship or murti puja to fix the mind on a subtle form basically representing Symbolism. Whilst it is a MUST to pray 5 times for Muslims, this statement is actually anti Islamic rather than anti Hindu.

Nanak Devji was a mystic & saint who didn't differentiate between different types of people & aimed at creating a spiritual movement for the unity of Mankind. Again, as it is a well known fact that most of Guru Nanakji’s life was spent on travels known as Udasi. It is during these Udasi one finds in real sense ‘dialogue in action’ where he visited many ashrams of Hindu saints from North to South India. He merely expressed himself through poetry to enlighten those around him on spiritual realisation through Jaap & Simran, a concept which had begun earlier than his birth during the Bhakti movement from South India spreading into the North. His thoughts were strongly influenced by the Hindu concept of Sant & Nirguna tradition of North India, though some neo Sikhs like to include the Sufi traditions also. The Sant traditions were a combination of pure Vaishnava philosophies which provided the basis of Guruji's thoughts, such as Karma, Dharma, Kaam, Lobh, Moha,Maya, Moksh, Bhakti & rebirth of the soul - all are Vedic concepts to be found within Sanatan Sikhi traditions. Jaap of name as well as Simran is mentioned in several chapters under Kaliyug in Veda Vyas' Shrimad Bhagavatam which Nanakji also took up to remind his people of the sage's message to counter the evils of Kaliyug. Everything which is found in Sikhism is actually sourced out from all Hindu scriptures.

Guru Nanakji makes specific references to Lord Rama and wrote several hymns about Lord Krishna. All throughout the Granth, praises are specifically addressed to the avatars of Vishnu, particularly to Rama and Krishna. A very interesting observation of the literature is the occurence and reference to the name "Bithal", which is found throughout the Adi Granth. Bithal is the Punjabi version of the Marathi name "Vithal" which is another name for Lord Krishna. Hardyal Singh M.A., a famous Punjabi revolutionary during the time of the British Raj, said that "if you were to remove every page that contained the name of Bithal or Ram from the Granth, you will be left with nothing more than a few pages and the book case." Shri Adi Granth clearly states that Bithal is the Lord.


Below: Shri Adi Granth sloka which is similar to the Sloka taken from the Bhagavad Gita where Krishna tells Arjun in the 15th Chapter, verses 1 & 2 the secrets of the Peepal Tree whose branches are below while roots face upwards:

This Tree has its roots above, and its branches below; the four Vedas
are attached to it. He alone realizes this tree with ease, O Nanak, who
remains awake in the Love of the Supreme Being ||2||. This Tree of the
Divine is inside me; in it are the flowers, leaves, elements, and branches.
Meditate on the self-existent, Pure Being, whose Light is pervading
everywhere; renounce all your worldly entanglements (Shri Guru Granthji 503)
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                                  Vedic Gods of Shri Adi Granth

Neo-sikhs also argue that Guru Nanak Devji didn't worship Hindu Gods & make us believe that Sikhism is a monotheistic religion, to further their separatist agendas. Let us take a closer look at the Banis which are in the traditional Braj Bhasha with sanskrit words all dedicated to Shri Krishna, Lord NaraSimha ( Vishnu Avatar of half-man half lion), Lord Rama, Vamana Avtar of Vishnu, incarnated avatars of Vishnu etc:

ਅਚੁਤ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਪਰਮੇਸੁਰ ਅੰਤਰਜਾਮੀ ॥ अचुत पारब्रहम परमेसुर अंतरजामी ॥ Acẖuṯ pārbarahm parmesur anṯarjāmī. The Supreme Lord God is imperishable, the Transcendent Lord, the Inner-knower, the Searcher of hearts. (Similar sloka to be found in Bhagavad Gita when decribing Lord Hari/Vishnu)

ਮਧੁਸੂਦਨ ਦਾਮੋਦਰ ਸੁਆਮੀ ॥ मधुसूदन दामोदर सुआमी ॥ Maḏẖusūḏan ḏāmoḏar su▫āmī. He is the Slayer of demons, our Supreme Lord and Master. (Krishna is destroyer of the demon Madhu)

ਰਿਖੀਕੇਸ ਗੋਵਰਧਨ ਧਾਰੀ ਮੁਰਲੀ ਮਨੋਹਰ ਹਰਿ ਰੰਗਾ ॥੧॥ रिखीकेस गोवरधन धारी मुरली मनोहर हरि रंगा ॥१॥ Rikẖīkes govarḏẖan ḏẖārī murlī manohar har rangā. ||1|| The Supreme Rishi, the Master of the sensory organs, the uplifter of mountains, the joyful Lord playing His enticing flute. ||1|| (Krishna who lifted the Govardhan & one who plays the flute)

ਮੋਹਨ ਮਾਧਵ ਕ੍ਰਿਸ੍ਨ ਮੁਰਾਰੇ ॥ मोहन माधव क्रिस्न मुरारे ॥ Mohan māḏẖav krisan murāre. The Enticer of Hearts, the Lord of wealth, Krishna, the Enemy of ego.

ਜਗਦੀਸੁਰ ਹਰਿ ਜੀਉ ਅਸੁਰ ਸੰਘਾਰੇ ॥ जगदीसुर हरि जीउ असुर संघारे ॥ Jagḏīsur har jī▫o asur sangẖāre. The Lord of the Universe, the Dear Lord, the Destroyer of demons.

ਜਗਜੀਵਨ ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਘਟ ਘਟ ਵਾਸੀ ਹੈ ਸੰਗਾ ॥੨॥ जगजीवन अबिनासी ठाकुर घट घट वासी है संगा ॥२॥ Jagjīvan abẖināsī ṯẖākur gẖat gẖat vāsī hai sangā. ||2|| The Life of the World, our eternal and ever-stable Lord and Master dwells within each and every heart, and is always with us. ||2||  ਧਰਣੀਧਰ ਈਸ ਨਰਸਿੰਘ ਨਾਰਾਇਣ ॥ धरणीधर ईस नरसिंघ नाराइण ॥ Ḏẖarṇīḏẖar īs narsingẖ nārā▫iṇ. The Support of the Earth, the man-lion, the Supreme Lord God (Narasimha the half man - half lion avatar of Vishnu)   ਦਾੜਾ ਅਗ੍ਰੇ ਪ੍ਰਿਥਮਿ ਧਰਾਇਣ ॥ दाड़ा अग्रे प्रिथमि धराइण ॥ Ḏāṛā agre paritham ḏẖarā▫iṇ. The Protector who tears apart demons with His teeth, the Upholder of the earth. ਬਾਵਨ ਰੂਪੁ ਕੀਆ ਤੁਧੁ ਕਰਤੇ ਸਭ ਹੀ ਸੇਤੀ ਹੈ ਚੰਗਾ ॥੩॥ बावन रूपु कीआ तुधु करते सभ ही सेती है चंगा ॥३॥ Bāvan rūp kī▫ā ṯuḏẖ karṯe sabẖ hī seṯī hai cẖanga. ||3|| O Creator, You assumed the form of the pygmy to humble the demons; You are the Lord God of all. ||3|| ਸ੍ਰੀ ਰਾਮਚੰਦ ਜਿਸੁ ਰੂਪੁ ਨ ਰੇਖਿਆ ॥ स्री रामचंद जिसु रूपु न रेखिआ ॥ Sarī rāmcẖanḏ jis rūp na rekẖ▫i▫ā. You are the Great Raam Chand, who has no form or feature. ( Lord Raam, the son of King Dasharath) ਬਨਵਾਲੀ ਚਕ੍ਰਪਾਣਿ ਦਰਸਿ ਅਨੂਪਿਆ ॥ बनवाली चक्रपाणि दरसि अनूपिआ ॥ Banvālī cẖakarpāṇ ḏaras anūpi▫ā. Adorned with flowers, holding the chakra in Your hand, Your form is incomparably beautiful. (Traditional form of Lord Vishnu) ਸਹਸ ਨੇਤ੍ਰ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਹੈ ਸਹਸਾ ਇਕੁ ਦਾਤਾ ਸਭ ਹੈ ਮੰਗਾ ॥੪॥ सहस नेत्र मूरति है सहसा इकु दाता सभ है मंगा ॥४॥ Sahas neṯar mūraṯ hai sahsā ik ḏāṯā sabẖ hai mangā. ||4|| You have thousands of eyes, and thousands of forms. You alone are the Giver, and all are beggars of You. ||4|| ( Again reference to Krishna) ਭਗਤਿ ਵਛਲੁ ਅਨਾਥਹ ਨਾਥੇ ॥ भगति वछलु अनाथह नाथे ॥ Bẖagaṯ vacẖẖal anāthah nāthe. You are the Lover of Your devotees, the Master of the masterless. ਗੋਪੀ ਨਾਥੁ ਸਗਲ ਹੈ ਸਾਥੇ ॥ गोपी नाथु सगल है साथे ॥ Gopī nāth sagal hai sāthe. The Lord and Master of the milk-maids, You are the companion of all. ( Gopi Nath is Krishna) ਬਾਸੁਦੇਵ ਨਿਰੰਜਨ ਦਾਤੇ ਬਰਨਿ ਨ ਸਾਕਉ ਗੁਣ ਅੰਗਾ ॥੫॥ बासुदेव निरंजन दाते बरनि न साकउ गुण अंगा ॥५॥ Bāsuḏev niranjan ḏāṯe baran na sāka▫o guṇ angā. ||5|| O Lord, Immaculate Great Giver, I cannot describe even an iota of Your Glorious Virtues. ||5|| (Basudeva - name of Krishna) ਮੁਕੰਦ ਮਨੋਹਰ ਲਖਮੀ ਨਾਰਾਇਣ ॥ मुकंद मनोहर लखमी नाराइण ॥ Mukanḏ manohar lakẖmī nārā▫iṇ. Liberator, Enticing Lord, Lord of Lakshmi, Supreme Lord God. ਦ੍ਰੋਪਤੀ ਲਜਾ ਨਿਵਾਰਿ ਉਧਾਰਣ ॥ द्रोपती लजा निवारि उधारण ॥ Ḏaropaṯī lajā nivār uḏẖāraṇ. Savior of Dropadi's honor. (Draupadi of Mahabharat epic) ਕਮਲਾਕੰਤ ਕਰਹਿ ਕੰਤੂਹਲ ਅਨਦ ਬਿਨੋਦੀ ਨਿਹਸੰਗਾ ॥੬॥ कमलाकंत करहि कंतूहल अनद बिनोदी निहसंगा ॥६॥ Kamlākanṯ karahi kanṯūhal anaḏ binoḏī nihsangā. ||6|| Lord of Maya, miracle-worker, absorbed in delightful play, unattached. ||6|| ਅਮੋਘ ਦਰਸਨ ਆਜੂਨੀ ਸੰਭਉ ॥ अमोघ दरसन आजूनी स्मभउ ॥ Amogẖ ḏarsan ājūnī sambẖa▫o. The Blessed Vision of His Darshan is fruitful and rewarding; He is not born, He is self-existent. ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਜਿਸੁ ਕਦੇ ਨਾਹੀ ਖਉ ॥ अकाल मूरति जिसु कदे नाही खउ ॥ Akāl mūraṯ jis kaḏe nāhī kẖa▫o. His form is undying; it is never destroyed. ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਅਬਿਗਤ ਅਗੋਚਰ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਤੁਝ ਹੀ ਹੈ ਲਗਾ ॥੭॥ अबिनासी अबिगत अगोचर सभु किछु तुझ ही है लगा ॥७॥ Abẖināsī abigaṯ agocẖar sabẖ kicẖẖ ṯujẖ hī hai lagā. ||7|| O imperishable, eternal, unfathomable Lord, everything is attached to You. ||7|| ਸ੍ਰੀਰੰਗ ਬੈਕੁੰਠ ਕੇ ਵਾਸੀ ॥ स्रीरंग बैकुंठ के वासी ॥ Sarīrang baikunṯẖ ke vāsī. The Lover of greatness, who dwells in heaven. (Baikunth the highest heaven is where Krishna dwells) ਮਛੁ ਕਛੁ ਕੂਰਮੁ ਆਗਿਆ ਅਉਤਰਾਸੀ ॥ मछु कछु कूरमु आगिआ अउतरासी ॥ Macẖẖ kacẖẖ kūram āgi▫ā a▫uṯrāsī. By the Pleasure of His Will, He took incarnation as the great fish and the tortoise. ( Vishnu avatars of Matsya the fish & Kurma the tortoise) ਕੇਸਵ ਚਲਤ ਕਰਹਿ ਨਿਰਾਲੇ ਕੀਤਾ ਲੋੜਹਿ ਸੋ ਹੋਇਗਾ ॥੮॥ केसव चलत करहि निराले कीता लोड़हि सो होइगा ॥८॥ Kesav cẖalaṯ karahi nirāle kīṯā loṛėh so ho▫igā. ||8|| The Lord of beauteous hair, the Worker of miraculous deeds, whatever He wishes, comes to pass. ||8|| (Keshava, the one with beautiful dark locks of hair) ਨਿਰਾਹਾਰੀ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਸਮਾਇਆ ॥ निराहारी निरवैरु समाइआ ॥ Nirāhārī nirvair samā▫i▫ā. He is beyond need of any sustenance, free of hate and all-pervading. ਧਾਰਿ ਖੇਲੁ ਚਤੁਰਭੁਜੁ ਕਹਾਇਆ ॥ धारि खेलु चतुरभुजु कहाइआ ॥ Ḏẖār kẖel cẖaṯurbẖuj kahā▫i▫ā. He has staged His play; He is called the four-armed Lord. ( Vishnu has 4 arms & known as Chaturbhuj) ਸਾਵਲ ਸੁੰਦਰ ਰੂਪ ਬਣਾਵਹਿ ਬੇਣੁ ਸੁਨਤ ਸਭ ਮੋਹੈਗਾ ॥੯॥ सावल सुंदर रूप बणावहि बेणु सुनत सभ मोहैगा ॥९॥ Sāval sunḏar rūp baṇāvėh beṇ sunaṯ sabẖ mohaigā. ||9|| He assumed the beautiful form of the blue-skinned Krishna; hearing His flute, all are fascinated and enticed. ||9|| ਬਨਮਾਲਾ ਬਿਭੂਖਨ ਕਮਲ ਨੈਨ ॥ बनमाला बिभूखन कमल नैन ॥ Banmālā bibẖūkẖan kamal nain. He is adorned with garlands of flowers, with lotus eyes. (Krishna as described in all Hindu scriptures) ਸੁੰਦਰ ਕੁੰਡਲ ਮੁਕਟ ਬੈਨ ॥ सुंदर कुंडल मुकट बैन ॥ Sunḏar kundal mukat bain. His ear-rings, crown and flute are so beautiful. ( Shri Krishna's attire & flute) ਸੰਖ ਚਕ੍ਰ ਗਦਾ ਹੈ ਧਾਰੀ ਮਹਾ ਸਾਰਥੀ ਸਤਸੰਗਾ ॥੧੦॥ संख चक्र गदा है धारी महा सारथी सतसंगा ॥१०॥ Sankẖ cẖakar gaḏā hai ḏẖārī mahā sārthī saṯsangā. ||10|| He carries the conch, the chakra and the war club; He is the Great Charioteer, who stays with His Saints. ||10|| (Shankh, Chakra, gada are the weapons of Lord Vishnu) ਪੀਤ ਪੀਤੰਬਰ ਤ੍ਰਿਭਵਣ ਧਣੀ ॥ पीत पीत्मबर त्रिभवण धणी ॥ Pīṯ pīṯambar ṯaribẖavaṇ ḏẖaṇī. The Lord of yellow robes, the Master of the three worlds. ( Lord Vishnu who wears Pitambara or saffron Yellow robes) ਜਗੰਨਾਥੁ ਗੋਪਾਲੁ ਮੁਖਿ ਭਣੀ ॥ जगंनाथु गोपालु मुखि भणी ॥ Jagannāth gopāl mukẖ bẖaṇī. The Lord of the Universe, the Lord of the world; with my mouth, I chant His Name. (Here JaganNath Gopal is none other than Shri Krishna) ਸਾਰਿੰਗਧਰ ਭਗਵਾਨ ਬੀਠੁਲਾ ਮੈ ਗਣਤ ਨ ਆਵੈ ਸਰਬੰਗਾ ॥੧੧॥ सारिंगधर भगवान बीठुला मै गणत न आवै सरबंगा ॥११॥ Sāringḏẖar bẖagvān bīṯẖulā mai gaṇaṯ na āvai sarbangā. ||11|| The Archer who draws the bow, the Beloved Lord God; I cannot count all His limbs. ||11|| ਨਿਹਕੰਟਕੁ ਨਿਹਕੇਵਲੁ ਕਹੀਐ ॥ निहकंटकु निहकेवलु कहीऐ ॥ Nihkantak nihkeval kahī▫ai. He is said to be free of anguish, and absolutely immaculate. ਧਨੰਜੈ ਜਲਿ ਥਲਿ ਹੈ ਮਹੀਐ ॥ धनंजै जलि थलि है महीऐ ॥ Ḏẖananjai jal thal hai mahī▫ai. The Lord of prosperity, pervading the water, the land and the sky.

(Shri Guru Granthji pg1082)

                                            Modern day Sikhs are victims of fraud

Guru Nanakji has beautifully described the forms & avatars of Lord Vishnu in these verses which the neo Sikhs refer to as some other Ram or other Krishna when confronted with these facts...it couldn't get any worse when it comes to the logic of the neo Sikhs. I suggest they study Sanskrit first in order to understand fully the great Banis of our Gurus which were mostly in Braj Bhasha rich with Sanskritic thoughts- a dialect of North India at the time mainly for Vaishnava scriptures, kirtans & bhajans. Through twisting of the real facts, neo Sikh Talibanis have thrown out Sanskrit, Braj Bhasha, Sanatan Dharma , suppressed historical facts & the truth of what the Gurus all preached during their time - in a nutshell we have been made to blindly follow their version of the new Talibani Sikhism which was set up by Gorres ( British ) and their puppets of Tat Khalsa, to further weaken our original Hindu society, where we must not dare even ask any questions from them. Are we people who have become reduced to belonging to only 500 years of history or are we the proud inheritors of a great heritage that spans back milions of years way back to Shri Ram Chandra the Surya Vanshi King? They have managed to flood the internet with anti Brahminical & anti Hindu venom, with anti Brahmin myths such as the famous 'Gangu Brahman' myth which appeared during the 19th century. Shame on them!

Copyright©Arjan Singh Virdi 2012. 

British Stooges & Distortions of Sikh History

Traditional Puraatan Shri Adi Granth with Hindu Devas Circa 1600

Vaheguruji Ka Khalsa

Vaheguruji Ki Fateh

Jo Bole Saunihaal
Satsriakaal

May Vaheguruji always bestow upon us the strength to uphold the kesari flag of Dharma & Truth.

ਗੋਪੀ ਨਾਥੁ ਸਗਲ ਹੈ ਸਾਥੇ ॥
Gopee Naathh Sagal Hai Saathhae ||
गोपी नाथु सगल है साथे ॥
The Lord and Master of the milk-maids, You are the companion of all.
~Shri Guru Granth Sahib p. 1082

I would like to begin with the true accounts of Hindu Sikh history which have been supressed for so many years by narrow minded neo Sikhs, who have behaved as stooges of the SGPC & Tat Khalsa Singh Sabha, that was initially set up by the British colonial forces to enslave the Hindu Sikh nation by spreading distorted history, through cutting out, editing, expunging the true facts of Sanatan Hindu Sikh history.Instead, today we are fed on a Sikhism which is based on lies, biased views & anti Brahmin/ Hindu agendas of the neo-Sikhs who have completely suceeded in Talibanisation of the ever changing 'Sikh history' and the rich Hindu heritage of Shri Adi Granth. They are the Tat Khalsa Singh Sabha & the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee  (S.G.P.C).

All  our ten Gurus were in fact from Hindu families and lived as Hindus until their final days. They stood for Hindu Dharma & preservation of the spriritual essence of Sanatan Dharma.They married under the Hindu ceremonies officiated by Brahmin pandits also. The Sanatan Sikhs regard Classical Sikhism – which arose from the Sanatan Dharma and Vedic culture - to be a denomination of Sanatan Dharma. In the early days of Sikh history, the Gurudwaras were managed by Mahants (caretakers) who were descendants of the Gurus. Frescos of Hindu deities, murtis of Hindu deities as well as images of Sikh gurus formed part of the sanctum since the time of Guru Nank Devji. When Punjab fell under the British rule, hordes of missionaries moved in to harvest the lost souls in the name of Jesus. A Sikh religious administrative body, Sanatan Sikh Sabha was established in 1873 by Sanatani Sikhs in Amritsar to counter the rising influence of Christianity and conversion to Christianity when several Sikhs had been converted at the time. Those who had been converted by the missionaries worked as paid agents for the British colonialists in destroying the Sanatan Hindu history of Punjab.In many such cases, valuable material, rare literature, architecture and signs of much celebrated memories were completely destroyed. Their sole purpose was to destroy all evidence of Hindu philosophy, Hindu history & Hindu lifestyles of our ten Gurus - to separate Sanatan Sikhism from Hindu Vedic roots in order to divide & rule over Punjab, making it easy to exploit the Punjabi nation wherever/whenever it suited them.

The history writing by the British was a deliberate & systematic effort. The British used history of India as a tool for demoralizing the Indian natives. History of India was twisted, falsified and misinterpreted on a grand scale. In the South, false Aryan invasion theories were floated to alienate the Hindus of the South from their Vedic brothers in the North, who actually share the same DNA with them as has been proven in recent years. The respected Brahmins had become outcasts due to anti Brahminism spurred by the British missionaries - their's was to weaken Sanatan Dharma from its roots & the Brahmins had proved to them to represent the strong roots of ancient Dharmic traditions, which was the main secret behind the once powerful India. In a letter dated December 16, 1868 the famous Indologist Max Muller wrote to the Duke of Argyll, the then Secretary of State of India, 'India has been conquered once, but India must be conquered again and that second conquest should be a conquest by education'.. (Ref: 'The Life and Letter of F. Max Muller, edited by Mrs. Max Muller, 1902, Vol.1, p.357). Prof. Max Muller was not just a philosopher, he was also an examiner for the Indian Civil Service (ICS) examination. Teaching of falsified history played a great part in this 'second conquest'.

Who were these British history writers ? They were mainly army officers and administrators of the East India Company. For example:

• Major General John Malcolm - A Memoir of the Central India (1824)
• Captain Grant Duff - History of the Marathas (1826)
• Gen. Briggs - History of the Rise of Mohammedan Power in India (1829)
• Lt.Colonel James Todd - Anals and Antiquities of Rajasthan (1829-32)
• M. Elphinstone (Resident at Peshwa Court, later Governor of Bombay), History of India (1841)
• Joseph Cunningham (brother of Gen.A.Cunningham) History of Sikhs (1849)
• Lt. R.F.Burton - History of Sindh (1851)
• Max Arthur Macauliffe - Translated Shri Adi Granth; The Sikh religion (1909)

In Lahore Punjab, the Tat Khalsa Singh Sabha movement emerged from the neiferious designs of the Colonial parasites in 1879 & it began radically to alter the Sanatan philosophy of the Gurus as it had existed since Guru Nanak Devji, so to ensure it conformed to their new British Raj -accomodating perception. The leader of this movement was Max Arthur Macauliffe who helped establish a bunch of puppets known as the Singh Sabha scholars ( Teja Singh, Jodh Singh, Kahn Singh Nabha to name a few) to suit the whims of the British who ruled by creating divisions through tactics which included altering and editing Guru's scriptures & historical facts to divide and conquer and keep the native Indians subjugated, ignorant and subservient. All forms of Indian Nationalism and unifying aspects like religion were manipulated and suppressed.

Max Arthur Macauliffe, the British Deputy Commissioner of Punjab, saw an opportunity with the establishment of Sanatan Sikh Sabha and engineered the formation of a second Sabha, Tat Khalsa (the 'True Khalsa') Singh Sabha in Lahore in 1879, as a political rival to the Sanatan Sikh Sabha. Whereas the Sanatan Dharma Sikhism acknowledges its roots in the Vedic culture and believes in Hindu-Sikh unity; the Tat Khalsas are focused more on having a Sikh identity, separate from the non-Sikh Punjabis. So, the motive for the formation of this Tat Sabha were primarily to push Sikhs over to a pro-Muslim stance, put a wedge between the Sikhs and non-Sikh Punjabis thereby weakening the Hindus, and also to propagate the belief among the Sikh soldiers serving the Raj that their Guru’s prophecies coincided with the interests of the British Raj. It was a deliberate act in their “divide and rule” tactics and to get the Tat Khalsa Sikhs to be loyal to the British Raj.

Soon after their establishment, the Tat Khalsas with the institutional support of the Colonial missionaries & rulers, began throwing out the Jathedars from the management of the Gurudwaras; using force when needed. To promote a Sikh identity separate from the former glory of Hindu-Sikh days, a reform movement was initiated - older source material was suppressed, marginalized, denied, invalidated or even, as in case of Gurbilas, banned outright. Sikh scriptures were reinterpreted to expunge any hint of Hindu-ness in them. All Hindu frescos, paintings and murtis were removed from the Gurudwaras and all practices deemed to be Hindu were discontinued.  Rumours were spread that the Jathedars were promoting rituals that were 'forbidden by the Gurus'. HariMandir ( Vishnu Temple) became to be known as Darbar Sahib, which is Arabic/Persian for 'The court of God'. In 1905, the murtis removed from HariMandir included lifesized murtis of Lord Vishnu, Chandi-Durga, Lord Krishna, Lord Shiva & of Guru Ram Das Sodhi. Gurubanis were highly mistranslated & Janamsakhis of Guru Nanak Devji were not spared either. 


Most of the stories of the Gurus are now obvious copies of Bible & Kuranic stories & even though it is well known that the Gurus throughout their lives kept good company of eminent Brahmin sadhus, scholars & teachers to help them with the translations of sanskrit verses of the Vedas & Upanishads, a hint of anti Brahminism eventually had crept in. All Brahmin practises were being frowned upon by using the Gurus as those very people who were against the Janeu or the sacred thread as well as murti puja. There is a famous story where Guru Nanakji himself is mentioned as 'throwing' the sacred thread at the family Brahmin priest & rejecting the sacred thread altogether- again highly questionable since he himself was born into a Brahmin family. Most of whatever Guru Nanak Devji has been quoted to have said against Dharmic traditions, as per the re-interpretations of the Singh Sabha stooges, seem more like verses full of hatred, contempt & Hindu bashing for the very ancient traditions that the great saint had spent most of his life promoting. The Singh Sabha have spoken of NanakDevji as a Khatri, a farmer, a Jatt, sometimes a Vaishnava but have conveniently left out the fact that he was born into a Brahmin family & his name has also been twisted around with the last name Bedi attached to it. The present so called history & twisting of the Shri Adi Granth is full of contradictions throughout - an open case of fraud perpetrated upon us the Sikhs of Punjab.

The British further instigated & fanned more fire by adding their own conclusions & opinions:

The Religion of the Sikhs (London, 1914), p. 19: Granth strongly suggests that Sikhism should be regarded as a new and separate world-religion, rather than as a reformed sect of the Hindus.

To quote Dorothy Field, the author of History of Sikhs:

'There is a tendency at the present day to reckon the Sikhs as a reformed sect of the Hindus; and this has become a matter for controversy among the Indians themselves. The word Hinduism is undoubtedly capable of a very wide application, but it is questionable whether it should be held to include the Sikhs in view of the fact that the pure teachings of the Gurus assumed a critical attitude towards the three cardinal pillars of Hinduism, the priesthood, the caste system, and the Vedas. A reading of the Granth strongly suggests that Sikhism should be regarded as a new and separate world-religion, rather than as a reformed sect of the Hindus'.

Teja Singh Bhasauria was an employee of the British Government. He was given a school and funding to finance both the school and a printing press by the British. He intended to change Gurbani as directed to him by his British masters and his own ideas that were against the Brahmins & Hindu Dharma or any association of Hinduism in Gurbani. This has been recorded in history both by Prof Sahib Singh, and by the fact that a Hukamnama ex-communicated him from the Akal Takht. One of his associates Giani Kartar Singh Kalaswalia was the head Granthi of Sri Harimandir Sahib. It was during his term of seva that the Chaupai and Dohira were removed. Teja Singh's son Ran Singh, wrote Dasam Granth Nirney in 1919, in which he claims that another Bani starts after the 25th pauri - Dustt dokh tay layho bachaaee. This is untrue. This is the first reference to the short Chaupai Sahib. Before this time there has not been discovered any reference of anything but the full Chaupai Sahib.

Ancient Hindu martial aspects of Sanatan Sikhism have become mostly symbolic in modern times. The overall goal was to make Sanatan Hindu Sikhism as a strictly Bhakti (devotional) religion instead of the Shakti/Bhakti (power/devotion) balance which it always had. With the Bir Ras (warrior spirit) Banis compromised, the Sikh identity disappearing, and martial aspects becoming purely symbolic the British had their way to control Sikhism. Then it was a matter of bribery, intimidation and manipulation of Sikh leaders to create a new 'modern Sikhism'

Over the last few decades, Sanatan Sikhism has become a cult of the 'Book' like that of Islam & Christianity & Sikh youth have become brainwashed & indoctrinated into the Tat Khalsa mold. With over 3000 websites on the internet, all dedicated to & preaching the Singh Sabha version of a 'new' religion known as Sikhism, there has been a steady Talibanisation of the Sanatan heritage of Sikhism. Rife with anti Brahminism & articles demeaning Hindu Dharma, the message of most of these websites is that Sikhs are not Hindus & the Gurus preached as prophets a new religion which was devoid of any varna (caste) system, rituals etc, ignoring the fact that we Sikhs are very much divided into our respective castes just as the Gurus had been during their times. 


As for rituals, the neo-Sikhs have overlooked the fact that despite their efforts to point fingers at various ones practised by Hindus, Sikhs still practise similar ones such as bathing in Amritsarovar just as any Hindu would in the sacred Ganga. Symbolism too which is part of Hindu Dharma is still being practised by worshipping the Khanda, an ancient array of weapons sacred to the Hindus also, along with the similar style of Kesari jhanda, found on top of all Hindu temples. Worshiping of the Book Shri Adi Granth as an object, clothing it & placing it on one's head when taking it inside another room so to put it to sleep - all this is murti puja in its various form - again this is part of Hindu Dharma. The Tilak [mark on forehead] is also frowned upon but if we take a closer look at the original paintings before the time of the Singh Sabha British puppets, we see historic portraits of Nanak Devji with sandlewood and kum kum Tilaks on his forehead, at the same time with Rudraksha mala around his neck, looking very much a Hindu in the exact manner that he was, but newer paintings of him generated by the Singh Sabhias, portray him similar to those of Muslim sufi saints & those Arabs from the Bible stories of Jesus.


It is truly disheartening to see where we Sikhs are actually headed by this intense brainwashing & manipulation,Tat Khalsa style, whose intentions it seems are not that Pure in the first place. At this rate, we will not have any ancient history nor any heritage left, unless we stand up & expose the fraud that we have been forcefully succumbed to during the last century.

Famous words of Master Tara Singh:

“Protection of Dharma is our Dharma. Khalsa Panth was born for that purpose. Never have I left Hinduism. Guru Govind Singh has produced a lot of Gurumukhi literature based on Vedas, Puranas and the like. Are we to leave all that? In fact Hindus and Sikhs are not two separate communities. Name is Sikh and beard… Mona (non beard) Sikh and Sevak… That is all… Sikhs live if Hinduism exists. If Sikhs live Hinduism lives. They are not two separate communities. They are one indeed. Lack of mutual confidence has been a small problem. This situation must be put to an end. I want to see that. A Hindu revival movement is very necessary and it will certainly come up.”


Copyright©Arjan Singh Virdi 2012.