Cosmic

Time to focus on

GOOD HEALTH 3 AND WELL BEING

Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for all at all ages. Inspiration from Awqm aupdyS Bysu sMjm ko jwpu su Ajpw jwpy] sdw rhY kMcn sI kwXw kwl n kbhMU bXwpy] July-September 2020 (Sbd hjwry, pwqSwhI dsvIN) Instruct yourself in the garb of self-restraint 15/- and recite inwardly, God's Name. Your body would be of pure gold and death will never come near your frame. Covid warriors: Southern California pitch in to help thousands with meals, groceries

temple, grew with help from the local Sikh community into a significant project that has handed out 40,000 meals over the past four weeks. The nutritious food is made fresh daily at local restaurants in Fontana and Upland. Volunteers then pack the meals, comprising mostly of rice and lentils seasoned with Indian spices. The Mission is now partnering with community leaders and churches in the Inland Empire to help with meal deliveries to seniors in Jurupa Valley, Moreno Valley and Riverside and to area hospitals. Another organisation pitching in to feed those in need is the Food Pantry in Pacoima run by the Khalsa Care Foundation, said the India-West This is one of the largest operations in the region, supplying news report. The Food Pantry provides thousands of vegetarian meals not only to seniors and health- hot meals every Friday in partnership care workers at local hospitals, but also through the daily with Los Angeles City Councilwoman drive-through, India-West news quoted a local media report Monica Rodriguez’s office. The as saying Southern California’s United Sikh Mission has pantry has started a Go Fund Me page been distributing about 1,400 meals daily for the past month to raise donations to meet the with help from hundreds of volunteers in the local increasing demand. community. In addition, it was also distributing groceries Apart from food and groceries, the and face masks on weekends at the Jurupa Valley temple pantry also provides feminine hygiene here. products once a month, said the report. Gurpreet Singh, who originally hails from Hyderabad and is In Bakersfield, meanwhile, the Sikh an active volunteer of Gobind Singh Study Circle is Riders of America, is providing face now a coordinator with the United Sikh Mission, he spoke to shields for law enforcement, first- the Orange County Register of how their small operation, responders and frontline health-care which started out serving about 175 meals daily outside the workers. Quarterly

Chief Editor Editorial 2 S. Satbir Singh, Ludhiana Satbir Singh

Guru Nanak, Physician of the Mind 3 Associate Editors Dr. Gursangat Pal Singh Bibi Jalnidh Kaur, New York Jupji Sahib- The Morning Prayer 5 Dr. Gursangat Pal Singh, Ludhiana Khushwant Singh An Interview With God 7 Executive Editors Er. Harkirtan Kaur Bibi Harkirtan Kaur, Pune Bibi Brahmjot Kaur, Lucknow Mind 9 Dr. Anurag Singh Managing Editor The Sikhs Know 11 S. Jasbir Singh, Ludhiana Ryan Christopher Jones Deputy Director, SBTI Udasin Sampradai- Past & Present 14 Distribution Executives Er. Sukhdev Singh S. Barinder Singh, Mohali (for India) What I Learned from Coronavirus 16 S. Divjot Singh, New York (for Rest of World) Dr Simranjeet Singh Remembering Shaheed Udham Singh 18 All members of Editorial Board are honorary Col. Bhupinder Singh Beni Ji 21 Amrit Paul Bansal , Originator of Cosmic Faith 23 Dr. Gurbakhsh Singh

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Printer & Publisher Jatinderpal Singh Published on behalf of Study Circle, Model Town Extension, Ludhiana on 25-6-2020 printed at Foil The editorial board and Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle are Printer, 2051, Gobind Nagar, Ludhiana-141001 not necessarily in agreement with the articles printed in the S. Satbir Singh is the Editor "Cosmic Faith". 2

Editorial Contemplate on Sri Har Krishan Satbir Singh Perceiving Him all sufferings end (Guru Gobind Singh) Chief Editor

Pandemics and Epidemics are not new in this world. During Guru's stay at Delhi the disease of smallpox They have been visiting mankind over the centuries and broke out in the city. The administration generally helpful have taken vast toll of human life. Sometime these visit in to the public, failed to meet the challenge of deadly the shape of bubonic plague, some time as Spanish Flu and disease. , personally went to the patients many a times in the shape of Small Pox. The 6th Sikh Guru with his physicians and gave them water sanctified with has suffered from the later and survived, and there is a holy words of Gurbani and the physicians gave the thanks giving hymn in Sri by the 5th medicines. All of these helped in the disease afflicted Guru. The great king of Sikhs, Maharaja people and there was miraculous recovery of the people. suffered from small pox at a very young age but Such was the recognition of Guru after his life saving consequently lost his left eye permanently. The disease endeavour that both Hindus and Muslims, who got relief played havoc until Dr Edward Jenner derived a vaccine and called him Bala Pir (Child Prophet). The crowds started made the large part of the word free from it. thronging to the Haveli of Raja Jai Singh to get water But I am recollecting an incident when this epidemic sanctified by the Guru. This prompted Raja Jai Singh to dig spread in Delhi and large population was suffering from a reservoir of water in which the water sanctified by the this highly contagious disease, in 1664 AD, in the reign of Guru was mixed so that the multitude of the people Aurangzeb. Incidentally the 8th Guru of Sikhs, Guru Har reaching there could partake. This reservoir has now taken Krishan at that time was in Delhi, in the house of Mirza the shape of a vast sarovar, and there is a staunch belief in Raja Jai Singh the place where presently Bangla the population of Delhi that by taking bath therein they Sahib is adorned. The Guru had visited Delhi due a dispute would be freed from health ailments. The news reached the raised before the emperor by his elder brother Baba Ram ears of the emperor, when he heard about hundreds of Rai who was not allowed to succeed as Guru by his father healed persons with the help of Guru Har Krishan. But , because fearful of the emperor Baba Ram Guru's frequent coming into touch with disease afflicted Rai had dared to change the original verse of Guru Nanak Dev to placate the emperor. Guru Har Krishan was born on people had its consequence and he himself was afflicted. 7th July 1656 AD at Sri Kiratpur Sahib and He was He saved the life of multitude of people without caring for installed as the 8th Guru of the Sikhs on 23rd September himself. Like the many great prophets such as Jesus Christ, 1661, when he was only 5 years old. he took upon himself the suffering of the people and saved Emperor Aurangzeb, being a staunch Islamist was their life and sacrificed his own. Guru remained in critical suspicious of every other religious creed and exerted state for few days and finally passed away on 30th March influence of force for their assimilation into the Islam. 1664 at the age of seven and a half years. Such was his When Baba Ram Rai, favourite of Aurangzeb, raised the endeavour in saving the life of the people of Delhi that the dispute of succession with the emperor, he summoned Sikhs always remember him in his daily prayer: Guru Har Krishan to Delhi. Guru had no intention to sRI hirikSn iDAweIAY ijs ifTy sB duK jwey[ present himself before the emperor but at intervention of Contemplate on Sri Hari Krishan, whose glimpse will imperial officer Mirza Raja Jai Singh agreed to visit Delhi dispel all sufferings at his residence. 3

Healing Humanity Dr. Gursangat Pal Singh Guru Nanak, Physician of the Mind Associate Editor

Diagnosis and treatment are two important facets of I cried as filled with tears. medical science. Diagnosis involves identifying the I can't come to You, O my Beloved, disease from the symptoms exhibited by the patient; it may and I can't send anyone to You. require imaging and laboratory studies. Once a definitive Come to me, O blessed sleep - perhaps diagnosis had been made, only then can a specific I will see my Lord again. medication be given to treat the condition. While the medical science studies and works on empirically Guru Nanak Dev ji confirmed that intrinsic definitive diseases, Guru Nanak reaches deeper realms of human mind to identify and prescribe treatment for medicine is a different branch of science and metaphysical ailments. Guru Nanak Dev was a physicians by conducting physical examination diagnostician par excellence. He identified several chronic alone cannot treat the metaphysical conditions of ailments which humankind suffers from. In the following their subjects. That is why he said sacred verses (Sabad) Guru Nanak Dev provides disease vYdu bulwieAw vYdgI pkiV FMFoly bWh ] registry which has 'separation' on top of his list. Bolw vYdu n jwxeI krk klyjy mwih ]1] mlwr mhlw 1] Medical science doesn't recognize 'guilt of sins', duKu vyCoVw ieku duKu BUK] ieku duKu skqvwr jmdUq] as a disease. Greed is not a disease neither is ego an ieku duKu rogu lgY qin Dwie] vYd n Boly dwrU lwie ]1] ailment although we all suffer from their symptoms, ( AMg 1256) while society suffers its repercussions. The pain of separation is the pain of hunger I feelth. Other pain is of invincible Envoy of Death. mn AMDy kau imlY sjwie ] vYd n Boly dwrU lwie ]2] Another pain is the disease attacking body of mine. The blind mortal receives his punishment. Doctor oblivious, don't give me your medicine. O innocent doctor, don't try me medicine. ||2|| Guru Nanak discusses his experience of 'body's sense The research in medical science has made of separateness' and the associated 'pain' in the Sabad under advancements which have resulted in break throughs in Raag Vadhans. He finds the remedy in marveling during treatment of cancer and other ailments. There is no the sleep period. medication; however, that can cleanse the deep seated guilt mY rovMdI sBu jgu runw ruMnVy vxhu pMKyrU] of sins from within us. Guru Nanak Dev ji formulated an ieku n runw myry qn kw ibrhw ijin hau iprhu ivCoVI] elixir which has power to wash away our sinful acts and the supnY AwieAw BI gieAw mY jlu BirAw roie] associated symptoms. Awie n skw quJ kin ipAwry Byij n skw koie] scu sBnw hoie dwrU pwp kFY Doie ] Awau sBwgI nIdVIey mqu shu dyKw soie] (AMg 558) Truth is the medicine for all; I weep; and with me, the whole world weeps; it removes and washes away our sins. even the birds of the forest weep. Guru Nanak Dev ji identified naam's medicinal The only thing which doesn't weep is my body's properties for eradication of epidemics. sense of separateness, sMswru rogI nwmu dwrU mYlu lwgY sc ibnw ] which has parted me from my Lord. In a dream, He came, and went away again; The world is sick, and the Naam is the medicine; 4

Without Truth, filth sticks to it. Treatment for 'suKhu auTy rog' has been given in salok Extravagant living, often deprives us from physical mehla 1 activity, for instance. Guru Nanak Dev's doctrines do not duKu dwrU suKu rogu BieAw jw suKu qwim n hoeI] hinder our materialistic progress. In the following sabad he Suffering is the medicine, for the pleasure disease. envisions a palace made of pearls, inlaid with jewels, Because where there is pleasure, there is no desire for scented with musk, saffron and sandalwood, a sheer delight God. to behold. Seeing this, one might go astray and forget Guru Nanak Dev ji prescribes preventive medicine in contemplation, he apprehends. Remembrance is the key, the following verses. Guru Nanak advises. gauVI mhlw 1 ]sf moqI q mMdr aUsrih rqnI q hoih jVwau ] iKmw ghI bRqu sIl sMqoKM ] rogu n ibAwpY nw jm doKM ] ksqUir kuMgU Agir cMdin lIip AwvY cwau ] Practice forgiveness, abstinence and patience. mqu dyiK BUlw vIsrY qyrw iciq n AwvY nwau ]1] Neither you will be sick nor pain of death hir ibnu jIau jil bil jwau ] As these vices trigger release of catecholamine in the mY Awpxw guru pUiC dyiKAw Avru nwhI Qwau ]1] rhwau ] body and cause hypertension and other problems. Sheikh A patient suffering from frozen shoulder cannot be Farid, endorses; cured without physiotherapeutic exercises which might "PrIdw bury dw Blw kir gusw min n hFwie ] initially be very painful. But this pain is the remedy for dyhI rogu n lgeI plY sBu ikCu pwie ]78]" restoring articulation of his shoulder girdle. Fareed, answer evil with goodness; Guru Nanak Dev ji presented the epidemiology of do not fill your mind with anger. lifestyle diseases. Your body shall not suffer from any disease, mUrKu Bogy Bogu duK sbwieAw] suKhu auTy rog pwp kmwieAw] and you shall obtain everything. ||78||

3.6 Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality, The goals within a goal : Health targets for SDG 3 essential health-care service and access to safe, 3.1 By 2030, reduce the global maternal mortality ratio effective, quality and affordable essential to less than 70 per 100000 births. medicines and vaccines for all. 3.7 By 2030, substantially reduce the number of 3.2 By 2030, end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, deaths and illnesses from hazardous chemicals and malaria and neglected tropical diseases and air, water and soil pollution and contamination. combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other 3.a Strengthen the implementation of the WHO communicable diseases. Framework Convention on Tobacco Control in all 3.3 By 2030, reduce by one third premature mortality countries, as appropriate. from non-communicable diseases through 3.b Substantially increase health financing and the prevention and treatment and promote mental recruitment, in developing countries, especially in health and well-being. least developed countries and small island 3.4 Strengthen the prevention and treatment of developing States. substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and 3.c Strengthen the capacity of all countries, in harmful use of alcohol. particular developing countries, for early warning, 3.5 By 2020, halve the number of global deaths and risk reduction and management of national and injuries from road traffic accidents. global health risks. 5

Feeling Gurbani Translated into English By Jupji Sahib- The Morning Prayer Khushwant Singh Famous Historian & Writer By Guru Nanak Dev Ji

(Continued from the last issue) must in stature be the same. 22 He alone can His own greatness measure. Numerous worlds there be in regions O Nanak, what He gives we must treasure. beyond the skies and below, But the research-weary' scholars say, we do not know. 25 The Hindu and the Muslim books are full of theories Of His bounty one cannot write too much the answer is but one. He the great Giver desires not even a mustard seed; If it could be writ, it would have been, Even the mighty beg at His door, but the writer thereof be none. and others such O Nanak, say but this, the Lord is great, Whose numbers can never be conceived. in His knowledge He is alone. There be those who receive but are self-indulgent, Others who get but have no gratitude. 23 There be the foolish whose bellies are never filled, Worshippers who praise the Lord know not His greatness, Others whom hunger's pain doth ever torment. As rivers and rivulets that flow into the sea know All this comes to pass as Thou hast willed. not its vastness. Thy will alone breaks mortal bonds, No one else hath influence. Mighty kings with domains vaster than the ocean, The fool who argues otherwise, With wealth piled high in a mountainous heap, Shall be smitten into silence. Are less than the little ant The Lord knows our needs, and gives, That the Lord's name in its heart doth keep. Few there be that count their blessings, he who is granted gratitude and power to praise, 24 O Nanak, is the king of kings. Infinite His goodness, and the ways of exaltation; Infinite His creation and His benefaction; 26 Infinite the sights and sounds, His goodness cannot be priced or traded, infinite His great design, Nor His worshippers valued, nor their store; Infinite its execution, infinite without confine. Priceless too are dealers in the market sacred Many there be that cried in pain With love and peace evermore. to seek the end of all ending. Perfect His law and administration, Their cries were all in' vain, Precise His weights and measures; for the end is past understanding. Boundless His bounty and His omens, It is the end of which no one knoweth, Infinite mercy in His orders. The more one says the more it groweth. How priceless Thou art one cannot state, The Lord is of great eminence, exalted is His name. Those who spoke are mute in adoration, He who would know His height, The readers of the scriptures expatiate, 6

Having read, are lost in learned conversation. By the gems that Thou didst create, In the sixty-eight The great gods Brahma and Indra do Thee proclaim, places of pilgrimage, So do Krishna and his maidens fair; Is Thy name exalted. The demons and the demi-gods By warriors strong and brave in strife, Men, brave men, seers and the sainted, By the sources four from whence came life. Having discoursed and discussed Of egg and womb, of sweat or seed, Is thy name magnified. Have spoken and departed The regions of the earth, the heavens and the universe If Thou didst many more create That Thou didst make and dost sustain, Not one could any more state, Sing to Thee and praise Thy name. For Thou art as great as is Thy pleasure, Only those Thou lovest and with whom Thou art pleased O Nanak, thou alone knowest thy measure. Can give Thee praise and in Thy love be steeped. He who claims to know blasphemeth Others too there must be who Thee acclaim, And is the worst among the stupidest. I have no memory' of knowing them Nor of knowledge, O Nanak, make a claim. 27 He alone is the master true, SODAR Lord of the word, ever the same, (To Dawn) He Who made creation is, shall be and shall ever remain; Where is the gate, where the mansion He Who made things of diverse species, shapes and hues, From whence Thou watchest all creation, Beholds that His handiwork His greatness proves. Where sounds of musical melodies, What He will He ordains, Of instruments playing, minstrels singing, To Him no one can an order give, Are joined in divine harmony? For He, Nanak, is the King of Kings, There the breeze blow, the waters run and the fires burn, As He wills so we must live. There Dharmaraj, the king of death, sits in state; There the recording angels Chitra and Gupta write 28 For Dharmaraj to read and adjudicate. As beggar goes a-begging There are the gods Ishwara and Brahma, Bowl in one hand, staff in the other, The goddess Devi of divine grace; Rings in his ears, in ashes smothered, There Indra sits on his celestial throne So go thou forth in life. And lesser gods, each in his place. With earrings made of contentment, There ascetics in deep meditation, With modesty thy begging bowl, Holy men in contemplation, Meditation the fabric of thy garment, The pure of heart, the continent, Knowledge of death thy cowl. Men of peace and contentment, Let thy mind be chaste, virginal clean, Doughty warriors never yielding, Faith the staff on which to lean. Thy praises are ever singing Thou shalt then thy fancy humiliates From age to age, the pundit and the sage With mind subdued, the world subjugates. Do Thee exalt in their study and their writing. Hail! and to thee be salutation. There maidens fair, heart bewitching, Thou art primal, Thou art pure, Who inhabit the earth, the upper and the lower regions, Without beginning, without termination, Thy praises chant in their singing. In single form, forever endure. 7

Poet's Corner Er. Harkirtan Kaur An Interview With God Information Developer - Advanced, Pune and Executive Editior

On the bumpy lanes of life, We struggle throughout our lives, One day I met God. And end ourselves in soil. He saw me, tranquilly smiled, God... is life you give a gift? And gave a friendly nod. Or an ocean of turmoils?" I stood there for minutes, astonished, He stood there,serene, As it was more like a dream come true. His eyes chuckling at my queries. But soon I regathered my consciousness, Few minutes of silence passed, And started all anew. And he answered." I genuflected asked,"Hello God, how are you? My child.you are special, I am here to ask questions few. so I put you all to tests. I want you to answer them, Tests that make you win, Fair and true! Tests that gift you grins. We are your kids, That's what you say, Tests that make you lose your face, And then within our lives, You direct copious plays! later help to regain your grace. You call us your own, When you think all is fit and fine, Yet you gift us thorns. In conditions tough and challenging, I start with another test of mine. You let us behave as morons! I love you all, You gift us dear ones, l Love to see you win. And you snatch them too. But my child, You set tons of cobwebs, You have to pay the cost. Without giving a clue! of every single grin. You gift us ample love, Life is a gift, but end it in tears. Of triumph and turmoil. You plan expulsions and failures, You may cherish and relish the voyage, After our toil of numerous years! Or may cry over the climax in soil. You shaped some caring hearts, You are my favorite, But many daredevils too. So I gave you tough role. Gave us the will to proceed, I believe that you can conquer, But just midway kicked us and threw! All unmatched goals. 8

Life,my dear child, There is lots and lots to relish. Is the Pacific of twists and turns. Make each second worthy, To re-dive in this, Encage each hour to cherish. Each soul in heaven yearns. I love you all a lot, The deeper you reach, So I make tough plots. The richer you will get. As I don't want to keep you deprived, The higher you will stay, From any adventure of , The more you'll regret. my most exquisite gift, So dive deep my kid, The gift called LIFE!"

Amrit Paul Bansal His Stories Sakhi-A Pound of Flesh M. 98154-85668

Bgqw kw boilAw prvwxu hY drgh pvY Qwie ] (AMg 521) The words of devotees are accepted and approved in the court of Lord. There is a story about a , who lived in his own anand (joy), he cared about every one and every one loved him. In the same town another blessed man also lived. One day a childless women went to see the blessed man and she said, "Ask your God to grant me a son". The blessed man went on the top of the mountain and spoke to God of the poor woman's request. He came back and told the lady, "God said, there are no children in your destiny." A few days later, the woman came back full of joy and happiness, she was giving sweets to one and all, the blessed man asked, what she was celebrating. She replied, "The saint has said I will be blessed with a beautiful baby boy, my dreams have come true!" The blessed man could not understand, he climbed the mountain and asked God, "O Lord, You said the lady had no children in her destiny, yet the saint has granted her a son. How can he overrule your decision? God replied, "O blessed Man, before I answer that, go to the town and tell my children's (villagers) that God wants a pound of their flesh." The blessed man spent the next few days telling everyone, they looked at him and ran away, no-one was prepared to give a pound of flesh. Then he met the saint and told him of the strange request, to which the saint replied, "O blessed Man go back to God and ask Him from which part of my body, he wants it." On top of the mountain, the blessed man said to God, "Only the saint was prepared to obey your command, Lord, even I was scared to obey it." God then answered him, "My saint is prepared to die for me, I am bound by what he says, My saint can overturn destiny, everything belongs to the saint." sBu ko qyrY vis Agm Agocrw ] (AMg 962) Everyone is under Your Power, O inaccessible, unfathomable Lord. qU Bgqw kY vis Bgqw qwxu qyrw ] (AMg 962) You are under the power of your devotees; you are the strength of Your devotees. 9

Dr. Anurag Singh Mind Ludhiana

Man (Pb) (mn) (Sk: manas , manah): (citta chit) and vijňāna (consciousness), which is one of the five constituents (skandhas) of a human being. In its lit. mind, heart, inner-self, psyche, soul, passive functioning it receives and interpret the data consciousness, conscience. In Sanskrit literature the mind supplied by the five sense organs. This process of is connecting link of intelligence, thought, understanding, perceiving and interpreting the data can be modified perception and human will. In Vedic literature, manas is through the process of self-realization. In its active form described as individual spirit and the basis of individual mind (manas) is the storehouse of feelings and wishes. thought and speech (vāc). In the Upanişadic literature manas is closely linked with speech and breath as a triple In Indian philosophical tradition maň or manas entity and also as the intermediate link between the self refers to lower aspects of the mind and also to the (ātman) and the senses. In Six Hindu Systems (khat one of the four faculties of the antahakarņa, which Darśanas), the concept of mind is described in various are as follows: intellect (buddhi) which is terminology. In Sāmkhya it is the central organ of empowered to discriminate; mind (manas) which is perception. Alongwith the intellect (buddhi) and egoity empowered to decide the pros and cons of every (ahamkāra) it forms the inner-self: antahakarņa. While action; memory (chitta) is endowed with power to the senses of sight, (eyes), hearing (ears) and other organs remember; and ego (ahamkāra) which is a source of of action are the external:bāhyakaraņa, the inner-self self-consciousness. In most of the human beings, the (antahkaraņa) perceive the data transmitted by the external organs bāhyakaraņa. But the Nyāya Vaiśeşika's soul (ātman) is ruled by the mind (manas), and the concept of mind differs from the Sāmkhya-system. mind is overpowered by the external sense organs: Whereas Nyāya Vaiśeşika considers mind an eternal indriyas. Mystics consider the mind the cause of all atomic substance, Sāmkhya considers it to be a composite human sufferings and afflictions. But a disciplined product of prakŗit and hence subject to change. While mind, detached from the worldly pleasures, is a Sāmkhya admits that only mind and the five external source of eternal bliss : senses are sense organs (indriyas), and is of the view that Truly, mind is the cause of man's bondage the external senses are product of the physical elements, and liberation. but Nyāya Vaiśeşika describes eleven sense organs The mind which is attached to (indriyas) and all of them perceive from the principle of sense objects leads to bondage. ego : ahamkāra . In other philosophical systems mind is not Dissociated from senses it leads to liberation. recognized as a separate entity. In Jainism the body, the So they (the intellectuals) believe. senses (indriyas) and the mind (manas) are considered as Amŗita Bindu Upaņişad. 2 product of the , which as external force shape and control the mind. In Buddhism the words used are mind And again: 10

indriyebhyaś parā hy arthā, out of the linguistic multiplicity of terms into the unicity of arthebhyaś ca param manah, the highest spiritual goal. manasā ca parā buddhir budder ātmā mah āparah. In the Sikh Scriptures the word maň, mana (mind) is Subtler than the senses are the objects: tattvas used in three senses. First, the word maň, when used for Subtler than the tattvas is the mind: manah ; individual mind, it means the self or subject which Subtler than the mind is the intellect: buddhi . perceives, remembers, feels, conceives, reasons, wills and Beyond the understanding of the which is functionally related to an individual body Higher-Self: mahān ātman. organism. It is called intellect. Secondly, mind is Beyond the cosmic mind (mahat) is the Unmanifest; considered a metaphysical substance, which persuades all Beyond the Unmanifest is the Supreme individual minds. This, the self of man, is the essence of his Being : Puruśa ; moral and spiritual passions. It may be full of virtues or Beyond Puruśa there is nothing. vices, or it may be a mixture of animal and divine passions. Kaţha Upaņişad 1:3. 10-11. Thirdly, mind is used for the Higher Self or the Illumined Intellect (buddhi), which is subtle reasoning, is the path Self, free from imperfections. When this Higher Mind is finder which leads to the goal, and its absence keep a man enlightened and illumined, the lower mind disappears. All in the dark under the influence of the actions () of an those who travel on the path of spiritual life with one individual. Unlike the sun, which is the source of only positive aim of reaching the Presence of God, have to purge outward light to show the outer world, intellect (buddhi) is the mind of all impurities of the outer world. It is a spiritual the source of inner spark which enables the soul to journey of the seeker of Truth from lower passions to comprehend the Divine Light within and see life in its higher consciousness. One has to fight the lower passions pristine purity, both inwardly and outwardly and attain of his own mind with determined will to achieve higher salvation: mokşa, mukţi, nirvaņa; the terms used in ancient Indian Scriptures of Hinduism and Buddhism. But the Sikh moral and spiritual stages of inner life. “In order to control Gurūs were extremely liberal in defining this state of the the mind”, says Gurū Nānak, “its reins should be tightened. seeker in Saňskrit, Prakŗit, Appabhramśa, Braj, Avadhī, It should be held tightly in the grip like the ends of a Persian and all dialects of Puňjābī . For the highest spiritual churning rope.” (Sr Gurū Granth Sāhib, Rāga Sūhi, p.728). state following terms have been used in the Sikh Worldly desires and passions are the chief enemies of Scriptures: (i) param pad: supreme state; (ii) nirbhai pad: spiritual perfection. The seeker of Truth should bind them fearless state; (iii) mukta-pad : the state of release, (iv) as his servants and never allow them to be masters of his turiyā pad/ avasthā : fourth state, transcendent state, (v) mind Gurū Nānak in his Japuj highlights this spiritual sahaj pad : the state of tranquility and spiritual balance, (vi) journey by stating: “maň ĵitai jagŭ ĵitŭ: by conquering your brahm avasthā: state of Godliness, (vii) unman mind, conquer the existing world.” (Sr Gurū Granth Sāhib, avasthā: superconscious state, overmind state, (viii) Japuj, Pauŗi.28, p.6.) The same concept has been dev asthān : the abode of gods, (ix) dasam asthān or dasam highlighted by Gurū Gobind Singh in Dasam Bani duār : the tenth seat of consciousness; (x) sach khaňd: the According to Sikh mysticism a Seeker of Truth feels realm of Truth; (xi) sunya-mandal : the realm of silence; (xii) agampurā : unfathomable city; (xiii) begumpurā : city that he has a body and a mind. By mind, he means the inner of no woes; (xiv) gaganpurā : heavenly city; (xv) abchal spirit, the spark of divine Light and seat of knowledge; a nagar : the eternal city; (xvi) dargah : heavenly court; and deeper mystical perception. (xvii) rām-rāj : kingdom of God. The Sikh Gurūs take us ..... Continued to Page 15 11

Langar for Hungry How to Feed Crowds in a Protest or Pandemic? Ryan Christopher Jones for The New York Times The Sikhs Know

Their centuries-old faith tradition of nourishing volunteers from the Queens center served 500 portions of anyone in need has found new energy and purpose in matar paneer, rice and rajma, a creamy, comforting dish of America's turmoil. red beans stewed with tomatoes, and 1,000 bottles of water The Sikh Center of New York, in Queens Village, has and cans of soda to demonstrators in Sunnyside. They also served more than 145,000 free meals in the last two offered dessert: kheer, a sweetened rice pudding. months, as part of their faith tradition of feeding anyone in “Where we see peaceful protest, we are going,” said need. Himmat Singh, a coordinator at the World Sikh Inside a low, brick-red building in Queens Village, a Parliament, an advocacy group providing volunteers for group of about 30 cooks has made and served more than the Queens Village efforts. “We are looking for justice. We 145,000 free meals in just 10 weeks. They arrive at 4 a.m. support this.” three days a week to methodically assemble vast quantities Since the pandemic began, soup kitchens have had of basmati rice, dal, beans and vibrantly flavored sabzis for difficulty keeping up with demand. Shuttered schools and New York City hospital workers, people in poverty and even fine-dining restaurants are using their kitchens to anyone else in search of a hot meal. prepare and serve hot meals. But few other places are as This isn't a soup kitchen or a food bank. It's a well positioned to handle the sheer scale of assistance gurdwara, the place of worship for Sikhs, members of the required right now as the . Most have large, fifth-largest organized religion in the world, with about 25 well-equipped kitchens, a steady stream of volunteers and million adherents. Providing for people in need is built into no shortage of ingredients, thanks to regular donations their faith. from community members. An essential part of is , the practice of During the last annual Sikh Day Parade in New York, preparing and serving a free meal to promote the Sikh tenet in April 2019, the Queens Village kitchen which has a of , or selfless service. Anyone, Sikh or not, can visit a walk-in cooler, multiple freezers, 50-liter stockpots and a gurdwara and partake in langar, with the biggest ones like huge grill that can cook dozens of rotis at once produced the in Amritsar, India serving more than 15,000 meals in a single day. 100,000 people every day. Because of the Sikh tradition of langar, the free meal Since the coronavirus pandemic has halted religious served at all gurdwaras to anyone who wants it, Sikhs have gatherings in most of the country, including langar, the resources to distribute food on a large scale. gurdwaras like the Sikh Center of New York, in Queens The Sikhs' biggest challenge isn't keeping up with Village, are mobilizing their large-scale cooking resources demand. It's letting people know that they're here without to meet the skyrocketing need for food aid outside their making a big show of it or proselytizing, which is places of worship. forbidden. The Queens Village group fed people last week at a Founded in the 15th century in , India, by the Sunnyside protest over the killing of George Floyd and spiritual leader Guru Nanak, Sikhism has an estimated other black Americans by the police. 500,000 followers in the United States and 280 gurdwaras, Some are feeding the protesters marching in outrage according to the Sikh Coalition, a civil-rights organization over the killings of George Floyd and other black in New York City. One of the most visibly distinctive Americans by the police. Last week, a dozen or so features of the Sikh practice is the turban a symbol of the 12 religion's belief in equality though not everyone chooses Sahib attended a protest in Fremont and handed out several to wear one. hundred bottles of water as a show of solidarity. Sikhs in America have been often been prey to bigotry, On a recent Friday, Gurjiv Kaur and Kiren Singh asked hate crimes and Islamophobia, particularly since 9/11. A the volunteers at their gurdwara, the Khalsa Care few volunteers said in interviews that before going out to Foundation, in the Pacoima neighborhood of Los Angeles, distribute meals, they worried that they might hear ignorant to prepare meals in the community kitchen that they could comments. But Santokh Singh Dillon, the president of the take to the protest. The next morning, they and others Guru Nanak Mission Society of Atlanta, said the people he picked up about 700 containers of pasta with a garlic- and serves are often more puzzled than prejudiced. Most have onion-laden tomato sauce and 500 bottles of water from the never even heard of Sikhism, he said. gurdwara, and set up a tent in Pan Pacific Park. Soon, When some find out that the meals are free, “They look protesters started arriving at the tent with other donations, at us and say, 'You are kidding, right?' ” like medical supplies, snacks and hand sanitizer. At least 80 gurdwaras in the United States are now “It is our duty to stand up with others to fight for providing food assistance. For many, the transition has justice,” said Ms. Kaur, a graduating senior at the been quick and seamless. University of California, Irvine. “Langar at its core is a This is not just because the infrastructure is already revolution against inequality and the caste system,” the there, said Satjeet Kaur, the executive director of the Sikh antiquated hereditary class structure in South Asia, which Coalition. “The call to action and the responsibility” for Sikhism has always rejected. helping others is deeply entrenched in the Sikh way of life. Swaranjit Singh Khalsa has been coordinating with Sikhs are expected to donate at least 10 percent of their time five gurdwaras in the Norwich, Conn., area to serve meals or income toward community service. at protests. Himmat Singh, the president of the World Sikh In Norwich, Conn., volunteers from five gurdwaras Parliament, is helping to lead the efforts in Queens Village. handed out a few hundred bottles of water to protesters last It took the Gurdwara Sahib of Fremont, Calif., just a Tuesday, and on Friday, distributed as many containers of few days after suspending religious services in March to set rajma, or kidney beans, and rice on a Main Street sidewalk, up a meal and grocery delivery program, and a drive- a block from City Hall. through meal pickup system outside the gurdwara. Swaranjit Singh Khalsa, a volunteer and a member of Cooks wear gloves and masks, and the kitchen is big the Norwich Board of Education, noted that historically, enough for workers to stand more than six feet from one many Sikhs in India have been killed by the police while another. As at most gurdwaras, the menu changes regularly, fighting for their civil rights. but is typically Indian and always vegetarian. (Meat is not Volunteers at the Hacienda de strictly permitted in gurdwaras.) abide by Covid-19 guidelines, wearing masks and gloves While these Sikh volunteers, known as sevadars, are while preparing and handing out meals. experts in mass-meal preparation, they aren't as At many gurdwaras in the United States, most of those accustomed to spreading the word. The Fremont kitchen who show up for langar meals are Sikhs. Now that they are has produced 15,000 to 20,000 meals a day on holidays like catering to a broader population, menus have changed to New Year's Eve, said Dr. Pritpal Singh, a member of the suit different tastes. In the Seattle area, volunteers at the gurdwara. But now, the gurdwara is serving just 100 to 150 Gurudwara Sacha Marag Sahib are making pasta and tacos people each day. in addition to rice and dal. Dr. Singh said he hoped that more people in need At the Hacienda de Guru Ram Das in Española, N.M., would come pick up food. “We could do hundreds of meals have included enchiladas and burritos. Still, thousands of meals if given the task,” he said. Harimandir Singh Khalsa, a volunteer, said the community But with the demonstrations unfolding around the kitchen is operating at less than 10 percent of its capacity. country, Sikhs aren't waiting for people to come to them Some gurdwaras, like the Hacienda de Guru Ram Das, any longer. On Tuesday, volunteers from the Gurdwara have modified their offerings from the usual Indian food to 13 accommodate local tastes. originally hails from Hyderabad (India) where he started “I think it is about convenience,” Mr. Khalsa said, as volunteering for Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle. the gurdwara isn't centrally located. “If we had a food truck Since the protests, Mr. Singh and others have been parked in front of Walmart that said, 'Free food,' we could reaching out to black organizations, like churches, offering get more takers. But for people to get in their cars and drive to drop off meals or groceries. They expect to see an over to this place people aren't that desperate yet.” increase in people showing up for meals, as thousands Location is also an issue for the Guru Ramdas have been attending protests in the area. Gurdwara Sahib in Vancouver, Wash., as the In addition to meals, some gurdwaras are also handing neighborhood doesn't have much foot traffic, said out groceries. Mohan Singh Grewal, the gurdwara secretary. So every other Sunday, volunteers pack up 300 to 400 Groups like United Sikhs, an international nonprofit, meals made in the gurdwara and drive them to the are helping to get the word out. They have stepped up Living Hope Church, a Christian congregation six efforts to identify areas of need, connect gurdwaras with miles away, in a more urban part of the city. organizations seeking assistance, provide best practices One of the biggest challenges for gurdwaras is that for food preparation during the pandemic and mobilize many hospitals, shelters and other charitable organizations Sikhs to help feed protesters. they'd like to help don't take cooked food because of While the pandemic continues, a few gurdwaras aren't hygienic concerns, or accept it only if it meets certain using their kitchens. Tejkiran Singh, a spokesman for the health codes. Many Sikhs have started collecting and Singh Sabha of Michigan, west of Detroit, said the distributing pantry items in addition to making meals. gurdwara committee decided it was too risky to start a meal distribution service, especially since Michigan has Many Sikh communities have set up drive-throughs become a hot spot for the coronavirus. outside their gurdwaras to distribute food. At the Riverside When the Sikh Society of Central Florida, in Oviedo, Gurdwara, people line up two hours early to get a meal. reopens on June 14, services will be limited to fewer Still, some gurdwaras are bustling. In Riverside, Calif., a hub for the Sikh population, volunteers from the people, and food will be handed out in to-go containers as United Sikh Mission, an American nonprofit aid group, they leave. and the Khalsa School Riverside, a children's program, But Amit Pal Singh and Charanjit Singh, the chairman serve 3,000 to 5,000 meals every day at the Riverside and the treasurer of the Sikh Society of Central Florida, Gurdwara. People line up in the drive-through as early as also want to continue the drive-through and delivery 9:30 a.m., even though it doesn't open until 11:30.The services they developed during the pandemic. process is highly systematized. The cooking team shows “The concept of langar is to serve the needy,” Mr. Pal up at 5:30 a.m. to prepare meals based on previous days' Singh said. Before the pandemic, he said, most people numbers, as well as requests from senior centers, hospitals participating in langar were local Sikhs coming more for and nursing homes; another team packs the meals into social and religious reasons than out of need. The drive- microwave-safe boxes; and the third distributes them at the through and deliveries will allow them to put meals into drive-through and other locations. The gurdwara shares the hands of people who struggle to afford to eat. information about the free meals through regular posts on large Facebook groups for local residents. That will mean a lot of extra food for volunteers to Volunteers at the Riverside Gurdwara like Gurpreet prepare, in a city where the Sikh population is still small. Singh hand out 3,000 to 5,000 meals every day. But none of that seemed to worry Mr. Pal Singh. “We didn't just sit there and say we are going to cook “We would love to be in that situation,” he said, his and wait for people to come,” said Gurpreet Singh, a optimism vibrating through the phone. volunteer for the United Sikh Mission. S. Gurpreet Singh “We will handle it.” 14

Tradition & Precedent Er. Sukhdev Singh Udasin Sampradai- Past & Present Translated from Gurumukhi : Satbir Singh, Chief Editor

The Nirmal Panth (The Sikh Religion) has descended godly script. Guru Sahib prophesized that a day would with the advent of Guru Nanak Dev ji in this world. Bhai come when the celebrated brahmins and pandits will learn Gurdas has mentioned in his composition: by sitting at the feet of these so-called Shudras. The truth of mwirAw is~kw jgq iv~c nwnk inrml pMQ clwieAw his prediction can be visualized when we see the brahmin (Nanak issued the coinage and founded the Nirmal children thronging to Sanskrit schools run by Nirmal Panth (untainted nation) Panchayti Akhara, for learning Sanskrit from them. But The word has originated from this historical the matter of regret is that no student from Punjab attends statement. This world has seen many a ruler who issued those schools for learning Sanskrit, a fact that is also rued coins in their name but with the departure of those rulers, by the Sri Mahant of the Akhara. the coins issued by them lost their value. But the coinage, Guru Gobind Singh, in 1686 AD, selected five Sikhs i.e. the doctrine of Nirmal Panth, established by Guru later known as Ram Singh, Koer Singh, Ganda Singh, Nanak Dev ji, is eternal and everlasting. The people who and Saina Singh and sent them to Benaras for will tread on the paths of Nirmal Panth will flourish in this learning. These five, faced surmounting obstacles but world, and the next. Nirmal means without filth; untainted. learnt Sanskrit grammar, Vedang-niyaya and Arms This word finds its resonance in the word Khalsa, means Education. These five Sikhs returned after 13 years to Sri pure, used by Guru Gobind Singh while baptizing the . Guru Sahib, seeing their shining faces Sikhs. and milky white clothes, addressed them, “Welcome my Dev ji's assertion of a benevolent kingdom Nirmala ” and professed that they would expand the is the next stage of such Nirmal Panth. Nirmal Panth. sB suKwlI vuTIAw iehu hoAw hlymI rwju jIau ] Guru Gobind Singh transformed the Nirmal Panth (Let all abide in peace in this benevolent rule.) in to the Khalsa Panth and the later was equipped with Shastars (Arms) and Shastras (Education) or as the (SGGS 73) popular saying among the Sikhs; Bani (Holy hymns) Guru Gobind Singh took forward this Nirmal Panth and Bana (Attire). On the one hand the Khalsa forces and trained it in the art of arms. Guru Sahib was a poet par destroyed the tyrants with swords, spears, lances, bows excellence and he revealed his divine verses. At Paonta and arrows and on the other hand Nirmala saints Sahib, the poets and scholars of Brajbhasha, Punjabi, undertook the literary work of translating sacred texts Persian and Arabic were present in his court but he and recording of historical episodes, with pen in their considered the necessity of Sanskrit language also in order hands. Nirmala saints trounced proclaimed scholars, to study ancient Indian literature, philosophy, epical poetry ascetics and recluses in the dogmatic debates. and history. Pandit Gulab Singh, Pandit Tara Singh Narotam and There was a brahmin, named Pandit Raghunath who Pandit Ishar Singh are among the prominent Nirmala used to give exposition of Sanskrit Scriptures at Paonta scholars, who notably contributed in the translations and Sahib. He declined Guru Sahib's suggestion for teaching dictionaries of Sikh scriptures and historical narrations. Sanskrit to the Sikhs for him the Shudra origin of the Sikhs Nirmala saints also undertook propagation of the Sikh disqualified them from acquiring the knowledge of the Faith, in the country and outside, subsequent to the Guru 15 period. They helped the escape of Maharani Zindan, queen of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, to Nepal, in the aftermath of ..... Continued from Page 10 Anglo-Sikh wars. Their sacrifices also contributed in the Morcha Guru Ka Bagh and Morcha Gangsar Jaito in the Mind course Gurdwara Reform movement. Present Condition : There are repeated injunctions in the Sikh It is our sheer misfortune that we know very little about Scriptures (Sr Gurū Granth Sāhib and Dasam our Nirmala scholars and further we have not studied their Granth) to seek the Divine Presence with the mind writings in depth. In the present time there are many (maň), heart (chit), intellect (buddh) and attentive resources for learning Gurbani, through publications, consciousness (surtī-ekāgartā). A heart which is libraries, social media and internet. But no such facilities illumined and blossoming with divine wisdom is were available in the past and efforts of Nirmala scholars compared with lotus, and is called hirdai kamal, for acquiring the knowledge about Sikh scriptures and accomplishing their translation, writing the dictionaries because like louts it remains pure amidst the and imparting education, by visiting far flung areas is impurities of the world. But a heart that is depressed beyond our comprehension. We have indulged ourselves in and gloomy is called drooping heart : urdhamukh . It the unwanted criticism of these selfless scholars instead of is within the power of a man to gain the full bloom of realizing their enormous contribution. These saintly Divine Spirit and transcend all decay and desire of persons have always strived to maintain unity in the Sikh the body. Through sheer punctiliousness in people and they were equally respected among Hindus and observing rites and religious service, the devotee Sikhs. Punjabi University Patiala, Research Department has taken a commendable initiative by organizing the tends to become oblivious of the Presence of God. seminars of Udasin and Nirmala scholars. Outward compliance and observance of In the present times Nirmala saints are taking care of externalities makes the exercise empty ritual. the health of people by maintaining large Hospitals. Their Practicing the presence of God with single-minded contribution in the educations sector is also special and devotion takes the mind out of the narrowness of commendable. These noble souls have established large self-interest, and enables the seeker to see the world universities where thousands of students are gaining in the mirror of the holy. For when we betake our academic knowledge. Let us all shed envy and jealousy and mind to the extreme opposite of the ego, we can take every one along, as Guru Nanak Dev once did, and spread goodwill universally. These are the aims and behold a situation from the Divine aspect of God. objectives of the Nirmal Panth. The word man (mn) in this hymn and in the next The wisdom of Guru Sahib is: hymn, both in R āga Rāmkali has been used by Gurū swJ krIjY guxh kyrI Coif Avgx clIAY] Gobind Singh to highlight the Sikh mysticism that a Emulate their virtues and leave their faults behind. seeker of Truth can attain union with God by (SGGS-P 765) contemplating the Divine Name, for which inner This is a fundamental advice of the Guru for purity is needed and not any outward garb. A life of unification of various branches of the Sikhism detachment within this living society and not life of : Concluded. a hermit in the forests is required. This word has Sources : Articles on the subject by Dr Chamkaur Singh, Dr Dalwinder Singh Grewal, Singh Sahib Giani Fauja Singh, Dr Paramjit been used four times in Shabad Hazūre (Shabad Singh, S Karamjit Singh Aujla, S Jagmohan Singh Gill Kolkata, S Nos. 1(2), 2, 9.). Jaskirat Singh, Prof Piara Singh Padam, Eng. Jaswant Singh Zafar and S Bachittar Singh Advocate. 16

Piece of Life Dr Simranjeet Singh PhD What I Learned from Coronavirus Harvard

(RNS) When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit New York City, I wanted to leave town quickly. Why risk being infected? What if we were quarantined in our small and overcrowded city? What would happen to our food supply if they shut down the bridges and tunnels to our island of Manhattan? The idea of leaving Manhattan felt wrong too, though. Our little family has been living here for more than a decade, and it truly feels like home to us. We had gone to Staff attend to patients at Lenox Hill Hospital, April 7, 2020, school here, created our communities here and were in New York. (Photo by John Nacion/STAR MAX/IPx) raising our baby girls here. My wife worked as a physician We knew that staying would mean increased exposure and human rights researcher at one of the city's larger to the virus and likely infection, especially given that she hospitals, and she didn't feel right walking away when would be on the front lines. What we didn't know was that people needed her most. we would be infected as quickly as we were. We discussed our options every evening. We could leave town to find relative safety. We could stay home and As an anaesthesiologist, my wife was charged maintain a semblance of normalcy. We could split up our with perhaps the most high-risk procedure in terms family, with me taking the kids somewhere else while she of exposure for health care professionals: She stayed home to serve patients. would intubate critically ill COVID-19 patients, It wasn't long before New York City became the global place breathing tubes in them and put them on epicenter of the pandemic. The more overloaded the ventilators. While normally the illness is hospital systems and city's infrastructure became, the transmitted via droplets, during intubation those harder I pushed for us to finally leave. While I liked the particles become aerosolized and dispersed noble idea of serving desperate patients in these throughout the surrounding air like a thick, circumstances, I liked more the idea of staying alive and invisible fog. keeping our young kids healthy. The uncertainty of what She would come home each day emotionally and might happen felt overwhelming. Not knowing how the physically exhausted. We had been married for 11 virus worked felt paralyzing. years, and I had never thought of her as a real-life We ultimately decided to stay in New York City. My superhero, so selfless and committed that she would wife sees service as a central part of what she does, and she risk her own health to serve others in need. felt compelled to serve infected patients. As far as anyone About 10 days into our physical distancing, she started knew at the time, the virus was not supposed to have exhibiting the dreaded symptoms. A low-grade fever, serious health effects on younger children like ours, or runny nose, shortness of breath, dry cough. Testing wasn't even on people in their mid-30s like us. We also agreed that yet available, so we did the best we could. The guidelines if death came knocking at our doors, we would rather be from the World Health Organization and the Centers for together. Disease Control directed us to presume she had been 17 infected. She notified the hospital that she was seemed lethargic and asked for a late morning nap. My symptomatic and placed herself on quarantine. wife noticed her shivering and a blue tinge to her lips and We had all been exposed at this point so there was no fingernails. She stripped off our baby's clothes and ran her point in any of us leaving. We were in it together, just as we to the shower. She later told me that shivering increases had promised. There was no going back now. one's oxygen consumption by 300%. We had been minutes Her symptoms, though serious, did not turn out to be away from a visit to the emergency room. completely debilitating. She felt miserable and low on After five full days of intense caregiving, our bodies energy for about 10 days. She fought the sickness with the were starting to give out from exhaustion and worry. Our same resolve I've come to know and love. Fortunately for spirits were on the cusp of breaking. us, she was never miserable enough for us to consider Add to all this that my wife still hadn't recovered from going to the hospital. her own infection and how emotionally and physically her It was when our kids got sick that things felt untenable. hospital work had been before this. For three straight days, the 1-year-old pushed a fever of 103 Just as we felt we may break down, our daughter's degrees. We stayed up with her each day and night, trying fever broke first. It dissipated as quickly as it had come, everything we could to break her fever. The paediatrician dropping nearly 7 degrees in less than two hours. We urged us to avoid going to the hospital unless the fever collapsed onto our couch with relief, knowing that we exceeded 105 degrees. We couldn't confirm that we were weren't yet out of the woods but also that the risk levels infected still, so to visit the hospital would be to risk a were much lower now. We hadn't slept in five nights. We potentially deadly infection. had both worried like never before. And yet, we couldn't About 48 hours into the baby's illness, our 4-year-old's have felt more thankful. We had survived the coronavirus. body started burning up. The thermometer read 104 By the end of the week we had officially tested positive degrees. We looked at each other with panic. For the first for COVID-19. Our sense of normalcy returned soon after that, though our appreciation for our health and for one another feels different now. There's nothing like a near- death experience to help you cherish what you have. We have spent the past few weeks settling back down into our lives and deciding how we felt about sharing our story. On the one hand, we worried about the potential stigma of being COVID-positive and about bringing This illustration provided by the federal Centers for Disease attention to ourselves when so many other people are Control and Prevention in January 2020 shows the 2019 novel suffering. On the other hand, we wanted to affirm what so coronavirus (2019-nCoV). Image courtesy of CDC many of us are feeling right now an overpowering sense time in our 10+ years of marriage, I looked at my wife and of fear arriving hand-in-hand with an equally said out loud: “I'm feeling really scared.” She replied with a overpowering sense of gratitude. Our experience was a soft, “Me too.” sharp reminder of how suddenly catastrophe can strike in The baby's fever broke the next day, but the toddler's our lives, even with every advantage: no pre-existing fever kept climbing. We were doing everything we could to conditions, young patient, comfortable home, physician keep her from passing the 105-degree mark. We woke up on hand. It's also a humbling reminder of how little we every hour throughout the night to check her temperature, ultimately control. We spend so much of our lives trying to doing cold compresses when our toddler woke up in control and plan every detail that we sometimes forget discomfort and blowing cool air on her face and neck to how little we actually can control. That's a frightening idea keep her comfortable while sleeping. to wrestle with but there's also something liberating about On the third morning of her illness, our 4-year-old accepting our lived realities. 18

Our Martyrs Death Anniversary : 31st July 2020 Col. Bhupinder Singh Jodhpur Remembering Shaheed Udham Singh M. 82098-15874

Udham Singh (1899-1940) was born as on 1200 wounded, whereas the unofficial figures were much 26 December 1899, at Sunam in the Sangrur district of more. Brigadier Dyer imposed a curfew in the city and Punjab in humble Kambo family. He became an orphan at returned to his camp leaving the dying with the dead the age of six and was brought up, along with his brother without any possibility of help reaching them. Mukta Singh in the Central Khalsa Orphanage at Amritsar. Both the brothers were baptized in Sikhism at the Hundreds of unarmed, defenseless Indians had orphanage and became Udham Singh and Sadhu Singh been murdered in cold blood by a senior British respectively. In 1917, Udham Singh lost his brother. He military officer, in the heart of Amritsar, the holiest passed the matriculation exam in 1918 and left the city of the Sikhs, on a day sacred to them. It was orphanage in 1919. indeed a black Sunday. When the news was Massacre at Jallianwala Bagh. The army was called conveyed to Sir Michael O'Dwyer (1864 - 1940), the out in Amritsar after acts of arson broke out against the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, he fully approved Rowalatt Act on 10th April 1919. Brigadier General of the action. Udham Singh and his friends from the Reginald Edward Harry Dyer (09 October 1864 - 24 July orphanage were involved in administering aid and 1927), commander 45 Infantry Brigade marched from serving water to the wounded and dying. The Jullundur to Amritsar with Gorkha troops and armoured massacre of over a thousand people had an cars and arrived in Amritsar in the evening on 11th April. indelible impact on his conscience and the impact of The Brigadier General proclaimed a state of emergency Nankana Sahib tragedy of 21st February 1921 and declared all meetings illegal (majority of the citizens added on him equally. were unaware of this declaration). Meanwhile the local Congress had already announced a meeting at Jallianwala This incident ignited patriotic fervor in Udham Singh Bagh at 4.30 pm for the Baisakhi fair on 13th April. and he soon left India for USA and became involved in From the early hours of the morning of 13th April, a revolutionary politics under the influence of Ghadar Party large number of people mostly Sikhs, had poured into the in the early 1920s. He returned home in 1927 and secretly purchased revolvers but he was arrested by the police in city from the surrounding villages for the Baisakhi festival Amritsar and sentenced to four years imprisonment under (first of Baisakh being the birth anniversary of the Khalsa). the Arms Act. On release in 1931, he returned to Sunam, but These Sikhs, ignorant of the announcement went to the harassment by the local police forced him to return to nearby Bagh to pass time till it was cool enough to return Amritsar and there he opened a shop as a signboard painter, home. For the Sikh villagers (mostly illiterate) it was just assuming the name of Ram Mohammad Singh Azad. This another entertainment. As soon as Brigadier General Dyer name, which he was to use later in England, was adopted to received news of the meeting, he marched a platoon of represent the three major religions of Punjab (Hindu, infantry to Jallianwala and on reaching there at about 5.15 Muslim and Sikh) and Azad for his anti-colonial sentiment. pm; he occupied the only passage of the Bagh and without Udham Singh was profoundly influenced by giving any warning, opened fire on the innocent and Bhagat Singh's ideology and politics and invariably unsuspecting gathering. The firing lasted for about 20 referred to him as his guru; he was also very fond of the minutes, in which 1650 rounds of ammunition were fired. songs of Ram Prasad Bismal, a leading poet and pioneer The official figures of the causalities were 379 killed and revolutionary, who was hanged in Kakori train robbery. 19

Udham Singh made his way to Kashmir to evade police and 1,200 people were killed and at least 3,600 wounded. from there he finally escaped to Germany. In 1934, he The Hunter Inquiry Committee (named after its reached London. Privately and made plans to assassinate chairman, Lord Hunter) held Brigadier General R.E.H. Michael O'Dwyer, the former lieutenant governor of Dyer (nicknamed the Butcher of Amritsar) guilty of a Punjab, who had approved action of Jallianwala Bagh mistaken notion of duty, and he was relieved of his massacre. command and prematurely retired. He received a sum of The opportunity came after waiting for 21 years. At 26,317 pounds from his English admirers who called him, 4.30 pm, on 13th March 1940, Michael O'Dwyer was 'The man who saved India'. Brigadier General Dyer lived scheduled to speak at a joint meeting of the East India over eight years after his retirement and during part of this, Association and the Central Asian society (now Royal he was wheel chair bound. He was looked after by his society for Asian Affairs) at Caxton Hall, London. Udham daughter-in-law and niece. He had two strokes in a short Singh hid a pistol in a book in which he had carved out a time before he died of cerebral hemorrhage and place for it. He sat in the front row and after the lecture was arteriosclerosis in 1927. After his death, most unexpectedly over, he fired at Michael O'Dwyer, who was hit twice and he was given a military burial with full honours. The Union Jack that flew over the Jalandhar Headquarters was fell down dead; Lord Zetland, the Secretary of State for specially brought in to wrap his coffin; this speaks volumes India, who was presiding over the meeting, was injured. of the British society that thus honoured a cashiered Udham Singh made no attempt to escape and was soldier, who lived his life without any retirement benefits immediately arrested. or pension. On 1st April 1940, Udham Singh was formally charged Sir Michael O'Dwyer, the Lieutenant Governor of for the murder of Sir Michael O'Dwyer. On 4th June 1940, Punjab, an Irishman, had fully approved of the action of he was committed to trial, at the Central Criminal Court, Brigadier General Dyer. This is precisely what he said, “I Old Baily, before Justice Atkinson, who sentenced him to approved of General Dyer's action in dispersing by force death. An appeal was filed on his behalf which was the rebellious gathering and thus preventing further dismissed on 15th July 1940. On 31st July 1940, Udham rebellious acts ……… speaking with perhaps a more Singh was hanged in Pentonville Prison in London. intimate knowledge of the then situation than anyone else. I POST SCRIPT have no hesitation in saying that General Dyer's action that What was the aftermath and what happened to the day was the decisive factor in crushing the rebellion, the characters that played such a dramatic role in the whole saga seriousness of which is only now being generally realized.” of tragic events? Hunter Committee Report, Disorders Inquiry Committee Brigadier General Dyer - After the Jallianwala Report, p. 48. massacre, martial Law was clamped in Punjab, the Sir Michael O'Dwyer, who claimed that Brigadier agitations and demonstrations all over the province of General Dyer had saved the empire, had in fact dealt it the Punjab took a very ugly turn. There was arson, looting, most grievous blow by alienating all Indians, including its riots, rampage and assaults all over. The army administrator staunchest supporters. "No British action, during the whole Brigadier General Dyer had Amritsar city's water and course of our history in India, has struck a more severe electric supply cut; in the street where a missionary lady had blow to Indian faith in British justice than the massacre at been assaulted, he made Indian passers-by crawl on their Amritsar," wrote the Westminister Gazette. The sun had bellies; specially constituted courts tried and summarily begun to set on the British Empire. Rabindranath Tagore sentenced people to death and terms of imprisonment. All renounced his British Knighthood. Sir Michael O'Dwyer, over the province there was public flogging and many other as mentioned earlier was shot dead by a Sikh, Udham humiliating atrocities committed on Indians. In the seven Singh, at a public meeting in London on 13th March 1940. weeks that Punjab was administered by martial law nearly During his trial Udam Singh had made a request that 20 his ashes be sent back to his country, but this was not was controversial in both countries. Today [8th October allowed. However, in 1974, his remains were exhumed and 1996] I am glad to say, our relationship is excellent. India is repatriated to India at the request of MLA Sadhu Singh an important partner and a close friend of this country Thind, who accompanied the remains back to India, where Jallianwala Bagh was acquired by the nation for a sum the casket was received by Indira Gandhi (prime minister), of Rs 5,60,472/- on 21 August 1920 and today it is a Shankar Dyal Sharma (president) and Giani Zail Singh memorial (the monument that was constructed after India's (minister for home affairs). Udham Singh was later independence was inaugurated by Dr Rajendra Prasad, the cremated in his birthplace Sunam in Punjab and his ashes first President of the Republic of India, on 13th April were scattered in the River Sutlej. Some of these were retained and are kept in a sealed urn at Jallianwala Bagh. 1961). Every year on 31st July marches are held in Sunam by This patriot is almost forgotten in India. No textbook various organizations and tribute is paid to every statue of talks about him. Few people know about him. But the story Shaheed-I-Azam (the great martyr) Sardar Udham Singh in of Shaheed-I-Azam (the great martyr) Sardar Udham the city with flower garlands. Singh is truly an inspiring one; his legacy lives on; he will Following his conviction, Udham Singh made a speech be remembered forever, even if it is by a few, and his which the judge directed should not be released to the press. immortal name will live till eternity. However, political activists who had set up the Shaheed F A charity dedicated to Udham Singh operates on Soho Udham Singh Trust and working with the Indian Workers Road, Birmingham. Association (GB) ran a campaign to have the court record of F A museum dedicated to Singh is located in Amritsar, his statement published along with other material. This near Jallianwala Bagh. proved successful in 1996, when his speech was published F along with three further files covering the trial, and the Udham Singh's weapon, a knife, his diary, and a bullet Ghadar Directory, a document compiled by British from the shooting are kept in the Black Museum of intelligence in 1934 detailing 792 people regarded as a Scotland Yard. threat including Udham Singh. F He has been the subject of a number of films: The speech of Sardar Udham Singh was largely a Jallianwala Bagh (1977), Shaheed Udham Singh denunciation of British Imperialism. He said the British rule (1977), and Shaheed Udham Singh (2000). A film, amounted to nothing but atrocities and enslaving Indian starring Vicky Kaushal and director Soojit Sircar is in people. He said that he had nothing against the English the making (2020). people but was against the British government and that he F Mayawati named a District (Udham Singh Nagar), in was not afraid of dying. The judge refused to hear any more, Uttarakhand after him in 1995. but Singh continued and said that he had been asked to F There is a Shaheed Udham Singh Chowk in Anupgarh speak and say what he wanted to say and now that he was (Rajasthan). speaking, they did not want to hear what they were doing in India. He ended his speech by shouting “Down with British F A statue of him was installed at the Jallianwala Bagh, Imperialism! ". Udham Singh remained bold, defiant and Amritsar in March 2018. fearless to the very end. F Singh is the subject of the 1998 track "Assassin" by When this material was published, it was reported in Asian Dub Foundation. both British and Asian press, the statement was translated F Singh is the subject of the 2015 music video and track into script and distributed at the Sikh Baisakhi "Frank Brazil" by The Ska Vengers. Festival in Birmingham, April 1997. John Major, the prime F The death anniversary of Sahaheed Udham Singh is a minister at that time remarked: "The Amritsar Massacre public holiday in certain places in Punjab and was an unhappy episode in Indo-British relations which Haryana. 21

Mystical Tradition Amrit Paul Bansal Bhagat Beni Ji Ludhiana

The details of the life of Bhagat Beni Ji are not back to his house, without any money. when his wife and authentically available in history. It is believed that Bhagat other members of the family asked him about, why he had Beni Ji was the contemporary of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. His no money again, he used to say, "Now, I have left my job as a parents, time and place of death are not known in any narrator, so instead of going to people's houses, I have taken authentic documents. According to the Sakhi Bhai Narayan the job of a narrator to the King." After a few days, when Singh Ji, he was born in 1630 Bikrami in the village of Aasni necessary things in the house were about to finish, the Brahmna. Ji (Sikh Scholar) has described and family once again reminded him about the money situation. explained his life actions in his vaars. From that, we come to He said, "The King is a great man. I have not asked him know that Beni ji was a narrator of religious stories and an about the salary yet. He himself will give me a lot of excellent scholar. Devotees used to take him to their homes money." While Beni Ji tried to put things off more time for religious discussions and talks. He used to explain and passed. There was extreme shortage of food and other narrate the stories from the old religious scriptures in a very essential things in the house but Bhagat Beni Ji kept logical and loving way. Whatever somebody would give meditating on God's name. He kept himself aloof from all him after katha (narration), was his means of earning a these things to such an extreme that all his desires vanished. livelihood. On the other hand, to protect and shelter a true devotee, God One day, Bhagat Ji was coming home after Himself came to earth in the disguise of a King and sent a narrating Katha at some body's house, when he came cart load full of food and other essentials to Beni Ji's house. across a saint on the way. The saint exchanged a few The family was assured that soon, they would get more words with him. The saint asked him about his stuff. "This was just an offering given to Benji Ji as he used profession and where was he coming from Beni ji told to narrate Katha to me. His salary is yet deposited by me." the saint about his profession. The saint said to said the King to members of the family. Beni Ji's wife and Bhagat Beni Ji, "Beni, the stories and tales of the great other members of the family were overjoyed after seeing all personalities that you narrate to people earn your the malarial goods and the food. The King (God) went to the livelihood, why don't you try to change your life, jungle and met his true disciple (Beni Ji). He embraced Beni according to those stories? Just look at how people Ji and blessed him with numerous blessings including the donate their money just listening about the lives of divine enlightenment, Bhai Gurdas Ji has described this great personalities, imagine what will happen if the incidence in his 10th Vaar pauri 14th : narrator becomes as good as that character, he is 14 L p/Dh Grs talking about? Whoever does this, gets accepted in the tko 10, gT[Vh 14 court of God and gains contentment." After listening r[ow[fy p/Dh Grfs efo ikfJ fJeKs pj? fbt bkt?. to the saint's talk, Beni Ji accepted him as his Guru (Religious teacher) Saint Beni, a gurmukh, used to sit in solitude and would enter a meditative trance. Now instead of going to people's homes to narrate eow eo? nfXnkswh j'o;[ fe;? Bk nby[ bykt?. stories (Katha), he started going daily to a solitary place in a He would perform spiritual activities and in jungle for meditation of God. In the evening, he would come humbleness would never tell anyone. 22

xfo nkfJnk ik g[Shn? oki[ d[nkfo rfJnk nkbkt?. the Name of the Lord. Almighty God also grants His Reaching back home, when asked, he would tell devotee an esteemed reputation and victory. people that he had gone to the door of his King (The supreme Lord) Bani Incorporated in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji : xfo ;G tE[ wzrhnfB tb Sb[ efo e? Ms[ bzxkt?. Beni Ji is one of the fifteen , whose three When his wife asked for some household material, he hymns have been included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji under Sri Raag (SGGS 93), Ramkali (SGGS 974) and would avoid her and thus spend his time performing Prabhati (SGGS 1351) spiritual activities. Principal Teachings : A man should emancipate tvk ;Kr[ tosdk Uj fJe wB gow/;o X:kt?. himself from materialistic ties whilst living in this world. To One day, white concentrating on the Lord with single- hope for salvation after death is a fallacy. The person who minded devotion, a strange miracle happened. cannot get salvation during own life time, how can he get it after his death? To achieve the spiritual heights, one must g?i ;tko/ Grs dh okik j[fJ e? xfo ufb nkt?. become a follower of Guru. No doubt he has described To keep the glory of the devotee, God Himself in the different spiritual areas of Divinity, but at the same time, he form of Kind went to his home. has opposed the baseless, false rituals and ceremonies, to d/fJ fdbk;k s[f;e? nDrDsh youh gj[zukt?. achieve, the spiritual height, for this achievement, Guru's guidance and grace is very important. As he explains on In great joy, He consoled everyone and made available page 1351 : profuse money for expenditure. fifB nksw ss[ B uhfB`nk.. T[Ej[z nkfJnk Grs gkf; j'fJ dfJnkb[ j/s T[gikt?. ;G c'eN Xow nphfBnk.. From there, He came to His devotee Beni and Whoever does not realize the essence of the sould, all compassionately loved him. his religious actions are hollow and false. Grs iBK i?eko[ eokt?..14.. ej[ p/Dh r[ow[fy fXnkt?.. fpB[ ;fsr[o pkN B gkt?..5.. This way, He arranges applause for His devotees. Says Baynee, as Gurmukh meditate without the True Guru, you shall not find the Way. Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji states on Page 1192; In his above three hymns in Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji, p/Dh eT[ r[fo ehU gqrk;[.. (nzr 1192) Bhagat Beni Ji has described to us the signs of achieving The Guru blessed Baynee with His Divine Dasam Duar (10th Door) and Param Padh (Highest stage of Illumination. Spirituality). If a person's consciousness enters Dasam Duar, he is emancipated from the cycle of life and death. o/ wB s{ Gh j'fj dk;[..5.. (nzr 1192) Beni Ji inspires us to achieve this stage, while actually O my mind, you to must be the Lord's slave. living in this life. He has condemned the concept of Who ever meditates on God : name with concentration salvation after death. He orders this on page 93. and complete mental focus with unconditional surrender to p/Dh ej? ;[Bj[ o/ Grsj[ woB w[efs fefB gkJh..5.. the Almighty, gets all the blessings from Him and all of his Says Baynee, listen, O devotee : who has ever attained worldly jobs are accomplished by the creator. As mentioned liberation after such a death. on page 638. It is true that Bhagat Beni ji left this world in 16th century, but he had made himself immortal by his hymns, nfuzs ezw eofj gqG fsB e/ fiB jfo ek Bkw[ fgnkok.. enshrined in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. The Great Guru (nzr 638) Arjan Dev Ji, included his Divine Hymns in Sri Guru God automatically does the word of those, who love Granth Sahib Ji, making them a part of Shabad-Guru. 23

Excerpts from the Book : A Universal Faith Dr. Gurbakhsh Singh Guru Nanak, Originator of Cosmic Faith USA

(Continued from the last edition) in hand to serve society effectively. Religion provides the motivation for serving people while political thought The ego of the Sidhs was cut down to size by this creates a social structure for providing actual service to astute reply of the Guru. The Guru also exposed the Sidhs’ society. In other words, the common objective of the two hollow claim that remaining celibates made them better institutions, religion and politics, is providing service and than married people. He asked them, “How you can say justice to the people. These two privileges are considered that you are superior or are nearer to God than the family their birth right. men as you beg for food and depend on them for your Guru Nanak Dev ji, however, found that people sustenance?” having political power or religious authority were (v) Service is true worship draining the blood of the weak instead of serving them At Jagan Nath Temple, Puri, India, Guru Nanak Dev with honesty and sincerity. The major pillars of the faith, ji told the priests that instead of worshipping the stone love for the people, commitment for service, and practice images of the gods, they should strive to become one with of truth were missing from the minds of the men in power. God’s pervasive nature. The correct way to worship Him is Guru Nanak Dev ji raised a loud and forceful voice against to love other human beings who are His creation and in these anti social elements. whom God actually resides. Wherever Guru Nanak Dev ji went, people greeted oki/ ;hj w[edw e[s/.. Guru Granth P1288 him in large numbers and all leaders respected his new The rulers and their officials behave like blood- religious thought. He decried hollow, meaningless rituals seeking hounds. and wanted people to realize God by observing His ekdh e{V[ p'fb wb[ ykfJ.. pqkjwD[ Bkt? ihnk xkfJ.. existence in every human being and everywhere in nature. Guru Nanak Dev ji collected the writings of those Muslim i'rh i[rfs B ikD? nzX[.. shB/ UikV/ ek pzX[.. Pirs and Hindu Sants who had also realized, the same Guru Granth P662 philosophy. These hymns were later included in Sri Guru The Muslim Kazis (Judges) are corrupt, the Granth Sahib ji under the title Bhagat Bani. Brahmans suck the blood of the innocent, and the Yogis The technique Guru Nanak Dev ji adopted to preach mislead people. They themselves don’t know the path for his faith can be understood from the above incidents peace and are responsible for the problems of the people (Sakhis) of his life. To learn more about the interesting and (instead of being helpful to them). revealing incidents of the life of Guru Nanak Dev ji, the The significance of these efforts of Guru Nanak Dev reader may refer to one of the many books on this subject. ji can be properly understood only when one keeps in mind For preaching his mission, Guru Nanak Dev ji spent about that all kinds of privileges were reserved for only the two decades visiting different religious places in India and rulers; others had no rights, not even to express their hurt other countries. feelings. (d) Unique Miri-Piri Principle Guru Nanak Dev ji gave new directions to those who i) Miri-Piri wanted to be truly religious persons or political leaders. He ‘Miri’ refers to social and political life while ‘Piri’ preached: refers to religious beliefs. Guru Nanak Dev ji preached that the two have a symbiotic relationship and must move hand oki/ u[bh fBnkt eh Guru Granth Pl240 24

g{ik ehu? Bkw[ fXnkJhn? fpB[ Bkt? g{i B j'fJ.. traditional interpretations of the religions are not suitable for adoption by the politicians. The followers of the major Guru Granth P489 world religions claim: “My religion is the only true faith, gqG e/ ukeo ;/ Gb/.. BkBe fsB w[y T{ib/.. people believing in any other faith will go to Hell. Guru Granth P211 Conversion of non-members to my faith will ‘save’ them. As per their opinion, God is pleased with such efforts of the ftD[ ;/tk fXqr jE g?o j'o fBjcb eoBh.. believers. In reward they will get a seat in Heaven for Bhai Gurdas Var 27-10 ‘saving’ the heathen.” If all people start using their power D A person, who is a king, is bound to deliver justice to and authority by forcing their own religion on others we the people because it is his duty to do this. will have chaos all over the world. While trying to ‘save’ D The duty of a religious person is to do worship; other people from Hell, we will create Hell for them on this worship means to remember God and love people, very earth. His children. There is no worship without love and Guru Nanak Dev ji preached that religion is not service to people. Service is the path to the success of decided by the name (Allah, Ram, Hari, Gobind or God) human life. we adopt to worship God. Religion means to observe the D Cursed are those who don’t serve the people. Without vibrant spirit of God in every person, and hence to love service all their actions are meaningless. people and serve them irrespective of their belief. It is only To summarize, Guru Nanak Dev ji preached that this religion (as said earlier, one can give it any name; the religion is not a set of rituals. It is practiced only when traditional name is ‘Sikhism’; ‘Sikh’ means a disciple of one’s belief is actually put into practice for the welfare truth) which should be adopted by the politicians while of the people. Otherwise, religion is nothing more than performing their duty. A Sikh prays every morning and a theortical concept for mental exercise and leads to evening. bickering and argument. Not only unscrupulous s/o/ GkD/ ;ops dk Gbk.. politicians and pseudo religious leaders, but also all those God, in Thy name bless whole humanity. who were taking away the rights of the weak and the A Sikh performs his religious duty when he practices helpless started opposing this movement of human rights. this belief in his social and political life. Not how many The were attacked and the Sikhs were harassed. times one repeats the above statement of Guru Nanak Dev After sacrifices by six generations of Gurus and thousands ji's teaching, but to what extent one practices it in actual of their Sikhs for over three centuries, the rule of state life, determines how religious a person is. The World terrorism and the religious hegemony ended. As a result, Conference of Religions for Peace endorsed, maybe the people’s rule was established in Panjab. knowingly, the unique Miri Piri principle when they ii) Separation of Religion and State observed at New Jersey in 1979 that: People should Today, however, we find that the popular philosophy confront the powers of the world with the teachings of our is to keep the state (political authority) and religion religions rather than conforming to them when they act separate. This has been necessitated because politicians contrary to the well being of humanity. misuse their power to torture, kill, control, or convert the It suggests that the religious leaders should stand up followers of other faiths. The rulers are, therefore, not against the politicians taking away the human rights of the permitted by the constitutions of the modern states to people. Religion becomes meaningless if it is not practiced promote or implement practices of their faith while to protect the weak and protest against the rulers who take performing their state duties towards their people. away the human rights of the people. This is what Guru The actual reason to keep the two separate is not Nanak Dev ji undertook more than five centuries ago and because there is anything wrong with the philosophy of brought a religious revolution for the service of the people putting the state and religion together, but because the by combining Miri and Piri. A special event on the eve of “Parvasi Bharti Divas” was organised at the HQ of Consulate General of India at Chicago (USA), attended by representatives of different communities of Indian Diaspora. S. Inderpal Singh, Director Overseas Coordinations and UNO Affairs, participated on behalf of Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle. Addressing the elite gathering he moved an idea of conducting the Inter Faith Dialogue for World Peace,based on the ideology of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, commemorating 550th Parkash Utsav of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji and assured full cooperation from GGSSC. He also apprised the congregation about the Vision Mission, aims and objectives of study Circle and activities being done worldwide. The Consulate General Sh. Sudakar Balela and the audience gave a big applause to the Idea.In one to one meeting with the Consulate General he assured such Inter Faith Dialogue in near future. He also informed during his annual report presentation, about holding special function on life and philosophy of Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, at HQ of Consulate General, celebrating 550th Parkash Utsav in November 2019.S.Ranjit Singh Consul at CGI Chicago is in constant touch for follow up and further activities

Inspiring & Empowering volunteer force to generate Our global social movement for fostering the culture of Vision "Sarbat Da Bhalla" (Welfare for All) as enshrined in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji."

Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle

Head Office : Model Town Extension, Ludhiana-141 002 Registration No. : PUNENG/2019/77255 Date of Publication : 25th June, 2020

JOURNEY OF THE SOUL Guru Arjan Dev Ji, master of celestial verse, apricates the human soul who meets her Lord Groom in Savan (July-Aug), the month of rains. In Bhadon (Aug-Sept), the month of doubts and confusion, that soul will survive the predicament, which has affection with Guru. in Assu (Sept-Oct), the month of overwhelming love, Satgur has explained the way to attain supreme love.

bwrh mwhw mWJ mhlw 5 Gru 4 Barah Maha Manjh Mahala 5 Ghar 4

swvix srsI kwmxI crn kml isau In Saawan, that soul-bride is happy, who loves the Lotus Feet of the Lord. Her mind and body are imbued with truth, as ipAwru ] mnu qnu rqw sc rMig ieko nwmu her only faith is the Name of God. Every pleasure to her is ADwru ] ibiKAw rMg kUVwivAw idsin sBy false as she sees them burnt ash. Nector of Hari's Name is Cwru ] hir AMimRq bUMd suhwvxI imil swDU pleasant, which she drinks in the company of saints. All pIvxhwru ] vxu iqxu pRB sMig mauilAw forests and the meadows rejuvenate with powerful infinite sMmRQ purK Apwru ] hir imlxY no mnu locdw God. My mind yearns to meet the Hari but only if my deeds krim imlwvxhwru ] ijnI sKIey pRBu are a worthy lot. I surrender always to those friends who pwieAw hMau iqn kY sd bilhwr ] nwnk have reached the beloved God. O Nanak, when the Dear Lord hir jI mieAw kir sbid svwrxhwru ] shows kindness, He adorns His bride with His Words. In swvxu iqnw suhwgxI ijn rwm nwmu auir Saawan those are married who adorn the necklace of their hwru ] 6 ] Lord. || 6 ||

Bwduie Brim BulwxIAw dUjY lgw hyqu ] In Bhaadon, the soul is doubtful, gets attached and swayed. She may adorn her in many ways but that is fruitless in lK sIgwr bxwieAw kwrij nwhI kyqu ] every way. When the body perishes; it will be called a ghost ijqu idin dyh ibnssI iqqu vylY khsin on that day. The angel of death will take her, and nobody will pRyqu ] pkiV clwiein dUq jm iksY n get a trace. Then everyone would leave you, with whom you dynI Byqu ] Cif KVoqy iKnY mwih ijn isau had much stake. And all her loved ones in an instant, would lgw hyqu ] hQ mroVY qnu kpy isAwhhu move on, leaving her all alone. The body turns white, with hoAw syqu ] jyhw bIjY so luxY krmw sMdVw twitching hands and writhing in pain. The body is field of Kyqu ] nwnk pRB srxwgqI crx boihQ deeds, you harvest what there you seed. Nanak seeks asylum, pRB dyqu] sy Bwduie nrik n pweIAih guru O God! Give me vessel of Your feet. They will never go to hell, rKx vwlw hyqu ]7] in Bhaadon, who are attached with their Guru Esteem || 7 ||

Asuin pRym aumwhVw ika imlIAY hir jwie In Aasaarh they feel it burning, when Hari is not with them. They renounce the Life-giver Lord and keep their ] min qin ipAws drsn GxI koeI Awix hopes with humans. Double minded thus suffer when imlwvY mwie ] sMq shweI pRym ky hau iqn kY comes the noose of death. You reap what you sow as it is lwgw pwie ] ivxu pRB ikau suKu pweIAY dUjI inscribed on your forehead. The night with separation nwhI jwie ] ijMn@I cwiKAw pRym rsu sy iqRpiq passes and the bride leaves with remorse. And those lead rhy AwGwie ] Awpu iqAwig ibnqI krih by Sadhus to their Lord are discharged at His court. Bless lyhu pRBU liV lwie ] jo hir kMiq imlweIAw me You, O Lord, so that I thirst for your glimpse. There is is ivCuiV kqih n jwie ] pRB ivxu dUjw ko no one without the God, so Nanak prays to Him. Aasaarh nhI nwnk hir srxwie ] AsU suKI is pleasant to those, in Lord's feet whose mind find vsMdIAw ijnw mieAw hir rwie ] 8 ] abode. || 5 ||

Translated By : Satbir Singh Chief Editior