Vaheguroo Jee Kaa Khalsa, Vaheguroo Jee Kee Fateh

Vaheguroo Jee Kaa Khalsa, Vaheguroo Jee Kee Fateh.

• For that person who wants to merge back with His creator SEVA and SIMRAN are needed.
• Like a bird needs two wings to fly, a Sikh needs the wings of seva and simran. A bird can never fly far or high with just one wing, without seva and simran, a Sikh cannot be a very good Sikh or receive big blessings from Satguroo Jee.
• Simran is very important for cleaning the internal being of vices and allowing the light within to shine bright. Along with being internally clean our external actions need to also be good.
• Simran alone is not enough; seva with one’s own hands needs to also be done – as the combination will feed any hunger or desires and give complete satisfaction, contentment and oneness.
• Maharaaj Jee says that he wants a light bright to shine inside. A diva. For a diva to shine bright several things are needed.
• First, the dish that diva is to be set in needs to be found and defined – clay, metal..
• Second, if you want light from the diva, cotton wool needs to be rolled
• Third, if you have the dish, the cotton wool then without the oil the light will not shine
• The fourth component is the ignition. This can only come from something that is already ignited.

ibnu qyl dIvw ikau jlY ]1] rhwau ]

bin thael dheevaa kio jalai |1| rehaao |

Without the oil, how can the lamp be lit? ||1||Pause||

poQI purwx kmweIAY ] Bau vtI iequ qin pweIAY ]

pothee puraan kamaaeeai | bho vattee eith than paaeeai |

Let the reading of your prayer book be the oil, and let the Fear of God be the wick for the lamp of this body.

• Maharaaj Jee says that by doing simran and and acting upon what the message of Gurbanee is (Seva) and by having fear of one’s master – the light within will be lit and remain lit. It will also light the light in hundreds and thousands of others.
• When Sri Guroo Arjan Dev Jee talks of Sri Guroo Naanak Dev Jee he refers to them as the light, the diva.

pRB dwqau dwqwr pir´au jwcku ieku srnw ]

prabh dhaatho dhaathaar paroui jaachak eik saranaa |

I am a beggar; I seek the Sanctuary of God, the Giver of givers.

hy pRBU! hy dwqy! hy dwqwr! mYN iek mMgqw qyrI srn AwieAw hW,

imlY dwnu sMq ryn jyh lig Baujlu qrnw ]

milai dhaan santh raen jaeh lag bhoujal tharanaa |

Please bless me with the gift of the dust of the feet of the Saints; grasping them, I cross over the terrifying world-ocean.

sqsMgIAW dy crnW dI DUV dw ^Yr iml jwey, qwik ies DUV dI Et lY ky mYN (sMswr dy) GuMmx-Gyr qoN pwr lMG skW [

ibniq krau Ardwis sunhu jy Twkur BwvY ]

binath karo aradhaas sunahu jae thaakur bhaavai |

Please listen to my prayer, if it pleases You, O my Lord and Master.

hy Twkur! jy qYnMU cMgI l`gy qW (imhr kr ky myrI) ArzoeI sux, mYN iek bynqI krdw hW,

dyhu drsu min cwau Bgiq iehu mnu ThrwvY ]

dhaehu dharas man chaao bhagath eihu man theharaavai |

My mind yearns for the Blessed Vision of Your Darshan. This mind abides in devotional worship.

“(mYnMU) dIdwr dyh; myry mn ivc ieh qWG hY, (imhr kr) myrw ieh mn qyrI BgqI ivc itk jwey [”

bilE crwgu AMD´wr mih sB kil auDrI iek nwm Drm ]

baliou charaag andhaar mehi sabh kal oudharee eik naam dharam |

The lamp is lit in the darkness; all are saved in this Dark Age of Kali Yuga, through the One Name and faith in the Dharma.

hnyry ivc dIvw jg ipAw hY, (aus dy d`sy hoey) nwm dI brkiq nwl swrI isRStI pwr lMG rhI hY [9[

pRgtu sgl hir Bvn mih jnu nwnku guru pwrbRhm ]9]

pragatt sagal har bhavan mehi jan naanak gur paarabreham |9|

The Lord is revealed in all the worlds. O servant Nanak, the Guru is the Supreme Lord God. ||9||

hy BweI! qyrw syvk, hy pwrbRhm! qyrw rUp gurU nwnk swry jgq ivc prgt hoieAw hY [

• Seva is fuel that keeps the jyot within lit.
• If a room has been left closed for hundreds of years, a hundred lights are not needed to light it up, one light is more than sufficient to dispel the darkness. In the same manner, as soon as a person starts to do simran, regardless of how old or for how long the soul has been travelling through the cycle of birth and death, the shabad is the light that will dispel the darkness and stop the cycle of life and death.
• Bhagat Kabeer Jee says

ikAw pVIAY ikAw gunIAY ]

kiaa parreeai kiaa guneeai |

What use is it to read, and what use is it to study?

pusqkW inry pVHn suxn qoN koeI &wiedw nhIN

ikAw byd purwnW sunIAY ]

kiaa baedh puraanaa suneeai |

What use is it to listen to the Vedas and the Puraanas?

vyd purwx Awidk Drm

pVy suny ikAw hoeI ]

parrae sunae kiaa hoee |

What use is reading and listening,

jy ies pVHn suxn dy kudrqI nqIjy

jau shj n imilE soeI ]1]

jo sehaj n miliou soee |1|

if celestial peace is not attained? ||1||

aus pRBU dw imlwp nwh hovy [1[

hir kw nwmu n jpis gvwrw ]

har kaa naam n japas gavaaraa |

The fool does not chant the Name of the Lord.

hy mUrK! qUµ prmwqmw dw nwm (qW) ismrdw nhIN

ikAw socih bwrM bwrw ]1] rhwau ]

kiaa sochehi baaran baaraa |1| rehaao |

So what does he think of, over and over again? ||1||Pause||

muV muV hor socW socx dw qYnMU kIh lwB hovygw? [1[rhwau[

AMiDAwry dIpku chIAY ]

andhiaarae dheepak cheheeai |

In the darkness, we need a lamp

hnyry ivc (qW) dIvy dI loV hMudI hY

iek bsqu Agocr lhIAY ]

eik basath agochar leheeai |

to find the incomprehensible thing.

ijs qk ieMid®AW dI phMuc nhIN ho skdI,

bsqu Agocr pweI ]

basath agochar paaee |

I have found this incomprehensible thing;

auh hir-nwm pdwrQ iml pey,

Git dIpku rihAw smweI ]2]

ghatt dheepak rehiaa samaaee |2|

my mind is illuminated and enlightened. ||2||

aus dy AMdr auh dIvw iPr sdw itikAw rihMdw hY [2

kih kbIr Ab jwinAw ]

kehi kabeer ab jaaniaa |

Says Kabeer, now I know Him;

aus AphMuc hir-nwm pdwrQ nwl myrI BI jwx-pCwx ho geI hY [

jb jwinAw qau mnu mwinAw ]

jab jaaniaa tho man maaniaa |

since I know Him, my mind is pleased and appeased.

jdoN qoN jwx-pCwx hoeI hY, myrw mn ausy ivc hI prc igAw hY [

mn mwny logu n pqIjY ]

man maanae log n patheejai |

My mind is pleased and appeased, and yet, people do not believe it.

prmwqmw ivc mn juVn nwl (krm-kWfI) jgq dI qs`lI nhIN hMudI;

n pqIjY qau ikAw kIjY ]3]7]

n patheejai tho kiaa keejai |3|7|

They do not believe it, so what can I do? ||3||7||

nwm ismrn vwly nMU BI ieh muQwjI nhIN huMdI ik zrUr hI lokW dI qs`lI BI krwey,

• Sri Guroo Naanak Dev Jee says that rewards of doing seva in this world with this human body are that you will receive eternal bliss in the charan of Vaheguroo.

isrIrwgu mhlw 1 Gru 5 ]

sireeraag mehalaa 1 ghar 5 |

Siree Raag, First Mehl, Fifth House:

ACl ClweI nh ClY nh Gwau ktwrw kir skY ]

ashal shalaaee neh shalai neh ghaao kattaaraa kar sakai |

The Undeceiveable is not deceived by deception. He cannot be wounded by any dagger.

ijau swihbu rwKY iqau rhY iesu loBI kw jIau tl plY ]1]

jio saahib raakhai thio rehai eis lobhee kaa jeeo ttal palai |1|

As our Lord and Master keeps us, so do we exist. The soul of this greedy person is tossed this way and that. ||1||

ibnu qyl dIvw ikau jlY ]1] rhwau ]

bin thael dheevaa kio jalai |1| rehaao |

Without the oil, how can the lamp be lit? ||1||Pause||

poQI purwx kmweIAY ] Bau vtI iequ qin pweIAY ]

pothee puraan kamaaeeai | bho vattee eith than paaeeai |

Let the reading of your prayer book be the oil, and let the Fear of God be the wick for the lamp of this body.

scu bUJxu Awix jlweIAY ]2]

sach boojhan aan jalaaeeai |2|

Light this lamp with the understanding of Truth. ||2||

iehu qylu dIvw ieau jlY ]

eihu thael dheevaa eio jalai |

Use this oil to light this lamp.

kir cwnxu swihb qau imlY ]1] rhwau ]

kar chaanan saahib tho milai |1| rehaao |

Light it, and meet your Lord and Master. ||1||Pause||

iequ qin lwgY bwxIAw ]

eith than laagai baaneeaa |

This body is softened with the Word of the Guru's Bani;

suKu hovY syv kmwxIAw ]

sukh hovai saev kamaaneeaa |

you shall find peace, doing seva (selfless service).

sB dunIAw Awvx jwxIAw ]3]

sabh dhuneeaa aavan jaaneeaa |3|

All the world continues coming and going in reincarnation. ||3||

ivic dunIAw syv kmweIAY ]

vich dhuneeaa saev kamaaeeai |

In the midst of this world, do seva,

qw drgh bYsxu pweIAY ]

thaa dharageh baisan paaeeai |

and you shall be given a place of honor in the Court of the Lord.

khu nwnk bwh lufweIAY ]4]33]

kahu naanak baah luddaaeeai |4|33|

Says Nanak, swing your arms in joy! ||4||33||

• So how do we do seva? There are many ways.
• Some are blessed with ability to write and they do seva using the pen.
• Some are blessed with the ability to sing and they do seva by singing the glorious and sweet praises of the Lord.
• Some are blessed with wealth and they do seva by using this wealth. However Sri Guroo Naanak Dev Jee is not pleased by rupees alone. Othewise Bhai Mardana Jee’s rabab would have been heard not at Bhai Lalo Jee’s house but in Malik Bhago’s palace. The person who offers his wealth must also be earning Sikhi and living in the Sikh way.
• Some serve with their own bodies, some serve with their minds and others with their wealth.

• Who is a sevadaar?

sloku mhlw 2 ]

salok mehalaa 2 |

Shalok, Second Mehl:

cwkru lgY cwkrI nwly gwrbu vwdu ]

chaakar lagai chaakaree naalae gaarab vaadh |

If a servant performs service, while being vain and argumentative,

glw kry GxyrIAw Ksm n pwey swdu ]

galaa karae ghanaereeaa khasam n paaeae saadh |

he may talk as much as he wants, but he shall not be pleasing to his Master.

Awpu gvwie syvw kry qw ikCu pwey mwnu ]

aap gavaae saevaa karae thaa kish paaeae maan |

But if he eliminates his self-conceit and then performs service, he shall be honored.

nwnk ijs no lgw iqsu imlY lgw so prvwnu ]1]

naanak jis no lagaa this milai lagaa so paravaan |1|

O Nanak, if he merges with the one with whom he is attached, his attachment becomes acceptable. ||1||

• A sevadaar must firstly be content and this content state of mind can only be achieved through gurbanee, not by mere words.
• Secondly, he must be honest and truthful.
• Thirdly, he must live in the world but remain detached from it.
• Bhai Saahib Bhai Gurdas Jee writes

murdw hoie murId n glIN hovxw]

muradhaa hoe mureedh n galee hovanaa|

Only by becoming dead in life, i.e. totally detached, and not through mere verbal jargon one can become a true disciple.

swbr isdik shIdu Brm Bau Kovxw]

saabar (contentment) sidhak seheedh bharam bho khovanaa|

One could be such a person only after getting sacrificed for Truth and contentment and by giving up on delusions and fears.

• Sidhak – if in the middle of the night Sri Guroo Naanak Dev Jee said “Lehnaeaa” (reference to Bhai Lehna Jee), “is it day or night outside? And if night how much has passed?” Only one with sidhak can reply “My Lord, as per your command some night has passed, and however you will command further that much more will come.”
• A sevadaar is not one of just words and must be sikdhaki. An example of this is when Sri Guroo Naanak Dev Jee told Bhai Lehna Jee in the middle of the night that the wall of the hut has fallen down and that it must be repaired as the sangat is coming in the morning. We must follow the great examples laid: Bhai Lehna Jee got up at that instant, not waiting for the morning, but at that instant and started to make the hut complete again.

golw mu`l KrIdu kwry jovxw]

golaa mul khareedh kaarae jovanaa|

The true disciple is a bought slave who is ever busy in the service of the Master.

nw iqsu BuK n nINd n Kwxw sovxw]

naa this bhukh n needh n khaanaa sovanaa|

He forgets hunger, sleep, food and rest.

pIhix hoie jdId pwxI Fovxw]

peehan hoe jadheedh paanee tovanaa|

He grinds fresh flour (for free kitchen) and serves by fetching water.

pKy dI qwgId pg mil Dovxw]

pakhae dhee thaageedh pag mal dhovanaa|

He fans (the Congregation) and washes nicely the feet of the Guru.

syvk hoie sMjId n hsx rovxw]

saevak hoe sanjeedh n hasan rovanaa|

The servant always remains disciplined and has nothing to do with wailing and laughing.

dr drvys rsId iprm rs Bovxw]

dhar dharavaes raseedh piram ras bhovanaa|

This way he becomes dervish at the door of the Lord and gets drenched in the delights of the rains of Love.

cMd mumwrK eId pug Klovxw ]18]

chandh mumaarakh eedh pug khalovanaa |18|

He will be seen as the first moon of Eid day (which the Muslims eagerly wait for in order to break their long fasts), and only he will come out as a perfect man.(18)

BHAI MANJ JEE SAAKHI – copied and pasted from

Introduction

In the time of Guru Arjan Dev ji, there was a powerful, wealthy Rajput by the name of Teeratha. Teeratha was a follower of the Muslim sect of Sakhee Sarvar. As the local leader of the sect he had hundreds of followers who all respected him. Teeratha would regularly lead the members of this sect on a pilgrimage to the main Sakhee Sarvar shrine, now in Pakistan.

Meeting the Guru

Once when passing through Amritsar, Teeratha decided to visit Guru Arjan. He had heard that there was a great Guru who had a large following and this Guru was spiritually enlightened. He was curious to know who this Guru was and what he would say. He decided to stop off and see the Darbar of Guru Arjan. When he saw the Darbar, he saw that people of many different backgrounds, and castes were all sitting together and living in harmony. He also heard the kirtan in the darbar and the kirtan left a permanent mark on him. He heard of the great gift of naam and the thirst to have this gift rose within him. He was the leader of hundreds of Sakhee Sarvar followers but he could no longer follow that path. He realised that Sikhi was the path he must follow.

At the Guru's Darbar

He came to Guru Arjan Dev ji and introduced himself. Guru jee knew how rich and powerful Teeratha was and when Teeratha begged for naam and to be initiated into the Sikh faith, Guru ji replied, "Being a Sikh is no easy thing. The path is finer than a hair and sharper than the khanda. The primary principle of Sikhee is humility." Teeratha again repeated his request. Guru Arjan Dev jee then said, "Why do you want to be a Sikh? You are a rich and powerful man with hundreds of followers. You can continue on the easy path of Sakhee Sarvar, because the Sikh path is very hard. If you become a Sikh, you will lose your followers and all their respect and you will lose your wealth as well. You may even have to pay for this decision with your life. What use is there in becoming a Sikh for you?" But Teeratha was insistent he begged that nothing mattered. If he lost everything it would not matter, he needed naam. With tears in his eyes he begged for naam. Guru Arjan Dev jee accepted his request and initiated him into Sikhee and gave him Naam.

Teeratha decided to not return home and took leave of his followers. He decided to stay with the Guru for some time. The Sikhs knew that Teeratha was from the Manjh clan and began to call him Bhai Manjh. Bhai Manjh did seva in the darbar and one day Guru Arjan Dev jee called him and asked him to return to his village and preach Sikhee to his old followers.

Return to the Village and Disaster

Bhai Manjh returned to his village and began the work of preaching Sikhee to the followers of Sakhee Sarvar. In his home, there was a shrine to Sakhee Sarvar which was revered by all the local followers. Bhai Manjh reached home and immediately had it demolished. Many of his old followers who had considered him a Guru heard Bhai Manjh's message that Guru Arjan was the true Satguru and the source of all happiness. They too decided to become Sikhs and began to recite baanee. Bhai Manjh and the new devotees of the Guru decided to build a Dharamshaala (Sikh place of communion) in the village where they could daily meet and do sangat.

While the construction of the Dharamshala was still going on, some Sakhee Sarvar leaders came to the village and saw that so many followers had become Sikhs. They spoke to Bhai Manjh and asked him to renounce Sikhee or face a terrible price. They said that he was powerful and a high official in the Sakhee Sarvar sect and he would lose all this if he did not come to his senses. Bhai Manjh sent them away and was insistent that he would remain a Sikh. The Sakhee Sarvar leaders left the village but heaped countless curses on Bhai Manjh and vowed that he would regret his decision.