Stages of Meditation
While doing meditation, one concentrates and goes through different kinds of experiences before reaching his final goal. First one feels a sensation through the nose, then a sweet taste on the tongue, followed by a cool feeling around the heart. With time they are able to visualize light like lightning in the clouds. The one begins to see light as bright as the stars, then like our moon and then our sun. Finally light is seen which is as strong as practicing shabad, shabad is Brahm (universe), he then becomes one with God and gains Anand and is freed from the circle of life and deaths.
- Sant Jagjit Singh
Bhai Gurdaas Ji, Vaar 38, Pauri 10
bhu suMnI SIA rwPzI mzhb min Bwxy]
mulihd hoie munw&kw sB Brim Bulwxy]
eIsweI mUsweIAW haumY hYrwxy]
hoie iPrMgI ArmnI rUmI grbwxy]
kwlI pos klµdrW drvys dugwxy]
guru isK rom n pujnI gur hit ivkwxy ]10]
There are many Sunnis, Shias, Rafazis and (followers of) religions that please their minds.
Many hypocrites become atheists deluded by illusion and go wandering about.
Followers of Jesus (Christians) and Moses (Jews) are confounded by their pride.
They are English, Armenian and Roman, (stuck in) Ego
Some are blackclad recluses and dervishes, of little value.
They are not equal to even a single hair of a Gursikh, who has sold himself to the Guru (by offering his head in return for naam)
English Audio Hukamnama Translation
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh,
A nice site i came across with daily english audio translation of Hukamnama from Darbar Sahib.
http://hukam.sikhnet.com/Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
Clarification From an Earlier Comment 'Suntay Puneet, Kehtay Pavit'
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh,
A while back someone on the blog made a comment that 'Suntay Puneet, Kehtay Pavit' from Anand Sahib means that we can just listen to bani inside of reciting it.
I had posted the opposite. I have done some research on 'Suntay Puneet, Kehtay Pavit', and I disagree with the person that says we can just listen to bani.
Let me first start of with a katha I heard. Limited knowledge is a very dangerous thing. If we just look at bani with our limited scop it is very easy to take the wrong arth (meaning) from it. For example, someone is told to dig a hole at a certain spot in order to get water. The person digs and digs, he digs 4 feet under the earth and gives up. He returns angry to the person who told him to dig, and says why did you tell me to dig there, there is no water. But little does this person know, the water is not 4 feet under the earth, it is 15 feet under the earth, he just didn't go deep enough. In the same way most of us don't go deep enough into gurbani, to get the proper arth, we just take watever first comes into our mind, in order to make bani fit our preconvieved notions.
Now back to 'Suntay Puneet, Kahtey Pavit'. 'Suntay Puneet' does not mean that you become 'puneet' by listening to an mp3 recording of your nitnem. 'Suntay Puneet' means that you become 'puneet' by listening, meaning applying to yourself what you recite each morning in your nitnem.
Another example I was given while trying to look deeper into this tuk was, 'pavitar pavitar pavitar puneet' from Sukhmani Sahib. One arth of this could be, 3 times Pavitar is 1 time Puneet. So from 'Suntay Puneet, Kehtay Pavit' ... When you recite bani with you mouth you are 1 time pavit, but when you recite bani with your mouth, and than you listen to it, you apply it to yourself and act on it, than you are 3 times pavit.
In conclusion, listening to a mp3 recording of bani is good. But there is nothing like reciting bani with your mouth, and than listening to what you have said with your own ears, and than acting upon it in your daily life.
If I have made any mistakes in this translation, I ask for forgiveness, as I am not perfect, nor am I someone worthy of asking arths of bani from.
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
Sacrifice For The Faith: A Story From Sikh History - Speech by Sant Jarnail Singh
SACRIFICE FOR THE FAITH: A STORY FROM SIKH HISTORYWhen the caps, the knots of people's hair, and the Janeoo (the sacred threads) of the Hindu society were being piled up at the end of Nauranga's (Emperor Aurangzeb's) cot, they (the Hindus) went to Mathura, Kidaarnath, Badrinarayan, Vaishnodevi, Samasyadevi and Shiv Ling (various Hindu holy places) and offered prayers. No one heard their cries. At that time, it is said, a divine letter arrived.
According to history, this letter was from Shiv Ji. Kashmiri pundits came with that letter to our Beloved Guru, Protector of the Faith (Siri Guru Tegh Bahaadar Sahib) at Anandpur Sahib. Upon arrival there, they appealed to him. They bowed their heads. They were sighing, had dry lips, tattered clothes, worn out shoes and were without proper covering for their heads. (Without cover, and shorn of their hair) their heads looked like water-melons. They came to the Guru Sahib and said: "Beloved (Guru), have mercy upon us. In earlier forms (Sikh Gurus preceding Siri Guru Tegh Bahaadar Sahib) you have spoken the words: "He embraces whoever seeks His protection. This is the Master's Way." We are oppressed; in your mercy protect our honor, hold our hand." Some wise man said about Guru Tegh Bahaadar Sahib: "The only support is at the Feet of God; we should attach our minds to God's Feet (the Divine Word). The mind is prone to evil, through Guru's instruction we should turn our minds from evil. If we hold someone by the arm, we must not let go even if we have to give our head (must not betray anyone we have promised to support)." Guru Tegh Bahaadar spoke: "Dhar payeeay dharam na chhodiay (we must not give up our Faith even if it means death)." Thus, our Beloved Guru held their hand. The Kashmiri pundits were overjoyed as a hungry man is when he is given bread; as a thirsty man is when given water; as one rescued from the jaws of death, from the jaws of a tiger, from a fire. Taking them along, He started on His way to Delhi. Our Beloved Guru has got ready and started off for Delhi. Preaching God's message to all on his way, meeting Ajari and fulfilling his prayers, our Beloved Guru reached Delhi. There was questions and answers with Nauranga. Here schemes were concocted for the martyrdom of Satguru Ji, the Supporter of the humble.
Bhai Mati Das (a companion of Siri Guru Tegh Bahaadar Sahib) was asked: "Smoke tobacco, take a sip of liquor, and chew tobacco, say once, "I am not the Guru's Sikh"; I shall give you my daughter in marriage." Bhai Mati Das contemptuously (literally: with the tip of his shoe) spurned the offer of Nauranga's daughter in marriage. The reply he gave at that time.
Bhai Mati Das went to the Satguru. Maharaj (Siri Guru Tegh Bahaadar Sahib) asked him: "My brave man, how are you doing?" He replied: "God is merciful, all is well. I am facing a tough test. I do not want to score 99 percent. I want 100 percent. Have mercy on me. May I pass this test of being a Sikh. Of the Guru's family, the very first martyr was the Fifth King (Siri Guru Arjan Dev Sahib). Of Sikhs, the first martyrdom for the Faith is going to be mine. Have mercy so I may succeed, the coming generations may then receive guidance from it and be prepared for sacrifices."
What is it that Satguru Tegh Bahaadar Sahib, sitting in a cage in Chandni Chowk, is telling Bhai Mati Das regarding His dear Faith? (It is):
"Dityaan baajh nahin rehnaa, Dharam sir dityaan baajh nahin rehnaa" (Without sacrifice it will not survive; the Faith will not survive; the Faith will not survive without sacrifice of our lives) Repeat after me: (The Congregation repeats the verse). It (Faith) won't be kept with that much. How many of you are here? Why are you speaking in bird-like chirps. If a slogan has to be shouted for a leader or for a holy man, you make the place resound. It is a matter of Faith. I hope you have not fallen asleep. Is it too warm here? Speak aloud. Here NISA (the notorious law under which the Government carried out arbitrary arrests and killing of any active opposition) won't apply, this is Guru's Darbar. It (NISA) applies there, in Gandhi's Darbar In Guru Hargobind Sahib's Darbar the NISA of fifty two; yes, fifty two; is destroyed (the reference is to the fifty two Hindu princes for whom Siri Guru Hargobind Sahib is said to have secured release from jail simultaneously with His own release): Dityaan baajh nahin rehnaa, Dharam sir dityaan baajh nahin rehnaa (Without sacrifice it will not survive; the Faith will not survive without sacrifice of our lives).
The Case of The Missing Sandals
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh,
So daas was at the gurdwara late one night, about 11pm. I went to the shoe rack, and low and behold I could not find my chappalla (sandals).
While looking around for my sandals, Daas noticed a group of raagi's putting on peoples sandals and going for a walk. The raagi's were asked whether the chappalla were theres, they
replied "No they are not, we are just going for a walk with them and will put them back".
Now in the minds of these Raagi Singhs they are doing nothing wrong, because they will put the chappalla back, but what if the owner of the chappalla come to find them, so that they can go home, they will think they have been stolen.
So, the case of the missing chappalla has been solved.Your Chappalla were not stolen, they were just borrowed ;)
Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh
*Please keep in mind the saakhi of Sata and Balwand, we must show utmost respect to raagi Singhs
Sant Jarnail Singh on Being Armed
Also you should acquire weapons. There is going to be no deliverance without weapons. Subramaniam (a member of Indian Parliament) asked me: "Why do you keep weapons, you are a sant (a holy man)?" I replied: "I am not the son of a eunuch. I am a son of Guru Gobind Singh Sahib." I am not saying this myself. It is written: veh pragatiyo marad agamrraa variyaam ikelaa vaah vaah gobind singh aape gur chelaa ["The Distinguished Man, the Unique Warrior manifested. Wonderful is Gobind Singh, Himself the Guru and the Disciple"]. I have a tape-recording of the meeting with him (Subramaniam). He left convinced that it is right for a Sikh to keep any weapons he might like to. He indeed said this, I have a tape-recording. You may listen to it in a gathering of a million.
Further, it is a sin for a Sikh to keep weapons to hurt an innocent person, to rob anyone's home, to dishonor anyone or to oppress anyone. But there is no greater sin for a Sikh than keeping weapons and not protecting his faith.
