Paath. Kirtan. And Katha. Whats The Difference ?

ਕਬੀਰ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਬੂੰਦ ਅਕਾਸ ਕੀ ਲੀਨੀ ਭੂਮਿ ਮਿਲਾਇ॥ ਅਨਿਕ ਸਿਆਨੇ ਪਚਿ ਗਏ ਨਾ ਨਿਰਵਾਰੀ ਜਾਇ॥..........
SET me thinking.....
Guru Arjun Ji Sahib was once approached by three Sikhs...
Bhai Jhajuu, Bhai manjhu and Bhai Kedara Ji...who inquired...
Guru Ji..whats the difference between Paath..Kirtan and Katha.

Guru Ji replied...
Pyareh Sikho...Paath is like a deep well full of WATER...anytime one feels thirsty..needs water..for irrigation, washing, etc...one cna dip a bucket in to the well and bring out the WATER...PAATH can be done anytime one needs to do it !!
KIRTAN...is like the Monsoon RAIN SHOWER...so much "water" falls to the ground...in a short space of time...even flash floods occur....but IF the EARTH is dug up..one will find its DRY just a few cm deep....the Massive flow of water just flowed off...Looking at a KIRTAN DARBAAR and Sangats JHOOMING..swaying in the wind...it seems that the "Flood of Gurbani" is overwhelming every one present...BUT dig a little "deeper"...and its found that they are all mostly DRY...just like the earth after a monsoon flood...Hundreds of thousands of SHABAD KIRTANS..leave no lasting impression..or change in behaviour..towards GURMATT...
Now we come to KATHA...Gurbani Katha is like the slow and steady DRIZZLE....continous rain falling....for days and days...very small drops of water...BUT these can bring down houses...wet the Earth deep down....COOL down the Hot atmosphere...bring about a drop in temperature...bring out the singing birds..and people bursts out in SONG spontaneously...that is the effect of GURBANI KATHA..the GYAAN of the Shabad explained brings about CHANGES in the Daily Lives of the Sangats...people CHANGE towards GURMATT...become better human beings..more inclined towards GURU....
WHATS our Main Priority TODAY...sadly its bigger and bigger "Mahaan" Kirtan Darbaars..Nagar kirtans, Jaloos...Marches..Palkis of SGGS and loudpeakers blaring gurbani..led by Five Beloved carrying Naked Swords..sometimes on Horseback....peopel bowing and matha teking to the Palki...the panj..enjoying the SPECTACLE..and the Music...the PARADE !! the MELA...very little MEANINGS OF GURBANI imparted if at all....just like the FLASH FLOOD...swirling waters that soon RUN OFF into the nearesst river/sea...lake....leaving the EARTH DRY as a BONE..these massive parades, nagar kirtans, Plaki Marches...are soon forgotten..as darkness falls...leaving no one nay wiser about the GYAAN of SGGS !!
Its time we followed the SGGS Command..

ਗੁਰਸਿਖ ਮੀਤ ਚਲਹੁ ਗੁਰ ਚਾਲੀ॥ ਜੋ ਗੁਰੁ ਕਹੈ ਸੋਈ ਭਲ ਮਾਨਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਕਥਾ ਨਿਰਾਲੀ॥

any and all mistakes mine....Sacred Gurbani is abhull !!

Gyani ji,

Guru Fateh.

Wow! What a simple and to the point depiction of our inner slippery slopes!

Thanks very much for your beautiful explanation about the difference among the 3.

Coincidentally, simillar question was posed by Trimaan last night at our dinner table.Allow me to share with you all.

The reason it came up because of our Sunday visit to the Gurdwara where he gets bored with Kirtan because he does not understand it and the only time he enjoys his visit is when it is time for the explanation of the Hukumnaama in English, of which the discussion continues till we get home.

His question was, why can't Paath and Kirtan be in English because most of the young ones do not understand Punjabi, that is why they play football outside till it is time for Hukumnaama? That is the only time they come in just before Ardaas.

He enjoys listening to Sufi Islamic music in English and he wanted something like that in Sikhi. I have asked him to download Bhai Dya Singh's kirtan and also some by American Sikhs and check it out. He would need a couple of reminders for that from me.

So, the question was raised about the difference between Paath, Kirtan and Katha from Sikhi viewpoint?

As, this 14 year old is tutoring a girl 7th grade math, I asked him how would he compare that to his tutoring?

After a pause of a few seconds, he said, Paath is reading and understanding the Math problem, Kirtan is solving it step by step, by taking your time. Kaatha has 2 objectives,he said. First to explain what the problem is and then the way to solve it and there could be several ways to do that.

Jaskeerat who is a sophomore at LMU this fall is taking Macro Economics this summer at UNLV had this take.

Paath is studying and understanding the economics problem that our country is facing. Kirtan is like our President explaining the problems to the public and to the Congress and the Senate via news conferences and Youtube and Kaatha is what congress does in debating the problems but does not do a good job as many people who come to Gurdwara and do the Katha because it is more about themselves than finding and explaining the ways to solve the problems that our country faces.

I learn a new thing about myself and Gurmat from my kids daily. I am just a blessed dad.


Tejwant Singh

Tejwant ji

You have shared yet another sector of the map to our journey -- illuminating the tangle of highways and byways you give us the words of two guides who have clear minds and hearts. This has capped all the confusion of my day. Thanks for sharing the story.

Tejwant Ji,
Gurfateh Ji.

I just saw the photos of Trimann and the rest on Facebook last night and I was glad that you have been blessed by Guru Ji....it is indeed His Kirpa that we have such interactions and opportunities to learn as we walk along the path towards Guru Ji.
Thank You for a wonderful addition to my posting..added so much value.
I am of the view that KATHA was the most imporatnt part of the Sangat Samagams during our Guru Sahibaans times...and it has been relegated to a MINOR ROLE by vested interests to take us away from and cause a rift between the Guru and His sangat as is happening Now...so that we understand LESS and follow RITUALS MORE...so that the PUJAREE/PRIESTLY CLASS/CLERGY which GURU JI CUT OUT of Gurmatt like the CANCER it is....has come back with a vengeance ( as Cancer usually does )to STAND like a solid wall between the Sangat and the GURU.
Only by bringing back KATHA by Parcharaks who KNOW GURBANI well and really UNDERSTAND its nuances..can the Younger Geenration be brought back to the Sikhi Foldas Rational Thinking Logical SIKHS and not the "Zombies" that wear Full banna but follow their own petty Sant Ji, baba Ji, SRI 1008 Maharaj Ji, Satguru Jagjit.. Radha Soami Guru , Ram Rahim Sauda etc and dont know the first thing about Gurbani besides parrotting the Banis like Parrots.:happy:

Gyani ji,

Guru Fateh.


I agree with everything you said in your post above. In my opinion internet has given us the glimpse in the novice way of doing Katha. Our interactions here, agreement and disagreements amongst the members is a unique way of Katha where all become participants and with their Gurmat wisdom and or with their inquisitve questions enrichen each other's lives quite unknowingly. The best of all this is that no mechaincal rituals are required to fullfill our guilt laden minds and hearts. And we all know that SPN is the best venue for that.

Tejwant Singh

I just discovered this wonderful wonderful thread!!

Some of the best katha I've heard is from my peers rather than 'professional kathavachiks'. Fellow professionals who have an interest in sharing their Gurmat knowledge and learning more themselves through that process. Katha can also be in the form of discussions as well as lectures. After all the study session is often as useful as the original lesson!
Thank you Gyani Ji and Tejwant Ji for sharing your thoughts :thx: