Did The Gurus Encourage Matha Tek?

[Harry Haller]

I also have a question, did the Gurus ever encourage others to Matha Tek? Given that they were very very clear about how they should not be worshiped, about how they should not be idolised, that in the big picture, it was Vaheguru that was the object of worship, not themselves, surely they would have discouraged this.

In fact, surely they would have discouraged most of the idolisation of the SGGS, which remains the last Guru, not Vaheguru, if the SGGS could speak, would it have something to say about the conditions in which it is kept, worshiped, idolised, but not read and followed?

Does anyone know when Matha Tek became standard when meeting a Guru? Is this just another facet of Sikhism that makes no sense and flies in the face of Guru Nanak's original thoughts and teachings?

 

[Logical Sikh]

dont know when it started.....
But This was Guru Nanak's stand on Idol Worship :-

Page -1240
ਸਲੋਕ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ॥
salok mehlaa 1.
Shalok, First Mehl:

ਘਰਿ ਨਾਰਾਇਣੁ ਸਭਾ ਨਾਲ ॥
ghar naaraa-in sabhaa naal.
In your home, you place idol of god, along with all your other gods ( Idols ).

ਪੂਜ ਕਰੇ ਰਖੈ ਨਾਵਾਲ ।।
pooj karay rakhai naavaal.
You wash your stone gods and worship them.

ਕੁੰਗੂ ਚੰਨਣੁ ਫਲੁ ਚੜਾਏ ॥
kungoo channan ful charhaa-ay.
You offer saffron, sandalwood and flowers.

ਪੈਰੀ ਪੈ ਪੈ ਬਹੁਤੁ ਮਨਾਏ ॥
pairee pai pai bahut manaa-ay.
Falling at their feet, you try so hard to appease them.

ਮਾਣੂਆ ਮੰਗ ਮੰਗ ਪੈਨੈ ਖਾਇ ॥
maanoo-aa mang mang painHai khaa-ay.
Begging, begging from other people, you get things to wear and eat.

ਅੰਧੀ ਕੰਮੀ ਅੰਧ ਸਜਾਇ ॥
anDhee kammee anDh sajaa-ay.
For your blind deeds, Even More Blindness follows as a punishment.

ਭੁਖਿਆ ਦੇਇ ਨ ਮਰਦਿਆਂ ਰਾਖੈ॥
bhukhi-aa day-ay na mardi-aa rakhai.
Your idol does not feed the hungry, Your idol cannot save the dying.

ਅੰਧਾ ਝਗੜਾ ਅੰਧੀ ਸਥੈ ॥੧॥
anDhaa jhagrhaa anDhee sathai. ||1||
In the crowd of illiterates, This Cycle of illiteracy never stops. ||1||

 

[gjsingh]

I don't know, but for some reason I am reminded of the Grand Inquisitor character in Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, when he tells the returned Jesus that the Church doesn't need him anymore.

 

[Sikhilove]

I also have a question, did the Gurus ever encourage others to Matha Tek? Given that they were very very clear about how they should not be worshiped, about how they should not be idolised, that in the big picture, it was Vaheguru that was the object of worship, not themselves, surely they would have discouraged this.

In fact, surely they would have discouraged most of the idolisation of the SGGS, which remains the last Guru, not Vaheguru, if the SGGS could speak, would it have something to say about the conditions in which it is kept, worshiped, idolised, but not read and followed?

Does anyone know when Matha Tek became standard when meeting a Guru? Is this just another facet of Sikhism that makes no sense and flies in the face of Guru Nanak's original thoughts and teachings?

Matha tek is outer worship. The real Matha tek is bowing to the Truth and gyan within.

 

[swarn bains]

sikh gurus did not encourage matha tekna but it is an old tradition in india to matha takena. that is why everyone does it

 

[apala]

ਮੱਥਾ ਟੇਕਣਾ (ਜਾਂ ਪੈਰੀ ਪੈਣਾ) is a traditional form of expression of respect. Of the human body, the head is the highest part and the feet, the lowest. Bowing the highest part of one's body or touching the lowest part of the object (person, idol or holy book) is expression of deep respect with humility. So, ਮੱਥਾ ਟੇਕਣਾ (ਜਾਂ ਪੈਰੀ ਪੈਣਾ) is a gesture of significance performed with sincerity.

 

[A_seeker]

Real Matha Tekna means complete surrender to the Philosophy of SGGS. Philosophy include reading , understanding and living as per the philosophy.