I am just adding my little bit – only sharing my thoughts and in no way making any emphatic claims.
A miracle may be defined as an event which seems to defy logic or an event or a happening which goes against the laws of nature as WE know them. Miracles under different faiths have different meaning and importance. In Christianity that before earning the title of an apostle or a saint one has to perform miracle. It is also under stood that Jesus himself never emphasized his miracles and considered them merely as signs of his participation in the Divine. Thus the meaning of the term must be viewed in the it’s the context of the relevant philosophy.
There are many instances in Sikh Ithiaas where events defy human logic. Human beings can only put these into words, using their limited vocabulary, to describe what they know. However, there is so much that we do not know. Therefore, when we see or read something which defies logic as we see it as ‘miracle’, a divine intervention, or behaviour of natural laws beyond our knowledge or comprehension (as Satyaban ji, succinctly, put it ‘unexplained phenomena’)?
Do we also need to differentiate between ‘anhonee’ and a miracle? I am only thinking out aloud here! The former is mentioned in Gurbani:
“Cẖinṯaaṯaa kee keejee-ai jo anhonee hoye”
Only worry about something which has never happened (or may never happen or is not expected to happen).
So perhaps miracle is no ‘anhonee’ after all as these do happen. Or are both the same?
There are many instances where the events unfolded suggesting a ‘miracle’ or ‘divine intervention’.
(1)
When Baba Atal Rai, son of Guru Hargobind Ji, went over to his friend Mohan’s house, who was supposedly dead, and asked him to get up and say ‘Waheguru’ – the unimaginable happened – Mohan got up as if from a slumber. Guru Hargobind Ji was not pleased and Baba Atal realised that he had gone against the Will of God by using his powers to revive Mohan back to life. The history records that Baba Atal ji took a dip in the sarovar near the Harmandir Sahib and did the parkarma several times. He then sat down and recited Sukhmani Sahib and eventually left his body. Accounts may vary slightly.
(2)
The history of Panja Sahib is world famous – I am often asked about this by non-Sikhs. The egotistic Vali Kandhari rolls down a heavy rock from top of the mount towards Guru Nanak Ji, who blocks it with his hand. Gurdwara Panja Sahib now stands at that spot in Pakistan. Was this divine intervention or Guru Nanak performing a miracle – perhaps it was God’s Will.
(3)
Guru Har Krishan, the ‘child Guru’ as he is often referred to, touched Chajju, the water carrier, with a stick. Chajju stood up and immediately began to recite and expound the philosophy of Gita. The proud Brahmin, who had doubted Guru Har Krishan Ji, fell to his feet. How do we define such an occurring? A miracle or a divine intervention!
(4)
Kauda Rakash, the cannibal, was about to throw Baba Mardana into the cauldron (karraha) on red hot fire. But Guru Nanak answered Mardana ji’s prayers and arrived in the nick of time. The cauldron cooled in an instance (tapat karraha bujh gaya) – Kauda fell on Guru Ji’s feet. Did Guru Nanak perform a miracle or the Lord intervened because of Nanak’s presence, to redeem Kauda Rakash?
(5)
Guru Nanak in Baghdad held the hand of Dastagir’s son and gave him a tour of galaxy after galaxy to prove that there are “patalaa paatal lakh agasaa agaas” and as evidence brought back (kachkaul) bowl of prashad (sacramental food, offering). This is found in Bhai Gurdas Ji’s Vaar 1 Pauri 36 – naal leetaa baytaa peer daa akhee meeti gaiaa havaaee (taking along with him the son of the pir, Guru Nanak Dev vanished into thin air).
We must not forget that Guru Nanak was ‘sarab kala smapooran’ i.e. adept in every art and science of the spiritual world but he did not believe in exercising his spiritual powers without reason or justification by going against God’s Will for he wrote:
“Were I to become a man of mystic powers, well-versed in the arts of occult and mysticism, able to perform miracles and summon wealth and glory at will; And were I to become visible and invisible at will, thereby earning myself the reverence and esteem of all people; May I not on attaining such status forget Thee and remember not Thy Name.” (SGGS 14).
Guru Ram Das Ji, the Fourth Nanak fell out with his elder son for performing miracles in the court of the Mogul King. There are many other instances where the events cannot be explained by human logic – I am not referring to the vastly exaggerated Sakhis based on the imagination of the writer.
Finally, I agree with Gyani Jarnail Singh ji that the institution of langar, the Shakti of Amrit, the concepts of ‘Guru Chela’ and ‘Shabad Guru’, the will to sacrifice all in the name of justice, the compassion for the down trodden without distinction of race colour or creed are the living proofs of the biggest ‘miracles’ performed by the Sikh Gurus.
A Gursikh does not look towards miracles to solve his problems. For a Gursikh the biggest miracle is the Shabad Guru and the Daily Invocation (Ardas). Through these he can transform his life to achieve salvation (mokash). Ardas said from the heart can never fail to reach its intended destination – so Sikhs believe. Below are the couplets of a poet which sum it up beautifully:
ijhVI Awqmw inmrqw Dwr kUky ibrQw ausdI Aws nhI jw skdI
ijhVI Awqmw joqVI rUp hovyy lutI ausdI rws nhI jw skdI
ijhVI idl rlwieky jwey kIqI AwPl kdy Ardws nhI jw skdI
ijhVI Awqmw pUjdI swD sMgq kdy jmw dy pws nhI jw skdI
jehrri atmaa nimrataa dhaar kookey birthaa oasdee aas nahin jaa sakdi
jehrri atmaa jotri roop hovey lutee oasdee raas nahin jaa sakdi
jehrri dil ralaeykay jaye keetee aphal kadey ardaas nahin jaa sakdi
jehrri atma poojdi saadh sangat kadey jama dey paas nahin jaa sakdi
The voice of the humble soul will never go unheard.
The soul within which burns His light will never be robbed.
The prayer said from the heart is always rewarded.
The soul that worships Holy Congregation will never be visited by the messengers of death.
I apologise – this post got somewhat longer than I had first intended.
Humbly
Rajinder Singh ’Arshi’
