drkhalsa
SPNer
- Sep 16, 2004
- 1,308
- 54
Dear Kanawar Sher Singh ji
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa
Waheguru ji ki Fateh
The Pauri
Eka Maaee Jugat Viaee Tin Chele Parwan
refers to the Shakat and Tantric philosophy that was very popular on the Indian religious scene a couple of centuries before Guru Nanak Dev ji (Remember Khajuraho temples, 12th century).
To put the whole thing in perspective we must not think of Hinduism to be a homogenous & coherent stream of thought. The major streams which in some instances are antithetical to one another are: (1) Vaishanism, where Vishnu is the ultimate reality who appears in incarnations to rid this planet of sin, i.e. Ram, Krishan, NarSinh, etc. (2) Shaivism, where Shiv is the ultimate reality and who does not follow the Avtar pattern of Vishnu but is ever present on the Kailash mountain with his consorts. (3) Shakat and Tantric streams, consider the ultimate reality to be a female (hence, the word Maee in Japuji) who creates initially the universe, then the trinity of gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiv. The followers of this female worship her in various Devi forms viz., Kali, Kalika, Durga, Chandi, Laxmi, Ganga, and a host of other Devi forms. The important thing to note in their case is (the point often not realised) that those who are staunch Devi or Shakti followers do not worship the three major gods mentioned above b
ut rather ridicule them with the understanding that the latter are at a lower plane and are creation of the Godess. This is manifested in the Devi mythology, e.g. in the Durga or Chandi's story she restores the gods in heaven after they all were defeated by the demons. These gods having suffered defeat go to Durga and wait near her abode to ask for her help. One day She comes to have a bath outside when the gods ask for help.( Ik dihare nahwan ayee Rani Durgsah, Indar virtha sunaee apne haal di - Chandi di Vaar, Dasam Granth). Similarly, we see in Dasam Granth, one of the Devi worshipper court poet of Guruji says, Main na Ganesh Pritham Manaoon, Kishen Bishen Kabhoon na Dhiaoon, Kaan Sune Pahechaan na tin ko, .... At the end we have the swayyia we so lovingly ascribe to Guru ji which actually was written by another poet .i.e Pai Gahe Jab te tumre tab te koyoo ankh tare nahin aniyo. Ram Rahim Puran Quran Anek kahain mat ek na maniyo.... Sri Asipan kirpa tumri kar main na kahiyo sab tohe vakhaniyo..
Here the word Asipan needs to be noted. Kali or Kalika is considered by Tantric Shakats to be the ultimate reality. The iconography shows Kali witha an iron weapon in her hand and the worshippers adore her in this pose. Asi means iron and Asipan means an iron weapon which could be a Kharag or any other similar weapon. The only cult or Hindu religious stream that worships iron or iron weapons is the one that worships Kali. Kali is also considered synonymous with iron metal (Sarabloh).
We Sikhs in our enthusiasm and lack of understanding of various streams of Hindu belief try to own something which has nothing to do with Sikh thought and is patently Tantric or Shakat (the difference between Tantrics and Shakats is that the former recognis only Kali or Kalika, the latter worship a whole plethora of Devis) We tend to gloat over the idea that Gurji worshiped the sword as God's Shakti. This is not the truth and is a very trivial idea. Shakti is another name for Maya which according to the Gurbani is to be detested and overcome. Then how can tenth Guruji worship something that is another name for Maya. The clever writers who were basically Shakat and occansionly Vaishanav introduced so much of their Tantric ideas in Dasam Granth that the eighteenth century Sikhs innocently accepted these as authentic and absorbed these into Sikh rituals such as Ardas and Rahiras.
Guru Nanak Dev ji was well aware of not just the Hindu variations but others such as Budhist, Jain, and Muslim as well. In the Pauri in Japuji, Guru ji is simply stating what the Shakats and Tantrics (some these were Sidhs as well) professed as their philosophy as an example.
Thus, what the Hindu friends of yours are saying is not far from the truth. However, we have to first learn a lot about Hinduism and other traditions extant at the time of Gurujis to see Gurbani in the real perspective. This is the only way we can fight the challenge posed by others bombarding us with clever moves.
We must first objectively sort out the authentic from adultration especially in Dasam Granth which is our weak point exploited by clever Hindu propagandists.
Humbly,
I remain the Charan Dhoor of Sadh Sangat
Serjinder Singh
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa
Waheguru ji ki Fateh
The Pauri
Eka Maaee Jugat Viaee Tin Chele Parwan
refers to the Shakat and Tantric philosophy that was very popular on the Indian religious scene a couple of centuries before Guru Nanak Dev ji (Remember Khajuraho temples, 12th century).
To put the whole thing in perspective we must not think of Hinduism to be a homogenous & coherent stream of thought. The major streams which in some instances are antithetical to one another are: (1) Vaishanism, where Vishnu is the ultimate reality who appears in incarnations to rid this planet of sin, i.e. Ram, Krishan, NarSinh, etc. (2) Shaivism, where Shiv is the ultimate reality and who does not follow the Avtar pattern of Vishnu but is ever present on the Kailash mountain with his consorts. (3) Shakat and Tantric streams, consider the ultimate reality to be a female (hence, the word Maee in Japuji) who creates initially the universe, then the trinity of gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiv. The followers of this female worship her in various Devi forms viz., Kali, Kalika, Durga, Chandi, Laxmi, Ganga, and a host of other Devi forms. The important thing to note in their case is (the point often not realised) that those who are staunch Devi or Shakti followers do not worship the three major gods mentioned above b
ut rather ridicule them with the understanding that the latter are at a lower plane and are creation of the Godess. This is manifested in the Devi mythology, e.g. in the Durga or Chandi's story she restores the gods in heaven after they all were defeated by the demons. These gods having suffered defeat go to Durga and wait near her abode to ask for her help. One day She comes to have a bath outside when the gods ask for help.( Ik dihare nahwan ayee Rani Durgsah, Indar virtha sunaee apne haal di - Chandi di Vaar, Dasam Granth). Similarly, we see in Dasam Granth, one of the Devi worshipper court poet of Guruji says, Main na Ganesh Pritham Manaoon, Kishen Bishen Kabhoon na Dhiaoon, Kaan Sune Pahechaan na tin ko, .... At the end we have the swayyia we so lovingly ascribe to Guru ji which actually was written by another poet .i.e Pai Gahe Jab te tumre tab te koyoo ankh tare nahin aniyo. Ram Rahim Puran Quran Anek kahain mat ek na maniyo.... Sri Asipan kirpa tumri kar main na kahiyo sab tohe vakhaniyo..
Here the word Asipan needs to be noted. Kali or Kalika is considered by Tantric Shakats to be the ultimate reality. The iconography shows Kali witha an iron weapon in her hand and the worshippers adore her in this pose. Asi means iron and Asipan means an iron weapon which could be a Kharag or any other similar weapon. The only cult or Hindu religious stream that worships iron or iron weapons is the one that worships Kali. Kali is also considered synonymous with iron metal (Sarabloh).
We Sikhs in our enthusiasm and lack of understanding of various streams of Hindu belief try to own something which has nothing to do with Sikh thought and is patently Tantric or Shakat (the difference between Tantrics and Shakats is that the former recognis only Kali or Kalika, the latter worship a whole plethora of Devis) We tend to gloat over the idea that Gurji worshiped the sword as God's Shakti. This is not the truth and is a very trivial idea. Shakti is another name for Maya which according to the Gurbani is to be detested and overcome. Then how can tenth Guruji worship something that is another name for Maya. The clever writers who were basically Shakat and occansionly Vaishanav introduced so much of their Tantric ideas in Dasam Granth that the eighteenth century Sikhs innocently accepted these as authentic and absorbed these into Sikh rituals such as Ardas and Rahiras.
Guru Nanak Dev ji was well aware of not just the Hindu variations but others such as Budhist, Jain, and Muslim as well. In the Pauri in Japuji, Guru ji is simply stating what the Shakats and Tantrics (some these were Sidhs as well) professed as their philosophy as an example.
Thus, what the Hindu friends of yours are saying is not far from the truth. However, we have to first learn a lot about Hinduism and other traditions extant at the time of Gurujis to see Gurbani in the real perspective. This is the only way we can fight the challenge posed by others bombarding us with clever moves.
We must first objectively sort out the authentic from adultration especially in Dasam Granth which is our weak point exploited by clever Hindu propagandists.
Humbly,
I remain the Charan Dhoor of Sadh Sangat
Serjinder Singh
