Why Are So Many Gods And Demons Listed In This Shabad?

[spnadmin]

sangat ji

Some of the other devtas were ignored or given little explanation in this thread.

Today's Rozana Spokesman also (see above) has a feature article in Punjabi regarding the festival of Dussehra, which culminates a week from today, commemorating Ravan. The author of the first article, Giani Harbans Singh, related the connections between the legendary events and another section of SGGS in raag Aasa. I will look it up and post in minutes. Later we can get a general translation of the article too.

I found the following article at Sikh Chic and see that it answers some questions raised here that we left behind. It seems the SPN thread was posted just days before the Hindu feast of Dussehra. Interesting geographical differences between north an south India are also explained in considering the figure of Rawan (Ravan, Rawana). The story of Ram and Sita is part of the unfolding story. Timeline issues are also considered. Very good background to understand the mix of beliefs in the time of Guru Sahib ji.

The article is by GIRISH K.N. YADAV

http://www.sikhchic.com/1984/president_pranab_mukherjees_message_to_the_nation_india_on_dussehra

The religious festival of Dussehra is being celebrated by the Hindus of Northern India this week, with its grand annual finale on Monday, October 14, 2013.

It is one of the most important Hindu festivals, and involves celebrations over the course of ten days, recalling the tragic abduction of Sita, the wife of Ram, the king of Ayodhya, by Ravan, the “Maha Brahmin” ruler of Sri Lanka who was also a great devotee of Lord Shiva.

Each year, communities across North India re-live in great detail the kidnapping of Ram‘s consort, the search for her and her ultimate rescue after a confrontation between the forces of the Hindu King of Ayodhya and those of the Hindu King of Sri Lanka.

The annual re-enactment, known as Ram Leela, culminates in the burning of three giant effigies which are constructed in Hindu neighbourhoods in every village, town and city. The three villains thus publicly vanquished every year are the southern King Ravan and his brother, Kumbhakaran, and his (Ravan‘s) son, Meghnath.

The crowds participating in these celebration also get great merriment in watching the act of cutting off the nose of Surpanakha, Ravan’s sister, who is always depicted as particularly ugly, ill-natured and having oversized breasts. The drama of the mutilation and public disgrace of the woman is personally performed by an actor depicting Ram’s brother, Lakshman.

The North has been revelling in such enactments for centuries, quite indifferent to the fact that hundreds of millions of Hindus living in other parts of India continue to venerate Ravan and his family as their own gods and goddesses.

 

[spnadmin]

The 2 shabads referenced to the Dusserha Mela or festival in Aasa ki Vaar, and explained by Giani Harbans Singh below.


ਆਸਾ ॥
आसा ॥
Āsā.
Aasaa:

ਲੰਕਾ ਸਾ ਕੋਟੁ ਸਮੁੰਦ ਸੀ ਖਾਈ ॥
Lankā sā kot samunḏ sī kẖā▫ī.
A fortress like that of Sri Lanka, with the ocean as a moat around it -

ਤਿਹ ਰਾਵਨ ਘਰ ਖਬਰਿ ਨ ਪਾਈ ॥੧॥
Ŧih rāvan gẖar kẖabar na pā▫ī. ||1||
there is no news about that house of Raavan. ||1||

ਕਿਆ ਮਾਗਉ ਕਿਛੁ ਥਿਰੁ ਨ ਰਹਾਈ ॥
Ki▫ā māga▫o kicẖẖ thir na rahā▫ī.
What shall I ask for? Nothing is permanent.

ਦੇਖਤ ਨੈਨ ਚਲਿਓ ਜਗੁ ਜਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Ḏekẖaṯ nain cẖali▫o jag jā▫ī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
I see with my eyes that the world is passing away. ||1||Pause||

ਇਕੁ ਲਖੁ ਪੂਤ ਸਵਾ ਲਖੁ ਨਾਤੀ ॥
Ik lakẖ pūṯ savā lakẖ nāṯī.
Thousands of sons and thousands of grandsons -

ਤਿਹ ਰਾਵਨ ਘਰ ਦੀਆ ਨ ਬਾਤੀ ॥੨॥
Ŧih rāvan gẖar ḏī▫ā na bāṯī. ||2||
but in that house of Raavan, the lamps and wicks have gone out. ||2||

ਚੰਦੁ ਸੂਰਜੁ ਜਾ ਕੇ ਤਪਤ ਰਸੋਈ ॥
Cẖanḏ sūraj jā ke ṯapaṯ raso▫ī.
The moon and the sun cooked his food.

ਬੈਸੰਤਰੁ ਜਾ ਕੇ ਕਪਰੇ ਧੋਈ ॥੩॥
Baisanṯar jā ke kapre ḏẖo▫ī. ||3||
The fire washed his clothes. ||3||

ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਰਾਮੈ ਨਾਮਿ ਬਸਾਈ ॥
Gurmaṯ rāmai nām basā▫ī.
Under Guru's Instructions, one whose mind is filled with the Lord's Name,

ਅਸਥਿਰੁ ਰਹੈ ਨ ਕਤਹੂੰ ਜਾਈ ॥੪॥
Asthir rahai na kaṯahūʼn jā▫ī. ||4||
becomes permanent, and does not go anywhere. ||4||

ਕਹਤ ਕਬੀਰ ਸੁਨਹੁ ਰੇ ਲੋਈ ॥
Kahaṯ Kabīr sunhu re lo▫ī.
Says Kabeer, listen, people:

ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਬਿਨੁ ਮੁਕਤਿ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥੫॥੮॥੨੧॥
Rām nām bin mukaṯ na ho▫ī. ||5||8||21||
without the Lord's Name, no one is liberated. ||5||8||21||

ਆਸਾ ॥
आसा ॥
Āsā.
Aasaa:

ਪਹਿਲਾ ਪੂਤੁ ਪਿਛੈਰੀ ਮਾਈ ॥
Pahilā pūṯ picẖẖairī mā▫ī.
First, the son was born, and then, his mother.

ਗੁਰੁ ਲਾਗੋ ਚੇਲੇ ਕੀ ਪਾਈ ॥੧॥
Gur lāgo cẖele kī pā▫ī. ||1||
The guru falls at the feet of the disciple. ||1||

ਏਕੁ ਅਚੰਭਉ ਸੁਨਹੁ ਤੁਮ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਭਾਈ ॥
Ėk acẖambẖa▫o sunhu ṯumĥ bẖā▫ī.
Listen to this wonderful thing, O Siblings of Destiny!

ਦੇਖਤ ਸਿੰਘੁ ਚਰਾਵਤ ਗਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Ḏekẖaṯ singẖ cẖarāvaṯ gā▫ī. ||1|| rahā▫o.
I saw the lion herding the cows. ||1||Pause||

ਜਲ ਕੀ ਮਛੁਲੀ ਤਰਵਰਿ ਬਿਆਈ ॥
Jal kī macẖẖulī ṯarvar bi▫ā▫ī.
The fish of the water gives birth upon a tree.

ਦੇਖਤ ਕੁਤਰਾ ਲੈ ਗਈ ਬਿਲਾਈ ॥੨॥
Ḏekẖaṯ kuṯrā lai ga▫ī bilā▫ī. ||2||
I saw a cat carrying away a dog. ||2||

ਤਲੈ ਰੇ ਬੈਸਾ ਊਪਰਿ ਸੂਲਾ ॥
Ŧalai re baisā ūpar sūlā.
The branches are below, and the roots are above.

ਤਿਸ ਕੈ ਪੇਡਿ ਲਗੇ ਫਲ ਫੂਲਾ ॥੩॥
Ŧis kai ped lage fal fūlā. ||3||
The trunk of that tree bears fruits and flowers. ||3||

ਘੋਰੈ ਚਰਿ ਭੈਸ ਚਰਾਵਨ ਜਾਈ ॥
Gẖorai cẖar bẖais cẖarāvan jā▫ī.
Riding a horse, the buffalo takes him out to graze.

ਬਾਹਰਿ ਬੈਲੁ ਗੋਨਿ ਘਰਿ ਆਈ ॥੪॥
Bāhar bail gon gẖar ā▫ī. ||4||
The bull is away, while his load has come home. ||4||

ਕਹਤ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੁ ਇਸ ਪਦ ਬੂਝੈ ॥
Kahaṯ Kabīr jo is paḏ būjẖai.
Says Kabeer, one who understands this hymn,

ਰਾਮ ਰਮਤ ਤਿਸੁ ਸਭੁ ਕਿਛੁ ਸੂਝੈ ॥੫॥੯॥੨੨॥ ਬਾਈਸ ਚਉਪਦੇ ਤਥਾ ਪੰਚਪਦੇ
Rām ramaṯ ṯis sabẖ kicẖẖ sūjẖai. ||5||9||22||
and chants the Lord's Name, comes to understand everything. ||5||9||22|| 22 Chau-Padas And Panch-Padas.

ਆਸਾ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਕਬੀਰ ਜੀਉ ਕੇ ਤਿਪਦੇ ੮ ਦੁਤੁਕੇ ੭ ਇਕਤੁਕਾ ੧
Bā▫īs cẖa▫upḏe ṯathā pancẖpaḏe āsā sarī Kabīr jī▫o ke ṯipḏe 8 ḏuṯuke 7 ikṯukā 1
Aasaa Of Kabeer Jee, 8 Tri-Padas, 7 Du-Tukas, 1 Ik-Tuka: