HOW
THE WORLD COMES TO
KNOW WHAT IS SIKHISM?
Author
: Sr. DALJEET SINGH
New
Delhi, India
We can wrangle and preach for religion;
fight for it; die for it; do anything
but live - it .I read these lines long
ago and always looking the situations
in real life. Whenever we turn the pages
of newspapers or surf T.V channel we find
examples of people doing so. We see the
people fighting, killing and dying in
the name of religion. Then there are preachers
doing their duty with pomp and show. We
also see debates on the subjects. There
are few examples where we are shown people
following the preaching.
The Sikh religion is like a huge structure
and distinctive entity given by Tenth
Guru is its image. This huge structure
is made by sacrifices of Gurus especially
the sacrifices made by Tenth Guru Sri
Guru Gobind Singh ji. This was followed
by million of men, women and children
sacrificing their lives to save self respect,
religion, country and society as a whole.
Sri Guru Granth Sahib is the final authority
that gives shelter, messages, and binds
co-religionists under one roof. Through
Gurbani we are taught how to live but
most of us seem to be interested in reading
only.
I am sharing my personal experience here
and hope that I have explained what I
want to say;
It was on 28.09.02, I left from New Delhi
for Punjab via Shane- Punjab in the morning
at around 12.15, the train stopped at
Phillour railway station .It was declared
that train might not leave for a long
time as some political party workers had
started Rail -Roko Andolan in support
of their demands. Since the coach No.C2,
I was traveling was parked opposite a
tea stall on the platform, there was a
big rush at tea stall on the platform.
People were discussing about politics
and grievances being meted out to commoners
due to such agitations. There was a group
of 4 middle-aged Sikhs like me. They were
discussing the religious state of affair
of our community .They were having good
knowledge of Gurbani. Though I know very
less about Gurbani but I was sure that
their discussion was fruitful.
At around 2.30 p.m, when I was standing
near tea stall I saw the lady with a weeping
child of around 1 year making some enquiry
from same group of sikhs and others. She
seemed quite upset and looking here and
there .I enquired from her and came to
know that she required some hot water
to make milk for the child and she was
asking about the location of pantry car.
The only help given to her by so called
my religious brothers and others was the
information that there was no pantry car
in the train .She informed me that the
tea stall owner is having a very good
business due to long haul, he is not interested
and even the utensil he is using for making
tea may not be hygienic. I took bottle
from her and told her to concentrate on
making the child cool and care for my
briefcase as I was also traveling alone
.On enquiry, I told by one of the policeman
that outside the station there is a tea
stall and shop and the same can be managed
from there. Since I was sure that the
train may leave any time but my external
strength and faith told me to do something
for the child without any hesitation .I
came out of the station and at the another
tea stall the same problem of dirty tea
utensil was there .I saw a steel tiffin
in the stall .The tea stall owner told
me that it was not clean as he had just
finished his lunch. I washed the utensil
with available ash and gave him to boil
water. I offered him money which he refused
and I rushed toward the train after crossing
the over bridge. As I reached near the
train so many people who had been watching
that I left with bottle out of station
came near by and the lady was so thankful
that she could not utter a word in anxiety.
Moreover, I am also sure that one should
not expect thanks for the things one should
be doing.
I again joined my religious brothers.
One of the man said I had done very good
job. Suddenly a sikh with trimmed beard
passed. One of the man said that these
sikhs has tarnished image of sikhism.
Then it was my turn to say something .I
said that I was agreed with him but ask
him what he has done to improve the image
.I asked him that was it enough of the
religious duty for him to condemn a trimmed
bearded man. What good they, the fully
bearded men, were doing when they did
not respond the lady with a child in a
problem. You just passed the information
she enquired but did not look beyond in
helping her to solve problem. This is
not what our religion teaches. How can
we talk of reaching to PARAM-ATMA (Waheguru),
when we are not in a position to interact
with AATMA, as we are not responding to
a cry of infant? I agreed with them that
the men with trimmed beard have tarnished
the image of religion and we, with full
beard are symbol of our religion's image
but who will take initiative in improving
the image or TELL THE WORLD MEANING OF
IT?
The distinctive identity given by our
Tenth Guru was surely to let the world
know the Sikhs doing right. He could never
think that with these symbols one could
think of doing wrong. What I want to say
is that merely condemning a wrong can't
help, as we require putting right into
action. For that we require to act when
the situation demands.Had that trimmed
beard Sikh helped her then to whom she
would have called more religious? They
did not have any answer but wanted to
talk to me on the matter. I told them
that it's not time to discuss but to act
on whatever has been conveyed to us by
our Gurus through message given through
Gurbani.
The train gave signal to move. They people
wanted me to join in their coach to discuss
but I was sure that as the God has helped
me in getting the train stopped till I
came back so He has given the signal to
end the talks. I was sure that I was no
match with them for discussions with their
knowledge of Gurbani and with very little
knowledge I may even say something, which
I should not. The train left Phillour
at around 3 P.M. In the train I could
see the child happily playing with its
mother. I did not know to which religion
she belonged but was sure that whatever
I had done was what my religion taught
me. I had been to Punjab for a purpose
and right from Delhi I was thinking and
was under stress on the subject but after
this episode I was calm as sure that my
purpose has been fulfilled.
I am neither a preacher nor a so- called
religious man. I am a small time businessman
who is trying to do justice to the cause.
I have very little knowledge of Gurbani
but I am sure knowledge without implementation
is not fruitful. When we pray in the morning
SARBAT KA BHALA, we pray Waheguru for
the well being of society as a whole but
implementation is to be done by ourselves.
Waheguru deputes those, who collect courage
and willingness to do so. These small
efforts whenever chanced upon, done by
millions of Sikhs are going to help us
in enhancing shine of this huge structure;
our religion, for which we have lost unaccountable
number of lives, wealth. Let the world
know what Sikh religion is and wrong perceptions
about Sikh religion are removed .We should
not use religion as a stepney; approaching
when in distress but As a Steering Wheel!
Something in front of you, guiding your
movements in daily moments of life.
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