Khalsa - Guru Gobind Singh Ji 's Vision - VII

Set an Example

We will have to provide good examples, for at present our bad example is spreading in the minds of the people like poison. When we speak of righteousness, people will look at our practical life. When we preach about what Guru Gobind Singh says, people will surely look at our own lives. Not only will they look at that time; they will keep on looking at us. In those places which are the sources of dharam, we especially need to set a good example. We are not to lecture about Khalsa and keep committing the same offences. 

The greater a person’s responsibilities, the more essential it is that he put his house in order, eat only from his own earnings, and bring home only his own earnings. It is illegal for us to bring others’ things to our house. Charity is poison itself. Guru Nanak says, “Hak paraea Nanaka us suar us gae—Oh Nanak, what does not belong to you is like the flesh of a pig for Muslims or of a cow for Hindus.” [GGS 141]

Being Khalsa is to Love Others

What should be increased is love for others, coming together in love. If you become angry in your Gurudwara's, control your anger. Control your anger everywhere, for “Khalsa krod tiagay—Khalsa renounces anger.” 

Guru Gobind Singh has told us to renounce anger, but instead we are overcome by it. Our criticizing of others has also overpowered us. Sometimes we tell lies, sometimes we lose our good character, sometimes we grab the rights of others. We should forsake all these faults.

Once we have done so, then we need not ask what will happen to Sikhism in the future, or what happened in the past. What we have will remain for time immemorial. Over the ages, it will not be destroyed. It will never decrease, in any period, and in some period it will increase.

It Is Time To Act Now

Now it is necessary for us to act. There are so many large gatherings, so many large scale recitations of scripture, long lines of Akhand Paths, but why don’t people change their lives? As Guru Nanak has said, “Likh likh parhaia, teta karhia, parhe sune kiya hoi, jo sahaj no milio soi—What will come of reading and listening if you have not met Him naturally? The more you read, the more you are engulfed.” [GGS 467, 655] 

Therefore, let us all start working to become Khalsa. The power of Khalsa is within us. This power does exist.

Mahan Singh acted upon the teachings and thus became who he was. Daya Singh acted upon the teachings and thus became who he was. Maharaj Guru Gobind Singh spoke of Five Beloved Ones. He did not say, “All have become beloved ones.” Only a person who obeys the commandments, who always keeps the orders in mind, is a beloved one.

Now people are grabbing property illegally, telling lies and losing their morals, and at the same time they are taking Amrit. They are taking amrit, and at the same time they are quarrelling. Where are they quarrelling? At our holy places, the house of our Guru. You must therefore control these things now.

The second issue is what will become of Sikhs in the future? Sikhs will always excel if they continue following the Guru. The commandment of the Guru is very powerful. In the Guru’s hukam there is Light, Light, Light.

I will say firmly that Sikh religion is not a confining circle, not a boundary. It is the enlightened wisdom of the cosmos. So long as the cosmos remains, this enlightened wisdom will remain. But some Sikhs have taken the position that they think no one is special except themselves. Thereafter, there have been conflicts.

Instead, win the minds of the people. Guru Nanak and Guru Gobind Singh won the minds of the people with their enlightened wisdom.

They never said anything which they did not practice. Therefore we should all follow their commandments. The blessing of Guru Gobind Singh is within us. People will believe whatever we say about Guru Gobind Singh. At present we do not believe ourselves; how can others believe?

--To be continued...