Why do you say Satnaam ? And not Waheguru?

QUESTION:

 

Why do you say satnaam ? and not Waheguru?

 

 

REPLY:

 

satnaam ji,

dandauth bandhana ji

 

 

"Why do we say SatNaam, meaning God's Name Is "Truth"? Because everything else is temporary.  Our family will depart, our houses will crumble and we will also leave our body behind.  Everything around us is ever-changing, except for SatNaam.  SatNaam is forever stable. 

The ones who become absorbed in it become permanent too.  They merge into the Light of SatNaam within themselves and are no longer in the cycle of birth and death.  That's why we say "SatNaam".  SatNaam is the primal seed from which the whole Creation has sprouted.  The SatGuru is the fruit of billions of years of evolution.  Within the SatGuru the seed of Satnaam is manifested.   The SatGuru plants the seed of Satnaam into the disciple, so their life will be fruitful too.  This website ( www.satnaam.info  )is dedicated to promoting true understanding of SatNaam - the greatest of all spiritual pursuits."

 

History of the word Waheguru:

"According to Sikh Scholar G S Talib (in Encyp. of Sikhism), Waheguru is a compound of two words, one from Persian and the other from Sanskrit. Wah in Persian is an interjection of wonder and admiration and Guru in Sanskrit means a spiritual parent or preceptor.

According to McLeod (Historical Dictionary), the term 'Wah guru' first appears in the Janam - sakhis where it means 'Praise to the Guru'. The two words eventually coalesced to form one of the characteristic names of God.

Surprisingly, though it is now very popular with Sikhs, yet Sikh Gurus did not use it more than once or twice in their bani in Guru Granth Sahib."

Many more articles on this topic can be read on

http://www.satnaam.info/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=2&id=14&Itemid=21

 

thankyou

 

dust of your feet

 

Harjit

How religion controls people through what they eat

FROM : GURINDER

 

Sat Sri Akal G

I have been following this discussion with interest. Just makes me wonder
why eating meat is prohibited in Rehat Maryaada. There must be a good
reason. And also why there are not many references of meat distributions in
Guru ka langar, during their times (except that one time, when Sikhs are
said to have consumed horses).

I have heard that meat excites a person's mind and makes it a bit harder
to concentrate during meditations. And have been told by my Muslim friends
that some of the old Muslim saints/imaams/'muslims close to God' turn
vegetarian for a similar reason.

Having said all that, there must be good reasons for eating meat as its
allowed in Christianity/Islam...... and there must be good reasons for not
eating meat (Hinduism, Sikhism(?), Jainism etc)

Totally, utterly confused.

Gurinder


REPLY FROM HARJIT:

Satnaam ji

with guru ji's kindness i was once confused by this topic as I got into
religion.  But now have studied every angle of it.  I will publish the
articles when i get time.   However, in a nutshell the conclusion i come to
is that God and Religion are two separate things.   Religion is mostly man
made and has objectives such as carrying on beliefs, traditions, controlling
people and organising the masses.  People running religion do not have
God-love as their aim, but control and power, respect of society and so on
is the most important to them.  Whilst they carry on the traditions and
beliefs and fight for them they gain the respect of the masses, even though
those traditions and beliefs may actually have no relevance anymore.

Religion has tried to control every aspect of a persons life from birth ,
marriage and death, to what we wear , eat and how we live.

Its a control thing with religion to tell people what to do, to hug them if
they follow the rules of the religious tribe or to excommunicate them if they
dont follow the rules.

Has that got anything to do with God - no.

God is life itself and that is within your deepest core and you can tap into
that.  Gurbani is the writings of the ones who broke out of religion and
found the Truth within.  Guru Nana k dev ji said eat what doesn't cause your
body trouble.  Its that simple. The most important thing is loving God
within , serving the saints and getting their blessings.  The rest is just
people in the form of religion trying to control us, trying to put themselves
between us and God within.  That is why we get confused because we listen to
them and dont listen to our heart - our Guru within , and dont get the
blessings of the saints - the true lovers of God.

In many primitive cultures it was believed that droughts and other problems
facing people were due to the gods being unhappy with the people.  So the
people would try and make the Gods happy.  One way was to sacrifice
something that was of value eg an animal.  An animal like a cow or a goat
was very valuable for poor peasant people.   Eating meat would only be at a
tie of great festivals or celebrations and meat would be a treat, a very
special food not often affordable or available to the common people.   So
when they made a sacrifice of an animal they prayed all their bad luck went
on the animal, and by slaying it, they slayed their bad luck and pleased the
Gods.   So now in Islam you still have sacrifices of goats and animals after
Eid.  Thats the roots of animal sacrifices which religion is still promoting
in the name of God.

Also in those old days slitting the throat of the animal while its heart was
pumping was an easy way to drain it of its blood.  Now that is a hard and
fast rule of Islam that all meat is to be prepared in that way then its
lawful - halal.  Others its haram - unlawful.  So again Islam carried on
peasant ritual of thousands of years ago in the name of God.  But has
nothing to do with God.   Then man made rules in Judaism and Islam now have
very tight rules and regulations about what is halal or kosher and what is
not.   It is a big money making venture and way of controlling people in the
name of God.  IT has nothing to do with God.

Whilst in India , Guru Nanak Dev ji wrote to the strict vegetarian Brahmin
priests that their own ancestors used to sacrifice rhinoceroses, yet they
turn their nose up to flesh thinking it is something bad.  IT is not, flesh
is the body of the soul.  flesh is part and parcel of God's creation and
shouldn't be seen as bad.  Having arrogance and ignorance in the name of
religion is the only bad thing.   There's also the tradition in India of being
vegetarian as that is the food available to most people historically.  Same
in China they have very simple diets and meat forms a part of it once in a
while in small amounts -historically and for most people in the world it is
a luxury food.

Some cultures eat dogs and horses, yet in the UK those are peoples favourite
pets, but they are happy to eat chicken, cow, lamb and pig.

What people eat is down to what is available in their part of the world.
When humans were hunter-gatherers roaming the forests and living in caves
they spent most of their time like animals looking for food.  They were too
busy trying to survive than to sit around being fussy due to beliefs.  When
food became easy for us as society people started making belief systems
...this food is good, this is bad, ...all man made.

In Sikhism Guru Gobind Singh ji was in battle with the Turks and made a
system of army rules - the Rehat Maryaada.  to wear the 5K army uniform.  To
not disobey the 4Hs - Halal meat - dont eat it. Hookah - dont smoke the
Muslim pipe. Haram - dont have unlawful sex.  Hajamat - dont shave like the
Muslims.

So you can see that where for the first hunter gather humans food was a
means of staying alive and they would eat whatever they could get,  now food
has become associated with a Muslim religion i.e. halal.  When they converted
people, the first test was to make them eat halal meat ..or die.   Guru
Gobind Singh ji made the rule not to eat halal meat for that reason ..meaning
not to give up to the oppressor.  Not to do anything they do, not to be
forcibly converted out of fear.

So add another 300 years to where we are now and the context of Rehat
Maryaada being a code of conduct for army discipline against Mughal
oppressors of them time has been lost.  All that is left is the mish mash of
man made interference from the British rule and vegetarian Hindu religious
leaders "so called sants" who have added their own versions into what we
have as modern Sikhism.

So that explains to you why the Sikh religious leaders now have  Rehat
Maryaada that says dont eat halal ..Muslim meat.  But the masses being told
be the "sant" religious leaders to be vegetarian.  That is why Sikhs are
confused, Islam is confused, Jews are confused and that is all thanks to man
made religion promoting out of date beliefs that have nothing to do with
God.

Eat what suits your body and allows you to do naam simran, seva of the true
saints and bhagti loving devotional worship of God within you.

dust of your feet
Harjit

Simplicity of food

FROM SK:

Dandout Bhandana To One & All,
 
 One of the precepts on  the path to Sainthood is simplicity. This  concept of simplicity is what we are all striving to attain and apply in our daily lives. Decluttering our lives of illusion and out dated concepts and paradigms which hinder our evolution, and create confusion for us. If you are an individual who choose's to eat meat then eat it accept it, enjoy and be grateful for it as it is offering sustenance to the body temple. However, do not be attached to it. If you are an individual who chooses to refrain from this food group then again that is an individual choice based on personal preference.
 
Surely, it is more important of what comes out of our mouths rather than what we put in it. Baba Ji has clearly explained to the sangat that the deeds/actions of the individual are what counts. Therefore, If one choose's to eat meat or not is rather insignificant in the bigger picture.
 
SATNAAM = SIMPLICITY
 
 
 
Dandout

SK.

 

REPLY FROM HARJIT:

satnaam bhenjee,
dandauth bandhana ji
thankyou for taking time to share your thoughts.
 
You are right Satnaam=Simplicity.
 
Baba Ji said that too, "Maya is complexity , God is simplicity."
 
There are two types of simplicity, simple as in ignorant, and simple as in God.
 
The first type is like we say "he is a simpleton".  Meaning dumb, ignorant, stupid.  This kind of simplicity is
due to lack of knowledge and application of that knowledge.  So when I was simple minded I ate anything and everything that came my way, my only guide was the tastes of my tongue, what I preferred and what i didn't.  As a simple child this means i will eat sweets crisps and chocolates, avoid greens and fruit.  
 
Then what happens is that what i put in my mouth IS AS IMPORTANT as what comes out of it.  Because this body is also a field on which we reap our karma.  So being simple ignorant child lacking knowledge and a way to discriminate between what is good food and bad food, I will reap rotting teeth, bad skin, poor health.
 
Then I find that pain is the remedy.   And Baba Ji says that "each pain that i undergo is for me to ask why? And the journey of my soul begins."
 
So I ask why I have bad health, bad skin and bad teeth?   Then I meet the Doctors, read the books, talk to others who have been through the same.  But i get confused because there are so many people with so many experiences.   That is now going through the realm of complexity.  Why does it lead to confusion?  Because still I do not have a way to discriminate between what is true and what is false. 
 
So next  I look for some tools to be able to discriminate.  The tools we have
 
-are our experiences eg we know how our body reacts to differenct foods by trying them.  We also know what
-the greatest tool is science - which is a systematic and logical way to find out the Truth of the physical world and foods and body.
-we have spiritual teachings as well.
 
 
With these tools we can discard the false and discern the Truth of food and its effect on our body.  We understand the body is a system.  It has inputs, and outputs and processes in between.  We master this body system.  We are no longer a simple ignorant person mislead by the false tool of the tastes of the tongue, we are no longer in the realm of complexity and confusion of so many opinions.  Now and only now can we enter into the second and highest type of simplicity : the realm of Satnaam Simplicity. 
Now our diet is simple, nutritious, functional and what we put into our mouth we reap as good health, good skin and good teeth.
 
dust of your feet
 
Harjit

Confused about eating meat

QUESTION:

 

I read in these forums that said eating meat is allowed...i have been a vegetarian since i was 13 . im 21 now. i have always been told by many people who have read the scriptures that it is a sin to eat animals... i dont eat meat nor do i take any intoxicants .  being young i'm confused about a lot of things. may be u were right and i am not . i just wanted to make myself clear and ask for an opinion.

 

ANSWER:

 

Satnaam Veer Ji,

I also spent many years confused about this.  Really it is very simple.  While you are looking for answers to everything on the outside then you are confused.  Look for guidance from the outside, from scriptures, from the Saints and books, but there as many opinions as there are people.  And still god is beyond all of them.   The greatest way we have to test wether something is true or not is to try it.   God resides within our body, our soul.  Learn to listen to your own body then, that is God through nature talking to you.  When i was overridding what my body was saying because i thought i needed to be doing what others were saying in order to please God, I actually was just causing myself more pain and suffering.  It took me along time to realise to listen to my inner Eternal Guru.  And that means listen to your intuition, listen to your body and if you are still fonfused then listen to your outer Sant-Satguru.  Make one Sant-Satguru and then listen to them and put into practise what they say.  That is the only way to get rid of doubts, confusion and illusions. 

Whilst we have many teacher, scriptures, internet sites, books and people of relgious groups bomabrding us with their beliefs, then we will always be confused.  The first step to getting rid of confusion is to come to the Sant-Satguru with your head on the palm of your hand, then dont look back and pay no attention to what others are saying.  "jo tho prem kehelan ka chao sir dhar galee meree ao, ith marag paayr dreejaa, sir deeja khaan na keeja."  ...Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

The greatest thing that ever happened was after 16 years of being confused as amrit-dharee, God blessed me with putting my head on the lotus feet of Dassan Das ji and listening to him since then.  No there is no more confusion, no more doubts and no more illusions.  That is called Gurprasad bharam kaa naas ..by Guru's grace all doubts are dispelled...Guru arjun Dev Ji.

Back to the topic of meat, basically I was meat eater until 18, then vegetarian for next 16 years.  Then i ate loads of meat and realised i was just fulfilling my supressed desires of when i was vegetarian.   Now fitness and health is I realise the most important thng for the body - the carriage needs to be strong so we can do bhagti pain free.  So science of nurtition has more truthful answers about what food is good for us and what is bad, what our body needs and what is bad.  So now what i find is that i am on a healthy diet and meat/eggs/fish play a small part.  but there is no craving, mostly vegetarian and absolutely no confusion.

Baba Ji said that God has given us the right to kill for food and that is how nature is running.  But God has not given us the right to kill for fun, for sport and for cruelty.

On top of that, our tongues can make us slaves of tastes, wether that is meat or vegeatrian foods, so Baba Ji said we have to give up our desires and say to God whatever you give us is good.  "Thoo data datar tera ditaa khaavanaa ...you are the Giver, what you give us we eat." .. Guru Nanak Dev Ji.

So put your head on the feet of your sant-satguru, dont look up in ego, eat what suits you and allows you to be fit and healthy so you can do bhagti.

Kabir Ji was strict vegetarian as was his Guru Ramanand Ji.  But Sheik Farid Ji was a muslim so believed in halal meat.  Guru Nanak Dev ji said it wasa waste of time arguing about meat because it had nothing to do with reaching God and that we shoudl eat what suits our body, bhai gurdaas ji said eat little sleep little - so we shouldnt be lazy and miss doing our naam simran early morning.  Guru Gobind Singh ji wasa warrior Guru and there are many stories of the warrior Sikhs eating meat and living in jungles.  Bhai Gurdas ji writes Guru HarGobind Ji went hunting.  So did Guru Gobind Singh ji and their Sikhs.   

The truth of life and death is that its in God's hands.   We have enough brains nowadays to work out what suits our body or not and wether we are slave to our tastes.  And wether what we are eating is making us lazy or unfit so we miss amritvela and do naam simran.  Its as simple as that.

God bless you.

dust of your feet

Harjit

 

Saved By the Guru from a serious accident

Dearest Satnaam Satsangat Ji,

Wanted to share with you an experience I had today.

I was involved in a three-car very serious accident, involving a few
ambulances, long delays, and high emotions. My car is totalled and am just
a bit banged up, but very grateful for Satnaam Ji's mercy and grace he
bestowed upon us during the frighten ordeal. Many motorists came to
assist and offered nothing but kindness and divine intervention. I was
able to walk away without having to go the hospital and the emergency
crews were able to quickly transport those seriously hurt . This was
difinitely divine grace in action.....Thank you Satnaam Ji

D

===

Satnaam Satguru Satsangat
 
Dear D Ji,

God Bless You always and forever.
 
Gur Meray sang sada ha nalay ...
The Guru is Always and Forever With Me....Guru Arjun Dev Ji.
 
When we have our Guru with us in the form of the Light (Gur-Jyot) that is attached to the word Satnaam, which resides in our heart, then the Guru teaches us that even the hot winds cannot touch us, nor can a single hair on our body be twisted.
 
My Aunt's second husband was attacked by two hitmen hired by her ex-husband.  He was shot 25 times at close range in a stairwell.   He was airlifted by helicopter and survived - it was all over the Californian media as a miracle.  He had bullets going through his head and body at all angles but not one major organ, brain, eye was damaged.  He said while it was going on all he could see in his mind's eye was his living Guru in India.
 
Our Guru helps us more than we can every know.
 
dust of your feet
 
Harjit

Stressed parents 'make kids ill' - so chill out!!

Satnaam Ji,

 

Dandauth Bandhana ji

 

I asked Baba ji once about bringing up the kids once.  He said teach them what is right and wrong and leave the rest upto God.  Remeber they have to live out their own karma regardless of your hopes and wishes for them.   So just try your best and have faith in God f, do your own devotional loving worship of Satnaam (bhagti), and trust that Satnaam Satguru will take care of the kids.  This is very simple advice, but so great too.   Because most of the parents are stressed because they are worried "are my kids getting fat? Are they getting the best schools? Are they good enough at sports?  Are they helping around the house? Are they listening to me? Are they well behaved? Are they religious enought?" And so on.  So many things that cause parents stress about their kids, and also so many other things that cause parents stress as well - making money, paying bills, arguments with their spouse, bad health and so on.

 

Having a negative, stressful mind full of unfulfilled hopes and desires causes strss within the parent.   For all the good wishes of the parents for their children, they only actually end up passing on their stress to the kids.  This makes those kids and parents suffer more emotional , mental and physical illnesses.  The stress is passed onto the children.

 

So Baba Ji's advice is so great, trust in God, do your best, stay relaxed in your own mind and your kids will benefit too.

 

 

Here is an article about this :

 

** Stressed parents 'make kids ill' **

Parents with stressful lives may be making their children as well as themselves vulnerable to illness, research suggests.

< http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/1/hi/health/7302955.stm >

 

dust of your feet

 

Harjit

Prayer by Yogi Bhajan Ji

May your words have projective power, may your face shine like the moon, may your body radiate like the sun, may your brightness be acknowledged by those whom you touch, feel, speak to and befriend. May you learn all the faculties of God– totality, reality, infinity, kindness and compassion. May your prosperity shine through you to serve those who are in need and may you extend your hand of friendship to those who are lonely. May your essence flow, may you be recognized by your best qualities, wonderful manners and your livelihood. May this day bring you all these blessings plus more, so that you can live healthy, happy and holy. May your nine holes be under your control. And may you give your heart to that one who is like God to you, so you can find your infinity forever. Sat Nam.

 

 

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