November 24 marks the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621-75 C.E.), the ninth Guru of the Sikhs, who gave his life for the concept of religious freedom for all. This happened long before the United Nations’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) guaranteed everyone’s right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. It was also much before the establishment of Western democracies. The Guru carried the conviction – more than four hundred years ago, when religious intolerance and persecution were common all over the world – that every individual must have the freedom to worship the faith of his or her choice. Gems for life from Gurus writings from Guru Granth Sahib that I collected: Cast off all your doubts; prays Nanak, O mortal, focus your consciousness on His Feet. He has given you your body, wealth, property, peace and beautiful mansions. Says Nanak, O mind listen: why dont you remember the Lord in meditation? Those who make pilgrimages to sacred shrines, observe ritualistic fasts and make donations to charity while still keeping pride in their minds - O Nanak, their actions are useless, like an elephant, who takes a bath, and then rolls in the dust. If you yearn for eternal peace, then seek the Sanctuary of the Lord. Says Nanak, listen mind: this human body is precious and difficult to obtain. O mind, contemplate that you are continuously in the Sanctuary of God. That person, who meditates in remembrance on the Lord in his heart, is liberated - Knows this well. There is no difference between that person and the Lord: O Nanak, accept this as the Truth. ____________________ Abandon egotism, and stay close to saintly persons in devotion; you shall be liberated in an instant. O servant Nanak, without meditating and vibrating on the Lord God, there is no peace, even in dreams. God is Merciful to the meek, forever the Destroyer of fear, and yet you do not develop any loving relationship with Him. The Name of the Lord is the Dispeller of sorrow - realize this. Wake up, O mind! Wake up! Why are you sleeping unaware? That body, which you were born with, shall not go along with you in the end. Like a dogs tail, which will never straighten out, the mind will not change, no matter how many things are tried. Person gripped in anger and feeling of possessiveness and greed is unable to see the true reality or God’s presence. Thinking that body is permanent but in actuality it is like a dream. (one day it will be gone) Whatever we see will disappear one day as does a cloud’s shadow. Nanak, Accept this world to be a myth and stay within God’s shelter. O mind, embrace true contemplation. O saintly being, always sing God’s praises The human life is the most prescious gift; Do not loose it or waste it. Do not forget God, who is the Purest of the pure and Friend of the poor Always remain in God’s shelter. Abandon ego and attachment to false things in life. That is the way to liberation or freedom and or to become a Gurmukh, the liberated one. You shall not obtain this human body again; make the effort - try to achieve liberation! Says Nanak, sing praise of the Lord of compassion, and cross over the world ocean and achieve liberation and freedom. This human body is very precious and valuable; some waste it pursuing worthless things in life. God is present within and without and yet we do not feel love and connection with God. Nanak, Consider that person liberated and free, who feels presence of God in his/ her heart and in whose heart God lives. O Saintly being! One attains true peace and serenity in God’s shelter The person who is free from the grips of happiness and suffering, consider him/her to be truly realized and wise one. Fear None; Frighten None! - Guru Tegh Bahadur
Posted on: Sun, 24 Nov 2013 01:52:57 +0000
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