Saturday, July 14, 2012

So how does one clean Mind, Body and Soul?

With the whole World going crazy about mind cleansing, body cleansing, soul cleansing, it is mind blowing how many techniques, ideas are out there.  People spend billions to find peace, sukh, happiness in life.  The entire World seems lost in this rat race for meditation techniques, astrological predictions for events in their lives, breathing techniques, exercises,  lotions, teas, foods, crystals and so on.  I mean there seems to be no end to this madness.  This is all good as long as no one gets obsessed about it.  For a Sikh, body, mind and soul cleansing is done thru 100% submission to the Guru's words.  I mean, all one has to do is to let go of that ego thru Guru Ji's words and it is that simple.  Submit yourself (or as they say in Punjabi, door Guru Ji noon sambhal dio meaning let Guru Ji hold the string) , let go of yourself like a kite.  At times I find it hard myself too and it feels as if maya is running the show and controls my mind, body and soul.
http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&g=1&h=1&r=1&t=1&p=0&k=0&fb=0&Param=39

सिरीरागु महला ३ ॥
Sirīrāg mėhlā 3.
Siree Raag, Third Mehl:

जगि हउमै मैलु दुखु पाइआ मलु लागी दूजै भाइ ॥
Jag ha▫umai mail ḏukẖ pā▫i▫ā mal lāgī ḏūjai bẖā▫e.
The world is polluted with the filth of egotism, suffering in pain. This filth sticks to them because of their love of duality.

मलु हउमै धोती किवै न उतरै जे सउ तीरथ नाइ ॥
Mal ha▫umai ḏẖoṯī kivai na uṯrai je sa▫o ṯirath nā▫e.
This filth of egotism cannot be washed away, even by taking cleansing baths at hundreds of sacred shrines.

बहु बिधि करम कमावदे दूणी मलु लागी आइ ॥
Baho biḏẖ karam kamāvḏe ḏūṇī mal lāgī ā▫e.
Performing all sorts of rituals, people are smeared with twice as much filth.

पड़िऐ मैलु न उतरै पूछहु गिआनीआ जाइ ॥१॥
Paṛi▫ai mail na uṯrai pūcẖẖahu gi▫ānī▫ā jā▫e. ||1||
This filth is not removed by studying. Go ahead, and ask the wise ones. ||1||

मन मेरे गुर सरणि आवै ता निरमलु होइ ॥
Man mere gur saraṇ āvai ṯā nirmal ho▫e.
O my mind, coming to the Sanctuary of the Guru, you shall become immaculate and pure.

मनमुख हरि हरि करि थके मैलु न सकी धोइ ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥
Manmukẖ har har kar thake mail na sakī ḏẖo▫e. ||1|| rahā▫o.
The self-willed manmukhs have grown weary of chanting the Name of the Lord, Har, Har, but their filth cannot be removed. ||1||Pause||

मनि मैलै भगति न होवई नामु न पाइआ जाइ ॥
Man mailai bẖagaṯ na hova▫ī nām na pā▫i▫ā jā▫e.
With a polluted mind, devotional service cannot be performed, and the Naam, the Name of the Lord, cannot be obtained.

मनमुख मैले मैले मुए जासनि पति गवाइ ॥
Manmukẖ maile maile mu▫e jāsan paṯ gavā▫e.
The filthy, self-willed manmukhs die in filth, and they depart in disgrace.

गुर परसादी मनि वसै मलु हउमै जाइ समाइ ॥
Gur parsādī man vasai mal ha▫umai jā▫e samā▫e.
By Guru's Grace, the Lord comes to abide in the mind, and the filth of egotism is dispelled.

जिउ अंधेरै दीपकु बालीऐ तिउ गुर गिआनि अगिआनु तजाइ ॥२॥
Ji▫o anḏẖerai ḏīpak bālī▫ai ṯi▫o gur gi▫ān agi▫ān ṯajā▫e. ||2||
Like a lamp lit in the darkness, the spiritual wisdom of the Guru dispels ignorance. ||2||


SGGS, page 39

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Bani - Shaykh Farid Sahib

ੴ ਸਿਤਗੁਰ ਪਰ੍ਸਾਿਦ ॥
ik-oNkaar satgur parsaad.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:
ਿਦਲਹੁ ਮੁਹਬਿਤ ਿਜੰਨ􀂸 ਸੇਈ ਸਿਚਆ ॥
dilahu muhabat jinH say-ee sachi-aa.
They alone are true, whose love for God is deep and heart-felt.

ਿਜਨ􀂸 ਮਿਨ ਹੋਰੁ ਮੁਿਖ ਹੋਰੁ ਿਸ ਕਢੇ ਕਿਚਆ ॥੧॥
jinH man hor mukh hor se kaaNdhay kachi-aa. ||1||
Those who have one thing in their heart, and something else in their mouth, are judged to be false.||1||

ਰਤੇ ਇਸਕ ਖੁਦਾਇ ਰੰਿਗ ਦੀਦਾਰ ਕੇ ॥
ratay isak khudaa-ay rang deedaar kay.
Those who are imbued with love for the Lord, are delighted by His Vision.

ਿਵਸਿਰਆ ਿਜਨ ਨਾਮੁ ਤੇ ਭੁਇ ਭਾਰੁ ਥੀਏ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
visri-aa jinH naam tay bhu-ay bhaar thee-ay. ||1|| rahaa-o.
Those who forget the Naam, the Name of the Lord, are a burden on the earth. ||1||Pause||

ਆਿਪ ਲੀਏ ਲਿੜ ਲਾਇ ਦਿਰ ਦਰਵੇਸ ਸੇ ॥
aap lee-ay larh laa-ay dar darvays say.
Those whom the Lord attaches to the hem of His robe, are the true dervishes at His Door.

ਿਤਨ ਧੰਨੁ ਜਣੇਦੀ ਮਾਉ ਆਏ ਸਫਲੁ ਸੇ ॥੨॥
tin Dhan janaydee maa-o aa-ay safal say. ||2||
Blessed are the mothers who gave birth to them, and fruitful is their coming into the world. ||2||

ਪਰਵਦਗਾਰ ਅਪਾਰ ਅਗਮ ਬੇਅੰਤ ਤੂ ॥
parvardagaar apaar agam bay-ant too.
O Lord, Sustainer and Cherisher, You are infinite, unfathomable and endless.
ਿਜਨਾ ਪਛਾਤਾ ਸਚੁ ਚੰਮੁਾ ਪੈਰ ਮੂੰ ॥੩॥
jinaa pachhaataa sach chummaa pair mooN. ||3||
Those who recognize the True Lord - I kiss their feet. ||3||
ਤੇਰੀ ਪਨਹ ਖੁਦਾਇ ਤੂ ਬਖਸੰਦਗੀ ॥
tayree panah khudaa-ay too bakhsandgee.
I seek Your Protection - You are the Forgiving Lord.

ਸੇਖ ਫਰੀਦੈ ਖੈਰੁ ਦੀਜੈ ਬੰਦਗੀ ॥੪॥੧॥
saykh fareedai khair deejai bandagee. ||4||1||
Please, bless Shaykh Fareed with the bounty of Your meditative worship. ||4||1||




Monday, July 2, 2012

Who says organized religion is bad! Check out history of Sikh Gurdwara Act of 1925 ( A wonderful democratic institution for Sikh Nation and yes, women equally hold offices too)

SIKH GURDWARAS ACT, 1925, legislation passed by the Punjab Legislative Council which marked the culmination of the struggle of the Sikh people from 1920-1925 to wrest control of their places of worship from the mab-ants or priests into whose hands they had passed during the eighteenth century when the Khalsa were driven from their homes to seek safety in remote hills and deserts. When they later established their sway in Punjab, the Sikhs rebuilt their shrines endowing them with large jagirs and estates.The management, however, remained with the priests, belonging mainly to the Udasi sect, who, after the advent of the British in 1849, began to consider the shrines and lands attached to them as their personal properties and to appropriating the income accruing from them to their private use. Some of them alienated or sold gurdwara properties at will.
They had introduced ceremonial which was anathema to orthodox Sikhs. Besides, there were complaints of immorality against them. All these factors gave rise to what is known as the Gurdwara Reform movement during which Siklis had to court jail on a large scale and suffer atrocity and death.file British government, who took the part of the priests, eventually relented under popular pressure and passed, in the first instance, Sikh Gurdwaras and Shrines Act, 1922, which envisaged a committee nominated by the government to take over control of the gurdwaras.
This, however, was not acceptable to the Akali leaders and remained for this reason a dead letter. The agitation continued and the government had another draft worked out. Akali counsel was sought this time and the principal demand about the shrines being handed over `for management to a representative body of the Sikhs was conceded.The bill was moved in the Punjab Legislative Council by Sardar Tara Singh of Moga on 7 May 1925 and piloted by another Sikh member, Bhai Jodh Singh, eminent educationist and theologian.
The bill was, in the first instance, referred to a select committee which presented its report on 20 June. The Council passed the bill on 7 July. It was published in the Punjab Government Gazette on 7 August and it became operative on 1 November 1925 as The Sikh Gurdwaras Act, 1925 ( Punjab Act VIII of 1925). The act, as fts preamble declares, aimed at providing "for the better administration of certain Sikh gurdwaras and for enquiries into matters and settlement of disputes connected therewith...." The Act has three parts.
Part I contains, besides preliminary matters such as title, extent and definitions, reference to gurdwaras covered by the Act, procedure for bringing other gurdwaras under its purview, and appointment of and procedures for a Gurdwara Tribunal. Interestingly, the definition clause does not define a "Sikh gurdwara," but a subsequent clause, Section 2.10, lays down a "notified Sikh gurdwara" as any gurdwara "declared by notification of the local government under the provision of this Act to be a Sikh gurdwara." Chapter I of this part ( Sections 3 to 11) and the schedules referred to therein are the vital part of the Act. Two categories of Sikh gurdwaras are envisaged, scheduled and unscheduled.
Important historical shrines where there could be no doubt about their being Sikh gurdwaras indisputably owned by Sikhs are listed in Schedule I of the Act. Originally 241 gurdwaras were entered in this Schedule, out of which 65 remained in Pakistan after the partition of the Punjab. However, 173 more gurdwaras within the state of Patiala and East Punjab States Union were added to it by the Amending Act of 1959. Schedule II contains the details of institutions which were not "Sikh" gurdwaras about the control of which no dispute could be raised.
In respect of gurdwaras listed in these two schedules or the scheduled gurdwaras as they are called, the State Government issued a notification in the official Gazette, declaring them to be Sikh gurdwaras. The notification also detailed the property claimed by each gurdwara. In respect of the second category, i.e. gurdwaras other than the Scheduled Gurdwaras listed in Schedule I, Section 7 of the Act prescribes that fifty or more worshippers, being 21 years of age and residing in the area of the police station in which a gurdwara is situated, may forward an application to the State Government, within the prescribed time, giving details of the property claimed to be of such a gurdwara.The State Government by notification publishes this application and invites objections, if any, from either an hereditary officeholder of that institution or at least twenty worshippers thereof to be filed within ninety days of the date of the notification.
If no such petition is made, the Government issues a notification declaring that gurdwara to be a Sikh gurdwara. If however, an objection petition is put in, the case is referred to the Sikh Gurdwaras Tribunal for adjudication. Provision for the Sikh Gurdwaras Tribunal, a high-powered tribunal of three members presided over by a sitting or a retired judge of the High Court, is contained in Chapter III of Part I of the Act (Section 1237).An appeal against a finding of the Tribunal lies only to the High Court and has to be heard by a bench of two judges.
The criterion for determining if the disputed institution is a Sikh gurdwara or not is whether the gurdwara was being used for "public worship by Sikhs" before and at the time of the presentation of the petition and if, in addition, the Tribunal finds that the gurdwara established (i) by or in memory of any of the Ten Gurus of the Sikhs ; or (ii) owing to some tradition connected with one of the Ten Gurus; or (iii) owing to some incident connected with die life of any of the Ten Gurus; or (iv) in memory of a Sikh martyr, saint or historical person ; or (v) for use by Sikhs for the purpose of public worship by the Sikhs.The solitary section 38 of Part II of the Act provides that if advantage of the procedure of Part I was not taken, recourse could be had to ordinary civil courts for obtaining a declaration that a particular institution was a Sikh gurdwara. It being finally decided that the gurdwara is a Sikh gurdwara, the State Government issues the necessary notification and provisions of Part III of the Act relating to management of gurdwaras then become applicable to it. The Act also contains provision regarding settlement of disputes related to gurdwara properties.
Part III of the Act provided for a central body for the management of Sikh Gurdwaras called the Gurdwara Central Board, which at its first meeting, adopted for itself the name of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (S.G.P.C. for short). The change of name was accepted by government and published through a notification dated 17 January 1927.. The Committee directly manages certain important Sikh gurdwaras and supervises the working of committees of other gurdwaras, which are partly nominated by the Committee and partly elected by the electors of the district in which the gurdwara is situated.Under an amendment made to the Act in 1987, all gurdwaras with an annual income of over 25,000 rupees are administered directly by the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee.
The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee consists of 140 members, including 15 belonging to Scheduled Castes, elected by Sikhs, which term includes Sahajdhari Sikhs, not fewer than 21 years of age, who get their names entered in the electoral rolls by preferring declaration of being qualified to be voters under the Act. The head priest of Sri Darbar Sahib, and of the Takhts are exofficio members.The aforesaid members then co-opt fifteen members of whom not more than five should be the residents of the Punjab. An elected or co-opted member must be a Sikh, not less than 25 year of age. A person who trims or shaves his beard or head, except in case of Sahajdhari Sikhs, smokes or takes alcoholic drinks, is disqualified to be member or voter.
A Kesadhari member has to be an Amritdhari. Other ministers and paid servants of the Sikh Gurdwaras or of the Board (now S.G.P.C.) are ineligible for election as members of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee. Normal term of the S.G.P.C. is five years but it continues in office till a new Committee is elected.Detailed provisions exist regarding such matters as the disqualification of members, meetings of the Committee, elections of the executive committee and other office bearers and their respective powers.
For the settlement of disputes relating to any act of the present or past members and the working of the Committee and for settling any compaint of malfeasance or misfeasance, a judicial commission of three members is appointed by the State Government. The Act contains detailed provisions regarding the finances of the S.P.G.C., and its committees. The General Fund not exceeding ten per cent of the total annual income is for the maintenance of historical gurdwaras with insufficient income.The surplus, if any, may be utilized for religious or charitable purposes or for social or general welfare of the Panth.
Religious Fund is for the propagation of Sikh religion and connected matters. Research Fund to which a minimum annual contribution of Rs 20,000 is to be made by the S.P.G.C. is for carrying out research in Sikh history and for publication of books. The Committee can also create and administer funds for specific purposes such as industrial or educational advancement of the community. In the working of the Act, for over half a century, some defects found were corrected by successive Amending Acts.
The most exhaustive revision was the one made by an amendment under Act XI of 1944. The mover of this amendment was Giani Kartar Singh, then a member of the Legislative Assembly of the Punjab.Some of the more important provisions under it were : 12 seats in the S.G.P.C. were reserved for Mazhabi and Ramdasia Sikhs ; tenure of the S.G.P.C. was increased from 3 to 5 years; employees of the S.G.P.C. were also made liable to legal action for misuse of official authority (formerly only members of the committee were so liable); plural constituencies for election to S.G.P.C. were abolished and replaced by single member constituencies ; S.G.P.C. only was entitled to change the percentage of dasvandh or share in the income of gurdwaras under its control; government was to have no authority to interfere ; the S.G.P.C. was to be independent in apportioning the budget for religious preaching, charities, education, industry, etc.
Notwithstanding the criticism of some of its provisions and defects in its actual working, the Act is a landmark, specifically excluding interference by the government and recognizing the right of the Sikhs to manage their gurdwaras through their elected representatives. Rituals and practices which were opposed to Sikh tenets and which were in vogue before the Act was passed in 1925 have been set aside. A demand for a comprehensive Act applicable to gurdwaras all over India has persistently been voiced by the Sikhs. An All India Sikh Gurdwaras Bill for the management of the Sikh gurdwaras was drafted after consultation with Sikh representatives all over India by an Advisory Committee headed by Sardar Harbans Singh, retired Chief Justice of the Punjab, and forwarded to the Central Government in 1979.
References :
1. Kashmir Singh, Law of Religious Institutions : Sikh Gurdwaras. Amritsar, 1989
2. Gurmit Singh, History of Sikh Struggles, IV vols. Delhi 1989-92
3. Ashok, Shamsher Singh, Shrosnam Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee da Panjali Sala Itilias. Amritsar, 1982

Courtesy:
http://www.thesikhencyclopedia.com/the-british-and-sikhs-1849-1947/sikh-gurdwaras-act
Also check out:
 http://punjablaws.gov.pk/laws/33.html
www.sgpc.net

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Bhagat Namdev Ji or Naam Dayv Ji

Bhagat Namdev Ji

COURTESY:
1.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
2.
The Sikh Religion, Volume 1, by Max Arthur MacAuliffe [1842-1913], Oxford University Press [1909] 
3.
Sikhiwiki
http://www.sikhiwiki.org/index.php/Sikh_Bhagats
Bhagat Namdev or Naam Deyv
Born29 October, 1270 CE
Maharashtra, India
Died1350 CE
PhilosophyBhagat Namdeo
Saint Namdeo (29 October, 1270 - 1350) (Marathi: संत नामदेव) or Bhagat Namdeo or Bhagta Naam Deyv (Gurmukhi: ਭਗਤ ਨਾਮਦੇਵ) was born on October 29, 1270 in the state of Maharashtra village of Narasi-Bamani, in Hingoli district (presently called Narsi Namdev). His father, a calico printer/tailor (Bhavsar), was named Damshet and his mother's name was Gonabai. Most of the spiritual message of Bhagat Namdeo emphasized the importance of living the life of a householder (गृहस्थ जीवन) and that through marriage and having a family one could attain enlightenment.

Contents

[edit] Background

The first biographer and auto-biographer in Marathi and the foremost proponent of Bhagawad-Dharma who propagated the religion right up to Punjab. He is one of the most revered saint along with Bhagat Kabir Sahib, Bhagat Dhanna Ji, Bhagat Ravi Daas Ji.  When Sikhs bow to Sri Guru Granth Sahib, they are bowing to the revered Divine words of all Satgurus, great saints, bhagats and mahanpurakhs who understood divine.  Their Bani as enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib is seen as the  same divine light permeating this World today.
Saint Namdev, a contemporary saint-poet of Saint Dnyaneshwar, is considered a prominent religious poet of Maharashtra. He was one the earliest writers who wrote in the Marathi language. He is the foremost proponent of the Bhagwad-Dharma who reached beyond Maharashtra, right into Punjab. He also wrote some hymns in Hindi and Punjabi. His depth of devotion and talent in delivering Kirtan was of such a high standard that it is said even the Lord Pandurang swayed to his tune. Despite being a proponent of the Warkari sect, Saint Namdev established religious unity across the country.
Saint Namdeo was born in the year 1270 in the village of Narasi-Bamani, now located in the Hingoli District in Maharashtra. He was born to a tailor named Damasheti Relekar and his wife Gonai. Yadusheth, his ancestor in the seventh generation, was a devotee of Bhagawad-Dharma. Soon after his birth, his family moved to Pandharpur, where the prominent temple of Lord Vitthal (also called Vithoba) is located. Saint Namdev’s spent the better part of his life, spanning eighty years, at Pandharpur. His parents were devotees of Vithoba.
Namdev showed little interest in the family profession. Even as a child his devotion to Lord Vitthal was extraordinary - his sole occupation was to spend day and night in devotion to Vithoba. His devotion was so sincere that sometimes he would consider Vithoba to be his dearest brother or his play mate. According to a legend, when Namdev was five years old, his mother once gave him some food offerings for Vithoba and asked him to give it to Vithoba in the Pandharpur temple. Namdev took the offerings and placed it before Vithoba's idol in the temple, asking Vithoba to accept the offerings. When he saw that his request was not being met, he told Vithoba that he would kill himself if Vithoba continued to ignore the offerings. Vithoba then appeared before him and ate the offerings in response to the utter devotion of young Namdev.
At the age of eleven, Namdev was married to Rajai. Namdev and Rajai had four sons namely Nara, Vitha, Gonda, Mahada and a daughter called Limbai. His elder sister, Aubai also lived with them. There were in all fifteen people in the household.
The year 1291 was a turning point in his life at the age of twenty-one when he met Saint Dnyaneshwar. Several records in various saint literatures have been found to the following event -
Once, all the Saints like Dnyaneshwar, Nivruttinath, Sopandev, Muktabai, Namdeo, Chokhamela, Visoba Khechar, etc. had congregated at Saint Goroba’s house in Terdhoki. As instructed by Saint Dnyaneshwar, Saint Goroba tapped each saint’s pot (head) to find out who was spiritually mature. The reference to the pot being tapped is because Saint Goroba was a potter and him being selected for the test shows his own spiritual maturity. On testing Saint Namdev, Saint Goroba expressed his opinion that Namdev was still immature, which was backed by Saint Muktabai. Miffed by this, Namdev complained to the Lord himself. But the Lord advised him to accept the guidance of Visoba Khechar and Namdev acquired a Guru.
He accepted Visoba Khechar as his ultimate Guru, through whom he actually saw the form of God.
His Kirtans have references to many holy books. This shows that he was well read and a great scholar. His Kirtans were so effective that it is said –
Namdev Kirtan kari, pudhe nache dev Panduranga (Namdev delivers his kirtan, in front of him dances the Lord Pandurang)
His goal in life was –
Nachu Kirtanache rangi, Dnyandeep lavu jagi (Will dance to the tune of Kirtan, light the lamp of knowledge the world over)
Namdev travelled through many parts of India, reciting his religious poems (Kirtans). In difficult times, he played the difficult role of uniting the people of Maharashtra spiritually. He is said to have lived for more than twenty years in the village of Ghuman in the Gurdaspur district of Punjab. The Sikh brethren in Punjab consider him one of their own, singing praises of him as Namdev Baba. Bahordas, Laddha, VishnuSwami and Keshav Kaladhari were his disciples in Punjab. He composed around 125 Abhangas in Hindi. Sixty-one of these came to be included in the Sikh Scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib as Namdevjiki Mukhbani (The holy songs of Namdev). There is an amazing similarity between the ShabdaKirtan of Punjab and the Warkari Kirtan of Maharashtra. A memorial in Ghuman, Punjab commemorates him. Temples in his memory have also been built in Rajasthan by the Sikhs.
In his early fifties, Namdev settled down at Pandharpur where he gathered around himself a group of devotees. His Abhangas became very popular and people thronged to listen to his Kirtans. Approximately 2500 of Namdev's Abhangas have been collected in NamdevVaachi Gaatha. The book also includes the long autobiographical poem Teerthaavali, talking about his travels in the company of Saint Dnyaneshwar. This poem makes him the first auto-biographer in Marathi literature. He has also written a biography on Saint Dnyaneshwar through Aadi, Samadhi and Teerthavali, which makes him the first Marathi biographer. He continued to propagate the Bhagawad-Dharma for 50 years after the death of Saint Dnyaneshwar. Saint Namdev is regarded to have had a significant influence on Saint Tukaram.
He died in July, 1350 at the age of 80 in Pandharpur at the feet of the Lord at Pandharpur. He preferred to be a stepping stone at the temple in Pandharpur so that he would be forever blessed by the touch of innumerable saints and devotees stepping on him into the temple.
गोबिंद गोबिंद गोबिंद संगि नामदेउ मनु लीणा ॥ आढ दाम को छीपरो होइओ लाखीणा Gobindh Gobindh Gobindh Sang Namadhaeo Man Lena Aadt Dhaam Ko Shheparo Hoeiou Lakhena.
Naam Dayv's mind was absorbed into God Gobind Gobind, Gobind. The calico-printer, worth half a shell, became worth millions.
Sat Guru Arjan Dev Guru Granth Sahib (Page 487)
Namdeo was married before he was eleven years of age to Rajabai, daughter of Govinda Sheti Sadavarte. They had four sons and one daughter. Janabai, the family's maidservant and a devotee and poetess in her own right, records the tradition that Namdeo was born to Gonabai as a result of her worship of Vitthala in Pandharpur.
God's name was always on the lips of Namdeo. He was asked by the king to show miracles. He refused to do so and was thrown before a drunk elephant to be crushed to death.

[edit] Follows Bhakti Marg

Under the influence of saint Jnanadeva, Namdev became part of the Bhakti Movement. Vitthala of Pandharpur was now the object of his devotion and he spent much of his time in worship and kirtan, chanting mostly verses of his own composition. In the company of Jnanadeva and other saints, he roamed about the country and later came to the Punjab where he is said to have lived for more than twenty years at Ghuman, in Gurdaspur district, where a temple in the form of samadhi still preserves his memory.
In his early fifties, Namdev settled down at Pandharpur where he gathered around himself a group of devotees. His abhangas or devotional songs became very popular, and people thronged to listen to his kirtan. Namdeo's songs have been collected in Namdevachi Gatha which also includes the long autobiographical poem Tirathavah.
His Hindi verse and his extended visit to the Punjab carried his fame far beyond the borders of Maharashtra. Sixty-one of his hymns in fact came to be included in the Sikh Scripture, the Guru Granth Sahib. His hymns or shabads were very much a inspiration to the Sikh Gurus and they were able to identify the God in Namdeo's hymns with the Sikh version of the formless God.

[edit] Remembrance of God's Name central

Namdeo is a pioneer of the Radical bhakti School. Though he appeared a century earlier than Kabir, his religious and social views are very much like those of Kabir. He unambiguously repudiates all the four fundamentals of Vaisnavism. Though in his devotional approach, he is clearly a monotheist, he makes many pantheistic statements too, e.g., every thing is God; there is nothing but God; consider the world and God to be one; the foam and the water are not different. Chaturvedi writes: "Sant Namdeo seemed to believe both in transcendence and immanence, in pantheism and nondualism.
His devotion was purely of the non-attributional absolute. He also considers God to be immanent, everywhere, in all hearts, and the Creator of everything. Like Kabir and the Sufis, Namdeo is very other worldly. He says, "The strength of contempt of the world should be in the body an unchanging companion.

[edit] Message of Unity for all

One should lay aside differences between oneself and others, and feel no anxiety for things of the world. Rānadé also writes: "He (Namdeo) tells us that it is impossible that the pursuit of God can be coupled with a life of Samsara. If it had been possible for a man to find God while he was pursuing Samsara, then Sanaka and others would not have grown mad about God. If it had been possible for him to see God while carrying on the duties of a householder, the great Suka would not have gone to the forest to seek God. Had it been possible for people to find God in their homes, they would not have left them to find out. Nam Dev has left all these things, and is approaching God in utter submission." (Abhg. 83)
Namdeo's cosmogenic views are also orthodox. He says that God created maya and "maya is the name of the power that placeth man in the womb." Indirectly, he is neither happy with the world, nor with human birth. To him, shop, shopkeeper, men and everything are unreal excepting God. Against this background, he sought release from the world and suggested renunciation: "Namdeo gave up trade, and devoted himself exclusively to the worship of God".
The world being a play of maya and not being a worthwhile arena for spiritual endeavours, Namdeo's goal was to have union with God through devotion and singing His praises. He says, "I perform worship, sing God's praises and meditate on Him for eight prahar in a day i.e., round the clock. At the same time, he suggests good conduct and purity of life. For, God created all men alike. Though he holds every person responsible for his acts, he clearly does not believe in a world rigidly governed by karma. Because he says: If everything were determined by karma, who created karma originally?
Sant Namdeo not only claims union with God, but, like Kabir, also states that more than once, God miraculously intervened on his behalf to reveal Himself to him, or help him. Without doubt, Namdeo's approach remains otherworldly both before and after his achievement. At one time, he even gave up work so as to remain absorbed in his worship and meditations. He never initiated any religious institution or movement. His was a solitary search for God, without creating any social or religious organisation.
We find that in his repudiation of Vaisnava doctrines, in his metaphysical ideas, methodology and goal and more particularly in his otherworldly approach to the world and society, Namdeo's views are quite identical with those of Kabir.
There is a shabad about Bhagat Namdeo in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib according to which the temple rotated towards his direction as he was not allowed to sit inside the temple.

[edit] Gurdwara & Temple

Ghoman is situated about 26 KM Southeast of Batala city and about 10 KM from Sri Hargobindpur. It is towards west side of Sri Hargobindpur. Ghoman is associated with Baba Namdeo (1270–1350). Baba Namdeo was the founder of this town and meditated here for 17 long years. Here he did miraculous deeds.
The eastern entrance to this temple is known as the Namdeo gate (after the great 13th century Vaishnava saint). The sanctum enshrines the standing image of Vithoba also known as Panduranga, Pandhari or Vitthala. Stylistically the image dates back to the 5th century. There are inscriptions in this temple dating back to the 13th century which place origin of this shrine to the 6th century.

[edit] Profession of Chhimba

Namdeo is referred to as a chhimba, "cẖẖīpro", "Cẖẖīpė" and "cẖẖīpā". This refers to Bhagat ji's profession as a printer of cloth. Chhippas were calico printers/artists and used to decorate, colour and print textiles with art work. Some of them were also tailors as this was a profession connected with clothes.

Joti Jyot
In the book "The Sikh Religion, Volume 1", by Max Arthur MacAuliffe [1842-1913], Oxford University Press [1909], Mr. MacAuliffe describes the following:

The historian, Ibn Batuta, who visited India in the lime of the Emperor Muhammad Bin Tughlak, wrote of him: 'Such was his inexorable and impetuous character that on one occasion when the inhabitants of Dihli revolted against his oppression and wrote him a letter of remonstrance, he ordered them to quit the place for Daulatabad, a city in the Dakhan (Deccan), at a distance of forty days' journey. The order was so literally obeyed that when the Emperor's servants searched the city after the removal, and found a blind man in one of the houses and a bedridden one in another, the bedridden man was projected from a catapult and the blind one dragged by his feet to Daulatabad. But the latter's limbs dropped off on the way, and at the end of the journey only one leg was left, which was duly thrown into the new city, "for the order had been that all should go to this place." We shall subsequently see how Muhammad bin Tughlak persecuted the Maratha saint Namdev, an account of whose life and writings will be given in this work.
{p. xliv}

Bani:
From Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Page 485


ਸਿਤਗੁਰ ਪਰ੍ਸਾਿਦ ॥
ik-oNkaar satgur parsaad.
One Universal Creator God. By The Grace Of The True Guru:

ਆਸਾ
ਬਾਣੀ ਸਰ੍ੀ ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਜੀ ਕੀ
aasaa banee saree naamday-o jee kee
Aasaa, The Word Of The Reverend Naam Dayv Jee:

ਏਕ ਅਨੇਕ ਿਬਆਪਕ ਪੂਰਕ ਜਤ ਦੇਖਉ ਤਤ ਸੋਈ ॥
ayk anayk bi-aapak poorak jat daykh-a-u tat so-ee.
In the one and in the many, He is pervading and permeating; wherever I look, there He is.

ਮਾਇਆ ਿਚਤਰ੍ ਬਿਚਤਰ੍ ਿਬਮੋਿਹਤ ਿਬਰਲਾ ਬੂਝੈ ਕੋਈ ॥੧॥
maa-i-aa chitar bachitar bimohit birlaa boojhai ko-ee. ||1||
The marvellous image of Maya is so fascinating; how few understand this. ||1||

ਸਭੁ ਗੋਿਬੰਦ ੁ ਹੈ ਸਭੁ ਗੋਿਬੰਦ ੁ ਹੈ ਗੋਿਬੰਦ ਿਬਨੁ ਨਹੀ ਕੋਈ ॥
sabh gobind hai sabh gobind hai gobind bin nahee ko-ee.
God is everything, God is everything. Without God, there is nothing at all.

ਸੂਤੁ ਏਕੁ ਮਿਣ ਸਤ ਸਹੰਸ ਜੈਸੇ ਓਿਤ ਪੋਿਤ ਪਰ੍ਭੁ ਸੋਈ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
soot ayk man sat sahaNs jaisay ot pot parabh so-ee. ||1|| rahaa-o.
As one thread holds hundreds and thousands of beads, He is woven into His creation. ||1||Pause||

ਜਲ ਤਰੰਗ ਅਰ ੁ ਫੇਨ ਬੁਦਬੁਦਾ ਜਲ ਤੇ ਿਭੰਨ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥
jal tarang ar fayn budbudaa jal tay bhinn na ho-ee.
The waves of the water, the foam and bubbles, are not distinct from the water.

ਇਹੁ ਪਰਪੰਚ ੁ ਪਾਰਬਰ੍ਹਮ ਕੀ ਲੀਲਾ ਿਬਚਰਤ ਆਨ ਨ ਹੋਈ ॥੨॥
ih parpanch paarbarahm kee leelaa bichrat aan na ho-ee. ||2||
This manifested world is the playful game of the Supreme Lord God; reflecting upon it, we find that it is not different from Him. ||2||

ਿਮਿਥਆ ਭਰਮੁ ਅਰ ੁ ਸੁਪਨ ਮਨੋਰਥ ਸਿਤ ਪਦਾਰਥੁ ਜਾਿਨਆ ॥
mithi-aa bharam ar supan manorath sat padaarath jaani-aa.
False doubts and dream objects - man believes them to be true.

ਸੁਿਕਰ੍ਤ
ਮਨਸਾ ਗੁਰ ਉਪਦੇਸੀ ਜਾਗਤ ਹੀ ਮਨੁ ਮਾਿਨਆ ॥੩॥
sukarit mansaa gur updaysee jaagat hee man maani-aa. ||3||
The Guru has instructed me to try to do good deeds, and my awakened mind has accepted this. ||3||

ਕਹਤ ਨਾਮਦੇਉ ਹਿਰ ਕੀ ਰਚਨਾ ਦੇਖਹ ੁ ਿਰਦੈ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥
kahat naamday-o har kee rachnaa daykhhu ridai beechaaree.
Says Naam Dayv, see the Creation of the Lord, and reflect upon it in your heart.

ਘਟ ਘਟ ਅੰਤਿਰ ਸਰਬ ਿਨਰੰਤਿਰ ਕੇਵਲ ਏਕ ਮੁਰਾਰੀ ॥੪॥੧॥
ghat ghat antar sarab nirantar kayval ayk muraaree. ||4||1||
In each and every heart, and deep within the very nucleus of all, is the One Lord.
||4||1||

ਆਸਾ॥
aasaa.
Aasaa:

ਆਨੀਲੇ
ਕੁੰਭ ਭਰਾਈਲੇ ਊਦਕ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਕਉ ਇਸਨਾਨੁ ਕਰਉ ॥
aaneelay kumbh bharaa-eelay oodak thaakur ka-o isnaan kara-o.
Bringing the pitcher, I fill it with water, to bathe the Lord.

ਬਇਆਲੀਸ ਲਖ ਜੀ ਜਲ ਮਿਹ ਹੋਤੇ ਬੀਠਲੁ ਭੈਲਾ ਕਾਇ ਕਰਉ ॥੧॥
ba-i-aalees lakh jee jal meh hotay beethal bhailaa kaa-ay kara-o. ||1||
But 4.2 million species of beings are in the water - how can I use it for the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny? ||1||

ਜਤਰ੍ ਜਾਉ ਤਤ ਬੀਠਲੁ ਭੈਲਾ ॥
jatar jaa-o tat beethal bhailaa.
Wherever I go, the Lord is there.

ਮਹਾ ਅਨੰਦ ਕਰੇ ਸਦ ਕੇਲਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
mahaa anand karay sad kaylaa. ||1|| rahaa-o.
He continually plays in supreme bliss. ||1||Pause||

ਆਨੀਲੇ ਫਲੂ ਪਰੋਈਲੇ ਮਾਲਾ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਕੀ ਹਉ ਪੂਜ ਕਰਉ ॥
aaneelay fool paro-eelay maalaa thaakur kee ha-o pooj kara-o.
I bring flowers to weave a garland, in worshipful adoration of the Lord.

ਪਿਹਲੇ ਬਾਸੁ ਲਈ ਹੈ ਭਵਰਹ ਬੀਠਲ ਭੈਲਾ ਕਾਇ ਕਰਉ ॥੨॥
pahilay baas la-ee hai bhavrah beethal bhailaa kaa-ay kara-o. ||2||
But the bumble bee has already sucked out the fragrance - how can I use it for the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny? ||2||

ਆਨੀਲੇ ਦਧੂ ੁ ਰੀਧਾਈਲੇ ਖੀਰੰ ਠਾਕੁਰ ਕਉ ਨੈਵੇਦ ੁ ਕਰਉ ॥
aaneelay dooDh reeDhaa-eelay kheeraN thaakur ka-o naivayd kara-o.
I carry milk and cook it to make pudding, with which to feed the Lord.

ਪਿਹਲੇ ਦੂਧੁ ਿਬਟਾਿਰਓ ਬਛਰੈ ਬੀਠਲੁ ਭੈਲਾ ਕਾਇ ਕਰਉ ॥੩॥
pahilay dooDh bitaari-o bachhrai beethal bhailaa kaa-ay kara-o. ||3||
But the calf has already tasted the milk - how can I use it for the Lord, O Siblings of Destiny? ||3||

ਈਭੈ ਬੀਠਲੁ ਊਭੈ ਬੀਠਲੁ ਬੀਠਲ ਿਬਨੁ ਸੰਸਾਰ ੁ ਨਹੀ ॥
eebhai beethal oobhai beethal beethal bin sansaar nahee.
The Lord is here, the Lord is there; without the Lord, there is no world at all.

ਥਾਨ ਥਨੰਤਿਰ ਨਾਮਾ ਪਰ੍ਣਵੈ ਪੂਿਰ ਰਿਹਓ ਤੂੰ ਸਰਬ ਮਹੀ ॥੪॥੨॥
thaan thanantar naamaa paranvai poor rahi-o tooN sarab mahee. ||4||2||
Prays Naam Dayv, O Lord, You are totally permeating and pervading all places and interspaces. ||4||2||

ਆਸਾ॥
aasaa.
Aasaa:

ਮਨੁ ਮੇਰੋ ਗਜੁ ਿਜਹਬਾ ਮੇਰੀ ਕਾਤੀ ॥
man mayro gaj jihbaa mayree kaatee.
My mind is the yardstick, and my tongue is the scissors.

ਮਿਪ ਮਿਪ ਕਾਟਉ ਜਮ ਕੀ ਫਾਸੀ ॥੧॥
map map kaata-o jam kee faasee. ||1||
I measure it out and cut off the noose of death. ||1||

ਕਹਾ ਕਰਉ ਜਾਤੀ ਕਹ ਕਰਉ ਪਾਤੀ ॥
kahaa kara-o jaatee kah kara-o paatee.
What do I have to do with social status? What do I have to with ancestry?

ਰਾਮ ਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਉ ਿਦਨ ਰਾਤੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
raam ko naam japa-o din raatee. ||1|| rahaa-o.
I meditate on the Name of the Lord, day and night. ||1||Pause||

ਰਗਿਨ ਰਗਉ ਸੀਵਿਨ ਸੀਵਉ ॥
raaNgan raaNga-o seevan seeva-o.
I dye myself in the color of the Lord, and sew what has to be sewn.

ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਿਬਨੁ ਘਰੀਅ ਨ ਜੀਵਉ ॥੨॥
raam naam bin gharee-a na jeeva-o. ||2||
Without the Lord's Name, I cannot live, even for a moment. ||2||

ਭਗਿਤ ਕਰਉ ਹਿਰ ਕੇ ਗੁਨ ਗਾਵਉ ॥
bhagat kara-o har kay gun gaava-o.
I perform devotional worship, and sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord.

ਆਠ ਪਹਰ ਅਪਨਾ ਖਸਮੁ ਿਧਆਵਉ ॥੩॥
aath pahar apnaa khasam Dhi-aava-o. ||3||
Twenty-four hours a day, I meditate on my Lord and Master. ||3||

ਸੁਇਨੇ ਕੀ ਸੂਈ ਰਪੁ ੇ ਕਾ ਧਾਗਾ ॥
su-inay kee soo-ee rupay kaa Dhaagaa.
My needle is gold, and my thread is silver.

ਨਾਮੇ ਕਾ ਿਚਤੁ ਹਿਰ ਸਉ ਲਾਗਾ ॥੪॥੩॥
naamay kaa chit har sa-o laagaa. ||4||3||
Naam Dayv's mind is attached to the Lord. ||4||3||