This article is downloaded from · 2014-03-12 · Let Milk and cream be your scripture Ocean of mind, your churning container Butter eats the one, whose mind is churning Others,

Let Milk and cream be your scripture O cean of mind, your churning container Butter eats the one, whose mind is churning O thers , like the churning s ticks , acquire nothing. The above rhyme symbolizes the churning of the ocean. Now,you may be speculating that I have copied the above verse formone of the many sac red H indu sc riptures but in reality, this is mypoetic trans lation derived from two verses of the Sikh sacredscripture ‘Guru granth Sahib’.

Why this article? Jus t after the s tart of kumbh mela, one of the major Sikhcommunities known as “Shiromani Gurdwara P arbandhakC ommittee”, shortly called as SGPC , announced theirpartic ipation at the sac red kumbh mela. Immediately after theirannouncement, committee pres ident ‘A vtar Singh Makkar’ wasc ritic ized by SGPC member ‘Hardeep Singh’. He also encouragedother members to refrain from the participation as it is againsttheir faith and identity. Soon, he was followed by otherorganizations like the All-India Sikh Students Federation(AISSF) and Shiromani Akali Dal who openly lashed out the ‘ Ihave been following this news s ince its inception and found thislevel of intolerance very disgus ting keeping in mind the fac t thattheir most sac red Makkar’ dec is ion to join kumbh mela.scripture‘Guru Granth Sahib’ frequently talks about the story behindcelebrations of kumbh mela. Because of intolerance by followersof other faiths , I usually do not incorporate concepts or ideas ofother religions in my artic les . However, s ince my childhood I hadmany Punjabi friends , I will be explaining the symbolism of thekumbh mela in Sikhism (jus t for the sake of spreadinginformation) through this artic le.

This artic le is downloaded from www.malls tuffs .com

Now before I explain the symbolism from Sikhism point of view,it will be better to unders tand the symbolism from Hinduismpoint of view. This will help you analyze and compare theconcepts of churning of the ocean in Sikhism sac red sc riptureand anc ient H indu sc riptures . P lease go through the below artic le to unders tand the symbolismof kumbh mela according to H induism Symbolism of s tory behind kumbh mela-world larges t gatheringon earth Let me s tart from the two verses based on which I wrote thes tarting rhyme:

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 355 Jaake nigam doodh ke thaataa. Samund bilovan kayu maata: Translation Let the sac red sc riptures be your milk and c ream, and the oceanof the mind the churning vessel

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 1365 Jin biloyiyaa tin khaayaa avr bilovan haar: Translation Whoever does the churning eats the butter; others , like thechurning-s ticks obtain nothing. My Explanation: In the firs t verse, churning of mind is referred tomeditating on Naam(god) or meditating on waheguru within themind. Sacred scripture is your milk and ocean means that one shouldread the sacred scripture like guru granth sahib as a guide toknow how to meditate on wahe guru (God). Ins tead ofmeditating on the god(Naam) written in Gurbani, many peoplefollows false sc riptures and get trapped in worldly des ires like


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earning money by grinding s tones , spinning tops , churnings ticks etc . By following the teachings of Guru granth sahib orShabad Gurbani, one can become s table and fit to chant the godname (Shabad) repeatedly and intuitively. In the second verse, Whoever does the churning eats the buttermeans “one who meditate on waheguru(God) getsMoksha(Salvation)”Butter cannot be seen in milk until you churnit. Similarly, Supreme A bsolute T ruth (God) cannot be seen inmind or felt by the senses unless you churn your mind. O thers , like the churning-s ticks obtain nothing means “O ne whoget trapped in illus ion of this world gets nothing”



Ten gurus of Sikh who wrote guru granth sahib Doesn’t the above two verse depict the moral of the storybehind kumbh mela. I f no is your answer, then let us go throughsome more verses

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 350 Rattan upaayi dhare kheer mathiyaa hor bhakhlaaye ji aseekeeyaa: Translation The jewels were produced and brought forth by churning theocean of milk; each one of them (Gods and demons) indignantlyroared, "we have done this ”My Explanation: In this verse, the symbolism of the churningprocess is apprec iated and recommended. This verse talksabout the fight between the pos itive (Devas) and negativequalities (Demons) to obtain the various jewels produced fromthe churning of the ocean.

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 967 Maadhaanaa parbat kar netari baasak Shabadi rirhkiyon.C hayudah rattan nikaaliyan kar aavaa gayun chilkiyon: TranslationMaking the mountain his churning s tick and the snake-king hischurning s tring, He (Nanak) has churned the Shabad. From it, Heextrac ted the fourteen jewels , and illuminated the world. My Explanation: By churning the mind (Mountain) with the des ire(Snake king) of obtaining immortality, I acquire Shabad (God).Then I get fourteen spiritual powers (Jewels ) to illuminate theworld. Backward and forward movement of des ires (P os itive and


negative) s tarts the churning process of meditating on thehigher self (Soul).

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 442 Samund virol sareer ham dekhiyaa ik vasat anoop dikhaayee: TranslationI have churned the ocean of the body, and I have seen theincomparable thing come into view. My Explanation: In the early s tages of chanting (C hurning),many Ratnas(Siddhis ) or spiritual powers(Incomparablething) emerges out as a result. In the above verse, incomparable means that one must notabandon chanting at this stage and should keep on chanting toexperience immortality by vomiting out ego and false desires.Fourteen powers are incomparable to the attainment of god.

A bove three verses are suffic ient to prove that many verses ofguru granth sahib are an adaptation of churning of the oceans tory. I f you s till find it hard to believe, then below are few moreverses:

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, V erse 478 Tan kar matkee man maahe biloyee. Is matkee mahi Shabadsanjoyee. Hari ka bilovanaa man ka bechaaraa. Gurparsaadpaavai amrit dhaaraa: Translation: Make your body the churning jar, and use the s tick of your mindto churn it. Gather the curds of the Shabad. The churning of theLord is to V ichaar or reflec ts upon H im within your mind. ByGuru’s Grace, the A mbros ial Nec tar or A mrit thus flows into us My Explanation: Note in the above verse, Hari is used for


representing god. In H induism, Hari is the name of lord Krishnaor lord V ishnu. Similar to the above two verses; this verse guides the devoteeto churn their mind to meditate on god with the aim of acquiringambrosial Nectar or Amrit(Salvation) of life. Reflec ting the godin your V ichar(spiritual or inner-inquiry) is the only way to churnyour mind to obtain Nec tar. Shabad(God name) is the Nec tar. By repeatedly chanting it, onecan realize the absolute Reality. Thus, churning the mind tochant Shabad is the path of obtaining Nectar of Immortality.


Sikh Devotees meditating and churning their mind

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 944 Gurmukh bolai tatt birolai cheenai alakh apaaro. T raai Gun metaiShabad vasaaye taa mann chookai ahankaaro: Translation The Gurmukh speaks and churns the essence of reality, andrealizes the unseen, infinite Lord. E radicating the three qualitiesof Maya, he enshrines the Shabad within, and then, his mind isrid of egotism. My Explanation: O ne who is seeking knowledge should churn his


mind in the essence of reality to see ever-pervading god. O nemust eradicate all his illus ion to enshrine his soul and thereby,free his mind from ego.

Practically, below is what I can derive from the above verseHumans are always seeking for happiness . In the process ofseeking happiness , he/she is usually trapped/dis trac ted in Maya(I llus ion) thinking that wealth (Greed), Selfishness , anger etc ishappiness . A devotee must eradicate these materialis ticthoughts by churning his mind in realizing the infinite god. O nlythen, will he get nec tar and live in this world without gettingaffec ted by Greed, anger and Selfishness (Three qualities ofMaya).

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 227 Gurmat saach sahaj hari bolai. P eevai amrat tatt virolai: Translation Following the Gurmat (Shabad), one intuitively chants the Nameof the T rue Lord. Drinking in this A mbros ial Nec tar, and churningit, the essential reality is discerned My Explanation: A gain Hari(Lord Krishna name) is used as the word to representgod. Follow the sac red sc ripture to learn how to intuitively chantthe lord name. C hurning the mind on Hari (God name) is likedrinking the ambros ial nec tar and realizing the supreme reality.C hanting the name of the god is like the true service of godthrough which the mind reconc iles and ego subs ides .

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 411 Sach mann kaaran tatt bilovai. Subhar sarvar mail na dhovai: Translation


For the benefit of the mind, churn the true essence of reality;bathing in the over-flowing tank of nec tar, filth is washed away My Explanation: Unlimited chanting of Hari with s incere love anddevotion is the path to seeing god. ("Bhaakhiyaa BhaayuA paar")

Bathing in the over-flowing tank of nec tar, filth is washed awaymeans “Deep meditation along with chanting the lord nameremoves all your s ins .”

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 367 Sarir sarovar gun pargat keeye. Nanak Gurmukh math tattkadheeyai Translation The ocean of the body yields pearls of virtue. O Nanak, theGurmukh churns this ocean, and discovers this essence. My Explanation: O ne who is committed to intuitive chanting ofWaheguru(Naam) attains the butter of divine virtues(Spiritualpowers) and then we become Spiritual being (Gurmukh). Manmukh (material being) cannot see the pearls within his bodybecause it is f illed with ego, falsehood and materialconsciousness. He is unaware of the C hakras (C urd) which can beenlightened by the repeated chanting of Shabad or Naam.

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 587 T itt jaayi bahu sat sangtee jithai har kaa har naam biloyeeyai.Sahje hee hari naam lehu hari tatt na khoyeeyai: Translation Go, and s it in the Sat Sangat where the Name of the Lord ischurned. In peace and poise, contemplate the Lord’s Name -don’t lose the essence of the Lord. My Explanation: I t is only when the inner trans formation takesplace, one learns the art of chanting and remaining in the


meditation of Waheguru(God). One must visit satsang and other religious gathering to feel theessence of chanting the lord name.


Devotees attending satsang and chanting lord name

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 983 Saakat karam paanee jiyu matheeyai nit paanee jhol jhulaare: Translation The ac tions of the faithless cynic are like the churning of water;he churns , cons tantly churning only water My Explanation: Jus t like the curd cannot be obtained bychurning water; a Manmukh(Faithless C ynic ) cannot achieveGod by churning Maya (Materialis tic des ires ).


Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 699 A ap math math tatt kadhaaye jap naam rattan umaahaa he: Translation He H imself churns it, churning up the essence; remembering thejewel of the Naam, s incere love comes to the surface My Explanation: C ontinuous vibration of God chanting ignitesthe inner devotion and brings out the love present within yourheart by removing all ego and materialis tic des ires .

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 1059 Gurmukh hovai su taat bilovai Rasnaa har ras taahaa he: Translation O ne who becomes Gurmukh churns the essence of reality; histongue savors the sublime essence of God. My Explanation: Upon attaining God or Shabad-Surti(GodC ons iousness), Manmukh(Material being) dies and one gets reborn as aGurmukh(spiritual-being) and feel the sweet essence of god. Terming it according to H induism, soul becomes s ituated intoworldly consc iousness and the mortal body into T ranscendentalC onsc iousness .

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 1059 Ghrit kaaran dadh mathai sayiaan. Jeevat mukat sadaa nirbaan.Kahi Ravidaas param bairaag. Ridai Ram kee na japas abhaag: Translation For the sake of ghee, wise people churn milk. Those who areJivan-mukta, liberated while yet alive - are forever in the s tate ofN irvana (Salvation). Says Ravi Daas , O you unfortunate people,


why not meditate on the Lord with love in your heart? My Explanation: Scriptures are true or false depending on howyou analyze it with your intuitive unders tanding. I f you try toobtain ghee from milk you can obtain ghee. I f you try to obtainbutter from milk then you will get butter. Similarly with your ownlimited thinking, you see falseness in sc riptures if you can’tunders tand its deep symbolism. Only when love and devotion is in your heart, you willunderstand the true meaning of scriptures and thereafter,attain the state of nirvana (Salvation) by churning your mindinto chanting god name.

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 1088 Mann ke adhik trang kiyu kar sahib shutteeyai. Jo rachai sachrang goorhai rang apaar kai: Translation The mind is churning with so many waves of des ire. How can onebe emanc ipated in the C ourt of the Lord? Be absorbed in theLord’s T rue Love, and be blessed with the Infinite Lord'sprofound blis s . My Explanation: O ne cannot focus on meditation and chantinggod name when the mind is looking for materialis tic des ires .O nly when the love and devotion is enveloped in the heart, onegets blessed by the blis s ful appearance of the infinite ever-pervading god.


Sacred Guru who blesses our soul

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 636 Mere prabh saalaahan se bhale piyaare Shabad ratte rang laayi.T is kee sangat je milai piyaare ras lai tatt viloyi. Translation Those who praise my God are good, O Beloved; they are imbuedwith the Shabad, and H is Love. I f I join them, O Beloved, I canchurn the essence and so find blis s . My Explanation: I f you praise my god then you will get thebless ings and love of my god. Then if I join all such devotees, I can churn the essence of thegod and acquire his blessings. In a real sense, such s ituation can


happen only in mass gathering like kumbh mela or satsang. So,one should join such religious gatherings to chant the lord nameto get his love and bless ings .

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 1365 Kabeer maya dolanee pavan jhakolanhaar. Santan maakhankhaaiaa shaash peeai sansaar. Kabeer maya dolanee pavanvahai hiv dhaar. Jin biloiaa tin khaaiaa avar bilovanhaar Translation Kabeer, Maya is the butter-churn, and the breath is thechurning-s tick. The Saints eat the butter, while the world drinksthe whey. Kabeer, Maya is the butter-churn; the breath flows likeice water. Whoever does the churning eats the butter; the othersare jus t churning-s ticks . My Explanation: I llus ions are all materialis tic des ires , Use yourmind and breadth to meditate on the supreme god. O ne who doesthat (Saint) gets all the butters of life while others get trapped inthis materialis tic world.

Why to visit religious gathering and places ofworship . Guru granth sahib recommend vis iting religious places ofworship and chanting Waheguru name to attain god. Guru granthsahib says that any amount of religious bathing or vis itingSacred places (tirath s than) will not give you salvation unless youmeditate on the lord nameComplete "Inner Purity" can be attained onlywith help and complete devotion through satsang and chanting lord name.Below two verses from Guru granth sahib tells the same.

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, V erse 587 jaayi bahahu satsangti jithai Hari kaa Harinaam biloyeeyai:


Translation Go, and s it in the Sat Sangat where the Name of theLord is churned

Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Verse 982 Mil sat sangat param pad paayaakadh maakhan ke gatkaare: Translation Joining the Sat Sangat the supreme s tatus is obtained; thebutter is produced, and eaten with delight.

So, it is good to vis it kumbh mela or golden temple to take abath on river ganga or amritsar sarovar instead of wasting time incomforts and pleasures.

Amritsar sarovar


Sikh Saint bishan s ingh ji muralawale did his P rachar ofNaam(God) and have written a full chapter on his prachar inkumbh mela which can be downloaded from mahapurakh.comfrom page -353-369, titled- Bar Desh P archar,Ganga Da Kumb.Below are few of the s ignificant verses P age 353 -s tarting verseRamdas Sri Satguru, Dashan Daie KalyanAmritsar Tirath Kairo, man bachant daie dan || P age 369-ending verseChale Gang Snan Kai, Gurmat Kar ParcharAmrit Diya Chakaie Bahoa, Eh Bismata Dhar ||

Why bathing is important in religious activities?Sc ience has proven that water affec ts your body and gives apos itive or negative impac t on your body depending on how usesit (Religious sc riptures proved this thousands of year ago).Water molecules respond with pos itive vibrations to love, mus icand peace and serene environments and they give negative anderratic vibrations to harsh and hateful environment. So, whenyou involve pos itive thoughts on water, it will help in c leans ingyour mind and body. The water absorbs the negative power ofyour body and heals your mind.

Conclusion I t is very sad that today most people are us ing religion for theirpersonal gain. C ritic ism of SGPC by A ll-India Sikh StudentsFederation (A ISSF) and Shiromani A kali Dal shows that they arenot even aware of the teachings of their sac red sc riptures andare spreading differences between communities for their politicalgain. With friends , I regularly vis ited local gurudwaras with the


las t one being Sri Guru Nanak Darbar of Mulund Colony, Mumbai. Infac t attending satsang late night was an excellent excuse I gaveto my mother for roaming ac ross the s treets of Mumbai. ThoughI never partic ipate in their religious chanting and s inging ofdevotional songs , I did notice their rituals and deep belief of godin s ikh followers(espec ially E lders ) which made them to chantthe lord name continuous ly for as long as 5 hours and as late as4 A M early morning. Though my vis it was not religious , s till Ijoined my friends in their ritual belief and in eating somedelic ious food of LangarJ. God is one and there are many ways of reachinggod. So, if one feels that he should chant lord name on banks of river ganga, then noone has the right to stop him not only morally but also religiously and constitutionally.I hope my sikh brothers take this article in a true spirit and helpspread the message of love and peace.


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This article is downloaded from · 2014-03-12 · Let Milk and cream be your scripture Ocean of mind, your churning container Butter eats the one, whose mind is churning Others,