ਸ੍ਰੀ ਭਗੌਤੀ ਜੀ ਸਹਾਇ॥
sree bhagautee jee sahaaรฉ.
โMay the respected sword (God in the form of the Destroyer of evil doers) help us!โ
ਵਾਰ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਭਗੌਤੀ ਜੀ ਕੀ ਪਾਤਸ਼ਾਹੀ 10॥
vaar sree bhagautee jee kee paatshaahee dasvee.
โOde of the respected sword recited by the Tenth Guru.โ
Question:
What does this mean? Why recite an ode to the Sword?
Answer:
The Divine Creative Being has been attributed with countless Names, for example, โAllahโ, โRaamโ, โKudahโ, โGuruโ, โSatguruโ, โGobindโ, โRam,โ โNirunkarโ, โGopalโ and so on. However Gurbani clearly states that the Creator Being has no name and is beyond our description.
ਨਵਤਨ ਨਾਮ ਜਪੈ ਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਤੀ ਇਕੁ ਗੁਣੁ ਨਾਹੀ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਹਿ ਸੰਗਾ ॥੧੬॥
navtan naam japai din ratee, ik gun nahee prabh kahi sanga. ||16||
โOne may chant new names for You day and night, but even so, O God, no one can describe even one of Your Glorious Virtues. ||16||โ
(Ang 1083, SGGS)
Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Tenth Nanak, says in Jaap Sahib:
ਤਵ ਸਰਬ ਨਾਮ ਕਥੈ ਕਵਨ ਕਰਮ ਨਾਮ ਬਰਨਤ ਸੁਮਤਿ ॥1॥
tav sarab naam kathe kavan, karam nam barnat sumat.1.
โNo one can tell all the Names of the Lord, who is called by a special Name by the wise, according to His excellences and doings. ||1||โโ
(P. 2, Dasam Granth)
Therefore, there is no name for Waheguru, but instead we use Waheguruโs actions and virtues to address him and praise Him. In the case of Bhagauti, which literally means sword, it is as an adverb (describing a doing word) to explain God's attributes. For example, both Waheguru and the Kirpan share the qualities of being powerful, destroying of tyrants and negativity, delivering justice and protecting the saints and the weak. Therefore the Sword (Bhagauti) is used as an expression of addressing God.
The following line of the Ardas says:
ਪ੍ਰਿਥਮ ਭਗੌਤੀ ਸਿਮਰਿ ਕੈ ਗੁਰ ਨਾਨਕ ਲਈਂ ਧਿਆਇ॥
pritham bhagautee simar kai, gur nanak le-ee dhiaaรฉ.
To begin with, remember & invoke the โBhagauteeโ (i.e. the divine spirit of Waheguru) and remember Guru Nanak Sahib jee.
โBhagauteeโ in the Sikh context means โWaheguruโ (God). If you were take the literal meaning of โswordโ then the Ardas would not make sense. How can you first remember and invoke a sword then Guru Nanak Sahib jee? Not possible. First remember Akal Purakh (the Immortal) then Guru Sahib.
ਤੇਗ ਬਹਾਦਰ ਸਿਮਰਿਐ ਘਰ ਨਉ ਨਿਧਿ ਆਵੈ ਧਾਇ॥ ਸਭ ਥਾਈਂ ਹੋਇ ਸਹਾਇ॥
Teg Bahadur simreeai, kar nau niDh avai Dhaey
โRemember and meditate upon Guru Tegh Bahadur and the nine sources of wealth will come hastening to your home.โ
Question:
What are the nine sources of wealth?
Answer:
You can read the reply to this question in an article on Panthic Weekly here.
ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਸਿੱਖੀ ਦਾਨ, ਕੇਸ ਦਾਨ, ਰਹਿਤ ਦਾਨ, ਬਿਬੇਕ ਦਾਨ, ਵਿਸਾਹ ਦਾਨ, ਭਰੋਸਾ ਦਾਨ, ਦਾਨਾਂ ਸਿਰ ਦਾਨ ਨਾਮ ਦਾਨ, ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ ਜੀ ਦੇ ਇਸ਼ਨਾਨ, ਚੌਂਕੀਆਂ, ਝੰਡੇ, ਬੁੰਗੇ, ਜੁਗੋ ਜੁਗ ਅਟੱਲ, ਧਰਮ ਕਾ ਜੈਕਾਰ, ਬੋਲੋ ਜੀ ਵਾਹਿਗੁਰੂ!!!
sikha(n) noo sikhee dan, kes dan, rehat dan, bibek dan, bharosa dan, naam dan, sree amritsar jee dรฉ ishnan, chaunkeea(n), jhanddรฉ, bungรฉ, jugo jug attal, dharam ka jaikar, bolo jee Waaheguroo!
โKindly confer upon the Sikhs the gift of Sikhi (Sikhism), the gift of unshorn hair, the gift of observing Sikh discipline, the gift of wisdom, the gift of firm faith, the gift of belief and the biggest of Naam and of bathing in the respected Tank (sarowar) of Amritsar. O Lord! May the choirs, the mansions and the banners exist forever,may the truth every triumpth,utter Waheguroo (Wonderous Lord)!โ
Question:
What are the โmansionsโ and โbannersโ that the ardas is referring to?
Answer:
"Chaunkeea(n)" means posts. Large historical Gurdwaras would have these watch posts around the Gurdwara to protect the Gurdwara Sahib from attacks.
โJhanddรฉโ means flags.
"Bungรฉ" means house or settlement. Again, many large historical Gurdwara, especially the the Panj Takhat have houses or settlements were certain regiments or jathas would camp out.
Therefore, this part of the Ardas is praying for the protection and seeking forever blessings that may the Khalsaโs watch towers, Gurdwaras, & camp settlements continue to exist, and that may the Khalsaโs flags continue to fly where they are.
ਹੇ ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ ਆਪਣੇ ਪੰਥ ਦੇ ਸਦਾ ਸਹਾਈ ਦਾਤਾਰ ਜੀਓ! ਸ੍ਰੀ ਨਨਕਾਣਾ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਤੇ ਹੋਰ ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰਿਆਂ ਗੁਰਧਾਮਾਂ ਦੇ, ਜਿਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਪੰਥ ਨੂੰ ਵਿਛੋੜਿਆ ਗਿਆ ਹੈ, ਖੁਲ੍ਹੇ ਦਰਸ਼ਨ ਦੀਦਾਰ ਤੇ ਸੇਵਾ ਸੰਭਾਲ ਦਾ ਦਾਨ ਖ਼ਾਲਸਾ ਜੀ ਨੂੰ ਬਖਸ਼ੋ।
hรฉ Akal Prakh, apnรฉ panth dรฉ sada sahaee datar jeeo, sree Nakana Sahibe
hor gurduaria, jina to panth noo vichhoria geya hai, khulรฉ darshan didar tรฉ seva sambal da dan Khalsa
noo baksho.
โO Immortal Lord! The constant Helper of His Sikhs, kindly confer the gift of visiting, maintaining, controlling and worshipping,without any restrictions, the Gurdwara of Nanakana Sahib Ji, other Gurdwaras, and Gurus Mansions of which the Khalsa has been deprived.โ
Question:
What deprivation is this referring to? Gurdwaras that Sikhs do not control? Which ones?
Answer:
After 1947 India was partitioned into Pakistan. During this partition, Sikhs were separated from many of Sikh shrines and historical Gurdwaras in Pakistan. In particular, the majority Sikh community was parted away from Sri Nankana Sahib, the birth place of Guru Nanak Sahib jee. So we do Ardas that may we be granted with the blessing of continuously being able to visit these Gurdwaras freely, without restriction and that we may be able manage them and maintain Gurmat Rehat in these Gurdwaras.
The Ardas (prayer) is not just for those Gurdwaras in Pakistan, however it's an Ardas that may all Gurdwaras worldwide be managed and controlled by the Khalsa. Isnโt this already the case? Unfortunately no! Many Gurdwaras are being run by people who are not Amritdhari and nor do they aim to take Amrit and commit themselves to the Guru. Many Gurdwara Management Comittee members commit the four taboos (which include cutting the hair and taking intoxicants like alcohol) and yet they do the seva of managing
and maintaining
the House of Guru Nanak. How can this be?
You can read more about this issue on an article published by Bhai Gurmukh Singh jee on Panthic Weekly
To be continued next week.
The
Views and opinion expressed in guest editorials/columns are of the author and do not necessarily reflect the view or opinion of Panthic.org or Khalsa Press.
