|
The Khalsa and Vahguru
Dear Children,
A few weeks ago I met a Sikh scholar. He told me that once Guru Nanak was
asked by the Hindus, whom they should worship as there were over 2000 Deities.
Guru Nanak said that one word would be enough to worship all. Thus Vahguru was
coined:
V for Vasudev
H for Hari
G for Gopal
R for Ram
I am told that 24,945 words in the Guru Granth Sahib are associated with the
word: Ram 5,995 words are associated with the word 'Hari' I feel so happy when I
realize these wonderful Masters gave so much respect to names of Gods. After all
they knew that they are different names of the same Creator.
I am a Sindhi and Sindhis worship Guru Nanak and the Guru Granth Sahib. Guru
Granth Sahib is the sacred book of the Sikhs. The following information may seem
a little difficult to understand at first, but if you read it again, I am sure
that you will understand as you are smart children.
Being a Sindhi I am familiar with the term: 'Raj karega Khaalsa, baaki
rahe na koye' I always wondered how a religion of as wonderful as Sikhism
could claim, that only Sikhism would reign, and the rest would perish. A little
while ago, I met a Sikh scholar who interpreted it thus:
It is not 'bakee rahe na koye' which means 'none other will remain'
But 'aakee rahe na koye' which means: 'There will remain no
non-believers' (aakee means 'non believers')
Let us come to the term 'Khalsa' The common version translates the term 'Khalsa'
as 'Pure'
In which case, the whole phrase would mean: The 'Pure Ones' will reign, there
will remain no 'non believers'
There is another meaning attributed to Khalsa. Khal-sa is a Persian word.
In Ancient Persia there were 2 kinds of agricultural land. One 'land' on
which revenue was charged. The other 'land' was called 'Khal-sa' On the above
land no revenue was charged; therefore, the king could usurp this land, in times
of crisis. Guru Govind Singh was a Persian scholar, and therefore it is believed
that he gave the title: 'Khal-sa' to those of his followers, who were keen to
sacrifice their lives for the cause of the guru.
Those to whom Guru Govind Singh gave the title of Khalsa, he called:
Meri jaan ki jaan (Life of my life)
Akaal Purukh kee fauj (God's own army)
Khalsa mera roop hai khaas
Khalse mein main karoon nivaas
Khalsa is my very form, in whom I reside.
 
|
