ਕੋਈ ਬੋਲੈ ਰਾਮ ਰਾਮ ਕੋਈ ਖੁਦਾਇ ॥
While growing up, we were given the impression that according to Sikhi, whether one says Raam Raam or Khuda Khuda, it's all the same. Furthermore, whether one goes to a temple or go to a mosque, it's one and the same thing. Vaheguru is the destination and all religions are different paths to the same destination. As per what I studied in the schools in India, this new revolutionary thought was brought into being by the Bhagti movement led by Bhagats like Bhagat Kabir jee and Siri Guru Nanak Dev jee was also influenced by this movement and that Sikhi itself was part of the Bhagti movement.
In order to corroborate their claims, the most quoted Shabad was the following Shabad:
ਰਾਮਕਲੀ ਮਹਲਾ 5 ॥
ਕੋਈ ਬੋਲੈ ਰਾਮ ਰਾਮ ਕੋਈ ਖੁਦਾਇ ॥
ਕੋਈ ਸੇਵੈ ਗੁਸਈਆ ਕੋਈ ਅਲਾਹਿ ॥1॥
ਕਾਰਣ ਕਰਣ ਕਰੀਮ ॥
ਕਿਰਪਾ ਧਾਰਿ ਰਹੀਮ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਕੋਈ ਨਾਵੈ ਤੀਰਥਿ ਕੋਈ ਹਜ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਕੋਈ ਕਰੈ ਪੂਜਾ ਕੋਈ ਸਿਰੁ ਨਿਵਾਇ ॥2॥
ਕੋਈ ਪੜੈ ਬੇਦ ਕੋਈ ਕਤੇਬ ॥
ਕੋਈ ਓਢੈ ਨੀਲ ਕੋਈ ਸੁਪੇਦ ॥3॥
ਕੋਈ ਕਹੈ ਤੁਰਕੁ ਕੋਈ ਕਹੈ ਹਿੰਦੂ ॥
ਕੋਈ ਬਾਛੈ ਭਿਸਤੁ ਕੋਈ ਸੁਰਗਿੰਦੂ ॥4॥
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਨਿ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਪਛਾਤਾ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਕਾ ਤਿਨਿ ਭੇਦੁ ਜਾਤਾ ॥5॥9॥
This Shabad was played endlessly by Texla TV productions and it used to show Hindus and Muslims praying when this Shabad used to play. Everyone got the impression that indeed, Gurbani preaches that all religions are different paths to the same destination and the Raam and Rahim were one and the same thing.
Many years later, when I read Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee's explanation of this Shabad, I was amazed. Bhai Sahib explained that in the first 4 stanzas Guru Sahib is merely mentioning what different kinds religious people are doing and in the last stanza, Guru Sahib makes it clear that such person alone who recognizes the Hukam of Vaheguru, can discover the secret of Vaheguru Sahib jeeo. When this Shabad is quoted by misinformed people, they often ignore the last stanza and place all their emphasis on the first Pankiti - ਕੋਈ ਬੋਲੈ ਰਾਮ ਰਾਮ ਕੋਈ ਖੁਦਾਇ ॥ . The key to this Shabad lies in the last stanza.
Bhai Sahib explains that all the verbs in this shabad end with Dulaava as opposed to Laav and this makes these verbs the verbs of present tense. Guru Sahib is merely making an observation i.e. someone is uttering Raam Raam, someone is uttering Khuda (ਕੋਈ ਰਾਮ ਰਾਮ ਬੋਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਕੋਈ ਖੁਦਾ ਬੁਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ ...) someone is serving Gusaia while someone else is serving Allah; someone is bathing at the Teeraths while someone is going to Haj; someone is doing Pooja while someone else is doing Nivaaz; someone one is reading Vedas, someone is reading Katebs (Muslims, Christian texts); someone is wearing White and someone is wearing Sky blue; someone is saying Muslim (are the best) while someone is saying Hindus (are best); someone is seeking Jannat while someone is seeking Swarag.
In the end, Guru Sahib writes His opinion that the above stated religious people are doing different things to appease Vaheguru but only such person can find out the secret of Vaheguru, who recognizes the true Hukam. What is this true Hukam? This Hukam is undoubtedly " ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ".
Bhai Sahib makes a very keen observation. He writes that if the meaning had been that whether one says Raam Raam or Khuda Khuda, it’s the same thing, then all the verbs would have come with Laav. Instead of ਬੋਲੈ, ਸੇਵੈ, ਕਰੈ, ਪੜੈ, ਓਢੈ the Paath would have been ਬੋਲੇ, ਸੇਵੇ, ਕਰੇ, ਪੜੇ, ਓਢੇ
Basically, there is one Vaheguru, one Satguru through whom one can reach Vaheguru, and one Naam to chant to reach Vaheguru. If Vaheguru is one, how can there be different paths to Him?
Vaheguru is Sach and Guru Sahib is Sach; therefore, the teachings of Satguru too have to be Sach (which they are). Since teachings of Guru Sahib are Sach, therefore, there can only be one Sach. Sach cannot be two but only one. Crow is either White or Black but not both. Same way, Sach is always just one and never two or three. Hence, Vaheguru is one, Satguru jee is one and Naam is one which bring us to the conclusion that Gurmat alone is the path that enables one to reach Vaheguru jee.
Kulbir Singh
In order to corroborate their claims, the most quoted Shabad was the following Shabad:
ਰਾਮਕਲੀ ਮਹਲਾ 5 ॥
ਕੋਈ ਬੋਲੈ ਰਾਮ ਰਾਮ ਕੋਈ ਖੁਦਾਇ ॥
ਕੋਈ ਸੇਵੈ ਗੁਸਈਆ ਕੋਈ ਅਲਾਹਿ ॥1॥
ਕਾਰਣ ਕਰਣ ਕਰੀਮ ॥
ਕਿਰਪਾ ਧਾਰਿ ਰਹੀਮ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਕੋਈ ਨਾਵੈ ਤੀਰਥਿ ਕੋਈ ਹਜ ਜਾਇ ॥
ਕੋਈ ਕਰੈ ਪੂਜਾ ਕੋਈ ਸਿਰੁ ਨਿਵਾਇ ॥2॥
ਕੋਈ ਪੜੈ ਬੇਦ ਕੋਈ ਕਤੇਬ ॥
ਕੋਈ ਓਢੈ ਨੀਲ ਕੋਈ ਸੁਪੇਦ ॥3॥
ਕੋਈ ਕਹੈ ਤੁਰਕੁ ਕੋਈ ਕਹੈ ਹਿੰਦੂ ॥
ਕੋਈ ਬਾਛੈ ਭਿਸਤੁ ਕੋਈ ਸੁਰਗਿੰਦੂ ॥4॥
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਜਿਨਿ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਪਛਾਤਾ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਭ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਕਾ ਤਿਨਿ ਭੇਦੁ ਜਾਤਾ ॥5॥9॥
This Shabad was played endlessly by Texla TV productions and it used to show Hindus and Muslims praying when this Shabad used to play. Everyone got the impression that indeed, Gurbani preaches that all religions are different paths to the same destination and the Raam and Rahim were one and the same thing.
Many years later, when I read Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee's explanation of this Shabad, I was amazed. Bhai Sahib explained that in the first 4 stanzas Guru Sahib is merely mentioning what different kinds religious people are doing and in the last stanza, Guru Sahib makes it clear that such person alone who recognizes the Hukam of Vaheguru, can discover the secret of Vaheguru Sahib jeeo. When this Shabad is quoted by misinformed people, they often ignore the last stanza and place all their emphasis on the first Pankiti - ਕੋਈ ਬੋਲੈ ਰਾਮ ਰਾਮ ਕੋਈ ਖੁਦਾਇ ॥ . The key to this Shabad lies in the last stanza.
Bhai Sahib explains that all the verbs in this shabad end with Dulaava as opposed to Laav and this makes these verbs the verbs of present tense. Guru Sahib is merely making an observation i.e. someone is uttering Raam Raam, someone is uttering Khuda (ਕੋਈ ਰਾਮ ਰਾਮ ਬੋਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ, ਕੋਈ ਖੁਦਾ ਬੁਲ ਰਿਹਾ ਹੈ ...) someone is serving Gusaia while someone else is serving Allah; someone is bathing at the Teeraths while someone is going to Haj; someone is doing Pooja while someone else is doing Nivaaz; someone one is reading Vedas, someone is reading Katebs (Muslims, Christian texts); someone is wearing White and someone is wearing Sky blue; someone is saying Muslim (are the best) while someone is saying Hindus (are best); someone is seeking Jannat while someone is seeking Swarag.
In the end, Guru Sahib writes His opinion that the above stated religious people are doing different things to appease Vaheguru but only such person can find out the secret of Vaheguru, who recognizes the true Hukam. What is this true Hukam? This Hukam is undoubtedly " ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਹੁਕਮੁ ਹੈ".
Bhai Sahib makes a very keen observation. He writes that if the meaning had been that whether one says Raam Raam or Khuda Khuda, it’s the same thing, then all the verbs would have come with Laav. Instead of ਬੋਲੈ, ਸੇਵੈ, ਕਰੈ, ਪੜੈ, ਓਢੈ the Paath would have been ਬੋਲੇ, ਸੇਵੇ, ਕਰੇ, ਪੜੇ, ਓਢੇ
Basically, there is one Vaheguru, one Satguru through whom one can reach Vaheguru, and one Naam to chant to reach Vaheguru. If Vaheguru is one, how can there be different paths to Him?
Vaheguru is Sach and Guru Sahib is Sach; therefore, the teachings of Satguru too have to be Sach (which they are). Since teachings of Guru Sahib are Sach, therefore, there can only be one Sach. Sach cannot be two but only one. Crow is either White or Black but not both. Same way, Sach is always just one and never two or three. Hence, Vaheguru is one, Satguru jee is one and Naam is one which bring us to the conclusion that Gurmat alone is the path that enables one to reach Vaheguru jee.
Kulbir Singh