It is sad to see that tyar bar tyar Gursikhs are hard to come by, but it is even sadder to know that tyar bar tyar Gursikhs are not eating from each other over very small issues.

In the past few topics we have seen Gursikhs making decisions by themselves on what is acceptable within bibek, and some have even made such outrageous remarks to say that milk is not acceptable within a bibeki diet. These are all innovations to the rehit of puraatan Gursikhs, and these decisions should not be made without first consulting other tyar bar tyar Gursikhs. When we make a decision to go beyond the minimum requirements of Punj Kakaar, Chaar Bajjar Kurehits, Punj Bania, Daswand, and Bibek, and start to make our own rules on who is acceptable to eat from we end up using our own manmat. These type of decisions should not be made without first consulting all Gursikhs, and if a rehit is to be added, all Gursikhs must do this together.

For example, If someone is unsure about using a certain ingredient, then they should ask sangat of tyar bar tyar Gursikhs in the hazoori of Guru Granth Sahib Jee, and if the sangat says that it is okay, then they will be protected from any possible bad karam that could arise from using such ingredients.

We have to understand those of us living in the West at times cannot properly full all the requirements of true
Bibek. In the old days, Bibek was food made and prepared by rehatvan Gursikhs. Gursikhs would eat only from one another, and most importantly eat together. There was no such thing as a refrigerator or a concept of storing food. If their was any left over langar then it would go to the poor or the animals. In the old days a Gursikh would not eat before offering food to someone else. This is part of Bibek as well. Refer to both BHai Daya Singh Ji and BHai Desa SIngh Jis rehatnamey. This is how many came into the fold of SIkhi in the past.

In the past, Singhs also had their own resources. There is no way a Puratan SIngh would accept milk which was milked by a Nigura. Im sorry but this is common sense. WHen Bhai Randhir SIngh Ji was in jail he would not accept milk that wasnt milked by a rehatvan singh.Does this mean that does SInghs who dont eat with other Gursikhs, share their meals, milk their own Cow are not Gursikhs? No of course not. We are living in different situations all we can do is try our hardest to maintain maximum not minimum rehat and do ardas to Guru Sahib to forgive us of any mistakes when following rehat.

I personally do not feel comfortable anymore buying milk from the store or getting milk which has been milked by a Nigura. This is something personal and its a decision I have made after much contemplation and research of Gurbani, rehatnamey, and Gurmat literature. I use to work in a city which had many dairy farms so I know what goes on there. I can only thank Guru Sahib for showing me these things. I dont expect everyone to take this route. To be clear one more time I never said milk is not acceptable for Gursikhs. I said milk which comes from cows that are raised and/or milked by Niguras is not Bibek. Everybody has a different understanding of BIbek. SOme BIbekees only eat from Bibekees while others have a more liberal understanding. Its up to each individual to make the decision based on their understanding of Gurmat.

Very relevant post Preetam Singh jeeo. Just as a weakness in Rehit is dangerous because it makes Khalsa weak, same way an innovation in Rehit also is harmful to Khalsa Panth as whole since it bring disunity. Today it can be seen that many groups within our Panth don't have Saanjh with each other, all in name of Rehit.

There should be no compromise on Rehit but new Rehits too should not be created because they bring disunity in Panth. The strength lies in Saanjh of roti and beti and without this Saanjh, it is hard to have love and unity.

There are some Rehits that should be adopted but if some don't adopt them out of ignorance or lack or motivation, the Saanjh between Gursikhs should not break. As an example, it is Rehit to memorize Baani everyday as is evident from life of Baba Shaam Singh but if a Gursikh does everything else but doesn't have this Rehit, Saanjh cannot be broken from him. There is a basic, minimum Rehit that all should keep in order to have Saanjh which includes Nitnem, abstaining from Bajjar Kurehits, Dawandh, Kakaars, dietary Bibek etc. This minimum is already set by Puratan Singh and perhaps can be revised or revisited by all Gursikhs to ensure that everyone is on the same platform.

May Guru Sahib do Kirpa and bring unity in Panth.

Kulbir Singh

You cannot bring the puratan times back. Times have changed, and that has not all been a bad thing. Thanks to the technology provided these days, you are able to fly from wherever you live to go to foreign countries and that too is the mighty will of God. (Guru Sahib says that).

Theres a hymn in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, which states that our sustenance is out of our hands and it's within God's will what we eat and drink.

There is also another hymn in Gurbani which states, that God can make the meat eating animals eat a non-vegetarian diets and He also holds the power of making the meat eating animals to eat vegetarian food.

Moral here is that we remain humble and in His will always, atleast try to. If God can create or destroy the world in a blink of an eye than that must also be His will that he changes our rizk as per His Order.