source:
[www.tapoban.org]Khalsa Vidhaan written by Bhai Kaur Singh
Jathebandeeaa
There are many Jathebandeeaa at this moment in time, when we examine them we find they have positive points as well as negatives.
When one Sikh or one Jathaa is in Chardeekalaa (high spirits) then it automatically attracts other seekers of truth. They have great faith in the word of God, which results in their spiritual state increasing tenfold. One must realise that the Sikh only becomes Chardeekalaa once they have adopted complete Rehat and meditated on the Name of the lord.
The beloveds that give their love to the Panth forget that they have reached such a state due to adopting complete Rehat and so this becomes an area of weakness.
These beloveds create a group of Gursikhs who hold similar views, in time they become a separate Jathebandee then even when the beloved passes away, his followers keep faith in him.
When Gianee Gurbachan Singh Jee Khaalsaa was head of Taksaal there were less weaknesses. Candidates for Amrit were instructed to keep Sarbloh Bibek, Bibiaa were instructed to wear Dastaar. Giaanee Jee was Sarblohee himself and his family all wore the turban, including women. He especially had great love and affection for Bhai Sahib Randheer Singh. Believe it or not, both of their Rehats were almost exactly matching. After the passing away of the two Singhs, weaknesses crept in to both Jathebandeeaa, however, Dastaar is still prescribed to be mandatory in the Akhand Keertanee Jathaa.
The head of the Naamdhaaree sect, Baba Raam Singh kept full Rehat, which included Sarbloh Bibek, Shastar and BaaNaa he was a complete Khalsaa. Their Rehat did not stay, but the group is still around. Nowadays they are far from Gurmat ideals and have started their own line of Gurus, this is why they are rejected by mainstream Sikhs. It is evident that ritual has become their love rather than religion. Such as, the Neel Dhaarees who wear Blue Kamar Kassai (belt around waist). Even the women do not shy away from wearing the Kamar Kassai. They are followers of a Sant and do not hesitate to wear the Kamar Kassa, but yet they hesitate to accept the Rehat as laid down by Guru Gobind Singh Jee. None of them have adopted the five articles of faith (Panj Kakkar, including Dastaar), nor have they taken up Sarbloh Bibek.
If one analyses these weaknesses, it becomes crystal clear that there is no Khalsaa spirit left within the Panth, with which all the Khalsaa would have adopted one Rehat and the Khalsaa itself would have been one Jathebandee, there would only be one Panth. Then all other Jathebandeeaa would have shut down.
Jab Lag Khalsa Rahe Niaara || Tab Lag Tej Dheeyo Meh Saara ||
Have faith that when the Panth comes to fully recognising and drilling this pure Mukhvaak of Kalgeedhar Guru Gobind Singh Ji they will immediately come to abide in Chardi Kala. One should contemplate over every word in this Mukhvaak, it is not so hard to understand. If the Khalsa stays distinct then Guru Kalgeedhar says ‘Mai Poora Saaraa Tej Bakhshaa gaa, Devaa(n)gaa’, meaning I will give the Khalsa my complete blessings (and power).
The Khalsa is a distinct nation, its birth was most distinct, the lifestyle of a Khalsa is distinct, the food and clothes the Khalsa wears is distinct and the love the Khalsa has for the almighty is most distinct. In ‘Singhaa Da Panth Niraala’ Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh Ji says why can’t every limb of a Sikh be pure? Only when ‘Khalsa Akal Purakh Kee Fauj || Pragatio Khalsa Pramaatam Kee Mauj ||’. We are only pure if we stay distinct, we can only get blessings if we stay distinct.
How can a Khalsa stay distinct? This is a big principle that we must all take steps to understanding. It has already been said [in another chapter] that Gurmat virtues have a heavy affect on daily life, but we must be ready to follow the Rehat, thus making us distinct from others. In order to follow this, one must adopt the total and true Rehat. [An effort has been made in the books ‘Ram Raj’, Tos Ekta’ and ‘Sarbloh Bibek’ to explain the Maryada].
The next line of this Mukhvaak reads, ‘Jab Eh Gahai Bipran Kee Reet || Mai Na Karo In Kee Prteet||’. When we come to abide and make friends in the society of Niguray and Be-Amriteeai then we loose all our blessings.
Tying a Dastar (turban) plays a big role in our distinctness. An English historian writes: -
“The Sikh women are distinguished from Hindoos of their sex by some variety of dress but chiefly by a higher TOP knot of hair” by J.D. Cunningham. (Appendix XIV History of the Sikhs).
Sikh Females are easily recognisable from Hindoo females. In olden times all Singhnia adorned a top knot of hair on the Tenth Gate (Dasam Dwar). Cunningham also writes that during battles these turbaned women would fight along side their brothers.
ਕੁਝ ਜ਼ਰੂਰੀ ਅਸੂਲ
1) Without the Rehat of Sarbloh Bibek, one cannot heed to the Shromanee Panthic Maryada of Amritdhari dee Saa(n)j Amritdhari naal (with this the Panth becomes ਨਿਆਰਾਪਨ and distinct).
2) The person who follows the principles of Amrit Rehat is an Amritdhari. The meaning of Rehat is to have unparalleled faith in the word of Gurbani and to follow Seenaa-Baseenaa Rehat also, some people stress on Gurbani Rehat and some on Seenaa-Baseenaa, both are mandatory side by side.
3) One that is not BibekDhari, he is not Amritdhari. He may have had Amrit, but he has not taken heed to it. (Us Ne Amrit Chakkia par Amrit Dharn nahee keetaa). In other words, he has taken amrit but has not accepted or adopted amrit from heart.
4) Only he is an Amritdhari who keeps Bibek and complete Rehat.
5) Bibek or Sarbloh Bibek, they are both the same Rehat, you cannot make two Rehats out of one, thus without Sarbloh you cannot have Bibek.
6) Without Sarbloh Bibek, the Panth cannot be distinct (Niarapan). An English writer, Mr. Edmond Kendler praises Sarbloh in his book ˜Metal of East, he writes that Sarbloh Bibek gave the Khalsa an appearance of a nation :-
To the Khalsa it (srb lOh) gave a cause and welded them into a nation.
This is a truth. Without Sarbloh Bibek we will not be distinct, only distinctness will give the Khalsa the appearance of a nation.
In the Akhand Keertanee Jatha, Sarbloh was mandatory to begin with, but now this Rehat has been stopped because in this day and age, the majority of people do not deem it necessary to have Sarbloh, but in the rest of the Panth Sarbloh is not even heard of. There are just a few Sarbloh Bibekis left within the Nihang Singhs; you will only get a handful that adheres to this Rehat. Even within the Nihang Singhs, there are them who do Sukha (Marijuana) and Chatka (ritual slaughter of meat), and therefore their Gurbani and Naam all goes to waste. This is why they have been unable to do any sevaa for the Panth as of yet.
In the Panth, the Akhand Keertanee Jatha is nearest to Kalgidhars Rehat. The weaknesses that have crept in came after Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh stopped doing sevaa in the Panj. They are :-
1) Sarbloh Bibek is not stated as mandatory, so the person who is weak in Sarbloh “ how are you going to tell him that he is kurehati?
2) Bana is not stated as mandatory, it is the slavery of the English that shows why we take Amrit wearing Pants and Shirt.
3) Small Kirpan (approx. 9”) big Kirpan (approx. 2 and a half to 3 foot), both Kirpans are not stated as mandatory, you can get Amrit with just a small one nowadays! This Rehat started from the times of 6th Paatshah (Guru Hargobind Sahib), this Rehat is still alive at Hazoor Sahib, only when you have 2 Siri Sahibs do they give you Amrit (Even there weakness has crept in, they take the Siri Sahibaa off afterwards).
4) To keep the enemy at bay, do justice and use the sword it is a must that Singhs and Singhneeaa alike learn Gatka.
What can we do to ward off these weaknesses?
The Jathedar Sahib should drill these Rehats within himself and tell them in the Amrit Sanchaar also; it is a must for all the Singhs and those that do Panjaa dee sevaa.
In yester years, whatever weakness there were, the Singhs and Singhniaa would get Pesh and do Sudh Sudhaaee, they would then try and keep complete Rehat (as stated above). Rehat is the same for Singhs and Singhniaa.
(Bhai Sahib has done Peshinagoee (prediction), Keep in mind, that time is near where our Singhniaa will have to show themselves in battle also (they will have to fight along with Singhs in the battlefield).
In the Jatha after complete Rehat is being given the Jathedar Sahib from Panj should talk with the Pardhaan from Shiromini Committee about the Rehat Maryada, Sudh Sudhaaee should be done, and then all the Panth can follow commonness of Gurmat Rehat Maryada. The Panj Rehatvaan Sikhs should be given authority at the Takhat Sahib, whose hukam goes for all the Panth; all other organisations should be closed down.
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥