Why Sikhi?
Whenever Sikhi is talked about with a non-Sikh, us Sikhs are quick to point out that we believe in equality and our religion is a very peaceful and loving one. We quickly say that we believe all religions are equal and lead to the same destination. Well, this last point is completely false. Having read Gurbani from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee and Sri Dasam Granth Sahib Jee, Sikhs should realize that Guru Sahib DOES NOT say all religions are equal and lead to the same destination. What Guru Sahib does say is to love all despite our differences. Guru Sahib tells us to treat all with the same amount of respect and dignity regardless of their religion. However, Guru Sahib does not say all religions are equal and lead to the same destination. If all religions are the same then why did Guru Nanak come on to the earth and create a new one? What was the need to start a new Path if the paths before already sufficed? The fact is that all religions do not end up at the same destination, we are all not different paths to the same place, all religions lead to different places, and Sikhi leads to Sach Khand, the only path that leads to Sach Khand. How can Christianity lead to Sach Khand when Jesus and the Bible do not even mention a concept of Sach Khand. Hindus and Muslims are busy going to heaven and paradise, but what does Gurmat teach us about these places?
ਕਬੀਰ ਸੁਰਗ ਨਰਕ ਤੇ ਮੈ ਰਹਿਓ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੇ ਪਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਚਰਨ ਕਮਲ ਕੀ ਮਉਜ ਮਹਿ ਰਹਉ ਅੰਤਿ ਅਰੁ ਆਦਿ ॥੧੨੦॥
Bhagat Jee says that he has been saved from heaven and hell through Satguru Jee’s Kirpa. Forever, he resides happily with the Charan Kamal of Akaal Purakh. It is clear that Sikhs are saved from and have nothing to do with Heaven or Hell, our aim is different.
Guru Gobind Singh Jee says in Sri Dasam Granth that first Akaal Purakh created different prophets, but none of them did Parchar of True Gurmat. They in ego, thinking they had met God started getting their followers to repeat their name, but none gave the True Naam.
ਸਭ ਤੇ ਅਪਨਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਾਯੋ ॥
ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਾਹੂੰ ਨ ਦ੍ਰਿੜਾਯੋ ॥੨੭॥
Guru Nanak then created the True Path, the immaculate and pure Path that led straight to Akaal Purakh.
ਮਾਰਿਆ ਸਿਕਾ ਜਗਤ੍ਰਿ ਵਿਚਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਪੰਥ ਚਲਾਇਆ।
Guru Gobind Singh Jee in Akaal Ustat says:
ਸਭ ਕਰਮ ਫੋਕਟ ਜਾਨ ॥ ਸਭ ਧਰਮ ਨਿਹਫਲ ਮਾਨ ॥
ਬਿਨ ਏਕ ਨਾਮ ਅਧਾਰ ॥ ਸਭ ਕਰਮ ਭਰਮ ਬਿਚਾਰ ॥੨੦॥੫੦॥
Guru Sahib writes that, all actions (outside of Gurmat) are useless, that all religions are false. Without the support of the One Naam (Sat Naam) everything else is an illusion.
ਹਿੰਦੂ ਤੁਰਕ ਕਹਾ ਤੇ ਆਏ ਕਿਨਿ ਏਹ ਰਾਹ ਚਲਾਈ ॥ ਦਿਲ ਮਹਿ ਸੋਚਿ ਬਿਚਾਰਿ ਕਵਾਦੇ ਭਿਸਤ ਦੋਜਕ ਕਿਨਿ ਪਾਈ ॥੧॥ ਕਾਜੀ ਤੈ ਕਵਨ ਕਤੇਬ ਬਖਾਨੀ ॥ ਪੜ੍ਹਤ ਗੁਨਤ ਐਸੇ ਸਭ ਮਾਰੇ ਕਿਨਹੂੰ ਖਬਰਿ ਨ ਜਾਨੀ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ ਸਕਤਿ ਸਨੇਹੁ ਕਰਿ ਸੁੰਨਤਿ ਕਰੀਐ ਮੈ ਨ ਬਦਉਗਾ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਜਉ ਰੇ ਖੁਦਾਇ ਮੋਹਿ ਤੁਰਕੁ ਕਰੈਗਾ ਆਪਨ ਹੀ ਕਟਿ ਜਾਈ ॥੨॥ ਸੁੰਨਤਿ ਕੀਏ ਤੁਰਕੁ ਜੇ ਹੋਇਗਾ ਅਉਰਤ ਕਾ ਕਿਆ ਕਰੀਐ ॥ ਅਰਧ ਸਰੀਰੀ ਨਾਰਿ ਨ ਛੋਡੈ ਤਾ ਤੇ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਹੀ ਰਹੀਐ ॥੩॥ ਛਾਡਿ ਕਤੇਬ ਰਾਮੁ ਭਜੁ ਬਉਰੇ ਜੁਲਮ ਕਰਤ ਹੈ ਭਾਰੀ ॥ ਕਬੀਰੈ ਪਕਰੀ ਟੇਕ ਰਾਮ ਕੀ ਤੁਰਕ ਰਹੇ ਪਚਿਹਾਰੀ ॥੪॥੮॥
In this Shabad, Bhagat Kabeer Jee has totally laid out the Truth! To summarize some select lines Bhagat Jee says: the Koran and other religious texts have been studied endlessly but no one has found the Truth by doing so. Bhagat Jee implores Muslims to give up their holy books and to remember Akaal Purakh. Bhagat Jee has grasped on to Akaal Purakh for support, while the muslims have failed.
In his Kabits Bhai Gurdas Jee is very clear about worshipping other gods.
ਆਂਨ ਦੇਵ ਸੇਵਕ ਨ ਜਾਨੈ ਗੁਰਦੇਵ ਸੇਵ ਕਠਨ ਕੁਟੇਵ ਨ ਮਿਟਤ ਦੇਵ ਦਾਸ ਹੈ ॥੪੪੫॥
A servant of other gods cannot realize the Anand of serving the True Guru. They cannot get rid of their avguns unless they adopt Satguru Jee as their Guru.
ਤੈਸੇ ਆਨ ਦੇਵ ਸੇਵ ਤ੍ਰਿਬਿਧਿ ਚਪਲ ਫਲ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਪ੍ਰਵਾਹ ਨਿਸ ਪ੍ਰਾਤ ਹੈ ॥੪੪੬॥
Being a follower of other gods, does not remove you from Maya (Tri-gunn). Only being a servant of Satguru Jee can you receive Amrit Ras for eternity.
Again Gurbani is clear about other paths. Only Gurmat is the True Path. About other religious scriptures Guru Sahib says:
ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬ ਇਫਤਰਾ ਭਾਈ ਦਿਲ ਕਾ ਫਿਕਰੁ ਨ ਜਾਇ ॥
The Veds and other holy books are make belief! They do not remove fear from the heart.
ਪੰਡਿਤ ਵਾਚਹਿ ਪੋਥੀਆ ਨਾ ਬੂਝਹਿ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥
ਅਨ ਕਉ ਮਤੀ ਦੇ ਚਲਹਿ ਮਾਇਆ ਕਾ ਵਾਪਾਰੁ ॥
ਕਥਨੀ ਝੂਠੀ ਜਗੁ ਭਵੈ ਰਹਣੀ ਸਬਦੁ ਸੁ ਸਾਰੁ ॥੬॥
ਕੇਤੇ ਪੰਡਿਤ ਜੋਤਕੀ ਬੇਦਾ ਕਰਹਿ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ॥
ਵਾਦਿ ਵਿਰੋਧਿ ਸਲਾਹਣੇ ਵਾਦੇ ਆਵਣੁ ਜਾਣੁ ॥
ਬਿਨੁ ਗੁਰ ਕਰਮ ਨ ਛੁਟਸੀ ਕਹਿ ਸੁਣਿ ਆਖਿ ਵਖਾਣੁ ॥੭॥
The Pandits read their books, but they do not understand the True Veechar (Gurmat Naam).
They instruct others and leave, only chasing after money. They speak false and wander the world, only those that Jap Naam are beautiful and excellent. There are many Pandits astrologers that read the Veds. They continuously argue and debate and doing this die and are born again. Without the Guru they are not freed from their Karams, but they preach to others.
There are countless lines from Gurbani that tell us about these other religions. Guru Sahib is clear that these other paths are entangled in empty rituals and are devoid of Naam. Those that do have Naam, do not have Sat Naam (True Naam) and because of this they cannot get to Sach Khand. They will only get to where their deity is. The followers of Shiv can only get to where Shiv is, not to Sach Khand. The Followers of Christ can only get to where Christ resides. None of these of prophets reside in Sach Khand, so getting to Sach Khand is impossible for their followers.
Talking about Gian Khand Guru Sahib in Jap Jee Sahib writes:
ਕੇਤੇ ਪਵਣ ਪਾਣੀ ਵੈਸੰਤਰ ਕੇਤੇ ਕਾਨ ਮਹੇਸ ॥ ਕੇਤੇ ਬਰਮੇ ਘਾੜਤਿ ਘੜੀਅਹਿ ਰੂਪ ਰੰਗ ਕੇ ਵੇਸ ॥
ਕੇਤੀਆ ਕਰਮ ਭੂਮੀ ਮੇਰ ਕੇਤੇ ਕੇਤੇ ਧੂ ਉਪਦੇਸ ॥ਕੇਤੇ ਇੰਦ ਚੰਦ ਸੂਰ ਕੇਤੇ ਕੇਤੇ ਮੰਡਲ ਦੇਸ ॥
ਕੇਤੇ ਸਿਧ ਬੁਧ ਨਾਥ ਕੇਤੇ ਕੇਤੇ ਦੇਵੀ ਵੇਸ ॥ਕੇਤੇ ਦੇਵ ਦਾਨਵ ਮੁਨਿ ਕੇਤੇ ਕੇਤੇ ਰਤਨ ਸਮੁੰਦ ॥
ਕੇਤੀਆ ਖਾਣੀ ਕੇਤੀਆ ਬਾਣੀ ਕੇਤੇ ਪਾਤ ਨਰਿੰਦ ॥
There are many Krishans and Shivs in Gian Khand. There are many Brahmas, many Bhagats like Dhru. Many Indars and many Sidhs and Buddhas. There are many masters of Yoga and many goddesses in Gian Khand. There are many gods and demons and sages in Gian Khand.
From this it is clear that none of the Hindu Avtars ever got anywhere close to Sach Khand. Where will their followers go?
It is important however, to realize that as Sikhs although we practice the Truth and have been given the True Path by Guru Nanak Dev Jee Maharaj, we cannot have any hatred towards followers of other religions. The Gurus have taught us to respect and care for all people regardless of race, gender or religion.
It seems fitting to end this part with the following Pauri of Guru Amar Das Jee Maharaj. In this Pauri, Guru Patshaah has called those that repeat God's Name as Dhan Dhan. Blessed are those that sing God's praises. However, the greatest and most excellent are those Gursikhs that have Guru Sahib as their Guru (receive Sat Naam) and fall at the Guru's feet.
ਪਉੜੀ ॥
ਧੰਨੁ ਧਨੁ ਭਾਗ ਤਿਨਾ ਭਗਤ ਜਨਾ ਜੋ ਹਰਿ ਨਾਮਾ ਹਰਿ ਮੁਖਿ ਕਹਤਿਆ ॥
ਧਨੁ ਧਨੁ ਭਾਗ ਤਿਨਾ ਸੰਤ ਜਨਾ ਜੋ ਹਰਿ ਜਸੁ ਸ੍ਰਵਣੀ ਸੁਣਤਿਆ ॥
ਧਨੁ ਧਨੁ ਭਾਗ ਤਿਨਾ ਸਾਧ ਜਨਾ ਹਰਿ ਕੀਰਤਨੁ ਗਾਇ ਗੁਣੀ ਜਨ ਬਣਤਿਆ ॥
ਧਨੁ ਧਨੁ ਭਾਗ ਤਿਨਾ ਗੁਰਮੁਖਾ ਜੋ ਗੁਰਸਿਖ ਲੈ ਮਨੁ ਜਿਣਤਿਆ ॥
ਸਭ ਦੂ ਵਡੇ ਭਾਗ ਗੁਰਸਿਖਾ ਕੇ ਜੋ ਗੁਰ ਚਰਣੀ ਸਿਖ ਪੜਤਿਆ ॥੧੮॥
ਸਤਿਗੁਰਬਚਨਕਮਾਵਣੇਸਚਾਏਹੁਵੀਚਾਰੁ॥