Paatth Smaagam

Vaaheguroo ji ka khalsa
Vaaheguroo ji ki fateh!


I have couple of questions.
Why is it that Baani-singing Smaagams happen on such a large scale, but we never hear of a 'Paatth Smaagam', excluding Akhand Paatth Smaagams. I mean, the same Baani Sangat gets together to sing, why can't we do simply do Paatth of it in Sangati roop? Do we have to sing Baani? After all, it is not the vaja played or the vaja itself or the tabla played or the tabla itself that is going with you when you die, it is the Baani we sang using musical instruments that is going with us. So without Gurbaani, the instruments themselvea don'y have value. It is Baani that has value. So what is the need to play the instruments, when Baani is the treasure in the end? Aren't Keertan Smaagams a form of discrimination for those Gursikhs that don't do Keertan? Why can't we simply hold Paatth Smaagams instead doing Keertans? What differenve does it make when it is the same Baani, either sang or read?

Thank you.

Daas;
Jaspreet Singh

Vaheguru ji ka khalsa!
Vaheguru ji ki Fateh!

Refer to Bhai Randhir SIngh Jis book Gurmat Bibek to understand why singing Bani in the midst of Sadh Sangat
is the "Highest Karam"

THere is nothing wrong with collectively doing paath with sangat in fact its a great feeling as well, but it
could never equate to singing Gurbani in Sadh Sangat. You dont have to be a professional kirtani to
do kirtan . Nor do you need to undersand how to play vaja. YOu can still sing or listen to GUrbani in Sadh Sangat
to receive the full benefits. The kirtani is just the sevadar taking lead in delivering/singing GUrus message.

there is nothing comparable to a Sree Akhand Paath Sahib mandal if you ask me .
If rehitvaan abhiyaasi gursikhs who read bani with preym are doing Paath seva....
If there are listeners who have thirst to listen to bani with preym...
If listeners while listening to bani stir Naam Khanda within simultaneously...

Bhai Sahib in his own words has called, a Sree Akhand Paath Sahib mandal as "Sachkhand" on this earth.(recall reading it somewhere)
anyway...

Quote
Jaspreet Singh
I mean, the same Baani Sangat gets together to sing, why can't we do simply do Paatth of it in Sangati roop? Do we have to sing Baani? After all, it is not the vaja played or the vaja itself or the tabla played or the tabla itself that is going with you when you die, it is the Baani we sang using musical instruments that is going with us. So without Gurbaani, the instruments themselvea don'y have value. It is Baani that has value. So what is the need to play the instruments, when Baani is the treasure in the end?

My meager understanding is, the human mind has an attraction towards music. The mind is attracted to music like how a bee is to flowers.
To the extent, it has the ability to record the music it has heard. So, I believe that music+gurbani= keertan was used as tool by Guru Sahib, to "bribe" the wavering human mind into being present in hearing Sri GuruBani Jee. At the same time, when one is in emotions like love, bairaag or wailing for help, it help one to express it through keertan.

Of all, bibeki karams, kirtan happens to be the easiest one to focus on.
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Reading gurbani with attention requires one to have a balvaan surti. This doesn't come to everyone easily. Hence, the less interest. Same goes for the lack interest in Sree Akhand Paat smagams.

Bhai Guriqbal Singh (mata kaula) was in my town long time ago. A Choupera-6 hour abhiyaas program was arranged. Whereby Sangat would do paath of Sri JapJiSahib, Sri Sukhmani Sahib and so on. The was so much anand in hearing hundreds uttering gurbani at the same time.

You are right, we are seriously lacking on Paath Smagams in the Panth.

Chota veer

Bhai Sahib Bhai Jaspreet Singh,
the two best forms of Bhagti, a stated by Bhai Randhir Singh are Keertan and Akhand Path's, both these forms are living Sach Khands. It is every Gursikhs duty to learn Keertan, and becme Shudh Pathi's. If we do not either, then we are completly disobeying the Hukams of Guru Sahib. If you are intersted more in path then attend more Akhand path smagams in the future, but by ignoring the keertan aspect of Sikhi you are completly ignoring Guru Sahibs Hukam, as Guru Sahib over and over stresses the importance of Keertan in Kaljug.

A Sakhi that comes to me from the top of my head, one time in darbar, a Singh was reciting Sukhmani Sahib for the entire sangat. It had become later than expected, and by this time the keertan Jatha arrived. After completling the ashtpadhee, the Keertanie's rused to the stage and began keertan, even though Sukhmani Path had not fully been complete. The Singh who was doing path asked Guru Sahib why they had stopped him from completing the Path. Guru Sahib replied to him that the Singh (who was doing path) was offering the Sangat Ladoo's, but the Keertanie's were offering the Sangat Jalebi's (the foods I forgot exactly, point being the keertan was swetter then the reciation of Path)

Thus, reading Gurbani is best in the form of Akhand Path's, and all other occasions it is better to do keertan

very good suggestion by Jaspreet singh jee- i think naam smagams are also in need as this used to be of the past AKJ in the 60/70's

One day while doing paath, came over this line which hit me hard:

ਸੇਵਕਸਿਖਪੂਜਣਸਭਿਆਵਹਿਸਭਿਗਾਵਹਿਹਰਿਹਰਿਊਤਮਬਾਨੀ ॥
ਗਾਵਿਆਸੁਣਿਆਤਿਨਕਾਹਰਿਥਾਇਪਾਵੈਜਿਨਸਤਿਗੁਰਕੀਆਗਿਆਸਤਿਸਤਿਕਰਿਮਾਨੀ ॥੧॥

Guru Sahib says explicitly without mincing any words. Singing and paath of Gurbani will only fall into place if "ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਆਗਿਆ ਸਤਿ ਸਤਿ ਕਰਿ ਮਾਨੀ" .

ਹਰਿਕੀਰਤਿਸਾਧਸੰਗਤਿਹੈਸਿਰਿਕਰਮਨਕੈਕਰਮਾ ॥ (Naam is sarpanch of all hukams)
1.The main hukam is Naam. Naam is earned by gursikh at Amritwela(compulsory). No Amritwela = No Gursikhi.
2.Then, hukams in gurbani stress on continuous mediattion on Naam all day. Without proper amritwela this wont be possible.
3. Then, stopping ones self from vikaars and misdeeds Gurbani tells us to refrain from. Naam abhiyaas will give us the strong will to refrain from vikaars.
4. Gurbani is teaches us to adopt the 'right attitude' we should have towards SatGuroo. (preym, faith, obedience,humility, and so on...)
my understanding is very limited, but the above 4 are what are known to me.

As many smagams can be organized and attended.... (which is prominent today)
As many Sri Akhand Paath Sahibs can be done....
Devoid of obedience to hukams, it wont be "ਗਾਵਿਆ ਸੁਣਿਆ ਤਿਨ ਕਾ ਹਰਿ ਥਾਇ ਪਾਵੈ" .

Daas has also noticed once we start obeying hukams in our Jivan. Russ of Naam & Gurbani increases. Vikaars decrease.

Chota veer

Kirtan Samagams have their importance and cannot be replaced by anything else. Singing praises of Vaheguru or doing Sifat-Salah of Vaheguru through Gurbani is the highest form of Bhagti and same is true for Siri Akhand Paath Samagam as well.

Having said that, the suggestion by Jaspreet Singh is also very credible. We should have more Paath Samagams too. Doing Sangati Paath of Siri Sukhmani Sahib or even whole of Punj Granthi is very Rass-giving. It enables shy Gursikhs, who keep quiet in Kirtan, to speak Amrit Baani and this way brings Laaha to all segments of Sangat.

Jaspreet Singh jeeo, please lead us all in organizing some Paath Samagams. And it would be great if you could write a poem on the greatness of Paath Samagams.

Kulbir Singh

Excellent Suggestion Jaspreet Singh Jeeo. Many places in India and here too i have seen Weekly or even Daily Sangati Sukhmani Sahibs where Sangat Get together (Specially Bibis) do the Paaths, which feels so good to one sitting in the Sangat too.


Sangat look forward on you to lead us with excellent idea.

Vaheguru jee ka Khalsa Vaheguru jee kee fateh!