How to start and maintain a Bibek diet

Sadh Sangat Jee,

I need your help, this year has been very difficult for me in many ways. I have lost my amrit and I feel like it that the most important thing was taken from me - and I have 100% of myself to blame. I think what caused my downfall was not following bibeki. I was the only amritdhari in my family and it made it very difficult to keep this rehat.

How can I start and maintain bibeki? I cannot cook so any suggestions would be immensly useful.

Thanking you in advance.

my suggestion is to learn how to cook. it's actually quite easy, there are millions of recipes online for every possible type of food. ask your mother to help you, or if that's not possible, do langar seva at the gurdwara to pick up some tips.

another option is to encourage your parents to take amrit. this will have the added benefit of giving you sangat in your own home, someone to share amritvela, simran, and nitnem with.

bibek can be difficult, but it's never impossible. remember that bhai sahib randhir singh managed to do it in prison!

As far as rehit is concerned, it is the duty of a Gursikh to follow it and adopt it. Some rehits are easier to follow for some Gursikhs and harder for others. It depends on one’s prior Karma. For some Gursikhs it is easy to get up at Amritvela while for others it is harder depending on their worldly duties and schedules. Similarly some Gursikhs are born into Gursikh families that follow Bibek and it is easier for them to follow the Bibek rehit but others who are not from Bibeki families have some difficulty in following this rehit. Rehit is a must for a Gursikh to keep, despite difficulties. No one is exempted from keeping rehit.

When Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh jee first got initiated (got Amrit), his family was not with him. He did it alone. When he came home, he had to cook food for himself, for sometime. After seeing his sincere effort and also due to worldly attachment (moh), his parents too took Amrit and so did his wife. At the time he took amrit, his wife was gone to her parents house but Bhai Sahib could not wait any longer to take amrit; so he took it alone. Later on, everyone from his family joined him in getting initiated to Khalsa Panth.

Dietary Bibek rehit is difficult for such Gursikhs who are alone in the family to follow this rehit or are the first ones from their families to keep this rehit. Below are some tips and thoughts about this rehit:

1) First thing to understand is that this is a mandatory rehit of Guru Sahib and without this rehit, one’s true spiritual Chardi Kala is stalled.

2) Once, one’s mind is determined to keep this rehit, the next thing to adopt is patience and peace.

3) Arguing and fighting with others over this rehit is very counter-productive. One must keep patience in view of negative comments and arguments. Try to explain your point of view peacefully and while chanting Naam within the mind.

4) It is important to learn some cooking so that one does not have to stay hungry. Making daal is not that hard. If need be, some basic cooking can be learned from fellow Gursikhs or from relatives like mom, sister etc.

5) It is imperative that you don’t stay hungry and start losing weight. Nothing troubles the near and dear ones more than this. If they see that you are eating well, they will create less trouble for you and Bibek rehit.

6) One Singh actually gained weight after keeping this rehit and cooking alone. He was eating a lot of nuts especially peanuts. If a Gursikh drinks milk, eat nuts, fruits and other easily prepared things, it can make his life quite comfortable. Cooking 2 or 3 times a day may be hard for many newcomers to Sikhi.

Basically Sikhi is a game of divine love. If love is there, then the lover can even sacrifice his life for the beloved one. Countless Gursikhs sacrificed immensely for the sake of this divine love. If one is blessed with this divine love, then one can effortlessly keep rehit of Guru Sahib. I have witnessed 13-14 year Gursikhs voluntarily keeping rehit including Sarbloh Bibek, against all odds and on the other hand even married couples who can easily keep this rehit easily, choose to not keep this rehit.

Guru Sahib Bhali karan.

Kulbir Singh

This rehat seems to be ignored by a lot of people for some strange reason

Translated from Khalsa Vidhaan by Bhai Kaur Singh.

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.

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 (ਸਰਬ ਲੌਹ) 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.

Thank you so much Vista jee, for posting the translation of Bhai Kaur Singh jee's work. I have read books of Bhai Sahib and have found them very inspiring. Actually, Bhai Kaur Singh je's book on Sarbloh was the final push that prompted me to keep Sarbloh Bibek (by the kirpa of Guru Sahib) many years ago. Indeed, Sarbloh Bibek is an amazing rehit that really helps in focus and concentration.

Kulbir Singh

waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh jio.... recently i had started following sarbloh bibek with guidance and inspirations of u all gurupyare, but i m confused regarding my food to work,, My father send me lot of sarbloh utensils from india, he send me stainless steel lunch box. but m not using it still, I need ur guidance now, bcoz m dying of hunger every afternoon , can i use that stainless steel utensils for take away ? bhul chuk de das nu khima bhakshna ji

Taking food for lunch is not a problem. Many Gursikhs including this humble Daas, take rolled Parshaade (roti) filled with dry Sabzee like Paneer, Aaloo etc, and wrapped in a piece of cloth. You can carry this Parshade wrapped in cloth, in a steel box. Others take sandwich (home made bread) again wrapped in a piece of cloth and put in lunch box. Daas got special lunch boxes made of Sarbloh from India but if you are going to wrap your rolled Parshade or sandwiches in a piece of cloth, then there should be no problem in keeping this wrapped food in an ordinary lunch box. Along with this you can take handful walnuts, almonds or other nuts.

Don't starve.

Kulbir Singh

i will follow the same as u advised me, and i will get new sarbloh boxes from india...and i thing more to ask what about extra food, where i have to save, dass now saving in steel boxes, m living alone here when i cooked dal or sabzi , it more than enough, it is nearly in that quantity that i will eat 5 times .. i tried a lot to decrease it, but its my habit from 6 years i always cook not according to number of person , but with size of pitala , such a bad chef i m

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i will follow the same as u advised me, and i will get new sarbloh boxes from india...and i thing more to ask what about extra food, where i have to save, dass now saving in steel boxes, m living alone here when i cooked dal or sabzi , it more than enough, it is nearly in that quantity that i will eat 5 times .. i tried a lot to decrease it, but its my habit from 6 years i always cook not according to number of person , but with size of pitala , such a bad chef i m

Here it differs from Gursikh to Gursikh. Some Gursikhs don't save food at all. They only prepare as much as for one time.

Taking cue from senior Singhs of Bhai Sahib's times, Gursikhs advise saving or storing food in clay pots or cheeni utensils. This is what they used to do during times of Bhai Sahib.

Other Gursikh advise that any neutral dhaat that does not leave any impression on the food is fine. Plastic is not considered acceptable for storing cooked food. Steel is better than plastic.

Kulbir Singh

Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa Wahegur Ji Ke Fateh

Daas has started on this rehit also very recently - hope to continue -- veeer Kulbir Singh Jeeo please elaborate a bit more on the point where you mention:

Indeed, Sarbloh Bibek is an amazing rehit that really helps in focus and concentration

in what way and how does it help in focus and concentration please??

IkOngkarSriVaheguroojikiFateh
VAHEGUROOJIKAKHALSA VAHEGUROOJIKIFATEH!!!!! The wonderful discussion on sarbloh reminds me of a story related to Bhai Sahib Randhir Singh ji.
(From 'Jeevan Bhai Randhir Singh ji' by Principal Nihal Singh Ras)
It was early spring. Kirtan samagam was going on since amritvela. Then after the samapti of the divan at 11 am, saadhsangat started proceeding back to their homes.
Bhai sahib also started moving back to Narangwal with his comrades.
On the way, in the middle of the fresh fields, lied a little well. The singhs felt like drinking water. On inquiring, they found that the well belonged to a 'musalmaan araiya'. There was no bucket to hold water, only did they found a piece of leather shaped like a vessel. Bhai Gulab Singh said to Bhai Sahib, " If you will, should I give you water in this leather vessel. KHALSA should not do bharam."
Bhai sahib stopped for a while and then pondered, "What if the animal whose skin is used to make leather is halaal? Therefore I don't want to have it."
The charchaa started among the gursikhs that whether it is acceptable to drink water from that container or not. It was decided tgat the Singhs would gather the Ludhiana sangat to decide on that issue the next day. Moreover Bhai sahib decided that he would not drink a drop of water until a final decision is taken by the sangat.
The next day Dr Natha Singh and five other singhs reached the Raipur station to reach Ludhiana. Bhai Sahib along with his sathis also reached the station. Bhai sahib saw that Dr Sahib had a sarbloh gadva filled with water. DR Sahib said "Bhai Sahib, take have some water." When bhaisahib saw that the gadva is of sarbloh, he drank some water. Then Bhai sahib after drinking water proceeded towards the ticket counter to buy tickets. Suddenly Natha Singh ji yelled from behind, "Bhai sahib i've bought the tickets!"
Bhai sahib inquisitively asked, "Natha Singh ji, you were giving me water from sarbloh gadva, when did u buy the ticket?
Dr Natha Singh answered surprisingly, "What are you saying Bhai saab, I do not even possess a sarbloh gadva, how can i give you water from it!
Bhai sahib was amazed and felt like being blessed. They got the answer. Guruji themselves came to his Sikh to enlighten him. So is the importance of sarbloh.
Please forgive dass if some errors have crept in in this loose translation.

Dass
Harleen Singh

wjkk wjkf, dass when started sarbloh dass made own lunch box by iron pipe .and then put it in ordinary lunch box case.to keep food hot.to make that type of lunch box plz find some good type metal pipe. bhag heen bhram chotan khave.

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Daas has started on this rehit also very recently - hope to continue -- veeer Kulbir Singh Jeeo please elaborate a bit more on the point where you mention:
Indeed, Sarbloh Bibek is an amazing rehit that really helps in focus and concentration
in what way and how does it help in focus and concentration please??

Please ponder upon the following Gurbani Pankiti:

ਤੇਰੈ ਹੁਕਮਿ ਪਵੈ ਨੀਸਾਣੁ ਤਉ ਕਰਉ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ॥
ਜਬ ਗੁਰੁ ਦੇਖੈ ਸੁਭ ਦਿਸਟਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਮੁਖਿ ਮੇਵਾ ॥
(When Guru Amardaas jee gazes with Shubh Disht (gaze of grace), then the Naam of Karta Vaheguru feels sweet in the mouth)

This Pankiti and many other Pankitis prove that concentration and Rass of Naam occurs not with our hard work or effort but with Kirpa of Guru Sahib. When Guru Sahib is pleased, He blesses us with more Naam, Gurbani, concentration and Rass. If Guru Sahib's Kirpa is not there, then first of all one just can't engage in Naam and Gurbani but little bit of Gurbani or Naam that one still does (due to Pralabadh Karma), lacks concentration and Rass.

If Guru Sahib enables us to keep Rehit, and obey Hukams, then Guru Sahib becomes pleased with us and this results in increased concentration and Rass. It's not about Sarbloh Bibek, Kakaars, Daswandh or Baana but it's about Guru Sahib's Hukam. If Kara had not been made a Kakaar by Guru Sahib, then wearing a Kara would have given us no spiritual benefit but now since Guru Sahib has ordained us to wear a Kara all the time, then obeying this Hukam results in Kirpa from Guru Sahib. Same is the case with Sarbloh Bibek and other Rehits of Guru Sahib.

Every time, we keep Guru Sahib's Rehit, it enhances our spirituality. Sarbloh alone does not do the trick unless it is preceded by Bibek which is the base of dietary Bibek Rehit. If you eat and cook in Sarbloh but don't care if the food is prepared by a Tyaar bar Tyaar Gursikh, then there is not much benefit in eating or cooking in Sarbloh. Bibek is the Mool of Dietary Bibek.

Kulbir Singh

waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh jio.. dass needs to know what type of oil is suitable for cooking, now i am using desi keo , can i use olive oil instead of that. bhul chuk di khima ji

if you can't cook, just eat fruits
they're healthy for you and you wont have to cook anything


Sukhsehaj Kaur

i am totally agreed with u bhein jio....i cant rely only on fruits because m already so slim... and i know cooking as well , infact its my hobby as well, M away from my parents from nearly last 6 years, Now u can imagine how z m cooking, My fellows r fond of green mong dal in mix of indian rama torii.cook by me, but i will try to follow ur advice as well very soon, sat bachan ji... bhul chuk di khima