How Guru Sahib belongs to all and how not?

After the Vasaakhi of 1978, All India Akali Conference was held at Siri Amritsar Sahib. In that meeting one of the shrewd BJP (Bhartiya Janta Party) leader started blaming the Sikhs for the 1978 Shaheedi Saka involving Bhai Fauja Singh jee Shaheed. He complained, "why did the Sikhs go to the religious function of the Nirankaris. Sikhs themselves say that Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee belongs to everyone (Sabh de Sanjhe hunn). This means that Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee belongs to Sikhs and us (Hindus) as well. Then what's the fight for?"

The Sikh leaders present there could not answer the diplomatic and clever claim by the BJP leader. If there had been someone like Giani Ditt Singh jee, he would have given an appropriate rebuttal to this claim.

How Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee is not the common (Saanjhe) Guru of all?

How can Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee be the Guru of an individual who has not given his or her head to Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee and this way not adopted Guru jee as his or her savior?

Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee is not the Guru of one who does not obey Hukams of Guru Sahib and dishonours Kesh the gift of Guru jee. In order to have Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee as Guru, one has to adopt Siri Guru jee as Guru, by taking Khande Pahul (initiation, Amrit chhakna).

How does Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee belong to all?

Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee belongs to all and is common to all because Guru jee is accessible to all. Anyone who is willing to offer his or her head to Guru Sahib i.e. is ready to take Khande Pahul (Amrit Chhakna), can adopt Guru Sahib as his or her Guru. Whether one is rich or poor, big or small, old or young, Muslim or Hindu (or whatever religion), Brahmin, Khatri, Vash or Shudhra, Eastern or Western, one can adopt Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee as his or her Guru, provided one fulfills the conditions. This is how Guru jee belongs to all.

To claim that Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee is their Guru and to not follow any Hukam of Guru Sahib is hypocritical.

Daas,
Kulbir Singh

Adapted from an article by Bhai Kaur Singh jee Amritsar.

Bhai kulbir singh jio, thank you for bringing this up. This is something that is commonly thrown our way by non-sikhs. Yes Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji is JagatGuru but Guru of those only who obey and accept Guru sahib as their Guru.

Please share more writings of Bhai Kaur Singh ji of Amritsar. Bhai sahib's writings are very straight foward and very informative.

Here is a small story that came to my mind:

There was a person named Deen Singh living in a small village. Most of the people were illiterate in this village.
Deen Singh has two sons named Piar Singh and Jhalla Singh. Piar Singh was a real picture of piar/love. He used to obey his father by all means as possible but Jhalla Singh was just jhalla/fool who alway find an excuse to disobey his father. He usually go upto even insulting his father. One day Jhalla Singh got mad over something and he start beating his father. At this Piar Singh objected and tried to stop him but Jhalla Singh was not stoping and he even insulted Piar Singh too. Piar Singh was physically weaker than Jhalla Singh, so thought that he should get help from some one. He went running to the Sarpanch of the village, who along with other Panchs of the village came to Piar Singh's house. They all together stopped Jhalla Singh from beating his father. Then Piar Singh asked that he, Jhalla Singh should be punished for this. Jhalla Singh questioned him if their father, Deen Singh, belong to both of them and both have equal rights, Piar Singh replied that ,of course, both have the equal right. Jhalla Singh then told him that their father belong to both of them and they both have equal rights then he has the right to behave as he want to his father. Sarpanch was thinking what answer should be given to Jhalla Singh!!!

Good story Bhai Manjit Singh jee. The problem is that today we have more "Jhalla Singhs" as opposed to "Pyaar Singhs". Guru hee Raakha hove.

Kulbir Singh

Vah Jee Vah!
Amazing!
Baba Nand Singh Jee used to ask "Guru Nanak keedha?" (to whom does Guru Nanak belong?), and then he would answer "jo Guru Nanak da" (whoever belongs to Guru Nanak). Back then I used to think that anyone who has respect for Guru Sahib is all set. But now this makes more sense!

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In order to have Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee as Guru, one has to adopt Siri Guru jee as Guru, by taking Khande Pahul (initiation, Amrit chhakna).

I have to disagree. There have been many NON-amritdharis who have sacrificed their all for Khalsa panth.
Are we saying that when sukha jinda were sending vaidya to hell they had no rishta with Sri Guru Granth Sahib ?????????????????

Its beyond our reach to understand to whom Satguru jee belongs but Satguru jee does NOT belong to someone who bows his head or believes in any other Guru/prophet other than Guru Nanak Dev Jee------Guru Gobind Singh jee------Guru Granth Sahib Jee.

Harinder Singh, I think when people say you need to take Amrit in order to have a rishta with Guru Jee, they are only emphasizing the importance of Amrit in the life of a Sikh, they don't mean it literally. Sikhs like Sukha and Jinda were Sikhs, but they didn't take Amrit in order to accomplish their mission, it was a tactical and strategic decision on their part. Do you think they would approve of you using their example in order to show Sikhs don't need to take Amrit? The argument you are using is basically what many Hindus and ignorant Monas use against Amritdharis Sikhs and say: "What is the need to take Amrit? you can still be a Sikh without Amrit".

Coincidentally today when Amritdhari population is on the decline due to Patitpunaa, many Hindus and Monas(who call themselves Sahejdharis) are putting pressure on SGPC to allow them to vote and eventually even stand for elections since they all say they have a Rishtaa with Guru Sahib, we cannot let this happen. All Amritdharis from various groups/affiliations/jathas/sampradhas need to at least agree on the importance and necessity for a Sikh to take Amrit or else what little we have left will also be lost.

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Sikhs like Sukha and Jinda were Sikhs, but they didn't take Amrit in order to accomplish their mission, it was a tactical and strategic decision on their part

Veer jee,
This is what I believe in.
Only a REHITVAAN amritdhari is a SIKH. Rest ALL are sehajdharis.
Amritdharis who keep no rehit, eat meat for the taste of their tongue, do make up and wear ear-rings are all sehajdharis.