Guru Manyo Granth

A few weeks ago, I attended a seminar at the Bradshaw Gurdwara (Sacramento) on the dasam granth. Although I was unfortunately unable to attend the entire conference, I was able to listen to Dr. Harpal Singh Pannu, Professor and Head of the Department of Religious Studies at Punjabi University, Patiala. Dr. Pannu provides the intellectual content for those that argue of the authenticity of the entire dasam granth and I was delighted to be able to listen to his address.

While the conference had a sizable attendance, I left the conference wondering. In this year that we will be celebrating the 300th Anniversary of the Gurgaddi of our everlasting Guru – the Guru Granth Sahib and the Guru Khalsa Panth, why are we wasting time debating about the dasam granth? Where are the conferences about the Guru Granth Sahib?

Why are we dividing our community on the basis of another scripture? The brilliance of the framers of the Panthic Sikh Rehat Maryada becomes especially apparent.

The Panthic Sikh Rehat Maryada was a TRULY collective effort in the spirit of the Sarbat Khalsa. It took over 15 years of participation, collaboration, and discussion. The drafting of this document may in fact be one of the greatest Sikh historical movements in the post-Guru period. Although presented over 50 years ago, with the exception of the time-period’s gendered language, the document retains its brilliance. Hopefully we can be worthy of our ancestors and use the same process to update its language.

Over 70 organizations collaborated in the creation of the Panthic Rehat Maryada. Before the age of airplane travel, even the Sikhs in the United States (not to mention other Sikh communities in Burma, South East Asia, etc.) gave their opinion and weighed in. The Pacific Coast Khalsa Diwan, Stockton (America) is a proud signatory to the Panthic Rehat Maryada.

Some relevant excerpts follow (from the original Punjabi version):

In the definition of a Sikh, it is stated that a Sikh is “Any human being who faithfully believes in… The Guru Granth Sahib.”

When meditating on Naam, a Sikh is to “recite the following scriptural compositions every day”: Japu, the Jaapu, the Ten Sawayyas, Sodar Rehras, and Kirtan Sohila.

In the Gurdwara, the Panthic Rehat Maryada states that ONLY “The Guru Granth Sahib should be ceremonially opened in the Gurdwara every day without fail.” In fact, it states, “No book should be installed like and at par with the Guru Granth Sahib.”

During Kirtan, the Panthic Rehat Maryada calls for Kirtan ONLY of Gurbani, the writings of Bhai Gurdas, and that of Bhai Nand Lal.

The point of this post is not to add to the ongoing conflict, but to highlight the brilliance of the status quo. Why in this year of celebrating the Gurgaddi of the Guru Granth Sahib are we having this discussion? We should ONLY be discussing and celebrating the Guru Granth Sahib!

My hope is that, especially the youth, will have more sense than some of our elders and move beyond this divisive discussion. The worst exhibit I saw at the conference I attended and I know BOTH sides are guilty of this, was the declaration that the other side are not Sikhs. Both sides need to mature and grow up. I hope the Sikh youth can provide a better example for our elders.

In this year celebrating the 300th Anniversary of the Gurgaddi to the Guru Granth Sahib and the Guru Khalsa Panth, what better way can we celebrate this event then by uniting behind the Guru Granth Sahib and in the spirit of promoting the Guru Khalsa Panth have discussions and seminars promoting unity and ending of all hierarchies that divide our community.

So this is my declaration of transcendence. I will not engage in this destructive conversation. I will endeavor only to promote my Guru – the Guru Granth Sahib and the Guru Khalsa Panth.

The Panthic Rehat Maryada is a brilliant document and we should maintain the status quo on the writings of Guru Gobind Singh. Let us endeavor to retain the Panthic Rehat Maryada’s spirit.

The words of the 20th century’s greatest Sikh seem especially relevant here:

“Please come under the fold of SatGuru, take amrit, read bani, and talk among yourselves of Panth, the Kesri Nishan Sahib, and of your true leader the Guru Granth Sahib. Never speak bad about one another and remain united.”