Friday, 8 August 2014

Akal Ustat in Punjabi



Akal Ustat is written by Tenth Guru Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. It is the second Bani, which we can find in the holy book the ‘Dasam Granth’ signed by none other than our tenth Guru, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji. The pious words bestowed upon to this literary piece revolve around the words of the Guru and his teachings. The literary meaning of ‘Akal Ustat’ is praising the almighty with all heart and soul. This in the Guru’s view can only happen when our mind is free from all caste discrimination and very one is allowed to praise God, the eternal power. This compilation has 271 verses created in different languages. 

This Bani also shows clear reference to caste system and his denial of its very existence. Caste system regards one group or religion, superior than the other. Even its history, culture, color and creed are considered supreme than the other which faces the brunt of being inferior. Our Guru Sahib said “all human beings should be considered as One with every one enjoying equal rights and priviledges”.

The Bani ‘Akal Ustat’ has a style of writing presented through Imagery in the praise of the almighty with equality of people in mind. The readings give us eternal peace within, which is something very magical. Every soul engulfed with God’s benign glory. Guru Sahib Guru Gobind Singh Ji says, “God is worshipped by various peoples in many different ways and with varying names and methods thus: 

Someone is Hindu and someone a Muslim, then someone is Shia, and someone a Sunni, but all human beings, as a species, are recognized as one and the same.

-(Guru Gobind Singh, Akal Ustat, Verse 85-15-1)

Read more, download book: Akal Ustat -Punjabi By Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committe, Amritsar

Wednesday, 6 August 2014

Gur Balam Sakhain- Short Stories of Guru Gobind Singh



www.sikhbookclub.com
A yet another literary work by our reverend author Padam Bhushan Bhai Vir Singhji is about chanting the pious name of the lord not once but everyday. Even if we chant for just 5 minutes, the perpetual intonation should continue at any cost. The busy stereotypical life bounds us with many things but what we don’t realize is that this incessant chanting of thy lord’s name will eventually fill our mind, body and soul with gems and jewels. The divinity should reside within to enlighten others with the benign spirituality a person has and must be encouraged to spread it and inculcate it within people he meets. The book highlights the life episodes of Guru Gobind Singhji, the tenth Guru sent by the lord and short stories from his life and concerning folks interacting with Guru Gobind Singhji. The books is written with the perspective to enlighten fellow people of faith who are ignorant of the lord’s name and do not know about Guru Gobind Singhji and his goodness to humanity. The introduction reveals the episode of the Guru asking a doctor to recite the name of the lord once on a daily basis and to that the doctor gave a non-affirmative reply because he had no time for prayers. It opens along with his saying- ‘He said: Remembrance is life. Forgetfulness is inanimateness.’ The book starts with the chapter representational process birth of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Guru’s birth in Patna and lots of episodes of his important holy life.