As Sikhism is a way of life, Sikhs are to remember and emphasize three practices in their individual and corporate life: (1) Kirat Karnee, (2) Vand Shaknaa, and (3) Naam Japnaa. First, "Kirat Karnee" is the right way of living which includes honest or truthful way of labor and work side by side with the search of the Truth. Second, "Vand Shaknaa" is giving or sharing with others in the society who are less fortunate. And third is "Naam Japnaa", which is to engage in unbroken remembrance or contemplation on God (meditation or Naam-Simran).

This Gurbani Reflection will attempt to reflect on one of these golden rules — "Vand Shaknaa". As indicated above, "Vand Shaknaa" is essentially giving or sharing in selfless love and the spirit of self-sacrifice. This is the true sacrifice. Often when we hear this word sacrifice, the first thing that comes to our mind is killing an animal as an offering to God (Muslim particular associate this word with killing an animal as an offering to God, specially during the Hajj pilgrimage). But in spiritual traditions of India, actually the word sacrifice has nothing to do with killing. It simply means selfless sharing (or Vand Shaknaa). It is sacrificing one's own comforts and selfish desires in order to develop the spirit of Vand Shaknaa or selfless sharing with one and all. Thus, in the deeper sense, Vand Shaknaa helps bring about and then maintain harmony in the world. Simply put, it is casting off one's personal likes and dislikes for one another.

• igAwn ivhUxw gwvY gIq]BuKy mulW Gry msIiq]mKtU hoie kY kMn pVwey ]Pkru kry horu jwiq gvwey]guru pIru sdwey mMgx jwie] qw kY mUil n lgIAY pwie]Gwil Kwie ikCu hQhu dyie]nwnk rwhu pCwxih syie: Giaan vihoonaa gaavai geet...: The one who lacks spiritual wisdom sings religious songs (for the sake of earning bread). The hungry Mullah turns his home into a mosque (or he also goes to mosque for the sake of bread!). The lazy bum has his ears pierced to look like a Yogi. Someone else becomes a panhandler, and thus loses his self-respect. Someone calls himself a guru or a spiritual teacher, while he goes around begging for bread - don't ever touch their feet. One who truthfully works for what he eats, and gives some of what he has - O Nanak, he knows the path (sggs 1245).
• Axhody Awpu vMfwey]ko AYsw Bgqu sdwey: Anhode aap vandaaye. Ko aisaa bhagat sadaaye: Share with others, even when there is almost nothing to share. Only such a rare one is called a true devotee (sggs 1384).
• jau lau Bwau ABwau iehu mwnY qau lau imlxu dUrweI ]Awn Awpnw krq bIcwrw qau lau bIcu ibKweI: Jo lo bhaaou abhaaou ihu maanai taou laou milan dooraaee. Aan aapanaa. Aan aapanaa karat beechaaraa taou laou beech bikhaaee: As long as this (mind) believes in likes and dislikes, it is difficult for him to meet the Lord. As long as he entertains the notion of "I, me, mine" (or himsels) and "You" (or others), he will distance himself from the Lord (because until then this mind will act as the veil of Maya between the person and the Lord) (sggs 609).

Therefore, "Vand Shaknaa" certainly does not seem to be limited to "Langar" only (in English, a Langar is often indicated by many terms such as "common kitchen", "open kitchen", "free mess", "Sikh community meal", "free communal kitchen of the Gurdawaaraa", and so on). The Langar symbolizes Sikh belief in the community spirit, the duty to selflessly serve others (particularly those who are less fortunate such as poor, destitute, hungry, etc.), and the equality of all people of diverse backgrounds (regardless of family of birth, color of one's skin, caste, creed, gender, religion, rich or poor) as they all belong to the same One God. However, it appears that, nowadays, the Langar has more or less become a competition in offering of elaborate feasts to each other expecting to outdo the other for the sake of status (or showoff) with ever-expanding and pricey menu of extravagant dishes! On top of that, many times the host is seen distributing gifts (e. g., a box of Indian sweets, silver coin etc.) at the end of the Langar!

Other aspects of "Vand Shaknaa" may include but not limited to "sharing" or "giving" money, Naam, virtues, knowledge, time, efforts, special skills or expertise, protecting the environment or nature, and any other form of help, Sevaa (selfless service) or charity (Daan). For example, one can go to and remove the pain of those who are sad or suffering by simply speaking kind and consoling words to them or attentively listening to their problems. Thus, every one of us — the rich and poor — can give every day. In this way, through good thoughts and actions, humans should be able to remove the darkness of selfishness and hatred and thereby create real peace, harmony and friendship in the world.

• hau bilhwrI swjnw mIqw AvrIqw ]iehu qnu ijn isau gwifAw mnu lIAVw dIqw ]lIAw q dIAw mwnu ijn@ isau sy sjn ikau vIsrih: haou balihaaree saajanaa meetaa avareetaa. Ihu tanu jin siou gaadiaa manu leearraa deetaa. Leeaa ta deeaa maan jin siou se sajan kiou veesarahi: I am a sacrifice to my pure friends, the immaculate Saints. This body is attached to those with whom I have shared minds. We have shared our minds — how could I forget those friends? (sggs 765).
• jy gux hovin@ swjnw imil swJ krIjY: Je gun hovani saajanaa mil saajh kareejai: If my friends have virtues, I will share in them (sggs 765).
• hir nwmu sunwvY nIq: Har naam sunaavai neet: Who will constantly share the Lord's Name with me? (sggs 980).
• nwmu idRVwvY nwmu jpwvY qw kw jug mih Drmw: Naam drirraavai naam japaavai taa kaa jug mahi dharamaa: Implant the Naam, and inspire others to chant the Naam; this is Dharma, true religion, in this world (sggs 680).
• ijnI nwmu iDAwieAw gey mskiq Gwil]nwnk qy muK aujly kyqI CutI nwil: Jinee Naam dhiaaiaa gaye masakat ghaal. Nanak te mukh oujale ketee shuttee naal: Those who have meditated on the Naam and departed after having worked truthfully — O Nanak, they depart with radiant faces, and many are emancipated along with them (sggs 8).
• ivic dunIAw syv kmweIAY]qw drgih bYsxu pweIAY]khu nwnk bwh lufweIAY: Vichi duneeaa sev kamaaeeai.Taa dargahi baisan paaeeai: In the midst of this world, do selfless service (Sevaa), and you will attain the experience of Divine Realm. Then, says Nanak, you will become free from all worries (sggs 26).
• PrIdw jy mY hodw vwirAw imqw AwieiVAW ]hyVw jlY mjIT ijau aupir AMgwrw ]22]: Fareedaa je mai hodaa vaariaa mitaa aairriaaan. Herraa jalai majeeth jiou oupar angaaraa ||22||: Says Fareed, if I hide from my friends who come to me (when I do not take the opportunity to serve when they come to my house), (then) I feel as my flesh is burning red on the hot coals. ||22|| (sggs 1379).
  

The following story of Bhai Kanhaya reminds us of the true spirit of selfless service in Sikhi. During a battle between the army of Aurangzeb (the Mughal emperor) and Sikhs, Bhai Kanhaya served as a unique soldier. He would provide drinking water to the wounded in the battlefield and would bandage their wounds. He was blessed with such an even vision, love and the spirit of service that he did not see any difference between his own Singh soldiers and the wounded soldiers of the enemy. Some Sikh soldiers complained to the Guru (Guru Gobind Singh Jee) about this. Upon asking him by the Guru as to why he was doing what he was doing, he submitted to the Guru that he could see only the image of his Guru in all the wounded. The Guru was pleased with the answer and blessed him for his true Sikh spirit of service.

In regard to "giving", the SGGS also has couple of warnings for us to remember. First, the SGGS says that God cannot be won over by such act. "Then why do it?", one may ask. Because acting selflessly in love, compassion and the true spirit of self-sacrifice thins our false sense of "I, Me, Mine" (Haume), selfishness, greed, and so on, which is essential in realizing the real aim of human birth — Self-realization. Second, the SGGS reminds us not to brag about giving. Because such arrogance or the feeling of pride is a sign of one's foolishness; similar to the act of an elephant, who takes a bath, and then rolls in the dust!

• n BIjY dwqNØI kIqY puMin: Na bheejai daateen keetai punn: He (God) is not won over by giving donations in charity (sggs 1237).
• jy ko hoie bhY dwqwru ]iqsu dynhwru jwnY gwvwru: Je ko hoi bahai daataar. Tis denahaar jaanai gaavaar: One who brags about giving to charities, the Great Giver (God) will judge him to be a fool (sggs 282).
• qIrQ brq Aru dwn kir mn mY DrY gumwnu ]nwnk inhPl jwq iqh ijau kuMcr iesnwnu: Teerath barat ar daan kar mann mai dhari gumaan. Nanak nihphal jaat tih jiyu kunchar isnaan: Those who make pilgrimages to sacred shrines, observe ritualistic fasts and make donations to charity while still taking pride in their minds - O Nanak, their actions are useless, like the elephant, who takes a bath, and then rolls in the dust (sggs 1428).
• ieknw suiD n buiD n Akil sr AKr kw Byau n lhMiq]nwnk sy nr Asil Kr ij ibnu gux grbu krMiq: Iknaa sudhi na budhi na akali akhar kaa bheou na lahanti. Nanak se nar asali khar ji bin gun garab karant: Those who have neither understanding, nor knowledge nor brains and do not bother to understand the meanings of the words are real donkeys who earn no merit and bray in arrogance (sggs 1246).
  

— T. Singh
www.gurbani.org

Updated on Monday, September 22, 2008 1:05 PM (PST)

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