Who can Say That the Guru is Dead?

The Gurbani declares that the Guru never dies.

Then, isn’t celebrating death anniversaries of the Gurus contrary to the Gurmat (the Teaching of the Gurbani…)?

However, starting from the so called “Takhats“, all Gurdwaras, and Deraas elaborately celebrate death anniversaries of the Gurus throughout the world!

It seams like the majority of us (99.9 percent category) – again starting from the Deraas, “Takhats” and Gurdwaras all over the world – don’t much bother to find out as to what the Gurbani has to say about this practice in Sikhi.

The Gurbani asks: “WHO CAN SAY THAT THE GURU IS DEAD?”

• ਮਿਲਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਅੰਗਦ ਅਮਰ ਗੁਰ ਗੁਰੁ ਰਾਮਦਾਸੁ ਹਰਿ ਪਹਿ ਗਯਉ ॥ ਹਰਿਬੰਸ ਜਗਤਿ ਜਸੁ ਸੰਚਰ੍ਯ੍ਯਉ ਸੁ ਕਵਣੁ ਕਹੈ ਸ੍ਰੀ ਗੁਰੁ ਮੁਯਉ ॥੧॥: Mili Nanak angad amar gur gur Ramdasu hari pahi gayaou. Harbans jagati jasu sancharyaou so kavanu kahai sri guru muyaou. ||1||: Gur Angad Sahib meeting Gur Nanak Sahib; Gur Amardas Sahib meeting Gur Angad Sahib, and Gur Raamdas Sahib meeting Guru Amardas Sahib, (they all) immersed in the Lord (ਹਰੀ ਵਿਚ ਲੀਨ ਹੋ ਗਏ). Says Harbans! The Glory (of the Guru) has propagated (spreaded, etc.) all over the world; who can say that the the Guru is dead? (i.e., the Guru Lives forever – ਜਾਗਦੀ ਜੋਤਿ)||1|| (sggs 1409). 

Due to Bharam -Jaal (doubts, Mayaic consciousness, Dubidhaa, etc.), those who still believe the Guru is dead, some more verses from the Gurbani follow:

• ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਜਾਗਤਾ ਹੈ ਦੇਉ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥: Satiguru jaagataa hai deou ||1|| Rahaaou||: The Satiguru is the Living Lord (ਜੀਉਂਦਾ ਜਾਗਦਾ ਦੇਵਤਾ). ||1||Pause|| (sggs 479).
• ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਮੇਰਾ ਸਦਾ ਸਦਾ ਨਾ ਆਵੈ ਨਾ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਓਹੁ ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਹੈ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਇ ॥੧੩॥: Satiguru meraa sadaa sadaa n aavai n jaai. Ohu abinaasee purakhu hai sabh mahi rahiaa samaai ||13||: My Satiguru is Everlasting (Immortal, etc.); He neither comes nor goes (i.e., beyond birth and death). He Himself is the Eternal (Imperishable, ਨਾਸ-ਰਹਿਤ, etc.) Lord who, pervades among all ||13|| (sggs 759).
• ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਸਦ ਜੀਵੈ ਨਹੀ ਮਰਤਾ ॥: Brahm Giaanee sad jeevai nahee martaa: Brahm Giaanee ever lives and never dies (sggs 273).
• ਕਬੀਰ ਸੰਤ ਮੂਏ ਕਿਆ ਰੋਈਐ ਜੋ ਅਪੁਨੇ ਗ੍ਰਿਹਿ ਜਾਇ ॥ ਰੋਵਹੁ ਸਾਕਤ ਬਾਪੁਰੇ ਜੁ ਹਾਟੈ ਹਾਟ ਬਿਕਾਇ ॥੧੬॥: Kabeer sant mooe kiaa roeeai jo apune grihi jaai. Roovahu saakat baapure ju haato haat bikaai ||16||: O Kabeer! Do not cry at the death of a Saint. He is just going back to his own Home (i.e., God, ਪ੍ਰਭੂ-ਚਰਨਾਂ ਵਿਚ…). (If you want to cry,) Cry (at the death of) the Saakat (wretched Mayadhaaree), who is sold from store to store (i.e., who wanders in the cycle of birth and death). ||16|| (sggs 1365).
• ਭੂਲੀ ਭੂਲੀ ਮੈ ਫਿਰੀ ਪਾਧਰੁ ਕਹੈ ਨ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਪੂਛਹੁ ਜਾਇ ਸਿਆਣਿਆ ਦੁਖੁ ਕਾਟੈ ਮੇਰਾ ਕੋਇ ॥ ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਸਾਚਾ ਮਨਿ ਵਸੈ ਸਾਜਨੁ ਉਤ ਹੀ ਠਾਇ ॥: Bhoolee bhoolee mai phiree paadharu kahai n koi. Pooshahu jaai siaaniaa dukhu kaatai meraa koi. Satiguru saachaa mani vasai saajan ut hee thaai: Confused and deluded (for a long time – ਬਹੁਤ ਚਿਰ ਤੋਂ ਖੁੰਝੀ ਹੋਈ), I wander around, but no one shows me the straight Way (right or clear Path – ਪੱਧਰਾ ਰਾਹ). (I keep wandering and) asking the wise people, if anyone can rid me of my suffering (confusion and delusion). When the Satiguru (Sach Daa Giaan, Brahm-Giaan, Shabad-Giaan, etc.) abides within the mind, then God is (also) seen at the same place (that is, within – ਭਾਵ, ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਭੀ ਓਸੇ ਥਾਂ ਹਿਰਦੇ ਵਿਚ ਹੀ ਮਿਲ ਪੈਂਦਾ ਹੈ) (sggs 1087). 

The Gurbani says that the Satigur pervades in His Sikhs (“ਗੁਰਸਿਖਾ ਅੰਦਰਿ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਵਰਤੈ”: Gursikhaa andar satigur vartai, sggs 312 and 317). Now, if we still celebrate death anniversary of the Satigur, it means we are also dead!! That means, if He is dead, then the Satigur cannot be within His Gursikhs. Isn’t it? Further the Gurbani reminds us that nobody is empty or devoid of Satigur (“ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਖਾਲੀ ਕੋ ਨਹੀ…”: Satigur te khaalee ko nahee…, sggs 850). It means, if He is dead, then we devoid of the Satigur! Isn’t it?

Let alone the Gurus, even when an ordinary person leaves his/her body, we routinely hear Bhais or Ragis singing this Shabad during the “Bhog” ceremony – “ਕਉਨੁ ਮੂਆ ਰੇ ਕਉਨੁ ਮੂਆ ॥”:Kaounu mooaa re kaounu mooaa, sggs 885. They chose this Shabad to make the point to the mourning family, friends and relatives gathered in the “Bhog” that in fact nobody dies!

Ironically, the same Bhais, Ragis, Gurdawara-cometees, etc., turn around and organize elaborate celebrations of death anniversaries of the Gurus!! Isn’t it obvious they are doing it just for the Golak (money)? What a fraud!

In fact this is no more than body-consciousness (ਸਰੀਰ ਦਾ ਮੋਹ, ਮਾਇਆ ਦਾ ਮੋਹ, ਪਰਾਈ ਮਤ, ਮਨ ਮਤ, ਬ੍ਰਹਮਣੀ ਮਤ …): living at the level of the body (Maya). This is not Gurmat. This is Mayaic or Mayadhaaree lifestyle (ਮਾਇਆਧਾਰੀ ਜੀਵਨ).

• ਬੁਝੁ ਰੇ ਗਿਆਨੀ ਮੂਆ ਹੈ ਕਉਣੁ ॥: Bujhu re giaanee mooaa hai kaounu: Understand (inquire…), O wise-man, who has died. (sggs 152).

THUS, THE GURBANI TELLS US THAT GURU NEVER DIES. HOWEVER, WE (THE SIKHS) SAY THE GURU IS DEAD, AND ELABORATELY CELEBRATE GURU’S DEATH ANNIVERSARIES!! ISN’T IT CONTRARY TO THE GURMAT?.