Dictionary of Sikh Philosophy

273 Pages·2012·8.17 MB·English

DICTIONARY OF
SIKH' PIllLOSOPHY
Dr. Harjinder Singh Dilgeer
DICTIONARY
OF
SIKH PHILOSOPHY
Dr. HarjinderSingh Dilgeer
Sikh University Press
2005
DICTIONARY OF SIKH PHILOSOPHY
(Morethan600conceptsofSikh Philosophy.Sikhculture.
Sikhliterature&Sikhpolity)
Br
Dr. HarjinderSingh Dilgeer
Ph.D.M.Phi\.. LL.B..
M.A.(English. Punjabi. Philosophy)
Adi Granth Acharya
«)Author([email protected])
First edition March 2005
ISBN 2-930247-08-8
Puhlishedhy:
Sikh University Press
Post Box 36.
4300.Waremme,Belgium.
[email protected]
Oistri!J/I((Jl"S:
Singh Brothers
BanI'Mai Sewan
.'\l1lritsar-143()()().India
D.T.F. Books
Soho Road. Ilands\\tlrth.
Bil1llingllUll1.I:nglLmd.
For
Dr Darshan Singh
&
Prof. Parkash Kaur
THANKS
Mysincerethanksto:
Dr. DarshanSinghandhiswife Prof Parkash Kaur(C'handigarh).
SirdarSurjeetSinghChhadauri and his family (Belgium). Giani Kesar
SinghCanada. Dr. JasbirSinghSarna(Kashmir). Dr. GurbachanSingh
Bachan, DrUjagarSingh Dhaliwal (Director, Guru Ram Das Medical
Institute& Hospital.Amritsar),SirdarGurbachanSinghKalsi(Amritsar).
BhaiSubegSingh(Denmark).SirdarJagirSinghIlamdard(Binningham,
England),GianiJagmohanSingh(Ludhiana),SirdarMohinderSinghJosh
(SahibzadaAjitSinghNagar, Mohali), Bibi i\ma~jit Kaurand Sirdarni
Arvinder Kaur(Ibben Kalan) andall otherdearsand nears. who were
helpfultomeduringthewritingandprintingofthisbook. Iamalsothankful
to DrGurdevSingh forpreparingawriteupofmybiography.
Thisbook isdedicatedto DrDarshanSingh(myteacher,guide,
:·riend). who has always been a great asset to me, and his wife, Prof.
ParkashKaur(FonnerHead,DepttofPunjabi.DAYCollegeforWomen,
Chandigarh)who hasalways beenaverykindsisterto me. Ican'tpen
down inwordsthat lowebothofthem.
(Note:EnglishtranslationofthehymnsfromGuruGranthSahibis
based,mostly,onDrDarshanSingh'stranslationofGuruGranthSahib).
(Dr. HarjinderSinghDilgecr)
[email protected]
4
How to use this Dictionary
l 1. Ihaveusedfollowingtransliterationspellingsi.e.
Myspellings Otherpopularspellings
Aalas Alas
Aarti Arti
,~I Aasa Di Vaar Asa Di Var
,\
Aasa Mansaa Asa Mansa
Aatma Atma
AadiGranth AdiGranth
Akaal Akal
AkaalTakhtSahib AkalTakhtSahib
Baani Bani
Baarah Maah Barah Mah
Karam Kaand Karam Kand
Karhaah Parshaad Karhah Parshad
Maala Mala
Naam, Daan, Ishoaan Nam, Dan, Ishnan
Paatth Path/Patth
Raag Rag/Raga
Saadh Sangat SadhSangat
Satnaam Satnam
Tankhaah Tankhah
Vaak Laina VakJaina
Vaar Var etc.
ButI haveacceptedsomespellingse.g.
Gunnam Gunnma
Khalsa Khalsa
Khanda Khanda
Maya Maya
Nanak Nanak etc.
2.Whenawordappearsinltillicsandboldinthetextofexplanation,
therewillbeaseparateentryofthattenne.g.ifthefollowingappearsin
someentry:"After1708,SarbatKh~awasinvestedwiththeauthority
to make Gurmata"; thereareseparate entriesofSarbalKhalsa and
Gurmata.
5

Dictionary of Sikh Philosophy,
Culture, Literature and Polity
36AMRIT/36PADARATH:See:ChhattihAmrit.
84LAKHJOON/JUN: See: ChaurasiLakhJoon.
A
AALAS:Aalas,literally,means:idleness'lethargy/inactivityorlDlwillingness
tomakeefforts. InSikhism,aalasmeansunwillingnesstodovirtuous
actions.Itisanobstacleinthepathofspiritualadvancement(GuruGranth
Sahib,p.460).
AARTI:ThewordAaratiisacombinationoftwowordsAa(without)+
raatri(night),AccordingtopopularHindidiction,Aartimeans:"that
whichcanbedoneevenifitisnotnighti.e. lightingofearthen(orany
other)lamp.ItisaformofHinduworship.TheHindusplacesmallearthen
lampsinaplatter,placeitbeforesomeidolordeity,and thentakethe
platteraroundthatidol/deity,inthemorningsandintheevenings.Itis,in
fact,worshipofmythicalHindu'godoffire'. Sikhismstrictlyprohibits
such worship (ofgod offire ortheotherwise). SomeSikhs, whoare
ignorantaboutSikhphilosophy(orareundertheimpactofHinduism),
though they do not burn lamps. still sing Guru Nanak Sahib'shymn
captionedAartiby treating itas a formal Aarti. Guru Nanak Sahib's
hymnAartiisarejectionofthehypocrisyexhibitedbytheHinduAarti
ritualandoftheidolworshipandthoseSikhswhoconsideritasaSikh
Aarti,infact.practiceblasphemy.GuruNanakSahib,inthehymnabout
Aarti,hasreje~ted alltypesofAartiritualsandsaidthattherealAartiis
beingoffered byNature. Themeditationofthe NameofGod andan
effortto livea"truthfullife"isalsolikeperformingAarti.GuruNanak
Sahib'spoem,namedAarti,says,"ThewholeoftheNatureisworshipping
God.Theskyistheplatter(forAarti);thesunandmoonarethelampsin
thisplatter;thewholesphereofthestarsarethediamondsandthepearls
(fordecorationoftheplatter);thefragranceofthesandalwoodtreesof
7
Mallayregion(knownforitssweetfragrance)istheincense;thewaving
breezeistheroyalChaurandthewholeofthevegetationisofferingflowers
(fortheworshipofGod).ThiscouldbetheworshipofGod."Meaning
therebythattherealworshipofGodisnotdonewiththeearthenlampsor
such-likemeaninglessrituals.Theshow/exhibitionofworshipbylighting
lampsinaplatterbeforeadeityismerehypocrisy:
Sky is like a slaver; the suns, the moons are lamps (therein)
The planets ofstars are like studded pearls.
The incense is ofsandalwood; the fanning is by air,
The whole vegetation is the flowers (in platter for worship)
What a wonderful Arti (worshipping song with lamps).
o
Destroyer offear, YourAarti.
The unfrictioned world is thesounding bells.
You have thousands ofeyes, so no eye.
You have thousands offorms, so no form.
You have thousands offeet, so no feet,
You have thousands ofnoses, so no nose,
Thus, Iam charmed by You (0 Great God!).
In every onethe light(ofGod) is same.
Withthat light,the lightis ineveryone.
WithGuru's teachingthe light manifests.
Theonethat is liked byYouthat will beYour Aarti.
(Guru Granth Sahib, p. 13)
AASADIVAAR:AasaDi Vaar(literally:Odeinthemusicalmeasure,
RaagAasa)isalongpoem(ballad)byGuruNanakSahib,tobesungin
thetuneofthefamousfolkballadwritteninthememoryofAsraja(who
had amaimed hand). It is sungeverydayearlyin the morning in the
Gurdwaras.GuruAngadSahibhadstartedthesingingofthisVaarduring
thetimeofGuruNanakSahib.A~aDi VaarhasbeencompiledinSa/oks
and Pauris(steps/stanzas). Theoriginal Vaarwritten byGuruNanak
Sahibcomprised 24 Pauris and Sa/oks. Guru Arjan Sahib added the
singingof24Chhakkas(stanzas)ofGuruRamDasSahib.SinceGuru
AryanSahib,theAasaDi VaarsungintheGurdwarascomprisesof24
Paurisand59Sa/oks(44byGuruNanakSahiband 15byGuruAngad
Sahib)andthe24stanzasbyGuruRamDasSahib. Themainthemeof
8
this hymn is: God has created this world and He is watching every
phenomenon.Thepurposeofaman'slifeistomeditateontheNameof
God.Gurucanshowthepathofself-realization.Self-realizationincludes
meditation,contentment,andcongregationoftheloversofGod,humbleness,
honestearning,truthful living,andsurrendertoHisOrderetc. Prideof
worldlyachievementisdelusion; hence,itisfalse. Spiritualjoyisthe
greatesttreasure.Thisworldislikearestingplace.Nooneisgoingtostay
hereforever. So,oneshouldnotlivealife,whichleadsoneastrayfrom
the path towards union with God. Every phenomenon is under the
command o((jod. He is the Only Master; man should love Him and
meditateHisName.Gurucangivethisrealization.
AASAAMANSAA: See:Mansaa.
AATMA:Aatma(self)istheelement(part, fraction) ofParamaatma
(SupremeSoul)inhumanbeing.HenceAatmaandParmaatmaarethe
samesubstance.Inotherwords,botharesubstantiallysamebutqualitatively
different.Afterone'sdeath,AatmarejoinstheParamaatma.According
to the Sikhphilosophy, God resides inAatma. ThroughAatma, man
communicateswithGod.Inotherwords,itistranscendentalself.The
SikhconnotationofAatmaisdifferentfrom"soul"(tennusedingeneral
sense),whichmeansspirite.g.as'soul' intheproverb:"amanwithdead
soul."ThemeaningofAu/maisdifferentindifferentschoolsoftheHindu
philosophy. Itisasubstance(Nyayu-Visheshaku); anobjectofinference
(Samkhya);anobjectofintuitionortheImpersonateAbsoluteorBraham
(Upanishadas) or pure consciousness (Vedanta) etc. In the Sikh
Scriptures,thereare references, whichseemto resemblesomeofthe
meaningsofthistennindifferentschoolsoftheHinduphilosophybutall
thesereferencesarecontextual orrelativeand notconceptual (hence
coincidental).
ABHEYPAD:Literally:stateoffearlessness. Ithasalsobeencalledas
.fourthstageorturiyaawasthaorjeevanpad.Inthisstateofabeingone
isfreefromtheeffectofmaya
9