By Zile Singh                                  

A recent column “For Challenges and Problems Facing Modern Man, look to Sikh Philosophy for Answers” by Dr. Sawraj Singh in the Link Newspaper of June 26, 2021 is a good reading. The problems mentioned are fear, anxiety and insecurity. The column is timely, as well as a curious questions and answers platform.  It is time to revisit the problems of Fear, Anxiety and Insecurity of Man since times immemorial. Not only the capitalist consumerism has caused these problems by alienating man from his true self, but the Stalinist States also had and have such problems. For example, the last Stalinist State, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (North Korea) has abundance of these three problems. Fear, anxiety and insecurity are in the core of the people’s hearts and souls of this State.  The citizens there cannot even dream of to be fearless and secure.  Even on individual level, they are afraid of each other. 

As for the Sikh Philosophy, the Gurbani, and other sacred scriptures of different religions, their main teaching is to fear the Beyond and the Unknown. They have devised means and methods how to alienate the man from his self and surrender to that Beyond – the Unknown.  The Bhakti Movement, of which Guru Nanak was one of the exponents, teaches “ meinkuchhnahi, tuheetu.” ( I am nothing, You alone are ).  He became an ardent Bhakat of the Cosmic resonance of Ek Onkar stepping over his physique and mind.  He himself and his noble souls in the form of the Sikh Gurus and others did a poetic justice to this phenomenon of Ek Onkar Satnam giving the name initially as Pothi and later Sri Guru Granth Saheb.  The exponents of other religions also did the same poetic justice to their scriptures to realize the Beyond.  In this world of duality, one has to eliminate the other to come near to that Cosmic Ek Onkar.  Either you eliminate “ I-ness” or you eliminate “You-ness”.  Only one should remain. Where there are two, materialism is there.  Politics is there. Through poetry and melody, Guru Arjun Dev unlocked the ancient wisdom embedded in various scriptures to reveal the origin, structure and processes governing the play of life in the form of Gurbani.

“If one consciously chants and listens to the sound of NaadShabad, and allows love to flourish within, then all sorrows vanish and one attains Bliss Consciousness.” – Guru Nanak.  

This very simple formula given by Guru Nanak has been converted into a huge Capitalist Consumerism.  It is not the fault of the teaching, but the utmost selfishness of the followers.  I often quote, “Show me the man and I will show you the rule.” It is true about the religions also.  “Show me the followers and I will show you the nature of their religion.”  Wandering and frustration are not only the results of capitalistic consumerism but it applies also to the religious or communism’s self denial pursuits.  Till one realizes religiosity, one wanders frustratingly here and there, sometimes even beyond borders.  It has happened with almost all the propagators of different religions.  Conquering the mind is a noble idea.  But the religions, for that matterthe religious scriptures, are in competition to conquer the world.  I am of the firm belief that all the sacred scriptures have been and are being misinterpreted and are being adulterated to establish their supremacy. Most of their interpretations have become a composition of lies and illogic than the realized truth by the Masters.   The fear of worldly things and the fear of God are positive and negative respectively.  Putting your finger in the fire is a positive fear; non-chanting the name of God or performing superfluous and superstitious rituals may or may not be punishable. 

No doubt, we are part of the Whole.  Similarly, the Whole is a combination of parts.  Individuality and Universality are one.  The Creator is in its Creation.  Dance cannot be separated from the dancer. This Whole is the Natural/Universal Law.  We are not natural to the Nature and humane to man.  We have forgotten the difference between the Nest and the Cage.  Religions were expounded as a Nest to nourish humanity.   Man has made Cage out of the Nest.  Day by day the caretakers of all religions are trying to make a religious iron Cage for its followers.  Religion should be malleable according to the time and the need of the masses.  We need not invoke the heavens for the welfare of humanity and to ward off Covid-19. We have to knock the doors of Laboratories and the Parliaments. Newness needs to take place of traditionalism.  Guru Nanak is an example to kick the traditionalism off. 

Materialism is the foundation and an evergreen source to keep the religion alive.  Some of the Bhagats/Babas of Gurbani were no less than Guru Nanak.  However, materialism took Nanak off in comparison with others.  Need-based consumerism is lacking from the religious places.  The more the merrier; the bigger the better. The offerings in religious temples find a place in the market or in the pockets of politicians.  Any religious issue, when it becomes a political issue, is nothing but stark materialism. The inclusion of ‘Miri’ with “Piri” by the Sixth Guru was a timely foresight and an essential element of materialism into Sikhism. 

Bhana and Hukam are two very precious terms in Gurbani.  Where man is helpless, he gives that incident a name as Bhana or Hukam.  He forgets that whatever is happening, even the smallest of good and bad, is enveloped with His Bhana and Hukam.  Can’t we call the recent mushrooming of fissiparous tendencies in the Panth such as “Be-Adbi” as His Hukam? Any devout Sikh would advocate that alcoholism, domestic violence, involvement in drugs, abandonment of the five Ks be declared as “Be-Adbi” because all these are against the basic tenets of Sikhism. 

Link columnist Zile Singh was Indian Ambassador to North Korea from 2007-09.