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BAISAKHI
A FESTIVAL OF HOPE
What makes Baisakhi so special
Spring-time is festival-time in India. Early spring is ushered in our country with Holi, the festival of colours in March end; Ugadi and Gudi Padava follow in mid-April. And then comes Baisakhi, the harvest festival which derives its name from the Vikram Samvat month of Baisakh. It falls on April 13 every year, but on April 14, once every 36 years.
This harvest festival is celebrated with gusto by Sikhs and Hindus all over the world. Change of weather, fresh rains and a forecast of a good Rabi crop are reasons enough for happiness and celebrations -- with song and dance.
Special significance of Baisakhi
Baisakhi is also the beginning of the traditional Indian (solar) New Year. For Hindus too this festival has a special significance. It is believed that thousands of years ago, Goddess Ganga descended to earth on this day and in her honour Hindus take sacred bath in the River Ganga on Baisakhi. It also coincides with Rongali Bihu in Assam, Naba Barsha in Bengal, and Vishu in Kerala. In Himachal Pradesh, this festival is also celebrated in the honour of Goddess Jwalamukhi. The Sinhalese New Year in Sri Lanka, and Jur-Shital --the Mithila New Year in some regions of Bihar and Nepal -- too are celebrated now. For the Sikhs, this day is about worshipping their Gurus, feasting, merriment, holding processions and performing the dances -- Bhangra and Gidda.
Khalsa Panth established
On this auspicious day in 1699, Guru Govind Rai, the 10th Sikh Guru, founded the Khalsa Panth, community of the pure, at Keshgarh Sahib, near Anandpur. He baptized his chosen faithfuls, Panj Piaras with Amrit, and hailed them as Singhs, lions. He gave his followers a military zeal and orientation, so that they could defend their faith, in times of need. He ordained them to carry five visible symbols of faith, the five K's -- Kesh, Karra, Kirpan, Kanga and Kachhera. He also proclaimed himself to be the last Guru and declared that, henceforth, ‘the Adi Granth’ would the future guru of the Sikh faith. He ordained them to believe in the oneness of God and to serve the followers of the community. The Guru thus transformed the Khalsa, a spiritual and social entity, into a forceful religious group with a new political and military orientation.
The creation of the Khalsa Panth by Guru Govind Singh was a by-product of the sacrifices made by the Gurus who preceded him. The celebrations of Baisakhi would be incomplete without remembering those noble humans.
Contributions of the Sikh gurus Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh guru, shown a new light in an era of conflicting religious beliefs and Sikhism was born. Guru Ramdas, the fourth guru, gave the Sikhs a rallying centre at Amritsar and built the Golden Temple. The fifth guru, Guru Arjun Dev, compiled the teachings of the gurus into a sacred book called the ‘Adi Granth’. On September 1, 1604, the holy book was installed at the Harmandir Sahib in the Golden Temple. The holy scripture propagated three principles of the Sikh community -- Naam Japo, remember God; Kirat Karo, earn livelihood by honest means; and Vand Chako, share with others.
The Mughals in the post-Akbar era were not secular minded and their forcible conversions brought them into conflict with the Sikh Gurus. Guru Arjun Dev was tortured to death by Jahangir. His martyrdom was the beginning of the Sikh transformation to militarism. Aurangzeb's repression peaked with the execution of the ninth guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, on November 11,1675. His teenage son, Govind Rai succeeded him as the tenth guru.
~ Prof Gopal K Piplani
Part 1 of 2
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BAISAKHI
A FESTIVAL OF HOPE
What makes Baisakhi so special
Spring-time is festival-time in India. Early spring is ushered in our country with Holi, the festival of colours in March end; Ugadi and Gudi Padava follow in mid-April. And then comes Baisakhi, the harvest festival which derives its name from the Vikram Samvat month of Baisakh. It falls on April 13 every year, but on April 14, once every 36 years.
This harvest festival is celebrated with gusto by Sikhs and Hindus all over the world. Change of weather, fresh rains and a forecast of a good Rabi crop are reasons enough for happiness and celebrations -- with song and dance.
Special significance of Baisakhi
Baisakhi is also the beginning of the traditional Indian (solar) New Year. For Hindus too this festival has a special significance. It is believed that thousands of years ago, Goddess Ganga descended to earth on this day and in her honour Hindus take sacred bath in the River Ganga on Baisakhi. It also coincides with Rongali Bihu in Assam, Naba Barsha in Bengal, and Vishu in Kerala. In Himachal Pradesh, this festival is also celebrated in the honour of Goddess Jwalamukhi. The Sinhalese New Year in Sri Lanka, and Jur-Shital --the Mithila New Year in some regions of Bihar and Nepal -- too are celebrated now. For the Sikhs, this day is about worshipping their Gurus, feasting, merriment, holding processions and performing the dances -- Bhangra and Gidda.
Khalsa Panth established
On this auspicious day in 1699, Guru Govind Rai, the 10th Sikh Guru, founded the Khalsa Panth, community of the pure, at Keshgarh Sahib, near Anandpur. He baptized his chosen faithfuls, Panj Piaras with Amrit, and hailed them as Singhs, lions. He gave his followers a military zeal and orientation, so that they could defend their faith, in times of need. He ordained them to carry five visible symbols of faith, the five K's -- Kesh, Karra, Kirpan, Kanga and Kachhera. He also proclaimed himself to be the last Guru and declared that, henceforth, ‘the Adi Granth’ would the future guru of the Sikh faith. He ordained them to believe in the oneness of God and to serve the followers of the community. The Guru thus transformed the Khalsa, a spiritual and social entity, into a forceful religious group with a new political and military orientation.
The creation of the Khalsa Panth by Guru Govind Singh was a by-product of the sacrifices made by the Gurus who preceded him. The celebrations of Baisakhi would be incomplete without remembering those noble humans.
Contributions of the Sikh gurus Guru Nanak Dev, the first Sikh guru, shown a new light in an era of conflicting religious beliefs and Sikhism was born. Guru Ramdas, the fourth guru, gave the Sikhs a rallying centre at Amritsar and built the Golden Temple. The fifth guru, Guru Arjun Dev, compiled the teachings of the gurus into a sacred book called the ‘Adi Granth’. On September 1, 1604, the holy book was installed at the Harmandir Sahib in the Golden Temple. The holy scripture propagated three principles of the Sikh community -- Naam Japo, remember God; Kirat Karo, earn livelihood by honest means; and Vand Chako, share with others.
The Mughals in the post-Akbar era were not secular minded and their forcible conversions brought them into conflict with the Sikh Gurus. Guru Arjun Dev was tortured to death by Jahangir. His martyrdom was the beginning of the Sikh transformation to militarism. Aurangzeb's repression peaked with the execution of the ninth guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur, on November 11,1675. His teenage son, Govind Rai succeeded him as the tenth guru.
~ Prof Gopal K Piplani
Part 1 of 2
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...continued from above
The Tenth Guru
This courageous young guru established himself at Anandpur and built forts at Pounta and Chamkaur. His inspiring leadership prompted his soldiers to exemplary bravado, earning them the distinguished title of ‘Sava Lakh’. In the ensuing battles, Guru Gobind Singh lost two of his sons in battle and other two, who retreated to Sirhind were captured and bricked alive by Wazir Khan, the Mughal governor of Sirhind. Guru Govind Singh retreated to Muktsar and after a fierce struggle, retired to Talwandi Sabo, Dam Damma Sahib, also known as the Kashi of Sikhs. He was stabbed and he passed away on October 7, 1708, at Nanded. He was succeeded by his chosen disciple, Banda Singh Bairagi, who carried out guerilla warfare against the Mughals, till he too was captured at his fort near Gurdaspur and killed.
The period between 1716 to 1738 was one of wilderness for the Khalsa Panth, but the faith survived. The death of Aurangzeb in 1707 started the gradual break-up of the Mughal Empire. Subsequently, the Sikhs reorganized themselves into confederacies called Misls. This rejuvenated Sikh Army or Dal Khalsa, and it withstood repeated invasions of Persians under Nadir Shah and Afghans under Ahmed Shah, till their man of destiny, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, came on the scene to lead them.
Guru Govind introduced a large number of social, religious and military reforms and stamped Sikhism with the mark of his personality. On Baisakhi we remember and re-dedicate ourselves to the ideals, ethos and values propagated by him and the Gurus.
Time For Celebration
So, year after year, Sikhs around the globe celebrate Baisakhi with great enthusiasm, gusto, hope, and all-night revelries called ‘Baisakhi di raat’. In the Punjab, the Rabi crop is ready for harvesting. This year too the COVID 19 pandemic may dampen the festivities but not their spirit and beliefs.
Baisakhi is a time for celebration, but it also reaffirms the faith in the teachings of Gurus -- oneness of God, social and economic equality and service to the community.
~ Prof Gopal K Piplani
Part 2 of 2
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...continued from above
The Tenth Guru
This courageous young guru established himself at Anandpur and built forts at Pounta and Chamkaur. His inspiring leadership prompted his soldiers to exemplary bravado, earning them the distinguished title of ‘Sava Lakh’. In the ensuing battles, Guru Gobind Singh lost two of his sons in battle and other two, who retreated to Sirhind were captured and bricked alive by Wazir Khan, the Mughal governor of Sirhind. Guru Govind Singh retreated to Muktsar and after a fierce struggle, retired to Talwandi Sabo, Dam Damma Sahib, also known as the Kashi of Sikhs. He was stabbed and he passed away on October 7, 1708, at Nanded. He was succeeded by his chosen disciple, Banda Singh Bairagi, who carried out guerilla warfare against the Mughals, till he too was captured at his fort near Gurdaspur and killed.
The period between 1716 to 1738 was one of wilderness for the Khalsa Panth, but the faith survived. The death of Aurangzeb in 1707 started the gradual break-up of the Mughal Empire. Subsequently, the Sikhs reorganized themselves into confederacies called Misls. This rejuvenated Sikh Army or Dal Khalsa, and it withstood repeated invasions of Persians under Nadir Shah and Afghans under Ahmed Shah, till their man of destiny, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, came on the scene to lead them.
Guru Govind introduced a large number of social, religious and military reforms and stamped Sikhism with the mark of his personality. On Baisakhi we remember and re-dedicate ourselves to the ideals, ethos and values propagated by him and the Gurus.
Time For Celebration
So, year after year, Sikhs around the globe celebrate Baisakhi with great enthusiasm, gusto, hope, and all-night revelries called ‘Baisakhi di raat’. In the Punjab, the Rabi crop is ready for harvesting. This year too the COVID 19 pandemic may dampen the festivities but not their spirit and beliefs.
Baisakhi is a time for celebration, but it also reaffirms the faith in the teachings of Gurus -- oneness of God, social and economic equality and service to the community.
~ Prof Gopal K Piplani
Part 2 of 2
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GOOD COMPANY
❝Good company is one of the best medicines. If you have consciousness of failure, associate with those who have the consciousness of success.
The company you keep is important. If you leave your coat in a room where people are smoking, pretty soon it will smell of smoke. If you leave it outside in the garden, later on, when you bring it indoors, it will carry with it the fragrance of fresh air and flowers.
Such is the case with the mind. Your garment of thoughts absorbs the vibrations of those with whom you mix. If you mingle with pessimists, in time you will become a pessimist. And if you mingle with cheerful, happy people, you yourself will develop a cheerful, happy nature.
Whether one becomes a saint or a sinner is to a great extent determined by the company he keeps.❞
🌞 Paramhansa Yogananda
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GOOD COMPANY
❝Good company is one of the best medicines. If you have consciousness of failure, associate with those who have the consciousness of success.
The company you keep is important. If you leave your coat in a room where people are smoking, pretty soon it will smell of smoke. If you leave it outside in the garden, later on, when you bring it indoors, it will carry with it the fragrance of fresh air and flowers.
Such is the case with the mind. Your garment of thoughts absorbs the vibrations of those with whom you mix. If you mingle with pessimists, in time you will become a pessimist. And if you mingle with cheerful, happy people, you yourself will develop a cheerful, happy nature.
Whether one becomes a saint or a sinner is to a great extent determined by the company he keeps.❞
🌞 Paramhansa Yogananda
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TRUE WEALTH
A multi millionaire was travelling in his car.
On the way, he was listening to a Satsang of a certain Saint.
The Saint was preaching that, everyone in the world is after money only. But they are ignorant of the fact that they cannot take their money with them after their death. Still, they are after money and money alone and do whatever possible to earn more and more money in any way.
The millionaire got annoyed of this statement.
He said to himself that since the Saint has no money with him, he is giving a Lecture like this.
The next day, the millionaire called all his employees and advised them to give him an idea so that he can take all his wealth alongwith him after his death.
Every one thought that their boss has gone mad and tried to avoid him.
Days passed by.
Suddenly one day, a stranger approached the millionaire and informed him that he had heard about his query & he has one brilliant idea.
The millionaire could not believe his ears as everyone had declared him "Mad".
The millionaire was very eager to hear his idea.
The stranger first asked him whether he had travelled abroad?
The millionaire said that he had visited many countries.
Then, the stranger asked him what he had done with money before he went to USA?
The millionaire said that he had converted the Indian rupees into American dollars and went to USA.
The stranger again asked him, what he had done when he went to UK ?
The millionaire replied that he had converted Indian rupees into Pound Sterling and went to England.
The stranger asked him why he did all this?
The millionaire laughed and told the stranger that our Indian rupees have no value in USA and in England.
The stranger replied that you are very correct and continued.
Mr. Millionaire, now you want to go to Heaven after your death, correct?
Well, in Heaven, the name of the currency is “Punnya”.
So you convert your entire Indian rupees into the currency of Punnya, so that you can spend it very happily there after your death.
The rich man was convinced and very happy to hear this idea and started doing NISHKAMA Karma and Charity - helping the needy without expecting anything in return.
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TRUE WEALTH
A multi millionaire was travelling in his car.
On the way, he was listening to a Satsang of a certain Saint.
The Saint was preaching that, everyone in the world is after money only. But they are ignorant of the fact that they cannot take their money with them after their death. Still, they are after money and money alone and do whatever possible to earn more and more money in any way.
The millionaire got annoyed of this statement.
He said to himself that since the Saint has no money with him, he is giving a Lecture like this.
The next day, the millionaire called all his employees and advised them to give him an idea so that he can take all his wealth alongwith him after his death.
Every one thought that their boss has gone mad and tried to avoid him.
Days passed by.
Suddenly one day, a stranger approached the millionaire and informed him that he had heard about his query & he has one brilliant idea.
The millionaire could not believe his ears as everyone had declared him "Mad".
The millionaire was very eager to hear his idea.
The stranger first asked him whether he had travelled abroad?
The millionaire said that he had visited many countries.
Then, the stranger asked him what he had done with money before he went to USA?
The millionaire said that he had converted the Indian rupees into American dollars and went to USA.
The stranger again asked him, what he had done when he went to UK ?
The millionaire replied that he had converted Indian rupees into Pound Sterling and went to England.
The stranger asked him why he did all this?
The millionaire laughed and told the stranger that our Indian rupees have no value in USA and in England.
The stranger replied that you are very correct and continued.
Mr. Millionaire, now you want to go to Heaven after your death, correct?
Well, in Heaven, the name of the currency is “Punnya”.
So you convert your entire Indian rupees into the currency of Punnya, so that you can spend it very happily there after your death.
The rich man was convinced and very happy to hear this idea and started doing NISHKAMA Karma and Charity - helping the needy without expecting anything in return.
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What do you think about the above message? True Wealth is:
Anonymous Quiz
17%
Money
83%
Nishkama Karma, Selfless Charity
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💎
DIAMOND NECKLACE
Once there was a king who had presented his daughter, the princess, with a beautiful diamond necklace. The necklace was stolen and his people in the kingdom searched everywhere but could not find it. Some said a bird might have stolen it. The king then asked them all to search for it and put a reward for $50,000 for anyone who found it.
One day a clerk was walking home along a river next to an industrial area. This river was completely polluted, filthy and smelly. As he was walking, the clerk saw a shimmering thing in the river and when he looked, he saw the diamond necklace.
He decided to try and catch it so that he could get the $50,000 reward. He put his hand in the filthy, dirty river and grabbed at the necklace, but somehow missed it and didn’t catch it. He took his hand out and looked again and the necklace was still there. He tried again, this time he walked in the river and dirtied his pants in the filthy river and put his whole arm in to catch the necklace. But strangely, he still missed the necklace! He came out and started walking away, feeling depressed.
Then again he saw the necklace, right there. This time he was determined to get it, no matter what.
He decided to plunge into the river, although it was a disgusting thing to do as the river was polluted, and his whole body would become filthy. He plunged in, and searched everywhere for the necklace and yet he failed. This time he was really bewildered and came out feeling very depressed that he could not get the necklace that would get him $50,000.
Just then a saint who was walking by, saw him, and asked him what the matter was. The clerk didn’t want to share the secret with the saint, thinking the saint might take the necklace for himself, so he refused to tell the saint anything. But the saint could see this man was troubled and being compassionate, again asked the clerk to tell him the problem and promised that he would not tell anyone about it.
The clerk mustered some courage and decided to put some faith in the saint. He told the saint about the necklace and how he tried and tried to catch it, but kept failing. The saint then told him that perhaps he should try looking upward, toward the branches of the tree, instead of in the filthy river. The clerk looked up and true enough, the necklace was dangling on the branch of a tree. He had been trying to capture a mere reflection of the real necklace all this time.
MORAL: Material happiness is just like the filthy, polluted river; because it is a mere reflection of the TRUE happiness in the spiritual world. We can never achieve the happiness we are looking for no matter how hard we endeavor in material life. Instead we should look upwards, toward God, who is the source of real happiness, and stop chasing after the reflection of this happiness in the material world. This spiritual happiness is the only thing that can satisfy us completely.
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💎
DIAMOND NECKLACE
Once there was a king who had presented his daughter, the princess, with a beautiful diamond necklace. The necklace was stolen and his people in the kingdom searched everywhere but could not find it. Some said a bird might have stolen it. The king then asked them all to search for it and put a reward for $50,000 for anyone who found it.
One day a clerk was walking home along a river next to an industrial area. This river was completely polluted, filthy and smelly. As he was walking, the clerk saw a shimmering thing in the river and when he looked, he saw the diamond necklace.
He decided to try and catch it so that he could get the $50,000 reward. He put his hand in the filthy, dirty river and grabbed at the necklace, but somehow missed it and didn’t catch it. He took his hand out and looked again and the necklace was still there. He tried again, this time he walked in the river and dirtied his pants in the filthy river and put his whole arm in to catch the necklace. But strangely, he still missed the necklace! He came out and started walking away, feeling depressed.
Then again he saw the necklace, right there. This time he was determined to get it, no matter what.
He decided to plunge into the river, although it was a disgusting thing to do as the river was polluted, and his whole body would become filthy. He plunged in, and searched everywhere for the necklace and yet he failed. This time he was really bewildered and came out feeling very depressed that he could not get the necklace that would get him $50,000.
Just then a saint who was walking by, saw him, and asked him what the matter was. The clerk didn’t want to share the secret with the saint, thinking the saint might take the necklace for himself, so he refused to tell the saint anything. But the saint could see this man was troubled and being compassionate, again asked the clerk to tell him the problem and promised that he would not tell anyone about it.
The clerk mustered some courage and decided to put some faith in the saint. He told the saint about the necklace and how he tried and tried to catch it, but kept failing. The saint then told him that perhaps he should try looking upward, toward the branches of the tree, instead of in the filthy river. The clerk looked up and true enough, the necklace was dangling on the branch of a tree. He had been trying to capture a mere reflection of the real necklace all this time.
MORAL: Material happiness is just like the filthy, polluted river; because it is a mere reflection of the TRUE happiness in the spiritual world. We can never achieve the happiness we are looking for no matter how hard we endeavor in material life. Instead we should look upwards, toward God, who is the source of real happiness, and stop chasing after the reflection of this happiness in the material world. This spiritual happiness is the only thing that can satisfy us completely.
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What do you think about the above message? "TRUE & Eternal Happiness" comes from:
Anonymous Quiz
12%
Material pursuits
88%
SPIRITUAL pursuits
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🔹 Group Chat
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Whenever there is a decline
in righteousness and an
increase in unrighteousness,
O Arjun, at that time I
manifest myself on earth.
~ Bhagavad Gita 4.7
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Whenever there is a decline
in righteousness and an
increase in unrighteousness,
O Arjun, at that time I
manifest myself on earth.
~ Bhagavad Gita 4.7
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