source: [
www.santsipahi.org]
Guru Gobind Singh ji and Vedas – Murli Manohar Joshi Opines
S. Gurcharanjit Singh Lamba
Organiser, the mouth piece of RSS in its July 8th issue has carried a report about Shri Murli Manohar Joshi releasing a book in Hindi poetry on Zafarnamah. The book is written by one Jagjivan Jot Singh Anand. According to the report of the ‘Organiser’, releasing this book Shri Joshi said, “What the tenth Guru (Gobind Singh ji) preached is nothing different to the message of Vedas and Upanishads.”
This apparently innocuous statement of Shri Joshi has helped stir the cauldron of controversies once again and the panthik bodies are up in arms. In fact what Mr. Joshi is reported to have said is nothing different from the oft repeated stance of RSS and Arya Samaj, which refuse to accord distinct and independent status to Sikhism.
Vedas and Upnishads are great classics of this country and have their own distinct and unique philosophy. ‘Back to the Vedas’ was the mantra given by Daya Nand Saraswati, but to uphold the dignity of Vedas and Upnishads it is not required that these should be projected as the original version of other philosophies.
What Guru Gobind Singh ji preached and propagated is the philosophy, values and thoughts originated and introduced by Guru Nanak Dev ji and followed up to Guru Tegh Bahadur ji and then enshrined in Guru Granth Sahib ji, the living Guru.
Going back to the statement of Shri Joshi it can be inferred that he may have perfect knowledge of Vedas and Upnishands but it is certain that he has not at all studied the writings of Guru Gobind Singh ji. Just a few quotes from the pen of Guru Gobind Singh ji would be sufficient to understand his philosophy and ideology.
ਤਬ ਜੇ ਜੇ ਰਿਖਰਾਜ ਬਨਾਏ ॥ ਤਿਨ ਆਪਨ ਪੁਨ ਸਿੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਚਲਾਏ ॥ 17॥
ਜੇ ਸਿੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਨ ਕੇ ਭਏ ਅਨੁਰਾਗੀ ॥ ਤਿਨਿ ਤਿਨਿ ਕ੍ਰਿਆ ਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕੀ ਤਿਆਗੀ ॥
ਜਿਨ ਮਨ ਹਰਿ ਚਰਨਨ ਠਹਿਰਾਯੋ ॥ ਸੋ ਸਿੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਨ ਕੇ ਰਾਹ ਨ ਆਯੋ ॥ 18॥
(ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਟਕ, ਸ੍ਰੀ ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ)
The rishis introduced their own smritis.(17)
Those who followed the smritis abandoned the path of God.
Those who got solace in the name of the Lord,
did not come to the way smritis.(18)
(Bachittar Natak – Dasam Granth)
ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਚਾਰ ਹੀ ਬੇਦ ਬਨਾਏ ॥ ਸਰਬ ਲੋਕ ਤਿਹ ਕਰਮ ਚਲਾਏ ॥
ਜਿਨ ਕੀ ਲਿਵ ਹਰਿ ਚਰਨਨ ਲਾਗੀ ॥ ਤੇ ਬੇਦਨ ਤੇ ਭਏ ਤਿਆਗੀ ॥ 19॥
ਜਿਨ ਮਤ ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬਨ ਤਿਆਗੀ ॥ ਪਾਰਬ੍ਰਹਮ ਕੇ ਭਏ ਅਨੁਰਾਗੀ ॥
(ਬਚਿਤ੍ਰ ਨਾਟਕ – ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ)
Brahma created four Vedas and made the people followed its path.
Those who got attached to the name of the Lord, abandoned Vedas.(19)
Those who abandoned the path of Vedas followed the way of God.
(Bachittar Natak – Dasam Granth)
ਸੈਯਾ ॥
ਪਾਂਇ ਗਹੇ ਜਬ ਤੇ ਤੁਮਰੇ ਤਬ ਤੇ ਕੋਊ ਆਂਖ ਤਰੇ ਨਹੀ ਆਨਯੋ ॥
ਰਾਮ ਰਹੀਮ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਕੁਰਾਨ ਅਨੇਕ ਕਹੈਂ ਮਤ ਏਕ ਨ ਮਾਨਯੋ ॥
ਸਿੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਿ ਸਾਸਤ੍ਰ ਬੇਦ ਸਭੈ ਬਹੁ ਭੇਦ ਕਹੈ ਹਮ ਏਕ ਨ ਜਾਨਯੋ ॥
ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਸਿਪਾਨ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਤੁਮਰੀ ਕਰਿ ਮੈ ਨ ਕਹਯੋ ਸਭ ਤੋਹਿ ਬਖਾਨਯੋ ॥863॥
ਦੋਹਰਾ ॥ ਸਗਲ ਦੁਆਰ ਕਉ ਛਾਡਿ ਕੈ ਗਹਯੋ ਤੁਹਾਰੋ ਦੁਆਰ ॥
ਬਾਂਹਿ ਗਹੇ ਕੀ ਲਾਜ ਅਸਿ ਗੋਬਿੰਦ ਦਾਸ ਤੁਹਾਰ ॥864॥
(ਰਾਮਾਵਤਾਰ - ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ)
Swaiya:
When I came to the path of Lord,
I looked towards none.
Ram, Rahim, Purans, Quran propagate various thoughts,
I accepted none.
Smritis, Shastras, Vedas project divergent and contradictory views about God, I believed in none.
I could declare this with the grace of God.
(Rama Avtar – Dasam Granth)
Shri Joshi has released ‘Zafarnamh’, Guru Gobind Singh ji’s letter to Aurangzeb. Just a quote from this,
ਮਨਮ ਕੁਸ਼ਤਹਅਮ ਕੋਹਿਯਾਂ ਪੁਰਫਿਤਨ ॥ ਕਿ ਆਂ ਬੁਤ ਪਰਸਤੰਦੁ ਮਨ ਬੁਤਸ਼ਿਕਨ ॥ 95॥
These mischievous hill chieftains were vanquished by me.
They were idol worshippers and me an idol-breaker. (95)
(Zafarnamah – Dasam Granth)
If Shri Joshi feels that all these quotes of Guru Gobind Singh ji are in conformity with Vedas then only he is right. Otherwise, it is expected that one should project and propagate any philosophy he likes, but doing so, care should be taken not to create unnecessary ambiguities and contradictions.
