GURSOCH: The Group Mentality And "Sikhi"

The Gurbani forbids the Sikhs to mortgage their sense of fairness to their group alliances; however, the group mentality commands many of the Sikhs’ general behavior; on many Sikh sites, it is not the fairness that is important but the importance of the group that runs the site. This very practice is seen in the Gurdawaras built in foreign countries as well in the local Gurdawaras in India; if one group takes over the control of a Gurdawara, another group builds another Gurdwara. It is not the Gurbani that guides them but their group – alliance and they always beat the drums of Sikhi. The group mentality not only advocates discrimination, but also it encourages the mind to fall for corrupt pursuits. Long time ago, Fourth Nanak addressed this issue, but the Sikhs have been turning a deaf ear to the Guru. Many Sikh groups still love the caste system trashed repeatedly in the Gurbani. What is going on? The answer is very simple: the Sikhs love more living culture than following the Gurbani - guidance. Millions of Sikhs go to Darbar Sahib and other highly advertised Gurdawaras; however, they return without learning a bit; many times they read the Gurbani without caring what the Gurbani says. Most of them love to do rituals, because it is easy to do a ritual; they don’t care what the Gurbani demands from them. It is nothing but a hypocritical way of living. The group mentality literally kills the seeker. First Nanak questioned the hypocritical behavior of the Pundits and the Qaazi, and if we look at the lives of the Sikh - preachers today, they resemble with the same kinds of Pundits and Qaazis whose hypocrisy First Nanak questioned. The Gurbani demands the Sikhs to rise above group mentality and to live in this big family of the Creator. In our own families, we feel opposition, but we don’t sever our relations totally; in the same way, in the Creator’s big family, there is negativity; nonetheless, there are ways out to negate it; never ever, as per the Gurbani, the fairness should be lost. The group mentality is very dangerous for a Sikh for his or her spiritual progression. The following shabda of Fourth Nanak on 366, SGGS, advises us to remain very fair by making alliance only with our Creator who has blessed us with so much in many ways.

ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
Ik▫oaŉkār saṯgur parsāḏ.
There is only one all Pervading Akalpurakh who is known with the blessings of the Satiguru.

ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ ਘਰੁ ੨ ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ॥

Rāg āsā gẖar 2 mėhlā 4.

Raag Asa, the Bani of Fourth Nanak, house second.

ਕਿਸ ਹੀ ਧੜਾ ਕੀਆ ਮਿਤ੍ਰ ਸੁਤ ਨਾਲਿ ਭਾਈ ॥ ਕਿਸ ਹੀ ਧੜਾ ਕੀਆ ਕੁੜਮ ਸਕੇ ਨਾਲਿ ਜਵਾਈ ॥ ਕਿਸ ਹੀ ਧੜਾ ਕੀਆ ਸਿਕਦਾਰ ਚਉਧਰੀ ਨਾਲਿ ਆਪਣੈ ਸੁਆਈ ॥ ਹਮਾਰਾ ਧੜਾ ਹਰਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਈ ॥੧॥

Kis hī ḏẖaṛā kī▫ā miṯar suṯ nāl bẖā▫ī. Kis hī ḏẖaṛā kī▫ā kuṛam sake nāl javā▫ī. Kis hī ḏẖaṛā kī▫ā sikḏār cẖa▫uḏẖrī nāl āpṇai su▫ā▫ī. Hamārā ḏẖaṛā har rahi▫ā samā▫ī. ||1||

In essence: Some people make special alliance with their friends, sons and brothers, the father of the groom or bride and with sons- in – law; some join in a faction of their chiefs and head-men because of their motives. My association is only with that Har, who pervades all over.

In the above verses, it is clearly expressed how people get into groups; our habit of forming groups doesn’t really help us in obtaining peace through the Guru - path. The Guru path goal is high, but we behave very lowly.

Ham har si▫o ḏẖaṛā kī▫ā merī har tek. Mai har bin pakẖ ḏẖaṛā avar na ko▫ī ha▫o har guṇ gāvā asaŉkẖ anek. ||1|| rahā▫o.

My association is with Har, who is my support; except Har, I have no party or faction, and I sing Har’s innumerable virtues. Pause

The Guru advises the followers to build a strong alliance with the Creator ignoring smaller groups. The group forming boosts the biased behavior that robs the mortals off good qualities and fairness.

Jinĥ si▫o ḏẖaṛe karahi se jāhi. Jẖūṯẖ ḏẖaṛe kar pacẖẖoṯāhi. Thir na rahėh man kẖot kamāhi. Ham har si▫o ḏẖaṛā kī▫ā jis kā ko▫ī samrath nāhi. ||2||

Those with whom we form a party depart from here. Having such kind of temporary partisan thinking brings repentance later on. This way, one practices falsehood and fails to still the mind. I have formed a party with Har; none is equal to Har’s power.

The entire Shabada is about leveling the group mentality by keeping an association with Akalpurakh who has created this world. If the world doesn’t suit us, still it is His creation. If we cannot respect His creation, how can we respect Him? I must say here that while defending ourselves and the innocents in apparent dangerous situations, the group we form to succeed in a virtuous life has nothing to do with what Guru is referring in this Shabada. The Guru is addressing the group behavior that divides people, hurts harmonious atmosphere and negates fairness. It is a matter of understanding that Akalpurakh has put all of us in conflicting situations. One who understands Har’s Ordinance rises above the mentality grounded in negativity. Modern civilized world teaches us to respect the views of other people even if we have to disagree with them; that is only an iceberg of virtuous advice the Guru gives us, because he goes after the cause; therefore, never ever we should assume that what we think is an ultimate truth. It is another way of understanding Har’s Ordinance.

Our siding with Har is to keep our minds open instead of boxing them into small groups. We see that these groups also disappear after some times leaving the members to seek other groups. These entire groups are temporary so why shouldn’t we become Har’s, who is eternal.

Ėh sabẖ ḏẖaṛe mā▫i▫ā moh pasārī. Mā▫i▫ā ka▫o lūjẖėh gāvārī. Janam marėh jū▫ai bājī hārī. Hamrai har ḏẖaṛā jė halaṯ palaṯ sabẖ savārī. ||3||

All these party - associations are nothing but expansion of the worldly attachment. Fools quarrel over Maya; they are born to die and lose their lives in gambling. My alliance with the Creator has embellished me here and it will hereafter.

Above, the out come of the group mentality is elaborated and all reasons of building the group mentality are condemned.

Kalijug mėh ḏẖaṛe pancẖ cẖor jẖagṛā▫e. Kām kroḏẖ lobẖ moh abẖimān vaḏẖā▫e. Jis no kirpā kare ṯis saṯsang milā▫e. Hamrā har ḏẖaṛā jin eh ḏẖaṛe sabẖ gavā▫e. ||4||

In the bad time named Kalyuga, the activity of five negative forces is in a high gear, and the people embrace lust, anger, greed and conceit more and more; however, those at whom Har shows mercy get attached to the company of His devotees. My party is with the Creator who has ended my group - mentality.

In the company of Har’s devotees only Har is praised and how to obey Har is explained; however, the group mentality adds negativity to the mind already burnt by lust, greed, attachment and conceit. Those who turn toward the company of His devotees with His blessings get rid of the group mentality and they fix their full attention on the Creator. Add to it, in the company of Har’s devotees, the group - mentality behavior doesn’t remain, because in there, the concept of Har’s big family is understood and respected.

Mithi▫ā ḏūjā bẖā▫o ḏẖaṛe bahi pāvai. Parā▫i▫ā cẖẖiḏar atkalai āpṇā ahaŉkār vaḏẖāvai. Jaisā bījai ṯaisā kẖāvai. Jan Nānak kā har ḏẖaṛā ḏẖaram sabẖ sarisat jiṇ āvai. ||5||2||54||

False is the worldly love that creates groups. As per the group mentality, the people judge other people’s shortcomings and increase self-conceit; consequently, they reap what they sow. Oh Nanak! Har’s devotee has an alliance with Har. It is the faith in Har that enables the devotee to win over the world.

The group mentality literally litters the soul with demerits; because of that filth, one’s mind gets the fruit of the filth. Falling in love with the Creator perfectly is an experience only and when a person truly falls in love with the Creator, his or her group mentality evaporates like the water under the Sun. Ignoring the cultural nostalgia, it will be better to prefer the Guru’s advice to cultural attractions to remain a true Sikh of the Guru. Wearing the perfect Sikh - garbs but slandering others just because of others opposite views leads to a big pit of hypocrisy; therefore, as Sikhs, we should obey the Guru and defy the culture leading to a spiritual suicide.

Regards

G Singh