In view of the recent tension between Sikhs and the followers of Bhagat Ravidas I want to clarify the position between us Sikhs and the followers of Bhagat Ravidas. Forty sabads of Ravidas are included in the Guru Granth.
‘Guru’ Ravidas
The followers of Ravidas call him Guru, which means ‘teacher’ or ‘bringer of light into darkness’. For Sikhs the word Guru has a specific meaning, but we should not pick a fight with those who use the term in the more general Indian way. The sabads of Ravidas that are included in the Guru Granth are part of our eternal Guru, and as such Ravidas is part of the Sikh Guru.
The teachings of Ravidas are in tune with those of the Guru Granth Sahib.
Sudras & Jats
The followers of Ravidas and Kabir tend be people of low caste. When I visited a friend of mine in a village near Hoshiarpur whose family were of so-called low caste, the Sikhs from the local Gurdwara dominated by Jats would not greet me, as I was staying with Ravidas panthis of low caste.
Saying to each other that Guru teaches unity of mankind is not relevant for the Ravidas panthis, as long as Sikhs do not practice what Guru teaches. When we start practicing Guru’s teachings we can reach out to the Ravidas panthis and share the sabads of our eternal Guru.
Guru Granth Sahib
Because of our ‘respect for the Guru Granth’ Sikhs love to fight with those groups that do not give the same importance to the Guru Granth Sahib as we do. Instead of being happy that non-Sikhs read the Guru Granth and see it as an important source of teaching and inspiration, we want to take the Guru Granth away from Ravidas or Námdhari Gurdwaré / Temples.
I am very happy that we do not set out to convert others in the way that Christians and Muslims do. But the attitude of many Sikhs is not very open-minded either. The Guru speaks to everybody, the Guru considers everybody who is a serious student of the Guru of Gurus to be a sikh. The way of life set out in the Guru Granth Sahib can be followed by all of all ‘dharms’.
Think about these three definitions : 1) a ‘sikh’ is someone who is a serious student of God. 2) A ‘Sikh’ is someone who recognises the leadership of the Guru Granth & Guru Panth as ordained by Guru Gobind Singh. 3) A ‘Khalsa’ is someone who is totally committed to Guru’s teachings and as a sign of that commitment has taken amrit and wears the 5 Ks.
To be continued
Please listen and watch the following Sabads in video format on you tube thank you.”Dhan Dhan har bhsgat Satguru hamara” and Ravidas Thakur Ban aye” and many more.
Mangal Singh is right, Mr. Harjinder Singh… 5th guru says “Dhan Dhan har bhagat Satguru hamara”.. i think you are wise enough to understand what 5th guru says.. i think your problem is your proud and your opwn thinking, SGGS is spritual not materialist.. even Guru Nanak crticized material things and worldy.. Guru nanak criticized “Geneu (A scared thread, hindu wear it)”. same way what is “Gatra”, Gatra is materialist thing, if you think the way Guru Nanak you will realized. thank you
Of course Guru is not for the material but for the spiritual !