The Hymns of Guru Gobind Singh


Guru Gobind Singh 1666-1708
Tenth Master of Sikh Dharma
Life of Guru Gobind Singh

"The sword breaks through and cuts down the demons of the mind and body.
This beautiful and powerful weapon adorns the battlefield of life. It is as
an extension of the arm, unbreakable, terribly fast, it’s awesome splendor
overshadows even the sun. It protects the peace and happiness of the saints
and destroys any powerful negative energy. It has erased the negativity and
guilt that I carry. I seek its refuge. Praise, praise be to the great doer of the world,
savior of the creation, my great protector, praise be to the sword!" Guru Gobind Singh

Jap Sahib
By Guru Gobind Singh
From the Sacred Writings of The Sikhs
Many of which appear in Gurmukhi, the
unique language of the Siri Guru Granth Sahib

There is no mark, which sets apart
The Ever Changeless Light of hearts.
No caste or sect, shape, form or hue;
Imagination can't construe
His Greatness or His countless Names;
The King Who o'er the three worlds reigns;
A million Indras can't compete;
God's men and demons touch His feet.

The world's vast fortunes seem as weeds
Amidst the garden of His deeds.
Thus, by His deeds His Name is placed;
Breath of Wisdom, Grace of grace.
Even forests slim or small
In glades and glens repeat the call,
"He is Infinite and All ... Infinite and All."

I bow to Thee, Eternal,
Beyond death the Beauteous Form.
To the Merciful and Mighty,
O, I bow to Thee, Unborn;
To the One Who has no costume,
Who’s beyond all destiny,
Without treasure, without body, Indestructible is He;
Who is Nameless and cannot be named,
Who occupies no space,
Beyond karma, beyond dharma, beyond need of dwelling place.

O, I bow to Thee Unconquerable, the Stranger to defeat.
To the Fearless, Self Sufficient One, the One without deceit;
To the One Who has no color, no beginning and no end,
Who is Bountiful and Faultless, Far Too Great to comprehend;
O, I bow to Thee Who art but One and Thee Who many be.
Beyond earth, air, water, fire and gas, I bow my Lord to Thee ...
Beyond earth, air, water, fire and gas, I bow my Lord to Thee.

I bow to Him beyond all deeds, Who wears no special dress,
Who has no country, name or manner, the Desireless.
I bow to Thee Imperishable, Thee from sorrow free;
Beyond attachment, anger, pride, desire and greed is He;
To the One in need of no one, Who is worshipped in three worlds;
The Source of every treasure, He Who cannot be installed.
He Who’s free from all affliction, independent of all breath;
He Who organizes and destroys, Who is the Death of death.

O, I bow to He Who generates, the One Who can't be known.
The Source of passion, strength and grace;
I bow to Thee, Unborn;
He Who is the Supreme Yogi, far beyond all intellect;
He in need of no support, yet Who supports the ocean's depth ...
He in need of no support, yet Who supports the ocean's depth.

I bow to He Who has no caste, religion, faith or creed;
Sublime and All Prevailing Beauty, with no lineage;
The Countryless, the Garbless, Homeless, Spouseless, King of all,
Who dispenses death and mercy, He Who takes the shape of all.
O, I bow to the Creator, the Sustainer, the True Lord;
To the One Annihilator, low I bow to Thee Unborn;
To the One Who has no secrets, He Who is the Death of all;
The Creator of all beauties, their destruction and their fall.

O, I bow to the Sustainer, Omnipresent in all hues;
Who prevails throughout the universe, the Endless Well of Truths.
O, I bow to Thee, Immortal Lord, to Thee untouched by age;
To the Doer, the Forgiver, to the Fearless and the Sage ...
To the Doer, the Forgiver, to the Fearless and the Sage.

He Who is Every Occupation, no relations, no restraint;
To the kind and constant Husband, Aspiration of the saint;
To the Endless and the Infinite, the Love of every soul;
The Creator and Destroyer, bend thou low, this mortal coil.
Bow down to the Lord of Yogis, the Sustainer of the wife;
The Enjoyer of all pleasures, the Caretaker of all life.

He Who's kind and understanding, more impartial than the sea;
He Who dries up all life's fluids, O, I bow my God to Thee.
To the Bountiful and Fruitful, Who is not sustained by breath;
Who is Fearless and Desireless, He Who is the Death of death;
Who is Infinitely Gracious, Who’s within and out of me;
To the Only God whose Name is Truth, I bow, my Lord to Thee ...
To the Only God whose Name is Truth, I bow, my Lord to Thee.

I bow to Thee, O Virtuous, upon Whom all rely;
He Who lives in everyone, the One from Whom all shapes arise;
To the Moon of moons, the King of kings, the most respected One;
Unto He Who has no comrade, Hymn of hymns and Sun of suns;
He Who is the Dance within the dance, the Sound within the sound.
To the Music of all music, to the Current, I bow down;
To the One Who is the Hand and is the hand's Activity,
Who contains all forms, all maya, Great and Glorious is He.

The Dispute of all disputes, the Supreme Siddha of the verse;
To the User of all weapons, Mother of the universe;
Who is All-Supreme in wisdom, without lust and costume free;
To the Master of maneuvers, O, I bow my Lord to Thee ...
To the Master of maneuvers, O, I bow my Lord to Thee.

I bow to He Who cures disease, Who takes our daily care;
Present in both gods and demons, Who is Dutiful and Fair.
He Who knows all forms of cunning, the Embodiment of love;
Who bestows all life and charity, All Seeing Lord above;
To the Mantra of all mantras, Pure of fire and the Pure;
To the Jantra of all jantras, Conqueror of the universe;
The Immortal, Without Master, to the True and Blissful Form;
To the Tantra of all tantras, low, I bow to Thee Unborn.

O, I bow to He Who rules all wealth, the Brightest of the bright;
To the Seed of seeds, the Song of songs, the Form of dark and light;
To the Honored of all honored, without fear or mystery;
Object of all meditation, O, I bow my Lord to Thee ...
Object of all meditation, O, I bow my Lord to Thee.

I bow to the Bestower of all knowledge time and space;
To the Source of love, the Source of strength, salvation, bliss and grace.
He Who takes the form of passion, He Who takes the form of pain;
To the Harshest of the harsh, the Many and the One again;
To the Everlasting Sculptor Who is pleased with every mold;
The Embodiment of kindness, the Controller of the soul;
The Destroyer of the three conditions, future, past and now.

He Who is the Life of life, bestowing undestroyable power;
To the Battle of all battles, the Embodiment of peace;
The Unalterable Essence, Formless through eternity;
To the Righteous Lord of Indras, Who’s within and out of me;
Meditation of all meditations, Lord, I bow to Thee ...
Meditation of all meditations, Lord, I bow to Thee. --

Guru Gobind Singh's Gaitri Mantra With 4 Hars

"Guru Gaitri has eight words: Gobinday; Mukanday; Udaaray; Apaaray; Hareeang; Kareeang; Nirnaamay; Akaamay. On each word, you will apply the lock and you will release it. Very simple. The moment you say 'Gobinday', you will pull the lock and then release it and then say, 'Mukanday; Udaaray; Apaaray; Hareeang; Kareeang; Nirnaamay; Akaamay.'

So, this little thing will keep jumping all the time. You will keep on fanning the energy right below and you will keep chanting up here. As the lips will move, so shall be the belly. You will find the same ratio happening, exactly both, this lower self and the higher self will come in harmony with this... So, if you are afraid of old age and you want to live young, exhale perfectly divine. It is all right to chant it, but this procedure is very simple - with each word of the mantra, you have to apply the complete root lock, Mool Bandh. Normally, a man cannot chant it more than an hour without practicing. In other mantras we say chant more, but here there comes a limit." Yogi Bhajan 12/12/1970  

THE PHYSIOLOGY OF THE WORD The Siri Singh Sahib taught us about the unique classes of languages. He called them phonetic languages where the sounds of the syllables impart meaning by the way they resonate with the archetypal human psyche. He described Gurmukhi, Sanskrit and French as three such languages. In the 16th century, the second Sikh guru, Guru Angad, created the Gurmukhi alphabet to phonetically represent many, if not all, languages. "Guru Angad, the second Sikh Master, invented the Gurmukhi script. Guru Nanak named Guru Angad to succeed him as the Guru for the Sikhs in 1539. Gurmukhi means "from the mouth of the Guru." The Gurmukhi script accomplished something very special. It allowed people to be able to read and pronounce the songs written by Guru Nanak. Up until that point in history, the dialect spoken by Guru Nanak and his contemporaries had no written equivalent. Written languages were reserved for the powerful, the wealthy, and the high-castes. There was no writing or reading based on the common language. THE GURMUKHI ALPHABET "The meaning of the Word-Sound is not what is important. It is the effect of the Word-Sound that matters." -- Hari Singh Khalsa Gurmukhi was developed to be a very precise phonetic language. By learning to pronounce Gurmukhi, people could not only learn to read and pronounce the songs written by Guru Nanak; they could also learn how to pronounce the songs that Guru Nanak had preserved during his life from other masters and sages, even if those songs were in a completely different language. The purpose of Gurmukhi was not to simply represent the common language of the time, but to allow people to read and sing sacred songs in other languages as well. Why did this phonetic language develop? And what does it have to do with the Shabad Guru – the Guiding Sound of Wisdom? Being awakened or enlightened is not simply a mental state. It is a physiological state as well. How we breathe, how the glands secrete, how the nervous system is operating—all of this changes based on what we speak, what we hear, and what we perceive. When Guru Nanak sang his songs, the words he brought forth had a two-fold effect. On the level of language, they imparted a certain philosophical meaning of how to see the world. But in the science of Naad (sound), the songs have the ability to change the physiology of a person and bring them to a more heightened state of consciousness. IMPORTANT: The invention of Gurmukhi was key to opening the doors of the Shabad Guru to all people. Through learning this very simple, precise method of pronunciation, and by repeating the words of the sages, you begin to induce in yourself the same state of consciousness that they were in when they sang the songs. It begins to create the same changes in the physiology. It opens the door to higher awareness. And all that is required is your breath and voice imitating and repeating those sounds. This is the essence of the Shabad Guru. It is between you and you. There is no one else involved. It only requires your breath reciting this sacred poetry. By this practice, there is a process you undergo within your own ego and identity to transform your awareness to live at these heights. -- Ek Ong Kaar Kaur Khalsa See Understanding Shabad Guru. See The Transformational Mantra For Planet Earth. See The Sacred Songs of the Sikhs. Also see Sat Nam Means. Hear Guru Gobind Singh's Bentee Chaupai. And to learn more about the Effects of Reciting Banis, which are recited regularly by Sikhs, click here.

The words of Guru Gobind Singh

Stories of Guru Gobind Singh

Ganga Sagar A Sacred Gift From Guru Gobind Singh Ji Ganga Sagar is basically a Surahi or water pot, which was given by Guru Gobind Singh to the family of Rai Kallah of Raikot in Ludhiana District, (Punjab) Pakistan. It is a wonderful piece of Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s historical gifts to the Sikh world. His ancestor, Rai Azizullaha, shows this Surahi to the Sangat. It has 200 holes. If you pour sand in it, it will come out, but if you put water or milk in it, it remains inside. In 1705 Guru Gobind Singh Ji went to Machiwala after leaving Anandpur Sahib. During those severe hardship days some Rajas refused even to offer help to Guru Sahib due to fear of death as Aurangazeb was after the life of Guru Sahib and his family. When Guru Sahib reached Raikot state, the Muslim Chief Rai Kalha welcomed him and felt honored in offering his services to Guru Sahib as his guest for as long as he wanted to stay. Guru Ji spent a few days with Rai Kahla. It was in Raikot that Guru Sahib got the most tragic news of the death of his two minor sons and his mother. The news was brought from Sarhind by Noora Mahi who was deputized by Rai Kalha of the seva of Guru Sahib. Guru Sahib during his stay asked Noora Mahi to serve him milk in the Ganga Sagar, which was part and parcel of his person belongings. Noora Mahi said that his buffalo did not give milk and even if it did, the milk will not stay in Ganga Sagar as it had holes in it. Guru Sahib told him to utter the name of God and start milking the buffalo. To the surprise and amazement of Noora Mahi, the buffalo gave milk, and it did not leak from the Ganga Sagar. Before leaving Raikot, in recognition and appreciation of the services and hospitality extended by Rai Kalha, a Muslim Chief, who risked his own and his family’ lives, Guru Gobind Singh Ji presented Ganga Sagar, a sword and a Real to Rai Kalha as personal gifts. More. Until 1947 the Ganga Sagar was displayed by Khan Bahadur Rai Inayat Khan for darshan by Sangat who used to walk bare-footed from Gurdwara Tahliana Sahib in Raikot, Distt. Ludhian (Punjab) India. The present owner of Ganga Sagar is Rai Azizzulah Khan (the 9th generation descendant of Rai Kalha III), a grandson of Khan Bahadur Rai Inayat Khan and the heir of the Rai family who have kept his sacred gift of Guru Gobin Singh Ji with great respect and care for almost 300 years. -- Source.

GURU TEGH BAHADUR SAHIB Father of Guru Gobind Singh Guru Tegh Bahadur Top Ten Truths About The Ninth Guru Guru Tegh Bahadur By Harinder Singh Source: Sikhri.org Guru Tegh Bahadar's life and legacy is unparalleled in the annals of world history. He proclaimed: Be very clear in your mind. The insightful person is one who doesn’t fear anyone nor frighten anyone. . Born as Tiag-Mall (Renunciator-Master), eventually the ninth Guru became Tegh-Bahadar (Sword-Warrior) for bravely shining at the battle of Kartarpur against Mughal Imperialism along with his father Guru Hargobind Sahib who defeated Emperor Shah Jahan’s general Painde Khan. . Amidst leadership confusion, Baba Makhan Shah Lubana discovered the Guru due to his personal relationship and declared to the world: "I found the Guru at Baba Bakala when imposter Gurus were confusing and preying on the masse.". . Contributed 116 sabads in 15 rags to Guru Granth Sahib and Salok Mahla 9, which Sikhs lovingly recite; all revelations are in Braj language inscribed in Gurmukhi script. . Masands with state patronage didn't allow Guru Tegh Bahadar to enter Harimandar Sahib Complex and installed a parallel leadership; Sikh women of Amritsar showed solidarity with the Guru. Dhirmal hired a hit man, Shihan, to murder the Guru; the Guru's shoulder was grazed by a bullet. . Traveled extensively beyond Panjab, including to Assam where the Guru forged peace between warring forces of Raja Ram Singh of Amber aligned with Emperor Aurangzeb and Raja Chakardwaj of Ahom. . Bought the land around Makhowal to establish an alternative to masand-infested Amritsar, and named the city Chakk Nanaki, which became the inaugural site of the Khalsa and renamed Anandpur Sahib. . Confronted Iftikhar Khan of Kashmir who was forcefully converting Hindu Pandits with his ISIS-like Takfiri and Jizya doctrines; the Guru in dialogue with his pre-teen son, Gobind Rai Sodhi, took on the religious and political hegemony. . State tortured and martyred three companions of the Guru: Bhais Mati, Sati, and Dayal were sawed, burned and boiled, respectively. Aurangzeb ordered Guru's beheading. Nature responded, the clouds moved over Chandani Chowk, dust storm brewed, rain followed. The Guru gave his head, but not his conviction. Guru Tegh Bahadur made the supreme sacrifice in order to protect the Hindus. Guru Tegh Bahadur sacrificed his life to protect the freedom of worship of others. . State paraded Guru's headless body in Delhi, and wouldn't allow cremation. Bhai Lakhi Shah brought the body to his mansion and provided cremation in memory of the Guru. This is memorialized at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, Delhi. Bhai Jaita brought the head to Guru Gobind Singh. It was offered to Panjab's five elements. This is memorialized at Gurdwara Sis Ganj, Anandpur Sahib. . Guru is Srishat Di Chadar (Protector of Humanity) as per Sainapati's recordings in Sri Gur Sobha (court-poet of Guru Gobind Singh). Beware of revisionism: Hind-di-chadar and dharam-di-chadar reduce the Guru's domain from global to local, from political-spiritual to merely religious. --

BRITISH SOLDIER MEETS GURU GOBIND SINGH By Bhai Ranjit Singh (Jalandhar) In 1964, when some of the weapons of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji were brought back from England, an Englishman, in complete Sikh form, accompanied them. Out of curiousity, someone asked the Englishman what inspired him to adopt the Sikh form. Was it due to respect for the weapons or was there some other reason? The explanation given by him at Gurdwara Bangla Sahib in Delhi is something that should be of interest to all readers. My name was A. David. I happened to be commanding a Sikh Regiment during World War II. My Regiment suffered very heavy losses fighting the Germans. Most of the Sikh jawaans (soldiers) of my Battalion were killed. Only a few survived and we were all surrounded by the Germans. As there were very remote chances of our survival, I called the Subedaar major of the Battalion and informed him about our precarious situation. Death was facing us and there was no chance of survival. I suggested to him that the jawans should individually attempt to escape from the enemy encirclement and save their lives. The Subedaar Major replied, "We cannot bring ignominy to the Sikh Regiment by running away from the battlefield." However, he suggested that they should perform an Akhand-Paath ceremony and take action as per the Divine Hukam (Holy Command). Accordingly, necessary security arrangements were made and the Akhand-Paath ceremony was completed without interruption. After the supplicatory prayer (Ardaas), the Divine Hukam from the Holy Scripture was explained to me by the Subedaar Major and the religious teacher (Granthi). The Guru’s instruction as per the Divine Hukam was that we should not abandon the battlefield; victory will be ours. Then I conveyed to them the miracle that I had witnessed during the supplicatory prayer. While standing with my eyes closed during the Ardaas, a fully armed Sikh on horseback with a unique grandeur appeared in front of me and ordered "Follow me." I pointed out the direction in which the fully armed Sikh went after giving the order and asked them about the identity of the warrior. The Subedaar Major said that from the description I had given, he seemed to be none other than Sri Guru Gobind Singh himself! So, we got ready and launched an attack in the direction pointed out by the Guru. After a short while, we were able to break through the German encirclement and save ourselves. We then got in touch with the Brigade Commander on wireless and requested for additional help. After the war, I reflected upon the incident and the divine personality who had saved our lives from the impregnable enemy encirclement in a desperate situation by ordering me to follow him. I made up my mind to follow him for the rest of my life. I resigned from the Army and along with my daughter, embraced Sikh Dharam with the initiation ceremony of the Khalsa. Now my name is Devinder Singh and my daughter’s name is Surjit Kaur. This is due to the blessings of Guru Gobind Singh that he made us his disciples. -- Source. See The Battle of Saragarhi. See Life of Guru Gobind Singh. See Legacy of Guru Gobind Singh. See Sikh Glossary. See 3HO/Sikh Dharma Glossary.  See A Comprehensive Sikh History Quiz. See Sikh Minister's Vows. See Why Don't Sikh Women Tie Turban? See Core Issues For Sikhs.

GURDWARA SECURITY AND SAFETY

Act without fear.
Act without anger.
Act to defend the weak.
Act to protect the innocent.

"Don't secure me, secure my environments." Siri Singh Sahib

"In Prosperity three things work: Security, Security and Security.
Because Security manifests Prosperity. Security manifests the entire
manifestation. Because Security is the Rule of Harmony." Siri Singh Sahib

"It is a Sikh's sacred duty, without fear or anger, to defend the
weak and protect the innocent." SantSipahiAdvisoryTeam.com

"Forgiveness doesn't mean you forget what happened...
If something is serious and it is necessary to take counter-
measures, you have to take counter-measures." Dalai Lama

"Circumstances cannot be allowed to preclude the implementation
of adequate safety and security measures." Interior-Guard.com

Why do we need to secure environments? See The 12 Signs of Kali Yuga.

SECURITY AND SAFETY GUIDELINES
Compiled by Sant Sipahi Advisory Team

GENERAL PROTOCOLS
FOR GURDWARA SEVADARS

Monitor all activities occurring in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib as well as any other activities in order to maintain a safe, hazard-free environment, and a peaceful, respectful Gurdwara decorum.

Assist Sangat members in the performance of their worship and other activities, especially to include the arrival and departure of families with young children, giving aid and comfort to the elderly and the infirm, and greeting visitors.

Take direct Protective and/or Defensive action in the event of emergency circumstances such as fire and emergency medical response, disruptive or disorderly activity, or any act of aggression occurring within or around the Gurdwara or amongst Sangat members, and ensure security of building perimeter (doors and windows) while maintaining appropriate access for Sangat members and guests.

Gather and disseminate intelligence data, and subsequently alert Sangat members, and appropriate local authorities to the existence of issues or circumstances involving imminent or potential risk to the security of the Guru, Sangat members, or Gurdwara property.

Interface with and assist Local Fire and Medical Emergency or Law Enforcement Response Team members in order to maintain appropriate and respectful decorum in any emergency conditions occurring in the presence of Guru Granth Sahib or upon the Gurdwara property, circumstances permitting.

NOTE: General Protocols For Gurdwara Sevadars are intended to be general in nature as opposed to specific since these apply to the commonalities of all Gurdwaras.

Special Operating Protocols or SOPs should be formulated and implemented by respective Sangat leaders after consultation with local First Responders, i.e., Fire, Medical Emergency, Law Enforcement or other agencies. These Special Operating Protocols then will reflect conditions peculiar to local circumstances, which may vary according to any unique layout, structural, or geographical, economic, or technical requirements.

In addition, each community should contact their local First Responders, especially Fire Prevention and Law Enforcement Agencies, for a comprehensive risk assessment survey of Gurdwara property, and management policies and procedures to include a comprehensive Safety and Security Audit. Audits may possibly be provided free of charge, and should include procedures related to the following issues:

a) Fire Prevention and Emergency Evacuation
b) Medical Emergency Response and First-aid Training
c) Active Shooter Response and Defender Training
d) Safe Room Implementation
e) 'Refuse To Be a Victim' Training
f) Security and Preparedness Report to Khalsa Council
g) Life 'Left of Bang'
h) Behavioral Analysis White Paper
i) Gurdwara Security Toolkit

For assistance, call 855-410-2700 Eastern, or click here. For security skills training, see RamDhanSingh.com.

Security does not happen by accident!

Security is those actions or systems, which prevent or minimize
the occurrence of adverse events within specific environments.
The most effective security is preventative as well as proactive,
and serves to minimize any risk to life, property or environments.

American Sikhs are free to pursue happiness, but there's no guarantee we will achieve it.

SPECIAL NOTE: American Sikhs are free to pursue happiness, but there's no guarantee will achieve it. We can view the subject of Security as an unpleasant, even terrifying concept, or as a fearless, even exhilarating exercise in courage. We can choose to be passive, wimpy victims, or proactive, fearless survivors. To those members of the Sadh Sangat who choose to remain in denial with regard to matters of Security and Safety, who either claim that Gurdwara Security is unnecessary, or who dismiss any thought of improving Gurdwara Security, I suggest that you not only recall the tragic events of the August 5, 2012 Gurdwara assault in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, the Sandy Hook Elementary School killings in Newtown, Connecticut, December 14, 2012, and the U.S. Navy Yard massacre of September 16, 2013, but that you recall the days of Operation Blue Star, the tragic assault on the Guru in Amritsar, India, June 1-6, 1984, a week which will live in infamy... the event that involved the desecration of the Golden Temple, and the destruction of the Akal Takht. (See video.) Going back much farther, remember Aurangzeb?

Beadbi of Siri Guru Granth Sahib

Keep in mind also that the Siri Singh Sahib of Sikh Dharma established a policy whereby a Security and Safety Sevadar is posted at the door of the House of Guru Ram Das Gurdwara in Los Angeles, California, even to this day. His vision being that Gurdwara Security and Safety is not about acting out of fear or anger, it is about selflessly serving the Guru and the Sangat while fearlessly defending the weak and protecting the innocent for which Sikhs have a sacred duty. See Our Youth Deserves Leadership Training.

See Refuse To Be A Victim Course. See World's Worst Mass Shootings. See How To Build A Team at 1Plus1Equals11.com. See Women: Wimps or Warriors?. See Are You Among The 'Unchurched'? See The 12 Signs of Kali Yuga.

SANT SIPAHI - SAINT SOLDIER
JAPJI SAHIB - 37TH PAURI

Karam khand ki bani jor. Tithai hor na koi hor.
In the realm of Karam, the Word is Power.
No one else dwells there.

Tithai jodh maha-bal sur. Tin meh ram rahia bharpur.
Except the Warriors of great power, the Spiritual Heroes.
They are totally fulfilled, imbued with the Lord's Essence.

Tithai sito sita mehma mahi. Ta ke rup na kathne jahi.
Myriads of Sitas are there, cool and calm in their
majestic glory. Their beauty cannot be described.

Na ohi marahi na thage jahi. Jin kai Ram vasai man mahi.
Neither death nor deception comes to those
within whose minds the Lord abides.

Tithai bhagat vasahi ke loa. Karahi anand sacha mani soe.
The Devotees of many worlds dwell there.
They celebrate; their minds are imbued with the True Lord...

PSALM 82:3-4

Guru Gobind Singh Ji's Epic Battle
100K to 40, The Battle of Chamkaur Sahib, December 21, 1704

"They've got us surrounded again, the poor bastards." -- Creighton Abrams

"Human is a blend of Saint and Soldier (Sant Sipahi); this is a complete person.
If you are not a soldier your sainthood will be kicked around. If you are only
a soldier, not a saint, you will start kicking others around." -- Yogi Bhajan

"I can think of a number of fanatical, over-zealous religious groups who
would do us all well to take Yogi Bhajan's advice." -- Hari Singh Khalsa

Sat Nam. The Siri Singh Sahib was asked to express his priorities for a community gathering in the early ‘70s. His reply, “Security, Security, Security.” I share his vision. I have the concern that with the passage of time, nay, even as we speak, the memory of the Oak Creek massacre will fade away just as the memory of the infamous 1984 Operation Blue Star attack on the Sikhs in India seems to have disappeared from our recollection. Many Sikhs simply tag these events as the will of God and Guru, which is true, but we cannot stop there. There is a deeper message, a challenge, that has apparently gone unnoticed, i.e., our sacred duty to fearlessly "defend the weak and protect the innocent," just as Guru Gobind Singh taught us. So, I am requesting that the Sikh ministers act to meet our present day challenges. Not out of a sense of fear or apprehension, but with the same courage and fearlessness as did Guru Gobind Singh and our beloved Siri Singh Sahib. I urge my fellow ministers to answer this call by purchasing the Active Shooter Survival Training DVD shown below, and sharing it with their respective sangats. See Jai Jagdeesh Kaur's Ad Guray Nameh.

Humbly,

Mukhia Singh Sahib Hari Singh Bird Khalsa --

ACTIVE SHOOTER SURVIVAL TRAINING

Be prepared!

LAST RESORT
ACTIVE SHOOTER SURVIVAL DVD

Check it out!

AVOID BECOMING A HELPLESS VICTIM
GET THIS SURVIVAL TRAINING DVD

Active Shooter Survival DVD is
a reality-based training production.
Training covers the following topics.

Planning for Survival
Stopping the Shooter
Escaping the Violence
Hiding from the Shooter
Preventing Violent Intrusions
Collective Survival Strategies
Disrupting the Shooter’s Intentions

Training includes a step-by-step how-to, such as:

Protecting you from extreme violence
Responding to an active shooter
Managing workplace violence
Improving Gurdwara security
Becoming better prepared
Saving innocent lives
Surviving terrorism

Who is responsible for your security?

Most people are reactive when it comes to their safety and well-being.
Most people respond only after threats have materialized and the problem is acute.
This approach brings little solace to the victims and is dangerous.
The most effective security is preventative as well as proactive.
The radicalization of fringe elements in society is increasing.
The targeting of minorities is nothing new and will continue.
Community preparedness is a must; its absence is a liability. --
Alon Stivi, CEO, Direct Measures International

"Your value is not in how many experiences you have had.
It is in your stability -- in how much sacrifice you can do.
Your value is in how effectively and how consistently you can
live for others. Your value is in how you can take command of
yourself and others in any situation. Your value is in your capability
of firmly planting yourself in the neutrality of your higher consciousness
and standing as a pillar of strength, turning every negative to a positive.
Your value is how quickly you are there when the call comes." -- Yogi Bhajan

"Security consciousness is a state of being whereby we live in service
to humanity, inspiring and assisting others to do the same. And while
it is our sacred purpose to celebrate Naam and live as saints, it is our
sacred duty to defend the weak and protect the innocent." -- Hari Singh

FEMA'S ICS - INCIDENT COMMAND SYSTEM

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THE SIKH WARRIOR'S ANTHEM

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IT'S YOUR CHOICE
HOW SECURE IS YOUR ENVIRONMENT?

WILL YOU BE THERE WHEN THE CALL COMES?

Q: DOES YOUR SANGAT OR GURDWARA NEED MORE SECURITY?
CONTACT YOUR POLICE DEPARTMENT TO GET A SECURITY AUDIT.

Q: DOES YOUR SANGAT HAVE A GURDWARA SECURITY COMPONENT?
IF NO, YOU CAN GET HELP ORGANIZING A SECURITY MISSAL HERE.

IF YOUR SANGAT AND GURDWARA SECURITY IS ADEQUATE,
SHARE YOUR STORY HERE OR CALL 800-528-0413 EXT 354 EASTERN.

ALL RESPONSES ARE CONFIDENTIAL

A POST 9-11 HISTORY OF DISCRIMINATION

It remains true today, in the ancient tradition of ignorance,
that people of faith and otherwise good sense hasten
to ostracize and demonize any person or group
whose beliefs and customs are unlike their own.

Vandalism at the Sikh Gurdwara in Fresno, California
Photo courtesy of Christian Parley, The Fresno Bee.

Immediately after September 11, 2001, an epidemic of hate crimes against minorities swept the United States and other countries. The wave of hate crimes and hate violence affected Muslims especially, and anyone perceived to be a Muslim, e.g., Sikhs, Arabs, South Asians, Latinos, and other brown-skinned people. Incidents occurred in every part of the public sphere: houses, roadways, workplaces, airports, school grounds, and street corners, as well as churches, synagogues, mosques, temples and gurdwaras in nearly every major city in the United States. In targeted communities, places of worship have been burned, homes vandalized, families threatened, jobs denied, children bullied, women harassed, men and women beaten and murdered.

RECENT VIOLENT ACTS AGAINST RELIGIOUS COMMUNITIES

SIX SIKHS SLAIN
Sunday, August 5, 2012

Sikhs murdered at their Gurdwara in Oak Creek, Wisconsin.
Top left to right, Satwant Singh, Sita Singh, and Paramjit Kaur,
Bottom left to right, Ranjit Singh, Prakash Singh, and Suveg Singh.

Sikh community members in the wake of the Oak Creek murders.

ANOTHER SIKH SLAIN
Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Dalbir Singh of Oak Creek, Wisconsin, murdered in his store.

TEENAGE MUSLIM GIRL WOUNDED
Wednesday, October 10, 2012

BEFORE

AFTER

Malala Yousuf Zai, a 14 year old girl, was seriously wounded by
religious fanatics for speaking out for peace and human rights. More.

Hate Groups Numbers In U.S. Are Growing

See Hate Groups Map Here

Open Letter To The Saadh Sangat of Sikh Dharma

Mukhia Singh Sahib
Hari Singh Bird Khalsa

Security does not happen by accident!

Security is those actions or systems, which prevent or minimize
the occurrence of adverse events within specific environments.
The most effective security is preventative as well as proactive,
and serves to minimize any risk to life, property or environments.

Sat Nam, Brothers and Sisters! I am a former U.S. Marine and someone who has been involved with Gurdwara and Solstice security for decades. I would like to address what I see as a general absence of security/soldier consciousness within Sikh communities by quoting the Siri Singh Sahib, who said: “Human is a blend of Saint and Soldier; this is a complete person. If you are not a Soldier your sainthood will be kicked around. If you are only a Soldier, not a Saint, you will start kicking others around.”

The Siri Singh Sahib was once asked to express his priorities at a 3HO Solstice Sadhana gathering in the early ‘70s. His reply was, “Security, Security, Security.” And since the establishment of the Guru Ram Das Ashram in Los Angeles, and until this very day, a sevadar is posted at the door of the gurdwara as ordered by the Siri Singh Sahib. Security has been a priority consideration since the earliest days of 3HO/Sikh Dharma.

While recently speaking with a sangat member regarding the subject of Gurdwara Security and Safety, she mentioned how she thought she would engage an active-shooter incident within her community. She said her first instinct would be to physically cover any potential victims with her body as a shield. I advised her that this would be exactly the wrong action to take. I suggested that she think about the instructions given by airline attendants concerning an in-flight emergency. Passengers are advised to take self-saving actions first by utilizing their oxygen mask on themselves before attempting to assist anybody else.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but self-preservation must be the first response in order for other potential victims to be protected and defended. Contrary to the unfortunate outcomes of numerous recent horrific events, an active-shooter event is not a situation where potential victims are without recourse. This is addressed in numerous, simple, and surprising ways in a survival training video called Survival Edge: Active Shooter Survival, available at ACTCert.com (ACT stands for Attack Countermeasures Training), which I urge all communities to acquire and view. This DVD provides a reality-based, step-by-step training program that covers how to protect you and others from extreme violence, including responding to an active shooter, managing workplace violence, improving Gurdwara security and safety, becoming better prepared, saving innocent lives and surviving terrorism.

Though the outcome of the shooting event in Oak Creek, Wisconsin in 2012 was horrific, those murders might have been preventable to a significant extent. There are specific actions (some even at the time of the attack) that could have possibly mitigated the outcome.

Since the incident, many Sikhs have opined that as unfortunate as it was, it was the will of God and Guru. This is true. But I opine that the event did not just happen in order to happen. It happened with a clear and challenging message to the Sadh Sangat: as Sikhs of Guru Gobind Singh, it is our sacred duty to defend the weak and protect the innocent.

My question is, what are we collectively doing to meet this challenge? What are we doing in the way of securing our communities, whereby we honor our sacred duty?

My concern is that with the passage of time, the memory of the Oak Creek massacre and other tragedies will fade away. I strongly encourage all members of the Sikh community – and especially Sikh Dharma Ministers – to act now to meet this ever-present challenge – not out of a sense of reactionary fear, but with the same attention and fearless dedication as our beloved Siri Singh Sahib.

As a member of the 3HO Solstice Security and Safety advisory team, I am working to help develop programs and awareness, and I am happy to receive communication from sangat members.

My web site at www.GurdwaraSecurity.com provides resources, tips, and thoughts about this important topic.

Humbly,

Mukhia Singh Sahib Hari Singh Bird Khalsa --

Open Letter To The First Teachers of Sikh Dharma

Sat Nam, Khalsa ji! In the wake of the attention now being given for and against gun ownership, I have frequently recalled a scene from many years ago with a wince, even a shudder on one hand, and a smile with a head-shake on the other.

Women: Wimps or Warriors?

I was in a mixed group discussing security and gun safety training in which a young woman reluctantly picked up a handgun between her thumb and forefinger as if picking up a dead mouse. The scene stuck with me ever since. And all the recent talk about guns and violence has especially caused me to recall that silly albeit sad scenario. Silly because it looked so comical, sad because it is indicative of where I see the mind set of many women, today.

If a woman is attacked by a gun-toting assailant, her chance
of survival diminishes greatly if she has no training in
survival skills, e.g., martial arts and firearms training.

    
Wimps

    
Warriors

Saint Mai Bhago Kaur Soldier

Regardless of where you stand on gun control, knowledge of firearms equates with strength, ignorance of firearms equates with weakness.

OUR YOUTH DESERVE LEADERSHIP TRAINING
New Mexico Military Institute can provide this.
A two-year leadership program is available.

Those who shall not learn to obey shall never be
in a position to command. -- Siri Singh Sahib

A woman who is not a leader is a miserable person… A leader has three things.
First thing, leader has to sacrifice; second thing, leader has to stand alone; and
third, leader has to lead. And leader has to lead by example, by action and by word.
A leader is one who can stand on the top of the ladder and can stay balanced and
alone. So basically, if you do not want to be the leaders, and you do not want to
lead the home, lead the family, lead your environments, with grace, with courage
and with intelligence, you will have nothing in your life... -- Siri Singh Sahib

Create dependable children, not dependent children. Give your children
the basic values to face their own tomorrows, not be blinded by yours. Make
them proper personalities, not helpless puppets. Position them for success; do
not paralyze them with the commotion of your emotions. -- Siri Singh Sahib

The basic aspect of you as woman is not in your sensuality and in your dramas.
You are not only the givers of life, you are the manufacturers of character. Whatever
character you will give to your children, that shall be their future. -- Siri Singh Sahib

Your reliability will give people the courage to trust you.
Their trust will give you the power to carry a situation. A leader
carries and serves people. Learn to lead as a ‘seva’ (to sacrifice your
time and resources for the benefit of others without wanting anything in
return); people will love you, and you will continue to expand. -- Siri Singh Sahib

Children are born with intrinsic leadership traits, which prepare them for life.
These must translate positively into the lives they lead as citizens of the world.
These are: Service, Justice, Courage, Compassion, Decisiveness, Reliability,
Integrity, Initiative, Knowledge, Loyalty, Enthusiasm, Endurance. -- Hari Singh Khalsa

Sikhi youth...Sant-Sipahi is their heritage

Sat Nam, Khalsa ji! I am a passionate proponent of more balance between our claims to accept and understand the concept of Saint-Soldier, and actually living our lives as authentic Sant-Sipahi. To this end I strongly urge Khalsa parents, especially our women, the first teachers of our children, to consider the following points.

WOMEN Are
The First Teachers

.) I urge you to consider enrolling our children at the New Mexico Military Institute, located in Roswell, New Mexico. My kids graduated high school with honors at NMMI in the early '80s, the first children of Sikh Dharma to attend a military school in America. The Siri Singh Sahib expressed pleasure upon observing cadet training when he visited NMMI in 1983. He advised us then that he would have enrolled his own children at NMMI if he had known of its existence. Another group of children who attended school in India later attended NMMI in the early '90s.

Sikh minister, M.S.S. Hari Singh Bird, addresses Sikh cadets in front of the NMMI chapel, 1992.

New Mexico Military Institute offers an outstanding two year college option for your sons and daughters after they complete their time at Miri Piri Academy. For those families for which MPA is not an option, NMMI has an excellent four year high school college prep program in addition to their two year college program. New Mexico Military Institute has been ranked No. 5 on a list of the nation’s top 50 community colleges by an independent organization, i.e., TheBestSchools.org, which has described the Roswell, New Mexico school as the “only state-supported, coeducational, military boarding school in the United States.” The school offers college prep, a four-year high school and a two-year junior college. See NMMI Strategic Measures Statistics.

Each of the former Sikhi students/graduates of NMMI provide a testament to the advantages of attending NMMI, which include a rigorous and challenging lifestyle, camaraderie and fellowship, and outstanding leadership training especially, along with NMMI's excellent scholastic program. This experience prepared them for additional university training, and exciting careers all over the world. NMMI is the only American prep school I know that has a history of accommodating the Sikhi lifestyle, i.e., sadhana, kesh, turban, sipahi training, and vegetarian diet. And it is an excellent environment for Sikhi youth to learn leadership and soldiering skills for which the Siri Singh Sahib was a passionate proponent.

The NMMI program offers MPA students and other Sikh youth a unique and reasonably cost-effective opportunity to transition from the Indian program into the American experience as a unit, and the obvious advantage of continued bonding with their peers. See NMMI Admissions, or click admissions@nmmi.edu, or call 800-421-5376.

.) I urge you to support a resurgence of the Women's Close Order Drill Team, about which the Siri Singh Sahib frequently commented, "If you cannot walk together, you cannot work together." He initiated this training back in the late '70s at Khalsa Women's Training Camp in addition to the Women's Select Rifle Drill Team and Firearms Training.

.) I urge you to reflect on the Siri Singh Sahib's words, "Human is a blend of Saint and Soldier (Sant Sipahi); this is a complete person. If you are not a Soldier your sainthood will be kicked around. If you are only a Soldier, not a Saint, you will start kicking others around."

Again, our youth deserve leadership training going forward. I know of no readily available source of formal leadership training available to our Sikh youth other than the New Mexico Military Institute.

Your thoughts?

Humbly,

Mukhia Singh Sahib Hari Singh Bird Khalsa --

See What Is Close Order Drill? See Women Warriors. See Flash-Bang For Women Only.
See Refuse To Be A Victim Seminar. See Jai Jagdeesh Kaur's Ad Guray Nameh.

To: M.S.S. Hari Singh Bird Khalsa Sent: Thu, Aug 1, 2013 12:24 pm Sat Nam Hari Singh, Hope you and your family are keeping well. As you must have heard, another Gurdwara in California got vandalized recently. Please let me know your comments on security measures we can suggest to various Gurdwaras that they can take to prevent these incidents. Also, what do you think the local, state and federal government can do to protect our Gurdwaras. Blessings. Bhai Sahib ____________________ -- Sat Nam, Bhai Sahib ji! Thank you for your inquiry! I am truly saddened to hear of the recent Gurdwara vandalism. Regarding your request for my thoughts about local Gurdwara actions, I suggest that immediate consideration be given to adopting and distributing the General Protocols listed at GurdwaraSecurity.com. These should be supplemented with any appropriate Special Operating Protocols unique to a respective Gurdwara.     In addition, I suggest that Sangat leaders make contact with local law enforcement, medical emergency and other first responders, ASAP, for the purpose of initiating a security and safety assessment audit in order to determine the actual security status of the Gurdwara environment plus the adjacent property and neighborhood, followed by the implementation of any appropriate recommendations. Communications with key people within these same agencies should remain well established and maintained, as well. (Note: It may be helpful to direct local agencies to this site, WhoAreTheSikhs.com, for historical reference, especially regarding the Oak Creek tragedy.) Further, I suggest that Sangat leaders immediately execute actions that secure Gurdwara environments, e.g., employ an on-site uniformed, and armed law enforcement officer along with an on-site marked vehicle presence during high visibility Sunday activities, especially. This action will provide the Sangat with a) an on-site, professionally trained agent with arrest powers, and b) legal cover in the event of potential liability issues. With respect to vandalism concerns, I suggest that security video cameras be deployed at key points around the Gurdwara perimeters as well as inside the Gurdwara. This will also provide a means by which safety issues such as fire and-or hazardous and emergency medical events can be monitored. The security audit will more than likely cover this issue. A final thought, although this may not be practical for obvious reasons, remember that the Siri Singh Sahib directed that a Sevadar be stationed full-time at the entrance of House of Guru Ram Das Gurdwara, Los Angeles. To my knowledge, this remains the case to this day. See Interior-Guard.com. Be well. Humbly, M.S.S. Hari Singh Bird Khalsa -- "Forgiveness doesn't mean you forget what happened... If something is serious and it is necessary to take counter- measures, you have to take counter-measures." Dalai Lama "Don't secure me, secure my environments." Siri Singh Sahib Why do we need to secure environments? See The 12 Signs of Kali Yuga. Human is a blend of Saint and Soldier; this is a complete person. If you are not a Soldier your sainthood will be kicked around. If you are only a Soldier, not a Saint, you will start kicking others around. -- Siri Singh Sahib of Sikh Dharma

See Women Warriors. See Jai Jagdeesh Kaur's Ad Guray Nameh.
See Refuse To Be A Victim Seminar. See Amazon Women.
See Memories of Khalsa Women's Rifle Drill Team.
See How The Marines Transform Me Into We.
See Sikh Women Wear Turbans.

Jai Tegang - Dasam Granth - Guru Gobind Singh Khag Khand Bihandang Khal Dal Khandang At Ran Mandang Bar Bandang Bhuj Dhandh Akhandang Tej Parchandang Jot Amandang Bhan Prabhang Sukh Santaa Karnang Durmat Darnang Kilbikh Harnang As Sarnang Jai Jai Jag Kaaran Srist Ubaaran Mam Pratipaaran Jai Tegang Translation: The Sword breaks through and cuts down the demons of the mind and body. This beautiful and powerful weapon adorns the battlefield of life. It is as an extension of the arm, unbreakable, terribly fast, it’s awesome splendor overshadows even the sun. It protects the peace and happiness of the saints and destroys any powerful negative energy. It has erased the negativity and guilt that I carry. I seek its refuge. Praise, praise be to the Great Doer of the world, Savior of the creation, my Great Protector, praise be to The Sword! "This shabd is the total property of Guru Gobind Singh, given to us as a gift. This one shabd alone can keep you daringly alive and brilliant...It awakens the spirit...And if you find a person very feeble, who has no grit, no courage, no self-esteem...and you do the job of this shabd, the person will become totally tempered and can cut through any negativity...You sing this shabd and from a begging bowl of poverty, you shall have royalty, imperial dignity and your grace." Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji   Human is a blend of saint and soldier; this is a complete person. If you are not a soldier your sainthood will be kicked around. If you are only a soldier, not a saint, you will start kicking others around. -- Siri Singh Sahib of Sikh Dharma "Don't secure me, secure my environments." The Siri Singh Sahib Why do we need to secure environments? See The 12 Signs of Kali Yuga.

POINTS TO PONDER

If you cannot walk together, you
cannot work together. Yogi Bhajan

Those who shall not learn to obey shall never
be in a position to command. Yogi Bhajan

The synergistic equation is 1 plus 1 equals 11.
When this synergistic equation is applied, the 'me' perspective
morphs into the universal 'we' perspective. The result is each action is
accomplished exponentially for the common good. 1Plus1Equals11.com

FACTOID

"All security is local.
Homeland security begins with hometown security."