By Karminder Singh Dhillon | Malaysia |
The sermons that go on in our gurdwara kathas reinforce a god who is to be feared. Be afraid of him at every breath, we are told, for he can stop the next breath anytime he wishes. Our kathakars narrate sakhi after sakhi that speak of the wrath that befall those who choose not to fear god; and the abundance that comes to those who knew “how to ask” in a proper way.
The kirtan that goes on in our gurdwaras focusses on rendering shabds from within Gurbani that supposedly endorse the notion of asking, begging and pleading for material gains. Our ragis and kirtanias pick out verses from the SGGS that contain words such as ask, request and pray and make them into the chorus of their singing. And then tell us that our Gurus and Bhagats endorsed the notion of asking for material gains and benefits. The long list of ‘askings’ that the granthi reads out in the ardas at the conclusion of our diwans bears testimony to the paramount place of ‘asking” for all things good in our congregational worship.
The Gurbani as contained within the Sri Guru Granth Sahib (SGGS), however, advocates a spirituality of a starkly different kind. So stark that one may call it the exact opposite of what our clergy tell us and have been telling us all along.
The Spirituality of Gurbani is a spirituality that promotes fearlessness and contentment. The God of Gurbani is Within. It makes no sense fearing a God who is sitting right Within me as the driving force of my life. It makes a lot of sense to love, appreciate, revere and realize this God. The fear of God who is Within hence becomes a non-entity in Gurbani based spirituality.
(Source: Understanding Anand by Karminder Singh Dhillon. This was the preface to the first edition. The second edition of Understanding Nitnem: Jap, Sodar and Sohela (346 pages) and Understanding Anand (179 pages) are now available in the market. Price: RM100 for delivery in Malaysia; For more details, including delivery to other regions, Click here for more details.)
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RELATED STORY:
Karminder Singh deepens Gurbani engagement with updated Nitnem and Anand works (Asia Samachar, 3 Jan 2026)
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