1 - Devi Pooja

Sikhi-The religion of Guru Nanak is based on root principle of ONE. The digit 1 stands for One Supreme God. What follows are the qualities and glory of this < (Ik Oankaar). Guru Nanak’s Sikhi (not Sikhism) is based on Love and devotion for one supreme God, the One Supreme Power. Sikhi is a monotheistic Religion, and Guru Baani ,Bhagat Baani, Bhatt baani, compositions of Sikhs in Guru Granth Sahib and Sri Dasam Granth, vaara and Kabitt Sawaiye of Bhai Gurdas ji and Bhai Nand Laal ji are proof enough that Sikhs never worshipped anyone else except The One. If we start giving references and proofs from these compositions, it’ll be an endless list. So we’ll stick to the root principle, the base of Sikhi, The One, Ik Oankaar and do some vichaar.
Lately there has been a vicious propaganda against Baani of Guru Gobind Singh ji, that these compositions of Dasam Granth contain reverence for Hindu Gods and Goddesses, therefore they can not be Baani of Dasmesh pita. This has been fuelled by some of our neo-scholars of dasam baani who have interpreted words like Kaalka, Bhagauti, Chandika, Kaal, Mahakaal for being Hindu deities Shiv and Parbati (Durga).

Guru Granth Sahib ji Maharaj is Supreme Guru of Sikhs. The concept of One enshrined in the Mool mantar at the beginning of Guru Granth Sahib forms the basis of any type of interpretation, translation or explanation of any Shabad or composition of Ten Gurus, as they were all here on this planet as representatives of One Akaal Purakh, not various Gods and goddesses. If something is contrary to teachings of Guru Granth Sahib ji or Dasmesh pita, that cannot be accepted as a honest and pure translation of Baani. Guru Granth Sahib ji talks about One, the authority and supremacy of One, how the Supreme Power manifests itself in different forms, how it is all-pervading and omnipresent. Guru Granth Sahib takes us from duality to non-duality; it’s a journey in which we go through this world to reach our True-self. It’s a process of identifying One’s real self, which is lost in duality of this creation. It’s a path which tell us that Waheguru is
ਅਨੇਕ ਹੈਂ ॥ ਫਿਰਿ ਏਕ ਹੈਂ ॥ 43॥
Though you have many forms yet you are one. (43) (Sri Jaap)

There’s a big ideological difference between Sikh and Hindu concept of God. Hindus claim God takes form to remove evil from this world and to bless his Bhagats. Hindus started worshipping those different forms, forgetting the One who was at the Core of that form, the one who was the real power behind that form. Hindus say Vishnu blessed Dhruv, Prahlaad and people like Ajaamal and Ganika. They say Krishna blessed Bidar and Draupadi and killed Kansa. They claim it was Ram, son of Dasrath who killed Ravana and blessed the world. They refused to see power of One Waheguru working through these forms and started worshipping them. Hindu books praised Vishnu, Ram and Krishna as Gods who performed these actions and started worshipping them instead of The One, whereas Guru Nanak’s Sikhi attributes all these actions to One Waheguru.
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਮਾਰੂ ਮਹਲਾ 9 ॥
ਹਰਿ ਕੋ ਨਾਮੁ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖਦਾਈ ॥
ਜਾ ਕਉ ਸਿਮਰਿ ਅਜਾਮਲੁ ਉਧਰਿਓ ਗਨਿਕਾ ਹੂ ਗਤਿ ਪਾਈ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਪੰਚਾਲੀ ਕਉ ਰਾਜ ਸਭਾ ਮਹਿ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮ ਸੁਧਿ ਆਈ ॥
ਤਾ ਕੋ ਦੂਖੁ ਹਰਿਓ ਕਰੁਣਾ ਮੈ ਅਪਨੀ ਪੈਜ ਬਢਾਈ ॥1॥
ਜਿਹ ਨਰ ਜਸੁ ਕਿਰਪਾ ਨਿਧਿ ਗਾਇਓ ਤਾ ਕਉ ਭਇਓ ਸਹਾਈ ॥
ਕਹੁ ਨਾਨਕ ਮੈ ਇਹੀ ਭਰੋਸੈ ਗਹੀ ਆਨਿ ਸਰਨਾਈ ॥2॥1

Some people have interpreted Bhagauti, Shivaa, Kaalka as being Hindu Goddess Durga. In their translations of ancient texts, they have committed the same mistake, of considering Durga as the one whom Guru Gobind Singh ji worshipped, which goes against the Baani of Guru Granth Sahib ji and ideals of earlier nine gurus, and there is no way Guru Gobind Singh ji could have gone against principles of Guru Nanak dev ji. So who is this whom Guruji has actually worshipped and meditated upon? It’s the same ‘Ik Oankaar’ whom Guru Nanak worshipped as Niranjan, Nirankaar, Raam, Hari and many other names. It’s the Father or Lord Form of Supreme Power, which is essentially genderless according to Gurmat. And when Guru Gobind Singh ji worshipped same ‘Ik Oankaar’- Supreme Power-Param Aatma as Mother, he used names like Kaalka, Bhagauti, Chandi and Shivaa. If earlier Gurus using names of Vishnu and his incarnations for Waheguru didn’t make us Vaishnav Hindus, Guru Gobind Singh ji using female names of Hindu goddesses doesn’t make us Shakat Panthi Hindus. We are Sikhs, Khalsa, who believe in One Supreme Power, One Param Aatma, and Guru Gobind Singh ji never worshipped anyone else other than Ik Oankaar. It’s just that he used a different form, a different style for writing praises of Waheguru, but his loyalty is for none other than Waheguru. These Shabads of Guruji’s Baani make this concept very clear.

ਰੂਆਲ ਛੰਦ ॥ ਤ੍ਵ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਆਦਿ ਰੂਪ ਅਨਾਦਿ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੋਨਿ ਪੁਰਖ ਅਪਾਰ ॥
ਸਰਬ ਮਾਨ ਤ੍ਰਿਮਾਨ ਦੇਵ ਅਭੇਵ ਆਦਿ ਉਦਾਰ ॥
ਸਰਬ ਪਾਲਕ ਸਰਬ ਘਾਲਕ ਸਰਬ ਕੋ ਪੁਨਿ ਕਾਲ ॥
ਜੱਤ੍ਰ ਤੱਤ੍ਰ ਬਿਰਾਜਹੀ ਅਵਧੂਤ ਰੂਪ ਰਸਾਲ ॥ 79॥
Rooaal Chhand. By Thy grace.
Thou art Primeval Entity, Eternal Personality, Unborn Animation and boundless Cosmic Spirit.
Thou art venerated by all. Thou art the prestigious Deity of Three gods (Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva). Thou art Mysterious and benevolent since Inception.
Thou art all Sustainer and All prompter but later on Thou exterminate all.
Thou art majestically stationed here and there and art the source of Lusciousness but art Detached from Worldly enjoyments. (79)

ਸ੍ਵੈਯਾ ॥
ਪਾਂਇ ਗਹੇ ਜਬ ਤੇ ਤੁਮਰੇ ਤਬ ਤੇ ਕੋਊ ਆਂਖ ਤਰੇ ਨਹੀਂ ਆਨਯੋ ॥
ਰਾਮ ਰਹੀਮ ਪੁਰਾਨ ਕੁਰਾਨ ਅਨੇਕ ਕਹੈਂ ਮਤ ਏਕ ਨ ਮਾਨਯੋ ॥
ਸਿੰਮ੍ਰਿਤ ਸਾਸਤ੍ਰ ਬੇਦ ਸਭੈ ਬਹੁ ਭੇਦ ਕਹੈਂ ਹਮ ਏਕ ਨ ਜਾਨਯੋ ॥
ਸ੍ਰੀ ਅਸਿਪਾਨ ਕ੍ਰਿਪਾ ਤੁਮਰੀ ਕਰਿ ਮੈ ਕਹਯੋ ਸਭ ਤੋਹਿ ਬਖਾਨਯੋ ॥
(ਰਾਮਾਵਤਾਰ, ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ)

ਜਵਨ ਕਾਲ ਸਭ ਜਗਤ ਬਨਾਯੌ ॥ਦੇਵ ਦੈਤ ਜੱਛਨ ਉਪਜਾਯੋ ॥
ਆਦਿ ਅੰਤਿ ਏਕੈ ਅਵਤਾਰਾ ॥ਸੋਈ ਗੁਰੂ ਸਮਝਿਯਹੁ ਹਮਾਰਾ ॥9॥
(ਚੌਪਈ, ਦਸਮ ਗ੍ਰੰਥ)
Ten Gurus were One Light, One Jot, One Power, and they all had one mission, to awake the world in consciousness of Holy Naam, Shabad, so that all beings of this world and Universe are blessed and realize their true self, without any hindrance from anyone. Their mission was to create God-conscious people who’ll be one with Him, whose loyalty will lie with one god. They had understood that until fake ritualism wasn’t abolished and fake God and goddesses weren’t removed from conscience of masses, there can’t be a spiritual awakening, people can’t enjoy the bliss of Naam, enjoy the Freedom of spirituality. This was the reason Guruji taught people of this world the principle of Oneness of God and Humanity. Guru Nanak’s mission was to wake up humans to the reality, the truth, that Waheguru was all-pervading, eternal, infinite and supreme. They wanted to remove to remove every hurdle between Param-Aatma and Aatma that had been created by cunning priests and Vikkars of mind. They wanted to wake up their Sikhs in Super-consciousness where they will be able to experience the Bliss of Naam and see their beloved God with them, around them. These two Shabads from Guru Granth Sahib ji and Dasam Granth Sahib ji explain this principle well.

ਸੋਰਠਿ ਮਹਲਾ 5 ਘਰੁ 2 ਦੁਪਦੇ
ੴ ਸਤਿਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥
ਸਗਲ ਬਨਸਪਤਿ ਮਹਿ ਬੈਸੰਤਰੁ ਸਗਲ ਦੂਧ ਮਹਿ ਘੀਆ ॥
ਊਚ ਨੀਚ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਸਮਾਣੀ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਮਾਧਉ ਜੀਆ ॥1॥
ਸੰਤਹੁ ਘਟਿ ਘਟਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਹਿਓ ॥
ਪੂਰਨ ਪੂਰਿ ਰਹਿਓ ਸਰਬ ਮਹਿ ਜਲਿ ਥਲਿ ਰਮਈਆ ਆਹਿਓ ॥1॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
ਗੁਣ ਨਿਧਾਨ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਜਸੁ ਗਾਵੈ ਸਤਿਗੁਰਿ ਭਰਮੁ ਚੁਕਾਇਓ ॥
ਸਰਬ ਨਿਵਾਸੀ ਸਦਾ ਅਲੇਪਾ ਸਭ ਮਹਿ ਰਹਿਆ ਸਮਾਇਓ ॥2॥1॥29॥
Fire is contained in all firewood, and butter is contained in all milk.
God's Light is contained in the high and the low; the Lord is in the hearts of all beings. ||1||
O Saints, He is pervading and permeating each and every heart.
The Perfect Lord is completely permeating everyone, everywhere; He is diffused in the water and the land. ||1||Pause||
Nanak sings the Praises of the Lord, the treasure of excellence; the True Guru has dispelled his doubt.
The Lord is pervading everywhere, permeating all, and yet, He is unattached from all. ||2||1||29||

Guru Gobind Singh ji states in his baani of Akaal Ustat.

ਤ੍ਵ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ਚਉਪਈ ॥
ਪ੍ਰਣਵੋ ਆਦਿ ਏਕੰਕਾਰਾ ॥
ਜਲ ਥਲ ਮਹੀਅਲ ਕੀਓ ਪਸਾਰਾ ॥
ਆਦਿ ਪੁਰਖ ਅਬਗਤਿ ਅਬਿਨਾਸੀ ॥
ਲੋਕ ਚੱਤ੍ਰੁ ਦਸ ਜੋਤਿ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸੀ ॥ 1॥
ਹਸਤ ਕੀਟ ਕੇ ਬੀਚ ਸਮਾਨਾ ॥
ਰਾਵ ਰੰਕ ਜਿਹ ਇਕ ਸਰ ਜਾਨਾ ॥
ਅਦ੍ਵੈ ਅਲਖ ਪੁਰਖ ਅਬਿਗਾਮੀ ॥
ਸਭ ਘਟ ਘਟ ਕੇ ਅੰਤਰਜਾਮੀ ॥ 2॥
ਅਲਖ ਰੂਪ ਅਛੈ ਅਨਭੇਖਾ ॥
ਰਾਗ ਰੰਗ ਜਿਹ ਰੂਪ ਨ ਰੇਖਾ ॥
ਬਰਨ ਚਿਹਨ ਸਭਹੂੰ ਤੇ ਨਿਆਰਾ ॥
ਆਦਿ ਪੁਰਖ ਅਦ੍ਵੈ ਅਬਿਕਾਰਾ ॥ 3॥
ਬਰਨ ਚਿਹਨ ਜਿਹ ਜਾਤ ਨ ਪਾਤਾ ॥
ਸੱਤ੍ਰ ਮਿੱਤ੍ਰ ਜਿਹ ਤਾਤ ਨ ਪਾਤਾ ॥
ਸਭ ਤੇ ਦੂਰਿ ਸਭਨ ਤੇ ਨੇਰਾ ॥
ਜਲ ਥਲ ਮਹੀਅਲ ਜਾਹਿ ਬਸੇਰਾ ॥ 4॥
ਅਨਹਦ ਰੂਪ ਅਨਾਹਦ ਬਾਨੀ ॥
ਚਰਨ ਸਰਨ ਜਿਹ ਬਸਤ ਭਵਾਨੀ ॥
ਬ੍ਰਹਮਾ ਬਿਸਨ ਅੰਤੁ ਨਹ ਪਾਇਓ ॥
ਨੇਤ ਨੇਤ ਮੁਖਚਾਰ ਬਤਾਇਓ ॥ 5॥

Through Thy Grace, I Utter the Quatrain.
First of all, I bow down to the Immanent and Transcendental Lord
Who pervades in Waters, earth and throughout space.
He is the primordial Being, is without a body and is indestructible.
His light illumines the fourteen worlds. (1)
He dwells within a (gigantic) elephant as well as in a (diminutive) ant.
He reckons the King and the Pauper alike.
He is incomparable, unknowable and a Supreme Scholar of Realism.
He Knows the Inner thoughts and secrets of Every Heart. (2)
His Form is Invisible, Imperishable and without a Distinctive costume.
He is without attachment, without colour, without complexion and without outline.

He is not associated with the caste structure and symbols proclaimed thereof.
He is the origin of all mortals, is unequalled and changeless. (3)
He has neither caste marks, nor family class, nor sub caste.
He has neither foe, nor friends, neither Father, nor Mother
He is far away from all but is quite near, and immanent in the hearts of all.
He dwells in waters, on land and in interspace. (4)
His form (Configuration) is limitless and his melodious utterance is unstruck.
In Shelter of his feet dwells Durga (the goddess of power).
Neither Brahma (god of creation) nor Vishnu (god of preservation) comprehends his bounds.
Brahma, having four faces, proclaimed that the Lord is Infinite. (5)


So what we see is a perfect oneness in ideology and principles of All the Ten Gurus. If Guru Nanak dev ji or earlier Gurus didn’t worship Hindu Gods and Goddesses, there is no way Guru Gobind Singh ji could have done that, neither he did it.

It’s just because of ignorance or incomplete knowledge or some ulterior motives that people claim that in this Baani of Dasam Granth, Guruji has worshipped Devi or Devtas.

Contd.