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Summary of Question:	Siri Guru Or Living Guru?
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Monday, 12/03/2001 11:59 AM MST

Dear sikhnet

sat sri akal
I'm a true believer of the guru granth sahib ji,but i have friends who are sikh but believe in living guru's and sometimes i tend to get my self in to some very heated discussions about why we all believe what we do.....so there are a couple of questions i'd like to ask about:
(1) Is there any evidence that Guru Gobind singh ji passed on the gurgadi to the guru Granth sahib ji?
(2) Where in the Guru Granth Sahib ji does it say that we are not allowed to eat meat?
(3)The "Dhoiria" that we sing after the ardas " Aagia pai akaal ki......." is it part of the bani from one of the 3 granths or is it made up by someone...and if it is made up from someone, should we be reading it?
(4)Is there a Hukamnama from the Akaal Takhat saying that Namdharia are not allowed to sing on stage? (Even though they have more gian on the ragas and the bani in the guru granth sahib itself)

I know these few questions come with alot of depth but i need to know desperatly to put my own mind at rest, so would be grateful if i could get a reply asap. Thank you!
Wahe Guru Ji Ka Khalsa! Wahe guru Ji Ki Fateh

Manjit Kaur

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REPLY
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Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh!
Dear Manjit Kaur-
In answer to your questions:
1. Guru Gobind Singh gave the Guruship to the Shabd Guru, the Siri Guru Granth Sahib. This was documented by the historians of the court of Guru Gobind Singh --Sainapat, Bhai Gurdass, to name a couple. I'm sorry, but I cannot quote them since I do not read the Punjabi and have not seen them in English. The 10th Guru did NOT live in a vaccuum. I don't know what kind of evidence you are looking for but I know that Guru wanted the the poet-historians to be recorders of our history.
I have to add that it is pretty strange to think that were are supposed to follow an embodied physical Guru. Our history with Siri Guru Granth Sahib is so strong; the tales of the warriors dying as they read Akand Paaths, taking the place of the dead ones until the attackers (British then) realized they would keep reading and dying. Fifth Guru --who first compiled the then-Adi Granth refused to sit higher than the Granth once it was installed (at Goindwal, I believe). You see, Shabd Guru has ALWAYS been the Guru of Sikhs. Read Sidh Gosht by Guru Nanak and realize that when the siddhas asked Nanak "who is your Guru?" he replied "My Guru is Shabd Guru" (starts ang 938 in Ramkali Raag).
Your friends would have you believe that true Sikhs worship an embodied sant. That is because they among others believe that the Guru of the Sikhs has always been physical person, not the Living Word of Guru's Revelation (Bani). I don't know why people insist that the lineage had to stay in physical embodiement. I do know that following Shabd Guru is, really, harder, because the relationship between a Sikh and Shabd Guru is far more internal and requires a far more meditative mind and deep faith. It is easier to follow a Sant, who can daily give you verbal instruction, and tell you what to do.

2. The issue of meat or not has been covered ad infinitum elsewhere in this Youth Forum. Search keywords 'meat' or 'vegetarian' for more information.
3. the Rag Karega Khalsa shabd sung after Ardas in Gurdwara is Guru Gobind Singh's bani-- I believe you'll find it in his Akaal Ustat.
4. I don't know the answer about Namdharia and AKaal Takt. SGPC would know, you could contact them at http://www.sgpc.net

I might add that your own doubts make you feel, perhaps, a bit vulnerable or like you might be wrong. I suggest you do a daily Sehej paath of Siri Guru, and read it in the language you understand best. After reading 1430 pages of Siri Guru, you will feel far more certain in yourself about your relationship to Guru and be able to know for yourself the truth of the issues you have raised here.
Guru ang sang,
-DKK