Those who serve the True Guru, O Beloved, their companions are saved as well. No one blocks their way, O Beloved, and the Lordโs Ambrosial Nectar is on their tongue. Without the Fear of God, they are so heavy that they sink and drown, O Beloved; but the Lord, casting His Glance of Grace, carries them across. || 1 || I ever praise You, O Beloved, I ever sing Your Praises. Without the boat, one is drowned in the sea of fear, O Beloved; how can I reach the distant shore? || 1 || Pause || I praise the Praiseworthy Lord, O Beloved; there is no other one to praise. Those who praise my God are good, O Beloved; they are imbued with the Word of the Shabad, and His Love. If I join them, O Beloved, I can churn the essence and so find joy. || 2 || The gateway to honor is Truth, O Beloved; it bears the Insignia of the True Name of the Lord. We come into the world, and we depart, with our destiny written and pre-ordained, O Beloved; realize the Command of the Commander. Without the Guru, this Command is not understood, O Beloved; True is the Power of the True Lord. || 3 || By His Command, we are conceived, O Beloved, and by His Command, we grow in the womb. By His Command, we are born, O Beloved, head-first, and upside-down. The Gurmukh is honored in the Court of the Lord, O Beloved; he departs after resolving his affairs. || 4 || By His Command, one comes into the world, O Beloved, and by His Will, he goes. By His Will, some are bound and gagged and driven away, O Beloved; the self-willed manmukhs suffer their punishment. By His Command, the Word of the Shabad, is realized, O Beloved, and one goes to the Court of the Lord robed in honor. || 5 || By His Command, some accounts are accounted for, O Beloved; by His Command, some suffer in egotism and duality. By His Command, one wanders in reincarnation, O Beloved; deceived by sins and demerits, he cries out in his suffering. If he comes to realize the Command of the Lordโs Will, O Beloved, then he is blessed with Truth and Honor. || 6 || It is so difficult to speak it, O Beloved; how can we speak, and hear, the True Name? I am a sacrifice to those who praise the Lord, O Beloved. I have obtained the Name, and I am satisfied, O Beloved; by His Grace, I am united in His Union. || 7 || If my body were to become the paper, O Beloved, and my mind the inkpot; and if my tongue became the pen, O Beloved, I would write, and contemplate, the Glorious Praises of the True Lord. Blessed is that scribe, O Nanak, who writes the True Name, and enshrines it within his heart. || 8 || 3 ||
One who forgets the Lord of life, the Great Giver โ know that he is most unfortunate. One whose mind is in love with the Lordโs lotus feet, obtains the pool of ambrosial nectar. || 1 || Your humble servant awakes in the Love of the Lordโs Name. All laziness has departed from his body, and his mind is attached to the Beloved Lord. || Pause || Wherever I look, the Lord is there; He is the string, upon which all hearts are strung. Drinking in the water of the Naam, servant Nanak has renounced all other loves. || 2 || 16 || 47 ||
Darbar Sahib Images
Today’s Hukamnama Sri Darbar Sahib Amritsar.
Daily Hukamnama
September 8, 2024 (เจเจคเจตเจพเจฐ, เฉจเฉช เจญเจพเจฆเฉเจ (เจธเฉฐเจฎเจค เฉซเฉซเฉฌ เจจเจพเจจเจเจธเจผเจพเจนเฉ)
Ang 682ย โขย Guru Arjan Dev Jiย โขย Raag Dhanaasree
One who forgets the Lord of life, the Great Giver โ know that he is most unfortunate. One whose mind is in love with the Lordโs lotus feet, obtains the pool of ambrosial nectar. || 1 || Your humble servant awakes in the Love of the Lordโs Name. All laziness has departed from his body, and his mind is attached to the Beloved Lord. || Pause || Wherever I look, the Lord is there; He is the string, upon which all hearts are strung. Drinking in the water of the Naam, servant Nanak has renounced all other loves. || 2 || 16 || 47 ||
What is the connection of Swastik symbol with Hinduism?
The swastika symbol has been a sacred symbol in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism for centuries. It represents luck, auspiciousness and prosperity. In Hinduism, this symbol is used during house entry, festivals, auspicious deeds and religious ceremonies. However, in Australia, Canada and the United States it is considered a powerful stimulant symbol. In the 1940s, this symbol was widespread and popular in Western countries. It has been considered a symbol of prosperity and wealth. Hitler used the ‘Hockenkruuise’ or hooked cross on the flag of Nazi Germany. Because it looked like a swastika. Therefore, after World War II, the symbol became a symbol of the painful memory of the Holocaust among people in the West, especially among Jews. Swastik is a popular symbol not only in India but all over the world. It has been used by humans for thousands of years.
What is the meaning of Swastik?
In Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism in general, the word “swastika” is derived from the root “su” and “asti”. โSuโ means โhealthโ and โAstiโ means โlet beโ. The word Swastik is a combination of these two. The symbol of this word is a figure with eight right angles, with vertical and horizontal lines intersecting each other and lines extending from each end. While making the Swastik, four spaces are left in it and dots are also placed in them. This symbol is used in accounting books, holy books, stores, vehicles, baby naming ceremonies and marriage ceremonies etc. Swastik mantra is also chanted while making this sign in religious ceremonies and weddings. It is prayed to Varuna, Indra, Surya, Guru and Garuda for health and prosperity according to Hindu belief. Many concepts are associated with this symbol, such as the four directions, the four seasons, the four ages, the four shastras, the four goals of life (virtue, material, happiness, planet), the four stages of life (childhood, family status, penance, Sanyas) etc. According to Ajay Chaturvedi’s book “The Last Wisdom of the Swastik”, “Satyo in Vedic mathematics means a four-cornered cube. According to Hindu philosophy, it is the fourth state after waking, sleeping and dreaming. Among Buddhists in Japan, this symbol is known as “Mansi” and represents the footprints of Gautama Buddha. According to Chaturvedi, Hitler used this swastika symbol in politics without understanding its meaning or significance in Hindu philosophy.
Hokenkruuiz or hook cross
In 1871, the German archaeologist Heinrich Sislemann, while excavating the ancient city of Troy (in present-day Turkey), discovered about 1,800 types of ‘swastika’ symbols on pottery. It is like a swastika. They saw it in conjunction with existing artifacts of German history. Anthropologist Gwendolyn Lake wrote that the inhabitants of Troy were Aryans. Similarities found in these pottery led the Nazis to believe that they were evidence of racial continuity between the Aryans and themselves. It is believed that the main reason why Hitler adopted the swastika as a party symbol was the similarity between the Germanic language and Sanskrit. Through this analogy, the Nazis convinced the Germans that Indians and Germans were of the same “pure” Aryan origin. When Adolf Hitler was looking for a symbol for his newly founded party in the 1920s, he used the right-wing swastika “Hockenkruuiz”. In 1933, Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, Joseph Goebbels, passed a law banning the commercial use of the swastika.
German Supreme Ruler Adolf Hitler mentions the choice of the Nazi flag, its colors and symbols in Chapter 7 of his autobiography “Mein Kampf”. According to Hitler, the new flag represented the ‘Third (German) Reich’. The Nazi Party flag was introduced in the mid-summer of 1920. It featured a black ‘Hockenkruuise’ within a white circle on a red background. This image shows the swastika tilted to the left at an angle of 45 degrees. Red was the symbol of social movements. White color represents the ideology of nationalism. The swastika symbolizes the struggle and victory of the Aryan people.
In his book ‘From Gluttony to Genocide’ (‘The Sign of the Cross: From Gluttony to Genocide’) Dr. Daniel Rancour Leferrer has written that Hitler spent his childhood in a Benedictine Montessori in Austria. Where the swastika symbol is carved in many places. So he said he may have chosen this symbol to recall his childhood. During World War II, the Nazis killed approximately 600,000 people under this flag, including Jews, the disabled, Romani and Sinti, Syahfam, Slavic, homosexuals, Soviets, and Poles. Jews were persecuted by Hitler’s forces in Germany and Nazi-occupied Europe. For the millions of Jews who died during the Holocaust, the Hockenkrรผoise’ or ‘Hooked Cross’ is a symbol. Which, brings back horrible memories. In recent years the symbol has been used by ‘neo-Nazis’ and many white supremacists.
Use of swastika since prehistoric times
In 1908, a bird carved in ivory with a swastika was found in Ukraine. It is considered to be the oldest form of swastika. Carbon dating indicates that the artifact is at least 1,500 years old.
This symbol can be found on ancient Christian tombs, tombs in Rome, the Lalibela stone church in Ethiopia and the cathedral church of Cordoba in Spain. An encyclopedia on genocide says: โThe swastika was used in Eurasia 7,000 years ago. It represented the speed and motion of the sun in the sky. Experts believe that this symbol may have become popular throughout Europe during the Bronze Age. Some of the remains found at Harappan civilization sites in present-day Pakistan bear swastika symbols. In the 19th century, Thomas Wilson wrote in his book The Swastika: The Earliest Known Symbol and Its Migrations that the Swastika symbol was used in the ancient world. The swastika symbol is also found on sheets, shields and jewellery. Some believed that the image represented a comet.
From beer to Coca-Cola
The ancient Greeks used the swastika symbol on their jugs and vases. According to Norwegian belief, the swastika is the hammer of the Norwegian god “Thor”. In the West the swastika was used freely in advertising and clothing. It was also once used in Coca-Cola advertisements. Before the Nazis used the swastika, the famous Danish beer company “Carlsberg” had a swastika in its logo. Until a few years ago, the official seal of the Finnish Air Force featured the swastika. In Great Britain, the swastika was used by the Scouting movement and was also issued as a badge. NRIs are trying to create awareness about the difference between the Nazi seal and the auspicious sign. “Hockenkruuiz” is bent to the left at an angle of 45 degrees. But the swastika is directly to the right.
International students and temporary workers going to Canada from Punjab have started protest in Brampton, Canada.Similar protests are seen in other Canadian provinces, including Prince Edward Island.The protesters say that…
International students and temporary workers going to Canada from Punjab have started protest in Brampton, Canada. Similar protests are seen in other Canadian provinces, including Prince Edward Island. The protesters say that their work permits are expiring and they were hoping to get PR, but that did not happen. Changes in Canadian visa rules have threatened PR hopes, and that is why they are worried about their future. A student present at the demonstration says that he is a student and his “Work Experience” has already been completed. “The problem is that there has been no express entry draw since Covid, which has caused a lot of damage”. He further states that “others who went to different states targeting the PNP, when they had completed their ‘work experience’, were sent back by saying, “The company doesn’t need men.” He cites as an example, that when a welder started a program, the company at that time needed a person as a worker. But when the student’s welder program ends, suddenly company says that the company does not need the person as a worker. Whereas, this thing should have been told by the company to the student a year ago. He says that “they have “work experience”, but the government has changed the rules of the game at the end of the game.”
International students and temporary workers in Canada mainly get PR through the PNP or Express Entry program, but students say, rule changes have made it more difficult. The students request that the period of their work permit be extended. Another youth worker from the Youth Support Network points out that about 70,000 children’s work permits are expiring. “According to previous rules, children could usually get PR within three years of their work permit, but now the government has deliberately tightened the rules so much that no one can get PR within three years anymore. According to the new rules, students will have not any option to extend their work permits. The only option left to them is to apply for asylum (refugee claim). Children coming here after 12th, students living there are advised not to come now. Because, they may not be able to score PR marks in three years now. Another student who went to Canada as an international student says that he tried to talk to several government officials but did not get a positive response. They say that, this dharna will continue day and night now. Because, no MP or any government representative listened to us. That’s why we have now sat on a permanent agitation.
He further says that “if the draws had been given earlier, this would not have happened. Because, these are the same children with the same draw.” Issues related to increased immigration, housing shortages, inflation and unemployment have long been hot topics in Canada. In March 2024, Canadian Immigration Minister Mark Miller stated that Canada plans to reduce the current number of temporary residents from 6.2% to 5% in the near future. The Government of Canada decided to limit the number of students coming to Canada in January 2024. According to this decision, only 3,60,000 students will get study permits in 2024, which is 35% less than last year.
Changes in Canadian government policy
Most of the students from India go to Canada to study. But now the Canadian government is also becoming stricter towards the students. After studying in Canada, international students get a three-year work permit. During this period, students apply for PR (Permanent Citizenship) under PNP or Federal Scheme. But now Canada has refused to renew work permit after post graduation. For this reason, many international students fear deportation. To meet the needs of the labor market during the coronavirus pandemic, Canada implemented a policy to extend the duration of work permits by a temporary 18-month period. However, the Canadian government has recently changed this policy. At the same time, the GIC has been increased from $10,000 to $20,635. The cost of living in Canada for students traveling to Canada on a study visa is known as GIC. The new GIC rules have come into effect from January 1, 2024. Spouses of international students pursuing a master’s or doctorate degree in Canada will be issued a Spouse Visa by the Government of Canada.
Now students pursuing lower level courses cannot bring their spouse to Canada with them on Spouse visa. Whereas, earlier, international students pursuing diploma courses could also invite their spouses to Canada.
India in touch with Qatar over seizure of Guru Granth Sahib scripture: MEA
New Delhi, August 23, 2024 (ANI): The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday stated that Indian has taken up the matter of reports regarding the release of two holy ‘swaroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib which have been seized by police in Doha, Qatar.
In response to media queries regarding Guru Granth Sahib in Qatar, MEA Official Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “We have seen reports regarding the Guru Granth Sahib seized by the Qatari authorities and the demand of their release by the Sikh community. Government has already taken up the matter with the Qatar side and our Embassy has kept the Sikh community in Doha abreast of developments in this regard.”
It is important to note that two ‘Swaroops’ of Guru Granth Sahib were taken by Qatar authorities from two individuals/groups who were charged for running religious establishment without approval of the Government of Qatar, Jaiswal said
“Our Embassy rendered all possible assistance within the ambit of local laws and regulations,” the MEA spokesperson said.
“One ‘Swaroop’ of the Holy Book was returned by Qatari authorities and it was assured that the other Swaroop is also kept with respect,” he stated.
Jaiswal said that “we continue to follow up the matter with Qatari authorities with high priority and hope for early resolution.”
Meanwhile, the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) President Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami has requested the the External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and the Indian Ambassador to Qatar to immediately intervene in this matter.
SGPC President said in a post on X said, “keeping the holy scriptures of Guru Granth Sahib confiscated at the police station is a big disrespect, which cannot be tolerated. This matter was recently brought to the attention of the Jathedar Sri Akal Takht Sahib by United Kingdom based Sikh organization Bhai Kanhaiya Humanitarian Aid, who directed SGPC to pursue this matter.”
Harsimrat Kaur Badal, MP from Bathinda has also written to External Affairs Minister, appealing him to take up the issue of allowing Sikhs of Qatar to establish their own Gurdwaras so they could practice their religion freely.
Taking to her X handle, Badal said, “Appealed to Dr S Jaishankar to take up the issue of the release of two ‘swaroops’ of Sri Guru Granth Sahib ji from police custody in Qatar. Informed him that the Sikh ‘sangat’ of Qatar was in shock and anguish that the Sri Guru Granth Sahib, which is regarded as the living Guru by the community, had been made a case property.
While appealing to him to intervene in the matter urgently, also requested the minister to take up the issue of allowing Sikhs of Qatar to establish their own Gurdwaras so they could practice their religion freely.” (ANI)
Advocate Harjinder Singh Dhami President SGPC Sri Amritsar has make statement on the Issue and requested to EAM of India and Indian Ambassador in Qatar to immediately intervene in this matter.
