PodcastPoet

I have been thinking about Hukam more intensely lately. This is mostly due to listening to the podcast series about Hukam on the site KhojGurbani.org. Some fascinating discussions happening over there. It was while listening to the third episode that a series of thoughts got triggered. I attempt to organize them here now, hopefully in a way that is helpful to you all and myself.

Hukam as is generally understood is the Divine Will or Will of the Divine. In Gurbani, we often see what seem to be contradictory lines. On the one hand, Gurbani depicts the One as the doer of everything and that everything is inside of the One's Hukam and that nothing is outside, and t

I
When Mind was alone it spoke: I-me
When Mind met the Guru it spoke: You! You! You!
When Mind recognized it's Mool it spoke: I am me.

II
When Mind was alone the world caused it to move.
When Mind is with the Guru spontaneous stillness arises.
Now Mind moves the world.

III
Maya Mind?
Do Sangat with the Guru, obtain Naam-Gyan.
Jap Naam get Gyan, Karam Gyan get Naam.
Search up. Search down. Search far. Search wide.
Maya gone...
Kudarat Arrives!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjrVHbKTDdg&list=PLYTvKGPmwAoKFwjaS7BKdVuGEfJw7MQMJ&ab_channel=AJJ-Topic
People Who Can Eat People are the Luckiest People in the World — by AJJ an album all about the glorious beauty that deserves to be celebrated about the Great Destroyer!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arj0whjOpuA&list=PLcZMZxR9uxC_rHhykYsdJfO8ijbpJIjwz&ab_channel=EpitaphRecords
No Control — by Bad Religion an album that is a r

Here are two resources that I think many on this subreddit will enjoy.
https://www.gurbani.org/gurblog/ This blog emphasizes the whole point of Gurbani is to do veechar of it and internalize it. Using it as the yardstick by which you judge your own character. It rejects miracles, chanting, and ritualism to the umpteenth degree. I find it very helpful in the battle against the mind. Although I think it tends to reduce Gurbani too much to the level of psychology.

https://thesikhrenaissance.substack.com/ The second here is highly indebted to the above resource and how I found out about the first one. However

For instances such as the first Bani in Siree Raag being revealed during Guru Nanak's conversation with Kaljug, or the Bani that was revealed during the Janeu.

Is there a book (with English translation) that provides the historical context of all the Banis revelations?

Should Sikhs who keep Kesh refuse to have medical procedures which could harm their Kesh? I know many times body hair is shaved for a variety of surgeries, and chemotherapy often causes one to lose hair. Is there a difference between surgery where you know Kesh will be harmed versus chemotherapy where it could just potentially be harmed?

Just curious, it is not a situation I am currently dealing with. Does anyone have personal experiences with such questions or know any Sikhs who do?

Bad Religion: "Confusion is a fundamental state of mind

It doesn't really matter what I'm figuring out

I'm guaranteed to wind up in a state of doubt"

Jordan Peterson: "You're only confused insofar as you're

not sorted out! So sort yourself out! Clean up your room.

Know thyself. Figure out what your hierarchy of values is!

Because your values determine what you aim at.

If you don't know what you're aiming at, then you don't know

what you value, and that makes you a puppet! And maybe

whoever, or whatever, is pulling the strings doesn't

have your best interest in mind."

​

Attention flickers, fantasies abound:

beautiful women, a big house,

a rich husband, respect fro

I see this idea that Guru Sahib promoted an egalitarian system that is anti-hierarchy repeated over and over again and it's just not true. Hierarchy is essential to existence, perception itself is hierarchical.

Guru Sahib does not reject the notion of hierarchy, he rejected rigid systems in which movement up and down the hierarchy was impossible, Brahminism.

Ang 5

jis no bakhase sifat saalaeh

One who is blessed to sing the Praises of the Lord,

naanak paatisaahee paatisaahu ||25||

O Nanak, is the king of kings. ||25||

​

Ang 263

naanak jan kaa dhaasan dhasanaa ||4||

Nanak is the servant of the slave of His slaves. ||4||

Ang 1

hukamee utam neech hukam li

I've had this experience more than once. A bad habit, related to one of the panj chor, is broken and sometimes replaced with a positive habit. Then Haumai develops around the fact the bad habit is broken or that a good habit has been established. Guilt develops around the puffing up of pride so a reversion to the bad habit occurs so that pride gets diminished.

Does the fact pride develops around progress or positive growth mean that the growth has happened in an improper way? Or is the pride that develops another step in wrestling with the habit, kind of like a final boss which needs to be overcome in order to solidify the victory against the lower self?

Curious if others have insight or

Manjot approached a Khalsa and asked:

"Veerji, how can I know Akal Purakh?"

Khalsa Sahib responded: Return home,

Jap Naam with single-pointed consciousness,

listen deeply."

​

Manjot, at once complied.

Deep in Simran, in the stillness of her

heart radiated the message:

"Seek My Darshan and receive Hukam."

​

Off she returned to the Gurdwara to take Hukam.

Guru Sahib spoke:

"Pappa: You shall not be able to swim across,

you fool, since you are engrossed in worldly affairs.

The True Lord Himself has ruined you, you fool;

this is the destiny written on your forehead. ||10||"

​

Manjot bowed deeply, endowed with Bibek Buddhi she we

Manjot approached a Khalsa and asked:

"Veerji, how can I know Akal Purakh?"

Khalsa Sahib responded: Return home,

Jap Naam with single-pointed consciousness,

listen deeply."

​

Manjot, at once complied.

Deep in Simran, in the stillness of her

heart radiated the message:

"Seek My Darshan and receive Hukam."

​

Off she returned to the Gurdwara to take Hukam.

Guru Sahib spoke:

"Pappa: You shall not be able to swim across,

you fool, since you are engrossed in worldly affairs.

The True Lord Himself has ruined you, you fool;

this is the destiny written on your forehead. ||10||"

​

Manjot bowed deeply, endowed with Bibek Buddhi she we

Tarnish

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

that I may know my weakness.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

dim me, let Your light shine.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

pop the bubble of pride.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

prune every dastardly fault.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

burn up the deadwood.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

expose every lie.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

correct all self-deception.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

separate the wheat from the chaff.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

throw out the bathwater.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

cause me to break apart.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

hold every thought in captivity.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

let me know I am not enough.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

on

Tarnish

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

that I may know my weakness.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

dim me, let Your light shine.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

pop the bubble of pride.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

prune every dastardly fault.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

burn up the deadwood.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

expose every lie.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

correct all self-deception.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

separate the wheat from the chaff.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

throw out the bathwater.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

cause me to break apart.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

hold every thought in captivity.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

let me know I am not enough.

Tarnish me, tarnish me,

on