Latest news with #SukhmaniSahib
Time of India
29-05-2025
- General
- Time of India
Sukhmani Sahib: Consoler of the mind
Written by: Inder Raj Ahluwalia The Fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjan Dev's life and achievements played a key role in shaping Indian history and spiritual traditions. Preaching Guru Nanak Dev's mission, Guru Arjan Dev propagated humility, devotion, and surrender to God's will. He imparted several teachings on important issues, such as acceptance of God's will, trust, kindness, tolerance, and humility. The cornerstone of his teachings was having faith in one Creator. At a physical level, one of his great tasks was the completion of the tank at Amritsar's Golden Temple. Being truly secular, he had invited a Muslim saint, Mian Mir, to lay the temple's foundation stone. With secularism being of paramount importance, his take on the subject is priceless. Through his life and teachings, the guru promoted universal brotherhood and religious tolerance. Collecting hymns of the first four Sikh gurus and adding his own verses and those of Farid, Kabir, Raidas, Jaidev, and Bhikham, his greatest work was the compilation of the holy Adi Granth. Today, the Granth Sahib is revered by millions worldwide. A priceless legacy bequeathed to us by the Guru is the Sukhmani Sahib prayer. Universally hailed as the 'consoler of the mind' and the 'jewel of peace', Sukhmani Sahib's wealth of positive powers has won the faith of millions. Devotees recite it in devotion to the Guru as an expression of gratitude and faith; it is an invocation for physical and mental well-being and health. In an environment dominated by significant turbulence and violence, the guru wrote the prayer to calm and heal, and he is omnipresent throughout its verses. He poured his very spirit, peace, into this composition. A powerful prescription for peace, calm, and bliss, prayer is undertaken by the devotee with the Guru's generosity, mentorship, and guidance. With 'Sukh', comfort, and 'Mani', mind, the prayer fulfils several goals. It refreshes the mind, soothes frayed nerves and rejuvenates the soul. It also banishes sorrow and removes anguish through sincere remembrance of God. In the third astapadi, canto, the Guru states that any study of holy texts, performance of austerities, etc, cannot compare with reading or listening to the Sacred Word. Above all, Sukhmani Sahib helps one become a better person. It enables one to reach a high spiritual state through meditation and Self-realisation. Guru Arjan Dev believed that 'men who stand for truth have to suffer, and their suffering strengthens the cause of truth'. Amidst upheaval, he found time to encourage trade and industry among the Sikhs, which created a surge in business transactions. He favoured widow remarriage, which hugely impacted contemporary life, and condemned the use of intoxicants. His opening of a leprosy centre in Tarn Taran is a noble reference point in relation to this disease. Almost everything Guru Arjan Dev did was directed at being tolerant, good, and progressive. Today's ravaged, troubled, and fractured world must realise the depth and wisdom of the Guru's philosophy and follow in his footsteps. Guru Arjan Dev created a roadmap for us, and now the onus is on us to follow it. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Time of India
Hemkund Sahib opens for pilgrims, over 4k trek to Himalayan shrine on day 1
Dehradun: The portals of Hemkund Sahib, one of India's most revered Sikh shrines, opened on Sunday, drawing over 4,440 devotees from around the world on the first day of the pilgrimage. Perched at an altitude of 15,200 feet near the Valley of Flowers in the Garhwal Himalayas, the shrine is linked to the tenth Sikh Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, who is believed to have meditated at the site in a previous life. The first group of pilgrims began their 6km ascent from Ghangaria, the base camp in Chamoli district, early Sunday morning. Led by the 'panj pyare' (five beloved ones) and gurdwara granthis, the procession reached the shrine and opened its gates around 10 am. To mark the occasion, devotional music filled the air as the Garhwal Scouts band and two bands from Punjab accompanied the procession. Head granthi Milap Singh led the sacred march, carrying the Guru Granth Sahib, the holy scripture of Sikhism, on his head from its winter abode to the gurdwara. The Indian Army ensured crowd management and maintained order along the steep and often treacherous route. The day's religious observances began with the recitation of Sukhmani Sahib, followed by 'kirtan' (devotional singing) performed by Makhan Singh. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like USDJPY đang đi lên không? IC Markets Đăng ký Undo A collective 'ardas' (prayer) was offered around 12:30 pm. S Narinder Jit Singh Bindra, chairman of the Shri Hemkunt Sahib Management Trust, welcomed the 'sangat' (congregation) and expressed gratitude to the Indian Army for clearing snow from the path and aiding access to the shrine. He also lauded state authorities for swiftly building a new bridge after the original structure at Govindghat was destroyed in a March landslide. Throughout the pilgrimage route, personnel from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local police provided security and assistance, particularly at glacier crossings and other critical stretches. On the same day, the nearby Lokpal Temple also opened its doors to devotees, further marking the beginning of the sacred season in the region.
