All my life I had been reading "Peevat Mardan laag" and I heard everyone sing "Peevat Mardan laag". Most teekakaars have done the padd-chhed as "Peevat Mardan laag". I never really understood the pankiti but recently, I saw another padd-chhed of this pankiti and that too by none other than the great Vidvaan of our Panth - Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha. The padd-chhed he did of this pankiti is "Peevat Mard na laag" and the meanings he derived are that by drinking Amrit Rass, mard (pain, ragad, friction) does not occur. His comments about this are as follows:

"Sampradayee gyanis do meaning of Mardan as Marda de - "Peevat Mardan laag" - that "Raam rass peenday hunn marda (Santa) duaara" (That they drink Raam Rass through Mards (Sants). But these meanings are not correct because paath is "Laag" and not "laag(i)".

Then I read Professor Sahib Singh on this and he has done the meanings a bit different than Sampradayak Gyanis. He has interpreted this as "they drink amrit in the laag (sangat) of Gurmukhs". I was not satisfied.

Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha's meanings of "Mard na laag" i.e. drinking the Raam Rass, one does not feel the mard (ragad, friction, pain). His interpretation of the word "Mard" is more in line with the meanings of this pankiti. I could be wrong but "Mardan laag" just does not make sense to me. The word "Mardan" in the plural of "Mard" has not appeared anywhere else in Gurbani.

Baani is Agham Agaadh bodh. No one can know the end of Gurbani. This is the reason why Birs of Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee should not be written padd-chhed. Most Birs have the paath "Peevat Mardan Laag" but this paath seems to be wrong and the correct paath seems to be "Peevat Mard na laag" as suggested by Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha. If this paath suggested by Nabha jee is correct, then all Birs of Siri Guru Granth Sahib jee published in padd-chhed contain an error. This is a very serious matter because the true Guru, the Satguru, cannot have error and that too of such magnitude as missing Gurbani from it.

Guru Sahib bhali karan. May there be no padd-chhed printing stop.

Kulbir Singh



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/11/2007 07:37AM by admin.

Waheguru ji ka khalsa
Waheguru ji ki fateh

Bhai Sahib jio,

You might be right but problem is no one especially SGPC who is 100% responsible for Gurbani collection, preservation, printing and proof reading are dares to look into these serious matters. They involved them so much in the politics that they forget the path and meaning of SGPC. Same as you Bhai Joginder Singh ji Talwara while doing his research on birs for correct Gurbani words he found the similar mistakes, discrepancies within birs and made his recommendations, journals which contains those recommendations (almost big piles) are still lying in rooms of SGPC. The big problem is Sikhs (Amritdhari) at large are so engaged in worldly kaar vihaars that only very few are serious about those issues. To large sangat this seems like no issue at all. Secondly there are corporations within panth who use Gurbani to fame them self but at the same time they are ones who disregard Gurbani at large. So we do not think these issues will be resolved soon or will not resume resolving it. It may take another century when the awareness of this issue will be known to sangat at large. Although the sooner we do the sooner Panth will go to chardi kala. When Panth come together on this issue ask Guru Sahib for the Khima of Padd Ched until then forget any chardi kala at large.

Not going far, in past months we have seen the one Dera drama on distorting Sikh principles. The out cry was made by panth but due to lack of Guru Sahib Kirpa every effort failed and panth is more divided than ever. There was temporary unity on that dera issue which only stayed for few days. So day by day what ever step Panth is taking on any matter, not resolving anything but dividing further and we have no hesitation to say this that all this is happening because we divided our beloved Gurbani.

Anyway keep elevating your voice and with Guru Sahib’s kirpa one day will come when at large Gurbani will be united so does Panth will be.

Guru Mehar karay

Waheguru ji ka khalsa
Waheguru ji ki fateh

You are right Khalsaspirit jeeo, in saying that Bhai Talwara jee did massive research on Paath-bheds. His love for doing Gurbani interpretation started when he started researching for paath bhedhs in 1970s. He did not learn Gurbani meanings in any university or college but he was a self-taught scholar. He did not learn meanings at any ashram or dera. He worked hard and by the time he passed away, he was the most respected and learned scholar of Panth.

I used to believe that none can match the Gurbani Viyakaran book written by Professor Sahib Singh. Many books came e.g. Gurbani Viyakaran by Dr Harkirat Singh and even one by Giani Harbans Singh but none comes close to the book (in two parts) written by Bhai Talwara jee. When it comes to Gurbani Viyakaran, Bhai Talwara jee is the true Waaris of Professor Sahib Singh.

A few weeks before he passed away, I had the good fortune of talking to him on the phone. On the phone he told me about his under-publication book on Viyakaran. I was asking him a question on the difference between Sampradaan Karak and Karam Karak and he told me to read his book which will be out soon. Alas, he could not see the final publication of his book and passed away before that.

"Khuda Maghfarat karay, Ajab Azad Mard thaa||"

Kulbir Singh

Waheguru ji ka khalsa
Waheguru ji ki fateh

Bhai Sahib jio,

Agree that Bhai Sahib did a great seva for correct Gurbani preservation. We would like to share our experience how we became inclined to his work. You will be surprised to know that until last year we did not know that Bhai Sahib had great work done in the panth. It was the Rehraas time and we were accompanying a Singh and usually we stay behind to do path just try to listen from other Gursikhs but on that day we took lead and did Rehraas. After completion we asked that Singh for mistakes. He said many. We asked where? then he said please repeat this tuk again “JAG MEIN UTTAM KADIAH VIRLAY KAEE KAY” we repeated then he asked repeat again and we did then he told us the mistake and mentioned our path Lehja (ucharan) at many tuks is following a dera type ucharan which ends the meaning of Gurbani no where. Then he recommended us to read “NITNEM SARAL STEEK” by Bhai Joginder Singh Talwara. We surprised to see the steek that Bhai Sahib did great great job to read Nitnem. Now since last year we had different experience of reading Nitnem. Now when we recite it gives more russ and understanding. The Vishrams (Pauses) made the job very easy to understand. Million thanks to that Singh whose short time company gave us such a good way to do Nitnem. Then we done some research on Bhai Sahib and discovered their greatness. Now day by progress shows up and we wait for Guru Sahib Kirpa when they accompany us to another Singh for further improvements. Not to mention we also read the “Gurbani Smeekhaiya” by Dr. Harkirat Singh. We would not be hesitant to say his humay (ego) of Dr of Bhasha Vibhag (Language Dept.) of a University is more visible than his work.

So we highly recommend this Nitnem Steek to every Sikh who is interested in Sudh Ucharan but has no time to go for Santhya Classes and it is easily available at many Sikh Book Shops.

Guru Mehar Karay

Waheguru ji ka khalsa
Waheguru ji ki fateh

Once again, very in-depth meanings of Gurbani by Bhai Kahan Singh. I have one question about the word "Mardan". Could it be that it is a singular word and it means Mard = One Akal Purakh. As Gurbani says "eis jag mehi purakh eaek hai hor sagalee naar sabaaee". So the interpretation could be like "By drinking Amrit rass or naam rass one always stays attached to the Marad or Akal Purakh" i.e. ਮਰਦ (ਅਕਾਲ ਪੁਰਖ) ਦੀ ਲਾਗ (ਪ੍ਰੀਤੀ) ਲੱਗੀ ਰਹਿੰਦੀ ਹੈ. Please shed some light on this. Thanks

I can't read the Punjabi you wrote here because of format problems.

As per my meagre understanding, the word Mardan cannot be a singular word just as the word "Santan" cannot be singular.

When "Nanna" is placed in the end of a singular noun, it becomes plural e.g. Santan, bhagtan etc.

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So the interpretation could be like "By drinking Amrit rass or naam rass one always stays attached to the Marad or Akal Purakh"
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One problem with the above meanings is the presence of word "Mardan" and not "Mard". Secondly, there should be some word than "laag". Nabha jee has interpreted laag as lagna, lagdi i.e. mard (ragad) nahi lagdi.

I could be wrong. The above is just based on my meagre understanding.

Daas,
Kulbir Singh