17.11. The End - Death: In Light of Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

Continued From:

http://tdsinghharjidamarg.blogspot.com/2017/01/1710-end-death-in-light-of-dhan-shri.html

5. Slandering: When an individual becomes arrogant, driven by only self belief, he wants every one to follow to him. And if he sees some one else threatening his authority or ruining his ‘vicious and evil’ plan he indulge into insulting others. He tries to defame others. Like Prithi Chand did not hold back in criticizing Dhan Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji. He did everything possible to establish himself as Guru. Well, Guruji was always unmoved by his actions. How an individual can move a saint ‘Who’ is ‘Adol – The Unmovable’. A saint ‘Who’ is all absorbed in gratitude, grace and thoughts of ‘His Beloved - The One’. Well, an act of abuse with malicious intent of denigrating someone is called ‘Slandering’. And ‘Gurbaani’ crisply says if such an act is done against anyone, the ‘Death’ will tear apart the slanderer.

Dhan Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji says following:

ਸੰਤ ਕੈ ਦੂਖਨਿ ਜਮ ਤੇ ਨਹੀ ਛੁਟੈ ॥[1]

संत कै दूखनि जम ते नही छुटै ॥

(Slandering the Saints, one shall not escape the Messenger of Death.)

ਸੰਤ ਕਾ ਦੋਖੀ ਜਨਮੈ ਮਰੈ ॥[2]

संत का दोखी जनमै मरै ॥

(The slanderer of the Saint must endure birth and death.)

As per Guruji, ‘Death’ does not forgive who slanders the saints. What good is slandering. If we consider Prithi Chand example, what did he achieve by ‘slandering’ Guruji? Nothing, he just ended up as a ‘bad example’ and his name is quoted how one should not live. Same goes for Dattu son of Dhan Shri Guru Angad Dev Ji who spoke undignified words for Dhan Shri Guru Amar Das Ji and even hit ‘Him’ on chest when Paatshahi 3 was given ‘Gur Gaddi – Throne of Dhan Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji’ by Paatshahi 2. Dhan Shri Guru Amar Das Ji neither cursed him nor felt angry by such an act. But still Dattu suffered since he ‘slandered’ ‘The Guru – The Saint’.

Dhan Shri Guru Arjan Dev Ji warns a ‘slander’ in following words:

ਨਿੰਦਕ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਕਰਿ ਪਚੇ ਜਮਕਾਲਿ ਗ੍ਰਸੀਏ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥[3]

निंदक निंदा करि पचे जमकालि ग्रसीए ॥१॥ रहाउ ॥

(The slanderers rot in their slander; they are seized by the Messenger of Death.)

Gurbaani confirms that ‘Slanderer’ will decay. His action, quality of life and thoughts will smell foul. Well, what happens to decaying mass? It smells bad. Mortals cannot smell decaying thoughts since they are limited to senses. Their horizons become so narrow that eventually ‘Death’ unleashes its fear on them. Guruji further says that slanderer will forget God and who forgets ‘The One’ is driven by ‘Duality’, he argues with servants of ‘The One’ and eventually ‘Death’ approaches him and punishes him in following words:

ਨਿੰਦਕੁ ਪ੍ਰਭੂ ਭੁਲਾਇਆ ਕਾਲੁ ਨੇਰੈ ਆਇਆ ਹਰਿ ਜਨ ਸਿਉ ਬਾਦੁ ਉਠਰੀਐ ॥[4]

निंदकु प्रभू भुलाइआ कालु नेरै आइआ हरि जन सिउ बादु उठरीऐ ॥

(The slanderer forgets God, death approaches him, and he starts to argue with the humble servant of the Lord.)

ਡਾਨੁ ਦੈਤ ਨਿੰਦਕ ਕਉ ਜਾਮ ॥੧॥[5]

डानु दैत निंदक कउ जाम ॥१॥

(The slanderer is punished by the Messenger of Death.)

Dhan Shri Guru Ram Das further says that Slanderer is a sinner; he speaks evil of saints, The God and eventually chewed away by ‘Death’ in following words:

ਜੇ ਉਸ ਕਾ ਬੁਰਾ ਕਹੈ ਕੋਈ ਪਾਪੀ ਤਿਸੁ ਜਮਕੰਕਰੁ ਖਾਈ ਜੀਉ ॥੩॥[6]

जे उस का बुरा कहै कोई पापी तिसु जमकंकरु खाई जीउ ॥३॥

(If some sinner speaks evil of him, the Messenger of Death chews him up.)

It is quite evident Gurbaani forbids ‘Slandering’ since it will just result in miseries upon the slanderer. Still people continue to do so. They enjoy speaking about ill about others. And eventually slip into hands of ‘Death’.

TO BE CONTINUED!

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[1] Sukhmani Sahib – Ang 275 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[2] Sukhmani Sahib – Ang 280 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[3] Bilaval Mehla 5 - Ang 815 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[4] Bilaval Mehla 5 - Ang 823 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[5] Raag Bhairao Mehla 5 – Ang 1145 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji

[6] Maroo Mehla 4 – Ang 998 Dhan Shri Guru Granth Sahib Ji