Sabad Asgah: Experiencing Infinite Wisdom

Recently I participated in Sikh Research Institute's Saneha: Becoming Guru-Centered event held at Guru Nanak Foundation of America in Silver Spring, MD. The saneha, or message, of the workshop was Sabad Asgah: Experiencing Infinite Wisdom.

The day began with the introduction of participants, along with sharing why each of us had come to the workshop. In response, participants' answers included wanting to get over the fear making mistakes or committing a transgression while reading Guru Granth Sahib, wanting to learn more in order to teach their children, and the desire to move beyond the darshan of the Guru to creating a genuine relationship.

Whereas I had expected a lecture-style presentation, I was surprised by the dialectical and dynamic structure of the presentation, which facilitated discussion and the sharing of views. A comfortable, inquisitive atmosphere was set so that the diverse group of high school and college students, young professionals, and mature individuals, could all effectively engage in dialogue and learning.

Harinder Singh of Sikh Research Institute began by sharing the intent and aim of the workshop. He stressed the necessity of interpreting Gurbani for ourselves and moving away from spiritual dependence on so-called religious leaders. In this way, spiritual empowerment and the development of a personal relationship with Guru can take place. To that end, the workshop served to introduce practical tools for further study of Gurbani. The profound importance of Guru Granth Sahib was emphasized by describing it as a khajana, a treasure house of the absolute perfection of ideas and thoughts.

The first session, presented by Jasmine Kaur, was titled Guru Granth Sahib:

Origin and Message, in which the compilation of Guru Granth Sahib was historically contextualized and its contributors, organization, and message expounded upon. I was quickly impressed by the presenters' depth of knowledge in areas such as the languages and dialects employed as well as the various literary techniques utilized and innovated by the Gurus. The opening lines of Guru Granth Sahib that manifest the attributes of the Divine (the mool mantar) were likened to a thesis. The subsequent revelations in Guru Granth Sahib then further expound upon these attributes and detail how to attain these qualities to become like the Divine. In this way, the message of Guru Granth Sahib is a universal one that provides guidance and morality regardless of time, space, or location.

The second session, presented by Mandhir Singh, centered on Rag: Music of the Soul. That Guru Granth Sahib is organized according to Rag points to the importance the Gurus placed on music and its role as a mode of delivery.

Music serves as a vehicle for imparting the experiential and emotional and a potent method for relaying internal and transcendent feelings to the common person. Music also places the listener in a reflective and receptive mood.

Thus, music surpasses the limits of language and becomes an essential delivery mechanism for the Gurus, especially as a medium to reach the masses and cross all demographic boundaries. In setting all Gurbani in Rag, the Gurus sought to instill cultural and artistic appreciation in the masses.

The following session, Gurbani Viakhia Pranaliam, discussed the features, strengths, and shortcomings of the various schools of thoughts of Gurbani interpretation. This session provided extensive information on the motivations, intentions, and context of the different systems of Gurbani interpretation. Seven major systems of Gurbani interpretation were elaborated upon in order to suggest that perhaps the best approach is to develop an integrative one. This entails identifying the verse's context and potential cultural barriers that may effect understanding, learning the meanings of words and accompanying connotations, and, if needed, examining grammatical patterns. The last session of the day was a Question and Answer forum, in which participants could ask any question of the presenters, including clarification about the content of the workshop and the role and projects of SikhRI.

Overall, I felt that the SikhRI presenters were incredibly knowledgeable and engaging. It is clear that the SikhRI team has done extensive research and has examined issues from several perspectives, enabling them to provide comprehensive and well-informed information on a spectrum of Sikh issues.

They consistently use the confluence of bani (scripture), tvarikh (history and tradition), and rahit (discipline) to develop and present their views from a Gurmat-perspective, from which they relay relevant examples for further clarity. Along with the abundance of information and resources presented, I especially appreciated SikhRI's encouragement of critical thinking, an essential skill that is unfortunately disregarded or dismissed as irreverent in the Sikh community today. Unlike other workshops I have attended in which presenters adamantly insist upon on the accuracy of their own views, the presenters motivated the participants to seek out further information and guidance on their own through the Gurmat tradition. All in all, the day was reflective and thought provoking and instilled an ardent desire to continue my journey of learning and development of a relationship with Guru Granth Sahib.

Established in 2003 and located in San Antonio, TX, USA, SikhRI is a nonprofit, faith-based initiative whose mission is to "facilitate training and development while inspiring Sikh values, create global awareness of Sikhi, and deliver solutions to the key challenges faced by the Sikh community."