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Ashtabhuja

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Everything posted by Ashtabhuja

  1. Like set-up a group called the "Army of Amritsar in Iraq". Sikhs from different countries would book a flight to Iraq (either announcing their true intentions or on the pretence of charity work), get in touch with Kurdish rebels (trustworthy), acquire sniper rifles and just snipe as many ISIS demons as possible from a safe distance (so as to live longer to kill more).
  2. Vaheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Vaheguru Ji Ki Fateh. Thank you so much for this video. Very nicely presented. Many thanks for proving the innocence of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur ji.
  3. Sister, it's actually simple: 1) Buy them illustrated books about the lives of the Sikh gurus and shaheeds (this is what brought me closer to Sikhi in the mid 90s). 2) Google the nearest Gatka or Shastar vidya school and get them enrolled (training in a martial used by their Sikh ancestors will make them feel proud). 3) Get them to watch Basics of Sikhi on YouTube, especially videos featuring Bhai Jagraj Singh. 4) Introduce them to websites with a full English translation of Guru Granth Sahib ji and get them to read random parts or do a word search. Every ang is oozing with knowledge, wisdom and inspiration. Thanks to these websites, access to Gurbani has never been easier. Once the kids discover what's actually written inside Guru Granth Sahib ji, they'll be amazed and want more. 5) Google before-and-after images of monay Sikhs becoming Amritdhari Sikhs (to show them it happens. They'll find it inspiring). I guarantee you any youth who follows the 5 points above will develop a hunger for Sikhi.
  4. No problem, Destruction. Glad to help. Would you care to share your thoughts on the book? Comments on the combat section?
  5. Here you go, Destruction. Found the PDF on Gatka website: http://docs.wixstatic.com/ugd/bd5529_0ad27fa7939c47ccb5faf521ecfb0ac4.pdf Please kindly share your thoughts after reading it.
  6. Yes, that's probably the best way. I think that was how a Singh funded the creation of the Garja Singh statues.
  7. Thank you for your good wishes, my friend. Please feel free to make any suggestions.
  8. Both of your responses are much appreciated! I've read the new illustrated Shastar vidya book by Harjit Singh Sagoo and it's backed by textual evidence from numerous Hindu epics, scriptures and treatises, such as the Mahabharat, Ramayan, Nitiprakashik, Shukraniti, Kamadakiya Nitisar, Agni Puran, etc. I got it from Amazon. There's also a trailer about the book on YouTube. This is pre-Mughal martial arts. There are plenty of texts are out there, but it seems most people are not going through them the way Sagoo did. He's put the book title, chapter and section next to the excerpts and has even drawn illustrations to show the fighting techniques. I've also read in another book that there are unpublished dhanurvedas in Indian libraries, just sitting there. I intend to do something about that one day when I can gather some funds.
  9. jkvlondon, the Samurai texts you've been reading, are they Cummins' books? He's actually currently in Japan doing more research. He's got already got a chest containing several unpublished Ninja manuscripts which he will publish. All he did was go to Japan and buy them from antique book stores. Such scrolls are available because people, including the Japanese people themselves, aren't hunting for them. Some day, I hope to do the same for Indian martial manuals.
  10. Sure, Sukhvirk1976. There will always be good and bad people in the world. The Sikh gurus made it our duty to kill those bad people but only when all other means of punishing them have failed (regardless of what the law of the land says. Guru Granth Sahib Ji is our King and Waheguru is our Emperor. Elizabeth II, May, Trump, etc. are not our leaders. Khalsa cannot be led by non-Khalsa). And when we kill, we must do it with a jhatka - one strike (sword to neck, shot to the head or heart) and without hate. Guru Hargobind Ji is said to have killed opponents in battle with a neutral expression on his face. So that's all good, but I started this topic to get people discussing books on Indian martial arts, because they're so rare. Do you know of any such books? Do you have an opinion as to why there are not that many? And what we can do to change that?
  11. You mean The Lost Warfare of India. I've got that and the SV book. The warfare book is actually largely based on Chanakya's treatise, Arthashastra (all the sections on warfare, spying and assassination). It's like Ninja stuff, except ancient Indians were doing this sort of thing long before the Ninjas. Have you read it? I wish people (Indian and non-Indian) would write more books like this on ancient Indian martial culture and arts. It helps to have those silhouette images. Not really a fan of text-only books. Yeah, he wrote it with Cummins. He's a Youtuber and author famous for separating fact from fiction when it comes to the Ninja and Samurai. A lot of what we know about Ninjas comes from Masaaki Hatsumi, but not everything Hatsumi says is true. But Cummins uses textual evidence (when you have that, you cant make anything up). Also, Sagoo was actually the second person to interview Nidar Singh years ago for MAI (Krishna Godhania was the first) but his SV book doesn't seem to be linked with Nidar's SV (like no mention of Chandi Yudhan, etc.). There's a YouTube trailer of it. Again, the illustrations of Kshatriyas that accompany the text helps.
  12. Firstly, the only difference between you and most people is that you admit you have impure thoughts. Secondly, don't worry, Waheguru is all-knowing. Your admission and guilt is enough for Waheguru to forgive you, even if you have more impure thoughts in the future. As long as you don't physically molest anyone, it's fine. Just don't physically act them out, otherwise you'll be punished in this world and the next. OCD is caused because of a chemical imbalance in the brain. And this is caused by stuff that's put in our food and medicine. So its not your fault nor because of stuff you did in previous janams. And you can't rely on doctors. They are not medicine-makers, but medicine-prescribers (no better than chemists). And whatever the pharmaceutical companies push (never safe stuff), doctors must hand-out. So in short, enjoy your fantasies (resistance only make the thoughts come back stronger), don't physically act out the fantasies, and Waheguru will always forgive you for impure thoughts, because your brain's chemical imbalance was caused by the pharmaceutical and food production rakshasas. You'll be OK. Everything will be just fine...
  13. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Thanks for your response, Destruction. I've actually read that book. Printed it out and keep it in my cupboard. It is indeed interesting. But it contains more info on history and philosophy than technique. Wish it was the other way around (though it gives a valuable insight into old school Nihang culture, which you don't find in other books). Nidar's book mentions the animal- and deity-based styles which he teaches today. However, in the new book, "Shastra vidya: The Ancient Indian Martial Art of the Hindu Kshatriyas”, there's boxing, grappling, and weapon techniques backed by textual sources, but no mention of the animal and god/goddess styles.
  14. Thanks for your response, lkvlondon. I'm sure Nidar Singh has the backing of loads of people, like weapons collectors and historian Davinder Singh Toor as well as Paramjeet Singh. Also, I wonder if Ravi Singh (of Khalsa Aid) is Nidar Singh's brother. If you Google their pics, you'll see they look so alike.
  15. Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh! Why is literature on Indian martial arts so rare? There are countless books on Chinese, Japanese and Korean martial arts, but probably only about 5 Kalaripayattu books, and only 4 Gatka books (two in English and two in Punjabi). The first Gatka book was published in 1936 by K. S. Akali. He refers to Gatka as a ‘sport’ and exponents as ‘players’. No association to Sikh warriorhood, etc. And the pentra doesn’t seem correct. Also, it only covers the soti; no dhal talvar, barcha, etc. Then there is Nanak Dev Singh Khalsa’s Gatka book written in the 1980s. It’s mixed with H3O-style yoga. I remember emailing the author directly back in 2000 to obtain his book, which I had read about in an old online Gatka article. He told me to forget about the book and gave me the mobile number of his new Ustad, named… Nidar Singh! In 2000, I travelled to India specifically to obtain books on Indian martial arts (previously could only find brief mentions of IMA in desi magazines and newspapers). In India, I came across large book markets. They had tons of books on school education, poetry, religion, but no Gatka books. Fortunately, though, as I was about to leave from a small store, the shopkeeper pointed to a dusty old book. He said it was titled “Lathi Shiksha”. It was an illustrated manual on quarterstaff fighting written in deep Hindi. Includes some mystical-seeming geometrical patterns. I assume they are the directions of stick-fighting forms. It was so fragile that the pages would break off if bended. No date on it, but could be from the 1940s or 50s. There is a short booklet called Shastar vidya, by Baba Gian Singh (published by Budha Dal). I believe it was first published decades ago. Most of it is full of warrior philosophy and martial verses from the Dasam Granth. There are some dagger-fighting descriptions towards the end. Then there is a 2017 book called “Shastra vidya: The Ancient Indian Martial Art of the Hindu Kshatriyas”. It’s got textual evidence (from Hindu scriptures, epics and treatises) and includes illustrations to go with the descriptions. It covers weapons like bhindipal, vajr, trishul, gada, mayukhi, dhanush, etc. But it’s not by Nidar Singh! I’m surprised Nidar Singh hasn’t brought out a book yet on Shastar vidya.
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