Eschew Retaliation

[Summeet Kaur]

Episode No. 3

ESCHEW RETALIATION

Once when Guru Amar Das was in Goindwal, Sikhs used to bring water for the langar in earthen pitchers. Young Turks (alien Muslims from the ruling class) would break the pitchers with mud-pellets shot from catapults. Those Turks were called Sheikhs. Their parents were aware of this activity. But they would not stop them. Rather, they enjoyed the fun.

"O True Master, kids of the Turks, with pellets from their slings, break our pitchers,"complained the Sikhs. The Guru instructed them to use mashaks (leather bags) to fetch water. The Sikhs started using mashaks. But the young Turks would make holes in them with arrows. "O True Master, they make holes in the mashaks also," reported the Sikhs.

The Guru advised them' to use brass vessels, and the Sikhs obeyed. But this did not deter the young Turks who started pelting brick-bats, causing dents in the vessels.

In the mean time, a roving band of armed ascetics (sanyasins) arrived and camped there. The boys shot a ball which hit one of them in the eye, and caused grave injury. The victim happened to be the leader of the group. All the sanyasins came out with arms and attacked the Sheikhs with swords, killing several of them.

On the following day, a mule carrying State treasures disap-peared. This mule was recovered from a house belonging to one of the Sheikhs. So the few Sheikhs who had survived the assault of the sanyasins, were taken as prisoners to Delhi. The Sikhs reported this to the Guru, "O True Master, this is the fate the Sheikhs have met." "Brothers, they have received what their actions merited, but we did not

retaliate," said the Guru.

In the same connection Guru Baba narrated a sakhi: "A sadhu asked his fellow sadhu, 'If you do good to somebody and he returns it with evil, how should he be treated?' 'You should again do good,' was the reply. 'If you again do him good, and he again returns it with evil, then how should we treat him?' 'You should again do him good.' 'Why so?' asked the sadhu. The reply given was 'He will get his reward for evil, while you will get yours for good. If he so firmly slicks to evil, you should stick to good even more firmly. This is the reason.' The fellow agreed."

The Guru elaborated and said, "If one commits aggression, and the other does not retaliate, God will punish the aggressor. This is His justice. There may be some delay in its dispensation. But when He catches him, he will not be spared, and will suffer blow after blow. So, the Sheikhs have been punished by God. We have no hand in this." (3)

[Extracted from: EPISODES FROM LIVES OF THE GURUS - PARCHIAN SEWADAS - ENGLISH TRANSALTION by Kharak Singh & Gurtej Singh, Institute of Sikh Studies, Chandigarh]

[Guest mehtab]

i have seen this happen for real more than once in my lifetime. thank u soo much summeet for posting it. now i feel that even though it was done unknowingly, i was indeed following Guru's hukam, which means He was making me follow it. wow! feels so good! so blessed!

[S1ngh]

Wow.. Awesome.. Must read this oneeeeeee

Btw, im wondering who were ascetics (sanyasins)?

[kaur_khalistani_lioness]

waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh jio

Akal

so what does this jeevani tells us bout having Khalistan or our own state?

jus curiouse ji

im a moorakh

and plz plz plzzzzzz dont take my question/curiousty in any wrong way!

jus for a bit forget bout what my id says and answer the question

humble request ji

its jus one of my dreams to be a khalsa lands(jungles) lioness

Waheguru ji ka khalsa waheguru ji ki fateh jio

[GABROO KHALISTAN DAH]

wow , i' have'nt come across many female khalistanis in my life, theres 1 rite here hehe

maybe 20till date

[Summeet Kaur]

To my Pyarey Vicky Singh Jee here is the definition you asked about:

as·cet·ic

n.

A person who renounces material comforts and leads a life of austere self-discipline, especially as an act of religious devotion.

adj.

Leading a life of self-discipline and self-denial, especially for spiritual improvement. See Synonyms at severe.

Pertaining to or characteristic of an ascetic; self-denying and austere: an ascetic existence.

[Late Greek asktikos, from Greek askts, practitioner, hermit, monk, from askein, to work.]