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Discussions With Yogis

When Amritsar was being established, a group of yogis visited Guru Ram Das. They were studying the Sikh way of life. One day they met Guru Ram Das and said, "We are surprised to see that your Sikhs do not perform Ashat Yog. It is very difficult to control the mind without apprehension of Yoga. We have perceived that your Sikhs would not attain salvation."

Guru Ram Das said, "We don't believe in the performance of yogas. Our Sikhs do not live as recluses. There is no need to play on a reed or a flute. We believe in one God and realize God with love and compassion. When a person realizes God they attain Salvation immeadiately. A simple method to get salvation is to recite name of God and to see God in God's creation. By reciting the name of God all troubles vanish and people get happiness. One who resides even a particle of God's Name in his heart becomes immortal and attains salvation. A person can recite the Name of God in doing their routine work, they need not go to the mountains or forests like you."

At the time Guru Ram Das composed the following Gurbani;

ਮਹਲਾ ੪ ਰਾਗੁ ਆਸਾ ਘਰੁ ੬ ਕੇ ੩ ॥
Mėhlā 4 rāg āsā gẖar 6 ke 3.
Fourth Mehl, Raag Aasaa, 3 Of Sixth House.

ਹਥਿ ਕਰਿ ਤੰਤੁ ਵਜਾਵੈ ਜੋਗੀ ਥੋਥਰ ਵਾਜੈ ਬੇਨ ॥
Hath kar ṯanṯ vajāvai jogī thothar vājai ben.
You may pluck the strings with your hand, O Yogi, but your playing of the harp is in vain.

ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਬੋਲਹੁ ਜੋਗੀ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੂਆ ਹਰਿ ਰੰਗਿ ਭੇਨ ॥੧॥
Gurmaṯ har guṇ bolhu jogī ih manū▫ā har rang bẖen. ||1||
Under Guru's Instruction, chant the Glorious Praises of the Lord, O Yogi, and this mind of yours shall be imbued with the Lord's Love. ||1||

ਜੋਗੀ ਹਰਿ ਦੇਹੁ ਮਤੀ ਉਪਦੇਸੁ ॥
Jogī har ḏeh maṯī upḏes.
O Yogi, give your intellect the Teachings of the Lord.

ਜੁਗੁ ਜੁਗੁ ਹਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਏਕੋ ਵਰਤੈ ਤਿਸੁ ਆਗੈ ਹਮ ਆਦੇਸੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Jug jug har har eko varṯai ṯis āgai ham āḏes. ||1|| rahā▫o.
The Lord, the One Lord, is pervading throughout all the ages; I humbly bow down to Him. ||1||Pause||

ਗਾਵਹਿ ਰਾਗ ਭਾਤਿ ਬਹੁ ਬੋਲਹਿ ਇਹੁ ਮਨੂਆ ਖੇਲੈ ਖੇਲ ॥
Gāvahi rāg bẖāṯ baho bolėh ih manū▫ā kẖelai kẖel.
You sing in so many Ragas and harmonies, and you talk so much, but this mind of yours is only playing a game.

ਜੋਵਹਿ ਕੂਪ ਸਿੰਚਨ ਕਉ ਬਸੁਧਾ ਉਠਿ ਬੈਲ ਗਏ ਚਰਿ ਬੇਲ ॥੨॥
Jovėh kūp sincẖan ka▫o basuḏẖā uṯẖ bail ga▫e cẖar bel. ||2||
You work the well and irrigate the fields, but the oxen have already left to graze in the jungle. ||2||

ਕਾਇਆ ਨਗਰ ਮਹਿ ਕਰਮ ਹਰਿ ਬੋਵਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਜਾਮੈ ਹਰਿਆ ਖੇਤੁ ॥
Kā▫i▫ā nagar mėh karam har bovhu har jāmai hari▫ā kẖeṯ.
In the field of the body, plant the Lord's Name, and the Lord will sprout there, like a lush green field.

ਮਨੂਆ ਅਸਥਿਰੁ ਬੈਲੁ ਮਨੁ ਜੋਵਹੁ ਹਰਿ ਸਿੰਚਹੁ ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਜੇਤੁ ॥੩॥
Manū▫ā asthir bail man jovhu har sincẖahu gurmaṯ jeṯ. ||3||
O mortal, hook up your unstable mind like an ox, and irrigate your fields with the Lord's Name, through the Guru's Teachings. ||3||

ਜੋਗੀ ਜੰਗਮ ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਸਭ ਤੁਮਰੀ ਜੋ ਦੇਹੁ ਮਤੀ ਤਿਤੁ ਚੇਲ ॥
Jogī jangam sarisat sabẖ ṯumrī jo ḏeh maṯī ṯiṯ cẖel.
The Yogis, the wandering Jangams, and all the world is Yours, O Lord. According to the wisdom which You give them, so do they follow their ways.

ਜਨ ਨਾਨਕ ਕੇ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਅੰਤਰਜਾਮੀ ਹਰਿ ਲਾਵਹੁ ਮਨੂਆ ਪੇਲ ॥੪॥੯॥੬੧॥
Jan Nānak ke parabẖ anṯarjāmī har lāvhu manū▫ā pel. ||4||9||61||
O Lord God of servant Nanak, O Inner-knower, Searcher of hearts, please link my mind to You. ||4||9||61||

~ Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Guru Ram Das, Ang 368.

The yogis accepted what Guru Ram Das said and defeated in their arguments they went away.


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