Sacrifice

In India whenever the term of Sacrifice comes into picture. the name of karna from the Mahabharatha is taken as an example. If someone sacrifices or gives away something, He behaves like Karna or don't behave like Karna, small charity won't make you Karna will be many of the examples. 

But if we have witnessed History there are many others who also can be called into this group or can be example of Sacrifice. Out of the many names, one name comes into my mind, he is none other than Guru Teg Bahadur. Guru Teg Bahadur, the name many in the country don't know and many in the north will be known. He is from the Sikh Community and is the 9th Sikh Guru and father of the 10th Guru Shri Guru Gobind Singh. 

Once, when i went to a Gurudwara, I asked the caretaker for a book on Shri Guru Gobind Singh as I consider him an important person in the Indian History. But he said, the copies are over instead he advised me to take a book on Guru Teg Bahadur. I was bit taken aback as I didn't know about him and felt he may be popular among the Sikhs but for me, Shri Guru Gobind Singh was the biggest Sikh Guru and a great Freedom fighter. 

But as I finished reading the book, a small book of about 15-20 pages, i was shocked. Not only shocked reading the content of the book but also severely shocked I could never learn or read or know about him. I felt utterly ashamed about my ignorance about the Person. The Story goes something like this.

During the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, there were lot of attacks on the Hindus and many were forced to get converted. But during this time, many brave warriors like Chatrapati Shivajji, Krishna deva Raya and many brave sons of Mother India gave stiff resistance. During one of the events, When Aurangzeb wanted to convert Kashmir Pandits, they found refuge under the 9th Sikh Guru Shri Guru Teg Bahadur. They pleaded with him, Guru, we have nowhere else to go. We are under the compulsion either get killed or get converted. 

Please guide us and save us, they pleaded. Guru Teg Bahadur, told them, why don't you go to a holy person to meditate with Aurangzeb. Listening to the entire conversation, his young son of about 10-12 years old said, Father, who is more holy than you. Why can't you take the lead to meditate with the emperor. 

Listening to the words of his son, Guru Teg Bahadur assured the Kashmiri Pandits, they need not get converted. He will stand between them and the tyrant Aurangzeb. Saying this, he sent a message to the Mughal Emperor, if you want to convert the Kashmir Pandits, you have to convert me first. The rest will get converted. Mughal Emperor was happy listening to this, he thought his work became easy as he need to convert only one person. His job is now easy. 

A date was fixed and Guru Teg Bahadur went to Delhi to meet Aurangzeb with his few disciples. An exchange of words happened between the two and Guru Teg Bahadur was adamant. he politely refused to convert to Islam, he was not at all deterred by gifts, money, pleasantries and threats. Aurangzeb found the situation helpless, he began to think it is getting difficult to convince this man. Now, he ordered his soldiers to create fear in the eyes of Guru Teg Bahadur by doing different dangerous antics. Guru Teg Bahadur was unmoved. Then the irritated Aurangzeb who felt he is losing the situation, ordered his soldiers to torture the disciples of Guru Teg Bahadur. The torture will be stopped if Guru admits to accept Islam, But Guru was unmoved. Few of his disciples were tortured to death like peeling their skin alive, sewing them alive, throwing hot oil on to their bodies. 

Now, he ordered to torture Guru, Guru Teg Bahadur was tortured. Hot sand was thrown on him, he was threatened to be trampled by Elephants. But Guru was calm. After torturing Guru for few more hours, Tired and irritated Aurangzeb ordered to Behead Guru Teg Bahadur and ordered none to touch the dead body. As Guru was beheaded, a massive storm came in the area and all of them were blinded. One great devotee took the severed head of the Guru and ran to another place and cremated it. 

This happened on 24th November. The place where guru teg bahadur was beheaded is in Delhi and a Gurudwara is constructed in its place Sis Ganj Sahib gurudwara in Chandni Chowk. 

24th Nov is celebrated as Shaheedi Diwas and the martyrdom of Guru Teg Bahadur. 

This is a harrowing story but teaches a great lesson. It is the story of a person who sacrificed his life to save the honor of people of another faith. Most of the times, sacrifice is done to the people known to us or our close relatives or friends. 

But here Guru Teg Bahadur a Sikh sacrificed his life to save the honor of hundreds of Kashmiri Pandits who don'g belong to his faith. I think incident has got no precedent in World History. A person of a faith sacrifices his life to another faith.

Atheist and Monk 2

Continue the story of discussion between the Atheist and the Monk 

After agreeing that a deity logic put by him was not effective. The atheist tried to corner the Monk on another point. 

Atheist: Sir, I have another question? I heard your vedas dont allow the shudras to read it. And all your sages, noblemen endorse it.

Monk: Yes, its true. but the definition of the vedas on the shudras is different. We treat the shudras as a part of varnas. 

Atheist: enough of your endorsement. You agree that some people are mistreated. They are not given the right to read the vedas. Yet you say, we dont discriminate. This is hypocrisy at the best.

Monk: I have a point to clarify, let me complete my statement. The definition of the Varnas is...

Athieist: Enough, i am not interested to listen to your foolish and the illogical statements. 

Monk: Do you use a laptop? 

Atheist: Of course, I do. All my works are done in my laptop. It is quite easy to use.

Monk: Does your attender use a laptop?

Atheist: Illogical, he doesn't use it. He needs a cafeteria not a laptop.

Monk: Is he allowed to work on your laptop? Is he allowed to attend your project meetings? Is he allowed to attend the business meetings of your organization?

Atheist: Off course no. Why would he be invited to such high profile meetings?

Monk: Dont you think you are doing injustice to him? Aren't you discriminating?

Atheist: No, we are not discriminating. He is not matured for the discussion, he is not educated for the situation. That's simple.

Monk: What a hypocrite you are, you deny a person to have a laptop. You deny him to your high profile business meetings. And you say you are not discriminating him. 

Atheist: He is not trained for such things, he is trained for doing the menial jobs like a making tea, coffee, getting photo copies, getting letters signed, etc. How could we invite him for the high profile meetings.

Monk: Similarly, please equate your attender to a shudra. Dont you see both are similar. 

Atheist: Maybe. 

Monk: Not maybe, its true. Every civilization tries to give people the right to their works. The right to work as per their competency. 

Atheist: But, the discrimination against the lower class is still prevalent in the country.

Monk: There are instances of the same even today, i agree. We have come a long way for it. But, this too will come to an end. 

Atheist: Hope it ends, and take a blame for it in your culture.

Monk: The blame is on the culture and the community. When some communities become too powerful, they tend to make such illogical rules. Like a regional political party, gives leadership to its kins. 

Atheist: Yeah, it is an organizational fallacy. 

Atheist and a Monk Short story 1

 An Atheist and a Monk were travelling together in train

Monk: Hi, nice to see you

Atheist: Thank you, nice to see you

Monk: Where are you heading to?

Atheist: I am going to the Temple City 

Monk: Nice coincidence. I am also going to the temple City

Atheist: Ok

Monk: When is your time for Darshan of the Deity?

Atheist: I am not going the place to see the deity. I won't go either. I am going to audit the finances of the temple administration.

Monk: Ok nice. But still, you can have darshan of the deity.

Atheist: I am not interested, A simple question? The deity needs people to manage it, needs an administration, a temple, lot of people to protect it. It needs an auditor like me to see whether the finances are ok. It cannot protect itself; how can it protect me. 

Monk: ok

Atheist: All these things are done by people to earn money. The Priests, the Government, the normal public, all are interested to earn money. As, Money is more powerful

Monk: Said nothing and stood up and took a coin from his pocket and threw it outside the building.  

Atheist: Are you insane? You have thrown away money 

Monk: I was validating your statement, " Money is more Powerful"

But Money is not powerful enough, it couldn't save itself when I threw it. 

MOney needs money, administration, buildings, banks, almirah, etc to save it itself. 

Do you still think Money is powerful?