Interview with Tarsem Singh

Congratulations on being selected the youth of the month. Please tell us something about yourself, your schooling, your interests and your hobbies.

Guru Roop Guru Piaaree Sangat Ji Gajj Ke Akho WaheGuru Ji Ka Khalsa WaheGuru Ji Ki Fateh

Khalsa jio first thing I wish to say is I'm just learning same as everyone else and still have a long way to go! All that glitters is not gold and we are blessed with many real GurSikhs who can inspire the youth much better than myself. However, with Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj's kirpaa, I appreciate being given this seva.

I'm 24, from the U.K. and I graduated in Masters of Business and Bachelors of Economics two years ago. My interests include chillaxing to Kirtan or Katha or being around anyone or anything which can inspire me and wake me up.

You have been brought up in a GurSikh family since you were born and have always had the Sikh influence in your life. How do you feel that has impacted you looking at yourself now?

After Guru Maharaj, I am thankful to my Punjabi teacher who gave me a huge gift by teaching me the basics of how to read and write. I am also eternally grateful that as well as Guru Maharaj, I have been lucky in being blessed with a role model in my Grandfather. I appreciate everything he has done for me (God Willing!) and hope I can be as steadfast in following Guru Sahib.

When I was young, my grandparents told me sakhiaa from Sikh history - this helped me as you can only know where you are going if you find out where you are coming from. Also, they provided a living example of a GurSikh life, gave me a lot of love and encouragement and ensured I visited GuruGhar often.

What inspired you to get on the path of Sikhi? What interested you? Was there any one thing that kept your motivation and faith sky high?
 
You can bow your head to someone but still not realize or comprehend who that person is. I've made so many mistakes in my life that I'm too ashamed to say them here. I often chose the wrong path but each time Guru Maharaj has been my saving grace, my shoulder to cry on, my help and support and the person who puts the pieces back together again. We are celebrating the Pehlaa Prakash of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj so I just want to say how much Guru Maharaj has given me.

bhoolae maarag jinehi bathaaeiaa ||
He places the one who strays back on the Path;

aisaa gur vaddabhaagee paaeiaa ||1||
such a Guru is found by great good fortune. ||1||
(Ang 803, Guru Maharaj)

It is only when your love for someone is tested that you realize it's worth. No matter what, Guru Maharaj has always been there reaching out to me to with open arms.

Guru Maharaj says on Ang 1410:

jo tho praem khaelan kaa chaao ||
If you desire to play this game of love with Me,

sir dhhar thalee galee maeree aao ||
then step onto My Path with your head in hand.

eith maarag pair dhhareejai ||
When you place your feet on this Path,

sir dheejai kaan n keejai ||20||
give Me your head, and do not mind public opinion. ||20||

Even an hour is a long time and I spent 22 years of my life running from every amrit sanchaar lol why? I guess because I'm a quiet introverted person and when it came to taking amrit even though I had kept some basic rehit since childhood I was still afraid of taking the step of being a 'Khalsa'. It seemed really daunting – how many can call themselves a "true Khalsa"? Was there really something that could wash away the past and give me a clean slate? So I just took small steps from the heart. Maybe I wasn't ready to take amrit yet like a fruit which isn't quite ripe and still needs the world and the Sun to beat down on it a bit more lol. In the end, Sangat helped make sure I attended an amrit sanchaar!! Thanks!

Sri Guru Amar Das Ji tells us on Ang 515 of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Maharaj:

vaahu vaahu baanee nira(n)kaar hai this jaevadd avar n koe ||
Hail! Hail! is the Word of the Formless Lord. There is no other as great as He is.

vaahu vaahu agam athhaahu hai vaahu vaahu sachaa soe ||
Hail! Hail! The Lord is unfathomable and inaccessible. Hail! Hail! He is the True One.

What inspires me is our Gurus revered the Word as Divine. The same Divine Word was first revealed to SatGuru Nanak Dev Ji and the same was enshrined by successive Gurus in Gurbani. Each showed Gurbani the greater respect as one day the Word was to take the place of Guru, in fact the eternal Guru. Despite Gurbani was to be added by later Gurus, when Sri Adi Granth Ji was first brought to Sri Harimandir Sahib by Baba Budha Ji, Guru Arjan Dev Ji showed the Divine Word greater respect by walking behind - barefoot from Ramsar to Sri Harimandar Sahib carrying Chaur Sahib. That night Guru Arjan Dev Ji gave up his own bed to offer to the Divine Word. Guru Piaareo such was his respect for Gurbani that every day thereafter he slept on the floor by the side of the Divine Word. This faith, love and surrender our Gurus had for Sri Guru Granth Sahib Maharaj Ji is what continues to be a constant source of inspiration for me.

When Guru Arjan Dev Ji was separated from Guru Ram Das Ji he composed three shabads which are now in Shabad Hazaarey from Ang 96 of Guru Maharaj:

mayraa man lochai gur darsan taa-ee.
My mind longs for the Blessed Vision of the Guru's Darshan.

bilap karay chaatrik kee ni-aa-ee.
It cries out like the thirsty song-bird.

tarikhaa na utrai saaNt na aavai bin darsan sant pi-aaray jee-o. ||1||
My thirst is not quenched, and I can find no peace, without the Blessed Vision of the Beloved Saint. ||1||

ha-o gholee jee-o ghol ghumaa-ee gur darsan sant pi-aaray jee-o. ||1|| rahaa-o.
I am a sacrifice, my soul is a sacrifice, to the Blessed Vision of the Beloved Saint Guru. ||1||Pause||

And Guru Ram Das Ji Himself enshrined on Ang 757 of Guru Maharaj:

jhakharr jhaagee meehu varasai bhee gur dhaekhan jaaee ||13||
Even in violent storms and torrential rain, I go out to catch a glimpse of my Guru. ||13||

samu(n)dh saagar hovai bahu khaaraa gurasikh la(n)gh gur pehi jaaee ||14||
Even though the oceans and the salty seas are very vast, the GurSikh will cross over it to get to his Guru. ||14||

jio praanee jal bin hai marathaa thio sikh gur bin mar jaaee ||15||
Just as the mortal dies without water, so does the Sikh die without the Guru. ||15||

jio dhharathee sobh karae jal barasai thio sikh gur mil bigasaaee ||16||
Just as the earth looks beautiful when the rain falls, so does the Sikh blossom forth meeting the Guru. ||16||

This is the longing we should have to get Darshan of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Maharaj. Those who serve the Guru, serve Guru-ki-Sangat, and in turn serve the entire humanity will become one with Guru and God.

In life we all feel lost at sea but Guru Maharaj is the boat which will take us across to the other side. NOW is the time, in our youth, to meditate on the priceless jewel of God's Name – not when we're too old to either learn Gurbani or do any sewa.

What is your message for the Sikh youth all over the world?

I'll say this in a straight forward way: Guru Piaareo I've regularly seen Sikhs attacking one another, jealously pulling off each other's turbans, nowadays we even dare point guns at one another. Is this the future we want? To end up disunited, splintering up into ever smaller groups, not caring about how we treat one another? Don't forget for whatever mistakes we make it is Guru Maharaj who will get blamed. So remember as Sikhs we're all part of ONE Panth and that is the only group we have any allegiance to. The reason these problems exist is because of a lack of love, which in turn is because we don't put full faith in Guru Maharaj.

Guru Maharaj on Ang 407 tells us:

gureh dikhaa-i-o lo-inaa. ||1|| rahaa-o.
The Guru has revealed Him to my eyes. ||1||Pause||

eeteh ooteh ghat ghat ghat ghat tooNhee tooNhee mohinaa. ||1||
Here and there, in each and every heart, and each and every being, You, O Fascinating Lord, You exist. ||1||

so who is there to hate?

There is so much potential in today's youth - NOW is the time. Let's try to bring our real enemies of Lust, Anger, Greed, Attachment and Ego under our control before they completely take over and cause us further agony. We will reap what we sow so let's make sure we plant the seed of the Lord's Name in our souls. For those of you considering taking amrit - Quench your thirst! Tomorrow never comes and before you know it 22 years have passed by! Dive in the Pool of Guru Ram Das – immerse yourself in Gurbani!

I bow to the Primal Guru. I bow to the Guru of the ages. I bow to the True Guru. I bow to the Great, Divine Guru. Everything comes with the Grace of the True King of Kings, Emperor of Emperors, Saint of Saints, Dasaan Patshahian Di Jaagdi Jyot Dhan Dhan Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji Maharaj.

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer the above questions,
and we hope you can continue to carry the torch of Sikhi and inspire others alike.
SikhSangat Sewadars