13th Doharaa: "Thumee Gurj Thumhee Gadhaa..."
Dhan Dhan Kalgidhar Maharaj, Chittey Baja Wale Paatshah, Neela-Ghorh Asvaar, Sarbans Daani, Dasmesh Pita Ji Sri Guru Gobind Singh Sahib Ji Maharaj
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ਤੁਮੀ ਗੁਰਜ ਤੁਮਹੀ ਗਦਾ ਤੁਮਹੀਂ ਤੀਰ ਤੁਫੰਗ॥
Thumee Gurj Thumhee Gadhaa Thumhee[n] Theer Thupha[n]g
ਦਾਸ ਜਾਨ ਮੋਰੀ ਸਦਾ ਰੱਛ ਕਰੋ ਸਰਬੰਗ॥੧੩॥
Dhaas Jaan moree Sadhaa Rachh Karo Sarba[n]g
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Most shastars described so far require the use of puncturing or cutting flesh.
The Gurj/Gadha are terms which are connected to blunt force impact shastars.
Blunt force relies on the weight of the shastar and the impact it has upon exerting its force. This motion and form of attack is also part of Vaheguru's Power. Remember, there is nothing that exists which is not within Vaheguru's Control. Gadha/Gurj are generally described as a mace. Studying the mace, we realize that wooden clubs and other bludgeoning weapons are not that different.
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The word 'Gurj' is of Persian origin and 'Gadhaa' is of Sanskrit origin but they refer to the same shastar (for the most part, some may have different definitions). Maharaj is breaking our limited views of seeing shastars through a biased cultural lens and instead, teaching us that all shastars belong to Vaheguru. Both, of Abrahamic backgrounds and Dharmic backgrounds. Generally, these words are used when you see long bars with a metal ball at the end. By observation, we define this as a mace.
The Mace has a lot of historical significance in traditions all over the world.
Within the British Commonwealth, the mace is held in high esteem. There is a mace present in majority of parliaments and senates under the constitutional monarchy. The mace is a physical representation of the monarch's authority being awarded to the elected government.
It is interesting because even the British monarch refers to himself as a servant of God. Akaal Purakh is the Sovereign of Sovereigns. In these parliamentary courts, there is only 1 Shastar but even this Shastar belongs to Akaal Purakh Vaheguru. The glory of the monarch is not self-existent but by God's Grace. Vaheguru sends Kings, queens, princes, princesses, presidents, prime ministers, premiers, mayors, sarpanch, etc. All the Shastars in Maharaj's Darbar are representative of being Samrath (All-Powerful). Vaheguru wields Their Hukam and everything falls within this Command.
Mudhgar is a type of gadha but traditionally, refers to wooden clubs. The origin of these wooden clubs are contested. Some sources point towards ancient use of Persian Meels. There are also ancient historical artifacts that feature the Mudhghar in South Asia.
In 2021, a group of Singhs went camping in Northern Ontario, Canada. While camping, they did some target practice in an open field range. On the last day, they had a few shotgun slugs left that were kept in case there were some lethal encounters with wolves, bears, moose, etc. They fired over a lake and the slugs went about 50-75 metres each. This was the limit of the shotgun. One of the Singhs asked to do a Jaikara and then fire. The Singhs suggested Sahibzaada Baba Fateh Singh Ji. The Singh roared the Jaikaaraa: "Jaikaaray Gajaavay Nihaal Ho Jaavay.... Mahakaal Baba Fateh Singh Ji de Man nu Paavae" and that slug just kept going and going. It crossed to the other side of the lake (100m) and kept going past the hilled treeline (10-15m additional). The Singhs felt the presence of Sahibzaadaa Ji through the Shakti (Power) of Akaal Purakh Maharaj working in Their Shaheed Singhs. Shaheed Singhs are always near by!
Vaheguru helps us through direct divine intervention! An example of this is the event when the British Raj wanted to sell Darbar Sahib ~ Sri Harmandhar Sahib in an auction. If you go to Darbar Sahib today and notice carefully on the entrance archway (Darshanee Dhae-oree), there will be some writing. It actually tells a short story about the miracle that happened that prevented the auction of Darbar Sahib. After the British took over Punjab, Sikhi went into decline. Darbar Sahib was taken over and then set to be sold in order to be purchased by a Church group. After some Gursikhs held an Akhand Paath and did an ardaas, a miracle occurred:
“It is for the knowledge of all that in Harimandir Sahib on April 30, 1877 at 4.30 in the morning, a strange thing happened. There were about four hundred devotees enjoying spiritual peace of celestial music in Harimandir Sahib when suddenly a flash of lightning was seen which in the form of a big resplendence entered through the door on the northern side and exploded exactly like a ball in front of Sri Guru Granth Sahib and illuminating everything went out, becoming a streak of light through the southern door–though at the time of its exploding, there was a dreadful and forceful sound, no harm of any kind occurred to any devotee sitting inside and no harm to the building or anything else in the precinct. All the people described this supernatural scene as the wonderful doing of Sri Guru Ram Das himself” (SS Kohli). The British became scared and took the idea of "selling" Darbar Sahib out of their minds. Those Sikhs did an ardaas to Guru Sahib to protect the honour of the Sikhs and Maharaj delivered.
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Please forgive any mistakes! Suggest any additions or omissions
Guru Panth Ka Daas,
Aaeenaa
