GEMS OF GURBANI

National Character – 8

Universal brotherhood (bhrataribhav)

Removal of two negative characteristics of slandering and enmity from within us may not be sufficient for fostering universal brotherhood because path to it is arduous and one can leave it half way or get otherwise influenced. Two positive values like altruism and service or sewa need to be imbibed along this path to develop the inner strength for universal brotherhood. Guru says Vidya vichari te parupkari II GG Pg.356 meaning; if you deliberate over your knowledge then alone you can become the benefactor of all. In other words the purpose of the education is initiating a person to altruism. All that knowledge which cannot complete your being social and show your love and concern for the others is a waste. Once a person start showing his love and concern for others he becomes essentially good. According to Sikh doctrines a truly altruistic person is one who loves and cares for others without any conditions and not the one who does it out of pity and for personal glory. If you put up a show of altruism for the sake of pity and pride then you have selfish motives and that makes you selfish person. Altruism is therefore a test of a person to elevate his moral character. Altruism is thus a missionary spirit that is not used for conversions in Sikhism. In Sikhism altruism leads you to that apex where your whole being is transformed and you become truthful (Sachiar). In this state you reach that moment where you become wise and seek welfare of others even if they have evil on mind for you. Your altruism is spontaneous and you stop making distinction between friend and foe. All Gurus lived by this ideal and there are several personalities who achieved this ideal by understanding the preaching of Gurus. One of them was Bhai Kanahayia and other was Bhagat Puran Singh. Altruism is that characteristic that elevates a person to come closer to the Creator as he is the great Benefactor of humanity though the path to achieve this state is difficult.