TURLOCK, California—The Sikh24 team yesterday featured an exclusive news about a debate that took place at the Gurdwara Sahib of Turlock, California. The debate was setup exclusively by local Sikhs who wanted to question Sarbjeet Dhunda on his stance on various topics mentioned in Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Local Gursikhs on purpose chose to question Dhunda only on Guru Granth Sahib Ji’s philosophy. They wanted Sikh Sangat to know that along with questioning various core elements of Sikh religion such as the ardas and amrit, the Kala Afghana lobby is now questioning and misleading sangat on core Sikhi principles mentioned in Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
Note: Sikh24 team is working to upload the entire debate video, which will be available on our website in the coming days. However in the meantime, we are publishing a write up on what exactly happened at Gurdwara Sahib in Turlock this past Saturday and what questions were asked.
Condition by Local Sevadars
After learning that the Turlock Gurdwara Committee wanted to invite Dhunda, local Gursikhs asked them to only do so on one condition: Dhunda must give the sangat time to do an open discussion. Some of the sevadars who wanted a discussion with Dhunda were: S. Kulwant Singh, Sundeep Singh (Junty), Daljit Singh from Stockton Gurdwara, Amarjit Singh from Manteca, Gurjeet Singh from Turlock, and others.
This interview with Sarbjeet Dhunda was set up to expose his false knowledge that him and his colleagues are giving to the sangat.
The initial deal was to have an open discussion before the katha, but Dhunda’s colleagues said that they will only give time to do an open discussion with sangat if they first can do this diwaan. After the diwaan was over, the whole sangat went upstairs and sat as a group.
The basis of the questions were going to be only on Guru Granth Sahib Ji and Akal Takht Sahib Maryada that Dhunda himself claims to follow. Local Singhs knew there had been questions that have been brought up to Dhunda and his colleagues, which have never been answered, but this was the first time simple questions were asked about Guru Granth Sahib Ji.
The very first questions were asked by Kulwant Singh –
Do you believe that Professor Sahib Singh’s teeka is the best ever written on Guru Granth Sahib Ji
Dhunda: Yes
Do you believe that everything written in Guru Granth Sahib Ji is true or not?
After some thought, Dhunda answers yes.
Do you believe in 8.4 million lives and if there is a life after death or if the soul continues its journey?
Dhunda is not able to answer this because he believes there is nothing after life and God has only created us to be better human beings. Dhunda’s explanations are then questioned by references from various shabads in Guru Granth Sahib. Over and over, it is mentioned that there is an after life and what we do, we will have to repent.
After this was the biggest question –
Do you believe in the super natural concepts mentioned in Guru Granth Sahib Ji? And do you believe that these were just written or those events actually took place?
Dhunda answers, however he tries to be smart. He questions that how can a fish go in the air and how can a cow be back alive after it was dead?
Responding to Dhunda’s questions, Singhs mention that Professor Sahib Singh and other scholars have all said and interpreted those gurbani verses in the way that those incidents have occurred just how they have been written. S. Kulwant Singh states that if God wants, anything is possible. So if that means the cow was alive again according to Gurbani, then it was, because God made that happen to show and honor the protection of his devotees.
After this, Bhai Amarbir Singh from Manteca asked the following question –
Does any Sikh parcharak have the right, according to Akal Takht Sahib to openly condemn Sri Dasam Granth?
Dhunda asks that the Singhs provide him proof where he has gone against Akal Takht Sahib. Amarbir Singh mentioned that Dhunda has done so many times and there are many recordings. However, during the debate, Dhunda then cleverly changes topic and Balraj Singh, Dhunda’s main sponsor from Patterson gets up and says this was not part of the debate today.
Singhs however stated that we are not asking if Sri Dasam Granth is right or wrong, it is only asked if according to our Akal Takht Maryada, is it right to condemn Dasam Granth.
After this, Dhunda and his supporters get up try to leave the debate.
However, Singhs pose the next question –
Do you believe that doing Waheguru Simran is a waste of time and if that had any meaning for the after life.
In response, Dhunda pauses for a moment, and then finally answers that Simran is only for us to get a peace of mind here in this world and that he doesn’t know if it has any meaning after since he has not died yet.
Singhs insist that over and over, Guru Granth Sahib Ji answers this there is a meaning and without the recitation of God, no one will find the door of liberation at the God’s court, unless God chooses otherwise. So that being, what right does Dhunda have to say Waheguru Simran is pretty much a waste of time?
Conclusion
These were the basic questions Dhunda could not answer because he does not believe in these concepts. While is it is of utmost important to live a perfect life, it is important to also live life in a way as prescribed by the Gurus, ie. by recitation and understanding of Gurbani and by doing naam simran, keeping rehit, etc. If after life was not important, then why wear a dastar, keep a beard, keep rehit, take amrit?
Seems like all of you are judging jim without knowing him or listening to his katha’s. He is Amritdhari. Those of you judging him have no right to do so, only Vaheguru is pure enough to judge us. Since when has this kind of behavior been part of Sikhi. My family and I who are all Amritdhari all support Professor Dhunda and listen to his enlightening Katha’s. To the person who doubted him because of his father and/or background, seriously, what his father does / doesn’t do has nothing to do with Professor Dhunda’s character.
WEll you and your family need to stop. 1. He is not a real professor. 2. He is just another agent out to distort sikh, how you may ask. Every gurughar he goes to why is there security? Why does the gurughar commitie announce his presence in a couple days before coming? The reason being that he knows he is going to get thrashed, and so the sangat cant organize and veto his arrival. He was questioned by a lot singhs about his so called parchar, his views on dasam granth, and even the panj bania themselves, and he couldn’t answer them. Time after time katha parchars as such have tried to distort sikhi, before it was kala afghani, and gurtej singh. Look it up, Im not making this up. He came to bakersfield,ca and made the sanghat throw the jot out caused a major uproar, what did he get? Well he tried making himself look like a leader, a “good” leader. Thats what they all do, first they get sangat support, say something very bad, get apology, win support, say bad, apology, I mean it just keeps on going.
very good article.
people nowadays have forgotten that humility is the base for all spiritual development. this man is so full of ego that he only believes what his eyes show him even when the guru granth says otherwise.
i would like to add. the dasam granth is not against or somehow inferior to guru granth sahib ji. people who think like this are very low IQ or basically never tried to think for themselves.
the dasam granth was written by guru gobind singh so automatically it is divine scripture.
the only reason the dasam granth makes some low IQ sikhs confused is because there are so many references to hindu gods and hindu religious concepts. the fact of the matter is that the content of the dasam granth does not make it inferior to the guru granth. it only serves to denote its purpose. the guru granth is full of gurbani with little to no mention of individual people or gods. any and all reference to a person or god is made to establish a comparison or rectify a misunderstood symbol or idiom. the one and only topic throughout every last page is WAHEGURU. this is different from the bible for example where individual persons & time periods on earth dominate entire pages
on the other hand the dasam granth delves into more pertinent aspects of the sikh when it was written. it was a direcr reflection of the guru & his followers. it wasnt until 1699 with the khalsa that the guru made his followers finally break from any hindu affiliation. at that time the dasam granth was far more valuable to humanity(hindus & new sikhs) than it is today. it put hindu gods, prayers rituals and ultimately their misuse & corruption through history by brahmin’s into a seperate medium. it allowed those who seeked clarification on topics they had grown up hearing about to finally find it. ALL THE GURU’S CRITICIZED hindu society & life. BUT they never outright dismissed the concepts in the hindu religion that history & humanity had preserved and passed forward. the dasam granth was guru gobind singhs gift to the hindu & scholar alike. a book with hindu concepts re-clarified in a sikh point of view by none other than the immaculate spirit of guru gobind singh. today ofcourse we never read the dasam granth because we dont care about hindu concepts anymore. we are very well adjusted with our sikh image in comparison to our forefathers who converted. but this is also in itself verification of the foresight of guru gobind singh who didnt include the dasam granth when he gave the ADI GRANTH the title of guru. the dasam granth is only valuable as long as people seek its knowledge, which is only so long as the hindu religion remains which is probably not forever considering raj karega khalsa. the guru granth on the other hand will be relevant to humanity on a daily basis for ever while the dasam granth will be left alone for scholars to peruse and learn from.
I feel that this report does not due justice. When explaining dhunda’s beliefs they give quick summaries and point out flaws. I will be awaiting the full interview before I can make a decision rather if this was truly the scenario or not
The bad luck of our sikh community is that our gurudwara prabandhak committees abroad invite only those preachers who are anti sikh and no nothing about gurbani and sikhism.Such people who are called manmukh in gurbani can give long speeches but are totally empty from inside.How can they give right answers for the questions by the sangat.such preachers do katha in Trai Guun distorting gurbani and have no Avastha of their own.Such people are misleading sikh sangat and those who invite such pakhandis are equally responsible.Those who are empty themselves what they will give to sangat.Rotia Karan Pura Tal.Instead of listening such preachers it is better for the sikh sangat to study and search gurbani at their own and do simran together.I appreciate the steps taken by the sangat to expose such people and their entries should be banned in religious places in india and abroad.
The managements should invite gurmukh preachers only in gurudwaras.Gurmukhs with perfect knowledge of gurmat and gurbani and high spirtual stage with gurmat life are still available who can properly guide sikh sangat about sikhism and gurbani.
Only shocked
waheguru g ka khalsa waheguru g ki fahte g
waheguru g ka khalsa waheguru g ki fahte g
dhunda saab
shiri dasam garnth g de bare bahut mara bolda
This dusht guy only condemn the basic sikh philosphy, Sakhis, Rehat maryada and only tells negative stories in Sangat. I never heard any Gurbani Katha Vichar or any positive vichar from this guy. I knew his background very well, he is not even a sikh scholar as he pretend but have criminal background. Sangat needs to be aware of such Dusht and agents
Waheguru Ji ka khalsa
Waheguru Ji ki fateh
I m feeling sad about sarabjeet tunda has given such shocking responses about gurbani becoz he is preacher of gurbani and he itself don’t believe in this.
OK my dear ones faith or believe in gurbani depends on the mentality of person .we have seen many miracles in our life that all proves that god can go to any extent .
But rising problems are that in kalyug no one trust this be oz of science .more they learn science more they disbelief gurbani(excluding some) but at end they all will realise the importance of gurbani.
Tundra should say sorry for that and he should stop preaching such nonsense
he is a dusht. i feel sorry for those sikhs who follow him and think he is the good guy who is contributing to panth chardi kala. instead he is causing confusion in sikh panth. i wished if we had sache suche jathedaars like in the past. then no questions would have raised on the akal takht hukamnamas. lets pray for panth chardi kala and support those preachers who are working hard for the well being of sikh panth.
“Bhai sahib” is a status granted from Akal Takth” since he don’t agree with Akal Takth don’t call him that cause he in the end is a separatist who all is trying to divide Sikhs an bring himself came by doing so.
Naale benti hai ki kise nu fail karna jaan panth vichon chekna Gursikhna da kamm nahin . Maskeen Ji Kwhnde San Guru Granth Sahib Ji Saagar Hai Jo Jitna Dhunga Javega Utna Hi mehnge ratan lai aavega.
Dhanvaad
Please go to http://www.youtube.com/gurmat college and listen various subject acording to gurbani and thwre were also the topic is Naam Simran. And others.
Thanks
It really surprises me that Bhai Sahib could not answer such simple questions. Looks like he is only a good speaker void of gurmat.
Waheguru ji ka khalsa ,Waheguru ji ki fateh
It is hard to under stand why sikhs listen to Manmukhs like Dhunda.Does they know his back ground? His father is not allowed by his village as being drunker and of loose moral character one time he was also big drinker.He and his associates like Kala Afghana,Inder Singh Ghaga,Gurtej Singh I.A.S. as trying to project themself as only and only scholars of Sikhism where as these people as damaging every concept of Sikhism.Kala Afgana has been beating his mother,,he was I.B. informer and passed every secret info of sikh struggle at time of Sant Jarnail Singh ji after doing his job as Gadar he was safely sent to Canada and what did in Guru dawar is well known,Gurtej Singh was I.B. informer and Gagha a dismissed driveer from Indian Army and then from Punjab State Electricity Board in theft case he was imprisioned for three years.From which University they got status of Professor? Some Sikh just like there condemnation of basic Sikh principles. Start is good and needs to be followed vigorously.
I don’t even think he is amritdhari he only gets support from some khalistani especially in Canada
@surinder What are you even talking about, you do know that most are pro Khalistan that question dhunda?
He looks like a agent of rss
So what did you guys actually prove….. Nothing how xan we believe you guysvwhen you guts believe sant jarnail singh ji is still alive…… And people like ghanni thakur singh say that sant go to sleep and go cure other ppl live if that was the case then why didn’t guru ji just sleep and go kill the mugals?