Why did Sikhism objectify women (SGGS Ang 54, 56, 58)?
Why did Sikhism objectify women (SGGS Ang 54, 56, 58)?
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Respected Brother/Sister,
Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh!
You have asked four questions about Lord being husband and all other being wives, objectification of women, women being subservient etc.
A common reply to all these questions is that as per Gurbani, when the Lord (Akalpurakh) puts his flame (Jot – soul) in you then you take birth. He thus lives in all living beings as soul and with the strength given by Him, the body functions. As soon as He withdraws His strength, physical death takes place. The five elements of which the body is made of, merge with the five elements and the soul merges with the Lord. What happens thereafter, no one knows. Please read the following two stanzas and their meanings, which makes the position clear:-
ਏ ਸਰੀਰਾ ਮੇਰਿਆ ਹਰਿ ਤੁਮ ਮਹਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਰਖੀ ਤਾ ਤੂ ਜਗ ਮਹਿ ਆਇਆ ॥ ਹਰਿ ਜੋਤਿ ਰਖੀ ਤੁਧੁ ਵਿਚਿ ਤਾ ਤੂ ਜਗ ਮਹਿ ਆਇਆ ॥ (ਪੰਨਾ 921) ਅਰਥਾਤ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਰੀਰ! (ਤੂੰ ਦੁਨੀਆ ਦੇ ਪਦਾਰਥਾਂ ਵਿਚੋਂ ਅਨੰਦ ਢੂੰਢਦਾ ਹੈਂ, ਪਰ ਆਨੰਦ ਦਾ ਸੋਮਾ ਤਾਂ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਹੈ ਜੋ ਤੇਰੇ ਅੰਦਰ ਵੱਸਦਾ ਹੈ) ਤੂੰ ਜਗਤ ਵਿਚ ਆਇਆ ਹੀ ਤਦੋਂ, ਜਦੋਂ ਹਰੀ ਨੇ ਆਪਣੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਤੇਰੇ ਅੰਦਰ ਰੱਖ ਦਿੱਤੀ। (ਇਹ ਯਕੀਨ ਜਾਣ ਕਿ) ਜਦੋਂ ਪਰਮਾਤਮਾ ਨੇ ਤੇਰੇ ਅੰਦਰ ਆਪਣੀ ਜੋਤਿ ਰੱਖੀ, ਤਦੋਂ ਤੂੰ ਜਗਤ ਵਿਚ ਜੰਮਿਆ।
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ਹਰਿ ਘਟਿ ਘਟੇ ਘਟਿ ਬਸਤਾ ਹਰਿ ਜਲਿ ਥਲੇ ਹਰਿ ਬਸਤਾ ਹਰਿ ਥਾਨ ਥਾਨੰਤਰਿ ਬਸਤਾ ਮੈ ਹਰਿ ਦੇਖਨ ਕੋ ਚਾਓੁ ॥ (ਪੰਨਾ 1201) ਅਰਥਾਤ ਹੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਮਨ! ਉਹ ਹਰੀ ਹਰੇਕ ਸਰੀਰ ਵਿਚ ਵੱਸਦਾ ਹੈ, ਜਲ ਵਿਚ ਧਰਤੀ ਵਿਚ ਵੱਸਦਾ ਹੈ, ਹਰੇਕ ਥਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਵੱਸਦਾ ਹੈ, ਮੇਰੇ ਅੰਦਰ ਉਸ ਦੇ ਦਰਸਨ ਦੀ ਤਾਂਘ ਹੈ।
Now coming to the concept of Lord being husband and all humans being His wives (without consideration of sex), as per teachings of Guru Granth Sahib, the soul is the husband and the body is the wife. In the following stanza, Guru Sahib is guiding us that when the soul leaves your body then your body will be like that of a woman, whose husband has left her:-
ਹਉ ਤੁਧੁ ਆਖਾ ਮੇਰੀ ਕਾਇਆ ਤੂੰ ਸੁਣਿ ਸਿਖ ਹਮਾਰੀ ॥ ਨਿੰਦਾ ਚਿੰਦਾ ਕਰਹਿ ਪਰਾਈ ਝੂਠੀ ਲਾਇਤਬਾਰੀ ॥ ਵੇਲਿ ਪਰਾਈ ਜੋਹਹਿ ਜੀਅੜੇ ਕਰਹਿ ਚੋਰੀ ਬੁਰਿਆਰੀ ॥ ਹੰਸੁ ਚਲਿਆ ਤੂੰ ਪਿਛੈ ਰਹੀਏਹਿ ਛੁਟੜਿ ਹੋਈਅਹਿ ਨਾਰੀ ॥੨॥ (ਪੰਨਾ 154)
ਅਰਥ: ਹੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਸਰੀਰ! ਮੈਂ ਤੈਨੂੰ ਸਮਝਾਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ, ਮੇਰੀ ਨਸੀਹਤ ਸੁਣ। ਤੂੰ ਪਰਾਈ ਨਿੰਦਿਆ ਦਾ ਧਿਆਨ ਰੱਖਦਾ ਹੈਂ, ਤੂੰ (ਹੋਰਨਾਂ ਦੀ) ਝੂਠੀ ਚੁਗ਼ਲੀ ਕਰਦਾ ਰਹਿੰਦਾ ਹੈਂ। ਹੇ ਜੀਵ! ਤੂੰ ਪਰਾਈ ਇਸਤ੍ਰੀ ਨੂੰ (ਭੈੜੀ ਨਿਗਾਹ ਨਾਲ) ਤੱਕਦਾ ਹੈਂ, ਤੂੰ ਚੋਰੀਆਂ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈਂ, ਹੋਰ ਬੁਰਾਈਆਂ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈਂ। ਹੇ ਮੇਰੀ ਕਾਇਆਂ! ਜਦੋਂ ਜੀਵਾਤਮਾ ਤੁਰ ਜਾਇਗਾ, ਤੂੰ ਇਥੇ ਹੀ ਰਹਿ ਜਾਇਂਗੀ, ਤੂੰ (ਤਦੋਂ) ਛੁੱਟੜ ਇਸਤ੍ਰੀ ਵਾਂਗ ਹੋ ਜਾਇਂਗੀ।
Therefore, Guru Sahib is teaching us that no purpose will be served by beautifying the body (wife), which you are labeling as objectification of women. As per Gurbani, the requirement is of serving the Lord by beautifying the mind and the soul by dyeing it with His colour. This is what you are labeling as women being subservient.
Hope it helps. If you have any further questions, please do ask. If you find any deficiencies, please point out the same, for improvement in future.
Regards,
Your Brother
When soul leave body that means that doesn’t has value. That means when a husband give divorce to his wife that means those wife doesn’t has value. Now I understand that why sikh people don’t like divorced or widow women Why sikh hates divorced and window women or not want to marry a divorced or widow women. Hinduism also not allow widow marriage. I think this is why Hindus and Sikhs treat widows and divorced women so inhumanely. Can’t treat them well. Religion is responsible for this. According to Hindu scriptures, widows do not eat good food, eat salt and rice and always wear white clothes. Sikhism is no exception
The undersigned is of the opinion that you have misinterpreted. Guru Sahib is giving an analogy of husband and wife to give a spiritual message. The message is that beautify your mind and soul instead of just beautifying your body.
In the actual life, in undersigned’s opinion, what you are saying is far away from truth because marriages of widows and divorcees are taking place. There may be exceptional cases in which problems may be there.
Please understand that in Sikhism, Akalpurakh is Hukam Roop (Divine Law) and the Shabad Guru is Updesh Roop (Advises). The Divine Law has to be accepted by all but advice may or may not be accepted by all. Therefore, you can’t draw conclusions that Sikh men are not ready to marry widow or divorced Sikh women. There can be problematic men or problematic women but no general conclusions can be drawn. The entire community can’t be labelled like you are trying to label.