Releasing Our Bonds & Bandi Chhor Diwas
- Simran Kaur Khalsa
- Oct 21
- 13 min read
This following Discourse was offered on November 3rd, 2024:
Waheguru Ji ka Khalsa! Waheguru Ji ki Fateh!
Today’s topic is Releasing our Bonds and Bandi Chhor Diwas.
As humans we are subject to constant input. We are subject to constant bombardment of information that offers us alluring choices to choose from. And we often are so overwhelmed that we become slaves to the appealing offers given to us, that we stop thinking whether they are given to us for our own best interest, or to distract us.
The juicy offers enslave us. We become bound to our own actions that aren’t in our best interest. We are also subject to so many false beliefs that turn us away from our God given tasks in life – to elevate our spirit, to connect to our own higher consciousness, to connect to Source, and to free ourselves from the shackles that we’ve bound ourselves to.
How do we liberate ourselves from the delusions of Maya? How do we free ourselves from our own shackles?
Guru Arjun asks these questions: on p. 131:
“How is one bound, and how is one freed of his bonds? How can one escape from the cycle of coming and going in reincarnation? Who is subject to karma, and who is beyond karma? Who chants the Name, and inspires others to chant it? || 2 ||
Who is happy, and who is sad? Who, as sunmukh, turns toward the Guru, and who, as vaymukh, turns away from the Guru? How can one meet the Lord? How is one separated from Him? Who can reveal the way to me? || 3 ||
What is that Word, by which the wandering mind can be restrained? What are those teachings, by which we may endure pain and pleasure alike? What is that lifestyle, by which we may come to meditate on the Supreme Lord? How may we sing the Kirtan of His Praises? || 4 ||
Guru Arjun Dev Ji says: p. 216:
Take pity on me, O Great Giver of all, that I may enshrine love for Your Form alone. Nanak offers this prayer to the Lord, that he may chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord.
You may wonder whether there is a positive way of being bound to something or somebody?
Here’s a profound answer by Guru Nanak Dev Ji: p. 465:
“The Lord’s bound servants are those who bind themselves to see the Lord’s Vision.”
And in the Japji Sahib Guru Nanak Dev Ji says, “That the faithful are firmly bound to the Dharma.”
Guru Ram Das Ji says: p. 539:
Blessed and approved are those eyes, O my soul, which gaze upon the Holy True Guru. Sacred and sanctified are those hands, O my soul, which write the Praises of the Lord, Har, Har. I worship continually the feet of that humble being, O my soul, who walks on the Path of Dharma - the path of righteousness. Nanak is a sacrifice to those, O my soul, who hear of the Lord, and believe in the Lord's Name. ||3||
One who drinks in the Divine Amrit shall have his delusions dispelled and the state of liberation will be attained by Guru’s Grace as she or he will be united with Source.
Through devotional worship, and through our connection to Source, the Gate of Liberation can be found as we live a life to not only free our own bonds but to inspire others to do the same.
In Sikh history there is a very inspiring story about Guru Hargobind, the 6th Guru, a special day that is celebrated around the world by Sikhs.
This day is called Bandi Chhor Diwas. The word "Bandi" means "imprisoned", "Chhor" means "release" and "Diwas" means "day" and together "Bandi Chhor Diwas" means Prisoner Release Day.
Bandi Chhor Diwas was celebrated this past Friday, on November the 1st of this year 2024. It is the day Sikhs celebrate the release of Guru Hargobind and the 52 Kings from the prison at the fort of Gwalior.
It is celebrated with great joy as it represents a time when "right" prevailed over "wrong".
The Guru had found a way to get 52 of the innocent leaders to be released from the prison without a battle. However, it had been a long process as the Guru spent many years in custody. In the end, the unjust government of the day had to "give in" to the Guru's just demands. This was an unlikely victory in a period of history when those in power were completely corrupt and injustice was the order of the day.
When the Mogul Emperor finally ordered to release the Guru, realizing what kind of man the Guru really was, the Guru refused to leave the fort unless the 52 princes were released as well. The Mogul Emperor agreed on one condition: "whoever can hold on to the Guru's kurta can be released."
The wise and clever Guru had a kurta (Sikh suit) made with 52 corners or tails, so that each King could hold onto them and walk out of the fort of Gwalior. What a brilliant solution to fulfill the emperor’s conditions and to make sure that all the 52 kings could walk out of the prison with the Guru.
Guru Hargobind, a free man now, arrived in Amritsar at the Golden Temple, the Siri Harmandir Sahib on the day of the Hindu Festival of Diwali. Thus, Bandi Chhor Diwas is celebrated on the same day as Diwali.
By freeing the 52 other prisoners, we are reminded that the Guru is here to free us, just as Waheguru, God, is here to guide us and free us to live a life that reflects God’s Light.
The Gurus shared their teachings to emancipate and free their Sikhs from their own shackles. In the same way, many other faiths have taught a similar message.
The important message that we are left with is that emancipation must always include the emancipation of others.
Our freedom can only come with the freedom of all.
Guru Arjun Dev Ji says: p. 620:
Extending His Mercy, the Perfect True Guru has dispelled the fever. The Supreme Lord God has become kind and compassionate, and my whole family is now free of pain and suffering. ||1||
Guru Arjun Dev Ji says: p. 701-701:
I have come to Your Sanctuary, O Destroyer of the suffering of the innocent; I keep my consciousness focused on You. Bless me with the gifts of the state of fearlessness, and meditative remembrance, Lord and Master; O Nanak, God is the Breaker of bonds. ||2||5||9||
Our world is blessed with so many sacred texts that inform us on how to let go of our bonds, our shackles, and how to freely live a fulfilled life serving the Lord and humanity.
The Christian Bible states emphatically that believers are free in Christ: “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.”
Before Jesus died on the cross, God’s people lived under a detailed system of laws that served as a moral compass to guide their lives. The Law, while powerless to grant salvation or produce true freedom, nevertheless pointed the way to Jesus Christ. Through His sacrificial death, Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law, setting believers free from the law of sin and death.
Christian freedom involves living not under the burdensome obligations of the Law but under God’s grace: “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.”
In Christianity, God’s laws are now written in people’s hearts through the Spirit of God, and Christians are free to follow and serve Christ in ways that please and glorify Him.
The Christian Bible says:
“But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
Guru Arjun Dev Ji says: p. 779:
I am a sacrifice, devoted and dedicated to You; You are my sheltering mountain, Lord.
I am a sacrifice, thousands, hundreds of thousands of times, to the Lord. He has torn away the veil of doubt;
Guru Arjun Dev Ji says: p. 619
SORAT‟H, FIFTH MEHL: He did not take my accounts into account; such is His forgiving nature. He gave me His hand, and saved me and made me His own; forever and ever, I enjoy His Love. || 1 || The True Lord and Master is forever merciful and forgiving. My Perfect Guru has bound me to Him, and now, I am in absolute ecstasy. || Pause || The One who fashioned the body and placed the soul within, who gives you clothing and nourishment — He Himself preserves the honor of His slaves. Nanak is forever a sacrifice to Him. || 2 || 16 || 44 ||
In Islam, not only do Muslims work on freeing their soul, their mind, and cultivating their correct behavioral patterns. They also work to abolish unjust laws, polytheism, slavery, and injustices. Muslims are freed from all evils as long as they actively seek to improve themselves and are here to please the Lord.
Islam gives Muslims the motivation to break free from the chains of all of today’s social ills. However, with freedom comes responsibility and dedication required to continue on the path of freedom, by making healthy and righteous choices. If we are slack in any of these matters, we will fall back into the worldly delusionary prisons that we create for ourselves.
The Quran says:
“There has come to you enlightenment from your Lord; whoever reflects on it, will do so to his own advantage. On the other hand, those who choose to remain blind to it, will do so to their own disadvantage” [39:41].
Guru Arjun Dev Ji says: p. 131:
Egotism is bondage; as Gurmukh, one is emancipated. The Gurmukh escapes the cycle of coming and going in reincarnation. The Gurmukh performs actions of good karma, and the Gurmukh is beyond karma. Whatever the Gurmukh does, is done in good faith. || 6 || The Gurmukh is happy, while the self-willed manmukh is sad. The Gurmukh turns towards the Guru, and the self-willed manmukh turns away from the Guru. The Gurmukh is united with the Lord, while the manmukh is separated from Him. The Gurmukh reveals the way. || 7 ||”
Those people who are focused on the Lord’s Divine Guidance are the ones to be associated with – the ones to listen to – as their speech will be infused with Divine Source’s Knowledge and Wisdom.
We are blessed to have so much guidance in this world of Maya. And the ultimate guidance is the guidance of Divine Source that is spoken of in all faiths.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji says: p. 59:
The terrifying world-ocean is difficult and dreadful; there is no shore on this side or the one beyond. There is no boat, no raft, no oars and no boatman. The True Guru is the only boat on this terrifying ocean. His Glance of Grace carries us across. ||4||
The Zen Buddhist sage D.T. Suzuki says that this body of ours is something like an electric battery in which a mysterious power latently lies. When this power is not properly brought into operation, it either grows moldy and withers away, or is warped and expresses itself abnormally. The objective of Zen Buddhism is to save people from going crazy or being crippled.
The liberation spoken of in Buddhism entails extinguishing the condition of samsara, the suffering which the Buddhists refer to as dukkha. Buddhist practices are meant to extinguish physical, emotional and mental pain.
In the Siri Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scriptures, the term Dukh is often mentioned.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji says: p. 21: O Nanak, conquer and subdue this mind; meet with the Lord, and you shall never again suffer in pain. ||5||18||
To be free is to open ourselves to our positive potential – to all the creative and benevolent impulses inherently within our hearts. We tend to forget or overlook the fact that we are in possession of all the necessary faculties that will make us happy and free from tribulations. All the struggles that we experience come from this ignorance, from not realizing that Source blessed us with incredible gifts that will guide us towards salvation and freedom. When the cloud of ignorance disappears, we see for the first time into the higher nature of our own being.
Guru Ram Das Ji says: p. 172:
In the darkness, the Guru has lit the lamp of the Guru's wisdom; I am lovingly focused on the Lord. The darkness of ignorance has been dispelled, and my mind has been awakened; within the home of my inner being, I have found the genuine article. ||3||
Guru Nanak Dev Ji says: p. 152:
“How can we know where we came from? Where did we originate, and where will we go and merge? How are we bound, and how do we obtain liberation? How do we merge with intuitive ease into the Eternal, Imperishable Lord? || 1 || With the Naam in the heart and the Ambrosial Naam on our lips, through the Name of the Lord, we rise above desire, like the Lord. || 1 || Pause ||”
Bondage freedom, as described in the Vedanta teachings, contrasts the state of being trapped or limited in existence with the idea of liberation and autonomy. This duality emphasizes the impact of Para Brahman, the "Supreme Brahman" that which is beyond all descriptions and conceptualizations. The ultimate reality offered through the impact of Para Brahman on the individual's experience of bondage is a potential way for achieving freedom. Understanding this Divine relationship is essential to comprehending the journey from limitation towards a liberated existence.
Freedom from bondage encompasses the liberation from material entanglements and the cycle of birth and death, which is sought by spiritual students across various spiritual traditions. It is characterized by the release from attachments, ignorance, and karmic constraints, often achieved through devotion, righteous acts, and spiritual practices. The ultimate goal across these teachings is the return to a state of serving the Supreme, uniting with Brahman, which is also called attaining enlightenment, leading to true autonomy and spiritual freedom.
In the Bhagavad-Gita it explains that true freedom comes from wisdom and self-realization.
By contemplating and simply meditating on the beautiful forms of the Lord one can potentially ascend to the stage of samadhi, or complete absorption in the Absolute Truth. In this state one is no longer influenced by the false ego and the intoxicating allurement of the material energy. This is the real freedom of the soul: an existence of unending bliss.
The Bhagavad-Gita says:
“One who works in devotion, who is a pure soul, and who controls his mind and senses is dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. Though always working, such a man is never entangled.”
Kabeer Ji says: P. 482:
“Says Kabeer, the five passions argue with me, and in these arguments, my life is wasting away. The false Maya has bound the whole world, but I have obtained peace, chanting the Name of the Lord.”
Guru Arjun Dev Ji says: p. 547:
“You (God) are eternal and all powerful; I am a mere beggar, Lord. I am intoxicated with emotional attachment to Maya — save me, Lord! Bound down by greed, emotional attachment, and corruption, I have made all sorts of bad mistakes. The creator is detached, and free of entanglement; one obtains the fruits of his own actions. Be kind to me, O Purifier of sinners; I am so tired of wandering through reincarnation. Prays Nanak, I am the slave of the Lord; God is the Support of my soul, and my breath of life. || 2 ||”
Let us become like bodhisattvas, a Buddhist concept that refers to a compassionate person who loves and helps all people and knows many skillful methods that can actually help end the suffering of others.
Guru Arjun Dev Ji says: p. 618:
The Perfect Guru has revealed His power, and compassion has welled up in every heart.
Blending me with Himself, He has blessed me with glorious greatness, and I have found pleasure and happiness. ||1||
The Perfect True Guru is always with me. Meditating on the Supreme Lord God, I am forever in ecstasy. ||Pause||
Inwardly and outwardly, in all places and interspaces, wherever I look, He is there.
Nanak has found the Guru, by great good fortune; no one else is as great as He. ||2||11||39||
Guru Amar Das Ji says: p. 31:By perfect good fortune, one meets the True Guru, when one's destiny is awakened.Suffering and doubt are cut out from within, and peace is obtained.One who walks in harmony with the Guru's Will shall not suffer in pain. ||3||
We can ask ourselves these empowering questions:
What shackles do we create for ourselves? How do we imprison ourselves? How do we create bondage?
Many are bound by the chains of maya; bound by duality, by egotism, by imbalanced sexual desires, by anger, greed, falsehood, attachment, fear, corruption, and misguided beliefs. All these chains can take hold of us; We are imprisoned, blinded and caught in their noose.
Guru Nanak Dev Ji says: p. 61:
“Through desire, people are cast into the womb and reborn. Through desire, they taste the sweet and sour flavors. Bound by desire, they are led on, beaten, and struck on their faces and mouths. Bound and gagged and assaulted by evil, they are released only through the Name, through the Guru’s Teachings. || 7 ||”
Guru Nanak Dev Ji continues to give us the answer as how to release our bondages and liberate ourselves. He says: p. 728:
Deep within the self, the Lord abides; do not go outside looking for Him. You have renounced the Ambrosial Nectar — why are you eating poison? || 1 || Meditate on such spiritual wisdom, O my mind, and become the slave of the True Lord. || 1 || Pause || Everyone speaks of wisdom and meditation; but bound in bondage, the whole world is wandering around in confusion. || 2 || One who serves the Lord is His servant. The Lord is pervading and permeating the water, the land, and the sky. || 3 || I am not good; no one is bad. Prays Nanak, He alone saves us! || 4 || 1 || 2 ||
The Guru wants us to live in joy. The Guru’s yearning is for us to unite with Divine Source and allow Source to dispel our ignorance, our darkness, and the unhealthy bonds that we’ve created in our life.
Guru Arjun Dev Ji says: p. 49:
One whom the Creator Lord has met and joined to Himself shall never again be separated. The True Creator Lord breaks the bonds of His slave.
The doubter has been put back on the path; his merits and demerits have not been considered.
Nanak seeks the Sanctuary of the One who is the Support of every heart. ||4||18||88||
Let us meditate on the Lord’s Name. Let us meditate on Waheguru!
Let us bring ourselves in a state of union with Source so that Source’s Light, Knowledge, Wisdom, and Truth may guide us to live to our full God-given potential and to live according to Divine Will.
May our prayer be to ask God and Guru to always show us how to release ourselves from the bonds that have enslaved us.
And may we always vibrate to the Lord’s Divine Light and Frequency!
Remember Waheguru (God) with every breath!
Waheguru Ji ka Khalsa! Waheguru Ji ki Fateh!
The pure ones belong to God! Victory belongs to God!
Comments