The Voice of a Nation

The Voice of a Nation

A Book Review of Sirdar Kapur Singh's PARASARAPRASNA

by MANJYOT KAUR  

PARASARAPRASNA, by Kapur Singh. Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 2001 (3rd ed.). ISBN 81-7770-014-6. 319 pages. Price: Rs. 250.

This book was conceived in 1950, during a period of what the author qualifies as "forced leisure and detention" at Simla, in the foothills of the Himalayas, where he had come on holiday.

In the course of this stay, which was lengthened by circumstances into a semi-permanent one, Sirdar Kapur Singh met an old friend, Sri Sardari Lal Parasara, Principal of Simla's Government School of Arts. For more than a year, the two men made a practice of enjoying long walks and talks together in the rugged woods and snows.

Out of this scholarly intercourse was Parasaraprasna ("The Questions of Parasara") born.

The masterwork of Kapur Singh, National Professor of Sikhism and considered by many to be the faith's outstanding theologian, its every page radiates his amazingly profound erudition and insightful interpretations of various aspects of Sikh identity and institutions.

Indisputably a true "leading light" of Sikhi, he possessed an intellectual arsenal of staggering proportions which he displays most impressively throughout the book, adroitly connecting a mind-blowing array of esoteric and seemingly disparate "dots", in an absolutely awesome comparative study of world religions.

I have not undertaken here to write a formal, comprehensive review of Parasaraprasna; that did not seem appropriate, given it was first published in 1959. The following simply underscores some of the myriad highlights of this work, characterized by its author as "An enquiry into the genesis and unique character of the Order of the Khalsa with an exposition of the Sikh Tenets".

Right from the very first chapter, "The Baisakhi of Guru Gobind Singh", the author puts forth Sikhi as a completely unique religion, utterly at variance with Hinduism, embarking on a lengthy discussion of how the Tenth Master specifically repudiated the latter's four major traditions. In prescribing a new way of life and creating a distinct people owing allegiance to no earthly sovereign or power, the Order of the Khalsa gave rise to a "Third Panth", totally divorced from the Aryan and Semitic religions, "dedicated to the achievement of political ends aimed at the eventual establishment of a universal and egalitarian global community".

Out of the next group of chapters, dealing with even the most arcane aspects of the transformation of a Sikh into a Khalsa, pre-eminent is the one explaining the injunction of keeping long, unshorn hair, the breach of which is viewed more seriously than any other.

Grounding his arguments in "the metaphysical postulates of transcendental aesthetics" (a typical Kapur Singh-like turn of phrase!) and  -  as he does throughout the book  -  lavishly studding them with quotes from Gurbani, the author spares no effort to portray the human body as "nothing less than a microcosm of the entire Cosmos". Furthermore, he integrally identifies the beauty of the body's pristine, complete form with holiness and the Godhead itself.

Equally inspiring sections regarding Guru Granth Sahib and the Rite of Amrit soon follow. In the former, Kapur Singh characterizes the Shabd as "the only authentic portrait of the Guru" and "a perceivable record of revealed transcendental wisdom", the acceptance of which leads to beholding the Guru Himself, attaining comprehension of the Truth, and becoming one with it.

In a chapter intriguingly named "Parthenogenesis" (often likened to virgin birth), he terms Amrit chaknaa "the mystery of baptism of the Pure Steel", a "uniquely regenerative act of communion and union with God", engendering a new creation committed to Truth, and "releasing ever-expanding forces of love and service and strength, to form the basis of a new heaven on Earth".

Kapur Singh's monumental knowledge of mythology, world history and comparative religion is in full evidence throughout the concluding chapters. Securing the balance between Church and State, repudiating the Hindu caste system and extolling the Sikh institution of Ardas, the congregational prayer, are just some of the plethora of topics touched upon here.

Like almost every other issue treated in earlier parts of the book, all of these propel the author into immense, sweeping tangents, multi-page discourses which afford the reader dazzling   -  and often dizzying  -  glimpses of the labyrinthine twists and turns so innate to his convoluted thought processes. I must confess that while in their thrall, it would not be hyperbole to say that I often felt as if I were astride a runaway horse galloping at breakneck speed, while I simply tried to hang on for dear life!

To give but one example: in what other tome could one possibly find an interpretation of the significance of Guru Gobind Singh's "vision-inducing" jeweled aigrette, an analysis of the effects of colors on the mind, and an exegesis of the "extra-psychical perceptions" provided by yogic disciplines and hallucinogenic drugs presented in such rapid-fire succession?

Dear readers, if all of the above sounds just a bit too formidable for your liking, buck up and be brave! Delving into this book need not be done gingerly, as a "walking on quicksand" experience. In the words of the Introduction to its first edition,Parasaraprasna is, indeed, a "tour de force of living adoration of the Master".

Sikhs of all stripes (and not just those who strictly adhere toMaryada) may justifiably glory in the descriptions of the incomparable beauty and true uniqueness of our faith; non-Sikhs will certainly find much that enlights and delights.

While this work is seldom a gaping door, once prized open, there is genuine treasure to be found for those intrepid enough to explore its pages.

December 28, 2007

http://sikhchic.com/article-detail.php?id=397&cat=12

Kapur Singh: Maker of History

Kapur Singh: Maker of History

by Major Gurmukh Singh

Today - March 2, 2009 - marks the Birth Centenary of Bhai Sahib Sirdar Kapur Singh, a towering figure in both Sikh polity and Letters during much of the Twentieth Century.

Sirdar Kapur Singh (1909-1986) - civilian, parliamentarian and intellectual, was a master of many-sided erudition. Besides Sikh theology, he was vastly learned in philosophy, history and literature.

He was born into a farming family at the village Chakk in Ludhiana district on March 2, 1909. His father's name was Didar Singh.

Kapur Singh attained the rank of "First Class First" when he received his Master's Degree at the prestigious Government College, Lahore. He then went on to Cambridge, England to take his Tripos in Moral Sciences.

He was a distinguished linguist and had mastered several of the languages of the East and the West. Besides English, which he could spin around his fingers with extraordinary finesse and subtlety, he was fluent in Persian, Arabic and Sanskrit.

In addition to these, he had easy acquaintance with such discreet fields as astrology, architecture and space science. But, in spite of his knowledge covering many disparate areas, Kapur Singh's principal focus in his life work remained on Sikh literature and theology.

He was widely known to be a stickler for accuracy of fact and presentation. He stood up foursquare to any misrepresentation or falsification of any shade of Sikh thought and belief. He was most vigilant and unbending in this respect.

He was selected for the elite Indian Civil service, and served in a number of senior administrative posts. In 1947, for example, he was appointed Deputy Commissioner - the top Government bureaucrat of the region - of Kangra.

Shortly after India won independence, while in this role, he became aware of - and irked by - the increasingly narrow policies of the new Indian Government and its bias against Sikhs.

What particularly incensed him was a circular dated October 10, 1947, issued by the Governor of the State, Chandu Lal Trivedi, warning district authorities in the Punjab against what was described as the "criminal tendencies of the Sikh people"!

Deputy Commissioner Kapur Singh immediately filed a strong protest against this wild and mischievous slur, thus inviting the Governor's personal wrath upon himself.

Charges were promptly brought against Kapur Singh for "insubordination" and he was dismissed from the service.

Thereafter, Kapur Singh became an ardent supporter of the Akali demand for a Punjabi-speaking state [along the lines of other Indian states, which had been carved on linguistic lines to accord protection for the respective languages and cultures.]

After a stint as Professor of Sikhism under the aegis of the Akal Takht, he joined active politics.

In 1962, he was elected to the Lok Sabha of the Indian Parliament - India's "House of Commons".

In 1969, he ran for and was elected to the Punjab Vidhan Sabha - the State Legislative Assembly.

Kapur Singh made a mark during this period through his forthright speech and as an unrelenting critic of the government's policies, especially in the area of the rights of India's Sikh minority.

As a leading Sikh ideologue, he was the moving spirit behind the Anandpur Resolution, which was adopted by the Shiromani Akali Dal in 1973 and, like several other of his pronouncements, became a crucial enunciation of modern Sikh political policies and aspirations.

A very stirring Sikh document of the modern period was the Presidential Declaration at the Hari Singh Nalva Conference convened at Ludhiana on July 14, 1965.

Although his authorship was nowhere specified - as was the case with all important Sikh political or intrinsically seminal documents of this period - the document clearly bore the imprint of Kapur Singh's penmanship. It said:

1. This Conference, in commemoration of General Hari Singh Nalva of historical fame, reminds all concerned that the Sikh people are makers of history and are conscious of their political destiny in a free India.

2. This Conference recalls that the Sikh people agreed to merge in a common Indian nationality on the explicit understanding of being accorded a constitutional status of co-sharers in the community, which solemn understanding now stands cynically repudiated by the present rulers of India.

Further, the Sikh people have been systematically reduced to a sub-political status in their homeland, the Punjab, and to an insignificant position in their motherland, India.

The Sikh people are in a position to establish before an impartial international tribunal, uninfluenced by the current Indian rulers, that the law, the judicial process, and the executive action of the State of India is consistently and heavily weighted against the Sikhs and is administered with unbandaged eyes against Sikh citizens.

3. This conference, therefore, resolves after careful thought, that there is left no alternative for the Sikhs in the interest of self-preservation but to frame their political demand for securing a self-determined political status within the Republic of Union of India.

The author's name is not mentioned, but it is clearly the handiwork of Kapur Singh. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee's publication at the time of the Nirankari attack on the Sikhs a decade and a half later, is described thus:

THEY MASSACRE SIKHS:

A White Paper

By

The Sikh Religious Parliament (SGPC)

Sirdar Kapur Singh, besides being an extraordinarily learned man, was a prolific writer.

In addition to his Parasaraprasna,* in English, which ranks as a classic on Sikh philosophy, his other works include:

Hashish (Punjabi Poems)

Saptasring (Punjabi Biographies)

Bahu Vistaar (Punjabi Essays)

Pundrik (Punjabi Essays on Culture & Religion)

Mansur al-Hallaj (Monograph on a Sufi Saint)

Sacchi Saakhi (Memoirs)

The Sacred Writings of the Sikhs (a UNESCO publication)

Me Judice (English Miscellany)

Sikhism for Modern Man

Contributions of Guru Nanak

The Hour of Sword

Guru Arjan and His Sukhmani

Sirdar Kapur Singh died after a protracted illness at his village home in Jagraon in Ludhiana district on August 13, 1986, at the age of 77.

http://www.sikhchic.com/our_heroes/kapur_singh_maker_of_history

S. Kapur Singh to jawaharlal nehru

“Systematic high level falsification of history and perversion of facts is a peculiarly modern crime highlighted by policies, associated with Stalin. Such governmental trends in relation to the Sikhs constitute false history and reveal bad taste.” 

The above words occur in an open letter dated 28-1-1963 written by S. Kapur Singh, ex-I.C.S., to Shri Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India, which was published in “Sikh Herald” weekly dated November 22, 1963. These lines echo the same sentiments which have been expressed by Sardar Hukam Singh in his Founder’s Note, “Sikh Role In Varied Struggles — Need for Bringing Facts to Light,” published in the 26th Annual Number 1977 of the “Spokesman” Weekly.

— Sikh Struggle Against Emergency by Adv Gurmit Singh published in "The “Spokesman Weekly” 7th November, 1977.

'GURU NANAK'S LIFE AND THOUGHT' by Kapur Singh

'GURU NANAK'S LIFE AND THOUGHT' by Kapur Singh, 

Edited by: Madanjit Kaur and Piar Singh, Amritsar, Guru Nanak Dev University. 1991, 200pp

The fragrance 


Ravinder Singh & I.J. Singh

When the Indian government hounded Kapur Singh (1909-1984) out of the prestigious Indian Civil Service in the mid fifties, it turned out to be a boon for the Sikhs. The embittered Kapur Singh, who could not be shackled and tamed by the bureaucracy, turned his ferocious energy and formidable intellect to the study of Sikhs and Sikhism. Steeped in both the Indian Vedic heritage and the Semitic Judeo-Christian-Islamic philosophic tradition, the Cambridge educated Kapur Singh was uniquely qualified to explore the roots of Sikhism, which has been called a synthesis of those two great systems by the historian Arnold Toynbee.
Kapur Singh traveled widely, spoke and wrote extensively. He was deservedly honored by Sikhs everywhere and a grateful Sikh nation bestowed upon him the honorific "National Professor of Sikhism" in
1973. His writings span the gamut from translations of the Sikh scriptures and exposition of Sikh theology to matters affecting the political life of the Sikhs; he was the author of the 1973 "Anandpur Sahib Resolution" which defines the political aspirations of the Sikhs, and has become the document which lies at the core of the present Sikh struggle in India.
But Kapur Singh was not shaped by a lifetime of discipline and rigor in academia; therefore, he did not always keep full or copious notes of what he wrote, nor did he document everything as painstakingly
as an academician would. Madanjit Kaur and Piar Singh have posthumously collected most of Kapur Singh's writings on Guru Nanak and edited them in this volume. Kapur Singh wrote in both Punjabi and English, all of his writings on Guru Nanak in English have been included. Sixteen essays are presented here. Many had been previously published; references to earlier publication dates have been provided, although it appears that he continually revised and tinkered with his manuscripts, even after their publication.
The editors have checked bibliographic references, and provided complete ones where necessary. One essay on Guru Nanak and Martin Luther had previously appeared only in Punjabi, the editors have rendered an English translation while retaining the robust but focused spirit of Kapur Singh's style.
In the lead essay on Guru Nanak's life, Kapur Singh melds the historical Nanak with the Nanak who was the
Guru and the founder of a nation. Not only Nanak's philosophy but also his iconoclastic personality is
vividly brought out. He categorically rejects attempts to paint Nanak as another God conscious spirit in the
Bhakti movement.
Kapur Singh finds that Guru Nanak's concept of nature rejected Hindu formulations and is closer to that of
Meister Eckhart (1260-1327). As Al Biruni (973-1048) said "The Hindus think there is no science or
knowledge which exists or has originated beyond the frontiers of the sacred land of India." Guru Nanak, on the other hand, in the words of Kapur Singh "opened the windows of the mind to all four quarters of space.
"Guru Nanak taught not just a life of surrender to God but suggested that for a properly developed and
integrated person, intellectual and scientific pursuits are imperative." How did Guru Nanak approach
the age-old philosophic problem of conflict between mind and matter, life and nature? There is an inspired
essay on that though it is heavy on Vedantic theory.
Kapur Singh successfully relates the message of Nanak to the needs of modern man. In Nanak's teaching the integrated person, the liberated man, the deified individual must return to the world and society. The
point is that the individual matters; justice, human dignity and freedom are important. There is a sensitive, brief segment on the Second World War, which was just starting at that time. Another thoroughly relevant piece concerns Guru Nanak's teaching as applied to the modern civil servant: an honest job, honestly done; not blind obedience to higher authority (immoral decisions by authority are a form of tyranny, says Nanak), but guided by thoughtful judgement and morality with no room for bribes or
other corrupt practices. If only modern India would heed!
There are useful essays on Sikhism and Islam and on Guru Nanak's meeting with the yogis of the day. Guru
Nanak was the first to use the word 'Hindustan' to denote the land. Finally there is a fine piece on Guru Nanak as the progenitor of Punjabi poetry. Kapur Singh clearly demonstrates that Guru Nanak was
not a reformer in the strict sense of the word because he did not set out to reform the established order of Hinduism, as Martin Luther did with Christianity. A particularly good essay starts by comparing Guru Nanak and Martin Luther and concludes by finding that Nanak was much more than a reformer. Guru Nanak founded the new religion of Sikhism based on revelation, and established the new nation of Sikhs.
Kapur Singh's view of Nanak is clear when he says, "In a sense Guru Nanak was all these (a saint, a reformer, a rishi, a prophet) but he was primarily and essentially the Guru. The Guru is that attribute and
power of God through which He dispels darkness of human mind and illumines it to see the Reality, when
the veil is lifted from its face.
In the Bhagvadgita the term 'Guru' is described as follows: Guru is Brahma, Guru is Vishnu and Guru is
also Maheshwar." At times, it seems that Kapur Singh is too anxious to place Nanak within the framework and mainstream of Indian spiritualism by his excessive reliance on ancient Hindu scriptures, particularly in
his piece on the Japu; yet, he has very perceptively analyzed Sikh cosmography from the Japu and delineated it successfully from others such as Sufi, Hindu and Buddhist.
In one context Kapur Singh casts Guru Nanak's achievement and revolution in India in terms that are
liable to be misunderstood. Primarily because he is addressing Indian, largely Hindu audiences, Kapur
Singh uses references and citations from the Hindu scriptures liberally to buttress the unique position of Guru Nanak's life as spent at God's behest. In these writings and also elsewhere, he looks at India as Hindu civilization and the Indian people as the Hindu race. (Anthropologists would not agree to any such racial designation.) Clearly, he does not mean the Hindu religion as we know it. He is harking back to the concept in which the residents of the Indus valley were called Hindus, in fact that is how the moniker 'Hindu' arose. His use of the term 'Hindu race' has no connection with the Brahminical, caste-ridden Hindu religion based loosely and amorphously on the Vedas and Puranas. Kapur Singh unequivocally asserts that but it is liable to be missed by the casual reader. He emphasizes that Guru Nanak clearly rejected Hinduism, the religion. 
Kapur Singh's prose is a little obscure and his writing not the easiest to follow. At times, he gets so involved in some fine point of ancient Indian Vedantic philosophy that the reader is apt to get lost. Editorial comments on some of these points would have been helpful. Reading him requires concentrated
patience but is always well worth the time and effort. 
To me Kapur Singh's writings always illustrate the point that religions are best examined through the double lenses of faith and history, neither one alone is sufficient. It follows then that the best analysts
of a religion are those who, like Kapur Singh, are deeply touched by its inner reality but are also historians, not others who are content to look at it as outsiders for they would be like those who, being anosmic, can judge the fragrance of a flower only by a chemical analysis.
A fine book with an eclectic collection that not only brings out the multifaceted mind of Kapur Singh but
presents Guru Nanak as a three-dimensional figure, larger than life. The editors have done well and
deserve our appreciation.
Dr. Inder Jit Singh is Professor & Co-ordinator in Anatomy, New York University. Among other
publications, he is the author of two books: 'Sikhs and Sikhism: A View With a Bias' and 'The Sikhs Way: A
Pilgrims Progress'.

I.J. Singh is on the editorial advisory board of 'The Sikh Review', Calcutta and 'The Encyclopedia of
Sikhism', Punjabi University, Patiala.
http://www.sikhe.com/gsdno/articles/ajune2001/06132001/bookreview.htm

book available at: http://www.vidhia.com/Sikhism_For_Modern_Man_-_Kapur_Singh.pdf

Kapur Singh to Gurcharan Singh

Kapur Singh to Gurcharan Singh

Editorial

The Shiromani Akali Dal –the party that Kapur Singh represented in the Indian Parliament did not learn anything from his tenure and contribution.  The party sent Kapur Singh to parliament, for they considered him to be a nuisance and all potential mischief makers deserve to be sent to Parliament, so that others, those running politics as a family business, those who compromise at the drop of a hat, those who do not wish to understand the true religious and political tradition of the Sikhs –can continue to rule the roost.  

In 1962, Kapur Singh was fielded as a candidate from the Ludhiana constituency, against another stalwart, Dr. Mangal Singh, one of the founders of the legendary and now fledgling Punjabi daily, Akali Patrika, who was the candidate of the Congress party.  In 2009, the Shiromani Akali Dal -hardly bearing any similarity to the one in 1962, but still proclaiming to be the heirs of the Panthic legacy, will be fielding from Ludhiana, Gurcharan Singh Galib –a Congress turncoat who has managed to get the nod from the father-son duo who run the present day Punjab.  

During the last half a decade nothing has changed for the Sikhs in the Indian parliament. The speeches of Kapur Singh, particularly the Betrayal of the Sikhs, continue to be ranked as one of the classic speeches of the Indian Parliament by any one and more so by a Sikh Member of Parliament from Punjab. 

The choice of candidates for parliament is based on loyalty, more loyalty and most loyalty.  In the present scenario, money plays a pivotal role, as politicians are still seen as tools of money making by those who sponsor their million rupee election expenditure.  

Ask any member of the legislative assembly of Punjab whether he desires to become a Member of Parliament. His or her answer would be prompt and only one. Sorry, I do not want to become a foot note.  I do not want to become a Minister without Portfolio, which is how they see the meaning of being a parliamentarian.  

In most nations and sub-nations, in progressive societies with an ever vigilant people and media, the quality of the Member Parliament would determine the standing of the party in the public. The quality of the debate in Parliament would determine the status of the party in the Parliament, but not so for the Sikhs or other Indian members of Parliament.   

Speaking on the Punjab Reorganisation Bill on 6th September 1966, the retort of Bhai Sahib Kapur Singh to fellow parliamentarian, Mr. Tyagi warrants repetition: 

Kapur Singh:  I oppose this Bill, on behalf of my constituents and reject it on behalf of my parent party, Shiromani Akali Dal. I do so for three reasons, firstly, it is conceived in sin, secondly, it has been delivered by an incompetent and untrained midwife and thirdly, it is opposed to the best interests of the nation…. 

Shri Tyagi: It is not an illicit child.  

Kapur Singh: It is not an illicit child but it is conceived in sin. It may have the vigour of hybrid offspring but unfortunately, it is an offspring of a miscegenous union, and, therefore, I oppose it. I say, it is conceived in sin, because it constitutes the latest act of betrayal of solemn promises. 

I know of no other Sikh politician that had the sagacity, wisdom and sense of repartee to counter the maneouvres of the ruling class.  To expect the same from the present Akali leaders would amount to asking for the moon. 

From Kapur Singh to Kikar Singh to Zora Singh Mann and now Gurcharan Singh Galib, we have come a long way. In between, we had the likes of Amar Singh and Simranjit Singh Mann, but that is another story.  

A peaceful Sikh renaissance movement engaging the youth and the world community is the need of the hour.

4 March 2009

http://worldsikhnews.com/4%20March%202009/Kapur%20Singh%20to%20Gurcharan%20Singh.htm