(Amrit Pal Singh ‘Amrit’)

Two things are very important to a human being. These two things are happiness and sorrow. There are different explanations for happiness and sorrow. However, in summary, we can say that the happiness is something our mind wants to get. If something occurs according to one’s desire, it is happiness. If something happens, which was not desired, is sorrow. If something happens, which should have been avoided, is sorrow.

Happiness and sorrow are states of mind. Suppose there happens something wrong to two persons. It is possible that one could feel mental pain for it and the second one just ignore this undesired mishap. The person, who does not feel bad about the mishap, does not care why this happened to him. The person, who is saddened by this mishap, worries about the mishap. He starts to think constantly why it happened, how it happened and thus becomes psychotic. He thinks that what happened should not have happened. He thinks that what he wanted was not happened. He thinks that what he wanted to avoid was happened.

He thinks continually in this way. Such incidents distress him badly. He is now too much upset. This state of his mind is called ‘Tapna’ (to burn with grief). He is burning with grief why it happened. It is a kind of self-pity.

Burning with grief has no limits. In real life of an ordinary person, there is not only one suffering for which he is being burnt. Even a school going child feels burning with grief. Sometimes he is not happy, because he could not understand what his teacher taught him. Sometimes he is unhappy, because he feels that there is too much syllabus for his studies. Moreover, if he gets fewer marks in the examinations, he is sorrowful again.

When a student finishes his studies, he starts to look for a good job. Now, he does not get a job. Now, he is again in pain. He thinks that he is well qualified. He thinks he has too many certificates; even then, he has no job. He feels pain.

Even if he gets a job, he is still not satisfied. Now, he is in pain, because he thinks he has not been getting the required pay scale. Sometimes, he is in pain, because he did not get his desired department. Thus, the fire of acquisitiveness continuously burns him.

In such situations, an ordinary person laments. He goes to the religious places and makes prayers. Most of the times, his prayers are not prayers in reality. These prayers turn into complaints.

In his ‘prayers’, he says that he did a lot of ‘Nitnem’, even then why his desire is not fulfilled. He says he did lots of ‘seva’ in Gurdwaras and donated some money; even then, his wish is unfulfilled. He complaints that he did lots of ‘Nitnem’ and ‘seva’, even then there are still problems in his life.

Actually, he does not want to know the reasons, but he is just making complaints. It is as if he wants to tell that the God is not doing good job.

Addressing to such a person, Sri Guru Nanak Dev Jee says: –

“Bahuta Bolan Jhakhan Hoye.

Vin Bole Jaanai Sabh Soye. 1. Rahaayo”.
(Speaking too much is rave. He knows everything even without one’s speaking. 1. Pause). (Sri Guru Granth Sahib Jee, page 661).

Saying to the God that one is too sorrowful is just a rave. Making complaints to the Waheguru is meaningless. Why should we make complaints to the God? Does the God not know what happened to us? Does the God is not omniscient? Does the God is not omnipresent? Was he not present there when something happened to us?

The God Almighty knows everything. He is omniscient. He is omnipresent. He was present when something happened to us. Is it needed to tell Him what happened to us? Is it needed to make our complaints? Is it needed to tell Him that He is not a good doer?

No, not at all. The God Almighty knows everything even without our speaking. He knows what is there in our hearts. He never made any mistake. He does what is good for the humanity. He does what is good for us.

Here, I would like to share a forwarded email, which was sent to me by an American reader: –

“I think of this sometimes when I’m in traffic or catch every light to my destination.
Where God wants me to be.

Next time your morning seems to be going wrong and the children are slow getting dressed and you can’t seem to find the car keys and you hit every traffic light, don’t get mad or frustrated; praise God instead, because God is at work watching over you.

After Sept. 11 … I happened to call a man on business that I did not know and have not talked to again. However, this day, he felt like talking.

He was head of security of a company that had invited the remaining members of a company who had been decimated by the attack on the Twin Towers to share their office space. With his voice full of awe, he told me stories of why these people were alive and their counterparts were dead…and all the stories were just ‘little’ things.

As you might know, the head of the company got in late that day because his son started kindergarten. Another fellow was alive because it was his turn to bring donuts.

One woman was late because her alarm clock did not go off in time.

One was late because of being stuck on the NJ Turnpike because of an auto accident.

One missed his bus.

One spilled food on her clothes and had to take time to change!

One’s car would not start.

One went back to answer the telephone.

One had a child that dawdled and did not get ready as soon as he should have.

One could not get a taxi.

There were other stories that I hope and pray will someday be gathered and put in a book.

The one that struck me was the man who put on a new pair of shoes that morning, took the various means to get to work but before he got there, he developed a blister on his foot. He stopped at a drugstore to buy a Band-Aid. That is why he is alive today.

Now when I am stuck in traffic, miss an elevator, turn back to answer a ringing telephone… All the little things that annoy me …I think to myself, this is exactly where God wants me to be at this very moment.

May God continue to bless you with all those annoying little things and may you remember their possible purpose”.

Therefore, the God Almighty knows very well what to do and what to not. He does what is good for us. We should not make complaints to him.

Well, we should make our points to someone, who does not know what happened. If someone has filed a court case against us, or if we have filed a court case against someone, we will have to speak. We will have to take the help of the words to make our point very clear. If we do not speak there, there could be an ex parte decision against us. It is because the judge in the worldly courts is not omniscient. It is because the judge in the worldly courts does not know what is there in our minds, in our hearts. He does not know what is truth. He does not know what is false. So, he asks for the evidence/proofs. Now, we will have to speak. Now, we will have to tell him the truth. Now, we will have to prove our point.

On the other hand, the God Almighty is there even in our hearts. Why should we tell him? O man! Do not make complaints. O foolish! Do not rave. Even without your speaking, the God knows everything in your mind.