# What Does The Word 'Shardha' Mean?



## Ishna (Sep 17, 2011)

I've tried an online Punjabi/English dictionary but it wasn't recognising the word 'shardha'.

Thanks.


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Sep 17, 2011)

whatever it is..it isnt "BLIND FAITH". If anyone tells you GURU needs Shardha/blind faith/without question..then its NOT GURMATT but Manmatt.

Shardha in the GURU means UNDERSTANDING what He says..following what He says..doing what He does....LIVING GURBANI...becoming GURBANI.


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## Kanwaljit.Singh (Sep 17, 2011)

The idea of blind faith is in part to reinforce the idea of faith.

People say they have faith in the justice system or employees etc. But if they lose a case or get fired, they curse the system.

Such faith which is here today and gone tomorrow is not faith, but temporary hope that things will turn out well.

Faith in Guru should be the way roots clinch to mud, even if you uproot the plant from soil, the roots don't let go.

Here are Shabads regarding that:

ਰੂਪੁ ਸਤਿ ਜਾ ਕਾ ਸਤਿ ਅਸਥਾਨੁ ॥
His form is true, and true is His place.


ਪੁਰਖੁ ਸਤਿ ਕੇਵਲ ਪਰਧਾਨੁ ॥
His personality is true - He alone is supreme.


ਕਰਤੂਤਿ ਸਤਿ ਸਤਿ ਜਾ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ॥
His acts are true, and true is His Word.


ਸਤਿ ਪੁਰਖ ਸਭ ਮਾਹਿ ਸਮਾਣੀ ॥
The True Lord is permeating all.


ਸਤਿ ਕਰਮੁ ਜਾ ਕੀ ਰਚਨਾ ਸਤਿ ॥
True are His actions; His creation is true.


ਮੂਲੁ ਸਤਿ ਸਤਿ ਉਤਪਤਿ ॥
His root is true, and true is what originates from it.


ਸਤਿ ਕਰਣੀ ਨਿਰਮਲ ਨਿਰਮਲੀ ॥
True is His lifestyle, the purest of the pure.


ਜਿਸਹਿ ਬੁਝਾਏ ਤਿਸਹਿ ਸਭ ਭਲੀ ॥
All goes well for those who know Him.


ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਪ੍ਰਭ ਕਾ ਸੁਖਦਾਈ ॥
The True Name of God is the Giver of peace.


ਬਿਸ੍ਵਾਸੁ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਨਕ ਗੁਰ ਤੇ ਪਾਈ ॥੬॥
Nanak has obtained true faith from the Guru. ||6||

(Sukhmani Sahib - Ang 284)

And:

ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ਲਗੇ ਦੁਖੁ ਪਾਇਆ ॥
Attached to the love of duality, one only incurs pain.


ਬਿਨੁ ਸਬਦੈ ਬਿਰਥਾ ਜਨਮੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥
Without the Word of the Shabad, one's life is wasted away in vain.


ਸਤਿਗੁਰੁ ਸੇਵੈ ਸੋਝੀ ਹੋਇ ॥
Serving the True Guru, understanding is obtained,


ਦੂਜੈ ਭਾਇ ਨ ਲਾਗੈ ਕੋਇ ॥੧॥
And then, one is not attached to the love of duality. ||1||


ਮੂਲਿ ਲਾਗੇ ਸੇ ਜਨ ਪਰਵਾਣੁ ॥
Those who hold fast to their roots, become acceptable.


ਅਨਦਿਨੁ ਰਾਮ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਿ ਹਿਰਦੈ ਗੁਰ ਸਬਦੀ ਹਰਿ ਏਕੋ ਜਾਣੁ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥
Night and day, they meditate within their hearts on the Lord's Name; through the Word of the Guru's Shabad, they know the One Lord. ||1||Pause||


ਡਾਲੀ ਲਾਗੈ ਨਿਹਫਲੁ ਜਾਇ ॥
One who is attached to the branch, does not receive the fruits.


ਅੰਧੀ ਕੰਮੀ ਅੰਧ ਸਜਾਇ ॥
For blind actions, blind punishment is received.


ਮਨਮੁਖੁ ਅੰਧਾ ਠਉਰ ਨ ਪਾਇ ॥
The blind, self-willed manmukh finds no place of rest.
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ਬਿਸਟਾ ਕਾ ਕੀੜਾ ਬਿਸਟਾ ਮਾਹਿ ਪਚਾਇ ॥੨॥
He is a maggot in manure, and in manure he shall rot away. ||2||


ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਸੇਵਾ ਸਦਾ ਸੁਖੁ ਪਾਏ ॥
Serving the Guru, everlasting peace is obtained.


ਸੰਤਸੰਗਤਿ ਮਿਲਿ ਹਰਿ ਗੁਣ ਗਾਏ ॥
Joining the True Congregation, the Sat Sangat, the Glorious Praises of the Lord are sung.


ਨਾਮੇ ਨਾਮਿ ਕਰੇ ਵੀਚਾਰੁ ॥
One who contemplates the Naam, the Name of the Lord,


ਆਪਿ ਤਰੈ ਕੁਲ ਉਧਰਣਹਾਰੁ ॥੩॥
Saves himself, and his family as well. ||3||


ਗੁਰ ਕੀ ਬਾਣੀ ਨਾਮਿ ਵਜਾਏ ॥
Through the Word of the Guru's Bani, the Naam resounds;


ਨਾਨਕ ਮਹਲੁ ਸਬਦਿ ਘਰੁ ਪਾਏ ॥
O Nanak, through the Word of the Shabad, one finds the Mansion of the Lord's Presence 


ਗੁਰਮਤਿ ਸਤ ਸਰਿ ਹਰਿ ਜਲਿ ਨਾਇਆ ॥
Under Guru's Instruction, bathe in the Pool of Truth, in the Water of the Lord;


ਦੁਰਮਤਿ ਮੈਲੁ ਸਭੁ ਦੁਰਤੁ ਗਵਾਇਆ ॥੪॥੫॥੪੪॥
Thus the filth of evil-mindedness and sin shall all be washed away. ||4||5||44||

(Sri Guru Granth Sahib, Ang 362)


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## Ishna (Sep 18, 2011)

So when used, the word 'shardha' generally means something like "blind faith"?

Or does it mean just "faith"?  (which can be either true or blind depending on the person)

Thank you


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Sep 18, 2011)

Shardha is "Shardha".. BUT.....when it becomes BLIND..it is called "ANNHEE Shardha".
In the Gurmatt context there is no such thing....as GURBANI is NOT "blind" but GYAAN SOORAJ..Lighthouse..Knowledge...GURU....Gyan Kharragh Sword of Knowledge..gyaan..enlightenment...all of which are opposite of BLINDNESS...darkness...eyes closed...type of unquestioning "faith"....
Thus when a person brings a kg of Pure GHEE to light a JYOT  in the presence of SGGS...that would eb called Annhee shardha..faith in the "Ghee jyot"..NOT in the GYAAN that is in the GURBANI of SGGS..the everlasting JYOT of GYAAN thats suppsoed to brighten up yoru dark heart..mind..light the way...while all the ghee lamp does is BURN  hole in you rpocket...GHEE is meant to be CONSUMED..NOT BURNT..esp in front of SGGS !! Simialrly matha teking to the Nishan sahib..is annhee shardha because the Nishan sahib is MEANT to be FLOWN HIGH...practically by each SIKH via his LIFE...the NISHAN SAHIB is SIKHS HONOUR..to lay down his life if needs be...it welcomes the refugee..the wnaderer..the lost..to a place called the Gurdwara...its CLOTH...its Tharra (base) etc have absolutley NO VALUE...nayone who takes the pieces of cloth home hoping it may change his luck etc and bring blessings..is in ANNHEE SHARDHA LAND of FOOLS.
Thewre are many other forms of annhee shardha one will see in gurdwaras around snats babas deras etc...


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## spnadmin (Sep 18, 2011)

Let me with forgiveness of all add my two cents. Throughout Gurbani we are told with Guru's kirpa and meditation on the Naam, the veil of Maya will be torn away, we will wake up from a nightmare, we will "see" "comprehend." So there can be no blind faith in Gurmat as Gyani has said, because blindness is born in Maya and is torn away with enLIGHTENment. 

Blind faith is an idea that comes from those religious paths that depend on slavish adoration of an unseen and unknown God. So why this confusion of shardha? The faith of shardha is not blind. It is "constant," more like having "confidence" "knowing" that we will not be abandoned from lack of faith ...because *we never were abandoned* by Waheguru. Our blindness prevented us from knowing and "seeing." We have confidence that his grace is there for the having, once we are ready to receive this gift. 

Remember that shabad... the lustful elephant, who called out 10,000 times to be rescued from the crocodile, from the muck of Maya, was rescued because faith in the almighty was constant, not blind. There are many others with the same message. I hope I am saying what Gyani ji has said, only in different words. Gurbani does not put us to sleep. It wakes us up.


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## Arvind (Sep 19, 2011)

spnadmin said:


> It is "constant," more like having "confidence" "knowing" that we will not be abandoned from lack of faith ...because *we never were abandoned* *by Waheguru*. Our blindness prevented us from knowing and "seeing." We have confidence that his grace is there for the having, once we are ready to receive this gift.


 loved reading this 0 Thanks for sharing


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## Ishna (Oct 5, 2011)

In case others come looking for information on shardha specifically, the following information was originally posted by BhagatSingh on the What is Worship? thread and I think could be repeated here for completeness of this thread.  I hope you don't mind, Bhagat Bhaji!  peacesignkaur

*Worship* in wordly sphere takes the form of ritual. Worship and  it's associated rituals must be done with Shardha (the spiritual  sphere), which is total attentiveness (in Bhagati, Sharda is the  attentiveness arising from fear and love states, like how one feels  towards their parents "Toon mat pita hum barak tere" You are my mother  and father, and i am your child.). Without Shardha, worship is like  brushing your teeth. With Shardha brushing your teeth becomes worship. 

(meditate)

  Quote:
 <table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" width=""> <tbody><tr> <td class="alt2" style="border:1px inset">                              Wikipedia:
Sraddha is a broad concept which has no direct English relative or  equivalent. In addition to faith, it can also be associated with trust,  confidence, and loyalty.[1] The teacher Ammachi describes it as the  "constant alertness arising from Love", and when choosing a single word  to translate it into English, has used "awareness".[2] Other writers  have also described the concept with emphasis on the intersection of  faith and mindfulness, and it has been translated in this vein with  words such as "diligence".[3]                      </td> </tr> </tbody></table> 
Devotion is part of Shardha. Keep this in mind as you read on.

The highest form of Shardha is seeing all moments and content of life as  sacred. But to get to this place one starts by seeing certain things as  sacred like (for a Sikh) Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and the 10 Gurus  (devotion comes into play) then moving on to see the sacred in  everything else (a greater devotion for God).
What does it mean to see something as sacred? When something is sacred,  there is an increased alertness towards it taht arises out of both love  and fear together. For example, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, one's turban,  Nishan Sahib, your parents.
We often do things to cultivate this alertness. E.g. bowing down to Sri  Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Nishan sahib and parents/elders, not letting the  turban fall on the floor or worst yet, in the toilet, always placing the  turban, Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Nishan Sahib on a high platform. Some  people go even further and hold onto cloth pieces from coverings of Sri  Guru Granth Sahib Ji and Nishan ahib. All of these acts are the  beginnings of cultivating of Shardha, and they all happen to be rituals.

Shardha is the very basis of every human doing, and thus of worhip and  rituals. An act without Shardha leads only to suffering. An act without  concentration and devotion leads only to suffering. Just think about  your day job, most people neither concentrate nor are mentally devoted  to what they do. They suffer constantly.

(meditate)

Ritual is the communication of Shardha to others and to yourself. Combining Ritual and Shardha we get Worship.


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## aristotle (Oct 9, 2011)

Well Ishna Ji,
Not going into metaphysics, if you are looking at the common usage of the word, it plainly translates as 'Devotion/Faith/Respect(when put into religious terms)'.
'Blind-faith' in common Punjabi is represented more often by 'Andh-Vishvaas' rather than 'Shraddha' or 'Shardha'.

eg: * We should have faith in Guru Sahib = 'sAnU gurU sAhib vich *ShardhA* Rakkhni chAhIdI hai'


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Oct 9, 2011)

Genuine Shardha in SGGS means we GO TO SGGS at each and every oicassion in LIFE..and ONLY SGGS.
Genuine shardha in SGGS means when a beloved one dies..we dont grieve and blame everyone....and when we get a son/grandson..we DONT pat oursleves on the back !!
NIRBAAN KIRTAN...mere pichhey matt koi rovsee...says SGGS..but do we Follow that ??
we say its all HIS WILL ( in reality we are saying its all *HIS FAULT* !!) So our so called Shardha is FAKE..only for GOD TIMES and GOOD NEWS...just let a small disaster happen..and we run to the nearest baba Ji...derawallah and beg him...DO SOMETHING !!!
Our Shardha is on foundation of SAND...very very LOOSE SAND DUNE !!...It should eb on ROCK SOLID GRANITE...like the one Bhai MANJH JI Had...which culminated in GURU JI coming to him..and saying.. *GURU PIYARA MANJH DA*....Manjh Guru da Piayara !! Can we make the same claim ?? Do we really LOVE the GURU and him ONLY..or we behave like the philandrers who have one "official wife"....and several mistresses on the side....


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## swarn bains (Apr 26, 2020)

there is no such word as shardha. but it is sardha. we the intelectuals make it as shardha to feel good or thinking that i really know it. it means respect, intent, sincerety, mental feeling for someone  etc. depends where it is used.


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Apr 30, 2020)

ਸ਼ਰਧਾ    Shardha.


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## Gyani Jarnail Singh (Apr 30, 2020)

in SGGS the letter SH doesnt occur (it wasnt in usage then)..hence in sggs its written as ਸਰਧਾ


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## ravneet_sb (Apr 30, 2020)

Sat Sri Akaal,

Shardha  Committment  Devotion  for the cause that give effect to the effort.

Mind connected to five instruments and five instruments make our MIND and one develops sense forming  imaginative sense.

While learning, one needs to free sensories, free all sense instruments is devotion and committment to learn, along with  imaginative sense

This way one can imbibe TRUTH while we go to Darbar. Which one can use for transformation or use in life.

That devotion and committment is Shardha.
Objectively way to attain Learning ..

But once we are devoted to problems and materialistic desires, one is making resolve for those events, and not for TRUTH learning.

One shall have clarity, the purpose and intent for going to Guru Dwara.... ie for Learning TRUTH or resolving problem desires, that intent will energize for  resolve / fulfillment of problems/ desires or to learn TRUTH.
Hungry may go for food resolve, someone for relation resolve, some for job or car resolve. And a few to understand and imbibe TRUTH.

Our life is INFORMATION, AWARENESS for practice in life.
If one goes with worldly problems and desires, that suneha or information is a missed event. Ti develop shradha one has to Sharadha to  attain fulfillment, next stage is Shradha for learning.
Former sharadha is also on the way.

Waheguru Ji Ka  Khalsa
Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh


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