The Bizzare Ride

After an amazing holiday, I was all set for work on tuesday last week! On the train, I took out my book and just like everyone in their own private space, I slipped into the world of my thoughts.

Just then, a man in his late thirties, decked out in a crisp white shirt and ordinary black pants came straight on to the sikh man seating beside me. To everyone's horror, he bowed his head in front of the sikh's holy scripture. Next, he uttered a string of sikh language and the completely stunned sikh man sat frozen to his seat.

I for once, thought he must be a mad man. But apparently, whatever he uttered got the sikh man nodding his head. Ah, maybe he was into sikhism too? I thought to myself. Next the two men started conversing about how holy the sikh temple is and so on and so forth.

Still distracted, I tried to get back to my reading. Not too long later, I heard the man talking to me. He said," Great book! Yes! Let's ask the world why can't we be good!" Oh man, you should have seen my puzzled face. "Er..yeah.."I answered.

And standing where he was, he started preaching to both me and the sikh man on why we cannot be good but we can be better.. He spoke non stop for 5 minutes and both of us were speechless! Next, he whipped out his camera and asked the sikh man to shoot him holding the bible and yes! He requested to hold my book too!.

Obliging to this man's needs and enthusiasm, the sikh took on his photographer role and started shooting. The man got me more stunned when he even requested different shots and angles to be taken! Wah! And as he was posing, he explained to us that he wants to show this photo to the whole world.

Wow, very ambitious! Seriously, at that point, I do not know if I should laugh or applaud him for his passion! He asked me if I was christian just like himself, and I told him I'm catholic. "No No No, We shall not be seperated by traditions, we are all Jesus followers!" He almost shouted in my ear drum and after shaking our hands he bid his goodbye.

Me and the sikh just looked at each other after he went off. Guess what, the man returned again, presenting us with a blank name card with his handwriting scribbled on it. He wrote,"Let's ask the world if we can be good? God bless all!"He signed off as ronnie.

This time we both saw him get off the train. Honestly, I heaved a sign of relief and strangely, me and the sikh started chatting about our faith. And after the train ride, I went home and googled about his faith. Here is what I found on wikipedia.

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The principal belief of Sikhism is faith in Vāhigurū—represented using the sacred symbol of ēk ōaṅkār, the Universal God. Sikhism advocates the pursuit of salvation through disciplined, personal meditation on the name and message of God. A key distinctive feature of Sikhism is a non-anthropomorphic concept of God, to the extent that one can interpret God as Universe itself.

While a full understanding of God is beyond human beings. Nanak described God as not wholly unknowable. God is omnipresent (sarav viāpak) in all creation and visible everywhere to the spiritually awakened. Nanak stressed that God must be seen from "the inward eye", or the "heart", of a human being: devotees must meditate to progress towards enlightenment. Guru Nanak Dev emphasized the revelation through meditation, as its rigorous application permits the existence of communication between God and human beings. God has no gender in Sikhism, though translations may incorrectly present a masculine God.

The concept of saint-soldier is a unique feature of Sikhism. Every Sikh is required to aspire to sainthood by his devotion to God and service to mankind, but also, according to the situation, to adopt the role of the soldier. A Sikh is also commanded, if necessary and circumstances allow, to lay his or her life down to protect the poor and weak, regardless of race, religion, sex or creed.

"All the sources of creation, and all languages meditate on Him, forever and ever." (Guru Arjan Dev, Asa, pg. 456)

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Strangely, there are some similarity with our faith isn't it. This got me thinking if God is just one god, one source, and one path just divided and outsourced based on our human needs..Hmm..No idea why I had such a random encounter but I know I'm keeping both the men in prayers! Join me too!