| Sikh Missionary
Society: Sikhism: Principles:
Sharing with others
Wand Chhakna / Wand Ke Chhakna
Share the earnings with less fortunate, sick, diseased,
dying and needy people.
Sikhism is unique religion of the new age. It is known
for very special concept of Wand Chhakna. It is a concept of giving
something out of the bounties bestowed by God for the welfare of
needy, less fortunate and deserving people. It is a concept of co-operative
and corporate living. It is a concept of serving each other without selfish
motives and sharing wealth and the knowledge of God with each other. It
is a concept to eliminate poverty of mind and body. It is a concept
for social and economic equality through social responsibility. It tantamounts
to sharing of earnings, physical labor, wealth, God given wisdom and knowledge
for welfare of human beings as a whole without discrimination of caste,
colour, creed and gender.
Sikhism believes in equal distribution of the fruits of
labor. It believes in helping people in need. A Sikh must serve the humanity
without any motive of gain. He must help those who cannot help themselves.
A Sikh is duty bound to share his food and earnings with needy, sick
and poor people but there should be no ego of contributing in charity.
Sikhism believes that charity is given only by God and human
beings have just to share the boon given by God.
Wand Chhakna is an important ingredient in
the Sikh way of life. A Sikh must see the whole world as one family
and this strengthens the Sikh principle of universal brotherhood of human
beings. Sikhs are ordained to contribute voluntary payment of tithes for
Guru Ka Langar, construction of Gurdwara buildings, Kar Seva of
holy pools, schools, hospitals for sick and general uplift of the humanity
as a whole.
The charity money is used for imparting the professional
education in the area of engineering and medical fields to the people to
eliminate poverty among human beings. There are numerous schools and colleges
run by the Sikh organizations including Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee
Amritsar which are engaged in helping the people to lead a life of prosperity.
Guru Nanak Dev established Langar or the temple of bread
in his home to feed the visitors. Volunteers used to prepare and serve
the vegetarian food in Langar. No meat, alcohol or tobacco was allowed
to be served or used in the Langar. This created a sense of equality, brotherhood
and oneness.
 Guru
Arjan Dev Ji introduced the contribution of one-tenth of one's earnings
in the service of the community. (Hari Ram Gupta V-1; p 426) This custom
is still very dear to the Sikhs. Every Sikh would feel his obligation to
pay out of his earnings towards the service of sick, needy and the
poor. The Sikhs are proud of this concept as this concept of charity is
rarely seen in other communities of the world.
It is general experience that rich people give money
in charity out of their Haumai. They want that they should be seen in the
society as philanthropists and benefactors of charity.
The teachings of Sikhism do not want a Sikh to behave
as a benefactor of the poor. It emphasis that the principle of Wand
Chhakna should be considered as Shukrana of the Creator. The
Sikh should feel that it is his duty to help the needy, sick and poor.
He should not take pride to have served the less fortunate as their benefactor
and protector.
Sikhism believes that every Sikh is a member of the universal
brotherhood and every member should live in prosperity. A Sikh is required
to care for others and share their grief. The Sikh should feel pleasure
in sharing the honest earnings with less fortunate and the poor so that
it should not create Haumai for charity but it should inculcate a spirit
of responsibility towards needy, sick and poor. This is the reason that
Sikhs are never seen as beggars. Wherever they live, they live in prosperity
under Hukam of the Guru.
“The unique Lord is the Bestower. He is the Giver
to all. In His giving, there is no stint.”
ddw dwqw eyku hY sB kau dyvnhwr
]
dyNdy qoit n AwveI Agnq Bry
BMfwr ]
(257)
Guru Nanak Dev says,
“Charity should be dispensed with wisdom.”
.........AklI kIcY dwnu
(1245)
Guru Nanak Dev Ji says,
“The generous give but a little in charity; but
demand a thousand fold return, with worldly honor to boot.”
dy dy mMgih shsw gUxw soB kry
sMswru ]
(466)
Guru Amar Das says,
“He who labors hard, earns honestly and gives
something in charity with his hands, he, O' Nanak, has found out
the path of Truth.”
Ghal Khai kichh hathon de,
Nanak rah pachhane se.
Gwil Kwie ikCu hQhu dyie ]
nwnk rwhu pCwxih syie ]
(1245)
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