The 4 Types of Charchaa (Debate)

Explained by Guru Hargobind Sahib in Kavi Santokh Singh's Suraj Prakash

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Jassa Singh Nihang

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Background

These episodes in Suraj Prakash are taken from the Sikhan De Parsang episodes of Guru Hargobind Sahib’s section. The original source Kavi Santokh Singh uses for these episodes are from the writings of Bhai Mani Singh Shaheed. Sikhs come to Amritsar to ask the Guru questions and the answers are recorded in Suraj Prakash. Many of the Sikhs that came are also mentioned by name in Bhai Gurdas Ji’s 11th Vaar.

In this particular episode, one Sikh named Dargah Bhandaria came to Guru Hargobind and asked him that Sikhs debate various interpretations of Gurbani and many of them fight amongst themselves in these debates and they don’t listen to anyone else’s explanations and that they remain stubborn on their own interpretation.

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The 4 Types

Guru Hargobind responded to Dargah that there are 2 types of debate (Charchaa) that the Sikh should do and there are 2 types that the Sikhs should avoid:

The 2 Accepted Types

The two that a Sikh should do:

Vaadh - An honest debate: If one has not understood the meaning of a Shabad in their heart, then they ask another and they listen to that answer with love, then they will grasp it.

Haith – A loving exchange: Where according to one’s own intellect explains one meaning of Gurbani. The listener then should respond sweetly if they or others don’t understand Gurbani in this manner and maybe there is a better meaning and this is the proper meaning here. To which the first speaker should listen to and be open to that meaning. The one correcting the mistake should be the one to help them by giving them the tools and the smarts to make them understand and therefore make them an equal in knowledge. So, then they will both see things properly. They should both speak and listen to each other properly, so that they can properly discern the meaning of the Shabad by forsaking their previous incorrect statement. They should not hold on to their partisan interpretations if they are not correct. They should listen and praise each other. They should listen to the other person discussing and if that person doesn’t know something, then ask another. If people sit together and discuss virtuously and with respect, etiquette and love for each other, then they will enlighten each other. If more people discuss and there is a back and forth, then their intellect will be tested and sharpened by each other and pride does not remain.

The 2 Types to Avoid

The two that a Sikh should discard:

Jalup – An egotistical argument: This is when someone says something that knowingly is wrong, but just won’t admit it that they made a mistake. They don’t consider anybody else’s ideas into their consideration. In this situation, both sides are arguing, those in favour of their interpretation creating different arguments and presenting endless amounts of evidence for each side while neither side will recognise the other sides argument. They just continue to go on and on with their meanings and with anger try to cut down the other person’s argument. In fighting in anger, they are bound by their sense of difference and superiority over each other. At that point, even if they hear praise of the other person, they burn up in anger. This type of discussion shall not be engaged in by any Sikh of the Guru. The mind does not become humble in this manner, anger and vice sprout up.

Pathandawa – Intellectual superiority complex: Where one always tries to cut down and destroy arguments with great intellectual might. However, they don’t even have any solid argument for their own perspective, but anything else that anyone says they try to cut down. Those people who recite and who do katha publicly, they feel terrible when they see these types of people. So, these people should be avoided, rather one should have the mentality to absorb the virtue from anyone with love rather than cutting them down. One should not upset anyone’s heart. Rather they should always uplift and bring joy to everybody’s heart.

So Dargah Bhandaria and all the other Sikhs listening to the Guru accepted this.

It’s very important for us today to take this on board as many Sikhs have indulged themselves in debates that are akin to the 2 forbidden types. This is evident when Singhs from different Jathebandia today argue over rehat maryada and who’s jatha is correct and whose is not. We have forgotten the Guru’s lesson above. Hence why I have included this in the Vichaar Vidiya section of the Bunga, for members of the Bunga to follow as well as the Panth at large. This is something that must be revived in the Panth at a mainstream level.

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