A poem by Gurutej Singh Khalsa on the Occasion of the 66th Birthday of
The touch of the master is what brought us here,
Through Maya’s illusion, through doubt and fear,
We have followed him through this long, dark night,
To awaken from the dream and face the light.
Now the time has come, we must rise and stand,
And reverently take the reins from his steady hand,
This is the birthday gift that would mean the most.
From thousands of wounds sustained along the way,
He is covered with scabs, yet he faces the fray
With smiles and laughter and a thundering voice,
Driving us to the point where we have no choice
Except to stand strong, with courage and win the fight,
For there is no substitute for victory, no greater delight,
Victory is the birthday cheer he would like to toast.
Deep in his breast his patched up heart beats on,
Broken by the past but sustained by the song
Of his longing and a deep love for his Guru,
Which he has brought to us here, for me and you.
We have heard that song, let us sing together now,
Let our voices rise and in gratitude, let us bow.
Let Gratitude be the birthday candle that we light.
His beard has turned white, yet still he stands straight,
Unbroken by Time, he has shouldered its weight.
He was attacked from the front and from the rear,
He was attacked over there and over here,
He has defended our Dharma and upheld her grace,
And defeated her enemies, who fell in disgrace.
Now on this birthday, let us take the fight.
Steady as stone and unbending as steel,
Mind like a computer and heart like a wheel,
Compassion is the law that governs his life.
No matter the conflict, no matter the strife,
He has never given up, nor let us down,
And he is ready, again, to walk another round,
For this birthday, let us carry the weight.
The touch of the master has brought us so far
He has illumined our path, like a shining star,
With dignity, he bears the torch of Guru’s light
And with patience, he pushes us to get it right.
The touch of the master, gift of the Divine,
Has polished our steel, now brightly, let us shine,
For this birthday, let us prove that we are great!
Espanola, New Mexico – August 26, 1995
Gurutej Singh Khalsa is a yogi, warrior, businessman, poet, healer, and teacher. For 35 years he studied Kundalini Yoga and the teachings of the Sikhs from his teacher Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa Yogiji, aka Yogi Bhajan (1929 – 2004). As a trained law enforcement officer, Gurutej was a personal bodyguard and aide to Yogi Bhajan and traveled the world with him. He is the Founder of Akal Security, Inc., which he grew from a small start-up business in his living room to the largest privately held security services contractor in the United States and largest provider of protective services to the U.S. Government. Gurutej is a respected and recognized teacher, speaker, healer, and counsellor in his own right and has taught Kundalini Yoga, the science of meditation, and the teachings of the Sikhs all over the world. In 2001 he published a book of poetry, Children of the Cusp, about his experiences as a student on the spiritual path under the guidance of a great teacher. In 2014 he published his moving and inspiring novel RAJNI, which was awarded the Gold Seal of Literary Excellence. Drawn from myth, legend, and historical events and the first of a trilogy,RAJNI is a deeply moving epic about the powers of love, sacrifice, and the elevation of the soul. Gurutej Singh lives in Singapore with his wife and son. Click here to purchase Children of the Cusp.
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