Guru Granth Sahib at Nasa.

 

In short, Bhai Bhagwan Singh's talk is the affects of Gurbani on individuals' lives. In one example, he mentions that there have been two Panjabi sisters who have worked as Astronauts at the NASA space station in America - Kalpana Chawla and Sunita William.

Kalpana Chawla was a space shuttle mission specialist. She was the first Panjabi to travel into space. Unfortunately, she was killed on 1st February 2003 with 7 crew members in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. Whilst in India, Bhai Bhagwan Singh was in Uttranchal (Haryana) where he met Kalpana Chawla's father, Banarsi Lal Chawla. As you would do, Bhai Bhagwan Singh offered his condolences and shared the grief of the loss of a fellow Punjabi sister.

Kalpana's father was a Hindu, however the family have devotion (shardaa) for the House of Guru Nanak. Bhai Sahib asked Kalpana's father to share something about Kalpana's life with him. He replied that she did Nitnem (daily prayers) every morning (as well as being a vegetarian). The family were fortunate enough to have darshan (glimpse) of the late Baba Nand Singh jee in Uttaranchal. Baba jee had an affect on the family and since then they have practised Nitnem and had love for Gurbani.

"Tell more," said Bhai Bhagwan Singh. The father replied, "Kalpana also recited Japji Sahib whilst she worked, and she recited Japji Sahib in space as well." Guru Nanak Sahib Ji explains in Japji Sahib:

ਪਾਤਾਲਾ ਪਾਤਾਲ ਲਖ ਆਗਾਸਾ ਆਗਾਸ ॥

Pāṯālā pāṯāl lakẖ āgāsā āgās. 
There are nether worlds beyond the nether worlds and lacs of skies over skies.

ਓੜਕ ਓੜਕ ਭਾਲਿ ਥਕੇ ਵੇਦ ਕਹਨਿ ਇਕ ਵਾਤ ॥

Oṛak oṛak bẖāl thakė vėḏ kahan ik vāṯ. 
The scriptures say one thing: searching for God's limits and bounds, (without success) people have grown weary.
(Ang 5)

Not only did she read this, but she experienced this. Guru Nanak Sahib Ji was also present in space (whilst she read Japji Sahib).


Her father said that he had an opportunity to visit the NASA centre at San Jose, America (in September 2004). During his visit he was shown a volume of an English translation of Guru Granth Sahib jee kept at the NASA library. Her father was told that when scientists get tired of searching and searching the universe, when they seek inspiration and need to uplift their souls they turn to read the translations of Guru Nanak's poetry and divine-songs which magnificently describe the awe and wonder of the Universe. There is no other poetry, no other divine-song, no other Scripture, such as the Bani of Guru Nanak Sahib Ji -- Guru Granth Sahib jee.