[2] The reasoning behind this action was to rebuke the prevailing belief that throwing water to the east would reach ancestors beyond the grave.
[1] Another legend narrates that once Guru Nanak came upon happy children who were playing, jumping, and having fun in the street whilst he was travelling.
[2] Kalyug would instruct devotees to meditate with him by closing their eyes, claiming to guide them through a celestial astral projection.
[2] At one of these meditation events whilst everyone's eyes were closed, Guru Nanak told Bhai Mardana to take Kalyug's donation bowl and hide it behind a bush.
[2] When Kalyug's meditation event finished, he exclaimed that someone had taken his donation bowl and asked where it was, until a large crowd had gathered.
[2] Amar Das heard of what was happening and instructed the farmers to drag the holyman wherever they wished to receive rain.
[2] Guru Arjan, knowing the power and effectiveness of humour, inserted a humorous hymn attributed to Bhagat Dhanna into his compilation of the first edition of the Adi Granth:[1] O God, I, Thine afflicted servant, come to Thee.
These things Thy servant Dhanna begs of Thee.Another amusing verse in the primary Sikh scripture is attributed to Bhagat Kabir in Sorath Raga, which states that he cannot keep praying to God if he continues to keep him hungry, he then lists foods he desires to eat.
[1] Other examples of dark humour displayed by Guru Gobind Singh involve incidents relating to Pundit Kesho failing to summon the goddess Durga, with Guru Gobind Singh taking out a sword eventually and stating that the sword itself is the goddess of power.
[1] Another example is when Guru Gobind Singh requested a volunteer for a human sacrifice from amidst his gathered congregates, to see if they anyone would be willing to go above and beyond recitation of hymns and scriptural reading.
[2] However, another story claims that Guru Gobind Singh encouraged members of the Khalsa to humour others and make them guffaw.
[2] Guru Gobind Singh taught the Khalsa to use humour when meeting with crowds of commoners to create a positive atmosphere.
[1] These outnumbered Sikhs took their wide, white chaddars (sheets) and spread them over nearby bushes to make them look like tents when viewed from far away.
[1] Then, they began shouting the Sat Sri Akal jaikara (battle cry) for intervals spaced-out by 15 minutes.
[1] Khalsa Bole, a unique lect spoken by Nihang Sikhs, contains many humorous examples of vocabulary filled with irony.
[10] One story involves a Sikh taxi driver being exposed to sardarji jokes during a trip by his young customers.
[13] Critics have argued that banning these kind of jokes violates freedom of speech, as protected in the Indian constitution.
There are also references to humour to be found in the Dasam Granth, whose authorship is traditionally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh, some examples are as follows:[2]
ਦਾਮਨੀ ਪ੍ਰਹਾਸਨਿ ਸੁ ਛਬਿ ਨਿਵਾਸਨਿ ਸ੍ਰਿਸਟਿ ਪ੍ਰਕਾਸਨਿ ਗੂੜ੍ਹ ਗਤੇ ॥ You laugh thunderously like lightning, are a denizen of a splendid dwelling, illuminator to the Universe and possessor of profound doctrine.