H. Con. Res. 34
Agreed to April 6, 2005
One Hundred Ninth Congress
of the
United States of America
AT THE FIRST SESSION
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Tuesday,
the fourth day of January, two thousand and five
Concurrent Resolution
Whereas the Sikh faith was founded in the northern section of
the Republic of India in the 15th century by Guru Nanak, who
preached tolerance and equality for all humans;
Whereas the Sikh faith began with a simple message of truthful
living and the fundamental unity of humanity, all created by
one creator who manifests existence through every religion;
Whereas the Sikh faith reaches out to people of all faiths and
cultural backgrounds, encourages individuals to see beyond their
differences, and to work together for world peace and harmony;
Whereas Siri Singh Sahib Bhai Sahib Harbhajan Singh Khalsa
Yogiji, known as Yogi Bhajan to hundreds of thousands of people
worldwide, was born Harbhajan Singh Puri on August 26, 1929,
in India;
Whereas at age eight, Yogi Bhajan began yogic training, and eight
years later was proclaimed by his teacher to be a master of
Kundalini Yoga, which stimulates individual growth through
breath, yoga postures, sound, chanting, and meditation;
Whereas during the turmoil on the partition between Pakistan
and India in 1947, at the age of 18, Yogi Bhajan led his village
of 7,000 people 325 miles on foot to safety in New Delhi, India,
from what is now Lahore, Pakistan;
Whereas Yogi Bhajan, before emigrating to North America in 1968,
served the Government of India faithfully through both civil
and military service;
Whereas when Yogi Bhajan visited the United States in 1968,
he recognized immediately that the experience of higher con-
sciousness that many young people were attempting to find
through drugs could be alternatively achieved through Kundalini
Yoga, and in response, he began teaching Kundalini Yoga publicly,
thereby breaking the centuries-old tradition of secrecy sur-
rounding it;
Whereas in 1969, Yogi Bhajan founded ‘‘Healthy, Happy, Holy
Organization (3HO)’’, a nonprofit private educational and sci-
entific foundation dedicated to serving humanity, improving phys-
ical well-being, deepening spiritual awareness, and offering guid-
ance on nutrition and health, interpersonal relations, child
rearing, and human behavior;
Whereas under the direction and guidance of Yogi Bhajan, 3HO
expanded to 300 centers in 35 countries;
H. Con. Res. 34—2
Whereas in 1971, the president of the governing body of Sikh
Temples in India gave Yogi Bhajan the title of Siri Singh Sahib,
which made him the chief religious and administrative authority
for Sikhism in the Western Hemisphere, and subsequently the
Sikh seat of religious authority gave him responsibility to create
a Sikh ministry in the West;
Whereas in 1971, Sikh Dharma was legally incorporated in the
State of California and recognized as a tax-exempt religious
organization by the United States, and in 1972, Yogi Bhajan
founded the ashram Sikh Dharma in Espan˜ola, New Mexico;
Whereas in 1973, Yogi Bhajan founded ‘‘3HO SuperHealth’’, a
successful drug rehabilitation program that blends ancient yogic
wisdom of the East with modern technology of the West;
Whereas in June 1985, Yogi Bhajan established the first ‘‘Inter-
national Peace Prayer Day Celebrations’’ in New Mexico, which
still draws thousands of participants annually;
Whereas Yogi Bhajan traveled the world calling for world peace
and religious unity at meetings with leaders such as Pope Paul
VI; Pope John Paul II; His Holiness the Dalai Lama; the President
of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Mikhail
Gorbachev; and two Archbishops of Canterbury;
Whereas Yogi Bhajan wrote 30 books and inspired the publication
of 200 other books through his teachings, founded a drug
rehabilitation program, and inspired the founding of several
businesses;
Whereas Sikhs and students across the world testify that Yogi
Bhajan exhibited dignity, divinity, grace, commitment, courage,
kindness, compassion, tolerance, wisdom, and understanding;
Whereas Yogi Bhajan taught that in times of joy and sorrow mem-
bers of the community should come together and be at one with
each other; and
Whereas before his passing on October 6, 2004, Yogi Bhajan
requested that his passing be a time of celebration of his going
home: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concur-
ring), That the Congress—
(1) recognizes that the teachings of Yogi Bhajan about
Sikhism and yoga, and the businesses formed under his inspira-
tion, improved the personal, political, spiritual, and professional
relations between citizens of the United States and the citizens
of India;
(2) recognizes the legendary compassion, wisdom, kindness,
and courage of Yogi Bhajan, and his wealth of accomplishments
on behalf of the Sikh community; and
(3) extends its condolences to Inderjit Kaur, the wife of
Yogi Bhajan, his three children and five grandchildren, and
to Sikh and 3HO communities around the Nation and the
world upon the death on October 6, 2004, of Yogi Bhajan,
H. Con. Res. 34—3
an individual who was a wise teacher and mentor, an out-
standing pioneer, a champion of peace, and a compassionate
human being.
Attest:
Clerk of the House of Representatives.
Attest:
Secretary of the Senate.