AMRIT REHAT AND KHALSA PANTH
Question 1:
Is it necessary to
partake of Amrit? If we do not, who are we, Khalsa or what?
(i) Yes,
for becoming a Sikh, a member of the Khalsa Panth, one has to partake of
Amrit.The question is answered in detail in Chapter III. Briefly, it may
be restated here that to enter any political party or a religion one has to
enter any political party or religion one has to undergo a ceremony. For
being a member of a party or school, one has to fill a form and sign itas
a token of accepting its principles and discipline. Similarly, for being a
member of a faith,there is a religious ceremony, Sunnat for a Muslim,
Janju (sacred thread) for a Hindu, baptism fora Christian and Amrit for a
Sikh.
In this aspect Sikhs are no way different
from other major faiths. Even
Guru Gobind Rai himself took Amrit and became the first member of the
Khalsa Panth admitted by the Panj Pyaras. If Amrit is a requirement for
every Sikh to join the Panth.Anyone who wants to be a member of the Sikh
Panth has to partake of Amrit and abideby the code of conduct (Rehat) told
at that time.
(ii) The Khalsa Panth has, however, no franchise on Gurbani
or Gurmat, the Sikh way oflife. Anyone, a Hindu, a Muslim or a member of
any other faith or none, can read, practice and take advantage of Gurbani.
One can live his/her life accordingly without being a formal memberof the
Panth (without partaking of Amrit).To give an example, one can be a very
good player without being a member of anyteam. One may not be a formal
member of the Panth but may be living the model life of adevotee mentioned
in the Guru Granth Sahib. Goodness and holiness are not reserved for
theAmritdhari people only. A Muslim, a Hindu or a Sehjdhari too, may be a
good and a holy person.
Being holy and good,
however, does not mean that a person becomes a member of the
Panth.
(iii) There is another aspect of this question as
well.
A
person looking like a Sikh, knowing Gurbani and keeping long hair covered
with turban, may not be a SikhThe head of the Radha Swami and some of his
followers may be mistaken for a Sikh which they are not.They declare themselves
to be Rhada Swmai (not Sikhs). Similar is the case with false Nirankaris (who look like
Sikhs but disclaim to be Sikh) and Communists (who do not believe in God
and claim not to belong to any religion).Any person can claim to be a Sikh
and follow the Rehat to the extent one can, provide done believes in the
ten Gurus, the Guru Granth and the Amrit ceremony started by Guru
GobindSingh. Anyone who becomes a Sikh cannot practice any other faith,
may it be Hinduism,Christianity, Yoga, or the recent groups including
Radha Swamis, false Nirankaris or Communists. For being identified as a
formal member of the Panth taking Amrit is an essential requirement.Before
taking Amrit, one may be of any faith (Hindu, Muslim, etc.) or of none.
One may be a child of a Sikh or a Sehjdhari. Sehjdhari is one who believes
only in the Sikh faith but hasnot become its formal member, that is, one
who is on one’s way to take Amrit. For example, a medical student is a
student-doctor but not a doctor until he gets through the
graduation ceremony. A Sehjdhari is a student Sikh, who is living like a
Sikh. A Sejhdhari is expected to partake of Amrit as and when an Amrit
ceremony is available to him.
Question 2:
Is it necessary
for a Sikh to take Amrit? If we don't take Amrit can we still be
considered close to the Guru Ji?
Yes, to be a Sikh one has to join the
Sikh Panth, and for this, as stated above, one isrequired to go through
the Amrit ceremony. It is a promise made voluntarily, willingly
andsincerely in the presence of the Panj Pyaras, to live the life of a
Sikh. The person is told aboutthe Do’s and Don’ts to be observed by an
Amritdhari Sikh.Taking Amrit means making a public promise to join the
Khalsa Panth, to live a right kindof virtuous life of sewa-Simran and
remain free from vices. If one wants to benefit from beingclose to the
Guru, one must obey the command of the Guru and then why should one
hesitate totake Amrit? Some persons are reluctant to take Amrit because it
means commitment to reciteGurbani regularly, live according to its
directions, and not to do wrong actions. It
should be made clear that one cannot, on his own, declare himself to be a
Sikh, a Muslim, a Hindu or a Christian. Every faith has an
obligatory ceremony for a child (see answer to Question #1 above) to enter
the faith of his/her parents. Having been born in a faith, one does not
automatically become a member of the faith. In the Sikh faith, the
ceremony is performed when one can practice the ceremony is performed when
one can practice the faith and can read Gurbani to understand and follow
it. As a matter of principle, one born in a Sikh family is expected to
take Amrit anytime before marriage, which is to be performed according to
Sikh rites.If a Christian, a Muslim, or a Hindu keeps long hair, does not
smoke or drink, reads Gurbani and gives contributions to a Gurdwara, he
cannot on his own declare himself to be a Sikh, a member of the Panth. To
join the Panth, he or she has to take Amrit. A best player cannot himself
claim to be a member of a team unless he joins the team and wears the
uniform of the team.
How to be close to the
Guru?
Guru is a spiritual
light to guide all seekers to the holy panth. No one has a franchise on
the Guru or God. Everyone, whatever his faith, may be close to the Guru to
the extent one desires to be. It is not the physical closeness which
matters; it actually means how much you listen to the Guru and how much you
obey him. The two sons of Guru Nanak Dev were, of course, physically very
close to the Guru but did not listen to him, hence they were spiritually
away from him. Bhai Lehna Jee, a devotee of a Hindu goddess, became
a disciple of the Guru. He listened to the Guru and obeyed him; as a result
he became the Guru himself.Gurbani; the living spirit of the Gurus, is with
us. To be close to the Gurus, we may recite it, listen to it and follow it.
This is the way to be in touch with the Gurus and enjoy their sermons.
Question 3:
What is the next step after you partake of
Amrit?
This is a very interesting question. Obviously, when one
partakes of Amrit he/she becomes a member of the Khalsa and promises to
live his/her life according to the Khalsa Rehat. There are some
misunderstandings about “What is Amrit? What does it mean to be an
Amritdhari?” It needs to be explained here.Amrit is an ancient word used
in different forms all over the world but means the samething, some holy
liquid the drinking of which keeps death away. Hindu gods are supposed
tohave taken it and that is why they are to “live” forever. Guru Nanak
says this is simply a myth.There is no other Amrit except God’s Name.
Actually those people (their souls) should beconsidered alive who drink
God’s Name (love God and always keep Him in their mind). Thosewho ignore
Father God, they (their souls) should be considered dead. ((Guru Granth
Sahib)Page 9)In the concluding hymn of the Guru Granth Sahib, Guru Arjan
Dev tells us that the wholeof Gurbani is Amrit, God’s Name. ((Guru Granth
Sahib) Page 1429) What we call “partaking of Amrit” is actually “partaking
of Khanda Bata Paul”. Theceremony includes making a devotee take the
sanctified water and say Waheguru, God’s Nameadopted by the Sikhs. A Sikh
is told to read Gurbani regularly and love God (Naam Simran).There is a
code of conduct an Amritdhari is required to follow. It helps him to live
an honest, humble and virtuous life. It is a good moral life which a Sikh
enjoys. He keeps away fromunsocial acts and vices. Thus the “next step”
after one partakes of Amrit is to enjoy living anupright and truthful
life, and also keeps away from immoral and wrong paths. (For details of
do’sand don’ts for a Sikh, please see Sikhism, A Universal Message
published by the Canadian SikhStudy and Teaching Society, Vancouver,
Canada, or Sikh Rehat Maryada published by Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandak
Committee Amritsar).
Question 4:
I am very unsure of why
growing hair is a must for a Sikh. Is there any special motive behind it or
is it an order? Is it a breach of faith to have short hair?What part
do the five Kakaars play in our life?
(i) The answer is given in Chapter
III (questions 9-13). Briefly it may be stated thatmaintaining uncut hair
is a part of the 5K uniform of a Sikh who is required to keep these
articlesof faith as a symbol of his/her identity, and his/her mission in
life.If a religion involved only individual concerns, one would need no
form or ceremonies.Sikhism is a mission which requires one to be a noble
person and work together as an organization to serve people. For
maintaining discipline and spirit of service, called esprit decorps, use
of such devices as flags, drills, and uniforms among the members of an
organization like the army, police and scouts, has been in common use for a
long time.Guru Gobind Singh, in founding the Khalsa, the Sikh Panth,
required the 5K uniform tobe worn by every member of the Khalsa, Akal
Purkh ki Fauj, the Legions of the Lord.Sometimes it is said Kesh (hair)
are natural and they preserve energy. Kirpan helps to protect us from bad
people. These answers are intellectual explanations to justify the utility
of the 5K’s. Such answers are not the basic reasons to wear the 5K uniform.
They may be calledadvantages or benefits of keeping them. We wear clothes
as a matter of our good culture. Theyhave the additional advantage of
protecting us form weather. Even when we have the bestweather and we don't
need to wear clothes, still we wear some clothes as a social
requirement.Similarly, wearing the 5K uniform is a religious requirement
for a Sikh, a member of the Khalsa Panth. Of course, like clothes, they
have other benefits too.
(ii) By not keeping uncut hair, one discards the
discipline of the Khalsa code and loses one’s right to claim one’s
membership in the Panth. In the same way, someone who takes off theteam
uniform can no longer play as a member of the team, even though he
continues to be agood player.
(iii) The 5K uniform is a requirement for a
member of the Khalsa Panth, just as every member of a team has to wear the
uniform prescribed for the team. The uniform provides identity, unity, and
motivation for the members in achieving the mission of the team. The
5K’shave the same significance for the members of the Khalsa Panth.
Question 5:
During social parties and celebrations, is
drinking alcohol in small amounts allowed?
The answer in NO. For
details see chapter II question 5.
Question 6:
Can an
Amritdhari, (i)wear earrings, (ii)eat meat? Why don't we do the full Rehras at the Samelan (Johor
Bahru, Malaysia, 1994 meet)?
(a) (i) The answer is NO. According to
the Rehat Maryada, a Sikh is not permitted topierce his/her ears.
Therefore, a Sikh is welcome to wear jewelry which does not require
piercing of the ear, nose, lip or any other part of the body. According to
an old custom, a guru, to accept and identify his chela or disciple would
put an earring in his ear. An Amritdhari is not a chela of any individual
guru, sant, or a member of any group; therefore, he/she does not need to
pierce the ear and wear earrings to identify with that individual or
group. Today, it has become a fashion or rather a fad. Once in a while we
may see a person with as many as seven holes in the ear, and even with
pierced lips and navels. See also chapter III question 11.
(ii) Eating
meat should not be an issue for a Sikh. Discussing the question of eating
or not eating meat is futile. One does not know where the sin lies. Here
is a quotation from Gurbani.((Guru Granth Sahib) Page 1289) For details
see chapter III question 2.
(b) We do full Rehras at the Samelan. We do
not add anything on our own to it to makeit longer than that constituted
by the Guru and there by make people believe it to be better. Any addition
on our own does not make Rehras more correct, rather it breaks the
uniformity of our prayers. For details regarding when and why additions to
the Rehras were made out of ignorance, see Chapter II question 8.
Question 7:
“Rehat pyari mujh ko, sikh pyara nah”. What does
this mean?
The statement stresses the need of living like a Sikh and
following the Sikh code of conduct sincerely, and not just appearing as a
Sikh outwardly.In English, they say: “Handsome is what handsome does”. One
is valued for what one does and how one behaves. If one appears good but
does not do good, that person is not to be considered good.The Guru says
that one is loved by him not because one looks like a Sikh but because one
lives a good moral life as desired by the Sikh Rehat.We use this statement
to motivate Sikhs to practice Rehat to love God, to recite Gurbani,to live
honestly, to share one’s earnings and to wish well for all humanity. Doing
all this, one also feels self-esteem in maintaining the 5K uniform of a
Sikh. If any Sikh is found ignoring this kind of life, he is reminded of
duties and requirements of a Sikh by repeating the above statement. A Sikh
is made to feel that it is the character and virtues of a Sikh which makes
him acceptable tothe Guru and also acceptable to God.
Question 8:
Guru Nanak said to the Brahman, “Will this thread
make me a better person?” I ask now about the 5K’s “Will they make me a
better person?”
The answer is very simple. Can
one become a policeman by wearing the uniform of a policeman? Is a
policeman permitted to perform his duty without wearing the
uniform?We all know one does not become a policeman by wearing
the uniform, yet a policeman has to wear his uniform to reveal his identity
and explain his mission. Just wearing the 5K’s willmake no difference if
the person has no commitment for the faith. However, a faithful person
hasto wear the 5K’s to reveal his identity and his mission (as mentioned
in Rehat Maryada).Guru Nanak said that it is the spirit and honesty with
which you perform an action that matters.
A Sikh has to commit himself to a
certain prescribed way of life and honesty to follow it.Guru says such a
person will be saved. If a person puts on Janju or keeps long hair or
anythingelse just to show that he is a faithful person but actually he
does not have any commitment forthe faith, it will not make him a better
person.The Brahmans performed the ceremony to get money from the people
for their services,and were not concerned about advising them of the path
of truth. Further, the Brahman was getting donations from the people in the
name of their dead parents. They were told that their ancestors would be
benefited by every thing given to the Brahmans. Unfortunately some
Sikhs under that old custom now treat Sikh preachers as Brahmans and give
donations to them (or tothe Gurdwara) with a wrong hope that it will
benefit their ancestors. This in not endorsed by Gurbani.Wearing a thread
and giving money to the Brahman has such no virtue. Similarly just putting
on the 5K’s and giving money to the Sikh priest has no virtue. However a
Sikh, being a Policeman for Peace (Akal Purkh Ki Fauj), is to follow a
virtuous life and to put on the uniform for the reasons a policeman or a
player wears his uniform. Even the best players have to put on the uniform
prescribed for the team to play as a member of the team. To be a member of
the Panth, a Sikh, while living the right kind of life, has also to put on
the 5K uniform.Also see the answers to Questions 1,4,7,9 of this chapter.
Question 9:
In which line in the Sri Guru Granth Sahib is
it written that we must wear six to sevenyards of turban?
(i) The
answer to the question can best be understood by bringing another question
to our mind, “On which page in the book “Rules of the Hockey Game”, is the
uniform of a hockey team described?” All of us know the answer is
“nowhere”. It describes only the rules and regulations of the hockey game
and is not expected to prescribe the uniforms of the teams who want to
play the game. That choice, we know, lies with the organizers of the
team.Sri Guru Granth describes the mission of human life and teaches us
how to achieve that.Anyone and everyone, of whatever faith one may be, is
welcome to take advantage of thedirections and guidance for leading one’s
life on the path described in Sri Guru Granth Sahib.In 1699 Guru Gobind
Rai founded, Khalsa Panth, a “team” of the Sikhs under the“captainship” of
the Panj Pyaras and ordered them to wear the 5K uniform, which includes
thewearing of the turban to cover one’s head. One has a choice to be a
member of the Sikh Panth or not. If one chooses to be a member, uncut hair
and turban come with the choice.Wearing a turban is not the invention of
the Guru; this kind of practice is as old as thewritten history of Old
Testament mentions the requirement of tying turbans by the priests.
“Oncethey enter the gates of the inner Court, they are to wear linen
vestments, they shall wear linenturban and linen drawers on their loins.”
Old Test. Ezekiel 44:18-19. Even in the West, in theso-called advanced
culture which does not always respect traditional values, a bride at the
timeof her marriage still feels honored to cover her head and face by a
veil. The requirement ofcovering one’s head is not peculiar to Sikh faith;
it is an old worldwide culture of the civilizedpeople. (ii) Gurbani is
concerned only with describing the mission of human life and guiding
thefollowers to achieve that goal. It enlightens the holy path for all of
humanity and tells us how to follow it. It teaches us how to take advantage
of the jpgt of human life and enjoy it. In simplewords, Gurbani, the
sacred scripture, guides all human beings to identify with their Lord
(Fatherand Mother of all people) and thus help them to fulfill themselves
by loving Her/him. Gurbani guides all of us, not just Sikhs alone, for this
union.We, Sikhs, have been designated as the Akal Purkh ki Fauj and were
given our 5Kuniform including the turban. We wear it not just because we
believe in Gurbani (non-Sikhs, also believe in the teachings of the Guru
Granth. See Sikhism: A Universal Faith, pages 37-39) butbecause we are all
members of the Khalsa Panth whose membership requires both males
andfemales to keep their heads covered.Sikhs wear shirts, pants and other
clothes, not because it is written in the Sri Guru Granth, but because it
is part of the culture of civilized human beings. They wear turbans and
maintain the 5K’s, not because it is mentioned in Guru Granth Sahib but
because it is a requirement for members of the Panth.Police, army, and
sportsmen all have their uniform to identify and remind them of
theirmission. They enjoy wearing their uniform. Similarly Sikh enjoy wearing the 5K’s, which includes
the turban as their identity and honor. It reminds them of their
mission.
Question 10:
“A man with a bottle in
hand might be better than another with a Bible in his hand” I express that
inner sincerity is much more important than external hypocrisy.
Holding
a Bible in hand does not make one a priest or a holy person and neither
doesholding a bottle mean one is an alcoholic. The statement more often
used as a phrase meaninghypocrisy is bad, and it is worse if practiced by
the people claiming to be religious persons. Thismeaning is understandable
and acceptable. The message that one should be sincerely whatone appears
to be, is very emphatically mentioned in this statement.However, this
phrase cannot be and should not be used to justify drinking by those
whoclaim to be sincere and otherwise good in their hart. It is not okay for nice people to
lovebottles.Sikhs are specifically prohibited from drinking alcohol (See
Chapter II Question 5).Unfortunately, more often the wrong conclusion is
drawn from this statement: that drinking is not a bad thing provided one
is sincere on the inside. Many people who believe this actually cheat
themselves. They usually acquire the habit of drinking regularly agree
that they got into that habit for the fun of it and now find it difficult
to stop.If we analyze the statement as such, the conclusion we arrive at
is that “inner sincerity ismore important than external hypocrisy”.
Everyone would agree to its correctness. If one wants to understand from
this statement that “a man with a bottle is not wrong”, he is heading for
trouble. It includes a basically incorrect assumption that men with
bottles are good peoplebecause they are the same inside and outside while
those with the Bible are cheats because they are bad in their hearts while
appearing to be holy. Faking is bad wherever it is. Any person including a
holy man who is fake is wrong. This is accepted by everyone. The other part
of the assumption that alcoholics are good people isalso wrong. Alcoholics
cannot help drinking and losing control of their senses. Drinking is a
vice,hence, good people avoid it.At the same time we cannot say that all
those who drink are bad people. This is not theonly habit by which one
should be judged. Alcoholism is now mentioned as a disease whichtakes over
some people. The best policy is to keep away from the bottle and to remain
free from risk of disease.
Question 11:
How can you make
someone who smokes and drinks to stop and take Amrit?
Let us presume
there are two persons, Me and U, and the latter smokes. Here is howGurbani
guides us: The English phrase says, “Physician, heal thy self.” We people
are not saints; every oneof us has some shortcomings. When we see some
weakness in others, we think they are “bad”people. Every one of us has
some shortcomings. However, usually each one of us claims to be a“good”
person and others to be “bad” persons. Gurbani tells us not to be caught
in this net of ego. We know that Mr. U smokes and Mr. Me does not smoke.
May be Mr. U is very humble and helpful to the people, while Mr. Me is
haughty and has little regard for others. Each will go on calling the
other person “bad” or “wrong”.The correct approach is that one tries to
live a right kind of life and radiate peace, humbleness, and sweetness
through his living to motivate others to practice a similar kind of
life.An actual situation will explain this. A clerk who was a heavy
smoker, was shifted to another office. He was welcomed to his new office
by his boss. “I am proud of you. You are very efficient and your writing
is very clean and neat. I am happy to have you with us. I know your wife
is not well. Whenever you have to do something at home, just go; you do
not need formal permission, just leave a note, and let me know if I can do
anything for you”.In response, the clerk, who usually argued with his
previous boss, became very respectful towards his new boss. He always said
“yes” to him. Further, he gave up smoking because he knew his boss, being
a Sikh, did not appreciate anybody smoking in the office.Every situation
needs a separate approach towards a smoker. The principle to be kept
inmind is that you should respect the personal identity of an individual.
If you are a friend of thesmoker, you may start like this, “I like you for
your good nature, affectionate behavior andcooperative nature. However, I
am not able to bear your smoking. I do not want my friend to lose his
health and waste his money in smoke...”Social psychology says if you are
in the company of smokers, you are very likely to startsmoking. In the
company of nonsmokers, a smoker will give up smoking to conform with
hispeers. The best thing one can do for a smoking friend is to provide him
with good company andkeep him away from the smokers. This will motivate
the person to give up smoking. The decisionhas to be made by him on his
own and is not to be forced on him by his friends.
Question 12:
What do you mean by ‘Raj Karega Khalsa Aki Reheh
Na Koi”? Who is going to do Raj?
This optimistic slogan, now sung in
Gurdwaras at the end of every function, was given tothe Sikhs during the
early 18th century. Indian rulers were the blood of the Sikhs. The
Sikhswanted to assure human rights for all people and to protect these
rights, if need be, with the useof their sword. The government wanted to
finish Sikhs totally and they made a law which provided rewards for those
who helped arrest or kill a Sikh. Anyone could kill a Sikh, chop off his
head and exchange it for about one year’s wages at the local police
station.The Sikhs were, therefore, obliged to leave their homes and live
in deserts, forests or hills where it was difficult for the army to locate
them. They lived in groups, jathas, so that they could jointly protect
themselves if they had to face the soldiers.During this period the Sikhs
coined the above rhyme to boost their morale and keep them in good
spirits. Later on during World War II, Churchill, the Prime Minister of
the United Kingdom, adopted this philosophy. When Germany was crushing
European defenses and bombing London, Churchill coined a slogan: “Victory
to the Allies.” To remind each other of this slogan, people posted V signs
everywhere. Also, whenever they met each other, they raised their
fore finger and middle finger to make a V sign to assure each other of
their victory. Finally,the Allies did win.Sikhs sung the slogan “The
Khalsa shall Rule”, to protect the human rights of the weak with the
support of God. They did achieve their mission before the end of the
century when in 1799 Ranjit Singh took over Lahore, the capital of Panjab,
and became the maharaja of the state. This slogan is our heritage, and a
part of our golden history. We, therefore, sing this rhyme after the
prayers at the end of a Gurdwara function or other religious functions.
The Sikhs shouldcontinue to do so in the future to remind them of their
glorious part and prosperous future.Only the three couplets were approved
by the Panth to be sung after the prayers as is the Maryada at the Akal
Takhat, Amritsar.They speak of Granth, Panth and their rule. Additional
rhymes dilute this philosophy andare therefore not to be sung along with
these three couplets after the prayer.
Question 13:
Why do
weapons play an important role in our religion? Is it not and act against
peace? What does the Khanda mean?
Wearing a weapon is an act of peace provided it is worn by people who are
entitled to do that. Every country has policemen
wearing weapons. They are for peace and not against peace.To stop
violence by armed thugs there is no other way but the use of weapons.
Hence, there is an old saying: ”If you want peace, be prepared for
war.”Sikhs are a nation who want peace for all, including the weak; they
need weapons to protect the rights of the helpless. Sikh history is filled
with Sikh sacrifices for protecting people from terrorism committed by
state authority and looting invaders. Hence, weapons play an important role
in their faith.Kirpan is a symbol of traditional weapons and is included
as one of the 5K’s to be wornby a Sikh.
(ii) The logo called Khanda is a
unique way of depicting two Kirpans, a chakar and a khanda as one
composition. As Khanda is the main central arm, with Kirpans placed around
it,the logo is also called Khanda. This is just placing the three popular
Sikh arms in an organized way. Any significance attached to any of the
three constituents of the logo is an intellectual invention to search for
an unneeded justification. Some persons say Chakar represents God because
like God, Chakar has no beginning and no end. This is an incorrect
interpretation of the logo. By usage, it has become a logo of the Sikh
nation, the way the Cross is accepted as a symbol of Christianity. Sikhs
want peace, if need be by the use of weapons, hence this logo of
traditional weapons put together in an artistic design.