Unique Form Vs. Universality

Shanti Kaur shares her ideas about the Universality of Sikhism and the specific discipline of the Rehit given by Guru Gobind Singh. Are Sikhs who keep the Rehit better than ones that don’t? Are they better Sikhs? If Guru Nanak was against forms and rituals does that contradict that Guru Gobind Singh created a form for the Khalsa?

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6 Responses to “Unique Form Vs. Universality”

1. Happy says:

   February 10, 2009 at 9:42 pm

   Waheguruji Ka Kahlsa, Waheguruji Ki Fateh.

    Very well spoken by Shanti Kaur. I too have had this question lingering in myself for such a long period, many years infact, but was too scared to question anybody, i too wondered that Guru Nanak spent all is life to make everything UNIVERSAL, no caste, no color , no creed, no hindus, no muslim, no holy thread, no rituals, no nothing…just to be with the ONE.  With Guru Gobind Singh we gained another identity, we received our 5 Ks, our Bana, we became SINGHS , KAURS and take AMRIT to become KHALSAS. I am so sorry to have these doubts sometimes, but it was Guru Nanak who turned down the Hindu thread tying ceremnony, and here we get Baptized while taking Amrit , then how can one ritual be better or truer than the other.
    
   Live and let Live is probably the best philosiphy, contradictions and questions will always exist in religion, i am not trying to say what is right and what is wrong, because i beleive there is nothing right and there is nothing wrong, being a good person a good human is better that being a religious person.

     Thanks for the video, however there will never be an answer good enough to satisfy all queries. 
        Sat Sri Akalji,

   HAPPY

2. Singh says:

   February 10, 2009 at 10:55 pm

   Wjkk Wjkf i think phenjis view are amazing and i feel its the first time iv heard about a person talkin on rehatnamas and etc. she very learned person respect phenji for tht

3. Singh says:

   February 11, 2009 at 12:30 am

   Waheguru ji da Khalsa, Waheguru ji di Fateh !!!

   Shanti kaur ji spoke truth, i just wanted to elaborate this a bit. 

   Our present guru Sri Guru  Granth Sahib Ji has the answers of everything in it, its only that sometimes we can’t translate our gurbani into what it really says.
   Because at occasions, it  gives contradictions to explain us the right thing, as an example, we say that addiction is prohibited in sikhism of any kind, but just to elaborate this Guru Nanak Dev Ji said that if you want to get addicted, get addicted to the name of God. What addiction really means, to get used to something that pleases us, so instead of being addicted to something that harms our body and makes our brain insane, get addicted to “naam” that heals our body and joins us with God. 

   Similarly, a person who truly belives in one Waheguru doesn’t care about anything else (the way he/she looks, the way he/she dresses) apart from “naam”, the name of Waheguru. But just to maintain our saperate identity, Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave us “5 kakaars – kesh, kangha, kacha, kara, & kirpan” so that people from other religions doesn’t get mixed with Guru Gobind Singh Ji’s sikhs and  betray them. As there always had plans from other religions to potray sikhs as a part of their religion and kill sikhism, as was happing in india at that time till today. We can depict this from the fact that inspite of such a truthful “gurbani” present in coutry like india, still other people didn’t accepted it, as “brahmins”  just wanted common people to remain stick to their own false traditional ways and superstitions, calling their religion superior over our guru ji’s thoughts and disgracing them; just to loot ignorant people.

   So in order to make the unique identity, Guru Gobind Singh Ji baptised us with “Amrit”.  And asked to keep the “5 Kakaars”,  learning their meaning at the same time, and their meaning didn’t contradicted any of our older Guru ji’s thoughts :

   Kesh – Keep the apperance as God has given to us. Don’t alter with God’s creation. As only what God does is right, and if God has given us long hairs and beard, keep them the way it is.

   Kangha – The Comb, we have to keep our hairs properly. Not like other worldy Non-Sadhu’s, who though keep long hairs but don’t wash or comb them, rendering their hairs to get messed up. As there’s still a tradition in india to call such people as “jataa-dhari sadhu’s” and people from other religions blindly believe them as true sadhus or holy men.

   Also we have to cover them up with a turban, as turban is a symbol of dignity.

   Kacha – Symbol of preventing adultry among Guru ji’s Sikhs. As people might not be wearing underwear at that time( thats my own thoughts, sorry).

   Kara – Symbol reminding us that we don’t believe in any of the empty rituals and superstitions that are of no value to Sikhs and doesn’t relates to us in any way.

   Kirpan – For the protection of needy and helpless.

   And above all, he/she should only recite the name of Waheguru, and nothing else.

   These 5 Kakaars constitute a true “Amrit-dhari Sikh”, both from outside and inner soul.

   A Sikh is a Sikh not just of any one guru, but of our present guru – Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. Khalsa means pure, and only present guru ji’s sikh’s can be Khalsa.

   No matter how much physically strong one is, he can’t fight and die happily for the truth if he’s not joined with true lord, and our gurbani does that and bless us with the real strength, endurance and courage to make fight one sikh with “sava-lakh” and make such big sacrifices without any fear.

   A Sikh means learner and he keeps learning from Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji till the last day of his life, no-body can become complete, if sikh says that he is complete sikh then he’s the worth dust, so its just that a sikh meditate to be a better sikh every new day of his life.

   Sikhism believes in equality. So with the true sikhs, they don’t think themselves as superiors but vice-versa, they believe themselves as “nimaana” or “murakh” ie petty or fool person; just to let ego stay away from them.

   Thank you, i apologise for any mistakes i might have done, or have hurted anybody’s feelings, so please forgive me for that.

   Waheguru ji da Khalsa, Waheguru ji di fateh !!!

4. Ravinder Singh says:

   February 11, 2009 at 3:41 am

   These questions were in my mind over the course of the past few days and i have to say that you’ve answered them really well. It’s all very true… let’s not judge each other instead let’s love each other.

   I’m interested in the rehitnama related to Sehajdhari Sikh’s, do you know where i can find it?

   Thank you.

5. Jasbir Singh says:

   February 11, 2009 at 10:14 am

   Does anyone know what Yogi Bhajan has said about this topic?

6. satkirin kaur says:

   February 14, 2009 at 2:51 pm

   Satnam ji,
   I recently came across a comment from Siri Singh Sahib Yogu Bhajan about Jap Ji and Jaap Sahib.

   He said that they are the polarity of each other and balance each other. Jap Ji enables you to relate to your soul and Jaap Sahib assists you to relate to the world with mastery. 

   I do not have a quote of Yogu Ji but I did witness his guidence to many many people. All were accepted with love and all were carried to the feet of the Guru. Each person was unique and somehow the the same on the soul level. It was all about the “degrees of individual involvement” . The full form of the Amrit Dhari Sikh is a statement of the 100% involvement of that  person’s intention. No one can know the full extent of each individual’s  spiritual longing but themselves. If you can feed yourself spiritually, do the work and have the shining face that Guru Nanak promises us in the end of  Jap Ji Sahib with, then you will uplift and carry many others…which is the message of Guru Gobind Singh.

   In conclusion, Guru Nanak lovingly takes us to our soul identity and GGS gives us chardi Kala to deal with the negativity of the world and maya so we can maintain our spiritual identity through all.

   Much love,
   SatKirin Kaur Khalsa