Sikhism: Ask your questions

[Treks]

Only initiated Sikhs must keep the 5Ks. You can be initiated if and when you're ready. Some people never take that step, others take it immediately. But Sikhi is about being a Sant-Sipahi, a Saint-Soldier. The Saint part comes first - learning about Sikhi and Gurmat, living like a Sikh, and eventually you'll hopefully want to join the Khalsa army and it will be a natural progression.

Sikhs don't have to wear the 5Ks right away. I've been studying Sikhi on-and-off for 11 years and have been calling myself a Sikh for 6 of them, and I only have a kara.

 

[Huey09]

Only initiated Sikhs must keep the 5Ks. You can be initiated if and when you're ready. Some people never take that step, others take it immediately. But Sikhi is about being a Sant-Sipahi, a Saint-Soldier. The Saint part comes first - learning about Sikhi and Gurmat, living like a Sikh, and eventually you'll hopefully want to join the Khalsa army and it will be a natural progression.

Sikhs don't have to wear the 5Ks right away. I've been studying Sikhi on-and-off for 11 years and have been calling myself a Sikh for 6 of them, and I only have a kara.

I see that does take a bit off my mind since even though I've asked this question to odion before I'm just...I don't know how to put it but going into another religion fully is like getting married again(After I divorced Christianity) I feel like if I committed to a religion then found something I couldn't be adapt to and left I'd think I was insulting God or being hypocritical...Is that weird?:sad:

 

[Treks]

It's not weird, you're genuine in your search. Ultimately it doesn't matter what religion you follow as long as you're true to God. God never changes, only us and our religions do. As long as you're always genuine in your search and your practices then you're not insulting anyone or anything.

 

[Satnaam]

I know this might seem obvious but I like a lot of what I'm reading in Sikhism. I just don't know If I can keep the 5Ks I like to have stubble but not a full beard(Since my facial hair still grows uneven) and while I don't cut my hair I like having it out. So I guess I can't be Sikh huh?

The 5 K's are only for the Amritdhari Sikhs. The ones who have taken Amrit - undergone the initiation ceremony.

You can PERFECTLY be a Sikh and not wear the 5 K's. You will be known as a Sahejdhari Sikh. Sahejdhari means slow adopter, this means you will try to keep the 5K's one day in your life or try to make your children fully Sikh if you haven't been able too yourself. Historically, post 1699 not ALL Sikhs became Amritdhari and kept the 5 K's. The post about Red Cross includes the name of Bhai Ghanaiya, he was not an amritdhari. Another famous Sikh minister who saved thousands of Sikhs being persecuted in the 18th century wasn't amritdhari either, his name was Diwan Kaura Mal.

For time being, I think you should follow your heart and follow Sikhi without the 5 K's, try reading Japji Sahib and other Gurbani translations, don't be sad if you can't or don't wear the 5 K's, you being a Sikh or not is not for us to define, it is YOUR relationship with the Guru

Definition of a Sikh from Gurbani

One who calls himself a Sikh of the Guru, the True Guru, shall rise in the early morning hours and meditate on the Lord's Name.
Upon arising early in the morning, he is to bathe, and cleanse himself in the pool of nectar (by doing the following).
Following the Instructions of the Guru, he is to chant the Name of the Lord, Har, Har. All sins, misdeeds and negativity shall be erased.
Then, at the rising of the sun, he is to sing Gurbani; whether sitting down or standing up, he is to meditate on the Lord's Name.
One who meditates on my Lord, Har, Har, with every breath and every morsel of food - that GurSikh becomes pleasing to the Guru's Mind.
That person, unto whom my Lord and Master is kind and compassionate - upon that GurSikh, the Guru's Teachings are bestowed.
Servant Nanak begs for the dust of the feet of that GurSikh, who himself chants the Naam, and inspires others to chant it. - Guru Raam Das, Guru Granth Sahib

 

[Knight of Albion]

Sikhi is highly critical of sacrificing animals in the name of God or any deity.

Bhagat Kabeer writes the following (adressing an Islamic priest who sacrificed an animal in the name of Allah, but this applies to any kind of sacrifice):

You seize a living creature, and then bring it home and kill its body; you have killed only the clay. The light of the soul passes into another form. So tell me, what have you killed? And what good are your purifications? Why do you bother to wash your face? And why do you bother to bow your head in the mosque? Your heart is full of hypocrisy; what good are your prayers or your pilgrimage to Mecca? You are impure; you do not understand the Pure Lord. You do not know His Mystery. Says Kabeer, you have missed out on paradise; your mind is set on hell. (1350, Guru Granth Sahib).

Kabeer, they oppress living beings and kill them, and call it Halaal (justified in Allahs eyes). When the Lord calls for their account, what will their condition be? (199, Guru Granth Sahib)

Respecting all creatures is also a part of Sikhi:

Do not cause any being to suffer, and you shall go to your true home with honor. Guru Arjan Dev (322, Guru Granth Sahib).

Thank you for taking the time and trouble to answer my question.

I am happy to hear that there is compassion for animals in Sikhism.

 

[Knight of Albion]

PS: I would most certainly agree with the statement against sacrifice.

Animal sacrifice? To do not devil worshippers & satanists do the same? There is no place for it in religion.

God is a loving God, not a bloodthirsty monster!

The wise man knows that what God seeks is not a blood sacrifice, but a love sacrifice i.e. Service.

 

[Satnaam]

No thanks brother & lovely thoughts, 'love sacrifice i.e. Service'!

 

[Huey09]

I have another question, how does Sikhism view homosexuality? If this has already been answered a link to the answer would be good.

 

[GURSIKH]

I have another question, how does Sikhism view homosexuality? If this has already been answered a link to the answer would be good.

hi Huey
you can read following thread ..

http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/sikhism-dir/97983-homosexuality-sikhism.html

 

[Huey09]

hi Huey
you can read following thread ..

http://www.religiousforums.com/forum/sikhism-dir/97983-homosexuality-sikhism.html

thank you

 

[Chalant]

I live in India, and never understood why sikhs dont cut their hair. How does not cutting hair keep the body pure?

 

[chinu]

I live in India, and never understood why sikhs dont cut their hair. How does not cutting hair keep the body pure?

IMO,
There's not a single religion in this world who teaches one to acclimate the Body. Rather than Body, exercise of all religions is to acclimate the Mind which is said to be the barrier between Soul and God. Similarly Sikhism also teaches us to acclimate our Mind, rather than Body. Body has nothing to do with any spiritual progress.

During the ancient times, or during the time of tenth Guru the majority of man's do not use to cut their hairs because that was the common tradition among the people of that time, but some man's of that time started cutting their hairs in order to attract woman's which was against the rules of gurbani, Gurbani says that one should control lust, whereas cutting hairs and attracting woman became the reason to boost up lust. Thus.. keeping this thing in mind tenth guru passed on the order to keep hairs in order to be a true Sikh.

But now days mostly people use to cut their hairs and the common tradition among the people is very different as compare to ancient time. Thus, cutting hairs cannot be considered the reason of boosting up lust now days because majority of people cut their hairs now days.

Well, the main motive behind "keeping of hairs" was to make people to accept the simplicity or a simple life which is away from the whims of lust in order to follow gurbani, But now days people have loosed the real teaching of gurbani and have searched the new ways of being looking attractive, some people tie colourful ribbons on their turbans, Some wear heavy gold chains with religious signs etc.. whereas as gurbani says us to follow simplicity.

People lost the true Sikhism, Now days.

 

[Satnaam]

In Sikhi, one is thought to Accept the Hukam (Will of God/its Nature). Keeping your body unadultered is a sign of showing respect to Gods creation. Therefore keeping body hair untrimmed and not circumcising etc are a part of the Sikh faith.

You can decorate your turban, nothing wrong with it. Simplicity is valued, but what matters even more is the inner simplicity. An incident from the Gurus lives to illustrate this:

Once a Maratha saint, Samarth Ramdas During his rambles in Northern India, Samarth Ramdas met Guru Hargobind at Srinagar in about 1634. Fully armed and riding a horse, the Guru had just returned from an excursion.

"I had heard that you occupied the Gaddi of Guru Nanak", said Swami Ramdas.

"Guru Nanak was a Tyagi sadhu - a saint who had renounced the world. You are wearing arms and keeping an army and horses. You allow yourself to be addressed as Sacha Patshah, the True King. What sort of a sadhu are you?" asked the Maratha saint.

Guru Hargobind replied, "Internally a hermit, and externally a prince. Arms mean protection to the poor and destruction of the tyrant. Baba Nanak had not renounced the world but had renounced Maya, i.e. self and ego:

"batan faquiri, zahir amiri

shastar garib ki rakhya, jarwan ki bhakhiya

Baba Nanak sansar nahi tyagya, Maya tyagi thi."

These words of Guru Hargobind found a ready response in the heart of Samartha Swami Ramdas who, as quoted in Pothi Panjak Sakhian, spontaneously said, "this appealeth to my mind - Yeh hamare man bhavti hai".

This Samrath Ramdas lateron went to be the tuitor of Shivaji Maratha, perhaps this incident may have changed his mind.

 

[GURSIKH]

"Kesh -Uncut hair" gave Saint-Soldier identity to Khalsa ,

Gurus/Prophets /Saadhus/Rishis all kept kesh , Jesus for example is normally depicted with long hairs and Krishna is frequently refered as "Keshav-one with long unshorn hair "in Gita .


Guru sahib also gave name "Singh " meaning "A Lion" to Khalsa that provide a fierce ,Warrrior identity .

 

[chinu]

You can decorate your turban, nothing wrong with it. Simplicity is valued, but what matters even more is the inner simplicity. An incident from the Gurus lives to illustrate this

Firstly, this incident doesn't pass on the message that its ok to Decorate the turban. Yes, it pass on the message to wear arms and keep horses for the sake of defence, or self defence. There's a big difference between "Decorating-something" and "Just-being-ready" for the sake of defence, or self-defence.

Secondly, this incident also indicates that it was Guru Sahib's helplessness for that time to wear arms and keep horses for the sake of defence, or self-defence, rather than any hobby to do so.

Thirdly, Satnaam ji, "Decorating" is the wrong word that you have used here, I think the word used here should be "Making-attractive" rather than "Decorating", Today's Sikh is not decorating their turbans they are just making it attractive.

I hope you might be aware of the song sung by "Delar-Mehandi"
Lyric; Ve main dardi rab rab kardi, loki kehende chui-mui, chui-mui, chui-mui.

In this song Delar-Mehandi ji has decorated, or in true words has made his turban a very attractive, and is running towards a women in that song by calling her chui-mui, chui-mui, chui-mui. And he's also teaching other turban-wearers to do so.

Is this Sikhism taught by Guru-Sahiban's ? I ask

 

[Satnaam]

The incident (also) talks about Guru Sahib being 'royal' (sacha patshah), that does include wearing good clothes etc like a King, other accounts of the incident go deeper into that. And Daler Mehndi is just a joker, I meant there is nothing wrong in wanting to make your dastar look good especially when working in professional fields. But at the end of the day its not how good your dastar is tied that matters but your actions. Bhagat Puran Singh wrapped their turban around perhaps in less than a few minutes but spent other time in serving people, blessed are such people.

Guru Sahib weren't helpless, we have always been taught to be tyar bar tyar. Guru Angad Sahib set up wrestling arenas, Guru Nanak Sahib taught shaster vidya to Baba Buddha (also carried shasters, such as sottas and even swords). Saying Gurus were 'helpless' is rather insulting to me. Lets not divert the topic though, you can start another topic if you feel that the Miri side of Sikhi was just out of helplessness and only teached by latter Gurus (6th and/or 10th)

Your original explanation doesn't make sense either

but some man's of that time started cutting their hairs in order to attract woman's which was against the rules of gurbani, Gurbani says that one should control lust, whereas cutting hairs and attracting woman became the reason to boost up lust. Thus.. keeping this thing in mind tenth guru passed on the order to keep hairs in order to be a true Sikh.

What? Where do you get that from? Stop thinking that because men cut hair to impress women now it happened in 1699 too. This 'fashion' changes, centuries back overweight women were attractive now its skinny, it might change in ten years.

The tenth Guru passed order to keep hair uncut? The other Gurus did not?

 

[chinu]

The incident (also) talks about Guru Sahib being 'royal' (sacha patshah), that does include wearing good clothes etc like a King, other accounts of the incident go deeper into that. And Daler Mehndi is just a joker, I meant there is nothing wrong in wanting to make your dastar look good especially when working in professional fields. But at the end of the day its not how good your dastar is tied that matters but your actions. Bhagat Puran Singh wrapped their turban around perhaps in less than a few minutes but spent other time in serving people, blessed are such people.

Guru Sahib weren't helpless, we have always been taught to be tyar bar tyar. Guru Angad Sahib set up wrestling arenas, Guru Nanak Sahib taught shaster vidya to Baba Buddha (also carried shasters, such as sottas and even swords). Saying Gurus were 'helpless' is rather insulting to me. Lets not divert the topic though, you can start another topic if you feel that the Miri side of Sikhi was just out of helplessness and only teached by latter Gurus (6th and/or 10th)

Your original explanation doesn't make sense either



What? Where do you get that from? Stop thinking that because men cut hair to impress women now it happened in 1699 too. This 'fashion' changes, centuries back overweight women were attractive now its skinny, it might change in ten years.

The tenth Guru passed order to keep hair uncut? The other Gurus did not?

Thank you

 

[Poeticus]

My favorite Sikh is Shri Mahatma Guru Gobind Singh. Every one of us should be like Shri Mahatma Guru Gobind Singh in some way, especially if we want to do good to our respective Dharma-s. He shed his own blood for the defense of Dharma even after having seen his children killed in the battlefield - no matter how many people for whom he was shedding his blood had ungratefully forsaken him, he continued to fight for Dharma - he was a mighty lion - he will always be an ideal to be sought and inspired by before us always.

 

[ohhcuppycakee]

I have been going to gurdwara for a long time. There is a part after the kirtan and before the prasad when Bhai Sahab stands up (as does everyone else) and starts saying something in Punjabi. Something like "Sat naam sri waheguru..." I need the English translation and Punjabi transliteration.

 

[Treks]

Ji

They are saying 'ardaas' (also spelled 'ardas') which is a special prayer. I get some links when Im at a PC but in the meantime you can Google it.

Ardaas starts by remembering God and the Gurus and then there are several passages about remembering Sikh history, then a reminder of our blessings and some current issues, a spot for whatever else the individal or sangat wants to pray for, blessing on langar and karah prashad and for all beings.

OK links:
Here's some really good comprehensive info abour ardaas, roman text and English translation: http://www.wahegurunet.com/sikh-ardas
Here's ardaas in Gurmukhi script

You can also find some Youtube clips to listen and read along.