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Sikhism
is the youngest among world religions founded by
Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji. It is barely 500 years old.
Sikhism is a practical religion. It does not consist
in a certain set of beliefs or mere words. Religion
does not imply wandering to shrines and tombs, or
following austerities of Yogis. Sikhism is a way
of life, something to be lived according to a pattern.
Its main virtue is simplicity. There is no supernaturalism
or mythology on which it rests. It does not believe
in devils or angels or heavenly spirits. |
| Sri
Guru Nanak Dev Ji was born in (1469-1539) Talwandi,
a village in Punjab of what is now Pakistan. The
first period of 38 years (1468-1506) covers his
childhood, education and family life, the second
period of 14 years (1507-1520) was utilized in his
missionary tours within India and abroad, the third
period of 18 years (1521-1539) was spent at Kartarpur,
teaching his disciples the Sikhs of life.
Sikhism
began with the preaching of Sri Guru Nanak Dev
Ji. He based his right to teach on his personal
experience of a Hukum (command) received from
God. Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji laid the basic principles
of Sikhism. Nine other Gurus followed him whom
all reinforced and added to what was taught by
the first Guru. In 1708, the Holy book of Sikhs,
the Sri Guru Grant Sahib Ji was proclaimed to
be the only Guru by the last Guru, Sri Guru Gobind
Singh Ji. It is the only book of a major religion,
which was written and authenticated by its founders.
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| THE
SUCCESSORS OF GURU NANAK |
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|
Name |
Birth |
Installation
as Guru |
Death |
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1
|
Guru
Nanak |
15.04.1469 |
---- |
22.09.1539 |
|
2
|
Guru
Angad |
31.03.1504 |
14.06.1539 |
29.03.1552 |
|
3
|
Guru
Amardas |
05.05.1479 |
29.03.1552 |
01.09.1574
|
|
4
|
Guru
Ramdas |
24.09.1534 |
01.09.1574 |
01.09.1581 |
|
5
|
Guru
Arjan Dev |
15.04.1563 |
01.09.1581 |
30.05.1606 |
|
6
|
Guru
Hargobind |
14.06.1595 |
25.05.1606 |
03.03.1644 |
|
7
|
Guru
Har Rai |
26.02.1631
|
08.03.1664 |
06.10.1661 |
|
8
|
Guru
Har Krishan |
07.07.1656 |
07.10.1661 |
30.03.1664 |
|
9
|
Guru
Teg Bahadur |
01.04.1621
|
20.03.1664 |
11.11.1675 |
|
10
|
Guru
Gobind Singh |
22.12.1666 |
11.11.1675 |
07.10.1708 |
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| The
scripture of the Sikhs is contained in a volume
of 1430 pages called Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji. It
is also referred to as the Adi Granth (first book).
It is Holy Bible of the Sikhs. In many ways the
Guru Granth Sahib Ji is like a book of recipes or
prescription. For a Sikh Guru Granth Sahib Ji is
a book to be read, pondered and absorbed, yet it
is more than that. It’s teaching is to the
general purport that God is to be worshipped in
spirit and in truth, with little reference to particular
forms, and that salvation is unattainable without
grace, faith and good work.
Guru
Granth Sahib is the living embodiment of the Ten
Gurus. It is the living flame of the Name, which
lights the lamp of the disciple. There is no place
for a living Guru in the Sikh religion, because
Gurbani is Guru and Guru is Gurbani. After all,
what the Guru does is to guide the disciple by
means of words, in the same way Guru Granth Sahib
guides the Sikh through its song-message. When
a Sikh is in doubt about any principle of Sikhism,
he refers the matter to the Panth for decision.
Copies
of the Granth Sahib were made in due courses installed
in all Dharmsalas. With the installation of the
Granth Sahib in Dharmsalas, it became a Gurdwara
and more so after Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the Tenth
and last living Guru of the Sikhs, conferred Guruship
on the Granth Sahib. He ordained that after his
death, the Granth Sahib Ji shall be the Guru of
the Sikhs.
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| On
Baisakhi 1699 the Guru Gobind Singh Ji sent Hukamnamas
to his Sikhs to assemble before him as was customary
at this festival. A tent was setup on a hill now
called Kesgarh Sahib at Anandpur and Dewan was held.
After the Morning Prayer Guru Gobind Singh Ji came
out of the tent and issued a command but with a
greater urgency than usual. He asked for men to
come forward who would give their heads to him.
He made the request in a spectacular manner with
drawn sword. No one responded for some time, but
at last a Sikh Bhai Dayaram came forward and asked
Guru to take his head, and Daya Ram was lead into
the tent. The Guru reappeared alone out from the
tent, with a bloodstained sword. Four more men followed
Guru Gobind Singh Ji in to the tent. The Five were
given nectar (Amrit) made from water and sugar crystals
(patashas) prepared in an iron bowl and stirred
with a two-edged sword (Khanda-De-Pahul), While
stirring the water with a Khanda, he recited Gurbani.
The Guru then stood up with the sacred Amrit (Nectar)
prepared in the steel bowl. One by one, the five
faithful looked up to their eternal light. Guru
Gobind Singh Ji gave five palmful of Amrit to each
of them to drink and sprinkled it five times in
their eyes and head, asking them to repeat aloud
with each sprinkle “Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa,
Waheguru Ji ki Fateh”. After that they all
took a sip of Amrit from the same bowl to signify
their initiation to the castles fraternity of the
Khalsa. Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji gave the five brave
Khalsa a new surname “Singh” (lion) to
be added to their first name and the women were
to add “Kaur” (princess) to their names
and were to be always protected. |
| The
five Sikhs that took Amrit from Guru Gobind
Singh Ji. |
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1
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Bhai
Daya Ram (a Khatri) from Lahore |
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2
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Bhai
Dharman Das (a Jat) from Delhi |
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3
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Bhai
Makhan Chand (a Washerman) from Dwarka |
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4
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Bhai
Himmat Rai (a Water Carrier) from Jagannath |
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5
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Bhai
Sahib Chand (a Barber) from Bider |
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| The
recipients were asked to take certain vows and abide
by the code of discipline (Rahat) and keep the Five
Ks. They are called five K’s because their
names begin with the letter “K”. |
| KESH
|
or
Unshorn hairis most important of all given
symbols. Hair is an integral part of the human
body, which ensures proper health, and hygiene
for it has to be kept clean and uncut. |
| KANGA |
or
the comb is necessary to keep their hair neat
and tidy. |
| KARA |
or
the steel wrist bracelet is symbolized restraint
from evil action. It reminds the Sikh that
he is bonded to the Guru. |
| KACHHA |
or
underpants or drawer ensures briskness of
action and freedom of movement. |
| KIRPAN |
or
the steel sword. It is an emblem of courage
and is meant both for protection of the weak
and the poor and also for self-defense if
necessary. |
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| The
Guru addressed to them: “you are the sons of
Guru Nanak the Creator’s own, the chosen ones,
I name you the Khalsa, You are the disciples of
the word and you shall be the saviors of man. The
Guru asked his five faithful Sikhs to prepare the
Amrit as he had done. When it was ready, he stood
before them with clasped hands, and besought them
to baptize him into their brotherhood. The Khalsa
is the Guru and the Guru is the Khalsa. Guru Gobind
Rai became Guru Gobind Singh.
This
was the height of this remarkable episode setting
up unparalleled example in the world that first
as Guru, he created the Khalsa blessing them with
power, supremacy and glory, and then he himself
became their disciple. Wonderful is Guru Gobind
Singh, himself the disciple.
In
Sikhism, Ethics and Religion go together. The
inculcation of moral qualities and the practice
of virtue in everyday life are a vital step towards
spiritual development. Only special effort and
perseverance can build up honesty, compassion,
generosity, patience, humility, etc.
The
lives of the Gurus show how they lived their lives
according to the Code of Ethics.
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| The
Excerpts were taken from many Sikh Religion Books.
We would like to thank everyone who contributed
for this great effort. Questions Please E-mail
us, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
Thanks |
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