Book-ek Onkar Satnam-a Book On Sikhism

Ek Onkar Satnam

R Contents Preface

I. Origin and Sources of Sikhism 6 II. Life Profile of the Gurus 10 (1) Guru Nanak Dev 12 (2) Guru Angad Dev 34 (3) Guru Amar Das 46 (4) Guru Ram Das 52 (5) Guru Arjun Dev 56 (6) Guru Hargobind 60 (7) Guru Har Rai 64 (8) Guru Har Krishan 68 (9) Guru Tegh Bahadur 74 (10) Guru Gobind Singh 82

III. Sikh Ethics and Religion 92

IV. Teachings of Guru Nanak Dev 94 V. Salvation: the Ultimate Goal 108

VI. Sense Organs, Virtues and Vices 114

VII. Guidelines of the Gurus for Social, Economic and Political Disciplines 124 Origin and Sources of Sikhism

Hinduism (though it is not a religion in the stricktest sense of the term, it is a way of life), Islam, Christianity, Buddhism and Jainism are the ancient religions of the world, but Sikhism is the youngest of all the world religions. Egyptian and Chinese are only civilizations and not religions. There is no reference or even a trace of existence of Sikhism prior to Guru Nanak's birth time, though he did not intend to found any religion nor wished to propound any specific religious cult. Guru Nanak was born in the fifteenth century, hence, if he is regarded as the founder of Sikhism, history of Sikhism dates back to the fifteenth century. Guru Nanak was a saint, hence he inherited certain qualities and traits of Hinduism. During his lifetime, he visited many places within India and abroad, interacted with many religious preachers, studied various scriptures, drew the Dharmacharyas (religious Gurus and preachers) into discussions and arguments. Guru Nanak was born when the Bhakti movement was at its peak. His interaction with other bhaktas and poets broadened his knowledge and outlook—this way he was able to draw his own conclusions, compare his philosophy with that of other religions. The greatest quality of a saint is that he adopts what is good, substantive, useful and worthwhile, and abandons which is not relevant, obsolete, false and misleading. Guru Nanak disseminated his teachings to the listeners. Since all his preachings emanated from the core of his heart, people took his averments on their face value; he was true in word, deed and thought. He expressed his views in a simple, comprehensible and easy-tofollow language. The 'Adi Granth' (popularly known as 'Shri Guru Granth Sahib’) is the holy scripture of the Sikhs which was compiled in 1604 AD by Guru Arjun Dev, but its later compilation was prepared by Guru Gobind Singh which also included the ninth Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur's 'Bani'. Guru Gobind Singh was the last Dehdhari Guru of the Sikhs and after his death the tradition of Guruship came to an end, as he had declared that after him there would be no Dehdhari Guru. He also commanded that 'Adi Granth' should be considered as a Guru and the Sikhs should seek guidance from the holy scripture only. Several other renowned Sikhs also contributed a lot to Sikh ethics and religion. These works can be classified as: i. Interpretations ii. Biographies iii. Injunctions Under the interpretative category Bhai Gurdas' compositions are included. Under the (biographical) category Guru Nanak's 'Janam Sakhis' are included, which also consist of ‘Puratan Janam Sakhi', 'Janam Sakhi Bhai Bala', 'Sachkhand Pothi Meharban', and 'Gyan Ratanavali’; other biographical accounts contain 'Mehma Prakash’; 'Guru Bilas Patshahi VI', 'Guru Bilas Patshahi X,' 'Guru Shobha', 'Sau Sakhi', 'Guru Pratap Suraj', which also includes 'Guru Nanak Prakash', 'Panth Prakash' etc. The injunctive literature contains: (a) Rahatnama Bhai Daya Singh, (b) Rahatnama Bhai Nand Lal, (c) Rahatnama Bhai Desa Singh, (d) Rahatnama Bhai Chaupa Singh, (e) Rahatnama Bhai Prehlad Singh, (f) Prem Sumarag Granth, (g) Tankha Nama, (h) Mukat Nama, (i) Wafibul Arz etc. Though all the above treatises have their own significance, the interpretative work of Bhai Gurdas is thought to be an authentic work by the Sikhs. Since Guru Nanak had an open and receptive mind he respected and honoured all the religions and their respective teachings

and philosophy. Life Profile of the Gurus It is customary that great men abstain from writing about themselves, as it is thought to be tantamount to self-eulogisation, self-approbation and a sense of self-aggrandizement. But the then existing situations and events did cast an impact on their thinking and personal life. This observation holds equally true in the case of all the incarnations, social and political reformers, religious teachers and preachers. Another great quality of almost all the religious personalities is that they know how to face the complexities and problems of daily life, and also how to face boldly such situations, instead of blaming or passing the buck to someone else. The Muslim rulers unleashed a reign of terror, atrocities, discrimination, inequality and injustice. The Gurus had also to grapple with all such problems, but they could not remain passive onlookers or turn away from the scene of strife or subject abjectly and unconditionally to the tyrants. It was a situation of 'Now or Never', where choice of action was limited to either confrontation or conciliation. But, at times, one has to conciliate in order to crush. The Gurus had to tread the path cautiously, as they had an onerous task of educating the people, preach Dharma, face the ordeals, perpetrated by the tyrants, and also spiritually uplift the masses so that they would not go astray and also would not lose patience or take to arms. The Gurus wanted to create a classless, casteless society, where each individual enjoyed freedom of expression, observance and adherence to religion, religious tolerance, social equality, where duties and rights were accorded equal importance. Adherence to one's religion and faith is no crime, but disrespect and intolerance to other religious faiths were certainly wrong. Life events of the Gurus one not imaginary but are based on facts. They serve as eyeopeners and also guide us as to how great men act or react in a given situation, without compromising with their principles and preachings, as all of them preached what they actually practised and never dwelled upon hypothesis. The profile of the Gurus is based on the available literature and material, but certain variations cannot be denied or ruled out. Sikh Ethics and Religion I have referred to some books written by various scholars who think ethics and religion to be at par, as if only one aspect has been explained in the treatises. Ethics is a science of moral codes or morals, but religion is primarily concerned with ritualistic performance, faith, worship, piety, devotion etc. In short, ethic pertains to social, cultural, political and individual disciplines, while religion has far wider connotations. Further, ethical code is binding on almost all individuals while religion is applicable to a specific community or class. Sikhism lays equal emphasis on social norms, duties and obligations towards self, family, society and nation, but its main thrust seems to be for values of life which make an ideal individual. In fact, social ethics are forerunner of any religion because only a well-behaved, properly educated, and enlightened person can contribute his mind towards propagation and spread of religion. A person bereft of religion is worse than even an animal, which clearly implies that a religious-minded person can help religion grow. Founders of all the religions of the world never preached hatred, acrimony, squabbling,

ill-will, jealously, avarice; rather they preached piety, patience, perseverance, honest living and earning etc. If some evils have overtly or covertly have found their way into any religion, then its followers are to blame, but never its founders: mutual tolerance is the common mantra of all the religions. Explanation of some technical words Before I delve into the characteristics of the Sikh religion, I would like my readers to go through the following glossary, as most of the terms will be repeatedly employed in the text: Adi – First, primal, original Akal – Timeless, immortal Amrit – Nectar (say of immortality) Amar – Immortal Anand – Spiritual delight. It is also the name of a composition of Guru Amar Das. Atma – The soul, the self Avtar – Incarnation of God, a descent of deity Avidya – Ignorance Bani – Utterances of Gurus and 'Bhaktas' recorded in the 'Adi Granth' Brahma – Supreme Reality Bairagi – A recluse. Chhey Ghar – Six schools of Indian philosophy also called 'Khat darsan' Chitta – Mind, heart ('Mana') Daan – Charity, giving alms Darbar – Guru's court, hall of audience, royal court Dargah – Presence of God, as sacred place Dasam Dwar – The tenth door, the mystical orifice that lies beyond new orifices of human body. Daya – Mercy, compassion Dharam – Righteousness Dhyan – Meditation, or a transcendental state Gaddi – Takhat, throne, seat Gurudwara – A Sikh place of worship, devotion and charity Gurmukh – Follower or disciple of a Guru Gyan – Knowledge, religious love Gyani – Term used for Sikh priests, one who explains religious love Haumai – Ego, self-centredness, also called "Hummah' Ik – One, Ek Janam-Sakhi – Life story, birth record Jeneu – Sacred ceremonial thread, also known as Yagyopaveeta Jangam – Moving, an itinerant Yogi Jiv – Soul Jug – Cycle of ages. There are said to be Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapar Yuga and Kal Yuga, (Present Yuga is 'Kal yuga')

Kakkas – Five 'Ks' (viz. Kachha, Karda, Kirpan, Kangha, Kesh) Khalsa – Sikh brotherhood introduced and instituted by Guru Gobind Singh Langar – A public kitchen attached to a place of worship of Sikhs Lavan – Marriage hymn Lobh – Avarice, greed Manmukh – A defiant, self-willed person, one who does not subscribe to guidance of Gurus Maya – Illusion. According to Sikh thought it is a veil that envelops reality Nad – Inner music Nirguna – Formless, without attributes or qualities Onkar – The Primal Being Pahul – Communion Panth – Way of life, Path, following a common Path Param – Ultimate, supreme, the highest Pir – Muslim saint Qalandar – Itinerant Muslim ascetic Raag – Melody Riddhi – Occult power Sabad – A hym of the 'Adi Granth', a word, the divine self-communication Saguna – Having attributes or qualities Sahaj – Mental and spiritual equipoise without the least intrusion of ego, unshaken and effortless serenity attained through spiritual perfection Sakt – Cosmic energy, feminine counterpart fo Shiva Sangat – Congregation, assembly Satguru – The true Guru Sat Sangat – Association with holy man: 'Sadh Sangat' Sati Naam – True name (that is God) Simran – Contemplation of divine name Sunya – Void, the state when creation ceases and nothing but God exists Takht – Seat of spiritual or royal authority, throne Turiya – State of ultimate bliss (Paramananda) Udasi – A sect founded by Shri Chand, Guru Nanak's son Salvation, the Ultimate Goal (Final Emancipation) In Indian philosophical context, ethics is a part of religion, unlike the West where both are treated separate entities. A number of terms have been used to describe the term salvation or emancipation, such as Moksha, Nirvana, extinction of Karma, ultimate goal, freedom from the bondage of worldly allurements and possessions etc. Almost all the founders of various religions have suggested some ways to seek freedom from bondage and miseries, so as to accomplish the final stage (Nirvana). Guru Nanak visited the length and breadth of our country and also visited some foreign lands. He gave his original ideas: Concept of salvation

"The concept of ultimate goal depends upon the concept of ultimate reality. There are some religions and philosophical systems which do not believe in God, therefore their ultimate goal extends only upto a state of human perfection. They have a soul culture in a limited sense." Guru Nanak maintained that Brahm is the ultimate reality but his attributes are truth, consciousness and bliss. He also agreed that unity or merger of soul with Brahm is the ultimate Goal. He also said that a drop of water mingles with ocean and sun ray goes back to the sun, so does the soul merge with the higher soul. Soul, due to being camouflaged by veil of ignorance, remains embroiled in worldly allurements and possessions. The soul can merge (unite) with the Supreme Soul if it can shed and abandon its ignorance, that is, soul must strike to release itself from the bondage of this ephemeral world. There are three ways by which soul can achieve release from bondage: 1. Bhakti (Devotion) 2. Karma (Action) 3. Gyan (Knowledge) Karma is common to both Bhakti and Gyan Yoga. This world is hub of all the activities, where people are born and die. Whether one is a Yogi, Bhakta or a Gyani or a Karma Yogi, he has to take birth in this world which continues to undergo a continuous process of origin, development and decay. Similarly, physical body has also to pass through these stages, such as birth (origin), Vikas (development) and death (decay). Human body is a constituted whole of five great elements like air (wind), water, fire, earth (Prithvi) and space (vacuum or Akash). As long as the said five elements remain fully and proportionately balanced and integrated, life exists; but, when unbalanced and disintegrated death ensues. Karma binds a soul; matter, humans, animals, birds, creeping creatures, insects, germs, bacteria, worms are all Jivas but are bound by actions (Karmas). Due to their good or bad Karmas a jiva (being) takes birth in various yonis. Present life provides a welcome opportunity to improve upon one's karmas, but such an option is available to human beings only. The soul, being an inseparable part of God, is immortal, but the physical body is mortal, since it is subject to decay and ultimate death. When the effect of (vicious) Karmas exhausts, bondage of soul comes to an end. Such a bondage can be dispensed with either by way to devotion (Bhakti) or knowledge (Gyan). But path of knowledge is tedious, complex, ridden with multiple hurdles, hence difficult to tread and practise. A gyani often indulges in and resorts to arguments, permutations and combinations, his analytical leanings compel him to endless probing and speculations, coupled with his egoistic nature. He will never submit to God unconditionally and devotedly, he will argue on each and every facet. The path of devotion is simple and easy to follow and tread. A devotee has complete faith in God, he rather suspects His existence; not His various attributes. Moreover, he abjectly surrenders himself to God. But it is the Guru who guides and shows him the right path. It is the Guru who gives him the requisite knowledge, warns him about the likely pitfalls and failures, suggests ways and means to overcome various obstacles. The devotee has to shed his ego, submit at the feet of his Guru, seek guidance, and also reveal his problems

and pitfalls. Guruship in Sikh religion starts with Guru Nanak and ends with Guru Gobind Singh who bestowed Guruship on the Adi Granth, hence it is known as Guru Granth Sahib which is the repository of knowledge, being a verbal testimony of the Sikh Gurus. It is called 'Bani' of the Gurus. It is no use repeating the verses of Bani like a parrot, but when its connotations are explained by a teacher (Guru), then a devotee can understand the inherent meaning better and quicker. A Guru should have divine and godly qualities, he must be true in thought, word and deed, make no false claims or qualms about his own shortcomings. He himself must also be a devotee of God and possess knowledge, expertise and capability to guide his disciple. It is the guru who gives 'Naam' (or name) to his disciple. Guru Arjun Dev asked every person to sow the seed of Naam (name of God or Lord): "The seeker has to concentrate on the name of the lord or the word given by his Guru. The union with the lord through his name is known as Saral Shabad Yoga. This Yoga purifies mind and intellect of the disciple. The world is diseased and the name of the Lord is the only remedy. The name culture keeps the disciple unaffected by Maya just as the lotus remains over and above the surface of water." Planes for spiritual development Concentration of mind is a problem, as it has to be engaged in devotion to God so that its vacillations no more exist. It is a gradual development stage where some sort of effort is needed. We can control our mind by practising following methods: 1. Sitting at the feet of saints, Gurumukh, religious preachers, Gurus 2. Attending holy congregation (Satsang) 3. Listening of Bani 4. Participating in Kirtan and chant hymns of the scriptures 5. Shravan – listening to holy scriptures 6. Contemplation (Manan) 7. Concentration and intellectual conviction (Niddyasana') Khand Khand means plane. Guru Nanak has referred to five planes in Japji such as 1. Dharam Khand 2. Gyan Khand 3. Shram Khand 4. Karam Khand 5. Sach Khand These are the five stages through which a disciple has to pass. Human being is the best form of creation and human beings live in this earth which is a temporary plane. So earth is the abode of Dharma or piety. A seeker has to learn the subtleties by closely following the path shown and ordained by the Guru. Here he learns about his own identity. Dharam Khand is the edifice from where all the other four Khands develop. If the foundation is weak, structure built thereon will also be weak and exposed to various dangers. Having successfully laid his foundation, the seeker enters 'Gyan Khand' (plane of knowledge). With his knowledge and discipline the seeker enters the second plane (Gyan Khand), the plane of knowledge. Here he becomes conscious of multi-elemental, multi-

powered, multi-formed, multi-coloured and multicreational universe and is wonder-struck to this lila (sport) of the Lord. He makes efforts to absolve himself from the dirt and thus purifies his mind and intellect in the third plane (Shrama Khand). "He absorbs in himself the godly beauty the lord showers on him. His grace lifts him to the next plane of grace (Karam Khand), wherein he is bestowed with strength. He becomes an amalgam of beauty and power. The truth of ultimate reality dawns upon him by the grace of the Lord, therefore he is lifted to the highest plane of truth (Sach-Khand), where he merged in the lord of infinite universes. After reaching this ultimate goal, he does not lose his entity. He lives forever in this permanent home but on emergent occasions, for the benefit of the Jivas, he descends into the lower worlds." Other stages of final emancipation Body (Sharir), Mind (Man) and intellect (Buddhi) are correlated. Mind and intellect cannot be visualised but body can be seen. Body is the vehicle to enable us to carry out our various activites, duties and functions. A strong intellect will not let the mind waver and vacillate, it will keep it under control. It is explained as "Man Niva Rahe, Mat Uchchi Rahe". So if a seeker desires to rise (higher) on the spiritual planes, he should keep his mind subdued by intellect. Mind is guided by emotions, sentiments and feelings but intellect is guided by discriminative faculty (Vivek Buddhi). First of all a seeker has to rise above the three stages: 1. Jagrit Avastha (State of Waking) 2. Swapna Avastha (Dream State) 3. Sushupti Avastha (Dreamless State) Body and mind remain active during the Jagrit condition, in Swapna, dream state, only mind is active but body is inactive, while in the Sushupti condition neither mind nor body is active but there exists only an emptiness or state of void. When a seeker has risen above the said three states, he can march or at least aspire to reach the path of attainment or bliss. Having reached the three stages, a seeker should endeavour to reach the blissful state of Sahaj Turiya, Param Pada and Ghantha Pada. The third Guru, Guru Amar Das, thus described the state of Sahaj: "The devotee (Gurumukh) attains ‘Sahaj' inwardly when the mind ascends tenth heaven. In this state there is neither sleep nor hunger, the devotee lives in bliss dipped in the ambrosia of the name (Naam). The sorrows and comforts do not affect, saith Nanak, when the light of 'Atma Ram' spreads." There are ten doors (Dasha Dwar), out of which nine doors are two eyes, two ears, two nostrils, mouth, two organs of excretion. When a devotee has not to depend on these sense. organs (Indriya) his consciousness (Chetana) turns inwards. In some treatises skin is referred to as the tenth sense and hence according this reckoning there will be eleven outlets (Dwars). The Adi Granth compares body to a temple (of God), within which God has its abode. As a place of worship is kept neat and clean, so should body be kept neat and clean. Body is the medium through which ultimate goal can be achieved. In a Sanskrit verse it has been mentioned, "all the religious acts are done through body," which implies that human body should be kept free from dirt and ailments, because an ailing body is not a suitable vehicle (medium) to perform religious chores. It is also said that a healthy mind lives in a healthy body, that is, for a healthy mind abode of a healthy body is a pre-requisite.

Sense Organs, Virtues and Vices Virtues and vices are attributes of our sense organs (Indriyas) which indude: 1. Eyes (Organs of perception) 2. Ears (Organs of hearing) 3. Nose (Organ of smell) 4. Tongue (Organ of taste) 5. Skin (Organ of touch) 6. Mouth (Organ of speech, eating and drinking) 7. Hands (Organ for functioning) 8. Feet (Organ for mobility) 9. Rectum (Organ for expulsion of faecal matter) 10. Urinary organ (for discharging urine) Now a brief description of each of the Indriyas: Eyes (Sense of Sight, Roopa ) These are the organs of perception. World becomes dark and aimless for a blind person. It is through the eyes that we see this world, whether the pereceived objects are ugly, wrong, good or bad. Eyes impart us the capability to recognize every thing, person and nature around us. It is through eyes that visual impressions reach our mind. Eyes reveal our emotions of love, hatred, jealousy, anger and happiness. Eyes reveal our mental state. Howsoever may we try to conceal our emotions, our eyes will reveal the truth. Maximum number of phrases and proverbs centre around eyes. One should see no evil, any scene that distracts mind, do not view other person's progress with a jealous eye; have no covetous eye on other person's belonging, wife or, daughter of Guru, friend's wife and daughter. Ears (Sense of hearing or Shabad ) Ears are the organs of hearing and hearing is caused by sound which is compared to 'Brahma Naad' (Celestial or Godly Sound). Listen to your inner voice, do not use your ears to listen any unchaste and impious words. Let the ears listen to Naam, Jap and praises of God. Do not lend your ears to calumny and backbiting. Nose (Sense of Smelling) It is a small organ of respiration. In meditational practices nose plays an important role – through it we breathe and exhale. If nose remains blocked and choked, it will adversely impact our respiratory process. Prana is the vital force of body and the yogis control breath through nose. Nose also helps us to distinguish between pleasing and unpleasing smell, fragrances and stinks. Tongue (Taste or 'Rasa') Tongue is an organ of taste and speech. It is an important organ that helps to slide down

food below the gullet. It also helps to articulate, speak and converse. Due to tongue various digestive enzymes (the most important being saliva) enzymes generate and inter mingle with our food particles, thus facilitating the process of digestion. So, the tongue should utter name of the lord and ingest the Rasa of Hari, as all other juices are of no avail, except the name of God (Hari). Skin Our bony structure is covered with skin. Just imagine how ugly our body would have looked had it not been covered with skin. It imparts glow, lustre and beauty, it excretes various toxins out of the body through perspiration. Any skin that does not perspire is an unhealthy skin as the toxins, which should have been excreted through sweating, would have mixed with blood, thus causing various diseases. Skin also imparts sense of touch and sensitivity. Hot, cold, clammy, foul-emitting skin or highly oily or dry skin depicts the state of our health. It is also a sign of beauty. The touch of a Guru can convert even an inferior metal into a precious metal. These are called organs of senses (Gyanindriyas); hence belong to superior quality. Mouth (Organ of speech, eating and drinking) Mouth is the organ of speech. Speech is the essence of communication and communication is indispensable in life. Mouth is an important organ, as through mouth we consume food and water which both are essential to keep our life going. They give us energy to keep moving on and functioning in life. Through mouth we take the food which is then absorbed and assimilated in stomach and intestines. Besides this, when we speak from our mouth, one can determine the various facets of our personality. Our speech is an insight into our real being. Thus, mouth has its own significance as a sensory organ. Karmindriyas (Organs of action/function): Hands They are the upper extremities of our body, and are utilised for grasping. They are our 'Karmaanga' as no activity can take place without hands. We use them for eating food, writing, holding, shaking hands, welcoming and paying obeisance, regards and reverence. Through hands we can express our feelings. Colour of hands is also indicative of the state of our health. Body's temperature can also be ascertained by dry, sweaty, glazed, pinkish, yellow or rough hands. Hands also denote our profession and nature of work. Lines on the hands also indicate our past, present and future. So always use your hands for noble activity, towards service of mankind, giving charity, accepting with grace and humility, serving others, writing praises of the Lord, earning wealth through honest and upright means. Feet (organs of mobility, locomotion, Gati ) Had there been no feet, we would not have been able to move. It is the feet that take us from one place to another. Let not our feet lead us to any wrong and unrighteous path. We should walk to the path of the Lord. We should tread the path of Dharma. We should also touch the feet of our Guru, elders and the Lord. Feet belong to the lower extremity of

the body and they also bear the whole weight of our body's structure. JanIndriya If toxims are not excreted through urine (through the urinary apparatus) the entire body gets vitiated and toxified and may then cause even fatal diseases. It is also an organ of generation. Semen imparts lustre (teja) to our body, hence it should be utilised judiciously and sparingly, but never wasted away in sexual pursuits. Since semen is also an energy, it should not be wasted in undue and repeated procreation. Guda (Rectum, excretory organ for excreting faeces) If food is 'Satvik', pure, without spices and condiments, it will digest quickly; hence body waste will get exerted without any problem. Diet is the main sustaining force for energy. Meat, fish, wine, high seasoned and spicy food disturb our digestion, thus causing a host of diseases. Urinary Organ (for discharging urine) This organ expels the urine. This is vital for our functioning as urine is toxic. Whether it is faeces or urine, both ought to be removed from our body. Had this organ not been there, toxins would have been concentrated in our body and resultantly it would poison our system. This would lead to improper body functioning. The body's balance and coordinaton will fall prey to it. Just as we consume water and food as a mandatory exercise, we need to expel the waste matter as well. This way, we will remain healthy and it will enhance our mobility and activity. Virtues and vices Virtue is 'Gun' and vice is 'Durgun' and Gun denotes here quality, trait, vertue, attribute, or merit Hindu religious philosophy refers to four ends (aims) of human life, viz. 1. Dharm (Righteousness, Virtue, Duty) 2. Arth (Wealth) 3. Kam (Desire, Sex, Pleasure, Enjoyment) 4. Moksh (Salvation, Deliverance, Emancipation) Arth and Kam cannot be ends in itself, only a means to an end. Dharm is common to both of the said ends, while Moksh will depend on culmination of all sufferings, infatuations, allurements, avarice, jealousy. Lord Buddha said suffering is the root cause of all human illnesses. He was only partly right, because life is not full of all sufferings. Had there been suffering all around, life would have become a hell. But life is also blissful and comforting. It provides avenues for self-discipline, spiritual upliftment, awareness towards family and social duties. Negative thoughts should not overawe a person's psyche, rather he should inculcate positive thoughts. Hindu thought recommends following practices: 1. Satya (Truth) 2. Ahimsa (Non-violence) 3. Asteya (Non-stealing) 4. Aprigraha (Non-hoarding)

5. Dhriti (Perseverance) 6. Kshama (Forgiveness) 7. Daina (Self-restraint) 8. Indriya Nigraha (Control over senses) 9. Shauch (Mental and physical purity and cleanliness) The Sikh Gurus spoke highly of truth, mercy, contentment forgiveness, patience and forebearance. Saint-poet Kabir maintained, "Dharma exists in the region of knowledge, sin in the region of falsehood, death and greed, but God himself resides where there is forgiveness." But only a large and broad- minded person can forgive, can overlook mistakes of others, does not lose patience even in the most trying situations, remains perseverant and calm in adversity. Only an upright, devoted, pious, undefiled person can have such noble attributes. A man is like a guest in this world. A guest cannot have permanent infatuation for any worldly objects which he uses with a detached view, as he knows those are not his permanent belongings nor can he retain them forever. So, contentment is a great virtue so that any person does not remain glued to any object. A family man has to cater to the needs of his family. So he should be rest contented even with minimal objects which suffice to make both ends meet. But such an approach does not imply Vairagya or asceticism, that too at the cost of his family and social obligations. Since all the ten Gurus were family men, they did not seek divorce from their family, social and religious duties. Moreover, none of them advocated asceticism and reclusion. Vices (Adharma ) The main vices are said to be as follows: 1. Cruelty and violence 2. Avarice and theft 3. Intent to accumulate more than what is actually required 4. Lust and greed 5. False speech and gossip 6. Impiety 7. Lack of faith and ridicule of religious tenets and injunctions 8. Hostility and animosity 9. Having a covetous eye over other persons’ possessions and wealth 10. Accusation and slander 11. Thinking ill of others 12. Miserliness and stinginess 13. Peevish and irritant behaviour 14. Impatience and undue haste 15. Unfair and unjust behaviour 16. Jealousy 17. Arrogance or self-imposed ego 18. Lethargy and indolence 19. Sectarianism and intolerance All the said vices can be contained and restrained, if not totally eliminated, by patience, self-restraint, non-violence, sweet and amicable speech, piety, good conduct, forebearance and with the aid of preachings of the Gurus who did what they preached.

Vices mentioned in Islam Sikhs and Muslims both believe in one God and one holy book. They derive faith from the Adi Granth and the Quran respectively. Islam recognizes two categories of vices – one is the great and the other is little sin (Kabirah and Saghirah respectively). Islam refers to seventeen great sins such as false witness, taking a false oath, infidelity, drinking wine, adultery, magic, murder, theft, disobedience to parents, considering oneself safe from God's wrath, despairing of God's mercy, unnatural crime, fleeing from the battlefield while fighting with Kafirs (infidels). It has been succinctly mentioned in the Adi Granth that man commits vices under certain constraints and compulsions. But the vices and crimes he commits for his near and dear ones will never come to his rescue, as he himself has to bear the result of his unethical, immoral and unsocial acts. If a person is scared of the wrath of God and knows that His watchful and vigilant eyes are keeping a watch over his actions, he will never do any wrong and unrighteous act. A sinner will be produced before the God of death (Yama) and punished for his sins. He will also be subjected to multiple agonies and tortures. So a person should always follow the path of Dharm. But if an act is done without malice, ill will, intention to harm anyone, it will be condoned by God as, after all, God is merciful and considerate. In short, the motive behind an action is the determining factor. For instance if a person commits any sinful act to protect honour, life, and property of another person, it does not constitute a sin; rather it is a meritorious act ('Punya'). The Adi Granth mentions it is due to one's ego that a person goes to hell or heaven. A Sikh must discard both heaven and hell so as to escape the cycle of birth and rebirth. The Muslim concept of heaven and hell is at total variance from the Sikh concepts. Muslims paint a very rosy picture of heaven but whether a person will be sent to heaven or hell will depend on one's actions. If any person has committed any sin, he does not have to practise penances. What he is required to do is to remember and seek His forgiveness; sit in the company of the virtuous and pious persons (Satsang), recite holy verses, follow teachings of the Gurus, holy men, saints and seers, Naam-Kirtan, by giving alms and donations, helping the poor and needy, obeying the parents and other elderly. But such attributes cannot be acquired without guidance and benevolence of an accomplished Guru, as it is he who leads his disciple to the righteous and right path and also guides him about his misdeeds. The Gurus do not advocate self-denial and self-indulgence, rather they eulogise restraint, piety and noble thinking. Mind should be subdued to intellect so that vacillating volitions could be constrained and placed under proper restraint. Death Death is the ultimate real event in one's life. A person who is born has to die one day. It is said death is the greatest leveller, as it spares no one and every person is under its sway. Thoughts, at the time of death, determine our rebirth in the next 'yoni'. "He who thinks of wealth at the time of death and dies in that thought is born repeatedly as a snake. He who thinks of a woman at the time of death is born repeatedly as a prostitute. He who thinks of sons at the time of death and dies in this thought, he is born repeatedly as a pig. He who thinks of houses at the time of death, is repeatedly born as a ghost. He who thinks of Narayan at the time of death, that man obtains release (Mukti). So, mother! I may not forget the name of God at the time of death."

Whatever types of thoughts manifest at the time of death determine the rebirth in a particular yoni. But a person, who is true and pious in thought (Mana), speech or word (vachan) and deed (karma) attains (re)birth in a better family. It is the physical body that is consigned to the flames but mind and body accompany the subtle body (known as Sukham Sharir). So the mind carries the impressions at the time of death to his new birth (rebirth) and his experiences in the next life are governed by such impressions. Guru Arjun Dev said, "Out of the eighty-four lakh species (yonis) the human being is the most significant. A person, who misses this opportunity, undergoes miseries in (repeated) births and deaths." Now Guru Arjun Dev unfolds in 'Sukhmani' about birth of various species. "He (God) had created millions of birds, snakes, stones, oxen, winds, waters, fires, countries, continents, moons, suns, stars, gods, demons (etc.). There are millions who live in the nether world (Patal), there are millions who live in heaven and hell. There are millions who take birth, live and die." He further adds, "For several births you were a worm, an insect; for several births an elephant, a fish, a deer; for several births a bird, snake; for several birth a horse, a yoked bull, a snake; for several births an elephant... Meet the Lord of the universe (as) this is the time to meet. After a long time you have obtained this human body. For several births you were a rock, a mountain, for several births you were destroyed in the womb, for several births you were created like a bough, thou hadst wandered through eighty-four lakh species." Above referred excerpts clearly indicate that the Gurus accepted the concept of eightyfour lakh yonis (births) and also that this world had a systematic evolution; it did not emerge all of a sudden, as the soul had to traverse through three worlds like animal, mineral and vegetable worlds. Even the gods crave to be born as human beings because in this (human) birth they can perform certain (rare) acts which are not possible under godhood. Every person is under the sway of his (past) karmas and it’s upto him whether to abuse the opportunity or utilise it. Fall-out impact of evil deeds can be subdued, diluted or even eliminated totally by shedding the ego, sowing the seed of name of the lord in his actions. It is through remembrance or the name of God that salvation could be attained, but an aspirant should also do only pious actions and live a Sattvik life, of course without accompaniment of ego. The highest state of salvation is merger with the supreme reality. It is through the grace (Kripa) of the lord that such an ultimate merger is possible. It, however, never implies that a disciple should abandon his duties towards his family and society, rather an ideal disciple is he who faithfully and honestly discharges his duties but does not embroil himself in worldly allurements and, at the same time, also discharges his religious duties by resigning to the will of God, by abject and unconditional surrender to God, by remembering his name – that his life should resemble a lotus flower that blossoms above the water level but water does not touch its petals, even if it has emerged out of water. Guidelines of the Gurus for Social, Economic and Political Disciplines A society is a conglomerate of various castes, creeds, colours, and religions. It is the individuals who constitute any society. Religious tolerance, economic parity, freedom to observe one's own religion and its practices, brotherhood, participating in the hour of

adversity, are some of the fundamental obligatory duties enforced upon each individual. but without discipline a society becomes a jungle raj. So all great men suggested certain guidelines so that there is no conflict amongst various constituents of a society. Rousseau said, "Man is born free, but everywhere he is in chains." T. H. Green went a step further and wrote, "Will, not force, should be the basis of a (civilized) society." Lord Bertrand Russell gave us the idea of 'World Government'. But all such lofty ideas are still a daydream, so to say. Religion has all along been at the mercy of states and their rulers. There are numerous instances when religious leaders and political outfits locked horns. It some cases religious sentiments overtook the rulers, while, in some cases, the pendulum swayed the other way round, because when individual aspirations rule the roost, interests of majority are relegated to the back seat. The concept of a welfare society still decorates the pages of a statute book, as tug-of-war between various interests does not let any problem resolve. For a healthy society every person has to perform the part of duties assigned to him. All the Gurus had to suffer at the hands of Muslim rulers who were intolerant, ruthless dictators, and dissent was treated as revolt against the state. The Gurus had to perform an onerous task of protecting the multitudes from the wrath and atrocities of the then rulers, and also to preserve, preach and develop religion. There were two ways left for them either to comfort or else conciliate, but they were wise enough to choose the middle path. So, they first introduced discipline in the rank and file to protect and fortify what they already had, and then take corrective steps so that unseemly situations do not surface again. In short equal development of body, mind and soul is a prerequisite condition coupled, of course, with discipline, restraint, adherence to the laid down ethical code, observance of religious practices, knowledge, education etc. Religious aspect has already been discussed at reasonable length in the foregoing pages, so I will confine here mainly to social, economic and political aspects. Hereunder only prominent features of social and economic aspects are given: Common kitchen When we interact with other persons, we exchange our views. We learn about various aspects of life, the way people live, learn from their experiences of successes and failures, and also draw a balance sheet of our own actions. There are certain traits that run from one generation to another, and these are the traits that enable us to distinguish one family from the other. According to Sikhism, an ideal society is that whose members abide by the preaching and instructions of the Gurus– Guru Nanak called such a society as "Khalsa". Sense of service to humanity is prime for the Sikhs. They have duties towards their family, Panth and society as a whole but, above all whatever they do should be the greatest good of the greatest number. For them work is worship and world is their Guru. A holy duty enjoined upon all the Sikh is to provide food to the hungry and water to the thirsty, fan the sweating person, grind flour, serve in the Langar. Here Langar needs a special mention. It is a community kitchen where scores of men and women participate to serve food, without any distinction of caste, creed, colour, social and financial status. Here all the participants sit in a row and are served food. This is a laudable practice at all the langars, attached to the Gurudwaras. This sacred practice inculcates the feeling of brotherhood and equality. Common sharing of meals is so

popular that Guru Amar Das met and talked with only those persons who had shared meals in the common kitchen. Even emperor Akbar had to abide by this tradition. No paid labour is engaged, rather it is the ladies and gents who manage, prepare and serve food to the Sangat. Common participation also highlights shedding of ego, family, social and economic status. Cleansing the holy place and dusting shoes These are other specific qualities of the Sikh practices. Place of prayer is thoroughly cleaned, dust removed, mats spread to enable the 'Sangat' to sit. Ladies and gents dust off shoes, keep them at an appropriate place, give identifying number cards and at the conclusion of congregation, deliver the pair of shoes to the participants. These practices speak highly of the sense of service at the holy places and congregational place. In fact such practices dilute the sense of ego and superiority. Status of women and widow marriage Sikh society treats men and women at par, neither side enjoying any special privileges. She is no way inferior to man, rather an equal partner in all walks of life. She is not considered as member of the weaker sex. How could a woman be inferior to man when it is she who gives birth to kings and divine persons? It is she who prepares a breeding ground for all round development of body, mind and intellect, apart from inculcating feelings of brotherhood, piety, dutifulness, enlightenment etc. She is rightly regarded as the edifice of family. She also helps in character-building and spiritual attainment. Sikhism does not subscribe to the practice of bigamy and polygamy, rather it emphasises on 'one man and one woman' theory and practice. One who marries only one woman is called a 'Yati'. Faith is the core factor in marital relationship. So if a man wishes his wife to remain faithful to him, he too is duty-bound to remain faithful to her, that it is a reciprocal approach. Sexual urge is a natural attribute, but one should have sex only with one's wife. To look at another woman with lustful and covetous eyes is a great sin which cannot be condoned and overlooked. It is also a sin for a woman to have sexual relation with any man other than her husband and vice versa. Society considers prostitution or extramarital relations or incest as curse. If a man gets captivated by another woman's beauty, he defiles his mind and vision. All ladies equal in age should be regarded as sisters, younger as daughters and elders as mothers. In the context of marriage, Sikhs do not believe in caste system nor in caste divisions. For them, marriage is not a union of two bodies, but also of two souls. Marriage ceremony is also not a cumbersome affair in Sikhism. It is shorn of ostentation and rituals, except that marriage is solemnised in a Gurudwara in the presence of priests, relatives and friends. Ritualistic marriage ceremony is fairly simple. Relatives of both the sides assemble and meet at the bride's house. The bride and bridegroom (prospective couple) circumambulate four times around Guru Granth Sahib to take the accompaniment of four stanzas of 'Lawan' (marriage ritual) of Guru Ram Das. The bridegroom leads the bride. Utterance of four stanzas denotes the Seeker's journey from the mundane struggle to ultimate merger with the Almighty. The Sikhs call marriage as Anand (Bliss) and marriage ceremony as Anand Karaj (a blissful function). There is no place for an immoral and defiant woman in Sikhism; nor is there any sanction for child marriage. But there is provision for remarriage under certain conditions. Some ladies lose their husbands at a younger age. In order to protect them from the eredulous eyes and atrocities of some relatives, on whose

mercy she has to live, re-marriage is permitted and legalised. The Sikh Gurus favoured a cohesive and joint family system where interests of all the inmates stand protected and reasonable needs met with. But the institution of joint family is now a rare sight, due to compulsions and constraints of modern life. The Guru did not put a bar on the number of children but wanted that parents should have only that number of children whom they can ably support, nurture and look after. There is no Purdah system in Sikhism and it was Guru Amar Das, who vehemently spoke against this practice and termed it as a heinons crime. The concept of family planning was practised by implication. Status of a Son and Daughter In most families birth of a daughter is still considered as ominous; hence advent of a son was regarded as auspicious. A son's birth was (and is still) considered a boon as he is expected to took after his parents, provide them with medical aid, food, clothing and shelter, when they grow old. He had also further interests and helped to extend the lineage, thus keeping the name and traditions of his family. Society thus suffered from gender bias and partiality. Girls were deprived of right to paternal property, on the plea that much money was spent on their marriage and there were many recurrent and sudden expenses which a married daughter's had to meet. But now legislation has restored her deemed right, given equal right and opportunities, with freedom to marriage and taking a profession of her choice. She is also an equal partner in hereditary property and can also claim it by legal means. She is also the sole owner of movable and immovable property of her deceased husband, and also claim her share in her in-law's property. A married daughter can also retain her dowry, valuables and gifts and spend at will or when an emergency arises. In Sikhism daughter and son are not discriminated. Girls enjoy equal rights with their brothers. They are accorded a prestigious and honourable status in the society. She is also not expected, nor even can be forced, to pay the debt burden of her parents, as this ability pertains to the sons. As for the custom of 'Sati', Guru Amar Das vehemently opposed this custom, calling it a heinous crime and sin. So when a married woman's husband passes away, she does not have to burn herself on the pyre of her dead husband. Exploitation of labour Sikhism opposes exploitation of any kind and it implies upon every employer to pay dues to a worker without any delay. Hence the concept and practice of slavery and exploitation is alien to Sikh ethos. No able-bodied person should be debarred from labour; rather suitable avenues and opportunities should be provided to him so that becomes an asset to society. The saints were enforced upon to work for upliftment of the (Sikh) society, build institutions, but without any personal interest or self-aggrandizement, nor even use the earnings for any personal use or swindle away money. The income earned through offerings and donations should be utilised for the benefit of the poor, widows, orphans, the disabled and the elderly, or else invested in opening new schools, training centres and opening of new religious places. Even some deserving women, children can be given financial aid to start their own work. Management of shrines should be manned only by upright, honest and selfless persons who have no axe to grind.

Deliverance of justice and management of administration It is actually the duty of law courts to impart justice to the aggrieved persons. In ancient times king's durbar was treated as a law court where complaints on crimes, sins and injustice were entertained, the complainant and defendant given opportunity to explain their standpoint and then a final verdict, binding on both the sides, was handed down in a seemingly impartial way; only exceptionally sensitive and important cases were brought and referred to a king's court, while minor offences and grievances were settled at the local or Panchayat level. Religious disputes were often decided by king's religious advisers, and rest of the cases by his trusted ministers and courtiers, who often misguided their king and thus paved the way for wrong decisions which were neither open to revision, criticism, review or appeal; once any decision was taken, it was full, final and binding. Sikhism does not derive nor is dependent on ancient treatises for deliverance of justice. Whenever there is any religious dispute or problem an assembly of five priests (known as (Sikh) Panchayat) is arranged and the disputed matter taken up. They hand down their verdict for or against any act which is considered to have violated or trespassed the Sikh canons–such a punishment is called 'Tankhah' Kings in ancient times often consulted their learned counsellors before deciding any matter, pertaining to the state and its affairs, hence an error of judgment was hardly possible. But the Qazi often gave unjust and biased decisions, as he fell to the lure of bribery. Guru Nanak says in the Adi Granth, 'The kings of iron age were but therein in whose region there was no Dharm. Greed was the king and sin his counsellors; hence no justice can ever be expected from such 'Adharmi' and sinful kings and his counsellors. The Guru further declares, "When the king forgets his own duties and indulges in self-gratification, his people are sure to revolt against him. His sons will be thrown into the streets, where they will not be able to get even a morsel of food. The reign of only those kings will be durable, who follow the democratic ideals, who consult the assemblies of people, when they enact legislation" (S.S.Kohli). If the king himself is corrupt, ferocious and avaricious, his servants will also follow in his foot- steps. Guru Nanak says such corrupt kings "laid hands on major portion of the booty and the remainder was taken by his corrupt officials". "It is a sacred and bounden duty of every king to ensure that his subjects are not heavily burdened with taxes and also that he should not overtax them so as to fill his own coffers, rather he should impose only reasonable taxes which are required to run expenditure of his state, for an efficient functioning of his state. Whether a king imposes any taxes or not, it is his duty to ensure that basic needs, like food, shelter and clothes of his subjects are fully met with.” Defence of the state and Sikh warriors Another bounden duty of a king is to defend his state, for which he should raise an army of loyal and selfless soldiers/warriors who should be well-equipped to protect the state, as and when any emergent situation surfaces. Guru Nanak elucidated this concept much earlier when he said, "That person can be called a warrior who fights for ‘Dharm' (Here the term devotes both the right cause and justice) and who will not leave the battlefield, even if he is cut into pieces." The Gurus never preached their warriors to harm children, women, aged and infirm persons, innocent children, the insane and even the wounded. A warrior does not abhor a battlefield, rather he wishes to die as a martyr in the battlefield.

He would prefer to breathe his last in a battlefield than to run away from there. The Sikhs, being a race of soldiers and warriors, were designated as a 'Martial Race'; so, it is the duty of every soldier to protect the Dharm, his community and nation at large from the tyranny and aggression, whether from inside or out, from the oppressors, tyrants and unjust people. Attributes of a Sikh warrior 1. If he is not busy for the sake of Dharm in the battlefield, he is busy on warfare on another plane. 2. He is an invincible warrior with an armoury of humility riding on the path of God, moving fearlessly among forces of the enemy, conquering the whole world after bringing the five vices under control. 3. He has not only to become master of physical culture, but also a specialist of moral and spiritual cultures. 4. In his struggle against the evil forces, he has not to take up arms immediately, but should try to bring the vicious opponent on the right path, but, if all his attempts at reconciliation fail, it will be reasonable on his part to take out his sword and come in the open battlefield for the protection of Dharm." (Quoted from S.S. Kohli's book on Sikh Ethics.) Above directions exist in 'Zafarnama' of the Dasam Granth. Here the Guru does not advocate launching an attack to annex territories of other states, nor does he commend to the least terror against the enemy. It rather enforces upon the Sikh soldiers to bring round the enemy, make him understand the ravages and devastations caused by aggression, and to exert every nerve and employ all possible means to let him see reason. Taking up arms is only the last resort and option, when all efforts of reconciliation fail to yield any cogent result. Lastly, a soldier fights only to protect the Dharm as he has no other overt or covert designs. These instructions are, in fact, guiding lines for the soldiers who are not expected to defy or ignore Guru's directions and guidelines. Practices & Injunctions in Sikhism An injunction is a command handed down by religious preachers, enjoining upon followers of a Dharm path to abstain themselves from certain deeds and actions. Injunctions are both mandatory and compulsive. If a follower swears and abides by a religion, he will be called a true follower only when he practises in toto the advice of the Guru. Some popular and conspicuous injunctions are elucidated hereunder: Penances to expiate sins Sin is a religious crime while crime is a social crime. An evil-intentioned act is a sin, while an intentioned act, though a sin, is condonable, as motive behind an action is the only determining factor to decide whether any act is meritorious or a demerit, or is auspicious or unauspicious. So sin is a relative term. According to the Adi Granth a person commits a sin when he is influenced and overtaken by the vices (explained earlier). If such a sinner ever feels that his sins could be washed by having a dip in the holy water or by visiting a pilgrim, it is a totally misplaced notion. Such a person is tied in chains and produced before the god of death (Yam). If taking a

dip in the holy water and visiting a shrine could wash away his sins, it is an invitation for him to repeat his sins, since whatever wrong he has alone can be easily washed away. We commit sins to fulfil demands of our family persons, relatives and friends, but it is the individual who has to himself face the consequences and none else, only the fear of punishment can restrain a sinner from repeating his misdeeds and sins. A pious man is restrained by his conscience, while a sinner is restrained by fear of punishment which is an effective deterrent. Sins cannot be expiated by penances, but only by repentance and honest regrets, with a vow not to repeat the sins nor do new sins. Following the path of righteousness, Dharm can motivate a person and restrain him from committing sins. Guru Tegh Bahadur did not approve of a sinful act committed even unconsciously. For expiation, the word Prayash-Chitta is used which simply means atonement for a sinful act. Methods of expiation in Hinduism (in respect of Penance) Penance means 'Praya-shachutta' or torturing the body. Hinduism lays down following conditions and acts for atonement: "Let a man perform all those penances after having shorn his hair and his beard; and let him pray at morning, noon and evening everyday, lying in a low couch, and restraining his passions. And let him avoid to converse with women, Shudras or low castes, and let him constantly, to the best of his ability, mutter purifying mantras and makes oblations to the fire” (Quoted from the Institute of Vishnu). Since there are many types of committed sins, so also different penances have been recommended for each type of sin. One of such penances is called 'Chandrayan' penance, for which following recommendations have been made: "Let a man eat single mouthful of food, unchanged in size, beginning from the rise of moon, and increase one mouthful on each day in consonance with moon's rise. On the wane of the moon let him take off one mouthful on each day of moon's wane, and taking only one mouthful on the final day of moon's wane. On the first day of the next new moon day let him fast entirely." The Adi Granth outrightly rejects the aforesaid penance to expiate for the sins, nor does it subscribe to any method of occult sciences. It also does not agree to 'Abhishek', 'Tarpan', 'Japa' or 'Hom' (Yagya) which are constituents and ingredients of Purashcharna penance. Instead the holy scripture recommends remembrance of God's name, company 'Sadh Sangat' (saints). Fall-out impact of penance is destroyed by sitting at the feet of the saints. Who is a true Khalsa Sikh? Guru Gobind Singh introduced the word Khalsa. Prior to this term, the word Sikh was used. Further, to define a Sikh as a warrior, he coined the term Singh. Now the word Singh is added to every Sikhs name. Though all these terms look different, connotation is the same. Once one of my Sikh friends told that the term Khalsa means Khalas, that is 'pure' and undefiled. The term Singh was used to distinguish the Sikhs from the Sahajdharis [main stream of Sikhism] who did not use the distinctive symbols but accepted and abided by the religious and social code of Sikhism. All said and done, the Sahajdharis remain an integral part of the main stream of Sikhism. Guru Gobind Singh said at Keshgarh, let the four Hindu castes have different rules for their guidance, abandon them all, adopt the one form of adoration and become brothers. Let no one deem himself superior to another... Let men of four castes receive my

baptism, eat out of one dish and feel no disgust or contempt for one another. The content of this passage equally applies to others who discriminate on the basis of caste, consider themselves as superiors, do not share meals commonly with other castes, have disgust and despise for others. Guru Ramdas defined a Sikh as follows: Whosoever is called the Sikh (disciple of the true Guru), he should get up in the early hours of the morning and remember the name of the lord. He should endeavour to rise early and take bath in the tank of nectar. He should recite the name of the Lord under instructions of the Guru so that all the blemishes of his sins may be washed away. When the day dawns, he should sing hymns of the Guru and remember the name of the lord. While sitting or standing that Sikh is liked by the Guru; who remembers my Lord with every breath and loves whosoever comes under the grace of my Lord, he receives instructions from the Guru. Guru Nanak asks for the dust of the feet of that Sikh (of the Guru), who remembers himself and makes others remember the name (of the Lord). So a true follower of Sikhism is he who follows the said directions and those who choose to defy the Guru's guidelines and directions cannot claim to be his followers. So a Sikh is instructed to remember God's name, practise godly qualities in life and surrender his self at the feet of the Lord. Following injunctions are meant for every Sikh, Singh, Khalsa or Sehajadhari 1. Work for the sustenance and substance of the family, and also remain a householder throughout life. 2. Imbibe godly qualities, discard all vices and evil forces. 3. Help the needy, poor, infirm, aged, orphans by any way within one's means and capacity. 4. Have firm faith only in one God. 5. Attain spiritual heights through remembrance of God's name and Guru's Grace. Guru Gobind Singh further assigned and mentioned some other attributes of the Khalsa: “He who repeated day and night the name of Him (God) whose enduring light is unquenchable, who bestowed not a thought on any one but God. Who hath full love and confidence in God. Who putteth not faith even by mistake in fasting, or worshipping cemeteries, places of cremation, or 'jogis' places of sculpture... Who recognizes the one God and not pilgrimages, alms, the non-destruction of life, Hindu penances or austerities. And in whose heart the light of the perfect one shineth he is recognized as a pure member of the Khalsa". Being a good warrior is another quality of the true Khalsa. Guru Gobind Singh was himself a great warrior, but did not fail to recognize the contribution of the Sikh warriors. He expresses his gratitude to them in the following words: "All battles I have won against tyranny I have won with the devoted backing of these people. What would I have been without their kind and ready help?" and also adds, to express his gratitude, "I was born to serve them, through them I reached eminence." He was not against the Muslims as such but certainly against the reign of tyranny perpetrated by the Moghul emperors. He motivated the Sikhs to unleash retaliatory war against the Muslims who had maltreated the Sikh, killed them, uprooted them from their homes and driven them for refuge from their tyranny to the mountains. He, then, affirmed his resolve declaring. "Now, in accordance with mandatory wish of my father, Guru Tegh Bahadur, I

cherish the desire of avenging myself upon my father's murderers." (J.S. Grewal & S. S. Bal). This is how he taught his followers not to succumb meekly to injustice and tyranny, but to take up arms against the tyrants, whoever they be. Procedure for baptism of a Sikh Khalsa Baptism and its procedures differ from one religion to another and one who wishes to be baptised has to undergo certain laid down rules. For the Hindus, Buddhists, Jains, Muslims, Christians and Sikhs, the founders of such religions made observance and practice of certain rules mandatory. Nobody can or should compel to ordain a person to baptise from one religion to another. Conversion carries no stigma but forcible conversion (say proselytize) is a highly condemnable act. 'Panj Piaras' (Five Beloved Ones) were the first to be admitted into the Khalsa Panth, which gave Sikh brotherhood a new distinctive identification. It was also the time when women were also allowed to enter the fold of Khalsa, in addition to their usual duties towards family. It is called an initiation ceremony when a Sikh drinks water of immortality (called Amrit Chhakna). To give a respectable status to women Guru Gobind Singh asked his wife to put sugar cakes (Patashas) in the holy water, to impress upon the Sangas that woman's participation is necessary in the holy acts. It raised her status and brought it at par with the men. Two more aspects were also clear, viz. that she could also be initiated into Sikh brotherhood and also participate and join