Sikhism is universal, practical & democratic religion
- with a message for all men. The Sikh Religion is the youngest off
all religions. Sikhs number about 22.5 million worldwide. Sikhism
rankedd as the worlds 5th largest world religion. Sikhs are easily
recognized by turban. Sikhism is a way of life, something to be lived
according to a pattern. Sikhism literally means the way of the disciple.
The Disciple must follow the Guru's word. Guru Nanak Dev ji founded
Sikhism 500 years ago. The soul of Guru Nanak Dev ji passed on to
nine successors.
Sikh Gurus:
The First Master: Guru Nanak Dev (1469 to 1539)
The Second Master:: Guru Angad Dev (1504 to 1552)
The Third Master: Guru Amar Das (1479 to 1574)
The Fourth Master: Guru Ram Das (1534 to 1581)
The Fifth Master: Guru Arjan Dev (1563 to 1606)
The Sixth Master: Guru Hargobind (1595 to 1644)
The Seventh Master: Guru Har Rai (1630 to 1661)
The Eighth Master: Guru Harkrishan (1656 to 1664)
The Ninth Master: Guru Tegh Bahadur (1621 to 1675)
The Tenth Master: Guru Gobind Singh (1666 to 1708)
For Sikhism
God is first formless, God is beyond time and space. In His manifestation
god creates and appears to Mankind through the Word (Nam). The goal
of Sikhs is to build a close, loving relationship with God. Guru Nanak
propagated the message of equality. He treated Hindus and Muslims
alike. According to Sikh religion, There is but One God. All men are
equal. "This world is a garden,The Lord its gardener,Cherishing
all, none neglected."(Adi Granth, Majh Ashtpadi, M.3, p. 118).Sikhism
rejects idolatry, the caste system, ritualism, and asceticism. Sikhism
recognizes the equality between both genders. "From woman is
man born, inside her he is conceived; To woman man is engaged, and
woman he marries. With woman is man's companionship. From woman originate
new generations. Should woman die, is another sought; By woman's help
is man kept in restraint. Why revile her of whom are born great ones
of the earth? "( Adi Granth, Asa-ki-Var, M.1, p. 473)
Place of worship is called Gurdawara. Gurdawara means the adobe of
the Guru. The Golden Temple or Darbar Sahib, situated in Amritsar,
Punjab, India is the most sacred temple for Sikhs. Guru Arjan Dev
ji requested Mian Mir - a Muslim divine - to lay the foundation stone
of the Har Mander (Temple of God).The Khanda is main Sikh symbol.
It composed of five items. A Vertical double edged sword with a broad
blade, also called a Khanda.Two curved swords, called kirpans (Miri
& Piri). A rink called a chakker. Five emblems of Sikh faith are (5k's),
Kach (underwear) ensures agility and brikness. It is a mark of perpetual
readi-ness.
Kara (Wrist-band) is a sign of restraint and bondage.
Kirpan (Sword) is an emblem of poer and courage.
unshorn kes(Hair) is an emblem of the saints and Rishis of the past.
Kanga (comb) is necessary to keep the hair clean and in shape.
The practice of the Name is an-essential duty of a Sikh. Simaran is
the practice of the presence of God. Guru Ramdas Sahib says, "The
Guru is the Sikh and the Sikh who practices the Guru's word is equal
to the Guru".
Joseph D. Cunningham (1812-1851), the author of "A History of the
Sikhs" (1848), observed: "It has been usual to regard the Sikhs as
essentially Hindu... yet in religious faith and worldly aspiration,
they are wholly different from other Indians, and they are bound together
by an objective unknown elsewhere."
The world "Khalsa means "pure"", Khalsa's are the Sikhs which have
undergone the scared Amrith Ceremony initiated by the 10th Sikh Guru,
Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. Bhai Nand Lal, a contemporary of Guru Gobind
Singh, wrote the following description of the Khalsa:
Khalsa is one who fights in the front ranks.
Khalsa is one who conquers the five evils [lust, anger, pride, greed,
ego];
Khalsa is one who destroys doubt.
Khalsa is one who gives up ego;
Khalsa is one who does not stray from his spouse;
Khalsa is one who looks upon all as his own;
Khalsa is one who attunes himself with God.
The scared literature of Sikhism is called Gurbani which means the
Guru's word. Guru Arjan compiled the Adi Granth also known as Guru
Granth Sahib. The Guru Granth Sahib contains 5894 hyms, 1430 pages,
was written in Gurmukhi script and it contains the actual words and
verses as uttered by Sikh Gurus (Gurbani). The Dasam Granth was compiled
by Bhai Mani Singh, contains more then 1400 pages in Brij Bhasha,
Persian and Punjabi.
Guru Angad previously know as Lehna was a worshiper of the goddess
Jawala Mukhi. He popularized the Gurmukhi script introduced by Guru
Nanak. Guru Ramdas established a new township called Ramdaspur. Now
known as Amritsar. He composed the Lavan for Sikh marriage cermony
and other hymns appropriate to certain other functions and festivites.
Guru Har Gobind carried two swords : one of spiritual power - Peeri,
and the other of military power- Meeri. He started seat of Sikh Power
called 'Akal Takhat' was started in 1609.Guru Gobind Singh ji was
a Saint-solider and a poet. In 1801, the Sikh state of Punjab was
founded in Northern India by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
