Is Sikhi all about hairs?

Discussions on various aspects of Sikhi
JasbeerSingh
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Is Sikhi all about hairs?

Post by JasbeerSingh »

A very intriguing question asked by a Non-Sikh boy in a Sikhi awareness study group by a local community in Pune. Most of the Sikhs were caught unaware and had no convincing answers. There was a long discussion but I am posting the gist of the arguments posted by that boy.

-Do the Sikhs consider 7 billion people in this World as sinners because almost all of them cut their hairs?

-Are the crimes committed by Sikhs under the spell of Five Vices (Kam, Krodh, lobh, Moh, hankaar) forgiven if they keep hairs?

-Why most of the Sikhs are ashamed of keeping open beards mostly in urban areas rather than wasting time in "fixing the hair" or clipping the beards, isn’t this a childish way of making both the Guru and the society happy?

-If a person is well versed in Gurbani and does a regular paath and perform good deeds but doesn't keep beard or hairs will he not be a Sikh?

-Why to just stick to one kakaar of Kesh, what about the other four kangha, kaccha, kirpan,kada? Such fuss is never made if a Sikh modifies as per his need, for example not wearing a kara or refraining from keeping a kirpan when travelling abroad, but he becomes a big big sinner when modification is made with Kesh. Why such selective outrage?

-Why most of the Sikhs don't follow the basic hukam of not keeping Surnames but only Singhs & Kaurs as instructed by Guru Gobind Singhji?

I wish if anyone could give convincing answer to such questions because I personally attended the camp and this boy 20 yr old took everyone by storm, he replied strongly to the answers and made everyone speechless..
singhbj
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Re: Is Sikhi all about hairs?

Post by singhbj »

Being a Sikh is about reading, understanding & following Gurbani.

It doesn't matter what people say Gursikhs must search for answers in Gurbani.

Here are some Shabads that are relevant to the query

http://igurbani.com/?shabadid=1143&id=13852#bmb=1

http://igurbani.com/?shabadid=1164&id=14021#bmb=1

http://igurbani.com/?shabadid=1198&id=14242#bmb=1

http://igurbani.com/?shabadid=2484&id=28163#bmb=1
Singh2000
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Re: Is Sikhi all about hairs?

Post by Singh2000 »

Waheguru ji ka khalsa Waheguru ji ki fateh

First of all Sikhi is all about love. Sikhi is path of love. Only person in love can understand sikhi. Understand means stand under. If your arguments are so strong then you can’t find answer in this materialistic world. To find answer one has to be a learner or sikh and come to guru and sangat with humbleness to find answer.

We all try to find answer in this materialistic world by comparing to something to satisfy our understanding. Some compare hair with grass and some compare with nails. But we are very small to understand God and its creation. If someone thinks he is very intelligent then first tries to see what is his value and size in this universe. Our earth is just small particle of sand in known universe. Then we all are nothing.

I will try to find answer in love for all your questions………Please try to understand with love not with intellectual mind.
-Do the Sikhs consider 7 billion people in this World as sinners because almost all of them cut their hairs?
We Sikh don’t say in any way if you don’t follow Sikhism you will go to hell or you are sinner. We keep hair because we love our Guru and our 10th Guru’s hukam is to keep uncut hair. Our Guru is very intelligent and he knows what is good or bad for his sikh.
-Are the crimes committed by Sikhs under the spell of Five Vices (Kam, Krodh, lobh, Moh, hankaar) forgiven if they keep hairs?
We sikh keep hair as a symbol of respect for the perfection of God’s creation. When we do meditation our hair helps us to absorb energy and also our each and every hair meditates with us. Naam japana helps us to overcome five vices so that we can live as Gurmukh.

By born in sikh family or wearing sikh dress doen’t make us sikh. It’s Guru’s teaching which makes us sikh. So a criminal is not Sikh at all although he wears sikh dress or born in sikh family.
-Why most of the Sikhs are ashamed of keeping open beards mostly in urban areas rather than wasting time in "fixing the hair" or clipping the beards, isn’t this a childish way of making both the Guru and the society happy?
If you are talking about Grusikh, we are not ashamed of our open beard. According to job situation or place circumstances we tie our hair. But do not take that as we ashamed of our open beard. We love our hair.

For most answer is: Sikhi is path of acceptance to the Guru’s teaching. Guru’s teaching core is naam or hukam or love. We can measure person’s Sikhi level by his or her acceptance to Guru’s teaching. If he/she accept 10% teachings then we can say he/she is 10% sikh. If he/she accept 30% then he/she is 30% sikh. If anyone accepts 100% then that person will become reflection of Guru. Bhai lehna ji accepted 100% Guru Nanak’s teaching, that’s why he became 2nd Guru Nanak.

To understand 100% acceptance level Sikh, we need to achieve that level otherwise for 2nd grade student it is difficult to understand the PHD level student.

So we all are at different level and behave according to our level. To understand all or most of sikh first we need to achieve 100% level.
-If a person is well versed in Gurbani and does a regular paath and perform good deeds but doesn't keep beard or hairs will he not be a Sikh?
Hair and 5 K’s we keep as fencing for Naam farming, which we do for our mind, soul and body prosperity. Without fencing there are chances of stealing Naam farming by 5 vices. Naam earning is very difficult, we need strong protection. Guru Gobind Singh ji gave us 5 K’s to protect from 5 vices.
-Why to just stick to one kakaar of Kesh, what about the other four kangha, kaccha, kirpan,kada? Such fuss is never made if a Sikh modifies as per his need, for example not wearing a kara or refraining from keeping a kirpan when travelling abroad, but he becomes a big big sinner when modification is made with Kesh. Why such selective outrage?


Again we don’t say any one sinner although sikh or non sikh. It is love of our parents or sikh community who wants other sikh to keep hair. It is our way to looking them as fuss or love. As per Guru’s hukam we need to keep 5 k’s. Therefore after baptized we keep 5 k’s as commitment to Guru’s hukam. In Guru’s hukam love is hidden, which is only realized when there is need of 5 k’s.

Let’s talk about Kirpan. Kirpan is for self defense and other’s protection. But in recent days we keep our kirpan just as a symbol, but not for its useful purpose. Guru Gobind Singh ji wants sikh to learn marshal art and keep good kirpan for need or kirpa. If we keep good grip sharp kirpan we can stop or protect our self and other from crime like crime against women, 84 mass killing, hate crime etc. These days very good hunter knives are easily available which we can use as kirpan.

When we travel abroad, in plane we keep our kirpan in our checked baggage and again wear when we reach our destination. Kirpan is for kirpa so if we put in checked baggage, that means we don’t want to scare others and respect law.
-Why most of the Sikhs don't follow the basic hukam of not keeping Surnames but only Singhs & Kaurs as instructed by Guru Gobind Singhji?
We Gursikh have full respect of Guru Gobind Singh ji’s hukam of equality and our guru made us King and Princess. We are proud of having our last name Singh and Kaur.

Convincing answer depends upon your spirituality level. If that boy makes everyone speechless that is due to our low level of understanding about sikhi.

At end I can say Gursikh is a gem or jewel in this world, which is rare. Guru Gobind Singh ji found 5 loved one jewels out of 50,000 people by asking head, not by vote or by money. If you see very less or rare Gursikh don’t surprise. Keep in mind gems and jewels are rare.

Thanks!
JasbeerSingh
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Re: Is Sikhi all about hairs?

Post by JasbeerSingh »

singhbj wrote:Being a Sikh is about reading, understanding & following Gurbani.

It doesn't matter what people say Gursikhs must search for answers in Gurbani.

Here are some Shabads that are relevant to the query

http://igurbani.com/?shabadid=1143&id=13852#bmb=1

http://igurbani.com/?shabadid=1164&id=14021#bmb=1

http://igurbani.com/?shabadid=1198&id=14242#bmb=1

http://igurbani.com/?shabadid=2484&id=28163#bmb=1

Thanks a lot for this, You won't believe similar quotations were given by Sangat but in reply a nice counter was given by the boy.. He said that for all Sikhs of today's World there is only one Guru Sahib Shri Guru Granth Sahibji Maharaj.. They are all suppose to follow the Gurbani written inside it..When is SGGS instructing in which Ang or verse that all who don't keep their hairs and cut it disobey God or will go to hell or are incomplete? On many instances Guru Granth Sahibji tells us that all Humans are just one, but then when all cut their hairs which Sikhs are suppose to keep how can they be One and Same..? I will be thankful if you provide me a good formidable answer which unfortunately Sangat of that Group failed to give and just asked the boy to shut up
singhbj
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Re: Is Sikhi all about hairs?

Post by singhbj »

ਕਾਇਆ ਕਿਰਦਾਰ ਅਉਰਤ ਯਕੀਨਾ ॥
Make good deeds thy body and faith thy bride.
ਕਾਇਆ = ਸਰੀਰ। ਕਿਰਦਾਰ = ਅਮਲ, ਚੰਗੇ ਮੰਦੇ ਕਰਮ। ਅਉਰਤ = ਇਸਤ੍ਰੀ। ਅਉਰਤ ਯਕੀਨਾ = ਪਤਿਬ੍ਰਤਾ ਇਸਤ੍ਰੀ।
ਹੇ ਖ਼ੁਦਾ ਦੇ ਬੰਦੇ! ਆਪਣੇ ਇਸ ਸਰੀਰ ਨੂੰ, ਜਿਸ ਦੀ ਰਾਹੀਂ ਸਦਾ ਚੰਗੇ ਮੰਦੇ ਕਰਮ ਕੀਤੇ ਜਾਂਦੇ ਹਨ ਆਪਣੀ ਵਫ਼ਾਦਾਰ ਔਰਤ (ਪਤਿਬ੍ਰਤਾ ਇਸਤ੍ਰੀ) ਬਣਾ,

ਰੰਗ ਤਮਾਸੇ ਮਾਣਿ ਹਕੀਨਾ ॥
Revel thou in the True Lord's love and entertainments.
ਹਕੀਨਾ = ਹੱਕ ਦੇ, ਰੱਬੀ ਮਿਲਾਪ ਦੇ।
(ਤੇ, ਵਿਕਾਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਰੰਗ-ਤਮਾਸ਼ੇ ਮਾਣਨ ਦੇ ਥਾਂ, ਇਸ ਪਤਿਬ੍ਰਤਾ ਇਸਤ੍ਰੀ ਦੀ ਰਾਹੀਂ) ਰੱਬੀ ਮਿਲਾਪ ਦੇ ਰੰਗ-ਤਮਾਸ਼ੇ ਮਾਣਿਆ ਕਰ।

ਨਾਪਾਕ ਪਾਕੁ ਕਰਿ ਹਦੂਰਿ ਹਦੀਸਾ ਸਾਬਤ ਸੂਰਤਿ ਦਸਤਾਰ ਸਿਰਾ ॥੧੨॥
Make pure that is impure. Deem thou the Lord's presence thy counsel. Let the complete body be the turban on thy head.
ਨਾਪਾਕ = ਅਪਵਿੱਤਰ। ਪਾਕੁ = ਪਵਿੱਤਰ। ਹਦੀਸ = ਪੈਗ਼ੰਬਰੀ ਪੁਸਤਕ ਜਿਸ ਨੂੰ ਕੁਰਾਨ ਤੋਂ ਦੂਜਾ ਦਰਜਾ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ, ਇਸ ਵਿਚ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨੀ ਸ਼ਰਹ ਦੀ ਹਿਦਾਇਤ ਹੈ। ਹਦੂਰਿ ਹਦੀਸਾ = ਹਜ਼ੂਰੀ ਹਦੀਸ, ਰੱਬੀ ਸ਼ਰਹ ਦੀ ਪੁਸਤਕ। ਸਾਬਤ ਸੂਰਤਿ = (ਸੁੰਨਤਿ, ਲਬਾਂ ਕੱਟਣ ਆਦਿਕ ਦੀ ਸ਼ਰਹ ਨਾਹ ਕਰ ਕੇ) ਸਰੀਰ ਨੂੰ ਜਿਉਂ ਕਾ ਤਿਉਂ ਰੱਖਣਾ। ਦਸਤਾਰ ਸਿਰਾ = ਸਿਰ ਉਤੇ ਦਸਤਾਰ (ਦਾ ਕਾਰਨ ਬਣਦੀ ਹੈ), ਇੱਜ਼ਤ-ਆਦਰ ਦਾ ਵਸੀਲਾ ਹੈ ॥੧੨॥
ਹੇ ਅੱਲਾ ਦੇ ਬੰਦੇ! (ਵਿਕਾਰਾਂ ਵਿਚ) ਮਲੀਨ ਹੋ ਰਹੇ ਮਨ ਨੂੰ ਪਵਿੱਤਰ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਜਤਨ ਕਰ-ਇਹੀ ਹੈ ਰੱਬੀ ਮਿਲਾਪ ਪੈਦਾ ਕਰਨ ਵਾਲੀ ਸ਼ਰਹ ਦੀ ਕਿਤਾਬ। (ਸੁੰਨਤਿ, ਲਬਾਂ ਕਟਾਣ ਆਦਿਕ ਸ਼ਰਹ ਨੂੰ ਛੱਡ ਕੇ) ਆਪਣੀ ਸ਼ਕਲ ਨੂੰ ਜਿਉਂ ਕਾ ਤਿਉਂ ਰੱਖ-ਇਹ (ਲੋਕ ਪਰਲੋਕ ਵਿਚ) ਇੱਜ਼ਤ-ਆਦਰ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕਰਨ ਦਾ ਵਸੀਲਾ ਬਣ ਜਾਂਦਾ ਹੈ ॥੧੨॥

Source - http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurban ... Param=1084
JasbeerSingh
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Re: Is Sikhi all about hairs?

Post by JasbeerSingh »

Thanks a lot for your reply Veerji but will you please take some time out to answer in more depth because in order to explain this to a Non-SIkh Sikhs actually feel helpless
We Sikh don’t say in any way if you don’t follow Sikhism you will go to hell or you are sinner. We keep hair because we love our Guru and our 10th Guru’s hukam is to keep uncut hair. Our Guru is very intelligent and he knows what is good or bad for his sikh.
But for Sikhs Guru is Guru Granth Sahib.. Can you please quote Where Guru Granth Sahib INSTRUCTS human beings to keep unshorn hair

We sikh keep hair as a symbol of respect for the perfection of God’s creation. When we do meditation our hair helps us to absorb energy and also our each and every hair meditates with us. Naam japana helps us to overcome five vices so that we can live as Gurmukh.

Well Then does that mean that Buddhist way of meditation is wrong? Coz I see Buddhists monks mostly bald, for example Dalai Lama? You think whatever he meditates is getting waste.. Please explain more about connection of hairs and meditation
By born in sikh family or wearing sikh dress doen’t make us sikh. It’s Guru’s teaching which makes us sikh. So a criminal is not Sikh at all although he wears sikh dress or born in sikh family

But My question was specific, where does our present Guru tells us to Keep Hairs and don't cut it?

If you are talking about Grusikh, we are not ashamed of our open beard. According to job situation or place circumstances we tie our hair. But do not take that as we ashamed of our open beard. We love our hair.

That's what my question is when according to Job situation or place circumstances why we modify our rehat at all.. Applying Chemicals and Gels so that Beard sticks to the face, is just like trying to look good in World's eyes... When we love our Guru so much who gave us permission to even do this.. I see this as an opportunistic attitude
Hair and 5 K’s we keep as fencing for Naam farming, which we do for our mind, soul and body prosperity. Without fencing there are chances of stealing Naam farming by 5 vices. Naam earning is very difficult, we need strong protection. Guru Gobind Singh ji gave us 5 K’s to protect from 5 vices.

Well 5 ks are not kept by all rather I say 1 out of 100 must be keeping all 5 Ks.. Fencing for Naam? I didn't get it

Again we don’t say any one sinner although sikh or non sikh. It is love of our parents or sikh community who wants other sikh to keep hair. It is our way to looking them as fuss or love. As per Guru’s hukam we need to keep 5 k’s. Therefore after baptized we keep 5 k’s as commitment to Guru’s hukam. In Guru’s hukam love is hidden, which is only realized when there is need of 5 k’s.

So why not Kesh kept after baptizm? Why it is forced on all Sikhs?

When we travel abroad, in plane we keep our kirpan in our checked baggage and again wear when we reach our destination. Kirpan is for kirpa so if we put in checked baggage, that means we don’t want to scare others and respect law.


Isn't this modification as per our own convenience? Why we scared?

We Gursikh have full respect of Guru Gobind Singh ji’s hukam of equality and our guru made us King and Princess. We are proud of having our last name Singh and Kaur.


I am talking of Majority of Sikhs who keep their surnames instead of Singh/kaur or put it after Singh, Kaur.. Like XYZ Singh arora etc. etc. and funny thing is those Sikhs are the most passionate ones to teach about Rehat? Isn't it a hypocrisy


Thanks for your time and reply...
JasbeerSingh
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Re: Is Sikhi all about hairs?

Post by JasbeerSingh »

Mr Singhbj,

Thanks a lot for these verses but they aren't implying at all that cutting hair is a sin..
IJJSingh
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Re: Is Sikhi all about hairs?

Post by IJJSingh »

Bhai Jasbeer Singh ji,

In defense of not cutting hair, I have shared below a couple of reasons from human perspective, and one from a Sikh perspective. Hope this helps.

If I were to ask this boy to cut-off his ears, he would tell me I am crazy. Likely his reason for not cutting his ears will be the pain this will cause. If I were to induce him with a lot of money and an offer of a doctor who would make the procedure relatively painless and ask him to reconsider. Even after more thinking, he will most likely say no. Our body has been perfected over millions of years of evolution. Nothing in our body exists without a purpose (it’s possible that we may not be aware of this purpose). This boy is not prepared to cut his ears, why doesn’t he give the same respect to his hair? The answer lies in my paragraph above:
- Unlike ears, cutting hair cause him no pain
- I bet, he hasn’t bothered to think why he cuts his hair.
Let’s explore the above two aspects.

1. No pain: Human race is pathetically short-sighted. We behave properly only if there is a threat of immediate pain against us. If pain is not immediate, or there is no pain, we continue doing even those things which we know are bad for us. We are killing entire species from this planet, we have cut-down forests, we have raped the environment, we consume drugs and types of food which ruin our health. We tend to bully people who can’t fight back. We bow to people who are stronger than us and can dish out immediate pain/retribution. If there was no pain associated with cutting body parts other than hair, we would have mutilated most of our body. Had there been no pain, we would have carved our face, and would have pulled out our heart for display in the name of fashion. How virtuous is it to do the right thing only when we are under the gun?

2. Lack of thinking: The bedrock of spiritual living is to always evaluate and examine our actions and decisions. A person who starts cutting hair just because everybody else is doing so is implying that he doesn’t want to use his own brain. One can explain their reasons for an action but not for a lack of action (normal state). Rather than questioning Sikhs, the question needs to be posed to the person cutting hair, why is he doing this?
There’s a famous story attributed to the playwright, George Bernard Shaw: As a child Shaw would watch his father shave. One day young George asked dad why he did it. Shaw senior stopped, stared at his son, and threw his razor out the window, saying, “Why the hell do I?” He never shaved again – a family tradition that GBS followed for all the 94 years of his life.

Sikh specific rationale for not cutting hair
It’s our ego which separates us from God. No matter how good we become, ego cannot be effaced by ourselves. Any action we take on our own further strengthen the “I” in us. Therefore, it is necessary to surrender to a Guru, and give up our own intellect and adopt gurmat and do what the Guru says. The Guru said show me your commitment to me by adopting the 5 Ks, and then I will give you naam. Meditating on this naam will efface your ego. What type of surrendering is it, when we are not even prepared to take the first step? Sikhism is not the only path to God. One can shop for a Guru who doesn’t have a pre-requisite for maintaining hair. If one does this, they are not Sikh, then they have chosen a non-Sikh path.

Now I will answer the other questions one by one.
Do the Sikhs consider 7 billion people in this World as sinners because almost all of them cut their hairs?
Only Sikhs are bound by their guru to keep their hair uncut. I have nothing against people from other religions who cut their hair because they are not violating the command of their guru. Incidentally, sinner is somebody who harms others. A person who doesn’t have enough sense to understand what is important for their own well being may be stupid, he is not a sinner.
Are the crimes committed by Sikhs under the spell of Five Vices (Kam, Krodh, lobh, Moh, hankaar) forgiven if they keep hairs?
Absolutely not. Maintaining Ks is a first step in adopting Guru. You have to live by Guru's instructions to reap any rewards.
Why most of the Sikhs are ashamed of keeping open beards mostly in urban areas rather than wasting time in "fixing the hair" or clipping the beards, isn’t this a childish way of making both the Guru and the society happy?
People may tie their beards for many reasons (e.g. safety, job requirements, etc.). The Guru has put no restrictions on how we care for hair. Are you sure that people tie their beards because they are ashamed? I live in the largest urban center in Canada, and I keep a flowing beard. My father, who lived in Punjab tied his beard most of his life, and he is a much better Sikh than I. Nothing is farther from the truth to say that he ever was ashamed to be a Sikh.
If a person is well versed in Gurbani and does a regular paath and perform good deeds but doesn't keep beard or hairs will he not be a Sikh?
Sikh is a student, and anybody who is learning from Gurbani can call him/herself a Sikh. I am amritdhari, and I have known sehajdhari Sikhs whom I look up to. That is not the point. The Guru welcomes anybody. However, the Guru has clearly laid out the criteria for a Sikh before he will become his Guru. Adopting a Guru is a formal ceremony. Before the tenth Guru, it involved charan pahul, since 1699 it involves khande di pahul. One can be a huge fan and admirer of the Guru, and benefit tremendously by following Gurbani. However, until one follows the criteria laid out by the Guru can they claim the Sikh Guru as their guru?
Why to just stick to one kakaar of Kesh, what about the other four kangha, kaccha, kirpan,kada? Such fuss is never made if a Sikh modifies as per his need, for example not wearing a kara or refraining from keeping a kirpan when travelling abroad, but he becomes a big big sinner when modification is made with Kesh. Why such selective outrage?
Kesh are different, we are born with them. The other Ks we adopt when we are ready. Shunning the one K we have as opposed to building up to adopt the other Ks is understandably disheartening. It is always a good idea to encourage any sliver of good anybody has. It’s not all or nothing. Is the argument being made that until you become perfect, don’t bother preserving some goodness you may posses?
Why most of the Sikhs don't follow the basic hukam of not keeping Surnames but only Singhs & Kaurs as instructed by Guru Gobind Singhji?
I may be ill-informed, but I have not seen such a hukam in Sikh Rehat Maryada. All of the Gurus spoke against caste based discrimination. Unless we see everybody as equal, we cannot achieve oneness. I don’t know if maintaining or discarding last name makes that huge a difference. A person who is a bigot will remain a bigot doesn’t matter what name you give him.
But for Sikhs Guru is Guru Granth Sahib.. Can you please quote Where Guru Granth Sahib INSTRUCTS human beings to keep unshorn hair
Guru Gobind Singh ji explicitly asked Sikhs to keep hair uncut. I don’t understand the logic. Just because currently SGGS is our Guru that doesn’t mean that we have to ignore Guru Gobind Singh ji’s instructions. When Guru Angad Dev ji became Guru, we didn’t ignore Guru Nanak Dev ji.

Waheguru ji ka Khalsa, Waheguru ji ki Fateh
JasbeerSingh
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Re: Is Sikhi all about hairs?

Post by JasbeerSingh »

Thanks a lot IJJSingh for a detailed reply,

But still this won't give me enough reason to counter that person and not only him but many whom I come across and who ask me the reasons behind keeping hairs and SIKHS' OBSESSION WITH IT, there are many things which can be countered easily by a person who has the knowledge about Sikhi. Other than your point of Kesh being a part of our Body while other 4 kakaars being external I don't find other answers convincing.. I have my reasons the major ones I am jotting down

First, If it is such a big sin for a Sikh (not for any other person but a Sikh) then why we don't find Guru Granth Sahib describing it as sin and giving specific instruction on refraining from cutting hairs.. You wrote about rehat Nama, it also very clearly states consider Guru Granth Sahib as the Final Guru and treat it like an embodiment of Guru. Why doesn't Guru mention at all, at least Guruji should have mentioned avoid doing it, like Guruji makes it clear to not have a thought of other person's wife, just an example.

Second, You write "Our body has been perfected over millions of years of evolution. Nothing in our body exists without a purpose " Then why doesn't our body feels pain at all when we cut our hairs, if it had been unnatural it should have caused pain.Your own argument is self defeating I guess. Comparing this with cutting of an ear won't stand at all.. Ear has a purpose , it is an opening of our body and performs a very important function of hearing. People are surviving for centuries cutting their hairs hence anyone may argue that it is perfectly natural or at least not unnatural.

Third, We must not get irritated while being questioned, you say "Human race is pathetically short-sighted" that same race Guru Gobind Singhji Calls as One.. Manas ki jaat sabhie ek pehchaanbo. When in this race 99.99% cut their hairs somehow or the other the onus is on us to explain if someone asks , we can't just turn our backs because Sikhism and Sikh Gurus are always looked upon as great rational thinkers who finished superstition and always urged people to disassociate with Dogmatic beliefs it will certainly baffle anybody as why the heck a new dogma has been started by Sikhs then who believes in oneness when we openly admit that Sikh who cuts his hair can't be a Sikh, for any layman it will be mind boggling.

Fourth, Tell me very simple thing how can applying Chemicals on our Beards like Hair Fixer, Sticky Gel etc. etc. (It all contains chemicals) be regarded as CARING FOR HAIRS? It's certainly a time taking process.. My Question was not being ashamed of hairs.. If we waste our time over such thing for our personal reasons why then make a fuss for those Sikhs who trim their beard. isn't it the same thing? Guruji's message was keeping the hairs neat, chemicals with different types of smells when we can survive in open beards is the most illogical thing to do.

Fifth and last it is unbelievable that you are not able to digest that almost all Sikhs keep their surnames and conveniently ignore this historical fact that Guru Gobind Singhji himself changed his name from Gobind Rai to Gobind Singh and along with him the surnames of all Panj Pyaras were changed and they were made Singhs. This is a major revolutionary step from breaking away from existing deep-rooted Caste System. Keeping surname is an open transgression of Rehat Maryada which abstains from Castism. Sikh Community stands divided on the basis of Castes that's a big reality all thanks to keeping surnames instead or ahead of Singh and Kaur and differentiating between Jatt/Khatri/Ramgaria/labana/Kamboj/Arora. In this regard I totally agreed with that person same sort of evasive answers were given in that Sikh Awareness Group of Pune
Why Majority Sikhs ignore this important aspect of Guru Gobind Singhji?????????

Waheguru Ji Ka khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh

Moderator Note: The last comment above shows irritation. The surname issue is off-topic in this thread. Such digressions indicate that the real motive may be different than the initial question. Please stay on topic and avoid making personal attacks. Thanks.
Bundha
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Re: Is Sikhi all about hairs?

Post by Bundha »

But for Sikhs Guru is Guru Granth Sahib.. Can you please quote Where Guru Granth Sahib INSTRUCTS human beings to keep unshorn hair.
Firstly, for Sikhs we follow all the Gurus, hence the reason they are addressed as Guru. We follow their example and all the Gurus were keshdhari. Does not the instruction of Guru Gobind Singh Ji mean anything?

We recite three banis from Dasam Granth Sahig Ji, where in Guru Granth Sahib Ji does it say we recite Jaap Sahib? Amrit Swaiyai? Benti Chaupai? In fact does it say anywhere in Guru Granth Sahib Ji we should recite Japji Sahib daily? So why so much stress on hair instruction from Guru Granth Sahib Ji?

In Gurbani many times the importance of kesh is stressed, many times God is described being with long hair.

Raag Gauree Bairaagan, Fifth Mehla:
Those humble beings, with whom the beautifully-haired Lord is thoroughly pleased, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord. ||4||
You are my mother, father, son and relative; You are the Support of the breath of life.
In the Saadh Sangat, the Company of the Holy, Nanak meditates on the Lord, and swims across the poisonous world-ocean. ||5||1||116||

ਨਾਪਾਕ ਪਾਕੁ ਕਰਿ ਹਦੂਰਿ ਹਦੀਸਾ ਸਾਬਤ ਸੂਰਤਿ ਦਸਤਾਰ ਸਿਰਾ ॥੧੨॥
“Purify what is impure, and let the Lord’s Presence be your religious tradition. Let your total awareness be the turban on your head. ||12||
(Ang 1084)
“Sabat Soorat Dastar Sira” means, “Let your total awareness be the turban on your head.” This clearly states that a Sikh is instructed to live a natural life and have unshorn hair, and to protect and keep those hair clean he/she must wear a Dastaar on his/her head.
Well Then does that mean that Buddhist way of meditation is wrong? Coz I see Buddhists monks mostly bald, for example Dalai Lama? You think whatever he meditates is getting waste.. Please explain more about connection of hairs and meditation.
There are many paths that lead to mergence with the Almighty each has its own maryadha. No one path is right no one is wrong, but some are more direct than others and Gursikhi marag is the most direct. So The Dalai Lama is not wasting his time, he is on his own path, just that that path is going to take longer to reach its destination. For too long we waste time over what others are doing, rather we need to concentrate what is happening within ourselves .

Show any person a picture of a clean shaven man and one who has long flowing beard and hair and most will pick the latter as looking the more spiritual. Subconsciously we know this to be true but in this age of fashion and trends we are too weak to follow this path.

So why not Kesh kept after baptizm? Why it is forced on all Sikhs?
The inward and outward maryadha of a sikh is important, you cannot have one without the other. So, a person who does a lot of naam/simran but does not keep his outward appearance according to Gurus hukam need to look within him/her self as to why. For someone who wears the outward symbols of sikh but does little or no naam/simran should also look within as to why, because as one comes that the other should follow, if it does not then there is something wrong within.

My question would be why not keep kesh? Why not be proud of who we are? When ninth Guru was being executed there were many Sikhs in the onlookers many with no outward appearance of a Sikh, they cowered away. Guru Ji said I will give Sikhs an appearance were they will stand out from the crowd and keeping hair tied under a dastaar is a proclamation to our allegiance to our Guru. It is the first step to being a complete sikh so why not? Anyways, it is not forced upon anyone.

When we travel abroad, in plane we keep our kirpan in our checked baggage and again wear when we reach our destination. Kirpan is for kirpa so if we put in checked baggage, that means we don’t want to scare others and respect law.
Isn't this modification as per our own convenience? Why we scared?
The reason why the kirpan is placed in the luggage is because we have no choice other than not travel or get arrested every time we board a plane. You would say the same about motorbikes and crash helmets (in the UK at least) had it not been for an agitation by brave and dedicated Sikhs that took years to get the law changed. The same goes for Sikhs driving buses, they were banned, it was after dedicated people pushing for change that this also got changed, I fear that with the situation of the world today a relaxation of the kirpan law on planes is not going to be relaxed anytime soon.
I am talking of Majority of Sikhs who keep their surnames instead of Singh/kaur or put it after Singh, Kaur.. Like XYZ Singh arora etc. etc. and funny thing is those Sikhs are the most passionate ones to teach about Rehat? Isn't it a hypocrisy?
As with most things nothing is quite black and white, there is a broad spectrum. Some just keep Singh/Kaur some just keep their surname, some keep both. It is not one or the other, it cannot not ever be one or the other because we are all individuals and with our own thought processes it is less a case of hypocrisy but rather how enlightened one’s mind is. We are all on a path some have progressed more and some have not progressed as much. Rather than label those less able as hypocrites would it not be better if they are encouraged to veer towards the true path ?
Guru Nanak Dev Ji Guru Gobind Singh Ji Guru Granth Sahib Ji Dasam Granth Sahib Ji.
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