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Selected revered saints Bhagat Kabir Bhagat Ravidas Bhagat Farid Bhagat Ramanand Bhagat Beni Bhagat Namdev Bhagat Sadhana Bhagat Bhikhan Bhagat Parmanand Bhagat Sain Bhagat Dhanna Bhagat Pipa Bhagat Surdas Bhagat Jaidev Bhagat Trilochan Bhatt Kalshar Bhatt Balh Bhatt Bhalh Bhatt Bhika Bhatt Gayand Bhatt Harbans Bhatt Jalap Bhatt Kirat Bhatt Mathura Bhatt Nalh Bhatt Salh Baba Sundar Satta Doom Balvand Rai
Philosophy Naam Japo Kirat Karō Vand Chakkō Charhdi Kalā Guru Maneyo Granth Five Thieves Five Virtues
Practices Sikh Rehat Maryada Prohibitions Ardās Kirtan Amrit Velā Dasvand The Five Ks Langar Sewa Simran Nitnem Dastar (Turban) Naam Karan Amrit Sanskar Anand Karaj Antam Sanskar
Scripture Guru Granth Sahib Dasam Granth Sarbloh Granth Five Banis
Places and Takhts Gurdwara Harmandir Sahib Akal Takht Keshgarh Sahib Damdama Sahib Patna Sahib Hazur Sahib
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Sikhism (IPA: or ; Template:Lang-pa, sikkhī, IPA: ) is a religion that began in fifteenth century Northern India with the teachings of Nanak and nine successive human gurus. This system of religious philosophy and expression has been traditionally known as the Gurmat (literally the counsel of the gurus) or the Sikh Dharma. Sikhism comes from the word Sikh, which in turn comes from the Sanskrit root śiṣya meaning "disciple" or "learner", or śikṣa meaning "instruction." Sikhism is the fifth-largest religion in the world, and is generally considered the fifth largest organized religion, depending on how one defines an "organized religion".

The principal belief in Sikhism is faith in Vāhigurū—represented using the sacred symbol of ēk ōaṅkār. Sikhism advocates the pursuit of salvation through disciplined, personal meditation on the name and message of God. The followers of Sikhism are ordained to follow the teachings of the ten Sikh gurus, or enlightened leaders, as well as the holy scripture—the Gurū Granth Sāhib—which includes the selected works of many authors from diverse socioeconomic and religious backgrounds. The text was decreed by Gobind Singh, the tenth guru, as the final guru of the Khalsa Panth. Sikhism's traditions and teachings are distinctly associated with the history, society and culture of the Punjab. Adherents of Sikhism are known as Sikhs (students or disciples) and number over 23 million across the world. However, most Sikhs live in the state of Punjab in India; prior to partition, millions of Sikhs lived in what is now the Punjab province of Pakistan.

Philosophy and teachings

Sikh religious philosophy has roots in the religious traditions of northern India. The Sant Mat traditions are fundamental to the teachings of Sikhism's founder, Nanak. Especially important to the connection with Sikhism were the teachings of some of the saints such as Ravidas and Kabir. Sikhism is also inspired by the emphasis on devotion to God in the sm]].Nanak's teachings had a strict emphasis on inward devotion; Sikhism is professed to be a more difficult personal pursuit than Bhakti. The evolution of Nanak's thoughts on the basis of his own experiences and study have also given Sikhism a distinctly unique feature.

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Scholars have presented Sikhism as a syncretic religion which stems from Hinduism

God

In Sikhism, God—termed Vāhigurū—is formless, eternal, and unobserved: niraṅkār, akāl, and alakh. Nanak interpreted Vāhigurū as a single, personal and transcendental creator.

The beginning of the first composition of Sikh scripture is the figure "1"—signifying the unity of God. To achieve salvation, the devotee must develop an intimate faith in and relationship with God. God is omnipresent and infinite, and is signified by the term ēk ōaṅkār. Sikhs believe that prior to creation, all that existed was God and his hukam (will). When God willed, the entire cosmos was created. From these beginnings, God nurtured "enticement and attachment" to māyā, or the human perception of reality. While a full understanding of God is beyond human beings, Nanak described God as not wholly unknowable. God is omnipresent (sarav viāpak) in all creation and visible everywhere to the spiritually awakened. Nanak stressed that God must be seen from "the inward eye", or the "heart", of a human being: devotees must meditate to progress towards enlightenment. Nanak emphasised the revelation through meditation, as its rigorous application permits the existence of communication between God and human beings.</ref> God has no gender in Sikhism, though translations may incorrectly present a masculine God. In addition, Nanak wrote that there are many worlds on which God has created life.</ref>

Pursuing salvation

Nanak's teachings are founded not on a final destination of heaven or hell, but on a spiritual union with God which results in salvation. The chief obstacles to the attainment of salvation are social conflicts and an attachment to worldly pursuits, which commit men and women to an endless cycle of birth — a concept known as reincarnation.

Māyā—defined as illusion or "unreality"—is one of the core deviations from the pursuit of God and salvation: people are distracted from devotion by worldly attractions which give only illusive satisfaction. However, Nanak emphasised māyā as not a reference to the unreality of the world, but of its values. In Sikhism, the influences of ego, anger, greed, attachment and lust—known as the Five Evils—are believed to be particularly pernicious. The fate of people vulnerable to the Five Evils is separation from God, and the situation may be remedied only after intensive and relentless devotion.

Nanak described God's revelation—the path to salvation—with terms such as nām (the divine Name) and śabad (the divine Word) to emphasise the totality of the revelation. Nanak designated the word guru (meaning teacher) as the voice of God and the source and guide for knowledge and salvation. Salvation can be reached only through mr blobbyΒA key practice to be pursued is nām simraṇ: remembrance of the divine Name. The verbal repetition of the name of God or a sacred syllable is an established practice in religious traditions in India, but Nanak's interpretation emphasised inward, personal observance. Nanak's ideal is the total exposure of one's being to the divine Name and a total conforming to the divine Order. Nanak described the result of the disciplined application of nām simraṇ as a "growing towards and into God" through a gradual process of five stages. The last of these is sac khaṇḍ (The Realm of Truth)—the final union of the spirit with God.

Nanak stressed kirat karō: that a Sikh should balance work, worship, and charity, and should defend the rights of all creatures, and in particular, fellow human beings. They are encouraged to have a caṛdī kalā, or optimistic, view of life. Sikh teachings also stress the concept of sharing—vaṇḍ chakkō—through the distribution of free food at Sikh gurdwaras (laṅgar), giving charitable donations, and working for the betterment of the community and others (sēvā).

The ten gurus and religious authority

The term guru comes from the Sanskrit gurū, meaning teacher, guide or mentor. The traditions and philosophy of Sikhism were established by ten specific gurus from 1507 to 1708. Each guru added to and reinforced the message taught by the previous, resulting in the creation of the Sikh religion. Guru Nanak Dev was the first guru and appointed a disciple as successor. Guru Govind Singh was the final guru in human form. Before his death, Govind Singh decreed that the Gurū Granth Sāhib would be the final and perpetual guru of the Sikhs. Template:List of Sikh Gurus

After Guru Nanak Dev's passing, the most important phase in the development of Sikhism came with the third successor, Guru Amar Das. Guru Nanak Dev's teachings emphasised the pursuit of salvation; Guru Amar Das began building a cohesive community of followers. Guru Amar Das also established the manji (comparable to a diocese) system of clerical supervision.

Guru Amar Das's successor and son-in-law Ram Das founded the city of Amritsar, which is home of the Harimandir Sahib and regarded widely as the holiest city for all Sikhs. When Guru Ram Das's youngest son Guru Arjun Dev succeeded him, the line of male gurus from the Sodhi Khatri family was established: all succeeding gurus were direct descendants of this line. Guru Arjun Dev was responsible for compiling the Sikh scriptures. Guru Arjun Dev was captured by Mughal authorities who were suspicious and hostile to the religious order he was developing. His persecution and death inspired his successors to promote a military and political organisation of Sikh communities to defend themselves against the attacks of Mughal forces.

The gurus established a mechanism which allowed the Sikh religion to react as a community to changing circumstances. The sixth guru, Guru Har Gobind Sahib, was responsible for the creation of the Akal Takht (throne of the timeless one) which serves as the supreme decision-making centre of Sikhdom and sits opposite the Harimandir Sahib. The Sarbat Ḵẖālsā (a representative portion of the Khalsa Panth) historically gathers at the Akal Takht on special festivals such as Vaisakhi or Diwali and when there is a need to discuss matters that affect the entire Sikh nation. A gurmatā (literally, guru's intention) is an order passed by the Sarbat Ḵẖālsā in the presence of the Gurū Granth Sāhib. A gurmatā may only be passed on a subject that affects the fundamental principles of Sikh religion; it is binding upon all Sikhs. The term hukamnāmā (literally, edict or royal order) is often used interchangeably with the term gurmatā. However, a hukamnāmā formally refers to a hymn from the Gurū Granth Sāhib which is given as an order to Sikhs.

History

Guru Nanak Dev (1469–1538), the founder of Sikhism, was born in the village of Rāi Bhōi dī Talvaṇḍī, now called Nankana Sahib, near Lahore (in what is present-day Pakistan). His father, Mehta Kalu was a Patwari: an accountant of land revenue in the government. Nanak's mother was Tripta Devi and he had one older sister, Nanaki. His parents were Khatri Hindus of the Bedi clan. As a boy, Nanak was fascinated by religion, and his desire to explore the mysteries of life eventually led him to leave home. It was during this period that Nanak was said to have met Kabir (1440–1518), a saint revered by people of different faiths.

Sikh tradition states that at the age of thirty,in the year 1500, Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1538 a.d.) went to bathe in a stream and was missing for three days. His first statement when he came out was “neti, neti " (neither here, nor there from the upanishads-vedas) na koi hindu na koi turkh, kudrat kai hain sab bandey" ....three days is a short time if you want to free yourself from acquired physics and start a new religion... the insight with which he came back with after three days retreat, as quoted by renowned Sikh historian Khushwant Singh was entirely within Hindu tradition: " their is no muslim, no hindu" it does not mean that I Nanak, am neither hindu or muslim, it means that the self ( atma , timeless indweller, the object of this mystical expereince) is beyond worldly divisions....

”the self is neither black nor white, neither hindu nor muslim, neither this nor that : neti, neti ,” is the upanishadic phrase from the Vedas.

Guru Nanak Dev Ji, continued the Bhakti methods of the saints before him, starting with the oral repetition of the name "Rama nama'

It is strange that the statement used by many to say, he founded a new religion does not even mention this new religion?

Some argue that if Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s discovery " neither hindu nor muslim" had meant a posative conclusion, wouldnt he have said: "neither hindu, nor muslim , all should be sikh?

Ek Om Kar or Oang kar, was already there in ancient Vedas -Hindu text, it is still there today. Guru Nanak merely emphasised that particular path.

Guru Nanak came from a Vaishnava family in that part of the Punjab which went to Pakistan after the partition in 1947. He was born at a time when the sword of Islamic invaders had already swept over the length and breadth of India and done immeasurable damage to many of the shrines and symbols of Hinduism. The Punjab after over eight centuries of heavy fighting by Hindu Rajputs and Kashatryas, ( from 652ad onwards ) along with north-west frontier and Sindh had suffered heavily. A number of Hindus in these provinces had been converted to Islam by force. The rest had been reduced to second class citizens who could not practice their religion publicly without inviting persecution at the hands of muslim theologians and tyrants.

The fact that the hindus of India were able to defend their beliefs and country for so long was an achievement in itself bearing in mind the fact that after Mohammeds death it had taken his followers merely 20 years ( 632-652) to conquer Irani,Iraqi, Syrian, and Turkish empires.

It was in this atmosphere that Guru Nanak asserted the superiority of his ancestral spirituality as against Islamic monotheism which had divided mankind into hostile camps and set children of the same divinity at each other's throats. This was an act of great courage because Islam prescribed the penalty of death for anyone who said that Hinduism was a religion as good as Islam, not to speak of saying that Hinduism was superior. Many Hindus had been put to death for uttering such a "blasphemy.

What Guru Nanak had proclaimed was, however, a part of the Hindu response to the Islamic onslaught. the response was two pronged. While Hindu warriors fought against Islamic invaders on many a battlefield all over the country, Hindu saints and sages created a country-wide spiritual upsurge which came to be known as the bhakti movement. The message of this movement was the same every where, based as it was on the Vedas, the ithihasa purana and the dharma-shastras. the only variation on the central theme was that while most schools of bhakti deepened the spirit behind outer forms of worship, some others laid greater emphasis on Advaitic mysticism as expounded in the Upanishads and the various traditions of yoga. The latter schools alone could flourish in the Punjab and the rest of the north-west which had been denuded of hindu temples and where ritual practices were forbidden by the muslim rulers. It was natural for Guru Nanak to be drawn towards this school in the course of his spiritual seeking and sing its typical strains in his own local language.

What was preached by Guru Nanak, ie the unity of god, castless society, was also preached by Vaishnava Bhaktas of the time. It is not unique to Sikhism, it was part of the Bhakti movement.

The bhakti movement produced many saints in different parts of the country, north and south, east and west. they spoke and sang in several languages and idioms suited to several regions. it was inevitable that their message should go forth from as many seats and centres. Guru Nanak established one such seat in the Punjab. those who responded to his call became known as students - sikhs.

During the gurus lifetime he did not have a large following, his son Sri Chand established his own sect which became known as the Udassis, but followed similar ideas of the Upanishads. Guru ji himself could not read Sanskrit, hence could not read the Vedas.

In the guru lineage we do not see much physical fighting for Hinduism . Guru Nanak was a poet and a genuine saint, but not a warrior.

His successors were poets, not all of them saintly and made livings with regular occupations such as horse trading.

The first five gurus all wore the janeo ( a sign which unequivocally says one is a hindu) , it is worth noting that all of the gurus had brahmins perform their religious and wedding ceremonies.

Nanak was married to Sulakhni, the daughter of Moolchand Chona, a rice trader from the town of Batala. They had two sons. The elder son, Sri Chand, was an ascetic, and he came to have a considerable following of his own, known as the Udasis. The younger son, Lakshmi Das, on the other hand, was totally immersed in worldly life. To Nanak, who believed in the ideal of rāj maiṁ jōg (detachment in civic life), both his sons were unfit to carry on the Guruship.

Growth of the Sikh community

Guru Angad was a devoted worshipper of the Goddess Durga. Every year he used to lead a group of devotees from Khadur sahib, where he had settled, to the temple of Jwalamukhi in the lower Himalayas. In 1532 ad he met guru Nanak at Kartarpur (Pakistan) on his way to Jwalamukhi and became his disciple. Guru Nanak was most impressed with the devotion and selfless services of Lehna, that he proclaimed him as his successor guru in ad1539. as Nanak had previously embraced him, and because of the touch with his body e.g. "ang", he changed the name of Lehna to Angad. Guru Angad made Khadur sahib his headquarters. Humayun, the Mughal emperor called on him here and paid him homage.

The third guru Amar Dass was from Sodhi - hindu Khatri family. One day he was sitting on a stool whilst bathing and his daughter was providing him with water. One of the legs of the stool broke and his daughter placed her foot in its place, so as to prevent him being inconvenienced. When the guru saw blood in the water on the ground, and realised what had occurred, he became very emotional and told his daughter that she may ask him for anything. His daughter then asked her father to promise her that the Guru Gaddi would forever remain in the Sodhi family. The Guru warned her that a lot of blood would be split in the future if she insisted on this; however he granted her this wish.

The Guru thereafter appointed his daughter's husband Ramdas as the next Guru. This was in contrast to what Guru Nanak and Guru Angad had done, i.e. appointing whoever was most deserving as the Guru, as none one could lay claim to the Guru Gaddi by being part of a certain family/cast.

The fourth guru, Ram Das (1574-1581a.d ), excavated a tank which subsequently became known as Amritsar (pool of nectar) and gave its name to the city that grew around it. in due course, a splendid edifice, Har-mandir (temple of Hari-Vishnu), rose in the middle of this tank and became the supreme centre of the sikh sect of hinduism. Its sanctorum came to house the adi granth confining compositions of sikh gurus and a score of other hindu saints from different parts of the country. the songs of a few muslim sufis who had been influenced by advaita were also included in it. The compilation of the adi granth was started by the fifth guru, Arjun Dev (1581 - 1606 a.d.), and completed by the tenth Guru, Gobind Singh.

There is not a single line in the adi granth which sounds discordant with the spirituality of hinduism. all strands of hinduism may not be reflected in sikhism. but there is nothing in sikhism, its diction, its imagery, its idiom, its cosmogony, its mythology, its stories of saints and sages and heroes, its metaphysics, its ethics, its methods of meditation, its rituals which is not derived from the scriptures of hinduism. ragas to which the hymns and songs of the adi granth were set by the gurus are based on classical hindu music. Parikrama( perambulation ) performed by sikhs round every gurudwara, the dhoop (incense), deep (lamp), naivaidya (offerings) presented by the devotees inside every sikh shrine, and the prasadam (sanctified food) distributed by sikh priests resemble similar rites in every other hindu place of worship. A dip in the tank attached to the Harimandir is regarded as holy by hindus and sikhs in particular as a dip in the ganga.

It is this sharing of a common spirituality which has led sikhs and hindus to worship at each others mandirs and gurudwaras as if they were their own. Hindus in the Punjab regard the adi granth as the sixth veda, in direct succession to the rik, the sama, the yajus, the atharva and the Mahabharata. A hindu does not have to be a sikh in order to do homage to the adi granth and participate in sikh religious rites. Similarly, sikhs visit mandirs of various other hindu sects, go to hindu places of pilgrimage, pay homage to the vedas and cherish the cow together with many other symbols of hinduism. Religion has never been a cause of conflict between sikh and non-sikh hindus.

While cherished idols of hindu gods were installed in gurudwaras, the hindu temples which had survived the muslim onslaught welcomed the adi granth in their precincts. In due course, these places became community centers for hindu society as a whole.

This resurgence of India's indigenous spirituality could not but disturb muslim theologians who saw in it a menace to the further spread of islam. The menace looked all the more serious because there now seemed to be a drawing back to the hindu fold some converts on who Islam had sat lightly. the theologians raised a hue and cry which caught the ears of the fourth mughal emperor, Jahangir (1605-1627 a.d.), who had ascended the throne with the assistance of a fanatic Islamic faction, he refused to partake breakfast in the morning until he had two to three kilos of janeos in his hand representing the murders of hindus.

Gurus Arjuns Devs martydom came about due to the suspicion by moghul emperor Jahangir. The former suspected that guru Arjun, had supported a failed rebellion by Jahangirs son Khusrau, ie a muslim palace revolution aimed at continuing the moghul empire with someone else on the throne. Arjun Dev refused to pay the fine imposed on him, not as an act of defiance against mughal sovereignty, but he denied the charges against him, it was then that Jahangir ordered his tougher punishment

He martyred the fifth sikh guru, Arjun Dev, for "spreading falsehood and tempting muslims to apostay." hindus everywhere mourned over the foul deed, while muslim theologians thanked allah for his "mercy." guru arjun dev was the first martyr in sikh history. Muslim rulers continued to shed hindu - sikh blood till muslim power was destroyed by resurgent hindu heroism in the second half of the 18th century.

Political advancement

Guru Har Gobind, became the sixth guru of the Sikhs. He carried two swords—one for spiritual and the other for temporal reasons (known as mīrī and pīrī in Sikhism). Sikhs grew as an organised community and always had a trained fighting force to defend their independence. In 1644, Guru Har Rai became guru followed by Guru Har Krishan, the boy guru, in 1661. No hymns composed by these three gurus are included in the Sikh holy book.

The sixth Sikh Guru Har Govind (1606-1644 a.d.), took up arms and trained a small army to resist muslim bigotry. He introduced the theory of Miri Piri – blending religion and politics into ones life. He had three wives namly, Mata Damodari, Mata Nanaki, Mata Marvahi. He was reasonably successful against Jahangir, and was realeased from prison on Diwali to appease the hindu population from whom the ruler feared a revolt. The Guru was accompanied on the day of his realease by 52 hindu rajput princes on his own instance. The hindu and sikhs escaped persecution till the time of the sixth mughal emperor, Aurangzeb ( 1658-1707 a.d. ), who was a veritable fiend in a human form so far as hindus were concerned.

His grandson Guru Har Rai, (Guru Teg Bahadur nephew), was the seventh Guru, and his time as Guru was relatively peaceful, and he had eight wives, namly Mata Krishan Kaur, Maha Chand kaur, Maha Ram Kaur, Maha kaut Kalyani, Maha Thoki, Maha Anokhi, Mata Ladho, Mata Prem Kaur. At the time of his death he had two sons Ram Rai ( aged 15) and Har Kishen ( aged 6). However as Ram Rai’s mother (Guru Har Rai’s first wife) had been a Handmaid, and was seen as of a lower caste, he was denied the guru gaddi.

Har Kishen therefore became the 8th Guru at the tender age of 6. He died of smallpox a little later. It is said that Guru Har Kishen pointed in the direction of Guru Tegh Bahadurs home, and therefore appointed him the next Guru. However Ram Rai claimed that he should now be Guru, as his younger brother had passed away. This casued tension between him and the new Guru Teg Bahadur, his grandfather's brother.

Aurangzeb summoned the ninth guru, Teg Bahadur Ji (1664-1675 a.d) , who had been peacefully defending the 500 Kashmiri pandits, to the imperial seat at Delhi and martyred him in cold blood on his refusal to embrace Islam.

Guru Teg Bahadurs ji's martydom in 1675 was of course in service of hinduism.

Ksitish: Storm in Punjab, p178: writes

Teg bahadur ji stood firm as a hindu telling aurangzeb that he loved his hindu dharma and that hindu dharma would never die.

Citing Guru Teg Bahadur, the ninth sikh guru, he said: "he himself acknowledged hum hindu hain".

It is interesting to note that this is a statement conveniently overlooked by neo - sikh accounts (in pro separatist publications it is strategically ommitted eg in D Greenless : gospel of Guru Granth Sahib, pxcv11.

Two Brahmins, one of which was Bhai Mani das died with him, as his followers they were subjected to inhuman torture and torn to pieces.

"However even he ( Guru Teg Bahadur) was never a warrior against the mughal empire, indeed the birth of his son Guru Govind Ji in the eastern city of Patna, was a souvenir of his time as a part of a mughal on a military expedition to Assam"

This cold blooded murder of guru Teg Bahadur ji was a final signal that there was some-thing very hard at the heart of Islam - a heart which the gurus and hindu saints had tried to soften with their teachings of humanism and universalism. however now the hindus and sikhs had to accept the challenge and pick up the sword in defence of their very existence.

Guru Govind Singh Ji was born in Patna, as at the time of his birth, his father guru teg bahadur was a part of a mughal military expedition to Assam" he became the tenth guru at the tender age of fourteen, after his fathers martydom in 1675.he was a versatile scholar who knew several languages, kept the company of learned brahmins and composed excellent poetry on varied themes. He had been fascinated by the puranic story of goddess Durga, particularly in her incarnation as Mahisasuramardini.

Whilst growing up Guru Govind Ji and his men had been plundering the domains of the semi independent hindu rajas in the hills of the north eastern Punjab, who had given him refuge after his fathers execution.

He performed an elaborate yajna presided over by pandits of the ancient lore and invoked the Devi for the protection of dharma. The Devi came to him in the shape of the sword which he now asked some of his followers to pick up and ply against bigotry and oppression.

In order to motivate the hindus and sikhs in Punjab to take up arms and fight against their muslim oppressors Guru Govind Singh ji revived hindu ksatrya dharma (the brave fighting ways of the hindu ksatrya’s as seen in Mahabharat). Khalsas before going to war would read a prayer "Chandi Ki vaar" written by Guru Govind Singh ji depicting the battle between Durga Mata Ji and Maheshasur.

Guru Govind Singh Ji also carried a small book of Sri Hanuman ji, (a devotee of Lord Ram bhagvan ji,) called hanuman chalsa(natak) with him to war. Guru Govind Singh ji had also gone to the Himalayas for several years to meditate in prayer to lord Shiva Ji bhagvan.

Guru Govind Singh Ji (Sodh lineage) had three wives: Mata Ajit Kaur Jee, Mata Sunder Kaur Jee, Mata Sahib Kaur Jee

Those who could muster the courage and dedication to die in defence of dharma were invited by him to become members of the khalsa by wearing the five emblems of this heroic order—kesh (unshorn hair) kangha (comb), kada (steel bracelet), kachha (shorts) and kirpan (sword). a new style of initiation termed pahul was ordained for this new class of warriors—sipping a palmful of water sweetened with sugar and stirred by a double- edged sword. every member of the khalsa had to add the honorofic singh (lion) to his name so that he may be distinguished from the non-khalsa hindus who could continue with their normal attire and lives. no distinction of caste or social status was to be recognised in the ranks of the khalsa.

The khalsa was not a new religious sect, it was only a martial formation within the larger hindu fraternity, it was started with the specific mission of fighting against muslim tyranny and restoring freedom for the hindus in their ancestral homeland. soon it became a hallowed tradition in many hindu families, to dedicate their eldest sons to the khalsa which rightly came 'to be regarded as one of the sword arms of hindu society.

"Guru Govind ji selected five of the most scholarly of his disciples and sent them to Benares to learn Sanskrit and the hindu religious texts, to be better able to interprete the writings of the gurus, which were full of allusions to hindu mythology and philosophy"

A Shourie quotes Guru Govind Ji, as saying :

" let the path of the pure ( khalsa panth) prevail all over the world, let the hindu dharma dawn and all delusion disappear...may I spread dharma and prestige of the veda in the world and erase in it the sin of cow slaughter"

Guru Govind Ji was forced to fight against a whole muslim army before they could consolidate the khalsa. His two teen aged sons courted martyrdom along with many other members of the khalsa in a running battle with a fully equipped force in hot pursuit.

Many sikhs left the guru in anger at his foolhardy tactics. during his flight a brahmin family concealed his two remaining sons, but they were found out and the boys were walled up alive.

The death of his remaining sons provides yet another demythologizing insight about Guru Govind Ji through its obvious connection with his abolition of the guru lineage.

A believer may, of course assume that it was because of some divine instruction that Guru Govind ji replaced the living guru lineage with the Granth, a mere book.

However a more down to earth hypothesis which takes care of all the facts is that after the death of his sons, Guru Govind Ji simply could not conceive of the guru lineage as not continuing within his own family. it is up to the reader to make up his own mind.

After his defeat and escape (made possible by the self sacrifice of a disciple who impersonated the guru) Guru Govind Ji himself became a loyal subject of the moghul empire..

He felt he had been treated unfairly by the local governor Wazir Khan, so he wrote a letter of complaint to his suzerain, not through the hierachical channels but straight to the padshah. in spite of its title "Zafar nama" this letter was fundamentally submissive.

Aurangzeb, who was at this time in Maharashtra fighting the Marathas, was sufficiently pleased with the correspondence (possibly several letters) he received from the guru and he ordered Wazir Khan to trouble him no longer.

Many claim the Zafarnama was a victory letter, however one must question what victory? Aurangzeb lived a long life and died a natural death, he remained as emperor throughout his lifetime.

After Aurangzebs death in 1707, Govind tried to curry favour with the heir apparent, Aurangzebs son Bahadur Shah. He supported him militarily in the war of succession. His fight was for one Mughal faction against another, not for Hinduism and against the Mughal empire. In fact one of the battles he fought on Bahadur Shahs side was against rebellious Hindu rajputs.

Some historians may question his position here, as a man of god surely one must only fight in defence of dharma? was it right for him to partake in a non religious or non righteous war? This war maybe termed adharmic.

As a reward for his services the new Padeshah gave Guru Govind ji, a fief in Nanded on the Godavari river in the south, far from his natural constituency in the Punjab.to acquaint himself with his new property, he followed Bahadur shah on an expedition to the south ( leaving his wives in Delhi under Moghul protection) but there he himself was stabbed by two Pathan assasins ( possibly sent by Wazir khan, who feared Guru Govinds influence on Bahadur shah) in 1708.

Although he never defeated Aurangzeb or the governor of Punjab Wazir Khan, Guru Govind Singh should be commended for his bravery, strength and determination in standing up for dharma against the mighty, but evil Mughal empire. He started a great tradition known as the Khalsa (the pure) and fought many battles against the mughals during his time as guru (1675-1708), leading the people of the Punjab, (which made up 15-16 districts out of 540 districts in India), and standing up to the local governor of Punjab, Wazir Khan, a representative of the evil Aurangzeb.

Through his strength, depicted both spiritually and physically, he led an army of Hindus largely from the Kshatrya (warrior) caste, aptly renamed the Khalsa, small in number but large in courage, against this mighty foe.

It is worth noting that at this time there were no Jatts in his army, as people from this caste, mostly became known as Khalsa/Sikhs during maharaja Ranjit Singhs reign as king (1799-1839) around 100 years later.

Guru Govind Singh led the people of Punjab, much like Chattrapatti Shiva ji, led the people of Maharashtra, and similarly so, his charisma, strength and leadership was an inspiration to all his people, and many years after his death, this continues to be the case.

Shortly before his death, Gobind Singh ordered that the Gurū Granth Sāhib (the Sikh Holy Scripture), would be the ultimate spiritual authority for the Sikhs and temporal authority would be vested in the Khalsa Panth – The Sikh Nation/Community. The first scripture was compiled and edited by the fifth guru, Arjun Dev, in 1604.

Before he died, Guru Govind Singh had commissioned Banda Bairagi, a Rajput Hindu from Jammu to go to the Punjab and punish the wrong-doers. a conversation between Guru Govind Singh ji and Banda Bahadur clarifies this, "from today i am not a Rajput but a Sodhi, a Raghu. i'm no longer Bairagi, i'm your Banda" these lines were said by Banda Singh Bahadur to Guru Govind Singhji Maharaj. Banda Bahadur, had more success against the Muslim oppressors than any other Punjabi, including the gurus.

He was joined by fresh formations of the Khalsa and the Hindus at large gave him support. he roamed all over the Punjab, defeating one Muslim army after another in frontal fights as well as in guerilla warfare. Sarhind, where guru Govind Singh ji’s younger sons had been walled up, was stormed and sacked. the bullies of Islam who had walked with immense swagger till only the other day had to run for cover. large parts of the Punjab were liberated from Muslim despotism after a spell of nearly seven centuries.

The Mughal empire, however, was still a mighty edifice which could mobilize a military force far beyond Banda's capacity to match. gradually, he had to yield ground and accept defeat as his own following thinned down in battle after battle. he was captured, carried to Delhi in an iron cage and tortured to death in 1716 a.d. many other members of the Khalsa met the same fate in Delhi and elsewhere. the Muslim governor of the Punjab had placed a prize on every Khalsa head. the ranks of the Khalsa had perforce to suffer a steep decline and go into hiding.

The next upsurge of the Khalsa came in the second half of the century. the Marathas, inspired by warriors such as Shiva ji and Bala ji rao had broken the back of Mughal power all over India and the Mughal administration in the Punjab had distintegrated speedily. the Marathas had successfully defeated the Mughal power in the south and central parts India, fighting the Mughals on their own terms.

The new Muslim invader, Ahmad Shah Abdali, who tried to salvage the Muslim rule, had to give up after several attempts from 1748 to 1767 a.d. his only satisfaction was that he demolished the Harimandir and desecrated the sacred tank with the blood of slaughtered cows, two times in a row. however the Hindus and Sikhs rallied round and rebuilt the temple every time.

The Khalsa had a field day when Abdali departed finally from the scene. Due to the undying resistance from the Hindu Marathas who were able to push them back from south and central India to the western frontiers of the Punjab ( now Pakistan ). by the end of the century, Muslim power evaporated all over the Punjab and several Hindu Punjabi and Sikh principalities came up in different parts of the province. the strongest of them was that of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1783-1839 a.d ) who saw the example of the Marathas and with the help of the Hindu fighters from other parts of India wiped out the Muslim rule from Kashmir and the north west frontier as well.

He accepted Hinduism in its brahmanical form, he paid homage to the Brahmins. he made cow killing a capital offense. he donated three times more gold to the newly built Vishwanath temple in Varanasi than to the Harimandir in Amritsar. by any standard Ranjit Singh was a Hindu ruler. when he was sick and about to die he gave away cows to charity. he did not give the kohinoor to the Harmandir but to Jagannath Puri ( mandir) .when he had the afghans at his mercy he demanded the gates of the temple of Somnath from them .why should he be making so many Hindu demands? when he died he had a Hindu funeral service and had the Vedas placed on his chest.

He would have conquered Sindh and Afghanistan also but for the steam roller of British imperialism which took over his farflung kingdom as well, soon after his death.

Scripture

There are two primary sources of scripture for the Sikhs: the Gurū Granth Sāhib and the Dasam Granth. The Gurū Granth Sāhib may be referred to as the Ādi Granth—literally, The First Volume—and the two terms are often used synonymously. Here, however, the Ādi Granth refers to the version of the scripture created by Arjun Dev in 1604. The Gurū Granth Sāhib refers to the final version of the scripture created by Gobind Singh.

Adi Granth

It is believed that the Ādi Granth was compiled primarily by Bhai Gurdas under the supervision of Arjun Dev between the years 1603 and 1604. It is written in the Gurmukhī script, which is a descendant of the Laṇḍā script used in the Punjab at that time. The Gurmukhī script was standardised by Arjun Dev for use in the Sikh scriptures and is thought to have been influenced by the Śāradā and Devanāgarī scripts. An authoritative scripture was created to protect the integrity of hymns and teachings of the Sikh gurus and selected bhagats. At the time, Arjun Dev tried to prevent undue influence from the followers of Prithi Chand, the guru's older brother and rival.

The original version of the Ādi Granth is known as the kartārpur bīṛ and is currently held by the Sodhi family of Kartarpur.

Guru Granth Sahib

The final version of the Gurū Granth Sāhib was got compiled by Guru Govind Singh from his trusted devotee Bhai Mani Singh at Damdama Sahib during his final years. It consists of the original Ādi Granth with the hymns of ninth Guru Tegh Bahadur added to it. It is believed that it was decreed by Guru Gobind Singh, just before he passed away at Nanded, that the Granth was to be considered the eternal, living guru of all Sikhs.

The Guru Granth Sahib was written by the seven Sikh Gurus, eighteen Hindu saints and two Muslim Sufis. and the Dasam Granth written by Guru Govind Singh himself, and despite what some may say, the authenticity of this work has been proved beyond a shadow of a doubt, as the gurus work. The most certain proof being the fact that the original still lies in the Akhal Takht to this day.

The Guru Granth Sahib contains around 15,028 of references to Hindu concepts and the names of Hindu gods.

A near-exact count is given in K.P. Agrawala: Adi Shrî Gurû Granth Sâhib kî Mahimâ (Hindi: “The greatness of the original sacred Guru scripture”), p.2, and in Ram Swarup: “Hindu roots of Sikhism”, Indian Express,

The name of the Hindu god Shri Ram, is recited 2,400 times, (the gods name whose constant repetition leads to salvation).

Hari (Vishnu) over 8,300 times, 630 times by Guru Nanak alone, Parabrahman, 550 times, Omkara, (the primeval sound of OM) 400 times. Please note the names of countless other Hindu gods are also mentioned and are one and the same.

In contrast the name Mohammed is never mentioned and the name Allah is used but a couple of times, merely as an example. It is interesting to note that the Granth itself contains banis from seven of the Sikh Gurus, two Muslim Sufis, but eighteen Hindu saints and pandits.

The religious source of Sikhism is Hinduism; Sikhism is a tradition developed within Hinduism. Guru Granth Sahib reflect Vedantic philosophy, the Vedanta of Rishi Vedavyas who wrote the Mahabharata. The Japji Sahib is based on Upanishads.

Guru Nanak wrote in the Guru Granth Sahib’, Raag Malaar, Pa.1279 thus:
‘Braham, Vishnu, Mahesh (Shiv) the three demigods were expanded into .
He gave Brahma the Vedas and involved them in its worship.
Ten Avatars did king Rama take.
He attacked and killed demons but all in accordance with God’s command.
God did Shiva serve but he too did not find his limits.
Attaining true value he created his throne.
He has set the world to task and concealed himself.
He makes all function this Karma is divinely ordained.’

(‘Guru Granth Sahib’, Raag Malaar, Pa.1279): This is entirely reminiscent of what is stated in the Mahabharata, where it was written by Rishi Vedavyas Ji that God who is referred to as Omkar or Parbrahma, converted Himself into Lord Vishnu. Out of Lord Vishnu's navel came Lord Brahma and from His forehead came the Akal Pursh (otherwise known as Akal or Lord Shiva) .

When Vishnu, Brahma and Akal combined their powers, or shaktis, to create the image of the Mother Goddess it was Durga who came forth. Durga is also known as ], Devi, Mata, Parvati, Chamunda, and Jwaladevi. Guru Govind Singh was a great devotee of Durga Mata, and wrote the prayer known as Chandi Ki Vaar in her praise.

Guru Nanak spoke to a Vaishnav Hindu (‘Guru Granth Sahib’, Raag Thiti Gauri, Pa.300) thus : ‘He who focuses his mind on God is a Vaisnu He is a man of great knowledge. He is a warrior of a high clan who worships Bhagwant .

Be they Khatri, Shudar, Vaise or a Chandal by contemplating God they are saved from vice. They who ever have acknowledged God, Nanak asks for the dust of their feet. (‘Guru Granth Sahib’, Raag Thiti Gauri, Pa.300)

The third Sikh Guru Amardas said of a true Sanatan Brahmin (‘Guru Granth Sahib’, Raag Gujri, Pa.512) thus:

• ‘He who appreciates Brahm call him a Brahmin, he day and night stays absorbed in Har .

He lives in accordance within the will of the true Guru, truth and Sanjam he practices thus his ailment of ego flees.’ (‘Guru Granth Sahib’, Raag Gujri, Pa.512) Guru Angad Dev said to a Brahmin (Guru Granth Sahib’, Sukhmani Sahib, Pa.274-275):

• ‘He is a true Pundit who awakens his mind.

And searches for the Naam RAAM in himself. From the teachings of such a Pundit all beings find life. He transplants the story of Har in their hearts. Such a Pundit then never again is born. He appreciates the fundamental truth of the Vedas, Puraanas and Simiritia . He appreciates the subtle/sublime within the great expansive World. He instructs the four castes . Such a Pundit say’s Nanak I always salute.’ (Guru Granth Sahib’, Sukhmani Sahib, Pa.274-275)

In the entire Guru Granth Sahib, the Vedas are respected and referred to as sacred. Guru Nanak Ji said (Guru Granth Sahib’, Raag Kanra, Pa.1309):

• ‘All ways be humble before the Bhagats being humble you will attain merit.

A evil person who slanders the Bhagats will be destroyed like Harnyaksh. Brahma, son of a lotus Vyas Born of a fish by devotion of highest God they themselves were worshiped. Whoever are Bhagats respect them your great doubts and fears will thus flee. Do not consider the cast of a Bhagat Sukdev grasping the feet of Jank as Guru worshiped highest God.

Janak who sat on a throne on seeing the nine holy sages himself fell at their feet . Say’s Nanak bless me oh bless me master make me the servant of your servants

(Guru Granth Sahib’, Raag Kanra, Pa.1309) Guru Ramdas ( wore the Vaishnav tilak) spoke of the Gurmukhs of the past thus: ‘The Sidhas meditated and contemplated Sadik and Muni contemplated . Men of penance, sexual restraint and contentment contemplated demigods such as INDRA contemplated . The Gurmukh who seeking God’s protection contemplates him attains salvation. Oh my mind by contemplation of Gods Naam one is saved.

Dhanna a Jatt and Balmikh a highwayman becoming a Gurmukh was saved. The demigods, Gan , Gandarb contemplate as well as even the poor Dharmraj . SHIVA, BRAHMA all demigods contemplated with their mouths the name Har Har. They who have been absorbed in God's name those Gurmukh attained salvation.’

(‘Guru Granth Sahib’, Raag Maru, Pa.995) Shabads on Hanuman Ji inside Guru Granth Sahib Ji here is one. This shabad is by Bhagat Kabeer Ji in Raag Basant on Pannaa 1193

The pandits, the Hindu religious scholars, are intoxicated, reading the Puranas.
The yogis are intoxicated in yoga and meditation.
The sannyasis are intoxicated in egotism.
The penitents are intoxicated with the mystery of penance.
All are intoxicated with the wine of maya; no one is awake and aware.
The thieves are with them, plundering their homes.
Sukdayv and Akrur are awake and aware.
Hanuman with his tail is awake and aware.
Shiva is awake.
Naam dayv and Jai dayv are awake in this dark age of Kali Yuga.
There are many ways of being awake, and sleeping.
To be awake as gurmukh is the most excellent way.
The most sublime of all the actions of this body,
Says Kabeer, is to meditate and vibrate on the Lord's name. ||3

"Guru Arjun Dev Ji , who compiled the Guru Granth sahib, writes in the fifth granth :

'O God you are as great as you adopted the form of VAMANA , you are also Ram Chandra adn Krishna but you have no form or outline'. Guru Govind Singh states that the Vedas originated from BRAHMA and the path of the VEDAS is the only path for the people to follow: CHAUPAI 197 : Brahma CHAR HE VED BANAIE SARAB LOWG TIH KARAM CHALE Brahma created the Vedas for all people to follow Guru Govind Singh Ji even goes further to state that the Vedas came from the mouth of GOD:

CHAUPAI 24 : DISA VIDI SAYAN JIMI ASMAN CHATUR VED KATHYN KARAN PURANA All directions (or religions), actions, and the sky, so says the wise one (god) all came from the four VEDAS so says the Puranas

The bulk of the scripture is classified into rāgs, with each rāg subdivided according to length and author. There are 31 main rāgs within the Gurū Granth Sāhib. In addition to the rāgs, there are clear references to the folk music of Punjab. The main language used in the scripture is known as Sant Bhāṣā, a language related to both Punjabi and Hindi and used extensively across medieval northern India by proponents of popular devotional religion. The text further comprises over 5000 śabads, or hymns, which are poetically constructed and set to classical form of music rendition, can be set to predetermined musical tāl, or rhythmic beats.

The Granth begins with the Mūl Mantra, an iconic verse created by Nanak:

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ISO 15919 transliteration: Ika ōaṅkāra sati nāmu karatā purakhu nirabha'u niravairu akāla mūrati ajūnī saibhaṅ gura prasādi.

Simplified transliteration: Ik ōaṅkār sat nām kartā purkh nirbha'u nirvair akāl mūrat ajūnī saibhaṅ gur prasād.

English: One Universal Creator God,The Name Is Truth,Creative Being Personified,No Fear,No Hatred,Image Of The Undying,Beyond Birth,Self Existent,By Guru's Grace.

All text within the Granth is known as gurbānī. Gurbānī, according to Nanak, was revealed by God directly, and the authors wrote it down for the followers. The status accorded to the scripture is defined by the evolving interpretation of the concept of gurū. In the Sant tradition of Nanak, the guru was literally the word of God. The Sikh community soon transferred the role to a line of men who gave authoritative and practical expression to religious teachings and traditions, in addition to taking socio-political leadership of Sikh adherents. Guru Gobind Singh declared an end of the line of human gurus, and now the Sikhs revere Gurū Granth Sāhib as their eternal Guru, with its interpretation vested with the community.

Dasam Granth

The Dasam Granth (formally dasvēṁ pātśāh kī granth or The Book of the Tenth Master) is an eighteenth-century collection of miscellaneous works generally attributed to Guru Gobind Singh. The sacred hymns of Guru Gobind Singh were not included in Gurū Granth Sāhib, the holy book of the Sikhs, although its final version was got ascribed by Guru Gobind Singh by his trusted devotee Bhai Mani Singh at Damdama Sahib. The sacred hymns of Guru Gobind Singh were later collected in the Dasam Granth by Bhai Mani Singh. Since soon thereafter guruship was bestowed upon the Granth Sāhib by Guru Gobined Singh before he passed away at Nanaded, it is not only revered as the premier scripture of the Sikhs, but also as their Guru personified.

The entire Granth is written in the Gurmukhī script, although most of the language is actually Braj and not Punjabi. Sikh tradition states that Mani Singh collected the writings of Gobind Singh after his death to create the Granth. The Dasam Granth, was written by Guru Govind Singh Ji, he wrote about how Akal (god) expanded himself to become Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. Some Sikh historians, who are worried of the references made to the Hindu gods by Guru Govind Singh therein, go so far as to question its authenticity. However the authenticity of the same has been proved beyond a shadow of a doubt, by countless historians. The most damning proof of its authenticity being that the original version compiled by the tenth master himself remains in the Akal Thakt, Hari mandir Sahib to this day.

In the Dasam Granth, Guru Govind Singh Ji goes on to write in detail about the Chaubis avtar from page 169 onwards ,recounting the incarnations of Lord Vishnu, the following are the incarnations of Lord Vishnu that guru ji wrote about, with their mythological names.Machch, Kachch(ap), Nar, Narain, Mohini, Varaha, Narsingha, Bhaman, Parasram, Brahma, Ruddhr, Jallandhar, Sheshmai, Arihant dev, Manu Raj, Dhanantar, Sooraj, Chandhra, Ram, Krishan, Nar (Arjan) , Buddha, Nehklanki (Kalki).

Chaubis avtar makes up a large part of the collections of writings by Guru Govind Singh Ji known as the Dasam Granth. Chaubis means the number twenty four and Avtar means incarnations. This large work written mainly in the braj language retells the stories of the twenty four incarnations of Lord VISHNU in glowing terms, using forceful words with telling effect, to arouse the martial spirit of the people laying dormant then.

Guru Govind Singh Ji wrote stories of bhagwan Ramchandra Ji, baghwan Krishanjji and Durga mata ji, Guru Ji revered and respected them. Chaubis avtar, lists twenty four avtars, of these, the accounts of Lord Rama (864 verses) and Lord Krishna (2496 verses) are the longest. The Dasam Granth deals with all the avatars beginning on page 169. Volume two of the Dasam granth is exclusively based on Lord Krishna. Guru Govind Singh writes in detail of Lord Brahma approaching Lord Vishnu and requesting that he incarnate as Lord Krishna to Kill the demon Kansa. He describes the wedding of Lord Krishnas parents Devaki and Vasudev. He then describes how Lord Vishnu incarnated as lord Krishna and how he then killed the demons and restored order in the world.

Near the end of Chandi Charitra i, (Dasam Granth, written by Guru Govind Singh Ji), occurs this well known shabad, aptly called Deh Shiva Bar Mohe :

O SHIVA (god addressed in the form of Shiva),

GRANT ME THIS BOON, THAT I MAY NEVER AVOID DOING A GOOD DEED, NEVER FEAR THE ENEMY WHEN I GO INTO BATTLE, BUT SURELY GO ON TO VICTORY; THAT I MAY TEACH MYSELF THIS GREED ALONE, TO SING ONLY OF THY PRAISES. AND WHEN THE LAST DAYS OF MY LIFE COME, I MAY DIE IN THE MIGHTY FIELD OF BATTLE.

Guru Govind Singh Ji spoke the following lines of gurbani : ‘like the water in ocean and the waves in rivers, we will merge with you, o lord. When the soul becomes one with brahma we assume the universal role of air. Why need we come back to this world ? Birth and death occur according to gods will. When we realise this mystery of god’s will, we will rest in peace.’

Guru Govind Singh Ji wrote: O mind! Remember the goddess Sharda of innumerable qualities; And if she be kind, I may compose this Granth (based on) Bhagavata.6.

Dasam granth : KABIT The large-eyed Chandika is the remover of all sufferings, the donor of powers and support of the helpless in ferrying across the fearful ocean of the world; It is difficult to know her beginning and end, she emancipates and sustains him, who takes refuge in her, She destroys the demons, finishes various types of desires and saves from the noose of death; The same goddess is capable of bestowing the boon and good intellect; by her Grace this Granth can be composed.7.

Dasam granth : SWAYYA She, who is the daughter of the mountain and the destroyer of Mahishasura; She, who is the bestower of the kingdom on India by killing Sumbh and Nisumbh; He, who remembers and serves her, he receives the reward to his heart`s desire, And in the whole world, none other is the supporter of the poor like her.8. End of the praise of the goddess

Chandi Ki Vaar by Guru Govind Singh Ji is full of worship and devotion to mother Durga (Maa Bhagauti). It is accepted by all Sikh scholars that Guru Govind Singh was a staunch believer in Durga Mata (mother goddess).

The following is an exact list of just some of the references in the Dasam Granth where Devi Puja is found: TRIBHANGI CHHANDS (201-220, IN AKAL USTAT) are clearly in praise of Devi Mata. IN SHASHTARNAMA in the beginning there is a whole chapter (27 CHHANDS) In praise of Devi Mata.

CHANDI CHARITAR I & II, CHAUBIS AVTAR, RUDRA AVTAR INCLUDING PARTS OF CHARITROPAKHYAN, all are in praise of the DEVI and AVTARS.

Similarly, in the above puranic stories there are numerous hymns in praise of MAHA KAL, who is a tantric OR SAKAT DEITY, PAGES 55, 56, 57, 58,73, 156, 157, 183, 185, 254, 310, 612, 613, 642, ETC. WORSHIP OF Devi Mata, UNDER THE NAME OF KALIKA, CHANDI, SIVA OR DURGA IS FOUND AT PAGES 74, 76, 99, 117, 255, 118, 309, 310, 116, 673, 675, ETC., ETC.

In CHANDI CHARITAR UKAT BILAS the author mentions that he has virtually made the composition from 700 slokas of markand purana. He adds that whoever hears or recites the same for any specific boon, the Devi Maa would certainly grant it instantaneously (Chandi Charitar, ukat bilas - sloka 232)

IN CHANDI CHARITAR II in the Sloka 261 the author writes that whoever remembers or worships the Devi with devotion, shall attain salvation. similarly, in the Mata Durga var the author writes that whoever recites the same, will achieve salvation and not be born again (stanza or pauri - 55). charitropakhyan, too, involves worship of the Devi and kal or Maha Kal (CHARITRA 405, CHHANDS 52, 77, 126 AND 132).

CHANDI CHARITRA AND CHANDI DI VAR -126 PAGES, CHAUBIS AVTAR - 744 PAGES, BRAHM RUDRA AVTAR - 383 PAGES, CHARITROPAKHYAN AND HIKAYAT - 923 PAGES DASAM GRANTH DA KARITARTAV, PP. 38-45, PP. 92-97

From 1892 to 1897, scholars assembled at the Akal Takht, Amritsar, to study the various printed Dasam Granths and prepare the authoritative version. They concluded that the Dasam Granth was entirely the work of Gobind Singh. Further re-examinations and reviews took place in 1931, under the Darbar Sahib Committee of the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee they too vindicated the earlier conclusion..

Janamsakhis

The Janamsākhīs (literally birth stories), are writings which profess to be biographies of Guru Nanak Dev. Although not scripture in the strictest sense, they provide an interesting look at Nanak's life and the early start of Sikhism. There are several—often contradictory and sometimes unreliable—Janamsākhīs and they are not held in the same regard as other sources of scriptural knowledge.

Observances and ceremonies

Observant Sikhs adhere to long-standing practices and traditions to strengthen and express their faith. The daily recitation from memory of specific passages from the Gurū Granth Sāhib, especially the Japu (or Japjī, literally chant) hymns is recommended immediately after rising and bathing. Family customs include both reading passages from the scripture and attending the gurdwara (also gurduārā, meaning the doorway to God). There are many gurdwaras prominently constructed and maintained across India, as well as in almost every nation where Sikhs reside. Gurdwaras are open to all, regardless of religion, background, caste or race.

Worship in a gurdwara consists chiefly of singing of passages from the scripture. Sikhs will commonly enter the temple, touch the ground before the holy scripture with their foreheads, and make an offering. The recitation of the eighteenth century ardās is also customary for attending Sikhs. The ardās recalls past sufferings and glories of the community, invoking divine grace for all humanity.

The most sacred shrine is the Harimandir Sahib in Amritsar, famously known as the Golden Temple. Groups of Sikhs regularly visit and congregate at the Harimandir Sahib. On specific occasions, groups of Sikhs are permitted to undertake a pilgrimage to Sikh shrines in the province of Punjab in Pakistan, especially at Nankana Sahib and the samādhī (place of cremation) of Maharaja Ranjit Singh in Lahore.

Festivals in Sikhism mostly centre around the lives of the Gurus and Sikh martyrs. The SGPC, the Sikh organisation in charge of upkeep of the gurdwaras, organises celebrations based on the new Nanakshahi calendar. This calendar is highly controversial among Sikhs and is not universally accepted. Several festivals (Holi, Diwali and Guru Nanak's birthday) continue to be celebrated using the Hindu calendar. Sikh festivals include the following:

• Gurpurabs are celebrations or commemorations based on the lives of the Sikh gurus. They tend to be either birthdays or celebrations of Sikh martyrdom.
• Vaisakhi normally occurs on 13 April and marks the beginning of the new spring year and the end of the harvest. Sikhs celebrate it because on Vaisakhi in 1699, the tenth guru, Gobind Singh, began the Khalsa baptismal tradition.
• Diwali (also known as bandī chōḍ divas) celebrates Lord Ram and his wife Sita's retrun from a 14 year sentence and Guru Hargobind's release from the Gwalior Jail on 26 October 1619.
• Hola MohallaHoli and is when the Khalsa Panth gather at Anandpur and display their fighting skills.

Ceremonies and customs

Nanak taught that rituals, religious ceremonies or empty worship is of little use and Sikhs are discouraged from fasting or going on pilgrimages. However, during the period of the later gurus, and due to increased institutionalisation of the religion, some ceremonies and rites did arise. Sikhism is not a proselytizing religion and most Sikhs do not make active attempts to gain converts. However, converts to Sikhism are welcomed, although there is no formal conversion ceremony.

Upon a child's birth, the Gurū Granth Sāhib is opened at a random point and the child is named using the first letter on the top left-hand corner of the left page. All boys are given the middle name or surname Singh, and all girls are given the middle name or surname Kaur.

Sikhs are joined in wedlock through the anand kāraj ceremony, introduced in 1909. The Sikh Gurus were married within Hindu customs. Sikhs marry when they are of a sufficient age (child marriage is taboo), and without regard for the future spouse's caste or descent. The marriage ceremony is performed in the company of the Gurū Granth Sāhib; around which the couple circles four times. After the ceremony is complete, the husband and wife are considered "a single soul in two bodies."

According to Sikh religious rites, neither husband nor wife are permitted to divorce. A Sikh couple that wishes to divorce may be able to do so in a civil court – but this is not condoned. Upon death, the body of a Sikh is usually cremated. If this is not possible, any means of disposing the body may be employed. The kīrtan sōhilā and ardās prayers are performed during the funeral ceremony (known as antim sanskār).

Baptism and the Khalsa

Khalsa (meaning pure) is the name given by Gobind Singh to all Sikhs who have been baptised or initiated by taking ammrit in a ceremony called ammrit sañcār. The first time that this ceremony took place was on Vaisakhi, which fell on 30 March 1699 at Anandpur Sahib in India. It was on that occasion that Gobind Singh baptised the Pañj Piārē who in turn baptised Gobind Singh himself.

Baptised Sikhs are bound to wear the Five Ks (in Punjabi known as pañj kakkē or pañj kakār), or articles of faith, at all times. The tenth guru, Gobind Singh, ordered these Five Ks to be worn so that a Sikh could actively use them to make a difference to their own and to others' spirituality. The 5 items are: kēs (uncut hair), kaṅghā (small comb), kaṛā (circular heavy metal bracelet), kirpān (ceremonial short sword), and kacchā (special undergarment). The Five Ks have both practical and symbolic purposes.

Sikh people

Worldwide, Sikhs number more than 23 million, but more than 90 percent of Sikhs live in the Indian state of Punjab, where they form close to 65 percent of the population. Large communities of Sikhs live in the neighbouring states and indeed large communities of Sikhs can be found across India. However, Sikhs comprise only about 2 percent of the Indian population. Migration beginning from the nineteenth century led to the creation of significant communities in Canada (Brampton, Ontario; Surrey, British Columbia), the United Kingdom, the Middle East, East Africa, Southeast Asia and more recently, the United States, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand.

Smaller populations of Sikhs are found in Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Fiji and other countries.

As with most world religions, there are groups of Sikhs (such as the Namdharis, Ravidasis and Udasis) who do not adhere to the mainstream principles followed by most Sikhs. Some of these groups may not consider themselves a part of Sikhism, although from an outsider's perspective similarities in beliefs and principles may firmly render them a part of the Sikh religious domain . Groups such as the Nirankaris have a history of bad relations with mainstream Sikhism, and are considered pariahs by some Sikhs. Others, such as the Nihangs, tend to have little difference in belief and practice, and are considered Sikhs proper by mainstream Sikhism.

See also

• An index of the most important articles on Sikhism can be found at the list of Sikhism-related topics.
• Famous Sikhs can be found at the list of Prominent Sikhs.
• Gurdwaras Worldwide
• Gurdwaras in Africa
• Gurdwaras in Asia excluding India, Pakistan
• Gurdwaras in Europe excluding UK
• Gurdwaras in India
• Gurdwaras in Pakistan
• Gurdwaras in Canada
• Gurdwaras in the United Kingdom
• Gurdwaras in the United States
• Gurdwaras in Australia and Oceania
• Gurdwaras in South America and Mexico
• Sikh
• Gurdwara
• Sikh Festivals

Notes

1. Singh, Khushwant (2006). The Illustrated History of the Sikhs. India: Oxford University Press. p. 15. ISBN 0-19-567747-1.
2. Template:Pa icon Nabha, Kahan Singh (1930). Gur Shabad Ratnakar Mahan Kosh/ਗੁਰ ਸ਼ਬਦ ਰਤਨਾਕਰ ਮਹਾਨ ਕੋਸ਼[[Category:Articles containing Punjabi-language text]] (in Punjabi). p. 720. Retrieved 2006-05-29. {{cite book}}: URL–wikilink conflict (help)
3. Adherents.com. "Religions by adherents" (PHP). Retrieved 2007-02-09.
4. ^ Parrinder, Geoffrey (1971). World Religions: From Ancient History to the Present. United States: Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited. p. 259. ISBN 0-87196-129-6.
5. ^ Parrinder, Geoffrey (1971). World Religions: From Ancient History to the Present. United States: Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited. p. 252. ISBN 0-87196-129-6.
6. Dev, Nanak. Gurū Granth Sāhib. p. 1035. Retrieved 2006-06-15. For endless eons, there was only utter darkness. There was no earth or sky; there was only the infinite Command of His Hukam.
7. Dev, Nanak. Gurū Granth Sāhib. p. 1036. Retrieved 2006-06-15. When He so willed, He created the world. Without any supporting power, and a help in hand from Guru Nanak. He sustained the universe.
8. Dev, Nanak. Gurū Granth Sāhib. p. 15. Retrieved 2006-06-15. You are the One True Lord and Master of all the other beings, of so many worlds. {{cite book}}: Cite has empty unknown parameters: |1=, |3=, and |4= (help); Text "3" ignored (help)
9. Parrinder, Geoffrey (1971). World Religions: From Ancient History to the Present. United States: Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited. p. 253. ISBN 0-87196-129-6.
10. ^ Parrinder, Geoffrey (1971). World Religions: From Ancient History to the Present. United States: Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited. p. 254. ISBN 0-87196-129-6.
11. ^ Mann, Gurinder Singh (2001). The Making of Sikh Scripture. United States: Oxford University Press. p. 21. ISBN 0-19-513024-3.
12. Parrinder, Geoffrey (1971). World Religions: From Ancient History to the Present. United States: Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited. p. 255. ISBN 0-87196-129-6.
13. "Sikh Reht Maryada - Method of Adopting Gurmatta". Retrieved 2006-06-09.
14. Singh, Khushwant (2006). The Illustrated History of the Sikhs. India: Oxford University Press. pp. 12–13. ISBN 0-19-567747-1. Also, as according to the Purātan Janamsākhī (the birth stories of Nanak).
15. Mahmood, Cynthia (2002). A Sea of Orange. United States: Xlibris. p. 16. ISBN 1-4010-2856-X.
16. Shackle, Christopher (2005). Teachings of the Sikh Gurus: Selections from the Sikh Scriptures. United Kingdom: Routledge. pp. xvi. ISBN 0-415-26604-1. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
17. Trumpp, Ernest (2004) . The Ādi Granth or the Holy Scriptures of the Sikhs. India: Munshiram Manoharlal Publishers. pp. 1xxxi. ISBN 81-215-0244-6.
18. Grierson, George Abraham (1967) . The Linguistic Survey of India. India: Motilal Banarsidass. p. 624. ISBN 81-85395-27-6.
19. Mann, Gurinder Singh (2001). The Making of Sikh Scripture. United States: Oxford University Press. p. 19. ISBN 0-19-513024-3.
20. McLeod, WH (1993). "The Study of Sikh Literature". Studying the Sikhs: Issues for North America. SUNY Press. pp. 60–61. ISBN 0-7914-1425-6.
21. Singh, Kirpal (2002). "Sri Dasam Granth Sahib - About the Dasam Granth". Retrieved 2006-05-30.
22. Parrinder, Geoffrey (1971). World Religions: From Ancient History to the Present. United States: Hamlyn Publishing Group Limited. p. 260. ISBN 0-87196-129-6.
23. Dev, Nanak. Gurū Granth Sāhib. p. 75. Retrieved 2006-06-30. Pilgrimages, fasts, purification and self-discipline are of no use, nor are rituals, religious ceremonies or empty worship.
24. Loehlin, Clinton Herbert (1964) . The Sikhs and Their Scriptures (Second edition ed.). Lucknow Publishing House. p. 42. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)
25. "Sikh Reht Maryada - Anand Sanskar : (Sikh Matrimonial Ceremony and Conventions)". Retrieved 2006-06-08.
26. Mansukhani, Gobind Singh (1977). Introduction to Sikhism. India: Hemkunt Press. Retrieved 2006-06-11.
27. "Sikh Reht Maryada - Funeral Ceremonies (Antam Sanskar)". Retrieved 2006-06-08.
28. Simmonds, David (1992). Believers All: A Book of Six World Religions. Nelson Thornes. pp. 120–121. ISBN 0-17-437057-1.

References

External links

Template:Sikht

• DhanGuruNanak.com
• Shabad Gurbani - Shabad Gurbani Kirtan live 24x7.
• The Sikhism Home Page - General resource site introducing the main concepts of Sikhism.
• Sikh History - Site on Sikh History.
• All About Sikhs - Sikhism resource site.
• Sri Granth - Guru Granth Sahib search engine with additional scriptural resources.
• SikhNet - Popular Sikh community website.
• Sikhism Guide - Guide to the Sikh religion. History of the Sikh Gurus and saints. Information on Sikh gurdwaras.
• Guru Gobind Singh Study Circle - A Socio-Religious Non-Profit Sikh Organization (ISO 9001:2000 Certified)
• Sikhiwiki: a Sikh Wiki

v t e Sikhism
Glossary and History
Gurus	Guru Nanak Guru Angad Guru Amar Das Guru Ram Das Guru Arjan Guru Hargobind Guru Har Rai Guru Har Krishan Guru Tegh Bahadur Guru Gobind Singh Guru Granth Sahib (Sikh holy book)
Philosophy	Beliefs and principles Guru Maneyo Granth Sikh Rehat Maryada The 52 Hukams Prohibitions Cannabis and Sikhism Diet in Sikhism
Practices	Khalsa Sikh practices Sikh rites Ardās Kirtan Langar Naam Karan Anand Karaj Amrit Sanchar Amrit Velā Antam Sanskar Three Pillars Kirat Karo Naam Japo Vand Chhako The Five Ks Simran Sewa Charhdi Kala Dasvand Jhatka
Scripture	Guru Granth Sahib Dasam Granth Sarbloh Granth Gurbani Mul Mantar Japji Sahib Chaupai Jaap Sahib Rehras Sukhmani Sahib Tav-Prasad Savaiye
Architecture	Gurdwara Harmandir Sahib Janam Asthan Darbar Sahib Kartarpur List Africa Asia Europe North America Bahadurgarh Fort Fateh Burj Hazuri Bagh Baradari Kesgarh Qila Khanda museum Moti Bagh Palace Nanak Shahi bricks Pul Kanjri Qila Mubarak, Patiala Ramgarhia Bunga Samadhi of Ranjit Singh Well of Dina Nath
By country	Diaspora Afghanistan Australia Austria Bangladesh Belgium Canada Vancouver China Denmark Fiji Finland France Germany Greece India Jammu and Kashmir Kochi Punjab Indonesia Iran Iraq Italy Japan Malaysia Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Niue Norway Pakistan Panama Poland Singapore South Africa South Korea Sweden Switzerland Thailand United Arab Emirates United Kingdom England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland United States U.S. Military
Groups, sects and communities	Sects of Sikhism Khalsa Mina Namdhari Nanakpanthi Nihang Nirankari Sewapanthi Nirmala Ramraiya Udasi Mazhabi Sikh Piara Singh Bhaniara Agrahari Sikh Jatha Damdami Taksal Akhand Kirtani Jatha Singh Sabha Contemporary Sant Mat movements 3HO
Sikh Empire	v t e Sikh Empire Rulers Ranjit Singh Kharak Singh Nau Nihal Singh Chand Kaur Sher Singh Jind Kaur Duleep Singh Military conflicts Mughal-Sikh Wars Battle of Bhangani Nadaun Basoli 1st Anandpur 2nd Anandpur Chamkaur Sarsa Muktsar Sonepat Samana Sirhind Sadhaura Chappar Chiri Rahon Lohgarh Jalalabad Jammu Gurdas Nangal Delhi Afghan–Sikh wars Battle of Attock Battle of Multan Battle of Shopian Battle of Nowshera Battle of Peshawar Battle of Jamrud First Anglo-Sikh War Battle of Mudki Battle of Ferozeshah Battle of Aliwal Battle of Sobraon Second Anglo-Sikh War Battle of Ramnagar Battle of Chillianwala Siege of Multan Battle of Gujrat Others Nepal–Sikh War, Sino-Sikh war, Katoch–Sikh War, Hill States–Sikh Wars, Panchayati Revolution, List of battles involving the Sikh Empire Military forces Sikh Khalsa Army Fauj-i-Khas Fauj-i-Ain Kampu-i-mu'alla Adversaries Mughal Empire Durrani Empire Emirate of Afghanistan British East India Company Kingdom of Nepal Qing Empire Hill States Alliance Kingdom of Mankera Namgyal dynasty Barakzai dynasty Sudhans of Poonch Maqpon Dynasty Forts Jamrud Fort Multan Fort Harkishangarh Lahore Fort Zorawar Fort Bahu Fort Gobindgarh Fort Phillaur Fort Officials and warriors Natives Dhian Singh Diwan Dina Nath Diwan Bhawani Das Diwan Buta Singh Pratap Singh Misr Diwan Chand Diwan Mulraj Hari Singh Nalwa Mahan Singh Mirpuri Dewan Mokham Chand Khushal Singh Jamadar Zorawar Singh Tej Singh Lal Singh Gulab Singh Balbhadra Kunwar Jawahar Singh Mehta Basti Ram Sham Singh Attariwalla Sher Singh Attariwalla Chattar Singh Attariwalla Desa Singh Majithia Amar Singh Majithia Lehna Singh Majithia Ranjodh Singh Majithia Surat Singh Majithia Mangal Singh Ramgarhia Akali Phula Singh Chandu Lal Ajit Singh Sandhawalia Kahan Singh Nakai Sangat Singh Saini Hukma Singh Veer Singh Jarnail Ghaus Khan Ilahi Bakhsh Fakir Azizuddin Sultan Mahmud Khan Malik Fateh Khan Tiwana Sohan Lal Suri Moti Ram Diwan Ram Dayal Diwan Kirpa Ram Foreigners Jean-François Allard Jean-Baptiste Ventura Claude Auguste Court François Henri Mouton Alexander Gardner Paolo Avitabile Josiah Harlan Johann Martin Honigberger Henry Lawrence Influential families Sandhawalia family Majithia family Tiwana family Treaties Treaty of Amritsar (1809) Tripartite Treaty (1838) Treaty of Chushul (1842) Treaty of Lahore (1846) Treaty of Amritsar (1846) Miscellaneous Khalsa Darbar records
Festivals	Bandi Chhor Divas Hola Mohalla Maghi Mela Maghi Vaisakhi
Other topics	History Culture Art Music Ik Onkar Waheguru Khanda Panj Pyare Films Literature Music Names Places Politics Sikhs in the British Indian Army 11th Sikh Regiment Sikh Regiment Sikh Light Infantry Nanakshahi calendar Ramananda Fariduddin Ganjshakar Kabir Sardar Dastar Dharamyudh Islam Jainism Hinduism Rama Sikhs Ravidassia Women in Sikhism Sikhism and sexual orientation In Fiction Idolatry in Sikhism Criticism Punjab History Punjabis Punjabi language (Gurmukhī) Sacred trees
Takht	Akal Takht Damdama Sahib Kesgarh Sahib Hazur Sahib Patna Sahib
Outline Category

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