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Originally Posted by Narayanjot Kaur  I think these are valid quesitons Atheist ji -- and they have been raised before. Gyani Singh ji once wrote an essay in which he traced the history of that part of the SRM -- how the authors arrived at this conclusion. It is not his reply to you below. I will try to find it in our threads. Nonetheless -- in this day and age it is very hard to accept the idea that a disabled person is not "whole" enough. |
Gyani ji gave the answer that the panj must keep a steady watch on the amrit, sit in bir assan position, and recite bani over a period of time. They must do all 3 of these things simultaneously. Someone who is physically disabled might be able to keep watch on the amrit, and recite bani but not sit for several hours in bir assan. Someone who is blind would not be able to keep watch on the amrit, but be capable of the other 2. Someone who was mute, would not be able to recite the bani, but sit bir assan and watch the armit.
And for each possible disability all these combinations of "cans and cannots" multiple out. So the practical solution was to require the panj to be completely able bodied. Once again, what appears at first discriminatory in SRM, once analyzed, has a practical reason behind it. Here is what Gyani said.\
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The "Requirements" of Bir-Assan, having One Hand on the Batta Edge and the other stirring the KHanda, keeping BOTH eyes on the Amrit...are PHYSICAL QUALIFICATIONS.
This has absolutley nothing to do with "Equality..discrimination..whatever. Just as a" Physically Blind " cannot be a pilot/driver....(simplistic example)...so a paraplegic cannot hold the khanda/stir the Amrit...or sit in Bir Assan....and simialrly a BLIND person wouldnt be able to concentrate on the Amarit with hsi eyesight....and a MUTE wouldnt be able to RECITE the Banis necessary....
I have had to answer this sort of queries umpteen times in the past 30 years of my academic life....and my reply is always as above. The "physical qualities" are not meant to discriminate..BUT FACILITATE the proper procedire for preparing the PAHUL and Administration of Amrit.
2. The Amrit is administered into the KESH....and into the EYES besides being given to be drunk by the abhilakhees.
http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=19513 (Amrit Sanchar Ceremony)