How important is uncut hair (kesh)?

Charan · #10 (**permalink**) 22-Jun-2010, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soul_jyot

http://www.gurbani.org/gurblog/2009/08/15/the-gurbani-says-judge-yourself-not-others/

THE GURBANI SAYS JUDGE YOURSELF, NOT OTHERS

ਨਾਨਕਪਰਖੇਆਪਕਉਤਾਪਾਰਖੁਜਾਣੁ॥: Nanak parkhe aap kayu ta paarakh jaan: O Nanak, if someone judges himself, only then is he known as a real judge (Sri Guru Granth Sahib 148 ).
ਇਸੁਮਨਕਉਕੋਈਖੋਜਹੁਭਾਈ॥: Is mann kayu koee khojo bhaaee: Let each person examine his own mind, O brother (Sri Guru Granth Sahib 1128 ).

Here we have it.
Judging others is a madness – pastime of a crazy, worldly person in control of his false ego-sense (Haumai): lust, anger, and so on. Also called Manmukh — materialistic or unenlightened being — the daily life of a such person engrossed in evil ways is full of its natural contentions, contradictions, jealousy, usual competitions, selfishness, corruption, falsehood, baser desires and fears. Consequently, he ends up living a wrong life in all his worldly contacts and experiences; thus wasting useful time and energy by undergoing tensions, strains, and creating chaos and confusion within and without.

ਮਨਮੁਖਬੋਲਿਨਜਾਣਨ੍ਹ੍ਹੀਓਨਾਅੰਦਰਿਕਾਮੁਕ੍ਰੋਧੁਅਹੰਕਾਰੁ॥ਥਾਉਕੁਥਾਉਨਜਾਣਨੀਸਦਾਚਿਤਵਹਿਬਿਕਾਰ॥: Manmukh boli na jaananee onaa andari kaam krodh ahankaar ..: The Manmukhs (material beings) do not even know how to speak. They are filled with lust, anger and false pride (i.e. all evil passions, which are the faults of the same false ego-sense or Haume). They do not know the difference between good and bad; they constantly think of corruption (Sri Guru Granth Sahib 1248 ).

Judging (Parkhanaa, Parakh, etc.) oneself means to know "Who Am I?", and then improve himself through self-purification and self-observation while alive – not after death, but here and now. To know the time as time, to know the space as space, to know the world-appearance as appearance, to know the Source as Source, and to know oneself as the Source (Joti-Svaroopa) is being the "real judge" (Paarkhoo). This only is Self-Realization — to know one’s Essential Nature as Pure Awareness (Joti-Svaroopa).

We are strongly urged by the Gurbani to renounce such "evil ways". Instead, we are challenged by the Gurbani to look within to examine and judge ourselves – and eradicate our own negativity, Bikaars, faults, shortcomings, etc. If we dare doing what the Gurbani asks us to do here, then and only then one will be known as the "real judge".

ਪ੍ਰਣਵਤਿਨਾਨਕਗਿਆਨੀਕੈਸਾਹੋਇ॥ਆਪੁਪਛਾਣੈਬੂਝੈਸੋਇ॥: Pranvat Nanak giaanee kaisaa hoi. Aap pashaanai boojhai soi: Prays Nanak, what’s the nature of the Giaanee (the Spiritual Being, the Wise one, etc.)? (He is the trure Giaanee) who recognizes his Real Self (Originality, Essential Nature, etc.), such (the Self-Realized one) understands God (Sri Guru Granth Sahib 25).

ਇਉਕਹੈਨਾਨਕੁਮਨਤੂੰਜੋਤਿਸਰੂਪੁਹੈਅਪਣਾਮੂਲੁਪਛਾਣੁ॥੫॥: Iou kahai Nanak mann toon joti saroop hai apanaa mool pashaan ||5||: Thus says Nanak: O my mind, you are the embodiment or the True Image of the Divine Light (i.e., God) – recognize your Origin ||5|| (Sri Guru Granth Sahib 441).

************************************************** **********************
Personally I follow the following teachings of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji:

ਏਕੁਪਿਤਾਏਕਸਕੇਹਮਬਾਰਿਕਤੂਮੇਰਾਗੁਰਹਾਈ॥: The One God is our Father; we all are the children of the One God (Sri Guru Granth Sahib 611).

ਏਕ ਨੂਰ ਤੇ ਸਭੁ ਜਗੁ ਉਪਜਿਆ ਕਉਨ ਭਲੇ ਕੋ ਮੰਦੇ ॥੧॥: Ek noor te sabh jagu upjiaa kaoun bhale ko mande ||1||: From this One Light, the entire universe has welled up. So who is good, and who is bad? ||1|| (Sri Guru Granth Sahib 1349).

With Divine love & Blessings of Waheguru Ji,

Harbhajan S. Sangha

Ah, wonderful!

Charan · #11 (**permalink**) 22-Jun-2010, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mai Harinder Kaur

It takes more than kesh and Kaur/Singh somewhere in your name to make a Sikh. (But that's a start.)

Exactly

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mai Harinder Kaur

Charan ji, why do I feel that I'm being led into a trap of some sort?

Hehe, no, it’s human I guess. Especially in your case, it is completely understandable that uncut/cut hair influences someone’s first impression on you.. thinking about 1984 and your past.

jasminsandhu · #12 (**permalink**) 22-Jun-2010, 21:07 PM

Back to your question before:
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/31056-how-important-is-uncut-hair-kesh.html

"1. Do you tend to DISLIKE/NOT RESPECT people who do NOT keep their hair uncut?

2. Do you tend to LIKE/RESPECT people with UNcut hair more?"

I think I personally do tend to give maybe more respect to people with uncut hair. Purely because I admire their strength and will to keep it, especially in a western country such as England, where not all people can be respectful to other faiths. I personally hope I will be able to have as much courage and will to keep my hair uncut as those people who already do. I am trying my best!

jasbirkaleka · #13 (**permalink**) 22-Jun-2010, 22:33 PM

I fully agree with S.Sarup Singh Alag that we should live in confomity with nature and roam around naked because that is how Akal Purukh created us.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=31056
And further, as he writes, "Sikh of the Guru neither comes nor goes naked from the world because all parts of his body are covered with the precious gift of hair".Absolulely a new find from a great scholar.
The sooner we start living according to God"s will, more pleased the Almighty will be.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=31056
And what a wonderful sight it will be.
I eagerly await the great awakening

.

gursikhi.jeevan · #14 (**permalink**) 23-Jun-2010, 01:30 AM

A lot of people in Sikhism state over and over again that, one has to be good person, pray, and not do wrong and then they say taking amrit is not important. Our Guru Gobind Singh Jee made us Khalsa and Sikhs are Khalsa. If anyone cuts there hair they entirely are not Sikhs because a Sikh is an amritdhari. And for me this is the real identity of a Sikh. Even when introducing someone to Sikhism for the first time, people tend to show a picture of a man with beard and turban. Because they know that this is how a Sikh looks like. But then most people call themselves Sikhs but fully don't accept the religion. When someone has fully accepted Sikhism he/she is known as amritdhari.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=31056
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=31056

Following Sikhism does not mean going to Gurdwara and praying. Following Sikhism is living Sikhism. One does not just get Sikhi, they have to earn it. Being Amritdhari is one step toward earning Sikhi.

Mai Harinder Kaur · #15 (**permalink**) 23-Jun-2010, 01:53 AM

Thanks, Jasbirkaleka ji, I needed that! The only problem I see is that one cannot go naked and also wear kachera, I think. Not sure how to handle that one.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=31056

More seriously, I agree to some extent with gursikhi.jeevan, but not totally. Some do not yet have the courage and/or commitment to keep kesh. These must not be discouraged; they need the opportunity to grow. On the other hand, I have never been able to see the point of being a Sikh unless the individual is either Amritdhari or working toward becoming Amritdhari.

I must point out here that accepting the blessing of Amrit is the just the first step in becoming a Khalsa. The name of Khalsa is given at Amrit, the reality is still far down the road. Who among us is really Khalsa - pure? We just keep plodding along, working at it.

And one step toward accepting Amrit is keeping kesh.

:happykaur:

Charan · #16 (**permalink**) 23-Jun-2010, 04:24 AM

Thanks guys, for sharing your views. 8-)