Importance of Rehat maryada

I do apologise for my comment "To use the Rehat Maradya as an example of what the Gurus stood for is a joke.", reflecting on that, I realise that may sound offensive.

People have all faiths have written in the Guru Granth Sahib. Kabir, for example, a born Muslim who later joined a Monistic form of Hinduism. Islam requires one to cut body hair. Although he left Islam, I highly doubt every writer in the Guru Granth Sahib kept uncut hair. Therefore people derive values from the Guru Granth Sahib which even it's writers did not adhere to. (For the record; I do agree that cutting the hair is illogical). But my point is that none of the Gurus wrote such a code of conduct. The message was more general. We are to take the Guru Granth Sahib as our Guru, just as Guru Gobind Singh Jee said. Follow a Maradaya if you wish, but do not mock those who do not as somehow impious. Gurus preached true living, restraint and closeness to God. People of all faiths and none can learn from the Guru. It is pretty evident from a reading of the Guru Granth Sahib alone that it is universal and not prescriptive. God is beyond religion and the Khalsa. Guru is beyond religion and Amritdharis (as opposed to Khalsa, those who live pure).
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/sikh-sikhi-sikhism/32183-importance-of-rehat-maryada.html
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=32183

Apologies if I said anything wrong or hurtful. I am learning too. Perhaps we should create a separate thread on this issue!

 
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Dear CC

You are forgetting that Guru granth sahib also has bani of sheikh farid who was a devout muslim and believed that islam is the only way of Salvation on the other hand Guru granth sahib has bani of some bhagats who may have been idol worshippers . So one cannot say that views of all bhagats were same.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=32183

As far SRM is concerned it is not only for amritdhari sikhs but for all who believe that they are part of sikhism.On the other hand you can find many many people in Gurdwara's who love kirtan of Guru granth sahiband love to do sewa but do not consider themseelves as part of sikhism.

There is NO COMPULSION. PERIOD. SIKHI is by CHOICE- 100% !! Simply because its Path is wallon nikki (thinner than hair) and Khandoahn tikhi (sharper than the blade of a 16 pilot..etc etc Khanda)..thus its IMPOSSIBLE for just about EVERYONE to consider himself/herself a "member"is not right....not every american soldier is a MARINE..not every soldier is a Commando..not every soldier is a f16 pilot..BUT indeed ALL are "Armed Forces"...so YES ALL can be "SIKHS"...and yet not be the same as far as their commitment goes...one cna GO as FAR and as DEEP as one wants..up till physical SHAHADAT as Bhai Mani Singh, Bhai Taru Singh etc went or just as far as any one like you or me...BOTTOM LINE..NO COMPULSION...you or me has absolutley NO FORCE to become a Bhai Mani Singh and get chopped up to prove ones Sikhi...or become a Bhinderawallah and challenge the might of Modern Indian Armed Forces ...FREEDOM OFCHOICE is INHERENT in GURMATT.

Sikh Rehat Maryada is the biggest achievement of Sikh Panth in last 300 + years . It is due to this Maryada only that a faith like Sikhism is still surviving otherwise it could have long been history . An example is the Maryadas of various Sampradas , Nanaksarias , AKJ , Damdami Taksaal & countless of Deras , Sants , Brahmgianis , Mahapurakhs etc etc who are doing nothing but creating various factions amongst the Panth creating furthur divisions in this already miniscule minority . Actually SRM is the only time Sikh Panth was united in 300+ years otherwise we all are at each other's throats even today. The ones who have problems with SRM ( whatever shortcomings it may have ) are those like RSS touts ,Babas , Sants who have no place in Sikh panth if we go by SRM & Gurbani hence their whole livelihood is at stake . Unfortunately many ignorant Sikhs become tools in hands of these Anti-Panth forces & downplay the importance of SRM . There is another portion of so called Sikhs who have problem with SRM especially who are so called CLEAN SHAVEN SIKHS ( Rodas , Ghona Monas ) who wish to change Panth according to their wishes rather than changing themselves to the wishes of the Guru & Guru panth .

Gyani ji

I beg to differ here .History has clear prooves that whenever given choice
Humans choose easy path rather than difficult one.Please tell me why should one choose to follow SRM if given choice .Majority of Future generation of Indian Sikhs will prefer to be hinduised clean shaven sikhs Rather than SRm following turbaned sikh.

I really find it interesting how people focus on the physical such as turbans (a cultural garment which is not going to get you to god). I also find it interesting how people focus moreso on teachings of scholars rather than the gurus, especially when the guru Granth contains poetry of Hindus Muslims and the like. Why does the guru Granth sahib have less weight than a rule book made by scholars some 200 years after guru gobind Singh?

I don't think anyone is saying that Guru granth sahib has less weight Than SRM.But problem is Guru granth sahib can be interpretted in 1000s of ways as it is written in poetry form
Even living Guru's quote from GGS to proove that Living Guru is must to reach god.So an average sikh totally gets confused What to do.

And again YOu are saying that it is made after 200 years which is not true.
because sikhs did not have original copy of SRM and there are many Rehat maryada's of 18th century ,That's why scholars studied all aspects and created One version which too is not accepted by all sects

Caramal Chocolate Ji ,
Please read into Indian history , the reasons of the rise as well downfall of Jainism & Buddhism then we can clearly make out that alkaline sea of Brahminism commonly known as Hinduism is a big absorbing force in which many thousands of movements have been absorbed & no trace of them is left in the world today . Today countless efforts to revive Buddhism & Jainism in India have not yielded any fruit & Buddhism a major religion of the world is lost to India forever because in most Buddhist , Jianist temples & monastries Brahmins are sitting at the top who do not allow a real Buddhist or Jainist monk anywhere near the temple or monastry . As a result 99% of Jains are today worshipping 330 million Devi Devtas , calling Brahmins in their homes for religious ceremonies .Today there is relentless pressure of RSS & other forces to assimilate Sikhi into Hinduism , even in 1851 census the population of Sikhs was 10 Million which fell to 1.8 million in 1881 in just 30 years when under the pressure of British , newly converted Sikhs returned to their older religions ie Hinduism & Islam . The Britishers started taking photographs of full Baana Sikhs thinking that they would be a soon to be extinct community & would be found in museums only . That gave birth to Singh Sabha Movement which stemmed the rot leading to another glorious chapter in Sikh history The Gurudwara Movement , The Akali Movement which culminated in the formation of SGPC , The Gurudwara Act 1925 & The Sikh Rehat Maryada in 1945 . Thus The Singh Sabha Movement saved Sikhi forever by the formation of Sikh Rehat Maryada .

How can you say that:

“how I really find it interesting how people focus on the physical such as turbans

“Do you know meaning of Turban why Guru jee has given us the Turban

(a cultural garment which is not going to get you to god).

Follow the Answer:

This is not a Cultural Garment .The Turban is Sardari King used to where the Turban and Guru jee has given us the Turban.

Please do not call the Turban to be Cultural Garment and it’s going to get you to GOD. If you can not listen to the God than how you will find the god

Read Guru Granth sahib Panna (page 1102)

ਪਹਿਲਾਮਰਣੁਕਬੂਲਿਜੀਵਣਕੀਛਡਿਆਸ॥ पहिलामरणुकबूलिजीवणकीछडिआस॥ Pahilā maraṇ kabūl jīvaṇ kī cẖẖad ās. First, accept death, and give up any hope of life.

ਹੋਹੁਸਭਨਾਕੀਰੇਣੁਕਾਤਉਆਉਹਮਾਰੈਪਾਸਿ॥੧॥ होहुसभनाकीरेणुकातउआउहमारैपासि॥१॥ Hohu sabẖnā kī reṇukā ṯa▫o ā▫o hamārai pās. ||1|| Become the dust of the feet of all, and then, you may come to me

The turban, since ancient times, has been of significant import in the Punjab, the land of the five rivers and the birthplace of Sikhism. There was a time when only kings, royalty, and those of high stature wore turbans. Two people would trade their turbans to show love or friendship towards each other.
At the time of Sikhism's birth, the majority of people in India, and even today, comprised the lower castes, mainly composed of peasants, laborers and servants. Many were literally owned by the upper castes and were severely maltreated. The Sikh Gurus (prophets/teachers) sought to uplift the downtrodden and make them the equals of the highest of the high. Guru Nanak, the founder of the Sikh faith, states in his divine revelation:
Nanak seeks the company of the lowest of the low class, the very lowest of the low. Why should he try to compete with the great? Where the lowly are cared for, there lies the Grace of the Merciful Bestower.
The Sikh Gurus sought to end all caste distinctions and vehemently opposed stratification of society by any means. They diligently worked to create an egalitarian society dedicated to justice and equality. The turban is certainly a gift of love from the founders of the Sikh religion and is symbolic of sovereignty that is of Divine concession. According to Sirdar Kapur Singh, a Sikh theologian and statesman, "When asked by Captain Murray, the British Charge-de-affairs at Ludhiana in about 1830, for the captain's gallant mind was then wholly preoccupied with the Doctrine of Legitimacy, recently evolved or rediscovered by European statesmen at the Congress at Vienna, as to from what source the Sikhs derived their claim to earthly sovereignty, for the rights of treaty or lawful succession they had none; Bhai Rattan Singh Bhangu [a Sikh historian], replied promptly, 'The Sikhs' right to earthly sovereignty is based on the Will of God as authenticated by the Guru, and therefore, other inferior sanctions are unnecessary.'" (Parasaraprasna, by Kapur Singh, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, 1989, p. 130-131.)
The turban has been an integral part of the Sikh Tradition since the time of Guru Nanak Dev. Historical accounts relay to us that all Sikh Gurus wore turbans and their followers --Sikhs-- have been wearing them since the formation of the faith.
The turban serves as a mark of commitment to the Sikh Gurus. It distinguishes a Sikh as an instrument of the Guru and decrees accountability for certain spiritual and temporal duties. It is a mark of the Guru and declares that the Sikh wearing a turban is a servant of the Divine Presence.
Wearing the turban gives much inner strength as well. Sikhs take this gift of the Guru with them everywhere they go. Just by being exposed to this regal quality, their attitudes and psyche get shaped in a certain way. At the same time, there is a great deal of responsibility accompanied by the turban. A person's actions are no longer just tied to him or her. Since Sikhs who wear the turban represent the Guru, their actions too reflect on the Guru and the Sikh Nation. In this sense, the turban serves to increase a Sikh's commitment to Sikhism and lends to him or her becoming a more disciplined and virtuous person.
The next time you see a Sikh, greet him or her and know that the turban you see is the same turban and stood up against oppression against those identified as lower castes in India.

Page 74, Line 9
ਮੈਗੁਰਮਿਲਿਉਚਦੁਮਾਲੜਾ॥
मैगुरमिलिउचदुमालड़ा॥
Mai gur mil ucẖ ḏumālṛā.
I met with the Guru, and I have tied a tall, plumed turban.
Page 330, Line 2
ਜਿਹਸਿਰਿਰਚਿਰਚਿਬਾਧਤਪਾਗ॥
जिहसिरिरचिरचिबाधतपाग॥
Jih sir racẖ racẖ bāḏẖaṯ pāg.
That head which was once embellished with the finest turban
Page 470, Line 17
ਦੁਇਧੋਤੀਬਸਤ੍ਰਕਪਾਟੰ॥
दुइधोतीबसत्रकपाटं॥
Ḏu▫e ḏẖoṯī basṯar kapātaʼn.
upon your head is a turban, and you wear two loin cloths
Page 727, Line 17
ਖੂਬੁਤੇਰੀਪਗਰੀਮੀਠੇਤੇਰੇਬੋਲ॥
खूबुतेरीपगरीमीठेतेरेबोल॥
Kẖūb ṯerī pagrī mīṯẖe ṯere bol.
How handsome is your turban! And how sweet is your speech
Page 1084, Line 9
ਨਾਪਾਕਪਾਕੁਕਰਿਹਦੂਰਿਹਦੀਸਾਸਾਬਤਸੂਰਤਿਦਸਤਾਰਸਿਰਾ॥੧੨॥
नापाकपाकुकरिहदूरिहदीसासाबतसूरतिदसतारसिरा॥१२॥
Nāpāk pāk kar haḏūr haḏīsā sābaṯ sūraṯ ḏasṯār sirā. ||12||
Purify what is impure, and let the Lord's Presence be your religious tradition. Let your total awareness be the turban on your head.


Gurfateh